bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multiple signals modulate the activity of the complex sensor kinase TodS
Authors: Silva‐Jiménez Hortencia , Ortega Álvaro , García‐Fontana Cristina , Ramos Juan Luis , Krell Tino 
Published: July 2014

SummaryThe reason for the existence of complex sensor kinases is little understood but thought to lie in the capacity to respond to multiple signals. The complex, seven‐domain sensor kinase TodS controls in concert with the TodT response regulator the expression of the toluene dioxygenase pathway in Pseudomonas putida F1 and DOT‐T1E. We have previously shown that some aromatic hydrocarbons stimulate TodS activity whereas others behave as antagonists. We show here that TodS responds in addition to the oxidative agent menadione. Menadione but no other oxidative agent tested inhibited TodS activity in vitro and reduced PtodX expression in vivo. The menadione signal is incorporated by a cysteine‐dependent mechanism. The mutation of the sole conserved cysteine of TodS (C320) rendered the protein insensitive to menadione. We evaluated the mutual opposing effects of toluene and menadione on TodS autophosphorylation. In the presence of toluene, menadione reduced TodS activity whereas toluene did not stimulate activity in the presence of menadione. It was shown by others that menadione increases expression of glucose metabolism genes. The opposing effects of menadione on glucose and toluene metabolism may be partially responsible for the interwoven regulation of both catabolic pathways. This work provides mechanistic detail on how complex sensor kinases integrate different types of signal molecules.
A follow‐up meeting post death is appreciated by family members of deceased patients
Authors: KOCK M. , BERNTSSON C. , BENGTSSON A. 
Published: July 2014

BackgroundA practice with a follow‐up meeting post death (FUMPD) with physician and staff for family members of patients who died in the intensive care unit (ICU) was started as a quality project to improve the support of families in post‐ICU bereavement. A quality improvement control was conducted after 4 years.MethodThe quality improvement control was made retrospectively as an anonymous non‐coded questionnaire. Part A related to the FUMPD. Part B inquired if we could contact the family member again for a research project to evaluate family support post‐ICU bereavement. The questionnaires were sent to 84 family members of 56 deceased patients.ResultsPart A: 46 out of 84 family members answered and had attended a FUMPD. Ninety‐one percent of the family members thought that we should continue to offer FUMPD. Seventy‐eight percent were satisfied with their meeting. Eighty percent felt that they understood the cause of death. The majority wanted the meeting to take place within 6 weeks of death. Ninety‐one percent rated the physician as important to be present at the meeting. The social worker was rated more important to attend the meeting than the assistant nurse. Ninety‐one percent wanted to discuss the cause of death.Part B: 54 out of 84 family members answered. Twenty out of 54 did not want us to contact them again.ConclusionA routine with a Follow‐Up Meeting Post Death with the ICU team for the families of the patients who die in the ICU is appreciated. The presence of the physician is important.
Olive, grass or both? Molecular diagnosis for the allergen immunotherapy selection in polysensitized pollinic patients
Authors: Moreno C. , Justicia J. L. , Quiralte J. , Moreno‐Ancillo Á. , Iglesias‐Cadarso A. , Torrecillas M. , Labarta N. , García M. A. , Dávila I. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackgroundGrass and olive are the most frequently pollens that induce seasonal allergic rhinitis in Spain. Cross‐reactivity due to panallergens shared by them and overlapping pollination complicates the recognition of allergy‐causing agents, making it difficult to identify the most appropriate allergen immunotherapy (AIT) to use. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitization pattern to major grass and olive pollen allergens using component‐resolved diagnostics in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and positive skin prick test to grass and olive pollens and evaluate how knowledge of the sensitization patterns might influence AIT prescription.MethodsAfter informed written consent, a total of 1263 patients were recruited. A serum determination of specific IgE levels to Ole e 1 and Phl p 1 + 5 was performed to all patients. A comparison was made before and after obtaining the specific IgE results, and differences in diagnosis were stated.ResultsAt the 0.35 kU/l cut‐off point, 71.2% of patients were positive to Ole e 1 and Phl p 1 + 5, 14% were positive only to Phl p 1 + 5 and 12% were positive only to Ole e 1. Based on available clinical data and skin prick test results, 922 (73%) patients would have been indicated for a mixture of grass and olive pollens for AIT. In 56.8% of patients, there was non‐coincidence in the composition of AIT that would be selected before and after investigators received the in vitro data.ConclusionThe diagnostic accuracy of the recombinant allergen‐specific IgE test could help to improve the selection of specific‐allergen immunotherapy in polysensitized patients.
Streamlining the assessment of haematuria: 3‐year outcomes of a dedicated haematuria clinic
Authors: Sapre Nikhil , Hayes Elizabeth , Bugeja Pat , Corcoran Niall M. , Costello Anthony J. , Anderson Paul D. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackgroundUrgent assessment of haematuria is critical to exclude malignancy. The objective of this study is to report the outcomes of the first 3 years of a dedicated haematuria clinic at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, a Victorian tertiary hospital.MethodsAll patients assessed in the haematuria clinic from April 2010 to April 2013 were included in the analysis. Outcomes were recorded prospectively and analysed retrospectively.ResultsA total of 643 patients were seen in the haematuria clinic with non‐visible (170, 26%) and visible haematuria (463, 72%) during this time period, all within 28 days of referral being triaged. Sixty‐five (10%) patients were diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma, 63 with lower tract disease and two with upper tract urothelial carcinoma and another five (1%) patients with other tumours. Thirty out of 63 (48%) of the bladder urothelial carcinomas were invasive or high‐grade. Two hundred and sixty‐seven (42%) patients were discharged from the clinic after a single point of contact. One hundred and fifty‐three (24%) patients were referred for further definitive management of suspected pathology. Two hundred and twenty‐three (34%) patients were referred to outpatients clinic for further investigations. Urothelial carcinoma was diagnosed more often in males, older patients and patients with visible haematuria.ConclusionThe Royal Melbourne Hospital haematuria clinic has served as an effective tool for rapid, streamlined assessment of patients presenting with haematuria. Follow‐up of investigations by nurses and moving towards a ‘one‐stop’ approach are helping to further decrease the number of patients requiring a second clinic visit.
Associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in precursor-microRNA (miR)-125a and the expression of mature miR-125a with the development and prognosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases
Authors: Inoue Y , Watanabe M , Inoue N , Kagawa T , Shibutani S , Otsu H , Saeki M , Takuse Y , Hidaka Y , Iwatani Y 
Published: July 2014

Summary
It is important to search the biomarker to predict the development and prognosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) such as Hashimoto's disease (HD) and Graves' disease (GD). MicroRNA (miR) bind directly to the 3′ untranslated region of specific target mRNAs to suppress the expression of proteins, promote the degradation of target mRNAs and regulate immune response. miR-125a is known to be a negative regulator of regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), interleukin (IL)-6 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; however, its association with AITDs remains unknown. To clarify the association between AITDs and miR-125a, we genotyped the rs12976445 C/T, rs10404453 A/G and rs12975333 G/T polymorphisms in the MIR125A gene, which encodes miR-125a, using direct sequencing and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) methods in 155 patients with GD, 151 patients with HD and 118 healthy volunteers. We also examined the expression of miR-125a in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 55 patients with GD, 79 patients with HD and 38 healthy volunteers using quantitative real-time PCR methods. We determined that the CC genotype and C allele of the rs12976445 C/T polymorphism were significantly more frequent in patients with HD compared with control subjects (P &lt; 0·05) and in intractable GD compared with GD in remission (P &lt; 0·05). The expression of miR-125a was correlated negatively with age (P = 0·0010) and down-regulated in patients with GD compared with control subjects (P = 0.0249). In conclusion, miR-125a expression in PBMCs and the rs12976445 C/T polymorphism were associated with AITD development and prognosis.
Evaluation of local cancellous bone amelioration by poly‐l‐dl‐lactide copolymers to improve primary stability of dental implants: a biomechanical study in sheep
Authors: Stübinger Stefan , Waser Jasmin , Hefti Thomas , Drechsler Anika , Sidler Michéle , Klein Karina , von Rechenberg Brigitte , Schlottig Falko 
Published: July 2014

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of local cancellous bone amelioration by a 70:30 poly‐(l‐lactide‐co‐d,l‐Lacide) copolymer with two different implant designs on primary stability and after 4 and 12 weeks of healing time.Material and methodsIn six sheep, n = 36 implants (TH) with a conditioned, sandblasted, thermal acid‐etched micro‐rough surface and n = 36 implants (NB) with a highly crystalline and phosphate‐enriched anodized titanium oxide surface were placed in the pelvic bone. Using an ultrasound‐based process named Constant Amelioration Process (CAP), half of peri‐implant trabecular bone structures were locally tested with 70:30 poly‐(l‐lactide‐co‐d,l‐Lacide) copolymer in both implant groups, TH and NB. The CAP technology employs ultrasonic energy to liquefy 70:30 poly‐(l‐lactide‐co‐d,l‐Lacide) which enters the inter‐trabecular space, leading to local reinforcement of the cancellous bone structure after solidification of the copolymer. The CAP test group was compared with reference implants placed with the conventional site preparation according to the manufacturers' description. Primary stability was assessed by the measurement of torque‐in values and implant stability quotient (ISQ; n = 18 per group). Secondary stability was analyzed by biomechanical removal torque testing after 4 and 12 weeks (n = 9 per group).ResultsInsertion torque value (23.3 N cm ± 13.6) of reference TH implants demonstrated a statistically significant (P = 0.00) difference in comparison with test TH implants (41.9 N cm ± 19.5). Reference NB implants revealed a statistically significant (P = 0.03) lower insertion torque value (23.7 N cm ± 13.5) than test NB implants (39.7 N cm ± 18.6). ISQ values increased for all implants from initial implant placement until sacrifice at 12 weeks. Reference TH implants tended to result in an increase in torque values from 4 weeks (181.9 N cm ± 22.8) to 12 weeks (225.7 N cm ± 47.4). This trend could be also proven for implants of test sites (4 week: 176.8 N cm ± 24.1; 12 week: 201.5 N cm ± 53.4). For reference, NB implants a non‐significant increase in removal torque values from 4 weeks (146. 7 N cm ± 18.0) to 12 weeks (170.2 N cm ± 40.4) was observed. Removal torque values of test NB implants did not increase from 4 weeks (153.3 N cm ± 21.5) to 12 weeks (146.1 N cm ± 37.5).ConclusionBiomechanical data proved significantly enhanced primary stability of dental implants after local amelioration without long‐term sequelae and irrespective of implant design. After 4‐ and 12‐week healing time, removal torque of locally test implants was as high as for control implants, and osseointegration was therefore not influenced by the CAP process. No correlation between ISQ values and torque values was found.
Missing Value Imputation with Unsupervised Backpropagation
Authors: Gashler Michael S. , Smith Michael R. , Morris Richard , Martinez Tony 
Published: July 2014

AbstractMany data mining and data analysis techniques operate on dense matrices or complete tables of data. Real‐world data sets, however, often contain unknown values. Even many classification algorithms that are designed to operate with missing values still exhibit deteriorated accuracy. One approach to handling missing values is to fill in (impute) the missing values. In this article, we present a technique for unsupervised learning called unsupervised backpropagation (UBP), which trains a multilayer perceptron to fit to the manifold sampled by a set of observed point vectors. We evaluate UBP with the task of imputing missing values in data sets and show that UBP is able to predict missing values with significantly lower sum of squared error than other collaborative filtering and imputation techniques. We also demonstrate with 24 data sets and nine supervised learning algorithms that classification accuracy is usually higher when randomly withheld values are imputed using UBP, rather than with other methods.
Situational and contextual factors that increase the risk of harm when students drink: Case–control and case‐crossover investigation
Authors: Connor Jennie , Cousins Kimberly , Samaranayaka Ari , Kypri Kypros 
Published: July 2014

AbstractIntroduction and AimsBetter understanding of the circumstances of alcohol‐related adverse events experienced by university students could identify opportunities for prevention. We aimed to identify situational and contextual factors associated with unintentional injury, assault, unsafe sex, sexual assault and drink‐driving/riding amongst university students.Design and MethodsWe conducted a Web‐based survey of full‐time students aged 17–25 years at five New Zealand universities (n = 2683) and carried out between‐ and within‐subjects comparisons (case–control and case‐crossover, respectively) of situational and contextual characteristics of events in the last seven days and control drinking occasions.ResultsThe response fraction was 49%. For the seven days preceding the survey, 4.9% of women and 7.4% of men reported at least one of the defined events while they were drinking or soon after. The number of drinking locations and getting drunker than expected were strongly associated with risk of an event in both case–control and case‐crossover models, independent of consumption. Total number of drinks, drinking later and into the morning, and drinking with close friends were also associated with increased risk in the case–control analysis. No gender difference was seen after controlling for drinking and contextual factors.Discussion and ConclusionsStrategies to reduce the duration and volume of alcohol consumption, including earlier closing of licensed premises, should be considered as countermeasures for alcohol‐related adverse events. The use of two different comparison groups for the circumstances of adverse events when drinking can strengthen inferences about the contribution of contextual factors.
Receipt of preconception care among women with prepregnancy and gestational diabetes
Authors: Kachoria R. , Oza‐Frank R. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractAimsTo determine the extent of provision of preconception care among women with prepregnancy diabetes or women who develop gestational diabetes compared with women without diabetes and to examine the association between preconception care receipt and diabetes status, adjusting for maternal characteristics.MethodsData were collected from women who completed the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System questionnaire in 10 US states (Hawaii, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia) in the period 2009 to 2010. Weighted, self‐reported receipt of preconception care by diabetes status was examined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the association between preconception care receipt and diabetes status.ResultsOverall, 31% of women reported receiving preconception care. Women with prepregnancy diabetes (53%) reported the highest prevalence of preconception care, while women with gestational diabetes and women without diabetes reported a lower prevalence (32 and 31%, respectively). In the adjusted model, there was no difference in reported preconception care receipt between women with gestational diabetes and women without diabetes (odds ratio 1.1, 95% CI 0.9, 1.3), while women with prepregnancy diabetes were significantly more likely to report receipt of preconception care (odds ratio 2.2, 95% CI 1.5, 3.3) than women without diabetes.ConclusionsAlthough all women of reproductive age should receive preconception care, it is vital that women with known risk factors, such as those with prepregnancy diabetes and with risk factors for gestational diabetes, are counselled before pregnancy to optimize maternal and infant health outcomes. It is encouraging that women with prepregnancy diabetes report receiving preconception care more often than women on average, but preconception care is still not reaching all women at high risk.
Metabolic effects of lifestyle intervention in obese pregnant women. Results from the randomized controlled trial ‘Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ (LiP)
Authors: Vinter C. A. , Jørgensen J. S. , Ovesen P. , Beck‐Nielsen H. , Skytthe A. , Jensen D. M. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractAimsThe Lifestyle in Pregnancy intervention in obese pregnant women resulted in significantly lower gestational weight gain compared with the control group, but without improvement in rates of clinical pregnancy complications. The impact of the lifestyle intervention on metabolic measurements in the study participants is now reported.MethodsThe Lifestyle in Pregnancy study was a randomized controlled trial among 360 obese women (BMI 30–45 kg/m2) who were allocated in early pregnancy to lifestyle interventions with diet counselling and physical activities or to the control group. Fasting blood samples, including plasma glucose, insulin, lipid profile and capillary blood glucose during a 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test were carried out three times throughout pregnancy. Insulin resistance was estimated with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.ResultsThree hundred and four women (84%) were followed until delivery. Women in the intervention group had a significantly lower change in insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) from randomization to 28–30 weeks’ gestation compared with control subjects (mean ± sd: 0.7 ± 1.3 vs. 1.0 ± 1.3, P = 0.02). Despite a significantly lower gestational weight gain in the intervention group, there was no difference between the groups with respect to total cholesterol, HDL, LDL or triglycerides.ConclusionsLifestyle intervention in obese pregnant women resulted in attenuation of the physiologic pregnancy‐induced insulin resistance. Despite restricted gestational weight gain, there were no changes in glucose or lipid metabolism between the groups.
Characteristic RNA foci of the abnormal hexanucleotide GGCCUG repeat expansion in spinocerebellar ataxia type 36 (Asidan)
Authors: Liu W. , Ikeda Y. , Hishikawa N. , Yamashita T. , Deguchi K. , Abe K. 
Published: July 2014

Background and purposeSpinocerebellar ataxia type 36 (SCA36), also called Asidan, is an autosomal‐dominant neurodegenerative disorder identified as a hexanucleotide GGCCTG repeat expansion in the first intron 1 of the NOP56 gene. In the present study, for the first time an autopsy sample from an Asidan patient was examined and cytoplasmic inclusions and (GGCCUG)n repeat RNA foci were detected.MethodsHematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemical staining, as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization were used to investigate the cytoplasmic inclusions of ubiquitin and p62 and the (GGCCUG)n repeat RNA foci.ResultsThe present study showed both ubiquitin‐ and p62‐positive inclusions in the cytoplasm of the inferior olivary nucleus of the Asidan patient, (GGCCUG)n RNA foci in neuronal nuclei of the cerebrum, cerebellum, inferior olive, spinal cord and temporal muscle, and three types of RNA foci, i.e. single small, multiple small and giant. Of interest is that the giant RNA foci, nearly 10 μm in diameter, that were detected in Purkinje cells, spinal motor neurons and most frequently in the inferior olivary nucleus, may be responsible for pivotal clinical symptoms of Asidan.ConclusionsThe present study is the first report to show neuronal cytoplasmic inclusion bodies and giant RNA foci in an Asidan patient. The relationships between the giant RNA foci and neurodegeneration have yet to be studied.
First discovery of Stephanus Jurine (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae) in Japan, with description of a new species from Anijima Island of Ogasawara Islands
Authors: Watanabe Kyohei , van Achterberg Cornelis 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThe genus Stephanus Jurine (in Panzer) is newly recorded from Japan and is represented by a new species. S. anijimensis sp. nov. from Anijima Island of the Ogasawara Islands. This species resembles S. tridentatus van Achterberg & Yang from the Oriental part of China, but can be distinguished by the combination of following characters: pronotum with a cavity under pronotal fold (cavity absent in S. tridentatus); hind femur comparatively slender, 4.8–5.1 times as long as maximum width (about 4.1 times in S. tridentatus); apical 0.5 of hind femur black or blackish‐brown (more or less yellowish in S. tridentatus). This new species was not found from other islands of the Ogasawara Islands, in which fauna is being severely endangered mainly due to predation by the introduced green anoles. Recently, it was introduced into Anijima Island in March 2013 and thus the extinction risk of this species is very high on this island.