bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of training in mindfulness and affect consciousness on the therapeutic environment for patients with psychoses: an explorative intervention study
Authors: Eliassen Birgit K. , Sørlie Tore , Sexton Joseph , Høifødt Tordis S. 
Published: October 2015

RationaleThe ward atmosphere and the relationships between patients and staff contribute to the improvement in symptoms and psychiatric patient functioning and satisfaction. The quality of the therapeutic relationship is connected to the degree of self‐reflection and self‐awareness by the staff.ObjectiveTo examine the effect of two different training programmes for healthcare professionals on the ward atmosphere in wards for psychotic patients.Design and methodsExploratory intervention study with two eight‐week interventions of mindfulness training and affect‐consciousness training. The outcome was measured on mindfulness and on relevant subscales of the Ward Atmosphere Scale. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analysed using paired samples t‐tests and repeated measures anova.ResultsTwo groups professionals (n = 27 & n = 23) participated in the study. Improvements indicated that both interventions had a positive impact on the ward atmosphere.Study limitationsThe exploratory design and the small samples size make definitive conclusions difficult. Patient assessment on the ward atmosphere scale would have strengthened the validity of the results.ConclusionThe ward atmosphere in two different wards for psychotic patients improved after staff training in mindfulness or affect consciousness. There were differences in change profiles for the groups in accordance with the differences in the two interventions.Practice implicationsWe recommend awareness on the quality of the ward atmosphere in wards for psychotic patients. Both training in mindfulness and affect consciousness can support healthcare professionals in their awareness.
Why Do Patients with COPD Decline Rehabilitation
Authors: Mathar Helle , Fastholm Pernille , Hansen Ida Rode , Larsen Niels Sandholm 
Published: October 2015

AimThis paper aimed to suggest possible answers to the question: Why do patients with COPD decline pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)?MethodThe study is a metasynthesis inspired by Noblit of the existing qualitative research on the area. The data were collected during 2014. Six studies were found through a systematic literature search in relevant databases. In these six studies, 65 persons were identified as decliners of PR. Four themes were identified from these studies.ResultsThe themes identified were as follows: the referral process, transport problems, perception of health and other obligations or priorities. The problems with the referral of patients relate to different areas: the referring health professional's conviction and commitment, and the patients' understanding of the referral. It seems that various transport problems cause decline, for example long distance to the PR centre or the expenses of getting back and forth. Perceptions of health cause decline. Decliners feel too sick to join PR or do not identify themselves as a sick person, and do not want undertake the ‘patient role’. Other obligations or priorities such as work, family obligations and vacations are prioritised on behalf of PR causing decline.ConclusionThe studies included show patients' rational accounts and reflections on declining PR. The included studies tend to describe accounts for deselection of PR in relation to the preferences and beliefs of the patients rather than including the social and economic variables framing the behaviour and choices of the patients.
Facilitators and barriers for electronic social support
Authors: Yli‐Uotila Tiina , Kaunonen Marja , Pylkkänen Liisa , Suominen Tarja 
Published: October 2015

BackgroundNonprofit cancer societies play an important role in providing social support for patients with cancer through nonprofit electronic counselling services (ECS) provided by counselling nurses (CNs) with experience in oncology nursing. To date, there exist only few studies addressing the facilitators and barriers for social support of patients with cancer as reported by CNs.ObjectiveTo describe the facilitators and barriers for electronic social support of patients with cancer received from the ECS in the nonprofit cancer societies as reported by CNs.MethodsQualitative design with three group interviews was conducted with 10 CNs in three nonprofit cancer societies in southern and western parts of Finland. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and content analysed inductively.FindingsThe facilitators were promotion of the access to ECS, functioning structures of ECS, utilisation of the strengths of an individual CN in ECS, promotion of the life management of patients, patient‐centeredness as a basis of ECS and reliability of ECS. The barriers for electronic social support were the unmet paths between ECS and patients, nonfunctioning structures of ECS, inadequacy of mutual communication and lack of shared viewpoints between CNs and patients.ConclusionsFacilitators and barriers for electronic social support of patients with cancer were related to organisation, individuals and counselling process. The counselling work in ECS as its best promotes the life management of patients with cancer but, alternatively, can lead to conflicts in communication and therefore be a barrier for electronic social support.Implications for practiceTo make the nonprofit ECS better known, the cooperation with hospitals is needed to enable social support for patients. To improve communication between CNs and patients, continuous communications skills training and functional working environments are needed.
Allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 in a southern Chinese population
Authors: Zhen J. , He L. , Xu Y. , Zhao J. , Yu Q. , Zou H. , Sun G. , Deng Z. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractKIR2DL2 and KIR2DL3 segregate as alleles of the same killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor (KIR) gene locus. They have been associated with viral infectious diseases and certain cancers and their allelic information may help to better comprehend mechanisms. The allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 has been shown to influence their binding specificity and affinity to the HLA‐C1 ligands. The present study aims to investigate the distribution of the allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 in a southern Chinese population using sequence‐specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR‐SSP) and PCR‐sequence‐based typing (SBT) at the entire coding sequence. Of the 306 tested individuals, 1.96% were positive for KIR2DL2 only, 78.10% for KIR2DL3 only, and 19.93% for both KIR2DL2 and 2DL3. KIR2DL3 showed a high degree of diversity in the study population with 15 alleles detected including 8 novel ones. The predominant 2DL3 allele in the study population is 2DL3*00101 (92.81%) followed by 2DL3*00201 (24.18%), 2DL3*023 (4.25%), and 2DL3*00109 (1.31%). The remaining 11 2DL3 alleles all had a frequency below 1%. Three detected 2DL2 alleles were 2DL2*00301 (18.95%), 2DL2*00101 (3.59%), and the novel 2DL2*013 (0.33%). These results provide further insight into the KIR gene diversity in Southern Chinese and may help to better understand the role played by KIR genes in associated diseases.
The changing importance of key factors associated with anaemia in 6‐ to 59‐month‐old children in a sub‐Saharan African setting where malaria is on the decline: analysis of the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2010
Authors: Nkulikiyinka Richard , Binagwaho Agnes , Palmer Katie 
Published: October 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the relative contribution of malaria and other potential determinants to current anaemia prevalence in Rwanda.MethodsThe database for this study was the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2010. Haemoglobin and malaria test results, and additional exposures ascertained through mothers’ interviews, were analysed for all eligible children age 6–59 months (n = 4068), in addition to diet data available for the youngest under 5‐year‐old per household. We examined anaemia‐exposure associations through forward logistic regression, first for the overall population (n = 3685), and second, for the subpopulation with diet data (n = 1934).ResultsIn the overall study population, malaria was strongly associated with anaemia (OR = 6.83, 95% CI: 2.90–16.05), but population impact was modest (population‐attributable fraction = 2.5%). Factors associated with lower odds of anaemia were recent de‐worming medication (six months; OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.49–0.74), female sex (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66–0.87), increasing age, residence in North Province and educated mother. Being underweight and recent fever (two weeks) were associated with higher odds. In the subpopulation with diet data, odds were lower with consumption of vitamin A‐rich foods (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50–0.88); and higher in households with many young children.ConclusionsMalaria remains a strong determinant of anaemia for the individual child: transmission control efforts must be maintained. At population level, to further reduce anaemia prevalence, promoting regular vitamin A intake from natural sources and reducing intestinal helminths burden appear the most promising strategies to explore; exploring potential hitherto unidentified sex‐linked factors is warranted.
Identification of immunodominant antigens for the laboratory diagnosis of toxocariasis
Authors: Zhan Bin , Ajmera Ravi , Geiger Stefan Michael , Gonçalves Marco Túlio Porto , Liu Zhuyun , Wei Junfei , Wilkins Patricia P. , Fujiwara Ricardo , Gazzinelli‐Guimaraes Pedro Henrique , Bottazzi Maria Elena , Hotez Peter 
Published: October 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo identify immunodominant antigens of Toxocara canis recognised by Toxocara‐infected sera as recombinant reagents for immunodiagnosis of toxocariasis.MethodsPooled sera from human cases of toxocariasis were used to identify immunodominant antigens by immunoscreening a T. canis larval expression cDNA library. The positive clones were sequenced to reveal the identity of the antigens. The recombinant proteins were expressed in E. coli and then used to confirm their immunoreaction with sera of humans with toxocariasis. Two chosen antigens were also used to differentiate Toxocara infection from other helminth infections in mice.ResultsEleven antigens with immunodiagnostic potential were identified, including two C‐type lectins (CTLs) that reacted strongly with the Toxocara‐positive serum pool. The first CTL (Tc‐CTL‐1) is the same as TES‐32, previously identified as a major immunodominant component of TES; the second CTL (Tc‐CTL‐2) is a novel C‐type lectin sharing 83% amino acid sequence identity within the functional domain of Tc‐CTL‐1. The E. coli‐expressed recombinant Tc‐CTL‐1 was strongly recognised by the Toxocara‐positive serum pool or sera from animals experimentally infected with T. canis. Reactivity with recombinant Tc‐CTL‐1 was higher when the unreduced protein was used in an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dot‐blot assay or Western blot test compared to the protein under reduced condition. Both recombinant Tc‐CTL‐1‐ and Tc‐CTL‐2‐based ELISAs were able to differentiate T. canis infection from other helminth infections in experimentally infected mice.ConclusionsBoth Tc‐CTL‐1 and Tc‐CTL‐2 were able to differentiate Toxocara infection from other helminth infections and could potentially be used as sensitive and specific immunodiagnostic antigens.
Outcome and Prognostic Factors for Canine Splenic Lymphoma Treated by Splenectomy (1995–2011)
Authors: van Stee Lucinda L. , Boston Sarah E. , Singh Ameet , Romanelli Giorgio , Rubio‐Guzman Alejandro , Scase Tim J. 
Published: October 2015

ObjectiveTo assess the outcome of canine splenic lymphoma treated with splenectomy and to evaluate prognostic factors, including involvement of other sites, adjuvant chemotherapy, and the effect of World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification of canine malignant lymphoma.DesignMulti‐institutional, retrospective study.AnimalsClient‐owned dogs (n = 28).MethodsMedical records (1995–2011) of dogs with a histological diagnosis of splenic lymphoma and treated by splenectomy submitted by Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology members were reviewed. Included were dogs treated with or without adjuvant therapy. Overall survival, disease‐free interval, and cause of death were determined. Prognostic factors and the WHO histological classification of canine malignant lymphoma were evaluated with respect to outcome.ResultsDogs with splenic lymphoma treated by splenectomy had a 1‐year survival rate of 58.8%, after which no animals died of their disease. B cell lymphoma held a better prognosis for survival than other variants of splenic lymphoma. Marginal zone lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma were the most common B cell lymphoma subtypes in our study. Hemoabdomen and clinical signs related to splenic lymphoma, including abdominal distention, lethargy, and anorexia, were poor prognostic indicators, whereas disease confined to the spleen was a positive prognostic indicator. Pre‐ or postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide a survival benefit.ConclusionBased on our sample population, splenectomy alone was an effective treatment for splenic lymphoma in cases with disease confined to the spleen. Chemotherapy may not improve survival in cases of lymphoma restricted to the spleen.
Rad and Rem are non‐canonical G‐proteins with respect to the regulatory role of guanine nucleotide binding in CaV1.2 channel regulation
Authors: Chang Donald D. , Colecraft Henry M. 
Published: October 2015

Key points
RGK (Rad, Rem, Rem2, Gem/Kir) proteins are small monomeric G‐proteins implicated in various cellular functions and disease states. All RGK proteins potently inhibit voltage‐gated calcium (CaV) channels.
It is unclear whether RGK proteins are regulated by guanine nucleotide binding in a manner that conforms to a canonical G‐protein regulation paradigm.
We utilized strategic Rad and Rem mutants together with a range of functional readouts (CaV1.2 currents, Ca2+ transients, CaVβ binding) in heterologous cells and cardiomyocytes to determine whether the function of these RGK proteins is regulated in a canonical manner.
Our results demonstrate that Rad and Rem are non‐canonical G‐proteins with respect to the regulatory role of their guanine nucleotide binding domain in CaV1.2 channel regulation.
Our findings offer deepened insights into cellular mechanisms governing RGK regulation and function, and contribute towards our understanding of their pathophysiological roles.
AbstractRad and Rem are Ras‐like G‐proteins linked to diverse cardiovascular functions and pathophysiology. Understanding how Rad and Rem are regulated is important for deepened insights into their pathophysiological roles. As in other Ras‐like G‐proteins, Rad and Rem contain a conserved guanine‐nucleotide binding domain (G‐domain). Canonically, G‐domains are key control modules, functioning as nucleotide‐regulated switches of G‐protein activity. Whether Rad and Rem G‐domains conform to this canonical paradigm is ambiguous. Here, we used multiple functional measurements in HEK293 cells and cardiomyocytes (CaV1.2 currents, Ca2+ transients, CaVβ binding) as biosensors to probe the role of the G‐domain in regulation of Rad and Rem function. We utilized RadS105N and RemT94N, which are the cognate mutants to RasS17N, a dominant‐negative variant of Ras that displays decreased nucleotide binding affinity. In HEK293 cells, over‐expression of either RadS105N or RemT94N strongly inhibited reconstituted CaV1.2 currents to the same extent as their wild‐type (wt) counterparts, contrasting with reports that RadS105N is functionally inert in HEK293 cells. Adenovirus‐mediated expression of either wt Rad or RadS105N in cardiomyocytes dramatically blocked L‐type calcium current (ICa,L) and inhibited Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release, contradicting reports that RadS105N acts as a dominant negative in heart. By contrast, RemT94N was significantly less effective than wt Rem at inhibiting ICa,L and Ca2+ transients in cardiomyocytes. FRET analyses in cardiomyocytes revealed that both RadS105N and RemT94N had moderately reduced binding affinity for CaVβs relative to their wt counterparts. The results indicate Rad and Rem are non‐canonical G‐proteins with respect to the regulatory role of their G‐domain in CaV1.2 regulation.
Cytomegalovirus IgG Level and Avidity in Breastfeeding Infants of HIV-Infected Mothers in Malawi
Authors: Kourtis Athena P. , Wiener Jeffrey , Chang Tiffany S. , Dollard Sheila C. , Amin Minal M. , Ellington Sascha , Kayira Dumbani , van der Horst Charles , Jamieson Denise J. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTCytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common among infants of HIV-infected mothers in resource-limited settings. We examined the prevalence and timing of infant CMV infection during the first year of life using IgG antibody and avidity among HIV-exposed infants in Malawi and correlated the results with the presence of detectable CMV DNA in the blood. The Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals and Nutrition (BAN) study randomized 2,369 mothers and their infants to maternal antiretrovirals, infant nevirapine, or neither for 28 weeks of breastfeeding, followed by weaning. Stored plasma specimens were tested for CMV IgG and antibody avidity from a random subset of infants who had been previously tested with blood CMV PCR and had available specimens at birth and at 24 and 48 weeks of age. Ninety-four of 127 infants (74.0%) tested at 24 weeks of age had CMV IgG of low or intermediate avidity, signifying primary CMV infections. An additional 22 infants (17.3%) had IgG of high avidity; 19 of them had CMV DNA detected in their blood, indicating infant infections. Taken together, these results show that the estimated prevalence of CMV infection at 24 weeks was 88.9%. By 48 weeks of age, 81.3% of infants had anti-CMV IgG; most of them (70.9%) had IgG of high avidity. The CMV serology and avidity testing, combined with the PCR results, confirmed a high rate of primary CMV infection by 6 months of life among breastfeeding infants of HIV-infected mothers. The CMV PCR in blood detected most, but not all, infant CMV infections.
Simplified Protocol for Carba NP Test for Enhanced Detection of Carbapenemase Producers Directly from Bacterial Cultures
Authors: Pasteran Fernando , Tijet Nathalie , Melano Roberto G. , Corso Alejandra 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT
We compared carbapenemase detection among 266 Gram-negative bacilli (161 carbapenemase producers) using the Carba NP tests issued by the CLSI (CNPt-CLSI) and a novel protocol (CNPt-direct) designed for carbapenemase detection direct from bacterial cultures (instead of bacterial extracts required by the CLSI tests). The specificities were comparable (100%), but the CNPt-direct was more sensitive (98% versus 84%). The CNPt-direct was easier to perform due to the direct use of colonies and offered a more robust detection of carbapenemase producers.
Flavivirus Infection Impairs Peroxisome Biogenesis and Early Antiviral Signaling
Authors: You Jaehwan , Hou Shangmei , Malik-Soni Natasha , Xu Zaikun , Kumar Anil , Rachubinski Richard A. , Frappier Lori , Hobman Tom C. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT
Flaviviruses are significant human pathogens that have an enormous impact on the global health burden. Currently, there are very few vaccines against or therapeutic treatments for flaviviruses, and our understanding of how these viruses cause disease is limited. Evidence suggests that the capsid proteins of flaviviruses play critical nonstructural roles during infection, and therefore, elucidating how these viral proteins affect cellular signaling pathways could lead to novel targets for antiviral therapy. We used affinity purification to identify host cell proteins that interact with the capsid proteins of West Nile and dengue viruses. One of the cellular proteins that formed a stable complex with flavivirus capsid proteins is the peroxisome biogenesis factor Pex19. Intriguingly, flavivirus infection resulted in a significant loss of peroxisomes, an effect that may be due in part to capsid expression. We posited that capsid protein-mediated sequestration and/or degradation of Pex19 results in loss of peroxisomes, a situation that could result in reduced early antiviral signaling. In support of this hypothesis, we observed that induction of the lambda interferon mRNA in response to a viral RNA mimic was reduced by more than 80%. Together, our findings indicate that inhibition of peroxisome biogenesis may be a novel mechanism by which flaviviruses evade the innate immune system during early stages of infection.

IMPORTANCE
RNA viruses infect hundreds of millions of people each year, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Chief among these pathogens are the flaviviruses, which include dengue virus and West Nile virus. Despite their medical importance, there are very few prophylactic or therapeutic treatments for these viruses. Moreover, the manner in which they subvert the innate immune response in order to establish infection in mammalian cells is not well understood. Recently, peroxisomes were reported to function in early antiviral signaling, but very little is known regarding if or how pathogenic viruses affect these organelles. We report for the first time that flavivirus infection results in significant loss of peroxisomes in mammalian cells, which may indicate that targeting of peroxisomes is a key strategy used by viruses to subvert early antiviral defenses.
Comparison of the Life Cycles of Genetically Distant Species C and Species D Human Adenoviruses Ad6 and Ad26 in Human Cells
Authors: Turner Mallory A. , Middha Sumit , Hofherr Sean E. , Barry Michael A. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Our understanding of adenovirus (Ad) biology is largely extrapolated from human species C Ad5. Most humans are immune to Ad5, so lower-seroprevalence viruses like human Ad6 and Ad26 are being tested as therapeutic vectors. Ad6 and Ad26 differ at the DNA level by 34%. To better understand how this might impact their biology, we examined the life cycle of the two viruses in human lung cells
in vitro
. Both viruses infected A549 cells with similar efficiencies, executed DNA replication with identical kinetics within 12 h, and began killing cells within 72 h. While Ad6-infected cells remained adherent until death, Ad26-infected cells detached within 12 h of infection but remained viable. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of mRNA from infected cells demonstrated that viral transcripts constituted 1% of cellular mRNAs within 6 h and 8 to 16% within 12 h. Quantitative PCR and NGS revealed the activation of key early genes at 6 h and transition to late gene activation by 12 h by both viruses. There were marked differences in the balance of E1A and E1B activation by the two viruses and in the expression of E3 immune evasion mRNAs. Ad6 was markedly more effective at suppressing major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) display on the cell surface and in evading TRAIL-mediated apoptosis than was Ad26. These data demonstrate shared as well as divergent life cycles in these genetically distant human adenoviruses. An understanding of these differences expands the knowledge of alternative Ad species and may inform the selection of related Ads for therapeutic development.

IMPORTANCE
A burgeoning number of adenoviruses (Ads) are being harnessed as therapeutics, yet the biology of these viruses is generally extrapolated from Ad2 and Ad5. Here, we are the first to compare the transcriptional programs of two genetically distant Ads by mRNA next-generation sequencing (NGS). Species C Ad6 and Ad26 are being pursued as lower-seroprevalence Ad vectors but differ at the DNA level by 34%. Head-to-head comparison in human lung cells by NGS revealed that the two viruses generally conform to our general understanding of the Ad transcriptional program. However, fine mapping revealed subtle and strong differences in how these two viruses execute these programs, including differences in the balance of E1A and E1B mRNAs and in E3 immune evasion genes. This suggests that not all adenoviruses behave like Ad2 and Ad5 and that they may have unique strategies to infect cells and evade the immune system.