bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in older people
Authors: Amer Syed , Manzar Huma S 
Published: June 2015

SummarySmall intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition in which non-native bacteria and/or native bacteria are present in increased numbers in the small bowel, resulting in excessive fermentation, inflammation or malabsorption. Patients with SIBO vary in presentation, from being only mildly symptomatic to suffering from chronic diarrhoea, weight loss and malabsorption. A number of diagnostic tests are currently available, with aspiration of the small intestinal fluid being the gold standard. Treatment encompasses a multimodal approach including treatment of the underlying disease, nutritional support and antibiotic therapy. In this review, we discuss the risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of SIBO in older people.
Individual meaning in life assessed with the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation: toward a circumplex meaning model
Authors: Fegg Martin , Kudla Dorothea , Brandstätter Monika , Deffner Veronika , Küchenhoff Helmut 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjective:The experience of “meaning in life” (MiL) is a major aspect of life satisfaction and psychological well-being. To assess this highly individual construct, idiographic measures with open-response formats have been developed. However, it can be challenging to categorize these individual experiences for interindividual comparisons. Our study aimed to derive MiL categories from individual listings and develop an integrative MiL model.Method:University students were asked to rate 58 MiL providing aspects recently found in a nationwide study using the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE), an MiL instrument allowing for open responses. Pearson's correlations and factor analyses were used to test the unidimensionality of subsequently derived higher-order MiL categories. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, and factor analysis were performed to further analyze a latent MiL structure.Results:A total of 340 students participated in the study. Some 11 unidimensional categories consisting of 34 meaning-providing aspects were summarized into a circumplex model with four MiL domains: leisure/health, work/finances, culture/spirituality, and relationships (family, partnership, social relations).Significance of results:This model seems to incorporate a major portion of individual respondent-generated MiL listings. It may be useful for future idiographic MiL studies to help organize individual experiences of MiL and allow for higher-level interindividual comparisons. Further studies including different samples are necessary to confirm this model or derive other MiL domains, for example, in palliative care patients or patients who are confronted with a loss of meaning.
End-of-life care research in Hong Kong: A systematic review of peer-reviewed publications
Authors: Wang Chong-Wen , Chan Cecilia L.W. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTObjective:This systematic review aimed to examine end-of-life (EoL) care research undertaken in an Eastern cultural context—Hong Kong—with the hope of better informing EoL care professionals and policy makers and providing lessons for other countries or areas that share similar EoL care challenges.Method:Eight databases were searched from their respective inception through to August of 2014. All of the resulting studies conducted in Hong Kong and relevant to EoL care or palliative care were examined. The included studies were assessed with respect to study design, care settings, participants, research themes, and major findings.Results:Some 107 publications published between 1991 and 2014 were identified. These studies were undertaken at a range of places by different professionals. Of the total, 44 were led by physicians, 36 by nurses, 17 by social workers, and 10 by other professionals. Participants included both inpatients and outpatients with different illnesses, nursing home residents, older community-dwelling adults, deceased individuals, care staff, and informal caregivers. A total of 13 research themes were identified: (1) attitudes to or perceptions of death and dying; (2) utilization of healthcare services, (3) physical symptoms or medical problems; (4) death anxiety or mental health issues; (5) quality of life; (6) advance directives or advance care planning; (7) supportive care needs, (8) decision making; (9) spirituality; (10) cost-effectiveness or utility studies; (11) care professionals' education and training; (12) informal caregivers' perceptions and experience; and (13) scale development or validation.Significance of results:While there has been a wide and diverse range of research activities in Hong Kong, EoL care services at primary care settings should be strengthened. Some priority areas for further research are recommended.
“It's not about treatment, it's how to improve your life”: The lived experience of occupational therapy in palliative care
Authors: Badger Sarah , Macleod Rod , Honey Anne 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjectives:A key aim of palliative care is to improve the quality-of-life of people with a life-threatening illness. Occupational therapists are well positioned to contribute to this aim due to their broad range of interventions, client-centeredness and focus on occupation. However, there is a limited understanding of how occupational therapy contributes to the end-of-life experience, which is crucial to providing optimal care. The aim of this study is to investigate the lived experience of occupational therapy in palliative care for people with a life-threatening illness.Method:A hermeneutic interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants recruited from inpatient and outpatient sectors of a specialist palliative care hospital in Sydney, Australia.Results:The two themes developed from participant responses were: (1) occupational therapy provides comfort and safety and (2) trusting the occupational therapist to know what is needed.Significance of results:This study gives insight into the ways in which people with a life-threatening illness experience occupational therapy in palliative care. In addition, it provides a starting point to guide practice that is attentive to the needs of people with a life-threatening illness at end-of-life, thus enhancing client-centered care.
Agent-based computational models– a formal heuristic for institutionalist pattern modelling?
Authors: GRÄBNER CLAUDIUS 
Published: June 2015

AbstractI investigate the consistency of agent-based computational models with the institutionalist research program as outlined by Myrdal, Wilber and Harrison, Hodgson and others. In particular, I discuss whether such models can be a useful heuristic for ‘pattern modelling’: Can they provide a holistic, systemic and evolutionary perspective on the economy? How can agency be conceptualised within ABMs? Building on these issues, I discuss potentials and challenges of the application of ABM in institutionalist research. This discussion also relates to recent methodological advances in neo-Schumpeterian economics. I explain how institutionalists can benefit from these and suggest areas for joint research under the methodological umbrella of ABM.
Predictors of Beliefs in Intergroup Forgiveness in a Chilean General Population Sample
Authors: Cárdenas Manuel , Arnoso Maitane , Páez Darío 
Published: June 2015

AbstractOriginal survey data from a Chilean sample (N= 1267) are used to study the socio-demographic and psychosocial determinants of belief in forgiveness attitudes in the context of measuring the impact of truth and reconciliation reports (NTRC, 1991) and Political Imprisonment and Torture (NPIC, 2004) commissions. A linear multiple regression analysis (R2= .15;F(8, 1269)=14.65;p< .001; effect sizef2= .18) revealed the positive effect of perceived apology sincerity (β = 0.22;p< .001), emotions of anger (β = –0.08;p< .05), and positive social climate (β = 0.08;p< .05). People who believe in the victims’ forgiveness feel less anger, have more positive perceptions of the sincerity and efficacy of the apologies, agree to a greater extent that the commission helped to find out the truth about what happened to the victims, and have a greater perception of the social climate as positive. The results show the importance of psychosocial and institutional variables in beliefs about forgiveness, and they suggest differences between interpersonal and intergroup forgiveness processes.
Facile synthesis of ultrahigh-surface-area hollow carbon nanospheres for enhanced adsorption and energy storage
Authors: Xu Fei , Tang Zhiwei , Huang Siqi , Chen Luyi , Liang Yeru , Mai Weicong , Zhong Hui , Fu Ruowen , Wu Dingcai 
Published: June 2015

AbstractExceptionally large surface area and well-defined nanostructure are both critical in the field of nanoporous carbons for challenging energy and environmental issues. The pursuit of ultrahigh surface area while maintaining definite nanostructure remains a formidable challenge because extensive creation of pores will undoubtedly give rise to the damage of nanostructures, especially below 100 nm. Here we report that high surface area of up to 3,022 m2 g−1 can be achieved for hollow carbon nanospheres with an outer diameter of 69 nm by a simple carbonization procedure with carefully selected carbon precursors and carbonization conditions. The tailor-made pore structure of hollow carbon nanospheres enables target-oriented applications, as exemplified by their enhanced adsorption capability towards organic vapours, and electrochemical performances as electrodes for supercapacitors and sulphur host materials for lithium–sulphur batteries. The facile approach may open the doors for preparation of highly porous carbons with desired nanostructure for numerous applications.
Superconfinement tailors fluid flow at microscales
Authors: Setu Siti Aminah , Dullens Roel P.A. , Hernández-Machado Aurora , Pagonabarraga Ignacio , Aarts Dirk G.A.L. , Ledesma-Aguilar Rodrigo 
Published: June 2015

AbstractUnderstanding fluid dynamics under extreme confinement, where device and intrinsic fluid length scales become comparable, is essential to successfully develop the coming generations of fluidic devices. Here we report measurements of advancing fluid fronts in such a regime, which we dub superconfinement. We find that the strong coupling between contact-line friction and geometric confinement gives rise to a new stability regime where the maximum speed for a stable moving front exhibits a distinctive response to changes in the bounding geometry. Unstable fronts develop into drop-emitting jets controlled by thermal fluctuations. Numerical simulations reveal that the dynamics in superconfined systems is dominated by interfacial forces. Henceforth, we present a theory that quantifies our experiments in terms of the relevant interfacial length scale, which in our system is the intrinsic contact-line slip length. Our findings show that length-scale overlap can be used as a new fluid-control mechanism in strongly confined systems.
Fluctuations between multiple EF-G-induced chimeric tRNA states during translocation on the ribosome
Authors: Adio Sarah , Senyushkina Tamara , Peske Frank , Fischer Niels , Wintermeyer Wolfgang , Rodnina Marina V. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe coupled translocation of transfer RNA and messenger RNA through the ribosome entails large-scale structural rearrangements, including step-wise movements of the tRNAs. Recent structural work has visualized intermediates of translocation induced by elongation factor G (EF-G) with tRNAs trapped in chimeric states with respect to 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits. The functional role of the chimeric states is not known. Here we follow the formation of translocation intermediates by single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Using EF-G mutants, a non-hydrolysable GTP analogue, and fusidic acid, we interfere with either translocation or EF-G release from the ribosome and identify several rapidly interconverting chimeric tRNA states on the reaction pathway. EF-G engagement prevents backward transitions early in translocation and increases the fraction of ribosomes that rapidly fluctuate between hybrid, chimeric and posttranslocation states. Thus, the engagement of EF-G alters the energetics of translocation towards a flat energy landscape, thereby promoting forward tRNA movement.
Diet-induced obesity impairs hypothalamic glucose sensing but not glucose hypothalamic extracellular levels, as measured by microdialysis
Authors: de Andrade I S , Zemdegs J C S , de Souza A P , Watanabe R L H , Telles M M , Nascimento C M O , Oyama L M , Ribeiro E B 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
Background/Objectives:
Glucose from the diet may signal metabolic status to hypothalamic sites controlling energy homeostasis. Disruption of this mechanism may contribute to obesity but its relevance has not been established. The present experiments aimed at evaluating whether obesity induced by chronic high-fat intake affects the ability of hypothalamic glucose to control feeding. We hypothesized that glucose transport to the hypothalamus as well as glucose sensing and signaling could be impaired by high-fat feeding.

Subjects/methods:
Female Wistar rats were studied after 8 weeks on either control or high-lard diet. Daily food intake was measured after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) glucose. Glycemia and glucose content of medial hypothalamus microdialysates were measured in response to interperitoneal (i.p.) glucose or meal intake after an overnight fast. The effect of refeeding on whole hypothalamus levels of glucose transporter proteins (GLUT) 1, 2 and 4, AMPK and phosphorylated AMPK levels was determined by immunoblotting.

Results:
High-fat rats had higher body weight and fat content and serum leptin than control rats, but normal insulin levels and glucose tolerance. I.c.v. glucose inhibited food intake in control but failed to do so in high-fat rats. Either i.p. glucose or refeeding significantly increased glucose hypothalamic microdialysate levels in the control rats. These levels showed exacerbated increases in the high-fat rats. GLUT1 and 4 levels were not affected by refeeding. GLUT2 levels decreased and phosphor-AMPK levels increased in the high-fat rats but not in the controls.

Conclusions:
The findings suggest that, in the high-fat rats, a defective glucose sensing by decreased GLUT2 levels contributed to an inappropriate activation of AMPK after refeeding, despite increased extracellular glucose levels. These derangements were probably involved in the abolition of hypophagia in response to i.c.v. glucose. It is proposed that ‘glucose resistance’ in central sites of feeding control may be relevant in the disturbances of energy homeostasis induced by high-fat feeding.
Three-dimensional Nanowire Structures for Ultra-Fast Separation of DNA, Protein and RNA Molecules
Authors: Rahong Sakon , Yasui Takao , Yanagida Takeshi , Nagashima Kazuki , Kanai Masaki , Meng Gang , He Yong , Zhuge Fuwei , Kaji Noritada , Kawai Tomoji , Baba Yoshinobu 
Published: June 2015

AbstractSeparation and analysis of biomolecules represent crucial processes for biological and biomedical engineering development; however, separation resolution and speed for biomolecules analysis still require improvements. To achieve separation and analysis of biomolecules in a short time, the use of highly-ordered nanostructures fabricated by top-down or bottom-up approaches have been proposed. Here, we reported on the use of three-dimensional (3D) nanowire structures embedded in microchannels fabricated by a bottom-up approach for ultrafast separation of small biomolecules, such as DNA, protein and RNA molecules. The 3D nanowire structures could analyze a mixture of DNA molecules (50–1000 bp) within 50 s, a mixture of protein molecules (20–340 kDa) within 5 s and a mixture of RNA molecules (100–1000 bases) within 25 s. And, we could observe the electrophoretic mobility difference of biomolecules as a function of molecular size in the 3D nanowire structures. Since the present methodology allows users to control the pore size of sieving materials by varying the number of cycles for nanowire growth, the 3D nanowire structures have a good potential for use as alternatives for other sieving materials.
Homoepitaxial SrTiO3(111) Film with High Dielectric Performance and Atomically Well-Defined Surface
Authors: Liang Yan , Li Wentao , Zhang Shuyuan , Lin Chaojing , Li Chao , Yao Yuan , Li Yongqing , Yang Hao , Guo Jiandong 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe six-fold symmetry possessed by the (111) surfaces of perovskite oxides allows the epitaxial growth of novel quantum materials such as topological insulators. The dielectric SrTiO3(111) thin film is an ideal buffer layer, providing the readily tunability of charge density in gate-controlled structures. But the high-quality film growth is challenging due to its strong surface polarity as well as the difficulty of obtaining the chemical stoichiometry. Here we show that the layer-by-layer growth of homoepitaxial SrTiO3(111) thin films can be achieved in molecular beam epitaxy method by keeping the growing surface reconstructed. And the cation stoichiometry is optimized precisely with the reflective high energy electron diffraction as the feedback signal that changes sensitively to the variation of metal concentration during growth. With atomically well-defined surfaces, the SrTiO3(111) films show high dielectric performance with the charge density modulated in the range of 2 × 1013/cm2 with the back gate voltage lower than 0.2 V. Methods of further broadening the range are also discussed.
Anderson localization and Mott insulator phase in the time domain
Authors: Sacha Krzysztof 
Published: June 2015

AbstractParticles in space periodic potentials constitute standard models for investigation of crystalline phenomena in solid state physics. Time periodicity of periodically driven systems is a close analogue of space periodicity of solid state crystals. There is an intriguing question if solid state phenomena can be observed in the time domain. Here we show that wave-packets localized on resonant classical trajectories of periodically driven systems are ideal elements to realize Anderson localization or Mott insulator phase in the time domain. Uniform superpositions of the wave-packets form stationary states of a periodically driven particle. However, an additional perturbation that fluctuates in time results in disorder in time and Anderson localization effects emerge. Switching to many-particle systems we observe that depending on how strong particle interactions are, stationary states can be Bose-Einstein condensates or single Fock states where definite numbers of particles occupy the periodically evolving wave-packets. Our study shows that non-trivial crystal-like phenomena can be observed in the time domain.
Physiological and biochemical mechanisms associated with trehalose-induced copper-stress tolerance in rice
Authors: Mostofa Mohammad Golam , Hossain Mohammad Anwar , Fujita Masayuki , Tran Lam-Son Phan 
Published: June 2015

AbstractIn this study, we examined the possible mechanisms of trehalose (Tre) in improving copper-stress (Cu-stress) tolerance in rice seedlings. Our findings indicated that pretreatment of rice seedlings with Tre enhanced the endogenous Tre level and significantly mitigated the toxic effects of excessive Cu on photosynthesis- and plant growth-related parameters. The improved tolerance induced by Tre could be attributed to its ability to reduce Cu uptake and decrease Cu-induced oxidative damage by lowering the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde in Cu-stressed plants. Tre counteracted the Cu-induced increase in proline and glutathione content, but significantly improved ascorbic acid content and redox status. The activities of major antioxidant enzymes were largely stimulated by Tre pretreatment in rice plants exposed to excessive Cu. Additionally, increased activities of glyoxalases I and II correlated with reduced levels of methylglyoxal in Tre-pretreated Cu-stressed rice plants. These results indicate that modifying the endogenous Tre content by Tre pretreatment improved Cu tolerance in rice plants by inhibiting Cu uptake and regulating the antioxidant and glyoxalase systems and thereby demonstrated the important role of Tre in mitigating heavy metal toxicity. Our findings provide a solid foundation for developing metal toxicity-tolerant crops by genetic engineering of Tre biosynthesis.
Physical Limits to Auditory Transduction of Hair-Cell Bundles probed by a Biomimetic System
Authors: Song Taegeun , Lee Woo Seok , Ahn Kang-Hun 
Published: June 2015

AbstractInspired by auditory hair cells of lower vertebrates, we design and fabricate an opto-electro-mechanical sensor at the border of its spontaneous activity, called Hopf bifurcation critical point. As proposed for biological hair cells, we observe that, as the system approaches the critical point, the frequency selectivity and the force sensitivity are enhanced. However, we find that the enhancement has limits because of its intrinsic nonlinearity, even at the critical point. We also find that the minimally detectable force is not influenced by the active feedback force despite its enhanced sensitivity. This is due to the inevitable heating of the hair bundle, which implies that the active amplification of the hair cell bundle might not lower the threshold level of detectable sound.
Surgical Outcomes in Patients with High Spinal Instability Neoplasm Score Secondary to Spinal Giant Cell Tumors
Authors: Elder Benjamin D. , Sankey Eric W. , Goodwin C. Rory , Kosztowski Thomas A. , Lo Sheng-Fu L. , Bydon Ali , Wolinsky Jean-Paul , Gokaslan Ziya L. , Witham Timothy F. , Sciubba Daniel M. 
Published: June 2015

Study Design Retrospective review. Objective To describe the surgical outcomes in patients with high preoperative Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) secondary to spinal giant cell tumors (GCT) and evaluate the impact of en bloc versus intralesional resection and preoperative embolization on postoperative outcomes. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 14 patients with GCTs of the spine who underwent surgical treatment prior to the use of denosumab. A univariate analysis was performed comparing the patient demographics, perioperative characteristics, and surgical outcomes between patients who underwent en bloc marginal ( n = 6) compared with those who had intralesional ( n = 8) resection. Results Six patients underwent en bloc resections and eight underwent intralesional resection. Preoperative embolization was performed in eight patients. All patients were alive at last follow-up, with a mean follow-up length of 43 months. Patients who underwent en bloc resection had longer average operative times ( p = 0.0251), higher rates of early ( p = 0.0182) and late ( p = 0.0389) complications, and a higher rate of surgical revision ( p = 0.0120). There was a 25% (2/8 patients) local recurrence rate for intralesional resection and a 0% (0/6 patients) local recurrence rate for en bloc resection ( p = 0.0929). Conclusions Surgical excision of spinal GCTs causing significant instability, assessed by SINS, is associated with high intraoperative blood loss despite embolization and independent of resection method. En bloc resection requires a longer operative duration and is associated with a higher risk of complications when compared with intralesional resection. However, the increased morbidity associated with en bloc resection may be justified as it may minimize the risk of local recurrence.