bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How I manage cold agglutinin disease
Authors: Berentsen Sigbjørn 
Published: March 2011

SummaryPrimary chronic cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a clonal lymphoproliferative disorder accounting for 13–15% of autoimmune haemolytic anaemias. Significant advances have been made in treatment, which was largely unsuccessful until recently. The essential clinical, immunological and pathological features are reviewed, focusing on their relevance for therapy. Non‐pharmacological management still seems sufficient in some patients. With the recent improvements, however, drug therapy seems indicated more often than previously thought. Corticosteroids should not be used to treat CAD. Half of the patients respond to rituximab monotherapy; median response duration is 11 months. Fludarabine‐rituximab combination therapy is very effective, resulting in 75% response rate, complete remissions in about 20%, and more than 66 months estimated response duration. Toxicity is a concern, and benefits should be carefully weighed against risks. An individualized approach is discussed regarding the choice of fludarabine‐rituximab combinationversusrituximab monotherapy. Patients requiring treatment should be considered for prospective trials.
Rethinking species' ability to cope with rapid climate change
Authors: HOF CHRISTIAN , LEVINSKY IRINA , ARAÚJO MIGUEL B. , RAHBEK CARSTEN 
Published: March 2011

AbstractOngoing climate change is assumed to be exceptional because of its unprecedented velocity. However, new geophysical research suggests that dramatic climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene occurred extremely rapid, over just a few years. These abrupt climatic changes may have been even faster than contemporary ones, but relatively few continent‐wide extinctions of species have been documented for these periods. This raises questions about the ability of extant species to adapt to ongoing climate change. We propose that the advances in geophysical research challenge current views about species' ability to cope with climate change, and that lessons must be learned for modelling future impacts of climate change on species.
Effect of the combination of various NaCl levels and soy protein isolate on the quality characteristics of smoked pork loins
Authors: Lee Hong C. , Chin Koo B. 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the physicochemical, textural and sensory properties of smoked pork loins (PL) containing various levels of NaCl (0.0–2.0%) alone or in combination with soy protein isolates (SPI; 1.0%). The pH values, moisture, fat, and protein contents (%) of smoked PL were 5.97–6.17, 63.3–69.1%, 2.64–4.26%, and 20.2–26.6%, respectively. Increased NaCl levels increased moisture contents (%) and sensory scores, as well as reduced Hunter redness and yellowness and cooking loss (CL, %) (P < 0.05). A NaCl level of 1.0% had resulted in a CL (%) level similar to those at regular‐salt levels (1.5% and 2.0% NaCl). When 1.0% SPI was incorporated with smoked PL, the NaCl level of 0.5% was also similar to the CL (%) at higher NaCl levels and improved sensory scores. Thus, a NaCl level of at least 1.0% was required for the manufacture of smoked PL; however, smoked PL could be manufactured with 0.5% salt when 1.0% SPI was included as part of the manufacture of smoked PL to effect quality characteristics similar to those achieved with regular‐salt (1.5% and 2.0% NaCl) smoked PL.
Production of feed enzymes from citrus processing waste by solid‐state fermentation with Eupenicillium javanicum
Authors: Tao Neng‐guo , Shi Wen‐qing , Liu Yue‐jin , Huang Shi‐rong 
Published: March 2011

SummaryBingtang sweet orange processing waste was utilised to produce four feed enzymes (Endoglucanase, β‐glucosidase, pectinase and xylanase) by the solid‐state fermentation (SSF) with Eupenicillium javanicum. The factors related with SSF including moisture content, temperature, initial pH, time, carbon source (0.5 g), nitrogen sources (0.05 g), inorganic mineral salts (0.1 g) were investigated separately. The corresponding optimal condition was: moisture content 80% (w/w), temperature 30 °C, natural pH, time 96 h, wheat bran 0.5 g, (NH4)2SO4 0.05 g or NaNO3 0.05 g, CaCl2 0.1 g. The L9(34) orthogonal experiment results showed that the optimal condition for producing above multiple enzymes was: moisture content 80% (w/w), temperature 30 °C, wheat bran 1 g, (NH4)2SO4 0.05 g, NaNO3 0.05 g, CaCl2 0.1 g, fermentation time 96 h and natural pH. Under this condition, the average activity of Endoglucanase (CMCase), β‐glucosidase, pectinase and xylanase by E. javanicum could reach 46.80, 49.64, 51.87 and 106.42 U g−1, respectively, which was significantly higher than those in single factor experiments. Our present results demonstrated that E. javanicum could also be an effective and useful fungus for multienzyme preparation especially for β‐glucosidase and xylanase from citrus processing wastes.
Enzymatic hydrolysis of fish gelatin under high pressure treatment
Authors: Alemán Ailén , Giménez Begoña , Gómez‐Guillén M. Carmen , Montero Pilar 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe effect of high pressure treatment on the hydrolysis of fish skin gelatin and the antioxidant properties of the hydrolysates was evaluated. Hydrolysis was performed by Alcalase, collagenase, trypsin and pepsin both at atmospheric pressure and under high pressure (100 MPa/15 and 30 min, 200 MPa/15 and 30 min, 300 MPa/15 min). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) was determined according to the base consumption via pH‐stat as well as the percentage of soluble nitrogen in trichloroacetic acid (TCA). About 16% of nitrogen in the gelatin was still soluble in 10% TCA, indicative of a significant amount of low molecular weight components. The high pressure treatment increased the DH with all the enzymes used between 5% and 10%. However, in comparison with the hydrolysates obtained at atmospheric pressure after 3 h of digestion under controlled conditions (using a pH‐stat), the radical scavenging capacity of the pressured hydrolysates was only significantly enhanced when Alcalase or collagenase were used. High pressure may be a useful tool for the quick obtaining of gelatin hydrolysates with antioxidant capacity.
A randomised controlled trial of the effect of music therapy and verbal relaxation on chemotherapy‐induced anxiety
Authors: Lin Mei‐Feng , Hsieh Ya‐Ju , Hsu Yu‐Yun , Fetzer Susan , Hsu Mei‐Chi 
Published: March 2011

Aims.  To determine the effect of music therapy and verbal relaxation on state anxiety and anxiety‐induced physiological manifestations among patients with cancer before and after chemotherapy.Background.  Cancer and its treatment provoke a series of changes in the emotional sphere of the patient’s anxiety. Music therapy and verbal relaxation had reported the anxiety reduction effect on patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. Few studies have been undertaken comparing music therapy and verbal relaxation in differentiating high–normal state anxiety subsample.Design.  A randomised controlled trial and permuted block design were used. Outpatient chemotherapy clinic operated by a University medical centre in southern Taiwan.Methods.  Ninety‐eight patients were randomised into three groups: the music therapy group received one‐hour single music session; the verbal relaxation group received 30 minutes of guided relaxation; the control group received usual care. Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Instrument, Emotional Visual Analog Scale, three biobehavioural indicators: skin temperature, heart rate and consciousness level were measured during and after chemotherapy.Result.  Music therapy had a greater positive effect on postchemotherapy anxiety than verbal relaxation and control groups and a significantly increase in skin temperature. Patients with high state anxiety receiving music therapy had a greater drop in postchemotherapy anxiety than did the normal state anxiety subsample.Conclusions.  Both music and verbal relaxation therapy are effective in reducing chemotherapy‐induced anxiety. Thirty minutes of intervention initiates anxiety reduction. Patients with high state anxiety receiving chemotherapy obtain the most benefit from music or verbal relaxation.Relevance to clinical practice.  Prior to chemotherapy, patients with high state anxiety must be sorted from all patients as they are more responsive to interventions. Oncology nurses can offer music and verbal relaxation as adjuvant interventions to reduce chemotherapy‐induced anxiety and enhance the quality of care.
Psychometric evaluation of the Turkish version of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist‐17 for detecting psychosocial problems in low‐income children
Authors: Erdogan Semra , Ozturk Meryem 
Published: March 2011

Aims.  To evaluate the usefulness of Pediatric Symptom Checklist‐17 in identifying psychosocial problems in low‐income, Turkish children.Background.  Epidemiological data indicate that 10–20% of children in primary care settings exhibit significant psychosocial problems. Early detection and treatment of these problems may lead to considerable health benefits. However, the brief and valid screening tool for children with psychosocial problems is not available in Turkey.Design.  Survey.Methods.  A sample of 306 parents with children between 6–16 years of age who were attending primary schools in Istanbul was included. The psychometric properties of the scale were established by examining the content, convergent, discriminant, construct validity and internal consistency and stability. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to estimate the optimal cut‐off score of scale using the Child Behaviour Checklist as the criterion standard.Results.  Convergent validity was supported, and discriminant validity suggested that the scale successfully discriminated among the normal, borderline and clinical range groups. Although, exploratory factor analysis extracted three factors, confirmatory factor analysis did not meet the criteria for good model fit. Internal consistency was found to be 0·81; test–retest reliability was found to be 0·72. The area under curve was found to be 0·91 and optimal cut‐off score was found to be 12 (sensitivity: 0·81; specificity: 0·86) for clinical range psychopathology.Conclusion.  The results provided an empirical support for extending the use of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist‐17 in the primary care settings. The Turkish version of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist‐17 showed an adequate reliability and validity for its use in low‐income, Turkish children.Relevance to clinical practice.  Primary care providers can use the Pediatric Symptom Checklist‐17 for early identification of childhood psychosocial problems in primary care settings. This easy‐to‐use tool can provide guidance to care providers for further assessment of children.
An online survey of nurses’ perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care
Authors: McSherry Wilfred , Jamieson Steve 
Published: March 2011

Aim.  This paper presents the preliminary descriptive findings from an online survey commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing to ascertain members’ perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care.Background.  There is a professional requirement for nurses to achieve competence in the delivery of spiritual care and to assess and meet the spiritual needs of their patients. Recently, the area of spirituality has come under criticism bringing into question the role of the nurse with regard to the provision of spiritual care.Design.  A descriptive online survey was conducted with all Royal College of Nursing members to obtain their perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care in an attempt to identify what action they feel is required with regard to this aspect of nursing practice.Method.  An online survey consisting of a five‐part questionnaire was developed incorporating the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale. Members were asked to complete the survey during a three‐week period in March 2010.Results.  Overall, 4054 Royal College of Nursing members responded, making this probably the largest UK survey ascertaining nurses’ perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages were used to identify key findings. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0·80 was obtained for the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale. The preliminary analysis confirms that nurses across the full health economy in the United Kingdom consider spirituality to be a fundamental aspect of nursing.Conclusion.  The findings indicate that nurses recognise that attending to the spiritual needs of patients enhances the overall quality of nursing care. However, despite all the attention given to the spiritual dimension, the majority of nurses still feel that they require more guidance and support from governing bodies to enable them to support and effectively meet their patients’ spiritual needs.
Higher pressure ulcer risk on intensive care? – Comparison between general wards and intensive care units
Authors: Lahmann Nils A , Kottner Jan , Dassen Theo , Tannen Antje 
Published: March 2011

Objective.  The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of being treated in intensive care units in comparison with general hospital wards regarding pressure ulcer occurrence when controlled for various risk factors.Background.  Pressure ulcer occurrence is commonly used as an indicator for the quality of care. Large‐scale incidence studies are costly and difficult to perform.Design.  Secondary analysis of patient data (n = 32,400) collected during 2002–2009 as part of eight multicentre pressure ulcer surveys in 256 German hospitals.Methods.  Ward‐acquired pressure ulcer rate was used for the calculation of effect sizes as a surrogate parameter for pressure ulcer incidence. The SRISAG (surface, repositioning, immobility, shear forces, age, gender) logistic regression model was used to control for differences in case mix.Results.  Pressure ulcer prevention and intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors differ for patients from hospital wards compared with those from intensive care wards. The ward‐acquired pressure ulcer rate in general hospital wards was 3·9% (1·5% excluding grade 1). In intensive care, the rate was 14·9% (8·5% excluding grade 1), which corresponds with an unadjusted odds ratio of 4·3 (95%CI 3·8–4·9). After the SRISAG model was applied, the odds ratio was reduced to 1·5 (CI 1·2–1·7).Conclusion.  When surface, repositioning, immobility, shear forces, age and gender are controlled for the institutional factor intensive care unit vs. general hospital wards is no longer a high‐risk factor for the development of pressure ulcer. The SRISAG model is simple and can be used to compare the occurrence of pressure ulcer between different medical specialties.Relevance to clinical practice.  Application of this model allows more valuable comparison of the occurrence of pressure ulcer in different specialities and enables clinical practitioners and health care planners to use this outcome as an indicator for the quality of care to avoid confounding.
Cadmium retention in rice roots is influenced by cadmium availability, chelation and translocation
Authors: NOCITO FABIO FRANCESCO , LANCILLI CLARISSA , DENDENA BIANCA , LUCCHINI GIORGIO , SACCHI GIAN ATTILIO 
Published: March 2011

ABSTRACTAnalysis of rice plants exposed to a broad range of relatively low and environmentally realistic Cd concentrations showed that the root capacity to retain Cd ions rose from 49 to 79%, corresponding to increases in the external Cd2+ concentration in the 0.01–1 µM range. Fractioning of Cd ions retained by roots revealed that different events along the metal sequestration pathway (i.e. chelation by thiols, vacuolar compartmentalization, adsorption) contributed to Cd immobilization in the roots. However, large amounts of Cd ions (around 24% of the total amount) predictable as potentially mobile were still found in all conditions, while the amount of Cd ions loaded in the xylem seemed to have already reached saturation at 0.1 µM Cd2+, suggesting that Cd translocation may also play an indirect role in determining Cd root retention, especially at the highest external concentrations. In silico search and preliminary analyses in yeast suggest OsHMA2 as a good candidate for the control of Cd xylem loading in rice. Taken as a whole, data indicate Cd chelation, compartmentalization, adsorption and translocation processes as components of a complex ‘firewall system’ which acts in limiting Cd translocation from the root to the shoot and which reaches different equilibrium positions depending on Cd external concentration.
Mg‐protoporphyrin, haem and sugar signals double cellular total RNA against herbicide and high‐light‐derived oxidative stress
Authors: ZHANG ZHONG‐WEI , YUAN SHU , XU FEI , YANG HUI , CHEN YANG‐ER , YUAN MING , XU MO‐YUN , XUE LI‐WEI , XU XIAO‐CHAO , LIN HONG‐HUI 
Published: March 2011

ABSTRACTCellular total RNA level is usually stable, although it may increase gradually during growth or seed germination, or decrease gradually under environmental stresses. However, we found that plant cell RNA could be doubled within 48 h in response to herbicide‐induced Mg‐protoporphyrin and heme accumulation or a high level of sugar treatment. This rapid RNA multiplication is important for effective cellular resistance to oxidative stress, such as high‐light and herbicide co‐stress conditions, where the plastid‐signalling defective mutant gun1 shows an apparent phenotype (more severe photobleaching). Hexokinase is required for sugar‐induced RNA multiplication. While both sugar and Mg‐protoporphyrin IX require plastid protein GUN1 and a nuclear transcription factor ABI4, haem appears to function through an independent pathway to control RNA multiplication. The transcription co‐factor CAAT binding protein mediates the rapid RNA multiplication in plant cells in all the cases.
MAPKs ERK and p38, but not JNK Phosphorylation, Modulate IL‐6 and TNF‐α Secretion Following OK‐432 In Vitro Stimulation of Purified Human Monocytes
Authors: Olsnes C. , Olofsson J. , Aarstad H. J. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractInteraction between the immune system and cancer allows for the use of biological response modifiers, e.g. OK‐432, in cancer therapy. OK‐432, penicillin‐killed Streptococcus pyogenes, is used in treating carcinomas, but also lymphangiomas. We have studied the role of monocytes (MOs) in the immune response to OK‐432 by examining IL‐6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α secretion after in vitro MO stimulation with OK‐432, to some extent in comparison with lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LTA stimulation of whole blood gave IL‐6 but not TNF‐α secretion, as previously shown with OK‐432 stimulation, whereas both cytokines were secreted following LPS stimulation. Addition of the MAPK kinase (MAPKK) MEK inhibitor U0126 inhibited IL‐6/TNF‐α secretion in a dose‐dependent manner. Flow cytometry and to some extent Western blot (Wb) analyses showed that MAPK ERK, located downstream of MEK1/2, is predominantly phosphorylated at isolation from peripheral blood. Addition of the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB202190 decreased MO IL‐6/TNF‐α production upon OK‐432 stimulation in a dose‐dependent manner. Addition of the MAPK JNK inhibitor SP600125 did not systematically change the MO IL‐6/TNF‐α OK‐432 response. Flow cytometry showed that when stimulating the MOs before isolation from blood, LPS yielded ERK phosphorylation and LPS/LTA p38 phosphorylation, whereas OK‐432 had no effects on phosphorylation levels. In conclusion, we have shown that OK‐432 resembles TLR2 more than TLR4 stimulation of MOs and depends on MAPKK MEK and MAPK p38, but not on JNK phosphorylation. The MEK and p38 MO OK‐432 stimulation dependence is possibly related to the differentiation of cells of the MO lineage.
Is Secretion of Tumour‐specific Antigen Important for Cancer Eradication by CD4+ T Cells? – Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy by Adoptive T Cell Transfer
Authors: Corthay A. , Lorvik K. B. , Bogen B. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThe potential for cancer immunotherapy by adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells is gaining increased attention. Most cancer cells lack major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and cannot present tumour‐specific antigens (TSA) directly to CD4+ T cells. We have reported that tumour‐specific CD4+ T cells collaborate with macrophages and dendritic cells. These professional antigen‐presenting cells endocytose and process TSA to display antigenic peptides on their MHC class II molecules for indirect cancer cell recognition by CD4+ T cells. We hypothesized that this critical step may depend on secretion of TSA by cancer cells. This was investigated in a mouse model for myeloma immunosurveillance mediated by CD4+ T cells. From this study, several conclusions could be drawn. First, TSA secretion facilitates cancer immunosurveillance. Second, TSA secretion results in stronger activation of naïve tumour‐specific CD4+ T cells in lymph nodes. Third, TSA concentration within the tumour extracellular matrix must reach a certain threshold to allow successful cancer immunosurveillance. Fourth, treatment by local injection of purified TSA enhances immunity against cancer cells that do not secrete TSA. Fifth, secretion of TSA by at least some cancer cells within a tumour favours antitumour immunity. Therefore, we propose that CD4+ T cells that recognize secreted TSA may be superior for immunotherapy by T cell transfer, because the local extracellular antigen concentration will be higher for secreted TSA. Thus, it is anticipated that secreted TSA will be more readily detected in vivo by transferred CD4+ T cells, resulting in more efficient tumour eradication.
An integrated model of extrusive sand injectites in cohesionless sediments
Authors: ROSS JESSICA A. , PEAKALL JEFF , KEEVIL GARETH M. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractClastic injection and surface expression of subsurface sediment remobilization is a phenomenon which is becoming increasingly recognized. However, understanding of the physical mechanisms that control these features remains limited, dominated by inference from outcrop and seismic studies. Here, this limitation is addressed through a set of experiments focused on the development and evolution of fluidization features in non‐cohesive bedded sequences. Fluidization and the onset of piping are shown to occur progressively through a sequence of discrete phases, with initial void formation, development of infiltration horizons, rupture and finally pipe formation. Critically, the style of piping, the stability of piping and the temporal evolution of venting are shown to exhibit considerable variability. In particular, pipes may either be stable or very mobile, migrating laterally over large distances; these produce deposits that are typically interpreted in outcrop as being the product of en masse liquefaction rather than localized, dynamic fluidization. These differing elements are synthesized to produce a model of sand extrudites. In addition, the implications of this model are explored.