bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Providing care and sharing expertise: Reflections of nurse-specialists in palliative home care
Authors: Arnaert Antonia , Wainwright Megan 
Published: September 2009

AbstractObjective:This study explored the experiences, perspectives, and reflections of five nurse-specialists in palliative home care, whose dual role includes caring for patients in their daily practice as well as sharing their knowledge, skills, expertise, and experiences with other home care nurses in the community.Methods:A qualitative research design, incorporating face-to-face semistructured interviews, was used. Interviews were based on open-ended questions such as: “What is your experience in providing palliative home care to patients and their families? How do you feel about sharing your expertise and experiences with home care nurses?” Data were content analyzed using the constant comparative method.Results:Three major themes and a number of subthemes emerged: (1) acknowledging one's own limitations and humanness: (a) calling for backup, (b) learning as we go along, (c) coping with emotional demands, and (d) interacting with family members; (2) building a collaborative partnership: (a) working collaboratively, (b) sharing information, (c) guiding home care nurses, and (d) being nonjudgmental; and (3) teamwork and implementing palliative home care teams.Significance of results:Nurse-specialists play a key role in palliative home care as both carers and as resources of expert knowledge for other home care nurses caring for palliative patients. As the population ages, the health care system will be faced with increasing requests for high-quality palliative home care. The results of this study demonstrate that, from the perspective of the nurse-specialists of NOVA-Montréal (a nonprofit social and health service organization), nurse-specialists can work collaboratively with home care nurses to improve patients' quality of care and their quality of life. Moreover, patients and their families would benefit from the more widespread establishment of palliative care teams within community health organizations.
Hope in palliative care: An integrative review
Authors: Kylmä Jari , Duggleby Wendy , Cooper Dan , Molander Gustaf 
Published: September 2009

AbstractObjective:The objective of this review is to describe the current status of research on hope in palliative care.Methods:Integrative review was conducted to determine current knowledge on the topic. CINAHL and PubMed MEDLINE databases were used to find the articles relevant to this review. The data consisted of 34 articles on hope and palliative care published in peer-reviewed journals. A qualitative approach utilizing content analysis was used in this review.Results:There are at least two overarching themes of patients' hope in the palliative context: “living with hope” and “hoping for something” which however are not separate contents. Several instruments for measuring hope in a palliative context have been produced. However, future research is needed to gather further validity evidence for these instruments. Factors related to patients, other people (e. g. significant others), illness, care and context contribute to or threaten patient hope. Hope of the significant other was defined as an inner force. However, the main concern for caregivers was “hanging on to hope” in spite of eroding effects on hope caused by different factors, for example in the health care system. Also significant others' hope in a palliative care context has been measured, but the results of the studies appear inconsistent. Nurses' reflection in action, affirmation of the patient's worth, working with the patient, considering the patient in a holistic sense were the main hope-engendering interventions generated from this review.Significance of the research:Hope is important in both living and dying. The majority of the hope research in a palliative context focuses on patient hope and factors influencing patient hope. Research on hope in significant others and nurses in palliative care is scant. More research is needed about the factors threatening patient hope, hope in significant others, and interventions to engender hope in palliative and their outcomes.
Improving Stream Studies With a Small‐Footprint Green Lidar
Authors: McKean Jim , Isaak Dan , Wright Wayne 
Published: September 2009

Technology is changing how scientists and natural resource managers describe and study streams and rivers. A new generation of airborne aquatic‐terrestrial lidars is being developed that can penetrate water and map the submerged topography inside a stream as well as the adjacent subaerial terrain and vegetation in one integrated mission. A leading example of these new cross‐environment instruments is the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a NASA‐built sensor now operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) [Wright and Brock, 2002].Standard airborne terrestrial lidars, which currently produce the highest‐resolution maps of extensive land areas, use reflected near‐infrared laser pulses to make millions of point measurements of ground and vegetation elevations. However, near‐infrared energy is absorbed by water, which limits the use of these systems to mapping features outside of water bodies. EAARL uses a narrow‐beam green, rather than near‐infrared, laser with a footprint of only 15 centimeters from the nominal flying height (for system technical specifications, see Table S1 in the electronic supplement to this Eos issue (http://www.agu.org/eos_elec/).
Young Paleoclimate Scientists Meet to Broaden Knowledge and Build Ties: PAGES 1st Young Scientists Meeting: Retrospective Views on Our Planet's Future; Corvallis, Oregon, 6–7 July 2009
Authors: Reyes Alberto , Gagen Mary 
Published: September 2009

Paleoenvironmental science provides important context for assessing ongoing and projected changes in Earth's climate and has informed research on central issues such as greenhouse gas variability, abrupt climate change, and ice sheet dynamics. Studies of the past have provided insight into natural climate variability at interannual to glacial/interglacial timescales and have fostered appreciation for a systems approach to global environmental change.As a contribution to the future of paleoscience, the Past Global Changes (PAGES) project, an international effort sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Swiss and U.S. National Science Foundations to coordinate and promote past global climate change research, convened its 1st Young Scientists Meeting (YSM) in July 2009, as an adjunct to the subsequent 3rd Open Science Meeting. Early career researchers were given the opportunity to broaden their knowledge base, build international and cross‐disciplinary networks, tackle emerging issues of concern to the paleoscience community, and learn about international science infrastructures.
The interwinding nature of protein–protein interfaces and its implication for protein complex formation
Authors: Yura Kei , Hayward Steven 
Published: September 2009

Abstract
Motivation: Structural features at protein–protein interfaces can be studied to understand protein–protein interactions. It was noticed that in a dataset of 45 multimeric proteins the interface could either be described as flat against flat or protruding/interwound. In the latter, residues within one chain were surrounded by those in other chains, whereas in the former they were not.
Results: A simple method was developed that could distinguish between these two types with results that matched those made by a human annotator. Applying this automatic method to a large dataset of 888 structures, chains at interfaces were categorized as non-surrounded or surrounded. It was found that the surrounded set had a significantly lower folding tendency using a sequence based measure, than the non-surrounded set. This suggests that before complexation, surrounded chains are relatively unstable and may be involved in ‘fly-casting’. This is supported by the finding that terminal regions are overrepresented in the surrounded set.
Availability: http://cib.cf.ocha.ac.jp/DACSIS/
Contact: yura.kei@ocha.ac.jp; sjh@cmp.uea.ac.uk
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Significance of anaemia in patients with advanced heart failure receiving long‐term mechanical circulatory support
Authors: Vrtovec Bojan , Radovancevic Rajko , Delgado Reynolds M. , Radovancevic Branislav , Bracey Arthur W. , Gregoric Igor D. , Frazier O.H. 
Published: September 2009

AimsThe aim of this study was to analyse the prognostic impact of anaemia in patients receiving long‐term left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support.Methods and resultsWe reviewed the data of 65 consecutive patients who underwent LVAD support for at least 6 months. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin levels <12.0 g/dL. Follow‐up was performed 15 months after implantation. Anaemia was present in 30/65 patients (46%) after 6 months of LVAD support. Anaemic patients had higher levels of pre‐implant creatinine (1.8 ± 0.8 vs. 1.4 ± 0.5 mg/dL; P = 0.04). The presence of anaemia after 6 months correlated with higher levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and lower levels of albumin. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that levels of haemoglobin <12 g/dL [risk ratio (RR), 8.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09–73.01; P = 0.04], creatinine >1.4 mg/dL (RR, 5.39; 95% CI, 1.78–16.30; P = 0.003), and albumin <1.5 g/L (RR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.10–9.51; P = 0.03) were associated with all‐cause mortality at 15 months. Long‐term survival evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis was two times higher in non‐anaemic patients after 6 months of LVAD support than in anaemic patients (P = 0.01).ConclusionAnaemia is related to adverse outcomes in patients receiving prolonged LVAD support.
Brain natriuretic peptide for the prediction of sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmias: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Scott Paul A. , Barry James , Roberts Paul R. , Morgan John M. 
Published: September 2009

AimsThe risk stratification of patients for sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a challenge. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) predicts overall mortality in heart disease but it is unclear how well it predicts SCD. We therefore performed a meta‐analysis of studies evaluating the accuracy of BNP to predict SCD and ventricular arrhythmias (VA).Methods and resultsElectronic databases and published bibliographies were systematically searched (1984–2008). We found 14 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Six studies (3543 patients) evaluated BNP to predict SCD in patients without implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) across a wide range of populations. A raised BNP predicted SCD with a relative risk of 3.68 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90, 7.14]. Eight studies (1047 patients) evaluated BNP to predict the occurrence of VA in patients with ICDs. A raised BNP predicted the occurrence of VA with a relative risk of 2.54 (95% CI 1.87, 3.44).ConclusionThe measurement of BNP has significant value in predicting SCD and VA. However, the benefit of BNP testing in addition to other risk stratification tests is unclear and BNP needs to be evaluated prospectively in combination with other complementary risk stratification tools.
Plasma B‐type natriuretic peptide and anti‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐10 levels predict adverse clinical outcome in chronic heart failure patients with depressive symptoms: a 1‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Parissis John T. , Farmakis Dimitrios , Nikolaou Maria , Birmpa Dionysia , Bistola Vassiliki , Paraskevaidis Ioannis , Ikonomidis Ignatios , Gaitani Stavroula , Venetsanou Koula , Filippatos Gerasimos , Kremastinos Dimitrios Th. 
Published: September 2009

AimsTo assess the prognostic value of a wide spectrum of neurohormonal and inflammatory markers along with functional status and exercise capacity, in hospitalized chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with depressive symptoms.Methods and resultsA total of 300 consecutive hospitalized CHF patients were screened for depressive symptomatology using the Zung self‐rated depression scale (SDS). Patients with depressive symptoms (Zung SDS ≥40) underwent a 6 min walking test, and evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction, B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and plasma inflammatory/anti‐inflammatory factors [interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10, tumour necrosis factor‐α, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1]. Patients were subsequently followed for up to 1 year for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, death or hospitalization due to cardiovascular causes). One hundred and fourteen patients (38%) had a Zung SDS ≥40. One‐year event‐free survival of these patients was 19% (mean ± SE, 150 ± 12 days). In multivariate analysis, only BNP (HR = 1.001, P = 0.002) and IL‐10 (HR = 0.864, P = 0.049) were independent predictors of MACE. Using receiver operator characteristics analysis‐derived cut‐offs, a BNP value of 290 pg/mL predicted MACE with 86% sensitivity and 69% specificity, whereas an IL‐10 value of 5 pg/mL predicted MACE with 61% sensitivity and 78% specificity. Event‐free survival differed significantly between patients with BNP < 290 pg/mL and IL‐10 > 5 pg/mL (261 ± 44 days) and those with BNP > 290 pg/mL and IL‐10 < 5 pg/mL (79 ± 11 days, P = 0.0001).ConclusionNeurohormonal activation and defective anti‐inflammatory properties are independent predictors of long‐term outcome in hospitalized CHF patients with depressive symptoms.
Mass Critical Care: Pediatric Considerations in Extending and Rationing Care in Public Health Emergencies
Authors: Kanter Robert K. , Cooper Arthur 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTThis article applies developing concepts of mass critical care (MCC) to children. In public health emergencies (PHEs), MCC would improve population outcomes by providing lifesaving interventions while delaying less urgent care. If needs exceed resources despite MCC, then rationing would allocate interventions to those most likely to survive with care. Gaps between estimated needs and actual hospital resources are worse for children than adults. Clear identification of pediatric hospitals would facilitate distribution of children according to PHE needs, but all hospitals must prepare to treat some children. Keeping children with a family member and identifying unaccompanied children complicate PHE regional triage. Pediatric critical care experts would teach and supervise supplemental providers. Adapting nearly equivalent equipment compensates for shortages, but there is no substitute for age-appropriate resuscitation masks, IV/suction catheters, endotracheal/gastric/chest tubes. Limitations will be encountered using adult ventilators for infants. Temporary manual bag valve ventilation and development of shared ventilators may prolong survival until the arrival of ventilator stockpiles. To ration MCC to children most likely to survive, the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score meets the criteria for validated pediatric mortality predictions. Policymakers must define population outcome goals in regard to lives saved versus life-years saved. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3(Suppl 2):S166–S171)
Preventing the Soldiers of Health Care From Becoming Victims on the Pandemic Battlefield: Respirators or Surgical Masks as the Armor of Choice
Authors: Radonovich Lewis J. , Perl Trish M. , Davey Victoria , Cohen Howard 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTThe respiratory protective equipment necessary to protect health care workers from the novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus is not known. The knowledge gap created by this unanswered question has caused substantial debate and controversy on a global scale, leading public health organizations to feel pressured into issuing decisive recommendations despite a lack of supportive data. Changes in clinical practice caused by public health guidance during such high-profile events can be expected to establish a new standard of care. Also possible is an unforeseen gradual transition to widespread N95 respirator use, driven by public health pressures instead of science, for all outbreaks of influenza or influenza-like illness. Therefore, public health organizations and other influential institutions should take care to avoid making changes to established practice standards, if possible, unless these changes are bolstered by sound scientific evidence. Until definitive comparative effectiveness clinical trials are conducted, the answer to this question will continue to remain elusive. In the meantime, relying on ethical principles that have been substantiated over time may help guide public health and clinical decisions. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3(Suppl 2):S203–S210)
Studies of a Novel Cysteine Sulfoxide Lyase fromPetiveria alliacea: The First Heteromeric Alliinase
Authors: Musah Rabi A. , He Quan , Kubec Roman , Jadhav Abhijit 
Published: September 2009

AbstractA novel alliinase (EC 4.4.1.4) was detected and purified from the roots of the Amazonian medicinal plant Petiveria alliacea. The isolated enzyme is a heteropentameric glycoprotein composed of two α-subunits (68.1 kD each), one β-subunit (56.0 kD), one γ-subunit (24.8 kD), and one δ-subunit (13.9 kD). The two α-subunits are connected by a disulfide bridge, and both α- and β-subunits are glycosylated. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of 4.78 and pH and temperature optima of 8.0 and approximately 52°C, respectively. Its activation energy with its natural substrate S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide is 64.6 kJ mol−1. Kinetic studies showed that both Km and Vmax vary as a function of substrate structure, with the most preferred substrates being the naturally occurring P. alliacea compounds S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide and S-2-hydroxyethyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide. The alliinase reacts with these substrates to produce S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate and S-(2-hydroxyethyl) 2-hydroxyethanethiosulfinate, respectively.
Extensive Structural Renovation of Retrogenes in the Evolution of the Populus Genome
Authors: Zhu Zhenglin , Zhang Yong , Long Manyuan 
Published: September 2009

Abstract
Retroposition, as an important copy mechanism for generating new genes, was believed to play a negligible role in plants. As a representative dicot, the genomic sequences of Populus (poplar; Populus trichocarpa) provide an opportunity to investigate this issue. We identified 106 retrogenes and found the majority (89%) of them are associated with functional signatures in sequence evolution, transcription, and (or) translation. Remarkably, examination of gene structures revealed extensive structural renovation of these retrogenes: we identified 18 (17%) of them undergoing either chimerization to form new chimerical genes and (or) intronization (transformation into intron sequences of previously exonic sequences) to generate new intron-containing genes. Such a change might occur at a high speed, considering eight out of 18 such cases occurred recently after divergence between Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and Populus. This pattern also exists in Arabidopsis, with 15 intronized retrogenes occurring after the divergence between Arabidopsis and papaya (Carica papaya). Thus, the frequency of intronization in dicots revealed its importance as a mechanism in the evolution of exon-intron structure. In addition, we also examined the potential impact of the Populus nascent sex determination system on the chromosomal distribution of retrogenes and did not observe any significant effects of the extremely young sex chromosomes.
Knockdown ofCELL DIVISION CYCLE16Reveals an Inverse Relationship between Lateral Root and Nodule Numbers and a Link to Auxin inMedicago truncatula
Authors: Kuppusamy Kavitha T. , Ivashuta Sergey , Bucciarelli Bruna , Vance Carroll P. , Gantt J. Stephen , VandenBosch Kathryn A. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThe postembryonic development of lateral roots and nodules is a highly regulated process. Recent studies suggest the existence of cross talk and interdependency in the growth of these two organs. Although plant hormones, including auxin and cytokinin, appear to be key players in coordinating this cross talk, very few genes that cross-regulate root and nodule development have been uncovered so far. This study reports that a homolog of CELL DIVISION CYCLE16 (CDC16), a core component of the Anaphase Promoting Complex, is one of the key mediators in controlling the overall number of lateral roots and nodules. A partial suppression of this gene in Medicago truncatula leads to a decrease in number of lateral roots and a 4-fold increase in number of nodules. The roots showing lowered expression of MtCDC16 also show reduced sensitivity to phytohormone auxin, thus providing a potential function of CDC16 in auxin signaling.
Phased Control of Expansin Activity during Leaf Development Identifies a Sensitivity Window for Expansin-Mediated Induction of Leaf Growth
Authors: Sloan Jennifer , Backhaus Andreas , Malinowski Robert , McQueen-Mason Simon , Fleming Andrew J. 
Published: September 2009

Abstract
Expansins are cell wall proteins associated with the process of plant growth. However, investigations in which expansin gene expression has been manipulated throughout the plant have often led to inconclusive results. In this article, we report on a series of experiments in which overexpression of expansin was targeted to specific phases of leaf growth using an inducible promoter system. The data indicate that there is a restricted window of sensitivity when increased expansin gene expression leads to increased endogenous expansin activity and an increase in leaf growth. This phase of maximum expansin efficacy corresponds to the mid phase of leaf growth. We propose that the effectiveness of expansin action depends on the presence of other modulating factors in the leaf and we suggest that it is the control of expression of these factors (in conjunction with expansin gene expression) that defines the extent of leaf growth. These data help to explain some of the previously observed variation in growth response following manipulation of expansin gene expression and highlight a potential linkage of the expression of modifiers of expansin activity with the process of exit from cell division.
Replication Stress Leads to Genome Instabilities inArabidopsisDNA Polymerase Δ Mutants
Authors: Schuermann David , Fritsch Olivier , Lucht Jan M. , Hohn Barbara 
Published: September 2009

AbstractImpeded DNA replication or a deficiency of its control may critically threaten the genetic information of cells, possibly resulting in genome alterations, such as gross chromosomal translocations, microsatellite instabilities, or increased rates of homologous recombination (HR). We examined an Arabidopsis thaliana line derived from a forward genetic screen, which exhibits an elevated frequency of somatic HR. These HR events originate from replication stress in endoreduplicating cells caused by reduced expression of the gene coding for the catalytic subunit of the DNA polymerase Δ (POLΔ1). The analysis of recombination types induced by diverse alleles of polΔ1 and by replication inhibitors allows the conclusion that two not mutually exclusive mechanisms lead to the generation of recombinogenic breaks at replication forks. In plants with weak polΔ1 alleles, we observe genome instabilities predominantly at sites with inverted repeats, suggesting the formation and processing of aberrant secondary DNA structures as a result of the accumulation of unreplicated DNA. Stalled and collapsed replication forks account for the more drastic enhancement of HR in plants with strong polΔ1 mutant alleles. Our data suggest that efficient progression of DNA replication, foremost on the lagging strand, relies on the physiological level of the polymerase Δ complex and that even a minor disturbance of the replication process critically threatens genomic integrity of Arabidopsis cells.