bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Positive Cultures of Organ Preservation Fluid Predict Postoperative Infections in Solid Organ Transplantation Recipients
Authors: Yansouni Cedric P. , Dendukuri Nandini , Liu Guoyuan , Fernandez Myriam , Frenette Charles , Paraskevas Steven , Sheppard Donald C. 
Published: June 2012

Objective.The significance of positive cultures of organ preservation fluid (OPF) in solid organ transplantation is not known. We sought to describe the microbiology and define the clinical impact of positive OPF cultures.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting.Tertiary care hospital.Patients.A consecutive sample of all solid organ transplantations at our center between July 2006 and January 2009 was reviewed. A total of 331 allografts (185 kidneys, 104 livers, 31 pancreases, and 11 hearts) met the inclusion criterion of having OPF cultures taken from the transplanted allograft.Methods.Organisms recovered from OPF were classified as high or low risk according to their virulence. Clinical outcomes were compared between recipients of organs with positive OPF cultures and recipients of organs with negative OPF cultures.Results.OPF cultures were positive in 62.2% of allografts and yielded high-risk organisms in 17.8%. Normal skin flora constituted the majority of positive OPF cultures, while Enterobacteriaceae spp. andStaphylococcus aureusmade up the majority of high-risk organisms. Recipients of allografts with positive OPF cultures developed more frequent bacterial infections, regardless of allograft type (relative risk, 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61–3.54). Moreover, isolation of a given organism in OPF samples was associated with the development of a clinical infection with the same organism, regardless of allograft type.Conclusions.Positive cultures of OPF are common events in solid organ transplantation, frequently involve high-risk organisms, and are associated with the development of postoperative clinical bacterial infections. Further study is required to determine the optimal strategies for their prevention and management.
Results from a Large-Scale Epidemiologic Look-Back Investigation of Improperly Reprocessed Endoscopy Equipment
Authors: Holodniy Mark , Oda Gina , Schirmer Patricia L. , Lucero Cynthia A. , Khudyakov Yury E. , Xia Guoliang , Lin Yulin , Valdiserri Ronald , Duncan William E. , Davey Victoria J. , Cross Gerald M. 
Published: June 2012

Objective.To determine whether improper high-level disinfection practices during endoscopy procedures resulted in bloodborne viral infection transmission.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting.Four Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs).Patients.Veterans who underwent colonoscopy and laryngoscopy (ear, nose, and throat [ENT]) procedures from 2003 to 2009.Methods.Patients were identified through electronic health record searches and serotested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Newly discovered case patients were linked to a potential source with known identical infection, whose procedure occurred no more than 1 day prior to the case patient's procedure. Viral genetic testing was performed for case/proximate pairs to determine relatedness.Results.Of 10,737 veterans who underwent endoscopy at 4 VAMCs, 9,879 patients agreed to viral testing. Of these, 90 patients were newly diagnosed with 1 or more viral bloodborne pathogens (BBPs). There were no case/proximate pairings found for patients with either HIV or HBV; 24 HCV case/proximate pairings were found, of which 7 case patients and 8 proximate patients had sufficient viral load for further genetic testing. Only 2 of these cases, both of whom underwent laryngoscopy, and their 4 proximates agreed to further testing. None of the 4 remaining proximate patients who underwent colonoscopy agreed to further testing. Mean genetic distance between the 2 case patients and 4 proximate patients ranged from 13.5% to 19.1%.Conclusions.Our investigation revealed that exposure to improperly reprocessed ENT endoscopes did not result in viral transmission in those patients who had viral genetic analysis performed. Any potential transmission of BBPs from colonoscopy remains unknown.
First Report of Phytophthora palmivora Causing Root Rot of Cassava in China
Authors: Guo H. , Li C.-P. , Shi T. , Fan C.-J. , Huang G.-X. 
Published: June 2012

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is an economically important crop grown widely in South China. Seventy percent of the cassava grown is used for starch and ethanol production and it has become the foundation of local food and bioenergy systems. In November 2010, a new root rot disease was found on cv. HuaNan205 from a cassava plantation in Danzhou, Hainan Province. Disease occurred on 30% or less of the plants. Initially, the upper leaves wilted at noon and recovered in the evening. Eventually, infected plants no longer recovered and the whole plant wilted and died. Root rot symptoms consisting of irregular brown patches occurred on the tuberous roots. Symptomatic root rot tissue was cut into 1-cm pieces, washed in distilled water, and soaked in a solution of 1% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min. A subsection was cut from each sterilized piece, placed on a plate of V8 agar medium, and incubated at 28°C for 7 days. Pathogenicity was established by following Koch's postulates. In July 2011, 10 plants of cassava cv. HuaNan205 were selected from a disease-free plantation in Danzhou. The pathogen was cultivated on V8 agar at 28°C for 14 days. Four holes were established 15 cm from the base of the cassava plants. Five plants were inoculated with 100 mL of the mycelial suspension in each of the four spots and covered by soil. The other five plants were treated with sterile water as control. Plants were maintained for 4 months. All five of the inoculated plants wilted and two died, while the control plants grew normally. Symptoms similar to the original root lesions were observed on tuberous roots of inoculated plants, while only scars formed on tuberous roots of control plants. The pathogen was reisolated from the lesions of inoculated plants. Microscopic examination showed the sporangia as papillate and ovoid with the widest part close to the base. They were easily washed off and each detached sporangium contained a short pedicel 1.2 to 6.9 μm long, average 2.9 μm. Chlamydospores were readily observed on diseased roots and observed in pure cultures on V8 agar. Morphological characteristics of the specimen were similar to the descriptions for Phytophthora palmivora (2). Genomic DNA of this isolate was extracted with a cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide protocol (3) from mycelium and used as a template for amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA with primer pair ITS1/ITS4 (1). The sequence (GenBank Accession No. HE580279) exactly matched several sequences (e.g., GenBank Accession Nos. HQ237481.1, AY745750, and AY745751) of P. palmivora. To our knowledge, this is the first report of root rot caused by P. palmivora on cassava in China. References: (1) D. E. L. Cooke et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1996. (3) J. R. Xu et al. Genetics 143:175, 1996.
Brittle Culm15 Encodes a Membrane-Associated Chitinase-Like Protein Required for Cellulose Biosynthesis in Rice
Authors: Wu Bin , Zhang Baocai , Dai Yan , Zhang Lei , Shang-Guan Keke , Peng Yonggang , Zhou Yihua , Zhu Zhen 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
Plant chitinases, a class of glycosyl hydrolases, participate in various aspects of normal plant growth and development, including cell wall metabolism and disease resistance. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome encodes 37 putative chitinases and chitinase-like proteins. However, none of them has been characterized at the genetic level. In this study, we report the isolation of a brittle culm mutant, bc15, and the map-based cloning of the BC15/OsCTL1 (for chitinase-like1) gene affected in the mutant. The gene encodes the rice chitinase-like protein BC15/OsCTL1. Mutation of BC15/OsCTL1 causes reduced cellulose content and mechanical strength without obvious alterations in plant growth. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that BC15/OsCTL1 is a class II chitinase-like protein that is devoid of both an amino-terminal cysteine-rich domain and the chitinase activity motif H-E-T-T but possesses an amino-terminal transmembrane domain. Biochemical assays demonstrated that BC15/OsCTL1 is a Golgi-localized type II membrane protein that lacks classical chitinase activity. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and β-glucuronidase activity analyses indicated that BC15/OsCTL1 is ubiquitously expressed. Investigation of the global expression profile of wild-type and bc15 plants, using Illumina RNA sequencing, further suggested a possible mechanism by which BC15/OsCTL1 mediates cellulose biosynthesis and cell wall remodeling. Our findings provide genetic evidence of a role for plant chitinases in cellulose biosynthesis in rice, which appears to differ from their roles as revealed by analysis of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).
Becoming a caregiver: new family carers’ experience during the transition from hospital to home
Authors: Plank Angelika , Mazzoni Valentina , Cavada Luisa 
Published: June 2012

Aims and objectives.  To explore and understand the experience of new informal caregivers in Italy during the transition from hospital to home.Background.  Frequent patient discharge into the home environment has lead to a significant increase in postdischarge care being provided by family caregivers. The transition period in particular is seen as a period of great significance, as caregivers may be unprepared and concerned as to the amount of care required by the recipient.Design.  A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of caregivers’ lived experiences.Methods.  Data were collected at two points in time using different methodologies: in‐depth interviews were conducted to explore the caregivers’ perspective of the predischarge period; focus groups obtained data after the patients’ re‐entry into the home environment and aimed to validate interview findings.Results.  Family caregivers reflected on three main themes during the transition period: (1) their newly acquired role; (2) the recipient’s condition; and (3) the support they required. The core concept of ‘being responsible for everything’ seemed to be a recurring theme running through these three subject matters. Fulfilling numerous commitments and different social roles besides the caring activity itself seemed to weigh heavily on caregivers. Carers were referring particularly to their need for hope, confidence and safety during the transition from hospital to home.Conclusions.  It cannot be assumed a priori that families can cope with the demands of care‐giving. Therefore, healthcare professionals should come to recognise caregivers as persons in need of emotional and practical support.Relevance to clinical practice.  The findings of this study can stimulate healthcare professionals to acquire effective communication skills and display an empathic attitude when assessing caregivers’ needs in the particularly challenging phase of transition from hospital to home.
Perceptions of effective self‐care support for children and young people with long‐term conditions
Authors: Kirk Susan , Beatty Susan , Callery Peter , Milnes Linda , Pryjmachuk Steven 
Published: June 2012

Aims and objectives.  To: (1) Examine children’s/young people’s, parents’ and professionals’/workers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of different models of self‐care support, (2) identify factors that support and inhibit self‐care and (3) explore how different models integrate with self‐care support provided by other organisations.Background.  Childhood long‐term illness has been largely overlooked in government policy and self‐care support under‐researched when compared with adults. There is a lack of evidence on which are the most appropriate models and methods to engage young people and their parents in self‐care.Design.  Case study.Methods.  Case studies of six different models of self‐care support were conducted using multiple methods of data collection in 2009. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 26 young people, 31 parents and 36 self‐care support providers. A sample of self‐care support activities was observed and relevant documents reviewed. Data were analysed using the Framework approach.Results.  The effectiveness of self‐care support projects was defined in relation to four dimensions – providing a sense of community, promoting independence and confidence, developing knowledge and skills and engaging children/young people. Self‐care support provided by schools appeared to be variable with some participants experiencing barriers to self‐management and inclusion. Participants self‐referred themselves to self‐care support projects, and there was a lack of integration between some projects and other forms self‐care support.Conclusion.  This study adds to knowledge by identifying four dimensions that are perceived to be central to effective self‐care support and the contextual factors that appear to influence access and experiences of self‐care support.Relevance to clinical practice.  Study findings can inform the development of self‐care support programmes to meet the needs of individuals, families and communities. In addition, the findings suggest that healthcare professionals need to support schools if young people with long‐term conditions are to have the same educational and social opportunities as their peers.
Factors related to medication non‐adherence for patients with hypertension in Taiwan
Authors: Li Wen‐Wen , Kuo Chi‐Tai , Hwang Shiow‐Li , Hsu Hsin‐Tien 
Published: June 2012

Aims and objective.  To characterise a Taiwanese population and to examine the prevalence of antihypertensive medication non‐adherence and how the cultural/clinical factors were associated with non‐adherence in Taiwan.Background.  Antihypertensive medication non‐adherence is a significant clinical issue in the United States. However, little is known about hypertension (HTN) control and cultural/clinical factors related to non‐adherence in Taiwan.Design.  A convenience sample survey design was used.Method.  Data were gathered from a convenience sample of 200 subjects recruited from a large teaching hospital. Medication non‐adherence and cultural/clinical factors were recorded using various self‐administered questionnaires, and blood pressure was taken twice for each participant.Results.  The mean age of the participants was 60·4 (SD 11·5 years) including 62% men. Two‐thirds had less than a high school education (64·5%), and the majority of them were married (86·0%) and lived with family or close friends (93·5%). The average length of HTN diagnosis was 8·6 years (SD 9·0 years). Medication non‐adherence rate was 47·5%, and uncontrolled HTN rate was 49·0%. Some participants (17·0%) used Chinese herbs for treating their disease (e.g. cough) and promoting health in addition to their regular antihypertensive medications. Two factors were found to be statistically significant for predicting medication non‐adherence: Lower Perceived Susceptibility to Specific Diseases [OR = 1·15 (95%CI, 1·01–1·31)] and Longer Length of HTN Diagnosis [OR = 1·06 (95%CI, 1·01–1·12)].Conclusions.  Taiwanese at risk of non‐adherence included those who perceived lower susceptibility to specific diseases and had been diagnosed with HTN for a longer time. Those using herbs need to be studied for an impact of herbs on their adherence behaviour.Relevance to clinical practice.  These findings can help guide the development of culturally sensitive and clinically appropriate nursing interventions for HTN management in Taiwan.
Developing empathy in nursing students: a cohort longitudinal study
Authors: Cunico Laura , Sartori Riccardo , Marognolli Oliva , Meneghini Anna M 
Published: June 2012

Aims and objectives.  To determine whether a specific training course will enhance empathic skills in student nurses during a 3‐year degree course. The study considers levels of empathy in student nurses and assesses whether these can be increased.Background.  Empathy is accepted as a critical component of supportive relationships. Many scholars have argued that empathy provides health professionals with the capacity to improve the health of patients, so it should ideally be taught to make health professionals more responsive to patient needs.Design.  Cohort longitudinal study.Methods.  Data were collected using the Italian version of the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES). The study was designed to guarantee repeated measurements of levels of emotional empathy in the pre‐ and postintervention phases. This allowed us to evaluate the development and improvement of empathy and to measure the effects of extra training on the students’ empathy skills. Two groups took part in the study: the Intervention and the Control Groups. Students in the Intervention Group attended additional seminars and laboratories in small groups with tutors to learn and develop communicative and empathic abilities.Results.  One hundred and three participants (76% women) completed the study. Data showed that the training course was effective, especially for women: BEES scores 31·60 at pre‐intervention phase and 42·91 at the end of the academic course. Results regarding men were less clear, and the study discusses these unexpected, anomalous findings.Conclusion.  According to literature, men and women have different empathic traits, and we found that they show disparate empathic tendencies. More women than men took advantage of the training course. In any case, our data show that specific training courses are effective.Relevance to clinical practice.  As our study shows, empathy is a skill that may be taught. So it would be advisable to introduce these into the traditional nursing curriculum.
The autonomic response to human esophageal acidification and the development of hyperalgesia
Authors: Sharma A. , Paine P. , Rhodes S. , Warburton F. , Chua Y. C. , Aziz Q. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  Distal esophageal acidification induces variable hyperalgesia in the non‐acid exposed proximal esophagus. As the autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulates nociception, the aim was to determine whether autonomic reactivity to acid infusion predicted inter‐individual differences in hyperalgesia.Methods  In 25 healthy volunteers (18 women, age range 22–58, mean 36.5 years), using a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover design, pain thresholds to electrical stimulation were determined in the proximal esophagus and foot (control) pre and post a 30‐min distal esophageal infusion of 0.15 mol L−1 HCl or saline with autonomic monitoring. Sympathetic Cardiac Sympathetic Index and Skin Conductance Response and parasympathetic Cardiac Vagal Tone and Cardiac Sensitivity to Baroreflex measures were derived. Plasma cortisol was measured pre and post infusion as were anxiety and unpleasantness.Key Results  Acid infusion reduced group pain threshold in the proximal esophagus (adjusted mean change −5.0 mA vs saline +3.4 mA, P < 0.001), and raised sympathetic measures (Cardiac Sympathetic Index, Skin Conduction Response) and cortisol levels, but reduced parasympathetic measures (cardiac vagal tone and cardiac sensitivity to Baroreflex) (all P < 0.05). Acid infusion also increased anxiety and unpleasantness scores (both P < 0.05). In 16 acid‐sensitizers, the degree of hyperalgesia correlated with increasing heart rate (r = −0.66, P = 0.005), and fall in cardiac vagal tone (r = 0.54, P = 0.03) and Cardiac Sensitivity to Baroreflex (r = 0.54, P = 0.03).Conclusions & Inferences  Acid‐induced esophageal hyperalgesia correlated with reduced parasympathetic tone, suggesting that the parasympathetic nervous system may have anti hyperalgesic properties. Additional studies on the autonomic modulation of esophageal hyperalgesia are required.
Relationship between esophageal contraction patterns and clearance of swallowed liquid and solid boluses in healthy controls and patients with dysphagia
Authors: Bogte A. , Bredenoord A. J. , Oors J. , Siersema P. D. , Smout A. J. P. M. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  Non‐obstructive dysphagia patients prove to be a difficult category for clinical management. Esophageal high‐resolution manometry (HRM) is a novel method, used to analyze dysphagia. However, it is not yet clear how findings on HRM relate to bolus transport through the esophagus.Methods  Twenty healthy volunteers and 20 patients with dysphagia underwent HRM and videofluoroscopy in a supine position. Each subject swallowed five liquid and five solid barium boluses. Esophageal contraction parameters and bolus transport were evaluated with HRM and concurrent videofluoroscopy.Key Results  Stasis of liquid and solid barium boluses occurred in patients and in healthy volunteers in 64% and 41% and in 84% and 82% of the swallows, respectively. Overall, 70% of the liquid and 72% of the solid bolus swallows were followed by a peristaltic contraction, the difference not being statistically significant. Statistically significant associations were found for transition zone length of liquid and solid boluses, and for DCI and distal contraction amplitudes for liquid stasis. No correlation was found between the degree of stasis and other manometric parameters.Conclusions & Inferences  Stasis of both liquid and solid boluses occurs frequently in patients and in controls and can be regarded as physiological. Motility patterns can predict the effectiveness of bolus transit and level of stasis to some degree but the relationship between esophageal motility and transit is complex and far from perfect. Esophageal manometry is therefore currently deemed unfit to be used for the prediction of bolus transit, and should rather be used for the identification of treatable esophageal motility disorders.
The Multifunctionality of Human Vγ9Vδ2 γδ T Cells: Clonal Plasticity or Distinct Subsets?
Authors: Kabelitz D. , He W. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe dominant subset of γδ T cells in human peripheral blood expresses Vγ9 paired with Vδ2 as variable TCR elements. Vγ9Vδ2 T cells recognize pyrophosphates derived from the microbial non‐mevalonate isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway at pico‐ to nanomolar concentrations. Structurally related pyrophosphates are generated in eukaryotic cells through the mevalonate pathway involved in protein prenylation and cholesterol synthesis. However, micromolar concentrations of endogenous pyrophosphates are required to be recognized by Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. Such concentrations are not produced by normal cells but can accumulate upon cellular stress and transformation. Therefore, many tumour cells are susceptible to γδ T cell–mediated lysis owing to the overproduction of endogenous pyrophosphates. This explains why Vγ9Vδ2 T cells contribute to both anti‐infective and anti‐tumour immunity. Ex vivo analysed Vγ9Vδ2 T cells can be subdivided on the basis of additional surface markers, including chemokine receptors and markers for naïve and memory T cells. At the functional level, Vγ9Vδ2 T cells produce a broad range of cytokines, display potent cytotoxic activity, regulate αβ T cell responses, and – quite surprisingly – can act as professional antigen‐presenting cells. Thus, an exceptional range of effector functions has been assigned to a population of T cells, which all recognize invariant exogenous or endogenous pyrophosphates that are not seen by any other immune cell. Here, we discuss whether this plethora of effector functions reflects the plasticity of individual Vγ9Vδ2 T cells or can be assigned to distinct subsets.