bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of different thermal treatments and freezing on the antioxidant constituents and activity of two Bahraini date cultivars (Phoenix dactylifera L.)
Authors: Allaith Abdulameer A. , Ahmed Safa H. , Jafer Fatima 
Published: February 2012

SummaryEffect of several thermal treatments and freezing on the antioxidant properties of fresh dates of two cultivars (namely Khalas and Khunaizi) was investigated. Levels of phenolics, total flavonoids and anthocyanins were estimated. Antioxidant activity was measured by ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and deoxyribose assays. Results indicate differential effects of the treatments on the phenolic constituents. Generally, mild treatments and freezing significantly increased the level of total phenolics in both cultivars by 80–180%. All treatments increased in the level of free phenolics in Khalas (between 10% and 540%). In khunaizi, the level of bound phenolic increased in all treatments (9–250%). The level of total flavonoids increased by almost all treatments in both cultivars (33–500%). Most treatments increased the FRAP value in khalas (up to 80%). Significant differences were noticed among the various treatments with regard to DPPH and OH radicals quenching capacities. Results may find applications in food science, food technology and nutrition.
Management of ‘double teeth’ in children and adolescents
Authors: SHAH PURVI , CHANDER JUNE M. L. , NOAR JOSEPH , ASHLEY PAUL F. 
Published: February 2012

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 419–426Background.  Abnormally, large teeth are often referred to as ‘double teeth’. These can pose numerous challenges for the clinician. There is no published protocol on the management of double teeth.Aim.  To review the published literature and also patients managed at the Eastman Dental Hospital (EDH) and to develop a clinical protocol for the management of double teeth in children and adolescents.Design.  Literature was searched (Medline and Embase) and data collated. Patient notes of cases managed at the EDH were reviewed.Results.  Eighty‐one teeth from 53 papers and 22 patients were included in the review. Success criteria were only reported in 32 papers and were variable. Twenty‐three papers had no follow‐up period. The main factor in determining the management of a double tooth was root and root canal system morphology. The treatment of choice in teeth with separate roots was hemisection and in those with a single root was crown modification or extraction.Conclusion.  It was not possible to determine the best management strategies because of the variable reporting in the literature. The authors have proposed a protocol for management and a data collection sheet for essential information needed when reporting on double teeth cases.
Estimating Brownian motion dispersal rate, longevity and population density from spatially explicit mark–recapture data on tropical butterflies
Authors: Tufto Jarle , Lande Russell , Ringsby Thor‐Harald , Engen Steinar , Sæther Bernt‐Erik , Walla Thomas R. , DeVries Philip J. 
Published: February 2012

Summary1. We develop a Bayesian method for analysing mark–recapture data in continuous habitat using a model in which individuals movement paths are Brownian motions, life spans are exponentially distributed and capture events occur at given instants in time if individuals are within a certain attractive distance of the traps.2. The joint posterior distribution of the dispersal rate, longevity, trap attraction distances and a number of latent variables representing the unobserved movement paths and time of death of all individuals is computed using Gibbs sampling.3. An estimate of absolute local population density is obtained simply by dividing the Poisson counts of individuals captured at given points in time by the estimated total attraction area of all traps. Our approach for estimating population density in continuous habitat avoids the need to define an arbitrary effective trapping area that characterized previous mark–recapture methods in continuous habitat.4. We applied our method to estimate spatial demography parameters in nine species of neotropical butterflies. Path analysis of interspecific variation in demographic parameters and mean wing length revealed a simple network of strong causation. Larger wing length increases dispersal rate, which in turn increases trap attraction distance. However, higher dispersal rate also decreases longevity, thus explaining the surprising observation of a negative correlation between wing length and longevity.
Late Pleistocene lineage divergence among populations ofNeolitsea sericea(Lauraceae) across a deep sea‐barrier in the Ryukyu Islands
Authors: Zhai Sheng‐Nan , Comes Hans Peter , Nakamura Koh , Yan Hai‐Fei , Qiu Ying‐Xiong 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAim Our goals were: (1) to assess the population genetic structure and demographic divergence history of a bird‐dispersed tree,Neolitsea sericea, endemic to East Asian land‐bridge islands; and (2) to interpret the results in the light of controversies over the dating and configurations of land bridges through the Japanese Ryukyu Island Arc.Location Japan–Ryukyu–Taiwan Island Arc and Chinese/Korean offshore islands.Methods We applied 10 nuclear microsatellites (nSSRs) and one chloroplast (cp) DNA sequence marker (psbA–trnH intergenic spacer) to 31 populations (397 and 326 individuals, respectively) from throughout the species’ range to infer current patterns of genetic diversity and structure, and pollen‐to‐seed migration ratios (r). A coalescent‐based isolation‐with‐migration (IM) model was applied to the combined nSSR/cpDNA data set to estimate lineage divergence times and population demographic parameters.Results The geographic structure of nSSRs and the distribution of most cpDNA haplotypes revealed two distinct lineages located in areas north and south of the ‘Tokara Gap’, a narrow (c. 37 km wide) but deep (> 1000 m) sea‐strait between the northern and central Ryukyus. Based on the IM analyses, we (1) dated the divergence of these northern and southern lineages toc. 0.07 Ma (90% highest posterior density interval: 0.02–0.38 Ma); (2) estimated a slightly smaller effective population size for the northern compared to the southern lineage; and (3) recovered only trivial signals of post‐divergence gene flow between them.Main conclusions The estimated divergence time for northern and southern lineages is consistent with geological evidence for the existence of land connections in the Tokara region during cold stages of the latest Pleistocene; it is thus incompatible with an ‘ancient sea‐barrier hypothesis’ for the Ryukyu Arc, where we would have expected much older divergences related to the initial formation of the Tokara and Kerama tectonic straits during the Pliocene. Multiple factors are likely to have had a role in the divergence ofN. sericea, including not only land‐bridge submergence, but also island configuration, and/or constraints on adaptation along a latitudinal temperature gradient.
Feeding difficulties in children with inherited metabolic disorders: a pilot study
Authors: Evans S. , Alroqaiba N. , Daly A. , Neville C. , Davies P. , MacDonald A. 
Published: February 2012

How to cite this article: Evans S., Alroqaiba N., Daly A., Neville C., Davies P. & MacDonald A. (2012) Feeding difficulties in children with inherited metabolic disorders (IMD): a pilot study. J Hum Nutr Diet. 25, 209–216AbstractBackground:  In children with inherited metabolic disorders (IMD), feeding difficulties are often assumed to be inherent, although there is little evidence describing their frequency or severity. The present study aimed to describe feeding patterns/difficulties among children with IMD on protein‐restricted diets from one centre.Methods:  Data from an observational, pilot study of 20 IMD children, nine females (median age, 2.7 years; range, 1–6 years) were compared with data obtained from a retrospective historical group of 15 healthy children (HC), 12 females, aged 1–5 years (median 3.0 years). Caregivers completed a feeding assessment questionnaire, and three separate video recordings were taken of each child eating at home.Results:  The main feeding problems identified by the caregivers’ questionnaire in the IMD group (compared to HC) were: poor appetite (55% versus 7%; P = 0.004), limited food variety (55% versus 27%; P = 0.04) and lengthy mealtimes (70% versus 20%; P = 0.006). During mealtimes, children from the IMD group were more likely to vomit, exhibit negative behaviour, get distracted and self‐feed less often. From video recordings of meals, although the median meal duration was similar for the two groups (18 min IMD versus 16 min HC), the HC ate twice the quantity of food (3.4 mouthfuls min−1 versus 1.5 mouthfuls min−1; P < 0.001). During mealtimes, IMD caregivers were less likely to talk to their children (median parent to child communications: IMD group, seven in 10 min; HC, 17 in 10 min). Eighty‐three percent of IMD children regularly ate alone.Conclusions:  In children with IMD on protein restrictions, severe feeding difficulties were common. Caregivers need to focus more attention on the social aspects of feeding. Further larger scale studies are required.
Retinoic acids and hepatic stellate cells in liver disease
Authors: Lee Young‐Sun , Jeong Won‐Il 
Published: February 2012

AbstractQuiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in healthy liver store 80% of total liver retinols and release them depending on the extracellular retinol status. However, HSCs activated by liver injury lose their retinols and produce a considerable amount of extracellular matrix, subsequently leading to liver fibrosis. Emerging evidence suggests that retinols and their metabolites such as retinoic acids (RAs) contribute to liver regeneration, fibrosis and tumor. However, it is not clear yet why HSCs lose retinol, which enzymes are involved in the retinol metabolism of HSCs and what function of retinol metabolites on HSCs upon liver injury. Recently, our group and collaborators have demonstrated that during activation, HSCs not only lose retinols but also metabolize them into RAs by alcohol dehydrogenases and retinaldehyde dehydrogenases. As transcriptional factors, metabolized RAs induce retinoic acid early inducible‐1 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 in HSCs, which plays an important role in the interaction between HSCs and natural killer cells. In addition, RAs released from HSCs may induce hepatic cannabinoid receptor 1 expression in alcoholic liver steatosis or regulate immune responses upon liver inflammation. The present review summarizes the role of endogenous metabolized RAs on HSCs themselves and on other liver cells including hepatocytes and immune cells. Moreover, the effects of exogenous retinol and RA treatments on HSCs and liver disease are discussed.
Differential roles of inflammatory cells in pancreatitis
Authors: Mayerle Julia , Dummer Annegret , Sendler Mathias , Malla Sudarshan Ravi , van den Brandt Cindy , Teller Steffen , Aghdassi Ali , Nitsche Claudia , Lerch Markus M 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe incidence of acute pancreatitis per 100 000 of population ranges from 5 to 80. Patients suffering from hemorrhagic‐necrotizing pancreatitis die in 10–24% of cases. 80% of all cases of acute pancreatitis are etiologically linked to gallstone disease immoderate alcohol consumption. As of today no specific causal treatment for acute pancreatitis exists. Elevated C‐reactive protein levels above 130 mg/L can also predict a severe course of acute pancreatitis. The essential medical treatment for acute pancreatitis is the correction of hypovolemia. Prophylactic antibiotics should be restricted to patients with necrotizing pancreatitis, infected necrosis or other infectious complications. However, as premature intracellular protease activation is known to be the primary event in acute pancreatitis. Severe acute pancreatitis is characterized by an early inflammatory immune response syndrome (SIRS) and a subsequent compensatory anti‐inflammatory response syndrome (CARS) contributing to severity as much as protease activation does. CARS suppresses the immune system and facilitates nosocomial infections including infected pancreatic necrosis, one of the most feared complications of the disease. A number of attempts have been made to suppress the early systemic inflammatory response but even if these mechanisms have been found to be beneficial in animal models they failed in daily clinical practice.
Biological and clinical relevance of stem cells in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors: Rasheed Zeshaan A , Matsui William 
Published: February 2012

AbstractCancer stem cells (CSC) have been identified in a growing number of human malignancies. CSC are functionally defined by their ability to self‐renew and recapitulate tumors in the ectopic setting, and a growing number of studies have shown that they display other functional characteristics, such as invasion and drug resistance. These unique functional properties implicate a role for CSC in clinical consequences, such as initial tumor formation, relapse following treatment, metastasis, and resistance, suggesting they are a major factor in directing clinical outcomes. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly‐aggressive disease with a propensity for early metastasis and drug resistance. Tumorigenic pancreatic cancer cells have been identified using the cell surface antigens CD44, CD24, and CD133, as well as the high expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that ALDH‐ and CD133‐expressing pancreatic CSC have a greater propensity for metastasis, and ALDH‐expressing CSC have been shown to be resistant to conventional chemotherapy. In clinical samples from patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the presence of ALDH‐expressing CSC was associated with worse overall survival. The development of CSC‐targeting therapies might be important in changing the clinical outcomes of patients with this disease, and others and we have begun to identify novel compounds that block CSC function. This review will discuss the biological and clinical relevance of CSC in pancreatic cancer, and will discuss novel therapeutic strategies to target them.
Neonatal candidiasis: Results of an 8 year study
Authors: Celebi Solmaz , Hacimustafaoglu Mustafa , Koksal Nilgun , Ozkan Hilal , Cetinkaya Merih , Ener Beyza 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackground:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the risk factors, demographic features, treatment and clinical outcome associated with candidemia in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within an 8 year period.Methods:  The data of infants who were diagnosed as having candidemia, were evaluated.Results:  Between January 2000 and December 2007, a total of 28 candidemia episodes were identified in 28 infants. A 1.1% candidemia incidence was documented in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The species most frequently causing candidemia were Candida parapsilosis (57.1%), followed by C. albicans (42.9%). The main predisposing factors for candidemia with C. parapsilosis included presence of maternal pre‐eclampsia, prematurity, prolonged mechanical ventilation, prolonged total parenteral nutrition and presence of jaundice. Retinopathy of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were the most frequently seen underlying illnesses in infants with C. parapsilosis. In the present study, 13 infants (46.4%) had evidence of organ dissemination. The mortality rate was 42.8% in infants with candidemia. Mean leukocyte counts and mean C‐reactive protein were significantly higher in neonates who died compared with those who survived.Conclusion:  Candida parapsilosis (57.1%) was the leading causative organism, followed by C. albicans (42.9%) in infants. The rate of organ dissemination in the present cases was high. The mortality rate was 42.8% in infants with candidemia.
Clinical and social characteristics of Korean men with Klinefelter syndrome
Authors: Bak Chong Won , Byun Jae Sang , Lee Jee Han , Park Ji Hye , Lee Kyung‐Ah , Shim Sung Han 
Published: February 2012

Objectives:  To investigate the characteristics of Klinefelter syndrome in a consecutive series of men consulting for sexual as well as fertility problems in Korea.Methods:  A total of 179 men with non‐mosaic 47,XXY Klinefelter syndrome of the 1876 azoospermic males who visited the fertility center of our university hospital between January 2002 and January 2010 were included in this analysis. Their semen characteristics, hormone profiles, size of the prostate gland, and education level were assessed and compared with an age‐matched control group of 218 fertile males. Additionally, a histological evaluation was carried out.Results:  Prostate size, testicular volume, semen volume and symptom severity showed statistically significant differences in both groups (P < 0.0001). As the severity of signs and symptoms worsened, the education level decreased. Each degree of signs and symptoms was associated with a different level of education, as well as with significant differences in the level of testosterone and testicular volume (P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation coefficient showed the severity of signs and symptoms was associated with testosterone (P < 0.0001).Conclusions:  Testosterone has the strongest negative association with the severity of signs and symptoms in patients with Klinefelter syndrome. It influences the reproductive capacity, as well as the manifested signs and symptoms of hypogonadism. Furthermore, it is also associated with various aspects of life in these patients.
Perianal necrotizing fasciitis treated with a loose‐seton technique
Authors: Yang B. L. , Lin Q. , Chen H. J. , Gu Y. F. , Zhu P. , Sun X. L. , Shao W. J. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAim  The study evaluated the effect of a loose‐seton technique for perianal necrotizing fasciitis.Method  The medical records of seven patients with perianal necrotizing fasciitis treated by the loose‐seton technique between December 2005 and June 2010 were reviewed. Age, gender, status of diabetes mellitus, duration of symptoms, the length of hospital stay and number of debridements were investigated.Results  Five of the patients were men. The mean age was 53 years and the range was 43–79 years. All seven patients had a past history of acute perianal abscess. Six (85.7%) patients had diabetes mellitus. The mean time for removal of the seton was 24 (14–32) days and the mean hospitalization time was 31 (23–45) days. All patients had primary wound healing. There was no mortality. At a median follow‐up 18 (6–60) months one patient required inpatient treatment with cutting‐seton for complex anal fistula after 11 months. All patients had normal faecal continence and none of them required a reconstructive procedure during the follow‐up.Conclusion  The loose‐seton technique is an effective treatment for perianal necrotizing fasciitis. The advantages include inhibiting the spread of inflammation, reducing the frequency of debridements, decreasing the area of the wound and limiting extensive scar formation.
Regional scale speciation reveals multiple invasions of freshwater in Palaemoninae (Decapoda)
Authors: Ashelby Christopher W. , Page Timothy J. , De Grave Sammy , Hughes Jane M. , Johnson Magnus L. 
Published: February 2012

Ashelby, C.W., Page, T.J., De Grave, S., Hughes, J.M. & Johnson, M.L. (2012) Regional scale speciation reveals multiple invasions of freshwater in Palaemoninae (Decapoda). —Zoologica Scripta, 41, 293–306.The generic level, systematic relationship in Palaemoninae was inferred from analyses based on the mitochondrial 16S rDNA and nuclear Histone (H3) genes, primarily focussed on the genera Palaemon and Palaemonetes, as previous morphological and molecular studies indicated potential paraphyly in some genera. Palaemonetes, Exopalaemon, Coutierella and certain Palaemon recover as a strongly supported monophyletic clade, but with the exception of Palaemon concinnus, P. pandaliformis and P. gracilis. Within this clade, six major clades are identified with geographic relationships appearing stronger than generic relationships. The data strongly suggest that Palaemon, Palaemonetes, Exopalaemon and Coutierella are synonymous and that the morphological characters currently used to define these genera require re‐evaluation. Freshwater species are not closely related to each other, but instead group with geographically close marine species, suggesting multiple invasions of freshwater by physiologically plastic ancestors rather than a single colonisation event with subsequent speciation.
Translation and validation of two evidence‐based nursing practice instruments
Authors: Thorsteinsson H. S. 
Published: February 2012

THORSTEINSSON H.S. (2012) Translation and validation of two evidence‐based nursing practice instruments. International Nursing Review59, 259–265Background:  Using existing instruments when assessing nurses' readiness for evidence‐based practice facilitates comparison of research findings and adds to nursing knowledge in a global context.Aim:  The study aims to: (1) translate the Information Literacy for Evidence Based Nursing Practice© (ILNP©) questionnaire and the Evidence‐based Practice Beliefs Scale© (EBP Beliefs Scale©), (2) assess their appropriateness for use in Iceland, and 3) estimate the psychometric properties of the translated EBP Beliefs Scale [Icelandic‐EBP Beliefs Scale (I‐EBP Beliefs Scale)].Methods:  The instruments were evaluated for appropriateness and relevancy before translation, and the ILNP© was modified to fit the Icelandic context. Translation followed recommended approaches, including back‐translation. Pilot testing of both instruments ensued. A random sample of 540 nurses answered and returned the questionnaires. Reliability and validity of the I‐EBP Beliefs Scale were tested on 471 complete I‐EBP Beliefs Scale. Data were collected in 2007.Results:  The translated instruments demonstrated clarity and conciseness; however, the ILNP© needed to be further modified. For the I‐EBP Beliefs Scale, Cronbach's α was 0.86 and Spearman–Brown r was 0.87. Principal components analysis supported the I‐EBP Beliefs Scale's construct validity and unidimensional structure. Criterion validity was established by known‐groups comparison (t‐tests and one‐way analyses of variance).Conclusions:  The ILNP© and the EBP Beliefs Scale© can be used in contexts other than those for which they were developed. The I‐EBP Scale is a psychometrically sound instrument and its performance supports the validity of the original scale. The instruments can be used to gather valuable information about nurses' readiness for evidence‐based practice.
Construct Validation Theory Applied to the Study of Personality Dysfunction
Authors: Zapolski Tamika C. B. , Guller Leila , Smith Gregory T. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe authors review theory validation and construct validation principles as related to the study of personality dysfunction. Historically, personality disorders have been understood to be syndromes of heterogeneous symptoms. The authors argue that the syndrome approach to description results in diagnoses of unclear meaning and constrained validity. The alternative approach of describing personality dysfunction in terms of homogeneous dimensions of functioning avoids the problems of the syndromal approach and has been shown to provide more valid description and diagnosis. The authors further argue that description based on homogeneous dimensions of personality function/dysfunction is more useful because it provides direct connections to validated treatments.