Citrus flavonoids encompass a diverse set of structures, including numerous flavanone and flavone O- and C-glycosides and methoxylated flavones. Each of these groups of compounds exhibits a number of ...in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory and anticancer actions. These biological properties are consistent with their effects on the microvascular endothelial tissue. Evidence suggests that the biological actions of the citrus flavonoids are possibly linked to their interactions with key regulatory enzymes involved in cell activation and receptor binding. The citrus flavonoids show little effect on normal, healthy cells, and thus typically exhibit remarkably low toxicity in animals. The citrus flavonoids extend their influence in vivo through their induction of hepatic phase I and II enzymes, and through the biological actions of their metabolites. Evidence clearly indicates to the potential health promoting properties of these dietary compounds.
Abstract Background Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are highly prevalent in Europe, but only a minority of those affected receive treatment. It is therefore important to identify factors that predict ...treatment in order to reframe strategies aimed at improving treatment rates. Methods Representative cross-sectional study with patients aged 18–64 from primary health care (PC, six European countries, n = 8476, data collection 01/13–01/14) and from specialized health care (SC, eight European countries, n = 1762, data collection 01/13–03/14). For descriptive purposes, six groups were distinguished, based on type of DSM-IV AUD and treatment setting. Treatment status (yes/no) for any treatment (model 1), and for SC treatment (model 2) were main outcome measures in logistic regression models. Results AUDs were prevalent in PC (12-month prevalence: 11.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 11.2–12.5%), with 17.6% receiving current treatment (95%CI: 15.3–19.9%). There were clear differences between the six groups regarding key variables from all five predictor domains. Prediction of any treatment (model 1) or SC treatment (model 2) was successful with high overall accuracy (both models: 95%), sufficient sensitivity (model 1: 79%/model 2: 76%) and high specificity (both models: 98%). The most predictive single variables were daily drinking level, anxiety, severity of mental distress, and number of inpatient nights during the last 6 months. Conclusions Variables from four domains were highly predictive in identifying treatment for AUD, with SC treatment groups showing very high levels of social disintegration, drinking, comorbidity and functional losses. Earlier intervention and formal treatment for AUD in PC should be implemented to reduce these high levels of adverse outcomes.
This trial examines the effect of delirium preventive measures on the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older adults.
In a randomised approach, a delirium prevention and a standard ...care group were compared regarding manifestation of postoperative cognitive dysfunction at seven days, three and twelve months postoperatively (primary outcome). To correct for practice effects and age-depended cognitive decline, a control group of age-matched healthy subjects was included.
The trial was conducted at the University Medical Centre Hamburg between 2014 and 2018, data assessment took place in the Anaesthesia Outpatient Clinic and on the surgical ward.
A total of 609 patients ≥60 years scheduled for cardiovascular surgery were enrolled, allocated treatment was received by 284 patients in the delirium prevention and 274 patients in the standard care group.
The intervention consisted of a delirium prevention bundle including reorientation measures, sleeping aids and early mobilisation. Measurements: Cognitive functions were assessed via neuropsychological testing of attention, executive functions including word fluency, and verbal memory utilizing a computerised test of attentional performance, the trail making test, the digit span subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, the verbal learning and memory test, and the Regensburg Word Fluency Test. Assessments were performed preoperatively and at three time points postoperatively (one week, three months and 12 months).
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction was defined as a clinically meaningful decline in at least two out of nine chosen test parameters compared to the preoperative level (reliable change index ≤ − 1.96). The rates of postoperative cognitive dysfunction were 25.9% (delirium prevention group, n = 284) vs. 28.1% (standard care group, n = 274) X2(1,n = 433) = 0.245;p = 0.621 at postoperative day seven and declined to 7.8% vs. 6.8% X2(1,n = 219) = 0.081;p = 0.775 and 1.3% vs. 5.6% (p = 0.215, Fisher's exact test) at three and 12 months following surgery, respectively. The postoperative delirium rates did not differ between the two groups (delirium prevention group: 13.4% vs. standard care group: 17.3%). Attentional performance was impaired shortly after surgery, whereas verbal delayed recall was most frequently affected over the whole postoperative period.
These findings suggest that an intervention combining specific measures extracted from established postoperative delirium prevention programs did not reduce the rate of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older adults.
•Delirium prevention measures do not prevent postoperative cognitive dysfunction•Pattern of postoperative cognitive dysfunction is highly individual•Most patients recover from postoperative cognitive dysfunction within one year
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Understanding a haplodiploid species’ social structure and quantifying relatedness among individuals are both important when designing sampling schemes or identifying potential biases in population ...genetics studies. However, it is not always possible to accurately identify social structure of study species in the field, or to collect large numbers of individuals from a single colony to estimate relatedness with methods that rely on accurate estimation of allele frequencies. Here, we assessed the utility of allele-frequency-free inference of relationships in haplodiploid ant colonies, while using limited sample sizes. Using genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism data, we measured intracolony relatedness and kinship estimates consistent with full-sister relationships among workers in three Nearctic species:
Camponotus herculeanus
,
C. laevissimus
, and
C. modoc
. Notably, the allele-frequency-free inference of relationships clearly demonstrated these full-sister relationships without ambiguity; this result suggests the utility of these methods for identifying closely related individuals in population genetics studies of haplodiploid organisms. We additionally performed a literature review of relatedness estimates in the subfamily Formicinae both as a compiled resource and to place our results in context within this larger clade of ants. Our results suggestive of
Camponotus
colonies founded by a lone singly mated queen are consistent with previously published relatedness estimates in the genus
Camponotus
that have generally shown high intracolony relatedness.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The HERSCHEL detector consists of a set of scintillating counters, designed to increase the coverage of the LHCb experiment in the high-rapidity regions on either side of the main spectrometer. The ...new detector improves the capabilities of LHCb for studies of diffractive interactions, most notably Central Exclusive Production. In this paper the construction, installation, commissioning, and performance of HERSCHEL are presented.
With methods for sequencing thousands of loci for many individuals, phylogeographic studies have increased inferential power and the potential for applications to new questions. In songbirds, strong ...patterns of inter-chromosomal synteny, the published genome of a songbird and the ability to obtain thousands of genetic loci for many individuals permit the investigation of differentiation between and diversity within lineages across chromosomes. Here, we investigate patterns of differentiation and diversity in Certhia americana, a widespread North American songbird, using next-generation sequencing. Additionally, we reassess previous phylogeographic studies within the group. Based on ~30 million sequencing reads and more than 16,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 41 individuals, we identified a strong positive relationship between genetic differentiation and chromosome size, with a negative relationship between genetic diversity and chromosome size. A combination of selection and drift may explain these patterns, although we found no evidence for selection. Because the observed genomic patterns are very similar between widespread, allopatric clades, it is unlikely that selective pressures would be so similar across such different ecological conditions. Alternatively, the accumulation of fixed differences between lineages and loss of genetic variation within lineages due to genetic drift alone may explain the observed patterns. Due to relatively higher recombination rates on smaller chromosomes, larger chromosomes would, on average, accumulate fixed differences between lineages and lose genetic variation within lineages faster, leading to the patterns observed here in C. americana.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Oxygen bubble evolution in the cooling circuit of a polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM)-electrolysis is a severe technological problem as it highly influences heat transfer and the performance of the ...process. Bubbles arise due to an oxygen super-saturation of the process water. A force balance model for the calculation of the departure diameter at flow boiling is applied to the described scenario. For this purpose, the reformulation of the force due to bubble growth is carried out. Based on the derived model, the influence of the mean liquid velocity, the nucleation site diameter, the contact angle and the inclination angle on the bubble departure diameter is evaluated in a sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, regression equations are derived for a fast calculation of the departure diameter without the need of solving the force balances.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
DNA and RNA oligomers are used in a myriad of diverse biological and biochemical experiments. These oligonucleotides are designed to have unique biophysical, chemical and hybridization properties. We ...have created an integrated set of bioinformatics tools that predict the properties of native and chemically modified nucleic acids and assist in their design. Researchers can select PCR primers, probes and antisense oligonucleotides, find the most suitable sequences for RNA interference, calculate stable secondary structures, and evaluate the potential for two sequences to interact. The latest, most accurate thermodynamic algorithms and models are implemented. This free software is available at http://www.idtdna.com/SciTools/SciTools.aspx.
Purpose The Alcohol Quality of Life Scale (AQoLS) is a new patient-reported outcome 34-item questionnaire measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL), specific to patients with an alcohol use ...disorder, developed from the patients' perspective. This is the first report establishing evidence in support of measurement reliability and validity of the AQoLS. Methods A total of 285 randomly selected patients receiving interventions for alcohol use disorder in addiction specialised care settings in France were included in the study (response rate 80.1 %). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the hypothesised-during-development-stage dimensional structure of the AQoLS. Internal consistency of the total score and the dimensions subscores were assessed through Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Construct validity was tested through correlations with the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ-5D). Results Exploratory analysis indicated seven observed dimensions which differed slightly from the 7 dimensions defined a priori in the framework hypothesised during the scale development: activities, relationships, living conditions, negative emotions, self-esteem, control and sleep. A major common factor allows the summing of the 34 items to obtain a total score. All the 34 items were acceptable. Cronbach's alpha for the AQoLS total score was 0.96 and ranged from 0.8 to 0.9 for the dimensions subscores. Negative correlations between AQoLS and all dimensions of the SF-36, but general health and positive correlations between AQoLS and all items of the EQ-5D were shown. As expected, the correlations were mostly moderate in magnitude, low with scores referring to physical areas and the highest with the SF-36 MSC. Conclusion This study provides evidence of the measure's psychometric properties in terms of construct validity and internal consistency. The "control" and "selfesteem" dimensions are of particular interest as these concepts are not captured in existing HRQOL. Further longitudinal validation of the scale is necessary to assess sensitivity to change.
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BFBNIB, CEKLJ, DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, INZLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NMLJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Eriocitrin is a citrus flavonoid with a high capacity to reduce the oxidative stress related to metabolic disorders and obesity. We assessed the effects of low doses of eriocitrin on the oxidative ...stress, inflammation, and metabolism of glucose and lipids of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned into five groups (n 10). The mice were fed an HFD (45 % kcal from fat, i.e. lard) for 4 weeks for obesity induction. After this period, the mice continued receiving the same HFD, but supplemented with eriocitrin at 10, 25 or 100 mg/kg body weight (bw) for an additional 4 weeks. Control groups were fed with standard diet (10 % kcal of fat, i.e. soy oil) or with HFD without eriocitrin, for eight consecutive weeks. At the end of the study, mice supplemented with eriocitrin showed lower levels of blood serum glucose and blood and liver triacylglycerols (P < 0⋅05). There was also improved levels of insulin, HOMA-IR, total-cholesterol, resistin and lipid peroxidation in the supplemented mice. It was concluded that the 25 mg dose of eriocitrin improved all the parameters studied and had positive effects on oxidative stress, systemic inflammation and metabolism of lipids and glucose in general.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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