bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Externalized Guidewires to Facilitate Fenestrated Endograft Deployment in the Aortic Arch
Authors: Joseph George , Premkumar Prabhu , Thomson Viji , Varghese Mithun , Selvaraj Dheepak , Sahajanandan Raj
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To describe a precannulated fenestrated endograft system utilizing externalized guidewires to facilitate aortic arch endovascular repair and to report its use in 2 patients with challenging anatomy. Technique: For distal arch repair, a fenestration for the left subclavian artery (LSA) is made onsite in a standard thoracic endograft tailored to the patient anatomy; it is precannulated with a nitinol guidewire (NGw), which is passed from the femoral artery and externalized from the left brachial artery prior to endograft delivery system introduction over a parallel stiff guidewire. Steps are then taken to remove guidewire intertwining, prevent NGw wrapping around the delivery system, and orient the LSA fenestration superiorly when the delivery system moves into the arch. Gentle traction on the ends of the NGw during endograft deployment facilitates proper fenestration alignment. A covered stent is deployed in the LSA fenestration. The technique is illustrated in a patient with congenital coarctation of the aorta and descending aortic aneurysm. For total arch repair, endograft fenestrations are made for all 3 arch branches; the left common carotid artery (LCCA) and LSA fenestrations are each cannulated with NGws, which travel together from the femoral artery, pass through a LSA snare loop, and are exteriorized from the LCCA. After endograft deployment, the innominate artery fenestration is separately cannulated using right brachial access. Placement of a parallel externalized hydrophilic guidewire passing through the LCCA fenestration (but not the LSA snare loop) and removal of the LCCA fenestration NGw allows exteriorization of the LSA fenestration NGw from the left brachial artery by pulling the LSA snare. Covered stents are deployed in all 3 fenestrations. The technique is presented in a patient with type B aortic dissection. Conclusion: Use of the precannulated fenestrated endograft system described is feasible and has the potential to make aortic arch endovascular repair simpler, more reliable, and safer.
Imaging After Nellix Endovascular Aneurysm Sealing
Authors: Holden Andrew , Savlovskis Janis , Winterbottom Andrew , van den Ham Leo H. , Hill Andrew , Krievins Dainis , Hayes Paul D. , Reijnen Michel M. P. J. , Böckler Dittmar , de Vries Jean-Paul P. M. , Carpenter Jeffrey P. , Thompson Matt M.
Published: December 2015

Endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS) using the Nellix system is a new and different method of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Normal postoperative imaging has unique appearances that change with time; complications also have different and specific appearances. This consensus document on the imaging findings after Nellix EVAS is based on the collective experience of the sites involved in the Nellix EVAS Global Forward Registry and the US Investigational Device Exemption Trial. The normal findings on computed tomography (CT), duplex ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and plain radiography are described. With time, endobag appearances change on CT due to contrast migration to the margins of the hydrogel polymer within the endobag. Air within the endobag also has unique appearances that change over time. Among the complications after Nellix EVAS, type I endoleak usually presents as a curvilinear area of flow between the endobag and aortic wall, while type II endoleak is typically small and usually occurs where an aortic branch artery lies adjacent to an irregular aortic blood lumen that is not completely filled by the endobag. Procedural aortic injury is an uncommon but important complication that occurs as a result of overfilling of the endobags during Nellix EVAS. The optimum imaging surveillance algorithm after Nellix EVAS has yet to be defined but is largely CT-based, especially in the first year postprocedure. However, duplex ultrasound also appears to be a sensitive modality in identifying normal appearances and complications.
Automated Carbon Dioxide Angiography for the Evaluation and Endovascular Treatment of Diabetic Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia
Authors: Palena Luis Mariano , Diaz-Sandoval Larry J. , Candeo Alessandro , Brigato Cesare , Sultato Enrico , Manzi Marco
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To test the safety, efficacy, and diagnostic accuracy of automated carbon dioxide (CO2) angiography (ACDA) for the evaluation of diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and baseline renal insufficiency and compare ACDA with iodinated contrast medium (ICM) during endovascular treatment. Methods: From November 2014 to January 2015, 36 consecutive diabetic patients (mean age 74.8±5.8 years; 27 men) with stage ≥3 chronic kidney disease (CKD ≥3) and CLI underwent lower limb angiography with both CO2 and ICM followed by balloon angioplasty in a prospective single-center study. The primary outcome measure was the safety and efficacy of ACDA as the exclusive agent to guide angioplasty in this cohort. The secondary outcomes were the safety and diagnostic accuracy of ACDA injection as compared with ICM digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for invasive evaluation of these patients. Results: ACDA safely and effectively guided angioplasty in all patients without complications. Transcutaneous oxygen pressure improved from 11.8±6.3 to 58.4±7.6 mm Hg (p<0.001). There were no complications related to ACDA during diagnostic imaging and no significant changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline to 24 hours (44.7±13.3 vs 47.0±0.8 mL/min/1.73 m2; nonsignificant). The diagnostic accuracy of CO2 was 89.8% (sensitivity 92.3%; specificity 75%; positive predictive value 95.5%; negative predictive value 63.1%). There was no statistically significant difference in the qualitative diagnostic accuracy between the media (p=0.197). Conclusion: ACDA is an accurate, safe, and effective technique that can be utilized to guide endovascular interventions in diabetics with CLI and baseline CKD ≥3. Larger multicenter randomized studies are needed to validate these results.
Transarterial Endoleak Closure After Endovascular Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Panoulas Vasileios F. , Montorfano Matteo , Latib Azeem , Giustino Gennaro , Spagnolo Pietro , Taramasso Maurizio , Chieffo Alaide , Civilini Efrem , Chiesa Roberto , Colombo Antonio
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To describe the use of vascular plugs to close a complex type Ib endoleak following the sandwich procedure used in conjunction with endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. Case Report: A 59-year-old man with a 6.5-mm TAAA was treated with initial deployment proximally of 2 Zenith TX2 stent-grafts. In preparation for the sandwich technique to preserve flow to the celiac trunk, a 10×100-mm Viabahn covered stent was delivered from a brachial access into the celiac trunk unprotected by the sheath of the introducer. The trigger wire system became snagged on the struts of the distal aortic stent-graft; when the wire was pulled, the proximal end of the Viabahn migrated outside the aortic stent-graft, which migrated upward. The main body extension intended for the aortic component of the sandwich technique was deployed close to the distal end of the aneurysm sac, but a large type Ib endoleak formed in the gutter between the Viabahn, aortic extension, and sac wall. The leak perfused the celiac trunk, and the procedure was terminated. Increasing sac size on 3-month imaging prompted closure of the leak with 2 type II Amplatzer vascular plugs aiming to occlude the endoleak outflow into the Viabahn and the endoleak outflow at the site of the gutter. Imaging follow-up at 6 months demonstrated successful exclusion of the TAAA with no residual endoleak and excellent perfusion of the celiac trunk. Conclusion: Transarterial treatment of complex endoleaks is feasible when preceded by meticulous imaging and detailed preprocedural planning.
Treatment of Type IIIb Endoleaks After EVAR Using the Nellix EndoVascular Aneurysm Sealing System
Authors: van den Ham Leo H. , Wiersema Arno M. , Kievit Jur K. , Reijnen Michel M. P. J.
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To describe the successful endovascular treatment of 2 patients with type IIIb endoleak using the Nellix EndoVascular Aneurysm Sealing (EVAS) System. Case Report: Two men aged 75 and 83 years presented with type IIIb endoleak several years (8 and 3, respectively) after initial endovascular aneurysm repair. Dual Nellix endoprosthesis were deployed in the stent-grafts, and the endobags were filled with polymer to seal the defect and eliminate the endoleak. The perioperative periods were uneventful. At up to 6-month follow-up, no endoleaks were detected, aneurysm diameters were unchanged, and the endografts were patent. One patient died 7 months after revision due to a metastatic malignancy. Conclusion: The Nellix EVAS System may prove useful for the treatment of type IIIb endoleak.
Evaluation of the Biodegradable Igaki-Tamai Scaffold After Drug-Eluting Balloon Treatment of De Novo Superficial Femoral Artery Lesions
Authors: Werner Martin , Schmidt Andrej , Scheinert Susanne , Banning-Eichenseer Ursula , Ulrich Matthias , Bausback Yvonne , Steiner Sabine , Scheinert Dierk
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Igaki-Tamai biodegradable scaffold after drug-eluting balloon (DEB) angioplasty in patients with occlusive superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease. Methods: A prospective, single-center, nonrandomized study enrolled 20 patients (mean age 66.7±11.6 years; 14 men) with symptomatic de novo SFA lesions undergoing angioplasty with the In.Pact Admiral paclitaxel-coated balloon and subsequent implantation of the Igaki-Tamai bioresorbable scaffold. All patients were claudicants. The average diameter stenosis was 89.7%, and the mean length was 43.6 mm. Clinical examinations with duplex sonography were performed after 1, 6, 9, and 12 months. The main study outcomes were technical success, restenosis, target lesion revascularization (TLR), ankle-brachial index (ABI) improvement, and changes in quality of life evaluated with the walking impairment questionnaire. Safety was assessed by monitoring the occurrence of adverse events. Results: Angioplasty with a paclitaxel-coated balloon was performed in all patients, resulting in an average diameter stenosis of 24%. Subsequent implantation of the Igaki-Tamai scaffold reduced the average diameter stenosis to 3.5%. In the first 6 months, 2 cases of restenosis were reported, with no TLRs within that period. However, by the 12-month follow-up in 19 patients, 11 patients had lost in-stent patency. Among these patients, 8 had TLRs, which were the only adverse events recorded that were referable to the procedure. Quality-of-life assessments showed improvement in the majority of patients. Conclusion: The GAIA-DEB study shows that DEB treatment of the femoral artery prior to the implantation of the biodegradable Igaki-Tamai scaffold is safe. However, the antiproliferative actions of paclitaxel in the vessel wall were not effective in preventing restenosis. In-stent restenosis occurred predominantly after 6 months.
Intravascular Ultrasound in Lower Extremity Peripheral Vascular Interventions
Authors: Panaich Sidakpal S. , Arora Shilpkumar , Patel Nilay , Patel Nileshkumar J. , Savani Chirag , Patel Achint , Thakkar Badal , Singh Vikas , Patel Samir , Patel Nish , Agnihotri Kanishk , Bhatt Parth , Deshmukh Abhishek , Gupta Vishal , Attaran Ramak R. , Mena Carlos I. , Grines Cindy L. , Cleman Michael , Forrest John K. , Badheka Apurva O.
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To examine the impact of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) utilization during lower limb endovascular interventions as regards postprocedural complications and amputation. Methods: The study cohort was derived from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample database between the years 2006 and 2011. Peripheral endovascular interventions were identified using appropriate ICD-9 procedure codes. Two-level hierarchical multivariate mixed models were created. The co-primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and amputation; the secondary outcome was postprocedural complications. Model results are given as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Hospitalization costs were also assessed. Results: Overall, among the 92,714 patients extracted from the database during the observation period, IVUS was used in 1299 (1.4%) patients. IVUS utilization during lower extremity peripheral vascular procedures was independently predictive of a lower rate of postprocedural complications (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99, p=0.037) as well as lower amputation rates (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.77, p<0.001) without any significant impact on in-hospital mortality. Multivariate analysis also revealed IVUS utilization to be predictive of a nonsignificant increase in hospitalization costs ($1333, 95% CI −$167 to +$2833, p=0.082). Conclusion: IVUS use during lower limb endovascular interventions is predictive of lower postprocedural complication and amputation rates with a nonsignificant increase in hospitalization costs.
New Advances in Endovascular Therapy
Authors: Rohlffs Fiona , Tsilimparis Nikolaos , Detter Christian , von Kodolitsch Yskert , Debus Sebastian , Kölbel Tilo
Published: December 2015

Purpose: To describe the deployment into the ascending aorta of a fenestrated stent-graft with a scallop for the innominate artery. Technique: A 72-year-old multimorbid patient presented with a chronic DeBakey type II aortic dissection of the ventral ascending aorta with close proximity (16 mm) to the innominate artery. A 1-piece, 46-mm-diameter Zenith Ascend Thoracic Endovascular Graft with circumferential diameter-reducing sutures (ProForm) was custom made with a 15×30-mm scallop for the innominate artery. The stent-graft was loaded on a Z-Trak Plus Introducer System with a 20-F hydrophilic-coated sheath and successfully implanted under inflow occlusion in a procedure that lasted 35 minutes. Conclusion: The use of fenestrated stent-grafts in the ascending aorta is feasible, and a scallop in the distal stent-graft can extend coverage of the ascending aorta in pathologies close to the innominate artery. This technique broadens the range of endovascular options for patients not suitable for open surgery.
Allogeneic guinea pig mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate neurological changes in experimental colitis
Authors: Stavely Rhian , Robinson Ainsley M. , Miller Sarah , Boyd Richard , Sakkal Samy , Nurgali Kulmira
Published: December 2015

Background

The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is of great interest because of their immunomodulatory properties. Damage to the enteric nervous system (ENS) is implicated in IBD pathophysiology and disease progression. The most commonly used model to study inflammation-induced changes to the ENS is 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-sulfonate acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in guinea pigs; however, no studies using guinea pig MSCs in colitis have been performed. This study aims to isolate and characterise guinea pig MSCs and then test their therapeutic potential for the treatment of enteric neuropathy associated with intestinal inflammation.

Methods

MSCs from guinea pig bone marrow and adipose tissue were isolated and characterised in vitro. In in vivo experiments, guinea pigs received either TNBS for the induction of colitis or sham treatment by enema. MSCs were administered at a dose of 1 × 106 cells via enema 3 h after the induction of colitis. Colon tissues were collected 24 and 72 h after TNBS administration to assess the level of inflammation and damage to the ENS. The secretion of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was analysed in MSC conditioned medium by flow cytometry.

Results

Cells isolated from both sources were adherent to plastic, multipotent and expressed some human MSC surface markers. In vitro characterisation revealed distinct differences in growth kinetics, clonogenicity and cell morphology between MSC types. In an in vivo model of TNBS-induced colitis, guinea pig bone marrow MSCs were comparatively more efficacious than adipose tissue MSCs in attenuating weight loss, colonic tissue damage and leukocyte infiltration into the mucosa and myenteric plexus. MSCs from both sources were equally neuroprotective in the amelioration of enteric neuronal loss and changes to the neurochemical coding of neuronal subpopulations. MSCs from both sources secreted TGF-β1 which exerted neuroprotective effects in vitro.

Conclusions

This study is the first evaluating the functional capacity of guinea pig bone marrow and adipose tissue-derived MSCs and providing evidence of their neuroprotective value in an animal model of colitis. In vitro characteristics of MSCs cannot be extrapolated to their therapeutic efficacy. TGF-β1 released by both types of MSCs might have contributed to the attenuation of enteric neuropathy associated with colitis.
On stationary points of nonexpansive set-valued mappings
Authors: Espínola Rafa , Hosseini Meraj , Nourouzi Kourosh
Published: December 2015

In this paper we deal with stationary points (also known as endpoints) of nonexpansive set-valued mappings and show that the existence of such points under certain conditions follows as a consequence of the existence of approximate stationary sequences. In particular we provide abstract extensions of well-known fixed point theorems.
Strong convergence theorems for multivalued mappings in a geodesic space with curvature bounded above
Authors: Yotkaew Pongsakorn , Saejung Satit
Published: December 2015

We prove two strong convergence results of the Ishikawa iteration for a multivalued quasi-nonexpansive mapping in a complete geodesic space with curvature bounded above. Our results improve significantly the recent results of Panyanak (Fixed Point Theory Appl. 2014:1, 2014) in the sense that many restrictions in his results are weakened. In particular, we can conclude that the convergence result of the Mann iteration which cannot be deduced from Panyanak’s results.
Detecting “protein words” through unsupervised word segmentation
Authors: Liang Wang , Kaiyong Zhao
Published: December 2015

Unsupervised word segmentation methods were applied to analyze protein sequences. Protein sequences, such as “MTMDKSELVQKA…,” were used as input to these methods. Segmented protein word sequences, such as “MTM DKSE LVQKA,” were then obtained. We compared the protein words derived via unsupervised segmentation and protein secondary structure segmentation. An interesting finding is that unsupervised word segmentation is more efficient than secondary structure segmentation in expressing information. Our experiment also suggests the presence of several “protein ruins” in current non-coding regions.
Differential analyses for RNA-seq: transcript-level estimates improve gene-level inferences
Authors: Soneson Charlotte , Love Michael I. , Robinson Mark D.
Published: December 2015

High-throughput sequencing of cDNA (RNA-seq) is used extensively to characterize the transcriptome of cells. Many transcriptomic studies aim at comparing either abundance levels or the transcriptome composition between given conditions, and as a first step, the sequencing reads must be used as the basis for abundance quantification of transcriptomic features of interest, such as genes or transcripts. Several different quantification approaches have been proposed, ranging from simple counting of reads that overlap given genomic regions to more complex estimation of underlying transcript abundances. In this paper, we show that gene-level abundance estimates and statistical inference offer advantages over transcript-level analyses, in terms of performance and interpretability. We also illustrate that while the presence of differential isoform usage can lead to inflated false discovery rates in differential expression analyses on simple count matrices and transcript-level abundance estimates improve the performance in simulated data, the difference is relatively minor in several real data sets. Finally, we provide an R package (tximport) to help users integrate transcript-level abundance estimates from common quantification pipelines into count-based statistical inference engines.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION AND STABILITY BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRO ECOSYSTEMS WITH SUNFLOWER CROPS IN CONDITIONS OF HIGH ANTHROPOGENIC LOAD
Authors: Высоцкая  , Vysotskaya E. , Крекотень  , Krekoten M.
Published: December 2015

The article describes the features of the effect of fertilizers on crops of sun-flower and evaluated the sustainability of ecosystems to heavy metals.
ENERGY IN RURAL AND ELECTRIC NETWORKS
Authors: Гуков  , Gukov P. , Авдеев  , Avdeev A
Published: December 2015

To reduce electricity losses in the distribution networks are encouraged to use condenser units. It is shown that the methods of selecting the compensating capacity of the installation
STUDY FOR STRENGTHENING SOIL STRUCTURES UNDER CON-STRUCTION LOGGING HIGHWAY
Authors: Козлов  , Kozlov V , Губарев  , Gubarev Vladimir , Кондрашова  , Kondrashova Elena , Бобров  , Bobrov V
Published: December 2015

The article shows that the increase in the amount of fibrous asbestos is accompanied by a proportional increase in the strength of the material. However, the negative side can be traced significant asbestos content of the component in the mixture - a high rate of saturation, up to 15 ... 20%.
OPTION ACCELERATE THE LIQUIDATION OF FAILURE ON LOSS OF MAINS PHASE DURING OPERATION OF WOODWORKING PLANTS
Authors: Мазуха  , Mazukha N.
Published: December 2015

The scheme of protection of electric installations in the wood supply un-balance in order to obtain a minimum of "dead" zones of protection and automat-ic saving of pita-light bulbs, reducing the time required for the liquidation of an electrical failure in the scheme.
THE EVALUATION OF THE USE OF WOOD IN GREEN ECONOMY
Authors: Посметьев  , Posmetev Valeriy
Published: December 2015

The questions of the use of wood greens in the national economy and ways to address the harvesting of wood in forest green-minute sites. Presentation of the results of analysis of potential scale Zagot wok in the RF and application proper-ties to determine the DZ-sti advisable to use it on an industrial scale.
THE CONTROL CIRCUIT ENGINE CRANE WITH LOW SPEED BEFORE BRAKING
Authors: Мазуха  , Mazukha N.
Published: December 2015

The proposed control scheme engine crane at low speed before braking. Used in the scheme multifunction relay current. Given the recommendation to use the scheme in various technological processes.
Workforce Management and Scheduling Under Flexible Demand
Authors: Villarreal Monica C. , Goldsman David , Keskinocak Pinar
Published: December 2015

We develop a mathematical model for planning and scheduling staff and demand, considering a time window for on-time demand fulfillment, as well as individual staff characteristics, preferences, and availability. We also discuss a version where the staff schedule is fixed. The model can be applied in many service settings, such as warehouses, fulfillment centers, and back-office services. We develop a user-friendly decision-support tool that employs the model and the solution methodology, and we implement it in a healthcare back-office services provider, considering additional operational practices of this company, such as team leader scheduling. We conduct a computational study to develop insights regarding the trade-offs between the on-time demand fulfillment and the quality of the staff schedule, the effect of a change in the demand fulfillment time window, the impact of client behavior (e.g., batch arrivals of demand), and the consequences of considering additional preferences and operational constraints. We also evaluate the robustness of the staff schedule generated by the model under different demand scenarios. Finally, we present a heuristic to set high-quality staff schedules quickly. After the implementation, the company reported a 25% increase in staff productivity.
Stimulation of Adipose Tissue Lipoprotein Lipase Activity Improves Glucose Metabolism and Increases High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in the Spontane
Authors: Hatahet Wael , Aldawood Fahad , Ngwa Julius , Fungwe Thomas
Published: December 2015

Insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TG-RL), as well as low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) are disorders that combine to define metabolic syndrome (MetS). Metabolic syndrome is on the rise in the United States and is believed to be a powerful predictor of risk for diabetes and coronary events. Modulation of the activity of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in MetS affects lipolysis of TG-RL, which has a direct correlation with the levels of plasma HDL-C. This study examined if increasing LPL activity by dietary means in a model for MetS leads to reduced IRS and increase in plasma HDL-C concentration. Ninety day-old Spontaneously Hypertensive Stroke-Prone male rats were originally fed lab chow diet for seven days. This was followed by feeding a fatty acid diet for 7 days containing one of the following: triolein (TO), trans fatty acids-rich (TFA, margarine) and 0 fatty acids (Control) with /without an LPL-rising drug (NO-1866) by gavages (5 mg or 25 mg/kg b. wt.). The results show that blood glucose and triacylglycerol levels were decreased with NO-1886. HDL-C levels increased with NO-1866 in the control and triolein group but not in the TFA group. Animals in the triolein group had higher levels of phospholipids and lower levels of insulin. Inclusion of NO-1866 lowered HOMA-IR by almost 40% in the control and the TFA group, but no further reduction was observed in the TO group. The control TFA groups had up to 45% higher HOMA-IR than the TO group. Overall the data suggest that raising the activity of lipoprotein lipase by dietary means, including the feeding of monounsaturated fat may increase HDL-C, reduce plasma triacylglycerol and other indices of MetS risk, and thus may decrease the incidence of vascular complications through the normalization of lipid metabolism in subjects with MetS.
Efficacy of Methylcobalamin to Normalise Elevated Homocysteine of Vitamin B12 Deficient Vegetarians: A Double Blind Placebo Control Study
Authors: Obersby D , Chappell D , Dunnett A , Tsiami Amalia
Published: December 2015

Vegetarians are known to be deficient in vitamin B12, due to a lack of dietary animal products, which can elevate plasma total homocysteine (tHcy). Elevated total tHcy can render vegetarians susceptible to cardiovascular disease (CVD). There are a limited number of published studies in relation to the efficacy of methylcobalamin to normalise plasma tHcy of vitamin B12 deficient vegetarians. The primary objective of the present study was to explore the relationship between supplementary oral methylcobalamin and levels of tHcy of vitamin B12 deficient vegetarians; to reduce the risk of developing primary CVD. A randomised double blind placebo controlled pilot study was conducted to monitor and analyse baseline and post treatment levels of plasma tHcy, 49 volunteer vegetarians were recruited to participate in this study. Statistical analysis employing SPSS software indicated that methylcobalamin reduced mean baseline plasma tHcy of 15.5 µmolL-1 (n=39) to a mean plasma tHcy level of 8.4 µmolL-1 (P < 0.001). In a second group that contained details of ten withdrawn participants, which was conducted on an ‘Intention to Treat’ (ITT) basis, indicated that methylcobalamin was shown to be reduced from a mean baseline plasma tHcy of 14.7 µmolL-1(n=49) to a mean plasma tHcy level of 9.1 µmolL-1 (P < 0.001). The findings of the study have the potential to alert vegetarians of the possible risk of becoming vitamin B12 deficient, and to help avoid the risk of developing homocysteine related CVD. The quality data obtained in the study will allow an accurate sample size to be calculated for a future definite clinical study.
Body Mass Index, Percent Body Fat and Visceral Fat in Relation to Dietary Fat and Fiber Intake among University Females
Authors: Bano Rafia , AlShammari Eyad , Almedan Aljawharah
Published: December 2015

Recent economic upliftment has brought many changes in the food choices and eating habits from home made to fast foods. This shift in the area of nutrition has given rise to overweight and obesity.

Considering this the present study was planned to 1) determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a sample of university students 2) Find the relationship between the body composition and dietary fat and fibre intake.

A total of 300 university females, 18-30+ years were randomly selected from all the colleges at the University of Hail for the present study. A Self-administered questionnaire was given, and the Body composition were measured with the help of bio-electric impedance analysis technique. Data were analysed using SPSS -17 software.

The results indicated that 22% of the students were overweight and 21.3% were obese. The mean percent body fat as well as visceral fat exceeded its normal limits in around 44% of the participants. Vegetables and fruits, except dates, were not frequently consumed by most of the participants with a mean intake of fibre as 14g/day. Significant positive correlations were found among Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat% and Visceral Fat level. Strong positive correlation was also found between BMI and fat intake (P< 0.01), whereas the body composition and fiber intake was found to be inversely correlated (P<0.01).

Findings of present study suggest that there is need for coordinated efforts at all levels to reduce the prevalence of obesity and high percentage of body fat, and to develop healthy eating habits in young generation.
Watershed Programme: An Innovative Way to Solve Scarcity and Provide Security of Water in Rural Areas for Sustainable Human and Social Development – Some Cases
Authors: Nath Archana , Kumar Ritesh , Behura Ajit
Published: December 2015

Sustainable development is now the much talked about term in the modern society owing to the increasing concern for the degrading environment. Water is the basic unit of life and without it one cannot think of the development in any form. In the present paper an attempt has been made to explain the concept of watershed management and show how effective such watershed project can be in enhancing the availability of water in the rural areas that suffers immensely owing to the situation of huge scarcity of water both in quantity and quality. Such approach can be highly effective in addressing the water scarcity issue and achieving the sustainable development and broadly the overall socio-economic benefit in the rural society. The present paper shows that such attempts under watershed activities like treatment in upper catchment, terracing of a piece of land on slopes, etc. helps in recharging of the wells that acts as a catalyst and further triggers the developmental activities in and around the catchment areas.
Consumer’s Intention to Purchase Green Brands: the Roles of Environmental Concern, Environmental Knowledge and Self Expressive Benefits
Authors: Ahmad Anees , Thyagaraj K. S
Published: December 2015

Companies are striving to minimize environmental impact through sustainable business practices. Consumers have become more aware of environmental issues and many companies have recognized the relevance of green marketing in gaining competitive advantage. As a part of green marketing strategy, companies are developing green brands. This paper focuses on the effect of consumer’s concern for environment, environmental knowledge and self expressive benefits on attitude and intention to purchase green brand. Data were collected from 270 Indian consumers. The results of this research show that environmental concern, environmental knowledge and self expressive benefits would positively influence attitude which in turn positively influences intention to purchase green brands. The influence of consumer’s knowledge of the environment on purchase intention was found to be non-significant. Hence, investing resource to promote environmental concern, to impart environmental knowledge and to communicate self expressive benefits will be helpful in increasing purchase intentions of green brands.
Impact of Parasitic Diseases on Fishes of North West Himalayan Streams
Authors: Shah Feroz , Qayoom Imtiyaz , Balkhi Masood , Kumar Ashwani
Published: December 2015

Pathological disorders caused due to metazoan parasitic infestation were studied in the hill stream fishes of northwest Himalayan region. Host specificity was found to be one of the fundamental features of metazoan parasites which belonged to the class Cestoda, Nematoda, Trematoda and phylum Acanthocephala. The study indicates that a successful co-evolution of the host and its parasite has caused the adaptation of the later by developing evading mechanisms in order to avoid extinction. Besides this it was also observed that some parasites have even understood to benefit from the well developed antiparasitic armament in fish intestinal epithelia. Thus, parasites are exploiting the antiparasitic response mechanism of the host to optimize, host finding, invasion and survival in the host. Such interaction between host and parasites are considered phylogenetically old. Some monogeneans, cestodes, digeneans and acanthocephalans were found to resist pronounced cellular and host reactions which even improved the attachment of parasite into the host predilection site. Scanning Electron Microscopy and hitstopathological examination was conducted on parasites recovered from fishes in order to understand the host parasite interaction and the damage inflicted by parasite on hill stream fish species.
Impacts of Different Management Practices on Physico-Chemical Properties of Soil in Mid-Hill, Sub-Humid Zone-II of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Kapoor Tanvi , Chauhan Ramesh , Chand Hukam
Published: December 2015

A study was conducted at Hill Agricultural Research and Extension centre Bajaura of CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidayalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh to investigate the Impacts of different management practices on physical as well as chemical properties of the soil. Sample analysis of three management practices i.e. organic, inorganic and integrated revealed that, water holding capacity was found to be highest in organic treatment (50.8%), followed by integrated (44.9%) and least in inorganic (40.2%) whereas field capacity of the three farming systems followed an order as integrated > organic> inorganic treatment. The bulk density of the soil was in the range of 1.36-1.58 Mg cm-2 in the three farming systems and the value was highest in inorganic treatment and lowest in organic treatment. The organic carbon content of soil was highest (1.8 Kg g-1) in organic treatment followed by integrated and lowest (0.75 Kg g-1) in inorganic treatment. The available nitrogen was found to be lowest in integrated treatment followed by organic and inorganic. Cation exchange capacity was found to be highest (16.58 c mol (+) kg‑1) in organic and lowest (10.82 c mol(+) kg‑1) in inorganic practice. Hence organic agriculture practice is best for the restoration of agricultural lands and an environmentally sound and inexpensive way to sustainably intensify crop production on marginal land as well as improving the ecology of the soil environment.
Algae as Bio-monitors for Damodar River Water Pollution
Authors: Dora S , Maiti S K , Tiwary R. K , Singh Anshumali
Published: December 2015

Damodar is an important tributary of Ganga river basin and cater the needs of industries and growing human population in the eastern part of India. Assessment of algal diversity was carried out to understand the impact of coal mining and allied industrial activities on the ecological condition of Damodar river basin. Surface water and algal samples were collected in the summer (2009) from ten sites along the Damodar River. Bio-monitoring of algal diversity showed high organic pollution load in the Damodar River. These observations were confirmed by statistical analysis. Algal community analysis and multivariate analysis showed influence of organic pollution in the river. Cluster analysis (CA) identified the similarity and dissimilarity among sampling sites and discriminate the reference site from rest of the impacted sites in the Damodar river basin.
Design and Development of Solar Cooker cum Dryer
Authors: Sayyad F. G , Sardar N. R , Rathod J. P , Baria U. A , Yaduvanshi B. K , Solanki B. P , Chavda J. J
Published: December 2015

Solar energy represents non-polluting, inexhaustible renewable source of energy that can be utilized economically to supply man's needs for all the time. A solar cooker cum dryer was designed, developed and fabricated. The performance evaluation of the system was carried out. The solar cooker was used as the solar collector for the solar dryer. A solar cooker having size 750mm x 600mm x 150mm has been developed. The solar dryer was designed with 0.49 m2 collector area. The collector angle was calculated for Jalgaon and it is 24.16˚ facing south. Drying chamber of size 750mm x 600mm x 450mm was designed and fabricated. This equipment was tested for cooking of food materials. The various atmospheric and drying parameters were also observed during the testing
Composting of Calotropis Gigantea Leaves Using Mix Dung of Buffalo, Cow, Goat and Sheep
Authors: Shah Mayur , Upadhyay Devang , Shilpkar Prateek
Published: December 2015

Under shed at Biogas Research and Extension Centre, Gujarat Vidyapith, Sadara, District- Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, a composting pit was prepared by bricks and filled with mixture of 10 kg dung (2.5 kg each of cow, buffalo, sheep and goat) and 2 kg leaves of Calotropis gigantea. The mixture was well mixed at 15 days interval and samples were analysed for various physico-chemical properties at monthly interval of composting upto 90 days. Results show that compared to values of various physico-chemical parameters before composting the values of available phosphorus, available potassium and total nitrogen increased by 2.89, 2.18 and 3.15 times whereas content of pH, electrical conductivity, chloride, total organic carbon and ratio of C:N decreased by 1.12, 4.13, 2.68, 2.38 and 8.13 times after composting. The study highlights the conversion of leaves of C. gigantea into valuable compost.
It is all about the team
Authors: Lee Maureen , Metcalfe Stefanie
Published: December 2015

In the second of a series of articles on effective early years leadership and management Maureen Lee asks Stefanie Metcalfe for her insights into building and developing an effective staff team.
Learning communities
Authors: Chalmers Debbie
Published: December 2015

Constructive links between the home environment and settings ensure children's needs are met and their preferences and interests known. All providers must offer quality care and learning for families.
Birds and their habits
Authors: Williams David
Published: December 2015

So far in this series we have looked at the iconic trees and plants of the British Isles, and to continue our theme, we now turn to the national birds that have been chosen to represent the nations of this island.
Accuracy and usefulness of the Palliative Prognostic Index in a community setting
Authors: Belanger Emmanuelle , Tetrault Danielle , Tradounsky Golda , Towers Anna , Marchessault Judith
Published: December 2015

Purpose:

In a community setting characterised by scarce inpatient palliative care resources, a precise prognosis could help determine which patients should be prioritised for end-of-life admission.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) and to determine whether it is a helpful tool for nurses to administer as part of the admission protocol in the palliative care service of a community hospital.

Results:

The PPI was a moderately accurate prognostic tool when assessing the frequency of 14-day overstay; 81% of patients died within 14 days of their expected prognosis. Based on sensitivity and specificity, the accuracy of the prognoses was acceptable for the 6-week prognosis group (80%), and poor for the 3-week prognostic group (53%). The tool was easy to administer by the admission nurse receiving referrals.

Conclusion:

A nurse-administered and minimally-invasive prognostic tool was helpful in this context.
Use of a supportive care pathway for end-of-life care in an intensive care unit: a qualitative study
Authors: Radcliffe Christina , Hewison Alistair
Published: December 2015

Background:

Providing palliative care support in intensive care settings is beneficial, however, barriers to delivering high-quality end-of-life care remain. To address this, pathways have been used to improve the quality of palliative care in generalist settings. This study describes the views of health professionals using a supportive care pathway in intensive care.

Design:

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten health professionals working in a surgical intensive care unit. The data were analysed thematically.

Results:

Participants were positive about the effect of the supportive care pathway on patient care, particularly in enabling consensus in care planning. Some expressed concerns including the difficulty of identifying the ‘correct patients’ for the pathway, the risk of it becoming a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’, and a euphemism for dying.

Conclusion:

Pathways are one potential mechanism for guiding care planning and communicating the goals of care to colleagues, patients and families, thus contributing to improvements in palliative care.
Politics and palliative care: Grenada
Authors: Smyth Dion
Published: December 2015

Dion Smyth's review of the internet for palliative nursing
The Last and the Previous Year of Life in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Care Received and Daily Living Limitations
Authors: Kalbarczyk-Steclik Malgorzata , Nicinska Anna
Published: December 2015

Objectives: We analyse the need for and the provision of care to individuals aged at least 50 years in their last year of life as compared with the previous year of life.
Methods: We explain the functional status in ordered logit and who provides care in multinomial logit using the data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Results: We find a significant and heterogeneous in the cause of death increase in the number of daily living limitations between the previous and the last year of life. The percentage of respondents receiving care increases and more sources of care are observed between the previous and the last year of life. Regional disparities decline in the last year of life.
Discussion: Correlates to functional status and care receipt differ between the last and the previous year of life. These differences are specific to region and cause of death.
Cross-Validity and Reliability of the Age Scale for Assessing Activities of Daily Living among Japanese Community-Dwelling Adults Aged 75 Years or Older
Authors: Figueroa Rafael , Seino Satoshi , Yabushita Noriko , Okubo Yoshiro , Nemoto Miyuki , Jung Songee , Tanaka Kiyoji
Published: December 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the age scale for assessing activities of daily living (ADL) among community-dwelling adults aged 75 years or older. Participants comprised 89 older Japanese: 47 men (79.1±3.8 years) and 42 women (78.9±3.7 years). The ADL age (ADLA) equation is an instrument that estimates participants’ physical functioning regarding ADL using data obtained previously from 1006 subjects. The equation is as follows: ADLA for women = 0.447 (chronological age) -5.49ADLS + 44.17; and ADLA for men = 0.519CA – 4.27ADLS + 38.26. Validity was evaluated using cross-validation, and reliability was evaluated using internal consistency and test-retest methods. The correlation between the ADLA and chronological age (CA) in the cross-validation samples (r = 0.62 women, r = 0.61 men) was not significantly different from the relationship observed in the original sample (r = 0.72 women p = 0.636, and r = 0.75 men p = 0.571). Cronbach's alpha (< ) value (internal consistency) for the total ADLA was 0.97 for men and 0.92 for women, whereas the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) value (test-retest reliability) was 0.96 for men and 0.91 for women. The results suggest that the ADLA is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of ADL with satisfactory psychometric properties and that is applicable for persons aged 75 years and older in Japan.
The Pioneering Role of the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project (VSD) to Advance
Collaborative Research and Distributed Data Networks
Authors: Fahey Kevin R.
Published: December 2015

Introduction: Large-scale distributed data networks consisting of diverse
stakeholders including providers, patients, and payers are changing health research in
terms of methods, speed and efficiency. The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) set the stage
for expanded involvement of health plans in collaborative research.Expanding
Surveillance Capacity and Progress Toward a Learning Health System: From an initial
collaboration of four integrated health systems with fewer than 10 million covered lives
to 16 diverse health plans with nearly 100 million lives now in the FDA Sentinel, the
expanded engagement of health plan researchers has been essential to increase the value
and impact of these efforts. The collaborative structure of the VSD established a
pathway toward research efforts that successfully engage all stakeholders in a cohesive
rather than competitive manner. The scientific expertise and methodology developed
through the VSD such as rapid cycle analysis (RCA) to conduct near real-time safety
surveillance allowed for the development of the expanded surveillance systems that now
exist.Building on Success and Lessons Learned: These networks have learned from and
built on the knowledge base and infrastructure created by the VSD investigators. This
shared technical knowledge and experience expedited the development of systems like the
FDA’s Mini-Sentinel and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)’s
PCORnetConclusion: This narrative reviews the evolution of the VSD, its contribution to
other collaborative research networks, longer-term sustainability of this type of
distributed research, and how knowledge gained from the earlier efforts can contribute
to a continually learning health system.
The perfect storm: Disruptive evolution and step changes in Australian dentistry
Authors: Brostek Andrew M. , Walsh Laurence J. , Kruger Estie , Tennant Marc
Published: December 2015

After more than 100 years of stability, the landscape of dental practice in Australia has been changed forever by a combination of elements whose effects continue to be felt. Evolving economic cycles, increasing internationalisation, paradigm shifts in work practices and the long-arm of corporatisation have led not only to a number of potential adverse effects but also opportunities to face the challenges of modern dentistry. However, the needs of patients and society in general must not be left behind as the storm passes.
Perceptions of mono-specialty examinations in restorative dentistry training pathways
Authors: Bryce Graeme , Bomfim Deborah , Darbar Ulpee
Published: December 2015

Specialty registrar training in restorative dentistry is intended to develop mono-specialty knowledge and clinical competence to ensure optimal treatment outcomes and improved quality of life in complex cases. There have been a number of changes to the training programme in recent years, with the introduction of structured curricula and increased emphasis on learning outcomes, assessed via mono-specialty examinations (MSEs). However, the views of trainers and trainees on these changes, the relevance of MSEs to training and their impact on development and future employment prospects are not clear.