bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
23 Findings from a pilot and feasibility trial of a music therapy intervention in specialist palliative care
Authors: Graham-Wisener Lisa , Reid Joanne , McConnell Tracy , McGrillen Kerry , Kirkwood Jenny , McKeown Miriam , Clarke Mike , Regan Joan , Hughes Naomi , Porter Sam
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Music therapy aligns to the holistic approach to palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC) with increased prevalence in PEOLC settings (Graham-Wiseneret al.2018). Despite this there is a dearth of high-quality evidence examining the impact of music therapy towards end of life on quality of life (McConnellet al.2016).

Aims

The aim of this pilot and feasibility study was to: test procedures; outcomes and validated tools; estimate recruitment and attrition rates; and calculate the sample size required for a phase III randomised controlled trial.

Methods

A single-centre pilot and feasibility trial with patients admitted to a specialist palliative care inpatient unit within the United Kingdom. Participants were randomised (1:1) to either a music therapy intervention of two 30–45 min sessions of music therapy per week for three consecutive weeks or usual care. The primary outcome measure was to evaualte the feasibility of administering the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQoL) baseline with follow-up measures at one, three and five weeks.

Results

51 participants were recruited to the trial over a 12 month period. Feasibility of administering music therapy intervention and attrition rates identified one-week follow-up as an appropriate primary outcome. Results suggest a likely effect on MQoL total score between intervention and control arms in particular the existential subscale.

Conclusion

The current study resolved a number of issues towards informing robust procedures for a phase III RCT. This data is urgently needed to ensure an evidence-based decision on inclusion of music therapy in palliative care services.

References

. Graham-Wisener L, Watts G, Kirkwood J, Harrison C, McEwan J, Porter S, Reid J, McConnell TH. Music therapy in UK palliative and end-of-life care: A service evaluation. BMJ supportive & palliative care2018.

. McConnell T, Scott D, Porter S. Music therapy for end-of-life care: An updated systematic review. Palliative Medicine2016;30(9):877–883.
29 Multi-disciplinary palliative care for men living with duchenne: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Laidlaw Sheonad , Carduff Emma
Published: August 2018

Background

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an x-linked ultra-rare neuromuscular condition affecting 1 in 3600–6000 live male births.1Individuals live with an exceptional illness trajectory of prolonged dwindling frailty and high symptom burden.2While it is recognised that a co-ordinated multidisciplinary team approach may increase the survival of those with DMD and improve their quality of life (QoL)3adults are receiving less comprehensive and co-ordinated care compared with those in the paediatric service.4

Aim

To investigate QoL in adults with DMD living in the West of Scotland (WoS).

Methods

The SEIQoL-DW tool was used to assess the five most important elements that contribute to an individual’s QoL – these were then used to guide qualitative interviews with six men in the WoS. A thematic analysis was undertaken.

Results

Men living with DMD in the WoS described living good lives but feel ‘forgotten’ due to perceived gaps in their care: poorly co-ordinated and infrequent health care; lack of multi-disciplinary team input and holistic care; and poor or no access to allied health care professionals for example physiotherapy and psychological support.

Conclusions

Existing guidelines rarely seem materialise as person-centred care. There are numerous opportunities to introduce palliative care gently as part of the MDT early in the illness trajectory and continue in a dynamic manner as time elapses and when trigger points arise. Better co-ordinated multi-disciplinary care with the inclusion of a palliative care specialist may be a solution allowing for an early introduction to palliative care and proactive advance care planning.

References

. Bushby K, et al. Diagnosis and management of duchenne muscular dystrophy part 1: Diagnosis and pharmacological and psychosocial managment. Lancet Neurol2010;9:77–93.

. Landfeldt E, et al. The burden of duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neurology2014;83:529–36.

. Bushby K, et al. Diagnosis and management of duchenne muscular dystrophy part 2: Implementation of multidisciplinary care. Lancet Neurol2010;9:177–89.

. Rodger S, et al. Adult care for duchenne muscular dystrophy in the UK. J Neuro2015;262:629–41.
3 Is it acceptable to use technical monitoring to assess palliative care patients’ level of consciousness? a qualitative exploration with patients and relatives
Authors: Krooupa Anna-Maria , Stone Paddy , McKeever Stephen , Vivat Bella
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring uses electroencephalographic data to objectively measure patients’ level of consciousness and might be a useful supplement to clinical observation when using sedative medication in palliative care. However its acceptability to UK palliative care service users is unknown.

Aim

To explore the acceptability of BIS technology with UK hospice patients and relatives.

Methods

We conducted focus groups and individual interviews with patients and relatives in a UK hospice and analysed data thematically.

Results

10 patients and 15 relatives participated in seven focus groups and three interviews. Responses from patient participants were similar to those from relatives and four themes emerged:

Knowledge and experience of current monitoring of sedation/consciousness

Acceptable duration of monitoring

Reservations about using technological devices in palliative care

Potential benefits of using BIS.

Participants’ comments on potential benefits included that BIS alongside routine clinical practice might help ensure comfort at the end of life and serve to assure medical needs are being met particularly for people who cannot communicate. Participants generally felt that the duration of BIS monitoring should be informed by each patient’s individual needs while some expressed that patients and/or families should be consulted before using the monitor. Participants also noted that BIS while possibly obtrusive is not invasive.

Conclusions

Our participants considered BIS acceptable for monitoring level of consciousness and possibly helpful at the end of life. We therefore initiated an observational study exploring use of this technology in the clinical care of UK hospice inpatients.
30 Consensus and consistency: development of a core outcome set for evaluating bereavement support in palliative care
Authors: Longo Mirella , Scott Hannah , Seddon Kathy , Fitzgibbon Jim , Morgan Fiona , Pickett Sara , Byrne Anthony , Sivell Stephanie , Nelson Annmarie , Harrop Emily
Published: August 2018

Background

Palliative care has an established role in the provision of bereavement support. However the research evidence is limited and a lack of consistency in the outcomes used to evaluate services makes it difficult to draw conclusions on their relative effectiveness. Core Outcome Sets (COS) represent the ‘minimum that should be measured and reported’ in research into specific conditions or services making it easier to compare evaluation results [www.comet-initiative.org].

Aim

To develop a COS for evaluating bereavement support in palliative care for adults who have lost adults through terminal illness.

Methodology

Four stages were used to identify agreement on the core outcome Set. Stage 1) a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative papers. Stage 2) a first consensus day of 21 people with expertise in bereavement support (including: adults with bereavement experience providers of bereavement support services researchers) who discussed and amended the outcomes emerging from the review of the literature. Stage 3) a two-round DELPHI survey of 238 bereavement experts. Stage 4) a second consensus day of 23 experts who discussed and reached agreement on the ranking of outcome measures emerging form the DELPHI survey.

Results

Preliminary analysis of the consensus days and survey results suggest that the most important outcomes to use are ‘ability to cope’ and ‘mental health and wellbeing’. Core dimensions to explore when assessing these outcomes have also been identified.

Conclusion

Available validated tools are being reviewed for their suitability. Gaps will be highlighted with further work planned to adapt or develop measures as necessary.
36 ‘Spells of care’ could work magic in the community
Authors: Penman Janice
Published: August 2018

Background

In palliative care objective measurement of our clinical effectiveness has always been an area of concern. An ongoing ever increasing demand for specialist palliative care community services means that managing caseloads can be a challenge. There is very little literature or evidence of good practice around this important part of specialist community palliative care.

Method

The suite of OACC measures were introduced to a hospice community team service to help with caseload management. CNSs began to deliver more short term interventions or spells of care to a patient and their family with the aim of resolving particular problems. A telephone caseload was initiated and this allowed the CNSs to maintain contact with patients with stable symptoms but with the potential to deteriorate. Use of IPOS has defined these spells of care enabling discharge either back to primary care team other supportive hospice services or to the telephone caseload. IPOS also helped us to identify patients in the unstable phase of illness.

Results

We have seen a 35% reduction in the average length of time our patients are on a community caseload at the same time as 21% of community patients being managed on a telephone case load. These figures are based on referrals from April 2017 to June 2018.

Conclusion

We expect that using spells of care to define caseload size will be a more sustainable way to maintain manageable caseloads in the future. They will also help us to focus more on patients in the unstable phase of illness where most benefit from palliative care services can be expected.

Reference

. Witt J, de Wolf-Linder S, Dawkins M, Daveson BA, Higginson IJ, Murtagh FEM. Introducing the outcome assessment and complexity collaborative suite of measures.A Brief Introduction – Version 22015.
37 The role of the research nurse in developing a research culture at a hospice
Authors: Perry Rachel
Published: August 2018

The National Institute of Health Research and Charities Consortium for Hospice and Community Research have stated that the goal for all hospices is to be research active and to be recruiting into portfolio studies by 2022. This poster draws on a case study from one research nurse as she sought to develop research capacity at a hospice in the West Midlands. The poster aims to highlight four key areas the innovative role covers showing how a research nurse is central to:

Facilitating engagement with research at the hospice. From introducing (sceptical) staff to the range of research studies they can be involved in to the opportunities to embed research into the daily work of both the in–patient and day services

Being a bridge between the often–competing pressures of clinical care and research by finding novel solutions to obstacles

Empowering staff by encouraging them to be a part of research in everyday practice as well as being a resource for staff by supporting them with academic assignments producing posters for conferences and disseminating research findings through journal discussions

Building future research opportunities by developing a research nurse network where ideas and good practice can be shared widely across different organisations.
51 How do family carers feature in end of life care policy? scoping review and narrative summary of uk national policy/guidelines on implementing carer assessment and support
Authors: Ewing Gail , Grande Gunn
Published: August 2018

Background

The ethos of end-of-life-care (EOLC) embraces both carers and patients. For over a decade UK healthcare policy has acknowledged that carers’ needs should be assessed and addressed in EOLC.

Aim

To review national policy/guidelines on carers and EOLC examine how policy addresses carer assessment/support and its implementation in practice.

Methods

Scoping review through searches of public body websites (e.g., Department of Health and NICE); provider organisations (e.g., National Council for Palliative Care Hospice UK) and charities (e.g., Carers UK Carers Trust) personal sources (researcher libraries personal contacts serendipitous discovery) ‘snowballing’ and reference checking. Included: publications 2004–2018 national guidance on EOLC delivery or adult carers. Excluded: policy/guidance on children. Policy content mapped to areas key of practice implementation for carers at individual and organisation levels.

Results

Content mapping identified EOLC practice implementation issues for patients rarely for carers. Conversely generic carer strategy/guidance focused on carers with little reference to EOLC. Key findings were:

Move from a distinct carer focus (their assessment/support) in early guidance to a joint patient/carer approach with corresponding loss of recognition of carers’ separate situation

Limiting carer assessment to statutory social–care assessments which do not address need for healthcare support

Lack of detail on structures and processes required for organisational implementation of carer assessment and support.

Policy guidance lacks a focus on carers a comprehensive health and social care approach and detail on processes and structures required for implementation of carer assessment and support in practice that hinders improvement of carer support.

Funder

Hospice UK and NIHR CLARHC Greater Manchester
53 The palliative care needs of people with motor neurone disease (MND) and their informal caregivers: a time for change
Authors: Flemming Kate , Turner Victoria
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Despite being a terminal neurodegenerative disease the role of palliative care is less recognised for MND than for conditions such as cancer. The palliative care needs of patients and carers must be understood in order to best configure policy and health care services for this population.

Aim

To explore the palliative care needs of adult patients and their informal carers living with MND or bereaved carers of people with MND through a systematic review of qualitative research.

Method

Four electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE CINAHL PsycINFO Social Science Citation Index) using terms for MND ALS palliative care and a qualitative research filter. Included papers were data extracted and assessed for quality. The review was conducted using thematic synthesis.

Results

410 papers were identified and 39 included representing the experiences of 456 people with MND and 345 informal caregivers.

Two sets of analytical themes were identified. The first represents the disease trajectory and specific chronological points within it. The second details three sets of influencing factors (internal external and connecting factors) that impact on people’s experiences of events along the disease trajectory. Analysing the intersections of these themes highlighted which palliative care needs are most required at each stage.

Conclusion

Despite being a life-limiting condition people with MND and their carers have limited awareness of or involvement with palliative care services. There are clear points in the disease trajectory where palliative care input could enhance patient and carer experience of the disease particularly at times of significant physical change.
54 Interventions and support for people bereaved through advanced progressive illness: a mixed-methods systematic review
Authors: Morgan Fiona , Scott Hannah , Longo Mirella , Byrne Anthony , Fitzgibbon Jim , Nelson Annmarie , Pickett Sara , Seddon Kathy , Sivell Stephanie , Harrop Emily
Published: August 2018

Background

Palliative care has an important role to play in addressing the bereavement needs of families. A small number of systematic reviews of bereavement interventions are available1 2but these have typically been restricted to evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and provide little information on support specifically provided in palliative care settings.

Aim

This mixed method review identifies interventions and services providing bereavement support for adults bereaved through advanced progressive illness and looks at both the quantitative and qualitative evidence for their effectiveness and utility.

Methods

Key databases were searched for papers published between 1990 and 2016. Supplementary searches were also conducted. The review includes studies conducted in the UK or comparable countries reporting evaluations of interventions or services delivered to adults bereaved through advanced progressive illness. Study quality was assessed using appropriate checklists.

Results

Thirty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria for the review including seven RCTs. Evidence from the trials reported improvements in a range of physical and mental health outcomes. However the studies were generally of poor quality with heterogenous populations and outcomes. Evidence from qualitative studies identified a number of positive impacts for service users including facilitating loss and grief resolution restoration and moving on acquisition of coping strategies and social support.

Conclusions

Whilst the qualitative evidence suggests important benefits of bereavement care for service users this is not matched by strong trial-based evidence. Conclusions that may be drawn on effectiveness are therefore limited by lack of rigorous evaluation studies conducted in this area.

References

. Forte AL, Hill M, Pazder R, Feudtner C. Bereavement care interventions: A systematic review. BMC Palliative Care2004;3(1).

. Currier J, Neimeyer R, Berman J. The effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for bereaved persons: A comprehensive quantitative review. Psychological Bulletin2008;134(5):648–661.
57 Evidence into practice: novel approaches to underpinning evidence-based innovations in care
Authors: Mann Mala , Nelson Annmarie , Woodward Amanda , Islam Ishrat , Byrne Anthony
Published: August 2018

Background

Developing and implementing novel models of care requires a robust approach to identifying and assessing existing evidence. Rapid reviews have emerged as an efficient approach. There is a growing number of rapid review ‘methods’ but no accepted standardised methodology. We describe the methodological options and an example the Palliative Care Evidence Review Service (PaCERS) where streamlined systematic review methodology is used to conduct rapid reviews requested by clinicians/clinical services.

Aims

To describe evidence synthesis options including PaCERS for producing rapid evidence summaries on questions of direct importance to service delivery. To identify related methodological challenges.

Methods

We examine various rapid review methods and describe in full PaCERS methodology. This uses a focussed search strategy across a limited set of databases and other sources. Study selection data extraction and critical appraisal are performed independently by at least two reviewers. Results are published online using a template co-produced with users which describes key clinical messages evidence quality and summaries of included studies.

Results

We will describe the pros and cons of conducting rapid reviews and highlight methodology development unique to PaCERS. We will discuss specific issues encountered during the review process to produce rigorous reviews in a short time frame for palliative services.

Conclusion

Rapid reviews have tremendous methodological variation however they are an important tool for evidence-informed decision making especially when time resource constraints and health needs are an issue. Therefore using rapid reviews can be used in implementing new models of palliative care.

Reference

. Wales Cancer Research Centre.Palliative Care Evidence Review Service (PaCERS)2016. Available at: http://palliativecare.walescancerresearchcentre.com/palliative-care-evidence-review-service/ [Accessed: 30 May 2018]
7 Exploring healthcare professionals’ attitudes to future care planning with older adults in hospital: qualitative research co-design through multi-professional patient and carer involvement
Authors: Bielinska Anna-Maria , Archer Stephanie , Urch Catherine , Darzi Ara
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Despite evidence that advance care planning in older hospital inpatients improves the quality of end-of-life care (Detering 2010) future care planning (FCP) with older adults remains to be normalised in hospital culture. It is therefore crucial to understand the attitudes of healthcare professionals to FCP in older patients in the hospital setting. Co-design with patients carers and healthcare professionals can generate more detailed meaningful data through better conversations.

Aims

To co-design a semi-structured interview (SSI) topic guide to explore healthcare professionals’ attitudes to FCP with older adults in hospital.

Methods

A multi-professional research group including a panel of patient and carer representatives co-designed an in-depth topic guide for a SSI exploring healthcare professionals’ attitudes to FCP with older adults in hospital.

Results

The co-designed topic guide encourages participants to explore personal and system-level factors that may influence attitudes to FCP and practice in hospital amongst healthcare staff. Co-designed topics for inclusion in the SSI schedule include:

Potential differences between specialist and generalist approaches to FCP

The influence of perceived hierarchy and emergency–decision making ability in professionals on FCP discussions

The relevance to transitions of care

Attitudes to FCP beyond the biomedical paradigm including perceived well–being and psychosocial aspects of care

Digital FCP tools including patient–led FCP.

Conclusion

Co-designing qualitative research with older people and multi-disciplinary professionals may narrow translational gaps in implementing FCP by setting joint research priorities. Data generated from a co-designed study may expand understanding of hospital-based anticipatory decision-making with older adults.

Reference

. Detering KM, Hancock AD, Reade MC, Silvester W. The impact of advance care planning on end of life care in elderly patients: randomised controlled trial. BMJ23 March 2010;340:c1345.
8 How do hospices facilitate social support?
Authors: Bradley Natasha , Lloyd-Williams Mari , Dowrick Chris
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Social isolation is increasing with negative consequences for both physical and mental health. People with life-limiting illness and their carers are at risk of inadequate social support and loneliness.

Hospices support social wellbeing with services including traditional day care support groups befriending multi-component interventions and community activities. Existing research suggests that access to social support is highly valued. However models of support used in practice are poorly documented and outcomes difficult to ascertain. The significance of social support in palliative care is under-researched.

Aim

To establish an overview of hospice service models that facilitate social support for adults living in the community with life-limiting illness.

Method

An online survey was developed piloted and disseminated to adult hospices in the UK and ROI. Questions include hospice characteristics provision of services facilitating social support access issues use of patient outcomes and availability of cost data.

Results

107 hospices responded to the survey (>50% of eligible hospices). A diverse range of service models were identified. Preliminary results presented include: descriptive statistics of the sample categories and aims of services and salient access issues. Implications of findings for research and economic evaluation are discussed.

Conclusion

This survey demonstrates hospices to be interested and active in facilitating social support. It is possible that increasingly diverse approaches used in practice may improve issues regarding access to and awareness of hospice care. More work is needed to share best practice document outcomes and consider cost-effectiveness.

Reference

. Bradley N, Lloyd-Williams M, Dowrick C. Effectiveness of palliative care interventions offering social support to people with life-limiting illness – A systematic review.Eur J Cancer Care2018. doi:10.1111/ecc.12837
Electrocardiography in athletes: normal and abnormal findings
Authors: Prutkin Jordan M , Wilson Mathew G
Published: August 2018

Many sporting organisations recommend a pre-participation ECG to screen for disorders which predispose to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The ability of the ECG to perform accurately is dependent on the ECG criteria used and the experience of the operator. There have been several ECG criteria over the last decade, though these were recently superseded with the publication of the ‘International Consensus Criteria for ECG Interpretation in Athletes’. These criteria use the latest evidence to improve specificity while maintaining sensitivity for ECG-detectable pathologies associated with SCA. Accordingly, this review describes the normal, borderline and abnormal ECG findings in an asymptomatic athlete aged 12–35 years.
Chain pain following cardiac surgery in a 35-year-old man
Authors: Marchandot Benjamin , Radulescu Bogdan , Morel Olivier
Published: August 2018

Clinical introduction

A 35-year-old man with multiple cardiovascular risk factors presented with a recent history of fever and acute heart failure. His initial echocardiogram showed evidence of severe aortic regurgitation due to ongoing infective endocarditis. Preoperative coronary angiography revealed no coronary abnormalities. Urgent aortic valve replacement was performed and a 29 mm St Jude mechanical valve was implanted. While blood and resected valvular tissue cultures were negative for bacteria, a PCR-based analysis revealed the presence of penicillin-sensitive Streptococcus pneumoniae. Echocardiographic follow-up study at day 3 showed excellent mechanical valve function with no persistent signs of endocarditis. Eight days after surgery, our patient presented with severe chest pain. The ECG is shown in figure 1A and coronary angiography was performed for diagnostic confirmation (figure 1B–D and online supplementary video 1).

Supplementary file 1

Figure 1

(A) 12-lead ECG. (B, C) Selective angiogram of the left main, left anterior descending artery and circumflex artery. (D) Aortic root angiography.

Question

Which of the following is most likely the diagnostic?

Occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Dissection of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Valsalva aneurysm presenting as an acute coronary syndrome

Left anterior descending coronary artery spasm

Left main coronary aneurysm
Should NICE reconsider the 2016 UK guidelines on TB contact tracing? A cost-effectiveness analysis of contact investigations in London
Authors: Cavany Sean M , Vynnycky Emilia , Anderson Charlotte S , Maguire Helen , Sandmann Frank , Thomas H Lucy , White Richard G , Sumner Tom
Published: August 2018

Background

In January 2016, clinical TB guidance in the UK changed to no longer recommend screening contacts of non-pulmonary, non-laryngeal (ETB) index cases. However, no new evidence was cited for this change, and there is evidence that screening these contacts may be worthwhile. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening contacts of adult ETB cases and adult pulmonary or laryngeal TB (PTB) cases in London, UK.

Methods

We carried out a cross-sectional analysis of data collected on TB index cases and contacts in the London TB register and an economic evaluation using a static model describing contact tracing outcomes. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated using no screening as the baseline comparator. All adult TB cases (≥15 years old) in London from 2012 to 2015, and their contacts, were eligible (2465/5084 PTB and 2559/6090 ETB index cases were included).

Results

Assuming each contact with PTB infects one person/month, the ICER of screening contacts of ETB cases was £78 000/quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) (95% CI 39 000 to 140 000), and screening contacts of PTB cases was £30 000/QALY (95% CI 18 000 to 50 000). The ICER of screening contacts of ETB cases was £30 000/QALY if each contact with PTB infects 3.4 people/month. Limitations of this study include the use of self-reported symptomatic periods and lack of knowledge about onward transmission from PTB contacts.

Conclusions

Screening contacts of ETB cases in London was almost certainly not cost-effective at any conventional willingness-to-pay threshold in England, supporting recent changes to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence national guidelines.
Comparison of standard single‐bite with multiple‐bite biopsy forceps for collection of gastrointestinal biopsies in dogs: a prospective study
Authors: Edery Elsa G , Scase Tim , Kisielewicz Caroline , Dhumeaux Marc P
Published: August 2018

Various types of endoscopic biopsy forceps have been investigated in dogs. The Multibite (MB) are multiple‐bite forceps that collect up to four tissue specimens in a single pass through the endoscope, reducing procedure time. The authors prospectively investigated its clinical utility by comparing procedure times and diagnostic quality of samples obtained with the MB to that of biopsies performed with a single‐bite forceps (SB), in 21 dogs with gastrointestinal disorders. When comparing the depth, crush artefacts and diagnostic adequacy of the gastric and duodenal biopsies, there was no significant difference between the MB and SB forceps. The procedure time was significantly longer with the MB. There was no learning curve effect, and there were no reported adverse events. This study failed to demonstrate any significant clinical advantage associated with the use of the Multibite forceps over that of conventional disposable SB forceps.
Prevalence of mutilations and other skin wounds in working donkeys in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Rayner Emma L , Airikkala‐Otter Ilona , Susheelan Aswin , Mellanby Richard J , Meunier Natascha V , Gibson Andrew , Gamble Luke
Published: August 2018

Wounds in working donkeys are a common and preventable welfare problem in many countries. Mutilations, iatrogenic injuries carried out by owners, are a particularly distressing welfare issue. However, little is known about their nature and prevalence. The project aim was to assess the general health and establish the prevalence, nature and severity of mutilations and other skin wounds in donkeys from several communities in Tamil Nadu, India, that were part of a donkey welfare initiative run by the Worldwide Veterinary Service charity. Five hundred and eighty‐two donkeys were examined from five locations and data collected using a predesigned, smartphone app between October 2016 and July 2017. The study revealed that 298 wounds were present in a total of 227 donkeys (39.0 per cent of the population). Mutilations, comprising nose‐splitting, ear‐splitting and branding, were the most common type of skin wound, comprising 62.8 per cent of all wounds. Poorly fitting harnesses and hobbles were also a common cause of injury. These data can be used to design future‐targeted and focused, educational interventions to reduce mutilation practices which are a common and important welfare issue. Further outreach initiatives are urgently needed to improve welfare of donkeys in these regions.
Spontaneous revegetation of a peatland in Manitoba after peat extraction: diversity of plant assemblages and restoration perspectives
Authors: Gagnon Félix , Rochefort Line , Lavoie Claude
Published: August 2018

There are very few studies on the spontaneous revegetation of cutover fens or bogs from which peat has been extracted to the minerotrophic layers. Most peatlands with fen-type residual peat have problems regenerating a plant cover satisfactorily from a restoration point of view. We nevertheless found a site (Moss Spur, Manitoba, Canada) presenting a substantial and diversified spontaneous plant cover. We estimated that the site would provide insights about natural revegetation processes operating in peatlands. Vegetation assemblages and environmental conditions were surveyed 19 years after extraction activities ceased. Moss Spur has densely revegetated (163 plant species, vegetation cover of 94%) with minimal human assistance. However, the composition of plant assemblages varies considerably across the site, depending on certain abiotic variables, particularly water pH, water table level, and the thickness of the residual peat layer. Moss Spur was remarkably wet considering the past peat extraction activities and the absence of active rewetting procedures. The high water table level may in part explain the successful revegetation. However, plant assemblages were not of equal quality from a restoration perspective. Some assemblages were highly diversified, and especially those dominated by Scirpus cyperinus, a species that should be further considered in peatland restoration projects to direct the recovery of the peatland towards a natural fen species composition.
Investigating high seas foraging conditions for salmon in the North Pacific: insights from a 100-year scale archive for Rivers Inlet sockeye salmon
Authors: Espinasse Boris , Hunt Brian P.V. , Coll Yago Doson , Pakhomov Evgeny A.
Published: August 2018

The high seas phase of Pacific salmon life history remains particularly data-limited, and the potential implications of climate impacts on ocean productivity for salmon condition and reproductive success is poorly understood. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (SI) from salmon scales to reconstruct aspects of the marine environment experienced by Rivers Inlet sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) over the last century (1915–2016). Time series of SI compositions of salmon scales showed a greater variability after 1950, probably linked to more dynamic high seas environmental conditions. However, climate indices (e.g., Pacific Decadal Oscillation, El Niño Southern Oscillation) did not explain the SI variability. We assessed the time series with respect to changes in food web dynamics, including shifting trophic baselines, changes in prey–salmon diet, and changes in salmon foraging location. A significant correlation (r = 0.53) between sea surface temperature and δ13C enabled us to define the area of potential salmon distribution in the open ocean for approximately 9 months prior to sampling. This method shows high potential for stock-specific high seas distribution mapping that could be combined with prey isotope values to inform stock-specific foraging experience.
Characteristics of the rhizosphere bacterial community across different cultivation years in saline–alkaline paddy soils of Songnen Plain of China
Authors: Cui Juntao , Li Yanan , Wang Chengyu , Kim Kyung Seok , Wang Tianye , Liu Shuxia
Published: August 2018

The characteristics of the rhizosphere microbial community across different cultivation years (from 1, 3, 5, 15, 20, and 50 years) in saline–alkaline paddy soils in Songnen Plain of China were investigated based on sequence variation of 16S rDNA using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The results showed that the microbial community diversity varied across cultivation years, showing higher diversity in cultivation years >15 than in cultivation years <15. The dominant microbial community of the rhizosphere was mainly composed of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, soil microbial diversity appeared to be affected directly by changes in soil properties corresponding to cultivated years. Diversity of Proteobacteria decreased as cultivated years increased; however, that of Acidobacteria showed the opposite direction. In addition, the soil microbial communities were clustered into two main groups: one from the sites cultivated for fewer than 15 years, and the other from the sites cultivated for more than 15 years. The abundance of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil sample was significantly higher in soils cultivated for under 15 years than in those cultivated for over 15 years (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was an obvious negative correlation between the cultivated years and Methanosarcina. Our findings on the dynamics of microbial community and its specific function in response to variable soil conditions are important for understanding and improving physical and chemical characteristics of saline–alkaline soil in Songnen Plain of China.
AAC Brown 120 brown mustard
Authors: Cheng Bifang , Williams David J.
Published: August 2018

AAC Brown 120 is a double-haploid (DH) brown mustard (Brassica juncea) variety. It was produced using a microspore culture from F1 hybrid plants resulting from a cross between the elite brown mustard DH line B474DH100 and the elite oriental mustard DH line O60DH151. AAC Brown 120 has significantly higher (12%) yield than the check variety Centennial Brown. It is resistant to white rust races 2a and 2v, whereas Centennial Brown is susceptible to races 2a and 2v. AAC Brown 120 is well adapted to all mustard-growing areas of western Canada.
High-Dimensional Text Datasets Clustering Algorithm Based on Cuckoo Search and Latent Semantic Indexing
Authors: Ishak Boushaki Saida , Kamel Nadjet , Bendjeghaba Omar
Published: August 2018

The clustering is an important data analysis technique. However, clustering high-dimensional data like documents needs more effort in order to extract the richness relevant information hidden in the multidimensionality space. Recently, document clustering algorithms based on metaheuristics have demonstrated their efficiency to explore the search area and to achieve the global best solution rather than the local one. However, most of these algorithms are not practical and suffer from some limitations, including the requirement of the knowledge of the number of clusters in advance, they are neither incremental nor extensible and the documents are indexed by high-dimensional and sparse matrix. In order to overcome these limitations, we propose in this paper, a new dynamic and incremental approach (CS_LSI) for document clustering based on the recent cuckoo search (CS) optimization and latent semantic indexing (LSI). Conducted Experiments on four well-known high-dimensional text datasets show the efficiency of LSI model to reduce the dimensionality space with more precision and less computational time. Also, the proposed CS_LSI determines the number of clusters automatically by employing a new proposed index, focused on significant distance measure. This later is also used in the incremental mode and to detect the outlier documents by maintaining a more coherent clusters. Furthermore, comparison with conventional document clustering algorithms shows the superiority of CS_LSI to achieve a high quality of clustering.
Dinosaur Macroevolution and Macroecology
Authors: Benson Roger B.J.
Published: August 2018

Dinosaurs were large-bodied land animals of the Mesozoic that gave rise to birds. They played a fundamental role in structuring Jurassic–Cretaceous ecosystems and had physiology, growth, and reproductive biology unlike those of extant animals. These features have made them targets of theoretical macroecology. Dinosaurs achieved substantial structural diversity, and their fossil record documents the evolutionary assembly of the avian body plan. Phylogeny-based research has allowed new insights into dinosaur macroevolution, including the adaptive landscape of their body size evolution, patterns of species diversification, and the origins of birds and bird-like traits. Nevertheless, much remains unknown due to incompleteness of the fossil record at both local and global scales. This presents major challenges at the frontier of paleobiological research regarding tests of macroecological hypotheses and the effects of dinosaur biology, ecology, and life history on their macroevolution.
Life in Dry Soils: Effects of Drought on Soil Microbial Communities and Processes
Authors: Schimel Joshua P.
Published: August 2018

Throughout Earth's history, drought has been a common crisis in terrestrial ecosystems; in human societies, it can cause famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse. As the global hydrological cycle intensifies with global warming, deeper droughts and rewetting will alter, and possibly transform, ecosystems. Soil communities, however, seem more tolerant than plants or animals are to water stress—the main effects, in fact, on soil processes appear to be limited diffusion and the limited supply of resources to soil organisms. Thus, the rains that end a drought not only release soil microbes from stress but also create a resource pulse that fuels soil microbial activity. It remains unclear whether the effects of drought on soil processes result from drying or rewetting. It is also unclear whether the flush of activity on rewetting is driven by microbial growth or by the physical/chemical processes that mobilize organic matter. In this review, I discuss how soil water, and the lack of it, regulates microbial life and biogeochemical processes. I first focus on organismal-level responses and then consider how these influence whole-soil organic matter dynamics. A final focus is on how to incorporate these effects into Earth System models that can effectively capture dry–wet cycling.
Ancestry and genetic associations with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants
Authors: Torgerson Dara G. , Ballard Philip L. , Keller Roberta L. , Oh Sam S. , Huntsman Scott , Hu Donglei , Eng Celeste , Burchard Esteban G. , Ballard Roberta A. ,   TOLSURF Study Group
Published: August 2018

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants is a common and often severe lung disease with long-term sequelae. A genetic component is suspected but not fully defined. We performed an ancestry and genome-wide association study to identify variants, genes, and pathways associated with survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia in 387 high-risk infants treated with inhaled nitric oxide in the Trial of Late Surfactant study. Global African genetic ancestry was associated with increased survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia among infants of maternal self-reported Hispanic white race/ethnicity [odds ratio (OR) = 4.5, P = 0.01]. Admixture mapping found suggestive outcome associations with local African ancestry at chromosome bands 18q21 and 10q22 among infants of maternal self-reported African-American race/ethnicity. For all infants, the top individual variant identified was within the intron of NBL1, which is expressed in midtrimester lung and is an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins ( rs372271081 , OR = 0.17, P = 7.4 × 10−7). The protective allele of this variant was significantly associated with lower nitric oxide metabolites in the urine of non-Hispanic white infants ( P = 0.006), supporting a role in the racial differential response to nitric oxide. Interrogating genes upregulated in bronchopulmonary dysplasia lungs indicated association with variants in CCL18, a cytokine associated with fibrosis and interstitial lung disease, and pathway analyses implicated variation in genes involved in immune/inflammatory processes in response to infection and mechanical ventilation. Our results suggest that genetic variation related to lung development, drug metabolism, and immune response contribute to individual and racial/ethnic differences in respiratory outcomes following inhaled nitric oxide treatment of high-risk premature infants.
PAX3: A Molecule with Oncogenic or Tumor Suppressor Function Is Involved in Cancer
Authors: Arasu Ashok , Murugan Sengottuvelan , Essa Musthafa Mohamed , Velusamy Thirunavukkarasu , Guillemin Gilles J.
Published: August 2018

Metastasis is the most deadly aspect of cancer and results from acquired gene regulation abnormalities in tumor cells. Transcriptional regulation is an essential component of controlling of gene function and its failure could contribute to tumor progression and metastasis. During cancer progression, deregulation of oncogenic or tumor suppressive transcription factors, as well as master cell fate regulators, collectively influences multiple steps of the metastasis cascade, including local invasion and dissemination of the tumor to distant organs. Transcription factor PAX3/Pax3, which contributes to diverse cell lineages during embryonic development, plays a major role in tumorigenesis. Mutations in this gene can cause neurodevelopmental disease and the existing literature supports that there is a potential link between aberrant expression of PAX3 genes in adult tissues and a wide variety of cancers. PAX3 function is tissue-specific and could contribute to tumorigenesis either directly as oncogene or as a tumor suppressor by losing its function. In this review, we discuss comprehensively the differential role played by PAX3 in various tissues and how its aberrant expression is implicated in disease development. This review particularly highlights the oncogenic and tumor suppressor role played by PAX3 in different cancers and underlines the importance of precisely identifying tissue-specific role of PAX3 in order to determine its exact role in development of cancer.
β-Catenin Regulation in Sporadic Colorectal Carcinogenesis: Not as Simple as APC
Authors: Fredericks Ernst , Dealtry Gill , Roux Saartjie
Published: August 2018

Background. The wnt/APC/β-catenin pathway is a critical initiator in colorectal carcinogenesis in both hereditary and sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). The progression of this process remains incompletely understood, although inflammation is pivotal. Drivers of inflammation are elevated in malignant tissue and have been shown to regulate β-catenin expression. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is protumorigenic at elevated levels via COX-2 stimulation. Elevated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) expression has reduced risk of carcinogenesis and good overall prognosis in established CRC. Activation of PPARγ has inhibitory effect on β-catenin. Methods. Using qPCR and IHC, we compared β-catenin, PPARγ, COX-2, and IL-17A in the colonic mucosa of patients with sporadic CRC, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), against a normal control population. Results. β-catenin mRNA and protein expression progressively increased from the Normal group, through IBS and IBD reaching statistical significance in CRC. COX-2 mRNA levels increased similarly with statistical significance in IBD and CRC. However, COX-2 protein expression was inverted with significant expression in the Normal and IBS groups and reduced levels in IBD and CRC. PPARγ mRNA expression was unchanged in IBD and CRC but was significantly elevated in the IBS. IL-17A mRNA was significantly reduced in IBS and CRC but unchanged in IBD. There were no differences in all parameters tested in the Normal and IBS groups. Conclusion. β-catenin is confirmed as a major driver of colorectal carcinogenesis but is controlled by many more players other than APC. Elevated levels of PPARγ may have an anticarcinogenic effect. The role of COX-2 expression, especially its posttranscriptional regulation in colorectal cancer, needs further elucidation.