bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Symptom Science
Authors: Osier Nicole D. , Imes Christopher C. , Khalil Heba , Zelazny Jamie , Johansson Ann E. , Conley Yvette P.
Published: September 2016

Omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, microbiomics, and metabolomics, generate large data sets. Once they have been used to address initial study aims, these large data sets are extremely valuable to the greater research community for ancillary investigations. Repurposing available omics data sets provides data to address research questions, generate and test hypotheses, replicate findings, and conduct mega-analyses. Many well-characterized, longitudinal, epidemiological studies collected extensive phenotype data related to symptom occurrence and severity. While the main phenotype of interest for many of these studies was often not symptom related, these data were collected to better understand the primary phenotype of interest. A search for symptom data (i.e., cognitive impairment, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress/nausea, sleep, and pain) in the database of genotypes and phenotypes (dbGaP) revealed many studies that collected symptom and omics data. There is thus a real possibility for nurse scientists to be able to look at symptom data over time from thousands of individuals and use omics data to identify key biological underpinnings that account for the development and severity of symptoms without recruiting participants or generating any new data. The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to resources that provide omics data to the research community for repurposing, provide guidance on using these databases, and encourage the use of these data to move symptom science forward.
Micro-bottom shape effects on the misaligned herringbone grooved axial piston bearing with a new parallel algorithm
Authors: Han Yanfeng , Wang Jiaxu , Zhou Guangwu , Xiao Ke , Li Junyang
Published: September 2016

This paper presents a group of elastic Hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) analyses to evaluate the effects of micro-bottom shape on the performance of misaligned herringbone grooved axial piston bearing. Due to the time-consuming elastic Hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) tasks introduced in herringbone grooves, complex bottom shape, rotation combined axial movement, and misalignments require high-speed computation. So a new parallel elastic Hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) numerical algorithm is proposed, which exhibits higher computing speed than the normal successive over relaxation (SOR) method. The results suggest the bottom shapes of herringbone grooves significantly affect the lubrication performance of misaligned herringbone grooved axial piston bearing. Rectangle and left triangle bottom shapes involve a micro-step bearing effect which can significantly improve the lubrication performance, comparing to semiellipse, isosceles triangle, and right triangle bottom shapes.
Novel fMRI working memory paradigm accurately detects cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Nelson Flavia , Akhtar Mohammad A , Zúñiga Edward , Perez Carlos A , Hasan Khader M , Wilken Jeffrey , Wolinsky Jerry S , Narayana Ponnada A , Steinberg Joel L
Published: September 2016

Background:

Cognitive impairment (CI) cannot be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms, such as the immediate/delayed memory task (I/DMT), detect varying degrees of working memory (WM). Preliminary findings using I/DMT showed differences in blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activation between impaired (MSCI, n = 12) and non-impaired (MSNI, n = 9) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Objectives:

The aim of the study was to confirm CI detection based on I/DMT BOLD activation in a larger cohort of MS patients. The role of T2 lesion volume (LV) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in magnitude of BOLD signal was also sought.

Methods:

A total of 50 patients (EDSS mean ( m) = 3.2, disease duration (DD) m = 12 years, and age m = 40 years) underwent the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS) and I/DMT. Working memory activation (WMa) represents BOLD signal during DMT minus signal during IMT. CI was based on MACFIMS.

Results:

A total of 10 MSNI, 30 MSCI, and 4 borderline patients were included in the analyses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed MSNI had significantly greater WMa than MSCI, in the left prefrontal cortex and left supplementary motor area ( p = 0.032). Regression analysis showed significant inverse correlations between WMa and T2 LV/EDSS in similar areas ( p = 0.005, 0.004, respectively).

Conclusion:

I/DMT-based BOLD activation detects CI in MS. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Plasma complement biomarkers distinguish multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Authors: Hakobyan Svetlana , Luppe Sebastian , Evans David RS , Harding Katharine , Loveless Samantha , Robertson Neil P , Morgan B Paul
Published: September 2016

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. Although distinguished by clinicoradiological and demographic features, early manifestations can be similar complicating management. Antibodies against aquaporin-4 support the diagnosis of NMOSD but are negative in some patients. Therefore, there is unmet need for biomarkers that enable early diagnosis and disease-specific intervention.

Objective:

We investigated whether plasma complement proteins are altered in MS and NMOSD and provide biomarkers that distinguish these diseases.

Methods:

Plasma from 54 NMOSD, 40 MS and 69 control donors was tested in multiplex assays measuring complement activation products and proteins. Using logistic regression, we tested whether combinations of complement analytes distinguished NMOSD from controls and MS.

Results:

All activation products were elevated in NMOSD compared to either control or MS. Four complement proteins (C1inh, C1s, C5 and FH) were higher in NMOSD compared to MS or controls. A model comprising C1inh and terminal complement complex (TCC) distinguished NMOSD from MS (area under the curve (AUC): 0.98), while C1inh and C5 distinguished NMOSD from controls (AUC: 0.94).

Conclusion:

NMOSD is distinguished from MS by plasma complement biomarkers. Selected complement analytes enable differential diagnosis. Findings support trials of anti-complement therapies in NMOSD.
Dentists’ experiences of dentally anxious patients in a specialist setting: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: Murray Esther , Kutzer Yvonne , Lusher Joanne
Published: September 2016

Since dentists play an important role in the emergence and maintenance of dental anxiety in patients, it is imperative to understand how dentists themselves evaluate their work with anxious patients and how they perceive their environment. Semi-structured interviews explored the working lives of six dentists. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed four superordinate themes: Negotiating identities, Control, Perceptions of dentistry and being a dentist and Stress related to treating dentally anxious patients. Warranting investigation in other settings, specialist dentists experienced conflicts between being a helper and inflictor of pain, as well as dealing with conflicting views concerning their status as a dentist.
Mediatization in Pakistan: Perceptions of media influence on a fragile democracy
Authors: Pintak Lawrence , Bowe Brian J , Nazir Syed Javed
Published: September 2016

A survey of Pakistani journalists, members of the policy community and media academics found that the mediatization of Pakistan is having a mixed effect on the stability of the country’s fragile democracy. Members of the policy community generally have a more positive view of the impact of the media on Pakistani society than those who work in the profession and say they take media reaction into account before making decisions, although all groups said the media are still unable to fulfill its watchdog role without fear of retribution. The results are in line with studies in the developed world that found that the more politicians believe in a stronger media effect, the more susceptible they become to media agenda setting. The findings also bolster the ‘co-evolution’ theory that argues media gain influence as democracy stabilizes in post-autocratic environments.
Decline in news content engagement or news medium engagement? A longitudinal analysis of news engagement since the rise of social and mobile media 2009–2012
Authors: Ha Louisa , Xu Ying , Yang Chen , Wang Fang , Yang Liu , Abuljadail Mohammad , Hu Xiao , Jiang Weiwei , Gabay Itay
Published: September 2016

Based on a 4-year longitudinal analysis of social media and mobile phone users in a Midwest US market, this study differentiates news content engagement from news medium engagement, proposes four levels of news engagement, and compares how social media and mobile media differ in their effects on engagement in news content and news medium between the general population and college students. The analysis shows a steady decline in the interest in political news but not in other types of news. Total news consumption time gradually declined among the general population, and the gap between general population and students diminished over time. Social media use positively predicts total news consumption time. Predictors of news engagement differ for different levels of news engagement.
Renin–angiotensin system gene expression and neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Goldstein Benjamin , Speth Robert C , Trivedi Malav
Published: September 2016

Hypothesis:

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and altered gene expression of components of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) are associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Introduction:

Drugs that interact with the RAS have been shown to affect the course of neurodegenerative disease, suggesting that abnormalities in the RAS may contribute to neurodegenerative disease.

Materials and methods:

A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies and gene expression data for 14 RAS-related proteins was carried out for five neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, narcolepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.

Results:

No single nucleotide polymorphisms in any of the 14 RAS-related protein genes were significantly associated with the five neurodegenerative diseases investigated. There was an inverse association between expression of ATP6AP2, which encodes the (pro)renin receptor, and multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. An association of AGTR, which encodes the AT1 angiotensin II receptor, and Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease was also observed.

Conclusions:

To date, no single nucleotide polymorphisms in components of the RAS can be definitively linked to the neurodegenerative diseases evaluated in this study. However, altered gene expression of several components of the RAS is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, which may indicate that the RAS contributes to the pathology of these diseases.
A Systematic Analysis of 2 Monoisocentric Techniques for the Treatment of Multiple Brain Metastases
Authors: Narayanasamy Ganesh , Stathakis Sotirios , Gutierrez Alonso N. , Pappas Evangelos , Crownover Richard , Floyd John R. , Papanikolaou Niko
Published: September 2016

Background:

In this treatment planning study, we compare the plan quality and delivery parameters for the treatment of multiple brain metastases using 2 monoisocentric techniques: the Multiple Metastases Element from Brainlab and the RapidArc volumetric-modulated arc therapy from Varian Medical Systems.

Methods:

Eight patients who were treated in our institution for multiple metastases (3-7 lesions) were replanned with Multiple Metastases Element using noncoplanar dynamic conformal arcs. The same patients were replanned with the RapidArc technique in Eclipse using 4 noncoplanar arcs. Both techniques were designed using a single isocenter. Plan quality metrics (conformity index, homogeneity index, gradient index, and R50%), monitor unit, and the planning time were recorded. Comparison of the Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans was performed using Shapiro-Wilk test, paired Student t test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results:

A paired Wilcoxon signed rank test between Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc showed comparable plan quality metrics and dose to brain. Mean ± standard deviation values of conformity index were 1.8 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.6, homogeneity index were 1.3 ± 0.1 and 1.3 ± 0.1, gradient index were 5.0 ± 1.8 and 5.1 ± 1.9, and R50% were 4.9 ± 1.8 and 5.0 ± 1.9 for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. Mean brain dose was 2.3 and 2.7 Gy for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. The mean value of monitor units in Multiple Metastases Element plan was 7286 ± 1065, which is significantly lower than the RapidArc monitor units of 9966 ± 1533 ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

For the planning of multiple brain lesions to be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, Multiple Metastases Element planning software produced equivalent conformity, homogeneity, dose falloff, and brain V12 Gy but required significantly lower monitor units, when compared to RapidArc plans.
Defeating information overload in health surveillance using a metacognitive aid innovation from military combat systems
Authors: McFarlane Daniel C , Doig Alexa K , Agutter James A , Mercurio Jonathan L , Mittu Ranjeev , Brewer Lara M , Syroid Noah D
Published: September 2016

Modern sensors for health surveillance generate high volumes and rates of data that currently overwhelm operational decision-makers. These data are collected with the intention of enabling front-line clinicians to make effective clinical judgments. Ironically, prior human–systems integration (HSI) studies show that the flood of data degrades rather than aids decision-making performance. Health surveillance operations can focus on aggregate changes to population health or on the status of individual people. In the case of clinical monitoring, medical device alarms currently create an information overload situation for front-line clinical workers, such as hospital nurses. Consequently, alarms are often missed or ignored, and an impending patient adverse event may not be recognized in time to prevent crisis. One innovation used to improve decision making in areas of data-rich environments is the Human Alerting and Interruption Logistics (HAIL) technology, which was originally sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research. HAIL delivers metacognitive HSI services that empower end-users to quickly triage interruptions and dynamically manage their multitasking. HAIL informed our development of an experimental prototype that provides a set of context-enabled alarm notification services (without automated alarm filtering) to support users’ metacognition for information triage. This application is called HAIL Clinical Alarm Triage (HAIL-CAT) and was designed and implemented on a smartwatch to support the mobile multitasking of hospital nurses. An empirical study was conducted in a 20-bed virtual hospital with high-fidelity patient simulators. Four teams of four registered nurses (16 in total) participated in a 180-minute simulated patient care scenario. Each nurse was assigned responsibility to care for five simulated patients and high rates of simulated health surveillance data were available from patient monitors, infusion pumps, and a call light system. Thirty alarms per nurse were generated in each 90-minute segment of the data collection sessions, only three of which were clinically important alarms. The within-subjects experimental design included a treatment condition where the nurses used HAIL-CAT on a smartwatch to triage and manage alarms and a control condition without the smartwatch. The results show that, when using the smartwatch, nurses responded three times faster to clinically important and actionable alarms. An analysis of nurse performance also shows no negative effects on their other duties. Subjective results show favorable opinions about utility, usability, training requirement, and adoptability. These positive findings suggest the potential for the HAIL HSI system to be transferrable to the domain of health surveillance to achieve the currently unrealized potential utility of high-volume data.
Analgesic effects of adenylyl cyclase inhibitor NB001 on bone cancer pain in a mouse model
Authors: Kang Wen-bo , Yang Qi , Guo Yan-yan , Wang Lu , Wang Dong-sheng , Cheng Qiang , Li Xiao-ming , Tang Jun , Zhao Jian-ning , Liu Gang , Zhuo Min , Zhao Ming-gao
Published: September 2016

Background

Cancer pain, especially the one caused by metastasis in bones, is a severe type of pain. Pain becomes chronic unless its causes and consequences are resolved. With improvements in cancer detection and survival among patients, pain has been considered as a great challenge because traditional therapies are partially effective in terms of providing relief. Cancer pain mechanisms are more poorly understood than neuropathic and inflammatory pain states. Chronic inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain are influenced by NB001, an adenylyl cyclase 1 (AC1)-specific inhibitor with analgesic effects. In this study, the analgesic effects of NB001 on cancer pain were evaluated.

Results

Pain was induced by injecting osteolytic murine sarcoma cell NCTC 2472 into the intramedullary cavity of the femur of mice. The mice injected with sarcoma cells for four weeks exhibited significant spontaneous pain behavior and mechanical allodynia. The continuous systemic application of NB001 (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, twice daily for three days) markedly decreased the number of spontaneous lifting but increased the mechanical paw withdrawal threshold. NB001 decreased the concentrations of cAMP and the levels of GluN2A, GluN2B, p-GluA1 (831), and p-GluA1 (845) in the anterior cingulate cortex, and inhibited the frequency of presynaptic neurotransmitter release in the anterior cingulate cortex of the mouse models.

Conclusions

NB001 may serve as a novel analgesic to treat bone cancer pain. Its analgesic effect is at least partially due to the inhibition of AC1 in anterior cingulate cortex.
Cyber nursing: a conceptual framework
Authors: Eriksson Henrik , Salzmann-Erikson Martin
Published: September 2016

There have been few attempts to express in words and conceptualise ‘the Internet’ and ‘health’ within a framework. The aim of this study was to present a conceptual framework concerning virtual self-care and online caring. The results show that the concepts of virtual communities, virtual self-care and torrenting frame these very specific interactions and environments and that the concepts of ‘keyboard cowboy’ ‘cyber aid’ and ‘health-interests trader’ stipulate different ways in which to express expertise in cyber nursing. Alongside cyber bullying, cyber nursing is also present in virtual arenas. Nursing researchers need to explore and monitor cyber nursing activities using concepts developed within the field of nursing.
Tiotropium in the add-on treatment of asthma in adults: clinical trial evidence and experience
Authors: Vogelberg Christian
Published: September 2016

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease, and its treatment is frequently challenging despite detailed national and international guidelines. While basic anti-inflammatory therapy usually consists of inhaled corticosteroids in doses adapted to the asthma severity, add-on treatment with bronchodilators is essential in more severe asthma. Only recently, the long-acting anticholinergic tiotropium was introduced into the GINA guidelines. This review reports on the studies that have been performed with tiotropium in adult asthmatic patients. Following early proof-of-concept studies, several studies with tiotropium as an add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), with or without a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), demonstrated convincing clinical benefit for patients. Important lung function parameters and quality of life scores significantly improved shortly after onset of the add-on therapy with tiotropium, and some studies even demonstrated non-inferiority against salmeterol. All studies reported an excellent safety profile of tiotropium. The still growing body of tiotropium studies, both in adults and children, will help to identify the position of tiotropium in future asthma guidelines and might also indicate which patients benefit most from an add-on therapy with tiotropium.
The clinical profile of benralizumab in the management of severe eosinophilic asthma
Authors: Menzella Francesco , Lusuardi Mirco , Galeone Carla , Facciolongo Nicola , Zucchi Luigi
Published: September 2016

Despite several therapeutic choices, 10–20% of patients with severe uncontrolled asthma do not respond to maximal best standard treatments, leading to a healthcare expenditure of up to 80% of overall costs for asthma. Today, there are new important therapeutic strategies, both pharmacological and interventional, that can result in improvement of severe asthma management, such as omalizumab, bronchial thermoplasty and other biological drugs, for example, mepolizumab, reslizumab and benralizumab. The availability of these new treatments and the increasing knowledge of the different asthmatic phenotypes and endotypes makes correct patient selection increasingly complex and important. In this article, we discuss the features of benralizumab compared with other anti-interleukin-5 biologics and omalizumab, the identification of appropriate patients, the safety profile and future developments.
Incorporating VEGF-targeted therapy in advanced urothelial cancer
Authors: Narayanan Sujata , Srinivas Sandy
Published: September 2016

Patients with relapsed or refractory urothelial carcinoma (UC) have poor prognosis coupled with few options for systemic treatment. The role of angiogenesis in the evolution of cancers has been established, and studies have shown that it plays a key role in the pathogenesis of UC. Many targeted agents have been used in phase I–II trials for the treatment of UC, with encouraging but modest results. Recently, studies combining angiogenesis inhibitors with other chemotherapeutic agents were able to achieve objective responses higher than most commonly used second-line therapies in UC. Future efforts in investigating these therapies in UC rely on identification of biomarkers and other predictors of response to anti-VEGF therapy.
Arthroscopic Evaluation of Syndesmotic Instability and Malreduction
Authors: Lucas Douglas E. , Watson B. Collier , Simpson G. Alex , Berlet Gregory C. , Hyer Christopher F.
Published: September 2016

Ankle fractures are a common injury treated by orthopaedic surgeons. The distal tibiofibular syndesmosis can be injured during these fractures as well as in isolation. They pose a significant challenge with regard to the diagnosis of instability as well as evaluating reduction after fixation. Multiple studies have demonstrated that traditional radiographic analysis fails to accurately identify syndesmotic diastasis, instability, or malreduction. Ankle arthroscopy has been proposed as an alternative way to evaluate the syndesmosis. Ten transtibial amputation cadavers were utilized for this study. Two distinct analyses were undertaken. The first, analysis of instability, utilized 2 dissection groups, a superficial dissection only and a partial disruption instability model. The second analysis was of syndesmotic malreduction. For this, all 10 specimens underwent complete disruption of the syndesmosis and subsequent fixation in either anatomic alignment or malreduction. Both analyses were performed by surgeons blinded to the condition of the syndesmosis. Two groups of surgeons were able to identify syndesmotic instability a combined 75% of the time. Malreduction diagnosis was mixed with a 100% accurate diagnosis of sagittal plane displacement but only 50% accuracy for rotation and 17% for an anatomic reduction. Syndesmotic injury during ankle fracture presents a significant problem to the treating surgeon. Ankle arthroscopy has been shown in the literature to be highly sensitive for diagnosing instability but has not been evaluated in diagnosing malreduction. The current study shows moderate success in diagnosing both malreduction and instability.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level V: Basic Science
Analysis of Physiological Gait Pattern in Children Without the Influence of Footwear
Authors: Pomarino David , Ramírez Llamas Juliana , Pomarino Andrea
Published: September 2016

In the literature, there have been several studies that have analyzed and explained the characteristics of physiological gait in association with pathologies; however, finding information about normal gait pattern while barefoot is difficult. This study focuses on the differences in the barefoot gait between children and adolescents. A total of 320 healthy children and adolescent were recruited and divided into groups according to age: G1 (1-6 years), G2 (7-10 years), G3 (>11 years). Data were collected using a dynamometric platform and analyzed using SPSS software. This study’s findings indicate that there are differences in the swing, stance, load, and single support phases of gait. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present the values of standardized data on barefoot gait pattern in children aged from 2 to 10 years.

Levels of Evidence: Diagnostic, Level IV: Case series
Preoperative Anemia in Hindfoot and Ankle Arthrodesis
Authors: Dix Brian , Grant-McDonald Lisa , Catanzariti Alan , Saltrick Karl
Published: September 2016

This is a retrospective study (n = 39) evaluating the postoperative outcomes of patients with mild to moderate preoperative anemia who underwent a hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis. In the study, 32 patients did not have preoperative anemia, and 7 had preoperative anemia. Mortality, length of hospital stay, blood transfusions, deep-vein thrombosis, infection, time to union, malunion, delayed union, nonunion, and ulceration were of particular interest. Comparative analyses between patients with preoperative anemia and those without were performed utilizing the independent samples t-test or by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test. The Fisher exact test was used to analyze categorical data. The Shapiro-Wilk test was utilized to check normality. Statistical significance was defined at a 2-sided level of P <.05. Delayed union, nonunion, and malunion were all significantly increased in patients with preoperative anemia (P = .032, P = .004, and P = .028, respectively). Accordingly, the median total number of noninfectious complications (delayed union + nonunion + malunion) in patients with preoperative anemia (0.86 ± 0.38) was significantly higher than in patients without preoperative anemia (0.063 ± 0.25; P < .001). Patients with preoperative anemia had a significantly longer length of hospital stay in days (4.14 ± 2.61). Total infection was also significantly associated with preoperative anemia (P = .001). This study clearly demonstrated that infectious complications, noninfectious complications, and length of hospital stay in hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis was significantly affected by preoperative anemia. Thus, consideration should be given to addressing preoperative anemia prior to hindfoot and/or ankle arthrodesis.

Levels of Evidence: Level II Study
A Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing the Effect of a Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion of Local Anesthetic Following Elective Surgery to the Great Toe
Authors: Rose Barry , Kunasingam Kumar , Barton Tristan , Walsh James , Fogarty Karen , Wines Andrew
Published: September 2016

Local anesthetic use for wound infusions, single injection, and continuous nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia is well established. No study has investigated the effect of a continuous block of the saphenous and superficial peroneal nerves at the level of the ankle joint following first ray surgery. A double blind randomized controlled trial was designed. One hundred patients with hallux valgus and rigidus requiring surgical correction were recruited and randomized to receive a postoperative continuous infusion at the ankle of normal saline or ropivacaine for 24 hours. Pain scores were recorded on postoperative days 1 and 7. There were more females than males. Follow-up was 100%. There were no significant differences in demographic data between the 2 randomized groups. There was no significant difference between the absolute visual analog scale scores on day 1 (P = .14) and day 7 (P = .16); nor was there a significant difference in reduction in scores between days 1 and 7 (P = .70). This study has shown no benefit to postoperative analgesia with the use of a continuous infusion of ropivacaine at the ankle. We, therefore, cannot currently recommend its use in the way described. Further studies may still identify a role for continuous local anesthetic infusions at the ankle to improve postoperative analgesia.

Levels of Evidence: Level I : Prospective randomised control trial.
Developmental venous anomaly presenting as a spontaneous intraparenchymal hematoma without thrombosis
Authors: Agarwal Nitin , Zuccoli Giulio , Murdoch Geoffrey , Jankowitz Brian T , Greene Stephanie
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are cited as the most common cerebral vascular malformations. Still, intracerebral hematomas are rarely thought to be caused by DVAs. In this report, the authors present a unique case of a DVA that hemorrhaged spontaneously, rather than hemorrhaging into a venous infarction following DVA thrombosis as has been more commonly reported.

Clinical presentation

A 22-year-old previously healthy male presented to the emergency department with a severe headache, confusion, and progressive hemiparesis. A computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a spontaneous left parietal intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH), with intraventricular extension and acute hydrocephalus. CT angiography did not demonstrate an underlying vascular malformation. The patient was taken emergently to the operating room for a left parietal craniotomy for evacuation of the hematoma. Intraoperative pathology was consistent with a DVA Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) did not demonstrate a mass lesion, ischemic stroke, or underlying vascular malformation. An MRI obtained three years previously for headaches was normal. A postoperative diagnostic cerebral angiogram was normal. An MRI/MRA performed six months postoperatively demonstrated two foci of abnormal vessels on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), suggesting the presence of a venous vascular malformation. A diagnostic cerebral angiogram obtained six months postoperatively was again normal, including delayed imaging.

Conclusion

Few reports have cited DVA as the sole cause of intracerebral hemorrhage. While very rare, these reports suggest hemorrhagic conversion of a venous infarction secondary to a thrombosed DVA as a possible etiology, and several provide imaging consistent with this diagnosis. This case study demonstrates a unique presentation of a hemorrhagic DVA in the absence of thrombosis or stroke.
Early Visual Perception Potentiated by Object Affordances: Evidence From a Temporal Order Judgment Task
Authors: Ariga Atsunori , Yamada Yuki , Yamani Yusuke
Published: September 2016

Perceived objects automatically potentiate afforded action. Object affordances also facilitate perception of such objects, and this occurrence is known as the affordance effect. This study examined whether object affordances facilitate the initial visual processing stage, or perceptual entry processes, using the temporal order judgment task. The onset of the graspable (right-handled) coffee cup was perceived earlier than that of the less graspable (left-handled) cup for right-handed participants. The affordance effect was eliminated when the coffee cups were inverted, which presumably conveyed less affordance information. These results suggest that objects preattentively potentiate the perceptual entry processes in response to their affordances.
Recent trends in the probability of high out-of-pocket medical expenses in the United States
Authors: Baird Katherine E
Published: September 2016

Objective:

This article measures the probability that out-of-pocket expenses in the United States exceed a threshold share of income. It calculates this probability separately by individuals’ health condition, income, and elderly status and estimates changes occurring in these probabilities between 2010 and 2013.

Data and Method:

This article uses nationally representative household survey data on 344,000 individuals. Logistic regressions estimate the probabilities that out-of-pocket expenses exceed 5% and alternatively 10% of income in the two study years. These probabilities are calculated for individuals based on their income, health status, and elderly status.

Results:

Despite favorable changes in both health policy and the economy, large numbers of Americans continue to be exposed to high out-of-pocket expenditures. For instance, the results indicate that in 2013 over a quarter of nonelderly low-income citizens in poor health spent 10% or more of their income on out-of-pocket expenses, and over 40% of this group spent more than 5%. Moreover, for Americans as a whole, the probability of spending in excess of 5% of income on out-of-pocket costs increased by 1.4 percentage points between 2010 and 2013, with the largest increases occurring among low-income Americans; the probability of Americans spending more than 10% of income grew from 9.3% to 9.6%, with the largest increases also occurring among the poor.

Conclusion:

The magnitude of out-of-pocket’s financial burden and the most recent upward trends in it underscore a need to develop good measures of the degree to which health care policy exposes individuals to financial risk, and to closely monitor the Affordable Care Act’s success in reducing Americans’ exposure to large medical bills.
Publication rate of abstracts presented at the British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual Meeting – 10 years on
Authors: Moon A , Harding C
Published: September 2016

Introduction:

Acceptance of abstracts at the BAUS Annual Meeting is sought after by trainees and encouraged by trainers; however, it is the publication of this research in a peer-reviewed journal that validates the significance of the work. We aimed to compare current publication rates with those detailed in a previous study 10 years ago to examine for changes on the rate and time to peer-reviewed publications of abstracts presented. We also assessed whether there was a difference in the presentation and publication rates between UK deaneries.

Methods:

All abstracts accepted for presentation at the annual BAUS 2012 and 2013 meetings were identified from the published supplements in the BJU International journal. Listed abstracts were searched for in October 2015 using the Medline Plus (PubMed) database to assess for successful conversion to a peer-reviewed paper listed on the Medline database.

Results:

In total 281 abstracts were presented; of these, 265 (94.3%) were from the UK. A total of 24.2% of the abstracts presented over the two-year period resulted in a successful conversion to a peer-reviewed publication. Mean time to publication was 11.59 months and mean impact factor of the publishing journal was 3.854. There appeared to be no correlation between the number of abstracts presented per deanery and the subsequent successful conversion to peer-reviewed publication.

Conclusions:

There has been a decline over the past decade in the number of BAUS abstracts being successfully converted into peer-reviewed publications, from 42% to 24.2%. The quality of any scientific meeting can be quantified by the number of peer-reviewed publications arising from its abstracts. Possible reasons for this observed reduction include a lack of time to prepare manuscripts, the actual quality and relevance of work being presented and data that may be of questionable validity. In addition, indicative numbers set for publications to enable successful awarding of Certificate of Completion of Training are low.
Perception of and Attitude Toward Mass Media Reportage of the 2012 Flood in Rural Nigeria
Authors: Ajaero Ijeoma D. , Okoro Nnanyelugo M. , Ajaero Chukwuedozie K.
Published: September 2016

Despite reportage of the impending flood by the mass media, the 2012 flood was the most devastating in the history of Nigeria as it adversely affected 33 out of 36 states in the country. Therefore, this study examines people’s perception of and attitude toward mass media reportage of the 2012 flood. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 300 households in rural communities in Delta and Anambra states while data analyses were by descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. More than 75% of the respondents received information about the flood from either radio or television, and there were significant spatial variations in perceptions of flood reportage. Furthermore, the regression results showed that generally, mass media reportage of the flood was not too effective in influencing people’s attitude. Subsequently, recommendations were made on how to ensure that populations affected by floods have access to comprehensive, easily accessible, and effective information.
Assessing the Influence of Stakeholders on Sustainability Marketing Strategy of Indian Companies
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Rahman Zillur , Kazmi A. A.
Published: September 2016

The present research is aimed at analyzing and evaluating the influence of key stakeholders on sustainability marketing strategies (SMSs) of multi-industry Indian companies. The study objective is achieved in several phases, including development of typology of SMS of Indian companies, identification and classification of stakeholders, and evaluation of influence of various stakeholders on SMS of Indian companies. To achieve these objectives, data were collected from Business Standard 1,000 companies through email survey, and 153 complete responses were received. Empirical evidence shows that most of the Indian companies are either undecided about or uninterested in adopting sustainability marketing (SM) practices, or are not showing their interest in adopting sustainability. Findings further reveal that stakeholders exert environmental, social, and economic pressures on Indian companies; managers of Indian companies feel considerable pressure from environmental stakeholders for adopting SMS, while the pressure from social and economic stakeholders is comparatively less. The study will help managers manage stakeholders effectively while formulating SMSs.
Physical Activity Protects Men but Not Women for Sarcopenia Development
Authors: Rivera Jose de Jesus , Fonseca-Sanchez Miguel Angel , Rodriguez Patricia , Garcia Jesús M. , Palma Icela , Aristi Gerardo , Flores-Luce Alberto , Garcia Lorenzo , Trujillo Yanelli , Queipo Gloria
Published: September 2016

Objective: Sarcopenia is among the most deleterious effects of aging. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between performance tests and muscular volume over the life span of male and female participants. Method: A correlation study was conducted with healthy individuals (50 males and 47 females) between the ages of 20 and 94; the study group included active older people, sedentary younger people, and young athletes. Muscular volume was determined by tomography and muscular performance (4-meter speed tests [4 MSTs], chair test, and handgrip test), and a correlation analysis between the groups was performed. Results: Sex-related differences were observed between the variables; in males, muscle volume and functional parameters were closely related with age and physical activity, whereas in females, they were not related at all. Conclusion: Male and female muscle volume and performance demonstrate strong differences, which should be considered during clinical evaluations of sarcopenia.
Increasing Health-Promoting Behaviors and Health Education Efficacy Among Clinical Staff
Authors: Roncoroni Julia , Tucker Carolyn M. , Wall Whitney , Arthur Tya M. , Wippold Guillermo M.
Published: September 2016

Reducing rates of overweight and obesity is now an international health priority. Nonphysician clinical staff are uniquely well positioned to deliver or support the delivery of interventions to promote health behaviors in Americans. Yet levels of health-promoting behaviors among clinical staff are not higher than in the general population. Moreover, clinical staff often feel unprepared to encourage health-promoting behaviors among their patients. The Clinical Staff Health-Smart Behavior Program (CS-HSBP) is an employment site-based health promotion program to increase health-promoting behaviors among health care clinical staff members. The major aims of this study are to examine whether training clinical staff to implement the CS-HSBP with a group of peers increased (a) participants’ engagement in health-promoting behaviors, and (b) participants’ sense of efficacy at educating patients on health-promoting behaviors, the percentage of patients participants educated on health-promoting behaviors, and participants’ sense of themselves as healthy lifestyle role models for their patients. Participants were 66 clinical staff members at a university-affiliated outpatient health center. Results indicate that the CS-HSBP was effective at increasing staff’s engagement in health responsibility, healthy eating, and physical activity and also staff’s perception of their capability of educating patients and their perception of themselves as role models to their patients. Results also show no significant effect of the program on stress management and the percentage of patients educated by clinical staff. Study limitations and implications for future implementation of clinical staff-focused wellness programs are discussed.
Complete genome sequence of the Antarctic Halorubrum lacusprofundi type strain ACAM 34
Authors: Anderson Iain J. , DasSarma Priya , Lucas Susan , Copeland Alex , Lapidus Alla , Del Rio Tijana Glavina , Tice Hope , Dalin Eileen , Bruce David C. , Goodwin Lynne , Pitluck Sam , Sims David , Brettin Thomas S. , Detter John C. , Han Cliff S. , Larimer Frank , Hauser Loren , Land Miriam , Ivanova Natalia , Richardson Paul , Cavicchioli Ricardo , DasSarma Shiladitya , Woese Carl R. , Kyrpides Nikos C.
Published: September 2016

Halorubrum lacusprofundi is an extreme halophile within the archaeal phylum Euryarchaeota. The type strain ACAM 34 was isolated from Deep Lake, Antarctica. H. lacusprofundi is of phylogenetic interest because it is distantly related to the haloarchaea that have previously been sequenced. It is also of interest because of its psychrotolerance. We report here the complete genome sequence of H. lacusprofundi type strain ACAM 34 and its annotation. This genome is part of a 2006 Joint Genome Institute Community Sequencing Program project to sequence genomes of diverse Archaea.
Energy metabolic state in hypothermically stored boar spermatozoa using a revised protocol for efficient ATP extraction
Authors: Nguyen Quynh Thu , Wallner Ulrike , Schmicke Marion , Waberski Dagmar , Henning Heiko
Published: September 2016

Mammalian spermatozoa utilize ATP as the energy source for key functions on the route to fertilization. ATP and its precursor nucleotides ADP and AMP are regularly investigated in sperm physiology studies, mostly by bioluminescence assays. Assay results vary widely, mainly due to different efficiencies in nucleotide extraction and prevention of their enzymatic degradation. Here, we describe a revised, validated protocol for efficient phosphatase inhibition and adenine nucleotide extraction resulting in consistently high ATP concentrations exceeding previously reported values for boar spermatozoa up to 20-fold. The revised assay is applicable for determining ATP concentrations and adenylate energy charge in extracts from fresh and frozen samples, thereby allowing simultaneous assessment of semen samples from long-term storage experiments. After validation, the assay was applied to liquid-preserved boar spermatozoa stored at 17°C and 5°C for 24 and 72 h. Cooling to 5°C, but not storage duration, reduced ATP concentration in spermatozoa (P<0.05), which was accompanied by the appearance of AMP and ADP in the preservation medium. ATP and energy charge were highly correlated to the proportion of membrane-intact spermatozoa, supporting the idea of nucleotides leaking through disrupted membranes in cold-shocked cells. The present assay allows highly standardized studies of energy metabolism in spermatozoa.
Excess Polθ functions in response to replicative stress in homologous recombination-proficient cancer cells
Authors: Goullet de Rugy T. , Bashkurov M. , Datti A. , Betous R. , Guitton-Sert L. , Cazaux C. , Durocher D. , Hoffmann J. S.
Published: September 2016

DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) is a specialized A-family DNA polymerase that functions in processes such as translesion synthesis (TLS), DNA double-strand break repair and DNA replication timing. Overexpression of POLQ, the gene encoding Polθ, is a prognostic marker for an adverse outcome in a wide range of human cancers. While increased Polθ dosage was recently suggested to promote survival of homologous recombination (HR)-deficient cancer cells, it remains unclear whether POLQ overexpression could be also beneficial to HR-proficient cancer cells. By performing a short interfering (si)RNA screen in which genes encoding druggable proteins were knocked down in Polθ-overexpressing cells as a means to uncover genetic vulnerabilities associated with POLQ overexpression, we could not identify genes that were essential for viability in Polθ-overexpressing cells in normal growth conditions. We also showed that, upon external DNA replication stress, Polθ expression promotes cell survival and limits genetic instability. Finally, we report that POLQ expression correlates with the expression of a set of HR genes in breast, lung and colorectal cancers. Collectively, our data suggest that Polθ upregulation, besides its importance for survival of HR-deficient cancer cells, may be crucial also for HR-proficient cells to better tolerate DNA replication stress, as part of a global gene deregulation response, including HR genes.
Skeletal muscle growth dynamics and the influence of first-feeding diet in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhuaL.)
Authors: Vo Tu A. , Galloway Trina F. , Bardal Tora , Halseth Christine K. , Øie Gunvor , Kjørsvik Elin
Published: September 2016

Dynamics between hypertrophy (increase in cell size) and hyperplasia (increase in cell numbers) of white and red muscle in relation to body size [standard length (SL)], and the influence of the first-feeding diets on muscle growth were investigated in Atlantic cod larvae (Gadus morhua). Cod larvae were fed copepod nauplii or rotifers of different nutritional qualities from 4 to 29 days post hatching (dph), Artemia nauplii from 20 to 40 dph and a formulated diet from 36 to 60 dph. The short period of feeding with cultivated copepod nauplii had a positive effect on both muscle hyperplasia and hypertrophy after the copepod/rotifer phase (19 dph), and a positive long term effect on muscle hypertrophy (60 dph). The different nutritional qualities of rotifers did not significantly affect muscle growth. We suggest here a model of the dynamics between hyperplasia and hypertrophy of red and white muscle fibre cells in relation to cod SL (4 to 30 mm), where the different red and white muscle growth phases clearly coincided with different metamorphosis stages in cod larvae. These shifts could be included as biomarkers for the different stages of development during metamorphosis. The main dietary muscle effect was that hypertrophic growth of red muscle fibres was stronger in cod larvae that were fed copepods than in larvae that were fed rotifers, both in relation to larval age and size. Red muscle fibres are directly involved in larval locomotory performance, but may also play an important role in the larval myogenesis. This can have a long term effect on growth potential and fish performance.