bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The nutritional nexus: Linking niche, habitat variability and prey composition in a generalist marine predator
Authors: Machovsky‐Capuska Gabriel E. , Miller Mark G. R. , Silva Fabiola R. O. , Amiot Christophe , Stockin Karen A. , Senior Alistair M. , Schuckard Rob , Melville David , Raubenheimer David
Published: June 2018

Our understanding of the niche concept will remain limited while the quantity and range of different food types eaten remain a dominant proxy for niche breadth, as this does not account for the broad ecological context that governs diet. Linking nutrition, physiology and behaviour is critical to predict the extent to which a species adjusts its nutritional niche breadth at the levels of prey (“prey composition niche,” defined as the range of prey compositions eaten) and diet (“realized nutritional niche” is the range of diets composed through feeding on the prey).

Here, we studied adult chick‐rearing Australasian gannets Morus serrator to propose an integrative approach using sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTa), geographic location and bathymetry over different years, to explore their relationship with the nutritional composition of prey and diets (i.e. prey composition and nutritional niche breadth), habitat use and foraging behaviour.

We found that gannets feed on prey that varied widely in their nutritional composition (have a broad prey composition niche), and composed diets from these prey that likewise varied in composition (have a broad realized nutritional niche), suggesting generalism at two levels of macronutrient selection.

Across seasons, we established “nutritional landscapes” (hereafter nutriscapes), linking the nutritional content of prey (wet mass protein‐to‐lipid ratio—P:L) to the most likely geographic area of capture and bathymetry. Nutriscapes varied in their P:L from 6.06 to 15.28, over time, space and bathymetry (0–150 m).

During warm water events (strong positive SSTa), gannets expanded their foraging habitat, increased their foraging trip duration and consumed prey and diets with low macronutrient content (wet mass proportions of P and L). They were also constrained to the smallest prey composition and realized nutritional niche breadths.

Our findings are consistent with previous suggestions that dietary generalism evolves in heterogeneous environments, and provide a framework for understanding the nutritional goals in wild marine predators and how these goals drive ecological interactions and are, in turn, ultimately shaped by environmental fluctuations.
Coexistence and the niche in a nurse–cactus interaction: Is cyclic dynamics justified?
Authors: Flores‐Torres Arnoldo , Montaña Carlos , Franco Miguel
Published: June 2018

The interaction between the nurse plantLarrea tridentataand the cactiCylindropuntia leptocaulisis thought to follow cyclical‐replacement dynamics. However, the required changing nature of their interaction, from facilitation to competition, has not been investigated through their full life cycle.

In order to test the hypothesised cyclical dynamics, we compared the demography of four subpopulations (LA =Larreaassociated toCylindropuntia; CA =Cylindropuntiaassociated toLarrea, LS = solitaryLarrea; CS = solitaryCylindropuntia) in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, over the period 2008–2015. This allowed us to compare their demography at varying levels of the generally low and unpredictable limiting resource, water. Given the protection afforded toC.  leptocaulisseedlings byL.  tridentataand their presumed increasingly competitive effect onL.  tridentata, which would justify the expectation of cyclic replacement dynamics, we expected to find a zero or positive per capita rate of population growth (r ≥ 0) in CA and LS, and a negative one in CS and LA.

The overallrover the study period was close to equilibrium (r = 0) for both LA and LS, with no significant difference between them. In contrast, and as expected,rof CA was consistently and significantly larger than that for CS. In both species, λ (=er) was positively correlated with annual rainfall with no significant difference between LA and LS and a significant difference between CA and CS in this relationship.L.  tridentatacan exist alone and coexist withC.  leptocaulisacross the levels of precipitation experienced at the study site, whileC.  leptocauliscannot persist in the absence ofL.  tridentata. The cyclical dynamics of replacement does not occur in this system and, given the static nature of the evidence on which the original conclusion was based, it is unlikely to exist as a general rule across the species’ geographic range.

Synthesis.Our findings stress the importance of elucidating the demographic mechanisms that allow species competing for a common limiting resource to coexist when the resource varies temporally, and expose the difficulty of identifying a species’ ecological niche in the absence of detailed, long‐term demographic information.
‘I kind of figured it out’: the views and experiences of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in using social media—self‐determination for participation and inclusion online
Authors: Brunner Melissa , Palmer Stuart , Togher Leanne , Hemsley Bronwyn
Published: June 2018

Background

Social media can support people with communication disability to access information, social participation and support. However, little is known about the experiences of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who use social media to determine their needs in relation to social media use.

Aims

To determine the views and experiences of adults with TBI and cognitive‐communication disability on using social media, specifically: (1) the nature of their social media experience; (2) barriers and facilitators to successful use; and (3) strategies that enabled their use of social media.

Methods & Procedures

Thirteen adults (seven men, six women) with TBI and cognitive‐communication disability were interviewed about their social media experiences, and a content thematic analysis was conducted.

Outcomes & Results

Participants used several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and virtual gaming worlds. All but one participant used social media several times each day and all used social media for social connection. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) getting started in social media for participation and inclusion; (2) drivers to continued use of social media; (3) manner of using social media; (4) navigating social media; and (5) an evolving sense of social media mastery. In using platforms in a variety of ways, some participants developed an evolving sense of social media mastery. Participants applied caution in using social media, tended to learn through a process of trial and error, and lacked structured supports from family, friends or health professionals. They also reported several challenges that influenced their ability to use social media, but found support from peers in using the social media platforms. This information could be used to inform interventions supporting the use of social media for people with TBI and directions for future research.

Conclusions & Implications

Social media offers adults with TBI several opportunities to communicate and for some to develop and strengthen social relationships. However, some adults with TBI also reported the need for more information about how to use social media. Their stories suggested a need to develop a sense of purpose in relation to using social media, and ultimately more routine and purposeful use to develop a sense of social media mastery. Further research is needed to examine the social media data and networks of people with TBI, to verify and expand upon the reported findings, and to inform roles that family, friends and health professionals may play in supporting rehabilitation goals for people with TBI.
A Pragmatic Approach to Designing Changes Using Convergent Interviews: Occupational Violence Against Paramedics as an Illustration
Authors: Thynne Lara , Rodwell John
Published: June 2018

Developing a change program to address complex problems can appear overwhelming. This study presents how an inductive diagnostic technique known as convergent interviewing can provide a summary of the critical issues that could be addressed by a change program. A systems perspective is used to show how the issues raised by the diagnostic process can be targeted in order to have the most effect and be pragmatically implementable. The use of the tool is illustrated by analysing an employee problem that needs to be addressed in public services, the high rates of occupational violence against paramedics. The resulting inductive systems model can be used for diagnosis or for informing a variety of change interventions. Convergent interviews are relatively easy to use, powerful, and applicable to many situations. This tool is particularly useful for developing innovations regarding a specific problem, changes that could be a source of substantial public value.
Cynicism about Change, Work Engagement, and Job Satisfaction of Public Sector Nurses
Authors: Nguyen Diep T. N. , Teo Stephen T. T. , Pick David , Jemai Mohamed
Published: June 2018

This paper uses the job demands‐resources theory to examine the consequences of changes on nursing work. Data were collected from 220 public sector nurses in Australia to test the model. We conducted a two‐wave data collection process where independent variables (organisational change, workload, job control, nursing administrative stressors, cynicism about organisational change, and demographic variables) were collected in Time 1. The dependent variables (nursing work engagement and job satisfaction) were collected 6 months later. Changes to nursing work were found to cause high workload and an increase of administrative stressors that leads to an increase in nurses’ change cynicism. Job control was needed to cope with the increase in workload and reduction in cynicism about change. Cynicism about organisational change was found to have a direct negative effect on nurses’ engagement which in turn was found to negatively impact job satisfaction. Our contribution to theory and practice arises from the discovery that the connections between organisational change, work environment variables, and job outcomes of nurses are more complicated than previous research suggests. Theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.
A Knowledge‐Based Approach to Public Value Management: A Case Study of Change Implementation in Disability Services in Western Australia
Authors: Soo Christine , Chen Shannon , Edwards Mark G.
Published: June 2018

This paper provides a knowledge‐based perspective to understanding public value management (PVM). As distinct from other approaches to public administration, PVM focuses on collaborative capacity building for the creation of public value. To develop the notion of PVM further, we explore the role of a knowledge‐based strategy in a case study of change implementation in 18 disability service organisations in Western Australia. Our findings show important inter‐relationships between knowledge management strategy, adopting a person‐centred approach to service provision, and sustainability of change implementation. We discuss the implications of the study for disability sector change management and for the further exploration of the strategic role of knowledge management capabilities in the study and practice of PVM in public sector administration. The paper explores the relationship between an organisation's knowledge capture and sharing systems and processes and its ability to implement change in a way that generates long‐term benefits for both public sector employees (e.g., engaging with key stakeholders to generate innovative solutions for serving client needs) and clients (i.e., increased well‐being through better service design and support).
Managing the Re‐Entry Process of Returnee Government Scholars in an Emerging Transition Economy – An Embeddedness Perspective
Authors: Ho Nga Thi Thuy , Seet Pi‐Shen , Jones Janice T. , Hoang Hung Trong
Published: June 2018

This paper reports the findings of a study that investigates the factors affecting the re‐entry and readjustment process of returnee government scholars in Vietnam. These returnee scholars were originally sent overseas to study as part of changes introduced by the Vietnamese government to develop its domestic talent pool. Using the perspective of home country embeddedness, we find that career and community embeddedness factors, together with readjustment factors, have an effect on returnee scholars’ career and life satisfaction in their home country. These factors subsequently affected their intention to stay or re‐expatriate. The study contributes to public sector change management theory by examining factors affecting the re‐entry process of returnees within an emerging transition economy. It also adds to the limited studies on understanding and managing the re‐entry processes and state‐led diaspora strategies among returnee government scholars from emerging transition economies and their effectiveness.
Public Sector ‘Modernisation’: Examining the Impact of a Change Agenda on Local Government Employees in England
Authors: Glennon Russ , Hodgkinson Ian , Knowles Joanne , Radnor Zoe , Bateman Nicola
Published: June 2018

Can public sector reform change service performance for the better? This is a hotly contested debate that carries significant theoretical and practical importance. In England, as in many countries, modernisation was at the heart of local government reform and represented an interpretation of New Public Management into a policy framework. This paper examines the role of the modernisation change agenda in England and what this has subsequently meant for ‘service improvement’. Drawing on both document analyses and qualitative interviews with local government employees, we find that while modernisation sought to establish continuous improvement, unintended consequences of modernisation have led to Staff Reductions, Skill Deficiencies, and Loss of a Competent Middle Core in local government, as well as performance outcomes creating an environment for Commissioning, Service Reduction, and Self‐Policing. Implications for the lasting roles and behaviours of public managers affected by this national change agenda are discussed, and conclusions for theory and practice are drawn.
Maternal intra‐ and postpartum near‐miss following assisted reproductive technology: a retrospective study
Authors: Cromi A , Marconi N , Casarin J , Cominotti S , Pinelli C , Riccardi M , Ghezzi F
Published: June 2018

Objective

To assess whether risk of severe maternal morbidity at delivery differs for women who conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART), compared with those with a spontaneous conception.

Design

A cohort study using a prospectively maintained institutional database.

Setting

A tertiary university maternity hospital.

Population

All women delivering at Del Ponte Hospital, Italy, between 2005 and 2016.

Methods

Data from 650 ART‐conceived pregnancies were compared with 22 803 spontaneously conceived pregnancies. We used multivariable analysis to estimate the odds of severe maternal morbidity at delivery associated with ART conception, adjusting for maternal demographic and health factors, gestational age, and mode of delivery.

Main outcome measures

The World Health Organization criteria for potentially life‐threatening conditions and near‐miss maternal mortality were used.

Results

The incidence of near‐miss in the entire cohort was 3.3 cases per 1000 births (95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 2.6–4.1). The crude prevalences of potentially life‐threatening conditions and maternal near‐miss were higher among ART than among non‐ART deliveries (27.1 versus 5.7% and 2.6 versus 0.3%, respectively). The three most common causes of maternal near‐miss cases were peripartum hysterectomy, transfusion of ≥5 units of red blood cells, and cardiovascular dysfunction requiring vasoactive drugs. The odds of a maternal near‐miss at delivery were increased for ART‐conceived pregnancies compared with non‐ART‐conceived pregnancies (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 3.61, 95% CI 1.61–8.09, for ART‐conceived pregnancies with autologous oocytes; aOR 13.57, 95% CI 5.45–33.77, for ART pregnancies conceived with donor oocytes).

Conclusion

Although we cannot exclude unmeasured confounding, we found that pregnancies conceived via ART, especially those conceived with donor oocytes, are at increased risk of maternal potentially life‐threatening conditions and near‐miss at delivery.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not‐for‐profit sectors.

Tweetable abstract

Conceiving through assisted reproductive technology increases the likelihood of maternal near miss.
Challenges and Consequences of Reduced Skilled Nursing Facility Lengths of Stay
Authors: Tyler Denise A. , McHugh John P. , Shield Renée R. , Winblad Ulrika , Gadbois Emily A. , Mor Vincent
Published: June 2018

Objective

To identify the challenges that reductions in length of stay (LOS) pose for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and their postacute care (PAC) patients.

Data Sources/Setting

Seventy interviews with staff in 25 SNFs in eight U.S. cities, LOS data for patients in those SNFs.

Study Design

Data were qualitatively analyzed, and key themes were identified. Interview data from SNFs with and without reductions in median risk‐adjusted LOS were compared and contrasted.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We conducted 70 semistructured interviews. LOS data were derived from minimum dataset (MDS) admission records available for all patients in all U.S. SNFs from 2012 to 2014.

Principal Findings

Challenges reported regardless of reductions in LOS included frequent and more complicated re‐authorization processes, patients becoming responsible for costs, and discharging patients whom staff felt were unsafe at home. Challenges related to reduced LOS included SNFs being pressured to discharge patients within certain time limits. Some SNFs reported instituting programs and processes for following up with patients after discharge. These programs helped alleviate concerns about patients, but they resulted in nonreimbursable costs for facilities.

Conclusions

The push for shorter LOS has resulted in unexpected challenges and costs for SNFs and possible unintended consequences for PAC patients.
Do Dairy Minerals Have a Positive Effect on Bone Health?
Authors: Burrow Keegan , Young Wayne , McConnell Michelle , Carne Alan , Bekhit Alaa El‐Din
Published: June 2018

This review aims to examine the relationship between the consumption of dairy products, mineral absorption, and bone health, and critically evaluates the methods that have been used to investigate this relationship. As people live longer and have lives that are more active in modern societies, bone health is of concern due to the possibility for the increasing incidence of bone disorders, such as osteoporosis. It has been suggested that dairy products can play a key role in bone health due to their high levels of minerals. Whether the positive effect of dairy consumption on bone health is due solely to the concentration of minerals, the action of vitamins, proteins, and lipids present in dairy products, and complex interactions between different milk components remains to be determined. Assessment of how dairy products affect bone health is complex, with apparent contradictory conclusions being reported in the literature. To gain a better understanding of the effects that dairy products have on bone health, this review presents an evaluation of a combination of data obtained using a variety of methods. From those data, we surmise that the preferable approach to investigate the effects of milk on bone health is to obtain data from human, animal, and cell line testing. A combined approach will enable various aspects to be identified, including mechanisms and the assessment of holistic effects, which will enable the effects in the human situation to be ascertained.
The Corporate Governance of Public Banks before and after the Global Financial Crisis
Authors: Hallerberg Mark , Markgraf Jonas
Published: June 2018

During the 2008–09 financial crisis, many states were forced to nationalize faltering private banks. But also public banks ran into trouble and market actors continue to worry about their stability and crisis resilience. During the crisis, German public Landesbanken and Spanish public Cajas were hit hard. Yet, German public Sparkassen emerged strengthened from the crisis. This calls for a closer examination of the regulatory framework and corporate governance of public banks. We compare how corporate governance choices affected the financial crisis performance of public banks in three countries. Italy that had privatized its extensive public banking sector over the past decades; Spain that had problems with its savings banks during the crisis, which were eventually privatized or shut down; and Germany whose public savings banks navigated the financial crisis relatively well while its public Landesbanken got into serious trouble, and where calls for privatizing public banks resurface periodically. The paper considers the question whether Italy's banking crisis is partly rooted in the legacies of its formerly public banks and how the privatization of public banks in Spain and Italy can inform the debate in Germany and in other European Union countries with significant public banking sectors.
Molecular detection and characterisation of black raspberry necrosis virus and raspberry bushy dwarf virus isolates in wild raspberries
Authors: Susi H. , Rajamäki M.L. , Artola K. , Jayaraj‐Mallika F.R. , Valkonen J.P.T.
Published: June 2018

Virus‐derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were extracted from leaves of wild raspberries (Rubus idaeus) sampled from three different regions in Finland and subjected to deep sequencing. Assembly of the siRNA reads to contigs and their comparison to sequences in databases revealed the presence of the bipartite positive‐sense single‐stranded RNA viruses, raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV, genus Idaeovirus), and black raspberry necrosis virus (BRNV, family Secoviridae) in 19 and 26 samples, respectively, including 15 plants coinfected with both viruses. Coverage with siRNA reads [21 and 22 nucleotides (nt)] was higher in BRNV‐FI (Finland) RNA1 (79%) than RNA2 (45%). In RBDV, the coverage of siRNA reads was 89% and 90% for RNA1 and RNA2, respectively. Average depth of coverage was 1.6–4.9 for BRNV and 16.5–36.5 for RBDV. PCR primers designed for RBDV and BRNV based on the contigs were used for screening wild raspberry and a few cultivated raspberry samples from different regions. Furthermore, the sequences of BRNV RNA1 and RNA2 were determined by amplification and sequencing of overlapping contigs (length 1000–1200 nt) except for the 3′ and 5′ ends of RNA1 and RNA2 covered by primers. RNA1 of the Finnish BRNV isolate (BRNV‐FI) was 80% and 86% identical to BRNV‐NA (USA) and BRNV‐Alyth (UK), respectively, whereas the identity of NA and Alyth was 79%. RNA2 of BRNV‐FI was 84% and 80% identical to BRNV‐NA and BRNV‐Alyth, respectively, whereas NA and Alyth were 82% identical. Hence, the strains detected in Finland differ from those reported in the UK and USA. Our results reveal the presence of BRNV in Finland for the first time. The virus is common in wild raspberries and nearly identical isolates are found in cultivated raspberries as well. The results show that wild raspberries in Finland are commonly infected with RBDV or BRNV or both viruses and thus are likely to serve as reservoirs of RBDV and BRNV for cultivated Rubus spp.
Problematic alcohol use as a risk factor for cyber aggression within romantic relationships
Authors: Crane Cory A. , Umehira Nicole , Berbary Cassandra , Easton Caroline J.
Published: June 2018

Background and Objectives

Cyber aggression has emerged as a modern form of intimate partner violence which has yet to undergo sufficient research necessary to identify risk factors that may increase the likelihood or severity of cyber aggressive behavior toward a relationship partner. Prior research offers contradictory findings pertaining to the relationship between problematic alcohol use and cyber aggression.

Methods

We recruited 100 (40 female) adult participants through online crowdsourcing to complete a series of questionnaires assessing traditional partner violence, cyber aggression, and problematic alcohol use.

Results

Forty‐two percent of the sample reported perpetrating cyber relational aggression and 35% reported perpetrating cyber privacy invasion during the year prior to study participation. Traditional partner violence was associated with both forms of cyber aggression. Problematic alcohol use was only associated with privacy invasion after accounting for demographic factors and traditional partner violence.

Discussion and Conclusions

Cyber aggression was prevalent among the current adult sample. Results suggest that problematic alcohol use is a risk factor for cyber privacy invasion but not cyber relational aggression.

Scientific Significance

Findings add to and clarify the nascent, conflicting results that have emerged from prior research on alcohol‐related cyber aggression. (Am J Addict 2018;27:400–406)
Microbiome in normal and pathological pregnancies: A literature overview
Authors: Taddei Carla R. , Cortez Ramon V. , Mattar Rosiane , Torloni Maria Regina , Daher Silvia
Published: June 2018

This review summarizes recent findings on the changes that occur during pregnancy in the composition of the vaginal and gut microbiome and their association with metabolic, hormonal, and immunological factors. Despite many studies on the topic, the vaginal and gut microbial profiles and their influence on the course of pregnancy are still unclear. We present data suggesting that, contrary to traditional understanding, the placenta is not sterile but has a microbial community. We review and discuss new findings on changes in the richness and diversity of the microbiota of pregnant women with term or preterm births, obesity, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Several factors influence the bacterial profile of these women and may explain, at least in part, some of the discrepant findings between studies. The development of and access to new molecular biology methods and techniques has expanded the possibilities of research. This will contribute to a better understanding of the microbiome and its role in normal and pathological pregnancies.
Analyzing Computational Models
Authors: Siegel David A.
Published: June 2018

Computational models have been underutilized as tools for formal theory development, closing off theoretical analysis of complex substantive scenarios that they would well serve. I argue that this occurs for two reasons, and provide resolutions for each. First, computational models generally do not employ the language or modes of analysis common to game‐theoretic models, the status quo in the literature. I detail the types of insights typically derived from game‐theoretic models and discuss analogues in computational modeling. Second, there are not widely established procedures for analysis of deductive computational models. I present a regularized method for deriving comparative statics from computational models that provides insights comparable to those arising from game‐theoretic analyses. It also serves as a framework for building theoretically tractable computational models. Together, these contributions should enhance communication between models of social science and open up the tool kit of deductive computational modeling for theory building to a broader audience.
When Common Identities Decrease Trust: An Experimental Study of Partisan Women
Authors: Klar Samara
Published: June 2018

How does sharing a common gender identity affect the relationship between Democratic and Republican women? Social psychological work suggests that common ingroup identities unite competing factions. After closely examining the conditions upon which the common ingroup identity model depends, I argue that opposing partisans who share the superordinate identity of being a woman will not reduce their intergroup biases. Instead, I predict that raising the salience of their gender will increase cross‐party biases. I support my hypotheses with a nationally representative survey of 3,000 adult women and two survey experiments, each with over 1,000 adult women. These findings have direct implications for how women evaluate one another in contentious political settings and, more broadly, for our understanding of when we can and cannot rely upon common identities to bridge the partisan divide.
A rural perspective on minimally invasive parathyroidectomy: optimal preoperative imaging and patient outcomes
Authors: Binks Matthew , Burrows Denbigh , Littlejohn David
Published: June 2018

Background

Our retrospective review of prospectively collected data evaluated the efficacy of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) and compared preoperative imaging modalities in a rural referral centre.

Methods

Patients with a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism underwent surgeon‐performed ultrasound (SUS) and technetium‐99 m sestamibi (MIBI). Radiologist‐performed ultrasound (RUS) was sought when the diagnosis remained in doubt. Four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) first replaced RUS in mid‐2014, then MIBI as a frontline modality in 2015. MIP was conducted if possible and bilateral neck exploration (BNE) when localization remained doubtful. Treatment was evaluated by histopathology and serum parathyroid hormone and calcium levels at 6 weeks.

Results

A total of 122 of 165 (73.9%) glands were removed by MIP and 43 of 165 (26.1%) by BNE. Of 15 cases with non‐localizing preoperative investigations, one patient had a negative BNE. A total of 160 of 165 (97.0%) patients underwent a successful operation, with five (3.0%) suffering persistent post‐operative hypercalcaemia. SUS had a sensitivity of 79.4% (131/165) and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 97.0% (131/135). MIBI had a sensitivity of 60.0% (81/135) and a PPV of 95.3% (81/85). RUS produced a sensitivity of 65.5% (76/116) and PPV of 98.7% (76/77). When used as a second‐line modality, 4DCT had a sensitivity of 76.9% (10/13) and PPV of 100%. The sensitivity and PPV were 85.7% (18/21) and 94.7% (18/19) after 4DCT's promotion to first‐line use.

Conclusion

MIP can be safely performed in rural centres of adequate volume. We recommend that operations be guided by SUS with routine use of an adjunctive modality. Our study has seen 4DCT replace MIBI in this regard.
How effective is the plain packaging of tobacco policy on rates of intention to quit smoking and changing attitudes to smoking?
Authors: Lilic Nick , Stretton Matthew , Prakash Minesh
Published: June 2018

Background

The aim of this study is to critically appraise the evidence for the effectiveness of the plain packaging of tobacco products policy.

Methods

A systematic approach to a literature review was undertaken using five databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Global Health and Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. Quantitative and qualitative studies that evaluate attitudes towards smoking, starting smoking and quitting intentions when plain packaging use is compared with standard cigarette packaging use were included.

Results

A total of 1923 studies were identified. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, nine studies were included in the review. The overall quality of the data was variable but a significant number of the studies had major methodological flaws. However, data analysed in the literature review suggest that exposure to plain packaging increases intention to quit amongst exposed individuals, increases negative attitudes to both smoking and starting smoking.

Conclusion

Although the evidence for plain packaging of tobacco is not strong, the evidence that is available indicates that it is an effective tobacco cessation policy.
Treatment with nitric oxide in the neonatal intensive care unit is associated with increased risk of childhood cancer
Authors: Dixon Fiona , Ziegler David S , Bajuk Barbara , Wright Ian , Hilder Lisa , Abdel Latif Mohamed E. , Somanathan Aranie , Oei Ju Lee
Published: June 2018

Aim

This study aimed to determine whether neonatal intensive care therapies increase the risk of carcinogenesis in childhood.

Methods

This study used population‐based data on 1 072 957 infants born in New South Wales, Australia, between 2000 and 2011 and multivariate logistic regression to examine any associations between therapies used in the neonatal intensive care unit and diagnoses of cancer until mid 2012.

Results

A total of 1126 of 1 072 957 (0.1%) children were diagnosed with cancer. Cancer risk was significantly increased by preterm birth (gestation <37 weeks; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.0–1.6), birth weight ≥4 kg (aOR1.4, 1.2–1.6) and caesarean delivery (aOR1.2, 1.1–1.4). Extremely preterm (<28 weeks of gestation) infants were more likely to develop hepatic tumours (aOR12.7, 3.3–48.3) than term infants. The only therapy used in the neonatal intensive care that was independently associated with an increased risk of cancer was nitric oxide (aOR8.6, 4.3–17.4). Eight of the 790 (1%) infants treated with nitric oxide developed cancer (gestation range 30–41 weeks, age of cancer diagnosis: four months–five years).

Conclusion

Treatment with nitric oxide was associated with a higher risk of childhood cancer. These findings require further research.
Endothelium‐dependent responses in the microcirculation observed in vivo
Authors: Rosenblum W. I.
Published: June 2018

Endothelium‐dependent responses were first demonstrated 40 years ago in the aorta. Since then, extensive research has been conducted in vitro using conductance vessels and materials derived from them. However, the microcirculation controls blood flow to vital organs and has been the focus of in vivo studies of endothelium‐dependent dilation beginning immediately after the first in vitro report. Initial in vivo studies employed a light/dye technique for selectively damaging the endothelium to unequivocally prove, in vivo, the existence of endothelium‐dependent dilation and in the microvasculature. Endothelium‐dependent constriction was similarly proven. Endothelium‐dependent agonists include acetylcholine (ACh), bradykinin, arachidonic acid, calcium ionophore A‐23187, calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP), serotonin, histamine and endothelin‐1. Normal and disease states have been studied. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase and cytochrome P450 have been shown to generate the mediators of the responses. Some of the key enzyme systems generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) like superoxide which may prevent EDR. However, one ROS, namely H2O2, is one of a number of hyperpolarizing factors that cause dilation initiated by endothelium. Depending upon microvascular bed, a single agonist may use different pathways to elicit an endothelium‐dependent response. Interpretation of studies using inhibitors of eNOS is complicated by the fact that these inhibitors may also inhibit ATP‐sensitive potassium channels. Other in vivo observations of brain arterioles failed to establish nitric oxide as the mediator of responses elicited by CGRP or by ACh and suggest that a nitrosothiol may be a better fit for the latter.
Dissociative absorption, mind‐wandering, and attention‐deficit symptoms: Associations with obsessive‐compulsive symptoms
Authors: Soffer‐Dudek Nirit
Published: June 2018

Objective

Dissociative absorption is a tendency to become absorbed in imagination or in an external stimulus (movie, book) to the point of obliviousness to one's surroundings and reduced self‐awareness. It has been hypothesized to play a role in the maintenance of obsessive‐compulsive (OC) symptoms. However, because absorption is a trait of reduced attentional control, a possible confound may be attention‐deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms, which have been reported to be comorbid with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). This study aimed to validate dissociative absorption as unique from ADHD symptoms as well as from mind‐wandering and to show that it has incremental predictive value over these constructs in predicting OC symptoms.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Method

Three‐hundred and three undergraduate students completed online questionnaires, which were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

Results

As hypothesized, dissociative absorption emerged as a unique construct, separate from ADHD, and mind‐wandering (whereas the latter two were not completely separate from each other). Additionally, absorption was uniquely associated with OC symptoms, with a moderate‐to‐strong effect size, demonstrating incremental predictive value over the other constructs.

Conclusions

Attentional deficits and mind‐wandering cannot account for the association between absorption and OC symptoms. Future research should explore whether reports of comorbidity between ADHD and OC symptoms may be inflated due to misdiagnosis of absorption tendencies as ADHD.

Practitioner points

Dissociative absorption is a personality tendency that may interact with obsessive‐compulsive symptoms, and thus, it may deserve clinical attention when treating obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD)

Dissociative absorption might bring about an unnecessary diagnosis of attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with obsessive‐compulsive symptoms, and thus, it should be screened for.

This study was based on a non‐clinical sample; future studies should replicate the findings among samples with an OCD diagnosis.

This study is based on self‐report questionnaires; future studies should use clinician interviews.
Evaluation of 230 patients with relapsed/refractory deletion 17p chronic lymphocytic leukaemia treated with ibrutinib from 3 clinical trials
Authors: Jones Jeffrey , Mato Anthony , Coutre Steven , Byrd John C. , Furman Richard R. , Hillmen Peter , Osterborg Anders , Tam Constantine , Stilgenbauer Stephan , Wierda William G. , Heerema Nyla A. , Eckert Karl , Clow Fong , Zhou Cathy , Chu Alvina D. , James Danelle F. , O'Brien Susan M.
Published: June 2018

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) with deletion 17p [del(17p)] have poor outcomes with chemoimmunotherapy. Ibrutinib is indicated for the treatment of CLL/SLL, including del(17p) CLL/SLL, and allows for treatment without chemotherapy. This integrated analysis was performed to evaluate outcomes in 230 patients with relapsed/refractory del(17p) CLL/SLL from three ibrutinib studies. With a median of 2 prior therapies (range, 1–12), 18% and 79% of evaluable patients had del(11q) or unmutated IGHV, respectively. With a median follow‐up of 28 months, overall response rate was 85% and estimated 30‐month progression‐free and overall survival rates were 57% [95% confidence interval (CI) 50–64] and 69% (95% CI 61–75), respectively. Patients with normal lactate dehydrogenase or no bulky disease had the most favourable survival outcomes. Sustained haematological improvements in haemoglobin, platelet count and absolute neutrophil count occurred in 61%, 67% and 70% of patients with baseline cytopenias, respectively. New onset severe cytopenias and infections decreased in frequency over time. Progression‐free and overall survival with ibrutinib surpass those of other therapies for patients with del(17p) CLL/SLL. These results provide further evidence of the robust clinical activity of ibrutinib in difficult‐to‐treat CLL/SLL populations.
Combination therapy with clomiphene citrate and anastrozole is a safe and effective alternative for hypoandrogenic subfertile men
Authors: Alder Nathan J. , Keihani Sorena , Stoddard Gregory J. , Myers Jeremy B. , Hotaling James M.
Published: June 2018

Objectives

To assess the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with clomiphene citrate (CC) and anastrozole (AZ) for male hypoandrogenism.

Patients and Methods

We identified patients treated with a combination of CC + AZ in the period 2014 to 2017. Data were gathered on patient characteristics and laboratory values at baseline. Total testosterone, bioavailable testosterone, oestradiol and testosterone:oestradiol ratio were measured before combination therapy (treatment with CC only) and at CC + AZ combination therapy follow‐ups. Treatment side effects were recorded; prostatic‐specific antigen and haematocrit levels were measured to assess safety after 6 months. As a secondary outcome, semen characteristics were compared at baseline and after at least 3 months of combination therapy when these data were available. Data were analysed using a paired t‐test and Wilcoxon's signed‐rank test.

Results

A total of 51 men were included, with a mean age of 35.4 ± 7.4 years and a mean body mass index of 35.0 ± 8.0 kg/m2. After CC treatment, total testosterone, bioavailable testosterone, and oestradiol levels all significantly increased. AZ was added in all patients with hyperoestrogenaemia (oestradiol >50 pg/mL) or a testosterone:oestradiol ratio <10. CC + AZ therapy maintained therapeutic total testosterone and bioavailable testosterone levels while also normalizing oestradiol levels and testosterone:oestradiol ratio. Eleven patients experienced side effects: anxiety/irritability, n = 5; decreased libido, n = 4; elevated (>54%) haematocrit, n = 2.

Conclusion

Combination therapy with CC + AZ is an effective and safe alternative for patients with elevated oestradiol level or low testosterone:oestradiol ratio.
Development, Citizenship, and Everyday Appropriations of Buen Vivir: Ecuadorian Engagement with the Changing Rhetoric of Improvement
Authors: LYALL ANGUS , COLLOREDO‐MANSFELD RUDI , ROUSSEAU MALENA
Published: June 2018

The Ecuadorian state frames its development interventions in infrastructure and human capital as advances in buen vivir or ‘good living’. This paper reports ethnographic research that draws attention to everyday appropriations of state discourses on buen vivir in the Amazon and Andes. Non‐state actors in marginalised communities often use state discourses strategically in engagements and negotiations with state actors. We argue that uses of official versions of buen vivir discourse often reflect such strategic appropriations of state idioms, rather than subjective commitment to state‐led development and official notions of buen vivir.
The experience of adverse childhood experiences and dental care in childhood
Authors: Crouch Elizabeth , Radcliff Elizabeth , Nelson Joni , Strompolis Melissa , Martin Amy
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Routine preventive dental care is important to overall child health and well‐being. However, the experience of adversity in childhood may prevent children from getting adequate preventive care. This study seeks to explore how the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the role of a protective adult may be associated with dental care utilization in childhood.

Methods

Data from the 2016 South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (SC BRFSS), which interviews adults eighteen year of age and older, were used in this study. Dental care utilization in childhood was measured as the adult retrospectively reported frequency of dental care in childhood: at least once every 2 years (adequate dental care) or less often than every 2 years (inadequate dental care). ACEs were determined by asking about each of respondent's childhood exposure to eleven childhood experiences, including divorce, parental incarceration, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness and emotional, physical or sexual abuse. The presence of a protective adult in childhood included respondents who had an adult who made them feel safe and protected during childhood. Descriptive and bivariate statistics explored differences in the adequacy of child dental care by ACE exposure, the presence of a protective adult and selected demographic characteristics. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the impact of counts and types of ACEs and the presence of a protective adult with inadequate childhood dental care.

Results

The unweighted study sample included 7079 respondents ageing from 18 to 79 years of age Sampling weights were used for all analyses. Among all respondents, 71.7% reported receiving adequate dental care during childhood; 28.3% responded that they received inadequate dental care. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, respondents who experienced four or more ACEs had a higher likelihood of inadequate dental care than respondents who reported no ACEs (aOR 2.79; 95% CI 2.77‐2.82). The odds of reporting inadequate dental care were lower among those grew up with an adult who made them feel safe and protected (aOR 0.38; 95% CI 0.37‐0.39).

Conclusions

The presence of protective factors may mitigate the effects of ACEs on paediatric dental care. This research contributes to the literature through the further identification of the role of dentists in identifying signs of abuse and neglect.
Saline suppression test parameters may predict bilateral subtypes of primary aldosteronism
Authors: Hashimura Hikaru , Shen Jimmy , Fuller Peter J. , Chee Nicholas Y. N. , Doery James C. G. , Chong Winston , Choy Kay Weng , Gwini StellaMay , Yang Jun
Published: June 2018

Background

The saline suppression test (SST) serves to confirm the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) whilst adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is used to determine whether the aldosterone hypersecretion is unilateral or bilateral. An accurate prediction of bilateral PA based on SST results could reduce the need for AVS.

Aim

We sought to identify SST parameters that reliably predict bilateral PA.

Methods

The results from 121 patients undergoing SSTs at Monash Health from January 2010 to January 2018 including screening blood tests, imaging, AVS and histopathology results were evaluated. Patients were subtyped into unilateral or bilateral PA based on AVS and surgical outcomes.

Results

Of 113 patients with confirmed PA, 33 had unilateral disease whilst 42 had bilateral disease. In those with bilateral disease, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) was significantly lower post‐SST, together with a significant fall in the aldosterone‐renin ratio (ARR). The combination of PAC < 300 pmol/L and a reduction in ARR post‐SST provided 96.8% specificity in predicting bilateral disease. Eighteen of 39 patients (49%) with bilateral PA could have avoided AVS using these criteria.

Conclusion

A combination of PAC < 300 pmol/L and a lower ARR post‐SST could reliably predict bilateral PA. An independent cohort will be needed to validate these findings.