bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of antiplaque effectiveness of chlorhexidine‐soaked gauze compared to chlorhexidine mouth rinse: Randomized clinical trial
Authors: Sparabombe Scilla , Roncati Marisa , Monterubbianesi Riccardo , Catellani Alberto , Manzoli Lamberto , Bambini Fabrizio , Procaccini Maurizio , Putignano Angelo , Orsini Giovanna
Published: February 2018

Aim

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of a disposable gauze soaked with chlorhexidine and rolled up on the finger vs chlorhexidine mouth rinse (CM) to maintain oral hygiene.

Methods

In this single‐blind, randomized trial, both groups were instructed to brush their teeth and use the 0.12% chlorhexidine intervention twice per day (experimental group: toothbrushing + chlorhexidine‐soaked gauze; control group: toothbrushing + mouth rinse). The main outcome was the change in full mouth plaque index scores from baseline to 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes were the patient's appreciation (visual analog scale) and the bleeding index.

Results

The final sample consisted of 60 young patients: 31 in the experimental group and 29 in the control group. After 2 weeks, both interventions were effective in reducing plaque index. The percentage of score reduction was 33% in the experimental group and 30% for the controls, with no significant difference between groups. Both interventions reduced the bleeding index, but this reduction was significant only in the experimental group (P < .001).

Conclusions

There is no difference between chlorhexidine‐soaked gauze and CM regarding plaque control. In addition, gauze soaked with chlorhexidine was significantly more effective in reducing the bleeding index score and was appreciated by the patients.
Affordances after spinal cord injury
Authors: Sedda Anna , Ambrosini Ettore , Dirupo Giada , Tonin Diana , Valsecchi Laura , Redaelli Tiziana , Spinelli Michele , Costantini Marcello , Bottini Gabriella
Published: February 2018

Spinal cord injury can cause cognitive impairments even when no cerebral lesion is appreciable. As patients are forced to explore the environment in a non‐canonical position (i.e., seated on a wheelchair), a modified relation with space can explain motor‐related cognitive differences compared to non‐injured individuals. Peripersonal space is encoded in motor terms, that is, in relation to the representation of action abilities and is strictly related to the affordance of reachability. In turn, affordances, the action possibilities suggested by relevant properties of the environment, are related to the perceiver's peripersonal space and motor abilities. One might suppose that these motor‐related cognitive abilities are compromised when an individual loses the ability to move. We shed light on this issue in 10 patients with paraplegia and 20 matched controls. All have been administered an affordances‐related reachability judgement task adapted from Costantini, Ambrosini, Tieri, Sinigaglia, and Committeri (2010, Experimental Brain Research, 207, 95) and neuropsychological tests. Our findings demonstrate that patients and controls show the same level of accuracy in estimating the location of their peripersonal space boundaries, but only controls show the typical overestimation of reaching range. Secondly, patients show a higher variability in their judgements than controls. Importantly, this finding is related to the patients’ ability to perform everyday tasks. Finally, patients are not faster in making their judgements on reachability in peripersonal space, while controls are. Our results suggest that not moving freely or as usual in the environment impact decoding of action‐related properties even when the upper limbs are not compromised.
A Powerful Test for Changing Trends in Time Series Models
Authors: Wu Jilin , Xiao Zhijie
Published: February 2018

We propose a non‐parametric test for trend specification with improved properties. Many existing tests in the literature exhibit non‐monotonic power. To deal with this problem, Juhl and Xiao proposed a non‐parametric test with good power by detrending the data non‐parametrically. However, their test is developed for smooth changing trends and is constructed under the assumption of correct specification in the dynamics. In addition, their test suffers from size distortion in finite samples and imposes restrictive assumptions on the variance structure. The current article tries to address these issues. First, the proposed test allows for both abrupt breaks and smooth structural changes in deterministic trends. Second, the test employs a sieve approach to avoid the misspecification problem. Third, the extended test can be applied to the data with conditional heteroskedasticity and time‐varying variance. Fourth, the power properties under alternatives are also investigated. Finally, a partial plug‐in method is proposed to alleviate size distortion. Monte Carlo simulations show that the new test not only has good size but also has monotonic power in finite samples.
Children's hymn singing in Victorian culture and scholarship
Authors: Clapp‐Itnyre Alisa
Published: February 2018

Children's lives in nineteenth‐century Britain were filled with hymn‐singing, whether at church, school, home, or Sunday schools. Yet this dimension to Victorian culture has rarely been studied either by Hymn Studies or Childhood Studies. This article explores the ways that children's hymns are central to our understanding of hymns and of children, urging crosspollination of these two important disciplines. It will explore ways that hymns empowered children throughout the century, breaking down the perceived child‐adult binary of Victorian society.
Victorian gothic soundscapes
Authors: Schlauraff Kristie A.
Published: February 2018

Resounding with wails, groans, creaks, thunders, bells, and a score of other unsettling and often unidentifiable sounds, the Victorian gothic emerges against the backdrop of what John M. Picker has called “a period of unprecedented amplification” that necessitated new modes of listening. While critics have increasingly acknowledged the significance of the audible world to Victorian literature, and sound studies has exposed new approaches to addressing the acoustic dimensions of texts, the gothic soundscape remains largely unexamined. This article identifies the shared qualities of the sonic world and Victorian gothic fiction, building on two key definitions of sound to expose how the genre absorbed, manipulated, and leveraged the soundscape to spark terror among characters and readers alike. It then offers an overview of scholarship on the gothic and sound, focusing primarily on the past twenty years. Although a number of critics investigate the role of music in gothic fiction by Ann Radcliffe, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Wilkie Collins, among others, few move beyond it to consider the soundscape in its entirety. The final section calls attention to some of the shared keynotes among Victorian gothic texts and suggests possible approaches to more sustained scholarly work on their dynamic soundscapes.
Fungal infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review
Authors: Stamatiades George A. , Ioannou Petros , Petrikkos George , Tsioutis Constantinos
Published: February 2018

Background

Despite reports of fungal infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), their clinical and microbiological characteristics remain unknown.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to examine all available evidence regarding fungal infections in patients with IBD.

Methods

Systematic search of PubMed (through 27 May 2017) for studies providing data on clinical, microbiological, treatment and outcome data of fungal infections in patients with IBD. The primary study outcome was to record the most common fungal species in patients with IBD. Secondary outcomes were classified into 3 categories: (i) characteristics of fungal infections; (ii) data on IBD and (iii) treatment and outcomes of fungal infections in patients with IBD.

Results

Fourteen studies with data on 1524 patients were included in final analysis. The most common fungal infections in patients with IBD were caused by Candida species (903 infections); the most commonly reported site of Candida infection was the gastrointestinal tract. Available evidence shows that most fungal infections occur within 12 months of IBD treatment and within 6 months when anti‐TNFa agents are used.

Conclusions

This systematic review thoroughly describes fungal infections in patients with IBD and provides important information for the early detection and management of these infections.
National Minorities as Peacebuilders? How Three Baltic Germans Responded to the First World War
Authors: Housden Martyn
Published: February 2018

Many members of Europe's national minorities had particularly terrible experiences during the First World War. This article examines how three ethnic German minority activists from the Baltic region responded to those dreadful years by, subsequently, presenting themselves as peace campaigners promoting a novel model for multiethnic society. They promoted ideas such as the “a‐national state” and “cultural autonomy” at both national and international levels, not least in the hope of influencing the League of Nations. To what extent should they be accepted as early peacebuilders?
“I Have Chosen the Flaming Death”: The Forgotten Self‐Immolation of Alice Herz
Authors: Coburn Jon
Published: February 2018

In March 1965, 82‐year‐old peace activist Alice Herz immolated herself in opposition to US military action in Vietnam. Her protest followed similar public displays by Vietnamese Buddhists, but was an unprecedented form of protest in the United States. However, while it provoked sympathy from international observers, the US public reacted with ambivalence. Herz's legacy subsequently became overshadowed after Norman Morrison's identical protest in November that year. This article accounts for the multiple reactions to Alice Herz's forgotten self‐immolation. It examines both the international and domestic context to highlight the cultural norms, political context, gender dynamics, and performative factors that influenced responses to the act. Using Morrison's example to show how responses were formed, this article reveals that because Herz did not receive contemporary interest she has been overlooked historically.
Civil Resistance Mechanisms and Disrupted Democratization: The Ambiguous Outcomes of Unarmed Insurrections in Egypt, 2011–2015
Authors: Chandler Matthew J.
Published: February 2018

Egyptian pro‐democracy activists mobilized two major uprisings in recent years: one ending Hosni Mubarak's decades‐long rule in February 2011 and the other precipitating a coup against newly elected president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Prior research indicates that nonviolent campaigns succeed more often and are more likely to result in democracy than armed insurgencies. The theorized explanation, in short, is that nonviolent campaigns better facilitate democratic participation, but it is inadequate when civil resistance has mixed outcomes. Analysis of the Egyptian case demonstrates how ambiguous results can be understood by disentangling the specific ways civil resistance prefigures democracy. The article traces the varying efficacy of civil resistance in Egypt between 2011 and 2015 through five distinct mechanisms: fostering inclusive political participation; organizing civil society; establishing civilian checks on authority; implementing procedures for nonviolent conflict management; and instituting practices of egalitarian self‐governance. The case study serves to refine our understanding of the link between nonviolent action and democratization.
Spillover Effects: Immigrant Policing and Government Skepticism in Matters of Health for Latinos
Authors: Cruz Nichols Vanessa , LeBrón Alana M. W. , Pedraza Francisco I.
Published: February 2018

To what extent do people become less trusting of the government under threatening policy contexts? The authors find evidence that Secure Communities, a bureaucratic program that enhances immigrant policing through collaboration between local law and immigration enforcement agencies, spurs mistrust among Latinos but not non‐Latinos. This article focuses on the politics of immigration and health, two issue areas marked by large‐scale bureaucratic developments over the last 50 years. The authors argue that a major consequence of expanding immigrant policing is its trickle‐down effect on how individuals view public institutions charged with the provision of public goods, such as health information. The results indicate that Latinos in locales where immigrant policing is most intense express lower levels of trust in government as a source of health information. Through a policy feedback lens, the findings suggest that the state's deployment of immigrant policing conveys more widespread lessons about the trustworthiness of government.
The Generating Function for the Airy Point Process and a System of Coupled Painlevé II Equations
Authors: Claeys Tom , Doeraene Antoine
Published: February 2018

For a wide class of Hermitian random matrices, the limit distribution of the eigenvalues close to the largest one is governed by the Airy point process. In such ensembles, the limit distribution of the kth largest eigenvalue is given in terms of the Airy kernel Fredholm determinant or in terms of Tracy–Widom formulas involving solutions of the Painlevé II equation. Limit distributions for quantities involving two or more near‐extreme eigenvalues, such as the gap between the kth and the ℓth largest eigenvalue or the sum of the k largest eigenvalues, can be expressed in terms of Fredholm determinants of an Airy kernel with several discontinuities. We establish simple Tracy–Widom type expressions for these Fredholm determinants, which involve solutions to systems of coupled Painlevé II equations, and we investigate the asymptotic behavior of these solutions.
More on Plagiarism in the Social Sciences*
Authors: Stitzel Brandli , Hoover Gary A. , Clark William
Published: February 2018

This research presents the results of a follow‐up survey to journal editors more than a decade after Enders and Hoover (Journal of Economic Literature 42(3):487–93). The original survey asked editors about their definition of plagiarism and known cases. This work investigates what, if anything, has changed in regards to how journal editors react to suspected plagiarism and if the definition of plagiarism has changed. In addition to surveying editors of economics journals, we have surveyed many more editors, including political science, sociology, and others, to contrast differences that might exist. There is great variation within disciplines regarding the appropriate definition of plagiarism or punishments but fairly consistent agreement across disciplines.
Identification of the novel HLA‐B*18:37:02 allele in a Croatian individual
Authors: Burek Kamenaric M. , Maskalan M. , Drabbels J. , Golubic Cepulic B. , Grubic Z.
Published: February 2018

The new allele HLA‐B*18:37:02 differs from HLA‐B*18:37:01 by one nucleotide substitutions in exon 2.
The good, the bad, and the ugly of luminex donor‐specific crossmatch
Authors: Chowdhry M. , Makroo R. N. , Thakur Y. , Sharma V. , Singh M. , Kumar M.
Published: February 2018

The presence of donor‐specific antibodies directed against human leukocyte antigen significantly influences renal transplant because of antibody‐mediated rejection. We performed the screening of pre‐renal transplant patients for preformed anti‐HLA antibodies using anti‐human globulin augmented‐complement‐dependent lymphocytotoxicity crossmatch (AHG‐CDCXm), luminex donor‐specific crossmatch (LumXm) and HLA antibody screening. Seven hundred and fifty‐four patients were assessed for LumXm. HLA antibody screening was possible in 325 out of 754 cases. All the three investigations viz. CDCXm, HLA antibody screening and LumXm was performed in 325 patients. All CDCXm positive patients (10/325, 3.08%) were also positive with LumXm and HLA antibody screen whereas 14 cases (4.31%) with CDCXm negative were positive with luminex‐based assays. LumXm and HLA antibody screening were both positive in 24 (7.38%) cases, LumXm and HLA antibody screening were both negative in 275 (84.63%) cases and LumXm negative and HLA antibody screening was positive in 22 (6.76%) cases. However, there were four cases (1.23%) which were positive in LumXm in spite of being negative in HLA antibody testing. Single Antigen Bead (SAB) assay was performed in all patients positive for HLA antibody test. We suggest that LumXm is a useful and sensitive technique for the detection of anti‐HLA antibodies in pre‐transplant renal patients. However, other measures such as luminex antibody screen, SAB assay, history of the donor, and the class of antibodies involved should be taken into consideration for pre‐transplant work up of renal patients.
Identification of the novel HLA‐DQB1*06:209 allele in a Chinese individual
Authors: Dong L.‐N. , Wang F. , Zhang W. , He J. , Zhu F.‐M.
Published: February 2018

HLA‐DQB1*06:209 has one nucleotide change from HLA‐DQB1*06:01:01 at position 260 G>C in exon 2.
Nerve reinnervation and itch behavior in a rat burn wound model
Authors: Saffari Tiam M. , Schüttenhelm Barthold N. , van Neck Johan. W. , Holstege Jan C.
Published: February 2018

In this study, we investigated whether postburn itch in rats, after a full thickness burn, is correlated to the nervous reinnervation of the burn wound area. For this purpose, we determined scratching duration (expressed as second/hour) at 24 hours, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks postburn and combined this with immunohistochemistry for protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) to identify all nerve fibers, calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) to identify peptidergic fibers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) for sympathetic fibers, and growth‐associated protein 43 (GAP‐43) for regrowing fibers. We found a modest, but highly significant, increase in scratching duration of all burn wound rats from 3 to 12 weeks postburn (maximally 63 ± 9.5 second/hour compared to sham 3.1 ± 1.4 second/hour at 9 weeks). At 24 hours postburn, all nerve fibers had disappeared from the burn area. Around 4 weeks postburn PGP 9.5‐ and CGRP‐immunoreactive nerve fibers returned to control levels. TH‐ and GAP‐43‐IR nerve fibers, which we found to be almost completely colocalized, did not regrow. No correlation was found between scratching duration and nervous reinnervation of the skin. The present results suggest that in rat, like in human, burn wound healing will induce increased scratching, which is not correlated to the appearance of nervous reinnervation.
Research of Social Skills of Children Who Attend to Kindergarten According to the Attitudes of Their Mothers
Authors: Gürbüz Eda , Kıran Binnaz
Published: February 2018

In this study, 5-6-year-old children who attend to kindergarten were researched if there is a difference in their level of social skills according to their mothers’ attitudes, their gender, mother’s employment status, the number of the children in the family, and to the caretaker. The study group was formed of 354 children who attend to kindergarten in the city centre of Mersin, Turkey and their mothers. “Social skills evaluation scale on children” developed by Ataş, Efe- Cinar and Tatar (2016) was used to evaluate social skills of the children and “parents’ attitude scale” developed by Karabulut, Demir and Sendil (2008) was used to evaluate mothers’ child bringing-up attitudes. Dual variance analyse was used to understand if children’s social skill level becomes different or not according to their mothers’ attitudes, their gender, employment status, the number of the children in the family, and to the caretaker. The source of the meaningful difference among groups as a result of the variance analyse was examined via Tukey HSD test. Level of significance in the research was accepted as 0,05. According to research result, general social skills become different according to mothers’ attitudes. The children whose mothers are democratic and permissive seem to have higher social skills than the children whose mothers are authoritative and protective.
Examining the Relationship Between the Achievement Goals and Teacher Engagement of Turkish Teachers
Authors: Karahan Berna Ürün
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study is to determine the level of achievement goals and teacher engagement of Turkish teachers and the relationship between them if any. Accordingly, the study was conducted with Turkish teachers working in an eastern city and its districts and villages in the school year of 2017-2018. The data were collected using “3x2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire for Teachers” adapted into Turkish by Yerdelen and Padır (2017) and “Engaged Teachers Scale” developed by Yerdelen, Klassen and Durksen (2017). Sixty eight Turkish teachers participated in the study. According to the obtained results, it was determined that achievement goals and teacher engagement of Turkish teachers were moderate in general. In addition, it was found that the variable of gender did not show any significant difference and there were significant correlations between the achievement goals and teacher engagement. Finally, achievement goals was a predictor of teacher engagement; on the other hand, working year and type of school studied did not predict teacher engagement.
Multi-heme cytochromes provide a pathway for survival in energy-limited environments
Authors: Deng Xiao , Dohmae Naoshi , Nealson Kenneth H. , Hashimoto Kazuhito , Okamoto Akihiro
Published: February 2018

Widely distributed outer-membrane cytochromes enable sulfur-reducing bacteria to obtain energy from solid electron donors.
Real-time observation of conformational switching in single conjugated polymer chains
Authors: Tenopala-Carmona Francisco , Fronk Stephanie , Bazan Guillermo C. , Samuel Ifor D. W. , Penedo J. Carlos
Published: February 2018

Single-molecule experiments in organic solvents provide new insight into the conformational dynamics of conjugated polymers.
Fractal universality in near-threshold magnetic lanthanide dimers
Authors: Makrides Constantinos , Li Ming , Tiesinga Eite , Kotochigova Svetlana
Published: February 2018

Magnetic fields can delocalize the dynamic behavior of chaotic ultracold lanthanide atoms but a violation of ergodicity remains.
Clonal selection drives protective memory B cell responses in controlled human malaria infection
Authors: Murugan Rajagopal , Buchauer Lisa , Triller Gianna , Kreschel Cornelia , Costa Giulia , Pidelaserra Martí Gemma , Imkeller Katharina , Busse Christian E. , Chakravarty Sumana , Sim B. Kim Lee , Hoffman Stephen L. , Levashina Elena A. , Kremsner Peter G. , Mordmüller Benjamin , Höfer Thomas , Wardemann Hedda
Published: February 2018

The clonal selection of potent germline antibodies outpaces affinity maturation in human anti-PfCSP memory B cell responses.
In situ formed reactive oxygen species–responsive scaffold with gemcitabine and checkpoint inhibitor for combination therapy
Authors: Wang Chao , Wang Jinqiang , Zhang Xudong , Yu Shuangjiang , Wen Di , Hu Quanyin , Ye Yanqi , Bomba Hunter , Hu Xiuli , Liu Zhuang , Dotti Gianpietro , Gu Zhen
Published: February 2018

A ROS-responsive hydrogel scaffold controls release of gemcitabine and immune checkpoint inhibitor for enhanced antitumor activity.
First Report of a Complete Genome Sequence of White spot syndrome virus from India
Authors: Vinaya Kumar K. , Shekhar M. S. , Otta S. K. , Karthic K. , Ashok Kumar J. , Gopikrishna G. , Vijayan K. K.
Published: February 2018

White spot syndrome virus
is a major pathogen of shrimp, causing economic loss to the aquaculture industry. For the first time, a complete
de novo
genome of an Indian isolate of this virus has been deciphered using Illumina and Nanopore sequencing technologies. The genome has 280,591 bp with 442 predicted coding genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Escherichia coli
81009, a Representative of the Sequence Type 131 C1-M27 Clade with a Multidrug-Resistant Phenotype
Authors: Mutti Michele , Sonnevend Ágnes , Pál Tibor , Junttila Sini , Ekker Heinz , Galik Bence , Gyenesei Attila , Nagy Gábor , Nagy Eszter , Szijártó Valéria
Published: February 2018

The sequence type 131 (ST131)-
H
30 clone is responsible for a significant proportion of multidrug-resistant extraintestinal
Escherichia coli
infections. Recently, the C1-M27 clade of ST131-
H
30, associated with
bla
CTX-M-27
, has emerged. The complete genome sequence of
E. coli
isolate 81009 belonging to this clone, previously used during the development of ST131-specific monoclonal antibodies, is reported here.
Complete Genome Sequence of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis G50 with Immunostimulating Activity, Isolated from Napier Grass
Authors: Nakano Kazuma , Minami Maiko , Shinzato Misuzu , Shimoji Makiko , Ashimine Noriko , Shiroma Akino , Ohki Shun , Nakanishi Tetsuhiro , Tamotsu Hinako , Teruya Kuniko , Satou Kazuhito , Moriya Naoko , Kimoto-Nira Hiromi , Kobayashi Miho , Hagi Tatsuro , Nomura Masaru , Suzuki Chise , Hirano Takashi
Published: February 2018

Lactococcus lactis
subsp.
lactis
G50 is a strain with immunostimulating activity, isolated from Napier grass (
Pennisetum purpureum
). We determined the complete genome sequence of this strain using the PacBio RS II platform. The single circular chromosome consists of 2,346,663 bp, with 35.03% G+C content and no plasmids.
Bladder necrosis: ‘A man without a bladder’
Authors: Bosschieter Judith , Oudshoorn Frederik H K , Meuleman Eric J H , Nieuwenhuijzen Jakko A
Published: February 2018

Since the use of antibiotics, bladder necrosis has become a rare condition. We report a case of bladder necrosis in a 90-year-old man following urinary retention. After insertion of a transurethral catheter (TUC), 2 L of urine was evacuated. In the following days, the TUC became intermittently blocked. Adequate bladder drainage could not be obtained despite intensive rinsing and placement of a suprapubic catheter. On surgical exploration necrosis of almost the entire bladder wall, except for the trigone, was encountered. Surgical debridement of the non-viable bladder wall without opening the abdominal cavity was conducted, and a TUC was placed in the Retzius cavity to ensure evacuation of urine. Since the patient was haemodynamically unstable, construction of a urinary diversion was waived and urinary drainage of the Retzius cavity by the TUC was accepted, resulting in adequate urinary drainage without compromising renal function.
When a polyp is not a polyp: incidental finding of a sigmoid schwannoma at first colonoscopic screening
Authors: Leonard Alexandra , McCarthy Lezah P , Pastor Danielle M
Published: February 2018

Schwannomas, peripheral nerve sheath tumours arising from Schwann cells, are often associated with inherited disorders such as neurofibromatosis. Gastrointestinal schwannomas, while rare, have been reported in those without personal or family history of neurofibromatosis. Diagnoses of these lesions, however, typically follow evaluations prompted by symptomatic presentations associated with abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits or positive results on faecal occult blood tests performed for colorectal cancer screening. Further, management of these predominantly benign lesions commonly incorporates surgical resection. We present the case of a sigmoid schwannoma found in an asymptomatic individual on first screening colonoscopy and treated with complete endoscopic polypectomy with anticipated surveillance colonoscopy.
Theory of change for the delivery of talking therapies by lay workers to survivors of humanitarian crises in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol of a systematic review
Authors: Ryan Grace Kathryn , Bauer Andreas , Bass Judith K , Eaton Julian
Published: February 2018

Introduction

There is a severe shortage of specialist mental healthcare providers in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) affected by humanitarian crises. In these settings, talking therapies may be delivered by non-specialists, including lay workers with no tertiary education or formal certification in mental health. This systematic review will synthesise the literature on the implementation and effectiveness of talking therapies delivered by lay workers in LMICs affected by humanitarian crises, in order to develop a Theory of Change (ToC).

Methods and analysis

Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies assessing the implementation or effectiveness of lay-delivered talking therapies for common mental disorders provided to adult survivors of humanitarian crises in LMICs will be eligible for inclusion. Studies set in high-income countries will be excluded. No restrictions will be applied to language or year of publication. Unpublished studies will be excluded. Seven electronic databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA, Global Health, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov. Contents pages of three peer-reviewed journals will be hand-searched. Sources of grey literature will include resource directories of two online mental health networks (MHPSS.net and MHInnovation.net) and expert consultation. Forward and backward citation searches of included studies will be performed. Two reviewers will independently screen studies for inclusion, extract data and assess study quality. A narrative synthesis will be conducted, following established guidelines. A ToC map will be amended iteratively to take into account the review results and guide the synthesis.

Ethics and dissemination

Findings will be presented in a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated through a coordinated communications strategy targeting knowledge generators, enablers and users.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017058287.
Surgical efficiency in femtosecond laser cataract surgery compared with phacoemulsification cataract surgery: a case–control study
Authors: Day Alexander C , Smith Phillip R , Tang Hongying Lilian , Aiello Francesco , Hussain Badrul , Maurino Vincenzo , Marshall John , Saleh George M
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To investigate differences in surgical time, the distance the surgical instrument travelled and number of movements required to complete manual phacoemulsification cataract surgery versus femtosecond laser cataract surgery.

Design

Non-randomised comparative case series.

Setting

Single surgery site, Moorfields Eye Hospital, UK.

Participants

40 cataract surgeries of 40 patients.

Interventions

Laser-assisted and manual phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Laser-assisted surgery cases were performed using the AMO Catalys platform.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Computer vision tracking software PhacoTracking were applied to the recordings to establish the distance the instrument travelled, total number of movements (the number of times an instrument stops and starts moving) and time taken for surgery steps including phacoemulsification, irrigation–aspiration (IA) and overall surgery time. The time taken for laser docking and delivery was not included in the analyses.

Results

Data on 19 laser-assisted and 19 manual phacoemulsification surgeries were analysed (two cases were excluded due to insufficient video-recording quality). There were no differences in the number of instrument moves, the distance the instrument travelled or time taken to complete the phacoemulsification stage. However for IA, the number of instrument moves (manual: mean 20 (SD 15) vs laser: mean 38 (SD 22), P=0.008) and time taken (manual: mean 75 s (SD 24) vs laser: mean 108 s (SD 36), P=0.003) were significantly greater for laser cases. For laser versus manual cases overall, there was no difference in number of moves or the distance the instrument travelled, but laser cases took longer (mean 88 s, P=0.049).

Conclusions

Laser cataract surgery cases took longer to complete without accounting for the time taken to complete the laser procedure itself. This appears to be in part due to IA requiring more instrument manoeuvres and taking longer to complete. Data from a large randomised series would better elucidate this relationship.
Pulmonary metastasis in rectal cancer: a retrospective study of clinicopathological characteristics of 404 patients in Chinese cohort
Authors: Pan Hong-Da , Zhao Gang , An Qi , Xiao Gang
Published: February 2018

Objectives

This study aim to investigate the incidence, timing and risk factors of metachronous pulmonary recurrence after curative resection in patients with rectal cancer.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

This study was conducted at a tertiary referral cancer hospital.

Participants

A total of 404 patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative resection from 2007 to 2012 at Beijing Hospital were enrolled in this study.

Interventions

The pattern of recurrence was observed and evaluated.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The incidence and timing of recurrences by site were calculated, and the risk factors of pulmonary recurrence were analysed.

Results

The 5-year disease-free survival for the entire cohort was 77.0%. The most common site of recurrence was the lungs, with an incidence of 11.4%, followed by liver. Median interval from rectal surgery to diagnosis of pulmonary recurrence was much longer than that of hepatic recurrence (20 months vs 10 months, P=0.022). Tumour location, pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and positive circumferential resection margin were identified as independent risk factors for pulmonary recurrence. A predictive model based on the number of risk factors identified on multivariate analysis was developed, 5-year pulmonary recurrence-free survival for patients with 0, 1, 2 and 3 risk factors was 100%, 90.4%, 77.3% and 70.0%, respectively (P<0.001).

Conclusions

This study emphasised that the lung was the most common site of metachronous metastasis in patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative surgery. For patients with unfavourable risk profiles, a more intensive surveillance programme that could lead to the early detection of recurrence is strongly needed.
Experiences of Australian men diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer: a qualitative study
Authors: Chambers Suzanne K , Hyde Melissa K , Laurie Kirstyn , Legg Melissa , Frydenberg Mark , Davis Ian D , Lowe Anthony , Dunn Jeff
Published: February 2018

Objective

To explore men’s lived experience of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) and preferences for support.

Design

Cross-sectional qualitative study applying open-ended surveys and interviews conducted between June and November 2016. Interviews audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed from an interpretive phenomenological perspective.

Setting

Australia, nation-wide.

Participants

39 men diagnosed with advanced PCa (metastatic or castration-resistant biochemical progression) were surveyed with 28 men subsequently completing a semistructured in depth telephone interview.

Results

Thematic analysis of interviews identified two organising themes: lived experience and supportive care. Lived experience included six superordinate themes: regret about late diagnosis and treatment decisions, being discounted in the health system, fear/uncertainty about the future, acceptance of their situation, masculinity and treatment effects. Supportive care included five superordinate themes: communication, care coordination, accessible care, shared experience/peer support and involvement of their partner/family.

Conclusions

Life course and the health and social context of PCa influence men’s experiences of advanced disease. Multimodal interventions integrating peer support and specialist nurses are needed that more closely articulate with men’s expressed needs.
Transmission of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and their mobile genetic elements—identification of sources by whole genome sequencing: study protocol for an observational study in Switzerland
Authors: Stadler Tanja , Meinel Dominik , Aguilar-Bultet Lisandra , Huisman Jana S , Schindler Ruth , Egli Adrian , Seth-Smith Helena M B , Eichenberger Lucas , Brodmann Peter , Hübner Philipp , Bagutti Claudia , Tschudin-Sutter Sarah
Published: February 2018

Introduction

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae were first described in relation with hospital-acquired infections. In the 2000s, the epidemiology of ESBL-producing organisms changed as especially ESBL-producingEscherichia coliwas increasingly described as an important cause of community-acquired infections, supporting the hypothesis that in more recent years ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae have probably been imported into hospitals rather than vice versa. Transmission of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is complicated by ESBL genes being encoded on self-transmissible plasmids, which can be exchanged among the same and different bacterial species. The aim of this research project is to quantify hospital-wide transmission of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae on both the level of bacterial species and the mobile genetic elements and to determine if hospital-acquired infections caused by ESBL producers are related to strains and mobile genetic elements predominantly circulating in the community or in the healthcare setting. This distinction is critical in prevention since the former emphasises the urgent need to establish or reinforce antibiotic stewardship programmes, and the latter would call for more rigorous infection control.

Methods and analysis

This protocol presents an observational study that will be performed at the University Hospital Basel and in the city of Basel, Switzerland. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae will be collected from any specimens obtained by routine clinical practice or by active screening in both inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as from wastewater samples and foodstuffs, both collected monthly over a 12-month period for analyses by whole genome sequencing. Bacterial chromosomal, plasmid and ESBL-gene sequences will be compared within the cohort to determine genetic relatedness and migration between humans and their environment.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the local ethics committee (Ethikkommission Nordwest-und Zentralschweiz) as a quality control project (Project-ID 2017–00100). The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed medical journals, communicated to participants, the general public and all relevant stakeholders.
Acceptability and use of glaucoma virtual clinics in the UK: a national survey of clinical leads
Authors: Gunn Patrick J G , Marks Joanne R , Au Leon , Waterman Heather , Spry Paul G D , Harper Robert A
Published: February 2018

Objective

The purpose of this paper is to describe the findings of a national survey that aimed to estimate the proportion of Hospital Eye Service (HES) units using glaucoma virtual clinics, to determine how these services differ and to gauge clinicians’ views and opinions on the safety and acceptability of this model of care compared with usual care.

Methods and analysis

This 12-question survey was disseminated nationally to 92 clinical lead consultant ophthalmologists using SurveyMonkey.

Results

The response rate was 45.7%. There were 21 out of the total 42 respondents (50.0%) who were based at an NHS Trust where glaucoma virtual clinics were already being used and a further 9 (21.4%) were planning to establish one. Clinical leads largely rated efficiency and patient safety to be at least equivalent to usual care (92.9%) and 81.0% perceived glaucoma virtual clinics to be acceptable to patients. The main reasons for not running glaucoma virtual clinics were insufficient staff (71.4%) and inadequate space (47.6%). The majority of those running virtual clinics used this model of care for ‘lower risk’ patients such as ocular hypertensives (90.5%) and glaucoma suspects.

Conclusion

Glaucoma virtual clinics are employed by a large proportion of HES units, with many seeking to develop such services. Clinical leads largely rate efficiency, patient safety and the perception of patient acceptability to be at least equivalent to usual care.
Improving the peer review skills of young rheumatologists and researchers in rheumatology: the EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program
Authors: Rodríguez-Carrio Javier , Putrik Polina , Sepriano Alexandre , Moltó Anna , Nikiphorou Elena , Gossec Laure , Kvien Tore K , Ramiro Sofia
Published: February 2018

Although peer review plays a central role in the maintenance of high standards in scientific research, training of reviewing skills is not included in the common education programmes. The Emerging EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) Network (EMEUNET) developed a programme to address this unmet need. The EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program for Rheumatology Journals promotes a systematic training of reviewing skills by engaging mentees in a ‘real world’ peer review experience supervised by experienced mentors with support from rheumatology journals. This viewpoint provides an overview of this initiative and its outcomes, and discusses its potential limitations. Over 4 years, 18 mentors and 86 mentees have participated. Among the 33 participants who have completed the programme, 13 (39.3%) have become independent reviewers forAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseasesafter the training. This programme has been recently evaluated by a survey and qualitative interviews, revealing a high interest in this initiative. The main strengths (involvement of a top journal and learning opportunities) and weaknesses of the programme (limited number of places and insufficient dissemination) were identified. Overall, this programme represents an innovative and successful approach to peer review training. Continuous evaluation and improvement are key to its functioning. The EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program may be used as a reference for peer review training in areas outside rheumatology.
Maternal restraint stress during pregnancy negatively affects behaviors and antioxidant capacity of offspring rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: Yin Chao , Wang Guofu , Gao Shixing , Huang Yanping , Zhao Ruqian , Yang Xiaojing
Published: February 2018

This study evaluated the effect of maternal restraint stress during the gestation period on behaviors, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant capacities of offspring rats (Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout,1769)) at weaning age. Behaviors, plasma biochemical indices, and antioxidant ability of the liver, soleus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle of mother and (or) offspring rats were analyzed. Significant increases were found in the immobility and swinging behavior frequencies of offspring male rats; no difference was found in behaviors of female rats. The antioxidant indices including superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide synthase, and total antioxidant capacity in the soleus muscle of offspring male rats were significantly decreased in the restraint group. Female offspring rats showed significant lower glutathione and higher malondialdehyde levels in the gastrocnemius muscle and liver, respectively. No difference was found in the productive performance and plasma biochemical indices of maternal rats, nor in the biochemical parameters of the two groups of weaning rats. The results suggested that maternal chronic stresses negatively affected the behaviors and antioxidant abilities of offspring rats, and that these effects possibly have a greater impact on offspring male rats than on female rats.
International Debate Over Geoengineering and Geoengineering Governance
Authors: CHEN Ying
Published: February 2018

In the face of the severe challenge of global climate change, all countries find it difficult to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2[Formula: see text]C above pre-industrial levels, let alone 1.5[Formula: see text]C. In recent years, geoengineering has gained increasingly more attention from the international community as an unconventional option to deal with climate change, and it has also provoked heated debates. This paper attempts to sort out related concepts, the focus of controversies and the research progress in terms of geoengineering, analyzes the international background of heated debate over geoengineering, probes into the governance of geoengineering under the framework of coping with climate change, and offers some suggestions for China to make strategic plans for geoengineering development.
Effect of Kisspeptin on the Developmental Competence and Early Transcript Expression in Porcine Oocytes Parthenogenetically Activated with Different Methods
Authors: Saadeldin Islam M. , Swelum Ayman Abdel-Aziz , Abdelazim Aaser M. , Almadaly Essam A.
Published: February 2018

Recent studies showed the modulatory effect of kisspeptin (KP) on calcium waves through the cell membrane and inside the cell. Spermatozoon can induce similar ooplasmic calcium oscillations at fertilization to trigger meiosis II. Here, we evaluated the effect of KP supplementation with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 4 h on embryonic development after oocyte activation with single electric pulse, 5µM ionomycin, or 8% ethanol. Compared to control nonsupplemented groups, KP significantly improved embryo developmental competence electric- and ethanol-activated oocytes in terms of cleavage (75.3% and 58.6% versus 64% and 48%, respectively,p<0.05) and blastocyst development (31.3% and 10% versus 19.3% and 4%, respectively,p<0.05).MOSexpression was increased in electrically activated oocytes in presence of KP while it significantly reducedCCNB1expression. In ionomycin treated group, bothMOSandCCNB1showed significant increase with no difference between KP and control groups. In ethanol-treated group, KP significantly reducedCCNB1but no effect was observed onMOSexpression. The early alterations inMOSandCCNB1mRNA transcripts caused by KP may explain the significant differences in the developmental competence between the experimental groups. Kisspeptin supplementation may be adopted in protocols for porcine oocyte activation through electric current and ethanol to improve embryonic developmental competence.
Acute Perioperative Comparison of Patient-Specific Instrumentation versus Conventional Instrumentation Utilization during Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Steimle Jerrod A. , Groover Michael T. , Webb Brad A. , Ceccarelli Brian J.
Published: February 2018

Utilizing patient-specific instrumentation during total knee arthroplasty has gained popularity in recent years with theoretical advantages in blood loss, intraoperative time, length of stay, postoperative alignment, and functional outcome, amongst others. No study has compared acute perioperative measures between patient-specific instrumentation and conventional instrumentation in the bilateral total knee arthroplasty setting. We compared patient-specific instrumentation versus conventional instrumentation in the setting of bilateral total knee arthroplasty to determine any benefits in the immediate perioperative period including surgical time, blood loss, pain medication use, length of stay, and discharge disposition. A total of 49 patients with standard instrumentation and 31 patients with patient-specific instrumentation were retrospectively reviewed in a two-year period at one facility. At baseline, the groups were comparable with respect to age, ASA, BMI, and comorbid conditions. We analyzed data on operative time, blood loss, hemoglobin change, need for transfusion, pain medication use, length of stay, and discharge disposition. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in regards to these parameters. Patient-specific instrumentation in the setting of bilateral total knee arthroplasty did not provide any immediate perioperative benefit compared to conventional instrumentation.