bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development, initial validation and reliability testing of a web-based, generic feline health-related quality-of-life instrument
Authors: Noble Cory E , Wiseman-Orr Lesley M , Scott Marian E , Nolan Andrea M , Reid Jacky
Published: February 2018

Objectives

The objective of this study was to develop a valid, reliable, web-based generic feline health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) questionnaire instrument to measure the affective impact of chronic disease.

Methods

A large initial item pool, obtained through interviews with cat owners, was reduced using predetermined criteria, survey scores for relevance and clarity, and the ability of individual items to discriminate between healthy and sick cats when owners completed a prototype questionnaire. Using these data, factor analysis was used to derive a scoring algorithm and provide evidence for factorial validity. Validity was demonstrated further in a field trial using a ‘known groups’ approach (sick vs healthy cats will have a different HRQoL profile, and the HRQoL profile of cats will deteriorate as comorbidities increase). Test–retest reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs).

Results

In total, 165 items were reduced to 20 and, on the basis of a factor analysis that explained 72.3% of the variation in scores input by 71 owners of 30 healthy and 41 sick cats using the prototype, these were allocated to three domains (vitality, comfort and emotional wellbeing [EWB]) with a scoring algorithm derived using item loadings. Subsequently, the owners of 36 healthy and 58 sick cats completed one or two (n = 48) assessments. Median scores (healthy vs sick) for all domains were significantly different ( P <0.001), 78% of cats were correctly classified as healthy or sick and for comorbidities the correlation coefficients were moderate (vitality 0.64; comfort 0.63; EWB 0.50). Test–retest reliability was good (ICC vitality 0.635; comfort 0.716; EWB 0.853).

Conclusions and relevance

This study provides initial evidence for the validity and reliability of a novel HRQoL instrument to aid the assessment and management of chronic diseases of cats.
Genetic Basis of Positive and Negative Symptom Domains in Schizophrenia
Authors: Xavier Rose Mary , Vorderstrasse Allison
Published: February 2018

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable disorder, the genetic etiology of which has been well established. Yet despite significant advances in genetics research, the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder largely remain unknown. This gap has been attributed to the complexity of the polygenic disorder, which has a heterogeneous clinical profile. Examining the genetic basis of schizophrenia subphenotypes, such as those based on particular symptoms, is thus a useful strategy for decoding the underlying mechanisms. This review of literature examines the recent advances (from 2011) in genetic exploration of positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We searched electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature using key words schizophrenia, symptoms, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognition, genetics, genes, genetic predisposition, and genotype in various combinations. We identified 115 articles, which are included in the review. Evidence from these studies, most of which are genetic association studies, identifies shared and unique gene associations for the symptom domains. Genes associated with neurotransmitter systems and neuronal development/maintenance primarily constitute the shared associations. Needed are studies that examine the genetic basis of specific symptoms within the broader domains in addition to functional mechanisms. Such investigations are critical to developing precision treatment and care for individuals afflicted with schizophrenia.
Characteristics of Tables for Disseminating Biobehavioral Results
Authors: Schneider Barbara St. Pierre , Nagelhout Ed , Feng Du
Published: February 2018

Background:

To report the complexity and richness of study variables within biological nursing research, authors often use tables; however, the ease with which consumers understand, synthesize, evaluate, and build upon findings depends partly upon table design.

Objectives:

To assess and compare table characteristics within research and review articles published in Biological Research for Nursing and Nursing Research.

Method:

A total of 10 elements in tables from 48 biobehavioral or biological research or review articles were analyzed. To test six hypotheses, a two-level hierarchical linear model was used for each of the continuous table elements, and a two-level hierarchical generalized linear model was used for each of the categorical table elements. Additionally, the inclusion of probability values in statistical tables was examined.

Results:

The mean number of tables per article was 3. Tables in research articles were more likely to contain quantitative content, while tables in review articles were more likely to contain both quantitative and qualitative content. Tables in research articles had a greater number of rows, columns, and column-heading levels than tables in review articles. More than one half of statistical tables in research articles had a separate probability column or had probability values within the table, whereas approximately one fourth had probability notes.

Conclusions:

Authors and journal editorial staff may be generating tables that better depict biobehavioral content than those identified in specific style guidelines. However, authors and journal editorial staff may want to consider table design in terms of audience, including alternative visual displays.
Primer in Genetics and Genomics, Article 5—Further Defining the Concepts of Genotype and Phenotype and Exploring Genotype–Phenotype Associations
Authors: Wright Fay , Fessele Kristen
Published: February 2018

As nurses begin to incorporate genetic and genomic sciences into clinical practice, education, and research, it is essential that they have a working knowledge of the terms foundational to the science. The first article in this primer series provided brief definitions of the basic terms (e.g., genetics and genomics) and introduced the concept of phenotype during the discussion of Mendelian inheritance. These terms, however, are inconsistently used in publications and conversations, and the linkage between genotype and phenotype requires clarification. The goal of this fifth article in the series is to elucidate these terms, provide an overview of the research methods used to determine genotype–phenotype associations, and discuss their significance to nursing through examples from the current nursing literature.
Spatial Learning Responses to Lipopolysaccharide in Adult and Aged Rats
Authors: Kupferschmid Barbara J. , Therrien Barbara A.
Published: February 2018

Sickness behaviors, adaptive responses to infections, include lethargy, depression, reduced eating and grooming, and concentration problems resulting from interactions between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Detecting these responses is especially critical in the elderly, as the infections that cause them can lead to cognitive impairment. While deficits in spatial learning, a hippocampal-dependent form of learning, are part of the sickness response, directional heading errors (DHEs; an indicator of spatial-learning deficits) and their time trajectories need further examination. Therefore, we simultaneously investigated the time trajectory of age-dependent sickness responses and spatial learning over 5 days in adult (5–6 months) and aged (22 months) male Brown-Norway rats injected with 250 μg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS; experimental group) or 0.9% sodium chloride (control group). LPS administration resulted in pronounced, age-dependent weight loss and decreased food intake that persisted in the aged group. Animals were tested for 5 days (trial) in the Morris water maze. After 7 days of rest, animals were retested for 2 days (retention). Adult and aged LPS-treated animals displayed greater differences in mean DHE than the control groups, indicating that they exhibited more DHE over the trial days. Experimental groups did not show consistent DHE improvement until Day 4 (adult) or 5 (aged). LPS had no effect on probe or retention trials. We conclude that LPS activation of the immune system results in a selective, age-dependent impairment in spatial learning, decreased food intake, and weight loss. All of these results are prolonged in aged animals.
Oxytocin Levels in Community-Collected Saliva Samples Transported by Dry Versus Wet Ice
Authors: Howland Lois C. , Pickler Rita H. , Sullenbarger Brent A. , Connelly Cynthia D.
Published: February 2018

Oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide produced primarily in the hypothalamus, is associated with both critical physiological and psychological processes, particularly stress and feelings of affiliation. Increasingly, researchers are seeking ways to reliably incorporate OT as an outcome biomarker in clinical research. Previously, OT levels were measured in plasma or urine. Recently, researchers have measured this biomarker in saliva, particularly when conducting research in clinical and community settings. In spite of increased interest in the use of salivary OT in clinical research, procedures for handling, transport, and analysis of specimens vary. It is not known if significant OT protein degradation occurs if samples are initially transported on wet ice before being frozen. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of transport media (wet vs. dry ice) on OT levels derived from saliva collected from 12 postpartum women residing in the community. Saliva collected from each participant was divided between two microcentrifuge tubes (MIDSCI, Valley Park, MO), one placed on wet ice and one on dry ice for transport from the participant’s home to the laboratory freezer. Time from collection to storage freezer was recorded. Laboratory personnel, blinded to method of transport, batch processed the samples. No significant differences in OT levels were found by transport method. Despite large interperson variations in OT levels, there were negligible intraperson variations. Although further research is required to identify factors (including transport time) related to interperson variation, this study supports the use of wet ice as a means of transporting salivary OT specimens in community-based research.
Evaluation of APOE Genotype and Ability to Perform Activities of Daily Living Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Heinsberg Lacey Wright , Turi Eleanor , Ren Dianxu , Crago Elizabeth , Alexander Sheila , Stanfill Ansley Grimes , Conley Yvette Perry
Published: February 2018

Survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) often experience unfavorable functional outcomes that result in a reduced ability to independently perform activities of daily living. The apolipoprotein E gene ( APOE) encodes for a protein known to facilitate lipid transport and aid in neuronal repair within the central nervous system and to moderate the inflammatory response, making functional variations in this gene likely candidate biomarkers to predict outcomes following aSAH. In the present work, we examined the relationship between APOE genotype and the ability to perform activities of daily living as measured by the Barthel Index (BI) score at 3 months ( n = 298) and 12 months ( n = 288) following aSAH. APOE genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction digestion and gel electrophoresis and treated as binary variables depending on the presence or absence of alleles E4 and E2. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine whether APOE genotype accounted for variability in BI score after controlling for age, sex, and severity of clinical condition as measured by the Hunt and Hess classification. No significant association was found between the presence of allele E4 and BI score at 3 ( p = .20) or 12 months ( p = .29) or between the presence of allele E2 and BI score at 3 ( p = .23) or 12 months ( p = .86) after controlling for covariates. The results of this study do not support a relationship between APOE genotype and the ability to perform activities of daily living after aSAH.
Associating Symptom Phenotype and Genotype in Preeclampsia
Authors: Founds Sandra A. , Tsigas Eleni , Ren Dianxu , Barmada M. Michael
Published: February 2018

Preeclampsia is a complex genetic disorder with an incompletely understood pathogenesis. Its phenotype may be better elucidated by integrating symptoms. This study aimed to identify symptoms by gestational age and associations with novel preeclampsia candidate genes. Women with a history of preeclampsia recruited from The Preeclampsia Registry completed clinical/demographic, symptom surveys and provided medical records. DNA extracted from saliva was processed with multiplexed assays for eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected to tag candidate genes and/or located in symptom susceptibility regions. Groups with versus without symptoms were compared using χ2. Associations between SNPs and symptoms were analyzed as genotype categories and presence/absence of the variant allele. Logistic regression modeling was conducted with exploratory p = .05. In 114 participants, 113 reported at least 1 of the 18 symptoms. Symptoms varied by trimester. Nine symptoms were associated with seven SNPs. Visual disturbances were associated with three SNPs and nausea/vomiting with two SNPs. Modeling adjustment for maternal age and parity resulted in 15 associations between 9 symptoms and 8 SNPs. Medical records demonstrated 100% concordance with self-reported diagnosis and 48% concordance with reported severity. Findings indicated novel symptom–genotype associations in preeclampsia. The small sample was self-selected, but results support future studies including medical records review. When validated, these results may lead to holistic phenotyping of women to characterize subsets of preeclampsia. This approach may optimize health in pregnancy and later life for mothers and offspring through prediction, prevention, and precision nursing care.
OBSERVE-5: Comparison of Etanercept-Treated Psoriasis Patients From Canada and the United States
Authors: Papp Kim A. , Bourcier Marc , Poulin Yves , Lynde Charles W. , Gilbert Martin , Poulin-Costello Melanie , Billen Lieven , Isaila Maya
Published: February 2018

Background:

OBSERVE-5 surveillance registry results evaluating etanercept safety and effectiveness in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis from Canada and the United States have been reported from data collected between May 2006 and December 2012. Although both countries have an identical indicated starting dose, the maintenance dose can differ and thus affect management strategies and outcomes.

Objective:

To compare the long-term safety and effectiveness outcomes of etanercept in the Canadian and US cohorts.

Methods:

Primary end points included exposure-adjusted event incidence rates of serious adverse events and serious infectious events. Secondary end points included exposure-adjusted event incidence rates of events of medical interest and efficacy outcomes.

Results:

Over 5 years, Canadian patients received a higher maintenance dose of etanercept (50 mg twice/week) more frequently than those from the United States. Safety outcome comparisons revealed that Canadian patients had a significantly lower occurrence of serious adverse events than patients from the United States, with an overall exposure-adjusted event incidence rate per 100 patient-years of 4.46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.05-6.29) vs 7.76 (95% CI 7.04-8.54), respectively. Serious infectious event rates were not significantly different between the 2 countries. Secondary outcomes of events of medical interest and effectiveness also did not reveal significant differences between the 2 cohorts.

Conclusion:

After 5 years of etanercept use, safety and effectiveness outcomes were similar between patients from Canada and the United States, with the exception of a significantly lower rate of serious adverse events in the Canadian population.
The use of music in aged care facilities: A mixed-methods study
Authors: Garrido Sandra , Dunne Laura , Perz Janette , Chang Esther , Stevens Catherine J
Published: February 2018

Music is frequently used in aged care, being easily accessible and cost-effective. Research indicates that certain types of musical engagement hold greater benefits than others. However, it is not clear how effectively music is utilized in aged care facilities and what the barriers are to its further use. This study used a mixed-methods paradigm, surveying 46 aged care workers and conducting in-depth interviews with 5, to explore how music is used in aged care facilities in Australia, staff perceptions of the impact of music on residents, and the barriers to more effective implementation of music in aged care settings.
The importance of the therapeutic relationship when providing information to parents of children with long-term disabilities: The views and experiences of UK paediatric therapists
Authors: Reeder Jim , Morris Jane
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this study was to understand the views and experiences of paediatric therapists working in the United Kingdom regarding the importance of the therapeutic relationship when providing information for parents of children with long-term disabilities. The aim was to develop new perspectives, to encourage dialogue and reflection for change and to identify practical suggestions for health professionals when developing therapeutic relationships. This study employed an interpretive phenomenological methodology. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out with seven health professionals from a single National Health Service trust in the United Kingdom (children’s physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists). Resultant data were analysed using a systematic process of thematic content analysis. One main theme ‘The Importance of the Therapeutic Relationship: Balancing a Positive Relationship with Professional Responsibility’ is presented and discussed. Paediatric therapists recognize that fostering a positive therapeutic relationship is vital to facilitate parental engagement with the information they provide. Despite this it was felt that efforts to maintain a positive relationship needed to be carefully balanced with discharging professional responsibility to the child. A preliminary model ‘The Therapeutic Relationship Continuum’ is presented, aiming to help health professionals self-assess and reflect on the dynamic interface between the therapeutic relationship and information provision.
The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’ affective well-being
Authors: Weinstein Emily
Published: February 2018

Social media use is nearly universal among US-based teens. How do daily interactions with social apps influence adolescents’ affective well-being? Survey self-reports ( n = 568) portray social media use as predominantly positive. Exploratory principal component analysis further indicates that positive and negative emotions form orthogonal response components. In-depth interviews with a sub-sample of youth ( n = 26), selected for maximum variation, reveal that affect experiences can be organized across four functional dimensions. Relational interactions contribute to both closeness and disconnection; self-expression facilitates affirmation alongside concern about others’ judgments; interest-driven exploration confers inspiration and distress; and browsing leads to entertainment and boredom, as well as admiration and envy. All interviewees describe positive and negative affect experiences across multiple dimensions. Analyses suggest the relationship between social technology usage and well-being—whether enhanced or degraded—is not confined to an “either/or” framework: the emotional see-saw of social media use is weighted by both positive and negative influences.
How a template for documentation in Swedish preschool systematic quality work produces qualities
Authors: Elfström Pettersson Katarina
Published: February 2018

This article explores how a template in documentation of preschool systematic quality development work acts to produce elements of quality. Assuming that documentation produces rather than represents preschool quality, and using a post-humanist agential realist perspective, the article shows how thematic work, care and education become elements of quality. But by turning care into a theme, education and care run the risk of being dichotomised, and care downplayed. The article concludes that when producing rather than looking back on and evaluating preschool quality, documentation has the potential to serve as a vantage point for preschool actors to discuss where they might be going and to think around qualities rather than quality.
Pessimistic futurism: Survival and reproduction in Octavia Butler’s Dawn
Authors: Mann Justin Louis
Published: February 2018

This article examines the critical work of Octavia Butler’s speculative fiction novel Dawn, which follows Lilith Ayapo, a black American woman who is rescued by an alien species after a nuclear war destroys nearly all life on Earth. Lilith awakens 250 years later and learns that the aliens have tasked her with reviving other humans and repopulating the planet. In reframing Reagan-era debates about security and survival, Butler captured the spirit of ‘pessimistic futurism’, a unique way of thinking and writing black female sexuality, reproduction and survival. Suturing concepts central to both Afro-pessimism and Afrofuturism, pessimistic futurism carefully considers how black female subjectivity and labour create the coming world. By linking human survival to Lilith’s own ability to adapt to the new and dangerous world, Butler offers scholars of black studies a vital interpretive framework for thinking about the points of contact between pessimism and futurism. Specifically, Butler presents a form of futurism brought back to Earth, grounded in the sensibility of the black female experience.
What’s in a name? Theorising the Inter-relationships of gender and violence
Authors: Boyle Karen
Published: February 2018

This article explores the representational practices of feminist theorising around gender and violence. Adapting Liz Kelly’s notion of the continuum of women’s experiences of sexual violence, I argue that ‘continuum thinking’ can offer important interventions which unsettle binaries, recognise grey areas in women’s experiences and avoid ‘othering’ specific communities. Continuum thinking allows us to understand connections whilst nevertheless maintaining distinctions that are important conceptually, politically and legally. However, this is dependent upon recognising the multiplicity of continuums in feminist theorising – as well as in policy contexts – and the different ways in which they operate. A discussion of contemporary theory and policy suggests that this multiplicity is not always recognised, resulting in a flattening of distinctions which can make it difficult to recognise the specifically gendered patterns of violence and experience. I conclude by considering how focusing on men’s behaviour might offer one way of unsettling the contemporary orthodoxy which equates gender-based violence and violence against women.
A longitudinal study of stress and satisfaction among child welfare workers
Authors: Hermon Sandhya Rao , Chahla Rose
Published: February 2018

Stress and satisfaction have long been topics of research and interest in public child welfare, particularly in relation to their links with retention. Fewer studies have focused on specific facets of stress and satisfaction among public child welfare workers. In this sample of 160 retained specially-trained former students, sources of stress and satisfaction were examined three and five years after the conclusion of the students’ work obligation.

Findings

With regard to stress, paired t-tests revealed that while workload stress increased from Year 3 to Year 5, child-related stress went down. The same downward movement was also noted for the work–life flexibility aspect of job satisfaction from Years 3 to 5. Additionally, regression analyses indicated that higher workload stress at Year 3 was predictive of diminished satisfaction with client relationships.

Applications

The findings suggest that even among retained staff, workload stress can be caustic, diminishing job satisfaction with client relationships. Implications for public child welfare agencies, and the importance of going beyond retention as a final measure for worker success are explored.
Using interaction networks to map communities on Twitter
Authors: Findlay Kyle , Janse van Rensburg Ockert
Published: February 2018

This article summarizes our work using a network-based approach to mapping the main constituencies discussing specific topics on Twitter. The approach gives researchers unique insight into the main groups involved and their agendas. While the individual pieces of the methodology are not new, the way in which we combine them will be novel to many market researchers. By connecting Twitter users that interact with each other into an “interaction network” or “conversation map” and using community detection algorithms to isolate distinct groups, we are able to identify the main constituencies discussing a specific topic such as a national election. Once the main constituencies have been identified, it is possible to profile them in more detail such as in terms of their demographics, their influencers, and the type of content that resonates with them. This article specifically focuses on roughly one million tweets about the 2014 South African national election to illustrate our approach. The authors believe that the approach described has wide-ranging applications and that it can be used to give researchers unprecedented insight into the public discourse surrounding specific topics and events. This article is adapted from an earlier article presented at the 2015 Southern African Marketing Research Association’s (SAMRA) annual conference.
Impacts of maternal dietary protein intake on fetal survival, growth, and development
Authors: Herring Cassandra M , Bazer Fuller W , Johnson Gregory A , Wu Guoyao
Published: February 2018

Maternal nutrition during gestation, especially dietary protein intake, is a key determinant in embryonic survival, growth, and development. Low maternal dietary protein intake can cause embryonic losses, intra-uterine growth restriction, and reduced postnatal growth due to a deficiency in specific amino acids that are important for cell metabolism and function. Of note, high maternal dietary protein intake can also result in intra-uterine growth restriction and embryonic death, due to amino acid excesses, as well as the toxicity of ammonia, homocysteine, and H2S that are generated from amino acid catabolism. Maternal protein nutrition has a pronounced impact on fetal programming and alters the expression of genes in the fetal genome. As a precursor to the synthesis of molecules (e.g. nitric oxide, polyamines, and creatine) with cell signaling and metabolic functions, L-arginine (Arg) is essential during pregnancy for growth and development of the conceptus. With inadequate maternal dietary protein intake, Arg and other important amino acids are deficient in mother and fetus. Dietary supplementation of Arg during gestation has been effective in improving embryonic survival and development of the conceptus in many species, including humans, pigs, sheep, mice, and rats. Both the balance among amino acids and their quantity are critical for healthy pregnancies and offspring.

Impact statement

This review aims at: highlighting adverse effects of elevated levels of ammonia in mother or fetus on embryonic/fetal survival, growth, and development; helping nutritionists and practitioners to understand the mechanisms whereby elevated levels of ammonia in mother or fetus results in embryonic/fetal death, growth restriction, and developmental abnormalities; and bringing, into the attention of nutritionists and practitioners, the problems of excess or inadequate dietary intake of protein or amino acids on pregnancy outcomes in animals and humans. The article provides new, effective means to improve embryonic/fetal survival and growth in mammals.
Endovascular Retrieval of a Migrated TrapEase Inferior Vena Cava Filter From the Right Atrium: A Brief Report and Literature Review
Authors: Gunn Andrew J. , Ertel Nathan W.
Published: February 2018

Intracardiac migration is a rare complication of inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) that poses a significant risk to patients. Both endovascular and surgical options exist, although only a few endovascular options are described in the literature. This brief report describes the endovascular approach used to successfully remove a TrapEase IVCF from the right atrium in a single patient. A brief review of the literature is also provided.
Jekyll and Hyde Leadership: A Multilevel, Multisample Examination of Charisma and Abuse on Follower and Team Outcomes
Authors: Lee Junghyun (Jessie) , Wang Gang , Piccolo Ronald F.
Published: February 2018

Despite the independent treatment of the positive and negative sides of leadership in the literature, evidence suggests that the same leader may demonstrate both positive and negative leadership behaviors albeit with a different frequency (i.e., Jekyll and Hyde). What impacts would such opposing leadership styles jointly have on follower and team outcomes? To address this question, the current study examines the interactive impact of charismatic leadership and abusive supervision on individual- and team-level outcomes. Findings across three different samples gathered from the United States and South Korea suggest significant moderating roles of abusive supervision in the positive relationships of charismatic leadership with follower and team outcomes. This study highlights the importance of incorporating otherwise separate perspectives on leadership and provides insights into the boundary condition that impedes the effectiveness of charismatic leadership. Thus, we call for more research on integrative models of leadership that embrace different aspects of leader behaviors.
Cooperative localization considering estimated location uncertainty in distributed ad hoc networks
Authors: Kim YoungJoon , Lee Byeongho , So Hyoungmin , Hwang Dong-Hwan , Kim Seong-Cheol
Published: February 2018

Localization is an essential service for numerous applications in wireless ad hoc networks. In particular, cooperative localization is a widely used technique for improving performance by utilizing information obtained from adjacent sensors. In general, distributed localization in ad hoc networks shows relatively low performance compared to centralized localization. This is partly due to the lack of information and partly because of error propagation. In this article, we propose a localization algorithm considering the location uncertainty of reference nodes. The proposed algorithm uses a dilution of precision, depending on the geometric deployment of reference nodes, as a representative value of uncertainty. The proposed algorithm estimates the position of a target node and re-estimates positions of reference nodes concurrently. Using the proposed algorithm, we can reduce the effect of accumulated error propagation and enhance the accuracy of estimated node positions. We verify the feasibility of the proposed algorithm and compare its performance with that of other localization schemes under several circumstances by performing simulations. The results show that the overall performance of the proposed algorithm outperformed that of other schemes.
Thirty-six-month outcomes of drug-eluting balloon angioplasty in the infrapopliteal arteries
Authors: Ozpak Berkan , Bozok Sahin , Cayir Mustafa Cagdas
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To evaluate 36-month outcomes of drug-eluting balloons in infrapopliteal (=below-the-knee) arterial segments, we made a prospective registry enrolling patients (Rutherford class 2 to 5, ankle–brachial index 0.4–0.7) who were revascularized with drug-eluting balloon from August 2011 to December 2014.

Methods

Three hundred and seven infrapopliteal arteries were revascularized only with drug-eluting balloon. Endpoints included target lesion revascularization, primary patency rate, and changes in ankle–brachial index and Rutherford class.

Results

Both ankle–brachial index improvement and Rutherford reduction were statistically significant (p < 0.001). At 36 months control, ankle–brachial index improvement was 59.3% (p = 0.032). The clinically driven target lesion revascularization rate was 28% at 36 months. Limb salvage was accomplished in 73.6% of the critical limb ischemia cases, and complete wound healing was detected in 67.8% of cases with Rutherford category 5. Overall, the 1-year primary patency rate was 32.5%.

Conclusions

Drug-eluting balloons have shown successful performance in infrapopliteal arteries in mid-term, and evidence regarding clinical effectiveness and safety supports drug-eluting balloon angioplasty as the first line therapy in this segment.
Endovascular approach in isolated abdominal aortic dissections
Authors: Tayfur Kaptanıderya , Senel Bademci Mehmet , Yazman Serkan , Canyigit Murat
Published: February 2018

Background

Here, we report the mid-term results of endovascular treatment of isolated dissection of the abdominal aorta, which is a very rare pathology.

Materials and methods

A total of 11 patients (4 males (36.3%) and 7 females (63.6%)) aged 42–72 (mean, 60.3 ± 10.45) years with isolated dissection of the abdominal aorta underwent endovascular stent-graft treatment at our institution between August 2010 and September 2015. Eight patients were symptomatic, and the remaining three were asymptomatic. The asymptomatic patients had aortic aneurysms coexisting with dissection. Eight patients without aneurysm had spontaneous dissections, and the most common symptom was unresponsive abdominal pain.

Results

The mean abdominal aorta diameter was 46.7 ± 20.6 (range, 31.2–100.9) mm and the mean dissection length was 71.1 ± 47.3 (range, 17–162) mm. Aorto-bi-iliac stent grafts were used in all patients, and were placed successfully under spinal anesthesia in all but one (90.9%) patient. Occlusion developed in one patient due to compression of the aorto-bi-iliac graft. Right–left femoral–femoral bypass was performed in this patient, who could not be placed on the opposite side. In addition, the graft was placed in one patient using the left renal artery chimney technique. No intraoperative mortality occurred, and open surgery was not required. In addition, no death occurred and no additional intervention was required during the mean follow-up period of 25.5 ± 17.1 (range, 6–60) months.

Conclusion

Limited data regarding endovascular treatment of isolated dissection of the abdominal aorta are available in the literature. Based on data obtained in a limited number of patients, we consider endovascular aortic repair to be a good alternative to surgery due to its low morbidity and mortality rates.
Victim stories and victim policy: Is there a case for a narrative victimology?
Authors: Walklate Sandra , Maher JaneMaree , McCulloch Jude , Fitz-Gibbon Kate , Beavis Kara
Published: February 2018

Since the 1980s, victims’ voices have been increasingly heard and have been influential in policy debates. Since that time, the nature and presence of those voices has changed shape and form from the influence and presence of victim centred organizations to the rise of the high profile individual victim. The purpose of this article is to explore the presence of one victim’s story, Rosie Batty, and to examine her influence on the rise of the policy agenda on family violence in Australia. This article considers the ways in which this story gained traction and influenced the reform of family violence policy in Australia, and considers the extent to which an understanding of this process contributes to an (emergent) narrative victimology.
The relationship between Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index subscales and diabetes control
Authors: Telford Onala , Diamantidis Clarissa J , Bosworth Hayden B , Patel Uptal D , Davenport Clemontina A , Oakes Megan M , Crowley Matthew J
Published: February 2018

Objectives

Data suggest that poor sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) contributes to suboptimal diabetes control. How the subscales comprising the PSQI individually relate to diabetes control is poorly understood.

Methods

In order to explore how PSQI subscales relate to diabetes control, we analyzed baseline data from a trial of a telemedicine intervention for diabetes. We used multivariable modeling to examine: (1) the relationship between the global PSQI and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c); (2) the relationships between the 7 PSQI subscales and HbA1c; and (3) medication nonadherence as a possible mediating factor.

Results

Global PSQI was not associated with HbA1c ( n = 279). Only one PSQI subscale, sleep disturbances, was associated with HbA1c after covariate adjustment; HbA1c increased by 0.4 points for each additional sleep disturbances subscale point (95%CI 0.1 to 0.8). Although the sleep disturbances subscale was associated with medication nonadherence (OR 2.04, 95%CI 1.27 to 3.30), a mediation analysis indicated nonadherence does not mediate the sleep disturbances-HbA1c relationship.

Discussion

The sleep disturbances subscale may drive the previously observed relationship between PSQI and HbA1c. The mechanism for the relationship between sleep disturbances and HbA1c remains unclear, as does the impact on HbA1c of addressing sleep disturbances.
The Role of Cultural Engagement in Older People’s Lives
Authors: Goulding Anna
Published: February 2018

This study explores the degree to which cultural engagement contributes to older people’s lives using qualitative interview data with 40 participants aged 64–98 years. It makes an original contribution to the fields of cultural class analysis and policy-related literature on participation and ageing by unravelling how class – especially cultural capital acquired throughout the life course – shapes the meanings and contexts of cultural participation in later life. This article shows how ageing creates material, physical and relational barriers to cultural participation, particularly for older-old participants, and how these interact with inequalities of cultural capital and taste. Findings highlight how cultural participation both reflects and creates inequality of opportunity in older age, by revealing the influence of class, gender and ethnicity on the contexts and subsequent outcomes of engagement. The article examines the intellectual dimension of engagement in order to understand the experience of the aesthetic encounter specific to older populations. The patterns of participation and social contexts in which engagement occurs reinforce social hierarchies and define identities in older age.
Treatment of uveal melanoma: where are we now?
Authors: Yang Jessica , Manson Daniel K. , Marr Brian P. , Carvajal Richard D.
Published: February 2018

Uveal melanoma, a rare subset of melanoma, is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. Despite effective primary therapy, nearly 50% of patients will develop metastatic disease. Outcomes for those with metastatic disease remain dismal due to a lack of effective therapies. The unique biology and immunology of uveal melanoma necessitates the development of dedicated management and treatment approaches. Ongoing efforts seek to optimize the efficacy of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in both the adjuvant and metastatic setting. This review provides a comprehensive, updated overview of disease biology and risk stratification, the management of primary disease, options for adjuvant therapy, and the current status of treatment strategies for metastatic disease.
Grading of oligodendroglial tumors of the brain with apparent diffusion coefficient, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging
Authors: Naveed Muhammad Atif , Goyal Pradeep , Malhotra Ajay , Liu Xiang , Gupta Sonali , Mangla Manisha , Mangla Rajiv
Published: February 2018

Purpose

We explored whether advanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques could grade oligodendrogliomas.

Methods

Forty patients (age 9–61 years) with oligodendroglial tumors were selected. There were 23 patients with World Health Organization grade II (group 1) and 17 patients with grade III (group 2) tumors. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were calculated by b values of 0 and 1000 s/mm2. Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) images were obtained during the first pass of a bolus of gadolinium-based contrast. These data were post-processed and cerebral blood volume (CBV) maps and permeability (PS) were calculated. MR spectroscopy was acquired after drawing a region of interest on the tumor using two-dimensional chemical shift imaging. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.

Results

When the rPSmax was combined with the rCBVmax, there was a significant difference between the two groups ( p ≤ 0.03) with area under the curve of 0.742 (95% CI: 0.412–0.904). rCBV, rADC, choline/creatine, and choline/NAA alone were able to differentiate between the two groups; however, they did not show any statistical difference with p values of ≤ 0.121, ≤ 0.722, and ≤ 0.582, respectively. A CBV PS product threshold of 0.53 provided a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 83.3% in detection of grade III tumors.

Conclusion

Combined rCBVmax and rPSmax can be utilized to grade oligodendrogliomas. ADC values, relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), and MR spectroscopy alone can be utilized to differentiate between the two groups of oligodendrogliomas but without statistical significance.
Unsuspected uterine sarcomas undergoing morcellation: A retrospective multicenter study
Authors: Wong Avelyn WY , Tsaltas Jim , Manley Tom R , Ratner Roni T , Yim Cheryl CM , Barel Oshri
Published: February 2018

Objective:

To evaluate the prevalence of unsuspected uterine sarcomas undergoing morcellation at the time of hysterectomy or myomectomy.

Design:

A retrospective cohort study.

Settings:

A teaching health service in Melbourne, Australia, consisting of four hospitals which provide gynecology and gynecology oncology services including one tertiary referral center.

Population:

All women undergoing any form of hysterectomy or myomectomy from 1998 to 2016.

Methods:

Patient demographics and the presence of morcellation were collected. All cases of confirmed uterine sarcomas were further examined and their histological subtype, patient demographics, preoperative investigations, and surgical indication were also identified.

Results:

A total of 7584 cases were studied. Overall, 33 uterine sarcomas were identified. Of these, seven cases were unsuspected malignancies. All seven cases were leiomyosarcomas. None of the malignant specimens underwent morcellation. The overall prevalence of uterine sarcomas in the total study population was 0.44%. The rate of unsuspected uterine sarcomas in women undergoing hysterectomy or myomectomy for presumed benign indications was 0.13% or 1 in 769. The rate of unintended morcellation of a uterine sarcoma in our center was 0%. The diagnosis of endometrial sarcoma was prompted by endometrial sampling in 58% of the cases when performed.

Conclusion:

The risk of inadvertent morcellation of unsuspected uterine sarcomas is low. Patients should be appropriately selected with adequate investigations and a detailed history and examination prior to surgery. Further studies are needed to identify effective preoperative screening methods for uterine sarcomas.
Effect of propranolol on heart rate variability in hyperthyroidism
Authors: Tankeu Aurel T. , Azabji-Kenfack Marcel , Nganou Chris-Nadège , Ngassam Eliane , Kuate-Mfeukeu Liliane , Mba Camille , Dehayem Mesmin Y. , Mbanya Jean-Claude , Sobngwi Eugene
Published: February 2018

Objectives

We aimed to determine the effect of propanolol on heart rate variability (HRV) in hyperthyroidism before antithyroid treatment. This was a before and after study, on ten patients presenting overt hyperthyroidism naïve to treatment. In each patient, a resting electrocardiogram was done followed by estimation of cardiac autonomic dysfunction during five maneuvers (Ewing battery tests). Long term HRV measurement was done using 24 h ambulatory electrocardiographic recording. This automatically provided estimation of HRV using SDNN and RMSSD index, LF, HF, and HF/LF ratio. After baseline investigations, 40 mg of propanolol was given twice a day for 3 days and same parameters were measured after 72 h of treatment.

Results

Our patients were aged 40 ± 10 years. Propanolol significantly reduced RR and HR interval (669 ms vs 763 ms and 91 vs 79 bpm; p < 0.01). QT and PR space were significantly extended (360 vs 384 ms and 133 vs 172 ms; p = 0.01). It increases QRS complex and blood pressure response to sustained handgrip but failed to modify previously decreased heart response to deep breathing. HRV parameters such as SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF and sympathovagal balance estimate by HF/LF ratio remained unchanged. Although a significant reduction in heart excitability, propanolol failed to restore a good sympathovagal balance in hyperthyroidism.

Trial registration NCT03393728 “Retrospectively registered”
Timing and context of dolphin clicks during and after mine simulator detection and marking in the open ocean
Authors: Ridgway Sam H. , Dibble Dianna S. , Kennemer Jaime A.
Published: February 2018

Two dolphins carrying cameras swam in the ocean as they searched for and marked mine simulators – buried, proud or moored. As the animals swam ahead of a boat they searched the ocean. Cameras on their harness recorded continuous sound and video. Once a target was detected, the dolphins received a marker to take to the simulator's location. During search and detection, dolphins made almost continuous trains of varying interval clicks. During the marking phase, shorter click trains were interrupted by periods of silence. As the dolphins marked simulators, they often produced victory squeals – pulse bursts that vary in duration, peak frequency and amplitude. Victory squeals were produced on 72% of marks. Sometimes after marking, or at other times during their long swims, the dolphins produced click packets. Packets typically consisted of two to 10 clicks with inter-click intervals of 7-117 ms followed by a silence of 223-983 ms. Click packets appeared unrelated with searching or marking. We suggest that the packets were used to improve signal to noise ratios for locating a boat or other distant object. Victory squeals produced when marking the targets suggest to us that the dolphins know when they have succeeded in this multipart task.
α-Catenin-dependent cytoskeletal tension controls Yap activity in the heart
Authors: Vite Alexia , Zhang Caimei , Yi Roslyn , Emms Sabrina , Radice Glenn L.
Published: February 2018

Shortly after birth, muscle cells of the mammalian heart lose their ability to divide. At the same time, the N-cadherin/catenin cell adhesion complex accumulates at the cell termini, creating a specialized type of cell-cell contact called the intercalated disc (ICD). To investigate the relationship between ICD maturation and proliferation, αE-catenin (Ctnna1) and αT-catenin (Ctnna3) genes were deleted to generate cardiac-specific α-catenin double knockout (DKO) mice. DKO mice exhibited aberrant N-cadherin expression, mislocalized actomyosin activity and increased cardiomyocyte proliferation that was dependent on Yap activity. To assess effects on tension, cardiomyocytes were cultured on deformable polyacrylamide hydrogels of varying stiffness. When grown on a stiff substrate, DKO cardiomyocytes exhibited increased cell spreading, nuclear Yap and proliferation. A low dose of either a myosin or RhoA inhibitor was sufficient to block Yap accumulation in the nucleus. Finally, activation of RhoA was sufficient to increase nuclear Yap in wild-type cardiomyocytes. These data demonstrate that α-catenins regulate ICD maturation and actomyosin contractility, which, in turn, control Yap subcellular localization, thus providing an explanation for the loss of proliferative capacity in the newborn mammalian heart.