bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Helicobacter pylori antimicrobial resistance during a 5‐year period (2013‐2017) in northern Spain and its relationship with the eradication therapies
Authors: Cosme Angel , Torrente Iranzo Silvia , Montes Ros Milagrosa , Fernández‐Reyes Silvestre María , Alonso Galán Horacio , Lizasoain Jacobo , Bujanda Luis
Published: November 2018

Background

Antibiotic resistance is the main cause for Helicobacter pylori therapy failure. Frequently, empirical regimens have been recommended in patients with various H. pylori eradication failures. In patients with H. pylori‐resistant to various families of antibiotics, the treatment guided by antimicrobial susceptibility testing allows the achievement of good eradication rates.

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of susceptibility‐guided antimicrobial treatment for H. pylori infection in patients with resistance to one or various families of antibiotics.

Methods

A total of 3170 consecutive patients infected by H. pylori during 2013‐2017 were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. 66.6% patients showed resistance to one antimicrobial, 18.9% to two, and 2.4% to three families of antibiotics. A cohort of 162 H. pylori‐positive patients were enrolled in this study. Forty‐three with single H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin (CLR) were treated with omeprazole (PPI), amoxicillin (AMX), and levofloxacin (LVX)—OAL (31 subjects) or omeprazole, AMX, and metronidazole (MTZ)—OAM (12 patients) and 77 patients with dual H. pylori resistance (51 to CLR and MTZ, 12 to CLR plus LVX, and 14 to MTZ plus LVX) received OAL or OBTM (PPI, bismuth subcitrate, tetracycline, and MTZ), OAM, and OAC, respectively. Other 42 patients with triple H. pylori resistance (CLR, LVX, and MTZ) were treated with PPI, AMX, and rifabutin—OAR (18 subjects), PPI, AMX, and doxycycline—OAD (8), OADB (7), OBTM (6), and ODBR (3). All subjects received standard doses for 10 days. Eradication rate was confirmed by 13C‐UBT. Adverse events were assessed by a questionnaire.

Results

Intention‐to‐treat analysis demonstrates that eradication rates using triple therapies in patients with H. pylori resistance to one and to two families of antibiotics were 93% and 94.8%, respectively. In subjects with H. pylori‐resistant to three families of antibiotics, cure rate was higher in naïve patients treated with OAR‐10 days compared to those treated with bismuth‐containing quadruple therapies (90% vs 75%). Adverse events were limited (18 of 162, 11.1%), all of them mild‐moderate.

Conclusions

The implementation of susceptibility‐guided triple therapy for 10 days leads to eradication rate ≥95% in naïve patients with H. pylori resistance to one or two families of antimicrobials. In naïve patients with H. pylori resistance to three families, OAR treatment achieved a 90% of eradication.
Evolution of major non‐HIV‐related comorbidities in HIV‐infected patients in the Italian Cohort of Individuals, Naïve for Antiretrovirals (ICONA) Foundation Study cohort in the period 2004–2014
Authors: d'Arminio Monforte A , Diaz‐Cuervo H , De Luca A , Maggiolo F , Cingolani A , Bonora S , Castagna A , Girardi E , Antinori A , Lo Caputo S , Guaraldi G , Cozzi‐Lepri A ,   the ICONA Foundation Study Group
Published: November 2018

Objectives

The management of HIV disease is complicated by the incidence of a new spectrum of comorbid noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). It is important to document changes in the prevalence of NCDs over time. The aim of the study was to describe the impact of ageing on HIV markers and on the prevalence of NCDs in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in the Italian Cohort of Individuals, Naïve for Antiretrovirals (ICONA) seen for care in 2004–2014.

Methods

Analyses were conducted separately for a closed cohort (same people seen at both times) and an open cohort (all people under follow‐up). We used the χ2 test for categorical factors and the Wilcoxon test for quantitative factors to compare profiles over time.

Results

The closed cohort included 1517 participants and the open cohort 3668 under follow‐up in 2004 and 6679 in 2014. The median age of the open cohort was 41 [interquartile range (IQR) 37–46] years in 2004 and 44 (IQR 36–52) years in 2014. Analysis of the closed cohort showed an increase in the prevalence of some NCDs [the prevalence of dyslipidaemia increased from 75% in 2004 to 91% in 2014, that of hypertension from 67 to 84%, and that of cardiovascular disease (CVD) from 18 to 32%] and a decrease in renal function (5% with eGFR < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 in 2004 versus 30% in 2014); the percentage of people in the high‐risk group for the Framingham CHD score more than tripled (from 13 to 45%). Results in the open cohort were similar.

Conclusions

The burden of NCDs in our PLWHIV population markedly worsened over a 10‐year time‐span, which is likely to be a result of the effects of both ageing and HIV infection as well as their interaction. Special attention must be given to the management and prevention of NCDs.
Experimental evidence that ground‐disturbance benefits Woodlark Lullula arborea
Authors: Hawkes Robert W. , Smart Jennifer , Brown Andy , Jones Helen , Dolman Paul M.
Published: November 2018

To determine whether ground‐disturbance increased Woodlark Lullula arborea abundance, we examined responses over 3 years to four treatments varying in establishment method (shallow‐ or deep‐cultivated) and complexity (homogeneous or ‘complex‐mosaics’ comprising fallow and recently cultivated subplots), plus controls, replicated across the largest lowland grass‐heath in the UK. Abundance increased through the study and was higher on plots closer to woodland and across all treatments. Within complex‐mosaics, Woodlark preferentially used recently cultivated subplots over 1‐ or 2‐year‐old fallows. Regardless of treatment detail, providing suitable foraging habitat within c. 45 m of woodland, through annual ground‐disturbance, can increase Woodlark abundance within lowland grass‐heaths characterized by closed swards.
Prevalence of skin diseases among hospitals in the public healthcare system of a developing country
Authors: Soria Orozco Manuel , Padron Salas Aldanely , Shiguetomi Sifuentes Ana Laura , Amezcua Gudiño Samuel , Ramirez Padilla Marisol , Huerta Rivera Gabriel , Arreola Jauregui Ileana Elizabeth
Published: November 2018

Background

Skin diseases in the population are universal, common, and can cause significant economic burden. The impact of skin diseases in the national public healthcare system is complex and poorly studied. This study analyzes the prevalence of skin diseases in a hospital setting within the National Public Health System of Mexico and describes the main associated characteristics.

Methods

Information was obtained from the 2015 hospital discharge database of the public healthcare system of Mexico. Pathologies that result in a direct dermatological condition were included according to chapter XII of the Tenth Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD ‐ 10) and grouped according to the classification of the report, The burden of skin diseases in the United States.

Results

In 2015, a total of 9,230,968 hospital discharges were registered nationwide, of which 170,917 discharges (1.85%) reported a dermatological disease as the main diagnosis; five states account for 40.79% of the cases reported in Mexico. Half of all the cases corresponded to skin infections (32.08%, n = 54,843) and non‐cancerous skin growths (27.80%, n = 47,515), and 59.71% were adult patients between 18 and 65 years of age.

Conclusions

Understanding of the configuration of skin diseases in a hospital setting and public healthcare system is warranted to develop effective public policies and research for the development of effective, safe, high‐quality care processes for the main groups of identified diseases.
A retrospective review of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma in Botswana
Authors: Slaught Christa , Williams Victoria , Grover Surbhi , Bigger Elizabeth , Kayembe Mukendi , Chiyapo Sebathu , Jackson Nicholas J. , Dryden‐Peterson Scott , Kovarik Carrie L. , Wanat Karolyn A.
Published: November 2018

Background

Despite widespread antiretroviral coverage in Botswana, Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) remains among the most common malignancies. To date, adult KS in Botswana is not well characterized. The diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion that is often confirmed by histopathology given the implications of treatment; however, this poses a significant resource burden.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of the cohort of patients biopsied for possible KS at Princess Marina Hospital, the main dermatology referral site in Botswana, from September 2008 through June 2015 to describe the demographics, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) characteristics, and clinical presentations of these patients. Histopathologic diagnoses were reviewed, and positive predictive value (PPV) was used to characterize the accuracy of clinical suspicion of KS.

Results

A total of 441 patients received 450 biopsies where KS was on the differential diagnosis, and 239 patients (54%) were ultimately diagnosed with KS. The KS cohort was more likely to be male (58% vs. 37%, P < 0.001), HIV positive (94% vs. 85%, P < 0.05), and have lower CD4 counts at the time of biopsy (274 cells/μl vs. 362 cells/μl, P < 0.05). The PPV of clinical suspicion of KS was 58%. When KS was not histopathologically diagnosed, clinically benign diseases were found in 17%, medically significant conditions requiring alternative therapies in 78%, and life‐threatening diseases in 5%.

Discussion

Our study reinforces the risk factors in development of KS. The poor PPV supports the important role of histology in KS diagnosis to both ensure appropriate treatment and prevent overtreatment. Improved accessibility to biopsy and augmentation of local dermatopathologic services would likely improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment.
Detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer in magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography‐fusion transperineal targeted biopsy for lesions with a prostate imaging reporting and data system version 2 score of 3–5
Authors: Hakozaki Yuji , Matsushima Hisashi , Murata Taro , Masuda Tomoko , Hirai Yoko , Oda Mai , Kawauchi Nobuo , Yokoyama Munehiro , Kume Haruki
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the detection rates of clinically significant prostate cancer classified according to the prostate imaging reporting and data system scoring system using magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound rigid fusion targeted biopsy.

Methods

A total of 339 patients underwent transperineal magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound rigid fusion targeted biopsy in our institution between January 2015 and July 2017. Patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system category 1 or 2 and those with a pre‐biopsy prostate‐specific antigen value of >30 ng/mL were excluded from this study. Finally, 310 patients were recruited.

Results

The detection rates of clinically significant prostate cancer with prostate imaging reporting and data system category 3, 4, and 5 were 1.0% (1/98), 35.1% (47/134) and 73.1% (57/78), respectively. The factors affecting the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer with prostate imaging reporting and data system categories 4 and 5 were: (i) prostate imaging reporting and data system category 5; (ii) prostate volume <40 cc; (iii) no previous biopsy; (iv) lesion located in the peripheral zone; and (v) prostate‐specific antigen density >0.35 ng/mL/mL.

Conclusions

The detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer on magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound rigid fusion targeted biopsy is very low in patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system category 3; therefore, patients with this classification should not undergo targeted biopsy. Prostate‐specific antigen density, prostate volume, locations of suspected cancer and history of biopsy should be considered to predict the detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer with prostate imaging reporting and data system categories 4 and 5.
Using a muscle pump activator device to stimulate healing for non‐healing lower leg wounds in long‐term care residents
Authors: Harris Connie , Ramage Dorace , Boloorchi Azi , Vaughan Lisa , Kuilder Gabriella , Rakas Sally
Published: November 2018

Chronic non‐healing wounds are a burden in the Long‐Term Care (LTC) sector, increasing costs, morbidity, and mortality and causing pain and suffering. The objective of this LTC Innovation pilot was to test the value of a promising new neuromuscular stimulation device in elevating the experience and satisfaction of the residents, engaging and empowering the nursing staff, and improving healing and/or reducing costs. Small, wireless, and worn at the knee, this muscle pump activator is self‐contained, wearable, and battery‐powered to increase lower‐leg blood circulation (up to 60% of that achieved by walking). It has no wires, weighs just 10 g, and is easy to use. Nurses in four LTC homes identified residents with non‐healing lower leg wounds. Consent was obtained, and on‐site training was delivered. Eleven residents were recruited. Only seven met the inclusion criteria for venous/mixed or diabetic foot ulcers. Of the seven who met the criteria and were adherent with best practices and the muscle pump activator, four healed 100%, and one healed 90%. Two patients with other aetiologies, who were also adherent, healed. All adherent residents had an average weekly decrease in wound size of 9.75% and were extremely happy with the results. Three residents who were non‐adherent had a 9.25% increase in wound size per week. One patient with diabetic foot ulcers developed skin changes at the end of life and passed away. Nursing staff and cognisant residents can easily adjust the pulse of muscle pump activator, and application and removal are simple. Most residents feel engaged with the therapy “because they feel it working”. The LTC corporation feels that it is a great adjunctive solution for many types of lower‐leg wounds (venous, mixed, diabetic, pressure) in addition to best practices in the LTC and Retirement home sectors.
Psychometric properties of the Dynamic Risk Outcome Scales (DROS) for individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning and externalizing behaviour problems
Authors: Delforterie Monique , Hesper Bren , Didden Robert
Published: November 2018

Background

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Dynamic Risk Outcome Scales (DROS), an instrument developed to measure dynamic risk factors in individuals with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning (MID‐BIF) and externalizing (including offending‐like) behaviour problems.

Method

The sample consisted of 606 clients (86% male) from inpatient treatment wards at a facility for individuals with MID‐BIF and externalizing behaviour problems.

Results

The DROS showed an acceptable factor structure, good internal consistency, significant test–retest reliability and fair to excellent inter‐rater reliabilities for most subscales and total score. Compared to the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2003 Manual for the ASEBA adult forms and profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, & Families), the DROS showed convergent and divergent validity, concurrent and longitudinal validity.

Conclusions

The DROS is a reliable and valid instrument to measure dynamic risk factors in clients with MID‐BIF. Future research on the DROS will focus on the assessment of recidivism and the inclusion of internalizing problems.
An assessment of the microbial quality of “döner kebab” during cold storage: Effects of different packaging methods and microwave heating before consumption
Authors: Haskaraca Güliz , Kolsarici Nuray
Published: November 2018

In the current study, döner kebabs packed with different packaging methods (air packaging [AP], modified atmosphere packaging [MAP], vacuum packaging [VP] and sous vide packaging [SVP]) were evaluated for their microbial quality during storage at 4 °C. In addition, the effect of microwave heating before consumption on the microbial quality of döner kebabs was also investigated. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria and total psycrophilic aerobic bacteria counts of döner kebabs increased during storage and reached to 6.48, 8.27, 8.15, 3.96 and 5.58, 8.53, 8.63, <1.00 log cfu/g in AP (9th day), MAP (29th day), VP (29th day) and SVP (99th day) groups, respectively. Although coliform, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus counts of döner kebabs were below 3 MPN/g, 3 MPN/g, 2 log cfu/g in all groups, respectively; no Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes was detected in any of the groups during storage. Microwave heating was found effective on reducing the microbial load of döner kebabs. It was concluded that without any additional preservation techniques, the SVP prolonged the shelf life of döner kebabs more than 20, 6, and 5 times comparing to AP, MAP, and VP groups, respectively.

Practical applications

Döner kebab is a meat product which is very convenient for microbial growth due to its nutritional and chemical composition. Döner kebab that cannot be sold immediately after production causes high economic losses since the shelf life of döner kebab is very short after cooking. Therefore, it requires additional preservation techniques in order to prevent the economic losses after cooking and to have the opportunity of secure serving of it where döner kebab oven is not present. In the current study, sous vide (SV) applied döner kebabs protected their microbiological quality at least 100 days at 4 °C without any additional preservation techniques and application of SV after cooking provided döner kebabs with a longer shelf life comparing to air packaging, modified atmosphere packaging and vacuum packaging methods. Besides, microwave heating was applied to döner kebabs in order to simulate the conditions of consumption. Microwave heating before consumption significantly reduced the microbial load of döner kebabs.
Analysis of risk factors and development of scoring system to predict severity of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children
Authors: Zheng Wei , Jiang Linmei , Jia Xinyi , Long Gao , Shu Xiaoli , Jiang Mizu
Published: November 2018

Background and Aim

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare and potentially life‐threatening condition in children. Herein, clinical features and risk factors in children with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were analyzed, and a clinical scoring system was constructed to assess severity.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study involved 224 children hospitalized with upper gastrointestinal bleeding between January 2012 and April 2018. Demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory test results on admission were statistically examined.

Results

Out of 224 upper gastrointestinal bleeding cases, 76 were diagnosed as severe and 148 as mild cases according to the rate of blood loss and severity. Severe group was significantly different from mild group in 23 items including age, number of patients aged more than 7 years, and so forth (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Positive detection rate of bleeding etiology was gradually decreased (P < 0.01) in relation to delay in timing of endoscopy. Analysis of logistic regression evinced five independent risk factors for severe cases to be associated with poor consciousness, hemoglobin < 80 g/L, hemoglobin drop of > 20 g/L, hematochezia, and anemic appearance (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Using these five parameters, a number of scoring models were tested. The most predictive resulted in a scoring system constructed with a total of 16 and a cutoff for intervention of 8.

Conclusions

Amalgamation of risk factors with the scoring system plays an important role in assessing upper gastrointestinal bleeding severity in children.
When the Background Matters: Using Scenarios from Integrated Assessment Models in Prospective Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Mendoza Beltran Angelica , Cox Brian , Mutel Chris , van Vuuren Detlef P. , Font Vivanco David , Deetman Sebastiaan , Edelenbosch Oreane Y. , Guinée Jeroen , Tukker Arnold
Published: November 2018

Prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) needs to deal with the large epistemological uncertainty about the future to support more robust future environmental impact assessments of technologies. This study proposes a novel approach that systematically changes the background processes in a prospective LCA based on scenarios of an integrated assessment model (IAM), the IMAGE model. Consistent worldwide scenarios from IMAGE are evaluated in the life cycle inventory using ecoinvent v3.3. To test the approach, only the electricity sector was changed in a prospective LCA of an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) and an electric vehicle (EV) using six baseline and mitigation climate scenarios until 2050. This case study shows that changes in the electricity background can be very important for the environmental impacts of EV. Also, the approach demonstrates that the relative environmental performance of EV and ICEV over time is more complex and multifaceted than previously assumed. Uncertainty due to future developments manifests in different impacts depending on the product (EV or ICEV), the impact category, and the scenario and year considered. More robust prospective LCAs can be achieved, particularly for emerging technologies, by expanding this approach to other economic sectors beyond electricity background changes and mobility applications as well as by including uncertainty and changes in foreground parameters. A more systematic and structured composition of future inventory databases driven by IAM scenarios helps to acknowledge epistemological uncertainty and to increase the temporal consistency of foreground and background systems in LCAs of emerging technologies.
Absolute Sustainability‐Based Life Cycle Assessment (ASLCA): A Benchmarking Approach to Operate Agri‐food Systems within the 2°C Global Carbon Budget
Authors: Chandrakumar Chanjief , McLaren Sarah J. , Jayamaha Nihal P. , Ramilan Thiagarajah
Published: November 2018

Given the increasing environmental impacts associated with global agri‐food systems, operating and developing these systems within the so‐called absolute environmental boundaries has become crucial, and hence the absolute environmental sustainability concept is particularly relevant. This study introduces an approach called absolute sustainability‐based life cycle assessment (ASLCA) that informs the climate impacts of an agri‐food system (on any economic level) in absolute terms. First, a global carbon budget was calculated that is sufficient to limit global warming to below 2°C. Next, a share of the carbon budget available to the global agri‐food sector was estimated, and then it was shared between agri‐food systems on multiple economic levels using four alternative methods. Third, the climate impacts of those systems were calculated using life cycle assessment methodology and were benchmarked against those carbon budget shares. This approach was used to assess a number of New Zealand agri‐food systems (agri‐food sector, horticulture industries and products) to investigate how these systems operated relative to their carbon budget shares. The results showed that, in 2013, the New Zealand agri‐food systems were within their carbon budget shares for one of the four methods, and illustrated the scale of change required for agri‐food systems to perform within their carbon budget shares. This method can potentially be extended to consider other environmental impacts with global boundaries; however, further development of the ASLCA is necessary to account for other environmental impacts whose boundaries are only meaningful when defined at a regional or local level.
Correlates of early cognition in infants with Down syndrome
Authors: Fidler D. J. , Schworer E. , Will E. A. , Patel L. , Daunhauer L. A.
Published: November 2018

Background

While delays in cognitive development are detectable during early development in Down syndrome, the neuropsychological and biomedical underpinnings of cognitive skill acquisition in this population remain poorly understood.

Method

To explore this issue, 38 infants with Down syndrome [mean chronological age = 9.65 months; SD = 3.64] completed the Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐III and a set of laboratory tasks that measured sustained attention (duration of visual attention during a 1‐min object exploration task), attention shifting (mean latency to shift attention on an alternating object presentation task) and visual short‐term memory (dishabituation to a novel object on a change preference task).

Results

Latency to shift attention was negatively associated with Bayley Cognitive Scale raw scores, even when controlling for the effects of chronological age, r (33) = −.41, P = .02. In addition, prematurity status was associated with latency to shift attention.

Conclusions

Early attention shifting may be an important factor that facilitates overall cognitive skill acquisition in infants with Down syndrome, and premature birth may be a risk factor for difficulties on this dimension.
Lived experiences and quality of life after gynaecological cancer—An integrative review
Authors: Sekse Ragnhild Johanne Tveit , Dunberger Gail , Olesen Mette Linnet , Østerbye Maria , Seibæk Lene
Published: November 2018

Aim and objectives

To review the literature on Nordic women's lived experiences and quality of life (QoL) after gynaecological cancer treatment.

Background

While incidence and survival are increasing in all groups of gynaecological cancers in the Nordic countries, inpatient hospitalisation has become shorter in relation to treatment. This has increased the need for follow‐up and rehabilitation.

Design

Integrative literature review using the Equator PRISMA guidelines.

Methods

The review was selected, allowing inclusion of both experimental and nonexperimental research. The search included peer‐reviewed articles published 1995–2017. To frame the search strategy, we applied the concept of rehabilitation, which holds a holistic perspective on health.

Results

Fifty‐five articles were included and were contextualised within three themes. Physical well-being in a changed body encompasses bodily changes comprising menopausal symptoms, a changed sexual life, complications in bowels, urinary tract, lymphoedema and pain, bodily‐based preparedness and fear of recurrence. Mental well-being as a woman deals with questioned womanliness, the experience of revitalised values in life, and challenges of how to come to terms with oneself after cancer treatment. Psychosocial well-being and interaction deals with the importance of having a partner or close person in the process of coming to terms with oneself after cancer. Furthermore, the women needed conversations with health professionals around the process of coping with changes and late effects, including intimate and sensitive issues.

Conclusion

Years after gynaecological cancer, women have to deal with fundamental changes and challenges concerning their physical, mental and psychosocial well‐being. Future research should focus on how follow‐up programmes can be organised to target the multidimensional aspects of women's QoL. Research collaboration across Nordic countries on rehabilitation needs and intervention is timely and welcomed.

Relevance to clinical practice

To ensure that all aspects of cancer rehabilitation are being addressed, we suggest that the individual woman is offered an active role in her follow‐up.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Superior Thalamic Radiation and Cerebrospinal Fluid Distribution in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Authors: Younes Kyan , Hasan Khader M. , Kamali Arash , McGough Christine E. , Keser Zafer , Hasan Omar , Melicher Tomas , Kramer Larry A. , Schulz Paul E. ,   the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Researchers
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Ventricular enlargement in elderly raises a challenging differential diagnosis to physicians. While Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) constitutes a potentially reversible syndrome. iNPH has a unique pathophysiology pertaining to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and periventricular white matter. We aimed to determine the effects of iNPH on periventricular white matter bundles and to further characterize its ventricular and sulcal CSF distribution by using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) and CSF volumetrics on high resolution T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging data.

METHODS

Deterministic DTT and validated volumetric parcellation were performed on 20 healthy elderly, 13 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 9 iNPH patients. The superior thalamic radiation, corticospinal tract, and dentatorubrothalamic tract were traced and quantified using DTI studio software. Cloud‐based volumetric parcellation was also performed on 138 healthy subjects across the lifespan, 13 AD, and 9 iNPH‐patients. Ventricular and sulcal CSF volumes in the three groups were compared.

RESULTS

Combining increased mean diffusivity of the superior thalamic radiation with ventricular volume resulted in clear separation of iNPH from the AD and age‐matched healthy subject groups. Additionally, ventricular to sulcal CSF ratio, utilizing fully automated methods, was significantly greater in the iNPH patients compared to AD and healthy age‐matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined microstructural (DTT) and macrostructural (ventricular volume) changes is a promising radiological approach in studying ventriculomegaly. Automated estimation of the disproportionate ventricular and sulcal CSF ratio in patients presenting with ventriculomegaly may be important as radiologic markers in differentiating iNPH from other causes of ventriculomegaly.
Hepatitis B and renal function: A matched study comparing non‐hepatitis B, untreated, treated and cirrhotic hepatitis patients
Authors: Vu Vinh , Trinh Sam , Le An , Johnson Tiffani , Hoang Joseph , Jeong Donghak , Henry Linda , Barnett Scott , Cheung Ramsey , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: November 2018

Background & Aim

Renal impairment is associated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). To overcome prior study design differences, we used propensity score matching to balance the non‐CHB and CHB cohorts and generalized linear modelling (GLM, models using probit and logit linking functions for complex models) to evaluate the effect of CHB, treatment and cirrhosis on renal function.

Methods

A retrospective cohort (1996‐2017) from one U.S. university medical centre. Included patients had ≥12 months of serial creatinine laboratories and a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study equation) ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Propensity score matching was performed using age, sex, ethnicity, diabetes, hypertension and baseline eGFR. GLM was performed to generate adjusted mean eGFR over time.

Results

Adjusted mean eGFR was significantly higher for non‐CHB vs. untreated CHB patients (eGFR 87.4 vs. 85.6, P= 0.004, n = 580, median follow‐up = 82 months). A significant difference in adjusted mean eGFR between untreated vs. entecavir (ETV)‐treated CHB patients (eGFR 85.1 vs. 83.5, P= 0.02, n = 340, median follow‐up = 70 months) was found among non‐cirrhotic CHB. Among treated CHB, there was no difference in adjusted mean eGFR between non‐cirrhotic vs. cirrhotic patients (eGFR 77.0 vs. 76.5; P= 0.66, n = 112, median follow‐up = 58 months).

Conclusion

After PSM and GLM, the significant predictors for worsening renal function were age, hypertension and diabetes mellitus but not CHB, ETV or cirrhosis. However, given small sample size, data regarding the use of ETV in patients with cirrhosis should be interpreted with caution and requires additional investigation.
Genetic diversity and population demography of narrow‐ridged finless porpoises from South Korea on the basis of mitochondrial DNA variation: Implications for its conservation in East Asia
Authors: Lee Seon‐Mi , Park Kyum Joon , Kim Byung‐Yeob , Min Mi‐Sook , Lee Hang , Lee Mu‐Yeong
Published: November 2018

The narrow‐ridged finless porpoise, Neophocaena asiaeorientalis, is a small cetacean inhabiting the coastal waters of Taiwan, East China, Korea, and Japan, and is threatened by anthropogenic pressures. We analyzed the mitochondrial control region of N. asiaeorientalis from Korean waters to better understand the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic history through comparison with previously reported sequences from Japan and China. The network and phylogenetic analyses illustrated that few common haplotypes were centrally located, and that most of the unique haplotypes were on the edges of the branches. Moreover, the estimates of fixation indices and gene flow revealed significant genetic differentiation among the regions in East Asia. The mismatch distribution suggested a population expansion in the late Pleistocene. We propose that the current genetic variation in N. asiaeorientalis in East Asia was shaped by historical demographic expansion during the late Pleistocene. The N. asiaeorientalis of Korean waters has the highest diversity observed with the sampling available at this time. However, the abundance of N. asiaeorientalis in Korean waters has rapidly declined and the species needs protection from bycatch.
Teaching Empire
Authors: Goodfellow Maya
Published: November 2018

If Britons were to begin to understand their country's imperial history, they might have better tools to make sense of the unequal present
HEartLight guided – PUre Pulmonary Vein Isolation Regardless of Concomitant Atrial Substrate: HEURECA Study
Authors: Nagase Takahiko , Bordignon Stefano , Perrotta Laura , Bologna Fabrizio , Tsianakas Nikolaos , Chen Shaojie , Konstantinou Athanasios , Chun Julian K.R. , Schmidt Boris
Published: November 2018

Background

It remains unclear whether left atrial low‐voltage area (LALVA) affects atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence after laser balloon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF). We prospectively evaluated the outcome of laser balloon PVI in patients with and without LALVA (≤ 0.5 mV) together with surface/intracardiac electrophysiological criteria.

Methods

One hundred consecutive paroxysmal/persistent AF patients underwent laser balloon PVI. The relative extent of LALVA (extent of LALVA/left atrial surface area × 100 [%]: rLALVA), total p‐wave duration in lead II (PWD), and time interval from the beginning of p‐wave to the local activation in left atrial appendage (TTLAA) were assessed. Patients were divided into patients with LALVA (group A: 23 patients) and those without LALVA (group B: 77 patients). The primary endpoint was freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia after the blanking periods.

Results

Complete PVI was achieved in 99/100 (99%) patients. PWD and TTLAA were longer in group A (both, P < 0.001). During 12 months’ follow‐up, survival free from atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was lower in group A (12/23 [52%] patients vs 67/77 [87%] patients, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified rLALVA as the only independent predictor of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence. rLALVA correlated with PWD and TTLAA (r = 0.41, P < 0.001 and r = 0.60, P < 0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic curve for rLALVA revealed PWD of 122 ms and TTLAA of 92 ms as the optimal cut‐off value.

Conclusion

LALVA was associated with poorer outcome after laser balloon PVI. Patients may be identified by longer PWD and TTLAA.
Dynamic transparency: An audit of Mexico's Freedom of Information Act
Authors: Lagunes Paul , Pocasangre Oscar
Published: November 2018

Freedom of Information Acts (FOIAs) aim to provide a channelled exchange between citizens and public officials that, irrespective of the citizen's identity, results in the provision of timely, relevant, and often new information about policy. We evaluated Mexico's FOIA by submitting 307 information requests on behalf of an average male citizen to government entities in the years 2007, 2013, and 2015. In 2007, we also submitted the same requests to 87 comparable entities on behalf of a male citizen who signalled economic and political clout. Encouragingly, entities do not discriminate between regular and seemingly influential citizens. Entities also answer more frequently and provide more information in 2015 compared to earlier years, but they are taking longer to answer, frequently charging fees, and often failing to provide quality information to questions they are legally bound to answer. Mexico's FOIA is a functional system demanding significant improvements.
Diagnosing atopic dermatitis in infancy: Questionnaire reports vs criteria‐based assessment
Authors: Dharma Christoffer , Lefebvre Diana L. , Tran Maxwell M. , Lu Zihang , Lou Wendy Y. W. , Subbarao Padmaja , Becker Allan B. , Mandhane Piush J. , Turvey Stuart E. , Moraes Theo J. , Azad Meghan B. , Sears Malcolm R. ,   the CHILD Study Investigators
Published: November 2018

Background

Persisting atopic dermatitis (AD) is known to be associated with more serious allergic diseases at later ages; however, making an accurate diagnosis during infancy is challenging. We assessed the diagnostic performance of questionnaire‐based AD measures with criteria‐based in‐person clinical assessments at age 1 year and evaluated the ability of these diagnostic methods to predict asthma, allergic rhinitis and food allergies at age 5 years.

Methods

Data relate to 3014 children participating in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study who were directly observed in a clinical assessment by an experienced healthcare professional using the UK Working Party criteria. The majority (2221; 73.7%) of these children also provided multiple other methods of AD ascertainment: a parent reporting a characteristic rash on a questionnaire, a parent reporting the diagnosis provided by an external physician and a combination of these two reports.

Results

Relative to the direct clinical assessment, the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve for a parental report of a characteristic rash, reported physician diagnosis and a combination of both were, respectively, 0.60, 0.69 and 0.70. The strongest predictor of asthma at 5 years was AD determined by criteria‐based in‐person clinical assessment followed by the combination of parental and physician report.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that questionnaire data cannot accurately substitute for assessment by experienced healthcare professionals using validated criteria for diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. Combining the parental report with diagnosis by a family physician might sometimes be appropriate (eg to avoid costs of a clinical assessment).
Exploring Charismatic Leadership: A Comparative Analysis of the Rhetoric of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election
Authors: Ghazal Aswad Noor
Published: November 2018

This study examines the charismatic leadership rhetoric of the Democratic Party’s nominee Hillary Clinton and the Republican Party’s nominee Donald Trump during the 2016 election. DICTION 7.0, content analysis software designed for political discourse, was used to analyze the campaign speeches of both candidates. The findings suggest that Donald Trump was significantly more likely to use hyperbolic crisis rhetoric regarding the intolerable nature of the status quo as well as rhetoric emphasizing a shared social identity, the pursuit of a common goal, and tangible outcomes. His communitarian rhetoric enabled the creation of a hermeneutic praxis shifting identity salience from the individual to the collective, encouraging the formation of collective memory and national nostalgia. Hillary Clinton, while employing egalitarian rhetoric, was constrained in her ability to utilize agentic rhetorical constructs due to stereotypical gender expectations and her positionality as a member of the incumbent party. The findings affirm presidential rhetoric as being anchored in political times and question the role of charismatic rhetoric in influencing the appeal, and potential electability, of the candidates during the 2016 presidential election.
Bayesian Forecasting of Mortality Rates by Using Latent Gaussian Models
Authors: Alexopoulos Angelos , Dellaportas Petros , Forster Jonathan J.
Published: November 2018

We provide forecasts for mortality rates by using two different approaches. First we employ dynamic non-linear logistic models based on the Heligman–Pollard formula. Second, we assume that the dynamics of the mortality rates can be modelled through a Gaussian Markov random field. We use efficient Bayesian methods to estimate the parameters and the latent states of the models proposed. Both methodologies are tested with past data and are used to forecast mortality rates both for large (UK and Wales) and small (New Zealand) populations up to 21 years ahead. We demonstrate that predictions for individual survivor functions and other posterior summaries of demographic and actuarial interest are readily obtained. Our results are compared with other competing forecasting methods.
Cash Transfers, Early Marriage, and Fertility in Malawi and Zambia
Authors: Dake Fidelia , Natali Luisa , Angeles Gustavo , de Hoop Jacobus , Handa Sudhanshu , Peterman Amber ,   on behalf of the Malawi Cash Transfer Evaluation Team and the Zambia Cash Transfer Evaluation Team
Published: November 2018

There is increasing interest in the ability of cash transfers to facilitate safe transitions to adulthood in low‐income settings; however, evidence from scaled‐up government programming demonstrating this potential is scarce. Using two experimental evaluations of unconditional cash transfers targeted to ultra‐poor and labor‐constrained households over approximately three years in Malawi and Zambia, we examine whether cash transfers delayed early marriage and pregnancy among youth aged 14 to 21 years at baseline. Although we find strong impacts on poverty and schooling, two main pathways hypothesized in the literature, we find limited impacts on safe transition outcomes for both males and females. In addition, despite hypotheses that social norms may constrain potential impacts of cash transfer programs, we show suggestive evidence that pre‐program variation in social norms across communities does not significantly affect program impact. We conclude with policy implications and suggestions for future research.
Phylogenetic relationships among Bombycidae s.l. (Lepidoptera) based on analyses of complete mitochondrial genomes
Authors: Wang Xing , Chen Zhuang‐Mei , Gu Xing‐Shi , Wang Min , Huang Guo‐Hua , Zwick Andreas
Published: November 2018

The family Bombycidae (sensu Minet, 1994) is a diverse group of species belonging to the superfamily Bombycoidea. It is an economically important group of moth species, containing well‐known silk‐producing insects, as well as many pests of agriculture and forestry. The morphology‐based hypothesis of Minet (1994) on the composition of Bombycidae is in conflict with subsequent phylogenetic hypotheses for the superfamily based on nuclear genes. In this paper, the complete mitochondrial genomes of nine species of Bombycidae are presented for the first time. Based on these genomes, four dataset partitions and threegblocksparameter settings, phylogenetic relationships among Bombycidae were reconstructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Bombycidae was confirmed as a polyphyletic group, with the traditional subfamilies Prismostictinae and Oberthueriinae forming a single well‐supported clade that is distant to Bombycinae. The phylogenetic relationships within Bombycoidea were supported as ((((Bombycinae, Sphingidae), Saturniidae), (Prismostictinae, Oberthueriinae)), Eupterotidae).
M:N Object matching on multiscale datasets based on MBR combinatorial optimization algorithm and spatial district
Authors: Liu Lingjia , Zhu Xinyan , Zhu Daoye , Ding Xiaohui
Published: November 2018

Object matching is critical for updating, maintaining, integrating, and quality assessing spatial data. However, matching data are often obtained from different sources and have problems of positional discrepancy and different levels of detail. To resolve these problems, this article presents a multiscale polygonal object‐matching approach, called the minimum bounding rectangle combinatorial optimization (MBRCO) with spatial district (SD). This method starts with the MBRCO algorithm and its enhancement using the SD to find corresponding MBRs of one‐to‐one, one‐to‐many, and many‐to‐many matching pairs. Then, it aligns the MBRs of the matching pairs to identify object‐matching pairs, which are evaluated using a matching criterion to find geometrically corresponding objects. Our approach was experimentally validated using two topographical datasets at 1:2k and 1:10k. The proposed approach outperforms the common two‐way area overlap method and another method based on the contextual information and relaxation labeling algorithm. The proposed method achieved accurate aggregation of the many‐to‐many matching pairs under the positional discrepancy scenario.
Aging‐associated perifollicular changes and calcium deposition in poodles
Authors: Miragliotta Vincenzo , Buonamici Sharon , Coli Alessandra , Abramo Francesca
Published: November 2018

Background

It is commonly accepted that canine dystrophic mineralization of the hair follicle glassy membrane can be seen in hyperadrenocorticism and as a senile change in poodles. Pathology textbooks define this change as deposition of calcium salts in the form of basophilic, amorphous, granular material along collagen fibrils.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The aim was to evaluate whether the incidence of the lesion is specific to poodles and if it is always associated with calcium deposition.

Animals

One hundred and forty‐seven dogs divided into three groups: (i) 91 normal poodles; (ii) 40 dogs of other breeds; and (iii) 16 dogs with clinical/histopathological diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism.

Methods and materials

Retrospective study; with haematoxylin and eosin, and von Kossa staining.

Results

Our findings demonstrate that perifollicular changes of the hair follicle glassy membrane of poodles are not always associated with calcium deposition.

Conclusions and clinical importance

A specific staining is needed to identify true calcium deposition when performing histological examination of the skin of poodles.
The prevalence of temporal bone fractures is high in horses with severe temporohyoid osteoarthropathy
Authors: Tanner Jacqui , Spriet Mathieu , Espinosa‐Mur Pablo , Estell Krista E. , Aleman Monica
Published: November 2018

Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy is a well‐recognized cause of equine neurologic disease. Temporal bone fractures associated with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy have been recognized with CT, however, little information is available regarding these fractures. The aims of this retrospective analytical study were to assess the prevalence of these fractures and to describe the specific configurations and associated imaging and clinical features. Fracture of the temporal bone was identified with CT in 16 of 39 included horses. All fractures were unilateral, minimally displaced and extended through the temporal bone in a rostrodorsal to caudoventral orientation. Two fracture configurations were identified: in nine cases, the fracture extended the full width of the petrous pyramid into the cranial vault and in seven cases, the fracture only extended through the lateral part of the petrous temporal bone, not involving the cranial vault. Fusion of the temporohyoid joint was present in 13 of the 16 fracture cases. Quarter Horses were over‐represented in the fractured population (14/16). All horses with fractures had ipsilateral neurologic deficits. Patient outcomes were not significantly different between temporohyoid osteoarthropathy horses with and without temporal bone fractures (P = 0.68). However, six of the nine patients with cranial vault involvement did not return to their previous use. Findings support previous studies indicating that temporal bones should be carefully assessed for concurrent fractures when temporohyoid osteoarthropathy is identified in CT images, especially when there is fusion of the temporohyoid joint. An improved awareness of specific fracture configurations will help with detection of these fractures.