bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Play and play occupation: a survey of paediatric occupational therapy practice in Ireland
Authors: Moore Alice , Lynch Helen
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Play occupation has been identified as an essential part of children’s lives, and it subsequently features in paediatric occupational therapy. However, few studies address the current place of play and play occupation in occupational therapy practice. This study aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring paediatric occupational therapists’ perspectives on the place of play and play occupation in occupational therapy practice in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted to gather data about the current use of play in the occupational therapy for children under 12 years. Convenience sampling and snowball recruitment techniques were used to recruit paediatric occupational therapists. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

Findings

In total, 65 therapists responded to the survey (estimated response rate, 32%). Results are organised into four sections: demographics and practice context, play assessment practices, use of play in practice and perceived barriers to play-centred practice. Respondents reported that they valued play as a childhood occupation. However, the survey findings identified that the primary focus was on play as a means to an end. Lack of education on play (research, theory and interventions) and pressures in the workplace have been identified as barriers to play-centred practice.

Research limitations/implications

Findings indicate that there is a mismatch between therapists valuing play as an occupation and how play is used in occupational therapy practice. Unless clarifications are made about play occupation as being different to skills acquisition in childhood, play occupation will continue to get overlooked as an authentic concern of occupation-centred practice. Thus, play as occupation deserves further attention from educators, researchers and practitioners as a means of strengthening occupation-centred practice, in particular play-centred practice in the paediatric context.

Originality/value

Play has been described as an important occupation in childhood, and consequently, it features in paediatric occupational therapy. However, little is known about the current place of play in occupational therapy practice. This study addresses this gap by considering the current place of play in occupational therapy practice in Ireland.
Leveraging utilitarian perspective of online shopping to motivate online shoppers
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Kashyap Anil Kumar
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Shopping motivation has been extensively explored in traditional marketing context but less in online shopping. Utilitarian attribute of online shopping is one of the success factors of e-retailing. The purpose of this paper is to explore the utilitarian shopping motivation in online shopping and validate these factors through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from the 183 regular online shoppers. The collected data were analysed through exploratory factor analysis and CFA using Amos 22 version.

Findings

This paper explored the utilitarian shopping motivation of online shopping into five factors, i.e. information availability, accessibility, searchability, product availability and convenience.

Research limitations/implications

The research is conducted on online shoppers to measure their utilitarian motives of shopping online. Further research may be conducted to investigate other motives of online shopping. The sample is taken from Central India which is not enough to generalise the findings. Research may be conducted in other regions and on different segment of respondents to know the impact of geographical variance on utilitarian perspectives of online shoppers.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a significant input in online retailing platform, and it will contribute to the theory of shopping motivations in online shopping context and provide valuable inputs for developing online marketing strategies. The findings of the study also aid to retail practitioners in analysing retailing’s current transformation due to digitalization.
Populations with greater flexibility in floral traits modify mating system in response to the pollinator environment
Authors: Leibman Lia , Rowe Anne , Koski Matthew H. , Galloway Laura F.
Published: March 2018

Mixed mating and variation in outcrossing rate among populations of the same species are common. Outcrossing can be affected by pollinator activity and floral traits that facilitate or impede autonomous self‐fertilization. However, the relative contribution of pollen limitation and evolved differences in the ability to self‐fertilize to variation in the mating system is poorly understood and can only be disentangled using an experimental approach.

We placed arrays of plants from eight Campanula americana populations that varied in autonomous selfing ability (hereafter “autonomy”) in sun and shade habitats to create high‐ and low‐pollination environments. Floral visitors were observed and pollen limitation, dichogamy, herkogamy and pollen persistence within the flower were measured. Outcrossing rate was estimated for a subset of the arrays.

Pollen limitation was over three times higher in the shade than the sun due to differences in pollinator visitation. Populations with high levels of autonomy displayed greater pollen persistence and dichogamy in the more pollen‐limited environments than in the high‐pollination environments. In these high‐autonomy populations, outcrossing rates were tightly associated with pollen limitation, with reduced outcrossing under strong pollen limitation. In contrast, populations with intermediate autonomy levels had less plastic floral traits and their outcrossing rates changed little with pollen limitation.

Mating system was shaped by both the pollination environment and the magnitude of plasticity in floral traits. The experimental approach used here revealed that plasticity in floral traits provides the ability to adjust mating system in response to limited potential for outcrossing. The lack of plasticity in some populations could explain mismatches between pollinator activity and mating system in natural populations. Finally, flexibility in the mating system may help explain the prevalence of mixed mating.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Nocturnal departure timing in songbirds facing distinct migratory challenges
Authors: Müller Florian , Eikenaar Cas , Crysler Zoe J. , Taylor Philip D. , Schmaljohann Heiko
Published: March 2018

Most migratory songbirds travel between their breeding areas and wintering grounds through a series of nocturnal flights. The timing of their departures defines the potential flight duration and thus the distance covered during a migratory night. Yet, migratory songbirds show substantial variation in their nocturnal departure timing.

With this study, we aim to assess whether the respective challenges of the migration route, namely its distance and nature, help to explain this variation.

At a stopover site, we caught Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) of two subspecies that differ in distance and nature of their onward migration route in spring, but not in autumn. We determined the start of their nocturnal migratory restlessness during short‐term captivity, and radiotracked their nocturnal departure timing after release in both migration seasons.

Northern Wheatears started their nocturnal migratory restlessness earlier when facing a long remaining migration distance and an extended sea barrier in spring. Individual departure directions generally affected the nocturnal departure timing with early departures being directed towards the respective migratory destination. In spring, this pattern was predominantly found in birds carrying relatively large fuel stores, but was absent in lean birds. At the same time, birds facing a short remaining migration distance and no extended sea barrier strongly reacted to relatively large fuel stores by an early start of nocturnal migratory behaviour (migratory restlessness and departure timing), whereas this reaction was not found in birds facing a long remaining migration distance and sea barrier.

These results suggest that the basic diel schedule of birds’ migratory activity is adapted to the onward migration route. Further, they suggest that birds adjust their behavioural response, that is start of nocturnal migratory behaviour, to fuel stores in relation to their impending migratory challenges. This is a substantial step in understanding variation of nocturnal departure timing and its adjustments in migratory songbirds. Further, it emphasizes the importance of interpreting birds’ nocturnal migratory behaviour in the respective ecological context.
A practical introduction to Random Forest for genetic association studies in ecology and evolution
Authors: Brieuc Marine S. O. , Waters Charles D. , Drinan Daniel P. , Naish Kerry A.
Published: March 2018

Large genomic studies are becoming increasingly common with advances in sequencing technology, and our ability to understand how genomic variation influences phenotypic variation between individuals has never been greater. The exploration of such relationships first requires the identification of associations between molecular markers and phenotypes. Here, we explore the use of Random Forest (RF), a powerful machine‐learning algorithm, in genomic studies to discern loci underlying both discrete and quantitative traits, particularly when studying wild or nonmodel organisms. RF is becoming increasingly used in ecological and population genetics because, unlike traditional methods, it can efficiently analyse thousands of loci simultaneously and account for nonadditive interactions. However, understanding both the power and limitations of Random Forest is important for its proper implementation and the interpretation of results. We therefore provide a practical introduction to the algorithm and its use for identifying associations between molecular markers and phenotypes, discussing such topics as data limitations, algorithm initiation and optimization, as well as interpretation. We also provide short R tutorials as examples, with the aim of providing a guide to the implementation of the algorithm. Topics discussed here are intended to serve as an entry point for molecular ecologists interested in employing Random Forest to identify trait associations in genomic data sets.
The use of acute normovolemic hemodilution in paediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Crescini W. M. , Muralidaran A. , Shen I. , LeBlanc A. , You J. , Giacomuzzi C. , Treggiari M. M.
Published: March 2018

Background

Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is considered safe and effective in decreasing perioperative transfusion in paediatric populations undergoing high blood‐loss surgeries. We determined the association between ANH and the intraoperative use of allogeneic blood products in paediatric cardiac surgery patients.

Methods

This is a single‐centre retrospective cohort study including paediatric patients between 0 and 36 months of age undergoing surgical repair or palliation of their cardiac defect with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass between November 2013 and November 2014. Our primary endpoint was the volume per kilogram of body weight of any blood product administered. Secondary endpoints were postoperative bleeding, coagulation profile, creatinine, vasoactive support, duration of mechanical ventilation, and hospital stay.

Results

In all, 50 patients met eligibility criteria and were included. Of those, seven were exposed to ANH and while 43 patients were treated according to usual care. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. After adjustment for baseline characteristics including age, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and Risk Adjusted Congenital Heart Surgery score, ANH was associated with reduced administration of allogenic blood products, with the mean difference between groups of 57.5 ml/kg (95% CI: 34.8, 80.2). The ANH group had lower blood losses at 6 and 24 h postoperatively. There were no differences in the duration of ICU or hospital stay.

Conclusion

We found a reduction in the administration of blood products and lower postoperative blood losses associated with the use of ANH in paediatric cardiac surgery patients. The data suggest that ANH might be beneficial in reducing perioperative morbidity in this patient population.
Evaluating research and education performance in Indian agricultural development
Authors: Rada Nicholas , Schimmelpfennig David
Published: March 2018

India's agricultural research spending has long been regionally uneven. Regional research intensity ratios, which account for size differences, indicate research spending has consistently favored southern and western states over northern, central, and eastern ones. Farm production patterns have, however, changed in recent years and regional output growth is being driven by new commodity mixes. In this article, we ask which region had the highest factor productivity growth and rate of return to investments in public agricultural research and higher education. Our analysis relies on a 1980–2008 Indian agricultural production and policy data set together with a dual heteroscedastic production frontier to decompose total factor productivity (TFP) growth into formal technical progress and efficiency elements. The model's regional flexibility affords region‐to‐region comparison of multiple research return rates, TFP growth, and the elements influencing them. Regardless of return‐rate measure or allocation scenario evaluated, the North has enjoyed the highest return to research spending, and the Central and East the lowest. Factor productivity growth has however been strongest in the South, primarily on account of efficiency gains. Overall, though, the technical progress and productivity growth easily attributable to government‐supported research has accounted for about one‐quarter of the sector's TFP growth.
Late stillbirth post mortem examination in New Zealand: Maternal decision‐making
Authors: Cronin Robin S. , Li Minglan , Wise Michelle , Bradford Billie , Culling Vicki , Zuccollo Jane , Thompson John M. D. , Mitchell Edwin A. , McCowan Lesley M. E.
Published: March 2018

Background

For parents who experience stillbirth, knowing the cause of their baby's death is important. A post mortem examination is the gold standard investigation, but little is known about what may influence parents’ decisions to accept or decline.

Aim

We aimed to identify factors influencing maternal decision‐making about post mortem examination after late stillbirth.

Methods

In the New Zealand Multicentre Stillbirth Study, 169 women with singleton pregnancies, no known abnormality at recruitment, and late stillbirth (≥28weeks gestation), from seven health regions were interviewed within six weeks of birth. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors related to post mortem examination decision‐making and the reasons for declining. We asked women if they would make the same decision again.

Results

Maternal decision to decline a post mortem (70/169, 41.4%) was more common among women of Māori (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 4.99 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.70–14.64) and Pacific (aOR 3.94 95% CI 1.47–10.54) ethnicity compared to European, and parity two or more (aOR 2.95 95% CI 1.14–7.62) compared to primiparous. The main reason for declining was that women ‘did not want baby to be cut’. Ten percent (7/70) who declined said they would not make this decision again. No woman who consented regretted her decision.

Conclusion

Ethnic differences observed in women's post mortem decision‐making should be further explored in future studies. Providing information of the effect of post mortem on the baby's body and the possible emotional benefits of a post mortem may assist women faced with this decision in the future.
Clinical aspects of the three major genetic forms of long QT syndrome (LQT1, LQT2, LQT3)
Authors: Kutyifa Valentina , Daimee Usama A. , McNitt Scott , Polonsky Bronislava , Lowenstein Charles , Cutter Kris , Lopes Coeli , Zareba Wojciech , Moss Arthur J.
Published: March 2018

Background

A comprehensive report on the clinical course of the three major genotypes of the long QT syndrome (LQTS) in a large U.S. patient cohort is lacking.

Methods

Our study consisted of 1,923 U.S. subjects from the Rochester‐based LQTS Registry with genotype‐positive LQT1 (n = 879), LQT2 (n = 807), and LQT3 (n = 237). We evaluated the risk of a first cardiac event (syncope, aborted cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death, whichever occurred first) from birth through age 50 years. Cox proportional hazards regression models incorporating clinical covariates were used to assess genotype‐specific risk of cardiac events.

Results

For all three genotypes, the cumulative probability of a first cardiac event increased most markedly during adolescence. Multivariate analysis identified proband status and QTc > 500 ms as predictors of cardiac events in all three genotypes, and males <14 years and females >14 years as predictors of cardiac events in LQT1 and LQT2 only. Beta‐blockers significantly reduced the risk of cardiac events in LQT1 (HR: 0.49, p = .002) and LQT2 patients (HR: 0.48, p = .001). A trend toward beta‐blocker benefit in reducing cardiac events was found in LQT3 females (HR: 0.32, p = .078), but not in LQT3 males (HR: 1.37, p = .611).

Conclusion

Risk factors and outcomes in LQTS patients varied by genotype. In all three genotypes, proband status and prolonged QTc were risk factors for cardiac events. Younger males and older females experienced increased risk in LQT1 and LQT2 only. Beta‐blockers were most effective in reducing cardiac events in LQT1 and LQT2, with a potential benefit in LQT3 females.
Imagination and the Poetics of Being and Becoming an Other in Amazonia
Authors: Whitaker James Andrew
Published: March 2018

This essay considers the role of the imagination in the envisioning and poetic construction of future being and becoming in Amazonia. Poetic construction is the process whereby the assembled forms that emerge from the imagination are brought out into the world of the senses. Imaginative envisioning and poetic construction are the means by which diverse ontologies of humans, animals, and spirits are articulated into particular visions of future transformation that posit a becoming from humanity to otherness in Amazonia. This essay seeks to elucidate the conscious processes through which cosmological ideas are imaginatively envisioned and poetically constructed by Amazonian societies as visions of future transformation and becoming from human to nonhuman being.
Outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in Crohn's disease patients: an initial Australian experience
Authors: Honoré Matthew , McLeod Garth , Hopkins George
Published: March 2018

Background

Crohn's disease (CD) in association with obesity is becoming an increasing issue in Australia and worldwide. This report looks at outcomes for patients with CD undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of our database of patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy from 2007 to 2016. Patients with concurrent CD were included.

Results

Eight patients with CD underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with a mean preoperative body mass index of 43.8. There were no identified intraoperative or post‐operative complications. The mean excess weight loss was 55.7% and 56.5% at 6 months and 1 year, respectively.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy can be achieved in CD patients. No complications and effective weight loss was observed in the eight reported patients.
A randomised cross‐over study showed no difference in diaphragm activity during weaning from respiratory support
Authors: Brenne Hilde , Grunewaldt Kristine Hermansen , Follestad Turid , Bergseng Håkon
Published: March 2018

Aim

We measured electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi) to compare the breathing effort in preterm infants during weaning from respiratory support with high‐flow nasal cannulae (HFNC) or nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP).

Methods

This randomised cross‐over study was carried out at St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, from December 2013 to June 2015. We gave 21 preterm infants weighing at least 1000 g HFNC 6 L/minute for four hours and nCPAP 3 cmH2O for four hours with a one‐hour wash‐out period. Measurements included diaphragmatic load, Edi, vital signs and a modified Silverman‐Andersen Retraction Score.

Results

We found no differences in HFNC and nCPAP in the median Edi peak (8.0 μV versus 7.8 μV, p = 0.095), median Edi min (1.1 μV versus 1.2 μV in, p = 0.958) or mean heart rate (157 versus 159, p = 0.300) in the 21 infants who took part. The mean respiratory rate was significantly lower during HFNC than nCPAP (47 versus 52, p = 0.012). The modified Silverman‐Andersen Retraction Score showed no significant differences.

Conclusion

This study of preterm infants found no difference in the breathing effort measured by Edi between HFNC 6 L/minute and nCPAP 3 cmH2O. HFNC could replace nCPAP when preterm infants are ready for weaning.
One‐third of children with lactose intolerance managed to achieve a regular diet at the three‐year follow‐up point
Authors: Yerushalmy‐Feler Anat , Soback Hagai , Lubetzky Ronit , Ben‐Tov Amir , Dali‐Levy Margalit , Galai Tut , Cohen Shlomi
Published: March 2018

Aim

This study described outcomes following treatment for lactose intolerance, which is common in children.

Methods

The medical records of children aged 6–18 years who underwent lactose hydrogen breath testing at Dana‐Dwek Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel, from August 2012 to August 2014 were analysed. We compared 154 children with gastrointestinal symptoms and positive lactose hydrogen breath tests to 49 children with negative test results.

Results

Of the 154 children in the study group, 89 (57.8%) were advised to follow a lactose‐restricted diet, 32 (20.8%) were advised to avoid lactose completely, 18 (11.7%) were instructed to use substitute enzymes, and 15 (9.7%) did not receive specific recommendations. Only 11 patients (7.1%) received recommendations to add calcium‐rich foods or calcium supplements to their diet. Lactose reintroduction was attempted in 119 of 154 patients (77.3%), and 65 of 154 (42.2%) experienced clinical relapses. At the final follow‐up of 3.3 years, 62.3% of the study children were still observing a restricted diet. Older children and those who were symptomatic during lactose hydrogen breath testing were more likely to be on a prolonged restricted diet.

Conclusion

Our long‐term follow‐up of lactose‐intolerant children showed that only a third were able to achieve a regular diet.
Finnish‐born children of immigrants are more likely to be diagnosed with developmental disorders related to speech and language, academic skills and coordination
Authors: Lehti Venla , Gyllenberg David , Suominen Auli , Sourander Andre
Published: March 2018

Aim

We examined the association between having at least one parent born abroad and being diagnosed with a developmental disorder related to speech and language, academic skills or coordination.

Methods

This nested case–control study was based on Finnish population records for 1996–2007. Cases from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register were diagnosed with developmental disorders of speech and language, academic skills and coordination by the end of 2012. We identified 28 192 cases and 106 616 matched controls.

Results

Children were more likely to be diagnosed with developmental disorders if they had an immigrant mother than children with two Finnish‐born parents, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.3 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 1.2–1.4, an immigrant father (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.3) or two immigrant parents (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3–1.6). The level of development of the parental country of origin was not associated with receiving a diagnosis.

Conclusion

Children of immigrant parents were more likely to be diagnosed with developmental disorders and the association was strongest with regard to speech and language disorders. There were similar adjusted odds ratios for mothers, fathers and both parents. The development level of the country of origin was irrelevant.
The adverse effects of interferon‐free regimens in 149 816 chronic hepatitis C treated Egyptian patients
Authors: Attia D. , El Saeed K. , Elakel W. , El Baz T. , Omar A. , Yosry A. , Elsayed M. H. , Said M. , El Raziky M. , Anees M. , Doss W. , El Shazly Y. , Wedemeyer H. , Esmat G.
Published: March 2018

Background

Interferon‐free regimens are associated with high sustained virological response; however, associated adverse effects have yet to be fully reported.

Aim

To evaluate the adverse effects associated with the different direct‐acting antiviral drug (DAA) regimens in Egyptian patients.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective study included all adverse effects during and after treatment with DAA regimens of 149 816 chronic hepatitis C treated Egyptian patients. Patients received sofosbuvir (SOF)/ribavirin (RBV) (n = 21 835), SOF/simeprevir (n = 24 215) SOF/daclatasvir (DCV) (n = 58 477), SOF/DCV/RBV (n = 45 188) and paritaprevir/ombitasvir/ritonavir/RBV (n = 101). The duration of treatment varied between 12 and 24 weeks. All changes in the treatment regimens, discontinuation, mortality, and serious side effects were reported.

Results

Adverse effects developed in 2475 (1.7%) (mean age [54 ± 9], male gender [53%]) patients. Serious side effects developed in 68% of these patients, and SOF/RBV was the most common causing regimen (73%, P < 0.001). Anaemia and hyperbilirubinemia were the most common side effects (731/149816, 0.5% and 463/149816, 0.3%, respectively) and SOF/RBV (588/21835, 3% and 353/21835, 1.6%, respectively) showed the highest incidence in the treated patients. Hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality were reported in 0.02% and 0.06% of all treated patients, respectively. Patients with liver cirrhosis showed higher incidence of serious side effects (Log rank P = 0.045) and mortality (Log rank P = 0.025) than patients without liver cirrhosis. Male gender (P = 0.012), lower haemoglobin (P < 0.001), platelets (P < 0.001) and albumin (P = 0.001), higher bilirubin (P = 0.002) and cirrhosis (P < 0.001) were factors associated with serious side effects development.

Conclusion

Adverse effects associated with DAAs are few, anaemia being the most common. SOF/RBV regimen showed the highest rate of side effects while SOF/DCV showed the least.
Transcranial Doppler velocity among Jamaican children with sickle cell anaemia: determining the significance of haematological values and nutrition
Authors: Rankine‐Mullings Angela E. , Morrison‐Levy Nadine , Soares Deanne , Aldred Karen , King Lesley , Ali Susanna , Knight‐Madden Jennifer M. , Wisdom‐Phipps Margaret , Adams Robert J. , Ware Russell E. , Reid Marvin
Published: March 2018

This study investigated the association of nutritional and haematological variables with maximum time‐averaged mean velocity (TAMV) measured by transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocity and the agreement of classification between two protocols. TCD categories included: normal (<170 cm/s), conditional (170–199 cm/s) and abnormal (≥200 cm/s) based on TAMV in distal internal carotid artery (dICA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), internal carotid bifurcation, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries. Of 358 children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) examined, the mean age (±standard deviation) was 7·4 ± 2·7 years; 13·1% and 6·7% had conditional and abnormal velocities, respectively. Children with abnormal TCD velocities had higher prevalence of prior stroke (P = 0·006). Increased TAMV was associated with younger age (P = 0·001), lower weight (P = 0·001), height (P = 0·007) and oxygen saturation (P = 0·005). There was no association of TAMV with height‐age or body mass index (BMI) z‐scores. Adjusting for gender, BMI z‐score, age, previous stroke and oxygen saturation, mean corpuscular volume (P = 0·005) and reticulocyte count (P = 0·013) were positively associated with TAMV, while haemoglobin concentration (P = 0·009) was negatively associated. There was good agreement [99%; weighted Kappa 0·98 (95% confidence interval 0·89–1), P = 0·0001] in TCD classification using data from five vessels versus two vessels (dICA and MCA). Haematological variables, rather than nutritional status, may be useful markers that identify high‐risk children with SCA.
Autoimmune diseases, infections, use of antibiotics and the risk of acute myeloid leukaemia: a national population‐based case‐control study
Authors: Østgård Lene S. G. , Nørgaard Mette , Pedersen Lars , Østgård René D. , Medeiros Bruno C. , Overgaard Ulrik M. , Schöllkopf Claudia , Severinsen Marianne , Marcher Claus W. , Jensen Morten K.
Published: March 2018

Previous studies reported increased risk of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in individuals with inflammatory conditions. However, it is unclear whether this association is explained by preceding cytotoxic therapy or haematological diseases. We conducted a nationwide case‐control study that included 3053 AML patients, diagnosed in Denmark between 2000 and 2013, and 30 530 sex‐ and age‐matched population controls. We retrieved information on autoimmune disease, infections, and use of antibiotics and computed odds ratios for AML (conditional logistic regression). Results were stratified by AML type, sex, and age. Autoimmune diseases were associated with an overall increased risk of AML {odds ratio [OR] 1·3 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·1–1·5]}. However, the risk was confined to patients with previous haematological disease or cytotoxic therapy exposure [secondary/therapy‐related AML (sAML/tAML0) OR 2·0 (95% CI = 1·6–2·6)] and not de novo AML [OR 1·1 (95% CI = 0·9–1·3)]. Similarly, any prior infection requiring hospitalization was associated with a higher risk of AML [OR 1·3 (95% CI = 1·1–1·4)]. Again, this association was evident for sAML/tAML [OR 1·8 (95% CI = 1·5–2·2)], and not de novo AML [OR 1·1 (95% CI = 1·0–1·2)]. In conclusion, autoimmune diseases and infections were associated with an increased AML risk only in subjects with prior haematological disease and/or cytotoxic treatment. These observations suggest, that inflammation plays – if any – a minor role for the development of de novo AML.
A Primordial Attachment to the Nation? French and Irish Workers and Trade Unions in Past EU Referendum Debates
Authors: Béthoux Élodie , Erne Roland , Golden Darragh
Published: March 2018

We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics that are driving EU politicization and the rising Euroscepticism of workers and unions in the public sphere. One explanation frames the rise in Euroscepticism in cultural terms, emphasizing workers’ alleged primordial attachment to their nation. A second uses socioeconomic frames, linking growing Euroscepticism to the increasingly neo‐liberal direction of the EU. The weight of these competing frames in the referendum campaigns on the EU Constitution in France and the Lisbon Treaty and the Fiscal Treaty in Ireland cannot be measured easily, as the categorization of a phrase as socioeconomic or cultural is in itself subject to political classification struggles. We therefore presents the findings of an inductive lexical analysis of all Irish Times, all Le Monde and all worker‐ or union‐related articles published in almost all national media outlets during the mentioned referendum debates. This was made possible by the Alceste software package that allowed us to analyse very large corpuses of articles inductively. Our analysis reveals that socioeconomic terms dominated policy debates in both countries. The findings question existing EU politicization studies that were measuring the salience of different frame types by deductive analysis.
Thyroid autoantibodies in pregnancy are associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study
Authors: Han Yan , Mao Lei‐jing , Ge Xing , Huang Kun , Yan Shuang‐qin , Ren Ling‐ling , Hong Shu‐qing , Gao Hui , Sheng Jie , Xu Yuan‐yuan , Pan Wei‐jun , Zhu Peng , Hao Jia‐hu , Zhu De‐fa , Tao Fang‐biao
Published: March 2018

Objective

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have been associated with adverse health outcomes for both mothers and children. Previous studies examining associations of maternal thyroid autoantibodies with HDP indicate conflicting results. The objective of this study was to examine associations of maternal thyroid autoantibody positivity in the first and the second trimesters with the risk of HDP.

Design, Participants and Measurements

In the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort study, a population‐based prospective study in China, a total of 3474 pregnant women were enrolled between May 2013 and September 2014. Thyroid autoantibodies, including antithyroperoxidase autoantibody (TPOAb) and antithyroglobulin autoantibody (TgAb), as well as thyroid function tests, were measured in both the first and the second trimesters in 2893 pregnant women. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the associations between thyroid autoantibodies and HDP.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that TPOAb positivity in the first trimester was associated with a 1.80 (95% CI = 1.17‐2.78) increased odds of HDP after adjustment for confounders, which was mainly due to an increased risk of gestational hypertension (OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.17‐3.18). In addition, TgAb positivity in the first trimester was associated with a higher risk of HDP (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.16‐2.73) after adjustment for confounders, which was mainly due to an increased risk of gestational hypertension (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.15‐3.11). These associations were also seen among euthyroid women. Women with positive TPOAb in the second trimester seemed to have a higher risk of gestational hypertension (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.02‐3.43) after adjustment for confounders. However, among euthyroid women, TPOAb positivity in the second trimester was not associated with HDP. The TgAb status in the second trimester was not associated with HDP.

Conclusions

Our results show that TPOAb positivity and TgAb positivity in the first trimester are associated with an increased risk of HDP. These data demonstrate that these associations are even seen among euthyroid women.
Consumers’ Valuation of Rice‐Grade Labeling
Authors: Choi Young Woon , Lee Ji Yong , Han Doo Bong , Nayga Rodolfo M.
Published: March 2018

The current Korean rice‐grading system has a “no test” option that allows rice to not be graded in the market. This study examines Korean consumers’ valuation of a rice‐grading system without the “no test” option. We apply a nonhypothetical experimental auction to elicit consumers’ willingness to pay for each rice grade and identify the impact of the provision of additional grading information on product valuation. We then use contingent and inferred valuations to obtain consumers’ valuation of a mandatory rice‐grading system without the “no test” option. We find that Korean consumers are willing to pay an additional premium for each rice grade and that rice‐grading information is the most important factor that differentiates the rice products. Rice consumers in Korea also strongly prefer a mandatory rice‐grading system without the “no test” option.
SupAUTH: A new approach to supply chain authentication for the IoT
Authors: Mamun Mohammad Saiful Islam , Ghorbani Ali A. , Miyaji Atsuko , Nguyen Uyen Trang
Published: March 2018

Recent advances of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have enhanced the use of radio‐frequency identification‐based tracking system to be widely deployed in supply chain management covering every step involved in the flow of merchandise from the supplier to the customer to ensure a trustworthy delivery environment. Such authentication system (also known as path authentication) not only guarantees the merchandise to be available in the right destination with no discrepancies and errors but also ensures the route of the merchandise progress to be valid. This paper outlines the current state‐of‐the‐art cryptographic solutions for path authentication, highlights their properties and weakness, and proposes a novel, privacy‐preserving, and efficient solution. Compared with the existing elliptic curve ElGamal re‐encryption–based solution, our homomorphic message authentication code on arithmetic circuit–based solution offers less memory storage (with limited scalability) and no computational requirement on the reader. Moreover, we allow computational ability inside the tag that articulates a new privacy direction to the state‐of‐the‐art path privacy. This privacy notion helps support the confidentiality of the tag movement in the context of IoT‐enabled cross‐organizational tracking environment where the stakeholders can be from different organizations associated together with the merchandise being delivered. As a potential extension to the path authentication protocol, we further propose a polynomial‐based mutual authentication as a security extension and batch initialization as an efficiency extension. Besides our brief security and privacy analysis, our evaluation shows that the proposed solution can significantly reduce memory requirements on tags with marginal computational overhead to ensure transmission path confidentiality. We observe that SupAUTH requires maximum 513‐bit tag memory and 57.3 ms of processing time during evaluation, which is not only practical but also suitable for any suitable low‐cost radio‐frequency identification deployment in IoT.
The impact of cohort substance use upon likelihood of transitioning through stages of alcohol and cannabis use and use disorder: Findings from the Australian National Survey on Mental Health and Wellbeing
Authors: Degenhardt Louisa , Glantz Meyer , Bharat Chrianna , Peacock Amy , Lago Luise , Sampson Nancy , Kessler Ronald C.
Published: March 2018

Introduction and Aims

We used population‐level Australian data to estimate prevalence, age of onset and speed of transitions across stages of alcohol and cannabis use, abuse and dependence, and remission from disorder, and consider the potential impacts that an individual's age cohort's level of substance use predicted transitions into and out of substance use.

Design and Methods

Data on use, DSM‐IV use disorders, and remission from these disorders were collected from participants (n = 8463) in the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Results

Lifetime prevalence (95% confidence interval) of alcohol use, regular use, abuse and dependence were 94.1% (93.3–94.8%), 64.5% (62.9–66.2%), 18.7% (17.4–19.9%) and 4.0% (3.4–4.6%). Lifetime prevalence of cannabis use, abuse and dependence were 19.8% (18.6–20.9%), 4.4% (3.8–5.0%) and 1.9% (1.5–2.4%). Among those with the disorder, rates of remission from cannabis abuse, alcohol abuse, cannabis dependence and alcohol dependence were 90.5% (87.4–93.6%), 86.2% (83.8–88.7%), 79.6% (71.1–88.1%) and 53.8% (46.6–61.0%). Increases in the estimated proportion of people in the respondent's age cohort who used alcohol/cannabis as of a given age were significantly associated with most transitions from use through to remission beginning at the same age.

Discussion and Conclusions

Clear associations were documented between cohort‐level prevalence of substance use and personal risk of subsequent transitions of individuals in the cohort from use to greater substance involvement. This relationship remained significant over and above associations involving the individual's age of initiation. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the causal pathways into and out of problematic substance use.
The effectiveness of an emotion‐focused educational programme in reducing diabetes distress in adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (VEMOFIT): a cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chew B. H. , Vos R. C. , Stellato R. K. , Ismail M. , Rutten G. E. H. M.
Published: March 2018

Aims

To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, value‐based emotion‐focused educational programme (VEMOFIT) in Malay adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with a programme of active listening to participants’ emotional experiences, social support and their opinion on the health clinic diabetes care services (attention control).

Methods

Malay adults with severe diabetes distress [Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS‐17) mean score ≥ 3] were included. VEMOFIT consisted of four biweekly group sessions, a booster session after 3 months and a follow‐up 6 months post intervention. The attention control programme consisted of three sessions over the same period. Outcomes included diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, self‐efficacy and disease control. Required total sample size was 165.

Results

Participants (n = 124) were randomized to either VEMOFIT (n = 53) or the attention control programme (n = 71). Participants had a mean (sd) age of 55.7 (9.7) years, median diabetes duration of 7.0 (8.0) years and mean HbA1c level of 82 mmol/mol (9.7%). The mean DDS‐17 level decreased significantly in both the VEMOFIT and the attention control programmes (3.4 to 2.9 vs. 3.1 to 2.7, respectively). The adjusted between‐group DDS‐17 difference was not significant [−0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.38, 0.35]. The proportion of individuals with severe diabetes distress decreased in both groups, from 89% to 47% vs. 69% to 39% (odds ratio 0.88; 95% CI 0.26, 2.90). Other outcomes did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

Both interventions decreased diabetes distress significantly. The theory‐based VEMOFIT programme was not superior to the attention control programme. The latter approach is a simpler way to decrease severe diabetes distress (Trial registration: NCT02730078; NMRR‐15‐1144‐24803).
The right ventricular outflow tract in pediatric pulmonary hypertension—Data from the European Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease Network
Authors: Koestenberger Martin , Avian Alexander , Sallmon Hannes , Gamillscheg Andreas , Grangl Gernot , Kurath‐Koller Stefan , Schweintzger Sabrina , Burmas Ante , Hansmann Georg
Published: March 2018

Objective

The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) is pivotal for adequate RV function and known to be adversely affected by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) in adults with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Aim of this study was to determine the effects of increased RV pressure afterload in children with PH on RVOT size, function, and flow parameters.

Methods

We conducted a transthoracic echocardiographic study in 51 children with PH (median age: 5.3 years; range 1.5 months to 18 years) and determined the following RVOT variables: RVOT diameter, RVOT velocity time integral (VTI), ratio of tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV)/RVOT VTI, and RVOT systolic excursion (SE).

Results

In our pediatric PH cohort, the age‐specific RVOT diameter z‐score was higher compared to normal values. Deviation from normal RVOT diameter values increased with age, disease severity, and New York Heart Association functional class. Significant correlations were found between RVOT diameter and the RV end‐diastolic area and right atrial area. The age‐specific RVOT VTIz‐score values were significantly lower in children with PH vs healthy controls. The TRV/RVOT VTI ratio increased with rising systolic RV pressure, while the RVOT SE was similar between PH children and control subjects.

Conclusions

In pediatric PH cohort, the RVOT VTI is decreased, and the TRV/RVOT VTI ratio and the RVOT diameter increased compared to healthy subjects. Assessment of RVOT variables, together with established RV parameters, allows for a comprehensive assessment of global right heart size and performance in children with PH.
“This Path Is Full of Thorns”: Narrative, Subjunctivity, and HIV in Indonesia
Authors: Samuels Annemarie
Published: March 2018

In this article, I focus on the active fostering of subjunctivity in processes of narrative worldmaking. Drawing extensively from the narrative of an HIV‐positive woman in Indonesia, I show that by subjunctively leaving open multiple narrative trajectories and future possibilities, individuals may navigate the ethical complexities of their lives and maintain relationships with the world and others while staying true to the things that really matter to them. I suggest that although entertaining a range of possible future trajectories may involve constructing several alternative narrative plots, most of the time there is no plot to be followed, and not determining future parallel plots may be more helpful in balancing conflicting ethical demands. By not imagining clear beginnings and endings of narratives yet actively retaining narrative possibilities, values that may seem incompatible in the present may then all be kept open for future moral striving. [narrative, subjunctivity, ethics, HIV]
Macrophage‐derived GPNMB accelerates skin healing
Authors: Silva Walison N. , Prazeres Pedro H. D. M. , Paiva Ana E. , Lousado Luiza , Turquetti Anaelise O. M. , Barreto Rodrigo S. N. , de Alvarenga Erika Costa , Miglino Maria A. , Gonçalves Ricardo , Mintz Akiva , Birbrair Alexander
Published: March 2018

Healing is a vital response important for the re‐establishment of the skin integrity following injury. Delayed or aberrant dermal wound healing leads to morbidity in patients. The development of therapies to improve dermal healing would be useful. Currently, the design of efficient treatments is stalled by the lack of detailed knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in wound healing. Recently, using state‐of‐the‐art technologies, it was revealed that macrophages signal via GPNMB to mesenchymal stem cells, accelerating skin healing. Strikingly, transplantation of macrophages expressing GPNMB improves skin healing in GPNMB‐mutant mice. Additionally, topical treatment with recombinant GPNMB restored mesenchymal stem cells recruitment and accelerated wound closure in the diabetic skin. From a drug development perspective, this GPNMB is a new candidate for skin healing.
PD‐L1 expression by tumor cell lines: A predictive marker in melanoma
Authors: Knol Anne C. , Nguyen Jean‐Michel , Pandolfino Marie‐Christine , Denis Marc G. , Khammari Amir , Dréno Brigitte
Published: March 2018

Prognostic biomarkers for patients with melanoma after lymph node resection are of clinical relevance and could thus enable the identification of patients who therefore would most benefit from adjuvant treatment. The aim of this work was to determine, using an in vitro model, whether immune‐related biomarkers, such as MHC‐class I and II, melanoma‐associated antigens, IDO1 and PD‐L1, could also be relevant to predict the risk of relapse of patients with stage III melanoma after lymph node resection. We established tumor cell lines from metastatic lymph nodes of 50 patients with melanoma. The expression of investigated biomarkers was determined on untreated and IFN‐γ treated melanoma cell lines using flow cytometry. Among the selected biomarkers, the IFN‐γ‐induced expression of PD‐L1 and IDO1 was associated with an increased risk of relapse (P = .0001 and P = .013, respectively) and was also associated with death for IDO1 (P = .0005). In the future, this immunologic signature could permit the identification of patients at higher risk of relapse and justifying an adjuvant treatment using immunotherapy.