bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Women’s Experiences following Emergency Peripartum Hysterectomy at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya. A Qualitative study.
Authors: PILLI PATRICK ICEANYI , Sekweyama Peter , Kayira Anthony 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Women who undergo emergency peripartum hysterectomy (EPH) are at greater risk of experiencing severe negative psychosocial sequelae. However at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya and much of Sub-Saharan Africa, these women are not routinely followed up to explore these experiences. This study sought to explore women’s experiences and coping strategies following EPH St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, Kampala, Uganda. Methods This qualitative study was based on in-depth interviews of women who had undergone EPH at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya EPH between January 2015 to August 2018. Out of 66 women who had undergone EPH during this period, 18 were purposively selected and interviewed between August to December 20018. All the information obtained was audio-recorded, transcribed and then analyzed in three phases of pre-analysis of intense reading, exploration and comparison and then interpretation. Results These women disclosed feelings of loss of womanhood, Uncertainty about the future, Joy for being Alive, and professional abandonment. Their coping strategies were living in denial, believing in God and acceptance. Conclusion Women experience severe negative psychosocial sequelae following EPH therefore routine ongoing psychotherapy should be offered to these women until full acceptance is achieved.
Stable high frequencies of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance associated mutations and absence of K13 mutations in Plasmodium falciparum 3 and 4 years after the introduction of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Pathak Ashish , Mårtensson Andreas , Gawariker Sudhir , Sharma Ashish , Diwan Vishal , Purohit Manju , Ursing Johan 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (ASP) are first line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in most of India, except for six North-eastern provinces where treatment failure rates were high. In Ujjain, central India, the frequency of mutations associated with increased drug tolerance, but not overt resistance to sulfadoxine and pyrimathamine were 9% and >80%, respectively, in 2009 and 2010, just prior to the introduction of ASP. The frequency of drug resistance associated mutations in Ujjain in 2015-2016 after 3-4 years of ASP use, are reported. Methods Blood samples from patients with P. falciparum mono-infection verified by microscopy were collected on filter-paper at all nine major pathology laboratories in Ujjain city. Codons pfdhfr 16-185, pfdhps 436-632 and K13 407-689 were identified by sequencing. Pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance-associated pfdhfr 108N and 59R alleles were found in 100/104 (96%) and 87/91 (96%) samples, respectively. Pfdhps 437G was found in 10/105 (10%) samples. Double mutant pfdhfr 59R+108N were found in 75/81 (93%) samples. Triple mutant pfdhfr 59R + 108N and pfdhps 437G were found in 6/78 (8%) samples. Chloroquine-resistance-associated pfcrt 76T was found in 102/102 (100%). Pfmdr1 N86 and 86Y were identified in 83/115 (72%) and 32/115 (28%) samples, respectively. Conclusion The frequency of P. falciparum with reduced susceptibility to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine remained high but did not appear to have increased significantly since the introduction of ASP. No polymorphisms in K13 associated with decreased artemisinin susceptibility were found. ASP probably remained effective, supporting continued ASP use.
Cattle gastrointestinal nematode egg-spiked faecal samples: high recovery rates using the Mini-FLOTAC technique
Authors: Amadesi Alessandra , Bosco Antonio , Rinaldi Laura , Cringoli Giuseppe , Claerebout Edwin , Maurelli Maria Paola 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Faecal egg count (FEC) techniques are commonly used to detect gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) in cattle and to determine anthelmintic efficacy/resistance through the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Mini-FLOTAC is one of the techniques recommended for a standardised FEC/FECRT of helminth eggs in cattle. However, only one paper evaluated the recovery rate of GIN eggs by Mini-FLOTAC (compared to McMaster and modified-Wisconsin) in cattle, using only the level of contamination of 200 eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces and using GIN eggs collected from goat faeces to spike faecal samples from cattle. To further study the recovery rate of added GIN eggs from cattle, this study was conducted in two laboratories in Belgium and Italy to evaluate sensitivity, accuracy, precision and reproducibility of Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster (at two reading levels: grids and chambers) for the detection of GIN eggs in spiked bovine faecal samples. Methods: In both countries, spiked cattle faecal samples with five different levels of egg contamination (10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 EPG) of GINs were used. The study was performed in both laboratories by the same expert operator and using the same standard operating procedures (SOPs) for Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster. Sensitivity, accuracy and precision were calculated for each technique and for each level of contamination. Moreover, statistical analyses were performed to evaluate differences between performances of techniques used. Results: Mini-FLOTAC had a higher sensitivity (100% at all EPG levels for Mini-FLOTAC vs 0-66.6% for McMaster chambers and grids at levels <100 EPG), a higher accuracy (98.1% mean value for Mini-FLOTAC vs 83.2% for McMaster grids and 63.8% for McMaster chambers) and a lower coefficient of variation (10.0% for Mini-FLOTAC vs 47.5% for McMaster grids and 69.4% for McMaster chambers) than McMaster. There was no significant difference between the recovery of GIN eggs from the two studies performed in Belgium and in Italy. Conclusions: The high GIN eggs recovery rate detected by Mini-FLOTAC and the similar results obtained in Belgium and in Italy indicated that the diagnostic performance of a FEC technique was not regard to the laboratory environment.
Categorization of medical causes of maternal deaths and delays in care: Comparison between routine Maternal Death Surveillance and Response system and an obstetrician expert panel in Tanzania
Authors: Said Ali , Malqvist Mats , Pembe Andrea B. , Massawe Siriel , Hanson Claudia 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background To reduce high maternal mortality Tanzania introduced Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) system in 2015 as recommended by World Health Organization. All health facilities are supposed to identify, notify and review all maternal deaths inorder to recommend quality improvement actions to prevent deaths in future. The system relies on consistent and correct categorization of causes of maternal deaths and three phases of delays. To assess its adequacy we compared the routine MDSR categorization of cause of deaths and care delays with those assigned by an obstetrician expert panel with additional information from Verbal Autopsy (VA). Methods Our cross-sectional study included 109 reported and reviewed maternal deaths from two regions in Tanzania for the year 2018. We abstracted the recorded underlying medical cause of death and reported delays of care from MDSR system records. We interviewed bereaved families using the standard World Health Organization VA questionnaire. The obstetrician expert panel assigned underlying medical cause of deaths based on information from medical files and VA according to International Classification of Disease to Death in Pregnancy Childbirth and Puerperium (ICD-MM).They assigned causes to nine ICD-MM groups and identified the three phases of delays. We used Cohen`s K statistic and proportional differences to compare causes of deaths and delays in care categorization. Results Ten deaths were excluded in analysis of underlying medical causes and 25 for delays. Expert panel and MDSR system assigned same underlying medical cause for 64.6% of deaths, K statistic 0.60. The agreement increased (80.8%) when causes were assigned by ICD-MM groups, K statistic 0.76. The obstetrician expert panel identified phase one delays in 67.9%, phase two in 22.0% and phase three delays in 100% of the deaths while MDSR system identified delays in 50.0%, 11.9% and 92.9% respectively. The expert panel found human errors in management in 93.1% while MDSR system reported in 67.9% of deaths. Conclusion The MDSR committees performed reasonably well in assigning the underlying cause of deaths. The obstetrician expert panel found more delays to care than what was reported in MDSR system indicating difficulties within MDSR teams to critically review.
Treatment of myofascial trigger points of the infraspinatus is effective in relieving shoulder pain and improving shoulder functions: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Park Sungeon , Cho Joochul , Lee Seungwon 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the effects of ischemic compression treatment (ICT) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) applied on the trigger points of the infraspinatus muscle on shoulder pain and function in patients with shoulder pain. Methods Thirty patients with shoulder pain were randomly categorized into the ICT group (n = 15) and LLLT groups (n = 15). ICT was performed on three myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) of the infraspinatus muscle twice a week for 4 weeks (eight sessions), with 5 minutes of treatment per trigger point. LLLT was performed similarly. Shoulder pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain pressure threshold (PPT), and shoulder function was assessed using the Korean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, rotator cuff strength, and range of motion (ROM) of shoulder flexion and abduction. Results Significant changes in VAS score and PPT were found after the intervention in both groups (p < 0.05). Significant changes were observed in the Korean DASH score, rotator cuff strength, and ROM of shoulder flexion (p < 0.05) but not in the ROM of shoulder abduction (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion This study showed that both ICT and LLLT applied on the MTrPs of the infraspinatus muscle were effective for relieving shoulder pain and improving shoulder functions in patients with shoulder pain.
Nutrition status and functional prognosis among elderly patients with distal radius fracture: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: nagai takako , Tanimoto Koji , Tomizuka Yoshiaki , Uei Hiroshi , Nagaoka Masahiro 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Distal radius fractures (DRF) are common in the elderly and are typical of hand fractures during falls. Malnutrition has also been identified as a poor prognostic factor in elderly patients with fractures. However, the relationship between nutritional status and subsequent falls and functional prognosis in the elderly DRF is not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between nutritional status and functional prognosis in patients with elderly DRF. Methods Study participants included 229 outpatients who required surgical treatment with DRF. The patients’ clinical information, including age, sex, body mass index, bone mineral density, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), total number of drugs being treated with on admission, use of drugs for osteoporosis, comorbidity severity, Barthel Index(BI), presence of subsequent falls, fracture type, postoperative follow-up period, and Mayo wrist score was reviewed. The subjects were further divided into two groups according to their GNRI: the malnutrition group and the normal group. Propensity score matching was used to confirm the factor affecting BI and subsequent fall. Results Thirty-one patients (13.5%) were malnutrition before surgery for DRF. According to the multiple liner regression analysis, GNRI positively affected BI efficiency (β=0.392, 95% confidence interval, 0.001 to 0.351, p=0.039). Furthermore, on logistic regression analysis, subsequent fall was correlated with the serum albumin (odds ratio=0.033, 95% confidence interval,0.002 to 0.477, p=0.012). Conclusion Malnutrition impaired the improvement of the activity of daily living (ADL) and increased the incidence of subsequent fall. Improvement of nutritional status before DRF surgery may further improve ADL and prevent falls.
Particulate matter and emergency visits for asthma: a time-series study of their association in the presence and absence of wildfire smoke in Reno, Nevada, 2013-2018
Authors: Kiser Daniel , Metcalf William J. , Elhanan Gai , Schnieder Brendan , Schlauch Karen , Joros Andrew , Petersen Craig , Grzymski Joseph 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Health risks due to particulate matter (PM) from wildfires may differ from risk due to PM from other sources. In places frequently subjected to wildfire smoke, such as Reno, Nevada, it is critical to determine whether wildfire PM poses unique risks. Our goal was to quantify the difference in the association of adverse asthma events with PM on days when wildfire smoke was present versus days when wildfire smoke was not present. Methods: We obtained counts of visits for asthma at emergency departments and urgent care centers from a large regional healthcare system in Reno for the years 2013-2018. We also obtained dates when wildfire smoke was present from the Washoe County Health District Air Quality Management Division. We then examined whether the presence of wildfire smoke modified the association of PM 2.5 , PM 10-2.5 , and PM 10 with asthma visits using generalized additive models. We improved on previous studies by accounting for possible non-linearity in the association between PM concentration and asthma visits: wildfire-smoke days where the PM concentration exceeded the maximum PM concentration on other days were excluded. Results: Air quality was affected by wildfire smoke on 188 days between 2013 and 2018. We found that the presence of wildfire smoke increased the association of a 5 µg/m 3 increase in daily and three-day averages of PM 2.5 with asthma visits by 6.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-10.3%) and 6.8% (CI: 1.2-12.7%), respectively. Similarly, the presence of wildfire smoke increased the association of a 5 µg/m 3 increase in daily and three-day averages of PM 10 with asthma visits by 5.5% (CI: 2.5-8.6%) and 7.2% (CI: 2.6-12.0%), respectively. We did not observe any significant increases in association for PM 10-2.5 or for seven-day averages of PM 2.5­ and PM 10 . Conclusions: Since we found significantly stronger associations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 with asthma visits when wildfire smoke was present, our results suggest that wildfire PM is more hazardous than non-wildfire PM for patients with asthma.
The relationship between cancer and medication exposure in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a nested case-control study
Authors: Guo Jinyan , Ren Zhigang , Li Jianhao , Li Tianfang , Liu Shengyun , Yu Zujiang 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with increased risk of cancer and the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we examined the level of auto-antibodies and disease activity index scores in SLE patients with cancers, and analyzed whether medications for SLE management might contribute higher cancer risk in SLE patients. Methods In this retrospective study, we carried out a nested case-control study in a large cohort of SLE patients. We screened 5858 SLE patients to identify the newly diagnosed and yet to be treated cancers. The following clinical features were evaluated: auto-antibodies levels, SLE disease activity index scores and previous medication used for SLE management. Systemic glucocorticoid, cyclophosphamide, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), methotrexate and azathioprine were considered the main medication indices. Results Our analyses identified 51 SLE patients who also had cancer, and 204 matched control patients who had SLE but not cancer. Of the 51 SLE patients, thyroid cancer (14/51, 27.45%), cervical cancer (10/51, 19.61%) and lung cancer (7/51, 13.73%) were the most common types. Our analyses did not reveal any significant differences in the levels of auto-antibodies in SLE patients with cancers relative to the control group. Further, we observed that disease activity was significantly lower in SLE patients with cancers relative to the matched control SLE group. There was no statistically significant association between the cancer risk and the use of systemic glucocorticoid, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate or azathioprine. Importantly, the administration of HCQ was significantly lower in SLE patients suffering cancers relative to the cancer free matched control group. Conclusions Our analyses indicate that SLE patients with cancers might have a lower disease activity at the time of cancer diagnosis. HCQ was negatively correlated with cancer risk in SLE patients. These findings highlight a potential and novel prevention strategy for SLE.
Associations of leptin with incident type 2 diabetes and interactions among African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Bidulescu Aurelian , Dinh Paul C. , Sarwary Shabir , Forsyth Emily , Luetke Maya C. , King David B. , Liu Jiankang , Davis Sharon K. , Correa Adolfo 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Growing evidence suggests that leptin is critical for glycemic control. We assessed the association of leptin and adiponectin with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), their interactions with sex and obesity status, and mediation by insulin resistance. Methods: Study participants from the Jackson Heart Study, a prospective cohort of adult African Americans in Jackson, Mississippi, included those free of T2D at the baseline Exam 1. Incident T2D was defined as new cases at Exam 2 or Exam 3. We created separate Cox regression models (hazard ratios per log-transformed ng/mL of leptin) with and without insulin resistance, HOMA-IR. Mediation by insulin resistance was analyzed. Several interactions were assessed, including by sex, HbA1c, and obesity. Results: Among 3,363 participants (mean age 53 years, 63% women), 584 developed incident T2D. Leptin was associated with incident T2D when modeled without HOMA-IR (HR=1.32, 95% CI=1.08-1.61). Among men, this positive association between leptin and T2D was significant (HR=1.33, 95% CI=1.05-1.69), but it was nonsignificant among women (HR=1.24, 95% CI=0.94-1.64); statistical interaction with sex was nonsignificant (p=0.65). The associations in all participants and in men were nullified by HOMA-IR (HR=0.99, 95% CI=0.80-1.22; HR=1.00, 95% CI=0.78-1.28, respectively), indicating mediation through insulin resistance (proportion mediated: 1.04), and were not observed in abdominally obese participants. Conclusions: The leptin and incident T2D association mediated by insulin resistance was observed only among abdominally non-obese African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study, suggestive of a ‘leptin resistance’ phenomenon. Differences by sex appeared: men showed a significant association mediated by insulin resistance.
The assessment of quality of life and satisfaction with life of patients before and after surgery of an isolated apical defect using synthetic materials
Authors: Zalewski Maciej , Kołodyńska Gabriela , Mucha Anna , Bełza Łukasz , Nowak Krzysztof , Andrzejewski Waldemar 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Pelvic floor static disorders constitute a significant clinical and social problem. The incidence of the problem increases with the age of female patients up to 80 years of age. Due to various methods of procedural treatment, eligibility for surgery should be carefully discussed with the patient. Ideally, the surgery should be effective, applicable in patients with a positive family history and with the least possible number of complications. Such procedures seemed to be transvaginal surgeries performed under block anaesthesia, using synthetic materials, giving good results in most studies. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients before and after the surgery of an isolated apical defect with the use of synthetic materials. Methods The study included 60 patients who were diagnosed with pelvic floor static disorder on the basis of physical examination. Standardised questionnaires were used to assess the quality of life and satisfaction with life: the Perceived Quality of Life (P-QOL) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Results The P-QOL results for each domain were higher in patients before surgery compared to the results obtained after the surgery. For almost all domains, the results obtained were statistically significant. The results of the SWLS questionnaire in most answers also show that after the procedure there was an improvement in satisfaction with life in the examined female patients. Conclusion In most patients, surgical treatment of an isolated apical defect using synthetic materials results in clearance of burdensome symptoms and improves the quality of life.
The spatial variability of soil water content in a potato field before and after spray irrigation in arid northwestern China
Authors: Li Tao , Zhang Jian-feng , Xiong Si-yuan , Zhang Rui-xi 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Assessing the spatial variability of soil water content is important for precision agriculture. To measure the spatial variability of the soil water content and to determine the optimal number of sampling sites for predicting the mean soil water content at different stages of the irrigation cycle, field experiments were carried out in a potato field in northwestern China. The soil water content was measured in 2016 and 2017 at depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm at 116 georeferenced locations. The average coefficient of variation of the soil water content was 20.79% before irrigation and was 16.44% after irrigation at a depth of 0–20 cm. The spatial structure of the soil water content at a depth of 20–40 cm was similar throughout the irrigation cycle, but at a depth of 0–20 cm a relatively greater portion of the variation in the soil water content was spatially structured before irrigation than after irrigation. The autocorrelation of soil water contents was influenced by irrigation only in the surface soil layer. To accurately predict mean soil moisture content, 40 and 20 random sampling sites should be chosen with errors of 5% and 10%, respectively.
Performance and cost comparison of a gravity-driven free-end membrane and other water filtration systems for household water treatment
Authors: Lee Jonghun , Son Kwang Pyo , Park Pyung-Kyu , Noh Soo Hong 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Various types of gravity-driven membrane (GDM) systems have been developed to solve household water treatment problems. A gravity-driven free-end membrane (E-GDM) system was developed to mitigate the deposition of cake on the membrane more effectively than other commercialized GDM systems. The E-GDM system was manually operated with permeability of 12.94 and 1.75 L/m2/h/kPa for a kaolin suspension and a wastewater treatment plant influent sample, respectively, showing the highest average permeability and flow rate among all GDM systems. The GDM systems tested in this study met the daily minimum water requirement of a five-person family, except for a case in which wastewater treatment plant influent is filtered using a commercialized GDM system. According to permeability data from an accelerated cleaning test, the E-GDM system can be expected to guarantee 79,858 L of safe drinking water during its lifetime. The annual cost of the E-GDM system was assessed to be US$5.71 per household, which allows household water treatment in low- and middle-income countries.