bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Levofloxacin-ceftazidime administration regimens combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the hollow-fiber infection model simulating abnormal renal function in critically ill patients
Authors: Zhao Lei , Li Xiaobing , He Xiaojing , Jian Lingyan 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the bactericidal effects of levofloxacin and ceftazidime as monotherapy and in combination, and to determine their effects on resistance suppression in patients with normal and abnormal (Ccr:16–20 mL/min) renal function. Common clinical administration regimens to provide reference values were also evaluated. Methods: The 7-d hollow-fiber infection model was used to inject the Pseudomonas aeruginosa standard strain (ATCC27853). This simulated common clinical administration regimens for patients with different renal function. Ten regimens were stratified into 2 categories based on renal function, and each category contained 3 monotherapy regimens and 2 combination therapy regimens. The total and resistant populations were quantified. Drug concentrations were determined by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Monotherapy regimens resulted in about 0.5-log-CFU/mL bacterial kill in the total population at 6 or 8h, whilst combination regimens resulted in 2- to 3-log-CFU/mL within 2 days. For levofloxacin monotherapy regimens in patients with normal renal function, resistance emergence was seen after 6h, and was seen at 0h in the ceftazidime monotherapy regimen, as well as in all regimens of patients with abnormal renal function. Although resistant subpopulation in combination regimens with abnormal renal function began to increase at 0h, there was a certain downward trend after 8h, while resistant population in the normal renal function group increased after 16h. Conclusions: Combination therapy had greater bactericidal efficacy and resistance inhibition compared with monotherapy. Studying combination regimens in randomized clinical trials is warranted.
The elevated risk of sight-threatening cataract in diabetes with retinopathy: a cohort study
Authors: Nien Chan-Wei , Lee Chia-Yi , Chen Hung-Chi , Chao Shih-Chun , Hsu Hung-Jui , Tzeng Shih-Hao , Huang Jing-Yang , Miao Hsin-Fong , Lin Hung-Yu , Yang Shun-Fa 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background To survey the effect of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on the development of sight-threatening cataract via National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.Methods Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) and DR were enrolled in the study group. The age and gender-matched DM individuals without DR and patients without DM served as the DM control group and non-DM control group, both with 1:4 ratios. The outcome was set as the performance of cataract surgery. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of DR with considering multiple factors of cataract formation.Results A total of 3,297 DR patients, 13,188 DM control patients and 13,188 non-DM controls were enrolled. There were 919 events (27.87 percent) of sight-threatening cataract in the study group while another 1,108 events (8.40 percent) in the DM control group and 957 events (7.26 percent) in the non-DM control group. After multivariable analysis, the study group showed a higher aHR of cataract surgery (2.93, 95% CI: 2.60-3.30) and a higher cumulative probability of cataract surgery compared to both the DM control and non-DM control groups (both Log rank P<0.001). Besides, both the proliferative DR (3.90, 95% CI: 3.42-4.45) and non-proliferative DR (2.35, 95% CI: 2.08-2.65) subgroups showed a higher aHR of cataract surgery than the DM control group.Conclusion The presence of DR will increase the risk for development of sight-threatening cataract that surgery is warranted, and the effect is prominent in both the proliferative DR and non-proliferative DR.
How Does Neighborhood Engagement Affect the Association of Living Alone with Mental Disorder Risks in Older People?
Authors: Gyasi Razak M , Abass Kabila , Adu-Gyamfi Samuel 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Social isolation has been increasingly recognized as a strong risk factor for health-related outcomes, yet, there is limited knowledge about the pathways linking living alone to later life psychological disorders. This study examines the influence of living alone on older people’s psychological disorders and explores the protective role of neighborhood engagement such as social participation and physical activity. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from a 2016/2017 Aging, Health, Psychological Wellbeing and Health-seeking Behavior Survey involving nationally representative sample of 1200 adults aged 50+ years in Ghana. The study focused on a latent measure of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and on the General Practice Physical Activity Scale. Ordinary Least Squares models assessed the effect of living alone interactively with neighborhood characteristics on the indicator of mental disorder. Results: The results showed that living alone was independent predictor of poor mental disorder in the overall sample, among females, urban dwellers and all age groups. However, physical activity and social participation significantly buffered against these associations. In the stratified analysis, physical activity moderated the association for males, rural-dwellers and those 65+ years whilst social participation modified the association for females, urban-dwellers and those 50-64 years. Conclusions: Neighborhood characteristics strongly attenuate the positive association of living alone with mental disorders. These findings may inform intervention initiatives targeted at improving mental health of older people living alone.
Prevalence of Substance Use among Psychiatric Patients with Psychosis and Determining its Strongest Predictor
Authors: sharhani Asaad , Higgs Peter , Piri Negar , Sadri Ensieh , Pourghasem Matina , Fakhari Sanaz Jafarzadeh , Noroozi Mehdi , Miladinia Mojtaba , Mousavi S. Bentolhoda 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Although comorbidity of substance use and psychotic disorders can lead to increase in morbidity and mortality, less is known about the prevalence and predictors. Patients with psychosis tend to be overlooked during clinical assessment, therefore, the possibility of a missed or undertreated condition such as substance use increases. This study aims to measure the prevalence of substance use in patients with psychosis and to assess the strongest predictors.Method In a 1 year observational study (October 2017- November 2018), 311 patients with psychosis who were admitted to Razi Psychiatry Hospital; Tehran; Iran were surveyed through The Structured Interview Based on DSM-5 (SCID) for diagnostic confirmation as well as questions assessing prevalence and possible predictors of substance use.Results Prevalence of Substance Use among Psychiatric Patients with Psychosis was 37.9%. In bivariate analysis, several variables were identified as factors correlated with drug abuse among the participants. These included younger age, male gender, being currently homeless, having family history of drug use, and a history of imprisonment. The most powerful predictor of substance use, however, were male gender, Family history of drug use and being currently homelessness.Conclusion The prevalence of substance use was high among all psychotic disorders, therefore, it is suggested that professionals note the importance of substance use among psychotic patients. The most powerful predictors were male gender, history of imprisonment, and family history of drug use. Active investigation and comprehensive preventive plans are suggested in all patients with psychosis especially among high risk population.
Psychometric Evaluation of Persian Version of the Prenatal Health Behavior Scale
Authors: Ghiasvand Malihe , Ozgoli Giti , kariman Nourossadat 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Objective: Prenatal behavior, including nutrition, exercise, drug use and smoking, affects health of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Psychometric evaluation of the Prenatal Health Behavior Scale (PHBS) is important for developing research on measurement of such this behavior during pregnancy.Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted in 2018. The original version was in English, and was then translated into Persian after obtaining permission from tool designer and using Backward-Forward translation.The final Persian version included 240 pregnant mothers who were selected using random cluster sampling from hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. The factor analysis methods (exploratory and confirmatory), Pearson correlation, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient by SPSSV19 and LISRELV8.80 were used to analyze research findings.Results: Content validity and face validity were assessed by survey of 10 experts and 20 pregnant mothers.In general, the CVI was 94%.The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that all factor loadings were appropriate and significant in the initial model. Furthermore, coefficient alpha was 0.932 for prenatal health promoting behavior and 0.935 for Health-impairing behaviors. The values were acceptable and indicated the high validity of tool in the Iranian sample.Conclusion: The research findings indicated that the Prenatal Health Behavior Scale (PHBS) had acceptable psychometric properties among Iranian pregnant women and could be used as a valid tool for assessing prenatal health behavior in Iran.
“I don’t know how to explain it” Narratives on contraceptives among young men and women in Kwale County, Kenya
Authors: Mwaisaka Jefferson , Gonsalves Lianne , Thiongo Mary , Waithaka Michael , Sidha Hellen , Agwanda Alfred , Mukiira Carol , Gichangi Peter 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
BackgroundMyths and misconceptions around modern contraceptives have been associated with low contraceptive uptake. Nearly all the research on the link between contraceptives’ misconceptions and low contraceptive prevalence comes mostly from women with little focus on men. This qualitative study therefore sought to explore and understand both young men’s and young women’s knowledge of modern contraception and to identify key concerns regarding modern pregnancy prevention methods.MethodsWe used focus group discussions (FGD) with vignette and writing activities to explore key myths and misconceptions around the use of contraceptives. Six FGDs (three for young men and three for young women) were conducted with a total of 28 young women and 30 young men from Kwale County, Kenya. We included 10 discussants aged 18-24 per FGD, one FGD had 8 participants.ResultsBoth men and women participants reported basic awareness of contraceptives. A mixture of biological and social misconceptions around contraception were discussed, they included jeopardizing future fertility, prolonged menstrual bleeding, problems conceiving, birth defects, promiscuity, against religion and perceived to be un-African including denying couples their sexual freedom. Compared to female respondents in the study, men appeared to be strong believers of the perceived socio-cultural effects of contraceptives. Results are presented under three key themes namely (i) Awareness of contraception (ii) Myths and misconceptions around contraception and (iii) Males’ contraceptive narratives. Conclusions Improved sexual and reproductive health (SRH) literacy to address contraceptives’ fears through appropriate and gender specific interventions to reach out to young men and women with factual SRH information may contribute to increased uptake of SRH services including modern contraceptive methods.
Patient-Reported Satisfaction and Associated Changes in Health and Behavior Pre- and Post- Project INSPIRE: a Comprehensive Hepatitis C Care Coordination Program
Authors: Deming Regan , Mageras Anna , Davidson Caroline , Bresnahan Marie , Reyonoso Sheila , Wyatt Brooke , Laraque Fabienne 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Individuals infected with hepatitis C (HCV) often present with co-morbidities and complex socio-behavioral risk factors. Project INSPIRE was a care coordination and telementoring demonstration project which aimed to treat and cure HCV-infected patients while providing them with services and education to improve overall health outcomes and self-sufficiency. We examined changes in HCV-related health and behavior associated with completion of Project INSPIRE (the “intervention”). Methods Patients were enrolled into Project INSPIRE at clinical sites where they received HCV clinical care paired with care coordination services. Baseline and post-intervention surveys were distributed to participants in-person at a clinical site and/or via mail at two time-points, one before and one after the intervention. Surveys were mailed back to the researchers by participants, and participant-identifying information was used to link survey responses to clinical data for each respondent. Logistic models using generalized estimating equations to account for partially overlapping observations examined the association between intervention participation and changes in self-reported overall health, emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in the past 6 months, drug and alcohol use in the past 6 months, HCV knowledge, and general self-efficacy, adjusting for potential demographic and sociobehavioral confounding variables. Results The response rates for complete and partial surveys were 14.0% of 883 for baseline and 9.9% of 1,552 for post-intervention. In multivariable analyses (N=269, of which 50 were paired and 219 were unpaired), INSPIRE intervention participation was associated with a decreased odds of self-reported ED visits (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.20–0.57), hospitalizations (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.16–0.57), alcohol use (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.18–0.69), and injection drug use (OR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02–0.34), and a 6.8% (CI: 1.6-12.2%) increase in reported self-efficacy (p=0.01). Conclusions Survey results suggest that INSPIRE successfully improved participant health behavior and self-efficacy, indicating the intervention’s value to patients, providers, and insurance companies beyond the immediate benefits of HCV treatment and cure. Participants also had a generally positive experience working with their care teams, indicating that further research should explore how an individualized care team can improve retention and patient referral rates compared with the HCV standard of care.
The bacteriostatic effect and mechanism of berberine on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vitro
Authors: Wang Lei , Zhou Fangfang , Xu Minyi , Lu Pei , Lin Ming , Zhu Xueyuan , Gong Wei , Ji Shuiying 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: To observe the bacteriostatic effect of berberine (BBR) and BBR combined with gentamicin (GEN), levofloxacin (LEV) and amikacin (AMI) on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), while also exploring the bacteriostatic mechanism of BBR on MRSA. Methods: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BBR, GEN, LEV and AMI on 26 clinical MRSA strains was determined by broth microdilution, while the MICs of BBR combined with GEN, LEV and AMI against MRSA were determined using a microdilution checkerboard. Time-killing curves were used to determine the kinetics of BBR combined with antibiotics for MRSA. We used conductivity tests to assess the changes in membrane permeability in response to BBR on MRSA, while also investigating the changes in MRSA morphology by transmission electron microscopy. RNA-sequencing was used to analyze the expression of differentially expressed genes in reference strain USA300 after its treatment with BBR at different concentrations.Results: The MICs range of BBR on 26 strains of MRSA was 32-256 µg/mL. BBR combined with GEN, LEV and AMI had obvious bacteriostatic effect on MASA. After co-culturing MRSA with BBR at 512 ug/mL, 64 ug/mL and 8 ug/mL, respectively, the electrical conductivity increased, compared with the control group, by 8.14%, 13.08% and 12.01%, respectively. Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that low concentration of BBR (8 ug/mL) had no significant effect on MRSA structure (keeping intact), medium concentration of BBR (64 ug/mL) thinned the cell wall of MRSA, while high concentration of BBR (512 ug/mL) induced the destruction and dissolution of MRSA cell wall structure and the leakage of bacterial contents, leading to bacterial lysis. RNA-sequencing results showed that there were 754 differentially expressed genes in the high concentration group compared with the normal control group. Compared with the low concentration group, there were 590 differentially expressed genes in the high concentration group. Compared with the control group, only 19 genes were differentially expressed in the low concentration group. The up-regulated genes are mainly related to the cell wall hydrolysis regulatory genes, while the down-regulated genes are mainly related to the serine protease family.Conclusions: BBR displayed an excellent bacteriostatic effect on MRSA. BBR combined with GEN and AMI significantly enhanced the bacteriostatic effect on MRSA, while BBR combined with LEV showed no significant change in the bacteriostatic effect on MRSA. BBR inhibited bacteria by destroying and dissolving the structure of MRSA cell wall. RNA-sequencing results further demonstrated that the expression of cell wall hydrolysis genes ssaA, lytM and virulence factor serine protease genes were significantly differentially expressed when high concentration BBR treated on MRSA.
Specific course of tuberculosis in elderly and senile patients
Authors: Savonenkova L. N. , Ruzov V. I. , Asanov R. B. , Midlenko O. V. , Asanov B. M. , Anisimova S. V. 
Published: January 2020

The objective: to identify specific features of the clinical course of tuberculosis in elderly and senile patients under the current epidemic situation.The specific clinical course of tuberculosis was analyzed in 54 patients at the age of 61 years and older and compared with the course of 234 patients at the age from 18 to 39 years selected by the continuous sampling of all 472 patients discharged from hospital in 2018. The following features were found to be typical of patients of 61 years and older: more frequent chronic forms of the disease (37.0%) and complications (35.2%), the major complication was chronic cor pulmonale (33.3%); more frequent concurrent chronic nonspecific lung diseases (13.0%) and coronary heart disease/arterial hypertension (14.8%); more frequent deaths (31.5%), mainly due to pulmonary heart disease; less frequent generalization of tuberculosis (5.5%) and concurrent HIV infection (7.4%).
All the Exiles оf Irène Némirovsky
Authors: Valčić Bulić Tamara 
Published: January 2020

The success of the novel Suite francaise has again sparked interest for the opus of Irène Némirovsky, an author who wrote during the interwar period and produced around twenty novels and several collections of novellas. The life of Irène Némirovsky (Ирма Ирина Леонидовна Немировская, 1903-1942), a Russian Jew who lived as a stateless immigrant since the Russian Revolution until her tragic death in Auschwitz, has also attracted a lot of public interest. In this paper, our focus is first on the circumstances in which Nemirovska lived and wrote, as they had an essential impact on her fate and the themes that underlie much of her work. After that overview of the work of Irène Némirovsky, the analysis in this paper focuses on the novels in which the themes of exile, nostalgia and lack of belonging are evident, such as David Golder (David Golder, 1929), Snow in Autumn (Les Mouches d’automne, 1931), The Wine of Solitude (Le Vin de solitude, 1935) and The Dogs and the Wolves (Les Chiens et les Loups, 1940).The theoretical basis for our analysis is found in the study The Future of Nostalgia by Svetlana Boym. In this study, Boym distinguishes between the two main subtypes of nostalgia: restorative and reflective and she identifies their characteristics. The analysis of the main characters’ actions and feelings in the afore mentioned Nemirovska’s novels show that reflective nostalgia is predominant in them; the characters show contradictory tendencies: on the one hand to fit in and integrate into the society, while on the other they are dominated by anxiety, sorrow and feelings of displacement and lack of belonging.
Black Humor on the Film Screen: From Folk to Popular Culture
Authors: Stevanović Lada 
Published: January 2020

The paper is dealing with the complex phenomenon of black humor. Starting from different definitions about its origin, the author questions its folklore origin in Greek antiquity. Through the prism of the theories of Olga Freidneberg and Michael Bakhtin, parody and/or carneval appear as a worldview contrary and at the same time parallel to the serious, official, hierarchical order. Exactly this image of the world, and conceptualization of death on its grounds, lead in ancient Greece to the appearance of the theatre and comedy, that is regarded to be the predecessor of black film comedies. Pointing out the intertwinement of laughter and death, as well as the existence of black humor in the Greek antiquity, the author also deals with interesting connection between film black comedies and Serbian performative ritual games with motives of death and the dead. Such motives and the atmosphere that they provoke are easily recognized in the Serbian black comedies. As an example, i.e. a case study is taken the film Marathon Family. Apart from that, the paper offers an insight into the theoretical approaches to the phenomenon of black humor in literature and film, which opens the space to trace two more intertwined paths of influence on the mentioned black comedies. One path is literary and goes back to comedies by Branislav Nušić - The bereaved family and The deceased, while the other leads to the whole genre of films with the dark humour that has developed since the 1960s in Europe and the USA. In spite of the undoubtable influences, the short insight into the subgenres of dark humour in the mentioned films reveals the specificity of the black humor in the Serbian cinematography that might be related to folk humoristic games with the motive of death.