bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acceptability to patients of screening disposable transnasal endoscopy: qualitative interview analysis
Authors: McGoran John , Bennett Andrea , Cooper Joanne , De Caestecker John , Lovat Laurence B , Guha Neil , Ragunath Krish , Sami Sarmed S 
Published: December 2019

ObjectivesScreening in selected high risk populations for Barrett’s oesophagus (BO) and oesophageal varices (OVs) has been proposed, but there are obstacles with conventional oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (C-OGD), including patient acceptability. Portable and disposable office-based transnasal endoscopy (TNE) is a feasible and accurate alternative to C-OGD that may have use in primary and secondary care. This article outlines a qualitative analysis of patient experiences of TNE and C-OGD in order to gain an insight into an acceptable delivery of an endoscopic screening service.DesignPurposeful sampling identified 23 participants who then underwent semi-structured interviews to determine their experiences of both procedures. Thematic analysis was conducted to derive meaning from their lived experiences.SettingA secondary care endoscopy unit, clinic room and interview room.ParticipantsPatients referred for BO or OV surveillance and for endoscopy to investigate dyspepsia underwent unsedated TNE using the EG Scan II device followed by C-OGD with or without sedation (patient choice), as part of a clinical trial.ResultsThe themes that arose from our analysis were: inclusivity in one’s own healthcare, comfort level and convenience, validity of the procedure and application to a screening population and a sense of altruism and reciprocity. Positive aspects of TNE included participant empowerment, reduced discomfort and avoidance of conscious sedation. Participants felt that if TNE screening was of proven efficacy it would be welcomed, though views on use in a community setting were mixed.ConclusionsMost patients preferred TNE to unsedated C-OGD and the reasons they gave featured strongly in the emerging themes. Preferences between TNE and sedated C-OGD were more subtle, with equivalent comfort scores but merits and drawbacks of both being discussed. This information identifies opportunities and challenges in establishing an endoscopic screening service.Trial registration numberISRCTNregistry identifier: 70595405; Pre-results.
Factors influencing active tuberculosis case-finding policy development and implementation: a scoping review
Authors: Biermann Olivia , Lönnroth Knut , Caws Maxine , Viney Kerri 
Published: December 2019

ObjectiveTo explore antecedents, components and influencing factors on active case-finding (ACF) policy development and implementation.DesignScoping review, searching MEDLINE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the World Health Organization (WHO) Library from January 1968 to January 2018. We excluded studies focusing on latent tuberculosis (TB) infection, passive case-finding, childhood TB and studies about effectiveness, yield, accuracy and impact without descriptions of how this evidence has/could influence ACF policy or implementation. We included any type of study written in English, and conducted frequency and thematic analyses.ResultsSeventy-three articles fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Most (67%) were published after 2010. The studies were conducted in all WHO regions, but primarily in Africa (22%), Europe (23%) and the Western-Pacific region (12%). Forty-one percent of the studies were classified as quantitative, followed by reviews (22%) and qualitative studies (12%). Most articles focused on ACF for tuberculosis contacts (25%) or migrants (32%). Fourteen percent of the articles described community-based screening of high-risk populations. Fifty-nine percent of studies reported influencing factors for ACF implementation; mostly linked to the health system (eg, resources) and the community/individual (eg, social determinants of health). Only two articles highlighted factors influencing ACF policy development (eg, politics). Six articles described WHO’s ACF-related recommendations as important antecedent for ACF. Key components of successful ACF implementation include health system capacity, mechanisms for integration, education and collaboration for ACF.ConclusionWe identified some main themes regarding the antecedents, components and influencing factors for ACF policy development and implementation. While we know much about facilitators and barriers for ACF policy implementation, we know less abouthowto strengthen those facilitators andhowto overcome those barriers. A major knowledge gap remains when it comes to understanding which contextual factors influence ACF policy development. Research is required to understand, inform and improve ACF policy development and implementation.
Predictive accuracy of perceived baby birth size for birth weight: a cross-sectional study from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Nigatu Dabere , Haile Demewoz , Gebremichael Bereket , M Tiruneh Yordanos 
Published: December 2019

ObjectivesThe study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of maternally perceived baby birth size assessments as a measure of birth weight and examine factors influencing the accuracy of maternal size assessments.Study designCross-sectional study.SettingThe study is based on national data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.ParticipantsWe included 1455 children who had both birth size and birth weight data.Main outcome measuresPredictive accuracy of baby birth size for low birth weight. Level of discordance between maternally perceived birth size and birth weight including factors influencing discordance.ResultsMother-reported baby birth size had low sensitivity (57%) and positive predictive value (41%) to indicate low birth weight but had high specificity (89%) and negative predictive values (94%). The per cent of agreement between birth weight (<2500 g vs ≥2500 g) and maternally perceived birth size (small size vs average or above) was 86% and kappa statistics indicated a moderate level of agreement (kappa=0.41, p<0.001). Maternal age, wealth index quintile, marital status and maternal education were significant predictors of the discordance between birth size and birth weight.ConclusionsMaternal assessment of baby size at birth is an inaccurate proxy indicator of low birth weight in Ethiopia. Therefore, a mother’s recall of birth size should be used as a proxy indicator for low birth weight with caution and should take maternal characteristics into consideration.
Deficiencies in healthcare prior to suicide and actions to deal with them: a retrospective study of investigations after suicide in Swedish healthcare
Authors: Roos af Hjelmsäter Elin , Ros Axel , Gäre Boel Andersson , Westrin Åsa 
Published: December 2019

ObjectivesThe overall aim of this study was to aggregate the conclusions of all investigations conducted after suicides reported to the supervisory authority in Sweden in 2015, and to identify deficiencies in healthcare found in these investigations; the actions proposed to deal with the deficiencies; the level of the organisational hierarchy (micro–meso–macro) in which the deficiencies and actions were situated; and outcomes of the supervisory authority’s decisions.Design and settingThis is a retrospective study of all reports from Swedish primary and secondary healthcare after suicide to the regulatory authority in Sweden in 2015.ResultsIn 55% (n=240) of cases, healthcare providers reported healthcare deficiencies that contributed to suicide; these deficiencies were primarily in ‘suicide risk assessment’ and ‘treatment’. Actions aimed at preventing new suicides were proposed in 80% of cases (n=347). By far, the most frequent actions were ‘education and competence’, present in 52% of cases (n=227) and did not much correspond with identified deficiencies. Sixty-five per cent of the deficiencies and actions were at microlevel, while the remainders were at mesolevel. In 65% (n=284) of cases, the supervisory authority approved the investigation without further requirements.ConclusionsThe most common identified deficiencies were related to care in the immediate interface between patient and staff. Actions proposed to prevent new suicides were centred on single educational interventions without distinctive sustainable effects in the organisations and usually did not correspond with the identified deficiencies. Future research should examine if application of a framework based on knowledge of the suicide process, suicide prevention strategies and patient safety would enable more sophisticated investigations that could facilitate progress on suicide prevention.
Understanding incentive preferences of community health workers using discrete choice experiments: a multicountry protocol for Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh and Haiti
Authors: Agarwal Smisha , Anaba Udochisom , Abuya Timothy , Kintu Richard , Casseus Alain , Hossain Sharif , Obadha Melvin , Warren Charlotte E 
Published: December 2019

IntroductionThere is a renewed global interest in improving community health worker (CHW) programmes. For CHW programmes to be effective, key intervention design factors which contribute to the performance of CHWs need to be identified. The recent WHO guidelines recommends the combination of financial and non-financial incentives to improve CHW performance. However, evidence gaps remain as to what package of incentives will improve their performance in different country contexts. This study aims to evaluate CHW incentive preferences to improve performance and retention which will strengthen CHW programmes and help governments leverage limited resources appropriately.Methods and analysisA discrete choice experiment (DCE) will be conducted with CHWs in Bangladesh, Haiti, Kenya and Uganda with different levels of maturity of CHWs programmes. This will be carried out in two phases. Phase 1 will involve preliminary qualitative research including focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews to develop the DCE design which will include attributes relevant to the CHW country settings. Phase 2 will involve a DCE survey with CHWs, presenting them with a series of job choices with varying attribute levels. An orthogonal design will be used to generate the choice sets for the surveys. The surveys will be administered in locally-appropriate languages to at least 150 CHWs from each of the cadres in each country. Conditional and mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) models will be used for the estimation of stated preferences.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been reviewed and approved by the Population Council’s Institutional Review Board in New York, and appropriate ethics review boards in Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh and Haiti. The results of the study will be disseminated through in-country dissemination workshops, meetings with country-level stakeholders and policy working groups, print media, online blogs and peer-reviewed journals.
Scoping review study to identify how communities in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada use quality improvement (QI) approaches to address community health and well-being
Authors: Carr Tara , Turner Mallory Wolfe , Ramaswamy Rohit 
Published: December 2019

IntroductionBoth US and global communities lag on key health indicators. There has been limited progress in building capacity to improve health beyond the healthcare field. Yet, communities also need to engage in health improvement initiatives. A substantial body of literature describes standards and core components for quality improvement (QI) approaches in clinical settings. This study aims to determine how communities in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada use QI approaches for health and well-being improvement and how such approaches compare to those in clinical settings.Methods and analysisWe developed a study protocol based on scoping review framework by Arksey and O’Malley, methodological advancements for scoping studies (Levac et al) and other published protocols. We developed research questions in an iterative process and used the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes strategy to determine eligibility criteria. Electronic databases deemed appropriate (Web of Science, Scopus, and Proquest Health Management) will be searched for studies that meet inclusion criteria. References of included studies will be included when relevant. Two reviewers will independently screen all abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. A third reviewer will adjudicate disagreements that arise. An instrument will be developed to extract data from included studies. Quantitative and qualitative results will be reported.Ethics and disseminationWe developed this protocol to systematically conduct a scoping review of how US communities use QI approaches to address community health and well-being. Results will benefit multiple stakeholders by informing how to better support, design and evaluate community well-being improvement interventions. Results will be distributed through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, presentations and a public health graduate course.
Empty mast cell syndrome: fallacy or fact?
Authors: Mohamed Omar E , Baretto Richard L , Walker Ian , Melchior Cathryn , Heslegrave Jane , Mckenzie Ruth , Hullur Chidanand , Ekbote Anjali , Krishna Mamidipudi Thirumala 
Published: December 2019

Post-anaphylaxis mast cell anergy (PAMA), commonly referred to as ‘empty mast cell (MC) syndrome’, is a state of temporary loss of cutaneous MC reactivity in the immediate aftermath of anaphylaxis. Data relating to this condition are sparse and the incidence rate is currently unknown. PAMA has been described only in a few published case reports in the context of hymenoptera venom allergy and perioperative anaphylaxis. Best practice guidelines regarding optimal timing for performing skin tests postanaphylaxis are largely based on expert opinion, and allergy work-up has been recommended after 4–6 weeks postanaphylaxis to avoid false-negative results.This article provides a review of clinical literature surrounding PAMA, critically evaluates intracellular events in MCs from in vitro data and hypothesises regarding plausible immune mechanisms. There are no published data to directly explain molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Although not evidence based, PAMA has been attributed to depletion of MC granules following anaphylaxis. It is also plausible that exposure to high allergen concentrations in anaphylaxis can induce a temporary shift in MCs towards dominance of inhibitory signalling pathways, thus contributing to a state of transient hyporesponsiveness observed in some patients. Other potential contributory factors for reduced MC reactivity include downregulation of FcεRI expression, cross-linking of FcεRI to the inhibitory, low-affinity IgG receptors and administration of pharmacotherapeutic agents for anaphylaxis treatment. It is likely that this interesting phenomenon can be explained by a combination of these proposed mechanisms in addition to other genetic/host factors that have not yet been identified.
Maternal cumulative exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields, prematurity and small for gestational age: a pooled analysis of two birth cohorts
Authors: Migault Lucile , Garlantézec Ronan , Piel Clément , Marchand-Martin Laetitia , Orazio Sébastien , Cheminat Marie , Zaros Cécile , Carles Camille , Cardis Elisabeth , Ancel Pierre-Yves , Charles Marie-Aline , de Seze René , Baldi Isabelle , Bouvier Ghislaine 
Published: December 2019

BackgroundData on the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on pregnancy outcomes are inconclusive.ObjectiveTo study the relation between maternal cumulative exposure to ELF-EMF during pregnancy and the risk of prematurity or small for gestational age (SGA) in a pooled analysis of two French birth cohorts.MethodsElfe and Epipage2 are both population-based birth cohorts initiated in 2011 and included 18 329 and 8400 births, respectively. Health data and household, mother and child characteristics were obtained from medical records and questionnaires at maternity and during follow-up. A job exposure matrix was used to assess cumulative exposure to ELF-EMF during three periods: (1) until 15 weeks of gestation, (2) until 28 weeks of gestation and (3) until 32 weeks of gestation. Analyses were restricted to single live births in mainland France and to mothers with documented jobs (N=19 894). Adjusted logistic regression models were used.ResultsAccording to the period studied, 3.2%–4% of mothers were classified as highly exposed. Results were heterogeneous. Increased risks of prematurity were found among low exposed mothers for the three periods, and no association was observed among the most exposed (OR1=0.92 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.15); OR2=0.98 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.21); OR3=1.14 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.41)). For SGA, no association was observed with the exception of increased risk among the low exposed mothers in period 2 and the most exposed in period 3 (OR=1.25 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.53)).ConclusionSome heterogeneous associations between ELF-EMF exposure and prematurity and SGA were observed. However, due to heterogeneity (ie, their independence regarding the level of exposure), associations cannot be definitely explained by ELF-EMF exposure.
Spacetime colour reconnection in Herwig 7
Authors: Bellm Johannes , Duncan Cody B , Gieseke Stefan , Myska Miroslav , Siódmok Andrzej 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWe present a model for generating spacetime coordinates in the Monte Carlo event generator Herwig 7, and perform colour reconnection by minimizing a boost-invariant distance measure of the system. We compare the model to a series of soft physics observables. We find reasonable agreement with the data, suggesting that pp-collider colour reconnection may be able to be applied in larger systems.
RFID Tattoo
Authors: Wang Jingxian , Pan Chengfeng , Jin Haojian , Singh Vaibhav , Jain Yash , Hong Jason I. , Majidi Carmel , Kumar Swarun 
Published: December 2019

This paper presents an RF-based assistive technology for voice impairments (i.e., dysphonia), which occurs in an estimated 1% of the global population. We specifically focus on acquired voice disorders where users continue to be able to make facial and lip gestures associated with speech. Despite the rich literature on assistive technologies in this space, there remains a gap for a solution that neither requires external infrastructure in the environment, battery-powered sensors on skin or body-worn manual input devices.
We present RFTattoo, which to our knowledge is the first wireless speech recognition system for voice impairments using batteryless and flexible RFID tattoos. We design specialized wafer-thin tattoos attached around the user's face and easily hidden by makeup. We build models that process signal variations from these tattoos to a portable RFID reader to recognize various facial gestures corresponding to distinct classes of sounds. We then develop natural language processing models that infer meaningful words and sentences based on the observed series of gestures. A detailed user study with 10 users reveals 86% accuracy in reconstructing the top-100 words in the English language, even without the users making any sounds.
Scriptaid/exercise-induced lysine acetylation is another type of posttranslational modification occurring in titin
Authors: Huang Song , Liu Sujuan , Niu Yanmei , Fu Li 
Published: December 2019

Titin serves important functions in skeletal muscle during exercise, and posttranslational modifications of titin participate in the regulation of titin-based sarcomeric functions. Scriptaid has exercise-like effects through the inhibition of HDAC and regulatory acetylation of proteins. However, it remains mostly unclear if exercise could result in titin’s acetylation and whether Scriptaid could regulate acetylation of titin. We treated C57BL/6 mice with 6-wk treadmill exercise and 6-wk Scriptaid administration to explore Scriptaid’s effects on mice exercise capacity and whether Scriptaid administration/exercise could induce titin’s acetylation modification. An exercise endurance test was conducted to explore their effects on mice exercise capacity, and proteomic studies were conducted with gastrocnemius muscle tissue of mice from different groups to explore titin’s acetylation modification. We found that Scriptaid and exercise did not change titin’s protein expression, but they did induce acetylation modification changes of titin. In total, 333 acetylated lysine sites were identified. Exercise changed the acetylation levels of 33 lysine sites of titin, whereas Scriptaid changed acetylation levels of 31 titin lysine sites. Exercise treatment and Scriptaid administration shared 11 lysine sites. In conclusion, Scriptaid increased exercise endurance of mice by increasing the time mice spent running to fatigue. Acetylation is a common type of posttranslational modification of titin, and exercise/Scriptaid changed the acetylation levels of titin and titin-interacting proteins. Most importantly, titin may be a mediator through which Scriptaid and exercise modulate the properties and functions of exercise-induced skeletal muscle at the molecular level. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Scriptaid administration increased mouse exercise endurance. Acetylation is another type of posttranslational modification of titin. Scriptaid/exercise changed acetylation levels of titin and titin-interacting proteins. Titin may mediate exercise-induced skeletal muscle properties and functions.
Functional Genomics Identifies Hepatitis-Induced STAT3–TYRO3–STAT3 Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target of Hepatoma
Authors: Tsai Chia-Liang , Chang Jeng-Shou , Yu Ming-Chin , Lee Chern-Horng , Chen Tse-Ching , Chuang Wen-Yu , Kuo Wei-Liang , Lin Chen-Chun , Lin Shi-Ming , Hsieh Sen-Yung 
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Purpose:
Hepatitis promotes the development and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) play critical roles in the development of many cancers. We explored the potential roles of RTKs in hepatitis-related liver cancers.

Experimental Design:
We conducted loss-of-function screening to elucidate the roles of RTKs in the development of HCC in vitro and in vivo.

Results:
Many RTKs were coexpressed in HCC and were involved in tumor development and growth. Of these, TYRO3 promoted tumor growth and was clinically associated with hepatitis activity and poor prognosis. In mice, chemical-induced hepatitis transcriptionally activated Tyro3 expression via IL-6/IL6R–STAT3 signaling. Moreover, hepatitis-associated apoptotic cells facilitated the presentation of GAS6, a TYRO3 ligand, to further activate TYRO3-mediated signaling. Furthermore, TYRO3 activation elicited intracellular SRC- and STAT3 signaling. In mice, hepatitis and Tyro3 synergistically promoted HCC development. Silencing TYRO3 expression or inhibiting its kinase activity suppressed xenograft HCC growth in nude mice.

Conclusions:
Many RTKs are simultaneously involved in HCC development. Hepatitis exerts dual effects on the activation of TYRO3-mediated signaling in HCC cells, which further elicits the “TYRO3–STAT3–TYRO3” signaling loop to facilitate tumor growth. Our findings unveil a previously unrecognized link between RTKs and hepatitis-associated HCC and suggest TYRO3 as a marker and therapeutic target for the HCCs with higher hepatitis activity.