bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for cancer-related fatigue: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zeng Yiwei , Xia Jialin , Chen Zhihan , Tian Xiaoping , Ren Yulan 
Published: November 2021

IntroductionCancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a prevalent symptom in cancer survivors. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) has been reported as a promising therapy for CRF. This protocol is proposed for a systematic review that aims to assess the efficacy and safety of TEAS for CRF.Methods and analysisCochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Medline, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, Wanfang database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry System, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Platform will be searched from inception to 31 January 2021 without language limitations. The eligible randomised controlled trials will be included. The primary outcomes include changes in the revised Piper fatigue scale, the Brief fatigue inventory, the Multidimensional fatigue inventory and the Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy fatigue. The secondary outcomes are the quality-of-life measurement index, the Hamilton anxiety scale, the Hamilton depression scale and adverse events. The selection of studies, data extraction and assessment of risk of bias will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Data synthesis will be performed using RevMan V.5.4.1. The quality of evidence will be evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. This study will strictly adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required as this is a systematic review and meta-analysis based on previously published studies involving no private information of patients. The results of this study will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020220282.
Healthcare utilisation trajectories in patients dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure or cancer: a nationwide register-based cohort study
Authors: Vestergaard Anne Høy Seemann , Christiansen Christian Fynbo , Neergaard Mette Asbjoern , Valentin Jan Brink , Johnsen Søren Paaske 
Published: November 2021

ObjectivesTo investigate illness trajectories as reflected by healthcare utilisation, including hospital and intensive care unit admissions, consultations in general practice and home care provision, before death comparing people dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure and cancer.DesignNationwide register-based cohort study.SettingData on all hospital admissions, including intensive care unit admissions, consultations in general practice and home care provision were obtained from nationwide Danish registries.ParticipantsAll adult decedents in Denmark dying from COPD, heart failure or cancer between 2006 and 2016.Outcome measuresFor each day within 5 years before death, we computed a daily prevalence proportion (PP) of being admitted to hospital or consulting a general practitioner. For each day within 6 months before death, we computed PPs of being admitted to intensive care or receiving home care. The PPs were plotted and compared by regression analyses adjusting for age, gender, comorbidity level, marital/cohabitation status, municipality and income level.ResultsAmong 1 74 086 patients dying from COPD (n=22 648), heart failure (n=11 498) or cancer (n=139 940), the PPs of being admitted to hospital or consulting a general practitioner showed similar steady progression and steep increase in the last year of life for all patient populations. The PP of being admitted to intensive care showed modest increase during the last 6 months of life, accelerating in the last month, for all patient populations. For patients with COPD and heart failure, the PP of receiving home care remained stable during the last 6 months of life but increased steadily for patients with cancer.ConclusionWe found limited differences in healthcare resource utilisation at the end of life for people with COPD, heart failure or cancer, indicating comparable illness trajectories.This supports the need to reconsider efforts in achieving equal access to palliative care interventions, which is still mainly offered to patients with cancer.
Effects of prismatic adaptation on balance and postural disorders in patients with chronic right stroke: protocol for a multicentre double-blind randomised sham-controlled trial
Authors: Hugues Aurélien , Guinet-Lacoste Amandine , Bin Sylvie , Villeneuve Laurent , Lunven Marine , Pérennou Dominic , Giraux Pascal , Foncelle Alexandre , Rossetti Yves , Jacquin-Courtois Sophie , Luauté Jacques , Rode Gilles 
Published: November 2021

IntroductionPatients with right stroke lesion have postural and balance disorders, including weight-bearing asymmetry, more pronounced than patients with left stroke lesion. Spatial cognition disorders post-stroke, such as misperceptions of subjective straight-ahead and subjective longitudinal body axis, are suspected to be involved in these postural and balance disorders. Prismatic adaptation has showed beneficial effects to reduce visuomotor disorders but also an expansion of effects on cognitive functions, including spatial cognition. Preliminary studies with a low level of evidence have suggested positive effects of prismatic adaptation on weight-bearing asymmetry and balance after stroke. The objective is to investigate the effects of this intervention on balance but also on postural disorders, subjective straight-ahead, longitudinal body axis and autonomy in patients with chronic right stroke lesion.Methods and analysisIn this multicentre randomised double-blind sham-controlled trial, we will include 28 patients aged from 18 to 80 years, with a first right supratentorial stroke lesion at chronic stage (≥12 months) and having a bearing ≥60% of body weight on the right lower limb. Participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental group (performing pointing tasks while wearing glasses shifting optical axis of 10 degrees towards the right side) or to the control group (performing the same procedure while wearing neutral glasses without optical deviation). All participants will receive a 20 min daily session for 2 weeks in addition to conventional rehabilitation. The primary outcome will be the balance measured using the Berg Balance Scale. Secondary outcomes will include weight-bearing asymmetry and parameters of body sway during static posturographic assessments, as well as lateropulsion (measured using the Scale for Contraversive Pushing), subjective straight-ahead, longitudinal body axis and autonomy (measured using the Barthel Index).Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the ethical review board in France. Findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals relative to rehabilitation or stroke.Trial registration numberNCT03154138.
Identifying priority medicines policy issues for Qatar: exploring perspectives and experiences of healthcare professionals through a qualitative study
Authors: Zia Nadeem , Ibrahim Mohamed Izham Mohamed , Adheir Fathea , Babar Zaheer-Ud-Din 
Published: November 2021

ObjectivesTo identify priority medicines policy issues, including the ‘use’ and ‘access to medicines’ in Qatar.DesignIn this qualitative study, general inductive method was used and semi-structured exploratory interviews conducted.SettingStakeholders from a broad range of academic and healthcare practitioners in Qatar.ParticipantsExploratory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 stakeholders throughout Qatar. The inclusion criteria include (a) participants working or involved in the Qatar’s healthcare system, (b) participants having experience or working knowledge of medicine policy documents, different facets of it, use of medicines and access to medicines, (c) as well as participants well versed in the English language. It was intended to cover stakeholders from a broad range of healthcare and policy institutions in Qatar.Primary and secondary outcome measuresAll participants were involved in semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews, which were then transcribed verbatim, coded into NVivo V.12 and followed by thematic analysis to identify the common themes. Perceptions, experiences and opinions regarding Qatar’s medicines policy issues were recorded.ResultsThis study found challenges related to the availability of pharmaceuticals in Qatar, including medicines registration process. There is no comprehensive national medicines policy in Qatar, however, there are a number of rules, regulations, policies and procedures in place. The community pharmacy services provided are mostly ‘traditional’ with less emphasis on pharmacists’ extended roles and/or cognitive services. The study identifies several areas for improvement including extending the role of the pharmacist, improve the prescribing of antibiotics, medicines compliance and counselling for consumers, pharmacovigilance, implementation of generic medicines policies, as well as the need for a national health record database.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that in the last 20 years, Qatar has moved towards advancing healthcare; however, there are gaps and opportunities. The strategies need to be developed to resolve access to medicines issues, the priority being medicines registration, import and so on. With the rise of chronic diseases and a growing population, there is also a need to work to improve medicines adherence among patients.A national medicines policy should be developed through a consultative broad-based process in which prescribers, physicians, pharmacists and healthcare professionals be given a chance to contribute.
Randomised controlled trial targeting habit formation to improve medication adherence to daily oral medications in patients with gout
Authors: Fontanet Constance P , Choudhry Niteesh K , Wood Wendy , Robertson Ted , Haff Nancy , Oran Rebecca , Sears Ellen S , Kim Erin , Hanken Kaitlin , Barlev Renee A , Lauffenburger Julie C , Feldman Candace H 
Published: November 2021

IntroductionMedication adherence for patients with chronic conditions such as gout, a debilitating form of arthritis that requires daily medication to prevent flares, is a costly problem. Existing interventions to improve medication adherence have only been moderately effective. Habit formation theory is a promising strategy to improve adherence. The cue-reward-repetition principle posits that habits are formed by repeatedly completing an activity after the same cue and having the action rewarded every time. Over time, cues become increasingly important whereas rewards become less salient because the action becomes automatic. Leveraging the cue-reward-repetition principle could improve adherence to daily gout medications.Methods and analysisThis three-arm parallel randomised controlled trial tests an adaptive intervention that leverages the repetition cue-reward principle. The trial will began recruitment in August 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Eligible patients are adults with gout who have been prescribed a daily oral medication for gout and whose most recent uric acid is above 6 mg/dL. Participants will be randomised to one of three arms and given electronic pill bottles. In the two intervention arms, participants will select a daily activity to link to their medication-taking (cue) and a charity to which money will be donated every time they take their medication (reward). Participants in Arm 1 will receive reminder texts about their cue and their charity reward amount will be US$0.50 per day of medication taken. Arm 2 will be adaptive; participants will receive a US$0.25 per adherent-day and no reminder texts. If their adherence is <75% 6 weeks postrandomisation, their reward will increase to US$0.50 per adherent-day and they will receive reminder texts. The primary outcome is adherence to gout medications over 18 weeks.Ethics and disseminationThis trial has ethical approval in the USA. Results will be published in a publicly accessible peer-reviewed journal.Trial registration numberNCT04776161
Vasohibin-1 expression as a biomarker of aggressive nature in ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate: a retrospective cohort study at two centres in Japan
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroaki , Kosaka Takeo , Mikami Shuji , Kimura Tokuhiro , Hongo Hiroshi , Kosugi Michio , Sato Yasufumi , Oya Mototsugu 
Published: November 2021

ObjectivesVasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an endogenous angiogenesis regulator expressed in activated vascular endothelial cells. We previously reported that high VASH1 expression is a predictor of progression in acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate by comparing the level of VASH1 expression between ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma specimens.Design and settingA retrospective cohort study at two centres in Japan.ParticipantsAmong the 1495 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection for the past 15 years, a total of 14 patients diagnosed with ductal adenocarcinoma and 20 patients diagnosed with acinar adenocarcinoma with a Gleason score of 4+4 were included.InterventionsWe immunohistochemically examined the CD34 expression as the microvessel density (MVD) and activated endothelial cells as the VASH1 density (vessels per mm2).Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the association of MVD and VASH1 density between ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma, and the secondary outcome was their oncological outcomes.ResultsNine patients (64.3%) with ductal adenocarcinoma were diagnosed at an advanced clinical stage, and five patients (35.7%) died from cancer during a median follow-up of 56.0 months. The VASH1 densities (mean±SD) in ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma were 45.1±18.5 vs 16.1±21.0 (p<0.001), respectively, while the MVD (mean±SD) in ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma were 65.3±21.9 vs 80.8±60.7 (p=0.666), respectively. The 5-year cancer-specific survival rates for high and low VASH1 expression were 70.0% and 100.0% (p=0.006), respectively. High VASH1 expression and a diagnosis of ductal adenocarcinoma were significant predictors of cancer-specific survival.ConclusionsDuctal adenocarcinoma was more aggressive and had higher VASH1 expression than acinar adenocarcinoma, although MVD was equivalent. These results indicate that VASH1 expression may serve as a novel biomarker for the aggressive nature of ductal adenocarcinoma.
Refractory hyperactive delirium in the dying: pharmacological management
Authors: Tham Kathryn , Shiu Angela , William Leeroy , Walpole Grace , Rashed Saly 
Published: November 2021

BackgroundDelirium is a prevalent clinical presentation in advanced illness. The hyperactive phase can cause severe symptoms at the end of life. There is no published study of the pharmacological management of this symptom in Australian palliative medicine practice.ObjectivesTo describe the pharmacological management of hyperactive delirium at the end of life in an Australian inpatient palliative care setting.MethodsRetrospective audit of deaths from October 2019 where a medication of interest (MOI) was used following admission to the palliative care unit (PCU) of Eastern Health. The clinical notes of those included were reviewed to further describe the clinical details surrounding the use of the MOI.ResultsForty patients were included. Midazolam was the most common medication used (57.5%). The most common dual agent combination was midazolam plus levomepromazine.ConclusionsThis audit is the first description of pharmacological management of severe hyperactive delirium at the end of life requiring sedation in an Australian PCU.
Sensitivity of modern multislice CT for subarachnoid haemorrhage at incremental timepoints after headache onset: a 10-year analysis
Authors: Vincent Annabel , Pearson Scott , Pickering John W , Weaver James , Toney Leanne , Hamill Laura , Hurrell Michael , Than Martin 
Published: November 2021

BackgroundCT performed within 6 hours of headache onset is highly sensitive for the detection of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Beyond this time frame, if the CT is negative for blood, a lumbar puncture is often performed. Technology improvements in image noise reduction, resolution and motion artefact have enhanced the performance of multislice CT (MSCT) and may have further improved sensitivity. We aimed to describe how the sensitivity to SAH of modern MSCT changes with time from headache onset.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of electronic data collected as part of routine care among all patients presenting to Christchurch Hospital diagnosed with a SAH between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2017. Patients were imaged with MSCT. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with spontaneous aneurysmal SAH (identified via coding and confirmed by clinical and radiological records) that had a positive MSCT. The secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with any type of spontaneous SAH that had a positive MSCT.ResultsThere were 347 patients with an SAH of whom 260 were aneurysmal SAH. MSCT identified 253 (97.3%) of all aneurysmal SAH and 332 (95.7%) of all SAH. The sensitivity of MSCT was 99.6% (95% CI 97.6 to 100) for aneurysmal SAH and 99.0% (95% CI 97.1 to 99.8) for all SAH at 48 hours after headache onset. At 24 hours after headache onset, the sensitivity for aneurysmal SAH was 100% (95% CI 98.3 to 100).ConclusionThese data suggest that it may be possible to extend the timeframe from headache onset within which modern MSCT can be used to rule out aneurysmal SAH.
Validation of a machine learning approach to estimate Clinical Disease Activity Index Scores for rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Spencer Alison K. , Bandaria Jigar , Leavy Michelle B. , Gliklich Benjamin , Su Zhaohui , Curhan Gary , Boussios Costas 
Published: November 2021

ObjectiveDisease activity measures, such as the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), are important tools for informing treatment decisions and monitoring patient outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet, documentation of CDAI scores in electronic medical records and other real-world data sources is inconsistent, making it challenging to use these data for research. The purpose of this study was to validate a machine learning model to estimate CDAI scores for patients with RA using clinical notes.MethodsA machine learning model was developed to estimate CDAI score values using clinical notes from a specific rheumatology visit. Data from the OM1 RA Registry were used to create a training cohort of 56 177 encounters and a separate validation cohort of 18 726 encounters, 11 985 of which passed a model-derived confidence filter; all included encounters had both a clinician-recorded CDAI score and a clinical note. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), calculated using a binarised version of the outcome. The Spearman’s R and Pearson’s R values were also calculated.ResultsThe model had a PPV of 0.80, NPV of 0.84 and AUC of 0.88 when evaluating performance using the binarised version of the outcome. The model had a Spearman’s R value of 0.72 and a Pearson’s R value of 0.69 when evaluating performance using the continuous CDAI numeric scores.ConclusionA machine learning model estimates CDAI scores from clinical notes with good performance. Application of the model to real-world data sets may allow estimated CDAI scores to be used for research purposes.
Analytical external spherical solutions in entangled relativity
Authors: Arruga Denis , Minazzoli Olivier 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn this manuscript, we present analytical external spherical solutions of entangled relativity, which we compare to numerical solutions obtained in a Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff framework. Analytical and numerical solutions match perfectly well outside spherical compact objects, therefore validating both types of solutions at the same time. The analytical external (hairy) solutions – which depend on two parameters only – may be used in order to easily compute observables – such as X-ray pulse profiles – without having to rely on an unknown equation of state for matter inside the compact object.
Measuring muon tracks in Baikal-GVD using a fast reconstruction algorithm
Authors: Allakhverdyan V. A. , Avrorin A. D. , Avrorin A. V. , Aynutdinov V. M. , Bannasch R. , Bardačová Z. , Belolaptikov I. A. , Borina I. V. , Brudanin V. B. , Budnev N. M. , Dik V. Y. , Domogatsky G. V. , Doroshenko A. A. , Dvornický R. , Dyachok A. N. , Dzhilkibaev Zh.-A. M. , Eckerová E. , Elzhov T. V. , Fajt L. , Fialkovski S. V. , Gafarov A. R. , Golubkov K. V. , Gorshkov N. S. , Gress T. I. , Katulin M. S. , Kebkal K. G. , Kebkal O. G. , Khramov E. V. , Kolbin M. M. , Konischev K. V. , Kopański K. A. , Korobchenko A. V. , Koshechkin A. P. , Kozhin V. A. , Kruglov M. V. , Kryukov M. K. , Kulepov V. F. , Malecki Pa. , Malyshkin Y. M. , Milenin M. B. , Mirgazov R. R. , Naumov D. V. , Nazari V. , Noga W. , Petukhov D. P. , Pliskovsky E. N. , Rozanov M. I. , Rushay V. D. , Ryabov E. V. , Safronov G. B. , Shaybonov B. A. , Shelepov M. D. , Šimkovic F. , Sirenko A. E. , Skurikhin A. V. , Solovjev A. G. , Sorokovikov M. N. , Štekl I. , Stromakov A. P. , Sushenok E. O. , Suvorova O. V. , Tabolenko V. A. , Tarashansky B. A. , Yablokova Y. V. , Yakovlev S. A. , Zaborov D. N. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThe Baikal Gigaton Volume Detector (Baikal-GVD) is a km$$^3$$

3

-scale neutrino detector currently under construction in Lake Baikal, Russia. The detector consists of several thousand optical sensors arranged on vertical strings, with 36 sensors per string. The strings are grouped into clusters of 8 strings each. Each cluster can operate as a stand-alone neutrino detector. The detector layout is optimized for the measurement of astrophysical neutrinos with energies of $$\sim $$
∼
100 TeV and above. Events resulting from charged current interactions of muon (anti-)neutrinos will have a track-like topology in Baikal-GVD. A fast $$\chi ^2$$

χ
2

-based reconstruction algorithm has been developed to reconstruct such track-like events. The algorithm has been applied to data collected in 2019 from the first five operational clusters of Baikal-GVD, resulting in observations of both downgoing atmospheric muons and upgoing atmospheric neutrinos. This serves as an important milestone towards experimental validation of the Baikal-GVD design. The analysis is limited to single-cluster data, favoring nearly-vertical tracks.
Creativity and common sense in writing and speaking
Authors: Yaffe Philip 
Published: November 2021

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.
A previous essay ("What Advertising Can Teach Us About Effective Writing and Speaking") posited what at first glance may have seemed to be a radical idea. And that is: However superficially it may appear, print advertising copy (text), which is designed to sell things, represents some of the best, most carefully constructed writing you will ever see. It must be, because to achieve its objective, advertising copy must say a world of things to the potential consumer in just a thimbleful of words. With this fundamental idea as a foundation, we can now explore this fruitful subject more deeply.
Merleau-Ponty, une phénoménologie au champagne
Authors: Giannotti José Arthur 
Published: November 2021

Neste texto, retraço o percurso do pensamento de Merleau-Ponty, sobretudo aquele organizado em torno da questão da linguagem, a fim de acompanhar a presença de opções teóricas que desembocam na impossibilidade de sua fenomenologia deparar-se efetivamente com o problema da crise da razão que, a meu ver se delineia com Heidegger e Wittgenstein e atravessa o século.