bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acculturation and Subsequent Oral Health Problems Among Foreign-Born Older Chinese Americans: Does Neighborhood Disorder Matter?
Authors: Mao Weiyu , Wu Bei , Chi Iris , Yang Wei , Dong XinQi 
Published: May 2021

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between acculturation and subsequent oral health problems in older Chinese Americans and to further test the moderating role of neighborhood disorder in such a relationship. Methods: The working sample included 2,706 foreign-born community-dwelling older Chinese Americans aged 60 years or older who participated in the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago at baseline between 2011 and 2013 and the 2-year follow-up between 2013 and 2015. Stepwise Poisson regressions with lagged dependent variable were conducted. Results: Behavioral acculturation was protective against subsequent oral health problems, and the protective role was stronger among individuals reporting lower levels of neighborhood disorder. Residence in Chinatown was associated with an increase in the risk of subsequent oral health problems. Discussion: To reduce oral health symptoms and related burdens, it is important to consider, in practice and policy, the role of acculturation and the neighborhood on subsequent oral health outcomes.
Early, integrated palliative rehabilitation improves quality of life of patients with newly diagnosed advanced cancer: The Pal-Rehab randomized controlled trial
Authors: Nottelmann Lise , Groenvold Mogens , Vejlgaard Tove Bahn , Petersen Morten Aagaard , Jensen Lars Henrik 
Published: May 2021

Background: Early integration of palliative care into oncology treatment is widely recommended. Palliative rehabilitation has been suggested as a paradigm which integrates enablement, self-management, and self-care into the holistic model of palliative care. Aim: We hypothesized that early integration of palliative rehabilitation could improve quality of life. Design: The Pal-Rehab study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02332317) was a randomized controlled trial. The 12-week intervention offered by a specialized palliative care team was two mandatory consultations and the opportunity of participating in an interdisciplinary group program. Supplementary individual consultations were offered, if needed. Setting/participants: At Vejle University Hospital, Denmark, adults diagnosed with advanced cancer within the last 8 weeks were randomized 1:1 to standard oncology care or standard care plus intervention. Assessments at baseline and after six and 12 weeks were based on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). At baseline participants were asked to choose a “primary problem” from a list of QLQ-C30 domains. The primary endpoint was the change in that “primary problem” measured as area under the curve across 12 weeks ( T-scores, European mean value = 50, SD = 10). Results: In all, 288 were randomized of whom 279 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis (146 in the standard care group and 133 in the intervention group). The between-group difference for the primary outcome was 3.0 (95% CI [0.0–6.0]; p = 0.047) favoring the intervention. Conclusion: Early integration of palliative rehabilitation into standard oncology treatment improved quality of life for newly diagnosed advanced cancer patients. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02332317, registered on December 30, 2014.
Dose selection for fremanezumab (AJOVY) phase 3 pediatric migraine studies using pharmacokinetic data from a pediatric phase 1 study and a population pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation approach
Authors: Cohen-Barak Orit , Radivojevic Andrijana , Jones Aksana , Fiedler-Kelly Jill , Gillespie Michael , Brennan Michael , Gutman Dikla , Rasamoelisolo Michele , Hallak Hussein , Loupe Pippa , Kessler Yoel , Ning Xiaoping , Levi Micha , Ahn Andrew H , Rabinovich-Guilatt Laura 
Published: May 2021

Background Potential fremanezumab doses for pediatric patients were evaluated using pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation. An open-label phase 1 pharmacokinetic and safety study was conducted in pediatric patients with migraine. This study’s results together with refinement of the adult population pharmacokinetic model were used to determine fremanezumab dose recommendations for phase 3 pediatric studies. Methods Initial application of the adult model suggested that a 75 mg dose in pediatric patients would match exposures determined safe and efficacious in adults; thus, in the phase 1 study, 15 patients, aged 6–11 years and weighing 17–45 kg received a single subcutaneous 75 mg fremanezumab dose. The sparse pharmacokinetic data collected were used to refine the adult model and simulate concentration-time profiles for monthly subcutaneous doses (60 to 225 mg) in a virtual pediatric population. Results In the phase 1 pediatric study, the safety profile was similar to that of adults. A two-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination and body weight effects on clearance and central volume was found to adequately describe the pediatric pharmacokinetic data. Conclusions Using exposure matching to the effective adult fremanezumab dose (225 mg subcutaneous monthly), modeling and simulations predict recommended dose of 120 mg in pediatric patients weighing < 45 kg. Registration: The phase 1 study of this report is registered at EudraCT with the identifier 2018-000734-35.
Mortality, hospitalization and transfer to haemodialysis and hybrid therapy, in Japanese peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Kawanishi Hideki , Marshall Mark R , Zhao Junhui , McCullough Keith , Robinson Bruce , Pisoni Ronald L , Perl Jeffrey , Tomo Tadashi , Minakuchi Jun ,   The Japan PDOPPS Study Committee
Published: May 2021

Background and objectives: Survival of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in Japan is high, but few reports exist on cause-specific mortality, transfer to haemodialysis (HD) or hybrid dialysis and hospitalisation risks. We aimed to identify reasons for transfer to HD, hybrid dialysis and hospitalisation in the Japan Peritoneal Dialysis and Outcomes Practice Patterns Study. Methods: This observational study included 808 adult PD patients across 31 facilities in Japan in 2014–2017. Information on all-cause and cause-specific mortality and hospitalisation and permanent transfer to HD and PD/HD hybrid therapy were prospectively collected and rates calculated. Results: Median follow-up time was 1.66 years where 162 patients transferred to HD, 79 transferred to hybrid dialysis and 74 patients died. All-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality rates were 5.1 and 1.7 deaths/100 patient-years, respectively. Rates of transfer to HD and hybrid therapy were 11.2 and 5.5 transfers/100 patient-years, respectively. Among HD transfers, 40% were due to infection (including peritonitis), while 20% were due to inadequate solute/water clearance. Eighty-one percent of hybrid dialysis transfers were due to inadequate solute/water clearance. All--cause, peritonitis-related and CVD-related hospitalisation rates were 120.4, 21.1 and 15.6/100 patient-years, respectively. Median hospital length of stay was 19 days. Conclusions: Mortality, hospitalisation and transfer to HD/hybrid dialysis rates are relatively low in Japan compared to many other countries with hybrid transfers, accounting for one-third of dialysis transfers from PD. Further study is needed to explain the high inter-facility variation in hospitalisation rates and how to further reduce hospitalisation rates for Japanese PD patients.
Glycemic Variability With Insulin Glargine Versus Detemir in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetes
Authors: George Jamie , Giuliano Christopher A. , Hartner Carrie L. 
Published: May 2021

Background: Prior research has demonstrated increased mortality with increasing glycemic variability (GV) in hospitalized patients with diabetes. Objective: We aimed to compare glycemic variability (GV) of insulin glargine to detemir in the inpatient setting. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, cohort study evaluated noncritically ill patients with diabetes on long-acting insulin at a large academic medical institution between 2010 and 2017. This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board. The formulary transitioned from insulin glargine to detemir in December 2013; therefore, patients were compared before and after transition. The primary endpoint was to compare coefficient of variation (CV), a measure of GV, between detemir and glargine. Secondary endpoints included GV measured by standard deviation (SD), CV within 72 hours of long-acting insulin initiation, length-of-stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality, and comparison between subgroups. Results: 2334 patients were included in the study, and there were 1167 in each group. CV was significantly less variable with detemir compared to glargine (33.7% versus 34.8%, difference = 1.09, p = 0.02) and remained significant after controlling for confounders. Similarly, SD was significantly less with detemir (p = 0.048). CV within 72 hours, LOS, and in-hospital mortality were not statistically different. Lastly, GV was higher in medical patients compared to surgical. Conclusion: Insulin detemir exhibited less GV than insulin glargine, although the small difference is unlikely to be clinically significant. Application of this data will aid in formulary decisions and support the use of either agent within the hospital setting.
Inside the Human Rights Ministry of Burkina Faso: How professionalised civil servants shape governmental human rights focal points
Authors: Lorion Sébastien 
Published: May 2021

The human rights professionalisation of civil servants has emerged as a core dimension of governmental human rights focal points (GHRFPs), notably in the 2016 OHCHR’s guide on ‘national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up’. The article investigates this dimension and warns that the role of civil servants is indeed pivotal to human rights compliance strategies but plays out in complex ways. Reflecting on an ethnographic journey within the Human Rights Ministry of Burkina Faso, the article shows how professionalised civil servants fall short of triggering the intended change. It debunks key mechanisms through which agents translate acquired skills and shape GHRFPs’ performance as sites of human rights localisation and coordination. Such ‘deviations’ should not be construed only as local pathologies: they are unintentionally nurtured by international guidance, support and oversight systems. The article calls for a renewed approach to human rights professionalisation, that would recognise – possibly resolve – the unaccounted yet crucial tension between agents’ values and neutral ideal-types for efficient bureaucracies.
Robust backstepping attitude tracking control of an underactuated spacecraft with saturation and time-variant perturbations
Authors: Nadafi Reza , Kabganian Mansour 
Published: May 2021

This study investigated associations of attitude tracking control of an underactuated spacecraft with consideration of saturation and perturbations. A nonsingular attitude tracking control was proposed which did not need limiting initial conditions of the quaternions. The controller was analyzed based on Lyapunov criteria and LaSalle’s invariance theorem in the large-angle maneuver. In order to control, the complete kinematic and dynamic model of the underactuated spacecraft was reconstructed. According to simulation results, our controller has excellent robustness against the hard saturation, external disturbances, time-varying inertia uncertainties, and internal disturbances of actuators. As result, we found that the attitude controller was asymptotically stable under the soft saturation and the perturbations so that quaternions and angular velocity converged to the desired path within the 80 s. Also, it was still asymptotic stable under the hard saturation whose level is equal to 0.035 Nm, 3.5% of the soft saturation level. In this case, errors of quaternions and angular velocity were converged to the origin within the 150 s. Finally, the closed-loop system was verified by Adams-MATLAB co-simulation. The maximum verification errors for quaternions were less than 19%, while the maximum verification errors for angular velocity were less than 13.5%.
Palliative Referrals in Advanced Cancer Patients: Utilizing the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool and Rothman Index
Authors: Chan Abigail Sy , Rout Amit , ’Adamo Christopher R. D. , Lev Irina , Yu Amy , Miller Kenneth 
Published: May 2021

Background: Timely identification of palliative care needs can reduce hospitalizations and improve quality of life. The Supportive & Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) identifies patients with advanced medical conditions who may need special care planning. The Rothman Index (RI) detects patients at high risk of acutely decompensating in the inpatient setting. SPICT and RI among cancer patients were utilized in this study to evaluate their potential roles in palliative care referrals. Methods: Advanced cancer patients admitted to an institution in Baltimore, Maryland in 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, length of hospital stay (LOS), palliative care referrals, RI scores, and SPICT scores were obtained. Patients were divided into SPICT positive or negative and RI > 60 or RI < 60.Unpaired t-tests and chi-square tests were utilized to determine the associations between SPICT and RI and early palliative care needs and mortality. Results: 227 patients were included, with a mean age of 68 years, 63% Black, 59% female, with the majority having lung and GI malignancies. Sixty percent were SPICT +, 21% had RI < 60. SPICT + patients were more likely to have RI < 60 (p = 0.001). SPICT + and RI < 60 patients were more likely to have longer LOS, change in code status, more palliative/hospice referrals, and increased mortality (p <0.05). Conclusions: SPICT and RI are valuable tools in predicting mortality and palliative/hospice care referrals. These can also be utilized to initiate early palliative and goals of care discussions in patients with advanced cancer.
MTHFR 677T-1298C haplotype in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Impact on methotrexate therapy
Authors: Frikha Rim , Elloumi Moez , Rebai Tarek , Kamoun Hassen 
Published: May 2021

Introduction Functional variants of the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ( MTHFR) gene, the C677T and A1298C, have largely investigated in pharmacogenomics of Methotrexate (MTX) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), yet the conclusions are inconsistent. In addition; most of these studies do not analyze haplotypes. Here, we investigate the MTHFR 677/1298 genotypes and the 677-1298 haplotype and characterize the MTX response in Northern African ALL patients. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from whole venous from a total of 28 patients with ALL. Genotyping were carried out with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). A toxicity score (TS) is calculated for each patient and correlate to the haplotype. Results The allelic frequency of MTHFR 677T-1298C haplotype was 10.7% in ALL patients. According to the toxicity’s score (TS) there was no significant differences between haplotype groups (p = 0.79): TS was higher with wild type of MTHFR (TS = 3.43; SEM ± 0.85) followed by combined genotype (677T-1298C) (TS = 2.67; SEM ± 0.88) and isolated variant (C677T or A1298C) (TS = 2.64; SEM ± 0.92). Conclusion Despite the limitation of this study; our results suggest that the MTHFR 677T-1298C haplotype is common in ALL and may be a promising HD-MTX chemotherapy-related adverse effects biomarker.
Refinement of the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI) and development of the short-form FMPI
Authors: Enomoto Masataka , Lascelles B Duncan X , Robertson James B , Gruen Margaret E 
Published: May 2021

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and responsiveness of the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI) using the collective results of multiple clinical studies and iteratively refine the FMPI for future use. Methods Data were compiled from previously conducted studies involving client-owned cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD) and which used the FMPI. The reliability of the FMPI was assessed using the data from the initial visits of those studies. For the assessment of responsiveness of the FMPI, only placebo-controlled studies that used analgesic treatments were included. Treatment groups from each study were combined and categorized as ‘placebo’ group and ‘analgesic’ group. Then, the mean change from baseline in score of each FMPI item and across all items within and between these groups were assessed. Based on the results of the reliability and responsiveness of the FMPI, stepwise elimination was used to remove the items that were least able to distinguish between the placebo and analgesic groups. Finally, after the stepwise elimination, a proposed new FMPI-short form (FMPI-sf) was constructed and its reliability was reassessed using the data sets described above. Individual and combined data sets of the studies were also used to compare the responsiveness of the original FMPI and the FMPI-sf. Results The data from 180 cats from four studies were included. The original FMPI had a reasonable reliability, but low/no responsiveness. The elimination process of FMPI items refined the responsiveness of the instrument while maintaining its reliability. When the responsiveness was compared between the original FMPI (17 items) and the FMPI-sf (nine items), the treatment effect between groups was always greater when the FMPI-sf was used. Conclusions and relevance The proposed FMPI-sf may be able to better distinguish between placebo and analgesic effects in cats with DJD.
Language experience, cognitive skills, and English and Spanish semantic abilities in bilingual children with typical development and language impairments
Authors: King Marika , Lim Nicole , Romski MaryAnn 
Published: May 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between language experience, nonverbal cognitive abilities, and English and Spanish semantics skills in 4–6 year-old bilingual children with typical development compared to bilingual children with language impairments (LIs). Methodology: Participants were 57 Spanish–English bilingual children (ages 4:0–6:11) with typical development ( n = 35) or LIs ( n = 22). Parents provided demographic information and detailed information about their child’s language input (exposure) and output (use). Children’s nonverbal intelligence quotient and processing speed abilities and English and Spanish semantic abilities (SAs) were measured using standardized assessments. Data and Analysis: Nonparametric statistical analyses were used to examine relationships between variables across two groups (children with typical development and children with LIs) and across Spanish and English semantic skills. Findings: Processing speed showed a significant, moderate correlation with Spanish and English semantic abilities in both groups; however, language experience variables showed weak, non-significant associations with SAs. Originality: This study is the first to investigate the relationships between both language experience factors as well as nonverbal cognitive and processing skills and the SAs of bilingual children with typical development and LIs. Implications: This research furthers understanding of the environmental and child-internal influences on SAs in bilingual children with and without LIs.
Teriflunomide in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: outcomes by age and pre-treatment status
Authors: Kallmann Boris A. , Ries Stefan , Kullmann Jennifer S. , Quint Laura M. , Engelmann Ulrich , Chan Andrew 
Published: May 2021

Background and aims: To investigate effectiveness and safety of teriflunomide (14 mg once daily) in association with age and pre-treatment in unselected MS patients. Methods: Prespecified analysis of a non-interventional, prospective, real-world study in Germany. Results: A total of 558 (49.5%) patients were above 45 years old, and 593 patients (52.6%) had been pre-treated within 6 months prior to teriflunomide. Baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was higher with older age, with lower number of relapses. Relapse rate decreased in all age groups, and in both treatment-naïve (0.82 ± 0.73 at baseline; 0.25 ± 0.55 under teriflunomide) and pre-treated (from 0.48 ± 0.76; 0.22 ± 0.50) patients after 12 months compared with the year before teriflunomide initiation. EDSS remained stable in patients of all age groups as well as in therapy-naïve and pre-treated patients over 24 months. The percentage of patients with adverse events (AEs) ranged between 29.2% (age group >25–35) and 38.9% (age group >55–65), with an increased discontinuation rate (most commonly due to diarrhoea, alopecia and nausea) in the higher age groups. AE rates were lower in pre-treated compared with treatment-naïve patients. Conclusion: Overall, patients of all age groups including older patients, and irrespective of pre-treatment, benefit from teriflunomide treatment in routine clinical practice. Registration: BfArM public study database number 2075.
Is timing of superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) repair important? A cohort study evaluating the effect of the duration of symptoms prior to surgery on the outcomes of patients who underwent type II SLAP repair
Authors: Murphy Geoffrey T , Lam Patrick H , Murrell George AC 
Published: May 2021

Background The management of superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) tears is somewhat controversial. It is unclear if the length of time between symptom onset and surgery affects SLAP repair outcomes. Methods Sixty-one SLAP repairs were retrospectively reviewed pre-operatively and post-operatively at 1, 6, 24 weeks, and > 2 years post-surgery. Patients were allocated to an ‘early repair’ or ‘late repair’ group based on time between symptom onset and surgery. Results Of the 61 patients, 22 patients had surgery within six months of symptom onset. Pre-operatively, ‘late repair’ patients played a higher level of sport than ‘early repair’ patients prior to injury. Post-operatively, both groups had similar outcomes up to six months, though at six months ‘early repair’ patients reported a higher level of work than ‘late repair’ patients (p = 0.01). At > 2 years after surgery, ‘early repair’ patients had reduced pain and difficulty with overhead activities (p = 0.002), less stiffness (p = 0.001) and were more satisfied than ‘late repair’ patients (p = 0.04). Conclusions Up to six months post-operatively, the time between symptom onset and surgery has limited effect on functional outcomes. However, at > 2 years after surgery, earlier repairs ( < 6 months) are interestingly associated with better functional outcomes. Further studies are required to determine if this is a causal relationship.