bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Healing Potential of Ibogaine through a Comparative and Interpretive Phenomenology of the Visionary Experience
Authors: Rodger James 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIbogaine is a hallucinogenic alkaloid, derived from Tabernanthe iboga, a plant unique to the rainforests of West Africa. Its traditional use as an epiphanic sacrament in local magico‐religious practice inspired its appropriation by Western drug addicts by whom it is now hailed as both a catalyst of psychospiritual insight and an effective alleviator of cravings and withdrawal. While scientific and early clinical studies confirm its role in reducing physical withdrawal and craving, debate continues concerning the significance of its “visionary” properties. An analysis of many addicts’ testimonies of recovery, however, places the visionary experience at center stage. I set out to understand mechanisms of transformation and healing, via a comparative phenomenological exploration of this experience, through the opposing lenses of psychoanalysis and cultural constructivism. I propose that at the heart of the healing encounter is a culturally shaped creative journey to an imaginal unspoilt state in personal or collective history. How this experience is recovered and integrated into life is critically considered. I argue a secular account is vital as the ibogaine scene strives toward social and medical legitimacy. If and how such a framework can sit alongside spontaneously emergent spiritual and religious idioms and experience will also be tentatively explored.
The Breakthrough Experience: DMT Hyperspace and its Liminal Aesthetics
Authors: St John Graham 
Published: March 2018

AbstractKnown to produce out‐of‐body states and profound changes in sensory perception, mood, and thought,DMT(N,N‐dimethyltryptamine) is a potent short‐lasting tryptamine that has experienced growing appeal in the last decade, independent from ayahuasca, the Amazonian visionary brew in which it is an integral ingredient. Investigating user reports available online as well as a variety of other sources consulted in extended cultural research, this article focuses on the “breakthrough” event commonly associated with theDMTtrance. TheDMTbreakthrough event coincides with significant revelatory outcomes associated with perceived contact with “entities” and the transmission of information often in the form of visual language. Examination of the breakthrough event offers insight on the liminal phenomenology ofDMTand other tryptamines, a liminality that is given primary expression in reported travels in “hyperspace.” The article examines user reports ofDMT“hyperspace” observing a transitional process that, unlike conventional passage rites, is private, individualized, internal, and “ritual like.” As an exploratory discussion of an under‐researched phenomenon, the article enters this virtual terrain through a discussion of the gnostic, therapeutic, and recreational modalities ofDMTuse, before exploring ritual‐like modes of transmission and concluding with comments on the ontological significance of theDMTtrance.
Issues facing families of infants discharged after cardiac surgery: the perceptions of charity helpline staff
Authors: Wray Jo , Tregay Jenifer , Bull Catherine , Knowles Rachel L. , Crowe Sonya , Brown Katherine 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAimTo elicit the perceptions of helpline staff who talk to parents of children discharged after cardiac surgery in infancy about parents’ key concerns.MethodsA qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with 10 staff at four heart charities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Framework analysis.ResultsStaff identified the knowledge, communication and support needs of parents which they described in terms of the impact of patient and family factors, sources of support and systems. Staff perceptions of helplines, in terms of the function of a helpline and the roles of its staff, together with staff's personal views based on their experience of multiple encounters with many families, influenced how they viewed families’ needs and responded to their requests.ConclusionHelpline staff provided important, previously uncaptured evidence about the challenges faced by parents of children discharged after cardiac surgery in infancy. Staff have an important role in supporting communication, in terms of speaking to families about how to talk to professionals and talking to professionals directly to get or give information when parents are unable to do so. Capturing the perspective of helpline staff about communication issues has highlighted the need for interventions with professionals as well as parents.
Multicentre emergency department study found that paracetamol and ibuprofen were inappropriately used in 83% and 63% of paediatric cases
Authors: Benini Franca , Castagno Emanuele , Barbi Egidio , Congedi Sabrina , Urbino Antonio , Biban Paolo , Calistri Lucia , Mancusi Rossella Letizia 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAimThe Pain Practice in Italian Paediatric Emergency Departments assessed how appropriately analgesic drugs were being used by Italian clinicians, based on national paediatric pain guidelines.MethodsThis was a retrospective study that involved 17 Italian members of the Pain In Pediatric Emergency Rooms group. It comprised patients up to the age of 14 years who came to hospital emergency departments with pain and were treated with paracetamol, ibuprofen or opioids, such as codeine, tramadol and morphine.ResultsWe studied 1471 patients who were given 1593 doses of analgesics. The median time to administration of analgesia was 25 minutes. Opioids were used in 13.5% of the children, and usage increased with age and with more severe clinical conditions, such as trauma: 1.6% of children under two years, 5.9% aged 3–10 and 8.0% aged 11–14. Inappropriate doses of paracetamol, ibuprofen and opioids were used in 83%, 63% and 33% of cases, respectively. The patient's age was a critical determinant of the correct analgesic dosage; for every one‐year increase in the patient's age, the probability of appropriate prescriptions rose 14.8%.ConclusionThe appropriate use of paracetamol and ibuprofen for paediatric pain in Italian emergency departments was very poor, but improved with age.
Exposure of Nursed Infants to Maternal Treatment with Ethambutol and Rifampicin
Authors: Partosch Falko , Mielke Hans , Stahlmann Ralf , Gundert‐Remy Ursula 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMycobacterial diseases remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rifampicin and ethambutol are among the drugs recommended by WHO as first‐line treatment. In this work, we addressed the question whether doses of the two anti‐tuberculosis agents ethambutol and rifampicin transferred to a nursed infant could be of health concerns when the mother is under treatment. We used the approach of pharmacokinetic modelling using a structural model with two interconnected organisms: the first one being the organism of the nursing mother and the second one being the organism of the nursed child. Physiological data were taken from the literature. The models were parameterised by data from the literature concerning clearance, absorption and plasma/milk ratio. Distribution into the tissues was calculated by an algorithm. The predictive power of the model was tested by comparing the predicted plasma concentrations in the mothers with measured data from the literature. Comparison with measured data after direct infant treatment was performed for the rifampicin plasma concentrations predicted in the nursed infant. Both comparisons confirmed the appropriateness of the modelling results. The transfer of 0.08 mg/kg bw/day ethambutol via breast milk to the nursed infant, the dose we have estimated, when the mother received a therapeutic dose of 24.5 mg/kg bw, can be judged as being without health concern. Likewise, for rifampicin, the transferred dose of 0.4 mg/kg bw to the nursed infant resulting from a therapeutic dose of 10.9 mg/kg bw to the mother does not raise health concerns.
ABCB1 Variation Affects Myelosuppression, Progression‐free Survival and Overall Survival in Paclitaxel/Carboplatin‐treated Ovarian Cancer Patients
Authors: Björn Niclas , Jakobsen Falk Ingrid , Vergote Ignace , Gréen Henrik 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe standard chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is paclitaxel/carboplatin. Patients often exhibit myelosuppressive toxicity, and the treatment response varies considerably. In this study, we investigated the previously reported SNPs 1199G>A (rs2229109), 1236C>T (rs1128503), 2677G>T/A (rs2032582), 3435C>T (rs1045642) in ABCB1, and 1196A>G (rs10509681) in CYP2C8 and their association with treatment‐induced myelosuppression, progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). From the phase III study, OAS‐07OVA, 525 patients (All) treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel administered as Paclical (Arm A, n = 260) or Taxol® (Arm B, n = 265) were included and genotyped using pyrosequencing. Genotype associations with myelosuppression, PFS and OS were investigated using anova, Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models. The most prominent finding was for the ABCB1 variant 3435TT, which was significantly associated with increased PFS in All (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.623), in Arm A (HR = 0.590) and in Arm B (HR = 0.627), as well as increased OS in All (HR = 0.443) and in Arm A (HR = 0.372) compared to the wild‐type, 3435CC. For toxicity, the most interesting finding concerned the haplotype, including 1236TT, 2677TT and 3435TT, which was associated with higher neutrophil values in Arm B (p = 0.039) and less neutrophil decrease in All (p = 0.048) and in Arm B (p = 0.021). It is noteworthy that the results varied depending on the treatment arm which indicates that the effects of ABCB1 variants vary with the treatment regimen. Our results reflect the contradictory results of previous studies, confirming that small variations in the composition of treatment regimens and patient populations may influence the interpretation of SNPs effects on treatment outcome.
Statins do not Increase the Rate of Bleeding Among Warfarin Users
Authors: Korhonen Maarit Jaana , Tiittanen Pekka , Kastarinen Helena , Helin‐Salmivaara Arja , Hauta‐aho Milka , Rikala Maria , Huupponen Risto 
Published: March 2018

AbstractClinical significance of potential interaction between warfarin and statins is unclear. Our objective was to determine whether use of statins as a class or use of simvastatin modulates the rate of bleeding requiring hospitalization among new warfarin users. Using Finnish healthcare databases, we identified a cohort of 101,588 warfarin initiators between 1 January 2009 and 30 June 2012. By the end of 2012, these patients accumulated 92,695 person‐years of exposure to warfarin‐only and 60,253 years of exposure to warfarin‐with‐statin. The outcome was a composite of gastrointestinal, intracranial or other bleeding leading to hospitalization. A Poisson generalized estimating equation model was employed to estimate rate ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for exposure to warfarin‐with‐statin compared to warfarin‐only and to allow multiple episodes per patient and time‐dependent covariates. In multivariable models, we found no difference in the bleeding rate in association with exposure to any statin (multivariable‐adjusted RR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.89–1.07) or to simvastatin (RR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.91–1.11) with warfarin compared to exposure to warfarin‐only. We conclude that concomitant use of statins and warfarin was not associated with an increased rate of bleeding requiring hospitalization.
Co‐producing accountability? Drawing conclusions from non‐profit child care services in Manitoba
Authors: Levasseur Karine 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis article uses a case study of non‐profit child care in Manitoba to explore whether accountability is co‐produced. Co‐production is not a new concept, but is gaining attention particularly in Europe. Co‐production involves citizens directly in the development or delivery of public goods alongside government. Through key informant interviews with parents, non‐profit organizations and government officials, this article argues that accountability is not co‐produced because citizen co‐producers are overly burdened with a disproportionate share of risk and responsibility compared to government co‐producers with minimal support.
Have reducing tonsillectomy rates in England led to increasing incidence of invasive Group A Streptococcus infections in children?
Authors: Banigo A. , Moinie A. , Bleach N. , Chand M. , Chalker V. , Lamagni T. 
Published: March 2018

ObjectivesTo determine whether there is a correlation between falling tonsillectomy numbers and increasing numbers of tonsillitis admissions and invasive Group A β‐haemolytic streptococcus (iGAS) infection in children aged 14 and under in England.DesignAn observational cross‐sectional study was performed.SettingThe data extracted covered the period from 1991 until 2014.ParticipantsHospital admissions for tonsillectomies, tonsillitis/pharyngitis and all diagnoses of iGAS in children aged 14 and under who had a tonsillectomy.Main outcome measuresCorrelation between trends in tonsillectomies, tonsillitis/pharyngitis and iGAS.ResultsAcross all age groups, there was a dramatic reduction in the total number of tonsillectomies performed in England from 28 309 in 1990/1991, down to 6327 in 2013/2014 (77.7% reduction). The numbers of hospital admissions for management of acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis have risen dramatically. iGAS numbers have increased steadily over this time period and more than doubled in children aged 14 and under. There are significant negative correlations between the trend in iGAS infections and numbers of tonsillectomies in all ages. There are also strong positive correlations between the trend in numbers of tonsillitis episodes and the number of iGAS infections in all under 14‐year groups; the strongest correlation was seen in the 1‐ to 4‐year age group (+0.92 Pearson correlation coefficient).ConclusionsThere appears to be a correlation between falling tonsillectomy numbers, increasing hospital admissions with tonsillitis and rising iGAS infection in England. Further studies are required to assess the aetiological role of tonsillitis in predisposing to iGAS infection and the potential societal benefit of tonsillectomies.
The farming ant Sericomyrmex amabilis nutritionally manages its fungal symbiont and its social parasite
Authors: Shik Jonathan Z. , Concilio Angelo , Kaae Thomas , Adams Rachelle M. M. 
Published: March 2018

1. When parasites exploit mutualisms involving food exchange, they can destabilise the partnership with costs to interacting partners. For instance, the ant Sericomyrmex amabilis farms fungal symbionts to produce food, but, in so doing, attracts parasitic Megalomyrmex symmetochus guest ants that infiltrate fungus‐farming ant societies and live with their hosts their entire lives.2. The present study examined whether host foraging in parasitised colonies shifts towards nutritional requirements of the parasitic guest ants as inferred from the parasite's elemental content (%C, %N, and C:N).3. Laboratory feeding experiments with nutritionally defined diets indicated that S. amabilis ants harvest protein‐biased substrate, and more total substrate when hosting M. symmetochus relative to when provisioning their fungus gardens and nestmates.4. Field surveys further showed that parasitised colonies incur reductions in fungus garden nutritional quality and quantity, brood mass, and host worker body condition. And yet these costs appear manageable across growing seasons, as parasitised fungal cultivars appear to provide sufficient nutrition for stable populations of host ants.5. The approach developed here shows how behavioural strategies for nutrient regulation can extend beyond the needs of the individual to entire fungus‐farming systems, and implies that S. amabilis dynamically adjusts collective foraging strategies when parasitised to enhance long‐term symbiotic stability.
T‐cell lymphomas associated gene expression signature: Bioinformatics analysis based on gene expression Omnibus
Authors: Zhou Lei‐lei , Xu Xiao‐yue , Ni Jie , Zhao Xia , Zhou Jian‐wei , Feng Ji‐feng 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectivesDue to the low incidence and the heterogeneity of subtypes, the biological process of T‐cell lymphomas is largely unknown. Although many genes have been detected in T‐cell lymphomas, the role of these genes in biological process of T‐cell lymphomas was not further analyzed.MethodsTwo qualified datasets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The biological functions of differentially expressed genes were evaluated by gene ontology enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. The network for intersection genes was constructed by the cytoscape v3.0 software. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves and log‐rank test were employed to assess the association between differentially expressed genes and clinical characters.ResultsThe intersection mRNAs were proved to be associated with fundamental processes of T‐cell lymphoma cells. These intersection mRNAs were involved in the activation of some cancer‐related pathways, including PI3K/AKT, Ras, JAK‐STAT, and NF‐kappa B signaling pathway. PDGFRA, CXCL12, and CCL19 were the most significant central genes in the signal‐net analysis. The results of survival analysis are not entirely credible.ConclusionsOur findings uncovered aberrantly expressed genes and a complex RNA signal network in T‐cell lymphomas and indicated cancer‐related pathways involved in disease initiation and progression, providing a new insight for biotargeted therapy in T‐cell lymphomas.
Impact of hemophilia B on quality of life in affected men, women, and caregivers—Assessment of patient‐reported outcomes in the B‐HERO‐S study
Authors: Buckner Tyler W. , Witkop Michelle , Guelcher Christine , Sidonio Robert , Kessler Craig M. , Clark David B. , Owens Wendy , Frick Neil , Iyer Neeraj N. , Cooper David L. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIntroductionHealth‐related quality of life (HRQoL) is impaired in patients with hemophilia; however, the impact in mild/moderate hemophilia B and affected women is not well characterized.ObjectiveTo evaluate factors that affect HRQoL in adults with hemophilia B and caregivers of affected children.MethodsUS adult patients and caregivers of affected children completed distinct ~1‐hour online surveys including patient‐reported outcome instruments.ResultsIn total, 299 adult patients and 150 caregivers participated. Adults with moderate hemophilia reported poorer health status (median EQ‐5D‐5L index score, 0.63) than those with mild (0.73) or severe (0.74) hemophilia. Women reported greater pain severity than men on the Brief Pain Inventory v2 Short Form (median, 7.00 vs 5.00). Based on the Patient Health Questionnaire, mild or worse depression was observed in >50% of adult respondents, and depression was reported more often in those with moderate and severe hemophilia vs those with mild hemophilia. Most caregivers reported at least mild depression.ConclusionPain, functional impairment, and depression/anxiety are present at higher‐than‐expected levels in individuals with hemophilia B. The large proportion of individuals with mild/moderate hemophilia and women with reduced health status suggests significant unmet needs in this population.
Being Single in India: Gendered Identities, Class Mobilities, and Personhoods in Flux
Authors: Lamb Sarah 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis article explores the stories of single women living in the urban metropolis of Kolkata, and in smaller towns and villages of West Bengal, as a means to illuminate emerging possibilities and constraints of selfhood for women in contemporary India. In so doing, the piece examines the ways gendered identities intersect with other forces and ideals at stake, including the institution of heterosexual marriage, class mobilities, and values surrounding individualist versus relational personhood. Because they are positioned outside the norm, those who live singly offer an unusually insightful perspective on their wider society's values and institutions. In these ways, the narratives of three single women and others each illuminate their tellers’ intricate subjectivities as well as offer broader social‐cultural critique. Their stories reveal the ambiguity, painful consequences, and sometimes hopefulness surrounding the “choice” to be single for women and suggest that social recognition and belonging are even more important than independence and true singlehood in the lives of those who live outside marriage in India. [belonging, class, gender, self, sexuality, marriage]
Precarity, Imagination, and the Mobile Life of the ‘Trailing Spouse’
Authors: Cangià Flavia 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis article investigates the experiences of mobility and work transition for some “trailing spouses” following their partners in professional overseas assignments. It draws upon in‐depth interviews conducted in Switzerland both with female and male accompanying spouses, in order to illustrate some aspects characterizing the subjective experience of precarity for these people living a mobile life, when career trajectories and occupational identities are interrupted, unstable, or altogether reimagined. The meaning of “precarity” will be discussed from a combined sociocultural psychological and anthropological perspective, through a look at the socioemotional relations involved and at the role of imagination. [trailing spouses, precarity, gender, imagination]
Confucianism, openness to the West, and corporate investment efficiency
Authors: Chen Lei , Jin Zhi , Ma Yongqiang , Xu Hui 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis study presents robust findings that Confucianism significantly improves investment efficiency of Chinese listed firms and that the improvement is achieved through decreasing overinvestment without inducing underinvestment. Financial reporting quality is found to be an important mechanism for the disciplinary effect of Confucianism to work. More importantly, we provide strong and consistent evidence that openness to the West neutralizes the role of the Confucianism in overinvestment. Against the backdrop of globalization, this paper offers valuable references to emerging markets that experience intensive interactions with developed economies.