bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic values of long noncoding RNA PVT1 in various carcinomas: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Xiao Meizhu , Feng Ying , Liu Chongdong , Zhang Zhenyu 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCancers have been a worldwide health problem with a high mortality rate, but ideal biomarkers are not available to effectively screen and diagnose patients. Currently, an increasing number of long noncoding RNAs have been reported to be abnormally expressed in human carcinomas and play a vital role in tumourigenesis. Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is upregulated in various carcinomas, and its overexpression is associated with poor survival in cancer patients. We conduct an updated meta‐analysis to determine its potential in prognosis for tumours. In total, 14 studies comprising 2435 patients were enrolled according to Reporting Recommendations for Tumour Marker Prognostic Studies guidelines. High PVT1 expression indicated poor overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.62‐2.42, P < 0.00001) and disease‐free survival (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.45‐1.84, P < 0.00001). Additionally, increased PVT1 expression was positively associated with lymphatic node metastasis (odd ratio [OR] = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.66‐4.96, P = 0.0002), distant metastasis (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.74‐3.50, P < 0.00001), advanced tumour‐node‐metastasis stages (OR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.38‐4.88, P = 0.003). New findings highlight that PVT1 acts as competing RNA to microRNAs to protect mRNAs from miRNAs repression. Therefore, we also discuss PVT1‐related microRNAs and their interaction in tumourigenesis. In conclusion, PVT1 may be a potential biomarker of poor prognosis for patients with different cancer types.
Is an artificial pancreas (closed‐loop system) for Type 1 diabetes effective?
Authors: Boughton C. K. , Hovorka R. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe artificial pancreas is now a viable treatment option for people with Type 1 diabetes and has demonstrated improved glycaemic outcomes while also reducing the onus of self‐management of Type 1 diabetes. Closed‐loop glucose‐responsive insulin delivery guided by real‐time sensor glucose readings can accommodate highly variable day‐to‐day insulin requirements and reduce the hypoglycaemia risk observed with tight glycaemic control in Type 1 diabetes. In 2011, the James Lind Alliance research priorities for Type 1 diabetes were produced and priority 3 was to establish whether an artificial pancreas (closed‐loop system) for Type 1 diabetes is effective. This review focuses on the progress that has been made in the evolution of closed‐loop systems as an effective treatment option for Type 1 diabetes. Development of closed‐loop systems has advanced from feasibility evaluations in highly supervised settings over short periods, to clinical studies in free‐living, unsupervised conditions lasting several months. The approval in the USA of the first hybrid closed‐loop system (MiniMed® 670G pump, Medtronic, Northridge, CA, USA) in 2016 for use in Type 1 diabetes reflects these advancements. We discuss the evidence from clinical studies that closed‐loop systems are effective with improved glycaemic outcomes, reduced hypoglycaemia and had positive end‐user acceptance in children, adolescents, adults and pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes. We also present the outlook for future closed‐loop systems in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes and identify the challenges facing the wide‐spread clinical adoption of this technology.
The economics of transition literature
Authors: Olofsgård Anders , Wachtel Paul , Becker Charles M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThis article is based on a panel discussion on the contribution of the economics of transition literature to the broader understanding of economic and social development. All panel participants have been working in the field for decades and made important contributions to this literature. The transition experience was a social experiment on a scale not seen before, and many lessons were learned that travel beyond the specific region. Important contributions in areas such as political economy, contract theory, and the sequencing and complementarity of reforms were discussed. It was concluded that there is little reason at this point to consider economics of transition and development economics as separate subfields as they share the same intellectual objective, and complement each other in our understanding of the development process.
Insight into epileptic and physiological déjà vu: from a multicentric cohort study
Authors: Labate A. , Baggetta R. , Trimboli M. , Tripepi G. , Bisulli F. , D'Aniello A. , Daniele O. , Di Bonaventura C. , Di Gennaro G. , Fattouch J. , Ferlazzo E. , Ferrari A. , Gasparini S. , Giallonardo A. , La Neve A. , Romigi A. , Sofia V. , Tinuper P. , Zummo L. , Aguglia U. , Gambardella A. 
Published: September 2018

Background and purposeThe presence of a continuum between physiological déjà vu (DV) and epileptic DV is still not known as well as epidemiological data in the Italian population. The aim was to identify the epidemiological distribution of DV in Italy, and secondly to look for specific features of DV able to discriminate between epileptic and non‐epileptic DV.MethodsIn all, 1000 individuals, 543 healthy controls (C) (313 women; age 40 ± 15 years) and 457 patients with epilepsy (E) (260 women; age 39 ± 14 years), were prospectively recruited from 10 outpatient neurological clinics throughout Italy. All populations were screened using the Italian Inventory for Déjà Vu Experiences Assessment (I‐IDEA) test and E and pairwise C underwent a comprehensive epilepsy interview.ResultsOf E, 69% stated that they experienced ‘recognition’ and 13.2% reported that this feeling occurred from a few times a month to at least weekly (versus 7.7% of the control group). Furthermore, a greater percentage of E (6.8% vs. 2.2%) reported that from a few times a month to at least weekly they felt that it seemed as though everything around was not real. In E, the feeling of recognition raised fright (22.3% vs. 13.2%) and a sense of oppression (19.4% vs. 9.4%). A fifth of E felt recognition during epileptic seizures.ConclusionOnly E regardless of aetiology firmly answered that they had the feeling of recognition during an epileptic seizure; thus question 14 of the I‐IDEA test part 2 discriminated E from C. Paranormal activity, remembering dreams and travel frequency were mostly correlated to DV in E suggesting that the visual–memory network might be involved in epileptic DV.
Is community social capital associated with subjective symptoms of dementia among older people? A cross‐sectional study in Japan
Authors: Murayama Hiroshi , Sugiyama Mika , Inagaki Hiroki , Okamura Tsuyoshi , Miyamae Fumiko , Ura Chiaki , Edahiro Ayako , Motokawa Keiko , Awata Shuichi 
Published: September 2018

AimMany studies have reported the preventive effects of community social capital on health outcomes, such as mortality and incidence of diseases. However, evidence on the association between community social capital and dementia‐related outcomes remains sparse. The present study examined the contextual association of social capital with subjective symptoms of dementia among community‐dwelling older adults in Japan, using a population‐based, large‐scale questionnaire survey.MethodsData were used from a cross‐sectional survey for all community‐dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years in Adachi Ward, Tokyo (n = 132 005). Subjective dementia symptoms were assessed using a self‐administered dementia checklist, which was validated by the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. Social capital was assessed by neighborhood cohesion (neighborhood trust, neighborhood attachment and sense of belonging to the neighborhood) and neighborhood network (i.e. social relationships with neighbors). Individual responses from each district were aggregated to create indicators of district‐level social capital.ResultsA total of 75 338 questionnaires were analyzed (covering 260 districts). The average age of participants was 73.8 ± 6.0 years (45.0% men). A multilevel binomial logistic regression analysis by sex showed that a denser neighborhood network in a district was associated with a lower likelihood of subjective dementia symptoms (odds ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.83–0.96) among women. No association was found for men between district‐level social capital and subjective dementia symptoms.ConclusionsFostering structural aspects of social capital in a community is a potential dementia‐prevention strategy, and policymakers should focus on such community‐based approaches as well as on approaches that target individuals. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1537–1542.
Coronary artery calcium and intima‐media thickness are associated with level of cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G in HIV‐infected patients
Authors: Knudsen A , Kristoffersen US , Panum I , Hansen YB , Skottrup PD , Hasbak P , Kjaer A , Lebech A‐M 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCoinfection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be involved in cardiovascular disease in HIV‐infected patients. We found that higher level of CMV immunoglobulin G (IgG) was independently associated with an increased risk of coronary artery calcium and higher intima‐media thickness in HIV‐infected patients but not in healthy controls after adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors and levels of herpes viridae IgG.
Mammalian meat allergy
Authors: Wong Xin L. , Sebaratnam Deshan F. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMammalian meat allergy is an allergic reaction mediated by IgE antibodies directed against the mammalian oligosaccharide epitope galactose‐α‐1,3‐galactose. Clinically, it is characterized by a range of symptoms including urticaria, angioedema, gastroenteritis, and anaphylaxis hours following ingestion of red meat. It is an emergent allergy in tick endemic areas across the world. As a recently described disease with a cutaneous presentation, dermatologists should be familiar with this entity and recognize it as a differential diagnosis for urticarial and anaphylaxis reactions.
Phenoloxidases are required for the pea aphid's defence against bacterial and fungal infection
Authors: Xu L. , Ma L. , Wang W. , Li L. , Lu Z. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, has an incomplete immune system compared to those of other insect species; some conserved components and pathways in other species are missing in its genome. As a core component of the insect immune system, prophenoloxidase (PPO) genes are retained in the pea aphid. Early studies have also shown the presence of phenoloxidase activity in specific tissues or cells in the pea aphid and suggested its involvement in response to immune challenges. In this study, we knocked down the expression of PPO genes in the pea aphid using double‐stranded RNA‐based interference, and quantitative PCR analysis and an enzyme activity assay confirmed our success in the PPO gene knockdown. In bacterial and fungal infection experiments, we observed that the knockdown of PPO resulted in more live bacterial cells and fungal spores in the body of the aphids and higher mortality of the aphids after infection. Our study provides evidence supporting a critical role of PPO in the defence of the pea aphid.
Phosphate nephropathy: an avoidable complication of bowel preparation for colonoscopy
Authors: Davies Matthew R. P. , Williams David , Niewiadomski Olga D. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIt is known that oral sodium phosphate, used as bowel preparation for colonoscopy, can cause acute phosphate nephropathy, a potentially severe and irreversible form of acute kidney injury. Due to these safety concerns, guidelines have advised against the routine use of this agent for a decade. We present a case report and biopsy series that demonstrate that oral sodium phosphate is still being used and that cases of APN are still occurring, in Australia.
A review of the hours dedicated to oral health education in medical programmes across Australia
Authors: Abbott Bronwyn , Zybutz Cian , Scott Karen M. , Eberhard Joerg , Widmer Richard 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBackgroundOral health is an important predictor for general health, and poor oral health is interrelated with the manifestations of systemic disease.AimTo determine the extent of oral health education in medical schools across Australia.MethodsA survey of Australian medical schools was conducted (September 2013 to June 2014). Participants were administrators and curricula coordinators of medical programmes. The main outcome measures were teaching hours of specific areas of oral health education. Data were descriptively analysed.ResultsParticipants from 8 of 18 universities responded to the questionnaire. The total hours dedicated to oral health in the medical programmes were: zero in one school; less than 2 h in three schools, 6–10 h in three schools and 30 h in one school. Only four schools taught the correlation between oral health and overall health, two schools taught about dental diseases (caries and periodontal disease), three schools taught dental trauma management and six schools taught oral anatomy. Only five schools taught about oral cancer: two of these taught about cancer for 10–15 min. No school reported hands‐on training in an oral health setting.ConclusionsThe results indicate that Australian medical school graduates have little, if any, foundational knowledge of oral health (dental caries, bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease, oral cancer and dental emergencies). The recognition of poor oral health plays a significant part in the early detection and care of chronic diseases. The teaching of fundamental oral health to medical students is crucial and should be integrated into medical school curricula.
Australian driving restrictions: how well do neurologists know them?
Authors: Caruana Patricia , Hughes Andrew R. , Lea Rodney A. , Lueck Christian J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractDriving regulations are complex, particularly for neurological conditions, but accurate application of restrictions is important. This study was designed to investigate knowledge of the Austroads guidelines in medical students, neurological trainees and consultant neurologists using a questionnaire addressing both private and commercial licence restrictions related to five common neurological conditions, namely transient ischaemic attack (TIA), vasovagal episode, unwitnessed blackout, first epileptic seizure and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. In total, 118 of the 120 returned responses could be analysed. Overall, 50% of all responses were correct. Respondents performed better for private than commercial licences, and consultants performed better than trainees and students. The highest proportion of correct answers was seen for vasovagal attack, and the lowest for TIA. In summary, knowledge of driving restrictions was relatively poor, and regular consultation of the guidelines is recommended. A larger study is warranted and increased education at both medical school and postgraduate levels should be considered.
Multiple discrimination and intersectionality: issues of equality and liberty
Authors: Mercat‐Bruns Marie 
Published: September 2018

AbstractKimberle Crenshaw was the first to identify the challenges of intersectional claims in law. On the European level, the term most often used is multiple discrimination. After 50 years of implementation of civil rights legislation, the United States offers a unique critique of the scope and the limits of anti‐discrimination law. The interpretation of concepts like disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination in employment reveals the complexity of individual and systemic discrimination. American empirical studies of the grounds of discrimination reflect issues of equality and liberty. The transatlantic comparison allows us to revisit the analysis of the intersections between forms or systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination in law from a different standpoint in Europe.
Impact of using interactive devices in Spanish early childhood education public schools
Authors: Martín Estefanía , Roldán‐Alvarez David , Haya Pablo A. , Fernández‐Gaullés Cristina , Guzmán Cristian , Quintanar Hermelinda 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe adoption of Information and Communication Technologies in early childhood education is crucial for adapting traditional classrooms to the digital era. Over time, young children are increasingly using touch screen technologies such as tablets at home and in early childhood settings. However, the literature shows that there is a significant gap in knowledge of using this technology in early childhood education. Most researchers have focused on the pedagogical theory behind using touch screen devices, but there have not been many empirical studies about how these technologies affect students' learning processes. This paper presents three learning experiences where early childhood students perform educational activities using tablet computers, interactive whiteboards, and paper cards. The results show that students who used the technology were more motivated and achieved better results that those who used paper cards.
Multiplex polymerase chain reaction detection of Shiga toxin genes and antibiotic sensitivity of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from beef meat in Quetta, Pakistan
Authors: Samad Abdul , Abbas Ferhat , Ahmad Zafar , Tanveer Zunera , Ahmad Irshad , Patching Simon G. , Nawaz Nighat , Asmat Muhammad Tauseef , Raziq Abdul , Asadullah  , Naeem Muhammad , Akhtar Muhammad Aleem , Pokryshko Olena , Mustafa Mohammad Zahid 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe objective of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis of raw beef meat sold in the city of Quetta, Pakistan for presence and drug sensitivity of the potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli strain O157:H7. The study used 200 raw beef meat samples collected from retail butcher shops. Conventional and rapid biochemical tests, latex agglutination and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers designed for the rfb
O157 and flic
H7 genes were used to detect E. coli O157:H7. All O157:H7 isolates were also tested for Shiga toxin genes stx
1 and stx
2. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in collected beef meat samples was 10%. Detection through PCR was found more sensitive than detection of O and H antigens. The quantity of E. coli O157:H7 isolates positive for Shiga toxins was 50% (20% for stx
1, 45% for stx
2 and 10% for both stx
1 and stx
2). Season wise variation showed highest E. coli O157:H7 prevalence during summer months. A further concern is that E. coli O157:H7 isolates were resistant to a range of common antibiotics. The results indicate an urgent need for applying proper food hygiene practices in the Quetta region to reduce incidence of foodborne diseases and they also emphasize the global problem of antimicrobial resistance.Practical applications
E. coli O157:H7 is as a potentially threatening foodborne pathogen. A significant prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 detected in raw beef meat from retail outlets in the city of Quetta indicates an urgent need for applying proper food hygiene practices in the Quetta region to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases. Furthermore, resistance of the E. coli O157:H7 isolates to a range of commonly used antibiotics emphasizes the global problem of antimicrobial resistance. The multiplex PCR method used here is a reliable, sensitive, and relatively rapid technique for detecting E. coli O157:H7 in food and environmental samples and important for ongoing surveillance to minimize contamination of raw meat products and associated cross contamination by E. coli O157:H7.
A nurse‐led FibroScan®outreach clinic encourages socially deprived heavy drinkers to engage with liver services
Authors: Matthews Karen , MacGilchrist Alastair , Coulter‐Smith Margaret , Jones Jacklyn , Cetnarskyj Roseanne 
Published: September 2018

AbstractAims and objectivesTo determine whether a portable FibroScan®device can be an acceptable screening tool for chronic liver disease in a community alcohol support service, through recording uptake, determining apparent prevalence of undiagnosed fibrosis/cirrhosis in participants and report engagement following referral to specialist liver services of those individuals referred because of a FibroScan®reading ≥ 7.1 kilopascals (kPa).BackgroundAlcohol‐related liver disease, including cirrhosis, is a major cause of death in theUK. Liver disease is silent and usually presents late. Socially deprived patients with alcohol‐related liver disease are a “hard to engage” population and at higher risk of death than less deprived. A FibroScan®device is a non‐invasive tool for measuring liver stiffness. A result of ≥7.1 kPa can indicate possible chronic liver disease.DesignProspective observational study.MethodIndividuals who self‐identified as harmful drinkers were recruited. Consented individuals attended for a liver FibroScan®. Those with a reading ≥7.1 kPa were referred to a nurse‐led liver clinic for further investigations, results of which determined referral to a liver specialist in secondary care. Participants referred were monitored for compliance over a 6‐month period.ResultsSeventy‐nine consented individuals participated, an uptake of 67% of those informed of the study. Of the 79 scans performed, three were unreliable leaving 76 participants. After scanning, 20/76 (26%) had a FibroScan®≥7.1 kPa requiring referral on to the nurse‐led clinic. All 20 (100%) engaged in further assessment. Of those, 12 required onward referral to specialist services. Subsequent compliance with specialist services in this sample (n = 12) was ≥90%.ConclusionA nurse‐led FibroScan®outreach clinic encourages socially deprived drinkers to engage with liver services.Relevance to clinical practiceA 67% uptake suggests a nurse‐led FibroScan®service in a community alcohol service is acceptable. High engagement gives potential for early intervention and improved health outcomes.