bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Yamanashi Keiji , Okumura Norihito , Yamamoto Yoshiharu , Takahashi Ayuko , Nakashima Takashi , Matsuoka Tomoaki , Kameyama Kotaro 
Published: June 2017

Background Adjuvant chemotherapy after complete surgical resection is currently the standard of care for patients with stage IB, II, or IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer. However, the generalizability of this treatment to elderly patients is controversial. We investigated the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients aged over 75 years with stage IB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 246 consecutive patients aged over 75 years with stage IB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent standard lung cancer surgery between January 2001 and December 2015. They were divided into 102 who had adjuvant chemotherapy and 144 who had none (control group). The outcomes were compared between the two groups, and prognostic factors were evaluated. Results Relapse-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter in the control group than the chemotherapy group ( p = 0.006 and p = 0.008, respectively). In multivariable analyses, adjuvant chemotherapy was found to be an independent prognostic factor for relapse-free survival and overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.594, 95% confidence interval: 0.396–0.893, p = 0.012; and hazard ratio = 0.616, 95% confidence interval: 0.397–0.957, p = 0.031, respectively). After inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting adjustment using the propensity score for baseline characteristics, chemotherapy almost improved relapse-free survival and overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.652, 95% confidence interval: 0.433–0.981, p = 0.040; and hazard ratio = 0.657, 95% confidence interval: 0.429–1.004, p = 0.052, respectively). Conclusions Adjuvant chemotherapy improved the prognosis after standard lung cancer surgery in patients aged over 75 years with stage IB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer.
Continuous bilateral thoracic paravertebral blockade for analgesia after cardiac surgery: a randomised, controlled trial
Authors: Lockwood Geoff G. , Cabreros Leilani , Banach Dorota , Punjabi Prakash P. 
Published: June 2017

Background: Continuous bilateral thoracic paravertebral blockade has been used for analgesia after cardiac surgery, but its efficacy has never been formally tested. Method: Fifty adult patients were enrolled in a double-blind, randomised, controlled study of continuous bilateral thoracic paravertebral infusion of 0.5% lidocaine (1 mg.kg-1.hr-1) for analgesia after coronary surgery. Control patients received a subcutaneous infusion of lidocaine at the same rate through catheters inserted at the same locations as the study group. The primary outcome was morphine consumption at 48 hours using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Secondary outcomes included pain, respiratory function, nausea and vomiting. Serum lidocaine concentrations were measured on the first two post-operative days. Results: There was no difference in morphine consumption or in any other outcome measure between the groups. Serum lidocaine concentrations increased during the study, with a maximum of 5.9 mg.l-1. There were no adverse events as a consequence of the study. Conclusion: Bilateral paravertebral infusion of lidocaine confers no advantage over systemic lidocaine infusion after cardiac surgery. Clinical trial registration: ISRCTN13424423 ( https://www.isrctn.com )
The relationship between myocardial and hepatic T2 and T2* at 1.5T and 3T MRI in normal and iron-overloaded patients
Authors: Kritsaneepaiboon Supika , Ina Natee , Chotsampancharoen Thirachit , Roymanee Supaporn , Cheewatanakornkul Sirichai 
Published: June 2017

Background Cardiac and liver iron assessment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is non-invasive and used as a preclinical “endpoint” in asymptomatic patients and for serial iron measurements in iron-overloaded patients. Purpose To compare iron measurements between hepatic and myocardial T2* and T2 at 1.5T and 3T MRI in normal and iron-overloaded patients. Material and Methods The T2 and T2* values from the regions of interest (ROIs) at mid-left ventricle and mid-hepatic slices were evaluated by 1.5T and 3T MRI scans for healthy and iron-overloaded patients. Results For iron-overloaded patients, the myocardial T2 (1.5T) and myocardial T2 (3T) values were 60.3 ms (range = 56.2–64.8 ms) and 55 ms (range = 51.6–60.1 ms) (ρ = 0.3679) while the myocardial T2* (3T) 20.5 ms (range = 18.4–25.9 ms) was shorter than the myocardial T2* (1.5T) 35.9 ms (range = 31.4–39.5 ms) (ρ = 0.6454). The hepatic T2 at 1.5T and 3T were 19.1 ms (range = 14.8–27.9 ms) and 15.5 ms (14.6–20.4 ms) (ρ = 0.9444) and the hepatic T2* at 1.5T and 3T were 2.7 ms (range = 1.8–5.6 ms) and 1.8 ms (range = 1.1–2.9 ms) (ρ = 0.9826). The line of best fit exhibiting the linearity of the hepatic T2* (1.5T) and hepatic T2* (3T) had a slope of 2 and an intercept of –0.387 ms (R = 0.984). Conclusion Our study found myocardial T2 (1.5T) nearly equal to T2 (3T) with myocardial T2* (3T) 1.75 shorter than myocardial T2* (1.5T). The relationship of hepatic T2* (1.5T) and hepatic T2* (3T) was linear with T2* (1.5T) approximately double to T2* (3T) in iron-overloaded patients. This linear relationship between hepatic T2* (1.5T) and hepatic T2 (3T) could be an alternative method for estimating liver iron concentration (LIC) from 3T.
The Aftermath of a Hepatic Artery Aneurysm—A Rare Etiology of Biliary Obstruction!
Authors: Linzay Catherine , Seth Abhishek , Suryawala Kunal , Sheth Ankur , Boktor Moheb , Bienvenu John , Rahim Robby , Sangster Guillermo P , Jordan Paul A 
Published: June 2017

Background: Hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) constitute 14% to 20% of visceral artery aneurysms. Most HAAs are asymptomatic. Although rare, obstructive jaundice due to external bile duct compression or rupture of the HAA into the biliary tree with occlusion of the lumen from blood clots has been reported. Case presentation: A 56-year-old white man presented to an outside hospital with symptoms of obstructive jaundice, including abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin. Imaging showed a large HAA. Patient was transferred to our hospital where an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary stenting was performed. This was followed by coil embolization of the HAA with improvement in symptoms and liver chemistries. Conclusions: Most clinicians agree that management of HAA is highly variable and depends on clinical presentation and anatomic location. Biliary stenting provides temporary relief for patients with obstructive jaundice. Definitive options include open aneurysmal repair versus endovascular therapy. Hepatic artery aneurysms represent a significant risk for hemorrhage and therefore must be addressed promptly once discovered.
Challenges and progress in interpretation of non-coding genetic variants associated with human disease
Authors: Zhu Yizhou , Tazearslan Cagdas , Suh Yousin 
Published: June 2017

Genome-wide association studies have shown that the far majority of disease-associated variants reside in the non-coding regions of the genome, suggesting that gene regulatory changes contribute to disease risk. To identify truly causal non-coding variants and their affected target genes remains challenging but is a critical step to translate the genetic associations to molecular mechanisms and ultimately clinical applications. Here we review genomic/epigenomic resources and in silico tools that can be used to identify causal non-coding variants and experimental strategies to validate their functionalities.Impact statementMost signals from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) map to the non-coding genome, and functional interpretation of these associations remained challenging. We reviewed recent progress in methodologies of studying the non-coding genome and argued that no single approach allows one to effectively identify the causal regulatory variants from GWAS results. By illustrating the advantages and limitations of each method, our review potentially provided a guideline for taking a combinatorial approach to accurately predict, prioritize, and eventually experimentally validate the causal variants.
Campylobacter jejuni myocarditis: A journey from the gut to the heart
Authors: Obafemi M Toba , Douglas Homeyra 
Published: June 2017

Objectives: Campylobacter jejuni is an unusual cause of myocarditis and could easily be missed. Methods: We describe a case of a 25 year old man, who presented with 3 day history of vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by chest pain and significant high sensitive troponin rise. Results: The patient’s profuse diarrhoea was accompanied by raised inflammatory markers, electrocardiogram changes and evidence of cardiomyopathy on transthoracic echocardiogram. Various aetiological viral serologies which were tested for came back negative. However, stool culture was positive for the bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni. He was successfully treated with antibiotics and made an uneventful recovery. Conclusions: Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis has a worldwide prevalence. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial when this organism is implicated in myocarditis.
Angioedema: Perioperative management
Authors: Maynard Andrew A , Burger Christina F , Schlesinger Joseph J 
Published: June 2017

Objective: To describe the perioperative management of a patient with acquired angioedema (AAE). Methods: A 66-year-old Caucasian male presented from an outside hospital with a history of acquired angioedema and gastrointestinal stromal tumor–related intractable urticaria and mastocytosis. He was admitted for urgent laparoscopic partial gastrectomy, secondary to gastric outlet obstruction symptomatology. Previous combined attacks were characterized by a widespread rash, abdominal pain and respiratory distress resulting in hospitalization. Following preoperative consultation with the patient’s allergist and a hospital pharmacist, he was treated preoperatively with fresh frozen plasma and his home prednisone dose. C1-inhibitor (Berinert®) was on standby along with epinephrine, given that the underlying etiology (C1- inhibitor deficiency vs histaminergic) was not known. Results: There were no intraoperative complications, and the patient was discharged home 3 days after the procedure. Conclusions: Optimization of perioperative outcomes in patients, especially during urgent or emergent surgery, with a history of angioedema requires the development of a patient-specific perioperative plan, including prophylaxis, rescue therapies and opioid-sparing strategies.
Cannabis and cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis: The role of gender
Authors: Patel Viral P , Feinstein Anthony 
Published: June 2017

Background Cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is associated with gender differences and the use of smoked/ingested cannabis. Objective The objective of this report is to explore a possible gender-cannabis interaction associated with cognitive dysfunction in PwMS. Methods A retrospective analysis was undertaken of cognitive data collected from 140 PwMS. A general linear model was conducted to determine gender and cannabis effects on processing speed (SDMT), verbal (CVLT-II) and visual (BVMT-R) memory, and executive functions (D-KEFS), while controlling for age and years of education. Results Cannabis was smoked at least once a month by 33 (23.6%) participants. Cannabis users were more impaired on the SDMT ( p = 0.044). Men, who comprised 30.7% of the entire sample and 42.2% of cannabis users, were more impaired on the CVLT-II (total learning, p = 0.001; delayed recall, p = 0.004). A cannabis-gender interaction was found with the CVLT-II delayed recall ( p = 0.049) and BVMT-R total learning ( p = 0.014), where male cannabis users performed more poorly than female. Conclusion Males with MS may be particularly vulnerable to the cognitive side effects of smoked cannabis use.
Low-Pressure, Low-Flow Voiding Dysfunction in an Elderly Male Treated Through Ayurveda: A Case Report
Authors: Rastogi Sanjeev 
Published: June 2017

Introduction. Neurogenic bladder is a common urological condition among elderly. It results in incontinence or retention of the urine depending on the synergy of bladder smooth muscles and urethral sphincter. There can also be a condition where retention causes overflow incontinence. Retention of urine in this condition is caused by relative lack of contractility of bladder smooth muscles in response to the stretch reflex. As a result, there is no urge and therefore the bladder remains over-distended causing retention of urine. Currently, there are no absolute ways to deal with such a situation except that the patients are advised for self-help techniques of regularly evacuating the bladder. Pharmacotherapy for such condition is not promising. As the patients of neurogenic bladder are often healthy otherwise (with manageable conditions such as diabetes), a bladder dysfunction is considered as a disability that they do not want to share. In this state, any approach that offers a regeneration of bladder reflex and restoration of its functions is more than one can expect for. Methods. An elderly male suffering with chronic urinary retention recommended for indwelling catheterization after the failure of voiding trial following the possible conventional pharmacotherapy was treated with Ayurvedic therapy. Results. There was a complete symptom reversal after about 45 days of Ayurvedic therapy. The changes were stable after 3-month follow-up of the patient. Conclusion. This case report presents the complete symptom reversal in a case of chronic urine retention as an outcome of Ayurvedic therapy. Seeing the importance of this clinical condition and unavailability of sufficient means in conventional medicine, it requires a serious note and enquiry into its applicability in similar cases.
Screening and identification of novel biologically active natural compounds
Authors: Newman David 
Published: June 2017

With the advent of very rapid and cheap genome analyses and the linkage of these plus microbial metabolomics to potential compound structures came the realization that there was an immense sea of novel agents to be mined and tested. In addition, it is now recognized that there is significant microbial involvement in many natural products isolated from “nominally non-microbial sources”. This short review covers the current screening methods that have evolved and one might even be tempted to say “devolved” in light of the realization that target-based screens had problems when the products entered clinical testing, with off-target effects being the major ones. Modern systems include, but are not limited to, screening in cell lines utilizing very modern techniques (a high content screen) that are designed to show interactions within cells when treated with an “agent”. The underlying principle(s) used in such systems dated back to unpublished attempts in the very early 1980s by the pharmaceutical industry to show toxic interactions within animal cells by using automated light microscopy. Though somewhat successful, the technology was not adequate for any significant commercialization. Somewhat later, mammalian cell lines that were “genetically modified” to alter signal transduction cascades, either up or down, and frequently linked to luciferase readouts, were then employed in a 96-well format. In the case of microbes, specific resistance parameters were induced in isogenic cell lines from approximately the mid-1970s. In the latter two cases, comparisons against parent and sibling cell lines were used in order that a rapid determination of potential natural product “hits” could be made. Obviously, all of these assay systems could also be, and were, used for synthetic molecules. These methods and their results have led to a change in what the term “screening for bioactivity” means. In practice, versions of phenotypic screening are returning, but in a dramatically different scientific environment from the 1970s, as I hope to demonstrate in the short article that follows.
Do HCAHPS Doctor Communication Scores Reflect the Communication Skills of the Attending on Record? A Cautionary Tale from a Tertiary‐Care Medical Service
Authors: Velez Vicente J. , Kaw Roop , Hu Bo , Frankel Richard M. , Windover Amy K. , Bokar Dan , Rish Julie M. , Rothberg Michael B. 
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUNDHospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores measure patient satisfaction with hospital care. It is not known if these reflect the communication skills of the attending physician on record. The Four Habits Coding Scheme (4HCS) is a validated instrument that measures bedside physician communication skills according to 4 habits, namely: investing in the beginning, eliciting the patient's perspective, demonstrating empathy, and investing in the end.OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the 4HCS correlates with provider HCAHPS scores.METHODSUsing a cross‐sectional design, consenting hospitalist physicians (n = 28), were observed on inpatient rounds during 3 separate encounters. We compared hospitalists' 4HCS scores with their doctor communication HCAHPS scores to assess the degree to which these correlated with inpatient physician communication skills. We performed sensitivity analysis excluding scores returned by patients cared for by more than 1 hospitalist.RESULTSA total of 1003 HCAHPS survey responses were available. Pearson correlation between 4HCS and doctor communication scores was not significant, at 0.098 (‐0.285, 0.455; P = 0.619). Also, no significant correlations were found between each habit and HCAHPS. When including only scores attributable to 1 hospitalist, Pearson correlation between the empathy habit and the HCAHPS respect score was 0.515 (0.176, 0.745; P = 0.005). Between empathy and overall doctor communication, it was 0.442 (0.082, 0.7; P = 0.019).CONCLUSIONAttending‐of‐record HCAHPS scores do not correlate with 4HCS. After excluding patients cared for by more than 1 hospitalist, demonstrating empathy did correlate with the doctor communication and respect HCAHPS scores.
Wood Quality of Old-Growth Koa Logs and Lumber
Authors: Wiedenbeck Janice K. , Lowell Eini 
Published: June 2017

Abstract

Acacia koa trees are ecologically, economically, and culturally significant to the Hawaiian Islands. Koa wood is one of the most valuable species in the world and sale of koa products represents a majority of all the Hawaiian wood products sold by Hawaiian retailers. Today, there is concern in Hawaii among foresters, forest landowners and managers, wood products manufacturers, and the public that the remaining old-growth koa resource has become scarce, is suffering from declining health and diseases, and is characterized by poor growth form. Current practices require harvest of only dead and dying trees and using downed material in wood products manufacturing. We examined lumber volume and value recovery from logs sawn from dead and dying trees and from relic logs (logs that have been on the ground) from four sites on the island of Hawaii. Gross lumber recovery from all study logs was 71 percent. Log size did not significantly influence lumber volume recovery. Forty-five percent of the lumber manufactured from relic logs was below grade compared with 26 percent of the lumber sawn from standing dead and dying trees. Variables that affect lumber quality, such as different defects and heartwood proportion, were measured. Decay-type defects were the most prominent.
Modification and Characterization of Nano-Ag/TiO2 Antimold Agent for Wood Materials
Authors: Lin Lin , Yang Yingni , Via Brian K. , Liu Yi , Guo Hongwu , Zhang Fan 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Nano-Ag/TiO2 exhibits effective antimicrobial activities; however, its tendency to aggregate limits its application in wood products for improved antimold properties. In this study, nano-Ag/TiO2 was modified by a silane coupling agent (γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane [KH-550]) and then loaded into wood via vacuum impregnation. The effects of KH-550 concentration, Ag/TiO2 concentration, reaction temperature, and incubation time on the antimold rate, loading amount, and leach resistance for wood materials were investigated. Results showed that the antimold rate, loading amount, and fixation rate of mold-proof–treated wood was strengthened by KH-550 modification. The binding affinity and surface energy of nano-Ag/TiO2 was reduced, and the dispersivity of nano-Ag/TiO2 particles was improved after modification. Observation by field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the modified nano-Ag/TiO2 penetrated into the wood tracheids and formed a tight flocculent structure. X-ray diffractive analysis confirmed that modification did not affect the anatase diffraction pattern of nano-Ag/TiO2 or its photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities. Characterization by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that modified nano-Ag/TiO2 efficiently cross-linked with wood hydroxyl groups. This work provided a simple and effective method to develop a novel nano-Ag/TiO2 antimold agent for wood mold-proof treatment.
The Guangdong Times Museum and the institutional critique: A new curatorial approach
Authors: De Nigris Ornella 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
The museum devoted only to art is a relatively novel concept in China. Nevertheless, in the last few years, thousands of contemporary art museums have flourished all over the country. Today, this sector is facing different challenges and the institution of the museum itself is searching for its own identity. Within this context, some artists, curators and museum directors are exploring new ways of conceiving the museum, and are attempting to develop new strategies of exhibiting and curating. One such example is the Guangdong Times Museum. Some of the museum’s most interesting projects are focused on the institutional critique, conceived as a way of exploring anew the relationship between artists, curators, artworks, museums and the public. This article aims to examine this new curatorial approach, and some of the most recent and innovative exhibition projects will be described as a case study.
Desire for democracy: Perspectives of parents impacted by 2013 Chicago school closings
Authors: Vaughan Kelly P. , Gutierrez Rhoda Rae 
Published: June 2017

In this article, we discuss the historical shifts in the purposes of public education and examine how neoliberal education policies, like Chicago’s school closings, attempt to limit the purpose of public education to be in service to and at the whim of the market. We juxtapose this dominant neoliberal narrative of public education with the voices of the parents from closed schools, whose deep involvement with and beliefs about public schools counter neoliberalism’s shallow concept of the public purpose of public education. Drawing upon a 2014 qualitative study of parents and caregivers who were impacted by school closures and actions, as well as publically available data, we find that parents believe school closings cause great harm to students, families and communities, aim to reduce citizens to consumers in an educational marketplace, and seek to further undermine democracy in education toward a “thin democracy” (Gandin & Apple, 2002) of marketized education. However, we argue that there is an alternative to the neoliberal narrative reflected both in the ongoing historical struggle about the purposes of schooling and in the wisdom, experiences, and desires of parents most directly impacted by neoliberal education policies.