bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘We have beaten HIV a bit’: a qualitative study of experiences of peer support during pregnancy with an HIV Mentor Mother project in England
Authors: McLeish Jenny , Redshaw Maggie 
Published: June 2016

ObjectivesTo explore the experiences of women living with HIV in England who received or gave Mentor Mother (trained mother-to-mother) volunteer peer support during pregnancy and early motherhood.DesignQualitative descriptive study, using semistructured, in-depth interviews and inductive thematic analysis, theoretically informed by phenomenological social psychology.SettingA London-based third sector peer support organisation for people living with HIV.Participants12 women living with HIV who had given or received Mentor Mother volunteer peer support (6 had given support and 6 had received support). 11 were black African.ResultsThe key themes in participants' descriptions of their lives as pregnant women and mothers living with HIV were ‘fear and distress’, ‘stigma and isolation’ and ‘the gap in maternity care’. The key themes related to Mentor Mother peer support during and after pregnancy were ‘support to avoid mother-to-child transmission’ (with subthemes ‘reinforcing medical advice’, ‘reframing faith issues’, ‘prioritisation and problem-solving’ and ‘practical strategies for managing HIV and motherhood’), and ‘emotional support’ (with subthemes ‘role modelling and inspiring hope’, ‘openness and non-judgemental acceptance’, ‘a caring relationship’, ‘recreating the lost family network’, ‘being understood from the inside’ and ‘self-confidence’). The Mentor Mothers' support appeared to be a successful hybrid between the peer education Mentor Mothers programmes in southern Africa and the more general pregnancy volunteer peer support models operating in England.ConclusionsA Mentor Mother peer support programme is acceptable to, and valued by, black African mothers with HIV in England. Peer support from trained volunteers during and after pregnancy can complement and reinforce medical advice on avoiding mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and can have a multidimensional positive impact on vulnerable mothers' emotional well-being. Mentor Mother peer support should be considered by those designing programmes for the support of pregnant women with HIV and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Development and validation of a web-based questionnaire for surveying the health and working conditions of high-performance marine craft populations
Authors: de Alwis Manudul Pahansen , Lo Martire Riccardo , Äng Björn O , Garme Karl 
Published: June 2016

BackgroundHigh-performance marine craft crews are susceptible to various adverse health conditions caused by multiple interactive factors. However, there are limited epidemiological data available for assessment of working conditions at sea. Although questionnaire surveys are widely used for identifying exposures, outcomes and associated risks with high accuracy levels, until now, no validated epidemiological tool exists for surveying occupational health and performance in these populations.AimTo develop and validate a web-based questionnaire for epidemiological assessment of occupational and individual risk exposure pertinent to the musculoskeletal health conditions and performance in high-performance marine craft populations.MethodA questionnaire for investigating the association between work-related exposure, performance and health was initially developed by a consensus panel under four subdomains, viz. demography, lifestyle, work exposure and health and systematically validated by expert raters for content relevance and simplicity in three consecutive stages, each iteratively followed by a consensus panel revision. The item content validity index (I-CVI) was determined as the proportion of experts giving a rating of 3 or 4. The scale content validity index (S-CVI/Ave) was computed by averaging the I-CVIs for the assessment of the questionnaire as a tool. Finally, the questionnaire was pilot tested.ResultsThe S-CVI/Ave increased from 0.89 to 0.96 for relevance and from 0.76 to 0.94 for simplicity, resulting in 36 items in the final questionnaire. The pilot test confirmed the feasibility of the questionnaire.ConclusionsThe present study shows that the web-based questionnaire fulfils previously published validity acceptance criteria and is therefore considered valid and feasible for the empirical surveying of epidemiological aspects among high-performance marine craft crews and similar populations.
Pulmonary embolism and mortality following total ankle replacement: a data linkage study using the NJR data set
Authors: Zaidi Razi , MacGregor Alexander , Cro Suzie , Goldberg Andy 
Published: June 2016

ObjectiveTo determine the mortality rate following total ankle replacement (TAR) and incidence of 90 day pulmonary embolism (PE) along with the associated risk factors.DesignData-linkage study of the UK National Joint Registry (NJR) data and Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) database. Linkage was performed in a deterministic fashion. HES episodes 90 days after the index procedure were analysed for PE. Mortality data were obtained pertaining to all the index procedures from the NJR for analysis.ParticipantsAll primary and revision ankle replacement patients captured on the NJR between February 2008 and February 2013.ResultsThe 90-day mortality following TAR was 0.13% (95% CI 0.03 to 0.52) and 1-year mortality was 0.72% (95% CI 0.40 to 1.30); no deaths were as a result of PE. The incidence of PE within 90 days following primary TAR was 0.51% (95% CI 0.23 to 1.13). There was only one PE following revision surgery. Patients with an Royal College of Surgeons Charlson score greater than zero were at 13 times greater risk of PE (p=0.003).ConclusionsThere is low incidence of PE following TAR, but multiple comorbidities are a leading risk factor for its occurrence.
Education and training to enhance end-of-life care for nursing home staff: a systematic literature review
Authors: Anstey Sally , Powell Tom , Coles Bernadette , Hale Rachel , Gould Dinah 
Published: June 2016

BackgroundThe delivery of end-of-life care in nursing homes is challenging. This situation is of concern as 20% of the population die in this setting. Commonly reported reasons include limited access to medical care, inadequate clinical leadership and poor communication between nursing home and medical staff. Education for nursing home staff is suggested as the most important way of overcoming these obstacles.ObjectivesTo identify educational interventions to enhance end-of-life care for nursing home staff and to identify types of study designs and outcomes to indicate success and benchmark interventions against recent international guidelines for education for palliative and end-of-life care.DesignThirteen databases and reference lists of key journals were searched from the inception of each up to September 2014. Included studies were appraised for quality and data were synthesised thematically.ResultsTwenty-one studies were reviewed. Methodological quality was poor. Education was not of a standard that could be expected to alter clinical behaviour and was evaluated mainly from the perspectives of staff: self-reported increase in knowledge, skills and confidence delivering care rather than direct evidence of impact on clinical practice and patient outcomes. Follow-up was often short term, and despite sound economic arguments for delivering effective end-of-life care to reduce burden on the health service, no economic analyses were reported.ConclusionsThere is a clear and urgent need to design educational interventions that have the potential to improve end-of-life care in nursing homes. Robust evaluation of these interventions should include impact on residents, families and staff and include economic analysis.
Endovascular treatment of posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms: a 7-year single-center experience
Authors: Xu Feng , Hong Yong , Zheng Yongtao , Xu Qiang , Leng Bing 
Published: June 2016

AimTo report our experience with endovascular treatment of posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms.MethodsBetween January 2007 and December 2014, 40 patients with 42 PICA aneurysms were treated with endovascular embolization at our institution. Twenty-eight patients had 29 saccular aneurysms and 12 patients had 13 fusiform/dissecting aneurysms. The endovascular modalities were: (1) selective occlusion of the aneurysm with or without stent assistance (n=19); (2) occlusion of the aneurysm and the parent artery (n=22); and (3) occlusion of the aneurysm including the vertebral artery and PICA origin (n=1). Specifically, selective embolization was performed in 93.3% of aneurysms (14/15) proximal to the telovelotonsillary segment.ResultsImmediate angiographic results included 31 complete occlusions (74%), 3 nearly complete occlusions (7%), and 8 incomplete occlusions (19%). Mean follow-up of 20 months in 31 aneurysms showed 27 stable results, 3 further thromoboses, and 1 recurrence. Final results included 27 complete occlusions (87.1%) and 4 incomplete occlusions (12.9%). There were 5 overall procedural-related complications (12.5%), including 1 infarction (2.5%) and 4 intraprocedural ruptures (10.0%). Procedure-related morbidity and morbidity was 5.0% (2/40) and 2.5% (1/40), respectively. Clinical outcome was excellent (Glasgow Outcome Scale 5 in 31 of 33 patients at long-term follow-up).ConclusionsPICA aneurysms may be effectively treated by different endovascular approaches with favorable clinical and radiologic outcomes. Further studies are required to compare the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment with open surgery.
Insights into the Genetic Basis of the Renal Cell Carcinomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas
Authors: Haake Scott M. , Weyandt Jamie D. , Rathmell W. Kimryn 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
The renal cell carcinomas (RCC), clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe, have recently undergone an unmatched genomic characterization by The Cancer Genome Atlas. This analysis has revealed new insights into each of these malignancies and underscores the unique biology of clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe RCC. Themes that have emerged include distinct mechanisms of metabolic dysregulation and common mutations in chromatin modifier genes. Importantly, the papillary RCC classification encompasses a heterogeneous group of diseases, each with highly distinct genetic and molecular features. In conclusion, this review summarizes RCCs that represent a diverse set of malignancies, each with novel biologic programs that define new paradigms for cancer biology. Mol Cancer Res; 14(7); 589–98. ©2016 AACR.
Associations Between Common and Rare Exonic Genetic Variants and Serum Levels of 20 Cardiovascular-Related Proteins
Authors: Solomon Terry , Smith Erin N. , Matsui Hiroko , Braekkan Sigrid K. ,   INVENT Consortium, Wilsgaard Tom , Njølstad Inger , Mathiesen Ellisiv B. , Hansen John-Bjarne , Frazer Kelly A. 
Published: June 2016

Background—
Genetic variation can be used to study causal relationships between biomarkers and diseases. Here, we identify new common and rare genetic variants associated with cardiovascular-related protein levels (protein quantitative trait loci [pQTLs]). We functionally annotate these pQTLs, predict and experimentally confirm a novel molecular interaction, and determine which pQTLs are associated with diseases and physiological phenotypes.

Methods and Results—

As part of a larger case–control study of venous thromboembolism, serum levels of 51 proteins implicated in cardiovascular diseases were measured in 330 individuals from the Tromsø Study. Exonic genetic variation near each protein’s respective gene (
cis
) was identified using sequencing and arrays. Using single site and gene-based tests, we identified 27 genetic associations between pQTLs and the serum levels of 20 proteins: 14 associated with common variation in
cis
, of which 6 are novel (ie, not previously reported); 7 associations with rare variants in
cis
, of which 4 are novel; and 6 associations in
trans
. Of the 20 proteins, 15 were associated with single sites and 7 with rare variants.
cis
-pQTLs for kallikrein and F12 also show
trans
associations for proteins (uPAR, kininogen) known to be cleaved by kallikrein and with NTproBNP. We experimentally demonstrate that kallikrein can cleave proBNP (NTproBNP precursor) in vitro. Nine of the pQTLs have previously identified associations with 17 disease and physiological phenotypes.

Conclusions—

We have identified
cis
and
trans
genetic variation associated with the serum levels of 20 proteins and utilized these pQTLs to study molecular mechanisms underlying disease and physiological phenotypes.
Impact of Vitamin K Antagonists on Quality of Life in a Prospective Cohort of 807 Atrial Fibrillation Patients
Authors: Kooistra Hilde A.M. , Piersma-Wichers Margriet , Kluin-Nelemans Hanneke C. , Veeger Nic J.G.M. , Meijer Karina 
Published: June 2016

Background—
Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) use is challenging because of frequent blood monitoring and complex dosing. Therefore, many patients and physicians are reluctant to start VKA. However, it is unclear whether VKA use actually lowers quality of life. We aimed to determine the impact of VKA initiation on quality of life and to analyze the correlation between patient and treatment characteristics and VKA perception in atrial fibrillation patients.

Methods and Results—

In a prospective cohort of 240 new and 567 long-term VKA users, general quality of life and VKA perception (satisfaction and convenience) were measured at inclusion and at 3 months by the validated Study Short-Form 36 and Perception of Anticoagulant Treatment Questionnaire. Scores were converted to a 0 to 100 scale. Higher scores are more favorable. In the new patients, Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 scores improved during the initial 3 months to a level comparable with the general population. At 3 months, the median convenience score was 95 (Q1–Q3, 88–98) and was higher in older patients (regression coefficient, 0.47 per year; 95% confidence interval, 0.25–0.69) and lower after bleeding (regression coefficient, −12; 95% confidence interval, −20 to −4.7). The median satisfaction score was 64. For the long-term patients, VKA perception scores were highly comparable with the new patients. The convenience score mildly improved in patients with increased individual time in therapeutic range (regression coefficient, 0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.01–0.05;
r
2
=0.01), and satisfaction scores decreased in patients with new comedication (regression coefficient, −7.0; 95% confidence interval, −12 to −1.9;
r
2
=0.02).

Conclusions—
VKA were well tolerated in real-life, and the influences of patient and treatment related factors on VKA perception were very limited.
Die Suche nach einem Pasquill von Sixt Birck bei der Bearbeitung von Heinrich Bullingers Briefwechsel
Authors: Steiniger Judith 
Published: June 2016

Heinrich Bullinger’s 1546 correspondence mentions a pasquil by the Augsburg scholar and poet Six Birck, which the editors identified as Ain neüwer Römischer Pasquillus […]. However, this work is commonly attributed to Martin Schrot, as an analysis of its content and form confirms. To Sixt Birck’s oeuvre, a pasquil can be added now, which has yet to be identified.
Bei der Arbeit an der Edition von Heinrich Bullingers Briefwechsel des Jahres 1546 wurde nach einem Pasquill des Augsburger Gelehrten und Dichters Sixt Birck gesucht und die Hypothese aufgestellt, dass es sich dabei um Ain neüwer Römischer Pasquillus […] gehandelt haben könnte. Doch wird dieses Werk gemeinhin Martin Schrot zugeschrieben. Aus inhaltlichen und formalen Gründen ist die Zuweisung dieses Werks an Schrot berechtigt. Dem Schaffen Sixt Bircks ist neu ein Pasquill hinzuzurechnen, über das jedoch bislang nichts Näheres ermittelt werden konnte.
Retrieval of Snow Properties for Ku- and Ka-Band Dual-Frequency Radar
Authors: Liao Liang , Meneghini Robert , Tokay Ali , Bliven Larry F. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe focus of this study is on the estimation of snow microphysical properties and the associated bulk parameters such as snow water content and water equivalent snowfall rate for Ku- and Ka-band dual-frequency radar. This is done by exploring a suitable scattering model and the proper particle size distribution (PSD) assumption that accurately represent, in the electromagnetic domain, the micro-/macrophysical properties of snow. The scattering databases computed from simulated aggregates for small-to-moderate particle sizes are combined with a simple scattering model for large particle sizes to characterize snow-scattering properties over the full range of particle sizes. With use of the single-scattering results, the snow retrieval lookup tables can be formed in a way that directly links the Ku- and Ka-band radar reflectivities to snow water content and equivalent snowfall rate without use of the derived PSD parameters. A sensitivity study of the retrieval results to the PSD and scattering models is performed to better understand the dual-wavelength retrieval uncertainties. To aid in the development of the Ku- and Ka-band dual-wavelength radar technique and to further evaluate its performance, self-consistency tests are conducted using measurements of the snow PSD and fall velocity acquired from the Snow Video Imager/Particle Image Probe (SVI/PIP) during the winter of 2014 at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility site in Wallops Island, Virginia.
Effect of Snow Grain Shape on Snow Albedo
Authors: Dang Cheng , Fu Qiang , Warren Stephen G. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Radiative transfer models of snow albedo have usually assumed a spherical shape for the snow grains, using Mie theory to compute single-scattering properties. The scattering by more realistic nonspherical snow grains is less in the forward direction and more to the sides, resulting in a smaller asymmetry factor g (the mean cosine of the scattering angle). Compared to a snowpack of spherical grains with the same area-to-mass ratio, a snowpack of nonspherical grains will have a higher albedo, thin snowpacks of nonspherical grains will more effectively hide the underlying surface, and light-absorbing particles in the snowpack will be exposed to less sunlight. These effects are examined here for nonspherical snow grains with aspect ratios from 0.1 to 10. The albedo of an opaque snowpack with equidimensional (i.e., aspect ratio 1) nonspherical snow grains is higher than that with spherical snow grains by 0.032 and 0.050, for effective grain radii of 100 and 1000 μm, respectively. For an effective radius of 100 μm, the albedo reduction caused by 100 ng g−1 of black carbon is 0.019 for spherical snow grains but only 0.012 for equidimensional nonspherical snow grains. The albedo of a snowpack consisting of nonspherical snow grains can be mimicked by using a smaller grain of spherical shape; this is why radiative transfer models using spherical grains were able to match measurements of spectral albedo. The scaling factor for snow grain radius is different for nonspherical grains with different aspect ratios and is about 2.4 for equidimensional snow grains.
Vertical Structure and Energetics of the Western Pacific Teleconnection Pattern
Authors: Tanaka Sho , Nishii Kazuaki , Nakamura Hisashi 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe western Pacific (WP) pattern, characterized by north–south dipolar anomalies in pressure over the Far East and western North Pacific, is known as one of the dominant teleconnection patterns in the wintertime Northern Hemisphere. Composite analysis reveals that monthly height anomalies exhibit baroclinic structure with their phase lines tilting southwestward with height in the lower troposphere. The anomalies can thus yield not only a poleward heat flux across the climatological thermal gradient across the strong Pacific jet but also a westward heat flux across the climatological thermal gradient between the North Pacific and the cooler Asian continent. The resultant baroclinic conversion of available potential energy (APE) from the climatological-mean flow contributes most efficiently to the APE maintenance of the monthly WP pattern, acting against strong thermal damping effects by anomalous heat exchanges with the underlying ocean and anomalous precipitation in the subtropics and by the effect of anomalous eddy heat flux under modulated storm-track activity. Kinetic energy (KE) of the pattern is maintained through barotropic feedback forcing associated with modulated activity of transient eddies and the conversion from the climatological-mean westerlies, both of which act against frictional damping. The net feedback forcing by transient eddies is therefore not particularly efficient. The present study suggests that the WP pattern has a characteristic of a dynamical mode that can maintain itself through efficient energy conversion from the climatological-mean fields even without external forcing, including remote influence from the tropics.
Assessment of the Influences of Different Potential Evapotranspiration Inputs on the Performance of Monthly Hydrological Models under Different Climatic Conditions
Authors: Bai Peng , Liu Xiaomang , Yang Tiantian , Li Fadong , Liang Kang , Hu Shanshan , Liu Changming 
Published: June 2016

AbstractPotential evapotranspiration (PET), which determines the upper limit of actual evapotranspiration (AET), is a necessary input in monthly hydrological models. In this study, the sensitivities of monthly hydrological models to different PET inputs are investigated in 37 catchments under different climatic conditions. Four types of PET estimation methods (i.e., Penman–Monteith, Hargreaves–Samani, Jensen–Haise, and Hamon) give significantly different PET values in the 37 catchments. However, similar runoff simulations are produced based on different PET inputs in both nonhumid and humid regions. It is found that parameter calibration of the hydrological model can eliminate the influences of different PET inputs on runoff simulations in both nonhumid and humid regions. However, the influences of parameter calibration on the simulated water balance components, including AET and water storage change (WSC), are different in nonhumid and humid regions. In nonhumid regions, simulated runoff, AET, and WSC are similar using different PET inputs. In humid regions, simulated AET and WSC using different PET inputs are significantly different, and simulated runoff and the sums of AET and WSC are similar to each other. It is suggested that the choice of PET inputs for monthly hydrological models be based on the selected region and the relevant hydrological practices. In runoff modeling, different PET inputs can produce similar runoff simulations in both nonhumid and humid regions. However, when estimating AET and WSC in humid regions, different PET inputs will result in significantly different AET and WSC simulations, which should be noted by model users.