bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Community Interventions for Health can support clinicians in advising patients to reduce tobacco use, improve dietary intake and increase physical activity
Authors: Anthony Denis , Dyson Pamela A , Lv Jun , Thankappan Kavumpurathu R , Champgane Beatriz , Matthews David R 
Published: July 2016

Aims and objectivesTo increase clinical interventions to reduce modifiable risk factors for noncommunicable disease in low‐ and middle‐income countries.BackgroundNoncommunicable disease is the leading cause of death in the world and is common in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Risk factors for noncommunicable disease are modifiable and health professionals are in an unique position to intervene and influence them.DesignClinical interventions were used as part of the Community Interventions for Health programme, a nonrandomised, controlled study undertaken in three communities – one each in China, India and Mexico.MethodsAll clinicians in intervention and control areas of the study were invited to complete surveys. A total of 2280 completed surveys at baseline and 2501 at follow‐up. Culturally appropriate interventions to reduce tobacco use, improve dietary intake and increase physical activity were delivered in the intervention areas.ResultsClinicians in the intervention group felt more prepared to advise smoking cessation and improvement of diet. They were more likely to test serum cholesterol and blood pressure, but less likely to take measurements of height, hip, waist and skin‐fold thickness. There were more resources available to clinicians in the intervention group and they used counselling more and complementary medicine less than those in the control group.ConclusionsCommunity interventions which have been shown to have a positive effect in the community and workplace also change clinical practice.Relevance to clinical practiceCommunity interventions make clinicians, including nurses, more likely to feel prepared to offer advice and more likely to use counselling. This would be expected to reduce risk factors in patients.
‘Nurses don't deal with these issues’: nurses’ role in advance care planning for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients
Authors: Carabez Rebecca , Scott Megan 
Published: July 2016

Aims and objectivesWe used a question from the Healthcare Equality Index to explore nurses’ knowledge and understanding of medical advance directives, medical power of attorney and other legal documents for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients.BackgroundUntil the landmark ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and same‐sex couples have had limited relationship rights as only a few states recognised marriages and provided legal protections for same‐sex couples. Health care providers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards advance care planning plays a significant role in determining whether or not individuals successfully complete advance directives, yet advance care planning for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals is poorly understood among both health care providers and same‐sex couples.DesignThese data were part of a larger research study that explored the current state of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender‐sensitive nursing practice.MethodUndergraduate nursing students recruited and interviewed nurse key informants (n = 268) about medical advance directives, medical power of attorney and other legal documents for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients.ResultsNearly 50% of key informants indicated a lack of knowledge of advance directives, over 26% reported the difficulties nurses face regarding advance directives are the same for both lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and heterosexual patients, and nearly 25% indicated difficulties including having to decide who has the legal right to make decisions for the patient.ConclusionThe study demonstrated the need for education and training for practising nurses in advance care planning for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients and same‐sex couples.Relevance to clinical practiceNurses are in a position to act as educators, advocates and decision makers for their patients. Nurse's lack of understanding of advance care planning may negatively impact the type and quality of care lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients receive.
Minimum length of the adaptation and collection period in digestibility trials with sheep fed ad libitum only forage or forage plus concentrate
Authors: Farenzena R. , Kozloski G. V. , Gindri M. , Stefanello S. 
Published: July 2016

SummaryTwo in vivo digestibility trials with sheep were conducted to identify the minimum period length of feeding a new diet to obtain reproducible values of nutritional variables onward and the minimum length of collection period as to obtain maximal precision for each variable. Trial 1 was conducted with ten Polwarth male sheep (34 ± 5 kg body weight (BW)) throughout three 21‐day periods, in a completely randomized two‐way crossover design. The animals were divided into two groups (Group A and B, n = 5 per group) which were fed ad libitum with a sequence of the following diets throughout the periods: Group A: hay – hay plus concentrate – hay; Group B: hay plus concentrate – hay – hay plus concentrate. The concentrate was included in a proportion of 0.33 of the total diet. The intake, and the faecal and urinary excretion were measured daily throughout the experiment. For evaluating rumen fermentation variables, in Trial 2 four Santa Inês male sheep (65 ± 5 kg BW) fitted with ruminal cannula were used. The animals were randomly divided into two groups (n = 2 per group), and the trial was conducted through four 21 days experimental period, in a three‐way crossover design, using experimental diets and feeding management similar to Trial 1. The results indicated that, even though no clear or consistent steady‐state condition was identified for rumen fermentation or urinary excretion variables, the adaptation period for measuring OM digestibility in in vivo trials with sheep fed ad libitum where the diet shifts from one of only hay to another containing concentrate, or vice‐versa, should be at least 12 days long. Moreover, although no precision improvement was obtained by increasing the collection period above 1 day for measuring OM digestibility, the minimal length of collection period should be 4 days for measuring faecal excretion variables and 7 days for measuring urinary excretion variables.
Ten‐year follow‐up analysis of chronic hepatitis C patients after getting sustained virological response to pegylated interferon‐α and ribavirin therapy
Authors: Wang X. , Gao F. , Yuan G. , Shi K. , Huang Y. , Chen Y. , Qiu R. , Sun L. , Liu J. , Hu C. , Zhou Y. 
Published: July 2016

SummaryThere is little data on the long‐term follow‐up outcomes of chronic hepatitis C patients achieving sustained virological response (SVR) after treatment with peglylated interferon‐α plus ribavirin. We prospectively investigated the overall clinical, biochemical, virological and histological outcomes in a ten‐year cohort study of 325 patients with chronic hepatitis C achieving SVR to pegylated interferon‐α and ribavirin therapy. Patients underwent consistent clinical, biochemical and virological evaluation every six months, and patients with pretherapy Ishak fibrosis score ≥2 were invited to accept a second liver biopsy at the last follow‐up. Liver biopsy specimens were evaluated using Ishak's scoring system. At the end of follow‐up, five patients developed decompensated liver cirrhosis. One patient (0.3%) with pretherapy cirrhosis was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 305 patients (94%) had normal serum ALT and AST levels during the entire period of follow‐up. Twenty‐seven patients (8%) had conclusive evidence of virological relapse. Among the 117 patients with paired pretherapy and long‐term follow‐up biopsies, 96 (82%) had a decreased fibrosis score. Ninety‐nine (79%) had a decrease in combined inflammation score. Thirty‐seven (32%) had normal or nearly normal livers on long‐term follow‐up biopsy. SVR achieved with PEG‐IFN‐α and RBV combination therapy is durable, while late virological relapse may still occur in some patients. Clinical outcomes for patients who obtain SVR are excellent, although the patients with cirrhosis are still at a low risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Energetic consequences of time‐activity budgets for a breeding seabird
Authors: Collins P. M. , Halsey L. G. , Arnould J. P. Y. , Shaw P. J. A. , Dodd S. , Green J. A. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractHow animals allocate their time to different behaviours has important consequences for their overall energy budget and reflects how they function in their environment. This potentially affects their ability to successfully reproduce, thereby impacting their fitness. We used accelerometers to record time‐activity budgets of 21 incubating and chick‐rearing kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) on Puffin Island, UK. These budgets were examined on a per day and per foraging trip basis. We applied activity‐specific estimates of energy expenditure to the kittiwakes' time‐activity budgets in order to identify the costs of variation in their allocation of time to different behaviours. Estimates of daily energy expenditure for incubating kittiwakes averaged 494 ± 20 kJ d−1 while chick‐rearing birds averaged 559 ± 11 kJ d−1. Time‐activity budgets highlighted that kittiwakes did not spend a large proportion of their time flying during longer foraging trips, or during any given 24‐h period. With time spent flying highlighted as the driving factor behind elevated energy budgets, this suggests behavioural compensation resulting in a possible energetic ceiling to their activities. We also identified that kittiwakes were highly variable in the proportion of time they spent either flying or on the water during foraging trips. Such variation meant that using forage trip duration alone to predict energy expenditure gave a mean error of 19% when compared to estimates incorporating the proportion of a foraging trip spent flying. We have therefore highlighted that trip duration alone is not an accurate indicator of energy expenditure.
Health assessment of grey mullet Mugil cephalus based on interrelationship between parasite co‐infections and relative condition factor
Authors: Özer A. , Çankaya E. , Yılmaz Kırca D. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the health status of grey mullet Mugil cephalus by means of relative condition factor under the coexisting parasite groups within seasons. Fish were captured monthly in the Lower Kızılırmak Delta in Samsun, Turkey, from December 2011 to November 2012. A total of five taxonomic groups containing 13 parasite species were constituted: Trichodina (Trichodina puytoraci, T. lepsii), Monogenea (Ligophorus cephali, L. mediterraneus, Gyrodactylus sp., Microcotyle mugilis), Digenea (Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa, Diplostomum spathaceum, Tylodelphys clavata, Posthodiplostomum sp., Haplosplanchnus pachysomus), Acanthocephala (Neoechinorhynchus agilis) and Copepoda (Ergasilus lizae). Only one mullet was not parasitized and 13.8%, 36.3%, 29.2%, 16.2% and 4.5% were infected by one, two, three, four and five parasite groups respectively. Health assessment of mullets was performed by means of relative condition factor based on weight–length relationship estimated by robust regression methods. General linear modelling was employed to investigate any effect of season and infection load on this condition measure. Potential impacts of multiple parasitism on the community, which have been largely overlooked in the literature, were first visually revealed by relating the levels of co‐infections (in terms of prevalence and intensity) to the seasons. Then, a correlation analysis was carried out between condition estimates and the log‐ratios of relative abundances of parasite groups. The results showed that mullets suffering from Monogenea–Digenea–Acanthocephala (M–D–A) and also along with Copepoda (M–D–A–C) co‐infection had weights less than expected (Kn < 1) under winter conditions. However, Trichodina involved co‐infections appeared to prefer large sized hosts (Kn > 1) particularly in autumn.
Obese women experience multiple challenges with breastfeeding that are either unique or exacerbated by their obesity: discoveries from a longitudinal, qualitative study
Authors: Garner Christine D. , McKenzie Shanice A. , Devine Carol M. , Thornburg Loralei L. , Rasmussen Kathleen M. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractObese women are at risk for shorter breastfeeding duration, but little is known about how obese women experience breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to understand obese women's breastfeeding experiences. We enrolled pregnant women in upstate New York, who were either obese [n = 13; body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2] or normal weight (n = 9; BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) before conception and intended to breastfeed. A longitudinal, qualitative study was conducted from February 2013 through August 2014 with semi‐structured interviews during pregnancy and at specific times post‐partum through 3 months. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Themes that emerged in analysis were compared between obese and normal‐weight women. Differences were identified and described. Prenatally, obese women expressed less confidence about breastfeeding than normal‐weight women. Post‐partum, obese women and their infants had more health issues that affected breastfeeding, such as low infant blood glucose. Compared with normal‐weight women, they also experienced more challenges with latching and positioning their infants. Breastfeeding required more time, props and pillows, which limited where obese women could breastfeed. Obese women also experienced more difficulty finding nursing bras and required more tangible social support than normal‐weight women. In conclusion, obese women experienced more challenges than women of normal weight; some challenges were similar to those of normal‐weight women but were experienced to a greater degree or a longer duration. Other challenges were unique. Obese women could benefit from targeted care prenatally and during the hospital stay as well as continued support post‐partum to improve breastfeeding outcomes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Admission profile and discharge outcomes for infants aged less than 6 months admitted to inpatient therapeutic care in 10 countries. A secondary data analysis
Authors: Grijalva‐Eternod Carlos S. , Kerac Marko , McGrath Marie , Wilkinson Caroline , Hirsch June C. , Delchevalerie Pascale , Seal Andrew J. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractEvidence on the management of acute malnutrition in infants aged less than 6 months (infants <6mo) is scarce. To understand outcomes using current protocols, we analysed a sample of 24 045 children aged 0–60 months from 21 datasets of inpatient therapeutic care programmes in 10 countries. We compared the proportion of admissions, the anthropometric profile at admission and the discharge outcomes between infants <6mo and children aged 6–60 months (older children).Infants <6mo accounted for 12% of admissions. The quality of anthropometric data at admission was more problematic in infants <6mo than in older children with a greater proportion of missing data (a 6.9 percentage point difference for length values, 95% CI: 6.0; 7.9, P < 0.01), anthropometric measures that could not be converted to indices (a 15.6 percentage point difference for weight‐for‐length z‐score values, 95% CI: 14.3; 16.9, P < 0.01) and anthropometric indices that were flagged as outliers (a 2.7 percentage point difference for any anthropometric index being flagged as an outlier, 95% CI: 1.7; 3.8, P < 0.01). A high proportion of both infants <6mo and older children were discharged as recovered. Infants <6mo showed a greater risk of death during treatment (risk ratio 1.30, 95% CI: 1.09; 1.56, P < 0.01).Infants <6mo represent an important proportion of admissions to therapeutic feeding programmes, and there are crucial challenges associated with their care. Systematic compilation and analysis of routine data for infants <6mo is necessary for monitoring programme performance and should be promoted as a tool to monitor the impact of new guidelines on care.
High‐throughput metabarcoding of eukaryotic diversity for environmental monitoring of offshore oil‐drilling activities
Authors: Lanzén Anders , Lekang Katrine , Jonassen Inge , Thompson Eric M. , Troedsson Christofer 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAs global exploitation of available resources increases, operations extend towards sensitive and previously protected ecosystems. It is important to monitor such areas in order to detect, understand and remediate environmental responses to stressors. The natural heterogeneity and complexity of communities means that accurate monitoring requires high resolution, both temporally and spatially, as well as more complete assessments of taxa. Increased resolution and taxonomic coverage is economically challenging using current microscopy‐based monitoring practices. Alternatively, DNA sequencing‐based methods have been suggested for cost‐efficient monitoring, offering additional insights into ecosystem function and disturbance. Here, we applied DNA metabarcoding of eukaryotic communities in marine sediments, in areas of offshore drilling on the Norwegian continental shelf. Forty‐five samples, collected from seven drilling sites in the Troll/Oseberg region, were assessed, using the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene as a taxonomic marker. In agreement with results based on classical morphology‐based monitoring, we were able to identify changes in sediment communities surrounding oil platforms. In addition to overall changes in community structure, we identified several potential indicator taxa, responding to pollutants associated with drilling fluids. These included the metazoan orders Macrodasyida, Macrostomida and Ceriantharia, as well as several ciliates and other protist taxa, typically not targeted by environmental monitoring programmes. Analysis of a co‐occurrence network to study the distribution of taxa across samples provided a framework for better understanding the impact of anthropogenic activities on the benthic food web, generating novel, testable hypotheses of trophic interactions structuring benthic communities.
ExtremeQTLmapping of germination speed inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Yuan Wei , Flowers Jonathan M. , Sahraie Dustin J. , Ehrenreich Ian M. , Purugganan Michael D. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSeed germination is a key life history transition for annual plants and partly determines lifetime performance and fitness. Germination speed, the elapsed time for a nondormant seed to germinate, is a poorly understood trait important for plants’ competitiveness and fitness in fluctuating environments. Germination speed varied by 30% among 18Arabidopsis thalianapopulations measured, and exhibited weak negative correlation with flowering time and seed weight, with significant genotype effect (P < 0.005). To dissect the genetic architecture of germination speed, we developed the extremeQTL(X‐QTL) mapping method inA. thaliana. The method has been shown in yeast to increaseQTLmapping power by integrating selective screening and bulk‐segregant analysis in a very large mapping population. By pooled genotyping of top 5% of rapid germinants from ~100 000 F3individuals, three X‐QTLregions were identified on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4. All regions were confirmed asQTLregions by sequencing 192 rapid germinants from an independent F3selection experiment. Positional overlaps were found between X‐QTLs and previously identified seed, life history and fitnessQTLs. Our method provides a rapid mapping platform inA. thalianawith potentially greater power. One can also relate identified X‐QTLs to theA. thalianaphysical map, facilitating candidate gene identification.
Abnormal mural cell recruitment in lymphatic capillaries: a common pathological feature in chronic lymphedematous skin?
Authors: Yu Zi‐You , Sun Di , Luo Yi , Liu Ning‐Fei 
Published: July 2016

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the structural and functional characteristics of dermal lymphatic capillaries in patients with chronic LE, specifically focused on the mural cells that are associated with skin lymphatics.MethodsForty‐four patients (30 primary LE and 14 secondary LE) and eight healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Genetic analysis of the FOXC2 was performed in 18 patients with primary LE. Full‐thickness skin was excised and immunohistologically stained for podoplanin and α‐SMA. The proportions of α‐SMA+ Lv (α‐SMA+ Lv%) were calculated. Lymphatic vascular function was assessed by indocyanine green lymphography.ResultsAnalysis of FOXC2 revealed two mutations in two patients with LDs. Histologically, thirty‐nine patients exhibited increased α‐SMA+ mural cell coverage of lymphatic capillaries. The α‐SMA+ Lv% values in the superficial and deep dermis in patients with primary and secondary LE were significantly higher than in the control group. Compared with imaging findings in healthy limbs, in which the collecting lymphatics were clearly visualized, lymphedematous extremities all exhibited dermal backflow.ConclusionsAbnormal recruitment of mural cells in dermal lymphatic capillaries is a common pathological event in chronic LE, and may play a role in disease evolution.
Use of mass spectrometry to measure aspartic acid racemization for ageing beluga whales
Authors: Pleskach Kerri , Hoang William , Chu Mitchell , Halldorson Thor , Loseto Lisa , Ferguson Steven H. , Tomy Gregg T. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe developed a novel analytical method to measure the D‐ and L‐isomers of aspartic acid (AA) in the eye lens of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) for age determination. The method was based on hydrolysis of the eye lens under acidic conditions followed by direct injection onto a Chirobiotic T (25 cm × 4.6 ID, 5 μm particle size) high performance liquid chromatography analytical column and detection by tandem mass spectrometry operated in the negative ionization mode. The detection limit of the method was 550 pg for each isomer, the repeatability expressed as the relative standard deviation was 8% and the linear dynamic range was from 0.05 mM to 1 mM. The validated method was used to estimate, for the first time, the rate of racemization (Kasp) of the two AA isomers and also the ratio of D/L at age 0, (D/L)0, in 34 beluga whales from the Canadian Arctic. At a mean ocular lens temperature of 17.8°C, respective Kasp and (D/L)0 were 3.48 ± 1.47 × 10−3/yr and 0.010 ± 0.005. We evaluated factors that impact Kasp and affect uncertainty in age estimation and outline the steps required to incorporate the method in wildlife management decisions.
Measurement of brain tissue oxygen saturation in term infants using a new portable near‐infrared spectroscopy device
Authors: Watanabe Takaaki , Ito Masato , Miyake Fuyu , Ogawa Ryo , Tamura Masanori , Namba Fumihiko 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBackgroundA small oximeter with the probe attached to the examiner's finger has been developed. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of measuring regional oxygenation of the brain tissue using this device in healthy term infants immediately after birth.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study. Using a new near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device, we measured changes in regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (crSO2) during the first 10 min of life in 32 healthy term infants after delivery. Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) was also simultaneously measured.ResultsMedian crSO2 increased from 43% (1 min after birth) to 49% (4 min after birth); thereafter, no significant changes were observed. Median SpO2 increased constantly from min 3 to min 7, from 77% to 92% and did not change significantly after 8 min. A stable oxygen saturation signal was measured in 59% of infants (crSO2) and in 0% of infants (SpO2) at 1 min, and in 97% (crSO2) and in 78% (SpO2) at 3 min.ConclusionsDuring the transition after birth, crSO2 can be more easily and quickly measured in healthy newborn infants using the novel NIRS device than SpO2.