bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Language outcomes of children with cerebral palsy aged 5 years and 6 years: a population‐based study
Authors: Mei Cristina , Reilly Sheena , Reddihough Dinah , Mensah Fiona , Pennington Lindsay , Morgan Angela 
Published: November 2015

AimTo examine the frequency, range, and features of language impairment in a community sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 5 to 6 years.MethodChildren with CP born between 2005 and 2007 were identified through the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register. Eighty‐four participants were recruited, representing 48% of the contacted families. The recruited sample was representative of non‐participants. Participants completed standardized measures of receptive and expressive language, and non‐verbal cognition.ResultsLanguage impairment was identified in 61% (51/84) of participants. Twenty‐four per cent (20/84) were non‐verbal. Co‐occurring receptive and expressive language impairment was common (37/84, 44%). Isolated receptive (6/84, 7%) and expressive (4/84, 5%) impairments occurred relatively infrequently. At a group level, verbal and non‐verbal participants demonstrated deficits across language subdomains (i.e. semantics, syntax, morphology), rather than in single domains. Cognitive impairment and Gross Motor Function Classification System levels IV and V were associated with higher rates of language impairment (odds ratio [OR] 15.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2–71.8 and OR 8.5, 95% CI 1.8–40.3 respectively). Only cognition was independently associated with language impairment when both of these factors were considered within a multivariable model.InterpretationLanguage impairment was common in 5‐year‐old and 6‐year‐old children with CP, affecting three out of five children. Participants were impaired across linguistic subdomains indicating a generalized language deficit. Findings suggest most children would benefit from a clinical language assessment. To target services effectively, subgroups of individuals with CP at greatest risk for language impairment need to be identified.
Suitability of woodlice prey for generalist and specialist spider predators: a comparative study
Authors: PEKÁR STANO , LÍZNAROVÁ EVA , ŘEZÁČ MILAN 
Published: November 2015

1. Predators select a prey according to its energetic and nutritional composition. Generalist predators avoid, whereas specialists often specialise on well‐defended prey. The aim of this study was to find the suitability of woodlice prey for generalist and specialist predators by comparing their handling efficiency.2. Laboratory experiments were performed in which specialist and generalist predators were reared on monotypic diets comprising one or other of two woodlice species that differ in their defensive strategies: rollers (Armadillidium) and clingers (Porcellio). A control group was reared on a mixture of arthropods (excluding woodlice). Three spider predators were used that differ in their adaptations to deal with woodlice prey: a woodlice specialist, Dysdera crocata; an oligophagous generalist, Pholcus phalangioides, that also captures woodlice; and a euryphagous generalist, Tegenaria domestica, that does not feed on woodlice. The frequency of capture was recorded and various fitness parameters were measured, namely survival, growth rate, and ontogenetic development.3. It was found that the specialist, D. crocata, performed best on the Porcellio diet, and similarly well on Armadillidium and mixed diets. The two generalists, P. phalangioides and T. domestica, had poor performance on both woodlice diets but performed well on the mixed diet.4. The results show that woodlice are unsuitable prey for both oligophagous and euryphagous generalist predators.
Bit‐induced asphyxia in the racehorse as a cause of sudden death
Authors: Cook W. R. 
Published: November 2015

SummaryThe prevention of sudden death requires removal of its cause and this is unknown. The author's hypothesis is that bit‐induced asphyxia, partial or complete, is a cause of sudden death.Antemortemdata on bit‐induced asphyxia were compared withpost mortemdata on sudden deaths to explore a possible cause‐and‐effect relationship. Causal categories from sudden death necropsy data were reclassified. Those causing a horse to fall (cardiopulmonary failures) were considered primary effects and those resulting from a fall (CNStrauma and haemorrhagic shock) secondary effects. Cardiac failure from negative pressure pulmonary oedema caused by bit‐induced obstruction of the nasopharynx was consistent with the hypothesis. In 1988,asphyxia from recurrent laryngeal neuropathy was posited as a cause of exercise‐induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). It is now suggested that the bit is another cause of asphyxia; EIPH is a sign of negative pressure pulmonary oedema which, in turn, causes cardiac failure and sudden death. By breaking the airtight lip‐seal at exercise, a bit dissipates negative pressure in the oral compartments, destabilises the soft palate and obstructs the nasopharynx. Bitted rein pressure, kinking the airway and rendering parts of it flaccid, is a further cause of asphyxia. The data comparison supports a unifying hypothesis on 4 problems currently considered idiopathic; that the bit is an ultimate cause of palatal instability, dynamic collapse of the upper respiratory tract, EIPH and sudden death. Bitless training and racing trials are recommended as a means of demonstrating that bitless racing is possible, preferable and predicted to reduce the prevalence of all 4 problems.
Daclatasvir and asunaprevir treatment improves liver function parameters and reduces liver fibrosis markers in chronic hepatitis C patients
Authors: Miyaki Eisuke , Imamura Michio , Hiraga Nobuhiko , Murakami Eisuke , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Tsuge Masataka , Hiramatsu Akira , Kawakami Yoshiiku , Aikata Hiroshi , Hayes C. Nelson , Chayama Kazuaki 
Published: November 2015

AimAlthough interferon (IFN)‐free antiviral therapy is expected to improve the treatment response for chronic hepatitis C, the effect on liver function and liver fibrosis is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the long‐term follow up of liver function parameters and liver fibrosis markers in genotype 1b hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infected patients treated with daclatasvir and asunaprevir.MethodsThirty patients were treated with daclatasvir and asunaprevir for 24 weeks, and 26 patients achieved sustained virological response (SVR). We measured liver function parameters, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and albumin levels and liver fibrosis markers, hyaluronic acid, type IV collagen and Mac‐2‐binding protein (M2BPGi) before and after (median, 27 months; range, 17–47) completion of the treatment in SVR and non‐SVR patients. We also measured serum α‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels during the therapy and follow‐up period.ResultsPretreatment serum ALT and albumin levels and liver fibrosis markers were similar between SVR and non‐SVR patients. Twenty‐seven months after treatment, serum ALT and albumin levels significantly improved only in SVR patients. Although there was no change in non‐SVR patients, platelet count and serum liver fibrosis markers significantly improved in SVR patients. Serum AFP levels rapidly decreased during the treatment in both SVR and non‐SVR patients, but the change was significant only in SVR patients.ConclusionSuccessful viral eradication by IFN‐free daclatasvir and asunaprevir therapy could lead to improved liver function parameters and reduced liver fibrosis markers and AFP levels. This treatment has the potential to improve liver fibrosis and decrease the incidence of hepatocarcinogenesis.
Enterococcus faecalis attenuates osteogenesis through activation of p38 and ERK1/2 pathways in MC3T3‐E1 cells
Authors: Wang S. , Deng Z. , Ye X. , Geng X. , Zhang C. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractAimTo explore the role of Enterococcus faecalis in the proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of osteoblasts.MethodologyPre‐osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells were treated with heat‐killed E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and clinical E. faecalis P25RC strains, respectively. Cell proliferation, mineralized calcium deposition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and apoptosis were assessed at various time‐points. The expression levels of osteogenic‐related genes including ALP, osteocalcin (OC), runt‐related protein 2 (Runx2) and collagen type 1 (COL1) were also analysed throughout the duration of the experiment. Additionally, the involvement of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signalling pathways was analysed by Western blotting. In the presence of culture supernatant from E. faecalis‐treated murine macrophages, apoptosis of MC3T3‐E1 cells was detected with flow cytometry. Data were analysed using analysis of variance (anova), and P < 0.05 was considered significantly different.ResultsE. faecalis significantly inhibited proliferation (P < 0.05) and also significantly induced apoptosis of MC3T3‐E1 cells (P < 0.05), whilst differentiation seemed to be unaffected after 7 days of E. faecalis treatment. However, osteogenic differentiation was significantly inhibited with 21‐day E. faecalis treatment (P < 0.05). The p38 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation pathways associated with mineral deposition and apoptosis were significantly activated in MC3T3‐E1 cells. The culture supernatants from E. faecalis‐treated macrophages induced osteoblast apoptosis.ConclusionsE. faecalis exerted an inhibitory effect on osteogenesis in pre‐osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells via phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2.
Why not nursing? A systematic review of factors influencing career choice among healthcare students
Authors: Wu L.T. , Low M.M.J. , Tan K.K. , Lopez V. , Liaw S.Y. 
Published: November 2015

BackgroundA global shortage of healthcare professionals calls for effective recruitment and retention strategies. The nursing profession faces greater staffing shortages compared with other healthcare professions. Identifying these factors for choosing a career in health care is an important step in structuring future nursing recruitment strategies.AimThis systematic review examined the motivations for choosing a career in health care, then compared them to factors that influence the choice to pursue a career in nursing.MethodsA literature search of theCINAHL,PubMed,Web ofScience andScopus databases for articles published between 2002 and 2013 was conducted. The search included studies that focused on factors influencing career choice among undergraduate medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing students.ResultsA total of 29 papers were included in the review. The themes and subthemes that emerged from this review included: (1) intrinsic factors, including a desire to help others and a personal interest in health care, (2) extrinsic factors, such as financial remuneration, job security, professional prestige and job autonomy, (3) socio‐demographic factors such as gender and socio‐economic status, and (4) interpersonal factors, encompassing the influence of family and other professional individuals.DiscussionHealthcare professionals were generally motivated by intrinsic factors. However, public perceptions of nursing as a low‐paying and low‐status job have significantly hindered the participants' choice to pursue it as a career.Conclusion and implications for nursing and/or health policyNursing institutions could provide more platforms to help school leavers better understand the nursing career. In turn, hospital administrators could invite parents to nursing career fairs, increase financial remuneration for nurses, and provide decision‐making avenues aimed at recruiting and retaining more nurses.
Nurses' perceptions of the challenges related to the Omanization policy
Authors: Al‐Riyami M. , Fischer I. , Lopez V. 
Published: November 2015

BackgroundHuman resource development has become a major concern in Oman since the inception of the ‘Omanization’ policy in 1988. The main goal of this policy was to replace the expatriate nursing workforce with similarly qualified local nurses to develop a sustainable workforce and achieve self‐reliance.AimThe aim of this study is to explore the nurses' perceptions of Omanization policy.MethodsA qualitative research design was used and 16 Omani registered nurses and 26 student nurses were interviewed indepth. Transcribed data were analysed using content analysis.ResultsTwo main themes emerged from the data: ‘Challenges of sustaining the local nursing workforce’ and ‘Challenges of educational preparation for local nurses’. The participants agreed that Omanization benefited national development, social stability and ensuring local workforce. The challenges faced were cultural and work life balance, preparation of nurses and pace of replacement.ConclusionThe participants were concerned that the pace of replacement could leave behind a marked experience gap. A slow‐phased approach to Omanization of the nursing workforce was recommended by the participants.LimitationsResults obtained from this study reflect the perceptions and voices of student nurses and registered nurses only from the Institute of Nursing and Oman Ministry of Health.Implications for nursing education and policyA policy of this magnitude requires gradual establishment. The upgrading of the nursing education to degree level, continuous professional development, mentoring and role modeling of expert nurses should be established to prepare local nurses for the localization of the nursing workforce.
Spirituality and spiritual care in Iran: nurses' perceptions and barriers
Authors: Zakaria Kiaei M. , Salehi A. , Moosazadeh Nasrabadi A. , Whitehead D. , Azmal M. , Kalhor R. , Shah Bahrami E. 
Published: November 2015

AimThis study aimed to explore the perception of Iranian nurses concerning spiritual care and to reveal any confronted barriers.BackgroundAlthough the context of spiritual care is a substantial aspect of holistic care, the delivery of spiritual care has been problematic due to lack of nurses' understanding of this concept.IntroductionNurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care directly influence their performance as well as their relationships with patients.MethodsThis cross‐sectional survey was conducted in 2013 with 259 nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale alongside qualitative open‐ended questions. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data.ResultsThe overall average for spirituality and spiritual care was 2.84 (score range: 1–4), indicating a moderate mean score. A significant relationship was found between education level and spiritual care. The majority of participants believed that they did not receive enough training in this aspect of care. The main obstacles regarding delivering spiritual care included busy working schedules, insufficient knowledge regarding spiritual care, low motivation, diversity of patients' spiritual needs and feeling ‘unqualified’ to provide spiritual cares.DiscussionConsistent with the previous studies, this study has demonstrated that nurses had low confidence to meet the spiritual needs of patients due to lack of knowledge and training in this regard.ConclusionIranian nurses' perception of spirituality and spiritual care is moderate, reflecting that they do not receive sufficient training regarding spiritual care.Implications for nursing and/or health policyDespite the attention focused on spiritual care in clinical settings in Iran, there remains a significant gap in terms of meeting the spiritual needs of patients in nursing practice. This finding assists nursing clinicians, educators and policy makers to more effectively approach spiritual care as a beneficial component of holistic care. It is proposed that more emphasis is placed on integrating spirituality content into educational programmes to enable more effective clinical delivery. In addition, it would be beneficial to implement more widespread cultural assessment in order to further benefit spiritual care practices.
The Co-optation of LGBT Movements in Mexico and Nicaragua: Modernizing Clientelism?
Authors: McGee Marcus J. , Kampwirth Karen 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBefore the 1980s, LGBT groups in Latin America were largely (though not entirely) excluded from the state. This article argues that a combination of factors—democratization, social movement demands, neoliberal globalization and its accompanying discourse of modernity—has led many state actors to seek to incorporate LGBT groups into the state. Considering two cases of self-proclaimed revolutionary parties, Mexico's PRI and Nicaragua's FSLN, the article examines how and why these parties incorporated LGBT organizations and what impact such incorporation had on the LGBT groups themselves. In both countries, LGBT groups benefited from clientelistic resources at the same time that they found themselves deradicalizing, often forced to accept visibility without rights. But in Nicaragua, a more recent revolutionary experience and ties to a combative, autonomous feminist movement have allowed some LGBT activists to resist the state's efforts to co-opt their movement.
(Un?)Healthy Politics: The Political Determinants of Subnational Health Systems in Brazil
Authors: Alves Jorge Antonio 
Published: November 2015

AbstractHow does political competition shape institutions that govern the expansion of social policy subnationally? Brazilian states have shown a surprising variation in the design of their public health institutions, which regulate the distribution of health resources and citizen access to public health care. While many states have experienced fragmentation, some have remained highly centralized and discretionary, and only a select few have established a coordinated system based on power sharing and rules-based distribution. Accounts that link public health care expansion to federal government imposition, the presence of the public health care movement, and leftist parties cannot fully explain this variation. Instead, in the three Brazilian states examined here, the nature of subnational political competition triggered different institution-building strategies. The findings indicate that plural political competition yielded incentives for limiting state-level discretion and for sharing power with municipal governments, while political concentration reinforced the attraction to centralized and discretionary policymaking.
Bank Liquidity Creation and Risk‐Taking: Does Managerial Ability Matter?
Authors: Andreou Panayiotis C. , Philip Dennis , Robejsek Peter 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of managerial ability on banks' liquidity creation and risk‐taking behavior. We find that higher ability managers create more liquidity and take more risk. During times of financial crisis, however, higher ability bank managers reduce liquidity creation as a way to de‐leverage their balance sheets. Our findings inform recent theoretical and empirical studies that investigate determinants of liquidity creation and risk by introducing managerial ability as a prominent antecedent of the banks' intermediation and risk‐transforming service. Moreover, this study has policy‐related implications, since managerial ability can be quantified as a key performance indicator for prudential supervision of banks and could help regulators to target intervention efforts more purposefully during times of crisis.
Past climate‐driven range shifts and population genetic diversity in arctic plants
Authors: Pellissier Loïc , Eidesen Pernille Bronken , Ehrich Dorothee , Descombes Patrice , Schönswetter Peter , Tribsch Andreas , Westergaard Kristine Bakke , Alvarez Nadir , Guisan Antoine , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Normand Signe , Vittoz Pascal , Luoto Miska , Damgaard Christian , Brochmann Christian , Wisz Mary S. , Alsos Inger Greve 
Published: November 2015

AbstractAimHigh intra‐specific genetic diversity is necessary for species adaptation to novel environments under climate change, but species tracking suitable conditions are losing alleles through successive founder events during range shift. Here, we investigated the relationship between range shift since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and extant population genetic diversity across multiple plant species to understand variability in species responses.LocationThe circumpolar Arctic and northern temperate alpine ranges.MethodsWe estimated the climatic niches of 30 cold‐adapted plant species using range maps coupled with species distribution models and hindcasted species suitable areas to reconstructions of the mid‐Holocene and LGM climates. We computed the species‐specific migration distances from the species glacial refugia to their current distribution and correlated distances to extant genetic diversity in 1295 populations. Differential responses among species were related to life‐history traits.ResultsWe found a negative association between inferred migration distances from refugia and genetic diversities in 25 species, but only 11 had statistically significant negative slopes. The relationships between inferred distance and population genetic diversity were steeper for insect‐pollinated species than wind‐pollinated species, but the difference among pollination system was marginally independent from phylogenetic autocorrelation.Main conclusionThe relationships between inferred migration distances and genetic diversities in 11 species, independent from current isolation, indicate that past range shifts were associated with a genetic bottleneck effect with an average of 21% loss of genetic diversity per 1000 km−1. In contrast, the absence of relationship in many species also indicates that the response is species specific and may be modulated by plant pollination strategies or result from more complex historical contingencies than those modelled here.
Syphilis iridocyclitis in a patient with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Comassi Mario , Natali Andrea , Solini Anna 
Published: November 2015

AbstractWe present a rare cause of iridocyclitis in a patient with vitiligo and type 1 diabetes who showed poor metabolic control, and suffered from remitting fever, weight loss, fatigue, diffuse arthralgias and reduced visual acuity. Mild systemic symptoms coupled with increased cholestasis enzymes, insulin resistance, mild inflammation and a functioning adrenal gland focused our clinical work‐up on granulomatous causes of iridocyclitis. Specific tests confirmed syphilis, with no involvement of the central nervous system. Ocular syphilis, despite being unusual, can be the only manifestation of the disease. The work‐up of any unexplained ocular inflammation should include testing for syphilis so as to not delay the diagnosis.