bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association between neoadjuvant chemoradiation and survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Sun Z. , Adam M. A. , Kim J. , Turner M. C. , Fisher D. A. , Choudhury K. R. , Czito B. G. , Migaly J. , Mantyh C. R. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAimTo examine the overall survival differences for the following neoadjuvant therapy modalities – no therapy, chemotherapy alone, radiation alone and chemoradiation – in a large cohort of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.MethodAdults with clinical Stage II and III rectal adenocarcinoma were selected from the National Cancer Database and grouped by type of neoadjuvant therapy received: no therapy, chemotherapy only, radiotherapy only or chemoradiation. Multivariable regression methods were used to compare adjusted differences in perioperative outcomes and overall survival.ResultsAmong 32 978 patients included, 9714 (29.5%) received no neoadjuvant therapy, 890 (2.7%) chemotherapy only, 1170 (3.5%) radiotherapy only and 21 204 (64.3%) chemoradiation. Compared with no therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone were not associated with any adjusted differences in surgical margin positivity, permanent colostomy rate or overall survival (all P > 0.05). With adjustment, neoadjuvant chemoradiation vs no therapy was associated with a lower likelihood of surgical margin positivity (OR 0.74, P < 0.001), decreased rate of permanent colostomy (OR 0.77, P < 0.001) and overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 0.79, P < 0.001]. When compared with chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone, chemoradiation remained associated with improved overall survival (vs chemotherapy alone HR 0.83, P = 0.04; vs radiotherapy alone HR 0.83, P < 0.019).ConclusionNeoadjuvant chemoradiation, not chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone, is important for sphincter preservation, R0 resection and survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Despite this finding, one‐third of patients in the United States with locally advanced rectal cancer fail to receive stage‐appropriate chemoradiation.
Consistent Belief in a Good True Self in Misanthropes and Three Interdependent Cultures
Authors: De Freitas Julian , Sarkissian Hagop , Newman George E. , Grossmann Igor , De Brigard Felipe , Luco Andres , Knobe Joshua 
Published: June 2017

AbstractPeople sometimes explain behavior by appealing to an essentialist concept of the self, often referred to as the true self. Existing studies suggest that people tend to believe that the true self is morally virtuous; that is deep inside, every person is motivated to behave in morally good ways. Is this belief particular to individuals with optimistic beliefs or people from Western cultures, or does it reflect a widely held cognitive bias in how people understand the self? To address this question, we tested the good true self theory against two potential boundary conditions that are known to elicit different beliefs about the self as a whole. Study 1 tested whether individual differences in misanthropy—the tendency to view humans negatively—predict beliefs about the good true self in an American sample. The results indicate a consistent belief in a good true self, even among individuals who have an explicitly pessimistic view of others. Study 2 compared true self‐attributions across cultural groups, by comparing samples from an independent country (USA) and a diverse set of interdependent countries (Russia, Singapore, and Colombia). Results indicated that the direction and magnitude of the effect are comparable across all groups we tested. The belief in a good true self appears robust across groups varying in cultural orientation or misanthropy, suggesting a consistent psychological tendency to view the true self as morally good.
Principles of proportional recovery after stroke generalize to neglect and aphasia
Authors: Marchi N. A. , Ptak R. , Di Pietro M. , Schnider A. , Guggisberg A. G. 
Published: June 2017

Background and purposeMotor recovery after stroke can be characterized into two different patterns. A majority of patients recover about 70% of initial impairment, whereas some patients with severe initial deficits show little or no improvement. Here, we investigated whether recovery from visuospatial neglect and aphasia is also separated into two different groups and whether similar proportions of recovery can be expected for the two cognitive functions.MethodsWe assessed 35 patients with neglect and 14 patients with aphasia at 3 weeks and 3 months after stroke using standardized tests. Recovery patterns were classified with hierarchical clustering and the proportion of recovery was estimated from initial impairment using a linear regression analysis.ResultsPatients were reliably clustered into two different groups. For patients in the first cluster (n = 40), recovery followed a linear model where improvement was proportional to initial impairment and achieved 71% of maximal possible recovery for both cognitive deficits. Patients in the second cluster (n = 9) exhibited poor recovery (<25% of initial impairment).ConclusionsOur findings indicate that improvement from neglect or aphasia after stroke shows the same dichotomy and proportionality as observed in motor recovery. This is suggestive of common underlying principles of plasticity, which apply to motor and cognitive functions.
Overexpressing wild‐type γ2 subunits rescued the seizure phenotype in Gabrg2+/Q390X Dravet syndrome mice
Authors: Huang Xuan , Zhou Chengwen , Tian Mengnan , Kang Jing‐Qiong , Shen Wangzhen , Verdier Kelienne , Pimenta Aurea , MacDonald Robert L. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryObjectiveThe mutant γ‐aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor γ2(Q390X) subunit (Q351X in the mature peptide) has been associated with the epileptic encephalopathy, Dravet syndrome, and the epilepsy syndrome genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). The mutation generates a premature stop codon that results in translation of a stable truncated and misfolded γ2 subunit that accumulates in neurons, forms intracellular aggregates, disrupts incorporation of γ2 subunits into GABAA receptors, and affects trafficking of partnering α and β subunits. Heterozygous Gabrg2+/Q390X knock‐in (KI) mice had reduced cortical inhibition, spike wave discharges on electroencephalography (EEG), a lower seizure threshold to the convulsant drug pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), and spontaneous generalized tonic–clonic seizures. In this proof‐of‐principal study, we attempted to rescue these deficits in KI mice using a γ2 subunit gene (GABRG2) replacement therapy.MethodsWe introduced the GABRG2 allele by crossing Gabrg2+/Q390X KI mice with bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mice overexpressing HA (hemagglutinin)–tagged human γ2HA subunits, and compared GABAA receptor subunit expression by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining, seizure threshold by monitoring mouse behavior after PTZ‐injection, and thalamocortical inhibition and network oscillation by slice recording.ResultsCompared to KI mice, adult mice carrying both mutant allele and transgene had increased wild‐type γ2 and partnering α1 and β2/3 subunits, increased miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSC) amplitudes recorded from layer VI cortical neurons, reduced thalamocortical network oscillations, and higher PTZ seizure threshold.SignificanceBased on these results we suggest that seizures in a genetic epilepsy syndrome caused by epilepsy mutant γ2(Q390X) subunits with dominant negative effects could be rescued potentially by overexpression of wild‐type γ2 subunits.
Changes in temperature sensitivity of spring phenology with recent climate warming in Switzerland are related to shifts of the preseason
Authors: Güsewell Sabine , Furrer Reinhard , Gehrig Regula , Pietragalla Barbara 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe spring phenology of plants in temperate regions strongly responds to spring temperatures. Climate warming has caused substantial phenological advances in the past, but trends to be expected in the future are uncertain. A simple indicator is temperature sensitivity, the phenological advance statistically associated with a 1°C warmer mean temperature during the “preseason”, defined as the most temperature‐sensitive period preceding the phenological event. Recent analyses of phenological records have shown a decline in temperature sensitivity of leaf unfolding, but underlying mechanisms were not clear. Here, we propose that climate warming can reduce temperature sensitivity simply by reducing the length of the preseason due to faster bud development during this time period, unless the entire preseason shifts forward so that its temperature does not change. We derive these predictions theoretically from the widely used “thermal time model” for bud development and test them using data for 19 phenological events recorded in 1970–2012 at 108 stations spanning a 1600 m altitudinal range in Switzerland. We consider how temperature sensitivity, preseason start, preseason length and preseason temperature change (i) with altitude, (ii) between the periods 1970–1987 and 1995–2012, which differed mainly in spring temperatures, and (iii) between two non‐consecutive sets of 18 years that differed mainly in winter temperatures. On average, temperature sensitivity increased with altitude (colder climate) and was reduced in years with warmer springs, but not in years with warmer winters. These trends also varied among species. Decreasing temperature sensitivity in warmer springs was associated with a limited forward shift of preseason start, higher temperatures during the preseason and reduced preseason length, but not with reduced winter chilling. Our results imply that declining temperature sensitivity can result directly from spring warming and does not necessarily indicate altered physiological responses or stronger constraints such as reduced winter chilling.
Thermal adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in a warming world: Insights from common garden experiments on Alaskan sockeye salmon
Authors: Sparks Morgan M. , Westley Peter A. H. , Falke Jeffrey A. , Quinn Thomas P. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAn important unresolved question is how populations of coldwater‐dependent fishes will respond to rapidly warming water temperatures. For example, the culturally and economically important group, Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), experience site‐specific thermal regimes during early development that could be disrupted by warming. To test for thermal local adaptation and heritable phenotypic plasticity in Pacific salmon embryos, we measured the developmental rate, survival, and body size at hatching in two populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) that overlap in timing of spawning but incubate in contrasting natural thermal regimes. Using a split half‐sibling design, we exposed embryos of 10 families from each of two populations to variable and constant thermal regimes. These represented both experienced temperatures by each population, and predicted temperatures under plausible future conditions based on a warming scenario from the downscaled global climate model (MIROC A1B scenario). We did not find evidence of thermal local adaptation during the embryonic stage for developmental rate or survival. Within treatments, populations hatched within 1 day of each other, on average, and among treatments, did not differ in survival in response to temperature. We did detect plasticity to temperature; embryos developed 2.5 times longer (189 days) in the coolest regime compared to the warmest regime (74 days). We also detected variation in developmental rates among families within and among temperature regimes, indicating heritable plasticity. Families exhibited a strong positive relationship between thermal variability and phenotypic variability in developmental rate but body length and mass at hatching were largely insensitive to temperature. Overall, our results indicated a lack of thermal local adaptation, but a presence of plasticity in populations experiencing contrasting conditions, as well as family‐specific heritable plasticity that could facilitate adaptive change.
Models to define the stages of articular cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis development
Authors: Poulet Blandine 
Published: June 2017

SummaryOsteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disorder that affects an increasing number of the ageing population. Despite the prevalence, there are currently no therapies. Defining new therapies that target specific pathogenic phases of disease development relies on the effective separation of the different stages of OA. This manuscript reviews the tissues and models that are being used to separate these stages of disease, in particular initiation and early and late progression. These models include human tissues with known initiating factors, the use of anatomical locations with defined relationships to the primary cartilage lesion area, timing of OA development in well‐described animal models and the versatility of a non‐invasive model of murine knee joint trauma.
Antibiotic complications during the treatment of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease in Australian patients
Authors: O'Brien Daniel P. , Friedman Deborah , Hughes Andrew , Walton Aaron , Athan Eugene 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBackgroundAntibiotics are the recommended first‐line treatment for Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. Antibiotic toxicity is common in Australian patients, yet antibiotic complication rates and their risk factors have not been determined.AimTo determine the incidence rate and risk factors for antibiotic toxicity in Australian patients treated for M. ulcerans disease.MethodsAn analysis of severe antibiotic complications was performed using data from a prospective cohort of M. ulcerans cases managed at Barwon Health from 1 January 1998 to 30 June 2016. A severe antibiotic complication was defined as an antibiotic adverse event that required its cessation. Antibiotic complication rates and their associations were assessed using a Poisson regression model.ResultsA total of 337 patients was included; 184 (54.6%) males and median age 57 years (interquartile range (IQR) 36–73 years). Median antibiotic treatment duration was 56 days (IQR 49–76 days).Seventy‐five (22.2%) patients experienced severe antibiotic complications after a median 28 days (IQR 17–45 days) at a rate of 141.53 per 100 person‐years (95% confidence interval (CI) 112.86–177.47). Eleven (14.7%) patients required hospitalisation. Compared with rifampicin/clarithromycin combinations, severe complication rates were not increased for rifampicin/ciprofloxacin (rate ratio (RR) 1.49, 95% CI 0.89–2.50, P = 0.13) or rifampicin/moxifloxacin (RR 2.54, 95% CI 0.76–8.50, P = 0.13) combinations, but were significantly increased for ‘other’ combinations (RR 2.53, 95% CI 1.13–5.68, P = 0.03).In a multivariable analysis, severe complication rates were significantly increased with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rates (EGFR) (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 2.65, 95% CI 1.24–5.65 for EGFR 60–89 mL/min and aRR 1.31, 95% CI 0.49–3.53 for EGFR 0–59 mL/min compared with EGFR ≥90 mL/min, P < 0.01) and female gender (aRR 2.15, 95% CI 1.38–3.30, P < 0.01).ConclusionsSevere antibiotic complications during M. ulcerans treatment are high with increased rates independently associated with reduced renal function and female gender.
Direct access colonoscopy: impact of intervention on time to colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment in North West Tasmania
Authors: Allen Penny , Gately Lucy , Banks Patricia , Lee Adrian A. Y. S. , Hamilton Garry , Tan Lavinia , Sim Sheryl 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBackgroundDirect access colonoscopy (DAC) allows general practitioners to refer directly for colonoscopy, without specialist review. Research suggests DAC reduces times to diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. However, there is no information about outcomes of DAC in Australia.AimTo determine if DAC in North West Tasmania expedited colorectal diagnosis and treatment.MethodsPre‐post intervention study evaluating time from referral to diagnosis and definitive treatment. Patient demographic characteristics, referral, colonoscopy and treatment information was retrieved from hospital records. Timelines were investigated in standard referrals (SR), emergency department/inpatient referrals and DAC using survival analysis.ResultsTwo hundred and six colorectal cancer cases were identified (117 SR, 26 DAC, 48 emergency department/inpatient and 15 unknown pathways). Median time to colonoscopy/diagnosis (DAC 6 weeks vs SR 7 weeks, P = 0.55) or definitive treatment (surgery/chemoradiation) (DAC 8 weeks vs SR 9 weeks, P = 0.81) was not significantly improved with DAC. Among SR only, time to diagnosis was 9 weeks pre‐intervention versus 5 weeks post‐intervention (P = 0.13), and time to treatment was 11 weeks pre‐intervention versus 6 weeks post‐intervention (P = 0.07).ConclusionThere was no statistically significant improvement in time to colorectal cancer diagnosis or treatment among patients referred through DAC compared to SR. There was a trend towards improved waiting times for SR concurrent with the introduction of the DAC pathway, indicating improvement of all referral processes. DAC may not be effective at expediting colorectal cancer diagnosis if it is not accompanied by strict referral guidelines. Larger evaluations of DAC are required in the Australian context.
Agreement between jaw‐muscle activity measurement with portable single‐channel electromyography and polysomnography in children
Authors: Restrepo Claudia , Lobbezoo Frank , Castrillon Eduardo , Svensson Peter , Santamaria Adriana , Alvarez Claudia , Manrique Ruben , Manfredini Daniele 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundPolysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard for sleep bruxism (SB) assessment. High economical costs, complex technical equipment, and unfamiliar laboratory setting limit its use in children.AimTo determine the night‐to‐night variability of electromyography (EMG) episodes during a five‐night recording with the GrindCare Measure (GCM), and the agreement in the assessment of masticatory muscle activity (MMA) between GCM and PSG in children.DesignForty‐seven children from clinics of Universidad CES participated. Each participant was assessed with GCM for five consecutive nights. The last night, children underwent a single‐night PSG study, together with the GCM. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to analyze data.ResultsThe frequency of SB occurrence was ‘sometimes’ in 12 (25.5%) and ‘usually’ in 19 (40.4%) children. Simultaneous measurements with GCM and PSG obtained during the fifth night of measurement were not significantly correlated. Correlation between GCM total EMG episodes and EMG episodes/h and PSG total SB episodes, SB episodes/h, total bursts and burst/h measured with PSG was also not significant.ConclusionEMG measurement with GCM was not accurate to detect PSG/SB in children. There was not advantage of multiple assessment for five nights with GCM, reducing the impact of night‐to‐night EMG episodes’ variability on the GCM/PSG correlation.
Acute fatigue predicts sickness absence in the workplace: A 1‐year retrospective cohort study in paediatric nurses
Authors: Sagherian Knar , Unick George J. , Zhu Shijun , Derickson Debra , Hinds Pamela S. , Geiger‐Brown Jeanne 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAimsTo examine the relationship between fatigue and sickness absence in nurses from a paediatric hospital over 12 months of follow‐up. A secondary aim was to identify other work and personal factors that predict sickness absence.BackgroundSickness absence is often related to worker‐fatigue, yet few studies have explored this relationship in nurses despite documented high fatigue levels.DesignThe study used retrospective cohort design.MethodsBaseline data on 40 nurses from an intervention study were linked to absence data using the hospital's attendance records (2012–2013). A total of 6,057 work shifts were studied of which 5.2% were absence episodes. Fatigue was measured by the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery scale. The questionnaire included instruments assessing sleep disturbances, workload and personal characteristics. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test the associations between fatigue, work, personal factors and sickness absence, while accounting for non‐independency of repeated measures.ResultsWith 1SD increase in acute fatigue scores, nurses were 1.29 times more likely to be absent from work. Factors such as intershift recovery, perceived workload, obstructive sleep apnoea and marital status also predicted sickness absence, that is, with 1SD increase in workload scores, nurses were 1.23 times more likely to be absent from work. Nurses with obstructive sleep apnoea had two times higher odds of sickness absence.ConclusionSickness absence is related to acute fatigue in paediatric nurses and to workload. Nursing leaders can monitor these factors to reduce sickness absence and screen for sleep apnoea and assist nurses in receiving the appropriate treatments.
European consensus statement on phenotypes of pustular psoriasis
Authors: Navarini A.A. , Burden A.D. , Capon F. , Mrowietz U. , Puig L. , Köks S. , Kingo K. , Smith C. , Barker J.N. ,   the ERASPEN Network
Published: June 2017

AbstractPustular psoriasis (PP) is a group of inflammatory skin conditions characterized by infiltration of neutrophil granulocytes in the epidermis to such an extent that clinically visible sterile pustules develop. Because of clinical co‐incidence, PP is currently grouped with psoriasis vulgaris (PV). However, PP and PV are phenotypically different, respond differently to treatments and seem to be distinct on the genetic level. In contrast to PV, the phenotypes of PP are not well defined. Descriptions of each form of PP are discordant among standard dermatology textbooks [Saurat Dermatologie 2016, Rook's Dermatology 2016, Fitzpatrick's 2012 and Braun‐Falco 2012], encumbering the collection of phenotypically well‐matched groups of patients as well as clinical trials. The European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network (ERASPEN) was founded to define consensus criteria for diagnosis, deeply phenotype large groups of PP patients, analyse the genetics and pathophysiology and prepare for prospective clinical trials. This work reviews historical aspects of these conditions, new genetic findings and presents our initial considerations on the phenotypes of PP and a consensus classification of clinical phenotypes that will be used as a baseline for further, prospective studies of PP. Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is defined as primary, sterile, macroscopically visible pustules on non‐acral skin (excluding cases where pustulation is restricted to psoriatic plaques). GPP can occur with or without systemic inflammation, with or without PV and can either be a relapsing (>1 episode) or persistent (>3 months) condition. Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is characterized by primary, persistent (>3 months), sterile, macroscopically visible pustules affecting the nail apparatus. Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) has primary, persistent (>3 months), sterile, macroscopically visible pustules on palms and/or soles and can occur with or without PV.