bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcomes and toxicities in patients with intermediate‐risk prostate cancer treated with brachytherapy alone or brachytherapy and supplemental external beam radiation therapy
Authors: Schlussel Markovic Emily , Buckstein Michael , Stone Nelson N. , Stock Richard G. 
Published: January 2018

ObjectiveTo evaluate the cancer control outcomes and long‐term treatment‐related morbidity of brachytherapy as well as combination brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in patients with intermediate‐risk prostate cancer.Materials and MethodsA retrospective review was conducted in a prospectively collected database of patients with intermediate‐risk prostate cancer who were treated either with brachytherapy or brachytherapy and EBRT, with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), in the period 1990–2014. Urinary and erectile dysfunction symptoms were measured using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Mount Sinai erectile function scale and the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Cancer control endpoints included biochemical failure and development of distant metastases. All statistical analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Survival curves were calculated using Kaplan–Meier actuarial methods and compared using log‐rank tests. Cox regression multivariate analyses were used to test the effect of multiple variables on treatment outcomes.ResultsA total of 902 patients were identified, with a median follow‐up of 91 months. Of these, 390 received brachytherapy and 512 received combination therapy with EBRT. In patients with one intermediate‐risk factor, the addition of EBRT did not significantly affect freedom from biochemical failure or distant metastases. Among patients with two or three intermediate‐risk factors, added EBRT did not improve freedom from biochemical failure. Significant differences in late toxicity between patients treated with brachytherapy vs combination brachytherapy and EBRT were identified including urge incontinence (P < 0.001), haematuria (P < 0.001), dysuria (P < 0.001), and change in quality‐of‐life IPSS (P = 0.002). These symptoms were reported by patients at any point during treatment follow‐up. Analysis of patients who were potent before treatment using actuarial methods showed that patients receiving combination therapy more frequently experienced loss of potency, as measured by the Mount Sinai erectile function scale (P = 0.040).ConclusionBrachytherapy monotherapy results in equal biochemical and distant control in both patients with one and more than one intermediate‐risk features. While no significant benefit was shown, we believe that the addition of EBRT may prevent recurrence in patients with multiple intermediate‐risk features and should be considered.
Fathers Are Parents, Too! Widening the Lens on Parenting for Children's Development
Authors: Cabrera Natasha J. , Volling Brenda L. , Barr Rachel 
Published: January 2018

AbstractWhy do fathers matter? Recent conceptual and theoretical advances regarding father–child relationships have demonstrated that fathers affect children's outcomes both directly and indirectly. To attain a complete developmental account of the ecologically rich contexts of child development, in this article, we recommend best practices regarding the conceptualization and assessment of father–child relationships that reflect contemporary family life. We also discuss conceptual and measurement issues pertaining to father–child relationships in different family configurations, including those with resident and nonresident fathers. We conclude with recommendations that can help developmental researchers advance our understanding of fathering, parenting, and children's development.
The use of omalizumab in allergen immunotherapy
Authors: Dantzer J. A. , Wood R. A. 
Published: January 2018

SummaryAlthough omalizumab (anti‐IgE) is currently only approved for the treatment of asthma and chronic idiopathic urticaria, it has also been studied as an off‐label treatment for numerous allergic conditions, including use as an adjunct to allergen immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, asthma, venom hypersensitivity and food allergy. We conducted a review of publications involving the use of omalizumab with allergen immunotherapy, by searching PubMed with key search terms of “omalizumab” and “immunotherapy.” Omalizumab has been used in combination with inhalant allergen immunotherapy for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis and comorbid asthma. While there have been no randomized controlled trials evaluating the addition of omalizumab to venom IT, several case reports and small patient series have been published on the use of omalizumab with venom IT. Omalizumab has been used in conjunction with oral immunotherapy for the treatment of milk, peanut and egg, as well as other foods in multi‐allergen protocols. In conclusion, omalizumab used in conjunction with immunotherapy has shown promising results, especially in the reduction of adverse reactions. At this stage, larger, randomized, placebo‐controlled trials are needed to better identify those patients who would benefit the most from the addition of omalizumab to immunotherapy, as well as optimal dosing strategies and duration of treatment.
Knowledge, attitudes, representations and declared practices of nurses and physicians about obesity in a university hospital: training is essential
Authors: Bucher Della Torre S. , Courvoisier D. S. , Saldarriaga A. , Martin X. E. , Farpour‐Lambert N. J. 
Published: January 2018

SummaryIn the context of a worldwide obesity epidemic, healthcare providers play a key role in obesity management. Knowledge of current guidelines and attitudes to prevent stigmatization are especially important. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, perception of opportunity for intervention, declared practices and need for training and material of nurses and physicians about obesity in a Swiss University Hospital. A total of 834 physicians and nurses filled an online survey. The questionnaire was based on literature, exploratory interviews and expert committee review. It was pre‐tested with 15 physicians and nurses. Participants declared a low level of negative attitudes towards individuals living with obesity. However, the results highlighted a lack of knowledge to diagnose obesity in adults and children, as well as confidence and training to care of patients with obesity. One‐third of providers did not know how to calculate body mass index. Half of providers felt it was part of their role to take care of patients with obesity, even if 55% of them had the feeling that they did not have adequate training. Nurses and physicians working in a university hospital showed a low level of negative attitudes but a lack of knowledge and skills on obesity management. Training should be improved in this population to insure adequate and coherent messages and equal access to evidence‐based treatment for patients living with obesity.
Modification of oxygen concentrators based on questionnaire survey
Authors: Shinoda Masahiro , Shinkai Masaharu , Nagashima Akimichi , Nagai Kenjiro , Takagi Kei , Kaneko Takeshi 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBackgroundIn this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey to clarify and improve problems related to oxygen concentrators.MethodsUsing a questionnaire survey of 30 patients receiving long‐term oxygen therapy for chronic respiratory failure, we investigated the necessity of using a remote controller, portability, fire prevention system, built‐in battery type and so on. Patients were divided into two groups according to age, sex, underlying conditions and amount of oxygen prescribed, then analyzed accordingly.ResultsMean age was 72.3 ± 8.09 years. The mean flow rate for prescribed oxygen was 1.10 L/min at rest and 2.96 L/min under exertion. Median duration of use was 17.5 months. Built‐in battery type, environmentally friendly system and voice guidance system received the most attention according to four‐grade evaluations of each function. Significant differences were seen in design features in patients less than 72 years old (P = .03), in voice guidance system in patients who only used the equipment during exertion (P = .01), and in brand imaging in those using the equipment under exertion at a flow ≥3 L/min (P = .04). In questionnaire results for the three most desired features, built‐in battery type was of primary concern, followed by portability and use of a remote control.ConclusionsOverall, built‐in battery type, portability, use of a remote control and an environmentally friendly system were desired features for oxygen concentrators. Desired features could vary according to age and the amount of oxygen prescribed.
Cardiorespiratory fitness and age‐related arterial stiffness in women with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Montalbán‐Méndez Cristina , Soriano‐Maldonado Alberto , Vargas‐Hitos José A. , Sáez‐Urán Luis M. , Rosales‐Castillo Antonio , Morillas‐de‐Laguno Pablo , Gavilán‐Carrera Blanca , Jiménez‐Alonso Juan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was twofold: (i) to examine the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with arterial stiffness in women with systemic lupus erythematosus; (ii) to assess the potential interaction of cardiorespiratory fitness with age on arterial stiffness in this population.Materials and methodsA total of 49 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (mean age 41.3 [standard deviation 13.8] years) and clinical stability during the previous 6 months were included in the study. Arterial stiffness was assessed through pulse wave velocity (Mobil‐O‐Graph® 24 hours pulse wave velocity monitor). Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated with the Siconolfi step test and the 6‐minute walk test.ResultsCardiorespiratory fitness was inversely associated with pulse wave velocity in crude analyses (P < .05), although this relationship was attenuated when age and other cardiovascular risk factors were controlled. There was a cardiorespiratory fitness × age interaction effect on pulse wave velocity, regardless of the test used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness (P < .001 for the Siconolfi step test; P = .005 for the 6‐minute walk test), indicating that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a lower increase in pulse wave velocity per each year increase in age.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness might attenuate the age‐related arterial stiffening in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and might thus contribute to the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in this population. As the cross‐sectional design precludes establishing causal relationships, future clinical trials should confirm or contrast these findings.
Gender, ethnicity, and unequal opportunity in colonial Uganda: European influences, African realities, and the pitfalls of parish register data
Authors: De Haas Michiel , Frankema Ewout 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe renaissance of African economic history in the past decade has opened up new research avenues for studying the long‐term social and economic development of Africa. A sensitive treatment of African realities in the evaluation of European colonial legacies and a critical stance towards the use of new sources and approaches is crucial. In this article, we engage with a recent article by Meier zu Selhausen and Weisdorf to show how selection biases in, and Eurocentric interpretations of, parish registers have provoked an overly optimistic account of European influences on the educational and occupational opportunities of African men and women. We confront their dataset, drawn from the marriage registers of the Anglican Cathedral in Kampala, with Uganda's 1991 census, and show that trends in the literacy and numeracy of men and women born in Kampala lagged half a century behind those who wedded in Namirembe Cathedral. We run a regression analysis showing that access to schooling during the colonial era was unequal along lines of gender and ethnicity. We foreground the role of Africans in the spread of education, and we argue that European influences were not just diffusive but also divisive, and that gender inequality was reconfigured rather than eliminated under colonial rule.
A questionnaire‐based study evaluating differences between dental students in Paris (F) and Malmö (SE) regarding diagnosis and treatment decisions of patients with different severity levels of periodontal diseases
Authors: Milosavljevic A. , Stavropoulos A. , Descroix V. , Götrick B. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAimTo evaluate differences between last‐year dental students in Paris (F) and Malmö (SE) Dental Schools, in regard to their judgement and decision‐making within periodontology.Materials and MethodsNinety‐six last‐year dental students from Paris and 45 from Malmö participated in a questionnaire study based on four patient cases: (i) Patient case with generalised alveolar bone loss but no signs of inflammation (Well‐maintained), (ii) Patient case with generalised alveolar bone loss and signs of inflammation (Periodontitis), (iii) Patient case with no alveolar bone loss and no signs of inflammation (Healthy) and (iv) Patient case with no alveolar bone loss but with signs of inflammation (Gingivitis). Through multiple‐choice questions, the students judged each case as healthy or diseased proposed a diagnosis and treatment measures and estimated the treatment time for each patient. Furthermore, they assessed the prognosis of each patient in case of no treatment.ResultsBased on a response rate of 83%, the majority in both groups judged all the patients as diseased. More Paris students diagnosed the healthy and the gingivitis case as having periodontitis (P < .05). Furthermore, a larger number of students from Paris recommended several treatment measures and estimated longer treatment times for all the cases (P < .05) and estimated a higher risk for disease progression for the healthy and the gingivitis case (P < .05).ConclusionsSignificant variation between students from Paris and Malmö Dental Schools in regard to judgement and decision‐making was observed; this may in turn imply that there is still need of improving consistency amongst undergraduate educations in periodontology in Europe.
Respiratory dysfunction progresses with age in Kcna1‐null mice, a model of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
Authors: Simeone Kristina A. , Hallgren Jodi , Bockman Charles S. , Aggarwal Ankita , Kansal Vikash , Netzel Lauren , Iyer Shruthi H. , Matthews Stephanie A. , Deodhar Malavika , Oldenburg Peter J. , Abel Peter W. , Simeone Timothy A. 
Published: January 2018

SummaryObjectiveIncreased breathing rate, apnea, and respiratory failure are associated with sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). We recently demonstrated the progressive nature of epilepsy and mortality in Kcna1−/− mice, a model of temporal lobe epilepsy and SUDEP. Here we tested the hypothesis that respiratory dysfunction progresses with age in Kcna1−/− mice, thereby increasing risk of respiratory failure and sudden death (SD).MethodsRespiratory parameters were determined in conscious mice at baseline and following increasing doses of methacholine (MCh) using noninvasive airway mechanics (NAM) systems. Kcna1+/+, Kcna1+/−, and Kcna1−/− littermates were assessed during 3 age ranges when up to ~30%, ~55%, and ~90% of Kcna1−/− mice have succumbed to SUDEP: postnatal day (P) 32‐36, P40‐46, and P48‐56, respectively. Saturated arterial O2 (SaO2) was determined with pulse oximetry. Lung and brain tissues were isolated and Kcna1 gene and protein expression were evaluated by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) and Western blot techniques. Airway smooth muscle responsiveness was assessed in isolated trachea exposed to MCh.ResultsKcna1−/− mice experienced an increase in basal respiratory drive, chronic oxygen desaturation, frequent apnea‐hypopnea (A‐H), an atypical breathing sequence of A‐H‐tachypnea‐A‐H, increased tidal volume, and hyperventilation induced by MCh. The MCh‐provoked hyperventilation was dramatically attenuated with age. Of interest, only Kcna1−/− mice developed seizures following exposure to MCh. Seizures were provoked by lower concentrations of MCh as Kcna1−/− mice approached SD. MCh‐induced seizures experienced by a subset of younger Kcna1−/− mice triggered death. Respiratory parameters of these younger Kcna1−/− mice resembled older near‐SD Kcna1−/− mice. Kcna1 gene and protein were not expressed in Kcna1+/+ and Kcna1+/− lungs, and MCh‐mediated airway smooth muscle contractions exhibited similar half‐maximal effective concentration( EC50) in isolated Kcna1+/+ and Kcna1−/− trachea.SignificanceThe Kcna1−/− model of SUDEP exhibits progressive respiratory dysfunction, which suggests a potential increased susceptibility for respiratory failure during severe seizures that may result in sudden death.
Ancient DNA reveals the timing and persistence of organellar genetic bottlenecks over 3,000 years of sunflower domestication and improvement
Authors: Wales Nathan , Akman Melis , Watson Ray H. B. , Sánchez Barreiro Fátima , Smith Bruce D. , Gremillion Kristen J. , Gilbert M. Thomas P. , Blackman Benjamin K. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractHere, we report a comprehensive paleogenomic study of archaeological and ethnographic sunflower remains that provides significant new insights into the process of domestication of this important crop. DNA from both ancient and historic contexts yielded high proportions of endogenous DNA, and although archaeological DNA was found to be highly degraded, it still provided sufficient coverage to analyze genetic changes over time. Shotgun sequencing data from specimens from the Eden's Bluff archaeological site in Arkansas yielded organellar DNA sequence from specimens up to 3,100 years old. Their sequences match those of modern cultivated sunflowers and are consistent with an early domestication bottleneck in this species. Our findings also suggest that recent breeding of sunflowers has led to a loss of genetic diversity that was present only a century ago in Native American landraces. These breeding episodes also left a profound signature on the mitochondrial and plastid haplotypes in cultivars, as two types were intentionally introduced from other Helianthus species for crop improvement. These findings gained from ancient and historic sunflower specimens underscore how future in‐depth gene‐based analyses can advance our understanding of the pace and targets of selection during the domestication of sunflower and other crop species.
Possible role of CYP2B6 genetic polymorphisms in ifosfamide‐induced encephalopathy: report of three cases
Authors: Duflot Thomas , Marie‐Cardine Aude , Verstuyft Céline , Filhon Bruno , Pereira Tony , Massy‐Guillemant Nathalie , Joannidès Robinson , Bellien Jérémy , Lamoureux Fabien 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIfosfamide (IFA) is a potent alkylating antitumoral agent, but its use is limited by neurological side effects. IFA is a racemic mixture of two enantiomeric forms, R‐IFA and S‐IFA with a stereoselective metabolism by CYP3A4 and CYP2B6, leading either to bioactive or to toxic pathways. In three consecutive cases of pediatric patients who exhibited IFA‐induced encephalopathy (IIE), genotyping of clinically relevant single‐nucleotide polymorphisms associated with decreased CYP3A4 and CYP2B6 activities was performed. Genetic investigations revealed the presence of CYP2B6 rs4803419 (C>T) in one patient while the two others carried the CYP2B6*6 allelic variant. All patients carried CYP3A4 wild‐type genotype (CYP3A4*1/*1). Because CYP2B6‐deficient alleles may be responsible for an increased conversion of S‐IFA into neurotoxic metabolites, screening for CYP2B6 polymorphisms may help to avoid IIE and improve clinical outcomes.
PACING OUT A POLYGLOT POETICS: AN INTERVIEW WITH ULRIKE DRAESNER AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
Authors: Braun Rebecca 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTTo what extent is reading a book like walking into a museum? In this conversation, held in early 2017 at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Rebecca Braun and Ulrike Draesner explore how identities are forged in both language and material things, and how narratives, both poetic and prosaic, are spatially arranged. The conversation takes inspiration from material objects on display in the Europe Galleries of the museum to cast a fresh angle on Draesner's literary practice in her recent work: the novel, Sieben Sprünge vom Rand der Welt, the poetry collection, subsong, and a new text that draws on the life in exile of the expressionist poet and painter Kurt Schwitters.
Splicing analysis of rare/novel synonymous or intronic variants identified in ABCB11 heterozygotes presenting as progressive intrahepatic cholestasis with low γ‐glutamyltransferase
Authors: Wang Neng‐Li , Qiu Yi‐Ling , Guan Wen‐Cai , Li Gang , Lu Yi , Zhang Mei‐Hong , Luan Wei‐Sha , Wang Jian‐She 
Published: January 2018

AimThe aim of this study was to analyze the pathogenicity of rare/novel synonymous or intronic variants identified in ABCB11 heterozygotes presenting as progressive intrahepatic cholestasis with low γ‐glutamyltransferase.MethodsThe enrolled variants were identified in ABCB11 between October 2009 and June 2016. The effects on pre‐RNA splicing were analyzed by in silico tools and minigene splicing assay.ResultsThere were three intronic (c.908 + 5G > A, c.2815‐8A > G, and c.612‐15_‐6del10bp) and two synonymous (c.1809G > A, p.K603 K and c.2418C > T, p.G806G) variants with unknown significance identified in ABCB11 of five ABCB11 heterozygotes. Parental studies were carried out for four patients, and revealed that the variants with unknown significance were compound heterozygous with other pathogenic variants. The five variants with unknown significance had minor allele frequency <0.1% or were absent from controls, and had positive prediction results by in silico tools. The effects on pre‐RNA splicing were further confirmed by minigene splicing assay. c.908 + 5A caused abnormal splicing in at least 78.5 ± 3.8% of products using a cryptic splice site (ss) 22 nucleotides (nt) upstream of the wild‐type (WT) 5′ss. Seven nucleotides of intron 22 upstream of the WT 3'ss was retained for all products from c.2815‐8G. c.612‐15_‐6del caused exon 8 skipping in 24.8 ± 7.7% of products, and 55 nt of exon 8 downstream of the WT 3′ss removal in remaining products. c.1809A led to exon 15 skipping. c.2418 T removed exon 20 and 62 nt of exon 21 downstream of the WT 3′ss by using a cryptic ss.ConclusionsWe successfully identified five pathogenic synonymous or intronic variants with some common features. These features might help to choose the right variant for further functional assay.