bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C treatment from “response‐guided” to “resource‐guided” therapy in the transition era from interferon‐containing to interferon‐free regimens
Authors: Yu Ming‐Lung 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPeginterferon/ribavirin has been the standard‐of‐care for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections: 48 weeks for genotype 1 or 4 (HCV‐1/4) and 24 weeks for HCV‐2/3. Response‐guided therapy recommended shorter 24‐ and 16‐week regimens for HCV‐1 with lower baseline viral loads (< 400 000–800 000 IU/mL) and rapid virological response (RVR, undetectable HCV RNA at week 4) and HCV‐2/3 with RVR, respectively; and extending to 72 and 48 weeks for HCV‐1 slower responders and HCV‐2 non‐RVR patients, respectively, to improve the efficacy. The progress of directly acting antivirals (DAA), moving from interferon‐containing regimens in 2011 to interferon‐free regimens in 2013, has greatly improved the treatment success. Interferon‐containing regimens include boceprevir or telaprevir or simeprevir or daclatasvir plus peginterferon/ribavirin, 24–48 weeks, for HCV‐1 or 4. However, adding these DAA has no benefit for HCV‐1 with lower baseline viral loads/RVR. Instead, 12‐week sofosbuvir plus peginterferon/ribavirin attained sustained virological response rates of > 90% for HCV‐1/3–6. Interferon‐free regimens include two main categories: NS5B nucleotide inhibitor (sofosbuvir)‐based regimens and NS3/4A inhibitor/NS5A inhibitor‐based regimens (daclatasvir/asunaprevir, paritaprevir/r/ombitasvir/dasabuvir and grazoprevir/elbasvir). About 8–24 weeks interferon‐free regimens could achieve sustained virological response rates of 82–99% for corresponding HCV genotypes. Although the newly DAA interferon‐free regimens have high efficacy and safety, the huge budget impact increases the treatment barriers. The current recommendation should, therefore, base on the availability, indication, and cost‐effectiveness in the transition era of DAA. Based on the concept of “resource‐guided therapy,” peginterferon/ribavirin might be applied for easy‐to‐treat interferon‐eligible patients in resource‐constrained areas. Prioritizing patients for interferon‐free regimens according to “time‐degenerative factors” (age and fibrosis) is justified before the regimens becoming available and affordable.
Socio‐economic determinants of vitaminAintake in children under 5 years of age: evidence fromPakistan
Authors: Changezi F. , Lindberg L. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractBackgroundVitamin A deficiency, which is a leading health issue worldwide, is estimated to affect approximately 190 million children globally. The most affected areas are Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.MethodsThe present study examined the use of vitamin A supplementation and the association between socio‐demographic factors and vitamin A supplementation in children aged less than 5 years from a cross‐sectional demographic survey of Pakistan. Odds ratios were used to express the association between the independent and dependent variables.ResultsFor 10 906 children, the coverage of vitamin A supplementation was 68.5%, with regional variations of between 8% and 79%. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used on a nationally representative sample of mothers aged 15–49 years. The adjusted results showed that socio‐demographic factors such as a maternal age greater than 24 years, living in rural areas and regional variations were positively associated with vitamin A supplementation.ConclusionsFrom the results of the present study, we conclude that socio‐demographic factors were influential on vitamin A supplementation in children aged less than 5 years. Therefore, national and community‐level efforts to support younger mothers in urban areas in the regions with the lowest coverage are needed to increase the acceptance of vitamin A supplementation, aiming to improve the nutritional status of children and decrease inequity in health.
How Likable Are Personality Disorder and General Personality Traits to Those Who Possess Them?
Authors: Lamkin Joanna , Maples‐Keller Jessica L. , Miller Joshua D. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractObjectiveThe goal of the present study was to investigate whether having higher scores on maladaptive personality traits was related to rating these traits as more likable.MethodTwo studies were conducted, one with personality disorder traits (N = 219; Mage = 19.4; 63.8% female; 76.6% Caucasian) and one with general personality traits (N = 198; Mage = 19.5; 69.7% female; 77.3% Caucasian). In each study, participants self‐rated their own personality and separately provided ratings of how “likable” they considered those personality traits.ResultsAs expected, participants rated maladaptive traits more favorably if they considered themselves to possess those traits as well. Also as expected, individuals with higher Antagonism scores (including self‐rated Dark Triad constructs of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) rated Antagonism and its related facets as “tolerable”—not necessarily likable, but as less unlikable than the average participant.ConclusionsThese findings have implications for the ways that individuals with personality pathology perceive the people around them, which may in turn impact their expectations and behaviors.
Motivations for adolescent self‐harm and the implications for mental health nurses
Authors: Doyle L. , Sheridan A. , Treacy M. P. 
Published: January 2017

Accessible summaryWhat is known on the subject?

Self‐harm is a relatively common occurrence in adolescents; however, there remains a lack of understanding about the motivations behind adolescent self‐harm, and this poor understanding can have a negative impact on how mental health professionals respond to young people who self‐harm.

What does this paper add to existing knowledge?

This paper identifies the reasons for self‐harm in a community sample of young people and finds that the functions of self‐harm differ for different people and that there may be multiple reasons for self‐harm.

Findings provide support for the affect‐regulation model of self‐harm which states that young people self‐harm to regulate how they are feeling, but provides little support for the interpersonal influence model which proposes that self‐harm is an attempt to influence how other people respond to them.

What are the implications for practice?

Self‐harm for most young people serves at least one specific function and is an indication of distress.

There is a requirement for a non‐pathologizing response towards young people who self‐harm; self‐harm should be understood as a meaningful behaviour rather than a symptom of an illness.

Mental health nurses need to understand the multiple functions of self‐harm. A better understanding of the individualized meaning behind self‐harm can positively impact on attitudes towards young people who self‐harm and provide for improved mental health service provision.

AbstractIntroductionAlthough self‐harm is a relatively common occurrence in adolescents, there is a lack of understanding about the motivations behind it. A poor understanding of self‐harm contributes to negative perceptions about those who self‐harm and a poor healthcare experience.Aim & MethodsThis study identifies motivations behind self‐harm in school‐based adolescents using a cross‐sectional survey. Motivations behind self‐harm were elicited using a scale and open‐ended responses.ResultsOf the 856 adolescents who completed the survey across 11 postprimary schools, 103 reported a history of self‐harm. The most commonly endorsed reason for self‐harm was to ‘get relief from a terrible state of mind’ (79%). Open‐ended responses were consistent with scale responses with most reporting that they self‐harmed to relieve distressing emotions.DiscussionFindings provide support for the affect‐regulation model of self‐harm with support also demonstrated for the self‐punishment and antidissociation models. There was little support for the interpersonal influence model suggesting that the commonly held belief that self‐harm is attention‐seeking is one attributed by others to young people, and not widely reported by young people themselves.Implications for practiceMental health services need to be responsive to the needs of young people who self‐harm which requires eliciting and understanding the individual and multiple meanings behind self‐harm to best inform treatment options.
Factor structure and validity of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale‐21 in Swedish translation
Authors: Alfonsson S. , Wallin E. , Maathz P. 
Published: January 2017

Accessible summaryWhat is known on the subject?

The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale‐21 (DASS‐21) is a widely used measurement for psychological symptoms and distress.

Some previous studies have shown that the DASS‐21 can accurately measure symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress, while other studies have indicated that the DASS‐21 mainly measures overall distress.

The factor structure of the DASS‐21 is important and debated since if affects interpretations of findings.

What does this paper add to existing knowledge?

In this study, the DASS‐21 was translated into Swedish and evaluated in three diverse samples.

The DASS‐21 subscales of Depression and Anxiety correlated significantly with corresponding criteria instruments. The DASS‐21 Stress subscale showed more diverse associations with psychological distress.

The analyses supported a bifactor model of the DASS‐21 with three specific factors of depression, anxiety and stress as well as a general distress factor.

What are the implications for practice?

The results show that the DASS‐21 may be used to measure unique symptoms of depression, anxiety and, with some caveat, stress as well as overall psychological distress.

This study confirms that the DASS‐21 is theoretically sound instrument that is feasible for both research and clinical practice.

The DASS‐21 can be an accessible tool for screening and evaluation in first‐line mental health services.

AbstractIntroductionThere is a constant need for theoretically sound and valid self‐report instruments for measuring psychological distress. Previous studies have shown that the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale‐21 (DASS‐21) is theoretically sound, but there have been some inconsistent results regarding its factor structure.AimsThe aim of the present study was to investigate and elucidate the factor structure and convergent validity of the DASS‐21.MethodsA total of 624 participants recruited from student, primary care and psychotherapy populations. The factor structure of the DASS‐21 was assessed by confirmatory factor analyses and the convergent validity by investigating its unique correlations with other psychiatric instruments.ResultsA bifactor structure with depression, anxiety, stress and a general factor provided the best fit indices for the DASS‐21. The convergent validity was adequate for the Depression and Anxiety subscales but more ambiguous for the Stress subscale.DiscussionThe present study overall supports the validity and factor structure of the DASS‐21.Implications for practiceThe DASS‐21 can be used to measure symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as overall distress. It can be useful for mental health nurses, and other first‐line psychiatric professionals, in need of a short, feasible and valid instrument in everyday care
Rheological and sensory behaviors of parboiled pasta cooked using a microwave pasteurization process
Authors: Joyner Helen S. , Jones Kari E. , Rasco Barbara A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPasta hydration and cooking requirements make in‐package microwave pasteurization of pasta a processing challenge. The objective of this study was to assess instrumental and sensory attributes of microwave‐treated pasta in comparison to conventionally cooked pasta. Fettuccine pasta was parboiled for 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 min, pasteurized by microwaves at 915 MHz, then stored under refrigeration for 1 week. Pastas were evaluated by a trained sensory panel and with rheometry. Total pasta heat treatment affected both rheological and sensory behaviors; these differences were attributed to ultrastructure differences. Significant nonlinear behavior and dominant fluid‐like behavior was observed in all pastas at strains >1%. Sensory results suggested microwave pasteurization may intensify the attributes associated with the aging of pasta such as retrogradation. A clear trend between magnitude of heat treatment and attribute intensity was not observed for all sensory attributes tested. The microwave pasta with the longest parboil time showed rheological behavior most similar to conventionally cooked pasta. Principal component analysis revealed that no microwave‐treated pasta was similar to the control pasta. However, pasta parboiled for 9 min before microwave treatment had the greatest number of similar sensory attributes, followed by pasta parboiled for 6 or 12 min. Further study is needed to determine overall consumer acceptance of microwave‐treated pasta and whether the differences in sensory and rheological behavior would impact consumer liking.Practical applicationsThe results of this study may be applied to optimize microwave pasteurization processes for cooked pasta and similar products, such as rice. The measurement and analysis procedures can be used to evaluate processing effects on a variety of different foods to determine overall palatability.
Evaluation of a Chemiluminescent Immunoassay for Measurement of Equine Insulin
Authors: Carslake H.B. , Pinchbeck G.L. , McGowan C.M. 
Published: January 2017

BackgroundMany diagnostic tests for insulin dysregulation use reference intervals established with an insulin radioimmunoassay (RIA) that is no longer available. A chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) is commonly used for the measurement of serum insulin concentration in clinical practice but requires further validation, especially at clinically relevant reference intervals.ObjectivesTo evaluate the CLIA for measurement of equine insulin and compare it to the previously validated, but now unavailable RIA.SamplesEquine serum samples (n = 78) from clinical and experimental studies.MethodsIn this experimental study, performance of the CLIA was evaluated using standard variables, including comparison with the RIA. Continuous and binary outcomes were analyzed.ResultsThe CLIA showed good intra‐assay (coefficient of variation [CV], 1.8–2.4%) and interassay (CV, 3–7.1%) precision. Acceptable recovery on dilution (100 ± 10%) was achieved only at dilutions <1:1. Recovery on addition was acceptable. Comparison of the CLIA and RIA showed strong positive correlation (r = 0.91–0.98), with fixed and proportional bias. At 3 diagnostic cutoffs, sensitivity of CLIA compared with RIA ranged from 67 to 100% and specificity from 96 to 100%.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe CLIA is a highly repeatable assay which is suitable for within‐ and between‐horse comparisons. Dilution of high concentration samples should be performed with charcoal‐stripped serum (CSS) and at the lowest dilution factor possible. At concentrations commonly used for diagnosis of insulin dysregulation (≤100 μIU/mL), results from the CLIA tend to be lower than from the RIA and should be interpreted accordingly. Further standardization of equine insulin assays is required.
Casting light on xylem vulnerability in an herbaceous species reveals a lack of segmentation
Authors: Skelton Robert P. , Brodribb Timothy J. , Choat Brendan 
Published: January 2017

Summary

Finding thresholds at which loss of plant functionality occurs during drought is critical for predicting future crop productivity and survival. Xylem resistance to embolism has been suggested as a key trait associated with water‐stress tolerance. Although a substantial literature exists describing the vulnerability of woody stems to embolism, leaves and roots of herbaceous species remain under‐represented. Also, little is known about vulnerability to embolism at a whole‐plant scale or propagation of embolism within plants.

New techniques to view the process of embolism formation provide opportunities to resolve long‐standing questions. Here, we used multiple visual techniques, including X‐ray micro‐computed tomography and the optical vulnerability method, to investigate the spread of embolism within intact stems, leaves and roots of Solanum lycopersicum (common tomato).

We found that roots, stems and leaves of tomato plants all exhibited similar vulnerability to embolism, suggesting that embolism rapidly propagates among tissues. Although we found scarce evidence for differentiation of xylem vulnerability among tissues at the scale of the whole plant, within a leaf the midrib embolized at higher water potentials than lower order veins.

Substantial overlap between the onset of cavitation and incipient leaf damage suggests that cavitation represents a substantial damage to plants, but the point of lethal cavitation in this herbaceous species remains uncertain.
The ‘wayfinding’ experience of family carers who learn to manage technical health procedures at home: a grounded theory study
Authors: McDonald Janet , McKinlay Eileen , Keeling Sally , Levack William 
Published: January 2017

BackgroundWith more care taking place in the home, family carers play an important role in supporting patients. Some family carers undertake technical health procedures generally managed by health professionals in hospital settings (e.g. managing a tracheostomy or enteral feeding).AimTo explore how family carers learn to manage technical health procedures in order to help health professionals better understand and support this process.Design and methodsA grounded theory study using data from interviews with 26 New Zealand family carers who managed technical health procedures including nasogastric or gastrostomy feeding, stoma care, urinary catheterisation, tracheostomy management, intravenous therapy, diabetes management and complex wound dressings. Most (20 participants) were caring for their child and the remaining six for their spouse, parent or grandparent. Following grounded theory methods, each interview was coded soon after completion. Additional data were compared with existing material, and as analysis proceeded, initial codes were grouped into higher order concepts until a core concept was developed. Interviewing continued until no new ideas emerged and concepts were well defined.FindingsThe core concept of ‘wayfinding’ indicates that the learning process for family carers is active, individualised and multi‐influenced, developing over time as a response to lived experience. Health professional support was concentrated on the initial phase of carers’ training, reducing and becoming more reactive as carers took responsibility for day‐to‐day management.ConclusionWayfinding involves self‐navigation by carers, in contrast to patient navigator models which provide continuing professional assistance to patients receiving cancer or chronic care services. Wayfinding by carers raises questions about how carers should be best supported in their initial and ongoing learning as the management of these procedures changes over time.
Playing the Ethnic Card: On the Ethnicization of Afghan Politics
Authors: Schetter Conrad 
Published: January 2017

AbstractEthnicity became a pivotal element of the Bonn Agreement 2001 aiming to end the civil wars in Afghanistan that have been ongoing since 1979. In the political process, ethnic categories were understood as key building blocks of Afghan society. In essence, the Bonn Agreement sought to outbalance ethnic interest to overcome a decisive root cause of this protracted conflict. This article argues that this approach, however, produced the contrary outcome – that is, the political manifestation of ethnicity in Afghan politics. Hereby the political architects of the Bonn Agreement ignored the fuzziness of the concept of ethnicity in Afghan society as well as the implicit and strategic way of using ethnicity in the political arena.
Uncovering National Nexus's Representations: The Case of Québec
Authors: Mathieu Félix , Laforest Guy 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThis article proposes a critical analysis of the historical and ideological process that has led to the recently‐defunct Parti québécois' (PQ) Charte de la laïcité. It shows that this legislative project, as an attempt to renew Québec's nationalism, amplified the struggles and tensions that characterize the normative source of the national nexus. More specifically, this article reveals that two carrier groups – the liberal‐pluralists, on the one hand, and the republican‐conservatives, on the other – have actively fought to get access to that normative source, trying ultimately to spread their national nexus's representations as the legitimate ones. Hence, the former group suggests an individualist‐civic view for Québec's nationalism that embraces immigrant groups, Anglo‐Québécois's minority, native peoples, and the francophone majority, while the latter suggests a collectivist‐civic view for it anchoring into French‐Canadian nationalism. Therefore, two distinct integration models are confronted, where liberal‐pluralists fought against PQ's Charter of Secularism continuing to sustain interculturalism and where republican‐conservatives nevertheless support PQ's Charter.
Ethnic Identity, Modern Nationhood, and the Sino‐Mongolian Contention over the Legacy of Chinggis Khan
Authors: Wang Anran 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe reason for China to enshrine Chinggis Khan as a national icon is threefold: to foster among the ethnic Mongols a sense of belonging to China by accommodating their cultural identity; to sustain the sense of belonging of Han Chinese to an uninterrupted national identity by depicting the Mongol Empire as a dynasty instead of an alien regime of China; and to justify the rule over other minority regions like Tibet whose unity with China proper was first achieved by the Mongol Empire. On Mongolia's part, the Khalkha‐centric ethnic identity and the status of Chinggis Khan as a symbol of national independence make it impossible for Mongolia to share Chinggis Khan with either their ethnic compatriots in Inner Mongolia or their neighbour China. Thus, both countries find themselves in an irreconcilable contention over the legacy of Chinggis Khan because of their respective national identities and domestic political agendas.
A chemical genetic roadmap to improved tomato flavor
Authors: Tieman Denise , Zhu Guangtao , Resende Marcio F. R. , Lin Tao , Nguyen Cuong , Bies Dawn , Rambla Jose Luis , Beltran Kristty Stephanie Ortiz , Taylor Mark , Zhang Bo , Ikeda Hiroki , Liu Zhongyuan , Fisher Josef , Zemach Itay , Monforte Antonio , Zamir Dani , Granell Antonio , Kirst Matias , Huang Sanwen , Klee Harry 
Published: January 2017

Looking for lost flavor in tomatoesCommercially available tomatoes are renowned these days for sturdiness, but perhaps not for flavor. Heirloom varieties, on the other hand, maintain the richer flavors and sweeter tomatoes of years past. Tiemanet al.combined tasting panels with chemical and genomic analyses of nearly 400 varieties of tomatoes. They identified some of the flavorful components that have been lost over time. Identification of the genes that have also gone missing provides a path forward for reinstating flavor to commercially grown tomatoes.Science, this issue p.391