bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Basic aspects of the pathogenesis and prevention of non‐melanoma skin cancer in solid organ transplant recipients: a review
Authors: Perez Héctor C. , Benavides Xiomara , Perez Juan S. , Pabon Maria A. , Tschen Jaime , Maradei‐Anaya Silvia J. , Lopez Luis , Lozano Eyner 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIntroductionAs numbers of transplant recipients and survival rates increase, the vulnerability of this population to several malignancies also rises. Non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) carries the highest rates of morbidity and mortality in this population. To avoid these malignancies, it is necessary to identify particular risk factors in transplant recipients and to follow preventive protocols.MethodsThe MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were reviewed using as keywords the medical subject headings (MeSH) “transplantation”, “skin neoplasm” and “prevention”. The search was limited to clinical trials, randomized clinical trials and case–control studies conducted during the previous 20 years.ResultsThe most important risk factors for the development of NMSCs in the transplant recipient population are cumulative ultraviolet radiation exposure, use of immunosuppressive agents (especially azathioprine as a photosensitizing agent) and infections by human papillomaviruses. The use of sun protection and retinoids were identified as possible protective factors. Other potential therapies, such as antioxidants, difluormethylornithine and cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibitors, require further study.ConclusionsPatient risk factors for the development of NMSC should be reviewed during the transplant consultation. Individuals found to be at increased risk should undergo closer follow‐up and preventive care counseling. This article proposes an algorithm for the prevention of NMSC.
Medical Spending in the US: Facts from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Data Set
Authors: Pashchenko Svetlana , Porapakkarm Ponpoje 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWe document facts about the US population's medical spending using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data set. We find that for the entire population, around 44 per cent of total medical spending is paid by private insurance, but there is a substantial difference by age in terms of financing medical care: for working‐age adults (25 to 64 years old), private insurance covers around 57 per cent of total medical spending, whereas for the elderly (aged 65 or over), the largest payer is the government, which covers 65 per cent of the total. Inpatient hospital care accounts for a third of aggregate medical expenditures. Medical spending is highly concentrated: the top 5 per cent of spenders account for more than half of the total. An even higher concentration is observed with hospital spending, where the top 5 per cent of spenders contribute around 80 per cent. The concentration in medical spending decreases with age: the Gini coefficient of total medical spending is 0.75 for people between ages 25 and 64 and 0.63 for people aged 65 or over. We find that the average medical spending of people in the bottom income quintile is higher than that of people in the top income quintile for all age groups. In terms of persistence of medical spending, we find that the correlation of medical expenditure in two consecutive years is 0.36. When persistence is measured by quintile of the medical spending distribution, the medical spending of people in the bottom and top quintiles has higher persistence than that of other groups.
Medical Spending of the US Elderly
Authors: De Nardi Mariacristina , French Eric , Jones John Bailey , McCauley Jeremy 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWe use data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) to document the medical spending of Americans aged 65 and older. We find that medical expenses more than double between ages 70 and 90 and that they are very concentrated: the top 10 per cent of all spenders are responsible for 52 per cent of medical spending in a given year. In addition, those currently experiencing either very low or very high medical expenses are likely to find themselves in the same position in the future. We also find that the poor consume more medical goods and services than the rich and have a much larger share of their expenses covered by the government. Overall, the government pays for over 65 per cent of the elderly's medical expenses. Despite this, the expenses that remain after government transfers are even more concentrated among a small group of people. Thus, government health insurance, while potentially very valuable, is far from complete. Finally, while medical expenses before death can be large, on average they constitute only a small fraction of total spending, both in the aggregate and over the life cycle. Hence, medical expenses before death do not appear to be an important driver of the high and increasing medical spending found in the US.
Health, Disability and Mortality Differences at Older Ages between the US and England
Authors: Banks James , Keynes Soumaya , Smith James P. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThis paper examines health status differences between England and the United States, with an emphasis on the implications of any health disparities for health care cost differences between the two countries. We first document health status differences in disease prevalence, disability, mortality and co‐morbidity. We find higher disease prevalence in the US than in England (confirming previous findings) but much smaller differences between the two countries in disability and mortality. We attribute the smaller differences in disability to the fact that disability measures rely primarily on subjective questions on experiencing disabilities, which are reported differently in the two countries. Smaller mortality differences are most likely due to a combination of earlier disease diagnosis and more effective disease treatment in the US. Co‐morbidity is a common and important dimension of disease in both countries that is often neglected in scientific papers, especially by economists.We find, however, that disease prevalence has little implication for out‐of‐pocket health care costs in the US except for relatively few individuals with particular diseases. Instead, costs are more associated with incidence than prevalence and with those who are going to die in the next year or two. Co‐morbidity is associated with higher costs but even this association is limited to a relatively small fraction of people who are co‐morbid.
Long‐Term Health Spending Persistence among the Privately Insured in the US
Authors: Hirth Richard A. , Calónico Sebastian , Gibson Teresa B. , Levy Helen , Smith Jeffrey , Das Anup 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThere is little current information regarding the long‐term persistence of health spending in the United States, in particular among the population aged under 65 (pre‐Medicare eligibility). We describe and model the extent of persistence over a six‐year period (2003–08) using medical and pharmacy claims for over 3 million employees, retirees and dependants derived from the Truven Health MarketScan database. Overall, substantial persistence in spending exists, particularly at the extremes of the distribution and for pharmaceutical spending. Error components models are estimated to separate transient from persistent variation in spending, and dynamic probit models are estimated to assess the predictive power of demographic and co‐morbid conditions and prior high spending in determining the likelihood of future high spending. A better understanding of the persistence of health spending can inform the selection and evaluation of appropriate interventions to address high costs, and can help forecast the likelihood and severity of adverse selection in public and private programmes.
On the Complementarity of the Ages of Life
Authors: Weinstock Daniel 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn a pair of influential papers, Tamar Schapiro argues that childhood is a ‘predicament’, in that children lack stable characters that allow them to be subjects of ascriptions of moral responsibility. Comparing childhood to the political ‘state of nature’, Schapiro holds that childhood is a stage of life from which agents must be liberated. I argue that the comparison to the state of nature gives rise to the implication that ‘instantaneous adulthood’ would be a desirable state. Canvassing the nascent literature on ‘intrinsic goods of childhood’, I hold that such views cannot defeat Schapiro's implications, as they are based on theories of value that beg the question against Schapiro's. Only if childhood can be shown to be a necessary stage toward a normatively attractive adulthood can the ‘instantaneous adulthood’ implication be defeated. I show that Schapiro's view is only plausible if it incorporates the endorsement condition and the articulacy condition. But these are incompatible with instantaneous adulthood. Childhood can be seen as the stage in life in which agents actively endorse their characters, and gain articulacy with respect to the maxims that constitute them.
Productive procrastination: academic procrastination style predicts academic and alcohol outcomes
Authors: Westgate Erin C. , Wormington Stephanie V. , Oleson Kathryn C. , Lindgren Kristen P. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractProductive procrastination replaces one adaptive behavior with another adaptive—albeit less important—behavior (e.g., organizing notes instead of studying for an exam). We identified adaptive and maladaptive procrastination styles associated with academic and alcohol outcomes in 1,106 college undergraduates. Cluster analysis identified five academic procrastination styles—non‐procrastinators, academic productive procrastinators, non‐academic productive procrastinators, non‐academic procrastinators, and classic procrastinators. Procrastination style differentially predicted alcohol‐related problems, cravings, risk of alcohol use disorders, and grade point average (all ps < .01). Non‐procrastination and academic productive procrastination were most adaptive overall; non‐academic productive procrastination, non‐academic procrastination, and classic procrastination were least adaptive. Productive procrastination differed from other procrastination strategies, and maladaptive procrastination styles may be a useful risk indicator for preventative and intervention efforts.
The inbreeding strategy of a solitary primate, Microcebus murinus
Authors: Huchard E. , Schliehe‐Diecks S. , Kappeler P. M. , Kraus C. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractInbreeding depression may be common in nature, reflecting either the failure of inbreeding avoidance strategies or inbreeding tolerance when avoidance is costly. The combined assessment of inbreeding risk, avoidance and depression is therefore fundamental to evaluate the inbreeding strategy of a population, that is how individuals respond to the risk of inbreeding. Here, we use the demographic and genetic monitoring of 10 generations of wild grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus), small primates from Madagascar with overlapping generations, to examine their inbreeding strategy. Grey mouse lemurs have retained ancestral mammalian traits, including solitary lifestyle, polygynandry and male‐biased dispersal, and may therefore offer a representative example of the inbreeding strategy of solitary mammals. The occurrence of close kin among candidate mates was frequent in young females (~37%, most often the father) and uncommon in young males (~6%) due to male‐biased dispersal. However, close kin consistently represented a tiny fraction of candidate mates (< 1%) across age and sex categories. Mating biases favouring partners with intermediate relatedness were detectable in yearling females and adult males, possibly partly caused by avoidance of daughter–father matings. Finally, inbreeding depression, assessed as the effect of heterozygosity on survival, was undetectable using a capture–mark–recapture study. Overall, these results indicate that sex‐biased dispersal is a primary inbreeding avoidance mechanism at the population level, and mating biases represent an additional strategy that may mitigate residual inbreeding costs at the individual level. Combined, these mechanisms explain the rarity of inbreeding and the lack of detectable inbreeding depression in this large, genetically diverse population.
Real‐life efficacy and safety of paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir in chronic hepatitis C patients in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Henry Lik‐Yuen , Tsang Owen Tak‐Yin , Hui Yee‐Tak , Fung James , Lui Grace Chung‐Yan , Lai Ching‐Lung , Wong Grace Lai‐Hung , Chan Kam‐Hon , But David Yiu‐Kuen , Lai Moon‐Sing , Lao Wai‐Cheung , Chan Carmen Ka‐Man , Lam Yip‐Shun , Seto Wai‐Kay , Li Carlton , Yuen Man‐Fung , Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBackground and AimIn registration studies, combination therapy of paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir (PrOD) with and without ribavirin for 12–24 weeks can achieve > 90% sustained virological response (SVR) for genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, data in Asia is scanty. We aimed to study the efficacy and safety of this combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients in Hong Kong.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from six local hospitals that have prescribed PrOD with and without ribavirin to patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection as part of a global compassionate program.ResultsAmong 41 patients treated, 35 (85%) patients had genotype 1b HCV infection, 6 (15%) had co‐infection with human immunodeficiency virus, 35 (85%) failed previous peginterferon and ribavirin therapy, 25 (61%) had compensated liver cirrhosis, and 3 (7%) had liver transplantation. Thirty‐five (85%) patients received 12‐week treatment and six patients received 24‐week treatment; 26 (63%) patients received ribavirin combination. Thirty‐nine (95%; 95% confidence interval 88.5–100%) patients had undetectable HCV RNA at 12‐week post‐treatment, that is, SVR. The two patients who did not develop SVR discontinued treatment prematurely; both of them were treatment experienced with liver cirrhosis complicated by acute renal failure unrelated to the treatment of PrOD and ribavirin. No patient had hepatic decompensation.ConclusionsParitaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir with or without ribavirin is effective and safe in patients with genotype 1 HCV infection in real‐life clinical setting in Hong Kong.
Tri‐focal Model of Care Implementation: Perspectives of Residents and Family
Authors: Hutchinson Alison , Rawson Helen , O'Connell Beverly , Walker Helen , Bucknall Tracey , Forbes Helen , Ostaszkiewicz Joan , Ockerby Cherene 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPurposeTo explore residents’ and family members’ perceptions of partnership‐centered long‐term care (LTC) associated with implementation of the Tri‐focal Model of Care. The Model promotes partnership‐centered care, evidence‐based practice, and a positive environment. Its implementation is supported by a specifically designed education program.MethodsThe Model was implemented over approximately 12 months in seven LTC facilities in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative exploratory‐descriptive approach was used. Data were collected using individual and focus group interviews with residents and family members prior to and following implementation of the Model. Data were analyzed thematically.FindingsPrior to implementation of the Model, residents described experiencing a sense of disempowerment, and emphasized the importance of communication, engagement, and being a partner in the staff–resident care relationship. Following implementation, residents reported experiencing improved partnership approaches to care, although there were factors that impacted on having a good experience. Family members described a desire to remain involved in the resident's life by establishing good communication and rapport with staff. They acknowledged this was important for partnership‐centered care. Following implementation, they described experiencing a partnership with staff, giving them confidence to assist staff and be included in decisions about the resident.ConclusionsThe Tri‐focal Model of Care can enable residents, family members, and staff to be partners in resident care in LTC settings.Clinical RelevanceWith an ageing population, an increasing demand for complex, individualized LTC exists. Delivery of high‐quality LTC requires a strategy to implement a partnership‐centered approach, involving residents, family members, and staff.
Promise of Combining Antifungal Agents in Denture Adhesives to Fight Candida Species Infections
Authors: Garaicoa Jorge L. , Fischer Carol L. , Bates Amber M. , Holloway Julie , Avila‐Ortiz Gustavo , Guthmiller Janet M. , Johnson Georgia K. , Stanford Clark , Brogden Kim A. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPurposeSeveral complications may arise in patients wearing complete prosthetic appliances, including denture‐associated infections and mucosal stomatitis due to Candida species. This study evaluated the activity of anti‐Candida agents in denture adhesive and the cytotoxicities of these preparations for primary human gingival epithelial (GE) keratinocytes.Materials and MethodsThe anti‐Candida activities of antimicrobial peptides, antimicrobial lipids, and antifungal agents against C. albicans ATCC 64124 or HMV4C were assessed in microdilution assays containing water or 1% denture adhesive. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined. The cytotoxicities of denture adhesive compounded with these agents were assessed in 1.0 × 105 primary GE keratinocytes in LGM‐3 media with resazurin.ResultsLactoferricin B, SMAP28, sphingosine, dihydrosphingosine, and phytosphingosine in 1% denture adhesive lost antimicrobial activity for C. albicans (p < 0.05). Amphotericin B, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, chlorhexidine gluconate, fluconazole, and nystatin in 1% denture adhesive or compounded directly into denture adhesive and then diluted to 1% adhesive, did not lose antimicrobial activity. Compounded formulations were not cytotoxic (LD50 > 100.0 μg/ml) against primary human GE keratinocytes.ConclusionsAntimicrobial peptides and antimicrobial lipids had diminished activities in 1% adhesive, suggesting that components in adhesives may inactivate local innate immune factors in the oral cavity, possibly predisposing denture wearers to Candida species infections. More importantly, antifungal agents retained their anti‐C. albicans activities in denture adhesive, strongly suggesting that antifungal agents could be candidates for inclusion in adhesive formulations and used as prescribed topical treatments for individuals with denture stomatitis.
Selenium‐enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae improves growth, antioxidant status and selenoprotein gene expression in Arbor Acres broilers
Authors: Chen F. , Zhu L. , Qiu H. , Qin S. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryOne hundred and fifty 7‐day‐old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned into five groups: group 1 served as a control that was fed a basal diet without selenium (Se) supplementation; groups 2, 3 and 4 were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.15, 0.5 and 1.5 mg Se as Se‐enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SSC) per kg of diet; and group 5 was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.15 mg per kg of Se as sodium selenite (SS). Growth performance, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in plasma and liver, and cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPX‐1) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (GPX‐4) mRNA levels in liver were determined. Compared with group 1, groups 2–4 exhibited higher body weights (p < 0.05), lower feed/gain ratios, and higher GPX activities in plasma (p < 0.05) and GPX and SOD activities and GPX‐1 and GPX‐4 mRNA levels in liver (p < 0.05). Compared with group 5, group 2 exhibited higher GPX activity in plasma on day 21 (p < 0.05). Compared with group 2 and 5, group 3 exhibited lower MDA content in plasma on day 7 (p < 0.05), higher GPX activity in plasma, SOD activity and GPX‐1 mRNA levels in liver on day 14 and 21 (p < 0.05), and higher GPX‐4 mRNA levels on day 14 (p < 0.05). Compared with group 4, group 3 exhibited lower MDA contents in plasma on day 14 (p < 0.05) and in liver on day 21 (p < 0.05), higher T‐AOC in plasma and higher GPX‐1 mRNA levels on day 14 and 21 (p < 0.05), and higher SOD activity in plasma and higher SOD and GPX activities in liver on day 21 (p < 0.05). Thus, SSC improves growth and antioxidant status of broilers; the short‐term bioavailability of SS was faster than that of SSC, but the long‐term bioavailability of SSC was greater than SS.
Dietary linseed oil in the maternal diet affects immunoglobulins, tissue fatty acid composition and expression of lipid metabolism‐related genes in piglets
Authors: Chen X. L. , Wang N. , Tian M. L. , Wang L. , Liu T. , Zhang X. W. , Shi B. M. , Shan A. S. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryThis experiment investigated the effects of supplementing the maternal diet with linseed oil (LSO) and soya bean oil (SBO) on immunoglobulins, the fatty acid composition and hepatic expression of lipid metabolism‐related genes in piglets. Multiparous sows (twenty‐four per diet) were fed on diets containing a supplement of either SBO or LSO during last week of gestation and lactation. The results indicated that supplementation of maternal diet with LSO could improve the weaning weight of piglets and average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.05). The concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was enhanced in sow plasma, colostrum and milk by the addition of LSO (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentration of 18: 3n‐3 fatty acids was higher in the milk of LSO sows. Meanwhile, maternal supplementation with LSO increased the levels of plasma IgG, IgA and the tissues n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in piglets (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the mRNA expression levels of hepatic ∆5‐desaturase (D5D) and ∆6‐desaturase (D6D) were higher, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) was lower in piglets from LSO‐fed sows when compared with that in the SBO group. In conclusion, LSO supplementation of the maternal diet increases immunoglobulins, modifies the fatty acid composition and affects the gene of D5D and D6D expression of piglets.
Regulatory gene mutation: a driving force behind group a Streptococcus strain‐ and serotype‐specific variation
Authors: Sarkar Poulomee , Sumby Paul 
Published: November 2016

SummaryData from multiple bacterial pathogens are consistent with regulator‐encoding genes having higher mutation frequencies than the genome average. Such mutations drive both strain‐ and type‐ (e.g., serotype, haplotype) specific phenotypic heterogeneity, and may challenge public health due to the potential of variants to circumvent established treatment and/or preventative regimes. Here, using the human bacterial pathogen the group A Streptococcus (GAS; S. pyogenes) as a model organism, we review the types and regulatory‐, phenotypic‐, and disease‐specific consequences of naturally occurring regulatory gene mutations. Strain‐specific regulator mutations that will be discussed include examples that transform isolates into hyper‐invasive forms by enhancing expression of immunomodulatory virulence factors, and examples that promote asymptomatic carriage of the organism. The discussion of serotype‐specific regulator mutations focuses on serotype M3 GAS isolates, and how the identified rewiring of regulatory networks in this serotype may be contributing to a decades old epidemiological association of M3 isolates with particularly severe invasive infections. We conclude that mutation plays an outsized role in GAS pathogenesis and has clinical relevance. Given the phenotypic variability associated with regulatory gene mutations, the rapid examination of these genes in infecting isolates may inform with respect to potential patient complications and treatment options.