bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Presumptive Treatment of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Infections in a Canadian Ambulatory Emergency Department Setting
Authors: Friedland Sayuri N. , Slapcoff Barry , Dylewski Joe 
Published: July 2017

Objectives
Presumptive antibiotic treatment may be given for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infections before a laboratory diagnosis is established, but overtreatment can increase resistance rates. We sought to determine the presumptive treatment prevalence in our emergency department (ED) setting, as well as the number of overtreated and undertreated patients.

Methods
We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients tested for CT/GC in an urban academic ED during a 6-month period in 2015. Presumptive treatment prevalence, overtreatment and undertreatment proportions, and CT- and GC-positive test proportions were calculated with 95% Wald confidence interval (CI) and compared across age and sex.

Results
Of 209 included cases (male n = 3, female n = 206), 27 (13%; CI, 8%–18%) received presumptive treatment for CT and 19 (9%; CI, 5%–14%) for GC. Seven cases (3%; CI, 1%–6%) were positive for CT and 0 for GC. Of the 7 CT-positive cases, 2 (29%) received presumptive treatment in the ED, and 5 (71%) were treated after the positive test results were obtained. There was no loss to follow-up. Mean delay to treatment was 10 days, including a mean of 3 days for laboratory analysis. Overtreatment and undertreatment proportions were 93% (CI, 83%–100%) and 3% (CI, 0%–5%) for CT and 100% and 0% for GC, respectively. Positive test result, presumptive treatment, overtreatment, and undertreatment were not associated with age or sex.

Conclusions
Given the low CT/GC incidence and good follow-up, at our institution, it would be reasonable to wait for a laboratory diagnosis rather than give presumptive treatment.
Cognitive load selectively influences the interruptive effect of pain on attention
Authors: Moore David J. , Eccleston Christopher , Keogh Edmund 
Published: July 2017

Abstract
Pain is known to interrupt attentional performance. Such interference effects seem to occur preferentially for tasks that are complex and/or difficult. However, few studies have directly manipulated memory load in the context of pain interference to test this view. Therefore, this study examines the effect of experimental manipulations of both memory load and pain on 3 tasks previously found to be sensitive to pain interference. Three experiments were conducted. A different task was examined in each experiment, each comprising of a high- and low-cognitive load versions of the task. Experiment 1 comprised an attention span (n-back) task, experiment 2 an attention switching task, and experiment 3 a divided attention task. Each task was conducted under painful and nonpainful conditions. Within the pain condition, an experimental thermal pain induction protocol was administered at the same time participants completed the task. The load manipulations were successful in all experiments. Pain-related interference occurred under the high-load condition but only for the attention span task. No effect of pain was found on either the attentional switching or divided attention task. These results suggest that while cognitive load may influence the interruptive effect of pain on attention, this effect may be selective. Because pain affected the high-load version of the n-back task but did not interrupt performance on attentional switching or dual-task paradigms, this means that our findings did not completely support our hypotheses. Future research should explore further the parameters and conditions under which pain-related interference occurs.
Nurse Perspective on Delusions of Parasitosis
Authors: Boghosian Gayle , Johnson Cassandra , Jacob Sharon E. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT
Dermatology is a complex area of medicine that requires knowledge of skin biology, pathophysiology, chemistry, diagnostic tests, and physical examination. Although the skin may be the primary focus of a disease process, systemic disease processes may present with manifestation in the skin. This nurse perspective focuses on delusions of parasitosis or Ekbom’s syndrome. Ekbom’s syndrome is a psychocutaneous disorder in which patients believe they are infested with bugs, in the absence of actual infestation. This disorder needs multidisciplinary collaboration to aid treatment.
Noncontrast Hybrid Arterial Spin-Labeled Imaging of the Intracranial Arteries
Authors: Lim Ruth P. , Trajcevska Elena , Al Rawi Farah , Gooneratne Dinesh , Ang Windell , Perchyonok Yuliya , Fitt Gregory , Kemp Andrew , Giri Shivraman , Piccini Davide , Brodtmann Amy , Dewey Helen , Koktzoglou Ioannis 
Published: July 2017

Objective
The purpose of this study is to evaluate feasibility, image quality (IQ), and accuracy of noncontrast hybrid arterial spin labeling (NoHASL) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) compared with time of flight (TOF) MRA and contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA in patients with known/suspected cerebrovascular ischemia.

Methods
Thirty inpatients were imaged at 1.5 T. Two neuroradiologists assessed 630 intracranial arterial segments for IQ (1, nondiagnostic; 3, satisfactory for diagnosis; and 5, excellent). Hemodynamically significant stenosis (>50%) was assessed against all combined techniques as reference.

Results
The NoHASL MRA IQ was diagnostic (3.32 ± 0.86) but affected by signal to noise ratio and spatial resolution limitations and significantly inferior to TOF (3.48 ± 0.68) and CE MRA (3.44 ± 0.78) (P < 0.0001 in both comparisons). Fourteen (2.2%) of 630 segments had hemodynamically significant stenoses at the reference standard. Sensitivity/specificity was not significantly different between techniques: NoHASL MRA, 67.9%/90.0%; TOF MRA, 67.9%/97.7%; and CE MRA, 50.0%/98.7%.

Conclusions
The NoHASL MRA is feasible, with diagnostic quality imaging of proximal intracranial vessels. Low disease prevalence limited the assessment of technique accuracy.
Urinary Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor as a Noninvasive Biomarker in Pediatric Henoch-Schönlein Purpura Nephritis
Authors: Wang Jiapei , Li Yunyan , Chen Yuanling , Dai Xiahua , Di Yazhen , Shen Mengjiao , Ying Qianqian , Fu Shiwei , Li Yinjie 
Published: July 2017

Purposes
The aims of this study were to investigate urinary macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels and their clinical significance in Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) children with or without nephritis (N) and to assess the influence of steroid treatment on the urine MIF levels of HSPN patients.

Methods
Group I comprised 35 children with HSPN who were examined twice (A before treatment and B after steroid treatment). Group II comprised 41 children with HSP. The control group included 32 healthy children. Urinary MIF levels were measured via enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urinary microalbumin (mAlb), and 24-hour proteinuria were performed to determine their associations with MIF levels.

Results
Urinary MIF levels were significantly higher in group I compared with group II and the control group (P < 0.01); however, no significant difference was found between group II and the control group (P > 0.05). Upon examination, albeit urinary MIF concentration was significantly lower in group IB compared with group IA (P < 0.05), these concentrations were statistically higher than that of group II (P < 0.05). In addition, in the HSPN patients, the urinary MIF was positively associated with urinary microalbumin and 24-hour proteinuria but no association with serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.

Conclusions
Elevated urinary MIF levels were found to be correlated with proteinuria in pediatric HSPN. An obvious decrease in urinary MIF concentrations among the children with HSPN was associated with steroid treatment. Urinary MIF can be used as a noninvasive biomarker in pediatric HSPN.
Probabilistic stability analysis: the way forward for stability analysis of sustainable power systems
Authors: Milanović Jovica V. 
Published: July 2017

Future power systems will be significantly different compared with their present states. They will be characterized by an unprecedented mix of a wide range of electricity generation and transmission technologies, as well as responsive and highly flexible demand and storage devices with significant temporal and spatial uncertainty. The importance of probabilistic approaches towards power system stability analysis, as a subsection of power system studies routinely carried out by power system operators, has been highlighted in previous research. However, it may not be feasible (or even possible) to accurately model all of the uncertainties that exist within a power system. This paper describes for the first time an integral approach to probabilistic stability analysis of power systems, including small and large angular stability and frequency stability. It provides guidance for handling uncertainties in power system stability studies and some illustrative examples of the most recent results of probabilistic stability analysis of uncertain power systems.
This article is part of the themed issue ‘Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization’.
Robust estimation of risks from small samples
Authors: Tindemans Simon H. , Strbac Goran 
Published: July 2017

Data-driven risk analysis involves the inference of probability distributions from measured or simulated data. In the case of a highly reliable system, such as the electricity grid, the amount of relevant data is often exceedingly limited, but the impact of estimation errors may be very large. This paper presents a robust non-parametric Bayesian method to infer possible underlying distributions. The method obtains rigorous error bounds even for small samples taken from ill-behaved distributions. The approach taken has a natural interpretation in terms of the intervals between ordered observations, where allocation of probability mass across intervals is well specified, but the location of that mass within each interval is unconstrained. This formulation gives rise to a straightforward computational resampling method: Bayesian interval sampling. In a comparison with common alternative approaches, it is shown to satisfy strict error bounds even for ill-behaved distributions.
This article is part of the themed issue ‘Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization’.
Real option valuation of a decremental regulation service provided by electricity storage
Authors: Szabó Dávid Zoltán , Martyr Randall 
Published: July 2017

This paper is a quantitative study of a reserve contract for real-time balancing of a power system. Under this contract, the owner of a storage device, such as a battery, helps smooth fluctuations in electricity demand and supply by using the device to increase electricity consumption. The battery owner must be able to provide immediate physical cover, and should therefore have sufficient storage available in the battery before entering the contract. Accordingly, the following problem can be formulated for the battery owner: determine the optimal time to enter the contract and, if necessary, the optimal time to discharge electricity before entering the contract. This problem is formulated as one of optimal stopping, and is solved explicitly in terms of the model parameters and instantaneous values of the power system imbalance. The optimal operational strategies thus obtained ensure that the battery owner has positive expected economic profit from the contract. Furthermore, they provide explicit conditions under which the optimal discharge time is consistent with the overall objective of power system balancing. This paper also carries out a preliminary investigation of the ‘lifetime value’ aggregated from an infinite sequence of these balancing reserve contracts. This lifetime value, which can be viewed as a single project valuation of the battery, is shown to be positive and bounded. Therefore, in the long run such reserve contracts can be beneficial to commercial operators of electricity storage, while reducing some of the financial and operational risks in power system balancing.
This article is part of the themed issue ‘Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization’.
Gender, ethnicity and smoking affect pain and function in patients with rotator cuff tears
Authors: Maher Anthony , Leigh Warren , Brick Matt , Young Simon , Millar James , Walker Cameron , Caughey Michael 
Published: July 2017

BackgroundThis study is a collation of baseline demographic characteristics of those presenting for rotator cuff repair in New Zealand, and exploration of associations with preoperative function and pain. Data were obtained from the New Zealand Rotator Cuff Registry; a multicentre, nationwide prospective cohort of rotator cuff repairs undertaken from 1 March 2009 until 31 December 2010.MethodsA total of 1383 patients were included in the study. This required complete demographic information, preoperative Flex‐SF (functional score) and pain scores. Following univariate analysis, a multivariate model was used.ResultsThe average age was 58 years (69% males and 11% smokers). New Zealand Europeans made up 90% and Maori 5%. The average preoperative Flex‐SF was significantly lower (poorer function) in those over 65 years, females, smokers and Maori, in the non‐dominant patients, using a multivariate model. Average preoperative pain scores were significantly worse (higher scores) in females, Maori, Polynesians, smokers, using a multivariate model.ConclusionThis is the largest reported prospective cohort of patients presenting for rotator cuff surgery. Results can be used to understand the effect of rotator cuff tears on the different patients, for example Maori patients who are under‐represented, present younger, with more pain and poorer function.
Data Abstraction for Visualizing Large Time Series
Authors: Shurkhovetskyy G. , Andrienko N. , Andrienko G. , Fuchs G. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractNumeric time series is a class of data consisting of chronologically ordered observations represented by numeric values. Much of the data in various domains, such as financial, medical and scientific, are represented in the form of time series. To cope with the increasing sizes of datasets, numerous approaches for abstracting large temporal data are developed in the area of data mining. Many of them proved to be useful for time series visualization. However, despite the existence of numerous surveys on time series mining and visualization, there is no comprehensive classification of the existing methods based on the needs of visualization designers. We propose a classification framework that defines essential criteria for selecting an abstraction method with an eye to subsequent visualization and support of users' analysis tasks. We show that approaches developed in the data mining field are capable of creating representations that are useful for visualizing time series data. We evaluate these methods in terms of the defined criteria and provide a summary table that can be easily used for selecting suitable abstraction methods depending on data properties, desirable form of representation, behaviour features to be studied, required accuracy and level of detail, and the necessity of efficient search and querying. We also indicate directions for possible extension of the proposed classification framework.
Five Methods for Estimating Angoff Cut Scores with IRT
Authors: Wyse Adam E. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis article illustrates five different methods for estimating Angoff cut scores using item response theory (IRT) models. These include maximum likelihood (ML), expected a priori (EAP), modal a priori (MAP), and weighted maximum likelihood (WML) estimators, as well as the most commonly used approach based on translating ratings through the test characteristic curve (i.e., the IRT true‐score (TS) estimator). The five methods are compared using a simulation study and a real data example. Results indicated that the application of different methods can sometimes lead to different estimated cut scores, and that there can be some key differences in impact data when using the IRT TS estimator compared to other methods. It is suggested that one should carefully think about their choice of methods to estimate ability and cut scores because different methods have distinct features and properties. An important consideration in the application of Bayesian methods relates to the choice of the prior and the potential bias that priors may introduce into estimates.
The role of experiential knowledge within attitudes towards genetic carrier screening: A comparison of people with and without experience of spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Boardman Felicity K. , Young Philip J. , Warren Oliver , Griffiths Frances E. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractPurposeAutosomal recessive conditions, while individually rare, are a significant health burden with limited treatment options. Population carrier screening has been suggested as a means of tackling them. Little is known, however, about the attitudes of the general public towards such carrier screening and still less about the views of people living with candidate genetic diseases. Here, we focus on the role that such experience has on screening attitudes by comparing views towards screening of people with and without prior experience of the monogenetic disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy.MethodsAn exploratory sequential mixed methods design was adopted. In‐depth qualitative interviews were used to develop two surveys. The surveys addressed attitudes towards carrier screening (pre‐conceptual and prenatal) for SMA.Participants337 participants with SMA experience completed the SMA Screening Survey (UK) and 336 participants with no prior experience of SMA completed the UK GenPop Survey, an amended version of the SMA Screening Survey (UK).ResultsThe majority of both cohorts were in favour of pre‐conception and prenatal carrier screening, however people with experience of type II SMA were least likely to support either. Key differences emerged around perceptions of SMA, with those without SMA experience taking a dimmer view of the condition than those with.ConclusionThis study underscores the significance of prior experience with the condition to screening attitudes. It highlights the need for accurate and high‐quality educational resources to support any future carrier screening programmes, that particularly in relation to rare genetic disorders like SMA that will fall outside the remit of everyday experience for the majority of the population.
Week 96 results of the randomized, multicentre Maraviroc Switch (MARCH) study
Authors: Pett SL , Amin J , Horban A , Andrade‐Villanueva J , Losso M , Porteiro N , Madero JS , Belloso W , Tu E , Silk D , Kelleher A , Harrigan R , Clark A , Sugiura W , Wolff M , Gill J , Gatell J , Clarke A , Ruxrungtham K , Prazuck T , Kaiser R , Woolley I , Alberto Arnaiz J , Cooper D , Rockstroh JK , Mallon P , Emery S ,   the MARCH study group
Published: July 2017

ObjectivesThe Maraviroc Switch (MARCH) study week 48 data demonstrated that maraviroc, a chemokine receptor‐5 (CCR5) inhibitor, was a safe and effective switch for the ritonavir‐boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r) component of a two nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor [N(t)RTI] plus PI/r‐based antiretroviral regimen in patients with R5‐tropic virus. Here we report the durability of this finding.MethodsMARCH, an international, multicentre, randomized, 96‐week open‐label switch study, enrolled HIV‐1‐infected adults with R5‐tropic virus who were stable (> 24 weeks) and virologically suppressed [plasma viral load (pVL) < 50 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL]. Participants were randomized to continue their current PI/r‐based regimen (PI/r) or to switch to MVC plus two N(t)RTIs (MVC) (1:2 randomization). The primary endpoint was the difference in the proportion with pVL < 200 copies/mL at 96 weeks. The switch arm was defined as noninferior if the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference was < −12% in the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) population. Safety endpoints (the difference in the mean change from baseline or a comparison of proportions) were analysed as key secondary endpoints.ResultsEighty‐two (PI/r) and 156 (MVC) participants were randomized and included in the ITT analysis; 71 (87%) and 130 (83%) were in follow‐up and on therapy at week 96. At week 96, 89.0% and 90.4% in the PI/r and MVC arms, respectively, had pVL < 50 copies/mL (95% CI ‐6.6, 10.2). Moreover, in those switching away from PI/r, there were significant reductions in mean total cholesterol (differences 0.31 mmol/L; P = 0.02) and triglycerides (difference 0.44 mmol/L; P < 0.001). Changes in CD4 T‐cell count, renal function, and serious and nonserious adverse events were similar in the two arms.ConclusionsMVC as a switch for a PI/r is safe and effective at maintaining virological suppression while having significant lipid benefits over 96 weeks.
Analysis of cytochrome P450 contribution to evolved plant toxin resistance inDrosophila sechellia
Authors: Peyser R. D. , Lanno S. M. , Shimshak S. J. , Coolon J. D. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractDrosophila sechelliais a dietary specialist species of fruit fly that has evolved resistance to the toxic secondary defence compounds produced by the fruit of its preferred host plantMorinda citrifolia. The genetic basis of adult toxin resistance is the result of evolution at five loci across the genome. Genetic mapping betweenD. sechelliaandDrosophila simulansand subsequent functional studies inDrosophila melanogasterhave identified candidate genes potentially underlying one locus involved in toxin resistance but the remainder of the genes involved are unknown. Genes in the mixed function oxidase or cytochrome P450 gene family are frequently utilized in evolved toxin resistance in insects, yet whether they play a role inD. sechellia's resistance to the toxins found in its host plant is unknown. Here we test the role of cytochrome P450 enzymatic activity in evolved resistance to the two primary toxins found inM. citrifoliafruit: octanoic acid and hexanoic acid. We found that although cytochrome P450 enzymatic activity is involved in basal resistance it is not involved in derived toxin resistance inD. sechellia.
Professional oral health care for preventing nursing home‐acquired pneumonia: A cost‐effectiveness and value of information analysis
Authors: Schwendicke Falk , Stolpe Michael , Müller Frauke 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAimProfessional oral health care (POHC) prevents nursing home‐acquired pneumonia (NHAP) and its related mortality. We assessed the cost‐effectiveness of POHC versus no POHC (nPOHC) and the monetary value of eliminating uncertainty by future research.MethodsA German public–private payer perspective was adopted. A Markov model was used, following long‐term care residents from admission to death. Cost‐effectiveness was estimated as Euro/disability‐adjusted life year (DALY) using Monte Carlo microsimulations. Value‐of‐information analyses were performed. The willingness‐to‐pay threshold/DALY was assumed to be 66% (range 50%–100%) of per‐capita gross domestic product (GDP).ResultsnPOHC was less costly (€3,024) but also less effective (0.89 DALYs) than POHC (€10,249, 0.55 DALYs). For most presumed payers, POHC was cost‐effective. The cost‐effectiveness of POHC was higher in smokers, underweight or pulmonary disease patients. Eliminating uncertainty about the NHAP costs, NHAP incidence/mortality, and POHC effectiveness would result in an expected net value of 47 million €/year (and even higher values at lower GDP thresholds), and is likely to decrease with time.ConclusionsWithin the chosen setting and on the basis of current evidence, POHC was cost‐effective. Given the detected uncertainty, further research seems warranted.