bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The BMEA study: the impact of meridian balanced method electroacupuncture on women with chronic pelvic pain—a three-arm randomised controlled pilot study using a mixed-methods approach
Authors: Chong Ooi Thye , Critchley Hilary O D , Horne Andrew W , Elton Robert , Haraldsdottir Erna , Fallon Marie 
Published: November 2015

IntroductionChronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects 3–4% of women worldwide. Proven treatments for CPP are limited and unsatisfactory. The meridian balance method (BM) electroacupuncture (EA) treatment (BMEA + Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Consultation (TCM HC) may be effective for CPP. Previous EA studies have demonstrated an analgesic effect. Large-scale studies on acupuncture for other chronic pain conditions suggest that patient-healthcare provider interaction might play a role in pain reduction. We propose a pilot study to explore the effectiveness of the meridian BMEA treatment in managing women with CPP to inform a future large randomised controlled trial.Methods and analysisA 3-armed randomised controlled pilot study is proposed with an aim to recruit 30 women with CPP in National Health Service (NHS) Lothian. Randomisation will be to BMEA treatment, TCM HC or standard care (SC). Validated pain, physical and emotional functioning questionnaires will be administered to all participants at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12. Focus group discussions will be conducted when week 12 questionnaires are completed. The primary objective is to determine, recruitment and retention rates. The secondary objectives are to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of the proposed methods of recruitment, randomisation, interventions and assessment tools.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Scotland Research Ethics Committee (REC 14/SS/1022). Data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT02295111.
Barriers and enablers to healthcare access and use among Arabic-speaking and Caucasian English-speaking patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative comparative study
Authors: Alzubaidi H , Mc Namara K , Browning Colette , Marriott J 
Published: November 2015

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore the decision-making processes and associated barriers and enablers that determine access and use of healthcare services in Arabic-speaking and English-speaking Caucasian patients with diabetes in Australia.Study setting and designFace-to-face semistructured individual interviews and group interviews were conducted at various healthcare settings—diabetes outpatient clinics in 2 tertiary referral hospitals, 6 primary care practices and 10 community centres in Melbourne, Australia.ParticipantsA total of 100 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited into 2 groups: 60 Arabic-speaking and 40 English-speaking Caucasian.Data collectionInterviews were audio-taped, translated into English when necessary, transcribed and coded thematically. Sociodemographic and clinical information was gathered using a self-completed questionnaire and medical records.Principal findingsOnly Arabic-speaking migrants intentionally delayed access to healthcare services when obvious signs of diabetes were experienced, missing opportunities to detect diabetes at an early stage. Four major barriers and enablers to healthcare access and use were identified: influence of significant other(s), unique sociocultural and religious beliefs, experiences with healthcare providers and lack of knowledge about healthcare services. Compared with Arabic-speaking migrants, English-speaking participants had no reluctance to access and use medical services when signs of ill-health appeared; their treatment-seeking behaviours were straightforward.ConclusionsArabic-speaking migrants appear to intentionally delay access to medical services even when symptomatic. Four barriers to health services access have been identified. Tailored interventions must be developed for Arabic-speaking migrants to improve access to available health services, facilitate timely diagnosis of diabetes and ultimately to improve glycaemic control.
Preoperative factors affecting cost and length of stay for isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: hierarchical linear model analysis
Authors: Shinjo Daisuke , Fushimi Kiyohide 
Published: November 2015

ObjectiveTo determine the effect of preoperative patient and hospital factors on resource use, cost and length of stay (LOS) among patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB).DesignObservational retrospective study.SettingsData from the Japanese Administrative Database.ParticipantsPatients who underwent isolated, elective OPCAB between April 2011 and March 2012.Primary outcome measuresThe primary outcomes of this study were inpatient cost and LOS associated with OPCAB. A two-level hierarchical linear model was used to examine the effects of patient and hospital characteristics on inpatient costs and LOS. The independent variables were patient and hospital factors.ResultsWe identified 2491 patients who underwent OPCAB at 268 hospitals. The mean cost of OPCAB was $40 665 ±7774, and the mean LOS was 23.4±8.2 days. The study found that select patient factors and certain comorbidities were associated with a high cost and long LOS. A high hospital OPCAB volume was associated with a low cost (−6.6%; p=0.024) as well as a short LOS (−17.6%, p<0.001).ConclusionsThe hospital OPCAB volume is associated with efficient resource use. The findings of the present study indicate the need to focus on hospital elective OPCAB volume in Japan in order to improve cost and LOS.
Approximating the Diameter of Planar Graphs in Near Linear Time
Authors: Weimann Oren , Yuster Raphael 
Published: November 2015

We present a (1 + ε)-approximation algorithm running in
O
(
f
(ε) ·
n
log
4
n
) time for finding the diameter of an undirected planar graph with
n
vertices and with nonnegative edge lengths.
SKAP2 Promotes Podosome Formation to Facilitate Tumor-Associated Macrophage Infiltration and Metastatic Progression
Authors: Tanaka Masamitsu , Shimamura Shintaro , Kuriyama Sei , Maeda Daichi , Goto Akiteru , Aiba Namiko 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play complex and pivotal roles during cancer progression. A subset of metastasis-associated macrophages accumulates within metastatic sites to promote the invasion and growth of tumor cells. Src kinase–associated phosphoprotein 2 (SKAP2), a substrate of Src family kinases, is highly expressed in macrophages from various tumors, but its contribution to the tumor-promoting behavior of TAMs is unknown. Here, we report that SKAP2 regulates podosome formation in macrophages to promote tumor invasion and metastasis. SKAP2 physically interacted with Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) and localized to podosomes, which were rarely observed in SKAP2-null macrophages. The invasion of peritoneal macrophages derived from SKAP2-null mice was significantly reduced compared with wild-type macrophages, but could be rescued by the restoration of functional SKAP2 containing an intact tyrosine phosphorylation site and the ability to interact with WASP. Furthermore, SKAP2-null mice inoculated with lung cancer cells exhibited markedly decreased lung metastases characterized by reduced macrophage infiltration compared with wild-type mice. Moreover, intravenously injected SKAP2-null macrophages failed to efficiently infiltrate established tumors and promote their growth. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel mechanism by which macrophages assemble the appropriate motile machinery to infiltrate tumors and promote disease progression, and implicate SKAP2 as an attractive candidate for therapeutically targeting TAMs. Cancer Res; 76(2); 358–69. ©2015 AACR.
Herpes Zoster and Risk of Cancer in the Elderly U.S. Population
Authors: Mahale Parag , Yanik Elizabeth L. , Engels Eric A. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBackground: Herpes zoster (HZ) arises in older people due to age-related decline in immunity. We assessed whether HZ, as a marker of immune suppression, is associated with increased cancer risk.Methods: We conducted a case–control study in U.S. adults with ages ≥ 65 years using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked database. Cases (n = 1,108,986) were people with first cancers identified in cancer registries (1992–2005). Controls (n = 100,000) were cancer-free individuals frequency matched to cases on age, sex, and year of selection. We identified HZ diagnosis using Medicare claims. Logistic regression models were constructed to determine adjusted associations between cancer and HZ.Results: HZ prevalence was modestly higher in cases than controls (1.4% vs. 1.2%). We identified significant associations between HZ and oral cavity/pharyngeal [adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.21], colon (aOR = 1.10), lung (aOR = 1.11), and non-melanoma skin (aOR = 1.46) cancers; myeloma (aOR = 1.38); diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (aOR = 1.30); lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (aOR = 1.99); and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (aOR = 1.55). Among solid cancers, HZ was mostly associated with regional and/or distant stage tumors. Associations were strongest when HZ was diagnosed 13 to 35 months before cancer diagnosis/selection; they were significant for some cancers in the 36 to 59 months period, and 60+ months for lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (OR = 1.99).Conclusion: HZ is associated with modestly increased risk of a few cancers, particularly hematologic malignancies. Associations were strongest at short latency intervals for many cancers, and for regional/distant stages among solid cancers, perhaps reflecting reverse causality.Impact: Age-related immune decline does not play a major role in cancer development in older people, but it may be important for some lymphomas. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(1); 28–35. ©2015 AACR.
Depression, Antidepressant Use, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Brown Susan B. , Hankinson Susan E. , Arcaro Kathleen F. , Qian Jing , Reeves Katherine W. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
Background: Whether depression and antidepressant (AD) use might influence breast cancer risk is unclear, and these exposures have not been evaluated together in a single, prospective cohort study of breast cancer risk.
Methods: Among 71,439 postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI-OS), we estimated multivariable-adjusted HRs for the independent and joint effects of depressive symptoms and AD use on breast cancer risk using Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results: When analyzed separately, neither depressive symptoms nor AD use at baseline were associated with a significantly increased risk of total breast cancer (HR = 0.96, 95% CI, 0.85–1.08; HR = 1.04, 95% CI, 0.92–1.20, respectively) or invasive breast cancer (HR = 0.98, 95% CI, 0.86–1.12; HR = 1.00, 95% CI, 0.86–1.16, respectively). Current AD use was associated with a borderline-significant increase of in situ breast cancer (HR = 1.30, 95% CI, 0.99–1.75) after adjustment for depressive symptoms; however, this relationship was attenuated after adjustment for mammographic screening (HR = 1.08, 95% CI, 0.76–1.51). No significant variation in total breast cancer risk was observed when the separate and joint effects of depressive symptoms and AD use were explored (P for interaction = 0.14).
Conclusion: We found no evidence that either depression or AD use influences breast cancer risk. An elevated risk of in situ disease among AD users could not be ruled out, though is likely due to increased screening in this subgroup.
Impact: Given the high prevalence of these exposures, these results may provide reassurance to the millions of women who are depressed and/or use ADs each year. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(1); 158–64. ©2015 AACR.
Active FOXO1 Is a Key Determinant of Isoform-Specific Progesterone Receptor Transactivation and Senescence Programming
Authors: Diep Caroline H. , Knutson Todd P. , Lange Carol A. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractProgesterone promotes differentiation coupled to proliferation and prosurvival in the breast, but inhibits estrogen-driven growth in the reproductive tract and ovaries. Herein, it is demonstrated, using progesterone receptor (PR) isoform-specific ovarian cancer model systems, that PR-A and PR-B promote distinct gene expression profiles that differ from PR-driven genes in breast cancer cells. In ovarian cancer models, PR-A primarily regulates genes independently of progestin, while PR-B is the dominant ligand-dependent isoform. Notably, FOXO1 and the PR/FOXO1 target gene p21 (CDKN1A) are repressed by PR-A, but induced by PR-B. In the presence of progestin, PR-B, but not PR-A, robustly induced cellular senescence via FOXO1-dependent induction of p21 and p15 (CDKN2B). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays performed on PR isoform–specific cells demonstrated that while each isoform is recruited to the same PRE-containing region of the p21 promoter in response to progestin, only PR-B elicits active chromatin marks. Overexpression of constitutively active FOXO1 in PR-A–expressing cells conferred robust ligand-dependent upregulation of the PR-B target genes GZMA, IGFBP1, and p21, and induced cellular senescence. In the presence of endogenous active FOXO1, PR-A was phosphorylated on Ser294 and transactivated PR-B at PR-B target genes; these events were blocked by the FOXO1 inhibitor (AS1842856). PR isoform–specific regulation of the FOXO1/p21 axis recapitulated in human primary ovarian tumor explants treated with progestin; loss of progestin sensitivity correlated with high AKT activity.Implications: This study indicates FOXO1 as a critical component for progesterone signaling to promote cellular senescence and reveals a novel mechanism for transcription factor control of hormone sensitivity. Mol Cancer Res; 14(2); 141–62. ©2015 AACR.
A checklist of the vertebrates of Kerala State, India
Authors: Nameer P. O. , J Praveen , Bijukumar A. , Palot Muhamed Jafer , Das Sandeep , Raghavan Rajeev 
Published: November 2015

<p>Following the first publication on vertebrates of India (Blanford 1888–1890), a huge wealth of information has been compiled on the vertebrate fauna of various biogeographic zones of the country, especially the Western Ghats. The state of Kerala comprising of a land area of 38,863km<sup>2</sup>, 590km coastline, an intricate system of backwaters along the coast, tropical moist forests of the Western Ghats, the highly undulating terrain, and the tropical monsoon is a unique geographical and environmental entity rich in biodiversity. A region-specific checklist that summarises and documents the current status of vertebrate diversity provides benchmark data for documentation and appreciation of biodiversity at regional level. Further, with the current rate of global biodiversity loss and concordant conservation efforts, the taxonomic community has a greater responsibility to make scientific information available to scientists, policy makers, politicians, research students and all relevant stakeholders, an attempt that has been made in the present paper. The State of Kerala has 1847 species of vertebrates in 330 families and 81 orders, of which 386 are endemic to the Western Ghats region (of the Western Ghats - Sri Lanka Hotspot), and 205 species as threatened. Six hundred and eighty species of vertebrates of Kerala have been listed in the various schedules of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, while 148 are listed in the different appendices of CITES. </p><p> </p>
A checklist of reptiles of Kerala, India
Authors: Palot Muhamed Jafer 
Published: November 2015

<p>A checklist of reptiles of Kerala State is presented, along with their Scientific, English and Malayalam names, endemic status, conservation status in the latest IUCN Red List category, different Schedules of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Appendices of CITES. A total of 173 species under 24 families belonging to three orders are recorded from Kerala. Of these, 87 species are endemic to the Western Ghats, which include the 10 Kerala endemics. Of the 173 species, 23 are listed in the various threatened categories of IUCN.</p><div> </div>
Entrepreneurial Impulse, Investment Behavior, and Economic Fluctuations—A VAR Analysis with Indian Data
Authors: Das Panchanan 
Published: November 2015

This study analyzes the observed behavior of growth cycles and the dynamics of economic fluctuations in terms of entrepreneurial impulse with Indian macroeconomic time series data for more than 60 years. The fluctuations of investment are explained in terms of persistence, volatility, and comovements of the cyclical components. The study observes that the growth cycles of private investment were much more volatile than the growth cycles of public investment and gross domestic product. Investments in India were procyclical, but their growth cycles became acyclical. This study observes that the fluctuations of growth cycle frequencies of private investment appeared even when there were no shocks to gross domestic product. Such investment behavior may be because of the self-fulfilling beliefs of investors. Private investment in India has not been badly affected by the severe balance of payments crises. Rather, a cyclical downturn was seen as an opportunity to invest by the large business houses.
Understanding the Intermodel Spread in Global-Mean Hydrological Sensitivity*
Authors: Fläschner Dagmar , Mauritsen Thorsten , Stevens Bjorn 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
This paper assesses intermodel spread in the slope of global-mean precipitation change ΔP with respect to surface temperature change. The ambiguous estimates in the literature for this slope are reconciled by analyzing four experiments from phase 5 of CMIP (CMIP5) and considering different definitions of the slope. The smallest intermodel spread (a factor of 1.5 between the highest and lowest estimate) is found when using a definition that disentangles temperature-independent precipitation changes (the adjustments) from the slope of the temperature-dependent precipitation response; here this slope is referred to as the hydrological sensitivity parameter η. The estimates herein show that η is more robust than stated in most previous work. The authors demonstrate that adjustments and η estimated from a steplike quadrupling CO2 experiment serve well to predict ΔP in a transient CO2 experiment. The magnitude of η is smaller in the coupled ocean–atmosphere quadrupling CO2 experiment than in the noncoupled atmosphere-only experiment. The offset in magnitude due to coupling suggests that intermodel spread may undersample uncertainty.
Also assessed are the relative contribution of η, the surface warming, and the adjustment on the spread in ΔP on different time scales. Intermodel variation of both η and the adjustment govern the spread in ΔP in the years immediately after the abrupt forcing change. In equilibrium, the uncertainty in ΔP is dominated by uncertainty in the equilibrium surface temperature response. A kernel analysis reveals that intermodel spread in η is dominated by intermodel spread in tropical lower tropospheric temperature and humidity changes and cloud changes.
Analysis of Cumulus Cloud Updrafts as Observed with 1-Min Resolution Super Rapid Scan GOES Imagery
Authors: Mecikalski John R. , Jewett Christopher P. , Apke Jason M. , Carey Larry D. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
A study was undertaken to examine growing cumulus clouds using 1-min time resolution Super Rapid Scan Operations for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) (SRSOR) imagery to diagnose in-cloud processes from cloud-top information. SRSOR data were collected using GOES-14 for events in 2012–14. Use of 1-min resolution SRSOR observations of rapidly changing scenes provides far more insights into cloud processes as compared to when present-day 5–15-min time resolution GOES data are used. For midday times on five days, cloud-top temperatures were cataloged for 71 cumulus clouds as they grew to possess anvils and often overshooting cloud tops, which occurred over 33–152-min time periods. Characteristics of the SRSOR-observed updrafts were examined individually, on a per day basis, and collectively, to reveal unique aspects of updraft behavior, strength, and acceleration as related to the ambient stability profile and cloud-top glaciation. A conclusion is that the 1-min observations capture two specific cumulus cloud growth periods, less rapid cloud growth between the level of free convection and the 0°C isotherm level, followed by more rapid growth shortly after the time of cloud-top glaciation. High correlation is found between estimated vertical motion (w) and the amount of convective available potential energy (CAPE) realized to the cloud-top level as clouds grew, which suggests that updrafts were responding to the local buoyancy quite strongly. Influences of the environmental buoyancy profile shape and evidence of entrainment on cloud growth are also found through these SRSOR data analyses.
Three‐Year Outcomes of Cranial Nerve Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Woodson B. Tucker , Soose Ryan J. , Gillespie M. Boyd , Strohl Kingman P. , Maurer Joachim T. , de Vries Nico , Steward David L. , Baskin Jonathan Z. , Badr M. Safwan , Lin Ho‐sheng , Padhya Tapan A. , Mickelson Sam , Anderson W. McDowell , Vanderveken Olivier M. , Strollo Patrick J. ,   STAR Trial Investigators
Published: November 2015

ObjectiveTo describe the 36‐month clinical and polysomnography (PSG) outcomes in an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) cohort treated with hypoglossal cranial nerve upper airway stimulation (UAS).Study DesignA multicenter prospective cohort study.SettingIndustry‐supported multicenter academic and clinical setting.SubjectsParticipants (n = 116) at 36 months from a cohort of 126 implanted participants.MethodsParticipants were enrolled in a prospective phase III trial evaluating the efficacy of UAS for moderated to severe OSA. Prospective outcomes included apnea‐hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation index, other PSG measures, self‐reported measures of sleepiness, sleep‐related quality of life, and snoring.ResultsOf 126 enrolled participants, 116 (92%) completed 36‐month follow‐up evaluation per protocol; 98 participants additionally agreed to a voluntary 36‐month PSG. Self‐report daily device usage was 81%. In the PSG group, 74% met the a priori definition of success with the primary outcomes of apnea‐hypopnea index, reduced from the median value of 28.2 events per hour at baseline to 8.7 and 6.2 at 12 and 36 months, respectively. Similarly, self‐reported outcomes improved from baseline to 12 months and were maintained at 36 months. Soft or no snoring reported by bed partner increased from 17% at baseline to 80% at 36 months. Serious device‐related adverse events were rare, with 1 elective device explantation from 12 to 36 months.ConclusionLong‐term 3‐year improvements in objective respiratory and subjective quality‐of‐life outcome measures are maintained. Adverse events are uncommon. UAS is a successful and appropriate long‐term treatment for individuals with moderate to severe OSA.