bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are senior cardiac sonographers adequately prepared to provide echo training and supervision to students? Survey results from senior cardiac sonographers and echo educators in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Williamson Jacqueline Maree 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIntroductionWorkplace supervision and training of cardiac sonographers in Victoria is largely undertaken by senior cardiac sonographers including echo educators. Effective clinical supervision is made difficult by a desire to maintain patient throughput and a lack of adequate staffing in the workplace. Many senior sonographers do not have the desired skills or adequate training to provide effective supervision.MethodsTwenty‐five senior cardiac sonographers and echo educators were surveyed to establish current trends in clinical supervision. Participants completed a survey regarding the frequency, perceived quality and confidence in providing echo training and supervision.ResultsThe majority of respondents provided workplace supervision to student cardiac sonographers as part of their usual duties. The time allocated to this varied from less than 1 day per month to up to 4 or 5 days per week. Most had no formal qualification in providing echo training and supervision while some had minimal training. All respondents rated the quality of the training and supervision provided as average or above.DiscussionSenior cardiac sonographers in Victoria suggest an increase in staffing levels and undertaking training in clinical supervision would assist them in providing effective workplace, training and supervision of student cardiac sonographers.
Influence of DEHP on thyroid, sex steroid‐related genes and gonadal differentiation in Rana chensinensis tadpoles
Authors: Zhang Yuhui , Li Xinyi , Gao Jinshu , Wang Hongyuan 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn the present study, responses of the Chinese brown frog (Rana chensinensis) to exposure to di‐2‐ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a common plasticizer, during the larval period were characterized. The effects of DEHP on metamorphosis rate, thyroid hormone, thyroid histology and the expression of genes involved in the steroid hormone synthesis in gonad were investigated. Metamorphosis rate and 50 percent of the tadpoles to reach Gosner stage 42 (T0.5) were significantly slower in all DEHP groups. The thyroid glands of the tadpoles exposed to DEHP clearly exhibited colloid depletion. In addition, decreased concentrations of T4 and T3 were observed in the tadpoles exposed to DEHP. Moreover, the highest DEHP exposure (10 µmol/L DEHP) showed increased ratio of females significantly. Also, up‐regulation significantly of transcripts of cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19) gene was detected in male tadpoles exposed to DEHP. The present results indicate that this increase in estrogens could lead to female‐biased sex ratio in DEHP exposure group. Taken together, the present study indicates that DEHP disrupt thyroid hormone and sex steroid signaling in R. chensinensis tadpoles. Our present observations support evidence of a crosstalk between TH and sex steroids in gonad differentiation.
Filling the gaps in ecological studies of socioecological systems
Authors: Chen I‐Ching , Hsieh Chih‐hao , Kondoh Michio , Lin Hsing‐Juh , Miki Takeshi , Nakamura Masahiro , Ohgushi Takayuki , Urabe Jotaro , Yoshida Takehito 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOur human‐dominant world can be viewed as being built up in two parts, social and ecological systems, each consisting of multi‐level organizations that interact in a complex manner. However, there are knowledge gaps among those interactions. In this paper, we focus on studies filling two types of gaps in the socioecological system, some of which are case studies in the East Asia region and others are discussed in a more general context. First, we address the gaps between different levels of organizations in ecological systems, namely, (1) the importance of plant trait plasticity in bridging evolution and ecology, (2) linking primary producer diversity and the dynamics of blue carbon in coastal ecosystems in the Asia–Pacific region, and (3) research direction of climate change biology to fill the gaps across evolution, community, and ecosystem. Also included is (4) the gap between ecological monitoring programs and theories, which also addresses the potential of citizen science. Second, we illustrate the gaps between ecological and social systems through ongoing development of an ecosystem management framework, i.e., ecosystem‐based disaster risk reduction. Finally, we summarize the benefits of filling the gaps for ecologists and society.
Satisfaction of psychotic patients with care and its value to predict outcomes
Authors: Vermeulen J.M. , Schirmbeck N.F. , van Tricht M.J. , de Haan L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBackgroundA key indicator of quality of treatment from the patient's perspective is expressed by satisfaction with care. Our aim was to (i) explore satisfaction and its relation to clinical outcome measures; and (ii) explore the predictive value of satisfaction for the course of outcomes over three years.MethodsData of 654 patients with a non-affective psychosis included in a naturalistic longitudinal cohort study were analyzed. We included 506 males and 148 females with a mean age of 30.47 (SD 7.24) from The Netherlands. Satisfaction was measured with the self-rating Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8. A wide range of interviewer-rated (e.g., Positive and Negative Symptom Scale) and self-rated (e.g., World Health Organization Quality of Life); outcomes of low, intermediate and high satisfied patients were compared using ANOVA, Chi2 or Kruskal–Wallis tests. The predictive value of satisfaction level on clinical outcomes after three years was tested using regression models.ResultsSatisfaction levels were low (19.4%), intermediate (48.9%) or high (31.7%). High satisfied patients showed significantly better interviewer-rated outcomes, e.g., less severe psychotic symptoms, and self-rated outcomes, e.g., better quality of life, compared to patients with intermediate or low satisfaction. Higher levels of satisfaction with care at baseline predicted a reduction of positive symptoms three years later (B=–.09, P-value=.013).ConclusionsSatisfaction of patients with psychosis is a valuable monitoring measure since high satisfied patients show more favorable outcomes ranging from psychopathological symptoms to quality of life. Further research into explanations of lower levels of satisfaction is commendable in order to improve outcomes.
On the stability of the μ(I) rheology for granular flow
Authors: Goddard J. D. , Lee Jaesung 
Published: November 2017

This article deals with the Hadamard instability of the so-called$\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}(I)$model of dense rapidly sheared granular flow, as reported recently by Barkeret al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 779, 2015, pp. 794–818). The present paper presents a more comprehensive study of the linear stability of planar simple shearing and pure shearing flows, with account taken of convective Kelvin wavevector stretching by the base flow. We provide a closed-form solution for the linear-stability problem and show that wavevector stretching leads to asymptotic stabilization of the non-convective instability found by Barkeret al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 779, 2015, pp. 794–818). We also explore the stabilizing effects of higher velocity gradients achieved by an enhanced-continuum model based on a dissipative analogue of the van der Waals–Cahn–Hilliard equation of equilibrium thermodynamics. This model involves a dissipative hyperstress, as the analogue of a special Korteweg stress, with surface viscosity representing the counterpart of elastic surface tension. Based on the enhanced-continuum model, we also present a model of steady shear bands and their nonlinear stability against parallel shearing. Finally, we propose a theoretical connection between the non-convective instability of Barkeret al.(J. Fluid Mech., vol. 779, 2015, pp. 794–818) and the loss of generalized ellipticity in the quasi-static field equations. Apart from the theoretical interest, the present work may suggest stratagems for the numerical simulation of continuum field equations involving the$\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}(I)$rheology and variants thereof.
Revisiting ignited–quenched transition and the non-Newtonian rheology of a sheared dilute gas–solid suspension
Authors: Saha Saikat , Alam Meheboob 
Published: November 2017

The hydrodynamics and rheology of a sheared dilute gas–solid suspension, consisting of inelastic hard spheres suspended in a gas, are analysed using an anisotropic Maxwellian as the single particle distribution function. For the simple shear flow, the closed-form solutions for granular temperature and three invariants of the second-moment tensor are obtained as functions of the Stokes number ($St$), the mean density ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$) and the restitution coefficient ($e$). Multiple states of high and low temperatures are found when the Stokes number is small, thus recovering the ‘ignited’ and ‘quenched’ states, respectively, of Tsao & Koch (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 296, 1995, pp. 211–246). The phase diagram is constructed in the three-dimensional ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D708},St,e$)-space that delineates the regions of ignited and quenched states and their coexistence. The particle-phase shear viscosity and the normal-stress differences are analysed, along with related scaling relations on the quenched and ignited states. At any $e$, the shear viscosity undergoes a discontinuous jump with increasing shear rate at the ‘quenched–ignited’ transition. The first (${\mathcal{N}}_{1}$) and second (${\mathcal{N}}_{2}$) normal-stress differences also undergo similar first-order transitions: (i) ${\mathcal{N}}_{1}$ jumps from large to small positive values and (ii) ${\mathcal{N}}_{2}$ from positive to negative values with increasing $St$, with the sign change of ${\mathcal{N}}_{2}$ identified with the system making a transition from the quenched to ignited states. The superior prediction of the present theory over the standard Grad’s method and the Burnett-order Chapman–Enskog solution is demonstrated via comparisons of transport coefficients with simulation data for a range of Stokes number and restitution coefficient.
Pimavanserin for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease psychosis: number needed to treat, number needed to harm, and likelihood to be helped or harmed
Authors: Citrome Leslie , Norton James C. , Chi-Burris Kathy , Demos George 
Published: November 2017

ObjectiveOur aim was to describe the efficacy and tolerability of pimavanserin, a highly selective serotonin 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist/antagonist indicated for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP), using the metrics of number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to harm (NNH).MethodsCategorical efficacy and tolerability data were extracted from the clinical trial databases of the double-blind placebo-controlled studies of pimavanserin in persons with PDP. NNT and NNH values were calculated with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The likelihood to be helped or harmed (LHH) was then calculated contrasting therapeutic response versus discontinuation because of an adverse event.ResultsNNT values for pimavanserin 34 mg/d versus placebo for several definitions of clinical response are <10, and as robust as 4. NNH values for tolerability outcomes for pimavanserin 34 mg/d (as well as for doses that range from 8.5 to 51 mg/d) are >10, and/or are not statistically significant, and/or show an advantage for pimavanserin over placebo (such as for postural hypotension). In terms of LHH, pimavanserin 34 mg/d is about five times more likely to result in clinical response (as measured by a ≥3 point decrease from baseline on the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms adapted for Parkinson’s disease) versus discontinuation due to an adverse event.ConclusionsUsing the metrics of NNT, NNH, and LHH, pimavanserin 34 mg/d for the treatment of PDP appears to have a compelling benefit/risk profile.
Rising incidence of psychiatric disorders before diagnosis of immune-mediated inflammatory disease
Authors: Marrie R. A. , Walld R. , Bolton J. M. , Sareen J. , Walker J. R. , Patten S. B. , Singer A. , Lix L. M. , Hitchon C. A. , El-Gabalawy R. , Katz A. , Fisk J. D. , Bernstein C. N. ,   for the CIHR Team in Defining the Burden and Managing the Effects of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Chronic Immunoinflammatory Disease
Published: November 2017

Aims.After the diagnosis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the incidence of psychiatric comorbidity is increased relative to the general population. We aimed to determine whether the incidence of psychiatric disorders is increased in the 5 years before the diagnosis of IMID as compared with the general population.Methods.Using population-based administrative health data from the Canadian province of Manitoba, we identified all persons with incident IBD, MS and RA between 1989 and 2012, and cohorts from the general population matched 5 : 1 on year of birth, sex and region to each disease cohort. We identified members of these groups with at least 5 years of residency before and after the IMID diagnosis date. We applied validated algorithms for depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and any psychiatric disorder to determine the annual incidence of these conditions in the 5-year periods before and after the diagnosis year.Results.We identified 12 141 incident cases of IMID (3766 IBD, 2190 MS, 6350 RA) and 65 424 matched individuals. As early as 5 years before diagnosis, the incidence of depression [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.54; 95% CI 1.30–1.84) and anxiety disorders (IRR 1.30; 95% CI 1.12–1.51) were elevated in the IMID cohort as compared with the matched cohort. Similar results were obtained for each of the IBD, MS and RA cohorts. The incidence of bipolar disorder was elevated beginning 3 years before IMID diagnosis (IRR 1.63; 95% CI 1.10–2.40).Conclusion.The incidence of psychiatric comorbidity is elevated in the IMID population as compared with a matched population as early as 5 years before diagnosis. Future studies should elucidate whether this reflects shared risk factors for psychiatric disorders and IMID, a shared final common inflammatory pathway or other aetiology.
Distinct Campylobacter fetus lineages adapted as livestock pathogens and human pathobionts in the intestinal microbiota
Authors: Iraola Gregorio , Forster Samuel C. , Kumar Nitin , Lehours Philippe , Bekal Sadjia , García-Peña Francisco J. , Paolicchi Fernando , Morsella Claudia , Hotzel Helmut , Hsueh Po-Ren , Vidal Ana , Lévesque Simon , Yamazaki Wataru , Balzan Claudia , Vargas Agueda , Piccirillo Alessandra , Chaban Bonnie , Hill Janet E. , Betancor Laura , Collado Luis , Truyers Isabelle , Midwinter Anne C. , Dagi Hatice T. , Mégraud Francis , Calleros Lucía , Pérez Ruben , Naya Hugo , Lawley Trevor D. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractCampylobacter fetus is a venereal pathogen of cattle and sheep, and an opportunistic human pathogen. It is often assumed that C. fetus infection occurs in humans as a zoonosis through food chain transmission. Here we show that mammalian C. fetus consists of distinct evolutionary lineages, primarily associated with either human or bovine hosts. We use whole-genome phylogenetics on 182 strains from 17 countries to provide evidence that C. fetus may have originated in humans around 10,500 years ago and may have “jumped” into cattle during the livestock domestication period. We detect C. fetus genomes in 8% of healthy human fecal metagenomes, where the human-associated lineages are the dominant type (78%). Thus, our work suggests that C. fetus is an unappreciated human intestinal pathobiont likely spread by human to human transmission. This genome-based evolutionary framework will facilitate C. fetus epidemiology research and the development of improved molecular diagnostics and prevention schemes for this neglected pathogen.
Label-free automated three-dimensional imaging of whole organs by microtomy-assisted photoacoustic microscopy
Authors: Wong Terence T. W. , Zhang Ruiying , Zhang Chi , Hsu Hsun-Chia , Maslov Konstantin I. , Wang Lidai , Shi Junhui , Chen Ruimin , Shung K. Kirk , Zhou Qifa , Wang Lihong V. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThree-dimensional (3D) optical imaging of whole biological organs with microscopic resolution has remained a challenge. Most versions of such imaging techniques require special preparation of the tissue specimen. Here we demonstrate microtomy-assisted photoacoustic microscopy (mPAM) of mouse brains and other organs, which automatically acquires serial distortion-free and registration-free images with endogenous absorption contrasts. Without tissue staining or clearing, mPAM generates micrometer-resolution 3D images of paraffin- or agarose-embedded whole organs with high fidelity, achieved by label-free simultaneous sensing of DNA/RNA, hemoglobins, and lipids. mPAM provides histology-like imaging of cell nuclei, blood vessels, axons, and other anatomical structures, enabling the application of histopathological interpretation at the organelle level to analyze a whole organ. Its deep tissue imaging capability leads to less sectioning, resulting in negligible sectioning artifact. mPAM offers a new way to better understand complex biological organs.
A genome-wide association study links small-vessel ischemic stroke to autophagy
Authors: Lee Tsong-Hai , Ko Tai-Ming , Chen Chien-Hsiun , Chang Yeu-Jhy , Lu Liang-Suei , Chang Chien-Hung , Huang Kuo-Lun , Chang Ting-Yu , Lee Jiann-Der , Chang Ku-Chou , Yang Jen-Tsung , Wen Ming-Shien , Wang Chao-Yung , Chen Ying-Ting , Chen Tsai-Chuan , Chou Shu-Yu , Lee Ming-Ta Michael , Chen Yuan-Tsong , Wu Jer-Yuarn 
Published: November 2017

AbstractGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) can serve as strong evidence in correlating biological pathways with human diseases. Although ischemic stroke has been found to be associated with many biological pathways, the genetic mechanism of ischemic stroke is still unclear. Here, we performed GWAS for a major subtype of stroke—small-vessel occlusion (SVO)—to identify potential genetic factors contributing to ischemic stroke. GWAS were conducted on 342 individuals with SVO stroke and 1,731 controls from a Han Chinese population residing in Taiwan. The study was replicated in an independent Han Chinese population comprising an additional 188 SVO stroke cases and 1,265 controls. Three SNPs (rs2594966, rs2594973, rs4684776) clustered at 3p25.3 in ATG7 (encoding Autophagy Related 7), with P values between 2.52 × 10−6 and 3.59 × 10−6, were identified. Imputation analysis also supported the association between ATG7 and SVO stroke. To our knowledge, this is the first GWAS to link stroke and autophagy. ATG7, which has been implicated in autophagy, could provide novel insights into the genetic basis of ischemic stroke.
Quantifying the potential for bursting bubbles to damage suspended cells
Authors: Walls Peter L. L. , McRae Oliver , Natarajan Venkatesh , Johnson Chris , Antoniou Chris , Bird James C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBubbles that rise to the surface of a cell suspension can damage cells when they pop. This phenomenon is particularly problematic in the biotechnology industry, as production scale bioreactors require continuous injection of oxygen bubbles to maintain cell growth. Previous studies have linked cell damage to high energy dissipation rates (EDR) and have predicted that for small bubbles the EDR could exceed values that would kill many cells used in bioreactors, including Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. However, it’s unclear how many cells would be damaged by a particular bursting bubble, or more precisely how much volume around the bubble experiences these large energy dissipation rates. Here we quantify these volumes using numerical simulations and demonstrate that even though the volume exceeding a particular EDR increases with bubble size, on a volume-to-volume basis smaller bubbles have a more significant impact. We validate our model with high-speed experiments and present our results in a non-dimensionalized framework, enabling predictions for a variety of liquids and bubble sizes. The results are not restricted to bubbles in bioreactors and may be relevant to a variety of applications ranging from fermentation processes to characterizing the stress levels experienced by microorganisms within the sea surface microlayer.
Well-being, problematic alcohol consumption and acute subjective drug effects in past-year ayahuasca users: a large, international, self-selecting online survey
Authors: Lawn Will , Hallak Jaime E. , Crippa Jose A. , Dos Santos Rafael , Porffy Lilla , Barratt Monica J. , Ferris Jason A. , Winstock Adam R. , Morgan Celia J. A. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAyahuasca is a natural psychedelic brew, which contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Its potential as a psychiatric medicine has recently been demonstrated and its non-medical use around the world appears to be growing. We aimed to investigate well-being and problematic alcohol use in ayahuasca users, and ayahuasca’s subjective effects. An online, self-selecting, global survey examining patterns of drug use was conducted in 2015 and 2016 (n = 96,901). Questions were asked about: use of ayahuasca, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and magic mushrooms; demographics, current well-being and past-year problematic alcohol use of past-year ayahuasca users and comparison drug users; and subjective effects of ayahuasca and comparison drugs. Ayahuasca users (n = 527) reported greater well-being than both classic psychedelic users (n = 18,138) and non-psychedelic drug-using respondents (n = 78,236). Ayahuasca users reported less problematic drinking than classic psychedelic users, although both groups reported greater problematic drinking than the other respondents. Ayahuasca’s acute subjective effects usually lasted for six hours and were most strongly felt one hour after consumption. Within our online, self-selecting survey, ayahuasca users reported better well-being than comparison groups and less problematic drinking than classic psychedelic users. Future longitudinal studies of international samples and randomised controlled trials are needed to dissect the effects of ayahuasca on these outcomes.
New insight for pharmacogenomics studies from the transcriptional analysis of two large-scale cancer cell line panels
Authors: Sadacca Benjamin , Hamy Anne-Sophie , Laurent Cécile , Gestraud Pierre , Bonsang-Kitzis Hélène , Pinheiro Alice , Abecassis Judith , Neuvial Pierre , Reyal Fabien 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOne of the most challenging problems in the development of new anticancer drugs is the very high attrition rate. The so-called “drug repositioning process” propose to find new therapeutic indications to already approved drugs. For this, new analytic methods are required to optimize the information present in large-scale pharmacogenomics datasets. We analyzed data from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia studies. We focused on common cell lines (n = 471), considering the molecular information, and the drug sensitivity for common drugs screened (n = 15). We propose a novel classification based on transcriptomic profiles of cell lines, according to a biological network-driven gene selection process. Our robust molecular classification displays greater homogeneity of drug sensitivity than cancer cell line grouped based on tissue of origin. We then identified significant associations between cell line cluster and drug response robustly found between both datasets. We further demonstrate the relevance of our method using two additional external datasets and distinct sensitivity metrics. Some associations were still found robust, despite cell lines and drug responses’ variations. This study defines a robust molecular classification of cancer cell lines that could be used to find new therapeutic indications to known compounds.