bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Femtosecond Laser–Assisted Capsulotomy: Histological Comparison of Four Different Laser Platforms
Authors: Hengerer Fritz H. , Mittelbronn Michel , Hansmann Martin-Leo , Auffarth Gerd U. , Conrad-Hengerer Ina 
Published: October 2017

PURPOSE:
To compare histological analyses of capsulotomies from different laser systems with regard to tissue alteration, laser spot formation, and energy settings.

METHODS:
Four femtosecond laser platforms approved for cataract surgery were evaluated: LenSx (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX), Catalys (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA), Victus (Tecnolas/Bausch & Lomb, Munich, Germany), and LensAR (Topcon, Gamagori, Japan). Ten human anterior lens capsulotomy disks from each laser system were analyzed: five by means of light microscopy and five by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM was used especially to examine the cellular and stromal changes at the cutting edges. The cellular demarcation line was measured at 15 points along the rim and statistically compared with the findings from all laser platforms. Three capsules of each laser platform were prepared for TEM to evaluate the cellular and tissue edges of the laser cuttings.

RESULTS:

All capsulotomies revealed a circular demarcation zone of different sizes along the cutting edges. Light microscopy showed a radial tissue damage of 36.0 ± 12.3
μ
m after Victus laser capsulotomy, 8.9 ± 2.9
μ
m after Catalys laser capsulotomy, 25.2 ± 5.6
μ
m after LensAR laser capsulotomy, and 39.8 ± 5.1
μ
m after LenSx laser capsulotomy. Differences between the damaged tissue zones correlated with the laser systems and their energy settings.

CONCLUSIONS:
The use of less energy and larger spot separation led to smaller collateral damaged tissue areas along the cutting edges. The aberrant laser spots along the cutting edge may result in weakening of the remaining tissue, thereby enhancing the risk for capsular ruptures during surgery.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(10):670–675.]
Age-Related Changes in Corneal Astigmatism
Authors: Shao Xu , Zhou Kai-Jing , Pan An-Peng , Cheng Xue-Ying , Cai He-Xie , Huang Jin-Hai , Yu A-Yong 
Published: October 2017

PURPOSE:
To analyze the changes in corneal astigmatism as a function of age and develop a novel model to estimate corneal astigmatic change according to age.

METHODS:
This was a cross-sectional study of right eyes of 3,769 individuals. Total corneal astigmatism, keratometric astigmatism, anterior corneal astigmatism, and posterior corneal astigmatism were measured by a Scheimpflug tomographer. Smoothing fitting curves of polar values of corneal astigmatism as a function of age were drawn and average changes in corneal astigmatism at different ages were calculated.

RESULTS:

Two turning points of age on total corneal astigmatism were 36 and 69 years. The average change of total corneal astigmatism toward against-the-rule astigmatism was 0.13 diopters (D)/10 years from 18 to 35 years, 0.45 D/10 years from 36 to 68 years, and decreased after 69 years, mainly caused by anterior corneal astigmatism. The mean magnitude of posterior corneal astigmatism was −0.33 D and exceeded 0.50 D in 14.27% of eyes. The vectorial difference between total corneal astigmatism and keratometric astigmatism was correlated with posterior corneal astigmatism, polar value of anterior corneal astigmatism, age, and corneal higher order aberrations (
r
= 0.636; standard partial regression coefficients were 0.479, −0.466, 0.282, and 0.196, respectively; all
P
< .001). Based on the non-linear model to estimate corneal astigmatic change with age, a formula was developed to calculate recommended correction of astigmatism according to age and astigmatic type.

CONCLUSIONS:
The rate of change of total corneal astigmatism showed a non-linear trend toward against-the-rule astigmatism, which was low at young and old age, high at middle age, and should be taken into account when performing surgery to correct astigmatism.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(10):696–703.]
Pupil Dynamics Induced by Light Reflex After Posterior Chamber Phakic Intraocular Lens Implantation
Authors: Totsuka Kazuko , Ishikawa Hitoshi , Kamiya Kazutaka , Shoji Nobuyuki , Shimizu Kimiya 
Published: October 2017

PURPOSE:
To assess the light reflex of the pupil after Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) (KS-aquaPORT; STAAR Surgical, Nidau, Switzerland) implantation to determine whether the ICL implantation might affect the pupil dynamics.

METHODS:
This study examined 28 eyes of 28 consecutive patients who underwent implantation of the posterior phakic ICL for the correction of myopia and astigmatism. Patient age at the time of surgery was 31.1 ± 6.8 years (range: 25 to 42 years). Preoperative refraction was −7.38 ± 2.26 diopters (D) (range: −3.25 to −11.80 D). Light reflex was evaluated using the infrared pupillometer Iriscorder C7364 (Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu, Japan). Measured parameters included pupil diameter (D1), constriction ratio, maximum constriction velocity, maximum dilation velocity, and the time required to recover 63% of the pupil diameter (T5). At 6 months postoperatively, the authors also investigated the relationship with the amount of vault using the Pentacam (Oculus Optikgeräte, Wetzlar, Germany). Evaluations with the instrument were performed before and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS:

There was no significant association found between any of the parameters (analysis of variance, D1:
P
= .99, constriction ratio:
P
= .59, maximum constriction velocity:
P
= .87, maximum dilation velocity:
P
= .13, T5:
P
=.57). The vault of the ICL at 6 months postoperatively was 382.1 ± 176.5
μ
m. There were no significant associations between the maximum constriction velocity, maximum dilation velocity, and amount of vaulting (Spearman correlation coefficient maximum constriction velocity:
r
= 0.07,
P
= .71, maximum dilation velocity:
r
= 0.26,
P
= .28).

CONCLUSIONS:
The light reflex of the pupillary dynamics continued to be maintained at 6 months after ICL implantation. Current findings also verified that ICL implantation had little influence on the postoperative function of the iris.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(10):704–707.]
Comparison of Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss Between Two Femtosecond Laser Platforms and Standard Phacoemulsification
Authors: Al-Mohtaseb Zaina , He Xu , Yesilirmak Nilufer , Waren Daniel , Donaldson Kendall E. 
Published: October 2017

PURPOSE:
To analyze and compare the changes in endothelial cell density (ECD) and cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) in patients having cataract surgery with two different femtosecond laser platforms and standard phacoemulsification.

METHODS:
This prospective non-randomized comparative study included patients scheduled to undergo cataract extraction using femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) (60 eyes) or standard phacoemulsification (60 eyes) between September 2013 and March 2016. The main outcome measures were CDE and percentage of endothelial cell loss. Comparative analysis of CDE and percentage of endothelial cell loss between the two phacoemulsification platforms with respect to conventional and FLACS techniques was performed.

RESULTS:

The CDE and the 1-month mean percentage of endothelial cell loss was 6.11 ± 3.52 and 9.06% ± 8.77% in the standard phacoemulsification group and 4.65 ± 3.61 and 6.00% ± 8.02% in the FLACS group, respectively (
P
= .039). In the subgroup analysis based on cataract grading, the CDE was significantly less in the FLACS group compared to the standard phacoemulsification group in both the early and advanced cataract group (
P
= .002). The percent decrease in endothelial cell loss was statistically lower in the FLACS group when compared to the standard phacoemulsification group in the advanced cataract subgroup (
P
= .02).

CONCLUSIONS:
FLACS pretreatment resulted in a decrease in CDE and less endothelial cell loss when compared to standard phacoemulsification. The decrease in endothelial cell loss was more prominent in the denser cataract group; thus, FLACS may be most beneficial in those cases. There was no significant difference in results between the two laser platforms.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(10):708–712.]
Four-Stage Procedure for Keratoconus: ICRS Implantation, Corneal Cross-linking, Toric Phakic Intraocular Lens Implantation, and Topography-Guided Photorefractive Keratectomy
Authors: Coskunseven Efekan , Sharma Daya Papalkar , Grentzelos Michael A. , Sahin Onurcan , Kymionis George D. , Pallikaris Ioannis 
Published: October 2017

PURPOSE:
To evaluate a four-stage combined treatment for keratoconus including intrastromal corneal ring segment (ICRS) implantation followed by corneal cross-linking (CXL), toric phakic intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, and topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (TG-PRK).

METHODS:
In this retrospective interventional case series, 11 eyes of 7 patients with progressive keratoconus were treated with a four-stage procedure including the following: Keraring ICRS (Mediphacos Ltda, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) implantation followed by CXL, phakic IOL implantation, and TG-PRK (minimum 6 months between each stage). Minimum follow-up was 12 months after TG-PRK.

RESULTS:

Both mean uncorrected distance visual acuity and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved from 0.025 decimal (20/800 Snellen) and 0.093 decimal (20/215 Snellen) preoperatively to 0.68 decimal (20/30 Snellen) and 0.73 decimal (20/27 Snellen), respectively, after the combined treatment (
P
< .0001). Mean postoperative CDVA of 0.73 decimal (20/27 Snellen) was similar to preoperative contact lens CDVA of 0.72 decimal (20/28 Snellen). Mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent reduced from 16.78 ± 3.58 to 0.59 ± 0.89 diopters (
P
< .0001) and mean refractive astigmatism reduced from 5.16 ± 1.86 to 0.82 ± 0.28 diopters (
P
< .0001).

CONCLUSIONS:
This four-stage procedure appears to be an effective and safe approach for corneal stabilization and improvement of functional vision in patients with keratoconus. Larger case series with a longer follow-up are required to thoroughly evaluate the efficacy, safety, and stability of this combined approach.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(10):683–689.]
Communication Between Health Workers and Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam
Authors: McKinn Shannon , Linh Duong Thuy , Foster Kirsty , McCaffery Kirsten 
Published: October 2017

Background:
Vietnam has made notable progress in reducing maternal mortality rates during the past 2 decades, but this overall improvement conceals regional and ethnic inequalities. Ethnic minorities in Vietnam experience high rates of poverty and mortality, and they face communication and cultural barriers when accessing health services. Poor communication with health professionals combined with limited health literacy is concerning, particularly in the maternal health context, and may exacerbate existing inequalities.

Objective:
This study explores primary health care professionals' perceptions of the quality of their communication with ethnic minority women during and after pregnancy.

Methods:
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 primary health care professionals in Dien Bien province. A thematic analysis was performed using a framework analysis method.

Key Results:
Health professionals had mostly positive perceptions about their communication with ethnic minority women. However, they generally perceived the effectiveness of their communication as being based on women's individual capacities to understand health information (both the language used and the content) and factors such as ethnic and cultural differences, rather than reflecting on the suitability of information and materials or on their own communication skills. This placed much of the burden of communication and understanding health information on ethnic minority women and their families.

Conclusions:

Health professionals perceived of communication as being mainly a one-way street for the provision of health information, and rarely acknowledged the interactive nature of communication. Patient-professional communication and health literacy in Dien Bien province may be improved through the introduction of patient-centered communication skills training that applies health literacy approaches at the health professional level.

[
Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2017;1(4):e163–e172.]

Plain Language Summary:
We looked at how primary health care professionals in Vietnam perceive their communication with ethnic minority women, particularly about pregnancy. Health professionals generally perceived the quality and effectiveness of their communication as being based on ethnic minority women's individual capacities and limitations. Applying a health literacy approach to communication skills training could improve patient-professional communication and health literacy.
Health Literacy Is an Independent Predictor of Cancer Patients' Hospitalizations
Authors: Cartwright Laura A. , Dumenci Levent , Cassel J. Brian , Thomson Maria D. , Matsuyama Robin K. 
Published: October 2017

Background:
Lower levels of health literacy predict higher hospitalization rates. Hospitalization is expensive and many admissions are potentially avoidable. Research examining the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes for cancer patients is limited, and no published studies to date have focused on hospitalization and health literacy in cancer patients.

Objective:
This study examined the ability of health literacy to predict hospitalization of cancer patients.

Methods:
This secondary data analysis investigated the relationship between health literacy and hospitalization rates of adult cancer patients in the first 5 years after their diagnosis. The sample included a diverse selection of cancer diagnoses and all stages of cancer were represented. Health literacy was assessed using the Cancer Health Literacy Test 30 (CHLT-30), a psychometrically sound measure of health literacy validated in a cancer patient population. Health literacy's ability to predict the number of times hospitalized, total days spent hospitalized, and number of 30-day readmissions was examined using multivariate negative binomial multiple regression to control for the outcomes and potentially confounding variables.

Key Results:

When controlling for potentially confounding variables, a negative relationship was found between health literacy and the number of inpatient hospitalizations (β = −0.041,
p
= .009) and the total number of days spent hospitalized (β = −0.028,
p
= .023) independently, whereas the relationship between health literacy and the number of 30-day readmissions failed to reach significance (β = −0.002,
p
= .903).

Conclusions:

Patients with lower health literacy need additional assistance to avoid unplanned hospitalizations.

[
Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2017;1(4):e153–e162.]

Plain Language Summary:
Results from this study found that as cancer patients' health literacy scores decreased, the number of times hospitalized and the total number of days spent in the hospital increased. This relationship was significant when controlling for diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, receipt of chemotherapy, number of comorbidities, death, education, and race. Cancer patients with low health literacy are at a higher risk of being hospitalized.
Use of Recommended Communication Techniques by Diabetes Educators
Authors: Howe Carol J. , Walker Danielle , Watts Jordan 
Published: October 2017

Background:
Diabetes educators are challenged to teach diabetes self-management to patients, ensuring comprehension. Effectiveness with patients may be dependent on the communication skills of the diabetes educator.

Objective:
This study sought to determine diabetes educators' use of and perceived effectiveness of recommended communication techniques with patients to teach diabetes self-management and to determine differences in communication by educator characteristics.

Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 522 diabetes educators, comprised mostly of nurses, dieticians, and pharmacists, completed the American Medical Association (AMA) Communication Techniques Survey at a national conference. The AMA survey assessed diabetes educators' self-reported use of and perceived effectiveness of 14 communication techniques. Internal consistency for items reporting frequency of communication techniques was α = 0.83 and for items reporting perceived effectiveness was α = 0.87.

Key Results:

Simple language, written patient education materials, and using Teach-Back were the most frequently reported techniques. Follow-up phone calls and drawing pictures were the least reported. Educators of Hispanic ethnicity used significantly more communication techniques than Caucasian respondents (
p
< .05). Educators with more than 16 years in practice and those who provided more than 16 hours of diabetes education per week used significantly more techniques than those with less experience (
p
< .01). Nurses used significantly more techniques than dieticians (
p
< .01) and those who had health literacy or communication as part of their schooling used more techniques than those who did not (
p
< .05). No significant difference on the routine use of communication techniques was found by education level or diabetes educator certification status.

Conclusions:

The findings provide a baseline assessment of diabetes educator communication practice. Inclusion of health literacy and communication in health professional school curricula appears to support competency, suggesting opportunities for inter-professional health literacy and communication education and research.

[
Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2017;1(4):e145–e152.]

Plain Language Summary:
We did a survey asking diabetes educators how they communicate with their patients with diabetes. They mostly used simple language, gave out pamphlets, and used Teach-Back. They did not draw pictures to help explain things. Diabetes educators who were Hispanic, nurses, and had health literacy training in school used more communication techniques. Health literacy and communication should be included in training of health providers.
Quantitative Proteomic Approach for MicroRNA Target Prediction Based on 18O/16O Labeling
Authors: Ma Xuepo , Zhu Ying , Huang Yufei , Tegeler Tony , Gao Shou-Jiang , Zhang Jianqiu 
Published: October 2017

Motivation Among many large-scale proteomic quantification methods, 18O/16O labeling requires neither specific amino acid in peptides nor label incorporation through several cell cycles, as in metabolic labeling; it does not cause significant elution time shifts between heavy- and light-labeled peptides, and its dynamic range of quantification is larger than that of tandem mass spectrometry-based quantification methods. These properties offer 18O/16O labeling the maximum flexibility in application. However, 18O/16O labeling introduces large quantification variations due to varying labeling efficiency. There lacks a processing pipeline that warrants the reliable identification of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). This motivates us to develop a quantitative proteomic approach based on 18O/16O labeling and apply it on Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) microRNA (miR) target prediction. KSHV is a human pathogenic y-herpesvirus strongly associated with the development of B-cell proliferative disorders, including primary effusion lymphoma. Recent studies suggest that miRs have evolved a highly complex network of interactions with the cellular and viral transcriptomes, and relatively few KSHV miR targets have been characterized at the functional level. While the new miR target prediction method, photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP), allows the identification of thousands of miR targets, the link between miRs and their targets still cannot be determined. We propose to apply the developed proteomic approach to establish such links. Method We integrate several 18O/16O data processing algorithms that we published recently and identify the messenger RNAs of downregulated proteins as potential targets in KSHV miR-transfected human embryonic kidney 293T cells. Various statistical tests are employed for picking DEPs, and we select the best test by examining the enrichment of PAR-CLIP-reported targets with seed match to the miRs of interest among top ranked DEPs returned by statistical tests. Subsequently, the list of DEPs picked by the selected statistical test is filtered with the criteria that they must have downregulated gene expressions, must have reported as targets by an miR target prediction algorithm SVMcrio, and must have reported as targets by PAR-CLIP. Result We test the developed approach in the problem of finding targets of KSHV miR-K1. The RNAs of three DEPs are identified as miR-K1 targets, among which RAB23 and HNRNPU are novel. Results from both Western blotting and Luciferase reporter assays confirm the novel targets. These results show that the developed quantitative approach based on 18O/16O labeling can be combined with genomic, PAR-CLIP, and target prediction algorithms for the confident identification of KSHV miR targets. The developed approach could also be applied in other applications.
Near-real-time processing of a ceilometer network assisted with sun-photometer data: monitoring a dust outbreak over the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Cazorla Alberto , Casquero-Vera Juan Andrés , Román Roberto , Guerrero-Rascado Juan Luis , Toledano Carlos , Cachorro Victoria E. , Orza José Antonio G. , Cancillo María Luisa , Serrano Antonio , Titos Gloria , Pandolfi Marco , Alastuey Andres , Hanrieder Natalie , Alados-Arboledas Lucas 
Published: October 2017

Abstract. The interest in the use of ceilometers for optical aerosol characterization has increased in the last few years. They operate continuously almost unattended and are also much less expensive than lidars; hence, they can be distributed in dense networks over large areas. However, due to the low signal-to-noise ratio it is not always possible to obtain particle backscatter coefficient profiles, and the vast number of data generated require an automated and unsupervised method that ensures the quality of the profiles inversions. In this work we describe a method that uses aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements from the AERONET network that it is applied for the calibration and automated quality assurance of inversion of ceilometer profiles. The method is compared with independent inversions obtained by co-located multiwavelength lidar measurements. A difference smaller than 15 % in backscatter is found between both instruments. This method is continuously and automatically applied to the Iberian Ceilometer Network (ICENET) and a case example during an unusually intense dust outbreak affecting the Iberian Peninsula between 20 and 24 February 2016 is shown. Results reveal that it is possible to obtain quantitative optical aerosol properties (particle backscatter coefficient) and discriminate the quality of these retrievals with ceilometers over large areas. This information has a great potential for alert systems and model assimilation and evaluation.