bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An open‐population distance sampling framework for assessing population dynamics in group‐dwelling species
Authors: Schmidt Joshua H. , Rattenbury Kumi L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractEffective wildlife management and conservation depends on a detailed understanding of population dynamics at large spatial scales. Distance sampling is an efficient tool for landscape‐scale monitoring, and the recent development of the open‐population distance sampling framework for analysis allows efficient estimation of population parameters for unmarked populations.Applications of open‐population distance approaches are relatively rare, and further development is required to generalize this powerful class of models for use in complex sampling scenarios.Here, we extend this class of models to situations where individuals occur in groups and address: the incorporation of group composition information, fluctuations in aggregation among individuals into groups, and non‐repeated survey designs. We also describe a new parameter, κ, representing the change in the rate of aggregation of individuals into groups over time. Using simulations, we assess the performance of this extended framework, and demonstrate its utility through an applied example using a Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) dataset collected in Alaska from 2009 to 2016.Our simulation study demonstrated that our extended model reliably recovered the data‐generating parameter values without bias. In the applied example, we found that an abrupt decline in abundance observed in the Dall's sheep population was driven primarily by reductions in lambs and ewe‐like sheep that coincided with the late onset of spring conditions in 2013. Rams were much less affected, suggesting declines in the ewe‐like class drove overall population trajectory in this population.This work demonstrates how ecological questions related to the dynamics of group‐dwelling species may be assessed in complex sampling situations using an open‐population distance sampling framework. The resulting framework is broadly applicable to a variety of species and will be especially useful for evaluating population dynamics in unmarked populations of group‐dwelling species at large spatial scales.
Stroke identification by criteria based dispatch – a register based study
Authors: Ellensen E. N. , Naess H. , Wisborg T. , Hunskaar S. , Zakariassen E. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundRapid and precise dispatch of resources is a key element in pre‐hospital emergency medicine. Emergency medical communication centres (EMCCs) dispatch resources based on protocols and guidelines, balancing the acute need of the individual and the resource allocation of the pre‐hospital emergency medical system. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of stroke identification by the Norwegian dispatch guidelines.Method and materialThis was a register‐based study where patients suspected for stroke were compared to those with the final diagnosis of stroke as an indicator group for the guideline validation. One EMCC and its three associated hospitals participated with 13 months of data. Four subcodes of the stroke dispatch code were defined as suspicious of stroke and further analysed. Factors associated with stroke identification were explored.ResultsThe sensitivity for identifying a stroke patient at initial EMCC contact was 57.9% (51.5, 64.1), specificity was 99.1% (98.9, 99.2), positive predictive value was 45.7% (40.1, 51.4) and negative predictive value was 99.4% (99.3, 99.5). The emergency medical access telephone (113) was initial EMCC contact line in only 48% of the cases. Paralyses and admittance to a smaller hospital were associated with increased probability for stroke (OR 2.6, P = 0.001 and OR 2.7, P = 0.01), respectively.ConclusionThe sensitivity for identification of stroke patients by the dispatch guidelines is modest, while the specificity is high. The 113 telephone line was initial EMCC access point for less than half of the stroke patients.
Do U.S. citizens support government intervention in agriculture? Implications for the political economy of agricultural protection
Authors: Moon Wanki , Pino Gabriel 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe persistence of agricultural protectionism throughout the world is intriguing given the widely recognized benefits of free trade. The political economy literature over the last decades has considered groups’ interest, politicians’ preferences, and their interactions within domestic politics as the primary forces driving agricultural protection. Yet, a growing body of studies suggests that it would be judicious to weigh in consumers’ or taxpayers’ perspectives in deciphering the nature of agricultural protection. This study examines U.S. citizens’ preferences about government intervention in agriculture and trade. Results show that they are in strong support of agricultural protection and their perceptions of national food security, family farms, environmental sustainability, and multifunctionality of agriculture play a significant role in shaping their support/opposition toward government intervention. The conventional political economy literature theorizes that consumers or taxpayers would oppose public policies that increase their tax burden; however, in the case of the farm sector, they have little incentive to voice their objections given the costs of farm programs are spread across a large number of consumers and taxpayers. U.S. citizens’ support for government involvement in agriculture as reported in this and other prior studies does not lend support for such political economy explanation.
Patient‐reported experience of the impact and burden of neuroendocrine tumors: Oceania patient results from a large global survey
Authors: Leyden John , Pavlakis Nick , Chan David , Michael Michael , Clarke Stephen , Khasraw Mustafa , Price Timothy 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAimDespite the considerable impact of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) on patients’ lives, the patient journey is not well documented. The aim of this survey was to identify the impact and burden of NETs from the patient perspective.MethodsThis was a self‐reported global survey regarding NET knowledge/awareness, disease impact/management, interaction with medical teams, and desired improvements. One hundred thirty‐eight patients (7% of the global study) in the Oceania region answered closed‐ended questions using graded descriptors on their experience of living with NETs.ResultsThe personal lives of patients were negatively impacted by NETs, including overall energy levels (72%, 99/138), emotional health (66%, 91/138), and finances (56%, 77/138). Eighty‐one percent (22/27) of patients not currently working stated that their NET was the reason they were not employed. Of those still working, taking days off work (64%, 39/61), working reduced hours (44%, 27/61) and stopping work for a period of time (31%, 19/61) were the most frequently reported outcomes of having a NET. Although most patients felt supported by their medical team (53% [73/138] reported being extremely or very supported by healthcare professionals in general), patients also identified areas for improvement in patient care. Better access to NET‐specific treatments (58%, 80/138), more awareness about NETs (58%, 80/138) and materials to help patients better explain their condition (52%, 72/138) were indicated by patients as ways to help them live better with their disease.ConclusionThe survey demonstrated a considerable burden of NETs on patients’ lives and identified areas for improvements in long‐term management.
Point‐of‐care testing facilitates screening and treatment for anaemia in women and children in rural Pakistan
Authors: McCormack Tessa , Ayub Rukhsana , Aziz Faisal , Motta Lara , Spaeth Brooke , Shephard Mark 
Published: November 2017

AbstractObjectiveTo use point‐of‐care testing to screen and facilitate treatment for anaemia and to establish an estimate of the prevalence of anaemia in the local population.DesignAn uncontrolled before and after study design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the anaemia status of participants.SettingThis study took place in a rural mountain community (population approximately 1000) in the Haripur district in northern Pakistan.ParticipantsWomen of child‐bearing age (15–49 years) and children (12–14 years) were included in this study.InterventionsThe intervention included point‐of‐care testing for haemoglobin, treatment with mebendazole and oral iron supplementation, and an education campaign about anaemia delivered by community health workers and medical students.Main outcome measuresThe main outcome measure was an increase in blood haemoglobin over the study period. A secondary outcome measure was a positive change in anaemia status or classification post‐intervention.ResultsAnaemia was initially detected in 64 (53%) women and 15 (47%) children. The mean haemoglobin concentration increased significantly (P < 0.001) from 118 to 130 g L−1 (women) and 120 to 130 g L−1 (children) post‐intervention. Overall prevalence of anaemia in women (P < 0.001) and children (P < 0.001) decreased significantly (by 30% and 34%, respectively) post‐intervention.ConclusionsPoint‐of‐care testing used for the detection of anaemia in this rural community helped to identify the burden of disease and to reduce this significantly by way of rapid diagnosis, education and immediate medical intervention.
Early‐life antibiotic exposure increases the risk of developing allergic symptoms later in life: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Ahmadizar F. , Vijverberg S. J. H. , Arets H. G. M. , de Boer A. , Lang J. E. , Garssen J. , Kraneveld A. , Maitland‐van der Zee A. H. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis study systematically reviewed and quantified the relationship between exposure to antibiotics during the first 2 years of life and the risk of allergies/atopies including hay fever, eczema, food allergy, positive skin prick testing (SPT), or elevated allergen‐specific serum/plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels later in life. PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for observational studies published from January 1966 through November 11, 2015. Overall pooled estimates of the odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using fixed or random‐effects models. Early‐life exposure to antibiotics appears to be related to an increased risk of allergic symptoms of hay fever, eczema, and food allergy later in life. The summary OR for the risk of hay fever (22 studies) was 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.13‐1.34; I2: 77.0%. The summary OR for the risk of eczema (22 studies) was 1.26, 95% CI: 1.15‐1.37; I2: 74.2%, and the summary OR for food allergy (3 studies) was 1.42, 95% CI: 1.08‐1.87; I2: 80.8%. However, no association was found for antibiotics exposure early in life and objective atopy measurements including positive SPT or elevated allergen‐specific serum/plasma IgE levels.
Clinical implications of mast cell involvement in allergic conjunctivitis
Authors: Elieh Ali Komi D. , Rambasek T. , Bielory L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe conjunctiva is a common site for the allergic inflammatory response due to it being highly vascularized, having constant exposure to environmental pollutants and allergenic pollens and having a unique conjunctival associated lymphoid tissue. The primary morbidity of anterior surface conjunctival disorders that include allergic conjunctivitis and tear film disorders is associated with its high frequency of involvement rather than its severity, although the more chronic forms can involve the cornea and lead to sight‐threatening conditions. Ocular allergy is associated with IgE‐mediated mast cell activation in conjunctival tissue leading to the release of preformed mediators including histamine and proteases and subsequent de novo formation of lipid‐derived mediators and cytokines that trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events leading to extensive migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells to the ocular surface. The trafficking of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes to the ocular surface is due to establishing various chemokine gradients (mainly CCL11, CCL24, CCL5, MCP‐3, and MCP‐4), cell surface expression of adhesion molecules (such as VCAM‐1 the ligand for VLA‐4), and leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium. The release of preformed mediators underlies the acute ocular surface response while the secondary influx of inflammatory cells leading to the recruitment and activation of eosinophils and the subsequent activation of Th2 and Th1 lymphocytes at the level of the conjunctiva reflects the late‐phase reaction.
What can we learn in drug allergy management from World Health Organization's international classifications?
Authors: Tanno L. K. , Torres M. J. , Castells M. , Demoly P. ,   the Joint Allergy Academies
Published: November 2017

AbstractDrug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) represent growing health problem worldwide, affecting more than 7% of the general population, and represent an important public health problem. However, knowledge in DHRs morbidity and mortality epidemiological data is still not optimal and international comparable standards remain poorly accessed. Institutional databases worldwide increasingly use the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system to classify diagnoses, health services utilization, and death data. The misclassification of disorders in the ICD system contributes to a lack of ascertainment and recognition of their importance for healthcare planning and resource allocation. It also hampers clinical practice and prevention actions. To further inform the allergy community and to ensure that the revision process is transparent as advised in the WHO ICD‐11 revision agenda, we report the advances and use of the pioneering “Drug hypersensitivity” subsection of ICD‐11 and implementation in the WHO International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). The new classification addressed to DHRs will enable the collection of more accurate epidemiological data to support quality management of patients with drug allergies and better facilitate healthcare planning and decision‐making and public health measures to prevent and reduce the morbidity and mortality attributable to DHRs.
Measuring the impact of medicines regulatory interventions – Systematic review and methodological considerations
Authors: Goedecke Thomas , Morales Daniel R. , Pacurariu Alexandra , Kurz Xavier 
Published: November 2017

AimsEvaluating the public health impact of regulatory interventions is important but there is currently no common methodological approach to guide this evaluation. This systematic review provides a descriptive overview of the analytical methods for impact research.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for articles with an empirical analysis evaluating the impact of European Union or non‐European Union regulatory actions to safeguard public health published until March 2017. References from systematic reviews and articles from other known sources were added. Regulatory interventions, data sources, outcomes of interest, methodology and key findings were extracted.ResultsFrom 1246 screened articles, 229 were eligible for full‐text review and 153 articles in English language were included in the descriptive analysis. Over a third of articles studied analgesics and antidepressants. Interventions most frequently evaluated are regulatory safety communications (28.8%), black box warnings (23.5%) and direct healthcare professional communications (10.5%); 55% of studies measured changes in drug utilization patterns, 27% evaluated health outcomes, and 18% targeted knowledge, behaviour or changes in clinical practice. Unintended consequences like switching therapies or spill‐over effects were rarely evaluated. Two‐thirds used before–after time series and 15.7% before–after cross‐sectional study designs. Various analytical approaches were applied including interrupted time series regression (31.4%), simple descriptive analysis (28.8%) and descriptive analysis with significance tests (23.5%).ConclusionWhilst impact evaluation of pharmacovigilance and product‐specific regulatory interventions is increasing, the marked heterogeneity in study conduct and reporting highlights the need for scientific guidance to ensure robust methodologies are applied and systematic dissemination of results occurs.
Measurement tools for assessment of older age bipolar disorder: A systematic review of the recent global literature
Authors: Rej Soham , Quayle William , Forester Brent P , Dols Annemiek , Gatchel Jennifer , Chen Peijun , Gough Sarah , Fox Rebecca , Sajatovic Martha , Strejilevich Sergio A , Eyler Lisa T 
Published: November 2017

ObjectivesMore than 50% of people with bipolar disorder will be age 60 years or older by 2030. There is a need for more data to guide assessment and treatment in older age bipolar disorder (OABD); however, interpretation of findings from small, single‐site studies may not be generalizable and there are few large trials. As a step in the direction of coordinated large‐scale OABD data collection, it is critical to identify which measurements are currently used and identify potential gaps in domains typically assessed.MethodsAn international group of OABD experts performed a systematic literature review to identify studies examining OABD in the past 6 years. Relevant articles were assessed to categorize the types of clinical, cognitive, biomarker, and neuroimaging OABD tools routinely used in OABD studies.ResultsA total of 53 papers were identified, with a broad range of assessments. Most studies evaluated demographic and clinical domains, with fewer studies assessing cognition. There are relatively few biomarker and neuroimaging data, and data collection methods were less comprehensively covered.ConclusionAssessment tools used in the recent OABD literature may help to identify both a minimum and a comprehensive dataset that should be evaluated in OABD. Our review also highlights gaps where key clinical outcomes have not been routinely assessed. Biomarker and neuroimaging assessment could be further developed and standardized. Clinical data could be combined with neuroimaging, genetic, and other biomarkers in large‐scale coordinated data collection to further improve our understanding of OABD phenomenology and biology, thereby contributing to research that advances care.
Enumeration and characterization of circulating multiple myeloma cells in patients with plasma cell disorders
Authors: Foulk Brad , Schaffer Mike , Gross Steve , Rao Chandra , Smirnov Denis , Connelly Mark C. , Chaturvedi Shalini , Reddy Manjula , Brittingham Greg , Mata Marielena , Repollet Madeline , Rojas Claudia , Auclair Daniel , DeRome Mary ,   The MMRF CoMMpass Network, Weiss Brendan , Sasser Amy K. 
Published: November 2017

SummaryWe have developed an automated assay to enumerate and characterize circulating multiple myeloma cells (CMMC) from peripheral blood of patients with plasma cell disorders. CMMC show expression of genes characteristic of myeloma and fluorescence in situ hybridisation results on CMMC correlated well with bone marrow results. We enumerated CMMC from over 1000 patient samples including separate cohorts of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and high/intermediate risk smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM) with clinical follow‐up data. In newly diagnosed myeloma patient samples, CMMC counts correlated with other clinical measures of disease burden, including the percentage of bone marrow plasma cells, serum M protein, and International Staging System stage. CMMC counts decreased significantly from baseline when a remission was achieved due to treatment (P < 0·001). Patients with CMMC counts ≥100 at remission showed reduced survival relative to patients with CMMC counts <100. Patients with undetectable CMMC in remission showed further overall survival benefits. In the SMM cohort, there was a trend toward higher CMMC in patients with higher‐risk myeloma precursor states. Significantly higher CMMC counts were observed between intermediate/high risk SMM patients that progressed versus those without progression (P = 0·031). CMMC allow a non‐invasive means of monitoring tumour biology and may have use as a prognostic test for patients with plasma cell disorders.
Evaluating an Agricultural Extension Program Aimed at Improving Biodiversity in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Rollins Curtis L. , Simpson Stephanie R. , Boxall Peter C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe evaluate an agricultural extension program aimed at increasing on‐farm biodiversity in Alberta. Using reports prepared for program participants by the extension agency, customized surveys were used to collect data on whether recommended practices were adopted. Data were also collected from producers who were willing but unable to participate in the program due to its unexpected cancellation. A count model compared the number of practices adopted by participants and nonparticipants to evaluate the program's efficacy, and a probit model using participants’ adoption data were used to understand factors affecting adoption. Simple, low‐cost, and easily trialed practices were adopted at high rates, though some higher cost practices associated with observable benefits were also adopted at moderate or high rates. Farm‐specific characteristics, such as size, tenure, or group membership were also significantly linked to the likelihood of adoption. Results suggest that the extension program was successful in encouraging adoption of environmentally beneficial practices with caveats; project completion and quality were not verified, and decreasing marginal returns to extension efforts may have been realized within the small participant pool.Nous évaluons un programme d'éducation permanente en agriculture visant l'augmentation de la biodiversité fermière en Alberta. Utilisant des rapports préparés par les agences d'éducation pour les participants de programmes, des sondages individualisés ont servi à la collecte de données concernant l'adoption de pratiques recommandées. Des données ont aussi été recueillies auprès de producteurs qui auraient voulu participer mais qui n'ont pas profité du programme suivant son annulation inattendue. Un modèle de comptage a servi à comparer le nombre de pratiques adoptées par les participants et non‐participants pour évaluer l'efficacité du programme, et un modèle probit basé sur les données d'adoption par les participants a servi à comprendre les facteurs ayant un impact sur l'adoption. Les pratiques simples, peu coûteuses et faciles à tester ont été hautement adoptées. Certaines pratiques à coûts plus élevés, associées à des avantages observables, ont aussi vu des taux moyens et élevés d'adoption. Les caractéristiques spécifiques aux exploitations agricoles comme la taille, la longévité et l'adhésion à un groupe se sont aussi trouvées liées de façon significative aux probabilités d'adoption. Les résultats suggèrent que le programme d'éducation permanente a réussi à encourager l'adoption de pratiques bénéfiques pour l'environnement avec quelques bémols: la réalisation des projets et leur qualité n'ont pas fait l'objet de vérification, et la diminution des rendements marginaux en fonction des efforts d'éducation pourrait avoir été réalisée dans le cadre d'un petit bassin de participants.