bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Culture and Food Practices of African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Sumlin Lisa L. , Brown Sharon A. 
Published: September 2017

Purpose The goals of this descriptive ethnographic study were to (1) describe the day-to-day selection, preparation, and consumption of food among African American women (AAW) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); (2) identify their typical food selections and consumption practices when dining out at restaurants and at social gatherings (ie, church functions, holidays); (3) highlight the valued behaviors and beliefs that influence these women’s food practices; and (4) determine how social interactions influence those food practices. Methods Symbolic interactionism, a sensitizing framework, guided this study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 AAW from 35 to 70 years of age diagnosed with T2DM who shopped and prepared meals for their families and attended church functions where food was served. Data collection consisted of one-on-one interviews and observations of participants during church fellowship dinners, grocery shopping, and food preparation. A social anthropological approach to content analysis was used to describe behavioral regularities in food practices. Results Informants exhibited a constant struggle in food practices, particularly within the home setting. Difficulties in making dietary modifications resulted from conflicts between the need to change dietary practices to control diabetes and personal food preferences, food preferences of family members, and AAW’s emotional dedication to the symbolism of food derived from traditional cultural food practices passed down from generation to generation. Conclusions African American women are the gatekeepers for family food practices, holding the keys to healthy dietary practices. This study helps to fill the research gap regarding cultural dietary food practices within this population.
Moderately high-protein enteral formula improved retinol-binding protein in tube-fed patients: A multicentre open study
Authors: Pisprasert Veeradej , Shantavasinkul Prapimporn Chattranukulchai , Rattanachaiwong Sornwichate , Lepananon Tanarat , Komindr Surat 
Published: September 2017

Background: Long-term inadequate dietary consumption may increase the possibility of malnutrition, morbidity and mortality. Enteral nutrition (EN) is a beneficial support that could help to maintain nutritional status and gut function. Aim: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of moderately high-protein enteral formula containing fibre on nutritional status, and its safety. Method: A total of 23 tube-feeding-dependent adult patients were included in this multicentre, open-label study. The patients were fed with the study formula for 7–12 days or equal to the required nutritional support period, during which we performed physical examinations and assessed nutritional status. The primary endpoint was the statistical difference in nutritional status after the treatment, and the secondary outcome was the desirable safety profile. Results: A significant improvement in cumulative energy balance after intervention was observed ( p = 0.008). However, the differences in nutritional status, weight and BMI before and after the intervention do not reach statistical significance. Retinol-binding protein (RBP), a marker for nutritional status, increased from baseline levels. Few cases of diarrhoea and constipation had been reported during the study as a safety concern. Conclusions: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of an enteral feed formulation containing fibre. The patients were nourished with the studied formulation via tube feeding for a short period without serious adverse events. After the intervention, the significant increase in cumulative energy balance was observed. However, an extended period of the intervention may be required to attain the significance in other indicators for nutritional status.
Prognostic value of perfusion CT in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment with sorafenib: comparison with mRECIST in longitudinal follow-up
Authors: Kaufmann Sascha , Thaiss Wolfgang M , Schulze Maximilian , Bitzer Michael , Lauer Ulrich , Nikolaou Konstantin , Horger Marius 
Published: September 2017

Background Targeted therapies are of increasing clinical importance and classic radiologic therapy response-criteria often fail to detect early therapeutic response or failure. For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), this is of major importance as therapeutic options are limited. Purpose To investigate the impact of sorafenib-treatment on intralesional perfusion using perfusion computed tomography (PCT) in HCC and to correlate the observed changes with mRECIST and the course of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for identification of their prognostic value. Material and Methods PCT was performed before and after two months of sorafenib treatment in 28 consecutive HCC patients and AFP levels were registered. Changes in tumor perfusion parameters blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), volume transfer constant (Ktrans), arterial liver perfusion (ALP), and hepatic perfusion index (HPI) were registered in one target lesion. mRECIST measurements were performed at baseline and after two and four months during sorafenib treatment. Results According to mRECIST, after two months of treatment, all patients showed stable disease (SD), whereas after four months, 13 patients (46%) showed SD and 15 patients (54%) showed progressive disease (PD). A significant decrease was found in perfusion parameters BF, BV, Ktrans, ALP, and HPI in patients with SD as well as a significant increase in MTT ( P < 0.05) after two months compared to baseline, while patients with PD showed a significant increase in HPI, BF, and BV. There were no correlations between AFP and mRECIST or perfusion parameters. Conclusion Decreased intralesional BF and HPI after two months of sorafenib treatment predicts disease stabilization after four months, whereas AFP dynamics were of limited value.
Percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy combined with catheter-directed thrombolysis in the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis: A novel one-stop endovascular strategy
Authors: Liu Bing , Liu MingYuan , Yan LiHong , Yan JunWei , Wu Jiang , Jiao XueFei , Guo MingJin 
Published: September 2017

Objective This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) combined with catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT). Methods In total, 20 consecutive patients with APE and LEDVT were prospectively selected for PMT combined with CDT. Mechanical thrombus fragmentation and aspiration using a pigtail rotation catheter followed by CDT was performed in each patient. Details regarding the patients’ clinical presentation and outcome, pulmonary status parameters (pulmonary arterial pressure, partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood, Miller score, thigh and calf circumference, and shock index), and lower extremity parameters (thrombus-lysis grade and Villalta scale score) were recorded. Results All 20 patients’ clinical manifestations significantly improved. Both the clinical success rate and technical success rate were 100%. No major adverse events occurred during hospitalization. Four patients developed iliac vein compression syndrome and underwent stent implantation in the iliac vein. No pulmonary embolism recurred within 16.5±6.8 months of follow-up. Conclusions The combination of PMT and CDT is a safe and effective treatment for APE and LEDVT with good short- and intermediate-term clinical outcomes.
High Tangent Radiation Therapy With Field-in-Field Technique for Breast Cancer
Authors: Tanaka Hidekazu , Ito Masaya , Yamaguchi Takahiro , Hachiya Kae , Yajima Takahiko , Kitahara Masashi , Matsuyama Katsuya , Goshima Satoshi , Futamura Manabu , Matsuo Masayuki 
Published: September 2017

Purpose: We evaluated whether the field-in-field (FIF) technique improves the homogeneity of the target in high tangent radiation therapy (HTRT). Materials and Methods: This study included 30 patients. In total, 3 HTRT plans were created: 1 with conventional opposed fields (Conv-p), 1 with the FIF technique (FIF-p), and 1 with FIF technique using lung-blocked subfields (FIF-LB-p). Results: The maximum dose of the breast and planning target volume (PTV) was significantly lower for FIF-p and FIF-LB-p than Conv-p. Homogeneity index of PTV was also significantly lower for FIF-p and FIF-LB-p than Conv-p. Homogeneity index of the breast or PTV was significantly better for FIF-p than FIF-LB-p. The volumes of the breast or the PTV receiving 95% and 90% of the prescribed dose were also significantly better for FIF-p, indicating the advantages of FIF-p. Conclusions: The FIF technique was useful in HTRT and improved homogeneity in the target.
Differentially conserved transcriptomic response to adversity related to self-rated health in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis
Authors: Riestra Pia , Gebreab Samson Y , Liu Yongmei , Diez Roux Ana V , Khan Rumana R , Gaye Amadou , Xu Ruihua , Davis SK 
Published: September 2017

Self-rated health (SRH) is considered a strong indicator of well-being and clinical health status and has been linked to inflammatory markers. The objective of this work was to examine how self-rated physical health (SRPH) and mental health (SRMH) influence the immune system through the regulation of a stress-related gene expression profile known as the ‘conserved transcriptional response to adversity’ (CTRA), which involves the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulation of genes involved in type I interferon (IFN) response and antibody synthesis. CTRA expression data were derived from genome-wide transcriptional data on purified monocytes in 1264 adult participants from the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. SRPH and SRMH were assessed through the SF-12 questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the association between the composite score of the CTRA subsets and SRPH and SRMH. Higher scores of SRPH and SRMH were associated with an increased expression of the overall CTRA profile. The individual gene subsets analysis did not reveal an increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes in persons with lower scores of SRH. However, we observed that higher scores of SRPH positively modulate the immune response through the up-regulation of both type I interferon response and antibody synthesis-related genes, while better scores of SRMH were associated with a down-regulation of genes involved in antibody synthesis. The significant association between SRH and a gene expression profile related to type I IFN response and antibody synthesis suggests that SRH may be linked to the immunocompetence status. Impact statement In this work, we evaluated for the first time how self-rated mental (SRMH) and physical health (SRPH) influence the immune response at the molecular level in a large multi-ethnic cohort. We observed that both SRMH and SRPH are related to immunocompetence status. These findings indicated that the link between how we perceive our health and poorer health outcomes could be explained by alterations in the immune response by shifting the expression of genes related to the type I IFN response and antibody synthesis.
Shared medical appointments for patients with a nondiabetic physical chronic illness: A systematic review
Authors: Kelly F , Liska C , Morash R , Hu J , Carroll SL , Shorr R , Dent S , Stacey D 
Published: September 2017

Objectives Shared medical appointments are group appointments, with an optional individual consultation, for patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses. Shared medical appointments improve diabetes management, but little is known about their use for other illnesses. The objective was to determine the effect that shared medical appointments have on patients with a physical chronic illness, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system. Methods A systematic review was conducted searching databases from January 1970 to September 2016. Eligible trials evaluated shared medical appointments for patients with a homogeneous chronic illness, excluding diabetes and mental illness. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias were conducted independently by two authors. Analysis was descriptive. Results Of 2364 citations, nine randomized trials were included. Shared medical appointments were evaluated for cardiovascular illnesses (four studies), breast cancer, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, stress urinary incontinence, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Compared to usual care, no negative effects on patient quality of life, knowledge and satisfaction were reported. One study reported no difference in healthcare provider satisfaction. Another study showed fewer hospital admissions for patients who attended shared medical appointments. Discussion Few rigorous studies evaluated the use of shared medical appointments for chronic illnesses. Overall, there appears to be no patient harms. Further studies should include more objective outcomes and larger sample sizes.
Treatment of patients with myocardial infarction depends on history of cancer
Authors: Rohrmann Sabine , Witassek Fabienne , Erne Paul , Rickli Hans , Radovanovic Dragana 
Published: September 2017

Background: Although cancer treatment considerably affects cardiovascular health, little is known about how cancer patients are treated for an acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to investigate whether acute myocardial infarction patients with a history of cancer received the same guideline recommended treatment as those acute myocardial infarction patients without and whether they differ with respect to inhospital outcome. Methods: All patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, enrolled between 2002 and mid-2015 in the acute myocardial infarction in Switzerland (AMIS Plus) registry with comorbidity data based on the Charlson comorbidity index were analysed. Patients were classified as having cancer if one of the cancer diseases of the Charlson comorbidity index was indicated. Immediate treatment strategies and inhospital outcomes were compared between groups using propensity score matching. Results: Of 35,249 patients, 1981 (5.6%) had a history of cancer. After propensity score matching for age, gender, Killip class >2, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and renal disease (1981 patients per group), significant differences were no longer found for a history of acute myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure and cerebrovascular disease between cancer and non-cancer patients. However, cancer patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention less frequently (odds ratio (OR) 0.76; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67–0.88) and received P2Y12 blockers (OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.71–0.94) and statins (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.76–0.99) less frequently. Inhospital mortality was significantly higher in cancer patients (10.7% vs. 7.6%, OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.17–1.81). However, the main cause of death was cardiac in both groups ( P=0.06). Conclusion: Acute myocardial infarction patients with a history of cancer were less likely to receive guideline recommended treatment and had worse inhospital outcomes than non-cancer patients.
Underwater endoscopic colorectal polyp resection: Feasibility in everyday clinical practice
Authors: Cadoni Sergio , Liggi Mauro , Gallittu Paolo , Mura Donatella , Fuccio Lorenzo , Koo Malcolm , Ishaq Sauid 
Published: September 2017

Background Endoscopic mucosal resection is well-established for resecting flat or sessile benign colon polyps. The novel underwater endoscopic mucosal resection eschews submucosal injection prior to endoscopic mucosal resection. Reports about underwater endoscopic mucosal resection were limited to small series of single and/or tertiary-care referral centers, with single or supervised operators. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine feasibility and efficacy of underwater resection of polyps of any morphology (underwater polypectomy, here includes underwater endoscopic mucosal resection) in routine clinical practice. Methods This study involved a comparison of colonoscopy records of two community hospitals (January 2015–December 2016) for underwater polypectomy ( n = 195) and gas insufflation polypectomy ( n = 186). Results Comparable demographics, procedural data, overall distribution, morphology and size of resected lesions, number of en bloc and R0 resections (any polyp morphology and size); exception: overall, underwater polypectomy pedunculated polyps were significantly larger than those in the gas insufflation polypectomy group, p = 0.030. Underwater polypectomy (median, min) resection time was significantly shorter than gas insufflation polypectomy: sessile and flat polyps 6–9 mm, 0.8 vs 2.7 ( p = 0.040); 10–19 mm, 2.0 vs 3.3 ( p = 0.025), respectively; pedunculated polyps 6–19 mm, 0.8 vs 3.3 ( p < 0.001). Underwater polypectomy resection of pedunculated polyps 6–19 mm showed significantly less immediate bleeding: 11.1% vs 1.5%, respectively ( p = 0.031). Conclusions Underwater polypectomy can be efficaciously used in routine clinical practice for the complete resection of colon polyps, with several advantages over gas insufflation polypectomy.
Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus in client-owned cats in New Zealand
Authors: Luckman Claire , Gates M Carolyn 
Published: September 2017

Objectives The objectives were to collect baseline data on the occurrence, testing and vaccination practices, and clinical outcomes of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in New Zealand Methods A cross-sectional survey of 423 veterinary practices in New Zealand was performed to collect data on FeLV and FIV testing and vaccination during the 2015 calendar year. Clinical records from 572 cats tested using a point-of-care ELISA at a first-opinion veterinary practice between 7 April 2010 and 23 June 2016 were also obtained and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to identify risk factors for test positivity. Survival times were estimated using Kaplan–Meier methods. Results The survey was completed by 112 clinics (26.4%) of which 72 performed in-house testing. Of the 2125 tests performed, 56 (2.6%) were positive for FeLV and 393 (18.5%) were positive for FIV. Fewer than 1% of cats were vaccinated for FeLV, with veterinarians citing low perceived prevalence as the primary reason for not vaccinating. Being male compared with being female and having clinical evidence of immunosuppression were significant risk factors for both FeLV and FIV test positivity. The median survival times of FeLV and FIV test-positive cats were 10 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 0–16) and 650 days (95% CI 431–993), respectively. Conclusions and relevance Testing and vaccination for FeLV and FIV in New Zealand appears targeted towards high-risk animals, which may bias prevalence estimates. Baseline data should be monitored for changes in FeLV epidemiology now commercial vaccines are no longer available.
Pectoralis Minor Contracture in Throwing Shoulders of Asymptomatic Adolescent Baseball Players
Authors: Hodgins Justin L. , Rubenstein William , Kovacevic David , Padaki Ajay , Jobin Charles M. , Ahmad Christopher S. 
Published: September 2017

Background: Although scapular malpositioning is commonly associated with rotational deficits and risk of injury, modifiable causes of such malpositioning in overhead athletes are not well described. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to examine the scapulothoracic profile of adolescent baseball players, specifically, pectoralis minor (PM) length. We hypothesized that PM would be shorter in throwing shoulders compared with nonthrowing shoulders. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Forty-nine healthy adolescent baseball players underwent clinical screening of PM lengths in throwing and nonthrowing shoulders by means of previously described, validated techniques. PM measurements were conducted while players were supine with arms at rest, sitting with arms at rest, and sitting with shoulders in maximal external rotation; measurements were made with a digital caliper and by assessment of table-to-acromion distance. Static scapular position and range of motion measurements were recorded. Demographic information and playing history were documented. Results: All players were male, they had a mean ± SD age of 16.2 ± 1.16 years, and they predominantly threw right-handed (83.7%). Sixty-nine percent of players were pitchers, 61.2% had played baseball for 9 or more months per year, and 67.3% had played in excess of 30 games in the previous year. Significant differences were noted during side-to-side comparisons within participants. Absolute PM length was significantly shorter in throwing compared with nonthrowing shoulders when measured with players sitting with arms at rest (by 3.7 ± 11.8 mm) and with their shoulders in maximal external rotation (by 4.8 ± 15.1 mm) ( P < .004 for both). The PM index was significantly reduced in throwing compared with nonthrowing shoulders while players were supine with arms at rest ( P = .007), sitting with arms at rest ( P = .006), and sitting with shoulders in maximal external rotation ( P < .001). Mean table-to-acromion distance was increased 7.7 ± 1.26 mm in throwing versus nonthrowing arms ( P < .001). The scapular index was significantly reduced in throwing compared with nonthrowing shoulders ( P < .005). Conclusion: Asymptomatic adolescent baseball players have significant differences in PM length and static scapular measurements in throwing compared with nonthrowing shoulders. The clinical significance requires further investigation, but emphasis on PM stretching routines is encouraged.
Degree of anemia, indirect markers of hemolysis, and vascular complications of sickle cell disease in Africa
Authors: Dubert Marie , Elion Jacques , Tolo Aissata , Diallo Dapa Aly , Diop Saliou , Diagne Ibrahima , Sanogo Ibrahima , Belinga Suzanne , Guifo Odette , Wamba Guillaume , Ngo Sack Françoise , Boidy Kouakou , Kamara Ismael , Traore Youssouf , Diakite Cheick Oumar , Gbonon Valérie , Faye Blaise Felix , Seck Moussa , Deme Ly Indou , Chelo David , N’Guetta Roland , Diop Ibrahima Bara , Gaye Bamba , Jouven Xavier , Ranque Brigitte 
Published: September 2017

Key Points
Severe baseline anemia is associated with leg ulcer, microalbuminuria, and echographic pulmonary hypertension in African SCD patients. These vascular complications of SCD are not independently associated with indirect markers of increased hemolysis.