bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of sepsis in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Cynthia Wei-Sheng , Chen Hsuan-Ju , Liang Ji-An , Kao Chia-Hung 
Published: January 2017

ObjectivesAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, and sepsis is a frequent cause of death in hospitalised patients. We investigated the relationship between ALS and the subsequent risk of sepsis.DesignA retrospective cohort analysis.SettingPatients with ALSs diagnosed between 2000 and 2010 in Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.ParticipantsWe included 701 and 2804 patients as the ALS and the non-ALS groups, respectively.Outcome measuresThe risk of sepsis was calculated by Cox proportional hazards regression model.ResultsDuring the follow-up period, the incidence density rates were 77.8 and 11.1 per 1000 person-years in the ALS and non-ALS groups, respectively. After adjusting for sex, age, Charlson comorbidity index score, life-support measures, and β2-adrenoceptor agonists treatment, the ALS group had a higher risk of sepsis (HR=3.42; 95% CI 2.60 to 4.50) than the non-ALS group. An increase of the risk was observed in patients with ALS receiving life support treatment measures, whereas a decrease of the risk was associated with treatment of β2-adrenoceptor agonists.ConclusionsThe risk of sepsis is associated with a prior ALS diagnosis, and may be increased by the use of life support measures and decreased by β2-adrenoceptor agonists.
Rococo study: a real-world evaluation of an over-the-counter medicine in acute cough (a multicentre, randomised, controlled study)
Authors: Birring S S , Brew J , Kilbourn A , Edwards V , Wilson R , Morice A H 
Published: January 2017

ObjectivesTo investigate the efficacy and safety of CS1002, an over-the-counter cough treatment containing diphenhydramine, ammonium chloride and levomenthol in a cocoa-based demulcent.DesignA multicentre, randomised, parallel group, controlled, single-blinded study in participants with acute upper respiratory tract infection-associated cough.Setting4 general practitioner (GP) surgeries and 14 pharmacies in the UK.ParticipantsParticipants aged ≥18 years who self-referred to a GP or pharmacist with acute cough of <7 days' duration. Participant inclusion criterion was cough severity ≥60 mm on a 0–100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Exclusion criteria included current smokers or history of smoking within the past 12 months (including e-cigarettes). 163 participants were randomised to the study (mean participant age 38 years, 57% females).InterventionsParticipants were randomised to CS1002 (Unicough) or simple linctus (SL), a widely used cough treatment, and treatment duration was 7 days or until resolution of cough.Main outcome measuresThe primary analysis was intention-to-treat (157 participants) and comprised cough severity assessed using a VAS after 3 days' treatment (prespecified primary end point at day 4). Cough frequency, sleep disruption, health status (Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ-acute)) and cough resolution were also assessed.ResultsAt day 4 (primary end point), the adjusted mean difference (95% CI) in cough severity VAS between CS1002 and SL was −5.9 mm (−14.4 to 2.7), p=0.18. At the end of the study (day 7) the mean difference in cough severity VAS was −4.2 mm (−12.2 to 3.9), p=0.31. CS1002 was associated with a greater reduction in cough sleep disruption (mean difference −11.6 mm (−20.6 to 2.7), p=0.01) and cough frequency (mean difference −8.1 mm (−16.2 to 0.1), p=0.05) compared with SL. There was greater improvement in LCQ-acute quality of life scores with CS1002 compared with SL: mean difference (95% CI) 1.2 (0.05 to 2.36), p=0.04 after 5 days' treatment. More participants prematurely stopped treatment due to cough improvement in the CS1002 group (24.4%) compared with SL (10.7%; p=0.02). Adverse events (AEs) were comparable between CS1002 (20.5%) and SL (27.6%) and largely related to the study indication. 6 participants (7%) in the CS1002 group reduced the dose of medication due to drowsiness/tiredness, which subsequently resolved. These events were not reported by participants as AEs.ConclusionsAlthough the primary end point was not achieved, CS1002 was associated with greater reductions in cough frequency, sleep disruption and improved health status compared with SL.Trial registration numberEudraCT number2014-004255-31.
Impact of advanced autonomous non-medical practitioners in emergency care: protocol for a scoping study
Authors: Sujan Mark , Howard-Franks Hannah , Swann Garry , Soanes Kirsti , Pope Catherine , Crouch Robert , Staniszewska Sophie , Maxwell Elaine , Huang Huayi , Cooke Matthew 
Published: January 2017

IntroductionEmergency care services are looking for new models of care delivery to deal with changing patient demographics and increased pressures. It has been suggested that advanced non-medical practitioners might be valuable for delivering such new models of care. However, it is not clear what the impact of the deployment of advanced non-medical practitioners in emergency care is. This scoping study addresses the following research question: What is known from the literature about the different types of impact of the deployment of advanced (autonomous) non-medical practitioners in emergency care?Methods and analysisA scoping study will be undertaken to examine and map the impact of the deployment of advanced non-medical practitioners in emergency care. The scoping study follows the methodology proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. Searches will be carried out on databases of peer-reviewed literature and other sources to systematically identify and characterise the literature. Papers will be screened using a 2-stage process to identify the most relevant literature. Papers will be screened by title and abstract, followed by full-text review. Data abstraction and synthesis will be performed using a narrative thematic analysis.Ethics and disseminationWe will communicate the findings to Health Education England, NHS Improvement and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine through existing links provided by members of the project team. We anticipate that the findings will also be of interest to other similar organisations internationally. By identifying gaps in the research literature, we anticipate that the study will generate recommendations for informing future high-quality research studies about the impact of advanced non-medical practitioners in emergency care as well as in other settings. The research findings will be submitted for publication to relevant peer-reviewed journals as well as professional magazines. The scoping study uses only previously published material, and does not require ethical review.
The e-CRABEL score: an updated method for auditing medical records
Authors: Myuran Tharsika , Turner Oliver , Ben Doostdar Bijan , Lovett Bryony 
Published: January 2017

In 2001 the CRABEL score was devised in order to obtain a numerical score of the standard of medical note keeping. With the advent of electronic discharge letters, many components of the CRABEL score are now redundant as computers automatically include some documentation.The CRABEL score was modified to form the e-CRABEL score. “Patient details on discharge letter” and “Admission and discharge dates on discharge letter” were replaced with “Summary of investigations on discharge letter” and “Documentation of VTE prophylaxis on the drug chart”. The new e-CRABEL score has been used as a monthly audit tool in a busy surgical unit to monitor long-term standards of medical note keeping, with interventions of presenting in the departmental audit meeting, and giving a teaching session to a group of junior doctors at two points.Following discussion with stakeholders: junior doctors, consultants, and the audit department; it was decided that the e-CRABEL tool was sufficiently compact to be completed on a monthly basis. Critique and interventions included using photographic examples, case note selection and clarification of the e-CRABEL criteria in a teaching session.Tools used for audit need to be updated in order to accurately represent what they measure, hence the modification of the CRABEL score to make the new e-CRABEL score. Preliminary acquisition and presentation of data using the e-CRABEL score has shown promise in improving the quality of medical record keeping. The tool is sufficiently compact as to conduct on a monthly basis, maintaining standards to a high level and also provides data on VTE documentation.
Persistence of low disease activity after tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) discontinuation in patients with psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Huynh D H , Boyd T A , Etzel C J , Cox V , Kremer J , Mease P , Kavanaugh A 
Published: January 2017

ObjectiveTo determine the duration of clinical benefit among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) discontinuing tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy while in low disease activity (LDA), and to identify patient characteristics associated with prolonged clinical benefit.MethodsWe performed an observational cohort study assessing patients with PsA from the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) registry who had discontinued TNFi after achieving LDA, defined as clinical disease activity index (CDAI) score ≤10 and physician's global assessment (PGA) of skin psoriasis ≤20/100. Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the duration of clinical benefit.ResultsOf the 5945 patients with PsA in CORRONA, 302 patients had discontinued TNFi (n=325) while in LDA and had follow-up data available. At time of discontinuation, mean PsA duration was 9.8 years, mean CDAI was 3.9, and mean duration of TNFi use was 1.5 years; 52.6% of patients had discontinued their first TNFi. Median time to loss of benefit was 29.2 months. 179 (55.1%) patients had persistent benefit at their previous clinic visit. An increased risk of losing clinical benefit was seen among patients with higher disease activity at discontinuation (CDAI≥3.2 vs <3.2; HR 1.43 (p=0.32)) and among smokers (HR 1.78 (p=0.027)).ConclusionsPatients with PsA who achieve LDA may maintain clinical benefit after discontinuation of TNFi therapy.
Uma orquestra de viola caipira como instrumento de potencialização do processo ensino-aprendizagem
Authors: Sales Max 
Published: January 2017

Esta comunicação é resultado de uma pesquisa realizada sobre a Orquestra Pingo D´Água, um grupo formado por alunos do curso de viola caipira de uma escola particular de música em São João Del-Rei (MG), que se dedica à prática da música caipira e ao estudo da viola. A orquestra funciona como uma atividade complementar às aulas do curso e foi criada com o intuito de construir um ambiente criativo e de intenso aprendizado que é alimentado continuamente pela convivência entre seus integrantes. O objetivo deste trabalho é refletir sobre as experiências proporcionadas pelo envolvimento dos músicos com as atividades da orquestra e sua relação com o processo de ensino-aprendizagem sob o ponto de vista dos próprios integrantes. Para tanto, o trabalho foi estruturado em três partes: 1) Um estudo bibliográfico sobre como os conhecimentos relacionados à viola caipira tem sido transmitidos ao longo do tempo e como esse processo determinou a forma como o instrumento é utilizado atualmente. 2) Uma descrição de aspectos presentes nas atividades da orquestra comuns a outras manifestações musicais populares de tradição oral. 3) São apresentadas informações obtidas por meio de entrevistas realizadas com os integrantes da orquestra, contextualizadas em quatro categorias: Motivação, situações aleatórias de aprendizado, identidade e potencialização do aprendizado.
Age- and Sex-Related Influences on Left Ventricular Mechanics in Elderly Individuals Free of Prevalent Heart Failure
Authors: Hung Chung-Lieh , Gonçalves Alexandra , Shah Amil M. , Cheng Susan , Kitzman Dalane , Solomon Scott D. 
Published: January 2017

Background—
Advanced age is related to left ventricular (LV) remodeling. We sought to investigate the relationships between aging, elevated hemodynamic load, cardiac mechanics, and LV remodeling in an elderly community-based population.

Methods and Results—

We studied 1105 subjects (76±5 years, 61% women) without prevalent heart failure, who attended the visit 5 of the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities). LV global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and torsion indices were analyzed using 3-dimensional echocardiography. Advanced age was associated with greater LV concentricity, lower myocardial diastolic relaxation, reduced global longitudinal strain (adjusted estimate, 0.39±0.19% (SE)/decade;
P
=0.038), borderline greater global circumferential strain (adjusted estimate, −0.59±0.36% (SE)/decade;
P
=0.08), and higher torsion indices (adjusted estimate for torsion, 0.33±0.04° (SE)/decade;
P
<0.001). In addition, greater concentricity was associated with decreased global longitudinal strain and greater torsion in multivariable models (all
P
<0.001). Women showed smaller LV cavity size, greater concentricity, lower myocardial relaxation velocity E′, though demonstrated greater global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and torsion than men (all
P
<0.05). Overall, subjects with hypertension and increasing age were more likely to have higher torsion, though the association between advanced age and greater torsion was more pronounced in women than in men (both interaction
P
<0.05).

Conclusions—
In an asymptomatic, senescent community–dwelling population, we observed a distinct, sex-specific pattern of cardiac remodeling. Although we observed worse diastolic and longitudinal function with advanced age or elevated load in both sexes, a significant increase of torsion was more pronounced in women.
Transfer of Training on Manual Control Systems Differing in Short Period Frequency and Damping Characteristics
Authors: Lincoln Robert S. 
Published: January 2017

Each of four groups of 16 subjects was trained on one of four compensatory tracking tasks that differed with regard to short period natural frequency (Ωn) and damping characteristics (2ξΩn). After completion of the training sessions, the members of each group either transferred to a task on which they had not been trained or continued with their original task. Analysis of the training data indicated that relative task difficulty was largely determined by system damping which, however, had little effect on the amount of transfer during the transfer trials. The effect of system frequency was essentially reversed, and a marked interaction between training and transfer frequencies was observed in the transfer data. Similar results were obtained both with relative error scores and transinformation scores. Positive transfer was exhibited by most of the groups when they transferred to tasks on which they had not been trained.
World History and Resources of Oil Shale
Authors: Russell Paul L. 
Published: January 2017

Oil shale, under one name or another, is found all over the world, and new deposits are reported frequently. Total worldwide resources in place probably contain of the order of 1014 barrels of oil if all grades are considered, but only rough estimates of reserves are available since exploration and definitive resource evaluation have, for the most part, been extremely limited. Oil shale industries have operated in at least 14 countries. Most of the operations were quite small by today's standards, and only a very few survived for any length of time. Abundant, inexpensive crude petroleum caused most oil shale operations to be uneconomical.
Environmentally Compatible Coal Extraction and Utilisation Indian Scenario
Authors: Maudgal S. , Kakkar M. 
Published: January 2017

Environmental quality is as much an indicator of the level of development as the generally accepted norm of per capita consumption of energy. Coal, being the mainstay of energy in India, will continue to play a crucial role on both the counts as annual coal utilization is expected to increase by 2.5 times by the year 2005. Indian coal being of poor quality with 35 to 48% ash content has serious adverse implications on air, water and land environment which will be aggravated further by opening up extensive areas for opencast coal mining operations to meet the increased coal demand. Many coal deposits in India are located in areas rich in bio-diversity and, these areas need to be specially protected as they are crucial for our very survival. Mining operations, therefore, need to be harmonised with protection of genetic stock and the forest areas which serve as cheap “Carbon-dioxide Sinks”. A prerequisite in coal extraction and its utilization is the need for making technological conversion processes as efficient as possible to achieve a higher output from the same resource base. This calls for setting up a chain of coal washeries for better plant performance, reduced environmental pollution and overall cost savings. Demonstrated benefits of coal washeries include 5–15% saving in coal consumption with a freight saving alone to the tune of $3 billion in the year 2000; 2% increase in plant availability for every percent drop in ash content and, improved plant load factor netting annual savings of $1.4 million in a single 210 MW thermal power plant. Switching over to cleaner technologies and replacement or retrofitting of vintage boilers can further add to coal savings, and an improved environment. Optimisation of coal utilisation and internalisation of environmental concerns demands adoption of “carrying capacity based” planning process. Adoption of rational pricing at full cost, introduction of fiscal incentives for promoting Clean Coal Technologies and, reorientation of lending policies towards “Greener Credit” can also contribute to improved benefit stream with reduced environmental damage. This paper outlines the strategy for sustainable development while concurrently meeting the obligations for controlling Green House Gases under the International Conventions.
Insurance for Hydrocarbon Exploration and Development Projects
Authors: Lerche I. 
Published: January 2017

Two major exploration and development scenarios for evaluation of insurance premium versus insurance coverage are considered here. The first situation considers insurance against catastrophic loss due to a major adverse event while drilling, irrespective of whether commercially attractive hydrocarbon reserves are found or not; the second situation considers insurance against an hydrocarbon spill after hydrocarbons are found. Numerical examples indicate how the insurance premium to be paid is related to the insurance cover provided for a fixed corporate requirement on the probability to make a profit. The examples illustrate how considerations of mean expected value, and variance around the mean, can both be incorporated in a quantitative measure of worth of insurance cover versus premium paid.
Investor Dissatisfaction toward Auditors
Authors: Sainty Barbara J. , Taylor Gary K. , Williams David D. 
Published: January 2017

Shareholders, as owners of the firm, often are sought to ratify management's selection of an auditor through a formal vote during the annual shareholders' meeting. This vote represents the primary vehicle for investor communication concerning auditor-related issues and, thus, can be used as an indicator of investor dissatisfaction with the auditor. This study proposes to measure shareholders' dissatisfaction with the auditor through the shareholders' auditor ratification vote. We identify attributes associated with high levels of investor dissatisfaction and then determine if a high level of investor dissatisfaction is associated with a subsequent change in a firm's auditor. We determined that investor dissatisfaction is associated with a firm having engaged a less credible auditor and the issuance of a going concern audit opinion. In addition, we find that investors react strongly to the unexpected issuance of a going concern opinion. Finally, we discovered that managers are sensitive to shareholder dissatisfaction signals by noting a higher occurrence of auditor changes for firms with high investor dissatisfaction.
The Role of Economic Trade-Offs in the Audit Opinion Decision: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Krishnan Jagan , Krishnan Jayanthi 
Published: January 2017

We extend existing audit opinion models by incorporating economic tradeoffs that arise in the auditor's qualification (modification) decision. Prior qualification studies (e.g., Dopuch, Holthausen, and Leftwich [1987]; Bell and Tabor [1991]) do not investigate whether the opinion issued is influenced by particular trade-offs facing an auditor. On the one hand, the audit firm faces the risk of losing the client if it issues a qualification, and on the other, failing to qualify exposes the auditor to lawsuits and reputation loss. We model the auditor's qualification decision as a two-stage model. We estimate a bivariate model that breaks down the probability of qualifying into two components: (1) the probability that the client deserves a qualified opinion based on the audit and (2) the probability that the auditor reports a qualified opinion, given the auditor considers that the client deserves such an opinion. We hypothesize that the second-stage decision to qualify or not is influenced by factors such as the auditor's risk of litigation, the type (Big Six or not) of auditor, the extent of outsider ownership, the share of public debt in total debt, the relative importance of the client in the auditor's portfolio, and the future growth rate of the client. Our results indicate that the auditor's litigation risk, the extent of outsider ownership, the relative importance of the client in the auditor's portfolio, and future growth are important factors in the audit opinion decision. Estimated mean and median probabilities indicate significantly higher values of reporting probabilities for qualified as compared to unqualified firms, suggesting that the second stage is an important component of the qualification decision.
Semiotics of Financial Marketplace
Authors: Schinckus Christophe 
Published: January 2017

While finance has been concerned by expanding new information technology and mass media’s interest, it has made stunning progress in the last decades, both in practice and in theory. Financial reality is become more and more complex and new theoretical approaches have emerged to explain this evolution. Inspired by post-structuralism, this paper proposes a semiotic perspective of financial marketplace to better grasp the reciprocal link between financial interactions and quotations. We show then that each marketplace can be considered as a specific way of organizing financial reality with its own “rules” (as a language with its own “grammar”). Finally, we will see that this semiotic approach provides an interpretative framework to all empirical studies about the reciprocal link between volumes and prices. JEL Classification: A12, B41, G10.
Institutional Change and Qualitative Research
Authors: Schlüter Achim 
Published: January 2017

This paper argues for the use of more qualitative research when analysing institutional change. Institutional change is often complex, context dependant, and deals with new phenomena. It is argued that qualitative data – which is often linked to inductive approaches, completely disavowed since the Methodenstreit – has been used for many new institutional theory developments. The next argument made, is that currently favoured explanations of institutional change indicate that a more intensive and rigorous use of qualitative data is necessary. Many scholars claim that understanding institutional change demands the consideration of multiple rationalities and cognition. To understand these aspects, qualitative data and thereby qualitative methods are required. Many institutional scholars who emphasise the necessity for a qualitative understanding of institutional change processes do not apply their thoughts empirically. (JEL B40, B52, P48)