bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
End-of-life prescribing of aspirin in patients with breast or colorectal cancer
Authors: Murphy Laura , Brown Chris , Smith Amelia , Cranfield Faith , Sharp Linda , Visvanathan Kala , Bennett Kathleen , Barron Thomas Ian 
Published: August 2017

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an approaching cancer death on end-of-life aspirin use, a frequently prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease prevention.MethodsThis study was conducted using linked cancer registry and prescribing data. Breast (n=1151) and colorectal (n=1859) cancer decedents were matched to cancer survivors and the probability of either initiating aspirin, or continuing established aspirin use, was estimated in consecutive periods over the 5 years approaching a cancer-specific death (decedents) or matched index date (survivors).ResultsUsing the linked data sets, we identified patients who died of their cancer (decedents) between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2009. In the 5 years prior to death, we compared (1) the probability of initiating aspirin use for the first time, and (2) the probability of continuing aspirin use. In comparison to matched cancer survivors, an approaching cancer death was not associated with a reduction in aspirin initiation by breast or colorectal cancer decedents. However, the probability of continuing established aspirin use declined considerably in the 24 months approaching death and at the time of a death was significantly lower for breast (risk difference (RD) −0.26, 95% CI −0.33 to −0.20) and colorectal (RD −0.38, 95% CI −0.46 to −0.30) cancer decedents versus matched survivors.ConclusionA significant proportion of patients discontinue their aspirin in the time approaching a breast or colorectal cancer-specific death. The safety and benefits of this are unclear and empirical data are needed to guide decisions about aspirin use in the end of life.
Carotid endarterectomy for treatment of carotid in-stent restenosis: long-term follow-up results and surgery experiences from one single centre
Authors: Yu Le-Bao , Yan Wei , Zhang Qian , Zhao Ji-Zong , Zhang Yan , Wang Rong , Shao Jun-Shi , Zhang Dong 
Published: August 2017

ObjectiveFew studies have reported the surgical treatment of carotid in-stent restenosis (ISR), more data and longer follow-up are needed. We describe the surgical treatment of ISR by standard carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with stent removal, including long-term follow-up in 10 patients from our centre.MethodsTen patients from our centre who underwent CEA with stent removal for ISR were retrospectively analysed, including nine symptomatic and one asymptomatic ISR of at least 70% with mean age 67.3, the median time between carotid artery stenting and CEA was 17 months (range, 2–54 months).ResultsStandard CEA with stent removal was performed in all 10 patients without much technical difficulty (9 male and 1 female, mean age 67.3). Two cases were performed in hybrid operation room. There were a total of three complications that happened in three patients (30%) respectively. An asymptomatic dissecting aneurysm was formed on the petrous internal carotid artery in one patient who was followed up without intervention. In the second case, dissection occurred in the arterial wall distal to the site of the stent after stent removal revealed by intraoperative angiography, and another stent was implanted. The patient sustained temporary hypoglossal nerve dysfunction postoperatively. The third patient suffered cerebral hyperperfusion with complete recovery when discharged. No neurological complications occurred in other seven patients. After follow-up of 25 months (range, 11–54 months), one patient died of rectal cancer without ischaemic attack and restenosis 4 years postoperation; in one patient occurred recurrent symptomatic restenosis (90%) 1 year later; all other patients remained asymptomatic and without recurrent restenosis (>50%) by follow-up carotid ultrasound or CT angiography.ConclusionIt seems that CEA with stent removal is a reasonable choice, by experienced hand, for symptomatic ISR with higher but acceptable complications. The indication of stent removal for asymptomatic ISR needs further observation.
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance to Predict Appropriate Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy in Ischemic and Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Patients Using Late Gadolinium Enhancement Border Zone
Authors: Jablonowski Robert , Chaudhry Uzma , van der Pals Jesper , Engblom Henrik , Arheden Håkan , Heiberg Einar , Wu Katherine C. , Borgquist Rasmus , Carlsson Marcus 
Published: August 2017

Background—
Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) border zone on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has been proposed as an independent predictor of ventricular arrhythmias. The purpose was to determine whether size and heterogeneity of LGE predict appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients and to evaluate 4 LGE border-zone algorithms.

Methods and Results—

ICM and NICM patients who underwent LGE cardiac magnetic resonance imaging prior to ICD implantation were retrospectively included. Two semiautomatic algorithms, expectation maximization, weighted intensity, a priori information and a weighted border zone algorithm, were compared with a modified full-width half-maximum and a 2-3SD threshold-based algorithm (2-3SD). Hazard ratios were calculated per 1% increase in LGE. A total of 74 ICM and 34 NICM were followed for 63 months (1–140) and 52 months (0–133), respectively. ICM patients had 27 appropriate ICD events, and NICM patients had 7 ICD events. In ICM patients with primary prophylactic ICD, LGE border zone predicted ICD therapy in univariable and multivariable analysis measured by the expectation maximization, weighted intensity, a priori information, weighted border zone, and modified full-width half-maximum algorithms (hazard ratios 1.23, 1.22, and 1.05, respectively;
P
<0.05; negative predictive value 92%). For NICM, total LGE by all 4 methods was the strongest predictor (hazard ratios, 1.03–1.04;
P
<0.05), though the number of events was small.

Conclusions—
Appropriate ICD therapy can be predicted in ICM patients with primary prevention ICD by quantifying the LGE border zone. In NICM patients, total LGE but not LGE border zone had predictive value for ICD therapy. However, the algorithms used affects the predictive value of these measures.
Lysander and the Execution of the Athenian Prisoners at Aegospotami (Xenophon, Hell. 2.1.31-32)
Authors: Kapellos Aggelos 
Published: August 2017

AbstractXenophon’s account allows us to suspect that Lysander killed the Athenian prisoners in the Hellespont because most of them were thetes, who he feared would make Athens strong again if they lived. The historian was unwilling for ideological reasons to say explicitly that the seamen of Athens were the real opponents of the Spartan commander on this occasion, but he expected that through his evasive writing his readers would conceive his message about Lysander.
Is lack of breakfast contributing to nutrient deficits and poor nutritional indicators among adolescent girls?
Authors: Jeyakumar Angeline , Ghugre Padmini 
Published: August 2017

Background: Breakfast is considered the first and most important meal of the day. Missing the first meal may result in significant nutritional deficits, if not compensated in subsequent meals. Aim: To describe the nutrient intake through breakfast and to study its association with nutritional indicators among adolescent girls. Methods: A cross-sectional study among adolescent girls ( n = 565) 16–18 years was carried out in urban slums of Pune, Maharashtra, India. Haemoglobin was assessed by cyanmethemoglobin method. Nutritional status was assessed through anthropometry and three 24-hours diet recall. Z scores, independent sample test, and linear logistic regression were used to assess undernutrition, to compare means of nutrient intake and to associate nutrient intake with nutritional status, respectively. Results: Almost 50% did not consume solid food for breakfast and 99% of the participants consumed inadequate breakfast (<610 kcal). Two types of breakfast emerged: I (bakery products + beverage) and II (traditional breakfast + beverage). Although the mean energy intake of type II breakfast (235±100.55 kcal) and the mean micronutrient intake was significantly higher than type I (micronutrients: vitamin C and folate ( p = 0.001), iron ( p = 0.01)) it did not meet the adequacy norms for breakfast. Among nutritional indicators breakfast intake was not directly associated with body mass index. However, mean intake of nutrients such as energy, protein and iron through the day were significantly lesser ( p = 0.001, p = 0.01 and p = 0.01 respectively) among anaemic adolescents. Linear regression showed significant association between energy, fat intake and BAZ scores. Conclusions: Compensating dietary deficits that arise in the first meal would directly address the day’s nutrient deficit. The results highlight the need for a food-based approach to address undernutrition among adolescent girls in resource-poor settings.
Knowledge of Constituent Ingredients in Enteral Nutrition Formulas Can Make a Difference in Patient Response to Enteral Feeding
Authors: Savino Patricia 
Published: August 2017

AbstractEnteral feeding is considered the preferred method for providing a complete or supplemental source of nutrition to patients. Enteral formulas (EFs) are traditionally assessed from general information provided by the manufacturer such as caloric density, percentage of macronutrients, and micronutrients to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Sometimes labeling information highlights particular ingredients to indicate specific properties at a metabolic or nutrition level. However, it is necessary to review the quality and composition of any enteral formula, since the basic components are responsible for tolerance and nutrition efficacy, and this should not be overshadowed by the benefit of a single constituent. Intolerance to EF is commonly attributed to individual patient response or to the means of administration. The objective of this review is to highlight the importance of appraising EFs with regard to composition and effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
Peculiarities of feline hyperadrenocorticism: Update on diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Boland Lara A , Barrs Vanessa R 
Published: August 2017

Practical relevance: Hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) is a relatively uncommon endocrinopathy of older cats, with a mean age at diagnosis of 10 years. In addition to pituitary-dependent and adrenal-dependent hypercortisolism, clinical signs of HAC can result from adrenal sex steroid-producing tumours. Clinical challenges: While HAC in cats has many similarities to canine HAC, there are key differences in presentation, diagnosis and response to therapy. Most, but not all, cats with HAC have concurrent diabetes mellitus, which is often insulin resistant. Up to a third of cats with HAC have extreme skin fragility and are at high risk of debilitating iatrogenic skin tears during diagnostic or therapeutic interventions. Infections of the skin and nail beds, and urinary, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, secondary to cortisol-induced immune suppression, are also common. Cats respond differently to dogs to adrenal function tests including adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation and dexamethasone suppression tests; a 10-fold higher dose of dexamethasone is recommended in cats to screen for HAC. Curative treatment options include adrenalectomy or transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Radiation or medical treatment may improve clinical signs. The response to mitotane therapy is poor. While trilostane is the medical treatment of choice based on retrospective studies, investigations into the pharmacokinetics of this drug in cats are lacking. Global importance: Feline HAC occurs worldwide and is not associated with any purebreed predisposition. Although uncommon, adrenal sex steroid-producing tumours have a higher prevalence in cats than in dogs. Evidence base: The information in this review is drawn from over 180 reported cases of feline HAC. Reports investigating clinical presentation, clinicopathological findings and treatment outcomes are observational, retrospective multiple case series (EBM grade III) or single case reports (EBM grade IV). While most endocrine testing studies for diagnosis are cohort controlled analytical studies (EBM grade III), prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled studies have been performed (EBM grade I).
Skin as a marker of general feline health: Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease
Authors: Vogelnest Linda J 
Published: August 2017

Practical relevance: Although most skin lesions occur due to diseases primarily affecting the skin, some reflect important systemic diseases. Such lesions may relate directly to the systemic disease, or may occur due to secondary skin diseases that develop because of immunosuppression. Early recognition of skin changes as a marker of systemic disease will maximise patient outcomes. Clinical challenges: In older or clearly debilitated cats presenting with skin disease, the potential for underlying systemic disease is often readily apparent. Similarly, cats presenting with severe ulcerative or multifocal nodular skin lesions, or with concurrent signs of systemic illness, will more instinctively prompt systemic evaluation. More challenging is the cat presenting with alopecic, scaling, erythemic and/or mildly crusted skin disease, with or without pruritus; hypersensitivities and infectious dermatoses are the most common considerations, but occasionally systemic disease underlies the skin changes. Knowing when screening laboratory testing, body imaging or other systemic diagnostics are indicated is not always straightforward. Evidence base: This article reviews cutaneous presentations of systemic diseases reported in the veterinary literature, and discusses important differential diagnoses. The author draws on clinical experience, published data on disease prevalence and case evaluations, and expert opinions on approach to common systemic problems to provide guidance on when investigation for underlying systemic disease is most appropriate.
Naturally occurring antibodies in cats against dog erythrocyte antigens and vice versa
Authors: Priolo Vito , Masucci Marisa , Spada Eva , Proverbio Daniela , Pennisi Maria Grazia 
Published: August 2017

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of naturally occurring antibodies against canine erythrocyte antigens in cats and vice versa. The influence of canine and feline blood type on cross-match results was also studied. Methods Blood samples from 34 cats and 42 dogs were used to perform test tube major and minor cross-match tests and blood typing. Blood from each cat was cross-matched with blood from 2–6 dogs, for a total of 111 cross-match tests. Haemolysis, macro- and microagglutination were considered markers of a positive cross-match. Results Eighty-three overall major cross-match tests were positive at 37°C, 86 at room temperature and 90 at 4°C. The minor cross-match tests were positive in all but two cross-matches performed at 37°C, all tests performed at room temperature and all but one test performed at 4°C. No cats tested totally negative at both major and minor cross-matches performed with samples from any single dog. Prevalence of warm natural antibodies against canine erythrocyte antigens was lower in type B cats than in type A cats, regardless of the blood type of donor dogs. Conclusions and relevance This study reveals a high prevalence of naturally occurring antibodies in cats against dog erythrocyte antigens and vice versa, and suggests that transfusion of cats with canine blood is not recommended as a routine procedure owing to the potential high risk of either acute severe or milder transfusion reactions.
Self-Awareness for Memory Impairment in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Cova Ilaria , Grande Giulia , Cucumo Valentina , Ghiretti Roberta , Maggiore Laura , Galimberti Daniela , Scarpini Elio , Mariani Claudio , Pomati Simone 
Published: August 2017

Aim: To assess memory impairment insight as a predictor of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: To verify whether the awareness of memory impairment assessed by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was associated with the risk of progression to dementia and AD in a cohort of MCI, we used a Cox regression model adjusted for age, sex, education, subtypes of amnestic MCI, Mini-Mental State Examination, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale severity index, and apolipoprotein E genotype. Results: During a follow-up of 27.7 (20.8) months, 205 (63.3%) of 324 patients with amnestic MCI progressed to dementia, including 141 to AD. No association was found in the unadjusted, partially adjusted (for sociodemographic variables), and fully adjusted multivariate Cox analysis between the awareness of memory impairment and the progression to dementia and AD. Discussion: Awareness or anosognosia of memory deficits, identified by GDS, is not useful to predict progression to dementia of patients with amnestic MCI.
International Ballroom Dancing Against Neurodegeneration: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Greek Community-Dwelling Elders With Mild Cognitive impairment
Authors: Lazarou Ioulietta , Parastatidis Themis , Tsolaki Anthoula , Gkioka Mara , Karakostas Anastasios , Douka Stella , Tsolaki Magda 
Published: August 2017

Background: Many studies have highlighted the positive effects of dance in people with neurodegenerative diseases. Objectives: To explore the effects of International Ballroom Dancing on cognitive function in elders with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: One-hundred twenty-nine elderly patients with aMCI diagnosis (mean age 66.8 ± 10.1 years) were randomly assigned into 2 groups: intervention group (IG, n = 66) and control group (CG, n = 63). The IG exercised systematically for 10 months, and both groups were submitted to extensive neuropsychological assessment prior and after the 10-month period. Results: According to the independent sample t test at the follow-up, significant differences between groups were found in benefit of the IG while the CG showed worse performance in the majority of neuropsychological tests. According to the Student t test, better performance is detected in IG in contrast with CG, which had worse performance almost in all scales. Conclusion: Dance may be an important nonpharmacological approach that can benefit cognitive functions.
Assessing and predicting drug-induced anticholinergic risks: an integrated computational approach
Authors: Xu Dong , Anderson Heather D. , Tao Aoxiang , Hannah Katia L. , Linnebur Sunny A. , Valuck Robert J. , Culbertson Vaughn L. 
Published: August 2017

Background: Anticholinergic (AC) adverse drug events (ADEs) are caused by inhibition of muscarinic receptors as a result of designated or off-target drug–receptor interactions. In practice, AC toxicity is assessed primarily based on clinician experience. The goal of this study was to evaluate a novel concept of integrating big pharmacological and healthcare data to assess clinical AC toxicity risks. Methods: AC toxicity scores (ATSs) were computed using drug–receptor inhibitions identified through pharmacological data screening. A longitudinal retrospective cohort study using medical claims data was performed to quantify AC clinical risks. ATS was compared with two previously reported toxicity measures. A quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) model was established for rapid assessment and prediction of AC clinical risks. Results: A total of 25 common medications, and 575,228 exposed and unexposed patients were analyzed. Our data indicated that ATS is more consistent with the trend of AC outcomes than other toxicity methods. Incorporating drug pharmacokinetic parameters to ATS yielded a QSAR model with excellent correlation to AC incident rate ( R2 = 0.83) and predictive performance (cross validation Q2 = 0.64). Good correlation and predictive performance ( R2 = 0.68/ Q2 = 0.29) were also obtained for an M2 receptor-specific QSAR model and tachycardia, an M2 receptor-specific ADE. Conclusions: Albeit using a small medication sample size, our pilot data demonstrated the potential and feasibility of a new computational AC toxicity scoring approach driven by underlying pharmacology and big data analytics. Follow-up work is under way to further develop the ATS scoring approach and clinical toxicity predictive model using a large number of medications and clinical parameters.
Risk of tuberculosis in patients with solid cancers and haematological malignancies: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dobler Claudia C. , Cheung Kelvin , Nguyen John , Martin Andrew 
Published: August 2017

There is uncertainty regarding whether patients with cancer should be screened for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the relative incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in cancer.We searched MEDLINE and Embase for studies published before December 21, 2016. We included studies that evaluated the incidence of TB in patients with solid cancers and haematological malignancies relative to a reference group (study control or general population). A pooled estimate of the incidence rate ratio (IRR) was obtained using standard meta-analysis methods.The search strategy identified 13 unique studies including 921 464 patients with cancer. The IRR of TB for adult patients with cancer was 2.61 (95% CI 2.12–3.22;I2=91%). In haematological cancers, the IRR was 3.53 (95% CI 1.63–7.64;I2=96%); and in solid cancers in adults, it was 2.25 (95% CI 1.96–2.58;I2=91%). The highest IRR was found in children with haematological malignancies or solid cancers (IRR 16.82, 95% CI 8.81–32.12;I2=79%).Considering the limited duration of maximum immunosuppression in cancer and reduced cumulative lifetime risk of TB because of reduced life expectancy, children, but not adults, appear to be at a sufficient level of risk to warrant systematic screening for LTBI.