bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis with a pMyong2 vector expressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I Gag can induce enhanced virus-specific immune responses
Authors: Kim Byoung-Jun , Gong Jeong-Ryeol , Kim Ga-Na , Kim Bo-Ram , Lee So-Young , Kook Yoon-Hoh , Kim Bum-Joon 
Published: March 2017

AbstractRecently, we have developed a novel Mycobacterium-Escherichia coli shuttle vector system using pMyong2, which can provide an enhanced expression of heterologous genes in recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis (rSmeg). To investigate the usefulness of rSmeg using pMyong2 in vaccine application, we vaccinated M. smegmatis with pMyong2 system expressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I (HIV-1) Gag p24 antigen (rSmeg-pMyong2-p24) into mice and examined its cellular and humoral immune responses against HIV gag protein. We found that rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 expressed higher levels of Gag protein in bacteria, macrophage cell line (J774A.1) and mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) compared to rSmeg strains using two other vector systems, pAL5000 derived vector (rSmeg-pAL-p24) and the integrative plasmid, pMV306 (rSmeg-pMV306-p24). Inoculation of mice with rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 elicited more effective immunity compared to the other two rSmeg strains, as evidenced by higher levels of HIV-1 Gag-specific CD4 and CD8 T lymphocyte proliferation, interferon gamma ELISPOT cell induction, and antibody production. Furthermore, rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 showed a higher level of cytotoxic T cell response against target cells expressing Gag p24 proteins. Our data suggest that Mycobacterium-Escherichia coli shuttle vector system with pMyong2 may provide an advantage in vaccine application of rSmeg over other vector systems.
Robot-Mediated interviews with Children
Authors: Wood Luke Jai , Lehmann Hagen , Dautenhahn Kerstin , Robins Ben , Rainer Austen , Syrdal Dag Sverre 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
To date research investigating the potential of Robot-Mediated Interviews (RMI) has focused on establishing how children respond to robots in an interview scenario. In order to test if an RMI approach would work in a real world setting, it is important to establish what the experts (e.g. specialist child interviewers) would require from such a system. To determine the needs of such expert users we conducted three user panels with groups of potential real world users to gather their views of our current system and find out what they would require for the system to be useful to them. The user groups consisted of specialist police officers, intermediaries, educational specialists and healthcare specialists. To our knowledge this is the first article investigating user needs for Robot-Mediated Interviews. Due to the novelty of this area, the work presented in this paper is exploratory in nature. The results provide valuable insights into what real world users would need from a Robot-Mediated Interviewing system. Our findings will contribute to future research and technology development in the domain of RMI in particular, and child-robot interaction in general.
The Effects the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Demonstration has on Children’s Food Security
Authors: Klerman Jacob Alex , Wolf Anne , Collins Ann , Bell Stephen , Briefel Ronette 
Published: March 2017

AbstractDuring the summers of 2011 through 2013 in selected demonstration locations, the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) Demonstration randomly assigned levels of additional food assistance to school‐age children in low‐income households in order to improve children’s food security in the summer, when many children lose access to federal school meals programs. The findings are simple and dramatic: a $60 per‐child monthly SEBTC benefit reduces very low food security among children by one‐third (a 3.0 percentage‐point decline from a control group level of 9.1%) and food insecurity among children by one‐fifth (an 8.3 percentage‐point decline from a control group level of 43.0%). Additional benefits also improve food security for the adults in the household. There is some evidence of larger impacts among those households that were more disadvantaged at baseline. These results suggest that an SEBTC‐like program would have substantial impacts on child, adult, and household food security. More broadly, they suggest that a moderate (e.g., $100 per household per month) increase in more general food assistance would also have substantial impacts on food security.
Local Heating Test for Detection of Microcirculation Abnormalities in Patients with Diabetes-Related Foot Complications
Authors: Parshakov Aleksey , Zubareva Nadezhda , Podtaev Sergey , Frick Peter 
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:
In this study, authors used a wavelet analysis of skin temperature (WAST) to assess the mechanisms of microvascular tone regulation during the local heating test in patients with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS).

PARTICIPANTS:
The participants included control subjects and 36 hospitalized patients with DFS between 52 and 79 years old (68 ± 8 years old). They were distributed among 5 groups: 15 control subjects, 8 patients with DFS who did not develop ulcerative or necrotic disorders, 10 patients who developed the neuroischemic form of DFS complicated by foot ulceration, 12 patients with DFS complicated by toe necrosis, and 6 patients with DFS and foot gangrene.

OUTCOME MEASURES:
A comparison among the groups was made using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between WAST results, aortoarteriography, and ultrasonic dopplerography data.

MAIN RESULTS:
In control subjects, a local increase in temperature (up to 42° C) causes a more than 3-fold increase in the amplitude of foot skin temperature oscillations. In patients with DFS, the response to the local heating test was much weaker. High correlations of WAST results to arterial patency of the lower extremities and the state of the vascular walls were established.

CONCLUSIONS:
The WAST technique may have considerable value in evaluating the progression of DFS and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. The low cost of an individual test makes the WAST technique suitable for routine use in most healthcare facilities.
The Effect of Microporous Polysaccharide Hemospheres on Wound Healing and Scarring in Wild-Type and db/db Mice
Authors: Miller Kyle J. , Cao Wei , Ibrahim Mohamed M. , Levinson Howard 
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:
Hemostasis, the initial phase of wound healing, sets the stage for tissue repair. Microporous polysaccharide hemosphere powder (MPH) is an FDA-approved hemostatic agent that may impact the wound-healing process.

OBJECTIVE:
This study examined the role of MPH in murine wild-type and diabetic (db/db) wound-healing models and a foreign body response scarring model.

METHODS:
The powder was topically applied to excisional wounds in wild-type C57BL/6 mice and db/db mice. The effect of MPH on scarring was evaluated by applying it to the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube implantation model.

RESULTS:
In wild-type mice, topically applied MPH increased epithelial thickness. Levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were decreased in MPH-treated wild-type wounds, whereas Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) and transforming growth factor β levels were increased. In db/db mice, topical wound MPH application decreased epithelial thickness and delayed wound closure. The db/db wounds displayed an increased collagen index. The ROCK2 was increased in a similar manner to wild-type mice, whereas α-SMA and transforming growth factor β levels were decreased. The MPH-treated expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube mice showed increased α-SMA levels and depressed ROCK2 levels. There were no changes in histologic parameters of the foreign body response.

CONCLUSIONS:
The results suggest that MPH does not adversely impact wound healing in wild-type mice, both topically and around implants, but prolongs time to closure and diminishes thickness in db/db wounds. The MPH application alters contractile proteins in all wound models. These changes could have downstream effects on the wound healing process, and further investigation into the use of MPH in altered or impaired states of wound healing is warranted.
Do workplace policies influence a woman's decision to breastfeed?
Authors: Winegar Rhonda , Johnson Alisha 
Published: March 2017

Abstract:
This literature review addresses workplace breastfeeding policies in the United States. Breastfeeding yields many important benefits to both mother and infants, yet workplace barriers contribute to low rates of breastfeeding. NPs often serve as the initial point of education for new mothers and may impact decisions to breastfeed.
Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty
Authors: Gifford René H. , Davis Timothy J. , Sunderhaus Linsey W. , Menapace Christine , Buck Barbara , Crosson Jillian , O’Neill Lori , Beiter Anne , Segel Phil 
Published: March 2017

Objective:
The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of electric and acoustic overlap for speech understanding in typical listening conditions using semidiffuse noise.

Design:
This study used a within-subjects, repeated measures design including 11 experienced adult implant recipients (13 ears) with functional residual hearing in the implanted and nonimplanted ear. The aided acoustic bandwidth was fixed and the low-frequency cutoff for the cochlear implant (CI) was varied systematically. Assessments were completed in the R-SPACE sound-simulation system which includes a semidiffuse restaurant noise originating from eight loudspeakers placed circumferentially about the subject’s head. AzBio sentences were presented at 67 dBA with signal to noise ratio varying between +10 and 0 dB determined individually to yield approximately 50 to 60% correct for the CI-alone condition with full CI bandwidth. Listening conditions for all subjects included CI alone, bimodal (CI + contralateral hearing aid), and bilateral-aided electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS; CI + bilateral hearing aid). Low-frequency cutoffs both below and above the original “clinical software recommendation” frequency were tested for all patients, in all conditions. Subjects estimated listening difficulty for all conditions using listener ratings based on a visual analog scale.

Results:
Three primary findings were that (1) there was statistically significant benefit of preserved acoustic hearing in the implanted ear for most overlap conditions, (2) the default clinical software recommendation rarely yielded the highest level of speech recognition (1 of 13 ears), and (3) greater EAS overlap than that provided by the clinical recommendation yielded significant improvements in speech understanding.

Conclusions:
For standard-electrode CI recipients with preserved hearing, spectral overlap of acoustic and electric stimuli yielded significantly better speech understanding and less listening effort in a laboratory-based, restaurant-noise simulation. In conclusion, EAS patients may derive more benefit from greater acoustic and electric overlap than given in current software fitting recommendations, which are based solely on audiometric threshold. These data have larger scientific implications, as previous studies may not have assessed outcomes with optimized EAS parameters, thereby underestimating the benefit afforded by hearing preservation.
Immunotherapy: a new treatment paradigm in bladder cancer
Authors: Davarpanah Nicole N. , Yuno Akira , Trepel Jane B. , Apolo Andrea B. 
Published: March 2017

Purpose of review
T-cell checkpoint blockade has become a dynamic immunotherapy for bladder cancer. In 2016, atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, became the first new drug approved in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) in over 30 years. In 2017, nivolumab was also approved for the same indication. This overview of checkpoint inhibitors in clinical trials focuses on novel immunotherapy combinations, predictive biomarkers including mutational load and neoantigen identification, and an evaluation of the future of bladder cancer immunotherapy.

Recent findings
Programed cell death protein 1/programed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) checkpoint inhibitors have achieved durable clinical responses in a subset of previously treated and treatment-naïve patients with mUC. The combination of PD-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) has successfully improved response rates in multiple malignancies, and combination studies are underway in many tumor types, including bladder cancer, combining T-cell checkpoint blockade with other checkpoint agents and immunomodulatory therapies. Strong tumor responses to checkpoint blockade have been reported to be positively associated with expression of PD-L1 on tumor and tumor-infiltrating immune cells and with increased mutation-associated neoantigen load, which may lead to the development of predictive biomarkers.

Summary
Recent clinical evidence suggests that mUC is susceptible to T-cell checkpoint blockade. A global effort is underway to achieve higher response rates and more durable remissions, accelerate the development of immunotherapies, employ combination therapies, and test novel immune targets.
Minimal Detectable Change for Balance Measurements in Patients With COPD
Authors: Mkacher Wajdi , Tabka Zouhair , Trabelsi Yassine 
Published: March 2017

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of various outcome measures that are potentially suitable for evaluating postural control in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS:
This was a test-retest reliability study. Participants with COPD were asked to complete 5 balance assessments, separated by 1 week. The assessments included Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test, Unipodal Stance Test (UST), Tinetti Test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and the Activities Balance Confidence (ABC) scale. Test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients and MDC values were calculated for each assessment.

RESULTS:
All 5 outcome measures were found to have excellent test-retest reliability (r > 0.90). The MDC95 values were 3.01 seconds and 4.03 seconds for the TUG Test and the UST, respectively; 3.23 points and 3.46 points for the Tinetti Test and the BBS, respectively; and 8.25% for the ABC scale.

CONCLUSION:
The TUG, UST, BBS, the Tinetti Test, and the ABC scale are reliable outcome measures for use with people with COPD, recognizing that individual variability of performance is high. Minimal detectable change scores at the 95% CI can be used to assess change in performance over time and the impact of interventions in this population.
OCULAR TOXICITY AFTER INADVERTENT INTRACAMERAL INJECTION OF HIGH DOSE OF CEFUROXIME DURING CATARACT SURGERY: A CASE SERIES
Authors: Kamal-Salah Radua , Osoba Olayinka , Doyle Edward 
Published: March 2017

Purpose:
To report ocular side effects after inadvertent intracameral injection of a high dose of cefuroxime.

Methods:
Nineteen eyes of 19 patients were seen in our eye department 1 week after the referring surgeon had injected an erroneous dose of intracameral cefuroxime (12.5 mg/0.1 mL in 14 patients, Group A, and 10 mg/0.1 mL in 5 patients, Group B) at the end of a cataract surgery. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed postoperatively.

Results:
Eight patients (42.10%) exhibited ocular side effects. One patient (Group A) developed a noninfectious panuveitis. One case (Group B) had a serous macular detachment. Five patients (4 from Group A and 1 from Group B) showed a disruption of the ellipsoid layer with temporary/permanent drop in visual acuity. One patient presented with color alteration (Group A), but electrodiagnostic studies did not reveal any significant alterations.

Conclusion:
Anterior and posterior inflammation has been described after intracameral injection of high dose of cefuroxime. In this study, 10 mg to 12.5 mg of intracameral cefuroxime is shown to be, principally, toxic to the retina with transient or permanent retinal changes on optical coherence tomography which correlate with visual outcomes postoperatively. Protocols to avoid dilution errors should be available in theaters during cataract surgery where such commercial preparations are not available.
A Pilot Study
Authors: Uchida Mai , Spencer Andrea E. , Kenworthy Tara , Chan James , Fitzgerald Maura , Rosales Ana Maria , Kagan Elana , Saunders Alexandra , Biederman Joseph 
Published: March 2017

Abstract

Objective
Because of concerns about potential associations between high doses of citalopram and QTc prolongation in adults, this study examined whether such associations are operant in children. We hypothesized that therapeutic doses of nontricyclic antidepressant medications (non-TCAs) prescribed to children would be cardiovascularly safe.

Study Design
The sample consisted of 49 psychiatrically referred children and adolescents 6 to 17 years old of both sexes treated with a non-TCA (citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, bupropion, duloxetine, venlafaxine, mirtazapine). To standardize the doses of different antidepressants, we converted doses of individual medicines into “citalopram equivalent doses” (CEDs) based on dosing recommendation for individual antidepressants. Correlation analysis was carried out to compare the continuous and weight-based CED to variables of interest. A QTc grouping was defined as normal, borderline, or abnormal, and CED was compared across QTc groupings using linear regression. An antidepressant dosage group was defined as low or high dose, and a t test compared variables of interest across dosage groups.

Results
No significant associations were found between total or weight-corrected CEDs of any antidepressant examined and QTc or any other electrocardiogram or blood pressure parameters. In patients taking citalopram or escitalopram, a significant correlation was found between PR interval and total daily dose, which disappeared when weight-based doses were used or when corrected by age.

Conclusions
Although limited by a relatively small sample size, these results suggest that therapeutic doses of non-TCA antidepressants when used in children do not seem to be associated with prolonged QTc interval or other adverse cardiovascular effects.
Older Adult Kidney Function Assessment and Rounding Creatinine Led to Medication Dosing Error
Authors: Nguyen Timothy , Foster Yanique , Cekaj Shpres 
Published: March 2017

Background/Areas of Uncertainty:
Kidney function assessment in older adults can be unreliable because of many factors, and inaccurate assessment can lead to medication dosing error. Practitioners may have adopted the method of rounding creatinine to an arbitrary number 1.0 because of change in muscle mass and age-related change. This has in fact proven to cause more harm than good, potentially leading to underdosing of many medications.

Data Sources:
A literature search performed using PubMed with the following key words (rounding serum creatinine, rounding serum creatinine AND pharmacist or pharmacy, rounding serum creatinine AND doctor or physician or healthcare, rounding serum creatinine AND kidney function) with no restrictions (dates or any other requirement).

Results:
From the PubMed results, articles related to rounding of serum creatinine (Scr) and kidney function assessments were identified and reviewed. Most studies were retrospectives, 1 cross-sectional, 1 meta-analysis, and others were unidentified. These studies included various ways of estimating kidney functions (Tc99m DTPA clearance, Cockcroft–Gault creatinine clearance, 24-hour urine collection, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration), used various weights (actual body weight, ideal body weight, adjusted body weight), and most studies used 1.0 for rounding up Scr (other studies used 0.8 and 0.85). There was no associated relationship found as related to practicing professions (pharmacists vs. physician) to the practice of rounding Scr.

Conclusions:
All studies yielded inaccurate kidney function upon rounding of Scr and leading to medication dosing error. All studies suggested against rounding Scr when assessing kidney function in older adults.
Giant Juvenile Fibroadenoma in a 12-Year-Old Girl
Authors: Gkali Christina , Giannos Aris , Primetis Elias , Chalazonitis Athanasios , Anastasiadi Thenia , Feida Eleni , Sotiropoulou Maria , Dimitrakakis Constantine , Antoniou Aris 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
A 12-year-old girl was referred to our radiology department with a rapidly enlarging mass in the right breast. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of fibroadenoma. Total excision of the mass was done, and diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology.
Nonarteritic Jaw Claudication
Authors: Petersen Christine A. , Francis Courtney E. 
Published: March 2017

Abstract:
A 60-year-old woman with decreased visual acuity in her right eye and right-sided jaw claudication was found to have ocular ischemic syndrome secondary to complete occlusion of the brachiocephalic artery. Although jaw claudication is often considered to be pathognomonic for giant cell arteritis, it has a broad differential diagnosis including both vascular and nonvascular conditions.
Electrographic Features of Lateralized Periodic Discharges Stratify Risk in the Interictal–Ictal Continuum
Authors: Newey Christopher R. , Sahota Pradeep , Hantus Stephen 
Published: March 2017

Purpose:
To risk-stratify electrographic features of lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) in acute structural brain lesions for predictors of electrographic seizures.

Methods:
This is a retrospective review of 100 consecutive patients with LPDs. Epileptiform features of LPDs were described based on electrographic features: blunt delta morphology, sharply contoured, overlying fast frequencies, and/or rhythmicity (loss of interdischarge interval lasting ≥1 second). EEG seizures were defined as evolving in frequency, distribution, or morphology at ≥2 Hz for ≥10 seconds.

Results:
Overall, electrographic seizures occurred in 55% of patients with LPDs. Lateralized periodic discharges with rhythmicity (odds ratio 13.91) were most significant for predicting status epilepticus and/or seizures. This was followed by LPDs with overlying faster frequencies (odds ratio 5.16) and then sharply contoured morphology (odds ratio 4.09). Blunt delta morphology (0.24) had the lowest risk for seizures.

Conclusions:
Electrographic features of LPDs may help determine seizure risk in patients with acute structural lesions. Sharply contoured morphology, overlying fast frequencies, or rhythmicity, showed progressively higher risk of seizures on continuous electroencephalography, whereas blunt delta morphology had the lowest risk of seizures.