bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cocaine self‐administration induces changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity in ventral hippocampus
Authors: Keralapurath Madhusudhanan M. , Briggs Sherri B. , Wagner John J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAllowing rats extended access to cocaine self‐administration is thought to recapitulate several key aspects of cocaine addiction in humans. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie drug‐induced neuroadaptations that persist in the brain after protracted periods of abstinence is crucial towards the goal of developing therapeutic interventions for this disease state. We have employed both whole‐cell voltage clamp and extracellular recording technique to assess changes in neurotransmission and long‐term potentiation (LTP) in stratum radiatum of the CA1 region using the rat ventral hippocampal slice preparation. Rats allowed to self‐administer cocaine daily, including ‘long access’ (6 hours) sessions, exhibited an increase in the α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate current ratio and enhanced excitatory transmission following 3–5 weeks of abstinence. Inhibitory transmission was also significantly decreased in long‐access animals, and the AMPA/N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate ratio measured in the absence of GABAergic blockers was greatly enhanced. We also observed a significant reduction of LTP magnitude evoked in the long‐access cocaine rats. These findings suggest the presence of synergistic effects of enhanced AMPA and diminished gamma‐aminobutyric acid neurotransmission under physiological conditions in the CA1 region of cocaine‐taking animals, supporting the conclusion that persisting enhancement of AMPA‐mediated transmission and/or inhibition of gamma‐aminobutyric acid‐mediated transmission promoted a chronic state of potentiation that partially occluded further LTP. This increased output from the ventral hippocampus to other limbic areas would be among the drug‐induced neuroadaptations that persist following abstinence from cocaine self‐administration and therefore may contribute to the disease state of addiction.
Effectiveness of motivational interviewing to reduce illicit drug use in adolescents: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Lili , Zhu Shimin , Tse Nick , Tse Samson , Wong Paul 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAimsMotivational interviewing (MI) is a commonly used intervention approach to promote reduction or cessation of substance abuse. Effects may be different for adolescents, so it is useful to assess the state of the evidence in this subpopulation. This paper aimed to assess evidence for MI effectiveness in adolescents.MethodEBSCOhost, ProQuest and Digital Dissertation Consortium were searched using keywords. Ten randomized trials from the United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan, including 1466 participants, were identified and analysed using a random effects model. Primary outcome measures captured were: the extent of drug use, intention to use drugs and readiness to change. Each study received a high‐quality score based on the Miller Quality Scoring Coding System. Moderator analyses were also conducted to examine the impacts of follow‐up period, delivery setting and study design on the effectiveness of MI.ResultsNo statistically significant effect of MI on was found change of drug use behaviours [d = 0.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.06, 0.17, P = 0.36]. A significant effect was found on attitude change (d = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.67, P = 0.0002). The funnel plot was asymmetrical, suggesting publication bias favouring small studies with higher effect sizes.ConclusionMotivational interviewing has not been found thus far to reduce adolescent use of illicit drugs. It may influence intentions to change, but evidence of publication bias weakens confidence in this conclusion.
Exploring the Major Sources and Extent of Heterogeneity in a Genome‐Wide Association Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Pei Yu‐Fang , Tian Qing , Zhang Lei , Deng Hong‐Wen 
Published: December 2015

SummaryGenome‐wide association (GWA) meta‐analysis has become a popular approach for discovering genetic variants responsible for complex diseases. The between‐study heterogeneity effect is a severe issue that may complicate the interpretation of results. Aiming to improve the interpretation of meta‐analysis results, we empirically explored the extent and source of heterogeneity effect. We analyzed a previously reported GWA meta‐analysis of obesity, in which over 21,000 subjects from seven individual samples were meta‐analyzed. We first evaluated the extent and distribution of heterogeneity across the entire genome. We then studied the effects of several potentially confounding factors, including age, ethnicity, gender composition, study type, and genotype imputation on heterogeneity with a random‐effects meta‐regression model. Of the total 4,325,550 SNPs being tested, heterogeneity was moderate to very large for 25.4% of the total SNPs. Heterogeneity was more severe in SNPs with stronger association signals. Ethnicity, average age, and genotype imputation accuracy had significant effects on the heterogeneity. Exploring the effects of ethnicity can provide clues to the potential ethnic‐specific effects for two loci known to affect obesity, MC4R, and MTCH2. Our analysis can help to clarify understanding of the obesity mechanism and may provide guidance for an effective design of future GWA meta‐analysis.
In Defense of Factions
Authors: Dewan Torun , Squintani Francesco 
Published: December 2015

AbstractWe model faction formation in a world where party politicians' objective is the development of an informed program of governance. Politicians' preferences reflect their own views and their information that, when aggregated via intraparty deliberations, influences the party manifesto. By joining a faction, a politician increases the influence of its leader on the manifesto, but foregoes his individual bargaining power. For broad model specifications, we find that a faction formation process allows power to be transferred to moderate politicians. This facilitates information sharing, increasing the capacity of the party to attain its objective. These positive welfare effects may hold even when factionalism restricts intraparty dialogue, and hold a fortiori when information is freely exchanged across factions. We conclude that the existence of ideological factions may benefit a party: It provides a means to tie uninformed or extremist politicians to more moderate and informed faction leaders.
Improving physiotherapy services to Indigenous children with physical disability: Are client perspectives missed in the continuous quality improvement approach?
Authors: Greenstein Caroline , Lowell Anne , Thomas David Piers 
Published: December 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the outcomes of two cycles of continuous quality improvement (CQI) at a paediatric physiotherapy service with findings from interviews with clients and their carers using the service.DesignCase study based at one paediatric physiotherapy serviceSettingCommunity‐based paediatric allied health service in Northern Australia.ParticipantsForty‐nine clinical records and four staff at physiotherapy service, five Indigenous children with physical disability aged 8–21 years, and nine carers of Indigenous children aged 0–21 years (current or previous clients).InterventionsThe CQI process based on the Audit and Best Practice for Chronic Disease involved a clinical audit; a workshop where clinicians assessed their health care systems, identified weaknesses and strengths, and developed goals and strategies for improvement; and reassessment through a second audit and workshop. Twelve open‐ended, in‐depth interviews were conducted with previous or current clients selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. CQI and interview results were then compared.Main outcome measureComparison of findings from the two studiesResultsBoth CQI and interview results highlighted service delivery flexibility and therapists' knowledge, support and advocacy as service strengths, and lack of resources and a child‐friendly office environment as weaknesses. However, the CQI results reported better communication and client input into the service than the interview results.ConclusionThe CQI process, while demonstrating improvements in clinical and organisational aspects of the service, did not always reflect or address the primary concerns of Indigenous clients and underlined the importance of including clients in the CQI process.
Comparing surgical experience with performance on a sinus surgery simulator
Authors: Diment Laura E. , Ruthenbeck Greg S. , Dharmawardana Nuwan , Carney A. Simon , Woods Charmaine M. , Ooi Eng H. , Reynolds Karen J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluates whether surgical experience influences technical competence using the Flinders sinus surgery simulator, a virtual environment designed to teach nasal endoscopic surgical skills.MethodsTen experienced sinus surgeons (five consultants and five registrars) and 14 novices (seven resident medical officers and seven interns/medical students) completed three simulation tasks using haptic controllers. Task 1 required navigation of the sinuses and identification of six anatomical landmarks, Task 2 required removal of unhealthy tissue while preserving healthy tissue and Task 3 entailed backbiting within pre‐set lines on the uncinate process and microdebriding tissue between the cuts.ResultsNovices were compared with experts on a range of measures, using Mann–Whitney U
‐tests. Novices took longer on all tasks (Task 1: 278%, P < 0.005; Task 2: 112%, P < 0.005; Task 3: 72%, P < 0.005). In Task 1, novices' instruments travelled further than experts' (379%, P < 0.005), and provided greater maximum force (12%, P < 0.05). In Tasks 2 and 3 novices performed more cutting movements to remove the tissue (Task 2: 1500%, P < 0.005; Task 3: 72%, P < 0.005). Experts also completed more of Task 3 (66%, P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe study demonstrated the Flinders sinus simulator's construct validity, differentiating between experts and novices with respect to procedure time, instrument distance travelled and number of cutting motions to complete the task.
Introduction of subspecialty examinations by the European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO) in close collaboration with European Subspecialty Ophthalmological Societies: FEBO‐SA
Authors: Aclimandos Wagih , Mathysen Danny G. P. , Creuzot‐Garcher Catherine , Sunaric‐Mégevand Gordana 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO) aims to establish common European standards in ophthalmology. The comprehensive EBO Diploma (EBOD) examination has been officially used since 1995 by an increasing number of European countries to assess the level of education in ophthalmology of their residents at the end of their training. The current comprehensive EBOD examination ensures a minimum standard of knowledge. We present an update on the EBO plans to establish a subspecialty advanced EBOD (AdEBOD) examination in order to award ophthalmologists who complete subspecialty training with formal recognition of their expertise. The purpose, structure and process of the AdEBOD examination are presented.
The Novel Evidenced Assessment of Tortuosity system: interobserver reliability and agreement with clinical assessment
Authors: Balaskas Konstantinos , Tiew Stephanie , Czanner Gabriela , Tan Ai Ling , Ashworth Jane , Biswas Susmito , Aslam Tariq 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPurposeComputer‐assisted assessment of vessel tortuosity is clinically useful in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, poor image quality is often prohibitive for accurate segmentation by fully automated systems and semi‐automated systems are prone to unreliability. In the present work, we describe a method of retinal vessel tortuosity measurement by means of purpose‐built image analysis software that does not require high image quality yet is also reliable.MethodsImages were obtained from neonates at risk of ROP with Retcam Shuttle®. Individual vessels were assessed with the semi‐automated Novel Evidenced Assessment of Tortuosity (NEAT) system by two masked experimenters. Scores were compared to assess reliability. They were also compared against clinical scoring of individual vessels by two ROP screeners to assess relationship with clinical assessment. In a second image cohort, the mean of the most tortuous vessel in each of four quadrants in each eye (NEAT‐O) was compared against the documented gold standard clinical grading of plus disease.ResultsReliability of the NEAT system for 50 individual vessels using Bland–Altman plots was excellent. NEAT tortuosity scores for 50 individual vessels compared to clinical scoring showed strong correlation (0.706). Correlation between the NEAT‐O score for average tortuosity and gold standard for 167 eyes was modest (0.578).ConclusionsThe NEAT system is intuitive, user‐friendly and robust enough to be clinically useful in poor‐quality images. It allows for a rapid, valid and reliable assessment of tortuosity of individual vessels and produces a tortuosity score that correlates well with severity of plus disease.
Incidence and management of haemorrhagic Descemet membrane detachment in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty
Authors: Alobeidan Saleh A. , Almobarak Faisal A. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPurposeTo report the incidence and management of haemorrhagic Descemet membrane detachment (HDMD) in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty.MethodsThis study included 105 eyes of 92 patients with uncontrolled open angle glaucoma who underwent canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty between 2010 and 2014. Eyes that developed either HDMD or non‐HDMD were identified. The main outcome measures were the development of HDMD and non‐HDMD, best corrected visual acuity, recovery time after Descemet membrane detachment (DMD), intra‐ocular pressure (IOP) and number of antiglaucoma medications. Each eye was managed according to the time of development, type and extent of DMD.ResultsTen eyes (9.5%) developed DMD‐ four eyes underwent canaloplasty (3.8%) and six eyes underwent phacocanaloplasty (5.7%). Three of 10 eyes developed non‐HDMD while seven of 10 developed HDMD, the majority of HDMD cases occurred in combination with phacocanaloplasty (five of seven). The non‐HDMD eyes resolved completely within 2 weeks without intervention. One eye with HDMD was observed for 2 weeks, before a 15% sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) intracameral injection was given. The patient developed a dense corneal stain that was resolving slowly over 30 months. One eye with HDMD underwent YAG laser membranotomy 2 weeks after being identified, which regained corneal transparency 1 month after treatment, while the remaining five eyes underwent immediate surgical drainage and regained corneal transparency 1 day post‐procedure.ConclusionHDMD occurred in up to 6.7% in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty procedures, mostly during catheter withdrawal and the viscodilation step. Early recognition and management prevented further manipulation.
Fermentation and microbial population dynamics during the ensiling of native grass and subsequent exposure to air
Authors: Zhang Qing , Wu Baiyila , Nishino Naoki , Wang Xianguo , Yu Zhu 
Published: December 2015

AbstractTo study the microbial population and fermentation dynamics of large needlegrass (LN) and Chinese leymus (CL) during ensiling and subsequent exposure to air, silages were sampled and analyzed using culture‐based techniques and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). A total of 112 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated and identified using the 16S rRNA sequencing method. Lactic acid was not detected in the first 20 days in LN silage and the pH decreased to 6.13 after 45 days of ensiling. The temperature of the LN silage increased after approximately 30 h of air exposure and the CL silage showed a slight temperature variation. Enterococcus spp. were mainly present in LN silage. The proportion of Lactobacillus brevis in CL silage increased after exposure to air. LN silage with a higher proportion of Enterococcus spp. and propionic acid concentration did not show higher fermentation quality or aerobic stability than CL silage, which had a higher concentration of acetic acid, butyric acid and increased proportion of L. brevis after exposure to air.
Balloon occlusion of the caudal vena cava for vascular contrast studies as an aid to intravascular coil embolisation for the treatment of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in three dogs
Authors: Cook DA , Gavaghan BJ , Moses PA 
Published: December 2015

Case reportThree dogs were treated with fluoroscopically guided coil embolisation of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. A large‐diameter vascular occlusion balloon was used to improve the vascular contrast studies required to perform this procedure. This technique improved identification of vascular structures and allowed completion of the procedures without the need for digital subtraction angiography.Clinical significanceInterventional radiological procedures are an emerging area of veterinary medicine and procedural modifications may help expand their use in clinical practice.
Review of psittacine beak and feather disease and its effect on Australian endangered species
Authors: Raidal SR , Sarker S , Peters A 
Published: December 2015

BackgroundSince it was first described in the early 1980s, psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) has become recognised as the dominant viral pathogen of psittacine birds in Australia. Our aim was to evaluate and review the effect of PBFD and its position as a key threatening process to Australian psittacine bird species. We review the origin/evolutionary pathways and potential threat of PBFD to endangered psittacine bird populations and captive‐breeding flocks.ConclusionsThe most recent beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) phylogenetic analyses indicate that all endangered Australian psittacine bird species are susceptible to, and equally likely to be infected by, BFDV genotypes from a range of host psittacine species. Management of the disease in captive‐breeding programs has relied on testing and culling, which has proven costly. The risk of PBFD should be considered very carefully by management teams contemplating the establishment of captive‐breeding flocks for endangered species. Alternative disease prevention tools, including vaccination, which are increasingly being used in wildlife health, should be considered more seriously for managing and preventing PBFD in captive flocks of critically endangered species.
The Metric and the Threshold Problem for Theories of Health Justice: A Comment on Venkatapuram
Authors: Schramme Thomas 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACTAny theory of health justice requires an account of what areas of social life are important enough to be of public concern. What are the goods that ought to be provided as a matter of justice? This is what I will call the metric problem. The capabilities approach puts forward a particular solution to this problem. In this article I will discuss some issues of such an approach in relation to Sridhar Venkatapuram's well‐known theory. Another problem I examine is how to determine a threshold of provision within a theory of justice. What is enough in terms of health justice? I argue that we need such a threshold to avoid healthism, the expansion of the pursuit of health over and above the treatment and prevention of disease. This is an especially pertinent problem in public health, which is also the context of Venkatapuram's theory.
A Predictive Enrichment Procedure to Identify Potential Responders to a New Therapy for Randomized, Comparative Controlled Clinical Studies
Authors: Li Junlong , Zhao Lihui , Tian Lu , Cai Tianxi , Claggett Brian , Callegaro Andrea , Dizier Benjamin , Spiessens Bart , Ulloa-Montoya Fernando , Wei Lee-Jen 
Published: December 2015

Summary
To evaluate a new therapy versus a control via a randomized, comparative clinical study or a series of trials, due to heterogeneity of the study patient population, a pre-specified, predictive enrichment procedure may be implemented to identify an “enrichable” subpopulation. For patients in this subpopulation, the therapy is expected to have a desirable overall risk-benefit profile. To develop and validate such a “therapy-diagnostic co-development” strategy, a three-step procedure may be conducted with three independent data sets from a series of similar studies or a single trial. At the first stage, we create various candidate scoring systems based on the baseline information of the patients via, for example, parametric models using the first data set. Each individual score reflects an anticipated average treatment difference for future patients who share similar baseline profiles. A large score indicates that these patients tend to benefit from the new therapy. At the second step, a potentially promising, enrichable subgroup is identified using the totality of evidence from these scoring systems. At the final stage, we validate such a selection via two-sample inference procedures for assessing the treatment effectiveness statistically and clinically with the third data set, the so-called holdout sample. When the study size is not large, one may combine the first two steps using a “cross-training-evaluation” process. Comprehensive numerical studies are conducted to investigate the operational characteristics of the proposed method. The entire enrichment procedure is illustrated with the data from a cardiovascular trial to evaluate a beta-blocker versus a placebo for treating chronic heart failure patients.
Model Selection and Inference for Censored Lifetime Medical Expenditures
Authors: Johnson Brent A. , Long Qi , Huang Yijian , Chansky Kari , Redman Mary 
Published: December 2015

Summary
Identifying factors associated with increased medical cost is important for many micro- and macro-institutions, including the national economy and public health, insurers and the insured. However, assembling comprehensive national databases that include both the cost and individual-level predictors can prove challenging. Alternatively, one can use data from smaller studies with the understanding that conclusions drawn from such analyses may be limited to the participant population. At the same time, smaller clinical studies have limited follow-up and lifetime medical cost may not be fully observed for all study participants. In this context, we develop new model selection methods and inference procedures for secondary analyses of clinical trial data when lifetime medical cost is subject to induced censoring. Our model selection methods extend a theory of penalized estimating function to a calibration regression estimator tailored for this data type. Next, we develop a novel inference procedure for the unpenalized regression estimator using perturbation and resampling theory. Then, we extend this resampling plan to accommodate regularized coefficient estimation of censored lifetime medical cost and develop postselection inference procedures for the final model. Our methods are motivated by data from Southwest Oncology Group Protocol 9509, a clinical trial of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer, and our models of lifetime medical cost are specific to this population. But the methods presented in this article are built on rather general techniques and could be applied to larger databases as those data become available.
Mechanistic Spatio-Temporal Point Process Models for Marked Point Processes, With a View to Forest Stand Data
Authors: Møller Jesper , Ghorbani Mohammad , Rubak Ege 
Published: December 2015

SummaryWe show how a spatial point process, where to each point there is associated a random quantitative mark, can be identified with a spatio-temporal point process specified by a conditional intensity function. For instance, the points can be tree locations, the marks can express the size of trees, and the conditional intensity function can describe the distribution of a tree (i.e., its location and size) conditionally on the larger trees. This enable us to construct parametric statistical models which are easily interpretable and where maximum-likelihood-based inference is tractable.