bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Baseline quality of life predicts pelvic exenteration outcome
Authors: Choy Ian , Young Jane M. , Badgery‐Parker Tim , Masya Lindy M. , Shepherd Heather L. , Koh Cherry , Heriot Alexander G. , Solomon Michael J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundRecurrent rectal cancer affects a significant group of patients with no current consensus on management. This study investigated patients' quality of life (QoL) in the 12 months after pelvic exenteration.MethodProspective cohort study with clinical and QoL data collected at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. QoL trajectories were modelled over 12 months from date of discharge using linear mixed models.ResultsOf 117 patients, 93 underwent pelvic exenteration surgery, 24 did not. Thirty‐day mortality was nil for both groups. For patients who had surgery, 15 (16%) died within 12 months of surgery compared with nine (38%) of the non‐surgery group. Baseline QoL scores were highly variable. The non‐exenteration patients' QoL gradually declined over 12 months while exenteration patients declined then recovered. Patients with high baseline QoL scores remained high, and those with low baseline QoL remained low. Baseline QoL score, gender and bony resection were significant predictors of QoL score at 12 months.ConclusionBaseline QoL is a significant, independent predictor of patients' QoL after pelvic exenteration for recurrent rectal cancer.
Coats’ disease and retrobulbar haemodynamics
Authors: Zhao Qi , Peng Xiao‐Yan , Yang Wen‐Li , Li Dong‐Jun , You Qi‐Sheng , Jonas Jost B. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPurposeTo study the retrobulbar haemodynamics in patients with Coats’ disease.MethodsThe clinical study included 43 patients with Coats’ disease. Using colour Doppler imaging, we measured the blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA) and posterior ciliary arteries (PCA), and recorded the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), time averaged maximum velocity (TAMX), pulsatility index (PI) and resistance indexes (RI). The unaffected contralateral eyes served as control group. The disease was graded into four stages.ResultsCompared to the contralateral eyes, the Coats’ disease affected eyes showed for the CRA a significant decrease in PSV (7.08 ± 1.38 cm/s versus 8.64 ± 1.45 cm/s; p < 0.001), EDV (2.03 ± 0.41 cm/s versus 2.52 ± 0.62 cm/s; p < 0.001) and TAMX (3.67 ± 0.96 cm/s versus 4.40 ± 1.22 cm/s; p = 0.003) and for the PCA a significant decrease in PSV (9.15 ± 1.87 cm/s versus 10.14 ± 1.61 cm/s; p = 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed that the decrease in haemodynamic parameters existed mainly in patients with stage 3A2 and stage 3B of Coats' disease.ConclusionsAs measured by colour Doppler imaging, the retrobulbar blood vessels showed decreased haemodynamic parameters in patients with Coats’ disease on the affected side as compared to the contralateral unaffected side, in particular in advanced stages of the disease. Future studies may address the causes and effects of these haemodynamic changes.
Assessment of calpain and caspase systems activities during ageing of two bovine muscles by degradation patterns of αII spectrin and PARP‐1
Authors: Saccà Elena , Pizzutti Nicoletta , Corazzin Mirco , Lippe Giovanna , Piasentier Edi 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe activities of calpain and caspase systems during ageing in Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Infraspinatus (IS) muscles of Italian Simmental young bulls (Bos taurus) were assessed. Samples from 10 animals were collected within 20 min of exsanguination (T0), after 48 h (T1) and 7 days (T2) post mortem. Calpain and caspase activity were evaluated based on the formation of αII spectrin cleavage products of 145 kDa (SBDP145) and 120 kDa (SBDP120), respectively. Caspase activity was also assessed by the presence of poly (adenosine diphosphate‐ribose) polymerase‐1 (PARP‐1) cleavage product. At T0, LL showed higher levels of SBDP145 than IS (P < 0.01), while SBDP120 and PARP‐1 degradation products were similar between muscles. At T1, no difference was found in the level of SBDP145 between muscles, while SBDP120 and PARP‐1 cleavage products were not detected. At T2 neither αII spectrin nor PARP‐1 cleavage products were found. LL and IS showed different proteolysis after slaughter that was influenced more by calpain than caspase activity, which was detectable only in the early post mortem period.
Exploration of steroidogenesis‐related genes in testes, ovaries, adrenals, liver and adipose tissue in pigs
Authors: Robic Annie , Feve Katia , Louveau Isabelle , Riquet Juliette , Prunier Armelle 
Published: December 2015

AbstractTo explore the metabolism of steroids in the pig species, a qualitative PCR analysis was performed for the main transcript of 27 genes involved in steroid metabolism. We compared samples of testes, adipose tissue and liver from immature and peripubertal males, adrenal cortex from peripubertal males, ovaries from cyclic females and adipose tissue from peripubertal females. Some genes were shown to have a tissue‐specific expression. Two of them were expressed only in testes, ovaries and adrenals: CYP11A1 and CYP11B. The CYP21 and HSD17B3 genes, were expressed respectively only in adrenals and only in testes. Very few differences were observed between transcriptional patterns of peripubertal testes and adrenal glands as well as between male and female fat tissues. However, the expression of genes involved in the sulfonation of steroids was higher in testes than in adrenals from males. Main differences between ovaries and testes were observed for HSD17B1/2/3, AKR1C‐pig6 and sulfotransferase genes (SULT2A1/SULT2B1). The present study shows that the SRD5A2 and CYP21 genes were not involved in the testicular biosynthesis of androstenone. It also shows that porcine adrenal glands produce essentially corticosteroids and that fat tissue is unable to produce de novo steroids.
Synbiotics suppress the release of lactate dehydrogenase, promote non‐specific immunity and integrity of jejunum mucosa in piglets
Authors: Andrejčáková Zuzana , Sopková Drahomíra , Vlčková Radoslava , Kulichová Lucia , Gancarčíková Soňa , Almášiová Viera , Holovská Katarína , Petrilla Vladimír , Krešáková Lenka 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe aim of our experiment was to study how synbiotics are able to deal with the problems of post‐weaning piglets. Lactobacillus plantarum – BiocenolTM LP96 (CCM 7512), Lactobacillus fermentum – BiocenolTM LF99 (CCM 7514) and flaxseed (rich in n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) were administered to 36 conventional piglets from a problematic breed with confirmed presence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Coronavirus. The experimental piglets were supplied with probiotic cheeses and crushed flax‐seed in the period starting 10 days before weaning and lasting up to 14 days post‐weaning. Piglets in the control group were supplied only control cheese. The impact of such additives on the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; spectroscopic and electrophoretic assay), alteration of immunity (index of metabolic activity), jejunum histology (light microscopy), and health of conventional piglets from a problematic breed (monitoring of hematology, consistency and moisture of feces and body temperature) were examined. We found significant decrease in LDH leakage in the blood serum and tissue extracts, indicating better cell membrane integrity in the individual organs of animals. Probiotics and flaxseed applied together seem to be a good source of nutrients to improve the immune status and the integrity of jejunum mucosa during infection. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science
Restoring grasslands with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi around remnant patches
Authors: Teste François P. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractEcological restoration of species‐rich grasslands remains a priority for conservation of biodiversity. Torrez et al. (Applied Vegetation Science, this issue) determined if plant species recolonization of degraded nutrient‐poor grasslands could be increased by adding a local source of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculum at different distances from intact remnant grasslands. They highlight the important role of below‐ground processes on restoration success.
A review on the impact of cognitive dysfunction on social, occupational, and general functional outcomes in bipolar disorder
Authors: Baune Bernhard T , Malhi Gin S 
Published: December 2015

ObjectivesBipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant impairment in cognitive performance across multiple domains of function that often persist after clinical recovery. It remains unclear, however, as to whether this process is related to the clinical status of BD being depressed, manic/hypomanic, or euthymic. In this review, we examine the literature on the cross‐sectional and longitudinal relationships between cognitive function and general function depending on the clinical phase of BD.MethodsA systematic review of original research that studied both cognitive function and general function in adults (18–60 years), restricted to BD, was conducted in a total of 18 studies meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria.ResultsResults show cross‐sectional and prospective relationships between cognitive function and general function in patients with BD in both symptomatic and euthymic patients with BD. While studies using general measures of function (e.g., Global Assessment of Function scale) show more inconsistent associations with cognitive function, those employing assessments of domain specific function, suggest a consistent relationship between social and occupational function and cognitive performance. Executive function is commonly affected by cognitive deficits in these patients, but in addition a variety of domains show associations with functional outcomes (e.g., social function, occupational function). Notably, the emerging evidence suggests that cognitive function may be a better predictor of future general function than affective symptom severity.ConclusionsDespite some inconsistencies, in sum the literature on the relationship between cognitive function and general function in BD implicates both cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations, both in symptomatic and euthymic patients with BD. And in terms of capturing these changes functional scales in particular domain‐specific measures seem superior to general measures.
The neurocognitive profile of mood disorders – a review of the evidence and methodological issues
Authors: Porter Richard J , Robinson Lucy J , Malhi Gin S , Gallagher Peter 
Published: December 2015

ObjectivesCognitive abnormalities are an established part of the symptomatology of mood disorders. However, questions still exist regarding the exact profile of these deficits in terms of the domains most affected, their origins, and their relationship to clinical subtypes. This review aims to examine the current state of the evidence and to examine ways in which the field may be advanced.MethodsStudies examining cognitive function in bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar major depression (MDD) were examined. Given the number and variability of such studies, particular attention was paid to meta‐analyses and to meta‐regression analyses which examined the possible mediators of cognitive impairment.ResultsMeta‐analyses are available for MDD and BD in both depression and euthymia. Several analyses examine mediators. Results do not support the presence of domain specific deficits but rather a moderate deficit across a range of domains in BD and in MDD. The data on clinical mediators is inconsistent, even with regard to the effect of mood state.ConclusionsA two‐tiered approach, with the broad‐based application of standardized measures on a large‐scale, and the refined application of theoretically driven experimental development would significantly further our understanding of neurocognitive processing in mood disorder.
Vulnerability, Health Agency and Capability to Health
Authors: Straehle Christine 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACTOne of the defining features of the capability approach (CA) to health, as developed in Venkatapuram's book Health Justice, is its aim to enable individual health agency. Furthermore, the CA to health hopes to provide a strong guideline for assessing the health‐enabling content of social and political conditions. In this article, I employ the recent literature on the liberal concept of vulnerability to assess the CA. I distinguish two kinds of vulnerability. Considering circumstantial vulnerability, I argue that liberal accounts of vulnerability concerned with individual autonomy, align with the CA to health. Individuals should, as far as possible, be able to make health‐enabling decisions about their lives, and their capability to do so should certainly not be hindered by public policy. The CA to health and a vulnerability‐based analysis then work alongside to define moral responsibilities and designate those who hold them. Both approaches demand social policy to address circumstances that hinder individuals from taking health‐enabling decisions. A background condition of vulnerability, on the other hand, even though it hampers the capability for health, does not warrant the strong moral claim proposed by the CA to health to define health as a meta‐capability that should guide social policy. Nothing in our designing social policy could change the challenge to health agency when we deal with background conditions of vulnerability.
Venkatapuram's Capability theory of Health: A Critical Discussion
Authors: Tengland Per‐Anders 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACTThe discussion about theories of health has recently had an important new input through the work of Sridhar Venkatapuram. He proposes a combination of Lennart Nordenfelt's holistic theory of health and Martha Nussbaum's version of the capability approach. The aim of the present article is to discuss and evaluate this proposal. The article starts with a discussion of Nordenfelt's theory and evaluates Venkatapuram’ critique of it, that is, of its relativism, both regarding goals and environment, and of the subjectivist theory of happiness used. Then the article explains why Nordenfelt's idea of a reasonable environment is not a problem for the theory, and it critiques Venkatapuram's own incorporation of the environment into the concept of health, suggesting that this makes the concept too wide. It contends, moreover, that Venkatapuram's alternative theory retains a problem inherent in Nordenfelt's theory, namely, that health is conceived of as a second‐order ability. It is argued that health should, instead, be defined as first‐order abilities. This means that health cannot be seen as a capability, and also that health cannot be seen as a meta‐capability of the kind envisioned by Venkatapuram. It is, furthermore, argued that the theory lacks one crucial aspect of health, namely, subjective wellbeing. Finally, the article tries to illustrate how health, in the suggested alternative sense, as first‐order abilities, fits into Nussbaum's capability theory, since health as an ‘actuality’ is part of all the ‘combined capabilities’ suggested by Nussbaum.
Flexible Link Functions in Nonparametric Binary Regression with Gaussian Process Priors
Authors: Li Dan , Wang Xia , Lin Lizhen , Dey Dipak K. 
Published: December 2015

Summary
In many scientific fields, it is a common practice to collect a sequence of 0-1 binary responses from a subject across time, space, or a collection of covariates. Researchers are interested in finding out how the expected binary outcome is related to covariates, and aim at better prediction in the future 0-1 outcomes. Gaussian processes have been widely used to model nonlinear systems; in particular to model the latent structure in a binary regression model allowing nonlinear functional relationship between covariates and the expectation of binary outcomes. A critical issue in modeling binary response data is the appropriate choice of link functions. Commonly adopted link functions such as probit or logit links have fixed skewness and lack the flexibility to allow the data to determine the degree of the skewness. To address this limitation, we propose a flexible binary regression model which combines a generalized extreme value link function with a Gaussian process prior on the latent structure. Bayesian computation is employed in model estimation. Posterior consistency of the resulting posterior distribution is demonstrated. The flexibility and gains of the proposed model are illustrated through detailed simulation studies and two real data examples. Empirical results show that the proposed model outperforms a set of alternative models, which only have either a Gaussian process prior on the latent regression function or a Dirichlet prior on the link function.
Cultural invariance of goal orientation and self‐efficacy in New Zealand: Relations with achievement
Authors: Meissel Kane , Rubie‐Davies Christine M. 
Published: December 2015

BackgroundThere is substantial evidence indicating that various psychological processes are affected by cultural context, but such research is comparatively nascent within New Zealand. As there are four large cultural groups in New Zealand, representing an intersection of individualist, collectivist, indigenous, colonial, and immigrant cultures, New Zealand is an important context in which to investigate the role of culture in such processes.AimsThis study investigated goal orientation and self‐efficacy beliefs among students of different cultural backgrounds in New Zealand, associations between motivational beliefs and achievement, and whether any relations differed by cultural background.SampleParticipants were 2,210 students attending three intermediate schools.MethodsParticipants responded to a questionnaire at the beginning of the school year to evaluate self‐efficacy for mathematics and mastery and performance goal orientation. Participants also completed a standardized mathematics achievement test at the beginning and end of the year.ResultsThe factor structure was sufficiently invariant by cultural group, but with statistically significant differences in average level of endorsement. Self‐efficacy for mathematics predicted marginally higher end‐of‐year achievement after controlling for beginning‐of‐year achievement, with a stronger relationship for Māori and Pasifika, but no statistically significant relationship with achievement among Asian students.ConclusionsThe questionnaire used was a valid instrument for the four main cultural groups in New Zealand. Differences were found in motivation levels, and Māori and Pasifika were more affected by their self‐reported self‐efficacy. Teachers may be able to raise students’ self‐beliefs by conveying high expectations for these students, potentially supporting higher academic outcomes.
The value of molecular stratification for CEBPADM and NPM1MUTFLT3WT genotypes in older patients with acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Dickson Glenda J. , Bustraan Sophia , Hills Robert K. , Ali Akbar , Goldstone Anthony H. , Burnett Alan K. , Linch David C. , Gale Rosemary E. 
Published: December 2015

SummaryOlder adult patients (≥60 years) with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are generally considered to be poor‐risk and there is limited information available regarding risk stratification based on molecular characterization in this age group, particularly for the double‐mutant CEBPA (CEBPADM) genotype. To investigate whether a molecular favourable‐risk genotype can be identified, we investigated CEBPA, NPM1 and FLT3 status and prognostic impact in a cohort of 301 patients aged 60 years or more with intermediate‐risk cytogenetics, all treated intensively. Overall survival (OS) at 1 year was highest in the 12 patients (4%) that were CEBPADM compared to the 76 (28%) with a mutant NPM1 and wild‐type FLT3 (NPM1MUTFLT3WT) genotype or all other patients (75%, 54%, 33% respectively), with median survival 15·2, 13·6 and 6·6 months, although the benefit was short‐term (OS at 3 years 17%, 29%, 12% respectively). Combination of the CEBPADM and NPM1MUTFLT3WT genotype patients defined a molecular group with favourable prognosis (P < 0·0001 in multivariate analysis), with 57% of patients alive at 1 year compared to 33% for all other patients. Knowledge of genotype in older cytogenetically intermediate‐risk patients might influence therapy decisions.
Central nervous system involvement by Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (Bing‐Neel syndrome): a multi‐institutional retrospective study
Authors: Castillo Jorge J. , D'Sa Shirley , Lunn Michael P. , Minnema Monique C. , Tedeschi Alessandra , Lansigan Frederick , Palomba M. Lia , Varettoni Marzia , Garcia‐Sanz Ramon , Nayak Lakshmi , Lee Eudocia Q. , Rinne Mikael L. , Norden Andrew D. , Ghobrial Irene M. , Treon Steven P. 
Published: December 2015

SummaryBing‐Neel syndrome (BNS) is a rare complication seen in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (WM), in which lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma cells colonize the central nervous system. In this retrospective multi‐centre study, we present the clinicopathological features, imaging findings, therapy, response and outcomes of 34 patients with BNS. The median time from WM diagnosis to BNS diagnosis was 3 years, 15% of patients were diagnosed with BNS at the time of WM diagnosis, and 22% of patients developed BNS when responding to active treatment for WM. Patients with BNS presented with variable clinical features including limb motor deficits, change in mental status and cranial nerve palsies. The diagnosis was made using a combination of cerebrospinal fluid cytology, flow cytometry and detection of the MYD88 L265 mutation, and magnetic resonance imaging. The estimated 3‐year overall survival rate was 59%. Of the survivors, 40% have evidence of pathological and/or radiological persistence of disease. Age older than 65 years, platelet count lower than 100 × 109/l, and treatment for WM prior to BNS diagnosis were associated with worse outcome. Exposure to rituximab for treatment of BNS was associated with a better outcome. Multi‐institutional collaboration is warranted to improve treatment and outcomes in patients with BNS.
Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in Southern Africa: review of 487 cases from The International Non‐Hodgkin Lymphoma Classification Project
Authors: Perry Anamarija M. , Perner Yvonne , Diebold Jacques , Nathwani Bharat N. , MacLennan Kenneth A. , Müller‐Hermelink Hans K. , Bast Martin , Boilesen Eugene , Armitage James O. , Weisenburger Dennis D. 
Published: December 2015

SummaryComparative data on the distribution of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes in Southern Africa (SAF) is scarce. In this study, five expert haematopathologists classified 487 consecutive cases of NHL from SAF using the World Health Organization classification, and compared the results to North America (NA) and Western Europe (WEU). Southern Africa had a significantly lower proportion of low‐grade (LG) B‐NHL (34·3%) and a higher proportion of high‐grade (HG) B‐NHL (51·5%) compared to WEU (54·5% and 36·4%) and NA (56·1% and 34·3%). High‐grade Burkitt‐like lymphoma was significantly more common in SAF (8·2%) than in WEU (2·4%) and NA (2·5%), most likely due to human immunodeficiency virus infection. When SAF patients were divided by race, whites had a significantly higher frequency of LG B‐NHL (60·4%) and a lower frequency of HG B‐NHL (32·7%) compared to blacks (22·5% and 62·6%), whereas the other races were intermediate. Whites and other races had a significantly higher frequency of follicular lymphoma and a lower frequency of Burkitt‐like lymphoma compared to blacks. The median ages of whites with LG B‐NHL, HG B‐NHL and T‐NHL (64, 56 and 67 years) were significantly higher than those of blacks (55, 41 and 34 years). Epidemiological studies are needed to better understand these differences.