bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structured Preoperative Phone Counseling by Junior Medical Staff for Improving the Consent Process for Tonsillectomy
Authors: Kam Jonathan , Harrop Elizabeth , Parmar Priscilla , Kim Raymond , Leith Nicholas , Gunawardena Indunil 
Published: August 2016

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of preoperative phone counseling by junior medical staff for improving the standard of informed consent for tonsillectomy.Study DesignProspective randomized controlled trial.SettingDistrict general hospital.Subjects and MethodsA total of 43 patients undergoing tonsillectomy were randomly allocated to 2 groups. Group A (n = 25) underwent the conventional consent process by the consultant ear, nose, and throat surgeon at the time of assessment (which generally takes place 6 to 12 months prior to surgery due to wait‐list times). Group B (n = 18) underwent this same consent process but received a structured preoperative phone call 2 to 3 weeks prior to the day of surgery. A preoperative questionnaire assessing the knowledge of tonsillectomy, perioperative course, and risks was completed on the day of surgery.ResultsGroup B had a better recall of the risks of tonsillectomy, recalling 7.1 of the 10 most significant risks, as compared with 4.6 for group A (P =. 017). Group B had a better awareness of tooth damage (78% vs 30% of patients, P ≤. 001), voice change (61 vs 19%, P =. 005), and burns to lips and mouth (44% vs 8%, P =. 005). Finally, 35% more patients from group B rated their understanding of tonsillectomy as good or very good (P =. 017).ConclusionPreoperative phone counseling by junior medical staff closer to the time of surgery reinforces and clarifies the information previously provided by senior consultants at the time of initial consent for tonsillectomy.
Investigating the role of adipokines in chronic migraine
Authors: Rubino Elisa , Vacca Alessandro , Govone Flora , Gai Annalisa , Boschi Silvia , Zucca Milena , De Martino Paola , Gentile Salvatore , Pinessi Lorenzo , Rainero Innocenzo 
Published: August 2016

Background and aims Adiponectin, leptin, and resistin are adipocyte-derived secretory factors involved in endothelial function, weight, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Recent studies suggested a role for adipokines in episodic migraine as mediators of inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin in patients with chronic migraine. Materials and methods Twenty-seven chronic migraineurs (20 females, 7 males; mean age 49.0 ± 9.0 yrs) and 37 healthy controls (23 females, 14 males; mean age 49.8 ± 15.0 yrs) were selected for the study. Fasting plasmatic levels of total adiponectin, leptin, and resistin were measured using ELISA kits during a pain-free period. Fasting glucose, insulin, total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and ESR were also determined. Results Serum levels of adiponectin and resistin were significantly increased in chronic migraineurs in comparison with controls ( p = 0.001 and p = 0.032, respectively). After correction for BMI, sex and age, leptin levels were significantly increased in chronic migraineurs ( p = 0.007). A positive correlation between leptin concentrations and both indices of insulin resistance and markers of inflammation was found. Discussion Our data suggest that adiponectin and resistin are altered in non-obese chronic migraineurs. Further studies are needed to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying adipokine dysfunction in migraine.
Socioecological Risk Predictors of Physical Activity and Associated Mortality
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D. , Davis Robert E. 
Published: August 2016

Purpose: To assess (1) the cumulative effect of socioecological factors (social risk) on objectively measured physical activity, (2) the cumulative socioecological risk on all-cause mortality, (3) the potential interaction effects of social risk factors on physical activity and mortality, and (4) whether physical activity mediates the relationship between social risk and mortality. Design: Cross-sectional and prospective. Setting: Laboratory- and survey-based testing of the general US population. Participants: Five thousand five hundred seventy-four adult participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006. Measures: Social risk was assessed from 4 variables, namely poverty level, education, minority status, and social living status. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed via accelerometry. Mortality was assessed via linkage with the National Death Index, with follow-up through 2011. Analysis: Negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Compared to those with 0 social risk factors, those with 1 and 2+ social risk factors engaged in 11% and 10% less MVPA, respectively. Those with 1 (vs 0) social risk factor had a 2.0-fold increase in mortality risk, and those with 2+ (vs 0) social risk factors had a 2.3-fold increase in mortality risk. Interaction effects for various socioecological factors on both MVPA and mortality were observable. Conclusion: Cumulative social risk is associated with less MVPA and increased all-cause mortality risk. Given the interaction effects of socioecological factors, targeted interventions in identified populations may be needed.
Frequency of electrophoretic changes consistent with feline infectious peritonitis in two different time periods (2004–2009 vs 2013–2014)
Authors: Stranieri Angelica , Giordano Alessia , Bo Stefano , Braghiroli Chiara , Paltrinieri Saverio 
Published: August 2016

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the frequency of electrophoretic changes in serum of cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) changed in recent years vs past years. Methods Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) from cats with FIP and healthy cats recorded in the periods 2004–2009 and 2013–2014 were retrospectively analysed. Relative and absolute values of each electrophoretic fraction were recorded and the number of cats showing single or combined electrophoretic changes consistent with FIP (hypoalbuminaemia, inverted albumin to globulin [A:G] ratio, increased total protein, total globulin, alpha [α]2-globulin and gamma [γ]-globulin concentration) were counted. Additionally, a visual analysis of electrophoretograms was also performed. Results for the two time periods were statistically compared. Results The details of 91 AGE procedures (41 from cats with FIP and 50 from healthy cats) and 45 CZE procedures (26 from cats with FIP and 19 from healthy cats) were obtained from the database. No significant differences between the two time periods were found both in FIP and in healthy cats analysed with CZE and in healthy cats analysed with AGE. Compared with 2004–2009, cats with FIP sampled in 2013–2014 with AGE showed a significantly lower concentration of total protein, γ-globulins and total globulins, and a significantly higher A:G ratio and percentage of albumin and α2-globulins. Using both AGE and CZE, in recent years the proportion of cats with high α2-globulins without gammopathy and the proportion of cats with gammopathy alone decreased. With a visual approach, the number of patterns considered as dubious increased in the second period with AGE (non-statistically significant). Conclusions and relevance The frequency of electrophoretic abnormalities in cats with FIP decreased in recent years, independently of the technique employed. Although the mechanism responsible for this change was not investigated in this study, this altered frequency may decrease the diagnostic accuracy of serum protein electrophoresis for FIP.
The Health-Care Provider’s Perspective of Education Before Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Trivedi Paraag , Rosaasen Nicola , Mansell Holly 
Published: August 2016

Context: Adequate patient education is essential for preparing potential recipients for kidney transplantation. Health-care providers play a vital role in education and can identify gaps in patient understanding. Objective: To identify deficits in patient knowledge from the perspective of a transplant multidisciplinary care team and determine whether their perceptions align with patients who have previously undergone a transplant. Design: An open call was advertised for health-care providers to attend a focus group discussion regarding the educational needs of pretransplant patients in 1 Canadian center. A predetermined, semistructured set of questions was used to collect the views of transplant caregivers. A moderator, assistant moderator, and research assistant facilitated the discussion, which was transcribed verbatim. Paper surveys were distributed to collect opinions of those unable to attend or uncomfortable to voice their opinion in an open forum. Qualitative analysis software was used to identify any emergent themes. Results were compared to a previous study undertaken in transplant recipients. Results: Despite pre- and posttransplant education, specific themes emerged including misconceptions about the assessment process and time on the wait list and the surgery, incongruency between patient expectations and outcome, and confusion regarding medications. Health-care provider perceptions were remarkably consistent with transplant recipients. Conclusion: Health-care providers identified gaps in patient understanding indicating that transplant candidates may not be internalizing what is taught. Innovative educational approaches may be needed to provide more successful patient education. Similarities between health-care provider and patient perceptions suggest that care providers are a valuable source of information.
Barriers for Hispanic Caregivers With Obese Preschool Children
Authors: White Christina , Murphy Taylor , Hodges Eric A. , Berry Diane C. 
Published: August 2016

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic, and the rates are disproportionately higher in minorities. Clinical guidelines have contributed to decreased prevalence overall, but the rates in Hispanic preschoolers have increased. Method: This review of the literature summarizes the perceptions and beliefs of caregivers of Hispanic preschool children regarding weight status and feeding behaviors, as well as the perceived cultural barriers to guideline adherence. A search of the CINAHL, PubMed, Joanna Briggs, and Global Health databases identified studies performed between January 1, 2008, and April 1, 2016. Search terms included Hispanics, guideline adherence, gap, barriers, obesity, overweight, and attitude to obesity. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including some about Hispanic caregivers of preschool-aged children. Several cultural perceptions and beliefs were identified. Conclusion: Further study is needed to develop more culturally relevant and sensitive guidelines and to design specific and effective interventions for this population.
Primary and key secondary results from the ROCKET AF trial, and their implications on clinical practice
Authors: Shah Rohan , Patel Manesh R. 
Published: August 2016

Background: The safety and efficacy of the oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban were studied in the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF trial). A number of subanalyses of the ROCKET AF trial have subsequently analyzed the use of rivaroxaban in special patient populations. Methods: The outcomes of the ROCKET AF trial were reviewed. The use of rivaroxaban in higher risk populations, as determined by the presence of co-morbidities included in the CHADS2 criteria, was analyzed. Requirements for dose adjustment in patients with renal impairment and in East Asian patients were described. Finally, clinical management challenges, including interruptions in therapy, drug discontinuation, management of bleeding events, drug interactions, and management of patients requiring cardioversion/ablation were reviewed. Results: Rivaroxaban is efficacious in high-risk populations, including elderly patients, patients with diabetes, heart failure, history of stroke, prior myocardial infarction, or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Patients with PAD have a higher risk of bleeding with rivaroxaban compared with warfarin. East Asian populations do not require a dose adjustment for rivaroxaban, while a reduced dose of 15 mg daily is required for patients with moderate renal impairment. Rivaroxaban remains effective with temporary interruptions in therapy and in patients requiring cardioversion/ablation. Rates of major bleeding and subsequent outcomes were similar in patients on warfarin and rivaroxaban, although rates of gastrointestinal bleeding were higher with rivaroxaban. Concurrent use of antiarrhythmic therapy was not associated with adverse outcomes. Conclusions: Rivaroxaban represents an efficacious alternative to warfarin in high-risk patients with AF. Dose adjustment is required for patients with moderate renal impairment. Rivaroxaban can be used safely in a number of challenging clinical management scenarios although the concurrent use of amiodarone requires more study.
Cytoskeletal abnormalities and neutrophil dysfunction in WDR1 deficiency
Authors: Kuhns Douglas B. , Fink Danielle L. , Choi Uimook , Sweeney Colin , Lau Karen , Priel Debra Long , Riva Dara , Mendez Laura , Uzel Gulbu , Freeman Alexandra F. , Olivier Kenneth N. , Anderson Victoria L. , Currens Robin , Mackley Vanessa , Kang Allison , Al-Adeli Mehdi , Mace Emily , Orange Jordan S. , Kang Elizabeth , Lockett Stephen J. , Chen De , Steinbach Peter J. , Hsu Amy P. , Zarember Kol A. , Malech Harry L. , Gallin John I. , Holland Steven M. 
Published: August 2016

Key Points
Mutations in Aip1, encoded by WDR1, alter regulation of the neutrophil cytoskeleton, causing neutrophil dysfunction.
In vivo transduction of primitive mobilized hematopoietic stem cells after intravenous injection of integrating adenovirus vectors
Authors: Richter Maximilian , Saydaminova Kamola , Yumul Roma , Krishnan Rohini , Liu Jing , Nagy Eniko-Eva , Singh Manvendra , Izsvák Zsuzsanna , Cattaneo Roberto , Uckert Wolfgang , Palmer Donna , Ng Philip , Haworth Kevin G. , Kiem Hans-Peter , Ehrhardt Anja , Papayannopoulou Thalia , Lieber André 
Published: August 2016

AbstractCurrent protocols for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) gene therapy, involving the transplantation of ex vivo genetically modified HSPCs are complex and not without risk for the patient. We developed a new approach for in vivo HSPC transduction that does not require myeloablation and transplantation. It involves subcutaneous injections of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor/AMD3100 to mobilize HSPCs from the bone marrow (BM) into the peripheral blood stream and the IV injection of an integrating, helper-dependent adenovirus (HD-Ad5/35++) vector system. These vectors target CD46, a receptor that is uniformly expressed on HSPCs. We demonstrated in human CD46 transgenic mice and immunodeficient mice with engrafted human CD34+ cells that HSPCs transduced in the periphery home back to the BM where they stably express the transgene. In hCD46 transgenic mice, we showed that our in vivo HSPC transduction approach allows for the stable transduction of primitive HSPCs. Twenty weeks after in vivo transduction, green fluorescent protein (GFP) marking in BM HSPCs (Lin−Sca1+Kit− cells) in most of the mice was in the range of 5% to 10%. The percentage of GFP-expressing primitive HSPCs capable of forming multilineage progenitor colonies (colony-forming units [CFUs]) increased from 4% of all CFUs at week 4 to 16% at week 12, indicating transduction and expansion of long-term surviving HSPCs. Our approach was well tolerated, did not result in significant transduction of nonhematopoietic tissues, and was not associated with genotoxicty. The ability to stably genetically modify HSPCs without the need of myeloablative conditioning is relevant for a broader clinical application of gene therapy.
Interpreting transcriptional changes using causal graphs: new methods and their practical utility on public networks
Authors: Fakhry Carl Tony , Choudhary Parul , Gutteridge Alex , Sidders Ben , Chen Ping , Ziemek Daniel , Zarringhalam Kourosh 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
Background
Inference of active regulatory cascades under specific molecular and environmental perturbations is a recurring task in transcriptional data analysis. Commercial tools based on large, manually curated networks of causal relationships offering such functionality have been used in thousands of articles in the biomedical literature. The adoption and extension of such methods in the academic community has been hampered by the lack of freely available, efficient algorithms and an accompanying demonstration of their applicability using current public networks.

Results
In this article, we propose a new statistical method that will infer likely upstream regulators based on observed patterns of up- and down-regulated transcripts. The method is suitable for use with public interaction networks with a mix of signed and unsigned causal edges. It subsumes and extends two previously published approaches and we provide a novel algorithmic method for efficient statistical inference. Notably, we demonstrate the feasibility of using the approach to generate biological insights given current public networks in the context of controlled in-vitro overexpression experiments, stem-cell differentiation data and animal disease models. We also provide an efficient implementation of our method in the R package available to download from Bioconductor.

Conclusions
In this work, we have closed an important gap in utilizing causal networks to analyze differentially expressed genes. Our proposed Quaternary test statistic incorporates all available evidence on the potential relevance of an upstream regulator. The new approach broadens the use of these types of statistics for highly curated signed networks in which ambiguities arise but also enables the use of networks with unsigned edges. We design and implement a novel computational method that can efficiently estimate p-values for upstream regulators in current biological settings. We demonstrate the ready applicability of the implemented method to analyze differentially expressed genes using the publicly available networks.
A landscape of art-based therapeutic practices in Iran
Authors: Van Lith Theresa , Bullock Lindsay , Rahimian Elahe , Moghaddam Kaveh 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
This article examines a number of factors that influence how the use of art for mental health is practised in Iran. Historical and cultural causes as well as political upheaval, economic downturn, and scepticism of western values have meant that mental health services cater only to a small population. As a result, these issues have created disparate attitudes towards the role of art as a therapeutic means of healing. While art therapy is seen as a relatively new profession, art therapists in Iran have been striving to make it an impactful modality for treating mental health issues. This article demonstrates how western models of art-based practices have been applied with children in Iran. It concludes by highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive models of art-based therapeutic practices that serve to work with the existing cultures and beliefs of the Iranian people.
Dissimilar sequence: similar structure of proteins
Authors: Banach Mateusz , Konieczny Leszek , Roterman Irena 
Published: August 2016

Abstract
Sequence-to-structure relation is one of the major objects of the analysis of protein folding problem. The pair of two small proteins (domains) of similar structure (β-hairpin/α-helix/β-hairpin) generated by the chains of similar length (about 60 amino acids) with very low sequence similarity (15%) is the object of the comparable analysis of 3D structure. The criterion for similarity estimation is the status of polypeptide chain with respect to the hydrophobic core structure. The fuzzy oil drop model is applied to reveal the differentiated status of fragments of the well-defined secondary structure. This analysis allows the interpretation of the structure in other than the geometric form as it is made based on secondary structure classification. The two compared highly similar proteins appear to be different with respect to the hydrophobic core structure.
From “Possible Worlds” to “Possible Experience”. Real Possibility in Leibniz and Kant
Authors: Ottaviani Osvaldo 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis paper moves from a disagreement with those interpreters who explain Kant’s doctrine of real possibility in terms of possible worlds. It seems to me that a possible world framework is too much indebted to the Leibnizian metaphysics of modality and, therefore, cannot serve to make sense of Kant’s theses. Leibniz’s theory of possibility, indeed, has been deeply criticized in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (CPR). Interestingly enough, however, Kant’s principal argument for rejecting that the field of what is possible is greater than the field of what is real was already anticipated by Leibniz. However, Leibniz employed it to demonstrate that there cannot be more than one actual world only (the others being purely possible ones). Moving from this fact, I argue that there is a certain tension between what Leibniz says about the actual world and his commitment to a plurality of possible worlds conceived as ideas in God’s mind. The first part of my paper is devoted to show that such a tension can be traced back to Leibniz’s claims about the relation between the possible and the real. In the second part, then, I maintain that Kant’s theory of real possibility grows from a dissatisfaction with (and a rejection of) Leibniz’s attempted solution to the problem of characterizing a kind of possibility narrower than the merely logical one and, nonetheless, not identical with existence. Finally, I present a short account of Kant’s theory of real possibility, based on the notion of transcendental conditions as conditions of possibility of experience, showing how it works in the case of the forms of intuition.
Kant, Rational Psychology and Practical Reason
Authors: Saunders Joe 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn his pre-critical lectures on rational psychology, Kant employs an argument from the I to the transcendental freedom of the soul. In the (A-edition of the) first Critique, he distances himself from rational psychology, and instead offers four paralogisms of this doctrine, insisting that ‘I think’ no longer licenses any inferences about a soul. Kant also comes alive to the possibility that we could be thinking mechanisms - rational beings, but not agents. These developments rob him of his pre-critical rationalist argument for freedom. In the Groundwork, this is a serious problem; if we are not free, morality will be a phantasm for us. In Groundwork III, Kant attempts to overcome this by offering a new argument for our freedom, involving the standpoint of practical reason. In this paper, I detail these developments and present a practical and phenomenological reading of Kant’s approach in Groundwork III. I also venture a defence of this new argument.