bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial Outcomes of Participating in Pediatric Diabetes Camp
Authors: Bultas Margaret W. , Schmuke Ashley D. , Moran Vicki , Taylor John 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjectiveThere are approximately 18,400 youth who are newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in the United States each year. Because of the potential for hypoglycemia, frequent need to monitor blood glucose, and other medical care associated with T1DM, children may not be able to participate in the typical summer camp experience. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the impact of camp on the child's attitude toward their illness, (2) to evaluate the child's confidence in self‐care management of their diabetes, (3) to assess the child's perception and satisfaction with the camp experience, and (4) to evaluate the perception of camp experience by the parents.Design and SampleThirty‐eight parent‐child dyads participated in a pretest, posttest quasi‐experimental research study evaluating the benefits of a camping experience for the child with T1DM.ResultsPre‐ and postcamp comparisons revealed improved attitude toward illness and improved self‐efficacy after the camping experience.ConclusionResults of the study support the psychosocial benefits of a camping experience for children with T1DM. Findings from the study can be used by health care providers as evidence to support the benefits of sending children with T1DM to residential summer camp.
Public Service Motivation Research: Achievements, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Perry James L. , Vandenabeele Wouter 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThis article takes stock of public service motivation research to identify achievements, challenges, and an agenda for research to build on progress made since 1990. After enumerating achievements and challenges, the authors take stock of progress on extant proposals to strengthen research. In addition, several new proposals are offered, among them conducting more research on the disaggregated construct, developing grounded theory of public service motivation to understand contextual variations across cultures and political institutions, and improving current measures to better capture loyalty to governance regime as an institutional dimension of the public service motivation construct.
Trimmed Mean Isotonic Regression
Authors: Dhar Subhra sankar 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe trimmed mean is well‐known in literature for being more robust and for having better efficiency than the sample mean when data is generated from heavy‐tailed distributions. In this article, the trimmed mean in the isotonic regression setup is proposed, and the asymptotic as well as the robustness properties of the estimator are studied. The usefulness of the proposed estimator is illustrated using different real and simulated data. Further, the performance of the estimator is compared with that of the mean and the median isotonic regression estimators.
Retrospective evaluation of blood culture isolates and sepsis survival rate in foals in the Czech Republic: 50 cases (2011–2013)
Authors: Hytychová Taťana , Bezděková Barbora 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo identify the specific pathogens causing sepsis in hospitalized foals in the Czech Republic and identify important factors associated with their survival.DesignA retrospective study from 2011 to 2013.SettingUniversity veterinary teaching hospital.AnimalsFifty compromised foals.InterventionsNone.Measurement and Main ResultsBlood was aseptically collected for bacterial culture from compromised foals. The foals were classified as septic according to a positive blood culture result or sepsis score ≥11. Blood cultures were positive in 44% of the foals. In these positive cultures, 27.3% had only Gram‐positive (G+) bacteria and 54.5% had only Gram‐negative (G−) bacteria. A mixed bacterial population was presented in 18.2% of the positive cultures. Thirty‐six foals were classified as septic on the basis of positive blood culture or a sepsis score ≥11. In the group of foals that did not survive, there were significantly more foals with low levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) than foals with normal levels of IgG (P< 0.0001). We also found a significant difference in the proportion of foals with low levels of IgG and positive blood cultures when compared to negative blood cultures. Twenty‐six of the 50 foals were discharged from the hospital. Survival was significantly lower in foals with a diagnosis of sepsis than in foals without sepsis. There was no statistically significant difference between foals that died as a result of infection caused by G− or G+ pathogens. There was no difference in the proportion of survivors that did or did not receive antimicrobials prior to admission.ConclusionsIn our study, we confirmed the increasing trend for G+ bacteria in blood cultures but G− still predominate. The percentage of nonsurviving septic foals was high.
Effectiveness of a Brief, Basic Evidence‐Based Practice Course for Clinical Nurses
Authors: Ramos‐Morcillo Antonio J. , Fernández‐Salazar Serafín , Ruzafa‐Martínez María , Del‐Pino‐Casado Rafael 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundBarriers to the implementation of evidence‐based practice (EBP) by nursing professionals include a lack of knowledge, inadequate skills in searching for and appraising evidence, and consulting research articles. However, few studies have addressed the effectiveness of educational interventions to improve their competence.AimsTo evaluate the effectiveness of a brief basic online and face‐to‐face educational intervention to promote EBP attitudes, knowledge and skills, and practice in clinical care nurses.MethodsThis study was quasi‐experimental, pretest‐posttest design with a comparison group. The sample included registered nurses enrolled in the free continuing education courses offered in 2013 by the Nursing Council of Jaén (Spain). The study included 109 participants (54 in the intervention group and 55 in the comparison group). The intervention was a brief, basic EBP course with online and face‐to‐face learning. The comparison group received an educational intervention with different content. The evidence‐based practice questionnaire (EBPQ) was used to evaluate EBP attitude, knowledge and skills, and practice before the intervention, and at 21 and 60 days following the intervention. Two‐way mixed analysis of variance was conducted.ResultsThere was a significant difference between intervention and comparison groups in the knowledge and skills dimension. The difference between groups was not significant in the EBP practice dimension. Both groups had high scores in the attitude dimension that did not change after the intervention.Linking Evidence to ActionA brief basic educational intervention on EBP with online and face‐to‐face learning can produce improvements in the knowledge and skills of clinical nurses.
Frequency considerations for deep ablation with high‐intensity focused ultrasound: A simulation study
Authors: Ellens Nicholas , Hynynen Kullervo 
Published: July 2015

Purpose:The objective of this study was to explore frequency considerations for large‐volume, deep thermal ablations with focused ultrasound. Though focal patterns, focal steering rate, and the size of focal clusters have all been explored in this context, frequency studies have generally explored shallower depths and hyperthermia applications. This study examines both treatment efficiency and near‐field heating rate as functions of frequency and depth.Methods:Flat, 150 mm transducer arrays were simulated to operate at frequencies of 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, and 1500 kHz. Each array had interelement spacing yielding arrays of 2000–70 000 piston‐shaped elements arranged in concentric rings. Depths of 50, 100, and 150 mm were explored, with attenuation (α) values of 2.5–10 (Np/m)/MHz. Ultrasound propagation was simulated with the Rayleigh–Sommerfeld integral over a volume of homogeneous simulated tissue. Absorbed power density was determined from the acoustic pressure which, in turn, was modeled with the Pennes bioheat transfer equation. Using this knowledge of temperature over time, thermal dose function of Sapareto and Dewey was used to model the resulting bioeffect of each simulated sonication. Initially, single foci at each depth, frequency, and α were examined with either fixed peak temperatures or fixed powers. Based on the size of the resulting, single foci lesions, larger compound sonications were designed with foci packed together in multiple layers and rings. For each depth, focal patterns were chosen to produce a similar total ablated volume for each frequency. These compound sonications were performed with a fixed peak temperature at each focus. The resulting energy efficiency (volume ablated per acoustic energy applied), near‐field heating rate (temperature increase in the anterior third of the simulation space per unit volume ablated), and near‐ and far‐field margins were assessed.Results:Lesions of comparable volume were created with different frequencies at different depths. The results reflect the interconnected nature of frequency as it effects focal size (decreasing with frequency), peak pressure (generally increasing with frequency), and attenuation (also increasing with frequency). The ablation efficiency was the highest for α = 5 (Np/m)/MHz at a frequency of 750 kHz at each depth. For α = 10 (Np/m)/MHz, efficiency was the highest at 750 kHz for a depth of 50 mm, and 500 kHz at depths of 100 and 150 mm. At all sonication depths, near‐field heating was minimized with lower frequencies of 250 and 500 kHz.Conclusions:Large‐volume ablations are most efficient at frequencies of 500–750 kHz at depths of 100–150 mm. When one considers that near‐field heat accumulation tends to be the rate limiting factor in large‐volume ablations like uterine fibroid surgery, the results show that frequencies as low as 500 kHz are favored for their ability to reduce heating in the near‐field.
An Antifungal Benzimidazole Derivative Inhibits Ergosterol Biosynthesis and Reveals Novel Sterols
Authors: Keller Petra , Müller Christoph , Engelhardt Isabel , Hiller Ekkehard , Lemuth Karin , Eickhoff Holger , Wiesmüller Karl-Heinz , Burger-Kentischer Anke , Bracher Franz , Rupp Steffen 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTFungal infections are a leading cause of morbidity and death for hospitalized patients, mainly because they remain difficult to diagnose and to treat. Diseases range from widespread superficial infections such as vulvovaginal infections to life-threatening systemic candidiasis. For systemic mycoses, only a restricted arsenal of antifungal agents is available. Commonly used classes of antifungal compounds include azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. Due to emerging resistance to standard therapies, significant side effects, and high costs for several antifungals, there is a need for new antifungals in the clinic. In order to expand the arsenal of compounds with antifungal activity, we previously screened a compound library using a cell-based screening assay. A set of novel benzimidazole derivatives, including (S)-2-(1-aminoisobutyl)-1-(3-chlorobenzyl)benzimidazole (EMC120B12), showed high antifungal activity against several species of pathogenic yeasts, includingCandida glabrataandCandida krusei(species that are highly resistant to antifungals). In this study, comparative analysis of EMC120B12 versus fluconazole and nocodazole, using transcriptional profiling and sterol analysis, strongly suggested that EMC120B12 targets Erg11p in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway and not microtubules, like other benzimidazoles. In addition to the marker sterol 14-methylergosta-8,24(28)-dien-3β,6α-diol, indicating Erg11p inhibition, related sterols that were hitherto unknown accumulated in the cells during EMC120B12 treatment. The novel sterols have a 3β,6α-diol structure. In addition to the identification of novel sterols, this is the first time that a benzimidazole structure has been shown to result in a block of the ergosterol pathway.
Addressing Therapeutic Options for Ebola Virus Infection in Current and Future Outbreaks
Authors: Haque Azizul , Hober Didier , Blondiaux Joel 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACT

Ebola virus can cause severe hemorrhagic disease with high fatality rates. Currently, no specific therapeutic agent or vaccine has been approved for treatment and prevention of Ebola virus infection of humans. Although the number of Ebola cases has fallen in the last few weeks, multiple outbreaks of Ebola virus infection and the likelihood of future exposure highlight the need for development and rapid evaluation of pre- and postexposure treatments. Here, we briefly review the existing and future options for anti-Ebola therapy, based on the data coming from rare clinical reports, studies on animals, and results from
in vitro
models. We also project the mechanistic hypotheses of several potential drugs against Ebola virus, including small-molecule-based drugs, which are under development and being tested in animal models or
in vitro
using various cell types. Our paper discusses strategies toward identifying and testing anti-Ebola virus properties of known and medically approved drugs, especially those that can limit the pathological inflammatory response in Ebola patients and thereby provide protection from mortality. We underline the importance of developing combinational therapy for better treatment outcomes for Ebola patients.
Pharmacokinetics of Antituberculosis Drugs in HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Adults in Malawi
Authors: van Oosterhout J. J. , Dzinjalamala F. K. , Dimba A. , Waterhouse D. , Davies G. , Zijlstra E. E. , Molyneux M. E. , Molyneux E. M. , Ward S. 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACT

Limited data address the impact of HIV coinfection on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antituberculosis drugs in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 47 Malawian adults underwent rich pharmacokinetic sampling at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h postdose. Of the subjects, 51% were male, their mean age was 34 years, and 65% were HIV-positive with a mean CD4 count of 268 cells/μl. Antituberculosis drugs were administered as fixed-dose combinations (150 mg rifampin, 75 mg isoniazid, 400 mg pyrazinamide, and 275 mg ethambutol) according to recommended weight bands. Plasma drug concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (rifampin and pyrazinamide) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (isoniazid and ethambutol). Data were analyzed by noncompartmental methods and analysis of variance of log-transformed summary parameters. The pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows (median [interquartile range]): for rifampin, maximum concentration of drug in plasma (
C
max
) of 4.129 μg/ml (2.474 to 5.596 μg/ml), area under the curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC
0–∞
) of 21.32 μg/ml · h (13.57 to 28.60 μg/ml · h), and half-life of 2.45 h (1.86 to 3.08 h); for isoniazid,
C
max
of 3.97 μg/ml (2.979 to 4.544 μg/ml), AUC
0–24
of 22.5 (14.75 to 34.59 μg/ml · h), and half-life of 3.93 h (3.18 to 4.73 h); for pyrazinamide,
C
max
of 34.21 μg/ml (30.00 to 41.60 μg/ml), AUC
0–24
of 386.6 μg/ml · h (320.0 to 463.7 μg/ml · h), and half-life of 6.821 h (5.71 to 8.042 h); and for ethambutol,
C
max
of 2.278 μg/ml (1.694 to 3.098 μg/ml), AUC
0–24
of 20.41 μg/ml · h (16.18 to 26.27 μg/ml · h), and half-life of 7.507 (6.517 to 8.696 h). The isoniazid PK data analysis suggested that around two-thirds of the participants were slow acetylators. Dose, weight, and weight-adjusted dose were not significant predictors of PK exposure, probably due to weight-banded dosing. In this first pharmacokinetic study of antituberculosis drugs in Malawian adults, measures of pharmacokinetic exposure were comparable with those of other studies for all first-line drugs except for rifampin, for which the
C
max
and AUC
0–24
values were notably lower. Contrary to some earlier observations, HIV status did not significantly affect the AUC of any of the drugs. Increasing the dose of rifampin might be beneficial in African adults, irrespective of HIV status. Current co-trimoxazole prophylaxis was associated with an increase in the half-life of isoniazid of 41% (
P
= 0.022). Possible competitive interactions between isoniazid and sulfamethoxazole mediated by the
N
-acetyltransferase pathway should therefore be explored further.
Antimicrobial Peptide Novicidin Synergizes with Rifampin, Ceftriaxone, and Ceftazidime against Antibiotic-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
In Vitro
Authors: Soren Odel , Brinch Karoline Sidelmann , Patel Dipesh , Liu Yingjun , Liu Alexander , Coates Anthony , Hu Yanmin 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACT

The spread of antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative bacteria is a serious clinical threat, and infections with these organisms are a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Traditional novel drug development inevitably leads to the emergence of new resistant strains, rendering the new drugs ineffective. Therefore, reviving the therapeutic potentials of existing antibiotics represents an attractive novel strategy. Novicidin, a novel cationic antimicrobial peptide, is effective against Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we investigated novicidin as a possible antibiotic enhancer. The actions of novicidin in combination with rifampin, ceftriaxone, or ceftazidime were investigated against 94 antibiotic-resistant clinical Gram-negative isolates and 7 strains expressing New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1. Using the checkerboard method, novicidin combined with rifampin showed synergy with >70% of the strains, reducing the MICs significantly. The combination of novicidin with ceftriaxone or ceftazidime was synergistic against 89.7% of the ceftriaxone-resistant strains and 94.1% of the ceftazidime-resistant strains. Synergistic interactions were confirmed using time-kill studies with multiple strains. Furthermore, novicidin increased the postantibiotic effect when combined with rifampin or ceftriaxone. Membrane depolarization assays revealed that novicidin alters the cytoplasmic membrane potential of Gram-negative bacteria.
In vitro
toxicology tests showed novicidin to have low hemolytic activity and no detrimental effect on cell cultures. We demonstrated that novicidin strongly rejuvenates the therapeutic potencies of ceftriaxone or ceftazidime against resistant Gram-negative bacteria
in vitro
. In addition, novicidin boosted the activity of rifampin. This strategy can have major clinical implications in our fight against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
Identification of Conserved and Species-Specific Functions of the Listeria monocytogenes PrsA2 Secretion Chaperone
Authors: Cahoon Laty A. , Freitag Nancy E. 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTThe Gram-positive bacteriumListeria monocytogenesis a facultative intracellular pathogen that relies on the regulated secretion and activity of a variety of proteins that sustain life within diverse environments. PrsA2 has recently been identified as a secreted peptidyl-prolylcis/transisomerase and chaperone that is dispensable for bacterial growth in broth culture but essential forL. monocytogenesvirulence. Following host infection, PrsA2 contributes to the proper folding and activity of secreted proteins that are required for bacterial replication within the host cytosol and for bacterial spread to adjacent cells. PrsA2 is one member of a family of Gram-positive secretion chaperones that appear to play important roles in bacterial physiology; however, it is not known how these proteins recognize their substrate proteins or the degree to which their function is conserved across diverse Gram-positive species. We therefore examined PrsA proteins encoded by a variety of Gram-positive bacteria for functional complementation ofL. monocytogenesmutants lackingprsA2. PrsA homologues encoded byBacillus subtilis,Streptococcus pyogenes,Streptococcus pneumoniae,Streptococcus mutans,Staphylococcus aureus, andLactococcus lactiswere examined for functional complementation of a variety ofL. monocytogenesPrsA2-associated phenotypes central toL. monocytogenespathogenesis and bacterial cell physiology. Our results indicate that while selected aspects of PrsA2 function are broadly conserved among diverse Gram-positive bacteria, PrsA2 exhibits unique specificity forL. monocytogenestarget proteins required for pathogenesis. TheL. monocytogenesPrsA2 chaperone thus appears evolutionarily optimized for virulence factor secretion within the host cell cytosol while still maintaining aspects of activity relevant to more general features of Gram-positive protein translocation.
Cyclic Dinucleotide-Controlled Regulatory Pathways in Streptomyces Species
Authors: Tschowri Natalia 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTThe cyclic dinucleotides cyclic 3′,5′-diguanylate (c-di-GMP) and cyclic 3′,5′-diadenylate (c-di-AMP) have emerged as key components of bacterial signal transduction networks. These closely related second messengers follow the classical general principles of nucleotide signaling by integrating diverse signals into regulatory pathways that control cellular responses to changing environments. They impact distinct cellular processes, with c-di-GMP having an established role in promoting bacterial adhesion and inhibiting motility and c-di-AMP being involved in cell wall metabolism, potassium homeostasis, and DNA repair. The involvement of c-dinucleotides in the physiology of the filamentous, nonmotile streptomycetes remained obscure until recent discoveries showed that c-di-GMP controls the activity of the developmental master regulator BldD and that c-di-AMP determines the level of the resuscitation-promoting factor A(RpfA) cell wall-remodelling enzyme. Here, I summarize our current knowledge of c-dinucleotide signaling inStreptomycesspecies and highlight the important roles of c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP in the biology of these antibiotic-producing, multicellular bacteria.
“Mr Smith's been our problem child today…”: anticipatory management communication (AMC) in VA end-of-shift medicine and nursing handoffs
Authors: Bergman Alicia A , Flanagan Mindy E , Ebright Patricia R , O'Brien Colleen M , Frankel Richard M 
Published: July 2015

BackgroundTools and procedures designed to improve end-of-shift handoffs through standardisation of processes and reliance on technology may miss contextually sensitive information about anticipated events that emerges during face-to-face handoff interactions. Such information, what we refer to as anticipatory management communication (AMC), is necessary to ensure timely and safe patient care, but has been little studied and understood.ObjectiveTo investigate AMC and the role it plays in nursing and medicine handoffs.Research designQualitative thematic analysis based on audio recordings of nurse-to-nurse, medical resident-to-resident and surgical intern-to-intern handoffs.Subjects27 nurse handoff dyads and 18 medical resident and surgical intern handoff dyads at one VA Medical Center.ResultsHeads-up information was the most frequent type of AMC across all handoff dyads (N=257; 108 resident and 149 nursing). Indirect instructions AMC was used in a little over half the resident handoff dyads, but occurred in all nursing dyads (292 instances). Direct instructions AMC occurred in roughly equal proportion across all dyads but at a modest frequency (N=45; 28 resident and 17 nursing). Direct (if/then) contingency AMC occurred in resident handoffs more frequently than in nursing handoffs (N=32; 30 resident and 2 nursing).ConclusionsThe different frequencies for types of AMC likely reflect differences in how residents and nurses work and disparate professional cultures. But, verbal communication in both groups included important information unlikely to be captured in written handoff tools or the electronic medical record, underscoring the importance of direct communication to ensure safe handoffs.