bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Generating near-extreme Summer Reference Years for building performance simulation
Authors: Jentsch Mark F , Eames Matt E , Levermore Geoff J 
Published: May 2015

At present, there is no universally accepted method for deriving near-extreme summer weather data for building performance simulation. Existing data sets such as the Design Summer Years (DSY) used in the UK to estimate summer discomfort in naturally ventilated and free running buildings have been criticised for being inconsistent with the corresponding Test Reference Years (TRY). This paper proposes a method for generating Summer Reference Years (SRY) by adjusting the TRY of a given site with meteorological data in order to represent near-extreme conditions. It takes as the starting point that the TRY is robust, being determined on a monthly basis from the most typical months. Initial simulations for the 14 UK TRY locations show promising results for determining building overheating with the SRY. Practical application: The proposed method for deriving near-extreme summer years from multi-year data and the corresponding ‘typical’ weather year (TRY) of a given site is applicable to locations worldwide and facilitates summer overheating assessment of naturally ventilated and free running buildings. The method helps to overcome the previous shortcomings of near-extreme summer year selection procedures by providing a clear relationship to the underlying TRY.
A systematic review and thematic synthesis of quality of life in the informal carers of cancer patients with cachexia
Authors: Wheelwright Sally , Darlington Anne-Sophie , Hopkinson Jane B , Fitzsimmons Deborah , Johnson Colin 
Published: May 2015

Background: Informal carers of cancer patients with cachexia face additional challenges to those encountered by informal carers in general because of the central role food and eating play in everyday life. Patient weight loss and anorexia, core features of cancer cachexia, are frequent causes of distress in caregivers. Identification of quality of life issues can inform the development of interventions for both caregivers and patients and facilitate communication with healthcare professionals. Aim: To identify quality of life issues that are relevant to carers of cancer patients with cachexia. Design: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature were conducted. Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data sources: PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES were searched for publications dated from January 1980 to February 2015 using search terms relating to cancer, cachexia, quality of life and carers. Papers written in the English language, featuring direct quotes from the carers of adult patients with any cancer diagnosis and cachexia or problems with weight loss or anorexia, were included. Results: Five themes were extracted from the 16 identified studies. These highlighted the impact on everyday life, the attempts of some carers to take charge, the need for healthcare professional’s input, conflict with the patient and negative emotions. Conclusion: The complexity of caring for a cancer patient with cachexia translates into a range of problems and experiences for informal carers. By addressing the impact of caring for a patient with cancer cachexia on carers, both caregiver and patient quality of life may improve.
Software solutions alone cannot guarantee useful radiology requests
Authors: Van Borsel Mathias D , Devolder Pieter JD , Bosmans Jan ML 
Published: May 2015

Background The availability of clinical information and a pertinent clinical question can improve the diagnostic accuracy of the imaging process. Purpose To examine if an electronic request form forcing referring clinicians to provide separate input of both clinical information and a clinical question can improve the quality of the request. Material and Methods A total of 607 request forms in the clinical worklists for a computed tomography (CT) scan of the thorax, the abdomen or their combination, were examined. Using software of our own making, we examined the presence of clinical information and a clinical question before and after the introduction of a new, more compelling order method. We scored and compared the quality of the clinical information and the clinical question between the two systems and we examined the effect on productivity. Results Both clinical information and a clinical question were present in 76.7% of cases under the old system and in 95.3% under the new system ( P < 0.001). Individual characteristics of the clinical information and the clinical question however, with the exception of incompleteness, showed little improvement under the new system. There was also no significant difference between the two systems in the number of requests requiring further search. Conclusion The introduction of electronic radiology request forms compelling referring clinicians to provide separate input of clinical information and a clinical question provides only limited benefit to the quality of the request. Raising awareness among clinicians of the importance of a well-written request remains essential.
Utility of creatinine/cystatin C ratio as a predictive marker for adverse effects of chemotherapy in lung cancer: A retrospective study
Authors: Suzuki Kensuke , Furuse Hideaki , Tsuda Takeshi , Masaki Yasuaki , Okazawa Seisuke , Kambara Kenta , Inomata Minehiko , Miwa Toshiro , Matsui Shoko , Kashii Tatsuhiko , Taniguchi Hirokazu , Hayashi Ryuji , Tobe Kazuyuki 
Published: May 2015

Objective To determine whether the creatinine/cystatin C (Cr/CysC) ratio, which is influenced by muscle mass, can be used as a predictive marker of the adverse effects of chemotherapy. Methods This single-centre, retrospective, observational study assessed patients with lung cancer. Serum Cr and CysC levels were measured once within 1 month prior the commencement of chemotherapy. Results A total of 25 patients with lung cancer were enrolled in the study: 22 received first-line therapy; three received second-line therapy. A significant difference was noted regarding the Cr/CysC ratios between patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and those with small-cell lung cancer (0.78 versus 0.92, respectively). A significant difference was also noted in the Cr/CysC ratios of patients with NSCLC with toxicity grades <3 and ≥3 (0.84 versus 0.70, respectively). Similar findings were observed in patients with NSCLC who received platinum-based combination therapy (toxicity grade < 3, 0.85; toxicity grade ≥3, 0.69). Conclusion The Cr/CysC ratio could serve as a useful predictive marker for chemotherapy-related adverse effects in patients with NSCLC.
Understanding the occupational performance experiences of individuals with low vision
Authors: Blaylock Sarah E , Barstow Beth A , Vogtle Laura K , Bennett Deborah K 
Published: May 2015

Introduction Occupational therapy practitioners who provide interventions for adults with low vision need to understand challenges with occupational performance from the individual’s perspective in order to implement effective treatment. The purpose of this study was to understand self-described occupational behaviors of persons with low vision. Method This qualitative study included semi-structured interviews regarding the occupational experiences of 22 individuals with varying levels of vision impairment. Transcribed data were organized according to the areas of occupation reported in the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Practice Framework. Results Participants described occupational performance of activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and leisure. Within each area of occupation, participants reported lighting, contrast, familiarity, and organization within the environment as facilitators or barriers to participation. Participants with increased vision loss relied heavily on assistive devices, task simplification, and others to perform desired occupations. Conclusion The information obtained in this study can assist practitioners in selecting more effective interventions to increase the independence and safety of individuals with low vision.
Perivascular spaces and headache: A population-based imaging study (HUNT-MRI)
Authors: Husøy Andreas Kattem , Indergaard Marit Kristina , Honningsvåg Lasse-Marius , Håberg Asta K , Hagen Knut , Linde Mattias , Gårseth Mari , Stovner Lars Jacob 
Published: May 2015

Background In four previous clinic-based MRI studies headache sufferers (in particular migraineurs) had more perivascular spaces (PVS) than individuals who were headache-free. Methods The present study was part of a large longitudinal, epidemiological study (Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey (HUNT)). The 1006 participants, age 50–65 years at inclusion, had participated in all previous HUNT surveys (1–3), and been randomly selected to a population-based imaging study of the head (HUNT-MRI, 2007–2009). The number of visible PVS in the basal ganglia (BG) and hemispheric white matter (HWM) was compared in headache sufferers (migraine with and without aura, non-migrainous headache) and people who were headache-free. Results The results showed in general small differences between headache sufferers and headache-free participants. In the cross-sectional analysis migraineurs without aura had fewer PVS than headache-free individuals in BG (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.76--0.94, p value = 0.003) and in BG and HWM together (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.95-1.00, p value = 0.046). No difference between long-term headache sufferers and long-term headache-free individuals with regard to number of PVS was found. Discussion In contrast to previous studies, the present large, blinded, population-based study showed no increase in number of dilated PVS among headache sufferers. Fewer PVS among those with migraine without aura may be a spurious finding.
The stiffness of unsaturated railway formations
Authors: Otter Louise , Clayton Christopher Robert I , Priest Jeffrey A , Gräbe Petrus J 
Published: May 2015

The rational design of a substructure to support a rail track requires an estimation of the stiffness value of the formation on which it is to be built. Stiffness values derived from back-analyses of deformations of the ground beneath the track have been found by the authors to be much higher than those predicted from laboratory element testing on saturated specimens. This may be because of differences in compaction between field and laboratory, or because suctions created by lack of saturation play a key role in controlling stiffness, and therefore the performance of the track when in use. To test the latter hypothesis a laboratory study has been carried out on material representative of that found in South African railway formations. This was tested at constant dry density and various water contents, with matric suctions determined using different established techniques, and very-small-strain stiffness levels obtained from resonant column testing. A suction stress characteristic curve was developed to identify the contribution of suction to the overall effective stress for this material. The results show that suction can indeed be an important contributing factor to the magnitude of stiffness. For material tested at constant dry density, the stiffness initially increases with reducing compaction water content, and therefore with increasing suction. It subsequently reduces back towards the saturated value as the compaction water content approaches zero, even though the matric suction continues to increase. The relative increase in very-small-strain stiffness due to suction depends, to a large extent, on the net normal stress during the stiffness measurement. The effect of matric suction is proportionately greatest at the low net normal stress levels that apply for shallow infrastructures such as rail formations. Also, the operational stiffness depends not only on the current water content (and therefore suction), but also on the water content at which the material has been compacted.
A systematic review of the use of telehealth in speech, language and hearing sciences
Authors: Regina Molini-Avejonas Daniela , Rondon-Melo Silmara , de La Higuera Amato Cibelle Albuquerque , Samelli Alessandra Giannella 
Published: May 2015

Introduction We conducted a systematic literature review to investigate the domain of speech-language and hearing sciences (SLHS) in telehealth. Methods The databases used for the literature search were Web of Knowledge, Pubmed, Scopus, Embase and Scielo. The inclusion criteria consisted of papers published up to August 2014. Papers without peer-review evaluation, and those without abstracts or available full texts were excluded. Results A total of 103 papers were selected. The selected studies have focused primarily on hearing (32.1%), followed by speech (19.4%), language (16.5%), voice (8.7%), swallowing (5.8%), multiple areas (13.6%) and others (3.9%). The majority of the studies focused on assessment (36.9%) or intervention (36.9%). The use of telehealth in SLHS has been increasing in many countries, especially in the last 5 years. The country with the largest number of published studies was the United States of America (32.03%), followed by Australia (29.12%). The remaining studies were distributed in lower numbers among other countries. Discussion The advancement of information and communication technologies provides more favourable conditions for providing distance care in several areas. Most of studies concluded that the telehealth procedure had advantages over the non-telehealth alternative approach (85.5%); however, 13.6% reported that it was unclear whether the telehealth procedure had advantages. Some barriers still need to be overcome, such as technology, training, regulation, acceptance and recognition of the benefits of this practice by the public and professionals. The need for speech-language pathologists and audiologists to adapt to this new health care modality is evident.
The impact of a text messaging service on orthopaedic clinic Did Not Attend rates
Authors: Rohman Lebur , Maruswezki Daniel , Boyce Cam Nicholas 
Published: May 2015

Background Missed clinic appointments cause delays in treatment of other patients, under utilization of clinical manpower or facilities and impact upon hospital finances. Aims The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether a text messaging reminder service reduces the Did Not Attend rate. The secondary aim is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a mobile text message reminder service. Methods The study focused on the outpatient department of a district general hospital. In January 2011 a patient text messaging reminder service was implemented across the outpatient departments in the trust. Data were collected prospectively 24 months prior and 24 months following the implementation of this service. A reminder was sent to patients one week prior to the scheduled appointment as a text message. All patients attending the orthopaedic department were included in the study. Patients who had an appointment and cancelled/rescheduled it prior to their original consultation date were excluded. Children were also excluded from the study. Results The overall Did Not Attend rate was reduced by 12% following the intervention ( p < 0.0001). The new appointment follow-up rate was reduced by 2% ( p = 0.74) and the follow-up rate decreased by 13.7% ( p < 0.0001). The economic analysis revealed a saving of £19,853 over a two-year period following the intervention. Conclusion Thus mobile technology is a feasible tool in improving attendance rates at outpatient clinics and is economically viable.
Association of time on outcome after intravenous thrombolysis in the elderly in a telestroke network
Authors: Zerna Charlotte , Siepmann Timo , Barlinn Kristian , Kepplinger Jessica , Pallesen Lars-Peder , Puetz Volker , Bodechtel Ulf 
Published: May 2015

Background Recent studies showed that the safety and benefit of early intravenous (IV) thrombolysis on favourable outcomes in acute ischemic stroke are also seen in the elderly. Furthermore, it has shown that age increases times for pre- and in-hospital procedures. We aimed to assess the applicability of these findings to telestroke. Methods We retrospectively analysed 542 of 1659 screened consecutive stroke patients treated with IV thrombolysis in our telestroke network in East-Saxony, Germany from 2007 to 2012. Outcome data were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) by ECASS-2-criteria, survival at discharge and favourable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin scale (mRS) of 0–2 at discharge. Results Thirty-three percent of patients were older than 80 years (elderly). Being elderly was associated with higher risk of sICH ( p = 0.003), less favourable outcomes ( p = 0.02) and higher mortality ( p = 0.01). Using logistic regression analysis, earlier onset-to-treatment time was associated with favourable outcomes in not elderly patients (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.18; 95% CI 1.03–1.34; p = 0.01), and tended to be associated with favourable outcomes (adjusted OR 1.13; 95% CI 0.92–1.38; p = 0.25) and less sICH (adjusted OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.76–1.03; p = 0.11) in elderly patients. Age caused no significant differences in onset-to-door-time ( p = 0.25), door-to-treatment-time ( p = 0.06) or onset-to-treatment-time ( p = 0.29). Conclusion Treatment time seems to be critical for favourable outcome after acute ischemic stroke in the elderly. Age is not associated with longer delivery times for thrombolysis in telestroke.
Designing and evaluating a patient-centred health management system for seniors
Authors: Dhillon Jaspaljeet Singh , Wünsche Burkhard , Lutteroth Christof 
Published: May 2015

Introduction Telehealth has been widely promoted as a technology to make healthcare more effective and affordable. However, current telehealth systems suffer from vendor lock-in and high cost, and are designed for managing chronic diseases rather than preventing them. Methods We address shortcomings of existing consumer-level health informatics applications in supporting senior health consumers, and provide designers of such systems with a design framework. We assess the feasibility of patient-centred health management systems (HMSs) that are designed based on the proposed framework. In contrast to traditional telehealth, HMSs are patient centred and aim at enabling health consumers to take control of their own health by providing functionality for health self-management. Quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted in evaluating a prototype HMS. Results Senior healthcare consumers viewed our HMS prototype positively, and experienced a positive change in their attitude towards their health. We identified requirements and challenges for HMSs. In particular, participants indicated that social networking features must have a clear purpose beyond simple broadcasting of emotions and opinions. Discussion Our study indicates that seniors are able and motivated to leverage a web-based patient-centred HMS, provided that there are suitable health support applications tailored to their needs. This could be achieved by making it attractive for third party application developers to contribute HMS content.
Tele-emergency utilization: In what clinical situations is tele-emergency activated?
Authors: Ward Marcia M , Ullrich Fred , MacKinney A Clinton , Bell Amanda L , Shipp Shiann , Mueller Keith J 
Published: May 2015

Introduction Tele-emergency provides audio/visual communication between a central emergency care centre (tele-emergency hub) and a distant emergency department (remote ED) for real-time emergency care consultation. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine how often tele-emergency is activated in usual practice and in what circumstances it is used. Methods Tele-emergency log data and merged electronic medical record data from Avera Health (Sioux Falls, SD) were analysed for 60,193 emergency department (ED) encounters presenting over a two-and-a-half year period at 21 critical access hospitals using the tele-emergency service. Of these, tele-emergency was activated for 1512 ED encounters. Results Analyses indicated that patients presenting at rural EDs with circulatory, injury, mental and symptoms diagnoses were significantly more likely to have tele-emergency department services activated as were patients who were transferred to another hospital. Interviews conducted with 85 clinicians and administrators at 26 rural hospitals that used this service indicated that this pattern of utilization facilitated rapid transfers and followed recommended clinical protocols for patients needing serious and/or urgent attention (e.g. stroke symptoms, chest pain). Discussion Although only used in 3.5% of ED encounters on average, our findings provide evidence that tele-emergency activation is well reasoned and related to those situations when extra expert assistance is particularly beneficial.
A meta-review of Internet computer-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders
Authors: Peñate Wenceslao , Fumero Ascensión 
Published: May 2015

Introduction Internet computer-based psychological treatments have enjoyed rapid growth. Today, there are a number of them available for many mental disorders and psychological problems. Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders and phobias are amongst the most frequently observed. Treatment results with these resources are promising, but inconclusive. Methods This paper reviews 11 systematic reviews and meta-analyses about the efficacy of Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders, including studies and clinical trials covering the majority of anxiety disorders and phobias, usually with adult patient samples. Results In general, these reviews agree on the efficacy of Internet-based psychological treatment as compared with non-treatment groups (with large effect sizes), finding similar efficacy compared with face-to-face therapies. Internet-based psychological treatments are further improved when combined with some type of therapist contact. On the negative side, some systematic reviews highlight high attrition rates of Internet-based psychological treatments. Discussion These findings remain inconclusive and more refined reviews (involving patient samples, therapy comparisons, type of therapist contact, etc.) are needed, in order to establish the scope and limits of Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders.