bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interprofessional collaboration and communication in nursing homes: a qualitative exploration of problems in medical care for nursing home residents – study protocol
Authors: Mueller Christiane A. , Tetzlaff Britta , Theile Gudrun , Fleischmann Nina , Cavazzini Christoph , Geister Christina , Scherer Martin , Weyerer Siegfried , van den Bussche Hendrik , Hummers‐Pradier Eva 
Published: October 2014

AbstractAimThis study explores the current state of collaboration and communication between nurses and general practitioners in nursing homes, as well as needs and expectations of nursing home residents and their families. Finally, we aim to develop a new model of collaboration and communication.BackgroundRising numbers of residents in nursing homes present a challenge for general practice and nursing in most Western countries. In Germany, general practitioners visit their patients in nursing homes, where nurses work in shifts. This leads to a big variety of contacts with regard to persons involved and ways of communication.DesignQualitative multicentre study.MethodsStudy part 1 explores needs and problems in interprofessional collaboration in interviews with nursing home residents and their relatives, general practitioners and nurses. Simultaneously, general practitioners' visits in nursing homes are observed directly. In study part 2, general practitioners and nurses will discuss findings from study part 1 in focus groups, aiming to develop strategies for the improvement of shortcomings in a participatory way. Based on the results, experts will contribute to the emerging model of collaboration and communication in a multi‐professional workshop. Finally, this model will be tested in a small feasibility study. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research approved funding in March 2011.DiscussionThe study is expected to uncover deficits and opportunities in interprofessional collaboration in nursing homes. It provides deeper understanding of the concepts of all involved person groups and adds important clues for the interaction between professionals and older people in this setting.
The effects of GBL and learning styles on Chinese idiom by using TUI device
Authors: Ku D.T. , Huang Y.‐H. , Hus S.‐C. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThis study investigated how the integration of a game‐based learning strategy and a tangible user interface (TUI) device improves the learning achievement of fifth‐grade students in studying Chinese idioms. By using the sifting, and sorting, features of Sifteo Cubes, learners, via a gaming situation, manually composed the cubes to the correct idioms, and the system also provided the origins of the idioms, facilitating meaningful learning. A quasi‐experimental non‐equivalent control‐group design was conducted. Both the experimental and control groups were administered a pre‐test and post‐test, the Idiom Learning Performance Test (ILPT), to investigate the variations between the treatment and groups. Furthermore, the Index of Learning Style for Youth (ILSY) survey was administered to determine how different learning styles and learning strategies affect learning achievement. The results showed that, after the CILS was used, the post‐test scores were significantly higher than the pre‐test scores in the experimental group. In addition, the post‐test scores of active and visual learners were higher than the pre‐test scores, and were significantly higher than reflective and verbal learners. The results suggested that the CILS is suitable for active and visual learners. Recommendations for using the CILS and Sifteo Cubes in instruction and further direction research are provided.
Systemic treatments in paediatric psoriasis: a systematic evidence‐based update
Authors: van Geel M.J. , Mul K. , de Jager M.E.A. , van de Kerkhof P.C.M. , de Jong E.M.G.J. , Seyger M.M.B. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractIn 2008, a systematic review revealed that evidence‐based data on efficacy and safety of treatments in paediatric psoriasis are scarce and with low level of evidence. In recent years, publications on this topic have increased exponentially. To present a systematic, evidence‐based update on the efficacy and safety of systemic treatments in paediatric psoriasis and to provide treatment recommendations, an update of the previous review was performed. PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trial Register were searched between January 2007 and March 2014 for all available literature on efficacy and safety of all systemic treatments in paediatric psoriasis. The levels of evidence were determined on the Oxford Centre for Evidence‐based Medicine Levels of Evidence. The newly retrieved evidence was combined with the evidence available in the former review. Fifty‐two studies were included: 36 from the former review, plus 16 new articles. New evidence on induction therapy was mainly available on fumaric acid esters (FAEs), which are shown to be effective in a subgroup of patients. Long‐term (96 weeks) safety and efficacy data on etanercept were found. Prospective studies are scarce. Most conclusions are formulated on studies with low level of evidence. Of the conventional systemic treatments, methotrexate still has the most evidence albeit in a low number of patients and with a low level of evidence. FAEs seem to be effective in a subgroup of patients, with gastro‐intestinal complaints, flushes and temporary shifts in leucocyte counts and liver enzymes being the main side‐effects. Etanercept has still accumulated most evidence of the available systematic treatments, with a large efficacy and reassuring safety profile in a 96‐week follow‐up.
Relationships among sexual self‐concept and sexual risk cognition toward sexual self‐efficacy in adolescents: Cause‐and‐effect model testing
Authors: HSU Hsiu‐Yueh , YU Hsing‐Yi , LOU Jiunn‐Horng , ENG Cheng‐Joo 
Published: October 2014

AbstractAimSexual self‐efficacy plays an important role in adolescents' sexual health. The aim of this study was to test a cause‐and‐effect model of sexual self‐concept and sexual risk cognition toward sexual self‐efficacy in adolescents.MethodsThe study was a cross‐sectional survey. Using a random sampling method, a total of 713 junior nursing students were invited to participate in the study, and 465 valid surveys were returned, resulting in a return rate of 65.2%. The data was collected using an anonymous mailed questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships among sexual self‐concept, sexual risk cognition, and sexual self‐efficacy, as well as the mediating role of sexual risk cognition.ResultsThe results revealed that the postulated model fits the data well. Sexual self‐concept significantly predicted sexual risk cognition and sexual self‐efficacy. Sexual risk cognition significantly predicted sexual self‐efficacy and had a mediating effect on the relationship between sexual self‐concept and sexual self‐efficacy.ConclusionBased on social cognitive theory and a structural equation model technique, this study confirmed the mediating role of sexual risk cognition in the relationship between sexual self‐concept and sexual self‐efficacy. Also, sexual self‐concept's direct and indirect effects explaining adolescents' sexual self‐efficacy were found in this study.
Pharmacogenomic biomarkers for personalized cancer treatment
Authors: Rodríguez‐Antona C. , Taron M. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractPersonalized medicine involves the selection of the safest and most effective pharmacological treatment based on the molecular characteristics of the patient. In the case of anticancer drugs, tumour cell alterations can have a great impact on drug activity and, in fact, most biomarkers predicting response originate from these cells. On the other hand, the risk of developing severe toxicity may be related to the genetic background of the patient. Thus, understanding the molecular characteristics of both the tumour and the patient, and establishing their relation with drug outcomes will be critical for the identification of predictive biomarkers and to provide the basis for individualized treatments. This is a complex scenario where multiple genes as well as pathophysiological and environmental factors are important; in addition, tumours exhibit large inter‐ and intraindividual variability in space and time. Against this background, the huge amounts of biological and genetic data generated by the high‐throughput technologies will facilitate pharmacogenomic progress, suggest novel druggable molecules and support the design of future strategies aimed at disease control. Here, we will review the current challenges and opportunities for pharmacogenomic studies in oncology, as well as the clinically established biomarkers. Lung and renal cancer, two areas in which huge progress has been made in the last decade, will be used to illustrate advances in personalized cancer treatment; we will review EGFR mutation as the paradigm of targeted therapies in lung cancer, and discuss the dissection of lung cancer into clinically relevant molecular subsets and novel advances that suggest an important role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the response to antiangiogenic agents, as well as the challenges that remain in these fields. Finally, we will present new approaches and future prospects for personalizing medicine in oncology.
Personalized medicine approaches in epilepsy
Authors: Walker L. E. , Mirza N. , Yip V. L. M. , Marson A. G. , Pirmohamed M. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractEpilepsy affects 50 million persons worldwide, a third of whom continue to experience debilitating seizures despite optimum anti‐epileptic drug (AED) treatment. Twelve‐month remission from seizures is less likely in female patients, individuals aged 11–36 years and those with neurological insults and shorter time between first seizure and starting treatment. It has been found that the presence of multiple seizures prior to diagnosis is a risk factor for pharmacoresistance and is correlated with epilepsy type as well as intrinsic severity. The key role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of resistant epilepsy is becoming clear. Our work in this area suggests that high‐mobility group box 1 isoforms may be candidate biomarkers for treatment stratification and novel drug targets in epilepsy. Furthermore, transporter polymorphisms contributing to the intrinsic severity of epilepsy are providing robust neurobiological evidence on an emerging theory of drug resistance, which may also provide new insights into disease stratification. Some of the rare genetic epilepsies enable treatment stratification through testing for the causal mutation, for example SCN1A mutations in patients with Dravet's syndrome. Up to 50% of patients develop adverse reactions to AEDs which in turn affects tolerability and compliance. Immune‐mediated hypersensitivity reactions to AED therapy, such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, are the most serious adverse reactions and have been associated with polymorphisms in the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) complex. Pharmacogenetic screening for HLA‐B*15:02 in Asian populations can prevent carbamazepine‐induced Stevens–Johnson syndrome. We have identified HLA‐A*31:01 as a potential risk marker for all phenotypes of carbamazepine‐induced hypersensitivity with applicability in European and other populations. In this review, we explore the currently available key stratification approaches to address the therapeutic challenges in epilepsy.
Toll‐like receptor 9 mediates invasion and predicts prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue
Authors: Kauppila Joonas H. , Korvala Johanna , Siirilä Kristiina , Manni Marika , Mäkinen Laura K. , Hagström Jaana , Atula Timo , Haglund Caj , Selander Katri S. , Saarnio Juha , Karttunen Tuomo J. , Lehenkari Petri P. , Salo Tuula 
Published: October 2014

BackgroundToll‐like receptor 9 (TLR9) is a cellular receptor, which recognizes bacterial and host‐derived DNA. Stimulation of TLR9 induces cellular invasion via matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP‐13). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of TLR9 in invasion of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC).MethodsThe effects of TLR9 ligands on oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were studied with invasion and migration assays, as well as in a myoma organotypic model.ResultsThe TLR9 ligand, CpG‐ODN, increased invasion and migration in OTSCC lines. These effects were reduced by TLR9 siRNA or inhibition with TLR9 antibodies. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissues from 195 patients with OTSCC revealed that TLR9 was expressed in 181/195 carcinomas. The expression of TLR9 was higher in the malignant cells than in the normal epithelium. High TLR9 expression was associated with high MMP‐13 expression and poor differentiation. High TLR9 expression was also identified as an independent predictor of poor prognosis (HR 1.810, 95% CI [1.053–3.112]).ConclusionToll‐like receptor 9 mediates OTSCC invasion and migration in vitro and is an independent prognostic factor of OTSCC. Inhibition of TLR9 may be a novel therapeutic opportunity in oral cancer.
Endogone, one of the oldest plant‐associated fungi, host unique Mollicutes‐related endobacteria
Authors: Desirò Alessandro , Faccio Antonella , Kaech Andres , Bidartondo Martin I. , Bonfante Paola 
Published: October 2014

Summary

Glomeromycota have been considered the most ancient group of fungi capable of positively interacting with plants for many years. Recently, other basal fungi, the Endogone Mucoromycotina fungi, have been identified as novel plant symbionts, challenging the paradigm of Glomeromycota as the unique ancestral symbionts of land plants. Glomeromycota are known to host endobacteria and recent evidences show that also some Mucoromycotina contain endobacteria. In order to examine similarities between basal groups of plant‐associated fungi, we tested whether Endogone contained endobacteria.

Twenty‐nine Endogone were investigated in order to identify Mollicutes‐related endobacteria (Mre). Fruiting bodies were processed for transmission electron microscopy and molecularly investigated using fungal and Mre‐specific primers.

We demonstrate that Mre are present inside 13 out of 29 Endogone: endobacteria are directly embedded in the fungal cytoplasm and their 16S rDNA sequences cluster together with the ones retrieved from Glomeromycota, forming, however, a separate new clade.

Our findings provide new insights on the evolutionary relations between Glomeromycota, Mucoromycotina and endobacteria, raising new questions on the role of these still enigmatic microbes in the ecology, evolution and diversification of their fungal hosts during the history of plant–fungal symbiosis.
Resilience of rice (Oryza spp.) pollen germination and tube growth to temperature stress
Authors: Coast Onoriode , Murdoch Alistair J. , Ellis Richard H. , Hay Fiona R. , Jagadish Krishna S.V. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractResilience of rice cropping systems to potential global climate change will partly depend on the temperature tolerance of pollen germination (PG) and tube growth (PTG). Pollen germination of high temperature‐susceptible Oryza glaberrima Steud. (cv. CG14) and Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica (cv. IR64) and high temperature‐tolerant O. sativa ssp. aus (cv. N22), was assessed on a 5.6–45.4 °C temperature gradient system. Mean maximum PG was 85% at 27 °C with 1488 μm PTG at 25 °C. The hypothesis that in each pollen grain, the minimum temperature requirements (Tn) and maximum temperature limits (Tx) for germination operate independently was accepted by comparing multiplicative and subtractive probability models. The maximum temperature limit for PG in 50% of grains (Tx(50)) was the lowest (29.8 °C) in IR64 compared with CG14 (34.3 °C) and N22 (35.6 °C). Standard deviation (sx) of Tx was also low in IR64 (2.3 °C) suggesting that the mechanism of IR64's susceptibility to high temperatures may relate to PG. Optimum germination temperatures and thermal times for 1 mm PTG were not linked to tolerating high temperatures at anthesis. However, the parameters Tx(50) and sx in the germination model define new pragmatic criteria for successful and resilient PG, preferable to the more traditional cardinal (maximum and minimum) temperatures.
Two new species of Nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae) from freshwater environs of Lonar Crater Lake, India
Authors: Alakananda Batni , Karthick Balasubramanian , Taylor Jonathan C. , Hamilton Paul B. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryDiatom taxa in India were first documented by Ehrenberg and subsequently many studies have focused on the Western Ghats and Himalayan mountains while other regional environments were rarely explored. In the current study, the freshwater environs of the saline Lonar Crater Lake were investigated and two new Nitzschia species have been described. Nitzschia kociolekii sp. nov. and Nitzschia tripudio sp. nov. were sampled from bird feeding ponds associated with Lonar Lake. The morphological characters of the new species are similar to N. amphibia and N. frustulum but differ in terms of striae pattern, polymorphic areolae development, fibula and stria density. In addition, larger specimens of N. williamsii, a recently described taxon from Bangalore wetlands of Peninsular India, were found in a waterfalls flowing into Lonar Lake. All three taxa are freshwater diatoms and are possibly endemic to Peninsular India.
Exercise training combined with psychological interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Wiles Louise , Cafarella Paul , Williams Marie T. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractPrevious systematic reviews have confirmed the benefits of both exercise training and psychological interventions in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of interventions which combine exercise training and psychological interventions for a range of health outcomes in people with COPD. Database searches identified randomized controlled trials of people with COPD participating in interventions that combined exercise training with a psychological strategy compared with control (usual care, waiting list) or active comparators (education, exercise, psychological interventions alone). Health outcomes included dyspnoea, anxiety, depression, quality of life or functional exercise capacity. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for each intervention arm/control comparison. Across the 12 included studies (738 participants), compared with control conditions, SMD consistently favoured interventions which included both exercise + psychological components (SMD range dyspnoea −1.63 to −0.25; anxiety −0.50 to −0.20; depression −0.46 to −0.18; quality of life 0.09 to 1.16; functional exercise capacity 0.22 to 1.23). When compared with active comparators, SMD consistently favoured interventions that included exercise training + psychological component for dyspnoea (SMD range −0.35 to −0.97), anxiety (SMD range −0.13 to −1.00) and exercise capacity (SMD range 0.64 to 0.71) but were inconsistent for depression (−0.11 to 1.27) and quality of life (0.02 to −2.00). The magnitude of effect for most interventions was greater than the minimum required for clinical significance (i.e. > 0.32) in behavioural medicine. While interventions, outcomes and effect sizes differed substantially between studies, combining exercise training with a psychological intervention may provide a means of optimizing rehabilitation in people with COPD.
Compliant Device for Hand Rehabilitation of Stroke Patient
Authors: Borboni Alberto , Faglia Rodolfo , Mor Maurizio 
Published: October 2014

A new device for hand rehabilitation of stroke patient is presented. Its main innovative features are: lightness, real safety guaranteed by its structural elasticity, smoothness and easiness of movements. The kinematic behavior of the system hand-plus-rehabilitation-device is analyzed. The device applicability is confirmed by positive testing.
Cerebrovascular diseases are the third cause of mortality and the second cause of long term disability in Western countries. The 60% of survived individuals shows a sensitive/motor deficit of one or both hands and must be subjected to a rehabilitative treatment to recover the use of the upper limb.
Recent technologies have facilitated the use of robots as assistive tools to patients, providing safe and highly personalized rehabilitation sessions, thus making therapist contribution to recovery much more intensive and effective.
We propose in this work a wearable glove with an incorporated compliant mechanical transmission over the hand.
The glove is composed by two main modules with well-defined mechanical characteristics. One is the actuator on the upper side of the forearm, close to the wrist (and to the impaired hand) and still separated from it; the other (the transmission) is composed by several elastic transmissions which, moved by the actuator, properly transmit displacements, speed and forces to one or more impaired fingers during a rehabilitation session. While the actuator module has a rigid and defined structure and is fixed to the forearm section of the glove, the “transmission” module has in fact a labile and extended structure as it has to reach all five fingers (one, some, or all might be impaired and in need of rehabilitation) up to their tips and move them in an effective and reliable way.
A kinematical characterization of the compliant transmission is proposed to dimension the actuators and to define the correct commanded motion profile at actuator level.
Prediction of the Rolling Contact Fatigue Behavior of Pre-Indented Hybrid Bearings
Authors: Robitaille Corentin , Nelias Daniel , Tonicello Emmanuel , Chaise Thibaut 
Published: October 2014

The objective of this work is to study the Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) behavior of hybrid bearings. The studied bearings are composed of Si3N4 balls rolling on steel raceways. The raceways are made out of nitrided 32CrMoV13 steel. The nitriding treatment aims at reinforcing the surface mechanical properties. As the presence of an indent on the raceway surface will dramatically decrease the fatigue life of the rolling element [1], this study focuses on the RCF behavior of pre-indented rolling element bearings.
It is thus necessary to study the fatigue behavior of both the steel and the ceramic material under fatigue loading. The study presented here focuses on the fatigue behavior of nitrided 32CrMoV13 steel under rolling contact and aims at proposing a crack initiation criterion based on experimental results.
Fatigue tests are performed on a bi-disks machine with indented 32CrMoV13 samples to observe the damage evolution and crack initiation stages under various indent dimensions and test conditions.
In parallel simulations are performed with a semi-analytical method to accurately determine the stress history under elastic-plastic rolling contact. Semi analytical methods, classically used for the simulation of elastic contacts, have recently been extended to the consideration of plasticity [2], allowing to simulate the ball-raceway interaction in ball bearings [3] and wear or running in [4]. The main advantage of these methods is their ability to simulate the coupling between the contact conditions and the plastic behavior in reasonable computational time.
Based on the experimental and simulation results, a crack initiation criterion based on the dislocation theory proposed by Tanaka and Mura [5] is proposed allowing to predict the number of cycles for crack initiation for the given material.