bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Readability Assessment of Internet-Based Patient Education Materials Related to Parathyroid Surgery
Authors: Patel Chirag R. , Sanghvi Saurin , Cherla Deepa V. , Baredes Soly , Eloy Jean Anderson 
Published: January 2015

Objectives: Patient education is critical in obtaining informed consent and reducing preoperative anxiety. Written patient education material (PEM) can supplement verbal communication to improve understanding and satisfaction. Published guidelines recommend that health information be presented at or below a sixth-grade reading level to facilitate comprehension. We investigate the grade level of online PEMs regarding parathyroid surgery. Methods: A popular internet search engine was used to identify PEM discussing parathyroid surgery. Four formulas were used to calculate readability scores: Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (GFOG), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Results: Thirty web-based articles discussing parathyroid surgery were identified. The average FRE score was 42.8 (± 1 standard deviation [SD] 16.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 36.6-48.8; range, 6.1-71.3). The average FKGL score was 11.7 (± 1 SD 3.3; 95% CI, 10.5-12.9; range, 6.1-19.0). The SMOG scores averaged 14.2 (± 1 SD 2.6; 95% CI, 13.2-15.2; range, 10.7-21.9), and the GFOG scores averaged 15.0 (± 1 SD 3.5; 95% CI, 13.7-16.3; range, 10.6-24.8). Conclusion: Online PEM on parathyroid surgery is written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level. Improving readability of PEM may promote better health education and compliance.
The Discreet Charm of Neoliberalism
Authors: Beltrán Gastón J. 
Published: January 2015

The market reforms implemented in Argentina in the early 1990s by President Carlos Saúl Menem, including privatization, market liberalization, and convertibility, were welcomed by business at the time, but it soon became apparent that they limited businessmen’s economic and political power. Strikingly, despite these unexpected effects most sectors of the business community strongly supported the economic model for almost a decade. The apparent paradox of their continuing to support a model that was causing them a great deal of harm becomes less so when it is understood that their action was a result not of a rational assessment of costs and benefits but of complex processes taking place in organizational and political contexts. Their behavior is explainable in terms of the fragmentation of the business field, business’s interpretative framework, and changes in the system of interest representation. Las reformas de mercado implementado a principios de la década de 1990 por el presidente Carlos Saúl Menem, incluso la privatización, la liberalización del mercado, y la convertibilidad, fueron bienvenidos por el empresadiado en el momento, pero pronto se hizo evidente que limitan el poder económico y político de los empresarios. Sorprendemente, a pesar de estos efectos inesperados, la mayoría de los sectores de la comunidad empresarial apoyaron firmamente el modelo económico durante casi una década. La aparente paradoja de que continuaron apoyando un modelo que les estaba causando mucho daño se reduce cuando se entiende que su acción fue el resultado no de una evaluación racional de costos y beneficios, sino de complejos procesos que ocurrieron en los contextos organizativos y políticos. Su comportamiento se puede explicar en términos de la fragmentación del campo de los negocios, el marco interpretativo de las empresas, y los cambios en el sistema de representación de intereses.
The Concept of the Visible between Art and Politics
Authors: Schuster Graciela 
Published: January 2015

In the context of the Argentine crisis of December 2001, artist collectives of various kinds went out into the streets to reestablish their bonds with society, protesting and proposing alternatives. Their works and actions linked art and politics, and the visible was a salient aspect of those artistic processes. In the artistic actions performed at the Brukman factory, an abandoned enterprise recovered by its workers, Realism was the axis of the connection between art and politics, and the production and circulation of the artworks linked the public, the particular, and the intimate. En el contexto de la crisis argentina de diciembre de 2001, colectivos de artistas de diversos tipos salieron a las calles para restablecer sus vínculos con la sociedad, protestando y proponiendo alternativas. Sus obras y acciones unieron el arte y la política, y lo visible era un aspecto sobresaliente de los procesos artísticos. En las acciones artísticas realizadas en la fábrica Brukman, una empresa abandonada recuperada por sus trabajadores, el realismo era el eje de la conexión entre el arte y la política, y la producción y circulación de las obras de arte vincularon el público, lo particular y lo íntimo.
Clinical safety assessment of oral higenamine supplementation in healthy, young men
Authors: Bloomer RJ , Schriefer JM , Gunnels TA 
Published: January 2015

Objective: Higenamine, an herbal agent also known as norcoclaurine, is thought to stimulate β-androgenic receptors and possess lipolytic activity. It is currently making its way into the dietary supplement market. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to determine the safety profile of oral higenamine when used alone and in conjunction with other commonly used lipolytic agents. Methods: Forty-eight men were assigned to ingest either a placebo, higenamine, caffeine, or higenamine + caffeine + yohimbe bark extract daily for a period of 8 weeks. Before and after 4 and 8 weeks of supplementation, the following variables were measured: resting respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, urinalysis, complete blood count, metabolic panel, liver enzyme activity, and lipid panel. Results: No interaction effects were noted for any variable ( p > 0.05), with no changes of statistical significance occurring across time for any of the four conditions ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: This is the first study to determine the safety profile of oral higenamine intake in human subjects. Our data indicate that 8 weeks of daily higenamine supplementation, either alone or in conjunction with caffeine and yohimbe bark extract, does not result in a statistically significant change in any of the measured outcome variables. Additional studies, inclusive of a larger sample size, are needed to extend these initial findings.
Protective role of quercetin against cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Lee SK , Oh KH , Chung AY , Park HC , Lee SH , Kwon SY , Choi J 
Published: January 2015

Background and objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of quercetin on cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in transgenic zebrafish embryos. Materials and methods: Five days postfertilization zebrafish embryos were exposed to 1 mM cisplatin and quercetin at 10, 50, 100, or 200 μM for 4 h. Hair cells within neuromasts of the supraorbital, otic, and occipital lateral lines were analyzed by fluorescent microscopy ( n = 10). Survival of hair cells was calculated as the average number of hair cells in the control group that were not exposed to cisplatin. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Results: Hair cell damage in neuromasts was decreased by co-treatment of quercetin and cisplatin (quercetin 100 μM: 8.6 ± 1.1 cells; 1 mM cisplatin only: 5.0 ± 0.5 cells; n = 10, p < 0.05); apoptosis of hair cells examined by special stain was also decreased by quercetin. The ultrastructure of hair cells within neuromasts was preserved in zebrafish by the combination of quercetin (100 μM) and cisplatin (1 mM). Conclusion: In conclusion, quercetin showed protective effects against cisplatin-induced toxicity in a zebrafish model. The results of this study suggest the possibility of a protective role of quercetin against cisplatin-induced apoptotic cell death in zebrafish.
Developing a Theory of Gamified Learning
Authors: Landers Richard N. 
Published: January 2015

Background and Aim Gamification has been defined as the use of characteristics commonly associated with video games in non-game contexts. In this article, I reframe this definition in terms of the game attribute taxonomy presented by Bedwell and colleagues. This linking is done with the goal of aligning the research literatures of serious games and gamification. A psychological theory of gamified learning is developed and explored. Conclusion In the theory of gamified learning, gamification is defined as the use of game attributes, as defined by the Bedwell taxonomy, outside the context of a game with the purpose of affecting learning-related behaviors or attitudes. These behaviors/attitudes, in turn, influence learning by one or two processes: by strengthening the relationship between instructional design quality and outcomes (a moderating process) and/or by influencing learning directly (a mediating process). This is contrasted with a serious games approach in which manipulation of game attributes is typically intended to affect learning without this type of behavioral mediator/moderator. Examples of each game attribute category as it might be applied in gamification are provided, along with specific recommendations for the rigorous, scientific study of gamification.
Haplotype analyses of CYP17A1 genetic polymorphisms and coronary artery disease in a Uygur population
Authors: Dai Chuan-Fang , Xie Xiang , Ma Yi-Tong , Yang Yi-Ning , Li Xiao-Mei , Fu Zhen-Yan , Liu Fen , Chen Bang-Dang , Gai Min-Tao 
Published: January 2015

Background: The relationship between CYP17A1 genetic polymorphisms and coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between CYP17A1 gene polymorphism and CAD in a Chinese Uygur population. Methods: A total of 493 people including 266 patients and 227 controls were selected for the present study. All CAD patients and controls were genotyped for the same five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4919686, rs1004467, rs4919687, rs10786712, and rs2486758) by a real-time PCR method. Results: The rs4919686, rs1004467, and rs4919687 polymorphisms were found to be associated with CAD in genotypes, dominant model, recessive model, and allele frequency (rs4919686: all p<0.05, rs1004467: all p≤0.001, rs4919687: all p<0.001); the significant difference was retained (all p<0.05) after adjustment for the major confounding factors. The overall distribution of haplotypes established by SNP1–SNP4 (in total subjects and men) and SNP1–SNP4–SNP5 (in total subjects) were significantly different between the CAD patients and the control subjects ( p=0.006, men: p=0.026, and p=0.030, respectively). Conclusion: Polymorphisms rs4919686, rs4919687 and rs1004467 were found to be associated with CAD in this Uygur population.
Infrared Thermal Imaging for Automated Detection of Diabetic Foot Complications
Authors: van Netten Jaap J. , van Baal Jeff G. , Liu Chanjuan , van der Heijden Ferdi , Bus Sicco A. 
Published: January 2015

Background: Although thermal imaging can be a valuable technology in the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease, it is not yet widely used in clinical practice. Technological advancement in infrared imaging increases its application range. The aim was to explore the first steps in the applicability of high-resolution infrared thermal imaging for noninvasive automated detection of signs of diabetic foot disease. Methods: The plantar foot surfaces of 15 diabetes patients were imaged with an infrared camera (resolution, 1.2 mm/pixel): 5 patients had no visible signs of foot complications, 5 patients had local complications (e.g., abundant callus or neuropathic ulcer), and 5 patients had diffuse complications (e.g., Charcot foot, infected ulcer, or critical ischemia). Foot temperature was calculated as mean temperature across pixels for the whole foot and for specified regions of interest (ROIs). Results: No differences in mean temperature >1.5 °C between the ipsilateral and the contralateral foot were found in patients without complications. In patients with local complications, mean temperatures of the ipsilateral and the contralateral foot were similar, but temperature at the ROI was >2 °C higher compared with the corresponding region in the contralateral foot and to the mean of the whole ipsilateral foot. In patients with diffuse complications, mean temperature differences of >3 °C between ipsilateral and contralateral foot were found. Conclusions: With an algorithm based on parameters that can be captured and analyzed with a high-resolution infrared camera and a computer, it is possible to detect signs of diabetic foot disease and to discriminate between no, local, or diffuse diabetic foot complications. As such, an intelligent telemedicine monitoring system for noninvasive automated detection of signs of diabetic foot disease is one step closer. Future studies are essential to confirm and extend these promising early findings.
Repeatability of Infrared Plantar Thermography in Diabetes Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Balbinot Luciane Fachin , Robinson Caroline Cabral , Achaval Matilde , Zaro Milton Antônio , Brioschi Marcos Leal 
Published: January 2015

Objective: Infrared (IR) thermography has been used as a complementary diagnostic method in several pathologies, including distal diabetic neuropathy, by tests that induce thermoregulatory responses, but nothing is known about the repeatability of these tests. This study aimed to assess the repeatability of the rewarming index in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nondiabetic control subjects. Methods: Using an IR camera, plantar IR images were collected at baseline (pre-) and 10 min after (post-) cold stress testing on two different days with 7 days interval. Plantar absolute average temperatures pre- and post-cold stress testing, the difference between them (AT), and the rewarming index were obtained and compared between days. Repeatability of the rewarming index after the cold stress test was assessed by Bland-Altman plot limits of agreement. Results: Ten T2DM subjects and ten nondiabetic subjects had both feet analyzed. Mean age did not differ between groups ( p = .080). Absolute average temperatures of plantar region pre- ( p = .033) and post-cold stress test ( p = .019) differed between days in nondiabetic subjects, whereas they did not differ in T2DM subjects (pretest, p = .329; post-test, p = .540). AT and rewarming index did not differ between days for both groups, and the rewarming index presented a 100% agreement of day-to-day measurements from T2DM subjects and 95% with nondiabetic subjects. Conclusions: The rewarming index after cold stress testing presented good repeatability between two days a week in both groups. Despite T2DM subjects presenting no differences on absolute temperature values between days, ΔT or rewarming index after cold stress testing remain recommended beside absolute temperature values for clinical use.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Gait: Does Footwear Modify This Association?
Authors: Grewal Gurtej S. , Bharara Manish , Menzies Robert , Talal Talal K. , Armstrong David , Najafi Bijan 
Published: January 2015

Background: Gait-related fall risk is the leading cause of mortality among patients with diabetes, especially those older than 65 years. Deterioration in balance and loss of protective sensation in lower extremities contribute significantly to fall risk in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This study aimed to explore the impact of neuropathy and foot ulcer on gait. Methods: We recruited 39 participants (age, 56.9 ± 8.2 years; body mass index, 29.6.3 ± 4.7 kg/m2), including 15 DPN patients without foot ulcers, 16 DPN patients with foot ulcers, and 8 healthy aged-matched controls. Patients with active foot ulcers wore an offloading device during gait examination, including removable cast walker. Results: Results suggest that neuropathy alters gait mainly by increasing gait initiation, gait variability (coefficient of variation of gait velocity), and double support (DS) time, while reducing knee range of motion and center of mass sway ( p < .05). Interestingly, the presence of foot ulcer does not impact gait velocity ( p > .1) but enhances some of the gait parameters such as gait variability and DS time. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that neuropathy deteriorates gait, but the presence of foot ulcers does not alter gait parameters further than neuropathy. In addition, patients with foot ulcers demonstrated a better gait compared with DPN patients without ulcers. We speculate that offloading footwear may be enhancing the somatosensory feedback from sensate skin, thereby positively affecting gait parameters. A study with a larger sample is required to explore the effect of prescribed footwear in the DPN population in order to validate the findings of this research study.
Validation of a Laser-Assisted Wound Measurement Device for Measuring Wound Volume
Authors: Davis Kathryn E. , Constantine Fadi C. , MacAslan Elaine C. , Bills Jessica D. , Noble Debby L. , Lavery Lawrence A. 
Published: January 2015

Background: Accurate and precise wound measurement is an essential part of the medical record when monitoring a patient with a chronic wound. This study was designed to determine if a new device, a laser-assisted wound measurement (LAWM) device, provides valid measurements for wound area, depth, and volume. Methods: We compared four methods to evaluate the area and volume of 12 wounds of differing size and depth that were created on the dorsum of a sacrificed pig. We evaluated the LAWM device, digital photograph assessment with National Institutes of Health ImageJ software, measurements of depth with a ruler, and weight-to-volume assessment with dental paste. We then sought to cross validate this data with further analyses obtained from these measurements using a Play-Doh®-based wound as a model for constant area with different depths. Results: We demonstrate that the LAWM device measures wound area accurately. Depth (and therefore volume) measurements, however, are artificially low. This inaccuracy is the same for shallow and deep wounds. Conclusions: The inaccuracy in the depth and volume measurements with the LAWM device results in an artificially low measurement. However, this may not affect percentage difference measurements. Further studies will need to be performed to determine if this device can accurately determine wound changes in the clinical setting.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Subcutaneous Tissue over a 14-Day Sensor Wear Period
Authors: Hoss Udo , Budiman Erwin S. , Liu Hanqing , Christiansen Mark P. 
Published: January 2015

Background: Glucose monitoring systems using subcutaneously inserted sensors are currently labeled for up to 7 days of wear. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of a 14-day wear duration using a modified version of the sensor found in the Freestyle Navigator™ continuous glucose monitoring system. Methods: Sixty-two subjects with diabetes were enrolled in the study. One sensor per subject was inserted on the arm for a wear time of 14 days. Two different calibration algorithms were applied retrospectively, one that uses periodic sensor recalibrations and one without recalibrations. Sensor in vivo stability was determined by least square regression analysis using capillary blood glucose. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) and mean relative difference were calculated. Consensus error grid analysis was performed by day and over the 14-day wear period to evaluate accuracy of both systems. The sensor insertion sites were inspected after sensor removal for skin reactions. Results: Sensor data from 55 subjects were used for the analysis. The accuracy metrics for the system with recalibration were calculated to MARD = 13.9% and 84.0% in zone A (error grid analysis). The system without recalibration performed significantly better, resulting in MARD of 12.2% and 88.0% in zone A ( p < .0001). The maximum change of in vivo sensor sensitivity over the 14-day wear period was 2% per day. Two subjects reported pain during the first 5 days of sensor wear, and 1 subject reported itching at the sensor site. No further skin reactions were noticed. Conclusions: The study shows that a 14-day sensor wear period is achievable. Moreover, sensors using “wired enzyme” technology showed excellent in vivo stability, with no significant sensitivity loss over the 14-day wear period.
Retrospective Outcomes of Glucose Control in Critically Ill Children
Authors: Kandil Sarah B. , Spear Debra , Thomas Neal J. , Weinzimer Stuart A. , Faustino Edward Vincent S. 
Published: January 2015

Background: Hyperglycemia is a significant problem for critically ill children. Treatment for hyperglycemia remains controversial. This study explores the effect of controlling blood glucose (BG) in hyperglycemic critically ill children. Methods: A retrospective cohort of nondiabetic critically ill children (defined as requiring mechanical ventilation and/or vasopressors) with BG persistently ≥150 mg/dl and treated with insulin (treatment group) were compared with a historical cohort of similar children who did not receive interventions to control hyperglycemia (baseline group). Results: There were 130 children in the treatment group and 137 children in the baseline group. Mean BG in the treatment group was 140 ± 24 mg/dl compared with 179 ± 47 mg/dl in the baseline group ( p < .001). After adjusting for patient characteristics, cointerventions, and glucose metrics, patients in the treatment group had 2.5 fewer intensive care unit (ICU)-free days (i.e., number of days alive and discharged from ICU within 28 days after inclusion) than the baseline group ( p = .023). Glucose control was not independently associated with duration of ICU stay, ventilator-free days, vasopressor-free days, or mortality. Conclusions: Blood glucose control appears associated with worse outcomes in critically ill children. Our data combined with conflicting results in adults leads us to strongly advocate for the conduct of randomized trials on glucose control in critically ill children.
Association of Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Use on Glycated Hemoglobin and Weight in Newly Diagnosed, Insulin-Naïve Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Virdi Naunihal S. , Lefebvre Patrick , Parisé Hélène , Duh Mei Sheng , Pilon Dominic , Laliberté François , Sundaresan Devi , Garber Lawrence , Dirani Riad 
Published: January 2015

Background: Clinical trials have shown that self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) combined with patient education and medication titration can lead to improved glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and reduced weight in recently diagnosed non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. This retrospective matched cohort study assessed the association of SMBG with achieving long-term clinical outcomes in these patients in a real-world clinical setting. Methods: Using electronic medical records (2008–2011), we selected a population of adult patients recently diagnosed with T2DM not receiving insulin who were SMBG users and a population of non-SMBG controls with similar demographic and clinical characteristics using propensity score matching. The main study outcomes compared between the two groups were time to achieve (1) HbA1c <7% for patients with baseline HbA1c ≥7% and (2) a ≥5% reduction in weight from baseline. Results: Of the 589 patients identified in each group, 113 in each group had a baseline HbA1c ≥7% (mean, 8.2%). The SMBG users were more likely to achieve an HbA1c <7% (12 months: 58.4% versus 38.9%, p = .0037; 36 months: 84.0% versus 70.0%, p = .0013) and to do so faster (median, 6.5 versus 20.5 months; log-rank p = .0016). Self-monitoring of blood glucose was associated with faster weight reduction (median time to achieve a ≥5% reduction, 23.5 versus 35.9 months for SMBG and non-SMBG, respectively; log-rank p = .0005). Conclusions: In newly diagnosed T2DM insulin-naïve patients, SMBG users had an improved rate of achieving long-term glycemic control and weight loss in a real-world clinical setting.