bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Obalon intragastric balloon in the treatment of paediatric obesity: a pilot study
Authors: Nobili V. , Della Corte C. , Liccardo D. , Mosca A. , Caccamo R. , Morino G. S. , Alterio A. , De Peppo F. 
Published: November 2014

SummaryBackgroundLifestyle interventions are often ineffective in the treatment of pediatric obesity. Weight loss devices have been introduced for the temporary nonsurgical treatment of morbid obesity.ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of Obalon Intragastric Balloon on weight loss and on metabolic and cardiovascular parameters in a pediatric population with severe obesity.MethodsWe enrolled 10 children with severe obesity. In all patients anthropometric parameters, biochemical tests, ultrasound liver examination and blood pressure monitoring were evaluated at the time of insertion and after removal of device.ResultsThe Obalon had a positive effect on decrease of weight, body mass index and percentage of excess body weight within 3 months from placement. Moreover, this safe minimally invasive device improves the cardio‐metabolic profiles of obese children.ConclusionsThe Obalon could be a useful tool in the difficult management of pediatric patients with morbid obesity, inducing in short‐term a meaningful weight loss.
Nationwide collaborative development of learning outcomes and exemplar standards for Australian pharmacy programmes
Authors: Stupans Ieva , McAllister Sue , Clifford Rhonda , Hughes Jeff , Krass Ines , March Geoff , Owen Susanne , Woulfe Jim 
Published: November 2014

Abstract

Objectives
Internationally, the preparation of pharmacy graduates for professional practice has evolved from educating for capacities for practice, to a focus on competencies, and most recently, on assuring graduate outcomes. Consequently, there is an increasing emphasis on the specification of and accountability around student learning outcomes. This, in turn, has implications for teaching and assessment. The aim of the study was to harmonise the various expectations and regulatory requirements for Australian pharmacy education programmes through the development of learning outcomes and exemplar standards for all entry-level pharmacy graduates.

Methods
Learning outcomes and exemplar standards were developed through a participatory action research framework which involved academic staff representatives from pharmacy schools in Australia, pharmacy student representatives, and the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC, the accreditation body for Australian pharmacy programs) involving an iterative process of dissemination and seeking of feedback.

Key findings
The key result from the project was the formulation of national pharmacy learning outcomes and exemplar standards (PhLOS) for all students graduating from entry-level pharmacy programmes. These have been endorsed by both students and academics.

Conclusions
Learning outcomes have been developed through a collaborative process for pharmacy programmes across Australia through harmonisation of the various expectations and regulatory requirements for pharmacy education programmes. Application of these learning outcomes and exemplar standards will ensure that all graduates of all entry-level pharmacy programmes will have achieved at least the same threshold, regardless of the university from which they graduate prior to entering their internship year.
Ethical issues experienced by mental health nurses in the administration of antipsychotic depot and long‐acting intramuscular injections: A qualitative study
Authors: Smith James Paul , Herber Oliver Rudolf 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe ethical issues experienced by mental health nurses in administering antipsychotic depot and long‐acting intramuscular injections (LAI) were explored in the present study. Mental health nurses face ethically‐difficult situations when administering these medications. A phenomenological research method guided by Max van Manen's human science approach describes and interprets the ethical issues involved in performing the procedure. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to select eight participants from two mental health hospitals. Semistructured interviews were carried out to collect data. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data. The four main themes that emerged from the analyses were: (i) lack of alternatives; (ii) safety; (iii) feeling uncomfortable; and (iv) difficulty maintaining the therapeutic relationship. The findings suggest that mental health nurses face ethical challenges in administering LAI. The findings raise much needed awareness of the need for mental health nurses and nurse educators to consider the ethical issues experienced while performing the procedure. There is a need for nurse education providers and organizations to provide opportunities for mental health nurses to address their ‘lived experiences’. Educational courses are needed to equip mental health nurses with the technical and critical thinking skills to administer safe and effective antipsychotic depot and LAI.
Randomized trial within a trial of yellow ‘post‐it notes’ did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain
Authors: Tilbrook Helen E , Becque Taeko , Buckley Hannah , MacPherson Hugh , Bailey Mathew , Torgerson David J 
Published: November 2014

AbstractRationaleAttrition is a threat to the validity of randomized trials. Few randomized studies have been conducted within randomized trials to test methods of reducing attrition.AimTo test whether using yellow post‐it notes on follow‐up questionnaires in the ATLAS treatment trial for neck pain reduces attrition.MethodNested trial within a trial. ATLAS participants were randomized to have their 6‐month follow‐up questionnaire have a 3′ yellow post‐it note with a handwritten message encouraging return of questionnaire.Results499 participants were independently randomized using simple allocation to receive the post‐it notes or not. Two hundred fifteen of the 256 (84.0%) participants in the intervention group returned their questionnaire compared with 205 of the 243 (84.4%) in the control group. There was no difference in time to response.ConclusionYellow post‐it notes do not enhance questionnaire return rates for participants in a randomized trial of neck pain.
Anatomical evidence for low frequency sensitivity in an archaeocete whale: comparison of the inner ear of Zygorhiza kochii with that of crown Mysticeti
Authors: Ekdale Eric G. , Racicot Rachel A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe evolution of hearing in cetaceans is a matter of current interest given that odontocetes (toothed whales) are sensitive to high frequency sounds and mysticetes (baleen whales) are sensitive to low and potentially infrasonic noises. Earlier diverging stem cetaceans (archaeocetes) were hypothesized to have had either low or high frequency sensitivity. Through CT scanning, the morphology of the bony labyrinth of the basilosaurid archaeocete Zygorhiza kochii is described and compared to novel information from the inner ears of mysticetes, which are less known than the inner ears of odontocetes. Further comparisons are made with published information for other cetaceans. The anatomy of the cochlea of Zygorhiza is in line with mysticetes and supports the hypothesis that Zygorhiza was sensitive to low frequency noises. Morphological features that support the low frequency hypothesis and are shared by Zygorhiza and mysticetes include a long cochlear canal with a high number of turns, steeply graded curvature of the cochlear spiral in which the apical turn is coiled tighter than the basal turn, thin walls separating successive turns that overlap in vestibular view, and reduction of the secondary bony lamina. Additional morphology of the vestibular system indicates that Zygorhiza was more sensitive to head rotations than extant mysticetes are, which likely indicates higher agility in the ancestral taxon.
Vertical forces assessment according to radiographic hip grade in German shepherd dogs
Authors: Souza A. N. A. , Pinto A. C. B. C. F. , Marvulle V. , Matera J. M. 
Published: November 2014

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between radiographic hip grade and kinetic parameters in German shepherd dogs.METHODSDogs were distributed into five groups of eight dogs each according to hip grade (A, B, C, D or E). Dogs were submitted to clinical evaluation and kinetic analysis. Five valid passages were analysed using data collected from a pressure walkway. Peak vertical force, vertical impulse and stance phase duration were evaluated at velocity (1 · 2 to 1 · 4 m/s) ±0 · 1 m/s2acceleration. Kinetic data between groups were compared.RESULTSIn pelvic limbs, mean peak vertical force decreased progressively from grade C (mild) to grade E (severe) hip dysplasia. The vertical impulse was decreased in groups C and E compared to groups A, B and D; stance phase duration did not differ significantly between groups.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEMean peak vertical force was lower in dogs with severe hip dysplasia compared with mildly dysplastic dogs. These results suggest that hip dysplasia degree can affect lameness severity.
Oral Sensing of Food Properties
Authors: Kohyama Kaoru 
Published: November 2014

AbstractFood properties are perceived through oral receptors during eating. In this review, various oral receptors involved in food oral processing of food are briefly described. Touch and taste are the most important senses in oral perception. Different tactile receptors are used to determine the mechanical properties, size, shape and their temporal/spatial changes of food materials in the oral cavity. Instrumental test results are often inconsistent with sensory‐perceived food properties. A multiple‐point pressure sensor inserted into the mouth with food can be used to mimic the human tactile systems and to relate instrumental and sensory results. Three evaluation systems of food properties with artificial tongues which were designed in different concepts are presented. Physiological research results are useful to simulate oral processing to design texture, flavor and appearance of diets for people with different eating functions.Practical ApplicationsFood oral processing is a dynamic process in which a mouthful of food is reduced in heterogeneity and converted into a more homogenized swallowable bolus. Human‐mimetic sensing technologies have been recently developed to analyze the physical and chemical properties, these complex interactions and drastic changes of foodstuffs during oral processing. As practical applications, two current social topics are discussed in terms of homogenization of foods during oral processing. First, with the increase of elderly population, a need for texture‐modified foods has emerged: hard food must be converted into paste‐like, where the function of oral processing is partly done by pre‐oral processing. Second, WASHOKU, the traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. Seasoning in the mouth, one of the features of oral processing of WASHOKU, is addressed. To improve food texture and flavor is needed for people with various ages and regions.
Antibody screening tests variably overestimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among HIV‐infected adults in Ghana
Authors: King S. , Adjei‐Asante K. , Appiah L. , Adinku D. , Beloukas A. , Atkins M. , Sarfo S. F. , Chadwick D. , Phillips R. O. , Geretti A. M. 
Published: November 2014

SummaryHIV coinfection with HCV has been poorly studied in sub‐Saharan Africa, and the reliability of available seroprevalence estimates remains uncertain. The study aim was to determine HCV RNA prevalence in HIV‐infected subjects receiving care in Kumasi, Ghana, and relate the findings to HCV antibody detection. From a population of 1520 HIV‐infected adults, all HBsAg‐positive subjects (n = 236) and a random subset of HBsAg‐negative subject (n = 172) were screened for HCV RNA using pooled plasma; positive samples were genotyped by core and NS5B sequencing. HCV antibodies were detected by three commercial screening assays and confirmed by the line immunoassay. HCV RNA was detected in 4/408 subjects (1.0%, 95% confidence interval 0.0–1.9%), comprising 3/236 (1.3%; 0.0–2.8%) HBsAg‐positive and 1/172 (0.6%; 0.0–1.8%) HBsAg‐negative subjects. HCV RNA‐positive subjects showed reactivity in all three antibody screening assays. Among HCV RNA‐negative subjects, 5/67 (7.5%), 5/67 (7.5%) and 19/67 (28.4%) showed antibody reactivity by each screening assay, respectively, including two (3.0%) with reactivity by all three assays. Only one sample (1.5%) had confirmed antibody reactivity by line immunoassay indicating past HCV infection. HCV‐positive subjects (three males, two females) were aged 30–46 years, by questionnaire‐based interview reported surgical procedures and blood transfusion as risk factors for infection. HCV genotypes were 2 (subtypes 2j, 2l, 2k/unassigned) and 1 (subtype unassigned). Without further testing, HCV antibody screening assays variably overestimated HCV prevalence among HIV‐infected subjects in Ghana. These findings inform the interpretation of previous seroprevalence estimates based upon screening assays alone.
Genome‐free hepatitis B virion levels in patient sera as a potential marker to monitor response to antiviral therapy
Authors: Luckenbaugh L. , Kitrinos K. M. , Delaney W. E. , Hu J. 
Published: November 2014

SummaryComplete virions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) contain a DNA genome that is enclosed in a capsid composed of the HBV core antigen (HBcAg), which is in turn surrounded by a lipid envelope studded with viral surface antigens (HBsAg). In addition, HBV‐infected cells release subviral particles composed of HBsAg only (HBsAg ‘spheres’ and ‘filaments’) or HBsAg enveloping HBcAg but devoid of viral DNA (‘empty virions’). The hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), a soluble antigen related to HBcAg, is also secreted in some HBV‐infected patients. The goals of this study were to explore the levels of empty virions in HBV‐infected patients before and during therapy with the nucleotide analog tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) that inhibits HBV DNA synthesis and the relationships of empty virions to complete virions, HBsAg and HBeAg. HBV DNA, HBcAg and HBsAg levels were determined in serum samples from 21 patients chronically infected with HBV and enrolled in clinical TDF studies. Serum levels of empty virions were found to exceed levels of DNA‐containing virions, often by ≥100‐fold. Levels of both empty and complete virions varied and were related to the HBeAg status. When HBV DNA replication was suppressed by TDF, empty virion levels remained unchanged in most but were decreased (to the limit of detection) in some patients who also experienced significant decrease or loss of serum HBsAg. In conclusion, empty virions are present in the serum of chronic hepatitis B patients at high levels and may be useful in monitoring response to antiviral therapy.
Initiating acute dialysis at earlier Acute Kidney Injury Network stage in critically ill patients without traditional indications does not improve outcome: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Lim Cynthia Ciwei , Tan Chieh Suai , Kaushik Manish , Tan Han Khim 
Published: November 2014

AbstractAimOptimal timing for acute renal replacement therapy (ARRT) initiation in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate outcomes in patients who initiated ARRT for traditional indications versus those who met Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria without traditional indications.MethodsThis was a single‐centre prospective cohort study of medical and surgical intensive care patients with AKI. Traditional indications for ARRT initiation included: serum potassium ≥6.0 mmol/L, serum urea ≥30 mmol/L, arterial pH < 7.25, serum bicarbonate <10 mmol/L, acute pulmonary oedema, acute uraemic encephalopathy or pericarditis. In absence of these indications, ARRT was commenced if patients had (i) AKIN Stage 3 or (ii) AKIN Stage 1 or 2 with ‘compelling’ conditions. Primary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) and in‐hospital mortality.ResultsARRT was initiated in 140 patients: traditional indications in 56 (40%); AKIN Stage 3 without traditional indications in 38 (27%); and AKIN Stage 1 or 2 with ‘compelling’ conditions in 46 (33%) patients. Traditional indications at ARRT initiation was associated with increased in‐hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval), 6.48 (1.54, 27.29)). In absence of traditional indications, earlier ARRT initiation, as defined by those with AKIN Stage 1 or 2, did not decrease ICU deaths (30.0% vs 18.8%, P = 0.30) or in‐hospital mortality (50.0% vs 34.2%, P = 0.15) compared with those who were started on ARRT for AKIN Stage 3.ConclusionsPresence of traditional indications at ARRT initiation was associated with greater mortality. Initiating dialysis at earlier AKIN stage did not improve survival in patients without traditional indications.
Uncovering the Directional Heterogeneity of an Aggregated Mobile Phone Network
Authors: Pei Tao , Sobolevsky Stanislav , Ratti Carlo , Amini Alexander , Zhou Chenghu 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe aggregated mobile phone network (AMPN) (i.e. the calling time or numbers are aggregated at every vertex), which records the call volume between different places over time, has been studied extensively to reveal the mobility patterns of residents, etc. Nevertheless, most previous works were implemented based on the non‐directionality of the network model. This simplification may overlook some important characteristics of AMPN. To explore the AMPN as a directional network model, we introduce the concept of directional heterogeneity in the study of AMPN data. The heterogeneity is twofold: (1) the imbalance of vertex (difference between outgoing and incoming calls of the vertex); and (2) the reciprocity of each edge (difference between the directed weights of the same edge). Taking the data of Singapore as an example, we systematically analyze the directional heterogeneity of AMPN. Our findings include three aspects. First, the AMPN shows as more unbalanced in the night‐time than in the daytime, and its imbalance decreases as vertex granularity increases. Second, the directional heterogeneity varied with locations. Specifically, the residential area is dominated by deficits and others by surpluses. Third, the trajectories of incoming and outgoing calls follow a similar geographical pattern (i.e. southeast‐north‐south‐north‐southeast), indicating the calling behavior and routine mobility of users over time and space.
The effects of sex and neonatal stress on pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide expression
Authors: Mosca E. V. , Rousseau J. P. , Gulemetova R. , Kinkead R. , Wilson R. J. A. 
Published: November 2014

New Findings
What is the central question of this study?
Does sex or neonatal stress affect the expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide or its receptors?
What is the main finding and its importance?
Neonatal–maternal separation stress has little long‐lasting effect on the expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide or its receptors, but sex differences exist in these genes between males and females at baseline.
Sex differences in classic stress hormones have been studied in depth, but pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide (PACAP), recently identified as playing a critical role in the stress axes, has not. Here we studied whether baseline levels of PACAP differ between sexes in various stress‐related tissues and whether neonatal–maternal separation stress has a sex‐dependent effect on PACAP gene expression in stress pathways. Using quantitative RT‐PCR, we found sex differences in PACAP and PACAP receptor gene expression in several respiratory and/or stress‐related tissues, while neonatal–maternal separation stress did little to affect PACAP signalling in adult animals. We propose that sex differences in PACAP expression are likely to contribute to differences between males and females in responses to stress.
Vagus nerve contributes to metabolic syndrome in high‐fat diet‐fed young and adult rats
Authors: Barella Luiz F. , Miranda Rosiane A. , Franco Claudinéia C. S. , Alves Vander S. , Malta Ananda , Ribeiro Tatiane A. S. , Gravena Clarice , Mathias Paulo C. F. , de Oliveira Júlio C. 
Published: November 2014

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?
Differentnerve contributes periods of life are known for their differential sensitivity to interventions, and increased parasympathetic activity affects the development and maintenance of obesity. Thus, we evaluated the involvement of the vagus nerve by performing a vagotomy in young or adult rats that were offered an obesogenic high‐fat diet.

What is the main finding and its importance?
Although the accumulation of adipose tissue decreased in both younger and older groups, the younger rats showed a greater response to the effects of vagotomy in general. In addition to the important role of the parasympathetic activity, we suggest that the vagus nerve contributes to the condition of obesity.

Obesity has become a global problem, and this condition develops primarily because of an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. The high complexity involved in the regulation of energy metabolism results from several factors besides endocrine factors. It has been suggested that obesity could be caused by an imbalance in the autonomous nervous system, which could lead to a condition of high parasympathetic activity in counterpart to low sympathetic tonus. High‐fat (HF) diets have been used to induce obesity in experimental animals, and their use in animals leads to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia and high parasympathetic activity, among other disorders. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of a vagotomy performed at the initiation of a HF diet at two different stages of life, weaning and adulthood. The vagotomy reduced parasympathetic activity (−32 and −51% in normal fat‐fed rats and −43 and −55% in HF diet‐fed rats; P < 0.05) and fat depots (−17 and −33%, only in HF diet‐fed rats; P < 0.05). High‐fat diet‐fed rats exhibited fasting hyperinsulinaemia (fivefold higher in young rats and threefold higher in older rats; P < 0.05); however, vagotomy corrected it in younger rats only, and a similar effect was also observed during the glucose tolerance test. The insulin resistance exhibited by the HF diet‐fed groups was not altered in the vagotomized rats. We suggest that the vagus nerve, in addition to the important role of parasympathetic activity, contributes to the condition of obesity, and that non‐vagal pathways may be involved along with the imbalanced autonomic nervous system.