bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Barriers to Cancer Clinical Trial Participation Among American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal College Students
Authors: Sprague Debra , Russo Joan , LaVallie Donna L. , Buchwald Dedra 
Published: September 2012

AbstractPurpose: American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) have some of the highest cancer‐related mortality rates of all US racial and ethnic groups, but they are underrepresented in clinical trials. We sought to identify factors that influence willingness to participate in cancer clinical trials among AI/AN tribal college students, and to compare attitudes toward clinical trial participation among these students with attitudes among older AI/AN adults.Methods: Questionnaire data from 489 AI/AN tribal college students were collected and analyzed along with previously collected data from 112 older AI/AN adults. We examined 10 factors that influenced participation in the tribal college sample, and using chi‐square analysis and these 10 factors, we compared attitudes toward research participation among 3 groups defined by age: students younger than 40, students 40 and older, and nonstudent adults 40 and older.Findings: About 80% of students were willing to participate if the study would lead to new treatments or help others with cancer in their community, the study doctor had experience treating AI/AN patients, and they received payment. Older nonstudent adults were less likely to participate on the basis of the doctor's expertise than were students (73% vs 84%, P = .007), or if the study was conducted 50 miles away (24% vs 41%, P= .001).Conclusions: Finding high rates of willingness to participate is an important first step in increasing participation of AIs/ANs in clinical trials. More information is needed on whether these attitudes influence actual behavior when opportunities to participate become available.
Are Primary Care Practices Ready to Become Patient‐Centered Medical Homes?
Authors: Ullrich Fred A. , MacKinney A. Clinton , Mueller Keith J. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractPurpose: To measure the readiness of rural primary care practices to qualify as patient‐centered medical homes (PCMHs), one step toward participating in changes underway in health care finance and delivery.Methods: We used the 2008 Health Tracking Physician Survey to compare PCMH readiness scores among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan primary care practices. The National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) assessment system served as a framework to assess the PCMH capabilities of primary care practices based on their services, processes, and policies.Findings: We found little difference between urban and rural practices. Approximately 41% of all primary care practices offer minimal or no PCMH services. We also found that large practices score higher on standards primarily related to information technology and care management.Conclusions: Achieving the benefits of the PCMH model in small rural practices may require additional national promotion, technical assistance, and financial incentives.
Health Care Utilization Patterns for Young Children in Rural Counties of the I‐95 Corridor of South Carolina
Authors: McElligott James T. , Summer Andrea P. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjective: The objective of this study was to assess health care utilization patterns for young children with Medicaid insurance in the rural counties of the I‐95 corridor in South Carolina relative to other regions of the state. We hypothesize that young children received less well care and higher levels of tertiary care in the rural counties along the I‐95 corridor (I‐95) of South Carolina.Design/Methods: A Medicaid cohort of children less than 3 years of age was used to compare Early, Periodic, Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment (EPSDT) visits; preventable emergency department (ED) visits; and inpatient visits between I‐95, other rural and urban county groupings.Results: The adjusted odds of a child having had 80% of the recommended EPSDT visits were reduced for I‐95 compared to other rural counties. The odds of a preventable inpatient or ED visit were increased for all rural counties, with the highest rates in the other rural counties.Conclusions: Children accessed well care less in the I‐95 corridor compared to other rural areas of South Carolina. Rural children accessed tertiary care more often than urban children, a finding most prominent outside the I‐95 corridor, likely attributable to more available access of tertiary care in rural counties outside the I‐95 corridor.
Enseñanzas de la reducción de las pensiones del segundo pilar en Hungría y Polonia
Authors: Fultz Elaine 
Published: September 2012

ResumenEn 1997 Hungría y Polonia fueron los primeros países de Europa Central en privatizar parcialmente sus sistemas nacionales de pensiones. Para ello desviaron parte de las cotizaciones al régimen público de pensiones a cuentas de inversión individuales gestionadas de manera privada. Tras la crisis económica mundial, ambos gobiernos racionalizaron estos regímenes de segundo pilar: en diciembre de 2010 Hungría dejó de financiar las cuentas y recuperó la mayor parte de los saldos de las cuentas de los trabajadores y, en abril de 2011, Polonia redujo el desvío de cotizaciones al segundo pilar. Los factores que llevaron a estas reducciones se remontan a los proyectos originales del segundo pilar de 1997, que omitieron condiciones fundamentales relacionadas con la financiación de las cuentas, el proyecto de las prestaciones privadas y la reglamentación de las comisiones de gestión privada. A pesar de que a lo largo de la puesta en práctica los dos gobiernos trataron de compensar la ausencia de estas condiciones de proyecto, los resultados fueron limitados. Al reducir el rendimiento de las inversiones y aumentar los costos de los préstamos, la crisis económica mundial llevó la problemática a un punto crítico. En la conclusión se señalan algunas cuestiones importantes cuya resolución determinará las repercusiones a largo plazo de las reducciones del segundo pilar.
El declive de las vías alternativas hacia la jubilación: observaciones empíricas en el sector de la salud de los Países Bajos
Authors: Euwals Rob , van Vuren Annemiek , van Vuuren Daniel 
Published: September 2012

Resumen En los Países Bajos los regímenes de jubilación anticipada y el seguro de invalidez se reformaron varias veces en los últimos decenios. Las reformas aumentaron los incentivos para que los trabajadores mayores sigan trabajando y redujeron prevalencia de las vías alternativas hacia la jubilación. Este artículo presenta una reseña de las reformas y, a la luz de los datos administrativos sobre los trabajadores del sector de la salud, pone a prueba varias hipótesis acerca de la tasa actividad de los trabajadores mayores. Se extraen dos conclusiones principales: a) las reformas neerlandesas han sido eficaces ya que la tasa de actividad de los trabajadores mayores ha aumentado, y b) el concepto de vías alternativas ha perdido relevancia dado que se ha cerrado el acceso a la jubilación anticipada a través del seguro de invalidez. No obstante, no se recomienda generalizar sistemáticamente las conclusiones del caso neerlandés a otros países de la OCDE, ya que es probable que el contexto institucional nacional influya en los resultados.
Correlation between pennation angle and image quality of skeletal muscle fibre tractography using deterministic diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Okamoto Yoshikazu , Okamoto Toru , Yuka Kujiraoka , Hirano Yuji , Isobe Tomonori , Minami Manabu 
Published: September 2012

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of this study was to ascertain whether a correlation existed between muscle pennation angle and the ability to successfully perform tractography of the lower leg muscle fibres with deterministic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in normal volunteers.MethodsFourteen volunteers aged 20–39 (mean 28.2 years old) were recruited. All volunteers were scanned using DTI, and six fibre tractographs were constructed from one lower leg of each volunteer, and the ‘fibre density’ was calculated in each of the tractographs. The pennation angle is the angle formed by the muscle fibre and the aponeurosis. The average pennation angle (AVPA) and standard deviation of the pennation angle (SDPA) were also measured for each muscle by ultrasonography in the same region as the MRI scan. For all 84 tractography images, the correlation coefficient between the fibre density and AVPA or SDPA was calculated.ResultsFibre density and AVPA showed a moderate negative correlation (R = −0.72), and fibre density and SDPA showed a weak negative correlation (R = −0.47). With respect to comparisons within each muscle, AVPA and fibre density showed a moderate negative correlation in the gastrocnemius lateralis muscle (R = −0.57).ConclusionsOur data suggest that a larger, more variable pennation angle resulted in worse skeletal muscle tractography using deterministic DTI.
Lymphangiography as therapeutic management of chylothorax
Authors: Juszczyk Karolina , Waugh Richard , Sandroussi Charbel 
Published: September 2012

SummaryChylothorax is a rare post surgical complication. It is often initially treated using conservative management such as chest drain insertion, a medium chain triglyceride diet, total parenteral nutrition and somatostatin analogues. Lymphangiography has been used in the past, mainly to identify the site of a chyle leak, but there have been reports where lymphangiography has been therapeutic in the management of chylothorax and has led to resolution of the chyle leak. This paper describes the case of a 15‐year‐old male who presented with a post‐operative chylothorax. He was initially managed conservatively, which failed to stop the chyle leak and lymphangiography was performed. Imaging confirmed that lymphangiography was successful in stopping the chyle leak, leading to resolution of the chylothorax.ConclusionThis case demonstrates that lymphangiography can be used as a therapeutic measure in the management of a chylothorax.
Variant treatment for gastric varices with polidocanol foam using balloon‐occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration: A pilot study
Authors: Clements Warren , Cavanagh Karda , Ali Faizal , Kavnoudias Helen , Kemp William , Roberts Stuart , Lyon Stuart 
Published: September 2012

AbstractIntroductionTreatment of gastric variceal rupture remains difficult with current options including transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and endoscopic therapies having significant side effects or reduced efficacy. We report five cases of gastric varices that were successfully treated with balloon‐occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of varices (BRTO) using Polidocanol foam as an alternative sclerosant to ethanolamine oleate.MethodsPatients were recruited with cirrhotic liver disease, a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and large gastric fundal varices confirmed on gastroscopy and CT venogram. BRTO was performed as a same‐day procedure using a balloon catheter inserted via a gastro‐renal shunt with Polidocanol foam injected and a balloon inflated for 2 h. Follow‐up was with repeat CT portovenogram, gastroscopy at 6 weeks post‐procedure, and in a gastroenterology liver clinic at 1‐ to 3‐month intervals.ResultsBetween January and December 2009, five patients safely underwent BRTO therapy of gastric varices without complication. At 6 weeks following the procedure, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed complete resolution of varices in 5 out of 5 patients, while CT portovenography showed resolution of varices in 4 out of 5 patients, with results in the last patient inconclusive. Clinical follow‐up at 1, 3 and 6 months indicated no further episodes of bleeding.ConclusionsOur study further supports the use of foam sclerosants including Polidocanol in BRTO, showing it is a safe and effective minimally‐invasive procedure to treat gastric fundal varices in the short term.
Serum proteome analysis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving therapy with etanercept, a chimeric tumor necrosis factor‐alpha receptor
Authors: Yanagida Mitsuaki , Jung Giman , Tanaka Yoshinori , Sone Saburo , Fujishiro Maki , Ikeda Keigo , Nozawa Kazuhisa , Kaneko Hiroshi , Takasaki Yoshinari , Ogawa Hideoki , Takamori Kenji , Sekigawa Iwao 
Published: September 2012

AbstractAimRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the synovium resulting in the destruction of affected joint cartilage and bone structures. Etanercept is a biological agent that blocks the tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α)‐mediated inflammatory processes in RA patients, and has a regenerative effect on cartilage. In order to identify novel disease‐related proteins and candidate biomarkers, we performed proteomic profiling of the serum in patients with RA who were treated with etanercept.MethodSerum samples were obtained from eight RA patients before and after etanercept treatment. The low molecular weight proteins in the serum were concentrated and analyzed by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. The results before and after etanercept treatment were compared by the spectrum count method.ResultsAmong a total of 477 proteins identified, 12 were found to be decreased and five were increased by etanercept treatment. Some of the changed proteins were known to be related to RA, and most of the other changed proteins may play possible roles in the TNF‐α signaling pathway or the state of cartilage and extracellular matrix.ConclusionThe present proteomic study identified several proteins that could be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. These findings could thus lead to the identification of novel candidate disease‐related protein biomarkers for RA, or indicate new targets for therapy.
Development of an immunosensor assay for detection of haptoglobin in mastitic milk
Authors: Tan Xun , Ding Shou‐Qiang , Hu Yu‐Xia , Li Jun‐Jun , Zhou Ji‐Yong 
Published: September 2012

BackgroundDetection of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows is important, as it represents a major economic challenge for the dairy industry worldwide owing to propagation of mastitis‐causing pathogens and to long‐term reduction in milk yield and quality. Haptoglobin (Hp) is one of the most sensitive acute phase proteins in milk during udder inflammation and as an indicator of mastitis.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to develop a rapid and sensitive immunosensor assay for measuring Hp concentration in mastitic milk.MethodsThe immunosensor was constructed by immobilizing anti‐bovine Hp antibody on a gold electrode through gold nanoparticles fabricated on self‐assembled L‐cysteine layers. The immunosensor assay was used to measure Hp concentration in 20 milk samples positive for bacteria with a somatic cell count > 5 × 105 cells/mL from cows without clinical signs of mastitis. Results were compared with those obtained using a commercial ELISA kit.ResultsReproducibility of Hp measurement and stability after storage for 20 days were good for the immunosensor assay. Measurement of Hp was linear over a range of 15–100 mg/L, with a limit of detection of 0.63 mg/L. Agreement between results obtained with the immunosensor and ELISA methods was satisfactory as analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test (Z = –1.739, P = .073).ConclusionAn immunosensor assay for measuring Hp in milk provided rapid results and was easy to perform, facilitating its potential use in the field for the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis once a cutoff value for Hp concentration is established.
Hematologic and plasma biochemical reference intervals for health monitoring of wild Australian tree frogs
Authors: Young Sam , Warner Jeff , Speare Rick , Berger Lee , Skerratt Lee F. , Muller Reinhold 
Published: September 2012

BackgroundFew hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for wild amphibians have been established. Reference values would aid in early detection of emerging infectious diseases, which are a significant problem for amphibian conservation efforts.ObjectiveWe aimed to establish reference intervals for a wide range of hematologic and plasma biochemistry variables for 2 species of Australian tree frogs, describe morphologic features of leukocytes, and analyze the effects of season, year, and parasite status on blood values.MethodsBlood specimens were collected from reference populations of wild adult Australian tree frogs, Litoria caerulea and L infrafrenata, for analysis of hematologic (manual) variables, plasma biochemical (automated) analytes, and plasma and serum proteins using automated methods, refractometry, and electrophoresis.ResultsInter‐ and intraspecies differences were found in L caerulea (n = 80) and L infrafrenata (n = 66) frogs for hematologic and biochemical variables. Intraspecies differences were largely associated with seasonal variations. In the dry season, both species had higher WBC counts, with higher lymphocyte counts in L caerulea and higher neutrophil counts in L infrafrenata, and uric acid concentrations. In the wet season, both species had higher glucose and potassium concentrations, L caerulea frogs had higher neutrophil counts, and L infrafrenata frogs had higher total protein, phosphorus, and sodium concentrations, AST activity, PCV, hemoglobin concentration, and RBC, thrombocyte, and basophil counts. Hemogregarines were identified in 19% of blood samples from L infrafrenata frogs; multiple hematologic and biochemical variables were altered in infected frogs.ConclusionsWide interspecies and seasonal variations highlight the need to establish species‐ and season‐specific reference intervals for amphibians. Hematologic and plasma biochemical reference values should be useful in assessing the health status and in detecting emerging diseases in wild amphibians.
Application of an online post-column derivatization HPLC-DPPH assay to detect compounds responsible for antioxidant activity in Sonchus oleraceus L. leaf extracts
Authors: Ou Zong-Quan , Schmierer David M , Rades Thomas , Larsen Lesley , McDowell Arlene 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Objectives
To use an online assay to identify key antioxidants in Sonchus oleraceus leaf extracts and to investigate the effect of leaf position and extraction conditions on antioxidant concentration and activity.

Methods
Separation of phytochemicals and simultaneous assessment of antioxidant activity were performed online using HPLC and post-column reaction with a free-radical reagent (2, 2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, DPPH). Active compounds were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. We applied the online HPLC-DPPH radical assay to evaluate antioxidants in leaves from different positions on the plant and to assess the effect of pre-treatment of leaves with liquid N2 before grinding, extraction time, extraction temperature and method of concentrating extracts.

Key findings
Key antioxidants identified in S. oleraceus leaf extracts were caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid and chicoric acid. Middle leaves contained the highest total amount of the three key antioxidant compounds, consisting mainly of chicoric acid. Pre-treatment with liquid N2, increasing the extraction temperature and time and freeze-drying the extract did not enhance the yield of the key antioxidants.

Conclusion
The online HPLC-DPPH radical assay was validated as a useful screening tool for investigating individual antioxidants in leaf extracts. Optimized extraction conditions were middle leaves pre-treated with liquid N2, extraction at 25°C for 0.5 h and solvent removal by rotary evaporation.
Nurse Competence: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Smith Sarah A. 
Published: September 2012

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this analysis was to explore the concept of nurse competence.DATA SOURCES:  Data sources include EBSCOhost, Gale PowerSearch, ProQuest, PubMed Medline, Google Scholar, and Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.DATA SYNTHESIS:  This paper utilizes Rodgers' evolutionary method to analyze the concept of nurse competence.CONCLUSION:  Antecedents to nurse competence include personal and external motivations. Attributes include integrating knowledge into practice, experience, critical thinking, proficient skills, caring, communication, environment, motivation, and professionalism. Consequences include confidence, safe practice, and holistic care. Implications for nursing responsibility regarding defining nurse competence and ensuring nurse competence need to be identified. More research is needed to determine the best evaluation methods for the different facets of nurse competence.
Collaboration among nurse practitioners and registered nurses in outpatient oncology settings in Canada
Authors: Moore Jane , Prentice Dawn 
Published: September 2012

AbstractAimThis article is a report on a case study that described and analysed the collaborative process among nurse practitioners and registered nurses in oncology outpatient settings to understand and improve collaborative practice among nurses.BackgroundChanges in the health system have created new models of care delivery, such as collaborative nursing teams. This has resulted in the increased opportunity for enhanced collaboration among nurse practitioners and registered nurses. The study was guided by Corser's Model of Collaborative Nurse‐Physician Interactions (1998).DesignEmbedded single case design with multiple units of analysis.MethodsQualitative data were collected in 2010 using direct participant observations and individual and joint (nurse dyads) interviews in four outpatient oncology settings at one hospital in Ontario, Canada.FindingsThematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Together Time Fosters Collaboration; (2) Basic Skills: The Brickworks of Collaboration; (3) Road Blocks: Obstacles to Collaboration; and (4) Nurses' Attitudes towards their Collaborative Work.ConclusionCollaboration is a complex process that does not occur spontaneously. Collaboration requires nurses to not only work together but also spend time socially interacting away from the clinical setting. While nurses possess the conceptual knowledge of the meaning of collaboration, findings from this study showed that nurses struggle to understand how to collaborate in the practice setting. Strategies for improving nurse–nurse practitioner collaboration should include: the support and promotion of collaborative practice among nurses by hospital leadership and the development of institutional and organizational education programmes that would focus on creating innovative opportunities for nurses to learn about intraprofessional collaboration in the practice setting.