bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Image‐guided surgical navigation in otology
Authors: Kohan Darius , Jethanamest Daniel 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis:To evaluate the efficacy of image‐guided surgical navigation (IGSN) in otologic surgery and establish practice guidelines.Study Design:Prospective study.Methods:Between January 2003 and January 2010, all patients requiring complicated surgery for chronic otitis media, glomus jugulare, atresia, cerebrospinal fluid leak with or without encephalocele, and cholesterol granuloma of the petrous apex were offered IGSN. The accuracy of IGSN relative to pertinent pathology and 11 anatomic landmarks was established. Additionally IGSN‐related operative time, complications, and surgical outcome were recorded.Results:In the study period there were 820 otologic procedures, among 94 patients (96 ears) with disease meeting proposed criteria. Thirteen patients (15 procedures) consented to the use of IGSN. All patients had a minimum 6 months of follow‐up. The average additional operative time required was 36.7 minutes. The mean accuracy error was 1.1 mm laterally at the tragus but decreased to 0.8 mm medially at the level of the oval window. The mean accuracy of IGSN was within 1 mm in 10 of the 11 targeted surgical anatomic landmarks.Conclusions:Interactive image‐guided surgical navigation during complex otologic surgery may improve surgical outcome and decrease morbidity by providing an accurate real‐time display of surgical instrumentation relative to patient anatomy and pathology. In select cases, the extra cost of imaging immediately prior to surgery and extra operating room time may be compensated by enhancing the ability to distinguish distorted anatomy relative to disease, potentially improving surgical outcome. IGSN, although useful, does not replace surgical expertise and experience.
Validation of a task‐specific scoring system for a microvascular surgery simulation model
Authors: Nimmons Grace L. , Chang Kristi E. , Funk Gerry F. , Shonka David C. , Pagedar Nitin A. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjective/Hypothesis:Simulation models can help develop procedural skills outside the clinical setting while also providing a means for evaluation of trainees. Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) have been developed for several procedures. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the construct validity of an OSATS for microvascular anastomosis performed on a simulation model using chicken thigh vessels.Study Design:Validation study.Methods:An expert panel constructed a task‐specific checklist for an OSATS for microvascular anastomosis. Twenty surgical staff and trainees performed a microvascular anastomosis of a chicken ischiatic artery. Training level and microsurgical experience were assessed by questionnaire. The performances were recorded and scored by two experts using the task‐specific and global scales of the OSATS.Results:Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of training and microvascular experience for both the task‐specific score and global rating scale score (P < .005). Interrater reliability was 0.7. Experience level demonstrated a logarithmic relationship with task time.Conclusions:The microvascular OSATS applied to the chicken thigh simulator model differentiated between levels of microvascular experience. It demonstrated construct validity and reliability for the assessment of procedural competence using a cost‐effective and easily accessible model.
UNDERSTANDING SOIL CONSERVATION DECISION OF FARMERS IN THE GEDEB WATERSHED, ETHIOPIA
Authors: Tesfaye A. , Negatu W. , Brouwer R. , van der Zaag P. 
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the main factors that influence smallholders' adoption decision of soil conservation measures in the Gedeb watershed. Data from 498 household heads who live in the three districts of the watershed were analysed using the binary logistic regression model. We find that farmers need adequate cash to invest in soil conservation measures. Moreover, farmers would be more encouraged to implement soil conservation measures when they have larger areas of cropland. We explore the possibility that when farmers presume that they have fertile land, they exploit their land more. This hints at the need for extension advice about the benefit of sustainable use of farmers' cropland so that they can maintain their land and pass it on to the future generation. Farmers' awareness about the benefit of land management practices and recognition of the problem erosion is causing on their crop land are central to their decision to adopt soil conservation measures. Furthermore, to adopt these measures, farmers have to be convinced about the effectiveness of these measures. Thus, awareness creation and demonstration of the effectiveness of these measures is essential. Because of the transboundary nature of the problem, policy makers in downstream countries that are suffering from the off‐site impact (e.g. Sudan) would benefit from the information provided and support efforts in the implementation of soil conservation measures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concomitant consumption of lycopene and fish oil inhibits tumor growth and progression in a mouse xenograft model of colon cancer
Authors: Tang Feng‐Yao , Pai Man‐Hui , Kuo Yueh‐Hsiung , Wang Xiang‐Dong 
Published: September 2012

ScopeOur previous report showed that concomitant supplementation of lycopene and eicosa‐pentaenoic acid synergistically inhibited the proliferation of human colon cancer HT‐29 cells in vitro.Methods and resultsTo validate our findings, the present study investigated whether consumption of lycopene and fish oil would help prevent tumor growth and progression in a mouse xenograft model of colon cancer. The inhibitory effects of lycopene and fish oil on tumor growth were verified by western blotting analysis, bioluminescent imaging, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and ELISA. The results demonstrated that lycopene and fish oil synergistically inhibited the growth of colon cancer in tumor‐bearing mice. The bioluminescent imaging, histopathological and IHC staining results indicated that lycopene and fish oil effectively suppressed tumor growth and progression of colon cancer in vivo. The chemopreventive effects of lycopene and fish oil were associated with augmented expression of the cell cycle inhibitors such as p21CIP1/WAF1 and p27Kip1, and suppression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, β‐catenin, cyclin D1 and c‐Myc proteins. Furthermore, lycopene and fish oil inhibited tumor progression through suppression of MMP‐7, MMP‐9, COX‐2 and PGE2.ConclusionThese results show that lycopene and fish oil act synergistically as chemopreventive agents against tumor growth and progression in a mouse xenograft model of colon cancer.
The Continuing Professional Development for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals Working Within Musculoskeletal Services: A National UK Survey
Authors: Haywood Hannah , Pain Helen , Ryan Sarah , Adams Jo 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjectivesTo explore the current UK status of continuing professional development (CPD) for nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs) working in musculoskeletal (MSK) services in the UK.MethodsA web‐based survey was developed and used to collect data from service managers, nurses and AHPs who work with people who have MSK conditions, recruited through professional interest groups via email and website notices. The questionnaire was designed following focus groups and telephone conference calls with managers and AHPs from MSK services to ensure content validity. Results were collected online and analysed in SPSS PASW 17 using frequency data and χ2 analyses.ResultsA total of 354 responses were analysed. The most frequently reported reason for undertaking CPD was to improve patient care. The level of staff experience made no significant difference to the CPD activities undertaken. The majority of respondents reported that their organization was supportive of CPD activities and in applying new knowledge to practice, but lack of funding and having too many other tasks to complete at work were the most frequently reported barriers to CPD. Many commented about the difficulty in accessing CPD in the face of increasing workload pressure and tightened budgets.ConclusionsThe results indicate that despite the organizational support for CPD, respondents faced substantial challenges in accessing CPD when under pressure to achieve productivity targets, with little assistance in terms of funding. This discrepancy may indicate that greater support is required to meet MSK nurses' and AHPs' CPD needs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A detailed investigation of block dynamic sliding by the discontinuous deformation analysis
Authors: Ning Youjun , Zhao Zhiye 
Published: September 2012

SUMMARYAn extensive examination of the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) in block dynamic sliding modeling is carried out in this paper. Theoretical solutions for a single block sliding on an arbitrarily inclined plane by applying the horizontal/vertical seismic loadings to the sliding block as acceleration time histories or to the base as constraint displacement time histories are derived. As compared with the theoretical solutions, for a single block sliding, the DDA predicts the sliding displacements and block interaction forces accurately under various base incline angles and friction angles under both the harmonic loadings and a real seismic loading. The vertical seismic component may influence the block sliding displacements to different extent, and the DDA can capture these phenomena successfully and give accurate results. For the calculation of the single block relative sliding, both the theoretical and the DDA solutions indicate that applying the seismic accelerations as constraint displacement time histories (derived by integrating the seismic accelerations twice) to the base is equivalent to applying the seismic accelerations as volume forces to the sliding block in the opposite directions. The DDA modeling also demonstrates that this conclusion still stands for the case of multi‐block sliding. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Affine recourse for the robust network design problem: Between static and dynamic routing
Authors: Poss Michael , Raack Christian 
Published: September 2012

AbstractAffinely Adjustable Robust Counterparts provide tractable alternatives to (two‐stage) robust programs with arbitrary recourse. Following Ouorou and Vial, we apply them to robust network design with polyhedral demand uncertainty, introducing the notion of affine routing. We compare the new affine routing scheme to the well‐studied static and dynamic routing schemes for robust network design. It is shown that affine routing can be seen as a generalization of the widely used static routing while still being tractable and providing cheaper solutions. We investigate properties of the demand polytope under which affine routings reduce to static routings and also develop conditions on the uncertainty set leading to dynamic routings being affine. We show however that affine routings suffer from the drawback that (even totally) dominated demand vectors are not necessarily supported by affine solutions. Uncertainty sets have to be designed accordingly. Finally, we present computational results on networks from SNDlib. We conclude that for these instances the optimal solutions based on affine routings tend to be as cheap as optimal network designs for dynamic routings. In this respect the affine routing principle can be used to approximate the cost for two‐stage solutions with free recourse which are hard to compute. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2013
Hop‐level flow formulation for the survivable network design with hop constraints problem
Authors: Mahjoub A. Ridha , Simonetti Luidi , Uchoa Eduardo 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThe hop‐constrained survivable network design problem consists of finding a minimum cost subgraph containing K edge‐disjoint paths with length at most H joining each pair of vertices in a given demand set. When all demands have a common vertex, the instance is said to be rooted. We propose a new extended formulation for the rooted case, called hop‐level multicommodity flow (MCF), that can be significantly stronger than the previously known formulations, at the expense of having a larger number of variables and constraints, growing linearly with the number of edges and demands and quadratically with H. However, for the particular case where H = 2, it can be specialized into a very compact and efficient formulation. Even when H = 3, hop‐level‐MCF can still be quite efficient and it has solved several instances from the literature for the first time. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2013
Phase I trial and pharmacokinetic study of sorafenib in children with neurofibromatosis type I and plexiform neurofibromas
Authors: Kim AeRang , Dombi Eva , Tepas Kathleen , Fox Elizabeth , Martin Staci , Wolters Pamela , Balis Frank M. , Jayaprakash Nalini , Turkbey Baris , Muradyan Naira , Choyke Peter L. , Reddy Alyssa , Korf Bruce , Widemann Brigitte C. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractBackgroundSorafenib targets multiple pathways thought to be crucial in growth of plexiform neurofibroma (PN) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Sorafenib has been tolerated with manageable toxicities in adults and children with refractory cancer. We conducted a separate study in this population. Monitoring long‐term toxicities such as effects on growth and obtaining additional pharmacokinetic data were of importance due to the young age and long duration of therapy seen in previous phase I trials in children with NF1.ProcedureChildren ≥3 and ≤18‐year‐old with NF1 and inoperable PN were eligible. Sorafenib was administered orally twice daily for consecutive 28‐day cycles. Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined from toxicities observed during the first three cycles.ResultsNine children enrolled, median age 8 (6–12) years. At the starting 115 mg/m2/dose (n = 5), two experienced dose‐limiting grade 3 pain in their PN. At the de‐escalated 80 mg/m2/dose (n = 4), approximately 40% of the pediatric solid tumor MTD, two had dose‐limiting toxicity (grade 3 rash and grade 4 mood alteration), exceeding the MTD. At 80 mg/m2/dose, the median AUC0–12 hours at steady‐state was 39.5 µg hours/ml. Toxicities appeared to correspond with decreases in quality of life (QOL). No tumor shrinkage was observed.ConclusionsChildren with NF1 and PN did not tolerate sorafenib at doses substantially lower than the MTD in children and adults with malignant solid tumors. Future trials with targeted agents for children with NF1 may require a more conservative starting dose and separate definitions of dose limiting toxicities (DLT) than children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 396–401. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Demonstration of type II latency in T lymphocytes of Epstein–Barr Virus‐associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Ito Yoshinori , Kawamura Yoshiki , Iwata Seiko , Kawada Jun‐ichi , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Kimura Hiroshi 
Published: September 2012

AbstractEpstein–Barr virus (EBV) is the most common infectious cause of non‐genetic hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). To investigate EBV‐infected lymphocytes and immune dysfunction in EBV‐associated HLH, blood samples from a 6‐year‐old boy were longitudinally analyzed using molecular techniques. EBV‐positive lymphocytes were detected as CD5+, CD8+, and/or HLA DR+ lymphocytes on Day 25 of the disease, mostly disappearing thereafter. CD8+ cells specific for lytic antigen BRLF1 were detected, but cells specific for latent antigens EBNA3 and LMP2 were not. EBV genes EBNA1, LMP1, LMP2, EBER1, BARTs were detected, suggesting a latency type II gene expression pattern in this case. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:326–328. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Islet cell transplantation: current status in the UK
Authors: Choudhary Pratik , Parrott Neil R , Birtles Linda , Rutter Martin K 
Published: September 2012

AbstractUp to a third of patients with type 1 diabetes have impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, putting them at a six‐fold higher risk of severe hypoglycaemia, requiring third‐party assistance. Following the success of a Diabetes UK funded research programme, islet transplantation is centrally funded at seven UK sites.Islet transplantation is indicated for patients with recurrent, severe, disabling hypoglycaemia despite best medical therapy. In most patients, this includes a trial of insulin pump therapy. International data suggest five‐year graft survival of between 30–50%, with those patients remaining free from hypoglycaemia and insulin‐independence rates of 20–25% at five years. The UK programme is focused on hypoglycaemia protection, and UK data from 24 recipients show a reduction in the frequency of severe hypoglycaemia from 23/patient per year to 0.56/patient per year.The main alternative to islet transplantation is whole pancreas transplantation, which also has a five‐year graft survival rate of 50%, but much higher insulin independence rates. However, this is associated with significantly higher surgical morbidity.Islet transplantation is very safe, the main risks being related to immunosuppression. We have a lot of experience with these drugs in solid organ transplantation. The main risk is a 4% excess risk of skin cancers, the majority of which are curable.It is important for hypoglycaemia status to be assessed in all patients with type 1 diabetes, so that those with problematic severe hypoglycaemia can be identified. In these patients, islet transplantation can offer potential normalisation of blood glucose with complete resolution of hypoglycaemia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons.
Primary care: the custodian of diabetes care?
Authors: Farooqi Azhar 
Published: September 2012

AbstractType 2 diabetes is the disease of our times. With some 3 million cases in the UK, primary care has a vital role in coordinating and delivering evidence‐based care which includes the prevention, detection and management of diabetes.However, primary care has not always been able to deliver such a role; up to the end of the 1980s, despite the drawbacks of busy hospital outpatient clinics, primary care could rarely offer the systematic care and skills that people with diabetes require.Quality improvement and audit in the 1990s heralded the increased adoption of evidence‐based practice in primary care. Many GP practices significantly improved the organisation and quality of care for diabetes as a result. The widespread adoption of IT systems and the emergence of a more robust evidence base for care (for example, UKPDS) accelerated this process.More lately, investment in general practice through the Quality and Outcomes Framework and practice education programmes have helped deliver significant improvements in the quality of primary care diabetes.However, there is still much to do, with variation in care and health inequalities persisting. The development of clinical commissioning offers further opportunities to make the best use of available resources and target investment where it is most likely to benefit patients. A health care system where primary care in collaboration with other stakeholders coordinates the care of people with diabetes offers the best hope in addressing this modern epidemic that we face. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons.This paper was presented as the 2012 Mary Mackinnon lecture at the 2012 Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference held in Glasgow
Transient insulin‐treated diabetes mellitus in a patient with pancreatic tuberculosis
Authors: Thondam SK , Shrotri M , Oyegade A , Daousi C , Cuthbertson DJ 
Published: September 2012

AbstractIsolated pancreatic tuberculosis (TB) is uncommon, and overt diabetes mellitus subsequent to it is rare. We report an unusual case of transient diabetes mellitus in a 46‐year‐old Asian man, nearly three months after a modified Whipple's surgical procedure for pancreatic TB. Our patient had severe hyperglycaemia initially requiring insulin treatment followed by recurrent hypoglycaemia over the next two weeks and near normalisation of blood glucose without any medication thereafter. We discuss the likely pathogenic mechanisms leading to the unusual course of diabetes mellitus in our patient. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons.
Direct observation of Cu, Zn cation disorder in Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cell absorber material using aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Mendis Budhika G. , Shannon Mervyn D , Goodman Max CJ , Major Jon D , Claridge Richard , Halliday Douglas P. , Durose Ken 
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACTChemical analysis of individual atom columns was carried out to determine the crystal structure and local point defect chemistry of Cu2ZnSnS4. Direct evidence for a nanoscale composition inhomogeneity, in the form of Zn enrichment and Cu depletion, was obtained. The lateral size of the composition inhomogeneity was estimated to be between ~1.5 and 5 nm. Photoluminescence confirmed the presence of a broad donor–acceptor transition consistent with the observed cation disorder. Areas of relatively high concentration of ZnCu+ antisite atom donors locally increases the electrostatic potential and gives rise to band bending. Troughs in the conduction band and peaks in the valence band are ‘potential wells’ for electrons and holes, respectively. For a solar cell, these prevent minority carrier electrons from diffusing towards the edge of the space charge region, thereby reducing the carrier separation efficiency as well as reducing the carrier collection efficiency of majority carrier holes. Furthermore, electrons and holes ‘trapped’ within potential wells in close proximity have a high probability of recombining, so that the carrier lifetime is also reduced. High quality Cu2ZnSnS4 crystals free from composition inhomogeneities are therefore required for achieving high efficiency solar cell devices. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Truth telling in medical practice: students' opinions versus their observations of attending physicians' clinical practice
Authors: Tang Woung‐Ru , Fang Ji‐Tseng , Fang Chun‐Kai , Fujimori Maiko 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjectiveTruth telling or transmitting bad news is a problem that all doctors must frequently face. The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate if medical students' opinions of truth telling differed from their observations of attending physicians' actual clinical practice.MethodsThe subjects were 275 medical clerks/interns at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Data were collected on medical students' opinions of truth telling, their observations of physicians' clinical practice, students' level of satisfaction with truth telling practiced by attending physicians, and cancer patients' distress level when they were told the truth.ResultsStudents' truth‐telling awareness was significantly higher than the clinical truth‐telling practice of attending physicians (p < 0.001), and the means for these parameters had a moderate difference, especially in three aspects: method, emotional support, and providing additional information (p < 0.001). Regardless of this difference, students were satisfied with the truth telling of attending physicians (mean ± SD = 7.33 ± 1.74). However, our data also show that when cancer patients were informed of bad news, they all experienced medium to above average distress (5.93 ± 2.19).ConclusionsTo develop the ability to tell the truth well, one must receive regular training in communication skills, including experienced attending physicians. This study found a significant difference between medical students' opinions on truth telling and attending physicians' actual clinical practice. More research is needed to objectively assess physicians' truth telling in clinical practice and to study the factors affecting the method of truth telling used by attending physicians in clinical practice. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.