bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of a cognitive stimulation therapy programme for people with dementia
Authors: Coen Robert F , Flynn Bronagh , Rigney Edel , O'Connor Elaine , Fitzgerald Liza , Murray Ciaran , Dunleavy Catherine , McDonald Mindy , Delaney Deirdre , Merriman Niamh , Edgeworth Jennifer 
Published: April 2015

AbstractObjectives: Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) has been shown to produce improvements in cognition and quality of life which compare favourably with trials of cholinesterase inhibitors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of CST, replicating the methods of Spector et al in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2003 in a smaller sample using a control group engaged in routine activities.Methods: Eligible participants (mild to moderate dementia; MMSE range 10-23) were randomised to CST group or control conditions. Pre- and post-intervention testing was undertaken by assessors who were blind to condition. Measures included MMSE, CDR (sum of boxes), ADAS-cog, RAID (anxiety), abbreviated GDS (depression), QoL-AD, and the CAPE Behaviour Rating Scale (BRS). Analysis was by non-parametric statistics. Occupational therapists facilitated two sessions per week for seven weeks in two long-term care facilities and the same programme was run by the activity co-ordinator in a nursing home unit.Results: Fourteen CST and 13 control participants completed the study. Between group difference scores analysis showed that the CST group improved compared to controls on MMSE (Mann-Whitney U = 32, p = 0.013) and on the QoL-AD which just fell short of significant (U=51.5, p = 0.055). Qualitatively, therapists noted that CST participants demonstrated good interaction and enthusiasm in the group environment, with continuity and carryover between sessions.Conclusions: Even though the sample sizes are small the current study is consistent with the Spector et al's findings in 2003 of beneficial effects in people with dementia following CST. The programme is recommended as an intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia.
Understanding the Health of Refugee Women in Host Countries: Lessons from the Kosovar Re-Settlement in Canada
Authors: Redwood-Campbell Lynda , Thind Harpreet , Howard Michelle , Koteles Jennifer , Fowler Nancy , Kaczorowski Janusz 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIntroduction:Refugees from Kosovo arrived in several Canadian cities after humanitarian evacuations in 1999. Approximately 500 arrived in Hamilton, Canada. Volunteer sponsors from community organizations assisted the families with settlement, which included providing them access to healthcare services.Hypothesis/Problem: It was anticipated that women, in particular, would have unmet health needs relating to trauma and a lack of healthcare access after experiencing forced migration.Methods:This study describes the results of a self-administered survey regarding women's health issues and experiences with health services after the arrival of refugees. It also describes the sponsor group's experience related to women's health care. The survey was administered to a random sample of 85 women refugees, and focus groups with 14 sponsors.Women self-completed questionnaires about their health, which included the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and use of preventive health services. Sponsor groups participated in a focus group discussing healthcare needs and experiences of their assigned refugee families. Themes pertaining to women's issues were identified from the focus groups.Results:Preventive screening rates were low, only 1/19 (5.3%) women ≥50- years-old had ever received a mammogram; 34.1% (28/82) had ever received a Pap test); and PTSD was prevalent (25.9%, 22/85). Sponsor groups identified challenges relating to prenatal care needs, finding family physicians, language barriers to health care services, cultural influences of women's healthcare decision-making, mental health concerns, and difficulties accessing dental care, eye care, and prescriptions.Conclusions:Many women refugees from Kosovo had unmet health needs. Culturally appropriate population level screening campaigns and integration of language and interpretation services into the healthcare sector on a permanent basis are important policy actions to be adequately prepared for newcomers and women in displaced situations. These needs should be anticipated during the evacuation period by host countries to aid in planning the provision of health resources more efficiently for refugees and displaced people going to host countries.
Factors Associated with Workplace Violence in Paramedics
Authors: Koritsas Stella , Boyle Malcolm , Coles Jan 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIntroduction:The majority of research that has explored workplace violence has focused on establishing the prevalence of violence in different settings. In general, there is a paucity of research that explores factors that may predict or increase the risk of experiencing violence in the workplace.Objective:The aim of this research was to determine predictors of violence for paramedics.Methods:A questionnaire was developed that focused on paramedics' experi-ences with six forms of violence: verbal abuse, property damage/theft, intimi-dation, physical abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.The questionnaire was distributed randomly to paramedics throughout rural Victoria and metropolitan South Australia, and completed and returned anonymously.Results:Predictors emerged for verbal abuse, intimidation, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse. Specifically, gender was the only predictor of intimidation, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Paramedic qualifications, how they responded to a call-out, and hours per week in direct patient contact emerged as a predictor of verbal abuse.Conclusions:Certain factors predict or predispose paramedics to workplace violence. The need for workplace violence education and training is impera-tive for the prevention of violence, as well as for its management.
Training Healthcare Personnel for Mass-Casualty Incidents in a Virtual Emergency Department: VED II
Authors: Heinrichs Wm. LeRoy , Youngblood Patricia , Harter Phillip , Kusumoto Laura , Dev Parvati 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIntroduction:Training emergency personnel on the clinical management of a mass-casualty incident (MCI) with prior chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear, or explosives (CBRNE)-exposed patients is a component of hospital preparedness procedures.Objective:The objective of this research was to determine whether a Virtual Emergency Department (VED), designed after the Stanford University Medical Center's Emergency Department (ED) and populated with 10 virtual patient victims who suffered from a dirty bomb blast (radiological) and 10 who suffered from exposure to a nerve toxin (chemical), is an effective clinical environment for training ED physicians and nurses for such MCIs.Methods:Ten physicians with an average of four years of post-training experience, and 12 nurses with an average of 9.5 years of post-graduate experience at Stanford University Medical Center and San Mateo County Medical Center participated in this IRB-approved study. All individuals were provided electronic information about the clinical features of patients exposed to a nerve toxin or radioactive blast before the study date and an orientation to the “game” interface, including an opportunity to practice using it immediately prior to the study. An exit questionnaire was conducted using a Likert Scale test instrument.Results:Among these 22 trainees, two-thirds of whom had prior Code Triage (multiple casualty incident) training, and one-half had prior CBRNE training, about two-thirds felt immersed in the virtual world much or all of the time. Prior to the training, only four trainees (18%) were confident about managing CBRNE MCIs. After the training, 19 (86%) felt either “confident” or “very confident”, with 13 (59%) attributing this change to practicing in the virtual ED. Twenty-one (95%) of the trainees reported that the scenarios were useful for improving healthcare team skills training, the primary objective for creating them. Eighteen trainees (82%) believed that the cases also were instructive in learning about clinical skills management of such incidents. Conclusions: These data suggest that training healthcare teams in online, virtual environments with dynamic virtual patients is an effective method of training for management of MCIs, particularly for uncommonly occurring incidents.Conclusions:These data suggest that training healthcare teams in online, virtual environments with dynamic virtual patients is an effective method of training for management of MCIs, particularly for uncommonly occurring incidents.
Using an OCD formulation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a useful way to understand the illness?
Authors: Jenkins Paul E. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractAnorexia nervosa (AN) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been shown to have a number of commonalities, such as genetics, neurobiology, and symptoms. Approaches to treatment of AN have recently been described that take such findings into account, extending interventions recommended for obsessive compulsive and anxiety disorders to AN. The current paper aims to outline a formulation model of AN in adults, derived from the literature on OCD, and introduce this topic as a fruitful area to build on existing treatment techniques, and to prompt further discussion of such techniques. A formulation model is described, followed by a discussion of how this might be applied to AN, using examples from clinical practice. Potential benefits and difficulties are discussed. A formulation model is suggested that can easily be adapted to AN, complementing existing models in eating disorders.
Greenhouse Gas Taxes on Meat Products: A Legal Perspective
Authors: Bähr Cordelia Christiane 
Published: April 2015

AbstractMeat production and the transport sector contribute almost equally to global warming. However, unlike the transport sector, in terms of climate change policies meat production is relatively unregulated. Many scientists have called for a meat tax as a means of reducing consumption but governments and politicians have not responded. Has the law been an obstacle to the acceptance of a meat tax? To address that question, this article analyzes three examples of European Union (EU) taxes that could be imposed on the consumption of domestic and imported meat, and examines them in relation to the international climate change regime, human rights law, and the legal regimes of the World Trade Organization and the EU. It shows that, if carefully designed, an EU meat tax is consistent with these bodies of law. To address adequately the industrial sectors that give rise to global warming, governments will need to overcome the taboo relating to the concept of a meat tax.
Size-fraction partitioning of community gene transcription and nitrogen metabolism in a marine oxygen minimum zone
Authors: Ganesh Sangita , Bristow Laura A , Larsen Morten , Sarode Neha , Thamdrup Bo , Stewart Frank J 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
The genetic composition of marine microbial communities varies at the microscale between particle-associated (PA; &gt;1.6 μm) and free-living (FL; 0.2–1.6 μm) niches. It remains unclear, however, how metabolic activities differ between PA and FL fractions. We combined rate measurements with metatranscriptomics to quantify PA and FL microbial activity in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific, focusing on dissimilatory processes of the nitrogen (N) cycle. Bacterial gene counts were 8- to 15-fold higher in the FL compared with the PA fraction. However, rates of all measured N cycle processes, excluding ammonia oxidation, declined significantly following particle (&gt;1.6 μm) removal. Without particles, rates of nitrate reduction to nitrite (1.5–9.4nmNd−1) fell to zero and N2 production by denitrification (0.5–1.7nmNd−1) and anammox (0.3–1.9nmNd−1) declined by 53–85%. The proportional representation of major microbial taxa and N cycle gene transcripts in metatranscriptomes followed fraction-specific trends. Transcripts encoding nitrate reductase were uniform among PA and FL fractions, whereas anammox-associated transcripts were proportionately enriched up to 15-fold in the FL fraction. In contrast, transcripts encoding enzymes for N2O and N2 production by denitrification were enriched up to 28-fold in PA samples. These patterns suggest that the majority of N cycle activity, excluding N2O and N2 production by denitrification, is confined to a FL majority that is critically dependent on access to particles, likely as a source of organic carbon and inorganic N. Variable particle distributions may drive heterogeneity in N cycle activity and gene expression in OMZs.
The solar magnetic activity band interaction and instabilities that shape quasi-periodic variability
Authors: McIntosh Scott W. , Leamon Robert J. , Krista Larisza D. , Title Alan M. , Hudson Hugh S. , Riley Pete , Harder Jerald W. , Kopp Greg , Snow Martin , Woods Thomas N. , Kasper Justin C. , Stevens Michael L. , Ulrich Roger K. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractSolar magnetism displays a host of variational timescales of which the enigmatic 11-year sunspot cycle is most prominent. Recent work has demonstrated that the sunspot cycle can be explained in terms of the intra- and extra-hemispheric interaction between the overlapping activity bands of the 22-year magnetic polarity cycle. Those activity bands appear to be driven by the rotation of the Sun’s deep interior. Here we deduce that activity band interaction can qualitatively explain the ‘Gnevyshev Gap’—a well-established feature of flare and sunspot occurrence. Strong quasi-annual variability in the number of flares, coronal mass ejections, the radiative and particulate environment of the heliosphere is also observed. We infer that this secondary variability is driven by surges of magnetism from the activity bands. Understanding the formation, interaction and instability of these activity bands will considerably improve forecast capability in space weather and solar activity over a range of timescales.
Quantitative analysis of the TNF-α-induced phosphoproteome reveals AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC as an IKKβ substrate
Authors: Krishnan Ramesh K. , Nolte Hendrik , Sun Tianliang , Kaur Harmandeep , Sreenivasan Krishnamoorthy , Looso Mario , Offermanns Stefan , Krüger Marcus , Swiercz Jakub M. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe inhibitor of the nuclear factor-κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) complex is a key regulator of the canonical NF-κB signalling cascade and is crucial for fundamental cellular functions, including stress and immune responses. The majority of IKK complex functions are attributed to NF-κB activation; however, there is increasing evidence for NF-κB pathway-independent signalling. Here we combine quantitative mass spectrometry with random forest bioinformatics to dissect the TNF-α-IKKβ-induced phosphoproteome in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In total, we identify over 20,000 phosphorylation sites, of which ∼1% are regulated up on TNF-α stimulation. We identify various potential novel IKKβ substrates including kinases and regulators of cellular trafficking. Moreover, we show that one of the candidates, AEG-1/MTDH/LYRIC, is directly phosphorylated by IKKβ on serine 298. We provide evidence that IKKβ-mediated AEG-1 phosphorylation is essential for IκBα degradation as well as NF-κB-dependent gene expression and cell proliferation, which correlate with cancer patient survival in vivo.
IL-6-mediated environmental conditioning of defective Th1 differentiation dampens antitumour immune responses in old age
Authors: Tsukamoto Hirotake , Senju Satoru , Matsumura Keiko , Swain Susan L. , Nishimura Yasuharu 
Published: April 2015

AbstractDecline in immune function and inflammation concomitantly develop with ageing. Here we focus on the impact of this inflammatory environment on T cells, and demonstrate that in contrast to successful tumour elimination in young mice, replenishment of tumour-specific CD4+ T cells fails to induce tumour regression in aged hosts. The impaired antitumour effect of CD4+ T cells with their defective Th1 differentiation in an aged environment is restored by interleukin (IL)-6 blockade or IL-6 deficiency. IL-6 blockade also restores the impaired ability of CD4+ T cells to promote CD8+ T-cell-dependent tumour elimination in aged mice, which requires IFN-γ. Furthermore, IL-6-stimulated production of IL-4/IL-21 through c-Maf induction is responsible for impaired Th1 differentiation. IL-6 also contributes to IL-10 production from CD4+ T cells in aged mice, causing attenuated responses of CD8+ T cells. These findings suggest that IL-6 serves as an extrinsic factor counteracting CD4+ T-cell-mediated immunity against tumour in old age.
Reduced Tyk2 gene expression in β-cells due to natural mutation determines susceptibility to virus-induced diabetes
Authors: Izumi Kenichi , Mine Keiichiro , Inoue Yoshitaka , Teshima Miho , Ogawa Shuichiro , Kai Yuji , Kurafuji Toshinobu , Hirakawa Kanako , Miyakawa Daiki , Ikeda Haruka , Inada Akari , Hara Manami , Yamada Hisakata , Akashi Koichi , Niho Yoshiyuki , Ina Keisuke , Kobayashi Takashi , Yoshikai Yasunobu , Anzai Keizo , Yamashita Teruo , Minagawa Hiroko , Fujimoto Shuji , Kurisaki Hironori , Shimoda Kazuya , Katsuta Hitoshi , Nagafuchi Seiho 
Published: April 2015

AbstractAccumulating evidence suggests that viruses play an important role in the development of diabetes. Although the diabetogenic encephalomyocarditis strain D virus induces diabetes in restricted lines of inbred mice, the susceptibility genes to virus-induced diabetes have not been identified. We report here that novel Tyrosine kinase 2 (Tyk2) gene mutations are present in virus-induced diabetes-sensitive SJL and SWR mice. Mice carrying the mutant Tyk2 gene on the virus-resistant C57BL/6 background are highly sensitive to virus-induced diabetes. Tyk2 gene expression is strongly reduced in Tyk2-mutant mice, associated with low Tyk2 promoter activity, and leads to decreased expression of interferon-inducible genes, resulting in significantly compromised antiviral response. Tyk2-mutant pancreatic β-cells are unresponsive even to high dose of Type I interferon. Reversal of virus-induced diabetes could be achieved by β-cell-specific Tyk2 gene expression. Thus, reduced Tyk2 gene expression in pancreatic β-cells due to natural mutation is responsible for susceptibility to virus-induced diabetes.
Systematic functional profiling of transcription factor networks in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Jung Kwang-Woo , Yang Dong-Hoon , Maeng Shinae , Lee Kyung-Tae , So Yee-Seul , Hong Joohyeon , Choi Jaeyoung , Byun Hyo-Jeong , Kim Hyelim , Bang Soohyun , Song Min-Hee , Lee Jang-Won , Kim Min Su , Kim Seo-Young , Ji Je-Hyun , Park Goun , Kwon Hyojeong , Cha Suyeon , Meyers Gena Lee , Wang Li Li , Jang Jooyoung , Janbon Guilhem , Adedoyin Gloria , Kim Taeyup , Averette Anna K. , Heitman Joseph , Cheong Eunji , Lee Yong-Hwan , Lee Yin-Won , Bahn Yong-Sun 
Published: April 2015

AbstractCryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but its overall biological and pathogenic regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set of transcription factors (TFs). Here, we report the construction of a high-quality library of 322 signature-tagged gene-deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes previously predicted using the DNA-binding domain TF database, and examine their in vitro and in vivo phenotypic traits under 32 distinct growth conditions. At least one phenotypic trait is exhibited by 145 out of 155 TF mutants (93%) and ∼85% of them (132/155) are functionally characterized for the first time in this study. The genotypic and phenotypic data for each TF are available in the C. neoformans TF phenome database (http://tf.cryptococcus.org). In conclusion, our phenome-based functional analysis of the C. neoformans TF mutant library provides key insights into transcriptional networks of basidiomycetous fungi and human fungal pathogens.
Network Modularity is essential for evolution of cooperation under uncertainty
Authors: Gianetto David A. , Heydari Babak 
Published: April 2015

AbstractCooperative behavior, which pervades nature, can be significantly enhanced when agents interact in a structured rather than random way; however, the key structural factors that affect cooperation are not well understood. Moreover, the role structure plays with cooperation has largely been studied through observing overall cooperation rather than the underlying components that together shape cooperative behavior. In this paper we address these two problems by first applying evolutionary games to a wide range of networks, where agents play the Prisoner's Dilemma with a three-component stochastic strategy and then analyzing agent-based simulation results using principal component analysis. With these methods we study the evolution of trust, reciprocity and forgiveness as a function of several structural parameters. This work demonstrates that community structure, represented by network modularity, among all the tested structural parameters, has the most significant impact on the emergence of cooperative behavior, with forgiveness showing the largest sensitivity to community structure. We also show that increased community structure reduces the dispersion of trust and forgiveness, thereby reducing the network-level uncertainties for these two components; graph transitivity and degree also significantly influence the evolutionary dynamics of the population and the diversity of strategies at equilibrium.
Experimental evaluation of NRZ and duobinary up to 48 Gbit/s for electrical backplanes
Authors: Ban Y. , Keulenaer T.D. , Torfs G. , Sinsky J.H. , Kozicki B. , Bauwelinck J. 
Published: April 2015

Transmission beyond 40 Gbit/s across a commercial Megtron 6, 11.5‐inch electrical backplane is explored, and a record error‐free serial electrical duobinary transmission of up to 48 Gbit/s including backplane connectors is demonstrated. Compared with non‐return‐to‐zero (NRZ), the equalised duobinary transmission over the backplane demonstrates improved performance due to its higher bandwidth efficiency, and opens possibilities to increase the serial speed of backplane channels. Bit error rates are presented at different data rates and over different backplane channel lengths.
Compact 60 GHz LTCC balun bandpass filter with two transmission zeroes
Authors: Zhang Gang , Wang Jianpeng , Pan Jiebin , Gu Hui 
Published: April 2015

A new balun–bandpass filter with a quasi‐elliptic response for 60 GHz wireless communication systems is proposed. It is designed in the form of a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) and fabricated with the standard low‐temperature co‐fired ceramic (LTCC) technology. Both simulated and experimental results are provided, which have good agreement. The results indicate that the proposed balun filter has a good balance performance with <1.1 dB amplitude imbalance and better than 3.4° phase imbalance, compact size, as well as high selectivity.