bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Addressing the Challenges of Conducting Research in Developing Countries
Authors: Amerson Roxanne M. , Strang Cecily W. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPurposeTo explore the unique challenges that occur when conducting research in developing countries so the reader can consider approaches for providing ethically and culturally appropriate research strategies applicable for the context of the host country.Organizing ConstructThis article presents an overview of the challenges, which are organized based on the phases of the research period: pre‐enrollment, enrollment, and post‐enrollment. At each stage, examples of adaptation to meet the challenges are presented and recommendations are posited.ConclusionsStrategies for research should protect the rights of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations while balancing the needs of society at large, provide culturally relevant ethical informed consent while balancing institutional review board requirements, and conduct research in a culturally appropriate manner for the host country while balancing the principles of ethical research established by developed countries.Clinical RelevanceResearchers are implored to focus on the ethical and cultural appropriateness of each aspect of the study process to afford the highest level of research credibility and validity.
Life in standby: hemodialysis patients' experiences of waiting for kidney transplantation
Authors: Yngman‐Uhlin Pia , Fogelberg Annika , Uhlin Fredrik 
Published: October 2015

Aim and objectivesOur aim was to explore the experiences of hemodialysis patients who are waiting for a kidney transplant.BackgroundCurrently, more than 100,000 persons are waiting for kidney transplantation in the United States. In Sweden, the number is exceeding 600. The waiting period for a deceased donor can be one to three years or even longer in Sweden. This can be challenging, since the patients' situation, with chronic treatment and illness, is burdensome and requires advanced self‐care.DesignThis study included a purposeful sample of eight patients (33–53 years old) who had been undergoing hemodialysis treatment for at least six months and were waiting for kidney transplantation.MethodsThe patients were interviewed, and descriptive content analysis was performed.ResultsFour categories emerged: (1) ‘The waiting process,’ what thoughts and expectations occur and what to do and how to be prepared for the transplant. (2) ‘Awareness that time is running out,’ patients felt tied up by treatment and by needing to be available for transplantation, and they had concerns about health. (3) ‘Need for communication,’ patients described needing support from others and continuous information from the staff. (4) ‘Having relief and hope for the future,’ patients described how to preserve the hope of being able to participate fully in life once again.ConclusionsThis study reveals the need for extra attention paid to patients waiting for kidney transplantation. Patients' experiences during the waiting period indicate that pretransplant patients have an increased need to be prepared for the transition and for life post‐transplantation.Relevance to clinical practiceDialysis patients on waiting lists must be prepared for the upcoming life change. This includes preserving hope during the waiting period and being mentally prepared for transplantation and a dialysis‐free life. A pretransplant education program to prevent medical and psychosocial issues is highly recommended.
Effects of lip‐closing training on maximum voluntary lip‐closing force during lip pursing in healthy young adults
Authors: Kaede K. , Kato T. , Yamaguchi M. , Nakamura N. , Yamada K. , Masuda Y. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryTo investigate the effect of lip‐closing training, the time‐course of multidirectional lip‐closing forces during training was evaluated. The subjects were healthy young adults with no systemic disease. Ten subjects each were allocated to the training and non‐training (control) groups. The subjects were instructed to use a lip muscle strength fixation device (M Patakara) for lip‐closing training. Regarding closing the upper and lower lips against this force for 3 min as one task, the subjects were instructed to perform three tasks a day for 4 weeks. The multidirectional lip‐closing forces were measured before, during and after training every week. In the control group, the forces were measured under the same schedule without training. After the initiation of training, the total lip‐closing force significantly increased at 3 and 4 weeks in the training group compared with that in the control group (P = 0·003 at 3 weeks, P < 0·001 at 4 weeks). After the completion of training, the force decreased from 1 week and no significant difference from the control group was noted. When the lip‐closing force was evaluated by direction, significant increases in the upward and downward directions were noted in the training group compared with those in the control group (P = 0·034 at 3 weeks for upwards; P = 0·027 at 4 weeks for downwards). Quantitative analysis confirmed that lip‐closing training enhanced the lip‐closing force regionally.
Melatonin prevents neural tube defects in the offspring of diabetic pregnancy
Authors: Liu Shangming , Guo Yuji , Yuan Qiuhuan , Pan Yan , Wang Liyan , Liu Qian , Wang Fuwu , Wang Jingjing , Hao Aijun 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMelatonin, an endogenous neurohormone secreted by the pineal gland, has a variety of physiological functions and neuroprotective effects. However, its protective role on the neural tube defects (NTDs) was not very clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin on the incidence of NTDs (including anencephaly, encephalocele, and spina bifida) of offspring from diabetic pregnant mice as well as its underlying mechanisms. Pregnant mice were given 10 mg/kg melatonin by daily i.p. injection from embryonic day (E) 0.5 until being killed on E11.5. Here, we showed that melatonin decreased the NTDs (especially exencephaly) rate of embryos exposed to maternal diabetes. Melatonin stimulated proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) under hyperglycemic condition through the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) pathway. Furthermore, as a direct free radical scavenger, melatonin decreased apoptosis of NSCs exposed to hyperglycemia. In the light of these findings, it suggests that melatonin supplementation may play an important role in the prevention of neural malformations in diabetic pregnancy.
Melatonin overcomes gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by abrogating nuclear factor‐κB activation
Authors: Ju Huai‐Qiang , Li Hao , Tian Tian , Lu Yun‐Xin , Bai Long , Chen Le‐Zong , Sheng Hui , Mo Hai‐Yu , Zeng Jun‐Bo , Deng Wuguo , Chiao Paul J. , Xu Rui‐Hua 
Published: October 2015

AbstractConstitutive activation and gemcitabine induction of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) contribute to the aggressive behavior and chemotherapeutic resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thus, targeting the NF‐κB pathway has proven an insurmountable challenge for PDAC therapy. In this study, we investigated whether the inhibition of NF‐κB signaling pathway by melatonin might lead to tumor suppression and overcome gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic tumors. Our results showed that melatonin inhibited activities of NF‐κB by suppressing IκBα phosphorylation and decreased the expression of NF‐κB response genes in MiaPaCa‐2, AsPc‐1, Panc‐28 cells and gemcitabine resistance MiaPaCa‐2/GR cells. Moreover, melatonin not only inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in a receptor‐independent manner, but also enhanced gemcitabine cytotoxicity at pharmacologic concentrations in these PDAC cells. In vivo, the mice treated with both agents experienced a larger reduction in tumor burden than the single drug‐treated groups in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Taken together, these results indicate that melatonin inhibits proliferation and invasion of PDAC cells and overcomes gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic tumors through NF‐κB inhibition. Our findings therefore provide novel preclinical knowledge about melatonin inhibition of NF‐κB in PDAC and suggest that melatonin should be investigated clinically, alone or in combination with gemcitabine for PDAC treatment.
Chodatodesmus australis sp. nov. (Scenedesmaceae, Chlorophyta) from Antarctica, with the emended description of the genus Chodatodesmus, and circumscription of Flechtneria rotunda gen. et sp. nov.
Authors: Sciuto Katia , Lewis Louise A. , Verleyen Elie , Moro Isabella , La Rocca Nicoletta 
Published: October 2015

The family Scenedesmaceae is a taxonomically complicated group due to its simple morphology, high phenotypic plasticity, and the presence of cryptic taxa. Over the years several taxonomic revisions, based on molecular data, affected the family. Here, we describe a new scenedesmacean species from Antarctica, Chodatodesmus australis, based on phylogenetic analyses of data from nuclear (ITS2 spacer, 18S rDNA), and plastid (rbcL, tufA) markers. Morphological (LM and SEM) and ultrastructural (TEM) observations, carried out both on the holotype of C. australis and on the generitype of Chodatodesmus, allow us to emend the original generic description of this genus. Our molecular and phylogenetic data also reveal the existence of a new monotypic genus, Flechtneria, inside the family Scenedesmaceae and lead to the taxonomic reassignment of some microalgal strains available in International Culture Collections to new taxa. Of the considered genomic regions, the tufA gene was the easiest to amplify and sequence and it showed the highest phylogenetic signal, even if the number of sequences already available for this marker in the public databases was considerably lower than for the other chosen loci. The rbcL gene also provided good phylogenetic signal, but its amplification and sequencing were generally more problematic. The nuclear markers gave lower phylogenetic signals, but the 18S rDNA allowed distinction at the genus level and the ITS2 spacer had the advantage that secondary structures could be considered in the analyses. The use of more than one molecular locus is suggested to obtain reliable results in the characterization of scenedesmacean strains.
Cost‐effectiveness of noninvasive liver fibrosis tests for treatment decisions in patients with chronic hepatitis B in the UK: systematic review and economic evaluation
Authors: Crossan C. , Tsochatzis E. A. , Longworth L. , Gurusamy K. , Papastergiou V. , Thalassinos E. , Mantzoukis K. , Rodriguez‐Peralvarez M. , O'Brien J. , Noel‐Storr A. , Papatheodoridis G. V. , Davidson B. , Burroughs A. K 
Published: October 2015

SummaryWe compared the cost‐effectiveness of various noninvasive tests (NITs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B and elevated transaminases and/or viral load who would normally undergo liver biopsy to inform treatment decisions. We searched various databases until April 2012. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to calculate the diagnostic accuracy of various NITs using a bivariate random‐effects model. We constructed a probabilistic decision analytical model to estimate health care costs and outcomes quality‐adjusted‐life‐years (QALYs) using data from the meta‐analysis, literature, and national UK data. We compared the cost‐effectiveness of four decision‐making strategies: testing with NITs and treating patients with fibrosis stage ≥F2, testing with liver biopsy and treating patients with ≥F2, treat none (watchful waiting) and treat all irrespective of fibrosis. Treating all patients without prior fibrosis assessment had an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £28 137 per additional QALY gained for HBeAg‐negative patients. For HBeAg‐positive patients, using Fibroscan was the most cost‐effective option with an ICER of £23 345. The base case results remained robust in the majority of sensitivity analyses, but were sensitive to changes in the ≥F2 prevalence and the benefit of treatment in patients with F0–F1. For HBeAg‐negative patients, strategies excluding NITs were the most cost‐effective: treating all patients regardless of fibrosis level if the high cost‐effectiveness threshold of £30 000 is accepted; watchful waiting if not. For HBeAg‐positive patients, using Fibroscan to identify and treat those with ≥F2 was the most cost‐effective option.
Associationist Philosophy, Cognitive Literary Studies, and Objective–Subjective Habits of Mind
Authors: Jenkins Melissa Shields 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis article discusses the lasting impact of associationist philosophy on studies of Romantic and Victorian literature. Associationism, which involves belief that “mental and moral phenomena may be accounted for by association of ideas” (OED), combines habits of thinking with habits of feeling. The suggestion that detectable patterns of thought impact personal preferences and social decisions has special significance in scholarship about sympathy and distance. The explosion of scholarship within cognitive theory and the arts, spearheaded by Nicholas Dames, Sean O'Toole, Anne Stiles, Laura Otis, Lisa Zunshine, and many others, has offered powerful insights into attention, recollection, and the understanding of the self through literature. Analyses of narrative form and affect by scholars such as Amanda Anderson, Sarah Winter, Catherine Robson, and Suzanne Keen underscore how associations dictate and shape sympathetic interactions. This article argues for productive overlap between these strains of scholarship. Together, the works suggest that insights into habits of mind can and should be applied to the social realm.
Triglycerides to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is an independent predictor of incident fatty liver; a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Fukuda Yukiko , Hashimoto Yoshitaka , Hamaguchi Masahide , Fukuda Takuya , Nakamura Naoto , Ohbora Akihiro , Kato Takahiro , Kojima Takao , Fukui Michiaki 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundTriglycerides (TG) to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) ratio (TG/HDL‐C) has been recommended for surrogates of insulin resistance. However, it remains to be elucidated the association between TG/HDL‐C and incident fatty liver.AimsTo investigate the association between TG/HDL‐C and incident fatty liver.MethodsWe performed population‐based historical cohort study consisted with 4518 healthy Japanese who received yearly health‐checkup programmes over decade. Fatty liver was diagnosed using ultrasonography.ResultsDuring the observation periods, 38.8% (case/N = 1023/2637) of men and 17.2% (case/N = 324/1881) of women developed fatty liver. Adjusting odds ratio of TG/HDL‐C for incident fatty liver were 1.59 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42–1.79, P < 0.0001) in men and 2.50 (95% CI 1.80–3.51, P < 0.0001) in women. In addition, adjusting odds ratio of TG/HDL‐C for incident non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease were 1.55 (95% CI 1.35–1.77, P < 0.0001) in men and 2.72 (95% CI 1.88–3.95, P < 0.0001) in women. According to the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, the optimal cut‐off point of TG/HDL‐C for incident fatty liver was 0.88 (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.67 [95% CI 0.65–0.69], sensitivity = 0.64, specificity = 0.60, P < 0.0001) in men and 0.64 (AUC 0.69 [95% CI 0.66–0.72], sensitivity = 0.50, specificity = 0.78, P < 0.0001) in women.ConclusionsThe TG/HDL‐C could predict the incident fatty liver. Thus, it is important to check TG/HDL‐C and lifestyles modification is needed for preventing future fatty liver disease in patients with high TG/HDL‐C.
Affectivity in Heidegger I: Moods and Emotions in Being and Time
Authors: Elpidorou Andreas , Freeman Lauren 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis essay provides an analysis of the role of affectivity in Martin Heidegger's writings from the mid to late 1920s. We begin by situating his account of mood within the context of his project of fundamental ontology in Being and Time. We then discuss the role of Befindlichkeit (often translated as ‘attunement’ or ‘disposition’) and Stimmung (‘mood’) in his account of human existence, explicate the relationship between the former and the latter, and consider the ways in which the former discloses the world. To give a more vivid and comprehensive picture of Heidegger's account of mood, we focus on the experience of anxiety (Angst) by articulating both its function within fundamental ontology and, relatedly, its revelatory nature. We conclude by considering the place of emotions in Heidegger's thinking from this period. In a companion essay, ‘Affectivity in Heidegger II: Temporality, Boredom, and Beyond’, we complement our present analysis by revisiting the issue of affectivity in terms of Heidegger's discussion of temporality in Division II of Being and Time. We also expand our present discussion by considering the fundamental mood of boredom and other specific moods that Heidegger considers within his later thinking.
The Guise of the Good
Authors: Orsi Francesco 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAccording to the doctrine of the guise of the good, all that is desired is seen by the subject as good to some extent. As a claim about action, the idea is that intentional action, or acting for a reason, is action that is seen as good by the agent. I explore the thesis' main attractions: it provides an account of intentional behavior as something that makes sense to the agent, it paves the way for various views in meta‐ethics and normative ethics, and it offers a unified account of practical and theoretical reason. In response to common objections, I examine points of current debate: what is it for something to appear as good? Is value or normative reasons the basic concept at work? How to explain akrasia, perversity in action, and expressive action? I conclude with an overview of alternatives to the guise of the good.
Piecing Together the Religion of the Nabataeans
Authors: Erickson‐Gini Tali 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe legacy of one ancient Arabian people, the Nabataeans, is rich in material remains: the rock‐carved monuments of Petra, their delicately crafted pottery vessels, and huge desert cisterns and aqueducts, to name only a few. Unlike their neighbors to the north in ancient Judea, the Nabataeans did not leave a written history of themselves, and what is known about them is mainly derived from non‐Nabataean sources: the reports of Greeks and Romans and the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus. Our knowledge of the religion of the Nabataeans must be pieced together from fragmentary historical and epigraphic evidence as well as the mute evidence provided by the archeological record.
Where do all the red blood cells (RBCs) go? Results of a survey of RBC use in England and North Wales in 2014
Authors: Tinegate Hazel , Pendry Kate , Murphy Michael , Babra Paul , Grant‐Casey John , Hopkinson Cathy , Hyare Jot , Rowley Megan , Seeney Frances , Watson Denise , Wallis Jonathan 
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUNDKnowledge of blood utilization can assist clinicians in directing patient blood management (PBM) initiatives and can facilitate demand planning by blood services. We describe a national study of red blood cell (RBC) utilization in England and North Wales in 2014.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSAll hospitals that are supplied with blood components by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) were asked to provide data on the age and sex of all recipients of transfusions of RBCs, and the clinical indication for every unit transfused, for two separate weeks in 2014. Clinical indication categories were derived from those used in previous studies in an English region. Completeness of data collection was checked against NHSBT issue and wastage data.RESULTSData on 46,111 RBC units were collected, representing 73% of all RBCs issued by NHSBT during the weeks surveyed. A total of 67% of RBC units were transfused for a medical indication, with 27 and 6% being transfused for surgical and obstetric/gynecologic indications, respectively. For comparison, figures from a study in the North of England in 2009, on which this national study was based, showed that 64% of RBCs were transfused to medical patients. All but 20 units could be ascribed to a broad clinical heading, for example, “gastrointestinal bleeding.”CONCLUSIONOur findings confirm the previous regional finding that the percentage of RBC units that are transfused to surgical patients in England and North Wales is now much lower than for medical patients and suggest that PBM initiatives should now focus on medical patients.
Incidence of alloantibody formation after ABO‐D or extended matched red blood cell transfusions: a randomized trial (MATCH study)
Authors: Schonewille Henk , Honohan Áine , van der Watering Leo M.G. , Hudig Francisca , te Boekhorst Peter A. , Koopman‐van Gemert Ankie W.M.M. , Brand Anneke 
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUNDMost incidentally transfused patients receive only ABO‐D–compatible transfusions and antibodies are formed in up to 8%. The effect of extended (c, C, E, K, Fya, Jka, and S antigens) matched (EM) and ABO‐D–matched red blood cell (RBC) transfusions on the incidence of new clinically relevant RBC antibody formation after a first elective transfusion event in surgical patients was studied.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSA multicenter randomized trial was performed in nontransfused patients who were scheduled to experience a single elective transfusion event of maximal 4 RBC units. The primary outcome was the incidence of newly formed warm reacting clinically relevant RBC alloantibodies measured in three follow‐up (FU) samples taken at 7 to 10 days, 4 to 6 weeks, and 4 to 6 months posttransfusion.RESULTSA total of 853 patients were randomized, and of these, 333 patients were transfused with a total of 1035 RBC units. At least one FU sample was available from 97% of transfused patients. In intention‐to‐treat analysis, new antibodies were detected in 10 of 155 ABO‐D and seven of 178 EM patients, respectively. Per‐protocol analysis including 190 patients showed a nonsignificant absolute risk difference (ARD) of 5.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], −1.4% to 12%) in alloimmunization between study arms. In a post hoc analysis of 138 patients who received RBCs but no platelet (PLT) transfusions the ARD increased to significance, 8.0% (95% CI, 0.4‐16.0).CONCLUSIONExtended matching for selected antigens reduced the alloimmunization risk by 64% in surgical patients. Extended matching seems successful only if the patient did not receive accompanying nonmatched PLT transfusions.