bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laxative use in care homes
Authors: Gage Heather , Goodman Claire , Davies Sue L. , Norton Christine , Fader Mandy , Wells Mandy , Morris Jackie , Williams Peter 
Published: April 2010

gage h., goodman c., davies s.l., norton c., fader m., wells m., morris j. & williams p. (2010) Laxative use in care homes. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(6), 1266–1272.AbstractTitle.  Laxative use in care homes. Aim.  This paper is a report of an investigation into the factors associated with laxative‐taking by older people in care homes.Background.  Constipation is a common source of discomfort, pain and morbidity for care home residents, and laxative‐taking is prevalent. Differences in the extent to which older people suffer from constipation may result from care routines rather than demographic or clinical factors.Data sources.  Primary data were gathered from care records as part of a larger study in seven care homes (without on‐site nursing) in London, England in 2003–2004.Methods.  Backward stepwise logistic regression modelling was used to investigate factors (age, sex, level of dependency [Barthel]), number of comorbidities, number of medications, constipating medications, length of stay in care home, diagnosis of dementia/Alzheimer disease) associated with regular laxative‐taking.Results.  Of 168 residents, 99 (58·9%) were routinely given laxatives. Taking more medicines (moving up one category: 0, 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, ≥7) increased the likelihood of taking laxatives more than threefold, after controlling for all other factors. Women were 2·9 times more likely to take laxatives than men. Having dementia/Alzheimer disease increased the likelihood of taking laxatives by 2·6 times. Laxative‐taking was statistically significantly lower in two of the care homes.Conclusion.  Laxative use amongst older people in care homes varies and may not be based on rational criteria. Nurses working in care homes and with care staff can help to implement appropriate bowel care for older people.
D‐Catch instrument: development and psychometric testing of a measurement instrument for nursing documentation in hospitals
Authors: Paans Wolter , Sermeus Walter , Nieweg Roos M.B. , Van Der Schans Cees P. 
Published: April 2010

paans w., sermeus w., nieweg r.m.b. & van der schans c.p. (2010) D‐Catch instrument: development and psychometric testing of a measurement instrument for nursing documentation in hospitals. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(6), 1388–1400.AbstractTitle.  D‐Catch instrument: development and psychometric testing of a measurement instrument for nursing documentation in hospitals. Aim.  This paper is a report of the development and testing of the psychometric properties of an instrument to measure the accuracy of nursing documentation in general hospitals.Background.  Little information is available about the accuracy of nursing documentation. None of the existing instruments that quantify accuracy of nursing diagnoses, interventions, and progress and outcome evaluations are suitable to measure documentation in general hospital environments, nor were they intended for this purpose.Method.  The D‐Catch instrument, based on the Cat‐ch‐Ing instrument and the Scale for Degrees of Accuracy in Nursing Diagnoses, was developed in 2007–2008. Content validity of the D‐Catch instrument was assessed by two Delphi panels, in which pairs of independent reviewers assessed 245 patient records in seven hospitals in the Netherlands. Construct validity was assessed by explorative factor analysis with principal components and varimax rotation. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach’s alpha. The inter‐rater reliability of the D‐Catch instrument was tested by calculating Cohen’s weighted kappa (Kw) for each pair of reviewers.Results.  Quantity and quality variables were used to assess the accuracy of nursing documentation. Three constructs were identified in the factor analysis. ‘Accuracy of the nursing diagnosis’ was the only variable with substantial loading on component two (0·907) and a modest loading on component one (0·230). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0·722. The inter‐rater reliability (Kw) varied between 0·742 and 0·896.Conclusion.  The D‐Catch instrument is a valid and reliable measurement instrument to assess nursing documentation in general hospital settings.
So you want to conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial? Lessons from a national cluster trial of early labour
Authors: Hundley Vanora , Cheyne Helen , Bland J Martin , Styles Maggie , Barnett Carol A. 
Published: April 2010

SummaryAs the discipline of health services research has developed so methods of evaluation have become increasingly sophisticated; where once a ‘simple’ randomized controlled trial would have been considered the gold standard, now terms such as ‘complex interventions’ and the ‘cluster randomized controlled trial’ are hot topics for discussion. The challenges involved in carrying out such studies are rarely presented. In this paper we discuss some of these challenges in relation to ethical and statistical considerations, and illustrate them using a recently completed cluster randomized controlled trial of a decision tool for early labour.
Patient safety in primary care has many aspects: an interview study in primary care doctors and nurses
Authors: Gaal Sander , Van Laarhoven Esther , Wolters René , Wetzels Raymond , Verstappen Wim , Wensing Michel 
Published: April 2010

AbstractRationale, aims and objectives  Scientific definitions of patient safety may be difficult to apply in routine health care delivery. It is unknown what primary care workers consider patient safety. This study aimed to clarify the concept of patient safety in primary care.Methods  We held 29 semi‐structured interviews with a purposeful sample of primary care doctors and nurses regarding their perceptions of patient safety. The answers were analysed in an iterative procedure with respect to common themes.Results  A broad range of specific aspects of primary care were named in relation with patient safety. Medication safety was most frequently mentioned. Most items were categorized as organizational, while the remaining aspects were linked to culture or professionalism. Scientific definitions of patient safety were not mentioned, but some primary care workers gave ‘do not harm the patient’ as a short definition for patient safety.Conclusion  Patient safety programmes have mostly targeted specific issues, such as incident reporting and medication safety. However, doctors and practice nurses had a broad view of what constitutes patient safety in primary care. This has implications for the measurement and improvement of patient safety in primary care.
Brassicaceae INDEHISCENT genes specify valve margin cell fate and repress replum formation
Authors: Girin Thomas , Stephenson Pauline , Goldsack Cassandra M. P. , Kempin Sherry A. , Perez Amandine , Pires Nuno , Sparrow Penelope A. , Wood Thomas A. , Yanofsky Martin F. , Østergaard Lars 
Published: April 2010

SummaryMembers of the Brassicaceae family, including Arabidopsis thaliana and oilseed rape (Brassica napus), produce dry fruits that open upon maturity along a specialised tissue called the valve margin. Proper development of the valve margin in Arabidopsis is dependent on the INDEHISCENT (IND) gene, the role of which in genetic and hormonal regulation has been thoroughly characterised. Here we perform phylogenetic comparison of IND genes in Arabidopsis and Brassica to identify conserved regulatory sequences that are responsible for specific expression at the valve margin. In addition we have taken a comparative development approach to demonstrate that the BraA.IND.a and BolC.IND.a genes from B. rapa and B. oleracea share identical function with Arabidopsis IND since ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) mutant alleles and silenced transgenic lines have valve margin defects. Furthermore we show that the degree of these defects can be fine‐tuned for crop improvement. Wild‐type Arabidopsis produces an outer replum composed of about six cell files at the medial region of the fruits, whereas Brassica fruits lack this tissue. A strong loss‐of‐function braA.ind.a mutant gained outer replum tissue in addition to its defect in valve margin development. An enlargement of replum size was also observed in the Arabidopsis ind mutant suggesting a general role of Brassicaceae IND genes in preventing valve margin cells from adopting replum identity.
Strategies to improve patient retention on antiretroviral therapy in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Harries Anthony D. , Zachariah Rony , Lawn Stephen D. , Rosen Sydney 
Published: April 2010

SummaryThe scale‐up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been one of the success stories of sub‐Saharan Africa, where coverage has increased from about 2% in 2003 to more than 40% 5 years later. However, tempering this success is a growing concern about patient retention (the proportion of patients who are alive and remaining on ART in the health system). Based on the personal experience of the authors, 10 key interventions are presented and discussed that might help to improve patient retention. These are (1) the need for simple and standardized monitoring systems to track what is happening, (2) reliable ascertainment of true outcomes of patients lost to follow‐up, (3) implementation of measures to reduce early mortality in patients both before and during ART, (4) ensuring uninterrupted drug supplies, (5) consideration of simple, non‐toxic ART regimens, (6) decentralization of ART care to health centres and the community, (7) a reduction in indirect costs for patients particularly in relation to transport to and from clinics, (8) strengthening links within and between health services and the community, (9) the use of ART clinics to deliver other beneficial patient or family‐orientated packages of care such as insecticide‐treated bed nets, and (10) innovative (thinking ‘out of the box’) interventions. High levels of retention on ART are vital for individual patients, for credibility of programmes and for on‐going resource and financial support.
Cost of using a patient tracer to reduce loss to follow‐up and ascertain patient status in a large antiretroviral therapy program in Johannesburg, South Africa
Authors: Rosen Sydney , Ketlhapile Mpefe 
Published: April 2010

SummaryObjective  To evaluate a pilot intervention to engage a patient tracer to follow up lost patients at a large public clinic in South Africa.Methods  A social worker spent 4 months contacting by telephone a random sample of patients who had initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) at least 6 months earlier and were ≥1 month late for a scheduled visit. The tracer was authorized to assist patients to return to care if needed. Cost was calculated from the perspective of the clinic.Results  The tracer was able to determine the final status of 260 of a sample of 493 lost patients. Of the 260, 55 (21%) had died, 56 (21%) were still on ART at the same site, 79 (30%) reported transferring to another site and 70 (27%) had discontinued treatment. Among those discontinuing, commonly cited reasons were relocation (n = 18, 26%), traditional medicine or religious beliefs (n = 11, 16%), fear of disclosure or other family barriers (n = 9, 13%), and employment obstacles (n = 7, 10%). Twenty patients returned to care at the original site as a result of the intervention, at an average cost of $432 per patient returned.Conclusions  A patient tracer was an effective way to determine the final status of lost patients and succeeded in returning some to care, but the cost per patient returned was high. Better information systems allowing sites to track deaths and transfers would greatly improve the efficiency of loss to follow‐up interventions.
PRECLINICAL STUDY: FULL ARTICLE: Ethanol‐induced activation of AKT and DARPP‐32 in the mouse striatum mediated by opioid receptors
Authors: Björk Karl , Terasmaa Anton , Sun Hui , Thorsell Annika , Sommer Wolfgang H. , Heilig Markus 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTThe reinforcing properties of ethanol are in part attributed to interactions between opioid and dopaminergic signaling pathways, but intracellular mediators of such interactions are poorly understood. Here we report that an acute ethanol challenge induces a robust phosphorylation of two key signal transduction kinases, AKT and DARPP‐32, in the striatum of mice. Ethanol‐induced AKT phosphorylation was blocked by the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone but unaffected by blockade of dopamine D2 receptors via sulpiride. In contrast, DARPP‐32 phosphorylation was abolished by both antagonists. These data suggest that ethanol acts via two distinct but potentially synergistic striatal signaling cascades. One of these is D2‐dependent, while the other is not. These findings illustrate that pharmacology of ethanol reward is likely more complex than that for other addictive drugs.
DROUGHT STRESS: Comparative Time Course Action of the Foliar Applied Glycinebetaine, Salicylic Acid, Nitrous Oxide, Brassinosteroids and Spermine in Improving Drought Resistance of Rice
Authors: Farooq M. , Wahid A. , Lee D.‐J. , Cheema S. A. , Aziz T. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWorldwide rice productivity is being threatened by increased endeavours of drought stress. Among the visible symptoms of drought stress, hampered water relations and disrupted cellular membrane functions are the most important. Exogenous use of polyamines (PAs), salicylic acid (SA), brassinosteroids (BRs), glycinebetaine (GB) and nitrous oxide (NO) can induce abiotic stresses tolerance in many crops. In this time course study, we appraised the comparative role of all these substances to improve the drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar Super‐Basmati. Plants were subjected to drought stress at four leaf stage (4 weeks after emergence) by maintaining soil moisture at 50 % of field capacity. Pre‐optimized concentrations of GB (150 mg l−1), SA (100 mg l−1), NO (100 μmol l−1 sodium nitroprusside as NO donor), BR (0.01 μm 24‐epibrassinolide) and spermine (Spm; 10 μm) were foliar sprayed at five‐leaf stage (5 weeks after emergence). There were two controls both receiving no foliar spray, viz. well watered (CK1) and drought stressed (CK2). There was substantial reduction in allometric response of rice, gas exchange and water relation attributes by drought stress. While drought stress enhanced the H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA) and relative membrane permeability, foliar spray of all the chemicals improved growth possibly because of the improved carbon assimilation, enhanced synthesis of metabolites and maintenance of tissue water status. Simultaneous reduction in H2O2 and MDA production was also noted in the plants treated with these substances. Drought tolerance was sturdily associated with the greater tissue water potential, increased synthesis of metabolites and enhanced capacity of antioxidant system. Of all the chemicals, foliar spray with Spm was the most effective followed by BR.
DROUGHT STRESS: Role of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Drought‐Induced Male Sterility in Rice Anthers*
Authors: Nguyen G. N. , Hailstones D. L. , Wilkes M. , Sutton B. G. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractRice plants exposed to three consecutive days of water stress (−0.5 MPa) show a reduction in male fertility and grain set, which is attributed to increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of a programmed cell death. This current research was conducted to further investigate the association of sugar metabolism with microspore abortion in rice anthers. Biochemical assays showed that sucrose, glucose and fructose contents were found to be significantly increased in anthers from water stressed plants compared with the control. qRT‐PCR analyses and in situ hybridization of metabolic genes (sugar transporters, invertase and phosphotransferase/kinases) demonstrated that the supply of sugars for developing microspores and the initial steps of sugar utilization e.g. glycolysis, were not repressed. However, it appears that the accumulation of sugars in stressed anthers might involve a reduction of mitochondrial activity during the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which could result in excessive production of ROS and a depletion of the ATP pool. These results also suggest that higher levels of sugars at all stages of anther development seemed to be associated with some measure of protection to the anthers against oxidative stress. Induced expression of sugar transporter genes might have maintained the high levels of sugar in the tapetum and the locules, which alleviated oxidant damage caused by excessive ROS generation. Thus, the increased level of sugars might potentially be a natural response in providing protection against oxidant damage by strengthening the antioxidant system in anthers.
Medical and Surgical Management of a Dystocia Because of Foetopelvic Disproportion in an African Lioness (Panthera Leo)
Authors: Batista‐Arteaga M , Santana M , Lozano O , Méndez J , Quesada O , Arbelo M , Espinosa J 
Published: April 2010

ContentsMedical and surgical management of a foetopelvic dystocia in an African lioness (Panthera leo) and the post‐operative complications are reported. A caesarean section was performed to extract an oversize foetus blocked at the cervical canal; the lioness died 36 h after surgery. At necropsy, an abdominal effusion with sero‐haemorrhagic fluid was observed, along with a fibrinopurulent exudate adhered to the serosal surfaces of the pelvic and abdominal cavities. In addition, the pelvic symphysis was not cartilaginous, but formed a firm and rigid joint between the pubis and ischium of each hip. The macroscopic and microscopic findings confirmed the presence of metritis, vaginitis and peritonitis. Dystocia may be caused by the premature ossification of the pelvic symphysis, reducing the dimensions of the pelvic cavity.
PlayStation® purpura
Authors: Robertson Susan J , Leonard Jane , Chamberlain Alex J 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTA 16‐year‐old boy presented with a number of asymptomatic pigmented macules on the volar aspect of his index fingers. Dermoscopy of each macule revealed a parallel ridge pattern of homogenous reddish‐brown pigment. We propose that these lesions were induced by repetitive trauma from a Sony PlayStation® 3 (Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) vibration feedback controller. The lesions completely resolved following abstinence from gaming over a number of weeks. Although the parallel ridge pattern is typically the hallmark for early acral lentiginous melanoma, it may be observed in a limited number of benign entities, including subcorneal haematoma.
Erythropoietin and soluble CD44 levels in patients with primary open‐angle glaucoma
Authors: Mokbel Tharwart H , Ghanem Asaad A , Kishk Hanem , Arafa Lamiaa F , El‐Baiomy Azza A 
Published: April 2010

AbstractPurpose:  To investigate the levels of erythropoietin (EPO) and soluble CD44 (sCD44) in the aqueous and plasma of human eyes with primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG), and to correlate their concentration with severity of glaucoma.Methods:  A total of 30 patients with POAG and 25 patients with senile cataract (control group) of matched age and gender were included in the study prospectively. Aqueous samples were obtained by paracentesis from glaucoma and cataract patients who were undergoing elective surgery. Aqueous and corresponding plasma samples were analysed for EPO and sCD44 concentrations by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.Results:  The EPO and sCD44 levels were significantly higher in aqueous of POAG patients with respect to the comparative group of cataract patients (P < 0.001). No significant difference in the levels of EPO and sCD44 in plasma of POAG and cataract patients. A high positive correlation was found between EPO and sCD44 in aqueous of POAG patients (P < 0.001). Significant correlation was found between EPO or sCD44 levels and severity of visual field loss in mild and moderate stages (P < 0.001).Conclusion:  Increased levels of aqueous EPO and sCD44 may be associated with POAG. In addition, EPO and sCD44 may be useful proteins levels in aqueous of POAG patients as a result of glaucoma damage and not a cause. EPO and sCD44 concentrations in aqueous are a possible biomarkers for visual field loss in patients with POAG.
Analytical modelling of dynamic fracture and crack arrest in DCB specimens under fixed displacement conditions
Authors: SHAHANI A. R. , FASAKHODI M. R. AMINI 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTAn analytical solution via the beam theory considering shear deformation effects is developed to solve the static and dynamic fracture problem in a bounded double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen. Fixed displacement condition is prescribed at the pin location under which crack arrest occurs. In the static case, at first, the compliance function of a DCB specimen is obtained and shows good agreement with the experimental results cited in the literature. Afterward, the stress intensity factor is determined at the crack tip via the energy release rate formula. In the dynamic case, the obtained governing equations for the model are solved supposing quasi‐static treatment for unstable crack propagation. Finally, a closed form expression for the crack propagation velocity versus beam parameters and crack growth resistance of the material is found. It is shown that the reacceleration of crack growth appears as the crack tip approaches the finite boundary. Also, the predicted maximum crack propagation velocity is significantly lower than that obtained via the Euler–Bernoulli theory found in the literature.
Fatigue damage discrepancies, the intrinsic fatigue damage map locus and the multiple stages of the similitude concept
Authors: RODOPOULOS C. A. 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTThe work demonstrates how the theory of the fatigue damage map (FDM) can be used in order to define a closed form locus where fatigue crack growth can be sought. The Intrinsic FDM Locus depending only on readily material properties represents a tool able to accurately predict crack growth of polycrystals. If the Locus is expressed in terms of a surface plot after triangulation of the data, it concludes into visualization of the potential for multiple similitude stages. The stages are defined as a function of the maximum far field stress and ΔK. Multiple similitude stages are found to dominate the short and near threshold area (Stage I growth) and represent direct result of the effect of polycrystalline behaviour to flow resistance. The work concludes that interrogation of the points defining the Intrinsic FDM Locus and related to the three thresholds can provide potential characteristics in the quest for an ideal damage tolerance material.