bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of docetaxel‐based chemotherapy on quality of life of patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer: results from a prospective phase II randomized trial
Authors: Caffo Orazio , Sava Teodoro , Comploj Evi , Fariello Annamaria , Zustovich Fable , Segati Romana , Sacco Cosimo , Veccia Antonello , Galligioni Enzo 
Published: May 2011

Study Type – Therapy (RCT)Level of Evidence 1bWhat’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?Data on quality of life during docetaxel treatment in castration resistant prostate cancer was mainly provided by SWOG and TAX327 trials.In the TAX327 trial biochemical response and pain predicted survival, whereas quality of life outcomes did not.In the present study, there were no statistically significant changes in the quality of life scales during treatment except in the case of patients receiving docetaxel and estramustine, who experienced a significant decrease in pain. Our data seem to suggest that patients with a better baseline quality of life (and consequently with fewer symptoms) are more likely to achieve a biochemical response.OBJECTIVES• To assess quality of life (QoL) outcomes and pain changes in patients affected by castration‐resistant prostate cancer enrolled in a phase II randomized trial of 3‐week docetaxel (DOC)‐based chemotherapy.• To provide further data to clarify the conflicting published data concerning the impact of DOC on the patients’ QoL.PATIENTS AND METHODS• QoL outcomes were assessed using the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ‐C30 questionnaire.• Pain changes were evaluated by means of the Brief Pain Inventory at baseline and after every two DOC courses.• The patients completing at least two questionnaires (at baseline and before the third course) were considered evaluable.RESULTS• In all, 59 patients were evaluable.• Asymptomatic patients and responders had a better baseline QoL than symptomatic patients and non‐responders.• There were no statistically significant changes in the QLQ‐C30 scales during treatment except in the case of patients receiving DOC and estramustine, who experienced a significant decrease in pain.• There was a progressive improvement in the mean intensity and interference scores of the Brief Pain Inventory.CONCLUSIONS• Our data confirm that QoL is generally maintained during chemotherapy.• There is a substantial reduction in pain.• Our results also suggest that baseline QoL may predict treatment response.
The effectiveness of a disaster training programme for healthcare workers in Greece
Authors: Bistaraki A. , Waddington K. , Galanis P. 
Published: May 2011

BISTARAKI A., WADDINGTON K. & GALANIS P. (2011) The effectiveness of a disaster training programme for healthcare workers in Greece. International Nursing Review58, 341–346Background:  Recent natural disasters have made disaster training a public priority. Multiple methods of disaster preparedness training have been established in hospitals worldwide. Nevertheless, researchers have not yet discovered the most effective method for training hospital personnel in the area of disaster preparedness.Aim:  The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that a brief educational intervention would improve hospital staff knowledge about the hospital disaster plan and procedures.Methods:  A quasi‐experimental design was used. The intervention group included 56 professionals and the comparison group included 35 professionals in Greece. The intervention group attended a 5‐h course that addressed the basic principles of hospital disaster management. A structured questionnaire was used to estimate the participants' changes in knowledge. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), t‐test, one‐way ANOVA and chi‐square test were used to analyse the data.Results:  The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in knowledge. The mean score was significantly higher immediately after the intervention programme [86; standard error (SE): 2] than before (44.5; SE: 1.7) (P < 0.001). The mean score 1 month later was significantly lower (77.2; SE: 2.3) than that immediately after the intervention programme (P < 0.001), but significantly higher than the mean score before the intervention programme (P < 0.001). Participants in the control group achieved a score of 40 (SE: 2.4), which was significantly lower than the scores of the intervention group after the course (P < 0.001).Conclusion:  The disaster training course had a great benefit for the participants. This study suggests that a brief educational intervention is beneficial, but more must be done.
The quest for trait convergence and divergence in community assembly: are null‐models the magic wand?
Authors: de Bello Francesco 
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACTThe relevance of neutral versus niche‐based community assembly rules (i.e. the processes sorting species present in a larger geographical region into local communities) remains to be demonstrated in ecology and biogeography. To attempt to do this, a number of complex null models are increasingly being used that compare observed community functional diversity (FD, i.e. the extent of trait dissimilarity between coexisting species) with randomly simulated FD. However, little is known about the performance of these null models in detecting non‐neutral community assembly rules such as trait convergence and divergence of communities (supposedly revealing habitat selection and limiting similarity, respectively). Here, using both simulated and field communities, I show that assembly rule detection varies systematically with the magnitude of the observed FD, so that these null models do not really succeed in breaking down the observed functional relationships between species. This is a particular concern, making detection of community assembly dependent on: (1) the pool of samples considered, and (2) the capacity of observed FD to correctly discriminate these rules. Null models should be more thoroughly described and validated before being considered as a magic wand to reveal assembly patterns.
Borrowing Information Across Populations in Estimating Positive and Negative Predictive Values
Authors: Huang Ying , Fong Youyi , Wei John , Feng Ziding 
Published: May 2011

SummaryA marker’s capacity to predict the risk of a disease depends on the prevalence of disease in the target population and its accuracy of classification, i.e. its ability to discriminate diseased subjects from non-diseased subjects. The latter is often considered an intrinsic property of the marker; it is independent of disease prevalence and hence more likely to be similar across populations than risk prediction measures. In this paper, we are interested in evaluating the population-specific performance of a risk prediction marker in terms of the positive predictive value PPV and negative predictive value NPV at given thresholds, when samples are available from the target population as well as from another population. A default strategy is to estimate PPV and NPV using samples from the target population only. However, when the marker’s accuracy of classification as characterized by a specific point on the receiver operating characteristics curve is similar across populations, borrowing information across populations allows increased efficiency in estimating PPV and NPV. We develop estimators that optimally combine information across populations. We apply this methodology to a cross- al study where we evaluate PCA3 as a risk prediction marker for prostate cancer among subjects with or without a previous negative biopsy.
Subsample Ignorable Likelihood for Regression Analysis with Missing Data
Authors: Little Roderick J. , Zhang Nanhua 
Published: May 2011

SummaryTwo common approaches to regression with missing covariates are complete-case analysis and ignorable likelihood methods. We review these approaches and propose a hybrid class, called subsample ignorable likelihood methods, which applies an ignorable likelihood method to the subsample of observations that are complete on one set of variables, but possibly incomplete on others. Conditions on the missing data mechanism are presented under which subsample ignorable likelihood gives consistent estimates, but both complete-case analysis and ignorable likelihood methods are inconsistent. We motivate and apply the method proposed to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and we illustrate properties of the methods by simulation. Extensions to non-likelihood analyses are also mentioned.
Individual differences in emotional intelligence and incidental memory of words1
Authors: TOYOTA HIROSHI 
Published: May 2011

AbstractParticipants were required to complete the Japanese version of the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire (Toyota, Morita, & Takšić, 2007) to assess their level of emotional intelligence. Then they were asked to rate the pleasantness of an episode that each target reminded them of, followed by unexpected free recall tests. Participants with high emotional intelligence recalled targets with pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant episodes equally. However, for participants with low emotional intelligence, targets with neutral episodes were recalled less than those with pleasant or unpleasant ones. These results were interpreted as showing that the level of emotional intelligence determined the effectiveness of neutral episodes on targets as retrieval cues.
Infants' perception of concavity and convexity of shaded objects
Authors: KAWABATA HIDEAKI , GYOBA JIRO 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThe discriminative sensitivities of 30 4‐month‐old and 30 8‐month‐old infants for concave and convex objects were measured using the preferential‐looking method. Five cylinder‐like objects with different magnitudes of concave or convex shaded surfaces and outline contours were presented to the infants in pairs. The results indicated that the 4‐month‐old infants could discriminate better between object convexities than between object concavities. In contrast, the 8‐month‐old infants were able to equally discriminate between object concavities and object convexities, and their sensitivity to both object concavity/convexity was much higher than that of the 4‐month‐old infants. This difference in the sensitivity to object concavity and convexity suggested that younger and older infants might have differential abilities for cue utilization for recovering object structures.
Cognitions associated with recovery from alcohol dependence1
Authors: CHAI SUKHI , CHO YONGRAE 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThe present study examined the cognitive factors uniquely associated with the status of alcohol dependence recovery, assessing Korean patients who were recovered (n = 57), having been alcohol‐abstinent for 4 months or more after treatment, and who were nonrecovered (n = 213), being still in treatment. Compared with the nonrecovered group, the recovered group reported lower levels of denial of drinking problems and rationalization of drinking (two dimensions of specific beliefs that facilitate alcohol use), dysfunctional attitudes, depressed mood, and emotion‐focused coping. The recovered group also showed higher levels of alcohol abstinence self‐efficacy and problem‐focused coping. Both denial and alcohol abstinence self‐efficacy were uniquely associated with alcohol dependence recovery, when we controlled for the other relevant predictors, whereas neither dysfunctional attitudes nor rationalization were so associated. These findings could be useful in refining psychological interventions facilitating the recovery of alcohol‐dependent patients.
Health and environmental consciousness, costs of behaviour and the purchase of organic food
Authors: Kriwy Peter , Mecking Rebecca‐Ariane 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThis paper examines environmental and health consciousness, as well as behavioural costs and their effects on the purchase of organic products. The consumption of organic products is regarded as an investment in individual health. The low‐cost hypothesis takes environmental attitudes and behavioural costs into account and is applied to organic food consumption. The survey conducted in three German cities in 2006 using self‐administered questionnaires (n = 521) does not investigate willingness to pay but rather self‐reported behaviour. The results of the regressions using the Heckman correction show that income does not affect the regularity of organic food consumption but that it does influence individual expenditure on organic food. Furthermore, there is an inverted u‐shaped relation between age and the purchase of organic products. Although health consciousness has a stronger association with organic food consumption than does environmental concern, the interaction between behavioural costs and health or environmental consciousness shows no effect. Thus, the low‐cost hypothesis is not supported.
Adolescents' body‐tanning behaviours: influences of gender, body mass index, sociocultural attitudes towards appearance and body satisfaction
Authors: Yoo Jeong‐Ju , Kim Hye‐Young 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThe goal of this study was to identify and examine the various factors affecting adolescents' body‐tanning behaviours. Gender, body mass index (BMI), sociocultural attitudes towards appearance (SATA) and body satisfaction were examined in order to determine how these variables influence both outdoor sun‐tanning and indoor tanning‐bed use. Self‐administered survey data were collected from 155 adolescent boys and 202 adolescent girls with an average age of 14.3. Multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression methods were used to analyse the data. Adolescent girls tended to engage in both outdoor and indoor tanning. Overall, adolescents' SATA significantly affected their body‐tanning behaviours. However, BMI and body satisfaction revealed a significant effect only on indoor tanning behaviour. Implications for the design of interventions and overall health promotion towards adolescents are discussed with suggestions for future research.
Mouse MCP1 C‐terminus inhibits human MCP1‐induced chemotaxis and BBB compromise
Authors: Yao Yao , Tsirka Stella E. 
Published: May 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 215–223.AbstractCompared to the rodent monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1/CCL2), the human MCP1 lacks a C‐terminal extension. Although the function of this C‐extension is not entirely defined, in previous work we reported that it decreases the chemotactic properties of mouse MCP1. To determine if this function is specific to the rodent chemokine, or if the C‐terminal extension has the ability to regulate chemotactic potency to MCP1 in general, we generated a chimeric protein consisting of human MCP1 fused to the mouse MCP1 C‐terminal fragment. We found that mouse MCP1 C‐terminus significantly decreased the chemotactic potency of human MCP1 and diminished the blood brain barrier compromise normally induced by the human protein. Not only did mouse MCP1 C‐terminus inhibit human MCP1‐induced Rac1 activation and formation of lamellipodia, it also disrupted the staining pattern of ZO‐1 at cell‐cell borders and prevented human MCP1‐induced F‐actin formation in brain microvascular endothelial cells. Additionally, the MCP1 C‐terminus dramatically decreased human MCP1‐induced activation of ERM proteins in endothelial cells. These findings confirm that the rodent C‐terminal MCP1 extension acts as a rheostat for MCP1 functions and suggest that potentially in humans another protein or protein complex may assume a similar regulatory function.
Zinc‐triggered induction of tissue plasminogen activator by brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and metalloproteinases
Authors: Hwang Ih‐Yeon , Sun Eun‐Sun , An Ji Hak , Im Hana , Lee Sun‐Ho , Lee Joo‐Yong , Han Pyung‐Lim , Koh Jae‐Young , Kim Yang‐Hee 
Published: May 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 855–863.AbstractTissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is necessary for hippocampal long‐term potentiation. Synaptically released zinc also contributes to long‐term potentiation, especially in the hippocampal CA3 region. Using cortical cultures, we examined whether zinc increased the concentration and/or activity of tPA. Two hours after a 10‐min exposure to 300 μM zinc, expression of tPA and its substrate, plasminogen, were significantly increased, as was the proteolytic activity of tPA. In contrast, increasing extracellular or intracellular calcium levels did not affect the expression or secretion of tPA. Changing zinc influx or chelating intracellular zinc also failed to alter tPA/plasminogen induction by zinc, indicating that zinc acts extracellularly. Zinc‐mediated extracellular activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) underlies the up‐regulation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) signaling. Consistent with these findings, co‐treatment with a neutralizing antibody against BDNF or specific inhibitors of MMPs or Trk largely reversed tPA/plasminogen induction by zinc. Treatment of cortical cultures with p‐aminophenylmercuric acetate, an MMP activator, MMP‐2, or BDNF alone induced tPA/plasminogen expression. BDNF mRNA and protein expression was also increased by zinc and mediated by MMPs. Thus, an extracellular zinc‐dependent, MMP‐ and BDNF‐mediated synaptic mechanism may regulate the levels and activity of tPA.
Oculometric parameters of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia
Authors: Debert Iara , de Alencar Luciana Malta , Polati Mariza , Souza Murilo Barreto , Alves Milton Ruiz 
Published: May 2011

Citation information: Debert I, de Alencar LM, Polati M, Souza MB & Alves MR. Oculometric parameters of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 389–397. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00850.xAbstractPurpose:  To study the oculometric parameters of hyperopia in children with esotropic amblyopia, comparing amblyopic eyes with fellow eyes.Methods:  Thirty‐seven patients (5–8 years old) with bilateral hyperopia and esotropic amblyopia underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including cycloplegic refraction, keratometry and A‐scan ultrasonography. Anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth and total axial length were recorded. The refractive power of the crystalline lens was calculated using Bennett’s equations. Paired Student’s t‐tests were used to compare ocular biometric measurements between amblyopic eyes and their fellow eyes. The associations of biometric parameters with refractive errors were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. Multivariable models including axial length, corneal power and lens power were also constructed.Results:  Amblyopic eyes were found to have significantly more hyperopic refraction, less corneal power, greater lens power, shorter vitreous chamber depth and shorter axial length, despite similar anterior chamber depth and lens thickness. The strongest correlation with refractive error was observed for the axial length/corneal radius ratio (r36 = −0.92, p < 0.001 for amblyopic and r36 = −0.87, p < 0.001 for fellow eyes). Axial length accounted for 39.2% (R2) of the refractive error variance in amblyopic eyes and 35.5% in fellow eyes. Adding corneal power to the model increased R2 to 85.7% and 79.6%, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between axial length and corneal power, indicating decreasing corneal power with increasing axial length, and they were similar for amblyopic eyes (r36 = −0.53, p < 0.001) and fellow eyes (r36 = −0.57, p < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation was also found between axial length and lens power, indicating decreasing lens power with increasing axial length (r36 = −0.72, p < 0.001 for amblyopic eyes and r36 = −0.69, p < 0.001 for fellow eyes).Conclusions:  We observed that the correlation among the major oculometric parameters and their individual contribution to hyperopia in esotropic children were similar in amblyopic and non‐amblyopic eyes. This finding suggests that the counterbalancing effect of greater corneal and lens power associated with shorter axial length is similar in both eyes of patients with esotropic amblyopia.
Statistical methods for conducting agreement (comparison of clinical tests) and precision (repeatability or reproducibility) studies in optometry and ophthalmology
Authors: McAlinden Colm , Khadka Jyoti , Pesudovs Konrad 
Published: May 2011

Citation information: McAlinden C, Khadka J & Pesudovs K. Statistical methods for conducting agreement (comparison of clinical tests) and precision (repeatability or reproducibility) studies in optometry and ophthalmology. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 330–338. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00851.xAbstractThe ever‐expanding choice of ocular metrology and imaging equipment has driven research into the validity of their measurements. Consequently, studies of the agreement between two instruments or clinical tests have proliferated in the ophthalmic literature. It is important that researchers apply the appropriate statistical tests in agreement studies. Correlation coefficients are hazardous and should be avoided. The ‘limits of agreement’ method originally proposed by Altman and Bland in 1983 is the statistical procedure of choice. Its step‐by‐step use and practical considerations in relation to optometry and ophthalmology are detailed in addition to sample size considerations and statistical approaches to precision (repeatability or reproducibility) estimates.
Refractometric total plasma protein measurement as a cage‐side indicator of hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia in hospitalized dogs
Authors: Hayes Galina M. , Mathews Karol , Floras Alexandra , Dewey Cate 
Published: May 2011

AbstractObjective
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To assess the relationship between total plasma protein (TPP) as measured by refractometry and serum hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia in hospitalized dogs.Design
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Retrospective, observational study conducted over 6‐month period between March and August 2008.Setting
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University teaching hospital.Animals
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Four hundred and three hospitalized dogs in an ICU.Interventions
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None.Measurements and Main Results
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TPP, serum albumin, total protein, glucose, urea, cholesterol was measured from dogs enrolled in study. TPP was evaluated as a predictor for hypoalbuminemia defined both as albumin <25 g/L (<2.5 g/dL) and albumin <20 g/L (<2.0 g/dL), and serum hypoproteinemia, defined as serum total protein <40 g/L (<4.0 g/dL), using logistic regression. Impact of glucose, urea, cholesterol, and total bilirubin on refractometric readings were also assessed. TPP predicted hypoalbuminemia at albumin concentrations of <25 g/L (<2.5 g/dL) and <20 g/L (<2.0 g/dL) (P<0.001). A TPP<60 g/L (<6.0 g/dL) predicted albumin <25 g/L (<2.5 g/dL) with 73% sensitivity and 86% specificity. A TPP<58 g/L (<5.8 g/dL) predicted a serum albumin <20 g/L (<2.0 g/dL) with 70% sensitivity and 80% specificity. For dogs with known risk factors where specificity optimization may be appropriate, refractometer TPP<50 g/L (<5.0 g/dL) and <48 g/L (<4.8 g/dL) predicted hypoalbuminemia at each level with >95% specificity, although sensitivity was poor. Refractometer TPP<58 g/L (<5.8 g/dL) predicted serum total protein of <40 g/L (<40 g/dL) with sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 84%. Hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia significantly affected TPP readings; an increase in serum glucose by 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) was associated with an average independent increase in refractometer TPP of 2.27 g/L (0.23 g/dL) (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval=1.08–3.47) and an increase in serum cholesterol of 1 mmol/L (38.6 mg/dL) was associated with an average independent increase in refractometer TPP of 1.36 g/L (0.14 g/dL) (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval=1.12–1.59).Conclusion
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Suboptimal sensitivity limits the use of refractometric TPP for prediction of hypoalbuminemia in the context of patient screening; a high proportion of false negatives may result. However, identification of a refractometric TPP<58 g/L is strongly indicative of both serum hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia, with high specificity, and warrants further investigation. Refractometric readings may be falsely increased in patients with hyperglycemia or hypercholesterolemia.