bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Educational Needs of Primary Care Physicians Regarding Direct‐to‐Consumer Genetic Testing
Authors: Powell Karen P. , Christianson Carol A. , Cogswell Whitney A. , Dave Gaurav , Verma Amit , Eubanks Sonja , Henrich Vincent C. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTo assess the educational needs of North Carolina primary care physicians (PCPs) about direct‐to‐consumer (DTC) genetic testing, surveys were mailed to 2,402 family and internal medicine providers in North Carolina. Out of 382 respondents, 323 (85%) felt unprepared to answer patient questions and 282 (74%) reported wanting to learn about DTC genetic testing. A total of 148 (39%) were aware of DTC genetic testing. Among these, 63 (43%) thought DTC genetic testing was clinically useful. PCPs who felt either unprepared to answer patient questions (OR = 0.354, p = 0.01) or that DTC genetic testing was clinically useful (OR = 5.783, p = 0.00) were more likely to want to learn about DTC genetic testing. PCPs are interested in learning about DTC genetic testing, but are mostly unaware of DTC testing and feel unprepared to help patients with DTC testing results. Familiar and trusted channels that provide the information and tools PCPs need to help answer patient's questions and manage their care should be used when creating educational programs.
A Blinded Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial on the Use of Astaxanthin as an Adjunct to Splinting in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Authors: MacDermid Joy C. , Vincent Joshua I. , Gan Bing S. , Grewal Ruby 
Published: December 2011

Background Nutritional supplementation is a potential adjunct in the conservative management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This study investigated whether astaxanthin (a beta-carotenoid) increased the effectiveness of splinting in managing CTS. Methods This is a triple-blinded randomized controlled trial where 63 patients with electrodiagnostically confirmed CTS were randomly allocated into either the experimental group ( n=32) (astaxanthin-4-mg capsules+splinting) or the control group ( n=31) (placebo+splinting). Medications were taken for 9 weeks followed by a 3-week washout. The primary outcome measure was the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS). Secondary outcome measures in the study included physical impairments, disability, and health status measures. Electrodiagnostic testing was performed before entry into the study and again at 12 weeks. All other outcomes were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks. Results There was a reduction in symptoms as measured by the SSS over the course of treatment in both groups ( p= 0.002), but no differences between the groups ( p=0.18). The Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire and the Short Form 36-item Health Survey showed no effects over time or between treatment groups. The baseline difference between the groups in the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins remained constant over the course of the study. Impairment measures demonstrated no significant changes in grip, dexterity, or sensation. Conclusion At present, the role for astaxanthin as an adjunct in conservative management of CTS has not been established.
Epidemiology and clinical features of pediatric psoriasis in tertiary referral psoriasis clinic
Authors: KWON Hyuck Hoon , NA Sun Jae , JO Seoung Jin , YOUN Jai Il 
Published: December 2011

AbstractFew epidemiological studies of pediatric patients with moderate to severe psoriasis have been available despite there being no approved systemic therapy for these patients. The aim of the present study was to elucidate clinical features of pediatric psoriasis in a tertiary referral psoriasis clinic. We analyzed the clinical data of 358 patients under 18 years of age referred to our clinic from other private clinics and medical centers. Our data showed a male : female ratio of 1.06:1 and a peak age of onset of 10–11 years. Of the patients, 32.4% had a positive family history. The most prevalent phenotype was plaque type (67.3%) and the mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score was 17.2 ± 12.7. The most frequently affected body part was the trunk (69.5%), followed by the legs (65.3%). Exposure to sunlight and summer season improved psoriatic lesions, while stress and winter season aggravated the clinical course. Only 26.0% of patients received systemic therapy or phototherapy during the therapeutic course. Oral acitretin (11.2%) was most frequently used followed by ultraviolet B phototherapy (7.3%). The childhood group (<13 years) showed higher prevalence of guttate and generalized pustular phenotypes and more severe clinical course compared with the adolescent group (13–18 years). In conclusion, our patients showed distinctive features in clinical phenotypes, disease severity and affected body parts compared with previous reports. We also found that clinical application of systemic therapies were limited considering the severe disease state of our patients, demanding a need for more research on treatment of pediatric psoriasis.
Dramatic impact of a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 90 response on the quality of life in patients with psoriasis: An analysis of Japanese clinical trials of infliximab
Authors: TORII Hideshi , SATO Noriko , YOSHINARI Toru , NAKAGAWA Hidemi ,   The Japanese Infliximab Study Investigators
Published: December 2011

AbstractEuropean S3 Guidelines on the systemic treatment of psoriasis in 2009 propose 75% or more improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index from baseline (PASI 75) and a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of 0 or 1 as treatment goals. However, the relationship of these two parameters is yet to be clarified. Herein, we analyzed the data pooled from two Japanese phase III clinical trials on psoriasis with infliximab to clarify the PASI response necessary to achieve a DLQI of 0 or 1. Of the 90 patients, the mean percent improvement in PASI at week 50 or 66 was 74.5%, and the PASI 75 and PASI 90 response rates were 66.7% and 46.7%, respectively; no difference in the improvement was noted among the body areas. Significant improvements in nail psoriasis were also observed. A negative correlation was shown between the improvement in PASI and DLQI. Patients who achieved a PASI 90 response had a significantly higher percentage of achieving a DLQI of 0 or 1 than the patients who achieved a PASI 75 but not a PASI 90 response. The median serum trough level of infliximab was maintained at 2 μg/mL or more in the PASI 90 responders, whereas it was less than 1 μg/mL at week 30 and on in the others. The present results demonstrate that a PASI 90 response is necessary to achieve a DLQI of 0 or 1. Infliximab is considered a useful drug in meeting the treatment goal of achieving a DLQI of 0 or 1 through the attainment of a PASI 90 response.
Photorejuvenation using long‐pulsed alexandrite and long‐pulsed neodymium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet lasers: A pilot study of clinical outcome and patients’ satisfaction in Koreans
Authors: LEE Young Bok , SHIN Ji Yeon , CHEON Min Suk , OH Shin Taek , CHO Baik Kee , PARK Hyun Jeong 
Published: December 2011

AbstractLong‐pulsed 755‐nm alexandrite and long‐pulsed 1064‐nm neodymium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers have been used for photorejuvenation of the face. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of long‐pulsed alexandrite and long‐pulsed Nd:YAG lasers for photorejuvenation in Korea. One hundred and sixteen Korean patients with photo‐aged facial skin were enrolled. Sixty‐two patients with facial pigmentation underwent long‐pulsed alexandrite laser treatment. Eleven patients that wanted to improve facial pigmentation with minimal pain had quasi‐long‐pulsed alexandrite laser treatment. Forty three patients had long‐pulsed Nd:YAG laser therapy. Outcome assessments included standard photographs and global evaluation by blinded investigators. The self‐assessment grade was provided in questionnaires. Forty‐four percent of patients reported excellent or good improvement of their pigmentary lesions (>50% improvement) using a long‐pulsed alexandrite laser. Of patients who underwent long‐pulsed Nd:YAG laser treatment, 36% reported excellent or good improvement in skin tightening, 50% in facial flushing and 45% in pigmentary lesions. We conclude that long‐pulsed alexandrite and long‐pulsed Nd:YAG lasers are safe and effective for facial photorejuvenation in Koreans.
Congruence of biodiversity measures among larval dragonflies and caddisflies from three Canadian rivers
Authors: CURRY COLIN J. , ZHOU XIN , BAIRD DONALD J. 
Published: December 2011

Summary1. Scientists tasked with collecting taxon richness and assemblage variation data for conservation purposes have identified biomonitoring studies as potential sources of information. This approach assumes that biodiversity patterns revealed by biomonitoring reflect those of the wider community, an assumption not thoroughly tested in riverine ecosystems.2. We compared patterns of taxon richness and assemblage variation in an important biomonitoring group (Trichoptera) with a group with high conservation significance (Odonata) at 34 sites across three fifth‐order catchments. We also explored the effect of abundance on observed patterns by rarefying the larval Trichoptera data set.3. Our results indicate that Trichoptera do not fully reflect site‐scale taxon richness or assemblage variation in Odonata. The magnitude of odonate assemblage variation was much greater than that of Trichoptera for one of the catchments. Odonata and Trichoptera richness was moderately correlated in two catchments, while assemblage variation was strongly correlated in another pair of catchments. However, comparisons based on rarefied data eliminated differences in the magnitude of assemblage variation and strengthened correlations in richness and assemblage variation, suggesting the lack of congruence in these measures might be due to differences in abundance among groups. Further, incomplete taxonomy may mask additional assemblage variation, particularly in Trichoptera.4. Conservation planning in riverine ecosystems based on proxies derived from biomonitoring data should proceed cautiously until we understand how well the resulting information reflects biodiversity patterns in under‐sampled taxa and habitats. Future studies of biodiversity congruence should consider both richness and assemblage variation as each provides valuable information for conservation‐related decisions. The taxonomic resolution and relative abundance of comparison groups can potentially impact the strength, direction and statistical significance of patterns. Researchers should employ species‐level taxonomy and account for differences in abundance among groups through rarefaction where at all possible and DNA‐based taxonomy methods can support this.
The influence of smear layer removal on primary tooth pulpectomy outcome: a 24‐month, double‐blind, randomized, and controlled clinical trial evaluation
Authors: BARCELOS ROBERTA , TANNURE PATRICIA NIVOLONI , GLEISER ROGERIO , LUIZ RONIR RAGGIO , PRIMO LAURA GUIMARÃES 
Published: December 2011

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 369–381
Background.  The effect of smear layer (SL) removal on primary tooth pulpectomy outcome has not been well elucidated.Aim.  To determine the effect of SL removal on primary tooth pulpectomy outcome.Methods.  This is a double‐blind, randomized, and controlled clinical trial. Forty‐eight patients were randomly divided into SL removal (G1 = 40 teeth) or smear layer nonremoval (G2 = 42 teeth) groups. Following the chemomechanical preparation with K‐files and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), teeth were irrigated with either 6% citric acid and 0.9% physiologic solution (G1) or only 0.9% physiologic solution (G2). Camphorated paramonochlorophenol was used as intracanal medication. At the second appointment, 1 week after, root canals were filled with zinc oxide–eugenol paste. Clinical and radiographical baseline criteria were stipulated equally for both groups.Results.  The success rate (G1  =  91.2%; G2  =  70.0%) was statistically different (P = 0.04) between the groups. In G2, the outcome was affected significantly by pulpal necrosis (P = 0.02), pre‐operatory symptoms (P = 0.02), and periapical/inter‐radicular radiolucency (P = 0.04).Conclusion.  The pulpectomy outcome was improved by smear layer removal. The outcome for teeth with pulpal necrosis, pre‐operatory symptoms, or periapical/inter‐radicular radiolucency was significantly improved by removal of the smear layer.
Development of a shared theory in palliative care to enhance nursing competence
Authors: Desbiens Jean‐François , Gagnon Johanne , Fillion Lise 
Published: December 2011

desbiens j.‐f., gagnon j. & fillion l. (2012) Development of a shared theory in palliative care to enhance nursing competence. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(9), 2113–2124.AbstractAim.  This discussion article focuses on the theoretical development of a shared theory in the field of palliative care nursing through a process of comparison between Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Orem’s conceptual model.Background.  In many countries, nurses are little prepared to provide care to patients with life‐limiting illness. Bandura’s theory provides an appropriate framework for evaluating the impact of training programmes aimed at improving nursing competence in palliative care. However, this borrowed psychological theory is not specific to nursing contexts. Orem’s self‐care deficit theory seems to be an appropriate nursing model to guide the use of Bandura’s theory in palliative care nursing situations.Data sources.  A review of the literature published between 1987 and 2011 was conducted to evaluate how Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Orem’s conceptual model have been linked at a theoretical level in the past.Discussion.  Bandura’s theory has been linked with Orem’s model essentially at the patient level. A new shared theory that combines Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Orem’s conceptual model at the nursing level is thus proposed. Palliative care nursing self‐competence is hypothesized to influence the quality of nursing interventions in palliative care situations.Conclusion.  To further demonstrate the relevance of this proposed shared theory in palliative care nursing contexts, empirical studies are recommended. This shared theory has the potential to provide a solid theoretical framework for evaluating nursing training programmes and, eventually, to improve quality of care and quality of life for patients with life‐limiting illness.
Participatory action research and photovoice in a psychiatric nursing/clubhouse collaboration exploring recovery narrative
Authors: CLEMENTS K. 
Published: December 2011

Accessible summaryPersonal stories about recovery in mental health are important sources of knowledge.Research methods are needed for exploring personal stories of recovery which honour and empower the authors of recovery stories.The Clubhouse of Winnipeg and an assistant professor in psychiatric nursing piloted a research project using photography in order to explore, document and share Clubhouse Member stories of recovery.AbstractThe Clubhouse of Winnipeg (a community psychosocial rehabilitation centre) collaborated with a psychiatric nursing assistant professor on a participatory action research (PAR) project exploring the concept of recovery using a using a research method called photovoice. The collaborative project –Our Photos Our Voices– demonstrates how PAR and photovoice are well suited for collaborative research in mental health which honours principles underlying consumer empowerment and recovery. The foundation of empowerment is the power to act on one's behalf; PAR and photovoice support the full participation of concerned individuals in all aspects of research with the ultimate goal of action to solve problems or to meet goals identified by those individuals. Empowerment is also the ability to lay claim to one's own truth. At the core of the recovery model is the principle that recovery is defined by the individual and based on individual determinations of meaningful goals and a meaningful life. TheOur Photos Our Voicesproject uses PAR and photovoice to effectively access, explore, document and share personal, local knowledge about recovery grounded in the personal experience of the Clubhouse researchers.
Role of Helicobacter pylori in patients with HCV‐related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma: possible association with disease progression
Authors: Esmat G. , El‐Bendary M. , Zakarya S. , Ela M. A. , Zalata K. 
Published: December 2011

Summary.  The discovery of Helicobacter hepaticus as a causal agent of hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in mice has stimulated interest in looking for Helicobacter species in human liver samples. In this study, we searched for association between H. pylori and HCV‐related liver disease. Liver specimens were collected from eighty‐five patients; they were divided into five different groups according to liver pathology (METAVIR system). Group I (the 1st control group) consisted of 16 patients with chronic hepatitis C without histological activity. Group II consisted of 25 patients with chronic active hepatitis C, Group III, 17 patients with HCV‐related cirrhosis and Group IV, 16 patients with HCV‐related cirrhosis and HCC. Group V (2nd control group) consisted of 11 patients suffering from gastro duodenal and gall bladder diseases but negative for HCV. All cases were tested by polymerase chain reaction on liver samples for the presence of H. pylori DNA Cag A gene. Routine biochemical, radiological and RT‐PCR for HCV RNA were also performed for all cases. The positivity of H. pylori PCR CagA gene in liver tissue was directly proportional to the severity of liver pathology, this being 75%, 52.9% and 32% in groups IV, III and II, respectively, which was more significant than the 1st and 2nd control groups (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between H. pylori PCR values when compared to METAVIR staging (F) in different groups (P = 0.001). Helicobacter pylori PCR (Cag A gene) was positive in about 28.2% cases of late fibrosis (F3 + F4) while positivity was (5.9%) in early fibrosis (F1 + F2) (P = 0.0001). There was significant difference between H. pylori PCR (Cag A gene) in liver tissue and METAVIR activity in different groups (P = 0.002) as most of H. pylori PCR–positive cases were METAVIR activity A1 and A2 (15.3% and 12.9%, respectively). There was no association between H. pylori PCR and quantitative HCV RNA (P = 0.531). Also there was no significant difference of Child‐Pugh staging in the H. pylori PCR–positive group when compared to the negative group (P = 0.996). There may be an association between the presence of H. pylori (Cag A gene) in the liver and disease progression in HCV‐related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis with and without HCC.
Effect of sexual recombination on population diversity in aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus and evidence for cryptic heterokaryosis
Authors: OLARTE RODRIGO A. , HORN BRUCE W. , DORNER JOE W. , MONACELL JAMES T. , SINGH RAKHI , STONE ERIC A. , CARBONE IGNAZIO 
Published: December 2011

AbstractAspergillus flavus is the major producer of carcinogenic aflatoxins (AFs) in crops worldwide. Natural populations of A. flavus show tremendous variation in AF production, some of which can be attributed to environmental conditions, differential regulation of the AF biosynthetic pathway and deletions or loss‐of‐function mutations in the AF gene cluster. Understanding the evolutionary processes that generate genetic diversity in A. flavus may also explain quantitative differences in aflatoxigenicity. Several population studies using multilocus genealogical approaches provide indirect evidence of recombination in the genome and specifically in the AF gene cluster. More recently, A. flavus has been shown to be functionally heterothallic and capable of sexual reproduction in laboratory crosses. In the present study, we characterize the progeny from nine A. flavus crosses using toxin phenotype assays, DNA sequence‐based markers and array comparative genome hybridization. We show high AF heritability linked to genetic variation in the AF gene cluster, as well as recombination through the independent assortment of chromosomes and through crossing over within the AF cluster that coincides with inferred recombination blocks and hotspots in natural populations. Moreover, the vertical transmission of cryptic alleles indicates that while an A. flavus deletion strain is predominantly homokaryotic, it may harbour AF cluster genes at a low copy number. Results from experimental matings indicate that sexual recombination is driving genetic and functional hyperdiversity in A. flavus. The results of this study have significant implications for managing AF contamination of crops and for improving biocontrol strategies using nonaflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus.
Estimating population divergence time and phylogeny from single‐nucleotide polymorphisms data with outgroup ascertainment bias
Authors: WANG YONG , NIELSEN RASMUS 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe inference of population divergence times and branching patterns is of fundamental importance in many population genetic analyses. Many methods have been developed for estimating population divergence times, and recently, there has been particular attention towards genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) data. However, most SNP data have been affected by an ascertainment bias caused by the SNP selection and discovery protocols. Here, we present a modification of an existing maximum likelihood method that will allow approximately unbiased inferences when ascertainment is based on a set of outgroup populations. We also present a method for estimating trees from the asymmetric dissimilarity measures arising from pairwise divergence time estimation in population genetics. We evaluate the methods by simulations and by applying them to a large SNP data set of seven East Asian populations.
Maize ZmALMT2 is a root anion transporter that mediates constitutive root malate efflux
Authors: LIGABA AYALEW , MARON LYZA , SHAFF JON , KOCHIAN LEON , PIÑEROS MIGUEL 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTRoot efflux of organic acid anions underlies a major mechanism of plant aluminium (Al) tolerance on acid soils. This efflux is mediated by transporters of the Al‐activated malate transporter (ALMT) or the multi‐drug and toxin extrusion (MATE) families. ZmALMT2 was previously suggested to be involved in Al tolerance based on joint association‐linkage mapping for maize Al tolerance. In the current study, we functionally characterized ZmALMT2 by heterologously expressing it in Xenopus laevis oocytes and transgenic Arabidopsis. In oocytes, ZmALMT2 mediated an Al‐independent electrogenic transport product of organic and inorganic anion efflux. Ectopic overexpression of ZmALMT2 in an Al‐hypersensitive Arabidopsis KO/KD line lacking the Al tolerance genes, AtALMT1 and AtMATE, resulted in Al‐independent constitutive root malate efflux which partially restored the Al tolerance phenotype. The lack of correlation between ZmALMT2 expression and Al tolerance (e.g., expression not localized to the root tip, not up‐regulated by Al, and higher in sensitive versus tolerance maize lines) also led us to question ZmALMT2's role in Al tolerance. The functional properties of the ZmALMT2 transporter presented here, along with the gene expression data, suggest that ZmALMT2 is not involved in maize Al tolerance but, rather, may play a role in mineral nutrient acquisition and transport.