bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MitraClip therapy in daily clinical practice: initial results from the German transcatheter mitral valve interventions (TRAMI) registry
Authors: Baldus Stephan , Schillinger Wolfgang , Franzen Olaf , Bekeredjian Raffi , Sievert Horst , Schofer Joachim , Kuck Karl‐Heinz , Konorza Thomas , Möllmann Helge , Hehrlein Christoph , Ouarrak Taoufik , Senges Jochen , Meinertz Thomas ,   for the German Transcatheter Mitral Valve Interventions (TRAMI) investigators
Published: June 2012

AimsA substantial percentage of patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) in need of mitral valve repair are currently considered not suitable for conventional surgery. In Germany, the largest cohort of patients studied to date has been treated using a percutaneous, catheter‐based approach. We report the acute outcomes of patients enrolled in the investigator‐initiated German transcatheter mitral valve interventions (TRAMI) registry.Methods and resultsBetween January 2009 and August 2011, 486 patients [median age 75 (interquartile range 70–80) years; 200 women (41%)] were enrolled in the registry (309 retrospectively and 177 prospectively), with 481 patients (99%) having undergone percutaneous edge‐to‐edge therapy for MR using the MitraClip. At baseline, 93% of patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV and 71% of patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50%. Two‐thirds of patients presented with functional MR. Procedural success was achieved in 94% of patients, with grade III present in 93% of patients at baseline yet only 6% post‐intervention. Retrospective patients were followed for a median of 183 days, prospective patients for a median of 44 days. The periprocedural complication rate was low, with only minor bleedings as the most significant event. In‐hospital and post‐discharge mortality was 2.5% and 12.5%, respectively.ConclusionsData from the German TRAMI registry suggest that MitraClip therapy is a viable treatment option in daily clinical routine for high surgical risk patients with significant MR.
Adaptation to climate-change effects on fisheries in the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area, Japan
Authors: Makino Mitsutaku , Sakurai Yasunori 
Published: June 2012

AbstractMakino, M., and Sakurai, Y. 2012. Adaptation to climate-change effects on fisheries in the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area, Japan. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . In the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area, many factors have been observed that imply effects of climate change on ecosystems, such as decreases in seasonal sea ice, changes in fishing grounds, and the appearance of non-local species. This study summarizes observed and anticipated effects of such climate change on fisheries in the heritage area and discusses policy and research needs for adapting to these changes. International research and monitoring at the scale of large marine ecosystems (LMEs) is the basis of all policy measures for adapting to climate change. Several measures need to be combined, taking into account the various socio-ecological aspects of fisheries and scales of ecosystems. Such measures of adaptation should be incorporated also into the cross-sector coordination system and the Integrated Management Plan, which were established to manage the World Heritage area. Also, culture is an important part of society, and the World Heritage programme may offer clues for creating a new and peaceful culture based on the LME.
Hydrography and circulation over the southern part of the Kolbeinsey Ridge
Authors: Jónsson Steingrímur , Valdimarsson Héðinn 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
Jónsson, S., and Valdimarsson, H. 2012. Hydrography and circulation over the southern part of the Kolbeinsey Ridge. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . A study on the hydrography and circulation over the Kolbeinsey Ridge south of the Spar Fracture Zone was carried out in 2007 and 2008. A moored profiler was deployed west of the Ridge at 68°N close to the 1000-m isobath in September 2007, and measurements were obtained until October 2008. In June 2008, vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler along with conductivity, temperature, and depth measurements were made on a transect crossing the Ridge close to 68°N. The results indicate a continuous flow of Atlantic water (AW) via the North Icelandic Irminger Current northwards along the Ridge. Hence, this is an area where AW is channelled into the deep Iceland Sea. Some of the water is then recirculated westwards, whereas the remainder flows eastwards and circulates in an anticyclonic eddy that may be a semi-permanent feature of the circulation. The eddy is ∼60 km in diameter, and AW accumulates there, with submerged isolines of temperature and density. The eddy was revealed in the distribution of a coccolithophorid bloom in the area in August 2008.
New reference values must be established for the Alberta Infant Motor Scales for accurate identification of infants at risk for motor developmental delay in Flanders
Authors: De Kegel A. , Peersman W. , Onderbeke K. , Baetens T. , Dhooge I. , Van Waelvelde H. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  The Alberta Infant Motor Scales (AIMS) is a reliable and valid assessment tool to evaluate the motor performance from birth to independent walking. This study aimed to determine whether the Canadian reference values on the AIMS from 1990–1992 are still useful tor Flemish infants, assessed in 2007–2010. Additionally, the association between motor performance and sleep and play positioning will be determined.Methods  A total of 270 Flemish infants between 0 and 18 months, recruited by formal day care services, were assessed with the AIMS by four trained physiotherapists. Information about sleep and play positioning was collected by mean of a questionnaire.Results  Flemish infants perform significantly lower on the AIMS compared with the reference values (P < 0.001). Especially, infants from the age groups of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and of 15 months showed significantly lower scores. From the information collected by parental questionnaires, the lower motor scores seem to be related to the sleep position, the amount of play time in prone, in supine and in a sitting device. Infants who are exposed often to frequently to prone while awake showed a significant higher motor performance than infants who are exposed less to prone (<6 m: P = 0.002; >6 m: P = 0.013). Infants who are placed often to frequently in a sitting device in the first 6 months of life (P = 0.010) and in supine after 6 months (P = 0.001) performed significantly lower than those who are placed less in it.Conclusion  Flemish infants recruited by formal day care services, show significantly lower motor scores than the Canadian norm population. New reference values should be established for the AIMS for accurate identification of infants at risk. Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome by promoting supine sleep position should go together with promotion of tummy time when awake and avoiding to spent too much time in sitting devices when awake.
Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: are health outcomes better for those diagnosed younger?
Authors: April K. Toupin , Cavallo S. , Feldman D. Ehrmann 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  Children living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have swollen, painful and stiff joints, which may have an impact on all spheres of their life, as well as their family. While children diagnosed in their preschool years may be at risk for worse physical outcomes than children diagnosed later in life, it is not clear whether they have worse psychological outcomes and whether these outcomes have an impact on their everyday life. The aim of this study was to examine the association between age at diagnosis and health outcomes in families of children with JIA.Methods  Parents of children with JIA (n = 182) who attended rheumatology clinics at the Montreal Children's Hospital and British Columbia Children's Hospital completed measures assessing socio‐demographic attributes, their child's health status, health‐related quality of life and pain level, as well as their own level of psychological distress and coping behaviours. Regression models explored the association between age at diagnosis and health outcomes while adjusting for sex, age, severity and duration of the disease.Results  Parents of children diagnosed with JIA before 5 years of age found their child to have a better health‐related quality of life in terms of psychosocial functioning than parents of children diagnosed later [β = −0.91 (−1.63, −0.19)]. Children diagnosed younger were also found to be less limited in schoolwork or activities with friends because of emotional or behavioural problems than children diagnosed later [odds ratio = 0.07 (0.01, 0.42)].Conclusions  Children diagnosed younger seem to show good psychosocial adjustment, which may also be true for their caregivers. Perhaps more attention to psychosocial adjustment should be given to families of children who are diagnosed with the disease at an older age.
Adolescents' physical activity habits – results from a national health survey
Authors: Zach S. , Zeev A. , Dunsky A. , Goldbourt U. , Shimony T. , Goldsmith R. , Netz Y. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  The MABAT Youth National Health and Nutrition Survey was conducted in Israel by the Ministry of Health and the Center for Disease Control. This article presents results of physical activity (PA) habits in Israel, in relation to recommendations by world health organizations.Methods  Participants were 6274 adolescents, grades 7–12, enrolled in a cross‐sectional, representative, school‐based survey. Sufficient level of PA was defined as any moderate and vigorous level of PA that adds up daily to 60 min/day. Light PA was considered to be an insufficient level of PA.Results  Only 10.5% of the participants reported performing sufficient PA. Large gender differences were found, with 17.7% of boys versus only 4.6% of girls meeting the guidelines.Conclusions  Results highlight the need to develop programmes for school children in Israel to promote PA. Such programmes have been initiated in many countries that have a large percentage of adolescents with a sedentary lifestyle.
Validation of a home‐based neurodevelopmental screening tool for under 2‐year‐old children in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan N. Z. , Muslima H. , Shilpi A. B. , Begum D. , Akhtar S. , Parveen M. , Ferdous S. , McConachie H. , Darmstadt G. L. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  Home‐based screening to identify young children at risk for neurodevelopmental impairments (NDIs) is needed to guide the targeting of child neurodevelopmental intervention services in Bangladesh. This study aimed to validate such a tool for children under age 2 years.Methods  A Developmental Screening Questionnaire was administered to mothers of children aged 0–<2 years in an urban community. Inter‐rater reliability among the interviewers, who were high school graduates, was determined. All children who were screen positive and a proportion of screen negatives were subsequently assessed for NDIs by professionals. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated by comparing screening with assessment results.Results  Mean kappa coefficient of agreement among interviewers was 0.95. A total of 197 children were screened, of whom 17% screened positive. Fifty‐one children, including 24 screen negatives, were assessed for NDIs. Screen‐positivity was significantly different between income groups (P= 0.019), and higher in stunted children (odds ratio = 5.76, 95% confidence interval = 1.72–19.28), indicating good discriminant validity Specificity was excellent (84–100%) for all developmental domains. Sensitivity was 100% for vision and hearing; 70% for speech; and 63%, 53%, 48%, and 45% for gross motor, behaviour, fine motor and cognitive impairments, respectively.Conclusion  A tool for screening <2‐year‐old children at risk for NDIs showed high specificity; and was able to identify all children at risk for vision and hearing impairments, nearly three‐fourths with speech impairments, two‐thirds with gross motor impairments, and about half with behavioural, cognitive and fine motor impairments. The Developmental Screening Questionnaire tool has potential for use by frontline workers to screen large populations and to link to definitive assessment as well as intervention services.
The effectiveness of self‐care support interventions for children and young people with long‐term conditions: a systematic review
Authors: Kirk S. , Beatty S. , Callery P. , Gellatly J. , Milnes L. , Pryjmachuk S. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractChildren's health policy has highlighted the need to develop self‐care programmes. However, there is a lack of evidence on which to base the development of such programmes. This paper reviews the published research on the effectiveness of self‐care support interventions for children and young people with asthma, cystic fibrosis and diabetes. A systematic search was conducted of a range of electronic databases, supplemented by searching the reference lists of retrieved papers and published reviews. Retrieved studies were assessed against quality and eligibility criteria by two independent reviewers. The results were narratively synthesized to examine the effectiveness of self‐care support interventions on health status, psycho‐social well‐being, condition‐related knowledge, health service use and participant satisfaction. The search strategy identified 4261 papers which were screened against the review inclusion criteria. A total of 194 papers were assessed as being potentially eligible for inclusion with 15 papers being judged as adequate to include in the review. There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of interventions that target children/young people; use e‐health or group‐based methods; that are delivered in community settings. There is no evidence that interventions that focus on parents alone or are delivered only in hospital settings are effective. While there is some evidence to inform the development of self‐care support programmes, there is a need for well‐designed trials of interventions that are feasible to transfer into real‐life settings and which involve parents and children in their development.
‘It is life threatening but I don't mind’. A qualitative study using photo elicitation interviews to explore adolescents' experiences of renal replacement therapies
Authors: Wells F. , Ritchie D. , McPherson A. C. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackground  Renal replacement therapy (RRT) transforms the life prospects of young people with established renal failure. However, these treatments can have significant physiological and psychological implications for adolescents as they prepare to transition into adulthood. Health policies increasingly emphasize children and youth's active participation and consultation as users of health services, yet studies infrequently seek their experiences directly.Methods  Adolescents receiving RRT in a large UK teaching hospital took photographs illustrating the impact of their condition and treatment on their lives. Qualitative photo elicitation interviews were conducted to explore the significance of the images and the young person's experiences. Interviews were analysed using descriptive thematic analysis.Results  Ten young people aged 13–17 years participated. Themes identified were: (1) understanding and acceptance of treatment; (2) living in a non‐functioning body; (3) impact upon daily life; (4) sources of support. Young people found treatments challenging and experienced significant impact on relationships and daily routines. Yet, health was prioritized over body image and participants demonstrated great emotional resilience. Young people valued support from family and friends, although were wary of disclosing their condition in case it resulted in being highlighted as different. Young people reported hospital staff as being caring and professional, but their biggest virtue appeared to be their willingness to treat the young people as ‘normal’.Conclusions  Young people engaged readily with the research, and frankly described the impact of RRT on their everyday lives. Service providers must ensure that adolescents' developmental needs are met as traditional tasks of adolescence may lose priority. However, it is also clear that young people's ability to cope with treatments should not be underestimated.
Psychological distress and mental health service contact of unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children
Authors: Sanchez‐Cao E. , Kramer T. , Hodes M. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackgroundEvidence is emerging that psychological problems, particularly symptoms of depression and post‐traumatic stress disorder, are more prevalent in unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children (UASC) than their accompanied peers. However, little is known about help seeking and mental health service (MHS) utilization in this group, and how this relates to their psychological needs. This study aims to describe the level of psychological distress among a group of UASC and the pattern of MHS contact.MethodSocio‐demographic data on 71 UASC residing in London was obtained and self‐report questionnaires were completed regarding trauma events (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire), general psychological distress [Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)], post‐traumatic stress symptoms (Impact of Event Scale), depressive symptoms (Birleson Depression Self‐Rating Scale for Children) and contact with MHS (Attitudes to Health and Services Questionnaire).ResultsUASC were mainly male (n = 48, 67.6%), Black African (n = 39, 54.9%) and their median age was 17 years (interquartile range = 15; 17). They had been living in the UK for a median of 18 months. Eight (11.3%) scored on the SDQ borderline/abnormal range for total symptoms, but this was 21 (29.6%) using the SDQ emotional subscale. Forty‐seven (66.2%) were at high risk for post‐traumatic stress disorder and nine (12.7%) at high risk for depressive disorder. Only 12 (17%) had MHS contact. Predictors of MHS contact were depressive symptoms and duration of time in the UK.ConclusionsUASC had a high level of emotional symptoms, especially post‐traumatic stress symptoms. However, only a small proportion of UASC were in contact with MHS. This suggests a high level of MHS under‐utilization, and reasons for this are discussed.
Did volcanic ash from Mt. Kasatoshi in 2008 contribute to a phenomenal increase in Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in 2010?
Authors: PARSONS TIMOTHY R. , WHITNEY FRANK A. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe effect of a widely distributed phytoplankton bloom triggered by volcanic ash from Alaska (Hamme et al., 2010. Geophys. Res. Lett. 37) on juvenile Fraser River sockeye is discussed in terms of the timing of ocean migration and trophic structure of the Gulf of Alaska. Our hypothesis is that the occurrence of a massive diatom bloom in the Gulf greatly enhanced energy ascendancy in the ocean at a time of year when adolescent sockeye migrated from the coast in 2008. We contend this increase in food availability was an important factor for the survival and growth of juvenile sockeye which led to one of the strongest sockeye returns on record in 2010 of 34 million, compared with perhaps the weakest return on record of 1.7 million the previous year.
Graft‐versus‐host disease reduces regulatory T‐cell migration into the tumour tissue
Authors: Dürr Christoph , Follo Marie , Idzko Marco , Reichardt Wilfried , Zeiser Robert 
Published: June 2012

SummaryThe therapeutic principle of allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo‐HCT) is based on an active donor immune system that eliminates host‐derived tumour cells. We hypothesized that in addition to the alloantigen‐driven anti‐tumour response, disruption of the immunological microenvironment within the tumour is responsible for its elimination after allo‐HCT. We observed that induction of graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) significantly reduced the abundance of luc+ FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in the tumour tissue, which is indicative of impaired or over‐ridden tumour recruitment signals towards Treg cells. Analysis of the intestines and liver revealed chemokines and purine nucleotides as candidates for attracting Treg to these sites of inflammation. Despite its expression on tissue‐residing Treg cells, the chemokine receptor CCR3 was not critical for Treg‐cell function following allo‐HCT. Extracellular ATP can attract immune cells via P2Y2. P2Y2 was found to be expressed on Treg cells, and we found a partial reduction of GvHD prevention when P2Y2−/− rather than P2Y2+/+ Treg cells were given. Exogenous local inflammation reduced Treg‐cell accumulation in the tumour, suggesting a potential clinical approach to prevent Treg‐cell‐mediated tumour escape. In conclusion, we demonstrate that GvHD‐related inflammation reduced Treg‐cell numbers at the tumour sites, which may in turn help to explain the observation that patients with GvHD have a lower risk of tumour relapse.
The immune epitope database: a historical retrospective of the first decade
Authors: Salimi Nima , Fleri Ward , Peters Bjoern , Sette Alessandro 
Published: June 2012

SummaryAs the amount of biomedical information available in the literature continues to increase, databases that aggregate this information continue to grow in importance and scope. The population of databases can occur either through fully automated text mining approaches or through manual curation by human subject experts. We here report our experiences in populating the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases sponsored Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB, http://iedb.org), which was created in 2003, and as of 2012 captures the epitope information from approximately 99% of all papers published to date that describe immune epitopes (with the exception of cancer and HIV data). This was achieved using a hybrid model based on automated document categorization and extensive human expert involvement. This task required automated scanning of over 22 million PubMed abstracts followed by classification and curation of over 13 000 references, including over 7000 infectious disease‐related manuscripts, over 1000 allergy‐related manuscripts, roughly 4000 related to autoimmunity, and 1000 transplant/alloantigen‐related manuscripts. The IEDB curation involves an unprecedented level of detail, capturing for each paper the actual experiments performed for each different epitope structure. Key to enabling this process was the extensive use of ontologies to ensure rigorous and consistent data representation as well as interoperability with other bioinformatics resources, including the Protein Data Bank, Chemical Entities of Biological Interest, and the NIAID Bioinformatics Resource Centers. A growing fraction of the IEDB data derives from direct submissions by research groups engaged in epitope discovery, and is being facilitated by the implementation of novel data submission tools. The present explosion of information contained in biological databases demands effective query and display capabilities to optimize the user experience. Accordingly, the development of original ways to query the database, on the basis of ontologically driven hierarchical trees, and display of epitope data in aggregate in a biologically intuitive yet rigorous fashion is now at the forefront of the IEDB efforts. We also highlight advances made in the realm of epitope analysis and predictive tools available in the IEDB.