bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health utilities and psychometric quality of life in patients with early‐ and late‐stage hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Hsu Priscilla C , Federico Carole A , Krajden Mel , Yoshida Eric M , Bremner Karen E , Anderson Frank H , Weiss Alan A , Krahn Murray D 
Published: June 2011

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with impairment in health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate HRQOL across the HCV disease spectrum using preference‐based (utility) and non‐preference‐based (psychometric) methods, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and co‐morbidity.Methods:  Hepatitis C virus patients (n = 751) were recruited from several tertiary care settings in Vancouver, Canada for this observational, cross‐sectional cohort study. Patients completed the Health Utilities Index Mark 2/3, a self‐administered time trade‐off utility instrument, and the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF‐36 with HCV‐specific items). We examined the association between HRQOL and disease stage using linear regression adjusting for age, education, marital status, income, and co‐morbidities.Results:  Utility scores were low across disease stage and instrument, ranging from 0.51 to 0.80. On the SF‐36, the mean Physical Component Summary score ranged from 37.2 to 49.2 across disease stage, and the Mental Component Summary score ranged from 39.7 to 45.7 (United States norms = 50). In general, patients with viral clearance had the highest scores, and those with late‐stage disease (cirrhosis, liver cancer) had the lowest. Multivariable linear regression showed that the effect of disease stage was modest overall. Increasing age, lower income, unattached marital status, and high comorbidity were strongly associated with impairment in HRQOL.Conclusions:  The effect of stage of disease on HRQOL is modest, although viral clearance is associated with higher HRQOL. HCV patients' HRQOL is strongly associated with concomitant illness and sociodemographic factors.
Factors influencing suicidal ideation among Japanese adults: From the national survey by the Cabinet Office
Authors: Aiba Miyuki , Matsui Yutaka , Kikkawa Takehiko , Matsumoto Toshihiko , Tachimori Hisateru 
Published: June 2011

Aim:  Suicide prevention is of pressing importance in Japan, and grappling with this problem necessitates clarifying the causes of suicidal ideation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate several factors influencing suicidal ideation. This was done through analyzing factors examined in prior research and accessing suicide sites.Methods:  A total of 1080 randomly selected adults were asked about stress, stress release, social support sources, depression, access of suicides sites, and suicidal ideation.Results:  Around 6% of men in their 20s and 30s as well as 7% of people with suicide ideations had accessed suicide sites on the web. Those with suicide ideations were more likely to access suicide sites than those without. There was no sex difference in suicide ideations. The results concerning factors influencing past‐year suicide ideations revealed that there were age and sex differences in these factors.Conclusion:  For men in their 20s through their 50s, accessing suicide sites influenced suicidal ideations through depression, and for women in the same age bracket, emotional support influenced suicidal ideations through depression. For men and women over the age of 60, depression strongly influenced suicidal ideations.
An assessment of scientific approaches towards species relocations in Australia
Authors: SHEEAN VICTORIA A. , MANNING ADRIAN D. , LINDENMAYER DAVID B. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractSpecies relocation programmes are increasingly performed with the intention of establishing a self‐sustaining population of threatened or declining native species. However, the use of experimental quantitative approaches in species relocation programmes is still relatively uncommon, despite a number of international studies recommending clear guidelines and standards. This paper evaluates species relocation programmes conducted within Australia to assess how programmes performed in relation to such standards. The search techniques identified 54 species relocation programmes, the majority of which were reintroductions (52%) and supplementations (30%). Only 25 (46%) of the species relocation programmes claimed success, with a lack of effective predator control recognized as contributing to the failure of 14 programmes. There was considerable variation in the quality of species relocation programmes in relation to key features such as whether the programme integrated experimental approaches with testable hypotheses, whether there were explicit statements of criteria for success, whether suitable habitat was identified for the release site and whether long‐term monitoring was conducted. We propose guidelines to improve scientific rigour and success rates of species relocation programmes.
Dieback and mortality of South African fynbos shrubs is likely driven by a novel pathogen and pathogen‐induced hydraulic failure
Authors: JACOBSEN ANNA L. , ROETS FRANCOIS , JACOBS SHAYNE M. , ESLER KAREN J. , PRATT R. BRANDON 
Published: June 2011

AbstractWe examined whether extensive dry season dieback and mortality in a South African fynbos community were due to drought or pathogen attack. Plant dieback and mortality have been reported elsewhere in similar plant communities suggesting potential for a widespread climatic or biotic threat to this community. We collected tissue samples from Brunia noduliflora, the dominant plant in the community, and cultured them for potential plant pathogens. We also measured dry season predawn and midday water potentials of healthy and stressed plants and constructed pressure‐volume curves to assess turgor loss point. Plant stress and mortality were monitored over a 2‐year study period. Both healthy plants and plants that displayed moderate signs of stress had dry season predawn water potentials well above their turgor loss point suggesting plants were not water stressed. However, plants displaying >60% crown dieback had much lower water potentials (as low as −12 MPa). A previously undescribed fungus (Pythium sp.) was isolated from the root vascular tissue of all stressed plants and was not present in healthy plants. The proximate cause of plant stress was likely pathogen‐induced, while the ultimate cause of plant death appears to be extreme water stress. The present study suggests that Brunia (Bruniceae), Leucadendron (Proteaceae) and Erica (Ericaceae), all emblematic and dominant genera within the diverse fynbos community, may be susceptible to Pythium infection. This may pose a serious threat to communities already threatened by climate change.
Exploiting natural variation to identify insect‐resistance genes
Authors: Broekgaarden Colette , Snoeren Tjeerd A.L. , Dicke Marcel , Vosman Ben 
Published: June 2011

SummaryHerbivorous insects are widespread and often serious constraints to crop production. The use of insect‐resistant crops is a very effective way to control insect pests in agriculture, and the development of such crops can be greatly enhanced by knowledge on plant resistance mechanisms and the genes involved. Plants have evolved diverse ways to cope with insect attack that has resulted in natural variation for resistance towards herbivorous insects. Studying the molecular genetics and transcriptional background of this variation has facilitated the identification of resistance genes and processes that lead to resistance against insects. With the development of new technologies, molecular studies are not restricted to model plants anymore. This review addresses the need to exploit natural variation in resistance towards insects to increase our knowledge on resistance mechanisms and the genes involved. We will discuss how this knowledge can be exploited in breeding programmes to provide sustainable crop protection against insect pests. Additionally, we discuss the current status of genetic research on insect‐resistance genes. We conclude that insect‐resistance mechanisms are still unclear at the molecular level and that exploiting natural variation with novel technologies will contribute greatly to the development of insect‐resistant crop varieties.
Effects of dietary fibre on subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wanders A. J. , van den Borne J. J. G. C. , de Graaf C. , Hulshof T. , Jonathan M. C. , Kristensen M. , Mars M. , Schols H. A. , Feskens E. J. M. 
Published: June 2011

SummaryDietary fibres are believed to reduce subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight. However, different types of dietary fibre may affect these outcomes differently. The aim of this review was to systematically investigate the available literature on the relationship between dietary fibre types, appetite, acute and long‐term energy intake, and body weight. Fibres were grouped according to chemical structure and physicochemical properties (viscosity, solubility and fermentability). Effect rates were calculated as the proportion of all fibre–control comparisons that reduced appetite (n = 58 comparisons), acute energy intake (n = 26), long‐term energy intake (n = 38) or body weight (n = 66). For appetite, acute energy intake, long‐term energy intake and body weight, there were clear differences in effect rates depending on chemical structure. Interestingly, fibres characterized as being more viscous (e.g. pectins, β‐glucans and guar gum) reduced appetite more often than those less viscous fibres (59% vs. 14%), which also applied to acute energy intake (69% vs. 30%). Overall, effects on energy intake and body weight were relatively small, and distinct dose–response relationships were not observed. Short‐ and long‐term effects of dietary fibres appear to differ and multiple mechanisms relating to their different physicochemical properties seem to interplay. This warrants further exploration.
Voice over instant messaging as a tool for enhancing the oral proficiency and motivation of English‐as‐a‐foreign‐language learners
Authors: Yang Ya‐Ting C. , Gamble Jeffrey , Tang Shiun‐Yi S. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractThe challenge of providing authentic experiences and interactions for fostering oral proficiency and motivation in foreign languages is an opportunity for innovation in educational technology and instructional design. Although several recent innovations have received the attention of scholars, empirical investigation and validation is often lacking, as is the case with voice over instant messaging (VoIM). The goal of this study was to empirically test the effectiveness of VoIM for enhancing students' oral English proficiency and learning motivation. Different types of online discussions were examined—unstructured, structured without the facilitation of English teaching assistants (ETAs) and structured with the facilitation of ETAs. A pre‐test and post‐test quasi‐experimental design was employed to achieve this goal. The participants, 90 students enrolled in three sections of a freshman English course at a large university in Asia, participated in eight VoIM discussions in addition to their regular coursework. The results provide empirical support for the importance of structured discussions and the facilitation of ETAs in improving both oral English proficiency and learning motivation. These findings highlight the role of facilitation in VoIM discussions, and recommend prompt feedback, modelling and encouragement for fostering oral proficiency and learning motivation in foreign language classes. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for future research are provided.
Migrants’ international transfers and educational expenditure
Authors: Cattaneo Cristina 
Published: June 2011

AbstractThe primary objective of this article is to cast some light upon the relationship between education expenditure and the volume of remittances sent to Albania from abroad by international migrants. To assess the existence of an education enhancing effect of remittances, an Engel curve framework is used. In addition, quintile regression analysis is employed to investigate whether migrants’ remittances have a differentiated effect on various quantiles of the conditional distribution of education consumption. The two main empirical findings are that household income has a positive and well‐determined impact on education expenditure, whereas international transfers do not influence education spending.
Specifically requesting surgical tattoo removal: are deep personal motivations involved?
Authors: Koljonen V. , Kluger N. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractBackground  Motivations for tattoo removal include employment reasons, stigmata, changes in lifestyles or partners, incompatibility with present attitudes and values and clothing problems. Most studies on the motivations for tattoo removal have focused on patients seeking laser therapy. We hypothesized that patients seeking surgical tattoo removal would present with different motivations.Objective  We analysed the characteristics and motivations of patients specifically requesting surgical tattoo removal.Methods  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 16 patients in Helsinki, Finland, from 2005 to 2011. Demographic, clinical data, number of tattoos, location and size, time elapsed since tattooing, reason(s) for wanting surgical tattoo removal and surgical operations were analysed and compared with the other literature on tattoo removal.Results  Patients were mainly Caucasian females (ratio 3 : 1, median age of 26 years). Tattoos were all done by studio artists, most measured less than 30 cm², and were quite recent (median 5.3 years). Personal reasons accounted for 42.8% of all reasons, professional/social reasons for 37.5% and miscellaneous for 18.8%. Personal concerns were usually marital status changes, with few expressing dissatisfaction with the actual design of the tattoo. Tattoos were excised during a single procedure in 70% of the cases with only one case producing a hypertrophic scar.Conclusions  Patients seeking surgical removal were aware of the limits and risks of the technique. They expressed intense personal reasons for wanting radical surgical removal. The possibility of surgical tattoo removal should be accessible to patients if the tattoo is small and discussion reveals strong personal motivation.
Genus Colocasiomyia (Drosophilidae: Diptera) in Sabah, Bornean Malaysia: High species diversity and use of host aroid inflorescences
Authors: TODA Masanori J. , LAKIM Maklarin B. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractA total of 21 Colocasiomyia species, including 17 undescribed species, are reported from Sabah (Mt. Kinabalu and neighboring areas), Malaysia, based on samples collected from inflorescences of 14 or 15 Araceae species. This number of species is the largest as a local fauna of this genus in the world. The high species diversity is attributed to 12 undescribed species belonging to the Colocasiomyia baechlii species group. A particular breeding habit of Colocasiomyia is sharing of the same inflorescence by a pair of species, with partial niche separation between them: one species uses exclusively the pistillate (lower female‐flower) section of the spadix for oviposition and larval development, whereas the other mostly uses the staminate (upper male‐flower) section. However, the baechlii group species show quite different patterns of host plant use: many (up to eight) species cohabit on the same inflorescence. It is unlikely that they separate their breeding niches micro‐allopatrically within an inflorescence. Instead, species composition and their proportions of individual numbers vary among different localities, seasons and host plants, with partial overlap among them. Such partial separations in local distribution, phenology and host selection would in combination contribute to their coexistence and promote the species diversity of this group.
Preoperative Gabapentin for Acute Post‐thoracotomy Analgesia: A Randomized, Double‐Blinded, Active Placebo‐Controlled Study
Authors: Kinney Michelle A. O. , Mantilla Carlos B. , Carns Paul E. , Passe Melissa A. , Brown Michael J. , Michael Hooten W. , Curry Timothy B. , Long Timothy R. , Thomas Wass C. , Wilson Peter R. , Weingarten Toby N. , Huntoon Marc A. , Rho Richard H. , Mauck William D. , Pulido Juan N. , Allen Mark S. , Cassivi Stephen D. , Deschamps Claude , Nichols Francis C. , Robert Shen K. , Wigle Dennis A. , Hoehn Sheila L. , Alexander Sherry L. , Hanson Andrew C. , Schroeder Darrell R. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractBackground:  The role of preoperative gabapentin in postoperative pain management is not clear, particularly in patients receiving regional blockade. Patients undergoing thoracotomy benefit from epidural analgesia but still may experience significant postoperative pain. We examined the effect of preoperative gabapentin in thoracotomy patients.Methods:  Adults undergoing elective thoracotomy were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study, and randomly assigned to receive 600 mg gabapentin or active placebo (12.5 mg diphenhydramine) orally within 2 hours preoperatively. Standardized management included thoracic epidural infusion, intravenous patient‐controlled opioid analgesia, acetaminophen and ketorolac. Pain scores, opioid use and side effects were recorded for 48 hours. Pain was also assessed at 3 months.Results:  One hundred twenty patients (63 placebo and 57 gabapentin) were studied. Pain scores did not significantly differ at any time point (P = 0.53). Parenteral and oral opioid consumption was not significantly different between groups on postoperative day 1 or 2 (P > 0.05 in both cases). The frequency of side effects such as nausea and vomiting or respiratory depression was not significantly different between groups, but gabapentin was associated with decreased frequency of pruritus requiring nalbuphine (14% gabapentin vs. 43% control group, P < 0.001). The frequency of patients experiencing pain at 3 months post‐thoracotomy was also comparable between groups (70% gabapentin vs. 66% placebo group, P = 0.72).Conclusions:  A single preoperative oral dose of gabapentin (600 mg) did not reduce pain scores or opioid consumption following elective thoracotomy, and did not confer any analgesic benefit in the setting of effective multimodal analgesia that included thoracic epidural infusion.
“This Is My Profession”—Changes in African Ritual Consciousness over Thirty‐One Years
Authors: TURNER EDITH 
Published: June 2011

SUMMARYIn this article, I point out significant changes in the field of Ndembu ritual after a gap of 31 years, 1954 until 1985—when I returned to Zambia. I depict rituals for spirit affliction, first in 1954, and later in 1985. In the 1954 era, many other adepts used to join with the main patient in trance. The success of such rituals was about 1 in 4. In 1985 the story tells of but one medicine man, Kabwita, dressed in traditional garb. Kabwita was proud. He would say to me, “This is my profession.” Now, later in 2011, anthropology itself has changed. The empathy of fieldworkers has taken a step forward so that their subjects hardly seem “subjects” at all but are simply comembers of the human race and coresearchers.
Relationship between adipose maturity and fatty acid composition in various adipose tissues of Japanese Black, Holstein and Crossbred (F1) steers
Authors: LEE Ju‐Hwan , YAMAMOTO Ichiro , JEONG Jin‐Suk , NADE Toshihiro , ARAI Toshiro , KIMURA Nobuhiro 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACTThe amount of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) is intimately related to adipose softness, melting point (MP) and flavor in beef. Stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is a main gene involved in MUFA synthesis. Mature adipose tends to be highly saturated, whereas immature or maturing adipose is highly unsaturated when chronologically based, so the degree of non‐saturation can be an index of adipose maturity. In this study, three different adipose tissues (coelomic (CL), perirenal (PR), and subcutaneous (SC)) from three beef breeds with differing slaughter ages (Japanese Black (29.5 months), Holstein (20.1 month), and F1 crossbreed (25.6 months)) were examined to: (i) determine adipose maturity level as indexed by MUFA %; and (ii) determine SCD and other lipogenic gene messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in relation to unsaturated fatty acid content. Fatty acid composition was significantly different between adipose tissues (P < 0.05). MUFA amount was high in the following order: SC > CL > PR. This pattern corresponded to SCD mRNA expression profile showing higher expression in SC than CL and PR. However, Japanese black cattle are an exception with CL adipose containing similar UFA % as SC adipose, yet having the lowest SCD mRNA expression level among all adipose tissues tested. Therefore, SCD mRNA expression and MUFA % appear to be directly related; however, differences in SCD mRNA expression among three adipose tissues may reflect differences in the fat development characteristics affected by chronological age of the cattle breeds.
Sexual Function Assessment in Postmenopausal Women with the 14-Item Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire
Authors: Llaneza Plácido , Fernández-Iñarrea José M. , Arnott Begoña , García-Portilla María P. , Chedraui Peter , Pérez-López Faustino R. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Sexual function assessment is relevant to improve female health care.

Aim
Assess sexual function in postmenopausal women and determine predictors related to sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related female/partner data and tool measures.

Methods
Cross-sectional study in which 117 sexually active postmenopausal women filled out the 14-item Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ-14), the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale (CESD-10), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and a general questionnaire containing female/partner data. Correlations between tool measurements and female/partner data were analyzed.

Main Outcome Measures
Primary end point was sexual function predictors.

Results
Median age was 57 years, 8.5% had low income, 3.4% had surgical menopause, 17.1% had hypertension, and 66.7% increased body mass index. In addition, 21.4% were current hormone therapy users and 28.2% engaged in regular exercise. According to the MRS, muscle/joint problems (86.3%) and physical/mental exhaustion (81.2%) were the top encountered menopausal symptoms. Also, 48.7% displayed depressed mood (CESD-10 total scores ≥10) and 64.1% displayed total CSFQ-14 scores ≤41, suggesting sexual dysfunction. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was high for all tools: total CSFQ-14 scale (0.87), total MRS (0.80), and the CESD-10 (0.85). CSFQ-14 total scores inversely correlated with MRS scores (total, psychological, and urogenital, P &lt; 0.05). Arousal scale scores inversely correlated with MRS total and urogenital scores whereas orgasm scores only with the total MRS. CESD-10 scores inversely correlated with all CSFQ-14 scores and positively with all MRS scores. Multiple linear regression was used to obtain a reduced best-fit model predicting total CSFQ-14 scores (sexual function). Total CSFQ-14 scores were positively correlated to female education, and education and regular exercising in the partner and inversely correlated to CESD-10 total scores.

Conclusion
Assessed with the CSFQ-14 tool, sexual function of this postmenopausal sample correlated to female/partner educational, lifestyle, and health factors. More research is warranted in this regard.