bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
YPSP01-03 - “No Country For Old Men”: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Activities In A Geriatric Population
Authors: Ferrari S. , Forghieri M. , Pingani L. , Rigatelli M. 
Published: June 2010

ObjectivesEighteen percent of Italian population and 37% of admissions to general hospital are represented by over-65 subjects. Psychiatric comorbility of hospitalized elderly patients is an epidemiologically and clinically significant phenomenon for Consultation-Liaison (CL) psychiatrists. The aim of the work is to describe the experience of a CL Psychiatry Service with patients aged 65 and more.MethodsA search through the clinical database of the Modena CL Psychiatry Service was conducted, to collect data on psychiatric consultations for over-65 patients. Demographics, data on the reason for referral and on outcome of consultations were collected and analyzed critically, with special focus on clinically relevant situations.ResultsOver-65 patients account for 43% of all consultations (males 44%, mean age 75±13). Sixty-seven percent of referrals come from Internal Medicine wards and the most common reasons for referral are depression (42%), agitation (10%) and confusion (8%), with the distribution of frequency of reasons for referral differing significantly from that of under-65 patients (p=.003). A medical-psychiatric comorbidity was assessed in 77% of cases, with adjustment reactions and mixed anxiety-depression as most common psychiatric diagnoses (67%). Prescription of psychothropic drugs was the outcome of the psychiatric assessment in 78% of cases.ConclusionsCL Psychiatry activities for elderly patients in the general hospital are frequent and clinically challenging. Unmet needs for elderly inpatients might be the underestimated question concerning coping strategies and adjustment reactions toward the presence of a medical illness.
YPSP01-05 - Intermed From Training To Clinical Implementation: The Complex Patient In Different Care Settings
Authors: Disavoia A. , Zannoni E. , Ferrari S. , Ferri P. , Huyse F.J. , Rigatelli M. 
Published: June 2010

ObjectivesINTERMED is an instrument to assess bio-psycho-social case complexity in general health care by focusing on past, present and future health needs/risks of patients. It consists of a structured interview defining 20 variables and related anchor points. The total score ranges from 0 to 60, reflecting the level of complexity and the related care needs/risks. The aim of this work was to assess preliminary the effectiveness of a training program on the clinical use of INTERMED.MethodsAfter a group training on the use of INTERMED carried out between April and September 2009, the method was applied to 30 female patients aged between 20 and 65, subsequently referring to three clinical settings: a GP clinic; a psychiatry day-care clinic; a CLP out-patient clinic. Demographic and clinical data were collected, together with administration of HADS and WHOQoL-bref.ResultsThe mean INTERMED score was 20.8, borderline as to definition of complex cases. Patients from the GP clinic and in the CLP setting scored lower (respectively 16.5 and 18.2) than patients from the psychiatric day-clinic (27.8), suggesting that the presence of severe psychiatric disturbances might contribute to increasing the level of case-complexity. Concordance with results at HADS and WHOQoL was high.ConclusionsA clinical practice in the use of INTERMED after the theoretical phase of the training process is necessary to reinforce effectiveness of the training. These preliminary positive results will hopefully open the way to a wider diffusion of this tool in clinical practice in the area of Modena.
YPSP01-08 - Are Psychopathological Symptoms In Patients With Dementia Related To Stress Perception In The Caregiver?
Authors: Pingani L. , Cataldo I. , De Bernardis M. , Ughetti M.L. , Fulvio A. , De Bernardis E. , Ferrari S. , Turrini G. , Rigatelli M. 
Published: June 2010

ObjectivesTo test the presence of significant correlations between psychopathological symptoms in patients with dementia and the stress perceived by the primary caregiver.MethodsPrimary caregivers of patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia admitted to the neuro-psycho-geriatric-rehabilitation ward of the private hospital “Villa Maria Luigia”, Parma - Italy, between May and November 2008 were asked to take part in the study. The NPI scale (UCLA Neuropsychiatric Inventory - Commings J.L. et al., 1994) and a socio-demographic data collection schedule were administered to the primary caregiver willing to be involved in the study.ResultsOnly 30 of the 40 eligible subjects agreed to take part to the study (75%). 35 significant correlations (according to Spearman's Correlation Index) were found. Those most highly significant (p< 0.001) were between stress perception and the following NPI symptom categories: delirium, hallucination, agitation, euphoria, apathy, disinhibition, aberrant physical activity and sleep disorders.ConclusionsThe psychopathological symptoms found to contribute mostly to distress of caregivers were those most showy and disruptive of behaviour; other symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, irritability and eating disorders are better tolerated as considered normal consequences of ageism. Interventions addressed to caregivers should provide them with detailed and structured coping instruments. Clear, therefore, the need for all health professionals, to structure an intervention aimed at caregivers characterized by two different phases:
1.To provide more tools to recognize those disorders which don’t emotionally involve them;2.To give detailed, structured information useful to cope with these disorders in everyday life.
YPSP01-15 - Course Of Cognitive Functioning In First Episode Of Schizophrenia Prior To The Age Of Onset: 5-Year Follow Up Study
Authors: Zaytseva Y. , Korsakova N. , Gurovich I. 
Published: June 2010

BackgroundAge of onset has been related to the severity of cognitive decline in learning, memory, attention and motor speed.Methods44 patients at their onset diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizophrenia form disorders performed neuropsychological testing based on Luria‘s methodology during 5-years follow-up. Assessment was done twice in acute state and twice in remission on the first and second years of observation and then annually in remission. The patients were assigned to subgroups within the onset: adult onset (n=33, 1st group mean age- 25, 33±5,64) and early onset (n=11, 2nd group, mean age-15, 61±2, 92).ResultsAt the onset patients of the 1st group presented deficit of the main cognitive functions (verbal and visual memory, gnosis, spatial motor skills, verbal and non-verbal thinking, attention, neurodynamics and executive functioning) during the first 2 years which corresponded to the worsening of clinical state over time. Later on these variables remained stable with further decline of visual memory and visual gnosis by the end of the follow-up.Neurocognitive parameters of the 2nd group such as praxis, gnosis, visual-spatial recognition, verbal thinking and non-verbal thinking, verbal and visual memory, neurodynamics and executive functioning were considerably poor at the onset in comparison to the 1st group. Moreover, no dynamics has been revealed during follow- up period except overpatching of non-verbal thinking, the parameter which has significantly improved in five years outcome (p< 0, 05).ConclusionsThe following results indicate different courses of cognitive deterioration in the follow-up period in patients with various age of onset.
YPSP01-16 - Teamwork In Psychiatry
Authors: Miselli M. , Pighi M. , Ferrari S. , Barbanti Silva V. , Mimmi S. , Rigatelli M. 
Published: June 2010

ObjectivesTeamwork in psychiatry is a very specific property of care organization, especially in the Italian tradition and daily practice. The purpose of the study was to define and describe the main variables that might influence and determine it.MethodsA 15-item ad hoc questionnaire was specially designed and administered to health professionals of Modena Department of Mental Health. This questionnaire contained socio-demographic data (age, sex, longevity of service), professional characteristics, personal level of satisfaction and identification, and opinions on “ideality” and “reality” of teamwork. Statistical analysis was conducted to explore significant correlations.ResultsSatisfaction rate was 46.2%, identification rate 59.1%. Teamwork seems to function well as far as “information circulation” and “making practical decisions”, but lacks in “reciprocal understanding” and “reciprocal emotional support”. The level of correspondence between ideal and real teamwork is strongly correlated to satisfaction (p = 0), identification (p = 0), but not to age, sex or duration of service. The priority of teamwork was “discussion of clinical cases”.ConclusionsThis study attempts to suggest difficulties and limits of contemporary care organization in Italian psychiatry, but also offers several ideas for organizational, administrative, clinical, and human improvements. It represents a first step to analyze and identify the qualitative determinants of psychiatric teamwork.
Stock Returns and the Volatility of Liquidity
Authors: Pereira João Pedro , Zhang Harold H. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThis paper offers a rational explanation for the puzzling empirical fact that stock returns decrease with an increase in the volatility of liquidity. We model liquidity as a stochastic price impact process and define the liquidity premium as the additional return necessary to compensate a multiperiod investor for the adverse price impact of trading. The model demonstrates that a fully rational, utility maximizing, risk-averse investor can take advantage of time-varying liquidity by adapting his trades to the state of liquidity. We provide new empirical evidence supportive of the model.
Incorporating Economic Objectives into Bayesian Priors: Portfolio Choice under Parameter Uncertainty
Authors: Tu Jun , Zhou Guofu 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThis paper proposes a way to allow Bayesian priors to reflect the objectives of an economic problem. That is, we impose priors on the solution to the problem rather than on the primitive parameters whose implied priors can be backed out from the Euler equation. Using monthly returns on the Fama-French 25 size and book-to-market portfolios and their 3 factors from January 1965 to December 2004, we find that investment performances under the objective-based priors can be significantly different from those under alternative priors, with differences in terms of annual certainty-equivalent returns greater than 10% in many cases. In terms of an out-of-sample loss function measure, portfolio strategies based on the objective-based priors can substantially outperform both strategies under alternative priors and some of the best strategies developed in the classical framework.
Minimum dataset for endolaryngeal surgery: pilot study
Authors: Nixon I , Kunanandam T , MacKenzie K 
Published: June 2010

AbstractIntroduction:Airway endoscopy carries a risk of detrimental effects. We aimed to develop a minimum endolaryngeal surgery dataset, for use in laryngology practice as an audit tool.Materials and methods:A minimum dataset was designed, incorporating pre- and post-operative clinical, surgical and patient-reported data. We prospectively recruited 272 consecutive patients between May 2007 and May 2009. The Voice Symptom Scale was used to assess patient-reported vocal morbidity.Results:Complete clinical and surgical details were obtained for 272 patients (100 per cent). Thus, information on diagnosis, procedure type and procedure aim was obtained for all patients. The Voice Symptom Scale was completed pre-operatively by 250 patients, and three months post-operatively by 169 patients (68 per cent). A statistically significant improvement in Voice Symptom Scale score was observed in patients undergoing surgery to improve their voice, compared with pre-operative measurements (p = 0.01).Discussion:We developed a minimum dataset to characterise endolaryngeal surgical activity and outcomes. This dataset could be used to determine best practice, and to audit endolaryngeal surgery outcomes for surgeon recertification and revalidation.
The livelihood impacts of the Namibian community based natural resource management programme: a meta-synthesis
Authors: SUICH HELEN 
Published: June 2010

SUMMARYCommunity based natural resource management (CBNRM) programmes aim to achieve the joint objectives of biodiversity conservation and improved rural livelihoods by providing incentives to sustainably manage relevant resources. Since 1998, more than 50 natural resource management institutions, known as conservancies, have been established in order to manage wildlife resources, on communal lands in Namibia. The national programme is often cited as a CBNRM success; however, despite its rapid spread, there are few systematically collected or analysed household-level data which demonstrate the long-term ecological, social and economic impacts of Namibian programme. A meta-synthesis was undertaken to determine the range of positive and negative livelihood impacts resulting from CBNRM programme activities in two key regions, and the factors affecting how these impacts have been felt by households or individuals. Impacts were categorized according to any changes in access to and/or returns from the five key assets of the sustainable livelihoods framework, namely financial, human, natural, physical and social assets. Positive and negative impacts were felt on financial, human, natural and social assets; only positive impacts were identified as affecting physical assets. Individual- and household-level impacts differed depending on the specific activities implemented locally and, according to the duration, frequency and timing of the impacts, the circumstances and preferences of households and their access to particular activities and consequent impacts. If a greater understanding of the extent and importance of different impacts is to be gained in the future, more rigorous and comprehensive data collection and analysis will need to be undertaken. Analyses will need to consider the whole range of activities implemented, both the benefits and costs associated with these different activities, and will also need to provide contextual information to allow the relative importance of impacts resulting from CBNRM activities to be better understood.
Small-scale studies towards a rational use of bioaugmentation in an Antarctic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil
Authors: Ruberto Lucas , Vazquez Susana C. , Dias Romina L. , Hernández Edgardo A. , Coria Silvia H. , Levin Gustavo , Lo Balbo Alfredo , Mac Cormack Walter P. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBioaugmentation is a controversial strategy. In this work, the effect of the inoculum size and the absence of natural microflora on the efficiency of hydrocarbon removal were studied. Two levels of inoculum (106and 109CFU g-1) were applied to soil microcosms containing sterile (S6 and S9) and non-sterile (NS6 and NS9) oil contaminated Antarctic soil. Community controls (CC) and biostimulated autochthonous microflora (BAM) were also included. Total heterotrophic aerobic (THAB) and hydrocarbon degrading (HDB) bacteria as well as total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were analysed. At day 0, THAB and HDB counts (CFU g-1) showed no differences among CC, BAM and NS6 but significantly higher values were observed in NS9 and S9. At day 60, three different levels of HDB were observed. The lower level was represented by CC (106CFU g-1), a second group (5 x 107CFU g-1) was represented by BAM, NS6, NS9 and S6, and the third level was constituted by S9 (1 x 109CFU g-1). TPH values at day 60 decreased significantly in all systems excluding the controls. NS6, NS9, S6 and S9 were not different from those corresponding to BAM. Results suggest that the bioaugmentation of a chronically diesel fuel-contaminated Antarctic soil is unlikely to be profitable or beneficial.
Neighbourhood food environments: are they associated with adolescent dietary intake, food purchases and weight status?
Authors: Laska Melissa N , Hearst Mary O , Forsyth Ann , Pasch Keryn E , Lytle Leslie 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo examine neighbourhood food environments, adolescent nutrition and weight status.DesignCross-sectional, observational study.SettingMinneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan region, Minnesota, USA.SubjectsA total of 349 adolescents were recruited to the study. Participants completed 24 h dietary recalls and had their weight and height measured. They also reported demographic information and other diet-related behaviours. Geographic Information Systems were used to examine the availability and proximity of food outlets, particularly those captured within the 800, 1600 and/or 3000 m network buffers around participants’ homes and schools.ResultsAdjusting for gender, age and socio-economic status, adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with residential proximity to restaurants (including fast food), convenience stores, grocery stores and other retail facilities within the 800 and/or 1600 m residential buffers (P≤ 0·01). BMIZ-score and percentage body fat were positively associated with the presence of a convenience store within a 1600 m buffer. Other individual-level factors, such as energy, fruit and vegetable intake, as well as convenience store and fast food purchasing, were not significantly associated with features of the residential neighbourhood food environment in adjusted models. In addition, school neighbourhood environments yielded few associations with adolescent outcomes.ConclusionsMany factors are likely to have an important role in influencing adolescent dietary intake and weight status. Interventions aimed at increasing neighbourhood access to healthy foods, as well as other approaches, are needed.
Status of vitamins A and E in schoolchildren in the centre west of Tunisia: a population-based study
Authors: Fares Samira , Chahed Mohamed K , Feki Moncef , Beji Chiraz , Traissac Pierre , El Ati Jalila , Kaabachi Naziha 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveThe present study was undertaken to assess the status of vitamins A and E (VA and VE, respectively) and their main determinants in Tunisian children.DesignCross-sectional population-based study.SettingKasserine Governorate in the centre west of Tunisia.SubjectsA total of 7407 children attending the first grade of elementary school were included. VA and VE were assessed by HPLC.ResultsThe prevalence of moderate VA deficiency (VAD; <0·70 μmol/l) was 2·3 % and VE deficiency (VED; <6·97 μmol/l) was 5·4 %. Low status in VA (0·70–1·05 μmol/l) and VE (6·97–11·61 μmol/l) was observed in 17 % and 20·2 % of children, respectively. No child exhibited severe VA or VE deficiency (<0·35 and <2·32 μmol/l, respectively). The main predictors of VAD were advanced age (OR = 1·65; 95 % CI 1·13, 2·41;P= 0·05) and sickness within the past 2 weeks (OR = 1·51; 95 % CI 1·09, 2·09;P= 0·01). Predictors of VED were living in the peri-urban region (OR = 1·60; 95 % CI 1·28, 2·01;P< 0·001) and sickness within the past 2 weeks (OR = 0·75; 95 % CI 0·60, 0·94;P= 0·01).ConclusionsModerate VAD and VED were uncommon in Tunisian children. However, low status in VA and/or VE remains frequent. A reinforcement of the national strategies for children's nutrition and health is needed, particularly in disadvantaged regions. Supplementation of VA and VE is not necessary in Tunisia, but food fortification may be beneficial.
ACNE: a summarization method to estimate allele-specific copy numbers for Affymetrix SNP arrays
Authors: Ortiz-Estevez Maria , Bengtsson Henrik , Rubio Angel 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Motivation: Current algorithms for estimating DNA copy numbers (CNs) borrow concepts from gene expression analysis methods. However, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have special characteristics that, if taken into account, can improve the overall performance. For example, cross hybridization between alleles occurs in SNP probe pairs. In addition, most of the current CN methods are focused on total CNs, while it has been shown that allele-specific CNs are of paramount importance for some studies. Therefore, we have developed a summarization method that estimates high-quality allele-specific CNs.
Results: The proposed method estimates the allele-specific DNA CNs for all Affymetrix SNP arrays dealing directly with the cross hybridization between probes within SNP probesets. This algorithm outperforms (or at least it performs as well as) other state-of-the-art algorithms for computing DNA CNs. It better discerns an aberration from a normal state and it also gives more precise allele-specific CNs.
Availability: The method is available in the open-source R package ACNE, which also includes an add on to the aroma.affymetrix framework (http://www.aroma-project.org/).
Contact: arubio@ceit.es
Supplementaruy information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Efficient learning of microbial genotype–phenotype association rules
Authors: MacDonald Norman J. , Beiko Robert G. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractMotivation: Finding biologically causative genotype–phenotype associations from whole-genome data is difficult due to the large gene feature space to mine, the potential for interactions among genes and phylogenetic correlations between genomes. Associations within phylogentically distinct organisms with unusual molecular mechanisms underlying their phenotype may be particularly difficult to assess.Results: We have developed a new genotype–phenotype association approach that uses Classification based on Predictive Association Rules (CPAR), and compare it with NETCAR, a recently published association algorithm. Our implementation of CPAR gave on average slightly higher classification accuracy, with approximately 100 time faster running times. Given the influence of phylogenetic correlations in the extraction of genotype–phenotype association rules, we furthermore propose a novel measure for downweighting the dependence among samples by modeling shared ancestry using conditional mutual information, and demonstrate its complementary nature to traditional mining approaches.Availability: Software implemented for this study is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license from the author at http://kiwi.cs.dal.ca/Software/PICAContact: beiko@cs.dal.caSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available Bioinformatics online.