bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dying other, dying self: Creating culture and meaning in palliative healthcare
Authors: McCann Christopher J. , Adames Hector Y. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractDying is an act of creativity, and we each die as cultural beings. Culture helps us create the meaning death requests of us. However, the dominant culture of the healthcare system views death as a failure of modern medicine, an event of unspeakable terror and taboo. Palliative clinicians must honor each dying person's cultural identity (as well as the person's family), not subject it to the dominant discourse of Western medicine. This article offers practical guidelines for palliative clinicians to do so, as well as a case vignette.
Process and outcome in pluralistic Transactional Analysis counselling for long‐term health conditions: A case series
Authors: McLeod Julia 
Published: August 2012

AbstractBackground: Many people experience living with a long‐term health condition as highly stressful. The psychological impact of chronic illness can include anxiety, depression, post‐traumatic stress disorder, and relationship difficulties. Aims: The present study used a case series to examine the process and outcome of pluralistically‐informed Transactional Analysis counselling in three clients suffering major health problems. Method: A rich case record was assembled for each client, incorporating therapist notes, transcripts of sessions, scores on standard outcome measures, and a follow‐up interview. These case materials were analysed to identify key helpful process within the therapy, and to determine the nature of the outcomes of the intervention. Findings: A set of core therapeutic tasks could be identified across all three cases, and clients reported high levels of satisfaction with outcome. Conclusions: Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Client perspectives: The therapeutic challenge of domestic violence counselling – a pilot study
Authors: Roddy Jeannette K. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractAims: This qualitative pilot study explored the perceptions of four female domestic violence clients regarding counselling they had concluded in order to identify a preliminary client‐preferred domestic violence counselling approach. Method: Semi‐structured interviews asking about significant events during counselling were held. An adapted grounded theory and narrative methodology was used. Results from the analysis were reviewed with two of the participants. Participants were offered additional counselling support if required after the research interview. Results/Findings: Domestic violence clients found starting counselling particularly difficult after years of keeping the abuse to themselves. Participants actively withheld and managed information for several sessions and needed to know they had time to explore their experiences. The counsellor being consistent and non‐judgemental, and understanding domestic violence and its effects was helpful. Having a clear ending was appreciated by the participants. Discussion: The initial development of the therapeutic relationship benefited from active discussion of how domestic violence could affect behaviour and emotions. Good early therapeutic relationships showed elements of the three main psychological schools. Participants benefited from a pro‐active discussion of endings. A key limitation of this research is the small sample size. Implications for practice: The research suggests that counsellors would benefit from knowledge and skills from different psychological schools and specific training in domestic violence. Allowing flexibility on the number of sessions available to clients may be helpful. Conclusions: Further work is required to explore these preliminary findings. However, early indications suggest that domestic abuse clients may benefit from non‐time‐limited specialist counselling services.
Wave–particle resonances and redistribution/losses of fast ions in tokamaks
Authors: Nabais F. , Borba D. , Kiptily V.G. , Pinches S.D. , Sharapov S.E. 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Enhanced fast ion losses, mostly in the range of energies from around 1.2 to 2.4 MeV, were measured during the activity of tornado modes in the JET tokamak. Tornado modes are TAE localized inside the q = 1 surface, which do not extend to the outer regions of the plasma. Thus, it is necessary to find an explanation on how such modes can lead to the loss of fast ions. In this paper, a mechanism that allows explaining the loss of fast ions triggered by tornado modes is proposed. This mechanism is based on the combined effect of tornado modes and global TAEs over the fast ions (global TAEs were always observed along with the tornado modes in the experiments in which enhanced losses were measured). Tornado modes would trigger the process of loss by resonantly interacting with the fast ions near the centre of the plasma and transporting the ions to a more peripheral region where tornado modes and global TAEs coexist. The TAE would then transport convectively the fast ions, most efficiently through the first bounce resonances (p = 1), all the way to the plasma edge eventually leading to its loss. This mechanism of loss is supported by calculations carried out with the CASTOR-K code.
easyRNASeq: a bioconductor package for processing RNA-Seq data
Authors: Delhomme Nicolas , Padioleau Ismaël , Furlong Eileen E. , Steinmetz Lars M. 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
Motivation: RNA sequencing is becoming a standard for expression profiling experiments and many tools have been developed in the past few years to analyze RNA-Seq data. Numerous ‘Bioconductor’ packages are available for next-generation sequencing data loading in R, e.g. ShortRead and Rsamtools as well as to perform differential gene expression analyses, e.g. DESeq and edgeR. However, the processing tasks lying in between these require the precise interplay of many Bioconductor packages, e.g. Biostrings, IRanges or external solutions are to be sought.
Results: We developed ‘easyRNASeq’, an R package that simplifies the processing of RNA sequencing data, hiding the complex interplay of the required packages behind a single functionality.
Availability: The package is implemented in R (as of version 2.15) and is available from Bioconductor (as of version 2.10) at the URL: http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/easyRNASeq.html, where installation and usage instructions can be found.
Contact: delhomme@embl.de
GlycoCD: a repository for carbohydrate-related CD antigens
Authors: Kumar Sonu , Lütteke Thomas , Schwartz-Albiez Reinhard 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
Summary: The open access comprehensive GlycoCD database application is for representation and retrieval of carbohydrate-related clusters of differentiation (CDs). The main objective of this database platform is to provide information about interactions of carbohydrate moieties with proteins that are important for identification of specific cell surface molecule with a focus on the integration of data from carbohydrate microarray databases. GlycoCD database comprises two sections: the carbohydrate recognition CD and glycan CD. It allows easy access through a user-friendly web interface to all carbohydrate-defined CDs and those that interact with carbohydrates along with other relevant information.
Availability: The database is freely available at http://glycosciences.de/glycocd/index.php
Contact: r.s-albiez@dkfz.de
In ovoleptin administration accelerates post‐hatch muscle growth and changes myofibre characteristics, gene expression and enzymes activity in broiler chickens
Authors: Liu P. , Hu Y. , Grossmann R. , Zhao R. 
Published: August 2012

SummaryTo evaluate the effect of maternal leptin on muscle growth, we injected 0 μg (control, CON), 0.5 μg (low leptin dose, LL) or 5.0 μg (high leptin dose, HL) of recombinant murine leptin dissolved in 100 μl of PBS into the albumen of broiler eggs prior to incubation. The newly hatched chicks were all raised under the same conditions until 21 days of age (D21), when body weight was measured and samples of gastrocnemius muscle were collected and weighed. Myosin ATPase staining was applied to identify myofibre types and measure the cross‐sectional area (CSA) of myofibres. Real‐time PCR was performed to quantify leptin receptor (LEPR), insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1), IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R), growth hormone receptor (GHR) and myostatin (MSTN) mRNA expression in the gastrocnemius muscle. The activity of calpains (CAPNs) in the gastrocnemius muscle was measured using a quantitative fluorescence detection kit. Male chickens treated with both high and low doses of leptin had significantly higher (p < 0.05) body weight on D21. The high leptin significantly increased the CSA (p < 0.05) of gastrocnemius muscle in male chickens, which coincided with a 93% increase (p < 0.05) in IGF‐1 mRNA expression. Likewise, the LL dose increased the weight of gastrocnemius muscle in male chickens (p < 0.05), which was accompanied by a 41% down‐regulation (p < 0.05) of MSTN mRNA expression and a decreased activity of CAPNs. However, all these changes were not observed in female chickens. The proportion of myofibre types did not altered. No significant change was detected for LEPR and GHR mRNA expression. These results indicate thatin ovoleptin treatment affects skeletal muscle growth in chickens in a dose‐dependent and sex‐specific manner. The altered expression of IGF‐1, MSTN mRNA and activity of CAPNs in skeletal muscle may be responsible for such effects.
Randomized, controlled trial of carvedilol versus nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate for the prevention of variceal rebleeding
Authors: Lo Gin‐Ho , Chen Wen‐Chi , Wang Huay‐Min , Yu Hsien‐Chung 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground and AimCarvedilol has been shown to be more effective than propranolol in decreasing portal pressure. Sufficient data from controlled trials remains limited. This trial compared the relative safety and efficacy between carvedilol and nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate in preventing variceal rebleeding.MethodsAfter successful control of acute esophageal variceal bleeding, eligible patients were randomized to the carvedilol group, 61 patients, using carvedilol 6.25–12.5 mg daily or the N + I group, 60 patients, using nadolol 40–80 mg plus isorsorbide‐5‐mononitrate 20 mg daily. The end points were rebleeding from varices, adverse events or death.ResultsAfter a median follow up of 30 months, recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding developed in 37 patients (61%) in the carvedilol group and 37 patients (62%) in the N + I group (P = 0.90). Recurrent bleeding from esophageal varices occurred in 31 patients (51%) in the carvedilol group and in 26 patients (43%) in the N + I group (P = 0.46). Recurrent bleeding from gastric varices occurred in two patients (3%) in the carvedilol group and in eight patients (13%) in the N + I group (P = 0.05). Severe adverse events occurred in one patient in the carvedilol group and 17 patients in the N + I group (P < 0.0001). Fifteen patients of the carvedilol group and 17 patients in the N + I group died (P = 0.83). Two patients in the carvedilol group and three patients in the N + I group died of variceal bleeding.ConclusionsCarvedilol was as effective as nadolol plus isorsorbide‐5 ‐mononitrate mononitrate in the prevention of gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding with fewer severe adverse events and similar survival.
Preoperative use of romiplostim in thrombocytopenic patients with chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis
Authors: Moussa Mohamed M , Mowafy Nadia 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground and AimPatients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) often develop chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and concurrent thrombocytopenia, which manifests as decreased platelet counts and bleeding complications. Romiplostim, a thrombopoietin mimetic peptibody that stimulates the thrombopoietin receptor, has been used as a treatment for primary immune thrombocytopenia. We monitored the efficacy of preoperative romiplostim over 90 days in 35 male patients with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia secondary to HCV infection.MethodsRomiplostim was administered at 2 μg/kg Q1W for a maximum of one month with a target platelet count of 70 × 109/L as a prerequisite for planned surgeries. Bone marrow aspirate was collected at baseline and at the end of the study, along with liver and kidney function assessments. A complete blood count was performed every third day throughout the study period.ResultsA rapid response to romiplostim therapy was observed, with 33/35 patients achieving platelet counts ≥ 70 × 109/L and thereby eligible for surgery. An initial mean platelet count of 31 × 109/L increased to a maximum peak range of 73–240 × 109/L, occurring between days 18 and 39. The reticulin bone marrow grade remained negative in all patients. Surgical interventions were associated with no postoperative bleeding or thrombotic complications.ConclusionsPreoperative romiplostim administration may represent a viable alternative to increase platelet counts to a level acceptable for elective surgical interventions in patients with chronic liver disease and severe thrombocytopenia secondary to HCV infection who are unresponsive to standard therapy. Further studies in larger numbers of patients and over a longer period of time are warranted.
Intravesical hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate alone and in combination for urinary tract infection: Assessment of protective effects in a rat model
Authors: Tasdemir Seda , Tasdemir Cemal , Vardi Nigar , Yakupogullari Yusuf , Duman Yucel , Parlakpinar Hakan , Sagir Mustafa , Acet Ahmet 
Published: August 2012

Objective:  To determine the protective effects of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate in treating urinary tract infections in a rat model.Methods:  A total of 28 rats, which were induced with urinary tract infections through intravesical administration of Escherichia coli, were included in the study. By random selection, they were equally divided into four groups as control (no treatment), hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid + chondroitin sulfate. Bacteriological cultures of the urine and bladder tissue samples were carried out, and the data for each group were statistically compared.Results:  In the urine cultures, there were significant differences in median bacterial growth rates in hyaluronic acid (5 × 103 cfu/mL) and chondroitin sulfate (1 × 104 cfu/mL) groups relative to the control group (5 × 104 cfu/mL). However, a significantly lower rate of bacterial colony growth was observed in the hyaluronic acid + chondroitin sulfate group (8 × 102 cfu/mL; P < 0.05). In the bladder tissues, statistically significant decreases in median bacterial growth rates were detected in the hyaluronic acid and hyaluronic acid + chondroitin sulfate groups (both 0 cfu/mg tissue; P < 0.05). Also, transitional epithelium damage decreased in the treatment groups. However, this effect was prominent in hyaluronic acid + chondroitin sulfate group.Conclusion:  Our experimental findings show that the hyaluronic acid + chondroitin sulfate combination has a potential benefit in reducing the bacterial load in urine and the thickness of the transitional epithelium.
Detrusor myectomy: Long‐term functional outcomes
Authors: Aslam Muhammad Z , Agarwal Meena 
Published: August 2012

Objectives:  Detrusor myectomy is a recognized method of bladder augmentation for treating refractory detrusor overactivity. Herein we report the long‐term outcomes of this procedure at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, UK.Methods:  Detrusor myectomy was carried out in 33 patients (7 males, 26 females) with urodynamically proven detrusor overactivity between 1995 and 2002. The mean patient age was 33 years (range 5–62). A total of 18 patients had idiopathic detrusor overactivity, whereas 15 had neurogenic detrusor overactivity.Results:  A total of 24 patients had a detrusor myectomy alone, whereas eight patients had a detrusor myectomy with implantation of artificial urinary sphincter. One patient had detrusor myectomy with transuretero‐ureterostomy. The mean follow up was 148 months (range 108–192). A total of 10 of the 18 patients with idiopathic detrusor overactivity (55.5%) and six of the 15 patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (40%) showed marked improvement in symptoms. Detrusor overactivity was completely abolished in 11 patients and significantly reduced in five. Postoperatively, mean cystometric capacity improved from 290 to 458 mL, whereas mean maximum amplitude of detrusor contraction was reduced from 44 cm/H2O to 20 cm/H2O. An overall success rate of 48.5% (16/33 patients) was achieved. Intermittent self catheterization was needed to achieve bladder emptying in 12 of the 16 (75%) patients. Of the remaining 17 patients who did not improve, six had CLAM enterocystoplasty carried out and two await the operation. An ileal conduit diversion and suprapubic catheter insertion was carried out in one patient each, whereas seven patients declined any further intervention.Conclusions:  Detrusor myectomy offers a reasonable long‐term success rate to patients undergoing surgical treatment for refractory detrusor overactivity.
Differential responses of endogenous adult mouse neural precursors to excess neuronal excitation
Authors: Mori Tetsuji , Wakabayashi Taketoshi , Hirahara Yukie , Takamori Yasuharu , Koike Taro , Kurokawa Kiyoshi , Yamada Hisao 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAdult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus (SGZ) is enhanced by excess as well as mild neuronal excitation, such as chemoconvulsant‐induced brief seizures. Because most studies of neurogenesis after seizures have focused on the SGZ, the threshold of neuronal excitation required to enhance neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) is not clear. Therefore, we examined the responses of SVZ precursors to brief generalized clonic seizures induced by a single administration of the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Cell cycle progression of precursors was analysed by systemic administration of thymidine analogues. We found that brief seizures immediately resulted in cell cycle retardation in the SVZ. However, the same effect was not seen in the SGZ. This initial cell cycle retardation in the SVZ was followed by enhanced cell cycle re‐entry after the first round of mitosis, leading to precursor pool expansion, but the cell cycle retardation and expansion of the precursor pool were transient. Cell cycle progression in the PTZ‐treated group returned to normal after one cell cycle. The numbers of precursors in the SVZ and new neurons in the olfactory bulb, which are descendants of SVZ precursors, were not significantly different from those in control mice more than 2 days after seizures. Because similar effects were observed following electroconvulsive seizures, these responses are likely to be general effects of brief seizures. These results suggest that neurogenesis in the SVZ is more tightly regulated and requires stronger stimuli to be modified than that in the SGZ.
Psychosocial Factors of Migration: Adaptation and Application of the Health Belief Model
Authors: Groenewold George , de Bruijn Bart , Bilsborrow Richard 
Published: July 2012

AbstractPsychosocial factors influencing behaviour play a central role in health research but seem under‐explored in migration research. This is unfortunate because these factors, which include knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, intentions and personality traits, provide essential and potentially effective handles for linking migration and migrant‐integration policies. We demonstrate that the health belief model (HBM) conceptualization of behavioural intentions contributes constructs that can further our understanding of migration intentions, thereby broadening the foundations for migration policies. We adapt theHBMto migration behaviour and then test it empirically by using survey data on international migration from West Africa and the Mediterranean region to the European Union. The results confirm that indicators of “perceived threat to living conditions”, “perceived benefits” and “perceived barriers to migration”, “cues to action” and “self‐efficacy” contribute considerably to the explanation of migration intentions. We conclude that psychosocial factors deserve greater prominence in migration theories and empirical research, and we recommend that migration surveys consider this framework to identify relevant indicators of psychosocial factors of international migration and develop appropriate survey questions to measure them.
Parity, but not inbreeding, affects juvenile mortality in two captive endangered gazelles
Authors: Ibáñez B. , Moreno E. , Barbosa A. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractGrowing deterministic and stochastic threats to many wild populations of large vertebrates have focused attention on the significance of captive breeding for conservation. Nanger dama mhorr and Gazella cuvieri, two Sahelo‐Saharan species, have declined dramatically since the 1950s, apparently due to excessive hunting and habitat degradation. Today, the earlier is extinct in the wild and the latter survives only in small numbers in a few isolated parts of their range, and captive breeding programmes currently provide an important tool for rearing sustained populations. In natural and captive populations, the largest percentage of mortality is among juveniles. This is most relevant, from an evolutionary perspective, as it has a profound influence on population dynamics and demography, and is pivotal to the conservation and management of captive endangered populations. This study explored the juvenile mortality curve during the first 6 months of life of the species mentioned earlier in captivity. Then, we looked at the causes of this mortality by examining potential mother‐dependent as well as offspring‐dependent sources of juvenile mortality. The resulting curves show that the critical period of mortality is the first 14 days of life. We also found that parity and longevity of the mother affected juvenile mortality in Mohor gazelles. Calves born to primiparous as well as those born to short‐lived mothers were more prone to die than those born to either multiparous or long‐lived mothers. In Cuvier's gazelles, juvenile mortality was explained by the interaction between parity and mother's age and litter composition. Neither mother nor offspring inbreeding had any effect on juvenile mortality in either population. Precise knowledge of the biological factors affecting juvenile mortality is increasingly important for the conservation of large mammals, whether they are captive, managed, reintroduced or simply fragmented, as the neonates are the population's potential recruits.
Managerial Overconfidence and Accounting Conservatism
Authors: AHMED ANWER S. , DUELLMAN SCOTT 
Published: July 2012

ABSTRACTOverconfident managers overestimate future returns from their firms’ investments. Thus, we predict that overconfident managers will tend to delay loss recognition and generally use less conservative accounting. Furthermore, we test whether external monitoring helps to mitigate this effect. Using measures of both conditional and unconditional conservatism respectively, we find robust evidence of a negative relation between CEO overconfidence and accounting conservatism. We further find that external monitoring does not appear to mitigate this effect. Our findings add to the growing literature on overconfidence and complement the findings by Schrand and Zechman [2011] that overconfidence affects financial reporting behavior.