bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
GeneTalk: an expert exchange platform for assessing rare sequence variants in personal genomes
Authors: Kamphans Tom , Krawitz Peter M. 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
Summary: Next-generation sequencing has become a powerful tool in personalized medicine. Exomes or even whole genomes of patients suffering from rare diseases are screened for sequence variants. After filtering out common polymorphisms, the assessment and interpretation of detected personal variants in the clinical context is an often time-consuming effort. We have developed GeneTalk, a web-based platform that serves as an expert exchange network for the assessment of personal and potentially disease-relevant sequence variants. GeneTalk assists a clinical geneticist who is searching for information about specific sequence variants and connects this user to other users with expertise for the same sequence variant.
Availability: GeneTalk is available at www.gene-talk.de. Users can login without registering in a demo account.
Contact: peter.krawitz@gene-talk.de
Miracles and Revolutionary Reversals: Terry Eagleton’s Theological Turn
Authors: Geng Youzhuang 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
This essay explores the ‘theological turn’ of Terry Eagleton within the context of China and the Chinese academia. Eagleton has long been thought of as one of the representatives of Western Marxism in China. And though he is often seen as an advocate of so-called postmodernism by some Chinese scholars, his stance as a Marxist has never been questioned. In fact, it is precisely because of this double role that Eagleton has become such a popular contemporary Western thinker, his influence in China going well beyond the imagination of Western scholars. But most studies on Eagleton by Chinese academics focus on his ideas in relation to Marxism, such as the theory of literature production. This discussion undertakes a more comprehensive study on Eagleton’s thoughts, focusing in particular on the connection between his early studies on theology and the theological turn of his later work, within a context where the relationship between Marxism and theology increasingly attracts the interests and the attention of Chinese scholars.
Photo‐inactivation of Bacillus endospores: inter‐specific variability of inactivation efficiency
Authors: da Silva Raquel N. , Tomé Augusto C. , Tomé João P. C. , Neves Maria G. P. M. S. , Faustino Maria A. F. , Cavaleiro José A. S. , Oliveira Anabela , Almeida Adelaide , Cunha Ângela 
Published: July 2012

ABSTRACTThe aims of this work were to (a) evaluate the susceptibility of endospores of Bacillus cereus, B. licheniformis, B. sphaericus and B. subtilis to photodynamic inactivation using a tricationic porphyrin as photosensitizer, (b) assess the efficiency of adsorption of the photosensitizer in endospore material as a determinant of the susceptibility of endospores of different Bacillus species to photo‐inactivation, (c) determine the value of B. cereus as a model organism for studies of antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation of bacterial endospores. The results of irradiation experiments with endospores of four species of Bacillus showed that B. cereus was the only species for which efficient endospore photo‐inactivation (> 3 log reduction) could be achieved. Endospores of B. licheniformis, B. sphaericus and B. subtilis were virtually resistant to photo‐inactivation with tricationic porphyrin. The amount of porphyrin bound to endospore material was not significantly different between species, regardless of the presence of an exosporium or exosporium‐like outer layer. The sensitivity of endospores to photodynamic inactivation with a tricationic porphyrin is highly variable among different species of the genus Bacillus.  The presence of an exosporium in endospores of B. cereus and B. sphaericus, or an exosporium‐like glycoprotein layer in endospores of B. subtilis, did not affect the amount of bound photosensitizer and did not explain the inter‐species variability in susceptibility to photodynamic inactivation. The results imply that the use of B. cereus as a more amenable surrogate of the exosporium‐producing B. anthracis must be carefully considered when testing new photosensitizers for their antimicrobial photo‐inactivation properties.
Nicotine metabolism and addiction among adolescent smokers
Authors: Rubinstein Mark L. , Shiffman Saul , Moscicki Anna‐Barbara , Rait Michelle A. , Sen Saunak , Benowitz Neal L. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimsThe purpose of this study was to determine the association between the nicotine metabolic rate and smoking behavior, including addiction, in adolescent smokers.DesignBaseline data from a prospective study of adolescent smoking behaviors and nicotine metabolism.SettingThe setting was an out‐patient university hospital in San Francisco.ParticipantsAdolescent smokers (n = 164) aged 13–17 years old.MeasurementsParticipants completed self‐report measures of smoking behavior and nicotine dependence (modified Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire: mFTQ). The nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR), a phenotypic marker of the rate of nicotine metabolism, was calculated using the ratio of concentrations of deuterium‐labeled 3′‐hydroxycotinine to cotinine‐d4.FindingsParticipants reported smoking a mean of 2.86 cigarettes per day (CPD) [median = 1.78, standard deviation (SD) = 3.35] for 1.37 years (median = 1.0, SD = 1.36). Results from multivariate analyses accounting for age, race/ethnicity, gender and duration of smoking indicated that slower metabolizers smoked more CPD than faster metabolizers (the NMR was inversely related to CPD; P = 0.02). Slower metabolizers also showed greater dependence on the mFTQ (NMR was negatively associated with the mFTQ; P = 0.02).ConclusionsIn adolescence, slower clearance of nicotine may be associated with greater levels of addiction, perhaps mediated by a greater number of cigarettes smoked.
Racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection among people who inject drugs: an international systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Des Jarlais Don C. , Bramson Heidi A. , Wong Cherise , Gostnell Karla , Cepeda Javier , Arasteh Kamyar , Hagan Holly 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimsThe Ethnic Minority Meta‐Analysis (EMMA) aims to assess racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) across various countries. This is the first report of the data.MethodsStandard systematic review/meta‐analysis methods were utilized, including searching for, screening and coding published and unpublished reports and meta‐analytical statistics. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement and Meta‐analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines for reporting methods. Disparities were measured with the odds ratio (OR) for HIV prevalence among ethnic minority PWID compared to ethnic majority PWID; an OR >1.0 indicated higher prevalence among ethnic minorities.ResultsRacial/ethnic disparities in HIV prevalence among PWID were examined in 131 prevalence reports, with 214 racial/ethnic minority to majority comparisons, comprising 106 715 PWID. Overall, the pooled OR indicates an increased likelihood of higher HIV prevalence among racial/ethnic minority compared to racial/ethnic majority PWID [OR = 2.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.92–2.28]. Among 214 comparisons, 106 produced a statistically significant higher OR for minorities; in 102 comparisons the OR was not significantly different from 1.0; six comparisons produced a statistically significant higher OR for majority group members. Disparities were particularly large in the United States, pooled OR = 2.22 (95% CI: 2.03–2.44). There was substantial variation in ORs—I2 = 75.3%: interquartile range = 1.38–3.56—and an approximate Gaussian distribution of the log ORs.ConclusionsAmong people who inject drugs, ethnic minorities are approximately twice as likely to be HIV seropositive than ethnic majorities. The great heterogeneity and Gaussian distribution suggest multiple causal factors and a need to tailor interventions to local conditions.
CNS effects of indomethacin: should patients be cautioned about decreased mental alertness and motor coordination?
Authors: Hegeman Judith , van den Bemt Bart , Weerdesteyn Vivian , Nienhuis Bart , van Limbeek Jacques , Duysens Jacques 
Published: July 2012

AimsIn many European countries as well as in the USA, the leaflet, or even the packaging of indomethacin, contains a specific warning to refrain from activities requiring mental alertness and motor coordination, such as driving a car. In this placebo‐controlled randomized study with a crossover design we attempted to find evidence for that warning.MethodsIndomethacin 75 mg slow release or a visually identical placebo with similar flavour was taken orally twice daily for 2.5 days. It was suggested that indomethacin affects the motor coordination required to avoid obstacles successfully during walking and that this effect will be even stronger when simultaneously performing a cognitive task that puts mental alertness to the test. Nineteen healthy middle‐aged individuals (60 ± 4.7 years, eight female) performed an obstacle avoidance task on a treadmill), combined with a cognitive secondary task. Biceps femoris (BF) muscle response times, obstacle avoidance failure rates and composite scores ((100 × accuracy)/verbal response time) were used to evaluate the data.ResultsNo differences between indomethacin and placebo were found on the outcome measures regarding motor coordination, avoidance failure rates (P = 0.81) and BF response times (P = 0.47), nor on the performance on the secondary cognitive task (P = 0.12).ConclusionsEven though surrogate methods were used, the current study provides evidence to suggest that there might be no need to caution patients who experience CNS side effects after indomethacin use to avoid activities requiring quick and adequate reactions, such as walking under challenging circumstances and maybe also driving a car.
Flurbiprofen concentration in soft tissues is higher after topical application than after oral administration
Authors: Kai Shuken , Kondo Eiji , Kawaguchi Yasuyuki , Kitamura Nobuto , Yasuda Kazunori 
Published: July 2012

AimTo compare tissue concentrations of flurbiprofen resulting from topical application and oral administration according to the regulatory approved dosing guidelines.MethodSixteen patients were included in this study. Each patient was randomly assigned to the topical application or oral administration group. In each group, a pair of tapes or a tablet, containing a total of 40 mg flurbiprofen, was administered twice at 16 and 2 h before the surgery.ResultsThe flurbiprofen concentration in the fat, tendon, muscle and periosteum tissues was significantly higher (P < 0.0330) after topical application (992 ng g−1 [95% CI 482, 1503], 944 [95% CI 481, 1407], 492 [95% CI 248, 735], and 455 [95% CI 153, 756], respectively) than after oral administration (150 ng g−1 [95% CI 84, 217], 186 [95% CI 118, 254], 82 [95% CI 49, 116],and 221 [95% CI, 135, 307], respectively).ConclusionTopical application is an effective method to deliver flurbiprofen to the human body, particularly to soft tissues near the body surface.
Caring for children with physical disability in Kenya: potential links between caregiving and carers' physical health
Authors: Geere J. L. , Gona J. , Omondi F. O. , Kifalu M. K. , Newton C. R. , Hartley S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  The health of a carer is a key factor which can affect the well‐being of the child with disabilities for whom they care. In low‐income countries, many carers of children with disabilities contend with poverty, limited public services and lack assistive devices. In these situations caregiving may require more physical work than in high‐income countries and so carry greater risk of physical injury or health problems. There is some evidence that poverty and limited access to health care and equipment may affect the physical health of those who care for children with disabilities. This study seeks to understand this relationship more clearly.Methods  A mixed methods study design was used to identify the potential physical health effects of caring for a child with moderate‐severe motor impairments in Kilifi, Kenya. Qualitative data from in‐depth interviews were thematically analysed and triangulated with data collected during structured physiotherapy assessment.Results  Carers commonly reported chronic spinal pain of moderate to severe intensity, which affected essential activities. However, carers differed in how they perceived their physical health to be affected by caregiving, also reporting positive benefits or denying detrimental effects. Carers focussed on support in two key areas; the provision of simple equipment and support for their children to physically access and attend school.Conclusions  Carers of children with moderate‐severe motor impairments live with their own physical health challenges. While routine assessments lead to diagnosis of simple musculoskeletal pain syndromes, the overall health status and situation of carers may be more complex. As a consequence, the role of rehabilitation therapists may need to be expanded to effectively evaluate and support carers' health needs. The provision of equipment to improve their child's mobility, respite care or transport to enable school attendance is likely to be helpful to carers and children alike.
Trends in cutaneous sensitization in the first 18 years of life: results from the 1989 Isle of Wight birth cohort study
Authors: Roberts G. , Zhang H. , Karmaus W. , Raza A. , Scott M. , Matthews S. , Kurukulaaratchy R. J. , Dean T. , Arshad S. H. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryBackgroundSkin prick testing (SPT) is fundamental to the practice of clinical allergy identifying relevant allergens and predicting the clinical expression of disease. There are only limited data on the natural history of SPT results over childhood and adolescence.ObjectiveWe aimed to describe the natural history of SPT and patterns of sensitization over childhood and adolescence.MethodsThe 1989 Isle of Wight birth cohort (1456 participants) was followed up at 1, 2, 4, 10 and 18 years. SPT was undertaken from 4 years.ResultsSPT was performed on 980 (80%), 1036 (75%) and 853 (65%) of participants at 4, 10 and 18 years. The prevalence of sensitization to any allergen at these time‐points was 19.7%, 26.9% and 41.3% respectively. At each time‐point, boys were significantly more likely to be sensitized (P < 0.016) and sensitization significantly increased over childhood and adolescence (average annual increase of 7%). Some children outgrew their sensitization. The rate of sensitization to most individual allergens increased over childhood and adolescence. A configural frequency analysis showed that whether an individual was sensitizated was relatively fixed over childhood and adolescence. Cluster analysis at 4 years demonstrated four major groups of individuals with similar co‐sensitization to specific allergens. Children who were sensitized at age 4 years generally went onto become sensitized to additional allergens at 10 and 18 years.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceAllergic sensitization continues to increase over childhood into adolescence although the majority of children who were not sensitized at 4 years remain non‐sensitized throughout childhood and adolescence. The presence of sensitization at 4 years predicted later sensitization to additional allergens.
Potential errors and misuse of statistics in studies on leakage in endodontics
Authors: Lucena C. , Lopez J. M. , Pulgar R. , Abalos C. , Valderrama M. J. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimTo assess the quality of the statistical methodology used in studies of leakage in Endodontics, and to compare the results found using appropriate versus inappropriate inferential statistical methods.MethodologyThe search strategy used the descriptors ‘root filling’ ‘microleakage’, ‘dye penetration’, ‘dye leakage’, ‘polymicrobial leakage’ and ‘fluid filtration’ for the time interval 2001–2010 in journals within the categories ‘Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Medicine’ and ‘Materials Science, Biomaterials’ of the Journal Citation Report. All retrieved articles were reviewed to find potential pitfalls in statistical methodology that may be encountered during study design, data management or data analysis.ResultsThe database included 209 papers. In all the studies reviewed, the statistical methods used were appropriate for the category attributed to the outcome variable, but in 41% of the cases, the chi‐square test or parametric methods were inappropriately selected subsequently. In 2% of the papers, no statistical test was used. In 99% of cases, a statistically ‘significant’ or ‘not significant’ effect was reported as a main finding, whilst only 1% also presented an estimation of the magnitude of the effect. When the appropriate statistical methods were applied in the studies with originally inappropriate data analysis, the conclusions changed in 19% of the cases.ConclusionsStatistical deficiencies in leakage studies may affect their results and interpretation and might be one of the reasons for the poor agreement amongst the reported findings. Therefore, more effort should be made to standardize statistical methodology.
Attitudes to brain donation for Parkinson's research and how to ask: a qualitative study with suggested guidelines for practice
Authors: Harris Clare , Kiger Alice , Counsell Carl 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimTo describe factors people consider important in deciding whether or not to donate their brain for research after death.BackgroundBrain tissue retrieved at post‐mortem is needed to further research into neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease. Previous research has focussed mainly on attitudes to organ donation for transplantation.DesignData were gathered and analysed using a qualitative approach based on grounded theory.MethodsNineteen people who had made a decision about brain donation, five people with Parkinson's and 14 unaffected individuals, were identified through theoretical sampling. Interviews conducted between September 2007–January 2008 were analysed to identify themes representing the concerns of participants, when making a decision.FindingsThe three main themes identified were views and beliefs about post‐mortem, the importance of family and the things people do not talk about. Although participants were more familiar with the concept of organ donation for transplantation, unanimous support was expressed for brain donation for research. However, beliefs about death and post‐mortem, influence of family and the difficulty in talking and thinking about things to do with death all posed barriers to consent when actually asked to make a decision. For some, however, being asked had acted as a catalyst, transforming previously held positive attitudes into a decision to consent.ConclusionGuidelines for asking developed from these findings highlight the importance of discussing the issue to raise awareness in potential donors, involving family members, and giving accurate and appropriate information to inform, reassure and to dispel misconceptions.
Father’s experiences of involvement in the daily care of their child with developmental disability in a Chinese context
Authors: Huang Yu‐Ping , Chen Shu‐Ling , Tsai Sen‐Wei 
Published: July 2012

Aims and objectives.  This study explored Taiwanese fathers’ experience of involvement in the daily care of a child with developmental disability within Chinese culture.Background.  Most studies on parents’ experiences of having a child with a disability have focused on mothers or mixed fathers’ voices with mothers’. Focussing only on mothers and ignoring fathers may hinder the latter’s engagement with their child’s care and encourage traditional or detached fathering roles.Design.  A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was applied to explore and interpret fathers’ experience.Method.  Sixteen fathers were purposively sampled from a medical centre in central Taiwan. All participants were interviewed twice with semi‐structured and in‐depth interviews. All transcripts and journal notes were analysed with the hermeneutic circle to achieve thick descriptions that richly described the meaning of fathers’ experience.Results.  Analysis of interviews with fathers on their experiences of raising the disabled child at home revealed three shared meanings: keeping hope alive, concerns about quality of medical care and maximising family function.Conclusions.  Hope for their disabled child’s good outcome and future was highly significant for these fathers, but hope was diminished when their child received poor medical care or their own ability was too poor to care for the disabled child. However, fathers still did not give up working for their children and for the well‐being of their families and society.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses should acknowledge that fathers’ involvement in their disabled child’s care can contribute to the well‐being of both child and family. Also, nurses should educate parents on the best possible ways to help their child. Finally, nurses need to encourage discussions between parents and professionals about their own and the family’s situation to develop a trusting and equal parent–professional relationship, thus alleviating fathers’ concerns and better meeting the child’s care needs.
Family carers' perspectives on post‐school transition of young people with intellectual disabilities with special reference to ethnicity
Authors: Raghavan R. , Pawson N. , Small N. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  School leavers with intellectual disabilities (ID) often face difficulties in making a smooth transition from school to college, employment or more broadly to adult life. The transition phase is traumatic for the young person with ID and their families as it often results in the loss of friendships, relationships and social networks.Method  The aim of this study was to explore the family carers' views and experiences on transition from school to college or to adult life with special reference to ethnicity. Forty‐three families (consisting of 16 White British, 24 Pakistani, 2 Bangladeshi and one Black African) were interviewed twice using a semi‐structured interview schedule. The carers were interviewed twice, Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2), T2 being a year later to observe any changes during transition.Results  The findings indicate that although transition planning occurred it was relatively later in the young person's school life. Parents were often confused about the process and had limited information about future options for their son or daughter. All family carers regardless of ethnicity, reported lack of information about services and expressed a sense of being excluded. South Asian families experienced more problems related to language, information about services, culture and religion.Conclusions  The majority of families lacked knowledge and awareness of formal services and the transition process. Socio‐economic status, high levels of unemployment and caring for a child with a disability accounted for similar family experiences, regardless of ethnic background. The three key areas relevant for ethnicity are interdependence, religion and assumptions by service providers.