bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mutual influence in shared decision making: a collaborative study of patients and physicians
Authors: Lown Beth A. , Hanson Janice L. , Clark William D. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractObjective  To explore how patients and physicians describe attitudes and behaviours that facilitate shared decision making.Background  Studies have described physician behaviours in shared decision making, explored decision aids for informing patients and queried whether patients and physicians want to share decisions. Little attention has been paid to patients’ behaviors that facilitate shared decision making or to the influence of patients and physicians on each other during this process.Methods  Qualitative analysis of data from four research work groups, each composed of patients with chronic conditions and primary care physicians.Results  Eighty‐five patients and physicians identified six categories of paired physician/patient themes, including act in a relational way; explore/express patient’s feelings and preferences; discuss information and options; seek information, support and advice; share control and negotiate a decision; and patients act on their own behalf and physicians act on behalf of the patient. Similar attitudes and behaviours were described for both patients and physicians. Participants described a dynamic process in which patients and physicians influence each other throughout shared decision making.Conclusions  This study is unique in that clinicians and patients collaboratively defined and described attitudes and behaviours that facilitate shared decision making and expand previous descriptions, particularly of patient attitudes and behaviours that facilitate shared decision making. Study participants described relational, contextual and affective behaviours and attitudes for both patients and physicians, and explicitly discussed sharing control and negotiation. The complementary, interactive behaviours described in the themes for both patients and physicians illustrate mutual influence of patients and physicians on each other.
Getting ready for user involvement in a systematic review
Authors: Smith Elizabeth , Donovan Sheila , Beresford Peter , Manthorpe Jill , Brearley Sally , Sitzia John , Ross Fiona 
Published: February 2009

AbstractObjective  This paper aims to support the critical development of user involvement in systematic reviews by explaining some of the theoretical, ethical and practical issues entailed in ‘getting ready’ for user involvement.Background  Relatively few health or social care systematic reviews have actively involved service users. Evidence from other research contexts shows that user involvement can have benefits in terms of improved quality and outcomes, hence there is a need to test out different approaches in order to realize the benefits of user involvement and gain a greater understanding of any negative outcomes.Design  Setting up a service‐user reference group for a review of user involvement in nursing, midwifery and health visiting research involved conceptualizing user involvement, developing a representation framework, identifying and targeting service users and creating a sense of mutuality and reciprocity.Setting and participants  Recruitment was undertaken across England by two researchers. Members from 24 national consumer organizations were selected to participate in the review.Main variables studied  Learning was gained about finding ways of navigating consumer networks and organizations, how best to communicate our goals and intentions and how to manage selection and ‘rejection’ in circumstances where we had stimulated enthusiasm.Results and conclusions  Involving service users helped us to access information, locate the findings in issues that are important to service users and to disseminate findings. User involvement is about relationships in social contexts: decisions made at the early conceptual level of research design affect service users and researchers in complex and personal ways.
Information and behavioural instruction along the health‐care pathway: the perspective of people undergoing hernia repair surgery and the role of formal and informal information sources
Authors: Powell Rachael , McKee Lorna , Bruce Julie 
Published: February 2009

AbstractBackground Provision of information and behavioural instruction has been demonstrated to improve recovery after surgery. However, patients draw on a range of information sources and it is important to establish which sources patients use and how this influences perceptions and behaviour as they progress along the surgical pathway. In this qualitative, exploratory and longitudinal study, the use of information and instruction were explored from the perspective of people undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery.Methods Seven participants undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks and 4 months post‐surgery. Nineteen interviews were conducted in total. Topic guides included sources of knowledge, reasons for help‐seeking and opting for surgery and factors influencing return to activity. Data were analysed thematically according to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.Findings and conclusions Participants sought information from a range of sources, focusing on informal information sources before surgery and using information and instruction from health‐care professionals post‐surgery. This information influenced behaviours including deciding to undergo surgery, use of pain medication and returning to usual activity. Anxiety and help‐seeking resulted when unexpected post‐surgical events occurred such as extensive bruising. Findings were consistent with psychological and sociological theories. Overall, participants were positive about the information and instruction they received but expressed a desire for more timely information on post‐operative adverse events.
Response to antiviral therapy in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C viral infection: a single center experience
Authors: Jain Ashok , Sharma Rajeev , Ryan Charlotte , Safadjou Saman , Kashyap Randeep , Mantry Parvez , Maliakkal Benedict , Orloff Mark 
Published: February 2009

Jain A, Sharma R, Ryan C, Safadjou S, Kashyap R, Mantry P, Maliakkal B, Orloff M. Response to antiviral therapy in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C viral infection: a single center experience. Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 104–111. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  Introduction:  Recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hepatic allograft is a major concern after successful liver transplant (LTx).Aim:  To examine the response rate to pegylated interferon (PEG–IFN) and ribavirin in post‐LTx patients with HCV recurrence.Patients and methods:  Between January 2003 and September 2006, 60 patients with biopsy proven HCV recurrence (46 males and 14 females) received PEG–IFN 2a (n = 40) or IFN 2b (n = 20) with ribavirin. All patients were followed until July 2007.Results:  Fourteen patients (23.3%) tolerated antiviral therapy for less than six months and 10 (16.7%) discontinued therapy between six and 11 months. PEG–IFN dose was reduced in 21 (35%) patients and ribavirin dose was reduced in 16 (26.7%) patients. Overall, 55% patients achieved end of treatment response (EOT) and 35% sustained virological response (SVR). Mean Hepatitis Activity Index and Fibrosis Score pre‐therapy was 5.8 ± 1.9 and 1.7 ± 1.3 and post‐therapy, it was 4.4 ± 2.1 and 2.4 ± 1.6, respectively. Overall, three yr patient and graft survival was 73.9% and 69.2%, respectively. The patients with SVR had significantly lower viral load compared with other groups (p = 0.028).Conclusion:  PEG–IFN and ribavirin therapy achieved 55% EOT and 35% SVR; 60% patients tolerated therapy. Biochemical response was observed in all groups of patients irrespective of virological response.
Vasopressin decreases intestinal mucosal perfusion: a clinical study on cardiac surgery patients in vasodilatory shock
Authors: NYGREN A. , THORÉN A. , RICKSTEN S.‐E. 
Published: February 2009

Background: Low to moderate doses of vasopressin have been used in the treatment of cathecholamine‐dependent vasodilatory shock in sepsis or after cardiac surgery. We evaluated the effects of vasopressin on jejunal mucosal perfusion, gastric‐arterial pCO2 gradient and the global splanchnic oxygen demand/supply relationship in patients with vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery.Methods: Eight mechanically ventilated patients, dependent on norepinephrine to maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥60 mmHg because of septic/post‐cardiotomy vasodilatory shock and multiple organ failure after cardiac surgery, were included. Vasopressin was sequentially infused at 1.2, 2.4 and 4.8 U/h for 30‐min periods. Norepinephrine was simultaneously decreased to maintain MAP at 75 mmHg. At each infusion rate of vasopressin, data on systemic hemodynamics, jejunal mucosal perfusion, jejunal mucosal hematocrit and red blood cell velocity (laser Doppler flowmetry) as well as gastric‐arterial pCO2 gradient (gastric tonometry) and splanchnic oxygen and lactate extraction (hepatic vein catheter) were obtained.Results: The cardiac index, stroke volume index and systemic oxygen delivery decreased and systemic vascular resistance and systemic oxygen extraction increased significantly, while the heart rate or global oxygen consumption did not change with increasing vasopressin dose. Jejunal mucosal perfusion decreased and the arterial‐gastric‐mucosal pCO2 gradient increased, while splanchnic oxygen or lactate extraction or mixed venous–hepatic venous oxygen saturation gradient were not affected by increasing infusion rates of vasopressin.Conclusions: Infusion of low to moderate doses of vasopressin in patients with norepinephrine‐dependent vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery induces an intestinal and gastric mucosal vasoconstriction.
Role of fibrinogen‐, factor VIII‐ and XIII‐mediated clot propagation in gelatin haemodilution
Authors: SCHRAMKO A. A. , KUITUNEN A. H. , SUOJARANTA‐YLINEN R. T. , NIEMI T. T. 
Published: February 2009

Background: Gelatin solution impairs coagulation. The mechanism of coagulopathy is incompletely defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the capacity of single coagulation factors to reverse gelatin‐promoted whole‐blood coagulation disorders in vitro.Methods: Venous blood was withdrawn from 12 volunteers in a crossover study. Four percent succinylated gelatin was added to citrated whole‐blood samples to make a 40 vol% end‐concentration of gelatin. The baseline and 40 vol% samples, and samples with addition of fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP), fibrinogen, coagulation factors XIII (FXIII) or VIII, together with the von Willebrand factor (FVIII+vWF), were analysed by thromboelastometry (ROTEM®). Coagulation was initiated by tissue thromboplastin (ExTEM®) with and without cytochalasin to determine the functional component of fibrinogen (FibTEM®).Results: Initiation of coagulation and fibrin formation were delayed at 40 vol% gelatin dilution. At this stage, the median (25th–75th percentiles) maximum clot firmness (MCF) was 76.3 (65.9–80.0) and 32.5 (27.4–45.0)% of the pre‐dilution value in ExTEM® and FibTEM® thromboelastometry, respectively. Coagulation time was corrected by addition of fibrinogen and FFP in ExTEM® and FibTEM® analysis, whereas FVIII or FXIII had minimal effects. MCF was partly restored only by FFP in ExTEM®. In FibTEM® analysis, MCF improved more by fibrinogen than by FVIII+VWF, FXIII or FFP.Conclusions: Gelatin‐induced whole‐blood coagulation disorder in vitro is mainly dependent on the initial fibrinogen–fibrin interaction. The proposed mechanism might suggest not to reverse gelatin coagulopathy solely by fibrinogen administration. The administration of FFP, a mixture of different coagulation factors, reversed the gelatin‐induced in vitro coagulopathy the best.
Behavioural, ecological and genetic evidence confirm the occurrence of host‐associated differentiation in goldenrod gall‐midges
Authors: DORCHIN N. , SCOTT E. R. , CLARKIN C. E. , LUONGO M. P. , JORDAN S. , ABRAHAMSON W. G. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractHost‐associated differentiation (HAD) is considered a step towards ecological speciation and an important mechanism promoting diversification in phytophagous insects. Although the number of documented cases of HAD is increasing, these still represent only a small fraction of species and feeding guilds among phytophagous insects, and most reports are based on a single type of evidence. Here we employ a comprehensive approach to present behavioural, morphological, ecological and genetic evidence for the occurrence of HAD in the gall midge Dasineura folliculi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on two sympatric species of goldenrods (Solidago rugosa and S. gigantea). Controlled experiments revealed assortative mating and strong oviposition fidelity for the natal‐host species. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA showed an amount of genetic divergence between the two host‐associated populations compatible with cryptic species rather than host races. Lower levels of within‐host genetic divergence, gall development and natural‐enemy attack in the S. gigantea population suggest this is the derived host.
SNP deserts of Asian cultivated rice: genomic regions under domestication
Authors: WANG L. , HAO L. , LI X. , HU S. , GE S. , YU J. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractWhen performing a genome‐wide comparison between indica (93‐11) and japonica (Nipponbare), we find 8% of the genome, which have an extremely low SNP rate (< 1 SNP/kb). Inside these ‘SNP deserts’, experimentally confirmed genes show increased Ka/Ks that indicate adaptive selection. To further elucidate this connection, we survey the level and pattern of genetic variation in both cultivated and wild rice groups, using 155 noncoding regions located within SNP deserts. The results suggest that cultivated rice has greatly reduced genetic variation within SNP deserts as compared to either the nondesert or corresponding genomic regions in wild rice. Consistent with this reduction in genetic variation, we find a biased distribution of derived allele frequency in the cultivated group, indicative of positive selection. Furthermore, over half of the confirmed, domestication‐related genes are found within SNP deserts, also suggesting that SNP deserts are strongly related to domestication, and might be the key sites in the process of domestication.
How ecology shapes caste evolution: linking resource use, morphology, performance and fitness in a superorganism
Authors: POWELL S. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractCaste evolution is a central process in the adaptive diversification of insect superorganisms. Nevertheless, how ecology shapes adaptive caste evolution remains poorly understood. Recent work with the ant genusCephaloteshas provided new comparative evidence that ecological specialization may drive adaptive caste specialization. Here, three key predictions of this adaptive hypothesis are supported, using a representative of the highest level of ecological specialization and the most specialized soldier phenotype. First, soldier defensive performance was maximal for the specific nesting resource used most often in nature. Second, colonies only used a specialized subset of available nesting resources and preferred the specific resource that maximizes soldier performance. Third, soldier performance and its limitations on resource use were found to have both direct and indirect consequences for colony reproduction. These findings suggest that the most specialized soldier phenotype inCephalotesis indeed an adaptation to ecological specialization on a narrowly defined subset of available nesting resources.
Cotton Leaf Senescence can be Delayed by Nitrophenolate Spray Through Enhanced Antioxidant Defence System
Authors: Djanaguiraman M. , Annie Sheeba J. , Durga Devi D. , Bangarusamy U. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractLeaf senescence is an oxidative process, and most of the catabolic processes involved in senescence are propagated irreversibly once initiated. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that nitrophenolates (Atonik, a plant growth regulator) spray can delay the leaf senescence through reduced oxidative damage. Atonik 3.75 g a.i. ha−1 was sprayed during boll filling stage on cotton, and the senescence process was evaluated by quantifying total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate, Fv/Fm ratio, various reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, antioxidant content and antioxidant enzyme activity from 90 days after sowing (DAS) to 130 DAS. The result indicated that nitrophenolate spray reduced the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2−) accumulation, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde), lipoxygenase activity and membrane permeability over unsprayed control. The antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase, SOD; ascorbate peroxidase, APX; peroxidase, POX; glutathione peroxidase, GSH‐Px) were significantly increased by the nitrophenolate spray. POX (118.1 %) and GSH‐Px (143.3 %) activities were enhanced to a higher level compared to APX (8.5 %) activity at 130 DAS. Enhanced accumulation of ascorbate (144.9 %), phenol (154.7 %) and proline (50 %) was seen in nitrophenolate‐sprayed plants compared with unsprayed control plants at 130 DAS. Ascorbate content is increased by higher dehydroascorbate reductase enzyme activity. Ascorbate was thus able to replenish reducing equivalents to phenoxyl radicals resulting in an increase in phenolic compounds. The increased phenolic acid content may be involved in scavenging the ROS produced during senescence process. The higher level of reduced ascorbate and low level of endogenous H2O2 in the leaves may be the prerequisite for delayed leaf senescence in the nitrophenolate‐sprayed plants. Based on the present work, it can be concluded that nitrophenolate‐sprayed plants can postpone the leaf senescence by peroxide/phenolic/ascorbate system which is involved in scavenging the ROS produced during leaf senescence.
Pedigree analysis in the Austrian Noriker draught horse: genetic diversity and the impact of breeding for coat colour on population structure
Authors: Druml T. , Baumung R. , Sölkner J. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryThe pedigree of the current Austrian Noriker draught horse population comprising 2808 horses was traced back to the animals considered as founders of this breed. In total, the number of founders was 1991, the maximum pedigree length was 31 generations, with an average of 12.3 complete generations. Population structure in this autochthonous Austrian draught horse breed is defined by seven breeding regions (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria and Vorarlberg) or through six coat colour groups (Bay, Black, Chestnut, Roan, Leopard, Tobiano). Average inbreeding coefficients within the breeding regions ranged from 4.5% to 5.5%; for the colour groups, the coefficients varied from 3.5% to 5.9%. Other measures of genetic variability like the effective number of founders, ancestors and founder genomes revealed a slightly different genetic background of the subpopulations. Average coancestries between and within breeding areas showed that the Salzburg population may be considered as the nucleus or original stock whereas all other subpopulations showed high relationship to horses from Salzburg. The target of draught horse breeding in the 21st century does not meet the breeding concept of maximizing genetic gains any more. Stabilizing selection takes place. In this study, we show that demographic factors as well as structure given by different coat colours helped to maintain genetic diversity in this endangered horse breed.
Genetic associations between age at first calving and heifer body weight and scrotal circumference in Nelore cattle
Authors: Grossi D.A. , Venturini G.C. , Paz C.C.P. , Bezerra L.A.F. , Lôbo R.B. , Oliveira J.A. , Munari D.P. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryAge at first calving (AFC) measures the entry of heifers into the beef cattle production system. This trait can be used as a selection criterion for earlier reproductive performance. Using data from Nelore cattle participating in the ‘Program for Genetic Improvement of the Nelore Breed’ (PMGRN‐Nelore Brazil), bi‐trait analyses were performed using the restricted maximum likelihood method, based on an AFC animal model and the following traits: female body weight adjusted to 365 (BW365) and 450 (BW450) days of age, and male scrotal circumference adjusted to 365 (SC365), 450 (SC450), 550 (SC550) and 730 (SC730) days of age. The heritability estimates for AFC ranged from 0.02 ± 0.02 to 0.04 ± 0.02. The estimates of additive direct heritabilities (with standard error) for BW365, BW450, SC365, SC450, SC550 and SC730 were 0.36 ± 0.07, 0.38 ± 0.07, 0.48 ± 0.07, 0.65 ± 0.07, 0.64 ± 0.07 and 0.42 ± 0.07, respectively, and the genetic correlations with AFC were −0.38, −0.33, 0.10, −0.13, −0.13 and 0.06, respectively. In the herds studied, selection for SC365, SC450, SC550 or SC730 should not cause genetic changes in AFC. Selection based on BW365 or BW450 would favor smaller AFC breeding values. However, the low magnitude of direct heritability estimates for AFC in these farms indicates that changes in phenotypical expression depend mostly on non‐genetic factors.
Predictive ability of models for calving difficulty in US Holsteins
Authors: De Maturana E.L. , Gianola D. , Rosa G.J.M. , Weigel K.A. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryThe performance of alternative threshold models for analyzing calving difficulty (CD) in Holstein cows was evaluated in terms of predictive ability. Four models were considered, with CD classified into either three or four categories and analysed either as a single trait or jointly with gestation length (GL). The data contained GL and CD records from 90 393 primiparous cows, sired by 1122 bulls and distributed over 935 herd‐calving year classes.Predictive ability of each model was evaluated using four criteria: mean squared error of the difference between observed and predicted CD scores; a Kullback‐Leibler divergence measure between the observed and predicted distributions of CD scores; Pearson’s correlation between observed and predicted CD scores and ability to correctly classify bulls as above or below average for incidence of CD.In general, the four models had similar predictive abilities. The joint analysis of CD with GL produced little, if any, improvement in predictive ability over univariate models. In light of the small difference in predictive ability between models treating CD with three or four categories and considering that a greater number of categories can provide more information, analysis of CD classified into four categories seems warranted.