bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A programme of symptom management for improving quality of life and drug adherence in AIDS/HIV patients
Authors: Chiou Piao‐Yi , Kuo Benjamin Ing‐Tiau , Lee Ming‐Been , Chen Yi‐Ming , Chuang Peing , Lin Li‐Chan 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper reports an evaluation of the effect of symptom management programmed on drug adherence, CD4 count and virus load and the quality of life of patients with HIV/AIDS.Background.  Patients with HIV/AIDS have to face the long‐term side effects caused by highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens. There has been little research to evaluate the influence of drug intervention side effects on self‐care.Methods.  Sixty‐seven patients with HIV/AIDS were randomly assigned to one‐on‐one teaching, group teaching, or control groups. All those in the one‐on‐one and group teaching groups attended a symptom management programme once a week, followed by 3 weeks of continuity and telephone counselling. Those in the control group were offered experimental intervention at the conclusion of data collection. The Customized Adherence Self‐Report Questionnaire, CD4 count and virus load, and Quality of Life Index were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the symptom management programme before and at 3 months after the intervention.Results.  Median differences on the Customized Adherence Self‐Report Questionnaire, CD4 count and virus load, and quality of life in both experimental groups were statistically significantly better than in the control group.Conclusions.  The symptom management programme can increase self‐care ability in managing medication side effects in patients with HIV/AIDS.
Promoting physical activity in primary care settings: health visitors’ and practice nurses’ views and experiences
Authors: Douglas Flora , Van Teijlingen Edwin , Torrance Nicola , Fearn Paul , Kerr Ann , Meloni Serena 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study investigating health visitors’ and practice nurses’ attitudes, beliefs and practice associated with routinely advising patients about physical activity.Background.  There is worldwide concern about increasing rates of obesity and decreasing population levels of physical activity, and it has been argued that primary healthcare professionals are ideally placed to promote physical activity within local communities. In recent years, the public health role of primary care‐based nurses in the United Kingdom has been considerably expanded to include playing a key role in improving the health of their local practice populations. A systematic literature search revealed that very few studies investigating nurses’ views and experiences of this type work have been published. The limited amount of research that has been conducted is generally small‐scale and primarily concerned with general medical practitioners’ practice and attitudes, and not those of nurses.Methods.  A questionnaire survey (n = 630) and 20 in‐depth interviews were conducted with health visitors and practice nurses in four health regions in Scotland between March and April 2004. The response rate was 63% overall.Results.  Ninety per cent (n = 149) of health visitors and 88% (n = 186) of practice nurses said that they were very likely or likely to recommend all apparently healthy adult patients to take moderate exercise. Health visitors were more likely to discuss psychological benefits than practice nurses. However, only 9% (n = 15) of practice nurses and 11% (n = 15) of health visitors correctly described the current recommendations – an accumulation of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week. Interview data suggested that most nurses gave physical activity advice based on their beliefs about the patient's willingness to change and their impressions of the patient's presenting condition, underlying physical condition and life circumstances. No measure of underlying physical fitness was used. There was a lack of agreement between the questionnaire and interview data associated with levels of physical activity advising.Conclusion.  There were high levels of enthusiasm for physical activity promotion amongst health visitors and practice nurses. However, nursing leaders and opinion‐makers should challenge practitioners’ current beliefs and assumptions about physical activity promotion in the general population.
Nurse–patient interaction and decision‐making in care: patient involvement in community nursing
Authors: Millard Lynda , Hallett Christine , Luker Karen 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study to identify the extent to which community nurses incorporate patient involvement in decision‐making into their everyday clinical practice.Background.  The complexity underlying the concept of patient participation is not always recognized. It links the notions of ‘passive patient’ and ‘active participant’, hence its usage along with those of similar terms such as ‘partnership’, ‘involvement’ and ‘collaboration’ is often ambiguous. The literature on this subject is fairly extensive and often contradictory; it encompasses the participation of potential as well as actual patients. Hierarchical structures have been proposed to offer an understanding of the current nature of patient participation, and these have sometimes linked the level of participation to the quality of the nurse–patient relationship. Much work has been done in the area of cancer care, where it has been noted that the role of ‘passive patient’ may in itself be a deliberate choice.Methods.  The approach was ethnographic and data were collected during 2000 and 2001 by participant observations with 22 nurses and 107 patients; 137 interactions were observed in all. Detailed field notes were kept and then carefully interpreted. The approach to rigour was primarily concerned with ensuring credibility.Findings.  The extent to which nurses involved patients in making decisions about their care, and the manner in which this was achieved, varied considerably. Collectively, the behaviour of participants is presented as the ‘involving–non‐involving continuum’, with five typologies of behaviour: ‘completely involving’; ‘partially involving’; ‘forced involving’; ‘covert non‐involving’ and ‘overt non‐involving’. The findings highlight that caring for people in their own home does not necessarily mean that patients are involved in care and treatment decisions.Conclusion.  This observation study of the extent to which community nurses involved patients in decision‐making in nursing care offers some useful insights into one aspect of nursing work. The implications of the study are far‐reaching. The findings suggest that it could be important for nurses and their managers to devote more time to relationship‐building in nursing practice. They also offer a perspective – the involving–non‐involving continuum – that could usefully be incorporated into nurse education at both pre‐ and postregistration levels.
Assessing the need for certainty in users of a clinical genetic health service
Authors: Skirton Heather 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper presents a study investigating the need for closure in users of a genetic health service.Background.  Genetic healthcare services are used by people who are concerned about a genetic condition in the family. Many clients expect information about the condition, risk assessment and discussion of options available to minimize the impact of the condition on the family. Some use the information to try to obtain certainty or cognitive closure. The psychological theory termed ‘need for cognitive closure’ explains individual differences in motivation to seek information. The tendency to seek closure can be measured by the Need for Closure Scale, which has five sub‐scales: preference for order, preference for predictability, discomfort with ambiguity, decisiveness and closed‐mindedness.Methods.  Clients who were referred to our genetic service in 1998 were approached before personal contact with staff of the genetic service. Fifty‐two people completed the need for closure scale questionnaire. Six months after the genetic consultation, participants were asked to complete the questionnaire again (n = 45). The data were statistically analysed using Cronbach's alpha, paired t‐tests and independent t‐tests.Results.  There were no statistically significant differences in Need for Closure Scale scores in this cohort before and after the genetic consultation. Participants scored highly on the preference for order and discomfort with ambiguity sub‐scales, but scores for closed‐mindedness were low. Intolerance of ambiguity was statistically significantly higher in participants whose main concerns centred on their children.Conclusions.  This psychological theory can help healthcare professionals to understand the motivation of clients who seek information from genetic services, and enhance understanding of those who avoid using the service. It cannot be assumed that additional knowledge is helpful to all clients, nor that knowledge of bad news is necessarily an adverse event if prior uncertainty has existed.
Effect of non‐response bias in pressure ulcer prevalence studies
Authors: Lahmann Nils , Halfens Ruud J.G. , Dassen Theo 
Published: May 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a study to determine the prevalence of pressure ulcers in German hospitals and nursing homes for national and international comparison, and analyses the influence of non‐response bias.Background.  Outcome rates are often used to evaluate provider performance. The prevalence of pressure ulcers is seen as a possible parameter of outcome healthcare quality. However, the results from different pressure ulcer prevalence studies cannot be compared, because there is no standardized methodology and terminology. Observed and published prevalence rates may reflect variations in quality of care, but differences could also relate to differences in case‐mix or to random variation.Methods.  A point prevalence survey was carried out for 2002 and 2003 using data from 21,574 patients and residents in 147 different kinds of institutions throughout Germany. Participation rates and reasons for not participating in the study were documented. Non‐responders were considered in different calculations to show the range of possible prevalence rate for a hypothetic 100% participation.Results.  In 2002 and 2003, the calculated prevalence rate (among participating persons at risk) in hospitals was 25·1% and 24·2% respectively, while in nursing homes it was 17·3% and 12·5% respectively. Non‐response varied from 15·1% to 25·1%. The majority of non‐responders in hospitals and nursing homes had not been willing to participate in the study. Based on different assumptions about the characteristics of the non‐responders, we calculated minimum and maximum prevalence rates as if 100% participation was achieved.Conclusions.  Calculating the non‐response bias of prevalence rates is an inconvenient but necessary thing to do because its influence on calculated prevalence rates was high in this study. High participation rates in clinical studies will minimize non‐response bias. If non‐response cannot be avoided, the formula provided will help researchers calculate possible minimum and maximum prevalence rates for the total sample of both the responding and non‐responding groups.
Up‐regulated expression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit on inflammatory infiltrates during Dictyocaulus viviparus infection
Authors: LAZARI O. , KIPAR A. , JOHNSON D. R. , SELKIRK M. E. , MATTHEWS J. B. 
Published: May 2006

SUMMARY Cholinergic signalling is known to affect immune cell function, but few studies have addressed its relevance during nematode infection. We therefore analysed the anatomical distribution and expression pattern of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α7 subunit in lungs obtained from Dictyocaulus viviparus‐infected and uninfected control cattle. The analysis was performed on trachea and lung parenchyma from uninfected animals and animals necropsied at 15, 22 and 43 days post‐infection (DPI). Localization of the α7 nAChR was evaluated by immunohistology and mRNA expression analysed by gene‐specific reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). In uninfected animals, tracheal, bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium and smooth muscle cells constitutively expressed the α7 nAChR, as did type I and II alveolar epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages and a few infiltrating leucocytes. By 15 DPI, immunohistology revealed a massive influx of α7 nAChR+ inflammatory cells into the lung parenchyma and tracheal wall. This was reflected in the RT‐PCR results. At later time points, both parenchyma and tracheal wall contained large numbers of α7 nAChR+ leucocytes, but detection of transcript was restricted to the trachea. Recruitment of nAChR‐containing leucocytes to the lungs of D. viviparus‐infected cattle suggests that these cells may represent possible downstream targets for parasite‐secreted acetylcholinesterases.
Proliferative phase endosperm promoters from Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Tiwari Sushma , Spielman Melissa , Day Rob C. , Scott Rod J. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryEndosperm accounts for a large proportion of human nutrition and is also a major determinant of seed viability and size, not only in cereals, but also in species with ephemeral endosperms, such as soybean and oilseed rape. The extent of endosperm proliferation early in seed development is a crucial component in setting seed size; therefore, a biotechnological approach for the modification of this trait requires promoters active in early endosperm. To find such promoters, we constructed an array based on cDNAs extracted from developing Arabidopsis seeds enriched for proliferating endosperm. Hybridization with RNA extracted from vegetative and reproductive tissues, including endosperm, and subsequent data filtering yielded sets of endosperm‐expressed and endosperm‐preferred genes, including many hundreds not previously identified in array experiments designed to detect genes expressed in Arabidopsis seeds. Of eight promoters selected for validation, seven were active in early endosperm, three with no detected activity elsewhere in the plant. Therefore, this strategy has yielded proliferative phase endosperm promoters which should be useful in altering seed size.
Exact and Computationally Efficient Likelihood-Based Estimation for Discretely Observed Diffusion Processes (with Discussion)
Authors: Beskos Alexandros , Papaspiliopoulos Omiros , Roberts Gareth O. , Fearnhead Paul 
Published: May 2006

SummaryThe objective of the paper is to present a novel methodology for likelihood-based inference for discretely observed diffusions. We propose Monte Carlo methods, which build on recent advances on the exact simulation of diffusions, for performing maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation.
Sequential Monte Carlo Samplers
Authors: Del Moral Pierre , Doucet Arnaud , Jasra Ajay 
Published: May 2006

SummaryWe propose a methodology to sample sequentially from a sequence of probability distributions that are defined on a common space, each distribution being known up to a normalizing constant. These probability distributions are approximated by a cloud of weighted random samples which are propagated over time by using sequential Monte Carlo methods. This methodology allows us to derive simple algorithms to make parallel Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms interact to perform global optimization and sequential Bayesian estimation and to compute ratios of normalizing constants. We illustrate these algorithms for various integration tasks arising in the context of Bayesian inference.
Adjusted Jackknife for Imputation under Unequal Probability Sampling Without Replacement
Authors: Berger Yves G. , Rao J. N. K. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryImputation is commonly used to compensate for item non-response in sample surveys. If we treat the imputed values as if they are true values, and then compute the variance estimates by using standard methods, such as the jackknife, we can seriously underestimate the true variances. We propose a modified jackknife variance estimator which is defined for any without-replacement unequal probability sampling design in the presence of imputation and non-negligible sampling fraction. Mean, ratio and random-imputation methods will be considered. The practical advantage of the method proposed is its breadth of applicability.
Empirical Likelihood Confidence Regions in a Partially Linear Single-Index Model
Authors: Zhu Lixing , Xue Liugen 
Published: May 2006

SummaryEmpirical-likelihood-based inference for the parameters in a partially linear single-index model is investigated. Unlike existing empirical likelihood procedures for other simpler models, if there is no bias correction the limit distribution of the empirical likelihood ratio cannot be asymptotically tractable. To attack this difficulty we propose a bias correction to achieve the standard χ2-limit. The bias-corrected empirical likelihood ratio shares some of the desired features of the existing least squares method: the estimation of the parameters is not needed; when estimating nonparametric functions in the model, undersmoothing for ensuring √n-consistency of the estimator of the parameters is avoided; the bias-corrected empirical likelihood is self-scale invariant and no plug-in estimator for the limiting variance is needed. Furthermore, since the index is of norm 1, we use this constraint as information to increase the accuracy of the confidence regions (smaller regions at the same nominal level). As a by-product, our approach of using bias correction may also shed light on nonparametric estimation in model checking for other semiparametric regression models. A simulation study is carried out to assess the performance of the bias-corrected empirical likelihood. An application to a real data set is illustrated.
MUC7 Haplotype Analysis: Results from a Longitudinal Birth Cohort Support Protective Effect of the MUC7*5 Allele on Respiratory Function
Authors: Rousseau K. , Vinall L. E. , Butterworth S. L. , Hardy R. J. , Holloway J. , Wadsworth M. E. J. , Swallow D. M. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryThe mucin MUC7 is a glycoprotein that plays a role in bacterial clearance and has candidacidal activity. There are two common allelic forms with 5 or 6 tandem repeats (TR) of a 23 amino acid motif within the highly glycosylated (mucin) domain. The MUC7*5 allele has previously been shown to be less prevalent in patients with asthma, suggesting a protective role in respiratory function. Here we report the characterisation of other frequent genetic variation within and in the vicinity of the gene MUC7. A total of 26 polymorphisms were identified of which 5 are located in transcribed regions. A subset of 8 polymorphisms was selected to represent the major haplotypes, and allelic association was studied in individuals of Northern European ancestry, including known asthmatics. There was low haplotype diversity and strong association between each of the loci, and the MUC7*5 allele‐carrying haplotype remained the one most strongly associated with asthma. Five of these polymorphisms have also been tested in the 1946 longitudinal birth cohort, for whom developmental, environmental and respiratory health data are available. We show that the haplotype carrying MUC7*5 is associated with higher FEV1 at 53 years, reduced age‐related decline of FEV1, and also reduced incidence of wheeze.
A Combinatorial Searching Method for Detecting a Set of Interacting Loci Associated with Complex Traits
Authors: Sha Qiuying , Zhu Xiaofeng , Zuo Yijun , Cooper Richard , Zhang Shuanglin 
Published: May 2006

SummaryComplex diseases are presumed to be the results of the interaction of several genes and environmental factors, with each gene only having a small effect on the disease. Mapping complex disease genes therefore becomes one of the greatest challenges facing geneticists. Most current approaches of association studies essentially evaluate one marker or one gene (haplotype approach) at a time. These approaches ignore the possibility that effects of multilocus functional genetic units may play a larger role than a single‐locus effect in determining trait variability. In this article, we propose a Combinatorial Searching Method (CSM) to detect a set of interacting loci (may be unlinked) that predicts the complex trait. In the application of the CSM, a simple filter is used to filter all the possible locus‐sets and retain the candidate locus‐sets, then a new objective function based on the cross‐validation and partitions of the multi‐locus genotypes is proposed to evaluate the retained locus‐sets. The locus‐set with the largest value of the objective function is the final locus‐set and a permutation procedure is performed to evaluate the overall p‐value of the test for association between the final locus‐set and the trait. The performance of the method is evaluated by simulation studies as well as by being applied to a real data set. The simulation studies show that the CSM has reasonable power to detect high‐order interactions. When the CSM is applied to a real data set to detect the locus‐set (among the 13 loci in the ACE gene) that predicts systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP), we found that a four‐locus gene‐gene interaction model best predicts SBP with an overall p‐value = 0.033, and similarly a two‐locus gene‐gene interaction model best predicts DBP with an overall p‐value = 0.045.
Ignoring Distant Genealogic Loops Leads to False‐positives in Homozygosity Mapping
Authors: Liu F. , Elefante S. , Van Duijn C. M. , Aulchenko Y. S. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryDistant consanguineous loops are often unknown or ignored during homozygosity mapping analysis. This may potentially lead to an increased rate of false‐positive linkage results. We show that failure to take into account the distant loops may seriously underestimate the degree of consanguinity, especially for people from genetically isolated populations; in 6 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients the distant loops accounted for 57.7 % of inbreeding on average. Theoretical evaluation showed that ignoring distant loops, which account for 18‐75% of inbreeding, inflates the frequency of false positive conclusions substantially in 2‐point linkage analysis, up to several hundred times. In multipoint linkage analysis of the 6 AD patients a chromosome‐wide “empirical” significance of 5% corresponded to a true false positive rate of 11.1%. We show that converting multiple loops to a hypothetical loop capturing all inbreeding may be a convenient solution to avoid false positive results. When extended genealogic data are not available a hypothetical loop may still be constructed based on genomic data.