bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acute kidney injury in three dogs after ingestion of a descaling agent containing maleic acid
Authors: Schweighauser Ariane , Francey Thierry , Gurtner Corinne , Kupferschmidt Hugo , Rauber‐Lüthy Christine 
Published: December 2015

Maleic acid (MA) is a common component of descaling products and is widely used in daily life. Accidental ingestion in relevant amounts does not play a major role in human beings; however, it seems to be highly toxic for dogs. It has been commonly used experimentally to induce Fanconi syndrome in dogs or small rodents. Two dogs were presented for acute kidney injury (AKI) after accidental ingestion of a descaling agent containing MA at an estimated amount of 70 mg/kg each. The third dog involved was euthanased by the referring veterinarian, and postmortem pathological analysis revealed severe acute tubular necrosis consistent with toxic nephropathy. The other dogs received symptomatic therapy for AKI including treatment with haemodialysis and showed complete normalisation of serum creatinine at a follow‐up after five months. Renal damage can be very severe, but seems to be at least partially reversible and an attempt to treatment is warranted.
ESR1 Mutations in Breast Cancer: Proof-of-Concept Challenges Clinical Action
Authors: Gu Guowei , Fuqua Suzanne A.W. 
Published: December 2015

Abstract
Wang and colleagues demonstrate that digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) identified ESR1 mutations in 7% of primary breast cancers. ESR1 mutations were also readily detected in metastatic tissues and circulating tumor DNA in the blood. These results suggest that ddPCR may be amendable for monitoring tumor burden, and to predict relapse. Clin Cancer Res; 22(5); 1034–6. ©2015 AACR.
See related article by Wang et al., p. 1130
Elevated Soluble Fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase-1 and Placental-Like Growth Factor Levels Are Associated With Development and Mortality Risk in Heart Failure
Authors: Hammadah Muhammad , Georgiopoulou Vasiliki V. , Kalogeropoulos Andreas P. , Weber Malory , Wang Xi , Samara Michael A. , Wu Yuping , Butler Javed , Tang W.H. Wilson 
Published: December 2015

Background—
Vascular endothelial dysfunction may play an important role in the progression of heart failure (HF). We hypothesize that elevated levels of vascular markers, placental-like growth factor, and soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with HF. We also assessed possible triggers of sFlt-1 elevation in animal HF models.

Methods and Results—

We measured plasma placental-like growth factor and sFlt-1 in 791 HF patients undergoing elective coronary angiogram. Median (interquartile range) placental-like growth factor and sFlt-1 levels were 24 (20–29) and 382 (277–953) pg/mL, respectively. After 5 years of follow-up, and after using receiver operator characteristic curves to determine optimal cutoffs, high levels of sFlt-1 (≥280 pg/mL; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–2.09;
P
=0.035) but not placental-like growth factor (≥25 pg/mL; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.94–1.71,
P
=0.12) were associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In addition, significant elevation of sFlt-1 levels was observed in left anterior descending artery ligation and transverse aortic constriction HF mouse models after 4 and 8 weeks of follow-up, suggesting vascular stress and ischemia as triggers for sFlt-1 elevation in HF.

Conclusions—
Circulating sFlt-1 is generated as a result of myocardial injury and subsequent HF development. Elevated levels of sFlt-1 are associated with adverse outcomes in stable patients with HF.
Choline Diet and Its Gut Microbe–Derived Metabolite, Trimethylamine N-Oxide, Exacerbate Pressure Overload–Induced Heart Failure
Authors: Organ Chelsea L. , Otsuka Hiroyuki , Bhushan Shashi , Wang Zeneng , Bradley Jessica , Trivedi Rishi , Polhemus David J. , Tang W.H. Wilson , Wu Yuping , Hazen Stanley L. , Lefer David J. 
Published: December 2015

Background—
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut microbe–dependent metabolite of dietary choline and other trimethylamine-containing nutrients, is both elevated in the circulation of patients having heart failure and heralds worse overall prognosis. In animal studies, dietary choline or TMAO significantly accelerates atherosclerotic lesion development in ApoE-deficient mice, and reduction in TMAO levels inhibits atherosclerosis development in the low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mouse.

Methods and Results—

C57BL6/J mice were fed either a control diet, a diet containing choline (1.2%) or a diet containing TMAO (0.12%) starting 3 weeks before surgical transverse aortic constriction. Mice were studied for 12 weeks after transverse aortic constriction. Cardiac function and left ventricular structure were monitored at 3-week intervals using echocardiography. Twelve weeks post transverse aortic constriction, myocardial tissues were collected to evaluate cardiac and vascular fibrosis, and blood samples were evaluated for cardiac brain natriuretic peptide, choline, and TMAO levels. Pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement, and left ventricular ejection fraction were significantly (
P
<0.05, each) worse in mice fed either TMAO- or choline-supplemented diets when compared with the control diet. In addition, myocardial fibrosis was also significantly greater (
P
<0.01, each) in the TMAO and choline groups relative to controls.

Conclusions—
Heart failure severity is significantly enhanced in mice fed diets supplemented with either choline or the gut microbe–dependent metabolite TMAO. The present results suggest that additional studies are warranted examining whether gut microbiota and the dietary choline→TMAO pathway contribute to increased heart failure susceptibility.
Temporal Trends and Hospital Variation in Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Use in Veterans Discharged With Heart Failure
Authors: Dev Sandesh , Lacy Mary E. , Masoudi Frederick A. , Wu Wen‐Chih 
Published: December 2015

Background
Despite concerns about mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist therapies (MRAs) underuse and misuse in patients with heart failure, temporal and institutional variations of MRA prescription have not been reported.

Methods and Results

We studied a national sample of veterans hospitalized for heart failure between 2003 and 2009 and left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. We identified ideal and non‐ideal candidates for MRA therapy based on American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. We measured temporal trends and hospital variation of MRA prescriptions within 90 days after discharge. We determined the median odds ratio (MOR), a measure of the relative odds of an MRA prescription for 2 individuals with similar characteristics discharged at 2 randomly selected hospitals. From 37 126 patients (n=131 hospitals), 9355 were ideal‐MRA candidates, and 4056 were non‐ideal candidates. Among ideal candidates, 36% received an MRA, but there was a decline in use (41% in 2003 to 31% in 2009,
P
<0.001). Of non‐ideal candidates, 27% received an MRA with a decline in use (34% in 2003 to 22% in 2009,
P
<0.001). Hospital MRA prescription ranged from 0% to 71% for ideal candidates and 0% to 100% for non‐ideal candidates. The median odds ratios of MRA prescription for ideal and non‐ideal candidates were 1.44 and 1.36, respectively; a median odds ratio >1.2 indicates significant practice‐level variation.

Conclusions
There was decreasing MRA use between 2003 and 2009 with wide institutional variation in MRA prescription, which suggests opportunities for improvement to stimulate MRA use in ideal candidates while further reducing use in those with contraindications.
Aldosterone Predicts Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Disease in the General Community: A 4‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Buglioni Alessia , Cannone Valentina , Sangaralingham S. Jeson , Heublein Denise M. , Scott Christopher G. , Bailey Kent R. , Rodeheffer Richard J. , Sarzani Riccardo , Burnett John C. 
Published: December 2015

Background

We recently reported that normal aldosterone levels are associated with cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic disease in a sample of the
US
general community (Visit 1). For the current analyses we used the same cohort in a new 4‐year follow‐up study (Visit 2).

Methods and Results

We measured aldosterone at Visit 1 and analyzed its predictive role for new diseases at Visit 2 (n=1140). We measured aldosterone at Visit 2 and investigated its associations with disease at Visit 2 (n=1368). We analyzed aldosterone continuously and we also dichotomized the variable as whether subjects were in the third tertile versus second and first tertiles. As continuous variable at Visit 1, aldosterone predicted new onset hypertension (
HTN
) (
OR
=1.36,
CI
=1.13–1.63,
P
=0.001), central obesity (
OR
=1.36,
CI
=1.07–1.73,
P
=0.011), and use of lipid‐lowering drugs (
OR
=1.25,
CI
=1.05–1.48,
P
=0.012) at Visit 2, after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. When in the third tertile (8.5–88.6 ng/dL), aldosterone predicted type 2 diabetes (T2
DM
,
OR
=1.96,
CI
=1.03–3.70,
P
=0.039). At Visit 2, aldosterone remained associated with
HTN
, obesity, and chronic kidney disease (
CKD
), as reported for Visit 1. However, aldosterone was not associated with heart failure (
HF
) at Visit 1 and 2, nor was aldosterone a predictor of
HF
between visits.

Conclusions

Aldosterone predicts new
HTN
, central obesity, T2
DM
, and use of lipid‐lowering drugs in the general community and remains associated with
HTN
, obesity, and
CKD
over 4 years. Aldosterone is not associated nor predicts
HF
. Further studies are warranted to evaluate aldosterone as therapeutic target in the general community.
Characteristics of Early and Late Adopting Hospitals Providing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Taiwan
Authors: Lu Tsung‐Hsueh , Huang Yu‐Tung , Lee Jo‐Chi , Yang Li‐Tan , Liang Fu‐Wen , Yin Wei‐Hsian , Kawachi Ichiro 
Published: December 2015

Background

Studies in the United States suggested that the characteristics of hospitals providing percutaneous coronary intervention (
PCI
) differed from those not providing
PCI
. However, little is known on the differences between the characteristics of early‐adopting hospitals and those of late‐adopting hospitals, and on their potential impacts on
PCI
volume and access.

Methods and Results

We used inpatient claims data from 1997 to 2012 from the Taiwan National Health Insurance program to identify the hospitals offering
PCI
. Geographic information systems (
GIS
) were used to determine the population access to
PCI
hospital. As of 2012, 88 hospitals were capable of providing
PCI
. On the basis of the year that the hospitals started providing
PCI
, 32 hospitals were designated as early adopters (before 1998), 23 as early majority (1998–2002), 24 as late majority (2003–2007), and 16 as laggards (2008–2012). Hospitals that adopted
PCI
later were smaller in size and closer to an existing
PCI
hospital and had lower
PCI
volumes performed and less bypass surgery support. The median
PCI
volumes in 2012 were n=706, 330, 138, and 81 in early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards, respectively. Despite the low volume of
PCI
performed in laggard hospitals, the percentage with
ST
‐elevation myocardial infarction and acute myocardial infarction as principal discharge diagnosis was higher than their early‐adopting hospital counterparts. The percentage of the Taiwanese population living within 40 km of
PCI
hospitals (appropriate access defined in this study) was 95.7% in 1997 and 98.0% in 2002, and this has remained unchanged since 2002.

Conclusions

The characteristics of early‐adopting hospitals differed from those of late‐adopting hospitals. Despite lower
PCI
volume performed in late‐adopting hospitals, many of them are in remote areas and provide needed and timely services for patients with acute myocardial infarction.
The Relationship between the Strategic Expulsion of the Douglas Steamship Company by the Japanese Colonial Governor-General of Taiwan and the Transportation of Mainland Chinese Workers during the Japanese Colonial Period in Taiwan
Authors: Wang (王學新) Hsueh-hsin 
Published: December 2015

In the early days of Taiwan’s occupation by Japan, Douglas Lapraik & Co monopolized the nautical route between Tamshui and Xiamen across the Taiwan Strait, on which passengers and cargo transports were frequent. For Japan as a new colonial power, this undoubtedly was not something to be happy about. So Governor Kodama issued a secret order to osk to start the South China shipping route in March 1899, in order to drive out Douglas Co. from Taiwan.
Owing to a subsidy from the Government-General of Taiwan, Ōsaka merchant shipping companies could cut down ticket fees to extreme depth, snatch away the customers of Douglas Co. and purchase her stocks secretly. This strategy made Douglas Co. suffered badly.
People would have thought that Douglas Co. would go down all the way, but from the tea-manufacturing period of 1901 onwards, she drew up a new approach of Armageddon to snatch tea workers from the Mainland and transport them to Taiwan. Although this strategy seems to have been very successful, Douglas quit shipping around Taiwan since 1904.
Why did Douglas Co. quit? According to the author’s research, the real cause is not long-term losses, but the implementation of the system of managing Chinese workers from October 1904 onwards. It seems clear, that the post of Chinese worker’s manager was set up to deal with the new approach of Douglas Co., because it facilitated the establishment of a monopoly for Douglas Co.’s main competitor, osk, so that the former lost the last glimmer of hope and could not but quit. (This article is in English.)
„My tu nie mówimy, ino godumy i jesteśmy z tego dumni”. O tym, dlaczego gwary wielkopolskie przetrwały (na przykładzie języka mieszkańców wsi powiatu międzychodzkiego)
Authors: Cemborowski Bartosz 
Published: December 2015

<p><strong>On why have the dialects of the Province of Greater Poland survived (an example, the language of Międzychodzki district inhabitants)</strong></p><p>The aim of this article is to respond to the question: Why have the dialects of the Province of Greater Poland survived while the dialects from other parts of Poland are in decline? The analytical material relates to the statements of the users of this dialect who live in the western parts of Greater Poland (Międzychodzki district). It was collected during fieldwork in the villages of the Międzychodzki district between 2012 and 2015. The research methodology was based on autobiographical interviews, questionnaires and participant observations. Three important factors which contributed to the survival of the dialects of Greater Poland are: the history of this region, the identity of its people and the fashion for dialect use among the younger generation of Greater Poland’s inhabitants.</p><p><strong>„My tu nie mówimy, ino godumy i jesteśmy z tego dumni”. O tym, dlaczego gwary wielkopolskie przetrwały (na przykładzie języka mieszkańców wsi powiatu międzychodzkiego)</strong></p><p><strong></strong> Celem artykułu jest odpowiedź na pytanie, dlaczego gwary wielkopolskie przetrwały, podczas gdy w innych regionach Polski zauważalna jest tendencja do ich zaniku. Materiałem wykorzystanym w analizie są wypowiedzi mieszkańców wsi powiatu międzychodzkiego, którzy posługują się gwarą. Materiał został zebrany podczas badań terenowych w latach 2012–2015 za pomocą takich metod, jak wywiad autobiograficzny, ankiety i obserwacja uczestnicząca. Trzema istotnymi czynnikami, które wpłynęły na to, że gwary przetrwały w języku respondentów, są: historia, identyfikacja i narastająca wśród młodego pokolenia moda na mówienie gwarą.</p>
Smart systems commissioning for energy efficient buildings
Authors: Noye Sarah , North Robin , Fisk David 
Published: December 2015

The gap between as-designed and as-operating energy consumption of new buildings has been widely recognized. Commissioning for optimal energy performance should be a key process to remedy this but in practice, due to shortages of time and budget, commissioning is often limited to ensuring ‘practical completion’ and minimum year-round energy consumption may not be achieved. Commissioning implementation suffers, historically, from poor availability of real time data. Portable wireless sensor networks offer substantial opportunities to support energy-efficient seasonal commissioning by giving temporary access to additional, continuously and simultaneously monitored data points. This paper describes a strategy to implement ‘smart commissioning’ through portable wireless sensor networks for air conditioning systems. Key requirements for delivering seasonal commissioning strategies of multi-modal systems are discussed. Practical application: The importance of post-occupancy commissioning in delivering good energy and environmental performance of new buildings is now widely recognised through practices such as soft landings. However, troubleshooting can be difficult when the building is occupied and budget to do this limited. The building management system may identify that there is a problem but is very unlikely to be collecting the necessary forensic data to solve it. Portable wireless sensor networks specifically designed for analysing building services can overcome this problem in a convenient and economical way and can help development of new industry tools to close the performance gaps and demonstrate in-use building performance.
Frontal Sinus Malignancies
Authors: Bhojwani Amit , Unsal Aykut , Dubal Pariket M. , Echanique Kristen A. , Baredes Soly , Liu James K , Eloy Jean Anderson 
Published: December 2015

ObjectivePrimary neoplasms originating in the frontal sinus are rare. As such, existing literature describing frontal sinus malignancies (a subset of frontal sinus neoplasms) is limited. Prognostic implications of these malignancies are difficult to determine. This study seeks to analyze trends in epidemiology, clinicopathology, incidence, and survival for these rare malignancies.Study DesignRetrospective database analysis.MethodsThe SEER 18 database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results; 1973‐2012) was searched for frontal sinus malignancies from 1973 to 2012 and analyzed for demographic and clinicopathologic trends. The Kaplan‐Meier model was utilized for survival analysis.ResultsA total of 171 cases of frontal sinus malignancies were identified. Incidence was 0.011 per 100,000 individuals. The mean age at diagnosis was 61.1 years, with males constituting the majority of cases (61.4%). 80.1% of patients were white, 9.4% Asian, and 8.2% black. The average tumor size was 3.8 cm. The most common histology encountered was squamous cell carcinoma (39.8%). Overall 5‐year disease‐specific survival was 44.2%. Five‐year disease‐specific survival was highest for mature B‐cell non‐Hodgkin’s lymphomas (72.3%) and lowest for adenocarcinomas (15.4%).ConclusionsMalignant tumors of the frontal sinus are rare and are more common in males. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common entity encountered. Of the 4 most common histologies, survival is best for mature B‐cell non‐Hodgkin’s lymphomas and worst for adenocarcinomas.
Evaluation of a handheld point-of-care analyser for measurement of creatinine in cats
Authors: Reeve Jenny , Warman Sheena , Lewis Daniel , Watson Natalie , Papasouliotis Kostas 
Published: December 2015

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a handheld creatinine analyser (StatSensor Xpress; SSXp), available for human patients, can be used to measure creatinine reliably in cats. Methods Analytical performance was evaluated by determining within- and between-run coefficient of variation (CV, %), total error observed (TEobs, %) and sigma metrics. Fifty client-owned cats presenting for investigation of clinical disease had creatinine measured simultaneously, using SSXp (whole blood and plasma) and a reference instrument (Konelab, serum); 48 paired samples were included in the study. Creatinine correlation between methodologies (SSXp vs Konelab) and sample types (SSXpwhole blood vs SSXpplasma) was assessed by Spearman’s correlation coefficient and agreement was determined using Bland–Altman difference plots. Each creatinine value was assigned an IRIS stage (1–4); correlation and agreement between Konelab and SSXp IRIS stages were evaluated. Results Within-run CV (4.23–8.85%), between-run CV (8.95–11.72%), TEobs (22.15–34.92%) and sigma metrics (⩽3) did not meet desired analytical requirements. Correlation between sample types was high (SSXpwhole blood vs SSXpplasma; r = 0.89), and between instruments was high (SSXpwhole blood vs Konelabserum; r = 0.85) to very high (SSXpplasma vs Konelabserum; r = 0.91). Konelab and SSXpwhole blood IRIS scores exhibited high correlation ( r = 0.76). Packed cell volume did not significantly affect SSXp determination of creatinine. Bland–Altman difference plots identified a positive bias for the SSXp (7.13 μmol/l SSXpwhole blood; 20.23 μmol/l SSXpplasma) compared with the Konelab. Outliers (1/48 whole blood; 2/48 plasma) occurred exclusively at very high creatinine concentrations. The SSXp failed to identify 2/21 azotaemic cats. Conclusions and relevance Analytical performance of the SSXp in feline patients is not considered acceptable. The SSXp exhibited a high to very high correlation compared with the reference methodology but the two instruments cannot be used interchangeably. Improvements in the SSXp analytical performance are needed before its use can be recommended in feline clinical practice.
The potential cost-effectiveness of the Diamondback 360® Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System for treating de novo, severely calcified coronary lesions: an economic modeling approach
Authors: Chambers Jeffrey , Généreux Philippe , Lee Arthur , Lewin Jack , Young Christopher , Crittendon Janna , Mann Marita , Garrison Louis P. 
Published: December 2015

Background: Patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for severely calcified coronary lesions have long been known to have worse clinical and economic outcomes than patients with no or mildly calcified lesions. We sought to assess the likely cost-effectiveness of using the Diamondback 360® Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) in the treatment of de novo, severely calcified lesions from a health-system perspective. Methods and results: In the absence of a head-to-head trial and long-term follow up, cost-effectiveness was based on a modeled synthesis of clinical and economic data. A cost-effectiveness model was used to project the likely economic impact. To estimate the net cost impact, the cost of using the OAS technology in elderly (⩾ 65 years) Medicare patients with de novo severely calcified lesions was compared with cost offsets. Elderly OAS patients from the ORBIT II trial (Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of OAS in Treating Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions) [ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01092426] were indirectly compared with similar patients using observational data. For the index procedure, the comparison was with Medicare data, and for both revascularization and cardiac death in the following year, the comparison was with a pooled analysis of the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI)/Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy (ACUITY) trials. After adjusting for differences in age, gender, and comorbidities, the ORBIT II mean index procedure costs were 17% ( p < 0.001) lower, approximately US$2700. Estimated mean revascularization costs were lower by US$1240 in the base case. These cost offsets in the first year, on average, fully cover the cost of the device with an additional 1.2% cost savings. Even in the low-value scenario, the use of the OAS is cost-effective with a cost per life-year gained of US$11,895. Conclusions: Based on economic modeling, the recently approved coronary OAS device is projected to be highly cost-effective for patients who undergo PCI for severely calcified lesions.