bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Deceased Donor Renal Transplantation from Older Donors to Increase the Donor Pool
Authors: Kute Vivek B. , Trivedi Hargovind L , Vanikar Aruna V. , Shah Pankaj R. , Gumber Manoj R. , Patel Himanshu V. , Modi Pranjal R. , Shah Veena R. 
Published: January 2018

Background Use of kidneys from donors aged 70 years and older is controversial. Organ shortage has led many transplant centers to accept kidneys from old, suboptimal deceased donors and make increasing use of old-for-old allocation systems. We describe our institutional experience with outcomes from transplanting deceased-donor kidneys from older donors (≥70 years). Material and methods 20 deceased donor renal transplants (DDRTx) were performed at our center using grafts from deceased donors 70 years and older between June 2004 and September 2011. Kidneys were allocated to dual or single grafting according to pre-transplant biopsy. Mean age of recipients was 47.60 ± 11.38 years, 13 of whom were males. Mean donor age was 76.49 ± 4.9 years; 10 of whom were males. The most common cause of donor death was cerebrovascular/road traffic accidents. Mean dialysis duration pre-transplantation was 19.5 ± 6.5 months. Mean HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) match was 1 ± 0.8. Most common recipient diseases leading to ESRD were chronic glomerulonephritis (25%), diabetes (20%), and hypertension (20%). Post-transplant immunosuppression consisted of a calcineurin inhibitor-based regimen. Results Over a mean follow-up of 2.8 ± 1.7 years, patient and graft survival rates were 75% (n = 15) and 80% (n = 16), respectively, with a mean serum creatinine of 1.78 ± 0.56 mg/dl; 20% of the patients had biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes. A total of 25% (n = 5) patients died, mainly due to infections. Conclusions DDRTx from older donors achieves acceptable graft function with patient/graft survival, provided that organs are allocated to dual or single grafting according to pre-transplant biopsy. These findings encourage the use of this approach even in low-income countries.
Steady State Phosphorus Mass Balance Model during Hemodialysis Based on a Pseudo One-Compartment Kinetic Model
Authors: Leypoldt John K. , Agar Baris U. , Akonur Alp , Gellens Mary E. , Culleton Bruce F. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose Mathematical models of phosphorus kinetics and mass balance during hemodialysis are in early development. We describe a theoretical phosphorus steady state mass balance model during hemodialysis based on a novel pseudo one-compartment kinetic model. Methods The steady state mass balance model accounted for net intestinal absorption of phosphorus and phosphorus removal by both dialysis and residual kidney function. Analytical mathematical solutions were derived to describe time-dependent intradialytic and interdialytic serum phosphorus concentrations assuming hemodialysis treatments were performed symmetrically throughout a week. Results Results from the steady state phosphorus mass balance model are described for thrice weekly hemodialysis treatment prescriptions only. The analysis predicts 1) a minimal impact of dialyzer phosphorus clearance on predialysis serum phosphorus concentration using modern, conventional hemodialysis technology, 2) variability in the postdialysis-to-predialysis phosphorus concentration ratio due to differences in patient-specific phosphorus mobilization, and 3) the importance of treatment time in determining the predialysis serum phosphorus concentration. Conclusions We conclude that a steady state phosphorus mass balance model can be developed based on a pseudo one-compartment kinetic model and that predictions from this model are consistent with previous clinical observations. The predictions from this mass balance model are theoretical and hypothesis-generating only; additional prospective clinical studies will be required for model confirmation.
The Effect of Rat Acute-Liver-Failure Plasma on HepaRG Cells
Authors: Hoekstra Ruurdtje , Nibourg Geert A.A. , Van der Hoeven Tessa V. , Ackermans Mariëtte T. , Hakvoort Theodorus B.M. , Van Gulik Thomas M. , Oude Elferink Ronald P. , Chamuleau Robert A.F.M. 
Published: January 2018

Purpose We recently demonstrated the high liver functionality of the human liver cell line HepaRG, including ammonia eliminating capacity, making it a valuable biocomponent of a bioartificial liver (BAL) to support patients with acute liver failure (ALF). This cell line further gains detoxification properties when cultured with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In this paper we describe whether its functionality is compromised by the toxic effects of ALF plasma, as has been shown for primary hepatocytes. Methods We exposed -DMSO and +DMSO HepaRG cultures during 16 hours to healthy plasma and ALF-rat plasma. The cultures were analyzed for lipid accumulation, cell leakage, apolipoprotein A-1 production, nitrogen metabolism and transcript levels of hepatic genes. Results The -DMSO cultures showed increased cell leakage after healthy and ALF plasma exposure in contrast to +DMSO cultures, but otherwise the -DMSO and +DMSO cultures were equally affected by exposure to the plasmas. Exposure to both plasmas caused lipid accumulation and decreased transcript levels of various hepatic genes. ALF plasma decreased urea cycle activity, but increased urea production from arginine by upregulated arginase 2. However, total ammonia elimination was not affected by exposure to either plasma, indicating its predominant elimination by fixation into amino acids. In addition, apolipoprotein A-1 production remained constant. Conclusions HepaRG cells are negatively affected by rat plasma, even of healthy origin. However, their ammonia eliminating capacity is relatively resistant, underlining their suitability for BAL application. DMSO pre-treatment may increase their viability in plasma.
Accuracy of Ultrasonographic Measurements of Inferior Vena Cava to Determine Fluid Responsiveness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Orso Daniele , Paoli Irene , Piani Tommaso , Cilenti Francesco L. , Cristiani Lorenzo , Guglielmo Nicola 
Published: January 2018

Objective: Fluid responsiveness is the ability to increase the cardiac output in response to a fluid challenge. Only about 50% of patients receiving fluid resuscitation for acute circulatory failure increase their stroke volume, but the other 50% may worsen their outcome. Therefore, predicting fluid responsiveness is needed. In this purpose, in recent years, the assessment of the inferior vena cava (IVC) through ultrasound (US) has become very popular. The aim of our work was to systematically review all the previously published studies assessing the accuracy of the diameter of IVC or its respiratory variations measured through US in predicting fluid responsiveness. Data Sources: We searched in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, Web of Science databases for all relevant articles from inception to September 2017. Study Selection: Included articles specifically addressed the accuracy of IVC diameter or its respiratory variations assessed by US in predicting the fluid responsiveness in critically ill ventilated or not, adult or pediatric patients. Data Extraction: We included 26 studies that investigated the role of the caval index (IVC collapsibility or distensibility) and 5 studies on IVC diameter. Data Synthesis: We conducted a meta-analysis for caval index with 20 studies: The pooled area under the curve, logarithmic diagnostic odds ratio, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.83), 2.02 (95% CI: 1.29-2.89), 0.71 (95% CI: 0.62-0.80), and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.64-0.85), respectively. Conclusion: An extreme heterogeneity of included studies was highlighted. Ultrasound evaluation of the diameter of the IVC and its respiratory variations does not seem to be a reliable method to predict fluid responsiveness.
Prognosis of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients With Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Seong Gil Myeong , Lee Yunkyoung , Hong Sang-Bum , Lim Chae-Man , Koh Younsuck , Huh Jin Won 
Published: January 2018

Introduction: The intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients with hematologic malignancies is gradually increasing. Life-threatening events are common, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most critical conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of ARDS in patients with hematological malignancies admitted to the ICU. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on all patients with ARDS with hematological malignancies in a single tertiary teaching hospital between 2008 and 2015. Data on the treatment of and the outcomes of ARDS were collected to determine the clinical characteristics associated with ICU mortality. Results: During the 8-year study period, among a total of 821 patients with ARDS admitted to the ICU, all 185 patients with hematological malignancies were included in the analysis. Most of the patients (88.1%) had moderate-to-severe ARDS, and the median PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 122 (interquartile range: 88-157). The overall ICU mortality rate was 57.3% (50.0% for mild, 52.0% for moderate, and 67.7% for severe ARDS). After the univariate and the multivariate logistic regressions, the factors independently associated with a higher ICU mortality were severe ARDS (odds ratio [OR]: 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-5.25), identification of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (OR: 6.61; 95% CI: 1.31-33.41), the amount of blood product transfusion (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.13-1.38), and the progressive or refractory disease (OR: 3.01; 95% CI: 1.31-6.91). Mortality was independently lower in patients who received the initial low tidal volume ventilation (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14-0.96). Conclusion: The outcome of ARDS in patients with hematological malignancies is associated with the severity of the underlying diseases, the presence of multidrug-resistance pathogens, and the amount of transfusion; however, strict application of low tidal volume ventilation may improve the outcome of these patients at the time of diagnosis.
Revealing the hidden costs: Research experiences from a case study evaluation project
Authors: Burton Jo , Rajan Rashmi 
Published: January 2018

Aftermath: the social and economic consequences of workplace injury and illness was a case study evaluation of the experiences of 15 individuals injured or made ill at work, their families, friends, workplaces, colleagues and government officials. 1 It was a unique research experience for those on the project team, as it brought the researchers into close contact with the pain and suffering of the participants. This article discusses the methodology of the study, the experience of the researchers, and what lessons can be taken from these research experiences. 1 Copies of the report are available online at: www.dol.govt.nz .
Evaluation culture: A definition and analysis of its development within organisations
Authors: Owen John M 
Published: January 2018

Discussions about decision-making and the kinds of knowledge that could and should be used for this purpose within the workplace have become prominent in current organisational literature. These issues are high on the agenda of the business community, and among not-for-profit agencies. Research and observation suggests that a good deal of organisational decision-making has, in the past, been based on the judgements of authority figures. It was long assumed that senior managers had the sole right to make decisions, relying on a combination of experience, political know-how and the advice of trusted others in making choices about the present and future of the agencies for which they were responsible. This situation is changing. Most organisations recognise that important executive-level decisions should involve others besides senior managers, and I have previously argued that evaluators should work cooperatively in providing ‘just in time’ information for leaders (Owen & Lambert 1998). This implies that evidence and empirically based knowledge has the capacity to enhance decision-making and the effectiveness of organisations, for example by making managers and other practitioners more aware of the context in which they operate, understanding the needs of their clients, determining the effects of major initiatives, and being accountable to funding sources. In this paper, I argue that the creation of an evaluation culture leads to a change and improvement in the ‘mix’ of ‘working knowledge’ that is used by those responsible for applying information to solve organisational problems. An evaluation culture can be regarded as a commitment to roles for evaluation in decision-making within an organisation (Owen & McDonald 1999). This is systematic enquiry which is initiated and controlled by members of the organisation, and is carried out with the explicit purpose of contributing to the stock of its working knowledge. Enquiry of this nature is not undertaken routinely, but in response to the need for empirically based knowledge to contribute to issues regarded as strategic.
Reflections on a decade in the life of the Australasian Evaluation Society: 1990-1999
Authors: Trotman Ian G 
Published: January 2018

The 2003 AES Conference1 was the 21st birthday of conferences held by a group of evaluators who after a few such efforts organised themselves more formally in 1996 to become the AES, which was officially registered in Victoria in 1987. Ours was the third such regional professional society of evaluators, after the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) started in 1981 and the American Evaluation Association (AEA) formed in 1986, as the consolidation of two earlier evaluation associations: the Evaluation Network and the Evaluation Research Society. This article is not a history of the AES. It lacks the academic rigour and research. It particularly overlooks much of the activity of the regions which are really the heart of the Society. It reflects my experiences, my perceptions, and my analysis over the ten years when I was most actively involved in the Society. Despite these deficiencies or potential biases, I hope it provides an insight into what goes into making a professional society as effective and highly regarded as the AES is, despite having had its share of trials along the way.
A Fundamental Choice: Internal or External Evaluation?
Authors: Conley-Tyler Melissa 
Published: January 2018

An organisation wishes to evaluate one of its programs. It can ask a staff member or hire someone outside the organisation. Which should it choose? Surprisingly little guidance is available for this common scenario. A review of 30 texts dealing with organisational performance and evaluation shows that too often the issue is assumed one way or the other. Management texts aimed at business and organisational audiences tend to presume that evaluation is conducted by internal evaluators, usually managers. By contrast the specialist evaluation literature almost always proceeds from the opposite assumption: that evaluation is undertaken by external evaluators. This paper proposes a series of measures for comparing the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external evaluators. These include cost, knowledge, flexibility, objectivity, accountability, willingness to criticise, ethics and utilisation of results. A set of guidelines is offered to assist organisations in choosing between internal and external evaluation in each particular case.
Evaluating a Model of Service Integration for Older People with Complex Health Needs
Authors: Bird Steve , Kurowski William , Dickman Gillian 
Published: January 2018

Background Older people with multiple chronic conditions and complex health care needs require a comprehensive, accessible and well-coordinated system of services. To address this growing problem, a consortium of acute and community-based health care organisations implemented a ‘Patients First’ model of service integration for the target population. The project evaluation utilised a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in an action research framework. Findings The evaluation process not only demonstrated the benefits of the project to patients and the health care system, but also contributed to the identification of pivotal components in the model, aspects requiring attention and consequently their refinement. It was also a vehicle for the development of a sense of ownership amongst staff and has evolved into an integral part of the model.
The Development of a Logic Model for the Protection against Family Violence Act: An Incremental Approach
Authors: Laycock Janice 
Published: January 2018

On 1 April 2005 the Northwest Territories (NWT) became the seventh jurisdiction in Canada to implement family violence legislation. The NWT Protection Against Family Violence Act (PAFVA) is civil legislation designed to protect victims of family violence, improve access to the justice system, and provide a wider range of remedies than were available under existing civil legislation. It also provides a proactive framework that can be used when the grounds to lay a criminal charge may not exist. This article describes a process that was followed during the implementation period to clarify the intentions and delivery of the PAFVA program. This process involved the iterative development of a logic model. The process of development had two unique features; first it involved the clarification of a program from legislation, and second, it involved an incremental approach to logic development. Despite attention given to program clarification in the evaluation literature, there is little information on how to handle the translation of legislation through such processes. Thus, this paper is a contribution to this gap in evaluation knowledge by detailing the process followed and the lessons learned. The following section presents a contextual overview of the PAFVA.
Aes Fellows and Awards 2004
Authors: Neale Jenny , Owen John 
Published: January 2018

The annual conference of the Australasian Evaluation Society for 2004 was held in Adelaide in October. Under the able leadership of Susan Dawe, pictured left, the event offered a blend of workshops, paper and panel sessions and opportunities for networking, and entertainment which began at the welcome reception. An additional important function associated with the conference is the presentation of Fellowships to distinguished evaluators, and Awards to those who were successful in categories which have been struck by the Society.
Making sense of experience
Authors: Roberts Bridget 
Published: January 2018

Society's response to alcohol and drug problems must continually evolve. The author expresses optimism about evaluation's ability to guide change from the ground up through developing a culture of ongoing learning. It is argued that the alcohol and other drug treatment sector has a particular need for empowering professional development processes. The article describes the background to and personal experience of a new unit within a Graduate Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies course. This article is an edited version of a paper presented on 7 September 2007 at the conference of the Australasian Evaluation Society, ‘Doing Evaluation Better’, Melbourne. Bridget Roberts introduced the presentation by acknowledging the people of the Kulin nation, specifically the Wurundjeri (the first people to occupy the Melbourne area and the custodians of this land), including their elders past and present.
Promoting evaluation culture
Authors: Hanwright John , Makinson Sharnie 
Published: January 2018

This article describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive Program Evaluation Strategy by the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts (DETA). It discusses the key stages adopted in this change management strategy by drawing upon characterisations of effective innovations. The Program Evaluation Strategy adopted by DETA was based on a change management model rather than a compliance approach. The evaluation strategy incorporated a number of elements: the overall strategy, an evaluation manual providing supporting materials and templates, evaluation training for staff, and specific provision of advice and assistance in evaluation. The article argues that this multifaceted approach has fostered an evaluative culture within the agency and been critical in supporting the influence and use of evaluation.
2007 AES Awards for Excellence in Evaluation
Authors: Bycroft Peter 
Published: January 2018

The aim of the AES Awards for Excellence in Evaluation is to encourage the development of evaluation and high-quality evaluation practice in Australasia. In 2007, seven awards were offered by the Australasian Evaluation Society, which included two new awards, the Emerging New Talent Award and the Indigenous Evaluation Award. Two of the awards recognise individual evaluators nominated by their peers: the Outstanding Contribution to Evaluation (ET&S) Award and the Emerging New Talent Award. Five awards recognise organisations, project teams, specific evaluation projects, programs or systems nominated by the evaluators and/or the organisations involved: the Best Evaluation Publication Award (the Caulley Tulloch Award), the Best Evaluation Study Award, the Best Evaluation Policy and Systems Award, the Community Development Evaluation Award and the Indigenous Evaluation Award. The following awards were presented at the 2007 AES International Conference dinner in Melbourne in September. Dr Zita Unger announced the award winners as Acting Chair of the AES Awards for Excellence in Evaluation Committee at the presentation.
Adding Value through Community Participation: Evaluating Capacity in Community Health Committees
Authors: Entwistle Phil 
Published: January 2018

This article describes the procedure involved in evaluating the effectiveness of the capacity-building process within the Community Health Committees (CHCs) established by the Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (SHSAC) as part of their service governance structure. SHSAC itself was set up as the initial stage of the rollout of the Katherine East Coordinated Care Trial in the Northern Territory. A purposive sample of three CHCs was selected in consultation with SHSAC for the evaluation. The development of an evaluation instrument and the subsequent evaluation of the capacity of the health committees was one part of the overall evaluation of the Katherine East Coordinated Care Trial. The criteria for measuring capacity were developed in close collaboration with members of the CHCs and the SHSAC Community Development Unit. The evaluation framework was based on the Community Capacity Index (Bush, Dower & Mutch 2002), which assesses four areas of competence. This framework was suitably modified in collaboration with the Community Development Unit to reflect the Sunrise Health Service situation. The result was an evaluation that increased knowledge and capacity for the CHCs and Community Development Unit, in addition to evaluating the capacity of the CHCs to function in their designated role.