bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of patients with rodenticide poisoning at a far east poison center
Authors: Yu Hsin-Ying , Lin Ja-Liang , Fu Jen-Fen , Lin Jui-Hsiang , Liu Shou-Hsuan , Weng Cheng-Hao , Huang Wen-Hung , Chen Kuan-Hsing , Hsu Ching-Wei , Yen Tzung-Hai 
Published: October 2013

Abstract

Background
Rodenticide poisoning remains a major public health problem in Asian countries. Nevertheless, very few data are available in world literature regarding the outcomes of these patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of rodenticide poisonings in our hospital and to compare these data with published reports from other international poison centers.

Findings
We retrospectively examined the records of 20 patients with rodenticide poisoning (8 brodifacoum, 12 bromadiolone) who were referred to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2000 and 2011. It was found that most of the rodenticide patients were middle-aged adults. Both genders were equally affected and many patients had a past history of major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. Nevertheless, patients with bromadiolone were referred significantly sooner than patients with brodifacoum poisoning (0.1 ± 0.1 versus 5.5 ± 10.5, P < 0.001). Furthermore, it was found that patients with brodifacoum suffered higher incidences of ecchymosis (50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006) and hematuria (50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006) than patients with bromadiolone poisoning. Laboratory analysis also demonstrated a poorer hemostatic profile of patients with brodifacoum [prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), 4.3 ± 4.8 versus 1.0 ± 0.1, P = 0.032; PT prolongation, 50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006; activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) prolongation, 50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006] than patients with bromadiolone poisoning. At the end of analysis, no patient died of the poisoning.

Conclusion
The favorable outcome (zero mortality rate) is comparable to the published reports from other international poison centers. Further studies are warranted.
A heatstroke prediction and prevention system for outdoor construction workers
Authors: Yabuki Nobuyoshi , Onoue Takuya , Fukuda Tomohiro , Yoshida Shinji 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Background
Recently, the number of heatstroke cases is increasing among construction workers. To prevent heatstroke at construction sites, it is necessary to accurately predict both the thermal environment of construction sites and the physiological condition of workers, which is presently difficult to achieve.

Methods
We have therefore developed the Construction Workers’ Heatstroke Prevention (CWHP) system specifically for outdoor construction workers. The CWHP system consists of the Thermal Environment Prediction (TEP) system, which predicts changes in the thermal environment based on forecast values obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency and results of computational fluid dynamics and solar insolation simulations, and the Core Body Temperature Prediction (CBTP) system, which predicts changes in worker core body temperature based on the TEP system results. The CWHP’s heatstroke risk notification system indicates the risk of worker heatstroke considering the work site and schedule, so that construction managers can appropriately schedule work or install appropriate facilities such as tents, electric fans, and cold water tanks before work starts. The system is flexible enough to accommodate situations differing from meteorological agency forecasts.

Results
In summer 2011 the CWHP system was applied at Osaka University campus under hypothetical situations using the Virtual Reality Avatar Thermal Environment (VRATE) system, previously developed by the authors.

Conclusions
The system accurately predicted the time history of construction worker core body temperatures and informed users of times of heatstroke risk, allowing work sites and worker schedules to be modified such that new plans showed no risk for that day.
Association of CYP2D6metabolizer status with mammographic density change in response to tamoxifen treatment
Authors: Li Jingmei , Czene Kamila , Brauch Hiltrud , Schroth Werner , Saladores Pilar , Li Yi , Humphreys Keith , Hall Per 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Not all breast cancer patients respond to tamoxifen treatment, possibly due to genetic predisposition. As tamoxifen-induced reductions in percent mammographic density (PMD) have been linked to the risk and prognosis of breast cancer, we conducted a candidate gene study to investigate the association between germline CYP2D6 polymorphisms and PMD change.

Methods
Baseline and follow-up mammograms were retrieved for 278 tamoxifen-treated subjects with CYP2D6 metabolizer status (extensive (EM), heterozygous extensive/intermediate (hetEM/IM) or poor metabolizer (PM)). Logistic regression analyses were conducted comparing subjects who experienced >10% reduction in PMD to those who experienced ≤10% reduction or increase.

Results
After multivariate adjustment, PMD change was found to be significantly associated with the degree of CYP2D6 enzyme functionality (Ptrend = 0.021). Compared with EM, hetEM/IM and PM were 72% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10 to 0.79) and 71% (0.03 to 2.62) less likely to experience a >10% reduction, respectively.

Conclusions
Tamoxifen-induced change in PMD appears to have a genetic component.
Prognostic value of admission blood glucose level in patients with and without diabetes mellitus who sustain ST segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock
Authors: Yang Jeong Hoon , Song Pil Sang , Song Young Bin , Hahn Joo-Yong , Choi Seung-Hyuk , Choi Jin-Ho , Lee Sang Hoon , Jeong Myung-Ho , Kim Young-Jo , Gwon Hyeon-Cheol 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Admission blood glucose (BG) level is a predictor of mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, limited data are available relating admission BG to mortality in patients with STEMI complicated by cardiogenic shock, and it is not known whether diabetic status has an independent effect on this relationship.

Methods
Between November 2005 and September 2010, 816 STEMI patients with cardiogenic shock were enrolled in a nationwide, prospective, multi-center registry; 239 (29.3%) had diabetes mellitus (DM). Patients were categorized according to BG levels at admission: <7.8, 7.8–10.9, 11.0–16.5 and ≥ 16.6 mmol/L. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. The added values of BG to the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores were assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves and integrated discrimination improvement analyses.

Results
Thirty-day mortality was higher in patients with higher admission BG (20.4%, 23.3%, 39.8%, and 43.1% p < 0.001). Among non-diabetic patients, 30-day mortality was predicted by TIMI scores with a c-statistic of 0.615 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.561–0.662) and GRACE scores with a c-statistic of 0.652 (95% CI, 0.604–0.695). Incorporation of admission BG increased the c-statistic for TIMI score to 0.685 (95% CI, 0.639–0.720, p < 0.001) and GRACE score to 0.708 (95% CI 0.664–0.742, p < 0.001). Additional predictive values for BG were not observed for diabetes. Integrated discrimination improvements (TIMI vs. additional BG and GRACE vs. additional BG) were 0.041 (p < 0.001) and 0.039 (p < 0.001) in non-diabetic patients.

Conclusions
In a cohort of patients with STEMI complicated by cardiogenic shock, admission BG was an independent predictor of increased risk of mortality only among patients without DM.
TGF-β3 modulates the inflammatory environment and reduces scar formation following vocal fold mucosal injury in rats
Authors: Chang Zhen , Kishimoto Yo , Hasan Ayesha , Welham Nathan V. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryTransforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and TGF-β3 have been reported to exert differential effects on wound healing, and possibly even account for tissue-specific differences in scar formation. Scarring is particularly detrimental in the vocal fold mucosa (VFM), where destruction of the native extracellular matrix causes irreparable biomechanical changes and voice impairment. Here, in a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we identified differences in TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 transcription and immunolocalization to various cell subpopulations in naïve and injured rat VFM, compared with oral mucosa (which undergoes rapid healing with minimal scar) and skin (which typically heals with scar). Treatment of cultured human vocal fold fibroblasts with TGF-β3 resulted in less potent induction of profibrotic gene transcription, extracellular matrix synthesis and fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation, compared with treatment with TGF-β1 and TGF-β2. Finally, delivery of exogenous TGF-β3 to rat VFM during the acute injury phase modulated the early inflammatory environment and reduced eventual scar formation. These experiments show that the TGF-β isoforms have distinct roles in VFM maintenance and repair, and that TGF-β3 redirects wound healing to improve VFM scar outcomes in vivo.
Implementation of a worksite educational program focused on promoting healthy eating habits
Authors: Tanagra Dimitra , Panidis Dimitris , Tountas Yannis , Remoudaki Elina , Alexopoulos Evangelos C. 
Published: October 2013

Objective:To estimate the effectiveness of a short-term educational-counseling worksite program focused on lipid intake, by monitoring the possible change on nutrition knowledge and eating habits.Methods:an 8-week educational program based on the Health Belief Model was implemented in a honey packaging and sales company in Greece. 20 out of the 29 employees initially enrolled completed the program. Knowledge level and eating habits were evaluated prior and after the intervention by the “Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire” and the “Food Habits Questionnaire”. ANOVA, Spearman rho test and paired Wilcoxon test were employed in statistical analysis.Results:Non smokers and those with higher educational level had healthier eating habits. Knowledge following the intervention was significantly improved concerning recommendations and basic food ingredients but as far as eating habits were concerned, scores were not improved significantly, while intake of fried food was increased.Conclusions and Implications: Short-term interventions may produce substantial improvement in knowledge but not necessarily modifications in unhealthy eating habits.
Optimizing the Brazing Variables for the Fully Dense Freeform Fabrication Process by Design of Experiments
Authors: Hayasi M. , Asiabanpour B. 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Fully dense freeform fabrication (FDFF) is a process based on thin line cutting processes, variable thickness layering, slicing in different orientations, and bulk layer attachment. The combination of these capabilities enables the production of good quality complex parts from practically any material at a very fast pace. To improve the quality of the fabricated functioning products, multiple design and operational factors affecting the response value are required to be optimized. In this research, affecting factors (e.g., types of bonding materials, a range of heating temperatures, types of metal sheets, etc.) on the quality of the fabricated prototypes using a statistical design of experiments are investigated. Following the statistical analysis, the feasible bonding process in terms of optimal response value (tensile strength) that is achieved in regard with the most influential single or combined factors are presented.
Modified dynamic risk stratification for predicting recurrence using the response to initial therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Jeon Min Ji , Kim Won Gu , Park Woo Ri , Han Ji Min , Kim Tae Yong , Song Dong Eun , Chung Ki-Wook , Ryu Jin-Sook , Hong Suck Joon , Shong Young Kee , Kim Won Bae 
Published: October 2013

ObjectiveA new risk stratification system was proposed to estimate the risk of recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) using the response to initial therapy. Here, we describe the modified dynamic risk stratification system, which takes into consideration the status of serum anti-Tg antibody (TgAb), and validate this system for assessing the risk of recurrence in patients with DTC.Patients and methodsPatients who underwent total thyroidectomy with radioiodine remnant ablation due to DTC between 2000 and 2005 were included. We classified patients into four groups based on the response to the initial therapy (‘excellent’, ‘acceptable’, ‘biochemical incomplete’, and ‘structural incomplete’ response).ResultsThe median follow-up period of 715 patients with DTC was 8 years. The response to initial therapy was an important risk predictor for recurrent/persistent DTC. The relative risks (95% CI) of recurrence were 16.5 (6.3–43.0) in the ‘acceptable response’ group, 41.3 (15.4–110.8) in the ‘biochemical incomplete response’ group, and 281.2 (112.9–700.5) in the ‘structural incomplete response’ group compared with the ‘excellent response’ group (P<0.001,P<0.001, andP<0.001 respectively). The disease-free survival rate of the ‘excellent response’ group to initial therapy was 98.3% whereas that of the ‘structural incomplete response’ group was only 6.8%.ConclusionsOur study validates the usefulness of the modified dynamic risk stratification system including the status of serum TgAb for predicting recurrent/persistent disease in patients with DTC. Personalized risk assessment using the response to initial therapy could be useful for the follow-up and management of patients with DTC.
Development of additional pituitary hormone deficiencies in pediatric patients originally diagnosed with idiopathic isolated GH deficiency
Authors: Blum Werner F , Deal Cheri , Zimmermann Alan G , Shavrikova Elena P , Child Christopher J , Quigley Charmian A , Drop Stenvert L S , Cutler Gordon B , Rosenfeld Ron G 
Published: October 2013

ObjectiveWe assessed the characteristics of children initially diagnosed with idiopathic isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) who later developed additional (multiple) pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD).DesignData were analyzed for 5805 pediatric patients with idiopathic IGHD, who were GH-naïve at baseline and GH-treated in the multinational, observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study.MethodsDevelopment of MPHD was assessed from investigator diagnoses, adverse events, and concomitant medications. Analyses were performed for all patients and for those who developed MPHD within 4.5 years or had ≥3.5 years, follow-up and continued to have IGHD (4-year cohort).ResultsMPHD developed in 118/5805 (2.0%) children overall, and in 96/1757 (5.5%) in the 4-year cohort. Patients who developed MPHD had more profound GHD, with decreased height SDS, IGF1 SDS and peak stimulated GH, and greater height decrement vs target, compared with children who continued to have IGHD (P<0.001 for each variable). Delivery complications, congenital anomalies, and perinatal/neonatal adverse events occurred more frequently in patients who developed MPHD. The most frequent additional deficiency was TSH (82 patients overall); four patients developed two pituitary hormone deficiencies and one developed three deficiencies. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that years of follow-up (odds ratio 1.55), baseline age (1.17), baseline height SDS (0.69), and peak stimulated GH (0.64) were associated with the development of MPHD.ConclusionsMPHD is more likely to develop in patients with more severe idiopathic IGHD. Older baseline age, lower baseline height SDS, and longer follow-up duration are associated with increased risk of development of MPHD.
THERAPY OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Impact of iodine supplementation in mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Taylor Peter N , Okosieme Onyebuchi E , Dayan Colin M , Lazarus John H 
Published: October 2013

BackgroundAlthough the detrimental effects of severe iodine deficiency are well recognised, the benefits of correcting mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency are uncertain.ObjectivesWe undertook a systematic review of the impact of iodine supplementation in populations with mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency.MethodsWe searched Medline and the Cochrane library for relevant articles published between January 1966 and April 2013, which investigated the effect of iodine supplementation on maternal and newborn thyroid function, infant neurodevelopment and cognitive performance in school-age children. The quality of studies was graded and eligible trials were evaluated in the meta-analysis.ResultsNine randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and eight observational studies met the inclusion criteria. Controlled trials on infant neurodevelopment were lacking; gestational iodine supplementation reduced maternal thyroid volume and serum thyroglobulin and in some studies prevented a rise in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone. None of the intervention trials recorded an excess frequency of thyroid dysfunction in contrast to observational studies. A pooled analysis of two RCTs which measured cognitive function in school-age children showed modest benefits of iodine supplementation on perceptual reasoning (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.55; 95% CI 0.05, 1.04;P=0.03) and global cognitive index (SMD 0.27; 95% CI 0.10, 0.44;P=0.002) with significant heterogeneity between studies.ConclusionIodine supplementation improves some maternal thyroid indices and may benefit aspects of cognitive function in school-age children, even in marginally iodine-deficient areas. Further large prospective controlled studies are urgently required to clarify these findings and quantify the risk/benefits of iodine supplementation in regions previously believed to be iodine sufficient such as the UK.
Discrete Wellbore and Fracture Productivity Modeling for Unconventional Wells and Unconventional Reservoirs
Authors: Hazlett Randy D. , Babu D. Krishna 
Published: October 2013

SummaryNewly developed, generalized analytic solutions to the heat equation for arbitrary 3D well trajectory in anisotropic media are demonstrated to solve benchmark horizontal- and slanted-well productivity problems with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Arbitrary well trajectory is constructed as an assemblage of spatially integrated, linear well segments, as opposed to a distribution of numerically integrated point sources, to provide advantages in both computational speed and accuracy in singularity handling. Production from each arbitrarily oriented segment is reduced to a combination of purely analytic expressions and rapidly convergent, exponentially damped infinite sum approximations. With offered flexibility in cell boundary conditions, the expressions can yield standalone well-productivity estimates for complex wells or serve as the basis for advanced well equations, if integrated within a numerical reservoir simulator. Transients are also computed with analytical integrations in time, thus requiring no time marching. The breakthrough speed and accuracy in productivity assessment open possibilities for advanced well-testing and reservoir-characterization methods.We further demonstrate the usefulness of analytic methodology with several time-dependent, discrete fracture problems for shale gas production with typical Barnett conditions, allowing direct use of complex fracture patterns, such as those interpreted from microseismic mapping. In addition to uniform-flux and uniform-pressure modeling options, a new analytic model is introduced that is capable of modeling both time-dependent material transport between matrix and a stimulated zone and the interplay between a well and fracture. We illustrate our solution method with Barnett fractured-well examples from the literature. With optional effects such as gas desorption and stress-dependent fracture conductivity as easy add-ons, we can produce full-operational-life production forecasts for shale or tight gas reservoirs from discrete, complex fracture patterns along with reservoir-pressure mappings in a matter of minutes on common PC platforms.
Needle-Free Jet Injection of Rapid-Acting Insulin Improves Early Postprandial Glucose Control in Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Engwerda Elsemiek E.C. , Tack Cees J. , de Galan Bastiaan E. 
Published: October 2013

OBJECTIVE
Clamp studies have shown that the absorption and action of rapid-acting insulin are faster with injection by a jet injector than with administration by conventional pen. To determine whether these pharmacokinetic changes also exist in patients with diabetes and benefit postprandial glucose control, we compared the pharmacologic profiles of insulin administration by jet injection versus conventional insulin pen after a standardized meal in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy crossover study, 12 patients with type 1 diabetes and 12 patients with type 2 diabetes received insulin aspart either by jet injection or by conventional pen, in both cases followed by a standardized meal. Blood was sampled for 6 h for determination of glucose and insulin levels to calculate pharmacologic profiles.

RESULTS
Insulin administration by jet injection resulted in shorter time until peak plasma insulin level (51.3 ± 6.4 vs. 91.9 ± 10.2 min; P = 0.003) and reduced hyperglycemic burden during the first hour (154.3 ± 20.8 vs. 196.3 ± 18.4 mmol · min · L−1; P = 0.041) compared with conventional administration. Jet injection did not, however, significantly reduce the hyperglycemic burden during the 5-h period thereafter. There was no indication that the jet injector performed differently in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS
The considerably more rapid insulin absorption after administration by jet injector translated to a significant if modest decrease in postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The improved early postprandial glucose control may specifically benefit patients who have difficulty in limiting postprandial glucose excursions.
External Validation of the UKPDS Risk Engine in Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Need for New Type 2 Diabetes–Specific Risk Equations
Authors: Bannister Christian A. , Poole Chris D. , Jenkins-Jones Sara , Morgan Christopher Ll. , Elwyn Glyn , Spasić Irena , Currie Craig J. 
Published: October 2013

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the performance of the UK Prospective Diabetes Study Risk Engine (UKPDS-RE) for predicting the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease end points in an independent cohort of U.K. patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study using routine health care data collected between April 1998 and October 2011 from ∼350 U.K. primary care practices contributing to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Participants comprised 79,966 patients aged between 35 and 85 years (388,269 person-years) with 4,984 cardiovascular events. Four outcomes were evaluated: first diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, fatal CHD, and fatal stroke.

RESULTS
Accounting for censoring, the observed versus predicted 10-year event rates were as follows: CHD 6.1 vs. 16.5%, fatal CHD 1.9 vs. 10.1%, stroke 7.0 vs. 10.1%, and fatal stroke 1.7 vs. 1.6%, respectively. The UKPDS-RE showed moderate discrimination for all four outcomes, with the concordance index values ranging from 0.65 to 0.78.

CONCLUSIONS
The UKPDS stroke equations showed calibration ranging from poor to moderate; however, the CHD equations showed poor calibration and considerably overestimated CHD risk. There is a need for revised risk equations in type 2 diabetes.