bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacist care and the management of coronary heart disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Cai Hongwen , Dai Haibin , Hu Yangmin , Yan Xiaofeng , Xu Huimin 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Secondary prevention is important for reducing both mortality and morbidity of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Pharmacists can provide medication and also work on disease management for patients with CHD. This review has been carried out to evaluate the role of pharmacist care on mortality, morbidity, and the CHD management.

Methods
The PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the impact of pharmacist care interventions on patients with CHD (in both community and hospital settings). Primary outcomes of interest were mortality, cardiovascular events and hospitalizations. Secondary outcomes were medication adherence, blood pressure control, and lipid management.

Results
Five RCTs (2568 patients) were identified. The outcomes were mortality, cardiovascular events, and hospitalizations in one study (421 patients), medication adherence in five studies, blood pressure in two studies (1914 patients), and lipid management in three studies (932 patients). The interventions of pharmacists included patient education, medication management, feedback to health care professionals, and disease management. There was no significant effect of pharmacist care on mortality, recurrent cardiac events or hospitalization of CHD patients. Significant positive effects of pharmacist care were shown on medication adherence in three studies, on blood pressure control in one study and on lipid management in one study.

Conclusion
In this study, we concluded that pharmacists have a beneficial role in the care of CHD patients, although the evidence supporting positive impacts on mortality and morbidity remains uncertain due to the unavailability of data in these areas. Further research is needed to discern the contribution of pharmacist care on hard endpoints of CHD.
Effects of combination therapy with vildagliptin and valsartan in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Miyagawa Katsutoshi , Kondo Tatsuya , Goto Rieko , Matsuyama Rina , Ono Kaoru , Kitano Sayaka , Kawasaki Shuji , Igata Motoyuki , Kawashima Junji , Matsumura Takeshi , Motoshima Hiroyuki , Araki Eiichi 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors modulate incretin hormones and exert anti-diabetic effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Treatment with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARB) is a proven successful intervention for hypertension with type 2 diabetes. The present study investigated the combined effects of the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin and the ARB valsartan in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes.

Methods
C57BL/6 J mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD) or db/db mice were treated with placebo, phloridzin (PHZ), vildagliptin alone (ViL), valsartan alone (VaL) or ViL with VaL (ViLVaL) for 8 weeks.

Results
Glucose metabolism was improved in response to PHZ, ViL and ViLVaL in both HFD and db/db mice. Upon glucose challenge, ViLVaL showed the greatest suppression of blood glucose excursions, with increased insulin secretion, in db/db mice. ViLVaL treatment also showed an improvement of insulin sensitivity in db/db mice. Serum inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased, and adiponectin was highest, in the ViLVaL group. ViLVaL improved insulin signaling and attenuated stress signaling in liver with amelioration of hepatic steatosis due to activated fatty acid oxidation in db/db mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of the pancreas revealed that the combination treatment resulted in an increased expression of insulin and PDX-1, and increased insulin content.

Conclusions
The combination therapy of ViL and VaL improves both pancreatic beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity, with a reduction of the inflammatory and cell stress milieu in mouse models of T2DM. Our results suggest that this combination therapy exerts additive or even synergistic benefits to treat T2DM.
Using search queries for malaria surveillance, Thailand
Authors: Ocampo Alex J , Chunara Rumi , Brownstein John S 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Internet search query trends have been shown to correlate with incidence trends for select infectious diseases and countries. Herein, the first use of Google search queries for malaria surveillance is investigated. The research focuses on Thailand where real-time malaria surveillance is crucial as malaria is re-emerging and developing resistance to pharmaceuticals in the region.

Methods
Official Thai malaria case data was acquired from the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2005 to 2009. Using Google correlate, an openly available online tool, and by surveying Thai physicians, search queries potentially related to malaria prevalence were identified. Four linear regression models were built from different sub-sets of malaria-related queries to be used in future predictions. The models’ accuracies were evaluated by their ability to predict the malaria outbreak in 2009, their correlation with the entire available malaria case data, and by Akaike information criterion (AIC).

Results
Each model captured the bulk of the variability in officially reported malaria incidence. Correlation in the validation set ranged from 0.75 to 0.92 and AIC values ranged from 808 to 586 for the models. While models using malaria-related and general health terms were successful, one model using only microscopy-related terms obtained equally high correlations to malaria case data trends. The model built strictly of queries provided by Thai physicians was the only one that consistently captured the well-documented second seasonal malaria peak in Thailand.

Conclusions
Models built from Google search queries were able to adequately estimate malaria activity trends in Thailand, from 2005–2010, according to official malaria case counts reported by WHO. While presenting their own limitations, these search queries may be valid real-time indicators of malaria incidence in the population, as correlations were on par with those of related studies for other infectious diseases. Additionally, this methodology provides a cost-effective description of malaria prevalence that can act as a complement to traditional public health surveillance. This and future studies will continue to identify ways to leverage web-based data to improve public health.
Rehabilitation for the management of knee osteoarthritis using comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine in community health centers: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yan Hu , Su Youxin , Chen Lidian , Zheng Guohua , Lin Xueyi , Chen Baojun , Zhou Bihong , Zhang Qing 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
It is becoming increasingly necessary for community health centers to make rehabilitation services available to patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. However, for a number of reasons, including a lack of expertise, the small size of community health centers and the availability of only simple medical equipment, conventional rehabilitation therapy has not been widely used in China. Consequently, most patients with knee osteoarthritis seek treatment in high-grade hospitals. However, many patients cannot manage the techniques that they were taught in the hospital. Methods such as acupuncture, tuina, Chinese medical herb fumigation-washing and t’ai chi are easy to do and have been reported to have curative effects in those with knee osteoarthritis. To date, there have been no randomized controlled trials validating comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine for the rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis in a community health center. Furthermore, there is no standard rehabilitation protocol using traditional Chinese medicine for knee osteoarthritis. The aim of the current study is to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation protocol using traditional Chinese medicine for the management of knee osteoarthritis in a community health center.

Method/design
This will be a randomized controlled clinical trial with blinded assessment. There will be a 4-week intervention utilizing rehabilitation protocols from traditional Chinese medicine and conventional therapy. Follow-up will be conducted for a period of 12 weeks. A total of 722 participants with knee osteoarthritis will be recruited. Participants will be randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. Primary outcomes will include range of motion, girth measurement, the visual analogue scale, and results from the manual muscle, six-minute walking and stair-climbing tests. Secondary outcomes will include average daily consumption of pain medication, ability to perform daily tasks and health-related quality-of-life assessments. Other outcomes will include rate of adverse events and economic effects. Relative cost-effectiveness will be determined from health service usage and outcome data.

Discussion
The primary aim of this trial is to develop a standard protocol for traditional Chinese medicine, which can be adopted by community health centers in China and worldwide, for the rehabilitation of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Trial registration
Clinical Trials Registration: ChiCTR-TRC-12002538
Medicinal plants used by women from Agnalazaha littoral forest (Southeastern Madagascar)
Authors: Razafindraibe Mendrika , Kuhlman Alyse R , Rabarison Harison , Rakotoarimanana Vonjison , Rajeriarison Charlotte , Rakotoarivelo Nivo , Randrianarivony Tabita , Rakotoarivony Fortunat , Ludovic Reza , Randrianasolo Armand , Bussmann Rainer W 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Background
The country of Madagascar is renowned for its high level of biodiversity and endemism, as well as the overwhelming pressures and threats placed on the natural resources by a growing population and climate change. Traditional medicine plays an important role in the daily lives of the Malagasy for various reasons including limited access to healthcare, limited markets and traditional values. The objective of this study was to assess the modern utitilization of the Agnalazaha Forest by the local population in Mahabo-Mananivo, Madagascar, for medicinal plants used by women, and to establish a list of medicinal plants used by women sourced from Agnalazaha Forest.

Methods
Ethnobotanical studies were conducted over a period of five months in 2010 to determine the diversity of medicinal plants used by women in the commune of Mahabo-Mananivo. In all, 498 people were interviewed, both male and female ranging age from 15 to over 60 years old.

Results
152 medicinal plants used by local people were collected during the ethnobotanical studies. Among the recorded species, eight native species are widely used by women. These species are known for their therapeutic properties in treating placental apposition and complications during childbirth as well as tropical illnesses such as malaria, filariasis, and sexual diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis.

Conclusions
Littoral forests are rare ecosystems that are highly threatened on the island nation of Madagascar. Our investigation into the use of medicinal plants sourced from and around the Agnalazaha Forest by the women of Mahabo-Mananivo reinforces the need for this natural resource as a first line of health care for rural families.
Optimisation of engineered Escherichia coli biofilms for enzymatic biosynthesis of l-halotryptophans
Authors: Perni Stefano , Hackett Louise , Goss Rebecca JM , Simmons Mark J , Overton Tim W 
Published: November 2013

AbstractEngineered biofilms comprising a single recombinant species have demonstrated remarkable activity as novel biocatalysts for a range of applications. In this work, we focused on the biotransformation of 5-haloindole into 5-halotryptophan, a pharmaceutical intermediate, usingEscherichia coliexpressing a recombinant tryptophan synthase enzyme encoded by plasmid pSTB7. To optimise the reaction we compared twoE. coliK-12 strains (MC4100 and MG1655) and theirompR234mutants, which overproduce the adhesin curli (PHL644 and PHL628). TheompR234mutation increased the quantity of biofilm in both MG1655 and MC4100 backgrounds. In all cases, no conversion of 5-haloindoles was observed using cells without the pSTB7 plasmid. Engineered biofilms of strains PHL628 pSTB7 and PHL644 pSTB7 generated more 5-halotryptophan than their corresponding planktonic cells. Flow cytometry revealed that the vast majority of cells were alive after 24 hour biotransformation reactions, both in planktonic and biofilm forms, suggesting that cell viability was not a major factor in the greater performance of biofilm reactions. Monitoring 5-haloindole depletion, 5-halotryptophan synthesis and the percentage conversion of the biotransformation reaction suggested that there were inherent differences between strains MG1655 and MC4100, and between planktonic and biofilm cells, in terms of tryptophan and indole metabolism and transport. The study has reinforced the need to thoroughly investigate bacterial physiology and make informed strain selections when developing biotransformation reactions.
Association of the lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 gene with gout and non-additive interaction with alcohol consumption
Authors: Rasheed Humaira , Phipps-Green Amanda , Topless Ruth , Hollis-Moffatt Jade E , Hindmarsh Jennie Harré , Franklin Christopher , Dalbeth Nicola , Jones Peter B , White Douglas HN , Stamp Lisa K , Merriman Tony R 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Introduction
The T allele of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP: rs2544390) in lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 (LRP2) is associated with higher serum urate and risk of gout in Japanese individuals. SNP rs2544390 also interacts with alcohol consumption in determining hyperuricemia in this population. We investigated the association of rs2544390 with gout, and interaction with all types of alcohol consumption in European and New Zealand (NZ) Māori and Pacific subjects, and a Māori study cohort from the East Coast region of NZ’s North Island.

Methods
Rs2544390 was genotyped by Taqman®. From NZ a total of 1205 controls and 1431 gout cases clinically ascertained were used. Publicly available genotype and serum urate data were utilized from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). Alcohol consumption data were obtained by consumption frequency questions in all study cohorts. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression was done using STATA.

Results
The T allele of rs2544390 was associated with increased risk of gout in the combined Māori and Pacific Island cohort (OR = 1.20, P = 0.009), and associated with gout in the European subjects, but with a protective effect (OR = 0.79, PUnadjusted = 0.02). Alcohol consumption was positively associated with risk of gout in Māori and Pacific subjects (0.2% increased risk/g/week, P = 0.004). There was a non-additive interaction between any alcohol intake and the risk of gout in the combined Māori and Pacific cohorts (PInteraction = 0.001), where any alcohol intake was associated with a 4.18-fold increased risk in the CC genotype group (P = 6.6x10-5), compared with a 1.14-fold increased risk in the CT/TT genotype group (P = 0.40). These effects were not observed in European subjects.

Conclusions
Association of the T-allele with gout risk in the Māori and Pacific subjects was consistent with this allele increasing serum urate in Japanese individuals. The non-additive interaction in the Māori and Pacific subjects showed that alcohol consumption over-rides any protective effect conferred by the CC genotype. Further exploration of the mechanism underlying this interaction should generate new understanding of the biological role of alcohol in gout, in addition to strengthening the evidence base for reduction of alcohol consumption in the management of gout.
Cholesterol accumulation caused by low density lipoprotein receptor deficiency or a cholesterol-rich diet results in ectopic bone formation during experimental osteoarthritis
Authors: de Munter Wouter , Blom Arjen B , Helsen Monique M , Walgreen Birgitte , van der Kraan Peter M , Joosten Leo AB , van den Berg Wim B , van Lent Peter LEM 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with the metabolic syndrome, however the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether low density lipoprotein (LDL) accumulation leads to increased LDL uptake by synovial macrophages and affects synovial activation, cartilage destruction and enthesophyte/osteophyte formation during experimental OA in mice.

Methods
LDL receptor deficient (LDLr−/−) mice and wild type (WT) controls received a cholesterol-rich or control diet for 120 days. Experimental OA was induced by intra-articular injection of collagenase twelve weeks after start of the diet. OA knee joints and synovial wash-outs were analyzed for OA-related changes. Murine bone marrow derived macrophages were stimulated with oxidized LDL (oxLDL), whereupon growth factor presence and gene expression were analyzed.

Results
A cholesterol-rich diet increased apolipoprotein B (ApoB) accumulation in synovial macrophages. Although increased LDL levels did not enhance thickening of the synovial lining, S100A8 expression within macrophages was increased in WT mice after receiving a cholesterol-rich diet, reflecting an elevated activation status. Both a cholesterol-rich diet and LDLr deficiency had no effect on cartilage damage; in contrast, ectopic bone formation was increased within joint ligaments (fold increase 6.7 and 6.1, respectively). Moreover, increased osteophyte size was found at the margins of the tibial plateau (4.4 fold increase after a cholesterol-rich diet and 5.3 fold increase in LDLr−/− mice). Synovial wash-outs of LDLr−/− mice and supernatants of macrophages stimulated with oxLDL led to increased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling compared to controls.

Conclusions
LDL accumulation within synovial lining cells leads to increased activation of synovium and osteophyte formation in experimental OA. OxLDL uptake by macrophages activates growth factors of the TGF-superfamily.
Mammographic density and risk of breast cancer by age and tumor characteristics
Authors: Bertrand Kimberly A , Tamimi Rulla M , Scott Christopher G , Jensen Matthew R , Pankratz V Shane , Visscher Daniel , Norman Aaron , Couch Fergus , Shepherd John , Fan Bo , Chen Yunn-Yi , Ma Lin , Beck Andrew H , Cummings Steven R , Kerlikowske Karla , Vachon Celine M 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Understanding whether mammographic density (MD) is associated with all breast tumor subtypes and whether the strength of association varies by age is important for utilizing MD in risk models.

Methods
Data were pooled from six studies including 3414 women with breast cancer and 7199 without who underwent screening mammography. Percent MD was assessed from digitized film-screen mammograms using a computer-assisted threshold technique. We used polytomous logistic regression to calculate breast cancer odds according to tumor type, histopathological characteristics, and receptor (estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)) status by age (<55, 55–64, and ≥65 years).

Results
MD was positively associated with risk of invasive tumors across all ages, with a two-fold increased risk for high (>51%) versus average density (11-25%). Women ages <55 years with high MD had stronger increased risk of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) compared to women ages 55–64 and ≥65 years (Page-interaction = 0.02). Among all ages, MD had a stronger association with large (>2.1 cm) versus small tumors and positive versus negative lymph node status (P’s < 0.01). For women ages <55 years, there was a stronger association of MD with ER-negative breast cancer than ER-positive tumors compared to women ages 55–64 and ≥65 years (Page-interaction = 0.04). MD was positively associated with both HER2-negative and HER2-positive tumors within each age group.

Conclusion
MD is strongly associated with all breast cancer subtypes, but particularly tumors of large size and positive lymph nodes across all ages, and ER-negative status among women ages <55 years, suggesting high MD may play an important role in tumor aggressiveness, especially in younger women.
Novel Point Estimation from a Semiparametric Ratio Estimator (SPRE): Long-Term Health Outcomes from Short-Term Linear Data, with Application to Weight Loss in Obesity
Authors: Weissman-Miller Deborah 
Published: November 2013

AbstractPoint estimation is particularly important in predicting weight loss in individuals or small groups. In this analysis, a new health response function is based on a model of human response over time to estimate long-term health outcomes from a change point in short-term linear regression. This important estimation capability is addressed for small groups and single-subject designs in pilot studies for clinical trials, medical and therapeutic clinical practice. These estimations are based on a change point given by parameters derived from short-term participant data in ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The development of the change point in initial OLS data and the point estimations are given in a new semiparametric ratio estimator (SPRE) model. The new response function is taken as a ratio of two-parameter Weibull distributions times a prior outcome value that steps estimated outcomes forward in time, where the shape and scale parameters are estimated at the change point. The Weibull distributions used in this ratio are derived from a Kelvin model in mechanics taken here to represent human beings. A distinct feature of the SPRE model in this article is that initial treatment response for a small group or a single subject is reflected in long-term response to treatment. This model is applied to weight loss in obesity in a secondary analysis of data from a classic weight loss study, which has been selected due to the dramatic increase in obesity in the United States over the past 20 years. A very small relative error of estimated to test data is shown for obesity treatment with the weight loss medication phentermine or placebo for the test dataset. An application of SPRE in clinical medicine or occupational therapy is to estimate long-term weight loss for a single subject or a small group near the beginning of treatment.