bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experience of recombinant activated factor VII usage during surgery in patients with haemophilia with inhibitors
Authors: Polyanskaya T. , Zorenko V. , Karpov E. , Sampiev M. , Mishin G. , Vasiliev D. 
Published: June 2012

SummaryInhibitor development is one of the most challenging complications of haemophilia management. Haemostatic control in patients with haemophilia with inhibitors can be difficult, and is especially risky in those undergoing surgical interventions. Most haemophilia patients with inhibitors suffer from chronic joint disease requiring surgical correction due to recurrent bleeding episodes. The aim of this study was to assess the use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) as haemostatic therapy during orthopaedic surgery in haemophilia patients with inhibitors. A series of case reports was retrospectively collected to describe clinical experience of rFVIIa use in inhibitor patients undergoing a range of orthopaedic surgical procedures at a single centre. All surgeries were performed using standard methods. All patients received rFVIIa at a starting dose of 120 μg kg−1 with the subsequent regimens depending on the type of surgery. rFVIIa provided effective haemostasis in 23 patients with haemophilia A and inhibitors (15 with high inhibitor titres) undergoing orthopaedic surgery. The majority (70%) of surgical procedures were major (joint and extra‐articular surgery). The doses and intervals of rFVIIa treatment used varied depending on the severity of bleeding, and the type (major or minor) or site of surgery. In all cases, administration of rFVIIa achieved good haemostasis. In all 23 patients with haemophilia with inhibitors, rFVIIa treatment in orthopaedic interventions proved to be an efficient haemostatic agent, providing effective intra‐operative and postoperative haemostasis.
Identifying poor performance among doctors in NHS organizations
Authors: Locke Rachel , Scallan Samantha , Leach Camilla , Rickenbach Mark 
Published: June 2012

AbstractAim  To account for the means by which poor performance among career doctors is identified by National Health Service organizations, whether the tools are considered effective and how these processes may be strengthened in the light of revalidation and the requirement for doctors to demonstrate their fitness to practice.Method  This study sought to look beyond the ‘doctor as individual’; as well as considering the typical approaches to managing the practice of an individual, the systems within which the doctor is working were reviewed, as these are also relevant to standards of performance. A qualitative review was undertaken consisting of a literature review of current practice, a policy review of current documentation from 15 trusts in one deanery locality, and 14 semi‐structured interviews with respondents with an overview of processes in use. The framework for the analysis of the data considered tools at three levels: individual, team and organizational.Results  Tools are, in the main, reactive – with an individual focus. They rely on colleagues and others to speak out, so their effectiveness is hindered by a reluctance to do so. Tools can lack an evidence base for their use, and there is limited linking of data across contexts and tools.Conclusions  There is more work to be done in evaluating current tools and developing stronger processes. Linkage between data sources needs to be improved and proactive tools at the organizational level need further development to help with the early identification of performance issues. This would also assist in balancing a wider systems approach with a current over emphasis on individual doctors.
A novel HLA‐B*54 allele, B*54:25, identified by sequence‐based typing
Authors: Lim A. H. , Song S. N. , Lee J. Y. , Lee S. A. , Kim M. H. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe novel allele B*54:25 allele showed a single nucleotide difference with B*54:01:01 at nt 208 C > G in exon 2.
A novel HLA‐B*35 allele, B*35:188, identified by sequence‐based typing
Authors: Lim A. H. , Song S. N. , Shin H. H. , Kim T. E. , Kim M. H. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe novel allele B*35:188 allele showed a single nucleotide difference with B*35:96 at nt 347 T>C in exon 3.
Farmer’s views and values to focus on cattle conservation policies: the case of eight European countries
Authors: Gandini G. , Martín‐Collado D. , Colinet F. , Duclos D. , Hiemstra S.J. , Soini K. ,   EURECA consortium, Díaz C. 
Published: June 2012

SummaryOur aim was to identify elements useful in designing policies and programmes for conservation of farm animal genetic resources, taking as case study a group of European local cattle breeds. We first investigated the implications of differences among countries in the policies and programmes to be developed. Secondly, we analysed key elements common to countries, which may affect local breed viability. We used the herd size trend expected by the farmer in the near future as an indicator of breed viability. Fifteen breeds, for a total of 355 farms, were surveyed. To take into account the multiple factors influencing breeds’ demographic trends, the questionnaire included economical, technical and social aspects. Among the major differences across countries was the perception of the farmer on the value attributed to the local breed by society. Concerning the elements common to countries and their association to breed viability, the greater the collaboration among farmers and the stakeholders’ appreciation as perceived by the farmer, the greater the viability of the farm. An opposite trend was observed for the age of the farmer. Older farmers generally planned to soon cease farming or decrease herd size, whereas young farmers planned to increase the size of their herds. Implications of including these elements in conservation polices are discussed.
The multidisciplinary management of non‐melanoma conchal bowl skin cancer
Authors: Jayawardena Janitha , Elliott Tim 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTMohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has been shown to achieve high cure rates and reduce recurrence rates of skin cancer in auricular and preauricular regions. Non‐melanoma skin cancers of the conchal bowl are difficult to treat due to the challenge of accessing them and their close association with surrounding structures that may be inadvertently involved. Treatment goals in this anatomical area include total tumour removal and maximal tissue conservation to provide the best functional and aesthetic result for the patient. We present two patients with conchal bowl basal cell carcinoma treated with MMS and found to have extensive disease that benefited from collaborative management with an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon. Where extensive subclinical spread is encountered or complex reconstruction is required it is useful to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to achieve total tumour control and maximal tissue conservation. Currently preoperative assessment of tumour margins is difficult and limited data are available on what cases should be co‐managed. Our recommendation is that collaborative ENT involvement be reserved for cases where a long history is involved, a history of recurrence, previous failed excisions, close proximity to difficult to access areas, histological subtypes of skin carcinoma that are known to be aggressive or recurrent or when there is suspicion of subclinical spread based on other grounds.
Does outdoor air pollution induce new cases of asthma? Biological plausibility and evidence; a review
Authors: GOWERS ALISON M. , CULLINAN PAUL , AYRES JON G. , ANDERSON H. ROSS , STRACHAN DAVID P. , HOLGATE STEPHEN T. , MILLS INGA C. , MAYNARD ROBERT L. 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTIt is widely accepted that air pollution can exacerbate asthma in those who already have the condition. What is less clear is whether air pollution can contribute to the initiation of new cases of asthma. Mechanistic evidence from toxicological studies, together with recent information on genes that predispose towards the development of asthma, suggests that this is biologically plausible, particularly in the light of the current understanding of asthma as a complex disease with a variety of phenotypes. The epidemiological evidence for associations between ambient levels of air pollutants and asthma prevalence at a whole community level is unconvincing; meta‐analysis confirms a lack of association. In contrast, a meta‐analysis of cohort studies found an association between asthma incidence and within‐community variations in air pollution (largely traffic dominated). Similarly, a systematic review suggests an association of asthma prevalence with exposure to traffic, although only in those living very close to heavily trafficked roads carrying a lot of trucks. Based on this evidence, the UK's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants recently concluded that, overall, the evidence is consistent with the possibility that outdoor air pollution might play a role in causing asthma in susceptible individuals living very close to busy roads carrying a lot of truck traffic. Nonetheless, the effect on public health is unlikely to be large: air pollutants are likely to make only a small contribution, compared with other factors, in the development of asthma, and in only a small proportion of the population.
C‐reactive protein as a prognostic marker for advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with sunitinib
Authors: Fujita Tetsuo , Iwamura Masatsugu , Ishii Daisuke , Tabata Ken‐ichi , Matsumoto Kazumasa , Yoshida Kazunari , Baba Shiro 
Published: June 2012

Objectives:  To investigate the prognostic role of C‐reactive protein in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with sunitinib.Methods:  A total of 41 consecutive patients with advanced clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma treated with sunitinib between December 2008 and August 2011 were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis estimated the relative importance of non‐tumor variables, including C‐reactive protein, and selected adverse events as predictive factors for sunitinib responses.Results:  Overall, 11 patients (26.8%) showed a partial response and 10 patients (24.4%) had stable disease. On univariate analysis, Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer Center non‐poor risk, normal C‐reactive protein, hand–foot skin reaction, altered taste, fatigue and leukopenia were significantly correlated with objective responses (P = 0.020, 0.001, 0.006, 0.006, 0.023 and 0.037, respectively). On multivariate analysis, normal C‐reactive protein was independently associated with objective response (P = 0.016). Patients with a normal level of C‐reactive protein (≤0.30 mg/dL) had a significantly higher partial response plus stable disease rate (84.6% vs 35.7%, P = 0.002) and significantly longer progression‐free survival (median 19.0 vs 6.0 months, P = 0.036) than patients with an elevated level of C‐reactive protein.Conclusions:  C‐reactive protein is an independent prognostic indicator for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with sunitinib.
Assessing falls risk in older adult mental health patients: A Western Australian review
Authors: Heslop Karen , Wynaden Dianne , Bramanis Kirsten , Connolly Claire , Gee Trevor , Griffiths Rachel , Al Omari Omar 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTFalls are a common and costly complication of hospitalization, particularly in older adult populations. This paper presents the results of a review of 139 falls at two older adult mental health services in Western Australia, Australia, over a 12‐month period. Data were collected from the hospital incident report management system and from case file reviews of patients who sustained a fall during hospitalization. The results demonstrated that the use of different risk assessment and falls management tools led to variations in practice, policies, and management strategies. The review identified mental health‐specific falls risk factors that place older people with a mental illness at risk when admitted to the acute mental health setting. With the expansion of community mental health care, many older people with a mental illness are now cared for in a variety of health‐care settings. In assessing falls risk and implementing falls‐prevention strategies, it is important for clinicians to recognize this group as an ambulant population with a fluctuating course of illness. They have related risks that require specialized falls assessment and management.
Predicting damage and failure under low cycle fatigue in a 9Cr steel
Authors: BIGLARI F. , LOMBARDI P. , BUDANO S. , DAVIES C. M. , NIKBIN K. M. 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACTExperimental data have been generated and finite element models developed to examine the low cycle fatigue (LCF) life of a 9Cr (FB2) steel. A novel approach, employing a local ductile damage initiation and failure model, using the hysteresis total stress–strain energy concept combined with element removal, has been employed to predict the failure in the experimental tests. The 9Cr steel was found to exhibit both cyclic softening and nonlinear kinematic hardening behaviour. The finite element analysis of the material's cyclic loading was based on a nonlinear kinematic hardening criterion using the Chaboche constitutive equations. The models’ parameters were calibrated using the experimental test data available. The cyclic softening model in conjunction with the progressive damage evolution model successfully predicted the deformation behaviour and failure times of the experimental tests for the 9Cr steels performed.
Normal corneal thickness measurements in pigmented rabbits using spectral‐domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography
Authors: Wang Xiaogang , Wu Qiang 
Published: June 2012

AbstractObjective To document the thickness of the central cornea in pigmented rabbits using spectral‐domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS‐OCT).Animals studied Seventeen pigmented rabbits (6 male, 11 female, both eyes) were involved in this study.Procedures Thirty‐four eyes from healthy pigmented rabbits underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including AS‐OCT. Eight radial scans, 6 mm in length and centered on the cornea, were obtained using the AS‐OCT. Corneal thickness was automatically calculated using pachymetry software. Measurements were displayed as the mean and standard deviation for each of the 17 regions defined by the software. The regions were the center (1 mm radius, area a), the inner ring (2.5 mm radius, area b), the outer ring (3 mm radius, area c), and the eight radial scan lines in eight directions (Superior (1), SN (2), Nasal (3), IN (4), Inferior (5), IT (6), Temporal (7), ST (8)) with an angle of 45° between each consecutive scan line (a, b 1–8, c 1–8).Results There was no statistically significance difference in corneal thickness between gender, eye, and the eight directions (P = 0.804, P > 0.05, P > 0.05). There was a statistical difference between the thickness in areas a, b, and c (P < 0.05). The corneal thickness increased gradually from the center to the periphery of the 6 mm measured. The center corneal thickness was 387 ± 19.8 μm for OD and 384 ± 20.2 μm for OS. The corneal thicknesses of the thinnest point of the right eyes (OD) and the left eyes (OS) were 376 ± 20.2 and 370 ± 16.8 μm, respectively. There was positive correlation between the thinnest point and area a in both the right eyes (r = 0.892, P < 0.001) and the left eyes (r = 0.832, P < 0.001).Conclusions This is the first documentation of the rabbit corneal thickness in vivo using the spectral‐domain AS‐OCT. Pigmented rabbit corneas were almost 150 μm thinner than human corneal values. Gender and eye were not associated with any statistical differences in central corneal thickness in this study.
Effects of bipolar and monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate on urinary and erectile function: a prospective randomized comparative study
Authors: Akman Tolga , Binbay Murat , Tekinarslan Erdem , Tepeler Abdulkadir , Akcay Muzaffer , Ozgor Faruk , Ugurlu Mesut , Muslumanoglu Ahmet 
Published: June 2012

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?
Standard monopolar transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) remains the gold standard surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia‐related lower urinary tract symptoms. Bipolar salin TURP offers rapid tissue removal and haemostasis during resection with better vision under saline irrigation while eliminating risk of TUR syndrome.
Few prospective randomized studies have investigated the effect of bipolar and monopolar TURP on erectile function. The study found that bipolar saline TURP is a safe and effective procedure that is associated with a significantly shorter operating time, a smaller reduction in serum sodium levels and similar efficacy compared with conventional monopolar TURP.
Objective
To evaluate the outcomes of bipolar vs conventional monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) on urinary and erectile function.
Material and Methods
A total of 286 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were randomized to bipolar or monopolar conventional TURP treatment groups.
Operative and early postoperative variables and complications were recorded and all patients were re‐evaluated at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, post‐void residual urine volume (PVR) and the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐ED).
A comparative evaluation of erectile function was performed on 188 preoperatively non‐catheterized patients with regular sexual partners.
Results
The operating time was shorter in the bipolar TURP group. Postoperative bleeding and blood transfusion requirements did not significantly differ between the two groups. Sodium levels were significantly lower in the monopolar group than in the bipolar group.
Transuretheral resection syndrome developed in two (1.4%) patients in the monopolar group. Both groups had similar and significantly improved IPSS values, maximum urinary flow rate values and PVR measurement.
ED worsened in 32 (17.0%) patients, improved in 53 (28.2%) patients, and was unchanged in 103 (54.8%) patients. Changes in the IIEF scores during the follow‐up period were similar between the bipolar and monopolar groups.
Conclusion
Bipolar TURP is a safe and effective procedure that is associated with a significantly shorter operating time, a smaller reduction in serum sodium levels and a similar efficacy compared with conventional monopolar TURP.
Nomogram and scoring system for predicting stone‐free status after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in children with urolithiasis
Authors: Onal Bulent , Tansu Nejat , Demirkesen Oktay , Yalcin Veli , Huang Lin , Nguyen Hiep T. , Cilento Bartley G. , Erozenci Ahmet 
Published: June 2012

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is often considered to be the first‐line treatment method for the majority of urinary tract stone disease in children. The stone clearance rate in children treated with ESWL is higher than that in adults. Recently, nomograms for several diseases, e.g. for specific cancers, have been developed and validated in large patient populations. They have become very popular predictive tools that provide the most objective, evidence‐based, and individualized risk estimation. These nomograms have gained acceptance as useful guides in clinical practice for use by physicians and patients. In adults, a nomogram has been created to predict stone‐free outcome after ESWL; however, to our knowledge none has been developed for children with urolithiasis.
This is the first study‐generated nomogram table and scoring system for predicting the stone‐free rate after ESWL in children. This predictive tool could be useful for clinicians in counselling the parents of children with urolithiasis and in recommending treatment.
Objective
To determine the stone‐free rate after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and its associated factors to formulate a nomogram table and scoring system to predict the probability of stone‐free status in children.
Patients and Methods
A total of 412 children (427 renal units [RUs]) with urolithiasis were treated with ESWL using a lithotriptor between 1992 and 2008.
Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the number of treatment sessions to stone‐free status as a function of statistically significant demographic characteristics, stones and treatment variables.
A bootstrap method was used to evaluate the model's performance. Based on the multivariate model, the probabilities of being stone‐free after each treatment session (1, 2 and >3) were then determined.
A scoring system was created from the final multivariate proportional hazard model to evaluate each patient and predict their stone‐free probabilities.
Results
Complete data were available for 395 RUs in 381 patients.
Of the 395 RUs, 303 (76.7%) were considered to be stone‐free after ESWL.
Multivariate analysis showed that previous history of ipsilateral stone treatment is related to stone‐free status (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.49; P = 0.03).
Stone location was a significant variable for stone‐free status, but only in girls.
Age (HR 1.65, P = 0.02) and stone burden (HR 4.45, P = 0.002) were significant factors in the multivariate model.
Conclusion
We believe that the scoring system, and nomogram table generated, will be useful for clinicians in counselling the parents of children with urolithiasis and in recommending treatment.
Down‐regulation of Glucan, Water‐Dikinase activity in wheat endosperm increases vegetative biomass and yield
Authors: Ral Jean‐Philippe , Bowerman Andrew F. , Li Zhongyi , Sirault Xavier , Furbank Robert , Pritchard Jenifer R. , Bloemsma Marianne , Cavanagh Colin R. , Howitt Crispin A. , Morell Matthew K. 
Published: June 2012

SummaryA novel mechanism for increasing vegetative biomass and grain yield has been identified in wheat (Triticum aestivum). RNAi‐mediated down‐regulation of Glucan, Water‐Dikinase (GWD), the primary enzyme required for starch phosphorylation, under the control of an endosperm‐specific promoter, resulted in a decrease in starch phosphate content and an increase in grain size. Unexpectedly, consistent increases in vegetative biomass and grain yield were observed in subsequent generations. In lines where GWD expression was decreased, germination rate was slightly reduced. However, significant increases in vegetative growth from the two leaf stage were observed. In glasshouse pot trials, down‐regulation of GWD led to a 29% increase in grain yield while in glasshouse tub trials simulating field row spacing and canopy development, GWD down‐regulation resulted in a grain yield increase of 26%. The enhanced yield resulted from a combination of increases in seed weight, tiller number, spikelets per head and seed number per spike. In field trials, all vegetative phenotypes were reproduced with the exception of increased tiller number. The expression of the transgene and suppression of endogenous GWD RNA levels were demonstrated to be grain specific. In addition to the direct effects of GWD down‐regulation, an increased level of α‐amylase activity was present in the aleurone layer during grain maturation. These findings provide a potentially important novel mechanism to increase biomass and grain yield in crop improvement programmes.