bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do early intervention programmes improve cognitive and motor outcomes for preterm infants after discharge? A systematic review
Authors: ORTON JANE , SPITTLE ALICIA , DOYLE LEX , ANDERSON PETER , BOYD ROSLYN 
Published: September 2009

Aim  The aim of this study was to review the effects of early developmental intervention after discharge from hospital on motor and cognitive development in preterm infants.Method  Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi‐RCTs of early developmental intervention programmes for preterm infants in which motor or cognitive outcomes were reported and in which the intervention commenced before or after discharge were included. A systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies grouped by intervention, age of outcome, and study quality was undertaken. Databases searched (up to January 2009) included the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase.Results  Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria (2686 patients randomized), but only 11 studies had data suitable for meta‐analysis. Early developmental intervention improved cognitive outcomes at infant age (developmental quotient: standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–0.52; p<0.001), and at preschool age (IQ: SMD 0.46, 95% CI 0.33–0.59; p<0.001). However, the benefit was not sustained at school age (IQ: SMD 0.02, 95% CI –0.10 to 0.14; p=0.71). Early intervention had little effect on motor outcome at infant or school age, and there was no study reporting motor outcome at preschool age.Interpretation  Current evidence suggests that the benefits of developmental intervention postdischarge are restricted to short‐term gains in cognitive outcome.
Die‐off of Escherichia coli in intact and disrupted cowpats
Authors: Muirhead R. W. , Littlejohn R. P. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractDiffuse pollution from grazed pastures is recognised as an important source of faecal microbial contamination of surface waters, and farmers urgently require mitigation options to reduce this impact of their farming activities. An obvious mitigation strategy is to reduce the size of the reservoir of faecal material in pastures during critical periods when overland flow is most likely. This work tested the hypothesis that smearing fresh cowpats to increase their surface area would increase exposure to solar radiation and increase desiccation, which in turn would accelerate the die‐off of Escherichia coli in the faecal material. The total solids content and E. coli concentration in intact and disrupted cowpats were monitored during the four seasons. The total solids content was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the disrupted cowpats compared to the intact cowpats. This indicates that increased desiccation of the faecal material was successful. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in E. coli concentrations in the disrupted and intact cowpats. The physical disruption of cowpats did not therefore accelerate the die‐off of E. coli in the faecal material. The disrupted cowpats did appear to decompose faster than the intact cowpats. Mitigation options to reduce faecal micro‐organism losses in overland flow from grazed pastures will now need to focus on other methods to reduce the build up of reservoirs of faecal material on farm.
Impact of Family Structure on Stimulant Use among Children with Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Rabbani Atonu , Alexander G. Caleb 
Published: September 2009

Objective. To examine the impact of family structure on pharmacologic stimulant use among children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Data Source. Nationally representative, population‐based sample of the National Health Interview Survey from 1997 to 2003 linked with drug event files from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1998 to 2005.Study Design. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the likelihood of stimulant use for each individual during 2 years of observation after adjustment for sociodemographic, health, and family characteristics. Stratified analyses were also conducted to examine whether family characteristics had different impacts within single‐mother and dual‐parent households.Principal Findings. Stimulant use varied based on children's sociodemographic and health characteristics. In multivariate analyses, associations between children's household structure, parental education, and stimulant use appeared to be mediated by children's access to care and health status. However, in full multivariate models, there remained a robust positive association between family size and stimulant use.Conclusions. These findings highlight the influence that nonclinical factors such as family size may have in mediating the use of pharmacologic therapies for children.
Variation in Emergency Department Wait Times for Children by Race/Ethnicity and Payment Source
Authors: Park Christine Y. , Lee Mary Alice , Epstein Andrew J. 
Published: September 2009

Objective. To quantify the variation in emergency department (ED) wait times by patient race/ethnicity and payment source, and to divide the overall association into between‐ and within‐hospital components.Data Source. 2005 and 2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys.Study Design. Linear regression was used to analyze the independent associations between race/ethnicity, payment source, and ED wait times in a pooled cross‐sectional design. A hybrid fixed effects specification was used to measure the between‐ and within‐hospital components.Data Extraction Methods. Data were limited to children under 16 years presenting at EDs.Principal Results. Unadjusted and adjusted ED wait times were significantly longer for non‐Hispanic black and Hispanic children than for non‐Hispanic white children. Children in EDs with higher shares of non‐Hispanic black and Hispanic children waited longer. Moreover, Hispanic children waited 10.4 percent longer than non‐Hispanic white children when treated at the same hospital. ED wait times for children did not vary significantly by payment source.Conclusions. There are sizable racial/ethnic differences in children's ED wait times that can be attributed to both the racial/ethnic mix of children in EDs and to differential treatment by race/ethnicity inside the ED.
Treatment of feline mammary tumours using chemotherapy, surgery and a COX‐2 inhibitor drug (meloxicam): a retrospective study of 23 cases (2002–2007)*
Authors: Borrego J. F. , Cartagena J. C. , Engel J. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThe efficacy of a treatment combination of a COX‐2 inhibitor (meloxicam), chemotherapy and surgery in 23 cats with histologically confirmed mammary gland adenocarcinoma was evaluated. All of the cases underwent an aggressive surgery with concurrent doxorubicin‐based chemotherapy. Meloxicam was given orally starting the day after surgery and was continued indefinitely. Serum renal parameters were measured every 3–5 months. Three cats developed azotemia, whereas in four other renal parameters increased but remained within normal limit. The Kaplan–Meier median survival time was 460 days. The Kaplan–Meier median disease free interval was 269 days. The survival times are similar to other studies, not supporting the use of this treatment combination. Prospective studies with a higher number of cases are warranted to investigate the utility of this multimodality protocol for the treatment of feline mammary tumours.
Hepatocyte growth factor protects against Fas‐mediated liver apoptosis in transgenic mice
Authors: Suzuki Hideyuki , Toyoda Mitsuo , Horiguchi Norio , Kakizaki Satoru , Ohyama Tatsuya , Takizawa Daichi , Ichikawa Takeshi , Sato Ken , Takagi Hitoshi , Mori Masatomo 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground: Apoptosis via the Fas/Fas ligand signalling system plays an important role in the development of various liver diseases. The administration of an agonistic anti‐Fas antibody to mice causes massive hepatic apoptosis and fulminant hepatic failure. Several growth factors including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) have been found to prevent apoptosis.Methods: In this study, we demonstrated the overexpression of HGF to have a protective effect on Fas‐mediated hepatic apoptosis using a transgenic mice (Tg mice) model.Results: In HGF Tg mice, the elevation of alanine aminotransferase was dramatically inhibited at 12 and 24 h after the administration of 0.15 mg/kg anti‐Fas antibody. HGF Tg mice showed a significantly lower number of apoptotic hepatocytes at 12 h compared with wild‐type (WT) mice. Furthermore, 85% (six of seven) HGF Tg mice were able to survive after the administration of 0.3 mg/kg anti‐Fas antibody, while none of the WT mice survived. The Bcl‐xL expression was increased in HGF Tg mice, while there was no difference in the expression of Bax, Bid, Mcl‐1 and bcl‐2 between WT mice and HGF Tg mice. In addition, the HGF Tg mice showed more Akt phosphorylation than the WT mice both before and after the anti‐Fas antibody injection.Conclusions: Taken together, our findings suggest that HGF protects against Fas‐mediated liver apoptosis in vivo, and the upregulation of Bcl‐xL via Akt activation may also play a role in the protective effects of HGF.
Pulmonary dysfunction and hepatopulmonary syndrome in cirrhosis and portal hypertension
Authors: Møller Søren , Krag Aleksander , Madsen Jan L. , Henriksen Jens H. , Bendtsen Flemming 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground: Pulmonary dysfunction including the hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an important complication to cirrhosis and portal hypertension. However, the precise relation to liver dysfunction and the prevalence of HPS are unclear.Aims: We therefore aimed to assess (i) the prevalence of HPS in consecutive alcoholic cirrhotic patients, (ii) the degree of pulmonary dysfunction in relation to liver function and (iii) the response of a 100% oxygen test on cardiopulmonary and peripheral oxygenation.Methods: Fifty patients with cirrhosis and 12 matched healthy controls were entered in this study. All underwent haemodynamic and pulmonary investigations [lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), contrast‐enhanced echocardiography and detection of extrapulmonary shunt fraction]. A 100% oxygen test was performed with the assessment of arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), the alveolar‐arterial oxygen gradient (AaPO2) and peripheral transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO2).Results: The prevalence of HPS was 10%. PaO2 and DLCO were reduced in 32 and 72% and AaPO2, was increased in 60% of the patients respectively. DLCO correlated with indicators of liver dysfunction (galactose elimination capacity, P<0.01, indocyanine green clearance, P<0.001), portal hypertension (post‐sinusoidal resistance, P<0.01) and central hypovolaemia (central and arterial blood volume, P<0.01). After 100% oxygen inhalation, the changes in PaO2, AaPO2, tcPO2 and heart rate were abnormal in the patients compared with controls (P<0.02).Conclusions: Pulmonary dysfunction in alcoholic cirrhosis is common and relates to different aspects of liver dysfunction, whereas the prevalence of HPS is low. The haemodynamic response to oxygen inhalation is clearly impaired and HPS and pulmonary dysfunction seem to be caused by different pathophysiological mechanisms.
Lateglacial older and younger coversand in northwest Europe: chronology and relation to climate and vegetation
Authors: KOLSTRUP ELSE 
Published: September 2009

Kolstrup, E. 2007 (January): Lateglacial older and younger coversand in northwest Europe: chronology and relation to climate and vegetation. Boreas, Vol. 36, pp. 65–75. Oslo. ISSN 0300–9483.Dutch, Belgian, German and Danish Lateglacial localities with both coversand and well‐dated organic deposits are used to relate older and younger coversand development to changes in climate and vegetation. The number of well‐dated coversand sequences in northwest Europe is low, but it appears that the transition from older to younger coversand was asynchronous and spanned Bølling sensu stricto to late Allerød, so there is no clear single cause for the change in grain‐size composition of the sediment. Aeolian activity took place during all parts of the Lateglacial and seems to have continued well into the Holocene. The effect of changing temperatures is mainly reflected indirectly as periods with denser vegetation, especially forest, that led to reduced coversand net‐accumulation. The outline proposes that the lithostratigraphic position of a peat layer cannot be used as an Allerød marker because even a well‐developed peat layer within coversands may differ in age from one area to the next. The combined coversand and vegetation development shows that local conditions were important for the accumulation and preservation of sediments.
New Endpoint for Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia: Change in QRS Morphology with Pacing at Protected Isthmus as Index of Isthmus Block
Authors: BALA RUPA , DHRUVAKUMAR SANDHYA , LATIF SHUAIB A. , MARCHLINSKI FRANCIS E. 
Published: September 2009

New Endpoint for Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia.
Introduction: Endpoints confirming block in the critical isthmus in sinus rhythm and with pace mapping have not been established. Methods and Results: A 44‐year‐old man with a history of Tetralogy of Fallot presented with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT). Entrainment mapping was consistent with a macroreentrant circuit rotating in a clockwise fashion under the pulmonic valve. After termination of the VT in a critical isthmus located on the conal free wall, a pace map proximal to the site of successful ablation was consistent with a change in QRS morphology. This change in QRS morphology suggested critical isthmus block and successful ablation, which was confirmed by noninducibility with programmed stimulation. Conclusion: Evidence of conduction block can be used as an additional endpoint for successful ablation of VT. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 320–324, March 2010)
Intermethod Reliability of Real‐time Versus Delayed Videotaped Evaluation of a High‐fidelity Medical Simulation Septic Shock Scenario
Authors: Williams Justin B. , McDonough Marie A. , Hilliard Michael W. , Williams Annette L. , Cuniowski Peter C. , Gonzalez Michael G. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractObjectives:  High‐fidelity medical simulation (HFMS) is increasingly utilized in resident education and evaluation. No criterion standard of assessing performance currently exists. This study compared the intermethod reliability of real‐time versus videotaped evaluation of HFMS participant performance.Methods:  Twenty‐five emergency medicine residents and one transitional resident participated in a septic shock HFMS scenario. Four evaluators assessed the performance of participants on technical (26‐item yes/no completion) and nontechnical (seven item, five‐point Likert scale assessment) scorecards. Two evaluators provided assessment in real time, and two provided delayed videotape review. After 13 scenarios, evaluators crossed over and completed the scenarios in the opposite method. Real‐time evaluations were completed immediately at the end of the simulation; videotape reviewers were allowed to review the scenarios with no time limit. Agreement between raters was tested using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), with Cronbach’s alpha used to measure consistency among items on the scores on the checklists.Results:  Bland‐Altman plot analysis of both conditions revealed substantial agreement between the real‐time and videotaped review scores by reviewers. The mean difference between the reviewers was 0.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = –3.7 to 3.6) on the technical evaluation and –1.6 (95% CI = –11.4 to 8.2) on the nontechnical scorecard assessment. Comparison of evaluations for the videotape technical scorecard demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.914, with an ICC of 0.842 (95% CI = 0.679 to 0.926), and the real‐time technical scorecard demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.899, with an ICC of 0.817 (95% CI = 0.633 to 0.914), demonstrating excellent intermethod reliability. Comparison of evaluations for the videotape nontechnical scorecard demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.888, with an ICC of 0.798 (95% CI = 0.600 to 0.904), and the real‐time nontechnical scorecard demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.833, with an ICC of 0.714 (95% CI = 0.457 to 0.861), demonstrating substantial interrater reliability. The raters were consistent in agreement on performance within each level of training, as the analysis of variance demonstrated no significant differences between the technical scorecard (p = 0.176) and nontechnical scorecard (p = 0.367).Conclusions:  Real‐time and videotaped‐based evaluations of resident performance of both technical and nontechnical skills during an HFMS septic shock scenario provided equally reliable methods of assessment.
Low level laser irradiation precondition to create friendly milieu of infarcted myocardium and enhance early survival of transplanted bone marrow cells
Authors: Zhang Hao , Hou Jian‐feng , Shen Ya , Wang Wei , Wei Ying‐jie , Hu Shengshou 
Published: September 2009

AbstractWe suggested that low‐level laser irradiation (LLLI) precondition prior to cell transplantation might remodel the hostile milieu of infarcted myocardium and subsequently enhance early survival and therapeutic potential of implanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Therefore, in this study we wanted to address: (1) whether LLLI pre‐treatment change the local cardiac micro‐environment after myocardial infarction (MI) and (2) whether the LLLI preconditions enhance early cell survival and thus improve therapeutic angiogenesis and heart function. MI was induced by left anterior descending artery ligation in female rats. A 635 nm, 5 mW diode laser was performed with energy density of 0.96 J/cm2 for 150 sec. for the purpose of myocardial precondition. Three weeks later, qualified rats were randomly received with LLLI precondition (n= 26) or without LLLI precondition (n= 27) for LLLI precondition study. Rats that received thoracotomy without coronary ligation were served as sham group (n= 24). In the cell survival study, rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: serum‐free culture media injection (n= 8), LLLI precondition and culture media injection (n= 8), 2 million male BMSCs transplantation without LLLI pre‐treatment (n= 26) and 2 million male BMSCs transplantation with LLLI precondition (n= 25) group, respectively. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), glucose‐regulated protein 78 (GRP78), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the infarcted myocardium were evaluated by Western blotting, real‐time PCR and colorimetry, respectively, at 1 hr, 1 day and 1 week after laser irradiation. Cell survival was assayed with quantitative real‐time PCR to identify Y chromosome gene and apoptosis was assayed with transferase‐mediated dUTP end labelling staining. Capillary density, myogenic differentiation and left ventricular function were tested by immunohistochemistry and echocardiography, respectively, at 1 week. After LLLI precondition, increased VEGF and GRP78 expression, as well as the enhanced SOD activity and inhibited MDA production, was observed. Compared with BMSC transplantation and culture media injection group, although there was no difference in the improved heart function and myogenic differentiation, LLLI precondition significantly enhanced early cell survival rate by 2‐fold, decreased the apoptotic percentage of implanted BMSCs in infarcted myocardium and thus increased the number of newly formed capillaries. Taken together, LLLI precondition could be a novel non‐invasive approach for intraoperative cell transplantation to enhance cell early survival and therapeutic potential.
The aortic ring model of angiogenesis: a quarter century of search and discovery
Authors: Nicosia R. F. 
Published: September 2009

Abstract

Introduction
Summary and conclusion

The aortic ring model has become one of the most widely used methods to study angiogenesis and its mechanisms. Many factors have contributed to its popularity including reproducibility, cost effectiveness, ease of use and good correlation with in vivo studies. In this system aortic rings embedded in biomatrix gels and cultured under chemically defined conditions generate arborizing vascular outgrowths which can be stimulated or inhibited with angiogenic regulators. Originally based on the rat aorta, the aortic ring model was later adapted to the mouse for the evaluation of specific molecular alterations in genetically modified animals. Viral transduction of the aortic rings has enabled investigators to overexpress genes of interest in the aortic cultures. Experiments on angiogenic mechanisms have demonstrated that formation of neovessels in aortic cultures is regulated by macrophages, pericytes and fibroblasts through a complex molecular cascade involving growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, axonal guidance cues, extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and matrix‐degrading proteolytic enzymes. These studies have shown that endothelial sprouting can be effectively blocked by depleting the aortic explants of macrophages or by interfering with the angiogenic cascade at multiple levels including growth factor signalling, cell adhesion and proteolytic degradation of the ECM. In this paper, we review the literature in this field and retrace the journey from our first morphological descriptions of the aortic outgrowths to the latest breakthroughs in the cellular and molecular regulation of aortic vessel growth and regression.
Melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone combination: does this treatment exert a synergistic effect during experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection?
Authors: Kuehn Christian C. , Rodrigues Oliveira Luiz G. , Santos Carla Domingues , Ferreira Daniele Silva , Alonso Toldo Míriam P. , De Albuquerque Sérgio , Do Prado José Clóvis 
Published: September 2009

Abstract:  Previous studies showed that melatonin or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) enhances the immune response against parasitic pathogens. The present study investigated the in vitro activity of melatonin combined with DHEA in a period of 24 hr during the course of in vivo T. cruzi infection. The in vitro activity of melatonin or DHEA alone, as well as together, were tested for the trypomastigote forms (doses ranging from 0.5 to 128 μm). In vitro, neither melatonin nor DHEA alone had any activity against trypomastigote forms, although when the highest concentration of combined melatonin and DHEA was used, it was active against the trypomastigote forms of the parasite. However, for this concentration, a quite toxicity on peritoneal macrophages was observed. For in vivo evaluation, male Wistar rats were infected with the Y strain of T. cruzi. They were orally treated with 10 mg/kg body weight/day of melatonin and subcutaneously with 40 mg/kg body weight/day of DHEA. Treatment with melatonin, DHEA and the association showed a significant reduction in the number of blood trypomastigotes during the acute phase of infection as compared to untreated animals (P < 0.05). A significant increase in the number of macrophages and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations were observed during the peak of parasitaemia with melatonin alone or combined with DHEA. However, with DHEA alone the highest concentration of NO was observed (P < 0.05). Moreover, DHEA treatment increased TNF‐alpha levels during the infection (P < 0.05). These results show that melatonin, DHEA or the combination of both reduces parasitemia during the acute phase of infection. The combined action of both molecules did not exert a synergic action on the host’s ability to fight infection, and it seems that among all treatments DHEA induces a more efficient immune response.