bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Postponing or eliminating red blood cell transfusions of very low birth weight neonates by obtaining all baseline laboratory blood tests from otherwise discarded fetal blood in the placenta
Authors: Christensen Robert D. , Lambert Diane K. , Baer Vickie L. , Montgomery Dianne P. , Barney Cindy K. , Coulter David M. , Ilstrup Sarah , Bennett Sterling T. 
Published: August 2010

BACKGROUND: Safely reducing the proportion of very low birth weight neonates (<1500 g) that receive a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion would be an advance in transfusion practice.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a prospective, single‐centered, case‐control, feasibility analysis, preparatory to designing a definitive trial. Specifically, we sought to determine whether we could obtain all baseline neonatal intensive care unit blood tests from the placenta, after placental delivery, thereby initially drawing no blood from the neonate.RESULTS: Ten cases where all baseline blood tests were drawn from the placenta, and 10 controls where all tests were drawn from the neonate, were closely matched for birth weight, gestational age, sex, and race. Early cord clamping was used for all 20. Over the first 18 hours the hemoglobin increased in nine cases versus two controls (p = 0.005). During the first 72 hours one case versus five controls qualified for and received an RBC transfusion. In the first week the cases received four transfusions and the controls received 16 (p = 0.02). None of the cases had an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) but four of the controls had a Grade 1 and two had a Grade 3 (p = 0.01).CONCLUSION: We speculate that this method is feasible and generally postpones the first RBC transfusion until beyond the period of peak vulnerability to IVH.
Clinical Course and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy in Postinfarction Women with Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction
Authors: ZAREBA WOJCIECH , MOSS ARTHUR J. , JACKSON HALL W. , WILBER DAVID J. , RUSKIN JEREMY N. , MCNITT SCOTT , BROWN MARY , WANG HONGYUE ,   MADIT II Investigators
Published: August 2010

Background:There are limited data regarding implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy in postinfarction women with severe left ventricular dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of cardiac events and effects of ICD therapy in women as compared to men enrolled in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II (MADIT II).Methods and Results:Among 1,232 patients enrolled in MADIT II, there were 192 (16%) women and 1,040 (84%) men. When compared to men, women had an increased frequency of NYHA class ≥II (70 vs 63%; P = 0.067), hypertension (60% vs 52%; P = 0.047), diabetes (42% vs 34%; P = 0.027), and LBBB (25% vs 17%; P = 0.011), and less frequent CABG surgery (42% vs 60%; P < 0.001). The 2‐year cumulative mortality in patients randomized to conventional therapy was not significantly different in women and men (30% and 20%, respectively; P = 0.19). Adjusting for relevant clinical covariates, the hazard ratios for ICD effectiveness were similar in women (0.57; 95% CI = 0.28–1.18; P = 0.132) and men (0.66; 95% CI = 0.48–0.91; P = 0.011). The risk of appropriate ICD therapy for VT/VF was lower in women than in men (hazard ratio = 0.60 for female vs male gender; 95% CI = 0.37–0.98; P = 0.039).Conclusions:MADIT II women had similar mortality and similar ICD effectiveness when compared to men. MADIT II women with ICDs had a lower risk of arrhythmic events with fewer episodes of ventricular tachycardia than men.
Membrane‐directed molecular assembly of the neuronal SNARE complex
Authors: Cho Won Jin , Lee Jin‐Sook , Zhang Lei , Ren Gang , Shin Leah , Manke Charles W. , Potoff Jeffrey , Kotaria Nato , Zhvania Mzia G. , Jena Bhanu P. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractSince the discovery and implication of N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor (NSF)‐attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins in membrane fusion almost two decades ago, there have been significant efforts to understand their involvement at the molecular level. In the current study, we report for the first time the molecular interaction between full‐length recombinant t‐SNAREs and v‐SNARE present in opposing liposomes, leading to the assembly of a t‐/v‐SNARE ring complex. Using high‐resolution electron microscopy, the electron density maps and 3D topography of the membrane‐directed SNARE ring complex was determined at nanometre resolution. Similar to the t‐/v‐SNARE ring complex formed when 50 nm v‐SNARE liposomes meet a t‐SNARE‐reconstituted planer membrane, SNARE rings are also formed when 50 nm diameter isolated synaptic vesicles (SVs) meet a t‐SNARE‐reconstituted planer lipid membrane. Furthermore, the mathematical prediction of the SNARE ring complex size with reasonable accuracy, and the possible mechanism of membrane‐directed t‐/v‐SNARE ring complex assembly, was determined from the study. Therefore in the present study, using both lipososome‐reconstituted recombinant t‐/v‐SNARE proteins, and native v‐SNARE present in isolated SV membrane, the membrane‐directed molecular assembly of the neuronal SNARE complex was determined for the first time and its size mathematically predicted. These results provide a new molecular understanding of the universal machinery and mechanism of membrane fusion in cells, having fundamental implications in human health and disease.
Primary pneumonic plague in the African Green monkey as a model for treatment efficacy evaluation
Authors: Layton R. Colby , Brasel Trevor , Gigliotti Andrew , Barr Edward , Storch Steven , Myers Leslie , Hobbs Charles , Koster Frederick 
Published: August 2010

AbstractBackground  Primary pneumonic plague is rare among humans, but treatment efficacy may be tested in appropriate animal models under the FDA ‘Animal Rule’.Methods  Ten African Green monkeys (AGMs) inhaled 44–255 LD50 doses of aerosolized Yersinia pestis strain CO92. Continuous telemetry, arterial blood gases, chest radiography, blood culture, and clinical pathology monitored disease progression.Results  Onset of fever, >39°C detected by continuous telemetry, 52–80 hours post‐exposure was the first sign of systemic disease and provides a distinct signal for treatment initiation. Secondary endpoints of disease severity include tachypnea measured by telemetry, bacteremia, extent of pneumonia imaged by chest x‐ray, and serum lactate dehydrogenase enzyme levels.Conclusions  Inhaled Y. pestis in the AGM results in a rapidly progressive and uniformly fatal disease with fever and multifocal pneumonia, serving as a rigorous test model for antibiotic efficacy studies.
Skin application of urea‐containing cream affected cutaneous arterial sympathetic nerve activity, blood flow, and water evaporation
Authors: Horii Yuko , Tanida Mamoru , Shen Jiao , Fujisaki Yosiyuki , Fuyuki Risa , Hashimoto Kazuko , Niijima Akira , Nakashima Toshihiro , Nagai Katsuya 
Published: August 2010

Background/purpose: We observed that olfactory stimulation with scent of grapefruit oil elevated the activities of sympathetic nerves, and increased the plasma glycerol concentration and blood pressure. In contrast, olfactory stimulation with scent of lavender oil had opposite effects in rats. These suggest that changes in autonomic activities cause physiological functions via histaminergic H1 and H3 receptor. Moreover, it has been reported that somatic sensory stimulation affected autonomic neurotransmission. To examine effects of skin application of urea‐containing cream on cutaneous arterial sympathetic nerve activity (CASNA), blood flow, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL).Method: The activity of CASNA was determined by electrophysiological method, and cutaneous blood flow was determined using laser flowmeter in urethane‐anesthetized rats, TEWL was measured using VapoMeter in the back skin of HWY hairless rats.Results: CASNA was markedly and significantly inhibited by skin application of 10% urea‐containing cream, whereas cutaneous blood flow was significantly elevated via histaminergic H3‐receptor. In conscious hairless rats, TEWL was significantly decreased 24 h after application of 10% urea‐containing cream to the back skin.Conclusion: These findings suggest that skin application of 10% urea‐containing cream increases the cutaneous blood flow and water retaining ability, and that histaminergic H3‐receptors may mediate these effects.
Immunological Paradigms and the Pathogenesis of Ovine Chlamydial Abortion
Authors: Entrican Gary , Wattegedera Sean , Wheelhouse Nick , Allan Alasdair , Rocchi Mara 
Published: August 2010

Citation Entrican G, Wattegedera S, Wheelhouse N, Allan A, Rocchi M. Immunological paradigms and the pathogenesis of ovine chlamydial abortion. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010Successful mammalian pregnancy involves complex immunological interactions between the mother and foetus that are not yet fully understood. A number of immunological paradigms have been established to explain the failure of the maternal immune system to reject the semi‐allogeneic foetus, mainly based on studies in mice and humans. However, as placental structure, gestation periods and number of concepti per pregnancy can vary greatly between mammals, it is not always clear how applicable these immunological paradigms are to reproduction in other species. Here, we discuss the predictions of three important immunological paradigms in relation to the pathogenesis of ovine enzootic abortion (OEA), a common cause of infectious abortion in sheep and other ruminants. OEA is caused by the intracellular Gram‐negative bacterium Chlamydophila abortus that exhibits a tropism for placental trophoblast. The paradigms of particular relevance to the pathogenesis of OEA are as follows: (i) intracellular bacterial infections are controlled by TH1‐type CD4+ve T cells; (ii) indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase is expressed in the placenta to prevent immunological rejection of the semi‐allogeneic foetus; and (iii) pregnancy is a maternal TH2‐type phenomenon. We discuss the relevance and validity of these paradigms for chlamydial abortion and reproductive immunology in sheep.
Prevalence of dental myths, oral hygiene methods and tobacco habits in an ageing North Indian rural population
Authors: Singh Saumyendra V , Tripathi Arvind , Akbar Zafar , Chandra Suresh , Tripathi Anurag 
Published: August 2010

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2010.00395.x

Prevalence of dental myths, oral hygiene methods and tobacco habits in an ageing North Indian rural populationBackground and objectives:  Though increased emphasis is being given to expanding dental care facilities and awareness in Indian villages, the target population is unfortunately less literate and financially‐equipped compared to their urban counterparts. This study attempted to evaluate dental myths, oral hygiene methods and beliefs, and tobacco habits present in a rural ageing population.Material and methods:  The study area consisted of a group of 10 villages, situated in the district of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The sample comprised 681 people aged 50 years or above. The subjects were questioned about dental myths, tobacco habits and oral hygiene methods and then divided into groups on the basis of age, gender, and educational status. Mean values, standard deviation, chi‐square test, t‐test and p values were used to obtain inter‐group comparisons.Results:  Forty percent of the subjects considered oral hygiene unnecessary, with 61% relying on simple mouth rinsing for maintaining oral hygiene, 48% either smoked and chewed tobacco or both and 81% had one or more dental myth.Conclusion:  The results showed that the rural ageing population is deprived and a targeted programme to spread scientific dental practices to them is necessary.
Recreational Use of Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors by Healthy Young Men
Authors: Bechara Amado , Casabé Adolfo , De Bonis Walter , Helien Adrián , Bertolino María Victoria 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
In recent years, PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5i) use has become more popular among men without ED to enhance sexual performance. However, reports in the literature are scarce.

Aim
The aim of this study was to evaluate the recreational use of PDE5i in healthy young men.

Main Outcome Measures
We evaluated the recreational use of PDE5i among young and healthy men, their main reasons for use, how they were obtained these drugs, and the combination with alcohol or other drugs.

Methods
Descriptive, transversal study consisting in 400 brief surveys with structured multiple choice and open questions. Nonprobability samples (quota samples) included young men between 18 and 30 years of age in a public area (high schools, universities, and gyms) between August and November 2009. Collecting the questionnaires in a sealed box enforced confidentiality. The survey included demographic and sexual health data and PDE5i use characteristics. For statistical analysis we used Fisher’s exact and Mann–Whitney tests.

Results
A total of 321 questionnaires were appropriate for the purposes of evaluation. Mean age and standard deviation were 25.1 ± 3,3 years old. Regarding PDE5i use, 69 men (21.5%) mentioned trying the pill (being sildenafil the most commonly used one) at least one time in their lives and 37 (53.4%) men combined it with alcohol or drugs. Referred sources of acquisition PDE5i were 75.4% (N = 52) from a friend, 17.4% (N = 15) from a pharmacy/drugstore without a medical prescription, 4.3% (N = 3) prescribed by a physician and 2.9% (N = 2) through Internet. There were several reasons for taking PDE5i related to sexual confidence, erection quality, and better sexual performance.

Conclusion
According to our results, 21.5% of healthy men between 18 and 30 years old used PDE5i as a recreational drug, mostly associated with alcohol or other drugs without medical control. This could have led to misuse and a public health problem. Further studies are needed to evaluate not only PDE5i recreational use prevalence, but also psychosocial determinants, long term safety, misuse, and abuse related to it.
Identifying research priorities and research needs among health and research professionals in psycho‐oncology
Authors: DZIDOWSKA Monika , PRICE Melanie , BUTOW Phyllis 
Published: August 2010

AbstractAim:  To identify and prioritize the key research questions in psycho‐oncology in order to guide the development of large multicenter clinically relevant studies.Methods:  All members of the Psycho‐Oncology Co‐operative Research Group (n = 295) were invited to participate in an online survey and 180 responded (response rate = 61%). Participants rated eight priority research areas identified from a previous focus group study on a five‐point scale, and ranked their top four priority areas. Within the four ranked research areas, participants selected the three most important specific research questions.Results:  The highest rated research priority areas were distress identification (23.3%), survivorship (22.7%), and distress management (15.3%), followed by issues relating to health services (9.7%) and carers (8.0%). Interventions were commonly nominated among the most important research questions within each priority area. The single most important research question identified by 44% of the sample was to “Determine the most acceptable, reliable and valid screening tool to be administered routinely at diagnosis and at other key transition points to identify distress and psychosocial needs”.Conclusion:  This is the first Australian study to explore research priorities in psycho‐oncology, and the first international study to explore these issues in depth. To ensure that the research effort is strategic, clinically relevant and cost‐effective, clear priorities need to be established. The results of this survey will enable limited resources to focus on key research questions of direct clinical benefit.
Prevention of malignant seeding at drain sites by hypofractionated radiotherapy in patients with pleural mesothelioma
Authors: KARA Pinar , UGUR Işil , MISIRLIOGLU Cem , KÜCÜKPLAKCI Bülent , OZGEN Aytul , ELGIN Yesim , DEMIRKASIMOGLU Taciser , SANRI Ergun 
Published: August 2010

AbstractAim:  Unlike most other malignancies, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has a tendency to recur along tracks of chest wall instrumentation. We investigated the efficiency of hypofractionated radiotherapy for prevention of malignant seeding.Methods:  Twenty‐one (six female, 15 male) patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma who had chest wall instrumentation and were treated with prophylactic radiotherapy were investigated retrospectively. All patients underwent surgery or thoracoscopy and/or talc pleurodesis, for diagnosis, staging procedures or as a treatment. All were treated with electron (12 MeV) external beam radiation therapy (21 Gy in three fractions over 3 days), directed to the instrumentation pathway after the invasive procedure. After completion of radiotherapy, four of 21 patients had also undergone chemotherapy.Results:  Nineteen of 21 patients were followed‐up for a median period of 13 months (1–24 months) and two patients were lost just after the first month of the follow‐up period. None of the followed patients had tumor progression in the treated area. Radiotherapy was well tolerated. The most common side‐effect was grade 1 erythema (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] scale), noted in 13 treated patients.Conclusion:  Our experience showed that prophylactic radiotherapy to prevent malignant seeding in malignant mesothelioma at invasive procedure sites was effective and well tolerated in preventing malignant seeding, painful metastases after surgery or instrumentation in patients with pleural mesothelioma. Larger multicenter prospective trials are still needed to validate this treatment approach utility for it to be recommended routinely.
The analysis of diagnosis and treatment for pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy for 105 periampullary carcinoma cases
Authors: Kasimu Haxiaobieke , Chen Qilong , Wang Xiyan , Li Jun , Han Wei , He Tieying , Ling Hai , Wen Hao 
Published: August 2010

Aim:  To investigate the ways in which to decrease the morbidity of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy and corresponding therapy.Methods:  Double‐layered end‐to‐side duct‐to‐mucosa anastomosis was applied in 105 cases of pancreaticoduodenectomy and pancreaticoenteric reconstruction, postoperative pancreatic fistula cases were treated aggressively by early surgery, effective drainage and enteral nutrition.Results:  Ten cases of pancreatic fistula occurred among 105 operative cases and required reoperation. The rest of the cases recovered uneventfully, except for five cases of in‐hospital death.Conclusion:  Aggressively early surgery, effective drainage, comprehensive treatment and continual improvement of operative technique are the key to dealing with postoperative pancreatic fistula.
An agar diffusion study comparing the antimicrobial activity of Nanoseal with some other endodontic sealers
Authors: Aal‐Saraj Ali Burak , Ariffin Zaihan , Masudi Sam'an Malik 
Published: August 2010

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of a new experimental nano‐hydroxyapatite epoxy resin‐based sealer (Nanoseal) with several other commercially available sealers; AH26, Tubliseal, Sealapex and Roekoseal against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus and Escherichia coli for up to 7 days. Agar diffusion was used in this study. Fifty Muller‐Hinton agar plates were prepared and divided into five experimental groups (n = 10), for each micro‐organism. Another 10 agar plates were used as positive and negative controls. Endodontic sealers were tested against each micro‐organism. Inhibition zones produced were recorded. The results of this study showed that all test materials exhibited inhibition zones towards the tested micro‐organisms for 7 days except for Roekoseal, which showed no inhibition zones. Nanoseal and AH26 exhibited similar zones of inhibition. Significant difference was found between Nanoseal and the other tested sealers (P < 0.001).
Excited‐state Intramolecular Proton–transfer‐induced Charge Transfer of Polyquinoline
Authors: Park Sun‐Young , Jeong Hyeok , Yu Hyunung , Park Soo Young , Jang Du‐Jeon 
Published: August 2010

AbstractThe excited‐state intramolecular proton–transfer‐induced charge transfer of semirigid polyquinoline (PQH) is explored in 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane (TCE) and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (MP) using picosecond time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Reaction mechanisms are found to depend on the rotational conformations of PQH at the moment of excitation; whereas the trans‐enolic form does not undergo intramolecular proton transfer within its excited‐state lifetime, the cis‐enolic form does within 15 ps to form a tautomeric zwitterion species. While the subsequent intramolecular charge transfer of the zwitterionic species to yield a tautomeric keto species takes place on time scales of 25 ps in TCE (ε = 8.50) and 62 ps in MP (ε = 32.55), its reverse reaction is also followed on time scales of 28 ps in TCE and 20 ps in MP. The lack of a kinetic isotope effect in both forward and reverse charge‐transfer reactions support our proposed mechanisms.
Dynamic, Interactive Documents for Teaching Statistical Practice
Authors: Nolan Deborah , Temple Lang Duncan 
Published: August 2010

Summary Significant efforts have been made to overhaul the introductory statistics courses by placing greater emphasis on statistical thinking and literacy and less on rules, methods and procedures. We advocate broadening and increasing this effort to all levels of students and, importantly, using topical, interesting, substantive problems that come from the actual practice of statistics. We want students to understand the thought process of the “masters” in context, seeing their choices, different approaches and explorations. Similar to Open Source software, we think it is vital that the work of the community of researchers is accessible to the community of educators so that students can experience statistical applications and learn how to approach analyses themselves. We describe a mechanism by which one can collect all aspects or fragments of an analysis or simulation into a “document” so that the computations and results are reproducible, reusable and amenable to extensions. These documents contain various pieces of information (e.g. text, code, data, exploration paths) and can be processed to create regular descriptive papers in various formats (e.g. PDF, HTML), as well as acting as a database of the analysis which we can explore in rich new ways. Researchers, instructors and readers can control the various steps in the processing and rendering of the document. For example, this type of document supports interactive components with which a student can easily control and alter the inputs to the computations in a semi‐guided fashion, gradually delve deeper into the details, and go on to her own free‐form analysis. Our implementation for this system is based on widely used and standardized frameworks and readily supports multiple and different programming languages. Also, it is highly extensible which allows adaptation and future developments.