bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neurocognitive Function in Attention-Deficit–Hyperactivity Disorder with and Without Comorbid Disruptive Behaviour Disorders
Authors: Barnett Rebecca , Maruff Paul , Vance Alasdair 
Published: July 2009

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) on (i) symptom levels in attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and (ii) the relationship between neurocognitive impairment and ADHD symptom severity. Method: A total of 200 6–12-year-old children with DSM-IV ADHD, combined type (ADHD-CT) were identified in a specialist ADHD clinic in metropolitan Melbourne. From this initial group, 23 were identified with ADHD without ODD/CD (ADHD alone), 22 had ADHD and ODD and 20 had ADHD and CD. All the children were medication naïve. Twenty-five healthy control children were also recruited from local primary schools. The four groups did not differ in age, gender or full-scale IQ. A cross-sectional study of parent- and teacher-reported ADHD and externalizing symptoms, spatial span, spatial working memory, visuospatial memory, spatial recognition, spatial planning and behavioural inhibition was completed. Results: Parent-reported externalizing symptoms were higher in the ADHD + CD and ADHD + ODD groups compared to the ADHD alone group. There were no differences in neurocognitive function between children with ADHD-CT with and without ODD or CD. All the ADHD groups, however, performed worse than the healthy control group. Further, worse spatial span, spatial working memory and delayed matching to sample performance were associated with increased teacher-reported ADHD symptoms in the ADHD alone group. Also, worse spatial working memory performance was associated with increased teacher-reported ADHD symptoms in the ADHD + CD group. Conclusions: ADHD symptom severity is associated with the magnitude of impairment in executive functions in children with ADHD alone, but these relationships can be obscured by the presence of comorbid disruptive disorders. Children with ADHD + CD may demonstrate similar associations to children with ADHD alone, suggesting a similar underlying dysfunction. ADHD + ODD, however, may be better understood as a maladaptive response to the abnormal behaviours and neurocognitive functions in ADHD.
Quality of Life in Parents of Children with Attention-Deficit–Hyperactivity Disorder in Hong Kong
Authors: Xiang Yu-Tao , Luk Ernest S. L. , Lai Kelly Y. C. 
Published: July 2009

Objective: There is no study on the quality of life (QOL) of parents of children with attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although QOL is increasingly gaining more attention and the interactions between children and their parents are bi-directional. The aim of the present study was therefore to survey the QOL of parents of children with ADHD in Hong Kong, and explore the relationships of sociodemographic and clinical variables with QOL. Method: Seventy-seven parents of children with ADHD were consecutively selected and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the parents and their children were assessed. Results: Compared with the general population in Hong Kong, significantly lower scores in physical, psychological, social and environmental QOL domains were found in the parents of children with ADHD. On multivariate analysis, for the children with ADHD, the severity of emotional and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, and having a comorbid pervasive developmental disorder were significantly correlated with one or more domains of QOL; while for the parents, educational level, household monthly income and having major medical conditions were significantly correlated with one or more domains of QOL. Conclusions: Parents of children with ADHD have low QOL and research is needed to understand the underlying problems.
Path: a tool to facilitate pathway-based genetic association analysis
Authors: Zamar David , Tripp Ben , Ellis George , Daley Denise 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Summary: Traditional methods of genetic study design and analysis work well under the scenario that a handful of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) independently contribute to the risk of disease. For complex diseases, susceptibility may be determined not by a single SNP, but rather a complex interplay between SNPs. For large studies involving hundreds of thousands of SNPs, a brute force search of all possible combinations of SNPs associated with disease is not only inefficient, but also results in a multiple testing paradigm, whereby larger and larger sample sizes are needed to maintain statistical power. Pathway-based methods are an example of one of the many approaches in identifying a subset of SNPs to test for interaction. To help determine which SNP–SNP interactions to test, we developed Path, a software application designed to help researchers interface their data with biological information from several bioinformatics resources. To this end, our application brings together currently available information from nine online bioinformatics resources including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), UCSC Genome Browser, Seattle SNPs, PharmGKB, Genetic Association Database, the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism database (dbSNP) and the Innate Immune Database (IIDB).
Availability: The software, example datasets and tutorials are freely available from http://genapha.icapture.ubc.ca/PathTutorial.
Contact: ddaley@mrl.ubc.ca
Design of the Reduction of Events with Darbepoetin alfa in Heart Failure (RED‐HF): a Phase III, anaemia correction, morbidity–mortality trial
Authors: McMurray John J.V. , Anand Inder S. , Diaz Rafael , Maggioni Aldo P. , O'Connor Christopher , Pfeffer Marc A. , Polu Krishna R. , Solomon Scott D. , Sun Yan , Swedberg Karl , Tendera Michal , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , Wasserman Scott M. , Young James B. ,   on behalf of the RED‐HF Committees and Investigators
Published: July 2009

BackgroundPatients with heart failure (HF) and anaemia have greater functional impairment, worse symptoms, increased rates of hospital admission, and a higher risk of death, compared with non‐anaemic HF patients. Whether correcting anaemia can improve outcomes is unknown.ObjectiveThe Reduction of Events with Darbepoetin alfa in Heart Failure trial (RED‐HF; Clinical Trials.gov NCT 003 58215) was designed to evaluate the effect of the long‐acting erythropoietin‐stimulating agent darbepoetin alfa on mortality and morbidity (and quality of life) in patients with HF and anaemia.MethodsApproximately 2600 patients with New York Heart Association class II–IV, an ejection fraction ≤40%, and a haemoglobin (Hb) consistently ≤12.0 g/dL but ≥9.0 g/dL will be enrolled. Patients are randomized 1:1 to double‐blind subcutaneous administration of darbepoetin alfa or placebo. Investigators are also blinded to Hb measurements and darbepoetin alfa is dosed to achieve an Hb concentration of 13.0 g/dL (but not exceeding 14.5 g/dL) with sham adjustments of the dose of placebo. The primary endpoint is the time to death from any cause or first hospital admission for worsening HF, whichever occurs first. The study will complete when ~1150 subjects experience a primary endpoint.
Modelling the impact of an influenza A/H1N1 pandemic on critical care demand from early pathogenicity data: the case for sentinel reporting
Authors: Ercole A. , Taylor B. L. , Rhodes A. , Menon D. K. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryProjected critical care demand for pandemic influenza H1N1 in England was estimated in this study. The effect of varying hospital admission rates under statistical uncertainty was examined. Early in a pandemic, uncertainty in epidemiological parameters leads to a wide range of credible scenarios, with projected demand ranging from insignificant to overwhelming. However, even small changes to input assumptions make the major incident scenario increasingly likely. Before any cases are admitted to hospital, 95% confidence limit on admission rates led to a range in predicted peak critical care bed occupancy of between 0% and 37% of total critical care bed capacity, half of these cases requiring ventilatory support. For hospital admission rates above 0.25%, critical care bed availability would be exceeded. Further, only 10% of critical care beds in England are in specialist paediatric units, but best estimates suggest that 30% of patients requiring critical care will be children. Paediatric intensive care facilities are likely to be quickly exhausted and suggest that older children should be managed in adult critical care units to allow resource optimisation. Crucially this study highlights the need for sentinel reporting and real‐time modelling to guide rational decision making.
The use of growth hormone (GH)‐dependent markers in the detection of GH abuse in sport: Physiological intra‐individual variation of IGF‐I, type 3 pro‐collagen (P‐III‐P) and the GH‐2000 detection score
Authors: Erotokritou‐Mulligan Ioulietta , Eryl Bassett E. , Cowan David A. , Bartlett Christiaan , Milward Polly , Sartorio Alessandro , Sönksen Peter H. , Holt Richard I. G. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryBackground  Growth Hormone is abused by athletes for its lipolytic and anabolic properties. Its use is prohibited by the World Anti‐Doping Agency. The GH‐2000 project developed a methodology to detect its abuse using the concentrations of two GH‐dependent biomarkers, IGF‐I and type 3 procollagen (P‐III‐P). The sensitivity of this method may be improved by considering intra‐individual variability.Aim  The aim of this study was to examine the intra‐individual variability of IGF‐I, P‐III‐P and the GH‐2000 score.Subjects and methods  IGF‐I, P‐III‐P and GH‐2000 score were evaluated in four longitudinal studies involving 303 elite and 78 amateur athletes. Samples were collected over a period of up to 12 months from a total of 238 men and 143 women aged between 17 and 53 years (mean 24·2).Results  The four studies showed good agreement with no apparent difference in within‐individual variation between amateur and elite athletes. The intra‐individual variability for IGF‐I ranged between 14–16% while the variability for P‐III‐P was 7–18%. No athlete tested positive for growth hormone during any of the studies. The overall mean intra‐individual variability of the GH‐2000 score was less than 0·6 units in all studies.Conclusions  The high stability of marker levels suggests that concentrations are largely genetically determined. Adopting a test based on the concept of an athlete’s ‘passport’ or ‘profiling’ would take advantage of this and most likely increase the sensitivity of the test. These data also provide strong evidence that a positive test result for GH abuse would not occur as a result of chance variability.
Explicit versus implicit review to explore combination antipsychotic prescribing
Authors: Wheeler Amanda 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective  To use structured implicit review following large‐scale explicit audit of antipsychotic polyprescribing to: (1) determine the true rate of antipsychotic polytherapy that deviated from best practice for schizophrenia treatment; and (2) assess whether explicit antipsychotic polytherapy criterion was appropriate for identifying patients at risk for medication problems and assessing quality of care.Methods  Antipsychotic prescribing was reviewed for outpatients in four public health services in Auckland, New Zealand on 31 October 2004 (T1). Schizophrenia patients in one service (n = 794) prescribed antipsychotic polytherapy (n = 84, 10.6%) were followed up 10 months later (T2). Historical medication summaries were prepared for those remaining on polytherapy, including diagnosis, clinical problems and treatment plan. Criteria for structured implicit review and rating form for quality of antipsychotic management were piloted. All medication summaries were independently rated by two reviewers, and a third independent rater reviewed summaries where disagreement was found.Results  Forty‐nine patients remained on long‐term polytherapy at T2 (6.2% of original population). All but two cases included a second‐generation antipsychotic. At T2, average polytherapy duration was 35.8 months, and average antipsychotic dose was 699 mg day−1 chlorpromazine equivalents. Two raters achieved agreement for 24/49 summaries, and the remaining 25 were rated independently by a third reviewer. Consensus agreement of antipsychotic management (by two raters) was reached for 44/49 cases (89.8%). Polytherapy was rated ‘well‐justified’ in 32.7%, ‘some justification’ in 10.2% and ‘lacked justification’ in 46.9% cases. The final rate of polytherapy deviating from best practice reduced from 10.6% to 3.5% when short‐term polytherapy was excluded, and details of the clinical situation and care plan were included in implicit review.Conclusions  Audit of prescribing in routine practice using explicit guideline‐based criteria may be a useful baseline performance indicator. It does not provide an accurate measurement of quality of care because it overestimates the deviation rate from good practice. It may also identify complex patients at risk for poor treatment outcomes who may benefit from structured treatment review.
3D boundary extraction of confocal cellular images using higher order statistics
Authors: INDHUMATHI C. , CAI Y.Y. , GUAN Y.Q. , OPAS M. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryIn recent years, cell biologists have benefited greatly from using confocal microscopy to study intracellular organelles. For high‐level image analysis, 3D boundary extraction of cell structure is a preliminary requisite in confocal cellular imaging. To detect the object boundaries, most investigators have used gradient/Laplacian operator as a principal tool. In this paper we propose a higher order statistics (HOS) based boundary extraction algorithm for confocal cellular image data set using kurtosis. After the initial pre‐processing, kurtosis boundary map is estimated locally for the entire volume using a cubic sliding window and subsequently the noisy kurtosis value is removed by thresholding. Voxels having positive kurtosis value with zero‐crossing on its surface are then identified as boundary voxels. Typically used in signal processing, kurtosis for 3D cellular image processing is a novel application of HOS. Its reliable and robust nature of computing makes it very suitable for volumetric cellular boundary extraction.
Image analysis for denoising full‐field frequency‐domain fluorescence lifetime images
Authors: SPRING B.Q. , CLEGG R.M. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryVideo‐rate fluorescence lifetime‐resolved imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a quantitative imaging technique for measuring dynamic processes in biological specimens. FLIM offers valuable information in addition to simple fluorescence intensity imaging; for instance, the fluorescence lifetime is sensitive to the microenvironment of the fluorophore allowing reliable differentiation between concentration differences and dynamic quenching. Homodyne FLIM is a full‐field frequency‐domain technique for imaging fluorescence lifetimes at every pixel of a fluorescence image simultaneously. If a single modulation frequency is used, video‐rate image acquisition is possible. Homodyne FLIM uses a gain‐modulated image intensified charge‐coupled device (ICCD) detector, which unfortunately is a major contribution to the noise of the measurement. Here we introduce image analysis for denoising homodyne FLIM data. The denoising routine is fast, improves the extraction of the fluorescence lifetime value(s) and increases the sensitivity and fluorescence lifetime resolving power of the FLIM instrument. The spatial resolution (especially the high spatial frequencies not related to noise) of the FLIM image is preserved, because the denoising routine does not blur or smooth the image. By eliminating the random noise known to be specific to photon noise and from the intensifier amplification, the fidelity of the spatial resolution is improved. The polar plot projection, a rapid FLIM analysis method, is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the denoising routine with exemplary data from both physical and complex biological samples. We also suggest broader impacts of the image analysis for other fluorescence microscopy techniques (e.g. super‐resolution imaging).
Effect of improved home ventilation on asthma control and house dust mite allergen levels
Authors: Wright G. R. , Howieson S. , McSharry C. , McMahon A. D. , Chaudhuri R. , Thompson J. , Donnelly I. , Brooks R. G. , Lawson A. , Jolly L. , McAlpine L. , King E. M. , Chapman M. D. , Wood S. , Thomson N. C. 
Published: July 2009

Background:  The warm, humid environment in modern homes favours the dust mite population, but the effect of improved home ventilation on asthma control has not been established. We tested the hypothesis that a domestic mechanical heat recovery ventilation system (MHRV), in addition to allergen avoidance measures, can improve asthma control by attenuating re‐colonization rates.Methods:  We conducted a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled parallel group trial of the installation of MHRV activated in half the homes of 120 adults with asthma, allergic to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. All homes had carpets steam cleaned and new bedding and mattress covers at baseline. The primary outcome was morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) at 12 months.Results:  At 12 months, the primary end‐point; change in mean morning PEF as compared with baseline, did not differ between the MHRV group and the control group (mean difference 13.5 l/min, 95% CI: −2.6 to 29.8, P = 0.10). However, a secondary end‐point; evening mean PEF, was significantly improved in the MHRV group (mean difference 24.5 l/min, 95% CI: 8.9–40.1, P = 0.002). Indoor relative humidity was reduced in MHRV homes, but there was no difference between the groups in Der p 1 levels, compared with baseline.Conclusions:  The addition of MHRV to house dust mite eradication strategies did not achieve a reduction in mite allergen levels, but did improve evening PEF.
Non‐invasive ventilation in do‐not‐intubate patients: five‐year follow‐up on a two‐year prospective, consecutive cohort study
Authors: BÜLOW H.‐H. , THORSAGER B. 
Published: July 2009

Background: End‐of‐life decisions are common in intensive care units (ICUs), and increasingly, non‐invasive ventilation (NIV) is used as a ceiling of ventilatory care. However, little is known about the outcome following that decision.Methods: An observational, single‐center, retrospective, follow‐up study with no interventions, on ICU patients treated with NIV and a do‐not‐intubate (DNI) order. The patients were followed until a 5‐year survival rate could be calculated.Results: One hundred and fifty‐seven patients were treated with NIV during 2002 and 2003, and among 38 a DNI order was in effect. Of the 38 DNI patients, 11 died in the ICU, 16 died on the ward and 11 survived the hospital stay. Five of these 11 survivors died within 6 months, two died after 2.7 and 3.3 years, respectively, but four were still alive after 5 years. The long‐term (>6 months) survivors have, surprisingly only been admitted to the hospital 0–2 times a year – and seldom with the need for ICU treatment.Conclusions: According to this study, and previous ones, it seems worthwhile treating DNI patients with NIV. Twenty‐five to 35% leave the hospital alive, every 6th patient lives for at least 1 year, and this paper shows that 10% may survive for 5 years or more. However, only chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure patients (both with a concomitant low APACHE score) seem to have a reasonable outcome, and patients should be informed about this. So far, no study has investigated the quality of life of these survivors.
A controlled rapid‐sequence induction technique for infants may reduce unsafe actions and stress
Authors: EICH C. , TIMMERMANN A. , RUSSO S. G. , CREMER S. , NICKUT A. , STRACK M. , WEISS M. , MÜLLER M. P. 
Published: July 2009

Background: Classic rapid‐sequence induction of anaesthesia (RSI‐classic) in infants and small children presents a time‐critical procedure, regularly associated with hypoxia. This results in high stress levels for the provider and may trigger unsafe actions. Hence, a controlled induction technique (RSI‐controlled) that involves gentle mask ventilation until full non‐depolarizing muscular blockade has become increasingly popular. Clinical observation suggests that RSI‐controlled may reduce the adverse effects noted above. We aimed to evaluate both techniques with respect to unsafe actions and stress.Methods: In this controlled, randomized simulator‐based study, 30 male trainees and specialists in anaesthesiology performed a simulated anaesthesia induction in a 4‐week‐old infant with pyloric stenosis. Two different RSI techniques, classic and controlled, were applied to 15 candidates each. We recorded the incidence of hypoxaemia, forced mask ventilation, and intubation difficulties. In addition, we measured individual stress levels by ergospirometry, salivary cortisol, and α‐amylase, as well as a post‐trial questionnaire.Results: Hypoxaemia always occurred in RSI‐classic but not in RSI‐controlled, repeatedly resulting in unsafe actions. Subjective stress perception and some objective stress levels were lower in the volunteers performing RSI‐controlled.Conclusions: Our data suggest that RSI‐controlled, as compared with RSI‐classic, leads to fewer unsafe actions and may reduce individual stress levels.
Short‐Term Undernutrition Affects Final Development of Ovulatory Follicles in Sheep Synchronized for Ovulation
Authors: Sosa C , Gonzalez‐Bulnes A , Abecia JA , Forcada F , Meikle A 
Published: July 2009

ContentsThe objective of this study was to determine, in sheep, the effect of a short‐term undernutrition on growth dynamics and competence of pre‐ovulatory follicles. Synchronization of sexual cycles and induction of ovulation were performed, with progestagens and gonadotrophins, in 14 adult female sheep. Morphological characteristics and developmental competence of ovarian follicles to achieve ovulation were determined by imaging techniques (ultrasonography and laparoscopy) and blood sampling. All the animals ovulated and mean ovulation rates were similar between groups (2.0 ± 0.6 corpora lutea in control ewes and 2.2 ± 0.8 in undernourished sheep). However, nutritional restriction, even during a short period, was related to the presence of large follicles in static growing phase which, despite reaching ovulation, persisted static during the induced follicular phase and evidenced functional alterations as there was no inhibition of the development of subordinate follicles. Thus, this study suggests the existence of deleterious effects from short‐term undernutrition on functionality of pre‐ovulatory follicles, which can compromise fertility.
Comparative efficacy of thalidomide and prednisolone in the treatment of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum: A randomized study
Authors: Kaur Inderjeet , Dogra Sunil , Narang Tarun , De Dipankar 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTThe present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of thalidomide to that of oral prednisolone in the treatment of moderate to severe type 2 lepra reaction. Sixty patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of erythema nodosum leprosum with a clinical score of 4 or more (i.e. moderate to severe type 2 reaction) were randomly allocated to two groups comprising 30 patients each. Group 1 patients were given thalidomide at a dose of 300 mg/day for 1 week and the dose was gradually reduced, and Group 2 received prednisolone 40 mg daily for 2 weeks, which was tapered by 10 mg every 2 weeks. Thalidomide induced a faster clinical response (cutaneous as well as systemic) compared with prednisolone. Patients taking thalidomide had fewer relapses and a longer period of remission than those receiving prednisolone.