bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Activated esters of substituted pyrazinecarboxylic acids
Authors: Shepard Kenneth L. , Halczenko Wasyl , Cragoe Edward J. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractN‐Amidino‐3,5‐diamino‐6‐chloropyrazinecarboxamide (1) has been shown to be an effective potassium sparing diuretic. Various carboxyl activating agents have been employed with 3‐amino‐pyrazinecarboxylic acids in an effort to synthesize analogs of1.Stable enol esters were isolated from a number of such acids andN‐t‐butyl‐5‐methylisoxazolium perchlorate (12). Although strong bases in DMF or DMSO catalyze a competing destruction of the enol ester system, these esters are useful acylating agents for a variety of nucleophilic substrates in less polar media. Amides, esters, and thiol esters are produced in good yields under mild conditions from these activated esters.
Reciprocal regulation of ATPγS‐induced monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 production by ERK and p38 MAP kinases in rat corticostriatal slice cultures
Authors: Katayama Takahiro , Ito Misato , Kaneko Shuji , Satoh Masamichi , Uehara Takashi , Minami Masabumi 
Published: April 2009

AbstractMonocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1, CCL2) is a well‐defined chemokine implicated in the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases and brain injuries, such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and traumatic injury. We investigated the effect of the activation of P2 purinoceptors on MCP‐1 production in rat corticostriatal slice cultures. Treatment with adenosine 5′‐O‐(3‐thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS), a hydrolysis‐resistant adenosine triphosphate (ATP) analog, induced MCP‐1 production in astrocytes. The induction was in a concentration‐dependent manner and was antagonized by a P2 purinoceptor antagonist pyridoxal phosphate‐6‐azophenyl‐2′,4′‐disulfonic acid. The inhibition of an extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) pathway by PD98059 and U0126 significantly suppressed ATPγS‐induced MCP‐1 mRNA expression and protein production, while inhibition of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase by SP600125 resulted in the partial suppression. Conversely, SB203580, a p38 mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor, significantly enhanced ATPγS‐induced MCP‐1 production. Similar effects of ERK and p38 MAP kinase inhibitors on MCP‐1 production were observed in the slices stimulated by ATP and BzATP. These results demonstrate that astrocytic MCP‐1 production induced by P2 purinoceptor stimulation is reciprocally regulated by ERK and p38 MAP kinases in the organotypic slice cultures. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency: A possible risk factor for thrombosis
Authors: Venkateswaran Lakshmi , Scaglia Fernando , McLin Valerie , Hertel Paula , Shchelochkov Oleg A. , Karpen Saul , Mahoney Donald , Yee Donald L. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractOrnithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency is the most common urea cycle defect. Thromboembolic complications have not heretofore been linked with this diagnosis. We describe four patients with neonatal‐onset OTC deficiency who developed vascular thromboses. One patient had arterial thrombosis; the rest developed venous thromboses. Multiple pro‐thrombotic risk factors were identified. Low plasma arginine levels were observed in all patients at the time of thrombosis. Arginine deficiency and the resultant nitric oxide insufficiency may contribute to thrombotic risk. Careful normalization of plasma arginine and citrulline levels and increased surveillance for thrombotic complications should be considered in patients with OTC deficiency. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:100–102. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predictors of patient reported outcomes and cost of care in younger men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer
Authors: Jayadevappa Ravishankar , Chhatre Sumedha , Wein Alan J. , Malkowicz S. Bruce 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe proportion of younger men (<65 years) diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) has increased significantly. We sought to analyze the association between race/ethnicity, biochemical recurrence risk and outcomes in younger men with PCa.METHODSIn this prospective cohort study, we recruited 318 younger men with newly diagnosed PCa. Participants completed generic and prostate‐specific Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), out‐of‐pocket cost and satisfaction with care surveys at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of follow‐up. Health resource utilization and cost data were obtained from the hospital based administrative databases. We compared time to return to baseline (RTB) of HRQoL scores across groups. Survival curves were used to compare mean time to RTB across groups. Linear mixed effects (LMEs) and generalized linear (GLM) models were used to analyze the association of race/ethnicity and biochemical recurrence groups with outcomes.RESULTSAfrican Americans reported lower generic and prostate‐specific HRQoL scores at diagnosis and required more time to RTB values for generic HRQoL. The results of LME models showed that low risk of biochemical recurrence was associated with better physical function, vitality, mental health, and general health. For prostate‐specific HRQoL items, low risk of biochemical recurrence was associated with impaired urinary function and better bowel function and bowel bother. GLM model showed that treatment, hospital type and comorbidity were associated with cost.CONCLUSIONSBiochemical recurrence risk and treatment groups, not ethnicity, were associated poorer post‐treatment outcomes. This information is important in planning for and communicating with patients about post‐treatment care. Prostate 69:1067–1076, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Flowering intensity in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata)
Authors: HAMADINA E. I. , CRAUFURD P. Q. , ASIEDU R. 
Published: April 2009

SUMMARYWhite or Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata), grown for its underground tubers, is an important food in West Africa. Progress in yam breeding is constrained by variable flowering behaviour, making hybridization difficult. Yam clones may be dioecious, monoecious or hermaphrodite with variable sex ratios. The proportion of plants that flower and the flowering intensity also vary with season and location. The objective of the present work was to investigate whether variation in flowering behaviour was related to factors determining rate of development (photoperiod and temperature through sowing date, location and year) or growth (cumulative solar radiation and temperature). Sex ratios, the proportion of plants that had flower buds and open flowers, and the number of flowers or spikes was recorded in one male (TDr 131) and one female (TDr 99-9) clone of white yam grown in the field in Nigeria at three locations and at different sowing dates. Clone TDr 131 was uniformly male flowering, while clone TDr 99-9 exhibited a number of sex types with gynoecious, monoecious and trimonoecious plants observed. The proportion of flowering plants was low in both clones, averaging 0·34 in clone TDr 131 and 0·13 in clone TDr 99-9. Day of vine emergence had a significant and contrasting effect on the proportion of flowering plants and on flowering intensity in the two clones. In clone TDr 131, the proportion of flowering plants and flowering intensity declined with later vine emergence at all locations (r=0·43–0·53; P<0·05), whereas in clone TDr 99-9 the proportion of flowering plants increased with later emergence (r=0·46, P<0·01). In clone TDr 131, this response was strongly associated with warmer temperatures (r=0·49–0·50; P<0·05) and greater cumulative radiation (r=0·85–0·93; P<0·001) between vine emergence and flowering, rather than photoperiod at vine emergence. This suggests that flowering behaviour in the male clone TDr 131 is strongly influenced by factors that affect growth rather than development. Clone TDr 99-9, on the other hand, exhibited no clear relations between flowering and growth or developmental factors, though the proportion of flowering plants and flowering intensity was greatest at planting dates close to the longest day and at temperatures of 25–26°C. This might suggest that flowering behaviour in clone TDr 99-9 is controlled by photothermal responses.
Immunotherapy improves health‐related quality of life of adult patients with dermal reactions following yellow jacket stings
Authors: Oude Elberink J. N.G. , Van Der Heide S. , Guyatt G. H. , Dubois A. E. J. 
Published: April 2009

SummaryBackground
In many European centers insect venom allergic patients with a reaction confined to the skin are only offered an epinephrine auto‐injector and not venom immunotherapy (VIT). Previously we showed that VIT improves health‐related quality of life (HRQL) of yellow jacket allergic patients with more than dermal reactions.Objective
To examine whether HRQL of dermal reactors is impaired and to examine the influence of VIT on HRQL in comparison with the EpiPen®.Methods
Patients with solely dermal reactions were asked if they were willing to be randomized either to VIT or EpiPen®, after receiving patient information. Before and 1 year after enrollment, patients completed the Vespid allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (VQLQ), Burden of Treatment and Expectation of Outcome.Results
Of 55 patients eligible for the study, 29 consented to randomization: 15 to VIT, 14 to EpiPen®. The remaining 26 patients preferred to choose their treatment: 11 VIT and 15 EpiPen®. The VQLQ score of patients randomized to VIT improved (mean change 0.83 (SD 0.87), in contrast to patients randomized to the EpiPen® whose scores deteriorated (mean change −0.42 (SD 0.64), P<0.0001), resulting in an overall difference of 1.25 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–1.87]. With a minimal important difference of 0.5 indicating a clinically significant improvement, VIT generated an number needed to treat (NNT) of 1.7. Dermal reactors did not consider VIT burdensome and rated this treatment as being superior to the EpiPen®.Conclusion
VIT results in a clinically significant improvement of HRQL in most patients with reactions limited to the skin following yellow jacket stings. Prescription of an EpiPen® in patients not choosing this treatment is associated with deterioration in HRQL and should therefore be avoided as definitive treatment in these patients.
When to worry about the weather: role of tidal cycle in determining patterns of risk in intertidal ecosystems
Authors: MISLAN K. A. S. , WETHEY DAVID S. , HELMUTH BRIAN 
Published: April 2009

AbstractSpecies range boundaries are determined by a variety of factors of which climate is one of the most influential. As a result, climate change is expected to have a profound effect on organisms and ecosystems. However, the impacts of weather and climate are frequently modified by multiple nonclimatic factors. Therefore, the role of these nonclimatic factors needs to be examined in order to understand and predict future change. Marine intertidal ecosystems are exposed to heat extremes during warm, sunny, midday low tides. Thus, the timing of low tide, a nonclimatic factor, determines the potential contact intertidal invertebrates and algae have with heat extremes. We developed a method that quantifies the daily risk of high temperature extremes in the marine intertidal using solar elevations and spatially continuous tidal predictions. The frequency of ‘risky days’ is variable over time and space along the Pacific Coast of North America. Results show that at some sites the percentage of risky days in June can vary by 30% across years. In order to do a detailed analysis, we selected San Francisco as a study site. In San Francisco, May is the month with the greatest frequency of risky days, even though September is the month with the greatest frequency of high air temperature, ≥30 °C. These results indicate that marine intertidal organisms can be protected from high temperature extremes due to the timing of tides and local weather patterns. In addition, annual fluctuations in tides influence the frequency of intertidal zone exposures to high temperature extremes. Peaks in risk for heat extremes in the intertidal zone occur every 18 years, the length of the tidal epoch. These results suggest that nonclimatic variables can complicate predictions of shifts in species ranges due to climate change, but that mechanistic approaches can be used to produce predictions that include these factors.
Assessment of transparency of cost estimates in economic evaluations of patient safety programmes
Authors: Fukuda Haruhisa , Imanaka Yuichi 
Published: April 2009

AbstractObjectives Transparency of costing is essential for decision‐makers who require information on the efficiency of a health care programme, because effective decisions depend largely on applicability to their settings. The main objectives of this study were to assess published studies for transparency of cost estimates.Methods We first developed criteria with two axes by reviewing publications dealing with economic evaluations and cost accounting studies: clarification of the scope of costing and accuracy of method evaluating costs. We then performed systematic searches of the literature for studies which estimated prevention costs and assessed the transparency and accuracy of costing based on our criteria.Results Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. Half of the studies reported data for both the quantity and unit price of programmes in regard to prevention costs. Although 30 studies estimated costs of adverse events, 19 of these described the scope of costing only, and just five studies used a micro‐costing method. Among 30 studies that estimated ‘gross cost savings’ and ‘net cost savings’, there was a huge discrepancy in labels.Conclusions Even if a cost study was conducted in accordance with existing techniques of economic evaluation which mostly paid attention to internal validity of cost estimates, without adequate explanation of the process of costing, reproducibility cannot be assured and the study may lose its value as scientific information. This study found that there is tremendous room for improvement.
How do Dutch general practitioners diagnose children's urinary tract infections?
Authors: Harmsen Mirjam , Wolters René J. , Van Der Wouden Johannes C. , Grol Richard P. T. M. , Wensing Michel 
Published: April 2009

AbstractObjective  To study which tests general practitioners used to diagnose a urinary tract infection (UTI) in children and which patient characteristics were associated with test choice.Design  Retrospective chart review on the diagnosis of UTIs in children in Dutch general practices who were diagnosed as having a UTI. A total of 49 general practices participated in the study, and provided information on 148 children aged 0–12 years old.Results  The nitrite test, which is recommended as first step, was performed in 87% of the children during the first contact. Less than 30% of the children had a dipslide and 37% a cultured urine. About half of all children with a UTI diagnosis had a follow‐up contact in general practice, and an average of 83% of these children had their urine tested. The recommended test, a dipslide, was performed in 26% of the children with a follow‐up contact. Patient age and UTI history were associated with choice of test.Conclusions  The diagnostic procedures for UTIs in children in general practices could be improved, with focus on the importance of an accurate UTI diagnosis in all children, and explaining which tests should be performed and what the test results mean.
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients in a clinical pathway gained less in health‐related quality of life as compared with patients who undergo CABG in a conventional‐care plan
Authors: El Baz Noha , Middel Berrie , Van Dijk Jitse P. , Boonstra Piet W. , Reijneveld Sijmen A. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAims and objectives  The aim of this study is to determine the difference between clinical pathway (CP) and conventional care in terms of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) domains, depression and anxiety, as well as to determine the relative contribution of CP towards an improved HRQoL after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).Method  A longitudinal quasi‐experimental pre‐test/post‐test design was used to study and compare clinical outcome, HRQoL depression and anxiety for CP versus conventional‐care patients after CABG. HRQoL was measured by using Sf‐36, while depression and anxiety were measured by using hospital anxiety and depression scale. Length of stay and patient complications were derived from the hospital database.Results  We found that implementing a CP decreased hospital delay from 2.50 (±7.19) to 1.80 (±1.60), which was statistically significant P = 0.002. We also found that patients in the conventional‐care plan improved more than patients in the CP in HRQoL. Outcomes in favour of patients in the conventional‐care trajectory were based on the difference between small effect sizes (ES) (≥0.20 <0.50) for pathway patients and moderate ES (≥0.50 <0.80) for conventional‐care patients, except for the domain of physical functioning and physical component summary, where the ES for conventional care was large (>0.80).Conclusion  The aim of designing and implementing pathways is to decrease length of stay and costs, while maintaining quality of care and improving patient outcomes. Our findings suggest that these aims were not fulfilled in this CABG pathway. We recommend that when designing a CP, all patient‐related characteristics, risk indicators, along with physiological status, be taken into consideration.
Carbon monoxide promotes root hair development in tomato
Authors: GUO KAI , KONG WIE WEI , YANG ZHI MIN 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTThis study identified the role of CO in regulating the tomato root hair development. Exogenous CO promoted the root hair density and elongation in a concentration‐dependent manner. Analysis of cross sections of primary roots also indicated that CO induced the formation of root hairs. Genetic analysis reveals that tomato mutant yg‐2 (defective in haem oxygenase‐1 activity and intracellular CO generation) displayed a phenotype of delayed root hair development, which however could be reversed by exogenous CO. Further, we analysed LeExt1::β‐glucuronidase reporter gene for root hair formation and found increasing expression of LeExt1 in the CO‐exposed root hairs. Finally, CO was able to act synergistically with auxin, ethylene and NO. It is shown that the effect of CO could be blocked by NPA (auxin transport inhibitor), AVG (ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor), Ag+ (ethylene action inhibitor) or cPTIO (NO scavenger). Exposure of tomato roots to CO also enhanced intracellular NO and reactive oxygen species generation in root hairs. Our results suggest that CO would be required for root hair development and may play a critical role in controlling architectural development of plant roots by a putative mechanism of cross‐talk with auxin, ethylene and nitric oxide.
EFFECT OF REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES REPLACING PRIMARY MOLARS ON MASTICATION OF FOODS WITH VARIABLE TEXTURE
Authors: GAMBARELI FLÁVIA RIQUETO , SERRA MARCIA DIAZ , GAVIÃO MARIA BEATRIZ DUARTE 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of a prosthetic appliance on the chewing function, evaluating the electrical activity of masseter and temporal muscles to characterize the chewing process using an artificial test material. Moreover, the chewing behavior with foods of different textures (chewing gum, raw carrot, cheese, banana and industrialized toast) was evaluated. Twenty‐three partially edentulous children (12 girls and 11 boys, 7.10 ± 0.74 year‐old) participated. Electromyography and chewing behavior were determined before and 6 months after the appliance placement. During habitual chewing, the muscle activity values after the 6 months were higher (P < 0.001). Electromyographic recording (EMG) values were not correlated with body variables. At the two evaluations, significant differences occurred in the number of cycles, swallowing threshold and amount of food ingested for soft and hard foods. The increase in EMG values and the improvement in chewing natural foods were able to demonstrate the influence possibility of the partial removable denture on the muscles and masticatory functions in children.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSMasticatory muscles respond to the stimulus received. Chewing is a complex neuromuscular task, in which an extrinsic stimulus, such as food, provokes an intrinsic response involving the oral structures. Apart from the subject‐related variables, food consistency, texture and volume seem to be particularly significant in determining the characteristics of chewing in oral partial or total denture wearers to enable the outcome on the masticatory system function to be verified. In children, these considerations are important, since the oral sensorimotor pathway matures throughout childhood in concert with the continued acquisition of complex motor skills. Thus, it is expected that partial removable denture with good occlusal relations and good retention can not only restore mastication, but also help to maintain the health of the masticatory system since the motor system could be exercised properly.
Nonpharmacological approaches in the management of hypertension
Authors: DeSimone M. Elayne , Crowe Amanda 
Published: April 2009

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the holistic evaluation of the hypertensive patient and review evidence‐based nonpharmacological treatments to help patients achieve maximum therapeutic benefits with minimal side effects.Data sources: Health sciences literature was reviewed using the following databases: Medline, PubMed, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature.Conclusions: Hypertension remains a major public health problem, affecting 65 million Americans and contributing to excess morbidity, mortality, and indirect and direct healthcare costs. Improving clinical outcomes will reduce human suffering as well as the economic burden associated with this disease. Nonpharmacological strategies are recommended as successful primary and adjunctive treatment options for lowering blood pressure. Moreover, the benefits of many of these approaches extend to and promote overall health and well‐being.Implications for practice: Nurse practitioners who incorporate nonpharmacological options in the management of hypertension can improve clinical outcomes.
Pelagodictyon Clarke, a newly recorded nanodiatom genus for China
Authors: LI Yang , GAO Ya‐Hui 
Published: April 2009

AbstractMarine nanoplanktonic diatoms have been frequently either underestimated or overlooked in phyto‐plankton investigations due to their small size (2–20 μm), which allows most of them to pass through a regular phytoplankton net of 70‐μm pore size. For nanoplanktonic diatom classification, water samples (each 2000 mL) were collected from several representative sea areas of Chinese coast from May 2002 to May 2006. Pelagodictyon Clarke was identified as a newly recorded nanodiatom genus for China under transmission electron microscope (TEM). This genus is characterized by the delicate structure of the valve face. The striae are seen to be formed by ribs with cross‐ribs (frets) and the intervening spaces are occupied by polygonal cribra situated much close to the exterior face of the valve. Just one species was found, i.e., P. tenue Clarke. Detailed description of the taxonomic characteristics with TEM photographs of this species and its ecological habitat and distribution are given in this paper. Morphological characteristics comparisons among several resembling genera were discussed.