bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Economic evaluation of continuous renal replacement therapy in acute renal failure
Authors: Klarenbach Scott , Manns Braden , Pannu Neesh , Clement Fiona M. , Wiebe Natasha , Tonelli Marcello ,   For the Alberta Kidney Disease Network
Published: July 2009

Objectives:Controversy exists regarding the optimal method of providing dialysis in critically ill patients with acute renal failure. We sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of treatment strategies.Methods:Adult subjects requiring renal replacement therapy in a critical care setting who are candidates for intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) were considered within a Markov model. Alternative strategies including IHD, and standard or high dose CRRT were compared. The model considered relevant clinical and economic outcomes, and incorporated data on clinical effectiveness from a recent systematic review and high quality micro-costing data.Results:In the base-case analysis, CRRT was associated with similar health outcomes but higher costs by ($3,679 more than IHD per patient). In scenarios considering alternate cost sources, and higher intensity of IHD (including daily and longer duration IHD), CRRT remained more costly. Sensitivity analysis indicated that even small differences in the risk of mortality or need for long-term chronic dialysis therapy among surviving patients benefits led to dramatic changes in the cost-effectiveness of the modalities considered.Conclusions:Given the higher costs of providing CRRT and absence of demonstrated benefit, IHD is the preferred modality in critically ill patients who are candidates for either IHD or CRRT, although this conclusion should be revisited if future clinical trials establish differences in clinical effectiveness between modalities. Future interventions that are proven to improve renal recovery after acute renal failure are likely to be cost-effective, even if very resource intensive.
Using EQ-5D in children with asthma, rheumatic disorders, diabetes, and speech/language and/or hearing disorders
Authors: Willems Daniëlle C. M. , Joore Manuela A. , Nieman Fred H. M. , Severens Johan L. , Wouters Emiel F. M. , Hendriks Johannes J. E. 
Published: July 2009

Objectives:This study explores several variables of the EQ-5D child version, a multi-attribute utility instrument, in children with chronic conditions.Methods:A convenience sample was selected from hospital outpatient records and school records. The sample included children aged 7–18 years with the following chronic conditions: asthma, rheumatic disorders, diabetes, and speech/language and/or hearing disorders. The practicality, convergent validity, and discriminant power were compared with a generic quality of life questionnaire for children (TACQOL) and the 2-week test–retest reliability was assessed.Results:A total of 182 children or their parents completed the first questionnaire and 161 children/parents completed both questionnaires. The practicality of the EQ-5D was good. Low to moderate correlations were found between the utilities and VAS scores and the TACQOL scales. The discriminant power of the EQ-5D items was low overall and was greater for children with a rheumatic disorder than for children with the other conditions. In the subset of children who experienced no health change between the test and the retest, the reliability of the EQ-5D was moderate to high.Conclusions:The EQ-5D seems suitable for children, although the use of an additional disease-specific questionnaire is still recommended. The EQ-5D seems the most suitable for children with a chronic physical condition and appears to be reliable for children with a stable health status.
The effects of technological developments on nuclear medicine technologist productivity: A systematic review
Authors: Adams Edwina , Cox Jennifer , Schofield Deborah , Adamson Barbara 
Published: July 2009

Objectives:Nuclear medicine has changed rapidly as a result of technological developments. Very little is reported on the effects these developments may have on technologist productivity. This study aims to determine whether advances have created a workplace where more patient studies can be performed with fewer technologists. The level of change in automation or time taken to perform a routine task by the nuclear medicine technologist as a result of technological development over the past decade is reported.Methods:A systematic review was conducted using Embase.com, Medline, INSPEC, and Cinahl. Two authors reviewed each article for eligibility. Technological developments in routine areas over the past decade were reviewed. The resultant automation or time effects on data acquisition, data processing, and image processing were summarized.Results:Sixteen articles were included in the areas of myocardial perfusion, information technology, and positron emission tomography (PET). Gamma camera design has halved the acquisition time for myocardial perfusion studies, automated analysis requires little manual intervention and information technologies and filmless departments are more efficient. Developments in PET have reduced acquisition to almost one-fifth of the time.Conclusions:Substantial efficiencies have occurred over the decade thereby increasing productivity, but whether staffing levels are appropriate for safe, high quality practice is unclear. Future staffing adequacy is of concern given the anticipated increasing service needs.
A 7-year surveillance for ESBL-producingEscherichia coliandKlebsiella pneumoniaeat a university hospital in Taiwan: the increase of CTX-M-15 in the ICU
Authors: SHU J. C. , CHIA J. H. , KUO A. J. , SU L. H. , WU T. L. 
Published: July 2009

SUMMARYTo monitor the changing trend of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria, a 7-year continuous study was launched in 2001 at the largest tertiary hospital in Taiwan. A significant increase over the study period was evident for ESBL-producing isolates ofEscherichia coli(4·8–10·0%) andKlebsiella pneumoniae(15·0–23·4%). Molecular investigation conducted in three separate periods revealed the prevalent ESBL types and their genetic relatedness. CTX-M-producing isolates (73·8%) were more prevalent than SHV-type ESBLs (37·0%), the most frequent being CTX-M-14 (34·3%), CTX-M-3 (25·9%), and SHV-12 (25·7%). However, a marked increase of CTX-M-15-producing isolates from 2·1% in 2002 to 29·6% in 2007 was also noted. The increase of ESBL-producing isolates in both species may be mainly due to the horizontal transmission of resistance plasmids, while clonal expansion of some epidemic strains further added to the dispersion of ESBL-producingK. pneumoniae.
ZoonoticDirofilaria immitisinfections in a province of Northern Spain
Authors: MORCHÓN R. , MOYA I. , GONZÁLEZ-MIGUEL J. , MONTOYA M. N. , SIMÓN F. 
Published: July 2009

SUMMARYDirofilaria immitisis the causal agent of canine and feline cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. Moreover, the existence of canine dirofilariasis implies a risk for human populations living in an endemic area in which, the parasite can cause pulmonary dirofilariasis. The Spanish epidemiological situation is not well understood, lacking data from many central and Northern provinces. In our study, epidemiological data on canine and human dirofilariasis for La Rioja (Northern Spain) have been obtained for the first time. The overall prevalence ofD. immitisin dogs was 12% (9% of patent and 3% of occult infections), being 11·6% the seroprevalence of human residents in this province. The geographic distribution of both canine and humanD. immitisinfections in La Rioja is restricted to humid and irrigated areas near the Ebro Valley River, being absent in the rest of the province where hills and mountains predominate.
Multi-dimensional correlations for gene coexpression and application to the large-scale data of Arabidopsis
Authors: Kinoshita Kengo , Obayashi Takeshi 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Background: Recent improvements in DNA microarray techniques have made a large variety of gene expression data available in public databases. This data can be used to evaluate the strength of gene coexpression by calculating the correlation of expression patterns among different genes between many experiments. However, gene expression levels differ significantly across various tissues in higher organisms, as well as in different cellular location in eukaryotes in different cell state. Thus the usual correlation measure can only evaluate the difference of tissues or cellular localizations, and cannot adequately elucidate the functional relationship from the coexpression of genes.
Method: We propose a new measure of coexpression by expanding the generally used correlation into a multidimensional one. We used principal component analyses to identify the major factors of gene expression correlation, and then re-calculate the correlation by subtracting the major components in order to remove biases cased by a few experiments. The repeated subtractions of the major components yielded a set of correlation values for each pair of genes. We observed the correlation changes when the first ten principal components were subtracted step-by-step in large-scale Arabidopsis expression data.
Results: We found two extreme patterns of correlation changes, corresponding to stable and fragile coexpression. Our new indexes provided a good means to determine the functional relationships of the genes, by examining a few examples, and higher performance of Gene Ontology term prediction by using the support vector machine and the multidimensional correlation.
Availability: The results are available from the expression detail pages in ATTED-II (http://atted.jp).
Contact: kinosita@hgc.jp
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
FRODOCK: a new approach for fast rotational protein–protein docking
Authors: Garzon José Ignacio , Lopéz-Blanco José Ramón , Pons Carles , Kovacs Julio , Abagyan Ruben , Fernandez-Recio Juan , Chacon Pablo 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Motivation: Prediction of protein–protein complexes from the coordinates of their unbound components usually starts by generating many potential predictions from a rigid-body 6D search followed by a second stage that aims to refine such predictions. Here, we present and evaluate a new method to effectively address the complexity and sampling requirements of the initial exhaustive search. In this approach we combine the projection of the interaction terms into 3D grid-based potentials with the efficiency of spherical harmonics approximations to accelerate the search. The binding energy upon complex formation is approximated as a correlation function composed of van der Waals, electrostatics and desolvation potential terms. The interaction-energy minima are identified by a novel, fast and exhaustive rotational docking search combined with a simple translational scanning. Results obtained on standard protein–protein benchmarks demonstrate its general applicability and robustness. The accuracy is comparable to that of existing state-of-the-art initial exhaustive rigid-body docking tools, but achieving superior efficiency. Moreover, a parallel version of the method performs the docking search in just a few minutes, opening new application opportunities in the current ‘omics’ world.
Availability: http://sbg.cib.csic.es/Software/FRODOCK/
Contact: Pablo@cib.csic.es
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Evaluating Chickpea Genotypes for Resistance to Ascochyta Blight in Nebraska
Authors: Harveson Robert M. , Urrea Carlos A. , Baltensperger David D. 
Published: July 2009

Ten irrigated or dryland chickpea field trials in the Nebraska Panhandle over the three year period (2005-2007) assessed parental genotypes and cultivars for disease resistance to Ascochyta blight caused by Aschochyta rabiei. The most promising genotypes for all aspects of disease resistance were the breeding lines PI 17256 and CA0090B347C. PI 17256 had significantly better disease ratings in two of the four dryland trials and five of the six irrigated trials compared to the three standard commercial cultivars (Dylan, Dwelley, and Sierra). Overall, breeding line CA0090B347C was intermediate between PI 17256 and the other entries in terms of disease resistance, with similar ratings to PI 17256 but better than the commercial cultivars in two of the four dryland trials and two of the six irrigated trials. PI 17256 produced the highest yields in three trials, while CA0090347C produced significantly higher yields than the commercial cultivars in three other trials. These two lines should be useful as germplasm sources for ongoing breeding efforts to develop new, adapted blight-tolerant cultivars for Nebraska. Accepted for publication 11 May 2009. Published 20 July 2009.
The effect of allopurinol on the cerebral vasculature of patients with subcortical stroke; a randomized trial
Authors: Dawson Jesse , Quinn Terrence J. , Harrow Craig , Lees Kennedy R. , Walters Matthew R. 
Published: July 2009

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT • The therapeutic potential of xanthine oxidase inhibition with allopurinol in vascular disease is increasingly apparent.• Allopurinol has been shown to improve measures of peripheral vascular function in those with and at risk of cardiac disease and stroke.• It has also been shown to improve cerebrovascular function in those with diabetes, but no study has assessed its effect on cerebrovascular function in those with previous stroke. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS • This study did not confirm a beneficial effect of allopurinol on cerebrovascular reactivity.• This raises the possibility that previous encouraging findings will not therefore translate into important clinical benefits.• Results of this and other trials suggest allopurinol may be most effective in those with increased serum uric acid levels, but cast doubt over whether previous positive effects will be sustained over a prolonged period.AIMSNew preventative strategies for stroke are required. One promising strategy is uric acid reduction and xanthine oxidase inhibition with allopurinol. We sought to investigate whether allopurinol improves cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) following subcortical stroke.METHODSWe performed a randomized, double‐blind, controlled study to investigate the effect of a 3‐month course of 300 mg allopurinol once daily vs. placebo on CVR in individuals with recent (within 6 months) subcortical stroke. Participants were randomized on a 1 : 1 basis. CVR was defined as the percentage change in middle cerebral artery flow velocity following an intravenous injection of 15 mg kg−1 of acetazolamide. Our primary end‐point was the CVR difference between baseline and 3 months. Secondary end‐points included measures of peripheral vascular reactivity and blood markers of inflammation and endothelial activation.RESULTSWe enrolled 50 participants; 45 completed the protocol. Baseline serum urate was 0.35 mmol l−1 (SD 0.1) and 0.34 mmol l−1 (SD 0.1) in the allopurinol and placebo groups, respectively. There were no serious adverse events related to treatment. CVR did not change following treatment with allopurinol [median CVR change 0.89% after allopurinol (n= 20) and −0.68% after placebo (n= 25); 95% confidence interval for estimated difference in medians −13.4, 25.5, P= 0.64]. Urate was significantly lowered by allopurinol but no change in other secondary end‐points was seen.CONCLUSIONXanthine oxidase inhibition with allopurinol has previously been shown to improve cerebrovascular function, but no benefit was seen in this study. It may therefore be that previous encouraging findings will not translate into important clinical benefits.
Influence of CYP2C19 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir and its active metabolite
Authors: Damle Bharat D. , Uderman Howard , Biswas Pinaki , Crownover Penelope , Lin Chang , Glue Paul 
Published: July 2009

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • The true influence of CYP2C19*2 mutation on the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir and its active metabolite, M8, is not clear.• Often, published studies have combined *2 hetero‐ and homozygous poor metabolizers (PMs) and/or have very limited data from *2 homozygotes, which contributes to the lack of clarity. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • The pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir was delineated using pharmacogenomic data from 66 healthy subjects.• The exposure of nelfinavir was elevated, whereas that of M8 was reduced, in heterozygous and homozygous PMs in an incremental manner consistent with the loss of functional alleles.• However, the exposure of active moiety was only modestly elevated in hetero‐ and homozygous PMs.AIMSThis study reports the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir, its active metabolite, M8, and active moiety (nelfinavir + M8) in volunteers genotyped for CYP2C19 as extensive metabolizer (*1*1; n = 38), heterozygous poor metabolizer (PM) (*1*2; n = 22) and homozygous PM (*2*2; n = 6).METHODSSubjects received nelfinavir at normal dose (3.5 days of 1250 mg q12h) or high dose (1250 mg q12h for 3 days and single dose of 3125 mg on day 4). Steady‐state plasma samples were analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet assay to determine pharmacokinetics.RESULTSAt steady state, the mean Cmax was 42% [95% confidence interval (CI) 19, 69] and 63% (95% CI 20, 122) higher, and mean AUC was 51% (95% CI 24, 83) and 85% (95% CI 32, 159) higher for *1*2 and *2*2 compared with *1*1 subjects, respectively. For M8, the mean Cmax and AUC were 35% (95% CI 6, 55) and 33% (95% CI −3, 56), respectively, lower for *1*2 compared with *1*1 subjects. M8 was not detectable in *2*2 subjects. The mean Cmax and AUC values for the active moiety were higher by 30–35% for the *1*2 and *2*2 compared with *1*1 subjects.CONCLUSIONSMutation in CYP2C19 increased the systemic exposure of nelfinavir and reduced the exposure of M8. No significant differences were noted among the heterozygous (*1*2) and homozygous (*2*2) PMs. These changes are not considered to be clinically relevant and hence the use of nelfinavir does not require prior assessment of CYP2C19 genotype.
Enzyme therapy in Fabry disease: severe adverse events associated with anti‐agalsidase cross‐reactive IgG antibodies
Authors: Tesmoingt Chloe , Lidove Olivier , Reberga Axele , Thetis Marguerite , Ackaert Chloe , Nicaise Pascale , Arnaud Philippe , Papo Thomas 
Published: July 2009

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • Fabry disease is an X‐linked lysosomal storage disorder related to α‐galactosidase A deficiency.• Two enzyme replacement therapies were approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2001: agalsidase‐alfa and agalsidase‐beta.• Patients with Fabry disease and treated with agalsidase‐alfa or ‐beta can develop antibodies against the protein infused.• IgG antibodies against agalsidase‐alfa and IgG and IgE antibodies against agalsidase‐beta were previously described. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • Despite two successive treatments with agalsidase in our patient, kidney function declined.• Cross‐reactivity between the two enzymes could be demonstrated.• Negative IgE antibodies and skin tests results do not necessarily equate with safety and the ability to continue with enzyme replacement therapies.AIMSTo report a severe adverse event related to enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase in an hemizygous male patient treated for Fabry disease.METHODSRetrospective analysis of clinical, radiological and biochemical data in a patient who suffered adverse events related to both agalsidase alfa and agalsidase beta treatments.RESULTSA hemizygous male patient was first treated for Fabry disease with agalsidase alfa. After more than 1 year of therapy, infusion‐related symptoms necessitated systemic steroids and antihistaminic therapy. Decline in kidney function prompted a switch for agalsidase beta. Anaphylactoid shock occurred after the second infusion. No serum IgE antibodies were disclosed. Skin‐test reactivity to agalsidase beta was negative. Following a published rechallenge infusion protocol, agalsidase beta was reintroduced, leading to a second anaphylactoid shock episode. Enzyme replacement therapy was stopped and the patient was treated with symptomatic therapy only. This case was referred to the pharmacovigilance department.CONCLUSIONThe negativity of immunological tests (specific anti‐agalsidase IgE antibodies and skin tests) does not rule out the risk of repeated anaphylactoid shock following agalsidase infusion.
The effect of soil phosphorus on particulate phosphorus in land runoff
Authors: Withers P. J. A. , Hartikainen H. , Barberis E. , Flynn N. J. , Warren G. P. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryAccumulation of surplus phosphorus (P) in the soil and the resulting increased transport of P in land runoff contribute to freshwater eutrophication. The effects of increasing soil P (19–194 mg Olsen‐P (OP) kg−1) on the concentrations of particulate P (PP), and sorption properties (Qmax, k and EPCo) of suspended solids (SS) in overland flow from 15 unreplicated field plots established on a dispersive arable soil were measured over three monitoring periods under natural rainfall. Concentrations of PP in plot runoff increased linearly at a rate of 2.6 μg litre−1 per mg OP kg−1 of soil, but this rate was approximately 50% of the rate of increase in dissolved P (< 0.45 μm). Concentrations of SS in runoff were similar across all plots and contained a greater P sorption capacity (mean + 57%) than the soil because of enrichment with fine silt and clay (0.45–20 μm). As soil P increased, the P enrichment ratio of the SS declined exponentially, and the values of P saturation (Psat; 15–42%) and equilibrium P concentration (EPCo; 0.7–5.5 mg litre−1) in the SS fell within narrower ranges compared with the soils (6–74% and 0.1–10 mg litre−1, respectively). When OP was < 100 mg kg−1, Psat and EPCo values in the SS were smaller than those in the soil and vice‐versa, suggesting that eroding particles from soils with both average and high P fertility would release P on entering the local (Rosemaund) stream. Increasing soil OP from average to high P fertility increased the P content of the SS by approximately 10%, but had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the Psat, or EPCo, of the SS. Management options to reduce soil P status as a means of reducing P losses in land runoff and minimizing eutrophication risk may therefore have more limited effect than is currently assumed in catchment management.
Nurturing Nature: Social Experiences and the Brain
Authors: Champagne Frances A. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryHow does ‘nurture’ change the brain? Recent evidence suggests that maternal care may shape the infant brain by turning genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ during development. Some of the genes affected are important for maternal and social behaviour leading to long‐term changes in the nurturing behaviour of offspring. These studies provide new insights into the inheritance of behaviour and the interactions between genes and the social environment across the lifespan.