bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Successful Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Campaign Using an Innovative Electronic Tracking System
Authors: Palmore Tara N. , Vandersluis J. Patrick , Morris Joan , Michelin Angela , Ruprecht Lisa M. , Schmitt James M. , Henderson David K. 
Published: October 2009

Background.Although influenza vaccination of healthcare workers reduces influenza-like illness and overall mortality among patients, national rates of vaccination for healthcare providers are unacceptably low. We report the implementation of a new mandatory vaccination policy by means of a streamlined electronic enrollment and vaccination tracking system at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center.Objective.To evaluate the outcome of a new mandatory staff influenza vaccination program.Methods.A new hospital policy endorsed by all the component NIH institutes and the Clinical Center departments mandated that employees who have patient contact either be vaccinated annually against influenza or sign a declination specifying the reason(s) for refusal. Those who fail to comply would be required to appear before the Medical Executive Committee to explain their rationale. We collected in a database the names of all physician and nonphysician staff who had patient contact. When a staff member either was vaccinated or declined vaccination, a simple system of badge scanning and bar-coded data entry captured essential data. The database was continuously updated, and it provided a list of noncompliant employees with whom to follow up.Results.By February 12, 2009, all 2,754 identified patient-care employees either were vaccinated or formally declined vaccination. Among those, 2,424 (88%) were vaccinated either at the NIH or elsewhere, 36 (1.3%) reported medical contraindications, and 294 (10.7%) declined vaccination for other reasons. Among the 294 employees without medical contraindications who declined, the most frequent reason given for declination was concern about side effects.Conclusions.Implementation of a novel vaccination tracking process and a hospital policy requiring influenza vaccination or declination yielded dramatic improvement in healthcare worker vaccination rates and likely will result in increased patient safety in our hospital.
Epidemiology and Impact of Imipenem Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Lautenbach Ebbing , Synnestvedt Marie , Weiner Mark G. , Bilker Warren B. , Vo Lien , Schein Jeff , Kim Myoung 
Published: October 2009

Background.Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging gram-negative pathogen that can cause healthcare-acquired infections among patients. Treatment is complicated for cases of healthcare-acquired infection with A. baumannii resistant to imipenem.Objective.To elucidate the risk factors for imipenem-resistant A. baumannii (IRAB) infection or colonization and to identify the effect of resistance on clinical and economic outcomes.Methods.We analyzed data from 2 medical centers of the University of Pennsylvania. Longitudinal trends in the prevalence of IRAB clinical isolates were characterized during the period from 1989 through 2004. For A. baumannii isolates obtained from 2001 through 2006, a case-control study was conducted to investigate the association between prior carbapenem use and IRAB infection or colonization, and a cohort study was performed to identify the effect of IRAB infection or colonization on mortality, length of stay after culture, and hospital cost after culture.Results.From 1989 through 2004, the annual prevalence of IRAB isolates ranged from 0% to 21%. During the period from 2001 through 2006, there were 386 unique patients with A. baumannii isolates, and 89 (23.1%) had IRAB isolates. Prior carbapenem use was independently associated with IRAB infection or colonization (adjusted odds ratio, 3.04 [95% confidence interval, 1.07–8.65]). There was a borderline significant association between IRAB infection or colonization and mortality, although this association was limited to isolates recovered from blood samples (adjusted odds ratio, 5.30 [95% confidence interval, 0.81–34.59]). Compared with patients with imipenem-susceptible A. baumannii infection or colonization, patients with IRAB infection or colonization had a longer hospital stay after culture (median, 21 vs 16 days; P = .07) and greater hospital charges after culture (mean, $334,516 vs $276,059; P = .03). After controlling for patient location in an intensive care unit, transfer from another facility, and length of hospital stay before culture, there was no longer an independent association between IRAB infection or colonization and higher cost after culture and length of stay after positive culture result.Conclusions.Many A. baumannii isolates exhibit imipenem resistance, which is strongly associated with prior use of carbapenems. Given the high mortality rate associated with A. baumannii infection or colonization, interventions to curb further emergence of cases of IRAB infection and strategies to optimize therapy are needed.
Impact of Hurricane Ike on Texas Poison Center Calls
Authors: Forrester Mathias B. 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTOn September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas, resulting in the mandatory evacuation of 8 counties before landfall and the declaration of disaster areas in 29 counties afterward. This study evaluated whether Hurricane Ike affected the pattern of Texas poison center calls. Texas poison center calls received from the disaster area counties were identified for 3 time periods: August 12 to September 10, 2008 (preevacuation), September 11 to 13, 2008 (evacuation and hurricane landfall), and September 14 to 30, 2008 (postevacuation). For selected types of calls, the mean daily call volume during time periods 2 and 3 was compared with a baseline range (BR) derived from the mean daily call volume during time period 1. During the evacuation and landfall period, gasoline exposure calls were higher than expected (mean 3, BR −1 to 2). During the postevacuation period, higher than expected numbers of calls were observed for gasoline exposures (mean 5, BR −1 to 2) and carbon monoxide exposures (mean 3, BR –1–1). During an evacuation, certain calls such as those involving gasoline exposures may increase. After a hurricane, calls such as those involving carbon monoxide and gasoline exposures may increase. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3:151–157)
Exaggerated adrenarche in a cohort of Scottish children: clinical features and biochemistry
Authors: Paterson W. F. , Ahmed S. F. , Bath L. , Donaldson M. D. C. , Fleming R. , Greene S. A. , Hunter I. , Kelnar C. J. H. , Mayo A. , Schulga J. S. , Shapiro D. , Smail P. J. , Wallace A. M. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryObjective  To investigate the reported association between exaggerated adrenarche (EA) and reduced foetal growth and to identify possible risk factors for future morbidity in Scottish children with clinical features of EA.Design  Three‐year prospective study.Measurements  Auxology, blood pressure (BP), biochemical analysis of blood and urine, pelvic ultrasound in girls.Results  Fifty‐two patients were recruited of whom one girl had nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (17‐OHP 17 nmol/l) and one had insufficient blood for analysis. The final cohort comprised 42 girls of mean (SD) age 7·7 (0·99) and eight boys of 8·8 (0·67) years. Mean (SD) birth weight was 3·27 (0·49) and 3·10 (0·76) kg in girls and boys respectively. Height/weight SDS were 1·13/1·69 in girls and 1·69/1·88 in boys. Mean systolic/diastolic BP was 107·8/60·4 (50th–75th centile) in girls and 115·5/63·9 (75th–91st centile) in boys. Uterine and ovarian development was prepubertal. Median serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) was 2·1 and 4·1 μmol/l, androstenedione 3·1 and 3·8 nmol/l in girls and boys respectively, with DHEAS within the reference range/undetectable in 18/2 and androstenedione in 12/6 patients. Fasting insulin was 9·0 and 15·0 mU/l in girls and boys respectively, with concomitant low normal SHBG. Anti‐Mullerian hormone (AMH) was 15·7 pmol/l in 27 girls, compared with 5·0 pmol/l in normal girls aged 5–8 years.Conclusions  Our Scottish EA cohort showed female predominance, no evidence of reduced foetal growth, a tendency to overweight with commensurate mild hyperinsulinaemia and modest elevation of serum androgens in some patients. We have found raised AMH levels in the girls, indicating advanced ovarian follicular development.
Utility of liquid‐based cytology in endometrial pathology: diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Norimatsu Y. , Kouda H. , Kobayashi T. K. , Shimizu K. , Yanoh K. , Tsukayama C. , Miyake Y. , Ohno E. 
Published: October 2009

Objective:  The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of SurePath‐liquid‐based cytology (LBC) compared to conventional cytological preparations (CCP) in the identification of endometrial carcinoma.Methods:  During a 13‐month period, direct endometrial samples were collected from 120 patients using the Uterobrush. The material comprised 30 cases each of endometrial carcinoma, proliferative endometrium, secretory endometrium and atrophic endometrium. The following points were investigated:(i) the frequency of cell clumps in endometrial carcinoma; (ii) the area of cell nuclei; (iii) overlapping nuclei.Results:  (i) Comparison of the frequency of cell clumps with irregular protrusion pattern and papillo‐tubular pattern showed no statistically significant difference in either type of cell clump between CCP and LBC. (ii) Comparison of the nuclear area of cells showed a sequential decrease from endometrial carcinoma to secretory endometrium, to proliferative endometrium and to atrophic endometrium, which was significant in CCP and LBC. (iii) Nuclear area was significantly lower with LBC compared with CCP in endometrial carcinoma, secretory endometrium and proliferative endometrium but not atrophic endometrium. (iv) Comparison of the degree of overlapping nuclei showed a sequential decrease from endometrial carcinoma to proliferative endometrium, to secretory endometrium and to atrophic endometrium, which was significant in both CCP and LBC. (v) Comparison of the degree of overlapping nuclei between CCP and LBC showed no significant difference for normal types of endometrium, but LBC had significantly higher values (P < 0.0001) in endometrial carcinoma than in CCP.Conclusions:  The results of this study revealed that applying diagnostic criteria used in CCP to LBC was easy to achieve, because LBC had excellent cytoarchitectural preservation and cells were well presented. Although we have not examined all cytological features of malignancy and have not considered atypical hyperplasia, we believe that this method may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of endometrial cytology.
Extraction and identification of anthocyanin from purple corn (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Yang Zhendong , Chen Zhijie , Yuan Shulin , Zhai Weiwei , Piao Xiangshu , Piao Xianglan 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAn efficient extraction of anthocyanin from purple corn (Zea mays L.) was investigated in this paper. Tristimulus colourimetry was used to evaluate the process quantitatively and qualitatively. Purple corn anthocyanin was extracted with 1 n HCl–95% ethanol (15:85, v/v) at different extraction temperatures (30–70 °C), times (60–120 min) and solid–liquid ratio (1:20–1:40). The combined effects of extraction conditions on anthocyanin yield and colour attributes were studied using a three‐level three‐factor Box–Behnken design. The results showed that the highest yield of anthocyanin from purple corn (6.02 mg g−1) were obtained at 70 °C, extraction time 73 min, and solid–liquid ratio 1:25. Three kinds of non‐acylated anthocyanins were detected and characterised as cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside and peonidin‐3‐glucoside by HPLC‐MS.
Polyphenols: food sources, properties and applications – a review
Authors: El Gharras Hasna 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThere is currently much interest in phytochemicals as bioactive compounds of food. The roles of fruit, vegetables and red wine in disease prevention have been attributed, in part, to the antioxidant properties of their constituent polyphenols (vitamins E and C, and the carotenoids). Recent studies have shown that many dietary polyphenolic constituents derived from plants are more effective antioxidants in vitro than vitamins E or C, and thus might contribute significantly to the protective effects in vivo. Polyphenols are abundant micronutrients in our diet, and evidence for their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases is emerging. Dietary polyphenols show a great diversity of structures, ranging from rather simple molecules (monomers and oligomers) to polymers. Higher‐molecular‐weight structures (with molecular weights of ∼500) are usually designated as tannins, which refers to their ability to interact with proteins. Among them, condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) are particularly important because of their wide distribution in plants and their contributions to major food qualities. This paper focuses on polyphenols; we illustrate their sources from food, properties and their beneficial uses.
Trial‐generated profiles for implantation of electrical devices in outpatients with heart failure: real‐world prevalence and 1‐year outcome
Authors: Boriani Giuseppe , Rapezzi Claudio , Diemberger Igor , Gonzini Lucio , Gorini Marco , Lucci Donata , Sinagra Gianfranco , Cooke Robin M. T. , Di Pasquale Giuseppe , Tavazzi Luigi , Maggioni Aldo P. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground  Randomized controlled trials have generated strong evidence on the efficacy of electrical device therapy in selected patients with heart failure (HF). The enrolment criteria of these three trials generated patient profiles that helped to shape current guidelines on chronic heart failure (CHF) treatment and sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention. We investigated the prevalence of trial‐generated profiles for implantable defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy candidacy among HF outpatients; we explored differences between real‐world and trial populations and we evaluated 1‐year survival without device treatment.Methods  We reviewed Italian Network on Congestive Heart Failure (IN‐CHF) registry patients (n = 4977) enrolled in a period (1995–2000) roughly concurrent with the MADIT‐II and SCD‐HeFT trials.Results  Regarding device eligibility, 14.5% IN‐CHF patients at entry satisfied MADIT‐II criteria, 6.8% satisfied CARE‐HF criteria and as many as 47.9% fulfilled SCD‐HeFT criteria. One‐year overall mortality among non‐implanted patients was 1.5 to 2‐fold higher in each of these subgroups than in control arms of the corresponding trials. Among registry patients, different trial‐profile combinations were associated with a wide range of 1‐year outcomes (mortality, 8–35%; SCD/total mortality ratio, 0.35–0.57). Despite clear differences between registry and trial patients in pharmacological therapy (and clinical characteristics), none of the main drug classes independently predicted 1‐year mortality in any of the IN‐CHF subgroups.Conclusions  As many as half the IN‐CHF outpatients fulfilled current criteria for device implantation. Various subgroups had higher 1‐year mortality than patients in trial control arms – a finding that may not be entirely attributable to differences in drug therapy (especially beta blockers).
Four‐dimensional telomere analysis in recordings of living human cells acquired with Controlled Light Exposure Microscopy
Authors: DE VOS W.H. , JOSS G.H. , HAFFMANS W. , HOEBE R.A. , MANDERS E.M.M. , VAN OOSTVELDT P. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryTelomeres are the complex end structures that confer functional integrity and positional stability to human chromosomes. Telomere research has long been dominated by length measurements and biochemical analyses. Recently, interest has shifted towards the role of their three‐dimensional organization and dynamics within the nuclear volume. In the mammalian interphase nucleus, there is increasing evidence for a telomeric configuration that is non‐random and is cell cycle and cell type dependent. This has functional implications for genome stability. Objective and reproducible representation of the spatiotemporal organization of telomeres, under different experimental conditions, requires quantification by reliable automated image processing techniques. In this paper, we describe methods for quantitative telomere analysis in cell nuclei of living human cells expressing telomere‐binding fusion proteins. We present a toolbox for determining telomere positions within the nucleus with subresolution accuracy and tracking telomeres in 4D controlled light exposure microscopy (CLEM) recordings. The use of CLEM allowed for durable imaging and thereby improved segmentation performance considerably. With minor modifications, the underlying algorithms can be expanded to the analysis of other intranuclear features, such as nuclear bodies or DNA double stranded break foci.
The effect of marker choice on estimated levels of introgression across an avian (Pipridae:Manacus) hybrid zone
Authors: YURI TAMAKI , JERNIGAN ROBERT W. , BRUMFIELD ROBB T. , BHAGABATI NIRMAL K. , BRAUN MICHAEL J. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractHybrid zones are often characterized by narrow, coincident clines for diverse traits, suggesting that little introgression occurs across them. However, this pattern may result from a bias in focussing on traits that are diagnostic of parental populations. Such choice of highly differentiated traits may cause us to overlook differential introgression in nondiagnostic traits and to distort our perception of hybrid zones. We tested this hypothesis in an avian hybrid zone by comparing cline structure in two sets of molecular markers: isozyme and restriction fragment length polymorphism markers chosen for differentiation between parental forms, and microsatellite markers chosen for polymorphism. Two cline‐fitting methods showed that cline centre positions of microsatellite alleles were more variable than those of isozyme and restriction fragment length polymorphism markers, and several were significantly shifted from those of the diagnostic markers. Cline widths of microsatellite alleles were also variable and two‐ to eightfold wider than those of the diagnostic markers. These patterns are consistent with the idea that markers chosen for differentiation are more likely to be under purifying selection, and studies focussed on these markers will underestimate overall introgression across hybrid zones. Our results suggest that neutral and positively selected alleles may introgress freely across many hybrid zones without altering perceived boundaries between hybridizing forms.
A comparison of single‐sample effective size estimators using empirical toad (Bufo calamita) population data: genetic compensation and population size‐genetic diversity correlations
Authors: BEEBEE T. J. C. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe accuracy and precision of four single‐sample estimators of effective population size, Ne (heterozygote excess, linkage disequilibrium, Bayesian partial likelihood and sibship analysis) were compared using empirical data (microsatellite genotypes) from multiple natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) populations in Britain (n = 16) and elsewhere in Europe (n = 10). Census size data were available for the British populations. Because toads have overlapping generations, all of these methods estimated the number of effective breeders Nb rather than Ne. The heterozygote excess method only provided results, without confidence limits, for nine of the British populations. Linkage disequilibrium gave estimates for 10 British populations, but only six had finite confidence limits. The Bayesian and sibship methods both produced estimates with finite confidence limits for all the populations. Although the Bayesian method was the most precise, on most criteria (insensitivity to locus number, correlation with other effective and census size estimates and correlation with genetic diversity) the sibship method performed best. The results also provided evidence of genetic compensation in natterjack toads, and highlighted how the relationship between effective size and genetic diversity can vary as a function of geographical scale.
Co‐evolution of plumage characteristics and winter sociality in New and Old World sparrows
Authors: TIBBETTS E. A. , SAFRAN R. J. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractUnderstanding the evolution of phenotypic diversity, including the stunning array of avian plumage characters, is a central goal of evolutionary biology. Here, we applied a comparative analysis to test factors associated with the origin and maintenance of black chest and throat patches, which in some taxa are referred to as ‘badges‐of‐status’. Specifically, we tested whether the evolution of black colour patches in Old and New World sparrows is consistent with a signalling function during the nonbreeding season or breeding season. We found no positive associations between patch evolution and polygyny or summer sociality. Instead, patch evolution is significantly associated with sociality during the nonbreeding season. Additionally, unlike typical plumage characteristics under sexual selection, these patches are visible throughout the nonbreeding season. Further, the pattern of patch dimorphism uncovered in this study does not match expectations for a trait that evolved in a reproductive context. In particular, patch dimorphism is not associated with polygyny or the presence of extra‐pair mating although other types of plumage dimorphism are strongly associated with nonmonogamous mating systems. Overall, patterns of patch evolution suggest that they are more strongly associated with social competition during the nonbreeding season than sexual competition during the breeding season. These results clarify why some previous work has uncovered puzzling relationships between black plumage patches and reproductive behaviour. We discuss these findings in the context of signal theory and previous work on badges‐of‐status.
Retrospective comparison of maternal vs. HPA‐matched donor platelets for treatment of fetal alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Giers G. , Wenzel F. , Fischer J. , Stockschläder M. , Riethmacher R. , Lorenz H. , Tutschek B. 
Published: October 2009

Background and Objectives  In fetal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FAIT), transplacental maternal antibodies cause destruction of fetal platelets. FAIT is similar to fetal Rhesus haemolytic disease, but half of the affected fetuses are born to primiparous women. In 10–20% of cases, prenatal and perinatal intracranial haemorrhages are reported. Different therapeutic approaches have been described, including maternally administered high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin (high dose IVIG) without or with steroids or intrauterine transfusion (IUT) of compatible platelets. For the latter, the use of plasma‐free maternal and donor platelets has been described, but a comparison of these two sources of platelets has not been reported.Materials and Methods  We retrospectively analyzed the clinical courses of cases with FAIT treated with IUT of either HPA‐matched donor platelets or maternal platelets, done by a single team between 1990 and 1997. In 57 pregnancies, FAIT was treated by repeated IUT with either maternal (15 fetuses) or donor platelets (42 fetuses).Results  There was no procedure‐related fetal or neonatal loss. Platelets from both sources reliably raised the fetal platelet counts. Donor platelet preparations contained more platelets and yielded higher fetal post‐transfusion platelet counts, but maternal platelets were clinically equally effective.Conclusions  Donor and maternal platelet concentrates are effective sources for the treatment of FAIT.