bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ex Vivo Expansion of Cord Blood Progenitors
Authors: Piacibello W. , Sanavio F. , Severino A. , Garetto L. , Danè A. , Gammaitoni L. , Aglietta M. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractHuman umbilical cord blood contains abundant primitive and committed hematopoietic progenitors; in addition, the general availability and the ease of procurement make cord blood a very attractive alternative source of transplantable hematopoietic tissue. However, the major limitation to a widespread use of cord blood for transplantation lays in its limited volume. For such a reason, until now, cord blood transplant has been mainly restricted to children and small size adults. Ex vivo expansion of cord blood stem cells could make the use of cord blood transplant feasible also for adult patients. Recently we developed a stroma‐free culture system in which a progressive, increasingly greater production of hemopoietic progenitors belonging to all the hematopoietic lineages was sustained for over six months. A similar sustained and prolonged expansion of the most primitive stem cells that can be detected in vitro (LTC‐IC), was also documented.The extremely prolonged maintenance and the massive expansions suggest that extensive self‐renewal and little differentiation can be triggered in vitro by FLT3/FLK2 ligand (FL) plus c‐mpl ligand (Thrombopoietin) and this could represent a first step towards the implementation of clinical expansion‐transplantation strategies.
In Vitro And in Vivo Expansion of Stem Cell Populations
Authors: Wagemaker G. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractExpansion of hemopoietic stem cells occurs in vivo following transplantation of limited numbers of bone marrow cells or of highly purified stem cells. Stem cell expansion can in principle be achieved in vitro and also be promoted in vivo by growth factor treatment, notably with thrombopoietin. Advances in identification of stromal elements, growth factors and culture conditions that stimulate immature hemopoietic stem cell proliferation may result in effective stem cell expansion protocols and contribute to efficient retrovirally mediated gene transfer. In vivo expansion of immature cells by growth factor treatment may both be a valid alternative and an adjuvant to in vitro expansion.
The CD34 Molecule and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Studies ‐ a Challenge in Clinical Medicine
Authors: Egeland T. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe CD34 molecule, which is expressed at various levels on virtually all human hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), is a heavy glycosylated molecule with many different epitopes. A large series of CD34‐specific monoclonal antibodies specific for different epitopes has been generated. Some of these antibodies do not react with particular HPC subpopulations. Thus, the antibodies used for HPC enumeration and isolation have to be carefully chosen with respect to what is aimed at.
Analysis of CD34‐Expressing Cells in Clinical Practice
Authors: Serke S. , Beyer J. , Rick O. , Schwella N. , Meyer O. , Hildebrandt M. , Huhn D. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe flow cytometric determination of haemopoietic cells defined as CD34‐ expressing cells has greatly added to the improvement of the management of harvesting circulating haemopoietic cells for subsequent autologous reinfusion in the setting of high‐dose chemo/(radio)‐therapy. Additionally, this flow cytometric determination has replaced, in some institutions, the in‐vitro culture test for CFU‐GM as the measure to estimate the haemopoietic potential of the cells to be reinfused/transplanted.
Mutated Ras Peptides as Vaccines in Immunotherapy of Cancer
Authors: Gjertsen M.K. , Gaudernack G. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractMutations in codon 12 and 13 of K‐RAS are frequently found in human cancer, including pancreatic‐ and colorectal adenocarcinomas. T cell responses specific for individual RAS mutations can be elicited in vitro by stimulation with synthetic peptides and in vivo following vaccination with antigen presenting cells pulsed ex vivo with synthetic peptides. The peptide‐responding T cells are capable of responding to intact p21 ras, and can recognise and kill tumour cell lines and isolated tumour cells harbouring the corresponding RAS mutation. The responding cells can be of both CD4+ and CD8+ phenotype, and these T cell subsets recognise nested epitopes within the vaccine peptides. Mutant ras peptides are therefore possibly an important vaccine for specific immunotherapy in patients with pancreatic and colorectal carcinomas, and are currently being tested in vivo together with GM‐CSF as an adjuvant in these cancer patients.
GMP in Blood Collection and Processing
Authors: Wagstaff W. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe principles of Good Manufacturing Practice have, in the main, been universally developed for the guidance of the pharmaceutical industry rather than for transfusion services. However, these rules and guides are increasingly being adapted for use in blood centres, in the production of labile blood components and of plasma for fractionation. The guide for pharmaceutical industries produced by the commission of the European Communities is used as a model here, the nine basic requirements being those applicable to Quality Management, personnel, premises and equipment, document, production, Quality Control, contract manufacture and analysis, complaints and product recall, and self‐ inspection. Though having more direct application to the production laboratory preparing blood components, the majority of these requirements and principles are also directly applicable to all of the activities involved in blood collection.
Effectiveness of semantic therapy for word‐finding difficulties in pupils with persistent language impairments: a randomized control trial
Authors: Ebbels Susan H. , Nicoll Hilary , Clark Becky , Eachus Beth , Gallagher Aoife L. , Horniman Karen , Jennings Mary , McEvoy Kate , Nimmo Liz , Turner Gail 
Published: August 2011

AbstractBackground: Word‐finding difficulties (WFDs) in children have been hypothesized to be caused at least partly by poor semantic knowledge. Therefore, improving semantic knowledge should decrease word‐finding errors. Previous studies of semantic therapy for WFDs are inconclusive.Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of semantic therapy for secondary school‐aged pupils with WFDs using a randomized control trial with blind assessment.Methods & Procedures: Fifteen participants with language impairments and WFDs (aged 9;11–15;11) were randomly assigned to a therapy versus waiting control group. In Phase 1 the therapy group received two 15‐min semantic therapy sessions per week for 8 weeks with their usual speech and language therapist. Therapy for each participant targeted words from one of three semantic categories (animals, food, clothes). All participants were tested pre‐ and post‐phase 1 therapy on the brief version of the Test of Adolescent Word Finding (TAWF), semantic fluency and the Test of Word Finding in Discourse (TWFD). In Phase 2 the waiting control group received the same therapy as the original therapy group, which received therapy targeted at other language areas. Testing after Phase 2 aimed to establish whether the waiting control group made similar progress to the original therapy group and whether the original therapy group maintained any gains.Outcomes & Results: The original therapy group made significant progress in standard scores on the TAWF (d= 0.94), which was maintained 5 months later. However, they made no progress on the semantic fluency or discourse tests. Participants in the waiting control group did not make significant progress on the TAWF in Phase 1 when they received no word‐finding therapy. However, after Phase 2, when they received the therapy, they also made significant progress (d= 0.81). The combined effect of therapy over the two groups was d= 1.2. The mean standard scores on the TAWF were 67 pre‐therapy and 77 post‐therapy.Conclusions & Implications: Four hours of semantic therapy on discrete semantic categories led to significant gains on a general standardized test of word finding, enabling the participants to begin to close the gap between their performance and that of their typically developing peers. These gains were maintained after 5 months. A small amount of therapy can lead to significant gains even with secondary aged pupils with severe language difficulties. However, further studies are needed to find ways of improving word‐finding abilities in discourse.
Utility of endtidal carbon dioxide monitoring in detection of hypoxia during sedation for brain magnetic resonance imaging in children with developmental disabilities
Authors: Kannikeswaran Nirupama , Chen Xinguang , Sethuraman Usha 
Published: August 2011

SummaryBackground:  We have shown previously that children with developmental disabilities have three times higher incidence of sedation‐related hypoxia when compared with normal children.Objectives:  Our objectives were to describe the changes in endtidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) values and the utility of ETCO2 monitoring in earlier identification of hypoxia during sedation for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with developmental disabilities.Methods:  We conducted a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of 150 children with developmental disabilities aged 1–10 years who received intravenous sedation for brain MRI. Children were sedated and monitored according to the institution’s sedation protocol. We recorded ETCO2 levels, hypoxia, and adverse events during sedation. Hypoxia was defined as SpO2 < 93%. A change in ETCO2 level ≥ 10 mm Hg from presedation baseline, an intra‐sedation ≥ 50 mm Hg, and loss of capnographic waveform were considered as significant ETCO2 abnormalities.Results:  Of the children, 80.7% (121/150) were sedated with a combination of pentobarbital and fentanyl. ETCO2 abnormalities were noted in 42.6% (64/150) of sedation encounters. Hypoxia occurred in 18% (27/150) of subjects. ETCO2 abnormalities were documented in 19(70%) patients with hypoxia before changes in pulse oximetry were noted. ETCO2 changes were noted a mean of 4.38 ± 1.89 min prior to occurrence of hypoxia.Conclusions:  ETCO2 abnormalities and hypoxia occur commonly during sedation in children with developmental disabilities. ETCO2 monitoring is useful in early recognition of impending hypoxia during sedation in children with developmental disabilities.
Screening tools used for measuring depression among people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes: a systematic review
Authors: Roy T. , Lloyd C. E. , Pouwer F. , Holt R. I. G. , Sartorius N 
Published: August 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 164–175 (2012)AbstractBackground  Depression is common in patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, has a strong negative impact on the quality of life of patients and is associated with poor outcomes and higher mortality rates. Several guidelines encourage screening of patients with diabetes for depression. It is unclear which depression screening tools are currently being used in people with diabetes and which are most appropriate.Methods  A systematic review was conducted to examine which depression screening instruments are currently being used in diabetes research, and the operating characteristics of these tools in diabetes populations. Literature searches for the period January 1970 to October 2010 were conducted using MEDLINE, PSYCH‐INFO, ASSIA, SCOPUS, ACADEMIC SEARCH COMPLETE, CINAHL and SCIENCE DIRECT.Results  Data are presented for the 234 published studies that were examined. The Beck Depression Inventory and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were the most popular screening tools (used in 24% and 21% of studies). Information on the cultural applicability of screening tools was mostly unavailable and, where reported, included only details of the language translation process. A small number of studies reported reliability data, most of which showed moderate–good sensitivity and specificity but a high rate of false positives.Conclusions  Although a range of depression screening tools have been used in research, there remains few data on their reliability and validity. Information on the cultural applicability of these instruments is even scantier. Further research is required in order to determine the suitability of screening tools for use in clinical practice and to address the increasing problem of co‐morbid diabetes and depression.
Effectiveness of medical nutrition treatment delivered by dietitians on glycaemic outcomes and lipid profiles of Arab, Omani patients with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Al‐Shookri A. , Khor G. L. , Chan Y. M. , Loke S. C. , Al‐Maskari M. 
Published: August 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 236–244 (2012)AbstractAims  In this randomized controlled trial we evaluated the effectiveness of medical nutritional therapy on Arab patients with Type 2 diabetes in Oman delivered by a dietitian.Methods  Patients with Type 2 diabetes (n = 170) were randomly assigned to a group receiving usual nutritional care (n = 85) or a group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care (n = 85). Anthropometric (weight, height, BMI and waist circumference) and biochemical (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c) variables were measured at baseline and after each appointment. Patients were given 1–3 appointments with a dietitian over 6 months.Results  Those in the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care (n = 85) had significant changes in HbA1c (−0.8%, P = 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (−1.3 mmol\l, P = 0.003) and weight (−5.1 kg, P = 0.05), whereas the patients in the usual nutritional care group (n = 85) had no significant improvements in either HbA1c (−0.4%, P = 0.248) or fasting plasma glucose (−0.2 mmol/l, P = 0.638) during the same period. We also found a significant difference between the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care and the usual nutritional care group, respectively, in waist circumference (96.9 ± 7.9 vs. 100.0 ± 8.7 cm, P = 0.019), triglycerides levels (1.42 ± 0.58 vs. 1.98 ± 0.96 mmol\l, P = 0.001), cholesterol levels (5.1 ± 1.0 vs. 5.5 ± 0.9 mmol/l, P = 0.009) and LDL cholesterol levels (3.58 ± 0.98 vs. 3.89 ± 0.98 mmol/l, P = 0.046).Conclusions  Medical nutrition therapy provided by dietitians to Arab patients with Type 2 diabetes in Oman resulted in significant improvements in anthropometric and biochemical outcomes in both the usual nutritional care group and the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care. Subjects with Type 2 diabetes tended to do better with practice guidelines nutritional care than with usual nutritional care. Ongoing medical counselling in nutrition by a trained dietitian is important for better long‐term metabolic control.
Proposed new diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes – a pause for thought?
Authors: Cundy T. 
Published: August 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 176–180 (2012)AbstractNew criteria for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes promulgated by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADSPG) have been adopted by a number of groups, including the American Diabetes Association. These criteria will increase two‐ to three‐fold the number of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes and have enormous resource implications. The recommendations are derived from observations made in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (HAPO) study, which demonstrated continuous relationships between maternal glucose tolerance and two clinically relevant outcomes of pregnancy (caesarean section rate and neonatal hypoglycaemia) and two surrogate measures (birth weight and cord C‐peptide). The recent randomized intervention studies in mild gestational diabetes indicate that the major effects of detecting and treating mild gestational diabetes are a reduction in mean birthweight of 100–140 g, and a reduction in the incidence of shoulder dystocia. However, the women included in these studies were identified using different diagnostic criteria, and it cannot be assumed that women diagnosed by the less stringent IADSPG criteria will have the same benefit. Moreover, as the majority of cases of macrosomia and shoulder dystocia occur in women with normal glucose tolerance, the real impact of diagnosing many more ‘cases’ of gestational diabetes is likely to be minimal. The concentration on mild degrees of hyperglycaemia may well be misplaced, as most of the outcomes usually attributed to gestational diabetes are more strongly associated with maternal obesity and weight gain in pregnancy. The new testing procedure (with diagnosis based on a single blood glucose measurement) will inevitably be imprecise. Given the many reservations about the new criteria an urgent but dispassionate debate is required on the risks, costs and benefits of their introduction.
IJV Partner Trustworthy Behaviour: The Role of Host Country Governance and Partner Selection Criteria
Authors: Roy Jean‐Paul 
Published: August 2011

abstractThis study provides new insight into the interplay between partner‐ and institution‐level bases of trustworthy behaviour in international joint ventures (IJVs). The results of the study, based on survey and archival data collected on 144 IJVs across six Asian countries, revealed that host country governance quality directly and positively influences IJV partner trustworthy behaviour. It was also found that weak host country governance undermined the effectiveness of certain partner selection criteria in serving as a tool for establishing an IJV with a trustworthy partner. Furthermore, through distinguishing between two dimensions of trustworthiness (benevolence and competence), it was demonstrated that partner benevolence is facilitated by relationship‐oriented criteria, whereas partner competence is facilitated by task‐oriented criteria. The implications of these results for the establishment and management of IJVs are discussed.
The Theory of the Social Threshold: The Social Aspect of Accident Causation
Authors: Paterson T. T. 
Published: August 2011

The majority of accidents are the result of factors which, as yet, cannot be tested for. Therefore, for large scale accident reduction we must make not only tests for accident proneness, but examine the environment where proneness which cannot be tested for can express itself. A survey of American figures demonstrates that the sustaining of many accidents in one period is not certainly prognostic of a high accident rate for the same individuals in a future period. There is regression towards the average, a spontaneous improvement (viewed statistically) over a considerable lapse of time. By further analysis it has been shown that accidents cannot be reduced beyond a certain limit by working on individuals who, over a brief period, have had a high accident rate. The factors contributory to accident causation of all kinds are divided into three groups: intrinsic (individual), extrinsic (social), and natural, and since certain of these factors, especially social, are variable, the accident situation is dynamic not static. Accident proneness is constantly altering as the social environment changes. Following Farmer and Davis, it is concluded that social stresses give rise to emotional changes which in turn disorganise skilled activity. This effect of social stresses can be resisted by social conditioning, but beyond a certain level or field of social conditioning, here called the social threshold, it is believed the individual becomes accident prone. It is recognised that there is a distinction between individuals who have intrinsic accident proneness detectable by battery testing, and those who are not thus detectable but, in certain environments, have a tendency to accidents. There are also those who show a history of accidents. It is proposed that these groups be called respectively accident prone, accident potential, and accident liable. The dynamic character of the accident situation explains the phenomenon of regression towards the average.
Optimal Detection of Heterogeneous and Heteroscedastic Mixtures
Authors: Tony Cai T. , Jessie Jeng X. , Jin Jiashun 
Published: August 2011

SummaryThe problem of detecting heterogeneous and heteroscedastic Gaussian mixtures is considered. The focus is on how the parameters of heterogeneity, heteroscedasticity and proportion of non-null component influence the difficulty of the problem. We establish an explicit detection boundary which separates the detectable region where the likelihood ratio test is shown to detect the presence of non-null effects reliably from the undetectable region where no method can do so. In particular, the results show that the detection boundary changes dramatically when the proportion of non-null component shifts from the sparse regime to the dense regime. Furthermore, it is shown that the higher criticism test, which does not require specific information on model parameters, is optimally adaptive to the unknown degrees of heterogeneity and heteroscedasticity in both the sparse and the dense cases.
Augmented Designs to Assess Principal Strata Direct Effects
Authors: Mattei Alessandra , Mealli Fabrizia 
Published: August 2011

SummaryMany studies involving causal questions are often concerned with understanding the causal pathways by which a treatment affects an outcome. Thus, the concept of ‘direct’versus‘indirect’ effects comes into play. We tackle the problem of disentangling direct and indirect effects by investigating new augmented experimental designs, where the treatment is randomized, and the mediating variable is not forced, but only randomly encouraged. There are two key features of our framework: we adopt a principal stratification approach, and we mainly focus on principal strata effects, avoiding involving a priori counterfactual outcomes. Using non-parametric identification strategies, we provide a set of assumptions, which allow us to identify partially the causal estimands of interest: the principal strata direct effects. Some examples are shown to illustrate our design and causal estimands of interest. Large sample bounds for the principal strata average direct effects are provided, and a simple hypothetical example is used to show how our augmented design can be implemented and how the bounds can be calculated. Finally our augmented design is compared and contrasted with a standard randomized design.
Will improving wastewater treatment impact shorebirds? Effects of sewage discharges on estuarine invertebrates and birds
Authors: Alves J. A. , Sutherland W. J. , Gill J. A. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractHuman communities often discharge wastewaters into estuaries, influencing their organic and pollutant loading, benthic community and trophic structure. The implementation of the Water Framework Directive has encouraged the treatment of wastewater discharges across European estuaries, but the implications for invertebrate and waterbird communities are poorly understood. We explore the effects of untreated sewage discharges on the distribution and abundance of foraging black‐tailed godwits Limosa limosa and their main benthic prey (bivalves and polychaetes) on the Tejo estuary in Portugal, a major European Special Protection Area with ongoing wastewater improvements. Patches of mudflat in close proximity to sewage streams (<30 m) can support polychaete densities and biomass that are an order of magnitude higher than more distant sites (>70 m), and godwits foraging in these areas can attain the highest intake rates recorded for the estuary. However, high intake rates can also be attained on bivalve prey, and bivalve biomass and density increase slightly with distance from sewage streams. As the organic input from sewage outfalls influences invertebrate abundance and godwit foraging rates over relatively small areas, the ongoing implementation of a sewage treatment network on the Tejo estuary seems likely to have only a limited impact on the wintering godwit population. The localized effect of untreated sewage discharges on benthic communities suggests that the implications for predatory birds are relatively minor where alternative prey are available, but may be more severe in locations with more depauperate, polychaete‐dominated invertebrate communities.