bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service for parasitology: toxoplasma serology scheme
Authors: Manser Monika M , Chatterton Jean , Francis Janet , Guy Edward , Holliman Rick , Ho-Yen Darrel , Johnson Julie , Chiodini Peter L 
Published: October 2010

AimTo examine performance in the UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme (UKNEQAS) for toxoplasma serology for evidence of discrepant results as compared with the predistribution and postdistribution results supplied by the toxoplasma reference laboratories.MethodsAnalysis of performance in the toxoplasma IgG and IgM schemes was made for the period 1994–2008 to look for trends in performance.ResultsFor the IgG scheme, a mean of 98% of participants obtained the correct result for detection of toxoplasma-specific antibody. The most common problem was failure to detect low levels of antibody. In some cases this was the result of participants deviating from the manufacturer's instructions and using higher cut-off levels. For the IgM scheme, an average of 95% of participants obtained the correct result for toxoplasma antibody detection. The most common problem was the failure of some enzyme immunoassay kits to detect specific toxoplasma IgM antibody, which was detected by the more sensitive immunosorbent agglutination assay.ConclusionsPerformance standards in the UKNEQAS toxoplasma serology schemes were high. The problems encountered have highlighted the importance of detecting low levels of antibody, adhering to the kit manufacturer's instructions and selecting an appropriate assay for the clinical situation.
Cardiovascular mortality during heat and cold events: determinants of regional vulnerability in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Pei-Chih , Lin Chuan-Yao , Lung Shih-Chun , Guo How-Ran , Chou Chang-Hung , Su Huey-Jen 
Published: October 2010

ObjectivesTo identify the vulnerable regions with underlying susceptibility and poor adaptive capability in response to cold and heat events in Taiwan, and to characterise the determinants associated with such an increasing risk to design better adaptive strategies in view of predicted weather changes in the future.MethodsThe authors used spatial regression models to measure the relationships between the spatial characteristics of temperature, extracted factors from demographic and socio-economic parameters, and the mean cardiovascular mortality 2 weeks before and after cold or heat events from 1994 to 2003.ResultsMetropolitan regions were found to have a substantially lower mortality than rural areas after cold and heat events. Events of cold, compared with heat, had greater impacts on the mortality ratio in most townships. A negative association was identified, using a spatial lag model, between the mortality after cold and heat events and urbanisation, and the availability of medical resources. A higher percentage of older people, vulnerable and aborigines might have contributed to the increasing vulnerability of townships during cold and heat events.ConclusionsThese data, using an island-wide spatial analysis, suggest that urban areas have a greater adaptive capability than rural areas, plausibly because people in urban areas have a higher socio-economic status and more medical resources. Social inequality across urban and rural townships is apparent and developing customised adaptation programmes for vulnerable regions to cope with heat and cold event should be prioritised.
Republished paper: Bad stars or guiding lights? Learning from disasters to improve patient safety
Authors: Hughes C , Travaglia J F , Braithwaite J 
Published: October 2010

Abstract

Background
Cross-fertilisation of ideas across industries, settings and contexts potentially improves learning by providing fresh insights into error pathways.

Objectives and hypotheses
To investigate six cases of human error drawn from disasters in the space, shipping, aviation, mining, rail and nuclear industries, and to apprehend similarities and differences in the antecedents to errors, the way they manifest, the course of events and the way they are tackled. The extent to which human intervention can exacerbate the problems by introducing new errors, how the cases are resolved and the lessons learnt were examined.

Design, setting and participants
Exemplar disaster events drawn from a very large sample of human errors.

Results
It is possible to identify and model a generic disaster pathway that applies across several industries, including healthcare.

Conclusions
Despite differences between industries, it is clear that learning from disasters in other industries may provide important insights on how to prevent or ameliorate them in healthcare.
Primary care research and clinical practice: cardiovascular disease
Authors: Mavaddat N , Mant J 
Published: November 2010

Abstract
Improvement in survival of patients with cardiovascular diseases and an ageing population mean that management of cardiovascular conditions remains an important challenge for primary care. Traditionally cardiovascular research has been based largely in secondary or tertiary care settings. The majority of care for people with cardiovascular diseases, however, takes place in the community and within primary care. In recent years, progress has been made in conducting cardiovascular research within primary care itself. A number of different methodologies including large prospective cohort studies, randomised controlled trials, and qualitative designs have been used to inform optimal cardiovascular disease management for those in the community. Some of the recent research evidence in primary care in three areas of cardiovascular medicine—atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and cardiovascular risk prediction and management—are discussed in this review. These seek to demonstrate the contribution made by primary care research to the management of cardiovascular diseases.
Comparison of cutaneous manifestations in chronic kidney disease with or without dialysis
Authors: Khanna Deepshikha , Singal Archana , Kalra Om Prakash 
Published: October 2010

AbstractPurposeTo study and compare dermatological manifestations in patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD), undialysed and dialysed, in a developing country.Study design200 patients were recruited, 50 each in stages 3, 4 and 5 CKD (undialysed) and 50 in stage 5 undergoing maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) for at least 1 month. Patients in stages 3 and 4 constituted pre-ESRD while stage 5 (both dialysed and undialysed) formed the ESRD group. Detailed cutaneous examination was done for all patients and dermatological manifestations were compared among various study groups.Results96% of patients had at least one dermatological manifestation. Xerosis was most common and was observed in 72% of patients, followed by pigmentation (50%), pruritus (36%), infections (29%), markers of skin ageing (13%), half-and-half nail (28%), and absent lunula (22%). Perforating disorders (3%), bullous disorders (2%), and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (1%) were encountered less often. Local complications of dialysis occurred in 64% patients on MHD. Diffuse pigmentation and skin pallor were seen more commonly as compared to findings reported in the west. The frequency of most cutaneous manifestations was similar between dialysed and undialysed patients with ESRD. Xerosis, pigmentation, and pruritus were more frequent in patients with severe disease, and mean duration of disease was significantly higher for patients with pigmentation, pruritus, and half-and-half nail. Longer duration on MHD was associated with greater pigmentation and pruritus.ConclusionDermatological manifestations increase with increasing duration and severity of renal disease. Dialysis may in turn often perpetuate many of these cutaneous complaints. Recognition and management of some of these dermatological manifestations may vastly reduce the morbidity and improve the cutaneous outcome in these patients.
AN EFFICIENT WAVELET-BASED PALMPRINT VERIFICATION APPROACH
Authors: PRASAD S. M. , GOVINDAN V. K. , SATHIDEVI P. S. 
Published: November 2010

This paper proposes a wavelet-based palmprint verification approach which is efficient in terms of accuracy and speed. The prominent wavelet domain features such as subband energy distribution, histogram, and co-occurrence features fail to characterize the palmprints sufficiently due to coefficient perturbations caused by translational and/or rotational variations in palmprints. In this work, firstly, a novel approach, termed as adaptive tessellation of subbands, is proposed to effectively capture the spatially localized energy distribution based on the spread of principal lines. Secondly, a set of discriminating features, termed as high scale codes (HSCODEs), and a translation and rotation invariant matching technique are proposed. HSCODEs effectively characterize the palmprints by capturing the spatial patterns corresponding to the low frequency components. Energy features and selected HSCODEs are fused at score and decision levels. Particularly, score level fusion enhances the verification accuracy significantly. Effectiveness of the proposed approach is examined on PolyU-ONLINE-Palmprint-II (PolyU) database. The experimental results show an overall equal error rate (EER) of 0.22%, which is better than the existing wavelet-based palmprint recognition systems and comparable to the computationally complex state-of-the-art approaches. The speed of the approach is high as all the features are extracted from the same wavelet decomposition of palmprint. Further, it is shown that the proposed feature extraction technique can be extended for speech signals as well and such features can be fused with palmprint features for accuracy enhancement.
Phase I Clinical Trial of the Chimeric Anti-Mesothelin Monoclonal Antibody MORAb-009 in Patients with Mesothelin-Expressing Cancers
Authors: Hassan Raffit , Cohen Steven J. , Phillips Martin , Pastan Ira , Sharon Elad , Kelly Ronan J. , Schweizer Charles , Weil Susan , Laheru Daniel 
Published: October 2010

Abstract
Purpose: MORAb-009 is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets mesothelin, a tumor differentiation antigen overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other malignancies. We conducted a phase I clinical trial of MORAb-009 in patients with advanced mesothelin-expressing cancers to determine its safety, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and maximum tolerated dose (MTD).
Methods: Cohorts consisting of 3 to 6 subjects each received MORAb-009 intravenously on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 at progressively increasing doses ranging from 12.5 to 400 mg/m2. Disease evaluation with computed tomography occurred on day 35. Subjects with responding or stable disease could receive additional cycles of MORAb-009.
Results: A total of 24 subjects were treated including 13 mesothelioma, 7 pancreatic cancer, and 4 ovarian cancer patients. The median number of MORAb-009 infusions was 4 (range 1–24 infusions). At the 400 mg/m2 dose level, 2 subjects experienced DLT (grade 4 transaminitis and a grade 3 serum sickness). Thus, although there were other contributing causes of these adverse events, 200 mg/m2 was considered the MTD. Other adverse events at least possibly related to MORAb-009 included 7 drug hypersensitivity events (all grade 1 or 2) and a thromboembolic event (grade 4). Eleven subjects had stable disease. There was a dose-dependent increase in serum MORAb-009 concentration.
Conclusion: MORAb-009 is well tolerated and the MTD when administered weekly is conservatively set at 200 mg/m2. In this group of previously treated patients, 11 subjects had stable disease. Phase II studies of MORAb-009 in different mesothelin-expressing cancers are ongoing.
Microenvironmental Regulation of Glioblastoma Radioresponse
Authors: Jamal Muhammad , Rath Barbara H. , Williams Eli S. , Camphausen Kevin , Tofilon Philip J. 
Published: October 2010

Abstract
Purpose: Brain tumor xenografts initiated from human glioblastoma (GBM) stem-like cells (TSC) simulate the biological characteristics of GBMs in situ. Therefore, to determine whether the brain microenvironment affects the intrinsic radiosensitivity of GBM cells, we compared the radioresponse of GBM TSCs grown in vitro and as brain tumor xenografts.
Experimental Design: As indicators of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), γH2AX, and 53BP1 foci were defined after irradiation of 2 GBM TSC lines grown in vitro and as orthotopic xenografts in nude mice. Microarray analysis was conducted to compare gene expression patterns under each growth condition.
Results: Dispersal of radiation-induced γH2AX and 53BP1 foci was faster in the tumor cells grown as orthotopic xenografts compared with cells irradiated in vitro. In addition, cells irradiated in vivo were approximately 3-fold less susceptible to foci induction as compared with cells grown in vitro. Microarray analysis revealed a significant number of genes whose expression was commonly affected in the 2 GBM models by orthotopic growth conditions. Consistent with the decrease in sensitivity to foci induction, genes related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism were expressed at higher levels in the brain tumor xenografts.
Conclusion: γH2AX and 53BP1 foci analyses indicate that GBM cells irradiated within orthotopic xenografts have a greater capacity to repair DSBs and are less susceptible to their induction than tumor cells irradiated under in vitro growth conditions. Because DSB induction and repair are critical determinants of radiosensitivity, these results imply that the brain microenvironment contributes to GBM radioresistance.Clin Cancer Res; 16(24); 6049–59. ©2010 AACR.
Braking Bad: Blockade of Inhibitory Pathways Improves Interleukin-15 Therapy
Authors: Carson William E. 
Published: October 2010

Abstract
Blockade of the CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibitory pathways in T cells via the administration of neutralizing antibodies at the time of interleukin (IL)-15 therapy markedly enhanced the survival of tumor-bearing mice as compared with those receiving IL-15 alone or IL-15 in combination with just one of the antibodies. Clin Cancer Res; 16(24); 5917–9. ©2010 AACR.
Efficacy and Safety of Carvedilol in Treatment of Heart Failure with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Wali Ravinder K. , Iyengar Malini , Beck Gerald J. , Chartyan David M. , Chonchol Michel , Lukas Mary Ann , Cooper Christopher , Himmelfarb Jonathan , Weir Matthew R. , Berl Tomas , Henrich William L. , Cheung Alfred K. 
Published: October 2010

Background—
The safety and efficacy of different types of β-blocker therapy in patients with non–dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and systolic heart failure (HF) are not well described. We assessed whether treatment of systolic HF with carvedilol is efficacious and safe in adults with CKD.

Methods and Results—

We performed a post hoc analysis of pooled individual patient data (n=4217) from 2 multinational, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trials, CAPRICORN (Carvedilol Postinfarct Survival Control in Left Ventricular Dysfunction Study) and COPERNICUS (Carvedilol Prospective Randomized, Cumulative Survival study). Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular mortality, HF mortality, first HF hospitalization, the composite of cardiovascular mortality or first HF hospitalization, and sudden cardiac death. Non–dialysis-dependent CKD was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤60 mL/min/1.73 m
2
, using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. CKD was present in 2566 of 4217 (60.8%) of the cohort, 50.4% of whom were randomly assigned to carvedilol therapy. Within the CKD group, treatment with carvedilol decreased the risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.93;
P
=0.007), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.94;
P
=0.011), HF mortality (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.88;
P
=0.003), first hospitalization for HF (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.88;
P
=0.0009), and the composite of cardiovascular mortality or HF hospitalization (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.87;
P
<0.001) but was without significant effect on sudden cardiac death (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.05;
P
=0.098). There was no significant interaction between treatment arm and study type. Carvedilol was generally well tolerated by both groups of patients, with an increased relative incidence in transient increase in serum creatinine without need for dialysis and other electrolyte changes in the CKD patients. However, in a sensitivity analysis among HF subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate <45 mL/min/1.73 m
2
(CKD stage 3b), the efficacy of carvedilol was not significantly different from placebo.

Conclusions—
This analysis suggests that the benefits of carvedilol therapy in patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction with or without symptoms of HF are consistent even in the presence of mild to moderate CKD. Whether carvedilol therapy is similarly efficacious in HF patients with more advanced kidney disease requires further study.
PDE5 Inhibition With Sildenafil Improves Left Ventricular Diastolic Function, Cardiac Geometry, and Clinical Status in Patients With Stable Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Guazzi Marco , Vicenzi Marco , Arena Ross , Guazzi Maurizio D. 
Published: October 2010

Background—
In heart failure (HF), a defective nitric oxide signaling is involved in left ventricular (LV) diastolic abnormalities and remodeling. PDE5 inhibition, by blocking degradation of nitric oxide second-messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate, might be beneficial. In a cohort of systolic HF patients, we tested the effects of PDE5 inhibition (sildenafil) on LV ejection fraction, diastolic function, cardiac geometry, and clinical status.

Methods and Results—

Forty-five HF patients (New York Heart Association class II-III) were randomly assigned to placebo or sildenafil (50 mg three times per day) for 1 year, with assessment (6 months and 1 year) of LV ejection fraction, diastolic function, geometry, cardiopulmonary exercise performance, and quality of life. In the sildenafil group only, at 6 months and 1 year, LV ejection fraction, early diastolic tissue Doppler velocities (E′) at the mitral lateral (from 4.62 to 5.20 and 5.19 m/s) and septal (from 4.71 to 5.23 and 5.24 m/s) annuli significantly increased, whereas the ratio of early transmitral (E) to E′ lateral decreased (from 13.1 to 9.8 to 9.4) (
P
<0.01). Changes were accompanied by a reverse remodeling of left atrial volume index (from 32.0 to 29.0 and 29.1 mL/m
2
;
P
<0.01) and LV mass index (from 148.0 to 130.0 and 128.0 g/m
2
;
P
<0.01). Furthermore, sildenafil improved exercise performance (peak V
o
2
), ventilation efficiency (ventilation to CO
2
production slope), and quality of life (
P
<0.01). Minor adverse effects were noted: flushing in 4 and headache in 2 treated patients.

Conclusions—
Findings confirm that in HF, sildenafil improves functional capacity and clinical status and provide the first human evidence that LV diastolic function and cardiac geometry are additional targets of benefits related to chronic PDE5 inhibition.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00975494.
Delta-Sarcoglycan Gene Therapy Halts Progression of Cardiac Dysfunction, Improves Respiratory Failure, and Prolongs Life in Myopathic Hamsters
Authors: Hoshijima Masahiko , Hayashi Takeharu , Jeon Young E. , Fu Zhenxing , Gu Yusu , Dalton Nancy D. , Ellisman Mark H. , Xiao Xiao , Powell Frank L. , Ross John 
Published: October 2010

Background—
The BIO14.6 hamster provides a useful model of hereditary cardiomyopathies and muscular dystrophy. Previous δ-sarcoglycan (δSG) gene therapy (GT) studies were limited to neonatal and young adult animals and prevented the development of cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction. GT of a pseudophosphorylated mutant of phospholamban (S16EPLN) moderately alleviated the progression of cardiomyopathy.

Methods and Results—
We treated 4-month-old BIO14.6 hamsters with established cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases intravenously with a serotype-9 adeno–associated viral vector carrying δSG alone or in combination with S16EPLN. Before treatment at age 14 weeks, the left ventricular fractional shortening by echocardiography was 31.3% versus 45.8% in normal hamsters. In a randomized trial, GT halted progression of left ventricular dilation and left ventricular dysfunction. Also, respiratory function improved. Addition of S16EPLN had no significant additional effects. δSG-GT prevented severe degeneration of the transverse tubular system in cardiomyocytes (electron tomography) and restored distribution of dystrophin and caveolin-3. All placebo-treated hamsters, except animals removed for the hemodynamic study, died with heart failure between 34 and 67 weeks of age. In the GT group, signs of cardiac and respiratory failure did not develop, and animals lived for 92 weeks or longer, an age comparable to that reported in normal hamsters.

Conclusion—
GT was highly effective in BIO14.6 hamsters even when given in late-stage disease, a finding that may carry implications for the future treatment of hereditary cardiac and muscle diseases in humans.
Representing China: Lin Yutang vs. American “China Hands” in the 1940s
Authors: Qian Suoqiao 
Published: October 2010

AbstractIn the 1930s and 1940s, American representations of China were divided between pro-Nationalist groups, notably Henry Luce's media enterprise, and a host of “China Hands” accused of being pro-Communist. Though these “China Hands” came from diff erent professions – journalists (Edgar Snow, Theodore White), academics (Owen Lattimore, John Fairbank), political activists (Agnes Smedley) – they formed a distinct group of American liberal cosmopolitan intellectuals. They achieved their cultural capital through their writings on China as “China experts.” Unlike their predecessors, they were Progressive liberals who allied themselves with the cause of China's modernization. But their vision ran against that of a Chinese cosmopolitan intellectual – Lin Yutang. With the initial support of Pearl Buck, Lin became the most well-known liberal intellectual from China and the self-styled cultural and political spokesman on U.S.-China relations in the 1940s America. Lin's debate with the “China Hands” over American representation of China spelled the end of his “American success.” By revisiting this debate, I do not want to re-invoke the issue of “Who Lost China?” Instead, this article maps out a critical terrain for understanding and questioning liberal cosmopolitan diff erence over American representations of China.
American Military Misconduct in Shanghai and the Chinese Civil War: The Case of Zang Dayaozi
Authors: Wilkinson Mark 
Published: October 2010

AbstractIn September 1946, an American navy sailor killed a Chinese ricksha puller named Zang Dayaozi in a pointless dispute over an allegedly unpaid fare. The American military shielded the assailant from justice, with the frustrated acquiescence of the Nationalist authorities. This seemingly minor event illustrates that the century-old patterns of personal abuse and legal privilege did not completely evaporate when the “unequal treaty” system ended in 1943. In the context of the Chinese Civil War, the event takes on political significance as well. Critics of the Guomindang government used the episode to illustrate the destructive impact of American interventionism and the callous disregard of the Nanjing government for its own people. Communist propagandists linked Zang's death with the more famous rape of a Chinese college student involving two American Marines in Beiping. The episode further illustrates that American service personnel stationed abroad play multiple roles, interacting with the locals in particular “contact zones” but also serving as the personification of American foreign policy.