bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Satisfaction after the transition between electronic health record systems at six ambulatory practices
Authors: Pfoh Elizabeth R. , Abramson Erika , Zandieh Stephanie , Edwards Alison , Kaushal Rainu 
Published: August 2011

AbstractRationale, aims and objectives  Early adopters of electronic health records (EHRs) are transitioning from older to newer EHRs to satisfy meaningful use requirements. Facilitators and barriers to satisfaction after transitioning are important to understand as provider satisfaction is linked with improvement in health care.Method  We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of providers who transitioned from an older to a newer EHR at six academic, urban ambulatory medical practices. A novel survey was developed to assess: (1) satisfaction with the EHR implementation; (2) patterns of information technology use; (3) work perceptions; (4) methods for completing clinical tasks; and (5) demographic characteristics. We analysed the results using bivariate and multivariate analyses.Results  The response rate was 64% (n = 197). A small majority were satisfied with the new EHR (64%, n = 120). Providers who reported satisfaction with overall quality of work life, their workload and the transition were more likely to be satisfied with the new EHR (P < 0.01). Providers who reported using the Internet at least daily were also more likely to be satisfied with the new EHR (P < 0.05). In a multivariate model, satisfaction with the transition was a strong predictor of satisfaction with the new EHR (P < 0.01). Barriers to satisfaction include dissatisfaction with: maintaining problem and medication lists, tracking health maintenance information, referring to clinical practice guidelines and ordering laboratory and radiology tests (P < 0.01).Conclusion  This study provides groundwork for understanding the facilitators and barriers to provider satisfaction after the transition between EHRs and provides insight into areas requiring attention by entities undergoing similar transitions.
A naïve Bayes classifier for planning transfusion requirements in heart surgery
Authors: Cevenini Gabriele , Barbini Emanuela , Massai Maria R. , Barbini Paolo 
Published: August 2011

AbstractRationale, aims and objectives  Transfusion of allogeneic blood products is a key issue in cardiac surgery. Although blood conservation and standard transfusion guidelines have been published by different medical groups, actual transfusion practices after cardiac surgery vary widely among institutions. Models can be a useful support for decision making and may reduce the total cost of care. The objective of this study was to propose and evaluate a procedure to develop a simple locally customized decision‐support system.Methods  We analysed 3182 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery at the University Hospital of Siena, Italy. Univariate statistical tests were performed to identify a set of preoperative and intraoperative variables as likely independent features for planning transfusion quantities. These features were utilized to design a naïve Bayes classifier. Model performance was evaluated using the leave‐one‐out cross‐validation approach. All computations were done using spss and matlab code.Results  The overall correct classification percentage was not particularly high if several classes of patients were to be identified. Model performance improved appreciably when the patient sample was divided into two classes (transfused and non‐transfused patients). In this case the naïve Bayes model correctly classified about three quarters of patients with 71.2% sensitivity and 78.4% specificity, thus providing useful information for recognizing patients with transfusion requirements in the specific scenario considered.Conclusions  Although the classifier is customized to a particular setting and cannot be generalized to other scenarios, the simplicity of its development and the results obtained make it a promising approach for designing a simple model for different heart surgery centres needing a customized decision‐support system for planning transfusion requirements in intensive care unit.
Evaluating self‐efficacy for managing chronic disease: psychometric properties of the six‐item Self‐Efficacy Scale in Germany
Authors: Freund Tobias , Gensichen Jochen , Goetz Katja , Szecsenyi Joachim , Mahler Cornelia 
Published: August 2011

AbstractObjective  Self‐efficacy – the confidence to carry out certain behaviour in order to achieve a specific goal – has increasingly been recognized as an essential prerequisite of effective self‐management of chronic diseases. Therefore, valid and reliable measures are needed to evaluate self‐efficacy in both research and clinical practice. This study explored the psychometric properties of the German version of the Self‐Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6‐Item Scale (SES6G).Methods  We performed standardized translation and cultural adaptation of the SES6G into German. The SES6G was externally validated with the German General Self‐Efficacy Scale (SWE). Cronbach's alpha, descriptive statistics and principal component analysis were used to assess psychometric properties of the SES6G. We assessed the effect of the number of co‐occurring chronic diseases on SES6G scores using linear regression modelling by controlling for age, gender and education level.Results  We analysed data of 244 primary care patients in Germany. The SES6G showed good convergent construct validity to the SWE (spearman rank correlation 0.578, P < 0.001) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.930). Principal component analysis underlined the one‐dimensional structure of the instrument. Adjusted for age and gender, increasing numbers of co‐occurring chronic diseases were associated with lower SES6G scores (standardized β‐value −0.27, P < 0.001). Education level showed no significant effect.Conclusions  The SES6G is a reliable and valid instrument to assess patients' self‐efficacy for managing chronic diseases. It may enhance further research in German‐speaking countries and appears to be a valuable measure for clinical practice.
Expression pattern of heat‐shock cognate 70 gene of humphead snapper, Lutjanus sanguineus (Cuvier), infected by Vibrio harveyi
Authors: Zhang X Z , Wu Z H , Yang S P , Pang H Y , Jian J C , Lu Y S 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe heat‐shock cognate 70 (HSC70) gene of humphead snapper, Lutjanus sanguineus, designated as ByHSC70, was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) with the primers designed from the known expressed sequence tag (EST) identified from the subtracted cDNA library of the head kidney of humphead snapper. The full‐length cDNA of ByHSC70 is 2313 bp, containing a 5′ terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 96 bp, a 3′ terminal UTR of 267 bp, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 1950 bp encoding a polypeptide of 650 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 71.21 kDa and an estimated isoelectric point (pI) of 5.08. ByHSC70 contained three classical HSP70 family signatures. BLAST analysis showed that the amino acid sequence of ByHSC70 had the highest similarity of 99% when compared with other HSC70s. Fluorescent real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR was used to examine the expression of ByHSC70 gene in eight kinds of tissues/organs of humphead snapper after challenge with Vibrio harveyi. There was a clear time‐dependent expression pattern of ByHSC70 in head kidney, spleen and thymus after bacterial challenge, and the expression of mRNA reached a maximum level at 9, 6 and 24 h post‐infection and then returned to control levels after 15, 24 and 36 h, respectively. Our results suggest that HSC70 is an important component in the immune system of humphead snapper, its their rapid transcriptional upregulation in response to V. harveyi infection might be important for survival of humphead snapper.
Sustained benefits of a community dietetics intervention designed to improve oral nutritional supplement prescribing practices
Authors: Kennelly S. , Kennedy N. P. , Corish C. A. , Flanagan‐Rughoobur G. , Glennon‐Slattery C. , Sugrue S. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractBackground:  Healthcare professionals working in the community do not always prescribe oral nutritional supplements (ONS) according to best practice guidelines for the management of malnutrition. The present study aimed to determine the impact of a community dietetics intervention on ONS prescribing practices and expenditure 1 year later.Methods:  The intervention involved general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses, nurses in local nursing homes and community nurses. It comprised an education programme together with the provision of a new community dietetics service. Changes in health care professionals’ nutrition care practices were determined by examining community dietetics records. ONS prescribing volume and expenditure on ONS were assessed using data from the Primary Care Reimbursement Service of the Irish Health Service Executive.Results:  Seven out of 10 principal GPs participated in the nutrition education programme. One year later, screening for malnutrition risk was better, dietary advice was provided more often, referral to the community dietetics service improved and ONS were prescribed for a greater proportion of patients at ‘high risk’ of malnutrition than before (88% versus 37%; P < 0.001). There was a trend towards fewer patients being prescribed ONS (18% reduction; P = 0.074) and there was no significant change in expenditure on ONS by participating GPs (3% reduction; P = 0.499), despite a 28% increase nationally by GPs on ONS.Conclusions:  The community dietetics intervention improved ONS prescribing practices by GPs and nurses, in accordance with best practice guidelines, without increasing expenditure on ONS during the year after intervention.
Pharmacokinetics of tramadol and its major metabolites in alpacas following intravenous and oral administration
Authors: EDMONDSON M. A. , DURAN S. H. , BOOTHE D. M. , STEWART A. J. , RAVIS W. R. 
Published: August 2011

Edmondson, M. A., Duran, S. H., Boothe, D. M., Stewart, A. J., Ravis, W. R. Pharmacokinetics of tramadol and its major metabolites in alpacas following intravenous and oral administration. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 35, 389–396.Tramadol, a centrally acting opioid analgesic with monamine reuptake inhibition, was administered to six alpacas (43–71 kg) randomly assigned to two treatment groups, using an open, single‐dose, two‐period, randomized cross‐over design at a dose of 3.4–4.4 mg/kg intravenously (IV) and, after a washout period, 11 mg/kg orally. Serum samples were collected and stored at −80 °C until assayed by HPLC. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The mean half‐lives (t1/2) IV were 0.85 ± 0.463 and 0.520 ± 0.256 h orally. The Cp(0) IV was 2467 ± 540 ng/mL, and the Cmax was 1202 ± 1319 ng/mL orally. Tmax occurred at 0.111 ± 0.068 h orally. The area under the curve (AUC0‐∞) IV was 895 ± 189 and 373 ± 217 ng*h/mL orally. The volume of distribution (Vd[area]) IV was 5.50 ± 2.66 L/kg. Total body clearance (Cl) IV was 4.62 ± 1.09 h; Cl/F for oral administration was 39.5 ± 23 L/h/kg. The IV mean residence time (MRT) was 0.720 ± 0.264. Oral adsorption (F) was low (5.9–19.1%) at almost three times the IV dosage with a large inter‐subject variation. This may be due to binding with the rumen contents or enzymatic destruction. Assuming linear nonsaturable pharmacokinetics and absorption processes, a dosage of 6.7 times orally would be needed to achieve the same IV serum concentration of tramadol. The t1/2 of all three metabolites was longer than the parent drug; however, O‐DMT, N‐DMT, and Di‐DMT metabolites were not detectable in all of the alpacas. Because of the poor bioavailability and adverse effects noted in this study, the oral administration of tramadol in alpacas cannot be recommended without further research.
Regulation of basal LC20 phosphorylation by MYPT1 and CPI‐17 in murine gastric antrum, gastric fundus, and proximal colon smooth muscles
Authors: Bhetwal B. P. , An C. L. , Fisher S. A. , Perrino B. A. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractBackground  Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) govern myosin light chain (LC20) phosphorylation and smooth muscle contraction. Rho kinase (ROK) inhibits MLCP, resulting in greater LC20 phosphorylation and force generation at a given [Ca2+]i. Here, we investigate the role of ROK in regulating LC20 phosphorylation and spontaneous contractions of gastric fundus, gastric antrum, and proximal colon smooth muscles.Methods  Protein and phosphorylation levels were determined by western blotting. The effects of Y27632, nicardipine, and GF109203X on phosphorylation levels and contraction were measured.Key Results   γ‐Actin expression is similar in all three smooth muscles. LC20 and pS19 are highest, but ROK1 and ROK2 are lowest, in antrum and proximal colon smooth muscles. LZ +/− myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 1 (MYPT1), CPI‐17, and pT696, pT853, and pT38 are highest in fundus and proximal colon smooth muscles. Myosin phosphatase‐rho interacting protein (M‐RIP) expression is lowest in fundus, and highest in antrum and proximal colon smooth muscles. Y27632 reduced pT853 in each smooth muscle, but reduced pT696 only in fundus smooth muscles. Nicardipine had no effect on pT38 in each smooth muscle, while GF109203X reduced pT38 in proximal colon and fundus smooth muscles. Y27632 or nicardipine reduced pS19 in proximal colon and fundus smooth muscles. Y27632 or nicardipine inhibited antrum and proximal colon smooth muscle spontaneous contractions, but only Y27632 reduced fundus smooth muscle tone. Zero external Ca2+ relaxed each smooth muscle and abolished LC20 phosphorylation.Conclusions & Inferences  Organ‐specific mechanisms involving the MLCP interacting proteins LZ +/− MYPT1, M‐RIP, and CPI‐17 are critical to regulating basal LC20 phosphorylation in gastrointestinal smooth muscles.
Immune responses elicited by co‐immunization of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum MSP‐1 using prime‐boost immunization strategies
Authors: MEHRIZI A. A. , ZAKERI S. , RAFATI S. , SALMANIAN A. H. , DJADID N. D. 
Published: August 2011

SummaryCarboxy‐terminus of merozoite surface protein‐1 (MSP‐119) is the major protein on the surface of the plasmodial merozoite that acts as one of the most important blood‐stage vaccine candidates. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the immune responses when either two recombinant antigens (rPvMSP‐119 + rPfMSP‐119) or two plasmid constructs (pcDNA3.1 hygro‐PvMSP‐119 + pcDNA3.1 hygro‐PfMSP‐119) were administered in combination at a single site in mice by using different immunization strategies (protein/protein, DNA/DNA and DNA/protein) at weeks 0, 5 and 8. All mice were monitored for the level of MSP‐119‐specific antibody for up to 40 weeks. The inclusion of both recombinant antigens in a vaccine mixture could not inhibit induction of antibodies to the other antigen when the two recombinant antigens were combined in immunization formulation. Interestingly, antisera from immunized mice with either recombinant antigen failed to cross‐react with heterologous antigen. Moreover, the results of this study showed that co‐immunization with both antigens at a single site generated a substantial PvMSP‐119‐ and PfMSP‐119‐specific antibody responses and also IFN‐γ cytokine production (Th1 response) in DNA/protein prime‐boost immunization strategies. The increased humoral response to PvMSP‐119 and PfMSP‐119 lasted nearly a year after immunization. Therefore, the results of this study are encouraging for the development of multi‐species malaria vaccine based on MSP‐119 antigen.
Inter‐annual variability of southerly winds in a coastal area of the Atacama Desert: implications for the export of aeolian sediments to the adjacent marine environment
Authors: FLORES‐AQUEVEQUE VALENTINA , ALFARO STEPHANE C. , CAQUINEAU SANDRINE , FORET GILLES , VARGAS GABRIEL , RUTLLANT JOSE A. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe analysis of the aeolian content of marine cores collected off the coast of the Atacama Desert (Mejillones Bay, Chile) suggests that marine sediments can record inter‐annual to inter‐decadal variations in the regional southerly winds responsible for particle entrainment at the surface of the nearby desert. However, the establishment of a simple and direct correlation between the sediment and wind records is complicated by the difference of time scales between the erosion and accumulation processes. The aim of this work is to: (i) assess the inter‐annual variability of the surface winds responsible for the sand movements; and (ii) determine whether the integration over periods of several months completely smoothes the rapid changes in characteristics of the transported and deposited aeolian material. To accomplish this aim, 14 years of 10 m hourly wind speed, measured at the Cerro Moreno (Antofagasta) Airport between 1991 and 2003 and at the Orica Station between 2000 and 2004, were analyzed. For each year, the wind speed statistical distribution can be represented by a combination of two to three Weibull functions. Winds of the lowest Weibull mode are too weak to move the sand grains at the surface of the pampa; this is not the case for the intermediate mode and especially for the highest speed mode which are able to erode the arid surface and transport particles to the bay. In each individual year of the period of study, the highest speed mode only accounted for a limited number of strong erosion events. Quantitative analysis of the distribution of the friction velocities and of their impact on erosion using a saltation model suggests that, although all wind speeds above threshold produce erosion events, values around 0·45 m sec−1 contribute less to the erosion flux. This gap allows separation of the erosion events into low and high saltation modes. The correlation (r = 0·997) between the importance of the third Weibull mode and the extent of higher rate saltation indicates that the inter‐annual variability of the erosion at the surface of the pampa, as well as the transport of coarse particles (>100 μm), are directly related to inter‐annual variations in the prevalence of the strongest winds. Finally, a transport and deposition model is used to assess the possible impact of the wind inter‐annual variability on the deposition flux of mineral particles in the bay. The results suggest that inter‐annual differences in the wind speed distributions have a quantifiable effect on the intensity and size‐distribution of this deposition flux. This observation suggests that a detailed analysis of the sediment cores collected from the bay could be used for reconstructing the inter‐annual variability of past winds.
Domain loss has independently occurred multiple times in plant terpene synthase evolution
Authors: Hillwig Matthew L. , Xu Meimei , Toyomasu Tomonobu , Tiernan Mollie S. , Wei Gao , Cui Guanghong , Huang Luqi , Peters Reuben J. 
Published: August 2011

SummaryThe extensive family of plant terpene synthases (TPSs) generally has a bi‐domain structure, yet phylogenetic analyses consistently indicate that these synthases have evolved from larger diterpene synthases. In particular, that duplication of the diterpene synthase genes required for gibberellin phytohormone biosynthesis provided an early predecessor, whose loss of a approximately 220 amino acid ‘internal sequence element’ (now recognized as the γ domain) gave rise to the precursor of the modern mono‐ and sesqui‐TPSs found in all higher plants. Intriguingly, TPSs are conserved by taxonomic relationships rather than function. This relationship demonstrates that such functional radiation has occurred both repeatedly and relatively recently, yet phylogenetic analyses assume that the ‘internal/γ’ domain loss represents a single evolutionary event. Here we provide evidence that such a loss was not a singular event, but rather has occurred multiple times. Specifically, we provide an example of a bi‐domain diterpene synthase from Salvia miltiorrhiza, along with a sesquiterpene synthase from Triticum aestivum (wheat) that is not only closely related to diterpene synthases, but retains the ent‐kaurene synthase activity relevant to the ancestral gibberellin metabolic function. Indeed, while the wheat sesquiterpene synthase clearly no longer contains the ‘internal/γ’ domain, it is closely related to rice diterpene synthase genes that retain the ancestral tri‐domain structure. Thus, these findings provide examples of key evolutionary intermediates that underlie the bi‐domain structure observed in the expansive plant TPS gene family, as well as indicating that ‘internal/γ’ domain loss has occurred independently multiple times, highlighting the complex evolutionary history of this important enzymatic family.
Renal function in children with heart transplantation after switching to CNI‐free immunosuppression with everolimus
Authors: Behnke‐Hall Kachina , Bauer Juergen , Thul Josef , Akintuerk Hakan , Reitz Katharina , Bauer Anna , Schranz Dietmar 
Published: August 2011

Behnke‐Hall K, Bauer J, Thul J, Akintuerk H, Reitz K, Bauer A, Schranz D. Renal function in children with heart transplantation after switching to CNI‐free immunosuppression with everolimus.  Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 784–789. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  Renal impairment because of CNI contributes to long‐term morbidity. Therefore, CNI avoiding or sparing treatment strategies are important. In this article, we describe the results of a CNI‐free treatment protocol with regard to recovery of renal function. Twenty‐eight patients with heart transplantation were switched from CNI regimen to everolimus and mycophenolate, when cGFR was <75 mL/min/1.73 m2. In all patients, CNI was stopped, when everolimus trough levels of 5–8 ng/L were achieved. Serum creatinine and cGFR were determined before and after 6 and 12 months. Median serum creatinine decreased from 1.2 mg/dL (range 0.7–3.7) before everolimus to 1.0 (range 0.6–1.8) and 1.0 (range 0.5–1.9) mg/dL after 6 and 12 months. Median cGFR was 47.81 (range 18.3–72.6) mL/min/1.73 m2 before everolimus and 63.1 (range 37.8–108.7) mL/min/1.73 m2 at six months and 64.8 (range 37.7–106.6) mL/min/1.73 m2 after 12 months. All changes from baseline to six and 12 months were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Adverse events were infections (n = 3) and rejections (n = 3). Therapy was discontinued in four patients. Conversion to CNI‐free immunosuppression resulted in significant improvements of renal function within six months of CNI withdrawal. Side effects are common. However, more studies are required to demonstrate the effectiveness in children.