bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Comprehensive Care Project: Measuring Physician Performance in Ambulatory Practice
Authors: Holmboe Eric S. , Weng Weifeng , Arnold Gerald K. , Kaplan Sherrie H. , Normand Sharon‐Lise , Greenfield Sheldon , Hood Sarah , Lipner Rebecca S. 
Published: September 2010

Objective. To investigate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of comprehensively assessing physician‐level performance in ambulatory practice.Data Sources/Study Setting. Ambulatory‐based general internists in 13 states participated in the assessment.Study Design. We assessed physician‐level performance, adjusted for patient factors, on 46 individual measures, an overall composite measure, and composite measures for chronic, acute, and preventive care. Between‐ versus within‐physician variation was quantified by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). External validity was assessed by correlating performance on a certification exam.Data Collection/Extraction Methods. Medical records for 236 physicians were audited for seven chronic and four acute care conditions, and six age‐ and gender‐appropriate preventive services.Principal Findings. Performance on the individual and composite measures varied substantially within (range 5–86 percent compliance on 46 measures) and between physicians (ICC range 0.12–0.88). Reliabilities for the composite measures were robust: 0.88 for chronic care and 0.87 for preventive services. Higher certification exam scores were associated with better performance on the overall (r=0.19; p<.01), chronic care (r=0.14, p=.04), and preventive services composites (r=0.17, p=.01).Conclusions. Our results suggest that reliable and valid comprehensive assessment of the quality of chronic and preventive care can be achieved by creating composite measures and by sampling feasible numbers of patients for each condition.
Risk‐Adjusted Capitation Rates for Children: How Useful Are the Survey‐Based Measures?
Authors: Yu Hao , Dick Andrew W. 
Published: September 2010

Objective. Despite the recognition by some experts that survey measures have the potential to improve capitation rates for those with chronic conditions, few studies have examined risk‐adjustment models for children, and fewer still have focused on survey measures. This study evaluates the performance of risk‐adjustment models for children and examines the potential of survey‐based measures for improving capitation rates for children.Data Sources. The study sample includes 8,352 Medicaid children who were followed up for 2 years by the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey in 2000–2005.Study Methods. Children's information in 1 year was used to predict their expenditures in the next year. Five models were estimated, including one each that used demographic characteristics, subjectively rated health status, survey measures about children with special health care needs (CSHCN), prior year expenditures, and Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC), which is a diagnosis‐based model. The models were tested at the individual level using multiple regression methods and at the group level using split‐half validation to evaluate their impact on expenditure predictions for CSHCN.Principal Findings. The CSHCN information explained higher proportion of the variance in annual expenditures than the subjectively rated health status, but less than HCC measures and prior expenditures. Adding the CSHCN information into demographic factors as adjusters would remarkably increase capitation rates for CSHCN.Conclusions. Survey measures, such as the CSHCN information, can improve risk‐adjustment models, and their inclusion into capitation adjustment may help provide appropriate payments to managed‐care plans serving this vulnerable group of children.
High rate of fistula placement in a cohort of dialysis patients in a single payer system
Authors: BLOSSER Christopher D. , AYEHU Gashu , WU Sam , LOMAGRO Ruth M. , MALONE Ellen , BRUNELLI Steven M. , ITKIN Max , GOLDEN Michael , MCCOMBS Peter , LIPSCHUTZ Joshua H. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractArteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are considered superior to arteriovenous grafts and catheters. Nevertheless, AVF prevalence in the United States remains under the established target. The complication rates and financial cost of vascular access continue to rise and disproportionately contribute to the burgeoning health care costs. The relationship between financial incentives for a type of vascular access and rate of access placement is unclear. All chronic hemodialysis patients (n=99) receiving care at Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center as of August 1, 2008 were participants. Demographic characteristics, vascular access type, and nonrelative value unit compensation were assessed as predictors, and the vascular access prevalence rate, operative times, and frequency of access interventions were analyzed. A 73.7% AVF rate was achieved in this cohort of patients with 51.5% diabetes mellitus. The number of access procedures per patient per year remained constant over time. The Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a single payer system, achieved superior AVF prevalence and exceeded the national AVF target. Financial incentives for arteriovenous graft placement currently exist in the United States, as there is similar Medicare reimbursement for arteriovenous graft and basilic vein transposition, despite longer operative times for basilic vein transpositions. The high AVF prevalence at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center may be due to the VA nonrelative value unit‐driven system that allows for interdisciplinary care, priority of AVFs, and frequent use of basilic vein transposition surgery, when appropriate. We have identified an important, hypothesis‐generating example of a nonrelative value unit‐based approach to vascular access yielding superior results with respect to patient care and cost.
Reflections on the Mutual Impact of Violence and Religious Change in Latin America
Authors: Levine Daniel H. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
The mutual impact of violence and religious transformation in the recent experience of Latin America has reshaped the public presence of churches (both Catholic and Protestant) and altered their discourse and appeal. Many churches turned to promotion of human rights, protection of victims, and opposition to authoritarian rule. Others allied with repressive regimes in the name of a kind of Christian nationalism. The violence at issue ranges from the massive violence of repression, torture, and revolutionary struggle to the institutionalized violence of poverty, disease, and injustice, which is often accompanied by the violence of daily life and linked with migration, drugs, gangs, and domestic abuse. Religion itself has changed: the Catholic monopoly has been replaced by pluralism, as Protestant and Pentecostal churches reach new populations and offer potential converts a way of opting out of the violence of daily life through rebirth in a new religious community.
M Protein and Hyaluronic Acid Capsule Are Essential for
In Vivo
Selection of
covRS
Mutations Characteristic of Invasive Serotype M1T1 Group A
Streptococcus
Authors: Cole Jason N. , Pence Morgan A. , von Köckritz-Blickwede Maren , Hollands Andrew , Gallo Richard L. , Walker Mark J. , Nizet Victor 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

The initiation of hyperinvasive disease in group A
Streptococcus
(GAS) serotype M1T1 occurs by mutation within the
covRS
two-component regulon (named
covRS
for
c
ontrol
o
f
v
irulence
r
egulatory
s
ensor kinase), which promotes resistance to neutrophil-mediated killing through the upregulation of bacteriophage-encoded Sda1 DNase. To determine whether other virulence factors contribute to this phase-switching phenomenon, we studied a panel of 10 isogenic GAS serotype M1T1 virulence gene knockout mutants. While loss of several individual virulence factors did not prevent GAS
covRS
switching
in vivo
, we found that M1 protein and hyaluronic acid capsule are indispensable for the switching phenotype, a phenomenon previously attributed uniquely to the Sda1 DNase. We demonstrate that like M1 protein and Sda1, capsule expression enhances survival of GAS serotype M1T1 within neutrophil extracellular traps. Furthermore, capsule shares with M1 protein a role in GAS resistance to human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37. We conclude that a quorum of GAS serotype M1T1 virulence genes with cooperative roles in resistance to neutrophil extracellular killing is essential for the switch to a hyperinvasive phenotype
in vivo
.

IMPORTANCE
The pathogen group A
Streptococcus
(GAS) causes a wide range of human infections ranging from the superficial “strep throat” to potentially life-threatening conditions, such as necrotizing fasciitis, also known as “flesh-eating disease.” A marked increase in the number of cases of severe invasive GAS infection during the last 30 years has been traced to the emergence and spread of a single clone of the M1T1 serotype. Recent studies have shown that GAS serotype M1T1 bacteria undergo a genetic “switch”
in vivo
to a hypervirulent state that allows dissemination into the bloodstream. The present study was undertaken to identify specific GAS serotype M1T1 virulence factors required for this switch to hypervirulence. The surface-anchored GAS M1 protein and hyaluronic acid capsule are found to be essential for the switching phenotype, and a novel role for capsule in GAS resistance to host defense peptides and neutrophil extracellular killing is revealed.
Topological Vector Space-Valued Cone Metric Spaces and Fixed Point Theorems
Authors: Kadelburg Zoran , Radenović Stojan , Rakočević Vladimir 
Published: September 2010

AbstractWe develop the theory of topological vector space valued cone metric spaces with nonnormal cones. We prove three general fixed point results in these spaces and deduce as corollaries several extensions of theorems about fixed points and common fixed points, known from the theory of (normed-valued) cone metric spaces. Examples are given to distinguish our results from the known ones.
Some Krasnonsel'skiĭ-Mann Algorithms and the Multiple-Set Split Feasibility Problem
Authors: He Huimin , Liu Sanyang , Noor MuhammadAslam 
Published: September 2010

AbstractSome variable Krasnonsel'skiĭ-Mann iteration algorithms generate some sequences "Equation missing", "Equation missing", and"Equation missing", respectively, via the formula "Equation missing", "Equation missing", "Equation missing", where "Equation missing" and the mod function takes values in "Equation missing", "Equation missing", "Equation missing", and"Equation missing" are sequences in "Equation missing" and "Equation missing" are sequences of nonexpansive mappings. We will show, in a fairly general Banach space, that the sequence "Equation missing", "Equation missing", "Equation missing" generated by the above formulas converge weakly to the common fixed point of "Equation missing", respectively. These results are used to solve the multiple-set split feasibility problem recently introduced by Censor et al. (2005). The purpose of this paper is to introduce convergence theorems of some variable Krasnonsel'skiĭ-Mann iteration algorithms in Banach space and their applications which solve the multiple-set split feasibility problem.
Survivin Enhances Motility of Melanoma Cells by Supporting Akt Activation and α5 Integrin Upregulation
Authors: McKenzie Jodi A. , Liu Tong , Goodson Agnessa G. , Grossman Douglas 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Survivin expression in melanoma is inversely correlated with patient survival. Transgenic mice harboring melanocyte-specific overexpression of survivin exhibit increased susceptibility to UV-induced melanoma and metastatic progression. To understand the mechanistic basis for metastatic progression, we investigated the effects of survivin on the motility of human melanocytes and melanoma cells. We found that survivin overexpression enhanced migration on fibronectin and invasion through Matrigel, whereas survivin knockdown under subapoptotic conditions blocked migration and invasion. In melanocytes, survivin overexpression activated the Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Akt phosphorylation was required for survivin-enhanced migration and invasion, whereas Erk phosphorylation was required only for enhanced invasion. In both melanocytes and melanoma cells, survivin overexpression was associated with upregulation of α5 integrin (fibronectin receptor component), the antibody-mediated blockade or RNA interference-mediated knockdown of which blocked survivin-enhanced migration. Knockdown of α5 integrin did not affect Akt activation, but inhibition of Akt phosphorylation prevented α5 integrin upregulation elicited by survivin overexpression. Together, our results showed that survivin enhanced the migration and invasion of melanocytic cells and suggested that survivin may promote melanoma metastasis by supporting Akt-dependent upregulation of α5 integrin. Cancer Res; 70(20); 7927–37. ©2010 AACR.
Amplifying TLR-MyD88 Signals within Tumor-Specific T Cells Enhances Antitumor Activity to Suboptimal Levels of Weakly Immunogenic Tumor Antigens
Authors: Geng Degui , Zheng Liqin , Srivastava Ratika , Velasco-Gonzalez Cruz , Riker Adam , Markovic Svetomir N. , Davila Eduardo 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe efficacy of T cell–based immunotherapy to treat cancer patients remains a challenge partly because of the weak activity toward subdominant tumor antigens (TAg) and to tumors expressing suboptimal TAg levels. Recent reports indicate that Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation on T cells can lower the activation threshold. In this study, we examined the antitumor activity and survival of TLR2-MyD88–stimulated CD8 T cells derived from melanoma patients and T-cell receptor transgenic pmel mice. TLR2-stimulated pmel CD8 T cells, but not TLR2−/−pmel or MyD88−/−pmel T cells, responded to significantly lower TAg levels and resulted in increased production of effector molecules and cytotoxicity. Wild-type or MyD88−/− mice treated with TLR2 ligand and pmel T cells, but not TLR2−/−pmel or MyD88−/−pmel T cells, showed tumor regression of an established melanoma tumor. Overexpressing TLR2 in TAg-specific T cells eradicated tumors; four times fewer cells were needed to generate antitumor responses. The enhanced antitumor activity of TLR2-MyD88–stimulated T cells was associated with increased effector function but perhaps more importantly with improved survival of T cells. Activating TLR-MyD88 signals in patient-derived T cells also reduced the activation threshold to several weakly immunogenic TAgs, resulting in increased cytokine production, expansion, and cytotoxicity. These data highlight a previously unappreciated role for activating TLR-MyD88 signals in tumor-reactive T lymphocytes. Cancer Res; 70(19); 7442–54. ©2010 AACR.
Inhibition of the intrinsic coagulation pathway factor XI by antisense oligonucleotides: a novel antithrombotic strategy with lowered bleeding risk
Authors: Zhang Hong , Löwenberg Ester C. , Crosby Jeffrey R. , MacLeod A. Robert , Zhao Chenguang , Gao Dacao , Black Chris , Revenko Alexey S. , Meijers Joost C. M. , Stroes Erik S. , Levi Marcel , Monia Brett P. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractExisting anticoagulants effectively inhibit the activity of coagulation factors of the extrinsic and common pathway but have substantial limitations and can cause severe bleeding complications. Here we describe a novel therapeutic approach to thrombosis treatment. We have developed and characterized the efficacy and safety of selective second-generation antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting coagulation factor XI (FXI), a member of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. Systemic treatment of mice with FXI ASO led to a potent, specific, and dose-dependent reduction of FXI mRNA levels in the liver with corresponding reductions in plasma levels of FXI protein and activity. FXIASO treatment produced potent, dose-dependent antithrombotic activity in various venous and arterial thrombosis models, comparable with warfarin or enoxaparin. However, unlike warfarin or enoxaparin, FXI inhibition did not cause bleeding. Coadministration of FXI ASO with enoxaparin or the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel produced improved antithrombotic activity without increased bleeding. Finally, plasma-derived FXI concentrate was shown to effectively and rapidly reverse the anticoagulant effect of FXI antisense therapy. These results support the concept that inhibition of FXI through antisense therapy might serve as a new and effective strategy for the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism with improved specificity and safety.
The arterial load in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Saouti N. , Westerhof N. , Postmus P.E. , Vonk-Noordegraaf A. 
Published: September 2010

The anatomical differences between the pulmonary and systemic arterial system are the main cause of the difference in distribution of compliance. In the pulmonary arterial system compliance is distributed over the entire arterial system, and stands at the basis of the constancy of the RC-time. This distribution depends on the number of peripheral vessels, which is ∼8–10 times more in the pulmonary system than the systemic tree. In the systemic arterial tree the compliance is mainly located in the aorta (80% of total compliance in thoracic-abdominal aorta).The constant RC-time in the pulmonary bed results in proportionality of systolic and diastolic pressure with mean pressure and, in turn, in the constant ratio of oscillatory and mean power.
The in vivo efficacy of two administration routes of a phage cocktail to reduce numbers of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni in chickens
Authors: Carvalho Carla M , Gannon Ben W , Halfhide Deborah E , Santos Silvio B , Hayes Christine M , Roe John M , Azeredo Joana 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Poultry meat is one of the most important sources of human campylobacteriosis, an acute bacterial enteritis which is a major problem worldwide. Campylobacter
coli and Campylobacter
jejuni are the most common Campylobacter species associated with this disease. These pathogens live in the intestinal tract of most avian species and under commercial conditions they spread rapidly to infect a high proportion of the flock, which makes their treatment and prevention very difficult. Bacteriophages (phages) are naturally occurring predators of bacteria with high specificity and also the capacity to evolve to overcome bacterial resistance. Therefore phage therapy is a promising alternative to antibiotics in animal production. This study tested the efficacy of a phage cocktail composed of three phages for the control of poultry infected with C. coli and C. jejuni. Moreover, it evaluated the effectiveness of two routes of phage administration (by oral gavage and in feed) in order to provide additional information regarding their future use in a poultry unit.

Results
The results indicate that experimental colonisation of chicks was successful and that the birds showed no signs of disease even at the highest dose of Campylobacter administered. The phage cocktail was able to reduce the titre of both C. coli and C. jejuni in faeces by approximately 2 log10 cfu/g when administered by oral gavage and in feed. This reduction persisted throughout the experimental period and neither pathogen regained their former numbers. The reduction in Campylobacter titre was achieved earlier (2 days post-phage administration) when the phage cocktail was incorporated in the birds' feed. Campylobacter strains resistant to phage infection were recovered from phage-treated chickens at a frequency of 13%. These resistant phenotypes did not exhibit a reduced ability to colonize the chicken guts and did not revert to sensitive types.

Conclusions
Our findings provide further evidence of the efficacy of phage therapy for the control of Campylobacter in poultry. The broad host range of the novel phage cocktail enabled it to target both C. jejuni and C. coli strains. Moreover the reduction of Campylobacter by approximately 2 log10cfu/g, as occurred in our study, could lead to a 30-fold reduction in the incidence of campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of chicken meals (according to mathematical models). To our knowledge this is the first report of phage being administered in feed to Campylobacter- infected chicks and our results show that it lead to an earlier and more sustainable reduction of Campylobacter than administration by oral gavage. Therefore the present study is of extreme importance as it has shown that administering phages to poultry via the food could be successful on a commercial scale.
Benefits of biomarker selection and clinico-pathological covariate inclusion in breast cancer prognostic models
Authors: Parisi Fabio , González Ana M , Nadler Yasmine , Camp Robert L , Rimm David L , Kluger Harriet M , Kluger Yuval 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Introduction
Multi-marker molecular assays have impacted management of early stage breast cancer, facilitating adjuvant chemotherapy decisions. We generated prognostic models that incorporate protein-based molecular markers and clinico-pathological variables to improve survival prediction.

Methods
We used a quantitative immunofluorescence method to study protein expression of 14 markers included in the Oncotype DX™ assay on a 638 breast cancer patient cohort with 15-year follow-up. We performed cross-validation analyses to assess performance of multivariate Cox models consisting of these markers and standard clinico-pathological covariates, using an average time-dependent Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and compared it to nested Cox models obtained by robust backward selection procedures.

Results
A prognostic index derived from of a multivariate Cox regression model incorporating molecular and clinico-pathological covariates (nodal status, tumor size, nuclear grade, and age) is superior to models based on molecular studies alone or clinico-pathological covariates alone. Performance of this composite model can be further improved using feature selection techniques to prune variables. When stratifying patients by Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI), the most prognostic markers in high and low NPI groups differed. Similarly, for the node-negative, hormone receptor-positive sub-population, we derived a compact model with three clinico-pathological variables and two protein markers that was superior to the full model.

Conclusions
Prognostic models that include both molecular and clinico-pathological covariates can be more accurate than models based on either set of features alone. Furthermore, feature selection can decrease the number of molecular variables needed to predict outcome, potentially resulting in less expensive assays.
A Beneficial Partnership between Hospitals and Colleges of Pharmacy: Development and Discussion of a Joint Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
Authors: Crader Marsha F. , Chelette Candace T. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract A Joint Cooperative Endeavor Agreement is a contract between a college of pharmacy and a hospital. Through this type of agreement, colleges are providing partially or fully funded faculty a teaching and practice site within both community and university hospitals. The purpose of this article is to discuss the benefits for both the colleges of pharmacy and the hospitals that engage in a joint agreement and to provide information for those wishing to establish such an agreement. This article will include details of the terms and conditions of joint agreements from two different state-funded universities. The details provided could be considered when establishing a joint agreement to ensure adequate division of responsibilities between the two entities; however, the agreement may need to be adapted based on specific university and hospital legal counsel.