bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Validation of SAPS 3 Admission Score and comparison with SAPS II
Authors: CAPUZZO M. , SCARAMUZZA A. , VACCARINI B. , GILLI G. , ZANNOLI S. , FARABEGOLI L. , FELISATTI G. , DAVANZO E. , ALVISI R. 
Published: April 2009

Background: The objective of this study was to validate the Simplified Acute Physiology Score SAPS 3 Admission Score (SAPS 3) and to compare its fit with that of SAPS II in an independent sample of patients admitted to a single‐centre intensive care unit (ICU).Methods: The data for all adult patients consecutively admitted to an eight‐bed ICU of a 700‐bed university hospital between 1 January 2006 and 2 September 2007 were collected. SAPS II and SAPS 3 were computed, as well as the predicted hospital mortality. The calibration of SAPS II and SAPS 3, according to the general equation (GE), and equations for Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries (SE&MC), and Central and Western Europe (C&WE), were assessed by the goodness‐of‐fit Hosmer–Lemeshow ? and Ĉ statistics. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were computed for SAPS II and SAPS 3 equations.Results: Six hundred and eighty‐four patients were studied (males 63%). The median age was 73 (quartiles 65–80) years. The fit of SAPS 3 using the C&WE equation (? 13.49, P=0.095; Ĉ 12.73, P=0.121) as well as that of SAPS II was acceptable (? 6.02, P=0.644; Ĉ12.08, P=0.147), while SAPS 3 GE (? 23.36, P=0.002; Ĉ 22.37, P=0.004) and S&MC (? 25.73, P=0.001; Ĉ 26.19, P=0.001) did not fit well. SAPS 3 GE, SAPS 3 SE&M Countries and the SAPS II significantly over estimated the mortality. Only 95% CI of SMR for SAPS 3 C&WE included 1 (SMR 0.97; 95% CI 0.89–1.05).Conclusion: Each ICU should identify the SAPS 3 equation most suitable for its case mix. The SAPS II model tended to overestimate the mortality.
Unilateral spinal anaesthesia for outpatient surgery: a comparison between hyperbaric bupivacaine and bupivacaine–clonidine combination
Authors: MERIVIRTA R. , KUUSNIEMI K. , JAAKKOLA P. , PIHLAJAMÄKI K. , PITKÄNEN M. 
Published: April 2009

Backround: Low‐dose hyperbaric bupivacaine has been used to produce unilateral spinal anaesthesia for outpatient surgery. Unilateral spinal anaesthesia is associated with reduction of hypotension, faster recovery and increased patient satisfaction. Small doses of clonidine have shown effectiveness in intensifying spinal anaesthesia. We investigated the effect of adding 15 μg of clonidine to 5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine on unilaterality.Methods: Sixty patients undergoing outpatient knee arthroscopy were randomly allocated to receive either 1.2 ml (6 mg) of hyperbaric bupivacaine or a 1.2 ml solution containing 1.0 ml (5 mg) hyperbaric bupivacaine, 0.1 ml (75 μg) clonidine and 0.1 ml sterile water. The motor block was assessed by a modified Bromage scale and the sensory block by a pinprick.Results: There was a significant difference in the spread of anaesthesia between the operated and contralateral sides in both groups. Seventy‐seven per cent of the blocks were unilateral in group B and 73% in group B‐C. There was no significant difference between the groups, in unilaterality. The motor block was prolonged in group B‐C but it did not affect home‐readiness. Patients receiving clonidine needed more vasopressors. There was a significant difference in blood pressures between the groups, being lower in group B‐C after 1 h 45 min.Conclusion: Using 5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine with 15 μg of clonidine, the unilaterality can be achieved and spinal anaesthesia intensified without affecting home‐readiness. More vasopressors are needed in the beginning, but after the surgery patients experienced less pain.
The Danish version of the questionnaire on pain communication: preliminary validation in cancer patients
Authors: JACOBSEN R. , MØLDRUP C. , CHRISTRUP L. , SJØGREN P. , HANSEN O. B. 
Published: April 2009

Background: The modified version of the patients' Perceived Involvement in Care Scale (M‐PICS) is a tool designed to assess cancer patients' perceptions of patient–health care provider pain communication process. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the shortened Danish version of the M‐PICS (SDM‐PICS).Methods: The validated English version of the M‐PICS was translated into Danish following the repeated back‐translation procedure. Cancer patients were recruited for the study from specialized pain management facilities.Results: Thirty‐three patients responded to the SDM‐PICS, Danish Barriers Questionnaire II, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Brief Pain Inventory Pain Severity Scale. A factor analysis of the SDM‐PICS resulted in two factors: Factor one, patient information, consisted of four items assessing the extent to which the patient shared information with his/her health care provider, and Factor two, health care provider information, consisted of four items measuring the degree to which a health care provider was perceived as the one who shares information. Two separate items addressed the perceived level of information exchange between the patient and the health care provider. The SDM‐PICS total had an internal consistency of 0.88. The SDM‐PICS scores were positively related to pain relief and inversely related to the measures of cognitive pain management barriers, anxiety, and reported pain levels.Conclusion: The SDM‐PICS seems to be a reliable and valid measure of perceived patient–health care provider communication in the context of cancer pain.
Relaxing music as pre‐medication before surgery: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: BRINGMAN H. , GIESECKE K. , THÖRNE A. , BRINGMAN S. 
Published: April 2009

Introduction: Patients who await surgery often suffer from fear and anxiety, which can be prevented by anxiolytic drugs. Relaxing music may be an alternative treatment with fewer adverse effects. This randomised clinical trial compared pre‐operative midazolam with relaxing music.Method: Three hundred and seventy‐two patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomised to receive pre‐operative prevention of anxiety by 0.05–0.1 mg/kg of midazolam orally or by relaxing music. The main outcome measure was the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X‐1), which was completed by the patients just before and after the intervention.Results: Of the 177 patients who completed the music protocol, the mean and (standard deviation) STAI‐state anxiety scores were 34 (8) before and 30 (7) after the intervention. The corresponding scores for the 150 patients in the midazolam group were 36 (8) before and 34 (7) after the intervention. The decline in the STAI‐state anxiety score was significantly greater in the music group compared with the midazolam group (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval range −3.8 to −1.8).Conclusion: Relaxing music decreases the level of anxiety in a pre‐operative setting to a greater extent than orally administrated midazolam. Higher effectiveness and absence of apparent adverse effects makes pre‐operative relaxing music a useful alternative to midazolam for pre‐medication.
Effects of muscarinic receptor stimulation and nitric oxide synthase inhibition on gastric tone and gastric myoelectrical activity in canines
Authors: Chen Jihong , Xing Jinhong , Chen Jiande DZ 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAims:  This study was designed to assess whether the muscarinic receptor stimulation and nitric oxide synthase inhibition were equally effective on gastric fundic tone or gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) in canines, and the correlation between gastric fundic tone and GMA.Methods:  Gastric fundic tone and GMA were recorded on seven dogs implanted with serosal electrodes and a gastric cannula.Results:  Bethanechol and L‐nitro‐N‐arginine (L‐NNA) significantly increased gastric fundic tone; gastric volume was decreased with bethanechol or L‐NNA (P < 0.05). Increased spike activities were observed after both bethanechol and L‐NNA. The percentage of slow waves superimposed with spikes was increased with bethanechol (P < 0.001) and L‐NNA (P < 0.05). There was a significant reduction in dominant frequency (DF) (P < 0.05), dominant power (DP) (P < 0.05) and percentage of normal slow waves (%N) (P < 0.05) with bethanechol, while no significant change was observed with L‐NNA. The variation of gastric tone was not correlated with parameters of GMA.Conclusions:  Muscarinic receptor stimulation and nitric oxide synthase inhibition have similar effects on gastric tone and gastric spike activities, but different effects on gastric slow waves. Gastric fundic tone does not correlate with gastric slow waves.
Performance of acidified 14C‐urea capsule breath test during pantoprazole and ranitidine treatment
Authors: Öztürk Emel , Yeşilova Zeki , Ilgan Seyfettin , Özgüven Mehmet , Dağalp Kemal 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Urea breath test (UBT) results could be false negative in patients taking antisecretory drugs. This effect would be prevented by citric acid administration during UBT. We prospectively investigated whether acidified 14C‐urea capsule prevents false negative UBT results in patients taking antisecretory drugs and show interference with the duration of medications.Methods:  Sixty Helicobacter pylori positive patients were included. Pantoprazole (40 mg/day) was given to 27 patients for 28 days and ranitidine (300 mg. o.d.) to 33 patients for 60 days. Urea breath tests were repeated on days 14 and 28 in both groups and on day 60 in the ranitidine group.Results:  The baseline mean breath counts of two groups did not show any significant difference. Pantoprazole led to a significant decrease in mean breath counts on day 14 (P < 0.005). Six of 27 and 3 of 25 patients taking pantoprazole developed negative or equivocal UBT results on days 14 and 28, respectively. Two of 32, 2 of 32 and 3 of 21 patients taking ranitidine developed negative or equivocal UBT results on days 14, 28 and 60, respectively.Conclusions:  The use of acidified 14C‐urea capsule did not prevent false negative UBT results in patients taking pantoprazole and ranitidine, and the duration of medication does not affect the test results.
Identification of a novel protein binding to hepatitis C virus core protein
Authors: Chen Yun‐ru , Chen Tian‐yan , Zhang Shu‐lin , Lin Shu‐mei , Zhao Ying‐ren , Ye Feng , Zhang Xi , Shi Lei , Dang Shuang‐suo , Liu Min 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBackground:  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is a multi‐functional viral protein that interacts with several target proteins of both viral and cellular origin.Aim and Methods:  To gain insight into the mechanism of action of HCV core protein, we used a yeast two‐hybrid system to identify the core protein‐interacting cellular targets.Results:  A cDNA clone encoding an aspartoacylase was obtained, termed aspartoacylase 3 (ACY3). Interaction between ACY3 and HCV core protein was verified using a co‐immunoprecipitation assay in vitro, and a mammalian two‐hybrid system in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy showed green fluorescence protein‐fused ACY3 localized in the cytoplasm.Conclusion:  Our data suggest that ACY3 is an HCV core binding protein, which may play a role in the development of HCV‐associated diseases.
Comparison of vildagliptin and pioglitazone in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin
Authors: Bolli G. , Dotta F. , Colin L. , Minic B. , Goodman M. 
Published: April 2009

Aim:  To compare the tolerability and efficacy of vildagliptin to pioglitazone as add‐on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy over 1‐year duration.Methods:  This 52‐week, multicentre, randomized, active‐controlled study compared vildagliptin (50 mg b.i.d., n = 295) and pioglitazone (30 mg daily, n = 281) in patients with inadequate glycaemic control [haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 7.5–11%] receiving a stable dose of metformin (≥1500 mg). The primary objective was to demonstrate non‐inferiority of vildagliptin at 24 weeks in the change in HbA1c from baseline. The objective of the additional 28 weeks of the study was to assess long‐term safety, while also assessing mean change from baseline to study end in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose and body weight.Results:  When added to a stable dose of metformin (mean baseline dose approximately 2 g/day), the non‐inferiority of HbA1c lowering of vildagliptin to pioglitazone over 24 weeks was established at the non‐inferiority margin of 0.3% (between‐group difference = 0.1%). During the remaining 28 weeks, comparable HbA1c decreases were recorded in both groups. Overall adverse event (AE) rates were similar in both groups, as was the occurrence of peripheral oedema. Hypoglycaemia occurred rarely in both groups. Serious AEs occurred more frequently with pioglitazone group. While mean body weight increased significantly in the pioglitazone group (+2.6 kg) from baseline, there was no significant weight gain with vildagliptin (+0.2 kg).Conclusions:  When added to metformin, vildagliptin demonstrates favourable safety and tolerability over 1 year. Vildagliptin provided additional HbA1c lowering to that achieved with metformin alone and comparable to that achieved with pioglitazone, with only pioglitazone causing weight gain.
Metabolic effects of sustained activation of the GLP‐1 receptor alone and in combination with background GIP receptor antagonism in high fat–fed mice
Authors: Irwin N. , McClean P. L. , Hunter K. , Flatt P. R. 
Published: April 2009

Aim:  Enzyme‐resistant glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonists and GIP receptor antagonists have been proposed to have therapeutic potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Such benefits are based on actions mediated primarily through stimulation of insulin secretion or alleviation of insulin resistance respectively. This study examined the long‐term actions of the stable GLP‐1 receptor agonist (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 and the GIP receptor antagonist (Pro3)GIP alone and in combination in high fat–fed mice.Methods:  Mice on high‐fat diet for 155 days were injected once daily with (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 or (Pro3)GIP (25 nmol/kg body weight) for 24 days. In the following 24‐day period, half of the (Pro3)GIP‐treated mice were administered an additional dose of (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 (25 nmol/kg body weight), while the remaining mice continued their original treatment regimes.Results:  Daily intraperitoneal injections of (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 or (Pro3)GIP restored glycaemic control to normal levels and significantly (p < 0.05) improved glucose tolerance compared with high‐fat controls by day 24. Food intake and body weights were not affected. On day 48, all treatment groups displayed significantly improved glucose tolerance (p < 0.05) and insulin sensitivity (p < 0.001) compared with high‐fat controls on day 48. HDL cholesterol levels were significantly increased in mice treated with (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 alone (p < 0.05) or in combination with (Pro3)GIP (p < 0.01) compared with normal chow‐fed controls.Conclusions:  These results illustrate efficacy of (Pro3)GIP and (d‐Ala8)GLP‐1 for treatment of glucose intolerance and insulin resistance caused by high‐fat feeding. Combination therapy appeared to have little benefit over either treatment alone.
Adiponectin decreases pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 gene expression in obese‐ and diabetic‐derived myotubes
Authors: McAinch A. J. , Cameron‐Smith D. 
Published: April 2009

Aim:  To investigate the effects of globular adiponectin (gAd) on gene expression and whether these effects are mediated through 3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate‐activated protein kinase in skeletal muscle myotubes obtained from lean, obese and obese diabetic individuals.Methods:  Rectus abdominus muscle biopsies were obtained from surgical patients to establish primary skeletal muscle cell cultures. Three distinct primary cell culture groups were established (lean, obese and obese diabetic; n = 7 in each group). Once differentiated, these cultures were then exposed to gAd or 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide‐1‐β‐d‐ribofuranoside (AICAR) for 6 h.Results:  Stimulation with gAd decreased pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) gene expression in the obese and diabetic samples (p ≤ 0.05) and increased cytochrome c oxidase (COX) subunit 4 (COXIV) gene expression in the myotubes derived from lean individuals only (p < 0.05). AICAR treatment also decreased PDK4 gene expression in the obese‐ and diabetic‐derived myotubes (p ≤ 0.05) and increased the gene expression of the mitochondrial gene, COXIII, in the lean‐derived samples only (p < 0.05).Conclusions:  This study demonstrated distinct disparity between myotubes derived from lean compared with obese and obese diabetic individuals following gAd and AICAR treatment. Further understanding of the regulation of PDK4 in obese and diabetic skeletal muscle and its interaction with adiponectin signalling is required as this appears to be an important early molecular event in these disease states that may improve blood glucose control and metabolic flux.
Quality of life after islet transplantation: data from the GRAGIL 1 and 2 trials
Authors: Benhamou P. Y. , Milliat‐Guittard L. , Wojtusciszyn A. , Kessler L. , Toso C. , Baertschiger R. , Debaty I. , Badet L. , Penfornis A. , Thivolet C. , Renard E. , Bayle F. , Morel P. , Morelon E. , Colin C. , Berney T. ,   on behalf of the GRAGIL group
Published: April 2009

AbstractBackground Rigorous assessment of health‐related quality of life (HRQL) is mandatory to establish the benefits of islet transplantation.Methods The 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36) and the Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) scales were completed by patients included in an Islet Transplantation Alone (ITA) trial (n = 10) and an Islet After Kidney (IAK) trial (n = 10).Results The two populations differed by HRQL scores at baseline, with poorer scores in ITA patients. SF‐36 scores for physical limitations, bodily pain, general health perception, social functioning, and health transition improved significantly in ITA patients 6 and 12 months post transplantation. The DQOL global score was significantly improved at 6 months and remained so at 12 months, because of a significant improvement in the dimensions of satisfaction and impact of diabetes. No improvement was observed in the IAK patients.Conclusion HRQL assessment may help in the selection of candidates with brittle diabetes for islet transplantation.
Lady and the Trump: Status and Wealth in the Marriage Market
Authors: Almenberg Johan , Dreber Anna 
Published: April 2009

SUMMARYIndicators of past wealth –‘old money’– typically bestow prestige and contribute to high status. Nobility, a culturally determined, hereditary status marker, might act as such an indicator, and thereby serve as a vehicle for the cultural transmission of economic standing. As an institution, nobility is an anachronism. Status, however, plays an important role in most societies, making individuals allocate valuable resources to status‐enhancing activities. This suggests that even though nobility no longer entails formal privileges, it may continue to be coveted as a status marker. We examine the relative performance of nobility in the marriage market. Data on Swedish marriages provide an opportunity to test the hypothesis that the probability of hypergamy (marrying ‘up’) in terms of wealth increases when an individual belongs to the nobility. Our main finding is a significantly higher probability of hypergamy for members of the nobility, controlling for own wealth and other covariates. This ‘nobility premium’ is sizeable. The effect is statistically significant and robust to a number of different measures of hypergamy. This finding has implications for the intergenerational transmission of inequality, and for the longevity of the institution of nobility itself.
Is There an Openness Kuznets Curve?
Authors: Dobson Stephen , Ramlogan Carlyn 
Published: April 2009

SUMMARYOne of the key features of research on income inequality is the search for a Kuznets curve. Two curvilinear relationships in particular have been documented in the literature: one between inequality and income and the other between inequality and environmental factors. More recently, inequality and its link to trade liberalisation has received a good deal of attention, not least because it is among the major controversies provoked by the globalisation process. The outcomes for developing countries of greater openness do not fit neatly with the predictions of standard trade theory. Given this, it is natural to ask whether the relationship between trade openness and inequality may be better understood in terms of the Kuznets hypothesis. To this end, the study tests the Kuznets hypothesis in the context of trade liberalisation using data for Latin America. The evidence is new and is consistent with the Kuznets hypothesis: inequality increases with trade openness until a critical level of openness is reached after which inequality begins to fall. The curvilinear relationship between openness and inequality suggests that Latin American countries should continue with trade liberalisation measures but also introduce redistribution policies to ease the (initial) adverse consequences of liberalisation.
Ruling by Record: The Meaning of Rights, Rules and Registration in an AndeanComunidad
Authors: Nuijten Monique , Lorenzo David 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTThis contribution looks at land property relations in a peasant community in the central highlands of Peru. Rather than using a rights‐based approach, the authors propose a ‘practice force field approach’ for their analysis of property relations under communal land tenure regimes. Their study combines qualitative ethnographic case studies with quantitative analysis of data on land distribution. In contrast to rights‐based approaches, this perspective understands the legal discourses that people draw upon to explain property relations as ‘justifying rule talk’ rather than the reflection of a system of property rights. It is shown how property relations are shaped in mediated interactive processes, where official rules, moral principles, shared histories and strategic games come together. The authors use this practice force field approach to study Usibamba, an Andean community that has developed a true disciplinary regime of communal governance based on control over land. The role of ‘rule talk’ and the function of elaborate local systems of land registration are examined in the context of the annual reallocation of communal land. Particular attention is paid to the performance of the president of thecomunidadduring this delicate process and his reflections on the course of events.
Children's and adults' judgments of equitable resource distributions
Authors: McCrink Koleen , Bloom Paul , Santos Laurie R. 
Published: April 2009

Abstract This study explored the criteria that children and adults use when evaluating the niceness of a character who is distributing resources. Four‐ and five‐year‐olds played the ‘Giving Game’, in which two puppets with different amounts of chips each gave some portion of these chips to the children. Adults played an analogous task that mimicked the situations presented to children in the Giving Game. For all groups of participants, we manipulated the absolute amount and proportion of chips given away. We found that children and adults used different cues to establish which puppet was nicer: 4‐year‐olds focused exclusively on absolute amount, 5‐year‐olds showed some sensitivity to proportion, and adults focused exclusively on proportion. These results are discussed in light of their implications for equity theory and for theories of the development of social evaluation.