bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extravascular lung water index measurement in critically ill children does not correlate with a chest x-ray score of pulmonary edema
Authors: Lemson Joris , van Die Lya E , Hemelaar Anique EA , van der Hoeven Johannes G 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Introduction
Extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) can be measured at the bedside using the transpulmonary thermodilution technique (TPTD). The goal of this study was to compare EVLWI values with a chest x-ray score of pulmonary edema and markers of oxygenation in critically ill children.

Methods
This was a prospective observational study in a pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital. We included 27 critically ill children with an indication for advanced invasive hemodynamic monitoring. No specific interventions for the purpose of the study were carried out. Measurements included EVLWI and other relevant hemodynamic variables. Blood gas analysis, ventilator parameters, chest x-ray and TPTD measurements were obtained within a three-hour time frame. Two radiologists assessed the chest x-ray and determined a score for pulmonary edema.

Results
A total of 103 measurements from 24 patients were eligible for final analysis. Mean age was two years (range: two months to eight years). Median cardiac index was 4.00 (range: 1.65 to 10.85) l/min/m2. Median EVLWI was 16 (range: 6 to 31) ml/kg. The weighted kappa between the chest x-ray scores of the two radiologists was 0.53. There was no significant correlation between EVLWI or chest x-ray score and the number of ventilator days, severity of illness or markers of oxygenation. There was no correlation between EVLWI and the chest x-ray score. EVLWI was significantly correlated with age and length (r2 of 0.47 and 0.67 respectively).

Conclusions
The extravascular lung water index in critically ill children does not correlate with a chest x-ray score of pulmonary edema, nor with markers of oxygenation.
Role of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Breast Cancer: Comparison With Two-Dimensional Echocardiography, Multiple-Gated Acquisition Scans, and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Walker Jonathan , Bhullar Navdeep , Fallah-Rad Nazanin , Lytwyn Matthew , Golian Mehrdad , Fang Tielan , Summers Arthur R. , Singal Pawan K. , Barac Ivan , Kirkpatrick Iain D. , Jassal Davinder S. 
Published: June 2010

Purpose In patients with breast cancer, the administration of doxorubicin and trastuzumab is associated with an increased risk of cardiotoxicity. Although multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scans and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) are conventional methods for baseline and serial assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in these patients, little is known about the use of real-time three-dimensional TTE (RT3D TTE) in this clinical setting. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of MUGA, 2D TTE, and RT3D TTE for determining LVEF in comparison to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). Methods Between 2007 and 2009 inclusive, 50 female patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive breast cancer received adjuvant trastuzumab after doxorubicin. Serial MUGA, 2D TTE, RT3D TTE, and CMR were performed at baseline, 6, and 12 months after the initiation of trastuzumab. Results A comparison of left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) demonstrated a modest correlation between 2D TTE and CMR (r = 0.64 at baseline; r = 0.69 at 12 months, respectively). A comparison of LVEDV between RT3D TTE and CMR demonstrated a stronger correlation (r = 0.87 at baseline; r = 0.95 at 12 months, respectively). Although 2D TTE demonstrated a weak correlation with CMR for LVEF assessment (r = 0.31 at baseline, r = 0.42 at 12 months, respectively), both RT3D TTE and MUGA showed a strong correlation when compared with CMR (r = 0.91 at baseline; r = 0.90 at 12 months, respectively). Conclusion As compared with conventional MUGA, RT3D TTE is a feasible, accurate, and reproducible alternate imaging modality for the serial monitoring of LVEF in patients with breast cancer.
Quality of Care for Breast Cancer for Uninsured Women in California Under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Treatment Act
Authors: Malin Jennifer L. , Diamant Allison L. , Leake Barbara , Liu Yihang , Thind Amardeep , Kahn Katherine L. , Schneider Eric C. , Epstein Arnold M. , Maly Rose C. 
Published: June 2010

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of care provided to uninsured women with breast cancer who received treatment through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Treatment Program (BCCTP). Methods Participants included women with stage I to III breast cancer (n = 658) from a consecutive sample of women 18 years or older who received coverage through the California BCCTP between February 2003 and September 2005 who consented to a survey and medical record review (61% response rate). Quality of breast cancer care was evaluated using 29 evidence-based quality measures developed for the National Initiative for Cancer Care Quality (NICCQ). NICCQ, a largely insured cohort of women diagnosed with stage I to III breast cancer in 1998, was used to benchmark the results. Results Twenty-three percent of women presented with stage III disease compared with fewer than 10% nationally. Patients received 93% of recommended care (95% CI, 92% to 93%). Adherence to recommended care within domains ranged from 87% for post-treatment surveillance (95% CI, 84% to 90%) to 97% for diagnostic evaluation (95% CI, 96% to 97%). Compared to the NICCQ cohort, adherence to quality measures was as good or better for the BCCPT cohort in all domains except post-treatment surveillance. Conclusion The BCCTP has made important inroads in providing poor, uninsured women with access to high quality care when faced with the diagnosis of breast cancer; however, many present at an advanced stage, which is associated with worse outcomes.
Optimization of alkaline cellulase production by the marine-derived fungus Chaetomium sp. using agricultural and industrial wastes as substrates
Authors: Ravindran Chinnarjan , Naveenan Thangiah , Varatharajan Govindaswamy R. 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Alkaline cellulases were screened from 54 fungal isolates obtained from mangrove leaves and mangrove wood litters as endophytes and wood litter fungi, respectively. Only three fungal isolates tested positive for alkaline cellulases under plate assay, among which Chaetomium sp. (NIOCC 36) was found to grow in a wide range of pH (between 4 and 12). This alkaline tolerant fungus was further tested for production of alkaline cellulases (β-endoglucanase, β-exoglucanase, β-glucosidase) using agricultural and industrial wastes as substrates in submerged fermentation (SMF) and solid state fermentation (SSF) processes. Cotton seed under SSF conditions had maximum enzyme production at high alkaline pH. Cellulase enzymes produced under alkaline cotton seed SSF conditions at 50°C had higher stability and activity than under non-alkaline conditions (range tested: pH 5, 7, 12). The agricultural and industrial wastes used as carbon sources were economical for commercial production of cellulose. The high specific activity, and stability of cellulases under neutral to alkaline pH and high temperature will be of use in various industrial and biotechnological applications.
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of aqueous and organic extracts fromDictyopteris membranacea
Authors: Aoun Zouhaier Ben , Said Rafik Ben , Farhat Farhat 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAqueous and organic extracts fromDictyopteris membranaceacollected from the Tunisian Mediterranean coast were studied for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. All extracts had high anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema assays in Wistar rats, and their effects are comparable to acetylsalicylate lysine (300 mg kg-1, applied intraperitoneally) used as a reference drug.Dictyopteris membranaceaextracts had inhibition percentages in the third hour of the assay of 65% at a dose of 100 mg kg-1, 51% at a dose of 50 mg kg-1, and 49% at a dose of 100 mg kg-1in aqueous, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts, respectively. Chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging with IC50values (0.089±0.01 and 0.11±0.02 mg ml-1, respectively) equivalent to the activity of a powerful antioxidant standard, Trolox (IC50=0.09±0.02 mg ml-1). These extracts (chloroform and ethyl acetate) had reducing activity, and the total phenol contents were: 84.96 and 60.96 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram dried sample, respectively. Organic extracts had moderate antimicrobial activity (using the disc diffusion method) against three bacteria:Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermidisandMicrococcus luteus, and four species of a fungal genus:Candida albicans,C. krusei,C. dubliniensisandC. kefyrat 10 mg per disc, whereas the aqueous extract exhibited significant antibacterial activity against onlyStaphylococcus aureusandListeria monocytogenes.
Antioxidant activity of seagrasses and seaweeds
Authors: Athiperumalsami Thirumalai , Rajeswari V. Devi , Poorna S. Hastha , Kumar Venkataraman , Jesudass L. Louis 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Five species of seagrasses and six species of seaweeds in 11 genera were collected from the Gulf of Mannar, on the southeastern coast of India and were screened for antioxidant activity by in vitro methods. Methanolic and water extracts of the seagrass Halophila ovalis had the highest antioxidant activity, with IC50 values 78.95±1.15 and 85.40±3.40 μg ml-1 (means±SE), respectively, using the NO radical scavenging method. With the H2O2 scavenging method, both methanolic and water extracts of many of the seagrasses and seaweeds had higher antioxidant activity, with the IC50 values lower than that of the standard tocopherol. Except for vitamin B3, the rest of the antioxidant-potent phytoconstituents estimated in these marine organisms were found to be strongly positively correlated with the antioxidant activity.
Improvement of therapeutic safety through standardized plasma calibration of blood glucose test systems at the point-of-care1 / Statement of the POCT Working Group of the German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (DGKL)
Authors: Koschinsky For the POCT Working Group: Theodor , Junker Ralf , Luppa Peter B. , Schlebusch Harald 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Blood glucose measurements are performed mainly at the point-of-care in out-patient settings and in hospitals as well as for patient self-monitoring mainly by small hand-held devices. Generally, capillary or venous blood is used as a sample but results are variably reported, depending on the different calibration procedures of the test strips by the manufacturers, as either whole blood or as plasma glucose, accounting for a difference of ca. 11%. This can result in therapeutic misjudgments. To avoid the risk of confusion of whole blood and plasma results, in 2005 the IFCC has proposed to report all results only as glucose concentration in plasma, irrespective of sample type or measurement technique. This recommendation should be followed in Germany as soon as possible.
Long-Term Prognosis for Childhood Constipation: Clinical Outcomes in Adulthood
Authors: Bongers Marloes E. J. , van Wijk Michiel P. , Reitsma Johannes B. , Benninga Marc A. 
Published: June 2010

OBJECTIVES:
This study examines long-term prognoses for children with constipation in adulthood and identifies prognostic factors associated with clinical outcomes.

METHODS:
In a Dutch tertiary hospital, children (5–18 years of age) who were diagnosed as having functional constipation were eligible for inclusion. After a 6-week treatment protocol, prospective follow-up evaluations were conducted at 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter. Good clinical outcomes were defined as ≥3 bowel movements per week for ≥4 weeks, with ≤2 fecal incontinence episodes per month, irrespective of laxative use.

RESULTS:
A total of 401 children (260 boys; median age: 8 years [interquartile range: 6–9 years]) were included, with a median follow-up period of 11 years (interquartile range: 9–13 years). The dropout rate during follow-up was 15%. Good clinical outcomes were achieved by 80% of patients at 16 years of age. Thereafter, this proportion remained constant at 75%. Poor clinical outcomes at adult age were associated with: older age at onset (odds ratio [OR]: 1.15 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.30]; P = .04), longer delay between onset and first visit to our outpatient clinic (OR: 1.24 [95% CI: 1.10–1.40]; P = .001), and lower defecation frequency at study entry (OR: 0.92 [95% CI: 0.84–1.00]; P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS:
One-fourth of children with functional constipation continued to experience symptoms at adult age. Certain risk factors for poor clinical outcomes in adulthood were identified. Referral to a specialized clinic should be considered at an early stage for children who are unresponsive to first-line treatment.
Impact of Extreme Prematurity on Family Functioning and Maternal Health 20 Years Later
Authors: Saigal Saroj , Pinelli Janet , Streiner David L. , Boyle Michael , Stoskopf Barbara 
Published: June 2010

OBJECTIVE:The goal was to examine the impact of illness on families and the long-term effects on the health of parents of young adults (YAs) who were born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW), compared with normal birth weight (NBW) control subjects.METHODS:A longitudinal cohort study was performed. Participants were mothers of eligible ELBW and NBW YAs. Information was obtained with well-validated questionnaires.RESULTS:At young adulthood, 130 (81%) of 161 ELBW group and 126 (89%) of 141 NBW group mothers participated. There were no significant differences in scores between groups with respect to marital disharmony, family dysfunction, maternal mood, state anxiety, social support, depression, and maternal physical and mental health. The finding of no differences was unchanged when 27 YAs with neurosensory impairment (NSI) were excluded, except for family dysfunction scores, which were paradoxically lower for families with YAs with NSI. Although the impact scores revealed that significantly more parents of ELBW YAs were negatively affected with respect to their jobs and educational or training opportunities, mothers of ELBW YAs reported that the experience of caring for their child brought their family closer together and that relatives and friends were more helpful and understanding, compared with mothers of NBW YAs. Significantly more mothers of ELBW YAs with NSI, compared with those without NSI, felt better about themselves for having managed their child's health.CONCLUSION:It seems that, by young adulthood, there is a minimally negative long-term impact of having an ELBW child in the family, regardless of the presence of NSI.
Effects of Parental Military Deployment on Pediatric Outpatient and Well-Child Visit Rates
Authors: Eide Matilda , Gorman Gregory , Hisle-Gorman Elizabeth 
Published: June 2010

OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this study was to determine whether parental deployment affected the rates at which children of military parents accessed health care within the military health system.

METHODS:
We linked outpatient health care claims data for military service members' children &lt;2 years of age from fiscal year 2007 to the parental deployment history during the same period. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for all visits and well-child visits were determined according to parental deployment status.

RESULTS:
A total of 169 986 children were identified, with 1 772 703 outpatient visits. Of those children, 32% had a parent deployed during the study period. Well-child visits constituted 27% of all outpatient visits. The unadjusted visit rates for all visits and well-child visits were 10.4 and 2.8 visits per year, respectively. Children of single parents had decreased rates of outpatient visits (IRR: 0.84 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80–0.89]; P &lt; .001) and well-child visits (IRR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.84–0.93]; P &lt; .001) during deployment. Children of married parents, however, had increased rates of both outpatient visits (IRR: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.03–1.09]; P &lt; .001) and well-child visits (IRR: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.07–1.09]; P &lt; .001) during deployment. There was interaction between parental marital status and deployment, which was most significant among parents &lt;24 years of age and consistently decreased with increasing parental age.

CONCLUSIONS:
Children of young, single, military parents are seen less frequently for acute and well-child care when their parent is deployed, whereas children of married parents are seen more frequently in the military health system.
Interruption in Women's Conversations: The Effects of Context in Ethnic Majority and Minority Group Interactions
Authors: Leman Patrick , Ikoko Theresa 
Published: June 2010

Interruption in Women's Conversations: The Effects of Context in Ethnic Majority and Minority Group Interactions
The present study explored how the conversation dynamics of women from ethnic majority and minority groups varied in different conversational contexts. Sixty undergraduate students (mean age 19.5 years) engaged in unstructured, introductory talk in pairs and then discussed how they should rank a list of possible improvements to a university campus. Minority group women used more positive interruptions in both settings, and in introductory talk there was less positive interruption in cross ethnic than same ethnic pairs. Majority group women used a similar pattern of interruptions in introductory and task discussion. However, in task discussion, minority group women used less positive and more negative interruptions when talking with another minority group woman, and more positive and fewer negative interruptions when talking with a majority group woman. These findings suggest that minority group women modify their interaction styles depending on the type of conversation and the ethnicity of their partner.
The petrologic evolution and pre-eruptive conditions of the rhyolitic Kos Plateau Tuff (Aegean arc)
Authors: Bachmann Olivier 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe Kos Plateau Tuff is a large (>60 km3) and young (160 k.y.) calc-alkaline, high-SiO2 rhyolitic ignimbrite from the active Kos-Nisyros volcanic center in the Aegean arc (Greece). Combined textural, petrological and geochemical information suggest that (1) the system evolved dominantly by crystal fractionation from (mostly unerupted) more mafic parents, (2) the magma chamber grew over ≥ 250 000 years at shallow depth (∼1.5-2.5 kb) and was stored as a H2O-rich crystalline mush close to its solidus (∼670-750°C), (3) the eruption occurred after a reheating event triggered by the intrusion of hydrous mafic magma at the base of the rhyolitic mush. Rare banded pumices indicate that the mafic magma only mingled with a trivial portion of resident crystal-rich rhyolite; most of the mush was remobilized following partial melting of quartz and feldspars induced by advection of heat and volatiles from the underplated, hotter mafic influx.
An Evaluation of the Role of Properdin in Alternative Pathway Activation on Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Agarwal Sarika , Ferreira Viviana P. , Cortes Claudio , Pangburn Michael K. , Rice Peter A. , Ram Sanjay 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Properdin, a positive regulator of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement is important in innate immune defenses against invasive Neisserial infections. Recently, commercially available unfractionated properdin was shown to bind to certain biological surfaces, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which facilitated C3 deposition. Unfractionated properdin contains aggregates or high-order oligomers, in addition to its physiological “native” (dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric) forms. We examined the role of properdin in AP activation on diverse strains of Neisseria meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae specifically using native versus unfractionated properdin. C3 deposition on Neisseria decreased markedly when properdin function was blocked using an anti-properdin mAb or when properdin was depleted from serum. Maximal AP-mediated C3 deposition on Neisseriae even at high (80%) serum concentrations required properdin. Consistent with prior observations, preincubation of bacteria with unfractionated properdin, followed by the addition of properdin-depleted serum resulted in higher C3 deposition than when bacteria were incubated with properdin-depleted serum alone. Unexpectedly, none of 10 Neisserial strains tested bound native properdin. Consistent with its inability to bind to Neisseriae, preincubating bacteria with native properdin followed by the addition of properdin-depleted serum did not cause detectable increases in C3 deposition. However, reconstituting properdin-depleted serum with native properdin a priori enhanced C3 deposition on all strains of Neisseria tested. In conclusion, the physiological forms of properdin do not bind directly to either N. meningitidis or N. gonorrhoeae but play a crucial role in augmenting AP-dependent C3 deposition on the bacteria through the “conventional” mechanism of stabilizing AP C3 convertases.
Fluctuation of Peripheral Blood T, B, and NK Cells during a Menstrual Cycle of Normal Healthy Women
Authors: Lee Sungki , Kim Jeeyun , Jang Byungwoo , Hur Sungeun , Jung Unsuk , Kil Kihyun , Na Baegju , Lee Millina , Choi Youngmin , Fukui Atsushi , Gilman-Sachs Alice , Kwak-Kim Joanne Y. 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Cyclical hormonal changes during an ovarian cycle may affect immune responses, which is crucial for the embryonic implantation. We aim to investigate whether the levels and activity of T, B, and NK cells change during a menstrual cycle. Twenty-two normally cycling women were enrolled and peripheral blood was drawn serially during a menstrual cycle. Intracellular cytokine expression of CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells, and Th1/Th2 cytokine-producing T cell ratios were determined using flow cytometric analysis. NK cell cytotoxicity was measured by flow cytometric analysis at E:T ratios of 50:1, 25:1, and 12.5:1 and also using LU at 20%. Proportions (percentage) of CD3+ (p = 0.046) and CD3+CD4+ (p = 0.002) T cells were increased in the follicular phase compared with the luteal phase. The levels of CD3−CD56+ (p = 0.010) and CD3−CD56dim (p = 0.012) NK cells and NK cytotoxicity at E:T ratio of 50:1, 25:1, and 12.5:1 and LU at 20% were significantly increased in the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase. Even though IL-10–producing CD3+CD4+ T cells were significantly lower in the midluteal phase as compared with the early follicular phase, proportions of CD19+ B cells, CD3+CD56+ NKT cells, Th1 cytokine-producing T cell subsets, and ratios of Th1/Th2 cytokine-producing T cells were not significantly changed during a menstrual cycle. We conclude that peripheral blood NK and T cell levels as well as NK cytotoxicity are changed during a menstrual cycle. Neuroendocrine regulation on immune responses is suggested during an ovarian cycle, which may be critical for embryonic implantation and pregnancy.