bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased Activation of the ACC During a Spatial Working Memory Task in Alcohol‐Dependence Versus Heavy Social Drinking
Authors: Vollstädt‐Klein Sabine , Hermann Derik , Rabinstein Juri , Wichert Svenja , Klein Oliver , Ende Gabriele , Mann Karl 
Published: March 2010

Background:  Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in a spatial working memory task has been associated with risk factors for alcohol use disorders such as low alcohol effects and positive alcohol expectations in adolescents. To transfer these results into adults, we used the same task in adults.Methods:  During functional magnetic resonance imaging, 12 light social, 7 heavy social, and 11 non‐abstinent‐dependent alcohol drinkers performed a spatial working memory task and completed measures of automatic alcohol‐related thoughts and behavior (Obsessive–Compulsive Drinking Scale—OCDS), alcohol use of the last 90 days, and general intelligence.Results:  Behavioral performance in the spatial working memory task was not significantly different in all 3 groups. Controlling for differences in general intelligence alcohol‐dependent participants showed a higher task‐related activation of the dorsal ACC (dACC) in comparison with light and heavy social drinkers. Measures of the OCDS were positively correlated with the activation in the left hippocampus and right thalamus in all participants.Conclusions:  Our results support the findings of increased dACC activation during a spatial working memory task as a risk factor for alcohol dependence. Increased task‐related activation in the dACC was only observed in alcohol‐dependent participants and not in heavy social drinkers with comparable alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the absence of behavioral performance differences between groups as well as an association between dACC activation and working memory performance indicates subtle working memory deficits. Low capacity of working memory has been linked to more automatic and less self‐regulated behavior in studies on natural reward processing. Therefore, additional neural activation during performance of the non‐alcohol‐related working memory task in participants with higher OCDS values in the left hippocampus and the right thalamus may be a consequence of decreased neural capacity because of distracting alcohol‐related thoughts.
Effect of Establishing Guidelines on Appropriate Urinary Catheter Placement
Authors: Fakih Mohamad G. , Pena Margarita E. , Shemes Stephen , Rey Janice , Berriel‐Cass Dorine , Szpunar Susan M. , Savoy‐Moore Ruth T. , Saravolatz Louis D. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractObjectives:  Avoiding placement of unnecessary urinary catheters (UCs) in the emergency department (ED) affects UC utilization during hospitalization. The authors sought to evaluate the effect of establishing institutional guidelines for appropriate UC placement coupled with emergency physician (EP) education on UC utilization.Methods:  Urinary catheter utilization was measured before and after the establishment of guidelines and EP education. Data collected included the presence of a UC on ED arrival, placement of a UC in the ED, documentation of a physician order for UC placement, reasons for placement, and compliance with the guidelines. Chi‐square analyses were used to study the association between pre‐ and postintervention time periods and catheter use.Results:  A total of 377 (15%) patients had UCs; only 151 (47%) UCs initially placed in the ED had a physician order documented. UC placement was appropriately indicated in 75.5% of patients with a documented physician order, but in only 52% of cases without a documented physician order (p < 0.001). The physician intervention was associated with an overall reduction in UC utilization from 16.4% to 13% (p = 0.018). Physicians ordered 40% fewer UCs postintervention compared to preintervention. Preintervention, a physician order for UC placement was found indicated in 72.6% patients, compared to 82.2% patients with UC placed postintervention (p = 0.21).Conclusions:  Establishing guidelines for UC placement and physician education in the ED were associated with a marked reduction in utilization. However, addressing appropriate UC utilization may require evaluating other factors such as nursing influence on utilization.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:337–340 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Potentially Inappropriate Medication Utilization in the Emergency Department Visits by Older Adults: Analysis From a Nationally Representative Sample
Authors: Meurer William J. , Potti Tommy A. , Kerber Kevin A. , Sasson Comilla , Macy Michelle L. , West Brady T. , Losman Eve D. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractObjectives:  The objectives were to determine the frequency of administration of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) to older emergency department (ED) patients and to examine recent trends in the rates of PIM usage.Methods:  The data examined during the study were obtained from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). This study utilized the nationally representative ED data from 2000–2006 NHAMCS surveys. Our sample included older adults (age 65 years and greater) who were treated in the ED and discharged home. Estimated frequencies of PIM‐associated ED visits were calculated. A multivariable logistic regression model was created to assess demographic, clinical, and hospital factors associated with PIM administration and to assess temporal trends.Results:  Approximately 19.5 million patients, or 16.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.1% to 17.4%) of eligible ED visits, were associated with one or more PIMs. The five most common PIMs were promethazine, ketorolac, propoxyphene, meperidine, and diphenhydramine. The total number of medications prescribed or administered during the ED visit was most strongly associated with PIM use. Other covariates associated with PIM use included rural location outside of the Northeast, being seen by a staff physician only (and not by a resident or intern), presenting with an injury, and the combination of female sex and age 65–74 years. There was a small but significant decrease in the proportion of visits associated with a PIM over the study period.Conclusions:  Potentially inappropriate medication administration in the ED remains common. Given rising concerns about preventable complications of medical care, this area may be of high priority for intervention. Substantial regional and hospital type (teaching versus nonteaching) variability appears to exist.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:231–237 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Development of Geriatric Competencies for Emergency Medicine Residents Using an Expert Consensus Process
Authors: Hogan Teresita M. , Losman Eve D. , Carpenter Christopher R. , Sauvigne Karen , Irmiter Cheryl , Emanuel Linda , Leipzig Rosanne M. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractBackground:  The emergency department (ED) visit rate for older patients exceeds that of all age groups other than infants. The aging population will increase elder ED patient utilization to 35% to 60% of all visits. Older patients can have complex clinical presentations and be resource‐intensive. Evidence indicates that emergency physicians fail to provide consistent high‐quality care for elder ED patients, resulting in poor clinical outcomes.Objectives:  The objective was to develop a consensus document, “Geriatric Competencies for Emergency Medicine Residents,” by identified experts. This is a minimum set of behaviorally based performance standards that all residents should be able to demonstrate by completion of their residency training.Methods:  This consensus‐based process utilized an inductive, qualitative, multiphase method to determine the minimum geriatric competencies needed by emergency medicine (EM) residents. Assessments of face validity and reliability were used throughout the project.Results:  In Phase I, participants (n = 363) identified 12 domains and 300 potential competencies. In Phase II, an expert panel (n = 24) clustered the Phase I responses, resulting in eight domains and 72 competencies. In Phase III, the expert panel reduced the competencies to 26. In Phase IV, analysis of face validity and reliability yielded a 100% consensus for eight domains and 26 competencies. The domains identified were atypical presentation of disease; trauma, including falls; cognitive and behavioral disorders; emergent intervention modifications; medication management; transitions of care; pain management and palliative care; and effect of comorbid conditions.Conclusions:  The Geriatric Competencies for EM Residents is a consensus document that can form the basis for EM residency curricula and assessment to meet the demands of our aging population.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:316–324 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Vitamin D deficiency does not alter biochemical markers of bone metabolism before or after autograft in patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: Laroche Michel , Lemaire Olivia , Attal Michel 
Published: February 2010

AbstractSo far, only one study has demonstrated a high incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with multiple myeloma. Vitamin D deficiency may alter bone remodelling in myeloma. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and to assess its impact on bone remodelling and bone mineral density before and after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Patients and methods: In 39 consecutive patients receiving high‐dose chemotherapy (melphalan 200 mg/m2) followed by ASCT for multiple myeloma, we measured before (T0) and 12 months after ASCT (T12) serum calcium, 25‐OH‐D, PTH 1‐84, bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP), serum C‐terminal cross‐linking telopeptide and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD). Results: Mean vitamin D levels were low: 15 ± 5 ng/mL (9–18) at T0 and 16 ± 5 ng/mL (14–22) at T12. Twenty‐six patients (68%) had vitamin D deficiency (25‐OH‐D < 20 ng/mL) at T0 and 58% at T12. Patients in the vitamin D‐deficient group had higher serum PTH levels than those in the vitamin D‐sufficient group : 71 ± 24 pg/mL vs. 52 ± 18 pg/mL (P = 0.04). Biochemical bone markers were identical in both groups at T0 and T12. Z‐score values did not significantly differ between the two groups at T0 and T12. There were no correlations between 25‐OH‐D and BMD or bone marker levels. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency does not impair biochemical markers of bone metabolism in patients with multiple myeloma, before or after ASCT.
Decreased cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity of pregnant women during foot baths
Authors: MIYAZATO Kuniko , MATSUKAWA Kanji 
Published: March 2010

AbstractAim:  This study aimed to examine the effect of foot baths on the cardiac parasympathetic outflow of five pregnant (31–32 weeks; mid‐pregnancy) women and 16 non‐pregnant women.Methods:  The cardiac parasympathetic outflow was assessed by using the respiratory variability of the R‐R interval under controlled breathing according to three different methods: (i) respiratory sinus arrhythmia; (ii) a respiratory‐synchronized component of the power spectrum of R‐R interval variability with a fast Fourier transform; and (iii) a high‐frequency component (HF at 0.15–0.40 Hz) of the power spectrum of R‐R interval variability with a maximum entropy method.Results:  The rate and amplitude of spontaneous respiration and arterial blood pressure at rest were the same between the non‐pregnant and pregnant women. However, the baseline R‐R interval was shorter and the respiratory‐synchronized and HF components of the power spectrum of R‐R interval variability were smaller in the pregnant women, indicating a decreased baseline cardiac parasympathetic outflow with mid‐pregnancy. Although a foot bath for 15 min did not significantly affect the systemic hemodynamics and body temperature of both groups, the foot bath reduced the respiratory arrhythmia and the respiratory‐synchronized and HF components of the power spectrum of R‐R interval variability in both groups. The reduction in the respiratory R‐R interval became more prominent in the pregnant group.Conclusion:  A foot bath, used as part of midwives' daily nursing care, is able to decrease the cardiac parasympathetic outflow of pregnant women.
Continuing Medical Education: Vulvovaginal Atrophy: Current and Future Therapies (CME)
Authors: Ibe Comfort , Simon James A. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTIntroductionVulvovaginal atrophy results from estrogen deficiency and affects a large number of postmenopausal women. Symptoms include vaginal dryness, itching, irritation, and dyspareunia.AimThe purpose of this review is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and acceptability of current treatment methods for vulvovaginal atrophy, as well as highlight evolving new treatment methods.MethodWe conducted a review of the literature concerning treatment of vulvovaginal atrophy.ResultsAll currently available low-dose local estrogen formulations are effective and yield few side effects. Fears sparked by the Women’s Health Initiative, as well as recommendations by the FDA, have generated interest in the development of new treatment methods. Lower doses of existing formulations have proven to be efficacious. The use of estrogen agonists/antagonists and intravaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have both been shown to positively affect vaginal atrophy symptoms without inducing endometrial proliferation.ConclusionPotential new treatment methods show promise to provide efficacy in treatment while avoiding unwanted side effects. Further research is needed to establish optimal treatment formulations.
Overcoming immunological tolerance to melanoma: Targeting CTLA‐4
Authors: HODI F Stephen 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe use of immunotherapeutics in melanoma has received much attention, and recent advances to further characterize the regulatory components of the immune system and the importance of co‐stimulatory molecules have opened a new area for clinical investigation. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte‐associated antigen 4 (CTLA‐4) serves as a negative regulator of immunity. Recent trials administering fully human anti‐CTLA‐4 monoclonal antibodies to melanoma patients have demonstrated clinically meaningful responses. Treatment with CTLA‐4 blocking antibodies, however, is not without potential toxicities. Autoimmune side‐effects, the most common being colitis‐associated diarrhea, are frequently associated with clinical responses. In efforts to build upon prior vaccination efforts as well as attempt to offer patients clinically meaningful immune responses with a CTLA‐4 blockade but without significant toxicities, we conducted a clinical trial in patients who previously received autologous tumor cells engineered to secrete granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor (GVAX; Cell Genesys, South San Francisco, CA, USA) with periodic infusions of CTLA‐4 blocking antibodies. This sequential treatment resulted in clinically significant anti‐tumor immunity without grade 3 or 4 toxicity in most patients. Pathological analyses following treatment of pre‐existing tumors revealed a linear correlation between tumor necrosis and the ratio of intra‐tumoral CD8+ effector cells to FoxP3+ regulatory cells (Tregs). Effective anti‐tumor immunity and serious autoimmunity can be disassociated. Further targeting of anti‐tumor Tregsin combinatorial therapy approaches may be a rich avenue of future investigation.
Phosphate treatment to reduce plumbosolvency of drinking water also reduces discharges of copper into environmental surface waters
Authors: Comber Sean , Cassé Franck , Brown Bruce , Martin John , Hillis Peter , Gardner Mike 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe majority of drinking water supply zones in the United Kingdom are currently dosed with phosphate in order to meet the drinking water quality standards for lead. Consequent reductions in other metals released from domestic plumbing might be expected. Lead, copper, zinc and nickel concentrations in the tap water of supply zones and in effluents from related sewage works were examined to assess reductions in the concentrations of these metals associated with the dosing of orthophosphate. This paper provides an analysis of the impact of phosphate dosing of drinking water on the metal concentrations in drinking water and sewage work effluents and the potential impacts in relation to the Water Framework Directive. Phosphate treatment the reduced average copper concentrations in drinking water by around 40% from 65 to 35 μg/L; the reduction is proportional to the phosphate dose. A corresponding 30% decrease in wastewater treatment work effluent concentrations is observed. No significant changes are evident in the zinc and nickel concentrations.
Der Umverteilungseffekt öffentlicher bzw. privater Sozialprogramme: Eine internationale Querschnittstudie
Authors: Goudswaard Kees , Caminada Koen 
Published: March 2010

AuszugEine Aufgabe vieler nationaler Sozialschutzsysteme ist es, Einkommen nachhaltig umzuverteilen. Umfang und Art der angebotenen Sozialschutzprogramme befinden sich jedoch in einem Wandel. In einigen Ländern ist eine Verlagerung von öffentlichen zu privatwirtschaftlichen Sozialschutzplänen zu beobachten, wobei Letztere die öffentlichen Programme oft ergänzen oder ersetzen. Aufbauend auf früheren Arbeiten, untersucht der vorliegende Artikel die Umverteilungswirkung von öffentlichen bzw. privaten Sozialschutzprogrammen auf die Einkommen. Anhand neuerer Daten der Organisation für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (OECD) finden wir länderübergreifend eine starke positive Korrelation zwischen den öffentlichen Sozialausgaben und der Einkommensumverteilung. Bei den privatwirtschaftlichen Sozialausgaben finden wir eine schwache, aber statistisch signifikante, negative Korrelation mit der Umverteilungswirkung. In Ländern, in denen der Großteil der gesamten Sozialausgaben in private Sozialpläne fließt, ist die Einkommensumverteilung also geringer. Wir kommen zum Schluss, dass der Entscheid, den Sozialschutz stärker öffentlich oder stärker privatwirtschaftlich auszurichten, die Umverteilungswirkung des Wohlfahrtsstaats beeinflusst.
Aktuelle Belege für die Ausweitung der Deckung durch die soziale Sicherheit
Authors: Van Ginneken Wouter 
Published: March 2010

AuszugDieser Beitrag basiert auf den Ergebnissen von 13 Studien, die im Rahmen eines Projekts der Internationalen Vereinigung für Soziale Sicherheit (IVSS) zur Ausweitung der Deckung („Examining the existing knowledge on coverage extension“—„Untersuchung des bestehenden Wissens über die Ausweitung der Deckung“) durchgeführt wurden. Er befasst sich mit neueren Belegen, die zeigen, wie aus Beiträgen oder Steuermitteln bzw. beidem finanzierte Geldleistungen und Krankenversicherungen in Ländern mit niedrigen, mittleren und hohen Einkommen ausgedehnt und erhalten werden können. Der Artikel wirft auch ein Schlaglicht auf eine Reihe von Prioritäten und Fragen bezüglich der Ausweitung der Deckung, darunter die Verbesserung des Schutzes für Wanderarbeitnehmer und solche in der informellen Wirtschaft.
Identification of the Biosynthetic Gene Cluster for 3-Methylarginine, a Toxin Produced by
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. syringae 22d/93
Authors: Braun S. D. , Hofmann J. , Wensing A. , Ullrich M. S. , Weingart H. , Völksch B. , Spiteller D. 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT

The epiphyte
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. syringae 22d/93 (Pss22d) produces the rare amino acid 3-methylarginine (MeArg), which is highly active against the closely related soybean pathogen
Pseudomonas syringae
pv. glycinea. Since these pathogens compete for the same habitat, Pss22d is a promising candidate for biocontrol of
P. syringae
pv. glycinea. The MeArg biosynthesis gene cluster codes for the
S
-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase MrsA, the putative aminotransferase MrsB, and the amino acid exporter MrsC. Transfer of the whole gene cluster into
Escherichia coli
resulted in heterologous production of MeArg. The methyltransferase MrsA was overexpressed in
E. coli
as a His-tagged protein and functionally characterized (

K
m

, 7 mM;
k
cat
, 85 min
−1
). The highly selective methyltransferase MrsA transfers the methyl group from SAM into 5-guanidino-2-oxo-pentanoic acid to yield 5-guanidino-3-methyl-2-oxo-pentanoic acid, which then only needs to be transaminated to result in the antibiotic MeArg.
Metabolomic Characterization of the Salt Stress Response in
Streptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Kol Stefan , Merlo M. Elena , Scheltema Richard A. , de Vries Marcel , Vonk Roel J. , Kikkert Niels A. , Dijkhuizen Lubbert , Breitling Rainer , Takano Eriko 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT

The humicolous actinomycete
Streptomyces coelicolor
routinely adapts to a wide variety of habitats and rapidly changing environments. Upon salt stress, the organism is also known to increase the levels of various compatible solutes. Here we report the results of the first high-resolution metabolomics time series analysis of various strains of
S. coelicolor
exposed to salt stress: the wild type, mutants with progressive knockouts of the ectoine biosynthesis pathway, and two stress regulator mutants (with disruptions of the
sigB
and
osaB
genes). Samples were taken from cultures at 0, 4, 8, and 24 h after salt stress treatment and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with an LTQ Orbitrap XL mass spectrometer. The results suggest that a large fraction of amino acids is upregulated in response to the salt stress, as are proline/glycine-containing di- and tripeptides. Additionally we found that 5′-methylthioadenosine, a known inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, is downregulated upon salt stress. Strikingly, no major differences between the wild-type cultures and the two stress regulator mutants were found, indicating a considerable robustness of the metabolomic response to salt stress, compared to the more volatile changes in transcript abundance reported earlier.
Biofilm Formation on Reverse Osmosis Membranes Is Initiated and Dominated by
Sphingomonas
spp
Authors: Bereschenko L. A. , Stams A. J. M. , Euverink G. J. W. , van Loosdrecht M. C. M. 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT

The initial formation and spatiotemporal development of microbial biofilm layers on surfaces of new and clean reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and feed-side spacers were monitored
in situ
using flow cells placed in parallel with the RO system of a full-scale water treatment plant. The feed water of the RO system had been treated by the sequential application of coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, ultrafiltration, and cartridge filtration processes. The design of the flow cells permitted the production of permeate under cross-flow conditions similar to those in spiral-wound RO membrane elements of the full-scale system. Membrane autopsies were done after 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of flow-cell operation. A combination of molecular (fluorescence
in situ
hybridization [FISH], denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis [DGGE], and cloning) and microscopic (field emission scanning electron, epifluorescence, and confocal laser scanning microscopy) techniques was applied to analyze the abundance, composition, architecture, and three-dimensional structure of biofilm communities. The results of the study point out the unique role of
Sphingomonas
spp. in the initial formation and subsequent maturation of biofilms on the RO membrane and feed-side spacer surfaces.
Impact of Molecular Hydrogen on Chalcopyrite Bioleaching by the Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon
Metallosphaera sedula
Authors: Auernik Kathryne S. , Kelly Robert M. 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT

Hydrogen served as a competitive inorganic energy source, impacting the CuFeS

2

bioleaching efficiency of the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon
Metallosphaera sedula
. Open reading frames encoding key terminal oxidase and electron transport chain components were triggered by CuFeS
2
. Evidence of heterotrophic metabolism was noted after extended periods of bioleaching, presumably related to cell lysis.