bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Organizational and patient-related assessments in HTAs: State of the art
Authors: Lee Anne , Skött Line Sinding , Hansen Helle Ploug 
Published: October 2009

Objectives:The use and implementation of health technologies do influence and are influenced by organizational structures and processes as well as patient's experiences and actions. The objective of this study is to discuss the content and managing of organizational and patient-related assessments in HTAs.Methods:Quantitative and qualitative analysis were performed based on a review of organizational and patient-related assessments included in a random sample of fifty HTA reports. The reports were identified from INAHTA members’ Web sites where homepages of HTA agencies where searched for full HTA reports, published in English or Scandinavian languages.Results:HTA reports including organizational assessments mainly comprised issues related to process and structure, while issues such as control and evaluation of the technology were included less often. Cultural and environmental issues were included in a little over half of the reports. Reports including patient-related assessments mainly comprised psychological issues. Patients’ perceptions of the technology's effect on their health, patient-information, and social and ethical issues were included less often. Few reports included implications for the patient's significant others. There was considerable variation in how comprehensive the issues were managed as there was in the methodological transparency of the HTA reports.Conclusions:There is room for improvement in the assessments of organizational and patient-related issues. Absence of a description of the considerations made when determining the content and methods of the assessments limits the usefulness of an HTA. The reader is left uncertain of the relevance and validity of the organizational and patient-related assessments.
Evaluation of interventions and vaccination strategies for low pathogenicity avian influenza: spatial and space–time analyses and quantification of the spread of infection
Authors: MULATTI P. , BOS M. E. H. , BUSANI L. , NIELEN M. , MARANGON S. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYIn recent years the control of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses of the H5 and H7 subtypes has increasingly become a concern. We evaluated the measures (stamping out, controlled marketing, emergency and preventive vaccination, farm density reduction and restocking in homogenous areas) implemented to control the LPAI epidemics that occurred in Italy between 2000 and 2005, using a combination of spatial and space–time analyses and estimates of the basic reproduction ratio (R0). Clustering of infected farms decreased over the years, indicating the effectiveness of the control strategies implemented. Controlled marketing [relative risk (RR) 0·46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·27–0·80], emergency (RR 0·47, 95% CI 0·39–0·57) and preventive vaccination (RR 0·19, 95% CI 0·09–0·41) were the most effective measures, yetR0<1 was only for preventive vaccination. Our results are useful for identifying the most effective measures for reducing the risk of the spread of LPAI and optimizing the allocation of resources.
Stenosis of the main stem of the left coronary artery in a teenager with Takayasu’s Arteritis
Authors: Reddy Srikrishna Modugula , Reddy Srinivas Pallikala 
Published: October 2009

AbstractCoronary arterial involvement is rare in Takayasu’s arteritis. We describe successful coronary arterial bypass grafting in a 15 year teenager with Takayasu’s arteritis and unstable angina because of stenosis of the main stem of the left coronary artery.
Poor outcome for patients with totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection and functionally single ventricle
Authors: Sinzobahamvya Nicodème , Arenz Claudia , Reckers Julia , Photiadis Joachim , Murin Peter , Schindler Ehrenfried , Hraska Viktor , Asfour Boulos 
Published: October 2009

AbstractTotally anomalous pulmonary venous connection, when also associated with a functionally univentricular connection, is known to have a poor outcome. We retrospectively analysed results for 19 patients undergoing surgery for this combination of lesions between 1995 and February 2009.Of the patients, 12 were neonates, with 11 presenting with signs of pulmonary venous obstruction. In 3 patients, a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt had been constructed. The dominant ventricle was of right ventricular morphology in 17 of the 19 patients, and double inlet was present in all bar 1. Pulmonary atresia or stenosis was found in 14 patients, a common atrioventricular junction in 14 patients, and isomerism of the right atrial appendages in 12 patients, respectively. Comprehensive Aristotle scores ranged from 14 to 23.50. The mean was 16.55, with a standard deviation of 2.19. Pulmonary venous rerouting was combined in 6 patients with construction of a modified Blalock-Taussig, in 4 with banding of the pulmonary trunk, in another 4 with a bidirectional Glenn anastomosis, in 3 with creation of a total cavo-pulmonary connection, and in 1 each with enlargement of the right ventricular outflow tract and the Norwood procedure. Of the cohort, 8 patients died early due to pulmonary hypertension, with all patients having Aristotle scores of at least 18 points dying. Among the 11 early survivors, 5 needed mechanical ventilation for over a week, but 5 patients died later, 3 due to pulmonary hypertension and 2 due to infection. Actuarial survival stabilized at 31.6%, with standard error of 10.7%, from one year onwards. Conversion to the Fontan circulation was successful in 5 patients.Our experience confirms that totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection, when associated with the functionally univentricular arrangement, carries one of the worst outcomes in current surgical practice. Use of the Aristotle comprehensive complexity scores effectively discriminates those patients with this condition at particularly high risk.
Treatment of adult post-traumatic stress disorder using a future-oriented writing therapy approach
Authors: Nixon Reginald D. V. , Kling Leonard W. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe aim of this pilot study was to test whether a future-oriented expressive writing intervention is able to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity and associated symptoms such as depression and unhelpful trauma-related beliefs. In an uncontrolled pre-/ post-design participants attended 8 weeks of manualized therapy. Assessment was undertaken pre- and post-treatment, and participants also completed a 3-month follow-up assessment. Of the 17 participants who began therapy, 13 were treatment completers. Results indicated a significant decrease in PTSD severity, depression and unhelpful trauma-related cognitions from pre- to post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Clinically meaningful change was more modest; however, three participants reported PTSD remission at 3-month follow-up. It is concluded that expressive writing with a focus on achieving future goals and personal change may have some utility in reducing post-traumatic stress but future research will need to investigate this with greater methodological rigour before firm conclusions can be made.
21 Tesla MRI Microimaging of Rat Heart by Superparamagnetic Antimyoglobin Bound Nanoparticles
Authors: Sharma Rakesh 
Published: October 2009

AbstractSuperparamagnetic iron-oxide bound antimyoglobin (SPIOM) characteristics were analyzed at different pH. After injecting SPIOM in heart, ex vivo magnetic resonance microimaging (MRM) technique was used to visualize microvasculature of rat heart including cardiac arteries, veins, cordate tendons attached with valves. The measurement accuracy of ventricles, aorta, vasculature and dimensions of cordate tendons were close to coregistered histology measurements.
Should Vascular Surgery Patients Be Screened Preoperatively for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus?
Authors: Lee Bruce Y. , Tsui Becky Y. , Bailey Rachel R. , Smith Kenneth J. , Muder Robert R. , Lewis G. Jonathan , Harrison Lee H. 
Published: October 2009

Background.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause severe infection in patients who are undergoing vascular surgical operations. Testing all vascular surgery patients preoperatively for MRSA and attempting to decolonize those who have positive results may be a strategy to prevent MRSA infection. The economic value of such a strategy has not yet been determined.Methods.We developed a decision-analytic computer simulation model to determine the economic value of using such a strategy before all vascular surgical procedures from the societal and third-party payer perspectives at different MRSA prevalence and decolonization success rates.Results.The model showed preoperative MRSA testing to be cost-effective (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, <$50,000 per quality-adjusted life year) when the MRSA prevalence is ≥0.01 and the decolonization success rate is ≥0.25. In fact, this strategy was dominant (ie, less costly and more effective) at the following thresholds: MRSA prevalence ≥0.01 and decolonization success rate ≥0.5, and MRSA prevalence ≥0.025 and decolonization success rate ≥0.25.Conclusion.Testing and decolonizing patients for MRSA before vascular surgery may be a cost-effective strategy over a wide range of MRSA prevalence and decolonization success rates.
Seed-based IntaRNA prediction combined with GFP-reporter system identifies mRNA targets of the small RNA Yfr1
Authors: Richter Andreas S. , Schleberger Christian , Backofen Rolf , Steglich Claudia 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Motivation: Prochlorococcus possesses the smallest genome of all sequenced photoautotrophs. Although the number of regulatory proteins in the genome is very small, the relative number of small regulatory RNAs is comparable with that of other bacteria. The compact genome size of Prochlorococcus offers an ideal system to search for targets of small RNAs (sRNAs) and to refine existing target prediction algorithms.
Results: Target predictions for the cyanobacterial sRNA Yfr1 were carried out with INTARNA in Prochlorococcus MED4. The ultraconserved Yfr1 sequence motif was defined as the putative interaction seed. To study the impact of Yfr1 on its predicted mRNA targets, a reporter system based on green fluorescent protein (GFP) was applied. We show that Yfr1 inhibits the translation of two predicted targets. We used mutation analysis to confirm that Yfr1 directly regulates its targets by an antisense interaction sequestering the ribosome binding site, and to assess the importance of interaction site accessibility.
Contact: backofen@informatik.uni-freiburg.de; claudia.steglich@biologie.uni-freiburg.de
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Systematic review: portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis
Authors: TSOCHATZIS E. A. , SENZOLO M. , GERMANI G. , GATT A. , BURROUGHS A. K. 
Published: October 2009

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 366‐374SummaryBackground  As current imaging techniques in cirrhosis allow detection of asymptomatic portal vein thrombosis during routine ultrasonography, more patients with cirrhosis are diagnosed with portal vein thrombosis. Although a consensus on noncirrhotic extra‐hepatic portal vein thrombosis has been published, no such consensus exists for portal vein thrombosis with cirrhosis.Aim  To perform a systematic review of nonmalignant portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis in terms of prevalence, pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical course and management.Methods  Studies were identified by a search strategy using MEDLINE and EMBASE.Results  Portal vein thrombosis is encountered in 10–25% of cirrhotics. In terms of pathophysiology, cirrhosis is no longer considered a hypocoagulable state; rather than a bleeding risk in cirrhosis, various clinical studies support a thrombotic potential. Clinical findings of portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis vary from asymptomatic disease to a life‐threatening condition at first presentation. Optimal management of portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis is currently not addressed in any consensus publication. Treatment strategies most often include the use of anticoagulation, while thrombectomy and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are considered second‐line options.Conclusions  Portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis has many unresolved issues, which are often the critical problems clinicians encounter in their everyday practice. We propose a possible research agenda to address these unresolved issues.
Cell cycle and tissue of origin contribute to the migratory behaviour of human fetal and adult mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Maijenburg Marijke W. , Noort Willy A. , Kleijer Marion , Kompier Charlotte J. A. , Weijer Kees , Van Buul Jaap D. , Van Der Schoot C. Ellen , Voermans Carlijn 
Published: October 2009

SummaryMesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are potential cells for cellular therapies, in which the recruitment and migration of MSC towards injured tissue is crucial. Our data show that culture‐expanded MSC from fetal lung and bone marrow, adult bone marrow and adipose tissue contained a small percentage of migrating cells in vitro, but the optimal stimulus was different. Overall, fetal lung‐MSC had the highest migratory capacity. As fetal bone marrow‐MSC had lower migratory potential than fetal lung‐MSC, the tissue of origin may determine the migratory capacity of MSC. No additive effect in migration towards combined stimuli was observed, which suggests only one migratory MSC fraction. Interestingly, actin rearrangement and increased paxillin phosphorylation were observed in most MSC upon stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α or platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB stimulation, indicating that this mechanism involved in responding to migratory cues is not restricted to migratory MSC. Migratory MSC maintained differentiation and migration potential, and contained significantly less cells in S‐ and G2/M‐phase than their non‐migrating counterpart. In conclusion, our results suggest that MSC from various sources have different migratory capacities, depending on the tissue of origin. Similar to haematopoietic stem cells, cell cycle contributes to MSC migration, which offers perspectives for modulation of MSC to enhance efficacy of future cellular therapies.
Clopidogrel: mechanisms of action and review of the evidence relating to use during skin surgery procedures
Authors: Stewart L. C. , Langtry J. A. A. 
Published: October 2009

Summary
Patients who have skin surgery may be taking medication that increases the likelihood of bleeding, such as clopidogrel, aspirin, warfarin, heparin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). All of these may increase the risk of perioperative and postoperative bleeding. This article examines the mechanism of action of clopidogrel, current practice, and evidence for or against continuing its use during skin surgery. The mechanisms of action of aspirin, warfarin, heparin and NSAIDS will also be briefly discussed.
Supraciliary wrinkles and botulinum toxin A
Authors: Ghalamkarpour F. , Robati R. M. , Aryanejad F. , Toossi P. 
Published: October 2009

Summary
Background. Injection of botulinum toxin into certain areas of face that carry a high risk of ptosis (danger zone) needs caution in application. An example is the lateral forehead, particularly the lower portion.
Aim. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of treating supraciliary wrinkles in the lower lateral forehead by injections of botulinum toxin at the temporal hairline, keeping a reasonable distance from danger zone.
Methods. In this randomized clinical trial, 40 women (mean age 35 years) were selected and divided into two groups, A and B. both groups were treated with botulinum toxin to treat wrinkles in the frown area, as well as frontal lines and lateral canthus lines. Group B received extra injections at each temporal line for treatment of supraciliary wrinkles.
Results. There was a significant difference in total wrinkle number and mean number of wrinkles between the two groups after injections (paired t-test, P &lt; 0.01). No ptosis was seen in either group.
Conclusions. Injection of botulinum toxin type A through the temporal hairline to correct supraciliary wrinkles seems to be safe and effective.
Temperature sensitivity and substrate quality in soil organic matter decomposition: results of an incubation study with three substrates
Authors: WETTERSTEDT J. Å. MARTIN , PERSSON TRYGGVE , ÅGREN GÖRAN I. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractKinetic theory suggests that the temperature sensitivity of decomposition of soil organic matter should increase with increasing recalcitrance. This ‘temperature–quality hypothesis’ was tested in a laboratory experiment. Microcosms with wheat straw, spruce needle litter and mor humus were initially placed at 5, 15 and 25 °C until the same cumulative amount of CO2 had been respired. Thereafter, microcosms from each single temperature were moved to a final set of incubation temperatures of 5, 15 and 25 °C. Straw decomposed faster than needle litter at 25 and 15 °C, but slower than needle litter at 5 °C, and showed a higher temperature sensitivity (expressed as Q10) than needle litter at low temperatures. When moved to the same temperature, needle litter initially incubated at 5 and 15 °C had significantly higher respiration rates in the final incubation than litters initially placed at 25 °C. Mor humus placed at equal temperatures during the initial and final incubations had higher cumulative respiration during the final incubation than humus experiencing a shift in temperature, both up‐ and downwards. These results indicate that other factors than substrate quality are needed to fully explain the temperature dependence. In agreement with the hypothesis, Q10 was always higher for the temperature step between 5 and 15 °C than between 15 and 25 °C. Also in agreement with the temperature–quality hypothesis, Q10 significantly increased with increasing degree of decomposition in five out of the six constant temperature treatments with needle litter and mor humus. Q10s for substrates moved between temperatures tended to be higher than for substrates remaining at the initial temperature and an upward shift in temperature increased Q10 more than a downward shift. This study largely supports the temperature–quality hypothesis. However, other factors like acclimation and synthesis of recalcitrant compounds can modify the temperature response.
Winter climate change implications for decomposition in northeastern forests: comparisons of sugar maple litter with herbivore fecal inputs
Authors: CHRISTENSON LYNN M. , MITCHELL MYLON J. , GROFFMAN PETER M. , LOVETT GARY M. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractForests in northeastern North America are influenced by varying climatic and biotic factors; however, there is concern that rapid changes in these factors may lead to important changes in ecosystem processes such as decomposition. Climate change (especially warming) is predicted to increase rates of decomposition in northern latitudes. Warming in winter may result in complex effects including decreased levels of snow cover and an increased incidence of soil freezing that will effect decomposition. Along with these changes in climate, moose densities have also been increasing in this region, likely affecting nutrient dynamics. We measured decomposition and N release from15N‐labeled sugar maple leaf litter and moose feces over 20 months in reference and snow removal treatment (to induce soil freezing) plots in two separate experiments at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA. Snow removal/soil freezing decreased decomposition of maple litter, but stimulated N transfer to soil and microbial biomass. Feces decomposed more rapidly than maple litter, and feces N moved into the mineral soil more than N derived from litter, likely due to the lower C : N ratio of feces. Feces decomposition was not affected by the snow removal treatment. Total microbial biomass (measured as microbial N and C) was not significantly affected by the treatments in either the litter or feces plots. These results suggest that increases in soil freezing and/or large herbivore populations, increase the transfer rate of N from plant detritus or digested plants into the mineral soil. Such changes suggest that altering the spatial and temporal patterns of soil freezing and moose density have important implications for ecosystem N cycling.
Expression of the Hsp83 gene in response to diapause and thermal stress in the moth Sesamia nonagrioides
Authors: Gkouvitsas T. , Kontogiannatos D. , Kourti A. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractA full‐length Hsp83, named SnoHsp83, cDNA from the corn stalk borer, Sesamia nonagrioides, was cloned and sequenced. Genomic analysis showed that the SnoHsp83 gene is unique. The size of the SnoHsp83 cDNA was found to be approximately 2.6 kb. The deduced polypeptide comprised 717 amino acid residues, with a molecular mass of 82.6 kDa. It contained all the highly conserved amino acid motifs that characterize the cytosolic members of the hsp90 family. We investigated the expression of SnoHsp83 gene in response to diapause and heat/cold stress. SnoHsp83 is constitutively expressed in non‐diapausing larvae and is induced 15‐fold by heat. SnoHsp83 displays a similar pattern to SnoHsc70 under diapause conditions, when extra larval moults occur. Our results indicate that the SnoHsp83 gene could be involved in the developmental process that occurs between two moults.
RNA interference directed against ribosomal protein S3a suggests a link between this gene and arrested ovarian development during adult diapause in Culex pipiens
Authors: Kim M. , Sim C. , Denlinger D. L. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractArrested ovarian development is a key characteristic of adult diapause in the mosquito Culex pipiens. In this study we propose that ribosomal protein S3a (rpS3a), a small ribosomal subunit, contributes to this shutdown. RpS3a is consistently expressed in females of C. pipiens that do not enter diapause, but in females programmed for diapause, expression of the rpS3a transcript is dramatically reduced for a brief period in early diapause (7–10 days after adult eclosion). RNA interference directed against rpS3a in nondiapausing females arrested follicle development, mimicking the diapause state. The effect of the dsRNA injection faded within 10 days, allowing the follicles to grow again, thus the suppression of rpS3a caused by RNAi did not permanently block ovarian development, implying that a brief suppression of rpS3a is not the only factor contributing to the diapause response. The arrest in development that we observed in dsRNA‐injected females could be reversed with a topical application of juvenile hormone III, an endocrine trigger known to terminate diapause in this species. Though we speculate that many genes contribute to the diapause syndrome in C. pipiens, our results suggest that a shut down in the expression of rpS3a is one of the important components of this developmental response.
Genes related to immunity, as expressed in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata, during pathogen challenge
Authors: Xu J. , James R. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractVirtually nothing is known about disease resistance in solitary bees, so expressed sequence tag (EST) databases were developed to search for immune response genes in the alfalfa leafcutting bee. We identified 104 putative immunity‐related genes from both healthy and pathogen‐challenged bee larvae, and 12 more genes using PCR amplification. The genes identified coded for proteins with a wide variety of innate immune response functions, including pathogen recognition, phagocytosis, the prophenoloxidase cascade, melanization, coagulation and several signalling pathways. Some immune response genes were highly conserved with honey bee genes, and more distantly related to other insects. The data presented provides the first analysis of immune function in a solitary bee and provides a foundation for the further analysis of gene expression patterns in bees.