bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A survey of the language situation in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mlambo Muzi 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTIs there a Zimbabwean variety of English? If so, who speaks it? Although Zimbabwe is a multilingual speech community, the Shona language, which is composed of dialects and sub-dialects, enjoys numerical dominance because it is spoken by the majority of the Zimbabweans. On the other hand, English, the official language, enjoys status dominance and it occupies a special position in the lives of many Zimbabweans. There is dispute, however, whether English in Zimbabwe is an interlanguage, and its speakers have adopted the native variety as a model, or whether it is better to observe that there are many varieties of English in Zimbabwe which are pragmatically identifiable as Zimbabwean, and that the vast majority of Zimbabweans appear to speak an English which reflects the linguistic characteristics of Shona.
Reforming medical governance in Europe. What is it about institutions?
Authors: BURAU VIOLA , WILSFORD DAVID , FRANCE GEORGE 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThis article presents a cross-national analytical framework for understanding current attempts to reform medical governance – in particular, those by third parties to control the practice of medicine. The framework pays particular attention to the ways in which institutions shape policy reform. The article also outlines the main comparative findings of case studies of selected reforms and associated processes of negotiations in Denmark, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. These four countries were selected because they are characterised by theoretically interesting variations in the institutional contexts of medical governance. The analysis suggests that although all the four countries have pushed for more control over the way in which doctors practise medicine, in response to similar imperatives, each country differs in the path it has taken. More specifically, the instruments and techniques brought to bear in each case vary considerably and are directed by a country's political institutions towards a unique path.
Negotiating reform at an arm's length from the state: Disease Management Programmes and the introduction of clinical standards in Germany
Authors: BURAU VIOLA 
Published: May 2009

AbstractStudies of German health policy often highlight institutional constraints to reform. However, based on a case study of the introduction of clinical standards as part of the Disease Management Programmes for chronic illnesses, this article suggests that negotiating reform at an arm's length from the state can also lead to governance change, although the strengthening of hierarchy is not as prominent as that in some of the countries studied in this special issue. As such, the case of Germany offers interesting insights into the politics of governance change that occur in the shadow, but largely without the direct involvement of the state, which is typical of a corporatist health-care state. In this respect, the analysis identifies three leverages for change. First, the change in medical governance explicitly builds on earlier reforms and gives the reform alliance a competitive edge. Second, the organisations of the joint self-administration, as a more or less open ally of the state, play an influential role throughout the reform process. Importantly and third, this is complemented by the state steering at a distance.
Competition and compromise in negotiating the new governance of medical performance: the clinical governance and revalidation policies in the UK
Authors: FENTON LAURA , SALTER BRIAN 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThis article explores the development of two policies for the governance of medical performance in the UK: the Department of Health's (DH) clinical governance policy and the medical profession's revalidation policy. After discussing the institutional context in which each of these policies emerged, we examine how and why they were constructed. While the clinical governance policy was in large part a swift reaction to high-profile cases of medical misconduct in the late 1990s, revalidation was the profession's response to the politicisation of its self-regulatory apparatus. The profession took notably longer than the DH to piece together its policy as a result of internal disagreements about the role clinical standards should play in the evaluation of a doctor's fitness to practice. Following the Fifth Report of the Shipman Inquiry in late 2004, the government stepped in and eventually introduced legislation that modifies the profession's policy. With clinical governance, the state – via arms-length regulatory organisations – has entered the clinic in new ways, strengthening hierarchy-based forms of governance in the governance of medical performance. However, the success of hierarchical forms of governance is likely to be restricted by the lack of a clear system of sanctioning and the state's reliance on a lengthy chain of command in the National Health Service for the implementation of clinical standards.
First Hematological Signals of Latent Anemia to Aging Population
Authors: Udristioiu Aurelian 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAnemia is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in an array of disorders common to seniors including cancer, renal diseases and heart diseases. The aim of this study was to identify the first hematological signals of latent anemia to aging population using as screening the hematological aspects of cells from peripheral blood and additional tests, establishing the etiology of anemia in the elderly.Method: Additional to level of hemoglobin(HGB) and hematocrit (HCT) have been included Hematological Indexes( MCV, HCV, MCHC ), red cell distribution width,(RDW), reticulocyte count (RET), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity,(TIBC), transferrin saturation index, (TSI), serum ferritin( SF), on an study of 140 adult hospitalized patients, in wars with chronic diseases males and females with ages past 65 years.
Results:
Anemia of chronic diseases (ACD) is more common in the elderly than other group.In ACD correlation of hematological testes was following: 32 % with normal HGB, HCT and normal hematological indexes, 21.5 % with only MCV or HCV decreased, 22.5 % patients with HB in value 10.8 g/dl for women and 11.08 g/dl form men, 15 % patients with HB 9.8-10.6g/d L and 9% patients with HB 7.8-9.6, g/d L (mean SD=2,2 ); average number of Reticulocytes =1.2%; Corrected Index Ret = 0.6%; Production Index Reticulocytes, (PIR) = 1.4, meaning the hypo-regenerative anemia with globular value, GV =1.2. Precision: CV < 2% for RBC, CV < 1% for HB and CV < 2% for HCT. Accuracy: R > 0.95 for RBC, HGB and HCT. In this study was observed a higher prevalence of anemia in elderly men than in women. Anemia of renal disease is considered to be a distinct form of anemia and is typical due to decreased EPO production in 20 percent from normal value to adult persons. Discussion: Elderly anemic patients fail to show increases in erythrocytes progenitors and reticuloculocytes as a result of chronic stress along life. In some cases, the presence of anemia may reflect an underling or undetected medical condition.

Conclusions:
Most anemic adults are asymptomatic until HGB fall below normal values. For this reason a routine anemia screening should be recommended by HB, HCT and MCV, HCV, MCHC to persons with age past >_65 year.
rtracklayer: an R package for interfacing with genome browsers
Authors: Lawrence Michael , Gentleman Robert , Carey Vincent 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Summary: The rtracklayer package supports the integration of existing genome browsers with experimental data analyses performed in R. The user may (i) transfer annotation tracks to and from a genome browser and (ii) create and manipulate browser views to focus on a particular set of annotations in a specific genomic region. Currently, the UCSC genome browser is supported.
Availability: The package is freely available from http://www.bioconductor.org/. A quick-start vignette is included with the package.
Contact: mflawren@fhcrc.org
Regulation of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase during the germination of sporangiospores of Mucor rouxii
Authors: Calvo-Mendez Carlos , Ruiz-Herrerax Jose 
Published: June 2009

Summary
General properties of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) from Mucor rouxii were studied. Dormant spores of the fungus did not contain detectable levels of the enzyme, but it started to be synthesized at early stages of spore germination. Kinetics of synthesis changed before emergence of the germ tube, with a corresponding increase in a second SAMDC activity which, in contrast to the one originally synthesized, was not activated by putrescine. Development of the second enzyme activity required de novo protein synthesis. Neither enzymic activity was stimulated by Mg2+. Addition of the SAMDC inhibitor methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) stopped fungal development in growth phase Ia: cells became spherical and showed ultrastructural alterations. Although MGBG inhibited polyamine formation, it barely inhibited protein and RNA biosynthesis during the first hour of incubation. However, at later periods, biosynthesis of both macromolecules was strongly decreased. When MGBG was added to growth media 3 h after inoculation of spores, it did not affect spore germination and outgrowth. A hypothesis for two different roles of spermidine and putrescine in spore germination is discussed.
Efficacy of an intravenous proton pump inhibitor after endoscopic therapy with epinephrine injection for peptic ulcer bleeding in patients with uraemia: a case‐control study
Authors: TSENG G.‐Y. , FANG C.‐T. , LIN H.‐J. , YANG H.‐B. , TSENG G.‐C. , WANG P.‐C. , LIAO P.‐C. , CHENG Y.‐T. , HUANG C.‐H. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryBackground  Patients with peptic ulcer bleeding and uraemia are prone to re‐bleeding.Aim  To compare the efficacy of an intravenous proton pump inhibitor in treating peptic ulcer bleeding in patients with uraemia and those without uraemia.Methods  High‐risk peptic ulcer bleeding patients received endoscopic therapy with epinephrine (adrenaline) injection plus intravenous omeprazole (40 mg bolus followed by 40 mg infusion every 12 h) for 3 days. Re‐bleeding, volume of blood transfusion, hospital stay, need for surgery, and mortality were analysed.Results  The uraemic group had similar 7‐day re‐bleeding rate (6/42, 14.29% vs. 6/46, 13.04%, P = 0.865) to that of non‐uraemic patients, but more re‐bleeding episodes beyond 7 days (4/42, 9.52% vs. 0/46, 0%, P = 0.032, OR [95% CI] = 1.105 [1.002–1.219]) and all‐cause mortality (4/42 vs. 0/46 P = 0.032, OR [95% CI] = 1.105 [1.002–1.219]). The uraemic group also had more units of blood transfusion after endoscopic therapy (mean ± s.d. 4.33 ± 3.35 units vs. 2.15 ± 1.65 units, P < 0.001), longer hospital stay (mean ± s.d. 8.55 ± 8.12 days vs. 4.11 ± 1.60 days, P < 0.001) and complications during hospitalization (9/42 vs. 0/46, P = 0.001, OR [95% CI] = 1.273 [1.087–1.490]).Conclusion  Endoscopic therapy with epinephrine injection plus an intravenous proton pump inhibitor can offer protection against early re‐bleeding in uraemic patients with peptic ulcer bleeding, but has a limited role beyond 7 days.
Occupational asbestos exposure and digestive cancers – a cohort study
Authors: CLIN B. , MORLAIS F. , DUBOIS B. , GUIZARD A.‐V. , DESOUBEAUX N. , MARQUIGNON M.‐F. , RAFFAELLI C. , PARIS C. , GALATEAU‐SALLE F. , LAUNOY G. , LETOURNEUX M. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryBackground  Although the role of asbestos in the genesis of mesothelioma and primary bronchopulmonary cancers has been established, results from studies focusing on the relationship between occupational exposure to asbestos and digestive cancer remain contradictory.Aim  To determine whether occupational asbestos exposure increases the incidence of digestive cancers.Methods  Our study was a retrospective morbidity study based on 2024 subjects occupationally exposed to asbestos. The incidence of digestive cancer was calculated from 1st January 1978 to 31st December 2004 and compared with levels among the local general population using Standardized Incidence Ratios. Asbestos exposure was assessed using the company’s job exposure matrix.Results  Eighty‐five cases of digestive cancer were observed within our cohort, for an expected number of 66.90 (SIR = 1.27 [1.01; 1.57]). A significantly elevated incidence, particularly notable among women, was observed for peritoneal mesothelioma, independently of exposure levels. A significantly elevated incidence was also noted among men for cancer of small intestine and oesophagus, for cumulative exposure indexes for asbestos above 80 fibres/mL × years. A significantly elevated incidence of cancer of the small intestine was also observed among men having been exposed to asbestos for periods in excess of 25 years and for mean exposure levels in excess of 4 fibres/mL.Conclusions  This study suggests the existence of a relationship between exposure to asbestos and cancer of the small intestine and of the oesophagus in men.
Clinical trial: a randomized trial of pegylated‐interferon‐α‐2a plus ribavirin with or without amantadine in treatment‐naïve or relapsing chronic hepatitis C patients
Authors: LANGLET P. , D’HEYGERE F. , HENRION J. , ADLER M. , DELWAIDE J. , VAN VLIERBERGHE H. , MULKAY J. P. , LASSER L. , BRENARD R. , HORSMANS Y. , MICHIELSEN P. , LAUREYS A. , NEVENS F. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryBackground  The combination therapy of pegylated‐interferon‐α2a plus ribavirin is considered as the standard of care for patients with chronic hepatitis C. A sustained viral response is obtained in 40–50% of naïve patients with genotype 1 and in around 80% of naïve patients with genotype 2 or 3.Aim  To assess whether amantadine, added to the conventional combination therapy, could improve the treatment efficacy.Methods  In all, 630 patients (intent‐to‐treat population) with chronic hepatitis C were randomized into two groups: 316 patients (treatment group) received pegylated‐interferon‐α2a (180 μg once weekly) plus ribavirin (1000–1200 mg/daily) with amantadine (200 mg/daily); 314 patients (control group) received pegylated‐interferon‐α2a (180 μg once weekly) plus ribavirin (1000–1200 mg/daily) without amantadine. The duration of the treatment was 48 weeks for genotypes 1, 4, 5 and 6, and 24 weeks for genotypes 2 and 3.Results  There was no statistically significant difference between treatments groups for any of the variables tested for. Subgroups of patients likely to take advantage of the addition of amantadine were not identified.Conclusions  This large study definitely excludes the role of amantadine in addition of conventional combination therapy in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients.
Pediatric primary care to help prevent child maltreatment: the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) model
Authors: Reading Richard 
Published: June 2009

.

Dubowitz H.,
Feigelman S.,
Lane W. &
Kim J.
(
2009
)

,
123
,
858
–
864
.

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008‐1376
.
Context Effective strategies for preventing child maltreatment are needed. Few primary care‐based programmes have been developed, and most have not been well evaluated. Objective Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) model of pediatric primary care in reducing the occurrence of child maltreatment. Methods A randomized trial was conducted from June 2002 to November 2005 in a university‐based resident continuity clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. The study population consisted of English‐speaking parents of children (0–5 years) brought in for child health supervision. Of the 1118 participants approached, 729 agreed to participate, and 558 of them completed the study protocol. Resident continuity clinics were cluster randomized by day of the week to the model (intervention) or standard care (control) groups. Model care consisted of (1) residents who received special training; (2) the Parent Screening Questionnaire; and (3) a social worker. Risk factors for child maltreatment were identified and addressed by the resident physician and/or social worker. Standard care involved routine pediatric primary care. A subset of the clinic population was sampled for the evaluation. Child maltreatment was measured in three ways: (1) child protective services reports using state agency data; (2) medical chart documentation of possible abuse or neglect; and (3) parental report of harsh punishment via the Parent‐Child Conflict Tactics scale. Results Model care resulted in significantly lower rates of child maltreatment in all the outcome measures: fewer child protective services reports, fewer instances of possible medical neglect documented as treatment non‐adherence, fewer children with delayed immunizations and less harsh punishment reported by parents. One‐tailed testing was conducted in accordance with the study hypothesis. Conclusions The SEEK model of pediatric primary care seems promising as a practical strategy for helping prevent child maltreatment. Replication and additional evaluation of the model are recommended.
The clinical effectiveness of different parenting programmes for children with conduct problems: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Reading Richard 
Published: June 2009

.

Dretzke J.,
Davenport C.,
Frew E.,
Barlow J.,
Stewart‐Brown S.,
Bayliss S.,
Taylor R. S.,
Sandercock J. &
Hyde C.
(
2009
)

,
3
,
7
.

DOI: 10.1186/1753‐2000‐3‐7
.
Background Conduct problems are common, disabling and costly. The prognosis for children with conduct problems is poor, with outcomes in adulthood including criminal behaviour, alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse and a range of psychiatric disorders. There has been a rapid expansion of group‐based parent‐training programmes for the treatment of children with conduct problems in a number of countries over the past 10 years. Existing reviews of parent training have methodological limitations such as inclusion of non‐randomized studies, the absence of investigation for heterogeneity prior to meta‐analysis or failure to report confidence intervals. The objective of the current study was to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of parenting programmes for the treatment of children with conduct problems. Methods Standard systematic review methods were followed including duplicate inclusion decisions, data extraction and quality assessment. Twenty electronic databases from the fields of medicine, psychology, social science and education were comprehensively searched for RCTs and systematic reviews to February 2006. Inclusion criteria were: RCT; of structured, repeatable parenting programmes; for parents/carers of children up to the age of 18 with a conduct problem; and at least one measure of child behaviour. Meta‐analysis and qualitative synthesis were used to summarize included studies. Results A total of 57 RCTs were included. Studies were small with an average group size of 21. Metaanalyses using both parent (SMD1−0.67; 95% CI: −0.91, −0.42) and independent (SMD −0.44; 95% CI: −0.66, −0.23) reports of outcome showed significant differences favouring the intervention group. There was insufficient evidence to determine the relative effectiveness of different approaches to delivering parenting programmes. Conclusion Parenting programmes are an effective treatment for children with conduct problems. The relative effectiveness of different parenting programmes requires further research.
Evaluation of metaflumizone granular fly bait for management of houseflies
Authors: AHMAD A. , ZUREK L. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe housefly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), is a pest of great veterinary and public health importance. In this study, the efficacy of metaflumizone granular fly bait was assessed on first generation (F1) housefly adults raised from flies collected at a cattle feedlot in Kansas. All bioassays were conducted as choice tests, with flies having ad libitum access to water, granular sugar and bait. A commercial methomyl‐based bait (Golden MalrinTM) was used as positive control; no bait (water and granular sugar only) was used as negative control. Fly mortality was recorded on days 2, 7 and 14. The metaflumizone bait was significantly more slow‐acting than the methomyl bait (mortality rates after 2 days of exposure were 49.9% and 57.9%, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in cumulative mortality later in the bioassays. Cumulative mortality rates on days 7 and 14 were 96.1% (metaflumizone), 91.4% (methomyl) and 99.0% (metaflumizone), 97.6% (methomyl), respectively. Our results demonstrate that the metaflumizone granular fly bait may be an effective modality for incorporation into management programmes for houseflies in and around livestock production facilities as well as in residential settings.
Functional roles of the pre‐sensor I insertion sequence in an AAA+ bacterial enhancer binding protein
Authors: Burrows Patricia C. , Schumacher Jörg , Amartey Samuel , Ghosh Tamaswati , Burgis Timothy A. , Zhang Xiaodong , Nixon B. Tracy , Buck Martin 
Published: May 2009

SummaryMolecular machines belonging to the AAA+ superfamily of ATPases use NTP hydrolysis to remodel their versatile substrates. The presence of an insertion sequence defines the major phylogenetic pre‐sensor I insertion (pre‐SIi) AAA+ superclade. In the bacterial σ54‐dependent enhancer binding protein phage shock protein F (PspF) the pre‐SIi loop adopts different conformations depending on the nucleotide‐bound state. Single amino acid substitutions within the dynamic pre‐SIi loop of PspF drastically change the ATP hydrolysis parameters, indicating a structural link to the distant hydrolysis site. We used a site‐specific protein–DNA proximity assay to measure the contribution of the pre‐SIi loop in σ54‐dependent transcription and demonstrate that the pre‐SIi loop is a major structural feature mediating nucleotide state‐dependent differential engagement with Eσ54. We suggest that much, if not all, of the action of the pre‐SIi loop is mediated through the L1 loop and relies on a conserved molecular switch, identified in a crystal structure of one pre‐SIi variant and in accordance with the high covariance between some pre‐SIi residues and distinct residues outside the pre‐SIi sequence.
Auxin transport into cotyledons and cotyledon growth depend similarly on the ABCB19 Multidrug Resistance‐like transporter
Authors: Lewis Daniel R. , Wu Guosheng , Ljung Karin , Spalding Edgar P. 
Published: June 2009

SummaryABCB19 of Arabidopsis thaliana (formerly known as MDR1 and PGP19) belongs to the Multidrug Resistance‐like (MDR) or B group of the ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily, and mediates polar auxin transport in stems and roots. Here we have investigated the role of ABCB19 and auxin distribution in cotyledon development. During embryogenesis, confocal microscopy showed ABCB19 protein to be present in cotyledons during their main growth phase, but not later. Analysis of ProDR5:GFP expression patterns showed a significantly diminished and restricted auxin distribution pattern in abcb19 cotyledons. Nonetheless, development of abcb19 embryonic cotyledons was very similar to that of wild‐type. Post‐germination, ABCB19 was present in the plasma membrane of cotyledon epidermal, mesophyll and petiole cells during blade expansion. Post‐germination cotyledon blade expansion in abcb19 was 65% slower than in wild‐type, although the epidermal cell area was reduced by only 17%. The growth rate reduction quantitatively correlated with reduced auxin levels rather than auxin sensitivity as indicated by quantitative ProDR5:GUS assays and direct auxin measurements, and may be explained by the 50% reduction in the import of auxin through the petioles of abcb19 cotyledons during the period of maximum expansion. Taken together, these data indicate that cotyledon expansion during the establishment of photoautotrophic growth depends on ABCB19‐mediated auxin import.