bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
P45 Infotrain: Delivering Information Skills Training Via Web Conference
Authors: Pritchatt D. J. 
Published: September 2006

Background  Quality, accessible information is at the heart of continouous quality improvement. Information is only of value when staff can identify and use information to best effect. To do this, staff require information skills, from basic technological skills to higher level discriminatory skills to identify and prioritise evidence‐based resources.National Blood Service (NBS) staff work in widely dispersed locations throughout England, some in blood centres in major cities, others in mobile teams. The new NBS Library Programme is collecting and developing information resources for all staff. A suite of training courses, aimed at a wide range of staff has been developed to raise information awareness, develop information skills and support effective and efficient use of information. To reach and train as many staff as possible, Web Conferencing is being used.Methods  Travel costs and time spent away from work activities across the organisation currently need to be reduced, so an innovative delivery method was sought. Following initial, wide‐ranging consultation a core of topics were identified, to appeal to the widest possible number of staff. NBS had recently purchased Web Conference software and had existing access to teleconferencing. This enabled Web Conference delivery to be trialled. A series of courses (InfoTrain) was developed, consisting of short sessions to suit this mode of delivery. Courses were offered widely across the organisation.Results  Evidence of effectiveness is being collated from questionnaires, on a database. Verbal/email feedback, course bookings and invitations to deliver sessions at other blood centres are further indicators. Initial results show courses directly contribute to staff's work. Demand for courses, e.g.‘Hierarchy of Evidence’and ’Electronic Journals’ has led to waiting lists being established. Trainees have indicated increased awareness of available resources and information quality issues.Conclusions  Courses designed to suit Web Conferencing can be very successful and widely welcomed. Web Conferencing significantly reduces travel costs and time spent away from core work activities. Information skills training is of demonstrable benefit to staff across the organisation .Training increases independence in information seeking; raising awareness of information quality issues and guiding staff to the best resources can benefit the whole organisation, by reducing time spent identifying and accessing the required information. Increasing staff's understanding of evidence based healthcare impacts directly upon practice, enabling independent assessment of personal practice against evidence and guidance, leading to continuous service improvement.
P49 First UK Report of a Case of Glycoprotein VI Deficiency in a 33‐Year‐Old Patient with Moderate Thrombocytopenia and Autoantibodies Against the Immunoglobulin‐Like Domains of the Receptor
Authors: Smethurst P. A. , Gladigau E. L. , Garner S. F. , Davies L. W. , Rankin A. , Campbell K. , Yusuf R. , Farndale R. W. , Tillyer L. , Ouwehand W. H. 
Published: September 2006

Background  Studies of cases of acquired and inherited GPVI deficiency have made critical contributions to the understanding of the pivotal role of GPVI in collagen mediated platelet signaling.Aim  To characterize the first UK case of GPVI deficiency.Methods  Numerous platelet function tests and immunophenotyping assays, western blotting and genomic sequencing.Results  A female patient of 33 years with mild thrombocytopenia (80–120 × 109 L−1), had experienced moderate bleeding with atypical locations, including bruises and petechiae on neck and chest, and a perineal haematoma and postnatal bleeding. Bone marrow examination revealed plentiful megakaryocytes, compatible with a state of compensated thrombocytolysis. PFA 100 response with the collagen/epinephrine cartridge was >295 seconds, and aggregometry showed a profoundly reduced response to collagen and collagen‐related peptide. Response to ADP and PAR1 peptide was moderately reduced, but ristocetin induced agglutination was normal. By flow cytometry, normal surface expression was observed to many platelet receptors, including GPIIbIIIa, GPIaIIa and PECAM‐1. Expression of PAR‐1 was mildly reduced, whereas for GPVI a 90% reduction in surface expression was observed. Total GPVI levels as measured by blot densitometry were also reduced, although not as profoundly. The sequence of the GP6 exons was identical to the reference sequence. A potent GPVI autoantibody was detected in the patients’ plasma by a sandwich ELISA (MAIPA), and reactivity was mapped to the collagen‐binding domains using recombinant GPVI fragments.Conclusions  The patient has GPVI autoantibodies of the IgG class, resulting in an acquired GPVI deficiency and with a bleeding phenotype apparently more severe than other reported cases of GPVI deficiency.
P06 Use of Intraoperative Red Cell Salvage During Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair is Safe and Associated with Reduced Need for Allogeneic Blood Transfusion.
Authors: Singh‐Ranger G. , Fayaz A. , Leppard T. , Khan Y. , May A. R. L. , Backhouse C. M. 
Published: September 2006

Introduction  The need for blood transfusion during vascular surgery can be considerable. Concerns regarding the safety and cost of allogeneic blood have demanded scrutiny of alternative methods of blood conservation during these operations, including intraoperative red cell salvage. Autotranfusion is purported to reduce the need for blood transfusion, and therefore its attendant complications.Method  We retrospectively collected data on all patients undergoing elective infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in our unit, and compared patients in which the cell saver was used to those in which it was not, in terms of operative blood loss, transfusion requirement, length of stay, and postoperative haemoglobin. The Mann Whitney test and Kendall's tau B statistics were used to analyse the dataResults  Thirty‐five patients underwent AAA repair with use of the cell saver, and 31 patients underwent repair without the use of this device. We found a significant association between the use of the cell saver and reduced need for allogneic blood in these patients (Table). There was also a significant positive correlation between the volume of blood obtained by the cell saver, and that returned to the patient (t = +0.5, P < 0.00001). The postoperative haemoglobin in the cell saver group was significantly lower, but still within acceptable range. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups;

Variable
Cell Saver Group ‐Mean
No‐Cell Saver Group ‐ Mean
Significance

Age (years)
72.4 (8.1)
74.5 (7.1)
0.11

AAA size (cm)
6.2 (0.9)
6.1 (0.7)
0.94

Preop Hb (g/dL)
13.9 (1.2)
13.9 (1.6)
0.92

Operative blood loss (mL)
986.7 (494.2)
1900.6 (1657.6)
0.02

Intraoperative allogeneic blood used (no. units)
0.5 (1.2)
2.6 (2.8)
<0.0001

Total allogeneic blood (7d)
0.9 (1.4)
3.5 (4.3)
<0.0001

Post operative Hb
10.9 (1.2)
11.7 (1.7)
0.03

Length of stay (days)
12.5 (4.2)
10.7 (8.1)
0.01

Conclusion  Our study indicates that use of the cell saver in elective AAA repair is associated with a reduced need for allogeneic blood transfusion, and therefore, with a reduction in risks of transmitted infection and transfusion reaction. These findings also have important financial implications.
P60 Irradiated Skin Allografts: a New Product for Clinical Use?
Authors: Hogg P. , Lomas R. , Rooney P. , Eagle M. , Kearney J. 
Published: September 2006

Introduction  There is an increasingly elevated demand for cryopreserved skin allografts in the UK. However current antibiotic disinfection of viable skin allografts results in an approximately 20% microbial failure rate. High concentrations of glycerol have been shown recently to maintain the functional properties of terminally irradiated skin. The aim of this study was to investigate whether γ irradiation in combination with glycerol treatment could salvage the failed skin and allow it to be released for clinical use.Methods  Skin samples from three donors with consent for research that had been treated with 20% glycerol and processed into viable cryopreserved allografts were treated as below (Table 1).

Group
Solute
Treatment
Temperature

1
20% glycerol (control)
None
‐80°C

2
20% glycerol
25kGy γ irradiation
‐80oC

3
Phosphate buffered saline
25kGy γ irradiation
‐80oC

4
50% glycerol
25kGy γ irradiation
‐80oC

5
85% glycerol
25kGy γ irradiation
‐80oC

6
85% glycerol
25kGy γ irradiation
Ambient

The skin samples were then evaluated for their histological structure, in vitro cytotoxicity and suitability for clinical use. The anti‐microbial activity of the different concentrations of glycerol alone against Bacillus pumilis spores with and without radiation was also assessed.Results Irradiation affected the cytotoxicity and physical properties of skin in different ways (Table 2). The skin from group 2, which was irradiated in 20% glycerol at ‐80 oC was found to be the best preserved. All the concentrations of glycerol, which had been irradiated, killed the Bacillus pumilis apart from 85% glycerol at ‐80 oC.

Group
Histology
Cytotoxicity
Clinical Use

1
Normal
None
Good‐ would use

2
Normal
None
Good ‐ would use

3
Damage
Some
Would use

4
Normal
Some
Less pliable ‐would use

5
Damage
Some
Less pliable ‐would use

6
Damage
Extensive
Less pliable ‐would use

Conclusion  We can infer from the results that high concentrations of glycerol confer radioprotection on skin but also microorganisms as well. Whereas 20% glycerol leaves the biological characteristics of skin unchanged and kills the microorganisms. The implications of this study are that cryopreserved irradiated grafts can be made available for surgical use when cryopreserved viable grafts are not available or required.
Cohort‐dependent seedling recruitment, survival and reproductive capacity of Tribulus terrestris
Authors: VERDÚ A M C , MAS M T 
Published: September 2006

SummaryKnowledge of the population biology of the summer annual Tribulus terrestris can provide valuable information for managing the risk of its colonising crop fields. Because of spring‐summer crop management practices, fields can exhibit bare ground in late April and early May. In this situation, four cohorts in 2000 and three cohorts in 2001 were censused and monitored throughout the vegetative and reproductive season, in order to evaluate the relationship between time of emergence, survival, vegetative growth and plant reproductive capacities. To a great extent, seedling survivorship depended on emergence timing; the earlier the emergence of the seedlings, the higher was the proportion of survivorship (64% and 4%, for early and late emergences). The time of emergence also influenced plant development; in both years, surviving individuals of the first cohorts presented significantly greater plant biomass and larger numbers of reproductive structures (60.5 fruits per plant) than those of later cohorts (0.8 fruits per plant). Reproductive meristem allocation was also highest in the earliest cohorts. Results showed that T. terrestris can increase its population size in fields if gaps of bare soil surface are available from mid spring to early summer.
L/I‐5 Hemodynamics in adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation: personal experience
Authors: Nadalin S. , Li J. , Radtke A. , Sotiropoulos G.C. , Malamutmann E. , Broelsch C.E. , Malagó M. 
Published: September 2006

Introduction:  The interaction and modulation of inflow and outflow in adult living donor liver transplants (LDLTs) is very complex; small‐for‐size syndrome (SFSS) still represents the most dangerous complication in this regard.Methods:  We measured the liver hemodynamics, in both donors and recipients, in 21 LDLTs.Measured parameters included hepatic artery flow (HAF) and portal vein flow (PVF) (ml/min/100 g ), PVF/HAF ratio (PAR) by means of transit time flowmeter, and portal vein pressure (PVP). For all recipients, we used a maximalized outflow with blanket technique (with MHV in 19). According to the results, in order to prevent SFSS, we performed either splenic artery ligation (SAL) or modified porto‐caval‐shunt (PCS) or intrarterial PGI2 + steroid infusion.Results:  The median reference values in donors were as follows: HAF, 26.5 ml/min/100g; PVF, 78.5 ml/min/100g; and PAR, 2.5. At total of 5 patients underwent SAL because of GBWR ≤ 0.9; HAF decreased from 32% to 82% in 4; PVF increased from 300% to 400% in 3; PAR was > 20 in 2. None of these patients developed SFSS. Two patients underwent intraarterial infusion of PGI2 + steroids over 14 days because of a PVF increase ≥ 300%, HAF decrease of 82% in 1, PAR 66 and 22, PVP > 20 in 1, and impossibility of SAL. No SFSS was observed. One patient underwent a modified PCS because of PVF increase of 250%, HAF decrease of 70%, PAR 27. No complications occurred.Discusssion:  Strength monitoring of liver hemodynamics at pre‐, intra‐, and posthepatic level allows specific management at the different levels in order to prevent SFSS and graft loss.
Genomic organization, localization and polymorphism of porcine PSMB10, a gene encoding the third beta‐type proteasome subunit of 26S proteasome complex
Authors: Wu X. , Yang S.L. , Yerle M. , Zhu Z.M. , Wang H.L. , Wang H. , Li K. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe proteasome subunit, beta type 10 (PSMB10) gene regulated by interferon‐gamma is a core part of the 26S proteasome complex, which is an important protein degrading system. Isolation and characterization of swine PSMB10 revealed a conserved structure with other mammalian PSMB10 genes. An A/G nucleotide polymorphism in PSMB10 intron 2 and a C/T single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 5 were detected by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. The allele frequencies were significantly different among Tongcheng, Landrace, Large White and Duroc. The porcine PSMB10 was mapped by somatic cell hybrid panel and radiation hybrid mapping on SSC6p14–p15, which is in good agreement with human–pig comparative maps.
Identification of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in 5′ end and exons of the PRKAG3 gene in Hubbard White broiler, Leghorn layer, and three Chinese indigenous chicken breeds
Authors: Zhao C.J. , Wang C.F. , Deng X.M. , Gao Y. , Wu Ch. 
Published: September 2006

Summary5′‐AMP‐activated protein kinase plays an important role in regulating the level of ATP in the presence of metabolic stress. Previous studies revealed that polymorphisms in 5′‐AMP‐activated protein kinase gamma 3 subunit (PRKAG3) gene are associated with meat quality in pigs. In the present study, single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5′‐end and exons of chicken PRKAG3 gene were identified with the method of single‐strand conformation polymorphism in Hubbard ISA White broiler, Leghorn layer, and three Chinese indigenous chicken breeds, Tibet Chicken, Shouguang Chicken and Beijing Yellow Chicken. Two SNPs in the 5′‐end of the gene and 10 SNPs in exons 3, 4, 9 and 11, of which three caused amino acid substitutions, were identified in the PRKAG3 gene of the five chicken breeds. The results will facilitate further study on the association between the mutations of PRKAG3 and chicken meat quality.
Alterations in cerebral potentials evoked by rectal distention and drinking ice water in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Zuo Xiu Li , Li Yan Qing , Huang Kun Ming , Kuang Rong Guang , Lv Guo Ping , Lu Xue Feng , Li Jun Man , Desmond Paul V 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAim:  Visceral hypersensitivity has been found to be present in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The current study sought to study visceral afferent hypersensitivity in IBS patients and obtain further objective evidence of alterations in intestinal afferent pathways in IBS patients by cerebral evoked potentials (CEP).Method:  We studied 30 female IBS patients and 12 female healthy subjects. Rectal perception thresholds to balloon distention were measured and CEP was recorded in response to rhythmic rectal distention (two distention series, each of 100 repetitions at a frequency of 1 Hz) at the volume of perception thresholds. All subjects were then asked to drink 220 mL 4°C ice water and the above steps were repeated 20 min later.Results:  Rectal distention led to recognizable and reproducible CEP. Compared to healthy subjects, IBS patients demonstrated significantly shorter N1, P1 and N2 latencies (P < 0.05). After drinking ice water, IBS patients exhibited further shortened N1, P1 and N2 latencies (P < 0.05), but drinking did not alter the latencies of healthy controls and the amplitudes of both IBS patients and healthy controls.Conclusion:  The shorter latency of cerebral potentials evoked by rectal distention and ice water stimulation in IBS patients provided further objective evidence for defective visceral afferent transmission in IBS patients.
Lamivudine resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis B: Role of clinical and virological factors
Authors: Thompson Alexander J V , Ayres Anna , Yuen Lilly , Bartholomeusz Angeline , Bowden D Scott , Iser David M , Chen Robert Y M , Demediuk Barbara , Shaw Gideon , Bell Sally J , Watson Katrina J R , Locarnini Stephen A , Desmond Paul V 
Published: September 2006

AbstractBackground:  Lamivudine resistance is associated with long‐term monotherapy for chronic hepatitis B and can lead to potentially serious clinical consequences. Scant information exists regarding the influence of hepatitis B virus variants in the development of resistance. The present study was designed to identify factors predictive of lamivudine resistance, with a particular focus on the role of precore and basal core promoter variants in the setting of hepatitis B e antigen‐negative disease.Methods:  Eighty‐five patients, representing four major genotypes, were followed prospectively on lamivudine therapy. Resistance was defined as an increase in viral load, with polymerase gene sequencing confirming a lamivudine resistance mutation. Median follow up was 19 months (6–54 months). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine variables independently predicting for the early onset of lamivudine resistance.Results:  The rate of lamivudine resistance was 6%, 31% and 51% at 12, 24 and 48 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified the precore variant, high baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and persistent viremia (at 6 months) as independent predictors of the early development of lamivudine resistance, with rate ratios of 4.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32–18.5), 1.22 (95%CI: 1.08–1.49), and 4.73 (95%CI: 1.49–15.0), respectively (P < 0.05). Female sex predicted early resistance (rate ratio 5.27 [95%CI: 1.23–22.5, P < 0.05]) although numbers were small (n = 12). Genotype did not influence treatment response nor time to onset of resistance.Conclusion:  Patients with precore variant hepatitis B virus are likely to develop lamivudine resistance early and should be considered for alternate first‐line monotherapy. In the future, combination antiviral therapy may limit the development of resistance.
Post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy in Victoria, Australia, 1970–1999
Authors: Reid Susan M , Lanigan Anna , Reddihough Dinah S 
Published: September 2006

Aim: To use the information from a population‐based cerebral palsy register to describe post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy, to determine trends over time and relate any aetiological trends to community preventative measures.Methods: Data on cases of post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy, between the birth years 1970 and 1999, were generated from the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register. Distributions, rates and trends over time were calculated for the entire cohort and for subgroups according to gender, age at acquisition, aetiology, gestation at delivery, birthweight, maternal age at delivery and parity.Results: 339 cases were found with post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy, accounting for 10.7% of all cerebral palsy and giving an overall rate of 1.98/10 000 live births. There was a statistically significant fall in the overall rate of post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy (P = 0.001) over the study period. Significant falls were seen in post‐neonatal cerebral palsy due to infection, traumatic head injury and hypoxia and other acute encephalopathies, but not cerebrovascular accidents.Conclusion: A large proportion of post‐neonatally acquired cerebral palsy is preventable. While the reported decline in cases in Victoria is encouraging, it will be important to monitor these trends over time, and continue public health measures to further reduce preventable causes.
Sleep architecture in children with adenoidal hypertrophy
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Wen , Zhou Feng , Li Yuan , Huang Zhao‐Tong , Wang Zhen‐Lin 
Published: September 2006

Aim:  Adenoidal hypertrophy (AH) in children is associated with obstructive manifestations like mouth breathing, snoring. Unfortunately, little is known regarding sleep architecture of AH in children. The purpose of this study was therefore undertaken to investigate the polysomnographic variables in children with AH.Method:  47 children with AH and 11 controls underwent nocturnal polysomnography. Sleep was scored manually according to the standard set by Rechtschaffen.Results:  In AH, stage 1 sleep percentage and rapid eye movement (REM) latency were increased significantly, while the sleep percentage of stage 2 and REM was decreased remarkably compared with that of controls. Arousal index in AH was much more higher than that in controls. Arousal index in REM sleep was higher than that in non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in AH, but the number of arousals in REM sleep was lower than that in NREM sleep. Hypopnea events were the most common type of respiratory events, followed by obstructive events in AH and controls. Apnea/hypopnea index in AH was higher in comparison to controls. No significant difference was found between the children with AH and controls in SaO2 nadir (%) and base mean SaO2 (%). Apnea/hypopnea index was related to hypopnea arousal in REM sleep and hypoxemia arousal in NREM sleep.Conclusion:  AH is predominantly characterised by a hypopnea with little obstruction in children. Our results clearly and for the first time demonstrated that sleep architecture was abnormal in children with AH. We therefore speculate that hypopnea arousal in REM sleep and hypoxemia arousal in NREM sleep may play an important role in the course of respiratory disturbance.