bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of quality of life and relevant factors in elderly diabetic patients in the Shanghai community
Authors: Tang Wen‐Lu , Wang Yong‐Ming , Du Wen‐Min , Cheng Neng‐Neng , Chen Bin‐Yan 
Published: November 2005

AbstractPurposeThe study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly diabetes mellitus (DM) in Shanghai community and to screen the possible risk factors.MethodsA total of 951 patients with elderly DM and 1007 elderly subjects with normal glucose tolerance from the same community as control group were enrolled in the study. A door‐to‐door retrospectively epidemiological survey was used to collect data of QOL, demographic, and diabetic information. The SF‐36 instrument (Chinese edition) was used to assess QOL. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was also used to identify possible risk factors of QOL in elder DM.ResultsIn subjects with elderly DM, the general assessment of perceived health was worse, compared with the normal elderly people; the mean score of multi‐item dimensions assessment had been decreased, the lowest and highest scores of which on SF‐36, respectively, were general health and body pain (ranged from 42.08 to 77.00). Based on the multiple stepwise regression analysis, 23 risk factors entered 9 multiple regressive models (9 dependent variables of which stand for the scores of 8 dimensions and the total score on SF‐36) with different amount ultimately. Within the 13 risk factors that affect QOL of the elderly diabetic patients, the negative correlated factors were gender, age, payment ability of medical treatment, tumor, level of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), medicines purchasing channels, diabetic microvascular complications, diabetic macrovascular complications, acute complications, while the positive correlated factors were occupation, income, exercises, knowledge of DM. The multiple correlation coefficient square (R2) represented the above 13 risk factors had a totally 30.5% impact on the entire QOL.ConclusionsQOL of elderly DM population had significantly been decreased; QOL of the elderly patients in Shanghai community had many risk factors, which on one hand stated the complexity of elderly DM, and on the other hand gave us many useful and practical methods to improve QOL of elderly DM. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
FDA drug prescribing warnings: is the black box half empty or half full?
Authors: Wagner Anita K. , Chan K. Arnold , Dashevsky Inna , Raebel Marsha A. , Andrade Susan E. , Lafata Jennifer Elston , Davis Robert L. , Gurwitz Jerry H. , Soumerai Stephen B. , Platt Richard 
Published: November 2005

AbstractPurposeBlack box warnings (BBWs) are the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) strongest labeling requirements for high‐risk medicines. It is unknown how frequently physicians prescribe BBW drugs and whether they do so in compliance with the warnings. The purpose of the present study was to assess the frequency of use of BBW medications in ambulatory care and prescribing compliance with BBW recommendations.MethodsThis retrospective study used automated claims data of 929 958 enrollees in 10 geographically diverse health plans in the United States to estimate frequency of use in ambulatory care of 216 BBW drugs/drug groups between 1/1/99 and 31/6/01. We assessed dispensing compliance with the BBW requirements for selected drugs.ResultsDuring a 30‐month period, more than 40% of enrollees received at least one medication that carried a BBW that could potentially apply to them. We found few instances of prescribing during pregnancy of BBW drugs absolutely contra‐indicated in pregnancy. There was almost no co‐prescribing of contra‐indicated drugs with the two QT‐interval‐prolonging BBW drugs evaluated. Most non‐compliance occurred with recommendations for baseline laboratory monitoring (49.6% of all therapy initiations that should have been accompanied by baseline laboratory monitoring were not).ConclusionsMany individuals receive drugs considered to carry the potential for serious risk. For some of these drugs, use is largely consistent with their BBW, while for others it is not. Since it will not be possible to avoid certain drug‐ associated risks, it will be important to develop effective methods to use BBWs and other methods to minimize risks. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human serum albumin adsorption on poly[(glycidyl methacrylate)‐co‐(methyl methacrylate)] beads modified with a spacer‐arm‐attached L‐histidine ligand
Authors: Bayramoǧlu Gülay , Şenel Ayşegül Ülkü , Yalçın Emine , Arica M. Yakup 
Published: November 2005

AbstractPoly(GMA/MMA) beads were synthesized from glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of a cross‐linker (i.e. ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) (EGDMA) via suspension polymerization. The epoxy groups of the poly(GMA/MMA) beads were converted into amino groups with either ammonia or 1,6‐diaminohexane (i.e. spacer‐arm). An L‐histidine ligand was then covalently immobilized on the aminated (poly(GMA/MMA)‐AH) and/or the spacer‐arm attached (poly(GMA/MMA)‐SAH) beads using glutaric dialdehyde as a coupling agent. Both affinity adsorbents were used in human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption/desorption studies under defined pH, ionic strength or temperature conditions in a batch reactor. The spacer‐arm attached affinity adsorbent resulted in an increase in the adsorption capacity to HSA when compared to the aminated counterpart (i.e. poly(GMA/MMA)‐AH). The maximum adsorption capacities of the affinity adsorbents were found to be significantly high, i.e. 43.7 and 80.2 mg g−1 (of the beads), while the affinity constants, evaluated by the Langmuir model, were 3.96 × 10−7 and 9.53 × 10−7 mol L−1 for poly(GMA/MMA)‐AH and poly(GMA/MMA)‐SAH, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the affinity adsorbents were decreased for HSA by increasing the ionic strength, adjusted with NaCl. The adsorption kinetics of HSA were analysed by using pseudo‐first and pseudo‐second‐order equations. The second‐order equation fitted well with the experimental data. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of alcoholic solvents on the conductivity of tosylate‐doped poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT‐OTs)
Authors: Kim Tae Young , Kim Jong Eun , Suh Kwang S 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe effects of alcoholic solvents on the charge transport properties of tosylate‐doped poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT‐OTs) are investigated. The use of different alcoholic solvents in the oxidative chemical polymerization of 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) with iron(III)‐p‐tosylate led to a change in the electrical conductivity of PEDOT‐OTs. For example, PEDOT‐OTs prepared from methanol shows a conductivity of 20.1 S cm−1 which is enhanced by a factor of 200 as compared to PEDOT‐OTs prepared from hexanol. The variation of charge transport properties on the use of different alcoholic solvents is consistent with the data recorded by UV‐visible and electrospin resonance (ESR) measurements. From XPS experiments, the PEDOT‐OTs samples prepared from different alcoholic solvents were found to have almost the same doping level, suggesting that the number of charge carriers is not responsible for the change in conductivity. Supported by XRD results, it was found that the use of alcoholic solvents with shorter chain length induces more efficient packing of PEDOT chains. It is proposed that the alcoholic solvents associated with the counter ion of PEDOT via hydrogen bonding give rise to a change in the molecular ordering of PEDOT chains during the polymerization step, hence enhancing or depressing the inter‐chain hopping rate of the resulting PEDOT‐OTs. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Electron beam processing of nylon 6 and hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) blends: 1. Development of high strength heat‐ and oil‐resistant thermoplastic elastomers
Authors: Das PK , Ambatkar SU , Sarma KSS , Sabharwal S , Banerji MS 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe effects of electron beam irradiation on the morphology, mechanical properties and heat and hot oil resistance of a thermoplastic elastomeric blend of 50/50 nylon 6 and HNBR rubber were investigated. The morphology of the blend was studied by scanning electron microscopy, with special reference to the effects of processing via injection moulding and the radiation dose. Irradiation of extruded pellets at low doses and subsequent injection moulding improved the blend morphology, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties. The tensile strength of the blend increased with radiation dose. The irradiated blends had excellent hot oil resistance and the tensile strength of the blends did not change much after ageing at 150 °C for 72 h. Incorporation of 10 phr SRF black to the blend greatly improved the tension set property. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Support and training needs of cancer support group leaders: a review
Authors: Price Melanie , Butow Phyllis , Kirsten Laura 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThis review focuses on the support and training needs of cancer support group leaders. With an increasing popularity of support groups and growing evidence of the crucial role of group leaders in positive patient outcomes, there is an imperative to identify ways of promoting these outcomes and preventing leader burnout, an issue contributing to the demise of some support groups. Despite this, there is a paucity of research in this area. Available research data clearly illustrates that both professional and peer support group leaders recognise their need for better support, training and information. One study of health professionals identified a need for more advanced skills involved in group processes and specific issues such as dealing with the death of members. Specific leader behaviours, in particular active intervention in group interactions and supportive care, have also been associated with improved patient quality of life. To date, there is no clear evidence as to how best to achieve and support these effective group leader skills. While many cancer societies and other associations provide introductory training and information kits about ‘how to start a support group,’ no advanced training or support interventions are available. Further research is needed to provide an evidence base for group leader training and to evaluate the impact of such training on both leader and patient outcomes. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intrinsic unstructuredness and abundance of PEST motifs in eukaryotic proteomes
Authors: Singh Gajinder Pal , Ganapathi Mythily , Sandhu Kuljeet Singh , Dash Debasis 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe study of unfolded protein regions has gained importance because of their prevalence and important roles in various cellular functions. These regions have characteristically high net charge and low hydrophobicity. The amino acid sequence determines the intrinsic unstructuredness of a region and, therefore, efforts are ongoing to delineate the sequence motifs, which might contribute to protein disorder. We find that PEST motifs are enriched in the characterized disordered regions as compared with globular ones. Analysis of representative PDB chains revealed very few structures containing PEST sequences and the majority of them lacked regular secondary structure. A proteome‐wide study in completely sequenced eukaryotes with predicted unfolded and folded proteins shows that PEST proteins make up a large fraction of unfolded dataset as compared with the folded proteins. Our data also reveal the prevalence of PEST proteins in eukaryotic proteomes (∼25%). Functional classification of the PEST‐containing proteins shows an over‐ and under‐representation in proteins involved in regulation and metabolism, respectively. Furthermore, our analysis shows that predicted PEST regions do not exhibit any preference to be localized in the C terminals of proteins, as reported earlier. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterizing the conformational ensemble of monomeric polyglutamine
Authors: Wang Xiaoling , Vitalis Andreas , Wyczalkowski Matthew A. , Pappu Rohit V. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractStudies of synthetic polyglutamine peptides in vitro have established that polyglutamine peptides aggregate via a classic nucleation and growth mechanism. Chen and colleagues [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002;99:11884–11889] have found that monomeric polyglutamine, which is a disordered statistical coil in solution, is the critical nucleus for aggregation. Therefore, nucleation of β‐sheet–rich aggregates requires an initial disorder to order transition, which is a highly unfavorable thermodynamic reaction. The questions of interest to us are as follows: What are the statistical fluctuations that drive β‐sheet formation in monomeric polyglutamine? How do these fluctuations vary with chain length? And why is this process thermodynamically unfavorable, that is, why is monomeric polyglutamine disordered? To answer these questions we use multiple molecular dynamics simulations to provide quantitative characterization of conformational ensembles for two short polyglutamine peptides. We find that the ensemble for polyglutamine is indeed disordered. However, the disorder is inherently different from that of denatured proteins and the average compactness and magnitude of conformational fluctuations increase with chain length. Most importantly, the effective concentration of sidechain primary amides around backbone units is inherently high and peptide units are solvated either by hydrogen bonds to sidechains or surrounding water molecules. Due to the multiplicity of backbone solvation modes the probability associated with any specific backbone conformation is small, resulting in a conformational entropy bottleneck which makes β‐sheet formation in monomeric polyglutamine thermodynamically unfavorable. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Energetics and stability of transmembrane helix packing: A replica‐exchange simulation with a knowledge‐based membrane potential
Authors: Chen Zhong , Xu Ying 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe energetics and stability of the packing of transmembrane helices were investigated by Monte Carlo simulations with the replica‐exchange method. The helices were modeled with a united atom representation, and the CHARMM19 force field was employed. Based on known experimental structures of membrane proteins, an implicit knowledge‐based potential was developed to describe the helix–membrane interactions at the residue level, whose validity was tested through prediction of the orientations when single helices were inserted into a membrane. Two systems were studied in this article, namely the glycophorin A dimer, and helices A and B of Bacteriorhodopsin. For the glycophorin A dimer, the most stable structure (0.5 Å away from the experimental structure) is mainly stabilized by the favorable helix–helix interactions, and has the most population regardless of the helix–membrane interaction. However, for helices A and B of Bacteriorhodopsin, it was found that the packing determined by helix–helix interactions is nonspecific, and a native‐like structure (0.2 Å from the experimental one) can be identified from several structural analogs as the most stable one only after applying the membrane potential. Our results suggest that the contribution from the helix–membrane interaction could be critical in the correct packing of transmembrane helices in the membrane. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pharmacokinetic measurements of IDN 5390 using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry: structure characterization and quantification in dog plasma
Authors: Song Liguo , Prey Joshua D. , Xue Jun , Kanter Peter , Manzotti Carla , Bombardelli Ezio , Morazzoni Paulo , Pendyala Lakshmi 
Published: November 2005

AbstractIn this report, electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS/MS) for a pharmacokinetic study of IDN 5390, a novel C‐seco taxane derivative, which is under preclinical evaluation, has been investigated. Our results showed that IDN 5390 and other taxanes including paclitaxel and IDN 5109 could ionize well in not only positive‐, but also in negative‐ion mode. Under collision‐induced dissociation (CID) conditions, these compounds could fragment into similar M‐ (molecular), T‐ (taxane ring) and S‐ (side chain) series ions. In positive‐ion ESI, the formation of both T‐ and S‐series ions involved the breaking of the C‐13 ester bond. In negative‐ion ESI, however, while the formation mechanism of S‐series ions remained the same, the breaking of the C‐1′ carboxylic ester bond resulted in T‐series ions. At optimum collision energy (CE) values, M‐, T‐ and S‐series ions of IDN 5390 in both positive‐ and negative‐ion ESI‐MS/MS spectra had good intensity. This phenomenon makes both positive‐ and negative‐ion ESI‐MS/MS good methods for IDN 5390 metabolite structural characterization, i.e. to reveal the location of modification groups in IDN 5390 metabolites versus IDN 5390 either on the side chain or the taxane ring. A liquid chromatography (LC)/ESI‐MS/MS method using the multiple‐reaction monitoring (MRM) technique was thereafter developed to quantify IDN 5390 in dog plasma using paclitaxel as internal standard. The method was validated using a concentration range between 5 and 1000 ng/mL and had a limit of detection of 1 ng/mL. The inter‐day %CV (%coefficient of variation) of the calibration standards ranged between 4.36 and 9.64%, the intra‐day %CV of the calibration standards between 0.61 and 13.44%, and the mean % accuracy of the quality control samples at the low, middle and high end of the concentration curves were 12.5, 6.8 and 9.6%, respectively. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Satellite rural communications: telephony and narrowband networks
Authors: Conte Roberto 
Published: November 2005

AbstractRural communications are important for large and developing countries, and telecommunications systems have been implemented depending upon the available technology at the time. Rural users do not generate the same amount of revenue as urban users do, thus lowering incentives for rural telecommunications investment with service to those regions delayed as long as possible. Voice and data communications are essential to the economic development of a region, and it has been shown that traffic increases rapidly as soon as the service is available. Satellite‐based digital networks provide efficient long‐distance service to rural communities at lower cost than similar land‐based wired networks with acceptable quality. Small earth stations along with Wireless Local Loops can provide both local and long‐distance service efficiently and at low cost, offering digital multimedia services on a global scale. This paper focuses on the description of different narrowband technologies used to service rural communities, namely basic telephone and low‐bit‐rate data (<64 kbps) applications through the use of satellite and terrestrial wireless systems. A basic network economic planning description is presented, and important parameters such as satellite network size, topology and multiple access are identified in order to improve the process of effective and cost‐efficient rural communications network design. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beyond Benedict Anderson: Nation-Building and Popular Democracy in Latin America
Authors: Baud Michiel 
Published: November 2005

Beyond Imagined Communities. Reading and Writing the Nation in Nineteenth-Century Latin America. Ed. by Sara Castro-Klarén and John Charles Chasteen. Woodrow Wilson Center Press, Washington DC; Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore [etc.] 2003. 280 pp. $45.00. (Paper: $22.95.)Boyer, Christopher Robert. Becoming Campesinos. Politics, Identity, and Agrarian Struggle in Postrevolutionary Michoacán, 1920–1935. Stanford University Press, Stanford (Cal.) 2003. xii, 320 pp. Ill. £45.95.Forment, Carlos A. Democracy in Latin America, 1760–1900. Volume I, Civic Selfhood and Public Life in Mexico and Peru. [Morality and Society Series.] University of Chicago Press, Chicago [etc.] 2003. xxix, 454 pp. Maps. $35.00; £24.50.Larson, Brooke. Trials of Nation Making. Liberalism, Race, and Ethnicity in the Andes, 1810–1910. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge [etc.] 2004. xiii, 299 pp. Ill. Maps. $70.00; £45.00. (Paper: $24.99; £17.99.)Studies in the Formation of the National State in Latin America. Ed. by James Dunkerley. Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London, London, 2002. 298 pp. £14.95; € 20.00; $19.95.
Spinal Anesthesia with an Indwelling Catheter Reduces the Stress Response in Pediatric Open Heart Surgery
Authors: Humphreys Nigel , Bays Simon M. , Parry Andrew J. , Pawade Ashwinikumar , Heyderman Robert S. , Wolf Andrew R. 
Published: November 2005

Background
Extreme stress and inflammatory responses to open heart surgery are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Based on both animal and adult human data, it was hypothesized that spinal anesthesia would be more effective at attenuating these responses than conventional high dose intravenous opioid techniques in infants and young children undergoing open heart surgery.

Methods
A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in 60 children aged up to 24 months undergoing open heart surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either high-dose intravenous opioid or high-dose intravenous opioid plus spinal anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia was administered via an indwelling intrathecal catheter.

Results
Spinal anesthesia significantly reduced the stress responses as measured by plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations (both P < 0.05). Spinal anesthesia reduced plasma lactate concentrations (P < 0.05), but increased fluid requirements during the first postoperative day (P < 0.05). There were no differences in other cardiovascular parameters.

Conclusions
Continuous spinal anesthesia reduces stress responses in infants and young children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass more effectively than high-dose intravenous opioids alone.
Validity of Unplanned Admission to an Intensive Care Unit as a Measure of Patient Safety in Surgical Patients
Authors: Haller Guy , Myles Paul S. , Wolfe Rory , Weeks Anthony M. , Stoelwinder Johannes , McNeil John 
Published: November 2005

Background
An unplanned admission to the intensive care unit within 24 h of a procedure (UIA) is a recommended clinical indicator in surgical patients. Often regarded as a surrogate marker of adverse events, it has potential as a direct measure of patient safety. Its true validity for such use is currently unknown.

Methods
The authors validated UIA as an indicator of safety in surgical patients in a prospective cohort study of 44,130 patients admitted to their hospital. They assessed the association of UIA with intraoperative incidents and near misses, increased hospital length of stay, and 30-day mortality as three constructs of patient safety.

Results
The authors identified 201 patients with a UIA; 104 (52.2%) had at least one incident or near miss. After adjusting for confounders, these incidents were significantly associated with UIA in all categories of surgical procedures analyzed; odds ratios were 12.21 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.33-23.58), 4.06 (95% CI, 2.74-6.03), and 2.13 (95% CI, 1.02-4.42), respectively. The 30-day mortality for patients with UIA was 10.9%, compared with 1.1% in non-UIA patients. After risk adjustment, UIA was associated with excess mortality in several types of surgical procedures (odds ratio, 3.89; 95% CI, 2.14-7.04). The median length of stay was increased if UIA occurred: 16 days (interquartile range, 10-31) versus 2 days (interquartile range, 0.5-9) (P < 0.001). For patients with a UIA, the likelihood of discharge from hospital was significantly decreased in most surgical categories analyzed, with adjusted hazard ratios of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.23-0.77) to 0.58 (95% CI, 0.37-0.93).

Conclusions
These findings provide strong support for the construct validity of UIA as a measure of patient safety.