bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health economic evaluations: How to find them
Authors: Alton Viveka , Eckerlund Ingemar , Norlund Anders 
Published: September 2006

Objectives: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the best way of identifying all relevant published health economic evaluation studies, which have increased in number rapidly in the past few decades. Nevertheless, health technology assessment projects are often faced with a scarcity of relevant studies.Methods: Six bibliographic databases were searched using various individually adapted strategies. The particular example involves the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were formulated.Results: After irrelevant studies and duplicates had been excluded, sixty-eight abstracts were reviewed. We chose forty-one of them as relevant for full-text review, which identified fourteen papers as having met the inclusion criteria. Most of the relevant studies were identified by searching the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) and PubMed databases.Conclusions: A search in NHS EED, by means of the Cochrane Library or the Center for Reviews and Dissimination, along with a supplementary search in PubMed, is generally an appropriate, cost-effective strategy. However, because “cost-effectiveness” is not consistently indexed with Medical Subject Heading terms in PubMed, all economic search terms need to be used to fully identify the relevant references.
Future costs of stroke in the Netherlands: The impact of stroke services
Authors: Struijs Jeroen N. , van Genugten Marianne L. L. , Evers Silvia M. A. A. , Ament André J. H. , Baan Caroline A. , van den Bos Geertrudis A. M. 
Published: September 2006

Objectives: In the next decades, the number of stroke patients is expected to increase. Furthermore, organizational changes, such as stroke services, are expected to be implemented on a large scale. The purpose of this study is to estimate the future healthcare costs by taking into account the expected increase of stroke patients and a nationwide implementation of stroke services.Methods: By means of a dynamic multistate life table, the total number of stroke patients can be projected. The model calculates the annual number of patients by age and gender. The total healthcare costs are calculated by multiplying the average healthcare costs specified by age, gender, and healthcare sector with the total number of stroke patients specified by age and gender.Results: In the year 2000, the healthcare costs for stroke amounted to €1.62 billion. This amount is approximately 4.4 percent of the total national healthcare budget. Projections of the total costs of stroke based on current practice result in an increase of 28 percent (€2.08 billion) in the year 2020. A nationwide implementation of stroke services in 2020 would result in a substantial reduction of the costs of stroke (€1.81 billion: 13 percent cost reduction) compared with the regular care scenario.Conclusions: A nationwide implementation of stroke services is a strong policy tool for cost containment of health care in an aging population like that in the Netherlands. Policy makers should optimize the organization of stroke care.
RankProd: a bioconductor package for detecting differentially expressed genes in meta-analysis
Authors: Hong Fangxin , Breitling Rainer , McEntee Connor W. , Wittner Ben S. , Nemhauser Jennifer L. , Chory Joanne 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Summary: While meta-analysis provides a powerful tool for analyzing microarray experiments by combining data from multiple studies, it presents unique computational challenges. The Bioconductor package RankProd provides a new and intuitive tool for this purpose in detecting differentially expressed genes under two experimental conditions. The package modifies and extends the rank product method proposed by Breitling et al., [(2004)FEBS Lett., 573, 83–92] to integrate multiple microarray studies from different laboratories and/or platforms. It offers several advantages over t-test based methods and accepts pre-processed expression datasets produced from a wide variety of platforms. The significance of the detection is assessed by a non-parametric permutation test, and the associated P-value and false discovery rate (FDR) are included in the output alongside the genes that are detected by user-defined criteria. A visualization plot is provided to view actual expression levels for each gene with estimated significance measurements.
Availability: RankProd is available at Bioconductor . A web-based interface will soon be available at
Contact: fhong@salk.edu
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Evolution and biogeography of native Hawaiian Hylaeus bees (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)
Authors: Magnacca Karl N. , Danforth Bryan N. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe only bees native to the Hawaiian Islands form a single clade of 60 species in the genus Hylaeus. The group is understudied and relatively poorly known. A data set consisting of 1201 base pairs of the mitochondrial genes cytochrome oxidase I and II and tRNA‐Leucine, and 14 morphological characters was used to construct a phylogenetic tree for 48 of the 60 known species. Genetic variation was high, including amino acid changes, and a number of species showed evidence of heteroplasmy. Tree support was low due to high levels of homoplasy. Biogeographical analysis using DIVA indicates that early radiation took place on the island of Hawaii. This places an upper age limit of only 0.4–0.7 Myr for the group, an unusually short time for such a large radiation. Moreover, it is an unusual biogeographical pattern among the Hawaiian biota. © The Willi Hennig Society 2006.
Effect of multiple doses of montelukast on the pharmacokinetics of rosiglitazone, a CYP2C8 substrate, in humans
Authors: Kim Kyoung‐Ah , Park Pil‐Whan , Kim Kyong Rae , Park Ji‐Young 
Published: September 2006

AimsTo investigate the effect of multiple dosing with montelukast, a selective leukotriene‐receptor antagonist, on the pharmacokinetics of rosiglitazone, a CYP2C8 substrate, in humans.MethodsA two‐period, randomized crossover study was conducted in 10 healthy subjects. After administration of oral doses of placebo or 10 mg montelukast daily for 6 days, 4 mg rosiglitazone was administered and plasma samples were obtained for 24 h and analyzed for rosiglitazone and N‐desmethylrosiglitazone using high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.ResultsDuring the montelukast phase, the total area under the time‐concentration curve (AUC) and peak plasma concentration of rosiglitazone were 102% (90% CI 98, 107%) and 98% (90% CI 92, 103%) of the corresponding values during the placebo phase, respectively. Multiple dosing with montelukast did not affect the oral clearance of rosiglitazone significantly (90% CI 94, 105%; P = 0.50). The AUC ratio and plasma concentration ratios of N‐desmethylrosiglitazone : rosiglitazone were not changed by multiple dosing with montelukast (90% CI 90, 103%; P = 0.14).ConclusionsMultiple doses of montelukast do not inhibit CYP2C8‐mediated rosiglitazone metabolism in vivo despite in vitro findings indicating that montelukast is a selective CYP2C8 inhibitor.
High dose calcitriol may reduce thrombosis in cancer patients
Authors: Beer Tomasz M. , Venner Peter M. , Ryan Christopher W. , Petrylak Daniel P. , Chatta Gurkamal , Dean Ruether J. , Chi Kim N. , Curd John G. , DeLoughery Thomas G. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe incidence of venous and arterial thrombosis in a placebo‐controlled randomised trial of DN‐101 (high dose calcitriol) with docetaxel versus docetaxel was compared. Of the 13 thrombotic events observed in the 250 patients enroled in this study, two occurred in DN‐101 and 11 in placebo‐treated patients (P = 0·01). This difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline history of thrombosis, atrial fibrillation and use of anti‐thrombotic agents. In vitro and vitamin D receptor (VDR) knockout mouse studies predict that nanomolar concentrations of calcitriol may act as an antithrombotic agent. We report the first clinical observation that supports this hypothesis in humans.
Impalement injuries of the oral cavity in children: a case report and survey of the literature
Authors: YOUNESSI O. JAMES , ALCAINO EDUARDO A. 
Published: September 2006

Background.  Impalement injuries of the soft palate and oropharynx are common in children, especially those of preschool age. These injuries are particularly common in toddlers, given their propensity to fall easily while carrying objects in their mouths. Although most of these injuries do not have lasting sequelae, some can have devastating neurological complications, and consequently, careful assessment of the patient during the early stages of trauma is imperative. Close follow‐up for up to 72 h, and parental counselling and instruction should be considered as part of their immediate care.Case report.  A case of toothbrush impalement in a 4‐year‐old child is presented. The foreign body was noted to be lodged in the cheek. After careful triaging, history taking and appropriate imaging, surgical removal of this brush was carried out uneventfully under general anaesthesia. No further complications were noted postoperatively, and because of the type of injury, the patient was discharged within 24 h and reviewed as an outpatient.Conclusion.  A survey of the literature confirms that most injuries of this kind can be treated conservatively, and in many cases, without surgical intervention. However, careful assessment by an experienced clinician is necessary to rule out other complications. The present paper discusses the prevalence, management and complications associated with impalement injuries of the oral cavity in children.
Validity and reliability of the Arabic translation of the child oral‐health‐related quality of life questionnaire (CPQ11−14) in Saudi Arabia
Authors: BROWN A. , AL‐KHAYAL Z. 
Published: September 2006

Summary.  Aim.  The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of an Arabic translation and adaptation of the child oral‐health‐related quality of life questionnaire (CPQ11−14) in Saudi Arabia.Design.  The modified questionnaire included two global ratings (oral health and oral‐health‐related well‐being), and a battery of 36 questions in four domains (oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well‐being and social well‐being). The study population consisted of 174, 11–14‐year‐old children (65% healthy and 35% medically compromised). Clinical data on caries status and malocclusion were collected for 138 of the children, and 47 completed the questionnaire a second time.Results.  There was a significant difference in mean total scale scores between children with and without malocclusions (P < 0·05). Significant relationships were identified between caries status and oral symptoms subscale scores, and between malocclusion and total scale and social well‐being subscale scores (P < 0·05). Correlation was highly significant between scale scores and global ratings (P < 0·01). Cronbach's alpha was 0·81 and the test–retest reliability was substantial (r = 0·65, P < 0·001). However, problems were encountered in Saudi Arabia regarding self‐reporting of age, and the questionnaire was too long for many of the medically compromised patients.Conclusions.  The questionnaire is valid and reliable for use in Saudi Arabia, although development of a shorter version is recommended.
The effects of a long wait for children's dental general anaesthesia
Authors: NORTH SARAH , DAVIDSON LESLEY E. , BLINKHORN ANTHONY S. , MACKIE IAIN C. 
Published: September 2006

Objectives.   The purpose of this study was to monitor the effect of an interruption in a service for children who were scheduled to have dental extractions under general anaesthesia (GA). The reasons for offering GA and the treatment given while the service was not available, together with the history of the pain, antibiotic usage and alterations to the number of teeth extracted were recorded.Methods.   When the GA extraction service stopped, the children who were scheduled to have their teeth extracted were placed on a waiting list. When the service recommenced 6 months later, the children were invited to attend a reassessment. Relevant data were collected at this visit using a proforma.Results.   A total of 321 children had their extractions delayed. Only 249 of these attended for a reassessment. During the waiting period, 102 parents (41.0%) reported that their children required analgesics, 71 (28.5%) stated that their children's sleep was disturbed and 82 (32.9%) recorded problems with eating. One hundred and twenty‐three children (49.4%) had received antibiotics, with 49 (19.6%) having been prescribed two or more courses. The majority of treatment plans (85.5%) remained unchanged.Conclusions.   Many children who had had their extractions delayed suffered further pain and disruption to their life.
Patient satisfaction with NHS elective tonsillectomy outsourced to the private sector under the Patient Choice Programme
Authors: Patiar Shalini , Lo Stephen , Duvvi Shyam , Spraggs Paul Dr 
Published: September 2006

AbstractRationale, aims and objectives  An interim goal of the NHS ‘Extending choice for patients’ initiative was that, by 2004, patients who had been on the NHS waiting list for elective surgery for 6 months were provided with a choice of staying on the waiting list or being treated faster by opting to have their operation with an alternative provider. The aim of this study was to examine patient satisfaction in a cohort of patients who travelled out‐of‐region to undergo routine tonsillectomy performed by an NHS consultant at a private hospital.Method  A questionnaire survey was conducted of adult patients undergoing elective tonsillectomy in 2002 and 2003 at The Hampshire Clinic, Basingstoke, UK.Results  Our results showed that 95% (n = 123) of patients were happy to travel considerable distances from their local hospital to have their operation. Overall 71% (n = 92) of patients rated the overall experience of having the operation performed at the private hospital as excellent and 25% (n = 32) rated it as satisfactory.Conclusion  We conclude that tonsillectomy performed by a consultant in an out‐of‐region private hospital is associated with a high level of patient satisfaction and is an acceptable way to reduce waiting times for tonsillectomy provided clear guidelines and safeguards are in place.
Review and evaluation of the Dutch guidelines for osteoporosis
Authors: Geusens Piet P. , Lems Willem F. , Verhaar Harald J. J. , Leusink Geraline , Goemaere Stefan , Zmierczack Hans , Compston Jullet 
Published: September 2006

AbstractRationale  At the request of a Dutch governmental organization, a multidisciplinary group of osteoporosis experts in the Netherlands published in 2002 a guideline on case finding, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. These guidelines were evaluated for their validity and applicability.Methods  Analysis by 5 external osteoporosis experts using the ‘Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation’ (‘AGREE’) instrument.Results  The score for the 6 domains of AGREE was 88% for the scope and purpose domain, 76% for stakeholder involvement, 81% for rigour of development, 84% for clarity and presentation, 77% for applicability and 73% for editorial independence. For single components of the domains of AGREE, highest scores were found for systematic methods used to search for evidence (100%), inclusion of individuals from all the relevant professional groups (95%) and ease of identifying key recommendations (95%). Lowest scores to single components of the several domains were given for piloting among target users (44%). All experts recommended the guidelines for use in practice.Conclusions  The AGREE instrument scored high for development, clarity and presentation but low for piloting among target users and implementation. Based on the guideline, algorithms from case finding to treatment were constructed that could be tested for piloting among target users and for implementation of the guideline.
The comparison of different dyspnoea scales in patients with COPD
Authors: Ozalevli Sevgi , Ucan Eyup S. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractObjectives  (i) to compare the relationship between different dyspnoea scales and physical and clinical parameters of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and (ii) to determine the most suitable scale among these scales for this patient group.Methods  Forty patients with COPD [mean 1st second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), 49.16 ± 2.33% predicted], aged 53–85 participated in this study. The severity of dyspnoea was assessed with different five scales [Modified Borg Scale (MBS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale (MRCS), Baseline Dyspnoea Index (BDI) and Oxygen Cost Diagram (OCD)]. As clinical parameters, respiratory function was measured by means of pulmonary function test and arterial blood gas analysis. As physical parameters, age and body mass index was recorded.Results  Patient’s dyspnoea severities were 1.59 ± 2.75, 2.03 ± 2.82, 2.14 ± 1.44, 6.81 ± 4.07, 4.56 ± 2.47 for MBS, VAS, MRCS, BDI, OCD, respectively (P = 0.08). It was proven that only %FEV1 had a correlation with MRCS (r = −0.67, P = 0.01) and BDI (r = 0.58, P = 0.02). In addition to these determinations MRCS, MBS and VAS had a strong correlation defining their relationships with each other (P < 0.05).Conclusions  MRCS and BDI could assess dyspnoea during daily activities, so these scales showed strength correlation with physical and clinical values. Briefly MRCS is the most suitable dyspnoea scale for the patients with COPD, moreover, BDI, as the second suitable scale, is correlated only with MRCS. Based on these findings, we recommended that MRCS and BDI are appropriate scales for evaluation of dyspnoea in the patients with COPD.
Members of the Arabidopsis AtTPK/KCO family form homomeric vacuolar channels in planta
Authors: Voelker Camilla , Schmidt Diana , Mueller‐Roeber Bernd , Czempinski Katrin 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe Arabidopsis thaliana K+ channel family of AtTPK/KCO proteins consists of six members including a ‘single‐pore’ (Kir‐type) and five ‘tandem‐pore’ channels. AtTPK4 is currently the only ion channel of this family for which a function has been demonstrated in planta. The protein is located at the plasma membrane forming a voltage‐independent K+ channel that is blocked by extracellular calcium ions. In contrast, AtTPK1 is a tonoplast‐localized protein, that establishes a K+‐selective, voltage‐independent ion channel activated by cytosolic calcium when expressed in a heterologous system, i.e. yeast. Here, we provide evidence that other AtTPK/KCO channel subunits, i.e. AtTPK2, AtTPK3, AtTPK5 and AtKCO3, are also targeted to the vacuolar membrane, opening the possibility that they interact at the target membrane to form heteromeric ion channels. However, when testing the cellular expression patterns of AtTPK/KCO genes we observed distinct expression domains that overlap in only a few tissues of the Arabidopsis plant, making it unlikely that different channel subunits interact to form heteromeric channels. This conclusion was substantiated by in planta expression of combinations of selected tonoplast AtTPK/KCO proteins. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays indicate that protein interaction occurs between identical channel subunits (most efficiently between AtTPK1 or AtKCO3) but not between different channel subunits. The finding could be confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. We conclude that tonoplast‐located AtTPK/KCO subunits form homomeric ion channels in vivo.
Distribution of Shigella enterotoxin genes and secreted autotransporter toxin gene among diverse species and serotypes of shigella isolated from Andaman Islands, India
Authors: Roy Subarna , Thanasekaran K. , Dutta Roy Anita R. , Sehgal Subhash C. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryWe studied the prevalence and distribution of the newly described genes for Shigella enterotoxins (ShET1 and ShET2, encoded by set and sen genes) and secreted auto‐transporter toxin (encoded by sat gene) in clinical isolates from the Andaman Islands, India. A total of 153 Shigella isolates obtained from hospitalized patients during 1994–2004 were analysed. These isolates included all the four species of Shigella (S. dyseteriae– 29, S. flexneri– 75, S. sonnei– 38, S. boydii– 5) that belonged to diverse serotypes (including serologically untypable – 6) and each serotype included a wide variety of genotypes. Each isolate underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of set, sen and sat genes employing specific primers. We found the set gene in all S. flexneri 2a and 2b isolates (41 of 41, 100%) but not outside S. flexneri serotype 2. The sen gene was well distributed among all species and serotypes but its presence was apparently low at 49.1% (75 of 153), probably because of the loss of the large plasmid that harbours the gene in 76 of the 78 (97.4%) sen negative isolates. Also, all S. flexneri 2 isolates (including 2a and 2b serotypes) had the sat gene. It was present in 96% (72 of 75) of S. flexneri, in 6.9% (2 of 29) of S. dysenteriae, in 20% (1 of 5) of S. boydii, and in 33.3% (2 of 6) of untypable Shigella, but not in (0 of 38) S. sonnei. This study provides initial data on the prevalence and distribution of of the set, sen and sat genes in a wide variety of Shigella isolated over a 10‐year period. Our results suggest a greater prevalence of the set and sat genes in S. flexneri 2 isolates than previously thought and might help in future pathochip designs.
Assortative Pairing Based on Contact Call Similarity in Budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus
Authors: Moravec Marin L. , Striedter Georg F. , Burley Nancy Tyler 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA trait typical of parrots, but rare in other groups of birds, is the acquisition of new learned calls (acquired by copying conspecifics) throughout an individual's lifetime. The significance of this distinctive psittacid trait is not understood. In budgerigars, females preferentially affiliate with unfamiliar males whose contact calls resemble their own during brief dyadic choice trials; also, in forced‐pair situations, contact call similarity of members of pairs increases as a result of a male tendency to imitate his mate's call type. The functions of budgerigar call imitation and preference for pre‐pairing similarity are currently unknown. Moreover, as budgerigar pair formation occurs over a span of days or weeks, it is important to determine whether birds in breeding colonies assort and proceed to breed on the basis of pre‐pairing contact call similarity, and whether high levels of call similarity are maintained after pair formation is complete. To explore these questions, we recorded contact calls of male and female budgerigars before and after they were placed into an aviary equipped for breeding. As predicted, birds paired assortatively based on pre‐pairing call similarity. Once birds had paired, their calls converged further in acoustic structure, as previous work had led us to expect. However, after eggs were laid and the males began to feed their mates, the calls of mated birds diverged, suggesting that there might be some cost to maintenance of shared calls. Male care‐giving correlated with the degree to which his pre‐pairing calls resembled those of his mate, but not with the similarity achieved through convergence. These results suggest that female budgerigars may use a male's pre‐pairing call similarity as a predictor of paternal investment. The questions of why such similarity predicts male care‐giving, and why calls converge following initial pairing activities, require further work.