bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
International Experts' Perspectives on the State of the Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes Literature
Authors: Van den Heede Koen , Clarke Sean P. , Sermeus Walter , Vleugels Arthur , Aiken Linda H. 
Published: November 2007

Purpose:
To assess the key variables used in research on nurse staffing and patient outcomes from the perspective of an international panel.
Design:
A Delphi survey (November 2005‐February 2006) of a purposively‐selected expert panel from 10 countries consisting of 24 researchers specializing in nurse staffing and quality of health care and 8 nurse administrators.
Methods:
Each participant was sent by e‐mail an up‐to‐date review of all evidence related to 39 patient‐outcome, 14 nurse‐staffing and 31 background variables and asked to rate the importance/usefulness of each variable for research on nurse staffing and patient outcomes. In two subsequent rounds the group median, mode, frequencies, and earlier responses were sent to each respondent.
Findings: Twenty‐nine participants responded to the first round (90.6%), of whom 28 (87.5%) responded to the second round. The Delphi panel generated 7 patient‐outcome, 2 nurse‐staffing and 12 background variables in the first round, not well‐investigated in previous research, to be added to the list. At the end of the second round the predefined level of consensus (85%) was reached for 32 patient outcomes, 10 nurse staffing measures and 29 background variables. The highest consensus levels regarding measure sensitivity to nurse staffing were found for nurse perceived quality of care, patient satisfaction and pain, and the lowest for renal failure, cardiac failure, and central nervous system complications. Nursing Hours per Patient Day received the highest consensus score as a valid measure of the number of nursing staff. As a skill mix variable the proportion of RNs to total nursing staff achieved the highest consensus level. Both age and comorbidities were rated as important background variables by all the respondents.
Conclusions:
These results provide a snapshot of the state of the science on nurse‐staffing and patient‐outcomes research as of 2005. The results portray an area of nursing science in evolution and an understanding of the connections between human resource issues and healthcare quality based on both empirical findings and opinion.
Comparison of Sampling Methods for Urine Cultures
Authors: Ünlü Hayriye , Şardan Yeşim Çetinkaya , Ülker Saadet 
Published: November 2007

Purpose:
To compare efficacy and cost of conventional and alternative sampling methods concerning urine cultures.
Design and Methods:
An experimental study with two replications was carried out in a 900‐bed university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. The sample was 160 hospitalized female patients, who were asked to give urine specimens, September 10, 2000 and September 1, 2001. They were patients on urology and obstetrics and gynaecology wards. The authors informed the patients about the study first and then obtained two samples from each patient under their observation. The number of specimens was 320. Statistical methods were descriptive.
Findings:
The rates of contamination and significant growth, respectively, were 4.4% and 7.5% for the conventional method and 5.6% and 10% for the alternative method. The cost per culture was 2.588.257 TL (2.10 USD) for the conventional method and 57.021TL (0.05 USD) for the alternative method. The cost difference was statistically significant.
Conclusions:
The two methods yielded similar results but the alternative method was less expensive.
Resource Clusters and Variation in Physical Restraint Use
Authors: Minnick Ann F. , Fogg Lou , Mion Lorraine C. , Catrambone Cathy , Johnson Mary E. 
Published: November 2007

Purpose: To describe (a) the extent of inter‐ and intrainstitutional variation in labor, capital, and process‐of‐care variables related to nursing service on U.S. adult acute and intensive care units; (b) the extent to which resource clustering exists; and (c) an analysis of resource cluster role that explains variation in physical restraint rates.
Design: Descriptive.
Methods: Staff at 82 adult acute care and 55 intensive care units from 40 randomly selected U.S. hospitals provided data about more than 100 capital, labor, and process variables via (a) a staff nurse survey, and (b) interviews with unit leaders and measurement of unit design. These data described resources during the period in which physical restraint rate was established via direct observation.
Findings: Depending on the resource variable, 7% to 57% of hospitals in which more than one ICU was studied showed resource variation between their ICUs; the comparable statistics for adult acute units were 5% to 45%. Cluster analysis indicated a two‐cluster solution for ICUs and a three‐cluster solution for non‐ICUs. ICU cluster assignment varied within 16% of hospitals in which more than one ICU was studied. Non‐ICU cluster assignment varied within 20% of hospitals. Physical restraint use was best explained by patient characteristics, not resource clusters or individual resources.
Conclusions: Studies of outcomes that are the product of a single unit must include measurement of resources at the unit level, assuming equal resources among units of similar types within a hospital is unwarranted. Further research regarding the effect of resource clusters on nurse sensitive outcomes is suggested.
Hospital‐treated psychosis and suicide in a rural community (1877–2005). Part 1: Incidence rates
Authors: Andersen J. E. , Hynnekleiv T. 
Published: November 2007

Objective:  To calculate the incidence rates of hospital‐treated psychosis and suicide in historical cohorts of a small rural community in southeast Norway, and to compare the local findings with the national ones.Method:  We have carried out a longitudinal epidemiological study, reviewing the patient records at the mental hospitals of people born in the rural community after 1845. Based on these records, we have constructed a local register of psychosis and suicide in this population. The local incidence rates of psychosis and suicide have been compared with the national ones.Results:  The overall local incidence rates of psychosis and suicide were similar to the national ones. The local rates of schizophrenia dropped considerably after World War II.Conclusion:  The overall local incidence rates of psychosis and suicide seem to be representative for the country at large despite frequent endogamy. The recent drop in the incidence rate of schizophrenia seems to be in agreement with several international studies.
‘Stockholm syndrome’: psychiatric diagnosis or urban myth?
Authors: Namnyak M. , Tufton N. , Szekely R. , Toal M. , Worboys S. , Sampson E. L. 
Published: November 2007

Objective:  ‘Stockholm syndrome’ is a term used to describe the positive bond some kidnap victims develop with their captor. High‐profile cases are reported by the media although the diagnosis is not described in any international classification system. Here we review the evidence base on ‘Stockholm syndrome’.Method:  Databases (PubMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL) were systematically searched. We compared features of cases widely reported in the English language media to identify common themes which may form a recognizable syndrome.Results:  We identified 12 papers that met inclusion criteria. The existing literature consists mostly of case reports; furthermore there is ambiguity in the use of the term. No validated diagnostic criteria have been described. Four common features were found between the five cases studied.Conclusion:  There is little published academic research on ‘Stockholm syndrome’ although study of media reports reveals similarities between well publicized cases. This may be due to reporting and publication bias.
Is MAO‐B activity in platelets associated with the occurrence of suicidality and behavioural personality traits in depressed patients?
Authors: Lewitzka U. , Müller‐Oerlinghausen B. , Felber W. , Brunner J. , Hawellek B. , Rujescu D. , Ising M. , Lauterbach E. , Broocks A. , Bondy B. , Rao M. L. , Frahnert C. , Heuser I. , Hohagen F. , Maier W. , Bronisch T. 
Published: November 2007

Objective:  Low platelet monoaminoxidase B (MAO‐B) activity has been associated with various forms of impulsive behaviour and suicidality. The present study investigated the relationship between MAO‐B activity in platelets and aspects of suicidality in depressed patients and controls.Method:  In 87 patients with affective spectrum disorders (58% suffering from a major depressive episode – MDE) the potential association between platelet MAO‐B activity and suicidality was examined. Fifty‐nine of the patients had committed suicide attempt recently (SA –‘suicide attempters’), 28 patients were acutely depressed without having shown suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviour in the past (NA –‘non‐suicide attempters’).Results:  The SA and NA were comparable as to their diagnoses and general demographic and psychopathological parameters. MAO‐B activity did not differ between SA and NA. No systematic correlations existed between MAO‐B activity and any dimensions of suicidal behaviour or psychopathology. As a single finding only a weak positive association of higher MAO‐B activity in SA with a fatal intention of the SA was observed.Conclusion:  Our findings do not support a consistent association of platelet MAO‐B activity and suicidal behaviour in general, but specific facts of suicidality might be associated.
Cost‐effectiveness of cognitive self‐therapy in patients with depression and anxiety disorders
Authors: Stant A. D. , Ten Vergert E. M. , Den Boer P. C. A. M. , Wiersma D. 
Published: November 2007

Objective:  Self‐therapy interventions could potentially reduce healthcare expenses and the need for care in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. This study assessed the cost‐effectiveness of cognitive self‐therapy (CST) in patients with these disorders.Method:  A total of 151 patients were randomly assigned to CST or treatment as usual (TAU), and followed during 18 months. The Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL‐90) was the primary outcome measure of the study. The reference year was 2003 (US$1.00 = €0.92).Results:  Mean costs of patients in the CST group (US$4364) were lower than that of the patients who received TAU (US$5241). The results of the SCL‐90 were slightly in favour of CST. Valuing an additional unit of health outcome at US$108 will lead to an 83% probability that CST is cost‐effective.Conclusion:  Cognitive self‐therapy appears to be cost‐effective. Wider implementation of CST may relieve the burden of many patients with emotional disorders whose treatment needs cannot be met in current healthcare systems.
Automatic mining of the literature to generate new hypotheses for the possible link between periodontitis and atherosclerosis: lipopolysaccharide as a case study
Authors: Hettne Kristina M. , Weeber Marc , Laine Marja L. , Cate Hugo ten , Boyer Scott , Kors Jan A. , Loos Bruno G. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractAim: The aim of the current report was to generate and explore new hypotheses into how, in a pathophysiological sense, atherosclerosis and periodontitis could be linked.Material and Methods: Two different biomedical informatics techniques were used: an association‐based technique that generated a ranked list of genes associated with the diseases, and a natural language processing tool that extracted the relationships between the retrieved genes and lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Results: This combined approach of association‐based and natural language processing‐based literature mining identified a hit list of 16 candidate genes, with PON1 as the primary candidate.Conclusions: Further study of the literature prompted the hypothesis that PON1 might connect periodontitis with atherosclerosis in both an LPS‐dependent and a non‐LPS‐dependent manner. Furthermore, the resulting genes not only confirmed already known associations between the two diseases, but also provided genes or gene products that have only been investigated separately in the two disease states, and genes or gene products previously reported to be involved in atherosclerosis. These findings remain to be investigated through clinical studies. This example of multidisciplinary research illustrates how collaborative efforts of investigators from different fields of expertise can result in the discovery of new hypotheses.
Alveolar bone loss in liver transplantation patients: relationship with prolonged steroid treatment and parathyroid hormone levels
Authors: Oettinger‐Barak Orit , Segal Elena , Machtei Eli E. , Barak Shlomi , Baruch Yaacov , Ish‐Shalom Sofia 
Published: November 2007

AbstractAim: To evaluate the relationship among alveolar bone loss (ABL), bone status and calcium‐regulating hormones in liver transplantees.Patients and Methods: Twenty‐one liver transplantees underwent a full oral examination. The correlations among bone densitometry, bone metabolic status and drug treatment were examined.Results: Twelve patients had osteopenia, and six were osteoporotic. ABL was 4.33±2.32 mm (range 0.67–9.92). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels ranged from 14 to 106 (mean 55.2±26.4). The mean 25(OH)D3 was 11.68±4.7, range 3.5–21.1 ng/ml. Nine patients were vitamin D deficient (<10 ng/ml); none of the patients had 25(OH)D3 levels 30 ng/ml. No correlation was found between ABL and current or total glucocorticoids dose, although there was an inverse relation with the duration of treatment (r=−0.474, p=0.03). A positive correlation was found between ABL, PTH (r=0.419, p=0.059) and hip bone mineral density (BMD) (r=0.482, p=0.027). ABL correlated closely with age, PTH, glucocorticoid treatment (duration) and hip BMD (r=0.810, p=0.004).Conclusions: The majority of liver transplant patients had insufficient 25(OH)D3 serum levels. Changes in calcium‐regulating hormones and hip BMD were correlated with ABL. Therefore, therapeutic intervention aimed at treating vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism should be considered in these patients. The benefits of vitamin D treatment in the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism and possible decrease in ABL deserve further evaluation in controlled trials.
Up‐regulation of estrogen receptor‐β expression during osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells
Authors: Tang X. , Meng H. , Han J. , Zhang L. , Hou J. , Zhang F. 
Published: November 2007

Background and Objective:  Estrogen has been shown to up‐regulate the expression of osteoblastic phenotypes of human periodontal ligament cells via binding to estrogen receptors and may also help periodontal tissue regeneration. However, which subtype of estrogen receptor (α or β) is predominately expressed in human periodontal ligament cells, and how estrogen receptor expression is regulated during the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells, is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the expression and regulation of estrogen receptor subtypes in human periodontal ligament cells and during their osteogenic differentiation.Material and Methods:  Human periodontal ligament cells derived from 10 individual age‐matched donors (five male and five female donors) were cultured. Human periodontal ligament cells under osteogenic induction (group M) and the corresponding controls (group C) were harvested on days 7, 14 and 21 for estrogen receptor detection.Results:  Both estrogen receptor‐α and estrogen receptor‐β mRNAs were expressed in human periodontal ligament cells from all of the 10 donors. Protein only of estrogen receptor‐β (not of estrogen receptor‐α) was detected and was shown to be located in the nuclei of human periodontal ligament cells. The expression levels of estrogen receptor‐β mRNA and protein from both male and female donors in group M were significantly higher compared with group C during the 21‐d study period. In comparison, the expression level of estrogen receptor‐α mRNA of the donors was not significantly different from that of the controls during osteogenic differentiation and no estrogen receptor‐α protein was detected.Conclusion:  The results suggest that estrogen receptor‐β may be the predominant subtype expressed in human periodontal ligament cells and may actively participate in the osteogenic differentiation process of human periodontal ligament cells, both in male and in female subjects.
SAA and PLTP activity in plasma of periodontal patients before and after full‐mouth tooth extraction
Authors: Vuletic S , Taylor BA , Tofler GH , Chait A , Marcovina SM , Schenck K , Albers JJ 
Published: November 2007

Objective:  To assess whether treatment of advanced periodontal disease affects plasma levels of serum amyloid A (SAA) and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity.Design:  We measured the levels of SAA and PLTP activity in plasma of 66 patients with advanced periodontal disease before and after treatment by full‐mouth tooth extraction (FME).Results:  At baseline, median SAA levels in our study population were within the normal range (2.7 μg ml−1) but SAA was elevated (>5 μg ml−1) in 18% of periodontitis patients. Three months after FME, SAA levels were significantly reduced (P = 0.04). SAA did not correlate with any of the periodontal disease parameters. PLTP activity was elevated in patients with periodontitis, compared to the PLTP activity reference group (age‐matched systemically healthy adults, n = 29; 18 μmol ml−1 h−1vs 13 μmol ml−1 h−1, respectively, P = 0.002). PLTP activity inversely correlated with average periodontal pocket depth (PPD) per tooth (rs = −0.372; P = 0.002). Three months after FME, median PLTP activity did not change significantly.Conclusions:  Full‐mouth tooth extraction significantly reduces SAA, a marker of inflammation, while it does not affect plasma PLTP activity. However, the inverse correlation between PLTP activity and average PPD suggests that increased PLTP activity may limit periodontal tissue damage.
Complex visual hallucinations and occipital seizures
Authors: Walterfang Mark , Yerra Raju , Gaillard Francesco , O’Brien Terence , Mocellin Ramon , Velakoulis Dennis 
Published: November 2007

Background:We describe the presentation of a young woman with long-standing complex partial seizures with occasional secondary generalization, who presented with complex visual hallucinations (CVHs) and delusions.Methods:Routine biological workup including magnetic resonance imaging revealed an area of significant left-sided occipital gliosis. Video telemetry monitoring revealed a left occipital focus for the origin of the electrographic seizure discharge.Conclusion:CVHs occur in a range of organic states, including epilepsy, and can be understood in terms of the underpinning neuroanatomy and neurotransmitter systems of the visual system.
Visual hallucinations in consultation-liaison neuropsychiatry
Authors: Walterfang Mark , Mocellin Ramon , Velakoulis Dennis 
Published: November 2007

Background:In consultation-liaison settings, neuropsychiatrists are commonly asked to assess patients with hallucinatory syndromes and to differentiate ‘functional’ from ‘organic’ psychotic presentations.Methods:The occurrence and management of visual hallucinations (VH) in healthy individuals, lesion states, neurodegenerative disorders, intoxication/withdrawal states and delirium are reviewed.Results:The presence of VH has been shown to predict a secondary rather than primary psychotic illness and an understanding of the neurobiology of the visual system – including how and where underlying neurotransmitter systems interact in visual processing and how perturbations can result in VH – allows for appropriate clinical assessment and management.
The neurosphere assay, a method under scrutiny
Authors: Deleyrolle Loic P. , Rietze Rodney L. , Reynolds Brent A. 
Published: November 2007

Objectives:The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the fundamental features of the neurosphere assay (NSA), which was initially described in 1992, and has since been used not only to detect the presence of stem cells in embryonic and adult mammalian neural tissues, but also to study their characteristicsin vitro. Implicit in this review is a detailed examination of the limitations of the NSA, and how this assay is most accurately and appropriately used. Finally we will point out criteria that should be challenged to design alternative ways to overcome the limits of this assay.Methods:NSA is used to isolate putative neural stem cells (NSCs) from the central nervous system (CNS) and to demonstrate the critical stem cell attributes of proliferation, extensive self-renewal and the ability to give rise to a large number of differentiated and functional progeny. Nevertheless, the capability of neural progenitor cells to form neurospheres precludes its utilisation to accurately quantifybona fidestem cell frequency based simply on neurosphere numbers. New culture conditions are needed to be able to distinguish the activity of progenitor cells from stem cells.Conclusion:A commonly used, and arguably misused, methodology, the NSA has provided a wealth of information on precursor activity of cells derived from the embryonic through to the aged CNS. Importantly, the NSA has contributed to the demise of the ‘no new neurogenesis’ dogma, and the beginning of a new era of CNS regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, the interpretations arising from the utilisation of the NSA need to take into consideration its limits, so as not to be used beyond its specificity and sensitivity.
Assessment of In Vitro Methods Used to Promote Adhesive Interface Degradation: A Critical Review
Authors: AMARAL FLÁVIA L. B. , COLUCCI VIVIAN , PALMA‐DIBB REGINA G. , CORONA SILMARA A. M. 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACTOne factor that has a great influence on clinical performance of dental restorations is their resistance to degradation. Morphological changes in the structure of tooth‐restoration interface aged in the oral environment have been reported. However, even though the in vivo performance is the ultimate testing environment for predicting the behavior of restorations because of the complexity of intraoral conditions, in vitro models such as thermocycling, mechanical loading, pH cycling, and aging of materials in distilled water, NaOCl, and food‐simulating solutions may provide important information about the fundamental mechanisms involved in resin‐tooth interface degradation. Most recently, the effect of host‐derived enzymes and the storage in deproteinizing solutions (such as aqueous NaOCl) on the degradation of resin‐dentin bonds has also been described. This review considers the importance of these in vitro methods on bond durability interface in an attempt to understand the behavior of restoratives over time. The first section is focused on the mechanism of in vivo biodegradation, whereas the second looks at studies that have described the influence of water storage, NaOCl storage, host‐derived matrix metalloproteinases, thermocycling, mechanical loading, pH cycling, and food‐simulating solutions on the degradation of the adhesive interface. It is obvious that these methodologies do not occur separately in the oral cavity, but that each one has a specific importance in the mechanisms of bond degradation.CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEThe in vitro methods used to simulate bond degradation may describe important points related to the clinical performance of restorations. This article evaluates the mechanism of the in vivo biodegradation of adhesive interfaces as well as the influences that various testing methods have on these bonds.(J Esthet Restor Dent 19:340–354, 2007)