bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Roles of TNF-α gene polymorphisms in the occurrence and progress of SARS-Cov infection: A case-control study
Authors: Wang Shixin , Wei Maoti , Han Yi , Zhang Keju , He Li , Yang Zhen , Su Bing , Zhang Zhilun , Hu Yilan , Hui Wuli 
Published: March 2008

Abstract

Background
Host genetic factors may play a role in the occurrence and progress of SARS-Cov infection. This study was to investigate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene polymorphisms with the occurrence of SARS-CoV infection and its role in prognosis of patients with lung interstitial fibrosis and femoral head osteonecrosis.

Methods
The association between genetic polymorphisms of TNF-α gene and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) was conducted in a hospital-based case-control study including 75 SARS patients, 41 health care workers and 92 healthy controls. Relationships of TNF-α gene polymorphisms with interstitial lung fibrosis and femoral head osteonecrosis were carried out in two case-case studies in discharged SARS patients. PCR sequencing based typing (PCR-SBT) method was used to determine the polymorphisms of TNF-α gene in locus of the promoter region and univariate logistic analysis was conducted in analyzing the collected data.

Results
Compared to TT genotype, the CT genotype at the -204 locus was found associated with a protective effect on SARS with OR(95%CI) of 0.95(0.90–0.99). Also, TT genotype, CT and CC were found associated with a risk effect on femoral head necrosis with ORs(95%CI) of 5.33(1.39–20.45) and 5.67(2.74–11.71), respectively and the glucocorticoid adjusted OR of CT was 5.25(95%CI 1.18–23.46) and the combined (CT and CC) genotype OR was 6.0 (95%CI 1.60–22.55) at -1031 site of TNF-α gene. At the same time, the -863 AC genotype was manifested as another risk effect associated with femoral head necrosis with OR(95%CI) of 6.42(1.53–26.88) and the adjusted OR was 8.40(95%CI 1.76–40.02) in cured SARS patients compared to CC genotype.

Conclusion
SNPs of TNF-α gene of promoter region may not associate with SARS-CoV infection. And these SNPs may not affect interstitial lung fibrosis in cured SARS patients. However, the -1031CT/CC and -863 AC genotypes may be risk factors of femoral head necrosis in discharged SARS patients.
Forced expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p57Kip2 in cardiomyocytes attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in the mouse heart
Authors: Haley Sheila A , Zhao Ting , Zou Lijun , Klysik Jan E , Padbury James F , Kochilas Lazaros K 
Published: March 2008

Abstract

Background
Myocardial hypoxic-ischemic injury is the cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The cardiomyocyte response to hypoxic-ischemic injury is known to include changes in cell cycle regulators. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57

Kip 2is involved in cell cycle control, differentiation, stress signaling and apoptosis. In contrast to other cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p57Kip2 expression diminishes during postnatal life and is reactivated in the adult heart under conditions of cardiac stress. Overexpression of p57

Kip 2has been previously shown to prevent apoptotic cell death in vitro by inhibiting stress-activated kinases. Therefore, we hypothesized that p57

Kip 2has a protective role in cardiomyocytes under hypoxic conditions. To investigate this hypothesis, we created a transgenic mouse (R26loxpTA-p57

k/+) that expresses p57Kip2 specifically in cardiac tissue under the ventricular cardiomyocyte promoter Mlc2v.

Results
Transgenic mice with cardiac specific overexpression of p57

Kip 2are viable, fertile and normally active and their hearts are morphologically indistinguishable from the control hearts and have similar heart weight/body weight ratio. The baseline functional parameters, including left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), LVdp/dtmax, heart rate (HR) and rate pressure product (RPR) were not significantly different between the different groups as assessed by the Langendorff perfused heart preparation. However, after subjecting the heart ex vivo to 30 minutes of ischemia-reperfusion injury, the p57

Kip 2overexpressing hearts demonstrated preserved cardiac function compared to control mice with higher left ventricular developed pressure (63 ± 15 vs 30 ± 6 mmHg, p = 0.05), rate pressure product (22.8 ± 4.86 vs 10.4 ± 2.1 × 103bpm × mmHg, p < 0.05) and coronary flow (3.5 ± 0.5 vs 2.38 ± 0.24 ml/min, p <0.05).

Conclusion
These data suggest that forced cardiac expression of p57Kip2 does not affect myocardial growth, differentiation and baseline function but attenuates injury from ischemia-reperfusion in the adult mouse heart.
A prospective study of iron status in exclusively breastfed term infants up to 6 months of age
Authors: Raj Shashi , Faridi MMA , Rusia Usha , Singh Om 
Published: March 2008

AbstractBackgroundCan exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age maintain optimum iron status in term babies? We evaluated iron status of exclusively breastfed term infants in relation to breast milk iron and lactoferrin.MethodsIn this prospective study in Delhi, India, during the period 2003–2004 normally delivered babies of non-anemic [(Hemoglobin (Hb) = 11 g/dl, n = 68] and anemic (Hb 7 – 10.9 g/dl, n = 61) mothers were followed until 6 months of age. Iron parameters were measured in the cord blood at 14 weeks and 6 months. Breast milk iron and lactoferrin were measured at the same intervals.ResultsIron parameters in babies of both groups were within normal limits at birth, 14 weeks and 6 months. Mean breast milk iron and lactoferrin in non-anemic (day 1: 0.89, 6 months: 0.26 mg/l; day 1: 12.02, 6 months: 5.85 mg/ml) and anemic mothers (day 1: 0.86, 6 months: 0.27 mg/l; day 1: 12.91, 6 months: 6.37 mg/ml) were not different on day one or at other times. No relationship was found between breast milk iron, lactoferrin and iron status of the babies.ConclusionExclusively breastfed infants of non-anemic and anemic mothers did not develop iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia by six months of age.
High sensitivity C-reactive protein is associated with lower tibial cartilage volume but not lower patella cartilage volume in healthy women at mid-life
Authors: Hanna Fahad S , Bell Robin J , Cicuttini Flavia M , Davison Sonia L , Wluka Anita E , Davis Susan R 
Published: March 2008

Abstract
Introduction
Elevated serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has been reported in established osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to determine whether serum levels of hsCRP are associated with the variation in tibial and patella cartilage volumes in women without evidence of OA.

Methods
Participants were recruited from a database established from the Australian electoral roll, and were aged 40 to 67 years, were not hysterectomized and had no significant knee pain or knee injury in the last 5 years. Tibial and patella cartilage volumes were measured from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of each woman's dominant knee and hsCRP measured in serum. Linear regression models were used to explore the major determinants of variation in both tibial and patella cartilage volume and to assess whether serum hsCRP made an independent contribution to variation in the volumes of cartilage in the two knee compartments.

Results
The mean age of the 176 participants was 52.3 ± 6.6 years. Compared with a standard model for tibial cartilage volume that included bone area, age, smoking and alcohol status, the addition of an hsCRP term made an independent negative contribution to variation in tibial cartilage volume, irrespective of whether body mass index (BMI) was included in the model or not. By contrast, using a similar approach, hsCRP did not contribute independently to variation in patella cartilage volume.

Conclusion
In asymptomatic women aged 40 to 67 years, serum hsCRP is independently negatively associated with the volume of tibial but not patella cartilage suggesting that subclinical inflammation may predispose to knee cartilage loss in the tibial compartment. This should be further assessed by a longitudinal study.
Mild hypothermia during advanced life support: a preliminary study in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Authors: Bruel Cédric , Parienti Jean-Jacques , Marie William , Arrot Xavier , Daubin Cédric , Du Cheyron Damien , Massetti Massimo , Charbonneau Pierre 
Published: March 2008

Abstract
Introduction
Induction of mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest may confer neuroprotection. We assessed the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of therapeutic infusion of 2 l of normal saline at 4°C before return of spontaneous circulation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation after out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods
This was a prospective, observational, multicenter clinical trial conducted in Emergency Medical Services units and in a medical intensive care unit at Caen University Hospital, Cen, France.

Results
In patients who had suffered out of hospital cardiac arrest, hypothermia was induced by infusing 2 l of 4°C NaCl 0.9% over 30 minutes during advanced life support prior to arrival at the hospital. A total of 33 patients were included in the study. Eight patients presented with ventricular fibrillation as the initial cardiac rhythm. Mild hypothermia was achieved after a median of 16 minutes (interquartile range 11.5 to 25.0 minutes) after return of spontaneous circulation. After intravenous cooling, the temperature decreased by 2.1°C (P < 0.0001) to a mean body temperature of 33.3°C (interquartile range 32.3 to 34.3°C). The only observed adverse event was pulmonary oedema, which occurred in one patient.

Conclusion
We concluded that prehospital induction of therapeutic hypothermia using infusion of 2 l of 4°C normal saline during advanced life support was feasible, effective and safe. Larger studies are required to assess the impact that this early cooling has on neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest.
Facial fear processing and psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia: functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Michalopoulou Panayiota G. , Surguladze Simon , Morley Lucy A. , Giampietro Vincent P. , Murray Robin M. , Shergill Sukhwinder S. 
Published: March 2008

BackgroundThe recognition of negative facial affect is impaired in people with schizophrenia. The neural underpinnings of this deficit and its relationship to the symptoms of psychosis are still unclear.AimsTo examine the association between positive and negative psychotic symptoms and activation within the amygdala and extrastriate visual regions of patients with schizophrenia during fearful and neutral facial expression processing.MethodFunctional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure neural responses to neutral and fearful facial expressions in 11 patients with schizophrenia and 9 healthy volunteers during an implicit emotional task.ResultsNo association between amygdala activation and positive symptoms was found; the activation within the left superior temporal gyrus was negatively associated with the negative symptoms of the patients.ConclusionsOur results indicate an association between impaired extrastriate visual processing of facial fear and negative symptoms, which may underlie the previously reported difficulties of patients with negative symptoms in the recognition of facial fear.
Public health significance of mixed anxiety and depression: beyond current classification
Authors: Das-Munshi Jayati , Goldberg David , Bebbington Paul E. , Bhugra Dinesh K. , Brugha Traolach S. , Dewey Michael E. , Jenkins Rachel , Stewart Rob , Prince Martin 
Published: March 2008

BackgroundThe public health significance of mixed anxiety–depressive disorder (MADD) and the distinctiveness of its phenomenology have yet to be established.AimsTo determine the public health significance of MADD, and to compare its phenomenology with ICD-10 anxiety, depressive, and comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders.MethodWeighted analysis of data from the Great Britain National Psychiatric Morbidity survey was conducted with a representative household sample of 8580 persons aged 16–74 years.ResultsThe 1-month prevalence of MADD was 8.8%. A fifth of all days off work in Britain occurred in this group. The symptom profile of MADD was similar to ‘pure’ ICD-10 anxiety and depression, but with a lower overall symptom count. The disorder was associated with significant impairment of health-related quality of life. Differences in health-related quality of life measures between diagnostic groups were accounted for by overall symptom severity, which remained strongly associated with health-related quality of life measures after adjusting for diagnostic group. The finding that half of the anxiety, depression and MADD cases and a third of the comorbid depression and anxiety cases grouped into a single latent class challenges the notion of these conditions as having distinct phenomenologies. Mixed presentations may be the norm in the population.ConclusionsThe data support the pathological significance of MADD in its negative impact upon population health. Dimensional approaches to classification may provide a more parsimonious description of anxiety and depressive disorders compared with categorical approaches.
Psychosocial intervention for war-affected children in Sierra Leone
Authors: Gupta Leila , Zimmer Catherine 
Published: March 2008

BackgroundThere are no psychosocial interventions to address both educational needs and psychological distress among displaced children in post-conflict settings.AimsTo assess the psychosocial status of displaced children enrolled in the Rapid-Ed intervention; and to determine whether the Rapid-Ed intervention alleviated traumatic stress symptoms that interfere with learning among war-affected children in Sierra Leone.MethodA randomly selected sample of 315 children aged 8–18 years who were displaced by war were interviewed about their war experiences and reactions to the violence before and after participating in the 4-week Rapid-Ed intervention combining basic education with trauma healing activities.ResultsHigh levels of intrusion, arousal and avoidance symptoms were reported at the pre-test interviews conducted 9–12 months after the war. Post-test findings showed statistically significant decreases in intrusion and arousal symptoms (P < 0.0001), a slight increase in avoidance reactions (P < 0.0001) and greater optimism about the future.ConclusionsThe findings suggest potential for combining basic education with trauma healing activities for children in post-conflict settings, but confirmatory studies using a control group are needed. Conducting research in post-conflict settings presents unique challenges.
The long and the short of it: are shorter periods of hospitalisation beneficial?
Authors: Capdevielle Delphine , Ritchie Karen 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe politics of shortening hospital stays for people with psychosis has been questioned by a number of studies. Hospital practice in the meantime remains highly variable and the research evidence increasingly difficult to interpret given different conceptualisations of what constitutes effective treatment. In the absence of clearer guidelines from researchers in this area, decisions about duration of hospitalisation risk being driven by economic rather than clinical considerations.
Recognizing rhetoric in health care policy analysis
Authors: Russell Jill , Greenhalgh Trisha , Byrne Emma , Mcdonnell Janet 
Published: March 2008

Critiques of the ‘naïve rationalist’ model of policy-making abound in the sociological and political science literature. Yet academic debate on health care policy-making continues to be couched in the dominant discourse of evidence-based medicine, whose underlying assumptions - that policies are driven by facts rather than values and these can be clearly separated; that ‘evidence’ is context-free, can be objectively weighed up and placed unproblematically in a ‘hierarchy’; and that policy-making is essentially an exercise in decision science - have constrained both thinking and practice. In this paper, drawing on theoretical work from political science and philosophy, and innovative empirical work in the health care sector, we argue that health care is well overdue for a re-defining of what policy-making is. Policy-making is the formal struggle over ideas and values, played out by the rhetorical use of language and the enactment of social situations. While the selection, evaluation and implementation of research evidence are important in the policy-making process, they do not equate to that process. The study of argument in the construction of policy has the potential to illuminate dimensions of the process that are systematically occluded when policy-making is studied through a naïve rationalist lens. In particular, a rhetorical perspective highlights the struggle over ideas, the ‘naming and framing’ of policy problems, the centrality of audience and the rhetorical use of language in discussion to increase the audience's adherence to particular framings and proposals. Rhetorical theory requires us to redefine what counts as ‘rationality’ - which must extend from what is provably true (by logic) and probably true (by Bayesian reasoning) to embrace, in addition, that which is plausibly true (i.e. can convince a reasonable audience). Future research into health care policy-making needs to move beyond the study of ‘getting evidence into practice’ and address the language, arguments and discourse through which policy is constructed and enacted.
‘Nurse entrepreneurs’ a case of government rhetoric?
Authors: Traynor Michael , Drennan Vari , Goodman Claire , Mark Annabelle , Davis Kathy , Peacock Richard , Banning Maggi 
Published: March 2008

Introduction Nursing has come to play a prominent role in government health policy since 1997. Extending the scope of nursing practice into activities previously carried out by doctors can assist a managerialist and ‘modernizing’ project of increasing National Health Service (NHS) efficiency by removing demarcations between professional groups. Methods Drawing on elements of poststructuralist linguistics, this paper presents an analysis of a key government speech in the context of a discussion of overall policy intentions. Results The speech can be seen as an example of how government has attempted to use rhetoric to make its goals attractive to nurses. Conclusion Policy-makers have to make their policies acceptable to those whom they expect to implement them. In this case, organizational efficiency, chiefly in terms of broader access to NHS services, as well as role substitution, is aligned with government policy promoting social enterprise and ‘sold’ to the nursing profession as enhancing its status compared with medicine.
Citizen and staff involvement in health service decision-making: Have National Health Service foundation trusts in England given stakeholders a louder voice?
Authors: Lewis Richard , Hinton Lisa 
Published: March 2008

Objectives National Health Service (NHS) foundation trusts have been created to decentralize the management of NHS provider organizations through the substitution of central government control with local accountability to citizens and employed staff. Our aim was to explore the roles adopted by elected and appointed governors of a first wave NHS foundation trust and the extent to which governors shared power with trust directors and influenced the management of the trust. Methods A one-year case study of a single NHS foundation trust (Homerton Hospital in East London) was conducted. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with a sample of governors and directors, as well as through non-participant observation of public and private meetings of governors and documentary analysis. Results Governors and directors found the new role of foundation trust governor ambiguous and difficult to define. This lack of clarity impeded the development of the new governance function. Governors perceived that they had made little impact on the decisions of the Trust during the year of study. However, evidence was found of an increased involvement of governors and the public in the activities of the Trust. Conclusions Government plans to decentralize accountability of public hospitals to local communities appear problematic, at least in the short term. Unless the effectiveness of the new local governance arrangements is addressed, an accountability ‘gap’ may emerge as prior mechanisms for public accountability to the centre are dismantled. In these circumstances, decentralization may lead in practice to a loss of public accountability.
Questions and answers
Authors: Caon Martin , Schneider Nils 
Published: March 2008

The aim of this section is for you to identify and try to answer puzzles, especially methodological ones, in health services research and policy. Readers are invited both to submit questions, which they think will be of general interest or which are particularly topical, and to offer answers to questions. Questions can be ones that you feel have not been satisfactorily answered in the existing literature, ones that relate to ‘self-evident’ definitions which need to be made problematic, or paradoxes. Please send your questions to: Gillian Parker, SPRU, University of York, Alcuin College, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK. Email: gmp501@york.ac.uk . Fax: 144 (0)1904 321953.
Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee
Authors: Takeda M. , Higuchi H. , Kimura M. , Kobayashi Y. , Terauchi M. , Takagishi K. 
Published: March 2008

We prospectively examined the physical and imaging findings, including MRI, of 23 patients with spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee after obtaining informed consent to acquire tissue specimens at surgery. There were four men and 19 women, with a mean age of 67.5 years (58 to 77). Plain radiographs were designated as stages 1, 2, 3 or 4 according to the classification of Koshino. Five knees were classified as stage 1, five as stage 2, seven as stage 3 and six as stage 4. The histological specimens were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and tetrachrome. In the early stages of the condition, a subchondral fracture was noted in the absence of any features of osteonecrosis, whereas in advanced stages, osteonecrotic lesions were confined to the area distal to the site of the fracture which showed impaired healing. In such cases, formation of cartilage and fibrous tissue, occurred indicating delayed or nonunion. These findings strongly suggest that the histopathology at each stage of spontaneous osteonecrosis is characterised by different types of repair reaction for subchondral fractures.