bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Diagnostic, clinical relevance and therapy
Authors: Dissemond Joachim 
Published: March 2009

SummaryIn the last decades, increasing numbers of patients with problematic bacteria such as methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported. Beside the common problem of MRSA variants in hospitals, recently community‐based MRSA (cMRSA) has become a growing problem even in patients without typical risk factors. cMRSA often carries the virulence factor Panton‐Valentine‐leukocidin (PVL) causing dermatologic diseases like therapy‐refractory furunculosis in young adults. Thus, it is both a medical and health economic issue to identify MRSA as quickly as possible and then eradiate it completely. We review the practical consequences and in particular, the therapy options which are reasonable once MRSA is identified.
Plasmalogen levels in full‐term neonates
Authors: Labadaridis I , Moraitou M , Theodoraki M , Triantafyllidis G , Sarafidou J , Michelakakis H 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAim: Plasmalogens are phospholipids characterized by the presence of a vinyl ether bond at the sn‐1 position of the glycerol backbone. They are particularly abundant in the nervous system, the heart and striated muscle. Peroxisomes are essential for their biosynthesis and red blood cell (RBC) plasmalogen levels are a reliable test in the investigation of patients suspect for a peroxisomal defect. The functions attributed to them include protection against oxidative stress, myelin formation and signal transduction. The aim of the present study was the investigation of RBC plasmalogen levels in neonates.Methods: A total of 25 healthy full‐term, appropriate for gestational age neonates were studied. RBC plasmalogens were estimated using gas chromatography within the first five days of life. Fifteen healthy children 1–8‐year olds served as controls.Results: Statistically significant lower plasmalogen levels were found in neonates compared to older children.Conclusion: Our results indicate that a different range of normal values for plasmalogen levels should be used in the investigation of peroxisomal diseases in neonates. The lower levels of plasmalogens in neonates found in our study could render them more vulnerable to oxidative stress.
Conservative management of ulcerated haemangioma – twenty years experience
Authors: Pandey Anand , Gangopadhyay Ajay Narayan , Sharma Shiv Prasad , Kumar Vijayendra , Gopal Saroj Chooramani , Gupta Dinesh Kumar 
Published: March 2009

AbstractUlceration is the most common complication of haemangioma and occurs in 5–15% of cases. The present study was carried out to evaluate the clinical features of ulcerated haemangioma and efficacy of the management protocol adopted by us over a period of 20 years. All patients with ulcerated haemangioma were evaluated on the basis of age at presentation, sex, rural or urban distribution and site of haemangioma. Treatment included application of topical antibiotic and systemic antibiotic and analgesic for pain. The total number of patients was 608. The male to female ratio was 1: 2·28. The rural:urban distribution was 2·43:1. The most common site of involvement was head and neck. Mean age of patients was 5·60 ± 2·44 months. Mean size of haemangioma and ulceration was 47·30 ± 20·67 cm2 and 7·49 ± 4·52 cm2, respectively. The mean time for ulcer healing was 40·06 ± 19·41 days. Ulcer size of more than 10 cm2 took more time to heal. Response to treatment was satisfactory. Ulcerated haemangioma usually occurs before completion of 1 year of age; hence, every patient with haemangioma needs careful attention. Adequate treatment and regular follow up brings satisfactory response in the patients.
Silver resistance in MRSA isolated from wound and nasal sources in humans and animals
Authors: Loh Jia V , Percival Steven L , Woods Emma J , Williams Nicola J , Cochrane Christine A 
Published: March 2009

AbstractMethicillin‐resistant Staphylococcusaureus (MRSA) colonises skin, nasal passages and dermal wounds. Methods used to manage wounds infected and colonised with MRSA often include the use of topical antiseptics such as ionic silver and iodine. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of silver‐resistance (sil) genes in MRSA and methicillin‐resistant coagulase‐negative staphylococci (MR‐CNS) isolated from wounds and nasal cavities of humans and animals, and also to determine the susceptibility of sil‐positive and sil‐negative MRSA isolates to a silver‐containing Hydrofiber® (SCH) wound dressing, on planktonic silE‐positive and silE‐negative MRSA. Polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the presence of three silver‐resistance (sil) genes, silE, silP and silS in 33 MRSA and 8 methicillin‐resistant staphylococci (MR‐CNS). SilP and silS genes were absent in all isolates tested; however, two MRSA strains were found to contain the silE gene, together with one isolate of MR‐CNS. Phenotypic resistance of the silE‐positive strains and their susceptibility to the SCH dressing was evaluated using the zone of inhibition test on Mueller Hinton agar, and confocal laser microscopy using a live/dead fluorescent stain. Results confirmed that the SCH dressing was effective in killing all MRSA strains with and without the silE gene. First, this study showed that the prevalence of sil genes was low in the isolates investigated; and secondly, that the presence of a silver‐resistance gene (silE) in MRSA and MR‐CNS did not afford protection to the organism in the presence of a SCH wound dressing. The use of topical antiseptics in chronic wound care should be considered before the use of antibiotics that can result in their overuse and the risk of further resistance.
Maggot debridement therapy with Lucilia cuprina: a comparison with conventional debridement in diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Paul Aaron G , Ahmad Nazni W , Lee HL , Ariff Ashraff M , Saranum Masri , Naicker Amara S , Osman Zulkiflee 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis is prospective case–control study of more than 18 months performed to assess the effectiveness of maggot debridement therapy (MDT) with the sterile larvae of Lucilia cuprina (a tropical blowfly maggot) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Literature thus far has only reported results with the temperate maggot, Lucilia sericata. This study documents outcome in diabetic foot wounds treated with maggot debridement versus those treated by conventional debridement alone. In this series of 29 patients treated with MDT, 14 wounds were healed, 11 were unhealed and 4 were classified under others. The control group treated by conventional debridement had 30 patients of which 18 wounds were healed, 11 unhealed and 1 classified under others. There was no significant difference in outcome between the two groups. The conclusion that can be made from this study is that MDT with L. cuprina is as effective as conventional debridement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. It would be a feasible alternative to those at high risk for surgery or for those who refuse surgery.
Bacteriotherapy with Lactobacillus plantarum in burns
Authors: Peral Maria C , Huaman Martinez Miguel A , Valdez Juan C 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBacterial colonisation and infection remain the major causes of delayed healing and graft rejection following burns. Topical treatment is necessary to reduce the incidence of burn wound infection. Silver sulphadiazine (SD‐Ag) is an often used microbicidal agent. However, this treatment produces adverse reactions and side‐effects. On the basis of experimental data and clinical application of lactobacilli as probiotics, we performed this exploratory study to establish the effectiveness of bacteriotherapy with topical application of the innocuous bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum cultured in De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium to provide an alternative method for burn treatment using SD‐Ag as a reference. These innocuous bacteria would compete with other bacteria that are wound pathogens and would modify the wound environment and promote tissue repair. Eighty burned patients from the Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit were grouped into infected (delayed) second‐ and third‐degree and non infected (early) third‐degree burns and treated with L. plantarum or SD‐Ag. The proportion of patients with delayed second‐degree burns was 0·71 for L. plantarum and 0·73 for SD‐Ag (relative rate: −2·72%) with respect to the decrease in bacterial load (<105 bacteria/g of tissue), promotion of granulating tissue wound bed and healing. In early third‐degree burns, the values were 0·75 for L. plantarum and 0·84 for SD‐Ag (relative rate: −1·07%) in preventing wound infection and promotion of granulation tissue, 0·90 in graft taking for both treatments (relative rate: 0%) and 0·75 for L. plantarum and 0·77 for SD‐Ag (relative rate: −2·60%) in healing. In delayed third‐degree burns, values were 0·83 for L. plantarum and 0·71 for SD‐Ag (relative rate: +16·90%) with respect to the decrease in the bacterial load (<105 bacteria/g of tissue) and providing a granulating tissue wound bed, 0·90 in graft taking for both treatments (relative rate: 0%) and 0·75 for L. plantarum and 0·64 for SD‐Ag (relative rate: + 17·19%) in healing. Although the number of patients (between 12 and 15 per group) did not enable the application of a power statistical test, these results suggest that the L. plantarum treatment should be studied in greater depth and could be used as a valid alternative for the topical treatment of burns.
Adenosine infusion attenuates soluble RAGE in endotoxin‐induced inflammation in human volunteers
Authors: Soop A. , Sundén‐Cullberg J. , Albert J. , Hållström L. , Treutiger C.‐J. , Sollevi A. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAim: To evaluate possible anti‐inflammatory effects of pre‐treatment with adenosine in a human experimental inflammatory model.Methods: The study design was double‐blind, crossover, placebo‐controlled and randomized. In the Intensive Care Unit of a university hospital, 16 healthy male volunteers were treated for 5.5 h with infusions of adenosine 40 μg kg−1 min−1or placebo. Thirty minutes after the start of adenosine or placebo, 2 ng kg−1E‐Coli endotoxin was administered. Heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, plasma cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐10), soluble RAGE and resistin, exhaled nitric oxide and nitrite/nitrate in urine were determined.Results: Endotoxin elicited the expected clinical signs of an inflammatory reaction (tachycardia, fever) and led to prominent release of the cytokines studied (P < 0.001). Resistin in plasma increased after endotoxin (P < 0.001). After placebo treatment, soluble RAGE (sRAGE) in plasma increased 5 h after the endotoxin challenge (P < 0.001) but not after adenosine. After placebo, orally exhaled NO increased with a peak at 4 h (P < 0.001), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments. Nitrite/nitrate in urine (n = 11) did not differ between adenosine and placebo treatments.Conclusion: In conclusion, adenosine infusion starting before endotoxin challenge in humans attenuated sRAGE significantly but otherwise had no clear anti‐inflammatory effect. Adenosine as a potential anti‐inflammatory treatment in humans needs further study, including use of higher doses. The mechanism underlying the effect of adenosines on sRAGE remains unknown.
Segment Inventories
Authors: Mielke Jeff 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe nature of speech sound inventories has been a focus of study by phonologists and phoneticians, facilitated in 1984 with the publication by Ian Maddieson of the UCLA Phonological Segment Inventory Database. This article gives an overview of the study of inventories and summarizes some of the major findings. Crosslinguistic comparison of inventories provides a window into the phonetic factors that shape languages, but also reflects non‐linguistic factors. Models of the phonetic and phonological factors argued to shape inventories are discussed, along with some challenges that need to be dealt with in order to isolate linguistically interesting facts.
Enhanced expression of CD71, transferrin receptor, on immature reticulocytes in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Authors: SATO S. , KOZUMA Y. , HASEGAWA Y. , KOJIMA H. , CHIBA S. , NINOMIYA H. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryErythroid cells in the marrow express CD71, transferrin receptor, and reticulocytes released from the marrow lose their expression during maturation. The immature reticulocyte fraction, the proportion of reticulocytes with the highest content of RNA, has been determined by hematology analysis. In the present study, we examined CD71 expression on immature reticulocytes by flow cytometry (FCM) in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients with reticulocytosis. We modified ‘reticulocyte‐gated FCM’ to multi‐color FCM, i.e. RNA/CD71, RNA‐CD59 or CD59/CD71/CD45. In PNH, in addition to the increased number of immature reticulocytes (%CD71‐positive), a more immature phenotype in regard to both CD71 intensity and RNA content levels was demonstrated. In seven PNH patients studied, %CD71‐positive reticulocytes were significantly increased at 32.2 ± 11.9% (n = 10, normal 10.4 ± 3.5%, P = 0.002). RNA content levels (assessed by mean fluorescence index, MFI) in CD71‐positive reticulocytes were significantly increased at 812.0 ± 215.2 MFI in PNH (n = 10, normal 508 ± 86.1 MFI, P = 0.002). These data indicate that stimulated erythropoietic conditions induce the release of more immature reticulocytes to the peripheral blood than ordinary erythropoietic conditions. CD71 intensity on immature reticulocytes was well correlated with their RNA content levels, indicating the usefulness of CD71 as an immature reticulocyte marker.
Evaluating high‐throughput sequencing as a method for metagenomic analysis of nematode diversity
Authors: PORAZINSKA DOROTA L. , GIBLIN‐DAVIS ROBIN M. , FALLER LINA , FARMERIE WILLIAM , KANZAKI NATSUMI , MORRIS KRYSTALYNNE , POWERS THOMAS O. , TUCKER ABRAHAM E. , SUNG WAY , THOMAS W. KELLEY 
Published: March 2009

AbstractNematodes play an important role in ecosystem processes, yet the relevance of nematode species diversity to ecology is unknown. Because nematode identification of all individuals at the species level using standard techniques is difficult and time‐consuming, nematode communities are not resolved down to the species level, leaving ecological analysis ambiguous. We assessed the suitability of massively parallel sequencing for analysis of nematode diversity from metagenomic samples. We set up four artificial metagenomic samples involving 41 diverse reference nematodes in known abundances. Two samples came from pooling polymerase chain reaction products amplified from single nematode species. Two additional metagenomic samples consisted of amplified products of DNA extracted from pooled nematode species. Amplified products involved two rapidly evolving ~400‐bp sections coding for the small and large subunit of rRNA. The total number of reads ranged from 4159 to 14771 per metagenomic sample. Of these, 82% were > 199 bp in length. Among the reads > 199 bp, 86% matched the referenced species with less than three nucleotide differences from a reference sequence. Although neither rDNA section recovered all nematode species, the use of both loci improved the detection level of nematode species from 90 to 97%. Overall, results support the suitability of massively parallel sequencing for identification of nematodes. In contrast, the frequency of reads representing individual species did not correlate with the number of individuals in the metagenomic samples, suggesting that further methodological work is necessary before it will be justified for inferring the relative abundances of species within a nematode community.
Characterization of 10 microsatellite markers for the understorey Amazonian herb Heliconia acuminata
Authors: CÔRTES M. C. , GOWDA V. , KRESS W. J. , BRUNA E. M. , URIARTE M. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractWe characterized 10 microsatellite loci for the plant Heliconia acuminata from the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (Manaus, Brazil). Markers were screened in 61 individuals from one population and were found to be polymorphic with an average of eight alleles per locus. We found moderate to high levels of polymorphic information content, and observed and expected heterozygosities. All 10 markers are suitable for spatial genetic structure and parentage analyses and will be used for understanding H. acuminata dynamics across a fragmented landscape.
The German Clinical Trials Register: challenges and chances of implementing a bilingual registry
Authors: Hasselblatt Hanna , Dreier Gabriele , Antes Gerd , Schumacher Martin 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Objective It is a moral responsibility towards patients, funding organizations, the scientific community and the general public to publish not only the results of clinical trials but also to inform prospectively about planned trials. This is especially important for scientists, funding organizations, and ethics committees, since they are involved in the planning of new trials, which should rely on the knowledge of existing trials. Moreover, patients can only participate in clinical trials if they or their physicians are aware of ongoing trials for which they are eligible. In order to provide a central portal for information on clinical research in Germany and to facilitate the search for specific trials, the German Clinical Trials Register was implemented in 2008. Method An internet‐based prototype of the German Clinical Trials Register was developed in close co‐operation with the World Health Organization's registries network on the basis of the internationally harmonized data specification. This was further adapted to a bilingual registry's needs. Co‐operation with medical ethics committees in Germany has been initiated with the aim of a joint synergistic data acquisition procedure. Results The German Clinical Trials Register was launched in August 2008. It was approved as the World Health Organization's primary registry for Germany in October 2008, and fulfils the requirements of the International Committee of Journal Editors. Conclusion The German Clinical Trials Register provides a central bilingual portal for all users (including scientists, patients, physicians, funding organizations, and ethics committees) for information on planned, ongoing, and completed clinical trials conducted in Germany. The German Clinical Trials Register allows International Committee of Journal Editors and World Health Organization‐compliant registration of clinical trials in Germany.
Assessment of registration quality of trials sponsored by China
Authors: Liu Xuemei , Li Youping , Yu Xinting , Feng Juan , Zhong Xunshu , Yang Xiaoyan , Li Jing 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Objective To evaluate the quality of the registration information for trials sponsored by China registered in the WHO primary registries or other registries that meet the requirements of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Methods We assessed the registration information for trials registered in the 9 WHO primary registries and one other registry that met the requirements of ICJME as of 15 October 2008. We analyzed the trial registration data set in each registry and assessed the registration quality against the WHO Trial Registration Data Set (TRDS). We also evaluated the quality of the information in the Source(s) of Monetary or Material Support section, using a specially prepared scale. Results The entries in four registries met the 20 items of the WHO TRDS. These were the Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Center (ChiCR), Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (NZCTR), Clinical Trials Registry – India (CTRI), and Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR). Registration quality varied among the different registries. For example, using the Scale of TRDS, the NZCTR scored a median of 19 points, ChiCTR (median = 18 points), ISRCTN.org (median = 17 points), and Clinical trials.org (median = 12 points). The data on monetary or material support for ChiCTR and ISRCTN.org were relatively complete and the score on our Scale for the Completeness of Funding Registration Quality ranged from ChiCTR (median = 7 points), ISRCTN.org (median = 6 points), NZCTR (median = 3 points) to clinicaltrials.gov (median = 2 points). Conclusion Further improvements are needed in both the quantity and quality of trial registration. This could be achieved by full completion of the 20 items of the WHO TRDS. Future research should assess ways to ensure the quality and scope of research registration and the role of mandatory registration of funded research.
Improving the quality of reporting acupuncture interventions: describing the collaboration between STRICTA, CONSORT and the Chinese Cochrane Centre
Authors: MacPherson Hugh , Altman Douglas G 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Background First published in 2001, STRICTA (STandards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture) was designed to expand on the reporting of one item within the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) Statement checklist, the item relating to the intervention. Two recent reviews had found that STRICTA was highly regarded in the field and that there was a need for minor revisions. Objective To revise STRICTA within the CONSORT family of reporting guidelines. Design A collaborative effort involving the STRICTA Group, the CONSORT Group and the Chinese Cochrane Centre was agreed. A consultation process with 47 international experts provided detailed feedback on an initial draft of a revised checklist. These data, along with the two review studies, comprised the documentation for a consensus meeting in Freiburg, Germany in October 2008. A total of 21 participants attended the meeting, bringing their expertise as research methodologists, reporting guideline developers, acupuncturists, physicians and journal editors. Results At the workshop, a revised draft checklist was agreed. There was general consensus that STRICTA should continue to function as a stand‐alone guideline as well as an extension to CONSORT. It was agreed that STRICTA should be sufficiently broad to cover all type of clinical studies, from case reports through uncontrolled studies to randomised controlled trials. It was also decided that explanations and examples, as with other CONSORT reporting guidelines, would provide a useful way of supporting the uptake to the new recommendations when published. Discussion The checklist will be subjected to further revision processes in order to further its impact and support wider dissemination. Journals that regularly publish acupuncture trials will be encouraged to adopt the revised STRICTA, include it in their guidelines for authors, and promote the adoption of its recommendations for clinical studies of acupuncture.