bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Haemoglobin A1cin the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kilpatrick E S 
Published: August 2008

Haemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) is due to celebrate its 40th birthday. Many people would argue that the clinical studies relating the test to diabetes complications while in its late 20s are likely to be its finest ever achievement. However, this article looks at how HbA1chas matured since then and discusses in detail how its many strengths and idiosyncrasies as a marker of glycaemic risk have, as a 30-something, become more clearly understood.As HbA1capproaches middle age, this paper also describes how the test appears to be developing a mid-life crisis, as debate over how its results should be expressed seems likely to divide opinion among clinicians for some time to come.
Midazolam in conjunction with local anaesthesia is superior to Entonox in providing pain relief during bone marrow aspirate and trephine biopsy
Authors: Chakupurakal G , Delgado J , Nikolousis E , Pitchapillai S , Allotey D , Holder K , Bratby L , de la Rue J , Milligan D W 
Published: August 2008

Aim:To compare intravenous titrated midazolam 5–10 mg and inhaled Entonox in addition to local anaesthesia in order to identify which agent provides optimum pain relief.Methods:Randomised, controlled trial. 49 patients were recruited, of which 46 were evaluable. 24 and 22 patients were recruited into the Entonox and midazolam arms, respectively. Patient experiences as well as staff observations were recorded with questionnaires after recovery from the procedure and 24 hours later.Results:45% and 59% of the patients in the midazolam arm could recollect the procedure after 15 minutes and 24 hours, respectively, compared to 96% and 88% who received Entonox. Midazolam provided a more comfortable experience (p<0.01) and improved pain relief (p = 0.01) compared to Entonox immediately after the procedure; this further improved when recalled 24 hours later. Nausea, dizziness and hallucinations were observed with both treatments, but dizziness was significantly more frequent with Entonox (p = 0.048). Clinically relevant respiratory depression (O2saturation <90%) occurred in 19% of patients in the midazolam arm; sedation was reversed with flumazenil.Conclusion:Midazolam in conjunction with local anaesthesia provides rapid and reversible sedation as well as effective pain relief during bone marrow biopsy, and is superior to Entonox; however, care must be taken to monitor respiratory function.
The influence of lean mass in trabecular and cortical bone in juvenile onset systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Regio PL , Bonfá E , Takayama L , Pereira RMR 
Published: August 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for low bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebral fractures, in juvenile systemic lupus (JSLE). Thirty-one consecutive patients with JSLE were compared with 31 gender- and age-matched healthy controls. BMD and body composition from all participants were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Vertebral fractures were defined as a reduction of ≥ 20% of the vertebral height for all patients. Lumbar spine and total femur BMD was significantly decreased in patients compared with controls ( P = 0.021 and P = 0.023, respectively). A high frequency of vertebral fractures (22.58%) was found in patients with JSLE. Analysis of body composition revealed lower lean mass ( P = 0.033) and higher fat mass percentage ( P = 0.003) in patients than in controls. Interestingly, multiple linear regression using BMD as a dependent variable showed a significant association with lean mass in lumbar spine (R2 = 0.262; P = 0.004) and total femur (R2 = 0.419, P = 0.0001), whereas no association was observed with menarche age, SLE Disease Activity Index, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology, and glucocorticoid. This study indicates that low BMD and vertebral fractures are common in JSLE, and the former is associated with low lean mass, suggesting that muscle rehabilitation may be an additional target for bone therapeutic approach.
Increased expression of the type I interferon-inducible gene, lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus E, in peripheral blood cells is predictive of lupus activity in a large cohort of Chinese lupus patients
Authors: Tang J , Gu Y , Zhang M , Ye S , Chen X , Guo Q , Qian J , Bao C , Chen S , Shen N 
Published: August 2008

Several studies by microarray analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) reveal that type I interferon-inducible genes (IFIGs) are implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To find a potential clinical biomarker capable of monitoring lupus disease activity clinically, quantitative RT-PCR was used to identify transcript expression levels of 13 type I IFIGs in peripheral blood cells in 144 patients with SLE, 27 non-SLE patients and 60 healthy controls and then analyse connections between gene expression and disease activity. The expression levels of five type I IFIGs (LY6E, OAS3, IFIT4, OAS1 and OAS2) were significantly higher in the SLE group than in the healthy and non-SLE controls. LY6E gene that had highest expression was chosen to analyse the association of expression level with clinical features. Compared to low LY6E expression group, SLE patients with high LY6E expression had higher SLEDAI-2K score, increased 24 h urine protein and lower blood C3 complement. Active SLE patients had more elevated LY6E expression than stable patients. And LY6E expression levels in patients with SLE were strongly correlated with their SLEDAI-2K scores. Our results indicate that increased expression of LY6E gene in peripheral blood cells in patients with SLE is correlated with lupus activity and may be a useful, noninvasive biomarker for assessing SLE disease activity.
Metabolic syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from Southern Spain
Authors: Sabio JM , Zamora-Pasadas M , Jiménez-Jáimez J , Albadalejo F , Vargas-Hitos J , Rodríguez del Águila MDM , Hidalgo-Tenorio C , Gonzalez-Gay MA , Alonso JJ 
Published: August 2008

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to establish the frequency, phenotype and characteristics of metabolic syndrome (MS), as defined by the Adult Treatment Panel III, in a cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its possible association with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). A total of 160 patients with SLE and 245 age, sex, educational level and ethnically matched controls were included. Association with cardiovascular risk factors, SLE features, treatment of SLE and history of CVD were assessed in patients with SLE and controls with and without MS. MS was non-significantly increased in patients with SLE (20%) compared with controls (13%; P = 0.083). It was more commonly observed in patients with SLE ≤40 years old (15.8%) than in controls of the same age group (4.2%; P < 0.001). The mean number of MS criteria was significantly higher among patients with SLE than in controls. The frequency of CVD was also 28-fold higher among patients with SLE (11.3%) than in controls (0.4%). SLE with MS presented higher levels of inflammatory markers than SLE without MS. In a multivariate analysis, educational level, serum triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and C3 serum levels and hydroxychloroquine use were independently associated with MS.
Dasatinib dosing strategies in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia
Authors: Wong Siu-Fun 
Published: August 2008

Introduction. Imatinib resistance has emerged as a significant clinical issue in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). Imatinib intolerance is also a concern. Dasatinib is approved for the treatment of patients with imatinib-resistant or -intolerant CML or Ph+ ALL and has helped address these concerns. Here, we review the clinical profile of dasatinib and discuss dosing strategies to manage these adverse events. Methods. References were obtained through literature searches on PubMed as well as from the Proceedings of Annual Meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and European Hematology Association. Results. Initial studies of dasatinib showed that 70 mg twice-daily resulted in impressive hematologic and cytogenetic responses in patients with all phases of CML and Ph+ ALL. Aside from hematologic events, the most common drug-related toxicities (mostly grade 1—2) in dasatinib clinical trials were fluid retention (including pleural effusion), diarrhea, skin rash, headache, hemorrhage, fatigue, nausea and dyspnea. A Phase III dose optimization study showed that the safety profile of dasatinib is improved and efficacy maintained when administered on a 100 mg once-daily dosing schedule compared with the 70 mg twice-daily schedule in patients with chronic phase (CP) CML. Conclusion. The safety profile of dasatinib is manageable. A 100 mg once-daily dose is now approved for use in patients with CP CML. A dose of 70 mg twice daily remains the recommended dosage for use in patients with advanced phase CML or Ph+ ALL. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2009) 15: 17—27.
In vitro evaluation of the effects of gefitinib on the cytotoxic activity of selected anticancer agents in a panel of human endometrial cancer cell lines
Authors: Gaikwad Anjali , Wolf Judith K , Brown Jubilee , Ramondetta Lois M , Smith Judith A 
Published: August 2008

Purpose. This study was conducted to determine the in vitro optimal combination of selected anticancer agents with gefitinib and evaluate its effect on the expression of correlative biological targets in the cell-signaling pathway. In addition, the effect of gefitinib on the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport proteins was evaluated. Methods. Growth inhibition assays were conducted in six human endometrial cancer cell lines to evaluate the activity of selected anticancer agents with gefitinib compared to each alone. Enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) assessed the presence of pEGFR in treated and untreated cells. Evaluation of the suppression of correlative biological targets in the cell-signaling pathway was completed by immunoblotting. RT-PCR was used to characterize the expression of MRP and ABC transport proteins. Results. This in vitro study gefitinib did not observe cytotoxic activity as a single agent. However, the activity of gefitinib as EGFR inhibitor was confirmed. The combination of gefitinib with paclitaxel and docetaxel exhibited improved in vitro cytotoxic activity compared to each antineoplastic agent alone. Suppression of pAKT and p27 in the human endometrial cancer cells treated with selected combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs and gefitinib was observed. Conclusion. These data suggest that EGFRinhibitors, such as gefitinib, have the potential to modulate common mechanisms of drug resistance and may have a role in optimizing antineoplastic regimens for the treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer. This may represent a promising option for this class of agents in the treatment of endometrial cancer. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2009) 15: 35—44.
Cutaneous reaction associated with weekly docetaxel administration
Authors: Chew Lita , Chuen Vivianne Shih Lee 
Published: August 2008

Background. Docetaxel-based chemotherapy will remain clinically relevant and many of our patients will continue to receive the drug. In a recent phase 2 study of docetaxel 35 mg/m2 (weekly) in patients with metastatic breast cancer, the incidence of grade 3 cutaneous toxicity is 19%. The skin toxicity observed consists of limb/palmar-plantar erythematous reactions, or fixed-plaque erythrodysesthesia. Case series or reports have reported varied manifestations of skin reactions and include erythema multiforme, nail changes (onycholysis, pigmentation, paronychia), scleroderma, supravenous discoloration, radiation recall dermatitis, and flagellate erythema. Method. We would like to report four patients with cutaneous reactions resulting from weekly administration of docetaxel. Results. All cases are heavily pre-treated patients, receiving docetaxel as second or third line therapy. The cutaneous reactions occur at cycle 5. The time between chemotherapy to development of skin lesions is from 1 to 7 days. Lesions usually resolve with desquamation leaving behind areas with hyper-pigmentation or hypo-pigmentation over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. The management strategies include hand elevation, warm or cold compresses, topical and/or systemic antibiotics, topical and/or systemic corticosteroids, and cessation of drug. Conclusions. There is a need for a systematic approach to manage these cutaneous reactions. Oncology trained pharmacists play vital roles in assessing, managing, documenting and patient education. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2009) 15: 29—34.
Hepatocyte RXRalpha deficiency in matured and aged mice: impact on the expression of cancer-related hepatic genes in a gender-specific manner
Authors: Guo Minglei , Gong Lei , He Lin , Lehman-McKeeman Lois , Wan Yu-Jui Yvonne 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackgroundThe occurrence of liver cancer is higher in males than in females, and the incidence increases during aging. Signaling pathways regulated by retinoid × receptor α (RXRα) are involved in hepatocellular carcinogenesis. The phenotype of hepatocyte RXRα deficient mice is different between genders. To explore the impact of hepatocyte RXRα deficiency on gender-dependent hepatic gene expression, we compared the expression profiles of cancer-related genes in 6 and 24 month old male and female mice.ResultsIn 6 month old mice, male mutant mice showed more cancer-related genes with alteration in mRNA levels than females did (195 vs. 60). In aged mice (24 month), female mutant mice showed greater deviation in mRNA expression levels of cancer-related genes than their male counterparts (149 vs. 82). The genes were classified into five categories according to their role in carcinogenesis: apoptosis, metastasis, cell growth, stress, and immune respnse. In each category, dependent upon age and gender, the genes as well as the number of genes with altered mRNA levels due to RXRα deficiency varies.ConclusionThe change in hepatic cancer-related gene expression profiles due to RXRα deficiency was gender- and age-dependent. The alteration of mRNA levels of cancer-related genes implied that aberrant RXRα signaling could potentially increase the risk of liver cancer and that retinoid signaling might contribute to gender- and age-associated liver cancer incidence.
A controlled trial of protein enrichment of meal replacements for weight reduction with retention of lean body mass
Authors: Treyzon Leo , Chen Steve , Hong Kurt , Yan Eric , Carpenter Catherine L , Thames Gail , Bowerman Susan , Wang He-Jing , Elashoff Robert , Li Zhaoping 
Published: August 2008

Abstract

Background
While high protein diets have been shown to improve satiety and retention of lean body mass (LBM), this study was designed to determine effects of a protein-enriched meal replacement (MR) on weight loss and LBM retention by comparison to an isocaloric carbohydrate-enriched MR within customized diet plans utilizing MR to achieve high protein or standard protein intakes.

Methods
Single blind, placebo-controlled, randomized outpatient weight loss trial in 100 obese men and women comparing two isocaloric meal plans utilizing a standard MR to which was added supplementary protein or carbohydrate powder. MR was used twice daily (one meal, one snack). One additional meal was included in the meal plan designed to achieve individualized protein intakes of either 1) 2.2 g protein/kg of LBM per day [high protein diet (HP)] or 2) 1.1 g protein/kg LBM/day standard protein diet (SP). LBM was determined using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Body weight, body composition, and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and 12 weeks.

Results
Eighty-five subjects completed the study. Both HP and SP MR were well tolerated, with no adverse effects. There were no differences in weight loss at 12 weeks (-4.19 ± 0.5 kg for HP group and -3.72 ± 0.7 kg for SP group, p > 0.1). Subjects in the HP group lost significantly more fat weight than the SP group (HP = -1.65 ± 0.63 kg; SP = -0.64 ± 0.79 kg, P = 0.05) as estimated by BIA. There were no significant differences in lipids nor fasting blood glucose between groups, but within the HP group a significant decrease in cholesterol and LDL cholesterol was noted at 12 weeks. This was not seen in the SP group.

Conclusion
Higher protein MR within a higher protein diet resulted in similar overall weight loss as the standard protein MR plan over 12 weeks. However, there was significantly more fat loss in the HP group but no significant difference in lean body mass. In this trial, subject compliance with both the standard and protein-enriched MR strategy for weight loss may have obscured any effect of increased protein on weight loss demonstrated in prior weight loss studies using whole food diets.
Separation of reference motions and elastic deformations in an elastic multi-body system
Authors: Offner G , Eizenberger T , Priebsch H H 
Published: August 2008

The computational simulation of multi-body dynamics (MBD) of moving structural components is one of the most challenging objectives in the design analysis work of automotive engineers. These simulations are a need to assess the vibro-acoustic quality of new products in the early development stage and can reduce development time and costs significantly. The concept of elastic MBD is based on dividing the non-linear mechanic system into subsystems with linear elastic behaviour (bodies) and non-linearities occurring only at the connections (joints) between these subsystems. Because of the non-linear characteristic of the system, the dynamic simulation has to be solved in time domain via numerical time integration. Both the necessary small time-step sizes and the iterative solution scheme within one time step imply large computational effort. Thus, the improvement of the efficiency and the stability are main targets for the software development. This article presents two variants of modelling linear elastic components via a multi-body model. The main difference between the two variants is in the strategy used for the separation of reference (global) motions and elastic deformations (small motions). The first variant applies a projection strategy, whereas the second variant considers reference conditions that are based on a minimum relative kinetic energy or on a minimal square average displacement approach. This article describes the mathematical modelling of the two variants, which based on the floating frame of reference formulation. On the basis of the theoretical formulation, a comparison of the two strategies from application as well as numerical and algorithmic point of view is presented. Consequently, the advantages and the disadvantages of the two approaches will be analysed. The results section compares the two presented methods, which were applied for the simulation of the dynamics of two crankshaft models. First, a crankshaft of a five-cylinder combustion engine is analysed. The second investigated example is a crankshaft of a one-cylinder engine with special consideration of different strategies for the applied reference conditions. Both the obtained calculation results and the computational performance in terms of CPU time are discussed.
Cortisol response to ACTH stimulation correlates with blood interleukin 6 concentration in healthy humans
Authors: Žarković Miloš , Ignjatović Svetlana , Dajak Marijana , Ćirić Jasmina , Beleslin Biljana , Savić Slavica , Stojković Mirjana , Bulat Petar , Trbojević Božo 
Published: August 2008

ObjectiveInterleukin 6 (IL6) has the ability to influence each level of the hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The aim of the study was to test whether IL6 concentration correlates with the adrenal cortex response to ACTH in healthy humans. We postulated that higher basal IL6 concentration would be associated with the higher cortisol response to the stimulation.Design and methodsBasal IL6 concentration was measured and a low dose (1 μg) ACTH test was performed to assess cortisol response. Twenty-seven apparently healthy subjects (11 male, 16 female, mean age 31.1 years, age range 22–47 years) were included in the study.ResultsData are presented as mean±s.e.m. Basal IL6 level was 0.84±0.10 pg/ml. Basal cortisol was 351.9±18.3 nmol/l. Maximal cortisol during synacthen test was 653.0±20.6 nmol/l. Maximal cortisol increment was 301.1±20.0 nmol/l. IL6 concentration was not correlated with basal or maximal cortisol concentration, but correlated significantly with cortisol increment (r=0.63, 95% confidence interval) 0.42–0.83).ConclusionsIn our study, we found that higher basal IL6 concentration is associated with the higher cortisol response to ACTH stimulation. Based on previous research and our data, IL6, even in low concentrations and under physiologic conditions, modulates adrenal cortex responsivity to ACTH. Therefore, it seems that immune modulation of HPA axis is also present under physiologic and not only pathologic conditions.
Integrating ESPs with Intelligent Completions: Options, Benefits and Risks
Authors: Ali M. A. , Shafiq M. 
Published: August 2008

Abstract
Intelligent completions have been in commercial use for over ten years. Application of intelligent completions technology has evolved from intervention-less completion for sub-sea wells to new applications where intelligent completions are delivering better wells through improved efficiency, productivity and hydrocarbon recovery with fewer wells both offshore and on land.
Intelligent completions have proven their value in managing production from multilateral wells, horizontal wells with multiple zones, and wells with heterogeneous reservoirs, using a single wellbore. Their capability to restrict, water or gas production, and improve ultimate recovery has helped optimize overall drilling, completion and production costs.
Electric Submersible Pumps play a key role in producing from oil wells that are incapable of producing naturally at commercially viable rates. ESPs are commonly used in wells which cannot lift the oil to surface due to low reservoir pressure, high water cut, and high back pressure from surface facilities or a combination of all three. As large oilfields around the world mature ESPs will play a major role in maintaining production from these fields.
In order to combine intelligent completion with ESPs several factors need to be considered. This paper will evaluate different options to combine ESPs with intelligent completions and review their respective limitations, benefits and risks.