bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Model‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis of interventions aimed at preventing medication error at hospital admission (medicines reconciliation)
Authors: Karnon Jonathan , Campbell Fiona , Czoski‐Murray Carolyn 
Published: March 2009

AbstractRationale  Medication errors can lead to preventable adverse drug events (pADEs) that have significant cost and health implications. Errors often occur at care interfaces, and various interventions have been devised to reduce medication errors at the point of admission to hospital. The aim of this study is to assess the incremental costs and effects [measured as quality adjusted life years (QALYs)] of a range of such interventions for which evidence of effectiveness exists.Methods  A previously published medication errors model was adapted to describe the pathway of errors occurring at admission through to the occurrence of pADEs. The baseline model was populated using literature‐based values, and then calibrated to observed outputs. Evidence of effects was derived from a systematic review of interventions aimed at preventing medication error at hospital admission.Results  All five interventions, for which evidence of effectiveness was identified, are estimated to be extremely cost‐effective when compared with the baseline scenario. Pharmacist‐led reconciliation intervention has the highest expected net benefits, and a probability of being cost‐effective of over 60% by a QALY value of £10 000.Conclusions  The medication errors model provides reasonably strong evidence that some form of intervention to improve medicines reconciliation is a cost‐effective use of NHS resources. The variation in the reported effectiveness of the few identified studies of medication error interventions illustrates the need for extreme attention to detail in the development of interventions, but also in their evaluation and may justify the primary evaluation of more than one specification of included interventions.
A randomized controlled trial of an at‐home preparation programme for Japanese preschool children: effects on children's and caregivers' anxiety associated with surgery
Authors: Wakimizu Rie , Kamagata Shoichiro , Kuwabara Teruyo , Kamibeppu Kiyoko 
Published: March 2009

AbstractObjectives  To determine whether the implementation of at‐home psychological preparation programme for children and family prior to surgery can reduce anxiety for Japanese preschool children undergoing herniorrhaphy and their caregivers assessed as an appropriate outpatient care.Methods  Patients were randomly assigned to either of two groups: the usual care group or the at‐home preparation group. Both two groups viewed a patient‐educational video for herniorrhaphy once as outpatients with other patients prior to hospitalization. The control group later underwent surgery without any further preparation. The experimental group watched the same educational video at home again with an auxiliary booklet prior to hospitalization. Children's anxiety was measured by the Wong–Baker FACES Rating Scale (FACES Rating Scale), while caregivers' anxiety was measured by the Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Both outcomes were measured repeatedly from pre‐intervention to 1 month after surgery.Results  Of the eligible 161 patients participating, 158 (98.1%) were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 81) and the experimental group (n = 77), and 144 (89.4%) completed the study. The experimental group gained more information and knowledge about surgery from parents and showed significantly lower scores than the controls for FACES and STAI.Conclusion  A specially designed at‐home preparation programme as an outpatient care is effective to encourage parent–child verbal interaction concerning surgery and reduce both children and caregivers' anxiety associated with surgery.
High‐resolution X‐ray tomography of the human inner ear: synchrotron radiation‐based study of nerve fibre bundles, membranes and ganglion cells
Authors: LAREIDA A. , BECKMANN F. , SCHROTT‐FISCHER A. , GLUECKERT R. , FREYSINGER W. , MÜLLER B. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryThe combination of osmium tetroxide staining and high‐resolution tomographic imaging using monochromatic X rays allows visualizing cellular structures of the human inner ear, that is, the organ of Corti, the stria vascularis and further soft tissues of the membranous labyrinth, in three‐dimensional space with isotropic micrometre resolution. This approach permits to follow the course of nerve fibre bundles in a major part of the specimen and reveals the detailed three‐dimensional arrangement of individual ganglion cells with distinct nuclei by means of X‐ray tomography for the first time. The non‐destructive neuron cell counting in a selected volume of 125 μm × 800 μm × 600 μm = 0.06 mm3 gives rise to the estimate that 2000 ganglion cells are present along 1 mm organ of Corti.
An appraisal of ultramicrotomy, FIBSEM and cryogenic FIBSEM techniques for the sectioning of biological cells on titanium substrates for TEM investigation
Authors: EDWARDS H.K. , FAY M.W. , ANDERSON S.I. , SCOTCHFORD C.A. , GRANT D.M. , BROWN P.D. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryUltramicrotomy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIBSEM) and cryogenic FIBSEM (cryo‐FIBSEM) techniques, as developed for the controlled cross‐sectioning of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and human osteoblasts (HObs) on titanium (Ti) substrates for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation, are compared. Conventional ultramicrotomy has been used to section cells on Ti‐foil substrates embedded in resin, but significant problems with cell detachment using this technique restricted its general applicability. Conventional FIBSEM ‘lift‐out’ procedures were found to be effective for the preparation of uniform sections of fixed and dehydrated cell/Ti specimens, but the control of cell staining remains an issue. Cryo‐FIBSEM procedures used with an ‘H‐bar’ sample geometry enabled the sectioning of fixed and hydrated cell/Ti specimens, but issues remain over ion beam‐induced artefacts and control of frost on the sample foils.
Perspectives and challenges in landscape genetics
Authors: MANEL STÉPHANIE , SEGELBACHER GERNOT 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA recent workshop held at the University of Grenoble gathered the leading experts in the field of landscape genetics and spatial statistics. Landscape genetics was only recently defined as an independent research field. It aims to understand the processes of gene flow and local adaptation by studying the interactions between genetic and spatial or environmental variation. This workshop discussed the perspectives and challenges of combining emerging molecular, spatial and statistical tools to unravel how landscape and environmental variables affect genetic variation.
A pure nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma in a 10‐year‐old girl: Case report and literature review
Authors: Kong Bao , Tian Yong‐Jie , Zhu Wei‐Wei , Qin Ye‐Jun 
Published: March 2009

AbstractNongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma (NGCO) is a rare form of malignancy, which is difficult to diagnose. We present a case of a 10‐year‐old girl diagnosed with pure nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma. This patient responded well to conservative surgery and cisplatin‐based regimen chemotherapy. Approximately 38 authenticated cases of NGCO have been reported in the English published work to date in the world. We report here the clinical features, differential diagnosis, appropriate management and outcome of our case, together with analysis of the reported cases in the published work.
Metagenomic signatures of 86 microbial and viral metagenomes
Authors: Willner Dana , Thurber Rebecca Vega , Rohwer Forest 
Published: March 2009

SummaryPrevious studies have shown that dinucleotide abundances capture the majority of variation in genome signatures and are useful for quantifying lateral gene transfer and building molecular phylogenies. Metagenomes contain a mixture of individual genomes, and might be expected to lack compositional signatures. In many metagenomic data sets the majority of sequences have no significant similarities to known sequences and are effectively excluded from subsequent analyses. To circumvent this limitation, di‐, tri‐ and tetranucleotide abundances of 86 microbial and viral metagenomes consisting of short pyrosequencing reads were analysed to provide a method which includes all sequences that can be used in combination with other analysis to increase our knowledge about microbial and viral communities. Both principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering showed definitive groupings of metagenomes drawn from similar environments. Together these analyses showed that dinucleotide composition, as opposed to tri‐ and tetranucleotides, defines a metagenomic signature which can explain up to 80% of the variance between biomes, which is comparable to that obtained by functional genomics. Metagenomes with anomalous content were also identified using dinucleotide abundances. Subsequent analyses determined that these metagenomes were contaminated with exogenous DNA, suggesting that this approach is a useful metric for quality control. The predictive strength of the dinucleotide composition also opens the possibility of assigning ecological classifications to unknown fragments. Environmental selection may be responsible for this dinucleotide signature through direct selection of specific compositional signals; however, simulations suggest that the environment may select indirectly by promoting the increased abundance of a few dominant taxa.
The burden of lower urinary tract symptoms: evaluating the effect of LUTS on health‐related quality of life, anxiety and depression: EpiLUTS
Authors: Coyne Karin S. , Wein Alan J. , Tubaro Andrea , Sexton Chris C. , Thompson Christine L. , Kopp Zoe S. , Aiyer Lalitha P. 
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on urinary‐specific health‐related quality of life (HRQL), generic health indices, depression and anxiety in a population‐representative sample of men and women, as research has linked LUTS with reduced HRQL and depression, but little is known about the effects of individual LUTS on HRQL, depression and anxiety.SUBJECTS AND METHODSA cross‐sectional population‐representative survey was conducted via the Internet in the USA, the UK and Sweden. Participants rated the frequency and symptom‐specific bother of individual LUTS and condition‐specific HRQL, generic health status, anxiety and depression. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate outcome differences by International Continence Society LUTS subgroups; logistic regressions were used to determine associations of LUTS and perception of bladder problems, anxiety and depression.RESULTSThe overall survey response rate was 59.2%; 30 000 subjects (14 139 men and 15 861 women) participated. Men and women with LUTS in the all LUTS subgroup (storage, voiding and postmicturition) reported the lowest levels of HRQL and highest levels of anxiety and depression, with 35.9% of men and 53.3% of women meeting self‐reported screening criteria for clinical anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS, Anxiety ≥8), and 29.8% of men and 37.6% of women meeting self‐reported criteria for clinical depression (HADS Depression ≥8). In both men and women, storage symptoms were significantly associated with greater perceived bladder impact, whereas voiding symptoms were not. Significant predictors of anxiety included nocturia, urgency, stress urinary incontinence, leaking during sexual activity, weak stream and split stream in women; and nocturia, urgency, incomplete emptying and bladder pain in men. For depression, weak stream, urgency and stress urinary incontinence were significant for women, and perceived frequency and incomplete emptying were significant for men.CONCLUSIONThe negative effect of LUTS is apparent across several domains of HRQL and on overall perception of bladder problems, general health status and mental health. The high level of psychiatric morbidity in patients with multiple LUTS has important implications for treatment and highlights the need for further research to pinpoint specific mechanisms underlying this association.
Comparing infants’ preference for correlated audiovisual speech with signal‐level computational models
Authors: Hollich George , Prince Christopher G. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractHow much of infant behaviour can be accounted for by signal‐level analyses of stimuli? The current paper directly compares the moment‐by‐moment behaviour of 8‐month‐old infants in an audiovisual preferential looking task with that of several computational models that use the same video stimuli as presented to the infants. One type of model utilizes only signal‐level properties of visual motion whereas the other adds audiovisual integration (either through correlation or instantaneous addition of audio and visual signals). Together these models account for a significant portion of the variance in infant looking.
Isomorphic cutaneous graft‐versus‐host disease reaction after ultraviolet exposure: clinical, histological and direct immunofluorescence studies of four allo‐transplanted patients
Authors: Vassallo C , Brazzelli V , Zecca M , Locatelli F , Alessandrino PE , Borroni G 
Published: March 2009

SummaryBackground  Acute and chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) continues to be a major limitation to successful haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. If experimental studies and clinical observations could partially elucidate the pathophysiology of acute GVHD, the biology of chronic GVHD is still much less well understood.Objectives  The aim of this study is to describe a peculiar photoinduced rash which triggered acute and then chronic lesions of GVHD in four allogenic haematopoietic‐transplated patients and discuss the possible aetiology and treatment.Patients/methods  Four patients, two children and two adults affected by either mild or severe chronic GVHD, developed an erythematous rash on sun‐ or narrow‐band ultraviolet B‐exposed area, which triggered the onset of acute lesions of GVHD. Any of the patients presented neither a history of photosensitivity nor circulating autoantibodies nor urinary/fecal porphyrine.Results  The histopathologic findings were characterized by an interface dermatitis with sparse perivascular infiltrate of lymphocytes and scattered necrotic keratinocytes, especially in the upper part of epidermis. Direct immunofluorescence studies excluded lupus‐like pattern, revealing nests of fluorescent bodies at the dermal–epidermal junction and in papillary dermis.Conclusions  This peculiar isomorphic reaction of cutaneous GVHD after sun or narrow‐band ultraviolet B exposures is described, and the possible mechanism involved is discussed. It may represent an interesting model of progression of chronic GVHD, starting with an acute stage and ending up with chronic clinical and histological findings, especially considering that there is no animal model that fully replicates all of the features of chronic GVHD in humans.Conflicts of interestNone declared.
Alcohol Consumption, Social Support, and Risk of Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease Among Japanese Men: The JPHC Study
Authors: Ikehara Satoyo , Iso Hiroyasu , Yamagishi Kazumasa , Yamamoto Seiichiro , Inoue Manami , Tsugane Shoichiro ,   the JPHC Study Group
Published: March 2009

Background:  It is unclear whether the association between alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease is affected by social support.Methods:  The prospective data for 19,356 men aged 40 to 69 years who participated in the Japan Public Health Center‐Based Prospective Study. Alcohol consumption was classified into 7 categories: never, past, occasional, 1 to 149, 150 to 299, 300 to 449, or ≥450 g ethanol/wk. Associations between alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease were stratified by the median level of social support score, which was measured in emotional support score of this cohort study.Results:  During an average follow‐up of 9.9 years, 629 total strokes and 207 coronary heart diseases were documented. Light‐to‐moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reduced risks of coronary heart disease and total cardiovascular disease, while heavy alcohol consumption was associated with increased risk of total stroke, in particular hemorrhagic stroke. When stratified by social support score, the multivariable hazard ratios of total cardiovascular disease associated with light‐to‐moderate alcohol consumption (1 to 299 g/wk) were 0.99 (0.72 to 1.37) in the low social support group and 0.56 (0.44 to 0.70) in the high social support group (p for interaction = 0.002), while the multivariable hazard ratios of hemorrhagic stroke associated with heavy alcohol consumption (≥300 g/wk) were 2.09 (1.03 to 4.27) in the low social support group and 1.25 (0.72 to 2.15) in the high social support group (p for interaction = 0.44). There was no interaction between alcohol consumption and social support in relation to risk of coronary heart disease.Conclusions:  Social support may enhance the beneficial effect of light‐to‐moderate alcohol consumption on risk of cardiovascular disease.
RESURRECTION OF THE SURVEYING SHIP USNS KELLAR (T‐AGS 25)
Authors: NELSON STEWART B. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTOn Friday, 10 September 1965, the Commandant‐of the Eighth Naval District dispatched the follow‐ing priority message to the Chief of Naval Opera‐tions:“New Orleans now catching rear of Hurricane after calm of the eye. Still, very bad but worst should be over. KELLAR (AGS 25) recently delivered by contractor unfinished and unmanned, hit by one of many drifting merchantmen and torn loose from moorings. Unable to relocate as yet.” Since the KELLAR had already become synonymous with trouble, the offhanded response to this message was to be expeccted.The KELLAR's physical being started in a small shipyard in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and her history reads like a catalog of disasters; floods, freezes, shipyard strikes, labor‐management disputes, a flu epedemic, extended construction delays, and finally the necessity to terminate the contract.
STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IN PENETRATED SPHERES UNDER PRESSURE
Authors: VASTA JOHN , POHLER CARL , BECKER HERBERT , WINTER ROBERT 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThrough the use of three‐dimensional photoelasticity, studies have been conducted on the stresses in hatches, windows, and adjacent regions in penetrated spheres under external pressure for use in deep submergence structures.It was found, for tapered plug hatches and stiff “windows” with a low chamfer angle of 15° or less (measured from a local sphere radius at the penetration edge), that the stresses appear to be essentially the same as those in an un‐penetrated shell if the moduli of the shell and the closure are equal.For these low chamfer angles, the peak shell stress was increased when the window modulus was reduced below that of the shell. The highest shell stress was found around a conical frustum window with a large (40°) chamfer angle, which permitted the shell to deform almost freely.Results obtained from study of conical frustum windows having d/h (small face diameter/thickness) in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 indicated that a potentially dangerous stress concentration of a very high order exists on the conical surface near the small face. Small mismatches between window cone angle and seat cone angle appear to have relatively little effect on interior stress distributions, but can be important in reducing the stress concentrations. It was further observed that a window with a d/h < 1 behaves essentially as a conical sector of a hollow sphere, except in the immediate region of the flat small face.Finally, stress distributions from conical hatches and windows are compared with available results obtained from testing of models and prototype bathyspheres, and conclusions are developed relating to the strength and design of hatches and windows. Included are results just obtained from pressurizing small conical windows under constant long‐term loading, as a preliminary index of the tendency of plexiglas windows to creep in service.
SHIPBOARD HF DIRECTION FINDER CALIBMTION
Authors: SHERRILL W. M. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTShipboard radio direction finder calibration studies were begun before World War II using the simple loop DF antenna. A number of procedures and formats for shipboard calibration are reviewed, and automatic calibrator equipments are described which reduce the effort required for a DF installation.Fundamental data on the contribution of ship superstructure elements to calibration curves have been obtained wing a full‐scale destroyer superstructure mock‐up. Comparison of the simulated ship to actual shipboard calibration curves shows excellent ship DF performance simulation. Recent single‐valued calibration curve analysis has shown that corrected bearings can be obtained with in +5° precision. Significant improvements in DF operational performance can be provided with the use of automatic computer correction techniques.
PROFILE OF A U. S. NAVAL PLANT TECH REP
Authors: FORD CLIFFORD J. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTMuch has been said both pro and con of the necessity of imposing rigid inspection requirements on industry contractors holding Government contracts. The inspectors themselves who are either itinerant or permanant residents at a Contractor's plant are often characterized as hardnosed, stupid, spec‐happy, interlopers and worse by members of industry. “PROFILE OF A U. S. NAVAL PLANT TECH REP” attempts to delineate the correct posture of such a servant of the Government and its people. An honest appraisal of his duties, the inherent difficulties of his task, and his faithfulness to the ethic, “that the Government must be enriched from all of its contracts with industry,” might shed some light on what makes him “tick”.The procurement agencies are entrusted with the funds they disburse in behalf of the United States Government. Our Congress continues to pass laws regarding Government contract practices. Finally, all of us are taxpayers; both Government employees and members of industry are intimately concerned that our tax dollars are used most effectively. This concern for quality and performance is valid whether the delivered item is a multi‐billion dollar space system, a complicated Weapons System or a pair of GI boots for our service men in Viet Nam.On the other hand, the rights of the contractor must be preserved. We owe our national prosperity and tremendous military strength to the ingenuity and production genius of industry.At times the “Tech Rep” must waive a marginal requirement in order to expedite the shipment of critical spare parts to the combat forces and in another situation “tighten up” one that was generated in ambigious terminology. Each of these actions, although apparently opposed, can be construed as “acting in the best interest of the Government”.Your writer is employed as a logistics specialist in the office of the Naval Plant Technical Representative and as such, shares this heavy burden of discretion.
AUTOMATION IN PRE‐CONTRACT DEFINITION SHIP DESIGN
Authors: JOHNSON ROBERT S. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTDuring the early stages of pre‐Contract Definition ship design, the use of computer models now allows the design to be manipulated on a total system basis. That is, a change to any component of the design is immediately and totally reflected in the physical characteristics of the overall ship design. The models that make this possible and the efforts to extend this capability into Concept Development are described. The implications of this for the subsystem designer, in particular the electronics designer, are explored.