bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of acute pancreatitis on the in vitro responsiveness of rat mesenteric and pulmonary arteries
Authors: Camargo Enilton A , Delbin Maria Andréia , Ferreira Tatiane , Landucci Elen CT , Antunes Edson , Zanesco Angelina 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Background
Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by local tissue injury and systemic inflammatory response leading to massive nitric oxide (NO) production and haemodynamic disturbances. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the vascular reactivity of pulmonary and mesenteric artery rings from rats submitted to experimental pancreatitis.
Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: saline (SAL); tauracholate (TAU) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Pancreatitis was induced by administration of TAU or PLA2 from Naja mocambique mocambique into the common bile duct of rats, and after 4 h of duct injection the animals were sacrificed. Concentration-response curves to acetylcholine (ACh), sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and phenylephrine (PHE) in isolated mesenteric and pulmonary arteries were obtained. Potency (pEC50) and maximal responses (EMAX) were determined. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis.

Results
In mesenteric rings, the potency for ACh was significantly decreased from animals treated with TAU (about 4.2-fold) or PLA2 (about 6.9-fold) compared to saline group without changes in the maximal responses. Neither pEC50 nor EMAX values for Ach were altered in pulmonary rings in any group. Similarly, the pEC50 and the EMAX values for SNP were not changed in both preparations in any group. The potency for PHE was significantly decreased in rat mesenteric and pulmonary rings from TAU group compared to SAL group (about 2.2- and 2.69-fold, for mesenteric and pulmonary rings, respectively). No changes were seen in the EMAX for PHE. The nitrite/nitrate (NOx
-) levels were markedly increased in animals submitted to acute pancreatitis as compared to SAL group, approximately 76 and 68% in TAU and PLA2 protocol, respectively.

Conclusion
Acute pancreatitis provoked deleterious effects in endothelium-dependent relaxing response for ACh in mesenteric rings that were strongly associated with high plasma NOx
- levels as consequence of intense inflammatory responses. Furthermore, the subsensitivity of contractile response to PHE in both mesenteric and pulmonary rings might be due to the complications of this pathological condition in the early stage of pancreatitis.
Characterization of three new serous epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines
Authors: Ouellet Véronique , Zietarska Magdalena , Portelance Lise , Lafontaine Julie , Madore Jason , Puiffe Marie-Line , Arcand Suzanna L , Shen Zhen , Hébert Josée , Tonin Patricia N , Provencher Diane M , Mes-Masson Anne-Marie 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Background
Cell lines constitute a powerful model to study cancer, and here we describe three new epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cell lines derived from poorly differentiated serous solid tumors (TOV-1946, and TOV-2223G), as well as the matched ascites for one case (OV-1946).

Methods
In addition to growth parameters, the cell lines were characterized for anchorage independent growth, migration and invasion potential, ability to form spheroids and xenografts in SCID mice.

Results
While all cell lines were capable of anchorage independent growth, only the TOV-1946 and OV-1946 cell lines were able to form spheroid and produce tumors. Profiling of keratins, p53 and Her2 protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses. Somatic TP53 mutations were found in all cell lines, with TOV-1946 and OV-1946 harboring the same mutation, and none harbored the commonly observed somatic mutations in BRAF, KRAS or germline BRCA1/2 mutations found to recur in the French Canadian population. Conventional cytogenetics and spectral karyotype (SKY) analyses revealed complex karyotypes often observed in ovarian disease.

Conclusion
This is the first report of the establishment of matched EOC cell lines derived from both solid tumor and ascites of the same patient.
JNK pathway is involved in the inhibition of inflammatory target gene expression and NF-kappaB activation by melittin
Authors: Park Hye Ji , Lee Hwa Jeong , Choi Myung Sook , Son Dong Ju , Song Ho Sueb , Song Min Jong , Lee Jeong Min , Han Sang Bae , Kim Youngsoo , Hong Jin Tae 
Published: May 2008

AbstractBackgroundBee venom therapy has been used to treat inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis in humans and in experimental animals. We previously found that bee venom and melittin (a major component of bee venom) have anti-inflammatory effect by reacting with the sulfhydryl group of p50 of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and IκB kinases (IKKs). Since mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase family is implicated in the NF-κB activation and inflammatory reaction, we further investigated whether activation of MAP kinase may be also involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of melittin and bee venom.MethodsThe anti-inflammatory effects of melittin and bee venom were investigated in cultured Raw 264.7 cells, THP-1 human monocytic cells and Synoviocytes. The activation of NF-κB was investigated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) were determined either by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay or by biochemical assay. Expression of IκB, p50, p65, inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as well as phosphorylation of MAP kinase family was determined by Western blot.ResultsMelittin (0.5–5 μg/ml) and bee venom (5 and 10 μg/ml) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/ml) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 200 μM)-induced activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose dependent manner. However, JNK inhibitor, anthra [1,9-cd]pyrazole-6 (2H)-one (SP600215, 10–50 μM) dose dependently suppressed the inhibitory effects of melittin and bee venom on NF-κB dependent luciferase and DNA binding activity via suppression of the inhibitory effect of melittin and bee venom on the LPS and SNP-induced translocation of p65 and p50 into nucleus as well as cytosolic release of IκB. Moreover, JNK inhibitor suppressed the inhibitory effects of melittin and bee venom on iNOS and COX-2 expression, and on NO and PGE2generation.ConclusionThese data show that melittin and bee venom prevent LPS and SNP-induced NO and PGE2production via JNK pathway dependent inactivation of NF-κB, and suggest that inactivation of JNK pathways may also contribute to the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis effects of melittin and bee venom.
Expression of novel extracellular sulfatases Sulf-1 and Sulf-2 in normal and osteoarthritic articular cartilage
Authors: Otsuki Shuhei , Taniguchi Noboru , Grogan Shawn P , D'Lima Darryl , Kinoshita Mitsuo , Lotz Martin 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Introduction
Changes in sulfation of cartilage glycosaminoglycans as mediated by sulfatases can regulate growth factor signaling. The aim of this study was to analyze expression patterns of recently identified extracellular sulfatases Sulf-1 and Sulf-2 in articular cartilage and chondrocytes.

Methods
Sulf-1 and Sulf-2 expressions in human articular cartilage from normal donors and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and in normal and aged mouse joints were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting.

Results
In normal articular cartilage, Sulf-1 and Sulf-2 mRNAs and proteins were expressed predominantly in the superficial zone. OA cartilage showed significantly higher Sulf-1 and Sulf-2 mRNA expression as compared with normal human articular cartilage. Sulf protein expression in OA cartilage was prominent in the cell clusters. Western blotting revealed a profound increase in Sulf protein levels in human OA cartilage. In normal mouse joints, Sulf expression was similar to human cartilage, and with increasing age, there was a marked upregulation of Sulf.

Conclusion
The results show low levels of Sulf expression, restricted to the superficial zone in normal articular cartilage. Sulf mRNA and protein levels are increased in aging and OA cartilage. This increased Sulf expression may change the sulfation patterns of heparan sulfate proteoglycans and growth factor activities and thus contribute to abnormal chondrocyte activation and cartilage degradation in OA.
Leg-length inequality is not associated with greater trochanteric pain syndrome
Authors: Segal Neil A , Harvey William , Felson David T , Yang Mei , Torner James C , Curtis Jeffrey R , Nevitt Michael C ,   the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study Group
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Introduction
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) is a common condition, the pathogenesis of which is incompletely understood. Although leg-length inequality has been suggested as a potential risk factor for GTPS, this widely held assumption has not been tested.

Methods
A cross-sectional analysis of greater trochanteric tenderness to palpation was performed in subjects with complaints of hip pain and no signs of hip osteoarthritis or generalized myofascial tenderness. Subjects were recruited from one clinical center of the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study, a multicenter population-based study of community-dwelling adults aged 50 to 79 years. Diagnosis of GTPS was based on a standardized physical examination performed by trained examiners, and technicians measured leg length on full-limb anteroposterior radiographs.

Results
A total of 1,482 subjects were eligible for analysis of GTPS and leg length. Subjects' mean ± standard deviation age was 62.4 ± 8.2 years, and 59.8% were female. A total of 372 lower limbs from 271 subjects met the definition for having GTPS. Leg-length inequality (difference ≥ 1 cm) was present in 37 subjects with GTPS and in 163 subjects without GTPS (P = 0.86). Using a variety of definitions of leg-length inequality, including categorical and continuous measures, there was no association of this parameter with the occurrence of GTPS (for example, for ≥ 1 cm leg-length inequality, odds ratio = 1.17 (95% confidence interval = 0.79 to 1.73)). In adjusted analyses, female sex was significantly associated with the presence of GTPS, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.04 (95% confidence interval = 2.07 to 4.47).

Conclusion
The present study found no evidence to support an association between leg-length inequality and greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
Acute compartment syndrome: reducing the risk
Authors: Pearse Michael F , Nanchahal Jagdeep 
Published: May 2008

Acute limb compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency characterized by raised pressure within an unyielding tissue compartment. Although there is commonly a history of trauma there are a number of causes of compartment syndrome, which includes iatrogenic insults. The key clinical feature of a compartment syndrome in the conscious patient is severe pain out of proportion to the injury and aggravated by passive muscle stretch. Intracompartmental pressure measurements remain the only objective method of diagnosing an acute compartment syndrome. Although it is subject to false positives, interpreting the pressures in relation to the systemic blood pressure helps confirm the diagnosis when the clinical findings are equivocal and provides essential information in unconscious or uncooperative patients. Successful treatment of an acute compartment syndrome involves prompt, early diagnosis followed by an adequate surgical decompression of all four compartments of the leg by fasciotomies. Delay in diagnosis is almost invariably associated with a poor outcome and loss of limb function. As acute compartment syndromes typically occur in young patients with an average work–life expectancy of up to 30 years, a poor outcome results in severe loss of productivity.
The value proposition in the widespread use of telehealth
Authors: Cusack Caitlin M , Pan Eric , Hook Julie M , Vincent Adam , Kaelber David C , Middleton Blackford 
Published: May 2008

Summary Telehealth has great potential to improve access to care but its adoption in routine health care has been slow. The lack of clarity about the value of telehealth implementations has been one reason cited for this slow adoption. The Center for Information Technology Leadership has examined the value of telehealth encounters in which there is a provider both with the patient and at a distance from the patient. We considered three models of telehealth: store-and-forward, real-time video and hybrid systems. Evidence from the literature was extrapolated using a simulation, which found that the hybrid model was the most cost-effective of the three. The simulation predicted savings of $4.3 billion per year if hybrid telehealth systems were to be implemented in emergency rooms, prisons, nursing home facilities and physician offices across the US. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine which factors most affected costs and savings. For all three telehealth models, the highest sensitivities were to the cost of a face-to-face visit, the cost of a telehealth visit and the success rate of a telehealth visit, i.e. the proportion of telehealth visits that avoided the need for a face-to-face visit. Payers, providers and policy-makers should work together to remove the barriers to the adoption of telehealth in order to make it widely available to all.
Utilization of telemedicine by heart disease patients following hospitalization
Authors: Morguet Andreas J , Kühnelt Paul , Kallel Antje , Rauch Ursula , Schultheiss Heinz-Peter 
Published: May 2008

Summary NYHA class III and IV chronic heart failure has been established as a potential indication for telemedical care and monitoring already. We conducted a prospective study to assess the utilization of telemedical services by cardiac patients in order to identify further indications. A total of 540 patients (mean age 59 years) with various heart diseases participated for at least 30 days in a home-based telemedicine service programme. The two primary outcome measures were the rates of symptom-driven telephone calls (A) and ECG transmissions (B) per patient-year. The total follow-up was 68,649 days, with a median of 93 days. Symptomatic patients placed 713 calls and transmitted 221 ECGs. Poisson regression analysis with subset selection yielded four significant ( P < 0.05) independent positive predictors of the use of the telemedicine service: (1) recent repeat (at least one previous) percutaneous coronary intervention (A, P = 0.010; B, P = 0.001); (2) recent cardioversion for atrial fibrillation or flutter (A, P < 0.0001; B, P < 0.0001); (3) ejection fraction (A, P = 0.012; B, P > 0.05); and (4) reciprocal of age (A, P < 0.0001; B, P > 0.05). These data suggest that telemedicine may benefit patients following repeat percutaneous coronary intervention or cardioversion for atrial fibrillation. Since patients availed themselves of telemedicine service less with deteriorating ejection fraction and increasing age, individuals with chronic heart failure will need dedicated programmes, especially when they are older.
Home telehealth for children with special health-care needs
Authors: Cady Rhonda , Kelly Anne , Finkelstein Stanley 
Published: May 2008

Summary The U Special Kids (USK) programme at the University of Minnesota provides intensive care coordination and case management services to children with complex special health-care needs. We conducted a one-year pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of videoconferencing between the USK office and family homes. To ensure easy installation, families were provided with prepackaged equipment and software. However, the families had different Internet providers, different modems and/or routers and different firewall software, which required case-by-case resolution during home visits by the project coordinator. Five families participated in 3–5 videoconferencing sessions with a USK nurse. All connections with urban families had clear audio and video, whereas connections with rural families had clear audio, but unclear video. All of the scheduled virtual visits were rated by nurses as providing information that was similar to a telephone call. However, the unscheduled virtual visits were rated by the nurses as providing more information than a telephone call, suggesting that home-based videoconferencing may be useful in the management of children with complex special health-care needs.
A feasibility study of home telemedicine for patients with cystic fibrosis awaiting transplantation
Authors: Wilkinson Olive M , Duncan-Skingle Frances , Pryor Jennifer A , Hodson Margaret E 
Published: May 2008

Summary Sixteen patients with cystic fibrosis were randomized to either telemedicine or standard care alone. All patients were terminally ill. Patients in the telemedicine group had an ISDN line installed in their home and were given a videoconferencing unit connected to their home television set. Eleven subjects completed the baseline assessment and seven patients completed the study (4 on telemedicine and 3 in the control arm). Telemedicine patients had weekly videoconferences from home for a clinical assessment, psychological support and the opportunity for discussion with any member of the multidisciplinary team. A total of 71 home videoconferences were conducted during the study. Anxiety levels were measured before and after the conferences. After six months there were no significant differences in quality of life, anxiety levels, depression levels, admissions to hospital or clinic attendances, general practitioner calls or intravenous antibiotic use between the two groups. However, there was a significant improvement in perception of body image for those in the telemedicine group and the patients liked and valued the service. The use of telemedicine can enhance the support that a specialist unit can provide for the patient and their family, and may reduce outpatient clinic attendances.
Elderly adults improve verbal fluency by videophone conversations: a pilot study
Authors: Mochizuki-Kawai Hiroko , Tanaka Mayumi , Suzuki Takaji , Yamakawa Yuriko , Mochizuki Satoshi , Arai Masanobu , Kawamura Mitsuru 
Published: May 2008

Summary We conducted videophone conversations with elderly adults living in a nursing home to discover whether their verbal ability was improved by repeated remote conversations. The control group comprised five elderly adults. The experimental group comprised six elderly adults, including three patients with dementia. They took part in three videophone conversations and their verbal ability was measured before and after the conversations. During the sessions, the participants and volunteers talked about themselves and participated in a quiz. In the experimental group, the mean number of words generated increased from 4.8 to 6.5 after the session ( P < 0.05); this increase was not observed in the control group. The experimental group also showed an improvement in words generated after indirect conversations. Videophone conversations appear to have some positive effects on verbal ability and may be beneficial in the cognitive rehabilitation of elderly adults.
Efficacy and feasibility of teledermatology for paediatric medical education
Authors: Shaikh Nader , Lehmann Christoph U , Kaleida Phillip H , Cohen Bernard A 
Published: May 2008

Summary We evaluated a teledermatology consultation service in the education of medical trainees. The selection of cases for consultation was at the discretion of the trainees, who could contact the study team for advice about obtaining photographs and submitting the case to a web-based system. Asynchronous structured feedback was provided to trainees by an academic paediatric dermatology consultant using a web-based interface. Efficacy was evaluated by examining the trainees' self-reported competency in clinical dermatology skills before and after teleconsultation. A total of 44 trainees (31 residents and 13 medical students) completed 50 consultations. Trainees reported significant improvement (mean improvement 22%, P < 0.002) in competency in five of the six areas assessed. In addition, 88% of trainees were very satisfied with the teaching methodology (≥5 on a 7-point scale) and 86% were very likely to apply the information in their future practice (≥5 on a 7-point scale). We believe that teledermatology has great potential in the education of medical trainees.
Accuracy of store-and-forward diagnosis in leprosy
Authors: Trindade Maria Ângela Bianconcini , Wen Chao Lung , Neto Cyro Festa , Escuder Maria Mercedes , Andrade Vera Lúcia G , Yamashitafuji Tânia Mara T , Manso Vânia Lúcia S 
Published: May 2008

Summary Telemedicine might increase the speed of diagnosis for leprosy and reduce the development of disabilities. We compared the accuracy of diagnosis made by telemedicine with that made by in-person examination. The cases were patients with suspected leprosy at eight public health clinics in outlying areas of the city of São Paulo. The case history and clinical examination data, and at least two clinical images for each patient, were stored in a web-based system developed for teledermatology. After the examination in the public clinic, patients then attended a teaching hospital for an in-person examination. The benchmark was the clinical examination of two dermatologists at the university hospital. From August 2005 to April 2006, 142 suspected cases of leprosy were forwarded to the website by the doctors at the clinics. Of these, 36 cases were excluded. There was overall agreement in the diagnosis of leprosy in 74% of the 106 remaining cases. The sensitivity was 78% and the specificity was 31%. Although the specificity was low, the study suggests that telemedicine may be a useful low-cost method for obtaining second opinions in programmes to control leprosy.
Gender portrayals in food commercials at different times of the day: A content analytic study
Authors: Aronovsky Alexandra , Furnham Adrian 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
This study examined 153 foodstuff commercials on a popular British television channel. Eighty ‘Daytime’ and 73 ‘Evening’ commercials were separately coded for 11 content categories; constituting attributes pertaining to central advertised figures (gender, presentation-mode, credibility-basis, role, age, location, arguments, background, reward-type, product-appeal, end-comment). Although both sexes were portrayed stereotypically for eight daytime and nine evening content analytic categories, daytime advertisements tended to reveal advertisers' awareness of a female audience which tended to be reflected in greater proportions of non-stereotyped female depictions rather than a salience of female stereotypes. Results are discussed with respect to implicated gender ideologies and their accuracy against the wider sex-role climate in society.
Web surveying academics in six European countries
Authors: Smeenk Sanne G. A. , van Selm Martine , Eisinga Rob 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
The WWW is increasingly used as a tool and platform for survey research. Several principles have been developed to deal with the new challenges posed to researchers conducting online surveys. In this paper, we discuss some of the challenges we encountered in all phases of our Web based survey conducted in 2004/2005 among nearly 10,000 respondents in six European countries. We argue how and to what extent we applied the principles and methodologies of online surveys to meet the challenges, ranging from composing sampling frames, questionnaire construction, addressing potential respondents, questionnaire distribution, response rate improvement, to data cleaning and data processing. When relevant, we discuss the differences between the six countries involved. It is concluded that many if not most of the problems encountered in online surveys are solved when taking into account the principles that guide the conduct of conventional surveys.