bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Random urine protein to creatinine ratio as a diagnostic method of significant proteinuria in pre‐eclampsia
Authors: ZADEHMODARRES Shahrzad , RAZZAGHI Mohammad Reza , HABIBI Gholamreza , NAJMI Zahra , JAM Hanieh , MOSAFFA Nariman , KABOOSI Masomeh 
Published: November 2006

AbstractBackground:  Because of the importance of pre‐eclampsia and proteinuria in pregnancy, a faster and simpler diagnostic method is needed.Aim:  To compare random urine protein to creatinine ratio (p:c ratio) with 24‐h urine protein excretion rate in pregnant women with a suspicion of pre‐eclampsia.Methods:  The study was conducted on 100 pregnant women with gestational ages of ≥ 20 weeks; 50 patients were suspected of having pre‐eclampsia and 50 were healthy pregnant women. A random urine sample for p:c ratio determination and a 24‐h urine sample for protein measurement were obtained.Results:  All women suspected of having pre‐eclampsia had significant proteinuria. The single‐voided p:c ratio demonstrated a sensitivity of 94% with a specificity of 96% at the cut‐off ≥ 0.2 mg/mg. There was strong correlation between the two methods in this group (r = 0.70, P < 0.001, R2 = 49%). Using the same cut‐off in the pregnant women who were not thought to have pre‐eclampsia, the sensitivity of the test (p:c ratio) was 29% and the specificity was 87%. Pearson's correlation coefficient was 26 (P < 0.06). Negative predictive value and positive predictive value were 34 and 83%, respectively.Conclusion:  There is a strong correlation between 24‐h urine protein excretion and single‐voided urine p:c ratio in women suspected of having pre‐eclampsia. A single‐voided p:c ratio of ≥ 0.2 mg/mg is highly predictive for significant proteinuria. However, this test was not found to be a reasonable alternative to 24‐h urine collection; and it must be followed by 24‐h urine collection in a clinically suspect patient with a p:c ratio of < 0.2 mg/mg.
Care of women at risk of preterm birth: A survey of reported practice in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: JENKINS‐MANNING Sue , FLENADY Vicki , DODD Jodie , CINCOTTA Rob , CROWTHER Caroline 
Published: November 2006

AbstractA mail‐out questionnaire on management of women considered at high risk of preterm birth was sent to all members and fellows of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. While the survey suggested that there is general consensus among practitioners as to what constitutes an increased risk of preterm birth, there is some variation in investigations and treatment currently undertaken.
Cross‐Mapping Between Three Terminologies With the International Standard Nursing Reference Terminology Model
Authors: Goossen William 
Published: November 2006

PURPOSE.  The International Standards Organization's (ISO) International Standard IS 18104 should assist the nursing profession to integrate their terminologies into computer systems and healthcare reference terminologies. The purpose of this study is to cross‐map between different terminologies; that is, to determine if concepts in one terminology are similar to concepts in another terminology.METHODS.  The ISO standard was used to test the degree to which three terminologies could be cross‐mapped to each other. Concepts and terms were selected, their equivalence determined by experts, and the specific concepts were dissected or broken down to their constituent parts. RESULTS.  Based on experts’ selections from the three classifications, equivalent concepts were identified. Those concepts deemed equivalent were dissected, thus revealing whether the components of the nursing diagnostic concepts such as focus, judgment, and other attributes of the ISO standard matched. Based on the dissection of each diagnosis, the decision was made whether mapping was possible or not. CONCLUSIONS.  The dissection revealed that several nursing diagnostic concepts can easily be interchanged, while others cannot or can be mapped only for specific purposes (e.g., clinical or aggregate use). This implies that for some concepts it does not matter which terminology is used, and in other cases it does because of different meanings.
Hemorrhagic complications in bone marrow transplant: possible roles of recombinant activated coagulation factor VII
Authors: OLAJIDE OLUDAMILOLA , HENKE DAVID , GABRIEL DON A. 
Published: November 2006

SUMMARYSevere hemorrhage is a rare but significant complication in bone marrow transplant. Central nervous system bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, hemorrhagic cystitis and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage account for most life‐threatening causes of hemorrhage. Thrombocytopenia, adverse therapeutic interactions, infections and treatment‐related organ injury are contributing factors. Thus, careful monitoring of global hemostasis function during transplantation is prudent. Therapeutic intervention for hemorrhagic complications in addition to transfusion may include factor concentrates such as recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa).
The use of recombinant activated factor VII in patients undergoing major burn surgery: experiences from a single center
Authors: JOHANSSON PÄR I. , ERIKSEN KIRSTEN , ALSBJØRN BJARNE 
Published: November 2006

SUMMARYBurn wound excision and skin grafting is frequently associated with excessive perioperative blood loss necessitating allogeneic blood transfusion. Blood transfusion is associated with both infectious and non‐infectious complications and may worsen postoperative outcome. In this report we present our experience with recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in 17 severely burned patients treated at our institution. In seven patients rFVIIa was administered as a rescue treatment when life‐threatening bleeding unresponsive to conventional therapy occurred. Hemostasis was achieved within 15 minutes of rFVIIa administration in all patients. No treatment‐related adverse events, in particular thromboembolic events, were observed. Furthermore, as part of a single‐center, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, pilot trial involving 18 patients undergoing one‐stage major burn surgery, nine patients received prophylactic administration of rFVIIa resulting in a significant 50% reduction in transfusion requirements compared with controls. No treatment‐related adverse events were observed. We conclude that rFVIIa may be an effective hemostatic treatment for burn patients undergoing major excision and skin grafting surgery both as rescue therapy and when given as a prophylactic dose prior to surgery.
Use of recombinant activated factor VII in the management of medical and surgical bleeding: a critical review
Authors: STEINER MARIE E. , KEY NIGEL S. 
Published: November 2006

SUMMARYOff‐label administration of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has extended to multiple patient populations with bleeding complications uncontrolled by conventional measures. Published reports of rFVIIa use through March 2005 for indications not otherwise addressed in this issue were identified from an Internet search and summarized by organ systems. Reported experience is weighed according to published evidence‐based medicine guidelines. Recommendations for use and further studies of rFVIIa are summarized.
Delayed Inflammatory Response to Primary Pneumonic Plague Occurs in Both Outbred and Inbred Mice
Authors: Bubeck Sarah S. , Cantwell Angelene M. , Dube Peter H. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACTYersinia pestisis the causative agent of plague, a disease that can manifest as either bubonic or pneumonic plague. An interesting feature of plague is that it is a rapidly progressive disease, suggesting thatY. pestiseither evades and/or suppresses the innate immune response to infection. Therefore, the early host response during the course of primary pneumonic plague was investigated in two mouse strains, the outbred strain CD1 and the inbred strain C57BL/6. A comparative analysis of the course of disease in these two strains of mice indicated that they are susceptible to intranasalY. pestisCO92 infection and have similar 50% lethal doses and kinetics of infection with respect to colonization of the lung, liver, and spleen. Significantly, in both strains of mice, robust neutrophil recruitment to the lungs was not observed until 48 h after infection, suggesting that there was a delay in inflammatory cell recruitment to the site of infection. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor alpha, gamma interferon, IL-12p70, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) and chemokines (KC, MIP-2) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were not readily detected until 48 h after infection, which coincided with the increase in polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) recruitment to the lungs. In comparison, CD1 mice with gram-negative pneumonia caused byKlebsiella pneumoniaeexhibited strong inflammatory responses early in infection, with PMNs comprising the majority of the cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 24 h postinfection, indicating that PMN recruitment to the lungs could occur earlier in this infection than inY. pestisinfection. Together, our results indicate that there is a delay in the recruitment of neutrophils to the lungs in the mouse model of primary plague pneumonia that correlates with delayed expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in both outbred and inbred mice.
Reduced Phase Switch Capacity and Functional Adhesin Expression of Type 1-Fimbriated
Escherichia coli
from Immunoglobulin A-Deficient Individuals
Authors: Nowrouzian Forough L. , Friman Vanda , Adlerberth Ingegerd , Wold Agnes E. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

The mannose-specific adhesin of type 1 fimbriae is the most common adhesin in
Escherichia coli
. One receptor for this adhesin is the carbohydrate chains of secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA), and intestinal
E. coli
from IgA-deficient individuals has a reduced capacity to adhere to mannose-containing receptors. Here, we investigated the expression of the mannose-specific adhesin and its capacity to switch to the fimbriated phenotype in colonic resident and transient
E. coli
strains isolated from control (
n
= 16) and IgA-deficient (
n
= 17) persons. Resident
E. coli
strains from IgA-deficient individuals displayed weaker mannose-specific adherence to colonic cells than resident strains from control individuals (21 versus 44 bacteria/cell,
P
= 0.0009) due to three mechanisms: a lower carriage rate of the
fimH
gene (90% versus 97%, not significant), more frequent failure to switch on the
fim
genes (30% versus 6%,
P
= 0.02), and the reduced adhesive potential of
fimH

+

isolates capable of phase switch (26 versus 46 bacteria/cell,
P
= 0.02). On the other hand, resident strains from IgA-deficient individuals displayed stronger mannose-resistant adherence than resident strains from control individuals (
P
= 0.04) and transient strains from IgA-deficient individuals (
P
= 0.01). The presence of S-IgA appears to favor the establishment of
E. coli
clones which readily express mannose-specific adhesins in the bowel microbiota.
Environmental Mimics and the Lvh Type IVA Secretion System Contribute to Virulence-Related Phenotypes ofLegionella pneumophila
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Purnima , Liu Shuqing , Gabbai Carolina B. , Venitelli Zeah , Steinman Howard M. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACTLegionella pneumophila, the causative organism of Legionnaires' disease, is a fresh-water bacterium and intracellular parasite of amoebae. This study examined the effects of incubation in water and amoeba encystment onL. pneumophilastrain JR32 and null mutants indot/icmgenes encoding a type IVB secretion system required for entry, delayed acidification ofL. pneumophila-containing phagosomes, and intracellular multiplication when stationary-phase bacteria infect amoebae and macrophages. Following incubation of stationary-phase cultures in water, mutants indotAanddotB, essential for function of the type IVB secretion system, exhibited entry and delay of phagosome acidification comparable to that of strain JR32. Following encystment inAcanthamoeba castellaniiand reversion of cysts to amoeba trophozoites,dotAanddotBmutants exhibited intracellular multiplication in amoebae. TheL. pneumophilaLvh locus, encoding a type IVA secretion system homologous to that inAgrobacterium tumefaciens, was required for restoration of entry and intracellular multiplication indot/icmmutants following incubation in water and amoeba encystment and was required for delay of phagosome acidification in strain JR32. These data support a model in which the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system is conditionally rather than absolutely required forL. pneumophilavirulence-related phenotypes. The data suggest that the Lvh type IVA secretion system, previously thought to be dispensable, is involved in virulence-related phenotypes under conditions mimicking the spread of Legionnaires' disease from environmental niches. Since environmental amoebae are implicated as reservoirs for an increasing number of environmental pathogens and for drug-resistant bacteria, the environmental mimics developed here may be useful in virulence studies of other pathogens.
Intranasal Vaccination with Recombinant Outer Membrane Protein CD and Adamantylamide Dipeptide as the Mucosal Adjuvant Enhances Pulmonary Clearance of
Moraxella catarrhalis
in an Experimental Murine Model
Authors: Becker Pablo D. , Bertot Gustavo M. , Souss David , Ebensen Thomas , Guzmán Carlos A. , Grinstein Saúl 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

Moraxella catarrhalis
causes acute otitis media in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults and elderly. In children the presence of antibodies against the highly conserved outer membrane protein CD correlates with protection against infection, suggesting that this protein may be useful as a vaccine antigen. However, native CD is difficult to purify, and it is still unclear if recombinant CD (rCD) is a valid alternative. We performed a side-by-side comparison of the immunogenicities and efficacies of vaccine formulations containing native CD and rCD with adamantylamide dipeptide as the mucosal adjuvant. Intranasal vaccination of mice stimulated the production of high CD-specific antibody titers in sera and of secretory immunoglobulin A in mucosal lavages, which cross-recognized both antigens. While vaccination with native CD increased the number of interleukin-2 (IL-2)- and gamma interferon-producing cells, rCD mainly stimulated IL-4-secreting cells. Nevertheless, efficient bacterial clearance was observed in the lungs of challenged mice receiving native CD and in the lungs of challenged mice receiving rCD (96% and 99%, respectively). Thus, rCD is a promising candidate for incorporation in vaccine formulations for use against
M. catarrhalis
.
Medical Research on Patients with Dementia – the Role of Advance Directives in European Legal Instruments
Authors: Lötjönen Salla 
Published: November 2006

AbstractCurrent international legal instruments recognise the use of advance directives to carry on the will of the dementing research participant beyond the boundaries of her present legal capacity. Advance directives are gaining greater recognition in patient care than in medical research, where their legal status is still somewhat unclear. In particular, the three major international documents on medical research – the Council of Europe Convention on Biomedicine and Human Rights (ETS 164), its Additional Protocol on Biomedical Research (ETS 195), and Directive 2001/20/EC on Clinical Trials on Medicinal Products – give conflicting messages on the legal status of advance directives in medical research. This article examines the provisions in these documents and their national applications in Finland and the United Kingdom.
Preparation of vermiculites for HRTEM
Authors: Marcks CH. , Wachsmuth H. , Reichenbach H. Graf V. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractA technique for preparing vermiculites for examination by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been developed. A TEM-stable expanded phase can be obtained by intercalating n-alkylammonium ions between the silicate layers of a parent biotite. The vermiculite particles were embedded in Spurr resin and centrifuged to improve orientation. Ultra-thin specimens were prepared using an ultramicrotome, the quality and thickness of the sections being monitored by TEM. Lattice images of biotite, Ba-vermiculite and octylammonium-vermiculite, the latter showing a perpendicular arrangement of the alkyl chains relative to the silicate layers, were obtained with a resolution ∼2 Å. The reliability of these images was confirmed by computer simulation.
Kaolinization of the Kimolos Island volcanics, Cyclades, Greece
Authors: Tsolis-Katagas P. , Mavronichi M. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractPrimary kaolins, related to Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanic rocks of acid to intermediate composition from the southern part of Kimolos island contain kaolinite and quartz ± cristobalite. Smectite is rarely present whereas alunite is common and more prevalent than baryte or gypsum. The kaolinites show structural disorder (Hinckley indices ranging from 0·6 to 1·1) and contain faults along the c*-axis. The elements Nb, Th, Ce and Sr, La, V constitute two groups with a strong intercorrelation and the kaolins are enriched in these elements compared to the parent rocks. K, Rb, Y and Ba are positively correlated with feldspar content and decrease with the intensity of kaolinization. The mineral assemblages suggest a zonal pattern which is thought to be related to different types of hydrothermal alteration. Starting from the triple point of the alunite-K-feldspar-K-mica-quartz association encountered in Kimolos, a tentative path is presented showing the approximate ranges in concentrations of K2SO4 and H2SO4 required for the formation of the various mineral assemblages.
Palaeogeographic Significance of Clay Mineral Distributions in the Inferior Oolite Group (Mid Jurassic) of Southern England
Authors: Jones L. E. , Sellwood B. W. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractFive areally distinct mineral assemblages are recognized in the Inferior Oolite of S. England. In each area, vertical (stratigraphic) variations are insignificant. The five assemblages comprise varying proportions of illite, illite-smectite, kaolinite, chlorite and kaolinite-smectite, the mixed-layer clays being largely poorly crystalline and randomly interstratified. A predominantly detrital rather than authigenic origin is suggested for most of the clays. Shallow-water platform carbonates contain kaolinite with illite and illite-smectite. Kaolinite decreases in abundance away from former mid-Jurassic land areas, the deeper shelf and more basinal facies being dominated by illite and/or illite-smectite. Possible volcanic contributions to clay suites are suggested but cannot yet be fully evaluated. The palaeogeographic usefulness of clay mineral suites is confirmed, even in carbonate-dominated systems.
Vermiculite gelation: structural and textural evolution
Authors: Rausell-Colom J. A. , Saez-Auñón J. , Pons C. H. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractMillimetre-sized flakes of a homogeneous, high layer charge vermiculite from S. Olalla (Spain) saturated with l'ornithine cations were made to swell in l'ornithine hydrochloride solutions of various concentrations, and the gel-like structures formed were subjected to uniaxial loads up to 150 g/cm2. Small-angle X-ray diffraction measurements from the swollen flakes show well-modulated intensity patterns from which the equilibrium interlayer distances were obtained for the various swelling conditions. The interlayer spacings can be adequately expressed as normal-logarithmic distribution functions of probability density. The gel texture is described in terms of the average number of elementary layers, all in parallel orientation, constituting independent coherent domains within the swollen flake. Changes in structure and in texture taking place as the gel volume increases, or as water is expelled from the interlayer volume under mechanical compression, are followed by the variation of the corresponding parameters of order.
Identification of thermal anomalies using clay mineral composition
Authors: Mathieu Y. , Velde B. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractAnalysis of the smectite content of mixed-layer illite/smectite minerals in 4 wells in the Paris Basin indicates that the sediments have not experienced the same thermal history throughout their burial history. Reconstruction of the total burial depths and thermal maxima for the sediments in the different levels of the wells indicates that the present-day depth-temperature relations reflect the existence of the same continuous sequence of diagenetic change in 2 of the wells. An empirical relation giving smectite content as a function of maximum paleotemperature was derived. A strong break in the clay mineral compositions in the upper levels of 2 wells at a third site indicated an anomaly in the diagenesis process. This break in the sequence of clay diagenetic transformation can be traced to major subvertical faults which cross-cut the wells. These anomalies are attributed to the faults which are assumed to have acted as thermal drains towards the surface, locally increasing the temperature of the sediments for a major portion of the burial history when the faults were active. Closure of the fault system coincides with the return to a normal pattern in clay diagenesis for sediments in the upper portions of the wells. It is concluded that clays may be used to trace thermal histories of sediments in a sedimentary basin.
Some crystallochemical and petrographic criteria for determining source rocks and sedimentary processes. The example of Neogene deposits of the Alpujarran Corridor (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain)
Authors: Nieto F. , Ortega-Huertas M. , Velilla N. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the influence of the various source areas on the Neogene sediments of the Alpujarran Corridor, to ascertain the type and intensity of the sedimentary processes involved, and to establish some generally applicable criteria. At the bottom of the sections the detrital pebbles are derived from the highest nappes of the Alpujárride Complex, whereas those at the top are from the deepest unit of the Nevado-Filábride Complex (the Veleta nappe); between these the entire range of materials from the lower-Alpujárride Complex and the upper-Navado-Filábride Unit (the Mulhacén nappe) is represented. Comparison of the micas and chlorites in the pebbles with those in the conglomerate matrix reveals the effect of the sedimentary processes on every aspect of the crystallochemistry. The d001 of the chlorites and the b0 of the micas are scarcely affected and can be used to determine the source area. The crystallinity, the Fe content of the chlorites and the basal spacing and angular difference (Δ2θ M-P) of the white micas, on the other hand, are all modified, especially in the clay fraction, according to the degree and nature of the alteration of the sediments, and consequently can be used as a guide to the extent of this process.