bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Right or wrong sample received for coagulation testing? Tentative algorithms for detection of an incorrect type of sample
Authors: LIPPI G. , SALVAGNO G. L. , ADCOCK D. M. , GELATI M. , GUIDI G. C. , FAVALORO E. J. 
Published: February 2009

SummaryInappropriate blood collection potentially comprises the major pre‐analytical problem for coagulation testing. Inappropriate samples are most difficult to detect when received as secondary aliquots, common for referred tests. This study aimed to identify a simple, quick and inexpensive process to help laboratories distinguish the type of sample, should there be suspicion of inappropriate collection. Samples from 15 patients [selected on the basis that four different primary tubes were available: serum, citrated plasma, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) plasma, lithium‐heparin plasma], were tested for common electrolytes that might substantially differ according to the type of sample. In citrated plasma, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium were significantly decreased compared with serum and lithium‐heparin plasma, while sodium was markedly increased. In EDTA plasma, sodium and chloride were significantly decreased compared with both serum and lithium‐heparin plasma, potassium was always >14 mmol/l, whereas magnesium and calcium were virtually undetectable. These data allowed development of two algorithms for differential identification of citrated plasma vs. other samples with 100% sensitivity and specificity, the former based on the sequential measurement of potassium, calcium and sodium, the latter on potassium and sodium. These simple assays can supplement classical coagulation test methods to identify most inappropriate blood collections and validate sample rejection.
Present and Projected Consumption of Hospital Bed-days as a Function of Terminal Days Before Death
Authors: Winkel Per , Statland Bernard E. , Brammer Mogens E. , Christau Bjørn , østergaard Erik Rahbek 
Published: February 2009

In 1983 the bed-day consumption per year per 1,000 inhabitants was 1,571 for all subjects in the Copenhagen County, and 774, 1,239, and 4,918 for subjects 0-19 years, 20-64 years, and above 65 years of age, respectively. Extrapolating from these data the hospital bed-day consumption per inhabitant is predicted to increase by 20.6% in Denmark by the year 2025 as compared to 1986. The mean hospital bed-day consumption per subject during the last 150 days prior to death in hospital was 25.0 days for males and 29.7 for females. Making the conservative assumption that only subjects who die in hospital consume hospital bed-days during the last 150 days before death, the bed-day consumption during 1983 of 0-64 years old subjects being in the terminal 150-day phase was 5.87% of the total annual bed-day consumption of this age group. For subjects 65 years of age or older, it was 18.1%.
Peptic ulcer among urban bus drivers in Denmark
Authors: Netterstrøm Bo , Cand.stat Knud Juel 
Published: February 2009

As part of a survey on the work environment of bus drivers, 2045 (83%) of 2465 male bus drivers in the three major cities in Denmark in 1978 answered a postal questionnaire on health and working conditions. In order to evaluate the relative occurrence of peptic ulcer among the bus drivers, a follow-up study was also conducted. All hospital discharges with a peptic ulcer diagnosis among the bus drivers were registered from the Danish National Patient Register. All Danish men were used as reference group. On the basis of the 1978-questionnaire association between occupational and psychosocial factors and subsequent hospital discharge with a peptic ulcer diagnosis was studied. The prevalence of abdominal pain alleviated by food intake was 12% among bus drivers and 6% in the reference group. The incidence of hospital discharge with duodenal ulcer among younger bus drivers was twice the incidence among Danish men in the same age group. The incidence of all manifestations of peptic ulcer disease among bus drivers did not differ from the incidence among Danish men. Of occupational and psycho-social factors, wage dissatisfaction and smoking showed statistically significant association with hospital discharge with PU in a 63/4-year period. Job dissatisfaction, stress symptoms and lack of some social network factors tended to increase the risk of hospital discharge with PU.
Premature Deaths Among Men in a Swedish Municipality — Civil Status and Primary Health Care Utilization Prior to Death
Authors: Hallberg Hans , Mattsson Bengt 
Published: February 2009

Causes of premature deaths among men in relation to civil status and primary health care utilization were studied in a Swedish municipality. Alcoholism, suicide and accidents (psycho-social deaths and accidents) were of special concern (40% of all deaths). When principal and contributing causes of death were considered, alcoholism was registered in 21% of all men. Including information from primary health care records, the Social Services and the local outpatient alcohol clinic, the proportion of men with alcohol abuse was 40%. Half of the men with psychosocial deaths and accidents were divorced at the time of death. The time elapse between divorce and death was especially short for those who committed suicide, 1.4 years, compared to 9.5 years when death was due to alcohol. Half of the men who visited the primary health care centre six months before death were single, and the problem of the final antemortem visit anticipated the cause of death in the majority of these men.
The social consequences of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus in patients 20-50 years of age. An epidemiological case-control study
Authors: Gåfvels Catharina , Börjesson Bengt , Lithner Folke 
Published: February 2009

In order to investigate the social consequencies of diabetes we sent a questionnaire to all diabetic patients aged 20-50 years and 1.125 matched non-diabetic controls living in the county of Västerbotten in Northern Sweden. The response rate was 87% and 72%, respectively. Patients more often lived alone (18 vs 13% p < 0,05) and had no children (39 vs 31% p < 0,01). They were more often the only child of their parents (14 vs 8%, p < 0,01). Thirty-seven percent of the patients and 22% of the controls ( p < 0,001) had been absent from work because of illness more than one month continuously during the last 3 years and had more often than controls prematurely retired from work (8 vs 2% p < 0,001). Patients more often had hobbies (86 vs 76%, p < 0,001) and were participating in social activities (52 vs 41%, p < 0,001), but were less satisfied with their leisure time (71 vs 80%, p < 0,001). Forty percent of the patients vs 31% of the controls ( p < 0,01) did not visit neighbours. Fifty-one percent of the patients vs 44% of the controls ( p < 0,05) never spent leisure time with their work mates. No significant differences were found in education, socioeconomic class, dwelling or household economy. The study shows that there are social differences between diabetic patients and non-diabetic people even though they are not overwhelming.
Ethical and professional aspects of the practice of alternative medicine
Authors: Lynöe Niels 
Published: February 2009

Ethical and Professional Aspects of the Practice of Alternative Medicine. Lynöe, N. (Department of Social Medicine, University of Umeå, Sweden). The question of who should provide alternative medical treatment raises a number of different problems of both an ethical and a professional nature. Providing medical treatment, including alternative medical treatment, presupposes that the physician in question possesses diagnostic competence. It is in the best interests of society that medical care is safe, and therefore society must monitor the medical profession, e.g. in order to assure itself that the treatment provided is in agreement with the tenet of science and proven experience. The democratization of the patient-doctor relationship and the liberalization of the availability of medical and alternative medical treatments means that society also has an interest in ensuring that physicians offer alternative medical treatments or cooperate with practitioners of alternative medicine. A question is whether this is also of interest to the physicians? Another question touching on professional ethics is whether the doctor has the same responsibility to respect the desire of a patient to receive alternative medical treatment as he would have to respect the patient's right to forgo ordinary medical treatment. These questions are analysed here against the background of the perspective of the relevant interest groups and are graded with regard to the disease and treatment concerned, how far the disease has advanced, the age of the patient, and whether or not the patient is competent to make his own decisions. These considerations are relevant in a discussion of who is qualified to provide or prescribe alternative medical treatment. This study points out that the individual physician should have the possibility to compromise and improvise from case to case. In order to shed further light on these matters it is also pointed out that there is a need for empirical investigations of how patients/laymen consider the ethical dilemmas in specific situations.
Extremely low birth weight infants less than 901 g. Impact on the family during the first year
Authors: Stjernqvist Karin M. 
Published: February 2009

Extremely low birth weight infants less than 901 g. Impact on the family during the first year. Stjernqvist, K. M. (Departments of Child and Youth Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden). In a longterm prospective study 20 extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants with birth weight between 500 and 900 g (mean 755 ± 109 g) and gestational age between 24 and 30 weeks (mean 26.2 ±1.8 \v) were compared with 20 fullterm infants. This part of the study focuses on the impact on the family. Structured parental interviews were conducted in the postnatal period and at the end of the first year concerning the pregnancy, the delivery and the infant's health and behaviour during the first year of life. Questions about the parents' and siblings' reactions, physical symptoms and the strains on the husband-wife relationship were also asked. It was found that the mothers of the ELBW infants had more fertility problems, more physical symptoms during the pregnancy and the infant's first year of life. The birth of an ELBW infant caused crisis reactions in 85% of the mothers and 65% of the fathers. Fiftyeight per cent of the ELBW parents and 21 % of the parents in the control group reported that the stress during the infant's first year had led to strains on the husband-wife relationship. It is evident that the birth of an ELBW infant had an impact on the whole family. However, we found no relationship between permanent neurological injuries in the infant and strong reactions in the family members. On the other hand, the parental relationship in the perinatal period seems to be of significance, as does the length of time the infant was hospitalized during its first year of life.
Perceived functional health of frail elderly in a primary home care programme and correlation of self-perception with objective measurements
Authors: Melin Anna-Lisa , Bygren Lars Olov 
Published: February 2009

This study examined the effects of a primary home care intervention programme on self-assessed functional health, and the correlation of self-perception with objective measures in frail elderly subjects. Elderly patients about to be discharged from an acute hospital, at risk for institutionalization, were randomly assigned to physician-led primary home care or to standard care. After early post-hospital in-home intervention and assessment, ongoing medical care and treatment were monitored by a multidisciplinary team. Functional data were collected at baseline and after six months. Self-rated and objectively rated functional variables included medical factors, personal and instrumental activities of daily living, ambulation, and social activities and contacts. From study entry to follow-up, the scores for personal activities of daily living were significantly increased in team and control subjects as were social contacts in the team subjects ( P = 0.03). No differences between team and control groups were found for self-rated functions from study entry to follow-up, except for a tentatively statistical significance in self-rated physical health in favour of the team subjects. Positive correlations were recorded between all self-rated and objectively rated functions, but they were stronger at follow-up. Physical health and social contacts were overrated, whereas indoor ambulation and social activities were underratcd compared to objective measures at follow-up. Personal activities of daily living, were overrated at study entry, but showed substantial agreement at follow-up (0.62). Within demographic subgroups patients over 80 showed a stronger correlation between self-ratcd and objectively measured social functions after six months than younger patients. Men and women underrated ambulation compared to objective measures at follmv-up. Women underestimated their social activities compared to objective scoring at follow-up, whereas men showed a fair correlation. Personal activities of daily living at follow-up remained unchanged within demographic subgroups. The correlations between self-rated and objectively measured functions were not as definite as expected. Overrated physical health and social contacts, and underrated indoor ambulation and social activities probably provided a more realistic description of the patients' functions than the objective measurements could reveal. The outcomes indicate that self-rating of functions provides a valid measure of functional health in medically stable elderly patients.
Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis among Finnish Adolescents in 1977–1991
Authors: Rimpelä A. H. , Savonius B. , Rimpelä M. K. , Haahtela T. 
Published: February 2009

Objectives — To study whether asthma and allergic rhinitis had increased from 1977 to 1991 and if so, in which subpopulations; to study if structural changes of the society or change in the genetic susceptibility of the population could explain the increase. Design — Cross-sectional surveys with mailed questionnaires in 1977, 1979 and 1991, data from 1977 and 1979 combined; national mortality statistics. Setting — Finland. Subjects — A nationwide sample of 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-year-olds. Sample sizes were 4335 and 3059, response rates 88% and 77%. Mortality statistics from 1958 to 1990. Main outcome measures — Point prevalence rate (%) of self-reported, physician-diagnosed asthma and allergic rhinitis, susceptibility of the population measured by probability of respiratory death. Results — Prevalence of asthma was 1.0% in 1977–1979 and 2.8% in 1991, that of allergic rhinitis 5.0% and 14.9%. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increase did not differ in socio-demographic subgroups or parents' smoking groups and that changes in the distribution of socio-demographic variables did not explain the difference either. Respiratory deaths in ages 0–4 were fewer in the birth cohorts measured in 1991. Conclusions — Physician-diagnosed asthma and allergic rhinitis increased three-fold among Finnish adolescents in 1977–1991. Factors which explain the increase affected all subgroups similarly. Such factors could be changes in diagnostic practices and indoor air quality. Increased susceptibility could explain only a small part. It is likely that a major part of this considerable increase is real.
Should Health Care be Rationed by Age?
Authors: Nilstun Tore , Ohlsson Rolf 
Published: February 2009

Can rationing of health care by chronological age be justified on ethical grounds? The principles of equality, solidarity, liberty and efficiency are used as value premises in the discussion. Health care rationing by age is inconsistent with the principles of equality and liberty. But in some situations such rationing has support from the principles of solidarity and efficiency. The compromise suggested is that, as a rule, rationing by age should not be permitted, except in situations with intrinsic scarcity (as is the case with transplantation) and in situations with temporary extrinsic scarcity (as was the case with dialysis for a period of time). However, the main purpose is not to defend this position, but to identify and analyze the ethical conflicts such rationing gives rise to.
Prevalence and trends in homosexual behaviour in Norway
Authors: Marit B Veierød , Anne Eskild , Hein Stigum , Johannes Thorvaldsen , Per Magnus 
Published: February 2009

The three main objectives of this study were to estimate the proportion of the Norwegian population with experience of homosexual behaviour, to study the degree of change in sexual practices among homosexual men during a 5-year period and to study the degree of change in sexual practices reported by HIV positive homosexual men from before to after awareness of HIV-positivity. The data comes from two questionnaire surveys (in 1987 and 1992) of sexual behaviour in the general population of Norway and a questionnaire study of sexual behaviour before and after awareness of HIV-positivity among HIV-positive homosexual men taking part in a cohort study starting in 1988 (the Oslo HIV cohort study). Estimation of the proportion of subjects with homosexual experience was made as well as a trend analysis of the number of male sexual partners per year, number of intercourses per month, condom use and anal sex. Among men aged 18 to 60 from the general population, 3.8% reported homosexual practice during lifetime and 1.2% during the past 3 years. Among women, the same percentages were 3.1 and 1.0. In the surveys, the number of male partners per year decreased significantly for men with current homosexual experience from a yearly median of 1.0 in 1987 to 0.3 in 1992 ( p = 0.02). Among HIV-positives, the number of male partners decreased from a yearly median of 4.3 before to 1.6 after awareness of HIV-seropositivity ( p<0.01). Among HIV-positives, a significant increase in the use of condoms, a decrease in the number of intercourses and a decrease in the frequency of anal sex was found. The results show that some changes in sexual practice may have occurred among homosexual men in general in the period from 1987 to 1992, and that more significant changes may have occurred for HIV-positive men. The present data do not support other findings of a relapse to more unsafe sex, but suggest that there is still a need to keep modifying behaviour in order to stop the spread of HIV among men who have sex with other men.
Occupation-specific morbidity of musculoskeletal disease in Norway
Authors: Brage Søren , Bjerkedal Tor , Bruusgaard Dag 
Published: February 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate the occupation-specific prevalence of musculoskeletal disease in Norway. A cross-sectional interview survey of a representative sample of households in Norway in 1985, including 6,681 persons, 16 to 66 years old was carried out. Age-standardised, occupation-specific prevalence ratios for musculoskeletal disease were calculated. Musculoskeletal diseases were more frequent in women (20.6%) than men (17.3%), and increased markedly with age. In men, the prevalence was highest for construction carpenters; in women, for manufacturing/construction workers. In both male and female occupations, the highest prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases was approximately two-fold that of the lowest. Health-related exits from the labour force, and mobility between occupations influenced the results. It is suggested that the high disability pensioning and sickness absence rates observed in some occupations are related to occupation-specific consequences of disease in addition to higher morbidity.
Untersuchungen zu einem lokalen optischen PositionierungssystemInvestigations for a Local Optical Positioning System
Authors: Fuhrland Matthias 
Published: February 2009

Zusammenfassung
Der Artikel beschreibt ein Prinzip zur 3D-Positionsbestimmung durch Pseudostreckenmessung mit Hilfe ultrakurzer Laserpulse. Ziel der Entwicklung ist ein lokales optisches Positionierungssystem (LOPS). Laserpulse werden hochdivergent ausgesandt zu vier Detektoren mit jeweils bekannter Position. Es gilt, die 3D-Position der Laserquelle zu bestimmen. Ein TCSPC-System (time-correlated single photon counting) wird verwendet, um die differenzielle Laufzeit des Laserpulses zwischen den vier Detektoren zu bestimmen. Die untersuchten Problemstellungen betreffen die notwendige Pulsleistung, die Pulsbreite und die Strahlformung. Es werden vergleichende Untersuchungen verschiedener ps-Laserpulser, Detektortypen und TCSPC-Systeme sowie die Entwicklung einer elastischen Optik gezeigt.
Persistent organochlorine pollutants and toxaphene congener profiles in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) frequenting the Turtle/Brunswick River Estuary, Georgia, USA
Authors: Pulster Erin L. , Smalling Kelly L. , Zolman Eric , Schwacke Lori , Maruya Keith A. 
Published: February 2009

Abstract
Although the Turtle/Brunswick River Estuary (TBRE) in coastal Georgia (USA) is severely contaminated by persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs), little information regarding POPs in higher-trophic-level biota in this system is available. In the present study, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; including DDTs, chlordanes, and mirex), and chlorinated monoterpenes (toxaphene) were measured using gas chromatography with electron-capture detection and gas chromatography with electron-capture negative ion mass spectrometry (GC-ECNI-MS) in blubber of free-ranging and stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Mean total PCBs (78.6 ± 32.4 μg/g lipid) and toxaphene (11.7 ± 9.3 μg/g lipid) were significantly higher in dolphins sampled in the TBRE than in dolphins stranded near Savannah (GA, USA) 80 to 100 km to the north. Levels of OCPs were several-fold lower than levels of PCBs; moreover, PCBs comprised 81 and 67% of the total POP burden in TBRE and non-TBRE dolphins, respectively. Analyses with GC-ECNI-MS revealed that 2,2,5-endo,6-exo,8,8,9,10-octachlorobornane (P-42a), a major component in technical toxaphene and a major residue congener in local estuarine fish species, was the most abundant chlorobornane in both sets of blubber samples. Mean total POP concentrations (sum of PCBs, OCPs, and toxaphene) approached 100 μg/g lipid for the TBRE animals, well above published total PCB thresholds at which immunosuppresion and/or reproductive anomalies are thought to occur. These results indicate extended utilization of the highly contaminated TBRE as habitat for a group of coastal estuarine dolphins, and they further suggest that these animals may be at risk because of elevated POP concentrations.
Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria
Authors: Bockstael Katrijn , Aerschot Arthur 
Published: February 2009

Abstract
The development of antimicrobial resistance by bacteria is inevitable and is considered as a major problem in the treatment of bacterial infections in the hospital and in the community. Despite efforts to develop new therapeutics that interact with new targets, resistance has been reported even to these agents. In this review, an overview is given of the many therapeutic possibilities that exist for treatment of bacterial infections and how bacteria become resistant to these therapeutics.