bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the in vitro properties of apheresis platelets during 7‐day storage after interrupting agitation for one or three periods
Authors: Wagner Stephen J. , Vassallo Ralph , Skripchenko Andrey , Einarson Mindy , Seetharaman Shalini , Moroff Gary 
Published: August 2008

BACKGROUND: Many platelet (PLT) components undergo multiple periods of shipment before transfusion. We have previously conducted studies investigating maintenance of apheresis PLT in vitro quality measures during a single 24‐ or 30‐hour interruption of agitation, but data are not available for multiple periods without agitation.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Apheresis PLTs were collected with both the Amicus (Fenwal, Inc.) and the Trima (Gambro BCT) cell separators to provide two identical PLT products, each with approximately 4 × 1011 to 5 × 1011 PLTs. One product was subjected to a single contiguous 24‐ or 30‐hour period of interrupted agitation between Days 2 and 3 of storage by placement in a standard shipping box at room temperature. The matched product was not agitated on each of 3 days (Days 0, 1, and 3) for specified intervals totaling an identical period of time.RESULTS: Interrupting agitation for three periods resulted in greater maintenance of pH during storage than that observed using one contiguous period. These differences were significant for units held without agitation for 24 hours (Day 5, 0.08 pH units, p < 0.0001; Day 7, 0.10 pH units, p = 0.0059) and were also significant for units held without agitation for 30 hours (Day 5, 0.15, p < 0.0001; Day 7, 0.20, p < 0.0001). The two different interruption of agitation scenarios did not result in significant differences in the extent of shape change and hypotonic shock response variables after 5 or 7 days of storage.CONCLUSION: Apheresis PLTs subjected to three periods without agitation maintained overall pH levels slightly greater than those of matched units subjected to one contiguous period without agitation. Other measures showed comparability of PLT in vitro variables with the two scenarios for interruption of agitation.
A policy informing qualitative study to improve the process of blood product recalls and withdrawals
Authors: Heddle Nancy M. , Eyles John , Webert Kathryn E. , Arnold Emmie , McCurdy Bronwen R. 
Published: August 2008

BACKGROUND: Challenges associated with blood product recalls and/or withdrawals in Canada identified a need to understand the process and identify ways in which it could be improved. With the use of qualitative techniques and a modified grounded theory approach, the current process was mapped, issues were identified, and recommendations to improve the system were developed.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Potential participants were identified using a sampling strategy that included key stakeholder groups. After consenting, participants were interviewed using a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded using a coding scheme developed from the content of the interviews. A team approach to analysis identified relevant emergent themes and led to the development of recommendations. Draft recommendations were presented at a consensus meeting, and feedback was incorporated into the final set of recommendations.RESULTS: Forty‐five interviews were conducted. Major themes arising from the data were communication, timeliness of follow‐up information, and challenges related to patient notification. The current recall and/or withdrawal process was described and a new model for the recall and/or withdrawal process was developed. Nineteen recommendations were formulated: 12 general and 7 hospital‐specific.CONCLUSION: Large‐scale recalls and/or withdrawals involving unknown or uncertain risks can be challenging both for hospitals and for the blood supplier. However, using a qualitative research approach, recommendations and a model for improving the system were developed. Key recommendations include the development of national guidelines for notification and the use of a group of resource experts to assess risk and assist with notification decision making.
Shortening of Median Door‐to‐Balloon Time in Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Singapore by Simple and Inexpensive Operational Measures: Clinical Practice Improvement Program
Authors: LEE CHI‐HANG , OOI SHIRLEY B.S. , TAY EDGAR L. , LOW ADRIAN F. , TEO SWEE‐GUAN , LAU CINDY , TAI BEE‐CHOO , LIM IRENE , LAM SUSAN , LIM ING‐HAAN , CHAI PING , TAN HUAY‐CHEEM 
Published: August 2008

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the standard reperfusion strategy for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction in our center. We aimed to shorten the median door‐to‐balloon time from over 100 minutes to 90 minutes or less.
Methods: We have been using three strategies since March 2007 to shorten the door‐to‐balloon time: (1) the intervention team is now activated by emergency department physicians (where previously it had been activated by coronary care unit); (2) all members of the intervention team have converted from using pagers to using cell phones; and (3) as soon as the intervention team is activated, patients are transferred immediately to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (where previously they had waited in the emergency department for the intervention team to arrive). An in‐house physician and a nurse would stay with the patients before arrival of the intervention team.
Results: During 12 months, 285 nontransfer patients (analyzed, n = 270) underwent primary PCI. The shortest monthly median door‐to‐balloon time was 59 minutes; the longest monthly median door‐to‐balloon time was 111 minutes. The overall median door‐to‐balloon time for the entire 12 months was 72 minutes. On a per‐month basis, the median door‐to‐balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 10 of 12 months. On a per‐patient basis, the median door‐to‐balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 182 patients (67.4%). There was 1 case (0.4%) of inappropriate activation by the emergency department. While waiting for the intervention team to convene, 1 patient (0.4%) deteriorated and had to be resuscitated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Conclusions: Improved health care delivery can be achieved by changing simple and inexpensive operational processes.
Diagnostic Coronary Angiography in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Sub‐study of the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis Trial
Authors: GARCIA SANTIAGO , MCFALLS EDWARD O. , GOLDMAN STEVEN , LARSEN GREG C. , LITTOOY FRED , MORITZ THOMAS E. , REDA DOMENIC J. , WARD HERBERT B. , SHUNK KENDRICK , HATTLER BRACK 
Published: August 2008

Background: Although patients in need of elective vascular surgery are often considered candidates for diagnostic coronary angiography, the safety of this invasive study has not been systematically studied in a large cohort of patients scheduled for an elective vascular operation. The goal of this sub‐study of the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial was to assess the safety of coronary angiography in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Methods: The CARP trial tested the long‐term benefit of coronary artery revascularization prior to elective vascular operations. Among those patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography during screening for the trial, the associated complications were determined at 24 hours following the diagnostic procedure.
Results: Over 5,000 patients were screened during a 4‐year recruitment period at 18 major VA medical centers and the present cohort consists of 1,298 patients who underwent preoperative coronary angiography. Surgical indications for vascular surgery included an expanding aortic aneurysm (AAA) (n = 446; 34.4%) or arterial occlusive disease with either claudication (n = 457; 35.2%) or rest pain (n = 395; 30.4%). A total of 39 patients had a confirmed complication with a major complication identified in 17 patients (1.3%). Complication rates were higher in patients with arterial occlusive symptoms compared with expanding aneurysms (1.8% vs. 0.5%; P = 0.07) and were not dissimilar with femoral (2.8%) versus nonfemoral (4.7%) access sites (P = 0.42).
Conclusions: Coronary angiography is safe in patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing preoperative coronary angiography. The complication rate is higher in patients with symptoms of arterial occlusive disease.
Learning and Retention Rates after Training in Posterior Epistaxis Management
Authors: Lammers Richard L. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractObjectives:  The objective of the study was to compare the learning and retention rates of resident physicians trained in posterior epistaxis management with nasal gauze packing on a simulation model following two training methods.Methods:  This was a prospective, repeated‐measures study. An objective, criterion‐referenced performance standard, consisting of the number of major steps completed in the proper sequence, and the number of minor steps completed within a specified time, was used by an evaluator to assess performances. Subjects underwent two pretraining assessments 1 week prior to and the day of training and then were randomized to one of two training methods: the traditional “observation” method or a “pause‐and‐perfect” method. After training, both groups repeated the procedure until meeting the performance standard. Subjects were retested 1 and 3 months after training.Results:  Twenty‐eight subjects participated. Baseline performance measures were similar between groups and did not change prior to training. During performance testing, experimental subjects completed a greater percentage of major steps (84%) and minor steps (86%) in less time (25 minutes) than the controls (65 and 68%, in 35 minutes) during the first attempt. All subjects met the standard within three attempts. There were no differences in major and minor steps completed between the two groups at either 1 week or 3 months after training, but performance times were shorter in the experimental group. After 3 months, 13% of control and none of experimental subjects met the performance standard.Conclusions:  The pause‐and‐perfect training method produced more rapid progress toward a performance standard during the initial attempt and better performance times after 3 months than the traditional, observational training method. Without further practice, this skill deteriorated after 3 months with both methods of training.
How road improvement reduces poverty: the case of Laos
Authors: Warr Peter 
Published: August 2008

AbstractA general equilibrium modeling approach is used to study the effect that rural road improvement has on poverty incidence in Laos. Household survey data are used to distinguish three categories of rural villages according to their road access: (i) no vehicular access; (ii) dry season only access; and (iii) all weather access. A general equilibrium model of the Lao economy is then used to simulate, first, the effect of upgrading category (i) to category (ii) roads, and second, category (ii) to category (iii) roads. The former has a larger poverty‐reducing effect but is also more costly.
Market facilities and agricultural marketing: evidence from Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Shilpi Forhad , Umali‐Deininger Dina 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThis article analyzes the effect of facilities and infrastructure available at the marketplace on a farmer's decision to sell at the market. The econometric estimation shows that the likelihood of sales at the market increases significantly with an improvement in market facilities and a decrease in travel time from the village to the market. The results suggest that wealth reduces a farmer's cost of accessing market facilities more than it increases her/his opportunity cost of leisure. The policy simulation indicates that the marginal benefits from an improvement in market facility will favor the poorer farmers in the context of India.
Technology adoption under seed access constraints and the economic impacts of improved pigeonpea varieties in Tanzania
Authors: Shiferaw Bekele A. , Kebede Tewodros A. , You Liang 
Published: August 2008

AbstractDry‐land legumes, well adapted to drought‐prone areas, have largely been neglected in the past despite the good opportunities they offer for income growth and food (and nutritional) security for the poor. This study evaluated the adoption and impact of two farmer and market‐preferred and disease‐resistant pigeonpea varieties that were developed and promoted in semi‐arid Tanzania. The new varieties were resistant to fusarium wilt, a fungal disease devastating the crop. However, farmers wanting to adopt new varieties did not adopt due to seed access constraints and under‐developed seed delivery systems. Adoption of new varieties is therefore analyzed using an augmented double hurdle model that allows estimating variety adoption conditional on seed access thresholds accounting for the additional information on sample separation. The study identifies the crucial role of seed access (local supply), extension, education, participatory decision making, capital, and household assets in determining adoption. The social economic benefits of the technology and policies for improved seed access were further analyzed using the extended economic surplus method (DREAM model). Even under restrictive assumptions, overall discounted benefits were found to be quite attractive, indicating the need for additional efforts to scale‐up the success story. Analysis of changes in research benefits from relaxing the seed access constraint showed that net gains would increase by up to 30% if farmer access to improved seeds can be assured. Smallholder farmers are the major beneficiaries along with consumers and rural net‐buyers who gain from productivity‐induced lower market prices.
The spatial resolution of the porcine multifocal electroretinogram for detection of laser‐induced retinal lesions
Authors: Kyhn Maria Voss , Kiilgaard Jens F. , Scherfig Erik , Prause Jan U. , La Cour Morten 
Published: August 2008

Abstract.Purpose:  This study aimed to investigate the spatial resolution of a porcine multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) protocol by testing its ability to detect laser‐induced retinal lesions. Furthermore, we wanted to describe time‐dependent changes in implicit time and amplitude of the different mfERG peaks after laser‐induced retinal damage.Methods:  Three pigs underwent a three‐port pars plana vitrectomy, followed by laser photocoagulation of different lesion sizes within the visual streak. In an additional six non‐vitrectomized pigs, we studied changes in mfERG signals with time after a uniform laser photocoagulation within the visual streak. The animals were evaluated with mfERG 1 and 6 weeks after treatment. After the last mfERG examination, selected eyes were processed for histological examination.Results:  The size of the smallest lesion detected was approximately 1/4 of the longest diameter of the optic disc (LDOD) measured in pixels. When analysing the uniform lesions we found that signals deriving from the centre of the laser lesions were characterized by a significant reduction in the amplitude of all three peaks after 1 week of observation. After 6 weeks, the amplitudes of P1 and N2 were still significantly reduced. The implicit times were unaffected by laser treatment in the acute phase. After 6 weeks only P1 was significantly delayed.Conclusion:  We have determined the spatial resolution of the mfERG in the porcine retina to be smaller than or equal to the area of two adjacent hexagons, corresponding to a width of approximately 288 pixels or 1.2 mm. Laser lesions of uniform size resulted in a significant reduction of the amplitudes 1 and 6 weeks after treatment.
Association of perceived stigma and mood and anxiety disorders: results from the World Mental Health Surveys
Authors: Alonso J. , Buron A. , Bruffaerts R. , He Y. , Posada‐Villa J. , Lepine J‐P. , Angermeyer M. C. , Levinson D. , De Girolamo G. , Tachimori H. , Mneimneh Z. N. , Medina‐Mora M. E. , Ormel J. , Scott K. M. , Gureje O. , Haro J. M. , Gluzman S. , Lee S. , Vilagut G. , Kessler R. C. , Von Korff M. ,   the World Mental Health Consortium
Published: August 2008

Objective:  We assessed the prevalence of perceived stigma among persons with mental disorders and chronic physical conditions in an international study.Method:  Perceived stigma (reporting health‐related embarrassment and discrimination) was assessed among adults reporting significant disability. Mental disorders were assessed with Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 3.0. Chronic conditions were ascertained by self‐report. Household‐residing adults (80 737) participated in 17 population surveys in 16 countries.Results:  Perceived stigma was present in 13.5% (22.1% in developing and 11.7% in developed countries). Suffering from a depressive or an anxiety disorder (vs. no mental disorder) was associated with about a twofold increase in the likelihood of stigma, while comorbid depression and anxiety was even more strongly associated (OR 3.4, 95%CI 2.7–4.2). Chronic physical conditions showed a much lower association.Conclusion:  Perceived stigma is frequent and strongly associated with mental disorders worldwide. Efforts to alleviate stigma among individuals with comorbid depression and anxiety are needed.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Leukocyte Subpopulation in Ascites of Women with Pre‐Eclampsia
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuo , Murase Takayuki , Kuno Souichiro , Ichikawa Go , Chisima Fumihisa 
Published: August 2008

Problem Pre‐eclampsia is associated with excessive maternal systemic inflammatory response. The immune cells in ascites of pre‐eclampsia have not been studied well. In order to investigate the inflammatory response in ascites of pre‐eclampsia, we studied leukocytes subpopulation in ascites.Method of study Maternal peripheral blood samples and ascites were taken from 10 cases of pre‐eclampsia. Antibody‐labeled cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results The leukocytes subpopulation in ascites taken from pre‐eclampsia was different from that in the peripheral blood. The largest population of leukocytes in ascites was CD14+ monocyte/macrophage. The percentages of macrophage, CD56+ cells, CD56 + 16−3− NK cell (immunoregulatory NK cell), and CD56 + 3+ T cell (CD56+ T cell including NK T cell) increased in ascites compared with those in the peripheral blood. The median percentages of CD56 + 16−3− NK cells were 22.2%. The half of the CD3+ T cells originated from the increased CD56 + 3+ T cells.Conclusion We demonstrated the accumulation of the macrophage and the CD56+ cells into the ascites taken from pre‐eclampsia patients. This finding may relate to excessive inflammatory response in pre‐eclampsia.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Paternal Thrombophilic Gene Mutations Are Not Associated with Recurrent Miscarriage
Authors: Toth Bettina , Vocke Franziska , Rogenhofer Nina , Friese Klaus , Thaler Christian J. , Lohse Peter 
Published: August 2008

Problem Recurrent miscarriage (RM) affects 1–3% of couples. So far, diagnostic procedures are performed only in female patients. However, the main part of the placentary perfusion is encoded by both the maternal and the paternal genome.Method of study In this case–control study, German couples with two (n = 49) or three and more RM (n = 102) and 157 German control couples were analyzed for the factor V‐Leiden 1691G>A mutation (FVL), the prothrombin (PT) 20210G>A substitution, and the 677C>T replacement in the 5,10‐methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene.Results No significant differences in the prevalence of the FVL, PT or MTHFR mutation were observed in male partners of RM patients and in control men [RM/control: FVL heterozygous 13/151 (8.6%): 14/157 (8.9%) (P = 0.9); PT heterozygous 2/151 (1.3%): 7/157 (4.5%) (P = 0.097); PT homozygous 0/151: 2/157 (1.3%); MTHFR homozygous 19/151 (12.6%): 18/157 (11.5%) (P = 0.12)]. This was also true for female RM patients. However, miscarriage during the embryonal period (5–10 weeks of gestation) was significantly associated with a maternal heterozygous FVL mutation (P = 0.014).Conclusion Recurrent miscarriage was not associated with paternal thrombophilia. Men of the control group showed an even higher incidence of the PT and MTHFR mutations. Abortions in the embryonic phase of fetal development were associated with a significantly higher incidence of maternal heterozygosity for FVL.
Imaging the Lung in Radiotherapy: Where 4D Meets Multimodality
Authors: Sheng K. , Cai J. , Libby B. , Benedict S. 
Published: August 2008

SummaryThe increasing research and clinical interest in the intrafractional motion management of lung tumour radiation treatment is in part fuelled by the availability of multiple 4D modalities that resolve temporal information of the tumour motion. These improved imaging modalities allow the escalation of dose to the tumour besides enhancing the conformality of the dose to a moving tumour, which could improve the local control rate. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; including dynamic MRI and hyperpolarized 3He tagging), 4DCT, fluoroscopy and EM transponders are reviewed in this article. The working mechanisms, advantages/disadvantages and unique information of these techniques and their contribution to the management of lung cancer are discussed.
Utility of Positron Emission Tomography in Radiotherapy Practice with Emphasis on Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Bayouth J. E. , Menda Y. , Graham M. M. 
Published: August 2008

SummarySeveral issues related to functional imaging in treatment planning and response assessment in head and neck cancer exist. In the pre‐radiotherapy setting, integrated positron emission tomography (PET)‐computed tomography (CT) provides more accurate delineation of disease extent in head and neck cancer than does PET or CT alone, while fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)‐PET shows promise in detecting distant metastases and/or primary tumour after a negative work‐up. Incorporating FDG‐PET data during the radiotherapy planning stage may significantly alter the gross tumour volume as well as identify primary tumour sites. Given sufficient time following radiation therapy (RT), FDG‐PET is valuable in identifying residual tumours where CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging are unable to. While FDG‐PET and PET‐CT show great potential, challenges exist in successfully integrating the data into radiotherapy planning. No integrated system is used throughout the planning and treatment delivery process, leading to difficulty in reconciling imaged data with accurate radiotherapy delivery. This is particularly true when attempting to accurately delineate the tumour boundary. Although the several discussed methods yield good results, target volume definition remains elusive and uncertain. By identifying targets using mathematical thresholding techniques some of this uncertainty is removed.