bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for injuries in elite female soccer players
Authors: Faude O , Junge A , Kindermann W , Dvorak J 
Published: July 2006

Objective:To describe risk factors for injuries in elite female soccer.Methods:A total of 143 female soccer players from the German national league participated in the study. Baseline information on player characteristics—for example, anthropometric measurements and playing position—and medical history were recorded at the start of the study. During one outdoor season, injuries and training and match exposure times were prospectively documented for each player.Results:The risk of a new anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture was significantly increased in players with a previous rupture (odds ratio (OR)  =  5.24, p  =  0.01). This was not the case for ankle sprain (OR  =  1.39) or knee sprain (OR  =  1.50). In addition, no significantly increased risk of new sprains or ACL ruptures was found when the injured leg was the unit of analysis. Injury incidence was considerably higher in defenders (9.4 injuries per 1000 hours exposure) and strikers (8.4/1000 hours) than goalkeepers (4.8/1000 hours) and midfielders (4.6/1000 hours). Ten per cent of all players (n  =  14) sustained more than three injuries. Most of these were defenders (n  =  8) or strikers (n  =  4). Significantly more injuries occurred to the dominant leg (105v71, p  =  0.01); this was particularly true for contact injuries (52v29, p  =  0.01).Conclusions:Injury risk should be assessed on an individual basis. Therefore it seems appropriate to individualise preventive training programmes, as is recommended for other training content. Evaluating the existing rules of soccer and their appropriate application may also help to decrease injury risk, particularly in contact situations.
The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists
Authors: Shing C M , Jenkins D G , Stevenson L , Coombes J S 
Published: July 2006

Purpose:The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in cyclists over a 10 week period that included 5 days of high intensity training (HIT).Methods:Over 7 days of preliminary testing, 29 highly trained male road cyclists completed a VO2maxtest (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold, and a 40 km time trial (TT40). Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement (n = 14, 10 g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC)) or a placebo group (n = 15, 10 g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training. Following 5 weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7). They then underwent five consecutive days of HIT (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9).Results:The influence of bovine CPC on TT40performance during normal training was unclear (week 7: 1±3.1%, week 9: 0.1±2.1%; mean±90% confidence limits). However, at the end of the HIT period, bovine CPC supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9±2.2% improvement from baseline in TT40performance and a 2.3±6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO2max), and maintained TT40heart rate (2.5±3.7%). In addition, bovine CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the HIT period (4.6±4.6%).Conclusion:Low dose bovine CPC supplementation elicited improvements in TT40performance during an HIT period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of HIT.
FXR Deficiency Causes Reduced Atherosclerosis inLdlr−/−Mice
Authors: Zhang Yanqiao , Wang Xuping , Vales Charisse , Lee Florence Ying , Lee Hans , Lusis Aldons J. , Edwards Peter A. 
Published: July 2006

Objective—Based on the observation thatFxr−/−mice exhibit a proatherogenic lipoprotein profile, we investigated the role of FXR in the development of atherosclerosis.Methods and Results—Administration of a western diet toFxr−/−mice or wild-type mice does not result in the development of significant atherosclerotic lesions. Consequently we generatedFxr−/−Ldlr−/−(DKO) mice and compared lesion development withLdlr−/−mice. After 16 weeks on a Western diet,en faceanalysis of the aorta indicated that the male DKO mice had reduced atherosclerotic lesions as compared withLdlr−/−mice. Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reduced by 40% to 50%, whereas triglyceride levels increased 4-fold in the male DKO mice. Finally, peritoneal macrophages freshly isolated from male DKO mice had reduced expression of CD36 mRNA and decreased neutral lipid accumulation, as compared withLdlr−/−mice.Conclusions—FXR deficiency in male, but not female,Ldlr−/−mice results in a reduction in the size of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta. The reduction in atherosclerosis may result from a decrease in plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, coupled with reduced expression of CD36 in macrophages of DKO mice.
Environmental Impacts of Products: A Detailed Review of Studies
Authors: Tukker Arnold , Jansen Bart 
Published: July 2006

SummaryEnvironmental effects of economic activities are ultimately driven by consumption, via impacts of the production, use, and waste management phases of products and services ultimately consumed. Integrated product policy (IPP) addressing the life‐cycle impacts of products forms an innovative new generation of environmental policy. Yet this policy requires insight into the final consumption expenditures and related products that have the greatest life‐cycle environmental impacts. This review article brings together the conclusions of 11 studies that analyze the life‐cycle impacts of total societal consumption and the relative importance of different final consumption categories. This review addresses in general studies that were included in the project Environmental Impacts of Products (EIPRO) of the European Union (EU), which form the basis of this special issue. Unlike most studies done in the past 25 years on similar topics, the studies reviewed here covered a broad set of environmental impacts beyond just energy use or carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The studies differed greatly in basic approach (extrapolating LCA data to impacts of consumption categories versus approaches based on environmentally extended input‐output (EEIO) tables), geographical region, disaggregation of final demand, data inventory used, and method of impact assessment. Nevertheless, across all studies a limited number of priorities emerged. The three main priorities, housing, transport, and food, are responsible for 70% of the environmental impacts in most categories, although covering only 55% of the final expenditure in the 25 countries that currently make up the EU. At a more detailed level, priorities are car and most probably air travel within transport, meat and dairy within food, and building structures, heating, and (electrical) energy‐using products within housing. Expenditures on clothing, communication, health care, and education are considerably less important. Given the very different approaches followed in each of the sources reviewed, this result hence must be regarded as extremely robust. Recommendations are given to harmonize and improve the methodological approaches of such analyses, for instance, with regard to modeling of imports, inclusion of capital goods, and making an explicit distinction between household and government expenditure.
Environmental Impacts of Products:Policy Relevant Information and Data Challenges
Authors: Tukker Arnold , Eder Peter , Suh Sangwon 
Published: July 2006

SummaryThe research and analysis presented in this special issue shows that the same limited number of consumption categories are consistently revealed to be responsible for the largest share of environmental impact: mobility (automobile and air transport), food (meat, poultry, fish, and dairy followed by plant‐based food), and residential energy use in the house (heating, cooling, electrical appliances, and lighting). It appears that differences in impact per euro between the product groupings are relatively limited, so it is essential to reduce the life‐cycle impacts of products as such, rather than to shift expenditures to less impact‐intensive product groupings. Furthermore, the effectiveness of expenditure on material products to improve quality of life leaves much room for improvement. Environmentally extended input‐output (EEIO) tables probably form, in this field, the most appropriate information support tool for priority setting, prospective assessment of options, scenario analysis, and monitoring. A clear benefit would result from integrating the input–output (IO) tables in the report to Eurostat of the 25 individual countries that make up the European Union (EU), with other officially available information on emissions and resources use, into a 60‐sector EEIO table for the EU. This, obviously, would be the first step toward more detailed tables. Three strategies are suggested to realize the additional, desirable detail of 150 sectors or more, each achievable at an increasing time horizon and with increasing effort: (1) developing further the current CEDA EU25 table; (2) building a truly European detailed input–output table accepting the restrictions of existing data gathering procedures; and (3) as (2), but developing new, dedicated data gathering and classification procedures. In all cases, a key issue is harmonizing classification systems for industry sectors, consumer expenditure categories, and product classifications (as in import/export statistics) in such a way that data sets may adequately be linked to input–output tables.
Cell-culture assays reveal the importance of retroviral vector design for insertional genotoxicity
Authors: Modlich Ute , Bohne Jens , Schmidt Manfred , von Kalle Christof , Knöss Sabine , Schambach Axel , Baum Christopher 
Published: July 2006

AbstractRetroviral vectors with long terminal repeats (LTRs), which contain strong enhancer/promoter sequences at both ends of their genome, are widely used for stable gene transfer into hematopoietic cells. However, recent clinical data and mouse models point to insertional activation of cellular proto-oncogenes as a dose-limiting side effect of retroviral gene delivery that potentially induces leukemia. Self-inactivating (SIN) retroviral vectors do not contain the terminal repetition of the enhancer/promoter, theoretically attenuating the interaction with neighboring cellular genes. With a new assay based on in vitro expansion of primary murine hematopoietic cells and selection in limiting dilution, we showed that SIN vectors using a strong internal retroviral enhancer/promoter may also transform cells by insertional mutagenesis. Most transformed clones, including those obtained after dose escalation of SIN vectors, showed insertions upstream of the third exon of Evi1 and in reverse orientation to its transcriptional orientation. Normalizing for the vector copy number, we found the transforming capacity of SIN vectors to be significantly reduced when compared with corresponding LTR vectors. Additional modifications of SIN vectors may further increase safety. Improved cell-culture assays will likely play an important role in the evaluation of insertional mutagenesis.
Expression levels of CD38 in T cells predict course of disease in male patients with B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Tinhofer Inge , Rubenzer Gabriele , Holler Claudia , Hofstaetter Elisabeth , Stoecher Markus , Egle Alexander , Steurer Michael , Greil Richard 
Published: July 2006

AbstractCD38 expression of tumor cells has been identified as an important prognostic factor in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Although CD38 is involved in effector functions of T cells, the prognostic value of CD38+ T cells has not yet been addressed in B-CLL. In the present study, CD38-expression levels in B-CLL cells and T cells from 204 patients were analyzed by flow cytometry and correlated with clinical and molecular risk parameters. CD38 expression significantly differed in the neoplastic clone from patients with low versus advanced stage, irrespective of the sex of patients. In contrast, CD38 expression was generally higher in T cells from female compared with male patients but only increased in male patients in a stage-dependent manner. In male patients, combined analysis of CD38 in T cells and B-CLL cells identified 4 subgroups with significantly different treatment-free survival. Multivariate analysis including Rai stage and molecular risk parameters of the neoplastic clone identified CD38-expression levels in T cells as an independent prognostic factor in male patients. Combined analysis of CD38 in B-CLL and T cells is superior in predicting outcome of male B-CLL patients than either parameter alone. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the sex-specific role of CD38+ T cells in B-CLL.
A multicenter randomized study of the efficacy of transfusions with platelets stored in platelet additive solution II versus plasma
Authors: Kerkhoffs Jean-Louis H. , Eikenboom Jeroen C. , Schipperus Martin S. , van Wordragen-Vlaswinkel Rinie J. , Brand Ronald , Harvey Mark S. , de Vries Rene R. , Barge Renee , van Rhenen Dick J. , Brand Anneke 
Published: July 2006

Abstract
Randomized studies testing the clinical efficacy of platelet additive solutions (PASs) for storage of platelets are scarce and often biased by patient selection. We conducted a multicenter, randomized study to investigate clinical efficacy of platelets stored in PAS II versus plasma, also including patients with clinical complications associated with increased platelet consumption. A total of 168 evaluable patients received pooled buffy coat–derived platelet concentrates (PCs) suspended in either plasma (n = 354) or PAS II (n = 411) stored up to 5 days. Both univariate as well as multivariate analysis showed a significant effect of used storage medium in regard to 1- and 24-hour count increments and corrected count increments, in favor of plasma PCs. However, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding bleeding complications and transfusion interval. Adverse transfusion reactions occurred significantly less after transfusions with PAS II PCs (P = .04). Multivariate analysis showed no significant effect of the used storage medium on the incidence of 1- and 24-hour transfusion failure. We showed safety and efficacy of PAS II PCs in intensively treated patients; however, plasma PCs show superior increments.
Human cerebrospinal fluid contains CD4+ memory T cells expressing gut- or skin-specific trafficking determinants: relevance for immunotherapy
Authors: Kivisäkk Pia , Tucky Barbara , Wei Tao , Campbell James J , Ransohoff Richard M 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackgroundCirculating memory T cells can be divided into tissue-specific subsets, which traffic through distinct tissue compartments during physiologic immune surveillance, based on their expression of adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors. We reasoned that a bias (either enrichment or depletion) of CSF T cell expression of known organ-specific trafficking determinants might suggest that homing of T cells to the subarachnoid space could be governed by a CNS-specific adhesion molecule or chemokine receptor.ResultsThe expression of cutaneous leukocyte antigen (CLA) and CC-chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4; associated with skin-homing) as well as the expression of integrin α4β7 and CCR9 (associated with gut-homing) was analyzed on CD4+ memory T cells in CSF from individuals with non-inflammatory neurological diseases using flow cytometry. CSF contained similar proportions of CD4+ memory T cells expressing CLA, CCR4, integrin α4β7 and CCR9 as paired blood samples.ConclusionThe results extend our previous findings that antigen-experienced CD4+ memory T cells traffic through the CSF in proportion to their abundance in the peripheral circulation. Furthermore, the ready access of skin- and gut-homing CD4+ memory T cells to the CNS compartmentviaCSF has implications for the mechanisms of action of immunotherapeutic strategies, such as oral tolerance or therapeutic immunization, where immunogens are administered using an oral or subcutaneous route.
Preconception counselling initiated by general practitioners in the Netherlands: reaching couples contemplating pregnancy [ISRCTN53942912]
Authors: Elsinga J , van der Pal-de Bruin KM , le Cessie S , de Jong-Potjer LC , Verloove-Vanhorick SP , Assendelft WJJ 
Published: July 2006

Abstract

Background
To maximise the potential for reducing the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, preconception counselling (PCC) is used to inform couples contemplating pregnancy about general and personal risk factors. Many initiatives have been developed to provide PCC, but none offers it routinely in a presumed low-risk population.
The objective of the study was to investigate the extent to which women contemplating pregnancy can be reached when a PCC programme is routinely offered by general practitioners (GPs).

Methods
30 GPs actively offered PCC to all women aged 18 to 40 over a three-year period. GPs reviewed lists of these women and excluded women with adverse social circumstances. The remaining women received an invitation for PCC. They were requested to indicate whether they were interested in PCC, and if so, when they were contemplating pregnancy. Those both interested and contemplating pregnancy within one year were invited for PCC. All pregnancies occurring within one year of an invitation were monitored. Response rates and percentages of pregnancies preceded by an invitation or actual attendance to PCC were calculated.

Results
Overall, 72–75% of the interested responders, who returned the risk-assessment questionnaire (80%), actually attended PCC. However, the GPs excluded a large number of women. In 2002 27% of all pregnancies occurred in the group of women who had been interested and had indicated that they hoped to get pregnant within one year. Another 33% of the pregnancies occurred in the group of women who had been excluded, 13% in the group who had not responded, and 14% in the group who had not been interested.

Conclusion
A quarter of the women who became pregnant in the year after the invitation were reached in time. In order to increase this number, methods should be developed to decrease the exclusion of women by the GPs and to increase women's response.
Prognostic value of physicians' assessment of compliance regarding all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: primary care follow-up study
Authors: Rothenbacher Dietrich , Rüter Gernot , Brenner Hermann 
Published: July 2006

Abstract

Background
Whether the primary care physician's assessment of patient compliance is a valuable prognostic marker to identify patients who are at increased risk of death, or merely reflects measurement of various treatment parameters such as HbA1C or other laboratory markers is unclear. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the prognostic value of the physicians' assessment of patient compliance and other factors with respect to all-cause mortality during a one year follow-up period.

Methods
A prospective cohort study was conducted among 1014 patients with type 2 diabetes aged 40 and over (mean age 69 years, SD 10.4, 45% male) who were under medical treatment in 11 participating practices of family physicians and internists working in primary care in a defined region in South Germany between April and June 2000. Baseline data were gathered from patients and physicians by standardized questionnaire. The physician's assessment of patient compliance was assessed by means of a 4-point Likert scale (very good, rather good, rather bad, very bad). In addition, we carried out a survey among physicians by means of a questionnaire to find out which aspects for the assessment of patient compliance were of importance to make this assessment. Active follow-up of patients was conducted after one year to determine mortality.

Results
During the one year follow-up 48 (4.7%) of the 1014 patients died. Among other factors such as patient type (patients presenting at office, nursing home or visited patients), gender, age and a history of macrovascular disease, the physician's assessment of patient compliance was an important predictor of all-cause mortality. Patients whose compliance was assessed by the physician as "very bad" (6%) were significantly more likely to die during follow-up (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.02–6.97) after multivariable adjustment compared to patients whose compliance was assessed as "rather good" (45%) or "very good" (18%). The HbA1C-value and the cholesterol level at baseline showed no statistically significant association with all-cause mortality. According to our survey for most of the physicians self-acceptance of disease, treatment adherence, patient's interest in physician's explanations, attendance at appointments, a good self-management, and a good physician-patient relationship were key elements in the assessment of patient compliance.

Conclusion
The primary care physician's assessment of patient compliance is a valuable prognostic marker for mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. Identification of patients in need of improved compliance may help to target preventive measures.
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in fetal hydrocephalus: a retrospective population based study
Authors: Szajkowski Terrence P , Chodirker Bernard N , MacDonald Karen M , Evans Jane A 
Published: July 2006

Abstract

Background
Although maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) is a highly sensitive marker for certain congenital malformations such as open neural tube and ventral wall defects, its usefulness as a screening test for fetal hydrocephalus is uncertain. We wished to determine the distribution of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels associated with fetal hydrocephalus in a population-based screening program in Manitoba, and their potential relationship to additional anomalies.

Methods
Cases of fetal hydrocephalus unrelated to neural tube defects were ascertained from multiple sources and reviewed. Cross-reference with the Manitoba Maternal Serum Screening Program database determined which mothers had undergone maternal serum screening. Mean MSAFP levels in both isolated and complex hydrocephalus were calculated and compared with the general population of screened pregnancies using Independent Samples T-tests.

Results
Mean MSAFP levels in 70 cases of fetal hydrocephalus were significantly higher than those of the general population of screened pregnancies (P = 0.029). This was due to the fact that mean MSAFP levels in those cases with other major anomalies were increased over those of the general population (P = 0.041); cases with hydrocephalus alone showed no significant difference (P = 0.203). Only seven cases (10%) had MSAFP levels ≥ 2.3 multiples of the median, the cut-off used in Manitoba. However, six of these (86%) had additional major and/or minor malformations.

Conclusion
MSAFP screening has low sensitivity for fetal hydrocephalus and is rarely elevated in isolated cases. However, when fetal hydrocephalus is detected, elevated MSAFP levels indicate that the fetus is at significant risk to have additional malformations and further investigations, including chromosome breakage studies, may be indicated.
Organometallic π-Conjugated Systems
Authors: Nakamura Akira 
Published: July 2006

Abstract
Chemistry of transition metal complexes of organic conjugated systems, e.g. 1,3-diene, cyclobutadiene, and hexapentaene, is reviewed mainly based upon the author’s investigation. Some recent examples of dπ–pπ conjugated systems with multiple metal–metal and metal–carbon bonds are also described.