bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
White particulate matter: report of the ad hoc industry review group
Authors: McCullough Jeffrey , Dodd Roger , Gilcher Ron , Murphy Scott , Sayers Merlyn 
Published: July 2004

BACKGROUND:  In January 2003, blood center person‐nel in the American Red Cross, Southern Region in Atlanta, noticed whitish particulate material (WPM) that had not been observed previously in several units of red blood cells (RBCs). An expert panel was formed to evaluate studies of the material and make appropriate recommendationsSTUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  The expert panel reviewed information provided by several investigations and organizations. This included: background informa‐tion, and experiences relating to WPM; WPM composi‐tion; factors promoting WPM formation; risk of WPM (if any) to patients; and recommendations to prevent future occurrences.RESULTS:  WPM is derived from blood. No data suggest that external contamination or collection set components contribute to WPM development. A major constituent of WPM is platelets (PLTs). WPM is most commonly observed in RBCs that have been subjected to a hard spin without PLT separation. WPM is rarely, if ever, observed in RBCs that have been subjected to leukoreduction.CONCLUSIONS:  (1) WPM is not new, can be prevented, and can be removed. (2) WPM contains PLTs, white blood cells, fibrin, and cellular debris. (3) Changes in blood handling are not necessary. (4) WPM may be more frequent when higher g forces are used in component preparation. (5) Enhanced visual inspection of blood components need not be continued. (6) It appears that WPM may not form in RBC collected using automated devices. (7) WPM did not pose a risk to patients but should be avoided.
Relationship between knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS among dental school employees and students
Authors: Börsum K. M. , Gjermo P. E. 
Published: July 2004

Objectives:  Employees and students at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo responded to a comprehensive questionnaire regarding knowledge and attitudes towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The intention of the present study was to describe possible relationships between the two.Method:  The questionnaire consisted of 39 closed questions. The response rate was 75% (436/584). The answers were used to construct additive indices for knowledge and attitudes.Results:  The knowledge index reflected the number of correct answers concerning risk groups and transmission. A factor analysis revealed three dimensions of attitudes (‘legal’, ‘personal risk’, and ‘personal consequences’), which were analysed separately against knowledge. Correlation analyses (Spearman r) of all respondents together (n = 436) revealed a weak, but statistically significant, positive correlation between knowledge and the ‘legal’ and ‘personal risk’ dimension of attitudes (r = 0.16, P < 0.01; r = 0.21, P < 0.001). The ‘personal consequence’ dimension was not significantly correlated with knowledge (r = 0.06, P > 0.05). The strongest correlation was found between knowledge and the ‘legal’ dimension (r = 0.43, P < 0.001), and knowledge and the ‘personal risk’ dimension (r = 0.41, P < 0.002) amongst fourth year students. No particular group of employees or students displayed a significant correlation between knowledge and the ‘personal consequence’ dimension of attitudes.Conclusions:  Three dimensions on attitudes concerning patients with HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome were identified amongst the respondents. A weak correlation between knowledge and two of the attitudes might indicate that knowledge plays a role in this respect.
Assessment of ‘borderline’ clinical competence using generalisability and decision studies in dental skills training
Authors: Kropmans T. J. B. , Ćosić K. 
Published: July 2004

Introduction:  Generalisability coefficients are widely used as a measure of reliability in educational sciences. However, coefficients do not inform about how much individual and/or educational variance is needed for borderline competence. Probing depth measurements were used as an example to demonstrate the use of generalisability and decision studies in educational decision‐making.Method:  All six probing depths of seven elements of the first quadrant were assessed in a random crossed four‐way ‘elements’ (7), ‘probing depth’ (6) ‘observers’ (7–8) and ‘repetitions’ design for both students (8) and faculty staff (7). Borderline competence was assessed in four decision study designs.Results:  In decision studies the generalisability coefficient varied from 0.31 to 0.88 for the first single and fourth repeated study design, respectively. The standard error of the measurement varied from 1.73 to 0.64 mm with a corresponding 95% confidence interval varying from 3 to 1 mm.Conclusion:  Repeated measurement is not the most efficient way to improve educational decision‐making. What is new to this approach is that we used the 95% confidence interval of the standard error of measurement as a measure for ‘borderline competence’ expressed in the unity of the measurement instrument. Correctly performing the procedure of probing depth assessment is of clinical and educational importance in deciding whether further treatment is necessary and whether students fail or pass their exams.
Dental students, social policy students and learning disability: do differing attitudes exist?
Authors: Coyle C. , Saunderson W. , Freeman R. 
Published: July 2004

Objectives:  To examine the attitudes of dental students and social policy students towards learning disabilities in order to identify whether attitudinal differences exist and to suggest recommendations in the dental undergraduate curriculum commensurate with Government legislation in the United Kingdom.Design:  A cross‐sectional survey of all undergraduate dental students at Queen's University, Belfast and all undergraduate social policy students at University of Ulster.Method:  A convenience sample of all undergraduate dental and social policy students was obtained. The students completed a questionnaire to assess attitude towards learning disability. The data were analysed using Cronbach's α, Student's t‐test and analysis of variance (one‐way fixed effect model). The level of statistical significance was set at 5%.Results:  The response rate was 83% for dental students and 97% for social policy students. Dental students had significantly lower mean scores and hence less favourable attitudes to learning disability compared with social policy students. Female dental students had significantly higher mean scores and hence more favourable attitudes to learning disability compared with male students.Conclusions:  The findings show that dental undergraduates compared with social policy students had less favourable attitudes towards those with learning disability. Dental students should receive training in learning disability and undergraduate programmes should be conceptualised as a spiral curriculum. It is proposed that social policy theory should be introduced into undergraduate dental curricula, that early exposure to learning disability in a community setting should be incorporated into the first undergraduate years and in later undergraduate clinical years students should treat patients with learning disability in order to promote experiential learning and reflective practice.
Inter‐ and intra‐variability of pigmented skin lesions: could the ABCD rule be influenced by host characteristics?
Authors: Burroni Marco , Dell'Eva Giordana , Corona Rosamaria , Sera Francesco , Bono Riccardo , Sbano Paolo , Andreassi Lucio , Rubegni Pietro 
Published: July 2004

Background/purpose: Many differences in color, shape and dimension exist between different moles even in the same individual. Major differences might be accounted for anatomical location, genetic factors and by environmental factors, mainly sunlight exposure. Therefore, it would be of great value, when evaluating skin lesions, to take into account the degree of intra‐ and inter‐variability of several diagnostic parameters. In order to assess the morphologic and chromatic differences between lesions belonging to different patients and between lesions belonging to the same individual, we examined objective digital parameters obtained with dermatoscopic analysis, using the DBDermo MIPS system (BIO MIPS Engineering, S.R.L, siena, Italy).Methods: The automatic classifier inside the software is based on a ‘match by similarity’ algorithm, based on the measurement of the Euclidean distances of all variables considered from the reference image. Two‐hundred and four clinically benign pigmented lesion, belonging to 18 patients were examined, stored and automatically processed. For each lesion objective parameters related to geometry, color and texture were automatically evaluated.Results: We found skin color (healthy skin) is objectively different from subject to subject and the lesion color is more similar among different lesions of the same patient than among lesions belonging to different individuals both in their darkest and slightly dark component. We also observed that lesion dimensions are individual correlates, i.e. the probability for a lesion to be large is higher when the other, in the same patient, is large.Conclusion: Many parameters of pigmented skin lesions evaluated by digital dermoscopy analysis are similar in the same patient and different from those belonging to different individuals. This indicates that, when considering a lesion, we should take into account the peculiar patient's characteristics.
Methodological aspects of high‐frequency ultrasound of skin in children
Authors: Schou A. J. , Thomsen K. , Plomgaard A. M. , Wolthers O. D. 
Published: July 2004

Background: High‐frequency ultrasound of the skin has recently been introduced for assessment of systemic effects in the cutis and subcutis of oral and inhaled glucocorticoids in children. However, the use of high‐frequency skin ultrasound in clinical trials is invalidated because important methodological aspects have not been addressed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate inter‐ and intraobserver, day to day and diurnal variations of measurement of thickness of cutis and subcutis, and the fraction of low echogenic pixels (fLEP) in the cutis and, furthermore, to assess effects of exercise on the cutis and subcutis and variations in subcutaneous thickness between anatomical locations in children with a high‐frequency B‐mode ultrasound scanning device.Methods: Three studies were conducted, each including 10 healthy prepubertal children. High‐frequency skin ultrasound was performed with the 20 MHz Dermascan C® (Cortex Technology, Hadsund, Denmark). In study 1, the same observer performed five consecutive scannings to assess intraobserver variations. In study two different observers performed scannings at 2 h intervals between 08:00 and 20:00 h, whereby interobserver and diurnal variations were assessed. In study 3, the same observer performed scannings in different anatomical locations on five consecutive days, and on one of these days before and after exercise. Thus day‐to‐day variations and the effect of exercise were assessed.Results: Low inter‐ and intraobserver variations were found on assessment of the thickness of cutis and subcutis, whereas high variations were found on evaluation of the dermal water content. Diurnal variations were absent, and day‐to‐day variations were low. Exercise caused significant increases in the thickness of cutis and subcutis on the thigh.Conclusion: Low inter‐ and intraobserver variations make high‐frequency ultrasound a precise and reliable tool for assessment of the cutaneous and subcutaneous thickness in children. In future trials, repetitive scannings need not to be performed at the same time of the day, whereas strenuous physical activity should be avoided on days of examination.
Wound problems due to zinc deficiency
Authors: Patel Girish K , Harding Keith G 
Published: July 2004

AbstractZinc deficiency, though uncommon, can occasionally present in current medical practice. A 4.5‐year‐old boy with previous gastrointestinal surgery presented with diarrhoea, disinterest and dermatitis affecting the face and perineum. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of a low serum zinc level. Administration of parenteral zinc led to rapid improvement in diarrhoea, demeanour and dermatitis. Further surgery was then undertaken, surgery had been postponed until normalisation of zinc levels due the association between zinc deficiency and poor postoperative wound healing.
Reepithelialisation and the possible involvement of the transcription factor, basonuclin
Authors: Matsuzaki Kyoichi , Inoue Hajime , Kumagai Norio 
Published: July 2004

AbstractThis article briefly summarises the basic mechanism of reepithelialisation and discusses the possible role of the cell‐type‐specific transcription factor, basonuclin. Reepithelialisation is initiated by a signal resulting from the absence of neighbouring cells at the wound edge. Basal cells at the wound edge become flattened and lose their intercellular desmosomes and substratum attachment. The amount of cytoplasmic actinomyosin filaments that insert into the new adhesion complexes is increased, and contraction of those filaments produces cell movement. The epithelial cells at the wound edge migrate on a provisional matrix using the newly expressed integrin receptors. Once reepithelialisation is complete, the epithelial cells revert to the normal phenotype of basal epidermal cells, firmly attach to the newly developed basement membrane zone through hemidesmosomes and resume standard differentiation. Protein synthesis increases in the epidermal cells at the wound edge during reepithelialisation. Active protein synthesis requires accelerated transcription of ribosomal RNA genes. The transcription factor basonuclin binds to the ribosomal RNA gene promoter and increases the transcription of the genes. Therefore, it is speculated that basonuclin in epithelial cells is required in the process of reepithelialisation.
Keloids – a frustrating hurdle in wound healing
Authors: Rekha Arcot 
Published: July 2004

AbstractA balance between collagen formation and degradation is essential for normal wound healing. Inadequate wound healing results in wound breakdown, and exaggeration results in hypertrophic scars and keloids. We look at the aetiological factors, the biochemical alterations and the treatment modalities for keloids, in this clinical challenge.
Television Debates as a Form of Pre-negotiation in Protracted Conflicts: Nightline in South Africa (1985) and Israel (1988)
Authors: Botes Johannes Jannie 
Published: July 2004

AbstractThis article provides an analysis of Nightline's involvement in deep-rooted conflicts in both South Africa and Israel and an examination of whether media debates as a form of "track two," or unofficial diplomacy, can assist in preparing the ground for a proper "track one," government-to-government negotiation process. The extent to which the news media, in this case an ABC Television public affairs program, can play a role in the pre-negotiation phase when formal processes of intervention or formal fora of negotiation are absent is the focus of this article. Three levels of data gathering were utilized to analyze Nightline's week-long programs in South Africa in 1985 and in Israel in 1988. In addition to a content analysis of the ten programs, the participants in these debates, including moderator Ted Koppel, were interviewed, and the public and journalistic response to the Nightline broadcasts in both countries were analyzed. The findings suggest that in the process of facilitating the highly positional debates between the parties, Nightline empowered and legitimized the out-parties' causes and gave in-parties an opportunity to publicly defend their positions. However, the programs' main impact was their fulfillment of pre-negotiation roles: creating an atmosphere for negotiation, enabling reciprocal education of the parties about the conflict, and modeling peaceful interaction.
Our News and their News
Authors: Nossek Hillel 
Published: July 2004

The theoretical assumption of this paper is that when a foreign news item is defined as ‘ours’, then journalists’ professional practices become subordinate to national loyalty; when an item is ‘theirs’, journalistic professionalism comes into its own. Thus, the article argues that there is an inverse relation between professional news values and the national identity of the journalist and the journal’s editors. Expressed as a rule, we would say that the more ‘national’ the report is, the less ‘professional’ it will be, i.e. the closer the reporters/editors are to a given news event in terms of national interest, the further they are from applying professional news values. This claim is presented in the form of a flow diagram and is investigated using qualitative content analysis of the coverage of four events in three different countries (the USA, Britain and Israel). The four events, which were all presented as foreign news, were defined as political violence based on an observational definition. The theory which is empirically tested and presented in this article can help us to understand the coverage of September 11, 2001 and its aftermath and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and further our understanding of how events were, and still are, covered as foreign news in general, and, in particular, how political violence is covered as foreign news.
HIV-1-infected dendritic cells up-regulate cell surface markers but fail to produce IL-12 p70 in response to CD40 ligand stimulation
Authors: Smed-Sörensen Anna , Loré Karin , Walther-Jallow Lilian , Andersson Jan , Spetz Anna-Lena 
Published: July 2004

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells with the capacity to prime naive T cells for efficient cellular responses against pathogens such as HIV-1. DCs are also susceptible to HIV-1 infection, which may impair their ability to induce immunity. Here, we examined the ability of HIV-1-infected, in vitro-derived DCs to respond to CD40 ligand (CD40L) stimulation with the aim to study events during early HIV-1 infection. HIV-1BaL-infected p24+ DCs were detected after only 3 days of exposure to highly concentrated virus. We show that HIV-1-infected DCs up-regulated costimulatory molecules, but were skewed in their production of effector cytokines in response to CD40L stimulation. CD40L stimulation induced significant secretion of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin 12 (IL-12) p70 from both HIV-1-exposed and unexposed DCs. Intracellular stainings of HIV-1-exposed DCs revealed that TNFα could be detected in both the p24- and p24+ DCs, but IL-12 p70 could be found only in the p24- DCs. Thus, although p24+ DCs showed a mature phenotype similar to p24- DCs after CD40L stimulation, they appeared to have an impaired cytokine profile. These observations suggest that HIV-1 infection disables DC function, a phenomenon that may be relevant for optimal induction of HIV-1-specific immune responses. (Blood. 2004;104:2810-2817)
Imatinib mesylate (STI571) for treatment of children with Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia: results from a Children's Oncology Group phase 1 study
Authors: Champagne Martin A. , Capdeville Renaud , Krailo Mark , Qu Wenchun , Peng Bin , Rosamilia Marianne , Therrien Martine , Zoellner Ulrike , Blaney Susan M. , Bernstein Mark 
Published: July 2004

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine dose-limiting toxicities and pharmacokinetics of imatinib in children with refractory or recurrent Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) leukemias. Oral imatinib was administered daily at dose levels ranging from 260 to 570 mg/m2. Plasma pharmacokinetic studies were performed on days 1 and 8 of course 1. There were 31 children who received 479 courses of imatinib. The most common toxicities encountered, which occurred in less than 5% of courses, were grade 1 or 2 nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, and reversible increases in serum transaminases. One patient at the 440-mg/m2 dose level had dose-limiting weight gain. There were no other first-course dose-limiting toxicities. A maximum tolerated dosage was not defined. Among 12 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients evaluable for cytogenetic response, 10 had a complete response and 1 had a partial response. Among 10 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients evaluable for morphologic response, 7 achieved an M1 and 1 achieved an M2 bone marrow. We observed marked interpatient variability in the pharmacokinetic parameters. In conclusion, we found that daily oral imatinib is well tolerated in children at doses ranging from 260 to 570 mg/m2. Doses of 260 and 340 mg/m2 provide systemic exposures similar to those of adults who are treated with daily doses of 400 and 600 mg, respectively. (Blood. 2004;104:2655-2660)
CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes isolated from allogeneic healthy donors recognize HLA class Ia/Ib–associated renal carcinoma antigens with ubiquitous or restricted tissue expression
Authors: Dörrschuck Andreas , Schmidt Andrea , Schnürer Elke , Glückmann Matthias , Albrecht Christian , Wölfel Catherine , Lennerz Volker , Lifke Alexander , Di Natale Carmela , Ranieri Elena , Gesualdo Loreto , Huber Christoph , Karas Michael , Wölfel Thomas , Herr Wolfgang 
Published: July 2004

AbstractAllogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can induce considerable tumor remissions in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. The precise effector mechanisms mediating these graft-versus-tumor reactions are unknown. We studied RCC-directed CD8+ T-cell responses in blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals matched with established RCC cell lines for HLA-class I. In 21 of 22 allogeneic mixed lymphocyte/tumor-cell cultures (MLTCs), RCC-reactive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) were readily obtained. From MLTCs, 121 CD8+ CTL clones with memory phenotype were isolated. Their anti–RCC reactivity was restricted by multiple classical HLA-Ia molecules, in particular by HLA-A2, -A3, -B7, -B44, -Cw7, and by a nonclassical HLA-Ib determinant. Extensive cross-reactivity analyses on a broad target panel identified CTLs that recognize antigens with expression restricted to renal tissue or to renal and colon tumors. Other CTLs were directed against antigens with broader tissue distribution being expressed in various epithelial and nonepithelial tumors or, additionally, in hematopoietic cells. With microcapillary liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF)/TOF mass spectrometry, we identified the HLA-A*0301-associated nonpolymorphic peptide KLPNSVLGR encoded by the ubiquitously expressed Eps15 homology domain–containing 2 gene as a CTL target. Defining human RCC antigens recognized by alloreactive CTLs may allow to improve the specificity and efficiency of allogeneic cell therapy (eg, specific donor-lymphocyte infusions or vaccination) in metastatic RCC patients.