bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Examining child restraint use and barriers to their use: lessons from a pilot study
Authors: Simpson J C , Wren J , Chalmers D J , Stephenson S C R 
Published: December 2003

Objective:To determine the suitability of four research methods to measure the rate of child restraint device (CRD) use and incorrect use in New Zealand and obtain data on barriers to CRD use.Design and setting:To assess the rates of CRD use among vehicles carrying children 8 years of age and under, two methods were piloted—namely, an unobtrusive observational survey and a short interview and close inspection. A self administered questionnaire and focus group interviews were also piloted to assess CRD use, reasons for use and non-use, and to obtain information on barriers to their use. Respondents to all methods except the focus groups were approached in supermarket car park sites at randomly selected times. Focus groups were established with parents identified through early childhood organisations. All methods were assessed on criteria related to efficiency, representativeness, and ability to obtain the necessary data.Results:The observational survey provided a simple method for identifying rates of CRD use, while the self administered questionnaire obtained data on demographic characteristics and reported the installation and use/non-use of CRDs. The interview/inspection addressed all the questions of both the above methods and enabled incorrect CRD use to be examined. The focus groups provided the most meaningful information of all methods on barriers to CRD use.Discussion and conclusion:Advantages and limitations of these methods are discussed and some refinements of the original instruments are proposed. The interview/inspection and focus group methods were identified as being more appropriate for efficiently obtaining reliable data on CRD use and identification of barriers to CRD use.
Being “at fault” in traffic crashes: does alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, or polydrug abuse make a difference?
Authors: Chipman M L , Macdonald S , Mann R E 
Published: December 2003

Objective:To compare associations of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine abuse and traffic crash risk for “at fault” crashes and all crashes.Design:A historical cohort study.Setting:Toronto, Ontario.Patients or subjects:Subjects beginning treatment at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) in 1994 for abuse of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and all combinations of these substances (n = 590, with 411 drivers). A control group consisted of 518 records from the Ontario registry of registered drivers, frequency matched for age and sex and residence.Interventions:CAMH subjects took part in therapeutic programs. Pre-intervention (11 115 driver-years) and post-intervention intervals (8550 driver-years) were defined and compared.Main outcome measures:Crash and collision rates, adjusted relative risks (ARRs) of crash involvement and of “at fault” crashes were computed using Poisson regression to control for variations in time at risk, age, and sex of participants.Results:Pre-treatment, significant ARRs of 1.49 to 1.79 for all crashes were found for abusers of cannabis, cocaine, or a combination. ARRs increased by 10%–15% for “at fault” crashes. Post-treatment, all associations were very modest for all abuse types. Only younger and male drivers had a significantly increased risk, which was stronger for “at fault” than for all crashes.Conclusions:Abuse of cannabis and cocaine pre-treatment was more strongly related to “at fault” crashes than to all crashes. Interaction between these substances means that the effects of combined abuse cannot be predicted from simple main effects.
Evaluation of the ThinkFirst Canada,Smart Hockey, brain and spinal cord injury prevention video
Authors: Cook D J , Cusimano M D , Tator C H , Chipman M L 
Published: December 2003

Objective:The ThinkFirst CanadaSmart Hockeyprogram is an educational injury prevention video that teaches the mechanisms, consequences, and prevention of brain and spinal cord injury in ice hockey. This study evaluates knowledge transfer and behavioural outcomes in 11–12 year old hockey players who viewed the video.Design:Randomized controlled design.Setting:Greater Toronto Minor Hockey League, Toronto Ontario.Subjects:Minor, competitive 11–12 year old male ice hockey players and hockey team coaches.Interventions:TheSmart Hockeyvideo was shown to experimental teams at mid-season. An interview was conducted with coaches to understand reasons to accept or refuse the injury prevention video.Main outcome measures:A test of concussion knowledge was administered before, immediately after, and three months after exposure to the video. The incidence of aggressive penalties was measured before and after viewing the video.Results:The number of causes and mechanisms of concussion named by players increased from 1.13 to 2.47 and from 0.67 to 1.22 respectively. This effect was maintained at three months. There was no significant change in control teams. There was no significant change in total penalties after video exposure; however, specific body checking related penalties were significantly reduced in the experimental group.Conclusion:This study showed some improvements in knowledge and behaviours after a single viewing of a video; however, these findings require confirmation with a larger sample to understand the sociobehavioural aspects of sport that determine the effectiveness and acceptance of injury prevention interventions.
Reporting of the incidence of hospitalised injuries: numerator issues
Authors: Boufous S , Williamson A 
Published: December 2003

Objectives:To examine and discuss the implications on the incidence of hospitalised injuries of selecting cases from principal diagnosis field only compared with considering all diagnosis fields, the inclusion compared with the exclusion of medical injuries, and the impact of identifying multiple admissions.Methods:Analysis of data from the 1999–2000 New South Wales Inpatient Statistics Collection, Australia, including an internal linkage of the same dataset.Results:Approximately 27.5% of records with a non-injury primary diagnosis include a nature of injury diagnosis in a subsequent diagnostic field. This figure increased to more than half (53%) of discharges for medical injuries. The internal linkage showed that 6.5% of discharges were repeat admissions for the sameInternational Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) injury code and that 13.8% were repeat admissions for any ICD-10 injury code. The proportions of repeat admissions varied according to the type and the mechanism of injury.Conclusions:Selecting hospitalised injury cases from the principal diagnosis alone would underestimate medical injury cases as well as other injuries occurring in hospital. Repeat admissions should always be considered particularly in the case of thermal injuries, self harm, and medical injuries. Due to the limitations of data linkage, alternative methods need to be developed to identify repeat admissions. Other areas in which further research would be beneficial to a more uniform reporting of injury hospitalisations include better identification of injuries occurring in hospital, a review of ICD-10 injury codes, and the development an ICD-10 based severity measure which can be readily used with hospital discharge data.
BIOMECHANICAL EFFECT OF THORACIC POSTERIOR VERTEBRAL ELEMENTS ON PATTERNS OF THE LOCI OF INSTANTANEOUS AXES OF ROTATION IN SAGITTAL PLANE
Authors: Teo Ee-Chon , Qiu Tian-Xia , Yang Kai , Ng Hong-Wan , Lee Kim-Kheng 
Published: December 2003

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the thoracic posterior vertebral elements on the kinematics of T10–T11 motion segment in sagittal plane by assessing the locations and loci of the instantaneous axes of rotation (IARs) under flexion and extension pure moments using finite element (FE) method. The IAR has proven to be a useful parameter of vertebral motion and it is an indicator of spinal instability. An anatomically accurate FE model of thoracic T10–T11 functional spinal unit (FSU) was used to characterize the loci of centers of rotation for the intact T10–T11 FSU and disc body unit (without posterior vertebral elements) under flexion and extension pure moments. The centers of rotation predicted by the intact model and disc body unit of thoracic T10–T11 for both flexion and extension were directly below the geometrical center of the moving vertebra. However, the loci of the IARs were significantly affected by the posterior vertebral elements. The loci of instantaneous axes of rotation for the intact model were tracked superoanteriorly and inferoposteriorly for flexion and extension with rotation, respectively. While, for the disc body unit, the loci were detected to diverge lateroinferiorly from the mid-height of the intervertebral disc, they converge medio-inferiorly toward the superior endplate of the inferior vertebra T11 with increased moment. These findings may offer an insight to better understanding the kinematics of the human thoracic spine and provide clinically relevant information for the evaluation of spinal stability and implant devices functionality.
The Fall of Kinship: Towards an Epidemiological Explanation
Authors: Sousa Paulo 
Published: December 2003

AbstractKinship used to be described as what anthropologists do. Today, many might well say that it is what anthropologists do not do. One possible explanation is that the notion of kinship fell off anthropology's radar due to the criticisms raised by Needham and Schneider among others, which supposedly demonstrated that kinship is not a sound theoretical concept. Drawing inspiration from epidemiological approaches to cultural phenomena, this article aims to enrich this explanation. Kinship became an unattractive theoretical concept in the subculture of anthropology not simply because of problems with kinship theory per se, but also on account of fundamental changes in the very conception of anthropological knowledge and the impact of these changes on the personal identity of anthropologists.
Design and Construction of an Affordable Rotating Table for Classroom Demonstrations of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Principles
Authors: McNoldy Brian D. , Cheng Anning , Eitzen Zachary A. , Moore Richard W. , Persing John , Schaefer Kevin , Schubert Wayne H. 
Published: December 2003

Rotating tables have been in use for many years because of their ability to demonstrate fluid dynamical phenomena, shedding insight on the sometimes complicated or esoteric mathematics used to describe such processes. A small team of students at the Colorado State University (CSU) Department of Atmospheric Science constructed a rotating table, or “spin tank,” assembly that is simple and affordable, yet instructive.
The apparatus is designed to be easy to maintain and operate. The number of moving parts is kept at a minimum, and the electrical components chosen are of high quality. With the aid of a brief instruction manual or tutorial, students and faculty can operate the rotating table and easily perform many demonstrations, with the freedom to vary fluid depth, rotation rate, and acceleration. The entire design and construction process was conducted on a limited budget of $3,000.
A spin tank such as this has practical applications for the qualitative study of fluid dynamics. Fundamental concepts in rotating flow dynamics can be demonstrated to supplement the more rigorous mathematical treatment typically given in oceanography or atmospheric physics graduate-level courses. Topics that have been explored thus far are Ekman pumping, Taylor columns, and barotropic instability, but could be broadened to include subjects such as Rossby waves, baroclinic instability, vortex merger, and thermal convection.
Mature dendritic cells can enhance CD8+ cell noncytotoxic anti-HIV responses: the role of IL-15
Authors: Castelli JoAnn , Thomas Elaine K. , Gilliet Michel , Liu Yong-Jun , Levy Jay A. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractThe CD8+ cell noncytotoxic anti-HIV response (CNAR) is associated with a long-term healthy clinical state in HIV-infected individuals. Over time CNAR is reduced concomitant with progression to disease. In studies to evaluate whether the interaction between CD8+ cells and dendritic cells (DCs) could increase CNAR, CD8+ cells from individuals who showed a decrease in this antiviral activity were cocultured with monocyte-derived dendritic cells matured with CD40 ligand. After coculture with these mature DCs, the CD8+ cells showed an increase in CNAR greater than that observed with CD8+ cells costimulated with CD3/CD28 antibodies. This antiviral response appeared to be mediated primarily by production of interleukin-15 (IL-15) by the mature DCs. Purified IL-15 also enhanced CNAR, whereas IL-12 showed no substantial effect. These studies provide another potential approach by which the immune system in HIV infection could be restored by cytokine therapy, particularly IL-15 administration. (Blood. 2004;103:2699-2704)
Molecular basis for a dominant inactivation of RUNX1/AML1 by the leukemogenic inversion 16 chimera
Authors: Huang Gang , Shigesada Katsuya , Wee Hee-Jun , Liu P. Paul , Osato Motomi , Ito Yoshiaki 
Published: December 2003

AbstractThe Runt domain transcription factor, PEBP2/CBF, is a heterodimer composed of 2 subunits. The DNA-binding α subunit, or RUNX protein, interacts with a partner PEBP2β/CBFβ through the evolutionarily conserved Runt domain. Each of the genes encoding RUNX1 and PEBP2β/CBFβ is frequently involved in acute myeloid leukemia. The chimeric protein, CBFβ(PEBP2β)/SMMHC, is generated as a result of inversion of chromosome 16 in such a way to retain the heterodimerization domain of PEBP2β at the amino-terminal side fused to the C-terminal coiled-coil region of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC). Here we show that, in the chimeric protein, the second heterodimerization domain is created by the fusion junction, enabling the chimeric protein to interact with RUNX1 at far greater affinity than PEBP2β and inactivate the RUNX1/AML1 function. To explain why and how heterozygous CBFB/MYH11 can inactivate homozygous RUNX1 near to completion, we propose a new model for this chimeric protein that consists of a Y-shaped dimer with unpaired N-terminal halves followed by a coiled-coil for the C-terminal region. (Blood. 2004;103:3200-3207)
Uninfected erythrocytes inhibit Plasmodium falciparum–induced cellular immune responses in whole-blood assays
Authors: Struik Siske S. , Omer Fakhreldin M. , Artavanis-Tsakonas Katerina , Riley Eleanor M. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractWhole-blood assays (WBAs) have been successfully used as a simple tool for immuno-epidemiological field studies evaluating cellular immune responses to mycobacterial and viral antigens. Rather unexpectedly, we found very poor cytokine responses to malaria antigens in WBAs in 2 immuno-epidemiological studies carried out in malaria endemic populations in Africa. We have therefore conducted a detailed comparison of cellular immune responses to live (intact) and lysed malaria-infected erythrocytes in WBAs and in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. We observed profound inhibition of both proliferative and interferon-γ responses to malarial antigens in WBAs as compared with PBMC cultures. This inhibition was seen only for malaria antigens and could not be overcome by increasing either antigen concentration or responder cell numbers. Inhibition was mediated by intact erythrocytes and occurred early in the culture period, suggesting that failure of antigen uptake might underlie the lack of T-cell responses. In support of this hypothesis, we have shown that intact uninfected erythrocytes specifically inhibit phagocytosis of infected red blood cells by peripheral blood monocytes. We propose that specific biochemical interactions with uninfected erythrocytes inhibit the phagocytosis of malaria-infected erythrocytes and that this may impede T-cell recognition in vivo. (Blood. 2004; 103:3084-3092)
Gene expression profile of adult T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia identifies distinct subsets of patients with different response to therapy and survival
Authors: Chiaretti Sabina , Li Xiaochun , Gentleman Robert , Vitale Antonella , Vignetti Marco , Mandelli Franco , Ritz Jerome , Foa Robin 
Published: December 2003

AbstractGene expression profiles were examined in 33 adult patients with T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (T-ALL). Nonspecific filtering criteria identified 313 genes differentially expressed in the leukemic cells. Hierarchical clustering of samples identified 2 groups that reflected the degree of T-cell differentiation but was not associated with clinical outcome. Comparison between refractory patients and those who responded to induction chemotherapy identified a single gene, interleukin 8 (IL-8), that was highly expressed in refractory T-ALL cells and a set of 30 genes that was highly expressed in leukemic cells from patients who achieved complete remission. We next identified 19 genes that were differentially expressed in T-ALL cells from patients who either had a relapse or remained in continuous complete remission. A model based on the expression of 3 of these genes was predictive of duration of remission. The 3-gene model was validated on a further set of T-ALL samples from 18 additional patients treated on the same clinical protocol. This study demonstrates that gene expression profiling can identify a limited number of genes that are predictive of response to induction therapy and remission duration in adult patients with T-ALL. (Blood. 2004;103:2771-2778)
Are SOCS suppressors, regulators, and degraders?
Authors: Johnston James A 
Published: December 2003

AbstractSuppressors of cytokine signaling have been identified as inhibitors of cytokine signaling and have been shown to act in a classical feedback loop. The prototype members of this family, cytokine-inducible Src homology 2-containing protein and suppressors of cytokine signaling SOC was cloned as cytokine-inducible immediate early gene that could inhibit the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription factors and block biological responses to several cytokines. Although steady progress has been made in the identification of SOCS and their physiological importance, precisely how SOCS proteins function has not yet been discovered. Many recent findings indicate that the SOCS act as adaptors that regulate the turnover of certain substrates by interacting with and activating an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Here, I explore recent evidence (presented at the International Cytokine Society meeting in Dublin, Ireland, September 2003) that SOCS molecules may not act simply as regulators of cytokine responses but may also play an essential role in determining cell fate and controlling cell differentiation.
Pathologic Variables and Recurrence Rates As Related to Obesity and Race in Men With Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Amling Christopher L. , Riffenburgh Robert H. , Sun Leon , Moul Judd W. , Lance Raymond S. , Kusuda Leo , Sexton Wade J. , Soderdahl Douglas W. , Donahue Timothy F. , Foley John P. , Chung Andrew K. , McLeod David G. 
Published: December 2003

Purpose To determine if obesity is associated with higher prostate specific antigen recurrence rates after radical prostatectomy (RP), and to explore racial differences in body mass index (BMI) as a potential explanation for the disparity in outcome between black and white men. Patients and Methods A retrospective, multi-institutional pooled analysis of 3,162 men undergoing RP was conducted at nine US military medical centers between 1987 and 2002. Patients were initially categorized as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 25 to 30 kg/m2), or normal (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2). For analysis, normal and overweight groups were combined (BMI < 30 kg/m2) and compared with the obese group (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with regard to biochemical recurrence (prostate-specific antigen ≥ 0.2 ng/mL) after RP. Results Of 3,162 patients, 600 (19.0%) were obese and 2,562 (81%) were not obese. BMI was an independent predictor of higher Gleason grade cancer (P < .001) and was associated with a higher risk of biochemical recurrence (P = .027). Blacks had higher BMI (P < .001) and higher recurrence rates (P = .003) than whites. Both BMI (P = .028) and black race (P = .002) predicted higher prostate specific antigen recurrence rates. In multivariate analysis of race, BMI, and pathologic factors, black race (P = .021) remained a significant independent predictor of recurrence. Conclusion Obesity is associated with higher grade cancer and higher recurrence rates after RP. Black men have higher recurrence rates and greater BMI than white men. These findings support the hypothesis that obesity is associated with progression of latent to clinically significant prostate cancer (PC) and suggest that BMI may account, in part, for the racial variability in PC risk.
Are Patients Diagnosed With Breast Cancer Before Age 50 Years Ever Cured?
Authors: Brenner Hermann , Hakulinen Timo 
Published: December 2003

Purpose Breast cancer diagnosed before the age of 50 years has become a common disease in many developed countries. Although average remaining life expectancy in the affected age groups is usually several decades, data regarding survival perspectives beyond 10 to 20 years after diagnosis are sparse. The aim of this study was to assess long-term survival in a large population-based sample of patients diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 years. Patients and Methods Relative survival within up to 40 years after diagnosis was assessed for cohorts of women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 years and notified to the nationwide Finnish Cancer Registry within various time intervals since 1953. In addition, up-to-date estimates of 40-year relative survival were obtained by exclusively looking at the survival experience of breast cancer patients in recent years (1993 to 1999) using period analysis, a new method of survival analysis. Results Prognosis of patients diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 years has considerably improved during the past decades. According to the latest estimates from period analysis, cumulative 40-year relative survival is now approximately 43% for all cancers combined, 57% for localized cancers, and 24% for cancers with regional tumor spread. Nevertheless, patients diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 years continue to have increased mortality throughout at least four decades after diagnosis. This applies even if breast cancer is diagnosed in a localized stage and in the absence of a second primary breast cancer. Conclusion Despite major improvement in prognosis over time, breast cancer occurring among patients who are younger than 50 years remains a chronic disease that affects prognosis for decades.