Clinical and cost-effectiveness of autologous chondrocyte implantation for cartilage defects in knee joints: systematic review and economic evaluation.

Objective: To support a review of the guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in December 2000 by examining the current clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence on autologous cartilage transplantation.

Data Sources: Electronic databases.

Review Methods: Evidence on clinical effectiveness was obtained from randomised trials, supplemented by data from selected observational studies for longer term results, and for the natural history of chondral lesions.

Sources of evidence for systematic reviews of interventions in diabetes.

Aims: To analyse the effect on systematic reviews in diabetes interventions of including only trials that are indexed in medline, and to assess the impact of adding trials from other databases and the grey literature.

Methods: All systematic reviews of diabetes interventions which included a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, and were published since 1996, were selected. The impact on the meta-analysis of including only those trials indexed in medline, and the effect of then adding trials from other sources, was assessed.

Muscle building: a scientific workout for Dr. Elisabeth Barton.

Dr. Elisabeth Barton spends her lab time building muscle. But no, you won't find her there lifting weights.

Analysis of the in vivo functions of Mrp3.

Multidrug resistance protein 3 (MRP3) is an ATP-binding cassette transporter that is able to confer resistance to anticancer agents such as etoposide and to transport lipophilic anions such as bile acids and glucuronides. These capabilities, along with the induction of the MRP3 protein on hepatocyte sinusoidal membranes in cholestasis and the expression of MRP3 in enterocytes, have led to the hypotheses that MRP3 may function in the body to protect normal tissues from etoposide, to protect cholestatic hepatocytes from endobiotics, and to facilitate bile-acid reclamation from the gut. To elucidate the role of Mrp3 in these processes, the Mrp3 gene (Abcc3) was disrupted by homologous recombination.

Systematic reviews of epidemiology in diabetes: finding the evidence.

Background: Methodological research to support searching for those doing systematic reviews of epidemiological studies is a relatively neglected area. Our aim was to determine how many databases it is necessary to search to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the literature in diabetes epidemiology, with the aim of examining the efficiency of searching in support of systematic reviews of the epidemiology of diabetes

Methods: Three approaches were used. First, we defined a set of English language diabetes journals and examined their coverage in bibliographic databases.

Variability in trauma center outcomes for patients with moderate intracranial injury.

Background: The variability of outcome between Trauma Centers has not been extensively studied as a possible avenue for performance improvement. Trauma Center variability in severity-adjusted survival for patients with moderate intracranial injury (MII) was studied in order to determine the association of MII-related process of care variables with outcomes. The analytic results were supplemented with peer review of MII patients with unexpected outcomes and identified potential process of care variables.

Decisions Hispanic families make after the identification of deafness.

This study examines the decision-making process for Hispanic families living in the United States who have a child with a hearing loss. Twenty-nine families in four geographical areas shared their experiences in searching for appropriate interventions and making choices regarding communication and education. We explored the impact of language, culture, minority status, and access to information and services on the decision-making process.

Trivalent chromium alters gene expression in the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus).

Mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) were used as a model fish species to study the effects of trivalent chromium exposure. To ascertain chromium's effects, we examined altered gene expression by differential display between fish exposed in the laboratory and fish collected from a chromium-impacted estuarine site. Twenty differentially expressed genes were found from either laboratory-exposed fish or in fish collected from the field site.

Differential gene expression in anthracene-exposed mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus).

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) anthracene is present in many estuarine systems at concentrations believed to cause sublethal adverse effects, although its exact mode of toxicity remains unclear. Knowledge of the induction or suppression of specific genes as a result of exposure may be useful in explaining these effects. We have generated a fingerprint of anthracene exposure using the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), a non-migratory estuarine fish species.

Construction of a whole-cell gene reporter for the fluorescent bioassay of nitrate.

The development of a whole-cell fluorescence-based biosensor for nitrate is reported. The sensor is Escherichia coli transformed with a plasmid (pPNARGFP) in which the promoter and regulatory regions of the membrane-bound nitrate reductase narGHJI operon (Pnar) are fused to a gfp gene encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Pnar-gfp activity was measured at a range of nitrate concentrations using whole-cell GFP fluorescence.

Differential gene expression in mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) following treatment with pyrene: comparison to a creosote contaminated site.

Mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus, an estuarine fish with a relatively small home range found along the eastern coast of the United States are well-suited to monitoring contaminant effects, including those of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). One of the common PAHs in estuaries is pyrene. We report here on efforts to develop multiple biomarkers of pyrene exposure in this species.

Altered expression of sulfotransferases, glucuronosyltransferases and mrp transporters in FVB/mrp1-/- mice.

1. Genetically altered mice increasingly are being used in toxicology and pharmaceutical development. As such, knowledge of the compensatory activity of enzymes is critical when interpreting the results of studies using these animals.

Preempting genetic discrimination and assaults on privacy: report of a symposium.

At a symposium in June, 2002, biomedical researchers, clinicians, legal experts, policymakers, and representatives of the insurance industry and the advocacy community gathered to address issues of genetic privacy and discrimination; and to identify research, legal, and policy gaps needing to be filled. They concluded that over the next decade, as more genetic information becomes available and the public becomes more aware of individual risks, concerns about privacy and discrimination will become increasingly important. Documented cases of genetic discrimination are rare and largely anecdotal, yet individuals with genetic conditions harbor significant fears about discrimination.

A new "TRISS-like" probability of survival model for intubated trauma patients.

Background: Prehospital trauma patient field intubations and paralyzations, using neuromuscular blocking agents before emergency department respiratory and neurologic assessments are made, bias assessments and outcome evaluations using probability-of-survival models, such as TRISS and A Severity Characterization of Trauma (ASCOT). We present a newly developed "TRISS-like" probability-of-survival model for intubated blunt- and penetrating-injured patient assessment.

Methods: From a population of 51397 consecutively admitted trauma patients, this study used all 5740 (11.

The multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 transports methoxychlor and protects the seminiferous epithelium from injury.

We examined the ability of the multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) to transport pesticides, as this transporter mediates the cellular efflux of a variety of xenobiotics, typically as glucuronide, sulfate, or glutathione conjugates. NIH3T3 cells stably expressing MRP1 were 3.37-fold more resistant to the toxicity of fenitrothion, 3.

Lack of association between hepatitis C virus and oral epithelial dysplasia in British patients.

Oral lichen planus may be a premalignant condition. An association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and oral lichen planus has been described in Southern European and Japanese patients, and recently an association between HCV and oral squamous cell carcinoma was suggested from a study of Japanese patients. The present study investigated the frequency of chronic liver disease and HCV infection in UK patients with oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), a known premalignant disorder.

Parental decision making and the choice of communication modality for the child who is deaf.

Background: Early intervention decisions for a deaf or hard of hearing child are difficult to make, partly because of the lack of definitive proof of the superiority of any particular communication approach.

Objective: To compare the relative importance of the child's hearing loss and parental attitudes, beliefs, values, and aspirations in the decision process.

Methods: Eighty-three parents were surveyed about decision factors that may have affected their choice of communication modality, including resource availability, attitudes and beliefs about hearing loss, values, trade-offs, and goals.

cDNA cloning, sequencing, and differential expression of a heart-type fatty acid-binding protein in the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus).

A heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) cDNA was isolated from the liver of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and the complete cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence was determined. This cDNA binds to a mRNA product of 0.95 kb with the highest level of RNA expression in the male liver, gills, and gonads.

Teaching old drugs new tricks. Meeting of the Neurodegeneration Drug Screening Consortium, 7-8 April 2002, Washington, DC, USA.

Meeting of the Neurodegeneration Drug Screening Consortium, held on 7-8 April 2002, Washington, DC, USA.

Oral yeast carriage correlates with presence of oral epithelial dysplasia.

Previous studies have suggested a link between the presence of Candida albicans and the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of the present study was to assess the presence and level of colonisation of oral yeast in patients undergoing an incisional oral mucosal biopsy in order to assess whether the amount of oral yeast present correlated with the presence and degree of oral epithelial dysplastic or neoplastic change. Two hundred and twenty-three patients who were undergoing an incisional biopsy for the diagnosis of an oral mucosal lesion were enrolled in this study.

Parental values in the decision about cochlear implantation.

Parents of children who are deaf are required to make decisions shortly after diagnosis that will affect the child's method of communication and educational placement. This study examines the role of parental values and preferences in this decision making process. Twenty families with a deaf child participated in this study.

Case-matching methodology as an adjunct to trauma performance improvement for evaluating lengths of stay and complications.

Objective: To apply case-matching methodology to a statewide trauma registry to identify for peer review one trauma center's patients with "unexpected" survival deaths, complications or prolonged length of stay in hospital (H-LOS) or in Intensive Care Unit (ICU-LOS).

Methods: Matching patients were defined by mechanism of injury, age, physiology and intubation status on emergency department admission, preexisting conditions, and the pattern and severity of anatomic injury. Matches for one trauma center's 1997 patients (TCP) were sought from other centers' patients (SWP) submitted to the statewide registry from October 1, 1993, though December 31, 1997.