SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Developability”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

[DRG based development of revenues in orthopaedic surgery. A comparison on the development of cost weights and average lengths of hospital stay in Germany (G-DRG V1.0) and in Australian teaching hospitals (AR-DRG 4.1)].

STUDY GOAL: In September 2002 the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) has passed a decree in respect to the diagnosis related group system (G-DRG) for German hospitals (KFPV). From 2003 on the basis of this decree German hospitals were offered for the first time to use the G-DRG system optionally according to the " Section 17b Abs.4 of the Hospital Financing Law (Krankenhausfinanzierungsgesetz-KHG)". In addition the preliminary calculation data for the German DRG-System were published. The goal of this study was to compare the development of the cost weights and the average lengths of hospital stay in Australian teaching hospitals between 1998 and 2001 with the cost weights and average lengths of hospital stay in German hospitals according to the data published in the first German calculation (G-DRG V1.0). METHODS: An analysis was performed using the publically accessible reports on the national hospital cost data collections from 1998 until 2001 as they were published by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care in Australia. These data were compared with the cost weight calculation and average lengths of hospital stay calculation of the Institute for the Assessment of Cost Weights (InEK GmbH) published in the G-DRG V1.0 version. RESULTS: From 1998 until 2001 the cost weights of medical procedures such as spine fusion operations and joint arthroplasty revision operations on the hip and on the knee with severe complications and co-morbidities increased continuously. This development was not seen in DRG's without complications and co-morbidities, in food and ankle procedures and in shoulder procedures. The average length of hospital stay decreased continuously with very few exceptions. The average length of stay for so called C-DRG's (I09, I12, I13, I68, I69, I71, I75, I76) and in particular so called Z-DRG's (I16-I27) are in general longer by a factor of at least 2 in German hospitals when compared to Australian hospitals. CONCLUSION: A high quality of right-coding of ICD and ICPM Codes is a prerequisite to reach the correct revenue-relevant DRG. In Germany the average length of hospital stay is significantly longer than in Australia. In general the MDC-8-DRG's have demonstrated a smaller range when compared with the first calculated German DRG's in respect to the complexity of the procedures. Future management of the expected reductions in hospital stay will be based on a continuous co-operative efforts to improve the structural-, process- and (clinical guidelines and clinical pathways) and outcome quality of our medical procedures. The central objective of this effort is the well-being of our patients.

Arthroplasty, Replacement↗

PubMed1989

Expression of the U1 RNA gene repeat during early sea urchin development: evidence for a switch in U1 RNA genes during development.

The majority of the genes for U1 RNA are organized in tandemly repeated units in the sea urchin. To assess the level of expression of these genes in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus, we measured the transcription of sequences 3' to the gene. The tandemly repeated U1 genes are expressed in morula and continue to be expressed at high rates until 2 hr after hatching, at which time the rate of expression of all the U1 genes and the tandemly repeated U1 genes declines sharply. By the gastrula stage the synthesis of total U1 RNA has declined by a factor of 8. The major tandemly repeated genes are inactive by this time, although other U1 genes remain active. The sequence of U1 RNA synthesized late in embryonic development differs from the sequence of U1 RNA encoded by the tandemly repeated set of U1 RNA genes, indicating that there must be other U1 RNA genes that are active late in embryonic development.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Timely immunization subverts the development of peripheral nonresponsiveness and suppresses tumor development in simian virus 40 tumor antigen-transgenic mice.

Tolerance to tumor cell-expressed molecules and selection of cells that evade immune surveillance during tumor progression create effective barriers to immunotherapy. We investigated the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to simian virus 40 (SV40) tumor (T/t) antigen in two lineages of transgenic mice bearing the same rat insulin promoter-SV40 T/t antigen (RIP Tag) hybrid gene. RIP1-Tag2 mice, which express Tag as embryos, are tolerant to Tag, whereas RIP1-Tag4 mice, which express the transgene in pancreatic islet beta cells several weeks after birth and develop insulinomas, can be immunized to generate active Tag-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes as determined by in vitro assays. Indeed, RIP1-Tag4 mice immunized with Tag by SV40 infection prior to the time of endogenous transgene expression also mount an effective in vivo cellular immune response to the Tag-expressing pancreatic beta cells, and Tag-induced tumor growth is significantly delayed (up to 1 year). However, after the transgene is expressed, RIP1-Tag4 mice are unable to mount a tumor-inhibiting response upon immunization, although Tag-specific cytotoxic T cells can still be demonstrated in vitro. Our data suggest that Tag-specific T cells are rendered unresponsive in vivo in RIP1-Tag4 mice and that the establishment of this unresponsiveness to Tag can be prevented by SV40 immunization only before the onset of the transgene expression. In the older, successfully immunized mouse, decreased immune surveillance and selection of cells with down-regulation of major histocompatibility complex class I expression most likely set the stage for insulinoma development.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

Growth and the development of dietary obesity in adulthood of rats which have been undernourished during development.

1. The effect of feeding a highly-palatable and varied diet on growth and body composition was assessed in male rats, some of which had undergone a period of undernutrition early in their development. 2. Undernutrition during gestation had no effects on weight, length or fat content of offspring in adulthood. Rats underfed during the first 3 weeks of postnatal life were shorter, lighter and more lean as adults than controls which had been well nourished through life. 3. Feeding the palatable diet from weaning led to increases in length and fat-free mass, and to comparable extents of obesity in all groups, irrespective of whether they had suffered either period of undernutrition. Access of palatable food for 30 d in adulthood also led to obesity, but to increases in length and fat-free mass in only the groups undernourished during suckling. 4. Withdrawal of the palatable diet led to some initial weight loss in all groups, irrespective of whether they had been undernourished during development; and 100 d following the replacement of the palatable with stock diet, there were no longer differences in weight between groups which had received palatable food, and those given stock diet throughout. 5. Nevertheless, those rats which had been undernourished during the suckling period and subsequently fed on the palatable diet still showed increased length and fat-free mass relative to their controls fed on the stock diet throughout. 6. All groups which had received the palatable diet, whether from weaning or as adults, and irrespective of early nutrition, were significantly less fat 100 d after its withdrawal than were those rats fed on the stock diet throughout life.

Aging↗

PubMed1991

Digestive development of the early-weaned pig. 1. Effect of continuous nutrient supply on the development of the digestive tract and on changes in digestive enzyme activity during the first week post-weaning.

Gastric intubation was adopted to examine the effect of continuous nutrient supply on digestive development of the pig during the immediate post-weaning period. The 14 d-weaned animals were slaughtered at 3, 5 and 7 d post-weaning (3W, 5W and 7W respectively) and the suckled animals were slaughtered at 14 and 22 d of age (14SR and 22SR respectively). The weight of the pancreas (g/kg bodyweight) was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) in the 5W and 7W groups, as was the weight of large intestine (g/kg) in all weaned groups (P less than 0.01) compared with sow-reared pigs. The stomach weight (g/kg) tended to be greater in the weaned groups. Weaning, in conjunction with a continuous nutrient supply, did not significantly alter the time-related changes in the weight of the small intestine (SI) or the SI mucosa, although both variables tended to be lowest in the 3W group. However, there was a 20% reduction in the protein content of the mucosa within the first 3 d post-weaning (P less than 0.01) which persisted during the 7 d experimental period. Lactase, (beta-galactosidase; EC 3.2.1.23) activity (mumol/g protein and mol/d) of the 7W group was reduced to approximately 40% of the 22SR value. Hence, continuous nutrient supply may have delayed, but did not prevent, the loss of lactase activity at weaning. The activity of sucrase (sucrose-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.48) was significantly higher in 22SR compared with 14SR animals. Sucrase activity in weaned pigs was intermediate to the values for sow-reared pigs whereas maltase (alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.20) and glucoamylase (glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.3) were significantly increased in relation to their sow-reared counterparts. Continuous nutrient supply did not prevent the reduction in villous height and the crypt hypertrophy associated with weaning. The results of the present study suggest that there may be some degree of interaction between nutrient intake and gut development during the immediate post-weaning period but that there is also a component of the adaptive response which is independent of nutrient intake. They confirm the rapid substrate induction of the brush-border glucoamylases and indicate the importance of considering total as well as specific enzyme activity for satisfactory interpretation of changes in digestive function.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

PubMed2003

Food and nutrition policies of Nordic countries: how have they been developed and what evidence substantiates the development of these policies?

The present paper addresses the emergence and development of Nordic food and nutrition policies, with some reference to the types of nutrition policies characteristic of other North European countries. Nutrition programmes aimed at dietary change have a long history of public responsibility in several Nordic and North European countries. The extent of involvement, the orientation and (indication of) success have, however, varied considerably between countries. First, different types of policies are characterised by their choice of programmes and measures, e.g. information campaigns v. market regulation or catering and public services. Second, the distinctions are associated not only with programmes, but also with the status and validity of nutritional advice and dietary guidelines in public policy making. Third, when focusing on how and on what grounds the governments have developed nutrition policies, it is evident that while more or less the same participants and issues are involved, their roles and relationships may be different. In this case the role and involvement of nutritional expertise and scientific arguments in various countries will be discussed. Finally, nutrition policies may entail conflicts of interest, particularly when health concerns are confronted with food industry and agricultural interests. This situation is quite evident in the question of animal fat. The present paper addresses how these issues have been dealt with quite differently in various countries.

Europe↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The development of a computer controlled system to simulate in rats, the rapid, frequent changes in oxygen experienced by preterm infants developing retinopathy of prematurity.

Preterm infants that develop severe ROP have significantly more fluctuations in their transcutaneous oxygen compared to mild or no ROP, despite the fact that all these infants are kept within clinically 'safe' limits. Current animal models do not accurately reflect this oxygen environment. Our aim was to custom build equipment capable of reproducing the transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) levels recorded by infant cotside monitoring equipment in a rat model and assess the equipment's precision. Using previously published data for the rat that translates TcPO2 into the equivalent inspired FiO2, a profile was derived from a datalog of TcPO2 values recorded every minute for 14 days in an infant that had developed severe ROP. This profile was controlled in the animal chamber by software algorithms which calculated the amount and type of gas to be injected to move oxygen to each new set-point. CO2 regulation within the chamber was also possible. Absolute differences between the datalog set-points (n = 17,465) and the oxygen sensor were median 0.3% oxygen, IQR 0.2-0.7% oxygen, with 95% of the differences < +/- 2% oxygen. The equipment is capable of reproducing the oxygen environment experienced by a preterm ventilated infant, giving a satisfactory level of precision.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1987

Development of a sampling and analytical method for measuring the epoxy content of aerosols: I. Development of the analytical method.

A method has been developed for determining the quantity of the epoxide functional group in pure epoxy resins, resins in partially-cured mixtures with amine curing agents, and commercial epoxy surface coatings. The method is based upon the reaction of the epoxide group with bromide in the presence of acid, with measurement of excess bromide in the reaction mixture by normal pulse polarography. The method extends the range of previously reported methods for epoxy analysis to samples containing 1 to 100 microequivalents (microeq) of epoxide functionality, while maintaining good precision and accuracy (coefficient of variation less than 0.06; accuracy within 2% of expected). The method has been developed for application to analysis of the epoxy content of environmental aerosols such as those of epoxy paint sprays.

Aerosols↗

PubMed1999

Morphological and functional development of the rumen in the calf: influence of the time of weaning. 1. Morphological development of rumen mucosa.

The objective of this study was to determine whether the nutritional regimen of rearing calves would influence the morphometric and histological development of rumen mucosa. Twelve male Holstein calves 7 d of age were assigned to three groups of 4 animals each: milk group (I), early weaned (6 weeks) group (II) and late weaned (9 weeks) group (III). All animals received additional solid feed. Animals of group I were slaughtered after 6 weeks of age, whereas those in groups II and III were slaughtered after 9 weeks of age. At slaughter, the ruminal digesta amounted to 2035 g (milk group), 3092 g (late weaned group) and 5374 g (early weaned group). The differences in the ruminal molar percentage of SCFA were not significant. There was a trend for lower pH and higher SCFA concentrations in the order late weaned, early weaned and milk fed animals (pH: 6.4, 6.6 and 6.7, respectively; SCFA: 96, 87 and 77 mmol/l, respectively). The mean length (1.07 mm in milk group, 1.45 mm in late weaned group and 1.87 mm in early weaned group), width (0.43, 0.58 and 0.71 mm, respectively) and surface of papillae (190, 232 and 241 mm2/cm2 mucosa, respectively) increased with both the age of the animals and the elevated intake of solid feed, whereas the number of papillae (210, 140 and 92 per cm2 mucosa, respectively) decreased. In both milk-fed groups type A and B corneal cells were present in the Stratum corneum, whereas in the earlier weaned calves type C-cells could be also seen. These findings indicate a more advanced stage of development of the rumen epithelium in the earlier weaned calves fed higher amounts of concentrate and hay.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1991

Development of Phodopus sungorus brown preadipocytes in primary cell culture: effect of an atypical beta-adrenergic agonist, insulin, and triiodothyronine on differentiation, mitochondrial development, and expression of the uncoupling protein UCP.

A new cellular model for the study of brown adipocyte development and differentiation in vitro is presented. Preadipocytes isolated from brown adipose tissue (BAT) of the djungarian dwarf hamster Phodopus sungorus are able to proliferate and differentiate in vitro into true brown adipocytes able to express the BAT marker protein the uncoupling protein (UCP). Whereas basal UCP expression is very low, its mRNA levels as well as the UCP detected by immunoblotting are highly increased by beta-adrenergic stimulation. The novel, atypical beta-adrenergic compound D7114 (ICI Pharmaceuticals, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England) was found to increase the number of adipocytes as well as UCP mRNA and UCP content of mitochondria, indicating the involvement of an atypical or beta 3 receptor. Insulin was found to play an important role in brown adipocyte differentiation and mitochondrial development, whereas T3 seemed to be implicated more directly in UCP expression. In a defined, serum-free medium a synergistic stimulatory action of insulin and T3 on UCP expression was found, which seems to involve a pathway different from that of beta-adrenergic UCP stimulation.

Adipose Tissue, Brown↗

PubMed1986

T cell development in B cell-deficient mice. V. Stopping anti-mu treatment results in Igh-restricted expansion of the T suppressor cell repertoire concomitant with the development of normal immunoglobulin levels.

B cell-deficient (anti-mu-treated) mice have proven to be a valuable tool with which to examine the influence of Ig idiotypic determinants upon the development of the Ts repertoire. We have previously reported that ABA-specific Ts repertoires matured in normal and Ig-deficient environments differ from one another in their composition, and consequently, their functionally expressed Igh restrictions. The present report characterizes the impact of natural development of mature B cell activity upon the composition of the Ts repertoire. After stopping anti-mu treatment of C.AL-20 mice, ABA-specific Ts repertoires undergo a defined expansion shown by their acquisition of an additional Ts network that displays Igh restrictions characteristic of normal C.AL-20 mice. This Igh-1d-restricted repertoire can be readily shown within 2 wk of major increases in surface Ig spleen cells and total serum Ig levels in these mice. At the same time, the original Ts restriction specificity (Igh-1a-restricted) generated in the Ig-deficient environment of anti-mu. C.AL-20 mice, is not lost for at least 20 wk. The resulting dual Ts repertoire, characterized by expression of parallel, idiotypically restricted Ts networks, is demonstrable for at least 13 wk. These findings favor an important role for Ig determinants in determining the makeup of the T cell repertoire, and ultimately, the composition of immunologic networks as a whole.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Conditional JAG1 mutation shows the developing heart is more sensitive than developing liver to JAG1 dosage.

Mutations of Jagged 1 (JAG1), a ligand in the Notch signaling pathway, cause Alagille syndrome (AGS). AGS is an autosomal dominant, multisystem disorder with variable expressivity, characterized by bile duct paucity and resultant liver disease in combination with cardiac, ocular, skeletal, and facial findings. JAG1 mutations in AGS include gene deletions and protein truncating, splicing, and missense mutations, suggesting that haploinsufficiency is the mechanism of disease causation. With limited exceptions, there is no genotype-phenotype correlation. We have studied a JAG1 missense mutation (JAG1-G274D) that was previously identified in 13 individuals from an extended family with cardiac defects of the type seen in patients with AGS (e.g., peripheral pulmonic stenosis and tetralogy of Fallot) in the absence of liver dysfunction. Our data indicate that this mutation is "leaky." Two populations of proteins are produced from this allele. One population is abnormally glycosylated and is retained intracellularly rather than being transported to the cell surface. A second population is normally glycosylated and is transported to the cell surface, where it is able to signal to the Notch receptor. The JAG1-G274D protein is temperature sensitive, with more abnormally glycosylated (and nonfunctional) molecules produced at higher temperatures. Carriers of this mutation therefore have >50% but <100% of the normal concentration of JAG1 molecules on the cell surface. The cardiac-specific phenotype associated with this mutation suggests that the developing heart is more sensitive than the developing liver to decreased dosage of JAG1.

Alagille Syndrome↗

PubMed2001

Developing and evaluating complementary therapy services: Part 1. Establishing service provision through the use of evidence and consensus development.

The integration of complementary therapies within the British National Health Service (NHS) in the context of limited evidence of effectiveness has been much debated, as has the need for the provision of health services to be more evidence-based. In June 1994, a project was launched within a South-East London NHS Hospital Trust to introduce complementary therapy (acupuncture, homeopathy, and osteopathy), in the context of an evaluation program. This followed approximately 4 years of working toward raising the profile of complementary therapies within the hospital through study days, workshops, and providing a massage and osteopathic service for staff. A survey of local general practitioners highlighted areas of complementary therapy provision and interest in referring patients to a hospital-based service. A steering group was established to draw together a proposal for funding the service. Evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture, homeopathy, and osteopathy was presented at a multidisciplinary seminar. A consensus development process, using a modified Delphi technique to establish referral indicators followed this. This study provides a useful model of service development in the absence of good quality evidence for the effectiveness of clinical interventions.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2002

Development of a novel method of female sterilization: I. The development of a novel method of hysteroscopic sterilization.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For more than 100 years, gynecologists have attempted to effect sterilization via a transuterine approach. Our aim was to develop a safe, simple, rapid method of sterilization that could be performed in the outpatient clinic. The authors felt that a tubal screw based on a "self-tapping" screw would be less likely to become dislodged from the uterine cornu with time because multiple backward-pointing threads prevent it from being displaced. METHODS: During the development of the technique, many changes had to be made to deliver the tubal screw effectively to the uterine cornu. These involved overcoming problems of poor cornual distension before screw application, effecting the requisite deflection toward the uterine cornu, performing the screwing action with a deflected applicator, and finally disimpacting the screw. Changes were made to the tubal screw, hysteroscope, method of uterine distension, method of deflection, screw applicator, and method of disimpaction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The system that appears to be the most efficient consists of a 25F cystoscope with a variable bridge, a 4-mm 30-degree endoscope, and an unsealed spring applicator with bayonet mounting on the screw applied with the use of a pressure bag for uterine distension with saline solution.

Female↗

PubMed1999

Curve smoothing and transformations in the development of growth curves.

Growth charts such as those published by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) consist of a set of smoothed percentile curves showing the distribution of different aspects of body size for infants, children, and adolescents. The original NCHS growth charts are currently being revised to incorporate additional national data, to include growth curves for body mass index (BMI, in kg/m2), to reduce or eliminate dis-continuities, and to use new and improved methods of smoothing. Methods of curve smoothing in the development of growth curves are briefly discussed in the context of this revision by using examples based on the provisional data set for revision of the growth curves. Among the factors that may affect the construction of the revised growth curves are sample sizes, sampling weights, and secular trends. The use of BMI or other weight-height indexes in growth curves presents some new issues because these transformations of weight and height data do not increase monotonically with age. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of several different approaches to creating smoothed percentiles and standardized scores are discussed briefly. These effects need to be considered in the broader context of constructing growth curves. No single method of developing smoothed curves is clearly the best for all purposes, and estimates of overweight and underweight may be sensitive to the method chosen. Alternative approaches to constructing smoothed curves by using weight-height functions other than BMI might warrant further exploration.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1978

Functional development of cardiac sympathetic nerves in newborn dogs: evidence for asymmetrical development.

The functional development of cardiac sympathetic nerves was investigated in 52 puppies, 1 to 6 weeks of age. The effect of nerve stimulation on refractory period shortening at eight epicardial sites was used as criterion. Zero or minimal effect was observed at the first week of life for all the nerves tested, then a sharp increase of effect was observed at the second week, while at the third week, an unexpected decrease was observed for all nerves. At the fourth week, the effect increased again and remained high for the subsequent weeks. Thus functional sympathetic innervation of the heart is not complete at birth, but continues to develop throughout the first 6 weeks of life, following an irregular pattern of progression. The nonuniform maturation of cardiac nerves coupled with the localised distribution of the nerves may provide a basis for regional sympathetic imbalance and subsequent arrhythmiogenesis in early life.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The development of an immunoblotting assay for the quantification of liver fatty acid-binding protein during embryonic and early posthatch development of turkeys (Meleagridis gallopavo).

Turkey (Meleagridis gallopavo) liver cytosolic fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was purified and used as a standard for quantification. An immunoblotting procedure was developed to study the ontogeny of liver cytosolic FABP during embryonic and early posthatch development in turkey poults. Liver FABP activity was also determined indirectly through the use of gel filtration chromatography followed by a ligand-binding assay. The specific activity of liver FABP (ng/mg of cytosolic protein) increased with length of incubation, peaking initially at Day 22, declining between Days 22 and 25, and increasing again from hatch (Day 28) to 6 d posthatch. The specific activity of liver FABP increased 12-fold between Day 13 of incubation and 6 d posthatch compared with total activity, which increased from 946 to 1.01 x 10(6) ng/liver during the same period, a 1,067-fold increase. The results from both analytical procedures were similar, suggesting that the immunoblot method could be used to quantify liver FABP concentrations. The observed increases in FABP activity throughout the embryonic period and first days after hatching paralleled increases in liver lipid concentration. Therefore, liver FABP may be associated with hepatocyte fatty acid transport and metabolism during the latter stages of incubation and early posthatch period.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Canopy dynamics and the morphological development of Abies balsamea: effects of foliage age on specific leaf area and secondary vascular development.

Data were collected from two branches from each whorl of nine open-grown Abies balsamea (L.) Miller trees to test the hypothesis that specific leaf area (SLA, m(2) projected fresh leaf area kg(-1) oven-dry foliage) is constant among five foliage age classes (current-year, 1-year-old, 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old-plus). Between-tree variation in SLA was greater than within-tree variation. Differences in SLA among the foliage age classes were small, but statistically significant, showing a trend of decreasing SLA with increasing foliage age. Using data from two previous biomass studies, we found that three different methods of calculating SLA of individual trees produced the same projected leaf area estimates. To test the hypothesis that foliage mass increases with foliage age as a result of secondary xylem or phloem development, we examined the secondary vascular development of foliage collected from five age classes and three crown sections in an open-grown A. balsamea. The number of rows of xylem cells was not constant among foliage age classes, but the differences were small and showed no consistent pattern of change with foliage age. Total number of rows of phloem cells increased, number of living rows of phloem cells decreased, and the number of rows of nonliving crushed phloem cells increased with foliage age.

Journal Article↗