bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical impact of peroral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal motility disorders on esophageal muscle layer thickness
Authors: Watanabe Daisuke , Tanaka Shinwa , Kawara Fumiaki , Abe Hirohumi , Ariyoshi Ryusuke , Nakano Yoshiko , Takao Toshitatsu , Morita Yoshinori , Toyonaga Takashi , Umegaki Eiji , Kodama Yuzo 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Background and study aims Previously, we reported that esophageal muscle layer thickness was associated with technical complexity of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). However, there are no data regarding the mid-term effects of POEM procedures on esophageal muscle layer thickness. Therefore, we conducted this study to elucidate mid-term effects of POEM procedures, and to examine whether postoperative changes in esophageal muscle layer thickness were related to particular clinico-pathological features in patients with esophageal motility disorders.
Patients and methods Seventy-four consecutive patients with esophageal motility disorders who underwent POEM at Kobe University Hospital from April 2015 to December 2016 were prospectively recruited into this study. First, we investigated the esophageal muscle layer thickness values obtained at 1 year after POEM. Second, we evaluated the effects of a reduction in muscle layer thickness on various clinico-pathological features.
Results At 1 year after POEM, mean thickness of the inner circular muscle at 0 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm from the esophagogastric junction was 1.06 ± 0.45 mm, 0.99 ± 0.36 mm, and 0.97 ± 0.44 mm, respectively. Among all sites, muscle layer thickness had significantly decreased after POEM. However, univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that no clinical factors were associated with esophageal muscle layer thickness after POEM procedure.
Conclusions We demonstrated for the first time that thickness of the esophageal muscle layer was significantly decreased after POEM. This result reveals that changes in esophageal muscle layer thickness caused by esophageal motility disorders are reversible.
Congenital Hypothyroidism is Associated With Impairment of the Leptin Signaling Pathway in the Hypothalamus in Male Wistar Animals in Adult Life
Authors: Aiceles Veronica , Gombar Flavia , Cavalcante Fernanda , Ramos Cristiane 
Published: April 2019

AbstractThe goal of this study is to investigate whether congenital hypothyroidism induced by MMI during gestation (G) or gestation plus lactation (GL) would affect the leptin action upon body weight control on hypothalamus. Six to eight pups per group were killed at 90 days of age. For statistical analysis one-way ANOVA followed by the Holm–Sìdak post hoc test was used. Hypothyroidism resulted in a significant increase in leptin serum levels in G 20% and GL 25% (p<0.04). There was a significant expression decrease of OBR in G 45% and GL 63%; pSTAT3 in G 56% and GL 51%; pERK in G 50% and GL 48%; POMC in G 41% and GL 46% (p<0.04), while a significant increase was assigned to SOCS3 in G 52% and GL 170% (p<0.04) protein expression. We can conclude that hypothyroxinemia condition in rats on adulthood results in impairment of the leptin signaling pathway via ObRb-STAT3 in the hypothalamus, which is likely to be involved in the leptin resistance.
Postoperative Ileus
Authors: Harnsberger Cristina , Maykel Justin , Alavi Karim 
Published: April 2019

AbstractPostoperative ileus (POI) is a common complication following colon and rectal surgery, with reported incidence ranging from 10 to 30%. It can lead to increased morbidity, cost, and length of stay. Although definitions vary considerably in the literature, in its pathologic form, it can be characterized by a temporary inhibition of gastrointestinal motility after surgical intervention due to nonmechanical causes that prevents sufficient oral intake. Various risk factors for development of POI have been identified including increasing age, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores 3 to 4, open approach, operative difficulty, operative duration more than 3 hours, bowel handling, drop in hematocrit or need for a transfusion, increasing crystalloid administration, and delayed mobilization. While treatment is expectant and supportive, significant investigations into strategies to mitigate development of POI or shorten its duration have been undertaken with mixed results. There is significant evidence to suggest that a minimally invasive approach and multimodal pain regimens reduce the development of POI. The beneficial effect of chewing gum, alvimopan, and enhanced recovery after surgery protocols may decrease development of POI in selected groups of patients who undergo elective colorectal surgery, and shorten time to return of bowel function, but overall, the data remain inconclusive.
A Clinical Study on 299 Cases of Nasal Bone Fractures
Authors: Saiki Tadahiko , Ogawa Teruhiro , Kuroda Kazuaki , Miyahara Satoko , Makino Takuma , Koyama Takahisa , Onoda Tomoo 
Published: April 2019

AbstractWe clinically investigated 299 cases of fresh nasal bone fractures diagnosed using computed tomography (CT) scan in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2017. The ages of the patients ranged from 2 to 93 years with an average of 29.4 years. There were 207 males and 92 females. The causes of the nasal bone fractures included sports (93 cases), falls (80 cases), blow or injuries (53 cases), violence or fights (40 cases), and traffic accidents (33 cases). Males in their teenage years accounted for the majority of cases, particularly in the sports-related injuries. In these cases, the most common cause was baseball (32 cases), followed by soccer (19 cases), softball (15 cases), basketball (8 cases), and so on. In the cases of traffic accidents, nasal bone fractures were caused by bicycles (18 cases), cars (10 cases), motorcycles (2 cases), and so on. Elderly males and females accounted for high numbers of falls. The external appearance of the nasal bone fractures were divided into three types: the displacement type (171 cases), depressed type (96 cases), and mixed type (32 cases). CT scan revealed nasal septum fractures in 132 cases (44.2%). Complicated facial bone fractures, apart from nasal septum fractures, were found in 35 cases (11.7%, mainly blow-out and maxillary bone fractures). In total, 221 cases (73.9%) underwent closed reductions of the nasal bone fracture. Of these, 206 cases (93.2%) were treated under general anesthesia and in 131 cases (59.3%), open reduction of the nasal septum fractures was mainly performed. In the cases of nasal bone fractures combined with nasal septum fractures, open reduction of the nasal septum fractures was helpful for the recovery of the nasal obstruction and nasal deformity.
Complications of Injectables in the Perioral Region
Authors: Talei Ben 
Published: April 2019

AbstractThe continual advent of novel injectables has broadened the potential applications and use for facial aesthetics immensely. There are inherent risks and limitations in predictability associated with any product that is injected freely into human tissues that may possess bioreactivity. This article seeks to elucidate the most commonly feared complications as well as minor complications often overlooked by practitioners. The author also discusses the corresponding appropriate treatments.
Smoking and Obesity are Risk Factors for Thirty-Day Readmissions Following Skull Base Surgery
Authors: Makwana Milan , Taylor Peter N. , Stew Benjamin T. , Shone Geoffrey , Hayhurst Caroline 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Background Thirty-day readmission has become a significant health care metric reflecting the quality of care and on the cost of service delivery. There is little data on the impact of complications following skull base surgery (SBS) on emergency readmission. Identifying modifiable risk factors for readmission may improve care and reduce cost.
Design The study was designed as a single-center retrospective cohort study.
Methods Records for a consecutive series of 165 patients who underwent open or endoscopic SBS by a single surgeon reviewed. Patients with pituitary adenoma were excluded. The diagnosis, procedure, complications, length of stay (LOS), body mass index (BMI), and smoking status were recorded. Readmission to the neurosurgical department or regional hospitals was either noted prospectively or the patient contacted. Cause and length of readmission was documented.
Results Of the 165 cases, 14 (8.5%) were readmitted within 30 days. Causes for readmission included cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak in 5/14 or 35.7% (overall rate for readmission for this complication in the series is 3.1%), infection in 4/14 (28.6%), hyponatraemia in 2/14 (14.3%), vascular: sinus thrombosis in 1/14 (7.1%), seizures in 1/14 (7.1%), and epistaxis in 1/14 (7.1%). Initial and readmission LOS was 6 and 14 days, respectively. BMI was higher in those readmitted within 30 days (33.2 kg/m2) versus no readmission (27.1 kg/m2). In addition, of those readmitted within 30 days, 35.7% were smokers compared with 20.8% in those not readmitted.
Conclusion In this series, smoking and raised BMI may be indicators for within 30-day readmission and complications in this population, raising the question of risk factor modification prior to elective intervention.
Intracranial Mature Teratoma in an Adult Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Romić Dominik , Raguž Marina , Marčinković Petar , Sesar Patricija , Špero Martina , Čolak Romić Zrinka , Dlaka Domagoj , Chudy Darko 
Published: April 2019

Introduction: Primary intracranial teratoma is a subtype of germ cell tumors, classified into three subtypes. They occur very rarely, with only several reported individual cases in adults.
Case Description We present a patient with an intermittent headache in the right frontal region. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right sided high frontal parasagittal mass that compressed the falx, the right lateral ventricle, as well as the brain parenchyma. Patient underwent surgical treatment. Histopathological analysis described mature teratoma. Four months after the surgical treatment there were no signs of residual intracranial mass or relapse.
Discussion Primary intracranial teratoma in adults has a nonspecific clinical presentation. MRI reveals a solitary irregular mass with multilocularity and mixed signals derived from different tissues. The patients age, biochemical markers, and patohistological analysis are necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
Conclusion Teratoma treatment strategy still remains controversial. It includes radical resection whenever possible. Since the residual portion of mature teratoma may contain part of immature or malignant tissue, tumor recurrence after surgical removal is possible. Also, new tumor mass could occur at other sites intracranial after the initial one was removed. Thus, although patients usually recover, they should be followed-up for a long period of time.
Meaning Through Caregiving: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Informal Carers
Authors: Chan Chak K , Vickers Tom , Barnard Adam 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
This article reports the findings of a qualitative investigation of the way people find meaning through caregiving. It draws on the results of in-depth interviews with 37 informal carers and 11 stakeholders in Nottinghamshire, the United Kingdom. For most respondents caregiving involved looking after family members—for example, husband or wife, father or mother, young or adult children and mother-in-law. The meaning that respondents found through caregiving motivated them to cope with the difficulties associated with looking after a person in need. This research found that most informal carers operate with long-standing, gender-based understandings of their role, creating a potential risk that using gender-neutral terminology when referring to family members may obscure the subjective values that carers attach to informal caregiving and lead to role confusion. Moreover, although informal carers typically feel obliged to take care of family members in need and may value this role, they often require additional support from the state to reduce the pressures associated with caregiving and to enable them to continue to lead a meaningful life both within and beyond their caring role.
Rectal-prolapse repair in men is safe, but outcomes are not well understood
Authors: Poylin Vitaliy Y , Irani Jennifer L , Rahbar Reza , Kapadia Muneera R 
Published: April 2019

AbstractIntroductionRectal prolapse is a condition that occurs infrequently in men and there is little literature guiding treatment in this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical approach and outcomes of rectal-prolapse repair in men.MethodsA retrospective multicenter review was conducted of consecutive men who underwent rectal-prolapse repair between 2004 and 2014. Surgical approaches and outcomes, including erectile function and fecal continence, were evaluated.ResultsDuring the study period, 58 men underwent rectal-prolapse repair and the mean age of repair was 52.7 ± 24.1 years. The mean follow-up was 13.2 months (range, 0.5–117 months). The majority of patients underwent endoscopic evaluation (78%), but few patients underwent anal manometry (16%), defecography (9%) or ultrasound (3%). Ten patients (17%) underwent biofeedback/pelvic-floor physical therapy prior to repair. Nineteen patients (33%) underwent a perineal approach (most were perineal proctosigmoidectomy). Thirty-nine patients (67%) underwent repair using an abdominal approach (all were suture rectopexy) and, of these, 77% were completed using a minimally invasive technique. The overall complication rate was 26% including urinary retention (16%), which was more common in patients undergoing the perineal approach (32% vs. 8%, P = 0.028), urinary-tract infection (7%) and wound infection (3%). The overall recurrence rate was 9%, with no difference between abdominal and perineal approaches. Information on sexual function was missing in the majority of patients both before and after surgery (76% and 78%, respectively).Conclusion Rectal-prolapse repair in men is safe and has a low recurrence rate; however, sexual function was poorly recorded across all institutions. Further studies are needed to evaluate to best approach to and functional outcomes of rectal-prolapse repair in men.
FAST: Fast and Accurate Synoptic Texts
Authors: Brill Oran , Koppel Moshe , Shmidman Avi 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Many classical texts are available in multiple versions that almost always differ from each other due to transcription error and editorial discretion. One of the central challenges in the study of such texts is the preparation of a ‘synoptic’ text: an aligned presentation of the various versions in which corresponding words or phrases, even if not identical, are mapped to each other. Multiple text alignment of this sort must take into account orthographic and conceptual relationships between words. In this article, we define this text alignment problem as an optimization problem by providing a formal measure of alignment quality. Unlike previous measures, our measure uses word embeddings to take into account conceptual similarity between aligned words. We propose an efficient and scalable alignment method in accordance with the proposed criteria. This method splits the texts to be aligned into smaller subtexts, thus improving both efficiency and accuracy. Empirical comparisons on sample data indicate our method is significantly faster than existing methods, often rendering intractable problems tractable, and that the alignment obtained by our method is considerably better than that obtained by other methods.
MEASUREMENT OF AMBIENT CARBON-14 BY USING THE GEL SUSPENSION COUNTING METHOD
Authors: Chen Qianyuan , Chen Chongyang , Zhuo Weihai 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
For monitoring the ambient 14C, the CaCO3 suspension counting method was established in this work. In the preparation of CaCO3 powder, a two-stage sampler with 3 mol L−1 NaOH absorbent was designed to collect the ambient CO2 at a sampling flow rate of 1 L min−1, and then the CaCO3 was precipitated by adding saturated CaCl2 solution. By using 2 g of CaCO3 powder, 4 mL double-distilled water and 14 mL scintillation cocktail, the lower limit detection could reach 20.0 mBq m−3 by using a commercially available low background liquid scintillation counter. Co-comparison experiments showed that the activity concentration of 14C measured by the gel suspension counting method consisted well with the results of other three methods. It indicates that the CaCO3 suspension counting method is also a practical method for routine monitoring of ambient 14C.
DOMESTIC RADON EXPOSURE AND CHILDHOOD LEUKAEMIA AND LYMPHOMA: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN CANADA
Authors: Chen Jing , Xie Lin 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
In this paper, we revisit the possibility, first raised using a data set collected in the 1970s, that there is a link between average radon concentrations and the incidence of childhood leukaemia and lymphoma in Canada. Following the launch of the National Radon Program in 2007, Health Canada completed a long-term radon survey in 33 census metropolitan areas (CMAs), which covers about 70% of the Canadian population. We used this data, together with leukaemia and lymphoma incidence rates among children (0–14 years of age) in the past decade (2006–15), and tried to link the city-level average radon concentrations to the leukaemia and lymphoma incidence rates in 33 major Canadian cities. Analyses were conducted for six subtypes (ALL, AML, CMD, HL, NHL and BL) of leukaemia and lymphoma. Estimated doses to red bone marrow from domestic radon exposure were low and we did not find any association between radon exposure at home and the increased risk for developing leukaemia among children under 15 years of age living in the CMAs. The results indicate a slight positive association for AML among 1–4 year males in CMAs of Peer Group C and NHL among 5–9 year females in CMAs of Peer Group A; however, these should be interpreted with caution owing to the crude exposure assessment and possibilities of other confounding factors.
RADON CONCENTRATIONS IN DWELLING OF SOUTH KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA
Authors: Nugraha Eka Djatnika , Wahyudi Kusdiana , Iskandar Dadong 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Determination radon concentrations in dwelling in South of Kalimantan Province by using a passive method had been conducted. South Kalimantan is a province in Indonesia and also known as a coal mining area which has the potential for internal exposure of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the human. The research area divided into several sections called grid. Each grid represents a 60 km × 60 km area that installed passive radon monitoring 10 population. Passive radon monitors installed in the dwelling with exposures time approximately 3–4 months and then radon monitors were collected and brought to the laboratory for processing and then read the track to calculate the radon concentrations. The data concentrations of radon in the dwelling and GPS location as an input to the make a map of radon concentration by using MapInfo Software v.10.5. The results of the analysis of the concentration of radon in the dwelling of South Kalimantan in the ranged 3.1 ± 0.2 Bq m−3 up to 94.0 ± 6.7 Bq m−3. The result was lower than the reference level radon set by UNSCEAR was 300 Bq m−3. These data are useful in the development plans and regional development, as well as the basis for health policy analysis due to radon in Indonesia. Furthermore, these data will be the contribution of Indonesia in the international world through UNSCEAR, IAEA and WHO. The data obtained as an input in making a map of the concentration of radon in houses of Kalimantan Selatan as part of the map of the concentration of radon in Indonesia.
ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN MAIZE AND ESTIMATION OF CONCOMITANT DOSE TO NIGERIAN VIA INGESTION PATHWAY
Authors: Yarima Mudassir H , Khandaker M U , Nadhiya A , Olatunji M A 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Uranium, thorium and potassium are the most abundant naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) found in soils and other environmental media including foodstuffs. Since the human exposures to NORMs is an unavoidable phenomenon, in such a way that they can easily find their way to human being via food chain, detailed knowledge on their presence in foodstuffs is necessary to assess the radiation dose to the population. Thus, the present study concerns the assessment of natural radioactivity in maize, a staple foodstuff for Nigerian, via HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry. Activity concentrations (Bq/kg) in the maize samples were found to be in the range of 6.1 ± 0.6–8.2 ± 1.3, 2.2 ± 0.4–5.1 ± 0.7 and 288 ± 16–401 ± 24 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. Measured data for 226Ra and 232Th show below the world average values of 67 Bq/kg and 82 Bq/kg, respectively, while the activity of 40K exceeds the global average of 310 Bq/kg. The annual effective dose via the maize consumption was found to be far below the UNSCEAR recommended ingestion dose limit of 290 μSv/y, and the estimated lifetime cancer risk show lower than the ICRP (1991) cancer risk factor of 2.5 × 10−3 based on the additional annual dose limit of 1 mSv for general public, thus pose no adverse health risk to the Nigerian populace.
Potential role of heat shock protein 90 in regulation of hyperthermia-driven differentiation of neural stem cells
Authors: Wang Lei , Zhuo Yi , He Zhengwen , Xia Ying , Lu Ming 
Published: April 2019

AbstractObjectiveOur previous studies indicated that hyperthermia may play a role in differentiation of neural stem cells and that hypoxia inducible factor-1(HIF-1) was critical in this process. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is one of the most common heat-related proteins and involved in HIF-1 expression by regulating its activity and stabilization. Here, we hypothesized that HSP90 may be involved in regulation of hyperthermia-driven differentiation of neural stem cells(NSCs). We also investigated whether the HSP90 activity exert its regulatory action via HIF-1 pathway and the transcriptional level of the target genes of HIF-1.MethodThe cultured NSCs were divided into three groups: an hyperthermic treatment group(40NSC) which NSCs was induced under 40°C temperature; a control group(37NSC) which NSCs was induced under 37°C temperature; an hyperthermic treatment and HSP90-inhibited group(40NSC+GA) which NSCs was induced with 0.5μM HSP90 inhibitor Geldanamycin(GA) under 40°C temperature. We examined cells HSPa and HIF-1a expression during a time window of 5 days(12h, 1d, 3d, 5d) post-differentiation. The expression HSPα, HIF-1α, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and erythmpoietin(EPO) of during a time window was evaluated by RT-qPCR. The proportion of Tuj-1 positive differentiated cells were observed by flow cytometry.ResultHyperthermia promoted neuronal differentiation of NSC, and this effect could be blocked by HSP90 inhibitor GA. We observed the up-regulation of HSP90 during hyperthermia treatment, and that the protein levels of HIF-1α changed depending of the GA treatment. GA could not inhibited HSP90α expression but suppressed HSP activity and decreased the expression HIF-1α protein. Inhibition of HIF-1α expression by GA could consequently affect expression of its targeted genes such as VEGF and EPO.ConclusionHyperthermia promote differentiation of NSCs into neurons. HSP90 involved in the regulation of hyperthermia-driven differentiation of NSC, and the mechanism is related to HIF-1α and its downstream gene activation.