bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Value of Pre-operative Assesment of Serum Carcino-embryonic Antigen and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Levels in Colorectal Carcinoma
Authors: Abel Rahman E. M. , El Gonimy A. A. , Farouk S. 
Published: February 2016

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent and aggressive neoplasms. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States and is a significant overall health problem. Tumor markers are substances synthesized and excreted by tumor tissues that can be detected in abnormal concentrations in serum, urine, and other body fluids. Two such markers, Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), are useful in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of colorectal carcinoma. This study attempted to evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of the two markers using forty patients with CRC and ten healthy persons as a control group. All patients with CRC showed highly significant increases in CEA and CA-19-9 compared to the control group (p < 0.001), and there was a highly significant increase in the level of CEA in more advanced tumor stages, (p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed a significant correlation between CEA and CA-19-9 (p < 0.05; r = 0.35) and significant increases in CEA in rectal tumors compared to those located in the colon; in males compared to females (p < 0.05); and also a highly significant increase in patients over 60 years of age (p < 0.01) but no relation between CA 19-9 level and age, sex, and site of tumor. These data suggest that serum levels of CEA and CA-19-9 can be clinically useful in the diagnosis and staging of colorectal carcinoma.
The Influences of the Clinico-Radiological Factors in Predicting the Intra-operative Difficulties in single Disc Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A Prospective Study
Authors: Al Anzi A. R. 
Published: February 2016

Background of the Study: The clinical experience that there is a great variability in the ease of performing lumbar microdiscectomy, in particular while instructing the trainee surgeons.
Objective: To determine the role of the pre operative symptoms, it is duration and the radiological findings on influencing the procedure of lumbar microdiscectomy for a single lumbar disc prolapse.
Method: A prospective study of 82 patients with a single level lumbar disc prolapse included the analysis and correlation of clinical and radiological factors: age, sex, height, weight, type of physical work, presenting symptoms and their duration, the level and status of the disc prolapse - to the intra-operative findings of epidural vein dilatation, degree of fibrosis, and the duration of operation. The data were subjected to detailed analysis by using the statistical package of Social Science (SPSS/PC) Release 10.
Results: Thirty two percent of patients had significantlydilated epidural veins; their presence was influenced by the predominance of low back pain and the duration of symptoms. A third (34%) of patients had appreciable fibrosis at the surgical site, again influenced by low back pain, duration of symptoms and radiological findings of obstruction and bony abnormalities. In 37% of the patients the blood loss was in excess of 100 ml seen in patients with a profile similar to those with significant fibrosis. The procedure of microdiscectomy lasted longer than 120 minutes in 34% of patients whose predominant symptom was low back pain with prolonged duration of symptoms and abnormal x-ray findings.
Conclusion: The patient's preoperative clinical presentation and the radiological appearance of the prolapsed disc can affect significantly the microsurgical procedure. The short history of illness with more pronounced leg pain in the absence of bony abnormalities would favor easier operation; while Lumbar microdiscectomy is expected to be a difficult procedure in patients with low back pain as predominant symptom lasting for longer than 12 months and in whom the disc prolapsed is central or who showed additional bony abnormalities.
Detection of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Dyspeptic Patients by Different Sero-Bacteriological Methods
Authors: Qibi E. M. , Abdulla Z. A. 
Published: February 2016

To evaluate invasive (biopsy related) tests and noninvasive (serological) tests in the diagnosis of H.pylori, ninety-two adults (54 male, 38 female) presenting with dyspepsia were studied after classification into two groups on the basis of endoscopical diagnosis; 46 patients with erosive diseases (gastroduodenal ulcers or gastroduodenal erosions) and 46patients with non-erosive diseases (gastritis or gastroduodenitis). Sera were testedfor anti-H.pylori IgG and IgM by an immunochromatography card test and ELISA respectively. Three antral biopsies were taken for biopsy urease test (BUT), bacterial culture and histological examination. Stool samples were obtained from only 30 dyspeptic cases for H.pylori antigen detection (HpSA) by an ELISA method.
H. pylori was detected in 81 of 92 cases; these were positive by one or more of the gold standard tests (culture, histology and biopsy-urease test). Histological examination yielded the highest frequency of microorganism detection (71.7%), followed by BUT (68.5%) and then bacterial culture (26.1%). In erosive disorders the BUT gave the highest frequency ofpositivity (78.3%),followed by histological examination (67.4%), and then bacterial culture (41.3%) but in non-erosive disorders histological examination gave the highest positive results (76.1%) followed by BUT (58.7%) and bacterial culture (10.9%). The overall sensitivities of BUT, histology and bacterial culture of H.pylori were 77.8%, 81.5% and 29.6% respectively. Serologically the anti-H.pylori IgG test yielded the highest frequency of positive results (80.4%), followed by HpSA test (66.7%) and the least positive was anti-H.pylori IgM test (65.2%). In the light of the gold standard tests used (biopsy-related tests), the validity of anti-H.pylori IgG test, anti-H.pylori IgM test and HpSA test were determined; the sensitivities being 79%, 65.4% and 75% respectively and their specificities were 9.1%, 36.4% and 66.7% respectively. The positive and negative predictive values, the positive and negative likelihood ratios of serological tests were also evaluated.
Conclusion: The most sensitive invasive test (biopsy related) and noninvasive (serological) tests were histological examination and IgG immunochromatography card tests respectively.
Factors Influencing Rehabilitation Outcome in Adult Traumatic Brain Injury in Qatar
Authors: Al Yazeedi W. , Venkatachalam L. , Bobinac Georgievski A. , Singh R. 
Published: February 2016

To analyze the factors influencing outcome in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) rehabilitation in Qatar medical records, we reviewed 50 patients with TBI who were seen between January 2004 and Sep 2007 in the Rehabilitation Unit of Rumailah Hospital (RH), Hamad Medical Corporation. Demographic and clinical variables included age at admission, length of stay in acute care (LOSa), length of stay in rehabilitation (LOSr), Rancho Level (RLA), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Functional Outcomes were functional independence measure on admission (FIMa) and functional independence measure on discharge (FIMd).There was a significant positive correlation of FIMd with FIMa and Rancho level (r = 0.69, p = 0.00 and r = 0.70, p = 0.00) respectively, where there was no correlation between FIMd and GCS score. Negative correlation was observed between FIMd and age as well as LOSa (r = − 0.47, p = 0.01) and (r = − 0.49, p = 0.00) respectively. Multivariate regression analysis was performed taking age, Rancho, FIMa, mobility, GCS and LOSa variables as independent and FIMd as the dependent variable. The model could explain 70% of variation.It was concluded that the Rancho level of cognitive functioning, FIMa and mobility variables were the most influential factors in determining the functional outcome.
HELLP Needs Aggressive Help
Authors: Shaikh N. , Ummunissa F. , Shafak Mustafa G. 
Published: February 2016

HELLP (Hemolysis Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets) syndrome is a multi-system pregnancy associated disorder, commonly seen in patients with pre-eclampsia but can occur alone. It is significantly associated with maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality.
A triad of hemolysis elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia after 24 weeks of gestation is diagnostic of this syndrome. HELLP syndrome is classified depending on simple parameters but it dictates severity of the disease. Frequently encountered complications with HELLP syndrome are hemorrhagic stroke, disseminated intravascular coagulation, pulmonary edema, acute renal failure and hepatic rapture. The aggressive supportive care of failing organs with high dose of steroids will decrease the duration of HELLP syndrome, decreases intensive care and hospital stay of these patients as well as reduction in fetal complications. HELLP syndrome is associated with significant increase in morbidity and mortality of pregnant patients; hence it is of vital importance that not only obstetrician, but acute care physicians and intensivist should be aware of this clinical entity. We report a case of Classl, normotensive postpartum HELLP syndrome complicated by pulmonary edema and acute renal failure, successfully managed in our intensive care unit.
Mid-Term Results of Balloon Pulmonary Valvuloplasty in Children at Queen Alia Heart Institute
Authors: Al Madani A. 
Published: February 2016

Objective: To evaluate the mid-term results of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) in children. Design: Prospective study. Settings: Pediatric Cardiology Department of Queen Alia Heart (QAHI), Jordan. Methods: One hundred and thirty-two patients with a median age of 3 years (range 1 day to 16 years), underwent (BPV) between January 1999 and January 2006. We evaluated our patients with regard to peak pressure gradient across the right ventricular outflow tract before and after BPV. Thereafter we followed them at the Outpatient Clinic regarding the peak instantaneous gradient pressure, the pulmonary valve incompetence, right ventricular function based on echocardiographic findings, and the need for repeat BPV. Results: There was significant reduction in the peak to peak gradient from 93.5 ± 32.3 mmHg to 26.1 ± 9.6 mmHg (p < 0.001). Echo-Doppler data showed that residual peak instantaneous gradient dropped from 26.1 ± 9. 6 to 19 ± 6 mmHg; (p < 0.001) on follow-up for 6 years. Mild to moderarte pulmonary valve regurgitation was noticed in 34 patients (27.8%) at one year and in 43 patients (38%) at mid term follow-up, but non had right ventricular dilatation or paradoxical interventricular septal motion. Conclusions: The results of mid-term follow up after balloon dilatation of the pulmonary valve are encouraging. The degree of pulmonary regurgitation is increasing with time. Longer term follow-up studies should be undertaken to evaluate the significance of residual pulmonary regurgitation.
Prevalence of Obesity in Qataris Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Doha, 2008
Authors: Ismail M.F.S. , Al Mutawa N.A. , Al Musallam M.S. 
Published: February 2016

Obesity is a chronic disease prevalent in both developed and developing countries and as a risk factor for several other chronic diseases it should be regarded as one of the greatest neglected public health problems with significant future implications to healthcare systems. With the aim of assessing the prevalence of overweight and obesity in patients attending Primary Health Care Centers (PHC) and identifying important causal factors a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was made of 217 randomly selected adults >18 years attending five Qatari PHCs between February and April 2008. The overall prevalence of obesity in adult Qataris was 47.9% and prevalence of overweight was 33.6%; higher in males than females (17.9%, 15.6%), while the prevalence of obesity was higher in females (49.5% cf. 46%). Obesity was significantly higher among those on a high caloric diet, with physical inactivity and a family history of obesity (p = 0.000). Obesity increased with age, the highest prevalence being in the group above 48 years, (p = 0.0002). All the chronic diseases were significantly higher among the obese; e.g. diabetes (p = 0.02) and hypertension (p = 0.037). It is concluded that obesity is highly prevalent in the community and is caused by several social and lifestyle factors. The health authority should establish a program to prevent and control obesity, an important factor linked to the occurrence of several chronic non-communicable diseases.
Evaluation of Non-fatal Work-related Injuries Presenting to Al Khor Hospital Emergency Department in Qatar
Authors: Mohammad O. H. , Kilani H. , Elhardello O. A. , Abraham J. , Mirza S. A. 
Published: February 2016

Work-related injuries constitute a large sector of patients seen at Al Khor Hospital's Emergency Department. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics, frequency and mechanism of work-related injuries presenting to the emergency department. Patients of all ages with work-related injuries presenting to the Emergency Department at Al Khor Hospital at any time, from May to November 2009, were included in the study. Domestic injuries were excluded from the study. Character of the patients and injuries were described. The study included 903 patients. The mean age was 32.73 years (standard deviation 8.565). Most patients were construction workers, 346 (39.1%), and mechanical workers, 262 (29.6%). The types of non-fatal work related injury were: hands injuries, 329 (36.4%), contusions, 239 (26.5%) and cuts, 205 (22.7%). The main mechanisms of injury involved heavy objects falling on patients, 191 (21.2%). Wearing personal protective gear was reported in 546 (60.5%) patients, and having training to use it was reported in 510 (56.5%) cases. Wearing protective equipment was lower in mechanical workers (62.6%) and construction workers (57.4%) who had the higher percentage of work related injuries (29.6% and 39.1 % respectively), [E1] P value < 0.001. There was a positive correlation between the level of education and wearing protective equipment (P value 0.002). Our findings affirm that safety precaution and proper training on how to use the personal protective equipment is needed from companies in industrial areas to reduce the incidence of work related injury.
A Corpus-Driven Analysis of Media Representations of the Chinese Dream
Authors: Hou Zhide 
Published: February 2016

<p class="PACLICAbstracttext">The Chinese dream describing a set of ideals received numerous media reports after its proclamation by Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2012. Making use of the rich source of media data, this article explores the ideology and ideals of the Chinese Dream represented in China’s state-run English-language newspapers. Modeled on the approach of corpus-driven discourse studies and combining the theoretical framework and methodological approaches of Critical Discourse Analysis and corpus linguistics, this study attempts to yield new insights into the media representations of the Chinese Dream. A corpus of the Chinese dream is analyzed using software Concgram (Greaves, 2009) by creating information on the frequency distribution regarding the most frequently occurring two-word/three-word concgrams, and related concordance lines. Findings shown Chinese President Xi’s speech on the Chinese Dream has strong control of ideological positions in media representations.</p><p class="PACLICAbstracttext"> </p>
Hoe divers, invloedrijk en deliberatief is een G1000?
Authors: Michels Ank , Binnema Harmen 
Published: February 2016

How diverse, influential and deliberative is a G1000? The design of a citizens summit and the realization of democratic values
In imitation of the G1000 in Belgium in the Netherlands G1000-meetings were held in Amersfoort, Kruiskamp, Uden and Groningen and a citizens summit in Amsterdam with a similar design. In this article the authors investigate the design of these citizens summits and their contribution to a number of important democratic values. What is the diversity of the participants, the influence on policies and the quality of the discussions during the citizen summit? Their research shows that the diversity of the group of participants is rather limited. The selection method that is chosen, whether a lottery selection or an open invitation, doesn’t make much difference for the diversity of the group of participants. In addition the influence of citizens summits on policies and politics is nearly absent. The subjects that come forward at citizens summits hardly ever come back in the local policies, not even at the citizens summit in Uden, where the municipal council has taken the initiative to organize a G1000. Finally, in general the participants qualify the discussions at the table during citizens summits as constructive and inspiring. The specific form of the dialogue has only little influence on the extent to which the participants feel themselves heard and feel free to say whatever they want.
Controle en verantwoording in een veranderend lokaal bestuur
Authors: Denters Bas 
Published: February 2016

Control and accountability in a changing local government
For the Dutch Association of Municipal Councillors (Raadslid.Nu) Bas Denters, professor of Public Administration at the University of Twente, wrote an essay on control and accountability in local government and the role of the municipality in this process. At close examination the relations in this area are less clear than they look on paper. The reason is what Mark Bovens and others have called the ‘displacement of politics’ in all its appearances: regionalization, privatization and socialization (i.e. tasks carried out by the society instead of the government). That process requires reflection on the question how democratic control and accountability at the local level can be reshaped. It is important to experiment with new ways in which municipal councils redefine the local processes of control and accountability. One can think of: (a) broadening the scope of the section in Dutch Municipal Law on affiliated parties (‘Verbonden Partijen’); (b) formulating Governance Charters and process framework notes; and (c) organizing the ‘democratic encirclement’ of the local administration, e.g. by other parties. In various places interesting initiatives have already been taken and hopefully this essay and the attention from Raadslid.Nu will contribute to more municipalities daring to blaze new paths.
Innovatieve wijkaanpak en gebiedsontwikkeling in Deventer: meer inzichten via KISS
Authors: Reussing Rik 
Published: February 2016

Innovative community and area development in Deventer: more insights through KISS
Since 2001 the Dutch province of Overijssel has its own knowledge centre in the area of urban society next to the national knowledge centres: the ‘KennisInstituut Stedelijke Samenleving’ (KISS). In a previous essay an overview of KISS-meetings dedicated to citizen participation was given. Examples were used from all over the world. This essay zooms in on Deventer, a municipality with almost 100.000 inhabitants in the east of the Netherlands, that can be considered a frontrunner in the area of innovative community and area development. This essay gives an impression of some KISS-meetings on physical community development (to give the inhabitants a say in the physical renewal of their neighbourhoods), social community development (to stimulate inhabitants to improve their own life chances) and economic community development (to give the inhabitants better opportunities on the labour market). This approach was implemented in a deprived neighbourhood (‘Rivierenbuurt’) for the first time and was accompanied by ‘verbal renewal’. The case of area development (‘Havenkwartier’) concerns the subject of temporarily landscapes (‘pauzelandschappen’) that are developed, because the original development plans have incurred a delay. Apart from its willingness to break new ground Deventer shows a lot of attention for issues of sustainability and the positive role of the art sector. In short it is a versatile ‘micropolis’ that uses the available ‘social capital’ and the ‘creative class’ well.
The Doctrinal Method: Incorporating Interdisciplinary Methods in Reforming the Law
Authors: Hutchinson Terry 
Published: February 2016

The Doctrinal Method: Incorporating Interdisciplinary Methods in Reforming the Law
The doctrinal methodology is in a period of change and transition. Realising that the scope of the doctrinal method is too constricting, academic lawyers are becoming eclectic in their use of research method. In this transitional time, legal scholars are increasingly infusing evidence (and methods) from other disciplines into their reasoning to bolster their reform recommendations.This article considers three examples of the interplay of the discipline of law with other disciplines in the pursuit of law reform. Firstly the article reviews studies on the extent of methodologies and reformist frameworks in PhD research in Australia. Secondly it analyses a ‘snapshot’ of recently published Australian journal articles on criminal law reform. Thirdly, it focuses on the law reform commissions, those independent government committees that play such an important role in law reform in common law jurisdictions.This examination demonstrates that while the doctrinal core of legal scholarship remains intact, legal scholars are endeavouring to accommodate statistics, comparative perspectives, social science evidence and methods, and theoretical analysis, within the legal research framework, in order to provide additional ballast to the recommendations for reform.
Who Must Presume Whom to Be Innocent of What?
Authors: Duff Antony 
Published: February 2016

Who Must Presume Whom to Be Innocent of What?
This paper explores the roles that the presumption of innocence (PoI) can play beyond the criminal trial, in other dealings that citizens may have with the criminal law and its officials. It grounds the PoI in a wider notion of the civic trust that citizens owe each other, and that the state owes its citizens: by attending to the roles that citizens may find themselves playing in relation to the criminal law (such roles as suspect, defendant, convicted offender and ‘ex-offender’), we can see both how a PoI protects us, beyond the confines of the trial, against various kinds of coercion, and how that PoI is modified or qualified as we acquire certain roles. To develop and illustrate this argument, I pay particular attention to the roles of defendant (both during the trial and while awaiting trial) and of ‘ex-offender,’ and to the duties that such roles bring with them.
The Meaning of the Presumption of Innocence for Pre-trial Detention
Authors: Stevens Lonneke 
Published: February 2016

The Meaning of the Presumption of Innocence for Pre-trial Detention. An Empirical Approach
The presumption of innocence (PoI) is considered to be an important principle for regulating pre-trial detention. The idea is that pre-trial detention should be a last resort. However, pre-trial detention practice demonstrates that pre-trial detention does not function on the basis of a presumption of innocence but rather from a presumption of guilt and dangerousness. It must be concluded that, with regard to pre-trial detention, the PoI has a rather limited normative effect.