bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian Approach to Age‐at‐Death Estimation from Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder in Modern North Americans
Authors: Brennaman Ashley L. , Love Kim R. , Bethard Jonathan D. , Pokines James T. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractOsteoarthritis (OA) is a marker of degeneration within the skeleton, frequently associated with age. This study quantifies the correlation betweenOAand age‐at‐death and investigates the utility of shoulderOAas a forensic age indicator using a modern North American sample of 206 individuals. Lipping, surface porosity, osteophyte formation, eburnation, and percentage of joint surface affected were recorded on an ordinal scale and summed to create composite scores that were assigned a specific phase. Spearman's correlation indicated a positive relationship between each composite score and age (right shoulder = 0.752; left shoulder = 0.734). Transition analysis revealed a tendency toward earlier degeneration of the right shoulder. Bayesian statistics generated phase‐related age estimates based on highest posterior density regions. Best age estimates were into the seventh decade at the 90th and 50th percentile. The proposed method supplements traditional techniques by providing age estimates beyond a homogenous 50+ age cohort.
Evaluating beneficial drug effects in a non‐interventional setting: a review of effectiveness studies based on Swedish Prescribed Drug Register data
Authors: Wallerstedt Susanna M. , Hoffmann Mikael 
Published: December 2016

AimsTo describe and assess current effectiveness studies published up to 2014 using Swedish Prescribed Drug Register (SPDR) data.MethodsStudy characteristics were extracted. Each study was assessed concerning the clinical relevance of the research question, the risk of bias according to a structured checklist, and as to whether its findings contributed to new knowledge. The biases encountered and ways of handling these were retrieved.ResultsA total of 24 effectiveness studies were included in the review, the majority on cardiovascular or psychiatric disease (n = 17; 71%). The articles linked data from four (interquartile range: three to four) registers, and were published in 21 different journals with an impact factor ranging from 1.58 to 51.66. All articles had a clinically relevant research question. According to the systematic quality assessments, the overall risk of bias was low in one (4%), moderate in eight (33%) and high in 15 (62%) studies. Overall, two (8%) studies were assessed as contributing to new knowledge. Frequently occurring problems were selection bias making the comparison groups incomparable, treatment bias with suboptimal handling of drug exposure and an intention‐to‐treat approach, and assessment bias including immortal time bias. Good examples of how to handle bias problems included propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses.ConclusionAlthough this review illustrates that effectiveness studies based on dispensed drug register data can contribute to new evidence of intended effects of drug treatment in clinical practice, the expectations of such data to provide valuable information need to be tempered due to methodological issues.
Increased levels of alphaB‐crystallin in vitreous fluid of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor
Authors: Chen Wei , Lu Qianyi , Lu Li , Guan Huaijin 
Published: December 2016

AbstractBackgroundAlphaB‐crystallin has been shown to have angiogenic properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of alphaB‐crystallin in the vitreous fluid of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and to confirm the association between the expression level of alphaB‐crystallin and vascular endothelial growth factor.MethodsVitreous samples were collected before vitrectomy from 46 eyes of 46 consecutive patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and 19 patients without diabetes mellitus had vitrectomy for idiopathic macular hole. The concentrations of alphaB‐crystallin and vascular endothelial growth factor were measured via enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe vitreous level (mean ± SD) of alphaB‐crystallin was significantly higher in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (317.3 ± 151.7 ng/mL) than in control patients (idiopathic macular hole, 8.3 ± 6.1 ng/mL) (P < 0.0001). The vitreous concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor was also significantly higher in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (860.1 ± 566.4 pg/mL) than in control patients (9 pg/mL) (P < 0.0001). Meanwhile, both the expression levels of alphaB‐crystallin and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly higher in eyes with active proliferative diabetic retinopathy than in those with inactive proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Also, the vitreous concentration of alphaB‐crystallin correlated significantly with that of vascular endothelial growth factor in vitreous fluid of proliferative diabetic retinopathy ([correlation coefficient], R = 0.78, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThese results suggest a significant increase of alphaB‐crystallin in the vitreous fluid of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and present a crucial association between alphaB‐crystallin and vascular endothelial growth factor with angiogenic activity in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Temperament and character traits in patients with tinnitus: a prospective case series with comparisons
Authors: Chung J.H. , Byun H. , Lee S.H. , Park C.W. , Jang E.Y. 
Published: December 2016

ObjectiveTo describe the personality traits of temperament and character in patients with tinnitus and to identify differences in these traits associated with the severity of tinnitus.Study designCase series with comparisons.SettingTertiary referral centre.ParticipantsFrom January to December 2014, one hundred and thirty‐four adult patients with chronic subjective tinnitus completed psychoacoustic measurements of tinnitus and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).MeasurementsPersonality traits were assessed by the TCI. The TCI assesses seven dimensions of personality traits and four temperaments ‘novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, persistence’, as well as three characters ‘self‐directedness, cooperativeness, self‐transcendence’.Main outcome measuresThe values of the TCI parameters in the tinnitus patients were compared with reference data from a non‐institutional adult population, and associations between TCI parameter values and tinnitus severity were evaluated.ResultsIn terms of temperament, tinnitus patients had higher scores for ‘harm avoidance’, whereas scores for ‘novelty seeking’, ‘reward dependence’ and ‘persistence’ were significantly lower than the reference. In terms of character, lower ‘cooperativeness’ and ‘self‐transcendence’ were identified in the subjects with tinnitus. The ‘novelty seeking’ score was inversely related to tinnitus severity (r = −0.285, P = 0.001), while other temperament and character traits did not show significant correlations.ConclusionsThere may be a connection between tinnitus and personality traits, especially in the case of ‘novelty seeking’, which is relatively constant over a lifetime. The TCI questionnaire may be useful in facilitating the application of personality traits to tailored counselling for tinnitus.
Atrial septal defect repair gone wrong
Authors: Bloomingdale Richard , Ashraf Said , Cardozo Shaun 
Published: December 2016

Isolated atrial septal defect (ASD) accounts for 13% of congenital heart disorders. The anatomic location, size, and coexistence of other cardiac anomalies determine outcomes of repair. Surgical closure was the first‐choice treatment until the 1990s and remains the only treatment for large defects. We describe a case of a 64‐year‐old woman who underwent surgical repair for an ASD as a child in 1959. She presented with dyspnea to the hospital almost 53 years after the surgery. Diagnostic cardiac imaging revealed interesting anatomy of the repair surgery. Transthoracic echocardiography showed areas of flow signal across the patch consistent with surgical perforation of the patch to reduce symptoms of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. Despite intervention, severe dilation of the SVC along with a thrombus is seen. CT angiography of the heart showed the ASD patch occluding the ostium of the SVC instead of patching the ASD. Transesophageal echocardiography showed malpositioned patch allowing the sinus venosus ASD to remain patent.
Determining the health‐related quality of life in individuals with haemophilia in developing economies: results from the Brazilian population
Authors: Salomon T. , Chaves D. G. , Brener S. , Martins P. R. J. , Mambrini J. V. M. , Peixoto S. V. 
Published: December 2016

IntroductionSeveral studies show the negative impact of haemophilia in health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). This issue is not well explored in developing countries.ObjectivesThis cross‐sectional study aimed to evaluate the HRQOL and its associated factors in patients with haemophilia A/B in Brazil. Data were collected by questionnaire and in medical records, including a Portuguese version of Haem‐A‐Qol.ResultsBrazilian patients were invited to the study and 175 participants (147 haemophilics A and 28 haemophilics B) were included. The total score of the Haem‐A‐QoL had a median of 36.96 (range of 0–100), with worse performance in ‘sport and leisure’ and best on ‘relationships’ fields. HRQOL was worst among the older participants, the less educated, non‐white, non‐working, who were hospitalized in the last year, who did not have a single medical consultation and among those with the highest number of affected joints. Moreover, patients with hepatitis B had a significantly worse HRQOL in the domain ‘sports and leisure’, also observed in married patients. Otherwise, married individuals reported better HRQOL on ‘dealing with the disease’ domain. Patients with haemophilia B reported worse HRQOL in the domain ‘self‐perception’.ConclusionThe results obtained could be helpful in guidance of haemophilia treatment which is determinant to improve HRQoL of the most vulnerable groups of patients. This work also reinforced the relevance of joint bleeds in all aspects of HRQoL in haemophilic patients. The use of prophylactic factor concentrates and multidisciplinary treatments could contribute to improve the quality of life in haemophilia.
Chronic hepatitis B virus infection status is more prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lu Jun , Hou Xuhong , Tu Hong , Tang Zhenghao , Xiang Yongbing , Bao Yuqian , Gu Jianren , Jia Weiping 
Published: December 2016

AbstractAims/IntroductionIt has not been reported whether chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) is associated with a specific type of diabetes. We sought to investigate the prevalence of CHB status in different diabetes subtypes among a Chinese population.Materials and MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study. A total of 381 patients with adult‐onset autoimmune diabetes, 1,365 patients with type 2 diabetes and 1,365 non‐diabetic controls were recruited from June 2005 to February 2014. The exclusion criteria included: (i) hepatitis C virus antibody positive; (ii) hepatic cirrhosis; and (iii) malignant neoplasm and severe renal dysfunction (serum creatinine >450 μmol/L). Patients were grouped as hepatitis B virus‐negative and CHB status.ResultsPatients with type 2 diabetes had a higher prevalence of CHB than the controls in the overall population (13.5 vs 10.0%, P = 0.004) and among patients with normal hepatic function (13.3 vs 8.8%, P = 0.002). There was no difference in the prevalence of CHB status between patients with adult‐onset autoimmune diabetes and the controls. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio of CHB increased by ~1.5‐fold in patients with type 2 diabetes than in the control group after adjustment for age, sex and body mass index, regardless of hepatic function status.ConclusionsCHB status was more prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes than in individuals with adult‐onset autoimmune diabetes and the controls among the Chinese population. Further research is required to ascertain whether CHB status increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or whether type 2 diabetes, but not adult‐onset autoimmune diabetes, increases the risk of CHB.
Zinc protection in fetal rats for maternal mercury exposure‐induced growth retardation is probably associated with S100B expression
Authors: Weng Zhanping , Liu Zonghua , Zhang Shuping , Tao Hong , Ji Xianghong 
Published: December 2016

AbstractAimThe study was conducted to investigate the effects of maternal mercury exposure on fetal rat development and zinc protection in mercury‐exposed rats.MethodsPregnant rats were subjected to zinc sulfate pre‐feeding, mercury exposure and zinc sulfate co‐feeding. The control rats were administered distilled water. On day 19, the placental weight, overall weight, size and tail length of fetal rats, mercury content and S100B level in the placenta were determined using Western blot analysis.ResultsCompared with the control, mercury exposure at 2.0 mg/kg.d significantly reduced placental weight and fetal development, resulting in reduced fetal weight, size and tail length, while zinc pre‐feeding increased placental weight and other fetal developmental parameters. Compared with mercury exposure, co‐feeding with zinc significantly reduced mercury‐induced injury in the fetal rats. S100B and mercury content levels were significantly elevated in rats maternally exposed to methylmercury chloride, compared with the unexposed control, while co‐feeding with methylmercury chloride and zinc sulfate significantly reduced S100B and mercury levels in the placenta.ConclusionMaternal exposure to mercury results in increased S100B in the placenta. Zinc sulfate feeding could reduce S100B and mercury levels, thereby protecting the rats from mercury damage. S100B level may be used to measure the antagonism between zinc and mercury during pregnancy.
Sonographic evaluation of uterine volume and its clinical importance
Authors: Sheth Shirish S. , Hajari Anju R. , Lulla Chander P. , Kshirsagar Darshana 
Published: December 2016

AbstractAimThe study was conducted to: (i) measure uterine volume in adolescent and perimenopausal age groups with normal pelvic findings and in women with pathological uteri scheduled for surgery, and (ii) utilize uterine volume as a parameter for the management of perimenopausal women scheduled for vaginal hysterectomy.MethodsData of 800 clinically non‐gravid uteri of 16 weeks or smaller size with benign pathology scheduled for vaginal hysterectomy, and 150 adolescent women and 150 perimenopausal aged women with clinically and sonographically normal pelvic findings with normal uteri from the authors private practices were studied to find related sonographic uterine volume. Cases clinically more than 16 weeks size were not included in the study. Normal and pathological hysterectomized uteri were weighed postoperatively to compare their weight with preoperatively estimated uterine volume. Additionally, 200 pregnant women clinically diagnosed as 12 weeks pregnant and without pathology also underwent sonography to estimate their uterine volume.ResultsUterine volume varied from 15 to 56 cm3 in women with a normal uterus. In 12 week sized non‐pregnant benign pathological uteri, as well as pregnant uteri, uterine volume averaged 240 cm3. Uterine weight was higher when compared with preoperatively estimated uterine volume.ConclusionsThe study results emphasize uterine volume as an important parameter for the management of young and elderly women, particularly with menorrhagia. The uterus is anticipated to weigh more than the uterine volume, which can assist with diagnosis and management.
New diagnostic criteria of colposcopy for uterine cervix neoplasia
Authors: Kashimura Masamichi , Matsuura Yusuke , Kawagoe Toshinori , Toki Naoyuki , Hachisuga Toru 
Published: December 2016

AbstractAimThe purpose of this study is to present alternative diagnostic criteria of colposcopy using new parameters.MethodsColposcopic photographs were reviewed in 1649 patients from the past 23 years, including 283 benign lesions, 327 low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL; cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1), 549 high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL; cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3), 78 microinvasive cancers, and 412 invasive cancers. Abnormal colposcopic findings were divided into: minor or major; single, or a combination of two or three findings; and under half or over half circumferential size. Histopathological backgrounds were investigated according to these new parameters of colposcopic findings.ResultsMinor abnormal colposcopic findings were observed in 21% of LSIL, and major abnormal findings were seen in 52% of LSIL, 86% of HSIL, and 86% of microinvasions. A single major abnormal finding was observed in 64% of the cases with LSIL, while two abnormal findings were observed in 43% of HSIL, and three abnormal findings were observed in 44% of microinvasions. In qualifying major abnormal colposcopic findings, under half size was detected in 91% of LSIL and 74% of HSIL, and over half size was observed in 58% of microinvasions. From these results, the following diagnostic criteria were instituted: (i) LSIL – single, minor or major findings and under half size; (ii) HSIL – two or three major findings and under half size; (iii) microinvasion – three major findings and over half size; and (iv) invasive cancer – irregular surface with atypical vessels.ConclusionOur new diagnostic criteria of colposcopy are fully acceptable, based on their similar level of accuracy to cytology.
Island floras as model systems for studies of plant speciation: Prospects and challenges
Authors: Crawford Daniel J. , Archibald Jenny K. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractOceanic islands have long been called natural laboratories for studying evolution because they are geologically young, isolated, dynamic areas with diverse habitats over small spatial scales. Volcanic substrates of different ages permit the study of different stages of divergence and speciation within plant lineages. In addition to divergence, the dynamic island setting is conducive to hybridization. Discussion will focus on the potential of systematic/ecological studies, in combination with genomic data from high throughput sequencing and an ever‐increasing array of analytical techniques, for studying evolution in island plants. These studies may include: generation of highly resolved phylogenies to clarify the biogeography of speciation and whether divergence has occurred with or without gene flow; identification of the barriers to gene flow (extrinsic vs. intrinsic) of importance during divergence; documentation of historical and current hybridization events within island lineages; and elucidation of the genomic composition and ecology of hybrid populations in order to infer the evolutionary consequences of hybridization, such as the origin of stabilized homoploid hybrid species.
Heterozygosity decrease in wild boar mating system ‐ a case of outbreeding avoidance?
Authors: Pérez‐González J. , Costa V. , Santos P. , Carranza J. , Zsolnai A. , Fernández‐Llario P. , Monteiro N. M. , Anton I. , Beja‐Pereira A. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractIn sexually reproducing organisms, the specific combinations of parental alleles can have important consequences on offspring viability and fitness. Accordingly, genetic relationship between mates can be used as a criterion for mate choice. Here, we used microsatellite genetic markers to estimate the genetic relationship between mating pairs in the wild boar, Sus scrofa. Males, females and foetuses proceeding from Portugal, Spain and Hungary were genotyped using 14 microsatellite markers. The genetic relationship between mates was estimated using different measures of foetus heterozygosity. We found that the observed heterozygosity of foetuses was lower than that expected under random mating. This result occurred mainly when Sd2 (relatedness of parental genomes) was used as the heterozygosity measure. After simulations, we concluded that the observed low heterozygosity was possibly due to outbreeding avoidance. Outbreeding avoidance based on genetically different genomes might play an important role in species evolution and its genetic conservation.
Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase PntAB is essential for optimal growth and photosynthetic integrity under low‐light mixotrophic conditions in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Kämäräinen Jari , Huokko Tuomas , Kreula Sanna , Jones Patrik R. , Aro Eva‐Mari , Kallio Pauli 
Published: December 2016

Summary

Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (PntAB) is an integral membrane protein complex participating in the regulation of NAD(P)+:NAD(P)H redox homeostasis in various prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In the present study we addressed the function and biological role of PntAB in oxygenic photosynthetic cyanobacteria capable of both autotrophic and heterotrophic growth, with support from structural three‐dimensional (3D)‐modeling.

The pntA gene encoding the α subunit of heteromultimeric PntAB in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was inactivated, followed by phenotypic and biophysical characterization of the ΔpntA mutant under autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions.

Disruption of pntA resulted in phenotypic growth defects observed under low light intensities in the presence of glucose, whereas under autotrophic conditions the mutant did not differ from the wild‐type strain. Biophysical characterization and protein‐level analysis of the ΔpntA mutant revealed that the phenotypic defects were accompanied by significant malfunction and damage of the photosynthetic machinery.

Our observations link the activity of PntAB in Synechocystis directly to mixotrophic growth, implicating that under these conditions PntAB functions to balance the NADH: NADPH equilibrium specifically in the direction of NADPH. The results also emphasize the importance of NAD(P)+:NAD(P)H redox homeostasis and associated ATP:ADP equilibrium for maintaining the integrity of the photosynthetic apparatus under low‐light glycolytic metabolism.
Who's on the Bench? The Impact of Latino Descriptive Representation on U.S. Supreme Court Approval Among Latinos and Anglos*
Authors: Evans Diana , Franco Ana , Polinard J. L. , Wenzel James P. , Wrinkle Robert D. 
Published: December 2016

ObjectivesFew studies have examined the impact of the descriptive representation of Latinos on evaluations of the judiciary. This study helps to fill that gap by examining the effect of the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor on Latinos’ and Anglos’ evaluations of the U.S. Supreme Court.MethodsUsing repeated measures from surveys conducted in Texas in 2006 and 2011, we use ordered logit analysis to estimate the impact of the Sotomayor appointment on approval of the U.S. Supreme Court among Latinos and Anglos.ResultsAt all levels of political knowledge, Latinos were more aware of the Sotomayor appointment than Anglos. Moreover, Latinos’ approval of the Court increased dramatically after the appointment, while Anglos’ approval was unchanged.ConclusionsWe find a political empowerment effect among Latinos, but find no evidence that Anglos considered the appointment a threat. Additionally, given that the Latinos in our sample are overwhelmingly of Mexican origin and Justice Sotomayor is Puerto Rican, we find evidence of pan‐ethnic effects.