bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comorbidity is an independent prognostic factor in women with uterine corpus cancer: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Noer Mette C. , Sperling Cecilie , Christensen Ib J. , Nielsen Marie L.S. , Lidegaard Øjvind , Høgdall Claus 
Published: January 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo determine whether comorbidity independently affects overall survival in women with uterine corpus cancer.DesignCohort study.SettingDenmark.Study populationA total of 4244 patients registered in the Danish Gynecologic Cancer database with uterine corpus cancer from 1 January 2005 until 13 October 2011.MethodsAll patients included in the study were assigned a comorbidity score according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Multivariate survival analyses were performed to investigate the prognostic impact of comorbidity adjusting for known prognostic factors. As performance status might capture the prognostic impact of comorbidity and because information on the variable grade was missing in some special histological subtypes, we included different models in the multivariate analyses with and without PS and grade, respectively.Main outcome measuresOverall survival.ResultsUnivariate survival analysis showed a significant (p < 0.001) negative association between increasing level of comorbidity and overall survival. Multivariate analyses adjusting for other prognostic factors showed that comorbidity is a significant independent prognostic factor with hazard ratios ranging from 1.27 to 1.42 in mild, 1.69 to 1.74 in moderate, and 1.72 to 2.48 in severe comorbidity. Performance status was independently associated to overall survival and was found to slightly reduce the prognostic impact of comorbidity.ConclusionComorbidity is an independent prognostic factor in uterine corpus cancer and increasing levels of comorbidity are associated with shorter survival.
Predictors of clinical effectiveness of Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy
Authors: Ruëff F. , Vos B. , Oude Elberink J. , Bender A. , Chatelain R. , Dugas‐Breit S. , Horny H.‐P. , Küchenhoff H. , Linhardt A. , Mastnik S. , Sotlar K. , Stretz E. , Vollrath R. , Przybilla B. , Flaig M. 
Published: January 2014

SummaryBackgroundTreatment failure during venom immunotherapy (VIT) may be associated with a variety of risk factors, of which the relative importance is unknown.ObjectiveOur aim was to evaluate the association of baseline serum tryptase concentration (BTC), mastocytosis in the skin (MIS) and of other parameters with the frequency of objective systemic reactions during in‐hospital sting challenge (SC).MethodsIn this observational retrospective study, we enrolled 1532 patients (1609 cases due to double SC) with established honeybee or vespid venom allergy who had undergone VIT and a subsequent SC. Data were collected on various putative risk factors. Adult‐onset MIS and/or a BTC > 20.0 μg/L was defined as clinical indicators of systemic mastocytosis. Relative rates were calculated with logistic regression models.ResultsNinety‐eight patients (6.4%) presented with MIS and/or BTC > 20.0 μg/L. 104 cases (6.5%) developed objective generalized symptoms during SC. In the absence of MIS, a BTC ≤ 20 μg/L did not increase the risk for VIT failure. The most important factors associated with a worse outcome were ACE inhibitor medication (OR 5.24, 95% CI 1.83–13.00, P < 0.001), honeybee venom allergy (OR 5.09, 95% CI 3.17–8.15, P < 0.001), systemic allergic reaction during VIT (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.79–5.14, P < 0.001), and a substantial likelihood to suffer from SM (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.37–5.22, P = 0.003), whereas a double VIT (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27–0.90, P = 0.027) and a longer duration of therapy (OR 0.68 per treatment month, 95% CI 0.50–0.93, P = 0.017) reduced the failure rate.ConclusionThe magnitude of therapeutic success correlates with type of venom, duration of therapy, and venom dose. Adult‐onset MIS and/or a BTC > 20 μg/L is a significant, albeit not the strongest determinant for VIT failure. According to its odds ratio, ACE inhibitor therapy appears to be associated with the highest risk for VIT failure.
Implant counseling and information: questions, predictors, and decision‐making of patients before implant therapy
Authors: Korsch Michael , Robra Bernt P. , Walther Winfried 
Published: January 2014

AbstractBackgroundImplant counseling and information must enable the patient to make his/her own independent decision (informed consent). However, there are indications that patient counseling and information often provides incomplete information.MethodsIn 40 implant counseling and information sessions, all questions raised by the patients were documented during the session. The patient's decision for or against implant therapy was recorded 3 months later. The influence of the patient's age and gender, the type of insurance, the number of questions asked by the patient, the number of required implants, and the need for augmentation on the patient's decision were determined.ResultsSixty‐five percentage of the patients decided in favor of implant‐prosthetic therapy. One significant factor influencing the patient's decision was the need for augmentation. Fifty‐four percentage of the patients who decided in favor of the implant intervention needed augmentation. Eighty‐six percentage of the patients who refused the intervention could have been treated only in conjunction with pre‐implantological augmentation. The need for augmentation was associated with a higher mean number of questions per counseling and information session (3.7 vs. 2.3) (n.s.). Patients who had opted for implant treatment asked significantly fewer questions (2.5) than patients who refused the treatment (4.4). The patient's age and gender, the type of insurance, or the number of implants required had no influence on decision‐making.ConclusionPatients who ask many questions rather tend to refuse the implant treatment. The need for augmentation was also associated with a significantly higher percentage of implant refusal. These results suggest that patients with an indication of augmentation require particularly detailed and comprehensive counseling and information.
Long‐term outcomes from implants installed by using split‐crest technique in posterior maxillae: 10 years of follow‐up
Authors: Garcez‐Filho J. , Tolentino L. , Sukekava F. , Seabra M. , Cesar‐Neto J. B. , Araújo M. G. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of the present 10‐year retrospective study was to evaluate the success and survival rates of narrow diameter implants (NDIs) placed in combination with a split‐crest technique.Materials and methodsTwenty‐one healthy individuals who received prosthetic rehabilitation supported by narrow diameter implants (NDIs) installed in atrophic maxillary posterior areas immediately after split‐crest procedure were included in the study. Six to eight weeks after implant placement, the prosthetic rehabilitations were delivered. Periapical radiographs were taken at the 6‐month and 10‐year time interval after implant loading to assess bone marginal level around the implants. In addition, survival and success indexes were also obtained at these time intervals.ResultsForty NDIs were placed in 21 patients. At the end of the 10‐year follow‐up period, seven patients had dropped out, two implants were lost, and nine prostheses presented some type of deficiency (ceramic fracture or retaining screw fracture). At the 10‐year time interval, the implant survival rate was 97% and the success rate was 95%. The marginal bone loss at the 6‐month and 10‐year time intervals was, respectively, 0.47 (SD 0.91) mm and 1.93 (SD 0.93) mm.ConclusionNarrow diameter implants installed immediately after split‐crest procedure may successfully support prosthetic rehabilitations after long‐time intervals.
Impact of platform switching on marginal peri‐implant bone‐level changes. A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Strietzel Frank Peter , Neumann Konrad , Hertel Moritz 
Published: January 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo address the focused question, is there an impact of platform switching (PS) on marginal bone level (MBL) changes around endosseous implants compared to implants with platform matching (PM) implant‐abutment configurations?Material and methodsA systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Journals@Ovid Full Text and Embase, manual search for human randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and prospective clinical controlled cohort studies (PCCS) reporting on MBL changes at implants with PS‐, compared with PM‐implant‐abutment connections, published between 2005 and June 2013.ResultsTwenty‐two publications were eligible for the systematic review. The qualitative analysis of 15 RCTs and seven PCCS revealed more studies (13 RCTs and three PCCS) showing a significantly less mean marginal bone loss around implants with PS‐ compared to PM‐implant‐abutment connections, indicating a clear tendency favoring the PS technique. A meta‐analysis including 13 RCTs revealed a significantly less mean MBL change (0.49 mm [CI95% 0.38; 0.60]) at PS implants, compared with PM implants (1.01 mm [CI95% 0.62; 1.40] (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe meta‐analysis revealed a significantly less mean MBL change at implants with a PS compared to PM‐implant‐abutment configuration. Studies included herein showed an unclear as well as high risk of bias mostly, and relatively short follow‐up periods. The qualitative analysis revealed a tendency favoring the PS technique to prevent or minimize peri‐implant marginal bone loss compared with PM technique. Due to heterogeneity of the included studies, their results require cautious interpretation.
Mobile biofeedback of heart rate variability in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy: a preliminary study
Authors: Druschky Katrin , Druschky Achim 
Published: January 2014

SummaryBiofeedback of heart rate variability (HRV) was applied to patients with diabetic polyneuropathy using a new mobile device allowing regularly scheduled self‐measurements without the need of visits to a special autonomic laboratory. Prolonged generation of data over an eight‐week period facilitated more precise investigation of cardiac autonomic function and assessment of positive and negative trends of HRV parameters over time. Statistical regression analyses revealed significant trends in 11 of 17 patients, while no significant differences were observed when comparing autonomic screening by short‐term HRV and respiratory sinus arrhythmia at baseline and after the 8 weeks training period. Four patients showed positive trends of HRV parameters despite the expected progression of cardiac autonomic dysfunction over time. Patient compliance was above 50% in all but two patients. The results of this preliminary study indicate a good practicality of the handheld device and suggest a potential positive effect on cardiac autonomic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.
A retrospective comparison of skin and renal direct immunofluorescence findings in patients with glomerulonephritis in adult Henoch‐Schönlein purpura
Authors: Poterucha Timothy J. , Wetter David A. , Grande Joseph P. , Gibson Lawrence E. , Camilleri Michael J. , Lohse Christine M. 
Published: January 2014

BackgroundHenoch‐Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a vasculitis that can affect the skin and kidneys. It is characterized by immunoglobulin (Ig) A‐predominant deposition in small blood vessels. To our knowledge, there has been no comparison of direct immunofluorescence (DIF) findings in skin and kidney biopsy specimens.MethodsWe retrospectively studied 21 adults with HSP who had IgA deposition in the skin and kidneys. The skin and kidney DIF findings were compared and tested for an association with the progression of renal disease.ResultsMean age of the patients was 51.4 years. Follow‐up data were available for 19 patients, of whom 5 had progression to chronic kidney disease or renal failure. Concordance between DIF findings on skin and renal biopsies was 100% for IgA, 80% for C3, 80% for IgG, 71% for IgM and 53% for fibrinogen. A worse renal outcome was associated with renal IgG deposition (p = 0.04). A trend for worse renal outcome was found with renal fibrinogen and skin IgM deposition (p = 0.10 and 0.14, respectively).ConclusionsIn this retrospective study of adult HSP, the concordance between DIF findings in skin and kidney specimens was low‐moderate. Further study is required to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these differences in Ig deposition.
Degradation Discourse and Green Governmentality in the Xilinguole Grasslands of Inner Mongolia
Authors: Kolås Åshild 
Published: January 2014

ABSTRACTThis article examines discourses about grassland degradation in China as expressed by herders, government officials and researchers, presenting findings from fieldwork in Xilinguole League, Inner Mongolia. Recognizing degradation discourse and grassland restoration policies as key sites of political contestation, this study does not try to arrive at the scientific facts about degradation, but rather seeks to illuminate the mechanisms by which grasslands are identified as degraded, and the implementation of policies to restore and protect the grasslands. A key finding is that policy outcomes are widely divergent and difficult to predict. This is not merely due to differences among actors in terms of their interests, access to resources, power, values or knowledge, but as much a result of contradictions and tensions inherent in key policy goals, opening up spaces for local resistance as well as selective policy implementation. This highlights the open‐ended and contested nature of China's environmental state project.
The impact of private vs. public ownership on the level and structure of employment
Authors: Bastos Paulo , Monteiro Natália P. , Straume Odd Rune 
Published: January 2014

AbstractWe examine the effects of private vs. public ownership on the level and structure of employment using uncommonly rich data on the population of Portuguese firms from 1991 to 2009. We find that private ownership is associated with sizeable job losses. This occurs whether we consider privatizations or nationalizations, and the relationship tends to be stronger in the presence of foreign capital. We also find some evidence that private ownership is associated with higher skill utilization, particularly following privatizations and when foreign investment is present. The estimated job losses associated with private ownership are consistent with a theory in which the shift in ownership increases the degree of profit orientation and leads to lower job security.
A preliminary report on decay and canker of Acacia richii caused by Inonotus rickii in China
Authors: Cui B. K. , Zhao C. L. , Vlasák J. , Dai Y. C. 
Published: January 2014

SummaryAn epidemic wood‐decaying fungus, Inonotus rickii, originating from South America, has spread to the Mediterranean area and southern China. We report the first observation of this fungus on Acacia richii in Panzhihua, southern China. It causes serious canker and decay on urban trees in the investigated area. In addition, phylogenetic analysis showed that the fungus from Panzhihua is closely related to isolates from Europe, South America, Mianyang and Hainan of China. Moreover, it was concluded that the isolates of the species previously reported from the USA do not belong to I. rickii.
Effect of green plantain flour addition to gluten‐free bread on functional bread properties and resistant starch content
Authors: Sarawong Chonthira , Gutiérrez Zuleyka Rodríguez , Berghofer Emmerich , Schoenlechner Regine 
Published: January 2014

SummaryGreen plantain flour (GPF) was used as a functional ingredient to produce gluten‐free (GF) bread based on a flour blend of rice flour and GF wheat starch (50:50) to improve their functional properties and to increase their resistant starch (RS) content. In pretrials, an addition of up to 30% GPF provided acceptable bread quality with maximum RS content. Based on these trials, two 23 factorial screening experimental designs were applied, where water content, baking temperature and baking time of GF bread containing 30% GPF addition were optimised. The best baking conditions to achieve satisfying GF bread quality – higher loaf volume, softer crumb firmness and regular porosity structure at the highest RS content could be defined to a maximum addition of water at 160%, baking temperature of 180 °C and baking time of 90 min. The incorporation of GPF showed good potential to improve the quality of GF bread.
The effect of feed supplementation with dietary sources of n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, flaxseed and algae Schizochytrium sp., on their incorporation into lipid fractions of Japanese quail eggs
Authors: Gładkowski Witold , Kiełbowicz Grzegorz , Chojnacka Anna , Bobak Łukasz , Spychaj Radosław , Dobrzański Zbigniew , Trziszka Tadeusz , Wawrzeńczyk Czesław 
Published: January 2014

SummaryThe influence of feed supplemented with dietary sources of n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), namely flaxseed and algae Schizochytrium sp., on the fatty acid composition of lipids from Japanese quail eggs was studied. Two groups of quails were fed for 19 weeks, starting from 6th week of life. Lipid fractions from dried egg mass of total of 4300 eggs of control and experimental group were analysed. The fatty acid profile was affected in both triacylglycerols and phospholipids. The significant (P < 0.05) increase in n‐3 PUFAs up to 7.33% in the total lipids, α‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3) up to 4.57% in triacylglycerols, docosahexaenoic acid (22:6, DHA) up to 23.91% in phosphatidylethanolamine and up to 4.35% in phosphatidylcholine as well as the significant (P < 0.05) reduction in n‐6/n‐3 ratio in the lipid fractions to the range of 0.9–3.7 was observed in experimental group. The incorporation of different n‐3 into lipids was selective: ALA was found in the triacylglycerol fraction, whereas EPA, DPA and DHA were detected in the phospholipid fractions, exclusively at sn‐2 position. The studies showed that the feeding quails with modified diets is effective way of biofortifying the eggs with nutritionally desired n‐3 PUFAs.
Strategic Asset Allocation for China's Foreign Reserves: A Copula Approach
Authors: Zhang Zhichao , Zhang Fan , Zhang Zhuang 
Published: January 2014

AbstractIn this paper, we study strategic asset allocation for China's foreign reserves using a risk‐based approach. Four aspects of the risk management are investigated: an investment universe, dependence structure, allocation strategies under risk minimization and trade‐off between risks and returns. A regime‐switching copula model is developed to investigate the dynamic dependence between assets. One regime emphasizes a short‐term safe asset and the other regime emphasizes a long‐term safe asset. The optimal allocation is derived following two strategies: risk minimization and trade‐off between risks and returns in utility maximization with disappointment avoidance. If the central bank focuses solely on risk minimization, the asymmetries in the asset return dependence encourage the flight to safety. However, if higher risks are allowed in exchange for higher returns, even the exchange is very conservative, and the asymmetries would discourage the flight to safety. Therefore, we suggest that China should mitigate its flight to safety after 2008 and increase holdings of short‐term bank deposits, long‐term treasury bonds and euro bonds.
Urotensin II inhibited the proliferation of cardiac side population cells in mice during pressure overload by JNK‐LRP6 signalling
Authors: Chen Zhidan , Xu Jiahong , Ye Yong , Li Yang , Gong Hui , Zhang Guoping , Wu Jian , jia Jianguo , Liu Ming , Chen Ying , Yang Chunjie , Tang Yu , Zhu Yichun , Ge Junbo , Zou Yunzeng 
Published: January 2014

AbstractCardiac side population cells (CSPs) are promising cell resource for the regeneration in diseased heart as intrinsic cardiac stem cells. However, the relative low ratio of CSPs in the heart limited the ability of CSPs to repair heart and improve cardiac function effectively under pathophysiological condition. Which factors limiting the proliferation of CSPs in diseased heart are unclear. Here, we show that urotensin II (UII) regulates the proliferation of CSPs by c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and low density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 6 (LRP6) signalling during pressure overload. Pressure overload greatly upregulated UII level in plasma, UII receptor (UT) antagonist, urantide, promoted CSPs proliferation and improved cardiac dysfunction during chronic pressure overload. In cultured CSPs subjected to mechanical stretch (MS), UII significantly inhibited the proliferation by UT. Nanofluidic proteomic immunoassay showed that it is the JNK activation, but not the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase signalling, that involved in the UII‐inhibited‐ proliferation of CSPs during pressure overload. Further analysis in vitro indicated UII‐induced‐phospho‐JNK regulates phosphorylation of LRP6 in cultured CSPs after MS, which is important in the inhibitory effect of UII on the CSPs during pressure overload. In conclusion, UII inhibited the proliferation of CSPs by JNK/LRP6 signalling during pressure overload. Pharmacological inhibition of UII promotes CSPs proliferation in mice, offering a possible therapeutic approach for cardiac failure induced by pressure overload.
The global burden of conduct disorder and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 2010
Authors: Erskine Holly E. , Ferrari Alize J. , Polanczyk Guilherme V. , Moffitt Terrie E. , Murray Christopher J. L. , Vos Theo , Whiteford Harvey A. , Scott James G. 
Published: January 2014

ObjectiveThe Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) is the first to include conduct disorder (CD) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for burden quantification.MethodA previous systematic review pooled the available epidemiological data for CD and ADHD, and predicted prevalence by country, region, age and sex for each disorder. Prevalence was then multiplied by a disability weight to calculate years lived with disability (YLDs). As no evidence of deaths resulting directly from either CD or ADHD was found, no years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated. Therefore, the number of disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) was equal to that of YLDs.ResultsGlobally, CD was responsible for 5.75 million YLDs/DALYs with ADHD responsible for a further 491,500. Collectively, CD and ADHD accounted for 0.80% of total global YLDs and 0.25% of total global DALYs. In terms of global DALYs, CD was the 72nd leading contributor and among the 15 leading causes in children aged 5–19 years. Between 1990 and 2010, global DALYs attributable to CD and ADHD remained stable after accounting for population growth and ageing.ConclusionsThe global burden of CD and ADHD is significant, particularly in male children. Appropriate allocation of resources to address the high morbidity associated with CD and ADHD is necessary to reduce global burden. However, burden estimation was limited by data lacking for all four epidemiological parameters and by methodological challenges in quantifying disability. Future studies need to address these limitations in order to increase the accuracy of burden quantification.