bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Caesarean section and risk for endometriosis: a prospective cohort study of Swedish registries
Authors: Andolf E , Thorsell M , Källén K 
Published: May 2013

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between caesarean section and later endometriosis.DesignA prospective cohort study.SettingThe Swedish Patient Register (PAR) and the Swedish Medical Birth Registry (MBR).SampleWomen who were delivered in Sweden between 1986 and 2004.MethodsWomen with the diagnosis of endometriosis, defined as codes 617 (International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, ICD–9) or N80 (ICD–10), were retrieved from the PAR. Obstetric outcome was assessed through linkage with the MBR. Out of 709 090 women, 3110 were treated as inpatients with a first diagnosis of endometriosis after their first delivery. Women with a diagnosis of endometriosis before their first delivery were excluded. Cox analyses were performed to obtain hazard ratios for endometriosis and adjusted for maternal age at first delivery, body mass index, maternal smoking, and years of involuntary childlessness at study entry. Kaplan–Meier estimates were performed to calculate the risk according to time elapsed.Main outcomeIn‐hospital diagnosis of endometriosis.ResultsThe Cox analyses yielded a hazard ratio of 1.8 (95% CI 1.7–1.9) for endometriosis in women who had had a previous caesarean section compared with women with vaginal deliveries only. The risk of endometriosis increased over time: one additional case of endometriosis was found for every 325 women undergoing caesarean section within 10 years. No increase in risk could be seen after two caesarean deliveries. The risk of caesarean scar endometrioma was 0.1%.ConclusionIn addition to the recognised risk of scar endometrioma, we found an association between caesarean section and general pelvic endometriosis. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Estimating Inpatient Hospital Prices from State Administrative Data and Hospital Financial Reports
Authors: Levit Katharine R. , Friedman Bernard , Wong Herbert S. 
Published: May 2013

ObjectiveTo develop a tool for estimating hospital‐specific inpatient prices for major payers.Data SourcesAHRQ Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases and complete hospital financial reporting of revenues mandated in 10 states for 2006.Study DesignHospital discharge records and hospital financial information were merged to estimate revenue per stay by payer. Estimated prices were validated against other data sources.Principal FindingsHospital prices can be reasonably estimated for 10 geographically diverse states. All‐payer price‐to‐charge ratios, an intermediate step in estimating prices, compare favorably to cost‐to‐charge ratios. Estimated prices also compare well with Medicare, MarketScan private insurance, and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey prices for major payers, given limitations of each dataset.ConclusionsPublic reporting of prices is a consumer resource in making decisions about health care treatment; for self‐pay patients, they can provide leverage in negotiating discounts off of charges. Researchers can also use prices to increase understanding of the level and causes of price differentials among geographic areas. Prices by payer expand investigational tools available to study the interaction of inpatient hospital price setting among public and private payers—an important asset as the payer mix changes with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Stated Attribute Non‐attendance in Successive Choice Experiments
Authors: Kehlbacher Ariane , Balcombe Kelvin , Bennett Richard 
Published: May 2013

AbstractAttribute non‐attendance in choice experiments affects willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) estimates and therefore the validity of the method. A recent strand of literature uses attenuated estimates of marginal utilities of ignored attributes. Following this approach, we propose a generalisation of the mixed logit model, whereby the distribution of marginal utility coefficients of a stated non‐attender has a potentially lower mean and lower variance than those of a stated attender. Model comparison shows that our shrinkage approach fits the data better and produces more reliable WTP estimates. We further find that while reliability of stated attribute non‐attendance increases in successive choice experiments, it does not increase when respondents report having ignored the same attribute twice.
Topical anaesthesia does not affect cutaneous vasomotor or sudomotor responses in human skin
Authors: Metzler‐Wilson K. , Wilson T. E. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryThe effects of local sensory blockade (topical anaesthesia) on eccrine sweat glands and cutaneous circulation are not well understood. This study aimed to determine whether topical lidocaine/prilocaine alters eccrine sweat gland and cutaneous blood vessel responses.Sweating (capacitance hygrometry) was induced via forearm intradermal microdialysis of five acetylcholine (ACh) doses (1 × 10−4to 1 × 100 m, 10‐fold increments) in control and treated forearm sites in six healthy subjects. Nitric oxide‐mediated vasodilatory (sodium nitroprusside) and adrenergic vasoconstrictor (noradrenaline) agonists were iontophoresed in lidocaine/prilocaine‐treated and control forearm skin in nine healthy subjects during blood flow assessment (laser Doppler flowmetry, expressed as% from baseline cutaneous vascular conductance;CVC; flux/mean arterial pressure).Non‐linear regression curve fitting identified no change in theED50of ACh‐induced sweating after sensory blockade (−1.42 ± 0.23 logM) compared to control (−1.27 ± 0.23 logM;P > .05) or inEmax(0.43 ± 0.08 with, 0.53 ± 0.16 mg cm−2 min−1without lidocaine/prilocaine;P > .05). Sensory blockade did not alter the vasodilator response to sodium nitroprusside (1280 ± 548% change from baselineCVCwith, 1204 ± 247% without lidocaine/prilocaine) or vasoconstrictor response to noradrenaline (−14 ± 4% change from baselineCVCwith, −22 ± 14% without lidocaine/prilocaine;P > 0.05).Cutaneous sensory blockade does not appear to alter nitric oxide‐mediated vasodilation, adrenergic vasoconstriction, or cholinergic eccrine sweating dose‐response sensitivity or responsiveness to maximal dose. Thus, lidocaine/prilocaine treatment should not affect sweat gland function or have blood flow implications for subsequent research protocols or clinical procedures.
The collectivity of drinking cultures: is the theory applicable to African settings?
Authors: Rossow Ingeborg , Clausen Thomas 
Published: May 2013

AbstractAimsSkog's theory of collective drinking behaviour implies that countries with a strict informal social control of drinking alcohol would not exhibit ‘collective displacement’ of consumption (a linear association between population mean consumption and percentile values across the full range of the distribution), as do countries with less informal social control. This paper aimed to test this hypothesis by examining the alcohol consumption distributions in African countries with a strong informal control of alcohol.Design setting, participants and measurementsData on alcohol consumption from the World Health Organization's general population surveys in 15 African countries were aggregated and analysed with respect to skewedness and collective displacement of the distribution.FindingsThe distribution of consumption was strongly positively skewed, with 10–15% of the drinkers consuming more than twice the mean consumption. There was also clear evidence of a collective displacement of the consumption distribution, and the consumption mean was a strong predictor of the distribution percentile values across the full range of the distribution. Correspondingly, consumption mean predicted the prevalence of heavy drinkers.ConclusionThe distribution patterns of alcohol consumption in African countries are consistent with those observed previously in industrialized countries. These findings seem to counter Skog's theory of collective drinking behaviour and support the universality of the observation that the prevalence of problem drinking is linked closely to mean consumption.
Epidural anaesthesia and analgesia for liver resection
Authors: Tzimas P. , Prout J. , Papadopoulos G. , Mallett S. V. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryAlthough epidural analgesia is routinely used in many institutions for patients undergoing hepatic resection, there are unresolved issues regarding its safety and efficacy in this setting. We performed a review of papers published in the area of anaesthesia and analgesia for liver resection surgery and selected four areas of current controversy for the focus of this review: the safety of epidural catheters with respect to postoperative coagulopathy, a common feature of this type of surgery; analgesic efficacy; associated peri‐operative fluid administration; and the role of epidural analgesia in enhanced recovery protocols. In all four areas, issues are raised that question whether epidural anaesthesia is always the best choice for these patients. Unfortunately, the evidence available is insufficient to provide definitive answers, and it is clear that there are a number of areas of controversy that would benefit from high‐quality clinical trials.
Les ambiguïtés du commerce équitable: construire un marché juste ou juste construire un marché?
Authors: Ferraton Cyrille , Prévost Benoît 
Published: May 2013

RÉSUMÉLe projet du commerce équitable est de développer un commerce différent du commerce «conventionnel» en permettant notamment une juste rémunération des producteurs du Sud. Les différences entre les deux commerces sont bien souvent présentées comme allant de soi. Or, l'examen à la fois du fonctionnement du marché équitable et de l'idéal visé par ses promoteurs montre certaines convergences avec le commerce «conventionnel». Cet article rend compte de ces convergences.
Underwater sound emission as part of an antipredator mechanism in Ceratophrys cranwelli tadpoles
Authors: Salgado Costa Carolina , Chuliver Pereyra Mariana , Alcalde Leandro , Herrera Raúl , Trudeau Vance L. , Natale Guillermo S. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractWe report the emission of underwater sounds in the tadpoles of a second member of the family Ceratophryidae, Ceratophrys cranwelli. These tadpoles produce a short metallic‐like sound, which consists of short trains of pulses at Gosner stages 25, 28, and 37. Experiment I was designed to record underwater sounds and their characteristics. Experiment II was designed to test: (i) if at higher densities (total number of tadpoles/L) but fixed predator–prey proportions C. cranwelli larvae are cannibalistic, (ii) if cannibalism increases at higher proportions of predators at a fixed density, and (iii) if tadpoles display a mechanism of intraspecific recognition that may diminish the frequency of cannibalism. Each treatment combines larvae of C. cranwelli (predator) with those of Rhinella arenarum (prey). The number of live and dead individuals was recorded during 72 h, and the following variables were calculated: time to eat the first and second prey, time without eating, time to eat a congener, and number of events of cannibalism. The results indicate that relative predator–prey availability affects the frequency of predation between conspecifics. We consider that an antipredator mechanism exists in C. cranwelli tadpoles and that the underwater sound is part of it.
Oncogenic role of protein tyrosine kinase 7 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shin Won‐Sik , Kwon Junhye , Lee Hae Won , Kang Moon Chul , Na Hye‐Won , Lee Seung‐Taek , Park Jong Ho 
Published: May 2013

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common subtype of esophageal cancer that is particularly prevalent in East Asian countries. Our previous expression profile analysis showed that the gene encoding protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) is upregulated in ESCC tissues. Here, we aimed to validate PTK7 as a prognostic factor and a candidate target for molecular treatment of ESCC. Both RT‐PCR and Western blot analysis of tissues from ESCC patients revealed that PTK7 was significantly upregulated in tumor tissue samples of ESCC. Immunohistochemical staining of PTK7 showed that increased expression of PTK7 was inversely correlated with overall survival (P = 0.021). In vitro knockdown of PTK7 inhibited proliferation, survival, wound healing, and invasion of ESCC cells. In addition, PTK7 knockdown decreased phosphorylation of Akt, Erk, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), important determinants of cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Therefore, our findings suggest that PTK7 has potential as a prognostic marker for ESCC and might also be a candidate for targeted therapy in the treatment of ESCC.
Developing web‐based Triple P ‘Positive Parenting Programme’ for families of children with asthma
Authors: Clarke S.‐A. , Calam R. , Morawska A. , Sanders M. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractBackgroundWe examined the feasibility of self‐directed Triple P ‘Positive Parenting Programme’ for optimizing parents' management of childhood asthma and behaviour.MethodsEligible families were invited to access asthma‐specific web‐based Triple P as part of a preliminary randomized controlled study.ResultsInitial study information and introductory website pages received considerable interest but intervention uptake was poor with high rates of attrition.ConclusionsAlthough parents of children with asthma show willingness to access web‐based parenting support, further work is necessary to develop engaging websites and determine barriers to uptake, and adherence to online parenting interventions with this population.
Elevated levels of leukotriene C4 synthase mRNA distinguish a subpopulation of eosinophilic oesophagitis patients
Authors: Lexmond W. S. , Pardo M. , Rooney K. , Goettel J. A. , Snapper S. B. , Yen E. H. , Dehlink E. , Nurko S. , Fiebiger E. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryBackgroundCysteinyl leukotrienes contribute to Th2‐type inflammatory immune responses. Their levels in oesophageal tissue, however, do not distinguish patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) from controls.ObjectiveWe asked whether mRNA levels of leukotriene C4 synthase (LTC4S), a key regulator of leukotriene production, could serve as a marker for EoE.MethodsDigital mRNA expression profiling (nCounter® Technology) was performed on proximal and distal oesophageal biopsies of 30 paediatric EoE patients and 40 non‐EoE controls. Expression data were confirmed with RT‐qPCR. LTC4S mRNA levels were quantified in whole blood samples. Leukotriene E4 was measured in urine.ResultsLTC4S mRNA levels were elevated in proximal (2.6‐fold, P < 0.001) and distal (2.9‐fold, P < 0.001) oesophageal biopsies from EoE patients. Importantly, increased LTC4S mRNA transcripts identified a subpopulation of EoE patients (28%). This patient subgroup had higher serum IgE levels (669 U/mL vs. 106 U/mL, P = 0.01), higher mRNA transcript numbers of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) (1.6‐fold, P = 0.009) and CD4 (1.4‐fold, P = 0.04) but lower IL‐23 mRNA levels (0.5‐fold, P = 0.04). In contrast, elevated levels of IL‐23 mRNA were found in oesophageal biopsies of patients with reflux oesophagitis. LTC4S mRNA transcripts in whole blood and urinary excretion of leukotriene E4 were similar in EoE patient subgroups and non‐EoE patients.Conclusion & Clinical RelevanceElevated oesophageal expression of LTC4S mRNA is found in a subgroup of EoE patients, concomitant with higher serum IgE levels and an oesophageal transcriptome indicative of a more‐pronounced allergic phenotype. Together with TSLP and IL‐23 mRNA levels, oesophageal LTC4S mRNA may facilitate diagnosis of an EoE subpopulation for personalized therapy.
Genetic deletion of granzyme B does not confer resistance to the development of spontaneous diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice
Authors: Kobayashi M , Kaneko-Koike C , Abiru N , Uchida T , Akazawa S , Nakamura K , Kuriya G , Satoh T , Ida H , Kawasaki E , Yamasaki H , Nagayama Y , Sasaki H , Kawakami A 
Published: May 2013

Summary
Granzyme B (GzmB) and perforin are proteins, secreted mainly by natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes that are largely responsible for the induction of apoptosis in target cells. Because type 1 diabetes results from the selective destruction of β cells and perforin deficiency effectively reduces diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, it can be deduced that β cell apoptosis involves the GzmB/perforin pathway. However, the relevance of GzmB remains totally unknown in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. In this study we have focused on GzmB and examined the consequence of GzmB deficiency in NOD mice. We found that NOD.GzmB–/– mice developed diabetes spontaneously with kinetics similar to those of wild-type NOD (wt-NOD) mice. Adoptive transfer study with regulatory T cell (Treg)-depleted splenocytes (SPCs) into NOD-SCID mice or in-vivo Treg depletion by anti-CD25 antibody at 4 weeks of age comparably induced the rapid progression of diabetes in the NOD.GzmB–/– mice and wt-NOD mice. Expression of GzmA and Fas was enhanced in the islets from pre-diabetic NOD.GzmB–/– mice. In contrast to spontaneous diabetes, GzmB deficiency suppressed the development of cyclophosphamide-promoted diabetes in male NOD mice. Cyclophosphamide treatment led to a significantly lower percentage of apoptotic CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+CD25+ T cells in SPCs from NOD.GzmB–/– mice than those from wt-NOD mice. In conclusion, GzmB, in contrast to perforin, is not essentially involved in the effector mechanisms for β cell destruction in NOD mice.
Clinical implications of menstrual cycle length in oligomenorrhoeic young women
Authors: Oh Jee‐Young , Sung Yeon‐Ah , Lee Hye Jin 
Published: May 2013

SummaryObjectiveAlthough menstrual irregularity is associated with insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, the relationship between the severity of menstrual infrequency and clinical phenotypes in young women with oligomenorrhoea (OM) is unclear. We evaluated whether a longer menstrual cycle length is associated with less favourable metabolic features.Design/Patients/MeasurementsA total of 1174 young women (aged 19–39 years) with a menstrual cycle length over 40 days and 1430 women with regular menstrual cycles participated voluntarily. Metabolic parameters, insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and testosterone were measured. Oligomenorrhoeic women were divided into three groups: (i) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by National Institute of Health criteria, (ii) severe OM (menstrual cycle length >60 days), and (iii) mild OM (menstrual cycle length 40–60 days).ResultsIn normal‐weight women (BMI < 23 kg/m2), the degrees of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenaemia are the highest in PCOS and higher in severe OM compared with mild OM. In overweight or obese women, PCOS was more insulin resistant and hyperandrogenaemic, but there was no difference between severe and mild OM. After excluding PCOS, women with severe OM showed a twofold increased risk of metabolic syndrome compared with regular cycling women (odds ratio 2·4, 95% confidence interval 1·1–5·6). By linear regression analysis, a longer menstrual cycle length was associated with ISI after adjustment for age, BMI, metabolic risk factors and testosterone.ConclusionsWomen with a menstrual cycle length over 60 days should be more closely monitored for the metabolic syndrome than women with a menstrual cycle length of 40–60 days, even if they have no PCOS.
Autoantibodies to low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 4 that is essential for the neuromuscular junction formation
Authors: Higuchi Osamu 
Published: May 2013

AbstractMyasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by skeletal muscle fatigability and muscle weakness resulting from inhibition of neuromuscular transmission by autoantibodies against synaptic apparatus in the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). MG is probably classified into three groups: anti‐acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody‐positive MG; antimuscle‐specific kinase (MuSK) antibody‐positive MG; and seronegative MG, which is negative for both antibodies. In patients with seronegative MG, pathogenic factors remain elusive. Recently, a new autoantibody against low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 4 (Lrp4), which is one of the postsynaptic apparatus and indispensable for the formation of the NMJ, has been identified and has attracted attention as a third MG‐related autoantibody. In the present review, we discuss the role of Lrp4 in the formation of NMJ, and the molecular mechanism(s) of pathogenesis for anti‐Lrp4 antibody‐positive MG.
Comparison of grey scale median (GSM) measurement in ultrasound images of human carotid plaques using two different softwares
Authors: Östling Gerd , Persson Margaretha , Hedblad Bo , Gonçalves Isabel 
Published: May 2013

SummaryGrey scale median (GSM) measured on ultrasound images of carotid plaques has been used for several years now in research to find the vulnerable plaque. Centres have used different software and also different methods for GSM measurement. This has resulted in a wide range of GSM values and cut‐off values for the detection of the vulnerable plaque. The aim of this study was to compare the values obtained with two different softwares, using different standardization methods, for the measurement of GSM on ultrasound images of carotid human plaques. GSM was measured with Adobe Photoshop® and with Artery Measurement System (AMS) on duplex ultrasound images of 100 consecutive medium‐ to large‐sized carotid plaques of the Beta‐blocker Cholesterol‐lowering Asymptomatic Plaque Study (BCAPS). The mean values of GSM were 35·2 ± 19·3 and 55·8 ± 22·5 for Adobe Photoshop® and AMS, respectively. Mean difference was 20·45 (95% CI: 19·17–21·73). Although the absolute values of GSM differed, the agreement between the two measurements was good, correlation coefficient 0·95. A chi‐square test revealed a kappa value of 0·68 when studying quartiles of GSM. The intra‐observer variability was 1·9% for AMS and 2·5% for Adobe Photoshop. The difference between softwares and standardization methods must be taken into consideration when comparing studies. To avoid these problems, researcher should come to a consensus regarding software and standardization method for GSM measurement on ultrasound images of plaque in the arteries.
Anomalous Mitral Arcade Variant with Accessory Mitral Leaflet and Chordae Presenting for the First Time with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in an Adult
Authors: Singh Bhupinder , Srinivasa K. H. , Surangi Manohar J. , Rangan Kapil , Manjunath C. Nanjappa 
Published: May 2013

The anomalous mitral arcade is a rare congenital malformation of the mitral valve and its tensor apparatus. It is characterized by enlarged papillary muscles connected to each other and to the free edge of the anterior mitral leaflet by a bridge of fibrous tissue. We report a rare variant of anomalous mitral arcade that was associated with accessory mitral leaflet in subaortic area and accessory chordae. Our patient was asymptomatic till the age of 18 years, when he presented for the first time in acute decompensated heart failure secondary to severe mitral regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction. The patient had rapid deterioration with fatal outcome.
Understanding Morality from an Evolutionary Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Keefer Matthew W. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractIn recent years, there has been a proliferation of new research on moral thinking informed by evolutionary theory. The new findings have emanated from a wide variety of fields. While there is no shortage of theoretical models that attempt to account for specific research findings, Matthew Keefer's goals in this essay are more general. First, he examines the strength of the evolutionary approach to understanding morality and moral emotions as adaptations to cooperation. Second, he considers the importance of unconscious processing for generating ethical (or unethical) behavior and the complex relation among moral emotions, intuitions, and conscious moral reasoning. Third, he underscores the importance of understanding self‐deception and self‐serving biases in moral thinking and behavior. Keefer ends the essay with a discussion of some implications of these considerations for professional ethics and moral education.