bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vivo effects of foam sclerotherapy on coagulation
Authors: Shadid N H , Van Der Velden S K , Van Oerle R , Cate H Ten , Sommer A , Nelemans P 
Published: April 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether foam sclerotherapy (FS) induces changes in CAT (calibrated automated thrombinography) and other coagulation parameters which could indicate an increased risk of thrombotic events. Methods: Blood samples from eight patients treated with FS were taken before treatment and 30 minutes, one and four hours and one week after treatment. CAT parameters (ETPln, Peakln, Lag time 1), thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT), d-dimers, fibrinogen, Von Willebrand (vWf Ag) factor and platelet-derived microparticles (MIPAs) were measured. Results: Significant changes over time for Peakln, fibrinogen, d-dimers, vWfAg and TAT complexes were observed. CAT parameters decreased over time, except for Lag time 1. D-dimers and TAT complexes increased and fibrinogen, vWf Ag, MIPA's decreased during the first hours. Conclusion: The findings in this study support the hypothesis that FS initiate coagulation pathways, but there is no evidence that this activation results in an increased thrombosis risk.
Retained laser fibre: insights and management
Authors: Lekich C , Hannah P 
Published: April 2013

Objectives: To describe a case of retained endovenous laser fibre. To review the literature and Food and Drug Administration device failure reports. To suggest protocols for avoiding this complication and a method of removal. Methods: A case of retained fibre removal is described. Fibre removal techniques in vivo and ex vivo in a bovine model on the laboratory bench are presented. Results: Successful in vivo and ex vivo fibre removal was performed using duplex ultrasound scan guided phlebectomy techniques. Unexplained measured fibre-length discrepancies due to misleading manufacturer's packaging was discovered. Conclusions: Simple ultrasound-guided micro-phlebectomy techniques can be used to remove retained laser fibres in the office environment. Laser fibre length measurements before and after treatment are recommended. Some preventive guidelines are described to avoid, or at least diagnose immediately, this complication, such as the ‘Laser Eclipse Sign’.
RETRACTED: A Common Discrete Resource for Visual Working Memory and Visual Search
Authors: Anderson David E. , Vogel Edward K. , Awh Edward 
Published: April 2013

The following article has been retracted by the Editor and publishers of Psychological Science: Anderson, D. E., Vogel, E. K., & Awh, E. (2013). A common discrete resource for visual working memory and visual search. Psychological Science, 24, 929–938. doi:10.1177/0956797612464380
Primary Closure of the Abdominal Wall After “Open Abdomen” Situation
Authors: Kääriäinen M. , Kuokkanen H. 
Published: April 2013

“Open abdomen” is a strategy used to avoid or treat abdominal compartment syndrome. It has reduced mortality both in trauma and non-trauma abdominal catastrophes but also has created a challenging clinical problem. Traditionally, open abdomen is closed in two phases; primarily with a free skin graft and later with a flap reconstruction. A modern trend is to close the abdomen within the initial hospitalization. This requires multi-professional co-operation. Temporary abdominal closure methods, e.g. negative pressure wound therapy alone or combined with mesh-mediated traction, have been developed to facilitate direct fascial closure. Components separation technique, mesh reinforcement or bridging of the fascial defect with mesh and perforator saving skin undermining can be utilized in the final closure if needed. These techniques can be combined. Choice of the treatment depends on the condition of the patient and size of the fascia and skin defect, and the state of the abdominal contents. In this paper we review the literature on the closure of an open abdomen and present the policy used in our institution in the open abdomen situations.
Reconstruction of the Vulva with Sensate Gluteal Fold Flaps
Authors: Kuokkanen H. , Mikkola A. , Nyberg R. H. , Vuento M. H. , Kaartinen I. , Kuoppala T. 
Published: April 2013

Backround and Aims: Soft-tissue reconstruction of the vulva following resection of malignancies is challenging. The function of perineal organs should be preserved and the reconstructed area should maintain an acceptable cosmetic appearance. Reconstruction with local flaps is usually sufficient in the primary phase after a radical vulvectomy. Numerous flaps have been designed for vulvar reconstruction usually based on circulation from the internal pudendal artery branches. In this paper we introduce our modification of the gluteal fold V–Y advancement flap as a primary reconstruction after a radical vulvectomy. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two patients were operated with a radical vulvectomy because of vulvar malignancies. The operation was primary in eight and secondary in 14 patients. The reconstruction of the vulva was performed in the same operation for each patient Results: All flaps survived completely. Wound complications were registered in three patients. Late problems with urinary stream were corrected in two patients. A local recurrence of the malignancy was observed in six patients during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Gluteal fold flap is easy to perform, has a low rate of complications and gives good functional results. Even a large defect can be reconstructed reliably with this method. A gluteal fold V–Y advancement flap is sensate and our modification allows the flap to be transposed with lesser dissection as presented before.
Spinal Reconstruction with Free Vascularised Bone Grafts; Approaches and Selection of Acceptor Vessels
Authors: Winters H. A. H. , Kraak J. , Oosterhuis J. W. A. , de Kleuver M. 
Published: April 2013

The use of free vascularised bone grafts is an infrequently performed surgical technique for the reconstruction of spinal defects. This field of surgery brings many challenges concerning the choice of free vascularised bone graft, planning of the operative procedure and selection of recipient vessels. This study aims to report our experience with free vascularised bone grafts, with special emphasis on the surgical approach and the selection of recipient vessels. Over a period of 17 years (1994–2011), we used these grafts for anterior spinal reconstruction in 30 patients. In 28 patients, a free vascularised fibular graft was used, and in two cases a free vascularised iliac crest graft was used. The spinal segments reconstructed involved the cervical or cervicothoracic spine (6 cases), the thoracic spine (11 cases) and the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral spine (13 cases). Revascularisation of the free vascularised bone graft proved to be technically feasible in 30 patients, but failed in one fibular graft due to difficulties with recipient vessels in the lumbar region. Technical challenges were met with respect to the choice of the recipient vessel at various anatomical sites. Availability of acceptor vessels was highly dependant of the type of surgery (resection or stabilisation) and the selected surgical approach. Based on these findings, a preferred approach is given for each region. The use of free vascularised bone grafts is a valuable technique for the reconstruction of complex spinal disorders. Successful execution requires microvascular expertise with respect to graft harvesting and appropriate choice of recipient vessels. Adequate preoperative planning in a multidisciplinary setting and adherence to the basic principles for spinal reconstruction are required.
Intra-tester reliability of a single trial of pinch strength in patients with osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint
Authors: Miller Leanne , Jerosch-Herold Christina 
Published: April 2013

Objectives To compare pain, patient preference and the test–retest reliability between the Jamar dynamometer and the MIE myometer using a single trial of pinch strength in patients with first carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) osteoarthritis (OA). Methods A prospective, within patient, repeated measures design was used. A digital strain gauge torsion dynamometer (MIE) and a hydraulic dynamometer (Jamar) were used to measure tripod pinch strength using a single trial on two occasions. Pain was assessed after each trial of pinch strength using a numeric pain rating scale (NRPS). Patients were asked which instrument they preferred and why. The test–retest reliability of each instrument was calculated using an intra-class correlation coefficient. Results Thirty-eight patients with a confirmed diagnosis of OA of the CMCJ referred to hand therapy took part in the study. There were no statistically significant differences in mean pain scores (NPRS 0–10) between the Jamar and the MIE (mean difference 0.3, p = 0.24, 95% CI −0.214 to 0.846). There was no clear preference for one or the other instrument. Test–retest reliability using a single trial of pinch strength was excellent with both instruments (MIE, ICC = 0.914; Jamar ICC = 0.891). Conclusions Although patients had a slightly lower pain score with the MIE these differences were not statistically significant and an almost equal number of patients preferred each instrument. The use of a single trial of pinch strength still confers high reliability when using the MIE and Jamar justifying the continued use of both instruments for clinical practice and research
MEK inhibitors selectively suppress alloreactivity and graft-versus-host disease in a memory stage-dependent manner
Authors: Shindo Takero , Kim Tae Kon , Benjamin Cara L. , Wieder Eric D. , Levy Robert B. , Komanduri Krishna V. 
Published: April 2013

Key Points
RAS/MEK/ERK signaling is memory stage-dependent in human T cells, conferring susceptibility to alloreactive T-cell selective inhibition. MEK inhibitors selectively inhibit alloreactive but not herpesvirus-specific human T cells and inhibit murine GVHD.
Fixed points and stability of functional equations in fuzzy ternary Banach algebras
Authors: Asgari G , Cho YJ , Lee YW , Eshaghi Gordji M 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
By using Diaz and Margolis fixed point theorem, we establish the generalized Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stability of the ternary homomorphisms and ternary derivations between fuzzy ternary Banach algebras associated to the following

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-Cauchy-Jensen additive functional equation:

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MSC:39B52, 46S40, 26E50.
Assembling contigs in draft genomes using reversals and block-interchanges
Authors: Li Chi-Long , Chen Kun-Tze , Lu Chin Lung 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
The techniques of next generation sequencing allow an increasing number of draft genomes to be produced rapidly in a decreasing cost. However, these draft genomes usually are just partially sequenced as collections of unassembled contigs, which cannot be used directly by currently existing algorithms for studying their genome rearrangements and phylogeny reconstruction. In this work, we study the one-sided block (or contig) ordering problem with weighted reversal and block-interchange distance. Given a partially assembled genome π and a completely assembled genome σ, the problem is to find an optimal ordering to assemble (i.e., order and orient) the contigs of π such that the rearrangement distance measured by reversals and block-interchanges (also called generalized transpositions) with the weight ratio 1:2 between the assembled contigs of π and σ is minimized. In addition to genome rearrangements and phylogeny reconstruction, the one-sided block ordering problem particularly has a useful application in genome resequencing, because its algorithms can be used to assemble the contigs of a draft genome π based on a reference genome σ. By using permutation groups, we design an efficient algorithm to solve this one-sided block ordering problem in

O

δ
n

time, where n is the number of genes or markers and δ is the number of used reversals and block-interchanges. We also show that the assembly of the partially assembled genome can be done in

O

n

time and its weighted rearrangement distance from the completely assembled genome can be calculated in advance in

O

n

time. Finally, we have implemented our algorithm into a program and used some simulated datasets to compare its accuracy performance to a currently existing similar tool, called SIS that was implemented by a heuristic algorithm that considers only reversals, on assembling the contigs in draft genomes based on their reference genomes. Our experimental results have shown that the accuracy performance of our program is better than that of SIS, when the number of reversals and transpositions involved in the rearrangement events between the complete genomes of π and σ is increased. In particular, if there are more transpositions involved in the rearrangement events, then the gap of accuracy performance between our program and SIS is increasing.
Tyrosine pathway regulation is host-mediated in the pea aphid symbiosis during late embryonic and early larval development
Authors: Rabatel Andréane , Febvay Gérard , Gaget Karen , Duport Gabrielle , Baa-Puyoulet Patrice , Sapountzis Panagiotis , Bendridi Nadia , Rey Marjolaine , Rahbé Yvan , Charles Hubert , Calevro Federica , Colella Stefano 
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Background
Nutritional symbioses play a central role in insects’ adaptation to specialized diets and in their evolutionary success. The obligatory symbiosis between the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and the bacterium, Buchnera aphidicola, is no exception as it enables this important agricultural pest insect to develop on a diet exclusively based on plant phloem sap. The symbiotic bacteria provide the host with essential amino acids lacking in its diet but necessary for the rapid embryonic growth seen in the parthenogenetic viviparous reproduction of aphids. The aphid furnishes, in exchange, non-essential amino acids and other important metabolites. Understanding the regulations acting on this integrated metabolic system during the development of this insect is essential in elucidating aphid biology.

Results
We used a microarray-based approach to analyse gene expression in the late embryonic and the early larval stages of the pea aphid, characterizing, for the first time, the transcriptional profiles in these developmental phases. Our analyses allowed us to identify key genes in the phenylalanine, tyrosine and dopamine pathways and we identified ACYPI004243, one of the four genes encoding for the aspartate transaminase (E.C. 2.6.1.1), as specifically regulated during development. Indeed, the tyrosine biosynthetic pathway is crucial for the symbiotic metabolism as it is shared between the two partners, all the precursors being produced by B. aphidicola. Our microarray data are supported by HPLC amino acid analyses demonstrating an accumulation of tyrosine at the same developmental stages, with an up-regulation of the tyrosine biosynthetic genes. Tyrosine is also essential for the synthesis of cuticular proteins and it is an important precursor for cuticle maturation: together with the up-regulation of tyrosine biosynthesis, we observed an up-regulation of cuticular genes expression. We were also able to identify some amino acid transporter genes which are essential for the switch over to the late embryonic stages in pea aphid development.

Conclusions
Our data show that, in the development of A. pisum, a specific host gene set regulates the biosynthetic pathways of amino acids, demonstrating how the regulation of gene expression enables an insect to control the production of metabolites crucial for its own development and symbiotic metabolism.
Molecular cloning of doublesex genes of four cladocera (water flea) species
Authors: Toyota Kenji , Kato Yasuhiko , Sato Masaru , Sugiura Naomi , Miyagawa Shinichi , Miyakawa Hitoshi , Watanabe Hajime , Oda Shigeto , Ogino Yukiko , Hiruta Chizue , Mizutani Takeshi , Tatarazako Norihisa , Paland Susanne , Jackson Craig , Colbourne John K , Iguchi Taisen 
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Background
The gene doublesex (dsx) is known as a key factor regulating genetic sex determination in many organisms. We previously identified two dsx genes (DapmaDsx1 and DapmaDsx2) from a freshwater branchiopod crustacean, Daphnia magna, which are expressed in males but not in females. D. magna produces males by parthenogenesis in response to environmental cues (environmental sex determination) and we showed that DapmaDsx1 expression during embryonic stages is responsible for the male trait development. The D. magna dsx genes are thought to have arisen by a cladoceran-specific duplication; therefore, to investigate evolutionary conservation of sex specific expression of dsx genes and to further assess their functions in the environmental sex determination, we searched for dsx homologs in four closely related cladoceran species.

Results
We identified homologs of both dsx genes from, D. pulex, D. galeata, and Ceriodaphnia dubia, yet only a single dsx gene was found from Moina macrocopa. The deduced amino acid sequences of all 9 dsx homologs contained the DM and oligomerization domains, which are characteristic for all arthropod DSX family members. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that the dsx gene duplication likely occurred prior to the divergence of these cladoceran species, because that of the giant tiger prawn Penaeus monodon is rooted ancestrally to both DSX1 and DSX2 of cladocerans. Therefore, this result also suggested that M. macrocopa lost dsx2 gene secondarily. Furthermore, all dsx genes identified in this study showed male-biased expression levels, yet only half of the putative 5’ upstream regulatory elements are preserved in D. magna and D. pulex.

Conclusions
The all dsx genes of five cladoceran species examined had similar amino acid structure containing highly conserved DM and oligomerization domains, and exhibited sexually dimorphic expression patterns, suggesting that these genes may have similar functions for environmental sex determination in cladocerans.
Serum γ-glutamyltransferase and uric acid levels are associated with impaired fasting glucose in adults from Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Wu Jie , Qiu Ling , Yan Wen-hua , Cheng Xin-qi , Wu Wei , Guo Xiu-zhi , Ding Hai-tao , Han Hui-juan , Han Shao-mei , Zhu Guang-jin 
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Background
Serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and uric acid (UA) levels are elevated in patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Prediabetes, characterized by impaired glucose tolerance, is an important risk factor for overt diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between GGT, UA and prediabetes in a Chinese population, and provide a scientific basis for the early prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Methods
We performed a cross-sectional population-based study in a cohort of 2694 subjects (1211 men and 1483 women, aged 35–86 years). Questionnaires and physical examinations were performed using standardized procedures. Fasting blood was collected to measure glucose and other biochemical parameters. The subjects were divided into two groups with either normal fasting glucose (NFG) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG), according to international diagnostic criteria. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals.

Results
Compared with the NFG group, the IFG group had significantly higher blood pressure but lower high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol in women. Body mass index, waist circumference, triglyceride, glucose, GGT, and UA levels were significantly higher in males and females in the IFG group than those in the NFG group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the OR for prediabetes increased with increasing serum GGT quartiles and UA quartiles. GGT and UA were positively associated with prediabetes in men and women, independent of age, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, physical labor, and other confounders.

Conclusions
We found that serum GGT and UA levels were positively associated with prediabetes in men and women living in areas inhabited by Chinese ethnic minorities. As elevated GGT and UA levels were associated with significantly increased risk of prediabetes, they may be used as sensitive biological markers of prediabetes.
Increasing trends in central obesity among Chinese adults with normal body mass index, 1993–2009
Authors: Du Tingting , Sun Xingxing , Yin Ping , Huo Rui , Ni Chaochao , Yu Xuefeng 
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Background
Central obesity is thought to be more pathogenic than overall obesity and studies have shown that the association between waist circumference (WC) and mortality was strongest in those with a normal body mass index (BMI). The objective of our study was to determine secular trends in the prevalence of central obesity (WC ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women) among Chinese adults with normal BMI from 1993 to 2009 and to examine the impact of performance of combined BMI and WC on the prevalence of obesity in Chinese adults.

Methods
We used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) conducted from 1993 to 2009. From which we included a total of 52023 participants aged ≥ 18 years.

Results
The age-standardized prevalence of central obesity among Chinese adults with BMI < 25 kg/m2 increased from 11.9% in 1993 to 21.1% in 2009 (P for linear trend <0.001). The upward trends were noted in both genders, all ages, rural/urban settings, and education groups (all P for linear trend <0.001), with greater increments in men, participants aged 18–64 years, and rural residents (P for interaction terms survey × sex, survey × age, and survey × rural/urban settings were 0.042, 0.003, and < 0.001, respectively). Trends in the prevalence of central obesity were similar when a more stringent BMI < 23 kg/m2 cut point (Asian cut point) was applied. Central obesity is associated with a higher risk of incident hypertension within normal BMI category. More than 65% individuals with obesity would be missed if solely BMI was measured.

Conclusions
We observed an upward trend in the prevalence of central obesity among participants with normal BMI irrespective of sex, age, rural/urban settings, and education level. Central obesity is associated with a higher risk of incident hypertension within normal BMI category. Approximately two thirds of the individuals with obesity would be missed if WC was not measured. It is, therefore, urgent to emphasize the importance of WC as a measure to monitor the prevalence of obesity.