bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Propranolol, doxycycline and combination therapy for the treatment of rosacea
Authors: Park Jung‐Min , Mun Je‐Ho , Song Margaret , Kim Hoon‐Soo , Kim Byung‐Soo , Kim Moon‐Bum , Ko Hyun‐Chang 
Published: November 2014

AbstractDoxycycline is the standard systemic treatment for rosacea. Recently, there have been a few reports on β‐adrenergic blockers such as nadolol, carvedilol and propranolol for suppressing flushing reactions in rosacea. To our knowledge, there are no comparative studies of propranolol and doxycycline, and combination therapy using both. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy and safety of monotherapy of propranolol, doxycycline and combination therapy. A total of 78 patients who visited Pusan National University Hospital and were diagnosed with rosacea were included in this study. Among them, 28 patients were in the propranolol group, 22 the doxycycline group and 28 the combination group. We investigated the patient global assessment (PGA), investigator global assessment (IGA), assessment of rosacea clinical score (ARCS) and adverse effects. Improvement in PGA and IGA scores from baseline was noted in all groups, and the combination therapy was found to be the most effective during the entire period, but this was statistically insignificant. The reduction rate of ARCS during the treatment period was also highest in the combination group (57.4%), followed by the doxycycline group (52.2%) and the propranolol group (51.0%). Three patients in the combination group had mild and transient gastrointestinal disturbances but there was no significant difference from the other groups. We conclude that the combination therapy of doxycycline and propranolol is effective and safe treatment for rosacea and successful for reducing both flushing and papulation in particular.
Age Estimation in Forensic Anthropology: Quantification of Observer Error in Phase Versus Component‐Based Methods
Authors: Shirley Natalie R. , Ramirez Montes Paula Andrea 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to assess observer error in phase versus component‐based scoring systems used to develop age estimation methods in forensic anthropology. A method preferred by forensic anthropologists in the AAFS was selected for this evaluation (the Suchey–Brooks method for the pubic symphysis). The Suchey–Brooks descriptions were used to develop a corresponding component‐based scoring system for comparison. Several commonly used reliability statistics (kappa, weighted kappa, and the intraclass correlation coefficient) were calculated to assess observer agreement between two observers and to evaluate the efficacy of each of these statistics for this study. The linear weighted kappa was determined to be the most suitable measure of observer agreement. The results show that a component‐based system offers the possibility for more objective scoring than a phase system as long as the coding possibilities for each trait do not exceed three states of expression, each with as little overlap as possible.
Diagnostic Value of PSA and AP Tests for the Detection of Spermatozoa in Postmortem Swabs from the Genital and Anal Region in Males
Authors: Weitzig Laurence , Schroeder Ann Sophie , Augustin Christa , Raupach Tobias , Sehner Susanne , Anders Sven 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe aim of this study was to clarify whether positive results for prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and acid phosphatase (AP) occur in postmortem swabs from the genito‐anal region in males (n = 80; 4 regions) and females (n = 20; 3 regions) and to calculate the positive predictive value (PPV) concerning the presence of spermatozoa. In male subjects, the highest incidence of positive test results was found in urethral swabs (PSA 76%, AP 71%) and the lowest frequencies appeared in perianal and rectal swabs (15–20%). Microscopic evaluation for spermatozoa was positive between 39% in urethral swabs and 1% in rectal swabs. PPV regarding positive identification of spermatozoa was 33.3% for PSA and 31.5% for AP. The combination of both tests yielded a PPV of 38.2%. In female cases, no spermatozoa were identified, and one case was PSA‐ and AP‐positive in perianal swabs. Our findings indicate that PSA and AP tests are of limited value for the postmortem detection of spermatozoa in male subjects.
Volatile Emission of Decomposing Pig Carcasses (Sus scrofa domesticusL.) as an Indicator for thePostmortemInterval
Authors: Paczkowski Sebastian , Nicke Sara , Ziegenhagen Henrik , Schütz Stefan 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThis study aimed at correlating selected carcass borne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with thepostmorteminterval (PMI). Selected volatiles should 1st be reliably emitted during vertebrate decay, 2nd be emitted at high concentrations, and 3rd show a reproducible quantitative dynamic during the decaying process. Four pigs (Sus scrofa domesticusL.) were placed in a deciduous forest in different seasons and volatiles emitted during the decaying process were sampled. Seventeen compounds were identified and quantified byGC‐MS. Electrophysiological experiments on the antenna of femaleCalliphora vicinaand additional data ofDermestes maculanswere used as an evolutionary tuned information filter to evaluate the 1st criterion. The relative quantitative emission of hexanal, nonanal, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, 1‐butanol, and phenol were correlated with thePMI, and the observed stages of decay and the limitations of this model were discussed.
An Unusual Case Showing Fatal Rupture of a Gastric Ulcer or Gastromalacia? The Importance/Role of Histology for Differential Diagnosis
Authors: De‐Giorgio Fabio , Lodise Maria , Pascali Vincenzo L. , Spagnolo Antonio G. , d'Aloja Ernesto , Arena Vincenzo 
Published: November 2014

AbstractGastromalacia is the acute autolytic erosion of the gastric wall. It generally occurs postmortem, and it appears as a slimy brownish black region of the wall which occurs principally in the gastric fundus. A 59‐year‐old woman died in the Emergency Department following a 2‐day period of mild abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. A forensic autopsy was performed which revealed a rupture of the gastric fundus that had caused leakage of gastric content into the abdominal cavity. There was no macroscopic evidence of peritonitis, and the stomach wall adjacent to the rupture site showed marked thinning. The gross appearance was typical of gastromalacia. In contrast, histological observations revealed the presence of an ulcer at the site of perforation and a severe acute inflammatory reaction indicating a robust reaction with an antemortem rupture.
Internal hemipelvectomy with reconstruction for primary pelvic neoplasm: a systematic review
Authors: Shao Qing Dong , Yan Xu , Sun Jiu Yi , Xu Tian Ming 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundHemipelvectomy is a major operation with significant risks including infection, prosthesis failure and fracture. This systematic review was designed to review the functional outcomes, oncologic outcomes and complications in patients who received internal hemipelvectomy and pelvic reconstruction for primary pelvic tumour.MethodsSearches on MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase and Google Scholar were performed to locate studies involving patients receiving internal hemipelvectomy and pelvic reconstruction using a prosthesis, implant or bone graft. All studies were either prospective or retrospective observational studies published in English.ResultsThis systematic review included 12 studies from 1990 to 2011 involving 217 patients from 5 to 77 years of age who had received follow‐up for a period from 3 weeks to 15 years. Among the 12 studies, the mortality rate, disease‐free rate and incidence of local recurrence were 10–69.2, 23.1–90.0 and 9.1–41.7%, respectively. The post‐operative Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score ranged from 50 to 70 in the more recent studies. Compared with prostheses and other implants, patients who received allografts had the highest post‐operative function, as shown by their MSTS scores, but also had a greater incidence of post‐operative infection. On the other hand, the prosthesis group was associated with the highest percentage of fracture and dislocations, as well as other significant complications.ConclusionThis comprehensive review provided informative details regarding the goals, outcomes and complications associated with this procedure and underscored the need for further investigation into the various surgical approaches currently available.
Development of a short‐form Health Literacy Dental Scale (HeLD‐14)
Authors: Jones Kelly , Brennan David , Parker Eleanor , Jamieson Lisa 
Published: November 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a short‐form version of the 29‐item Health Literacy in Dentistry (HeLD‐29) instrument.MethodsDeriving the short‐form version used data from a cross‐sectional study of 400 indigenous Australians aged 18+ years in Port Augusta, South Australia, which was split to enable short‐form testing (N = 191). Internal reliability analysis, factor analysis and regression analysis were undertaken to derive a subset (HeLD‐14) questionnaire. Its validity was evaluated by assessing associations with socio‐demographic and self‐reported oral health variables. Internal consistency of the HeLD‐14 was evaluated using Cronbach's coefficient α. A HeLD‐14 scale was derived from regression analysis.ResultsThe HeLD‐14 accounted for 94% of variance in the HeLD‐29 mean scores; had high reliability (α = 0.88); contained questions from each of the seven conceptual dimensions of the HeLD‐29; and had a good distribution of prevalence for individual questions. HeLD‐14 scores and HeLD‐29 scores displayed the same pattern of variation among socio‐demographic groups of indigenous Australians. Cronbach's α for the HeLD‐14 was 0.87. In a multivariable analysis, the same socio‐demographic and self‐reported oral health variables were associated (P < 0.05) with both the HeLD‐29 and the HeLD‐14.ConclusionsThe reliability, validity and precision of the short‐form version (HeLD‐14) were acceptable when tested in a sample of rural dwelling indigenous Australians. However, it will be important to replicate these findings in other populations before it can be used in health services research to determine the effects of interventions or programs aimed at improving oral health outcomes. This short form will be easy and efficient for use in research and clinical settings.
Sample‐Based Manifold Filtering for Interactive Global Illumination and Depth of Field
Authors: Bauszat P. , Eisemann M. , John S. , Magnor M. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractWe present a fast reconstruction filtering method for images generated with Monte Carlo–based rendering techniques. Our approach specializes in reducing global illumination noise in the presence of depth‐of‐field effects at very low sampling rates and interactive frame rates. We employ edge‐aware filtering in the sample space to locally improve outgoing radiance of each sample. The improved samples are then distributed in the image plane using a fast, linear manifold‐based approach supporting very large circles of confusion. We evaluate our filter by applying it to several images containing noise caused by Monte Carlo–simulated global illumination, area light sources and depth of field. We show that our filter can efficiently denoise such images at interactive frame rates on current GPUs and with as few as 4–16 samples per pixel. Our method operates only on the colour and geometric sample information output of the initial rendering process. It does not make any assumptions on the underlying rendering technique and sampling strategy and can therefore be implemented completely as a post‐process filter.
Carbon dioxide insufflation vs conventional air insufflation for colonoscopy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published randomized controlled trials
Authors: Sajid M. S. , Caswell J. , Bhatti M. I. , Sains P. , Baig M. K. , Miles W. F. A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractAimConventional air insufflation (AI) may cause prolonged abdominal bloating, excessive abdominal pain and discomfort during colonoscopy. Carbon dioxide may be an acceptable alternative to avoid these complications. The object of this study was to evaluate systematically the effectiveness of carbon dioxide insufflation (CI) for colonoscopy compared with AI.MethodRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of CI with that of AI during colonoscopy were retrieved from medical electronic databases and combined analysis was performed using the RevMan statistical package. The combined outcome of dichotomous and continuous variables was expressed as an odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD).ResultsTwenty‐one RCTs comprising 3607 patients were included in the study. There was statistically significant heterogeneity among included studies. CI showed a significant trend towards reduced procedural pain [SMD –1.34; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) −2.23 to −0.45; z = 2.96; P < 0.003] and also postprocedural pain at 1 h (SMD –1.11; 95% CI −1.83 to −0.38; z = 2.97; P < 0.003), 6 and 24 h (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.23–0.85; z = 2.44; P < 0.01). CI was associated with faster caecal intubation (SMD −0.20; 95% CI −0.37 to −0.02; z = 2.23; P < 0.03) but the caecal intubation rate was similar (P = 0.59) in both colonic insufflation techniques .ConclusionCI seems to have clinical advantages over AI for colonoscopy with regard to pain during and after the procedure.
High‐intensity cannabis use associated with lower plasma human immunodeficiency virus‐1 RNA viral load among recently infected people who use injection drugs
Authors: Milloy M‐J , Marshall Brandon , Kerr Thomas , Richardson Lindsey , Hogg Robert , Guillemi Silvia , Montaner Julio S. G. , Wood Evan 
Published: November 2014

AbstractIntroduction and AimsCannabis use is common among people who are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). While there is growing pre‐clinical evidence of the immunomodulatory and anti‐viral effects of cannabinoids, their possible effects on HIV disease parameters in humans are largely unknown. Thus, we sought to investigate the possible effects of cannabis use on plasma HIV‐1 RNA viral loads (pVLs) among recently seroconverted illicit drug users.Design and MethodsWe used data from two linked longitudinal observational cohorts of people who use injection drugs. Using multivariable linear mixed‐effects modelling, we analysed the relationship between pVL and high‐intensity cannabis use among participants who seroconverted following recruitment.ResultsBetween May 1996 and March 2012, 88 individuals seroconverted after recruitment and were included in these analyses. Median pVL in the first 365 days among all seroconverters was 4.66 log10 c mL−1. In a multivariable model, at least daily cannabis use was associated with 0.51 log10 c mL−1 lower pVL (β = −0.51, standard error = 0.170, P value = 0.003).Discussion and ConclusionsConsistent with the findings from recent in vitro and in vivo studies, including one conducted among lentiviral‐infected primates, we observed a strong association between cannabis use and lower pVL following seroconversion among illicit drug‐using participants. Our findings support the further investigation of the immunomodulatory or antiviral effects of cannabinoids among individuals living with HIV/AIDS. [Milloy M‐J, Marshall B, Kerr T, Richardson L, Hogg R, Guillemi S, Montaner JSG, Wood E. High‐intensity cannabis use associated with lower plasma human immunodeficiency virus‐1 RNA viral load among recently infected people who use injection drugs. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:135–40]
Update on the 35‐year expansion of the invasive root pathogen, Phytophthora lateralis, across a landscape of Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
Authors: Jules E. S. , Steenbock C. M. , Carroll A. L. 
Published: November 2014

SummaryPort Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is endemic to northern California and southwestern Oregon and is considered a foundation species that plays critical roles in riparian areas and on nutrient‐poor soils. Since 1952, a non‐native, pathogenic oomycete (Phytophthora lateralis) has been spreading throughout the range of the cedar. Most spread occurs by vehicles carrying infested soil along gravel roads primarily used for timber harvest. In a previous study conducted in 1998 and 1999, Port Orford cedar and P. lateralis were censused in a 37‐km2 study area and dendrochronology was used to reconstruct the history of pathogen invasion. That work, which represents the only detailed analysis of spread rates for P. lateralis, showed that the first successful invasion into the study area took place in 1977 and that 43% of the susceptible host sites (stream crossings) were infested by 1999. In the work presented here, all sites that were uninfested in 1999 were re‐censused in 2012, extending the historical reconstruction of P. lateralis spread to 35 years. Two new infestations were initiated between 1999 and 2012, suggesting that the rate of spread of P. lateralis has slowed greatly. Between 1980 and 1989, the average number of new site infestations was 1.8 infestations per year, while between 1990 and 1999 the average was 0.4 infestations per year and between 2000 and 2009 the average was 0.2 infestations per year. Several potential explanations for the reduced number of new infestations are discussed.
p63‐dependent and independent mechanisms of nectin‐1 and nectin‐4 regulation in the epidermis
Authors: Mollo Maria Rosaria , Antonini Dario , Mitchell Karen , Fortugno Paola , Costanzo Antonio , Dixon Jill , Brancati Francesco , Missero Caterina 
Published: November 2014

AbstractNectins are immunoglobulin‐like cell adhesion molecules mainly localized in adherens junctions. The transcription factor p63 is a master regulator of gene expression in stratified epithelia and controls several molecular processes. As mutations in the Pvrl1 and Pvrl4 genes encoding for nectins cause genetic disorders with phenotypes similar to p63‐related syndromes, we investigated whether these proteins might be under p63 transcriptional control. Here, we show that in p63‐null skin, Pvrl1 gene expression is strongly reduced, whereas Pvrl4 expression is unaffected. In human and mouse primary keratinocytes p63 depletion leads to a specific downregulation of the Pvrl1 gene. Consistent with a direct regulation, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments (ChIP) indicate that p63 binds to two conserved intronic Pvrl1 enhancer regions. Ankyloblepharon–ectodermal defects–cleft lip/palate (AEC) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, caused by mutations in p63 gene, mainly characterized by skin fragility. To test whether nectins may be affected in AEC syndrome, their expression was measured in keratinocytes obtained from patients with AEC or from a conditional mouse model for AEC syndrome. Pvrl1 expression was reduced in AEC keratinocytes, consistent with impaired p63 function. Surprisingly, Pvrl4 expression was similarly affected, in parallel with decreased expression of the transcription factor Irf6. Consistent with the well‐characterized role of Irf6 in keratinocyte differentiation and its strong downregulation in AEC syndrome, Irf6 depletion caused reduced expression of Pvrl4 in wild‐type keratinocytes. Taken together, our results indicate that Pvrl1 is a bona fide target gene of the transcription factor p63, whereas Pvrl4 regulation is linked to epidermal differentiation and is under Irf6 control.
Efficacy of the ‘Long‐term Urinary Catheter Management Training Program’: a pilot study
Authors: Maeda Shuko , Takiuti Takako , Komatsu Taeko , Kohno Yumiko , Nakai Hisao 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACTIn home‐care patients with urinary catheters (hereafter, ‘catheters’), the indwelling periods are sometimes prolonged and can cause various complications. To educate visiting nurses about long‐term catheter management, we conducted ‘The Long‐term Urinary Catheter Management Training Program for Visiting Nurses’ (hereafter, ‘the training program’). We investigated the efficacy of the training program in the present pilot study. The aim of the study was to verify the efficacy of the training program. Forty‐one participants completed a questionnaire survey before and after the training program. The training program's efficacy was verified on the basis of three indices: satisfaction of learning needs, learning achievement and usefulness for visiting nurses. In the satisfaction of learning needs index, more than 50·0% of training participants answered ‘Yes’ for all program content. The participants answered the same questions about long‐term catheter management before and after the training program to assess their learning achievement. The number of correct answers was significantly higher in the post‐training survey than in the pre‐training survey, and the number of correct answers increased for 75·6% of participants. In the usefulness for visiting nurses index, 50·0% or more participants answered ‘Yes’ for all topics but one. The results of this pilot study indicate that the training program was basically effective in educating a relatively small number of participating visiting nurses about long‐term catheter management from a cognitive perspective. However, ‘number of participants,’ ‘method for examining learning achievement,’ ‘number of goals in the program’ and ‘education method’ require improvement.
TheEuroPlusPact: Competitiveness and External Capital Flows in theEUCountries
Authors: Gabrisch Hubert , Staehr Karsten 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe Euro Plus Pact was approved by the European Union countries in March 2011. The pact stipulates various measures to strengthen competitiveness with the ultimate aim of preventing accumulation of unsustainable external imbalances. This article uses Granger causality tests to assess the short‐term linkages between changes in relative unit labour costs and changes in the current account balance for the period 1995–2011. The main finding is that changes in the current account balance precede changes in relative unit labour costs, while there is no discernible effect in the opposite direction. This suggests that capital flows from the European core to the periphery contributed to the divergence in unit labour costs across Europe prior to the global financial crisis. The results also suggest that the measures to restrain unit labour costs may have only limited effect on the current account balance in the short term.