bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pilot Study on Quality of Life and Sexual Function in Men-Who-Have-Sex-with-Men Treated for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lee Tsz Kin , Breau Rodney Henry , Eapen Libni 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACT

Introduction
There is limited data on post-treatment quality of life (QoL) for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) with prostate cancer (PCa). QoL in MSM may not be reflected by assessment tools designed for the heterosexual population.

Aims
Our goals were to evaluate post-treatment QoL in PCa patients who are MSM, and to investigate the utility of current QoL assessment tool.

Methods
PCa patients treated with surgery and/or radiation were recruited from the local MSM community. Each participant completed the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire, Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ), and a questionnaire focused on insertive and receptive roles of anal intercourse.

Main Outcome Measures
Response scores were calculated based on questionnaire design and compared by treatment modality.

Results
Seven participants treated with surgery (mean age 58) and eight participants treated with radiation (mean age 67) were recruited. No participant in the surgical group received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) while two in radiation group were treated with ADT.
The sample size of this study did not permit formal statistical analysis, although potential differences in Urinary and Bowel Domains from EPIC and Ejaculation Scale from MSHQ were observed. More participants from the radiation group seemed to be able to maintain both insertive and receptive anal intercourse roles after treatment compared to participants who received surgery.

Conclusions
While the two validated assessment tools suggested similar QoL scores including sexual function for both surgical and radiation groups, post-treatment sexual function related to anal intercourse may be better in the radiation group, as compared to the surgical group. Larger studies in PCa patients from MSM community are warranted to verify these data.
Shaping Parents: Impact of Contrasting Professional Counseling on Parents' Decision Making for Children with Disorders of Sex Development
Authors: Streuli Jürg C. , Vayena Effy , Cavicchia-Balmer Yvonne , Huber Johannes 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACT

Introduction
The management of disorders or differences of sex development (DSD) remains complex, especially with respect to parents' decision for or against early genitoplasty. Most parents still tend to disfavor postponing surgery until the child is old enough to provide consent.

Aim
To identify the determinants of parental decisions for or against early sex assignment surgery in DSD children, and in particular to assess the influence of contrasting behavior of health-care professionals and the information they dispense.

Methods
Preliminary data analysis from a focus group identified two broad approaches to counseling information. Two six-minute counseling videos were produced on this basis: one medicalized, by an endocrinologist, the other demedicalized, by a psychologist. Third-year medical students (N = 89) were randomized to watch either video as prospective parents and report its impact on their decision in a self-administered questionnaire.

Main Outcome Measures
Statistical analysis of questionnaire responses regarding decisions for or against surgery, including self-assessed impact of potential determinants.

Results
Thirty-eight of eighty-nine “parents” (43%) chose early surgery for “their” child, including 27/41 “parents” (66%) shown the medicalized video vs. 11/48 (23%) shown the demedicalized video (P &lt; 0.001). Desired aims for “their” child also differed significantly depending on the counseling approach viewed. Yet “parents” perceived their personal attitudes on a four-point Likert scale as the main influence on their decision although their “attitude” was significantly shaped by the video.

Conclusions
Parental decisions concerning early sex assignment surgery for DSD children depend on the health professional counseling received, to a degree of which neither parents nor professionals appear fully aware. In the absence of conclusive data for or against early surgery, there is a danger of medicalized or demedicalized parentalism resulting in irreversible and inadequately grounded decisions, regardless of the consensus statement of 2005 and the subsequent call for multidisciplinary management.
Pharmacokinetics of difloxacin in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus at two water temperatures
Authors: Sun M. , Li J. , Gai C. L. , Chang Z. Q. , Li J. T. , Zhao F. Z. 
Published: June 2013

In this study, the pharmacokinetics profiles of difloxacin in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) were investigated following intravenous and oral administration (10 mg/kg BW) at 14 and 22 °C water temperatures. Plasma and tissue samples (muscle, liver, and kidney) were analyzed using an HPLC method. The results showed that the plasma concentration–time data for difloxacin were described commendably by two‐compartment open model at the two water temperatures. The absorption half‐life (t1/2ka) of difloxacin after oral administration were 2.08 and 1.10 h at 14 and 22 °C, respectively; whereas the elimination half‐life (t1/2β) was 4.41 and 2.38 h, respectively. The muscle concentration of 1.35 ± 0.19 μg/g was observed at 9 h at 14 °C, and 2.11 ± 0.33 μg/g at 6 h at 22 °C, respectively. For liver, the peak concentration of difloxacin 2.43 ± 0.30 μg/g occurred at 6 h at 14 °C, which was lower than the 3.34 ± 0.24 μg/g peak that occurred at 4 h at 22 °C. The calculated bioavailability of difloxacin was 68.07% at 22 °C, which was higher than the 53.43% calculated for 14 °C. After intravenous administration, the t1/2β were 4.79 and 2.81 h at 14 and 22 °C, respectively. The results indicate that the peak concentrations in muscle and liver at 14 °C are approximately half of those achieved at 22 °C. However, the Cmax in kidney at 14 and 22 °C were similar. The Vd values were 1.20 and 1.75 L/kg at 14 and 22 °C, respectively. These data indicated that both temperature and drug administration had significant effects on the elimination of difloxacin, and lower temperature or oral administration resulted in lower elimination.
COMMENT ON “SKEWNESS‐AWARE ASSET ALLOCATION”
Authors: Bae Kwangil 
Published: June 2013

This paper discusses risk measures proposed by Low et al. One of their new risk measures is skewness‐aware deviation, which is closely related to constant absolute risk aversion utility functions. This measure captures downside risk more effectively than traditional variance does. The authors also propose a second measure, skewness‐aware variance, which is derived from skewness‐aware deviation. This measure simplifies asset allocation problems and empirical results indicate that it captures risk better than traditional variance. However, this measure is also found to be inconsistent due to factor selection. Additionally, in the aspect of skewness‐aware deviation, optimal portfolios based upon skewness‐aware variance are sometimes less efficient than optimal portfolios that base themselves on traditional variance.
Identification of Left Atrial Ganglionated Plexi by Dense Epicardial Mapping as Ablation Targets for the Treatment of Concomitant Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: KONDO YUSUKE , UEDA MAREHIKO , WATANABE MICHIKO , ISHIMURA MASAYUKI , KAJIYAMA TAKATSUGU , HASHIGUCHI NAOTAKA , KANAEDA TOMONORI , NAKANO MASAHIRO , HIRANUMA YASUNORI , ISHIZAKA TORU , MATSUMIYA GORO , KOBAYASHI YOSHIO 
Published: June 2013

BackgroundAutonomic ganglionated plexi (GPs) play a significant role in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). GPs are key targets for a maze procedure. The purpose of this study was to identify the location of the left atrial GPs based on dense epicardial mapping during a maze procedure in patients with concomitant AF.MethodsSixteen patients (age, 68 ± 10 years; 11 males, 69%) with heart failure and concomitant AF (duration 55 ± 86 months) underwent intraoperative epicardial electrophysiological mapping and a GP ablation using the maze procedure at our institution. Twenty‐four‐site, high‐frequency stimulation (1,000/min; output, 18 V; pulse width, 0.75 ms) was performed by placing tweezers directly onto the potential GP sites on the left atrial epicardium.ResultsActive GPs were found in 13 (81%) of the 16 patients, and 12 (92%) of 13 patients had active GPs between the right pulmonary veins (PVs) and the interatrial groove. For those patients with active locations, a 7‐day event‐loop recording demonstrated that 12 (92%) of 13 patients were maintained in sinus rhythm 3 months after the operation.ConclusionDense epicardial mapping in the potential GP areas identified active GP locations in a high percentage of patients. GPs between the PVs and interatrial groove have a high potential as ablation targets for treatment of concomitant AF.
Proportional Hazards Modeling of Saccadic Response Times During Reading
Authors: Nilsson Mattias , Nivre Joakim 
Published: June 2013

AbstractIn this article we use proportional hazards models to examine how low‐level processes affect the probability of making a saccade over time, through the period of fixation, during reading. We apply the Cox proportional hazards model to investigate how launch distance (relative to word beginning), fixation location (relative to word center), and word frequency affect the hazard of a saccadic response. This model requires that covariates have a constant impact on the hazard over time, the assumption of proportional hazards. We show that this assumption is not supported. The impact of the covariates changes with the time passed since fixation onset. To account for the non‐proportional hazards we fit step functions of time, resulting in a model with time‐varying effects on the hazard. We evaluate the ability to predict the timing of saccades on held‐out fixation data. The model with time‐varying effects performs better in predicting the timing of saccades for fixations as short as 100 ms and as long as 500 ms, when compared both to a baseline model without covariates and a model which assumes constant covariate effects. This result suggests that the time‐varying effects model better recovers the time course of low‐level processes that influence the decision to move the eyes.
Directed dimerization: an in vivo expression system for functional studies of type II phytochromes
Authors: Liu Peng , Sharrock Robert A. 
Published: June 2013

SummaryType II phytochromes (phy) in Arabidopsis form homodimers and heterodimers, resulting in a diverse collection of light‐stable red/far‐red (R/FR) sensing photoreceptors. We describe an in vivo protein engineering system and its use in characterizing the activities of these molecules. Using a phyB null mutant background, singly and doubly transgenic plants were generated that express fusion proteins containing the phyB–phyE N–terminal photosensory regions (NB–NE PSRs), a nuclear localization sequence, and small yeast protein domains that mediate either homodimerization or heterodimerization. Activity of NB/NB homodimers but not monomeric NB subunits in control of seedling and adult plant responses to R light is demonstrated. Heterodimers of the NB sequence with the chromophoreless NBC357S sequence, which mimic phyB Pfr/Pr photo‐heterodimers, mediate R sensitivity in leaves and petioles but not hypocotyls. Homodimerization of the NC, ND and NE sequences and directed heterodimerization of these photosensory regions with the NB region reveal form‐specific R‐induced activities for different type II phy dimers. The experimental approach developed here of directed assembly of defined protein dimer combinations in vivo may be applicable to other systems.
Reverse genetics in complex multigene operons by co‐transformation of the plastid genome and its application to the open reading frame previously designated psbN
Authors: Krech Katharina , Fu Han‐Yi , Thiele Wolfram , Ruf Stephanie , Schöttler Mark A. , Bock Ralph 
Published: June 2013

SummaryReverse genetics approaches have contributed enormously to the elucidation of gene functions in plastid genomes and the determination of structure–function relationships in chloroplast multiprotein complexes. Gene knock‐outs are usually performed by disrupting the reading frame of interest with a selectable marker cassette. Site‐directed mutagenesis is done by placing the marker into the adjacent intergenic spacer and relying on co‐integration of the desired mutation by homologous recombination. These strategies are not applicable to genes residing in large multigene operons or other gene‐dense genomic regions, because insertion of the marker cassette into an operon‐internal gene or into the nearest intergenic spacer is likely to interfere with expression of adjacent genes in the operon or disrupt cis‐elements for the expression of neighboring genes and operons. Here we have explored the possibility of using a co‐transformation strategy to mutate a small gene of unknown function (psbN) that is embedded in a complex multigene operon. Although inactivation of psbN resulted in strong impairment of photosynthesis, homoplasmic knock‐out lines were readily recovered by co‐transformation with a selectable marker integrating >38 kb away from the targeted psbN. Our results suggest co‐transformation as a suitable strategy for the functional analysis of plastid genes and operons, which allows the recovery of unselected homoplasmic mutants even if the introduced mutations entail a significant selective disadvantage. Moreover, our data provide evidence for involvement of the psbN gene product in the biogenesis of both photosystem I and photosystem II. We therefore propose to rename the gene product ‘photosystem biogenesis factor 1′ and the gene pbf1.
Effect of retrobulbar nerve block on heart rate variability during enucleation in horses under general anesthesia
Authors: Oel Carolin , Gerhards Hartmut , Gehlen Heidrun 
Published: June 2013

AbstractObjectiveAnalysis of any effect of retrobulbar block during ocular surgery on heart rate variability and oculocardiac reflex.Study designProspective study.Animal studiedHorses (n = 16) undergoing eye enucleation due to chronic ophthalmologic diseases.ProcedureEye enucleation was performed under general anesthesia. The horses were randomly assigned to the first (inhalation anesthesia only,n = 10) or second group (inhalation and local retrobulbar anesthesia,n = 6). The retrobulbar block was performed using 12 mL of mepivacaine hydrochloride 2%.ECGdata were taken by a TelemetricECGbefore, during, and after surgery. Heart rate variability was analyzed in the time domain as mean heart rate, mean beat‐to‐beat interval duration, and standard deviation of continuous beat‐to‐beat intervals. The frequency domain analysis included the low‐ and high‐frequency components of heart rate variability and the sympathovagal balance (low/high frequency). The low frequency represents mainly sympathetic influences on the heart, whereas high frequency is mediated by the parasympathetic tone.ResultsAll horses without a retrobulbar block showed a significant decrease in the heart rate during traction on the globe and pressure on the orbital fat pad for homoestasis (P = 0.04). Simultaneously, high‐frequency power, as an indicator of vagal stimulation, increased significantly. High‐frequency and low‐frequency power in the retrobulbar block group increased in five horses, and heart rate decreased in only one horse. Both were not significant within the group, but there was a significant difference between both groups relating to the incidence of heart rate decrease occurring at globe traction.Conclusions and clinical relevanceHeart rate variability is a sensitive, non‐invasive parameter to obtain sympathovagal stimulations during general anesthesia. The retrobulbar block can prevent heart rate decrease associated with initiation of the oculocardiac reflex.
Monitoring radiofrequency ablation with ultrasound Nakagami imaging
Authors: Wang Chiao‐Yin , Geng Xiaonan , Yeh Ta‐Sen , Liu Hao‐Li , Tsui Po‐Hsiang 
Published: June 2013

Purpose:Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a widely used alternative modality in the treatment of liver tumors. Ultrasound B‐mode imaging is an important tool to guide the insertion of the RFA electrode into the tissue. However, it is difficult to visualize the ablation zone because RFA induces the shadow effect in a B‐scan. Based on the randomness of ultrasonic backscattering, this study proposes ultrasound Nakagami imaging, which is a well‐established method for backscattered statistics analysis, as an approach to complement the conventional B‐scan for evaluating the ablation region.Methods:Porcine liver samples (n = 6) were ablated using a RFA system and monitored by employing an ultrasound scanner equipped with a 7.5 MHz linear array transducer. During the stages of ablation (0–12 min) and postablation (12–24 min), the raw backscattered data were acquired at a sampling rate of 30 MHz for B‐mode, Nakagami imaging, and polynomial approximation of Nakagami imaging. The contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) was also calculated to compare the image contrasts of the B‐mode and Nakagami images.Results:The results demonstrated that the Nakagami image has the ability to visualize changes in the backscattered statistics in the ablation zone, including the shadow region during RFA. The average Nakagami parameter increased from 0.2 to 0.6 in the ablation stage, and then decreased to approximately 0.3 at the end of the postablation stage. Moreover, the CNR of the Nakagami image was threefold that of the B‐mode image, showing that the Nakagami image has a better image contrast for monitoring RFA. Specifically, the use of the polynomial approximation equips the Nakagami image with an enhanced ability to estimate the range of the ablation region.Conclusions:This study demonstrated that ultrasound Nakagami imaging based on the analysis of backscattered statistics has the ability to visualize the RFA‐induced ablation zone, even if the shadow effect exists in the B‐scan.
Characterization and Protective Immunogenicity of the SzM Protein of Streptococcus zooepidemicus NC78 from a Clonal Outbreak of Equine Respiratory Disease
Authors: Velineni Sridhar , Timoney John F. 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTStreptococcus zooepidemicusof Lancefield group C is a highly variable tonsillar and mucosal commensal that usually is associated with opportunistic infections of the respiratory tract of vertebrate hosts. More-virulent clones have caused epizootics of severe respiratory disease in dogs and horses. The virulence factors of these strains are poorly understood. The antiphagocytic protein SeM is a major virulence factor and protective antigen ofStreptococcus equi, a clonal biovar of an ancestralS. zooepidemicusstrain. Although the genome ofS. zooepidemicusstrain H70, an equine isolate, contains a partial homolog (szm) ofsem, expression of the gene has not been documented. We have identified and characterized SzM from an encapsulatedS. zooepidemicusstrain from an epizootic of equine respiratory disease in New Caledonia. The SzM protein of strain NC78 (SzMNC78) has a predicted predominantly alpha-helical fibrillar structure with an LPSTG cell surface anchor motif and resistance to hot acid. A putative binding site for plasminogen is present in the B repeat region, the sequence of which shares homology with repeats of the plasminogen binding proteins of human group C and G streptococci. Equine plasminogen is activated in a dose-dependent manner by recombinant SzMNC78. Only 23.20 and 25.46% DNA homology is shared with SeM proteins ofS. equistrains CF32 and 4047, respectively, and homology ranges from 19.60 to 54.70% for SzM proteins of otherS. zooepidemicusstrains. As expected, SzMNC78reacted with convalescent-phase sera from horses with respiratory disease associated with strains ofS. zooepidemicus. SzMNC78resembles SeM in binding equine fibrinogen and eliciting strong protective antibody responses in mice. Sera of vaccinated mice opsonizedS. zooepidemicusstrains NC78 and W60, the SzM protein of which shared partial amino acid homology with SzMNC78. We conclude that SzM is a protective antigen of NC78; it was strongly reactive with serum antibodies from horses during recovery fromS. zooepidemicus-associated respiratory disease.
Dried Blood as an Alternative to Plasma or Serum for Trypanosoma cruzi IgG Detection in Screening Programs
Authors: Holguín Africa , Norman Francesca , Martín Leticia , Mateos María Luisa , Chacón Jesús , López-Vélez Rogelio , Pérez-Molina José A. 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTTrypanosoma cruziserological screening is recommended for people potentially exposed to this parasite in countries whereTrypanosoma cruziis endemic and those where it is not endemic. Blood samples on filter paper may be a practical alternative to plasma/serum for antibody detection. Using the Architect Chagas assay, we detected the presence of IgG againstT. cruziin matched serum and dried blood spots (DBS) collected from 147 patients residing in Madrid, Spain, who had potential previous exposure toT. cruzi. The κ statistic for the DBS/serum proportion of agreement for the detection of antibodies againstT. cruziwas 0.803, considering an S/CO (assay result unit; chemiluminescent signal from the sample [S] divided by the mean chemiluminescent signal for the three calibrators used in the test [CO]) cutoff value of ≥1.00. The relative sensitivity of the Architect test using DBS increased from 95.2% to 98.8% when the cutoff was lowered from ≥1.00 to ≥0.88, while the relative specificity decreased from 84.1% to 71.6%. Overall, the median S/CO values for DBS were significantly lower than those for serum (2.6 versus 6.5;P< 0.001). Discrepancies that occurred with the use of DBS included 10 false positives (with low S/CO values in 9 cases [median, 2.13]) and 4 false negatives, with mean S/CO values of 0.905 (gray zone). Using DBS plus a highly sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) may be a simple and reliable method for detecting IgG againstT. cruziwhen blood sampling by venipuncture is not feasible. This method may also reduce the false-negative rates observed with some rapid diagnostic tests. The lower relative sensitivity compared to the reference method may be increased by lowering the optical density threshold.
PCR-Based Diagnosis of Prosthetic Joint Infection
Authors: Qu Xinhua , Zhai Zanjing , Li Huiwu , Li Haowei , Liu Xuqiang , Zhu Zhenan , Wang You , Liu Guangwang , Dai Kerong 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACT
We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate use of PCR assays for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 0.92) and 0.91 (CI, 0.81 to 0.96), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that use of tissue samples may improve sensitivity, and quantitative PCR and sonication of prostheses fluid may improve specificity. The results showed that PCR is reliable and accurate for detection of PJI.