bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Erythema gyratum repens is not an obligate paraneoplastic disease: a systematic review of the literature and personal experience
Authors: Rongioletti F. , Fausti V. , Parodi A. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  Erythema gyratum repens (EGR) is a rare clinical entity that is considered to be an obligatory paraneoplastic disease. According to the literature, an underlying neoplasm can be detected in 82% of the cases.Objectives  The aim of this systemic review was to evaluate the association of EGR with malignancies or other non‐neoplastic conditions.Methods  The medical records of patients seen at the Section of Dermatology, University of Genoa between 1990 and 2010, in whom a diagnosis of EGR had been made, were reviewed for evidence of systemic associations. A systematic search of the Cochrane library, EMBASE, Pubmed and MEDLINE databases was also conducted. Key search term used in the review was ‘erythema gyratum repens’.Results  Four patients with a diagnosis of EGR have been retrieved from our medical records. One case was idiopathic, one was associated with a bronchial carcinoma and two were associated with drug‐intake. One hundred and twelve original cases of EGR were selected from the literature for detailed review. Among these, 58 cases (70%) were associated with an underlying neoplasm, 25 cases (30%) were non‐paraneoplastic and 29 cases have been considered as different dermatoses mimicking EGR in their clinical presentation (‘EGR‐like’ eruption).Conclusion  EGR should no longer be considered as an obligate paraneoplastic syndrome as the cases that are not associated with neoplasm are more than expected. In addition to searching an underlying neoplasm, dermatologists should be aware about the possibility of other associations including also drug‐intake.
Paying for Patented Drugs is Hard to Justify: An Argument about Time Discounting and Medical Need
Authors: Wilson James 
Published: July 2012

abstractDrugs are much more expensive whilst they are subject to patent protection than once patents expire: patented drugs make up only 20% of NHS drugs prescriptions, but consume 80% of the total NHS drugs bill. This article argues that, given the relatively uncontroversial assumption that we should save the greater number in cases where all are equally deserving and we cannot save both groups, it is more difficult than is usually thought to justify why publicly funded healthcare systems should pay for patented treatments. The claim to medical treatment of those who will be sick with a given condition once the patent runs out is just as strong as those who are sick with it now, but we will be able to treat more people with the same unit of resource in the future. Hence, when resource constraints entail that both cannot be funded, publicly funded healthcare systems ought to wait until patents expire before approving drugs for general use in the publicly funded system.
The Ethics of Geoengineering: Moral Considerability and the Convergence Hypothesis
Authors: Svoboda Toby 
Published: July 2012

abstractAlthough it could avoid some harmful effects of climate change, sulphate aerosol geoengineering (SAG), or injecting sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere in order to reflect incoming solar radiation, threatens substantial harm to humans and non‐humans. I argue that SAG is prima facie ethically problematic from anthropocentric, animal liberationist, and biocentric perspectives. This might be taken to suggest that ethical evaluations of SAG can rely on Bryan Norton's convergence hypothesis, which predicts that anthropocentrists and non‐anthropocentrists will agree to implement the same or similar environmental policies. However, there are potential scenarios in which anthropocentrists and non‐anthropocentrists would seem to diverge on whether a particular SAG policy ought to be implemented. This suggests that the convergence hypothesis should not be relied on in ethical evaluation of SAG. Instead, ethicists should consider the merits and deficiencies of both non‐anthropocentric perspectives and the ethical evaluations of SAG such perspectives afford.
Dosage effects of X and Y chromosomes on language and social functioning in children with supernumerary sex chromosome aneuploidies: implications for idiopathic language impairment and autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Lee Nancy Raitano , Wallace Gregory L. , Adeyemi Elizabeth I. , Lopez Katherine C. , Blumenthal Jonathan D. , Clasen Liv S. , Giedd Jay N. 
Published: July 2012

Background:  Supernumerary sex chromosome aneuploidies (X/Y‐aneuploidies), the presence of extra X and/or Y chromosomes, are associated with heightened rates of language impairments and social difficulties. However, no single study has examined different language domains and social functioning in the same sample of children with tri‐, tetra‐, and pentasomy X/Y‐aneuploidy. The current research sought to fill this gap in the literature and to examine dosage effects of X and Y chromosomes on language and social functioning.Methods:  Participants included 110 youth with X/Y‐aneuploidies (32 female) and 52 with typical development (25 female) matched on age (mean ∼12 years; range 4–22) and maternal education. Participants completed the Wechsler intelligence scales, and parents completed the Children’s Communication Checklist‐2 and the Social Responsiveness Scale to assess language skills and autistic traits, respectively.Results:  Both supernumerary X and Y chromosomes were related to depressed structural and pragmatic language skills and increased autistic traits. The addition of a Y chromosome had a disproportionately greater impact on pragmatic language; the addition of one or more X chromosomes had a disproportionately greater impact on structural language.Conclusions:  Given that we link extra X chromosomes with structural language impairments and an extra Y chromosome with pragmatic language impairments, X/Y‐aneuploidies may provide clues to genetic mechanisms contributing to idiopathic language impairment and autism spectrum disorders.
Sildenafil citrate improves perinatal outcome in fetuses from pre‐eclamptic rats
Authors: Herraiz S , Pellicer B , Serra V , Cauli O , Cortijo J , Felipo V , Pellicer A 
Published: July 2012

Please cite this paper as: Herraiz S, Pellicer B., Serra V, Cauli O, Cortijo J, Felipo V, Pellicer A. Sildenafil citrate improves perinatal outcome in fetuses from pre‐eclamptic rats. BJOG 2012;119:1394–1402.Objective  To evaluate perinatal outcome after sildenafil citrate (SC) administration at the onset of pregnancy in a rat pre‐eclampsia model.Design  In vivo animal experimental study.Setting  Fundación IVI‐Instituto Universitario IVI, Valencia, Spain.Sample Control and pre‐eclampsia‐induced pregnant Wistar rats exposed to chronic SC administration.Methods  We evaluated the use of SC, which was tested as a potential therapeutic tool to maintain vasodilatation in complicated pregnancies. We have demonstrated previously that SC shows a hypotensive selective effect in normal rat pregnancies when compared with nonpregnant animals.Main outcome measures  Maternal blood pressure, weight and mortality during pre‐ and postnatal development, maternal blood cellularity and haemodynamic changes with maternal and fetal Doppler quantitative indices.Results  SC restores normal values of blood pressure, cell count and proteinuria for maternal syndrome. In offspring, SC improves weight gain and increases survival rates without fetotoxic effects. According to the haemodynamic results, SC has a significant effect on the resistance index in the uterine artery in pre‐eclamptic animals, as it restores normal values to correlate with an increase in fetal perfusion through the ductus venosus.Conclusions  These results suggest that SC administration during pregnancy may have a potential benefit for the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy by reversing the maternal effects of pre‐eclampsia and by improving uteroplacental and fetal perfusion.
The onset, recurrence and associated obstetric risk factors for urinary incontinence in the first 18 months after a first birth: an Australian nulliparous cohort study
Authors: Gartland D , Donath S , MacArthur C , Brown SJ 
Published: July 2012

Please cite this paper as: Gartland D, Donath S, MacArthur C, Brown S. The onset, recurrence and associated obstetric risk factors for urinary incontinence in the first 18 months after a first birth: an Australian nulliparous cohort study. BJOG 2012;119:1361–1369.Objective  To investigate the contribution of obstetric risk factors to persistent urinary incontinence (UI) between 4 and 18 months postpartum.Design  Prospective pregnancy cohort.Setting  Six metropolitan public hospitals in Victoria, Australia.Sample  A total of 1507 nulliparous women recruited to the Maternal Health Study in early pregnancy (≤24 weeks of gestation).Methods  Data from hospital records and self‐administered questionnaires/telephone interviews at ≤24 and 30–32 weeks of gestation and at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months postpartum analysed using logistic regression.Main outcome measures  Persistent UI 4–18 months postpartum in women continent before pregnancy.Results  Of the women who were continent before pregnancy, 44% reported UI 4–18 months postpartum, and 25% reported persistent UI (symptoms at multiple follow ups). Compared with spontaneous vaginal birth, women who had a caesarean before labour (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.4, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.2–0.9), in first‐stage labour (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.6) or in second‐stage labour (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–1.0) were less likely to report persistent UI 4–18 months postpartum. Prolonged second‐stage labour in women who had an operative vaginal birth was associated with increased likelihood of UI (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3–4.6). Compared with women who were continent in pregnancy, women reporting UI in pregnancy had a seven‐fold increase in odds of persistent UI (aOR 7.4, 95% CI 5.1–10.7).Conclusions  Persistent UI is common after childbirth and is more likely following prolonged labour in combination with operative vaginal birth. The majority of women reporting persistent UI at 4–18 months postpartum also experienced symptoms in pregnancy.
Effects of continuity of care by a primary midwife (caseload midwifery) on caesarean section rates in women of low obstetric risk: the COSMOS randomised controlled trial
Authors: McLachlan HL , Forster DA , Davey MA , Farrell T , Gold L , Biro MA , Albers L , Flood M , Oats J , Waldenström U 
Published: July 2012

Please cite this paper as: McLachlan H, Forster D, Davey M, Farrell T, Gold L, Biro M, Albers L, Flood M, Oats J, Waldenström U. Effects of continuity of care by a primary midwife (caseload midwifery) on caesarean section rates in women of low obstetric risk: the COSMOS randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2012;119:1483–1492.Objective  To determine whether primary midwife care (caseload midwifery) decreases the caesarean section rate compared with standard maternity care.Design  Randomised controlled trial.Setting  Tertiary‐care women’s hospital in Melbourne, Australia.Population  A total of 2314 low‐risk pregnant women.Methods  Women randomised to caseload received antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care from a primary midwife with some care by ‘back‐up’ midwives. Women randomised to standard care received either midwifery or obstetric‐trainee care with varying levels of continuity, or community‐based general practitioner care.Main outcome measures  Primary outcome: caesarean birth. Secondary outcomes included instrumental vaginal births, analgesia, perineal trauma, induction of labour, infant admission to special/neonatal intensive care, gestational age, Apgar scores and birthweight.Results  In total 2314 women were randomised–1156 to caseload and 1158 to standard care. Women allocated to caseload were less likely to have a caesarean section (19.4% versus 24.9%; risk ratio [RR] 0.78; 95% CI 0.67–0.91; P = 0.001); more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth (63.0% versus 55.7%; RR 1.13; 95% CI 1.06–1.21; P < 0.001); less likely to have epidural analgesia (30.5% versus 34.6%; RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79–0.996; P = 0.04) and less likely to have an episiotomy (23.1% versus 29.4%; RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.67–0.92; P = 0.003). Infants of women allocated to caseload were less likely to be admitted to special or neonatal intensive care (4.0% versus 6.4%; RR 0.63; 95% CI 0.44–0.90; P = 0.01). No infant outcomes favoured standard care.Conclusion  In settings with a relatively high baseline caesarean section rate, caseload midwifery for women at low obstetric risk in early pregnancy shows promise for reducing caesarean births.
Breast size increment during pregnancy and breastfeeding in mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome: a follow‐up study of a randomised controlled trial on metformin versus placebo
Authors: Vanky E , Nordskar JJ , Leithe H , Hjorth‐Hansen AK , Martinussen M , Carlsen SM 
Published: July 2012

Please cite this paper as: Vanky E, Nordskar J, Leithe H, Hjorth‐Hansen A, Martinussen M, Carlsen S. Breast size increment during pregnancy and breastfeeding in mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome: a follow‐up study of a randomised controlled trial on metformin versus placebo. BJOG 2012;119:1403–1409.Objective  To study the significance of breast size increment in pregnancy, and the impact of metformin during pregnancy on breastfeeding in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design  A follow‐up study of a randomised controlled trial (the PregMet study).Setting  Eleven secondary care centres.Population  Women with PCOS during pregnancy and postpartum.Methods  Women with PCOS were randomised to treatment with metformin or placebo from the first trimester to delivery. Questionnaires were sent to 240 participants 1 year postpartum: 186 responded.Main outcome measures  Pre‐pregnancy and late‐pregnancy brassiere size and breastfeeding patterns were registered, and androgen levels were measured in the mothers.Results  No difference in breast size increment and breastfeeding were found between the placebo and metformin groups. Breast size increment correlated positively with the duration of both exclusive and partial breastfeeding, whereas body mass index (BMI) correlated negatively with the duration of partial breastfeeding. Dehydroepiandrostenedione‐sulphate (DHEAS), testosterone and free testosterone index (FTI) in pregnancy did not correlate with breast size increment or duration of breastfeeding. Women with no change in breast size were more obese, had higher blood pressure, serum triglycerides and fasting insulin levels, and had a shorter duration of breastfeeding compared with those with breast size increment.Conclusions  Metformin and androgens had no impact on breastfeeding. Women with PCOS who had no breast size increment in pregnancy seem to be more metabolically disturbed and less able to breastfeed.
The ω3‐polyunsaturated fatty acid derivatives AVX001 and AVX002 directly inhibit cytosolic phospholipase A2 and suppress PGE2 formation in mesangial cells
Authors: Huwiler Andrea , Feuerherm Astrid J , Sakem Benjamin , Pastukhov Oleksandr , Filipenko Iuliia , Nguyen Thuy , Johansen Berit 
Published: July 2012

Background and Purposeω3‐polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3‐PUFAs) are known to exert anti‐inflammatory effects in various disease models although their direct targets are only poorly characterized.Experimental approachHere we report on two new cPLA2 inhibitors, the ω3‐derivatives AVX001 and AVX002, and their effects on inflammatory PGE2 production in cultures of renal mesangial cells.Key ResultsAVX001 and AVX002 dose‐dependently inhibited the group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in an in vitro activity assay with similar IC50 values for AVX001 and AVX002, whereas the known cPLA2 inhibitor AACOCF3 was less potent and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was inactive. In renal mesangial cells, AVX001 and AVX002 suppressed IL‐1β‐induced PGE2 synthesis. Mechanistically, this effect occurred by a down‐regulation of IL‐1β‐induced group IIA‐sPLA2 protein expression, mRNA expression and promoter activity. A similar but less potent effect was seen with AACOCF3 and no effect was seen with DHA. As gene expression of sPLA2 is known to be regulated by the transcription factor NF‐κB, we further investigated NF‐κB activation. Both compounds prevented NF‐κB activation by blocking degradation of the inhibitor of κB.Conclusions and implicationsThese data show for the first time that the novel cPLA2 inhibitors AVX001 and AVX002 exert an anti‐inflammatory effect in cultures of renal mesangial cells and reduce the pro‐inflammatory mediator PGE2 through an inhibitory effect on NF‐κB activation. Therefore, these compounds may represent promising novel drugs for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.
Study Design of the Man and Machine Trial: A Prospective International Controlled Noninferiority Trial Comparing Manual with Robotic Catheter Ablation for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: RILLIG ANDREAS , SCHMIDT BORIS , STEVEN DANIEL , MEYERFELDT UDO , DI BIASE LUIGI , WISSNER ERIK , BECKER RÜDIGER , THOMAS DIERK , WOHLMUTH PETER , GALLINGHOUSE G. JOSEPH , SCHOLZ EBERHARDT , JUNG WERNER , WILLEMS STEFAN , NATALE ANDREA , OUYANG FEIFAN , KUCK KARL HEINZ , TILZ ROLAND 
Published: July 2012

Study Design of the Man and Machine Trial. Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has become the cornerstone procedure for the treatment of symptomatic drug‐resistant atrial fibrillation (AF). At the present time, circumferential PVI (CPVI) using irrigated radiofrequency (RF) is the mostly used ablation technique. However, for CPVI, precise catheter navigation and excellent catheter stability is crucial thereby requiring experienced operators. Robotic navigation systems have been introduced to facilitate catheter navigation and to improve catheter stability, therefore potentially increasing procedural success and making CPVI accessible to less experienced operators. To date, no prospective randomized trial has evaluated the efficacy and safety of CPVI using RNS compared to manually performed ablation.
Methods:
In this prospective international multicenter noninferiority trial, 258 patients with either paroxysmal or short‐standing persistent AF will be randomized for comparison of PVI using either manual or robotic ablation. In all patients, CPVI will be performed using irrigated RF ablation in combination with a 3D mapping system. The primary endpoint of the trial is the absence of AF or atrial tachycardia without antiarrhythmic drug therapy during 12‐month follow‐up. Secondary endpoints will be evaluation of periprocedural complications and procedural data such as procedure time, fluoroscopy time, as well as the incidence of esophageal injury assessed by endoscopy within 48 hours after the procedure.
Conclusion:
The “Man and Machine Trial” is the first prospective international randomized controlled multicenter noninferiority trial to compare manually performed CPVI with robotically navigated CPVI, evaluating both the safety and efficacy of the 2 techniques during a 12‐month follow‐up period. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 24, pp. 40‐46, January 2013)
Long‐Term Results of Transcatheter Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Patients with Impaired Left Ventricular Systolic Function
Authors: ANSELMINO MATTEO , GROSSI STEFANO , SCAGLIONE MARCO , CASTAGNO DAVIDE , BIANCHI FRANCESCA , SENATORE GAETANO , MATTA MARIO , CASOLATI DARIO , FERRARIS FEDERICO , CRISTOFORETTI YVONNE , NEGRO ALESSANDRO , GAITA FIORENZO 
Published: July 2012

AF Ablation and Impaired Left Ventricular Function. Introduction: Long‐term outcome of AF ablation in patients with impaired LVEF is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance, clinical status, and echocardiographic parameters over a long‐term period following atrial fibrillation (AF) transcatheter ablation in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%.Methods and Results: A total of 196 patients (87.2% males, age 60.5 ± 10.2 years) with LVEF <50% underwent radiofrequency transcatheter ablation for paroxysmal (22.4%) or persistent (77.6%) AF. Patients were followed up for 46.2 (16.4–63.5) months regarding AF recurrences, functional class, and echocardiographic parameters. All patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation, while 167 (85.2%) required additional atrial lesions. Eleven (5.6%) patients suffered procedural complications. During follow‐up, 58 (29.6%) patients required repeated ablations. At the follow‐up end, 15 (7.7%) patients died, while 74 (37.8%) documented at least one episode of AF, atrial flutter, or atrial ectopic tachycardia. Eighty‐three (47.2%) patients maintained antiarrhythmic drugs. During follow‐up, NYHA class improved by at least one class more frequently among patients maintaining SR compared to those experiencing relapses (70.6% vs 47.9%, P = 0.003). LVEF showed a broader relative increase in patients maintaining SR (32.7% vs 21.4%; P = 0.047) and mitral regurgitation grading significantly decreased (P <0.001) only within these patients. At multivariable analysis SR maintenance emerged as an independent predictor (odds ratio 4.26, 95% CI 1.69–10.74, P = 0.002) of long‐term clinical improvement (reduction in NYHA class ≥1 and relative increase in LVEF ≥10%).Conclusions: Although not substantially worse than in patients with preserved LVEF, AF ablation in patients with impaired LVEF is affected by high long‐term recurrence rate. Among these patients SR maintenance is associated with greater clinical improvement. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 24, pp. 24‐32, January 2013)
Progenitor Cell Homing in the Postischemic Myocardium: Just an Unmotivated Pitstop in the Microcirculation?
Authors: Tuche Fabio , Menger Michael D. , Körbel Christina , Nickels Ruth M. , Bouskela Eliete , Schramm René 
Published: July 2012

AbstractObjectiveWe developed a model for direct assessment of BMC sequestration in the postischemic murine myocardium after direct antegrade intracoronary injection.MethodsModified syngeneic heterotopic heart transplantation was used as a basic model for global myocardial I/R injury in a total of n = 29 animals. IVM was employed to analyze the right ventricular subepicardial coronary microcirculation and for tracking fluorescently labeled BMCs.ResultsIVM allowed monitoring all segments of the coronary microcirculation including feeding arterioles, nutritive capillaries, and postcapillary venules. WI and generalized atherosclerosis induced profound reperfusion failure, particularly in nutritive myocardial capillaries. BMCs were found to exclusively sequester in myocardial capillaries, but not in coronary arterioles or postcapillary venules. The sequestration of BMCs in coronary capillaries occurred independent of WI, generalized atherosclerosis, or adhesion molecule function.ConclusionsThis is the first study allowing direct assessment of BMC homing to the postischemic myocardium. Heterotopic heart transplantation and IVM are proper means to study the myocardial sequestration of BMCs after direct antegrade intracoronary injection in vivo. We show for the first time that intracoronarily injected BMCs sequester exclusively in nutritive myocardial capillaries.