bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experiences of sub‐fertility among Chinese couples in Hong Kong: a qualitative study
Authors: Loke Alice Y , Yu Pui‐Ling , Hayter Mark 
Published: April 2011

Aim.  This study aimed to explore the lived experience of sub‐fertility among Chinese couples in Hong Kong.Background.  In Chinese culture, the duty of young married couples is to bear children to carry on the family line. Married couples who are unable to bear children often experience personal psychological stress and social pressure.Design.  Qualitative, exploratory study.Methods.  Seven women and four men in Hong Kong were interviewed to explore their lived experiences of being involuntarily childless. Collaizi’s phenomenological methods guided data collection and analysis.Results.  Sub‐fertile couples reported feelings of incompleteness, guilt, shame and isolation from the ‘fertile’ world. These couples acknowledged that sub‐fertility had implications on their marital relationship and regretted not having treatment earlier. Some found ways to replace their ‘loss’ and to cope with their situation, and some rationalised by finding reasons that favoured being childless.Discussion.  It is recommended that family planning should be incorporated into premarital screening and to provide timely support and counselling.Relevance to clinical practice.  Family planning and fertility should be incorporated into premarital counselling. Sub‐fertile couples should be encouraged to seek medical help, being provided with early referral for investigation and treatment and with support and counselling. Health care professionals should respect the decisions of sub‐fertile couples with regard to investigations or assisted reproductive services. They should also assess how each partner interprets the situation if they encountered difficulty in dealing with the situation.
Nature and quality of antipsychotic prescribing practice in UK psychiatry of intellectual disability services
Authors: Paton C. , Flynn A. , Shingleton‐Smith A. , McIntyre S. , Bhaumik S. , Rasmussen J. , Hardy S. , Barnes T. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground Antipsychotics are perceived to be over‐used in the management of behavioural problems in people with an intellectual disability (ID). Published guidelines have set good practice standards for the use of these drugs for behavioural indications. We sought to identify the range of indications for which antipsychotic drugs are prescribed in people with ID and to audit clinical practice against the standards.Method Data were collected from the clinical records of individuals with ID who were under the care of mental health services in the UK, and prescribed an antipsychotic drug.Results The sample comprised 2319 patients from 39 clinical services. Twenty‐seven per cent of the patients had a diagnosis of a psychotic illness (ICD‐10 F20–29) and 27% an affective illness (ICD‐10 F30–39). The proportion who did not have a psychiatric diagnosis ranged from 6% of those with borderline/mild ID to 21% of those with severe/profound ID. Overall, the most common indications for prescribing an antipsychotic drug were comorbid psychotic illness, anxiety and agitation, and a range of behavioural disturbances. The prevalence of use of antipsychotic drugs to manage challenging behaviour in the absence of concomitant mental illness increased with the severity of ID and accounted for almost half of prescriptions in those with severe/profound ID. Adherence to the audit standards related to documentation of clinical indications and review of efficacy was high. Side effect monitoring was less assiduous.Conclusions In clinical practice, most prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs in people with ID are consistent with the evidence base and the overall quality of prescribing practice, as measured against recognised standards, is good, although in some patients potentially remedial side effects may not be detected and treated.
Activation of cryptic aminoglycoside resistance in Salmonella enterica
Authors: Koskiniemi Sanna , Pränting Maria , Gullberg Erik , Näsvall Joakim , Andersson Dan I 
Published: April 2011

SummaryAminoglycoside resistance in bacteria can be acquired by several mechanisms, including drug modification, target alteration, reduced uptake and increased efflux. Here we demonstrate that increased resistance to the aminoglycosides streptomycin and spectinomycin in Salmonella enterica can be conferred by increased expression of an aminoglycoside adenyl transferase encoded by the cryptic, chromosomally located aadA gene. During growth in rich medium the wild‐type strain was susceptible but mutations that impaired electron transport and conferred a small colony variant (SCV) phenotype or growth in glucose/glycerol minimal media resulted in activation of the aadA gene and aminoglycoside resistance. Expression of the aadA gene was positively regulated by the stringent response regulator guanosine penta/tetraphosphate ((p)ppGpp). SCV mutants carrying stop codon mutations in the hemA and ubiA genes showed a streptomycin pseudo‐dependent phenotype, where growth was stimulated by streptomycin. Our data suggest that this phenotype is due to streptomycin‐induced readthrough of the stop codons, a resulting increase in HemA/UbiA levels and improved electron transport and growth. Our results demonstrate that environmental and mutational activation of a cryptic resistance gene can confer clinically significant resistance and that a streptomycin‐pseudo‐dependent phenotype can be generated via a novel mechanism that does not involve the classical rpsL mutations.
A multicenter study on extramammary Paget’s disease in Korea
Authors: Lee Seok‐Jong , Choe Yoon Seok , Jung Hong Dae , Ahn Sung Ku , Cha Young Chang , Cho Kwang Hyun , Choi Hae Young , Chung Kee Yang , Huh Chang Hun , Kim Il Hwan , Kim Ki‐Ho , Kim Moon Bum , Kim Myung Hwa , Kim You Chan , Lee Jee Bum , Lee Mi Woo , Lee Min‐Geol , Lee Weon Ju , Shin Dong Hoon , Shin Jeong‐Hyun , Suh Kee Suck , Won Young Ho ,   (Korean Society for Skin Cancer and Korean Dermatopathology Research Group)
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground  There has been little research on extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) conducted in Asia.Methods  The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the clinicopathological features, biological behavior, and treatment of EMPD in 194 Korean patients over a five‐year period.Results  As expected, this disease exhibited a male dominance (3.9:1) pattern. To distinguish the true association of malignancy with EMPD from coincidental occurrence of malignancy, we modified Chanda’s guidelines. This analysis determined that there was an accompanying malignancy in 26 patients (14.4%), which included stomach (six cases), rectum (three cases), and colon (three cases) malignancies. With regard to treatment, 112 patients (58%) underwent conventional excisions, and 22 (11.4%) had Mohs surgery. Follow‐up data for periods of 3–180 months were available for 147 patients; these data indicated that 42 patients (28.6%) experienced local recurrences. Patients who underwent Mohs micrographic surgery experienced a lower rate of recurrence (12.5%) than patients who underwent conventional excision (33.3%).Conclusions  In summary, this Korean population‐based study demonstrated that the clinical features of EMPD, such as gender predominance, are consistent with reports from other Asian population‐based studies. However, this study additionally demonstrated that the rate of association with malignancy in the Korean population (14.4%) was higher than that observed in other Asian studies.
Cowden’s syndrome: a clinical, immunological, and histopathological study
Authors: Amer Mohamed , Mostafa Fawzia Farag , Attwa Enayat Mohamed , Ibrahim Samia 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground  Cowden’s syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant condition characterized by hamartomas of the gastrointestinal tract and cancer of the breast and thyroid. This study describes the clinical, immunological, and histopathological status of four Cowden’s syndrome cases from two different families.Methods  Biopsies were taken from different skin, mucous membrane, and intestinal lesions in all patients. Blood samples from patients and their parents were also examined.Results  Two brothers in the first family had more flexural distribution of papular and warty skin lesions as well as other manifestations of the syndrome, including recurrent pyogenic and fungal infections. Flow cytometric study revealed decreased total T and B‐cell percentages and abnormal helper : suppressor ratios in these patients. The other two patients from the second family showed the classical picture of the syndrome and normal immunological parameters. Histopathologically, most skin lesions of the face showed trichilemmomas, and all oral and some of the other skin lesions showed benign fibromas with giant cells (Cowden’s fibroma). Examination of intestinal biopsies revealed hamartomatous and hyperplastic polyps.Conclusions  Some cases of Cowden’s syndrome may be associated with prominent flexural skin lesions, recurrent pyogenic and fungal skin infections, decreased total T and B‐cell counts, and an abnormal helper : suppressor ratio.
Cutaneous lepidopterism: dermatitis from contact with moths of Hylesia metabus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), the causative agent of caripito itch
Authors: Paniz‐Mondolfi Alberto E. , Pérez‐Alvarez Alexandra M. , Lundberg Ulf , Fornés Lizette , Reyes‐Jaimes Oscar , Hernández‐Pérez Marier , Hossler Eric 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground  Lepidopterism derived from contact with arthropods and/or their products can result in adverse reactions that vary in severity from mild irritation to severe reactions including anaphylactic shock and death. Lepidopterism includes cutaneous and/or mucosal manifestations, systemic symptoms, or both mucocutaneous and systemic manifestations.Objective  Epidemic outbreaks of dermatitis due to Hylesia sp. have been recorded in several countries of Latin America. The impact of climatic changes occurring presently on migrational and reproductive cycles of Hylesia metabus is also discussed in this study.Materials and methods  In Venezuela, swarms of migrating H. metabus moths are historically recognized as the causative agents of “Caripito itch,” a disease that has become an important public health problem.Results:  In this review, we present a series of four case reports reflecting the wide clinical pleomorphism exhibited in lepidopterism by H. metabus.Conclusion  Although dermatitis caused by these moths is usually resistant to all therapeutic treatment, individualization of therapy based on symptoms led to successful treatment in all four cases.
Infant sporotrichosis in northeast China: a report of 15 cases
Authors: Song Yang , Yao Lei , Zhong Shu‐Xia , Tian Ya‐Ping , Liu Yuan‐Yuan , Li Shan‐Shan 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground  Sporotrichosis is a deep mycosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii. It is not uncommon in adults and children but is very rare in infants.Methods  We collated a series of case reports. Clinical data and laboratory and therapeutic results in 15 infants with cutaneous sporotrichosis were analyzed.Results  A total of 15 cases of sporotrichosis in infants aged <10 months (mean age: 5.2 months; 10 male, five female) were diagnosed at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, between May 2007 and May 2009. The mean duration of the disease was 2.07 months (range: 1–4 months). All the patients had facial involvement. Fixed cutaneous and lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis were seen in 11 (73.3%) and four (26.7%) patients, respectively. All patients lived in rural areas and had not experienced prior trauma or had contact with soil, plants, animals, or other sporotrichosis patients. Sporothrix schenckii was isolated in all cases, and pathological findings showed suppurative granuloma, tuberculoid granuloma, or mixed inflammatory reaction. One of the 15 patients achieved a spontaneous resolution after biopsy. Fourteen were treated with oral agents, including potassium iodide (KI) alone in two cases, itraconazole alone in three cases, terbinafine alone in four cases, and a combination of KI and terbinafine in five cases. Twelve cases were followed for 4–24 months and were cured with a mean of 2.96 months of treatment (range: 2–4 months) without adverse effects.Conclusions  Infant sporotrichosis usually presents as a solitary lesion on the face. This is the largest series of infant sporotrichosis to be reported in the literature.
TNF alpha antagonist‐induced lupus‐like syndrome: report and review of the literature with implications for treatment with alternative TNF alpha antagonists
Authors: Williams Victoria L. , Cohen Philip R. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground  In patients with various autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, a drug‐induced lupus‐like syndrome (DILS) has been reported with the use of adalimumab, cerrolizumab pegol, etanercept, and infliximab.Objective  To review clinical characteristics of patients who develop tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antagonist‐induced lupus‐like syndrome (TAILS) and review implications for further TNF alpha antagonist therapy.Materials and methods  We describe a 62‐year‐old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who developed a pruritic photo‐distributed rash two months after the initiation of etanercept therapy. Her skin biopsy showed lupus erythematosus, and she had positive serum ANA, anti‐Sjogren's syndrome A (SSA)/Ro, and anti‐Sjogren’s syndrome B (SSB)/La antibodies. Her symptoms resolved after discontinuation of the drug, topical and systemic corticosteroids, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate. Subsequently, her rheumatoid arthritis was treated with golimumab for six months without recurrence of skin lesions. Published reports of individuals who have developed TAILS and those who have continued treatment with alternative TNF alpha antagonists are reviewed.Results  TAILS is most commonly associated with the use of etanercept and infliximab. It occurs most often in women in the fifth decade of life. Onset of symptoms ranges from less than one month to more than four years. Syndrome‐associated cutaneous lesions and induction of autoantibodies are common. There is no definitively established mechanism of pathogenesis. Treatment can include discontinuation of the drug, corticosteroids, immunosuppressives, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate. To date, 10 patients with TAILS have continued therapy with an alternative TNF alpha antagonist without recurrence of lupus symptoms.Conclusions  Development of a DILS after one TNF alpha antagonist does not preclude continued treatment with an alternative TNF alpha antagonist.
The assessment of dermatological needs in resource‐poor regions
Authors: Hay Roderick James , Fuller Lucinda Claire 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe assessment of health needs is a key step in determining the nature and level of health service provision required in any global region. In dermatology, information on needs has provided information on the scale and impact of skin conditions in poor rural and urban populations. In such areas, additional problems in providing adequate services are access to trained health care professionals and cost to families and individuals, set against the background of a village‐mixed economy. A further problem is health literacy, which may limit the use of services. However, some of the most comprehensive surveys of the prevalence of skin disease have been carried out in resource‐poor countries, and attempts have been made to assess these along with their impact on individual disability. These studies and their outcomes are described in this article.
The contribution of the nursing service worldwide and its capacity to benefit within the dermatology field
Authors: Ersser Steven J. , Kaur Vineet , Kelly Pat , Langøen Arne , Maguire Susan A. , Nicol Noreen H. , Page Barbara , Ward Corrine 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe nursing service is a significant element in the dermatological capacity to respond to skin care and dermatological needs worldwide. Although it is an area of development often neglected by dermatologists, it is one that is undergoing rapid and substantial evolution. This paper outlines the initiatives undertaken by nurses to enhance their contribution, and examines the development of nursing within the dermatology field. It argues for the need to develop a service delivery model in dermatology care that utilizes specialist‐nursing expertise to cascade dermatological knowledge and skill through primary care. The paper summarizes the strategic importance of nursing in dermatology care delivery, whether in resource‐rich or ‐poor countries, and its unmet potential in the capacity to benefit and meet skin care and dermatological care needs. The paper specifically focuses on the development work led by the International Skin Care Nursing Group (ISNG) to stimulate and develop the capacity of nursing to respond to these widespread needs through promoting service delivery models that operate interdependently with dermatologist‐led care.
Prospective monitoring of BK virus reactivation in renal transplant recipients in North India
Authors: Thakur R. , Arora S. , Nada R. , Minz M. , Joshi K. 
Published: April 2011

R. Thakur, S. Arora, R. Nada, M. Minz, K. Joshi. Prospective monitoring of BK virus reactivation in renal transplant recipients in North India. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 575–583. All rights reserved
Abstract:
Background. BK nephropathy (BKN) is an important complication of renal transplantation with a reported incidence between 1% and 10% in different parts of the world. Early diagnosis is important to plan early therapeutic strategies. The epidemiology and evolution of BKN is relatively unknown in India and hence, the present study has been designed to prospectively monitor the activation of BK virus (BKV) in renal transplant recipients in India.
Patients and methods. In this study, 32 renal allograft recipients were prospectively monitored with protocol biopsies of allografts, BKV DNA load in plasma, and viral particles in urine by electron microscopy (EM) on day 1, and at 1, 3, and 6 months. Additionally, the baseline BKV DNA load in plasma was quantitated in 21 corresponding donors.
Results. On follow‐up in 32 recipients, 9.7%, 23.8%, 19.2%, and 13.3% of patients showed viral profiles by EM at day 1, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, respectively. BKV DNA positivity in plasma was 25.8%, 42.9%, 15.4%, and 20% at day 1, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, respectively, with mean BKV copy number/mL plasma of 1796, 1029, 2611, and 3318, respectively. A total of 15.7% (17/108) urine samples of 32 renal recipients were positive by urine EM. Out of 100 protocol biopsies, none developed histologically demonstrable cytopathic effects of BKN, although 8% biopsies were SV‐40 large  T  antigen (SV‐40 T Ag) positive. By quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay, 27/108 (25%) of recipients' plasma samples were positive for BKV. Peak viremia and viruria occurred at 1–3 months post transplantation. The baseline viremia in donors was predictive of viremia positivity in the post‐transplantation period at 1 month. Twenty‐four episodes of graft dysfunction were attributed mainly to rejection.
Conclusion. The study shows a total of 15.7% and 25% urine and plasma samples were positive for BKV at any time during a 6‐month follow‐up. The highest incidence of BK viruria and viremia occurred at 1 month. In protocol biopsies, focal positivity of SV‐40 T Ag was seen in 8% biopsies.
Social influence on age and reproduction: reduced lifespan and fecundity in multi‐queen ant colonies
Authors: SCHREMPF A. , CREMER S. , HEINZE J. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractEvolutionary theories of ageing predict that life span increases with decreasing extrinsic mortality, and life span variation among queens in ant species seems to corroborate this prediction: queens, which are the only reproductive in a colony, live much longer than queens in multi‐queen colonies. The latter often inhabit ephemeral nest sites and accordingly are assumed to experience a higher mortality risk. Yet, all prior studies compared queens from different single‐ and multi‐queen species. Here, we demonstrate an effect of queen number on longevity and fecundity within a single, socially plastic species, where queens experience the similar level of extrinsic mortality. Queens from single‐ and two‐queen colonies had significantly longer lifespan and higher fecundity than queens living in associations of eight queens. As queens also differ neither in morphology nor the mode of colony foundation, our study shows that the social environment itself strongly affects ageing rate.
Visual Analysis of Large Graphs: State‐of‐the‐Art and Future Research Challenges
Authors: von Landesberger T. , Kuijper A. , Schreck T. , Kohlhammer J. , van Wijk J.J. , Fekete J.‐D. , Fellner D.W. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe analysis of large graphs plays a prominent role in various fields of research and is relevant in many important application areas. Effective visual analysis of graphs requires appropriate visual presentations in combination with respective user interaction facilities and algorithmic graph analysis methods. How to design appropriate graph analysis systems depends on many factors, including the type of graph describing the data, the analytical task at hand and the applicability of graph analysis methods. The most recent surveys of graph visualization and navigation techniques cover techniques that had been introduced until 2000 or concentrate only on graph layouts published until 2002. Recently, new techniques have been developed covering a broader range of graph types, such as time‐varying graphs. Also, in accordance with ever growing amounts of graph‐structured data becoming available, the inclusion of algorithmic graph analysis and interaction techniques becomes increasingly important. In this State‐of‐the‐Art Report, we survey available techniques for the visual analysis of large graphs. Our review first considers graph visualization techniques according to the type of graphs supported. The visualization techniques form the basis for the presentation of interaction approaches suitable for visual graph exploration. As an important component of visual graph analysis, we discuss various graph algorithmic aspects useful for the different stages of the visual graph analysis process. We also present main open research challenges in this field.
INCOME TAXES AND THE COMPOSITION OF PAY: EVIDENCE FROM THE BRITISH HOUSEHOLD PANEL SURVEY
Authors: Brunello Giorgio , Comi Simona , Sonedda Daniela 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACTAccording to the standard principal‐agent model, the optimal composition of pay should balance the provision of incentives with the individual demand for insurance. Do income taxes alter this balance? We show that the relative share of Performance‐related pay (PRP), on total pay is reduced by higher average and marginal income taxes. Empirical evidence based on the British Household Panel Survey is consistent with the theoretical predictions of the tax–augmented principal‐agent model. Our estimates suggest that a 10% reduction in the marginal income tax rate, holding the average tax rate constant, increases the share of PRP in total pay by 2.25–3.02%, depending on the empirical specification. Similarly, a 10% reduction in the average income tax rate, holding the marginal tax rate constant, increases the share of PRP in total pay by 5.10–5.27%.
WHAT CREATES ABNORMAL PROFITS?
Authors: Griffiths William , Jensen Paul H. , Webster Elizabeth 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we re‐examine the debate regarding the determinants of persistent abnormal profits. Abnormal profits are estimated using data on tangible and intangible capital for 2689 Australian firms over a 17‐year period. The determinants of abnormal profits are then estimated using variables collated from accounting and survey data on innovation and management practices. We find that market share, use of lead‐time strategies, and industry concentration all affect abnormal profits.