bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The architecture of hydroxy‐functionalized aPS‐b‐random copolymer‐b‐PE via one‐pot strategy combining living free radical polymerization with coordination polymerization
Authors: Ma Lifu , Liu Weijiao , Yi Jianjun , Wang Hongli , Huang Qigu , Gao Kejing , Yang Wantai 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe copolymerization of styrene with ethylene was promoted by CpTiCl3/BDGE/Zn/MAO catalyst system combining free radical polymerization with coordination polymerization via sequential monomer addition strategy in one‐pot. The effect of polymerization conditions such as temperature, time, ethylene pressure, and Al/Ti molar ratio on the polymerization performance was investigated. The hydroxy‐functionalized aPS‐b‐random copolymer‐b‐PE triblock copolymer was obtained by solvent extraction and determined by GPC, DSC, WAXD, and 13C‐NMR. The DSC result indicated that the aPS‐b‐random copolymer‐b‐PE had a Tg at 87°C and a Tm at 119°C which attributed to the Tg of aPS segment and the Tm of PE segment, respectively. The microstructure of the hydroxy‐functionalized aPS‐b‐random copolymer‐b‐PE was further confirmed by WAXD, 13C‐NMR, and 1H‐NMR analysis; and these results demonstrated that the obtained block copolymer consisted of aPS segment, S‐E random copolymer segment, and crystalline PE segment. The connection polymerization of the hydroxy‐functionalized aPS with random copolymer‐b‐PE was revealed by GPC results. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Common genetic polymorphisms in pre‐microRNAs and risk of cervical squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Bin , Wang Kana , Wang Yanyun , Xi Mingrong , Zhang Zhu , Song Yaping , Zhang Lin 
Published: February 2011

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as gene regulator and they participate in diverse biological pathways. Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pre‐microRNAs may change their property through altering miRNAs expression and/or maturation. We conducted a pilot study to test whether SNPs in pre‐microRNAs were associated with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Genotypes of three SNPs in pre‐miRNAs (hsa‐miR‐196a2 rs11614913 C/T, hsa‐miR‐499 rs3746444 A/G, and hsa‐miR‐146a rs2910164 G/C) in 226 CSCC patients and 309 control subjects were determined with the use of PCR‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. Significantly increased CSCC risks were found to be associated with G allele of rs3746444 and G allele of rs2910164 (P = 0.017, OR = 1.454, and P = 0.016, OR = 1.355, respectively). Increased CSCC risks were associated with them in different genetic model (P = 0.0004, OR = 1.98 for rs3746444 in an overdominant model, and P = 0.024, OR = 2.10 for rs2910164 in a codominant model, respectively). Results of stratified analyses revealed that rs2910164 is associated with tumor differentiation and lymph node status (P = 0.043, OR = 2.08, and a borderline P = 0.057, OR = 0.41, respectively). No association between rs11614913 and CSCC risk was observed. The present study provides evidence that rs3746444 and rs2910164 are associated with CSCC, indicating that common genetic polymorphisms in pre‐microRNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of CSCC. Mol. Carcinog. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Progression and prognostic factors of motor impairment, disability and quality of life in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease
Authors: Post Bart , Muslimovic Dino , van Geloven Nan , Speelman Johannes D. , Schmand Ben , de Haan Rob J. ,   on behalf of the CARPA‐study group
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjective:To determine progression and prognostic factors of progression rate of motor impairment, disability, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease.Methods:A group of 126 patients with newly diagnosed PD recruited from outpatient clinics participated in this 3‐year prospective cohort study. Motor impairment was rated with the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Motor‐Examination. Disability was rated using the Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale, the AMC Linear Disability Score. QoL was assessed with the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life questionnaire. Linear mixed model analyses were conducted to identify determinants of progression rate of motor impairment, disability, and poor QoL.Results:Motor impairment progressed with 3 points per year. There was a slight progression of disability and QoL during 3 years of follow‐up. Female sex was a prognostic factor for slower progression of motor impairment and QoL. Older age at onset showed to prognosticate faster progression of disability and impaired QoL. Furthermore, independent of follow‐up time, older age at onset was associated with worse motor impairment; nondopaminergic reactive symptoms (Axial impairment) were associated with more disability and poorer QoL; comorbidity showed relation with disability and QoL but to a lesser extent; self‐reported mood symptoms were associated with poorer QoL; and disease duration correlated with motor impairment.Conclusions:Motor impairment, disability, and QoL of newly diagnosed Parkinson patients show progression in the first 3 years. Older age at onset predicts worse progression rate of disability and impaired QoL over time. Female sex predicts slower progression of motor impairment and less decline of QoL. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Parkinson's disease sleep scale—validation of the revised version PDSS‐2
Authors: Trenkwalder Claudia , Kohnen Ralf , Högl Birgit , Metta Vinod , Sixel‐Döring Friederike , Frauscher Birgit , Hülsmann Julia , Martinez‐Martin Pablo , Chaudhuri Kallol Ray 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackground:The previous Parkinson's disease sleep scale (PDSS) is a 15‐item visual analogue scale that assesses the profile of nocturnal disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.Objective:To extend the scale so that it becomes a frequency measure scale with five categories and encompasses unmet needs such as restless legs syndrome, akinesia, pain, and sleep apnea.Methods:For validation of the PDSS‐2, PD patients' ratings and investigators' interviews were compared to ratings from a semistructured interview with a caregiver/partner, and to related scales. PDSS‐2 was repeated for test‐retest‐reliability after 1–3 days.Results:A total of 113 PD patients showed a mean (SD) total score of 16.5 (±8.9) (range: 2–40) indicating mild to moderate sleep disturbances. PDSS‐2 item‐total correlation for proving internal consistency was satisfactory (correlations >0.30). From a factor analysis, three subscales were derived: (1) “motor problems at night,” (2) “PD symptoms at night” and (3) “disturbed sleep.” The alpha coefficient for the total score was 0.73, for subscales 0.47 to 0.66. The test‐retest‐reliability intra‐class‐coefficient for the total score was 0.80, with 0.69 and 0.77 within the subscales. For discriminative validity, significant differences were found in the PDSS‐2 total score depending on CGI and Hoehn and Yahr severity levels. A comparison between caregivers' and patients' ratings was carried out.Conclusion:The PDSS‐2, with an extended spectrum of nocturnal disabilities and easier use for patients, is a reliable, valid, precise, and potentially treatment‐responsive tool for measuring sleep disorders in PD. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Revisiting gap locations in amino acid sequence alignments and a proposal for a method to improve them by introducing solvent accessibility
Authors: Hijikata Atsushi , Yura Kei , Noguti Tosiyuki , Go Mitiko 
Published: February 2011

AbstractIn comparative modeling, the quality of amino acid sequence alignment still constitutes a major bottleneck in the generation of high quality models of protein three‐dimensional (3D) structures. Substantial efforts have been made to improve alignment quality by revising the substitution matrix, introducing multiple sequences, replacing dynamic programming with hidden Markov models, and incorporating 3D structure information. Improvements in the gap penalty have not been a major focus, however, following the development of the affine gap penalty and of the secondary structure dependent gap penalty. We revisited the correlation between protein 3D structure and gap location in a large protein 3D structure data set, and found that the frequency of gap locations approximated to an exponential function of the solvent accessibility of the inserted residues. The nonlinearity of the gap frequency as a function of accessibility corresponded well to the relationship between residue mutation pattern and residue accessibility. By introducing this relationship into the gap penalty calculation for pairwise alignment between template and target amino acid sequences, we were able to obtain a sequence alignment much closer to the structural alignment. The quality of the alignments was substantially improved on a pair of sequences with identity in the “twilight zone” between 20 and 40%. The relocation of gaps by our new method made a significant improvement in comparative modeling, exemplified here by theBacillus subtilisyitF protein. The method was implemented in a computer program, ALAdeGAP (ALignment with Accessibility dependent GAp Penalty), which is available athttp://cib.cf.ocha.ac.jp/target_protein/. Proteins 2011; © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Percutaneous Drainage versus Emergency Cholecystectomy for the Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis in Critically Ill Patients: Does it Matter?
Authors: Melloul E. , Denys A. , Demartines N. , Calmes J.‐M. , Schäfer M. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackgroundThe aim if this study was to compare percutaneous drainage (PD) of the gallbladder to emergency cholecystectomy (EC) in a well‐defined patient group with sepsis related to acute calculous/acalculous cholecystitis (ACC/AAC).MethodsBetween 2001 and 2007, all consecutive patients of our ICU treated by either PD or EC were retrospectively analyzed. Cases were collected from a prospective database. Percutaneous drainage was performed by a transhepatic route and EC by open or laparoscopic approach. Patients’ general condition and organ dysfunction were assessed by two validated scoring systems (SAPS II and SOFA, respectively). Morbidity, mortality, and long‐term outcome were systematically reviewed and analyzed in both groups.ResultsForty‐two patients [median age = 65.5 years (range = 32–94)] were included; 45% underwent EC (ten laparoscopic, nine open) and 55% PD (n = 23). Both patient groups had similar preoperative characteristics. Percutaneous drainage and EC were successful in 91 and 100% of patients, respectively. Organ dysfunctions were similarly improved by the third postoperative/postdrainage days. Despite undergoing PD, two patients required EC due to gangrenous cholecystitis. The conversion rate after laparoscopy was 20%. Overall morbidity was 8.7% after PD and 47% after EC (P = 0.011). Major morbidity was 0% after PD and 21% after EC (P = 0.034). The mortality rate was not different (13% after PD and 16% after EC, P = 1.0) and the deaths were all related to the patients’ preexisting disease. Hospital and ICU stays were not different. Recurrent symptoms (17%) occurred only after ACC in the PD group.ConclusionsIn high‐risk patients, PD and EC are both efficient in the resolution of acute cholecystitis sepsis. However, EC is associated with a higher procedure‐related morbidity and the laparoscopic approach is not always possible. Percutaneous drainage represents a valuable intervention, but secondary cholecystectomy is mandatory in cases of acute calculous cholecystitis.
On the future of “omics”: lipidomics
Authors: Griffiths William J. , Ogundare Michael , Williams Christopher M. , Wang Yuqin 
Published: February 2011

AbstractSummaryFollowing in the wake of the genomic and proteomic revolutions new fields of “omics” research are emerging. The metabolome provides the natural complement to the genome and proteome, however, the extreme physicochemical diversity of the metabolome leads to a subdivision of metabolites into compounds soluble in aqueous solutions or those soluble in organic solvents. A complete molecular and quantitative investigation of the latter when isolated from tissue, fluid or cells constitutes lipidomics. Like proteomics, lipidomics is a subject which is both technology driven and technology driving, with the primary technologies being mass spectrometry, with or without on‐line chromatography and computer‐assisted data analysis. In this paper we will examine the underlying fundamentals of different lipidomic experimental approaches including the “shotgun” and “top‐down” global approaches, and the more targeted liquid chromatography – or gas chromatography – mass spectrometry approaches. Application of these approaches to the identification of in‐born errors of metabolism will be discussed.
Brain white matter abnormalities in paediatric Gaucher Type I and Type III using diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Davies Elin Haf , Seunarine Kiran K. , Banks Tina , Clark Chris A. , Vellodi Ashok 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveBiomarkers to monitor neurological dysfunction in Neuronopathic Gaucher disease (NGD) are lacking. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a technique which allows us to probe the microstructure of the white‐matter of the brain, in‐vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of DTI to visualise and quantify white matter integrity in children with NGD and Type I Gaucher.DesignDTI was performed and fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial (λaxial) diffusivity and radial (λradial) diffusivity maps calculated. Tract‐based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to perform a voxel‐wise statistical analysis of the main white matter structures compared to age‐sex matched control groups.SettingThe study was performed at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital NHS TrustPatientsFour NGD and three Type I Gaucher paediatric patients were recruitedResultsThe findings suggest the presence of microstructural white matter changes in NGD patients primarily in the middle cerebellar peduncles compared to an age‐sex matched control group. This finding is relevant to the clinical manifestation of ataxia seen in NGD. Diffuse non‐specific changes were seen in the Type I patients, but without a focal point.ConclusionsThis study is the first to use DTI to examine the Gaucher brain. While the numbers studied are small, the results suggest that DTI may be an attractive surrogate marker of NGD, worthy of further exploration for use in clinical studies.
Brain activity for chronic knee osteoarthritis: Dissociating evoked pain from spontaneous pain
Authors: Parksl Elle L. , Gehal Paul Y. , Balikil Marwan N. , Katzl Jeffrey , Schnitzerl Thomas J. , Apkarianl A. Vania 
Published: February 2011

AbstractChronic pain is a hallmark of osteoarthritis (OA), yet little is known about its properties and representation in the brain. Here we use fMRI combined with psychophysics to study knee pain in fourteen OA patients and nine healthy controls. Mechanical painful pressure stimuli were applied to the knee in both groups and ratings of evoked pain and related brain activity examined. We observe that psychophysical properties and brain activation patterns of evoked pain are essentially the same between OA patients and healthy subjects, and between worse and better OA knees. In OA patients, stimulus‐related brain activity could be distinguished from brain activity associated with spontaneous pain. The former activated brain regions commonly observed for acute painful stimuli in healthy subjects, while the spontaneous pain of OA engaged prefrontal‐limbic regions closely corresponding to areas observed for spontaneous pain in other chronic pain conditions, such as chronic back pain and post‐herpetic neuralgia. Arthritis‐related clinical characteristics of knee OA also mapped to prefrontal‐limbic regions. In a subgroup of patients (n =6) we examined brain activity changes for a 2‐week, repeat measure, cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibitor (valdecoxib) therapy. Treatment decreased spontaneous pain for the worse knee and clinical characteristics of OA, and increased blood and csf levels of the drug which correlated positively with prefrontal‐limbic brain activity. These findings indicate dissociation between mechanically induced and spontaneous OA knee pain, the latter engaging brain regions involved in emotional assessment of the self, and challenge the standard clinical view regarding the nature of OA pain.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection during pregnancy in South India
Authors: Pramanick Angsumita , Rathore Swati , Peter John V. , Moorthy Mahesh , Lionel Jessie 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the clinical profile of pregnant/puerperal women from a semi‐urban Indian population who were infected with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus (P[H1N1]2009v) and to evaluate their outcome.MethodsIn a cross‐sectional study, 566 women (79 pregnant/puerperal, 487 nonpregnant) who presented to a tertiary care hospital with influenza‐like illness were tested for P(H1N1)2009v by real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Outcomes measures were the maternal mortality and the perinatal mortality rate (PMR).ResultsTwenty (25%) pregnant/puerperal and 144 (30%) nonpregnant women tested positive for P(H1N1)2009v, with 5 pregnant and 3 postpartum women requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). P(H1N1)2009v‐related mortality was higher in pregnant than nonpregnant women (25% versus 8%; P = 0.04). In the pregnant/puerperal cohort, factors associated with death included delayed presentation (median 6 days versus 1.5 days in survivors; P = 0.007), need for ICU admission (P = 0.004), need for ventilation (P = 0.001), and renal failure (P = 0.001). The PMR was 55.5/1000 births compared with 33.5/1000 births in the hospital overall during the study period.ConclusionIn a low‐income country, P(H1N1)2009v infection in pregnancy is associated with considerable mortality. Delayed presentation to a tertiary care center, lack of awareness, and restricted access to treatment might have contributed to the high mortality.
Treatment and outcome of stage Ia1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix
Authors: Haller Herman , Krašević Maja , Mamula Ozren , Brnčić‐Fischer Alemka , Eminović Senija , Manestar Miljenko 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the treatment and clinical outcome of patients with FIGO stage IA1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).MethodsMedical records, including 5‐year follow‐up, were reviewed for 276 patients with stage IA1 SCC.ResultsAs definitive surgery, 152 (55.1%), 72 (26.1%), 40 (14.5%), and 12 (4.3%) patients underwent conization, hysterectomy, hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL), and radical hysterectomy with PL, respectively.Among these groups, the 5‐year recurrence‐free rate was 94.1%, 98.6%, 95%, and 100%, respectively, and the survival rate was 98.7%, 98.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Recurrent disease was identified among 12 (4.3%) patients, and was related to the depth of invasion (P < 0.001). Eleven (4.0%) of 276 patients were found to have lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI). There were no positive lymph nodes among 52 patients who underwent PL, including those with LVSI. Conization was followed by hysterectomy in 49 patients. In these patients, residual intraepithelial neoplasia was found in 18 women, 3 of whom had no involved margins on previous conization. In the group of patients treated by conization, recurrence correlated with the status of the endocervical and lateral cone margin (P < 0.001).ConclusionAs a conservative approach, conization is an effective and reasonable treatment option for stage IA1 SCC, especially in actively reproductive women.
Implementation of the Zambia Electronic Perinatal Record System for comprehensive prenatal and delivery care
Authors: Chi Benjamin H. , Vwalika Bellington , Killam William P. , Wamalume Chibesa , Giganti Mark J. , Mbewe Reuben , Stringer Elizabeth M. , Chintu Namwinga T. , Putta Nande B. , Liu Katherine C. , Chibwesha Carla J. , Rouse Dwight J. , Stringer Jeffrey S.A. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo characterize prenatal and delivery care in an urban African setting.MethodsThe Zambia Electronic Perinatal Record System (ZEPRS) was implemented to record demographic characteristics, past medical and obstetric history, prenatal care, and delivery and newborn care for pregnant women across 25 facilities in the Lusaka public health sector.ResultsFrom June 1, 2007, to January 31, 2010, 115 552 pregnant women had prenatal and delivery information recorded in ZEPRS. Median gestation age at first prenatal visit was 23 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 19–26). Syphilis screening was documented in 95 663 (83%) pregnancies: 2449 (2.6%) women tested positive, of whom 1589 (64.9%) were treated appropriately. 111 108 (96%) women agreed to HIV testing, of whom 22% were diagnosed with HIV. Overall, 112 813 (98%) of recorded pregnancies resulted in a live birth, and 2739 (2%) in a stillbirth. The median gestational age was 38 weeks (IQR 35–40) at delivery; the median birth weight of newborns was 3000 g (IQR 2700–3300 g).ConclusionThe results demonstrate the feasibility of using a comprehensive electronic medical record in an urban African setting, and highlight its important role in ongoing efforts to improve clinical care.
Additional chromosome abnormalities in chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Hsiao Hui‐Hua , Liu Yi‐Chang , Tsai Hui‐Jen , Hsu Jui‐Feng , Yang Wen‐Chi , Chang Chao‐Sung , Lin Sheng‐Fung 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and/or Breakpoint cluster region‐Abelson leukemia virus oncogene transcript are unique markers for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, CML demonstrates heterogeneous presentations and outcomes. We analyzed the cytogenetic and molecular results of CML patients to evaluate their correlation with clinical presentations and outcome. A total of 84 newly diagnosed CML patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated according to disease status. Bone marrow samples were obtained to perform cytogenetic and molecular studies. Clinical presentations, treatment courses, and survival were reviewed retrospectively. Among 84 patients, 72 had chronic phase and 12 had accelerated phase CML. Cytogenetic study showed 69 (82.1%) with the classic Ph chromosome, 6 (7.2%) with a variant Ph chromosome, and 9 (10.7%) with additional chromosome abnormalities. Fifty‐four (64.3%) cases harbored b3a2 transcripts, 29 (34.5%) had b2a2 transcript, and 1 had e19a2 transcript. There was no difference in clinical presentations between different cytogenetic and molecular groups; however, additional chromosome abnormalities were significantly associated with the accelerated phase. Imatinib therapy was an effective treatment, as measured by cytogenetic response, when administered as first‐ and second‐line therapy in chronic phase patients. Survival analysis showed that old age, additional chromosome abnormalities, high Sokal score, and no cytogenetic response in second‐line therapy had a significant poor impact (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we presented the cytogenetic and molecular pattern of CML patients and demonstrated that the additional chromosome abnormality was associated with poor outcome.
Infected tracheocoele (acquired tracheal diverticulum): case report and literature review
Authors: Teh B M , Hall C , Kleid S 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackground:Paratracheal air-filled cysts are rare. Tracheocoele or acquired tracheal diverticulum is the term given to these acquired abnormalities, which usually arise in adults. The majority is asymptomatic, being discovered as incidental findings on radiological imaging.Methods:We report the case of a 72-year-old man with a previously identified tracheocoele which became symptomatic following an upper respiratory tract infection. A literature is presented and nomenclature is discussed.Results:The clinical presentation, differential diagnosis and management of paratracheal air-filled cysts are discussed.Conclusion:While most of these rare abnormalities are discovered incidentally, this case illustrates the fact that significant symptoms can develop; excision should therefore be considered.