bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diabetes, hepatitis virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma: A case–control study in hepatitis endemic area
Authors: Ko Wei‐Hsu , Chiu Sherry Yueh‐Hsia , Yang Kuo‐Ching , Chen Hsiu‐Hsi 
Published: February 2012

Aim:  In spite of numerous studies on the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the results are inconsistent and whether and how the effect of DM on the risk for HCC is modified or synergistically exerted by hepatitis virus infection are still unclear. We aimed to elucidate and quantify the effect modification and synergism between hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV, respectively) and DM leading to the risk for HCC and also assess the independent contribution of DM to the risk for HCC at population level (population attributable fraction) in a high prevalence area of hepatitis virus infection.Methods:  A hospital‐based case–control study was conducted from one medical center. Information on hepatitis B and C virus infection and DM status (defined by 8‐h fasting blood glucose level ≥126 mg/dL, current use of oral hyperglycemic agent or insulin injection) was collected to assess interaction of hepatitis virus infection with DM on the risk for HCC.Results:  The association between DM and the risk for HCC was significant regardless of the presence of HBV infection, whereas a significant positive association was noted for HCV negativity. Synergistic interactions between DM and HBV infection were significant. In the absence of both hepatitis virus infections, the independent effect of DM accounted for 7.5% risk for HCC from the underlying population.Conclusion:  The effect of DM on the risk for developing HCC is higher in HCV negative patients and synergistic with HBV infection. The independent effect of DM provides a new insight to the prevention of HCC other than virus‐related mechanism.
Do Acupuncture Meridians Exist? Correlation with Referred Itch (Mitempfindung) Stimulus and Referral Points
Authors: Silberstein Morry 
Published: February 2012

Objective To describe the relationship between referred itch (mitempfindung) stimulus and referral points and acupuncture meridians, noting that the neuroanatomical mechanism of mitempfindung has never previously been satisfactorily explained. Methods Analysis of clinical findings in the author as well as subjects in four previously described studies, comparing proportions in each of five groups. Results Ninety-two per cent (range 85–94%) of mitempfindung point pairs (stimulus and referral) aligned to a recognised acupuncture meridian with no statistical difference (p<0.05) between the five data sources. Conclusion While previous authors have speculated on an association between mitempfindung and acupuncture, this is the first description of a relationship between stimulus and referral points and acupuncture meridians. The author suggests that the transmission of mitempfindung along acupuncture meridians may involve a series of C-fibre–Merkel cell relays, with the final referred itch sensation caused by substance P release triggering mast cell degranulation.
Electroacupuncture Prevents Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhou Jun , Chen Shiju , Guo Hua , Xia Lu , Liu Huifang , Qin Yuxi , He Chengqi 
Published: February 2012

Background Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been shown to increase bone mineral density (BMD) in ovariectomised (OVX) rats; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objective To systematically evaluate the effects of EA on OVX rats and the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Methods Three-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into three different groups (n=10 each): sham operated control (sham operated), ovariectomy (OVX) and ovariectomy with EA treatment (OVX+EA). Rats in the OVX+EA group received 12-week EA treatments. Results Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase level (p<0.01), BMD of the proximal femoral metaphysis and the fifth lumbar (L5) vertebral body (both, p<0.05) and maximum load and energy to failure of L5 vertebral body (both p<0.01) were significantly higher in the OVX+EA group than in the OVX group. Trabecular area, trabecular width and trabecular number were significantly higher in the OVX+EA group by 66.9%, 29.2% and 30.3%, respectively, than in the OVX group (all, p<0.01). Trabecular separation was 31.9% lower in the OVX+EA group than in the OVX group (p<0.01). Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerised chain reaction indicated that the expressions of mRNAs for low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 and β-catenin were significantly increased in the OVX+EA group, as compared with the OVX group (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion This study demonstrates that EA can prevent OVX-induced bone loss and deterioration of bone architecture and strength by stimulating the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. These findings suggest that EA may bet a promising adjunct method for inhibiting OVX-induced osteoporosis in clinical settings.
A carving method to determine an optimal working projection using three-dimensional volume rendering digital subtraction angiography in coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms
Authors: Kitazawa Keiko , Sorimachi Takatoshi , Ito Yasushi , Fujii Yukihiko 
Published: February 2012

BackgroundA working projection in coil embolization of a cerebral aneurysm is usually determined using three-dimensional volume rendering digital subtraction angiography (3D VRDSA), in which the boundary between an aneurysm and its parent artery cannot be identified simultaneously on the front and back surfaces of the vessel. A new method was devised to obtain a more optimal working projection.Methods83 patients with aneurysms being treated by embolization were retrospectively evaluated. An aneurysm was accurately distinguished from the parent artery by observation of front, back, proximal and distal sides of the vessel on 3D VRDSA (carving method). An optimal working projection with simultaneous identification of the front and back boundary lines was determined using a translucent vessel complex combined with the carved aneurysm.ResultsIn 32 aneurysms (38.6%), the optimal working projection was consistent with the working projection that had been used during the procedure. In terminal type aneurysms, the angle difference between the optimal and actual working projections was significantly smaller than in the other types (p<0.05). Aneurysms with a maximal diameter <5 mm showed a significantly larger angle difference between the optimal and actual working projections than aneurysms with a maximal diameter ≥5 mm (p<0.05).ConclusionIn more than half of the patients, the actual working projection was inaccurate. The carving method might be useful to determine working projections, especially for aneurysms other than the terminal type and/or those with a maximal diameter <5 mm.
Palynology of the Huqf Supergroup, Oman
Authors: Butterfield Nicholas J. , Grotzinger John P. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
Extensive subsurface sampling of the Huqf Supergroup in the Sultanate of Oman has yielded microfossil assemblages of Cryogenian, Ediacaran and Early Cambrian age. Microfossils have been recovered from most stratigraphic units in the Huqf, including Marinoan-equivalent horizons of the Ghadir Manqil Formation (Cryogenian Abu Mahara Group), the Masirah Bay, Shuram and Buah formations of the Ediacaran Nafun Group, and the A3 (latest Ediacaran) and A6 (Early Cambrian) cycles of the Ara Group. Despite the extensive recovery of leiosphaerid acritarchs from the Shuram Formation, there is no indication of the large acanthomorphs typical of other early–middle Ediacaran assemblages. This absence suggests a relatively young (post-extinction) depositional age for the Shuram; however, the signal is complicated by local deep-water conditions and the facies-specific distribution of Proterozoic microfossils. A shallower-water sequence of undivided Nafun Group sediments preserves sphaeromorphic acritarchs in association with filamentous microfossils, fragmentary vendotaenids and possible vaucheriacean algae.
Tumor Vascular Microenvironment Determines Responsiveness to Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Maas Amanda L. , Carter Shirron L. , Wileyto E. Paul , Miller Joann , Yuan Min , Yu Guoqiang , Durham Amy C. , Busch Theresa M. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
The efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) depends upon the delivery of both photosensitizing drug and oxygen. In this study, we hypothesized that local vascular microenvironment is a determinant of tumor response to PDT. Tumor vascularization and its basement membrane (collagen) were studied as a function of supplementation with basement membrane matrix (Matrigel) at the time of tumor cell inoculation. Effects on vascular composition with consequences to tumor hypoxia, photosensitizer uptake, and PDT response were measured. Matrigel-supplemented tumors developed more normalized vasculature, composed of smaller and more uniformly spaced blood vessels than their unsupplemented counterparts, but these changes did not affect tumor oxygenation or PDT-mediated direct cytotoxicity. However, PDT-induced vascular damage increased in Matrigel-supplemented tumors, following an affinity of the photosensitizer Photofrin for collagen-containing vascular basement membrane coupled with increased collagen content in these tumors. The more highly collagenated tumors showed more vascular congestion and ischemia after PDT, along with a higher probability of curative outcome that was collagen dependent. In the presence of photosensitizer-collagen localization, PDT effects on collagen were evidenced by a decrease in its association with vessels. Together, our findings show that photosensitizer localization to collagen increases vascular damage and improves treatment efficacy in tumors with greater collagen content. The vascular basement membrane is thus identified to be a determinant of therapeutic outcome in PDT of tumors. Cancer Res; 72(8); 2079–88. ©2012 AACR.
Carnosol, a Constituent of Zyflamend, Inhibits Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor–Mediated Activation of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 Transcription and Mutagenesis
Authors: Mohebati Arash , Guttenplan Joseph B. , Kochhar Amit , Zhao Zhong-Lin , Kosinska Wieslawa , Subbaramaiah Kotha , Dannenberg Andrew J. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated member of the basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors, plays a significant role in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced carcinogenesis. In the upper aerodigestive tract of humans, tobacco smoke, a source of PAHs, activates the AhR leading to increased expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, which encode proteins that convert PAHs to genotoxic metabolites. Inhibitors of Hsp90 ATPase cause a rapid decrease in levels of AhR, an Hsp90 client protein, and thereby block PAH-mediated induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1. The main objective of this study was to determine whether Zyflamend, a polyherbal preparation, suppressed PAH-mediated induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and inhibited DNA adduct formation and mutagenesis. We also investigated whether carnosol, one of multiple phenolic antioxidants in Zyflamend, had similar inhibitory effects. Treatment of cell lines derived from oral leukoplakia (MSK-Leuk1) and skin (HaCaT) with benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a prototypic PAH, induced CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 transcription, resulting in enhanced levels of message and protein. Both Zyflamend and carnosol suppressed these effects of B[a]P. Notably, both Zyflamend and carnosol inhibited Hsp90 ATPase activity and caused a rapid reduction in AhR levels. The formation of B[a]P-induced DNA adducts and mutagenesis was also inhibited by Zyflamend and carnosol. Collectively, these results show that Zyflamend and carnosol inhibit Hsp90 ATPase leading to reduced levels of AhR, suppression of B[a]P-mediated induction of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, and inhibition of mutagenesis. Carnosol-mediated inhibition of Hsp90 ATPase activity can help explain the chemopreventive activity of herbs such as Rosemary, which contain this phenolic antioxidant. Cancer Prev Res; 5(4); 593–602. ©2012 AACR.
Circumventing Cancer Drug Resistance in the Era of Personalized Medicine
Authors: Garraway Levi A. , Jänne Pasi A. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
All successful cancer therapies are limited by the development of drug resistance. The increase in the understanding of the molecular and biochemical bases of drug efficacy has also facilitated studies elucidating the mechanism(s) of drug resistance. Experimental approaches that can help predict the eventual clinical drug resistance, coupled with the evolution of systematic genomic and proteomic technologies, are rapidly identifying novel resistance mechanisms. In this review, we provide a historical background on drug resistance and a framework for understanding the common ways by which cancers develop resistance to targeted therapies. We further discuss advantages and disadvantages of experimental strategies that can be used to identify drug resistance mechanism(s).
Significance: Increased knowledge of drug resistance mechanisms will aid in the development of effective therapies for patients with cancer. We provide a summary of current knowledge on drug resistance mechanisms and experimental strategies to identify and study additional drug resistance pathways. Cancer Discovery; 2(3); 214–26. ©2012 AACR.
Regional Patterns of Use of a Medical Management Strategy for Patients With Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes
Authors: Roe Matthew T. , White Jennifer A. , Kaul Padma , Tricoci Pierluigi , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Miller Chadwick D. , van't Hof Arnoud W. , Montalescot Gilles , James Stefan K. , Saucedo Jorge , Ohman E. Magnus , Pollack Charles V. , Hochman Judith S. , Armstrong Paul W. , Giugliano Robert P. , Harrington Robert A. , Van de Werf Frans , Califf Robert M. , Newby L. Kristin 
Published: February 2012

Background—
Regional differences in the profile and prognosis of non–ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS) patients treated with medical management after angiography remain uncertain.

Methods and Results—
Using data from the Early Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibition in Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes (EARLY ACS) trial, we examined regional variations in the use of an in-hospital medical management strategy in NSTE ACS patients who had significant coronary artery disease (CAD) identified during angiography, factors associated with the use of a medical management strategy, and 1-year mortality rates. Of 9406 patients, 8387 (89%) underwent angiography and had significant CAD; thereafter, 1766 (21%) were treated solely with a medical management strategy (range: 18% to 23% across 4 major geographic regions). Factors most strongly associated with a medical management strategy were negative baseline troponin values, prior coronary artery bypass grafting, lower baseline hemoglobin values, and greater number of diseased vessels; region was not a significant factor. One-year mortality was higher among patients treated with a medical management strategy compared with those who underwent revascularization (7.8% versus 3.6%; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21–1.76), with no significant interaction by region (interaction probability value=0.42).

Conclusions—
Approximately 20% of NSTE ACS patients with significant CAD in an international trial were treated solely with an in-hospital medical management strategy after early angiography, with no regional differences in factors associated with medical management or the risk of 1-year mortality. These findings have important implications for the conduct of future clinical trials, and highlight global similarities in the profile and prognosis of medically managed NSTE ACS patients.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00089895.
Health Outcomes With Catheter Ablation or Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Reynolds Matthew R. , Gunnarsson Candace L. , Hunter Tina D. , Ladapo Joseph A. , March Jamie L. , Zhang Mingdong , Hao Steven C. 
Published: February 2012

Background—
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) face significant risks of stroke and heart failure. The objective of this study was to determine whether AF ablation reduces the long-term risk of stroke or heart failure compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

Methods and Results—

A coding algorithm was used to identify AF patients treated with catheter ablation (n=3194) or antiarrhythmic drugs without ablation (n=6028) between 2005 and 2009 using The MarketScan Research Database from Thomson Reuters From this sample, 801 pairs were propensity matched, based on 15 demographic and clinical characteristics and baseline medication use. Rates of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and heart failure hospitalizations for up to 3 years were examined. Patients treated with catheter ablation had a significantly lower rate of stroke or TIA (3.4% per year) than a group of patients with AF managed with antiarrhythmic drugs only (5.5% per year), with an unadjusted hazard ratio of 0.62 (95% CI, 0.44–0.86;
P
=0.005). The rates for heart failure hospitalization were 1.5% per year in the ablation group and 2.2% per year in the antiarrhythmic drug group, with an unadjusted hazard ratio of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.42–1.15;
P
=0.158). These results were minimally altered in Cox proportional hazards models, which further adjusted for potential confounders not well balanced by the propensity matching.

Conclusions—
In a large propensity-matched community sample, AF ablation was associated with a reduced risk of stroke/TIA and no significant difference in heart failure hospitalizations compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy. These findings require confirmation with randomized study designs.
Results of Meniscus Allograft Transplantation Using Bone Fixation
Authors: Kim Jong-Min , Lee Bum-Sik , Kim Keong-Hwan , Kim Kyung-Ah , Bin Seong-Il 
Published: February 2012

Background: Meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) has shown efficacy in relieving pain and improving knee joint function, but objective evaluation in a large number of patients is necessary to verify this effect. Hypothesis: Meniscus allograft transplantation relieves pain and improves function of the involved knee joint. Objective evaluation provides evidence of allograft integrity. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Of the 115 knees that underwent MAT from December 1996 to February 2009, 110 (95.7%) were followed up for more than 2 years and were enrolled in this study. Of these, 83 underwent lateral MAT, and 27 underwent medial MAT. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the modified Lysholm score and Knee Society pain score. All knees underwent postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or second-look arthroscopy to evaluate the integrity and position of the allografts, with allograft status classified as satisfactory, fair, or poor. Results: At a mean follow-up of 49.4 months, clinical improvement was achieved in 104 of the 110 knees (94.5%). Mean modified Lysholm score increased from 72.7 preoperatively to 92.3 at final follow-up ( P < .001), and mean preoperative Knee Society pain score increased from 32.5 to 47.7 ( P < .001). Of the 110 knees, 90 were evaluated by postoperative MRI alone, 2 by second-look arthroscopy alone, and 18 by both. Magnetic resonance imaging showed 12 gross tears and 6 small tears in the allograft. Mean extrusion of the allograft was 3.7 mm, and mean relative percentage of extrusion was 42.6%. Second-look arthroscopy showed 6 gross tears and 1 small flap tear. Classification by clinical outcome, MRI, and second-look arthroscopy graded 90 allografts (81.8%) as satisfactory, 8 (7.3%) as fair, and 12 (10.9%) as poor. Conclusion: Meniscus allograft transplantation using bone fixation resulted in significant symptomatic and functional improvements. Magnetic resonance imaging or second-look arthroscopy was necessary to assess allograft status even after favorable clinical outcome. Meniscus allograft transplantation with bone fixation is considered effective for symptomatic, totally meniscectomized knees.
Sample size determination for disease prevalence studies with partially validated data
Authors: Qiu Shi-Fang , Poon Wai-Yin , Tang Man-Lai 
Published: February 2012

Summary Disease prevalence is an important topic in medical research, and its study is based on data that are obtained by classifying subjects according to whether a disease has been contracted. Classification can be conducted with high-cost gold standard tests or low-cost screening tests, but the latter are subject to the misclassification of subjects. As a compromise between the two, many research studies use partially validated datasets in which all data points are classified by fallible tests, and some of the data points are validated in the sense that they are also classified by the completely accurate gold-standard test. In this article, we investigate the determination of sample sizes for disease prevalence studies with partially validated data. We use two approaches. The first is to find sample sizes that can achieve a pre-specified power of a statistical test at a chosen significance level, and the second is to find sample sizes that can control the width of a confidence interval with a pre-specified confidence level. Empirical studies have been conducted to demonstrate the performance of various testing procedures with the proposed sample sizes. The applicability of the proposed methods are illustrated by a real-data example.