bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pregnancy and delivery in patients with Fontan circulation: A report of two cases
Authors: Inoue Seiji , Masuyama Hisashi , Akagi Teiji , Hiramatsu Yuji 
Published: June 2012

AbstractFontan operation is performed to provide palliation for patients with many forms of highly complex congenital heart disease that cannot support a biventricular circulation. Increasing numbers of women who have undergone these connections in childhood are now reaching their childbearing years, and some are becoming pregnant. The low flow and fixed cardiac output of a Fontan circulation poses a number of problems during pregnancy. Here, we report two cases of pregnancy and delivery with Fontan circulation. Case 1, who underwent Fontan procedure for congenital pulmonary atresia with intact vertical septum at age 7, delivered a male infant weighing 1073 g by cesarean section at 286/7 weeks due to massive genital bleeding. Case 2 underwent Fontan procedure for double inlet left ventricle and delivered by vacuum extraction a male infant weighing 2142 g, while monitoring central venous pressure at 375/7 weeks. The former had ascites and dose of diuretic had to be added at early pregnancy, and the latter had no adverse cardiac and obstetric events. These cases suggest that patients after adequate Fontan palliation could complete pregnancy without long‐term cardiac sequelae, but might be complicated with cardiac or obstetrical events. Intensive care should be required with specialists, including a neonatologist, anesthesiologist and cardiologist. We have added a literature review of pregnancy with Fontan circulation, referring to previous reports.
Cell division and density of symbiotic Chlorella variabilis of the ciliate Paramecium bursaria is controlled by the host's nutritional conditions during early infection process
Authors: Kodama Yuuki , Fujishima Masahiro 
Published: June 2012

SummaryThe association of ciliate Paramecium bursaria with symbiotic Chlorella sp. is a mutualistic symbiosis. However, both the alga‐free paramecia and symbiotic algae can still grow independently and can be reinfected experimentally by mixing them. Effects of the host's nutritional conditions against the symbiotic algal cell division and density were examined during early reinfection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that algal cell division starts 24 h after mixing with alga‐free P. bursaria, and that the algal mother cell wall is discarded from the perialgal vacuole membrane, which encloses symbiotic alga. Labelling of the mother cell wall with Calcofluor White Stain, a cell‐wall‐specific fluorochrome, was used to show whether alga had divided or not. Pulse labelling of alga‐free P. bursaria cells with Calcofluor White Stain‐stained algae with or without food bacteria for P. bursaria revealed that the fluorescence of Calcofluor White Stain in P. bursaria with bacteria disappeared within 3 days after mixing, significantly faster than without bacteria. Similar results were obtained both under constant light and dark conditions. This report is the first describing that the cell division and density of symbiotic algae of P. bursaria are controlled by the host's nutritional conditions during early infection.
Diagnostic accuracy of heart‐rate recovery after exercise in the assessment of diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy
Authors: Sacre J. W. , Jellis C. L. , Coombes J. S. , Marwick T. H. 
Published: June 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, e312–e320 (2012)AbstractAims  Poor prognosis associated with blunted post‐exercise heart‐rate recovery may reflect autonomic dysfunction. This study sought the accuracy of post‐exercise heart‐rate recovery in the diagnosis of cardiac autonomic neuropathy, which represents a serious, but often unrecognized complication of Type 2 diabetes.Methods  Clinical assessment of cardiac autonomic neuropathy and maximal treadmill exercise testing for heart‐rate recovery were performed in 135 patients with Type 2 diabetes and negative exercise echocardiograms. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy was defined by abnormalities in ≥ 2 of 7 autonomic function markers, including four cardiac reflex tests and three indices of short‐term (5‐min) heart‐rate variability. Heart‐rate recovery was defined at 1‐, 2‐ and 3‐min post‐exercise.Results  Patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy (n = 27; 20%) had lower heart‐rate recovery at 1‐, 2‐ and 3‐min post‐exercise (P < 0.01). Heart‐rate recovery demonstrated univariate associations with autonomic function markers (r‐values 0.20–0.46, P < 0.05). Area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve revealed good diagnostic performance of all heart‐rate recovery parameters (range 0.80–0.83, P < 0.001). Optimal cut‐offs for heart‐rate recovery at 1‐, 2‐ and 3‐min post‐exercise were ≤ 28 beats/min (sensitivity 93%, specificity 69%), ≤ 50 beats/min (sensitivity 96%, specificity 63%) and ≤ 52 beats/min (sensitivity 70%, specificity 84%), respectively. These criteria predicted cardiac autonomic neuropathy independently of relevant clinical and exercise test information (adjusted odds ratios 7–28, P < 0.05).Conclusions  Post‐exercise heart‐rate recovery provides an accurate diagnostic test for cardiac autonomic neuropathy in Type 2 diabetes. The high sensitivity and modest specificity suggests heart‐rate recovery may be useful to screen for patients requiring clinical autonomic evaluation.
Diabetes incidence does not differ between subjects with and without high depressive symptoms — 5‐year follow‐up results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study
Authors: Icks A. , Albers B. , Haastert B. , Pechlivanis S. , Bokhof B. , Slomiany U. , Erbel R. , Jöckel K.‐H. , Kruse J. , Nowotny B. , Herder C. , Giani G. , Moebus S. ,   for the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study Investigative Group and the German BMBF Competence Network for Diabetes Mellitus
Published: June 2012

Diabet. Med. 30, 65–69 (2013)AbstractAims  Cross‐sectional studies have consistently reported evidence for an association between diabetes and depressive disorders. However, only limited prospective studies have examined this association, reporting conflicting results. In a population‐based cohort study, we compared cumulative incidences of diabetes between participants with and without high depressive symptoms.Method  We analysed the 5‐year follow‐up data from the German Heinz Nixdorf Recall study of 3547 participants without diabetes at baseline [mean age 58.8 (sd 7.6) years, 47.5% male]. Depressive symptoms were defined using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (cut point ≥ 17). Diabetes (diagnosed or previously undetected) was identified by self‐reported physician‐diagnosed diabetes, medication and high blood glucose levels. We estimated 5‐year cumulative incidences with 95% confidence intervals and fitted multiple logistic regression models to calculate the odds ratios, adjusted for age, sex, physical activity, smoking, living with or without partner, and educational level.Results  The cumulative incidence of diabetes was 9.2% (95% CI 6.3–12.8) in participants with high depressive symptoms at baseline and 9.0% (95% CI 8.0–10.0) in participants without these symptoms. The age‐ and sex‐adjusted odds ratio of diabetes in participants with depressive symptoms compared with those without was 1.13 [95% CI 0.77–1.68; fully adjusted 1.11 (95% CI 0.74–1.65)]. These results did not substantially change in several additional sensitivity analyses.Conclusion  Our study did not show a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes in individuals with high depressive symptoms compared with those without high depressive symptoms during a 5‐year follow‐up period.
Coherent Spatiotemporal Filtering, Upsampling and Rendering of RGBZ Videos
Authors: Richardt Christian , Stoll Carsten , Dodgson Neil A. , Seidel Hans‐Peter , Theobalt Christian 
Published: June 2012

AbstractSophisticated video processing effects require both image and geometry information. We explore the possibility to augment a video camera with a recent infrared time‐of‐flight depth camera, to capture high‐resolution RGB and low‐resolution, noisy depth at video frame rates. To turn such a setup into a practical RGBZ video camera, we develop efficient data filtering techniques that are tailored to the noise characteristics of IR depth cameras. We first remove typical artefacts in the RGBZ data and then apply an efficient spatiotemporal denoising and upsampling scheme. This allows us to record temporally coherent RGBZ videos at interactive frame rates and to use them to render a variety of effects in unprecedented quality. We show effects such as video relighting, geometry‐based abstraction and stylisation, background segmentation and rendering in stereoscopic 3D.
A GPU‐based Approach for Massive Model Rendering with Frame‐to‐Frame Coherence
Authors: Peng Chao , Cao Yong 
Published: June 2012

AbstractRendering massive 3D models in real‐time has long been recognized as a very challenging problem because of the limited computational power and memory space available in a workstation. Most existing rendering techniques, especially level of detail (LOD) processing, have suffered from their sequential execution natures. We present a GPU‐based approach which enables interactive rendering of large 3D models with hundreds of millions of triangles. Our work contributes to the massive rendering research in two ways. First, we present a simple and efficient mesh simplification algorithm towards GPU architecture. Second, we propose a novel GPU out‐of‐core approach that adopts a frame‐to‐frame coherence scheme in order to minimize the high communication cost between CPU and GPU. Our results show that the parallel algorithm of mesh simplification and the GPU out‐of‐core approach significantly improve the overall rendering performance.
crdbrd: Shape Fabrication by Sliding Planar Slices
Authors: Hildebrand Kristian , Bickel Bernd , Alexa Marc 
Published: June 2012

AbstractWe introduce an algorithm and representation for fabricating 3D shape abstractions using mutually intersecting planar cut‐outs. The planes have prefabricated slits at their intersections and are assembled by sliding them together. Often such abstractions are used as a sculptural art form or in architecture and are colloquially called ‘cardboard sculptures’. Based on an analysis of construction rules, we propose an extended binary space partitioning tree as an efficient representation of such cardboard models which allows us to quickly evaluate the feasibility of newly added planar elements. The complexity of insertion order quickly increases with the number of planar elements and manual analysis becomes intractable. We provide tools for generating cardboard sculptures with guaranteed constructibility. In combination with a simple optimization and sampling strategy for new elements, planar shape abstraction models can be designed by iteratively adding elements. As an output, we obtain a fabrication plan that can be printed or sent to a laser cutter. We demonstrate the complete process by designing and fabricating cardboard models of various well‐known 3D shapes.
Intervention for aggressive victims of school bullying in Hong Kong: A longitudinal mixed‐methods study
Authors: FUNG ANNIS LAI‐CHU 
Published: June 2012

Fung, A. L‐C. (2012). Intervention for aggressive victims of school bullying in Hong Kong: A longitudinal mixed‐methods study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 360–367.The distinction between aggressive and passive victims of school bullying is well documented. Aggressive victims exhibit restlessness and hot‐temperedness, are easily provoked, and take revenge when irritated, whereas passive victims are quiet and timid when attacked or insulted and withdraw rather than retaliate. To date, there has been no evidence‐based evaluative study examining interventions designed specifically to reduce aggressive victimization, and neither has there been an inclusive assessment screening of high‐risk aggressive victims prior to intervention. This study addressed these research gaps by employing multi‐stage assessment procedures and a mixed‐mode methodology in a one‐year longitudinal design. Data were collected from student self‐reports, parent and teacher rating scales, and individual structured interviews with students, parents and teachers. A total of 269 potential high‐risk aggressive victims were identified from among 5,089 schoolchildren, 68 of whom were screened out and randomly assigned to 10 treatment groups, with 39 completing a one‐year follow‐up study. Multivariate analysis of variance identified significant improvements in physical and verbal victimization (F(2,47, 93.99) = 10.73, p < 0.01), verbal victimization (F(2.74, 104.14) = 12.80, p < 0.01) and social exclusion scores at the three follow‐up assessments compared to the pre‐treatment scores, and the qualitative results were consistent, showing participants’ cognition, emotion, and behavior to have been positively reconstructed by the group intervention. The consistent quantitative and qualitative results confirm that the cognitive‐behavioral group therapy program reported herein is effective in reducing aggressive victims’ anxious and depressed emotions and reactive cognition.
Prevention of post‐stroke cognitive decline: a review focusing on lifestyle interventions
Authors: Teuschl Y. , Matz K. , Brainin M. 
Published: June 2012

Background and purposeDespite a high prevalence of post‐stroke cognitive impairment, therapeutic possibilities are still limited. Stroke and dementia share the same cluster of modifiable risk factors. Thus, lifestyle interventions and strict adherence to medication may not only decrease the risk of recurrent stroke but also the risk of post‐stroke cognitive decline.MethodsWe performed a systematic literature search for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) targeting modifiable risk factors for the prevention of cognitive decline following stroke.ResultsWe identified 25 non‐pharmacological interventions and eight multiple risk factor interventions in stroke patients using cognition as outcome measure. None of the published trials investigated interventions aimed at the prevention of post‐stroke cognitive decline. However, a number of ongoing trials aim at risk factor reduction and include measures on cognition.ConclusionEvidence for risk factor modification for the prevention of cognitive decline after stroke is scarce and comes mainly from observational studies. There is a need for more RCTs targeting the prevention of post‐stroke dementia using lifestyle interventions and a multiple risk factor approach.
Physical therapy in Huntington's disease – toward objective assessments?
Authors: Bohlen S. , Ekwall C. , Hellström K. , Vesterlin H. , Björnefur M. , Wiklund L. , Reilmann R. 
Published: June 2012

Background and purposePhysical therapy is recommended for the treatment of Huntington's disease, but reliable studies investigating its efficacy are almost non‐existent. This may in part be due to the lack of suitable outcome measures. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of novel quantitative and objective assessments of motor dysfunction in the evaluation of physical therapy interventions aimed at improving gait and posture.MethodsTwelve patients with Huntington disease received a predefined twice‐weekly intervention focusing on posture and gait over 6 weeks. The GAITRite mat and a force plate were used for objective and quantitative assessments. The Unified Huntingtons Disease Rating Scale Total Motor Score, the timed Up &Go test, and the Berg Balance Scale were used as clinical outcome measures.ResultsSignificant improvements were seen in GAITRite measures after therapy. Improvements were also seen in the Up & Go test and Berg Balance Scale, whereas force plate measures and Total Motor Scores did not change.ConclusionsThe results suggest that physical therapy has a positive effect on gait in Huntington's disease. The study shows that objective and quantitative measures of gait and posture may serve as endpoints in trials assessing the efficacy of physical therapy. They should be explored further in larger trials applying a randomized controlled setting.
Age‐ and weight‐adjusted warfarin initiation nomogram for ischaemic stroke patients
Authors: Yoo S.‐H. , Kwon S. U. , Jo M.‐W. , Kang D.‐W. , Kim J. S. 
Published: June 2012

ObjectivesSpecific guidelines for initial dosing of warfarin in ischaemic stroke patients have not been developed. Therefore, we have developed an age‐ and weight‐adjusted warfarin initiation nomogram (AW‐WIN) for ischaemic stroke patients and then evaluated the efficacy and safety of AW‐WIN compared with physician‐determined warfarin dosing (PDWD).MethodsThe age‐ and weight‐adjusted warfarin initiation nomogram was administered to 104 acute ischaemic stroke patients between January 2008 and February 2009. A historical control group (PDWD) of 96 patients was selected from comparable patients who were discharged with warfarin during the previous year. Time‐to‐therapeutic international normalized ratios (INRs) and the incidence of excessive anticoagulation were compared in the AW‐WIN and PDWD groups.ResultsThe general characteristics, risk factors, and stroke mechanism of the AW‐WIN and PDWD groups did not differ significantly. The mean time to INR ≥ 2.0 was significantly shorter in the AW‐WIN than in the PDWD group (4.9 ± 0.7 vs. 6.2 ± 0.8 days, P = 0.0008). After adjustment for potential confounding variables, the AW‐WIN group reached target INR faster than the PDWD group (hazard ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.26–2.45; P = 0.001). The time‐to‐therapeutic INR ≥1.7 was shorter (P = 0.0002), the proportion of patients with therapeutic INR (2–3) at 5 days was higher (P = 0.002), and the rate of excessive anticoagulation of ≥3.5 INR during hospitalization was lower (P = 0.024) in the AW‐WIN than in the PDWD group.ConclusionsAW‐WIN reduces the time to target INR and the risk of excessive anticoagulation. AW‐WIN may be an efficient and safe method of anticoagulation during the acute phase of ischaemic stroke.
Therapeutic implications of small interfering RNA in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Raghunathan Suchi , Patel Bhoomika M. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) place a heavy burden on the economies of low‐ and middle‐income countries. Comprehensive action requires combining approaches that seek to reduce the risks throughout the entire population with strategies that target individuals at high risk or with established disease. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) as a functional mediator for regulation of gene expression has been evaluated for potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure etc. The present review attempts have been made to provide a brief outline of the current understanding of the mechanism of RNAi and the delivery system and describe the therapeutic application of siRNAs and their potential for treating CVDs which are taking a heavy toll on human life.
The Mechanisms of Social Exclusion in Modern Society: The Dilemma of Active Labor Market Policy*
Authors: Higuchi Akihiko 
Published: June 2012

AbstractIn this article, I examine the social exclusion approach that has influenced social policy in Europe, and demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in explaining the emergence of new forms of inequality in modern society. First, I consider recent studies of social exclusion to show two important points: the paradigm shift from poverty to social exclusion and the introduction of a new policy framework of social inclusion. At the same time, I examine the inherent dilemma of social exclusion in response to radical critics of the social exclusion approach. Next, I point out an internal dilemma in the active labor market policies prioritized today by European Union member states. This dilemma is that these policies make the unemployed more vulnerable by forcing them into paid work. I then show how the enhancement of social networks in local communities and the provision of assistance to support cultural identity can serve as a buffer to compensate for the destructive influence of the economic dimension of social inclusion. In addition, I point out that citizenship as rights claiming is indispensable to social inclusion for all. Finally, drawing on the analysis outlined above, I conclude that a multi‐tiered mechanism of social inclusion can reasonably be considered the most effective framework in a precarious society where people bear various risks in the era of globalization.
Family Background and the Process of Ability Formation*
Authors: Okabe Satoshi 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThis paper takes a sociometric approach to the process of skills formation in children as they mature into adults. Honda suggests that meaningful communication with family as a child is the determining factor that raises those abilities (ability β1) that fall outside of scholastic aptitude – motivation, personal relations skills, personality, and emotions. Along with considering the results of Honda's thesis, I have constructed an operating hypothetic model that includes two additional factors: the financial state of the family during childhood, and the transition of the communication target from within the family to a target outside the family. The data for this investigation were then verified. From the results, the direct effect of the observed family communication, when isolated from other influencing variables in the formation of abilities β, is not as decisive a factor as Honda emphasized. It was clear that the financial status of the family played a role, as did the indirect results of the intermediary shift from communication within the family to outside the family (the process of children becoming socially independent). The results of this analysis show that we should not necessarily be looking for the decisive factors of abilities β within the family; if anything, it reflects the existence of a formative route for abilities β that capitalizes on the resources outside the family. Based on the above, the results also show the potential for the introduction of social intervention to address the disparity and inequality in skills formation, and the possible anticipation of more rationality in the overblown discourse surrounding the role of the family in facilitating educational ability.
Non‐invasive diagnosis of liver steatosis using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and transient elastography
Authors: de Lédinghen Victor , Vergniol Julien , Foucher Juliette , Merrouche Wassil , le Bail Brigitte 
Published: June 2012

AbstractIntroductionRecently, a study showed that Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP), evaluated with transient elastography, could efficiently separate steatosis grades. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the performance of CAP for the diagnosis of steatosis in patients with chronic liver disease.Patients and methodsConsecutive patients with chronic liver disease had steatosis diagnosis using CAP, blood sample and liver biopsy. Steatosis was graded as the percentage of hepatocytes with fat: S0 ≤ 10%, S1: 11 ~ 33%, S2: 34 ~ 66%, S3 ≥ 67%.ResultsCharacteristics of the 112 patients included were as follows: age 54 years, BMI 26 kg m−², HCV 36%, NAFLD 25%. Steatosis repartition was: S0 52%, S1 19%, S2 14%, S3 15%. CAP was significantly correlated with SteatoTest, Fatty Liver Index (FLI), percentage of steatosis on liver biopsy, steatosis grade and slightly with liver stiffness, but not with fibrosis and activity grade on liver biopsy. Using CAP vs SteatoTest vs FLI score, Area Under the Receiver‐Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves (AUROC)s were 0.84 vs 0.72 vs 0.72 for the diagnosis of steatosis ≥ S1, 0.86 vs 0.73 vs 0.71 for the diagnosis of steatosis ≥ S2, and 0.93 vs 0.73 vs 0.75 for the diagnosis of steatosis S3 respectively. For a sensitivity ≥ 90%, cut‐offs of CAP were 215 dB m−1 for S ≥ 1, 252 dB m−1 for S ≥ 2, and 296 dB m−1 for S3.ConclusionCAP is very efficient to detect even low grade steatosis. CAP being implemented on FibroScan® (Echosens, Paris, France), both steatosis and fibrosis can be evaluated simultaneously, enlarging the spectrum of non‐invasive techniques for the management of chronic liver diseases.