bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The treatment of ictal asystole with cardiac pacing
Authors: Moseley Brian D. , Ghearing Gena R. , Munger Thomas M. , Britton Jeffrey W. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryIctal asystole may contribute to seizure‐related injury and mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cardiac pacing on seizure‐related injury rates in ictal asystole patients. A survey was conducted to determine seizure‐related fall rate and other morbidity in all seven patients with ictal asystole who underwent cardiac pacing at our institution between 1990 and 2004. The rate of seizure‐related falls and other morbidities before and after pacing were compared using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. The mean fall rate was 3.28 falls/month pre‐pacemaker implantation. Following pacemaker implantation, this was reduced to 0.005 falls/month (p = 0.001). Seizure‐related fractures and motor vehicle accidents were also reduced following cardiac pacing. These findings may have implications in mitigating the potential morbidity associated with ictal asystole.
The clinical spectrum of nodular heterotopias in children: Report of 31 patients
Authors: Srour Myriam , Rioux Marie‐France , Varga Caroline , Lortie Anne , Major Philippe , Robitaille Yves , Décarie Jean‐Claude , Michaud Jacques , Carmant Lionel 
Published: February 2011

SummaryPurpose:  The phenotypic and etiologic spectrum in adults with nodular heterotopias (NHs) has been well characterized. However, there are no large pediatric case series. We, therefore, wanted to review the clinical features of NHs in our population.Methods:  Hospital records of 31 patients with pathology or imaging‐confirmed NHs were reviewed. Two‐sided Fisher's exact t‐test was used to assess associations between distribution of NHs and specific clinical features.Key Findings:  NHs were distributed as follows: 8 (26%) unilateral focal subependymal, 3 (10%) unilateral diffuse subependymal, 5 (16%) bilateral focal subependymal, 12 (39%) bilateral diffuse subependymal, and 3 (10%) isolated subcortical. The phenotypic spectrum in our population differs from that described in adults. Significant morbidity and mortality are associated with presentation in childhood. Twenty‐two of 31 patients (71%) died in the neonatal period or in childhood. Additional cerebral malformations were found in 80% and systemic malformations in 74%. The majority of patients had developmental delay, intellectual deficit, and intractable epilepsy. Patients with unilateral focal NHs were more likely to have ventriculomegaly (p = 0.027), and those with bilateral diffuse NHs more likely to have cerebellar abnormalities (p = 0.007). Isolated subcortical NHs were associated with multiple malformations (p = 0.049) and cardiac abnormalities (p = 0.027). Underlying etiology was heterogeneous and determined in only six cases (19%): del chr 1p36, del chr 15q11, pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, sialic acidosis type 1, Aicardi syndrome, and FLNA mutation.Significance:  NHs are present in childhood as part of multiple cerebral and systemic malformations; developmental delay and refractory seizures are the rule rather than the exception. Milder forms go unrecognized until seizure onset in adulthood.
A multicenter, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial of levetiracetam in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed absence epilepsy
Authors: Fattore Cinzia , Boniver Clementina , Capovilla Giuseppe , Cerminara Caterina , Citterio Antonietta , Coppola Giangennaro , Costa Paola , Darra Francesca , Vecchi Marilena , Perucca Emilio 
Published: February 2011

SummaryPurpose: To evaluate the potential efficacy of levetiracetam as an antiabsence agent in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed childhood or juvenile absence epilepsy.Methods: Patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive de novo monotherapy with levetiracetam (up to 30 mg/kg/day) or placebo for 2 weeks under double‐blind conditions. Responder status (primary end point) was defined as freedom from clinical seizures on days 13 and 14 and from electroencephalographic (EEG) seizures during a standard EEG recording with hyperventilation and intermittent photic stimulation on day 14. The double‐blind phase was followed by an open‐label follow‐up.Key Findings: Nine of 38 patients (23.7%) were responders in the levetiracetam group, compared with one of 21 (4.8%) in the placebo group (p = 0.08). Seven of 38 patients (18.4%) were free from clinical and EEG seizures during the last 4 days of the trial (including 24‐h EEG monitoring on day 14) compared with none of the patients treated with placebo (p = 0.04). Seventeen patients remained seizure‐free on levetiracetam after 1 year follow‐up. Of the 41 patients who discontinued levetiracetam due to lack of efficacy (n = 39) or adverse events (n = 2), 34 became seizure‐free on other treatments.Significance: Although superiority to placebo just failed to reach statistical significance for the primary end point, the overall findings are consistent with levetiracetam having modest efficacy against absence seizures. Further controlled trials exploring larger doses and an active comparator are required to determine the role of levetiracetam in the treatment of absence epilepsy.
WT1 mutation as a cause of 46 XY DSD and Wilm’s tumour: a case report and literature review
Authors: Dai Yang‐li , Fu Jun‐Fen , Hong Fang , Xu Shan , Shen Zheng 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAim:  The Wilms’ Tumour gene is thought to have tumour suppressor activity and to play an important role in nephrogenesis, genitourinary development, haematopoiesis and sex determination. WT1 mutations will impair gonadal and urinary tract development and have been demonstrated to cause syndromes of WAGR, Denys–Drash and Fraiser.Methods:  To elucidate the role of constitutional mutations of WT1, in the expression of the different clinical feature, we describe a 14‐year‐9‐month nonmosaic XY sex‐reversed woman with pure gonadal dysgenesis (46, XY karyotype, completely female external genitalia, normal Mullerian ducts, absence of Wolffian ducts, streak gonads) who had right kidney removed at 7 months of age because of Wilms’ tumour and was diagnosed as secondary thrombocytopenia (Plt 60–80 × 109/L) since she was 4 years old. We sequenced the genomic DNA of all the 10 exons of the WT1 in which mutations may occur in proposita.Results:  A new de novo insertion mutation in the first exon was found. A ‘GCCGCCTCACTCC’ is inserted between codon 138 and 139, resulting in the creation of a stop codon and a truncated protein.Conclusion:  The present data provide further evidence to support the role of WT1 in diverse cellular functions.
Current Italian practices regarding the management of hyperbilirubinaemia in preterm infants
Authors: Dani Carlo , Poggi Chiara , Barp Jacopo , Romagnoli Costantino , Buonocore Giuseppe 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAim:  To assess the current practices existing in Italy for the management of jaundice in preterm infants as preliminary achievement to a call for national guidelines and establishment of a kernicterus registry.Methods:  A questionnaire (in Supporting Information online) was sent to the 109 level III neonatal units in Italy to ascertain existing guidelines for total bilirubin monitoring and treatment of hyperbilirubinaemia in preterm infants and occurrence of kernicterus.Results:  There was a 61% (67/109) response rate. Eighty‐five per cent of responding units had either written guidelines coming from different literature sources or locally developed. The monitoring of bilirubin varied greatly in timing before, during and after jaundice development. Phototherapy and exchange transfusion were given to 56.0 ± 21.0% and 0.2 ± 0.4% of admitted preterm infants in participating centres. Five cases of kernicterus in preterm infants and eleven cases in term infants were documented over the last 10 years.Conclusion:  The management of hyperbilirubinaemia in preterm infants is not uniform in Italy and would benefit from shared national guidance together with establishment of a kernicterus registry to guide therapy.
Dopamine D4 receptor oligomerization – contribution to receptor biogenesis
Authors: Van Craenenbroeck Kathleen , Borroto‐Escuela Dasiel O. , Romero‐Fernandez Wilber , Skieterska Kamila , Rondou Pieter , Lintermans Béatrice , Vanhoenacker Peter , Fuxe Kjell , Ciruela Francisco , Haegeman Guy 
Published: February 2011

Dopamine D4 receptors (D4Rs) are G protein‐coupled receptors that play a role in attention and cognition. In the present study, we investigated the dimerization properties of this receptor. Western blot analysis of the human D4.2R, D4.4R and D4.7R revealed the presence of higher molecular weight immunoreactive bands, which might indicate the formation of receptor dimers and multimers. Homo‐ and heterodimerization of the receptors was confirmed by co‐immunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer studies. Although dimerization of a large number of G protein‐coupled receptors has been described, the functional importance often remains to be elucidated. Folding efficiency is rate‐limiting for D4R biogenesis and quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum plays an important role for D4R maturation. Co‐immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence microscopy studies using wild‐type and a nonfunctional D4.4R folding mutant show that oligomerization occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum and that this plays a role in the biogenesis and cell surface targeting of the D4R. The different polymorphic repeat variants of the D4R display differential sensitivity to the chaperone effect. In the present study, we show that this is also reflected by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer saturation assays, suggesting that the polymorphic repeat variants have different relative affinities to form homo‐ and heterodimers. In summary, we conclude that D4Rs form oligomers with different affinities and that dimerization plays a role in receptor biogenesis.Structured digital abstract

D4.4R
physically interacts with D4.2R by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)

D4.xR
physically interacts with D4.4R by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)

D4.xR
and D4.xR physically interact by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (View interaction)
The pace and shape of ageing
Authors: Baudisch Annette 
Published: February 2011

Summary 1. Humans age, but how much more or less do we age compared with other species? Do humans age more than chimps, birds more than fish or sheep more than buffalos? In this article, I argue that current methods to compare patterns of ageing across species are limited because they confound two dimensions of age‐specific change – the pace and the shape of ageing. 2. Based on the two axes of pace and shape, I introduce a new conceptual framework to classify how species age. 3. With this method, I rank species according to how strongly they age (shape) and how fast they age (pace). Depending on whether they are ranked by pace or by shape, species are ordered differently. 4. Alternative pace measures turn out to be highly correlated. Alternative shape measures are also highly correlated. The correlation between pace and shape ranking is negative but weak. Among the examples here, no species is long lived yet exhibits negligible ageing – contrary to the commonly held view that long‐lived species are good candidates for negligible ageing. 5. Analysis of species in pace–shape space provides a tool to identify key determinants of the evolution of ageing for species across the tree of life.
Disability and cost for diabetic patients at a public district hospital in Thailand
Authors: Riewpaiboon Arthorn , Chatterjee Susmita , Riewpaiboon Wachara , Piyauthakit Piyanuch 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveThe study determined the rate of disability among diabetic patients at a public district hospital in Thailand and compared the costs of illness among different levels of severity of disability. This was the first such study carried out in Thailand.MethodsThe study was conducted at Waritchaphum Hospital in northeastern Thailand. Data were collected from 475 randomly selected diabetic patients identified by the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10 codes E10 – E14) who received treatment from the study hospital during the fiscal year of 2008. The disability levels were determined by using Thailand ministerial guidelines as well as the Barthel index score. Cost-of-illness estimates followed the prevalence-based approach and it presented the societal perspective of cost-of-illness of diabetes in 2008.Key findingsThe study results showed that 9.68% of the study participants had physical impairment while 9.26% had impairment in eyesight. The Barthel index score showed that 13.5% of the study participants were disabled. When comparing costs between independent and disabled persons, considering the Barthel index score, average costs for the disabled diabetic persons were significantly higher than for those who were independent (US$2700.29 versus 598.24; P &lt; 0.001).ConclusionsThe study concluded that the presence of complications and disability among diabetic patients impacts severely on Thai society. At present, the Thai government allocates US$187.5 per annum to registered disabled persons as a disability living allowance. The study found a large difference between the direct economic outlay of the patients and the allowance provided, which suggests that there is probably a need to revise the welfare payment upwards.
Job satisfaction and the association with involvement in clinical activities among hospital pharmacists in Hong Kong
Authors: Lau Wai-Man , Pang Janet , Chui William 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectivesTo describe the relationship between job satisfaction of hospital pharmacists and the extent of their involvement in clinical pharmacy activities, and to examine if demographics and practice characteristics are associated with the extent of involvement in clinical pharmacy activities and job satisfaction.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted by surveying with a self-administered questionnaire mailed to all full-time pharmacists employed by the Hospital Authority, Hong Kong.Key findingsRespondents reporting job and career satisfaction averaged near the neutral point. The results indicated an unmet expectation of work balance between clinical activities and drug distribution, with the majority of responding pharmacists desiring a shift of work balance from more drug distributive roles towards more clinical activities. The results also suggested that an unmet expectation in work balance affects job and career satisfaction, particularly in younger, frontline pharmacists.ConclusionsYounger, frontline pharmacists reported lower job satisfaction and a greater gap of unmet expectations in their work balance. This study highlights the importance of pharmacists' involvement in clinical activities, as job enrichment would improve job satisfaction and maximise benefits towards patients and healthcare organisations.
A COMPARISON OF THE STRENGTH OF THE ABDUCTION OF THE LITTLE AND INDEX FINGERS AND PALMAR ABDUCTION AND OPPOSITION OF THE THUMB BETWEEN COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYERS AND INEXPERIENCED SPORTS PLAYERS
Authors: Chikenji Takako , Toda Hajime , Gyoku Chin , Oikawa Naoki , Katayose Masaki , Tsubota Sadako 
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the strengths of four intrinsic muscles of the hand of college baseball players. The strengths of four intrinsic muscle groups were measured by the Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer (RIHM) which has been developed to assess the abduction of the little finger and index finger, and palmar abduction and opposition of the thumb. The strengths of these four intrinsic muscle groups were compared between baseball players and inexperienced sports players. The abduction of the little finger and index finger, and the opposition of the thumb in both the dominant and nondominant hands of the baseball players were notably stronger than those of the inexperienced sports players. There was no statistical difference in the strength of the palmar abduction of the thumb between the two groups. The results suggest that the specific intrinsic muscles in both the dominant and nondominant hands might be strengthened by repeated baseball practices, such as a batting performance, which requires strain in both the dominant and nondominant hands repeatedly.
Winter Persistence Barrier of Sea Surface Temperature in the Northern Tropical Atlantic Associated with ENSO
Authors: Ding Ruiqiang , Li Jianping 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
This study investigates the persistence characteristics of the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the northern tropical Atlantic (NTA). It is found that a persistence barrier exists around December and January. This winter persistence barrier (WPB) is prominent during the mature phase of strong ENSO events but becomes indistinct during weak ENSO and normal (non-ENSO) events. During strong El Niño events, the NTA SSTA shows a reversal in sign and a rapid warming during December and January. It is possible that this SSTA sign reversal reduces the persistence, leading to the occurrence of the NTA WPB. The present analyses indicate a dynamic relationship among the Pacific ENSO, the NTA SSTA, and the NTA WPB on a quasi-biennial time scale: a strong El Niño event is usually preceded by a strong La Niña event, which leads to a sign reversal of the NTA SSTA in winter as a delayed response to ENSO, finally resulting in the NTA WPB. Analyses also suggest that the NTA WPB is affected by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The NAO enhances the persistence of the NTA SSTA during winter, tending to weaken the NTA WPB.
Cool-Season Sea Level Anomalies and Storm Surges along the U.S. East Coast: Climatology and Comparison with the 2009/10 El Niño
Authors: Sweet William V. , Zervas Chris 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Climatologies of sea level anomalies (&gt;0.05 m) and daily-mean storm surges (&gt;0.3 m) are presented for the 1960–2010 cool seasons (October–April) along the East Coast of the United States at Boston, Massachusetts; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Sewells Point (Norfolk), Virginia; and Charleston, South Carolina. The high sea level anomaly and the number of storm surges, among the highest in the last half century during the 2009/10 cool season, are comparable during strong El Niño cool seasons. High numbers of daily storm surges occur in response to numerous East Coast extratropical cool-season storms and have a positive correlation with the El Niño phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Patterns of anomalously high sea levels are attributed to El Niño–related changes to atmospheric pressure over the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Canada and to the wind field over the Northeast U.S. continental shelf.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the risk of hip and nonspine fractures in older men
Authors: Cauley Jane A , Parimi Neeta , Ensrud Kristine E , Bauer Douglas C , Cawthon Peggy M , Cummings Steven R , Hoffman Andrew R , Shikany James M , Barrett-Connor Elizabeth , Orwoll Eric 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
The association between vitamin D levels and incident fractures in older men is uncertain. To test the hypothesis that low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [(25(OH)D] levels are associated with an increased risk of fracture, we performed a case-cohort study of 436 men with incident nonspine fractures, including 81 hip fractures, and a random subcohort of 1608 men; average follow-up time 5.3 years. Serum vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 were measured on baseline sera using mass spectrometry and summed for total vitamin D. Modified Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of fracture with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multivariable models included age, clinic, season, race, height, weight, and physical activity. The mean (SD) total 25(OH)D was 24.6 (7.8) ng/mL in nonspine fracture subjects, 21.5 (7.9) ng/mL in hip fracture subjects, and 25.2 (7.8) ng/mL in controls (nonspine fracture subjects versus nonpatients, p = .14; hip fracture subjects versus controls, p &lt; .0001). 25(OH)D levels were unrelated to nonspine fractures. One SD decrease in total 25(OH)D was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture (multivariate HR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.18–2.17). Compared with men in the top quartile of total 25(OH)D (≥28), the HR of hip fracture was 2.36 (95% CI 1.08–5.15) for men in the lowest quartile (&lt;20) (p = .009 for trend). Adjusting for hip bone mineral density attenuated the association by more than 50% (p = .065 for trend). Low serum 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with a higher risk of hip fracture in older men. Measurement of 25(OH)D may be useful in identifying men at high risk of hip fracture. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Atrial fibrillation and bisphosphonate therapy
Authors: Pazianas Michael , Compston Juliet , Huang Christopher L-H 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Bisphosphonates are the most commonly used treatment for osteoporosis and have proven efficacy in the reduction of vertebral and nonvertebral fractures. Recently, concerns have been raised about a possible association between bisphosphonate therapy and atrial fibrillation (AF) following the report of a significant increase in risk of serious AF in women treated with zoledronic acid in the HORIZON study. Subsequent studies have produced conflicting results but have not excluded the possibility of such an association. Currently there is no direct evidence that bisphosphonates exert either acute or chronic effects on cardiac electrophysiology. Nevertheless, altered intracellular electrolyte homeostasis and proinflammatory, profibrotic, and antiangiogenic effects provide potential mechanisms by which atrial conduction could be affected in patients treated with bisphosphonates. In studies in which an increase in risk of AF has been identified, there is no evidence that this translates into increased mortality or increased risk of stroke, and the risk-benefit balance of bisphosphonate therapy in patients with osteoporosis and other forms of metabolic bone disease remains strongly positive. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Optical and electron spin resonance studies of coprecipitated Cd1–xCuxS (x = 0–0.15) semiconductor nanoparticles capped with thiophenol
Authors: Sambasivam S. , Jeong Jung Hyun , Choi Byung Chun , Lim Kwon Taek , Kim Sang Su , Song Tae Kwon 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Electoral Endorsements and Campaign Contributions
Authors: Panova Elena 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
This paper models information transmission in an electoral campaign. The voters have conflicting policy interests, but they are congruent in their desire to elect a competent politician. They hold private information about the candidates for office, and they use endorsements and campaign contributions to signal their information, so as to advertise their most preferred candidates. Endorsements are cheap talk, but campaign contributions are costly, hence, contributions are stronger signals than endorsements. Therefore, contributions help to transmit information when voter interests are relatively divergent (however, not so much that campaigning is useless).
Hyperholomorphic connections on coherent sheaves and stability
Authors: Verbitsky Misha 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Let M be a hyperkähler manifold, and F a reflexive sheaf on M. Assume that F (away from its singularities) admits a connection ▿ with a curvature Θ which is invariant under the standard SU(2)-action on 2-forms. If Θ is square-integrable, such sheaf is called hyperholomorphic. Hyperholomorphic sheaves were studied at great length in [21]. Such sheaves are stable and their singular sets are hyperkähler subvarieties in M. In the present paper, we study sheaves admitting a connection with SU(2)-invariant curvature which is not necessary L
2-integrable. We show that such sheaves are polystable.