bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of intravaginal misoprostol for medical management of pregnancies less than 20 weeks of gestation with absent cardiac activity
Authors: Kochhar Puneet K. , Gandhi Gauri , Batra Swaraj , Zutshi Vijay 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAim:  To assess the efficacy and side‐effects of misoprostol (800 µg used intravaginally) for terminating non‐viable pregnancies up to 20 weeks of gestation.Methods:  Sixty five patients with non‐viable pregnancies up to 20 weeks of gestation were given 800 µg misoprostol intravaginally on day 1. A second dose of 800 µg was repeated after 24 h if complete abortion was not attained with one dose. Primary outcome measure was success (defined as complete abortion in 48 h without surgical intervention). Duration and amount of blood loss, fall in hemoglobin, and other side‐effects (pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and chills) were studied as secondary outcome measures.Results:  73.8% of our patients had a gestational age ≤12 weeks (group A) and 26.2% had a gestational age between 12 and 20 weeks (group B). Success rate after one dose was 66.1% and rose to 84.6% after the second dose. Success rate was higher with increasing gestation (81.2% in group A vs 94.1% in group B). Mean induction abortion interval was 18.8 ± 11.6 h in group A and 10.8 ± 6.2 h in group B. Mean duration of bleeding was 9.4 ± 2.3 days. Average blood loss was 134.9 ± 113.2 mL. No patient required blood transfusion. Mean fall in hemoglobin was 0.56 ± 0.48 g/dL. Most patients had mild pain. Only 6.2% had severe pain requiring injectable narcotic analgesics. Other side‐effects were minimal. Patients who failed to abort completely with misoprostol underwent surgical evacuation.Conclusion:  800 µg vaginal misoprostol is an effective regimen for termination of non‐viable pregnancies <20 weeks of gestation. It has minimal side‐effects and avoids surgical intervention.
Recurrent urinary stress incontinence: An overview
Authors: Ashok Kiran , Wang Alex 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAim:  We review the literature regarding recurrent urinary stress incontinence (USI) following various anti‐incontinence procedures and analyze possible risk factors for failure of different anti‐incontinence procedures. Management options for recurrent USI and future trends are also covered.Methods:  A PubMed search was undertaken for English language literature using the MeSH terms ‘stress urinary incontinence’, ‘recurrence’, ‘treatment’, and ‘failure’. Literature from the year 2001 to 2010 was selected. We only selected those studies including randomized control trials, meta‐analysis, and prospective and retrospective cohort studies for this review. Studies are analyzed on the basis of their methodical quality and time of follow‐up.Results:  In spite of the wide spectrum of options available, treatment of USI fails in 10–20% of patients. Management of such recurrent USI is technically challenging to the surgeon and a frustrating problem for the patient.Conclusion:  TVT may be used as a high priority in patients with recurrent USI with encouraging success. For refractory USI, more advanced procedures, like periurethral bulking agents, adjustable continence therapy system, spiral sling systems remain a viable option.
Reliability analysis of universal joint of a compliant platform
Authors: ZAHEER M. M. , ISLAM N. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTThe paper describes a methodology for computation of fatigue reliability of universal joint in an articulated offshore tower. Failure criteria were formulated using the conventional Palmgren‐Miner rule (S‐N curve approach) and the fracture mechanics (F‐M) principle. The dynamic analysis of double hinged articulated tower under wind and waves is carried out in time domain. The response histories of hinge shear stresses are employed for the reliability analysis. Advanced first‐order reliability method and Monte Carlo simulation method were used to estimate the reliability. Various parametric studies were carried out, which yield important information for the reliability based design. The S‐N curve approach yields a significantly conservative estimate of probability of failure when compared to the F‐M approach.
Parasitic growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in co‐culture with the chitinolytic bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila
Authors: Jagmann Nina , Brachvogel Hans‐Philipp , Philipp Bodo 
Published: June 2010

SummaryPolymer‐degrading bacteria face exploitation by opportunistic bacteria that grow with the degradation products without investing energy into production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. This scenario was investigated with a co‐culture of Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with chitin as carbon, nitrogen and energy source. In single cultures, A. hydrophila could grow with chitin, while P. aeruginosa could not. Co‐cultures with both strains had a biphasic course. In the first phase, P. aeruginosa grew along with A. hydrophila without affecting it. The second phase was initiated by a rapid inactivation of and a massive acetate release by A. hydrophila. Both processes coincided and were dependent on quorum sensing‐regulated production of secondary metabolites by P. aeruginosa. Among these the redox‐active phenazine compound pyocyanin caused the release of acetate by A. hydrophila by blocking the citric acid cycle through inhibition of aconitase. Thus, A. hydrophila was forced into an incomplete oxidation of chitin with acetate as end‐product, which supported substantial growth of P. aeruginosa in the second phase of the co‐culture. In conclusion, P. aeruginosa could profit from a substrate that was originally not bioavailable to it by influencing the metabolism and viability of A. hydrophila in a parasitic way.
Genetic investigation in an Italian child with an unusual association of atrial septal defect, attributable to a new familial GATA4 gene mutation, and neonatal diabetes due to pancreatic agenesis
Authors: D’Amato E. , Giacopelli F. , Giannattasio A. , D’Annunzio G. , Bocciardi R. , Musso M. , Lorini R. , Ravazzolo R. 
Published: June 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 1195–1200 (2010)AbstractAims  Permanent neonatal diabetes is a rare condition affecting 1 in 300 000–400 000 live births; only in 60% of cases it is possible to identify the genetic defect. The condition of pancreatic agenesis is rarer still. Only two genes are known to determine this phenotype: PDX‐1 and PTF1A. Congenital heart defects are among the most common developmental anomalies, affecting 1% of newborns, and the GATA4 gene is less frequently involved in these disorders. An Italian child with pancreatic agenesis and an atrial septal defect was genetically investigated to elucidate whether the association of the two pathologies was casual, or represented a new pancreatic/cardiac syndrome.Methods  A panel of pancreas development genes, including GCK, Kir6.2, PTF1A, PDX‐1, HNF‐1A, NgN3, SOX17, SOX7, SOX9, INS, HNF1‐B and SUR1 plus the GATA4 gene, were screened for characterization of pancreatic agenesis and cardiac defect.Results  Screening for genes causing permanent neonatal diabetes was negative. A novel mutation in GATA4 (c1512C>T) was detected and functional characterization confirmed a reduced activity of the protein. In the family members, the GATA4 mutation co‐segregates with a cardiac phenotype, but not with pancreatic agenesis.Conclusions  We describe the first report of pancretic agenesis with an associated cardiac defect and a mutation in the GATA4 gene. We could not establish that the GATA4 mutation was causative for pancreatic agenesis and further genetic investigation to detect the genetic cause of the pancreas agenesis was unsuccessful. We conclude that, the two pathologies are attributable to two independent events.
The high prevalence of malnutrition in elderly diabetic patients: implications for anti‐diabetic drug treatments
Authors: Vischer U. M. , Perrenoud L. , Genet C. , Ardigo S. , Registe‐Rameau Y. , Herrmann F. R. 
Published: June 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 918–924 (2010)AbstractBackground  Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in the context of obesity and associated insulin resistance. Current treatment recommendations are based on lifestyle modifications and incremental drug therapy. However, this approach could lead to inappropriate priorities upon ageing, when diabetes may be compounded by malnutrition and reduced insulin resistance.Methods  We prospectively evaluated glycaemic and nutritional parameters in 146 consecutive diabetic patients (age 82.5 ± 7.3 years, mean ± sd) admitted to our geriatric service. We also implemented nutritional support therapy and a drug therapy adjustment protocol. Oral hypoglycaemic agent withdrawal was attempted in cases of good glycaemic control (HbA1c < 7.5% (<47mmol/mol) or fasting blood glucose < 7.5 mmol/l).Results  Mean BMI and HbA1c were 29.6 ± 7.1 kg/m2 and 6.9 ± 1.2% (52 ± 9 mmol/mol), respectively. Of the patients, 51.4% were taking 1–3 oral hypoglycaemic agents, 30.8% were on insulin and 9.6% on were on insulin and oral hypoglycaemic therapy. Low Mini Nutritional Assessment scores and serum marker levels indicated a high prevalence of malnutrition and/or chronic disease, even in obese patients. Mini Nutritional Assessment scores were positively associated with HbA1c values. Among patients treated by oral hypoglycaemic agents, complete drug withdrawal was achieved in 65.8%, much more often than new treatments were added (P = 0.002). Glycaemic control did not worsen after approximately 30 days, despite in‐hospital nutritional therapy. Successful oral hypoglycaemic therapy withdrawal was associated with lower Mini Nutritional Assessment scores.Conclusions  Malnutrition is highly prevalent in elderly diabetic inpatients and, paradoxically, contributes to ‘good’ glycaemic control. Malnutrition should be screened for in these patients and, when present, should prompt a revision in diet and drug therapy. In particular, the possibility of reducing unnecessary drug therapy should be considered.
Focal dystonia in musicians: phenomenology, pathophysiology and triggering factors
Authors: Altenmüller E. , Jabusch H.‐C. 
Published: June 2010

Background:  Musician’s dystonia is a task‐specific movement disorder that manifests itself as a loss of voluntary motor control in extensively trained movements. In many cases, the disorder terminates the careers of affected musicians. Approximately, 1% of all professional musicians are affected. The pathophysiology of the disorder is still unclear. Findings include: (i) reduced inhibition in different levels of the central nervous system, (ii) maladaptive plasticity, e.g. in the somatosensory cortex and in the basal ganglia and (iii) alterations in sensorimotor processing.Methods:  Review of the literature.Results:  Epidemiological data demonstrated a higher risk for those musicians who play instruments requiring maximal fine‐motor skills. For instruments where workload differs across hands, focal dystonia appears more often in the more intensely used hand. In psychological studies, musicians with dystonia had more perfectionist tendencies than healthy musicians. These findings strengthen the assumption that behavioural factors may be involved in the etiology of musician’s dystonia. Hereditary factors may play a greater role than previously assumed.Conclusions:  We propose a heuristic model that may explain the relatively high incidence of focal dystonia in musicians. This model assumes the coactions between a predominantly genetically determined predisposition and intrinsic and extrinsic triggering factors.
Dystonia. The paediatric perspective
Authors: Fernández‐Alvarez E. 
Published: June 2010

Background and aims: This review focuses on some paediatric dystonias such as transient dystonias, new primary paediatric‐onset dystonias, dopamine biosynthesis defects and new paroxysmal disorders. It is designed to provide practical help for neurologists and neuropediatricians to make appropriate diagnoses and plan the management of these disorders.Material and methods: Literature searches were performed and original papers, meta‐analyses and review papers were reviewed.Conclusion: Paediatric onset dystonia is an increasingly interesting group of conditions that provides an expanding area of neuroscientific knowledge. Given the long life expectancy of children, appropriate treatment at the correct moment will have an important, lasting effect on the personal, social and healthcare domains.
Functional imaging in hereditary dystonia
Authors: Carbon M. , Argyelan M. , Eidelberg D. 
Published: June 2010

Background:  Impaired cortical inhibiton and maladaptive cortical plasticity are functional hallmarks of sporadic focal dystonias. Whether or not these mechanisms translate to generalized dystonias and whether these features reflect state or trait characteristics are topics of research in hereditary dystonias.Methods:  We present a series of studies using a multitracer approach with positron emission tomography (PET) and diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) in the DYT1 and the DYT6 genotype.Results:  In these hereditary dystonias functional and microstructural abnormalities were found in cortico‐striatal‐pallido‐thalamocortical (CSPTC) and cerebellar‐thalamo‐cortical circuits. Genotype‐specific abnormalities were localized to the basal ganglia, SMA and cerebellum. Functional changes, as potential correlates of maladaptive sensorimotor plasticity were found throughout the sensorimotor system and were more pronounced in affected mutation carriers than in their non‐manifesting counterparts. In both genotypes, striatal metabolic abnormalities were paralleled by genotype‐specific reductions in D2 receptor availability. However, these reductions failed to show a clear association with clinical or functional markers of the disease. By contrast, microstructural changes of cerebellar pathways clearly related to penetrance and may thus represent the main intrinsic abnormality underlying cortical downstream effects, such as increased sensorimotor responsivity.Conclusions:  These studies are consistent with the view of primary torsion dystonia as a neurodevelopmental circuit disorder involving CSPTC and related cerebellar pathways.
‘Creative Cities’ and the Rise of the Dealer Class: A Critique of Richard Florida's Approach to Urban Theory
Authors: KRÄTKE STEFAN 
Published: June 2010

AbstractIn recent times, Richard Florida's ‘creative class’ theory, which deals with a particular set of regional success factors (technology, talent and tolerance) has received quite a positive reception among regional scientists and politicians in North America and Europe. Particularly on the urban level, Florida's concept has become a ‘message of hope’ to guide poor and declining localities to a future path of successful development. Florida's approach can be criticized for its highly affirmative concept of class and the current mode of capitalist development. This article starts from a deconstruction of the notion of a creative class and deals with the aggregation and co‐location problems that plague Florida's concept. On the basis of empirical research on the regional distribution of diverse occupational groups in Germany, the article proves specifically that the ‘dealer class’— or in Florida's terms, creative professionals — does not have a significant or positive impact on the success of urban areas in developing sustainable economic structures.Résumé Ces dernières années, la théorie de la ‘classe créative’ de Richard Florida, qui porte sur un ensemble spécifique de facteurs de réussite régionale (technologie, talent et tolérance), a été accueillie très favorablement, en Amérique du Nord et en Europe, dans les milieux politiques et de la recherche sur les régions. Plus précisément, au niveau urbain, le concept de Florida s’est transformé en ‘message d’espoir’ guidant les localités pauvres ou en déclin sur la voie d’un développement réussi. L’approche de Florida est critiquable par son concept de classe fortement antidiscriminatoire et du fait des modalités d’évolution actuelles du capitalisme. L’article commence par une déconstruction de la notion de classe créative et aborde les problèmes d’agrégation et de co‐localisation qui empoisonnent le concept de Florida. À partir d’une étude empirique sur la répartition régionale de divers groupes professionnels en Allemagne, il est démontré spécifiquement que la ‘dealer class ou classe des courtiers’ (les creative professionals au sens de Florida) n’a pas d’impact significatif ou positif sur la réussite des zones urbaines via le développement de structures économiques durables.
An item response theory analysis of the Parenting Stress Index‐Short Form with parents of children with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Zaidman‐Zait Anat , Mirenda Pat , Zumbo Bruno D. , Wellington Stephen , Dua Vikram , Kalynchuk Karen 
Published: June 2010

Background:  The Parenting Stress Index‐Short Form (PSI‐SF) is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring parenting stress in families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, no research to date has examined the psychometric properties of the PSI‐SF in a sample of parents of young children with ASD. In this regard, item response theory (IRT) can be used to estimate how much information or discrimination each item of a scale offers across the entire range of the latent variable being measured, by creating individual item information curves or profiles. The purpose of this study was to use IRT to examine the discriminability of PSI‐SF items in a sample of parents of young children with ASD who experience varying levels of parental stress.Methods:  The study involved the parents of 141 children with autism spectrum disorders (91.4% mothers; mean age 36.2 years) who completed the PSI‐SF following diagnosis. Item characteristic curves were constructed for each of the PSI‐SF items and examined with regard to item functioning.Results:  Results indicated that, for the most part, changes in parental distress severity were reflected in changes on item scores. However, several items on the subscales measuring parent–child dysfunctional interactions and child behavior difficulty functioned poorly to discriminate parents across a range of total stress severity.Conclusions:  The parent–child dysfunctional interaction and difficult child subscales of the PSI‐SF scale should be used with caution with parents of young children with ASD. More research is required to examine PSI‐SF content validity, at least among parents of children with ASD and perhaps parents of children with other disabilities as well.
Intrusive thoughts and young children’s knowledge about thinking following a natural disaster
Authors: Sprung Manuel , Harris Paul L. 
Published: June 2010

Background:  Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast in August 2005. Intrusive re‐experiencing is a common posttraumatic stress symptom. However, young children with limited introspection skills might have difficulties identifying their intrusive thoughts.Method:  A sample of 165 5‐ to 9‐year‐old children were surveyed about their unwanted intrusive thoughts and their knowledge about thinking, 10 months following the hurricane.Results:  Results replicate and extend the findings from a previous study (Sprung, 2008). Although there was no difference in the overall occurrence of intrusive thoughts, there was a striking difference between hurricane‐exposed and control children in their contents. Children’s knowledge about thinking was linked to their ability to report on their negative intrusive thoughts, even taking language ability into account.Conclusion:  There is a shift toward negative content following hurricane exposure compared with non‐hurricane‐exposed children and knowledge about thinking is linked to the reporting of such intrusive thoughts. Implications for current research on autobiographical memory and for interventions following potentially traumatic events are discussed.
The association between prepregnancy obesity and screening positive for postpartum depression
Authors: LaCoursiere DY , Barrett‐Connor E , O’Hara MW , Hutton A , Varner MW 
Published: June 2010

Please cite this paper as: LaCoursiere D, Barrett‐Connor E, O’Hara M, Hutton A, Varner M. The association between prepregnancy obesity and screening positive for postpartum depression. BJOG 2010;117:1011–1018.Objective  To describe the association between reported prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and screening positive for depression.Design  Cohort study.Setting  Four urban hospitals in Utah, USA.Population  Women delivering a term, singleton, live‐born infant at one of four urban hospitals in Utah in the period 2005–2007.Methods  Women were enrolled immediately postpartum. Demographic, anthropometric, stressors, psychiatric, and medical/obstetric and family‐history data were obtained. Prepregnancy height, weight, and pregnancy weight gain were self‐reported. The primary exposure variable, prepregnancy BMI, was calculated. Women were stratified into the six World Health Organization BMI categories (underweight, normal weight, pre‐obese, or obese class 1–3).Main outcome measure  At 6–8 weeks postpartum, women were screened for depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The primary outcome measure was a prespecified EPDS score of ≥12.Results  Among the 1053 women studied, 14.4% of normal weight women screened positive for postpartum depression. This proportion was greater in women classed as underweight (18.0%, n = 11), pre‐obese (18.5%, n = 38), obese class 1 (18.8%, n = 16), obese class 2 (32.4%, n = 11), and obese class 3 (40.0%, n = 8) (P < 0.01). Controlling for demographic, psychological, and medical/obstetric factors, prepregnancy class‐2 (aOR 2.87, 95% CI 1.21–6.81) and class‐3 (aOR 3.94, 95% CI 1.38–11.23) obesity remained strongly associated with screening positive for postpartum depression, compared with women of normal weight.Conclusions  Self‐reported prepregnancy obesity may be associated with screening positive for depression when measured postpartum.
Optogenetic control of striatal dopamine release in rats
Authors: Bass Caroline E. , Grinevich Valentina P. , Vance Zachary B. , Sullivan Ryan P. , Bonin Keith D. , Budygin Evgeny A. 
Published: June 2010

J. Neurochem.(2010)114, 1344–1352.AbstractOptogenetic control over neuronal firing has become an increasingly elegant method to dissect the microcircuitry of mammalian brains. To date, examination of these manipulations on neurotransmitter release has been minimal. Here we present the first in‐depth analysis of optogenetic stimulation on dopamine neurotransmission in the dorsal striatum of urethane‐anesthetized rats. By combining the tight spatial and temporal resolution of both optogenetics and fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry we have determined the parameters necessary to control phasic dopamine release in the dorsal striatum of ratsin vivo. The kinetics of optically induced dopamine release mirror established models of electrically evoked release, indicating that potential artifacts of electrical stimulation on ion channels and the dopamine transporter are negligible. Furthermore a lack of change in extracellular pH indicates that optical stimulation does not alter blood flow. Optical control over dopamine release is highly reproducible and flexible. We are able to repeatedly evoke concentrations of dopamine release as small as a single dopamine transient (50 nM). An inverted U‐shaped frequency response curve exists with maximal stimulation inducing dopamine effluxes exceeding 500 nM. Taken together, these results have obvious implications for understanding the neurobiological basis of dopaminergic‐based disorders and provide the framework to effectively manipulate dopamine patterns.