bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fear of childbirth, women's preference for cesarean section and childhood abuse: a longitudinal study
Authors: LUKASSE MIRJAM , VANGEN SIRI , ØIAN PÅL , SCHEI BERIT 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT Objective. To examine the association between childhood abuse and fear of childbirth and the wish for cesarean section during second pregnancy. Design. A longitudinal cohort study using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Setting. Fifty maternity units in Norway, 1999–2006. Sample. We included 4,876 women who participated in the MoBa study during their first and second pregnancy. Methods. Postal questionnaires at 18 and 30 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Main Outcome Measures. Associations between childhood abuse and women's fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section during second pregnancy were assessed using regression analyses, adjusting for confounding factors such as mode of delivery and birth experience of first pregnancy. Results. Of 4,876 women, 1,023 (21%) reported some form of childhood abuse. Compared to women without a history of childhood abuse, childhood‐abused women more frequently reported fear of childbirth (23% vs. 15%, p < 0.001) and the wish for cesarean section (6.4% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.002) during second pregnancy. The association between childhood abuse and fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section remained significant after adjusting for mode of first delivery and experience of first birth (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.53, 95%CI 1.24–1.90 and 1.57, 1.09–2.27, respectively). Conclusion. Childhood abuse is associated with fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section during second pregnancy. Mode of delivery and postpartum self‐reported birth experience of the first pregnancy did not alter this association significantly.
Incompleteness of Swedish local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment during childbirth
Authors: SCHYTT ERICA , HALVARSSON ANNA , PEDERSEN‐DRAPER CHRISTINA , MÅRTENSSON LENA 
Published: October 2010

AbstractObjective.To investigate the presence and content of local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment in Swedish labor and postnatal wards.Design.A Swedish national survey.Main Outcome Measures.Presence and content of clinical guidelines for acupuncture.Setting.All Swedish labor and postnatal wards at the time of data collection (April 2007–March 2008).Material and Methods.Enquiry was made on local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment at 50 labor and 50 postnatal wards. The standards for reporting interventions in controlled trials of acupuncture document was used to identify core aspects of acupuncture treatment and the proportion of wards with guidelines on these aspects was evaluated.Results.Guidelines were obtained from 27 labor wards and 22 postnatal wards. Descriptions of the core aspects of acupuncture treatment, such as acupuncture rationale, needling details and treatment regimens, were limited in most. All local guidelines included indications for treatment, but these were not based on scientific evidence of effect, and only two mentioned the importance of achieving de‐qi – a feeling of soreness reflecting an effective treatment. Few clinical guidelines required that the practitioners’ acupuncture education should be on an academic level and relevant references based on clinical trials were lacking in all guidelines.Conclusion.Swedish local clinical guidelines on acupuncture for childbirth‐related symptoms lack sufficient information to support midwives and obstetricians in administering acupuncture treatment. The content of the guidelines was unclear, inconclusive and, in some cases, irrelevant, and a majority lacked important information on indications and technique.
Optimal vitamin A and suboptimal vitamin D status are common in Iranian infants
Authors: Olang Beheshteh , Naghavi Mohsen , Bastani Delaram , Strandvik Birgitta , Yngve Agneta 
Published: October 2010

AbstractAim:  Investigation of serum concentrations of vitamins A and D in Iranian infants.Methods:  A descriptive cross‐sectional study, investigating 7112 infants (15–23 months of age) from all regions of Iran, who attended health care centres from May 25 to June 2, 2001. Unequal clusters with unequal household sizes were sampled. Vitamin A and D levels were analysed with high‐performance liquid chromatography.Results:  The mean (SD) concentration of vitamin A was 2.09 (0.83) μmol/L. At a national level, 0.7% of the infants had a level indicating deficiency, and 0.5% of the infants had insufficient concentrations of vitamin A, defined as serum concentrations <0.35 and <0.7 μmol/L retinol, respectively. A total of 88% of infants had optimal concentrations (>1.4 μmol/L). The mean (SD) concentration of vitamin D was 61.3 (31.4) nmol/L. Deficiency was found in 2.8% of infants (<25 nmol/L), and insufficiency in 32.9% (<50 nmol/L). Suboptimal and optimal concentrations were found in 44% and 20%, representing 50–75 and >75 nmol/L, respectively. Girls had lower vitamin D concentrations than boys (p = 0.006).Conclusion:  As in developed countries, vitamin A deficiency was rare in Iranian infants. Vitamin D deficiency was also rare, but 33% of infants had insufficient levels; this was more common in girls than boys.
Clitoral and Vulvar Vestibular Sensation in Women Taking 20 mcg Ethinyl Estradiol Combined Oral Contraceptives: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Lee Monica , Morgan Melinda , Rapkin Andrea 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACTIntroductionMany women taking low-dose (20 mcg) oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) complain of decreased libido and arousal and some develop vulvar vestibular pain and dyspareunia. Free testosterone concentrations are decreased by the OCP. Genital sensation has not been objectively measured in women taking OCPs.AimWe assessed whether the 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol combined OCP and associated decrease in free testosterone levels affected genital sensation in a pilot study of a group of asymptomatic OCP users and controls.MethodsClitoral thermal, vibratory, and vestibular pain thresholds, sexual functioning, and free testosterone levels were measured in 24 women taking 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol combined OCPs and 28 comparison women not using hormonal contraception.Main Outcome MeasuresFemale Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI), free testosterone, and clitoral heat, cold, and vibratory thresholds for sensation and vestibular pain thresholds.ResultsFree testosterone levels were lower in OCP users. There were no differences in FSFI scores, clitoral thermal or vibratory thresholds, or vestibular pain thresholds between groups.ConclusionsLow-dose (20 mcg) oral contraceptives decrease free testosterone but are not associated with alterations in clitoral or vestibular sensation. Further studies of genital sensation in women with OCP-related sexual dysfunction are warranted.
Increased Risk for Cancer Following Erectile Dysfunction: A Nationwide Population-Based Follow-Up Study
Authors: Chung Shiu-Dong , Kang Jiunn-Horng , Liao Chun-Hou , Chiu Kuan-Ming , Lin Herng-Ching 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Previous studies have suggested that erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with chronic inflammation, which is also a principle mechanism of carcinogensis. However, very few studies have attempted to examine the association between ED and subsequent cancer.

Aim
Using a nationwide population-based data set, the aim of this study is to investigate the risk for cancer during a 5-year follow-up period after a diagnosis of ED, compared to patients without ED during the same period, while adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics.

Main Outcome Measure
Stratified Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to compare the 5-year cancer-free survival rate for the two cohorts.

Methods
This study used data sourced from the Taiwan “Longitudinal Health Insurance Database.” The study cohort comprised 1,882 patients with ED and 9,410 randomly selected subjects as the comparison cohort. Each patient was then individually tracked for 5 years from their index ambulatory care visit to identify those who had diagnosed episodes of cancer.

Results
Of the sampled patients, 183 (1.6%) had cancer within the 5-year follow-up period, that is, 43 individuals (2.3% of the patients with ED) from the study cohort and 140 individuals (1.6% of patients in the comparison cohort) from the comparison cohort. After adjusting for the patients' monthly income, the geographic location and urbanization level of the community in which the patient resided, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hyperlipidemia, regression analysis reveals that the hazard of having cancer during the 5-year follow-up period was 1.42 (95% CI=1.03–2.09, P =0.039) times greater for patients with ED than comparison patients. However, data on smoking, which is an important factor in ED and cancer, is not available and remains a potential confounder.

Conclusions
We conclude that the incidence of cancer in the 5 years after an ED diagnosis is significantly higher than in the general population.
Stronger Evidence for Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy in Restless Genital Syndrome: Two Case Reports in Males
Authors: Waldinger Marcel D. , Venema Pieter L. , van Gils Ad P.G. , de Lint Govert J. , Schweitzer Dave H. 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Restless genital syndrome (ReGS) is characterized by unwanted, unpleasant genital sensations, restless legs, and/or overactive bladder, as well as neuropathy of the dorsal nerve of the clitoris. So far, ReGS has only been reported in females.

Aim
To report the occurrence of ReGS in two males.

Methods
Two males with unwanted genital sensations presented in our clinic. In-depth interview, routine and hormonal investigations, electro-encephalography, magnetic resonance imaging of brain and pelvis, manual examination of the pubic bone, and sensory testing of genital dermatomes were performed. In both males, conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was applied bilaterally at the pudendal dermatome.

Main Outcome Measures
Oral report, questionnaire on frequency and intensity of restless genital feelings, restless legs, overactive bladder, and satisfaction with the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment.

Results
ReGS in a 74-year-old male manifested as unpleasant genital sensations of being on the edge of an orgasm with overactive bladder, in the absence of erection and ejaculation. Genital sensory testing elicited bilateral points of static mechanical hyperesthesia in the pudendal dermatome. Manual examination of the dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP) elicited the genital sensations. TENS application resulted in a 90% reduction of genital sensations and complaints of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). ReGS in a 38-year-old male manifested as unwanted and unpleasant spontaneous ejaculations and complaints of OAB. Genital sensory testing elicited bilateral points of static mechanical hyperesthesia in the pudendal dermatome. Manual examination of the DNP elicited the genital sensations. TENS application had no effect on genital complaints and complaints of OAB.

Conclusions
ReGS is not a typical female disorder as it also affects males. This notion and the finding of typical sensory abnormalities of the genital end branches of the pudendal nerve in males and females—as previously reported—provides strong evidence for Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy as a common cause of ReGS.
Vaginismus and Dyspareunia: Relationship with General and Sex-Related Moral Standards
Authors: Borg Charmaine , de Jong Peter J. , Weijmar Schultz Willibrord 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Relatively strong adherence to conservative values and/or relatively strict sex-related moral standards logically restricts the sexual repertoire and will lower the threshold for experiencing negative emotions in a sexual context. In turn, this may generate withdrawal and avoidance behavior, which is at the nucleus of vaginismus.

Aim
To examine whether indeed strong adherence to conservative morals and/or strict sexual standards may be involved in vaginismus.

Main Outcome Measures
The Schwartz Value Survey (SVS) to investigate the individual’s value pattern and the Sexual Disgust Questionnaire (SDQ) to index the willingness to perform certain sexual activities as an indirect measure of sex-related moral standards.

Methods
The SVS and SDQ were completed by three groups: women diagnosed with vaginismus (N = 24), a group of women diagnosed with dyspareunia (N = 24), and a healthy control group of women without sexual complaints (N = 32).

Results
Specifically, the vaginismus group showed relatively low scores on liberal values together with comparatively high scores on conservative values. Additionally, the vaginismus group was more restricted in their readiness to perform particular sex-related behaviors than the control group. The dyspareunia group, on both the SVS and the SDQ, placed between the vaginismus and the control group, but not significantly different than either of the groups.

Conclusions
The findings are consistent with the view that low liberal and high conservative values, along with restricted sexual standards, are involved in the development/maintenance of vaginismus.
Effect of Corticosterone and Paroxetine on Masculine Mating Behavior: Possible Involvement of Neurogenesis
Authors: Lau Benson Wui-Man , Yau Suk-Yu , Lee Tatia M.C. , Ching Yick-Pang , Tang Siu-Wa , So Kwok-Fai 
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACTIntroductionCorticosterone inhibits male rodent sexual behavior while the mechanism remains obscured. Recent studies have disclosed that neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) can be increased by pheromone exposure from the opposite sex, and neurogenesis is essential for normal mating behavior of female mice. Together with the neurogenesis-inhibiting effect of corticosterone, we hypothesize that cell proliferation in the olfactory system is essential for male rodent sexual functioning.AimThe current study explored the relationship between cell proliferation in the olfactory system and male sexual behavior.Main Outcome MeasuresSexual behavior performance, proliferative cell counts, and c-fos-expressing cell counts.MethodsAdult male rats were treated with corticosterone and/or paroxetine, an antidepressant, for 2 weeks. These two drugs were shown to suppress and enhance hippocampus and SVZ cell proliferation, respectively. Mating behavior was assessed after the treatment, and proliferation of new cells and c-fos-expressing cells, activated neurons in the mating-related regions in the brain, were analyzed. To further confirm the necessity of cell proliferation in mating, inhibition of cell proliferation was performed by intracerebroventricular infusion of cytostatic cytosine arabinose (Ara-c).ResultsCorticosterone treatment, which inhibited cell proliferation in both the SVZ and olfactory epithelium, led to inhibited male sexual performance. In contrast, paroxetine increased cell proliferation and improved the performance in corticosterone-treated animals. When cell proliferation in the brain was inhibited by Ara-c, a suppressed sexual performance was found. However, cell proliferation in olfactory epithelium was not inhibited by Ara-c and thus the sexual inhibition is unlikely to be linked to this region. Furthermore, a decrease in c-fos expression in the mating-related regions upon female pheromone stimulation was found.ConclusionsThese results suggest that cell proliferation in the SVZ and hippocampus may be involved in the reproduction of the male rodents, and pharmacological treatments may affect sexual functioning through alteration of neurogenesis.
Costs of Arsenic Treatment for Potable Water in California and Comparison to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Affordability Metrics1
Authors: Hilkert Colby Elizabeth J. , Young Thomas M. , Green Peter G. , Darby Jeannie L. 
Published: October 2010

Hilkert Colby, Elizabeth J., Thomas M. Young, Peter G. Green, and Jeannie L. Darby, 2010. Costs of Arsenic Treatment for Potable Water in California and Comparison to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Affordability Metrics.Journal of the American Water Resources Association(JAWRA) 46(6):1238–1254. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00488.xAbstract: The United States (U.S.) federal standard for arsenic in potable water systems is only the second water quality standard in which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) administrator used “discretionary authority to establish a less stringent standard” based on the results of cost‐benefit analyses. Based on the findings that a “standard of 3 μg/l would be feasible but not justified,” the revised maximum contaminant level (MCL) lowered the allowable arsenic concentration from 50 to 10 μg/l in 2002. In 2009, approximately 145 systems in California were out of compliance. The objectives were to gather performance and cost data from arsenic treatment systems in California to compare with data from the USEPA demonstration sites as well as with the USEPA affordability metrics for drinking water. The median cost of compliance with the revised arsenic MCL for the 36 surveyed systems was $1.95/1,000 gallons (2008 dollars), which is 69% of the average cost of delivered tap water in the U.S. in 2008 ($2.81/1,000 gallons). Additionally, 22% of the surveyed systems in California paid more than the maximum predicted cost of compliance with the revised arsenic MCL ($5.05/1,000 gallons). The largest variation in cost was seen in the systems that treated <500 gpm. For the systems utilizing adsorption, systems obtained between 20 and 80% of the expected bed volumes prior to breakthrough, indicating the need for better prediction of performance.
Comparison of Measured and MM5 Modeled Meteorology Data for Simulating Flow in a Mountain Watershed1
Authors: Herr Joel W. , Vijayaraghavan Krish , Knipping Eladio 
Published: October 2010

Herr, Joel W., Krish Vijayaraghavan, and Eladio Knipping, 2010. Comparison of Measured and MM5 Modeled Meteorology Data for Simulating Flow in a Mountain Watershed. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(6):1255–1263. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00489.xAbstract:  Accurate simulation of time‐varying flow in a river system depends on the quality of meteorology inputs. The density of meteorology measurement stations can be insufficient to capture spatial heterogeneity of precipitation, especially in mountainous areas. The Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework (WARMF) model was applied to the Catawba River watershed of North and South Carolina to simulate flow and water quality in rivers and a series of 11 reservoirs. WARMF was linked with the AMSTERDAM air model to analyze the water quality benefit from reduced atmospheric emissions. The linkage requires accurate simulation of meteorology for all seasons and for all types of precipitation events. WARMF was driven by the mesoscale meteorology model MM5 processed by the Meteorology Chemistry Interface Processor, which provides greater spatial density but less accuracy than meteorology stations. WARMF was also run with measured data from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) to compare the performance of the watershed model using measured data vs. modeled meteorology as input. A one year simulation using MM5 modeled meteorology performed better overall than the simulation using NCDC data for the volumetric water balance measure used for calibration, but MM5 represented precipitation from a dissipated hurricane poorly, which propagated into errors of simulated flow.
Building evolutionary resilience for conserving biodiversity under climate change
Authors: Sgrò Carla M. , Lowe Andrew J. , Hoffmann Ary A. 
Published: October 2010

AbstractEvolution occurs rapidly and is an ongoing process in our environments. Evolutionary principles need to be built into conservation efforts, particularly given the stressful conditions organisms are increasingly likely to experience because of climate change and ongoing habitat fragmentation. The concept of evolutionary resilience is a way of emphasizing evolutionary processes in conservation and landscape planning. From an evolutionary perspective, landscapes need to allow in situ selection and capture high levels of genetic variation essential for responding to the direct and indirect effects of climate change. We summarize ideas that need to be considered in planning for evolutionary resilience and suggest how they might be incorporated into policy and management to ensure that resilience is maintained in the face of environmental degradation.
Analysis of sustainable pest control using a pesticide and a screened refuge
Authors: Ringland John , George Prasanth 
Published: October 2010

AbstractWe describe and analyze a ‘screened refuge’ technique for indefinitely sustaining control of insect pests using transgenic pesticidal crops or an applied pesticide, even when resistance is not recessive. The screen is a physical barrier that restricts pest movement. In a deterministic discrete‐time model of the use of this technique, we obtain asymptotic analytical formulas for the two important equilibria of the system in terms of the refuge size and the pest fitnesses, mutation rates, and mobility out of and into the refuge. One of the equilibria is stable and is the point at which the pest population is controlled. The other is a saddle whose stable manifold bounds the basin of attraction of the former: its location provides a measure of the tolerance of the control mechanism to perturbations in the resistant allele density.
Medicinal Plants and Dementia Therapy: Herbal Hopes for Brain Aging?
Authors: Perry Elaine , Howes Melanie‐Jayne R. 
Published: October 2010

SUMMARYAn escalating "epidemic” of diseases like Alzheimer's has not yet been met by effective symptomatic treatments or preventative strategies. Among a few current prescription drugs are cholinesterase inhibitors including galantamine, originating from the snowdrop. Research into ethnobotanicals for memory or cognition has burgeoned in recent years. Based on a multi‐faceted review of medicinal plants or phytochemicals, including traditional uses, relevant bioactivities, psychological and clinical evidence on efficacy and safety, this overview focuses on those for which there is promising clinical trial evidence in people with dementia, together with at least one other of these lines of supporting evidence. With respect to cognitive function, such plants reviewed include sage, Ginkgo biloba, and complex mixtures of other traditional remedies. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) challenge carers and lead to institutionalization. Symptoms can be alleviated by some plant species (e.g., lemon balm and lavender alleviate agitation in people with dementia; St John's wort treats depression in the normal population). The ultimate goal of disease prevention is considered from the perspective of limited epidemiological and clinical trial evidence to date. The potential value of numerous plant extracts or chemicals (e.g., curcumin) with neuroprotective but as yet no clinical data are reviewed. Given intense clinical need and carer concerns, which lead to exploration of such alternatives as herbal medicines, the following research priorities are indicated: investigating botanical agents which enhance cognition in populations with mild memory impairment or at earliest disease stages, and those for BPSD in people with dementia at more advanced stages; establishing an ongoing authoritative database on herbal medicine for dementia; and further epidemiological and follow up studies of promising phytopharmaceuticals or related nutraceuticals for disease prevention.