bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Why and how do elderly patients with heart failure die? Insights from the TIME‐CHF study
Authors: Rickenbacher Peter , Pfisterer Matthias , Burkard Thilo , Kiowski Wolfgang , Follath Ferenc , Burckhardt Dieter , Schindler Ruth , Brunner‐La Rocca Hans‐Peter ,   for the TIME‐CHF Investigators
Published: July 2012

AimsSpecific causes and modes of death (COD and MOD) of patients with heart failure (HF) are not well described, particularly in those with preserved ejection fraction >45% (HFPEF) and at old age. Thus, using the database of the TIME‐CHF study, patients with HFPEF were compared with those with reduced ejection fraction ≤45% (HFREF), and patients ≥75 with those 60–74 years of age to identify MOD and COD, predictors of death, and event rates before death as compared with survivors.Methods and resultsDuring the 18‐month follow‐up, 132/622 patients (21%) died, with similar rates in patients with HFPEF and HFREF and a trend to higher rates in patients aged ≥75 years (24% vs. 17%, P = 0.06). COD and MOD (ACME system) were not different in the age groups. COD was more often non‐cardiovascular in HFPEF patients than in HFREF patients (33% vs. 16%, P < 0.05) and cardiac MOD were more frequent in HFREF patients (75% vs. 56%, P < 0.05), mainly due to more sudden deaths (25% vs. 7%, P < 0.05). Patients who died experienced a median of four adverse events (interquartile range 1–7) and one (0–1) hospitalization within 60 days prior to death compared with 0.7 (0.4–1.4) and 0.1 (0.0–0.2) during a randomly selected 60 days in survivors (all P < 0.0001).ConclusionDespite similar 18‐month mortality in patients with HFREF and those with HFPEF, important differences in COD and MOD were found which were not observed between the two age groups. A high rate of adverse events and hospitalizations preceded death. These observations may be relevant for the management of HF patients.
Antibiotic resistance of microbial strains isolated from Korean acne patients
Authors: MOON Sang Ho , ROH Hyun Soo , KIM Young Hoon , KIM Jeong Eun , KO Joo Yeon , RO Young Suck 
Published: July 2012

AbstractOver several decades, topical and systemic antibiotics have been the mainstay of treatment for acne vulgaris. The widespread and long‐term use of antibiotics in the treatment of acne has resulted in the spread of resistant bacterial strains and treatment failure. We aimed to examine the bacteriology of acne vulgaris and to evaluate its susceptibility to the antibiotics widely used for acne in Korea. We examined the species of bacteria aerobically and anaerobically isolated from 100 Korean acne patients. Among the bacteria isolated, Staphylococcus epidermidis (36 patients) was the most common, followed by Propionibacterium acnes (30 patients). Eleven strains of P. acnes (36.7%) and 25 strains of S. epidermidis (69.4%) were resistant to one or other of the antibiotics tested. A higher proportion of P. acnes isolates were resistant to clindamycin (30%) and erythromycin (26.7%), than to any other antibiotics tested (P = 0.0003). Some S. epidermidis isolates were resistant to tetracycline and doxycycline in addition to clindamycin and erythromycin. In the previous studies, few strains of P. acnes were found to be resistant to any of the antibiotics, but this study shows that antibiotic‐resistant strains have been increasing in Korea acne patients.
Cancer risk in patients with pyogenic liver abscess: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kao W.‐Y. , Hwang C.‐Y. , Chang Y.‐T. , Su C.‐W. , Hou M.‐C. , Lin H.‐C. , Lee F.‐Y. , Lee S.‐D. , Wu J.‐C. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryBackgroundThere has been no large‐scale population‐based study on the relationship between pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA) and subsequent cancer risk.AimTo estimate all cancer risk following a diagnosis of PLA.MethodsBased on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, 1257 patients with PLA without prior cancers in the period 1996–2008 were identified and followed‐up. The standard incidence ratio (SIR) of each cancer was calculated as the number of observed cancer cases arising among the PLA patients divided by the expected case number of cancer cases according to the national cancer rates.ResultsOf the 1257 PLA patients identified, 598 (47.6%) had diabetes mellitus. After a median (±s.d.) follow‐up of 3.33 ± 3.45 years, 186 were diagnosed with cancers, including 56 liver cancer, 22 biliary tract cancer and 40 colorectal cancer patients. Patients with PLA had a higher risk of all cancers (SIR, 3.83; 95% CI, 3.30–4.42), liver cancer (SIR, 7.87; 95% CI, 5.94–10.21), biliary tract cancer (SIR, 34.58; 95% CI, 21.67–52.36) and colorectal cancer (SIR, 5.27; 95% CI, 3.76–7.18). The highest SIRs of all cancers, liver cancer, biliary tract cancer and colorectal cancer occurred within 90 days of follow‐up (360.82; 95% CI, 278.46–459.91, 257.28; 95% CI, 186.17–346.56, 1153.38; 95% CI 694.08–1801.24, and 52.63; 95% CI 25.2–96.8 respectively).ConclusionsPyogenic liver abscesses may herald the onset of cancer, especially hepato‐biliary and colon cancer. Further surveys should be conducted for the detection of occult cancers in such patients.
The significance of carbon‐enriched dust for global carbon accounting
Authors: Webb Nicholas P. , Chappell Adrian , Strong Craig L. , Marx Samuel K. , McTainsh Grant H. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractSoil carbon stores amount to 54% of the terrestrial carbon pool and twice the atmospheric carbon pool, but soil organic carbon (SOC) can be transient. There is an ongoing debate about whether soils are a net source or sink of carbon, and understanding the role of aeolian processes in SOC erosion, transport and deposition is rudimentary. The impacts of SOC erosion by wind on the global carbon budget, and its importance for carbon accounting remain largely unknown. Current understanding of SOC losses to wind erosion is based on the assumption that the SOC content of eroded material is the same as that of the parent soils. However, measured enrichment factors for the SOC content of Australian dusts relative to parent soils show that the SOC content of dusts can be up to seven times (by weight) larger than that of source‐area soils, with enrichment factors ranging from 1.67 to 7.09. Assuming dust emissions from the continent of ~110 Mt yr−1, SOC dust emissions would be 0.13–4.65 Mt SOC yr−1 without enrichment but 0.94–7.77 Mt SOC yr−1 with enrichment; which represents an uncertainty of around 60%. Representing SOC enrichment within dust emission models will reduce uncertainty in estimates of the impact of wind erosion on SOC flux and provide an approach for the inclusion of wind erosion processes in carbon accounting systems.
Effects of spreading species‐rich green hay on the botanical composition of an agriculturally improved hay meadow in northern England
Authors: Kirkham F. W. , Bhogal A. , Chambers B. J. , Dunn R. M. , Tallowin J. R. B. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe technique of enhancing species diversity by spreading species‐rich green hay following turf scarification was tested in a semi‐improved meadow site in Cumbria, UK. Botanical assessments were carried out in May 2008 (prior to treatment), May and October 2009, and May 2010. Both total species‐richness (number of species per m2) and the richness and aggregate cover of positive indicator species were enhanced by hay spreading, with an average of 21·8 species per m2 compared with 17·0–18·7 species per m2 for other treatments by May 2010. Significant increases in all three variables occurred by May 2009, with even greater increases between this assessment and May 2010. Hay spreading introduced seven new species, most of which subsequently increased over time, and enhanced the frequency of a further seven. All these species together accounted for only about 5% of vegetation cover in 2010, but the level of species‐richness achieved was equivalent to that of good quality semi‐improved grassland and also equivalent to that achieved in studies where the technique was developed. Results are discussed in detail in relation to the seeding phenology of species at the donor site, as are other factors affecting the technique's potential and possible means of enhancing it.
Addressing adult hearing loss in primary care
Authors: McCullagh Marjorie C. , Frank Karen 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimsTo (a) determine the extent to which primary care providers screen adults for environmental or occupational hearing loss during the primary care visit and (b) determine what techniques are used to screen for hearing loss in the adult primary care patient.BackgroundAlthough the prevalence of hearing loss is high, the frequency and techniques of screening for hearing loss among primary care providers are unknown. According to the United States Preventative Task Force, hearing screening promotes early detection, adequate treatment, and improved quality of life.DesignIt is a retrospective audit.MethodsThirty client records were randomly selected from two clinics in 2009 for this retrospective patient record audit.Results/findingsPhysical assessment of the structure of the auditory system was completed in all cases selected. Hearing acuity in all cases was determined by patient self‐assessment, as indicated on patient‐completed history forms; there was no documentation of objective assessment of auditory function.ConclusionGiven the low correlation between perceived and measured hearing ability, assessment of hearing ability by patient report alone may result in failure to detect hearing loss. Research into the nature and extent of barriers to hearing assessment in primary care needs to be explored, and criteria for screening of adults in the primary care setting should be established.
Sex differences in yohimbine‐induced increases in the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine in adolescent rats
Authors: Li Sophia , Zou Sheng , Coen Kathleen , Funk Douglas , Shram Megan J. , Lê A.D. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractStress is an important factor in the initiation and maintenance of smoking in adolescents. Women are more vulnerable to the development of addiction to smoking and have more difficulty quitting than men. Women also showe enhanced responses to stress. Despite these differences, no work has been done examining the effects of stress on the reinforcing efficacy of self‐administered nicotine in adolescent rats, or if there are sex differences. Male and female adolescent Long Evans rats were trained to self‐administer one of three different intravenous doses of nicotine (7.5, 15, 30 μg/kg/infusion) first on fixed ratio, and then on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule beginning on postnatal day 33. The effect of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine (0.3, 0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) on the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine was then determined using the PR schedule. Yohimbine stimulated nicotine intake and increased PR breakpoints and numbers of infusions received in both male and female adolescent rats. The infusion dose of nicotine was positively associated with yohimbine‐induced increases in responding. Female rats showed significantly increased breakpoints at yohimbine doses and nicotine infusion doses at which males did not. The effects of the pharmacological stressor, yohimbine on the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine are therefore linked to sex and nicotine infusion dose. Female rats are more sensitive to stress‐induced potentiation of nicotine self‐administration.
Impact of clinical and patient‐reported outcomes on patient satisfaction with cataract extraction
Authors: Garcia‐Gutierrez Susana , Quintana Jose M. , Aguire Urko , Barrio Irantzu , Hayas Carlota Las , Gonzalez Nerea ,   IRYSS‐Cataract Group
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackgroundTo date, factors that influence satisfaction with cataract surgery have not been broadly explored.ObjectiveTo identify variables related to patient satisfaction after cataract extraction by phacoemulsification and to determine the relationship between satisfaction and visual acuity (VA) and visual function (VF).DesignProspective cohort study.SettingFive hospitals belonging to the Basque Health Care Service.Participants4335 consecutive patients undergoing cataract extraction.InterventionsClinical data on vision were collected before the intervention and 6 weeks afterwards. Before cataract extraction, patients answered a global question about their expectations for the procedure, answered three questions related to specific activities (reading, going out and recognizing people, and doing housework) and completed the Visual Function‐14 (VF‐14) and Short‐Form‐36 (SF‐36) instruments. Three months after cataract extraction, they again completed the VF‐14 and SF‐36 along with questions about global satisfaction with the procedure and satisfaction with the three specific activities.Main outcome measuresThree months after cataract extraction, they again completed the VF‐14 and SF‐36 along with questions about global satisfaction with the procedure and satisfaction with the three specific activities.ResultsPre‐intervention VA and VF‐14 scores and their post‐intervention changes were associated with both global satisfaction and satisfaction with the ability to perform specific activities. Unresolved ocular complications were related to global satisfaction with cataract extraction (OR
95% = 0.39(0.27, 0.55), P < 0.001). Both the mental and physical component scales of the SF‐36 were related to global satisfaction. A group of patients were not satisfied with the intervention in spite of achieving similar vision‐related improvements as patients who were quite satisfied with the procedure.ConclusionSatisfaction with cataract extraction is related to clinical outcomes and is also associated with patients' expectations of their improvement in visual function.
Oxidative, inflammatory and immunologic status in children with undescended testes
Authors: Imamoğlu Mustafa , Bülbül Serap Samut , kaklikkaya Neşe , Sarihan Haluk 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground:  In order to better understand the pathogenesis of risk of future sub‐/infertility in children with undescended testes (UDT), we designed this prospective study to examine the oxidative stress, inflammatory response and autoimmunity in children with UDT. We examined the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and antisperm antibodies (ASA) in children with UDT and healthy controls.Methods:  The UDT group consisted of 88 boys (aged 1–14 years, unilateral in 67 and bilateral in 21 cases), and 44 boys with normal descended testes served as a control group. Clinical evaluation revealed no testicular or other system abnormalities. MDA was used as lipid peroxidation index. IL‐6 levels were measured using a commercial enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit. ASA was determined with an anti‐human spermatozoa immunoglobulin G test.Results:  Mean age values ± SD were 4.6 ± 3.2 in the UDT group and 4.7 ± 3.4 in the control group (P= 0.872). MDA and IL‐6 results for the UDT and control groups were significantly different (P= 0.003 and P= 0.019, respectively), but those for ASA were not (P= 0.473). The mean MDA and IL‐6 values were significantly higher in bilateral cases than the respective values in the unilateral cases (MDA: 4.03 ± 3.68 vs 3.49 ± 5.22, P= 0.015; IL‐6: 7.70 ± 6.86 vs 3.48 ± 6.50, P= 0.001) (P= 0.015).Conclusion:  The results indicate that children with UDT are exposed to high levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction. This could negatively affect the future fertility in these children.
A yeast two‐hybrid screen reveals that osteopontin associates with MAP1A and MAP1B in addition to other proteins linked to microtubule stability, apoptosis and protein degradation in the human brain
Authors: Long Philip , Samnakay Parwez , Jenner Peter , Rose Sarah 
Published: July 2012

AbstractOsteopontin (OPN) expression is reduced in surviving dopaminergic neurones in the substantia nigra (SN) in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and protects against MPP+‐induced cell death in primary mesencephalic cultures and 6‐OHDA‐induced cell loss in the rat, while inactivation of OPN aggravates cell death. OPN is thought to act through interactions with integrin receptors or CD44. However, the specific protein interactions involved in OPN‐mediated neuroprotection are unknown and are the focus of this study. The yeast two‐hybrid (YTH) technique was utilised to investigate OPN–protein interactions, using full‐length human OPN to screen a human foetal brain cDNA library. Proteins involved in apoptosis, protein degradation and microtubule stability were identified as OPN binding partners. These included: MAP1A and MAP1B, which regulate microtubule stability; RNF138, an E3 ubiquitin‐ligase; proteasome β1 subunit, a subunit of the 20S proteasome involved in the ubiquitin‐dependent cleavage of peptides; BAG6, SGTΑ and EF1A, proteins implicated in control of apoptosis; DnaJB1, a co‐chaperone of Hsp70s; and pleiotrophin, a growth factor. The use of site‐directed mutagenesis to modify known OPN protein binding sites outside the RGD integrin binding domain, specifically Y165A and D139E, inhibited some of these interactions. Further investigation using affinity pull‐down assays, co‐immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry confirmed that OPN associates with MAP1A and MAP1B in rat SN and striatum. These findings indicate a role for OPN in the regulation of microtubule dynamics, apoptosis and proteolysis in the brain, suggesting that OPN may act as an endogenous multifunctional protective protein in PD.
The role of dopamine in the accumbens core in the expression of Pavlovian‐conditioned responses
Authors: Saunders Benjamin T. , Robinson Terry E. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe role of dopamine in reward is a topic of debate. For example, some have argued that phasic dopamine signaling provides a prediction‐error signal necessary for stimulus–reward learning, whereas others have hypothesized that dopamine is not necessary for learning per se, but for attributing incentive motivational value (‘incentive salience’) to reward cues. These psychological processes are difficult to tease apart, because they tend to change together. To disentangle them we took advantage of natural individual variation in the extent to which reward cues are attributed with incentive salience, and asked whether dopamine (specifically in the core of the nucleus accumbens) is necessary for the expression of two forms of Pavlovian‐conditioned approach behavior – one in which the cue acquires powerful motivational properties (sign‐tracking) and another closely related one in which it does not (goal‐tracking). After acquisition of these conditioned responses (CRs), intra‐accumbens injection of the dopamine receptor antagonist flupenthixol markedly impaired the expression of a sign‐tracking CR, but not a goal‐tracking CR. Furthermore, dopamine antagonism did not produce a gradual extinction‐like decline in behavior, but maximally impaired expression of a sign‐tracking CR on the very first trial, indicating the effect was not due to new learning (i.e. it occurred in the absence of new prediction‐error computations). The data support the view that dopamine in the accumbens core is not necessary for learning stimulus–reward associations, but for attributing incentive salience to reward cues, transforming predictive conditional stimuli into incentive stimuli with powerful motivational properties.
Male sexual function after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision
Authors: Hida K. , Hasegawa S. , Kataoka Y. , Nagayama S. , Yoshimura K. , Nomura A. , Kawada K. , Kawamura J. , Kinjo Y. , Sakai Y. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAim  The aim of this prospective study was to clarify the frequency of male sexual dysfunction after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LTME) and to examine the relationship between pelvic autonomic nerve (PAN) preservation status and functional outcomes.Method  Candidates for LTME were included in this study. PAN preservation status after LTME was examined in detail by video review. Patients completed a functional questionnaire (the International Index of Erectile Function) before and 3, 6 and 12 months after the operation.Results  Twenty‐six patients who underwent LTME were assessable. Detailed video reviews identified inadvertent PAN damage during surgery. PAN injury was observed in 11 cases (41%), including eight cases (32%) of inadvertent PAN damage (incomplete preservation group). There was a trend toward increasing inadvertent PAN injury rate in patients with high body mass index and large tumours. The results from all patients who underwent LTME showed no deterioration in total International Index of Erectile Function or its domain scores 12 months after surgery. In the incomplete preservation group, these scores temporarily decreased (3 and 6 months after surgery), but such deterioration was not observed in the complete preservation group. Most of the 12 patients with potentially active erectile function before the operation recovered this function, and only one patient (7%) with PAN injury was still judged as inactive 12 months after surgery.Conclusion  The proportion of patients with sexual dysfunction after LTME is low. With the enhanced visibility of the laparoscope, inadvertent PAN injury was detected in a significant number of cases and associated with transient deterioration of sexual function.
Systematic review of the management of ischaemic colitis
Authors: O’Neill S. , Yalamarthi S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAim  The study reviews the literature related to ischaemic colitis (IC) to establish an evidence base for its management and to identify factors predicting severity and mortality.Method  A systematic review of the English language literature was conducted according to recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses (PRISMA) statement. MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched using the keyword search ‘ischaemic colitis OR colon ischaemia OR colonic ischaemia OR management ischaemic colitis’. IC is often misdiagnosed so only studies where the diagnosis was supported by histopathology in every case were included. Critical appraisal was performed of included studies using predefined quality assessment checklists and narrative data synthesis.Results  In all, 2610 publications were identified. Of these, eight retrospective case series and three case controlled studies describing 1049 patients were included. Medical management was used in 80.3% patients of whom 6.2% died. Surgery was required in 19.6% of whom 39.3% died. The overall mortality of IC was 12.7%. Lack of rectal bleeding, peritonism and renal dysfunction were commonly quoted predictors of severity; however, right sided IC appeared to be the most significant predictor of outcome.Conclusion  Most patients with IC can be managed conservatively. Right sided IC may be the most significant predictor of severity.