bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of clinical effects between total vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy on large uteruses over 300 grams
Authors: Kim Hong‐Bae , Song Ji‐Eun , Kim Geun‐Hee , Cho Hye‐Yon , Lee Keun‐Young 
Published: April 2010

AbstractObjective:  To compare intra‐ and postoperative complications, operation time, and duration of hospital stay, and to evaluate cost‐effectiveness between total vaginal hysterectomy (TVH) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) groups.Material & Methods:  Patients undergoing TVH or TLH for a large uterus weighing more than 300 g were recruited from January to December 2007: 150 cases of TVH and 100 cases of TLH, were used. Evaluated variables are as follows: age, parity, previous surgical history, intra‐ and postoperative complications, hysterectomy specimen weight, operation time, duration of hospital stay and total cost. Total cost ($US) include admission, anesthesia and operation costs.Results:  There was no difference in demographics, intra‐ and postoperative complications, and uterine weight. However, operation time in TLH (mean, 179.9 min) was significantly longer than TVH (mean, 93.8 min; P < 0.05). The mean length of hospital stay was 6.13 days in TVH group and 5.78 days in TLH group, respectively (P < 0.05). TVH was more cost‐effective than TLH. There was significant difference in total cost between the two groups (TVH, mean $1815.7 vs TLH, mean $2560.5; P < 0.05). When the total cost was analyzed in detail, there was no difference in admission cost. However, the significant mean differences in anesthesia cost (TVH, $165 vs TLH, $245) and operation cost (TVH, $30.3 vs TLH, $768) were demonstrated (P < 0.05).Conclusion:  TVH should not be abandoned for cases with a large uterus, and skilled surgeons for vaginal approach should preferentially perform TVH rather than TLH for the management of large uteruses.
Carcinosarcoma of the vulva: A case report
Authors: Loizzi Vera , Cormio Gennaro , Leone Luca , Scardigno Doriana , Carriero Carmine , Resta Leonardo , Selvaggi Luigi 
Published: April 2010

AbstractCarcinosarcoma is a well‐recognized tumor even if it is an uncommon entity. Neoplasms usually occur in the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx and skin, and have been rarely documented in the female genital tract. This case reports a patient with a diagnosis of vulvar carcinosarcoma that has been treated with radical vulvectomy and a left inguinal lymphadenectomy but she died two months later of progressive disease. Because of the extreme rarity and severe prognosis of the tumor, we believe that this is a useful addition to the literature and might serves as a reminder to physicians that a multidisciplinary approach for management should be undertaken for treatment.
Acoustic trauma evokes hyperactivity and changes in gene expression in guinea‐pig auditory brainstem
Authors: Dong Songyu , Mulders Wilhelmina H. A. M. , Rodger Jennifer , Woo Samantha , Robertson Donald 
Published: April 2010

AbstractHearing loss from acoustic trauma is a risk factor for tinnitus. Animal models using acoustic trauma have demonstrated hyperactivity in central auditory pathways, which has been suggested as a substrate for tinnitus. We used a guinea‐pig model of unilateral acoustic trauma. Within the same animals, measurements of peripheral hearing loss, spontaneous activity of single neurons in the inferior colliculus and gene expression in cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus were combined, acutely and after recovery from acoustic trauma. Genes investigated related to inhibitory (GABA‐A receptor subunit alpha 1; glycine receptor subunit alpha 1) and excitatory neurotransmission (glutamate decarboxylase 1; glutamate receptor AMPA subunit alpha 2; glutamate receptor NMDA subunit 1), regulation of transmitter release (member of RAB family of small GTPase; RAB3 GTPase activating protein subunit 1) and neuronal excitability (potassium channel subfamily K member 15). Acoustic trauma resulted in unilateral hearing loss and hyperactivity bilaterally in inferior colliculus. Changes in expression of different mRNAs were observed in ipsilateral cochlear nucleus and in ipsi‐ and contralateral inferior colliculus, immediately after acoustic trauma, and after 2 and 4 weeks’ recovery. Gene expression was generally reduced immediately after trauma, followed by a return to near normal levels or over‐expression as recovery time increased. Different mechanisms appear to underlie the spontaneous hyperactivity observed. There is evidence of down‐regulation of genes associated with neuronal inhibition in the contralateral inferior colliculus, whereas in ipsilateral cochlear nucleus, competing actions of inhibitory and excitatory systems seem to play a major role in determining overall excitability.
Dynamic links between theta executive functions and alpha storage buffers in auditory and visual working memory
Authors: Kawasaki Masahiro , Kitajo Keiichi , Yamaguchi Yoko 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWorking memory (WM) tasks require not only distinct functions such as a storage buffer and central executive functions, but also coordination among these functions. Neuroimaging studies have revealed the contributions of different brain regions to different functional roles in WM tasks; however, little is known about the neural mechanism governing their coordination. Electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms, especially theta and alpha, are known to appear over distributed brain regions during WM tasks, but the rhythms associated with task‐relevant regional coupling have not been obtained thus far. In this study, we conducted time–frequency analyses for EEG data in WM tasks that include manipulation periods and memory storage buffer periods. We used both auditory WM tasks and visual WM tasks. The results successfully demonstrated function‐specific EEG activities. The frontal theta amplitudes increased during the manipulation periods of both tasks. The alpha amplitudes increased during not only the manipulation but also the maintenance periods in the temporal area for the auditory WM and the parietal area for the visual WM. The phase synchronization analyses indicated that, under the relevant task conditions, the temporal and parietal regions show enhanced phase synchronization in the theta bands with the frontal region, whereas phase synchronization between theta and alpha is significantly enhanced only within the individual areas. Our results suggest that WM task‐relevant brain regions are coordinated by distant theta synchronization for central executive functions, by local alpha synchronization for the memory storage buffer, and by theta–alpha coupling for inter‐functional integration.
Seeking a second opinion: uncertainty in disease ecology
Authors: McClintock Brett T. , Nichols James D. , Bailey Larissa L. , MacKenzie Darryl I. , Kendall William. L. , Franklin Alan B. 
Published: April 2010

Ecology Letters(2010) 13: 659–674AbstractAnalytical methods accounting for imperfect detection are often used to facilitate reliable inference in population and community ecology. We contend that similar approaches are needed in disease ecology because these complicated systems are inherently difficult to observe without error. For example, wildlife disease studies often designate individuals, populations, or spatial units to states (e.g., susceptible, infected, post‐infected), but the uncertainty associated with these state assignments remains largely ignored or unaccounted for. We demonstrate how recent developments incorporating observation error through repeated sampling extend quite naturally to hierarchical spatial models of disease effects, prevalence, and dynamics in natural systems. A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza virus in migratory waterfowl and a pathogenic fungus recently implicated in the global loss of amphibian biodiversity are used as motivating examples. Both show that relatively simple modifications to study designs can greatly improve our understanding of complex spatio‐temporal disease dynamics by rigorously accounting for uncertainty at each level of the hierarchy.
Halophilic archaea in the human intestinal mucosa
Authors: Oxley Andrew P. A. , Lanfranconi Mariana P. , Würdemann Dieco , Ott Stephan , Schreiber Stefan , McGenity Terry J. , Timmis Kenneth N. , Nogales Balbina 
Published: April 2010

SummaryThe human gastrointestinal tract microbiota, despite its key roles in health and disease, remains a diverse, variable and poorly understood entity. Current surveys reveal a multitude of undefined bacterial taxa and a low diversity of methanogenic archaea. In an analysis of the microbiota in colonic mucosal biopsies from patients with inflammatory bowel disease we found 16S rDNA sequences representing a phylogenetically rich diversity of halophilic archaea from the Halobacteriaceae (haloarchaea), including novel phylotypes. As the human colon is not considered a salty environment and haloarchaea are described as extreme halophiles, we evaluated and further discarded the possibility that these sequences originated from pre‐colonoscopy saline lavage solutions. Furthermore, aerobic enrichment cultures prepared from a patient biopsy at low salinity (2.5% NaCl) yielded haloarchaeal sequence types. Microscopic observation after fluorescence in situ hybridization provided evidence of the presence of viable archaeal cells in these cultures. These results prove the survival of haloarchaea in the digestive system and suggest that they may be members of the mucosal microbiota, even if present in low numbers in comparison with methanogenic archaea. Investigation of a potential physiological basis of this association may lead to new insights into gastrointestinal health and disease.
Meta‐analysis of individual patient data to assess the risk of hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes using NPH insulin or insulin glargine
Authors: Home P. D. , Fritsche A. , Schinzel S. , Massi‐Benedetti M. 
Published: April 2010

Aim: To estimate absolute and relative incidence rates of hypoglycaemia when using once‐daily evening or morning regimens of insulin glargine (glargine) versus once‐daily evening NPH insulin (NPH) using individual patient data (IPD). Materials and methods: Randomized controlled trials with accessible IPD and including white European people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using glargine or NPH once‐daily (with oral glucose‐lowering drugs) were identified. Two study pools were analysed: evening glargine versus evening NPH (pool 1); and morning glargine versus evening NPH (pool 2). The number‐needed‐to‐treat to avoid hypoglycaemia was calculated for glargine versus NPH. Results: In study pool 1 (n = 2711), the risk of nocturnal hypoglycaemia was approximately halved with glargine compared with NPH [odds ratios (OR): 0.44–0.52, p < 0.001–0.047]. This led to a significant reduction in anytime risk of symptomatic hypoglycaemia [plasma glucose (PG) <3.9 mmol/l, OR: 0.64, p = 0.018; PG <2.0 mmol/l, OR: 0.51, p < 0.001]. In study pool 2 (n = 470), although a strong numerical reduction in all types of nocturnal hypoglycaemia was observed (OR: 0.16–0.64), statistical significance was reached only for symptomatic hypoglycaemia with PG <3.9 mmol/l (p < 0.001). Eight (pool 1) or five (pool 2) people with T2DM needed to use glargine rather than NPH to avoid one person from experiencing a nocturnal symptomatic hypoglycaemic event within a median of about 25 weeks of starting insulin. Conclusions: This meta‐analysis of open‐label studies provides confidence that reductions of around 50% of risk for nocturnal hypoglycaemia can be achieved with using glargine instead of NPH.
The role of vacuum pump therapy to mechanically straighten the penis in Peyronie’s disease
Authors: Raheem Amr Abdel , Garaffa Giulio , Raheem Tarek Abdel , Dixon Michelle , Kayes Amanda , Christopher Nim , Ralph David 
Published: April 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy of vacuum therapy in mechanically straightening the penile curvature of Peyronie’s disease (PD).PATIENTS AND METHODSModelling of the tunica albuginea has been shown to be possible during penile implant surgery and this principle has been applied as an alternative conservative therapy. In all, 31 patients with PD (mean duration 9.9 months; mean age 51 years, range 24–71) completed the study. Over a 12‐week period, the patients used a vacuum device (Osbon ErecAid®, MediPlus, High Wycombe, UK) for 10 min twice daily. The assessment at study entry and at completion after 12 weeks included the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, a perceived pain intensity score, stretched penile length measurement and the angle of penile deformity after an intracavernous injection with prostaglandin E1.RESULTSThere was a clinically and statistically significant improvement in penile length, angle of curvature and pain after 12 weeks of using the vacuum pump. Of the 31 patients, 21 had a reduction in the angle of curvature by 5–25°, three had worsening of the curvature and there was no change in the remaining seven. The curvature was corrected surgically in 15 patients while the remaining 16 (51%) were satisfied with the outcome.CONCLUSIONVacuum therapy can improve or stabilize the curvature of PD, is safe to use in all stages of the disease, and might reduce the number of patients going on to surgery.
Advances in the management of blunt traumatic bladder rupture: experience with 36 cases
Authors: Wirth Gregory J. , Peter Robin , Poletti Pierre‐Alexandre , Iselin Christophe E. 
Published: April 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo assess how advances in urology, radiology and orthopaedics are changing the current management of bladder ruptures, by reviewing patients treated for bladder ruptures after blunt trauma.PATIENTS AND METHODSOur database was screened for patients admitted with bladder ruptures between 1980 and 2008. Charts were reviewed for demographics, clinical variables, diagnostics, treatment and outcome.RESULTSThirty‐six patients with extraperitoneal (EPR, 61%) and intraperitoneal (IPR) or combined ruptures (39%) were identified; 81% of them presented pelvic‐ring fractures. Diagnosis relied on computed tomography cystography (CT‐C), which has replaced plain‐film cystography. The sensitivity of either type of cystography was >90%. However, three bladder ruptures (11%) were missed on CT‐C performed with insufficient bladder distension. All 14 patients with IPRs had immediate surgical repair, four of them by laparoscopy. Twelve of 22 EPRs (55%) were sutured during concomitant orthopaedic/visceral surgery or because of the urologist’s apprehension of infection. Only eight of 22 patients with EPR (36%) completed conservative treatment.CONCLUSIONSDiagnosis relies increasingly on CT‐C, allowing simultaneous assessment of multiple organ systems. However, only specific CT‐C guarantees an adequate sensitivity. Orthopaedists increasingly use open reductions and fixation of pelvic‐ring fractures, prompting urologists to suture EPRs simultaneously. Our data indicate that this proactive management reduces infectious complications, and we have adopted it as the standard of care in our institution. Laparoscopic suture is an advantageous treatment of isolated IPR.
Poisson‐Based Weight Reduction of Animated Meshes
Authors: Landreneau Eric , Schaefer Scott 
Published: April 2010

Abstract While animation using barycentric coordinates or other automatic weight assignment methods has become a popular method for shape deformation, the global nature of the weights limits their use for real‐time applications. We present a method that reduces the number of control points influencing a vertex to a user‐specified number such that the deformations created by the reduced weight set resemble that of the original deformation. To do so we show how to set up a Poisson minimization problem to solve for a reduced weight set and illustrate its advantages over other weight reduction methods. Not only does weight reduction lower the amount of storage space necessary to deform these models but also allows GPU acceleration of the resulting deformations. Our experiments show that we can achieve a factor of 100 increase in speed over CPU deformations using the full weight set, which makes real‐time deformations of large models possible.
HIGH VACANCY RATES AND RISING HOUSE PRICES: THE SPANISH PARADOX
Authors: HOEKSTRA JORIS , VAKILI‐ZAD CYRUS 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTIn a ‘normal’ housing market, one would expect that rising house prices go together with low vacancy rates and vice versa. However, in Spain, this has not been the case. Until very recently, Spain was characterised by strongly rising house prices as well as by a high rate of vacant dwellings. This is the Spanish paradox. This exploratory paper attempts to explain this paradox from a welfare regime perspective. The Spanish welfare and housing system has a number of specific characteristics, such as a political ideology and culture of homeownership, a history of strong rural to urban migration, a large role for the family, and a relatively strict rent regulation and tenant protection. The paper will show that all these characteristics contribute to the Spanish paradox. The paper will also indicate how the Spanish paradox relates to the speculative bubble in the Spanish property sector that has recently burst.
URBAN GROWTH IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION OF INDIA: TESTING THE DIFFERENTIAL URBANISATION MODEL
Authors: MOOKHERJEE DEBNATH , GEYER MANIE (H.S.) 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTRecent research on the differential urbanisation (DU) model has examined the successive stages of concentration and dispersal of population in a set of hierarchy of cities at the national scale in many countries. Delhi, the capital city of India, and its adjoining areas, have experienced dramatic growth in recent years. In order to mitigate the adverse impact of growth, a National Capital Region (NCR) was delineated for co‐ordinating growth related activities within the region. Based on the postulates of the DU model, we explore the urban structural pattern of the NCR over the past three decades. Our empirical findings of the growth of cities and towns within the core and periphery of the NCR support the usefulness of the DU approach in assessing the urban regional development patterns. Urbanisation trends, as observed in the hierarchical restructuring of population would have implications for regional development policies and programmes.
THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONNECTEDNESS OF CHINESE SEAPORTS WITH FORELAND MARKETS: A NEW TREND?
Authors: WANG JAMES JIXIAN , NG ADOLF KOI YU 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTThis paper analyses the geographical connectedness of Chinese container ports with international foreland markets. Simulated results indicate that the hub‐and‐spoke network only forms part of the overall picture, where several different layers with diversified strategies can be statistically identified within the Chinese seaport hierarchical system. This paper addresses the question of whether there are alternatives for non‐hub seaports within an established hub‐and‐spoke global shipping network other than just accepting their roles as feeder or spoke seaports. Also, it enhances our understanding on how China is divided by globalisation through trade relations with different regions around the world.
Deep brain stimulation therapy for Parkinson’s disease using frameless stereotaxy: comparison with frame‐based surgery
Authors: Tai C.‐H. , Wu R.‐M. , Lin C.‐H. , Pan M.‐K. , Chen Y.‐F. , Liu H.‐M. , Lu H.‐H. , Tsai C.‐W. , Tseng S.‐H. 
Published: April 2010

Background and purpose:  Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery has been performed using frame‐based stereotaxy traditionally; however, in recent years, it has also been performed using frameless stereotaxy. The purpose of this study was to compare the experience at our centre in performing DBS surgery using frameless surgery for patients with Parkinson’s disease with that of using frame‐based surgery.Methods:  Twenty‐four patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease underwent DBS surgery, 12 with frameless and 12 with frame‐based stereotaxy. After identifying the subthalamus by microelectrode recording (MER), the DBS electrodes were implanted and connected to an implanted programmable generator in all patients. Programming was started 1 month after the operation and the outcome of the patients was followed up regularly for at least 12 months.Results:  After 1 year of follow‐up, the patients who received frameless surgery showed no difference in the degree of improvement in clinical motor function compared with the patients who received frame‐based surgery (P = 0.819); the average improvement was 60.9% and 56.9%, respectively, in the stimulation alone/medication‐off state, as evaluated by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale‐III motor subscore. However, the frameless group had significantly shorter total MER time (P = 0.0127) and a smaller number of trajectories (P = 0.0096) than the frame‐based group.Conclusions:  Our data indicate that frameless DBS surgery has a similar outcome when compared with frame‐based surgery; however, frameless surgery can decrease the operation time, MER time, and MER trajectory number.
One hundred years of money, welfare and death: mortality, economic growth and the development of the welfare state in 17 OECD countries 1900–2000
Authors: Kangas Olli 
Published: April 2010

Kangas O. One hundred years of money, welfare and death: mortality, economic growth and the development of the welfare state in 17 OECD countries 1900–2000Int J Soc Welfare 2010: ••: ••–••© 2010 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and International Journal of Social Welfare.The article focuses on the role played by the welfare state vis‐à‐vis GDP in the increase of life expectancy in 17 OECD countries 1900–2000. The article shows that money matters, war kills and the welfare state is good for health. There is a curvilinear relationship between prosperity and longevity: after a certain level, the marginal utility of an extra dollar levels off. In the longer run, growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition. The welfare state plays its role, too. Bigger is better, be it with regard to social spending or the generosity or coverage of social protection. For the life expectancy of a population to increase, it is better to have broader coverage or universal access to care than to have more generous benefits, which are channelled to a limited circle of citizens. It is better to give adequately to all than lavishly to too few.
Considerations of scale in biodiversity conservation
Authors: Du Toit J. T. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThe dilemma of conservation practice lies in weighing the urgency for action against the need for sustainable long‐term solutions, with urgent responses incurring the risk of failure and long‐term solutions incurring the cost of time. Wisdom of hindsight reveals that sustainable solutions are not achieved when conservation action is initiated at an inappropriate scale. Here, I review recent studies that have included considerations of scale to illustrate how conservation problems and solutions might be unapparent, or even counterintuitive, to conservation practitioners responding to issues at the scales at which they were first perceived. Case studies cover the conservation of ecosystems, ecosystem services, species and populations. These studies collectively illustrate how most biodiversity conservation efforts can be improved by considering the problem at a broader spatiotemporal scale than that at which local natural resource management has traditionally operated. Globalization is increasingly challenging conservation practitioners to search for solutions across an ever‐wider range of spatiotemporal scales and institutional levels. Identifying real problems and threats at relevant scales is part of conservation triage, when opportunity costs and cost efficiencies of alternative interventions are evaluated and ranked, before action is implemented through the appropriate institutional levels.