bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax using contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography with intraperitoneal injection of Sonazoid
Authors: Tamano Masaya , Hashimoto Takashi , Kojima Kazuo , Maeda Chizu , Hiraishi Hideyuki 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  We investigated the utility and safety of contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography using Sonazoid in the diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax.Methods:  The study consisted of seven liver cirrhosis patients with hydrothorax and hydroperitoneum. After obtaining informed consent, Sonazoid was injected intraperitoneally, and enhancement in the peritoneal and pleural cavities was observed.Results:  In all patients, the peritoneal cavity was quickly enhanced after the Sonazoid injection. The pleural cavity was enhanced in five of the seven patients, and these five patients were diagnosed with hepatic hydrothorax. Two patients without enhancement of the pleural cavity were diagnosed with inflammatory hydrothorax.Conclusions:  This is the first report to confirm transdiaphragmatic movement of ascitic fluid into the pleural cavity using contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography with Sonazoid. This method can safely detect ascitic flow in real time, and is thus very useful for the diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax.
Therapeutic effects of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients with occult hepatitis B virus dual infection
Authors: Chen Li‐Wei , Chien Rong‐Nan , Yen Cho‐Li , Chang Jia‐Jang , Liu Ching‐Jung , Lin Chih‐Lang 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined by the detectable serum HBV–DNA in HBV surface antigen‐negative patients. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of combined pegylated interferon (PEG–IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) in patients with concurrent occult HBV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) dual infection.Methods:  In total, 126 consecutive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who received combined PEG–IFN and RBV therapy were included. Patients were divided into the occult HBV/HCV dual infection group or the HCV‐monoinfected group according to whether or not they had the detectable serum HBV–DNA. The biochemical and virological responses to combined therapy were compared between these two groups. Serum HCV‐RNA and HBV–DNA were checked before treatment, at the end of treatment as well as at 6‐ and 12‐months' follow up in the occult HBV/HCV group.Result:  Six patients were seropositive for HBV–DNA and were included in the occult HBV/HCV dual infection group. There were no statistical differences in the biochemical and virological responses to combined therapy between these two groups. Undetectable serum HBV–DNA was noted at the end of the treatment and the 6‐ and 12‐months' follow up in patients with occult HBV/HCV dual infection.Conclusion:  Occult HBV infection in CHC patients is rare. The biochemical and virological responses to combined PEG–IFN and RBV therapy might be similar in CHC patients with or without occult HBV infection. The serum HBV–DNA level was low in patients with occult HBV/HCV dual infection who responded to combined therapy.
Simple diagnostic approach to childhood fecal retention using the Leech score and Bristol stool form scale in medical practice
Authors: Koh Hong , Lee Mi Jung , Kim Myung Joon , Shin Jae Il , Chung Ki Sup 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  To assess fecal retention, plain abdominal radiography is frequently used to complement the clinical history and physical examination, and three scoring systems have been proposed by Barr, Blethyn, and Leech on a single abdominal radiography. The aim of the present study was to find simple and useful diagnostic tools for an approach to fecal retention by correlation of the three scoring systems with the clinical characteristics.Methods:  This study included 76 children (5.6–15.4 years, male : female = 33:43) who presented with various gastrointestinal complaints and 20 healthy children from the years 2004–2008. Defecation characteristics, abdominal pain, anorexia and nausea, the Bristol stool form scale, and colonic transit time were studied. Plain abdominal radiographs were independently scored with the three scoring systems by a pediatrician and a radiologist.Results:  The k‐value of the Leech score (0.912) between two of the observers was higher than the others (Barr 0.870 and Blethyn 0.670), and the correlation coefficients of the Leech scoring system by a pediatrician in relation to the colonic transit time (r = 0.861, P < 0.001) and the Bristol stool form scale (r = −0.818, P < 0.001) were highest in the constipated children. Furthermore, there were statistically significant associations between the Leech scoring system and the defecation frequency per week (r = −0.569 and −0.625 in two observers) or abdominal pain (r = 0.574 and 0.567).Conclusions:  The Leech score and the Bristol stool form scale may be simple and useful diagnostic tools for pediatricians to access childhood fecal loading in outpatient clinics along with a thorough clinical history.
Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis and clinical assessment of unipolar versus bipolar hemiarthroplasty for subcapital femur fracture: a randomized prospective study
Authors: Jeffcote Benjamin , Li Ming‐Guo , Barnet‐Moorcroft Angela , Wood David , Nivbrant Bo 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground:  Hemiarthroplasty is a well‐established treatment for displaced subcapital fracture, but controversy exists about the optimal implant type. Bipolar hemiarthroplasty has proposed advantages over unipolar hemiarthroplasty in terms of better clinical results and decreased wear of acetabular cartilage.Methods:  This study is a randomized prospective study of 51 patients (52 hips) receiving either bipolar or unipolar hemiarthroplasty for displaced subcapital fractures. The outcome measurements were clinical scores and Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) analysis to determine the rate of acetabular wear.Results:  Twenty‐three patients completed 2‐year follow‐up. The RSA data demonstrated that there was slightly less acetabular wear by bipolar prostheses than by unipolar. The combined mean three‐dimensional wear of the bipolar prostheses was 0.6 mm compared with 1.5 mm for the unipolar prostheses (P= 0.04). The bipolar group generally achieved higher scores in terms of the Harris Hip Score, Western Ontario and McMaster University Index of Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) questionnaire and 6‐min walk test. These results were statistically significant at 3 months but not at 12 and 24 months.Conclusion:  This study suggests that while the bipolar prosthesis performs slightly better than the unipolar in terms of acetabular cartilage wear and clinical outcomes, it remains debatable whether the benefits are worth the increased cost of the prosthesis.
Audit of the utilization of time in an orthopaedic trauma theatre
Authors: Delaney Christopher L. , Davis Nathan , Tamblyn Peter 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground:  The efficient use of operating theatres is important to ensure optimum cost–benefit for the hospital and to clear waiting lists. This audit uses the orthopaedic trauma theatre as a model to assess the theatre efficiency at our institution.Methods:  We performed a retrospective audit using data gathered from the operating theatre database at our institution. We considered each component of the operating theatre process and integrated them to give a combined value for surgical and anaesthetic time (end utilization) and total theatre efficiency (operating theatre utilization).Results:  Results showed that relative to the standards set, changeover time and start times were sub‐standard, with consistently prolonged changeovers and late starts. End utilization and operating theatre utilization were 78.8 and 81%, against a standard of 77 and 85–90%, respectively. However, these figures may be misleading due to sub‐standard performance in changeover time and other variables.Conclusions:  We have highlighted inefficiency in the orthopaedic trauma theatre at our institution and suggest various strategies to improve this that may be applied universally.
Anal stenosis: use of an algorithm to provide a tension‐free anoplasty
Authors: Duieb Zeev , Appu Sree , Hung Kevin , Nguyen Hung 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackground:  Anal stenosis is a debilitating condition that often is iatrogenic in cause. Various surgical procedures to manage this problem have been described. The present study evaluates the use of different anoplasty techniques in a series of 11 patients with anal stenosis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to provide a stepwise algorithm for the anoplasty techniques used.Methods:  A series of 11 patients were evaluated for presenting symptoms, cause of anal stenosis, type of anoplasty used, complications and post‐operative success in relieving symptoms. All operations were performed by one surgeon in three hospitals, and were followed up by the same surgeon and by a surgical registrar.Results:  The most common presenting symptoms were constipation and decreasing calibre of stool. The main causes of anal stenosis were previous surgery, neoplasia and fissure. Transverse closure, Y‐V and diamond advancement flaps were used in an escalating manner to deal with increasing severity of stenosis. All 11 patients had some level of improvement in symptoms post‐operatively. There were no long‐term complications.Conclusion:  Anoplasty is a safe and successful option in the treatment of anal stenosis, and this stepwise algorithm takes the guesswork out of choosing the most appropriate procedure for each patient.
THE ELUSIVENESS OF POETIC MEANING
Authors: Lamarque Peter 
Published: October 2009

AbstractVarious aspects of poetic meaning are discussed, centred on the relation of form and content. A C Bradley's thesis of form‐content identity, suitably reformulated, is defended against criticisms by Peter Kivy. It is argued that the unity of form‐content is not discovered in poetry so much as demanded of it when poetry is read ‘as poetry’. A shift of emphasis from talking about ‘meaning’ in poetry to talking about ‘content’ is promoted, as is a more prominent role for ‘experience’ in characterising responses to poetry and its value. It is argued that the key to poetic meaning lies less in a theory of meaning, more in a theory of poetry, where what matters are modes of reading poetry. Content‐identity in poetry is said to be ‘interest‐relative’ such that no absolute answer, independent of the interests of the questioner, can determine when a poem and a paraphrase have the same content. Interpretation of poetry need not focus exclusively on meaning, but on ways in which the experience of a poem can be heightened.
FICTIONAL FORM AND SYMPHONIC STRUCTURE: AN ESSAY IN COMPARATIVE AESTHETICS
Authors: Kivy Peter 
Published: October 2009

AbstractIt is agreed on all hands that both fictional narratives and the familiar genres of classical music possess an inner structure that both can be perceived and be appreciated aesthetically. It is my argument here that this inner structure plays a crucially different role in fictional narrative than it does in classical music, confining myself here to ‘absolute music’ (which is to say, pure instrumental music without text, programme, dramatic setting, or other ‘extra‐musical’ content). The argument, basically, is that whereas the sophisticated listener to the absolute music repertory is keenly, consciously aware of the inner structure, the sophisticated reader of fictional narrative, the principal exemplar being the novel, is not so aware. Therefore, whereas musical structure directly contributes to aesthetic satisfaction, narrative structure contributes only indirectly (which is not to deny that, at times, the reader is consciously aware of narrative structure, and that, at such times, it does contribute directly to aesthetic satisfaction).
Carnivore biodiversity in Tanzania: revealing the distribution patterns of secretive mammals using camera traps
Authors: Pettorelli N. , Lobora A. L. , Msuha M. J. , Foley C. , Durant S. M. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBiodiversity monitoring is critical to assess the effectiveness of management activities and policy change, particularly in the light of accelerating impacts of environmental change, and for compiling national responses to international obligations and agreements. Monitoring methods able to identify species most likely to be affected by environmental change, and pinpoint those changes with the strongest impacts, will enable managers to target efforts towards vulnerable species and significant threats. Here we take a new approach to carnivore monitoring, combining camera‐trap surveys with ecological niche factor analysis to assess distribution and patterns of habitat use of mammalian carnivore assemblages across northern Tanzania. We conducted 11 surveys over 430 camera‐trap stations and 11 355 trap‐days. We recorded 23 out of 35 carnivore species known to occur in Tanzania and report major extensions to the known distribution of the bushy‐tailed mongoose Bdeogale crassicauda, previously thought to be rare. Carnivore biodiversity tended to be higher in national parks than in game reserves and forest reserves. We explored habitat use for seven species for which we had sufficient information. All species tended to be found near rivers and southern Acacia commiphora woodlands (except one mongoose species), and avoided deciduous shrubland, favouring deciduous woodland and/or open grassland. All species tended to avoid croplands suggesting that habitat conversion to agriculture could have serious implications for carnivore distribution. Our study provides a first example where camera‐trap data are combined with niche analyses to reveal patterns in habitat use and spatial distribution of otherwise elusive and poorly known species and to inform reserve design and land‐use planning. Our methodology represents a potentially powerful tool that can inform national and site‐based wildlife managers and policy makers as well as international agreements on conservation.
Dysregulated coherence of subjective and cardiac emotional activation in adolescents with internalizing and externalizing problems
Authors: Hastings Paul D. , Nuselovici Jacob N. , Klimes‐Dougan Bonnie , Kendziora Kimberly T. , Usher Barbara A. , Ho Moon‐ho R. , Zahn‐Waxler Carolyn 
Published: October 2009

Background:  Effective emotion regulation should be reflected in greater coherence between physiological and subjective aspects of emotional responses.Method:  Youths with normative to clinical levels of internalizing problems (IP) and externalizing problems (EP) watched emotionally evocative film‐clips while having heart rate (HR) recorded, and reported subjective feelings.Results:  Hierarchical linear modeling revealed weaker coherence between HR and negative feelings in youths, especially boys, with more EP. Youths with IP showed coherence between HR and negative feelings that did not match the affect portrayed in the eliciting stimuli, but atypical positive emotions: they felt happier when they had slower HR. Youths without problems predominantly showed normative emotional coherence.Conclusions:  Youths with EP and IP experience atypical patterns of activation across physiological and experiential emotion systems which could undermine emotion regulation in evocative situations.
The challenge of polypharmacy in cardiovascular medicine
Authors: Volpe Massimo , Chin Diana , Paneni Francesco 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAlbeit great efforts in reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), their prevalence continues to grow worldwide. Among the causes for this rising burden, the upcoming pandemic of obesity and diabetes further enhances the estimates of CV mortality and healthcare costs over the next decades. Nevertheless, advances in CVD treatment has increased life‐expectancy, and future perspectives announce a growing aging population, with increasing comorbid conditions predisposing to CVD. Despite the emphasis on primary prevention, CV risk factors are still poorly controlled and a further need for CV drugs is upcoming. In chronic CVD such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure, the progressive use of multiple drugs is common and is recommended by international guidelines. However, the chronic use of five or more medications, defined as polypharmacy, has shown to be neither always efficacious nor safe. Polypharmacy is associated with an increased morbidity and costs. The use of multiple medications often leads to inappropriate drug use, underprescription, low adherence and side effects. In order to overcome these issues, a fixed‐dose combination pill (‘polypill’) for the prevention of CVD has been recently proposed. A hypothetical meta‐analysis estimated for this strategy a reduction of IHD and stroke by 88 and 80% respectively in people aged 55 or over. Such polypill can be cost effective and increase patient adherence. However, large randomized trials are required to define its impact on clinical outcomes. This review will focus on challenges of polypharmacy in CV medicine, illustrating potential options to face this emerging crisis.
The evolving story of the RAAS in hypertension, diabetes and CV disease – moving from macrovascular to microvascular targets
Authors: Steckelings Ulrike Muscha , Rompe Franziska , Kaschina Elena , Unger Thomas 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe phylogenetically old renin‐angiotensin‐system (RAS) was originally described as a circulating hormonal system and a main cardiovascular regulator. However, there also exist ‘local RASs’ which are situated in cardiovascular as well as non‐cardiovascular tissues where they are involved in physiological and patho‐physiological processes such as inflammation, fibrosis, proliferation or apoptosis. Local RASs are activated in diabetes, preferentially in organs affected by hyperglycaemic injury such as the kidney or the retina. Increased renal or retinal Ang II levels may contribute to diabetic tissue injury in two ways: (i) by stimulating the angiotensin AT1‐receptor and downstream pathological chains of events and (ii) by bidirectional interaction with the ‘classical’ hyperglycaemia‐induced pathobiochemical pathways (oxidative stress, generation of advanced glycation end products, increased polyol pathway flux, activation of protein kinase C, increased hexosamine pathway flux). The involvement of the RAS in the pathomechanisms underlying diabetic end organ damage suggests pharmacological RAS inhibition as a therapeutic approach in these disorders. This assumption has been supported by numerous animal studies. Clinically, RAS inhibition is currently the first line, guideline‐approved treatment in diabetic nephropathy. The recently published DIRECT, RASS and AdRem studies provided evidence that RAS inhibition may also be beneficial in diabetic retinopathy; however, evidence for RAS‐inhibition in retinopathy is still much weaker than for nephropathy. The present article reviews the emerging knowledge about cardiovascular and non‐cardiovascular effects of the RAS with an emphasis on the mechanisms of RAS involvement and pharmacological RAS inhibition in diabetic end organ damage.
Determination of corneal volume from anterior topography and topographic pachymetry: application to healthy and keratoconic eyes
Authors: Cerviño Alejandro , Gonzalez‐Meijome Jose M. , Ferrer‐Blasco Teresa , Garcia‐Resua Carlos , Montes‐Mico Robert , Parafita Manuel 
Published: October 2009

AbstractPurpose:  To describe a method to measure corneal volume from topography and pachymetry, and test its clinical use on a sample of healthy human subjects and a case of circumscribed posterior keratoconus.Methods:  Corneal curvature (PCT 200® corneal topography system; Optopol Technology SA, Zawiercie, Poland) and ultrasonic topographic pachometry on 25 points (Ophthasonic® A‐Scan/Pachometer III; Teknar Inc., St Louis, MO, USA) were measured on each of 12 young healthy corneas and one cornea suffering from circumscribed posterior keratoconus. Topography and pachymetry data were used to calculate the coordinates for the corresponding points on the posterior surface of the cornea. TableCurve 3D software (Systat Software Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used to fit a surface to those points measured. Integration of the surface fitted to the data points, corresponding to the anterior and posterior corneal surfaces, was used to calculate the volume underneath each of them. Subtraction of volumes underneath anterior and posterior surfaces, taking into account an axial offset equal to the central corneal thickness, rendered corneal volume for the central 6 mm of the cornea.Results:  Central corneal thickness ranged from 520 to 630 μm for the healthy corneas. Corneal volumes for this sample analyzed averaged 18.66 ± 1.15 mm3 (range 17.25–20.53 mm3). For the posterior keratoconic cornea, the affected area was located at about 1.5–2 mm from the corneal center on the 135° hemimeridian of the right eye, observed through topographic pachymetry. Calculated corneal volume for the central 6 mm was 16.072 mm3, noticeably lower than those found in the sample without pathology, but within the range for corneas presenting with keratoconus.Conclusions:  Corneal volume is a useful parameter for characterising dystrophic corneas and can aid in the detection of rare anomalies which are hardly detected with corneal topography and/or central corneal thickness evaluation. A potentially useful measure of corneal volume can be calculated from anterior corneal topography and topographic pachymetry data. Values obtained are in good agreement with previous studies using corneal tomography techniques. The methodology has been shown to have potential for retrospective analysis of data, or where no access is available to tomographical techniques.
Accommodation response and visual discomfort
Authors: Tosha Chinatsu , Borsting Eric , Ridder III William H. , Chase Chris 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAlthough visual discomfort symptoms associated with near work have been correlated with clinical measures of accommodation, studies using objective recordings have not found corresponding deficits in accommodative function. One problem with previous studies is that accommodation measures have been too brief to assess accommodative fatigue. This study examined steady state accommodative responses among a college population with visual discomfort, over a 90‐s time period. Thirty‐one participants were grouped into high (n = 15) or low visual discomfort groups (n = 16) based on their scores on the Conlon Visual Discomfort Survey. Using the WAM‐5500 autorefractor, accommodation responses were recorded at 5 Hz for two consecutive minutes at five viewing distances. The results showed a significant interaction between the high and low discomfort groups over time in accommodation response. The high discomfort group showed an increase in accommodative lag, whereas the low discomfort group had a stable response. Our study suggests that the high visual discomfort group is characterized by accommodative fatigue, with a higher lag of accommodation developing at a near viewing distance over time.