bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Penile Doppler sonographic and clinical characteristics in Peyronie's disease and/or erectile dysfunction: an analysis of 1500 men with male sexual dysfunction
Authors: Chung Eric , Yan Hanmu , De Young Ling , Brock Gerald B. 
Published: February 2012

Study Type – Therapy (cohort)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Penile colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) can be an invaluable investigative tool to characterize penile abnormalities to complement clinical history and physical examination in the evaluation of men with Peyronie's disease (PD) and/or erectile dysfunction (ED). Although CDU findings between men with PD and those with ED were not markedly different, subtle differences were observed. The classic penile CDU findings in men with PD comprise tunical thickening, intracavernosal fibrosis, septal fibrosis and intracavernosal calcification, while, in men with ED, low peak systolic velocity and high end‐diastolic velocity are found on penile haemodynamics.Previously published studies have focused predominantly on either ED or PD exclusively, or examine the risk of progression to ED in the PD population. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most comprehensive analysis of penile CDU and clinical findings in men with PD and/or ED. The large sample size and multivariable analysis allow meaningful interpretation of the results. This study has found some substantial differences in the penile CDU findings of men with PD and/or ED that have not previously been reported. Although the risk factors of ED may be greater than those for PD, there is crossover in age, cardiovascular risk factors, trauma and penile CDU findings in men with PD and/or ED.OBJECTIVE
To explore the differences in penile colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) findings between men with Peyronie's disease (PD) and those with erectile dysfunction (ED).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients presenting with PD and/or ED who underwent penile CDU were recruited to the study.
Patient demographics, comorbidities, International Index of Erectile Function‐5 scores, previous therapies and physical findings were documented.
Penile curvature, presence of tunical thickening, septal fibrosis, intracavernosal fibrosis and calcification, and cavernosal vascular status were recorded.
RESULTS
A total of 1500 men underwent penile CDU during the 10‐year period. Of these men, 891 men presented with PD and 609 men had ED only.
Men with ED had higher rates of diabetes and coronary artery disease (P < 0.05).
Isolated tunical thickening was more common in older men and in the PD cohort. The presence of intracavernosal fibrosis correlated strongly with difficulty maintaining erection (P < 0.05). Impaired cavernosal arterial flow was observed in men with decrease penile rigidity and penile pain, while higher end‐diastolic velocities were found in men with difficulty maintaining erection and tunical thickening on penile CDU.
CONCLUSIONS
Men with PD and ED had many similarities and differences on penile CDU.
Penile CDU continues to be an invaluable clinical tool in the management of men with male sexual dysfunction.
Prognostic indicators for upper tract urothelial carcinoma after radical nephroureterectomy: the impact of lymphovascular invasion
Authors: Godfrey Mark S. , Badalato Gina M. , Hruby Gregory W. , Razmjoo Mani , McKiernan James M. 
Published: February 2012

Study Type – Prognosis (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?In an array of urological and non‐urological malignancies, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a pathological feature known to be associated with adverse outcomes for recurrence and survival. For some cancers, LVI has therefore been incorporated into American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging algorithms.This study presents an analysis of the impact of LVI in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated at our institution over a 20‐year period. In addition to known associations with features of aggressive disease and overall survival, we were able to show that LVI‐positive status upsets the TNM staging for UTUC. Namely, patients with superficial stage and LVI‐positive disease have overall survival outcomes similar to those of patients with muscle‐invasive LVI‐negative carcinoma. Such evidence may support the addition of LVI to future TNM staging algorithms for UTUC.OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) on the prognosis of patients with upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The Columbia University Medical Center Urologic Oncology database was queried and 211 patients undergoing RNU for UTUC between 1990 and 2010 were identified.
These cases were retrospectively reviewed, and the prognostic significance of relevant clinical and pathological variables was analysed using log‐rank tests and Cox proportional hazards regression models.
Actuarial survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method.
RESULTS
LVI was observed in 68 patients (32.2%).
The proportion of LVI increased with advancing stage, high grade, positive margin status, concomitant carcinoma in situ, and lymph node metastases. The 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival rates were 74.7% and 53.1% in the absence of LVI, and 35.7% and 28.6% in the presence of LVI, respectively.
In multivariate analysis, age, race and LVI were independent predictors of overall survival.
CONCLUSIONS
The presence of LVI on pathological review of RNU specimens was associated with worse overall survival in patients with UTUC.
LVI status should be included in the pathological report for RNU specimens to help guide postoperative therapeutic options.
With confirmation from large international studies, inclusion of LVI in the tumour‐node‐metastasis staging system for UTUC should be considered.
Beyond Rhetorical Differences: A Cohesive Account of Post‐devolution Developments in UK Health Policy
Authors: Smith Katherine , Hellowell Mark 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHealth is perhaps the most significant policy area to be devolved to decision‐makers in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Consequently, there has been a great deal of interest in assessing the extent to which health policies (which already differed somewhat prior to devolution) have diverged since 1999. To date, analyses have tended to focus either on health care policies or on specific public health issues (e.g. health inequalities or tobacco control). The story that emerges from this body of work suggests health care policies have diverged significantly, whilst public health policies have remained remarkably similar. This article is one of the first to consider health care and public health policy alongside each other. It reassesses and updates previous analyses, incorporating developments relating to the 2010 general election and the 2007 and 2011 devolved administration elections. Drawing on a variety of textual sources (policy documents, research evidence and corporate literature), our findings differ from existing analyses in suggesting that, despite some noticeable differences in policy rhetoric, approaches to both health care provision and tackling public health problems remain similar. Looking to the future, the article concludes that the common economic challenges, combined with a tight fiscal policy (that remains excepted from devolution), means the similarities in health care provision across the UK are likely to remain more pronounced than the differences. However, current debate about the constitutional settlement, and in particular the prospect of greater fiscal freedoms for the devolved administrations, may provide opportunities for more meaningful divergence in health policy than has been possible hitherto.
Forecasting the World Economy in the Short Term
Authors: Jakaitiene Audrone , Dees Stephane 
Published: February 2012

Abstract(1433) Audrone Jakaitiene and Stephane DeesForecasting the world economy is a difficult task given the complex interrelationships within and across countries. This paper proposes a number of approaches to forecast short‐term changes in selected world economic variables and aims, first, at ranking various forecasting methods in terms of forecast accuracy and, second, at checking whether methods forecasting directly aggregate variables (direct approaches) outperform methods based on the aggregation of country‐specific forecasts (bottom‐up approaches). Overall, all methods perform better than a simple benchmark for short horizons (up to 3 months ahead). Among the forecasting approaches used, factor models appear to perform the best. Moreover, direct approaches outperform bottom‐up ones for real variables, but not for prices. Finally, when country‐specific forecasts are adjusted to match direct forecasts at the aggregate levels (top‐down approaches), the forecast accuracy is neither improved nor deteriorated (i.e. top‐down and bottom‐up approaches are broadly equivalent in terms of country‐specific forecast accuracy).
Metabolic abnormalities associated with initiation of systemic treatment for psoriasis: evidence from the Italian Psocare Registry
Authors: Gisondi P. , Cazzaniga S. , Chimenti S. , Giannetti A. , Maccarone M. , Picardo M. , Girolomoni G. , Naldi L. ,   Psocare Study Group
Published: February 2012

AbstractObjective  To evaluate variations in laboratory parameters and diagnoses of selected clinical conditions up to 16 weeks after starting a new systemic psoriasis treatment for Psocare Registry enrollees.Design  Prospective cohort study.Setting  Italian public referral centres for psoriasis treatment.Patients  First‐time recipients (n = 10,539) of continuous systemic psoriasis treatment for at least 16 weeks.Main outcome measure  Mean variations in (weeks 8 and 16) and proportions of patients reaching a clinically meaningful increase in serum levels (week 16) of total and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase and creatinine, as well as week‐16 cumulative incidences of new diagnoses of diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension.Results  Mean cholesterol and triglyceride levels significantly increased in patients treated with acitretin or cyclosporine. Mean triglyceride levels also increased in efalizumab‐ and etanercept‐treated patients. Mean transaminase values increased in methotrexate‐treated patients, and mean aspartate amino transferase levels increased in infliximab‐treated patients. The average serum creatinine value increased in cyclosporine‐treated patients. Acitretin and cyclosporine were associated with risk of hypercholesterolaemia (odds ratios 1.51 and 1.34) and acitretin with risk of hypertriglyceridaemia (odds ratio 1.43). Methotrexate and infliximab were associated with risk of more than doubling the upper normal aspartate amino transferase (odds ratios 2.06 and 1.87) and alanine amino transferase (odds ratios 2.38 and 1.74) values. The relative risk of developing arterial hypertension and diabetes was increased for patients receiving cyclosporine (odds ratios 3.31 and 2.88).Conclusion  Systemic treatments for psoriasis resulted in heterogeneous effects on the parameters analysed.
Mitotic rate and subcutaneous involvement are prognostic factors for survival after recurrence in patients with only locoregional skin metastasis as the first site of recurrence from cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Messeguer F. , Agustí‐Mejías A. , Traves V. , Requena C. , Alegre V. , Guillén C. , Oliver V. , Nagore E. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackground  Few reports on literature give detailed figures on prognostic factors of locoregional skin recurrence in cutaneous melanoma.Objective  The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and histological prognostic factors following development of locoregional cutaneous metastasis as the only progression site from melanoma.Methods  Data from 1327 stage I and II melanoma patients who visited Instituto Valenciano de Oncología and Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia from 2000 to 2010 were documented in a prospective manner. During follow up, 112 (8.4%) of them developed recurrent disease. A retrospective analysis revealed a subset of 36 patients with locoregional cutaneous metastases as a first event.Results  Significant prognostic factors in the univariate analysis were Breslow thickness, tumor mitotic rate and the presence subcutaneous involvement of the skin metastasis. After multivariate analysis the independent predictive factors for survival after recurrence were tumor mitotic rate (hazard ratio [HR]: 8.6; 95% CI: 1.0–77.2) and subcutaneous involvement of the skin metastasis (HR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.0–18.5).Conclusion  The survival after recurrence of melanoma patients that has relapsed with only locoregional cutaneous metastasis depends on the mitotic rate of the primary tumor and the subcutaneous involvement of the metastasis.
Important areas of the central binocular visual field for daily functioning in the visually impaired
Authors: Tabrett Daryl R , Latham Keziah 
Published: February 2012

Citation information: Tabrett DR & Latham K. Important areas of the central binocular visual field for daily functioning in the visually impaired. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 156–163. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00892.xAbstractPurpose:  To determine the areas of the central binocular visual field which correspond best with self‐reported vision related activity limitations (VRAL) in individuals with visual impairment using a clinically relevant and accessible technique.Methods:  One hundred participants with mixed visual impairment undertook binocular threshold visual field testing using a Humphrey 30‐2 SITA Fast program. The Activity Inventory (AI) was administered to assess overall, mobility related and reading related self‐reported VRAL as part of a face‐to‐face clinical interview. Different eccentricities of the binocular field (central 5, 5–10, and 10–30°) were compared to self‐reported VRAL in bivariate analyses and further explored using multivariate analyses.Results:  All areas of the binocular visual field were significantly associated with self‐reported VRAL in bivariate analyses, with greater field loss associated with increased VRAL (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses identified that function of the central 5–10° best predicted overall self‐reported VRAL, and function of the central 5° (especially the right‐hand‐side) and the central 10–30° (especially 10–20°) best predicted self‐reported VRAL in reading and mobility tasks, respectively.Conclusions:  The results highlight the association between central binocular visual fields and self‐reported VRAL in people with visual impairment. Central binocular fields can be measured using a widely available threshold test in order to understand the likely functional limitations of those with vision loss, particularly in mobility tasks. Self‐reported VRAL can be estimated using the regression equations and graphs provided and difficulty levels in specific tasks can be determined.
A dual‐response strategy for global logistics under uncertainty: a case study of a third‐party logistics company
Authors: Wu Yue 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThis paper examines global logistics problems experienced by a third‐party logistics (3PL) company that is responsible for transporting goods from one country to another by road, as well as warehousing goods in two countries. Because of the limited fleet capacity, the logistics company has to hire additional trucks from two countries in advance. However, customer's shipment information is uncertain, and the accurate shipment notice is only available on the shipping day. This paper proposes a dual‐response logistics strategy to be as responsive as possible for coping with short shipment notice time and uncertainty involved. A two‐stage stochastic mixed 0–1 programming model is formulated to satisfy customer demand while minimizing the total logistics cost. A series of experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed stochastic model. Compared to the corresponding expected value model, the stochastic model provides a more responsive and less expensive global logistics system.
The paradox of nationalism: The common denominator of radical right and radical left euroscepticism
Authors: HALIKIOPOULOU DAPHNE , NANOU KYRIAKI , VASILOPOULOU SOFIA 
Published: February 2012

AbstractWhat can explain the strong euroscepticism of radical parties of both the right and the left? This article argues that the answer lies in the paradoxical role of nationalism as a central element in both party families, motivating opposition towards European integration. Conventionally, the link between nationalism and euroscepticism is understood solely as a prerogative of radical right‐wing parties, whereas radical left‐wing euroscepticism is associated with opposition to the neoliberal character of the European Union. This article contests this view. It argues that nationalism cuts across party lines and constitutes the common denominator of both radical right‐wing and radical left‐wing euroscepticism. It adopts a mixed‐methods approach, combining intensive case study analysis with quantitative analysis of party manifestos. First, it traces the link between nationalism and euroscepticism in Greece and France in order to demonstrate the internal validity of the argument. It then undertakes a cross‐country statistical estimation to assess the external validity of the argument and its generalisability across Europe.
Development and Preliminary Validation of a Behavioral Task of Negative Reinforcement Underlying Risk‐Taking and Its Relation to Problem Alcohol Use in College Freshmen
Authors: MacPherson Laura , Calvin Nicholas T. , Richards Jessica M. , Guller Leila , Mayes Linda C. , Crowley Michael J. , Daughters Stacey B. , Lejuez Carl W. 
Published: February 2012

BackgroundA long line of theoretical and empirical evidence implicates negative reinforcement as a process underlying the etiology and maintenance of risky alcohol use behaviors from adolescence through emerging adulthood. However, the bulk of this literature has relied on self‐report measures, and there is a notable absence of behavioral modes of assessments of negative reinforcement‐based alcohol‐related risk‐taking. To address this clear gap in the literature, the current study presents the first published data on the reliability and validity of the Maryland Resource for the Behavioral Utilization of the Reinforcement of Negative Stimuli (MRBURNS), which is a modified version of the positive reinforcement‐based Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART).MethodsParticipants included a convenience sample of 116 college freshmen ever regular drinkers (aged 18 to 19) who completed both behavioral tasks; self‐report measures of negative reinforcement/avoidance constructs and of positive reinforcement/appetitive constructs to examine convergent validity and discriminant validity, respectively; and self‐report measures of alcohol use, problems, and motives to examine criterion validity.ResultsThe MRBURNS evidenced sound experimental properties and reliability across task trials. In support of convergent validity, risk‐taking on the MRBURNS correlated significantly with negative urgency, difficulties in emotion regulation, and depressive and anxiety‐related symptoms. In support of discriminant validity, performance on the MRBURNS was unrelated to risk‐taking on the BART, sensation seeking, and trait impulsivity. Finally, pertaining to criterion validity, risk‐taking on the MRBURNS was related to alcohol‐related problems but not heavy episodic alcohol use. Notably, risk‐taking on the MRBURNS was associated with negative reinforcement‐based but not with positive reinforcement‐based drinking motives.ConclusionsData from this initial investigation suggest the utility of the MRBURNS as a behavioral measure of negative reinforcement‐based risk‐taking that can provide a useful complement to existing self‐report measures to improve our understanding of the relationship between avoidant reinforcement processes and risky alcohol use.
Human Laboratory Paradigms in Alcohol Research
Authors: Plebani Jennifer G. , Ray Lara A. , Morean Meghan E. , Corbin William R. , MacKillop James , Amlung Michael , King Andrea C. 
Published: February 2012

BackgroundHuman laboratory studies have a long and rich history in the field of alcoholism. Human laboratory studies have allowed for advances in alcohol research in a variety of ways, including elucidating neurobehavioral mechanisms of risk, identifying phenotypically distinct subtypes of alcohol users, investigating the candidate genes underlying experimental phenotypes for alcoholism, and testing mechanisms of action of alcoholism pharmacotherapies on clinically relevant translational phenotypes, such as persons exhibiting positive‐like alcohol effects or alcohol craving. Importantly, the field of human laboratory studies in addiction has progressed rapidly over the past decade and has built upon earlier findings of alcohol's neuropharmacological effects to advancing translational research on alcoholism etiology and treatment.Methods and ResultsTo that end, the new generation of human laboratory studies has focused on applying new methodologies, further refining alcoholism phenotypes, and translating these findings to studies of alcoholism genetics, medication development, and pharmacogenetics. The combination of experimental laboratory approaches with the recent developments in neuroscience and pharmacology has been particularly fruitful in furthering our understanding of the impact of individual differences in alcoholism risk and in treatment response.ConclusionsThis review of the literature focuses on human laboratory studies of subjective intoxication, alcohol craving, anxiety, and behavioral economics. Each section discusses opportunities for phenotype refinement under laboratory conditions, as well as its application to translational science of alcoholism. A summary and recommendations for future research are also provided.