bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Normal Development of the Muscular Region of the Interventricular Septum. II. The Importance of Myocardial Proliferation
Authors: Contreras‐Ramos A. , Sánchez‐Gómez C. , Fierro‐Pastrana R. , González‐Márquez H. , Acosta‐Vazquez F. , Arellano‐Galindo J. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIn a first paper, we concluded that the muscular region of the interventricular septum is developed by the trabecular branches and showed evidence that the developing interventricular septum elongates in a direction opposite to that of atria. Nevertheless, to date the literature is lacking precise information on the importance of myocardial proliferation not only in this process but also in the morphogenesis of the ventricular cavities. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of high‐intensity foci of cycling myocytes in the ventricular region of the heart of chicken embryos during cardiac septation. Histological studies, detection of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen by light and confocal microscopy and flow cytometric analysis were carried out. The results corroborate that the developing interventricular septum grows in a direction opposite to that of atria. A remoulding mechanism that results in fenestrated trabecular sheets and trabecular branching is discussed. Our findings allowed us to summarize the normal morphogenesis of the muscular region of the interventricular septum in a way that is different from that suggested by other researchers.
Persistent Cloaca, Fused Kidneys, Female Pseudohermaphroditism and Skeletal Anomalies in a Simmental Calf
Authors: Gulbahar M. Y. , Kabak M. , Yarim M. , Guvenc T. , Kabak Y. B. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA 5‐day‐old Simmental calf was referred to our department for atresia ani and postural abnormalities caused by skeletal deformities. The calf had a short and deviated tail and a bowed hind limb. The calf appeared like a male because of the prepuce and penis located just near the teats and the absence of female external genitalia. During the necropsy, a horseshoe kidney, single ureter that originated from the kidney, and bilateral uterine horns with one ovary each were detected. The ureter, blind‐ended large intestine, and bilateral uterine horns were connected to a dilated cloaca having two sacs, which were filled with a yellowish brown viscous fluid admixed with meconium and urine. Skeletal deformities found included scoliosis, partial synostosis of vertebrae, deviation of rudimentary sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae, and narrowed pelvic cavity. This is the first report of an anomalous combination including urogenital, large intestinal, and skeletal deformities in cattle.
Factors affecting recurrence in node‐negative advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Huang Kuo‐Hung , Chen Jen‐Hao , Wu Chew‐Wun , Lo Su‐Shun , Hsieh Mao‐Chih , Li Anna F‐Y , Lui Win‐Yiu 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim: Prognostic factors of lymph node‐negative gastric adenocarcinoma after curative resection have been discussed. Recurrent pattern of advanced lymph node‐negative gastric cancer after curative resection has rarely been described.Methods: Recurrent sites and correlated clinicopathological factors of 372 patients with lymph node‐negative advanced gastric adenocarcinoma that underwent R0 resection from 1988 to 2005 were analyzed.Results: Recurrence was noted in 51 (13.7%) patients. Recurrent rates according to site of recurrence were 26 peritoneal seeding (51.0%), 26 locoregional (51.0%), 17 hematogenous (33.3%), and 4 lymph node metastasis (7.8%). Clinicopathological factors to predict peritoneal seeding were serosal exposure, lymphovascular invasion, Lauren's diffuse type differentiation and scirrhous stromal reaction. Serosal exposure, tumor size, microscopic infiltrating growth type predicts locoregional recurrence. Tumor had only lymphovascular invasion predict hematogenous spreading.Conclusion: Node‐negative advanced gastric cancer has more peritoneal seeding and locoregional recurrence. Aggressive cell behavior predicted the route of tumor cell spreading.
Feasibility of self‐expandable metallic stent plus chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis
Authors: Shimura Takaya , Kataoka Hiromi , Sasaki Makoto , Yamada Tomonori , Hayashi Kazuki , Togawa Shozo , Okumura Fumihiro , Kubota Eiji , Ohara Hirotaka , Joh Takashi 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Self‐expandable metallic stent placement is accepted as palliative therapy for advanced gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction, but data are lacking for chemotherapy after self‐expandable metallic stent insertion. This study retrospectively compared results between surgery plus chemotherapy and stenting plus chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis.Methods:  Subjects comprised 26 patients who received chemotherapy after surgery or endoscopic stenting for metastatic gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis between April 2000 and December 2007 in four Japanese hospitals. Patients were categorized into two groups: 15 patients who received chemotherapy after surgery for pyloric stenosis (Surgery group); and 11 patients who received chemotherapy after self‐expandable metallic stent placement for pyloric stenosis (Stent group).Results:  Median survival time and median time to treatment failure were 284 days and 226 days in the Surgery group and 337 days and 247 days in the Stent group, respectively. No significant differences were noted between survival and time to treatment failure. No significant differences were found in median oral intake rate (Surgery, 93.1%; Stent, 93.2%) or median hospital stay rate (Surgery, 24.6%; Stent, 23.7%) during survival. Response rate was 45.5% in the Surgery group and 50% in the Stent group, with no significant difference. Likewise, no significant differences were noted between groups for frequencies of toxicity or complications.Conclusions:  The present results suggest that chemotherapy after stenting is as effective and safe as chemotherapy after surgery. Stents may replace surgery in combination therapy with chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction.
Metabolic risk factors associated with erosive esophagitis
Authors: Chua Chian‐Sem , Lin Yu‐Min , Yu Fu‐Chun , Hsu Yi‐Hsin , Chen Jui‐Hao , Yang Kuo‐Ching , Shih Chia‐Hui 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Our aim was to determine associations between metabolic risk factors and erosive esophagitis.Methods:  In this retrospective case‐control study, diagnosis of erosive esophagitis was based on the Los Angeles classification. Endoscopic findings in subjects with erosive esophagitis were reviewed by two experienced endoscopists and those with agreement of diagnosis were enrolled for study. Body mass index (BMI), abdominal girdle, blood pressure, and serum triglyceride, glucose, and β‐lipoprotein levels were compared between individuals with and without erosive esophagitis. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent metabolic risk factors associated with erosive esophagitis.Results:  Between October 2004 and April 2006, 518 of 4206 subjects who underwent endoscopic examination were diagnosed as having erosive esophagitis. After expert review, 427 (male : female = 365:62) individuals met the study criteria of having erosive esophagitis (10.5%). Compared with age‐ and gender‐matched controls, patients with erosive esophagitis had significantly higher BMI, abdominal girdle, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels, and lower levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P < 0.05). More subjects with metabolic syndrome had erosive esophagitis than without metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.27–2.44, P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that central obesity (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 05‐1.89, P = 0.023) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.19–2.13, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with erosive esophagitis.Conclusions:  Obesity and hypertriglyceridemia, which are key components of metabolic syndrome, are moderate independent risk factors for erosive esophagitis.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The reliability of long and short cases undertaken as practice for a summative examination
Authors: Wilkinson T. J. , D'Orsogna L. J. , Nair B. R. , Judd S. J. , Frampton C. M. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground: This study explores whether long and short cases performed in the workplace during training could be integrated into an overall summative assessment. Less examiner training and a less formalized structure might compromise reliability, but increased testing time might improve it.Methods: Results of practice long and short cases, undertaken in preparation for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians clinical examination, were compared with actual examination results. The effects on reliability of the examination were compared by modelling varying combinations of practice and examination long and short cases.Results: Fifty‐nine candidates in two centres undertook 256 practice long cases and 154 practice short cases. Two practice long cases correlated with two examination long cases (r= 0.46). The reliability of a single long case was 0.22 under practice conditions and 0.36 under examination conditions. The reliability of a single short case was similar under either condition (0.18 vs 0.21). Reliability of over 0.80 could be achieved by assimilating two examination long cases and four examination short cases with varying combinations of seven practice cases.Conclusions: Long cases undertaken in the workplace are not as reliable those undertaken under examination conditions, but short cases have similar reliability under either condition.
Examination of opioid prescribing in Australia from 1992 to 2007
Authors: Leong M. , Murnion B. , Haber P. S. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground: Opioid prescribing is controversial with evidence of both significant under‐utilization and over‐utilization. There is some evidence to support efficacy for chronic non‐malignant pain, but community and individual harms are increasingly reported.Aims: To review availability of opioid preparations and prescription patterns of opioids through the subsidized Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia from 1992 to 2007.Methods: Interrogation of the Health Insurance Commission database from 1992 to 2007. Item numbers for all available opioid preparations were identified, and frequency of dispensing was collected and collated.Results: The number of opioids on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) increased from 11 preparations of four medications to 70 preparations of eight medications during this period. The total number of PBS opioid prescriptions increased from 2 397 006 in 1992 to 6 998 556 in 2007. We identified a dramatic and continuing increase in prescription of oxycodone in all dose ranges. Fentanyl prescribing is increasing to a lesser degree. Morphine and tramadol prescribing appears to have plateaued.Conclusion: Opioid use is increasing. There is a pressing need for co‐ordinated assessment of efficacy and harms to facilitate quality usage of opioids.
The dorsal premotor cortex orchestrates concurrent speech and fingertapping movements
Authors: Meister Ingo G. , Buelte Dorothee , Staedtgen Mario , Boroojerdi Babak , Sparing Roland 
Published: May 2009

AbstractHuman speech and hand use both involve highly specialized complex movement patterns. Whereas previous studies in detail characterized the cortical motor systems mediating speech and finger movements, the network that provides coordination of concurrent speech and hand movements so far is unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the present study investigated differential cortical networks devoted to speech or fingertapping, and regions mediating integration of these complex movement patterns involving different effectors. The conjunction contrasts revealing regions activated both during sole fingertapping and sole repetitive articulation or reading aloud showed contralateral regions at the border of ventral and dorsal motor cortex. In contrast, the analyses revealing regions showing a higher level of fMRI activation for concurrent movements of both effectors compared with sole hand movements or repetitive articulation or reading aloud showed distinct premotor activations, which were situated dorsal and caudal to the areas activated across speech and fingertapping tasks. These results indicate that the premotor cortex (PMC) subserves coordination of concurrent speech with hand movements. This integrative motor region is not identical with the area that shows overlapping activations for speech and fingertapping. Thus, concurrent performance of these complex movement patterns involving different effectors requires, in addition to somatotopic motor cortex activation, orchestration subserved by a distinct PMC area.
Epilepsy‐induced abnormal striatal plasticity in Bassoon mutant mice
Authors: Ghiglieri Veronica , Picconi Barbara , Sgobio Carmelo , Bagetta Vincenza , Barone Ilaria , Paillè Vincent , Di Filippo Massimiliano , Polli Federica , Gardoni Fabrizio , Altrock Wilko , Gundelfinger Eckart D. , De Sarro Giovambattista , Bernardi Giorgio , Ammassari‐Teule Martine , Di Luca Monica , Calabresi Paolo 
Published: May 2009

AbstractRecently, the striatum has been implicated in the spread of epileptic seizures. As the absence of functional scaffolding protein Bassoon in mutant mice is associated with the development of pronounced spontaneous seizures, we utilized this new genetic model of epilepsy to investigate seizure‐induced changes in striatal synaptic plasticity. Mutant mice showed reduced long‐term potentiation in striatal spiny neurons, associated with an altered N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit distribution, whereas GABAergic fast‐spiking (FS) interneurons showed NMDA‐dependent short‐term potentiation that was absent in wild‐type animals. Alterations in the dendritic morphology of spiny neurons and in the number of FS interneurons were also observed. Early antiepileptic treatment with valproic acid reduced epileptic attacks and mortality, rescuing physiological striatal synaptic plasticity and NMDA receptor subunit composition. However, morphological alterations were not affected by antiepileptic treatment. Our results indicate that, in Bsn mutant mice, initial morphological alterations seem to reflect a more direct effect of the abnormal genotype, whereas plasticity changes are likely to be caused by the occurrence of repeated cortical seizures.
Clinical outcomes from a randomised comparison of Microwave Endometrial Ablation with Thermal Balloon endometrial ablation for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding
Authors: Sambrook AM , Cooper KG , Campbell MK , Cook JA 
Published: May 2009

Objective  To compare the clinical outcomes of microwave endometrial ablation and thermal balloon ablation for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding.Design  A double blind randomised controlled trial.Setting  A UK teaching hospital.Population  Three hundred and twenty women requesting endometrial ablation.Methods  Operative data collection and patient completed postal questionnaires were used to ascertain women’s satisfaction with outcome, acceptability of each procedure, changes in menstrual symptoms and health related quality of life and additional treatments received.Main outcome measures  Primary outcomes were satisfaction and menstrual scores 1 year. Secondary outcomes were operative differences, acceptability of treatment and changes in health related quality of life.Results  Both technologies achieved high levels of satisfaction (−1%, 95% CI (−11, 9)). Menstrual scores were also similar (4%, 95% CI (−7, 19)) Microwave had a significantly shorter operating time, reduced usage of antiemetics and opiate analgesia, increased discharge by 6 hours and fewer device failures.Conclusions  Both treatments are acceptable to women, with high levels of satisfaction. Microwave is quicker to perform with faster hospital discharge.
Misoprostol for second trimester pregnancy termination in women with prior caesarean: a systematic review
Authors: Berghella V , Airoldi J , O’Neill AM , Einhorn K , Hoffman M 
Published: May 2009

Background  Second trimester pregnancy induction with misoprostol in women with prior caesarean delivery is not well studied.Objective  To estimate the risk of uterine rupture using misoprostol as an induction agent for pregnancy termination in the second trimester of pregnancy in women with prior caesarean delivery.Search strategy  Cases of women with a history of prior caesarean delivery and subsequent misoprostol induction for pregnancy termination in the second trimester (16–28 weeks) were obtained from two main data sources. First, a retrospective chart analysis was performed at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Christiana Hospital between 1998 and 2004. Second, multiple Medline, Scopus and POPLINE literature searches were performed.Selection criteria  Case series and cohort studies of women with one or more prior caesarean delivery (of any type), and with a subsequent pregnancy with induction of labour for pregnancy termination at 16–28 weeks using misoprostol as the initial primary agent were included. Case reports were analysed separately.Data collection and analysis  Total cases were analysed by type and number of prior caesarean delivery, for the primary outcome of uterine rupture.Main results  The incidence of uterine rupture associated with second trimester misoprostol termination was 0.4% (2/461) in women with one prior low transverse, 0% (0/46) in those with two prior low transverse and 50% (1/2) in those with a prior classical caesarean delivery. One of the cases of uterine rupture in a woman with a prior low transverse caesarean required transfusion. None of the total eight cases (including case reports) of uterine rupture was associated with hysterectomy.Conclusions  Second trimester misoprostol termination appears safe among women with one prior low transverse caesarean birth, as it is associated with incidences of uterine rupture of 0.4% (95% confidence interval 0.08–1.67%), of hysterectomy of 0% and of transfusion of 0.2%. There are insufficient data on risk with more than one prior caesarean birth or with prior classical caesarean birth.
Antenatal ultrasound to predict postnatal renal function in congenital lower urinary tract obstruction: systematic review of test accuracy
Authors: Morris RK , Malin GL , Khan KS , Kilby MD 
Published: May 2009

Background  Congenital urinary tract obstruction can lead to perinatal mortality and morbidity. Assessing antenatal ultrasound features may help identify fetuses likely to suffer complications.Objective  To evaluate the accuracy of antenatal ultrasound in the prediction of postnatal renal function in cases of congenital lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO).Search strategy  We conducted electronic searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, MEDION, SIGLE, SCISEARCH Index of scientific and technical proceedings, National Research Register (database inception – 2008) and Medical Conferences register and searched reference lists.Selection criteria  Two reviewers independently selected articles in which the accuracy of fetal ultrasound features were evaluated to predict postnatal renal function with no language restrictions.Data collection and analysis  Data were extracted on study characteristics, quality and results to construct 2 × 2 tables. Likelihood ratios for positive (LR+) and negative (LR−) test results, sensitivity and specificity were generated for the different ultrasound parameters and reference standards.Main results  Thirteen articles that met the selection criteria, including 215 women and 33 2 × 2 tables. Meta‐analysis was performed using clinically similar subgroups to minimise clinical heterogeneity. The ultrasound parameter that showed the best predictive value for postnatal renal function in survivors was renal cortical appearance, sensitivity 0.57 (95% CI 0.37–0.76) and specificity 0.84 (95% CI 0.71–0.94), area under the curve 0.78.Conclusion  Measurement of amniotic fluid volume and the appearance of the renal cortex at diagnosis of LUTO show promising predictive accuracy for poor postnatal renal function.
Bifocals and Down’s syndrome: correction or treatment?
Authors: Al‐Bagdady Mohammad , Stewart Ruth E. , Watts Patrick , Murphy Paul J. , Woodhouse J. Margaret 
Published: May 2009

AbstractPurpose:  Accommodation is reduced in approximately 75% of children with Down’s syndrome (DS). Bifocals have been shown to be beneficial and they are currently prescribed regularly. Clinical observations suggest the likelihood of improving accommodative ability after bifocal wear. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential use of bifocals as a treatment for the reduced accommodation.Methods:  Clinical records of 40 children from the Cardiff Down’s Syndrome Vision Research Unit, who were prescribed bifocals, were reviewed. Accommodation was noted before wearing the bifocals and during either their latest visit or when the children stopped using bifocals. Accommodation was reassessed during a follow up visit for the children who stopped wearing bifocals. Development of accommodation before bifocal commencement, age at bifocal prescription, gender, type of refractive error, visual acuity and the presence of strabismus were examined to evaluate their contribution to accommodation improvement.Results:  The accommodative ability of 65% (n = 26) of the children improved (through the distance part of the lens) after using the bifocals. More than half of those developed accurate accommodation without the use of bifocals (n = 14). Accommodative responses did not show any improvement with age before the children began wearing bifocals. Accurate accommodation was sustained after returning to single vision lenses in all examined children. The age distribution of the children on bifocal commencement was diverse. Presence of strabismus, refractive error type, visual acuity and gender did not have any effect on gaining improvement.Conclusions:  Bifocals are an effective correction for the reduced accommodation in children with DS and also act to improve accommodation with a success rate of 65%. Bifocal wear can therefore be temporary, i.e. a ‘treatment’ for the deficit, in at least one third of children.