bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contemporary management of atherosclerotic renovascular disease: Before and after ASTRAL
Authors: RITCHIE JAMES , CHRYSOCHOU CONSTANTINA , KALRA PHILIP A 
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACTAtheromatous renovascular disease is an increasingly common diagnosis in our ageing population. Although there is a wide spread of experience in its treatment, the evidence base is heterogeneous and inconclusive. The Angioplasty and Stenting for Renal Artery Lesions trial has provided some, but not all, answers regarding the place of renal revascularization therapy and has also raised more questions and generated further debate. We present a brief review of the significance of atheromatous renovascular disease, discussion of historical treatments, a short analysis of Angioplasty and Stenting for Renal Artery Lesions, and an exploration of where future research lies.
Vital endowments: Sir Charles Bell and the history of some congenital abnormalities of the upper limb
Authors: Thurston Alan 
Published: May 2011

AbstractBorn in Edinburgh in 1774 Sir Charles Bell, as a young man, studied anatomy and surgery in his hometown. There followed a distinguished career that culminated in his becoming the first professor of Anatomy and Surgery at the College of Surgeons in London. Renowned as a brilliant neuroanatomist he was invited, on the advice of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, to contribute one of eight volumes of a work on the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God as manifested in the Creation – known as the Bridgewater Treatises. ‘The Hand its Mechanism and Vital Endowments as Evincing Design’ was published in 1833 and it is an account of his considering the hand as a machine that has been engineered to exacting standards to interact with the environment in which we live. In it he expressed a deep understanding of the similarity of the structure of the upper limbs of the higher orders of animals.The similarity of the paddle of a turtle and a human hand with acrosymbrachydactyly is unmistakable. This congenital abnormality, given the eponymous title of Apert's syndrome, is one of a number of congenital abnormalities that have parallels in the animal kingdom. Others who have had similar syndromes named after them include Poland, Marfan, Streeter and a number of others. The life and times of these men and their contributions to medicine will be presented in this paper.
Torsion of intraperitoneal kidney transplant
Authors: Lucewicz Ania , Isaacs Anna , Allen Richard D. M. , Lam Vincent W. T. , Angelides Socrates , Pleass Henry C. C. 
Published: May 2011

AbstractBackground:  Torsion of kidney transplant refers to rotation of the kidney transplant graft around its vascular pedicle resulting in vascular compromise and infarction. It is a rare complication of kidney transplantation associated with a high rate of graft loss. Clinical presentation and diagnostic imaging modalities are non‐specific, and surgical exploration is therefore often delayed.Methods:  We present a case report and review of the literature. Studies were identified by searching Medline and Embase from January 1954 to December 2010. Data was extracted regarding the clinical presentation, investigation, findings on surgical exploration, and treatment outcomes of patients with torsion of kidney transplant.Results:  Eight manuscripts with 16 cases of kidney torsion were found. Presenting symptoms were decreased renal function (13 cases), abdominal pain (10 cases), oliguria/anuria (9 cases), nausea and vomiting (4 cases), fever (3 cases), diarrhoea (3 cases), weight gain (2 cases), oedema (3 cases), fatigue (1 case) and impalpable graft (1 case). Investigations were Doppler sonography (11 cases), grey‐scale sonography (7 cases), nuclear scintigraphy (5 cases), computed tomography scan (4 cases), and magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography (1 case). Of the 16 published cases of torsion, seven (44%) grafts were detorted and salvaged, three (19%) grafts were detorted but subsequently lost and six (38%) patients underwent immediate nephrectomy.Conclusions:  A prompt consideration of the diagnosis of torsion of kidney transplant is required to prevent delay in surgical intervention. We recommend urgent Doppler ultrasound be used as first‐line investigation, followed by prompt surgical exploration. We recommend the use of prophylactic nephropexy to prevent torsion.
Reference values for the Timed Up and Go test in healthy Japanese elderly people: Determination using the methodology of meta‐analysis
Authors: Kamide Naoto , Takahashi Kayoko , Shiba Yoshitaka 
Published: May 2011

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to determine the reference value for the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) in healthy Japanese elderly people using the methodology of meta‐analysis, and to determine the value for different measurement protocols.Methods:  Relevant research articles were identified from electronic databases: MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Igaku‐cyuouzasshi. The search was conducted from January 1991 to June 2010, and the terms “timed up and go” and “elderly” were used in combination in the search. Furthermore, the searches were limited to articles involving Japanese healthy elderly people aged 60 years and older. Weighted means of TUG were calculated by a fixed effect model and a random effect model to estimate reference values. Furthermore, the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the weighted mean of TUG was also estimated.Results:  Twelve studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria: eight provided data for maximum effort, and five provided data related to usual pace. When weighted means of TUG were estimated by the fixed effect model, there was significant heterogeneity. Therefore, a random effect model was used for re‐estimation. As a result, the weighted mean of TUG with maximum effort was 6.60 s (95% CI = 6.18–7.02 s), and that at usual pace was 8.86 s (95% CI = 7.99–9.72 s).Conclusion:  The reference values of TUG in Japanese healthy elderly people calculated in this study are certainly shorter than in African‐Americans and Caucasians. The reference values of TUG estimated by our study appear to be specific for healthy, elderly, Japanese people. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 445–441.
SIFs of CCT plate repaired with single‐sided composite patch
Authors: SHEN H. , HOU C. 
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACTConstant amplitude load fatigue tests are performed to obtain crack propagation data for LF2‐aluminium centre crack tension (CCT) plates un‐repaired and repaired with single‐sided composite patches. Then, the James–Anderson method, an experimental method, is used to obtain the stress intensity factor (SIF) formula for the repaired CCT plates with carbon–fibre composite patches. At last, crack propagation life prediction and finite element (FE) calculation are carried out to validate the experimental SIF formula. It is shown that the present SIF formula can exactly predict the fatigue‐crack propagation life of the patched CCT plates and is close to the FE results, which implies the effectivity of the experimental SIF formula in the present paper.
Desire for perioperative information and parental ethnicity
Authors: Martin Sarah R. , Fortier Michelle A. , Kain Danielle I. , Tan Edwin T. , Huszti Heather , Wahi Aditi 
Published: May 2011

SummaryObjectives:  To examine the role of ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic variables in parental desire for information regarding children’s surgery.Aim:  To compare anesthetic and surgical information desired between English‐ and Spanish‐speaking White and Hispanic mothers of children undergoing outpatient surgery.Background:  Parents report wanting to receive detailed information regarding children’s preoperative care; however, variables such as parent ethnicity and language spoken have not been accounted for in understanding desire for information.Methods/Materials:  One hundred and eighty‐one mothers of children undergoing outpatient surgery, elective surgery, and general anesthesia were recruited and categorized into one of three groups: English‐speaking White (ESW, n = 79), English‐speaking Hispanic (ESH, n = 63), and Spanish‐speaking Hispanic (SSH, n = 39). In addition to providing demographic questionnaire, mothers completed the Parental Desire for Information (PDI) questionnaire, a 14‐item measure of surgery and anesthesia‐related statements.Results:  Overall, mothers desired receiving information about the majority of the items on the PDI. As compared to ESW mothers, SSH mothers and ESH mothers were overrepresented in the ‘have a right to know’ response option, with significant differences existing in items concerning alternative methods of anesthesia, details of needles used, and location of PACU and OR.Conclusions:  Anesthesiologists should tailor the provision of preoperative information based on ethnicity and language of mothers involved. Ethnic and language differences shown in this study may exist in other populations as well.
Key two‐component regulatory systems that control biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Mikkelsen Helga , Sivaneson Melissa , Filloux Alain 
Published: May 2011

SummaryBiofilm formation in P. aeruginosa is a highly regulated process that proceeds through a number of distinct stages. This development is controlled by a wide range of factors, of which two‐component systems (TCSs) play a key role. In this review, we focus on some of the TCSs that regulate the switch from a motile to a sessile bacterial lifestyle, either via the production of extracellular appendages or by the production of exopolysaccharides. Extracellular appendages, such as flagella, type IV pili and Cup fimbriae are often involved in the initial attachment of bacteria to a surface. In P. aeruginosa, many of these surface structures are regulated by TCSs, and some systems regulate more than one type of appendage. Furthermore, the production of exopolysaccharides, such as Pel and Psl, is required for P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. The regulation of Pel and Psl is post‐transcriptionally repressed by RsmA, the activity of which is controlled by a complex regulatory system involving several sensor kinases and accessory components. Furthermore, the Rsm system is a major control system that inversely regulates factors involved in motility and acute infection on one hand, and factors involved in biofilm formation and chronic infection on the other hand. Finally, a series of TCSs has recently been discovered that regulates biofilm development in a stage‐specific manner. Taken together, these complex regulatory networks allow the bacterium to respond appropriately to diverse environmental stimuli, and increased knowledge of their mechanisms and signals could be of great importance in the design of novel antibacterial strategies.
Long‐term fitness consequences for offspring of female oviposition decisions in the rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus)
Authors: Agbali Muna , Smith Carl 
Published: May 2011

Agbali, M. and Smith, C. 2012. Long‐term fitness consequences for offspring of female oviposition decisions in the rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus). —Acta Zoologica(Stockholm)93: 367–372.AbstractFemale oviposition decisions can have immediate consequences for offspring fitness as well as longer‐term effects, either through irreversible disruption to normal development, inducing alternative adult phenotypes, or through ‘coping’ whereby challenges to development are compensated in the short term, but carry a fitness cost in the adult. We investigated the long‐term impacts of oviposition decisions on offspring fitness parameters in the rose bitterling fish (Rhodeus ocellatus). Bitterling lay their eggs in the gills of living freshwater mussels, which complete development inside the mussel gill chamber. Bitterling embryo mortality in mussels is density dependent, and consequently, there are immediate costs associated with using mussels containing high numbers of eggs and embryos. We raised embryos at high and low densities for the first 4 weeks of development and then at a common low density until sexual maturity. Our results showed no effect of density on offspring survival or growth. However, there was an impact of density on age and size at maturity, with embryos raised at high densities becoming sexually mature earlier and at a smaller size. This effect may arise through embryos coping with low oxygen conditions during development. The results are discussed in the context of development and mating system evolution.
Extension of the growing season due to delayed autumn over mid and high latitudes in North America during 1982–2006
Authors: Zhu Wenquan , Tian Hanqin , Xu Xiaofeng , Pan Yaozhong , Chen Guangsheng , Lin Wenpeng 
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACTAim  We intend to characterize and understand the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation phenology shifts in North America during the period 1982–2006.Location  North America.Methods  A piecewise logistic model is used to extract phenological metrics from a time‐series data set of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). An extensive comparison between satellite‐derived phenological metrics and ground‐based phenology observations for 14,179 records of 73 plant species at 802 sites across North America is made to evaluate the information about phenology shifts obtained in this study.Results  The spatial pattern of vegetation phenology shows a strong dependence on latitude but a substantial variation along the longitudinal gradient. A delayed dormancy onset date (0.551 days year−1, P= 0.013) and an extended growing season length (0.683 days year−1, P= 0.011) are found over the mid and high latitudes in North America during 1982–2006, while no significant trends in greenup onset are observed. The delayed dormancy onset date and extended growing season length are mainly found in the shrubland biome. An extensive validation indicates a strong robustness of the satellite‐derived phenology information.Main conclusions  It is the delayed dormancy onset date, rather than an advanced greenup onset date, that has contributed to the prolonged length of the growing season over the mid and high latitudes in North America during recent decades. Shrublands contribute the most to the delayed dormancy onset date and the extended growing season length. This shift of vegetation phenology implies that vegetation activity in North America has been altered by climatic change, which may further affect ecosystem structure and function in the continent.
SOCIAL COMPARISON AND SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING: DOES THE HEALTH OF OTHERS MATTER?
Authors: Carrieri Vincenzo 
Published: May 2011

ABSTRACTThe importance of social comparison in shaping individual utility has been widely documented by subjective well‐being literature. So far, income and unemployment have been the main dimensions considered in social comparison. This paper aims to investigate whether subjective well‐being is influenced by inter‐personal comparison with respect to health. Thus, we study the effects of the health of others and relative health hypotheses on two measures of subjective well‐being: happiness and subjective health. Using data from the Italian Health Conditions survey, we show that a high incidence of chronic conditions and disability among reference groups negatively affects both happiness and subjective health. Such effects are stronger among people in the same condition. These results, robust to different econometric specifications and estimation techniques, suggest the presence of some sympathy in individual preferences with respect to health and reveal that other people's health status serves as a benchmark to assess one's own health condition.
Congestion Pricing and Learning in Traffic Network Games
Authors: MELO EMERSON 
Published: May 2011

AbstractA stochastic model describing the learning process and adaptive behavior of finitely many users in a congested traffic network with parallel links is used to prove convergence almost surely toward an efficient equilibrium for a related game. To prove this result, we assume that the social planner charges on every route the marginal cost pricing without knowing what is the efficient equilibrium. The result is a dynamic version of Pigou’s solution, where the implementation is made in a decentralized way and the information about players gathered by the social planner is minimal. Our result and setting may be extended to the general case of negative externalities.
Urban Crime and Labor Mobility
Authors: BANDYOPADHYAY SUBHAYU , PINTO SANTIAGO M. , WHEELER CHRISTOPHER H. 
Published: May 2011

AbstractTwo municipalities within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) determine the level of local law enforcement. Enforcement reduces and diverts crime. The former confers a spillover benefit; the latter a spillover cost. When labor is mobile, welfare necessarily declines: if enforcement is too high (low) under labor immobility, it is raised (reduced) further under mobility. If municipalities have different enforcement costs, mobility reduces welfare for the high‐cost municipality and for the MSA, but the effect is ambiguous on the low‐cost municipality. Finally, when residents choose between productive and criminal activities, enforcement is more likely to be overprovided.
Factors impacting the combination of topical corticosteroid therapies for psoriasis: perspectives from the international psoriasis council
Authors: van de Kerkhof P.C.M. , Kragballe K. , Segaert S. , Lebwohl M. ,   International Psoriasis Council
Published: May 2011

AbstractCorticosteroids are the mainstay of topical therapies for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis. Selection of vehicle, concentrations of corticosteroid and coadministered medications, and frequency of administration are critical factors that enhance bioavailability of topical corticosteroids. Topical corticosteroids are commonly used as polytherapy and combination therapy with other agents, such as salicylic acid, vitamin D analogues and tazarotene. Combinations are selected for the ability to enhance efficacy while minimizing corticosteroid‐related side‐effects, such as cutaneous atrophy. New, innovative products such as sprays, foams and nail lacquers provide opportunities to tailor treatment for individuals, which promotes patient adherence to medications. This review covers features of topical corticosteroid formulations that affect bioavailability, efficacy and safety when used as monotherapy and in combination with other agents for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis.
Life satisfaction and inflammatory biomarkers: The 2008 Scottish Health Survey1
Authors: HAMER MARK , CHIDA YOICHI 
Published: May 2011

AbstractPositive psychological attributes have been associated with better health outcomes, although the mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study examined associations between life satisfaction and inflammatory biomarkers. Participants were 369 men and 428 women (aged 52.1 ± 16.8 years) recruited from the general population. Participants were required to rate their life satisfaction on a scale ranging from 0 (extremely dissatisfied) to 10 (extremely satisfied). Blood was collected for the measurement of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. In comparison with participants that were dissatisfied with life (5.8% of the sample), those that reported high life satisfaction demonstrated a lower CRP concentration (beta coefficient = −.24, 95% CI, −.47, −.02) and lower fibrinogen (β = −.24, 95% CI, −.45, −.04) after adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, body mass index, and depressive symptoms. Life dissatisfaction was also associated with smoking, lower education, and depressive symptoms. In summary, lower levels of circulating inflammatory markers might be an important psychobiological process through which positive psychological attributes protect against disease risk.
Biological consequences of disturbed sleep: Important mediators of health?1
Authors: OKUN MICHELE L. 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThere is an extensive literature regarding the immunological and endocrinological consequences of illness, stress, and psychopathology. Yet only a modest literature is available regarding the potential unfavorable effects of chronic sleep loss/disruption on immune and endocrine pathways or on various aspects of health. Given that humans spend approximately one‐third of their lives asleep, it seems pertinent to evaluate this necessary yet understudied behavior. The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that “excessive” sleep disruption or poor sleep quality/continuity may subsequently increase risk for adverse health outcomes, as well as mortality. This is thought to occur through dysregulation of biological pathways. While our information addressing the immunological or endocrinological consequences of poor sleep is mounting, the majority of evidence stems from epidemiologic and cross‐sectional studies. The immune and endocrine systems are dynamic and constantly in flux. Thus, the methodologies and study designs used to understand how sleep affects these systems needs to be as dynamic. Experimental manipulations and longitudinal evaluations are needed to effectively understand sleep as a risk factor for health. Thus, this paper is a primer in which to highlight the immunological and endocrinological consequences of disrupted or disturbed sleep as well as describe how these relationships may impact overall health. It is also meant to spark an interest for future evaluations of how the behavior of sleep is relevant to health.
Perceived stress, loneliness, and interaction with fellow students does not affect innate mucosal immunity in first year university students
Authors: WAWRZYNIAK ANDREW J. , WHITEMAN MARTHA C. POLLARD 
Published: May 2011

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to better understand how stress, loneliness, and interactions with peers may affect innate mucosal immunity in new university students. To examine these relationships, 68 new undergraduate students (27 male, 41 female; mean age = 18.89 ± 0.73 years) completed psychosocial measures at four times over a 13‐month period and provided saliva samples to measure salivary secretory immunoglobulin‐A (sIgA) to determine innate immune functioning. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Interaction with Students domain from the Affective Quality of University Life Scale were administered at four time points over 1 year at approximately the start of the first two semesters, exam time, and the start of the second academic year. A lower salivary sIgA secretion rate was found at the beginning of students' academic careers; however, none of the three measures were found to be related to sIgA secretion rates at any assessment after controlling for sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, recent illnesses, and current medications. Previous studies have had mixed results in demonstrating a relationship between sIgA and stress and social interactions. In light of this, the present study also did not find this effect in first‐year university students assessed at four time points. These results are discussed in relation to variances in psychosocial assessments; further studies accounting for cross‐cultural differences, additional inventories, and more immune markers are suggested.