bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Lumbosacral Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections: A Systematic Review
Authors: Roberts Scott T. , Willick Stuart E. , Rho Monica E. , Rittenberg Joshua D. 
Published: July 2009

ObjectiveTo critically review the best available studies evaluating the efficacy of lumbosacral transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) in the treatment of radicular pain.Data SourcesMEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database were searched for the period between 1950 and May 2008. Search terms included epidural steroid injection (ESI), transforaminal ESI, foraminal ESI, selective nerve root block, nerve root injection (NRI), selective NRI, periradicular infiltration, and periradicular injection. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published in English, which evaluated the efficacy of fluoroscopically guided TFESIs were reviewed.Study SelectionStudies were analyzed with a quality checklist modeled after the 2001 CONSORT Statement: Revised Recommendations for Improving the Quality of Reports of Parallel‐Group Randomized Trials. Nine studies were found to include a majority of these items.Data ExtractionData included study design, inclusion criteria, symptom duration, randomization protocol, blinding protocol, intervention, control, outcomes, follow‐up, dropout, statistical analysis, and conclusions.Data SynthesisEach article was assigned a level of evidence: I (high‐quality RCT) or II (RCT with <80% follow‐up, no blinding or improper randomization). Studies were divided according to control, and overall evidence was graded as A (good), B (fair), C (conflicting/poor quality), or I (insufficient).ConclusionsThere is fair evidence supporting TFESIs as superior to placebo for treating radicular symptoms. There is good evidence that TFESIs should be used as a surgery‐sparing intervention, and that TFESIs are superior to interlaminar ESIs (ILESIs) and caudal ESIs for radicular pain. In patients with subacute or chronic radicular symptoms, there is good evidence that a single TFESI has similar efficacy as a single transforaminal injection of bupivacaine or saline. Future studies should address the ideal number of injections. While more placebo‐controlled trials are needed to conclusively define the role of TFESIs, current studies support their use in the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain.
Long-term oral administration of cows' milk improves insulin sensitivity in rats fed a high-sucrose diet
Authors: Matsumoto Megumi , Inoue Ryo , Tsuruta Takeshi , Hara Hiroshi , Yajima Takaji 
Published: July 2009

We evaluated the effects of long-term daily cows' milk (CM) administration on insulin resistance induced by a high-sucrose diet. F344 rats, aged 3 weeks, were divided into two groups according to diet (dextrin-fedv.sucrose-fed). These groups were further divided into two groups receiving either CM or artificial milk (AM; isoenergetic emulsion of egg white protein, maltose, lard and minerals). Rats were fed a sucrose- or dextrin-based diet for 7 weeks and orally administered CM or AM at 25 ml/kg following an 8 h fast on a daily basis. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated via postprandial changes in serum glucose and insulin, oral glucose tolerance tests, and fasting serum insulin and fructosamine concentrations. The sucrose-fed rats showed an overall decrease in insulin sensitivity, but postprandial insulin levels were lower in the CM-treated subgroup than in the AM-treated subgroup. Peak serum glucose and insulin concentrations were highest in the sucrose-fed rats, but CM administration reduced peak glucose and insulin values in comparison with AM administration. By area under the curve analysis, insulin levels after feeding and glucose loads were significantly lower in the CM-treated groups than in the AM-treated groups. The CM-treated groups also demonstrated lower fasting insulin and fructosamine levels than the AM-treated groups. Improved insulin sensitivity due to CM administration seemed to be associated with reduced duodenal GLUT2 mRNA levels and increased propionate production within the caecum.
Effective, simple treatment for perichondritis and pinna haematoma
Authors: Pattanaik S 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective:To describe a new treatment for perichondritis and haematoma of the pinna. At present, the existing treatment for these conditions is initially medical (which usually fails), followed by surgery (incision, drainage and compression to prevent recurrence) with accompanying medical management. However, the result is often a failure, resulting in partial or complete ‘cauliflower ear’ deformity.Procedure:The described treatment involves draining the site of infection and irrigating with streptomycin solution. The cavity is then filled with a solution of streptomycin, hyaluronidase and triamcinolone.Result:The described treatment avoids the conventional surgical procedure, which is cumbersome for surgeons and harrowingly painful for patients.Conclusion:The new treatment may be recommended for universal use.
History of parathyroid gland surgery: an historical case series
Authors: Giddings C E B , Rimmer J , Weir N 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe history of the parathyroid glands is a fascinating one full of famous medical names. The discovery of the glands was followed by laborious research into their anatomy, embryology and pathology and into the physiology of calcium metabolism; this led to the manufacture of hormone substitutes and, finally, to the refinement of surgical techniques. The glands were first identified in 1850 by Sir Richard Owen, conservator of the Hunterian Museum, but it was not until 1880 that the term ‘glandulae parathyroideae’ was first used. The physiology of parathyroid hormone and calcium metabolism eluded physicians and the forefathers of thyroid surgery alike for several decades more. Patients were treated as curiosities and were documented as untreatable medical patients or as inexplicable thyroid surgery complications. Halsted noticed the ‘disastrous results from the loss of the glands’ and the resulting tetany, as did Billroth. It is the patients, however, who best illustrate the journey of discovery. In this review, we discuss three cases, highlighting their contributions.
Endoscopic resection of low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma
Authors: Oestreicher-Kedem Y , Dray T G , Damrose E J 
Published: July 2009

AbstractIntroduction:This paper evaluates the feasibility of transoral, endoscopic resection of macroscopically localised, low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma.Method:Retrospective case study including patients diagnosed with low grade, subglottic laryngeal chondrosarcoma. Tumours were resected endoscopically via direct laryngoscopy with microlaryngeal technique, under jet ventilation. The post-operative course, vocal fold function, airway patency and oncological results were evaluated.Results:Two male patients aged 49 and 60 years underwent endoscopic, translaryngeal, en bloc resection of low grade chondrosarcoma of the cricoid cartilage. Extubation was performed immediately after surgery. Neither patient required tracheostomy or developed subglottic stenosis. No tumour recurrence was noted after an average follow up of 10.5 months. Voice quality was stable and dyspnoea improved.Summary:Transoral, endoscopic resection of low grade, subglottic chondrosarcoma is a viable technique with good functional outcomes. Extensive resection of subglottic disease is possible, which may afford patients an alternative to total laryngectomy.
Approximation of muscle remnants improves cosmesis following hemimandibulectomy
Authors: Chaturvedi P 
Published: July 2009

AbstractHemimandibulectomy should be avoided whenever possible, as it results in significant deterioration in quality of life. If hemimandibulectomy is unavoidable, attempts should be made to reconstruct the bone and soft tissue defect by free tissue transfer or a pedicled flap such as a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. Bony reconstruction may become challenging when oncological safety mandates removal of the vertical ramus or the condyle. Elderly patients and those with significant co-morbidity are not suitable for prolonged microvascular surgery. Oral cancer is a disease of impoverished nations, where most health institutions may not have the infrastructure to offer microvascular reconstruction. The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, the workhorse for reconstruction of such defects, occasionally has limitations in terms of bulk, limited arc of rotation, shoulder dysfunction etc. Therefore, hemimandibulectomy and primary mucosal closure continues to be a common procedure in developing nations. A simple technique is proposed with which to improve cosmesis following hemimandibulectomy, utilising the locally available muscle remnants. In highly selected patients, the remaining muscles can be approximated to prevent the lateral hollow that is a common but unacceptable sequel to hemimandibulectomy.
‘Steam-boat’ supraglottic laryngoplasty for treatment of chronic refractory aspiration: a modification of Biller's technique
Authors: Ku P K M , Abdullah V J , Vlantis A C , Lee K Y S , van Hasselt A C , Tong M C F 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective:The surgical treatment of intractable aspiration usually requires sacrifice of the patient's natural voice to prevent food entering the airway. Biller described a tubed supraglottic laryngoplasty to control aspiration while allowing patients to phonate with their larynx. Our preliminary experience with this technique in Chinese patients has been disappointing, as tension in the mucosa on wound closure led to wound dehiscence. Our objective was to modify Biller's technique in order to achieve a better outcome.Method:We modified Biller's technique by trimming the epiglottic cartilage and by inserting a tibial periosteal graft to reinforce closure of the mucosa, creating an arrangement resembling a Chinese steam boat.Results:Three Chinese patients underwent the modified Biller's technique. No wound dehiscence occurred, the surgery controlled aspiration, and the patients were able to phonate with their own larynx. All patients resumed oral feeding, and previously placed gastrostomy tubes were removed.Conclusion:The ‘steam-boat’ supraglottic laryngoplasty is a viable surgical alternative to total laryngectomy or tracheal diversion for controlling intractable aspiration, and preserves a phonating larynx.
A rare variant of first branchial cleft fistula
Authors: Ramnani S , Mungutwar V , Goyal N K , Bansal A 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective:We report an extremely rare variant of first branchial cleft anomaly.Case report:A 15-year-old girl presented with a history of recurrent mucopurulent discharge from an opening in the left infra-auricular region, since birth. Computed tomography fistulography showed a tortuous tract measuring approximately 4.61 cm, extending anteroinferiorly and medially from the external inframeatal opening to the lateral nasopharyngeal wall (anterior to the fossa of Rosenmuller). The tract was connected to the deep lobe of the parotid gland and lay 0.67 cm anterior to the carotid artery and posterior to the medial pterygoid muscle.Conclusion:This was an extremely rare variant of first branchial cleft fistula. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of its type to be reported. Computed tomography fistulography is the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of branchial cleft fistula, and will also assist surgical planning.
Combined approach branchial sinusectomy: a new technique for excision of second branchial cleft sinus
Authors: Olusesi A D 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective:Branchial cleft anomalies are well described, with the second arch anomaly being the commonest. Following surgical excision, recurrence occurs in 2 to 22 per cent of cases, and is believed to be due largely to incomplete resection. This report aims to describe a simple surgical technique for treatment of second branchial cleft sinus in the older paediatric age group and adults.Methodology:An 11-year-old girl underwent surgical excision of a second branchial sinus. Prior to surgery, she was assessed by means of an imaging sonogram, and by direct methylene blue dye injection into the sinus on the operating table, followed by insertion of a metallic probe. Dissection was of the ‘step ladder’ incision type, but the incision was completed via an oropharyngeal approach. Histological examination of the lesion after excision established the diagnosis. No recurrence had been observed at the time of writing.Conclusions:Although they are congenital lesions, second branchial cleft abnormalities usually present in the older paediatric age group or even in adulthood. In the case reported, a simple combined approach ensured completeness of resection.
Extrapolating cosmic ray variations and impacts on life: Morlet wavelet analysis
Authors: Zarrouk N. , Bennaceur R. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractExposure to cosmic rays may have both a direct and indirect effect on Earth's organisms. The radiation may lead to higher rates of genetic mutations in organisms, or interfere with their ability to repair DNA damage, potentially leading to diseases such as cancer. Increased cloud cover, which may cool the planet by blocking out more of the Sun's rays, is also associated with cosmic rays. They also interact with molecules in the atmosphere to create nitrogen oxide, a gas that eats away at our planet's ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. On the ground, humans are protected from cosmic particles by the planet's atmosphere.In this paper we give estimated results of wavelet analysis from solar modulation and cosmic ray data incorporated in time-dependent cosmic ray variation. Since solar activity can be described as a non-linear chaotic dynamic system, methods such as neural networks and wavelet methods should be very suitable analytical tools. Thus we have computed our results using Morlet wavelets. Many have used wavelet techniques for studying solar activity. Here we have analysed and reconstructed cosmic ray variation, and we have better depicted periods or harmonics other than the 11-year solar modulation cycles.
AMBIGUITY AND AMBIVALENCE IN THE VOTING BOOTH AND BEYOND
Authors: Peery Destiny , Bodenhausen Galen V. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe issue of race has followed Barack Obama since he emerged on the national political scene, continuing unabated throughout his successful 2008 presidential campaign. Although the issue of race is not always explicitly acknowledged or discussed by Obama himself, the implications of his successful candidacy for U.S. politics and the ways people in the United States think about race more generally have been of great interest to media pundits, social scientists, and laypersons alike. Race has been considered a substantial barrier to the electoral success of previous non-White political candidates; therefore Obama's success requires reconsideration of how race can be expected to influence political outcomes in the future. In addition, his biracial identity also raises questions about how his role as a prominent cultural figure will affect existing racial categories in the United States. A review of social psychological evidence highlights the importance of understanding the ambivalence that characterizes contemporary racial attitudes, as well as the ways in which definitions of race and racial categories may be changing, in order to understand the impact that Obama could have on the future of racial politics. We conclude that Obama's victory represents a large step in the direction of increasingly positive racial attitudes and more sophisticated public conceptualizations of race, but steady progress in the coming years is not guaranteed. We consider some of the opportunities and obstacles that may affect the trajectory of future gains in the struggle for racial equality in the Obama era.
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN?
Authors: Eibach Richard P. , Purdie-Vaughns Valerie 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBarack Obama's election as the first Black president of the United States has stimulated much discussion about progress toward racial equality in the United States. Opinion surveys document that White Americans reliably perceive the rate of progress toward racial equality as greater than do Black Americans. We focus on two psychological factors that contribute to these diverging perceptions: (1) the tendency of White Americans and Black Americans to adopt different reference points to assess racial progress, and (2) the general tendency to frame social change as a zero-sum game in which Black Americans' gains entail losses for White Americans. We review research examining how these two factors contribute to racial polarization on the topic of progress toward equality. We also draw on excerpts from Barack Obama's speeches and writings to demonstrate that he often frames issues in ways that, our research suggests, has the potential to substantially bridge these racial divisions.
BARACK IS THE NEW BLACK
Authors: Ford Richard Thompson 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBarack Obama's political strategies during the 2008 presidential election were those of a cohort of younger, new Black politicians, who have rewritten the playbook by which Blacks can win election. Their success suggests that White racism is no longer the insuperable barrier to Black success that it has been for all of American history and that the old style of Black politics, which relied heavily on racial bloc voting and influence peddling within the Black community, may be obsolete. However, Obama's strategy of not appealing to narrow racial solidarities but instead of drawing broad support from voters of all races cast a shadow of doubt on Obama's racial loyalties. It remains unclear whether the Obama phenomenon will mark the renewal of civil rights or the repudiation of its historical commitment to the most disadvantaged.
Vancomycin Therapeutic Guidelines: A Summary of Consensus Recommendations from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
Authors: Rybak Michael J. , Lomaestro Ben M. , Rotscahfer John C. , Moellering Robert C. , Craig Willam A. , Billeter Marianne , Dalovisio Joseph R. , Levine Donald P. 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Practice guidelines for therapeutic monitoring of vancomycin treatment for Staphylococcus aureus infection in adult patients were reviewed by an expert panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists. A literature review of existing evidence regarding vancomycin dosing and monitoring of serum concentrations, in addition to patient outcomes combined with expert opinion regarding the drug's pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and safety record, resulted in new recommendations for targeting and adjustment of vancomycin therapy.
IMG ER: a system for microbial genome annotation expert review and curation
Authors: Markowitz Victor M. , Mavromatis Konstantinos , Ivanova Natalia N. , Chen I-Min A. , Chu Ken , Kyrpides Nikos C. 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
Motivation: A rapidly increasing number of microbial genomes are sequenced by organizations worldwide and are eventually included into various public genome data resources. The quality of the annotations depends largely on the original dataset providers, with erroneous or incomplete annotations often carried over into the public resources and difficult to correct.
Results: We have developed an Expert Review (ER) version of the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system, with the goal of supporting systematic and efficient revision of microbial genome annotations. IMG ER provides tools for the review and curation of annotations of both new and publicly available microbial genomes within IMG's rich integrated genome framework. New genome datasets are included into IMG ER prior to their public release either with their native annotations or with annotations generated by IMG ER's annotation pipeline. IMG ER tools allow addressing annotation problems detected with IMG's comparative analysis tools, such as genes missed by gene prediction pipelines or genes without an associated function. Over the past year, IMG ER was used for improving the annotations of about 150 microbial genomes.
Contact: vmmarkowitz@lbl.gov
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
ITM Probe: analyzing information flow in protein networks
Authors: Stojmirović Aleksandar , Yu Yi-Kuo 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
Summary: Founded upon diffusion with damping, ITM Probe is an application for modeling information flow in protein interaction networks without prior restriction to the sub-network of interest. Given a context consisting of desired origins and destinations of information, ITM Probe returns the set of most relevant proteins with weights and a graphical representation of the corresponding sub-network. With a click, the user may send the resulting protein list for enrichment analysis to facilitate hypothesis formation or confirmation.
Availability: ITM Probe web service and documentation can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/qmbp/mn/itm_probe
Contact: yyu@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
HAPLOWSER: a whole-genome haplotype browser for personal genome and metagenome
Authors: Kim Jong Hyun , Kim Woo-Cheol , Waterman Michael S. , Park Sanghyun , Li Lei M. 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
Summary: Haplotype assembly is becoming a very important tool in genome sequencing of human and other organisms. Although haplotypes were previously inferred from genome assemblies, there has never been a comparative haplotype browser that depicts a global picture of whole-genome alignments among haplotypes of different organisms. We introduce a whole-genome HAPLotype brOWSER (HAPLOWSER), providing evolutionary perspectives from multiple aligned haplotypes and functional annotations. Haplowser enables the comparison of haplotypes from metagenomes, and associates conserved regions or the bases at the conserved regions with functional annotations and custom tracks. The associations are quantified for further analysis and presented as pie charts. Functional annotations and custom tracks that are projected onto haplotypes are saved as multiple files in FASTA format. Haplowser provides a user-friendly interface, and can display alignments of haplotypes with functional annotations at any resolution.
Availability: Haplowser, written in Java, supports multiple platforms including Windows and Linux. Haplowser is publicly available at http://embio.yonsei.ac.kr/haplowser
Contact: sanghyun@cs.yonsei.ac.kr; lilei@usc.edu
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at http://embio.yonsei.ac.kr/haplowser
DNA Isolation from Ants
Authors: Gadau Jürgen 
Published: July 2009

INTRODUCTIONMany different DNA isolation methods have been employed successfully in ants. Parameters such as the size and developmental stage of the specimen (egg, larvae, or adult) and the subsequent use of the DNA will mostly determine which method should be used. Ant body sizes range from minute (1-2 mm in length) to large (30 mm), and the volume of the initial digestion should be adjusted accordingly. Whereas workers usually have low concentrations of storage proteins and fat, queens and larvae can contain considerable amounts of these substances that can interfere with the subsequent use of the isolated DNA. Ants also have many glands in the head and abdomen, and the contents of these glands can also interfere with the successful application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or restriction digests of the isolated DNA. This protocol presents two DNA isolation methods that have worked reliably for a wide range of ant species: a “quick and dirty” technique using Chelex isolation, and a more elaborate, classical phenol:chloroform procedure.