bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of coil shape design on angiographic occlusion, packing density and coil mass uniformity in aneurysm embolization: an in vitro study
Authors: Mehra Manik , Hurley Michael C , Gounis Matthew J , King Robert M , Shaibani Ali , Dabus Guilherme , Labdag Fatimaezzahra E , Levy Elad I , Bendok Bernard R 
Published: January 2011

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of coil design on the distribution of the coil mass in a controlled in vitro experiment. A secondary objective was to study the relationship between angiographic occlusion, packing density and coil mass uniformity.MethodsSevensiliconside wall aneurysm models were embolized in each arm with a different coil design under fluoroscopic guidance. Packing density calculations and scoring of the angiographic occlusion were made. The models were embedded in epoxy and sectioned through the aneurysm neck and the dome. The sections were imaged and processed to derive the fractional surface area of coil material over the coil free area, a quantitative endpoint representing the percentage of the given region of interest consumed by coils. The SD of the surface area fractions is inversely proportional to the uniformity of coil distribution.ResultsThe novel triangular primary wind design of the Deltapaq achieved a more homogenous distribution of coils within the aneurysm dome compared with the helical and complex microcoil systems (p=0.018). The packing density achieved by the Deltapaq (39.1±1.6%) was significantly higher than the complex (35.2±2.8%) and the helical (32.2±3.3%) coils. Angiographically, aneurysms coiled by the Deltapaq were more likely to obtain a Raymond score of class I.ConclusionEvaluation of emerging coil technologies with respect to treatment durability may be well served by an assessment of their uniformity of distribution within an aneurysm in addition of the traditional packing density and angiographic occlusion scoring methods.
Peripheral arterial disease: the evolving role of non-invasive imaging
Authors: Owen A R , Roditi G H 
Published: January 2011

ABSTRACT
Peripheral arterial disease is usually secondary to stenotic or occlusive atherosclerosis and is both common and increasing in western society. The majority of symptomatic patients have intermittent claudication and only a minority (&lt;2% and typically those with diabetes mellitus or renal failure) progress to critical limb ischaemia, heralded by the onset of rest pain and/or tissue loss. Imaging is largely reserved for patients with disabling symptoms in whom revascularisation is planned. In these patients, accurate depiction of the vascular anatomy is critical for clinical decision making as the distribution and severity of disease are key factors determining whether revascularisation should be by endovascular techniques or open surgery. Driven by advances in technology, non-invasive vascular imaging has recently undergone significant refinement and has replaced conventional digital subtraction angiography for many clinical indications. In this review, the relative merits and limitations of duplex ultrasound, CT angiography, and magnetic resonance angiography are discussed, emerging imaging techniques are described, and complications relating to the use of intravascular contrast agents are highlighted.
Efficiency of anthropometric indicators of obesity for identifying cardiovascular risk factors in a Chinese population
Authors: Dong Xiaolin , Liu Yang , Yang Jie , Sun Yu , Chen Li 
Published: January 2011

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) for the presence of several cardiovascular risk conditions—hypertension, dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MS), and type 2 diabetes—in a Chinese population in Jinan, China.MethodsData for a representative, cross-sectional sample of 3006 adults (mean age; range 20–74 years) in Jinan from 2007 to 2008 were studied. The association of BMI, WC, and WHtR with cardiovascular risk conditions was assessed by use of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and by calculating the area under the ROC (AUC) and age adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.ResultsAUC cut-off values showed that the association of WHtR and WC was higher than that for BMI for all risk conditions for both sexes, except for hypertension in men. The AUC values for WC showed a higher association with hypertension and metabolic syndrome for women than men (p&lt;0.01 for hypertension, p&lt;0.05 for metabolic syndrome). The ORs were highest for WHtR for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and hypertension in women. The ORs were highest for BMI for hypertension in men.ConclusionsCompared with BMI, measures of central obesity, particularly WHtR, show a better association with obesity related cardiovascular risk conditions for both sexes, except for hypertension in men, in Jinan, China.
A comprehensive theory of volumetric radiance estimation using photon points and beams
Authors: Jarosz Wojciech , Nowrouzezahrai Derek , Sadeghi Iman , Jensen Henrik Wann 
Published: January 2011

We present two contributions to the area of volumetric rendering. We develop a novel, comprehensive theory of volumetric radiance estimation that leads to several new insights and includes all previously published estimates as special cases. This theory allows for estimating in-scattered radiance at a point, or accumulated radiance along a camera ray, with the standard photon particle representation used in previous work. Furthermore, we generalize these operations to include a more compact, and more expressive intermediate representation of lighting in participating media, which we call “photon beams.” The combination of these representations and their respective query operations results in a collection of nine distinct volumetric radiance estimates.
Our second contribution is a more efficient rendering method for participating media based on photon beams. Even when shooting and storing less photons and using less computation time, our method significantly reduces both bias (blur) and variance in volumetric radiance estimation. This enables us to render sharp lighting details (e.g., volume caustics) using just tens of thousands of photon beams, instead of the millions to billions of photon points required with previous methods.
Prognostic Significance of p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a Inactivation in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors
Authors: Endo Makoto , Kobayashi Chikashi , Setsu Nokitaka , Takahashi Yusuke , Kohashi Kenichi , Yamamoto Hidetaka , Tamiya Sadafumi , Matsuda Shuichi , Iwamoto Yukihide , Tsuneyoshi Masazumi , Oda Yoshinao 
Published: January 2011

Abstract
Purpose: p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a are tumor suppressor genes that are located closely at 9p21 and are often coinactivated by genetic or epigenetic alterations. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a rare sarcoma with poor prognosis. However, the prognostic implications of inactivation of p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a in MPNSTs have not been adequately investigated. Here we carried out a genetic, epigenetic, and expression analysis of p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a, and clarified the prognostic significance of their inactivation in MPNSTs.
Experimental Design: p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a protein expressions were assessed by immunohistochemistry in 129 formalin-fixed samples of MPNST including 85 primary tumors. Thirty-nine samples, for which frozen material was available, were also investigated by Western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to detect p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a protein and mRNA expression, and by multiplex real-time PCR, PCR single strand conformation polymorphism and methylation-specific PCR to detect p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a gene alterations.
Results: Immunohistochemically decreased expressions of p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a were observed in 48%, 54%, and 49% of primary MPNSTs, respectively, and were significantly correlated with their concordant mRNA levels. As for gene alterations, homozygous deletion of CDKN2A was detected in one third of the cases. Inactivation of p14ARF and p16INK4a was associated with poor prognosis by both univariate and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, cases with inactivation of all p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a genes showed the worst prognosis in a combined prognostic assessment.
Conclusion: A comprehensive analysis of p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a inactivation status provides useful prognostic information in MPNSTs. Clin Cancer Res; 17(11); 3771–82. ©2011 AACR.
Osteopontin-c Splicing Isoform Contributes to Ovarian Cancer Progression
Authors: Tilli Tatiana M. , Franco Vanessa Ferreira , Robbs Bruno Kaufmann , Wanderley João Luiz Mendes , de Azevedo da Silva Fabrício Ribeiro , de Mello Kivvi Duarte , Viola João P. B. , Weber Georg F. , Gimba Etel R. 
Published: January 2011

Abstract
Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most aggressive gynecological diseases and generally diagnosed at advanced stages. Osteopontin (OPN) is one of the proteins overexpressed in ovarian cancer and is involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis. Alternative splicing of OPN leads to 3 isoforms, OPNa, OPNb, and OPNc. However, the expression pattern and the roles of each of these isoforms have not been previously characterized in ovarian cancer. Herein, we have evaluated the expression profiling of OPN isoforms in ovarian tumor and nontumor samples and their putative roles in ovarian cancer biology using in vitro and in vivo functional assays. OPNa and OPNb were expressed both in tumor and nontumor ovarian samples, whereas OPNc was specifically expressed in ovarian tumor samples. The isoform OPNc significantly activated OvCar-3 cell proliferation, migration, invasion, anchorage-independent growth and tumor formation in vivo. Additionally, we have also shown that some of the OPNc-dependent protumorigenic roles are mediated by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. OPNc stimulated immortalized ovarian epithelial IOSE cell proliferation, indicating a role for this isoform in ovarian cancer tumorigenesis. Functional assays using OPNc conditioned medium and an anti-OPNc antibody have shown that most cellular effects observed herein were promoted by the secreted OPNc. According to our data, OPNc-specific expression in ovarian tumor samples and its role on favoring different aspects of ovarian cancer progression suggest that secreted OPNc contributes to the physiopathology of ovarian cancer progression and tumorigenesis. Altogether, the data open possibilities of new therapeutic approaches for ovarian cancer that selectively down regulate OPNc, altering its properties favoring ovarian tumor progression. Mol Cancer Res; 9(3); 280–93. ©2011 AACR.
Factor VIII delivered by haematopoietic stem cell-derived B cells corrects the phenotype of haemophilia A mice
Authors: Ramezani Ali , Zweier-Renn Lynnsey , Hawley Robert 
Published: January 2011

SummaryThe main impediments to clinical application of haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy for treatment of haemophilia A are the bone marrow transplant-related risks and the potential for insertional muta-genesis caused by retroviral vectors. To circumvent these limitations, we have adapted a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen and directed factor VIII (FVIII) protein synthesis to B lineage cells using an insulated lentiviral vector containing an immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer-promoter. Transplantation of lentiviral vector-modified HSCs resulted in therapeutic levels of FVIII in the circulation of all transplanted mice for the duration of the study (six months). Immunostaining of spleen cells showed that the majority of FVIII was synthesised by B220+ B cells and CD138+ plasma cells. Subsequent challenge with recombinant FVIII elicited at most a minor anti-FVIII antibody response, demonstrating in-duction of immune hyporesponsiveness. All transplant recipients exhibited clot formation and survived tail clipping, indicating correction of their haemophilic phenotype. Therapeutic levels of FVIII could be transferred to secondary recipients by bone marrow transplantation, confirming gene transfer into long-term repopulating HSCs. Moreover, short-term therapeutic FVIII levels could also be achieved in secondary recipients by adoptive transfer of HSC-derived splenic B cells. Our findings support pursuit of B cell-directed protein delivery as a potential clinical approach to treat haemophilia A and other disorders correctable by systemically distributed proteins.
The role of vitamin E (tocopherol) supplementation in the prevention of stroke
Authors: Bin Qiong , Hu Xueying , Cao Yunfei , Gao Feng 
Published: January 2011

SummaryIt was the objective of this work to systematically evaluate the role of vitamin E supplementation in the prevention of stroke. Eligible studies were identified from Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library. The efficacy data is the relative risk (RR) for the events of stroke. Thirteen randomised controlled trials (RCTs), with 166,282 participants in total, were analysed. The pooled results showed no significant benefit in the vitamin E group with respect to stroke of any type (RR 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96, 1.07); ischaemic stroke (RR 1.01; 95% CI: 0.94, 1.09), haemorrhagic stroke (RR 1.12; 95% CI: 0.94, 1.33), fatal stroke (RR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.14), and non-fatal stroke (RR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.08). Administration of vitamin E 300 IU/day or more also gain no benefit (RR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.06), as well as vitamin E less than 300 IU (RR 1.05; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.15). Vitamin E supplementation gained benefit of preventing stroke for neither healthy people (0.92; 0.83, 1.03) nor others at high risks in baseline (RR 1.05; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.12). Administration of synthetic vitamin E gain no benefit (RR 1.02; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.09), as well as the natural source vitamin E (RR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.09). In conclusion, there is a lack of statistically significant or clinically important benefit of vitamin E supplementation in the prevention of stroke.
Features of Disrupted Plaques by Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography
Authors: Madder Ryan D. , Chinnaiyan Kavitha M. , Marandici Anna M. , Goldstein James A. 
Published: January 2011

Background—
This study was designed as a “proof-of-concept” to establish whether coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) has the capability to identify morphological features of plaque disruption.

Methods and Results—

In patients with unstable angina undergoing CTA and invasive coronary angiography within 30 days, quantitative CTA analysis was performed on all plaques for percent stenosis, volume, remodeling index, and volume of low-attenuation plaque (<50 Hounsfield units). Plaques with >25% stenosis were evaluated for CTA features of disruption, including ulceration and intraplaque dye penetration. Using invasive coronary angiography complex plaque as the reference standard for disruption, the sensitivity and specificity of ulceration and intraplaque dye penetration by CTA were determined. In 60 patients, 294 plaques were identified by CTA, of which 109 (37%) had features of disruption, including ulceration in 53 (18%) lesions and intraplaque dye penetration in 80 (27%). Compared with nondisrupted lesions, plaques with ulceration or intraplaque dye penetration by CTA were more voluminous (313±356 mm
3
versus 118±93 mm
3
P
<0.0001), more often positively remodeled (94.5% versus 44.3%,
P
<0.0001), contained more low-attenuation plaque (99±161 mm
3
versus 19±18 mm
3
,
P
<0.0001), and were more often complex by ICA (57.8% versus 8.1%,
P
<0.0001). CTA features of disruption demonstrated modest to good sensitivity (53% to 81%) and good specificity (82% to 95%) for complex plaque by invasive coronary angiography.

Conclusions—
In this highly selected group of patients with unstable angina, CTA can delineate features of plaque disruption, including ulceration and intraplaque dye penetration, which are specific markers of invasively identified complex plaque. Further studies are needed to confirm the generalizability of the results and to explore the clinical and prognostic implications of these findings.
Nationwide Cohort Study of Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients With Celiac Disease
Authors: Ludvigsson Jonas F. , James Stefan , Askling Johan , Stenestrand Ulf , Ingelsson Erik 
Published: January 2011

Background—
Studies on ischemic heart disease (IHD) incidence in individuals with celiac disease (CD) are contradictory and do not take small intestinal pathology into account.

Methods and Results—
In this Swedish population-based cohort study, we examined the risk of IHD in patients with CD based on small intestinal histopathology. We defined IHD as death or incident disease in myocardial infarction or angina pectoris in Swedish national registers. In 2006 to 2008, we collected duodenal/jejunal biopsy data on CD (equal to villous atrophy; Marsh 3; n=28 190 unique individuals) and inflammation without villous atrophy (Marsh 1 to 2; n=12 598) from all 28 pathology departments in Sweden. A third cohort consisted of 3658 individuals with normal mucosa but positive CD serology (Marsh 0, latent CD). We found an increased risk of incident IHD in patients undergoing small intestinal biopsy that was independent of small intestinal histopathology (CD: hazard ratio [HR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 1.28; 991 events; inflammation: HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.39; 809 events; and latent CD: HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.87 to 1.50; 62 events). Celiac disease (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.40) and inflammation (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.52) were both associated with death resulting from IHD, whereas latent CD was not (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.34 to 1.50).

Conclusions—
Individuals with CD or small intestinal inflammation are at increased risk of incident IHD. We were unable to show a positive association between latent CD and incident IHD.
Inhibition of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Improves Nitric Oxide–Mediated Vasodilatation and Reduces Inflammation in Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Cheriyan Joseph , Webb Andrew J. , Sarov-Blat Lea , Elkhawad Maysoon , Wallace Sharon M.L. , Mäki-Petäjä Kaisa M. , Collier David J. , Morgan John , Fang Zixing , Willette Robert N. , Lepore John J. , Cockcroft John R. , Sprecher Dennis L. , Wilkinson Ian B. 
Published: January 2011

Background—
Oxidized low-density lipoprotein reduces endothelial nitric oxide production (an important mediator of vasoregulation) and activates p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a mediator of vascular inflammation. Animal models of vascular stress have previously predicted improvements in vascular function after p38 MAPK inhibition. We hypothesized that a selective p38α/β MAPK inhibitor (losmapimod; GW856553) would improve compromised nitric oxide–mediated vasoregulation in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Methods and Results—

Untreated hypercholesterolemic patients (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol >4.1 mmol/L) were randomized to receive losmapimod 7.5 mg (n=27) or placebo (n=29) twice daily for 28 days. Patients with known vascular disorders (eg, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease) were excluded. Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography in response to serial intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside, and
N
G
-monomethyl-
l
-arginine (L-NMMA). Acetylcholine and L-NMMA responses were significantly impaired (
P
=0.01 and
P
=0.03) compared with responses in control subjects (n=12). In hypercholesterolemic patients treated with losmapimod, responses to acetylcholine were improved by 25% (95% confidence interval, 5 to 48;
P
=0.01), to sodium nitroprusside by 20% (95% confidence interval, 3 to 40;
P
=0.02), and to L-NMMA by 10% (95% confidence interval, −1 to 23;
P
=0.07) compared with placebo. C-reactive protein was reduced by 57% (95% confidence interval, −81 to −6%;
P
<0.05) in patients treated with losmapimod compared with placebo.

Conclusions—
Losmapimod improves nitric oxide–mediated vasodilatation in hypercholesterolemic patients, which is consistent with findings in previous translational animal models. These data support the hypothesis that attenuating the inflammatory milieu by inhibiting p38 MAPK activity improves NO activity. This suggests p38 MAPK as a novel target for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00474864.
Appropriate Use Criteria For Stress Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Sestamibi Studies
Authors: Gibbons Raymond J. , Askew J. Wells , Hodge David , Kaping Beth , Carryer Damita J. , Miller Todd 
Published: January 2011

Background—
We previously reported the application of the 2005 American College of Cardiology Foundation appropriate use criteria for stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging to patients at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) in 2005 and 2006. A subsequent internal quality improvement project focused on physician education in an attempt to reduce the rate of inappropriate SPECT studies.

Methods and Results—
Our 2008 physician education effort, focused on 4 specific indications that accounted for 88% of the inappropriate SPECT studies, included a presentation at medical grand rounds, a publication in the staff newsletter, meetings with physician administrators, and focused presentations to departments/divisions with many ordering physicians. We then remeasured the appropriateness of SPECT studies using previously published methods.

The general categories of study indications, eg, after revascularization, were similar in 273 SPECT patients in 2008 and in our 2005 (n=284) and 2006 (n=284) cohorts. There was a trend suggesting a change in the overall classification of appropriateness over time (
P
=0.08) and a significant change in the rate of inappropriate studies over time (
P
=0.018). Inappropriate studies decreased from 14.4% in 2005 to 7.0% in 2006 before initiation of the quality improvement project. After completion of the quality improvement project, inappropriate studies increased to 11.7% (
P
=0.06). The 95% confidence limits for the 4.7% increase in inappropriate studies after the quality improvement project included a decrease of 0.2% and an increase of 9.6%.

Conclusions—
This quality improvement project, focused on feedback, physician education, and remeasurement, did not reduce the rate of inappropriate stress SPECT studies in a single academic medical center. Similar limited interventions focused on physician education alone may have limited benefit. More extensive intervention may be necessary to improve the quality of care with appropriateness criteria.
The Neural Correlates of Object Familiarity and Domain Specificity in the Human Visual Cortex: An fMRI Study
Authors: Zannino Gian Daniele , Barban Francesco , Macaluso Emiliano , Caltagirone Carlo , Carlesimo Giovanni A. 
Published: January 2011

Abstract
Ventral occipito-temporal cortex is known to play a major role in visual object recognition. Still unknown is whether object familiarity and semantic domain are critical factors in its functional organization. Most models assume a functional locus where exemplars of familiar categories are represented: the structural description system. On the assumption that familiarity should modulate the effect of visual noise on form recognition, we attempted to individualize the structural description system by scanning healthy subjects while they looked at familiar (living and nonliving things) and novel 3-D objects, either with increasing or decreasing visual noise. Familiarity modulated the visual noise effect (particularly when familiar items were living things), revealing a substrate for the structural description system in right occipito-temporal cortex. These regions also responded preferentially to living as compared to nonliving items. Overall, these results suggest that living items are particularly reliant on the structural description system.