bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Women's Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine During Pregnancy: A Critical Review of the Literature
Authors: Adams Jon , Lui Chi‐Wai , Sibbritt David , Broom Alex , Wardle Jon , Homer Caroline , Beck Shoshannah 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACT: Background:
The use of complementary and alternative medicine has attracted much attention and debate in recent years. The objective of this critical review is to examine the evidence base on use of complementary products and therapies during pregnancy. It examines an important but neglected issue in maternity care.
Methods:
A database search was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, and Maternity and Infant Care. A total of 24 papers published between 1999 and 2008 met the selection criteria and were included in the review.
Results:
Findings of these 24 papers were extracted and reported under four themes: “user prevalence and profile,”“motivation and condition of use,”“perception and self‐reported evaluation,” and “referral and information sources.”
Conclusions:
This review highlights four research gaps in the literature, a lack of: large representative samples; in‐depth understanding of user experiences and risk perceptions; research comparing consumption patterns across cultures and over time; and work exploring the nature of the therapeutic encounter with complementary practitioners in this area of women's health care.
Does Acupuncture Have a Place as an Adjunct Treatment During Pregnancy? A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Systematic Reviews
Authors: Smith Caroline A. , Cochrane Suzanne 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACT: Background:
Complementary medicine has become popular throughout many Western countries and is widely used by women across all stages of their life cycle. Acupuncture is used by women during their pregnancy, and research suggests that acupuncture may be used as an adjunct to their existing conventional care. The aim of this paper was to summarize the evidence examining the effectiveness of acupuncture during pregnancy and birthing, and to discuss its role as an adjunct treatment.
Methods:
We conducted a systematic literature search using several electronic databases. We included all placebo‐controlled randomized trials of parallel design, and systematic reviews that evaluated the role of acupuncture during pregnancy and birthing. A critical appraisal of clinical trials and systematic reviews was undertaken.
Results:
The summarized findings indicated a small but growing body of acupuncture research, with some evidence suggesting a benefit from acupuncture to treat nausea in pregnancy. Findings from the review also highlighted promising evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture to manage back and pelvic pain, acupuncture‐type interventions to induce change in breech presentation, and pain relief in labor. The methodological quality of recent trials has improved, and the quality of systematic reviews was high.
Conclusions:
Interest is growing in the use of acupuncture to treat some complaints during pregnancy and childbirth, and evidence is beginning to consolidate that acupuncture may assist with the management of some complaints during pregnancy. However, definitive conclusions about its effectiveness cannot be reached and further research is justified.
Estimating the Rate of Cesarean Section by Maternal Request: Anonymous Survey of Obstetricians in Australia
Authors: Robson Stephen J. , Tan Woo Syong , Adeyemi Adebayo , Dear Keith B. G. 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACT: Background:
The rate of cesarean section in Australia now exceeds 30 percent, and evidence from population studies indicates that maternal requests for elective cesarean delivery might make an important contribution. The objective of this study was to explore the rate of such deliveries in Australia, in the absence of a formal investigation.
Methods:
An anonymous survey was sent to all 1,239 specialist obstetricians and 317 obstetric specialty trainees in Australia. Specialists were asked the number of elective cesarean deliveries they performed in 2006 that satisfied the National Institutes of Health definition of maternal request cesarean delivery. Trainees were asked whether they intended to agree to maternal requests for cesarean section in their future specialist practice.
Results:
The response rate from specialists was 98.6 percent, and from trainees was 81 percent. To account for possibility of multiple submissions, we performed two analyses: one using all responses, the other after removing 297 surveys in the second mail‐out that were identical to surveys received from the first mail‐out (n = 735). Proportions were similar in both groups. We estimated that between 8,553 and 12,434 maternal request cesarean sections were performed in Australia in 2006, representing at least 17 percent of all elective cesarean sections, and slightly more than 3 percent of all births.
Conclusion:
Maternal request is an important contributor to cesarean section rates in Australia.
Differential expression of cyclooxygenases in hypertrophic scar and keloid tissues
Authors: Rossiello Luigi , D'Andrea Francesco , Grella Roberto , Signoriello Giuseppe , Abbondanza Ciro , De Rosa Caterina , Prudente Mariaevelina , Morlando Marianna , Rossiello Raffaele 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTHypertrophic scar (HS) and keloid (KL) are two forms of an abnormal cutaneous scarring process, mainly characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition and fibroblast proliferation. Despite the increased understanding of the molecular and cellular events leading to HS and KL, the pathogenesis of these lesions remains poorly understood. A pivotal role in the formation of abnormal scars has been ascribed to transforming growth factor‐β, whose activity appears to be mediated through a link with pathways acting via cyclooxygenases (COX‐1 and COX‐2). To date, there is no report on the in vivo expression of COX‐1 and COX‐2 in human HS and KL tissues. Therefore, using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, we investigated 36 cases of KL, 32 cases of HS, and 25 cases of normal skin in order to define the localization and distribution of COX‐1 and COX‐2 in the tissues of these scar lesions and the overlying epidermis. The results mainly show the following: (a) a significant overexpression of COX‐1 in HS tissues and the overlying epidermis as compared with normal skin and KL tissues and (b) a significant overexpression of COX‐2 in KL tissue and the overlying epidermis in contrast to normal skin and HS tissues. Our data support the hypothesis that both COXs are involved in the pathogenesis of scar lesions in different ways and, particularly, COX‐1 in the formation of HS and COX‐2 in the formation of KL. In addition, the overexpression of COX‐1 and COX‐2 in the epidermis overlying HS and KL tissues, respectively, underlines the importance of epithelial–mesenchymal interactions in the pathogenesis of scar lesions.
3‐Deoxyglucosone‐collagen alters human dermal fibroblast migration and adhesion: Implications for impaired wound healing in patients with diabetes
Authors: Loughlin Danielle T. , Artlett Carol M. 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTThe interaction of fibroblasts with the extracellular matrix is critical for wound healing. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) occur through nonenzymatic glycation of long‐lived proteins such as collagens. One precursor to these modifications, 3‐deoxyglucosone (3DG), is elevated in patients with diabetes and contributes to the accumulation of AGEs on collagen with increasing chronological age. Because wound repair is dependent on fibroblast migration, proliferation, and expression of extracellular matrix proteins, we examined the role of 3DG‐treated collagen and the subsequent response of fibroblasts to this modification. We found that fibroblasts adhere more strongly to 3DG‐treated collagen and do not migrate efficiently into the wound site. We further show that 3DG‐treated collagen induces perinuclear localization of focal adhesion kinase and paxillin, indicative of decreased association of these proteins with the cytoskeleton. Additionally, these cells expressed higher levels of the misfolded indicator protein growth arrest and DNA damage inducible gene 153. These data suggest that fibroblast/matrix interactions are altered as AGEs accumulate and affect focal adhesion formation. Furthermore, 3DG may be a factor mediating chronic wounds observed in patients with diabetes and in the elderly by altering the signaling within the fibroblast and inducing the misfolding of proteins.
Developmental constraints revealed by co‐variation within and among molar rows in two murine rodents
Authors: Renaud Sabrina , Pantalacci Sophie , Quéré Jean‐Pierre , Laudet Vincent , Auffray Jean‐Christophe 
Published: September 2009

SUMMARYMorphological integration corresponds to interdependency between characters that can arise from several causes. Proximal causes of integration include that different phenotypic features may share common genetic sets and/or interact during their development. Ultimate causes may be the prolonged effect of selection favoring integration of functionally interacting characters, achieved by the molding of these proximal causes. Strong and direct interactions among successive teeth of a molar row are predicted by genetic and developmental evidences. Functional constraints related to occlusion, however, should have selected more strongly for a morphological integration of occluding teeth and a corresponding evolution of the underlying developmental and genetic pathways. To investigate how these predictions match the patterns of phenotypic integration, we studied the co‐variation among the six molars of the murine molar row, focusing on two populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus).The size and shape of the three upper and lower molars were quantified and compared. Our results evidenced similar patterns in both species, size being more integrated than shape among all the teeth, and both size and shape co‐varying strongly between adjacent teeth, but also between occluding teeth. Strong co‐variation within each molar row is in agreement with developmental models showing a cascade influence of the first molar on the subsequent molars. In contrast, the strong co‐variation between molars of the occluding tooth rows confirms that functional constraints molded patterns of integration and probably the underlying developmental pathways despite the low level of direct developmental interactions occurring among molar rows. These patterns of co‐variation are furthermore conserved between the house mouse and the wood mouse that diverged >10 Ma, suggesting that they may constitute long‐running constraints to the diversification of the murine rodent dentition.
DESCRIPTION OF TYRANNODINIUM GEN. NOV., A FRESHWATER DINOFLAGELLATE CLOSELY RELATED TO THE MARINE PFIESTERIA‐LIKE SPECIES1
Authors: Calado António J. , Craveiro Sandra C. , Daugbjerg Niels , Moestrup Øjvind 
Published: September 2009

On the basis of morphological (light and electron microscopy) as well molecular data, we show that the widely distributed freshwater dinoflagellate presently known as Peridiniopsis berolinensis is a member of the family Pfiesteriaceae, an otherwise marine and estuarine family of dinoflagellates. P. berolinensis is a close relative of the marine species, which it resembles in morphology, mode of swimming, food‐uptake mechanism, and partial LSU rRNA sequences. It differs from all known genera of the family in plate tabulation. P. berolinensis is only distantly related to the type species of Peridiniopsis, P. borgei, and is therefore transferred to the new genus Tyrannodinium as T. berolinense comb. nov. T. berolinense is a very common freshwater flagellate that feeds vigorously on other protists and is able to consume injured metazoans much larger than itself. Production of toxins has not been reported.
Retinal Microvascular Signs and Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Liew Gerald , Mitchell Paul , Wong Tien Yin , Lindley Richard I. , Cheung Ning , Kaushik Shweta , Wang Jie Jin 
Published: September 2009

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between retinal microvascular signs, as a proxy for cerebral microvascular disease, and cognitive impairment.DESIGN: Cross‐sectional population‐based study.SETTING: Urban population surveyPARTICIPANTS: One thousand nine hundred eighty‐eight persons aged 49 to 97.MEASUREMENTS: All participants underwent retinal photography and had the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) administered by trained personnel. Retinal photographs were masked and graded for retinopathy signs (microaneurysms, hemorrhages, hard exudates, cotton wool spots), and retinal vessel calibers were measured using a validated computer‐assisted method. Cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE score of 23 or less, in line with other epidemiological studies.RESULTS: Cognitive impairment was present in 121 participants (6.1%). In the total population, after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking, cardiovascular disease, education, and other factors, retinal venular dilation was associated with cognitive impairment (odds ratio (OR)=1.8, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.0–3.2, P=.03). In persons with hypertension, retinopathy signs (adjusted OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.0–3.2, P=.05) and retinal venular dilation (adjusted OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.2–6.1, P=.01) were associated with cognitive impairment.CONCLUSION: Retinal microvascular signs are associated with significant cognitive impairment, particularly in older persons with hypertension. These findings suggest that cerebral microvascular changes may contribute to cognitive deterioration.
An Empirical Investigation of the Effect of Growth on Short‐Term Changes in Loss Ratios
Authors: Barth Michael M. , Eckles David L. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractGiven the use of premium growth as a risk measure in regulatory and private risk assessment models, the impact of growth on underwriting profitability is an important question. Our results show a negative relationship between premium growth and changes in loss ratios, suggesting that premium growth alone does not necessarily result in higher underwriting risk. Further, there is a positive relationship between claim count growth and changes in loss ratios, suggesting that claim count growth may be a preferred measure of underwriting risk.
The Distributions of Policy Reserves Considering the Policy‐Year Structures of Surrender Rates and Expense Ratios
Authors: Tsai Chenghsien , Kuo Weiyu , Chiang Derek Mi‐Hsiu 
Published: September 2009

AbstractIn this article, we examine how the policy‐year structures of expense ratios and surrender rates affect the distributions of policy reserves. Our results show that a convex expense ratio curve, though reduces the mean and the uncertainty of reserves, could make the beneficial impact of surrenders on insurers become detrimental. Our results also show that the convexity of the surrender rate curve is favorable to insurers while the volatilities of surrender rates are unfavorable. We further find that neglecting the policy‐year structures of surrender rates and expense ratios may result in overestimation of the mean and the uncertainty of reserves.
Structure of membrane‐associated neuronal SNARE complex: implication in neurotransmitter release
Authors: Cho Won Jin , Shin Leah , Ren Gang , Jena Bhanu P. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractTo enable fusion between biological membranes, t‐SNAREs and v‐SNARE present in opposing bilayers, interact and assemble in a circular configuration forming ring‐complexes, which establish continuity between the opposing membranes, in presence of calcium ions. The size of a t‐/v‐SNARE ring complex is dictated by the curvature of the opposing membrane. Hence smaller vesicles form small SNARE‐ring complexes, as opposed to large vesicles. Neuronal communication depends on the fusion of 40–50 nm in diameter membrane‐bound synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters at the nerve terminal. At the presynaptic membrane, 12–17 nm in diameter cup‐shaped neuronal porosomes are present where synaptic vesicles transiently dock and fuse. Studies demonstrate the presence of SNAREs at the porosome base. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy (EM), and electron density measurement studies demonstrate that at the porosome base, where synaptic vesicles dock and transiently fuse, proteins, possibly comprised of t‐SNAREs, are found assembled in a ring conformation. To further determine the structure and arrangement of the neuronal t‐/v‐SNARE complex, 50 nm t‐and v‐SNARE proteoliposomes were mixed, allowing t‐SNARE‐vesicles to interact with v‐SNARE vesicles, followed by detergent solubilization and imaging of the resultant t‐/v‐SNARE complexes formed using both AFM and EM. Our results demonstrate formation of 6–7 nm membrane‐directed self‐assembled t‐/v‐SNARE ring complexes, similar to, but twice as large as the ring structures present at the base of neuronal porosomes. The smaller SNARE ring at the porosome base may reflect the 3–4 nm base diameter, where 40–50 nm in diameter v‐SNARE‐associated synaptic vesicle transiently dock and fuse to release neurotransmitters.
Papular mycosis fungoides: two new cases of a recently described clinicopathological variant of early mycosis fungoides
Authors: Martorell‐Calatayud Antonio , Botella‐Estrada Rafael , Sanmartín‐Jimenez Onofre , Requena Celia , Guillén‐Barona Carlos , Sangüeza Omar Pastor 
Published: September 2009

Background: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. In early stages of the disease many different clinicopathologic variants have been observed. Currently, a papular variant of MF which is characterized by a good prognosis has been described. Objective and Methods: Because only seven cases have been reported in the literature, clinical and morphological data of this variant are not well established. We report the clinical and histopathological characteristics of two new patients with papular mycosis fungoides and review the previous cases reported in the literature. Results: The two cases of this early variant of MF were characterized by the presence of papules which, unlike the papules of lymphomatoid papulosis, did not show a tendency for spontaneous resolution. Histologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of MF in all cases. Immunohistochemical staining for CD30 was negative in all two cases. Follow‐up data of our two patients confirmed the non‐aggressive behavior of the disease, confirming that the lesions were not manifestations of advanced MF. Conclusion: Papular MF is a new variant of early MF characterized by a good prognosis in the long term follow‐ up. Thus, it should be added to the long list of clinicopathologic subtypes of MF.Martorell‐Calatayud A, Botella‐Estrada R, Sanmartín‐Jimenez O, Requena C, Guillén‐Barona C, Sangueza OP. Papular mycosis fungoides: two new cases of a recently described clinicopathological variant of early mycosis fungoides.
The prolyl‐hydroxylase EGLN3 and not EGLN1 is inactivated by methylation in plasma cell neoplasia
Authors: Hatzimichael Eleftheria , Dasoula Aggeliki , Shah Reshma , Syed Nelofer , Papoudou‐Bai Alexandra , Coley Helen M. , Dranitsaris George , Bourantas Konstantinos L. , Stebbing Justin , Crook Tim 
Published: September 2009

AbstractEGLN1 and EGLN3 are members of the egg‐laying‐defective 9 (EglN) prolyl‐hydroxylases which during normoxia catalyse hydroxylation of the hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α, thereby promoting its ubiquitination by a complex containing the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) tumour suppressor. EGLN3 also has pro‐apoptotic activity in some cell types. Analyses of a well‐characterised series of cases of plasma cell dyscrasias, including multiple myeloma (MM), Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) surprisingly demonstrated that the CpG island of EGLN3, and not EGLN1, is frequently methylated in these disorders. Multiple myeloma patients with a methylated EGLN3 promoter showed trends towards an increased risk of death, bone lytic lesions, anaemia, advanced stage of disease and the presence of extramedullary disease. Those individuals with methylation in the EGLN3 CpG island also had significantly lower albumin levels. These data suggest that the prolyl‐hydroxylases may be a novel class of potential tumour suppressors in plasma cell neoplasia that warrant further investigation with regard to their potential utility as biomarkers. Moreover, we observed that EGLN3 is also methylated at high frequency in B‐cell lymphoma subtypes, implying that loss of EGLN3 is an important epigenetic event not only in plasma cell neoplasias but also in B‐cell neoplasias.
Absence of cardiac siderosis by MRI T2* despite transfusion burden, hepatic and serum iron overload in Lebanese patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Inati Adlette , Musallam Khaled M. , Wood John C. , Sheikh‐Taha Marwan , Daou Linda , Taher Ali T. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground:  The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect organ‐specific iron overload is becoming increasingly common. Although hepatic iron overload has been recognized in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), cardiac iron deposition has only been examined in a few reports.Methods:  This was a cross‐sectional study of 23 patients with SCD. Patient charts were reviewed and data collected for drug use, total lifetime transfusions (TLT), transfusion rate (TR), status of the spleen, and comorbid illnesses or infections. Blood samples were obtained for assessment of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, non‐transferrin‐bound iron (NTBI), and liver enzyme levels. Doppler echocardiography was performed to detect pulmonary hypertension (PHT) and assess left ventricular ejection fraction. Cardiac iron levels were measured by MRI T2*. Direct determination of liver iron concentration (LIC) was performed using R2 MRI. In this study, cardiac T2* >20 ms was considered normal.Results:  The mean age was 24.4 ± 9.7 yr, with a male to female ratio of 15:8. A total of 9 (49.9%) patients were splenectomized. The mean TR was 14.1 ± 13.2 Units/yr, and the mean hemoglobin level was 9.0 g/dL. PHT was detected in 6 (27.3%) patients, but none had evidence of heart failure. The mean serum ferritin, LIC, and NTBI levels were 997.7 ng/mL, 4.6 mg Fe/g dw, and 1.1 ± 2.2, respectively. TR was a much better predictor of iron burden (LIC, ferritin, NTBI) than TLT. In fact, TR less than 10 Units/yr did not produce significant iron overload reflecting spontaneous losses as high as 0.11 mg/kg/d. None of the patients had evidence of cardiac iron overload (mean cardiac T2* = 37.3 ± 6.2 ms; range: 21.9–46.8 ms). There was also no statistically significant correlation between cardiac T2* values and any of the study variables.Conclusion:  Our study demonstrates that TR is a stronger predictor of iron overload than TLT. It also confirms cardiac sparing in patients with SCD, even in subjects with significant transfusion burden, systemic and hepatic iron overload.