bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison between sitagliptin as add‐on therapy to insulin and insulin dose‐increase therapy in uncontrolled Korean type 2 diabetes: CSI study
Authors: Hong E. S. , Khang A. R. , Yoon J. W. , Kang S. M. , Choi S. H. , Park K. S. , Jang H. C. , Shin H. , Walford G. A. , Lim S. 
Published: March 2012

Aim: Individuals requiring insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes often require escalation of their regimen to achieve glycaemic control. Optimal management strategies for uncontrolled type 2 diabetes would improve glycaemic control without hypoglycaemia and weight gain. This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of adding sitagliptin, an oral dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor, and an up to 20% increase in insulin dose in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy.Methods: We conducted a 24‐week, randomized, active‐competitor, parallel‐group study in subjects with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes [haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) = 7.5–11%] currently using insulin therapy. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the sitagliptin adding (100 mg daily, n = 70) or an insulin‐increasing arm (≥10% at week 12 and ≥10% at week 24, n = 70) while continuing other medications.Results: Average baseline HbA1c was 9.2% in both groups. HbA1c decreased more at 24 weeks in the sitagliptin adding than the insulin‐increasing arm (−0.6 ± 0.1% vs. −0.2 ± 0.1%, p < 0.01). Insulin was increased by 25% at 24 weeks in the insulin‐increasing group. Hypoglycaemic events were less common and less severe in sitagliptin adding arm than insulin‐increasing arm (7.0 vs. 14.3 events per patient‐year, p < 0.05). Weight was stable in the sitagliptin adding subjects (68.6 ± 11.6 vs. 68.1 ± 11.4 kg) but increased in the insulin‐increasing subjects (66.2 ± 10.6 vs. 67.4 ± 9.7 kg, p < 0.05). Other adverse events occurred at similar rates in both arms.Conclusions: Compared to a 25% increase in insulin dose, adding sitagliptin to an insulin‐based regimen was more effective at lowering HbA1c and associated with less hypoglycaemia and weight gain over 24 weeks. Clinical trial number: NCT01100125.
Biomedicine inside out: an ethnography of brain surgery
Authors: Gross Sky 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe article discusses patient objectification from the viewpoint of the objectifying, rather than the objectified party. Resisting a dichotomy between physician‐objectifying and ethnographer‐humanising, the author portrays objectification not as an essential by‐product of professional tendencies, epistemological bases, practical necessities and processes of socialisation but as highly dependent upon context. A further look is given to the settings within which the discursive dynamics of ‘objectivity’ and ‘experience’ come about through artefacts, space, symbols, bodily appearances and so on. The author portrays her relationship with Omer, a brain cancer patient whom she has followed over a period of 18 months and then focuses on her observations of his brain surgery. The fluctuations in the author’s relationship with Omer (as a subject and as a body, alternately) are brought within their immediate contextual elements.
Differential regulation of accumbal dopamine transmission in rats following cocaine, heroin and speedball self‐administration
Authors: Pattison Lindsey P. , McIntosh Scot , Budygin Evgeny A. , Hemby Scott E. 
Published: March 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 138–146.AbstractCocaine/heroin combinations (speedball) exert synergistic neurochemical and behavioral effects that are thought to contribute to the increased abuse potential and subjective effects reported by polydrug users. In vivo fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry was used to examine the effects of chronic intravenous self‐administration (25 consecutive sessions) of cocaine (250 μg/inf), heroin (4.95 μg/inf) and speedball (250/4.95 μg/inf cocaine/heroin) on changes in electrically evoked dopamine (DA) efflux, maximal rate of DA uptake (Vmax) and the apparent affinity (Km) of the DA transporter in the nucleus accumbens. The increase in electrically evoked DA was comparable following cocaine and speedball injection; however, heroin did not increase evoked DA. DA transporter Km values were similarly elevated following cocaine and speedball, but unaffected by heroin. However, speedball self‐administration significantly increased baseline Vmax, while heroin and cocaine did not change baseline Vmax, compared with the baseline Vmax values of drug‐naïve animals. Overall, elevated DA clearance is a likely consequence of synergistic elevations of nucleus accumbens extracellular DA concentrations by chronic speedball self‐administration, as reported previously in microdialysis studies. The present results indicate neuroadaptive processes that are unique to cocaine/heroin combinations and cannot be readily explained by simple additivity of changes observed with cocaine and heroin alone.
Effects of Long‐Term Simulated RPD Clasp Attachment/Detachment on Retention Loss and Wear for Two Clasp Types and Three Abutment Material Surfaces
Authors: Helal Mohamed A. , Baraka Osama A. , Sanad Mohamed E. , Ludwig Klaus , Kern Matthias 
Published: March 2012

AbstractPurpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to measure the loss of retention and wear of two clasp types (E‐circlet, back action) against three abutment materials (enamel, composite, CAD/CAM ceramic) after 16,000 simulated cycles of attachment‐detachment.Materials and Methods: Forty‐eight models were constructed by placing either an upper first premolar or a metal die inside a metal rectangular block. Models were divided according to the abutment teeth into three groups. Group E consisted of 16 unrestored human premolars with sound enamel. Group R had 16 premolars recontoured buccally using composite resin. Group C had 16 metal dies (duplicated from a human premolar) covered by CAD/CAM all‐ceramic crowns. On the models, E‐circlet (E) and back‐action (B) clasps were constructed to engage the model's teeth. Withdrawal and insertion cycling of clasps was carried out for 16,000 cycles by using a chewing simulator. The retention force of each clasp was measured after cycling. An acrylic replica was made for each abutment retention surface before and after cycling. Each replica was examined by SEM, and the wear areas were measured. The data were analyzed statistically using one‐way ANOVA, two‐way ANOVA, and Mann‐Whitney tests.Results: There was no significant retention loss after 16,000 cycles (p≥ 0.05) of both clasps (E, B) on the three abutment materials (E, R, C). The mean of wear areas in mm2 were 1.83 ± 0.36, 0.85 ± 0.66, 2.37 ± 1.88, 1.7 ± 1.11, 0.6 ± 0.2, and 0.06 ± 0 for EE, BE, ER, BR, EC, and BC, respectively. There were significant differences among the wear areas of the abutment surface of the six subgroups (p≤ 0.05).Conclusion: The composite resin contoured surfaces showed more wear than the enamel and ceramic surfaces. E‐clasps caused more wear on the abutment materials than back‐action clasps.
Characteristics of Atrial Substrates for Atrial Tachyarrhythmias Induced in Aged and Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits
Authors: LEE KUN‐TAI , HSIEH CHANG‐CHAO , TSAI WEI‐CHUNG , TANG PAUL WEI‐HUA , LIU I‐HSIN , CHAI CHEE‐YIN , SHEU SHENG‐HSIUNG , LAI WEN‐TER 
Published: March 2012

Background:

Old age and dyslipidemia increase the occurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATR). This study investigated the effect of age and hypercholesterolemia on the atrial substrates for ATR.
Methods:

Five 3‐year‐old rabbits fed standard chow were categorized into an old‐age group, five 3‐month‐old rabbits fed high cholesterol chow were used as a hypercholesterolemia group, and five 3‐month‐old rabbits fed standard chow were controls. Effective refractory period, atrial vulnerability to ATR, expressions of connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43), phosphorylated c‐Jun N‐terminal Kinase (P‐JNK), and degree of fibrosis in the right (RA) and left (LA) atria were compared.
Results:

Old‐age and hypercholesterolemia rabbits were more vulnerable to ATR than the controls (18,628 ± 13,981 ms and 30,157 ± 39,548 ms vs 639 ± 325 ms, P < 0.05). Old‐age rabbits had significantly decreased Cx40 expression in both atria (3.9‐fold decrease in RA, P < 0.01 and 4.8‐fold in LA, P < 0.01) and significantly decreased Cx43 in RA (14‐fold, P < 0.01). Hypercholesterolemia rabbits had significantly decreased Cx40 expression in both atrial (18‐fold decrease in RA, P < 0.01 and 17‐fold in LA, P < 0.01) and significantly increased Cx43 expression in LA (five‐fold increase, P < 0.01). Hypercholesterolemia, but not old‐age rabbits, had greater expression of P‐JNK in both atria (1.8‐fold in RA and 2.3‐fold in LA, P < 0.01). There were no significant group differences in ERP or degree of atrial fibrosis in both atria.
Conclusions:

ATR is more easily induced in the atria of old‐age and hypercholesterolemia rabbits than younger rabbits with normal cholesterol levels. The age and hypercholesterolemia induced changes in gap junctions expression may have partially contributed to the higher atrial vulnerability to ATR. (PACE 2012;1–9)
Positron Annihilation Lifetime Studies of Nb‐Doped TiO2, SnO2, and ZrO2
Authors: Guagliardo Paul R. , Vance Eric R. , Zhang Zhaoming , Davis Joel , Williams Jim F. , Samarin Sergey N. 
Published: March 2012

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) has indicated that Nb2O5‐doped TiO2 samples treated in either Ar or air at 1400°C for 48 h are both charge‐compensated by Ti vacancies, but with statistically significant differences between the results. A Ta2O5‐doped air‐sintered TiO2 sample also showed behavior similar to the Nb2O5‐doped air‐sintered TiO2. In addition, Nb2O5‐doped SnO2 samples sintered in air at 1400°C for 1 h showed evidence of Sn vacancy cluster formation, with no indications of Sn2+ compensation from ultraviolet irradiation studies. PALS studies of air‐sintered ZrO2 did not show any evidence of Zr vacancies after doping with Nb2O5.
A Look Back at Merton Miller's “Financial Markets and Economic Growth”
Authors: Calomiris Charles W. 
Published: March 2012

The author begins by agreeing with Miller's characterization of the fragility of U.S. banks and of the shortcomings of the Asian model of bank finance‐driven growth. The article also expresses “emphatic agreement” with Miller's arguments that the protection of banks through deposit insurance, regulatory forbearance, and other forms of “bailout” have created costly moral‐hazard problems that encourage excessive risk‐taking. And the author endorses, at least in principle, Miller's main argument that the development of capital markets that do not require the direct involvement of banks should make economies if not less prone to financial crises, then at least more resilient in recovering from them.But having acknowledged the limitations of bank‐centered systems and the value of developing non‐bank alternatives for savers and corporate borrowers, the author goes on to point to the surprising durability of some banking systems outside the U.S.—notably Canada's, which has not experienced major problems since the 1830s. And even more important, the author views banks and capital markets not as “substitutes” for one another, but as mutually dependent “complements” whose interdependencies and interactions must be recognized by market participants and regulators alike.
Transparency in Bank Risk Modeling: A Solution to the Conundrum of Bank Regulation
Authors: Goldman David P. 
Published: March 2012

After financial disasters, financial risk models are often blamed for failing to provide adequate warning. The author argues that, in many cases, the models provided accurate warnings but were ignored by market participants who did not like what they said.The financial crisis of 2008–2009 was not the first time this has happened. The author describes similar but smaller debacles in 1994 and 1998 that had their roots in financial innovation that took place a decade earlier. In both cases, risk models warned that volatile securities would become impossible to hedge; but rather than exiting those positions as they should have done, some market participants simply ignored the flashing warning lights.Some current financial risk models have proven to be quite robust. Large commercial banks have mined their internal data to create empirical models of default probability that forecast accurately out of sample. Default models based on contingent claims analysis have been available for years, including some that use continuously‐traded equity and equity options prices. Hybrid models that combine empirical data‐mining and forward‐looking market‐based signals have been shown to provide reliable early warning signals about corporate credit risk.The author recommends making banks' data bases and risk models freely available to regulators, ratings agencies, and independent analysts. When provided with access to the findings of independent efforts to measure the riskiness of bank portfolios, public scrutiny and third‐party analysis would compel bank senior management to improve risk measurement and increase transparency. Banks would benefit by restoring market confidence in the quality of their books.Making risk models transparent could also help break the present impasse between regulators and financial intermediaries. It may be possible for markets to establish a standard for credit risk that is more robust and more trustworthy than the ratings‐based system that fell into disrepute after the 2008 crisis. This would be preferable to the present thrust of bank regulation, which proposes to apply the severest standards to bank ownership of risk, and threatens to dampen economic growth.
Adjuvant adenoidectomy in persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion: hearing and revision surgery outcomes through 2 years in the TARGET randomised trial
Authors:   MRC Multicentre Otitis Media Study Group
Published: March 2012

Clin. Otolaryngol. 2012, 37, 107–116Objectives: To determine the adjuvant effects of adenoidectomy with short‐stay ventilation tubes to hearing and revision surgery in children over 3.5 years with persistent otitis media with effusion.Design: Randomised controlled three armed trial: observation, short‐stay ventilation tube or ventilation tubes with adjuvant adenoidectomy. Five follow‐up visits over 2 years.Setting: Eleven UK Otorhinolaryngology Departments.Participants: Children with bilateral otitis media with effusion and better ear hearing level (HL) ≥20 dB persistent for 3 months. Of the 425 eligible children, 376 (88%) accepted randomisation.Main outcome measures: Pure‐tone hearing thresholds, eligibility for and actual revision surgery rates, otoscopic sequelae and complications of adenoidectomy.Results: Loss to follow‐up at 3, 12 and 24 months was 2%, 6% and 5% respectively. Of the 376 randomised children, 253 (67%) had complete data for all five follow‐up visits. Adenoidectomy did not add to the benefit to hearing thresholds of ventilation tubes of 8.8 dB (CI: 7.1–10.5) averaged over 3–6 months postoperatively. Averaged over 12, 18 and 24 months, adenoidectomy provided 4.2 dB of benefit (CI: 2.6–5.7) whilst ventilation tubes gave no benefit. Standardised effect sizes through two years showed equal benefit from ventilation tubes (0.50 sd) and adenoidectomy (0.61 sd) which are additive (1.11 sd). Adenoidectomy halved the numbers meeting a 25 dB HL bilateral cut‐off for eligibility for repeat tube surgery from 31% to 14% at 12 months and from 33% to 15% at 18 months. The actual reduction in re‐insertion surgery (absolute risk difference) was 21%. In tubed ears, tympanosclerosis occurred in 27%, but otorrhoea in only <2% and permanent perforations in <1%. These events did not occur in control ears. In children that had adenoidectomy, one of 165 (0.6%) had haemorrhage that required return to theatre.Conclusions: Adjuvant adenoidectomy doubles benefit from short‐stay ventilation tubes by extending better hearing through the second year in children aged 3.25–6.75 years with persistent otitis media with effusion with at least a 20 dB HL in both ears. The duration of benefit of adenoidectomy is related to the duration of function of the type of the ventilation tubes used. Adenoidectomy also substantially reduces eligibility for revision surgery.
Effect of Substitution of Proline‐77 to Aspartate on the Light‐Driven Proton Release of Bacteriorhodopsin
Authors: Wang Yazhuo , Zhao Yingchun , Ming Ming , Wu Jia , Huang Weida , Ding Jiandong 
Published: March 2012

AbstractWild‐type bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and another retinal protein archaerhodopsin 4 (AR4) are both light‐driven proton pumps, but exhibit opposite temporal orders of proton release and uptake upon a flash illumination at neutral pH due to a higher pKa of proton release complex (PRC) in AR4. Since the 77th residue in the extracellular side is proline (P) in BR, but aspartic acid (D) in AR4, we have mutated P77 in BR by D in this study. The new point mutation was found to affect the kinetics of proton release and the pH dependence significantly. Upon a flash excitation, three components “fast proton release,”“proton uptake” and “slow proton release” were observed at neutral pH in P77D. The pKa of PRC in the M intermediate was increased from 5.6 in the wild‐type to 7.0, and became closer to that in AR4, which is 8.4. The coupling strength between D85 and PRC were also weakened, as expected. These data indicate that the 77th residue in AR4 greatly account for the difference between the two proton pumps.
Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy for Chronic Refractory Angina Pectoris. A Prospective Placebo‐Controlled Randomized Trial
Authors: Schmid Jean‐Paul , Capoferri Mauro , Wahl Andreas , Eshtehardi Parham , Hess Otto Martin 
Published: March 2012

SummaryBackground: Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) delivered to the myocardium increases capillary density and regional myocardial blood flow in animal experiments. In addition, nonenzymatic nitric oxide production and the upregulation of vascular growth factor's mRNA by CSWT have been described. The aim of the study was therefore to test its potential to relieve symptoms in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. Methods: Twenty‐one patients (mean age 68.2 ± 8.3 years, 19 males) with chronic refractory angina pectoris and evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia during MIBI‐SPECT imaging, were randomized into a treatment (n = 11) and a placebo arm (n = 10). The region of exercise‐induced ischemia was treated with echocardiographic guidance during nine sessions over a period of 3 months. One session of CSWT consisted of 200 shots/spot (9‐‐12 spots/session) with an energy intensity of 0.09 mJ/mm2. In the control group acoustic simulation was performed without energy application. Medication was kept unchanged during the whole treatment period. Results: In the treatment group, symptoms improved in 9/11 patients, and the ischemic threshold, determined by cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing, increased from 80 ± 28 to 95 ± 28 W (P= 0.036). In the placebo arm, only 2/10 patients reported an improvement and the ischemic threshold remained unchanged (98 ± 23 to 107 ± 23 W; P= 0.141). The items “physical functioning” (P= 0.043), “general health perception” (P= 0.046), and “vitality” (P= 0.035) of the SF‐36 questionnaire significantly improved in the treatment arm, whereas in the placebo arm, no significant change was noted. Neither arrhythmias, troponin rise nor complications were observed during treatment. Conclusions: This placebo controlled trial shows a significant improvement in symptoms, quality of life parameters and ischemic threshold during exercise in patients with chronic refractory angina pectoris treated with CSWT. Thus, CSWT represents a new option for the treatment of patients with refractory AP.
Do Sacral/Peripheral Lesions Contribute to Detrusor‐Sphincter Dyssynergia?
Authors: TAKAHASHI Osamu , SAKAKIBARA Ryuji , TSUNOYAMA Kuniko , TATENO Fuyuki , YANO Masashi , SUGIYAMA Megumi , UCHIYAMA Tomoyuki , YAMAMOTO Tatsuya , AWA Yusuke , YAMAGUCHI Chiharu , YAMANISHI Tomonori , KISHI Masahiko , TSUYUZAKI Yohei 
Published: March 2012

Objectives: While detrusor‐sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) occurs in conjunction with lesions between the brainstem and the sacral cord, it is not well known whether sacral/peripheral lesions contribute to DSD. We studied the relationship between DSD and sacral/peripheral lesions.Methods: One hundred and forty‐four patients with diverse neurologic etiologies underwent urodynamic study and analysis of motor unit potentials in the external sphincter muscles, 117 of whom were able to void during a urodynamic test. Sacral/peripheral lesion (SPL) is defined as neurogenic change in motor unit potentials. Detrusor overactivity (DO) is defined as involuntary detrusor contractions during the filling phase, which commonly occurs in lesions above the sacral cord. We considered DO as a putative indicator of supra‐sacral lesion.Results: DSD was found in 44 (30.6%), SPL in 71 (49.3%), and DO in 83 (57.6%) of 144 patients, respectively. The incidence of DSD was the same in the SPL positive group (31%) and the SPL negative group (30.1%). By contrast, within the subgroup of patients without DO, the incidence of DSD was significantly more common in the SPL positive group (41.4%) than in the SPL negative group (25.0%) (P < 0.05). In 53 of the SPL positive group who were able to void, postvoid residual >100 mL was more common in patients with DSD (not statistically significant).Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that not only suprasacral pathology, but also sacral/peripheral lesions can produce DSD. In light of the previous reports, DSD might also result from partial lesions in peripheral branches of the sphincter circuit.
Attitudes on clinical research participation of community living elders in Korea
Authors: Shin Cheolmin , Park Moon Ho , Han Changsu , Patkar Ashwin A. , Ham Byung Joo , Kim Seung‐Hyun , Joe Sook‐Haeng , Pae Chi‐Un , Jung In‐Kwa 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIntroductionThe development of medical knowledge has involved increasing numbers of clinical studies, including trials of treatment modalities among elderly individuals. We evaluated knowledge about and attitudes on participation in various clinical trials among elderly individuals.MethodsA semi‐structured survey was developed and distributed to community‐living elders who agreed to participate in the Ansan Geriatric Study. Survey items addressed (i) the process of acquiring consent, (ii) the advantages of participation in clinical trials, (iii) worries about participation, (iv) clinical field trials in which they would like to participate, and (v) reasons behind participation.ResultsA total of 361 individuals (158 women and 203 men, mean age 71.1 years) agreed to answer the survey about clinical trials. The reported advantages of participation in clinical trials were access to cost‐free medication or interventions (44.9%), prevention or early diagnosis of possible future diseases (23.8%), diagnostic and laboratory tests at no charge (14.7%), and contribution to human wellbeing (13.3) The reported disadvantages were the possibility of side‐effects from the new treatments (32.1%), giving blood for frequent laboratory tests (28.5%), concerns about intrusions on human dignity (9.9%), and possible leakage of personal identifying data (8.6%). An additional 10.8% saw no disadvantages. Subjects were interested in participating in clinical field trials for interventions or medication to treat metabolic syndrome and medical diseases (43.5%), Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (11.1%), late‐life depression (2.5%). Although more than two‐thirds (77.3%) of the subjects believed that they should provide consent for themselves, some believed that their spouses (14.4%) or other family members (8.3%) should be able to receive the explanation of the clinical trial and sign the informed consent forms.DiscussionWe should consider the attitudes of elderly participants during the processes of explaining clinical trials and acquiring consent.