bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic factors for recurrence in patients with FIGO stage I and II, intermediate or high risk endometrial cancer
Authors: ZUSTERZEEL P.L.M. , BEKKERS R.L.M. , HENDRIKS J.C.M. , NEESHAM D.N. , ROME R.M. , QUINN M.A. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractBackground. The aim of this study was to determine predictors for loco‐regional or distant recurrence of disease in a subgroup of intermediate or high risk stage I and II endometrial cancer. Methods. A retrospective analysis of 295 patients with histopathological stage I and II, intermediate or high risk endometrial cancer is reported. The following factors were studied: stage, grade, age, histologic diagnosis, lymphadenectomy, lymphovascular space invasion, and adjuvant radiotherapy. The Log‐Rank test was used for statistical analyses and the Kaplan–Meyer method was used for time‐to‐event analysis. Multivariate analysis was also performed. Results. Thirty‐four (11.5%) patients developed a recurrence; 20 (59%) developed loco‐regional recurrence, and 14 (41%) developed distant recurrence. In 20 women (59%), recurrence appeared within 3 years of surgery, and the actuarial survival at 3 years after recurrence was 29%. Multivariate analysis showed that for recurrence, age >60 years was a significant unfavourable prognostic factor (p < 0.05). Conclusions. We found low rates of recurrence in patients with early stage intermediate or high risk endometrial cancer. Only age was identified as an independent significant predictor for recurrence.
Invariant subspaces for Banach space operators with an annular spectral set
Authors: Yavuz Onur 
Published: January 2008

Consider an annulus

Ω
=
{
z
∈

C

:

r

0

>

|

z

|

>
1
}

\Omega =\{z\in \mathbb {C}:r_ {0}>|z|>1\}

for some

0
>

r

0

>
1

0>r_{0}>1

, and let

T
T

be a bounded invertible linear operator on a Banach space

X
X

whose spectrum contains

∂
Ω

\partial \Omega

. Assume there exists a constant

K
>
0

K>0

such that

‖
p
(
T
)
‖

≤

K
sup
{

|

p
(
λ
)

|

:

|

λ

|

≤
1
}

\|p(T)\|~\leq ~ K \sup \{|p(\lambda )|:|\lambda |\leq 1\}

and

‖
p
(

r
0

T

−
1

)
‖
≤
K
sup
{

|

p
(
λ
)

|

:

|

λ

|

≤
1
}

\|p(r_0T^{-1})\|\leq K \sup \{|p(\lambda )|:|\lambda |\leq 1\}

for all polynomials

p
p

. Then there exists a nontrivial common invariant subspace for

T

∗

T^{*}

and

T

∗

−
1

{T^{*}}^{-1}

.
Phyutility: a phyloinformatics tool for trees, alignments and molecular data
Authors: Smith Stephen A. , Dunn Casey W. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Summary: Phyutility provides a set of phyloinformatics tools for summarizing and manipulating phylogenetic trees, manipulating molecular data and retrieving data from NCBI. Its simple command-line interface allows for easy integration into scripted analyses, and is able to handle large datasets with an integrated database.
Availability: Phyutility, including source code, documentation, examples, and executables, is available at http://code.google.com/p/phyutility
Contact: stephen.smith@yale.edu
Utility library for structural bioinformatics
Authors: Gront Dominik , Kolinski Andrzej 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Summary: In this Note we present a new software library for structural bioinformatics. The library contains programs, computing sequence- and profile-based alignments and a variety of structural calculations with user-friendly handling of various data formats. The software organization is very flexible. Algorithms are written in Java language and may be used by Java programs. Moreover the modules can be accessed from Jython (Python scripting language implemented in Java) scripts. Finally, the new version of BioShell delivers several utility programs that can do typical bioinformatics task from a command-line level.
Availability The software is available for download free of charge from its website: http://bioshell.chem.uw.edu.pl. This website provides also numerous examples, code snippets and API documentation.
Contact: dgront@chem.uw.edu.pl
A discrete view on fold space
Authors: Sippl Manfred J. , Suhrer Stefan J. , Gruber Markus , Wiederstein Markus 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Summary: The database of known protein structures contains an overwhelming number of structural similarities that frequently point to intriguing biological relationships. The similarities are often difficult to spot, and once detected their comprehension needs proper visualization. Here we introduce the new concept of a Fold Space Navigator, a user interface enabling the efficient navigation through fold space and the instantaneous visualization of pairwise structure similarities.
Availability: The Fold Space Navigator is accessible as a public web service at http://services.came.sbg.ac.at
Contact: sippl@came.sbg.ac.at
TaxonGap: a visualization tool for intra- and inter-species variation among individual biomarkers
Authors: Slabbinck B. , Dawyndt P. , Martens M. , De Vos P. , De Baets B. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Summary: Selection of optimal biomarkers for the identification of different operational taxonomic units (OTUs) may be a hard and tedious task, especially when phylogenetic trees for multiple genes need to be compared. With TaxonGap we present a novel and easy-to-handle software tool that allows visual comparison of the discriminative power of multiple biomarkers for a set of OTUs. The compact graphical output allows for easy comparison and selection of individual biomarkers.
Availability: Graphical User Interface; Executable JAVA archive file, source code, supplementary information and sample files can be downloaded from the website: http://www.kermit.ugent.be/taxongap
Contact: Bram.Slabbinck@UGent.be
Evidence from survey data for regional variability in cod dynamics in the North Sea and West of Scotland
Authors: Holmes Steven J. , Wright Peter J. , Fryer Robert J. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Holmes, S. J., Wright, P. J., and Fryer, R. J. 2008. Evidence from survey data for regional variability in cod dynamics in the North Sea and West of Scotland. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 206–215. Although cod (Gadus morhua) in the North Sea and ICES Division VIa are assessed as single units, recent research suggests that the stocks consist of reproductively isolated subpopulations within a metapopulation. We investigate whether temporal trends in stock indicators are asynchronous across subpopulations, which would support the metapopulation hypothesis. First quarter trawl survey data for the years 1983–2005 were aggregated into putative areas of high spawner fidelity (three in VIa, seven in the North Sea) to obtain indices of spawning–stock biomass (SSB) and recruitment (numbers-at-age 1). Asynchrony was investigated by fitting a smoother to the data for each of the ten spawning areas and testing whether the smoothers were parallel. Trends in SSB differed between spawning areas in both VIa and the North Sea. In VIa, SSB collapsed in the most southwesterly area, but remained more constant elsewhere. In the North Sea, there was a general decline in SSB, but areas thought to contain resident inshore populations showed more rapid declines than those in adjacent offshore areas. Recruitment results offered less support for a metapopulation, although recruitment in the southern North Sea declined rapidly before any trend was seen for the North Sea as a whole.
Tailoring systematic reviews to meet critical priorities in maternal health in the intrapartum period
Authors: Viswanathan Meera 
Published: January 2008

SummaryHealth care practitioners and researchers commonly call for greater reliance on evidence as a means to achieve improvement in quality of care. Systematic reviews provide a means to accelerate the use of evidence‐based clinical interventions and public health practices. The extent to which these time‐ and resource‐intensive systematic reviews currently address critical maternal health priorities in the intrapartum period is unclear. This analysis summarises key maternal health and research priorities, maps these priorities to existing reviews, identifies gaps in the literature that can be addressed with systematic reviews, and highlights key methodological concerns in conducting systematic reviews. The analysis draws on published data on maternal morbidities and an overview of 108 systematic reviews in Medline in the past 5 years using the MeSH terms ‘Delivery, Obstetric,’ to draw the links between health priorities, research priorities, existing evidence and missing evidence.Key causes of morbidity during labour and delivery in the United States include haemorrhage, pre‐eclampsia and eclampsia, obstetric trauma and infection. Analyses of maternal morbidity and mortality suggest that key concerns include racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes and the prevention of adverse events. Systematic reviews, however, generally tend to focus on the reduction of harms associated with interventions, are frequently limited to randomised designs, and do not address issues of health disparities. The results suggest that advances in evidence‐based care in maternal health require that systematic reviews address issues of prevention of adverse events, include a larger variety of study designs when necessary and pay closer attention to health disparities.
Motivating authors to update systematic reviews: practical strategies from a behavioural science perspective
Authors: Ervin Ann‐Margret 
Published: January 2008

SummarySystematic reviews are used by clinicians, policy makers and consumers of health care, and should provide up‐to‐date evidence for clinical decision making. Motivating systematic review authors to update reviews is a challenge, and despite resources such as methodologists and statisticians, many reviews are not updated in a timely manner. Conflicting clinical responsibilities, lack of funding or other essential resources, and waning interest in the review topic are potential barriers to updating. Illustrations of survey questions to elicit updating attitudes and beliefs, and conditions that make updating easier or more difficult within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, are presented. These surveys may be used to tailor interventions to assist authors with difficulties and may ultimately increase the rate of updates in the published literature.
Recommendations to increase the impact of maternal and childbirth health systematic reviews in the Americas
Authors: Jacquérioz Frédérique A , Belizán José M. , Buekens Pierre 
Published: January 2008

SummaryThis paper summarises the discussions and the recommendations formulated during a meeting in March 2007 on the challenges and strategies to increase the impact of maternal and childbirth health systematic reviews in the Americas. The discussions addressed three specific themes: (1) performing systematic reviews (2) updating existing reviews, and (3) diffusing and implementing evidence into practice. Practical recommendations were devised for each theme in small group discussions.
MASS‐VACCINATION PROGRAMMES AND THE VALUE OF RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY
Authors: ASVELD LOTTE 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACTRespect for autonomy is problematic in relation to public health programmes such as vaccination, as the success of such programmes depends on widespread compliance. European countries have different policies for dealing with objectors to vaccination programmes. In some countries compliance is compulsory, while in others objectors are exempted or allowed to enter the programme under specific conditions.In this paper I argue that the objectors should not be treated as a homogenous group as is done in the above‐mentioned policies. Objectors have different arguments for not participating in vaccination programmes. Considering the value of respect for autonomy, some but not all of these arguments need to be accommodated by authorities.The concept of ‘narrative autonomy’ provides criteria to distinguish between tenable and untenable claims to the right to refuse vaccination. Narrative autonomy understands autonomy as essentially linked to identity, as this provides the moral framework with which we assess our first‐order preferences.The above‐mentioned concept of autonomy is derived from the concept of narrative identity as described by Marya Schechtman. She suggests that the application of the Articulation Constraint and the Reality Constraint enables us to establish the validity of personal narratives. Additionally, form and content features of identity, as proposed by Anthony Laden, will be used as criteria to establish the compatibility of the defectors’ arguments with shared scientific and political values. Such compatibility is essential to accommodate respect for autonomy in the context of public health.
Ethical Disparities: Challenges Encountered by Multidisciplinary Providers in Fulfilling Ethical Standards in the Care of Rural and Minority People
Authors: Roberts Laura Weiss , Johnson Mark E. , Brems Christiane , Warner Teddy D. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT:
Context: Health care disparities are well documented for people living in rural areas and for people who are members of ethnic minorities. Purpose: Our goal was to determine whether providers report greater difficulty in providing care for rural than urban residents and for ethnic minorities than patients/clients in general in 4 practice areas of ethical relevance: attaining treatment adherence, assuring confidentiality, establishing therapeutic alliance, and engaging in informed consent processes. Methods: We received survey responses from 1,558 multidisciplinary medical and behavioral providers across rural and non‐rural areas of New Mexico and Alaska in 2004 to assess a wide range of issues in providing health care. Findings: Providers reported some difficulties in fulfilling various ethical practices for all types of patients, but not more difficulty when caring for minority compared to nonminority patients/clients. However, they do report more frequent additional problems related to the practice issues of treatment adherence, therapeutic alliance, informed consent, and confidentiality with minority patients than others. Difficulties and more frequent additional problems are greater for providers in rural than in non‐rural areas. Results generalize across both Alaska and New Mexico with few differences. Conclusions: We obtained evidence for disparity in care for patients/ clients who were minority group members, and clear evidence of disparity for people residing in rural compared to non‐rural areas of 2 states with large rural areas.
Small mammal diversity and habitat requirements in the Kahuzi‐Biega National Park and surrounding areas, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: KALEME Prince K. , BATES John , PETERANS Julian Kerbis , JACQUES Mwanga M. , NDARA Benjamin R. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractWe conducted a study on diversity and habitat requirements of small mammals in the western part of the Albertine Rift, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The work aimed at providing a more complete list of species recorded to date and their habitat requirements to aid conservation efforts in the region. Trapping was conducted using Museum special, Victor traps, Sherman live traps and pitfall traps in four different habitats. A total of 57 species was recorded. Plantations and open habitats harbored the same species. In the forested areas we recorded 30 species which are not tolerant to disturbance. Eighteen species are Albertine Rift endemics. One species (Lophuromys cinereus), which is vulnerable and data deficient, has been recorded only in swamp. This study has recorded more species than the previous studies, some of which have not been reported in earlier studies. Differences between this and earlier studies are attributed to methods and the areas sampled. Some of the habitats sampled by previous workers have not been assessed. More research is needed, especially in swamps in mountain areas and in deep forests inhabited by species not present at lower altitudes.
New Insights Into the Clinical Features, Pathogenesis and Molecular Genetics of Huntington Disease
Authors: Kremer Berry , Weber Bernhard , Hayden Michael R. 
Published: January 2008

Traditionally, a clinical diagnosis of Huntington disease (HD) presents no problems in patients with a positive family history, consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance, chorea or other extrapyramidal motor signs, and progressive mental decline (1). However, due to the slowly progressive nature of the disease and the slow evolution of signs and symptoms, it is often difficult to determine when at risk individuals are showing early signs. Moreover, the clinical recognition of both early and late‐onset cases, and of choreic patients in whom a family history is lacking, presents special diagnostic challenges.In recent years, much progress has been made in the recognition of early clinical signs of the disease. Factors which have contributed to this understanding include the longitudinal study of large cohorts of at‐risk individuals, particularly in Venezuela, the data from predictive testing programs, and the application of positron emission tomography (PET)‐scanning to individuals without overt chorea. We are now able to identify persons at risk as being affected before they display overt and obvious involuntary movements.
Evidence of Nuclear DNA Fragmentation Following Hypoxia‐Ischemia in the Infant Rat Brain, and Transient Forebrain Ischemia in the Adult Gerbil
Authors: Ferrer Isidro , Tortosa Avelina , Macaya Alfons , Sierra Angels , Moreno Dolores , Munell Francina , Blanco Rosa , Squier Waney 
Published: January 2008

Wistar rats, eight days old, were subjected to permanent bilateral forebrain ischemia, followed by hypoxia for 15 minutes. A cerebral infarct, mainly involving the cerebral neocortex, hippocampus, amygdala, striatum and subcortical white matter was produced. Neurons and glia showing punctate chromatin condensation and karyorrhectic cells were observed 12 hours after hypoxia‐ischemia. Their number increased during the first two days and recruitment of cells with degenerating nuclei occurred until day five. In situ labeling of nuclear DNA fragmentation stained many normal‐appearing nuclei, as well as punctate chromatin condensations and nuclear fragments in karyorrhectic cells. Delayed neuronal death in the CA1 area of the hippocampus was observed after 20 minutes of transient forebrain ischemia in the adult gerbil. In situ labeling of nuclear DNA fragmentation demonstrated stained punctate chromatin condensation in a few degenerating cells at 48 hours post‐ischemia. Substantial labeling of CA1 neurons occurred in the fourth day.Agarose gel electrophoresis of extracted brain DNA from ischemic infant rats and adult gerbils showed a ladder‐type pattern which is typical of nuclear DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal fragments (internucleosomal cleavage). These findings suggest that endonuclease(s) activation may play a role in cell death induced by different forms of hypoxia‐ischemia.
The Neuropathology and Epidemiology of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Authors: Wells Gerald A. H. , Wilesmith John W. 
Published: January 2008

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), defined originally from its characteristic neuropathology, retains a place of particular interest in the scrapie‐like or prion disease group, presenting uniquely an example of such diseases occurring as a nationwide food‐borne epidemic in Great Britain. Comprehensive monitoring of the epidemic, both pathologically and epidemiologically, has facilitated our present understanding of the disease. BSE presents the classical neuropathological features of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Although particularly similar to natural scrapie of sheep, BSE has, unlike scrapie, a stereotypic lesion profile from which it has been concluded that host and agent factors, including probably the strain of agent, which influence the profile, are constant in this disease. Neuronal loss in BSE may make an important but hitherto inapparent contribution to functional deficits. Preliminary ultrastructural studies have confirmed light microscopic features of brain changes in BSE but have as yet not established significant new findings.Immunohistochemical studies of PrP accumulation reveal distinctive forms and distributions of immunolabelling, confirming features reported previously in experimental models of scrapie, including perineuronal and perineuritic “synapse‐like” reactivity.The histopathological diagnosis of BSE, validated on a single section of the medulla for the statutory diagnosis of large numbers of cases, is supplemented where necessary by fibril (SAF) examination which performs similarly to the histological diagnosis in the majority of cases.Epidemiological studies of BSE have supported the pathological findings that there is no detectable variation in susceptibility within the cattle population. The detailed monitoring of the epidemic has revealed the expected effects on the incidence as a result of statutory measures intended to prevent food‐borne exposure after July 1988. The main effect has been a reduction in the national incidence during 1993 which has been continued into 1994. Analytical studies have not revealed any means of transmission, other than the food‐borne source, capable of maintaining the epidemic in Great Britain. An international comparison of risk factors for the occurrence of BSE indicates that an epidemic of similar magnitude outside the British Isles is unlikely.
Neuropathological Diagnostic Criteria for Creutzfeldt‐Jakob Disease (CJD) and Other Human Spongiform Encephalopathies (Prion Diseases)
Authors: Budka Herbert , Aguzzi Adriano , Brown Paul , Brucher Jean‐Marie , Bugiani Orso , Gullotta Filippo , Haltia Matti , Hauw Jean‐Jacques , Ironside James W. , Jellinger Kurt , Kretzschmar Hans A. , Lantos Peter L. , Masullo Carlo , Schlote Wolfgang , Tateishi Jun , Weller Roy O. 
Published: January 2008

Neuropathological diagnostic criteria for Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD) and other human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases) are proposed for the following disease entities: CJD ‐ sporadic, iatrogenic (recognised risk) or familial (same disease in 1st degree relative): spongiform encephalopathy in cerebral and/or cerebellar cortex and/or subcortical grey matter; or encephalopathy with prion protein (PrP) immuno‐reactivity (plaque and/or diffuse synaptic and/or patchy/perivacuolar types). Gerstmann‐Sträussler‐Scheinker disease (GSS) (in family with dominantly inherited progressive ataxia and/or dementia): encephalo(myelo)pathy with multicentric PrP plaques. Familial fatal insomnia (FFI) (in member of a family with PRNP178 mutation): thalamic degeneration, variable spongiform change in cerebrum. Kuru (in the Fore population).Without PrP data, the crucial feature is the spongiform change accompanied by neuronal loss and gliosis. This spongiform change is characterised by diffuse or focally clustered small round or oval vacuoles in the neuropil of the deep cortical layers, cerebellar cortex or subcortical grey matter, which might become confluent. Spongiform change should not be confused with non‐specific spon‐giosis. This includes status spongiosus (“spongiform state”), comprising irregular cavities in gliotic neuropil following extensive neuronal loss (including also lesions of “burnt‐out” CJD), “spongy” changes in brain oedema and metabolic encephalopathies, and artefacts such as superficial cortical, perineuronal, or perivascular vacuolation; focal changes indistinguishable from spongiform change may occur in some cases of Alzheimer's and diffuse Lewy body diseases. Very rare cases might not be diagnosed by these criteria. Then confirmation must be sought by additional techniques such as PrP immunoblotting, preparations for electron microscopic examination of scrapie associated fibrils (SAF), molecular biologic studies, or experimental transmission.