bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Realistic expectations of surgical treatment of aortic dissections: The stanford experience
Authors: Craig Miller D. , Stinson Edward B. , Shumway Norman E. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractOver a 16‐year span, 125 unselected patients with acute and chronic aortic dissections underwent uniform surgical treatment. Fifty‐three had acute type A(Ac‐A), 29 had chronic type A(Ch‐A), 20 had acute type B(Ac‐B), and 23 had chronic type B(Ch‐B) dissections. Major preoperative complications were encountered frequently; 14% of dissections had ruptured. All patients underwent aortic replacement with tubular grafts; concomitant aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 11% of the Ac‐A patients and 38% of Ch‐A patients. The primary intimal tear was resected in 78% of operations. Follow‐up averaged 4.5 years and extended beyond 13 years. Overall operative mortality rate was 34% for Ac‐A, 14% for Ch‐A, 45% for Ac‐B, and 22% for Ch‐B patients. Between January, 1974 and October, 1979 these mortality rates (63 patients Ac‐A, 17 Ch‐A, 7 Ac‐B, 12 Ch‐B) declined to 22%, 18%, 14%, and 17%, respectively. Actuarial survival rates (± SEM) for the entire series were 54±5% at 5 years and 26±7% at 10 years. Excluding operative deaths, these were 76±5% and 37±10% at similar intervals. Multiple preoperative variables correlated with both operative risk and long‐term survival, but the survival rate appeared not to be influenced by whether AVR was performed (type A patients) or by whether the primary intimal tear was resected (all patients). No differences in long‐term survival were evident between the 4 subgroups of patients. Survivors generally sustained satisfactory functional results and experienced good rehabilitation.The results of this investigation argue for immediate operative treatment of acute type A dissections and, possibly, of acute type B dissections as well. Furthermore, surgical resection of symptomatic and/or expanding chronic type A and chronic type B dissections ameliorates symptoms and provides satisfactory long‐term survival. Surgical treatment does not “cure” the disease. However, as evidenced by the declining operative risk, acceptable durability of repair, and improved long‐term survival, surgical therapy can result in salvage of a substantial majority of patients with life threatening dissection of the aorta.
Changes in dorsal root ganglion CGRP expression in a chronic inflammatory model of the rat knee joint: Differential modulation by rofecoxib and paracetamol
Authors: Staton Penny C. , Wilson Alex W. , Bountra Chas , Chessell Iain P. , Day Nicola C. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractNeuropeptide‐expressing small diameter sensory neurones are thought to be vital in generating inflammatory hyperalgesic responses. Within the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), both the levels of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and the numbers of CGRP‐immunoreactive (CGRP‐IR) DRG neurones have been shown to increase in a number of acute adjuvant‐induced inflammatory pain models. The aim of this study was to look specifically at changes in numbers of CGRP‐IR DRG neurones in a chronic model of inflammatory joint pain following complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection into the rat knee. In this model, there were significant increases in the number of ipsilateral CGRP‐IR small DRG neurones at days 1, 16 and 35 following intra‐articular CFA, compared to saline‐injected sham animals. This correlated with the behavioural readouts of hypersensitivity and knee joint inflammation at the same time points. There was also a significant increase in the number of ipsilateral CGRP‐IR medium DRG neurones and contralateral CGRP‐IR small DRG neurones at day 1. Following dosing of CFA‐injected rats with rofecoxib (Vioxx™) or paracetamol, there was a significant decrease in the number of ipsilateral CGRP‐IR small and medium DRG neurones in rofecoxib‐ but not paracetamol‐treated rats. These data also correlated with behavioural readouts where hypersensitivity and knee joint inflammation were significantly reduced by rofecoxib but not paracetamol treatment. In conclusion, these data show that changes in ipsilateral CGRP expression within small DRG neurones are consistent with behavioural readouts in both time course, rofecoxib and paracetamol studies in this model of chronic inflammatory pain.
Life events exposure before a treated major depressive episode depends on the number of past episodes
Authors: Corruble Emmanuelle , Falissard Bruno , Gorwood Philip 
Published: May 2006

AbstractA cross-sectional survey investigated the relationship between the number of previous depressive episodes and life events, testing the kindling hypothesis, in a sample of 13,377 treated patients with unipolar depression. A linear decline of average life events exposure is observed for more frequent past episodes, even when age, gender and severity are taken into account.
Does bladder voiding during sleep and wakefulness change the behavioural state of infants?
Authors: ZOTTER HEINZ , SAUSENG WERNER , URLESBERGER BERNDT , MUELLER WILHELM , PICHLER GERHARD , KERBL REINHOLD 
Published: May 2006

Abstract Aim: To evaluate whether bladder voiding in healthy infants is accompanied by body movements or any changes in heart rate (HR), respiratory frequency (RF) or electroencephalogram (EEG) frequency during sleep and during wakefulness. Methods: Polygraphic recordings were performed on 33 healthy infants (17 female) born at term. The infants' age at study entry was 41±10 d, and actual body weight was 4876±403 g (mean±SD). Bladder voiding was recorded by an adapted enuresis detector connected to the polygraphic computer unit. Results: Awakening was observed in 12 (36%) infants 77±9 s before bladder voiding. Twenty‐one infants (64%) continued sleeping during bladder voiding. In sleeping infants, bladder voiding occurred during non‐REM sleep only, and was accompanied by a cortical arousal. During wakefulness, RF was lower, and HR and EEG frequency were higher, but stayed constant during bladder voiding. Conclusion: Our observations demonstrate that bladder voiding in healthy infants during sleep is accompanied by body movements and changes in HR and EEG frequency, indicating cortical arousals, whereas during wakefulness these changes cannot be observed.
Paediatric metabolic syndrome and associated anthropometric indices: The CASPIAN Study
Authors: KELISHADI ROYA , ARDALAN GELAYOL , GHEIRATMAND RIAZ , ADELI KHOSROW , DELAVARI ALIREZA , MAJDZADEH REZA ,   For The Caspian Study Group
Published: May 2006

AbstractAim:To determine the prevalence of paediatric metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its best predictive anthropometric index.Methods:This national study was conducted among 4811 students (2248 boys and 2563 girls) aged 6–18 y. This is the first study of its kind in Iran and, to our knowledge, in Asia as well. Two definitions were used for the MetS: type A was defined based on criteria analogous to ATP III, and type B was defined according to the cut‐offs obtained from NHANES III. Both types A and B define high fasting blood sugar as > 100 mg/dl and systolic/diastolic blood pressure as > 90th percentile.Results:The mean (SD) age of students studied was 12.07±3.2 y. MetS type A was seven times more prevalent than type B (14% vs 2%, respectively, p<0.0001), and had no significant gender difference. The most frequent components of both definitions of the MetS were low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and high triglyceride (TG). Waist circumference (WC) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) had the strongest and weakest associations, respectively, with the MetS.Conclusion:Establishment of a uniform set of criteria for the MetS in children is needed. Routine WC measurement in the paediatric population may be clinically useful.
Estimates of harm associated with changes in Swedish alcohol policy: results from past and present estimates
Authors: Andreasson Sven , Holder Harold D. , Norström Thor , Österberg Esa , Rossow Ingeborg 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACTAims (i) To compare actual developments of alcohol‐related harm in Sweden with estimates derived prior to major policy changes in 1995 and (ii) to estimate the effects on consumption and alcohol‐related harm of reducing alcohol prices in Sweden.Design Alcohol effect parameters expressing the strength of the relationship between overall alcohol consumption and different alcohol‐related harms were obtained from ARIMA (Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average) time‐series analyses.Measurements Measures of Swedish alcohol‐related mortality (liver cirrhosis, alcoholic psychosis, alcoholism and alcohol poisoning), accident mortality, suicide, homicide, assaults and sickness absence from 1950 to 1995.Findings Previous estimates of alcohol‐related harm based on changes in alcohol consumption for the period 1994–2002 for Sweden were, in some cases (e.g. violent assaults and accidents), relatively close to the actual harm levels, whereas in other cases (e.g. homicides, alcohol‐related mortality and suicide) they diverged from observed harm levels. A tax cut by 40% on spirits and by 15% on wine is estimated to increase total per capita alcohol consumption by 0.35 litre. This increase is estimated to cause 289 additional deaths, 1627 additional assaults and 1.6 million additional sickness absence days.Conclusions The estimates of future changes in harm based upon even relatively modest increases in alcohol consumption produce considerable negative effects, with large economic consequences for the Swedish economy. The additional alcohol‐related deaths, for instance, amount to more than half the number of yearly traffic fatalities in Sweden.
Volume of alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking and burden of disease in the European region 2002
Authors: Rehm Jürgen , Taylor Benjamin , Patra Jayadeep 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACTAims To describe the volume of alcohol consumption and patterns of drinking in the World Health Organization (WHO) European regions in 2002 and to estimate quantitatively the burden of disease attributable to alcohol in that year.Methods Secondary data analysis. Exposure data were taken from the WHO Comparative Risk Assessment, outcome data from the WHO Measurement and Health Information department, and used to derive three outcome measures: deaths, years of life lost (YLL) and disability adjusted life years (DALY) for 2002. All calculations were conducted according to age, sex and region.Results Alcohol consumption in the WHO regions for Europe was high, with 12.1 litres pure alcohol per capita, on average more than 100% above the global consumption. Alcohol consumption caused a considerable disease burden: 6.1% of all the deaths, 12.3% of all YLL and 10.7% of all DALY in all European regions in 2002 could be attributed to this exposure. Intentional and unintentional injuries accounted for almost 50% of all alcohol‐attributable deaths and almost 44% of alcohol‐attributable disease burden. Young people and men were affected the most. Geographically, the most eastern region around Russia had the highest alcohol‐attributable disease burden.Conclusions Interventions should be implemented to reduce the high burden of alcohol‐attributable disease in the European regions. Given the epidemiological structure of the burden, injury prevention, including but not restricted to the prevention of traffic injuries, and specific prevention for young people should play the most important role in a comprehensive plan to reduce alcohol‐attributable burden.
Determinants of quality of life in chronic liver patients
Authors: GUTTELING J. J. , DE MAN R. A. , VAN DER PLAS S. M. , SCHALM S. W. , BUSSCHBACH J. J. V. , DARLINGTON A.‐S. E. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryBackground and aimHealth‐related quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease has been shown to be impaired in numerous studies. However, the factors which influence health‐related quality of life in treated chronic liver patients are not quite known. This is the first study to assess the impact of physical and psychosocial determinants on a weighted score of health‐related quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease.MethodsThe data of 1175 chronic liver patients were used to assess the relationship between items of the disease‐specific Liver Disease Symptom Index 2.0 and the Short Form (SF)‐6D weighted utility score by means of linear regression analyses.ResultsHealth‐related quality of life was most strongly related to disease severity (B = −0.029) and joint pain (B = −0.023). Depression (B = −0.014), pain in the right upper abdomen (B = −0.014), decreased appetite (B =  0.014) and fatigue (B = −0.013) were also strongly related to health‐related quality of life. In hepatitis C virus patients, disease severity (B = −0.037) and depression (B = −0.030) were strong determinants of health‐related quality of life.ConclusionsThis study shows that health‐related quality of life in chronic liver patients is clearly determined by disease severity, joint pain, depression, decreased appetite and fatigue. These patients may benefit most from interventions aimed at improving adaptation to the symptoms described.
Floral display size influences subsequent plant choice by bumble bees
Authors: ISHII H. S. 
Published: May 2006

Summary

The effect of floral display size (number of open flowers per plant) on subsequent plant choice by bumble bees, Bombus hypocrita sapporensis (Cockerell), was investigated using artificial inflorescences with blue or yellow flowers representing different ‘species’.
Bees flew to an inflorescence of the same colour (constant flight) more often after visiting a large inflorescence. This response occurred when the nectar volume per flower was constant (larger inflorescence offered more nectar), and when nectar volume per inflorescence was constant (nectar volume per flower varied with display size). These results indicate that bees did not exhibit higher constancy after visiting larger inflorescences because they extracted more nectar than from smaller ones.
Bees spent more time during visits to large vs small inflorescences. Possibly information about the last‐visited inflorescence fades from short‐term memory during longer visits, which strengthens colour constancy.
Selection on floral display size is thought to balance the attraction benefits of large displays with the cost of geitonogamy. However, in habitats with several competing plant species, selection for colour constancy may provide a further reason for selection to favour large floral displays.
CD45 negatively regulates tumour necrosis factor and interleukin‐6 production in dendritic cells
Authors: Piercy Jenny , Petrova Svetla , Tchilian Elma Z. , Beverley Peter C. L. 
Published: May 2006

SummaryCD45 is known to regulate signalling through many different surface receptors in diverse haemopoietic cell types. Here we report for the first time that CD45–/– bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDC) are more activated than CD45+/+ cells and that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) production by BMDC and splenic dendritic cells (sDC), is increased following stimulation via Toll‐like receptor (TLR)3 and TLR9. Nuclear factor‐κB activation, an important downstream consequence of TLR3 and TLR9 signalling, is also increased in CD45–/– BMDC. BMDC of CD45–/– mice also produce more TNF and IL‐6 following stimulation with the cytokines TNF and interferon‐α. These results show that TLR signalling is increased in CD45–/– dendritic cells and imply that CD45 is a negative regulator of TLR and cytokine receptor signalling in dendritic cells.
Molecular defects of the C7 gene in two patients with complement C7 deficiency
Authors: Barroso Sonia , Rieubland Claudine , JoséÁlvarez Antonia , López‐Trascasa Margarita , Bart Pierre‐Alexandre , Núñez‐Roldán Antonio , Sánchez Berta 
Published: May 2006

SummaryDifferent genetic mutations have been described in complement components resulting in total or subtotal deficiency states. In this work we report the genetic basis of C7 deficiency in a previously reported Spanish patient exhibiting a combined total deficiency of C7 and C4B associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Exon‐specific polymerase chain reaction and sequencing revealed a not previously described single base mutation in exon 10 (T1458A) leading to a stop codon that causes the premature truncation of the C7 protein (C464X). Additionally, a C to A transversion at position 1561 (exon 11) was found in the patient resulting in an amino acid change (R499S). This latter mutation has been previously reported in individuals with subtotal C7 deficiency or with combined subtotal C6/C7 deficiency from widely spaced geographical areas. Another novel mutation was found in a second patient with meningococcal meningitis of Bolivian and Czech origin; a 11‐base pair deletion of nucleotides 631–641 in exon 6 leading to the generation of a downstream stop codon causing the premature truncation of the C7 protein product (T189 × 193). This patient was found to be a heterozygous compound for another mutation in C7; a two‐base pair deletion of nucleotides 1922 and 1923, 1923 and 1924 or 1924 and 1925 in exon 14 (1922delAG/1923delGA/1924delAG), leading again to the generation of a downstream stop codon that provokes the truncation of the C7 protein (S620×630). This latter mutation has been recently reported by our group in another Spanish family. Our results provide more evidences for the heterogeneous molecular basis of C7 deficiency.
Pattern and process in the ecological biogeography of European freshwater fish
Authors: GRIFFITHS DAVID 
Published: May 2006

SummarySpecies lists for regions of Europe defined by Illies (1978,Limnofauna Europaea, 2nd edn. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart), and augmented by information from Maitland (2000,Guide to Freshwater Fish of Britain and Europe. Hamlyn, London), are used to describe patterns in freshwater fish species richness and to examine the contribution of habitat preference, migration, body size and glacial history to these patterns.The number of non‐endemic species declines to the north and west, with increasing distance from the Ponto‐Caspian region, the main source area, whereas endemic species richness declines only with latitude.Habitat generalists tend to be migratory while riverine specialists are usually resident. Similar numbers of riverine species and generalists occur in Europe as a whole but generalists dominate in regional faunas and, to an increasing extent, in more isolated, formerly glaciated areas. Very few lacustrine specialists were found, reflecting the geologically ephemeral nature of lakes. Only 8% of riverine species have colonized glaciated areas, compared with more than half the generalist species, and the number declines rapidly with increasing distance from the source area.Diadromous species show no geographical variation in species richness but potamodromous and resident species are affected by glaciation and by mountain and marine barriers.The mean body size of regional faunas increases with latitude because there are relatively fewer small species in more distant, glaciated areas.About half the species occurring in Europe are restricted to one region and the majority of these endemics occur in barrier regions with Mediterranean climates. Species in glaciated regions have much larger range sizes. Habitat preference and migration type, not body size, are the main determinants of range size.Freshwater habitat availability varies across Europe with glaciated areas having more lakes of a given size than unglaciated areas. Catchment size is greatest at mid‐latitudes. For a given catchment size rivers in glaciated areas are shorter.The results support the notion that habitat variability, on both short and long time scales, favours colonization ability, which requires large body size.As a result of their limited vagility northern fish faunas are depauperate, show high levels of plasticity and polymorphism and may show elevated speciation rates. The isolated southern faunas of the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the Balkans are rich in endemic species but may be subject to extinctions because of the spread of the highly seasonal Mediterranean climate.
1 Gastric myoelectrical activity compared to pyloric pressure in patients with gastroparesis
Authors: NGUYEN LB , PARKER S , SNAPE WJ 
Published: May 2006

Background:  Gastric emptying is a function of gastric contraction, electrical activity, pyloric and duodenal resistance. Pylorospasm (basal pyloric pressures >10 mmHg; Mearin et al. Gastro 1986) has been implicated in gastroparesis. Currently, pyloric pressures can be measured invasively, using a Dent sleeve (Mui Scientific, Inc.) manometry catheter. Electrogastrography (EGG) is a noninvasive tool for measuring gastric myoelectrical activity. EGG has been shown to distinguish gastric outlet obstruction from idiopathic gastroparesis (Brzana et al. Amer J Gastro 1998).Aims:  The aims of this study were to 1) determine whether EGG can distinguish patients with gastroparesis who have pylorospasm and 2) correlate basal pyloric pressure with various EGG parameters.Methods and Results:  23 patients with gastroparesis (19 diabetics, mean age 40.4 ± 2.3, mean 4 hr gastric retention 43.0 ± 5.1%) had basal pyloric pressure measurements and EGG. Stationary basal pyloric pressures were measured using a Dent sleeve that was placed across the pyloric channel during endoscopy with fluoroscopic guidance. 60.9% (14/23) of patients had elevated pyloric pressures (21.8 ± 3.4 mmHg vs. 5.5 ± 0.8 mmHg). There was no difference in the postprandial power ratio and gastric emptying as measured by scintigraphy between the 2 groups. The fasting dominant slow wave frequency (SWF) in the elevated pyloric pressure group was significantly higher compared to the normal pyloric pressure group (3.1 ± 0.1 cpm vs. 2.4 ± 0.3 cpm; p = 0.013). There was significantly less dysrhythmia in the elevated pyloric pressure group (75.5 ± 6.0% normal rhythm vs. 54.8 ± 9.7% normal; p = 0.03). More patients in the elevated pyloric pressure group had normal fasting electrical rhythm (>70% normal electrical rhythm) compared to the normal pyloric pressure group (64.3% vs. 22.2%; p = 0.03). There was a correlation between pyloric pressure and fasting slow wave frequency (r = 0.53, p = 0.005) but no correlation with the percentage of dysrhythmia, postprandial power ratio or gastric emptying.Conclusion:  Patients with normal pyloric pressure and delayed gastric emptying have significantly more abnormalities in slow wave frequency and dysrhythmia compared to patients with abnormal pyloric pressure. This suggests that patients with delayed gastric emptying with normal pyloric pressures have abnormalities in gastric conduction as a cause of their gastroparesis.