bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trends of mortality and causes of death among HIV‐infected patients in Taiwan, 1984–2005
Authors: Yang C‐H , Huang Y‐F , Hsiao C‐F , Yeh Y‐L , Liou H‐R , Hung C‐C , Yang S‐Y 
Published: June 2008

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyse the trends of mortality and causes of death among HIV‐infected patients in Taiwan from 1984 to 2005.MethodsRegistered data and death certificates for HIV‐infected patients from Taiwan Centers for Disease Control were reviewed. Mortality rate and causes of deaths were compared among patients whose HIV diagnosis was made in three different study periods: before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (pre‐HAART: from 1 January 1984 to 31 March 1997), in the early HAART period (from 1 April 1997 to 31 December 2001), and in the late HAART period (from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2005). A subgroup of 1161 HIV‐infected patients (11.4%) followed at a university hospital were analysed to investigate the trends of and risk factors for mortality.ResultsFor 10 162 HIV‐infected patients with a mean follow‐up of 1.97 years, the mortality rate of HIV‐infected patients declined from 10.2 deaths per 100 person‐years (PY) in the pre‐HAART period to 6.5 deaths and 3.7 deaths per 100 PY in the early and late HAART periods, respectively (P<0.0001). For the 1161 patients followed at a university hospital (66.8% with CD4 count <200 cells/μL), HAART reduced mortality by 89% in multivariate analysis, and the adjusted hazard ratio for death was 0.28 (95% confidence interval 0.24, 0.33) in patients enrolled in the late HAART period compared with those in the pre‐HAART period. Seventy‐six per cent of the deaths in the pre‐HAART period were attributable to AIDS‐defining conditions, compared with 36% in the late HAART period (P<0.0001). The leading causes of non‐AIDS‐related deaths were sepsis (14.7%) and accidental death (8.3%), both of which increased significantly throughout the three study periods. Compared with patients acquiring HIV infection through sexual contact, injecting drug users were more likely to die from non‐AIDS‐related causes.ConclusionsThe mortality of HIV‐infected patients declined significantly after the introduction of HAART in Taiwan. In the HAART era, AIDS‐related deaths decreased significantly while deaths from non‐AIDS‐related conditions increased.
Founder Effect and Estimation of the Age of the c.892C>T (p.Arg298Cys) Mutation in LMNA Associated to Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth Subtype CMT2B1 in Families from North Western Africa
Authors: Hamadouche T. , Poitelon Y. , Genin E. , Chaouch M. , Tazir M. , Kassouri N. , Nouioua S. , Chaouch A. , Boccaccio I. , Benhassine T. , De Sandre‐Giovannoli A. , Grid D. , Lévy N. , Delague V. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryCMT2B1, an axonal subtype (MIM 605588) of the Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease, is an autosomal recessive motor and sensory neuropathy characterized by progressive muscular and sensory loss in the distal extremities with chronic distal weakness. The genetic defect associated with the disease is, to date, a unique homozygous missense mutation, p.Arg298Cys (c.892C>T), in the LMNA gene. So far, this mutation has only been found in affected individuals originating from a restricted region of North Western Africa (northwest of Algeria and east of Morocco), strongly suggesting a founder effect. In order to address this hypothesis, genotyping of both STRs and intragenic SNPs was performed at the LMNA locus, at chromosome 1q21.2‐q21.3, in 42 individuals affected with CMT2B1 from 25 Algerian families. Our results indicate that the affected individuals share a common ancestral haplotype in a region of about 1.0 Mb (1 cM) and that the most recent common ancestor would have lived about 800–900 years ago (95% confidence interval: 550 to 1300 years).
Live imaging of altered period1 expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of Vipr2−/− mice1
Authors: Hughes Alun T. L. , Guilding Clare , Lennox Laura , Samuels Rayna E. , McMahon Douglas G. , Piggins Hugh D. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractVasoactive intestinal polypeptide and its receptor, VPAC2, play important roles in the functioning of the brain’s circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Mice lacking VPAC2 receptors (Vipr2−/−) show altered circadian rhythms in locomotor behavior, neuronal firing rate, and clock gene expression, however, the nature of molecular oscillations in individual cells is unclear. Here, we used real‐time confocal imaging of a destabilized green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter to track the expression of the core clock gene Per1 in live SCN‐containing brain slices from wild‐type (WT) and Vipr2−/− mice. Rhythms in Per1‐driven GFP were detected in WT and Vipr2−/− cells, though a significantly lower number and proportion of cells in Vipr2−/− slices expressed detectable rhythms. Further, Vipr2−/− cells expressed significantly lower amplitude oscillations than WT cells. Within each slice, the phases of WT cells were synchronized whereas cells in Vipr2−/− slices were poorly synchronized. Most GFP‐expressing cells, from both genotypes, expressed neither vasopressin nor vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Pharmacological blockade of VPAC2 receptors in WT SCN slices partially mimicked the Vipr2−/− phenotype. These data demonstrate that intercellular communication via the VPAC2 receptor is important for SCN neurons to sustain robust, synchronous oscillations in clock gene expression.
Moderate caloric restriction initiated in rodents during adulthood sustains function of the female reproductive axis into advanced chronological age
Authors: Selesniemi Kaisa , Lee Ho‐Joon , Tilly Jonathan L. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryAge‐related ovarian failure in women heralds the transition into postmenopausal life, which is characterized by a loss of fertility and increased risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cognitive dysfunction. Unfortunately, there are no options available for delaying loss of ovarian function with age in humans. Rodent studies have shown that caloric restriction (CR) can extend female fertile lifespan; however, much of this work initiated CR at weaning, which causes stunted adolescent growth and a delayed onset of sexual maturation. Herein we tested in mice if CR initiated in adulthood could delay reproductive aging. After 4 months of CR, the ovarian follicle reserve was doubled compared to ad libitum (AL)‐fed age‐matched controls, which in mating trials exhibited a loss of fertility by 15.5 months of age. In CR females returned to AL feeding at 15.5 months of age, approximately one‐half remained fertile for 6 additional months and one‐third continued to deliver offspring through 23 months of age. Notably, fecundity of CR‐then‐AL‐fed females and postnatal offspring survival rates were dramatically improved compared with aging AL‐fed controls. For example, between 10 and 23 months of age, only 22% of the 54 offspring delivered by AL‐fed females survived. In contrast, over 73% of the 94 pups delivered by 15.5‐ to 23‐month‐old CR‐then‐AL‐fed mice survived without any overt complications. These data indicate that in mice adult‐onset CR maintains function of the female reproductive axis into advanced age and dramatically improves postnatal survival of offspring delivered by aged females.
The L‐Type Ca2+ and KATP Channels May Contribute to Pacing‐Induced Protection Against Anoxia‐Reoxygenation in the Embryonic Heart Model
Authors: BRUCHEZ PHILIPPE , SARRE ALEXANDRE , KAPPENBERGER LUKAS , RADDATZ ERIC 
Published: June 2008

Aims:
The L‐type Ca2+ channel, the sarcolemmal (sarcKATP), and mitochondrial KATP (mitoKATP) channels are involved in myocardial preconditioning. We aimed at determining to what extent these channels can also participate in pacing‐induced cardioprotection.
Methods:
Hearts of 4‐day‐old chick embryos were paced in ovo during 12 hour using asynchronous intermittent ventricular stimulation at 110% of the intrinsic rate. Sham operated and paced hearts were then submitted in vitro to anoxia (30 minutes) and reoxygenation (60 minutes). These hearts were exposed to L‐type Ca2+ channel agonist Bay‐K‐8644 (BAY‐K) or blocker verapamil, nonselective KATP channel antagonist glibenclamide (GLIB), mitoKATP channel agonist diazoxide (DIAZO), or antagonist 5‐hydroxydecanoate. Electrocardiogram, electromechanical delay (EMD) reflecting excitation‐contraction (E‐C) coupling, and contractility were determined.
Results:
Under normoxia, heart rate, QT duration, conduction, EMD, and ventricular shortening were similar in sham and paced hearts. During reoxygenation, arrhythmias ceased earlier and ventricular EMD recovered faster in paced hearts than in sham hearts. In sham hearts, BAY‐K (but not verapamil), DIAZO (but not 5‐hydroxydecanoate) or GLIB accelerated recovery of ventricular EMD, reproducing the pacing‐induced protection. By contrast, none of these agents further ameliorated recovery of the paced hearts.
Conclusion:
The protective effect of chronic asynchronous pacing at near physiological rate on ventricular E‐C coupling appears to be associated with subtle activation of L‐type Ca2+ channel, inhibition of sarcKATP channel, and/or opening of mitoKATP channel.
Are Women with Severely Symptomatic Brugada Syndrome Different from Men?
Authors: SACHER FRÉDÉRIC , MEREGALLI PAOLA , VELTMANN CHRISTIAN , FIELD MICHAEL E , SOLNON AUDE , BRU PAUL , ABBEY SÉLIM , JAÏS PIERRE , TAN HANNO L , WOLPERT CHRISTIAN , LANDE GILLES , BERTAULT VALÉRIE , DERVAL NICOLAS , BABUTY DOMINIQUE , LACROIX DOMINIQUE , BOVEDA SERGE , MAURY PHILIPPE , HOCINI MÉLÈZE , CLÉMENTY JACQUES , MABO PHILIPPE , LEMAREC HERVÉ , MANSOURATI JACQUES , BORGGREFE MARTIN , WILDE ARTHUR , HAÏSSAGUERRE MICHEL , PROBST VINCENT 
Published: June 2008

Introduction: Spontaneous type‐1 ECG has been recognized as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in Brugada syndrome (BrS), but studied populations predominantly consisted of men. We sought to investigate whether a spontaneous type‐1 ECG pattern was also associated in women with severely symptomatic BrS. Other known risk factors were also examined for gender specificity. Methods: Patients with severely symptomatic BrS, defined as resuscitated SCD and/or appropriate implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) shock, were included from 11 European centers. Clinical data, investigation of family history, 12‐lead ECG, and results of electrophysiological study (EPS) were collected. The average follow‐up was 4 ± 3 years. Results: Fifty‐eight patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (mean age 47 ± 11 years, 8 women). Thirty‐six men (72%) but only two women (25%) had a spontaneous type‐1 ECG at baseline (P = 0.02). Maximal ST elevation before or after drug challenge was 3.7 ± 1.3 mm in men versus 2.4 ± 0.7 mm in women (P = 0.007). The proportion of patients with a family history of SCD or an SCN5A mutation was not significantly different between both groups. Of those patients with high‐risk BrS who underwent EPS, 76%(12/25) of men and 50%(2/4) of women had a positive study. Conclusion: In contrast to men, most women with BrS and resuscitated SCD or appropriate ICD shock do not have a spontaneous type‐1 ECG pattern. In addition, the degree of ST elevation is less pronounced in women than men. While women represent a lower‐risk group overall, risk factors established from a predominantly male population may not be helpful in identifying high‐risk females.
Diagnostic Value of Endomyocardial Biopsy Guided by Electroanatomic Voltage Mapping in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/Dysplasia
Authors: AVELLA ANDREA , D'AMATI GIULIA , PAPPALARDO AUGUSTO , RE FEDERICA , SILENZI PAOLA FRANCESCA , LAURENZI FRANCESCO , DE GIROLAMO PIERGIUSEPPE , PELARGONIO GEMMA , RUSSO ANTONIO DELLO , BARATTA PASQUALE , MESSINA GIUSEPPE , ZECCHI PAOLO , ZACHARA ELISABETTA , TONDO CLAUDIO 
Published: June 2008

Introduction:
To improve the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) diagnostic sensitivity for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D), we hypothesized a biopsy sampling focused on selected right ventricle (RV) low‐voltage areas identified by electroanatomic voltage mapping.
Methods and Results:
The study population (22 patients, 10 men; mean age 34 ± 10 years) included 11 patients with overt ARVC/D (group A) and 11 patients with suspected ARVC/D (group B), according to both arrhythmic profile and standardized noninvasive diagnostic criteria. In all 22 patients, an RV bipolar voltage mapping was performed with CARTO™ system sampling multiple endocardial sites (262 ± 61), during sinus rhythm, with a 0.5–1.5 mV color range setting of voltage display. All 11 (100%) group A patients and 8 of the 11 (73%) group B patients (P = nonsignificant [NS]) presented RV low‐voltage areas (<0.5 mV). In 8 group A patients and in all 8 group B patients with a pathological RV voltage map, an EMB focused on the low‐voltage areas was performed. In 6 (75%) group A patients and in 7 (87%) group B patients (P = NS), voltage mapping‐guided EMB was diagnostic for ARVC/D. In the remaining 3 patients, only nonspecific histological findings were observed.
Conclusions:
The results of our study (1) confirm the high diagnostic sensitivity of RV voltage mapping in patients with overt ARVC/D, (2) document a high prevalence of RV low‐voltage areas even in patients with suspected ARVC/D, and (3) demonstrate that in patients with clinical evidence or suspicion for ARVC/D, presenting RV low‐voltage areas, EMB guided by voltage mapping may provide ARVC/D diagnosis confirmation.
Body mass index and prevalence of obesity in a French cohort of patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Limosin F. , Gasquet I. , Leguay D. , Azorin J.‐M. , Rouillon F. 
Published: June 2008

Objective:  To evaluate the distributions of body mass index in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia, and to examine the association between body weight and antipsychotic drugs.Method:  The data source was baseline data from a national survey conducted in 2005–2006 in 5756 patients.Results:  The mean age of the patients was 37.1 ± 11.8 years, and the mean BMI was 25.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2. In the final logistic regression model, the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in female patients, age 40–59 vs. 18–29 years, patients in sheltered employment (vs. no income), out‐patients (vs. full‐time in‐patients) and patients treated with concomitant antidepressant. There was a higher rate of obesity, relative to an absence of antipsychotics at entry, for patients receiving the following individual drugs: clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone and amisulpride.Conclusion:  In patients treated with atypical antipsychotics, we found a significantly higher prevalence of obesity than in those not treated with any antipsychotic medication.
Sequences of emotions in patients with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Reisch T. , Ebner‐Priemer U. W. , Tschacher W. , Bohus M. , Linehan M. M. 
Published: June 2008

Objective:  To investigate sequences of emotions (temporal dependence of emotions) to identify specific patterns of borderline personality disorder (BPD).Method:  The perceived emotions of 50 BPD patients and 50 healthy controls (HC) were monitored by using a hand‐held computer system for a 24‐h period in a daily life setting. Participants were prompted four times per hour to assess their current perceived emotions. Differences between BPD patients and HC in terms of activation, persistence and down‐regulation of emotions were analyzed.Results:  Healthy controls in contrast to BPD patients more often activated joy and interest. BPD patients more often experienced persistence of anxiety and sadness. BPD patients more frequently switched from anxiety to sadness, from anxiety to anger and from sadness to anxiety. Anger was predominantly preceded by anxiety.Conclusion:  Persistence of sadness and anxiety, as well as emotional oscillating between anxiety, sadness and anger are important aspects of the emotional dysregulation in BPD patients.
Influence of residual pockets on progression of periodontitis and tooth loss: Results after 11 years of maintenance
Authors: Matuliene Giedre , Pjetursson Bjarni E. , Salvi Giovanni E. , Schmidlin Kurt , Brägger Urs , Zwahlen Marcel , Lang Niklaus P. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBackground: Limited evidence exists on the significance of residual probing pocket depth (PPD) as a predictive parameter for periodontal disease progression and tooth loss.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of residual PPD 5 mm and bleeding on probing (BOP) after active periodontal therapy (APT) on the progression of periodontitis and tooth loss.Material and Methods: In this retrospective cohort, 172 patients were examined after APT and supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) for 3–27 years (mean 11.3 years). Analyses were conducted using information at site, tooth and patient levels. The association of risk factors with tooth loss and progression of periodontitis was investigated using multilevel logistic regression analysis.Results: The number of residual PPD increased during SPT. Compared with PPD3 mm, PPD=5 mm represented a risk factor for tooth loss with odds ratios of 5.8 and 7.7, respectively, at site and tooth levels. The corresponding odds ratios for PPD=6 mm were 9.3 and 11.0 and for PPD7 mm 37.9 and 64.2, respectively. At patient level, heavy smoking, initial diagnosis, duration of SPT and PPD6 mm were risk factors for disease progression, while PPD6 mm and BOP30% represented a risk for tooth loss.Conclusion: Residual PPD6 mm represent an incomplete periodontal treatment outcome and require further therapy.
Maternal tobacco smoking, nicotine replacement and neurobehavioural development
Authors: Pauly James R , Slotkin Theodore A 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe adverse effects of prenatal cigarette smoke exposure on human reproductive outcomes are a major scientific and public health concern. In the United States, approximately 25% of women of childbearing age currently smoke cigarettes, and only a small percentage of these individuals quit after learning of their pregnancy. Women interested in smoking cessation during pregnancy have a number of options, including behavioural and pharmacological aids, but nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is by far the most common approach. While NRT avoids exposure to the myriad compounds present in tobacco smoke, nicotine itself causes damage to the developing nervous system. The purpose of this article is to review the detrimental effects of developmental tobacco smoke exposure on short‐ and long‐term outcomes with particular emphasis on neurobehavioural consequences. In conclusion based on the clear, adverse effects of nicotine on brain development observed in human and animal studies, we suggest that safer alternatives for smoking cessation in pregnancy are badly needed.
Low birth weight and the developing vascular tree: a systematic review
Authors: Norman Mikael 
Published: June 2008

AbstractLow birth weight (LBW) is a risk factor for hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease in adults. Mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease may therefore be initiated in early life. Studies to investigate the initiating events and emergence of vascular risk markers in infancy and childhood have been an area of particular interest in recent years. The aim of this review is to focus on the early development of the human vascular tree in relation to LBW. Specific characteristics, including endothelial function, intima–media thickness, microvascular density, arterial dimensions and elasticity, will be discussed. LBW due to different causes – poor foetal growth or preterm birth – results in different patterns of altered development of the vascular system, which can already be seen in infancy. Follow‐up studies in children and young adults indicate that vascular compromise in many ways persists in those born either small for gestational age or prematurely.Conclusion: LBW is associated with structural and functional changes in the vascular tree, which have implications for cardiovascular health in adult life.
Romanticism/Secularization/Secularism
Authors: Jager Colin 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe romantic period is often considered a time of secularization. However, recent critiques of the secularization thesis, as well as recent scholarly accounts of romanticism, have questioned this assumption. At the same time, a number of scholars have begun to analyze secularism itself. Secularism, some have suggested, actually ‘invents’ the concept of religion during the period of European colonialism. It is therefore not possible to investigate the question of ‘romanticism and religion’ as if ‘religion’ was a definite thing. However, the relationship between secularism and romanticism remains an important research topic. One question of particular interest is how literature came to be understood during the romantic period, and the degree to which literary reading is associated with secularism.
Quiet, Nonconsumptive Recreation Reduces Protected Area Effectiveness
Authors: Reed Sarah E. , Merenlender Adina M. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractProtected areas around the world were created with the goals of preserving biodiversity and providing nature‐based recreation opportunities for millions of people. This dual mandate guides the management of the majority of the world's protected areas, but there is growing evidence that quiet, nonconsumptive recreation may not be compatible with biodiversity protection. We combined noninvasive survey techniques and DNA verification of species identifications to survey for mammalian carnivores in 28 parks and preserves in northern California. Paired comparisons of neighboring protected areas with and without recreation revealed that the presence of dispersed, nonmotorized recreation led to a five‐fold decline in the density of native carnivores and a substantial shift in community composition from native to nonnative species. Demand for recreation and nature‐based tourism is forecasted to grow dramatically around the world, and our findings suggest a pressing need for new approaches to the designation and management of protected areas.
Identification of Flow Structures on a LP Turbine Blade Due to
Periodic Passing Wakes
Authors: Sarkar S. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
The paper describes the flow structures on the suction surface of a highly cambered low-pressure turbine (LPT) blade (T106 profile) subjected to periodic convective wakes. A separation bubble on the rear half of the suction side of the blade was found to form under the operating condition due to the highly diffusive boundary layer. Interactions of migrating wakes with this separated boundary layer trigger rollup of the shear layer leading to transition and the appearance of coherent vortices. To characterize the dynamics of these large-scale structures, a proper orthogonal decomposition is pursued on both the fluctuating velocity and the vorticity fields generated by large-eddy simulations (LESs) of wake passing over the LPT blade for a Reynolds number Re=1.6×105. The first two modes clearly depict the rollup of the unstable shear layer and formation of large-scale vortex loops that contain a major fraction of the fluctuation energy. The present LES, at least in a qualitative sense, illustrates the large-scale motions in the outer layer and dynamics of vortical structures in a separated boundary layer excited by external perturbations.