bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Management of Pancreatic Endocrine Tumors in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
Authors: Kouvaraki Maria A. , Shapiro Suzanne E. , Cote Gilbert J. , Lee Jeffrey E. , Yao James C. , Waguespack Steven G. , Gagel Robert F. , Evans Douglas B. , Perrier Nancy D. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractIntroductionPancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) occur in at least 50% of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and are the leading cause of disease‐specific mortality. However, the timing and extent of surgery for MEN1‐related PETs is controversial owing to the indolent tumor growth seen in most patients and the desire to avoid complications associated with insulin dependence. To help resolve this controversy, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, surgical treatment, and clinical outcome of patients with MEN1‐related PETs.MethodsAll patients had histologic or radiographic confirmation of a PET in the setting of MEN1. Disease progression was defined radiographically as the development of new pancreatic tumors or distant metastases. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were used as the endpoints of this analysis.ResultsWe identified 98 patients with MEN1, 55 (56%) of whom had PETs, including 27 women and 28 men with a median age of 37 years (range 8–69 years) at the time of diagnosis. Functioning PETs were present in 35 (64%) of 55 patients, and nonfunctioning tumors were present in 20 (36%). Pancreatic surgery was performed in 38 (69%) of the 55 patients; and the first operation included enucleation (n = 4), total pancreatectomy (n = 3), Whipple procedure (n = 4), and distal pancreatectomy (n = 27). The median size of the resected tumors was 2.8 cm (range 0.6–11.0 cm). Recurrent disease developed in the residual pancreas in 7 (20%) of 35 at‐risk patients a median of 7.8 years after the first operation, and distant metastases occurred in 5 (14 %) of 36 surgically treated patients without distant metastasis (2 patients had distant metastases when surgery on the primary tumor was performed) at a median of 2.7 years following surgery. At last follow‐up, 16 (29%) of 55 patients with PETs had died, 12 (22%) were alive with disease, 26 (47%) were alive without evidence of disease, and 1 (2%) was lost to follow‐up. The median OS was 19.5 years (range 13–26 years) and was significantly longer for patients who had functioning PETs versus those with nonfunctioning tumors (P= 0.0007), for patients who underwent surgical resection of their PETs versus those who did not (P= 0.0043), and for patients with localized versus metastatic PETs at the time of diagnosis (P< 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that younger age, hormonal function, and PET resection were independently associated with longer OS.ConclusionsOur data suggest that early diagnosis and surgical excision of MEN1‐related PETs improves survival. However, translating these data into a surveillance strategy for the early detection of PETs is complex owing to the potential morbidity of pancreatic resection and the risk of long‐term insulin dependence.
Isotopic insights into smoothening of abandoned fan surfaces, Southern California
Authors: Matmon Ari , Nichols Kyle , Finkel Robert 
Published: April 2006

AbstractCosmogenic nuclide concentrations measured on abandoned fan surfaces along the Mojave section of the San Andreas Fault suggest that sediment is generated, transported, and removed from the fans on the order of 30–40 kyr. We measured in situ produced cosmogenic 10Be, and in some cases 26Al, in boulders (n = 15), surface sediment (n = 15), and one depth profile (n = 9). Nuclide concentrations in surface sediments and boulders underestimate fan ages, suggesting that 10Be accumulation is largely controlled by the geomorphic processes that operate on the surfaces of the fans and not by their ages.Field observations, grain-size distribution, and cosmogenic nuclide data suggest that over time, boulders weather into grus and the bar sediments diffuse into the adjacent swales. As fans grow older the relief between bars and swales decreases, the sediment transport rate from bars to swales decreases, and the surface processes that erode the fan become uniform over the entire fan surface. The nuclide data therefore suggest that, over time, the difference in 10Be concentration between bars and swales increases to a maximum until the topographic relief between bars and swales is minimized, resulting in a common surface lowering rate and common 10Be concentrations across the fan. During this phase, the entire fan is lowered homogeneously at a rate of 10–15 mm kyr−1.
Living conditions and psychosomatic complaints in Swedish schoolchildren
Authors: Östberg Viveca , Alfven Gösta , Hjern Anders 
Published: April 2006

Abstract Background: The proportion of Swedish schoolchildren that reports psychosomatic complaints has increased during recent decades, parallel to major structural changes in Swedish society. Aim: To investigate the association of psychosomatic complaints in relation to household socio‐economic conditions. Methods: Cross‐sectional study based on data from child supplements linked to nationally representative household surveys in Sweden during 2000–2003, covering a sample of 5390 children aged 10–18 y. Symptom variables were based on child interviews, while data from parental interviews were used to create socio‐economic variables. Results: Girls more often reported headache and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) than boys, and these differences became more pronounced with age. Economic stress in the household was associated with headache (OR 1.21, p < 0.05), RAP (OR 1.46, p < 0.001) as well as difficulties falling asleep (OR 1.35, p < 0.01), while there were no consistent associations between symptoms and social class or unemployed parents. Children in single‐parent families consistently reported somewhat more symptoms than children in two‐parent families (OR 1.26 for at least two of the three symptoms, p < 0.05).Conclusion: Economic stress, but not social class, was a significant but moderate risk factor for all three psychosomatic symptoms. It is possible that a growing proportion of families in economic stress has contributed to the parallel increase in reported psychosomatic complaints among Swedish schoolchildren. Further studies are needed to clarify the relation between lack of money, relational strain/support and psychosomatic complaints.
Children injured following TV tipovers in Israel, 1997–2003
Authors: Sikron F. , Glasser S. , Peleg K. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground  According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 7000 children, many under age five, are treated annually at emergency rooms for injuries associated with unintentional tipping of television (TV) and furniture. However, the professional literature does not reflect much inquiry regarding this source of risk. In Israel, cases of children injured following TV tipover are reported in newspapers but no studies were conducted in Israel on this issue. The aim of this report is to present data regarding frequency and characteristics of children injured following a falling TV in Israel during recent years, in order to provide more specific information for advising policymakers and raising awareness about this growing danger.Methods  Data were obtained from the Israeli National Trauma Registry, and included injured children (0–17) hospitalized between 1997 and 2003, because of TV‐related injury.Demographic information, Injury Severity Score (ISS), injured body region, surgical intervention, admission to the intensive care unit, length of hospital stay, destination at discharge and mortality were analysed.Results  There were 116 children injured following TV tipover during the years analysed, increasing from nine in 1997 to 27 in 2003. Over half of the children (54.3%) were aged 1–2 years; 57.8% were boys. Three‐quarters of the TV‐related injuries were head and neck injuries; nearly one‐fifth had ISS scores of over 15. The mean was 4.3 (median = 2 days); 15 children (12.9%) required surgery and four children died in the hospital.Conclusion  The findings reflect the fact that TV tipover is a growing source of danger that can be serious and should be brought to the attention of the public, health professionals and policymakers. Specific, age‐related recommendations should be proposed, such as placing TVs on low and stable surface and not placing the remote controls on the top of the set.
Context‐dependent effects of freshwater mussels on stream benthic communities
Authors: SPOONER DANIEL E. , VAUGHN CARYN C. 
Published: April 2006

Summary1. We asked whether unionid mussels influence the distribution and abundance of co‐occurring benthic algae and invertebrates. In a yearlong field enclosure experiment in a south‐central U.S. river, we examined the effects of living mussels versus sham mussels (shells filled with sand) on periphyton and invertebrates in both the surrounding sediment and on mussel shells. We also examined differences between two common unionid species, Actinonaias ligamentina (Lamarck 1819) and Amblema plicata (Say 1817).2. Organic matter concentrations and invertebrate densities in the sediment surrounding mussels were significantly higher in treatments with live mussels than treatments with sham mussels or sediment alone. Organic matter was significantly higher in the sediment surrounding Actinonaias than that surrounding Amblema. Actinonaias was more active than Amblema and may have increased benthic organic matter through bioturbation.3. Living mussels increased the abundance of periphyton on shells and the abundance and richness of invertebrates on shells, whereas effects of sham mussels were similar to sediment alone. Differences in the amount of periphyton growing on the shells of the two mussel species reflected differences in mussel activity and shell morphology.4. Differences between living and sham mussel treatments indicate that biological activities of mussels provide ecosystem services to the benthic community beyond the physical habitat provided by shells alone. In treatments containing live mussels we found significant correlations between organic matter and chlorophyll a concentrations in the sediment, organic matter concentrations and invertebrate abundance in the sediment and the amount of chlorophyll a on the sediment and invertebrate abundance. There were no significant correlations among these response variables in control treatments. Thus, in addition to providing biogenic structure as habitat, mussels likely facilitate benthic invertebrates by altering the availability of resources (algae and organic matter) through nutrient excretion and biodeposition.5. Effects of mussels on sediment and shell periphyton concentrations, organic matter concentrations and invertebrate abundance, varied seasonally, and were strongest in late summer during periods of low water volume, low flow, and high water temperature.6. Our study demonstrates that freshwater mussels can strongly influence the co‐occurring benthic community, but that effects of mussels are context‐dependent and may vary among species.
Eosinophil‐selective mediators in human strongyloidiasis
Authors: MIR A. , BENAHMED D. , IGUAL R. , BORRÁS R. , O’CONNOR J. E. , MORENO M. J. , RULL S. 
Published: April 2006

SUMMARYStrongyloides stercoralis infection is characterized by the production of IgE and eosinophils in peripheral blood. Experimental studies have demonstrated that eosinophils play an important role in protection against Strongyloides stercoralis, but the mechanisms regulating eosinophils are not known. In this study we have focused on analysing the molecules that selectively regulate eosinophil migration, namely eotaxin and interleukin‐5 (IL‐5), using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in patients with strongyloidiasis. Serum expression of eotaxin and IL‐5 were significantly increased in patients compared with the control group. This rise suggests that selective mediators of the eosinophil can have a role in immunity against S. stercoralis in human infection.
Practical Approach to Lung Health in Nepal: better prescribing and reduction of cost
Authors: Shrestha Naveen , Samir K. C. , Baltussen Rob , Kafle Kumud K. , Bishai David , Niessen Louis 
Published: April 2006

SummaryObjectives  To assess the impact of Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL) guidelines on prescription behaviour and the total cost of prescription for patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia.Methods  Pre‐ and post‐intervention comparison in a cluster randomized trial of primary care facilities. Seven health posts and 33 subhealth posts in Nepal were stratified by type and randomized into intervention and control groups. Health workers from the intervention facilities received 5 days training on the adapted PAL guidelines and their use. To collect prescription details, we used carbon‐copy prescription pads in both groups. To measure the impact of PAL guidelines we used the World Health Organization's rational use of drug indicators and drug cost indicators, in a multivariate regression analysis.Results  The PAL guidelines led to fewer prescriptions of multiple drugs and to more prescriptions of generic and essential drugs. The guidelines also lowered average prescription cost and wastage by disease except for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease although not to a statistically significant degree. Similarly, the prescription of antibiotics and adherence to guidelines improved, albeit not statistically significant.Conclusion  There is evidence that the implementation of PAL guidelines promotes rational use of drugs for some respiratory diseases. The expected health effects of PAL guidelines should be compared with their implementation costs before continuing training on lung health, and strategies put in place to sustain the effects.
Validity of verbal autopsy procedures for determining cause of death in Tanzania
Authors: Setel Philip W. , Whiting David R. , Hemed Yusuf , Chandramohan Daniel , Wolfson Lara J. , Alberti K. G. M. M. , Lopez Alan D. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryObjectives  To validate verbal autopsy (VA) procedures for use in sample vital registration. Verbal autopsy is an important method for deriving cause‐specific mortality estimates where disease burdens are greatest and routine cause‐specific mortality data do not exist.Methods  Verbal autopsies and medical records (MR) were collected for 3123 deaths in the perinatal/neonatal period, post‐neonatal <5 age group, and for ages of 5 years and over in Tanzania. Causes of death were assigned by physician panels using the International Classification of Disease, revision 10. Validity was measured by: cause‐specific mortality fractions (CSMF); sensitivity; specificity and positive predictive value. Medical record diagnoses were scored for degree of uncertainty, and sensitivity and specificity adjusted. Criteria for evaluating VA performance in generating true proportional mortality were applied.Results  Verbal autopsy produced accurate CSMFs for nine causes in different age groups: birth asphyxia; intrauterine complications; pneumonia; HIV/AIDS; malaria (adults); tuberculosis; cerebrovascular diseases; injuries and direct maternal causes. Results for 20 other causes approached the threshold for good performance.Conclusions  Verbal autopsy reliably estimated CSMFs for diseases of public health importance in all age groups. Further validation is needed to assess reasons for lack of positive results for some conditions.
The efficacy of sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine alone and in combination with chloroquine for malaria treatment in rural Eastern Sudan: the interrelation between resistance, age and gametocytogenesis
Authors: A‐Elbasit Ishraga E. , Elbashir Mustafa I. , Khalil Insaf F. , Alifrangis Michael , Giha Hayder A. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryObjective  To compare the efficacy of sulfadoxine–pyremethamine (SP) + chloroquine (CQ) combination treatment against falciparum malaria with SP treatment alone.Method  In‐vivo study of 254 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in rural eastern Sudan, where the population is semi‐immune.Results  Sulfadoxine–pyremethamine treatment alone cured 68.3% (41/60) and SP + CQ cured 63.4% (123/194). Early and late treatment failures occurred in both treatment groups. Host age (as a marker for immunity) and parasite gametocytogenesis (as a marker for transmissibility) were significantly associated with SP resistance. Patients who were cured were significantly older (median age 21 years) than patients whose treatment failed (median age 12 years). Gametocyte production was significantly higher in patients with treatment failure (0.72 vs 0.45) and associated with younger age. Gametocyte counts were comparable between both groups until day 7 of follow up; thereafter, they were significantly higher in patients with treatment failure. However, the longevity of gametocytes was comparable in both treatment groups.Conclusion  Chloroquine did not improve the parasite response to SP. Age was strongly associated with clearance of SP‐resistant parasites. The fast rise of SP resistance may partially be due to selection of SP resistant parasites and expansion of the resistant population through the gametocytogenic effect of SP.
Challenges in estimating past plant diversity from fossil pollen data: statistical assessment, problems, and possible solutions
Authors: Weng Chengyu , Hooghiemstra Henry , Duivenvoorden Joost F. 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACTFossil pollen data from sediment cores may be used as a measure for past plant diversity. According to the theory of probability, palynological richness is positively related to the pollen count. In a low pollen count, only common taxa are detected, whereas rare taxa are only detected by chance. The detection of all pollen taxa requires a very high pollen count, which is time‐consuming. In regular palynological investigations, the detected richness in pollen spectra varies with the pollen count. Rarefaction analysis estimates palynological richness in an exactly equal‐sum count for all samples, so that comparison between samples is meaningful. However, the over‐representation of some taxa suppresses the detection probability of rare taxa; low total pollen abundance in a sample enhances the detection probability of rare taxa and long‐distance transported pollen grains. These factors bias the observed palynological richness and distort comparisons. Palynological richness in a pollen count proportional to its pollen influx may be one proxy for reconstructing diversity trends through time. The use of this proxy overcomes most problems encountered in rarefaction analysis, but is constrained by inaccuracy in estimating pollen influx due to the imprecise time control of sediment cores. Estimating palynological richness by mathematical methods may be another way of reconstructing pollen diversity. Pollen data tend to reflect diversity on a regional scale. Sites from small basins have the advantage of recording diversity at both local and regional scales, if the detection of each taxon is independent. By associating one site from a large basin with a series of sites from very small basins (e.g. forest‐hollows), information about both regional and local diversity may be obtained. Entomophilous pollen taxa may have to be measured using a different strategy than anemophilous taxa.
Genetic background differences between FVB and C57BL/6 mice affect hypnotic susceptibility to pentobarbital, ketamine and nitrous oxide, but not isoflurane
Authors: Sato Y. , Seo N. , Kobayashi E. 
Published: April 2006

Background:  Pharmacogenomics has allowed us to identify the mechanisms underlying much of the inherited variability in drug response. There have been several reports of strain‐dependent anesthetic actions in rodents, indicating that significant genetic differences exist in the hypnotic and antinociceptive effects of various anesthetics.Methods:  Loss of righting reflex was used to compare the hypnotic action of pentobarbital, ketamine, nitrous oxide and isoflurane between two genetically different populations of mice, C57BL/6 with black hair and Friends virus B (FVB) with white hair.Results:  C57BL/6 mice were more susceptible than FVB mice to the hypnotic effects of ketamine, pentobarbital and nitrous oxide. However, the sensitivity to isoflurane did not differ between C57BL/6 and FVB mice.Conclusion:  Genetic background affects the hypnotic susceptibility to some anesthetic agents in mice. Our results indicate that there may be a different genetic basis for the operation of hypnosis between isoflurane and other anesthetics, such as pentobarbital, ketamine and nitrous oxide.
Unicoloniality, recognition and genetic differentiation in a native Formica ant
Authors: Holzer B. , Chapuisat M. , Kremer N. , Finet C. , Keller L. 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Some ants have an extraordinary form of social organization, called unicoloniality, whereby individuals mix freely among physically separated nests. This mode of social organization has been primarily studied in introduced and invasive ant species, so that the recognition ability and genetic structure of ants forming unicolonial populations in their native range remain poorly known. We investigated the pattern of aggression and the genetic structure of six unicolonial populations of the ant Formica paralugubris at four hierarchical levels: within nests, among nests within the same population, among nests of populations within the Alps or Jura Mountains and among nests of the two mountain ranges. Ants within populations showed no aggressive behaviour, but recognized nonnestmates as shown by longer antennation bouts. Overall, the level of aggression increased with geographic and genetic distance but was always considerably lower than between species. No distinct behavioural supercolony boundaries were found. Our study provides evidence that unicoloniality can be maintained in noninvasive ants despite significant genetic differentiation and the ability to discriminate between nestmates and nonnestmates.
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: attenuation of yeast cells by gamma irradiation
Authors: Demicheli Marina Cortez , Reis Bernardo Sgarbi , Goes Alfredo Miranda , Ribeiro de Andrade Antero Silva 
Published: April 2006

Summary Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the agent of paracoccidioidomycosis, the most prevalent mycosis in Latin America, and currently there is no effective vaccine. The aim of this study was to attenuate the yeast form of P. brasiliensis by gamma irradiation for further studies on vaccine research. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (strain Pb 18) cultures were irradiated at doses between 0.5 and 8.0 kGy. After each dose the viability, reproductive ability and protein metabolism were evaluated. The comparison between the antigenic profile of irradiated and control yeast was made by Western blot and the virulence evaluated by the inoculation in C57Bl/J6 mice. At 6.5 kGy the yeast lost its reproductive capacity. The viability and the incorporation of [L‐35S]‐methionine were the same in control and up to 6.5 kGy irradiated cells, but 6.5 kGy‐irradiated yeast secreted 40% less proteins. The Western blot profile was clearly similar in control and 6.5 kGy‐irradiated yeast. No colony‐forming unit (CFU) could be recovered from the tissues of the mice infected with the radioattenuated yeast. We concluded that for P. brasiliensis yeast it is possible to find a dose in which the pathogen loses its reproductive ability and virulence, while retaining its viability, metabolic activity and the antigenic profile.