bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The detailed neuroanatorny of the human striated urethral sphincter
Authors: ZVARA P. , CARRIER S. , KOUR N‐W. , TANAGHO E.A. 
Published: November 2008

Objective To study the nerve supply of the striated urethral sphincter.Materials and methods The pelvis from six formalin‐fixed male cadavers was dissected.Results Cadaveric dissection revealed that both the intrinsic and extrinsic segments of the urethral rhabdosphincter receive their innervation from sacral roots S2‐S4. The nerve fibres travel to their final destination via both the pudendal nerves and the nerve branches of the sacral roots. The terminal branches of the pudendal nerve enter the sphincteric area from the perineum. They separate shortly after they cross the ischial spine and run further ventromedially. Small branches approach the sphincter after their division from the dorsal nerve of the penis. The course of the pudendal nerve and its branching on the perineum are quite consistent. The pelvic branches travel inside the pelvis above the levator ani muscle. Among the cadavers the number of branches varied markedly, as did their site of termination (2.3 to 3.9 cm from the striated urethral sphincter). A substantial nerve approaching the sphincter from inside the pelvis was found. After it divided from the S2, S3 sacral roots it ran separately, initially just lateral to the fibres of the pelvic plexus and then on the dorsolateral surface of the rectum. In its terminal segment it dived into the levator ani muscle and terminated in the striated urethral sphincter.Conclusions We believe that the nerve supply to the striated urethral sphincter consists of branches from both the pudendal nerve and the ‘extrapudendal’ nerves that run above the levator ani muscle inside the pelvis. The variations in the course of the latter are remarkable.
Laparoscopic nephrectomy: initial experience and cost implications
Authors: Wilson B.G. , Deans G.T. , Kelly J. , McCrory D. 
Published: November 2008

Objective To assess the results and cost implications of laparoscopic nephrectomy. Patients and methods Ten patients underwent attempted laparoscopic nephrectomy and nephro‐ureterectomy. The cost of the laparoscopic procedures was estimated to allow comparison with that of open surgery. Results Two patients required conversion to an open procedure, one for a colonic tear, the other for irretrievable loss of pneumoperitoneum. The median operating time for successful cases was 3 h (range 2.5‐4). The mean morphine equivalent of analgesia delivered per patient was 18 mg (range 10–28). There was no mortality. Post‐operative complications consisted of one case of prolonged ileus and another of chest infection. The median hospital stay of successful cases was 5 days (range 4–17), and the mean time to return to normal activity was 4 weeks (range 3–6). The cost of the procedure using re‐usable instruments was approximately £2000, comprising £100 for equipment, £900 theatre costs and £1000 for hospital stay. Using disposable equipment adds up to £900 to the cost. In comparison an open nephrectomy typically costs around £2300. Conclusion Laparoscopic nephrectomy is associated with lower analgesia requirements, shorter hospital stay and quicker return to work than equivalent open procedures. The cost, particularly when performed with re‐usable instruments, is not prohibitive being comparable with that of open nephrectomy. With further experience it should become part of the armamentarium of urological surgeons.
Glomerular filtration rate measurement: a neglected test in urological practice
Authors: Brown S.C.W. , O'Reilly P.H. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of methods used to measure glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in clinical practice. Patients and methods Simultaneous clearances of iohexol, 99mTc‐diethylene‐triamine‐penta‐acetic acid (DTPA), 24 h renal creatinine clearance and creatinine clearance estimated from a serum sample only, were obtained in 31 patients. Accuracy was calculated relative to iohexol clearance. The reproducibility of each method was determined by repeat measurements in the same individuals: three 99mTc‐DTPA clearances in 21 patients; three 24 h creatinine clearance estimations in 12 patients; and three serum creatinine clearance estimations in 21 patients. Results The mean differences between 99mTc‐DTPA clearance, 24 h renal creatinine clearance and estimated creatinine clearance compared with the reference method were 0.2 mL/min, 21.6 mL/min and 0.6 mL/min, respectively. 99mTc‐DTPA clearance had fairly tight 95% limits of agreement (12.2 mL/min) compared with 35.4 mL/min for 24 h creatinine clearance and 25.8 mL/min for estimated creatinine clearance. The reproducibility for each method was 5.4%, 24.3% and 6.1%, respectively. Conclusion Single‐injection 99mTc‐DTPA clearance provides an accurate and reproducible method of GFR measurement that is suitable for objective monitoring of renal function. Twenty‐four hour creatinine clearance is neither sufficiently accurate nor reproducible for this purpose. Creatinine clearance estimation from a serum sample without urine collection may be preferable to the more traditional 24 h collection method.
Effects on the endocrine system of long‐term treatment with the non‐steroidal anti‐androgen Casodex in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Eri L.M. , Haug E. , Tveter K.J. 
Published: November 2008

Objective To study the hormonal changes resulting from long‐term use of the non‐steroidal anti‐androgen Casodex. Patients and methods A randomized, placebo‐controlled study was carried out on 27 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Fourteen patients received Casodex 50 mg daily for 24 weeks and 13 received a placebo. The patients were followed up for a further 24‐week period. Results Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) increased by an average of 40% while follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) remained unchanged. Testosterone increased by 35%, oestradiol by 29% and oestrone by 23%; all changes were statistically significant. Levels of androstenedione and dihydrotestoster‐one increased by 11% and 15%, respectively, but these increases did not reach statistical significance. A nonsignificant increase was also observed for sex hormone‐binding globulin. The hormonal changes were reversible upon discontinuation of therapy. Prolactin and dehydroepiandrosterone‐sulphate levels did not change. Conclusion This study indicates that Casodex, due to competitive inhibition of central androgen receptors, increases LH secretion, thus causing increased production and increased metabolism of testosterone.
Serum prostate‐specific antigen in a community‐based population of healthy Japanese men: lower values than for similarly aged white men
Authors: Oesterling J.E. , Kumamoto Y. , Tsukamoto T. , Girman C.J. , Guess H.A. , Masumori N. , Jacobsen S.J. , Lieber M.M. 
Published: November 2008

Objective To determine whether the age‐specific reference ranges for serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) concentration generated for white men are applicable to other races. Patients and methods Three‐hundred and thirty‐five healthy lapanese men, aged 40–79 years, residing in the small fishing village of Shimamaki‐mura, Japan, agreed to enter this prospective, community‐based study. All underwent a detailed clinical evaluation that included a serum PSA determination, a digital rectal examination and a transrectal ultrasound. Two‐hundred and eighty‐six (85%) completed the prostatic evaluation and had no evidence of prostate cancer by any one of the three diagnostic tests; these men formed the study population on which all analyses were performed. Results The serum PSA concentration correlated directly with patient age (r = 0.33; P<0.001) and prostatic volume (r=0.57; P<0.001). PSA density (PSAD) also was directly proportional to age (r= 0.30; P<0.001). Adjusting for age, the serum PSA concentration was lower for Japanese men than for white men (P<0.001). Thus, the recommended age‐specific reference ranges (95th percentile) for serum PSA for Japanese were lower as well: 0.0–2.0 ng/mL for 40–49 years; 0.0–3.0 ng/mL for 50–59 years; 0.0–4.0 ng/mL for 60–69 years; and 0.0–5.0 ng/mL for 70–79 years. Based on transrectal ultrasound‐volume determinations, the lower serum PSA concentrations in Japanese men are due in large part to their smaller prostate glands as compared with white men (P<0.001). Conclusions These findings confirm the earlier observations that serum PSA, prostatic volume and PSAD are age‐dependent. However, because of physiological differences among the two races, partly due to the size of the prostate gland, the age‐specific reference ranges for serum PSA are lower for Japanese men than for white men. Because of these racial differences, it is now crucial to conduct a similar investigation among black men.
Pseudoureterocele: potential for misdiagnosis of an ectopic ureter as a ureterocele
Authors: Sumfest J.M. , Burns M.W. , Mitchell M.E. 
Published: November 2008

Objective To present several case reports of children with ‘pseudoureteroceles’. Familiarization with this entity should help to avoid an error in diagnosis and possible improper therapy. Patients and methods Three girls with ectopic ureters entering mesonephric duct cysts are presented for review. Results Misdiagnosis of the pseudoureterocele as an ectopic ureter was made in two children. The ‘pseudoureterocele’ may lie dormant for many years and often presents with acute urinary incontinence and/or onset of urinary tract infections. Resection of the dysplastic kidney and ipsilateral ureter, marsupialization of the cyst into the vagina, and closure of the vesical fistula is the preferred treatment. Conclusion An ectopic ureter draining into a Gartner's duct cyst can be confused with an ectopic ureterocele. Correct diagnosis is vital to ensure proper treatment.
Can circle hook use benefit billfishes?
Authors: Serafy Joseph E , Kerstetter David W , Rice Patrick H 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe performed a quantitative review to evaluate circle hook use in recreational and commercial hook‐and‐line fisheries that interact with billfishes (Family: Istiophoridae). Specifically, we scrutinized the findings of 11 recent empirical studies that reported, on a species‐specific basis, side‐by‐side measures of circle vs. J‐hook fishing performance: catch, mortality, deep‐hooking and bleeding rates. Of the 30 total comparisons extracted from the literature that satisfied our inclusion criteria, 13 indicated significant differences between hook types for the specific metric compared. No study reported significant billfish catch rate differences between hook types. However, when significant differences between hook types were found, higher mortality rates and higher rates of deep‐hooking and bleeding were associated with J‐hooks relative to circle hooks. We conclude that empirical evidence is sufficient to promote circle hook use in almost all hook‐and‐line fishery sectors that typically interact with istiophorids. However, billfish conservation benefits will only be realized if fishers use unmodified circle hooks, commit to releasing live fish and take other appropriate measures which maximize post‐release survival. While there may be fishing modes where circle hook effects are negative, for billfish conservation, we recommend managers grant exceptions to circle hook use only when experimental results support such a practice.
Hospital‐Physician Collaboration: Landscape of Economic Integration and Impact on Clinical Integration
Authors: BURNS LAWTON ROBERT , MULLER RALPH W. 
Published: November 2008

Context: Hospital‐physician relationships (HPRs) are an important area of academic research, given their impact on hospitals' financial success. HPRs also are at the center of several federal policy proposals such as gain sharing, bundled payments, and pay‐for‐performance (P4P). Methods: This article analyzes the HPRs that focus on the economic integration of hospitals and physicians and the goals that HPRs are designed to achieve. It then reviews the literature on the impact of HPRs on cost, quality, and clinical integration. Findings: The goals of the two parties in HPRs overlap only partly, and their primary aim is not reducing cost or improving quality. The evidence base for the impact of many models of economic integration is either weak or nonexistent, with only a few models of economic integration having robust effects. The relationship between economic and clinical integration also is weak and inconsistent. There are several possible reasons for this weak linkage and many barriers to further integration between hospitals and physicians. Conclusions: Successful HPRs may require better financial conditions for physicians, internal changes to clinical operations, application of behavioral skills to the management of HPRs, changes in how providers are paid, and systemic changes encompassing several types of integration simultaneously.
Revisiting Rose: Comparing the Benefits and Costs of Population‐Wide and Targeted Interventions
Authors: AHERN JENNIFER , JONES MATTHEW R. , BAKSHIS ERIN , GALEA SANDRO 
Published: November 2008

Context: Geoffrey Rose's two principal approaches to public health intervention are (1) targeted strategies focusing on individuals at a personal increased risk of disease and (2) population‐wide approaches focusing on the whole population. Beyond his discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, there is no empiric work examining the conditions under which one of these approaches may be better than the other. Methods: This article uses mathematical simulations to model the benefits and costs of the two approaches, varying the cut points for treatment, effect magnitudes, and costs of the interventions. These techniques then were applied to the specific example of an intervention on blood pressure to reduce cardiovascular disease. Findings: In the general simulation (using an inverse logit risk curve), lower costs of intervention, treating people with risk factor values at or above where the slope on the risk curve is at its steepest (for targeted interventions), and interventions with larger effects on reducing the risk factor (for population‐wide interventions) provided benefit/cost advantages. In the specific blood pressure intervention example, lower‐cost population‐wide interventions had better benefit/cost ratios, but some targeted treatments with lower cutoffs prevented more absolute cases of disease. Conclusions: These simulations empirically evaluate some of Rose's original arguments. They can be replicated for particular interventions being considered and may be useful in helping public health decision makers assess potential intervention strategies.
Noble gas and boron isotopic signatures of the Bacon‐Manito geothermal fluid, Philippines
Authors: BAYON F. E. B. , SEE F. S. , MAGRO G. , PENNISI M. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractNoble gas isotopic composition and abundances were determined on dry gas sampled in geothermal wells from the Bacon‐Manito (BGPF) geothermal field in the Philippines. The most significant findings come from the 3He/4He ratio; a mantle‐He source is evidenced by ratio close to 7 Ra. Peripheral fluid from the west and south of the geothermal system is relatively enriched in 4He (R/Ra slightly > 2), most probably sourced from U and Th decay in old igneous or crustal rocks. The two end‐members mix, producing the range of R/Ra ratios observed in the other wells included in this study. Preliminary data on the δ11B signature of the Bacon Manito fluid separated from vapour range from 7‰ to 9‰. These values suggest that the local magmatic rocks could represent the main boron source, in agreement with the boron isotopic signature of Pacific arc lavas.
Recent progress in the application of gas geochemistry: examples from Taiwan and the 9th International Gas Geochemistry Conference
Authors: YANG T. F. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractGas geochemistry in the last two decades has emerged as an important scientific tool in geosciences due to the significant improvement of instrumentation. A review of recent progress in this field, based on the examples in Taiwan, shows that gas geochemistry is applicable to a wide range of problems in Earth sciences. The International Conferences on Gas Geochemistry (ICGG), held since 1982, are the only international venues exclusively dedicated to studies of gas geochemistry. This thematic edition, which includes 11 case studies presented during the 9th ICGG held in Taipei, 2007, covers a wide range of topics from both on‐land and submarine geothermal, seepage/venting studies to gas flux estimation from mangroves and optimum sequestration depth for CO2 geological storage.
Music‐syntactic processing and auditory memory: Similarities and differences between ERAN and MMN
Authors: Koelsch Stefan 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe early right anterior negativity (ERAN) is an event‐related potential (ERP) reflecting processing of music‐syntactic information, that is, of acoustic information structured according to abstract and complex regularities. The ERAN is usually maximal between 150 and 250 ms, has anterior scalp distribution (and often right‐hemispheric weighting), can be modified by short‐ and long‐term musical experience, can be elicited under ignore conditions, and emerges in early childhood. Main generators of the ERAN appear to be located in inferior fronto‐lateral cortex. The ERAN resembles both the physical MMN and the abstract feature MMN in a number of properties, but the cognitive mechanisms underlying ERAN and MMN partly differ: Whereas the generation of the MMN is based on representations of regularities of intersound relationships that are extracted online from the acoustic environment, the generation of the ERAN relies on representations of music‐syntactic regularities that already exist in a long‐term memory format. Other processes, such as predicting subsequent acoustic events and comparing new acoustic information with the predicted sound, presumably overlap strongly for MMN and ERAN.
Factors Affecting the Restoration of Heathland and Acid Grassland onPteridium aquilinum–Infested Land across the United Kingdom: A Multisite Study
Authors: Cox Emma S. , Marrs Robert H. , Pakeman Robin J. , Le Duc Michael G. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe variability in the success ofPteridium aquilinum(bracken) control and vegetation restoration has been highlighted as a major issue in the United Kingdom. Experiments were set up at four different regional locations to assess bracken control at the national scale and the impact of restoration practices at the local scale. Bracken control treatments (cutting once or twice per year, a combination of cutting and asulam spraying, and asulam in year 1) were combined with site‐specific treatments designed to restore appropriate heathland or acid grassland vegetation. This article considers the effects on the developing understorey vegetation, testing the following hypotheses: (1) local differences between sites would affect community change; (2) treatments applied to controlPt. aquilinum(same at all sites) influences community change; and (3) treatments applied at the individual site level to restore vegetation influences community change toward the target vegetation. There were a considerable number of spatial effects. It is, therefore, difficult to develop a one‐size‐fits‐all policy for vegetation restoration within a nationalPt. aquilinumcontrol strategy. Few bracken control treatment effects were found, and, where they were detected, it was only at single sites. Thus, the development of target vegetation requires a combination of control and restoration treatments that take into consideration the aspects of that site. Only three species,Deschampsia flexuosa,Galium saxatile, andCampylopus introflexus, increased as a direct effect of the control treatments. Vegetation restoration was most successful in the cutting‐twice‐per‐year plots, the treatment with the greatest reduction inPt. aquilinumcover.
The Importance of Soil Characteristics in Determining Survival of First‐Year Cottonwood Seedlings in Altered Riparian Habitats
Authors: Bhattacharjee Joydeep , Taylor John P. , Smith Loren M. , Spence Liter E. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract Most major rivers in the southwestern United States have been hydrologically altered to meet human needs. Altered hydrological regimes have been associated with declines in native riparian forests. Today, many riparian areas have little or no regeneration of native riparian species and are now dominated by exotic Saltcedar (Tamarix chinensis Lour.). Success of riparian restoration efforts at least partially depends on the number of seedlings surviving the first growing season. Seedling survival is influenced by many abiotic and biotic factors including competition from other plants and available soil moisture, which is partially dependent on soil texture. In this study, we evaluated the relative importance of four soil categories (sandy loam, loam, silt, and clay), rate of soil moisture decline, salinity, beginning‐ and end‐season Saltcedar density, initial Cottonwood (Populus deltoides Marshall subsp. wislizenii (Wats.) Eckenw.) seedling density, percent vegetation cover by potential dominant competitors Pigweed (Amaranthus L.) and Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli L., Beauv.), and average total vegetation height to Cottonwood seedling survival. Factors influencing seedling survival differed among the four soil types. Rate of moisture decline was important in sandy soils, whereas vegetation height influenced seedling survival in loamy soils. Overall, models of seedling survival in all the four soil types indicated rate of moisture decline as the single most important variable influencing Cottonwood survival. High initial densities of Saltcedar were correlated to higher survival in Cottonwood seedlings. Therefore, it is important to identify soil texture and understand soil moisture decline rates when proposing riparian Cottonwood restoration.
Soil Magnetic Susceptibility: A Quantitative Proxy of Soil Drainage for Use in Ecological Restoration
Authors: Grimley David A. , Wang Jing‐Shu , Liebert Derek A. , Dawson Jeffrey O. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract Flooded, saturated, or poorly drained soils are commonly anaerobic, leading to microbially induced magnetite/maghemite dissolution and decreased soil magnetic susceptibility (MS). Thus, MS is considerably higher in well‐drained soils (MS typically 40–80 × 10−5 standard international [SI]) compared to poorly drained soils (MS typically 10–25 × 10−5 SI) in Illinois, other soil‐forming factors being equal. Following calibration to standard soil probings, MS values can be used to rapidly and precisely delineate hydric from nonhydric soils in areas with relatively uniform parent material. Furthermore, soil MS has a moderate to strong association with individual tree species’ distribution across soil moisture regimes, correlating inversely with independently reported rankings of a tree species’ flood tolerance. Soil MS mapping can thus provide a simple, rapid, and quantitative means for precisely guiding reforestation with respect to plant species’ adaptations to soil drainage classes. For instance, in native woodlands of east‐central Illinois, Quercus alba, Prunus serotina, and Liriodendron tulipifera predominantly occur in moderately well‐drained soils (MS 40–60 × 10−5 SI), whereas Acer saccharinum, Carya laciniosa, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica predominantly occur in poorly drained soils (MS <20 × 10−5 SI). Using a similar method, an MS contour map was used to guide restoration of mesic, wet mesic, and wet prairie species to pre‐settlement distributions at Meadowbrook Park (Urbana, IL, U.S.A.). Through use of soil MS maps calibrated to soil drainage class and native vegetation occurrence, restoration efforts can be conducted more successfully and species distributions more accurately reconstructed at the microecosystem level.