bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anemia, costs and mortality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Halpern Michael T , Zilberberg Marya D , Schmier Jordana K , Lau Edmund C , Shorr Andrew F 
Published: October 2006

Abstract

Background
Little is known about cost implications of anemia and its association with mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This claims analysis addresses these questions.

Methods
Using the the US Medicare claims database (1997–2001), this study identified Medicare enrollees with an ICD-9 diagnosis of COPD. Concomitant anemia was identified based on ICD-9 codes or receipt of transfusions. Persons with anemia secondary to another disease state, a nutritional deficiency or a hereditary disease were excluded. Medicare claims and payments, resource utilization and mortality were compared between COPD patients with and without anemia.

Results
Of the 132,424 enrollees with a COPD diagnosis, 21% (n = 27,932) had concomitant anemia. At baseline, anemic patients were older, had more co-morbidities and higher rates of health care resource use than non-anemic individuals with COPD. In a univariate analysis annual Medicare payments for persons with anemia were more than double for those without anemia ($1,466 vs. $649, p < 0.001), the direction maintained in all categories of payments. Adjusting for demographics, co-morbidities, and other markers of disease severity revealed that anemia was independently associated with $3,582 incremental increase per patient (95% CI: $3,299 to $3,865) in Medicare annual reimbursements. The mortality rate among COPD patients with anemia was 262 vs. 133 deaths per 1,000 person-years among those without anemia (p < 0.001).

Conclusion
Anemia was present in 21% of COPD patients. Although more prevalent in more severely ill COPD patients, anemia significantly and independently contributes to the costs of care for COPD and is associated with increased mortality.
Two emerging perilymph fistula “syndromes” in children
Authors: Petroff Mark A. , Blair Simmons F. , Winzelberg Jody 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis paper proposes two relatively common “syndromes” seen in children with perilymph fistulas using illustrative case reports. One, a 2 1/2‐year‐old child with bilaterally symmetric progressive sensorineural hearing loss, was found to have bilateral oval and round window fistulas. The other was a child who presented originally with an unexplained unilateral sensorineural loss. It was only when hearing deteriorated in the opposite ear several years later that a perilymph fistula was suspected and confirmed by tympanotomy. The clinical presentations and other details of these cases diverge widely, but may represent two emerging syndromes of perilymph fistulas in children: 1. a congenital or hereditary predisposition, and the other, 2. sudden hearing loss in the “good” ear of children with an unexplained sensorineural hearing loss in the opposite ear.
Tracheotomy in infants and young children: The changing perspective 1970–1985
Authors: Line Warren S. , Hawkins Donald B. , Kahlstrom Emily J. , Maclaughlin Eithne F. , Ensley Janet L. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractOne hundred fifty‐three children 3 years of age or younger who had tracheotomies performed during the past 15 years are reviewed. During this time, short‐term endotracheal intubation for airway obstruction from acute infections and long‐term intubation for patients on ventilators have replaced early tracheotomy for these conditions. The number of tracheotomies decreased during each of three 5‐year periods, from 73 to 55 to 25, respectively. Improvements in medical management resulted in prolonged survival of children with multiple abnormalities and resulted in more prolonged tracheotomies. Early complications occurred in 12% of patients and late complications occurred in 26%. In spite of changes in the indications, basic fundamentals of pediatric tracheotomy management remain unchanged.
Adolescent versus adult thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Zohar Y. , Strauss M. , Laurian N. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractSeveral significant differences exist between adolescent and adult thyroid carcinoma. The incidence of malignancy in nodular goiter is higher in children than it is in adults. Thyroid cancer in childhood and adolescence has a slightly lower predilection for female than for male subjects, as compared to adult patients. The younger patients have a predominance of well‐differentiated carcinomas which are more likely to be papillary. The lesions in the young age group tend to be more advanced locally and systemically at the time of diagnosis, but are associated with a much better prognosis. Previous irradiation to the head and neck is considered to be an important pathogenetic factor of thyroid carcinoma in children as well as in adults. The epidemiological, clinical, pathological, and surgical findings in eight patients with thyroid carcinoma younger than 20 years compared to the findings in 96 patients with the same disease older than 20 years are reported.
Epiglottitis in AIDS patients
Authors: Rothstein Stephen G. , Persky Mark S. , Edelman Bruce A. , Gittleman Paul E. , Stroschein Mariel 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAdult epiglottitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome has not been previously reported. A pale, floppy epiglottis with supraglottic edema, cervical lymphadenopathy, a normal to low white blood count without a shift to the left, and rapidly progressive airway obstruction characterize this entity. In this small series of patients, conservative medical management was not successful, and aggressive airway intervention with appropriate intravenous antibiotic therapy was necessary.
Multiple steroid receptors in nasopharyngeal angiofibromas
Authors: Brentani M. Mitzi , Butugan Ossamu , Paiva Lamartine J. , Oshima Celina T. F. , Torloni Humberto 
Published: October 2006

AbstractCytosols from 12 nasopharyngeal angiofibroma tissues were analyzed for the presence of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), androgen (AR), and glucocorticoid (GR) receptors, by using a dextran charcoal assay. Progesterone receptors (58%) clearly predominate over ER and AR (25%). Thus, nasoangiofibromas can be classified as ER‐PR+ tumors. Glucocorticoid receptors were found in 84% of the tumors. Steroid receptor levels, although slightly higher than those determined in three specimens of normal turbinate, were quantitatively low. Positive PR and AR tumors appeared to correlate with high density of fibroblasts and endothelial cells.
Middle fossa acoustic tumor surgery: Results in 106 cases
Authors: Shelton Clough , Brackmann Derald E. , House William F. , Hitselberger William E. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAlthough the middle cranial fossa approach has been used less frequently in recent years than in the past, it continues to be a useful technique for the removal of small acoustic tumors with possible hearing preservation. The approach provides complete exposure of the contents of the internal auditory canal, thus allowing positive facial nerve identification and facilitating total tumor removal.This paper reports the results of 106 middle fossa acoustic tumor removals over a 25‐year period. Measurable postoperative hearing remained in 59% of cases. In 89% of cases, normal or near‐normal postoperative facial nerve function was obtained. Total tumor removal was achieved in 98% of cases. Preoperative selection criteria are discussed, and postoperative complications are reported.
Laryngeal foreign bodies in children: A persistent, life‐threatening problem
Authors: Lima José A. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWe reviewed the records of all patients admitted to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital for foreign object aspiration from 1980 to 1987. There were 11 true glottic bodies, which accounted for 12.1% of the 91 foreign bodies detected in the airways. A mortality rate of 45% (5 patients) and transient hypoxic encephalopathy in 27% (3 patients) indicate the often tragic outcome of obstruction in the pediatric larynx. Two distinct types of foreign bodies were responsible for laryngeal obstruction in these children. The first group consisted of bulky items, mostly food, and resulted in a more severe type of obstruction, with higher mortality and morbidity. The second group of objects were thin, laminar, triangular bodies, which tended to wedge unsuspectedly in the larynx, mimicking inflammatory diseases and requiring endoscopy for their removal. Hypothetical models are used to explain the physical phenomena that occur in foreign body obstruction in the two different groups. Recommendations for intervention are made based on the conclusions.
Epstein‐barr virus detection in neck metastases by polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Walter Margaret A. , Menarguez‐Palanca Javier , Peiper Stephen C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractCervical nodal metastasis from occult carcinomas represents a diagnostic challenge. This is a common presentation of undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC), but metastatic carcinomas from other sites must be considered. UNPC has the distinguishing feature of a close association with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). Since the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can detect EBV in archival tissues, it offers significant advantages over previous methods for the detection of viral genomes. Its extreme sensitivity allows analysis of small samples from needle aspirates. Using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify EBV sequences from archival tissues, 15 of 18 NPC samples were positive for EBV. Of these 18, 14 of 14 with UNPC were positive, 1 of 2 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were positive, and 0 of 2 with adenocarcinoma were positive. All 6 UNPC metastatic to lymph nodes were positive. Carcinoma metastatic to cervical nodes from 17 of 17 non‐UNPC occult primaries lacked EBV. This demonstrates the utility of EBV detection by the polymerase chain reaction in the evaluation of patients with metastases to neck nodes from occult primary carcinomas in order to identify cases of UNPC.
Ultrasonography for the diagnosis of lyme disease in cases of acute facial paralysis
Authors: Mann Wolf J. , Amedee Ronald G. , Schreiber Jorg 
Published: October 2006

AbstractUltrasonography of the parotid gland was introduced in 1989 as part of the diagnostic protocol of every patient treated in our clinics with acute facial paralysis. Ten of 50 patients so tested were found to have unilateral nonpalpable enlarged lymph nodes in the caudal portion of the parotid gland around the stylomastoid foramen. All 10 patients were eventually diagnosed as having Lyme disease. It is suggested that in patients with acute facial paralysis, ultrasonography is an inexpensive tool to improve diagnosis of Lyme disease and may have a more useful purpose in monitoring therapy.
Perilymphatic injections of recombinant interleukin‐2 (rIL‐2) partially correct the immunologic defects in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Melioli Giovanni , Margarino Giovanni , Scala Marco , Mereu Paola , Bertoglio Sergio , Schenone Guido , Barbaresi Maurizio , Machi Anna Maria , Santi Leonardo , Badellino Fausto , Moretta Lorenzo 
Published: October 2006

AbstractPatients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are severely immunocompromised. In virtually all such patients who have been studied, reduced numbers of circulating CD3+ T‐cell‐receptor (TCR)α/β + T lymphocytes, a reduction of natural killer (NK) activity, and a poor induction of lymphokine‐activated killer (LAK) cell activity (following in vitro treatment with recombinant interleukin‐2 [rIL‐2]) have been detected. Recently, however, it has been demonstrated that perilymphatic injections of low doses of rIL‐2 may induce a local reduction of tumor masses in these patients.The present study, a cooperative pilot effort on the clinical effects of this route of administration, showed an activation of the lytic machinery in lymphocytes belonging to the T‐cell lineage, as well as a potentiation of NK activity in the peripheral blood. These findings demonstrated that the severe immunodeficiency of HNSCC patients may be at least partially corrected by in vivo administration of rIL‐2.
Sucralfate in alleviating post‐tonsillectomy pain
Authors: Freeman Stephen B. , Markwell J. Kevin 
Published: October 2006

AbstractTonsillectomy results in severe throat pain, ear pain, and trismus until the exposed and inflamed muscle becomes covered with regenerated mucosa. Sucralfate binds with the fibrinous exudate of duodenal ulcers, forming a protective barrier that promotes healing. If a similar buffer could be created in the tonsillar bed, morbidity may be diminished.A double‐blind, randomized study was completed in 34 adult patients to determine whether sucralfate, given four times daily for 10 days as a swish and swallow, would significantly reduce postoperative pain and promote healing and recovery. Sucralfate significantly lowered postoperative throat pain, otalgia, and trismus.Sucralfate is a safe and well‐tolerated topical agent that offers significant pain reduction and may promote healing in tonsillectomy patients.
Otosyphilis: A diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma
Authors: Gleich Lyon L. , Linstrom Christopher J. , Kimmelman Charles P. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractTraditional treatment of otosyphilis with penicillin and corticosteroids has achieved hearing improvement; however, selecting which patients with a positive fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA‐ABS) test will benefit from treatment remains a problem. In order to study this problem, 18 patients with cochleovestibular dysfunction of unknown etiology and positive syphilis serology were treated with intravenous penicillin and corticosteroids. In addition, lumbar puncture and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing were performed on all patients.Hearing improved in 5 (31%) of 16 patients, tinnitus decreased in 11 (85%) of 13, and vertigo improved in 6 (86%) of 7. Factors associated with hearing improvement were hearing loss present less than 5 years, fluctuating hearing, and age less than 60. Improvement was unrelated to the severity of the loss or previous therapy. All patients with cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, including two patients with HIV disease, had subjective improvements. A diagnostic and treatment protocol is presented.
RGS12 Is Essential for RANKL-Evoked Signaling for Terminal Differentiation of Osteoclasts In Vitro
Authors: Yang Shuying , Li Yi-Ping 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
How RANKL evokes [Ca2+]i oscillations and leads to osteoclast differentiation is unclear. We identified a new signaling protein, RGS12, and found that RGS12 is essential for [Ca2+]i oscillations and osteoclast differentiation induced by RANKL. RGS12 may play a critical role in the RANKL-evoked PLCγ–calcium channels–[Ca2+]i oscillation–NFAT2 pathway.
Introduction: RANKL-induced [Ca2+]i oscillations play a switch-on role in NFAT2 expression and osteoclast differentiation. However, RANKL evokes [Ca2+]i oscillations and leads to osteoclast differentiation by an unknown mechanism. In this study, we identified a new RANKL-induced signaling protein, regulator of G signaling protein 12 (RGS12), and investigated its effect on osteoclast differentiation in vitro.
Materials and Methods: We used a genome-wide screening approach to identify genes that are specifically or prominently expressed in osteoclasts. To study the role of the RGS12 in osteoclast differentiation, we used vector and lentivirus-based RNAi gene silencing technology to silence the RGS12 gene in the monocyte progenitor cell lines and primary bone marrow–derived monocytes (BMMs). The interaction between RGS12 and N-type calcium channels was elucidated using co-immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting.
Results: We found that RGS12 was prominently expressed in osteoclast-like cells (OLCs) induced by RANKL. This result was further confirmed at both the mRNA and protein level in human osteoclasts and mouse OLCs. Silence of RGS12 expression using vector and lentivirus based RNA interference (RNAi) impaired phosphorylation of phospholipase C (PLC)γ and blocked [Ca2+]i oscillations, NFAT2 expression, and osteoclast differentiation in RANKL-induced RAW264.7 cells and BMMs. We further found that N-type calcium channels were expressed in OLCs after RANKL stimulation and that RGS12 directly interacted with the N-type calcium channels.
Conclusions: These results reveal that RGS12 is essential for the terminal differentiation of osteoclasts induced by RANKL. It is possible that RGS12 regulates osteoclast differentiation through a PLC γ–calcium channel–[Ca2+]i oscillation–NFAT2 pathway.
Humor styles, culture-related personality, well-being, and family adjustment among Armenians in Lebanon
Authors: Kazarian Shahe S , Martin Rod A 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis research examined the structure and correlates of an Armenian translation of the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ; Martin et al. 2003) among a community sample of ethnic Armenians residing in Lebanon. Four humor factors were found, as in the original Canadian samples: affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating humor. Scale reliabilities were generally acceptable, and inter-correlations among the scales were low. Armenian-Lebanese participants, as compared to Canadian and Belgian norms, obtained significantly lower scores on all four humor scales. Compared to females, males reported significantly more use of all four styles of humor, particularly aggressive and self-defeating humor. Humor styles correlated differentially, and generally as predicted, with perceived health, psychological well-being, and family adjustment, although they were unrelated to depression. Higher scores on aggressive humor related to higher vertical individualism and lower horizontal and vertical collectivism. Overall, the findings provide cross-cultural support for the theoretical structure and usefulness of the HSQ and represent an initial step in the study of humor among Armenians.
A randomized trial of humor effects on test anxiety and test performance
Authors: Berk Ronald A , Nanda Joy 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis investigation tested the hypothesis of humor effects on test anxiety to improve test performance. A pretest-posttest control group design was employed to determine differences between humorous and serious versions of the same test content. One graduate biostatistics course of 98 students participated. Based on three independent test administrations, ANCOVAs were computed to isolate the effects of humorous directions only, humorous items only, and the combination of both on emotional/physiological and worry/cognitive anxiety symptoms and biostatistics achievement. Humorous directions had a statistically significant (p < .05) impact on constructed-response item performance for the first test (descriptive statistics), with an effect size of .43. Multiple-choice test performance correlated negatively with the two pre-anxiety subscales (r = −.46, p < .001), explaining up to 21% of the variance. The limitations of very low pre-anxiety levels and very high test performance precluded any other significant effects. The contributions of the humor technique used in the study and the value of measuring situation-specific anxiety immediately before and after a real testing condition were discussed.
On the electrostatic equilibrium of granular flow in pneumatic conveying systems
Authors: Yao Jun , Zhang Yan , Wang Chi‐Hwa , Liang Yung C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAn analytical methodology involving the concept of “electrostatic equilibrium” is developed for granular flow in pneumatic conveying systems. The methodology can be used for estimation of the electrostatic field distribution at various sections of the system and explanation of the mechanisms involved for various electrostatic phenomena observed. For all cases conducted in the conveying system, there was a “charging time” required for the system to reach the state of “electrostatic equilibrium.” Experiments conducted at different sections of the system showed that the time required increased in the order: horizontal pipe, vertical pipe, and pipe bend. Through a physical analysis, it is deduced that electrostatic equilibrium is related to the granules' behavior and local flow characteristics. In general, a longer time duration taken to reach equilibrium corresponds to a process with more complicated granular flow patterns. In the electrostatic equilibrium state, the field distribution shows the highest electrostatic field strength near the pipe wall, and this field strength degrades from the pipe wall to the pipe center. At various pipe sections, the highest strength occurs at the bend, in accord with observations that electric sparking first occurs at that location within the entire pneumatic conveying system. In the vertical pipe, granular distribution was measured using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), and granular velocities were cross‐referenced with those using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The electrostatic force at low air flow rates is found to be the primary cause for granules sticking to the pipe wall and results in the formation of the half‐ring or ring structure. The state of electrostatic equilibrium is physically influenced by several elements in conveying systems. In a cyclic conveying system, a new pipe (or low humidity or no antistatic agent) tends to expedite the process to reach electrostatic equilibrium and attain high magnitude of electrostatic current at the state. In a non‐cyclic horizontal conveying system, a thin film (pipe) is found to prolong the process duration to reach equilibrium, while the case with charged film (pipe) takes shorter duration to do so. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Association between the 5q31.1 gene neurogenin1 and schizophrenia
Authors: Fanous Ayman H. , Chen Xiangning , Wang Xu , Amdur Richard L. , O'Neill F. Anthony , Walsh Dermot , Kendler Kenneth S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractMultiple lines of evidence suggest that schizophrenia results from aberrant neurodevelopment. The neurogenin1 gene (neurog1) consists of a single 1,666 bp exon that encodes a basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factor that causes neuronal differentiation and induces cortical and glutamatergic differentiation programs. Because of its function and its location in 5q31.1, which has been linked to schizophrenia in multiple samples, we tested it for association with the disorder. We sequenced neurog1 in 25 affected subjects from the Irish Study of High‐Density Schizophrenia Families. We observed a 5′‐UTR SNP at position −60, already present in databases as rs8192558, and tested it along with rs2344485, rs8192559, and rs2344484. Narrow, intermediate, and broad diagnostic definitions were used. The major alleles of rs8192558 and rs2344484 were over‐transmitted to affected subjects using both Pedigree Disequilibrium Test (PDT) (0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.06) and FBAT (0.02 ≤ P ≤ 0.07). A haplotype consisting of the major alleles of all four SNPs was significantly over‐transmitted in FBAT to the broad definition (P = 0.049), with trend significance to the narrow and intermediate definitions, and with trend significance in PDT. In confirmatory tests using 657 cases and 411 controls, this haplotype was slightly but not significantly over‐represented in cases (81% vs. 77%, P = 0.21). These results, along with a priori evidence for the involvement of neurog1 in neurodevelopment, suggest that variants in neurog1 might have a small effect on susceptibility to schizophrenia. This gene should be tested in additional and larger samples. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.