bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pre‐operative opening detrusor pressure is predictive of detrusor overactivity following TVT in patients with pre‐operative mixed urinary incontinence
Authors: Panayi D.C. , Duckett J. , Digesu G.A. , Camarata M. , Basu M. , Khullar V. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAimsTo determine if specific pre‐operative urodynamic parameters could predict detrusor overactivity following TVT in patients with urodynamic mixed incontinence.MethodsNotes of women with detrusor overactivity (DO) and urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) before undergoing tension‐free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Patients underwent clinical evaluation pre‐operatively including history, examination, and conventional urodynamic studies and were treated with pelvic floor exercises and anti‐cholinergic medication. Those with persistent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) underwent TVT. Patients were re‐assessed after at least 6 months post‐operatively. Pre‐ and post‐operative opening and closing detrusor pressure, and detrusor pressure at maximum flow were recorded retrospectively from pre‐operative urodynamics traces by two clinicians independently and compared to the patients' post‐operative symptoms and urodynamic diagnosis.ResultsFifty‐one women were reviewed. Forty‐six of the 51 attended follow‐up and 35/51 agreed to conventional urodynamic studies. Seventeen of the 35 reported OAB symptoms, and 18/35 were asymptomatic. Nineteen of the 35 women had DO and 16/35 had normal urodynamic studies (NUDS). The median pre‐operative opening detrusor pressure was higher in women with overactive bladder symptoms post‐operatively. The median pre‐operative opening detrusor pressure in women with DO post‐operatively was 33.0 cmH2O and the median pre‐operative opening detrusor pressure in those with NUDS post‐operatively was 16 cmH2O (15.0–23.0 cmH2O) (P < 0.05 Mann–Whitney U‐test).ConclusionsHigher numbers of patients are required to demonstrate the value of opening detrusor pressure in predicting post‐operative overactive bladder symptoms. Opening detrusor pressure is predictive of post‐operative DO after TVT. Neurourol. Urodynam. 28:82–85, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lower urinary tract dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy, Portuguese Type
Authors: Andrade Maria João 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAimStudy lower urinary dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP).MethodsFifty‐four FAP patients were studied. Clinical examination, urodynamics and ultrasound of the urinary tract were performed.ResultsUrinary symptoms appeared during the first three years of the disease in 50% of the patients. The initial urinary symptom was dysuria in 39% and incontinence in 24% of the patients, sensitivity and contractility disturbances of the detrusor were found at the initial stages. Non‐relaxing urethral sphincter was found in 51,7% and dyssynergia in 37,5% of the cases. Ultrasound revealed thickening of the vesical wall in 42,5% of the patients, more common in males (M:16; F:7). Opening of the vesical neck was found in 56% of the cases (M:19; F:11) with paradoxical closure during the attempt to void. Fluctuations in the opening of the vesical neck were found in eight patients, also more frequently in males (M:6; F:2).ConclusionsIn addition to reduced sensation, underactive detrusor, opening of the vesical neck and external sphincter deficit, we found data suggesting failure of relaxation of the internal and external sphincter. The overdistention associated with an open vesical neck and external sphincter deficit justifies incontinence in those patients. The retention is due to inadequate contraction of the detrusor, probably associated with non‐relaxing of the internal and external sphincter. These dysfunctions derive from deposition of amyloid substance in the detrusor, but overdistention is likely to play a role. Early therapeutic intervention in these patients is vital to avoid secondary injuries. Neurourol. Urodynam. 28:26–32, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the investigation of gout in palaeopathology
Authors: Swinson D. , Snaith J. , Buckberry J. , Brickley M. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractGout is a disease caused by the abnormal accumulation of uric acid in the body, which can result in sodium urate crystals forming tophi at joints, with associated erosion of bone and cartilage. Only two examples of tophi have been reported from archaeological individuals, and the diagnosis of gout based on dry bone manifestations can be difficult. This paper presents preliminary results of a new technique to aid the diagnosis of gout in palaeopathology, namely high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Five archaeological skeletons with suspected gout (diagnosed using visual and radiological analysis) and three controls were analysed. Two of the gouty individuals had a white powder in their erosive lesions. HPLC showed the presence of uric acid in bone in four of the five individuals with evidence of gouty arthritis and was negative for uric acid in bone from the three controls. The white powder was also positive for uric acid. With reliance on the presence of articular erosions, cases of gout will be missed in archaeological human bone. HPLC measurement of uric acid could prove useful in the differential diagnosis of erosive arthropathy in archaeology. It may also be useful in identifying individuals with an increased body pool of uric acid, linked to conditions included in the term ‘metabolic syndrome’. As a result, HPLC uric acid measurement also has the potential to provide additional information on health and lifestyle in past communities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk assessment of thiacloprid and its chemical decontamination on eggplant, Solanum melongena L.
Authors: Saimandir Jayakrishnan , Gopal Madhuban , Walia Suresh 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Thiacloprid [(Z)‐3‐(6‐chloro‐3‐pyridylmethyl)‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐2‐ylidenecyanamide; Calypso™] is a systemic insecticide having persistence in the plant system. It was chosen for the management of the eggplant shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. Management of this insect pest is difficult because it harbours inside the shoot and fruit portions of eggplant. The persistence of thiacloprid on eggplant has not been studied in India. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has proposed its maximum residue limit (MRL) on eggplant as 0.7 mg kg−1, and there is a need to validate this value. Since residues were found to be above this level, five different decontamination agents were tested for the decontamination of thiacloprid from eggplant.RESULTS: The half‐life of thiacloprid was 11.1 and 11.6 days from trials in 2 years. Safety factors such as theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) and maximum permissible intake (MPI) were used to arrive at a risk assessment to human health from the analytical data obtained from the field trials. Thiacloprid at the doses tested (30 and 60 g AI ha−1) was not effective in managing eggplant fruit borer. A waiting period of 3 days before harvest of the fruits after insecticide application and a processing factor (PF) could not ensure a sufficient margin of safety (MOS). Subjecting the data to a processing factor of 60% could not bring the residues below the proposed MRL.CONCLUSION: Thiacloprid is not found to be an appropriate and effective agent for application to eggplant. Either the proposed MRL needs to be revised or good agricultural practice involving thiacloprid for plant protection in eggplant cultivation is required. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Derivatization of sialic acids for stabilization in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and concomitant differentiation of α(2 → 3)‐ and α(2 → 6)‐isomers
Authors: Wheeler Susan F. , Domann Paula , Harvey David J. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractSialylated carbohydrates usually decompose by loss of sialic acid when ionized by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) as the result of the labile carboxylic proton. Stabilization has previously been achieved by forming methyl esters with methyl iodide, a procedure that eliminates the labile proton. In this paper, we describe an alternative procedure for methyl ester formation that provides information on the sialic acid linkage directly from the MALDI spectrum. The sugars were desalted, dissolved in methanol, and treated with 4‐(4,6‐dimethoxy‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐yl)‐4‐methylmorpholinium chloride (DMT‐MM). After removal of the solvent, the products were transferred directly to the MALDI target and examined from 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid. Small amounts of N‐glycans derived from biological sources benefited from an additional clean‐up stage involving Nafion 117. α(2 → 6)‐Linked sialic acid produced only methyl esters whereas α(2 → 3)‐linked sialic acids were converted into their lactones providing a 32 Da difference in mass. Negative ion collision‐induced decomposition (CID) mass spectra of these neutralized glycans provided information, in many cases, on the antenna of N‐linked glycans to which the variously linked sialic acids were attached. The method was applied to N‐linked glycans released from bovine fetuin and porcine thyroglobulin. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐generational alkaptonuria in a non‐consanguineous family
Authors: Oexle K. , Engel K. , Tinschert S. , Haas D. , Lee‐Kirsch M. A. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryObjective:Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare inborn error of metabolism of aromatic amino acids and considered to be an autosomal recessive trait caused by mutations in the homogentisate 1,2‐dioxygenase (HGD) gene. A dominant pattern of inheritance has been reported but was attributed to extended consanguinity in many cases. However, we have observed a non‐consanguineous family segregating AKU in a dominant manner over three generations.Results:All affected individuals presented with typical features of AKU including darkening of the urine, ochronosis, arthropathy, and elevated urinary excretion of homogentisic acid. Sequence analysis of the HGD gene from genomic DNA of two affected individuals, uncle and niece, revealed a heterozygous missense mutation (M368V) in the uncle that was not present in his niece. Microsatellite genotyping demonstrated that both were heterozygous at the HGD locus and shared one haplotype. This haplotype did not contain a detectable HGD mutation. The haplotype was also found in a healthy son of the niece, making a dominant HGD mutation unlikely. Moreover, sequencing of cDNA from lymphoblastoid cells of the niece did not reveal an HGD mRNA with a potentially dominant‐negative effect.Conclusion:Rare causes of the uncommon AKU inheritance in this family have to be considered, ranging from the coincidence of undetectable HGD mutations to a dominant mutation of a second, hitherto unknown AKU gene.
Metabolic programming: Role of nutrition in the immediate postnatal life
Authors: Patel M. S. , Srinivasan M. , Laychock S. G. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryAlthough genes and dietary habits are generally implicated in the aetiology of the prevailing obesity epidemic, the steep increase in the incidence of obesity within a relatively short span of time suggests that other contributing factors may be at play. The role of nutritional experience during the very early periods of life is increasingly being recognized as contributing to growth and metabolic changes in later life. Epidemiological data and studies from animal models have established a strong correlation between an aberrant intrauterine environment and adult‐onset disorders in offspring. The nutritional experience in the immediate postnatal life is another independent factor contributing to the development of metabolic diseases in adulthood. Although studies on the small‐litter rat model have shown that overnourishment during the suckling period results in adult‐onset metabolic disorders, our studies have shown that a change in the quality of calories—specifically, increased carbohydrate intake by newborn rat pups in the immediate postnatal period—results in chronic hyperinsulinaemia and adult‐onset obesity. Several functional alterations in islets and in the hypothalamic energy homeostatic mechanism appear to support this phenotype. Remarkably, female rats that underwent the high‐carbohydrate dietary modification as neonates spontaneously transmitted the obesity phenotype to their offspring, thus establishing a vicious generational effect. The high‐carbohydrate diet‐fed rat model has particular relevance in the context of the current human infant feeding practices: reduction in breast feeding and increase in formula feeding for infants, accompanied by early introduction of carbohydrate‐enriched baby foods.
Introduction of low dose transdermal buprenorphine – Did it influence use of potentially addictive drugs in chronic non‐malignant pain patients?
Authors: Skurtveit Svetlana , Furu Kari , Kaasa Stein , Borchgrevink Petter C. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThe aim was to study the introduction of the new low dose transdermal buprenorphine (LD‐TD‐BUP) in Norway, particularly with regard to former use and co‐medication with other potentially addictive drugs.The nationwide Norwegian Prescription Database contains information on all prescription drugs dispensed to individual non‐institutionalised patients, and we may follow all individuals who received LD‐TD‐BUP (Norspan®) after marketing on the Norwegian market on 15/11/05. We studied all prescriptions of opioids and other potentially addictive drugs to patients receiving at least two LD‐TD‐BUP prescriptions during 2004–2006. Poisson regressions were run with concomitant use of addictive drugs (yes, no) as the endpoint.Overall, 1884, non cancer individuals received at least two prescription of LD‐TD‐BUP. Of these 91.7% received prescriptions of other opioids and 58.6% of them had also been prescribed benzodiazepines/carisoprodol before the prescription of LD‐TD‐BUP. Of the LD‐TD‐BUP users who received more than one prescription, 60% co‐medicated with at least one other potentially addictive drug, and 24% with at least two. In the multivariate analysis, the variables associated with a higher likelihood of using co‐medicated drugs were: previous use of benzodiazepines/carisoprodol relative risk RR=16.7 (95% CI 10.4–26.9), previous use of opioids RR=4.0 (1.9–8.7) and younger age 20–40 years RR=1.9 (1.6–2.3).So far, it is questionable whether the introduction of LD‐TD‐BUP actually has stabilised opioids consumption or whether it has complicated and increased the consumption of potentially addictive drugs.
The relation between neurocognitive dysfunction and impaired insight in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Simon Viktoria , De Hert Marc , Wampers Martien , Peuskens Joseph , van Winkel Ruud 
Published: December 2008

AbstractObjectivesThe present study aimed to (i) evaluate the association between insight and measures of executive functions and working memory in a sample of 132 patients with schizophrenia and (ii) to explore to what proportion neurocognitive dysfunction contributed to the variance in insight after controlling for symptomatology.MethodsSubjects were evaluated with a standardized neurocognitive test battery and a semi-structured interview, the Psychosis Evaluation tool for Common use by Caregivers (PECC). PECC, apart from evaluating symptoms and side-effects, measures insight on a 4-point scale by two of its dimensions: awareness of having a mental illness (AMI) and awareness of having symptoms attributed to a mental illness (ASAMI). Executive functioning was measured by the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST) and the Trail Making B (TMB). Working memory was measured by the Letter Number Sequencing (LNS) test from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS).ResultsOnly one significant association was found after correction for multiple testing, between WCST categories completed and AMI (r= −0.29,p= 0.0006). WCST categories completed explained only 7.9% of the variance in AMI, while symptomatology explained 20% of variance in AMI and 16.5% of variance in ASAMI.ConclusionsThe current results show a significant but subtle association with the WCST, which is in agreement with earlier literature. No other associations between cognitive functioning and insight were found. In general, these findings seem to suggest that factors other than cognition have a greater impact on insight in patients with schizophrenia.
The EQ-5D: A useful quality of life measure in borderline personality disorder?
Authors: van Asselt A.D.I. , Dirksen C.D. , Arntz A. , Giesen-Bloo J.H. , Severens J.L. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIntroductionBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric disorder and is associated with significant impairment in quality of life. The aim of the present study is to assess the internal and external responsiveness of the EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) in BPD patients.Patients and MethodsData from 49 patients included in a multi-center Dutch randomized trial were used. We used both the EQ-5D utility score and the Visual Analogue Scale of the EuroQoL, and the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index-IV (BPDSI-IV). To determine internal responsiveness, we calculated the standardized response mean (SRM). To determine external responsiveness, we calculated Spearman correlations for the change scores, and compared EQ-5D scores for clinically improved vs. non-clinically improved patients as measured with the BPDSI-IV.ResultsPatient scores improved on all instruments during the three years. SRMs for BPDSI-IV were significantly higher than EQ-5D utility. Three-year Spearman correlation between change scores of BPDSI-IV and EQ-5D utility was 0.487, between BPDSI-IV and EQ-VAS it was 0.404, both statistically significant. EQ-5D utility scores for patients who clinically improved were significantly higher than for patients who did not.DiscussionWe conclude that the EQ-5D is fairly responsive in BPD, and, therefore, especially because of its brevity and user-friendliness, can serve as a useful tool in economic evaluations in patients with BPD.
ANISE (PIMPINELLA ANISUM): CHANGES IN YIELDS AND COMPONENT COMPOSITION ON HARVESTING AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF PLANT MATURITY
Authors: ÖZEL ABDULHABIP 
Published: December 2008

SUMMARYThis study investigated the effects of harvesting at different plant maturation stages on the yield and component compositions of aniseed. It was carried out on the Harran Plain (Sanliurfa, Turkey) in the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons. A randomized complete block design was used. The plants were harvested at 10 different growth stages and determinations were made of the yields of seed, the essential oil and its main component (E)-anethole, the weight of 1000 seeds, the number of umbels per plant, the number of seedless umbels per plant and number of seeds per umbel. Statistical analyses indicated that all properties studied were affected by the harvesting stage. The fourth harvesting stage gave the highest yields of seed, essential oil and (E)-anethole. The first and second harvesting stages provided the best quality of essential oils with a high (E)-anethole content.
REML IS AN EFFECTIVE ANALYSIS FOR MIXED MODELLING OF UNBALANCED ON-FARM VARIETAL TRIALS
Authors: VIRK D. S. , PANDIT D. B. , SUFIAN M. A. , AHMED F. , SIDDIQUE M. A. B. , SAMAD M. A. , RAHMAN M. M. , ISLAM M. M. , ORTIZ-FERRARA G. , JOSHI K. D. , WITCOMBE J. R. 
Published: December 2008

SUMMARYOn-farm participatory varietal selection (PVS) trials are often of two types: mother trials (with all of the entries) and baby trials (each having one, or very few of the entries from the mother trials). We conducted PVS trials on 17 wheat varieties in 12 villages of four districts of Bangladesh over three years but the data were highly unbalanced. Both quantitative and qualitative traits were measured in the on-farm trials. The factors in the trials were both fixed effects (varieties and districts) and random (years and farmers). We used the residual or restricted maximum likelihood (REML) analysis for the mixed model for quantitative traits. For qualitative data on farmers' perceptions, logistic regression procedures were used that are equally applicable to balanced and unbalanced data sets. The REML analysis provided adjusted mean values for quantitative traits for all the varieties, for the mother and baby trials separately, using the data from all years and all locations. It identified varieties BAW 1006 and BAW 1008 that yielded 19–30% more than the control Kanchan and also had a higher 1000-grain weight, were at least as early to flower and had a high overall ranking by farmers in the mother trials. The logistic regression analysis of perception data agreed with the results of the REML analysis as these varieties were most preferred by farmers for grain yield, earlier maturity and better chapatti making quality. The less labour-intensive method of recording qualitative perceptions can usefully replace actual yield measurements, particularly when validated by other participatory measures such as intended and actual adoption. In 2005, BAW 1006 was released as BARI Gom 23 or Bijoy and BAW 1008 as BARI Gom 24 or Prodip for the whole of Bangladesh. The validity of the results of the REML analysis was confirmed by the high early adoption trends of the identified varieties. Since REML is an effective analysis for unbalanced PVS trial data using a mixed model, its wider use by researchers would increase the value of the PVS process.
GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF PEARL MILLET FOR THE ARID ZONE OF NORTHWESTERN INDIA: LESSONS FROM TWO DECADES OF COLLABORATIVE ICRISAT-ICAR RESEARCH
Authors: BIDINGER F. R. , YADAV O. P. , WELTZIEN RATTUNDE E. 
Published: December 2008

SUMMARYThe arid zone of northwestern India is a unique adaptation zone for crop plants because of its pervasive severe moisture stress and high temperatures. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a major cereal in this zone as it represents approximately 25% of the total acreage of the crop in the country. Pearl millet hybrid cultivars, which have gained widespread acceptance from farmers elsewhere in the country, have not been adopted in the arid zone. Farmers continue to sow their traditional landraces because the yield advantage of current hybrids is not expressed in this zone, and the risk of failure in poor years with the hybrids is unacceptably high. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research have been collaborating to understand the unique nature of pearl millet in the arid zone since the late 1980s. This collaboration has produced a better understanding of how arid zone farmers manage their germplasm, of the unique features of this invaluable resource and of a range of ways of using this germplasm to produce well-adapted new varieties and hybrids that will meet the requirements of the farmers of the arid zone. It has been shown that new cultivars for the arid zone need to be based on parental materials, including traditional landraces that are specifically adapted to the arid zone. This paper summarizes the main lessons of nearly 20 years of this collaborative research.