bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outpatient basis extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for ureter stones: Efficacy of the third generation lithotripter as the first line treatment
Authors: Murota‐Kawano Akiko , Ohya Kazuhiro , Sekine Hideaki 
Published: January 2008

Aim:  We assessed the efficacy of a third generation extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) machine for ureter stones using the Dornier Lithotriptor Compact Delta.Methods:  A total of 471 consecutive ureter stones were treated with ESWL using the Dornier Lithotriptor Compact Delta from December 2001 on an outpatient basis. Four hundred and one cases were followed up at least once after the procedure and were included in this study. All of the cases, except one patient who was three years old, were treated without anesthesia, and the procedure was principally performed on outpatient basis.Results:  The overall stone free rate was 94.5% and the mean number of treatment sessions was 1.23. The stone free rates were compared considering various clinical factors and significant differences were observed in the stone length, the stone location and the sex in univariate analysis. However, only the stone length maintained a statistically significant impact in multivariate analysis and the stone free rates were 91.2% and 98.0% respectively in larger stones (length 10mm) and smaller stones (length < 10mm) (p = 0.004). In mid‐distal stones, the stone free rate was higher than that of proximal stones (97.5% vs 92.6%, p = 0.04) and not affected by stone length.Conclusions:  Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy performed by the third generation machine achieved an excellent stone free rate with a relatively small number of treatment sessions. This procedure is strongly recommended as the first line therapy for all ureter stones including mid‐distal ones.
Simulated conditions of microgravity increases progesterone production in I‐10 cells of Leydig tumor cell line
Authors: Kaneko Tomoyoshi , Sasaki Shoichi , Umemoto Yukihiro , Kojima Yoshiyuki , Ikeuchi Takahito , Kohri Kenjiro 
Published: January 2008

Background:  The prospect of long‐term residence in outer space is becoming a reality. Previously we found that testosterone secretion and spermatogenesis is reduced in model mice on which the shift of body fluids in space is simulated. The present study examines the effects of the microgravity (μG) environment on steroidogenesis of Leydig cells.Methods:  I‐10 cells were cultured for 24 h under a simulated μG environment. Progesterone production was evaluated as steroidogenesis. Western blots of the enzyme, 3βhydroxy dehydrogenase (HSD) as well as of the transcription factors, Ad4bp/SF‐1 and DAX‐1, the amount of adenosine3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and cell morphology were investigated. The μG environment was simulated using clinostat rotation (CR). Rotational (Cont‐1) and stationary (Cont‐2) controls always received a regular gravity effect with and without rotatory motion, respectively.Results:  Progesterone levels in cells under CR were significantly increased compared with those of both controls. Increased progesterone production was not related to the expression of either of the transcription factors or the enzyme. Although the cytoplasm expanded, the amount of cAMP produced under CR did not significantly differ from that produced under both control environments.Conclusions:  Our findings showed that I‐10 cells produced more progesterone under a μG, than under control environments. Since the amounts of 3βHSD, Ad4bp/SF‐1, DAX‐1 and cAMP were not altered, the increase in steroid production under CR might be due to the expansion of cytoplasm, where steroidogenesis occurs. Steroidogenesis should be investigated in more detail to predict the effects of outer space on humans.
Prevalence and incidence of urinary incontinence in women: Review of the literature and investigation of methodological issues
Authors: Botlero Roslin , Urquhart Donna M , Davis Susan R , Bell Robin J 
Published: January 2008

Objectives:  Urinary incontinence in women is common and has a significant impact on the physical, psychological and socio‐economic aspects of life. The aims of this study were to review the published reports on the prevalence and incidence of urinary incontinence in Australian women and to examine the methodological issues associated with these studies.Methods:  Electronic searches of Medline, EMBASE and the Current Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases were undertaken using ‘Medical Subject Heading’ terms and ‘free text’ words. We retrieved papers that investigated the prevalence and/or incidence of urinary incontinence in Australian women and were published in English after 1980. Methodological data from each study were tabulated.Results:  Seven studies were identified which examined the prevalence of urinary incontinence and two studies that reported its incidence. The prevalence of urinary incontinence varied between 12.8% and 46.0%. Study heterogeneity was a consequence of response rates, the inclusion of women in institutional care, the method of data collection, the questions used to identify different types of urinary incontinence and the way these questions were reported, the period over which the urinary incontinence had occurred and the severity of the incontinence. Two studies which examined incidence provided evidence that urinary incontinence can be a transient phenomenon.Conclusions:  Research into the incidence and prevalence of urinary incontinence in Australian women exhibits significant heterogeneity in the findings due to methodological limitations. There is a need for future studies to employ validated instruments and give careful attention to the selection of participants and the reporting of age‐specific data.
Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes derived from human renal cell carcinoma: Clonal analysis of its characteristics
Authors: Shimabukuro Tomoyuki , Naito Katsusuke 
Published: January 2008

Aim:  To assess the characteristics of activated tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), we report the isolation, growth response, and functional analysis of a CD4‐ CD8+ TIL‐clone derived from human renal cell carcinoma (RCC).Methods:  Bulk TILs were expanded from a human RCC and the lymphocytes were separated into a CD8+ enriched population. Subsequently, using the limiting dilution technique, a TIL clone was established and its growth response, phenotype and cytotoxic activity were analyzed.Results:  A clone, T16‐13, by day 94 numbering 1 × 107 cells, was harvested and characterized as a CD4‐ CD8+ clone. On day 144, the cytotoxic activity of this clone against the autologous tumor was relatively high (2.3 ± 0.7 LU30/106 cells). Meanwhile, against allogeneic renal tumors, there was no cytotoxic activity (−0.1 LU30/106 cells).Conclusions:  A TIL clone possessing modest autologous tumor‐specific cytotoxicity can be isolated from human RCC. The characteristics analysis of various TIL clones may provide a better understanding of an RCC tumor microenvironment and may help to establish new modalities for the treatment of patients with metastatic kidney cancer.
Effects of strontium fructose 1,6‐diphosphate on expression of apoptosis‐related genes and oxidative stress in testes of diabetic rats
Authors: Tang Xiao‐Yun , Zhang Qi , Dai De‐Zai , Ying Han‐Jie , Wang Qiu‐Juan , Dai Yin 
Published: January 2008

Objective: To investigate the effects of strontium fructose 1,6‐diphosphate (FDP‐Sr) on testicular dysfunction induced by diabetes.Methods: Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, i.p.). After 28 days, therapy with three doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg per day, p.o.) of FDP‐Sr was carried out for another 4 weeks.Results: The rats exhibited morphological lesions of testes and significant decreases in serum testosterone levels after 2 months of diabetes. Testicular tissues of diabetic rats showed significantly increased malondialdehyde levels and declined glutathione peroxidase activity. Meanwhile, augmented DNA fragmentation was observed, along with downregulatedBcl‐2and upregulatedBaxexpressions at both mRNA and protein levels. FDP‐Sr showed significant antioxidant effects in bothin vitroandin vivoexperiments, and significantly relieved apoptosis and the decline of serum testosterone caused by diabetes.Conclusions: Testicular injury and apoptosis induced by diabetes are partially attributed to the augmented oxidative stress in testicular tissue. FDP‐Sr indirectly alleviates these pathologic alterations by suppressing the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Frequency of postoperative inguinal hernia after endoscope‐assisted mini‐laparotomy and conventional retropubic radical prostatectomies
Authors: Koie Takuya , Yoneyama Takahiro , Kamimura Noritaka , Imai Atsushi , Okamoto Akiko , Ohyama Chikara 
Published: January 2008

Objective:  The objective of the present study was to compare the incidence of postoperative inguinal hernia between endoscope‐assisted mini‐laparotomy retropubic radical prostatectomy (mini‐lap RRP) with conventional techniques to identify possible risk factors.Methods:  From April 1998 to December 2006, 347 consecutive cases with localized prostate cancer were treated with conventional RRP (75 cases) and mini‐lap RRP (272 cases) with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Mini‐lap RRP was carried out with a 6‐cm median incision. The charts were retrospectively reviewed, and the incidence of and risk factors for postoperative inguinal hernia were assessed.Results:  There were no significant differences in age, initial prostate‐specific antigen concentrations, clinical stage, Gleason score, body mass index, incidence of previous major abdominal surgery (cholecystectomy, gastrectomy, and colectomy), previous appendectomy, and previous inguinal hernia repair between the two groups. Postoperative inguinal hernia was observed in 29 cases (38.7%) in the conventional RRP group and in eight cases (2.9%) in the mini‐RRP group during the mean follow‐up period of 26.1 months (range: 3–105 months). The patients treated with mini‐lap RRP had significantly higher hernia‐free survival than those treated with conventional RRP (log rank test, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that surgical technique (conventional RRP) and previous major abdominal surgery were risk factors for inguinal hernia (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively).Conclusions:  Inguinal hernia was less frequent after mini‐lap RRP than after conventional RRP. A history of a major abdominal surgery was an independent risk factor for this event.
Investigation of hyperuricemia during pegylated‐interferon‐α2b plus ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: YAMASHITA Naoki , ENJOJI Munechika , KOTOH Kazuhiro , KATO Masaki , UEDA Akihiro , HORIKAWA Yuki , TAJIRI Hirotaka , HIGUCHI Nobito , KINUKAWA Naoko , NAKAMUTA Makoto , TAKAYANAGI Ryoichi 
Published: January 2008

OBJECTIVE:  Hyperuricemia has been reported as being an adverse effect of pegylated‐interferon‐α2b (Peg‐IFNα2b) and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C and hyperuricemic changes occur in some patients during the therapy. However, detailed investigation of the elevation of uric acid has not been carried out previously. The incidence and mechanism of hyperuricemia were investigated in this study.METHODS:  The data of 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had been treated with Peg‐IFNα2b and ribavirin combination therapy or pegylated‐interferon‐α2a monotherapy for more than 24 weeks were analyzed. The effects of these treatments were evaluated clinically by the serum uric acid level and its urinary excretion rates.RESULTS:  In patients with pegylated‐interferon‐α2a monotherapy, no significant elevation was shown either in serum uric acid concentrations or excretion rates. On the other hand, serum uric acid concentrations were significantly elevated during the combination therapy, reaching ≥7.0 mg/L in men and ≥6.5 mg/L in women in 15% of patients. The urinary uric acid excretion rate was also elevated significantly.CONCLUSION:  Peg‐IFNα2b plus ribavirin combination therapy induced an elevation of uric acid concentration, although the elevated levels were still within normal limit in many cases. It may be that ribavirin plays a leading role in its elevation and other factors may also be involved.
Cryosurgery with combination of 125iodine seed implantation for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: XU Ke Cheng , NIU Li Zhi , HU Yi Ze , HE Wei Bing , HE Yi Song , ZUO Jian Sheng 
Published: January 2008

OBJECTIVE:  To study the therapeutic value of cryosurgery with combination of 125iodine seed implantation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.METHODS:  Thirty‐eight patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer were enrolled in this study. The diagnosis was confirmed by pathology in 31 patients. Ten patients had metastases of the peripancreatic lymph node and eight had liver metastases. The therapy included cryosurgery, which was performed intra‐operatively or percutaneously under guidance of ultrasound and/or computed tomography (CT), and 125iodine seed implantation, which was performed during cryosurgery process or post‐cryosurgery under the guidance of ultrasound and/or CT.RESULTS:  Eleven patients received intra‐operative cryosurgery and 27 received percutaneous cryosurgery. Fourteen patients underwent two procedures of cryosurgery and three underwent three procedures of cryosurgery. 125Iodine seed implantation was performed during the freezing procedure in 29 patients and within 3–7 days after cryosurgery in nine patients under ultrasound and CT guidance. Fifteen patients, of whom 13 had metastases of peripancreatic lymph nodes or liver received regional chemotherapy. At 3 months after therapy, a CT follow‐up was performed to estimate the tumor response to therapy. Most of the patients had varying degrees of tumor necrosis. A complete response of the tumor was seen in 23.6% of patients, a partial response in 42.1%, stable disease in 26.3% and progressive disease in 7.9%. The adverse effects associated with cryosurgery mainly included pain of the upper abdomen and increased serum amylase activity. Acute pancreatitis was seen in five patients, one of whom presented a severe type of pancreatitis. During the followed‐up of a median of 16 months (range of 5–37) median overall survival was 12 months, 19 patients (50.0%) survived for 12 months or longer and four survived for 24 months or longer.CONCLUSION:  As it is far less invasive than conventional pancreas resection and entails a low rate of adverse effects, cryosurgery should be the choice modality for most patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. 125Iodine seed implantation can destroy residue survival cancer cells after cryosurgery. Hence, combination of both modalities has a complementary effect.
Antagonistic effects of a Mhc class I allele on malaria‐infected house sparrows
Authors: Loiseau Claire , Zoorob Rima , Garnier Stéphane , Birard Julien , Federici Pierre , Julliard Romain , Sorci Gabriele 
Published: January 2008

AbstractGenes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (Mhc) play a fundamental role during the immune response because MHC molecules expressed on cell surface allow the recognition and presentation of antigenic peptides to T‐lymphocytes. Although Mhc alleles have been found to correlate with pathogen resistance in several host‐parasite systems, several studies have also reported associations between Mhc alleles and an accrued infection risk or an accelerated disease progression. The existence of these susceptibility alleles is puzzling, as the cost generated by the infection should rapidly eliminate them from the population. Here, we show that susceptibility alleles may be maintained in a population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) if they have antagonistic effects on different malaria parasites. We found that one Mhc class I allele was associated with a 2.5‐fold increase in the risk to be infected with a Plasmodium strain, but with a 6.4‐fold reduction in the risk to harbour a Haemoproteus strain. We suggest that this antagonistic effect might arise because Mhc genes can alter the competitive interactions between malaria parasites within the host.
Climate, phylogeny and the ecological distribution of C4 grasses
Authors: Edwards Erika J. , Still Christopher J. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract‘C4 photosynthesis’ refers to a suite of traits that increase photosynthesis in high light and high temperature environments. Most C4 plants are grasses, which dominate tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas but are conspicuously absent from cold growing season climates. Physiological attributes of C4 photosynthesis have been invoked to explain C4 grass biogeography; however, the pathway evolved exclusively in grass lineages of tropical origin, suggesting that the prevalence of C4 grasses in warm climates could be due to other traits inherited from their non‐C4 ancestors. Here we investigate the relative influences of phylogeny and photosynthetic pathway in determining the ecological distributions of C4 grasses in Hawaii. We find that the restriction of C4 grasses to warmer areas is due largely to their evolutionary history as members of a warm‐climate grass clade, but that the pathway does appear to confer a competitive advantage to grasses in more arid environments.
The myth of plant species saturation
Authors: Stohlgren Thomas J. , Barnett David T. , Jarnevich Catherine S. , Flather Curtis , Kartesz John 
Published: January 2008

AbstractPlant species assemblages, communities or regional floras might be termed ‘saturated’ when additional immigrant species are unsuccessful at establishing due to competitive exclusion or other inter‐specific interactions, or when the immigration of species is off‐set by extirpation of species. This is clearly not the case for state, regional or national floras in the USA where colonization (i.e. invasion by exotic species) exceeds extirpation by roughly a 24 to 1 margin. We report an alarming temporal trend in plant invasions in the Pacific Northwest over the past 100 years whereby counties highest in native species richness appear increasingly invaded over time. Despite the possibility of some increased awareness and reporting of native and exotic plant species in recent decades, historical records show a significant, consistent long‐term increase in exotic species (number and frequency) at county, state and regional scales in the Pacific Northwest. Here, as in other regions of the country, colonization rates by exotic species are high and extirpation rates are negligible. The rates of species accumulation in space in multi‐scale vegetation plots may provide some clues to the mechanisms of the invasion process from local to national scales.
Organization of the ipdC region regulates IAA levels in different Azospirillum brasilense strains: molecular and functional analysis of ipdC in strain SM
Authors: Malhotra Mandira , Srivastava Sheela 
Published: January 2008

SummaryPresence of the indole‐3‐pyruvic acid pathway (IPyA) of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis was demonstrated by identifying the ipdC gene encoding indole‐3‐pyruvate decarboxylase (IPDC) in Azospirillum brasilense strain SM. Comparison with other A. brasilense strains, Sp7 and Sp245, revealed homology in the gene and its 5′ regulatory region. The 3′ region of strain SM carries a truncated iaaC gene implicated in controlling IAA biosynthesis in strain Sp245. While the ipdC transcript could be visualized by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), truncated iaaC was non‐functional. Strain SM derivatives carrying higher copy number of ipdC and PipdC showed improved IAA biosynthesis. PipdC showed sequence elements that are part of composite auxin‐responsive promoters. Expression of ipdC was upregulated by IAA, other auxins, temperature and nutrient stress, and an increase in pH. Heterologous overexpression of a functional iaaC gene from strain Sp245 in strain SM confirmed its role in controlling IAA biosynthesis and lowering ipdC expression which may be effected by dissociating IAA–transcriptional regulator interactions in the 5′ region. However, the effect of the introduced iaaC was overcome when both ipdC and iaaC were expressed from similar plasmid background. This analysis confirmed that strain‐based differences in IAA biosynthesis could be explained by differential regulation of ipdC expression.
Evidence of aerobic utilization of di‐ortho‐substituted trichlorobiphenyls as growth substrates by Pseudomonas sp. SA‐6 and Ralstonia sp. SA‐4
Authors: Adebusoye Sunday A. , Picardal Flynn W. , Ilori Matthew O. , Amund Olukayode O. 
Published: January 2008

SummaryRobust and effective bioremediation strategies have not yet been developed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)‐contaminated soils. This is in part a result of the fact that ortho‐ or ortho‐ and para‐substituted congeners, frequent dead‐end products of reductive dechlorination of PCB mixtures, have greatly reduced aerobic biodegradability. In this study, we report substantial evidence of utilization of diortho‐substituted trichlorobiphenyls (triCBs) as growth substrates by Ralstonia sp. SA‐4 and Pseudomonas sp. SA‐6 in which ortho‐substitution resulted in no obvious patterns of recalcitrance. These stains exhibited unusual preferences for growth on congeners chlorinated on both rings. Substrate uptake studies with benzoate‐grown cells revealed that the isolates attacked the 2‐chlorophenyl rings of 2,2′,4‐ and 2,2′,5‐triCB. Between 71% and 93% of the initial 0.23–0.34 mM dose of congeners were transformed in less than 261 h concomitant with non‐stoichiometric production of respective dichlorobenzoates and chloride ion. In enzyme assays, activity of 2,3‐dihydroxybiphenyl‐1,2‐dioxygenase was constitutive. Additionally, these strains harboured no detectable plasmids which, coupled with exponential growth on the two triCB congeners, suggested chromosomal location of PCB degradative genes. In addition to the fact that there is a paucity of information on degradation of PCBs by tropical isolates, growth on triCBs as a sole carbon and energy source has never been demonstrated for any natural or engineered microorganisms. Such isolates may help prevent accumulation of ortho‐substituted congeners in natural systems and offer the hope for development of effective bioaugmentation or sequential anaerobic–aerobic bioremediation strategies.
An oligonucleotide prokaryotic acidophile microarray: its validation and its use to monitor seasonal variations in extreme acidic environments with total environmental RNA
Authors: Garrido Patricia , González‐Toril Elena , García‐Moyano Antonio , Moreno‐Paz Mercedes , Amils Ricardo , Parro Víctor 
Published: January 2008

SummaryAn oligonucleotide microarray that monitors prokaryotic diversity in extremely acidic environments has been developed. The oligonucleotide probes target most known acidophilic microorganisms, including members of the Nitrospira phylum, Acidithiobacillus genus, acidobacteria, sulfur reducing bacteria, Actinobacteria and Archaea of the Ferroplasma and Thermoplasma genera. The probes were tested for their specificity against the corresponding type strain by microarray hybridization using PCR‐amplified fluorescent DNA of the 16S rRNA genes. The microarray was tested and validated against well‐established molecular ecology techniques such as molecular cloning and sequencing and FISH by using samples obtained from a natural extremely acidic environment, the Río Tinto (SW Spain). Also, fluorescent labelled total environmental RNA from Río Tinto samples were used as targets for microarray hybridizations. This approach allowed the detection of the most metabolically active prokaryotes of the ecosystem by simultaneously checking probes against 16S and 23S rRNAs as well as other functional genes. Seasonal and spatial variations in the relative expression of specific rRNA genes have been detected between two sampling sites that differ in several physicochemical parameters, mainly iron and sulfur content.