bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Curtain dissection of the lateral prostatic fascia and potency after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a veil of mystery
Authors: Chabert Charles C. , Merrilees David A. , Neill Mischel G. , Eden Christopher G. 
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect on potency recovery of incorporating a high incision of the lateral prostatic fascia (LPF) or curtain dissection (CD) into our technique of laparoscopic nerve‐sparing radical prostatectomy (LNSRP).PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 137 bilateral neurovascular bundle (NVB) preserving LNSRPs were performed, incorporating curtain dissection (CD) of the LPF. Potency was assessed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months using validated questionnaires and compared with a control group (CG) of standard NVB preservation.RESULTSThere were no conversions to open surgery in either group. The median operative duration in the CD group and the CG was 178 min and 174 min (P = 0.04), blood loss was 300 mL and 200 mL (P = 0.01), and the positive margin rate was 16.1% and 24.1% (P = 0.04), respectively. At a mean follow‐up of 5.8 months in the CD group and 28.2 months in the CG, potency rates were 21.1% and 8.8% at 1 month (P = 0.01), and 68.4% and 67.2% at 12 months (P = 1.00), respectively.CONCLUSIONThe potency rate was significantly higher in the CD group at 1 month than in the CG, thereafter the rates were similar between the groups. We think that the merit of this technique is in improved visualization of the basal prostatic contour during antegrade NVB dissection, rather than preserving important nerve fibres. This may explain the lower basal positive margin rate in the CD group of 0% vs 5.8% in the CG (P = 0.007).
Differential expression of prognostic markers in histological subtypes of papillary renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Perret Anne Gentil , Clemencon Alix , Li Guorong , Tostain Jacques , Peoc’h Michel 
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVETo assess the expression of the tumour markers stromelysin 3, MUC1, p53 and cytokeratin‐7 in papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC, for which two histological subtypes are distinguished, i.e. type 1 and type 2, the latter appearing to be associated with a poorer prognosis) and to determine whether any of these markers might be of prognostic value.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn a retrospective study of 50 patients, the type and nuclear grade of tumours was determined by histological analyses, the presence of microvascular emboli detected, and the markers assessed by immunohistochemical analysis using anti‐stromelysin 3, anti‐MUC1, anti‐p53 and anti‐cytokeratin‐7 antibodies.RESULTSTwenty‐five patients each had a type 1 or type 2 tumour. MUC1 and cytokeratin‐7 were principally expressed in type 1 tumours, being detected in 76% and 84%, respectively. By contrast, p53 accumulated principally in type 2 tumours (36%); the accumulation of p53 was also associated with poorer survival. In patients with type 2 tumours with a more unfavourable development, stromelysin‐3 expression was associated with a more advanced stage and a higher risk of metastases.CONCLUSIONSubtyping pRCC according to the recommended morphological criteria appears to be worthwhile, and can be reinforced by immunohistochemical tests capable of detecting cytokeratin‐7 and MUC1 expression. Immunohistochemical detection of p53 is of prognostic value, as accumulation of this factor is associated with poorer survival.
‘Crushing the stone’: a brief history of lithotripsy, the first minimally invasive surgery
Authors: Herr Harry W. 
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVETo trace the history of lithotripsy, marking the start of minimally invasive surgery.METHODSPrimary and secondary sources describing the development of lithotripsy as a method to treat common bladder stones were reviewed.RESULTSLithotripsy emerged in the early 19th century as an alternative to the morbid and frequently fatal perineal lithotomy practised for thousands of years to relieve sufferers of bladder stones. Lithotripsy developed in stages, first by learning how to pass a straight hollow sound, then drilling stones to break them up, later by crushing them, followed by means to evacuate the fragments, finally by integrating the lithotrite with the cystoscope, permitting surgery under direct vision.CONCLUSIONSLithotripsy evolved as the first minimally invasive surgical procedure owing to the ingenuity and skill of our urological forebears.
Performance and functional outcome of endoscopic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy in relation to obesity: an assessment of 500 patients
Authors: Liatsikos Evangelos , Mühlstädt Sandra , Kallidonis Panagiotis , Rabenalt Robert , Do Minh , Burchardt Martin , Herrmann Thomas R. , Stolzenburg Jens‐Uwe 
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of obesity on the performance and functional outcome of endoscopic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy (EERPE).PATIENTS AND METHODSWe retrospectively examined 500 patients treated with EERPE; they were categorized into three groups according to the World Health Organization classification of obesity: normal weight (body mass index, BMI, <25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (30.0 kg/m2). The database of our institution was reviewed and perioperative data evaluated. The functional data were collected through questionnaires before and after EERPE and analysed statistically.RESULTSThe age, prostate size and preoperative PSA level were similar in all three groups. The mean (sd) BMI was 27 (3.3) kg/m2, with 26.8%, 56.6% and 16.6% of the patients classed as normal, overweight and obese, respectively. A pelvic lymph node dissection and nerve‐sparing was done in 218 and 123 patients, respectively. There was no statistically significance difference in the number of patients in each group who had previous procedures. Obese patients had a significantly higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score. The mean operative duration for all patients was 149 min; there was a statistically significant difference in duration among the three groups, with EERPE or nerve‐sparing EERPE requiring a mean of 20 min more in obese patients. There was no conversion to open surgery. The estimated mean blood loss was 200 mL; four patients, none of them in the obese group, received a blood transfusion. At 3 months after EERPE there was a trend to worse continence in obese patients, but it was not statistically significant, and was not apparent at 6 months. There was no difference in transfusion rate and duration of catheterization.CONCLUSIONEERPE seems to be a feasible and reproducible surgical technique in obese patients, although the operation takes longer.
TILLMore, a resource for the discovery of chemically induced mutants in barley
Authors: Talamè Valentina , Bovina Riccardo , Sanguineti Maria Corinna , Tuberosa Roberto , Lundqvist Udda , Salvi Silvio 
Published: April 2008

SummaryA sodium azide‐mutagenized population of barley (cv. ‘Morex’) was developed and utilized to identify mutants at target genes using the ‘targeting induced local lesions in genomes’ (TILLING) procedure. Screening for mutations at four agronomically important genes (HvCO1, Rpg1, eIF4E and NR) identified a total of 22 new mutant alleles, equivalent to the extrapolated rate of one mutation every 374 kb. All mutations except one were G/C to A/T transitions and several (approximately 68%) implied a change in protein amino acid sequence and therefore a possible effect on phenotype. The high rate of mutation detected through TILLING is in keeping with the high frequency (32.7%) of variant phenotypes observed amongst the M3 families. Our results indicate the feasibility of using this resource for both reverse and forward genetics approaches to investigate gene function in barley and related crops.
Overweight and obesity in preadolescent children and their parents in Cyprus: prevalence and associated socio‐demographic factors – the CYKIDS study
Authors: Lazarou C. , Panagiotakos D. B. , Panayiotou G. , Matalas A.‐L. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryObesity status differs by socio‐demographic factors, but data for Cyprus are scarce. An in‐depth understanding of this relationship may be useful in designing public health programmes. The objective of the present study is to estimate overweight and obesity (OW/OB) prevalence among children and adults in Cyprus and identify related socio‐demographic variables. National cross‐sectional study of 1140 children (mean age 11 ± 0.98 years) and their parents (mean age 42.5 ± 5.8 years, total n = 1954). Obesity was defined according to the World Health Organization classification for adults and according to IOTF (International Obesity Task Force) criteria for children. Overweight and obesity prevalence among girls was 18.3% and 2.9%, respectively, while in boys, 19.0% and 6.0%. Among parents, OW/OB prevalence was, respectively, women, 22.6% and 5.8%; men, 47.1% and 14.1%. Logistic regression analysis in both children and adults revealed that the most important socio‐demographic predictors of obesity status are factors of built environment. Higher prevalence of OW/OB was observed in adults living in a house as opposed to an apartment, in older adults, in younger children, and in men, irrespective of age. There is a severe obesity problem in the Cypriot population; almost one in two adults and at least one in four preadolescent children are overweight or obese. Prevalence of OW/OB was related to socio‐demographic factors, especially among adults and women.
Patients’ perspective of pruritus in chronic plaque psoriasis: a questionnaire‐based study
Authors: Amatya B , Wennersten G , Nordlind K 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Pruritus in psoriasis patients has not been regarded as a major symptom.Objective  To study the pattern of pruritus in chronic plaque psoriasis.Methods  A questionnaire was sent out to 109 patients with a diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis, who attended our outpatient departments during the period of January 2006 to January 2007.Results  Out of 109 patients, 80 patients (74%) answered the questionnaire. Pruritus was found in 80% of the patients, with an intensity of 5.2 ± 2.6 (±SD) using a visual analogue scale (0–10). The frequency and intensity of pruritus were higher in women. Lower leg and scalp were reported to be the most commonly affected sites. Major aggravating factors for pruritus were stress and dryness of skin. Sun, sleep and vacation could relieve pruritus. The most common antipruritic treatments used by the patients were topical steroids, topical vitamin D, emollients and ultraviolet light therapy, whereas antihistamines were used by a small number of patients. Mood, concentration and sleep were negatively affected by pruritus.Conclusion  Pruritus is a common symptom in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis.
Prioritizing areas for conservation of Mexican carnivores considering natural protected areas and human population density
Authors: Valenzuela Galván D. , Vázquez L.‐B. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractIn México, 63% of the mammalian carnivore species are considered threatened. Therefore, we performed a prioritization exercise to find sets of areas needed for the conservation of Mexican terrestrial carnivores. Using a grid of half‐degree cells, we mapped the distribution of richness, endemic and threaten species. Then, we determine the efficiency of the natural protected areas in México for protecting carnivores. Finally, we define optimal sets of complementary cells needed to represent all species either one or five times, or to represent at least 10% of the geographic distribution range of each carnivore in México. We perform this analysis including or excluding the existing protected areas, or excluding the top 10% cells with highest human population density (HPD). Species richness was higher in south‐eastern México, threatened species concentrate in the same region, and also in the Yucatan's Peninsula. The Baja California Peninsula and the central region of the Mexican Plateau is where lower richness and numbers of threatened species are found. There is only one endemic carnivore distributed in the central and southern portion of the Pacific Slope. Complementary analysis showed that sets of three, 16 and 71 cells are required to represent one time, five times or at least 10% of the total distribution range of all species. Sets of 35 cells are needed to complement the natural protected areas to achieve this last representation goal. Finally, if cells with highest HPD are excluded, sets of three, 14 and 71 cells are needed to achieve our three representation goals. Our results provide insight into the ability of different sites to contribute to the representation of carnivore diversity at the national scale, and indicate gaps in the existing protected area network.
Competing hypotheses for the etiology of cryptorchidism in Sitka black‐tailed deer: an evaluation of evolutionary alternatives
Authors: Latch E. K. , Amann R. P. , Jacobson J. P. , Rhodes O. E. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractOn the Aliulik Peninsula (AP) of Kodiak Island, Alaska, 70% of male Sitka black‐tailed deer (SBTD;Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) are bilaterally cryptorchid (both testes fail to descend; male is sterile). Both genetic and environmental factors have been proposed as possible causes of this problem. We investigated the possibility that population genetic processes (isolation, inbreeding and genetic drift) have contributed to an increased frequency of cryptorchidism in this population. Overall, SBTD on major islands throughout Alaska have unusually low levels of genetic diversity, though we identified a likely glacial refugium on Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago. Within the Kodiak Archipelago, deer on the AP did not exhibit the patterns of genetic isolation, inbreeding and drift that would be expected if cryptorchidism in this population was the result of a founder mutation(s). Instead, our data favor exposure to environmental contaminants as a likely alternative mechanism causing high prevalence of cryptorchidism on the AP.
Wetland complexes and upland–wetland linkages: landscape effects on the distribution of rare and common wetland reptiles
Authors: Attum O. , Lee Y. M. , Roe J. H. , Kingsbury B. A. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractWe used landscape ecology concepts to test the importance of upland–wetland linkages on the distribution of two common wetland species, the northern watersnakeNerodia sipedon sipedonand midland painted turtleChrysemys picta marginata, and two rare wetland species, the copper‐bellied watersnakeNerodia erythrogaster neglectaand Blanding's turtleEmydoidea blandingii. We tested if connectivity (proximity to other wetlands), connectivity quality (wetland distance to roads and forest area within 30, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 m of the wetland), and patch size (wetland size and shoreline length) affected the distribution of these four species. Our results show that both common species were more likely to occur in larger, less isolated wetlands, but their distribution were not influenced by proximity to roads or the amount of adjacent forest area surrounding the wetland. Both rare species were more likely to occur in wetlands that were farther away from roads and that had more surrounding forest. Proximity to other wetlands was not a significant predictor of either rare species' distribution. Our results suggest that management practices should focus on protecting wetland complexes and maintaining upland–wetland linkages by improving landscape connectivity, increasing forest area surrounding wetlands and reducing road effects.
Evolution of African mole‐rat sociality: burrow architecture, rainfall and foraging in colonies of the cooperatively breeding Fukomys mechowii
Authors: Sichilima A. M. , Bennett N. C. , Faulkes C. G. , Le Comber S. C. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractAfrican mole rats (Bathyergidae) offer an excellent system with which to test theories relating to the evolution and maintenance of sociality in mammals. The aridity food distribution hypothesis (AFDH) suggests that, within the bathyergids, sociality has evolved in response to patterns of rainfall, its effects on food distribution, and the subsequent costs and risks of foraging and dispersal. Here, in the first detailed study of burrow architecture in a social mole‐rat species, with data from 32 burrows, we show that in the giant mole‐rat Fukomys mechowii burrow fractal dimension increases with colony size and is higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. The mass of food in the burrow increases with fractal dimension and is higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. These results link for the first time colony size, burrow architecture, rainfall and foraging success and provide support for two assumptions of the AFDH, namely that (1) in arid conditions burrowing may be severely constrained by the high costs of digging; and (2) the potential risks of failing to locate food may be mitigated by increases in colony size.
Recent progress in macular function self‐assessment
Authors: Trevino Richard 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground:  Patients that are deemed to be at risk for the development of choroidal neovascularization are frequently instructed to self‐monitor their vision for symptoms that may signal the presence of choroidal neovascularization. Traditionally, the Amsler grid has been used for this purpose, but recent technological innovations have resulted in a number of potential alternatives that offer important advantages, including greater sensitivity, the ability to differentiate exudative from non‐exudative disease, and quantitative analysis of test results.Methods:  The following technologies that could be employed for patient self‐assessment of macular function in a home setting are reviewed: computerized Amsler grid, preferential hyperacuity perimetry, macular mapping test and noise‐field campimetry.Conclusions:  A number of technologies are currently available that could significantly improve the ability of patients at risk for the development of choroidal neovascularization to self‐monitor their central visual field.
Citizenship as Interpellation: Refugee Women and the State
Authors: Bassel Leah 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThis article examines the ideological function of ‘models’ of citizenship in shaping the contours of public debate and the ability of refugee women to make claims in the public sphere. Key elements of Louis Althusser's concept of interpellation are explored: ideology works by interpellating (‘hailing’) individuals, providing them with a social and juridical identity that constitutes them as subjects. The article argues that ‘models’ of citizenship serve as vehicles for processes of interpellation that restrict claim-making, through the imposition of a dominant hierarchy of identities and needs. These processes become visible through analysis of Somali refugee women's experiences in republican France.
Refugee Interdiction Before Heaven's Gate
Authors: Kernerman Gerald 
Published: April 2008

AbstractDespite their stated commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention, liberal democratic states routinely interdict refugees, such as through the use of visa requirements, effectively blocking them from reaching their borders. How do liberal democratic states navigate this contradictory terrain? To answer this question, this article explores situations where normally routine and often invisible interdiction practices break down. Canada's approach to Roma arriving from the Czech Republic and Hungary between 1997 and 2001 is an illuminating example of such breakdown and repair, providing a rare glimpse into how one liberal democratic state manages its own interdiction contradictions.
Frontal White Matter and Cingulum Diffusion Tensor Imaging Deficits in Alcoholism
Authors: Harris Gordon J. , Jaffin Sharon Kim , Hodge Steven M. , Kennedy David , Caviness Verne S. , Marinkovic Ksenija , Papadimitriou George M. , Makris Nikos , Oscar‐Berman Marlene 
Published: April 2008

Background: Alcoholism‐related deficits in cognition and emotion point toward frontal and limbic dysfunction, particularly in the right hemisphere. Prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices are involved in cognitive and emotional functions and play critical roles in the oversight of the limbic reward system. In the present study, we examined the integrity of white matter tracts that are critical to frontal and limbic connectivity.Methods: Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT‐MRI) was used to assess functional anisotropy (FA), a measure of white matter integrity, in 15 abstinent long‐term chronic alcoholic and 15 demographically equivalent control men. Voxel‐based and region‐based analyses of group FA differences were applied to these scans.Results: Alcoholic subjects had diminished frontal lobe FA in the right superior longitudinal fascicles II and III, orbitofrontal cortex white matter, and cingulum bundle, but not in corresponding left hemisphere regions. These right frontal and cingulum white matter regional FA measures provided 97% correct group discrimination. Working Memory scores positively correlated with superior longitudinal fascicle III FA measures in control subjects only.Conclusions: The findings demonstrate white matter microstructure deficits in abstinent alcoholic men in several right hemisphere tracts connecting prefrontal and limbic systems. These white matter deficits may contribute to underlying dysfunction in memory, emotion, and reward response in alcoholism.
Dissociation of Alcohol‐Seeking and Consumption Under a Chained Schedule of Oral Alcohol Reinforcement in Baboons
Authors: Kaminski Barbara J. , Goodwin Amy K. , Wand Gary , Weerts Elise M. 
Published: April 2008

Background:  Initiation and maintenance of compulsive alcohol drinking involves a sequence of behaviors which occur in the presence of environmental cues. Animal models using chained schedules of alcohol reinforcement may be useful for examining the complex interactions between cues and alcohol‐seeking and ‐consumption.Methods:  Four baboons self‐administered alcohol under a 3‐component chained schedule of reinforcement; distinct cues were presented in the context of different behavioral contingencies associated with gaining access to 4% w/v alcohol (alcohol‐seeking) and concluding with alcohol self‐administration. First, the response strength of alcohol‐related seeking responses was evaluated using a between‐sessions progressive ratio (PR) procedure in which the response requirement to initiate the final contingency and gain access to the daily supply of alcohol was increased each session. The highest response requirement completed that resulted in alcohol access was defined as the breaking point (BP). Second, water was substituted for alcohol and PR procedures were repeated. The effects of increasing the “seeking” response requirement on subsequent alcohol or water consumption were also determined.Results:  When alcohol was available, operant responses to gain access to and self‐administer alcohol were maintained. When water was substituted for alcohol, alcohol‐related cues continued to maintain alcohol‐seeking responses. However, higher BPs, higher rates of self‐administration and higher volumes of intake occurred when alcohol was available compared with water. Increasing the response requirement to gain access to alcohol did not reduce alcohol consumption (total alcohol intake).Conclusions:  These results show that alcohol‐related cues maintained alcohol‐seeking even after a prolonged period of only water availability. Cue‐maintained alcohol‐seeking behavior can be dissociated from subsequent alcohol consumption.