bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The epidemiology of perinatal death in Jamaica
Authors: Greenwood Rosemary , Golding Jean , McCaw‐Binns Affette , Keeling Jean , Ashley Deanna 
Published: April 2008

Summary. Information from the Jamaican Perinatal Mortality Survey was used to identify features of mothers and their pregnancies that were independently associated with perinatal death. Social, biological, environmental, life style and medical aspects of mothers and their pregnancies were collected on two inter‐locking subsamples: (1) all births on the island of Jamaica in the 2 months of September and October 1986, the ‘cohort months’, and (2) all fetal deaths of weight 500 g or more, together with all neonatal deaths, in the 12‐month period from 1 September 1986 to 31 August 1987.Singleton survivors from the cohort months were compared with all perinatal deaths in the 12‐month period using logistic regression. The first model omitted items concerning past obstetric history, but these were included in the second model. In total, 21 variables entered the first model and 24 the second. The only item that became non‐significant when past obstetric history was included was maternal age.The final model compared 1017 perinatal deaths with 7672 survivors. It consisted of the following: union (marital) status (married being at lower risk, P < 0.01), maternal employment status (housewives at lowest risk, P < 0.001), number of adults in household (the more the higher the risk, P < 0.05), the number of children aged < 11 (the more the lower the risk, P < 0.0001), use of toilet facilities (shared with other households increased risk, P < 0.001), maternal height (tall women at reduced risk, P < 0.001), mother's report that she was trying to get pregnant (P < 0.001), maternal alcohol consumption (drinkers had lower risk, P < 0.05), maternal syphilis (higher risk, P < 0.0001), bleeding before 28 weeks (higher risk, P < 0.0001), bleeding at 28 weeks or more (higher risk, P < 0.0001), first diastolic blood pressure (80mm + at higher risk, P < 0.0001), highest diastolic blood pressure (100mm + at increased risk, P < 0.0001), highest proteinuria (++ or more at increased risk, P < 0.0001), vaginal discharge/infection (untreated at increased risk, P < 0.001), pre‐eclampsia diagnosed in antenatal period (increased risk, P < 0.01), maternal diabetes (increased risk, P < 0.05), start of antenatal care (first trimester at reduced risk, P < 0.01), iron taken (reduced risk, P < 0.0001), type of perinatal care available in parish of residence (reduced risk if consultant obstetricians and paediatricians available at all times, P < 0.0001), number of miscarriages and terminations (the more the higher the risk, P < 0.0001), previous stillbirth (higher risk, P < 0.0001), previous early neonatal death (higher risk, P < 0.001), previous Caesarean section (higher risk, P < 0.01). The implications for reduction in perinatal mortality rates are discussed.
Evaluation of Mueller‐Hinton‐agar as a simple medium for the germ tube production of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis
Authors: Rimek Dagmar , Fehse Brigitte , Göpel Petra 
Published: April 2008

Summary Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated yeast species from clinical specimens. A classical rapid presumptive differentiation from non‐albicans species is based on its ability to produce germ tubes after incubation in human serum. The only non‐albicans Candida species producing germ tubes is Candida dubliniensis. In this study, we evaluated Mueller‐Hinton‐agar (MH‐agar) as a medium for germ tube formation of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. A total of 859 yeast isolates from stool samples, including 632 strains of C. albicans, 10 C. dubliniensis and 217 other yeast strains from 20 different species, were grown on Sabouraud glucose (2%) agar at 37 °C for 24–72 h. Species were identified by standard methods. For the germ tube test (GTT), an inoculum from a single colony was streaked onto a MH‐agar plate and covered by a sterile coverslip. After incubation at 37 °C for 2 h, the MH plates were examined using a light microscope at ×200. The GTT was positive in 578 of 632 C. albicans strains (sensitivity 91.5%), in six of 10 C. dubliniensis strains (sensitivity 60.0%), and in none of the other yeast strains. MH‐agar is a suitable medium for the GTT and the presumptive identification of C. albicans. It is safer to use than human serum and is widely available in microbiology laboratories.
Long‐term treatment of erectile dysfunction with a phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor and dose optimization based on nocturnal penile tumescence
Authors: Mathers Michael J. , Klotz Theodor , Brandt Alexander S. , Roth Stephan , Sommer Frank 
Published: April 2008

Associate EditorMichael G. WyllieEditorial BoardIan Eardley, UKJean Fourcroy, USASidney Glina, BrazilJulia Heiman, USAChris McMahon, AustraliaBob Millar, UKAlvaro Morales, CanadaMichael Perelman, USAMarcel Waldinger, NetherlandsOBJECTIVETo test the hypothesis that a variable dosage of the oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor sildenafil (25, 50, 100 mg) or vardenafil (5, 10, 25 mg) determined according to results obtained from nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR, RigiScan), given nightly for 1 year, can improve spontaneous erectile function (EF) in men with mild‐to‐moderate arteriogenic erectile dysfunction (ED); this regimen was compared with a fixed daily dosage of sildenafil 25 mg or vardenafil 5 mg.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn a prospective open‐label, parallel‐group trial 154 men with ED were randomized either to fixed low‐dose sildenafil 25 mg or vardenafil 5 mg (group 1) or to the lowest erectile dosage of sildenafil (25, 50 or 100 mg) or vardenafil (5, 10 or 20 mg) (group 2) provoking an erectile event as measured by NPTR nightly for 1 year. The EF domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was assessed before and 1 year after the beginning of treatment, and at 4 weeks after ending treatment.RESULTSAfter 1 year, 27 of 63 (64%) evaluable men in group 1 had an EF domain score in the normal range, vs 46 of 61 (75%) men in group 2. After the subsequent 4‐week wash‐out phase, both groups continued to have improved EF domain scores; 22 of 63 (35%) men in group 1 still had a score in the normal range, whereas 38 of 61 (62%) in group 2 had a normal score. The EF domain score in group 1 and 2 improved significantly after 1 year of treatment, from 13.6 to 18.9, and 15.1 to 23.9, respectively (P < 0.01). After the subsequent 4‐week wash‐out phase, men from both groups maintained this significant level of EF, at 17.1 and 22.4, respectively (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONNightly PDE5‐inhibitor treatment 1 year in a dosage determined by NPTR measurements results in better EF than giving a fixed dosage of sildenafil (25 mg) or vardenafil (5 mg). This improvement persisted for >4 weeks beyond the end of treatment. The results from this open‐label, randomized trial warrant verification under double‐blind, placebo‐controlled conditions.
TCF7L2 Polymorphisms are Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in Khatri Sikhs from North India: Genetic Variation Affects Lipid Levels
Authors: Sanghera D. K. , Nath S. K. , Ortega L. , Gambarelli M. , Kim‐Howard X. , Singh J. R. , Ralhan S. K. , Wander G. S. , Mehra N. K. , Mulvihill J. J. , Kamboh M. I. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryRecently, the transcription factor‐7‐like 2 (TCF7L2) gene has been identified as the most important type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility gene. Common intronic polymorphisms in this gene have been found to be strongly associated with T2DM susceptibility showing marked reproducibility in multiple populations. The purpose of this study was to confirm the reported association of six TCF7L2 variants in a Khatri Sikh diabetic sample from North India. We genotyped six‐associated SNPs in a case‐control sample consisting of 556 T2DM cases and 537 controls. We also examined the impact of these variants on body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting insulin, and glucose and lipid levels. We report replication of association of four of the six SNPs with T2DM in this Khatri Sikh sample [rs7903146, (p = 0.010); rs11196205, (p = 0.011); rs10885409, (p = 0.002) and rs4918789, (p = 0.029)], under a dominant model conferring odds ratios (ORs) of 1.39, 1.44, 1.57 and 1.36, respectively. Haplotype analysis provided further evidence of association by showing a significant difference between cases and controls as revealed by the global omnibus test (χ2= 19.36; p = 0.0036). Multiple linear regression analysis also revealed the risk allele carriers of three of four significant SNPs (rs7903146, rs11196205, rs10885409) to be significantly associated with increased fasting total cholesterol (p value = 0.019, 0.025, 0.006) and LDL cholesterol levels (p value = 0.021, 0.018, 0.005), respectively.Our findings confirm that the TCF7L2 gene is a major risk factor for development of T2DM in Khatri Sikhs. It also provides new information about the significant impact of TCF7L2 gene variants on plasma cholesterol levels that appear to be independent of BMI.
Pathways from adolescent deliberate self‐poisoning to early adult outcomes: a six‐year follow‐up
Authors: Aglan Azza , Kerfoot Michael , Pickles Andrew 
Published: April 2008

Background:  Prospective studies show that the adult outcomes of adolescents who deliberately harm themselves are marked by high rates of adversity and psychiatric disorders. The goal of this study was to identify pathways linking childhood risk factors to early adult outcomes of suicidal adolescents.Methods:  A clinical sample of 158 adolescents who deliberately poisoned themselves was followed up six years later. Eighty per cent of the cohort (n = 126) were interviewed in early adulthood using a battery of standardised measures of psychopathology and social functioning.Results:  Multivariate mediation path analysis identified four pathways linking child and adolescent risk factors to adverse outcomes in early adulthood. Family dysfunction, conduct disorder and hopelessness contributed to the risk of high adversity in early adulthood indirectly through its effect on other risk domains, including dropping out of school and adopting adult roles at a younger age. Hopelessness not only predicted dropping out of school but also independently contributed to the risk of chronic major depressive disorder in early adulthood. Child sexual abuse independently predicted high adversity and chronic major depression over and above the influence of hopelessness. Juvenile onset major depression independently predicted chronic major depression in early adulthood. A substantial proportion of the effects of child sexual abuse and hopelessness on the risk of deliberate self‐harm in early adulthood was mediated by high adversity and the duration of major depression. However, chronic major depression was the only risk factor independently associated with deliberate self‐harm in adulthood once correlation with adversity was taken into account.Conclusions:  Chronic major depressive disorder is central to deliberate self‐harm repetition. However, adult outcomes of suicidal adolescents are also dominated by the accumulating effects and consequences of other childhood risk factors, including child sexual abuse and adolescent hopelessness.
Effect of whey protein concentrate addition on the physical properties of homogenized sweetened dairy creams
Authors: EMAM‐DJOME ZAHRA , MOUSAVI MOHAMMAD EBRAHIMZADEH , GHORBANI ABDEL‐VAHAB , MADADLOU ASHKAN 
Published: April 2008

The influence on their whipping properties of homogenization at first and second stage pressures of 3.5/1.5 MPa and addition of whey protein concentrate (WPC) powder at three different (0.7, 1.4, and 2.1 wt percentage) concentrations to sweetened and homogenized creams was studied. Homogenization of cream significantly decreased maximum overrun and made the foam microstructure less open, while increasing whipping time, cream and foam lightness (Hunter L‐value) and apparent viscosity. It also resulted in a less elastic foam structure with an increased drainage. Addition of WPC decreased the amount of maximum overrun, foam drainage and its lightness in parallel with developing a more compact microstructure. It increased the whipping time, apparent viscosity of unwhipped creams and foams, and resulted in a less elastic foam structure. The apparent viscosity of whipped cream with 2.1 wt percentage WPC, however, was lower than that of whipped cream with 1.4 wt percentage WPC, due most probably to the start up of gel formation at 2.1% WPC concentration in sweetened cream when it was sheared. Fresh foam whipped from sweetened cream with 2.1 wt percentage WPC also tended to have a slightly but not statistically significant lower elastic modulus (G′) than fresh foam whipped from sweetened cream with 1.4 wt percentage WPC. This concentration can be considered as the critical value for gel formation in sweetened creams enriched by whey proteins when sheared. This study indicated the potential of WPC powder for reducing foam drainage from whipped homogenized sweetened cream.
Reproducibility of treadmill exercise in patients with intermittent claudication
Authors: Berglund B.O. , Eklund Brita 
Published: April 2008

Summary. The reproducibility of pain limited exercise time (ET) and heart rate (HR) have been evaluated in repeated treadmill exercise tests in 24 patients with arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs and intermittent claudication. The protocol includes a walking speed of 1 m/s and load increments of 10 watt/min and the two tests were separated by 1–14 days. The total ET was systematically increased by about 30 sec (.P<0–05) at the second exercise test. The reproducibility of ET at the onset of leg pains was 34%, whereas the corresponding value at maximal leg pain was 16%. HR at the termination of the test did not differ systematically between the two tests and the reproducibility of HR was 61% and 5‐5% at the onset of pain and maximal pain, respectively.It is concluded that a slight improvement in walking capacity at a second exercise test must be taken into account when evaluating different types of therapy in patients with intermittent claudication and, furthermore, that ET, walking distance or work load, should preferably be evaluated at or near maximal leg pain.
Muscle citrate content and the regulation of metabolism in fed and fasted human skeletal muscle
Authors: Maughan R. J. , Williams C. 
Published: April 2008

Summary. Blood and muscle metabolite levels were measured in seven healthy young adult male subjects in a fed state and again following a 24‐hour fast. Skeletal muscle samples were obtained under local anaesthesia from m. vastus lateralis using a needle biopsy technique.The blood glucose concentration fell during fasting; the blood lactate concentration remained unchanged. Plasma free fatty acid concentrations rose, as did 3‐hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate levels. There was no change in the amount of carbohydrate stored as glycogen in the muscle in response to fasting. The muscle content of phos‐phagens (adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine), glycolytic intermediates (glucose‐6‐phosphate, fructose‐6‐phosphate, fructose‐1, 6‐diphosphate, triose phosphates and lactate) and citrate was also not affected by fasting. There was a significant increase in the muscle content of 3‐hydroxybutyrate.These results give no indication as to the mechanism by which a decreased rate of carbohydrate degradation might occur in muscle in the fasted state. It is clear, however, that an intracellular accumulation of citrate and a consequent inhibition of glycolysis at the level of phosphofructokinase does not take place in fasting human skeletal muscle.
Effects of externally applied compression on blood flow in the human dependent leg
Authors: Nielsen Henrik Vagn 
Published: April 2008

Summary. In healthy humans placed in a horizontal position, venous transmural pressure was increased from about 10 to 45 mmHg in the mid‐calf region by lowering the leg below heart level. This increase in vascular transmural pressure evoked a vasoconstrictor response, as 133Xe‐measured blood flow was reduced by 56% (P < 0·01) in subcutaneous tissue and by 31% (P < 0·01) in skeletal muscle, when recorded at the same mid‐calf level.The tissue pressure in the dependent leg was elevated stepwise by inflation of a standard whole leg cuff. The vasoconstrictor response was still present when the cuff was inflated to 10 mmHg, but absent in both tissues when external pressures between 20–40 mmHg were applied. The results suggest that the observed absence of vaso‐constriction can be ascribed to inhibition of the local veno‐arteriolar reflex mechanism. External pressures exceeding 40 mmHg reduced blood flow in both tissues. External pressures of 60 mmHg reduced blood flow by 45% (P < 0·01) in subcutaneous tissue and by 19% (P < 0·02) in skeletal muscle.In conclusion, the vasoconstrictor response evoked in the dependent leg is qualitatively similar, but quantitatively different in the two tissues, possibly due to a difference in basal vascular tone. The vascular adjustments to external compression of the dependent leg is similar in the two tissues at low external pressures (0–40 mmHg), but different at high pressures, the latter probably due to a difference in vessel collapsibility in the compressed tissues.
Measurement of right and left ventricular ejection fraction in dogs
Authors: Brynjolf Ingelise , Qvist Jesper , Mygind Thorkild , Jordening Henrik , Dorph Sven , Munck Ole 
Published: April 2008

Summary. Three techniques for measurement of right (RVEF) and two techniques for left (LVEF) ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated in five dogs. RVEF was measured with a first‐pass radionuclide technique using erythrocytes labelled in vitro with Technetium‐99m methylene disphosphonate (MDP) and compared with RVEF measured with a thermodilution technique. Thermodilution‐determined RVEF was compared with RVEF values measured with cine angiocardiography. LVEF was measured with a radionuclide ECG‐gated equilibrium technique and compared with cine angiocardiography. Measurements were performed before and during a continuous infusion of dopamine.There was an excellent correlation between RVEF measured with the first‐pass and the thermodilution technique, rs being 0·86, n = 9, P < 0·01. When RVEF measured with the thermodilution technique was compared with cine angiocardiography rs was 0·75, n = 10, P < 0·01. LVEF measured with the ECG‐gated equilibrium technique correlated well with cine angiocardiography (rs= 0·91, n = 10, P < 0·01).
Arachidonic acid metabolism and regulation of blood flow: effect of indomethacin on cutaneous and subcutaneous reactive hyperaemia in humans
Authors: Carlsson Inger , Linde Birgitta , Wennmalm Åke 
Published: April 2008

Summary. The role of locally formed vasodilator prostaglandins (PGs) in the vascular relaxation response to short‐lasting arterial occlusion (reactive hyperaemia) in human cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue was investigated. The finger was chosen to represent cutaneous tissue, and its blood flow was determined using venous occlusion plethysmography; thigh adipose tissue represented subcutaneous tissue, and blood flow here was measured with an isotope clearance technique. Flow rates were determined in the basal state and during the hyperaemic phase following a period of arterial occlusion. The procedure was repeated after administration of the PG synthesis inhibitor indomethacin, given in a dose of 1·5 mg/kg.In neither cutaneous nor subcutaneous tissue was the basal blood flow affected by indomethacin. In the finger, an increase in blood flow developed after the end of the arterial occlusion, reaching a peak value at 65 s of about 65 ml‐1 100 ml tissue min‐1. Indomethacin reduced the amplitude of this post‐occlusive increase to about 45 ml 100 ml‐1 min‐1, but did not change its duration. The total reactive hyperaemia in the finger was reduced by more than 50% following indomethacin. The subcutaneous tissue likewise showed an increase in blood flow following release of the arterial occlusion. This increase was not affected by indomethacin, in terms of either amplitude, duration or total reactive hyperaemia.From these data, we conclude that short‐lasting arterial occlusion leads to formation of a vasodilator PG that plays a decisive role in the subsequent vascular smooth muscle relaxation response in human cutaneous tissue. A similar chain of events does not take place in ischaemic subcutaneous vascular tissue.
Sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve function in alcoholic neuropathy
Authors: Jensen Kai , Andersen Kjeld , Smith Torben , Henriksen Ole , Melgaard Bjørn 
Published: April 2008

Summary. The peripheral sympathetic vasomotor nerve function was investigated in 18 male chronic alcoholics admitted for intellectual impairment or polyneuropathy. By means of the local 133Xenon washout technique, the sympathetic veno‐arteriolar axon‐reflex was studied. This normally is responsible for a 50% decrease in tissue blood flow, when the ankle is lowered 40 cm below heart level in the supine individual.The patients with moderate to severe polyneuropathy, taken as a group, did not differ significantly from the group of patients with no or only mild polyneuropathy, although a lesser response was seen (18% and 48% decrease respectively). However, in three patients with moderate neuropathy, and in one patient with no signs of neuropathy, this veno‐arteriolar reflex was absent, indicating dysfunction' of the peripheral sympathetic adrenergic nerve fibres. The three patients also showed a lesser degree of arteriolar constriction during 45° passive head‐up tilt, although none developed symptoms of orthostatic hypotension. Anhidrosis of the feet was found in only three patients. This study lends support to the view that individual differences in the susceptibility to the deleterious effect of alcohol comprise not only the peripheral sensory and motor nerve fibres, but also the thin pseudomotor and vasomotor nerves.
Fat metabolism following an intravenous bolus dose of a fat emulsion and carnitine
Authors: Cederblad G. 
Published: April 2008

Summary. Intravenous fat tolerance tests were performed with (carboxyl‐14C)‐triolein labelled Intralipid® in four normal subjects with and without L‐carnitine administration, 20 and 25 mg/kg body weight. The pharmacokinetics of L‐carnitine was studied simultaneously with measurements of variables reflecting fat metabolism during 4 h. 3‐OH‐butyrate concentration in plasma was higher in all subjects when carnitine was given. No effect of carnitine was found in elimination of the exogenous triglycerides, the 14CO2 activity in expired air, concentration and specific radioactivity of non‐esterified fatty acids or glucose in plasma.The data suggest that carnitine may slightly increase fatty acid oxidation in normal subjects provided that increase of 3‐OH‐butyrate concentration in plasma is the most sensitive variable reflecting fatty acid oxidation of the variables applied in this study.