bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of microsurgical repair of the varicocele on testicular function in adolescence and adulthood
Authors: Kaneko Tomoyoshi , Sasaki Shoichi , Yanai Yoshimasa , Umemoto Yukihiro , Kohri Kenjiro 
Published: September 2007

Objective:  Many reports on varicoceles suggest improved spermatic findings and increased pregnancy rates after correction of these lesions. Early repair during adolescence has been advocated, since clinically apparent varicoceles may affect testicular volume and sperm production in the future. We examined the efficacy of microsurgical varicocelectomy, and aimed to establish predictive parameters useful for ascertaining whether varicocele repair provides any benefits in adolescents and adults.Methods:  We carried out microsurgical varicocelectomy on nine boys and 19 men. In adolescents, catch‐up growth of the testis, expressed by pre‐ and postoperative ratios of left and/or right testicular volume, grade and serum level of follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) were evaluated. In adults, the ratio of sperm concentration improvement, grade, testicular volume, preoperative sperm concentration and serum FSH level were evaluated. All subjects were followed for 12 months.Results:  Catch‐up growth was seen in 62.5% of boys. FSH level was significantly lower in boys with catch‐up growth than in boys without catch‐up growth. Improved sperm concentration was seen in 73.6% of adults. FSH level was significantly lower in adults with improved sperm concentration than in patients without improved sperm concentration. No correlations were seen between other parameters and catch‐up growth in adolescents, or sperm concentration improvement in adults.Conclusions:  Microsurgical varicocelectomy as a treatment for varicoceles with low FSH might be effective and the relevant predictive parameter for testicular development and function after surgery might be serum FSH level in both adults and adolescents.
Association of vitamin D receptor gene Taq I polymorphism with recurrent urolithiasis in children
Authors: Seyhan Serkan , Yavascaoglu Ismet , Kilicarslan Hakan , Dogan Hasan S , Kordan Yakup 
Published: September 2007

Objective:  Urolithiasis has a strong familial component. However, to date, no specific genetic abnormality has been identified. It has been reported that allelic variation in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene may affect calcium absorption and excretion. Urolithiasis is a multifactorial disease in which both genetic and environmental factors have an effect on onset and severity of disease. In the present study, the role of Taq I polymorphism of vitamin D receptor gene in urolithiasis was studied.Methods:  Eighty children with calcium stone disease (40 with single episode of stone disease and 40 with recurrence) and 40 controls were enrolled. Polymorphic sites were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, digested with Taq I restriction enzymes and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Allelic or genotypic frequencies were calculated and associations between them and the presence of hypercalciuria, family history and stone recurrence were evaluated.Results:  Incidence of Taq I tt genotypes was significantly higher in patients with recurrent calcium‐stone disease compared to the controls. In addition, the frequency of the ‘t’ allele was higher in recurrent calcium‐stone formers. Taq I t allele was found to be associated with increased risk of recurrence. No association between Taq I polymorphism and a positive family history was found in the present study. The frequency of hypercalciuria was higher in patients with the ‘tt’ genotype.Conclusion:  Taq I t allele of the VDR gene may be a risk factor for severe urolithiasis and recurrent stone disease.
Advances in lung cancer diagnosis and staging: endobronchial ultrasound
Authors: Koh M. S. , Tee A. , Wong P. , Antippa P. , Irving L. B. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBackground:  Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is an accurate and relatively less invasive procedure for the diagnosis of lung lesions and mediastinal lymph node staging for lung cancer. We aimed to evaluate the clinical utility and safety of this new EBUS service established in our hospital.Methods:  Consecutive patients who underwent EBUS–transbronchial lung biopsy (EBUS–TBLB) for biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions or for transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of mediastinal lymph node enlargement were included in this audit. Demographic and clinical data were obtained prospectively. Diagnostic yield from the results of EBUS was compared to other clinical information obtained.Results:  Thirty‐eight patients underwent EBUS over a 10‐month period. The yield from EBUS–TBLB was 62%. The average size of the lung lesions biopsied was 3.5 cm and 62% were located in the upper lobes. Malignancy was diagnosed in 14 cases and a benign aetiology in four. The yield from EBUS–TBNA was 88% and the average size of the lymph nodes was 2.3 cm. The lymph nodes were all located in the subcarinal station except for two that were in the lower paratracheal station. Malignancy was diagnosed in 10 cases on TBNA and 4 cases had benign pathology. There was one complication seen (small pneumothorax).Conclusion:  EBUS is safe and an effective method for both, diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions and staging for lung cancer.
Ankylosing spondylitis: an Australian experience
Authors: Reed M. D. , Dharmage S. , Boers A. , Martin B. J. , Buchanan R. R. , Schachna L. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBackground:  The purpose of this study was to characterize an Australian cohort of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and examine predictors of important disease outcomes.Methods:  Cross‐sectional study of first visit data among patients referred to the Austin Spondylitis Clinic from rheumatology or general practices. We obtained clinical and laboratory data and validated composite indices through self‐reported questionnaire.Results:  Delay in AS diagnosis averaged 8.1 years and was higher among women and younger‐onset disease. Cervicothoracic mobility was better in women although they showed more entheseal tender points and greater impairment of quality of life. Those with long‐standing AS had similar disease activity to recent onset disease but had greater functional disability. Current smoking was associated with worse outcomes although there was no association between cumulative exposure and AS outcomes.Conclusion:  The clinical expression of AS in this first‐described Australian cohort is similar to previously described cohorts. We observed greater cervicothoracic mobility and a higher enthesitis index among women perhaps contributing to longer delay to diagnosis.
Biopsy site selection for endobronchial ultrasound guide‐sheath transbronchial biopsy of peripheral lung lesions
Authors: Fielding D. I. K. , Robinson P. J. , Kurimoto N. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBackground: Choice of biopsy method for peripheral lung lesions is usually between CT‐guided fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (CT FNA) and bronchoscopy. Endobronchial ultrasound guide‐sheath biopsy (EBUS GS) is a new method to improve the yield of bronchoscopy. Guidance on which lesions would be appropriate for either method is needed. The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic yields and pneumothorax rate of EBUS GS and CT FNA in terms of the location of the lesion needing biopsy, in particular, whether the lesion is touching the pleura.Methods: Prospective series of EBUS GS were compared to retrospective review of CT FNA carried out simultaneously in a large teaching hospital.Results: For EBUS GS 140 cases were carried out with mean lesion size 29 mm. Overall diagnostic sensitivity was 66%. For lesions not touching visceral pleura it was 74% compared with 35% where it was on the pleura (P < 0.01). For CT FNA 121 cases were carried out with mean lesion size 37 mm. The overall diagnostic sensitivity was 64%. Rate of pneumothorax and ICC placement in EBUS GS was 1 and 0% and in CTFNA was 28 and 6%, with P < 0.001 for both.Conclusion: Lesion location, in particular, connection to the visceral pleura, can improve decision‐making in referral for either CT FNA or EBUS GS to maximize diagnostic yield and minimize pneumothorax rate.
rFVIIa in the treatment of persistent hemorrhage in pediatric patients on ECMO following surgery for congenital heart disease
Authors: VELDMAN ALEX , NEUHAEUSER CHRISTOPH , AKINTUERK HAKAN , THUL JOSEF , GEHRON JOHANNES , SCHRANZ DIETMAR , MICHEL‐BEHNKE INA 
Published: October 2007

SummaryBackground:  Patients who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) postsurgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) frequently experience severe bleeding episodes. Whereas recombinant‐activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has proven efficacy in counteracting intractable hemorrhage in various scenarios, its use in patients on ECMO is limited by the increased risk for thrombotic events.Methods:  Between December 2004 and January 2006, ECMO was used in 10 pediatric patients following cardiac surgery, of whom seven were treated with rFVIIa because of intractable hemorrhage. Their medical records were reviewed with respect to variations in chest tube output and transfusion requirements, occlusion of or thrombus formation in the ECMO circuit and the occurrence of thromboembolic events. Outcome and rate of ECMO circuit occlusion were compared with historic controls.Results:  Three patients died, and four survived (none of the deaths was attributable to thrombus formation or bleeding). All patients were treated with aprotinin prior to and during rFVIIa therapy. Two patients developed an occlusion of the oxygenator, one after receiving co‐medication with a FXIII concentrate, another after RBC transfusion in the ECMO system. In two patients, thrombus formation was observed in the ECMO system on inspection after discontinuation. Thromboembolic events were not observed.Conclusions:  Recombinant‐activated factor VII in a median dosage of 90 μg·kg−1 was used in seven pediatric patients on ECMO. Rates of ECMO system occlusions and mortality did not differ from historic controls. Neither the reduction of chest tube output nor the blood product transfusion requirements did reach statistical significance.
Global phylogeography of marine Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus reveals a distinct partitioning of lineages among oceanic biomes
Authors: Zwirglmaier Katrin , Jardillier Ludwig , Ostrowski Martin , Mazard Sophie , Garczarek Laurence , Vaulot Daniel , Not Fabrice , Massana Ramon , Ulloa Osvaldo , Scanlan Dave J. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryMarine cyanobacteria of the genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus are important contributors to global primary production occupying a key position at the base of marine food webs. The genetically diverse nature of each genus is likely an important reason for their successful colonization of vast tracts of the world's oceans, a feature that has led to detailed analysis of the distribution of these genetic lineages at the local and ocean basin scale. Here, we extend these analyses to the global dimension, using new data from cruises in the Pacific, Indian and Arctic Oceans in combination with data from previous studies in the Atlantic Ocean, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and a circumnavigation of the southern hemisphere to form a data set which comprises most of the world's major ocean systems. We show that the distribution patterns of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus lineages are remarkably similar in different ocean systems with comparable environmental conditions, but producing a strikingly different ‘signature’ in the four major ocean domains or biomes (the Polar Domain, Coastal Boundary Domain, Trade Winds Domain and Westerly Winds Domain). This clearly reiterates the idea of spatial partitioning of individual cyanobacterial lineages, but at the global scale.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Eti‐Osa LGA, Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ben‐Bassey U. P. , Oduwole A. O. , Ogundipe O. O. 
Published: September 2007

SummaryIn many of the urban centres of the developing countries, a change in lifestyle due to increased affluence has been observed. It has been shown that change in lifestyle is an important factor in the global epidemic of overweight and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of lifestyle and socioeconomic class on the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst adolescents from rural and urban centres in Lagos, Nigeria. This is a cross‐sectional prospective survey carried out on a sample of 1504 randomly selected adolescents, aged between 10 and 19 years, from six public secondary schools located in urban and rural areas of the Eti‐Osa local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria. A self‐designed completed questionnaire was used to determine the participants' socio‐demographic characteristics. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate their body mass index (BMI). The overall prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in the urban and rural areas, respectively, were 3.7% and 0.4%, and 3.0% and 0.0%. Socioeconomic class did not significantly affect the BMI values. Overweight is an evolving problem, while obesity is seemingly not a problem yet in adolescent school‐aged children in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium: prevalence and ocular features in the optometric population
Authors: Coleman Peggy , Barnard N. A. Simon 
Published: September 2007

AbstractAim:  In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence, features and associations of congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE) in the optometric population.Method:  The Optomap imaging system uses an ultra‐wide‐field scanning–laser ophthalmoscope to image the fundus at the choroidal and retinal levels, non‐mydriatically, capturing an image of up to 200°. Optomap images of 1745 consecutive patients obtained at a recent optometric examination were examined retrospectively.Results:  The prevalence of CHRPE was found to be 1.20%. CHRPE was found to be most commonly located temporally to the optic disc within the peripheral fundus. All lesions found were of previously documented shapes and sizes, and divided approximately evenly between those with and without depigmented haloes and lacunae; all were monocular. The progression of the condition could not be accurately described without follow‐up. The evidence found appears to support the theory that increasing atrophy is related to flat, overall enlargement of the lesion. No symptoms or associations were found, and no abnormalities were found in the fellow eye. No evidence was found to suggest a relationship between true CHRPE and familial adenomatous polyposis coli, Gardner’s or Turcot’s syndromes.
Personality dimensions of people who suffer from visual stress
Authors: Hollis J. , Allen P. M. , Fleischmann D. , Aulak R. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractPersonality dimensions of participants who suffer from visual stress were compared with those of normal participants using the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Extraversion–Introversion scores showed no significant differences between the participants who suffered visual stress and those who were classified as normal. By contrast, significant differences were found between the normal participants and those with visual stress in respect of Neuroticism–Stability. These differences accord with Eysenck’s personality theory which states that those who score highly on the neuroticism scale do so because they have a neurological system with a low threshold such that their neurological system is easily activated by external stimuli. The findings also relate directly to the theory of visual stress proposed by Wilkins which postulates that visual stress results from an excess of neural activity. The data may indicate that the excess activity is likely to be localised at particular neurological regions or neural processes.
Phosphorus accumulation, leaching and residual effects on crop yields from long‐term applications in the subtropics
Authors: Aulakh M. S. , Garg A. K. , Kabba B. S. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThe effects of 25 years of annual applications of P fertilizer on the accumulation and migration of soil Olsen‐P, and the effects of soil residual P on crop yields by withholding P application for the following 5 years, were evaluated in a subtropical region. Annual application of P fertilizer for 25 years to crops in summer (groundnut), winter (wheat, mustard or rapeseed) or in both seasons raised the Olsen‐P status of the plough layer (0–15 cm) from initially very low (12 kg P ha−1) to medium (18 kg P ha−1) and very high levels (40–59 kg P ha−1), depending on the amount of P surplus (amount of fertilizer applied in excess of removal by crops) (r = 0.86, P ≥ 0.01). However, only 4–9% of the applied P fertilizer accumulated as Olsen‐P to a depth of 15 cm (an increase of 2 mg kg−1per 100 kg ha−1 surplus P) in the sandy loam soil. In the following 5 years, the raising of 10 crops without P fertilizer applications decreased the accumulated Olsen‐P by only 20–30% depending upon the amount of accumulated P and crop requirements. After 29 years, 45–256 kg of residual P fertilizer had accumulated as Olsen‐P ha−1 in the uppermost 150 cm with 43–58% below 60 cm depth; this indicates enormous movement of applied P to deeper layers in this coarse textured soil with low P retention capacity for nutrients. Groundnut was more efficient in utilizing residual P than rapeseed; however, for both crops the yield advantage of residual P could be compensated for by fresh P applications. These results demonstrated little agronomic advantage above approximately 20 mg kg−1 Olsen‐P build‐up and suggested that further elevation of soil P status would only increase the risk of environmental problems associated with the loss of P from agricultural soils in this region.
Effects of long‐term annual inputs of straw and organic manure on plant N uptake and soil N fluxes
Authors: Luxhøi J. , Elsgaard L. , Thomsen I. K. , Jensen L. S. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of long‐term annual inputs of animal manure and straw on the rate of gross nitrogen (N) mineralization–immobilization turnover (MIT), net N mineralization and potential nitrification, and examined how these N transformation rates affect plant N availability. The experiment was conducted during May–June 2001 in long‐term field experiments in Askov, Denmark, where organic manure and barley straw had been applied annually for 11 and 20 years prior to the year 2000, respectively. Thus, any differences could be attributed to residual effects from the previous years of application. Inputs of straw and organic manure to soil increased soil organic matter (SOM)‐N content in soil in the order: without straw, without manure < without straw, with manure < with straw, without manure < with straw, with manure. The inputs did not change net N mineralization in the soil. There was a distinct but non‐significant trend towards higher gross N mineralization with increasing SOM‐N. Gross N immobilization was enhanced by straw inputs and to a lesser extent by organic manure inputs, while potential nitrification was enhanced by both amendments. The results show that long‐term annual inputs of straw and organic manure can increase MIT rate and potential nitrification rate without influencing net N mineralization rate. MIT and potential nitrification explained 23–31% of the variation in plant N uptake, while net N mineralization rate only explained 1%. Plant N uptake therefore seems to be more influenced by MIT rate and potential nitrification rate than by net mineralization rate, presumably because mineral N in the transition between gross N mineralization and gross N immobilization is available for assimilation by plants.
Financial Reporting and Supplemental Voluntary Disclosures
Authors: BAGNOLI MARK , WATTS SUSAN G. 
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACTA standard result in the voluntary disclosure literature is that when the manager's private information is a signal correlated with the firm's liquidation value, mandatory disclosures substitute for voluntary disclosures. In this paper, we assume that the manager's private information complements the mandatory disclosure and show that the content and likelihood of a voluntary disclosure depend on whether the mandatory reports contain good or bad news. This different information asymmetry produces new, testable implications regarding the probability of and market reaction to voluntary disclosures. We also show that changes in mandatory disclosure regulations can have unintended consequences due to their effects on the manager's willingness to voluntarily provide supplemental disclosures.
The Use of Unsigned Earnings Quality Measures in Tests of Earnings Management
Authors: HRIBAR PAUL , CRAIG NICHOLS D. 
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the implications of using the absolute value of discretionary accruals when testing for earnings management. First, we analytically develop the mean and variance of the distribution of absolute discretionary accruals, and show that the expected value is an increasing function of the variance in the underlying error term from the first‐stage discretionary accrual estimation model. Second, we highlight several firm characteristics that are related to the error variance in discretionary accrual estimation models. Using simulations, we show that correlation between the earnings management partitioning variable and these firm characteristics leads to an overrejection of the null hypothesis of no earnings management. Third, we provide research design suggestions to help researchers mitigate the potential bias arising from the use of unsigned measures of earnings management. Using these suggestions, we replicate a recent study, and demonstrate that the inferences change after controlling for operating volatility.
An Analysis of Insiders' Use of Prepaid Variable Forward Transactions
Authors: JAGOLINZER ALAN D. , MATSUNAGA STEVEN R. , YEUNG P. ERIC 
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACTThis study examines firm performance surrounding insiders' prepaid variable forward (PVF) transactions to infer insiders' information when they enter these off‐market contracts. PVFs allow insiders to hedge downside risk, share performance gains, and obtain immediate large‐sum cash payments for investment or consumption. On average, PVF transactions cover 30% of a sample insider's firm‐specific wealth ($22 million), which is substantially larger than a typical open‐market sale. PVFs systematically follow strong firm performance and precede degraded stock and earnings performance. PVFs also precede periods of negative abnormal returns relative to potential alternative investments. The documented association between PVFs and performance declines does not appear to result from the market's response to transaction disclosure, participant self‐selection, or general price reversals. Thus, evidence suggests that insiders use PVFs to diversify firm‐specific holdings in anticipation of performance declines.