bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental and Clinical Experience of Albumin Coating of Tympanostomy Tubes
Authors: Kinnari Teemu J. , Jero Jussi 
Published: October 2005

OBJECTIVE:Otorrhea and tube occlusion are typical problems with tympanostomy tubes (TT). The purpose of this study was to test glue protein, fibronectin adhesion on albumin‐coated and un‐coated TT surfaces and to show the effect of this method on TT sequelae in vivo.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGS:Fibronectin binding on TT surface was tested in two in vitro experiments. Thereafter 170 patients were randomized in a prospective clinical trial to test the effect of the method in vivo. The extruded TTs that could be collected from ears of some study patients were imaged with scanning electron microscopy (SEM).RESULTS:Marked binding inhibition of fibronectin on albumin‐coated TTs was found. Fewer tube sequelae were found in ears with albumin‐coated TTs. SEM revealed thick crusts on un‐coated tube surface.CONCLUSION:Albumin coating of TTs can reduce unwanted adhesion on the tube surface in vitro and tube occlusions in vivo.SIGNIFICANCE:TT sequelae can be reduced by surface coating with albumin.
The Effects of Short‐Term Immunotherapy Using Molecular Standardized Grass and Rye Allergens Compared with Symptomatic Drug Treatment on Rhinoconjunctivitis Symptoms, Skin Sensitivity, and Specific Nasal Reactivity
Authors: Klimek L. , Mewes T. , Wolf H. , Hansen I. , Schnitker J. , Mann W. J. 
Published: October 2005

BACKGROUND:The efficacy and safety of short‐term immunotherapy with molecular standardized allergens (STI) has been demonstrated by double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trials. The aim of this study was to compare STI with symptomatic drug treatment.METHODS:Forty‐eight patients with rhinoconjunctivitis to grass and/or rye pollen were treated either with STI (ALK7, n = 24) plus anti‐allergic drugs or anti‐allergic drugs, alone (n = 24) in a prospective, randomized study. Symptoms and use of drugs were reported in patient diaries and titrated nasal provocation and skin prick tests were performed at baseline, before, and after season.RESULTS:Median overall symptom (P = 0.022, U test) and medication scores (P = 0.003) were significantly lower in the STI group, as was the result for a simultaneous analysis of conjunctival, nasal, and bronchial symptom scores and medication (P = 0.005). Sensitivity in the nasal provocation test decreased in the STI group but not in the drug‐treated group. These differences became significant directly after STI (P = 0.027) as well as after the grass pollen season (P < 0.001). Skin sensitivity did not change in the STI group but increased in the drug‐treated group after season, with a significant difference between the two groups for the erythema (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:STI reduces grass pollen‐induced rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms and drug use, and specific nasal reactivity and skin sensitivity, more efficiently than a standard symptomatic treatment.
Long‐Term Results of Palatal Implants for Primary Snoring
Authors: Maurer Joachim T. , Hein Gerhard , Verse Thomas , Hörmann Karl , Stuck Boris A. 
Published: October 2005

OBJECTIVE:To determine the safety and efficacy of the Pillar Palatal Implant System over a 1‐year follow‐up period.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING:In this prospective study, 40 healthy adult patients with primary snoring due to palatal flutter were treated after clinical, polysomnographic, and endoscopic examination. Under local anesthesia 3 implants were placed into the soft palate. Postoperative morbidity and functional parameters were assessed. Snoring and daytime sleepiness were assessed before and 90, 180, and 360 days after surgery. Objective data were obtained by polysomnography and SNAP‐recording before and 90 days after treatment.RESULTS:All implants were placed without complications. A total of 13 implants partially extruded uneventfully in 10 patients. Functional parameters remained unchanged. After 1 year, snoring was reduced from 7.1 ± 1.9 to 4.8 ± 2.5 (Visual‐Analogue‐Scale, P < 0.05) and daytime sleepiness from 6.1 ± 3.2 to 4.9 ± 3.1 (Epworth‐Sleepiness‐Scale, P < 0.05). SNAP data and polysomnography parameters showed clinically irrelevant changes.CONCLUSION:Our data demonstrate a significant decrease in snoring and daytime sleepiness over a period of one year.
High-Resolution Pollen record from Core KW31, Gulf of Guinea, Documents the History of the Lowland Forests of West Equatorial Africa since 40,000 yr ago
Authors: Lezine Anne-Marie , Cazet Jean-Pierre 
Published: October 2005

AbstractPollen data from core KW31 recovered off the mouth of the Niger River (3°31′1N–05°34ʺ1E; 1181 m water depth) provide an exceptional record of vegetation changes in the West African lowlands between 40,000 and 3500 cal yr B.P. The highly diverse microflora testify for the permanency of rain and secondary forests in the Niger river catchment, at least as gallery formations along rivers, during the last glacial period when dry conditions occurred in relation to enhanced trade-wind circulation. The direct consequence of the post-glacial warming and the correlative increase in monsoon fluxes over West Africa was the increase in forest diversity and the expansion of rain and secondary forests on the nearby continent. Comparison between KW31 pollen record and continental pollen data from 5°S to 25°N allows the evaluation of migration rates of tropical forest populations throughout North West Africa at the beginning of the Holocene and the vegetation response to the shift toward aridity recorded widely at the end of the African Humid Period around 4000 cal yr B.P.
Extended Temporal Bone Resection for Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Moffat David A. , Grey Philip , Ballagh Robert H. , Hardy David G. 
Published: October 2005

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to assess the surgical results of a series of patients from this unit who underwent extended temporal bone resection for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma as a salvage procedure.DESIGNThe surgical records of 15 patients were analyzed in detail. Each patient had salvage surgery in the form of an extended temporal bone resection with supraomohyoid block dissection, dural grafting, and free microvascular forearm or scalp rotation flap repair for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma in a radical mastoid cavity.RESULTSRadical surgery yielded a 47% 5‐year survival. Twenty‐nine percent of the survivors had temporal lobe involvement that necessitated a partial excision of the temporal lobe of the brain. Histologic evidence of local lymph node involvement in the supraomohyoid neck dissection was present in 13% of cases. Those who died did so in the first postoperative year. All those with poorly differentiated tumors died. The survivors had well or moderately differentiated tumors.CONCLUSIONSRadiotherapy alone or partial temporal bone resection, most commonly a radical mastoidectomy with or without preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy is used by the majority of otolaryngologists in treating squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone. The 5‐year survival rate after this treatment remains depressingly low and the prognosis gloomy, particularly for advanced tumors. The findings in this series of extended temporal bone resections as salvage surgery in recurrent disease is encouraging, and radical surgery combined with radiotherapy from the outset may give much better 5‐year survival figures in the future than the conventional partial temporal bone resection and radiotherapy. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997;116:617–23.)
Endoscopic Approach to Traumatic Visual Loss
Authors: Kountakis Stilianos E. , Maillard Alberto A. J. , Urso Richard , Stiernberg Charles M. 
Published: October 2005

OBJECTIVETo review our experience with the use of endoscopic optic nerve decompression in traumatic blindness.METHODWe did a retrospective analysis of patients with traumatic blindness that underwent endoscopic decompression of the optic canal to determine postoperative visual acuity and correlate if to preoperative visual loss and intraoperative findings. The setting was a Level I university trauma center. We identified 8 patients treated with both surgery and steroids over a 10‐month period beginning in 1993 (Seven males, one female).RESULTSFour of six patients with total blindness (no light perception) had improvements in visual acuity. In three patients, visual acuity returned to preinjury levels. One patients with total blindness was operated on 6 weeks after injury and had a visual acuity of 20/800 at 1‐year follow‐up. Two patients with hand motion preoperatively had improvement in visual acuity. In one patient, vision returned to normal (20/20), and in the other it improved to 20/200). Five patients were operated on after megadose steroid treatment for at least 48 hours failed; four of five noted dramatic improvements in visual acuity.CONCLUSIONThe endoscopic approach may be used to successfully decompress the optic nerve in traumatic blindness.
Mandibular force profiles of extant carnivorans and implications for the feeding behaviour of extinct predators
Authors: Therrien François 
Published: October 2005

AbstractA biomechanical approach is used to model the mandibles of extant carnivoran predators (felids, canids, and hyaenids) as beams to gain insight into feeding behaviours. Because bite force applied at any given point along the mandible should be proportional to external dimensions at an analogous location (interdental gaps) on the mandible, patterns of variation in these dimensions will reflect the adaptation of the jaw to specific loads. The mandibular force profiles of extant carnivorans closely reflect particular feeding behaviours. Solitary hunters relying on a powerful canine bite to subdue their prey have a strong mandibular symphysis, while pack hunters delivering shallow bites have a relatively weaker one. Symphyseal shape also gives insight into the feeding behaviour of a predator: (1) a deeper‐than‐long symphysis indicates that stresses induced by the canine bite (or while cracking bones with the anterior dentition) are more important than those induced by struggling prey; (2) an equidimensional symphysis indicates that the symphyseal region is optimally designed to resist torsional stresses induced during prey capture and/or bone cracking; (3) a longer‐than‐deep symphysis indicates that stresses related to prey capture are predominant over those induced by the canine bite or while cracking bone. Mandibular force profiles of juvenile carnivorans also reflect documented ontogenetic changes in feeding behaviour. Because variation in mandibular cross‐sectional properties are interpretable in terms of documented behaviours among extant predators, mandibular force profiles are developed to gain insight into the feeding behaviour of two extinct predators, Panthera atrox and Canis dirus. Results indicate that the feeding behaviour of P. atrox differed slightly from that of modern lions, as the powerful paws restrained prey more efficiently, while C. dirus hunted in a similar fashion to the gray wolf, although it may not have been an efficient bone cracker. Both extinct predators are inferred to have had a more powerful bite than their extant relatives.
Prey preferences of the lion (Panthera leo)
Authors: Hayward Matt W. , Kerley Graham I. H. 
Published: October 2005

AbstractLionsPanthera leoare generally thought to prey on medium to large ungulates. Knowledge of which species are actually preferred and which are avoided is lacking, however, as is an understanding of why such preference or avoidance may arise. An analysis of 32 studies over 48 different spatial locations or temporal periods throughout the distribution of the lion shows that it preferentially preys upon species within a weight range of 190–550 kg. The most preferred weight of lion prey is 350 kg. The mean mass of significantly preferred prey species is 290 kg and of all preferred species is 201 kg. Gemsbok, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra are significantly preferred. Species outside the preferred weight range are generally avoided. Species within the preferred weight range that are not significantly preferred (such as roan, sable and eland) generally have features that reduce predation either morphologically (e.g. sable horns), ecologically (e.g. roan and sable occurring at low density), or behaviourally (e.g. the large herd size and increased vigilance of eland). Warthog are below the preferred weight range yet are taken in accordance with their availability and this is probably due to their sympatry with lion, their relatively slow evasion speed and their lower level of vigilance. Plots of prey preference against prey body mass follows a bell curve with a right skew that, we argue, is caused by collective hunting by lions of larger‐bodied prey. Our methods can be used on all large predators and are likely to be useful in assessing competition in sympatric communities of predators, cooperative hunting and predicting predator diets. This will allow us to move beyond descriptive dietary studies to improve our predictive understanding of the mechanisms underlying predator–prey interactions.
Short-term treatment with anti-CD44v7 antibody, but not CD44v4, restores the gut mucosa in established chronic dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice
Authors: Farkas S , Hornung M , Sattler C , Anthuber M , Gunthert U , Herfarth H , Schlitt H J , Geissler E K , Wittig B M 
Published: October 2005

SummaryIncreased expression of CD44 variant isoforms have been shown on the inflammatory infiltrates in human and mouse colitis and blockade or deletion of CD44 isoforms inhibit experimental colitis. The objective of this study was to find out if short-term treatment of CD44 antibodies specific to CD44v7, but not to other variant isoforms, suppresses leucocyte–endothelial interaction in chronic dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Chronic colitis was induced by oral administration of four cycles of 5% DSS in BALB/c mice. Expression of CD44 was investigated on isolated mononuclear cells of the gut immune system. In established colitis, mice were treated with antibodies against CD44v7 or CD44v4 three times in 7 days. Intravital microscopy was used to study leucocyte–endothelial interactions and leucocyte extravasation. As a marker of inflammatory infiltrates myeloperoxidase was quantified in gut tissue. CD44-induced apoptosis was determined by fluorescence staining of hypodiploidic cell nuclei. In chronic DSS-induced colitis both CD44 variant isoforms, v4 and v7 were significantly up-regulated on mononuclear cells. However, whereas anti-CD44v7 antibody treatment induced a marked restoration of the gut mucosa and significantly reduced endothelial sticking and extravasation of circulating leucocyte in vivo (P &lt; 0·01), application of anti-CD44v4 or an isotype control antibody had no anti-inflammatory effect. A significant reduction of myeloperoxidase activity was detected after blockade of CD44v7, but not v4. Short-term treatment with anti-CD44v7 antibody blocks T cell extravasation and recruitment to the intestinal mucosa and cures established experimental colitis.
Peripheral regulatory mechanisms in erection
Authors: MORELLI A. , FILIPPI S. , ZHANG X.‐H. , LUCONI M. , VIGNOZZI L. , MANCINA R. , MAGGI M. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryThe most important pathway underlying the penile erection is the nonadrenergic/noncholinergic signalling, which through the release of nitric oxide (NO), leads to an intracellular increase of cyclic GMP (cGMP), the main secondary messenger mediating tumescence in the penis. Interestingly, both cGMP formation and degradation are affected by testosterone (T). In fact, beyond the well‐known role of T in regulating sexual desire and NO release, recent experimental evidences from our group showed that T also regulates the expression of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), the hydrolytic enzyme involved in cGMP breakdown. This antithetic role of T seems to be the main way through which the peripheral hormonal regulation of penile erections occurs, allowing an important synchronization between erectile processes and sexual desire. Hence, erections are still possible in hypogonadal conditions where a decreased cGMP formation, because of impaired NO production, is counterbalanced by a reduced cGMP hydrolysis. The purpose of this review is to describe evidences about the peripheral role of T in regulating penile erection and to justify the importance to test T plasma levels in those patients with erectile dysfunction who do not respond to PDE5 inhibitors.
Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction: instruments for the study of smooth muscle relaxation
Authors: PESCATORI E. S. , MORGIA G. , FARINA F. P. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryComplete cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation is the pre‐requisite for the reliability of every evaluation of the integrity of the corporal veno‐occlusive system. Such evaluation is needed whenever reaching a diagnostic conclusion on the haemodynamic status of a given patient is clinically relevant. Clinical challenges that a laboratory evaluation of veno‐occlusive integrity face comprise both the induction of complete smooth muscle relaxation, and the possibility to monitor it. This article will review the relevant aspects of normal range values of veno‐occlusive function, existing strategies aimed to promote complete smooth muscle relaxation, and available techniques to monitor the cavernosal smooth muscle status.
Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction: The penile dynamic colour duplex ultrasound revisited
Authors: AVERSA A. , BRUZZICHES R. , SPERA G. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryA number of disease processes of the penis including Peyronie's disease, priapism, penile fractures and tumors are clearly visualized with ultrasound. Diagnostic evaluation of erectile dysfunction (ED) by penile dynamic colour‐duplex Doppler ultrasonography (D‐CDDU) is actually considered a second level approach to ED patients because of the fact that intracavernous injections test IV with prostaglandin‐E1 may provide important information about the patients’ erectile capacity. However, no direct vascular imaging and a high percentage of false negative diagnoses of vasculogenic ED are its major pitfalls and subsequent treatment decisions remain quite limited. The occurrence of ED and its sentinel relationship to cardiovascular disease has prompted more accurate vascular screening in all patients even in the absence of cardiovascular risk factors. The sonographic evaluation of the intima‐media thickness of the carotid arteries may sometimes represent an early manifestation of diffuse atherosclerotic disease and endothelial damage. This latter finding is often the cause of failure to oral agents, i.e. phosphodiesterase inhibitors, because of inability of the dysfunctional endothelium to release nitric oxide. D‐CDDU represents an accurate tool to investigate cavernous artery inflow and venous leakage when compared with more invasive diagnostic techniques i.e. selective arteriography and dynamic infusion cavernosometry along with cavernosography.
The therapeutic dilemma: how to use short‐acting PDE5 inhibitor drugs
Authors: FABBRI A. , AVERSA A. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryIn the last few years, the clinical context of the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has changed radically. In fact, oral drug treatment with phosphodiesterase type‐5 inhibitors (PDE5‐i), licensed in the past years, appeared to offer advantages over other medical approaches in terms of ease of administration and cost. PDE5‐i are now widely advocated as first‐line therapy for ED. PDE5‐i represent a class of orally active drugs for ED, which inhibit PDE5 enzyme and in turn enhance smooth muscle relaxation via prolongation of cyclic GMP action within the cavernous smooth muscle. Although the various types of PDE5‐i differ with respect to selectivity and pharmacokinetic profiles, efficacy and safety of these agents are mostly comparable in broad populations of men with erectile ED, including those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease or those taking multiple antihypertensive agents. Aim of this article will be to review the different efficacy and safety profiles of oral short‐acting compounds and to give indication for treatment of special populations of men with ED.
A brief history of Great Basin pikas
Authors: Grayson Donald K. 
Published: October 2005

AbstractAim Within the past few decades, seven of the 25 historically described populations of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) in the Great Basin of arid western North America appear to have become extinct. In this paper, the prehistoric record for pikas in the Great Basin is used to place these losses in deeper historical context.Location The Great Basin, or area of internal drainage, of the western United States.Methods The location, elevation, and age of all reported prehistoric Great Basin specimens of American pikas were extracted from the literature. Elevations of extinct pika populations were arrayed through time, and latitudes and longitudes of those populations used to determine changing distances of those populations from the nearest extant populations.Results The average elevation of now‐extinct Great Basin pika populations during the late Wisconsinan (c.40,000–10,000 radiocarbon years ago) and early Holocene (c.10,000–7500 years ago) was 1750 m. During the hot and dry middle Holocene (c.7500–4500 years ago), the average elevation of these populations rose 435 m, to 2168 m. All prehistorically known late Holocene (c.4500–200 years ago) populations in the Great Basin are from mountain ranges that currently support populations of this animal, but historic period losses have caused the average elevation of pika populations to rise an additional 152 m. The total elevational increase, from the late Wisconsinan and early Holocene to today, has been 783 m. As lower elevation pika populations were lost, their distribution increasingly came to resemble its modern form. During the late Wisconsinan, now‐extinct pika populations were located an average of 170 km from the nearest extant population. By the late Holocene, this distance had declined to 30 km.Main conclusions Prehistoric alterations in the distribution of pika population in the Great Basin were driven by climate change and attendant impacts on vegetation. Today, Great Basin pikas contend with both climate change and anthropogenic impacts and thus may be on the brink of extinction.