bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Depressive symptoms after lung cancer surgery: their relation to coping style and social support
Authors: Walker Mark S. , Zona Denise M. , Fisher Edwin B. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractLung cancer patients may experience greater emotional distress than patients with other cancers. Studies have shown social support to predict adjustment in other cancers, but findings among lung cancer patients have been equivocal. Coping style has been shown to predict distress among lung cancer patients, but has not been examined in the context of social support. We examined coping style and social support as predictors of depressive symptoms one week after surgery among 119 patients with non‐small cell lung cancer. The Beck Depression Inventory was the primary outcome measure. Predictors included age, ECOG performance status, stage of disease, and measures of adaptive coping, less adaptive coping, Directive instrumental social support and Nondirective instrumental social support. Results indicated that 29% of lung cancer patients had scores above a standard cutoff for clinically significant depression. Results also showed that depressive symptoms were directly related to use of less adaptive coping methods and Directive instrumental social support, inversely related to age and use of adaptive coping methods, and unrelated to nondirective social support, stage of disease and performance status. Results extend previous findings by showing that adaptive coping methods are related to severity of distress, and that the benefits of social support may depend on the characteristics of that support. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A method for localizing ligand binding pockets in protein structures
Authors: Glaser Fabian , Morris Richard J. , Najmanovich Rafael J. , Laskowski Roman A. , Thornton Janet M. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe accurate identification of ligand binding sites in protein structures can be valuable in determining protein function. Once the binding site is known, it becomes easier to perform in silico and experimental procedures that may allow the ligand type and the protein function to be determined. For example, binding pocket shape analysis relies heavily on the correct localization of the ligand binding site. We have developed SURFNET‐ConSurf, a modular, two‐stage method for identifying the location and shape of potential ligand binding pockets in protein structures. In the first stage, the SURFNET program identifies clefts in the protein surface that are potential binding sites. In the second stage, these clefts are trimmed in size by cutting away regions distant from highly conserved residues, as defined by the ConSurf‐HSSP database. The largest clefts that remain tend to be those where ligands bind. To test the approach, we analyzed a nonredundant set of 244 protein structures from the PDB and found that SURFNET‐ConSurf identifies a ligand binding pocket in 75% of them. The trimming procedure reduces the original cleft volumes by 30% on average, while still encompassing an average 87% of the ligand volume. From the analysis of the results we conclude that for those cases in which the ligands are found in large, highly conserved clefts, the combined SURFNET‐ConSurf method gives pockets that are a better match to the ligand shape and location. We also show that this approach works better for enzymes than for nonenzyme proteins. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kinetic parameters of crystallization in glassy Se100–xSbx alloys
Authors: Mehta N. , Zulfequar M. , Kumar A. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractDifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been performed at different heating rates under non‐isothermal conditions to study the crystallization kinetics of glassy Se100–xSbx (2 ≤ x ≤ 10) alloys. The crystallization kinetics have been studied using four different methods of analysis of the non‐isothermal DSC data and various kinetic parameters (the activation energy of crystallization, order parameter, rate constant and frequency factor) have been determined. The difference Tc – Tg (indicator of thermal stability) has been determined from the DSC thermograms for each sample. The rate constant K (indicator of the rate of amorphous to crystalline phase transformation) has been evaluated using the method of Augis and Bennett. The increasing sequence of the rate constant in the glasses studied is opposite to that of Tc – Tg. This indicates that chalcogenide glasses having a higher rate of crystallization have less thermal stability. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Relationship between QRS duration, left ventricular volumes and prevalence of nonviability in patients with coronary artery disease and severe left ventricular dysfunction
Authors: De Winter Olivier , Van de Veire Nico , Van Heuverswijn Frederic , Van Pottelberge Geert , Gillebert Thierry C. , De Sutter Johan 
Published: November 2005

AbstractBackground:Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), a QRS duration ≥120 ms and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤30% are potential candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Our aim was to investigate the relationship between QRS duration, left ventricular volumes and prevalence of nonviable tissue in this patient population.Methods:We studied 132 patients (118 men, age 68±5 years) with CAD and LVEF ≤30% (mean LVEF 24±6%). LV volumes and myocardial viability were determined by gated myocardial perfusion imaging.Results:A QRS duration ≥120 ms was present in 91 patients (69%). Although there were no differences in LVEF, patients with longer QRS durations had significant larger end‐diastolic and end‐systolic volumes (p<0.01). Substantial nonviable tissue in the inferior or lateral wall was present in 29% of patients with a QRS duration ≥120 ms versus 7% of those with a QRS duration <<120 ms (p<0.01).Conclusions:An increased QRS duration is associated with more advanced remodeling in patients with CAD and poor LV function. Almost one third of these patients with a prolonged QRS duration have no viable tissue in the inferolateral wall, an area that is usually stimulated with CRT.
Accuracy of B‐type natriuretic peptide levels in the diagnosis of left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure: A systematic review
Authors: Latour‐Pérez Jaime , Coves‐Orts Francisco Javier , Abad‐Terrado Carmen , Abraira Víctor , Zamora Javier 
Published: November 2005

AbstractObjectives:To evaluate the accuracy of B‐type natriuretic peptide levels (BNP) in the diagnosis of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction.Data sources:Electronic search in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Medion database, and hand search of reference lists.Review methods:We have included published studies on the accuracy of BNP which had both sufficient information to construct the 2×2 diagnostic cross table and an appropriate spectrum of patients.Results:Fifty five studies (16,730 patients) were analyzed. The main determinants of diagnostic accuracy were the reference standard analyzed (clinical heart failure versus left ventricular dysfunction), and the methodological quality of the study. BNP levels were highly accurate for the diagnosis of clinical heart failure (diagnostic OR=41; 95% CI 23–74). The negative likelihood ratios were homogeneous, and useful for excluding the existence of heart failure (pooled negative likelihood ratio=0.11; 95% CI 0.08–0.16). The studies focused on the identification of left ventricular dysfunction were heterogeneous, with indications of publication bias, and showed less overall diagnostic accuracy than studies focused on heart failure.Conclusions:BNP levels are useful for ruling out heart failure. The accuracy of BNP for identifying patients with systolic dysfunction is more limited.
Pain induced by low‐grade stress in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic shoulder/neck pain, relation to surface electromyography
Authors: Nilsen K.B. , Westgaard R.H. , Stovner L.J. , Helde G. , Rø M. , Sand T.H. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe mechanisms of pain causation in fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic shoulder/neck pain (SNP) are still debated. We wanted to compare muscle activity and pain development during and after low‐grade mental stress in FMS and SNP patients. Twenty‐three women with FMS, 29 women with chronic SNP and 35 healthy women performed a stressful task lasting 60 min followed by a 30 min recovery period. We recorded surface electromyography over the trapezius, neck, temporalis and frontalis muscles. Subjects reported their pain at the corresponding locations together with the development of fatigue and perceived tension. Significant differences between FMS and SNP groups were not observed either for muscular or subjective responses. SNP patients and controls responded with more pain in the trapezius and neck regions than in the forehead, in contrast to FMS patients who had a more generalized pain response. Development of pain, tension and fatigue was not related to muscle activity for any group. We conclude that FMS and SNP patients have similar pain and electromyographic responses. The results suggest that similar pathophysiological mechanisms are involved although the responses are more generalised in FMS than in SNP patients. Muscular activity did not explain the pain which developed during the stressful task for either group. Pain lasted longer during recovery in both FMS and SNP patients compared to healthy controls, possibly a result of disease‐related sensitisation in pain pathways.
Sensory evoked potentials in infants with Down syndrome
Authors: CHEN YUNG‐JUNG , FANG PENG‐CHENG 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAim: To investigate the sensory functions of the peripheral to central pathways in infants with Down syndrome (DS) by sensory evoked potentials.Methods: Fifty‐five infants, 30 DS infants and 25 controls, were examined by multimodal evoked potentials, including brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), visual evoked potentials (VEP) and short‐latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP).Results: No obvious difference was found in the peak latencies between the two groups for BAEP. Nine children with DS showed abnormal BAEP; six had hearing loss and three had prolonged wave I latencies. For VEP, the peak latencies of P2 and N2 were significantly longer and the amplitudes were smaller in the DS group than in the control group. Of the 30 infants with DS, five had significantly prolonged P2 latencies and two had lower amplitudes. In SSEP, the mean latencies of N20 and the interpeak latencies of N13‐N20 of the infants with DS showed apparent prolongation compared to the controls. Seven of 30 (23.3%) DS patients had prolonged N20 latencies.Conclusion: Our results indicate that various sensory deficits occur in patients with DS during the first year of life.
Breastfeeding and school achievement in Brazilian adolescents
Authors: VICTORA CESAR G. , BARROS FERNANDO C. , HORTA BERNARDO L. , LIMA ROSÂNGELA C. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAim: To assess the effect of breastfeeding duration on school achievement in a Brazilian cohort.Methods: In a population‐based birth cohort, we analysed the highest grade achieved in school of over 2000 male 18‐y‐olds relative to breastfeeding information collected in early life. Analyses were adjusted for birthweight, family income, maternal and paternal schooling, household assets, number of siblings, social class, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and ethnicity.Results: After adjustment for confounding variables, there was a highly significant trend in school achievement with increasing breastfeeding duration. Those breastfed for 9 mo or more were ahead by 0.5–0.8 school grades, relative to those breastfed for less than 1 mo. Data from a cross‐sectional survey in the same population suggest that such a difference corresponds to a 10–15% difference in adult income levels. The duration of exclusive or predominant breastfeeding was also positively associated with schooling.Conclusion: Unlike studies from developed countries, there was no clear association between breastfeeding duration and either the family's socio‐economic level or parental schooling in our sample and therefore residual confounding is improbable. These results suggest that the impact of breastfeeding on intellectual development may lead to sizeable differences in adult education and wage‐earning performance.
Graves' disease in children and adolescents: Response to long‐term treatment
Authors: BARRIO RAQUEL , LÓPEZ‐CAPAPÉ MARTA , MARTINEZ‐BADÁS ITZIAR , CARRILLO ANGEL , MORENO JOSE C. , ALONSO MILAGROS 
Published: November 2005

AbstractBackground: Optimal treatment of Graves' disease in paediatric patients is still a matter of controversy. Antithyroid drugs, radioiodine and thyroidectomy are the three therapeutic options available. Aim: To report our experience of long‐term medical treatment and outcome of paediatric Graves' disease.Methods: A 5‐y‐long medical protocol was implemented in 20 children and adolescents with Graves' disease. All patients received antithyroid drugs as the first therapeutic option; patients who did not enter long‐term remission received I131 and/or surgery as the definitive treatment.Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 12.1±4 y. Only two patients were males, both presenting concomitant type 1 diabetes. Mean follow‐up was 13.8 ± 5.5 y. Forty per cent of patients achieved long‐term remission with low antithyroid drugs doses (mean treatment time: 5.4± 1.4 y). Six patients received I131 as definitive treatment and another six underwent surgery after completing medical treatment for 6.8 ± 4.1 and 5.1 ± 2 y, respectively. No patients requiring high antithyroid drugs doses to maintain euthy‐roidism reached long‐term remission and needed I131 and/or surgery.Conclusion: Implementation of a long‐term antithyroid drug protocol achieved 40% long‐term remissions in paediatric patients with Graves' disease. Need for maintained high doses of antithyroid drugs could be considered a predictive factor for no remission. When permanent remission was not obtained by medical treatment, I131 and/or surgery allowed healing in all cases.
Changes in shape and location of BMI distributions of Swedish children
Authors: ERIKSSON MARIT , RASMUSSEN FINN , NORDQVIST TOBIAS 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAims: One aim was to disentangle how the shape and location of the BMI distribution changed among Swedish children over a 12 y period. Another aim was to identify the age during childhood when changes occurred or became manifest.Methods: Two population‐based cohorts—2591 children from Stockholm born 1985–1987 and 3650 from Gothenburg born 1973–1975—were compared with respect to BMI distributions from 2 to 15 y of age.Results: Differences between the BMI distributions of the two cohorts were present from 5–6 y of age. From age 7, the children born in 1985–1987 and belonging to the upper parts of the BMI distribution, e.g. those above the 90th or 95th BMI percentiles, had much higher BMI mean values compared to their counterparts born 12 y earlier. Comparisons with respect to the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th BMI percentiles showed that changes appeared above the 25th percentile and became increasingly pronounced in the upper parts of the BMI distributions.Conclusion: School‐aged children in the rightmost parts of the BMI distributions may be more susceptible to “obesogenic” environmental exposures than those in the middle or leftmost parts. The results support the suggestion that the period of BMI rebound is critical for the development of obesity.
Troponin‐T levels in perinatally asphyxiated infants during the first 15 days of life
Authors: GÜNES TAMER , ÖZTÜRK M. ADNAN , KÖKLÜ SELMIN MURADALDI , NARIN NAZMI , KÖKLÜ ESAD 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAim: To measure serial cardiac troponin‐T, creatine kinase, creatine kinase‐MB, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase levels in asphyxiated newborn infants during the first 15 d of life.Methods: Troponin‐T, creatine kinase, creatine kinase‐MB, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations were measured prospectively in blood samples obtained from 45 asphyxiated and 15 healthy term neonates within the first 2–4 h, third, seventh and 15th days.Results: Infants with severe asphyxia had significantly higher cardiac troponin‐T levels than grade I and II asphyxiated and healthy neonates within the first 2–4 h of life (0.34 ± 0.21 ag/ml vs 0.07 ± 0.03 ag/ml, 0.12 ± 0.07 ag/ml, 0.04 ± 0.02 ag/ml, respectively). Troponin‐T levels remained high on days 3 and 7 in severely asphyxiated neonates. The creatinine kinase‐MB levels were significantly higher in grade II and III asphyxiated neonates than grade I asphyxiated and healthy neonates within the first 2–4 h. No difference was found in creatinine kinase‐MB on day 3. There was cardiac involvement in 12 (80%) newborns of group III on B mode echocardiographic images on day 1. However, no echocardigraphic pathology was found in the seventh‐ and 15th‐day echocardiographic analysis in any groups.Conclusion: Our results suggest that asphyxia‐related cardiac changes were significant but reversible in severely asphyxiated neonates, and troponin T is a good determinant of the degree of injury to the heart within the first week of life. Cardiac troponin T also has a wider diagnostic frame than other diagnostic markers of myocardial damage.
Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a risk factor for persistent nocturnal enuresis in children: A two‐year follow‐up study
Authors: BAEYENS DIETER , ROEYERS HERBERT , DEMEYERE ISOLDE , VERTÉ SYLVIE , HOEBEKE PIET , WALLE JOHAN VANDE 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAims: A previous prevalence study indicated that the prevalence of ADHD is highly increased in enuretic children. In the current 2‐y follow‐up study we investigate the relationship between both disorders further. Our goal is to determine whether the ADHD diagnoses can be reconfirmed and whether children with ADHD are more at risk for difficult‐to‐cure enuresis. Moreover, we explore the effect of medical enuresis parameters on the course of the voiding problem.Methods: Eighty‐six children with enuresis were screened twice on the presence of ADHD with a 2‐y interval. A multi‐method, multi‐informant assessment of ADHD was used, the child's medical file was consulted, and a parent questionnaire on the child's current voiding problems was completed.Results: Although 73% of all children with a 2‐y‐old diagnosis of ADHD still meet the disorder's criteria, only 66% of all subtype diagnoses can be reconfirmed. The odds that a child with ADHD still has voiding problems after 2 y are 3.17 times higher than for a child without ADHD. Although a slightly increased number of prescribed therapies in the ADHD group was noticed, no other significant differences in enuresis treatment methods were found between the groups. The medical parameters were not associated with treatment outcome.Conclusion: Since 73% of ADHD diagnoses can be reconfirmed, the data suggest that the prevalence of the ADHD syndrome rather than reactive ADHD symptomatology is increased in enuretic children. Children with ADHD are at risk for persistent enuresis. Two‐year‐old medical enuresis parameters seem to have little effect on the current presence/absence of enuresis.
Emerging teacher strategies for mediating ‘Technology‐integrated Instructional Conversations’: a socio‐cultural perspective
Authors: Hennessy Sara , Deaney Rosemary , Ruthven Kenneth 
Published: November 2005

This article draws on socio‐cultural learning theory as a conceptual framework for analysing how teachers structure classroom activities and interactions during ‘Technology‐integrated Instructional Conversations’ (TICs). It reports on a collaborative programme of small‐scale projects undertaken by 15 teacher‐researchers using various forms of computer‐based ICT to support subject teaching and learning. The participants developed, trialled and refined new pedagogic approaches and activities in six curriculum areas (English, classics, design technology, geography, history, science) at secondary level. A cross‐case analysis was conducted using lesson observations, follow‐up teacher interviews and teachers' research reports.A typology of proactive and responsive pedagogic strategies for mediating pupil interactions with ICT was identified. These included exploiting the technology in new ways and circumventing its associated constraints. The strategies emerging illustrated how teachers structured activities judiciously; supported, guided and challenged; encouraged pupil collaboration, experimentation, reflection and analysis; avoided floundering and maintained a focus on subject learning; integrated the use of other resources; and developed information handling skills. These strategies and the gradual withdrawal of teacher support served to increase pupil participation and responsibility for their own learning. Pupils themselves played a role in structuring TICs through opportunistically soliciting teacher assistance and feedback.
The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic consequences of the co‐administration of lamotrigine and a combined oral contraceptive in healthy female subjects
Authors: Sidhu Jagdev , Job Sarah , Singh Sunita , Philipson Richard 
Published: November 2005

AimsTo assess the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of co‐administration of a combined oral contraceptive (ethinyloestradiol plus levonorgestrel) and lamotrigine.MethodsOver a period of 130 days, healthy female subjects took lamotrigine (titrated up to 300 mg day−1) and the combined oral contraceptive, either individually or as co‐therapy. Plasma ethinyloestradiol and levonorgestrel concentrations were measured in the presence and absence of lamotrigine, and serum lamotrigine concentrations were measured in the presence and absence of the combined oral contraceptive. Serum concentrations of follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, oestradiol and sex hormone binding globulin were also determined.ResultsOf the 22 enrolled subjects, 16 had evaluable pharmacokinetic data. The mean (90% CI) ratios of lamotrigine area under the concentration‐time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC(0,24 h)) and maximum observed concentration (Cmax) of lamotrigine when it was given with the combined oral contraceptive and during monotherapy were 0.48 (0.44, 0.53) and 0.61 (0.57, 0.66), respectively. Ethinyloestradiol pharmacokinetics were unchanged by lamotrigine, the mean combined oral contraceptive + lamotrigine : combined oral contraceptive alone ratios (90% CI) of the AUC(0,24 h) and Cmax of levonorgestrel were 0.81 (0.76, 0.86) and 0.88 (0.82, 0.93), respectively. FSH and LH concentrations were increased (by 4.7‐fold and 3.4‐fold, respectively) in the presence of lamotrigine, but the low serum progesterone concentrations suggested that suppression of ovulation was maintained. Intermenstrual bleeding was reported by 7/22 (32%) of subjects during co‐administration of lamotrigine and combined oral contraceptive.ConclusionsA clinically relevant pharmacokinetic interaction was observed during co‐administration of a combined oral contraceptive and lamotrigine. A dosage adjustment for lamotrigine may need to be considered when these agents are co‐administered. A modest decrease in the plasma concentration of levonorgestrel was also observed but there was no corresponding hormonal evidence of ovulation.