bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
One preoperative dose randomized against 3‐day antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasonography‐guided prostate biopsy
Authors: Briffaux Raphaël , Coloby Patrick , Bruyere Franck , Ouaki Frédéric , Pires Christophe , Doré Bertrand , Irani Jacques 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo compare the incidence of infective events between a single dose and 3‐day antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)‐guided prostate biopsy.PATIENTS AND METHODSPatients were randomized to receive either one preoperative dose consisting of two ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablets 2 h before prostate biopsy, or 3 days of ciprofloxacin treatment. They had a clinical examination at study inclusion, the day of the biopsy and 3 weeks later. The day after the procedure all patients were contacted by telephone to inquire about any significant event. Biological testing and urine cultures were conducted 5 days before and then 5 and 15 days after the biopsy; a self‐administered symptom questionnaire was completed by the patient 5 days before and then at 5 and 15 days.RESULTSThe study group included 288 men, of whom 139 were randomized to the single‐dose arm and 149 to the 3‐day arm. Six patients in each group had an asymptomatic bacteriuria with no leukocyturia. One patient in each group had documented prostatitis, with Escherichia coli identified on urine culture. The strain identified in the patient from the 3‐day group was resistant to ciprofloxacin. There was no difference between groups in symptoms at 5 and 21 days after biopsy.CONCLUSIONSCurrent TRUS‐guided prostate biopsy techniques lead to very few clinical infectious complications when accompanied by antibiotic prophylaxis. We found no argument to advocate the use of more than one dose of antibiotic prophylaxis.
A formal test of the hypothesis that idiopathic calcium oxalate stones grow on Randall’s plaque
Authors: Miller Nicole L. , Gillen Daniel L. , Williams James C. , Evan Andrew P. , Bledsoe Sharon B. , Coe Fredric L. , Worcester Elaine M. , Matlaga Brian R. , Munch Larry C. , Lingeman James E. 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo confirm that more than half of all idiopathic calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones grow on interstitial plaque, as CaOx stones can grow attached to interstitial apatite plaque but whether this is the usual mechanism of stone formation is uncertain.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn nine idiopathic CaOx stone formers (ICSF) undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy or ureteroscopy all accessible renal papillae were endoscopically imaged using a digital endoscope. All stones were removed intact, and recorded by the operating surgeon as being attached or unattached; for all attached stones the surgeon determined if the site of attachment was to plaque. This determination was further verified by reviewing the intraoperative video record, and only instances where plaque was reliably seen on video were used for analysis. Surgical observations were further validated by a combination of microcomputed tomographic analysis and papillary biopsy. The results were analysed statistically using fixed‐sample testing and group sequential sampling.RESULTSThe nine patients had a total of 115 stones, primarily CaOx; 90 stones were attached. Of these, 81 were attached to plaque; surgeons could not visualize the site of attachment with sufficient clarity to judge in the other nine cases. Based on these data, the final point estimate for the number of stones attached to plaque was 0.754 (95% confidence interval 0.575–0.933; P = 0.013).CONCLUSIONSIn ICSF most stones grow attached to papillae, on plaque, so growth on plaque is the main mechanism for stone formation in this very common group of patients.
Periprostatic nerve block (PNB) alone vs PNB combined with an anaesthetic‐myorelaxant agent cream for prostate biopsy: a prospective, randomized double‐arm study
Authors: Cantiello Francesco , Imperatore Vittorio , Iannuzzo Mariateresa , Scibelli Gennaro , Di Meo Sergio , Fusco Ferdinando , Imbimbo Ciro , Mirone Vincenzo 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of periprostatic nerve block (PNB) alone vs PNB combined with the local administration of a 1.5% lidocaine/0.3% nifedipine cream (Antrolin®, Bracco, Milan, Italy).PATIENTS AND METHODSIn a prospective, randomized, double‐arm study, 200 patients were randomized to receive PNB alone (group A, 100) or PNB combined with a previous administration of the topical anaesthetic Antrolin (group B, 100). The PNB was applied by infiltrating bilaterally a solution of 5 mL lidocaine 1% and naropine 0.75%. Patients were asked to complete visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire (0–10) to score pain and discomfort during probe insertion (VAS1), PNB (VAS2), cores (VAS3), 30 min after biopsy (VAS4), the evening of the procedure (VAS5), and the day after biopsy (VAS6).RESULTSPain during probe insertion in group B was significantly less than in group A (VAS1 0.82 vs 2.9; P < 0.001). Pain during periprostatic infiltration was also lower in group B than group A (VAS2 1.4 vs 3.48; P < 0.001). Pain control was similar during biopsy in the two groups (VAS3 1.28 vs 1.2; P = 0.69). The pain scored at VAS4 was significantly less in group B (0.7 vs 1.86, P < 0.001), as was VAS5 (0.68 vs 1.3, P < 0.001). There was no difference in pain perception the day after biopsy (VAS6, 0.32 vs 0.22, P = 0.14).CONCLUSIONSAntrolin placed with PNB is better than PNB alone in reducing pain and discomfort during transrectal‐ultrasonography guided prostate biopsy.
Prostatic urothelial carcinoma: is transurethral prostatectomy necessary before bacillus Calmette‐Guérin immunotherapy?
Authors: Gofrit Ofer N. , Pode Dov , Pizov Galina , Zorn Kevin C. , Katz Ran , Shapiro Amos 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) followed by bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy in patients with prostatic urothelial carcinoma (PUC) and compare the results of studies using combined TURP and BCG with studies in which TURP was not performed.PATIENTS AND METHODSPatients with bladder cancer and PUC were treated with TURP followed by six weekly intravesical instillations of BCG. Response was determined and monitored by periodic bladder and prostatic urethra biopsies and urinary cytology. Also, the outcome of previous series using similar methodology was compared with the outcome of studies in which TURP was not performed.RESULTSIn all, 20 patients with PUC were treated with TURP followed by intravesical instillations of BCG. The median follow‐up was 52.5 months. All patients had an initial complete response (CR). The prostatic urethra 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was 90%. However, bladder and prostatic urethra 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was only 30%. Five patients (25%) died from urothelial carcinoma (UC) after a median period of 58.5 months (two from bladder cancer metastases and three from upper tract metastases). The long‐term prostatic urethra CR rate in studies using TURP before immunotherapy was significantly higher than the CR rate in studies using immunotherapy alone (P < 0.001). However, there was no difference when bladder and prostatic urethra CR rates were considered together (P = 0.54).CONCLUSIONIn patients with PUC, TURP before BCG immunotherapy eliminates PUC in most cases, and is probably the preferred treatment for this disease. The risk of UC‐specific mortality in these patients is high.
Evaluation of a commercial vascular clip: risk factors and predictors of failure from in vitro studies
Authors: Sooriakumaran Prasanna , Kommu Sashi S. , Cooke Joanne , Gordon Stephen , Brown Christian , Eddy Ben , Rimington Peter D. , Rane Abhay 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo assess risk factors and predictors of failure of the Hem‐o‐lokTM vascular clip (Weck Closure Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) using vessels harvested from a porcine model.MATERIALS AND METHODSVessels of various diameters were harvested from a porcine model, clipped at 90° or 45° using the Hem‐o‐lok clip and then cut either flush or with a 1‐mm cuff. The vessels were then connected to a burst‐pressure device and pressures required to burst the clip or to cause it to leak were measured.RESULTSThe Hem‐o‐lok clip leaked or burst when the vessel to which it was applied was cut flush. The clip became even more likely to fail if the angle of application of the clip was not at 90° to the vessel surface.CONCLUSIONThe Hem‐o‐lok vascular clip is safe if it is applied at 90° to the vessel surface and, more importantly, if a 1‐mm cuff is left between the clip and the point at which the vessel is divided. We would therefore discourage the practice of not leaving this cuff of tissue, in an attempt to maximize vessel length during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
Effect of insulin infusion on electrocardiographic findings following acute myocardial infarction: importance of glycaemic control
Authors: Gan R. M. , Wong V. , Cheung N. W. , McLean M. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAims  To determine the effects of insulin infusion and blood glucose levels during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on electrocardiographic (ECG) features of myocardial electrical activity.Methods  ECGs at admission and 24 h were examined in a randomized study of insulin infusion vs. routine care for AMI patients with diabetes or hyperglycaemia. Results were analysed according to treatment allocation and also according to average blood glucose level.Results  ECG characteristics were similar at admission in both groups. Patients allocated to conventional treatment had prolongation of the QT interval (QTc) after 24 h but those receiving infused insulin did not. In patients with a mean blood glucose in the first 24 h > 8.0 mmol/l, new ECG conduction abnormalities were significantly more common than in patients with mean blood glucose ≤ 8.0 mmol/l (15.0% vs. 6.0%, P < 0.05).Conclusions  Prevention of QTc prolongation by administration of insulin may reflect a protective effect on metabolic and electrical activity in threatened myocardial tissue. Abnormalities of cardiac electrical conduction may also be influenced by blood glucose.
Risk factor control in patients with Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease: findings from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR)
Authors: Gudbjörnsdottir S. , Eeg‐Olofsson K. , Cederholm J. , Zethelius B. , Eliasson B. , Nilsson P. M. ,   on behalf of the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR)
Published: November 2008

AbstractAims  Patients with Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) are infrequently treated to risk factor targets in current guidelines. We aimed to examine risk factor management and control levels in a large sample of patients with Type 2 diabetes with CHD.Methods  This was an observational study of 1612 patients with first incidence of CHD before 2002, and of 4570 patients with first incidence of CHD before 2005, from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR).Results  In patients with CHD 1–2 years before follow‐up, the achievement of cardiovascular risk factor targets (follow‐up 2002/follow‐up 2005) was: HbA1c < 7%, 47%/54% (P < 0.01); blood pressure ≤ 130/80 mmHg, 31%/40% (P < 0.001); total cholesterol < 4.5 mmol/l, 47%/60% (P < 0.001); and low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol < 2.5 mmol/l, 49%/65% (P < 0.001). Use of medication: antihypertensives, 90%/94% (P < 0.01); lipid‐lowering drugs, 75%/86% (P < 0.001); and aspirin, 85%/89% (P < 0.05). A high prevalence of adverse lifestyle characteristics prevailed (2002/2005): overweight [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2], 86%/85%; obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), 41%/42%; smokers in age group < 65 years, 16–23%/18–19%; as well as waist circumference ≥ 102 cm (men) or ≥ 88 cm (women), 68% in 2005.Conclusions  Patients with a combination of Type 2 diabetes and CHD showed an increased use of lipid‐lowering drugs over time, corresponding to improving blood lipid levels. A discrepancy existed between the prevalent use of antihypertensive drugs and the low proportion reaching blood pressure targets. Regretfully, a high prevalence of adverse lifestyle characteristics prevailed. Evidence‐based therapy with professional lifestyle intervention and drugs seems urgent for improved quality of secondary prevention in these patients.
Neuroglycopenia and adrenergic responses to hypoglycaemia: insights from a local epidemic of serendipitous massive overdose of glibenclamide
Authors: Dalan R. , Leow M. K. S. , George J. , Chian K. Y. , Tan A. , Han H. W. , Cheow S. P. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAims  Recently, an unlicensed aphrodisiac formulation originating from China known as ‘Power 1 Walnut’ penetrated the illicit markets of South East Asia including Singapore. Subsequent toxicological analyses revealed that each ‘Power 1 Walnut’ pill was illegally adulterated with two prescription drugs—sildenafil 1 mg (a PDE5 inhibitor) and glibenclamide 93–98 mg (a long‐acting sulphonylurea). As the drug was peddled to numerous people, a local ‘hypoglycaemia epidemic’ ensued, of which a small cluster presented to our hospital with severe hypoglycaemia. The aim is to characterize the demographics, clinical and labouratory aspects and postulate mechanisms for the relatively atypical presentation.Methods  A retrospective study of all the patients admitted between 13th January to 15th June 2008 with hypoglycaemia was done with acquisition of all relevant data after ethical approval from our DSRB.Results  15 patients (25–73 years old) presented with severe hypoglycaemia. All of them presented with neuroglycopenic symptoms (5‐confusion, 6‐drowsiness to loss of consciousness, 4‐seizures and 1‐coma) 12–36 h after ingestion of ‘Power 1 Walnut’. Liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC/MS) confirmed the presence of glibenclamide in the urine. None experienced a full‐blown hypoglycaemia‐associated autonomic response defined as sweating, sensation of warmth, anxiety, tremor, nausea, palpitations, tachycardia, and hunger. Only 4/16 patients had symptoms of a partial autonomic response, and 3/16 patients had tachycardia and/or hypertension.Conclusions  The above suggests an inappropriate autonomic and catecholamine response to severe hypoglycaemia in these cases of serendipitous glibenclamide overdose. Possible reasons for the blunted autonomic responses and apparent autonomic failure are reviewed.
Audit committees and earnings quality
Authors: Baxter Peter , Cotter Julie 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThis research investigates whether audit committees are associated with improved earnings quality for a sample of Australian listed companies prior to the introduction of mandatory audit committee requirements in 2003. Two measures of earnings quality are used based on models first developed by Jones (1991) and Dechow and Dichev (2002). Our results indicate that formation of an audit committee reduces intentional earnings management but not accrual estimation errors. We also find differences in the associations between audit committee accounting expertise and the two earnings quality measures. Other audit committee characteristics examined are not significantly related to either earnings quality measure.
The effects of taxation on put‐call parity
Authors: Alpert Karen 
Published: November 2008

AbstractShare and option transactions are taxed differently, which means that the after‐tax cash flows used to establish put‐call parity will differ depending on which option is exercised. This paper derives the after‐tax put‐call parity relationship for European and American options with or without dividends. Using Australian data for the period July 1999 to June 2002, the after‐tax put‐call parity relationship explains 88.3 per cent of no‐tax lower boundary violations and 78.8 per cent of no‐tax upper boundary violations. The violation are larger for more thinly traded securities, providing some evidence that traders are able to profit from the tax discontinuities that affect investors in options.
REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT DISPARITIES: AN EVALUATION OF POLICY MEASURES*
Authors: GROENEWOLD N. , HAGGER A.J. 
Published: November 2008

This paper analyses the efficacy of regional and federal government policies in reducing inter‐regional unemployment disparities. We use as our framework a two‐region general equilibrium model with a given freely‐mobile supply of labour. We assume inter‐regional migration to occur in response to inter‐regional utility differentials. Each region has households, firms and a regional government. In addition to regional governments, there is a federal government. The firms in a region use a single factor, labour, to produce a single good which we assume to be different to that produced in the other region. It is supplied to households and to the regional government in the form of payroll taxes. Households consume some, trade some with households in the other region and give some up to the federal government as income tax. Firms and households bargain over wages and firms then choose employment to maximise profits. The resulting equilibrium will generally not be a full‐employment one.We simulate a linearised numerical version of the model. We examine seven alternative policies, six carried out by a regional government and one by the federal government. In the first group there are traditional tax/expenditure polices as well as policies which might be seen as attacking the natural rate of unemployment: changes in unemployment benefits, changes in union power, changes in the labour force and changes in labour productivity. The federal government policy is a regionally‐differentiated fiscal policy.Contrary to expectations, many policies which have traditionally been recommended to alleviate unemployment are found, in fact, to exacerbate the unemployment problem.
Operative Platform Applied to Building Automation
Authors: Figueiredo João , Sá da Costa José 
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  This article introduces an advanced control structure to be applied to building automation. This structure is composed by three interrelated levels: the Operational level—where the field equipment is controlled, the Inter‐Active level—where inhabitants communicate the building their preferences regarding control variables (lights, temperature, etc.), and the higher‐level control, the Overall Building Well‐Being Model, which manages the global building, taking into account the optimization of the inhabitants preferences, constrained by the available resources. At this third level, the inter‐building communication is available. Each building has the capability to communicate with its neighbors, informing about fires, floods, security problems, power consumption expectations, and so on. This article implements one of the three above‐referred interrelated control levels: the Operational‐level control. This operative platform is structured over a cascade hierarchical control architecture where inner loops are performed by local PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and the outer loop is managed by a centralized SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) that interacts with the entire PLC network. The lower‐level control loop assures high processing velocity tasks, the upper‐level control loop updates the local references, knowing the complete system state. This operative model is tested on two prototypes, where all instrumentation in place is controlled by the industrial PLC network. Both prototypes worked perfectly showing the huge potential of communication systems between distributed processes. These communication systems allow intelligent centralized algorithms to manage decision‐making problems in real‐time environments. The system presented in this article combines several technologies (local PLCs, SCADA systems, and network communications) to reach the goal of efficient management of intelligent buildings.
Youth mental health in a populous city of the developing world: results from the Mexican Adolescent Mental Health Survey
Authors: Benjet Corina , Borges Guilherme , Medina‐Mora Maria Elena , Zambrano Joaquin , Aguilar‐Gaxiola Sergio 
Published: November 2008

Background:  Because the epidemiologic data available for adolescents from the developing world is scarce, the objective is to estimate the prevalence and severity of psychiatric disorders among Mexico City adolescents, the socio‐demographic correlates associated with these disorders and service utilization patterns.Methods:  This is a multistage probability survey of adolescents aged 12 to 17 residing in Mexico City. Participants were administered the computer‐assisted adolescent version of the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview by trained lay interviewers in their homes. The response rate was 71% (n = 3005). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed considering the multistage and weighted sample design of the survey.Results:  One in every eleven adolescents has suffered a serious mental disorder, one in five a disorder of moderate severity and one in ten a mild disorder. The majority did not receive treatment. The anxiety disorders were the most prevalent but least severe disorders. The most severe disorders were more likely to receive treatment. The most consistent socio‐demographic correlates of mental illness were sex, dropping out of school, and burden unusual at the adolescent stage, such as having had a child, being married or being employed. Parental education was associated with treatment utilization.Conclusions:  These high prevalence estimates coupled with low service utilization rates suggest that a greater priority should be given to adolescent mental health in Mexico and to public health policy that both expands the availability of mental health services directed at the adolescent population and reduces barriers to the utilization of existing services.
Detection of aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products consumed in Adana, Turkey
Authors: VAR ISIL , KABAK BULENT 
Published: November 2008

A total of 70 dairy products consisting of 20 sterilized milk, 10 butter, 20 white cheese and 20 Kashar cheese samples were analysed for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The detection limit was 5 ng/L for milk and 25 ng/kg for butter, white cheese and Kashar cheese. Of the 70 dairy products analysed, AFM1 in 49 samples (70%) was found to range from 10 to 388 ng/kg. Moreover, AFM1 levels in three samples of milk, two samples of butter, one sample of white cheese and one sample of Kashar cheese were found to be higher than the Turkish legal limits.
De novo 16p13.11 microdeletion identified by high‐resolution array CGH in a fetus with increased nuchal translucency
Authors: Law LW , Lau TK , Fung TY , Leung TY , Wang CC , Choy KW 
Published: November 2008

Objective  We investigated the application of high‐resolution microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridisation (array CGH) on a fetus showing increased nuchal translucency (NT).Design  Case study.Setting  Tertiary referral obstetrics unit.Sample  Pregnant woman attended the antenatal clinic.Methods  Conventional karyotyping and genetic test was carried out for the alpha‐globin gene. High‐resolution array CGH using the high‐density 244K Agilent microarray was performed on fetal blood sample by cordocentesis to investigate the possibility of any genomic imbalance.Main outcome measures  Detection of chromosomal abnormality.Results  Karyotyping analysis showed 46,XY. Molecular genetic diagnosis confirms the fetus has Hb‐H constant spring disease but cannot explain the increased NT to 3.2 mm. Array CGH analysis discovered a 1.32‐Mb microdeletion on chromosome 16p13.11. Deletion at 16p13.11 has been implicated to predispose to autism and/or mental retardation. Baby was delivered at 40 weeks of gestation, and follow up was carried out at 3 months of age without sign of mental retardation/developmental delay.Conclusions  This case study demonstrated that array CGH can accurately calibrate the size and identify de novo interstitial chromosome imbalances. However, the presence of chromosome copy variants with unknown clinical significance currently limits its wider scale application in prenatal diagnosis and needs further investigations.