bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A longitudinal study of sexual functioning in women referred for colposcopy: a 2‐year follow up
Authors: Hellsten C , Lindqvist PG , Sjöström K 
Published: December 2007

Objective  To elucidate psychosexual problems in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear and a 6‐month and 2‐year follow up.Design  Prospective study.Setting  Department of Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.Population  One hundred consecutive women referred for colposcopy for the first time subsequent to receiving notification of an abnormal cervical smear.Methods  The women completed the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory, a psychosexual questionnaire and had one psychosocial interview prior to colposcopy at all three visits.Main outcome measures  Depending upon the result of the cervical biopsy, women had either a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or not. Psychosexual variables, anxiety measures, and psychosocial variables were used to estimate sexual functioning at the beginning of the study and at follow up. Differences in sexual functioning between LEEP and non‐LEEP groups were estimated.Results  ‘Spontaneous interest in sex’, ‘frequency of intercourse’, and ‘sexual arousal’ were reported to be statistically significant lower at 6 months compared with the first visit, and at 2 years, ‘spontaneous interest in sex’ and ‘frequency of intercourse’ still remained low. There was no difference in sexual functioning between the LEEP and non‐LEEP groups at follow up.Conclusions  Two years after referral for colposcopy, women still had an effect on sexual functioning, that is, lesser ‘spontaneous interest’ and decreased ‘frequency of intercourse’. We found no support for a relationship between treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by LEEP and deterioration in sexual functioning.
Hormone replacement therapy use and variations in the risk of breast cancer
Authors: Opatrny L , Dell’Aniello S , Assouline S , Suissa S 
Published: December 2007

Objective  To determine the effect of different types and formulations of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.Design  Population‐based case–control study.Setting  UK, 1988–2004.Participants  Women 50–75 years between 1998 and 2004.Main outcome measures  Breast cancer incidence to estimate the rate ratio (RR) associated with use of various HRTs over a 30‐year period.Results  We identified 6347 incident cases of breast cancer that were matched with 31 516 controls. Cases were on average 61 years at diagnosis and 22% had undergone a hysterectomy. The rate of breast cancer was increased with the use of opposed estrogens in oral form (adjusted RR 1.38; 95% CI 1.27–1.49) in contrast to patch form (RR 1.08; 95% CI 0.81–1.43). This rate was similarly elevated with both continuous (RR 1.29; 95% CI 1.07–1.56) and sequential (RR 1.33; 95% CI 1.21–1.46) forms of opposed estrogen. The rate of breast cancer was not increased among exclusive users of unopposed estrogens (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.86–1.09) or of tibolone (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.65–1.13). Users of tibolone who had switched from opposed estrogens, however, had an elevated rate (RR 1.29; 95% CI 1.09–1.52). The rate of breast cancer increased by 25% (95% CI 20–30%) with every ten prescriptions of orally administered opposed estrogen.Conclusions  The risk of breast cancer varies with the formulation and preparation of HRT. Opposed estrogens (progesterone–estrogen) in oral form are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, which increases with use. Transdermal opposed estrogens, unopposed estrogens and tibolone do not increase this risk. However, this study is an observational study that carries risks of various biases, and thus the findings need to be interpreted with caution.
Finite Element Modeling of the Left Atrium to Facilitate the Design
of an Endoscopic Atrial Retractor
Authors: Jernigan S. R. , Buckner G. D. , Eischen J. W. , Cormier D. R. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
With the worldwide prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, much attention has been focused on simulating the characteristics of the human heart to better understand and treat cardiac disorders. The purpose of this study is to build a finite element model of the left atrium (LA) that incorporates detailed anatomical features and realistic material characteristics to investigate the interaction of heart tissue and surgical instruments. This model is used to facilitate the design of an endoscopically deployable atrial retractor for use in minimally invasive, robotically assisted mitral valve repair. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a pressurized explanted porcine heart were taken to provide a 3D solid model of the heart geometry, while uniaxial tensile tests of porcine left atrial tissue were conducted to obtain realistic material properties for noncontractile cardiac tissue. A finite element model of the LA was constructed using ANSYS™ Release 9.0 software and the MRI data. The Mooney–Rivlin hyperelastic material model was chosen to characterize the passive left atrial tissue; material constants were derived from tensile test data. Finite element analysis (FEA) models of a CardioVations Port Access™ retractor and a prototype endoscopic retractor were constructed to simulate interaction between each instrument and the LA. These contact simulations were used to compare the quality of retraction between the two instruments and to optimize the design of the prototype retractor. Model accuracy was verified by comparing simulated cardiac wall deflections to those measured by MRI. FEA simulations revealed that peak forces of approximately 2.85N and 2.46N were required to retract the LA using the Port Access™ and prototype retractors, respectively. These forces varied nonlinearly with retractor blade displacement. Dilation of the atrial walls and rigid body motion of the chamber were approximately the same for both retractors. Finite element analysis is shown to be an effective tool for analyzing instrument/tissue interactions and for designing surgical instruments. The benefits of this approach to medical device design are significant when compared to the alternatives: constructing prototypes and evaluating them via animal or clinical trials.
Rare AU-1-Like G3P[9] Human Rotaviruses with a Kun-Like NSP4 Gene Detected in Children with Diarrhea in Italy
Authors: De Grazia S. , Giammanco G. M. , Martella V. , Ramirez S. , Colomba C. , Cascio A. , Arista S. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACTThree G3P[9] rotaviruses, detected in children hospitalized with gastroenteritis in Palermo, Italy, were found to be genetically related to strains of either human or feline origin in the VP7, VP4, and VP6 genes. In contrast, in the NSP4 gene the viruses resembled G2P[4] human strains, suggesting a reassortment between AU-1-like and Kun-like strains.
The variation of nitrifying bacterial population sizes in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating low, mid, high concentrated synthetic wastewater
Authors: Li Baikun , Irvin Shannon , Baker Katherine 
Published: December 2007

The purpose of this study was to correlate the population size of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) with nitrification performance under various operational conditions (chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration, dissolved oxygen (DO), and hydraulic retention time (HRT)) and influent allylthiourea (ATU) shock. The AOB (genera Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira ) and NOB (genera Nitrobacter and Nitrospira ) communities were analyzed using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and NOB accounted for 6.2 ± 0.9% and 2.5 ± 0.3% in total biomass, respectively. The population sizes of AOB and NOB varied with different levels of COD, DO, and HRT. Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira were dominant under conditions favorable for nitrification, while Nitrosospira outcompeted Nitrosomonas under adverse conditions (low [NH4+], low DO, short HRT, and ATU shock), and Nitrobacter outcompeted Nitrospira at high substrate concentrations (COD and [NH4+]). Under ATU shock that inhibited the oxidation of NH4+ to NO2–, AOB population was substantially reduced with the stepwise increase of ATU dosage, and led to a corresponding decrease of NOB population. There was a discrepancy between nitrifying bacterial populations and their functions. Although AOB outnumbered NOB in all tests and became more dominant at low DO and short HRT, NH4+ oxidation, instead of NO2– oxidation, was the rate-limiting reaction for nitrification and susceptible to the adverse conditions. The study demonstrated the importance of elucidating the shifts of nitrifying bacterial population to optimize process design and operation at different influent characteristics, aeration intensity, retention time, and potential influent toxic shock.
Performance evaluation, comparison and modeling of passive wastewater treatment systems
Authors: Martin D.G. , Anderson B.C. 
Published: December 2007

The objectives of this research were to evaluate and compare five configurations of wastewater treatment for on-site or communal applications in various climate conditions: a peat filter, a sand filter, a subsurface flow constructed wetland cell, a peat filter followed by a wetland cell, and a sand filter followed by a wetland cell. Oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, temperature, and indicator bacteria of the influent and effluent of each treatment stage were monitored over a period of 17 months. The sand and peat filters achieved over 98% reduction in carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) to <1 mg/L (below detection limits) in most samples. The filters also reduced all indicator bacteria parameters to low levels. Phosphorus removal through the sand filter consistently exceeded 98% but declined rapidly after 14 months, likely due to saturation. Phosphorus reduction in the peat filter averaged 47% with an additional 58% provided by the wetland cell (total 78%);; no saturation trend was apparent by the 17th month. The total nitrogen reductions were low initially but improved over time in both filters. The wetland cell provided low to moderate treatment efficiencies for CBOD5(49%), phosphorus (33%), indicator bacteria (~2 log reduction), and total nitrogen (31%).
Pressurized water versus ethanol as a Silybum marianum extraction solvent for inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation mediated by copper and J774 macrophage cellsThis article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 1 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Wallace Sunny N. , Raible Jennifer , Carrier Danielle Julie , Vaughn Katherine L. , Griffis Carl L. , Clausen Edgar C. , Nagarajan Shanmugam 
Published: December 2007

Silybum marianum contains flavonolignans, termed silymarin (SM), that are therapeutic agents for many inflammation-based diseases including atherosclerosis. Oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein was induced by CuSO4 or J774 macrophage cells and measured by the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). SM was extracted by pressurized hot water (PHWE) or ethanol, and the effects of these extracts on TBARS formation were evaluated in comparison with those of SM preparations made from blending masses of individual flavonolignan standards in ratios identical to those of the water and ethanol extracts. Ethanol-extracted SM and its blended counterpart inhibited the generation of TBARS by 82% and 43%, respectively, at 150 μmol/L doses. TBARS levels in the presence of 150 μmol/L of the PHWE and its blended SM counterpart were reduced by 84% and 38%, respectively. Extracts from milk thistle fruit displayed higher protective effects than blended SM solutions of the same concentration with an identical compositional makeup. The appearance of degradation peaks in the water extract did not create any cytotoxic effects. Results of this study confirm that PHWE can be used to extract flavonolignans from milk thistle and that these extracts may possess therapeutic potential different from or beyond that of traditional organic solvent preparations.
In vitro evaluation of the antiviral effects of the homeopathic preparation Gripp-Heel on selected respiratory virusesThis article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 2 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Glatthaar-Saalmüller Bernadette 
Published: December 2007

Gripp-Heel®is a homeopathic preparation frequently used in the treatment of respiratory viral infections such as various types of influenza and the common cold. The antiviral activity of Gripp-Heel was studied in vitro on human pathogenic enveloped and nonenveloped RNA and DNA viruses. Before the antiviral assays, in vitro cytotoxicity of Gripp-Heel was determined with cells used for the infection experiments (HeLa, HEp-2, MDCK, BGM) as well as with mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. A concentration of 0.5 of the commercially available product slightly reduced cell viability and proliferative capacity, and experiments on antiviral activity were determined starting with a dilution of 0.2 of the commercially available product. The antiviral activity was determined against a broad panel of enveloped and nonenveloped DNA and RNA viruses with plaque reduction assay, cytopathogenic assays, virus titrations, analysis of the viral proteins in virus-specific enzyme immunoassays, and haemagglutination tests. Control substances were acyclovir (10 μg/mL), ribavirin (6 μg/mL), and amantadine hydrochloride (5 μg/mL), depending on the virus type. Gripp-Heel demonstrated dose-dependent in vitro activity (significant reductions of infectivity by 20% to 40%) against Human herpesvirus 1, Human adenovirus C serotype 5, Influenza A virus, Human respiratory syncytial virus, Human parainfluenza virus 3, Human rhinovirus B serotype 14, and Human coxsackievirus serotype A9. The mechanisms of this antiviral activity are still unclear, but type I interferon induction might be a possible explanation. Further research on this homeopathic preparation seems warranted.
Soil as an important interface between agricultural activities and groundwater: leaching of nutrients and pesticides in the vadose zone
Authors: Bergström L. F. , Djodjic F. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Agricultural non-point source pollution by plant nutrients and pesticides can cause severe environmental disturbances, such as deterioration in the quality of surface water and groundwater. In order to prevent this, the development and implementation of appropriate countermeasures are necessary, which requires knowledge of critical soil functions in the vadose zone. The nutrient source, the transport pathway and the availability of solutes in soil are some important conditions that affect leaching. Our results show that organic nitrogen sources are often more susceptible to leaching than inorganic N fertilizers, due to poor synchronization between the N demand of the crop and the release of inorganic N from the organic N source. Large amounts of leachable N are left in the soil after the growing season. Preferential flow, in combination with where soil solutes occur, is critical for establishing safe loading rates. In some cases, the solute is located in smaller pores of the soil matrix, and is thereby protected against preferential flow and leaching. In other cases, especially soon after application of a fertilizer or pesticide, transient flow-peaks rapidly displace the solutes through macropores in the vadose zone, which can cause large leaching loads and associated water-quality problems.
Heavy metals in Swiss forest soils: modification of lithogenic and anthropogenic contents by pedogenetic processes, and implications for ecological risk assessment
Authors: Luster Jöorg , Zimmermann Stephan , Zwicky Christoph N. , Lienemann Peter , Blaser Peter 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
We investigated the occurrence and effective mobility of heavy metals (HM) in a representative collective of Swiss forest soils. The total HM contents of pedogenetic horizons were analysed, and the enrichment or depletion of a given HM relative to the original lithogenic content was assessed. The latter was calculated using the contents of Zr as an immobile reference. Chromium, Ni, Cu and Zn were mainly lithogenic, with a wide range of contents reflecting the diverse geology of Switzerland, while anthropogenic input of Pb was detected in most topsoils. Pedogenetic processes exerted a strong influence on the translocation or leaching of the HM. In acidic soils Ni, Cu and Pb were more mobile than Cr and Zn. We relate this behaviour to the strong affinity of the former HM to dissolved or colloidal organic matter. On the other hand, nutrient cycling by the vegetation probably led to an apparent reduction of Zn downward mobility. In many soils, guide levels as specified by Swiss legislation, or threshold values for effects on micro-organisms, were exceeded, indicating a potential risk for long-term soil fertility. As a consequence of translocation, guide levels for Cr, Ni and Cu were exceeded more often in subsoils than in topsoils.
Reuse of agricultural drainage water in central California: phytosustainability in soil with high levels of salinity and toxic trace elements
Authors: Bañuelos G. S. , Lin Z.-Q. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract

Agricultural drainage waters in the western San Joaquin Valley of Central California contained high levels of salts, boron (B) and selenium (Se). Discharge of the drainage directly into the Kesterson Reservoir was hazardous to plants and wildlife. To investigate the plausibility of using plants as recipients for disposing of poor-quality drainage-waters, multi-year field studies were conducted to reuse drainage water on plants that are salt and B tolerant, and accumulate or stabilize soluble Se from the drainage. Installation of a subsurface tile drainage system in cropping fields allowed drainage waters to be collected and subsequently reused on tolerant plants. The tested plant species included
Lactuca sativa, Lycopersicon esculentum, Gossypium hirsutum
L.,
Medicago sativa
L.,
Brassica napus
var. Hyola,
Helianthus annuus, Distichlis spicata
L., and
Salicornia bigelovii
Torr. The quality of drainage water decreased along the water reuse path, with a sulphate-dominated salinity change from 4.5 to 15.2 dS m
-1
; soluble B from 3.4 to 14.5 mg L
-1
; and soluble Se from 0.08 to 1.18 mg L
-1
. Soil salinity and concentrations of B and Se increased with decreasing quality of reused drainage waters. This study demonstrated the importance of monitoring changes in soil quality for sustaining such a plant-based system.
Assessing anthropogenic inputs to soils by comparing element contents and their spatial distribution in O- and A-horizons
Authors: Inácio M. , Pereira V. , Pinto M. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a low-density geochemical survey covering the entire surface of Portugal, taking organomineral horizons (A) and organic horizons (humus, O) as the sampling media. The main purpose of the study was to compare element contents and their spatial variability in the two soil horizons in order to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic inputs. Contents are compared using an index of enrichment, IE = (content in O in mg kg
-1
)/(content in A in mg kg
-1
) and the IE maps are used to discuss the origin of the elements. It was found that element contents in the upper horizons of Portuguese soils are controlled by the nature of the parent material, pedogenetic processes and anthropogenic additions. Our approach, evidencing spatial relationships, proved useful to the confirmation and refinement of the information obtained from biomonitoring surveys. Another advantage is a significant reduction in sampling costs, because by comparing the two uppermost soil horizons there is no need for sampling to great depths.
Seismic imaging for seismic geomorphology beyond the seabed: potentials and challenges
Authors: Zeng H. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
A successful study of seismic geomorphology depends not only on knowledge of sedimentological, geomorphological principles and the local geological setting, but also on quality of the seismic geomorphological imaging. A thorough understanding of how seismic waves respond to geomorphology of depositional sequences and facies is essential prior to developing strategies and selecting tools for field seismic data interpretation. This is especially important in data that are of variable quality or lack marked amplitude anomalies. Studies presented in this paper show that it is more desirable to use stratal slices to display seismic information on geological time surfaces. Multi-slice or movie display of stratal slices is effective for the study of depositional process and is a good quality-control tool for avoiding seismic artifacts. Seismic wavelets adjusted to 90° phase help tie seismic traces to lithofacies with higher stratigraphic resolution. Seismic frequency bands of stratal slices should match the lithofacies thickness of interest for optimal facies imaging. Seismic facies analysis can be improved by automated geomorphological classification.
Curvature for visualization of seismic geomorphology
Authors: Hart B. S. , Sagan J. A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
We illustrate the use of curvature attributes for defining stratigraphic features of interest on horizons mapped in three-dimensional seismic data. Curvature is a two-dimensional property of a curve that quantifies how much the curve deviates from a straight line. Many different types of curvature may be defined for a surface, and these can be more useful than dip, azimuth or even ‘conventional’ (i.e. second derivative) curvature analyses for defining subtle structural or stratigraphic features of interest. In our workflow, we drape curvature over rendered three-dimensional surfaces and adjust lighting to highlight stratigraphic and structural features of interest. The examples we present are derived from clastic and carbonate settings of various ages, and include applications of curvature analyses to multibeam bathymetry and digital elevation model data.
Geometry and seismic geomorphology of carbonate shoreface clinoforms, Jurassic Smackover Formation, north Louisiana
Authors: Handford C. R. , Baria L. R. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Across much of the Gulf Coast basin of the USA, the Smackover Formation consists of a nearly 100m-thick shoaling upward cycle capped by oolitic/oncolitic packstones and grain-stones. It has long been interpreted as a homoclinal ramp succession, which was analogous to the modern example in the southeastern Arabian Gulf. In a three-dimensional seismic survey in north Louisiana, the shoaling-upward cycle is imaged as basin ward progradational clinoforms (4–7° inclination) with well-defined toplap and downlap surfaces. In map view, amplitude slices show that the clinoform bodies are strike-oriented and continuous. The inclination and width of the clinoform bodies indicate that water depths of up to 90 m were present within 1 km of the shoreline. Such characteristics indicate that the Smackover Formation cannot be classified as a homoclinal ramp in north Louisiana and that the Arabian Gulf is not analogous to the Smackover.