bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inspection of Safety and Accuracy of D2 Lymph Node Dissection in Laparoscopy‐Assisted Distal Gastrectomy
Authors: Kawamura Hideki , Homma Shigenori , Yokota Ryoichi , Yokota Kentaro , Watarai Hiroshi , Hagiwara Masaru , Sato Masanori , Noguchi Keita , Ueki Shinya , Kondo Yukifumi 
Published: July 2008

AbstractBackgroundThere is a consensus on the indication of laparoscopy‐assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for early gastric cancer that needs D1 + α or D1 + β lymph node dissection. However, many gastrointestinal surgeons consider D2 lymph node dissection in LADG to be difficult, therefore, only a few medical institutions have performed D2 lymph node dissection in LADG. We examined the safety and accuracy of D2 dissection in LADG by comparing with open distal gastrectomy (ODG), as the first step to operate on advanced gastric cancer.MethodsThe study population comprised 53 and 67 patients who underwent D2 dissection in LADG or ODG, respectively; with the diagnosis of preoperative depth grade SM, between 2004 and 2006. In D2 lymph node dissection, difficult points are dissections of lymph node along the superior mesenteric vein (No. 14v), along the hepatic artery (No. 12a), and along the proximal splenic artery (No. 11p). We performed these lymph nodes dissection in a fixed process, which was achieved through all improvements.ResultsNo significant difference was observed in age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, body mass index (BMI), and operative time between two groups. Bleeding volume was significantly lower in LADG (96.5 ± 126.3 ml) than in ODG (221.9 ± 174.8 ml). There was no significant difference in number of dissected lymph nodes between ODG (44.8 ± 15.6) and LADG (49.2 ± 16.1), with no significant difference in degree of pathological stage. The postoperative complication rate was 16.4% for ODG and 5.7% for LADG, and postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter for LADG (16.7 ± 5.6 days) than for ODG (21 ± 11.4 days).ConclusionsD2 dissection in LADG can be performed without problems with safety and accuracy, if the surgical team is skilled in the procedures of LADG.
Blueberry husks and multi-strain probiotics affect colonic fermentation in rats
Authors: Bränning C. , Håkansson Å. , Ahrné S. , Jeppsson B. , Molin G. , Nyman M. 
Published: August 2008

The aim was to investigate how blueberry husks and/or mixtures of probiotic strains (Lactobacillus crispatusDSM16743,L. gasseriDSM16737 andL. plantarumDSM15313 (LABmix), orBifidobacterium infantisDSM15159 and DSM15161 (BIFmix)) affect colonic fermentation, caecal counts of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria andEnterobacteriaceae, body weight gain, and blood concentrations of carboxylic acids (CA) and ammonia in rats. Dietary fibres in blueberry husks were fermented to 61 % in colon, and the elevated faecal excretion of fibre and protein contributed to the high faecal bulking capacity (1·3). The caecal pool of CA was higher in rats fed blueberry husks than the fibre-free control (P < 0·05), and the propionic acid proportion was higher in the distal colon than in the control group (P < 0·05). Probiotics lowered the caecal amount of CA when added to blueberry husks (P < 0·001), while the propionic acid proportion was higher with LABmix (P < 0·01) than blueberry husks only. The propionic acid and butyric acid concentrations in blood were higher in rats fed blueberry husks and probiotics than those fed blueberry husks only (P < 0·01), implying that the absorption of these acids was facilitated by the bacteria. The caecal counts of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria andEnterobacteriaceaewere lower in rats fed blueberry husks than the control diet (P < 0·05). The body weight gain was partly influenced by the caecal tissue and contents weights, and BIFmix decreased the ammonia concentration in blood (P < 0·05). We conclude that colonic fermentation is differentially affected by dietary fibre and probiotics, which may be of importance when developing foods with certain health effects.
Tonsillectomy may cause altered tongue sensation in adult patients
Authors: Smithard A , Cullen C , Thirlwall A S , Aldren C 
Published: July 2008

AbstractObjectives:To determine the frequency of altered tongue sensation following tonsillectomy, and its relationship to different surgical techniques.Design:Case–control study.Setting:District general hospital.Participants:One hundred and four consecutive adults undergoing tonsillectomy, and 43 control patients.Main outcome measures:Altered tongue sensation.Results:Twenty-eight of 100 patients described altered tongue sensation post-tonsillectomy. No patients in the control group experienced altered tongue sensation. There was a difference in rates of altered sensation between tonsillectomy patient groups undergoing bipolar diathermy and ‘cold steel’ techniques (p < 0.019). Three months after surgery, 22/23 contactable patients reported complete recovery of tongue sensation. One patient experienced tongue paraesthesia persisting until one year post-tonsillectomy.Conclusion:Tonsillectomy resulted in altered tongue sensation in 28 per cent of our study group. Bipolar diathermy dissection was significantly more likely to cause altered sensation than cold steel dissection. Ninety-six per cent of these disturbances resolved by three months, all by one year. Possible alteration of tongue sensation should be discussed whilst obtaining consent for tonsillectomy.
Anxiety in middle adulthood: effects of age and time on the 14-year course of panic disorder, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: Ramsawh H. J. , Raffa S. D. , Edelen M. Orlando , Rende R. , Keller M. B. 
Published: July 2008

BackgroundMuch about the long-term course of anxiety disorders is unknown. The present study utilizes a naturalistic, longitudinal, short-interval follow-up design to elucidate the course of anxiety disorders over 14 years in a largely middle-aged adult sample recruited from out-patient psychiatry and primary care facilities.MethodThe sample consisted of 453 participants with a diagnosis of panic disorder (PD), social phobia (SP) and/or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Anxiety symptom ratings were tracked using weekly psychiatric status ratings (PSRs). Controlling for demographic and clinical variables, the course of PD, GAD and SP were examined using longitudinal growth models, with the most severe PSR at each follow-up point as the main outcome variable.ResultsPSRs significantly decreased in severity over time in each of the three disorders. In the interaction effects models, age×time had a significant effect on course for PD and GAD, but not for SP, in that older age was associated with lower PSRs over time.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that the severity of anxiety disorders declines over time, although this decline is modest and depends on the specific disorder being assessed. Older individuals with PD and GAD have a better prognosis than their younger counterparts, as their course is characterized by a steeper decline in severity. The present findings provide important information about the course of anxiety disorders in mid-life.
Cognitive impairment in unipolar depression is persistent and non-specific: further evidence for the final common pathway disorder hypothesis
Authors: Reppermund S. , Ising M. , Lucae S. , Zihl J. 
Published: July 2008

BackgroundCognitive performance is often impaired in depression, and these impairments can persist even after remission from psychopathological symptoms. However, it is still unclear whether cognitive dysfunction is associated with psychopathological symptoms or represents a genuine disorder. This study examined cognitive performance in acute depression, after remission, and 6 months after remission in order to determine the nature and specificity of cognitive dysfunction as well as its relevance for the further course of depression.MethodAssessments of cognitive function and psychopathology were carried out on admission and prior to discharge in 53 in-patients with unipolar depression. Twenty patients were retested 6 months after discharge. To correct for practice effects, 13 healthy subjects were included and assessed twice with the same cognitive tests.ResultsIn acute depression, we found impairments of information processing/attention, memory, and executive functions. Cognitive impairments remained in a high proportion of patients, even after remission of psychopathological symptoms. After correcting for practice effects, a significant improvement was observed only for some tests of executive functioning. Severity of depression was only weakly correlated with one single cognitive measure, indicating that psychopathological and neuropsychological symptoms are dissociable. Furthermore, we found no evidence for specific cognitive dysfunction.ConclusionsOur results support the hypothesis that cognitive impairments in depression are neither selective nor specific; they have trait-like features and are, therefore, not merely an epiphenomenon of depression. Whether or not cognitive dysfunction is a prognostic marker for the course of depression remains still an open issue.
The Power of the International Court of Justice to Indicate Provisional Measures to Prevent the Aggravation of a Dispute
Authors: PALCHETTI PAOLO 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThe article aims at examining, in the light of the practice of the International Court of Justice, some issues concerning the power of the Court to indicate provisional measures to prevent the aggravation or extension of a dispute. While the existence of a power to indicate non-aggravation measures appears to be well established in the Court's case law, the scope of this power has proved to be a more controversial issue. This study argues that, by attaching relevance to the element of aggravation, the Court has been able to indicate measures that are not strictly needed to prevent a risk of irreparable harm but which at any rate contribute to a greater protection of the rights of the parties; at the same time, however, the Court has so far refrained from regarding the risk of aggravation as a circumstance which may justify a less stringent evaluation of the other conditions that normally need to be satisfied for the granting of interim protection under Article 41 of the ICJ Statute.
Resolution of International Disputes: The Role of the Permanent Court of Arbitration – Reflections on the Centenary of the 1907 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes
Authors: VAN DEN HOUT TJACO T. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThe Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) was established at the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899. During the past decade the PCA has progressed from a period of relative inactivity to a previously unsurpassed caseload. In this article the Secretary-General of the PCA reflects on the creation and early development of the PCA, before giving a detailed overview of recent arbitrations conducted under PCA auspices. The first part of this review, concerning treaty-based arbitration, analyses the role of the PCA in the resolution of disputes under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, illustrated by the arbitrations conducted in the Guyana/Suriname, Barbados/Trinidad, Malaysia/Singapore, and Ireland/United Kingdom (MOX Plant) disputes. The second part, which focuses on ad hoc arbitration, outlines the recently concluded arbitrations in the Iron Rhine (Belgium/Netherlands) and Eritrea/Yemen cases, as well as the work of the Eritrea–Ethiopia Boundary Commission and Claims Commission.
What Happens to the Acquitted?
Authors: HELLER KEVIN JON 
Published: July 2008

AbstractAccording to the ICTR, Emmanuel Bagambiki is an innocent man. The trial chamber and the Appeals Chamber have each unanimously acquitted the former Prefect of Cyangugu of crimes relating to Rwanda's horrific 1994 genocide. And on 19 July 2007 Bagambiki was reunited with his wife in children in Belgium, having been granted asylum a few days earlier. It is tempting to conclude that justice has been done in Bagambiki's case. That conclusion, however, would be too facile: Bagambiki was acquitted in February 2006, nearly 18 months before his family reunion. In the interim he lived in a safe house in Arusha paid for by the United Nations, wanted by Rwanda for trial on related charges and unable to convince Belgium that he posed no danger to its peace and security. Bagambiki, moreover, is one of the lucky ones: the nightmare of being free but having nowhere to go continues for two of his acquitted roommates in the safe house, Andre Ntagerura and Andre Rwamakuba, Rwanda's Minister of Transport and former Minister of Education respectively. Bagambiki's ordeal and Rwamakuba and Ntagerura's ongoing plight illustrate one of the basic problems facing international criminal tribunals: what to do with the acquitted. An acquitted defendant normally has two options: return to his country of origin, or find a third country that will grant him asylum. Both options, however, have been problematic for defendants acquitted by the ICTR and are likely to prove equally problematic for defendants who may be acquitted in the future by the ICC. This short essay explains why – and identifies what the international community should do about it.
‘AmendedMost Serious Crimes’: A New Category of Core Crimes within the Jurisdiction but out of the Reach of the International Criminal Court?
Authors: CORACINI ASTRID REISINGER 
Published: July 2008

AbstractArticle 121(5) Rome Statute provides for a specific regime for amendments to Articles 5–8 of the Statute. Its final clause precludes the exercise of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over a crime covered by an amendment when committed by a national or on the territory of a state party which has not accepted the amendment. This provision has been understood as derogating from the Statute's general rules on jurisdiction. The present article argues that a stringent reading of the clause as well as a systematic and teleological approach warrant an alternative interpretation in conformity with the jurisdictional system of the Statute.
Osteoclast differentiation and function in aquaglyceroporin AQP9‐null mice
Authors: Liu Yangjian , Song Linhua , Wang Yiding , Rojek Aleksandra , Nielsen Søren , Agre Peter , Carbrey Jennifer M. 
Published: July 2008

Background information. Osteoclasts are cells specialized for bone resorption and play important roles in bone growth and calcium homoeostasis. Differentiation of osteoclasts involves fusion of bone marrow macrophage mononuclear precursors in response to extracellular signals. A dramatic increase in osteoclast cell volume occurs during osteoclast biogenesis and is believed to be mediated by AQP9 (aquaporin 9), a membrane protein that can rapidly transport water and other small neutral solutes across cell membranes.Results. In the present study we report an increase in expression of AQP9 during differentiation of a mouse macrophage cell line into osteoclasts. Bone marrow macrophages from wild‐type and AQP9‐null mice differentiate into osteoclasts that have similar morphology, contain comparable numbers of nuclei, and digest synthetic bone to the same extent. Bones from wild‐type and AQP9‐null mice contain similar numbers of osteoclasts and have comparable density and structure as measured by X‐ray absorptiometry and microcomputed tomography.Conclusions. Our results confirm that AQP9 expression rises during osteoclast biogenesis, but indicate that AQP9 is not essential for osteoclast function or differentiation under normal physiological conditions.
Functional Dysphonia During Mental Imagery: Testing the Trait Theory of Voice Disorders
Authors: van Mersbergen Miriam , Patrick Christopher , Glaze Leslie 
Published: July 2008

PurposePrevious research has proposed that persons with functional dysphonia (FD) present with temperamental traits that predispose them to their voice disorder. We investigated this theory in a controlled experiment and compared them with social anxiety (SA) and healthy control (HC) groups.MethodTwelve participants with FD, 19 participants with SA, and 23 HC participants were studied before, during, and after mental imagery of positive, neutral, and aversive scripts in a within-subject reversal paradigm with multiple experimental conditions using psychometric, self-report, and psychophysiological measures.ResultsIn psychometric tests, those with FD demonstrated increased fear in social situations but not increased avoidance. On measures of mood, all groups responded with predicted increases in pleasant mood for positive scripts and unpleasant mood for aversive scripts; on vocal effort ratings, those with FD reported greater effort for all scripts following imagery. Under experimentally controlled conditions, the SA and HC groups demonstrated predicted activation of EMG measures of mood, whereas the FD group demonstrated overall reduced activation of EMG measures.ConclusionResults may suggest that those with FD respond to emotional stimuli with reduced behavioral expression, compared with SA and HC groups, consistent with the temperamental trait of behavioral constraint.
Ventilation and Speech Characteristics During Submaximal Aerobic Exercise
Authors: Baker Susan E. , Hipp Jenny , Alessio Helaine 
Published: July 2008

Purpose
This study examined alterations in ventilation and speech characteristics as well as perceived dyspnea during submaximal aerobic exercise tasks.

Method

Twelve healthy participants completed aerobic exercise-only and simultaneous speaking and aerobic exercise tasks at 50% and 75% of their maximum oxygen consumption (VO
2
max). Measures of ventilation, oxygen consumption, heart rate, perceived dyspnea, syllables per phrase, articulation rate, and inappropriate linguistic pause placements were obtained at baseline and throughout the experimental tasks.

Results
Ventilation was significantly lower during the speaking tasks compared with the nonspeaking tasks. Oxygen consumption, however, did not significantly differ between speaking and nonspeaking tasks. The perception of dyspnea was significantly higher during the speaking tasks compared with the nonspeaking tasks. All speech parameters were significantly altered over time at both task intensities.

Conclusions
It is speculated that decreased ventilation without a reduction in oxygen consumption implies that utilization of oxygen by the working muscles was increased during the speaking tasks to meet the metabolic needs. A greater ability to utilize oxygen from inspired air is found in individuals who are at higher fitness levels, and therefore these findings may have implications for individuals who must complete simultaneous speech and exercise for occupational purposes (e.g., fitness/military drill instructors, singers performing choreography).
Measurement of Phonated Intervals During Four Fluency-Inducing Conditions
Authors: Davidow Jason H. , Bothe Anne K. , Andreatta Richard D. , Ye Jun 
Published: July 2008

Purpose
Previous investigations of persons who stutter have demonstrated changes in vocalization variables during fluency-inducing conditions (FICs). A series of studies has also shown that a reduction in short intervals of phonation, those from 30 to 200 ms, is associated with decreased stuttering. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to test the hypothesis that the distribution of phonated intervals (PIs) should change during 4 of the most well-known FICs.

Method
A repeated-measures design was used to explore the relationship between PIs and stuttering during 4 FICs: chorus reading, prolonged speech, singing, and rhythmic stimulation. Most conditions were conducted at 2 different speech rates. The distribution of PIs was measured during these conditions and was compared with PI distributions obtained during control conditions.

Results
Overall PI distributions were significantly different during all 4 FICs, as compared with control conditions. PIs in the range of 30–150 ms were reduced across all FICs, at all speech rates.

Conclusion
These results provide further evidence of the importance of phonation variables to (a) our understanding of how FICs may operate and (b) the treatment of stuttering. These findings, along with previous studies that showed how purposefully reducing the number of short PIs resulted in the elimination of stuttering, suggest that treatment programs based on prolonged speech—or PIs, in particular—may benefit from emphasizing a reduction in the number of short PIs and a simultaneous increase in the number of longer PIs.
Stimulus, Task, and Learning Effects on Measures of Temporal Resolution: Implications for Predictors of Language Outcome
Authors: Smith Nicholas A. , Trainor Laurel J. , Gray Kellie , Plantinga Judy A. , Shore David I. 
Published: July 2008

PurposeSome studies find that temporal processing ability predicts language outcome whereas other studies do not. Resolution of this debate is hindered by the variety of temporal measures used, nonsensory loading of the tasks, and differential amounts of practice across studies. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of stimulus properties, experimental task, and perceptual learning on listeners' gap detection performance.MethodGap detection thresholds were obtained from adults with normal hearing and language ability. The effects of marker frequency similarity and marker duration on thresholds were examined in yes-no, two-interval forced-choice (2IFC), and dual-pair comparison tasks (which vary in nonsensory loading) over 4 days of testing.ResultsThresholds were highest for gaps defined by markers with disparate frequencies (1000 and 4000 Hz; i.e., between-channel gap detection), and with longer (300 ms) trailing markers, obtained using yes-no and 2IFC tasks. However, these effects were attenuated with training or the initial use of the dual-pair comparison task.ConclusionsThese results suggest that gap detection thresholds reflect a variety of sensory and nonsensory factors. Understanding these underlying factors is critical to any evaluation of the relation between temporal processing and language outcome.
An Experimental Clinical Trial of a Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Package for Chronic Stuttering
Authors: Menzies Ross G. , O’Brian Sue , Onslow Mark , Packman Ann , St Clare Tamsen , Block Susan 
Published: July 2008

Purpose
The aims of the present study were to (a) examine the rate of social phobia among adults who stutter, (b) study the effects of speech restructuring treatment on social anxiety, and (c) study the effects on anxiety and stuttering of a cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) package for social anxiety.

Method
Thirty-two adults with chronic stuttering were randomly allocated to receive either speech restructuring following a CBT package for social anxiety or speech restructuring alone. Data were obtained on a variety of speech and psychological measures at pre-treatment, post-CBT, post–speech restructuring, and 12 months follow-up.

Results
Sixty percent of our cohort were diagnosed with social phobia. Speech restructuring treatment alone had no impact on the social phobia of our cohort at 12 months follow-up. At follow-up, participants who had received CBT showed no social phobia and greater improvements than control participants on a range of psychological measures of anxiety and avoidance. However, the CBT package made no difference to the speech outcomes of those with social phobia.

Conclusion
The CBT treatment was associated with significant and sustained improvements in psychological functioning but did not improve fluency.