bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corneal tattooing to mask subsequent opacification after amniotic membrane grafting for stromal corneal ulcer
Authors: Lee Ji‐Eun , Jun Jong Bae , Choi Hee Young , Oum Boo Sup , Lee Jong Soo 
Published: June 2006

Abstract.Purpose:  We aimed to report on the cosmetic efficacy of corneal tattooing using India ink for resolving corneal opacities resulting from amniotic membrane grafting carried out to promote corneal wound healing in stromal corneal ulcers.Methods:  Amniotic membrane grafting of corneal ulcers was carried out in three patients. After corneal re‐epithelialization, a 30‐gauge needle filled with India ink was placed into the amniotic membrane space located between the regenerated corneal epithelium and the stromal bed. The ink was then carefully injected.Results:  The cornea was successfully stained with India ink in all cases. There were no significant complications during the mean follow‐up period of 17 months. All the patients were satisfied with the corneal staining.Conclusion:  When a corneal opacity occurs after an amniotic membrane graft for stromal corneal ulcer, corneal tattooing by intrastromal injection of India ink into the amniotic membrane space may be a very useful method of achieving a good cosmetic result.
Which factors affect the costs of psychiatric residential care? Findings from the Italian PROGRES study
Authors: Amaddeo F. , Grigoletti L. , De Girolamo G. , Picardi A. , Santone G. ,   the PROGRES Study Group
Published: June 2006

Objective:  In the latest years, mental hospitals have gradually been replaced by a community‐based network of facilities, including non‐hospital residential facilities (RFs). Little information is still available about their costs. Our aims were to estimate the costs of Italian RFs and to evaluate which factors affect the cost of RFs and their patients.Method:  A representative sample of 265 Italian RFs, hosting 2962 patients, was selected for the study. RFs costs and costs of psychiatric, medical and informal care were estimated.Results:  Patients in RFs cost between 7851 and 34 650 US$ per year; to this amount, it should be added from 2032 to 4702 US$ per year for the community psychiatric services (CPS). Significant differences were found by facility type, geographical areas, number of beds and age and diagnosis. About 45% of the variability for RF costs and 19% for CPS costs was explained by the regression models.Conclusion:  The results can be useful to inform service planning and resource allocation.
Health behavior in psychiatric in‐patients compared with a German general population sample
Authors: Kilian R. , Becker T. , Krüger K. , Schmid S. , Frasch K. 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  To compare the health relevant behavior of psychiatric patients and the general population.Method:  Health behavior of 363 psychiatric in‐patients with ICD‐10 diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, major depressive disorders and neurotic, and somatoform disorders was compared with health behavior of a representative sample of 7200 persons from German general population.Results:  Increased prevalence rates for smoking and illicit drug use were found for all diagnostic groups. Risk alcohol consumption was increased in patients with schizophrenia and depression. Smokers with schizophrenia had an excess cigarette consumption compared with general population. The number of unhealthy food habits was increased in all diagnostic groups, and the body mass index was found to be increased for patients with schizophrenia. Patients with depression were more physically active than general population.Conclusion:  Poor health behavior is widespread in patients with all major psychiatric diagnoses. Interventions to reduce risk behavior and strengthen health preventive lifestyles are necessary.
Economic costs of minor depression: a population‐based study
Authors: Cuijpers P. , Smit F. , Oostenbrink J. , De Graaf R. , Ten Have M. , Beekman A. 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  Although the clinical relevance of minor depression has been demonstrated in many studies, the economic costs are not well explored. In this study, we examine the economic costs of minor depression.Method:  In a large‐scale, population‐based study in the Netherlands (n = 5504) the costs of minor depression were compared with the costs of major depression and dysthymia. Excess costs, i.e. the costs of a disorder over and above the costs attributable to other illnesses, were estimated with help of regression analysis. The direct medical costs, the direct non‐medical costs and the indirect non‐medical costs were calculated. The year 2003 was used as the reference year.Results:  The annual per capita excess costs of minor depression were US$ 2141 (95% CI = 753–3529) higher than the base rate costs of US$ 1023, while the costs of major depression were US$ 3313 (95% CI = 1234–5390) higher than the base rate. The costs of minor depression per 1 million inhabitants were 160 million dollars per year, which is somewhat less than the costs of major depression (192 million dollars per year).Conclusion:  The economic costs associated with minor depression are considerable and approach those of major depression.
Violence from young women involuntarily admitted for severe drug abuse
Authors: Palmstierna T. , Olsson D. 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  To simultaneously evaluate actuarial and dynamic predictors of severe in‐patient violence among women involuntarily admitted for severe drug abuse.Method:  All patients admitted to special facilities for involuntary treatment of absconding‐prone, previously violent, drug abusing women in Sweden were assessed with the Staff Observation Aggression Scale, revised. Actuarial data on risk factors for violence were collected and considered in an extended Cox proportional hazards model with multiple events and daily assessments of the Broset Violence Checklist as time‐dependent covariates.Results:  Low‐grade violence and being influenced by illicit drugs were the best predictors of severe violence within 24 h. Significant differences in risk for violence between different institutions were also found.Conclusion:  In‐patient violence risk is rapidly varying over time with being influenced by illicit drugs and exhibiting low‐grade violence being significant dynamic predictors. Differences in violence between patients could not be explained by patient characteristics.
Parietal white matter abnormalities in obsessive–compulsive disorder: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 3‐Tesla
Authors: Kitamura H. , Shioiri T. , Kimura T. , Ohkubo M. , Nakada T. , Someya T. 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  To identify a neurochemical basis for the hypothesis that an aberrant cortico‐subcortical circuit underlies obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The white matter was also investigated because of recent research which suggests the altered connectivity of axons.Method:  Using 3‐Tesla magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the relative concentrations of N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) and choline‐containing compounds (Cho) to creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) were measured in the anterior cingulate, basal ganglia, thalamus, frontal and parietal white matter of 12 OCD patients, and 32 control subjects.Results:  The mean concentration of Cho/Cr was significantly higher in the patients than in the controls, but only in the parietal white matter, while no significant group differences in NAA/Cr were observed in any of the brain regions. Parietal Cho/Cr correlated positively with the severity of OCD symptoms.Conclusion:  This finding provides indirect evidence for the parietal white matter involvement in OCD, thus suggesting a change in the phospholipids of myelinated axons and/or glia cells.
Is the dementia rate increasing in Beijing? Prevalence and incidence of dementia 10 years later in an urban elderly population
Authors: Li S. , Yan F. , Li G. , Chen C. , Zhang W. , Liu J. , Jia X. , Shen Y. 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  To examine the time trend of dementia morbidity over the past decade in Beijing, China.Method:  In 1997, 1593 community‐dwelling elderly aged 60+ years were examined and followed‐up over 2‐years to identify incident dementia. A similar cohort study of dementia conducted in the same district 10 years prior was used as historical comparison to examine the time trend of dementia incidence.Results:  Forty prevalent dementia cases were identified at the initial examination for a prevalence of 2.51% (95% CI: 1.74–3.28) and 25 incident cases were identified at the follow‐up visit for an incidence of 0.90% (0.55–1.25) among residents aged 60+ years. Alzheimer's dementia (AD) was the most common type of dementia in both prevalent and incident cases.Conclusion:  The prevalence and incidence rates of dementia in Beijing were slightly higher than those 10 years ago, which was partly because of population aging. AD became the most common subtype of dementia.
Expression pattern of adhesion molecules in junctional epithelium differs from that in other gingival epithelia
Authors: Hatakeyama S. , Yaegashi T. , Oikawa Y. , Fujiwara H. , Mikami T. , Takeda Y. , Satoh M. 
Published: June 2006

Background and Objective:  The gingival epithelium is the physiologically important interface between the bacterially colonized gingival sulcus and periodontal soft and mineralized connective tissues, requiring protection from exposure to bacteria and their products. However, of the three epithelia comprising the gingival epithelium, the junctional epithelium has much wider intercellular spaces than the sulcular epithelium and oral gingival epithelium. Hence, the aim of the present study was to characterize the cell adhesion structure in the junctional epithelium compared with the other two epithelia.Material and Methods:  Gingival epithelia excised at therapeutic flap surgery from patients with periodontitis were examined for expression of adhesion molecules by immunofluorescence.Results:  In the oral gingival epithelium and sulcular epithelium, but not in the junctional epithelium, desmoglein 1 and 2 in cell–cell contact sites were more abundant in the upper than the suprabasal layers. E‐cadherin, the main transmembranous molecule of adherens junctions, was present in spinous layers of the oral gingival epithelium and sulcular epithelium, but was scarce in the junctional epithelium. In contrast, desmoglein 3 and P‐cadherin were present in all layers of the junctional epithelium as well as the oral gingival epithelium and sulcular epithelium. Connexin 43 was clearly localized to spinous layers of the oral gingival epithelium, sulcular epithelium and parts of the junctional epithelium. Claudin‐1 and occludin were expressed in the cell membranes of a few superficial layers of the oral gingival epithelium.Conclusion:  These findings indicated that the junctional epithelium contains only a few desmosomes, composed of only desmoglein 3; adherens junctions are probably absent because of defective E‐cadherin. Thus, the anchoring junctions connecting junctional epithelium cells are lax, causing widened intercellular spaces. In contrast, the oral gingival epithelium, which has a few tight junctions, functions as a barrier.
Identification of genes related to mechanical stress in human periodontal ligament cells using microarray analysis
Authors: De Araujo R. M. S. , Oba Y. , Moriyama K. 
Published: June 2006

Background and Objective:  Differential expression of genes in human periodontal ligament (PDL) under mechanical stress, such as orthodontic force, is thought to be involved in the remodeling of PDL cells and periodontal tissues. However, little is known about the genes expressed in PDL cells under mechanical stress.Material and Methods:  We employed microarray analysis to assess, in a comprehensive manner, the gene expression profiles in PDL cells compressed by a static force using an in vitro three‐dimensional culture system. Six genes were selected and validated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis, consistent with the microarray data.Results:  The microarray data revealed that 108 of 30,000 genes tested were differentially expressed by mechanical force loading. Among them, 85 genes were up‐regulated by mechanical stress, while 23 genes were down‐regulated, judging by the thresholds of a two‐fold increase/decrease compared with the controls. Thirty‐two of the up‐regulated and eight of the down‐regulated genes, well‐characterized in protein function, were involved in numerous biological processes including cell communication, cell signaling, cell cycle, stress response, and calcium release. However, several genes differentially expressed in our microarray data have not been well defined as stress‐response molecules.Conclusion:  Our microarray is the first to show the gene profile in PDL cells caused by mechanical stress; however, further studies to clarify the physiological function of these molecules in PDL cells are required.
Spatial and velocity clumping in a Sloan Digital Sky Survey blue horizontal branch star catalogue
Authors: Clewley L. , Kinman T. D. 
Published: June 2006

Abstract
We present evidence for eight new clumps of blue horizontal branch stars discovered in a catalogue of these stars compiled from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by Sirko et al. and published in 2004. Clumps are identified by selecting pairs of stars separated by distances ⩽2 kpc and with differences in galactocentric radial velocities &lt;25 km s−1. Each clump contains four or more stars. Four of the clumps have supporting evidence: two of them also contain overdensities of RR Lyrae stars which makes their reality very likely. At least one of the clumps is likely to be associated with the tidal debris of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We emphasize that more accurate observations of the radial velocities or proper motions of the stars in the clumps, as well as the identification of other halo stars in these regions, are required to establish the reality of the remaining clumps.
Significance of activated mast cells in submucosa and muscularis propria of patients with Crohn's disease detected by a novel antimast cell surface molecule antibody
Authors: OSHITANI N. , KAMATA N. , INAGAWA M. , YAMAGAMI H. , WATANABE K. , FUJIWARA Y. , HIGUCHI K. , ARAKAWA T. , OKADA T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundDegranulated mast cells may be missed by histochemical and immunohistological techniques, making the histological assessment of activated mast cells difficult.AimTo use a novel mast cell surface antigen 1 (MASA‐1) to detect activated mast cells.MethodsSurgical samples of human intestine were obtained from 15 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 14 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 11 controls. Frozen sections were cut and MASA‐1 was detected and quantified by enzyme immunohistology. Immunohistological double staining with anti‐MASA‐1 and either anti‐CD68 or anti‐c‐Kit antibody was also performed.ResultsThe number of MASA‐1‐positive cells was significantly higher in the submucosal layer and muscularis propria in patients with CD than in patients with UC or controls. The number of MASA‐1‐positive cells was significantly higher in the muscularis propria in patients with UC in highly inflamed colon compared with controls and less inflamed colon. Human intestinal MASA‐1‐positive cells are not from the macrophage lineage and showed heterogeneous expression of c‐Kit.ConclusionThe increased number of mast cells in the submucosa and muscularis propria in patients with CD suggests that the involvement of activated mast cells in transmural inflammatory responses possibly including tissue remodelling.
Correlation of serum pepsinogen with histological atrophy following successful Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: KAWAI T. , KAWAKAMI K. , KATAOKA M. , TAKEI K. , TAIRA S. , ITOI T. , MORIYASU F. , TAKAGI Y. , AOKI T. , SERIZAWA H. , RIMBARA E. , NOGUCHI N. , SASATSU M. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundLevels of pepsinogen have been reported to correlate with the degree of gastric atrophy in Helicobacter pylori‐infected gastric mucosa.AimTo investigate the relationship between PG levels and histological atrophy before and after H. pylori eradication.MethodsEradication therapy was conducted on 180 H. pylori‐positive patients with upper gastrointestinal conditions. Endoscopy was performed prior to and at 2, 12 and 24 months after successful eradication therapy. Histological findings were scored using the updated Sydney System in the antrum and the corpus of the stomach. Pepsinogen was measured.ResultsPepsinogen I levels dropped significantly at 2 months after the eradication. By 12 months and 24 months post‐eradication they had risen again. Histological improvement was seen in atrophy at all sites at 24 months after the eradication. A significant correlation between atrophy and pepsinogen I was seen from prior to eradication. The correlation coefficient was greater at 2 months post‐eradication, decreased again at 12 months and was no longer significant at 24 months.ConclusionsOur results suggest that pepsinogen levels correlate with the degree of gastric mucosal atrophy prior to and soon after successful eradication therapy, but that the degree of correlation subsequently declines over time.
Changes in biochemical parameters related to atherosclerosis after Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: ANDO T. , MINAMI M. , ISHIGURO K. , MAEDA O. , WATANABE O. , MIZUNO T. , FUJITA T. , TAKAHASHI H. , NOSHIRO M. , GOTO H. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundRecent evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection is involved in the pathogenesis of extra‐gastrointestinal diseases such as coronary heart disease.AimTo determine the association of H. pylori infection with biochemical parameters of atherosclerosis in the serum.MethodsOne hundred and fifty‐nine patients with H. pylori‐positive peptic ulcer (duodenal ulcer, n=89; gastric ulcer, n=70) receiving triple therapy were studied prospectively for up to 3 years for clinical parameters associated with inflammation and cardiovascular events. Blood was tested at the time of annual check‐up.ResultsEradication was successful in 137 patients (86%), and body weight, body mass index (BMI) and TG levels increased gradually each year. No significant hanges were seen in plasma levels of total cholesterol, interleukin‐6 or interleukin‐8, whereas those of HDL‐C increased significantly, and those of C‐reactive protein, fibrinogen and LDL‐C decreased.ConclusionThere is evidence for the possible implication of H. pylori infection in the etiology of cardiovascular events via its exacerbation of or influence on risk factors of atherogenesis.
Infliximab regulates lamina propria T lymphocytes in patients with Crohn's disease
Authors: WATANABE O. , ANDO T. , FURUTA R. , MAEDA O. , ISHIGURO K. , TAKAHASHI H. , INA K. , KUSUGAMI K. , GOTO H. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackground and AimsThe immune system is a major determinant of the pathophysiological inflammation, which may lead to gastrointestinal mucosal injury in patients with Crohn's disease. Cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor‐alpha are well‐known mediators of the immune system, and treatment with a chimeric anti‐tumour necrosis factor‐alpha antibody (infliximab) has been shown to be highly effective in patients with Crohn's disease. Recent evidence indicates that infliximab induces apoptosis in lamina propria T lymphocytes in these patients. To better understand the mechanisms of infliximab's effect on gastrointestinal inflammation, we investigated changes in the serum level of cytokines after treatment in these patients, and the effect of infliximab in inducing the apoptosis of T lymphocytes.MethodsThirteen patients with Crohn's disease were treated with infliximab at a dosage of 5‐mg/kg body weight. Clinical response was evaluated using the Crohn's Disease Activity Index, and serum soluble interleukin‐2 receptor, interleukin‐6, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha levels were analysed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay at 0 and 2 weeks after treatment. Apoptosis of peripheral and lamina propria T lymphocytes after culture with infliximab was detected by flow cytometry.ResultsCrohn's Disease Activity Index decreased in 12 of 13 patients, and serum soluble interleukin‐2 receptor, interleukin‐6 and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha levels decreased in most patients after treatment with infliximab. Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha level before treatment in the six patients in whom Crohn's Disease Activity Index decreased by more than 70 was <5 ng/mL. Infliximab induced the apoptosis of lamina propria but not of peripheral T lymphocytes.ConclusionThese findings suggest that a low level of serum tumour necrosis factor‐alpha is an indicator for infliximab treatment. The induction of apoptosis of lamina propria T lymphocytes by infliximab may be an important mechanism of its anti‐inflammatory effect in patients with Crohn's disease.
Could frameshift mutations in the frxA and rdxA genes of Helicobacter pylori be a marker for metronidazole resistance?
Authors: MASAOKA T. , SUZUKI H. , KURABAYASHI K. , NOMOTO Y. , NISHIZAWA T. , MORI M. , HIBI T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundAlthough resistance of Helicobacter pylori to metronidazole had been reported to be associated with mutations in the rdxA or the frxA gene, recent studies have indicated that they may contribute little to metronidazole resistance.AimTo clarify the roles of these genes in metronidazole resistance, we examined them in strains that were not eradicated by first‐line eradication therapy.Patients and methodsA total of 132 patients (92 males, 40 females, average age: 53.8 years old) who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy after unsuccessful first‐line H. pylori eradication were enrolled. Antibiotic susceptibility to metronidazole was investigated using the agar dilution method. The H. pylorirdxA and frxA genes were then sequenced.ResultsIn the metronidazole‐resistant strains, the sensitivity of detection of frameshift mutations in the rdxA gene was 44%. A significant association between the presence of frameshift mutations in the rdxA gene and resistance to metronidazole was observed. No significant association between frameshift mutations in the frxA gene and resistance to metronidazole was observed.ConclusionMutation in the rdxA gene was sufficient, but not necessary to confer resistance to metronidazole in H. pylori. Mutation in the frxA gene was not necessary for resistance to metronidazole in H. pylori.
Intravenous ghrelin administration enhances gastric acid secretion – evaluation using wireless pH capsule
Authors: MORI M. , SUZUKI H. , MASAOKA T. , IMAEDA H. , NOMOTO Y. , HOSODA H. , NISHIZAWA T. , KANGAWA K. , HIBI T. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackgroundGhrelin, a recently discovered peptide hormone, has been shown to be produced mainly by the A‐like cells of the gastric mucosa. Ghrelin not only stimulates growth hormone (GH) release but also promotes gastric motility. While the effect of ghrelin on the gastric acid secretion in rats has been reported, no such reports appeared to date from studies in humans.AimTo investigate the effect of ghrelin administration on the gastric pH in humans, using a novel wireless pH capsule (Bravo, Medtronic, Shoreview, MN, USA).MethodsFour healthy volunteers (male; average age, 35.0 years; Helicobacter pylori‐negative) were enrolled. The pH capsule was attached endoscopically to the gastric mucosa and the data were transmitted to a portable receiver. Thirty minutes after a stabilization period, synthetic ghrelin (5 μg/kg body weight) was injected intravenously into the subjects and the data were monitored for more than 120 min while the subjects lay supine.ResultsThe average minimum gastric pH in four cases (1.2 ± 0.10) was significantly decreased after injection of ghrelin, as compared with the basal pH value (1.8 ± 0.06). The serum gastrin level, however, showed no change after the ghrelin injection.ConclusionThese results suggest that exogenous ghrelin could enhance gastric acid secretion in humans.