bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
JUVENILE BEHÇET'S DISEASE AMONG 1784 TURKISH BEHÇET'S PATIENTS
Authors: SAIUCA RIFKIYE , AZIZLERLI GULSEVIM , KÖSE AFET , DlŞÇI RIAN , OVUL CANDAN , KURAL ZEKIYE 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background. Behçet's disease is a chronic, relapsing disease, about which information on its clinical course in juveniles is only available from small groups of patients. Materials and Methods. Patients suffering from Behçet's disease who had their first lesion at or before the age of 16 were evaluated in terms of: age at onset, mucocutaneous signs, and findings related to systemic involvement. Ninety‐five patients, evaluated as having juvenile Behçet's disease (JBD), were detected among 1784 Turkish Behçet's patients. The mean age of these 95 patients (51 boys or men, 44 girls or women) who had JBD was 26.8 ± 7.1 years. Results. The difference between sexes in terms of age at onset, development period of second lesions, and systemic involvement was not found to be significant in JBD. Patients were divided into two groups, one showing severe disease (N = 27) and the other mild disease (N = 68). There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, age at onset, and sex distribution. The interval between the development of the first and second lesions was shorter in the patient group with severe disease (P < 0.001) and the development of second lesion was most frequently seen in the first 5 years (P < 0.05). Systemic involvement developed also in a shorter time in the group with the severe disease (P < 0.01) and was most frequently encountered during the first 5 years (P < 0.05). Conversely, patients with the mild disease developed systemic involvement more frequently after 6 years or later. Conclusions. Severe Behçet's disease in children and juveniles shows no age or sex predilection, but leads to an earlier recurrence and more severe systemic signs than the mild form.
THE COST OF TREATING GENITAL WARTS
Authors: STRAUSS MICHAEL J. , KHANNA VIKRAM , KOENIG JACQUELINE D. , DOWNS STEPHEN M. , GOLDBERG STEVEN H. , MANYAK MICHAEL J. , PATSNER BRUCE 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background. Genital warts is a common sexually transmitted disease treated by a variety of medical specialists. Standard therapies offer symptomatic relief but cannot ensure lasting remission. Using the clinical literature, claims databases, and a panel of experienced practitioners, the relative efficacy, cost, and cost effectiveness of five common treatments for genital warts were assessed in this study. Methods. We reviewed the clinical literature for the following genital wart therapies: podofilox, podophyllin, trichloroacetic acid, cryotherapy, and laser therapy, focusing on their relative efficacy. Physicians experienced in treating genital warts defined standard treatment protocols for men and women patients with moderate wart burdens. Using national claims data and protocols developed by physicians, we derived three economic models based on provider charges, third‐party payments, and a resource‐based relative value scale, respectively. Results. The literature review demonstrated highly variable success and recurrence rates among treatment methods and failed to show that one treatment provides consistently superior efficacy. In the economic models, treating women generally proved more costly than treating men per episode of care. This was due to the need for more extensive follow‐up visits in the treatment of women. Total costs were highest for cryotherapy and lowest for a patient‐applied therapy that reduced the need for follow‐up visits. Conclusions. Clinicians should consider both clinical and cost issues when choosing the appropriate treatment for patients with genital warts.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN JORDAN: 1983–1992
Authors: KHOURY SAMI , SALIBA ELIAS K. , OUMEISH OUMEISH Y. , TAWFIG MOHAMMED REDA 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background The extent of the problem of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Jordan during the decade 1983 to 1992 was investigated. Methods. Data were collected from the dermatology departments and the laboratories of the Royal Medical Services and the Ministry of Health as well as from private dermatologists. Two thousand two hundred and ninety‐five cases were verified of whom men represented 80%. The majority (80%) were < 25 years with the highest percentage (31%) occurring in the 16 to 20‐year age group. Results. The lowest number of cases was reported in June compared to the maximum in October, and the highest number recorded per year was 463 in 1992. For the decade, the Jordan Valley was the most important locality where 43% of the cases occurred.The incidence rate per 100,000 ranged from 1.89 in 1989 to 14.39 in 1984 and the period prevalence for the decade was 5.36 per 100,000. The time‐lag between the appearance of a lesion and the first diagnosis extended from 0 to 23 months with the average being 2 months. The number of lesions per patient ranged from one to 45; 24% were located on the face, 28% on the upper extremity, 36% on the lower extremity, and 12% on other sites. Conclusions. The factors that contributed to the findings include infected rodent, nonexposed army recruits and farm workers, land reclamatory and relaxation of preventative measures.
TREATMENT OF SKIN AGING WITH TOPICAL ESTROGENS
Authors: SCHMIDT JOLANTA B. , BINDER MARTINA , DEMSCHIK GABRIELE , BIEGLMAYER CHRISTIAN , REINER ANGELIKA 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background. The coincidence of climacteric symptoms and the beginning of skin aging suggests that estrogen deficiency may be a common and important factor in the perimenopausal woman. Often hormones have been considered important in endogenous aging of the skin, but their role has not been clearly defined. Therefore, we investigated, whether topical treatment of the skin with estrogen could reverse some of the changes in the aging skin. Materials and Methods. The effects of 0.01% estradiol and 0.3% estriol compounds were compared in 59 preclimacteric women with skin aging symptoms. Monthly determinations of estrodiol (E2), follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), and prolactin (PRL) were done and the monthly clinical monitoring was supplemented by measurements of skin hydration by corneometry and profilometry. In 10 patients, skin biopsies were taken for immunohistochemical determination of collagen types I and III. Results. After treatment for 6 months, elasticity and firmness of the skin had markedly improved and the wrinkle depth and pore sizes had decreased by 61 to 100% in both groups. Furthermore, skin moisture had increased and the measurement of wrinkles using skin profilometry, revealed significant, or even highly significant, decreases of wrinkle depth in the estradiol and the estriol groups, respectively. On immunohistochemistry, significant increases of Type III collagen labeling were combined with increased numbers of collagen fibers at the end of the treatment period. As to hormone levels, only those of PRL had increased significantly and no systemic hormonal side effects were noted. Conclusion. Both estrogen compounds were found to be highly effective in preventing or treating skin aging in perimenopausal women, clinically, by measurement data, and by an increase in collagen Type III.
DETECTION OF SCLERODERMA WITH CAPILLAROSCOPIC ABNORMALITIES OF NAILFOLDS
Authors: MAEDA MANABU , ICHIKI YOSIRO , SHIKANO YUKIKO , MORI SHUNJI , KITAJIMA YASUO 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background. Systemic scleroderma is a problem in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Methods. Three hundred and thirty‐two men and 731 women over 30 years of age, who attended the residents’health examination in K town of Gifu Prefecture (population 4835 persons over 30 years of age) had a dermatologic examination. Antinuclear antibody was determined in 85 persons (14 men, 71 women; age 30 to 72 years) who had Raynaud's phenomenon or various clinical features related to systemic scleroderma. Of these 85 persons, 19 agreed to a capillaroscopic examination and of these, 16 showed some capillaroscopic abnormalities. Biopsy specimens of three women among these 16 individuals with capillaroscopic abnormalities were examined also histopathologically. Results. All samples taken from the forearm skins showed thick and packed bundles of collagen with hyalinization and thickened small blood vessels in the dermis, similar to histopathologic features of systemic scleroderma, although all these women had only a sausage‐like swelling of the fingers and a shortened frenulum of the tongue. These results suggest that the prevalence of systemic scleroderma can be estimated to affect more than 0.38% of the population in this town. Conclusions. Manual skills and vibration exposure may be associated with systemic scleroderma.
ELECTRON‐MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF SCLERODERMATOUS CHRONIC GRAFT‐VERSUS‐HOST DISEASE
Authors: TABATA HIDEYUKI , YAMAKAGE AKIO , YAMAZAKI SOJI 
Published: May 2007

Abstract Background. Sclerodermatous chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (SC‐GVHD) resembles systemic scleroderma (SSD) closely, both clinically and histologically. Our purpose was to try to define the morphologic differences of collagen fibers between SC‐GVHD and SSD. Materials and Methods. Using electron microscopy, we compared the morphology of collagen fibers in a 15‐year old girl with SC‐GVHD with those of three patients with SSD. Results. In SC‐GVHD, sclerosis is located in the superficial dermis and collagen fibers of irregular diameter are seen in the subepidermal area. In SSD, sclerosis is seen in the lower dermis and subcutaneous fatty tissue, and collagen fibers of irregular diameter are located in the deep dermis. Some of the collagen fibers were degenerative in the superficial dermis in SC‐GVHD. We observed low‐density, round structures in cross sections of collagen fibers. Conclusions. The difference in initial location and morphologic appearance of collagen fibers may indicate a different pathogenesis in SC‐GVHD compared to SSD.
When can host shifts produce congruent host and parasite phylogenies? A simulation approach
Authors: DE VIENNE D. M. , GIRAUD T. , SHYKOFF J. A. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractCongruence between host and parasite phylogenies is often taken as evidence for cospeciation. However, ‘pseudocospeciation’, resulting from host‐switches followed by parasite speciation, may also generate congruent trees. To investigate this process and the conditions favouring its appearance, we here simulated the adaptive radiation of a parasite onto a new range of hosts. A very high congruence between the host tree and the resulting parasite trees was obtained when parasites switched between closely related hosts. Setting a shorter time lag for speciation after switches between distantly related hosts further increased the degree of congruence. The shape of the host tree, however, had a strong impact, as no congruence could be obtained when starting with highly unbalanced host trees. The strong congruences obtained were erroneously interpreted as the result of cospeciations by commonly used phylogenetic software packages despite the fact that all speciations resulted from host‐switches in our model. These results highlight the importance of estimating the age of nodes in host and parasite phylogenies when testing for cospeciation and also demonstrate that the results obtained with software packages simulating evolutionary events must be interpreted with caution.
Maternal transmission of cytoplasmic DNA in interspecific hybrids of peat mosses, Sphagnum (Bryophyta)
Authors: NATCHEVA R. , CRONBERG N. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThe progeny of spontaneous interspecific hybrid sporophytes of Sphagnum were used to analyse the inheritance of cytoplasmic DNA. The analysis showed that only the female parent donated chloroplasts and mitochondria in Sphagnum hybrids. Thus, this is the first study demonstrating maternal cytoplasmic inheritance in a nonvascular land plant. This finding has important implications for phylogenetic reconstructions utilizing chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA sequences as well as for the evolution of cytoplasmic inheritance in relation to the life cycle of land plants.
Clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently detectable serum hepatitis B virus DNA during lamivudine therapy
Authors: Kim Ji H , Yu Sang K , Seo Yeon S , Yim Hyung J , Yeon Jong E , Park Jong J , Kim Jae S , Bak Young T , Lee Chang H , Byun Kwan S 
Published: May 2007

AbstractBackground and Aim:  A small proportion of chronic hepatitis B patients have persistently detectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA despite lamivudine therapy. The incidence and clinical outcomes of patients who persistently have detectable serum HBV‐DNA during lamivudine therapy was investigated.Method:  We enrolled 221 chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent lamivudine therapy for more than 6 months. Among them, 180 were HBeAg positive. Serum HBV‐DNA, HBeAg, anti‐HBe and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were serially monitored. The study groups were defined, using a hybridization assay, as patients with reductions in serum HBV‐DNA below the detectable level (group I) or patients with persistently detectable serum HBV‐DNA (group II) during the initial 6 months of lamivudine therapy.Results:  The incidence of patients who had persistently detectable HBV‐DNA was 7.7%. After the first year, the rates of viral breakthrough, HBeAg loss and serum ALT normalization of group I versus group II were 21% versus 63%, 38% versus 0%, and 71% versus 28%, respectively (P < 0.001). The log10 reduction of serum HBV‐DNA at 6 months was −4.58 log10 for group I and −1.97 log10 for group II (P < 0.001, bDNA assay). There were no pretreatment lamivudine‐resistant mutants in group II.Conclusion:  Lamivudine had little effect on serum HBV‐DNA suppression, viral breakthrough suppression and rate of HBeAg loss and ALT normalization in chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently detectable serum HBV‐DNA during the initial 6 months of therapy. Early termination of lamivudine therapy is advocated for these patients.
Differences between right‐ and left‐sided colon cancer in patient characteristics, cancer morphology and histology
Authors: Nawa Toru , Kato Jun , Kawamoto Hirofumi , Okada Hiroyuki , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Kohno Hiroyuki , Endo Hisayuki , Shiratori Yasushi 
Published: May 2007

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Recently, the clinical and biological differences between right‐ and left‐sided colon cancers have been widely debated. However, close analyses of these clinical differences, based on large‐scale studies, have been scarcely reported.Methods:  A total of 3552 consecutive Japanese colorectal cancer cases were examined and the clinical differences between right‐ and left‐sided colon cancer cases were investigated.Results:  The proportion of right‐sided colon cancer was relatively high in patients aged less than 40 years (33%) and more than 80 years (43%). The proportion of right‐sided colon cancer in patients aged 40–59 years was relatively low (male 22% and female 29%). In male patients the proportion increased in the 70‐79 years age group (30%), while in female patients the proportion increased in the 60‐69 years age group (39%). Right‐sided colon cancer was more likely to be detected at an advanced stage (T1 stage; left 22%, right 15%) (P < 0.01) with severe symptoms. Polypoid‐type early cancer was dominant in the left colon (left 59%; right 40%) (P < 0.01), while the proportion of flat‐type early cancer in the right colon was significantly higher than that in the left colon (left 25%; right 44%) (P < 0.01).Conclusions:  Specific age distribution of right‐sided colon cancer was observed and the difference between male and female patients was highlighted. Other clinical features also differed between right‐ and left‐sided colon cancer, suggesting that different mechanisms may be at work during right and left colon carcinogenesis.
Fine‐needle aspiration cytology to distinguish dysplasia from hepatocellular carcinoma with different grades
Authors: Lin Chen‐Chun , Lin Chun‐Jung , Hsu Chao‐Wei , Chen Yi‐Cheng , Chen Wei‐Ting , Lin Shi‐Ming 
Published: May 2007

AbstractBackground:  Distinguishing dysplasia from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is difficult. The aim of this study was to diagnose HCC and the distinction of liver cell dysplasia from HCC with different grades by interpreting and scoring the cyto‐morphological features.Methods:  Eighty‐three cirrhotic patients undertook a sonography‐guided FNA and subsequent needle biopsy for the tumor. HCC was confirmed in 68 cases and cirrhosis with dysplasia in 15 cases by pathology and follow‐up for longer than 2 years. Eighteen cytological features were scored as degree of one, two or three according to their presence or prominence.Results:  Two cases of well‐differentiated HCC were diagnosed as negative for HCC initially. The sensitivity, specificity, false positive, false negative and accuracy were 97%, 100%, 0%, 3% and 97.6% for FNA cytology in the diagnosis of HCC, respectively. The score of dysplasia was 20.8 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) and lower than 26.2 ± 3.4 in Edmondson's grade I HCC (P < 0.01), 28.9 ± 2.9 in grade II HCC (P < 0.01), and 34.9 ± 4.3 in grade III/IV HCC (P < 0.01). The score was also significantly lower in grade II HCC than in grade III/IV HCC (P < 0.01).Conclusions:  FNA yielded a high accuracy in the distinction of dysplasia from HCC with different grades. There is a good correlation in cyto‐morphological scores of liver cell dysplasia and HCC with different grades. Dysplasia displayed the lowest score and the score increased in order from dysplasia to grade III/IV HCC.
Increased expression of non‐interleukin‐2 T cell growth factors and their implications during liver allograft rejection in rats
Authors: Wang Wei‐Lin , Yao Min‐Ya , Jin Jing , Jia Chang‐Ku , Gao Liang‐Hui , Xie Hai‐Yang , Zheng Shu‐Sen 
Published: May 2007

AbstractBackground and Aim: Rejection remains a problem in the transplantation field. The aim of this study was to establish acute and chronic rejection models in rats and to investigate the roles of non‐interleukin (IL)‐2 T cell growth factors such as IL‐15, IL‐7 and IL‐13 during rejection.Methods: A liver transplant model was established using Dark Agouti and Brown Norway rats. The rats were divided into group A, left without treatment; group B, received cyclosporinee (1 mg/kg/day); and group C, cyclosporinee (4 mg/kg/day). Histopathological, reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction and western blot were performed in liver specimens obtained from different time‐points after transplantation in the three groups.Results: In group A, the livers showed irreversible acute cellular rejection with cell infiltration. In group B, chronic liver rejection was found, with graft infiltration, ductular damage or proliferation, obliterative arteriopathy and liver fibrosis. No apparent histological alterations were observed in group C. IL‐15, IL‐7 and IL‐13 messenger RNA and their protein were all highly expressed in the liver specimens of groups A and B. Upregulated expression was found in IL‐15 since the first day after transplantation and in IL‐7 and IL‐13 since day 6. The extent of IL‐15 upregulation was more than that of IL‐7 and IL‐13.Conclusions: Liver transplantation in Dark Agouti to Brown Norway rats with low‐dose immunosuppression can induce chronic rejection. In the process of acute and chronic allograft rejections, non‐IL‐2 T cell growth factors such as IL‐15, IL‐7 and IL‐13 play roles. Strategies should pay more attention to regulating these cytokines after liver transplantation.
Heat shock protein gene 70‐2 polymorphism is differentially associated with the clinical phenotypes of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
Authors: Nam Su Y , Kim Nayoung , Kim Joo S , Lim Sun H , Jung Hyun C , Song In S 
Published: May 2007

AbstractBackground and Aim:  A single nucleotide polymorphism in heat shock protein 70‐2 (HSP70‐2) has been shown to be associated with a severe clinical course in Crohn's disease (CD), but it is not known if such a relationship exists in ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of the present study was to identify associations between the HSP70‐2 polymorphism and the clinical courses of CD and UC in Koreans.Methods:  Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed for HSP70‐2 polymorphisms using the PstI‐cleavage site present in the B allele but not in the A allele of the DNA obtained from 101 patients with CD, 144 patients with UC, and 245 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Study subjects were classified by disease behavior, severity and extent of disease.Results:  In CD, multivariate analysis showed that the AA genotype of HSP70‐2 polymorphisms was associated with non‐perforating disease (OR 10.10, 95% CI 1.66–15.38) and male sex (OR 3.56, 95% CI 1.04–12.23), and that the BB genotype was associated with severe CD (OR 12.03, 95% CI 1.60–101.56). In contrast, multivariate analysis for UC showed that the AA genotype was associated with severe UC (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.34–3.03).Conclusions:  CD patients with BB genotype of HSP70‐2 polymorphism tend to experience a more severe clinical course and allele A is associated with more severe UC. HSP70‐2 polymorphism may be used to predict CD and UC phenotypes, which can illuminate immunological differences in CD and UC.
INTRUSIVE BURIAL GROUPS IN THE LATE ROMAN CEMETERY AT LANKHILLS, WINCHESTER—A REASSESSMENT OF THE EVIDENCE1
Authors: BALDWIN ROBERT 
Published: May 2007

SummaryThis paper examines the evidence brought forward by the excavator to support his hypothesis that foreign ethnic groups were buried in the late Roman cemetery at Lankhills, Winchester, and that these groups are identifiable from their burial rites. The report is reassessed within the pattern of diversity which is the demonstrable norm of burial practice worldwide. The value of strongly theoretical explanations of funerary layout is questioned in the light of case‐studies where historical sources add an otherwise unavailable dimension to the context of the known archaeological data.
ARCHAEOLOGY, ECONOMICS AND EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE
Authors: ASTILL G. 
Published: May 2007

SummaryThis paper assesses the contribution Richard Hodges has made to the archaeological study of the early medieval economy. After a review of methodology, three themes are considered: reciprocal exchange; the emporia; and regions and markets. The nature of exchange may be more complex, and more difficult to characterise, than Hodges allows. It is argued that the role of the king in exchange has been exaggerated, particularly with regard to Dorestad, while the extent to which inland regions and inland ports were involved in exchange may have been underestimated; this has led to a false appreciation of the emporia. Further work is needed to characterise the economy of the regions of early medieval Europe.
SHEEPSKIN FROM ANCIENT KERMA, NORTHERN SUDAN
Authors: RYDER M. L. 
Published: May 2007

Summary. The material described came from the Ancient Kerma civilisation (c. 2000 B. C.) and comprised 19 haired skin samples from Kerma itself with a further nine from the site of Kadruka. Diameter distributions were determined on hair cut from the skin, and the skin itself was sectioned histologically in a plane parallel to the skin surface.Most of the samples had a non‐fleeced‘Hair’type of coat, but three were immensely interesting in suggesting fleeces of hairy medium type, which represents the first indication of the development of a fleece.The distribution of most of the hair diameters was that of the winter coat suggesting that the animals had been killed during the winter. This was supported by the presence of inactive wool roots within the skin.