bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Event‐related delta oscillatory responses of Alzheimer patients
Authors: Yener G. , Güntekin B. , Başar E 
Published: April 2008

Background and purpose: Alzheimer type of dementia (AD) is the most common neuropsychiatric morbidity in elderly individuals. Event‐related oscillations (ERO) provide an useful tool for detecting subtle abnormalities of cognitive processes with high temporal resolution.Methods: In the present report, event‐related oscillations of patients with AD were analyzed by using a visual oddball paradigm. A total of 22 mild probable AD subjects according to NINCDS‐ADRDA criteria and 20 age‐, gender‐, and education‐matched healthy control subjects were compared. AD group consisted from 11 untreated patients and 11 patients treated with cholinesterase inhibitor. Oscillatory responses were recorded from 13 scalp electrodes.Results: Significant differences in delta frequency range were seen between the groups by using repeated measures ofanovaanalysis [F(9.120) = 2.228;P = 0.022]. Post‐hoc analyses using Wilcoxon test showed that at mid‐ and left central regions, (Cz, C3) peak amplitudes of delta responses of healthy subjects were significantly higher than either group. Also cholinesterase inhibitors did not have effect on delta oscillatory responses.Conclusions: Our findings imply that the delta oscillatory responses at central locations are highly instable in mild probable AD patients regardless of treatment when compared to the healthy aged controls. This study supports the importance of oscillatory event‐related potentials for investigating AD brain dynamics.
Correlation between sleep and cognitive functions after hemispheric ischaemic stroke
Authors: Siccoli M. M. , Rölli‐Baumeler N. , Achermann P. , Bassetti C. L. 
Published: April 2008

Background:  The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of a link between sleep and cognitive functions, particularly memory and attention, after stroke.Methods:  We studied 11 consecutive patients with first‐ever hemispheric ischaemic stroke within eight days after symptoms onset and nine of them at least three months after stroke. Sleep EEG was recorded with a portable system. Cognitive functions were assessed using a standardized battery of tests allowing the estimation of the most relevant domains of cognition. Five age‐matched healthy subjects served as controls.Results:  The patients were aged 43 ± 12 years (18–59). In five patients stroke was right‐sided and in six patients left‐sided. In the acute stroke phase a correlation between attention and amounts of slow wave sleep (SWS), Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and sleep efficiency was found. In the recovery phase verbal/figural memory and attention significantly improved in most patients. Furthermore, an association between (i) verbal/figural (non‐verbal) memory and amounts of SWS, REM sleep and sleep efficiency, and between (ii) attention and sleep efficiency was observed.Conclusions:  The results point to a link between sleep and cognitive functions and their recovery after hemispheric stroke. Further studies are needed to determine the specific nature of this link.
Monitoring treatment with cyclosporine microemulsion in myasthenia gravis
Authors: Utsugisawa K. , Nagane Y. , Suzuki S. , Suzuki N. 
Published: April 2008

Purpose:  To examine whether the monitoring of cyclosporine (CsA) blood concentrations is of benefit in CsA microemulsion pre‐concentrate (MEPC) therapy for myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods:  We measured CsA blood concentrations both 2 h after administration (C2) and immediately before administration (C0) and examined associations with changes to clinical parameters in 20 MG patients treated with CsA MEPC in an unblinded, 6‐month prospective open trial.Results:  Initial dose of CsA MEPC (4.7 ± 0.5 mg/kg/day) provided both high C2 levels and safe C0 levels. Disease severity, daily dose of prednisolone, acetylcholine receptor–antibody titre levels and levels of interleukin‐2 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells were significantly reduced following treatment with CsA MEPC. A significant correlation existed between C2 levels following the initial dose and clinical improvement in responder MG patients. C0 levels were significantly higher in patients who exhibited increased serum creatinine or hypertension compared with patients free from side effects. Body mass index of individual patients was significantly correlated with C0 level, and may thus offer a useful marker to predict C0 levels.Discussion:  CsA MEPC was effective at suppressing symptoms and T‐cell‐dependent pathogenesis of MG, and monitoring of C2 and C0 levels can be useful to estimate efficacy and safety of the drug.
Effect of melasma on quality of life in a sample of women living in southern Brazil
Authors: Freitag FM , Cestari TF , Leopoldo LR , Paludo P , Boza JC 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Melasma can cause a significant effect on individual emotional well‐being. Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQoL) is a specific questionnaire elaborated to assess the burden of melasma on patient's quality of life.Objective  To evaluate the clinical aspects, severity and the influence of melasma on daily living of a sample of Brazilian women.Methods  Cross‐sectional study that enrolled 85 women with melasma older than 15 years of age. Trained investigators asked 55 questions to collect epidemiological and clinical data. The disease severity was clinically assessed using Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI). Patients answered the Portuguese version of 10‐item MELASQoL scale without coaching.Results  The mean ± SD age was 41.1 ± 6.8 years, and the mean ± SD of MELASQoL score was 37.5 ± 15.2 (median, 35). Patients with previous psychiatric diagnosis had significantly higher MELASQoL scores (mean, 42.8; SD, 13.6) than patients without this antecedent (mean, 35.4; SD, 15.4; P < 0.05). Patients with less than 8 years of school attendance also had significantly higher MELASQoL score (mean, 44; SD, 16.9) than more graduated ones (mean, 34.4; SD, 13.5; P < 0.05). The mean ± SD MASI was 10.6 ± 6.6 (median, 10.2). There was no correlation between MASI and MELASQoL.Conclusions  This study confirms that MELASQoL‐BP is easy to administer, adds important information about the impact of melasma on South American women's life and, finally, contributes to building evidence on the validity, reliability and cultural adaptation of the Portuguese language MELASQoL version.
Malignant nodular hidradenoma of the skin: report of seven cases
Authors: Souvatzidis P , Sbano P , Mandato F , Fimiani M , Castelli A 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Malignant nodular hidradenoma (MNH) is an infrequent, highly malignant, primary skin tumour derived from eccrine sweat glands. Most tumours occur in elderly individuals. MNH has very poor prognosis, high recurrence and a high rate of metastases. The best method of treatment is still unclear: radical surgical excision is widely used, and selective lymph node dissection is also suggested. The value of the adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy has not been confirmed.Patients and treatment  Seven MNH patients (4 men, 3 women, age 60–87 years) were treated between 1991 and 2007 in the Dermatology Unit of San Donato Hospital of Arezzo and in the Section of Dermatology of University of Siena, Italy. Tumours varied from 0.8 to 4.4 cm in size. All patients underwent local excision; five also had lymph node dissection. One patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, and three received chemotherapy.Results  Six of seven patients died, with survival varying from 15 to 45 months. Distant metastases occurred in two patients. Survival time was inversely proportional to the size of the tumour.Conclusions  MNH is an aggressive tumour and should be diagnosed and excised as early as possible. Histological parameters are paramount, but correct diagnosis also calls for attention to clinical presentation and any history of recurrence or recent enlargement of long‐standing lesions. In our experience, radiotherapy and chemotherapy do not seem to prolong survival.
Depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and acne: a study of male Finnish conscripts
Authors: Rehn LMH , Meririnne E , Höök‐Nikanne J , Isometsä E , Henriksson M 
Published: April 2008

AbstractObjective  To investigate the association among acne, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in Finnish male military conscripts.Methods  Consecutive 165 acne patients and 150 patients with mild knee symptoms for comparison were enrolled in the study conducted in the Central Military Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. They filled out the following questionnaires: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale. The Leeds acne grading scale was used to estimate the severity of acne.Results  Sixteen (9.7%) acne patients and 20 (13.3%) comparison patients had at least moderate level of depressive symptoms (BDI score 10; P > 0.05, between groups). Suicidal ideation (BDI suicidal item score 1) was reported by 24 (14.5%) acne patients and 16 (10.7%) comparison patients (P > 0.05, between groups). When comparing the mild facial acne patients (Leeds score 0–3) with those with moderate‐severe facial acne (Leeds score 4), there were no statistical differences in depressive symptoms (9.5% vs. 10.0%) or suicidal ideation (13.7% vs. 15.7%). No linear relationship was observed between the BDI and facial Leeds scores (P > 0.05). Risk factors for suicidal ideation among the acne patients were depression and alcohol risk use.Conclusion  Young male patients with acne do not suffer more depressive symptoms or suicidal ideation than patients with mild knee symptoms, and the severity of acne is not associated with the presence of depressive symptoms. The risk factors for suicidal ideation among acne patients seem to be similar to those found in the general population.
Cutaneous manifestations in relation to immunologic parameters in a cohort of primary myelodysplastic syndrome patients
Authors: Dalamaga M. , Karmaniolas K. , Matekovits A. , Migdalis I. , Papadavid E. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Cutaneous lesions in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) may be specific or not and may reveal bone marrow transformation. Our purpose was to investigate in a cohort of 84 MDS patients the correlation of cutaneous findings with immunologic parameters and prognostic features of MDS in order to clarify their potential clinical significance.Materials and methods  We studied a cohort of 84 newly diagnosed MDS patients in order to assess the cutaneous findings present at the time of diagnosis and during 1 to 3 years of follow‐up. We described the clinical variety of cutaneous findings ascertained by histology. We also looked for any association between the group of MDS patients with skin manifestations and MDS subtype, immunologic and prognostic features highlighting transformation to acute leukaemia.Results  Twenty‐one patients presented cutaneous manifestations: 1 patient developed leukaemia cutis, 6 patients photosensitivity not associated with autoimmune disease, 3 prurigo nodularis, 2 Sweet's syndrome, 6 leucocytoclastic vasculitis, 2 ecchymoses and purpura associated with preexisting relapsing polychondritis, 1 patient subcutaneous nodules associated with Wegener's granulomatosis and 1 patient with malar rash and oral ulcers associated with preexisting systemic lupus erythematosus. Adjusted for age and gender, the presence of skin findings constitutes a significant predictor of the high‐risk MDS subgroup (odds ratio, 3.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.18–10.92). Hypergammaglobulinemia was significantly higher in the MDS subgroup with skin manifestations (P = 0.03).Conclusion  Most MDS patients with cutaneous manifestations belong to the high‐risk MDS subgroup and present hypergammaglobulinemia. Early biopsy of skin lesions in myelodysplasia is indicated.
Outcome of pemphigus vulgaris
Authors: Kavusi S , Daneshpazhooh M , Farahani F , Abedini R , Lajevardi V , Chams‐Davatchi C 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Pemphigus vulgaris can be divided into mucosal, mucocutaneous and cutaneous subtypes. A higher mortality rate has been shown with mucocutaneous involvement.Objectives  The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the association of clinical subtypes of pemphigus vulgaris with remission rates.Patients/methods  One hundred twenty‐eight patients with pemphigus vulgaris, treated with prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day plus azathioprine 2 to 2.5 mg/kg/day, were enrolled. The partial and complete remission rates, at the end of the first and second years of treatment, and the number of relapses were compared in the three groups.Results  After disease establishment, 71.1% had mucocutaneous, 18.8% had mucosal, and 10.2% had only cutaneous involvement. The mean duration of follow‐up was 53.5 ± 39.6 months.The mean duration it took the mucocutaneous group to reach a prednisolone dosage of 30 mg/day was significantly longer (P = 0.050). Mucocutaneous patients had a significantly lower rate of remission (31.9%) compared with those with only mucosal or cutaneous involvement (48.6%) at the end of the first year of the treatment (P = 0.029). After 2 years, mucocutaneous patients again had a lower remission rate (32.9% vs. 44.5%). Relapses were also more frequent in this subtype.Those presenting with mucosal or mucocutaneous erosions had a higher rate of active disease after receiving treatment for a year compared with those with only cutaneous presentation (66.7% vs. 45%; P = 0.057).Conclusions  In mucocutaneous subtype, clinical control was achieved later, and they had a lower rate of remission at the end of the first and second years of treatment. They were also prone to relapses.
Actinic keratosis: an occupational and environmental disorder
Authors: Schwartz RA , Bridges TM , Butani AK , Ehrlich A 
Published: April 2008

AbstractSolar ultraviolet light electromagnetic waves are a known environmental carcinogenic agent closely associated with the development of skin cancer in light‐complexioned individuals. Outdoor workers have higher annual exposure to ultraviolet light. We will review the topic of actinic keratoses among these individuals as this common rudimentary form of superficial cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is explored in greater detail.
Cerebral ischemia/stroke and small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) conjugation – a new target for therapeutic intervention?
Authors: Yang Wei , Sheng Huaxin , Homi H. Mayumi , Warner David S. , Paschen Wulf 
Published: April 2008

AbstractTransient cerebral ischemia/stroke activates various post‐translational protein modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitin conjugation that are believed to play a major role in the pathological process triggered by an interruption of blood supply and culminating in cell death. A new system of post‐translational protein modification has been identified, termed as small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) conjugation. Like ubiquitin, SUMO is conjugated to the lysine residue of target proteins in a complex process. This review summarizes observations from recent experiments focusing on the effect of cerebral ischemia on SUMO conjugation. Transient global and focal cerebral ischemia both induced a rapid, dramatic and long‐lasting rise in levels of SUMO2/3 conjugation. After transient focal cerebral ischemia, SUMO conjugation was particularly prominent in neurons located at the border of the ischemic territory where SUMO‐conjugated proteins translocated to the nucleus. Many SUMO conjugation target proteins are transcription factors and sumoylation has been shown to have a major impact on the activity, stability, and cellular localization of target proteins. The rise in levels of SUMO‐conjugated proteins is therefore likely to have a major effect on the fate of post‐ischemic neurons. The sumoylation process could provide an exciting new target for therapeutic intervention.
Alpha‐synuclein aggregation and cell death triggered by energy deprivation and dopamine overload are counteracted by D2/D3 receptor activation
Authors: Bellucci Arianna , Collo Ginetta , Sarnico Ilenia , Battistin Leontino , Missale Cristina , Spano PierFranco 
Published: April 2008

AbstractProgressive degeneration and intraneuronal Lewy bodies made of filamentous α‐synuclein (α‐syn) in dopaminergic cells of the nigrostriatal system are characteristics of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Glucose uptake is reduced in some of the brain regions affected by PD neurodegenerative changes. Defects in mitochondrial activity in the substantia nigra have been observed in the brain of patients affected by PD and substantia nigra lesions can induce the onset of a secondary parkinsonism. Thus, energy starvation and consequently metabolic impairment to dopaminergic neurons may be related to the onset of PD. On this line, we evaluated the effect of nutrient starvation, reproduced ‘in vitro’ by glucose deprivation (GD), in primary mesecephalic neuronal cultures and dopaminergic‐differentiated SH‐SY5Y cells, to evaluate if decreased glucose support to dopaminergic cells can lead to mitochondrial damage, neurodegeneration and α‐syn misfolding. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of dopamine (DA) treatment in the presence of a DA‐uptake inhibitor or of the D2/D3 receptor (D2R/D3R) agonist quinpirole on GD‐treated cells, to evaluate the efficacy of these therapeutic compounds. We found that GD induced the formation of fibrillary aggregated α‐syn inclusions containing the DA transporter in dopaminergic cells. These alterations were accompanied by dopaminergic cell death and were exacerbated by DA overload. Conversely, the block of DA uptake and D2R/D3R agonist treatment exerted neuroprotective effects. These data indicate that glucose starvation is likely involved in the induction of PD‐related pathological changes in dopaminergic neurons. These changes may be counteracted by the block of DA uptake and by dopaminergic agonist treatment.
A multi‐agent approach for dynamic channel allocation
Authors: Pendharkar Parag C. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractWe propose a multi‐agent approach for dynamic channel allocation (MA‐DCA) in mobile cellular networks. Our approach assumes that each cell in a cellular network works as an agent that negotiates its bandwidth (channel) requirements with its neighbors to minimize its call drop probability. Using stochastic simulation, we compare our MA‐DCA approach with simple fixed channel allocation (FCA) and dynamic channel borrowing approaches for different call arrival rates, cellular network sizes and number of available channels. The results of our experiments show that the proposed MA‐DCA approach performs better than dynamic channel borrowing and FCA approaches.
Decreased hippocampal volume on MRI is associated with increased extracellular glutamate in epilepsy patients
Authors: Cavus Idil , Pan Jullie W. , Hetherington Hoby P. , Abi‐Saab Walid , Zaveri Hitten P. , Vives Kenneth P. , Krystal John H. , Spencer Susan S. , Spencer Dennis D. 
Published: April 2008

Summary
Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with smaller hippocampal volume and with elevated extracellular (EC) glutamate levels. We investigated the relationship between the hippocampal volume and glutamate in refractory TLE patients.
Methods: We used quantitative MRI volumetrics to measure the hippocampal volume and zero‐flow microdialysis to measure the interictal glutamate, glutamine, and GABA levels in the epileptogenic hippocampus of 17 patients with medication‐resistant epilepsy undergoing intracranial EEG evaluation. The relationships between hippocampal volume, neurochemical levels, and relevant clinical factors were examined.
Results: Increased EC glutamate in the epileptogenic hippocampus was significantly related to smaller ipsilateral (R2= 0.75, p < 0.0001), but not contralateral hippocampal volume when controlled for glutamine and GABA levels, and for clinical factors known to influence hippocampal volume. Glutamate in the atrophic hippocampus was significantly higher (p = 0.008, n = 9), with the threshold for hippocampal atrophy estimated as 5 μM. GABA and glutamine levels in the atrophic and nonatrophic hippocampus were comparable. Decreased hippocampal volume was related to higher seizure frequency (p = 0.008), but not to disease duration or febrile seizure history. None of these clinical factors were related to the neurochemical levels.
Conclusions: We provide evidence for a significant association between increased EC glutamate and decreased ipsilateral epileptogenic hippocampal volume in TLE. Future work will be needed to determine whether the increase in glutamate has a causal relationship with hippocampal atrophy, or whether another, yet unknown factor results in both. This work has implications for the understanding and treatment of epilepsy as well as other neurodegenerative disorders associated with hippocampal atrophy.
Language lateralization in temporal lobe epilepsy using functional MRI and probabilistic tractography
Authors: Rodrigo Sebastian , Oppenheim Catherine , Chassoux Francine , Hodel Jérôme , De Vanssay Aimée , Baudoin‐Chial Sonia , Devaux Bertrand , Meder Jean‐François 
Published: April 2008

Summary
Purpose: Language functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to noninvasively assess hemispheric language specialization as part of the presurgical work‐up in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). White matter asymmetries on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) may be related to language specialization as shown in controls and TLE. To refine our understanding of the effect of epilepsy on the structure–function relationships, we focused on the arcuate fasciculus (ArcF) and the inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus (IOF) and tested the relationship between DTI‐ and fMRI‐based lateralization indices in TLE.
Methods: fMRI with three language tasks and DTI were obtained in 20 patients (12 right and 8 left TLE). The ArcF, a major language‐related tract, and the IOF were segmented bilaterally using probabilistic tractography to obtain fractional anisotropy (FA) lateralization indices. These were correlated with fMRI‐based lateralization indices computed in the inferior frontal gyrus (Pearson's correlation coefficient).
Results: fMRI indices were left‐lateralized in 16 patients and bilateral or right‐lateralized in four. In the ArcF, FA was higher on the left than on the right side, reaching significance in right but not in left TLE. We found a positive correlation between ArcF anisotropy and fMRI‐based lateralization indices in right TLE (p < 0.009), but not in left TLE patients. No correlation was observed for the IOF.
Conclusions: Right TLE patients with more left‐lateralized functional activations also showed a leftward‐lateralized arcuate fasciculus. The decoupling between the functional and structural indices of the ArcF underlines the complexity of the language network in left TLE patients.