bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Severe cholestatic hepatitis following cloxacillin treatment
Authors: Goland Sorel , Malnick Stephen D H , Gratz Raia , Feldberg Edith , Geltner David , Sthoeger Zev M 
Published: December 2008

SummaryWe describe a 77-year-old woman who developed fatigue, fever, a maculopapular rash and severe cholestatic hepatitis two weeks after receiving cloxacillin and ofloxacin.
Disease-associated malnutrition in the year 2000
Authors: Pennington C R 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and is common in patients admitted to hospital. Nutritional status is not routinely assessed on admission, and nutritional depletion escapes recognition in the majority of affected patients. Nutritional status declines during hospital stay, and this trend is most marked in patients who are already malnourished on admission. Techniques for nutritional support are available, their appropriate use leads to improved nutritional status and clinical outcome in most patients. There is evidence that the current use of artificial nutrition is suboptimal and associated with a high complication rate. The introduction of clinical guidelines and the formation of nutrition support teams will improve nutritional management in the future. The development of new substrates and ‘pharmaconutrition’ is likely to further improve the outcome for many patients. There will remain a need for more studies to define the cost efficacy of artificial nutrition across a broad spectrum of clinical practice.
Diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Infeld D A , O'Shea J G 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Diabetic retinopathy is the commonest cause of blindness amongst individuals of working age. The onset of retinopathy is variable. Regular ophthalmic screening is essential in order to detect treatable lesions early. Retinal laser therapy is highly effective in slowing the progression of retinopathy and in preventing blindness. As the sufferers of diabetes mellitus, the commonest endocrine disorder, now constitute approximately 1–2% of Western populations, concerted multidisciplinary effort must be made towards cost-effective community screening by the medical community.
Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis
Authors: Urschel J D , Grewal R P 
Published: December 2008

SummaryThe pathophysiological role of the thymus in myasthenia gravis, and the mechanism of therapeutic effect of thymectomy, are incompletely understood. Nevertheless, thymectomy is a valuable treatment modality in selected patients with generalised myasthenia gravis. There are several types of thymectomy operation, but no one operative approach is clearly superior to the others. Total removal of the thymus gland is essential. Additional excision of associated mediastinal and cervical tissue, that may harbor ectopic thymic rests, is a controversial surgical issue. Surgeons that advocate thymectomy through small, cosmetically favourable, incisions usually believe that simple removal of the thymus gland is an adequate operation. Surgeons that emphasise the importance of removing extrathymic tissue, in addition to the thymus gland, usually favour greater operative exposure through a median sternotomy. To minimise operative morbidity, surgery for myasthenia gravis requires a multidisciplinary (neurology, surgery, anaesthesia) approach to peri-operative care.
Trends in the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Lee J M , O'Morain C A 
Published: December 2008

SummaryGastro-oesophageal reflux disease is common, with up to 10% of the general population experiencing heartburn on a daily basis. It is a chronic condition and follow-up studies indicate the presence of symptoms at least 20 years after initial diagnosis. In addition to lifestyle modifications, management usually involves the use of an acid suppressant from the H2-receptor antagonist or proton pump inhibitor groups or a prokinetic agent at some stage. In terms of initial symptom resolution and mucosal healing the proton pump inhibitors are consistently superior to the other available agents. However, while it is possible to keep the majority of patients in remission while taking medications, almost all patients have a recurrence of symptoms within six months of stopping medications. The introduction of laparoscopic fundoplication has produced promising initial results but the long-term benefits of this procedure remain to be established. The role of Helicobacter pylori eradication in the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease needs further evaluation.
Lymphogranuloma venereum as a cause of rectal strictures
Authors: Papagrigoriadis S , Rennie J A 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Rectal strictures are uncommon in young patients without a history of malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease or previous surgery. Lymphogranuloma venereum of the rectum has been described as a rare cause of rectal strictures in the western world, mainly in homosexual men and in blacks. It presents with nonspecific symptoms, rectal ulcer, proctitis, anal fissures, abscesses and rectal strictures. Clinical and endoscopic findings as well as histology resemble Crohn's disease, which may be misdiagnosed. Serology is often positive for Chlamydia trachomatis but negative serology is not uncommon. We present two young black women who suffered from chronic diarrhoea, abdominal pain and weight loss. There was no previous history and investigations showed in both cases a long rectal stricture. Serology was positive in one patient. They were treated with erythromycin and azithromycin and they both underwent an anterior resection of the rectum. Postoperative histology confirmed the presence of lymphogranuloma venereum of the rectum. We conclude that rectal lymphogranuloma venereum is a rare cause of rectal strictures but surgeons should be aware of its existence and include it in the differential diagnosis of unexplained strictures in high-risk patients.
Sarcoidosis of the paranasal sinuses treated with hydroxychloroquine
Authors: Hassid S , Choufani G , Saussez S , Dubois M , Salmon I , Soupart A 
Published: December 2008

Summary
A case of sarcoidosis of the paranasal sinuses is reported. Biopsies of the sinus mucosa showed typical noncaseating granulomas. Hydroxychloroquine, which is known to be active on the cutaneous form of sarcoidosis, was used here with success and is proposed as an effective alternative to high-dose systemic steroids.
Age-related macular degeneration
Authors: O'Shea J G 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Macular degeneration is now responsible for approximately 95% of blindness and partial sighted registrations in the UK. This review has been written specifically to make the general medical community of the UK aware of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of aged-related macular degeneration. The review encompasses the risk factors, the disabilities and problems experienced by suffers of the condition and current therapeutic options. Age related macular degeneration increases in prevalence in our community from 0% among people under 55 years old to 18.5% among those 85 years or older. There is a marked female preponderance. The exudative form of the disorder is commoner. Treatment remains supportive for most patients with macular degeneration although a minority will benefit from macular laser photocoagulation.
Compression syndromes caused by substernal goitres
Authors: Anders H J 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Enlargement of the thyroid is common, especially in areas of endemic iodine deficiency. Substernal enlargement of a goitre can cause compression of several mediastinal structures. As a consequence of tracheal compression and tracheomalacia, syndromes of chronic respiratory distress occur and intercurrent upper respiratory infections may lead to acute respiratory failure. Superior vena cava syndrome secondary to compression by a substernal goitre may be complicated by venous thrombosis. Although dysphagia is the most frequent oesophageal symptom of a substernal goitre, upper gastrointestinal bleeding from ‘downhill’ oesophageal varices may be an initial presentation. Arterial compression or thyrocervical steal syndrome by large substernal goitres occasionally cause cerebral hypoperfusion and stroke. Recurrent and phrenic nerve palsies, as well as Horner's syndrome, occur secondary to non-malignant mediastinal goitres and may resolve after surgery. Substernal goitres rarely cause therapy-resistant pleural effusions, chylothorax and pericardial effusion. In conclusion, although cervical goitres are easily recognised, the initial presentation of mainly substernal goitres may be unusual.
Mechanical ventilation: simplifying the terminology
Authors: Kapadia F 
Published: December 2008

Summary
There is presently considerable ambiguity and confusion relating to ventilator terminology. This can be eliminated using a simple approach, visualising mechanical ventilation as an inspiratory pump, and defining trigger, limit, and cycling in this context. The trigger is the signal that starts a breath by opening the inspiratory valve, the limit is the factor which controls the way gas flows into the lung, and the cycle is the signal that stops the breath by closing the inspiratory valve and opening the expiratory valve. By identifying these three basic parameters, one can precisely dissect and interpret any of the vast ventilatory terminology.
‘Rescue’ after failed thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Mahy I R , Jennings K P 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Prompt restoration of coronary artery patency in acute myocardial infarction is associated with substantial improvements in morbidity and mortality. The pivotal role of thrombolysis and aspirin in achieving these goals is well established. However, despite the success of thrombolytic therapy in large trials, clinical assessment in individual patients often suggests that reperfusion has not occurred after initial therapy. This review considers the validity of such bedside predictions and discusses whether such patients should be managed differently.
Cardiac syncope due to transient coronary artery occlusion: the role of percutaneous angioplasty
Authors: Burn S , Schilling R , Kaye G C 
Published: December 2008

Summary
A case of cardiac syncope is presented, associated with single vessel coronary disease. The mechanism of the syncope would appear to be a ventricular arrhythmia with transmural myocardial ischaemia due to transient occlusion of the diseased coronary artery. The symptoms and electrocardiographic abnormalities were reproduced and subsequently abolished by percutaneous coronary angioplasty.
A simple instrument for assessing stress in clinical practice
Authors: Sonino N , Fava G A 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Methods to assess the role of stress factors in patients with medical conditions are often rather complex, require specific training, and are difficult to use in clinical practice. We attempted to develop a short index tailored to a busy clinical setting, which would be easy to use while providing adequate individual information. This index (Psychosocial Index) was largely derived from well-established instruments, such as Kellner's Screening List for Psychosocial Problems. In addition, on the basis of the patient's self-report of items, the clinician is asked to rate four dimensions of the patient's life: stress, wellbeing, psychological distress, and illness behaviour. The questionnaires of 34 female patients with functional medical disorders were first rated by an internist and afterwards, blindly, by a psychiatrist. Agreement between the two raters was excellent, as measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient. It is hoped that this Psychosocial Index may provide a new tool for psychosomatic research and practice.
Abdominal tuberculosis
Authors: Kapoor V K 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Tuberculosis has staged a global comeback and forms a dangerous combination with AIDS. The abdomen is one of the common sites of extrapulmonary involvement. Patients with abdominal tuberculosis have a wide range and spectrum of symptoms and signs; the disease is therefore a great mimic. Diagnosis, mainly radiological and supported by endoscopy, is difficult to make and laparotomy is required in a large number of patient. Management involves judicious combination of antitubercular therapy and surgery which may be required to treat complications such as intestinal obstruction and perforation. The disease, though potentially curable, carries a significant morbidity and mortality.
Excimer laser ophthalmic surgery: evaluation of a new technology
Authors: Infeld D A , O'Shea J G 
Published: December 2008

SummaryThe aim of this article is to provide information and an overview of the potential risks and benefits of excimer laser surgery, a new and promising technique in ophthalmic surgery. Although this review concentrates on the use of the laser for refractive purposes, novel therapeutic techniques are also discussed. It is hoped that this will enable general practitioners, optometrists and physicians to provide appropriate advice and counselling for patients.
Antidepressants are not drugs of abuse or dependence
Authors: Lichtigfeld F J , Gillman M A 
Published: December 2008

Summary
There is a view among both the lay and medical audience that antidepressants are addictive. Non-compliance may arise as a result, with fatal consequences in some cases. In spite of the fact that anti-depressants have not proved to be drugs of abuse or dependence, confusion exists in the literature, particularly regarding the definition of the terms misuse and abuse in opioid addicts. Here, antidepressants are used to treat the depressive component of the addictive syndrome and have proved effective. In some instances, however, misuse of antidepressants has been found in methadone-treated addicts, which may be due to an enhancement of the effects of methadone. These effects have led some people to believe, wrongly, that antidepressants are substances of abuse. Our findings, from a review of the literature, show that such use of antidepressants by methadone patients is by definition misuse and not abuse. Further, the known withdrawal symptoms which occasionally follow cessation of anti-depressant therapy are not, on their own, an indication of addictive potential. We therefore conclude that antidepressant drugs are not substances of abuse and dependence.
The effect of reduction of door-to-needle times on the administration of thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Kelion A D , Banning A P , Shahi M , Bell J A 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Optimal management of acute myocardial infarction requires rapid administration of thrombolytic therapy. However, only patients who fulfill the following specific criteria are likely to benefit from this treatment: admission within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms, no contraindications, ST elevation or possible new-onset left bundle branch block on the admission electrocardiogram. We employed an aggressive policy to reduce the delay between admission to hospital and the administration of thrombolysis (the ‘door-to-needle time’), and investigated whether this approach affected the accuracy of administration of thrombolysis. Patients admitted to the cardiac care unit with acute myocardial infarction, or who were thrombolysed, were identified retrospectively over two equivalent 4-month periods before and after implementation of our policy. Patients were considered eligible for thrombolysis if they fulfilled the criteria mentioned above. The mean (SD) door-to-needle time for all patients who received thrombolysis on admission decreased from 61(70) to 19(20) minutes (p = 0.0004). The proportion of patients eligible for thrombolysis who received treatment increased from 24/38 to 30/30 (p = 0.0002). However, the proportion of patients receiving thrombolysis who did not fulfill our criteria also increased, from 3/27 to 11/41 (p = 0.1). There were no complications of thrombolysis in the first study period, but two cerebrovascular accidents in the second period; both patients fulfiled our criteria for treatment. We conclude that simple educational measures greatly reduced door-to-needle times and led to a higher proportion of eligible patients receiving thrombolysis. However, greater pressure on medical staff to make rapid management decisions increased the proportion of patients being thrombolysed inappropriately.
White-centred retinal haemorrhages (Roth spots)
Authors: Ling R , James B 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Roth spots (white-centred retinal haemorrhages) were classically described as septic emboli lodged in the retina of patients with subacute bacterial endocarditis. Indeed many have considered Roth spots pathognomonic for this condition. More recent histological evidence suggests, however, that they are not foci of bacterial abscess. Instead, they are nonspecific and may be found in many other diseases. A review of the histology and the pathogenesis of these white-centred haemorrhages will be provided, along with the work-up of the differential diagnosis.
Platelets, aspirin, and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Elwood P C , Hughes C , O'Brien J R 
Published: December 2008

Summary
Aspirin was first synthesised 100 years ago and its preparation and marketing is generally reckoned to have been the foundation of the pharmaceutical industry. For most of the time since then it has been used for the relief of pain and fever. The modern phase of aspirin use commenced with the reporting in 1974 of a randomised controlled trial in the secondary prevention of death by low-dose aspirin given to patients who had suffered a myocardial infarct. Reports of other trials followed and an overview of the first six trials was presented to the inaugural meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials in Philadelphia in 1980. There have been two further major overviews and the most recent, based on 145 trials, established that low-dose aspirin reduces vascular events by around one third.
It has been estimated that, used appropriately, aspirin could prevent 100,000 premature deaths each year worldwide, at a cost of about 250 Pounds ($400) per life saved, and about 80 Pounds ($130) per cardiovascular event prevented. The evidence indicates that it is seriously underused at present. The aspirin story continues and trials are in progress to test other possible uses of aspirin, in vascular dementia, colorectal cancer, and cataract.
Myocardial infarction in a pre-menopausal woman with angiographically normal coronary arteries
Authors: Khan I A , Ansari A W 
Published: December 2008

Summary
A young pre-menopausal non-drug-addict woman without risk factors for coronary artery disease suffered from a non-Q-wave acute myocardial infarction. She presented with epigastric pain and vomiting. Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was not suspected at first because of her young age and lack of risk factors. She was treated for gastritis but worsening of epigastric pain and its radiation to chest warranted the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, which was confirmed by serial serum cardiac enzymes. Subsequent coronary angiogram revealed normal coronary arteries.
MATRIX EQUATIONS AND HILBERT'S TENTH PROBLEM
Authors: BELL PAUL , HALAVA VESA , HARJU TERO , KARHUMÄKI JUHANI , POTAPOV IGOR 
Published: December 2008

We show a reduction of Hilbert's tenth problem to the solvability of the matrix equation [Formula: see text] over non-commuting integral matrices, where Z is the zero matrix, thus proving that the solvability of the equation is undecidable. This is in contrast to the case whereby the matrix semigroup is commutative in which the solvability of the same equation was shown to be decidable in general.The restricted problem where k = 2 for commutative matrices is known as the "A-B-C Problem" and we show that this problem is decidable even for a pair of non-commutative matrices over an algebraic number field.
A Critical Analysis of the Psychometric Properties of the K-ABC
Authors: Mehrens William A. 
Published: December 2008

The K-ABC is reviewed with respect to (a) the manuals, (b) the test construction and norming procedures, (c) reliability evidence, (d) validity evidence, (e) administration and scoring procedures, (f) types of scores and interpretative guidelines, and (g) the bias issue. The psychometric properties of the test are in line with what we would hope for in a newly constructed instrument. Particularly praiseworthy features are the theoretical bases for the instrument, the completeness of the manuals, the treatment and discussion of the difference scores and profile score comparisons, and the number of validity studies that were conducted. Some of the limitations are the lack of long-term stability, reliability, and validity studies, some lack of clarity about how to use the sociocultural norms, and a lack of a definition of bias.
Attention and Cognitive Deficits in Learning-Disabled Students
Authors: Carnine Douglas , Gersten Russell , Darch Craig , Eaves Ronald 
Published: December 2008

This research investigated two procedures which, according to previous research, facilitate the acquisition of concepts among normal children: (a) the selection and sequence of positive and negative examples and (b) analytic assistance during concept learning. Each of two experiments involved elementary grade, learning-disabled students and included an initial study followed by a replication in a different region of the country. Training and testing were conducted with individual students. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to determine the effect of including minimally different positive and negative examples in a concept learning set among learning-disabled students. The results indicated that the inclusion of these examples did not facilitate the concept acquisition of learning-disabled students. Experiment 2 was to determine the degree to which learning-disabled students benefit from a simple strategy when learning to draw inferences. The results indicated that exposure to a strategy actually hindered the performance of learning-disabled students.
Computer-Assisted Instruction With Exceptional Children
Authors: Schmidt Mary , Weinstein Thomas , Niemic Richard , Walberg Herbert J. 
Published: December 2008

This paper examines the literature concerning computer-assisted instruction (CAI) among exceptional children. Two approaches to meta-analysis were used: a vote count and a computation and analysis of effect sizes. Using 22 studies, the effectiveness of CAI with exceptional children was determined to be largely effective on the basis of the vote count, which ascertained whether or not a study reported positive results. Six studies were eliminated from the second analysis—that of calculating effect sizes—because they did not report sufficient statistical information. The median effect size was .52, a moderate positive effect. On the basis of the meta-analyses, CAI appears to be effective with exceptional children, especially those at lower levels of learning. Suggestions for future research regarding CAI use with exceptional children were made.
Teacher Estimates of Handicapped Student Crime Victimization and Delinquency
Authors: Lang Robert E. , Kahn James V. 
Published: December 2008

This study examines estimates of violent and property crimes. Seventy-five special education teachers from 21 Illinois counties and 30 school districts identified the most common violent and property crimes among their special education students, estimated the prevalence of crime victimization, as well as delinquency among their special education students. Student disability type and delinquency risk level were examined and compared. The results indicated a significant difference between learning-disabled and behaviorally disordered victims of violence. A comparison of special education teacher crime rankings and the Crime in Illinois: Illinois Uniform Crime Report's rankings yield a +1.00 Spearman Rank-Order Correlation. These findings were interpreted as indicating a need for more in-depth federal and state crime reporting methods. Also, this study indicates a need for education aimed at reducing the vulnerability of the handicapped student as both victim and perpetrator of crime.