bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rural poverty and delayed presentation to tuberculosis services in Ethiopia
Authors: Cambanis Alexis , Yassin Mohammed A. , Ramsay Andy , Bertel Squire S. , Arbide Isabel , Cuevas Luis E. 
Published: March 2005

SummaryTo measure time to initial presentation and assess factors influencing the decision to seek medical attention, we interviewed 243 patients undergoing sputum examination for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) at a rural health centre near Awassa, Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used. Median (mean + SD) patient delay was 4.3 (9.8 + 12.4) weeks. Delays over 4 weeks were significantly associated with rural residence, transport time over 2 h, overnight travel, transport cost exceeding US$1.40, having sold personal assets prior to the visit, and use of traditional medicine. The majority of patients cited economic or logistical barriers to health care when asked directly about causes of delay. Case‐finding strategies for TB must be sensitive to patient delay and health systems must become more accessible in rural areas.
Importance of atopic cough, cough variant asthma and sinobronchial syndrome as causes of chronic cough in the Hokuriku area of Japan
Authors: FUJIMURA Masaki , ABO Miki , OGAWA Haruhiko , NISHI Kouichi , KIBE Yoshinori , HIROSE Tatsuki , NAKATSUMI Yasuto , IWASA Keiichi 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  A prospective multicentre study was conducted to elucidate the causes of chronic cough in Japan.Methodology:  All consecutive and unselected patients complaining of cough lasting 8 weeks or more, who visited our clinics from 1 June to 31 December 2001, were registered. The causes of chronic cough were diagnosed based on the criteria for definite and probable causes of cough as recommended by the Japanese Cough Research Society.Results:  Of the 248 patients enrolled, 72 patients (29.0%) were unavailable for follow up before their diagnostic assessment had been finalized. Among the 176 patients who were adequately assessed, a diagnosis was made in 165 patients (93.7%) either as single cause or as one of two casuses: atopic cough in 48 (29.1%) and 11 patients (6.7%); cough variant asthma in 46 (27.9%) and nine patients (5.5%); cough predominant asthma in 14 (8.5%) and three patients (1.8%); and sinobronchial syndrome (SBS) in 28 (17.7%) and 14 patients (8.5%), respectively. A diagnosis of gastro‐oesophageal reflux‐associated cough was made in a total of four patients (2.4%).Conclusion:  Atopic cough, asthmatic cough consisting of cough variant asthma and cough predominant asthma, and SBS are major causes of chronic cough in Japan.
α1‐Antitrypsin genotypes in Korean patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: KIM Cheol Hyeon , YIM Jae‐Joon , YOO Chul‐Gyu , LEE Choon‐Taek , KIM Young Whan , HAN Sung Koo , SHIM Young‐Soo 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  α1‐Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a recognized susceptible factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Western countries, but its importance in Korea is unclear. To date, no definitive case of α1‐antitrypsin deficiency has been reported in Korea. This study aimed to clarify whether α1‐antitrypsin deficiency exists and to determine the distribution of α1‐antitrypsin alleles in the Korean population.Methodology:  The serum concentrations of α1‐antitrypsin were determined and polymorphisms of the α1‐antitrypsin gene in 114 COPD patients and in 196 healthy controls were examined. Phenotyping by isoelectric focusing and the genotyping of α1‐antitrypsin gene by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism were performed.Results:  No α1‐antitrypsin level abnormality was found in the patients. M1(Val)/M1(Val) was found to be the most frequent genotype in both groups (69.2% and 66.8%, respectively), and M1(Val) the most frequent allele. The distributions of α1‐antitrypsin alleles were similar in the patient and control groups, and no S or Z allele was found.Conclusion:  α1‐Antitrypsin deficiency is unlikely to be an important cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Korean population.
A New Interpolatory Subdivision for Quadrilateral Meshes
Authors: Li G. , Ma W. , Bao H. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThis paper presents a new interpolatory subdivision scheme for quadrilateral meshes based on a 1–4 splitting operator. The scheme generates surfaces coincident with those of the Kobbelt interpolatory subdivision scheme for regular meshes. A new group of rules are designed for computing newly inserted vertices around extraordinary vertices. As an extension of the regular masks,the new rules are derived based on a reinterpretation of the regular masks. Eigen‐structure analysis demonstrates that subdivision surfaces generated using the new scheme are C1continuous and, in addition, have bounded curvature.
Efficient Rendering of Local Subsurface Scattering
Authors: Mertens Tom , Kautz Jan , Bekaert Philippe , Van Reeth Frank , Seidel Hans‐Peter 
Published: March 2005

AbstractA novel approach is presented to efficiently render local subsurface scattering effects. We introduce an importance sampling scheme for a practical subsurface scattering model. It leads to a simple and efficient rendering algorithm, which operates in image space, and which is even amenable for implementation on graphics hardware. We demonstrate the applicability of our technique to the problem of skin rendering, for which the subsurface transport of light typically remains local. Our implementation shows that plausible images can be rendered interactively using hardware acceleration.
Collision Detection for Deformable Objects
Authors: Teschner M. , Kimmerle S. , Heidelberger B. , Zachmann G. , Raghupathi L. , Fuhrmann A. , Cani M.‐P. , Faure F. , Magnenat‐Thalmann N. , Strasser W. , Volino P. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractInteractive environments for dynamically deforming objects play an important role in surgery simulation and entertainment technology. These environments require fast deformable models and very efficient collision handling techniques. While collision detection for rigid bodies is well investigated, collision detection for deformable objects introduces additional challenging problems. This paper focuses on these aspects and summarizes recent research in the area of deformable collision detection. Various approaches based on bounding volume hierarchies, distance fields and spatial partitioning are discussed. In addition, image‐space techniques and stochastic methods are considered. Applications in cloth modeling and surgical simulation are presented.
Virtual Endoscopy in Research and Clinical Practice
Authors: Bartz Dirk 
Published: March 2005

AbstractVirtual endoscopy is among the most active topics in virtual medicine and medical imaging. It focuses on the virtual representation of minimally invasive procedures for training, planning and diagnosis without an actual invasive intervention. In the past few years, virtual endoscopy modes have been transferred from research systems in virtually every commercial medical imaging software, but with varying quality and flexibility. This report covers concepts used in current systems in research and products, and how they might be applied to daily practice in health care. Specifically, I will start with an introduction into virtual endoscopy and the related medical field. This will also include typical scenarios of virtual endoscopy applications as they appear in clinical practice. This part will be followed by a discussion of the technical issues of virtual endoscopy and how they are addressed in currently available systems. Among these issues are navigation through the respective body organ and the orientation aids for the users. In addition, I will highlight the different rendering techniques used and its impact on rendering speed and quality.
Estimation of the relative stratum corneum amount removed by tape stripping
Authors: Jacobi U. , Weigmann H.‐J. , Ulrich J. , Sterry W. , Lademann J. 
Published: March 2005

Background/purpose: The tape stripping procedure is a suitable minimal invasive tool to study, e.g. the penetration and dermatopharmacokinetics of topically applied substances. In the present study, this procedure was used to remove the stratum corneum (SC) completely and to study the penetration of the UVA filter substance butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane after application in two different vehicles.Methods: The amount of corneocytes removed by each tape strip from the flexor forearm of human volunteers was determined via their pseudo‐absorption. In a second part, the penetration profiles of a UVA filter substance applied in two different vehicles were determined following the developed standard protocol using the tape stripping procedure in combination with UV/VIS spectroscopy.Results: The amount of corneocytes removed by each tape strip was related to the number of tape strips used for removal. Mean values with a deviation of less than 20% concerning the relative amount of SC removed by a constant number of tape strips were obtained. For instance, a relative amount of 66±12% was removed with the first 20 tape strips, while nearly the complete SC (95±3%) was removed using 50 tape strips. In addition, these results were used to estimate the relative SC amounts removed, studying the penetration of the UVA filter substance after application in two different vehicles. No significant differences between the distributions of the UV filter substance applied in both emulsions were obtained (P>0.05).Conclusions: The reported procedure for the estimation of the removed SC amount provides the possibility to avoid the complete removal of the SC and to compare the penetration characteristics obtained for different volunteers and different products in relation to the relative horny layer profile.
Quantification of stratum corneum removal by adhesive tape stripping by total protein assay in 96‐well microplates
Authors: Dreher F. , Modjtahedi B. S. , Modjtahedi S. P. , Maibach H. I. 
Published: March 2005

Background/aims: Examination of stratum corneum (SC) content with tape stripping and a colorimetric method is increasingly used. We examined the possible use of microplates in tandem with a colorimetric method to examine SC removed with tape stripping. As a corollary to this examination, the homogeneity of tape strips was examined.Method: The commonly used Lowry assay was adapted for 96‐well plates. Tapes were divided into four regions and sample disks of 5 mm diameter were taken from each and analyzed for SC mass using the adapted Lowry assay.Results: Homogeneity of SC removal over different areas across a tape strip is limited.Conclusion: Quantification of SC by means of a 96‐well microplate‐based colorimetric method is feasible and shortens the time of analysis. However, when using D‐Squame® tape disks, SC removal on a limited area of the tape is not predictive for SC removal on the entire tape as removal is inhomogenous. Therefore, SC protein extraction should be performed on a large enough area, eventually on the entire tape when quantifying SC mass removed by tape stripping.
Visible and subclinical skin changes in male and female dispatch department workers of newspaper printing plants
Authors: Korinth Gintautas , Göen Thomas , Koch Holger M. , Merz Thomas , Uter Wolfgang 
Published: March 2005

Background and problem: Wet work and skin exposure to detergents or solvents are well‐established causes of irritant hand dermatitis. In contrast, physical irritation of the skin as another potential cause of occupational hand dermatitis has been investigated less.Material and methods: Our study included 71 individuals exposed to physical irritation during work in the dispatch department of two newspaper printing plants. Clinical examination and measurements of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), capacitance and skin surface pH of the skin of hands and forearms was performed.Results: Erythema and/or scaliness of the hands were unexpectedly common: 26 of the 38 female inlay workers, 11 of the 13 male inlay workers and 15 of the 20 male machine operators were affected, compared to 18 of 28 printers exposed to solvents who had been investigated in a previous study. A significantly higher skin surface pH on the hands (P<0.05) and, less pronounced, on the forearms (P>0.05) was found in females. There was no association between domestic skin exposure, according to questionnaire data, and the bioengineering results. Skin cleansing and skin care differed between male and female workers, but were again not associated with the outcomes.Conclusions: The point prevalence of skin changes in dispatch department workers in the present study is unexpectedly high, which points to the importance of physical irritation by paper dust. Significant differences in bioengineering parameters between male and female inlay workers were found only for skin surface pH at the exposed back of hands. Future studies should (i) try to elucidate the role of skin surface pH changes and (ii) pay more attention to physical trauma to the skin.
Clinical microneedle injection of methyl nicotinate: stratum corneum penetration
Authors: Sivamani Raja K. , Stoeber Boris , Wu Gabriel C. , Zhai Hongbo , Liepmann Dorian , Maibach Howard 
Published: March 2005

Background/purpose:In recent years, microneedles were proposed as a method to painlessly deliver drugs past thestratum corneum. Microneedles have been fabricated in several designs, but limited studies have tested microneedle injections in humans. In this work, we compare microneedle injections with topical application (TA) to investigate if microneedles enhancein vivodrug delivery past the stratum corneum.Method:In vitrotests were used to measure microneedle pressures and injection volumes.In vivomicroneedle injections were performed on the volar forearm of 11 healthy volunteers. Two sets of microneedles, pointed and symmetric, were used to develop microneedle/syringe apparatuses that were used to inject approximately 1 μL of 0.1 M methyl nicotinate, and were compared against TA. A Laser Doppler Perfusion Monitor was used to record maximum blood flow and the time to maximum blood flow at the treatment sites.Results:Pointed and symmetric microneedle‐injected sites showed a significantly faster time to maximum blood flow than TA. The pointed microneedle injections also resulted in a higher maximum blood flux. Volunteers reported feeling pressure but no pain from the microneedles during the injections.Conclusion:The microneedles aid in bypassing the stratum corneum and enhance drug delivery through it. The design of the microneedle influences its delivery capabilities, because the pointed microneedles seem to be less susceptible to clogging during the injection.
Health‐related quality of life with lymphoedema: a review of the literature
Authors: Morgan Philip A , Franks Peter J , Moffatt Christine J 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThis article reviews qualitative and quantitative studies that evaluate health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in lymphoedema. Qualitative studies reveal a number of factors that can affect HRQoL. These include a lack of understanding of lymphoedema by health professionals and poor information provided to patients. Emotional responses include shock, fear, annoyance, frustration and negative body image. Treatment can be costly in terms of time and disruption to lifestyle. Quantitative studies show that patients with lymphoedema experience greater levels of functional impairment, poorer psychological adjustment, anxiety and depression than the general population. Increased limb volume is poorly related to the impact of lymphoedema on the patient. Factors leading to deficits in quality of life include the frequency of acute inflammatory episodes, the presence of pain, skin quality, lymphoedema in the dominant hand and reduced limb mobility. There is some evidence that the adoption of patient‐centred guidelines can improve quality of life in patients with breast‐cancer‐related lymphoedema. HRQoL is an important outcome in the management of patients with lymphoedema. Further studies must examine how lymphoedema impacts on patients other than those with breast‐cancer‐related lymphoedema and the consequences to patients of different approaches to care.
Pressure sores with associated spasticity: a clinical challenge
Authors: Atiyeh Bishara S , Hayek Shady N 
Published: March 2005

AbstractParaplegic and quadriplegic patients particularly those suffering from spinal cord injuries are at a high risk of developing pressure ulcerations. Unlike pressure ulcers in geriatric patients, which usually can be controlled with pressure relieving devices and local wound care, pressure ulceration complicating spinal cord injuries should be viewed from another perspective. Clinical management is also more complex because of the associated spasticity. Although it is now recognised that spasticity control is critical for management of patients with cerebral or spinal cord diseases or injuries, published risk assessment studies and risk assessment pressure sore scales fail to recognise spacticity as a major risk factor. Identification of spasticity should heighten the awareness of medical and paramedical personnel and have a positive impact on prevention as well as on treatment of pressure sores in this particularly difficult group of patients. We present our experience with a young quadriplegic patient with severe spasticity presenting with a large infected ischial pressure sore. All surgical as well as conservative attempts to achieve healing failed because of our failure to recognise the importance of spasticity control in the overall treatment scheme. Spasticity control should be included as a prerequisite for any treatment protocol of such patients.
Evaluation of Tielle hydropolymer dressings in the management of chronic exuding wounds in primary care
Authors: Diehm Curt , Lawall Holger 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe concept of moist wound healing is not fully implemented in daily practice in Germany. Thus, the objective of this investigation was to evaluate the use of Tielle hydropolymer dressings in chronic exuding wounds in primary care. A total of 6993 patients with pressure sores (26·6%), venous leg ulcers (59·8%), diabetic foot disease (9·5%) and other wounds (5·1%) were enrolled into three multicentre, open‐label, single‐arm, prospective phase‐IV studies for an observational period of either 4 or 12 weeks. Within the 4 (12)‐week study using Tielle, 43·3% (59·1%) of the wounds healed and 51·6% (36·9%) improved. Wound area was reduced by 78·2% (85·1%). Medium or strong levels of exudates were reduced from 57·4% to 6·7% (4·0%). Cosmetic results were excellent or good in 96·3%. Compared with patients' previous treatment, efficacy and tolerability were assessed as better or much better in 92·5% and 70·4%, respectively. 97·1% of the patients remained free of adverse events. The frequency of dressing changes was reduced from 5 to 3 per week (−43%). Tielle provides an effective and safe dressing in the management of chronic exuding wounds in primary care improving patient's comfort. Due to longer wearing times, Tielle may also be cost saving.
The silver‐releasing foam dressing, Contreet Foam, promotes faster healing of critically colonised venous leg ulcers: a randomised, controlled trial
Authors: Jørgensen Bo , Price Patricia , Andersen Klaus E , Gottrup Finn , Bech‐Thomsen Niels , Scanlon Elizabeth , Kirsner Robert , Rheinen Henriette , Roed‐Petersen Jytte , Romanelli Marco , Jemec Gregor , Leaper David J , Neumann Martino Ha , Veraart Joep , Coerper Stefan , Agerslev Rikke H , Bendz Susanne H , Larsen Jan R , Sibbald R Gary 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe study compared the effect of a sustained silver‐release foam dressing (Contreet Foam) with a foam dressing (Allevyn Hydrocellular) without added silver in critically colonised venous leg ulcers with delayed healing. The study was a multicentre, open, randomised, controlled study lasting for 4 weeks. Ulcer area and healing were assessed weekly. Odour, maceration, absorption capacity and leakage were evaluated at dressing changes. All adverse events were recorded. One hundred and twenty‐nine patients were included (Contreet Foam: 65, Allevyn Hydrocellular: 64). The two groups were comparable in all respects. After 4 weeks, there was a significantly greater reduction in ulcer area in the Contreet Foam group (45%) than in the Allevyn Hydrocellular group (25%). After 1 and 4 weeks, odour was present in significantly less of the ulcers in the Contreet Foam group (17% and 19%, respectively) compared with the Allevyn Hydrocellular group (47% and 39%, respectively) and at the final visit there were significantly fewer leakages in the Contreet Foam group (19%) compared with the Allevyn Hydrocellular group (49%). Also, less maceration was observed after 1 and 4 weeks in the Contreet Foam group (34% and 37%, respectively) compared with the Allevyn Hydrocellular group (55% and 48%, respectively). The occurrence and cause of adverse events were equally distributed between the study groups. The present study provides evidence of the superior performance of the silver‐releasing dressing, Contreet Foam, compared with a traditional moist foam wound healing dressing in the treatment of critically colonised, chronic venous leg ulcers. The results of this randomised, controlled study suggest an important role of sustained silver‐releasing dressings in the treatment of critically colonised chronic wounds.
Efficacy of the Kampo Medicine Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in), a Traditional Herbal Medicine, in the Treatment of Maternity Blues Syndrome in the Postpartum Period
Authors: Ushiroyama Takahisa , Sakuma Kou , Ueki Minoru 
Published: March 2005

This study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, in stabilizing postpartum psychological state. We enrolled 268 women who had a normal delivery in Osaka Medical College Hospital or its affiliated clinics and randomly assigned them to the following two groups: a group of 134 women who received Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) at a dose of 6.0 g/day and another group of 134 women without Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) (control group). We observed 2.06-fold and 1.67-fold higher incidences of depressive mood and nervousness, respectively, after delivery in the control group than in the Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) group. Within 3 weeks of postpartum, there was a significant difference in the incidences of maternity blues between the Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) group (15.7%; 21/134) and the control group (32.1%; 43/134) (p=0.0195). No adverse effects were observed in this study. The results of this study demonstrate the beneficial clinical effects of Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) in stabilizing psychological state in the postpartum period. Xiong-gui-tiao-xue-yin (Kyuki-chouketsu-in) can be expected to improve the mental health of women in the postpartum period and prevent maternity blues.