bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interleukin‐2 Production in Whole Blood Cell Cultures of Women Undergoing Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation for Assisted Reproduction Technology Cycles
Authors: Orvieto Raoul , Leites Tatiana , Abir Ronit , Bar Jacob , Yoeli Rakefet , Feldberg Dov , Fisch Benjamin 
Published: August 2003

Problem:  To determine whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) modulates the in vitro release of interleukin (IL‐2) from human peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes derived from patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH).Method of Study:  A large university‐based IVF unit was used for the study. Blood was drawn thrice from 12 women undergoing our routine IVF long gonadotropin‐releasing‐hormone‐analog protocol during the COH cycle: (1) day on which adequate suppression was obtained (Day‐S); (2) day of or prior to hCG administration (Day‐hCG); and (3) day of ovum pick‐up (Day‐OPU). At each point of time, blood was tested for sex‐steroid levels and then cultured for 72 hr either without (control‐culture) or with hCG (hCG‐culture) or with mitogenic stimulation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA‐culture). The culture‐medium supernatants were tested for IL‐2 levels with a commercial sandwich enzyme‐linked immunoassay.Results:  Whole blood culture IL‐2 levels increased significantly during COH until peak E2, and then decreased significantly after hCG administration. IL‐2 levels were decreased in the control‐ and PHA‐culture media on Day‐OPU compared with Day‐hCG. There were no significant correlations between IL‐2 levels in the culture media and serum estradiol, progesterone or human chorionic gonadotropin levels.Conclusion:  Apparently, hCG attenuates IL‐2 production by mononuclear cells with and without mitogenic stimulation, irrespective of the estradiol level. This suggests that hCG may indirectly modulate the inflammatory response, resulting in the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Breath malodor in an asthmatic patient caused by side‐effects of medication: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Murata T , Fujiyama Y , Yamaga T , Miyazaki H 
Published: August 2003

Objective:  The purpose of this report is to document the presence of dimethyl sulfide in mouth air as the predominant volatile sulfur compound (VSC) in an asthmatic patient who was regularly taking suplatast tosilate.Study design: The patient was a 33‐year‐old woman who complained of bad breath. She had been diagnosed as having asthma and was receiving periodical medical examinations once a month. VSC in her mouth air were measured with a gas chromatograph. Oral physiotherapy was also carried out to remove any oral malodor of which the source was intraoral.Results: With the improvement in oral hygiene and periodontal conditions, the level of VSC was reduced but dimethyl sulfide still remained as the predominant VSC.Conclusions: Dimethyl sulfide metabolized from suplatast tosilate may be a potential cause of halitosis.
Direct comparative trials of the efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in the management of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease
Authors: Vakil N. , Fennerty M. B. 
Published: September 2003

SummaryBackground : Five proton pump inhibitors are now available for use in North America. Claims of differences in the clinical efficacy of different strengths and/or agents have been made.Aim : To identify any consistent evidence of differences in outcomes between agents or doses within this class of drugs.Methods : A search of the medical literature was performed in two electronic databases, and randomized controlled trials of higher quality were included in the assessment.Results and conclusions : Thirty‐two trials met our criteria. No convincing data were found to indicate that low doses of proton pump inhibitors are as effective as standard doses of proton pump inhibitors in the healing of erosive oesophagitis or in the relief of symptoms of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease; however, they may be as effective as maintenance therapy for gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease. Differences were found between the standard doses of proton pump inhibitors with regard to the onset of symptom relief in gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (lansoprazole was faster than omeprazole, and esomeprazole was faster than both lansoprazole and omeprazole) and the healing of oesophagitis (esomeprazole was superior to both omeprazole and lansoprazole). Despite these differences, there are as yet insufficient data to establish the superiority of any one agent over all others across all disease states treated with these agents.
Prediction of Bayley and Stanford‐Binet Scores with a group of very low birthweight children
Authors: Dezoete J. A. , MacArthur B. A. , Tuck B. 
Published: August 2003

AbstractAim  To study the prediction of cognitive development with a group of very low birthweight infants (<1500 g) at 18 months and at 4 years of age.Methods  Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐II Mental Development Indexes (MDI), and Stanford‐Binet Intelligence Scale (S‐B) Composite Scores were studied in a population of 334 children with birthweights <1500 g. Independent variables measured were gestational age, birthweight, gender and parental socio‐economic status (SES).Results  Longer gestation (28 weeks and over) and higher birthweight (1000–1500 g) proved to be advantageous for cognitive ability at both 18 months and 4 years. Other significant advantages were associated with female and higher SES. High correlations were found between MDI and the S‐B Composite Score (r = 0.62), and between birthweight and gestation (r = 0.72). When information available at birth was included in forward stepwise regression analyses to predict the S‐B Composite at 4 years, the best predictors were MDI at 18 months and SES.Conclusion  With the measures employed and this population, prediction of cognitive development from early childhood to preschool was possible. This may enable reliable identification of those children at risk for delayed cognitive development who require intervention before starting school.
ESSOP – 25 years: personal reflections from one who started the European Society for Social Paediatrics
Authors: Köhler L. 
Published: August 2003

AbstractESSOP – the European Society for Social Paediatrics – was initiated in Lund, Sweden in 1977, and at the annual congress in Spetses, Greece, its 25th anniversary was celebrated. At the congress, Professor Lennart Köhler, who started the organization and for 10 years was its first Secretary General, presented his recollections from the life of ESSOP, its people, activities, strategies and ideologies, and the main lines of development over the years. This paper presents an edited version of his speech for the benefit of the readers of Child: Care, Health and Development.
Sequencing, co‐ordination and rhythm ability in young children
Authors: Haines C. 
Published: August 2003

AbstractBackground  Sequencing ability is recognized as a fundamental component in motor co‐ordination, language and reading performance.Methods  Sequencing relationships are studied in a sample of 1013 children selected from an existing data set of 3750. Associations are analysed between scores for motor co‐ordination tasks and a rhythm repetition task performed in the routine school beginners’ medical examination by 4‐, 5‐ and 6‐year‐old children, and class teachers’ assessment of their co‐ordination activities and language performance when 6, 7 and 8 years old, together with scores for a routine reading test.Results  Associations are reported between motor tasks and language and reading, and between rhythm repetition and co‐ordination activities, language and reading. Associations between successive motor tasks and language and reading are found to be stronger in boys, and those between hopping and reading stronger in girls. Associations between the rhythm repetition task and co‐ordination activities, language and reading are also all found to be stronger in girls.Discussion  Discussion finds a place for ball‐catching as a sequencing task, and for sequencing ability as a component of handwriting skills. Discussion also attributes the findings of gender differences to an experiential difference in play activity, and advances a variant of the rhythm repetition task for use in further exploration of sequencing ability in young children.
Wirksamkeit von Hautschutzprodukten im Vergleich zu Hautpflegeprodukten bei Zahntechnikern – eine kontrollierte Feldstudie
Authors: Frosch Peter J. , Peiler Detlef , Grunert Veit , Grunenberg Beate 
Published: August 2003

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Die irritative Kontaktdermatitis der Hände ist bei Zahntechnikern infolge der zahlreichen Kontakte mit verschiedenen Irritantien sehr häufig. Hautschutzprodukte (HS) werden oft vermieden, weil ein fester Griff von Werkzeugen und kleinen Objekten notwendig ist; weiterhin dürfen die dentalen Objekte nicht durch Hautschutzprodukte kontaminiert werden. In dieser Studie sollte die Wirksamkeit von Hautschutzprodukten, die während der Arbeit eingesetzt wurden, mit Hautpflegeprodukten (HP) verglichen werden, die nach der Arbeit verwendet wurden. Methode: Zwei bekannte, kommerzielle HS (HS‐1, HS‐2) und zwei Hautpflegeprodukte mit Harnstoff bzw. Bienenwachs (HP‐1, HP‐2) wurden in fünf Zahntechniklaboren durch insgesamt 192 Zahntechniker evaluiert. Jeder Zahntechniker verwendete ein HS (mehrere Applikationen während der Arbeitsschicht) und ein HP, angewendet mindestens ein Mal täglich zu Hause für vier Wochen, jeweils mit einer „wash‐out‐Periode” von zwei Wochen dazwischen. Die Sequenz HS‐HP bzw. HP‐HS wurde für jedes Labor randomisiert in zwei einfache, blinde Cross‐over‐Designs für beide Kombinationen (HS‐1 + HP‐1, HS‐2 + HP‐2). Die Zahntechniker bewerteten die Produkte auf einer Wirksamkeitsskala (schlechter, keine, gut, sehr gut). Der Hautzustand wurde durch einen Dermatologen zu Beginn der Studie, nach vier, sechs und zehn Wochen unter Bildung eines Summenscores auf einer Skala für Erythem, Infiltration, Bläschen, Fissuren und Schuppung evaluiert. Außerdem wurde der transepidermale Wasserverlust (TEWL) auf dem Handrücken und auf der Beugeseite des Unterarms zu Beginn und am Ende der 4‐wöchigen Produktanwendung gemessen. Der Quotient dieser zwei Parameter wurde für die statistische Auswertung herangezogen (Co‐Varianz‐Analyse). Ergebnisse: Die Bewertung von „gut” und „sehr gut” war für HS‐1 58 %, HS‐2 67 %, HP‐1 77 %, HP‐2 98 %. Beide HP wurden besser als die HS bewertet, insbesondere HP‐2. Dies wurde bestätigt durch die Verbesserung des Hautzustandes (HS‐1 35 %, HS‐2 44 %, HP‐1 55 %, HP‐2 56 %). Statistisch signifikante Unterschiede beim TEWL wurden gefunden für: HP‐1 besser als HS‐1 (p = 0,007); HP‐2 besser als HS‐2 (p = 0,03). Die Akzeptanz der Produkte war hoch. Die Mehrheit der Zahntechniker war bereit, die Behandlung so fortzuführen (68 – 89 %). Schlußfolgerungen: Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß die Anwendung von Hautpflegeprodukten nach der Arbeit sehr wirksam ist und unter den gewählten Studienbedingungen den während der Arbeit eingesetzten Schutzprodukten überlegen war. Die intensive Anwendung von Hautpflegeprodukten nach der Arbeit wäre für viele Berufe praktikabel und könnte zu einer deutlichen Reduktion der Häufigkeit von irritativer Kontaktdermatitis führen.
Retinoblastoma: Review of 30 years’ experience with external beam radiotherapy
Authors: Phillips Claire , Sexton Maree , Wheeler Greg , McKenzie John 
Published: August 2003

SummaryA review of the experience at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac), Melbourne, Australia in treating retinoblastoma with external beam radiotherapy was conducted. Outcomes of particular interest were tumour control, vision preservation and treatment late effects. The review was restricted to patients that had intact eyes treated at Peter Mac from 1965 until 1997 with at least 2 years of follow up. Histories were reviewed regarding patient and tumour characteristics and treatment details. Thirty‐five patients were identified in whom 47 eyes were treated. Of the tumours, 47% were Reese−Ellsworth stage IV or V and the majority of others were at high risk for vision loss because of tumour location. The radiation treatment technique became increasingly sophisticated during the study period. Radiation dose and fraction size have similarly evolved but most patients received 30−50 Gy. Since 1989, a highly accurate contact lens immobilization technique has been used to deliver 40 Gy in 20 fractions. Thirteen eyes required additional local therapy. Of the treated eyes, 34 (72%) remain intact and 74% of these have useful vision. One patient died from retinoblastoma and three from second malignant neoplasms. With modern radiotherapy, late toxicities other than growth arrest and non‐progressive cataract did not occur during the study period. Tumour control was high and a very acceptable rate of organ and vision preservation was achieved in a relatively high‐risk population. Modern radiotherapy continues to develop in an attempt to improve treatment accuracy and minimize late radiation toxicity.
Development of an evidence‐based guideline for imaging in cervical spine trauma
Authors: Goergen Stacy K , Fong Christina , Dalziel Kim , Fennessy Gabby 
Published: August 2003

SummaryCervical spine trauma is a common reason for presentation to an emergency department. However, less than 5% of patients who have suffered possible neck injury actually have an injury requiring medical treatment. Nevertheless, the consequences, both for the patient and the doctor, of a missed injury are well recognized by emergency department medical staff. This results in the vast majority of these patients receiving some form of diagnostic imaging. We describe the development of an evidence‐based imaging guideline for use in the patient who has suffered cervical spine trauma. The guideline aims to help clinicians determine, at the bedside, when it is appropriate to use imaging and which imaging modality should be used first. Correct utilization of the guideline should lead to a reduction in the number of imaging tests required to reach a diagnosis without adverse patient outcomes.
Spoke‐wheel pattern in renal oncocytoma seen on double‐phase helical CT
Authors: Bandhu Suman , Mukhopadhyaya Sima , Aggarwal Sandeep 
Published: August 2003

SummaryRenal oncocytomas are benign, solid tumours of the kidney. An angiographic spoke‐wheel pattern is known to be associated with oncocytomas, although it is not pathognomonic. On review of the literature, we found two reports of sonographic spoke‐wheel appearance in oncocytomas. These were suf­ficiently characteristic to enable a confident preoperative diagnosis of oncocytoma. We present a case of a surgically proven oncocytoma with a distinct helical CT appearance, ­commensurate with the angiographic and sonographic spoke‐wheel appearance from which the diagnosis was suspected preoperatively.
‘Benign’ hepatic portal venous gas
Authors: Little Andrew F , Ellis Samantha J 
Published: August 2003

SummaryThe presence of portal venous gas within the hepatic parenchyma is usually associated with a guarded prognosis and a mortality rate approaching 75%. However, there are infrequent causes of portal venous gas not associated with dire clinical outcomes. We describe three patients who made uneventful clinical recoveries after presenting with clinical and imaging manifestations of ischaemic bowel and hepatic portal venous gas, two of which had distended but non‐necrotic bowel at laparotomy.
Gorlin's syndrome: Diffuse appendicular skeletal involvement with scintigraphic correlation
Authors: Ly Justin Q , Beall Douglas P 
Published: August 2003

SummaryGorlin's syndrome (also known as basal cell nevus syndrome, Gorlin−Goltz syndrome, and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome) is a rare, inherited disorder characterized by multiple basal‐cell epitheliomas, intracranial calcification, keratocysts of the mandible, and unusual and striking skeletal abnormalities. We present the interesting case of a 45‐year‐old woman who was informed that she had fibrous dysplasia of the extremity at another institution before extensive radiological work‐up showed a diffuse skeletal process. The skeletal abnormalities, in conjunction with the patient's history of multiple basal cell carcinomas, is consistent with the diagnosis of Gorlin's syndrome. We describe this unusual case of striking radiological and scintigraphic findings in a patient with Gorlin's syndrome.
Analysis of major histocompatibility complex and CTLA‐4 alleles in Brazilian patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: BITTENCOURT PAULO LISBOA , PALÁCIOS SELMA ALIOTTI , FARIAS ALBERTO QUEIROZ , ABRANTES‐LEMOS CLARICE PIRES , CANÇADO EDUARDO LUIZ RACHID , CARRILHO FLAIR JOSÉ , LAUDANNA ANTONIO ATÍLIO , KALIL JORGE , GOLDBERG ANNA C 
Published: August 2003

AbstractBackground and Aims:  Predisposition to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been classically linked to HLA‐DRB1 locus. However, the presence of the HLA‐DRB1*08 antigen has been reported in less than one‐third of PBC patients from Northern Europe and Japan. Recently, polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA) gene promoter at position −308 and in exon 1 of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen‐4 (CTLA‐4) gene at position 49 have been associated with susceptibility to PBC in Caucasians. In addition, the presence of HLA‐DRB1*08 and the TNFA*1 allele was also linked to progression to end‐stage liver disease. The aims of the present study were to investigate the frequencies of HLA‐DR and DQ antigens and TNFA and CTLA‐4 alleles in PBC patients from a different genetic background, as well as to assess the role of TNFA alleles and HLA‐DR antigens in disease progression.Methods:  Determination of HLA‐DRB1, DQB1, TNFA and CTLA‐4 alleles was performed in patients with PBC and healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction‐based techniques.Results:  Frequencies of HLA‐DR and DQ antigens were similar in PBC patients and healthy controls. Accordingly, no association between TNFA and CTLA‐4 alleles was observed in PBC patients. The histological stage at admission of patients with PBC also showed no correlation with HLA antigens and TNFA and CTLA‐4 alleles.Conclusions:  Susceptibility to PBC in Brazil is not associated with HLA‐DR and DQ antigens and CTLA‐4 genotypes. TNFA alleles were not shown to influence disease progression.
Combination therapy of ecabet sodium and cimetidine compared with cimetidine alone for gastric ulcer: Prospective randomized multicenter study
Authors: MURATA HIROAKI , KAWANO SUNAO , TSUJI SHINGO , KAMADA TAKENOBU , MATSUZAWA YUUJI , KATSU KENICHI , INOUE KYOUICHI , KOBAYASHI KENICHI , MITSUFUJI SYOUJI , BAMBA TADAO , KAWASAKI HIRONAKA , KAJIYAMA GOROU , UMEGAKI EIJI , INOUE MASANORI , SAITO ICHIMONJI 
Published: August 2003

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Little is known about the clinical efficacy of cotherapy of ecabet sodium, a mucoprotective agent, and a histamine H2‐receptor antagonist. The aim of the present study was to assess its additive benefit in combination with cimetidine for gastric ulcer.Methods:  In this prospective randomized study, after gastric ulcer was confirmed by endoscopy, 200 patients in 47 hospitals received either ecabet sodium 1 g b.i.d and cimetidine 400 mg b.i.d. (EC), or cimetidine 400 mg b.i.d. alone (C) for 8 weeks. Healing was examined by endoscopy at 4 and 8 weeks.Results:  Of the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) population (EC, 103; C, 97), 181 patients comprised the per protocol (PP) analysis (EC, 93; C, 88). At 4 weeks, healing rates were significantly higher in the EC group (60%) than in the C group (36%) ( p < 0.01). At 8 weeks, those by the ITT and PP analyses were 82% (EC) versus 58% (C), and 90% (EC) versus 64% (C), respectively ( p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). Symptom relief rates (EC vs C) at 2, 4 and 8 weeks were 73%versus 47% ( p < 0.01), 89%versus 66% ( p < 0.001), and 97%versus 73% ( p < 0.001), respectively. Significant additive effects of ecabet sodium were observed in patients aged 60 years or older, with solitary and medium to large ulcer, and without smoking or drinking habits. No adverse effects were critical.Conclusion:  Ecabet sodium significantly augmented gastric ulcer healing and symptom relief by cimetidine, especially in the elderly.
Genotypes of Helicobacter pylori in children with upper abdominal pain
Authors: SINGH MANISHA , PRASAD KASHI NATH , YACHHA SURENDER KUMAR , KRISHNANI NARENDRA 
Published: August 2003

AbstractBackground:  Studies related to genotypes of Helicobacter pylori infection and upper abdominal pain (UAP) in children are scarce all over the world. We prospectively analyzed the association between H. pylori infection and UAP in our study group of children and evaluated the vacA genotypes associated with this disorder.Methods:  We investigated 34 children with UAP (group I) and another 110 children as controls without UAP (group II) for H. pylori infection, using antral biopsies by culture, rapid urease tests, histopathology and ureA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genotyping was performed using specific cagA and vacA primers on 52 H. pylori strains (group I = 21; 18 boys, mean age 10.33 ± 2.47 years; group II = 31; boys 21, mean age 9.63 ± 2.51 years).Results:  A significant association between H. pylori infection and UAP was observed when compared to controls (21/34; 61.8%vs 31/110; 28.2%; P = 0.0004). cagA positive H. pylori strains were detected in 20 (95.2%) children with UAP and in 28 (90.3%) controls. Mixed infection was detected in 25% of children with no significant difference between the groups. On univariate regression analysis, s1a, m1 alleles and s1a/m1 genotype of vacA had significant associations with UAP (P = 0.018, 0.015 and 0.007, respectively), while s2 and m2 alleles and the s2/m2 genotype were significantly more frequent in controls (P = 0.034, 0.001 and 0.034, respectively).Conclusions:  H. pylori infection is strongly associated with UAP in children and a significantly higher proportion have s1a, m1 alleles and s1a/m1 genotype. The negative associations of vacA s2, m2 alleles and s2/m2 genotype with UAP indicate that they are unlikely to have an important role in this disorder.
Predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis of liver with application of neural network technology
Authors: BANERJEE RUPA , DAS ANANYA , GHOSHAL UDAY C , SINHA MADHUMITA 
Published: August 2003

AbstractBackground:  Prediction of mortality from cirrhosis is important in planning optimal timing of liver transplantation and other interventions. We evaluated the role of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which uses non‐linear statistics for pattern recognition in predicting one‐year liver disease‐related mortality using information available during initial clinical evaluation.Methods:  The ANN was constructed using software with data from a training set (n = 46) selected at random from a cohort of adult cirrhotics (n = 92). After training, validation was performed in the remaining patients (n = 46) whose outcome in terms of one‐year mortality was unknown to the network. The performance of ANN was compared to those of a logistic regression model (LRM) and Child‐Pugh's score (CPS). Death (related to cirrhosis/its complications) within one year of inclusion was the outcome variable. The ANN was also tested in an external validation sample (EVS, n = 62) from another hospital.Results:  Patients in the EVS were younger (mean age, 41 vs 45 years), infrequently of alcoholic etiology (5% vs 49%), had less severe disease (mean CPS 6.6 vs 10.8), and had lower one‐year mortality (13 vs 46%). In the internal validation sample, ANN's accuracy was 91%, sensitivity 90% and specificity 92% in prediction of one‐year mortality; area under the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.94. The performance of the LRM (accuracy 74%) and the CPS (accuracy 55%) was significantly worse than ANN (P < 0.05, McNemar's test). Despite differences in the characteristics of the two groups, the ANN performed fairly well in the EVS (accuracy of 90%, area under curve 0.85).Conclusions:  ANN can accurately predict one‐year mortality in cirrhosis and is superior to CPS and LRM.