bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate in prevention of preterm delivery
Authors: Saghafi Nafiseh , Khadem Nayereh , Mohajeri Taraneh , Shakeri Mohamad Taghi
Published: May 2011

Aim:  Preterm delivery is defined as a birth before 37 weeks' gestation and is the cause of two‐thirds of perinatal mortality and thus one of the major problems in obstetrics. Its etiology is unknown, but hormonal factors have been reported to play a part. Progesterone is a placental hormone and effective in maintaining pregnancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate in the prevention of preterm delivery.

Methods:  This interventional study was performed with 100 pregnant women who had been referred to the Obstetrics Clinic of Ghaem Hospital (related to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences) during 2007 to 2008. They were randomly divided into two groups of 50 cases and 50 controls. The case group received 250 mg of intramuscular 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate weekly from 16 weeks' gestation up to a maximum of 37 weeks' gestation. In the control group, routine perinatal care was performed and the pregnancy outcomes were compared in both groups.

Results:  The mean gestational age was 36 weeks in the case group and 34 weeks in the control group. The mean birth weight was 2695 g in the case group and 2399 g in the control group. A significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of gestational age and birth weight (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  Weekly administration of 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate to pregnant women with a history of preterm delivery was associated with a decrease in preterm delivery and improvement in birth weight.
Prediction of risk for vasa previa at 9–13 weeks' gestation
Authors: Hasegawa Junichi , Nakamura Masamitsu , Sekizawa Akihiko , Matsuoka Ryu , Ichizuka Kiyotake , Okai Takashi
Published: May 2011

Aim:  To assess the usefulness for predicting vasa previa by detecting a cord insertion site in the lower third of the uterus between 9 and 13 weeks' gestation.

Methods:  The positional relationship between the uterine cavity and the cord insertion site was examined in consecutive subjects prospectively using ultrasonography at 9–13 weeks' gestation. The distance between the internal os and the fundus was divided equally into three parts. Cord insertions in the lower third were defined as cases; other insertions were defined as controls. Placental and umbilical cord abnormalities at the time of the delivery were analyzed between the two groups.

Results:  The cord insertion sites were identified as 139 (10.6%) cases with low cord insertion and 1172 control cases. The case subjects frequently had an abnormal placental form (6.5% vs 2.1%, RR 3.2, 95% CI 1.5–7.0) or placenta previa (4.7% vs 1.3%, RR 3.5, 95% CI 1.3–9.1). The frequencies of velamentous cord insertion were 7.2% in cases and 0.9% in controls (RR 8.1, 95% CI 3.4–19.6). Three cases (2.2%) of vasa previa were observed in the cases, but none were observed in the controls (P = 0.001). Placental abruption occurred in 4.3% of the cases and 0.9% of the controls (RR 4.7, 95% CI 1.7–13.1).

Conclusion:  Screening sonography in the late first or early second trimesters and following up at the second trimester in cases with low cord insertion is a useful way to detect vasa previa.
Prenatal diagnosis of familial lethal hypophosphatasia using imaging, blood enzyme levels, chorionic villus sampling and archived fetal tissue
Authors: Suzumori Nobuhiro , Mornet Etienne , Mizutani Eita , Obayashi Shintaro , Ozaki Yasuhiko , Sugiura‐Ogasawara Mayumi
Published: May 2011

Hypophosphatasia is an inheritable disorder characterized by defective bone mineralization and a deficiency of tissue‐nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) activity. Screening for mutations in the TNSALP gene allows genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis of the disease in families with severe forms of hypophosphatasia. A 33‐year‐old, gravida 4, para 3 Japanese woman was referred to Nagoya City University Hospital for prenatal genetic counseling because of two previous occurrences of fetal bone anomalies. The molecular examination showed that the fetus was homozygous for the TNSALP gene mutation c.1559delT, each parent being heterozygous. Genetic counseling was offered and at the next pregnancy, chorionic villus sampling was performed, whereupon genetic analysis confirmed that the fetus did not carry the familial mutation c.1559delT. Postnatal molecular genetic analysis using the cord tissue can provide a diagnosis of lethal hypophosphatasia and prenatal genetic diagnosis of the TNSALP gene allows time for parental counseling and delivery planning.
Early diagnosis of postpartum acute myocardial infarction with combined use of troponin T and heart‐type fatty acid‐binding protein rapid assay
Authors: Kumagai Koji , Ohnaka Haruhiko , Okamoto Fumio , Yasuda Masayuki , Kamegai Hideki , Ohmichi Masahide
Published: May 2011

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period is a rare event but may cause perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of AMI is critical for appropriate treatment. We report a case of postpartum AMI in a 40‐year‐old multiparous woman with varicose veins. On postpartum day 3, the patient suffered severe chest pain. She had been administered oral methylergometrine. In addition to ST‐segment elevation in her electrocardiogram, the patient presented with a positive result on whole blood rapid panel tests for troponin T and heart‐type fatty acid‐binding protein (H‐FABP). These findings indicated AMI in the anterolateral wall. The chest pain disappeared with the prompt administration of intravenous pentazocine hydrochloride and sublingual nitroglycerin spray. Angiography did not reveal any signs of coronary stenosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of postpartum AMI diagnosed rapidly with combined use of troponin T and H‐FABP qualitative panel tests.
Risk factors for perinatal deaths in Pakistan
Authors: Perveen Fouzia , Tayyab Subhana , Zuberi Bader Faiyaz
Published: May 2011

Aim:  The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for perinatal deaths in Pakistan, where perinatal mortality is still very high.

Materials and Methods:  This prospective cohort study was conducted in Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital, Karachi from 1 May 2006 to 30 April 2008. During this period, all perinatal deaths and each live infant delivered following every perinatal death (which were taken as controls) were enrolled. Demographic information, birthweight, booking status, associated obstetric risk factors, stillbirth or neonatal death and the cause of death were recorded. Univariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of categorized weight, booking status, sex and the obstetric risk factors on perinatal death.

Results:  A total of 1103 deliveries were conducted during this period with 119 perinatal deaths. Stillbirths constituted 68.9% while there were early neonatal deaths in 31.1% cases. Booking status, gestational age, weight of fetus and the presence of obstetric risk factors were found to have significant (P‐value < 0.05) association with perinatal deaths. Among the obstetric risk factors, abruptio placentae was the commonest (13.4%) and the commonest cause of death was identified as birth asphyxia (44.5%). There was a strong association between birthweight and perinatal death.

Conclusions:  The high perinatal death rate in this study is comparable to other hospital‐based studies and indicates the poor health status, inadequate prenatal and intranatal care and lack of services in our setup. In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals‐4, much work is needed to improve the quality of care, to identify high‐risk cases and to carry out their proper management.
Stable‐isotope probing of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐degrading bacterial guild in a contaminated soil
Authors: Jones Maiysha D. , Crandell Douglas W. , Singleton David R. , Aitken Michael D.
Published: May 2011

The bacteria responsible for the degradation of naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, fluoranthene or benz[a]anthracene in a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)‐contaminated soil were investigated by DNA‐based stable‐isotope probing (SIP). Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes were generated from the 13C‐enriched (‘heavy’) DNA recovered from each SIP experiment, and quantitative PCR primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene were developed to measure the abundances of many of the SIP‐identified sequences. Clone libraries from the SIP experiments with naphthalene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene primarily contained sequences related to bacteria previously associated with the degradation of those compounds. However, Pigmentiphaga‐related sequences were newly associated with naphthalene and phenanthrene degradation, and sequences from a group of uncultivated γ‐Proteobacteria known as Pyrene Group 2 were newly associated with fluoranthene and benz[a]anthracene degradation. Pyrene Group 2‐related sequences were the only sequences recovered from the clone library generated from SIP with pyrene, and they were 82% of the sequences recovered from the clone library generated from SIP with benz[a]anthracene. In time‐course experiments with each substrate in unlabelled form, the abundance of each of the measured groups increased in response to the corresponding substrate. These results provide a comprehensive description of the microbial ecology of a PAH‐contaminated soil as it relates to the biodegradation of PAHs from two to four rings, and they underscore that bacteria in Pyrene Group 2 are well‐suited for the degradation of four‐ring PAHs.
Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy for constipation as the sole indication
Authors: Obusez E. C. , Lian L. , Kariv R. , Burke C. A. , Shen B.
Published: May 2011

Aim  There is controversy over whether constipation as the only symptom should be an indication for routine diagnostic colonoscopy. The study was carried out to assess the prevalence of abnormal pathology on colonoscopy and to assess the risk factors for colonic neoplasia in patients with constipation but without ‘high risk symptoms’.

Method  A cross‐sectional, single‐centre study was conducted on individuals who underwent colonoscopy for constipation as the sole indication between 2005 and 2008. Standardized endoscopic and pathology reports were reviewed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed.

Results  A total of 786 patients (595 women, 75.7%; mean age, 57.4 ± 13.5 years) underwent diagnostic colonoscopy for constipation. Forty‐three (5.5%) had polyps, of whom 19 (2.4%) had hyperplastic polyps and 19 (2.4%) adenomas. No cancers were found. In patients with adenoma, the detection rate was 2.9% for patients below age 40 years and 1.7% for patients below age 50 years. Older age was associated with a polyp in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Gender, ethnicity and smoking were not associated with polyp or adenoma.

Conclusion  Colonoscopy for patients with constipation as the sole indication had a lower yield of neoplastic lesions than that for patients undergoing routine screening colonoscopy. Colonoscopy in constipation may only be warranted in patients who are over 50 years of age.
Corneal sensitivity in healthy, immature, and adult alpacas
Authors: Rankin Amy J. , Hosking Kimberley G. , Roush James K.
Published: May 2011

Objective To determine the corneal sensitivity of healthy, immature, and adult alpacas to establish normal reference values for this species.

Animals studied Six normal crias and 18 normal adult alpacas.

Procedures Corneal sensitivity was determined by evaluating the corneal touch threshold (CTT) in five regions of the cornea using a Cochet–Bonnet aesthesiometer. The nylon filament length in cm was then converted to applied pressure values in mg/0.0113 mm2and g/mm2using a conversion chart.

Results The central region of the cornea was the most sensitive, and the dorsal and temporal regions were the least sensitive in alpacas. There were no significant differences between the right and left eyes or between values in males and females at any site. Crias had significantly greater corneal sensitivity compared with adult alpacas in all five regions of the cornea that were evaluated.

Conclusions Normal reference values for CTT in alpacas were established using a Cochet–Bonnet aesthesiometer. The central region of the cornea is the most sensitive in alpacas, and crias have higher corneal sensitivity than adult alpacas.
Linguistic Objectivity in Norm Sentences: Alternatives in Literal Meaning
Authors: DUARTE DAVID
Published: May 2011

Assuming that legal science, specifically with regard to interpretation, has to provide the tools to reduce the uncertainty of legal solutions arising from the use of natural languages by legal orders, it becomes a central matter to identify, in this limited domain, the spectrum of semantic variation (and its boundaries) that language brings to the definition of a norm expressed by a norm sentence. It is in this framework that the present paper, analyzing norm sentences as a specific kind of speech act, examines the relation of the legal order to natural language rules, the limits of linguistic uncertainty, and alternatives of meaning as distinct possibilities of norms covered by the text (that are, because of this, still within whatliteral meaningis). Considering interpretation just as the linguistic decoding process, the reverse of the process of creating norm sentences, the paper also argues that subjects not connected with the relation between norm sentences and norms (mainly, normative defeasibility) are analytically distinct and should be removed from the field of language.
Young people’s risk of suicide attempts after contact with a psychiatric department – a nested case‐control design using Danish register data
Authors: Christiansen Erik , Larsen Kim Juul
Published: May 2011

Background:  There seems to be an increased risk of children and adolescents committing or attempting suicide after contact with a psychiatric department. Children and adolescents living in families with low socio‐economic status (SES) might have an especially increased suicide attempt risk.

Methods:  A complete extraction of Danish register data for every individual born in the period 1983–1989 was made. Of these 403,431 individuals, 3,465 had attempted suicide. In order to control for confounder effects from gender, age and calendar‐time, a nested case–control study was designed. A total population of 72,765 individuals was used to analyze the risk of suicide attempts after contact with a psychiatric department. The case–control data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression.

Results:  This study shows that a child/adolescent’s risk of suicide attempt peaks immediately after discharge from last contact with a psychiatric department. The risk of suicide attempt is highest for children and adolescents suffering from personality disorders, depression and substance use disorders. Children and adolescents with previous contact with a psychiatric department and parental income in the lowest third have a significantly higher risk of suicide attempt. Suicide attempters were more likely to have been given several different diagnoses and several different psychopharmacological drugs prior to their attempted suicide.

Conclusions:  The findings in this study highlight the need for psychopathology assessment in every case of attempted suicide. This study also shows that well‐known risk factors such as contact with a psychiatric department do not affect all individuals in the same way. Individuals from families with low SES had the highest risk. This suggests that the presence of factors influencing both vulnerability and resiliency, e.g., family level of SES, needs to be included in the assessment.
A subtle threat cue, heart rate variability, and cognitive performance
Authors: Elliot Andrew J. , Payen Vincent , Brisswalter Jeanick , Cury Francois , Thayer Julian F.
Published: May 2011

This research was designed to extend the literature on heart rate variability (HRV) in cognitive performance contexts by examining whether a subtle threat cue (the color red) in a test environment influences HRV reactivity and whether HRV reactivity is associated with change in cognitive performance. Thirty‐three participants took an IQ test, briefly viewed red or a chromatic or achromatic control color, and then took a parallel form of the IQ test. High frequency (HF)‐HRV (often referred to as respiratory sinus arrhythmia), was assessed before and after the color manipulation. Results indicated that participants who viewed red (relative to a control color) exhibited a decrease in HF‐HRV and that decreased HF‐HRV was associated with worse IQ performance. These findings demonstrate the sensitivity of HRV as an index of effective and efficient emotion regulation in an achievement context.
A specific miRNA signature in the peripheral blood of glioblastoma patients
Authors: Roth Patrick , Wischhusen Jörg , Happold Caroline , Chandran P. Anoop , Hofer Silvia , Eisele Günter , Weller Michael , Keller Andreas
Published: May 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 449–457.

The prognosis of patients afflicted by glioblastoma remains poor. Biomarkers for the disease would be desirable in order to allow for an early detection of tumor progression or to indicate rapidly growing tumor subtypes requiring more intensive therapy. In this study, we investigated whether a blood‐derived specific miRNA fingerprint can be defined in patients with glioblastoma. To this end, miRNA profiles from the blood of 20 patients with glioblastoma and 20 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls were compared. Of 1158 tested miRNAs, 52 were significantly deregulated, as assessed by unadjusted Student′s t‐test at an alpha level of 0.05. Of these, two candidates, miR‐128 (up‐regulated) and miR‐342‐3p (down‐regulated), remained significant after correcting for multiple testing by Benjamini–Hochberg adjustment with a p‐value of 0.025. The altered expression of these two biomarkers was confirmed in a second cohort of glioblastoma patients and healthy controls by real‐time PCR and validated for patients who had received neither radio‐ nor chemotherapy and for patients who had their glioblastomas resected more than 6 months ago. Moreover, using machine learning, a comprehensive miRNA signature was obtained that allowed for the discrimination between blood samples of glioblastoma patients and healthy controls with an accuracy of 81% [95% confidence interval (CI) 78–84%], specificity of 79% (95% CI 75–83%) and sensitivity of 83% (95% CI 71–85%). In summary, our proof‐of‐concept study demonstrates that blood‐derived glioblastoma‐associated characteristic miRNA fingerprints may be suitable biomarkers and warrant further exploration.
The long and the short of it: Electoral institutions and the dynamics of party system size, 1950–2005
Authors: BEST ROBIN E.
Published: May 2011

While institutional theories of party system size are usually examined cross‐nationally, there is ample reason to expect that changes in electoral institutions will affect party system size within countries as well. Although some of this effect may occur immediately, most of the effects are likely to be realised over time and across subsequent elections. A series of error‐correction models examine the short‐ and long‐term effects of changes in electoral institutions on party system size. The results indicate that changes in electoral institutions do produce the expected effects on party system size, and that these effects occur mostly over the long term.
The Viability of the Philosophical Novel: The Case of Simone de Beauvoir's She Came to Stay
Authors: Scheu Ashley King
Published: May 2011

This article begins by asking if the project to write a philosophical novel is not inherently flawed; it would seem that the novelist must either write an ambiguous text, which would not create a strong enough argument to count as philosophy, or she must write a text with a clear argument, which would not be ambiguous enough to count as good fiction. The only other option available would be to exemplify a preexisting abstract philosophical system in the concrete literary world. To move beyond such an impasse, this article turns to the work of Simone de Beauvoir. Beauvoir's unique aesthetic theory in “Literature and Metaphysics” envisions philosophy as an integral part of the literary text and sees the novel not as an argument but as something called a “philosophical appeal” (Beauvoir 2004b). In her first novel, She Came to Stay, such a concept of the philosophical novel allows Beauvoir to make an original contribution to the philosophical tradition—one in which Beauvoir rethinks the problem of solipsism—while still creating a stunning literary work (Beauvoir 1954). A study of the theory and the novel together thus provides a solid understanding of what philosophers stand to gain from the philosophical novel.
Simone de Beauvoir and the Problem with de Sade: The Case of the Virgin Libertine
Authors: Singleton Bronwyn
Published: May 2011

Reading Beauvoir's “Must We Burn Sade?” alongside the chapter called “Sexual Initiation” in The Second Sex, I argue that the problem with Sade is not his perversity, but his perpetual virginity. In The Second Sex, Beauvoir advances a new understanding of sexual initiation as a physical and spiritual movement toward the other, disqualifying any purely physical machination as sufficient to initiate one into “authentic erotic reality.” Sade's refusal of Eros as described in “Must We Burn Sade?” demonstrates that the Marquis's commitment to his characteristic Sadism in fact condemned him to a barren promiscuity, a trenchant and joyless virginity that he elected to perpetuate. Finally, I argue that we should reread Sadism not as a perversion but as based on the Greek model of the “virgin ailment.” As such, Sadism may turn out to be a more genuine and widespread threat than we ordinarily acknowledge.
Genetic variation of the HNA‐3a encoding gene
Authors: Flesch Brigitte K. , Reil Angelika , Bux Jürgen
Published: May 2011

BACKGROUND: Antibodies against the human neutrophil alloantigen‐3a (HNA‐3a) play an important role in transfusion‐related acute lung injury. The HNA‐3a and ‐3b alloantigens result from a single‐nucleotide exchange in the choline transporter‐like protein 2 gene (CTL2). We sought for additional polymorphisms that might impair antibody binding to or genotyping of the HNA‐3a or ‐3b antigens.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: CTL2‐specific complementary DNA (cDNA) fragments were generated from 67 unrelated blood donors followed by DNA sequencing. Polymerase chain reaction with sequence‐specific primers (PCR‐SSP) was used to test a higher number of donors for relevant new single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The granulocyte agglutination test recommended for HNA‐3a antibody detection was performed to check HNA‐3a antibody binding to the products of the CTL‐2 gene variants.

RESULTS: Two new missense mutations were demonstrated in the CTL2 cDNA: a 537C>T* exchange leading to a Leu153Phe amino acid substitution and 988C>T variation predicting Thr301Met change. The inherited 537T variant is located in HNA‐3a allele results impaired granulocyte agglutination by four of 14 antibodies tested while 988T remains nearly unaffected.

CONCLUSIONS: The Leu153Phe exchange next to the HNA‐3a/b defining amino acid position can impede the binding of HNA‐3a alloantibodies. The HNA‐3a genotyping by PCR‐SSP might produce misleading results in HNA‐3ab heterozygous individuals with the additional CTL2‐537T variation of the HNA‐3a antigen. These findings must account for the development of new screening assays.
Understanding the plasmapheresis donor in a voluntary, nonremunerated environment
Authors: Bove Liliana L. , Bednall Tim , Masser Barbara , Buzza Mark
Published: May 2011

BACKGROUND: Increasing demand for plasma‐derived products presents a major recruitment and retention challenge for blood collection agencies; however, little is known about what motivates individuals to become committed plasmapheresis donors. This study explored triggers for individuals' first plasma donation and factors associated with continuing donations.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 103 plasma donors were recruited into 11 focus groups. Reasons for donating were discussed using a semistructured questioning approach. Transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Categories of perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes were developed from the data, cross‐validated, and when relevant, assigned to higher‐order themes.

RESULTS: Awareness of plasmapheresis was most often gained when donors were unable to donate whole blood. Accordingly, the main trigger for conversion to plasma donation was a personal request by collection staff. A key benefit of plasma donation was its increased frequency, which facilitated the establishment of a routine and relationship development with staff and donors, whereas the key reported sacrifice was the greater donation time. Disappointment was the main response to an inability to donate. Functional tokens and refreshments were valued by donors, although it was felt that money spent on tokens would be better invested in making operations more efficient.

CONCLUSION: Suitable whole blood donors should be made aware of plasmapheresis and its associated benefits through collection staff. Sustained donation can be encouraged by the establishment of a regular schedule and positive interactions with collection staff and other donors to enhance the donors' subjective well‐being.
Impact of 13.56‐MHz radiofrequency identification systems on the quality of stored red blood cells
Authors: Kozma Noemi , Speletz Harald , Reiter Ursula , Lanzer Gerhard , Wagner Thomas
Published: May 2011

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology is emerging as one of the most pervasive computing technologies due to its broad applicability. Storage of red blood cells (RBCs) is a routine procedure worldwide. Depending on the additive solution, RBCs can be stored at 4 ± 2°C up to 49 days. To support the decision of discarding or further using a blood product, temperature measurement of each unit could be provided by RFID application. The safety evaluation of RFID devices was demonstrated in a regulatory agency required study. It has been concluded in limit tests that high frequency–based RFID technology performed safely for blood products; therefore, a longer exposure of radiofrequency (RF) energy on blood units was performed in this study to detect any biologic effects in RBC samples.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Buffy coat–depleted, in line–filtered RBCs were used as standard products in all tests. Various variables like pH, potassium, glucose, lactate, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, free Hb, and hemolysis rate were measured in a test group with RFID tags placed on their surface and continuously radiated with 13.56‐MHz RFID reader radiation for 42 days while stored at 4 ± 2°C and compared to a control group by two‐sample t test.

RESULTS: In both groups glucose and pH levels decreased while lactate, free Hb, and potassium increased within the expected levels. The hemolysis rate showed increase after the 25th day but remained below the maximum acceptable threshold of 0.8%.

CONCLUSION: It is feasible to implement RFID‐enabled processes, without detecting any known biologic effects of longer exposure of RF energy on the quality of RBCs.
Risk‐Based Decision Support Tools: Protecting Rail‐Centered Transit Corridors from Cascading Effects
Authors: Greenberg Michael R. , Lowrie Karen , Mayer Henry , Altiok Tayfur
Published: May 2011

We consider the value of decision support tools for passenger rail system managers. First, we call for models that follow events along main rail lines and then into the surrounding environment where they can cascade onto connected light rail, bus, auto, truck, and other transport modes. Second, we suggest that both probabilistic risk assessment (PRA‐based) and agent‐based models have a role to play at different scales of analysis and for different kinds of risks. Third, we argue that economic impact tools need more systematic evaluation. Fourth, we note that developers of decision support tools face a challenge of balancing their desire for theoretical elegance and the tendency to focus only on high consequence events against decisionmakers’ mistrust of complex tools that they and their staff cannot manage and incorporate into their routine operations, as well as the high costs of developing, updating, and applying decision support tools to transport systems undergoing budget cuts and worker and service reductions.
Dielectric and Varistor Behavior of CaCu3Ti4O12–MgTiO3Composite Ceramics
Authors: Yuan Jiancong , Lin Yuan‐Hua , Lu Huafei , Cheng Bo , Nan Ce‐Wen
Published: May 2011

The dielectric and varistor properties of MgTiO3–CaCu3Ti4O12 composite were investigated in term of a new composite with high dielectric permittivity and breakdown voltage. The MgTiO3–CaCu3Ti4O12 composite ceramics were prepared by a traditional solid‐state method. Analysis of microstructure indicated that MgTiO3 addition can refine the grain size. Impedance spectroscopy results showed that the dielectric constant and loss of the composites were stable with the frequency and temperature. The activation energy calculated by the variation of electrical modulus was almost same (0.12 eV) as previously reported one. Especially, the breakdown voltage of the composite ceramics can by adjusted from 200 to 1200 V/mm by controlling the ratio of the amount of CCTO and MgTiO3 composites.
Prior Divergence: Do Researchers and Participants Share the Same Prior Probability Distributions?
Authors: Fang Christina , Carp Sari , Shapira Zur
Published: May 2011

Do participants bring their own priors to an experiment? If so, do they share the same priors as the researchers who design the experiment? In this article, we examine the extent to which self‐generated priors conform to experimenters’ expectations by explicitly asking participants to indicate their own priors in estimating the probability of a variety of events. We find in Study 1 that despite being instructed to follow a uniform distribution, participants appear to have used their own priors, which deviated from the given instructions. Using subjects’ own priors allows us to account better for their responses rather than merely to test the accuracy of their estimates. Implications for the study of judgment and decision making are discussed.
Subspecialist training in surgical gynecologic oncology in the Nordic countries
Authors: ANTONSEN SOFIE L. , ÅVALL‐LUNDQVIST ELISABETH , SALVESEN HELGA B. , AURANEN ANNIKA , SALVARSDOTTIR ANNA , HØGDALL CLAUS ,   on behalf of the Nordic Society of Gynaecological Oncology
Published: May 2011

To survey the centers that can provide subspecialty surgical training and education in gynecological oncology in the Nordic countries, we developed an online questionnaire in co‐operation with the Nordic Society of Gynecological Oncology. The link to the survey was mailed to 22 Scandinavian gynecological centers in charge of surgical treatment of cancer patients. Twenty (91%) centers participated. Four centers reported to be accredited European subspecialty training centers, a further six were interested in being accredited, and 11 centers were accredited by the respective National Board. Fourteen (74%) centers were interested in being listed for exchange of fellows. Our data show a large Nordic potential and interest in improving the gynecologic oncology standards and can be used to enhance the awareness of gynecologic oncology training in Scandinavia and to facilitate the exchange of fellows between Nordic countries.
Comprehensive counseling about combined hormonal contraceptives changes the choice of contraceptive methods: results of the CHOICE program in Sweden
Authors: GEMZELL‐DANIELSSON KRISTINA , THUNELL LOUISE , LINDEBERG MIA , TYDÉN TANJA , MARINTCHEVA‐PETROVA MAYA , ODDENS BJÖRN J.
Published: May 2011

Objective. To study the influence of counseling on women's contraceptive decisions. Design. A cross‐sectional multicenter study. Setting. Seventy Swedish family planning clinics. Population. Women aged 15–40 years attending for a contraceptive consultation who expressed interest in a combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) method. Methods. Structured counseling about three CHCs and questionnaires completed after counseling from the healthcare professional. Main Outcome Measures. Method originally requested, perceptions of CHC attributes, method chosen and reasons for the choice. Results. In all, 173 healthcare professionals and 1 944 women participated. The mean standard deviation (SD) age of the women was 22.6(6.1) years. After structured counseling, a majority of women (56.0%; n=1 069; 95% confidence interval (CI) 53.1–58.9) chose the daily pill, 6.2% (n=118; 95% CI 4.9–7.8) chose the weekly patch, and 22.5% (n=430; 95% CI 20.2–25.1) chose the monthly ring. The weekly patch was chosen more often after counseling (6.2 vs 2.4% before counseling; p<0.0001). The greatest change was in the proportion of women who chose the contraceptive ring after counseling (22.5% vs. 8.5% before counseling; p<0.0001). The proportion of undecided women after counseling was reduced considerably (3.9% vs. 27.8% before counseling). Among the 523 women who were undecided before counseling, 50.6% chose the pill, 10.2% the patch and 24.6% the ring, while 20.9% of women who initially requested the pill changed to another method. Conclusions. Structured counseling facilitated choice of contraceptive method for most women, leading to changes in women's selection of a CHC method.
The clinical relevance of cell‐based therapy for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence
Authors: GRÄS SØREN , LOSE GUNNAR
Published: May 2011

Stress urinary incontinence is a common disorder affecting the quality of life for millions of women worldwide. Effective surgical procedures involving synthetic permanent meshes exist, but significant short‐ and long‐term complications occur. Cell‐based therapy using autologous stem cells or progenitor cells presents an alternative approach, which aims at repairing the anatomical components of the urethral continence mechanism. In vitro expanded progenitor cells isolated from muscle biopsies have been most intensely investigated, and both preclinical trials and a few clinical trials have provided proof of concept for the idea. An initial enthusiasm caused by positive results from early clinical trials has been dampened by the recognition of scientific irregularities. At the same time, the safety issue for cell‐based therapy has been highlighted by the appearance of new and comprehensive regulatory demands. The influence on the cost effectiveness, the clinical relevance and the future perspectives of the present clinical approach are discussed.
Titanium surface alterations following the use of different mechanical instruments: a systematic review
Authors: Louropoulou Anna , Slot Dagmar E. , Van der Weijden Fridus A.
Published: May 2011

Objective: To systematically collect and evaluate existing evidence on the effects of different mechanical instruments on the surface characteristics of smooth and rough titanium surfaces.

Materials and methods: PubMed‐MEDLINE, Cochrane‐CENTRAL and EMBASE databases were searched up to December 2010 to identify appropriate studies. The eligible studies were controlled studies investigating titanium surface alterations following treatment with different mechanical instruments.

Results: In total, 3275 unique papers were identified. A screening of the titles and abstracts resulted in 34 publications that met all of the eligibility criteria. Surface roughness was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy in most studies and using a profilometer in only 10 studies. The rough surfaces evaluated were titanium plasma sprayed and sandblasted and acid‐etched surfaces only. Non‐metal instruments were found to cause minimal or no damage to both smooth and rough titanium surfaces. Metal instruments were found to cause major damage to smooth surfaces. Burs seemed to be the instruments of choice, if smoothening of a rough surface was required.

Conclusion: Non‐metal instruments and rubber cups seem to be the instruments of choice for the treatment of smooth surfaces. Similarly, for rough implant surfaces, non‐metal instruments and air abrasives are the instruments of choice, if surface integrity needs to be maintained. Metal instruments and burs are recommended only in cases requiring the smoothening of the surface roughness. The clinical impact of these findings requires clarification.
Guided imagery to improve functional outcomes post‐anterior cruciate ligament repair: randomized‐controlled pilot trial
Authors: Maddison R. , Prapavessis H. , Clatworthy M. , Hall C. , Foley L. , Harper T. , Cupal D. , Brewer B.
Published: May 2011

Imagery can improve functional outcomes post‐anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACLR). Research is needed to investigate potential mechanisms for this effect. The aim of this study was to (a) evaluate the effectiveness of an imagery intervention to improve functional outcomes post‐ACLR, and (b) explore potential mechanisms. A randomized‐controlled pilot trial was conducted. Participants were randomized to guided imagery and standard rehabilitation or standard rehabilitation alone (control). The primary outcome was knee strength 6‐month post‐operatively. Secondary outcomes were knee laxity at 6‐months, and change in psychological (self‐efficacy) and neurohormonal (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) variables. Participants (n=21; 62% male) were 34.86 (SD 8.84) years. Following the intervention, no statistical differences between groups for knee strength extension at 180°/s (t=−0.43, P=0.67), or at 60°/s (t=−0.72, P=0.48) were found. A statistically significant effect was found for knee laxity, F=4.67, P<0.05, mean difference of −3.02 (95% CI −4.44 to −1.60), favoring the intervention. No differences were found for self‐efficacy; however, an overall effect was found for noradrenaline, F(1, 19) 19.65, P<0.001, η2=0.52, and dopamine, F(1, 19) 6.23, P=0.02, η2=0.29, favoring the intervention. This imagery intervention improved knee laxity and healing‐related neurobiological factors.
Cycling efficiency and time to exhaustion are reduced after acute passive stretching administration
Authors: Esposito F. , Cè E. , Limonta E.
Published: May 2011

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute passive stretching on cycling efficiency during an exercise of heavy intensity. After maximum aerobic power (V̇O2max) assessment, nine active males (24 ± 5 years; stature 1.71 ± 0.09 m; body mass 69 ± 7 kg; mean ± standard deviation) performed tests at 85% of V̇O2max (Ẇ85) until exhaustion, with and without pre‐exercise stretching. During the tests, we determined the gas exchange, metabolic and cardiorespiratory parameters. With stretching, no differences in V̇O2max occurred (3.64 ± 0.14 vs 3.66 ± 0.07 L/min for stretching and control, respectively). During Ẇ85, pre‐exercise stretching (i) decreased time to exhaustion (tlim) by 26% (P<0.05); (ii) increased average V̇O2 by 4% (3.24 ± 0.07 and 3.12 ± 0.07 L/min in stretching and control, respectively; P<0.05); and (iii) reduced net mechanical efficiency (enet) by 4% (0.185 ± 0.006 and 0.193 ± 0.006 in stretching and control, respectively; P<0.05). Although acute passive stretching did not have an effect on V̇O2max, tlim and enet during heavy constant load exercise were significantly affected. These results are suggestive of an impairment in cycling efficiency due to changes in muscle neural activation and viscoelastic characteristics induced by stretching.
Role of physical activity on health in children and adolescents
Authors: Ekblom B. , Åstrand P‐O
Published: May 2011

This past century has been characterized by enormous advances in almost all aspects of human achievement. A person born at the beginning of the 20th century and still alive has witnessed more technical evolution than occurred during the preceding millions of years of the Homo family. Previously we were adapted to a life‐style as hunters‐gatherers. Now, after a short spell in an agrarian culture, we have in some “privileged” societies ended up in an urbanized, highly technologic society dominated by a sedentary life‐style.

Previously when a child had matured enough to understand the message of a teacher, education began, and boys learned from a “retired” hunter. Today, there is an emphasis on chronological age more or less irrespective of maturity, body dimensions, functioning or intellectual potential. “Vertical” contact with the older generation has now more or less been replaced by a “horizontal” one of individuals of the same age. Furthermore, the educational, physical, physiological and social situation of a young individual has changed dramatically within a few decades from a life‐style of activity to one more reminiscent of Homo Sedentarius. The consequences of this enormous uncontrolled trial with whole generations of young people are still to manifest themselves. This paper is a commentary from a physiological‐medical perspective.
Zinc supplementation for four months does not affect plasma copper concentration in infants
Authors: Sazawal S. , Malik P. , Jalla S. , Krebs N. , Bhan MK , Black RE
Published: May 2011

Aim: The aim of the present study, which was undertaken as a sub‐study within a randomized controlled trial of zinc supplementation, was to evaluate the effect of prolonged zinc supplementation on copper status as assessed by hematological markers. Methods: Plasma copper and zinc were estimated at baseline and after 120 d of supplementation in a randomly selected infant subset (115) of the children. Of these, 61 children were in a zinc group (Z) getting 10 mg of elemental zinc, and 54 were in a control group (C) getting supplement without zinc. Results: Baseline plasma zinc was comparable in the two groups; post‐supplementation zinc was significantly higher (Z 93.0 ± 3.6 vs C 60.6 ± 8.0) in the zinc supplementation group. There was no significant difference in the mean/median copper levels between the zinc and control groups. The percentage of children with plasma copper <100 μg/dl was also not significantly different between groups (baseline Z 14.8%, C 11.1%; post‐supplementation Z 18.0%, C 11.1%). There were no differences between the zinc and control groups after 120 d of supplementation in hemoglobin (Hgb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), or number of lymphocytes or granulocytes.

Conclusion: Zinc supplementation of 10 mg/d for 4 mo in this study did not affect copper status, as assessed by plasma copper concentration and hematological parameters, diagnostics, of copper deficiency.
Gastric emptying in infants: Epigastric impedance versus scintigraphy
Authors: Savino F. , Cresi F. , Ferrigno M. , Palumeri E. , Oggero R. , Silvestro L.
Published: May 2011

Aim: To compare epigastric impedance versus scintigraphy in monitoring the gastric emptying of the same adapted milk formula in infants. Methods: Seven infants with clinical symptoms of gastric motility disease underwent scintigraphy with 99mTc sulphur colloid for the 90 min following the ingestion of the same adapted milk formula, in order to evaluate gastric emptying. A bio‐impedance device, connected to a PC, was prepared for this purpose with four standard electrodes placed anteriorly on the upper part of the body. The obtained graphs were compared to those of the scintigraphic method. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation. The confidence limits were set at 95%. Parental consent was obtained before each analysis. Results: The gastric emptying patterns obtained with epigastric impedance were closely correlated to those shown by the scintigraphy (r= 0.86 ± 0.08; p < 0.05). A significant correlation between the gastric emptying velocity measured by the two techniques was found (r= 0.94; p= 0.002).

Conclusions: Epigastric impedance in infants provided estimates of gastric emptying that were closely correlated with scintigraphy. However, the limits derived from the epigastric impedance suggest that, at the moment, the two methods should not be used interchangeably.
Judge‐Jury Difference in Punitive Damages Awards: Who Listens to the Supreme Court?
Authors: Eisenberg Theodore , Heise Michael
Published: May 2011

We analyze thousands of trials from a substantial fraction of the nation's most populous counties as well as a smaller sample of less populous counties. Evidence from four major Civil Justice Survey data sets spanning more than a decade establishes that: (1) compensatory awards are strongly associated with punitive awards and (2) the punitive‐compensatory relation has not materially changed over time. But (3) 2005 data suggest, for the first time, systematic differences between judges and juries in the punitive‐compensatory relation. Despite claims that the Supreme Court's State Farm decision changed the punitive‐compensatory relation, we present evidence that the 2005 shift is not attributable to the State Farm case or to other possibly relevant likely factors such as the relative flow of personal injury cases to judges and juries, inclusion of 110 small counties in the 2005 data, or changes in the 2005 data coding. The judge‐jury difference more likely turns on unobserved factors driving the selection of cases for adjudication before judges and jurors.
Incorporation Law, Ownership Structure, and Firm Value: Evidence from Canada
Authors: Boubraki Narjess , Bozec Yves , Laurin Claude , Rousseau Stéphane
Published: May 2011

In this article, we reexamine the law and finance theory in the Canadian context, characterized by a dichotomy in the legal traditions that govern incorporation law across provinces. We specifically examine the relation between incorporation law, corporate ownership structure, and firm value, taking into account the endogeneity of ownership structure. Using a sample of 181 Canadian firms between 2002 and 2005, we show that firms from Quebec mostly choose to incorporate under the federal law (CBCA), perceived as more protective of shareholder rights, rather than under the provincial law (QCA). Our 2SLS regressions show that Quebec firms incorporated under the QCA tend to have more concentrated ownership and that ownership concentration is negatively related to firm value (Tobin's Q). These results are in line with the previous literature, which, in different pieces, has identified the positive relationship between less stringent legal environment and ownership concentration, as well as the negative relationship between ownership concentration and firm value. In this study, we formalize these relationships while taking into consideration the fact that firm value could also influence ownership concentration, as shown by Cho (1998). These results take on a particular importance as many researchers and organizations dedicated to the protection of investors, in Europe and in many countries around the world, have criticized the existence of ownership concentration and excess voting rights (wedge). These results thus reinforce the need for better corporate governance regulations to minimize the risks of minority shareholders expropriation.