bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Cares About Mortgage Interest Deductibility?
Authors: Gervais Martin , Pandey Manish
Published: May 2008

We use the US Survey of Consumer Finances to measure the change in federal tax liability that would result should mortgage interest no longer be deductible from taxable income. We argue that the elimination of this housing tax provision would lead households to reshuffle their balance sheet, thereby lowering the amount of interest income taxes collected. We find that the cost of this tax provision is between 36 and 66 percent of the estimates produced by the US Office of Management and Budget, depending on the types of assets one assumes would be used to lower mortgage debt following the removal of the provision. Furthermore, since mostly rich households would be in a position to reshuffle their balance sheet following such a change in tax policy, the distributional effects of this program are much smaller than conventionally believed. While the focus of this paper is on the elimination of mortage interest deductibility in the US, the results of this study shed some light on the impact and distributional consequences to expect should mortgage interest deductibility be introduced in Canada.
Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Hydroxyl Functionalized Ionic Liquids and Their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Dorjnamjin Demberelnyamba , Ariunaa Maamaa , Shim Young Key
Published: May 2008

We report a new one phase method for the synthesis of uniform monodisperse crystalline Ag nanoparticles in aqueous systems that has been developed by using newly synthesized mono and dihydroxylated ionic liquids and cationic surfactants based on 1,3-disubstituted imidazolium cations and halogens anions. The hydroxyl functionalized ionic liquids (HFILs) and hydroxyl functionalized cationic surfactants (HFCSs) also simultaneously acts both as the reductant and protective agent. By changing the carbon chain length, alcohol structure and anion of the 1,3-imidazolium based HFILs and HFCSs the particle size, uniform and dispersibility of nanoparticles in aqueous solvents could be controlled. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction, UV-Vis and NMR, were used for characterization of HFILs, HFCSs and silver nanoparticles. TEM studies on the solution showed representative spherical silver nanoparticles with average sizes 2-8 nm, particularly 2.2 nm and 4.5 nm in size range and reasonable narrow particle size distributions (SD-standard distribution) 0.2 nm and 0.5 nm respectively. The all metal nanoparticles are single crystals with face centered cubic (fcc) structure. The silver nanoparticles surface of plasmon resonance band (λmax) around 420 nm broadened and little moved to the long wavelength region that indicating the formation of silver nanoparticles dispersion with broad absorption around infrared (IR) region. Silver complexes of these HFILs as well as different silver nanoparticles dispersions have been tested in vitro against several gram positive and gram negative bacteria and fungus. The silver nanoparticles providing environmentally friendly and high antimicrobial activity agents.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Novel Pentagastrin- Toxin Conjugate Designed for a Targeted Prodrug Monotherapy of Cancer
Authors: Tietze Lutz F. , Panknin Olaf , Krewer Birgit , Major Felix , Schuberth Ingrid
Published: May 2008

A novel carbamate prodrug 2 containing a pentagastrin moiety was synthesized. 2 was designed as a detoxified analogue of the highly cytotoxic natural antibiotic duocarmycin SA (1) for the use in a targeted prodrug monotherapy of cancers expressing cholecystokinin (CCK-B)/gastrin receptors. The synthesis of prodrug 2 was performed using a palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of bromide 6, followed by a radical cyclisation to give the pharmacophoric unit 10, coupling of 10 to the DNA-binding subunit 15 and transformation of the resulting seco-drug 3b into the carbamate 2 via addition of a pentagastrin moiety.
Occult hepatitis C virus infection is more common than hepatitis B infection in maintenance hemodialysis patients
Authors: Jain Pankaj
Published: May 2008

Laparoscopic surgery is the main treatment method for patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors. Although laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive, its tool stimulation and pneumoperitoneum pressure often cause strong stress reactions in patients. On the other hand, gastrointestinal surgery can cause stronger pain in patients, compared to other surgeries. Transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) can effectively inhibit the transmission of nerve impulses caused by surgical stimulation, alleviate patient pain, and thus alleviate stress reactions. Remazolam is an acting, safe, and effective sedative, which has little effect on hemodynamics and is suitable for most patients. TAPB combined with remazolam can reduce the dosage of total anesthetic drugs, reduce adverse reactions, reduce stress reactions, and facilitate the rapid postoperative recovery of patients.
Robbery of Older Adults: A Descriptive Analysis Using the National Incident-Based Reporting System
Authors: Faggiani Donald , Owens Myra G.
Published: May 2008

National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data from nine states were used to develop a descriptive profile of the violent crime of robbery committed against older adults (age 65 or older). In 1996 there were 11,117 noncommercial robbery incidents and 12,700 robbery victims in the NIBRS database. Almost 95% of robbery victims were age 64 or younger and slightly more than 5% of robbery victims were age 65 or older. When it was listed as one of the offenses committed during a violent incident, robbery was almost always the most serious offense committed against victims. A few victims were robbed and murdered and some victims were raped and robbed. Most robbery victims who were age 85 or older were robbed at home, but most adults age 65–74 were robbed when performing routine activities outside of the home. When robbed, older adults (age 65 or older) were more likely to die or sustain serious physical injury than were individuals age 64 or younger. Females who were age 65 or older and males who were age 64 or younger were more likely to sustain serious physical injury when confronted by multiple offenders than were females age 64 or younger or males age 65 or older. Although adults age 65 or older are the least likely age group to become victims of violent crime, we found that male Caucasians age 65 or older were robbed more often than individuals in any other age or racial group.
Toward the Development of a Pursuit Decision Calculus: Pursuit Benefits versus Pursuit Cost
Authors: Madden Thomas J. , Alpert Geoffrey P.
Published: May 2008

To make unbiased decisions about whether to pursue a fleeing vehicle, officers must understand both the costs and the potential benefits of a pursuit. This manuscript describes an approach that identifies and assesses the impact of pursuit characteristics on pursuit costs. Data from official pursuit forms generated by officers in the Miami-Dade police department were used as a basis of the study. Log-linear models were used to identify direct and interactive effects of the pursuit characteristics. Upon finding significant effects, odds ratios were calculated. The findings indicate that there are certain pursuit characteristics, including number of units and speed, that significantly increase the likelihood of pursuits resulting in a cost to society including personal injury or property damage.
Prosecution's Coming of Age
Authors: Forst Brian
Published: May 2008

This article describes the state of prosecution at the turn of the millenium and recent innovations in prosecution and their implications. After describing sources of resistance to innovation, the article focuses on breakthroughs in information and forensic technology and their effects on prosecution; the effects of social movements on the reshaping of prosecution as a community-spirited service delivery system; the introduction of preventive strategies in policing and their effects on prosecution; and associated adjustments in prosecution management. It identifies the absence of comprehensive, periodic, visible systems of public accountability as the great problem in contemporary prosecution, one that retards innovation and productivity. The article concludes with a vision for a more effective, efficient, and just system of prosecution.
Assessing the Interrelationships between Perceptions of Impact and Job Satisfaction: A Comparison of Traditional and Community-Oriented Policing Officers
Authors: Lawton Brian A. , Hickman Matthew J. , Piquero Alex R. , Greene Jack R.
Published: May 2008

The relationship between officer involvement in community policing and job satisfaction is poorly understood and in need of greater empirical articulation. Using data collected as part of a federally funded community policing program in Philadelphia, this article analyzes the relationships between assignment to a traditional or community policing role, officer perceptions of impact, and three dimensions of job satisfaction. Structural equation modeling is used to explore the causal relationships between these constructs. A series of structural models suggest that, in general, the path leading to job satisfaction is very similar for traditional and community-oriented police officers. In addition, the results suggest that perceived job impact is largely determined by job satisfaction such that officers who are more satisfied with their job are more likely to perceive that they are having an impact, a finding that was invariant across officer patrol type (motorized or community). The implications for improved service delivery through assignment to community policing roles are discussed.
Using Research to Improve Services for Victims of Sexual Assault
Authors: Meredith Tammy , Speir John C. , Johnson Michelle
Published: May 2008

During 1998, Georgia received over $10 million in Violence Against Women Act and Victims of Crime Act funding, used in part to serve 14,000 victims of sexual assault through rape crisis centers and victim witness assistance programs. Despite millions of dollars and years of program administration, it is unknown whether the needs of victims are adequately addressed. In response, the Georgia Statistical Analysis Center dedicated its 1997 and 1998 State Justice Program grant funds to studying sexual assault. This article summarizes the first in a series of studies—reporting on 300 surveys of victim service program directors, frontline staff, and victims. The study represents the first attempt in Georgia to understand the availability, quality, and delivery of services to victims of sexual assault statewide. The study provided policymakers with critical information on how increased availability of counseling services, improved public awareness campaigns, and professional education and training can ultimately improve services to victims of sexual assault.
The Social Production of Crime Statistics
Authors: Brownstein Henry H.
Published: May 2008

The problems associated with trying to conceptualize and measure crime with crime statistics are widely recognized and well documented. Most often studies have focused on the technical issues of reliability and validity. Recent analyses have also considered how crime statistics are socially constructed or produced. These studies, however, focused on how such statistics are influenced by the decisions and actions of people who participate in the system of criminal justice and have vested interests in how crime is defined or measured. This paper, in contrast, will demonstrate that actions and decisions of individuals engaged in the production of crime statistics but working without any vested interest in the meaning or measure of crime also have an impact on how crime is conceptualized and measured.
The Predispositional Status of Violent Youthful Offenders: Is There a “Custody Gap” in Adult Criminal Court?
Authors: Myers David L. , Kiehl Kraig
Published: May 2008

This study focused on the immediate justice system response to violent youths in juvenile versus adult court. We examined 557 violent young offenders from Pennsylvania, of whom 138 were judicially waived to adult court and 419 were retained in juvenile court. Statistical analyses revealed that the transferred youths were more likely to be released from secure custody prior to a final disposition of their charges. Of those offenders who were released, the transferred youths also were more likely to recidivate and exhibited more serious predispositional recidivism than did the retained juveniles. These findings suggest the presence of an initial “custody gap” for violent youths waived to the adult criminal system.
Implementing Controversial Policy: Results from a National Survey of Law Enforcement Department Activity on Hate Crime
Authors: Haider-Markel Donald P.
Published: May 2008

Local police are responsible for implementing a patchwork of federal, state, and local policies addressing crimes motivated by bias or hate toward particular groups. The research presented here examines police department activity on implementing hate crime policy, with particular attention to hate crime policies related to lesbians and gays, by using survey and demographic data from a sample of American cities. The results suggest that many police departments are trying to implement hate crime policies and improve relations with minority communities. Hate crime policy implementation is shaped by the support and efforts of officers, the tractability of the problem, the support of police leaders, the presence of state hate crime policies, police resources, and public opinion. Interestingly, implementation efforts do not appear to be influenced by the preferences of elected officials, local hate crime policies, or a series of administrative procedures for hate crime cases.
Searching for the Denominator: Problems with Police Traffic Stop Data and an Early Warning System Solution
Authors: Walker Samuel
Published: May 2008

In response to widespread allegations of racial and ethnic discrimination in traffic stops, a practice that has been labeled “racial profiling,” law enforcement agencies are now collecting data on traffic stops that include the race or ethnicity of drivers. Interpreting these data to determine whether a pattern of race discrimination exists poses enormous difficulties. Specifically, it is not clear what baseline (often referred to as “the denominator”) should be used to assess the racial and ethnic distribution of people stopped. Using the first traffic stop data reports from the San Jose Police Department as a case study, this paper examines baselines that are commonly used or discussed as appropriate. The paper argues that resident population data and/or official crime data are not adequate as baselines. As an alternative, the paper proposes an approach based on police early warning systems.
Multiwave Establishment Surveys of Police Organizations
Authors: Maguire Edward R.
Published: May 2008

This article discusses the use of multiwave establishment surveys of American police organizations. It presents a definition and brief history of this set of methodologies, then discusses some of the well-known surveys within this genre. The essential elements of each survey are described, including sponsorship, sampling, methods of administration, item content, and contribution to knowledge about policing. The article concludes with some general impressions about these surveys, some of the useful lessons that might be learned from their use, and some suggestions for how they might be used to expand the present body of knowledge about policing.
Locational Precision in Crime Analysis: A Case Study in Baltimore County, Maryland
Authors: Canter Philip , Harries Keith
Published: May 2008

Over the last decade, police departments in the United States and elsewhere began to adopt geographic information systems (GIS) technology, recognizing the advantages of a system that enables the inspection of crime patterns and spatial filtering and querying, as well as more sophisticated analyses. If GIS is seen as a “primary” innovation in law enforcement, refinements in both visualization and geographic precision can be considered a secondary wave. In a case study in Baltimore County, Maryland, aerial photography and global positioning systems (GPS) were introduced and evaluated in an effort to develop an understanding of the possible benefits and limitations of the technologies. Incident street addresses geocoded in the usual manner were compared to coordinates obtained from a GPS instrument accurate to within a meter. Analysis suggests that locational errors were greater for some crime categories than for others.
Neighborhood Context, Police Behavior and Satisfaction with Police
Authors: Reisig Michael D. , Parks Roger B.
Published: May 2008

Residents in neighborhoods characterized by concentrated poverty and high violent crime rates report lower levels of satisfaction with police. The prevailing neighborhood-level explanation posits that such outcomes are a product of ecologically structured unconventional norms and values regarding crime and criminal justice. What remains unanswered, however, is whether variation in police behavior affects citizens' attitudes independent of neighborhood structural characteristics (e.g., concentrated disadvantage). To address this question, we use four independent sources of data from the Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN) to estimate a series of hierarchical linear models to assess the influence of neighborhood-level police behavior. Our results suggest that alternative patrol strategies advocated by proponents of community policing—foot and bike patrols—have a direct positive effect on citizens' satisfaction, net of neighborhood structure and known individual-level correlates (e.g., perceived quality of life). In contrast, the use of physical force is (at best) only weakly associated with neighborhood-level satisfaction.
Does Quality-of-Life Policing Widen the Net? A Partial Analysis
Authors: Golub Andrew , Johnson Bruce D. , Taylor Angela , Eterno John
Published: May 2008

In the 1990s, the New York City Police Department instituted a policy of arresting individuals for less serious offenses that impinge on the city's quality of life (QOL). Critics contend that QOL policing widened the net for arrest, especially among minorities. Alternatively, QOL policing could have created additional opportunities for arresting individuals from the same populations that tend to incur arrests for more serious offenses. This article reports on a comparison of New York City QOL and serious arrestees interviewed in 1999 that provides partial support for this alternative hypothesis; the two groups were similar regarding prior arrests, participation in QOL offenses, and demographic composition. Of note, blacks and Hispanics comprised close to 90% of both arrest populations. These findings suggest that QOL policing does not necessarily widen the net for arrest.
A Comparative Analysis of Commonly Used Benchmarks in Racial Profiling: A Research Note
Authors: Withrow Brian L.
Published: May 2008

Developing an appropriate benchmark to estimate the population of individuals exposed to police observation is the most important methodological consideration in racial profiling research. This article compares data on stops generated by police officers using the three most common benchmarks in racial profiling research—population, field observations, and accident records—and finds only slight differences in the results. In addition, the article outlines the relative advantages and disadvantages of each benchmark and offers suggestions to future researchers.
The Reentry Court Initiative: Court-Based Strategies for Managing Released Prisoners
Authors: Lindquist Christine , Hardison Jennifer , Lattimore Pamela K.
Published: May 2008

In response to the growing need to effectively manage the large numbers of released prisoners returning into the community, the Office of Justice Programs launched the Reentry Court Initiative (RCI). Nine sites were identified and charged with developing strategies to improve the tracking and supervision of offenders upon release and providing the services necessary to help offenders reconnect with their families and the community. The current article describes the RCI programs. Telephone interviews were conducted with key site contacts from each site. Site visits were conducted to three sites, at which semistructured interviews were held with 28 key stakeholders, including judges, program directors, supervision officers, case managers, and program participants. The sites employed diverse approaches in establishing their programs, with the judicial branch maintaining programmatic authority in five of the eight operational sites, and administrative law judges and/or parole boards serving as the legal authority in the remaining three. All RCI programs required regular court appearances, although not all established a specialized reentry court docket. The majority of sites appeared to offer comprehensive services to their program participants, with case management provided either through a specialized case manager or the supervision officer. Several barriers were common across the RCI sites, particularly the difficulties in obtaining employment, and appropriate, affordable housing for program participants.
Research Note: Examining Civil Trial Litigation in State Courts
Authors: Cohen Thomas H. , Smith Steven K.
Published: May 2008

Since 1992, the Bureau of Justice Statistics has collected data on civil disputes adjudicated by trial in state courts of general jurisdiction. Although civil trials represent a small fraction of all civil dispositions, they are important to examine because they can set the overall context for the civil justice system as a whole. The most recent civil trial survey tracked nearly 12,000 general civil (e.g., tort, contract, and real property) jury and bench trials disposed of in a sample of the nation's 75 most populous counties during the year 2001. An overview of the research findings and a summary of their implications are presented.
Research Note: How Accurate are Arrestees' Self-Reports of Their Criminal Justice Histories?
Authors: Johnson Bruce D. , Taylor Angela , Golub Andrew
Published: May 2008

This research note addresses the accuracy of arrestees' self-reports of contacts with the criminal justice system as a means of exploring the relative importance of various sources of inaccurate responding. Erroneous self-report of sensitive behaviors has been linked to deception, memory problems, and faulty criterion measures, among other things. However, the existent literature provides limited guidance for investigating the relative importance of these factors in a given study. Further, variations in the amount and types of inaccuracy cannot be distinguished by commonly used summary agreement statistics, such as kappa. These issues were examined using data from the Policing Project, a National Institute of Justice-funded research study designed to explore new means of evaluating police behavior. The project interviewed 892 New York City arrestees during the second half of 1999. Subjects were asked about several forms of criminal justice system contact, and gave informed consent for researchers to obtain their official criminal histories, which were acquired from the state agency as an anonymous data set. A key finding was that the accuracy of arrestee self-reports compared to official criminal histories varied according to specific measures. Agreement regarding arrest in the prior six months was substantial, but other measures were less accurate. Overreporting was about equal to underreporting of criminal justice contacts across several measures. We conclude that arrestee self-reports continue to be valuable for criminological research. While arrestee self-reports may lack the precision and accuracy that criminal justice practitioners might prefer, the limitations of official records contribute substantially to inaccuracies between self-reports and criminal histories.
The Importance of Constructing and Validating Risk Assessment Instruments in Community Corrections Settings
Authors: Brumbaugh Susan , Steffey Danielle M.
Published: May 2008

Since the late 1970s, agencies responsible for supervising offenders in the community have used assessment instruments as a way to classify offenders according to levels of risk and need. This, in turn, has provided a basis for assigning offenders to levels of community supervision. Despite evidence that risk and needs assessment instruments are not universal and should be validated for use with a particular population, most agencies currently using them have adopted existing instruments without determining whether the instruments are valid for their offender populations. Furthermore, agencies that do validate instruments for their populations often do so under less than ideal circumstances, facing constraints and data limitations that affect research decisions. This article describes how the State of New Mexico dealt with such constraints and limitations to construct a validated risk assessment instrument and illustrates the continued importance of validating risk assessment instruments, highlighting issues related to their implementation.
Implementation of Prisoner Reentry Programs: Findings from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative Multi-Site Evaluation
Authors: Lattimore Pamela K. , Visher Christy A. , Winterfield Laura , Lindquist Christine , Brumbaugh Susan
Published: May 2008

The multi-site evaluation of the federal Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) is assessing the impact on post-release offender behavior of reentry programs funded in 2002–2003 with more than $150 million in federal grant monies. The multi-faceted SVORI programs provide prison- and community-based services and programming to help released prisoners successfully transition from prison to the community. Each program was locally designed and, thus, the programs vary considerably in approach, services provided, and target populations. Although the primary purpose of the multi-site evaluation is to determine the impact of the SVORI programs, an implementation assessment is being conducted to characterize the programs in order to answer the question “impact of what?” This paper provides a brief background on prisoner reentry and the SVORI, and examines the implementation and structure of the 89 reentry programs operated by the 69 SVORI grantees. The findings, based on a program director survey, show that two years following the grant award only 74% of the programs reported being fully operational, and 31% of those reported taking more than 12 months to achieve full implementation. In addition, although most programs are targeting a broad range of offenders, enrollment of participants has proven to be a significant challenge in many sites where enrollments are below expectation. Finally, while most programs reported providing a variety of services and programs to participants, the types and quantities varied considerably among the programs.
Applying Cost-Benefit Analysis to Policing Evaluations
Authors: Horowitz Jake , Zedlewski Edwin
Published: May 2008

Criminal justice policymakers and practitioners are better served by evaluations that identify both an intervention's benefits and resource requirements. Reviewing a sample of policing evaluations, we found few reports that contain the information necessary for either a cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit analysis. After describing the study methods and findings, we make recommendations for future evaluations and propose a research agenda for criminal justice input and outcome measurement and monetization.
Conducting Criminological Research in a Hospital: The Results of Two Exploratory Studies and Implications for Prevention
Authors: Hassett-Walker Connie , Boyle Douglas J.
Published: May 2008

This article discusses the results of two exploratory studies using hospital data on intentional assault injury. Study #1 was a two-year gunshot wound (GSW) surveillance effort (N = 920). A map of the EMS dispatch addresses revealed that certain neighborhoods were “hotspots” for gun violence. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that poverty, vacant housing and rental housing were significant predictors of a neighborhood's GSW rate. Study #2 involved interviews with assaulted patients (N = 30). More than half of the sample had been incarcerated, which is striking considering their young age (i.e., 21 years old and younger). Prevention implications of both studies are discussed.
Forecasting commodity prices: GARCH, jumps, and mean reversion
Authors: Bernard Jean‐Thomas , Khalaf Lynda , Kichian Maral , Mcmahon Sebastien
Published: May 2008

In examining stochastic models for commodity prices, central questions often revolve around time‐varying trend, stochastic convenience yield and volatility, and mean reversion. This paper seeks to assess and compare alternative approaches to modelling these effects, with focus on forecast performance. Three specifications are considered: (i) random‐walk models with GARCH and normal or Student‐t innovations; (ii) Poisson‐based jump‐diffusion models with GARCH and normal or Student‐t innovations; and (iii) mean‐reverting models that allow for uncertainty in equilibrium price. Our empirical application makes use of aluminium spot and futures price series at daily and weekly frequencies. Results show: (i) models with stochastic convenience yield outperform all other competing models, and for all forecast horizons; (ii) the use of futures prices does not always yield lower forecast error values compared to the use of spot prices; and (iii) within the class of (G)ARCH random‐walk models, no model uniformly dominates the other. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Lipase Activity and Specificity on the DAG Content of Olive Oil from the Shodoshima‐Produced Olive Fruits
Authors: Shimizu Masao , Kudo Naoto , Nakajima Yoshinobu , Matsuo Noboru , Katsuragi Yoshihisa , Tokimitsu Ichiro , Barceló Francisca
Published: May 2008

Olive oils have a higher relative diacylglycerol (DAG) content than other plant oils. The lipase in olive fruits is involved in DAG production and is directly related to the acidity of the olive oil. However, the lipase activity and positional selectivity have not been clarified. To investigate the properties of olive fruit lipase, olive fruits of the Mission variety harvested during mid‐December of 2005 on Shodoshima Island (Japan) were stored at 20, 30 or 40 °C for 4 weeks. Changes in the acidity and acylglycerol content of the oils extracted from the stored fruits were analyzed. The acidity and DAG content of the olive oils increased due to triacylglycerol (TAG) hydrolysis during storage. sn‐1,2‐DAGs preferentially increased during the early stages of storage, indicating that the olive fruit lipase is enantioselective for the sn‐3 position, while non‐enzymatic isomerization of sn‐1,2‐DAGs was observed throughout the entire duration of storage. Kinetic analysis revealed that the enantioselectivity of olive fruit lipase for the sn‐3 position was approximately four times greater than for the sn‐1 position. The lipase was gradually inactivated at temperatures of 30 °C or higher, and the ratios of the rate constant for inactivation to TAG hydrolysis at the sn‐3 position was 0.2, 13, and 23 at 20, 30, and 40 °C, respectively.
Sensory Thresholds of Selected Phenolic Constituents from Thyme and their Antioxidant Potential in Sunflower Oil
Authors: Bitar Alain , Ghaddar Tarek , Malek Amal , Haddad Tharwat , Toufeili Imad
Published: May 2008

The odor detection thresholds of carvacrol (5‐isopropyl‐2‐methyl‐phenol), thymol (2‐isopropyl‐5‐methyl‐phenol) and p‐cymene 2,3‐diol (2,3‐dihydroxy‐4‐isopropyl‐1‐methyl‐benzene) in sunflower oil, determined by the three‐alternative, forced‐choice procedure, were 30.97, 124 and 794.33 mg kg−1, respectively. Sunflower oil containing 13, 70, or 335 mg kg−1 of carvacrol, thymol or p‐cymene 2,3‐diol, respectively, was judged to be similar (P < 0.01) in taste and odor to its antioxidant‐free counterpart. The rate constant of sunflower oil oxidation, measured from the increase in peroxide value during storage at 25 °C, was 9.2 × 10−9 mol kg−1 s−1 while the rate constants were 9.3 × 10−9, 9.8 × 10−9, and 4.3 × 10−9 mol kg−1 s−1 in the presence of 13 mg kg−1 carvacrol, 70 mg kg−1 thymol, and 335 mg kg−1p‐cymene 2,3‐diol, respectively. At a level of 335 mg kg−1, p‐cymene 2,3‐diol did not impart flavor taints and effected a 46.7% reduction in the rate of oxidation of sunflower oil. These findings indicate that the diphenolic p‐cymene 2,3‐diol could potentially replace synthetic antioxidants and is a valuable addition to the antioxidants used by the food industry in its quest to meet consumer demands for synthetic‐additives‐free and ‘natural’ foods.
Favourable effects of heart rate reduction with intravenous administration of ivabradine in patients with advanced heart failure☆
Authors: De Ferrari Gaetano M. , Mazzuero Antonio , Agnesina Laura , Bertoletti Alessandra , Lettino Maddalena , Campana Carlo , Schwartz Peter J. , Tavazzi Luigi
Published: May 2008

Background

Heart rate (HR) reduction may be useful in treatment of patients with heart failure (HF). There are no data on the haemodynamic effects of ivabradine (a selective If current inhibitor) in advanced HF patients.

Aims

To assess the haemodynamic effects of ivabradine in patients with advanced HF and markedly depressed left ventricular (LV) function.

Methods and results

Ten NYHA class III patients (50±12 years, LV ejection fraction 21±7%) underwent 24‐h haemodynamic monitoring. Ivabradine 0.1 mg/kg was infused over 90′, followed by 0.05–0.075 mg/kg in the subsequent 90′. Baseline HR was 93±8 bpm, cardiac index (CI) 2.2±0.6 l/min*m2; LV stroke volume 44±11 ml and systolic work 39±13 g.

Ivabradine significantly reduced HR, by a maximum of 27% (to 68±9 bpm) at 4h, without decreasing CI. Ivabradine increased stroke volume and LV systolic work by a maximum of 51% (to 66±17 ml) and 53% (to 58±20 g) at 4h. No serious adverse events occurred.

Conclusion

In patients with advanced HF and markedly depressed LV function, the acute administration of ivabradine is well tolerated, effectively reduces HR, markedly increases stroke volume and preserves cardiac output. Ivabradine appears a promising approach for the treatment of patients with moderate and advanced heart failure.
Adaptive servoventilation improves cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure and Cheyne–Stokes respiration
Authors: Oldenburg Olaf , Schmidt Anke , Lamp Barbara , Bitter Thomas , Muntean Bogdan G. , Langer Christoph , Horstkotte Dieter
Published: May 2008

Background and aims

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB), especially Cheyne–Stokes respiration (CSR) is common in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Adaptive servoventilation (ASV) was recently introduced to treat CSR in CHF. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ASV on CSR and CHF parameters.

Methods

In 29 male patients (63.9±9 years, NYHA≥II, left ventricular ejection fraction [LV‐EF]≤40%), cardiorespiratory polygraphy, cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) testing, and echocardiography were performed and concentrations of NT‐proBNP determined before and after 5.8±3.5 months (median 5.7 months) of ASV (AutoSet CS™2, ResMed) treatment. All patients also received guideline‐driven CHF therapy.

Results

Apnoea–hypopnoea‐index was reduced from 37.4±9.4/h to 3.9±4.1/h (p<0.001). Workload during CPX testing increased from 81±26 to 100±31 W (p=0.005), oxygen uptake (VO2) at the anaerobic threshold from 12.6±3 to 15.3±4 ml/kg/min (p=0.01) and predicted peak VO2 from 58±12% to 69±17% (p=0.007). LV‐EF increased from 28.2±7% to 35.2±11% (p=0.001), and NT‐proBNP levels decreased significantly (2285±2192 pg/ml to 1061±1293 pg/ml, p=0.01).

Conclusions

In selected patients with CHF and CSR, addition of ASV to standard heart failure therapy is able to improve SDB, CPX test results, LV‐EF and NT‐proBNP concentrations.
Prognostic value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in children with heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a non‐β‐blocker therapy setting
Authors: Guimarães Guilherme Veiga , d'Avila Veridiana Moraes , Camargo Paulo Roberto , Moreira Luiz Felipe Pinho , Luces Jose Ramon Lanz , Bocchi Edimar Alcides
Published: May 2008

Background

Peak oxygen consumption and resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are independent predictors of survival in adult heart failure (HF) patients. Aim: To evaluate these factors in children.

Methods

We prospectively studied 31 children with NYHA class I to III HF (mean LVEF 26±10%; mean age 8.6±1.9 years). All had dilated cardiomyopathy and were awaiting heart transplantation. A cardiopulmonary treadmill exercise test was performed and LVEF determined by radionuclide ventriculography.

Results

During a median follow‐up of 1282 days, 20 children reached at least one end‐point (death or heart transplantation). Clinical data from the 11 children without events and the 20 children with events are as follows: NYHA class 1±0 vs. 2±0.9 (p<0.01); SBP 118± vs. 102±16 (p=0.01); DBP 70± vs. 61±10 (p=0.02); heart rate 165± vs. 148±22 (NS); double‐product 19±4 vs. 15±4 (p=0.01); end‐tidal carbon dioxide tension (PetCO2) 35±5 vs. 30±6 (NS); oxygen consumption (VO2) 22±5.4 vs. 18.3±5.7 (NS); exercise time 19±4 vs. 13±6 (p<0.003), and LVEF 31±8 vs. 22±10 (p=0.02). These variables all correlated with prognosis on univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, only decreasing exercise time and LVEF were predictive of events during follow‐up (p<0.001 and 0.04).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that reduction in LVEF and exercise tolerance in children with heart failure is predictive of functional status.
The prevalence of pain in nursing home residents with dementia measured using an observational pain scale
Authors: Zwakhalen Sandra M.G. , Koopmans Raymond T.C.M. , Geels Paul J.E.M. , Berger Martijn P.F. , Hamers Jan P.H.
Published: May 2008

Background: Studies on pain and pain prevalence in older people with dementia are limited compared to those on cognitively intact older people. Pain prevalence rates in older people with dementia are estimated to be between 28% and 83%.

Aims: This study aimed to explore pain prevalence in nursing home residents with dementia using observational scale PACSLAC‐D, and to identify the association between pain prevalence and (dementia) demographic parameters such as cognitive status, gender, analgesic use and co‐morbidity.

Methods: Using an observational study design, 117 residents were observed and assessed for pain during personal morning care. Prevalence data were calculated and regression analyses applied.

Results: This study showed that almost half of the participants (47%) experienced pain to some extent. However, overall pain intensity scores were relatively mild. Among the independent variables, co‐morbidities, analgesic use and the adjusted interaction term ‘co‐morbidities+analgesic use’ had the strongest associations with pain and were thus shown to be valid significant predictors.

Conclusion: With its relatively new approach of measuring pain using an observational scale, this study confirms the expectation gleaned from other studies on less impaired older populations: namely, that pain prevalence in older residents with dementia in Dutch nursing homes is high.
Chronic whiplash symptoms are related to altered regional cerebral blood flow in the resting state
Authors: Linnman Clas , Appel Lieuwe , Söderlund Anne , Frans Örjan , Engler Henry , Furmark Tomas , Gordh Torsten , Långström Bengt , Fredrikson Mats
Published: May 2008

The neural pathogenic mechanisms involved in mediating chronic pain and whiplash associated disorders (WAD) after rear impact car collisions are largely unknown. This study's first objective was to compare resting state regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by means of positron emission tomography with 15O labelled water in 21 WAD patients with 18 healthy, pain‐free controls. A second objective was to investigate the relations between brain areas with altered rCBF to pain experience, somatic symptoms, posttraumatic stress symptoms and personality traits in the patient group. Patients had heightened resting rCBF bilaterally in the posterior parahippocampal and the posterior cingulate gyri, in the right thalamus and the right medial prefrontal gyrus as well as lowered tempero‐occipital blood flow compared with healthy controls. The altered rCBF in the patient group was correlated to neck disability ratings. We thus suggest an involvement of the posterior cingulate, parahippocampal and medial prefrontal gyri in WAD and speculate that alterations in the resting state are linked to an increased self‐relevant evaluation of pain and stress.
Effects of intrathecal lidocaine on hyperalgesia and allodynia following chronic constriction injury in rats
Authors: Tian Jie , Gu Yiwen , Su Diansan , Wu Yichao , Wang Xiangrui
Published: May 2008

The present study investigated the effects of different doses of intrathecal lidocaine on established thermal hyperalgesia and tactile allodynia in the chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain, defined the effective drug dose range, the duration of pain‐relief effects, and the influence of this treatment on the body and tissues. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into five groups and received intrathecal saline or lidocaine (2, 6.5, 15, and 35mg/kg) 7 days after loose sciatic ligation. Respiratory depression and hemodynamic instability were found to become more severe as doses of lidocaine increased during intrathecal therapy. Two animals in the group receiving 35mg/kg lidocaine developed pulmonary oedema and died. Behavioral tests indicated that 6.5, 15, and 35mg/kg intrathecal lidocaine showed different degrees of reversal of thermal hyperalgesia, and lasted for 2–8 days, while 2mg/kg lidocaine did not. The inhibition of tactile allodynia was only observed in rats receiving 15 and 35mg/kg lidocaine, and the anti‐allodynic effects were identical in these two groups. Histopathologic examinations on the spinal cords revealed mild changes in rats receiving 2–15mg/kg lidocaine. However, lesions were severe after administration of 35mg/kg lidocaine. These findings indicate that intrathecal lidocaine has prolonged therapeutic effects on established neuropathic pain. The balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activities could be well preserved in most cases, except for 35mg/kg. Considering the ratio between useful effects and side effects, doses of 15mg/kg are suitable for intrathecal injection for relief of neuropathic pain.
Nociception‐related somatosensory evoked potentials in awake dogs recorded after intra epidermal electrical stimulation
Authors: van Oostrom Hugo , Stienen Peter J. , Doornenbal Arie , Hellebrekers Ludo J.
Published: May 2008

At present, the specific neurophysiologic methodology of recording pain‐related evoked potentials is considered a most promising approach to objectively quantify pain in man. This study was designed to characterise and evaluate the use of somatosensory evoked potentials to study nociception in a canine model. To this aim, somatosensory evoked potentials were evoked by intra‐epidermal electrical stimulation and recorded from the scalp in 8 beagle dogs. Characteristics determined were: (1) the conduction velocities of the peripheral nerve fibres involved, (2) the stimulus intensity response characteristics and (3) the evaluation of possible disturbance of the signals by muscular activity from the hind paw withdrawal reflex (EMG artefact). The results showed (1) the conduction velocities to be in the A‐delta fibre range (i.e. fibres involved in nociception), (2) an increase in amplitude and a decrease in latency of the evoked potential following increasing stimulus intensities and (3) the absence of EMG artefact in the signals. These data indicate that the evoked potentials recorded, are related to nociception and thus are suited to quantitatively characterise the perception of noxious stimuli making this model useful for pain‐ and analgesia‐related research.
Stress at three‐month immunization: Parents’ and infants’ salivary cortisol response in relation to the use of pacifier and oral glucose
Authors: Mörelius Evalotte , Theodorsson Elvar , Nelson Nina
Published: May 2008

The aims of the present study were to investigate (1) whether the salivary cortisol response could be dampened during a routine three‐month immunization if the infant received sweet‐tasting solution in combination with a pacifier and (2) stress experienced by parents during immunization of the infant. Ninety‐eight infants were included into one of four intervention groups: ‘glucose and pacifier’, ‘water and pacifier’, ‘glucose’, or ‘water’. Saliva was collected before and 30min after the immunization. Infants’ crying‐time and parents’ self‐reported stress (VAS) were measured before and after immunization. Infants in the ‘pacifier and glucose’ group had a significantly smaller change in salivary cortisol than infants in the other groups (F3,72=3.1, p<0.05). In the ‘glucose and pacifier’ group the median salivary cortisol levels decreased 33% after the immunization. In the ‘water and pacifier’, ‘glucose’, and ‘water’ group median cortisol increased with 50%, 42%, and 8%, respectively. No significant differences in crying‐time were observed between the intervention groups. If the infant cried before the immunization, the crying‐time during the immunization was longer (p<0.01) and cortisol increased more (p<0.05). Median cortisol levels for parents decreased after the immunization (p<0.01). Median VAS increased 50% (p<0.0001) after immunization. First time parents rated higher stress on VAS before immunization (p<0.01). Parents’ change in cortisol and VAS were significantly related to infants’ crying time. In conclusion, the combination of oral glucose and pacifier dampen infants’ salivary cortisol in response to the three‐month immunization.
Interactions between PBEF and oxidative stress proteins – A potential new mechanism underlying PBEF in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury
Authors: Zhang Li Qin , Adyshev Djanybek M. , Singleton Patrick , Li Hailong , Cepeda Javier , Huang Sheng-You , Zou Xiaoqin , Verin Alexander D. , Tu Jiancheng , Garcia Joe G.N. , Ye Shui Qing
Published: May 2008

MINT‐6538697: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with NADH1 (uniprotkb:P03886) by two hybrid (MI:0018)

MINT‐6538811, MINT‐6538868: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with interferon‐induced transmembrane protein 3 (uniprotkb:Q01628) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT‐6538787, MINT‐6538841: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with NADH1 (uniprotkb:P03886) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT‐6538755: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with γ‐glutamyl‐transferase (uniprotkb:P19440) by two hybrid (MI:0018)

MINT‐6538799, MINT‐6538862: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218)with Ferritin light chain (uniprotkb:P02792) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT‐6538769: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with E2L6 (uniprotkb:O14933) by two hybrid (MI:0018)

MINT‐6538741: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with Adenosine A2aR (uniprotkb:P29274) by two hybrid (MI:0018)

MINT‐6538727: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with interferon‐induced transmembrane protein 3 (uniprotkb:Q01628) by two hybrid (MI:0018)

MINT‐6538712: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with Ferritin light chain (uniprotkb:P02792) by two hybrid (MI:0018)