bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of exaggerated exercise-induced systolic blood pressures in young patients after coarctation repair
Authors: Madueme Peace C. , Khoury Philip R. , Urbina Elaine M. , Kimball Thomas R.
Published: September 2012

Background

In normotensive subjects, an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise is associated with the development of resting hypertension. We sought to determine the prevalence of elevated blood pressures during exercise in post-operative coarctation patients with normal resting blood pressure, and investigate associations with exercise-induced hypertension in this population.

Methods

A total of 38 patients were enrolled after end-to-end anastomosis repair and resting normotension. All patients underwent anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, echocardiographic evaluation of function, arterial stiffness assessment by pulse wave velocity, and a graded exercise test. An abnormal response was defined as a maximum systolic blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile of published normal values. Correlation analyses and stepwise regression analyses were performed.

Results

The mean age was 12.7 years, including 79% male patients. The mean resting systolic blood pressure was 111.3 millimetres of mercury and the mean exercise systolic blood pressure was 178.1 millimetres of mercury. The prevalence of a systolic blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile was 16.7%. In multivariate analysis, the exercise systolic blood pressure index was associated with body mass index, age, aortic valve annulus, shortening fraction, and pulse wave velocity (R2 equal to 0.79, p equal to 0.0009). Estimates of ventricular filling and indexed left ventricular mass were elevated.

Conclusions

There is a risk of elevated systolic blood pressure during exercise in normotensive patients after coarctation repair. Resting blood pressures are useful but not sufficient. Echocardiography demonstrated abnormalities suggestive of a chronic cardiac burden despite resting normotension. Regular imaging may be necessary to improve long-term outcomes. New paradigms for the continued follow-up of these patients are necessary.
Feedback-Controlled Bolus plus Infusion (FC-B/I) Method for Quantitative Drug Assessment in Living Brain with PET
Authors: Ohba Hiroyuki , Harada Norihiro , Nishiyama Shingo , Kakiuchi Takeharu , Kimura Yuichi , Tsukada Hideo
Published: September 2012

We have developed a feedback-controlled bolus plus infusion (FC-B/I) method for monitoring the interaction between positron emission tomography (PET) ligands and their specific target molecules with PET. The usefulness of the FC-B/I method was evaluated by the direct interaction between [11C]raclopride, a dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) ligand, and cold raclopride (10 and 100 μg/kg) in the brains of conscious monkeys. The present results demonstrated that the FC-B/I method could achieve the equilibrium state of [11C]raclopride in the striatum of monkey brain, and also that the cold raclopride-induced reduction of [11C]raclopride binding to D2R was observed in a dose-dependent manner. Good correlations of distribution volume ratio of the striatum to cerebellum between the conventional bolus plus infusion (B/I) method and the FC-B/I method as well as between the conventional bolus injection method and the FC-B/I method were observed. These results indicated that the system could be a useful tool for the evaluation of interaction between drug candidates and their target molecules like enzymes, receptors, and transporters by using of their specific PET ligands.
Discovery of a highly selective FLT3 kinase inhibitor from phenotypic cell viability profiling
Authors: Lee Sanghee , Jo Ala , Park Seung Bum
Published: September 2012

We discovered a novel heterobiaryl pyrazolopyridine skeleton as a selective FLT3 inhibitor from phenotype-based viability profiling and hypothesis-driven deconvolution.
Two-in-one: a pH-sensitive, acridine-based, fluorescent probe binds G-quadruplexes in oncogene promoters
Authors: Percivalle Claudia , Mahmood Tariq , Ladame Sylvain
Published: September 2012

We report the synthesis of an acridine-containing cyanine dye and demonstrate its potential as a pH-responsive colorimetric indicator and fluorescent probe.
Alternating-gradient focusing of the benzonitrile-argon van der Waals complex
Authors: Putzke Stephan , Filsinger Frank , Küpper Jochen , Meijer Gerard
Published: September 2012

We report on the focusing and guiding of the van der Waals complex formed between benzonitrile molecules (C6H5CN) and argon atoms in a cold molecular beam using an ac electric quadrupole guide. The distribution of quantum states in the guided beam is non-thermal, because the transmission efficiency depends on the state-dependent effective dipole moment in the applied electric fields. At a specific ac frequency, however, the excitation spectrum can be described by a thermal distribution at a rotational temperature of 0.8 K. From the observed transmission characteristics and a combination of trajectory and Stark-energy calculations we conclude that the permanent electric dipole moment of benzonitrile remains unchanged upon the attachment of the argon atom to within ±5%. By exploiting the different dipole-moment-to-mass (µ/m) ratios of the complex and the benzonitrile monomer, transmission can be selectively suppressed for or, in the limit of 0 K rotational temperature, restricted to the complex.
Explicit formulas for generalized harmonic perturbations of the infinite quantum well with an application to Mathieu equations
Authors: García-Ravelo J. , Schulze-Halberg A. , Trujillo A. L.
Published: September 2012

We obtain explicit formulas for perturbative corrections of the infinite quantum well model. The formulas we obtain are based on a class of matrix elements that we construct by means of two-parameter ladder operators associated with the infinite quantum well system. Our approach can be used to construct solutions to Schrödinger-type equations that involve generalized harmonic perturbations of their potentials, such as cosine powers, Fourier series, and more general functions. As a particular case, we obtain characteristic values for odd periodic solutions of the Mathieu equation.
Pitching, bobbing, and performance metrics for undulating finite-length swimming filaments
Authors: Koehler Stephan , Spoor Tristan , Tilley B. S.
Published: September 2012

We explore a simple (toy) model of undulating finite-length filaments swimming in viscous fluids, based on resistive force theory. The filaments are actuated by traveling waves, and we consider four different strategies: two smooth waveforms (cartesian and curvature sine waves) and two others with kinks (sawtooth and square waves). Analytical results in the limit of short filaments and/or small actuation parameters are provided. A new efficiency metric is proposed which takes into account that work expenditure is minimal when power consumption is maintained constant. This metric is particularly well-suited for short undulating filaments where power fluctuations for constant actuation rates can be substantial. Parametric studies are performed for a range of filament lengths and actuation parameters for the purpose of side-by-side comparisons. We give analytical expressions for swimming of arbitrary length filaments where the actuation is small. We describe “swimming resonances,” which are local maxima in performance that occur for certain values of the filament length, S, undulation wavelength, λ, and undulation amplitude. For the sawtooth and sinusoids these occur for undulation numbers Nλ = S/λ ≈ 3/2, 5/2, 7/2, …, whereas for the square wave strategy these occur at Nλ ≈ 1/2, 3/2, 2, 3, 4, …. We analyze swimming in terms of pitching as well as translation and bobbing, which are motion along and orthogonal to the net direction of translation, respectively. Resonances for the sawtooth and smooth waveforms occur when pitching is small and bobbing is near a local maximum. However, for square-wave actuation, most resonances occur when bobbing is small and pitching is near a local maximum.
Structures of N2Ar, O2Ar, and O2Xe dimers studied by Coulomb explosion imaging
Authors: Wu J. , Kunitski M. , Schmidt L. Ph. H. , Jahnke T. , Dörner R.
Published: September 2012

We use intense femtosecond laser pulses to multiply ionize and directly image the structures of N2Ar, O2Ar, and O2Xe dimers by coincidently measuring the momenta of the fragment ions. All these dimers are found to have an equilibrium T-shaped structure in which the bond of the diatomic molecule is perpendicular to the dimer axis. The equilibrium distance between the rare-gas atom and the center-of-mass of the diatomic molecule is estimated to be RN2–Ar ∼ 3.86 Å, RO2–Ar ∼ 3.65 Å, and RO2–Xe ∼ 4.07 Å, respectively. For the T-shaped N2Ar dimer, both sequential and direct triple-ionization-induced three-body breakups are observed. In contrast to N2Ar dimer, other structures are found to coexist with the dominating T-shaped one for O2Ar and O2Xe.
Binding energies and oscillator strengths of impurity states in wurtzite InGaN/GaN staggered quantum wells
Authors: Yıldırım Hasan , Aslan Bulent
Published: September 2012

Using the variational methods, we have calculated the binding energies of the lowest donor states, 1s and 2p±, in wurtzite InGaN/GaN staggered quantum wells. The binding energies in narrow wells are larger in magnitude than the values in bulk GaN due to the quantum confinement effects. However, the energies decrease sharply in wider wells because of the weakening confinement due to the strong built-in electric field inside the well. The binding energies of donors placed at the opposite edges of the well are quite different as the built-in electric field forms an asymmetric, triangular potential inside the well. The oscillator strength of the possible transitions between the donor states is then computed by modelling them as the states of a two-level atom. A magnetic field applied along the growth direction splits up the degenerate 2p± states. The amount of splitting in the quantum well is found to be small possibly due to the heavy electron effective mass inside the well. The oscillator strength of the transition between the donor states becomes greater with the increasing magnetic field.
High-performance a-In-Ga-Zn-O Schottky diode with oxygen-treated metal contacts
Authors: Chasin Adrian , Steudel Soeren , Myny Kris , Nag Manoj , Ke Tung-Huei , Schols Sarah , Genoe Jan , Gielen Georges , Heremans Paul
Published: September 2012

High-performance Schottky diodes based on palladium blocking contacts were fabricated upon depositing indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) with high oxygen content. We find that an oxygen treatment of the palladium contact is needed to achieve low off currents in the Schottky diode, and rationalize this by relating an increased oxygen content at the Pd/IGZO interface to a lower interfacial trap density. Optimized IGZO films were obtained with a record high ratio of free charge carrier density to subgap traps. The rectification ratios of diodes with such films are higher than 107 with current densities exceeding 103 A/cm2 at low forward bias of 2 V.
‘Why government should not collect taxes’: grand corruption in government and citizens' views on taxation in Cameroon
Authors: Orock Rogers
                      Tabe Egbe , Mbuagbo Oben
                      Timothy
Published: September 2012

This paper explores how Cameroonians view the payment of taxes to the Cameroonian state in the backdrop of the pervasive corruption and the dismal levels of social service provision characterising public governance in the country since the early 1990s. It does so by combining a review of secondary literature about the nature of state–society relations in Cameroon and public opinion surveys and citizens' comments in the private press relating to these issues. It concludes that such perceptions about taxation illustrate the challenges confronting African states if they seek to expand their capacity for domestic resource mobilisation through taxation.

[Pourquoi le gouvernement ne devrait pas percevoir des impôts: la grande corruption au sein du gouvernement et l'opinion des citoyens sur la fiscalité au Cameroun.] Cet article examine comment les Camerounais considèrent le paiement des impôts à l'État camerounais dans le contexte où la corruption est généralisée et les niveaux sombres de la gouvernance des services sociaux caractérisent la gestion publique dans le pays depuis le début des années 1990. Cela se fait par une combinaison de l'examen de la documentation secondaire sur la nature des relations État-société au Cameroun, et les sondages d'opinion publique et les commentaires des citoyens dans la presse privée se rapportant à ces questions. Il conclut que la perception des citoyens sur la fiscalité illustre les défis auxquels sont confrontés les Etats africains s'ils cherchent à étendre leur capacité de mobilisation des ressources intérieures par la fiscalité.

Mots-clés: Cameroun ; corruption ; gouvernance publique ; fiscalité ; confiance
Influence of documented history of coronary artery disease on outcomes in patients admitted for worsening heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in the EVEREST trial
Authors: Mentz Robert J. , Allen Bradley D. , Kwasny Mary J. , Konstam Marvin A. , Udelson James E. , Ambrosy Andrew P. , Fought Angela J. , Vaduganathan Muthiah , O'Connor Christopher M. , Zannad Faiez , Maggioni Aldo P. , Swedberg Karl , Bonow Robert O. , Gheorghiade Mihai
Published: September 2012

Aims

Data on the prognosis of heart failure (HF) patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have been conflicting. We describe the clinical characteristics and mode‐specific outcomes of HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF) and documented CAD in a large randomized trial.

Methods and results

EVEREST was a prospective, randomized trial of vasopressin‐2 receptor blockade, in addition to standard therapy, in 4133 patients hospitalized with worsening HF and reduced EF. Patients were classified as having CAD based on patient‐reported myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary revascularization. We analysed the characteristics and outcomes [all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular (CV) mortality/HF hospitalization] of patients with and without documented CAD. All events were centrally adjudicated. Documented CAD was present in 2353 patients (57%). Patients with CAD were older and had more co‐morbidities compared with those without CAD. Patients with CAD were more likely to receive a beta‐blocker, but less likely to receive an angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or aldosterone antagonist (P < 0.01). After risk adjustment, patients with documented CAD had similar mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97–1.30], but were at an increased risk for CV mortality/HF hospitalization (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.12–1.41) due to an increased risk for HF hospitalization (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.10–1.44). Patients with CAD had increased HF‐ and MI‐related events, but similar rates of sudden cardiac death.

Conclusion

Documented CAD in patients hospitalized for worsening HF with reduced EF was associated with a higher burden of co‐morbidities, lower use of HF therapies (except beta‐blockers), and increased HF hospitalization, while all‐cause mortality was similar.
Sex peptide of
Drosophila melanogaster
males is a global regulator of reproductive processes in females
Authors: Gioti A. , Wigby S. , Wertheim B. , Schuster E. , Martinez P. , Pennington C. J. , Partridge L. , Chapman T.
Published: September 2012

Seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) alter female behaviour and physiology and can mediate sexual conflict. In
Drosophila melanogaster
, a single Sfp, the sex peptide (SP), triggers remarkable post-mating responses in females, including altered fecundity, feeding, immunity and sexual receptivity. These effects can favour the evolutionary interests of males while generating costs in females. We tested the hypothesis that SP is an upstream master-regulator able to induce diverse phenotypes through efficient induction of widespread transcriptional changes in females. We profiled mRNA responses to SP in adult female abdomen (Abd) and head+thorax (HT) tissues using microarrays at 3 and 6 h following mating. SP elicited a rich, subtle signature of temporally and spatially controlled mRNAs. There were significant alterations to genes linked to egg development, early embryogenesis, immunity, nutrient sensing, behaviour and, unexpectedly, phototransduction. There was substantially more variation in the direction of differential expression across time points in the HT versus Abd. The results support the idea that SP is an important regulator of gene expression in females. The expression of many genes in one sex can therefore be under the influence of a regulator expressed in the other. This could influence the extent of sexual conflict both within and between loci.
Rhamnolipids Elicit Defense Responses and Induce Disease Resistance against Biotrophic, Hemibiotrophic, and Necrotrophic Pathogens That Require Different Signaling Pathways in Arabidopsis and Highlight a Central Role for Salicylic Acid
Authors: Sanchez Lisa , Courteaux Barbara , Hubert Jane , Kauffmann Serge , Renault Jean-Hugues , Clément Christophe , Baillieul Fabienne , Dorey Stéphan
Published: September 2012

Plant resistance to phytopathogenic microorganisms mainly relies on the activation of an innate immune response usually launched after recognition by the plant cells of microbe-associated molecular patterns. The plant hormones, salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid, and ethylene have emerged as key players in the signaling networks involved in plant immunity. Rhamnolipids (RLs) are glycolipids produced by bacteria and are involved in surface motility and biofilm development. Here we report that RLs trigger an immune response in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) characterized by signaling molecules accumulation and defense gene activation. This immune response participates to resistance against the hemibiotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato, the biotrophic oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, and the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea. We show that RL-mediated resistance involves different signaling pathways that depend on the type of pathogen. Ethylene is involved in RL-induced resistance to H. arabidopsidis and to P. syringae pv tomato whereas jasmonic acid is essential for the resistance to B. cinerea. SA participates to the restriction of all pathogens. We also show evidence that SA-dependent plant defenses are potentiated by RLs following challenge by B. cinerea or P. syringae pv tomato. These results highlight a central role for SA in RL-mediated resistance. In addition to the activation of plant defense responses, antimicrobial properties of RLs are thought to participate in the protection against the fungus and the oomycete. Our data highlight the intricate mechanisms involved in plant protection triggered by a new type of molecule that can be perceived by plant cells and that can also act directly onto pathogens.
Loss of Lon1 in Arabidopsis Changes the Mitochondrial Proteome Leading to Altered Metabolite Profiles and Growth Retardation without an Accumulation of Oxidative Damage
Authors: Solheim Cory , Li Lei , Hatzopoulos Polydefkis , Millar A. Harvey
Published: September 2012

Lon1 is an ATP-dependent protease and chaperone located in the mitochondrial matrix in plants. Knockout in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leads to a significant growth rate deficit in both roots and shoots and lowered activity of specific mitochondrial enzymes associated with respiratory metabolism. Analysis of the mitochondrial proteomes of two lon1 mutant alleles (lon1-1 and lon1-2) with different severities of phenotypes shows a common accumulation of several stress marker chaperones and lowered abundance of Complexes I, IV, and V of OXPHOS. Certain enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are modified or accumulated, and TCA cycle bypasses were repressed rather than induced. While whole tissue respiratory rates were unaltered in roots and shoots, TCA cycle intermediate organic acids were depleted in leaf extracts in the day in lon1-1 and in both lon mutants at night. No significant evidence of broad steady-state oxidative damage to isolated mitochondrial samples could be found, but peptides from several specific proteins were more oxidized and selected functions were more debilitated in lon1-1. Collectively, the evidence suggests that loss of Lon1 significantly modifies respiratory function and plant performance by small but broad alterations in the mitochondrial proteome gained by subtly changing steady-state protein assembly, stability, and damage of a range of components that debilitate an anaplerotic role for mitochondria in cellular carbon metabolism.
Repeatless and Repeat-Based Centromeres in Potato: Implications for Centromere Evolution
Authors: Gong Zhiyun , Wu Yufeng , Koblížková Andrea , Torres Giovana A. , Wang Kai , Iovene Marina , Neumann Pavel , Zhang Wenli , Novák Petr , Buell C. Robin , Macas Jiří , Jiang Jiming
Published: September 2012

Centromeres in most higher eukaryotes are composed of long arrays of satellite repeats. By contrast, most newly formed centromeres (neocentromeres) do not contain satellite repeats and instead include DNA sequences representative of the genome. An unknown question in centromere evolution is how satellite repeat-based centromeres evolve from neocentromeres. We conducted a genome-wide characterization of sequences associated with CENH3 nucleosomes in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Five potato centromeres (Cen4, Cen6, Cen10, Cen11, and Cen12) consisted primarily of single- or low-copy DNA sequences. No satellite repeats were identified in these five centromeres. At least one transcribed gene was associated with CENH3 nucleosomes. Thus, these five centromeres structurally resemble neocentromeres. By contrast, six potato centromeres (Cen1, Cen2, Cen3, Cen5, Cen7, and Cen8) contained megabase-sized satellite repeat arrays that are unique to individual centromeres. The satellite repeat arrays likely span the entire functional cores of these six centromeres. At least four of the centromeric repeats were amplified from retrotransposon-related sequences and were not detected in Solanum species closely related to potato. The presence of two distinct types of centromeres, coupled with the boom-and-bust cycles of centromeric satellite repeats in Solanum species, suggests that repeat-based centromeres can rapidly evolve from neocentromeres by de novo amplification and insertion of satellite repeats in the CENH3 domains.
Endoscopic treatment with self‐expanding metal stents for Crohn's disease strictures
Authors: Loras C. , Pérez‐Roldan F. , Gornals J. B. , Barrio J. , Igea F. , González‐Huix F. , González‐Carro P. , Pérez‐Miranda M. , Espinós J. C. , Fernández‐Bañares F. , Esteve M.
Published: September 2012

Background

Balloon dilation (with or without steroid injection) is the endoscopic treatment of choice for short strictures in Crohn's disease (CD). The placement of a stent has only rarely been reported in this setting, and it may be a good alternative.

Aim

To describe the efficacy of temporary placement of a self‐expanding metallic stent (SEMS) in the endoscopic treatment of symptomatic strictures in CD.

Methods

We included 17 CD patients treated with SEMS (4 partially covered SEMS and 21 fully covered SEMS) for symptomatic strictures refractory to medical and/or endoscopic treatment.

Results

We placed 25 stents in 17 patients with stenosis (<8 cm), in the colon and in the ileocolonic anastomosis. In two cases, two stents were placed in the same endoscopic procedure. All except three cases had previously been unsuccessfully treated with endoscopic dilatation. The stents were maintained for an average of 28 days (1–112). The treatment was effective in 64.7% of the patients after a mean follow‐up time of 60 weeks (5–266). In four cases, removal of the stents was technically difficult due to stent impaction (moderate adverse events‐AEs) and one patient had a proximal stent migration requiring delayed surgery (severe AE).

Conclusion

The placement of self‐expanding metallic stent in Crohn's disease maintained over a period of 4 weeks is a safe, effective treatment for strictures refractory to medical treatment and/or balloon dilatation, and might be an alternative endoscopic treatment in these patients.
New insights into pre‐mRNA processing factor 19: A multi‐faceted protein in humans
Authors: Yin Jie , Zhu Ji‐Min , Shen Xi‐Zhong
Published: September 2012

During the dynamic assembly and activation of the spliceosome, human pre‐mRNA processing factor 19 (hPrp19) plays a major role alone or as a part of a protein complex. In addition to participating in post‐transcriptional regulation of eukaryotic gene, hPrp19 takes part in many physiological events such as ubiquitin–proteasome system, DNA damage response, proliferation and apoptosis. Increasing evidence also indicates a potential role of hPrp19 during oncogenesis, possibly owing to its activity of repressing apoptosis. Together, these studies add a new dimension to our understanding of hPrp19, and we have reason to believe that continuing excavation of this multi‐faceted protein may shed light on its roles in human diseases, especially in cancer.
Characterization of insulin resistance in young adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Beauloye Véronique , Steffens Mélanie , Zech Francis , Vermylen Christiane , Maiter Dominique
Published: September 2012

Introduction

An increased prevalence of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular (CV) disease has been reported in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)/non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cancer survivors.

Objective

To characterize the determinants of insulin resistance (IR) observed in this population, according to the treatment received.

Methods

Ninety one patients (45 men, mean age: 24 ± 5 years; mean follow‐up: 15 ± 5 years) previously treated for a childhood ALL (n = 76) or NHL (n = 15) were grouped according to their previous treatment: chemotherapy only (Group I; n = 43), chemotherapy + cranial irradiation (CI) (Group II; n = 32) and chemotherapy + bone marrow transplant (BMT)/total body irradiation (TBI) (Group III, n = 16).

Results

A high prevalence of IR (HOMA‐S < 60%) was observed in the BMT/TBI group (88%) compared to groups I (9%) and II (16%). The IR patients from groups [I+II] (12% of these groups) showed higher BMI, fat mass (FM) and visceral fat when compared with the non‐IR patients. In contrast, the IR patients from group III had mean BMI and total FM similar to those of non‐IR patients but showed a reduction of lean body mass and an increase in the relative proportion of trunk FM similar to the IR patients from groups [I + II]. This was associated with an altered lipid profile, high TNF‐α and IL‐6 levels, and reduced adiponectin levels compared to IR patients from group [I + II] and non‐IR patients.

Conclusion

Childhood ALL/NHL survivors treated by BMT/TBI frequently develop severe insulin resistance associated with peripheral‐to‐central fat redistribution, rather than increased total FM, and low adiponectin levels which may contribute to their increased CV risk.
Impact of basic fibroblast growth factor on healing of tympanic membrane perforations due to direct penetrating trauma: a prospective non‐blinded/controlled study
Authors: Zhang Q. , Lou Z.
Published: September 2012

Objective

To investigate the effect of direct application of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on healing of tympanic membrane perforations due to direct traumatic penetration through the external auditory canal.

Design

A prospective non‐blinded controlled study.

Setting

University‐affiliated teaching hospital.

Participants

In total, 104 patients with small [<25%] penetrating perforations were recruited. They were alternatively allocated to two groups: Control (spontaneous healing, n = 51) and FGF treatment (direct application of bFGF drops in the clinic and repeated daily by the patient, n = 53).

Outcomes

Perforation closure rate and time and hearing gain were recorded and compared between the two groups. Information on earache, dizziness and facial paralysis was also collected.

Results

In total, 93 (89%) patients were finally analysed. The closure rate at 3 m of the perforations in the control spontaneous healing and bFGF treatment groups were 77% and 100%, respectively; the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.01). The average closure time was 43.1 ± 2.5 days (range, 17–57 days) for control patients, which was significantly longer (P < 0.01) than that for the bFGF‐treated patients (12.6 ± 1.2 days; range, 3–21 days). The mean hearing improvement at 3 m was not significantly different between the FGF treatment and control groups (1.7 ± 2.4 dB vs 11.5 ± 1.9 dB, P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in earache, dizziness and facial paralysis between two groups.

Conclusions

Direct application of bFGF may offer an effective topical management of penetrating traumatic tympanic membrane perforations, particularly for small‐sized perforations.
Preparation of adult patients for anaesthesia and surgery
Authors: Arvidsson S.
Published: September 2012

Although the experience of a surgical and anaesthesiological procedure is unique to every patient, many preoperative events and routines will to a certain extent be shared by a majority of patients. This review will be limited to this area of routine preoperative care and evaluation, as applied to and by the anaesthesia team before elective surgery. The word “routine” is used more in the sense of what is most commonly done; the notion of a mechanically performed act is totally inappropriate and dangerous in this context.
Fasting guidelines in different countries
Authors: Eriksson L. I. , Sandin R.
Published: September 2012

Abstention from food and drink prior to anaesthesia remains a cornerstone in safe practice. Despite the lack of scientific support, previous guidelines, similar for fluids and solids, have for more than three decades more often than not recommended “nil by mouth” (“nothing‐per‐os”; “NPO” in the US) after midnight or a fixed duration of time. Based on an increased number of studies of relevance to the duration of preoperative fasting, reviews on this subject concerning both adults (1) and children (2) and a large number of editorials (3–7), have recently been published. Since there may be a discrepancy between conclusions based on scientific studies and the current routine practice ‐ this presentation is intended to survey the current recommendations in different countries and how they relate to publications on the subject. Opinions are mainly derived from officers of associations linked to The World Federation for Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) and from current literature.
Preanaesthetic management of the obstetric patient
Authors: Alahuhta S.
Published: September 2012

The obstetric patient presents unique challenges to the anaesthesiologist. The physiologic changes in the mother during pregnancy and the anaesthetic implications of these changes, associated with the pathophysiologic conditions frequently superimposed on the pregnancy distinguish the parturient from the other patients about to undergo anaesthesia and surgery. Furthermore, the obstetric patient may be in acute pain from labour and frequently needs urgent surgical intervention because of sudden changes in the condition of the mother or the fetus.
Multiple Identities and Religious Transmission: A Study Among Moroccan‐Dutch Muslim Adolescents and Their Parents
Authors: Verkuyten Maykel , Thijs Jochem , Stevens Gonneke
Published: September 2012

This study investigates the relation between religious group identification and ethnic and national identity among Moroccan‐Dutch Muslim adolescents (11–18 years) and their parents (n = 369). Compared to their parents, adolescents showed higher national identification and lower religious and ethnic group identification. However, for adolescents and their parents, there were similar positive relations between Muslim and ethnic identifications, and both identifications were negatively related to Dutch identification. For early adolescents, parent’s religious group identification was strongly related to their religious identification and ethnic and national identifications. These associations were not significant for middle adolescents. It is concluded that research on children from immigrant Muslim families should not only focus on ethnicity but on religious identity in particular.
THE MFFP‐TREE FUZZY MINING ALGORITHM TO DISCOVER COMPLETE LINGUISTIC FREQUENT ITEMSETS
Authors: Hong Tzung‐Pei , Lin Chun‐Wei , Lin Tsung‐Ching
Published: September 2012

Recently, mining useful information and knowledge from transactions is evolving into an important research issue. Many algorithms have thus been proposed for mining association rules based on items with binary values. Transactions with quantitative values are, however, also commonly seen in real‐world applications. The fuzzy frequent‐pattern tree (FP tree) algorithm has been proposed for extracting fuzzy frequent itemsets from quantitative transactions. Only the term with the maximum cardinality in later processes is used, making the number of fuzzy regions processed equal to the number of original items, which reduces the processing time. In real world applications, however, multiple fuzzy regions of an item produce better fuzzy association rules than those obtained using a single region. In this paper, the multiple fuzzy FP tree (MFFP tree) algorithm is proposed for mining fuzzy frequent itemsets from transactions with quantitative values. When extending the FP‐tree structure to handle fuzzy data, the processing becomes much more complex than that for the original FP‐tree structure since the fuzzy intersection in each transaction has to be handled. The MFFP‐tree construction algorithm is designed and the MFFP‐growth mining approach is proposed for mining the fuzzy frequent itemsets from the tree structure. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach.
Urine phthalate concentrations are higher in people with stroke: United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), 2001–2004
Authors: Shiue I.
Published: September 2012

Background and purpose

Associations between plastic‐associated chemicals, such as bisphenol A, and cardiovascular disease have begun to emerge in the current century. However, the relationship between urine phthalates and risk of stroke is unclear. It was aimed to study the relationship between urine phthalate concentrations and risk of stroke in a national population‐based cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Data were retrieved from United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2001–2004, including demographics, self‐reported medical conditions (stroke status) and urine phthalate concentrations. Analyses involved t‐test and logistic regression models.

Results

Of 13 phthalate concentrations, the mean values of mono‐n‐butyl phthalate (2001–2002: 131.27 ± 685.62 and 43.02 ± 117.70, P = 0.0001; 2003–2004: 114.36 ± 555.41 and 49.48 ± 153.53, P = 0.008) and mono‐(3‐carboxypropyl) phthalate (2001–2002: 13.60 ± 37.05 and 5.48 ± 10.55, P < 0.001; 2003–2004: 10.56 ± 38.37 and 5.94 ± 14.76, P = 0.038) concentrations were found significantly higher in people with stroke. It was also observed that low doses of mono‐n‐butyl phthalate (OR 1.0009, 95%CI 0.999–1.003, P = 0.266 in 2001–2002, and OR 1.0010, 95%CI 1.0001–1.0019, P = 0.028 in 2003–2004) and mono‐(3‐carboxypropyl) phthalate (OR 1.03, 95%CI 1.00–1.05, P = 0.055 in 2001–2002, and OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.00–1.01 P = 0.240 in 2003–2004) were associated with higher risk of stroke after full adjustments.

Conclusions

Urine phthalate concentrations are potentially associated with increased risk of stroke, although the causality cannot be established in the current cross‐sectional study design. Future longitudinal cohort studies and/or clinical trials are warranted to understand the biological mechanism along the pathway before drawing a firm conclusion on the relationship between phthalates and risk of stroke in humans.
Chinese Migrants' Class Mobility in Hong Kong
Authors: Cheung Chau‐kiu , Leung Kwan‐kwok
Published: September 2012

Resources such as education and social networks are likely to contribute to migrants' upward mobility in the class hierarchy. Moreover, according to structural fit theory, the contribution tends to be contingent on age and social network size. The contingency is the major concern of the present study of mainland Chinese migrants in Hong Kong, which is somewhat different from the Chinese mainland economically, politically and even culturally. In this study, we show that the conditions for upward mobility are some human and social resources and their various combinations. Notably, schooling after arrival in Hong Kong contributed more to the upward mobility of the migrant who was younger or had a larger social network at the time of arrival in Hong Kong. Purportedly, promoting the migrant's integration with the school and local social network would prepare the migrant for upward mobility.
A Nutrition Education Intervention for Anthropometric and Biochemical Profiles of Rural Older Malays with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Shahar Suzana , Adznam Siti Nur'Asyura , Lee Lai Kuan , Yusof Noor Aini Mohd , Salleh Mohmad , Mohamed Sakian Noor Ibrahim
Published: September 2012

Objective

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention package in improving anthropometric, clinical and biochemical indicators of rural older Malays with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Design and Sample

In this study, 47 older Malays diagnosed with MS were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 24) or the control group (n = 23) based on their geographical site.

Intervention

The intervention group received nutrition education via group counselling sessions, talks, and cooking and exercise demonstrations using a specifically developed healthy aging package for 6 months.

Measures

The efficacy of the nutrition education intervention on anthropometric and biochemical parameters was assessed.

Results

Women in the nutrition education group showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (p < .01) compared to the control group. Men who received the nutrition education intervention maintained their total cholesterol (TC) level (p < .05) compared to the control group.

Conclusions

The nutrition education intervention showed potential for improving TC levels in men and waist circumference in women with MS. Similar intervention studies could be initiated among the older adults in the community as a preventive measure.
Emil Theodor Kocher—Valve surgery for epilepsy
Authors: Surbeck Werner , Stienen Martin Nikolaus , Hildebrandt Gerhard
Published: September 2012

Emil Theodor Kocher (1841–1917) was a pioneering and versatile Swiss surgeon who played a decisive role in the surgical evolution on the threshold to the 20th century. Apart from conducting intense research and fostering the development of the surgical treatment of thyroid gland diseases (honored with a Nobel Prize in 1909), he remained a generalist and was active in orthopedic, genitourinary, and neurologic surgery. Even today, many surgical techniques and instruments are still named after him, thus providing evidence of his great impact. His neurosurgical ambitions included, in particular, cerebral and spinal trauma, the pathophysiology of elevated intracranial pressure, as well as etiological considerations and the operative treatment of epilepsy. This article aims to shed light on Kocher’s work on epilepsy, published exclusively in German, and illustrates the development of his idea on valve surgery for recurrent general convulsions.
On the Meaning and Use of the Risk Appetite Concept
Authors: Aven Terje
Published: September 2012

The risk appetite concept has been given considerable attention recently in enterprise risk management contexts. A number of definitions exist, most with a link to risk acceptability, but also values and goals. The usefulness of the concept is, however, disputed; some authors argue that we can in fact do better without it. In this article, we provide a thorough discussion of what the risk appetite concept is actually trying to express and how it best can be used in the relevant decision making. The main purposes of the article are (i) to argue that the risk appetite concept, suitably interpreted, has a role to play in risk management, (ii) to show that the risk appetite concept is well supported by some types of risk perspectives and not by others, and (iii) to show how the risk appetite concept is linked to other related concepts, such as risk seeking and risk acceptability. The risk perspectives studied range from expected value and probability based definitions of risk to views on risk, that are founded on uncertainties.
Are Banks Still Special When There Is a Secondary Market for Loans?
Authors: GANDE AMAR , SAUNDERS ANTHONY
Published: September 2012

Secondary market trading in loans elicits a significant positive stock price response by a borrowing firm's equity investors. We find the major reason for this response is the alleviation of borrowing firms’ financial constraints. We also find that new loan announcements are associated with a positive stock price effect even when prior loans made to the same borrower already trade on the secondary market. We conclude that the special role of banks has changed due to their ability to create an active secondary loan market while simultaneously maintaining their traditional role as information producers.
The 2 × 2 Model of Goal Orientation and Burnout: The Role of Approach–Avoidance Dimensions in Predicting Burnout
Authors: Naidoo Loren J. , DeCriscio Alicia , Bily Hilary , Manipella Allison , Ryan Megan , Youdim Jessica
Published: September 2012

Burnout is typically viewed as resulting from situational factors (e.g., workload). However, as burnout is partly a reaction to frustrated goal striving, dispositional goal orientation may also be important. We used Hobfoll's () conservation of resources model to develop hypotheses for relationships between goal orientation and 3 dimensions of burnout. Self‐report questionnaire measures of the 2 × 2 model of goal orientation (Elliot & McGregor, ) and burnout were administered to undergraduate students. Structural equation modeling revealed that all 4 dimensions of goal orientation were related to burnout. Avoidance‐related dimensions were positively associated and approach‐related dimensions were negatively associated with burnout. The findings suggest the importance of considering the role of motivational dispositions in development, prediction, and prevention of burnout.
Effects of coach leadership and coach–athlete relationship on collective efficacy
Authors: Hampson R. , Jowett S.
Published: September 2012

The study examined the independent and combined effects of coach leadership and coaching relationships on team efficacy. A total of 150 sport performers from football teams across a range of competitive levels completed a multisection self‐report instrument to assess their individual perceptions of the level of collective efficacy, the type of coach leadership, and the quality of the coach–athlete relationship. Multiple regression analyses revealed that perceptions of both coach leadership and the coach–athlete relationship predicted variance in team efficacy. Overall, the findings suggest that the quality of coach–athlete relationships added to the prediction of individuals’ collective efficacy beyond what was predicted by coaches’ behaviors of leadership alone. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.
The Long‐Term Fertility Impact of the Navrongo Project in Northern Ghana
Authors: Phillips James F. , Jackson Elizabeth F. , Bawah Ayaga A. , MacLeod Bruce , Adongo Philip , Baynes Colin , Williams John
Published: September 2012

This study assesses the long‐term fertility impact of the Community Health and Family Planning Project of the Navrongo Health Research Centre in Ghana and addresses policy debates concerning the role of family planning programs in rural Africa. Conducted in a remote traditional area on Ghana's northern border, the study tests the hypothesis that convenient family planning service delivery can induce and sustain reproductive change in a societal context that would not be expected to foster demographic transition. By 1999, results indicated that significant fertility decline arose in the early years of the project, associated with the combination of services provided by community nurses and social mobilization activities focused on men. When project strategies were scaled up, social mobilization components were neglected. As a consequence, the long‐term impact of scaled‐up operations was negligible. Results suggest that initial effects met the need for child spacing without introducing a sustained demographic transition.
Factors associated with failure to follow up with a general practitioner after discharge from the emergency department
Authors: Qureshi Rizwan , Asha Stephen E , Zahra Mehr , Howell Samuel
Published: September 2012

Objectives

To identify factors associated with failure to follow up with a general practitioner (GP) after discharge from the ED or emergency medicine unit (EMU).

Methods

This prospective cohort study enrolled adult patients discharged from the ED who were requested to see their GP to complete their medical care. Participants were contacted by phone after 2 weeks to determine GP follow‐up status. Variables associated with failure to follow up were determined using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Of 247 participants enrolled, 217 had complete outcome data. After controlling for the confounding effect of other variables, four variables remained significantly associated with follow‐up status. Compared with participants who did follow up, those who failed to follow up were less likely to have an EMU admission (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.22–0.93, P < 0.03), a regular GP (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.08–0.35, P < 0.001), health insurance (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.20–0.82, P < 0.01) or awareness of the reason why they were supposed to follow up (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.54, P < 0.001). The most common reason for failure to follow up (65%) was that the participant did not consider it necessary.

Conclusion

Participants who were aware of the reason for follow up with a GP, who were admitted to EMU, had health insurance or had a regular GP were more likely to comply with follow‐up advice. This highlights that good patient communication is important for successful follow up, and that alternative avenues for completion of management need to be explored for patients without health insurance or a regular GP.