bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asbestos Management In Buildings
Authors: Coffman Michael A. , Singh Jaswant
Published: August 2005

Since the late 1970s, asbestos, perhaps more so than any other environmental or occupational health issue, has had a profound impact on our society. The management of asbestos in buildings has been the subject of considerable litigation, legislation and regulation not only in the United States, but worldwide. In a broader sense, asbestos has provided a focal point for the national and international debate on how best to evaluate and respond to environmental health risks.

It is likely that this debate will continue for many years to come and it is not the intent of this chapter to provide further input to this debate, but rather to deal with the issue on a more practical basis. For the owner or manager of a building containing asbestos, the issue is not one of intellectual or philosophical curiosity or of regulatory agendas. For the building owner or manager, asbestos is an issue which must be dealt with on a day‐to‐day basis. The building owner or manager is faced not only with the realities of effectively managing a known human carcinogen, but also in dealing with a public perception (or misperception) which has been heavily influenced by two decades of media attention and complying with a myriad of federal, state and local regulations.

Management of asbestos in buildings requires the input of professionals in many disciplines, including industrial hygiene, toxicology, medicine, law, risk management, engineering, architecture, construction, and administration. The professional industrial hygienist, as a key member of this team, is uniquely qualified to coalesce all input into meaningful informed decisions.

In asbestos management, the industrial hygienist plays multiple roles:

As a health professional, the industrial hygienist understands the health risks of asbestos and can relate that risk to human exposure.

As an air monitoring specialist, the industrial hygienist has a firm grasp of the sampling and analytical techniques to ensure a clear and meaningful interpretation of sampling results.

As an engineer, the industrial hygienist has an understanding of the practical issues involved in contamination control, work area isolation, work practices, and the use of personal protective equipment.

As a teacher, the industrial hygienist is routinely called upon to communicate technical and health risk information to laypersons and to instruct workers in safe work practices.

As a project manager, the industrial hygienist has experience in working with a team to achieve specific goals.
Cost‐Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Approach To Loss Control and Prevention Programs
Authors: Stockman Judith F. , Johnson Ted C.
Published: August 2005

Internal occupational safety and health programs, managed by professionals in the field and employed by business, are in jeopardy. With corporate staff downsizing due to the competitiveness of the global market, occupational safety and health professionals must demonstrate cost‐effectiveness or face the real possibility of elimination of their positions. It is no longer sufficient for such professionals to be retained solely to ensure regulatory compliance or as a value‐added service.

Currently, the United States spends more than $1.3 trillion annually on health care. A recent study by the Health Care Financing Administration warns that this figure may nearly double to $2.1 trillion by 2007. Because these expenses have a significant impact on the corporate balance sheet, management has begun to search for ways to contain and even reduce the spiraling growth of these expenditures. It is possible to limit expenses related to employee health and safety; however, it requires a new, coordinated, and multidisciplinary approach to loss prevention and control.

A truly effective loss control program must integrate the occupational health and safety team with that of risk management. The occupational health clinician, industrial hygienist, and safety professional must coordinate their efforts with the risk manager and workers' compensation claims professional. As a team, goals must be established. With senior management's input and support, policies must be created and programs designed and implemented. Ultimately, to monitor program effectiveness, accurate data must be collected and organized so that reductions in costs related to health and safety are documented.
Industrial Hygiene Abroad: Occupational Hygiene
Authors: Hethmon Thomas A. , Muranko Henry J.
Published: August 2005

The industrial hygiene profession has grown and matured steadily. The scope of practice has been debated and expanded and new occupational and environmental hazards are recognized, evaluated and controlled. A broader diversity of practitioners have entered the profession and are enhancing the experience base established by the pioneers of the profession in the preceding decades and there is a greater recognition of the social and economic benefits of industrial hygiene. However, as the twentieth century draws to a close, it can be reasonably argued there has been no greater change in the profession during the 1990s than its recognition and growth outside the United States. This chapter describes the current status of the profession of industrial hygiene abroad.
Asbestos
Authors: Powell Charles H. , Cohrssen Barbara
Published: August 2005

Asbestos is a generic name given to six fibrous minerals that have been used in commercial products. The six types of asbestos are: chrysotile, the most widely used; crocidolite; amosite; anthophyllite asbestos; tremolite asbestos; and actinolite asbestos. The properties that make asbestos so versatile and cost‐effective are high tensile strength, chemical and thermal stability, high flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and large surface area.

Health hazards from exposure to asbestos depend on inhalation, so airborne concentrations provide an indication of exposure. Toxic effects and sampling methods of asbestos are detailed. Inhalation studies are discussed along with ingestion and injection studies. History of exposure and the various diseases associated with lung cancer are given. A list of standards from 1930 to 194 is included.
Alicyclic Hydrocarbons
Authors: Baxter C. Stuart
Published: August 2005

The alicyclic hydrocarbons include the cycloalkanes, also calledcycloparaffins,cyclanes, andnaphthenes, and the cycloalkenes, also known ascycloolefinsandcyclenes, and their alkyl and alkenyl derivatives. Some of these derivatives occur naturally in plants and are commonly known asterpenes. Other compounds can be isolated from crude petroleum refinery distillates or catalytically cracked petroleum products. Cycloalkanes are extensively used to produce re‐formed aromatics and as solvents or synthesis intermediates. Some physical properties of the cycloalkanes are given.

Cyclopropane and cyclobutane are gases and have been used as anesthetics. Cyclopentane and higher members are liquids with low acute and chronic toxicity overall, but still able to induce many toxic responses characteristic of lipophylic compounds, including central nervous system (CNS) depression, dizziness, and headache. For cyclohexane and higher analogs, the margin of safety between CNS depression and death is very narrow and symptomatically barely recognizable. Following ingestion or inhalation cycloalkanes are exhaled in unchanged form or rapidly metabolized into water‐soluble metabolites, usually glucuronides. Exposure of humans and laboratory animals to high concentrations may cause excitement, loss of equilibrium, stupor, and coma, but rarely death. Oral administration of high doses to animals has additionally resulted in severe diarrhea, vascular collapse, and heart, lung, liver, and brain degeneration. Cycloparaffins and cycloalkenes are also ocular and dermal irritants since, as lipophylic agents, they defat the skin. In many cases they are also skin sensitizers; their sensitizing activity increases with the number of double bonds. The liquid members up to cyclooctane, and to a lesser exent cyclododecane, are aspiration hazards.

The cyclic olefins are more highly reactive than their paraffin counterparts. They contribute to photochemical smog by reacting with ozone and other small molecular or ionic species. Selected physical properties are given. In C4–C7 cycloalkenes, toxicity increases with molecular weight. Cycladienes and polyenes appear to possess increasingly irritant, toxic, and sensitizing properties, peaking somewhat higher for cycladienes than for monocyclic alkenes. The aspiration hazard also appears higher for the cycloalkenes than the cycloalkanes.
Aromatic Hydrocarbons—Benzene and Other Alkylbenzenes
Authors: Henderson Rogene F.
Published: August 2005

Benzene and its alkyl derivatives are monocyclic aromatic compounds (arenes). The compounds are of considerable economic importance as industrial raw materials, solvents, and components of innumerable commercial and consumer products. The aromatics differ vastly in chemical, physical, and biologic characteristics from the aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons. The aromatics are more toxic to humans and other mammals; of prime importance are (1) the hematopoietic toxicity of benzene resulting in aplastic anemia in humans and other mammalian species, (2) benzene‐induced leukemia in humans, and (3) the cerebellar lesions and loss of central nervous system (CNS) integrative functions in “glue sniffers” exposed to high levels of toluene.

The simplest single‐ring aromatic hydrocarbon compound is benzene, the nonsubstituted ring system. When one methyl group is attached to the ring, toluene is formed, and with two attached methyl groups, xylene is formed. Xylene occurs in three isomeric forms. The hemimellitines and mesitylenes possess three methyl groups, durene four, and the penta‐ and hexamethylbenzenes, five and six methyl groups, respectively. Other industrially important compounds are ethylbenzene and isopropylbenzene or cumene.
Aromatic Nitro and Amino Compounds
Authors: Weisburger Elizabeth K. , Hudson Vera W.
Published: August 2005

Logically, aromatic nitro and amino compounds should be discussed together because their toxic responses are often similar due to a common metabolic intermediate. Synthetically, amines are generally derived from nitro compounds, but in some cases nitro compounds can be prepared through amines when other methods fail to afford specific compounds. There are good and bad attributes to these types of compounds. Some act as sensitizers and contingent on physical properties, may be absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes. They may also cause methemoglobinemia, depending on such factors as the structure and the particular organism. Some members of this class are known as animal and human carcinogens; for humans the urinary bladder is the most prominent target organ. Nevertheless, these compounds and their derivatives have enlivened our world through their use as dyestuff intermediates or as photographic chemicals, they alleviate pain as components of widely used analgesics, and they cushion or insulate us through their use in flexible and rigid foams. Other important uses include production of pesticides, including herbicides and fungicides, as ingredients in adhesives, paints and coatings, antioxidants, explosives, optical brighteners, rubber ingredients, and as intermediates in many other products.
Aliphatic and Aromatic Nitrogen Compounds
Authors: Trochimowicz Henry J. , Kennedy Gerald L. , Krivanek Neil D.
Published: August 2005

This chapter covers both aliphatic and aromatic compounds that contain one or more nitrogen atoms in their structures. Only a small number of the nitrogen‐containing compounds that could be considered will be reviewed here based mainly on their uses in industry.

Three‐membered rings discussed are ethyleneimine, propyleneimine, and one polyfunctional derivative, triethylenemelamine. Toxicologists, chemists, and biologists have always been interested in ethylenimine and its derivatives because they are reactive, are useful at relatively low doses, and are moderately to highly toxic. Ethylenimines are classic alkylating agents and have toxicological effects similar to nitrogen mustards. Monofunctional derivatives of ethylenimine are less potent in producing the characteristic toxicity of the group than the derivatives that have two or more ethylenimine groups. Finally, polymers of ethylenimine and its derivatives have shown a relatively low order of toxicity.

Six simple nitrogen mustards (β‐chloroethylamines) are also covered in this chapter. They are all tertiary amines in which the halogen atom and the amine portion have reactivities similar to the alkyl halides and alkyl amines. They have no significant industrial uses in the United States, but they are used in medicine as “antineoplastic agents” and in treating some nonmalignant diseases.

Representative nitrogen‐containing chemicals that have five‐membered rings (pyrrolidine, NMP) and six‐membered rings (piperidine, piperazine, morpholine, and HMTA) are also discussed in this chapter in some detail.
Alkylpyridines and Miscellaneous Organic Nitrogen Compounds
Authors: Trochimowicz Henry J. , Kennedy Gerald L. , Krivanek Neil D.
Published: August 2005

This chapter covers additional aliphatic and aromatic compounds that contain one or more nitrogen atoms in their structures and follows those discussed in Chapter 59.

Pyridine and its many modified structures are described because they serve as a backbone for many industrial compounds.

Several pesticides and herbicides, as well as their precursors, are included: the pyridinethiones, the substituted uracils herbicides: bromacil, lenacil, terbacil; the quaternary herbicides: paraquat, diquat, and difenzoquat; thes‐triazines: atrazine and propazine and other triazine herbicides, such as ametryn, prometryne, and simazine.

Simple nitrogen compounds such as azides, nitrosamines, and hydrazines are described because of important toxicological effects they can produce.

Finally, two important industrial solvents, dimethylacetamide and dimethylformamide are included because they have a long history of use and have been well studied in the occupational environment.
Cyanides and Nitriles
Authors: Cohrssen Barbara
Published: August 2005

Cyanides are among the most acutely toxic of all industrial chemicals and are produced in large quantities and used in many different applications. However, they cause few serious accidents or deaths. This is partly because the wordcyanideis synonymous with a highly poisonous substance and a certain amount of care in handling is thereby ensured. The cyanides and nitriles are a disparate group of substances characterized by the presence of a cyanide (CN) group in their molecular structure. The cyanide group consists of a carbon bonded to a nitrogen. In those cases where the cyanide group is readily available, their toxicity is likely to have similarity to hydrogen cyanide (HCN). The chemical and physical characteristics of the compound will affect the potential availability of the cyanide group and therefore the hazards associated with different chemical species.

For purposes of the toxicologist, cyanides and nitriles can be classified into the following groups: The inorganic cyanides include (Group1) hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen, simple salts of hydrogen cyanide that dissociate readily to release CN−1ions (such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and ammonium cyanide); (Group2) halogenated compounds such as cyanogen chloride or bromide; and (Group3) simple and complex salts of hydrogen cyanide that do not dissociate readily to release CN−1ions (such as cobalt cyanide trihydrate, cupric and cuprous cyanide, silver cyanide, and ferricyanide and ferrocyanide salts). The organic cyanides include (Group4) cyanide glycosides produced by plants (such as amygdalin and linamarin); and (Group5) nitriles [such as acetonitrile (methyl cyanide), acrylonitrile and isobutyronitrile].
Dibenzo‐p‐Dioxins: 2,3,7,8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐Dioxin
Authors: Reid Jon B.
Published: August 2005

Dibenzo‐p‐dioxins are a class of compounds of which there are 75 possible isomers as shown. A recent IARC Monograph summarizes much of the information on these compounds. By far, the majority of the information is for 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD), the most toxic of the isomers. Most of the material in this chapter relates to this compound.
Halogenated Benzenes
Authors: Leber Ph.D A. Philip , Bus James S.
Published: August 2005

This group of chemicals is derived through substitutions of chlorine for hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring. The toxicological properties of chlorinated benzenes differ substantially from benzene in that they lack the hematological toxicity and leukemogenic activity that have been associated with benzene. The compounds have an aromatic odor with lower volatilities, higher densities, and lower flammabilities than the parent compound benzene. Some of the settings in which exposures may be encountered are in manufacturing sites, home and public areas where deodorants or disinfectants are present, and in the applications of the materials as fumigants, insecticides, lacquers, paints, and seed disinfection products.

Because a substantial number of studies have focused on comparative evaluations of compounds in this chemical group, the results of these investigations are presented below prior to detailed discussions of individual compounds. In addition, a summary of various regulatory classifications of these compounds is provided.
Abnormal Pressures: Hyperbaric and Hypobaric
Authors: (Bill) Hamilton R. W. , Heimbach R. D. , Bove A. A.
Published: August 2005

This chapter deals with the interrelated physiological effects of the continuum of altered ambient pressure. These pressures may be both higher and lower than the sea level pressure to which we are accustomed and in which we have evolved.

The chapter first discusses what pressure is, and where and why alternative pressures are encountered by humans. It reviews the occupational, medical, and recreational incentives for forays into both environments, high and low. It points out the role of time in evaluating pressure exposures and the importance of transitions to and from higher and lower pressures. Then, it covers first the effects of elevated pressures, then the effects of lack of pressure, emphasizing the importance of breathing gases in most alternative pressures. Last, it pays particular attention to the main pressure‐related disorder, decompression sickness, and its treatment.

This is a book on industrial hygiene and toxicology, so the chapter deals primarily with healthy individuals fit for the workplace, but does mention the special concerns about pressure needed for people who have various diseases.
Chemical and Physical Agent Interaction
Authors: Nylén Per , Johnson Ann-Christin , Englund Anders
Published: August 2005

This chapter, concerning interactions at simultaneous or successive exposure to both physical and chemical factors, focuses on the industrial environment. Examples of this kind of interaction can probably be found in a large variety of totally different and unrelated areas, and the present text is not intended to be a complete review but to present illustrative examples of studies and occupational areas in which such interactions are included. Reported findings are of both physicochemical and biological nature, most often descriptive observations, and referred papers rarely include mechanistic information or hypotheses. Exposure levels are often higher than those found at today's work sites, and the possibility of using data for making reasonable, adequate extrapolations often remains unknown. Despite these limitations, it is the main intentions of the present text to inform and alert occupational health practitioners and other interested readers about what attempts have been made so far to gain knowledge about the situation in the vast majority of work sites, specifically, combined exposure to both at least one physical agent and one chemical agent.

The presentation is ordered using the respective physical factors as subtitles under which published data concerning the particular factor's interaction with different chemicals are presented. Physical factors presented are mechanical factors such as sound waves (most often referred to as “noise”) and vibrations; the thermal factors heat and cold, electrostatic fields; and electromagnetic radiation from low frequency fields, radio frequencies, visible light, ultraviolet light, to ionizing radiation. Since many of these physical factors most naturally interacts with sensory functions, the text often focuses on interactions seen as sensory and nervous system alterations in both animals and humans.

Exposures to physical factors and chemicals that are not primarily related to occupational exposure, for example, the multitude of drugs that can interact with sunlight, are considered as being a general toxicological problem rather than a specific occupational toxicological issue. Readers interested in such interactions are therefore referred to the pharmacological literature.
SAR by ILOEs: An NMR‐Based Approach to Reverse Chemical Genetics
Authors: Becattini Barbara , Pellecchia Maurizio
Published: August 2005

Reverse chemical genetics is an emerging technique that makes use of small molecule inhibitors to characterize how a protein functions. In this regard, we have developed an NMR‐based approach (SAR by ILOEs) that enables the identification of high affinity ligands for a given protein target without the need of a specific assay. Our approach is of general applicability and could result very powerful in reverse chemical‐genetics studies, target validation, and lead discovery. We report a recent application on the design and synthesis of compounds that inhibit protein‐membrane interactions.
Well differentiated thyroid carcinoma is associated with human lymphocyte antigen D‐related 11 in Eastern Hungarians
Authors: Juhasz Ferenz , Kozma Laszlo , Stenszky Valeria , Gyory Ferenc , Luckas Geza , Farid Nadir R.
Published: August 2005

BACKGROUND

Using serologic human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) typing, the authors previously described a strong association between well differentiated thyroid carcinoma and HLA D‐related 1 (HLA‐DR1) in a population of unselected patients from Eastern Hungary.

METHODS

In the current study, the authors used polymerase chain reaction‐single strand conformational polymorphism to determine the HLA‐DR type in 75 patients with well differentiated thyroid carcinoma from the same area as their previous population, and they compared the current results with the results from a group of 170 healthy controls.

RESULTS

A significant increase in HLA‐DR11, rather than HLA‐DR1, was observed in patients with well differentiated thyroid carcinoma among a population of patients from the same area that was studied previously. After excluding technical reasons to account for differences in disease association, they postulated that interim environmental factors, possibly radiation fall‐out, may have resulted in differences in genetic susceptibility to thyroid carcinoma. Consideration of the potential antigenic peptides that may be restricted by the two HLA‐DR alleles may have allowed for the binding of similar peptides to initiate an immune response, likely leading to progressive immunomodulation of the tumor. Discriminat function analysis indicated a significant relation between tumor size and metastases and less lymphocytic infiltration of the tumor, but this was not related to HLA‐DR phenotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors found that the study of major histocompatability complex alleles holds promise for understanding the events that initiate and maintain tumor immunomodulation. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Comprehensive expression atlas of fibroblast growth factors and their receptors generated by a novel robotic in situ hybridization platform
Authors: Yaylaoglu Murat Burak , Titmus Andrew , Visel Axel , Alvarez‐Bolado Gonzalo , Thaller Christina , Eichele Gregor
Published: August 2005

A recently developed robotic platform termed “Genepaint” can carry out large‐scale nonradioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) on tissue sections. We report a series of experiments that validate this novel platform. Signal‐to‐noise ratio and mRNA detection limits were comparable to traditional ISH procedures, and hybridization was transcript‐specific, even in cases in which probes could have hybridized to several transcripts of a multigene family. We established an atlas of expression patterns of fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) and their receptors (Fgfrs) for the embryonic day 14.5 mouse embryo. This atlas provides a comprehensive overview of previously known as well as novel sites of expression for this important family of signaling molecules. The Fgf/Fgfr atlas was integrated into the transcriptome database (www.genepaint.org), where individual Fgf and Fgfr expression patterns can be interactively viewed at cellular resolution and where sites of expressions can be retrieved using an anatomy‐based search. Developmental Dynamics 234:371–386, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Faithful expression of living color reporter genes in transgenic medaka under two tissue‐specific zebrafish promoters
Authors: Zeng Zhiqiang , Liu Xingjun , Seebah Shalin , Gong Zhiyuan
Published: August 2005

To test tissue specificity of zebrafish gene promoters in a heterologous fish species, two transgenic medaka lines under two zebrafish promoters were generated. Under the zebrafish skeletal muscle‐specific mylz2 promoter, transgenic medaka expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP) exclusively in skeletal muscles, mimicking the endogenous medaka mylz2 mRNA expression and also identical to GFP expression in mylz2:gfp transgenic zebrafish. A madaka mylz2 promoter was also capable of directing skeletal muscle‐specific GFP expression in transient transgenic zebrafish embryos. In the krt8:rfp transgenic medaka line with the zebrafish epithelial krt8 promoter, red fluorescent protein was specifically expressed in the skin epithelia as well as the epithelial lining cells of the anterior digestive tract, which was also identical to GFP expression in krt8:gfp transgenic zebrafish. Therefore, the two zebrafish promoters faithfully function in a heterologous fish species, and it is likely that the mechanisms of tissue‐specific expression are largely conserved among fish species. Developmental Dynamics 234:387–392, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gender effects on cortical thickness and the influence of scaling
Authors: Luders E. , Narr K.L. , Thompson P.M. , Rex D.E. , Woods R.P. , DeLuca H. , Jancke L. , Toga A.W.
Published: August 2005

Using magnetic resonance imaging and well‐validated computational cortical pattern matching methods in a large and well‐matched sample of healthy subjects (n = 60), we analyzed the regional specificity of gender‐related cortical thickness differences across the lateral and medial cortices at submillimeter resolution. To establish the influences of brain size correction on gender effects, comparisons were performed with and without applying affine transformations to scale each image volume to a template. We revealed significantly greater cortical thickness in women compared to men, after correcting for individual differences in brain size, while no significant regional thickness increases were observed in males. The pattern and direction of the results were similar without brain size correction, although effects were less pronounced and a small cortical region in the lateral temporal lobes showed greater thickness in males. Our gender‐specific findings support a dimorphic organization in male and female brains that appears to involve the architecture of the cortical mantle and that manifests as increased thickness in female brains. This sexual dimorphism favoring women, even without correcting for brain size, may have functional significance and possibly account for gender‐specific abilities and/or behavioral differences between sexes. Hum Brain Mapp, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fabrication of semipermeable hollow fiber membranes with highly aligned texture for nerve guidance
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zhang Changhong , Wen Xuejun
Published: August 2005

In order to improve the guidance potential of a nerve entubulation bridging device, highly aligned textures were formed on the inner surface of semipermeable hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) during the wet phase inversion process. By precisely controlling the fabrication parameters, such as polymer solution flow rate, coagulant solution flow rate, and the air‐gap distance, also called drop height, different‐sized aligned grooves can be fabricated on the inner surface of HFMs. Preliminary studies using in vitro dorsal root ganglion (DRG) regeneration assay showed that both the alignment and outgrowth rate of regenerating axons increased significantly on HFMs with aligned textures compared to those on HFMs with a smooth inner surface. Studies in progress are evaluating axonal outgrowth and regeneration using in vivo sciatic‐nerve and spinal‐cord‐injury models. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2005
Effect of surface roughness on post‐frying oil absorption in wheat flour and water food model
Authors: Thanatuksorn Pariya , Pradistsuwana Chidphong , Jantawat Pantipa , Suzuki Toru
Published: August 2005

The effects of surface roughness and post‐fried cooling time on oil absorption were investigated for a food model comprised of various wheat flour and water mixtures. The models were prepared by varying the initial moisture contents as 400, 600 and 800 g kg−1. The samples were then fried at 150 °C in palm olein oil for 5 min and then left to cool down for 0, 1, 3 or 6 min. Fractal analysis was used to evaluate the resulting surface roughness of samples fried for 5 min. The results revealed that the average fractal dimension increased as the sample's initial moisture was increased. The adhered oil on the surface decreased with cooling time; however, the absorbed oil increased. The surface roughness that is generated during frying causes the quantity of adhered oil to increase during the initial cooling stage. As cooling progresses, the surface oil is absorbed by the sample in proportion to the fractal dimension and the initial moisture content. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Inactivation of orange juice peroxidase by high‐intensity pulsed electric fields as influenced by process parameters
Authors: Elez‐Martínez Pedro , Aguiló‐Aguayo Ingrid , Martín‐Belloso Olga
Published: August 2005

The inactivation of orange juice peroxidase (POD) under high‐intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) was studied. The effects of HIPEF parameters (electric field strength, treatment time, pulse polarity, frequency and pulse width) were evaluated and compared with conventional heat pasteurization. Samples were exposed to electric field strengths from 5 to 35 kV cm−1 for up to 1500 µs using square wave pulses in mono‐ and bipolar mode. Effect of pulse frequency (50–450 Hz), pulse width (1–10 µs) and electric energy on POD inactivation by HIPEF were also studied. Temperature was always below 40 °C. POD was totally inactivated by HIPEF and the treatment was more effective than thermal processing in inactivating orange juice POD. The extent of POD inactivation depended on HIPEF processing parameters. Orange juice POD inhibition was greater when the electric field strength, the treatment time, the pulse frequency and the pulse width increased. Monopolar pulses were more effective than bipolar pulses. Orange juice POD activity decreased with electric energy density input. The Weibull distribution function adequately described orange juice POD inactivation as a function of the majority of HIPEF parameters. Moreover, reduction of POD activity related to the electric field strength could be well described by the Fermi model. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of feeding regimen and chilled storage on water‐holding capacity, colour stability, pigment content and oxidation in red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat
Authors: Wiklund Eva , Sampels Sabine , Manley Timothy R , Pickova Jana , Littlejohn Roger P
Published: August 2005

The effects of feeding regimen on carcass characteristics, meat colour and lipid stability, pigment content and water‐holding capacity of M. longissimus were studied in 16 male red deer. All animals were farm raised; eight were grazing pasture and eight were fed a pelleted commercial feed mixture for 10 weeks prior to slaughter. The pellet‐fed deer had significantly higher live weight, carcass weight, dressing yield (g kg−1) and fat content than the pasture group. Carcasses from the pellet‐fed deer had higher temperatures over 0–10 h post mortem than carcasses from the grazing animals, probably due to an insulating fat cover. Ultimate pH values were lowest in meat from the pellet‐fed deer. The meat from the grazing deer had significantly better colour stability at 1 day post‐slaughter and after 1, 3 and 6 weeks of refrigerated storage (−1.5 °C) in vacuum bags. After 3, 6 and 12 weeks of refrigerated storage the meat from the pellet‐fed deer had significantly higher drip loss. No difference was found in the amount of oxidation products (thiobarbituric reactive substances, TBARS) when comparing the treatment groups, although the amount of TBARS increased during storage. Muscle pigment content was significantly higher in grazing deer than in the pellet‐fed group. It was not possible to confirm a correlation between lipid and pigment oxidation in the meat, and the pigment content of the meat samples did not seem to have an influence on colour stability or oxidation product formation. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Blood Lactate But Not Serum Phosphate Levels Can Predict Patient Outcome in Fulminant Hepatic Failure
Authors: MacQuillan Gerry C. , Seyam Moataz S. , Nightingale Peter , Neuberger James M. , Murphy Nicholas
Published: August 2005

Early identification of those patients with fulminant hepatic liver failure (FHF) who need a transplant greatly helps in their management. A number of prognostic criteria have recently been proposed, including arterial blood lactate and serum phosphate concentrations. To validate their use, we retrospectively studied 83 consecutive patients with FHF admitted to our intensive treatment unit between August 2000 and March 2003. A total of 48 patients (58%) survived with medical management only (group I) and 35 patients (42%) failed to survive spontaneously (group II). This group included 19 patients (23%) who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (LT), and 16 patients (19%) who died without undergoing LT (group IIa). A total of 5 patients (6%) who underwent liver transplantation died. Within paracetamol overdose (POD) and non-POD subgroups, phosphate concentrations were not significantly higher in group II patients (

P

= 0.08 and

P

= 0.27, respectively), when compared to group I patients. In multivariate analysis, post admission 12-hour lactate level was the only predictor of survival for the POD subgroup, whereas in non-POD patients, 12-hour lactate and admission bilirubin levels were significant in predicting patients' outcome. In conclusion, we found that while serum phosphate concentrations have limited clinical utility as prognostic markers, persistently elevated arterial blood lactate levels despite adequate fluid resuscitation are indicators of a poor prognosis in FHF.
Hemodynamics and Survival of Patients With Portopulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Kawut Steven M. , Taichman Darren B. , Ahya Vivek N. , Kaplan Sandra , Archer-Chicko Christine L. , Kimmel Stephen E. , Palevsky Harold I.
Published: August 2005

It is not known whether patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with portal hypertension (portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN) have different disease characteristics from those of patients with other forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with PPHTN and patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension that was idiopathic, familial, or associated with anorexigen use (IPAH) to determine whether hemodynamics or survival were different between these groups. We included consecutive patients who underwent initial pulmonary artery catheterization and vasodilator testing at our center between January 1997 and May 2001 and who were followed until January 2004. Patients with PPHTN (N = 13) had a higher cardiac index and lower pulmonary vascular resistance than patients with IPAH (N = 33) (

P

≤ 0.001). Right atrial pressure and pulmonary artery pressure were similar between the groups. Patients with PPHTN had a higher risk of death in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio: [HR] = 2.8, 95% CI 1.04-7.4;

P

= 0.04). These findings were not affected by adjustment for differences in laboratory values, hemodynamics, or therapy. In conclusion, patients with PPHTN have a higher risk of death than that of patients with IPAH, despite having a higher cardiac index and lower pulmonary vascular resistance. Future studies of the specific mechanisms of and therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension should focus on the distinctions between the different forms of this disease.
Tumor Size Predicts Vascular Invasion and Histologic Grade
Authors: Pawlik Timothy M. , Delman Keith A. , Vauthey Jean-Nicolas , Nagorney David M. , Ng Irene Oi-Lin , Ikai Iwao , Yamaoka Yoshio , Belghiti Jacques , Lauwers Gregory Y. , Poon Ronnie T. , Abdalla Eddie K.
Published: August 2005

Vascular invasion and high histologic grade predict poor outcome after surgical resection or liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the known association between tumor size and vascular invasion, a proportion of patients with large tumors can be treated surgically with excellent outcomes. Clarification of the association between tumor size, histologic grade, and vascular invasion has implications for patient selection for resection and transplantation. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between HCC tumor size and microscopic (occult) vascular invasion and histologic grade in a multicenter international database of 1,073 patients who underwent resection of HCC. The incidence of microscopic vascular invasion increased with tumor size (≤3 cm, 25%; 3.1-5 cm, 40%; 5.1-6.5 cm, 55%; >6.5 cm, 63%) (

P

< 0.005). Both size and number of tumors were important factors predicting vascular invasion. Among all patients with tumors 5.1 to 6.5 cm, microscopic vascular invasion was present in 55% compared with 31% for all patients with tumors 5 cm or smaller (

P

< 0.001). Among patients with solitary tumors only, microscopic vascular invasion was significantly more common in tumors measuring 5.1 to 6.5 cm (41%) compared with 27% of tumors 5 cm or smaller (

P

< 0.003). Tumor size also predicted histologic grade: 36% of tumors 5 cm or smaller were high grade, compared with 54% of lesions 5.1 to 6.5 cm (

P

= 0.01). High histologic grade, an alpha-fetoprotein level of at least 1000 ng/mL, and multiple tumor nodules each predicted occult vascular invasion in tumors larger than 5 cm. The high incidence of occult vascular invasion and advanced histologic grade in HCC tumors larger than 5 cm, as well as biologic predictors of poor prognosis, should be considered before criteria for transplantation are expanded to include these patients.
Quality Assurance, Efficiency Indicators and Cost-Utility of the Evaluation Workup for Liver Transplantation
Authors: De Simone Paolo , Carrai Paola , Baldoni Lidiana , Petruccelli Stefania , Coletti Laura , Morelli Luca , Filipponi Franco
Published: August 2005

We report the results of a retrospective review of the outpatient pretransplantation workup for United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) 3 patients adopted at a liver transplantation (LT) center and illustrate the efficiency indicators used for quality evaluation and cost-analysis. A single-center, pre-LT evaluation workup was performed on an outpatient basis at a cost per patient evaluation of 2,770 Euros (€). Objective measures were: the number of patients admitted to and excluded from each phase of the algorithm; the rate of patients admitted to pre-LT evaluation out of the total of referred patients (the referral efficiency rate); the rate of waitlisted patients out of those admitted to pre-LT evaluation (the evaluation efficiency rate); the rate of waitlisted patients out of those referred for LT (the process efficiency rate); and the cost per waitlisted patient, as the ratio of the cost per patient evaluation to the evaluation efficiency rate. From January 1, 1996, to October 1, 2004, 1,837 patients were referred for LT on an outpatient basis. Based on preemptive evaluation of the available clinical data, 412 patients (22.4%) were excluded from pre-LT evaluation and 1,425 (77.6%) were admitted to preliminary consultation. Among these, 603 (42.3%) were excluded from and 822 (57.7%) were admitted to pre-LT evaluation with a referral efficiency rate of 44.7% (822 of 1,837). Out of the patients evaluated for LT, 484 were waitlisted with a cost-utility and evaluation efficiency rate of 58.8% each (484 of 822). Of the 1,837 patients originally addressed for LT 484 were waitlisted, yielding a process efficiency rate of 26.3% (484 of 1,837) and a cost per waitlisted patient of €4,710.8. In conclusion, the 3 indicators allowed monitoring of the efficiency of the pre-LT evaluation algorithm. The current process efficiency rate at our center is low (26.3%), but avoiding early referrals we might increase it to 31.6%, with a 12% net saving on costs per waitlisted patient (from €4,710.8 to €4,165.4).
Liver Transplantation for Wilson'S Disease
Authors: Medici Valentina , Mirante Vincenzo G. , Fassati Luigi R. , Pompili Maurizio , Forti Domenico , Del Gaudio Massimo , Trevisan Carlo P. , Cillo Umberto , Sturniolo Giacomo C. , Fagiuoli Stefano
Published: August 2005

A retrospective data analysis on liver transplantation for Wilson's disease (WD) was performed among Italian Liver Transplant Centers. Thirty-seven cases were identified. The main indication for liver transplantation was chronic advanced liver disease in 78% of patients. Mixed hepatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms were recorded in 32.3%. Eight patients presented with fulminant liver failure; 44.8% were on medical treatment. Patient and graft survival at 3 months, 12 months, 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years after transplantation were, respectively, 91.8%, 89.1%, 82.9%, 75.6%, and 58.8%, and 85.3%, 83.0%, 77.1%, 70.3%, and 47.2%. Neurological symptoms significantly improved after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), but the survival of patients with mixed hepatic and neuropsychiatric involvement was significantly lower than in patients with liver disease alone (

P

= 0.04). WD characterized by hepatic involvement alone is a rare but good indication for liver transplantation when specific medical therapy fails. Patients with neuropsychiatric signs have a significantly shorter survival even though liver transplantation has a positive impact on neurological symptoms. In conclusion, a combination of hepatic and neuropsychiatric conditions deserves careful neurological evaluation, which should contraindicate OLT in case of severe neurological impairment.
Risk Factors for Staphylococcus Aureus Infection in Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Bert Frédéric , Bellier Claire , Lassel Ludovic , Lefranc Valérie , Durand François , Belghiti Jacques , Mentré France , Fantin Bruno
Published: August 2005

Staphylococcus aureus

is the leading cause of bacterial infection in liver transplant recipients. Preoperative nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant

S. aureus

(MRSA) is associated with a high risk of infection. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in order to identify independent risk factors for early-onset

S. aureus

infection after liver transplantation. Patients were screened preoperatively for methicillin-susceptible

S. aureus

(MSSA) and MRSA nasal carriage. Risk factor analysis was performed by univariate analysis followed by stepwise logistic regression. Of the 323 patients included, 63 (19.5%) patients developed

S. aureus

infection (36 MRSA, 27 MSSA) within 1 month of surgery. Variables significantly associated with infection in the univariate analysis were MRSA and MSSA nasal carriage, alcoholic cirrhosis, absence of hepatocellular carcinoma, decreased prothrombin ratio, and presence of ascites. In the multivariate analysis, MRSA carriage (odds ratio [OR]: 20.9,

P

< 0.0001), MSSA carriage (OR: 3.4,

P

= 0.0004), alcoholic cirrhosis (OR: 2.4,

P

= 0.01) and decreased prothrombin ratio (OR: 1.2,

P

= 0.01) were independent predictors of infection. Molecular typing showed that the infecting isolate was identical to the isolate from the nose in most patients. In conclusion, preoperative nasal carriage of MRSA and MSSA is an independent risk factor for

S. aureus

infection in liver transplant recipients. The infection is most often of endogenous origin. Alcoholic cirrhosis and the severity of liver failure are also associated with a high risk of infection.
Subgame perfection and the ethics of competition
Authors: Arce M Daniel G.
Published: August 2005

This paper integrates economics and business ethics through the use of the subgame perfection/backward induction decision rule. It is shown that textbook examples of subgame perfection differ in their ethical complexity. Specifically, predatory pricing is difficult to justify on both game‐theoretic and ethical grounds, whereas ‘poison pill’ takeover defenses have complex economic and ethical ramifications. Further, I employ backward induction to examine two additional areas of ethics and management decision‐making: product recall (the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires), and price versus advertising competition. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intrafamilial variability in fragile X–associated tremor/ataxia syndrome
Authors: Peters Nils , Kamm Christoph , Asmus Friedrich , Holinski‐Feder Elke , Kraft Eduard , Dichgans Martin , Brüning Roland , Gasser Thomas , Bötzel Kai
Published: August 2005

Fragile X–associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a progressive adult‐onset tremor/ataxia syndrome caused by premutations in the FMR1 gene. In cranial MRI, the most characteristic findings are bilateral T2 hyperintense lesions within the middle cerebellar peduncles. Here we present a sibpair of two affected brothers presenting with very different symptoms (typical FXTAS versus essential tremor‐like), disease progression, and MRI findings, illustrating broad intrafamilial variability of FXTAS. Also, their family history suggests further evidence of possible manifestation of FXTAS in women. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
Electrophysiological evaluation of the genitofemoral nerve in patients with inguinal hernia
Authors: Bademkiran Fikret , Tataroglu Cengiz , Ozdedeli Kaan , Altay Baris , Aydogdu Ibrahim , Uludag Burhanettin , Ertekin Cumhur
Published: August 2005

Groin pain in the lower abdomen but including the ilioinguinal region is frequent after inguinal hernia operations, but the integrity of the nerves in this region, including the genitofemoral nerve (GFN), has not been investigated. We studied GFN motor conduction time to the cremasteric muscle (CM), the CM electromyogram (EMG), and the CM reflex in 30 patients with unilateral inguinal hernia who underwent herniorrhaphy and in 26 similar patients who had no surgical intervention. Among the 30 patients undergoing herniorrhaphy, 14 (47%) showed motor involvement of the GFN, whereas 6 of the 26 (23%) patients not treated surgically had involvement of the GFN. These findings indicate that subclinical motor involvement of the GFN can be demonstrated by electrophysiological methods and is common after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Based on patient complaints, the herniated mass may also be responsible for motor involvement of the GFN in some patients before surgery. Muscle Nerve, 2005