bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Commitment‐Based Framework for Describing Informal Cooperative Work*
Authors: Fikes Richard E.
Published: July 2005

In this paper we present a framework for describing cooperative work in informal domains such as an office. We argue that standard models of such work are inadequate for describing the adaptibility and variability observed in offices, and are fundamentally misleading as metaphors for understanding the skills and knowledge needed by computers or people to do the work. The basic claim in our alternative framework is that an agent's work is defined in terms of making and fulfilling commitments to other agents, and that the tasks described in those commitments are merely agreed upon methods for fulfilling the commitments. Determining the intended meaning of those task descriptions in specific situations is an important component of the work, and the agents making the commitments decide in any given situation how and whether a given commitment has been fulfilled. We analyze subcontracting relationships, noting that the task's client and contractor both play a role in defining the subcontractor's work. Also, we analyze the use and role of procedures in informal domains, noting the interdependencies among the agents performing them, the problem solving required to perform each step, and ways in which they can be made more adaptive. Our analysis indicates that “intelligent” capabilities such as planning, plan monitoring, and negotiation are required to do even simple cooperative work.
Predicting Garden Path Sentences*
Authors: Milne Robert William
Published: July 2005

This work is an investigation into part of the human sentence parsing mechanism (HSPM). The major test of the psychological validity of any model of the HSPM is that it fail on precisely those sentences that humans find to be garden paths. It is hypothesized that the HSPM consists of at least two processes. We call the first process the syntactic processor, and the second will be known as the semantic processor.

It is hypothesized that the syntactic processor is unconscious, deterministic and fast, but limited. While most ambiguities are resolved on the basis of syntactic information, when the syntactic processor can no longer guarantee a correct analysis, semantic information is used to help resolve the ambiguity. This model leads to a better prediction and explanation of which sentences will cause people to garden path.
Natural Language Processing With Modular Pdp Networks and Distributed Lexicon
Authors: Miikkulainen Risto , Dyer Michael G.
Published: July 2005

An approach to connectionist natural language processing is proposed, which is based on hierarchically organized modular parallel distributed processing (PDP) networks and a central lexicon of distributed input/output representations. The modules communicate using these representations, which are global and publicly available in the system. The representations are developed automatically by all networks while they are learning their processing tasks. The resulting representations reflect the regularities in the subtasks, which facilitates robust processing in the face of noise and damage, supports improved generalization, and provides expectations about possible contexts. The lexicon can be extended by cloning new instances of the items, that is, by generating a number of items with known processing properties and distinct identities. This technique combinatorially increases the processing power of the system. The recurrent FGREP module, together with a central lexicon, is used as a basic building block in modeling higher level natural language tasks. A single module is used to form case‐role representations of sentences from word‐by‐word sequential natural language input. A hierarchical organization of four recurrent FGREP modules (the DISPAR system) is trained to produce fully expanded paraphrases of script‐based stories, where unmentioned events and role fillers are inferred.
Use of Tetraethylammonium Bis(oxalato)borate as Electrolyte for Electrical Double-layer Capacitors
Authors: Ebina Takahito , Uno Hiroyuki , Ishizawa Saki , Nanbu Noritoshi , Sasaki Yukio
Published: July 2005

The development of halogen-free electrolyte salts for electrochemical devices is desirable from the viewpoint of safety and cost. We have investigated the performance of electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) composed of activated carbon electrodes as a positive and a negative electrode, tetraethylammonium bis(oxalato)borate (TEABOB) as an electrolyte salt, and propylene carbonate (PC) as a solvent. In spite of the larger anion size and lower ionic conductivity of the TEABOB, rate capability of a 2025-type coin cell utilizing a PC solution containing 1 mol dm−3 TEABOB is more excellent than that obtained for tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4).
Suppression of Electrochemical Decomposition of Electrolyte in Lithium Ion Batteries: An Electrolyte Containing Acetate Group
Authors: Ghimire Parvati , Nakamura Hiroyoshi , Yoshio Masaki , Yoshitake Hideya , Abe Koji
Published: July 2005

A group of acetate compounds has been studied as electrolyte additive for lithium ion batteries in order to suppress the electrolyte decomposition on graphite electrode. The amount of 1 wt % additives (acetic anhydride, 1-acetoxy-2-methoxyethane, isopropenyl acetate, and phenyl acetate) facilitates the electrochemical performance of the cell by the suppression of the decomposition of electrolyte. Molecular orbital calculation is used as screening tool for the selection of additives.
Enhanced Visible Light Sensitivity of Nitrogen-doped Nanocrystalline Si-modified Titania Prepared by the Glycothermal Method
Authors: Ozaki Hirotaka , Iwamoto Shinji , Inoue Masashi
Published: July 2005

Nanocrystalline silica-modified titania prepared by the thermal reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide and tetraethyl orthosilicate in 1,4-butanediol was treated in an NH3 flow at high temperatures. The thus-obtained nitrogen-doped silica-modified titania showed a strong absorption in the visible region (400–500 nm) and exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for decomposition of acetaldehyde under visible light irradiation.
Convenient Route for Synthesis of Bifunctional Chelating Agent: 1-(p-Aminobenzyl)ethylenediaminetetramethylphosphonic acid–Folate Conjugate (Am-Bz-EDTMP–Folate)
Authors: Mishra Anil Kumar , Chopra Madhu , Jain Viney
Published: July 2005

The present work describes a convenient and efficient approach for the synthesis of bifunctional chelating agent, 1-(p-aminobenzyl)ethylenediaminetetramethylphosphonic acid (Am-Bz-EDTMP). The key steps involved are functionalization of l-phenylalanine to give ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid derivative and its conversion to phosphonic acid followed by the reaction with NHS-folate to give 1-(p-aminobenzyl)-EDTMP–folate conjugate to be used for targeted radio imaging and therapy. Radiolabeling with 111In and 153Sm of Folate–Bz-EDTMP conjugate showed very high stability under physiological conditions.
Application of Palladium-catalyzed Amination to the Synthesis of Polyazamacrocycles Containing 3,5-Disubstituted Pyridine
Authors: Beletskaya Irina P , Averin Alexei D , Ulanovskaya Olesya A , Fedotenko Ilya A , Borisenko Anatolii A , Serebryakova Marina V , Denat Franck , Guilard Roger
Published: July 2005

The synthesis of a new family of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing macrocycles, which employs palladium-catalyzed amination of 3,5-dihalopyridines, is described. Synthetic approaches to cyclodimers have been elaborated via bis(pyridyl)substituted polyamines and bis(polyamino) substituted pyridines.
High Dependence for Reaction Pressure on Ru/(MgO–CeO2)/Ag–Pd Ammonia Synthesis Membrane Reactor
Authors: Itoh Masahiro , Saito Makoto , Li Cheng Yu , Iwamoto Jun , Machida Ken-ichi
Published: July 2005

Ammonia production characteristics were conducted on Ru/(MgO–CeO2) catalysts loaded on Ag–Pd-hydrogen-permeable membrane, in which the ammonia formation rate on the membrane reactor was more increased than that on conventional flow reaction. This result is responsible for the high reactivity of atomic hydrogen supplied from the Ag–Pd-permeable membrane to retard the hydrogen poisoning generally observed on Ru-based ammonia synthesis catalysts.
Novel Separation System of Trivalent Actinides-combined Effects of Substituted Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine Ligand and Hydrophobic Counter-anion
Authors: Ishimori Kenichiro , Watanabe Masayuki , Kimura Takaumi , Yaita Tsuyoshi , Yamada Takashi , Kataoka Yumiko , Shinoda Satoshi , Tsukube Hiroshi
Published: July 2005

Stereochemical substitution on tripod ligand significantly offered efficient separation of trivalent actinides from trivalent lanthanides. Liquid–liquid extraction using chiral tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligands as an extractant exhibited high efficiency and selectivity for trivalent actinides. A combination of chiral ligand and 2-bromodecanoic acid further enhanced extraction performance for trivalent actinides.
Elucidation of Phosphorus Co-doping Effect on Photoluminescence in Ce3+-activated SiO2 Glasses: Determination of Solvation Shell Structure by Pulsed EPR
Authors: Saitoh Akira , Murata Shuhei , Matsuishi Satoru , Oto Masanori , Miura Taisuke , Hirano Masahiro , Hosono Hideo
Published: July 2005

Photoluminescence (PL) due to Ce3+ in SiO2 glass is strongly influenced by co-doping of phosphorus (P), whose features such as peak energy and fluorescence lifetime are very close to those in phosphate glass. The origin for this striking effect of the P co-doping has been clarified through the elucidation of the coordination structure around a Ce3+ by pulsed EPR ESEEM spectroscopy. Analysis of the observed ESEEM pattern with simulation revealed that the number of P-ions in the coordination sphere is larger by an order of magnitude than that expected from the uniform distribution of P, demonstrating the formation of a solvation shell structure. It has been found that two types of the coordination manner of P–O bonds co-exist in the solvation structure, corner-sharing and edge-sharing. This solvation shell structure is almost the same as that for the calcium phosphate glass.
Synthesis of a sec-Precursor and Analogues of Macrolactin A
Authors: Xiao Xiangshu , Li Shukun , Yan Xuebin , Liu Xuejun , Xu Rui , Bai Donglu
Published: July 2005

A highly convergent and efficient route to sec-precursor 26 of macrolactin A has been developed. In the synthesis, Wittig and Horner–Emmons reactions were utilized to construct the conjugated dienes and control the right configurations of E,Z- and E,E-dienes. The segment 2 and 3 were prepared from the known compound 4 and 15 respectively. The coupling of segments 2 and 3 proceeded in the presence of NaHMDS. The analogues 7 and 32 were synthesized by the same strategy.
Saddle nose deformity in a patient with Crohn’s disease
Authors: Merkonidis C , Verma S , Salam M A
Published: July 2005

Crohn’s disease is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease of the bowel, and in most cases it involves the small bowel and colon. Extraintestinal manifestations occur frequently and multiple organ systems may be affected. In contrast, nasal manifestations are extremely rare and only a few cases have been reported to date. Saddle nose deformity in a patient with Crohn’s disease has not been reported in the English literature. We report a case of such a deformity and the current literature on nasal manifestations in Crohn’s is reviewed. The normal diagnostic and therapeutic features are also discussed.
General practitioners’ referral pattern for children with acute facial paralysis
Authors: El-Hawrani A S , Eng C Y , Ahmed S K , Clarke J , Dhiwakar M
Published: July 2005

Introduction: The relative incidence of paediatric Bell’s palsy is two to four times less than the condition in adults. The number encountered in our otolaryngology department falls short of the above prediction. This could either reflect the general practitioners' (GPs) patterns of referral or a lower incidence in our locality.

Methods: Postal questionnaires were sent to our local GPs to determine their referral practice when managing children presenting with acute facial paralysis.

Results: Of 233 questionnaires, 172 (74 per cent) were returned and analysed. Fifty-four per cent of GPs referred their patients to the local paediatric services, 22 per cent to an otolaryngologist, and the remaining 24 per cent of GPs were confident in diagnosing and managing Bell's palsy in children themselves.

Discussion and Conclusion: Of the GPs surveyed 78 per cent did not refer children presenting with acute facial paralysis to an otolaryngologist. We suggest minimum investigations for acute facial paralysis in children before diagnosing Bell's palsy and stipulate otolaryngology referral for all.
Sore throat in adults – does the introduction of a clinical scoring system improve the management of these patients in a secondary care setting?
Authors: Woolley S L , Bernstein J M , Davidson J A , Smith D R K
Published: July 2005

Objective: To audit sore throat management in adults, introduce proforma-based guidelines and to reaudit clinical practice.

Setting: Adult emergency department of an inner city teaching hospital.

Methods: A literature search was carried out to identify relevant guidelines. In stage one, patients presenting to the emergency department with sore throat were identified retrospectively from the emergency department attendance register. Proformas were completed retrospectively. In stage two, new guidelines were introduced and staff educated about the guidelines. In stage three, patients presenting with sore throat were identified at triage and proformas were completed at time of consultation.

Outcome Measures: (1) appropriate clinical assessment of the likelihood of bacterial infection using the clinical scoring system, (2) appropriateness of antibiotic prescription, (3) recommendation of supportive treatments to patients.

Results: Introduction of a clinical scoring system reduced the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics from 44 per cent to 11 per cent. Correct antibiotic prescription rose from 60 per cent to 100 per cent. Although the variety of advice given about supportive treatment increased, the actual number of patients receiving documented supportive advice fell from 67.8 per cent in stage one to 58 per cent in stage three.

Conclusion: The introduction of clinically based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of sore throat in adults can reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
Understanding Conflict in Geographically Distributed Teams: The Moderating Effects of Shared Identity, Shared Context, and Spontaneous Communication
Authors: Hinds Pamela J. , Mortensen Mark
Published: July 2005

Geographically distributed teams are increasingly prevalent in the workplace, and research on distributed teams is ever more available. Despite this increased attention, we still know surprisingly little about how the dynamics of distributed teams differ from those of their collocated counterparts and how existing models of teams apply to this new form of work. For example, although it has been argued that distributed as compared with collocated teams have more severe conflicts that fester longer and resist resolution, few comparative studies investigate dynamics such as conflict in both distributed and collocated teams. In this study, we examine conflict, its antecedents, and its effects on performance in distributed as compared with collocated teams. Our goal is to understand how conflict plays out in distributed and collocated teams, thus providing insight into how existing models of conflict must be augmented to reflect the trend toward distributed work.

We report the results of a field study of 43 teams, 22 collocated and 21 distributed, from a large multinational company. As expected, the distributed teams reported more task and interpersonal conflict than did the collocated teams. We found evidence that shared identity moderated the effect of distribution on interpersonal conflict and that shared context moderated the effect of distribution on task conflict. Finally, we found that spontaneous communication played a pivotal role in the relationship between distribution and conflict. First, spontaneous communication was associated with a stronger shared identity and more shared context, our moderating variables. Second, spontaneous communication had a direct moderating effect on the distribution-conflict relationship, mitigating the effect of distribution on both types of conflict. We argue that this effect reflects the role of spontaneous communication in facilitating conflict identification and conflict handling.
Managing Multiple Roles: Work-Family Policies and Individuals’ Desires for Segmentation
Authors: Rothbard Nancy P. , Phillips Katherine W. , Dumas Tracy L.
Published: July 2005

As workers strive to manage multiple roles such as work and family, research has begun to focus on how people manage the boundary between work and nonwork roles. This paper contributes to emerging work on boundary theory by examining the extent to which individuals desire to integrate or segment their work and nonwork lives. This desire is conceptualized and measured on a continuum ranging from segmentation (i.e., separation) to integration (i.e., blurring) of work and nonwork roles. We examine the fit between individuals’ desires for integration/segmentation and their access to policies that enable boundary management, suggesting that more policies may not always be better in terms of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Using survey methodology and a sample of 460 employees, we found that desire for greater segmentation does moderate the relationship between the organizational policies one has access to and individuals’ satisfaction and commitment. People who want more segmentation are less satisfied and committed to the organization when they have greater access to integrating policies (e.g., onsite childcare) than when they have less access to such policies. Conversely, people who want greater segmentation are more committed when they have greater access to segmenting policies (e.g., flextime) than when they have less access to such policies. Moreover, the fit between desire for segmentation and organizational policy has an effect on satisfaction and commitment over and above the effects of demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, income, number of children, and the ages of those children.
Deaf People in Hitler's Europe: Conducting Oral History Interviews With Deaf Holocaust Survivors
Authors: Ryan Donna F.
Published: July 2005

Deaf people living in Europe between 1933 and 1945 were mistreated, forcibly sterilized, incarcerated, and murdered by the Nazis. Their stories have been overlooked or underappreciated because of the complexities of communication and the difficulties historians face gaining access to those communities. This article describes the challenges faced by two United States historians when they interviewed deaf Holocaust survivors in Budapest, Hungary and during a conference, "Deaf People in Hitler's Europe," co-sponsored by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Gallaudet University. It also raises general questions of adapting methodologies to facilitate "oral" history interviews for deaf informants.
Disability and the NAMES Project
Authors: McRuer Robert
Published: July 2005

This essay considers how the AIDS quilt can function within the public historical record as a disability artifact; it connects contestations over the quilt to contestations over the meaning of disability in American cultures. Although the AIDS quilt is a very different artifact from others constructed during the Disability Rights Movement, the movement that generated the AIDS quilt has likewise been propelled by a commitment to more democratic futures. This essay considers how interpretations of the past can contribute to such futures and asks what can be gained by broadening our still-fluctuating sense of what disability history might be.
Disability and the Practice of Public History: An Introduction
Authors: Ott Katherine
Published: July 2005

Museums, exhibitions, and public history have long engaged with the subject matter of disability. Shared social conventions and exhibition traditions about people with disabilities--the common stereotypes of people as persevering heroes or objects of pity--have often led to skewed and inaccurate historical presentations. The medical model of disability, equally strong in framing disability, has also reduced the range of possibilities for including content for the public. More recently, greater understanding of diversity and of the importance of interpreting the history of all people has begun to push inclusion beyond simple access issues and into content.
Tempos of Gene Locus Deletions and Duplications and Their Relationship to Recombination Rate During Diploid and Polyploid Evolution in the Aegilops-Triticum Alliance
Authors: Dvorak Jan , Akhunov Eduard D
Published: July 2005

The origin of tetraploid wheat and the divergence of diploid ancestors of wheat A and D genomes were estimated to have occurred 0.36 and 2.7 million years ago, respectively. These estimates and the evolutionary history of 3159 gene loci were used to estimate the rates with which gene loci have been deleted and duplicated during the evolution of wheat diploid ancestors and during the evolution of polyploid wheat. During diploid evolution, the deletion rate was 2.1 × 10−3 locus−1 MY−1 for single-copy loci and 1.0 × 10−2 locus−1 MY−1 for loci in paralogous sets. Loci were duplicated with a rate of 2.9 × 10−3 locus−1 MY−1 during diploid evolution. During polyploid evolution, locus deletion and locus duplication rates were 1.8 × 10−2 and 1.8 × 10−3 locus−1 MY−1, respectively. Locus deletion and duplication rates correlated positively with the distance of the locus from the centromere and the recombination rate during diploid evolution. The functions of deleted and duplicated loci were inferred to gain insight into the surprisingly high rate of deletions of loci present apparently only once in a genome. The significance of these findings for genome evolution at the diploid and polyploid level is discussed.
Kinetische Reaktionsfortschrittsanalyse: eine Methode zur mechanistischen Untersuchung komplexer katalytischer Reaktionen
Authors: Blackmond Donna G.
Published: July 2005

Durch eine kinetische Reaktionsfortschrittsanalyse lässt sich ein umfassendes mechanistisches Bild von komplexen katalytischen Reaktionssystemen erhalten. Die beschriebene Methodik nutzt In‐situ‐Messungen in Kombination mit einfachen mathematischen Prozeduren zur Konstruktion “graphischer Geschwindigkeitsgleichungen”, die eine Reaktionsanalyse bei minimaler Zahl an Experimenten ermöglichen. Eine solche Analyse kann helfen, die Triebkräfte einer chemischen Reaktion zu bestimmen und zwischen vorgeschlagenen mechanistischen Modellen zu unterscheiden. Dieser Aufsatz beschreibt einen “Fahrplan”, nach dem sich jede beliebige Reaktion analysieren lässt.
Titelbild: Kinetische Reaktionsfortschrittsanalyse: eine Methode zur mechanistischen Untersuchung komplexer katalytischer Reaktionen (Angew. Chem. 28/2005)
Authors: Blackmond Donna G.
Published: July 2005

Das London Eye dreht sich ohne Halt, selbst wenn Passagiere ein‐ und aussteigen, und mag damit als Kulisse und Metapher zugleich für einen stationären Katalysezyklus dienen. Thema des Aufsatzes von D. G. Blackmond auf S. 4374 ff. sind mechanistische Untersuchungen komplexer katalytischer Reaktionen durch das Verfahren der kinetischen Reaktionsfortschrittsanalyse. Beschrieben wird ein neuer Satz graphischer Auswerteverfahren, die auf der In‐situ‐Reaktionsüberwachung mit einfacher Datenverarbeitung basieren. Foto: ArtoftheState.co.uk.
Reaction Progress Kinetic Analysis: A Powerful Methodology for Mechanistic Studies of Complex Catalytic Reactions
Authors: Blackmond Donna G.
Published: July 2005

Reaction progress kinetic analysis to obtain a comprehensive picture of complex catalytic reaction behavior is described. This methodology employs in situ measurements and simple manipulations to construct a series of graphical rate equations that enable analysis of the reaction to be accomplished from a minimal number of experiments. Such an analysis helps to describe the driving forces of a reaction and may be used to help distinguish between different proposed mechanistic models. This Review describes the procedure for undertaking such analysis for any new reaction under study.
Alkoxycarbonyloxyethyl Ester Prodrugs of FR900098 with Improved In Vivo Antimalarial Activity
Authors: Ortmann Regina , Wiesner Jochen , Reichenberg Armin , Henschker Dajana , Beck Ewald , Jomaa Hassan , Schlitzer Martin
Published: July 2005

FR900098 represents a derivative of the new antimalarial drug fosmidomycin with enhanced activity. The mechanism of action is the inhibition of the 1‐desoxy‐D‐xylulose 5‐phosphate (DOXP) reductoisomerase, an essential enzyme of the mevalonate independent pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis. Prodrugs with increased oral activity in mice infected with the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium vinckei were obtained by masking the phosphonate moiety of FR900098 as alkoxycarbonyloxyethyl esters.
Emergency stapled haemorrhoidectomy for haemorrhoidal crisis
Authors: Kang J-C , Chung M-H , Chao P-C , Lee C-C , Hsiao C-W , Jao S-W
Published: July 2005

Stapling works in acute haemorrhoidal thrombosis
Symptomatic and functional outcome after laparoscopic reoperation for failed antireflux surgery
Authors: Byrne J P , Smithers B M , Nathanson L K , Martin I , Ong H S , Gotley D C
Published: July 2005

Background

The aim was to determine symptomatic and functional outcome after reoperative antireflux surgery for recurrent reflux, persistent dysphagia and severe gas bloat, using a primarily laparoscopic surgical approach.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 118 patients, of whom 70 had reoperative surgery for recurrent reflux, 35 for dysphagia and 13 for gas bloat. DeMeester scores before and 1 year after surgery, functional symptoms after surgery and overall patient satisfaction were analysed.

Results

Reoperation was completed laparoscopically in 101 patients (85·6 per cent), in 28 after previous open hiatal surgery. The operation was converted from an initial laparoscopic approach to open surgery in 17 patients. One-year follow-up data were available for 104 patients (88·1 per cent). After reoperation for recurrent reflux, 84 per cent had a DeMeester heartburn score of zero or one, and 87 per cent had a regurgitation score of zero or one. After reoperation for dysphagia, 21 of 32 patients had a dysphagia score of zero or one, with improvement observed in 25. All patients undergoing reoperation for severe gas bloat were satisfied with the outcome 1 year after operation.

Conclusion

Revisional surgery for recurrent reflux using a laparoscopic approach offered high rates of success and patient satisfaction. Swallowing returned to normal in two-thirds of patients after reoperation.
Preoperative plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as a marker of cardiac risk in patients undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery
Authors: Yeh H-M , Lau H-P , Lin J-M , Sun W-Z , Wang M-J , Lai L-P
Published: July 2005

Background

Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) is a sensitive marker for heart failure. This study tested whether the preoperative plasma level of NTproBNP could predict cardiac complications in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

Methods

A total of 190 consecutive patients who underwent elective non-cardiac surgery that required general anaesthesia were studied. In addition to routine preoperative evaluation, a blood sample was taken for estimation of plasma NTproBNP concentration. Postoperative cardiac complications were defined as cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure and haemodynamic compromise from cardiac arrhythmias.

Results

Fifteen of the 190 patients had a cardiac complication: four had acute coronary syndrome and 13 had congestive heart failure. NTproBNP concentration was significantly higher in patients with a cardiac complication; a level greater than 450 ng/l was predictive of cardiac complications with a sensitivity of 100 per cent and a specificity of 82·9 per cent. Other factors associated with cardiac complications were a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, age and clinical cardiac impairment, but in a multivariate analysis NTproBNP level was the only independent factor.

Conclusion

Preoperative plasma NTproBNP concentration may be an independent predictor of cardiac complications in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
Effect of sacral neuromodulation on the rectum
Authors: Uludaǧ Ö , Morren G L , Dejong C H C , Baeten C G M I
Published: July 2005

Background

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a new treatment for faecal incontinence. At present the exact underlying mechanism is still unclear. Modulation of the sacral reflex arcs might have an effect on rectal sensitivity, wall tension and compliance.

Methods

Fifteen consecutive patients with faecal incontinence who qualified for SNM underwent barostat measurements before and during neuromodulation. An ‘infinitely’ compliant plastic bag with a volume of 600 ml was placed in the rectum and connected to a computer-controlled barostat system. An isobaric phasic distension protocol was used. Patients were asked to report rectal filling sensations: first sensation (FS), earliest urge to defaecate (EUD) and an irresistible, painful urge to defaecate (maximum tolerated volume; MTV). Rectal wall tension and compliance were calculated.

Results

During isobaric phasic distension each patient experienced all rectal filling sensations at the time of stimulation. Median volume thresholds decreased significantly during stimulation, from 98·1 to 44·2 ml for FS (P = 0·003), from 132·3 to 82·8 ml for EUD (P = 0·001) and from 205·8 to 162·8 ml for MTV (P = 0·002). Pressure thresholds tended to be lower for all filling sensations, but only that to evoke MTV was reduced significantly by stimulation (37·3 versus 30·3 mmHg; P = 0·005). Median rectal wall tension for all filling sensations decreased significantly with stimulation. There was no significant difference between compliance before and during stimulation.

Conclusion

SNM affects rectal sensory perception, but further research is required to clarify the mechanism.
Bladder and sexual function following resection for rectal cancer in a randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic versus open technique
Authors: Jayne D G , Brown J M , Thorpe H , Walker J , Quirke P , Guillou P J
Published: July 2005

Background

Bladder and sexual dysfunction are recognized complications of mesorectal resection. Their incidence following laparoscopic surgery is unknown.

Methods

Bladder and sexual function were assessed in patients who had undergone laparoscopic rectal, open rectal or laparoscopic colonic resection as part of the UK Medical Research Council Conventional versus Laparoscopic-Assisted Surgery In Colorectal Cancer (CLASICC) trial, using the International Prostatic Symptom Score, the International Index of Erectile Function and the Female Sexual Function Index. Sexual and bladder function data from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-CR38 collected in the CLASICC trial were used for comparison.

Results

Two hundred and forty-seven (71·2 per cent) of 347 patients completed questionnaires. Bladder function was similar after laparoscopic and open rectal operations for rectal cancer. Overall sexual function and erectile function tended to be worse in men after laparoscopic rectal surgery than after open rectal surgery (overall function: difference − 11·18 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) −22·99 to 0·63), P = 0·063; erectile function: difference −5·84 (95 per cent c.i. −10·94 to −0·74), P = 0·068). Total mesorectal excision (TME) was more commonly performed in the laparoscopic rectal group than in the open rectal group. TME (odds ratio (OR) 6·38, P = 0·054) and conversion to open operation (OR 2·86, P = 0·041) were independent predictors of postoperative male sexual dysfunction. No differences were detected in female sexual function.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic rectal resection did not adversely affect bladder function, but there was a trend towards worse male sexual function. This may be explained by the higher rate of TME in the laparoscopic rectal resection group.
Protective defunctioning stoma in low anterior resection for rectal carcinoma
Authors: Gastinger I , Marusch F , Steinert R , Wolff S , Koeckerling F , Lippert H
Published: July 2005

Background

Anastomotic leak is a serious complication of resection for low rectal carcinoma.

Methods

Data from a prospective multicentre study conducted between January 2000 and December 2001 were analysed to determine the early outcome after low anterior resection in patients with and without a protective stoma. The morbidity and mortality rates associated with ileostomy and colostomy closure were compared.

Results

Eight hundred and eighty-one (32·3 per cent) of 2729 patients received a protective stoma after low anterior resection. Overall anastomotic leak rates were similar in patients with or without a stoma (14·5 versus 14·2 per cent respectively). The incidence of leaks that required surgical intervention was significantly lower in those with a protective stoma (3·6 versus 10·1 per cent; P < 0·001), as was the mortality rate (0·9 versus 2·0 per cent; P = 0·037). Logistic regression analysis showed that provision of a protective stoma was the most powerful independent variable for avoiding an anastomotic leak that required surgical correction. Seven hundred and twenty-four of the 881 patients who received a stoma were followed up. The overall postoperative morbidity associated with stoma closure was significantly lower for colostomy than for ileostomy (15·3 versus 22·4 per cent; P = 0·031).

Conclusion

A protective stoma reduced the rate of anastomotic leakage that required surgical intervention, and mitigated the sequelae of such leakage. Colostomy closure was associated with less morbidity than closure of an ileostomy.
Surgery for clinical T3 carcinomas of the upper thoracic oesophagus and the need for new strategies
Authors: Igaki H , Kato H , Tachimori Y , Nakanishi Y , Shimoda T
Published: July 2005

Background

Patients with T3 carcinomas have a dismal prognosis, even after complete resection of the primary tumour and metastatic nodes. This study focused on the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes after surgical resection of clinical T3 carcinomas of the upper thoracic oesophagus.

Methods

Between January 1988 and February 2000, 888 consecutive patients underwent surgical removal of carcinomas of the thoracic oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction at the National Cancer Centre Hospital, Japan. The case records of 51 consecutive patients with clinical T3 tumours of the upper thoracic oesophagus were analysed retrospectively.

Results

No patient received preoperative therapy. Complications occurred in 41 (80 per cent). In-hospital and 30-day postoperative mortality rates were 10 and 4 per cent respectively. Gross residual primary tumour or metastasis in regional nodes invading adjacent structures was noted in 14 patients (27 per cent) and incomplete resection including microscopic residual tumour in 23 (45 per cent). Overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 20 and 12 per cent; median survival was 13·1 months.

Conclusion

Surgical resection of clinical T3 carcinomas of the upper thoracic oesophagus is associated with a high postoperative complication rate, incomplete resection and unsatisfactory outcome. Reconsideration of the surgical treatment strategy for these tumours is needed.
Mapping changes in surgical mortality over 9 years by peer review audit
Authors: Thompson A M , Ashraf Z , Burton H , Stonebridge P A
Published: July 2005

Background

There is increasing public scrutiny of deaths among surgical patients. This analysis sought evidence of changes in practice over time in the management of patients who died under surgical care.

Methods

The surgeons and anaesthetists in National Health Service hospitals providing the care of all surgical patients in Scotland participated in the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality (SASM). Data from peer review audit, critical event analysis and individual feedback of deaths while in surgical care over 9 years (1994–2002) were examined for trends over time.

Results

Over a 9-year period, 40 448 patients died while in surgical care. Consultant surgeon and anaesthetist involvement in decision making and operating increased significantly (P < 0·001), and death after elective surgery declined to 0·27 per cent of elective operations. Adverse events were more frequently due to failures of hospital systems or process than to individual clinician errors. Fewer adverse events were identified as having contributed to or caused the death of patients over time (P < 0·001). Failure to use deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis and failure to use high-dependency or intensive therapy units (HDU/ITU) became less common, once highlighted by the SASM.

Conclusion

Through continuous peer review audit, the SASM has mapped and may have contributed to changes in surgical and anaesthetic practice over a 9-year period, indicating that the rate of adverse events can be decreased by changing clinician practice (DVT prophylaxis) and provision of facilities (HDU/ITU). Similar approaches should be considered by other medical specialties.
Breast-conserving surgery with resection of the nipple–areola complex for subareolar breast carcinoma
Authors: Tausch C , Hintringer T , Kugler F , Schmidhammer C , Bauer M , Aufschnaiter M
Published: July 2005

Introduction

Breast-conserving therapy for centrally located tumours has in the past been viewed with reservation, but is now an accepted treatment. There is little published evidence, however, to show that it is safe and cosmetically acceptable.

Methods

In a prospective investigation carried out between 1996 and 2002, 44 women had surgery for 45 breast carcinomas with suspected nipple involvement. The breast was conserved and the nipple–areola complex removed. Secondary mastectomy was performed in three women because the tumour was found to reach the resection margin. Forty-one women underwent further observation. The mean tumour size at the time of operation was 18 (range 4–50) mm. Six women received preoperative chemotherapy.

Results

Histologically, there were seven preinvasive and 35 invasive cancers. No local failure had occurred at a median follow-up of 51 months. Six women developed distant metastasis, of whom five died. The mean score for cosmetic results (evaluated on a scale of 1–5 where a score of 1 was excellent) was 1·5 for patients and 1·7 for physicians.

Conclusion

Breast-conserving therapy is a safe and cosmetically acceptable alternative to mastectomy for subareolar breast cancer.
Prevalence of family history of colorectal cancer in the general population
Authors: Mitchell R J , Campbell H , Farrington S M , Brewster D H , Porteous M E M , Dunlop M G
Published: July 2005

Background

Robust estimates of the prevalence of a family history of colorectal cancer in the general population are essential to inform planning of provision for colonoscopic surveillance and for clinical genetics services. However, there is a paucity of high-quality data.

Methods

Computerized record linkage was used to assess systematically the family history of 160 cancer-free community subjects and thereby provide prevalence data that are independent of participant recall. The data set comprised 2664 first- and second-degree relatives of study subjects, with 148 068 years at risk.

Results

Of people in the 30–70 years age range, 9·4 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 5·8 to 14·9) per cent had a first-degree relative affected by colorectal cancer, and 28·8 (95 per cent c.i. 22·3 to 36·2) per cent had an affected first- or second-degree relative. Between 0 and 3·1 per cent of study subjects merited colonic surveillance, depending on the stringency of the guidelines used.

Conclusion

An appreciable proportion of the general population has a relative affected by colorectal cancer, sufficient to merit screening under certain criteria. In the absence of good-quality evidence supporting colonoscopic surveillance in groups at moderate risk, these data directly inform the planning of services for people with a family history of colorectal cancer. However, the clinical risk and financial implications of screening should be taken into account.
PLS post‐processing by similarity transformation (PLS + ST): a simple alternative to OPLS
Authors: Ergon Rolf
Published: July 2005

Several methods for orthogonal signal correction (OSC) based on pre‐processing of the modeling data have been developed in recent years, and OPLS (orthogonal projections to latent structures) is a well‐known algorithm. The main result from these methods is a reduction in the number of final components in partial least squares (PLS) regression, while the predictions are virtually unchanged (identical for OPLS). This raises the question whether the same or similar results can be obtained in a more direct way using an ordinary PLS model as starting point, and as shown in the present paper, this can indeed be done by use of a simple similarity transformation. This post‐processing PLS + ST method is compared with OPLS assuming a single response variable. The PLS + ST factorization of the data matrix X is just a similarity transformation of the non‐orthogonalized PLS factorization, while OPLS is a similarity transformation of the orthogonalized PLS factorization. The predictions are therefore identical but the residuals are somewhat different. A theoretically founded modification of the orthogonalized PLS factorization, and a corresponding modification of OPLS, leads to identical factorizations for all these methods within similarity transformations. The PLS + ST vs OPLS comparison also leads to an alternative post‐processing method using the ordinary PLS algorithm twice, with predetermined and permuted loading weight vectors in the second step. A limited comparison with post‐processing using principal components of predictions (PCP) or canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is included. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identifying effects under a split‐plot design structure
Authors: Langhans Ivan , Goos Peter , Vandebroek Martina
Published: July 2005

Experience shows that in practice very few designs are carried out in a completely randomized fashion, requiring not only that the order of experimentation be random but also that the factor levels in each experiment were reset. The resulting split‐plot designs and their properties are well described in the statistical literature but much less so in chemometric journals. In neither of the two, however, can an overview be found of how much is at stake when one decides to leave the safe road of completely randomized designs. This work compares completely randomized designs (CRDs) with designs characterized by different amounts of randomization in terms of type I and type II errors (false positives and false negatives) when using a 2k factorial design for screening/identification. It also provides a comparison of the correct statistical analysis based on generalized least squares with the standard ordinary least squares analysis available in most software. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conditional/non‐conditional probabilities and information entropies assigned to high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detection
Authors: David Victor , Medvedovici Andrei
Published: July 2005

A general formalism describing the main conditional and non‐conditional probabilities as well as their corresponding information entropies that can be assigned to analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detection is discussed. Some quantitative parameters of the detection (absorbance, fluorescence, peak height, data acquisition rate) are used in order to estimate these probabilities. The events within chromatographic peaks are conditioned by their maximum (peak height). Several examples are discussed and conditional and non‐conditional information entropies by Shannon's formula are evaluated by given relationships. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A twist to partial least squares regression
Authors: Indahl Ulf
Published: July 2005

A modification of the PLS1 algorithm is presented. Stepwise optimization over a set of candidate loading weights obtained by taking powers of they–Xcorrelations andXstandard deviations generalizes the classical PLS1 based ony–Xcovariances and hence adds flexibility to the modelling. When good linear predictions can be obtained, the suggested approach often finds models with fewer and more interpretable components. Good performance is demonstrated when compared with the classical PLS1 on calibration benchmark data sets. An important part of the comparisons is managed by a novel model selection strategy. The selection is based on choosing the simplest model among those with a cross‐validation error smaller than the pre‐specified significance limit of a χ2‐statistic. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wavelet orthogonal signal correction
Authors: Feudale Robert N. , Liu Yang , Woody Nathaniel A. , Tan Huwei , Brown Steven D.
Published: July 2005

In this paper a novel signal‐preprocessing technique that combines the local and multiscale properties of the wavelet prism with the global filtering capability of orthogonal signal correction (OSC) is presented for the pretreatment of spectroscopic data. In this hybrid method, referred to as wavelet OSC (WOSC), a separate OSC filter is applied to each frequency component generated from a wavelet prism decomposition. The combination of wavelet prism and OSC is shown to be complementary, as the prediction results obtained in subsequent partial least squares (PLS) calibrations using WOSC are superior to those obtained using either the wavelet prism or OSC independently. The ability of WOSC to remove undesirable background effects and enhance subsequent PLS models is demonstrated with two near‐infrared data sets. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.