bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HOUSEHOLD DEBT AND ATTITUDES TOWARD RISK
Authors: BROWN SARAH , GARINO GAIA , TAYLOR KARL
Published: April 2012

We explore the relationship between attitudes toward risk and the level of debt at the household level for a sample of households drawn from the U.S. Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) over the period 1984 to 2007. Using a sequence of questions from the 1996 PSID, we analyze the implications of interpersonal differences in attitudes toward risk for the accumulation of unsecured debt, secured debt, and total debt at the household level. Our empirical findings suggest that attitudes toward risk are an important determinant of the level of debt acquired at the household level with risk aversion being inversely related to the level of debt accumulated by households.
Characterisation of sol‐gel‐based hybrid silicon dioxide/heteroarylthiazole dyes on polyamide fabric
Authors: Yen Ming‐Shien , Kuo Mu‐Cheng , Chen Chien‐Wen
Published: April 2012

An inorganic/organic hybrid material was generated from tetraethoxysilane and a thiazole azo dye. The 4‐substituted thiazole azo dye was first hydrolysed with vinyltriethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane to yield a hybrid, tetraethoxysilane‐modified and thiazole‐based azo dye. Water contact angle, abrasion fastness, washing fastness, air permeability and water repellency were evaluated on polyamide‐6 fabrics dyed with the modified dyes.
The 2012 AHS/AAN Guidelines for Prevention of Episodic Migraine: A Summary and Comparison With Other Recent Clinical Practice Guidelines
Authors: Loder Elizabeth , Burch Rebecca , Rizzoli Paul
Published: April 2012

Background.— Updated guidelines for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine have been issued by the American Headache Society (AHS) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). We summarize key 2012 guideline recommendations and changes from previous guidelines. We review the characteristics, methods, consistency, and quality of the AHS/AAN guidelines in comparison with recently issued guidelines from other specialty societies.

Methods.— To accomplish this, we reviewed the AHS/AAN guidelines and identified comparable recent guidelines through a systematic MEDLINE search. We extracted key data, and summarized and compared the key recommendations and assessed quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation‐II (AGREE‐II) tool. We identified 2 additional recent guidelines for migraine prevention from the Canadian Headache Society and the European Federation of Neurological Societies. All of the guidelines used structured methods to locate evidence and linked recommendations with assessment of the evidence, but they varied in the methods used to derive recommendations from that evidence.

Results.— Overall, the 3 guidelines were consistent in their recommendations of treatments for first‐line use. All rated topiramate, divalproex/sodium valproate, propranolol, and metoprolol as having the highest level of evidence. In contrast, recommendations diverged substantially for gabapentin and feverfew. The overall quality of the guidelines ranged from 2 to 6 out of 7 on the AGREE‐II tool.

Conclusion.— The AHS/AAN and Canadian guidelines are recommended for use on the basis of the AGREE‐II quality assessment. Recommendations for the future development of clinical practice guidelines in migraine are provided. In particular, efforts should be made to ensure that guidelines are regularly updated and that guideline developers strive to locate and incorporate unpublished clinical trial evidence.
Socialization of Early Prosocial Behavior: Parents’ Talk About Emotions is Associated With Sharing and Helping in Toddlers
Authors: Brownell Celia A. , Svetlova Margarita , Anderson Ranita , Nichols Sara R. , Drummond Jesse
Published: April 2012

What role does socialization play in the origins of prosocial behavior? We examined one potential socialization mechanism – parents’ discourse about others’ emotions with very young children in whom prosocial behavior is still nascent. Two studies are reported, one of sharing in 18‐ and 24‐month‐olds (n = 29) and one of instrumental and empathy‐based helping in 18‐ and 30‐month‐olds (n = 62). In both studies, parents read age‐appropriate picture books to their children, and the content and structure of their emotion‐related and internal state discourse were coded. Results showed that children who helped and shared more quickly and more often, especially in tasks that required more complex emotion understanding, had parents who more often asked them to label and explain the emotions depicted in the books. Moreover, it was parents’ elicitation of children’s talk about emotions rather than parents’ own production of emotion labels and explanations that explained children’s prosocial behavior, even after controlling for age. Thus, it is the quality, not the quantity, of parents’ talk about emotions with their toddlers that matters for early prosocial behavior.
Chemotherapy‐Induced Neuropathic Pain and Its Relation to Cluster Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Paclitaxel
Authors: Golan‐Vered Yael , Pud Dorit
Published: April 2012

Abstract The majority of patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy report multiple symptoms. Compelling evidence has shown that subgroups of patients can be clustered by the severity of symptoms. Recent studies demonstrate that chemotherapy with such substances as paclitaxel can cause neuropathic pain (CINP) and consequently neural damage.

Objectives:  the present study examined the relationship between symptom clusters and CINP among 40 patients with breast cancer. The study was based on 2 sessions conducted before and during paclitaxel treatment. In each session, neuropathic pain was assessed by the DN4 Questionnaire. In the second session, the Lee Fatigue Scale, the General Sleep Disturbance Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale were also administered, and the worst pain intensity was assessed. Using cluster analysis, 2 symptom clusters were identified on the basis of the severity of the 4 symptoms scores. Patients in the High Cluster (37%) experienced a high level of all symptoms, whereas patients in the Low Cluster (63%) experienced a low level of all symptoms. Twenty patients (50%) were diagnosed with CINP. A subgroup of patients (23%) from the High Cluster was identified as having CINP; 35% were in the Low Cluster and free of CINP. In conclusion, there appears to be a specific subgroup of patients with hypersensitive cancer who need greater attention to symptom management. Early detection of symptoms, together with careful dose selection and assessment of early stages in the development of neuropathic pain, are essential for preventing the simultaneous occurrence of severe multiple symptoms and CINP.
Pension Benefit Security: A Comparison of Solvency Requirements, a Pension Guarantee Fund, and Sponsor Support
Authors: Broeders Dirk , Chen An
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Developed countries apply different security mechanisms in regulation to protect pension benefits: solvency requirements, a pension guarantee fund (PGF), and sponsor support. We compare these mechanisms for a generalized form of hybrid pension schemes. We calculate the expected log return for the beneficiaries, the shortfall probability, that is, the likelihood of the pension payment falling below the promised level and the expected loss given shortfall. Comparing solvency requirements to a pension guarantee system or sponsor support involves trading off risk and return. Additional spending on default insurance reduces the shortfall probability and the expected loss given shortfall but also lowers the probability of high positive returns as are feasible under solvency requirements.
The Risk‐Sharing Implications of Disaster Insurance Funds
Authors: Boulatov Alex , Dieckmann Stephan
Published: April 2012

Abstract

We study the risk‐sharing implications that arise from introducing a disaster insurance fund to the cat insurance market. Such a form of intervention can increase efficiency in the private market, and our design of disaster insurance suggests a prominent role of catastrophe reinsurance. The model predicts buyers will increase their demand in the private market, and the seller will lower prices to such an extent that their revenues decrease upon introduction of disaster insurance. We test two predictions in the context of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). It is already known that the introduction of TRIA led to negative abnormal returns in the insurance industry. In addition, we show this negative effect is stronger for larger and for low‐risk‐averse firms—two results that are consistent with our model. The seller’s risk aversion plays an important role in quantifying such feedback effects, and we point toward possible distortions in which a firm may even be overhedged upon introduction of disaster insurance.
Acquisition and Disclosure of Operational Information*
Authors: Li Zhaolin , Sun Daewon
Published: April 2012

We study a firm's strategy for acquisition and disclosure of operational information by establishing linkages among information quality, managerial self‐interest, and production planning. We develop a multistage model in which a manager of a publicly traded firm first receives private information about the product demand and then uses it to make production and disclosure decisions. We consider two prevalent disclosure models employed in the accounting literature: all‐or‐nothing and cheap‐talk models. In the all‐or‐nothing model, it is assumed that any disclosure must be truthful, but the manager can strategically withhold information. We show that the manager commits to acquire the value‐added operational information if (i) the managerial self‐interest in the interim share price is low or (ii) the managerial self‐interest in the interim share price is high, but the fixed disclosure cost is either sufficiently low or sufficiently high. We demonstrate that the firm is better off if the production level is observable to the financial market because multidimensional signaling reduces costs. In the cheap‐talk model, we assume that the manager's disclosure may not be truthful. We show that the manager's incentive to acquire value‐added operational information increases along with the penalty cost for misleading investors. Therefore, a high penalty cost for misleading investors can encourage the manager to obtain more precise information, which in turn improves the firm's cash flow.
Enhanced Transmural Dispersion of Repolarization in Patients with J Wave Syndromes
Authors: KARIM TALIB AHMED , SATO NOBUYUKI , SAKAMOTO NAKA , TANABE YASUKO , TAKEUCHI TOSHIHARU , SAIJO YASUAKI , KAWAMURA YUICHIRO , HASEBE NAOYUKI
Published: April 2012

J Wave Syndromes. Introduction: Recently, great attention has been paid to the risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with an electrocardiographic early repolarization (ER) pattern. We investigated several repolarization parameters including the Tpeak‐Tend interval and Tpeak‐Tend/QT ratio in healthy individuals and patients with J wave syndrome who were aborted from sudden cardiac death.

Methods and Results: Ninety‐two subjects were enrolled: 12 patients with ventricular fibrillation associated with J waves, 40 healthy subjects with an uneventful ER pattern and 40 healthy control subjects (C) without any evident J waves. Using ambulatory electrocardiogram recordings, the average QT interval, corrected QT interval (QTc), Tpeak‐Tend (Tp‐e) interval, which is the interval from the peak to the end of the T wave, and Tp‐e/QT ratio were calculated. Using ANOVA and post hoc analysis, there was no significant difference in the average QT and QTc in all 3 groups (QT; 396 ± 27 vs 405 ± 27 vs 403 ± 27 m, QTc; 420 ± 26 vs 421 ± 21 vs 403 ± 19 milliseconds in the C, ER pattern and J groups, respectively). The Tp‐e interval and Tp‐e/QT ratio were significantly more increased in the J wave group than the ER Pattern group (Tp‐e: 86.7 ± 14 milliseconds vs 68 ± 13.2 milliseconds, P < 0.001, Tp‐e/QT; 0.209 ± 0.04 vs 0.171 ± 0.03, P < 0.001), but they did not significantly differ between the C and ER pattern groups (Tp‐e: 68.6 ± 7.5 vs 68 ± 13.2, P = 0.97, Tp‐e/QT 0.174 ± 0.02 vs 0.171 ± 0.03, P = 0.4).

Conclusion: As novel markers of heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization, Tpeak‐Tend interval and Tp‐Te/QT ratio are significantly increased in patients with J wave syndromes compared to age and sex‐matched uneventful ER. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23 pp. 1109‐1114, October 2012)
Right Atrial Remodeling is More Advanced in Patients with Atrial Flutter Than with Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: MEDI CAROLINE , TEH ANDREW W. , ROBERTS‐THOMSON KURT , MORTON JOSEPH B. , KISTLER PETER M. , KALMAN JONATHAN M.
Published: April 2012

Atrial Remodeling in Atrial Flutter. Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) are related arrhythmias with common triggers, yet in individual patients either AF or AFL often predominates. We performed detailed electrophysiologic (EP) and electroanatomic (EA) studies of the right atrium (RA) in patients with AF and AFL to determine substrate differences that may explain the preferential expression of AF/AFL in individual patients.

Methods: Patients with AF (n = 13) were compared to patients with persistent AFL (n = 10). Detailed studies were performed, and 3‐dimensional electroanatomic mapping studies were created and the RA was divided into 4 segments for regional analysis. Global, septal, lateral, anterior, and posterior segments were compared for analysis of: bipolar voltage; proportion of low‐voltage areas and areas of electrical silence; conduction times; and proportion of abnormal signals (fractionated signals and double potentials).

Results: Compared to patients with AF, patients with AFL had (1) lower bipolar voltage and an increase in the proportion of low‐voltage areas; (2) an increase in the proportion of complex signals; and (3) prolongation of activation times.

Conclusions: Patients with AFL showed more advanced remodeling than patients with AF with slowed conduction, lower voltage areas with regions of electrical silence, and a greater proportion of complex signals, particularly in the posterior RA. These changes facilitate the stabilization of AFL and may explain why some patients are more likely to develop AFL as a sustained clinical arrhythmia. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23 pp. 1067‐1072, October 2012)
Speckle Tracking–Derived Mitral Annular Velocities Predict Mortality in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Napan Sirikarn , Kassim Thaslim A. , Kumar Shubhada , Curry Bryan H. , Greenberg Michael D.
Published: April 2012

Background: Myocardial ischemia can impair myocardial relaxation and result in increased left ventricular (LV) diastolic pressure. Noninvasive measurements of mitral annular velocities have been used to evaluate LV diastolic pressure. We sought to determine whether mitral annular velocities, derived from novel speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), could predict mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: A total of 246 patients with ACS were retrospectively studied. STE was analyzed offline with the sample volume placed on septal, lateral, inferior, and anterior mitral annulus. Peak early (E′) and late (A′) diastolic velocities of the mitral annulus were measured and averaged from the four regions. Peak early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E) was obtained using pulsed‐wave Doppler. Results: Lower E′ (P = 0.03), lower A′ (P = 0.001), higher E′/A′ ratio (P = 0.007), and higher E/E′ ratio (P = 0.003) were independently associated with increased risk of death with adjustment for clinical and echocardiographic variables over the follow‐up period of 21 months. The optimal cutoff value of E/E′ ratio derived from the receiver operating characteristic analysis for predicting death was 30 (area under the curve = 0.65). E/E′ ratio greater than 30 was predictive of death in univariate (HR, 2.40; CI, 1.42–4.06; P = 0.001) and multivariate (adjusted HR, 1.91; CI, 1.09–3.32; P = 0.02) models. Conclusion: The measurements of mitral annular velocities by STE are predictive of mortality in patients with ACS. (Echocardiography 2012;29:560‐567)
Trace Detection of Meglumine and Diatrizoate from Bacillus Spore Samples Using Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry*,§
Authors: Swider Catherine , Maguire Kelly , Rickenbach Michael , Montgomery Madeline , Ducote Matthew J. , Marhefka Craig A.
Published: April 2012

Abstract:  Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, letters containing Bacillus anthracis were distributed through the United States postal system killing five people. A complex forensic investigation commenced to identify the perpetrator of these mailings. A novel liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry protocol for the qualitative detection of trace levels of meglumine and diatrizoate in dried spore preparations of B. anthracis was developed. Meglumine and diatrizoate are components of radiographic imaging products that have been used to purify bacterial spores. Two separate chromatographic assays using multiple mass spectrometric analyses were developed for the detection of meglumine and diatrizoate. The assays achieved limits of detection for meglumine and diatrizoate of 1.00 and 10.0 ng/mL, respectively. Bacillus cereus T strain spores were effectively used as a surrogate for B. anthracis spores during method development and validation. This protocol was successfully applied to limited evidentiary B. anthracis spore material, providing probative information to the investigators.
Massive Systemic Fat Embolism Detected by Postmortem Imaging and Biopsy*
Authors: Flach Patricia M. , Ross Steffen G. , Bolliger Stephan A. , Ampanozi Garyfalia , Hatch Gary M. , Schön Corinna , Thali Michael J. , Germerott Tanja
Published: April 2012

Abstract:  Postmortem computed tomography (pmCT) and pmCT angiography (pmCTA) provide a minimally invasive method to determine the cause of death. Postmortem image‐guided biopsy allows for precise sampling of histological specimens. This case study describes the findings of lethal systemic fat embolism (FE) on whole‐body unenhanced pmCT, pmCTA, and image‐guided biopsy, with autopsy and histopathologic correlation. Unenhanced pmCT revealed a distinct fat level on top of sedimented layers of corpuscular blood particles and serum in the arterial system and pulmonary trunk. Subsequent pmCTA showed reproducible results, and image‐guided biopsy confirmed fatal FE. pm CT/pmCTA combined with image‐guided biopsy established the cause of death as right heart failure as a result of systemic fatal FE prior to autopsy. All imaging findings were consistent with traditional autopsy and histological specimens. This unique case demonstrates new imaging findings in massive, fatal FE and highlights that postmortem imaging, supplemented by image‐guided biopsy, may detect the cause of death prior to traditional autopsy.
Evaluation of the Analytical Performance of a Fuel Cell Breath Alcohol Testing Instrument: A Seven‐Year Comprehensive Study
Authors: Leonard Robert J.
Published: April 2012

Abstract: Between 2003 and 2009, 54,255 breath test sequences were performed on 129 AlcoSensor IV–XL evidential instruments in Orange County, CA. The overall mean breath alcohol concentration and standard deviation from these tests was 0.141 ± 0.051 g/210 L. Of these test sequences, 38,580 successfully resulted in two valid breath alcohol results, with 97.5% of these results agreeing within ±0.020 g/210 L of each other and 86.3% within ±0.010 g/210 L. The mean absolute difference between duplicate tests was 0.006 g/210 L with a median of 0.004 g/210 L. Of the 2.5% of duplicate test results that did not agree within ±0.020 g/210 L, 95% of these had a breath alcohol concentration of 0.10 g/210 L or greater and 77% had an alcohol concentration of 0.15 g/210 L or greater. The data indicate that the AlcoSensor IV–XL can measure a breath sample for alcohol concentration with adequate precision even amid the effects of biological variations.
Forensic Identification Using a Multiplex Assay of 47 SNPs*
Authors: Wei Yi‐Liang , Li Cai‐Xia , Jia Jing , Hu Lan , Liu Yao
Published: April 2012

Abstract:  As a powerful alternative to short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, we have developed a novel panel of 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for DNA profiling and ABO genotyping. We selected 42 of the 47 SNPs from a panel of 86 markers that were previously validated as universal individual identification markers and identified five additional SNPs including one gender marker and four ABO loci. Match probability of the 42 validated SNPs was found to be 9.5 × 10−18 in Han Chinese. SNP analysis correctly assessed a panel of historical cases, including both paternity identifications in trios and individual identifications. In addition, while STR profiling of degraded DNA provided information for 11 loci of 16 potential markers with low peak intensities, SNPstream® genotyping was sufficient to identify all 47 SNPs. In summary, SNP analysis is equally effective as STR profiling, but appears more suited for individual identification than STR profiling in cases where DNA may be degraded.
Supine Hypotensive Syndrome as the Probable Cause of Both Maternal and Fetal Death
Authors: De‐Giorgio Fabio , Grassi Vincenzo M. , Vetrugno Giuseppe , d’Aloja Ernesto , Pascali Vincenzo L. , Arena Vincenzo
Published: April 2012

Abstract:  Supine hypotensive syndrome is characterized by severe supine hypotension in late pregnancy, whose clinical presentation ranges from minimal cardiovascular alterations to severe shock, resulting from inferior vena cava compression by gravid uterus. We report a case of a 41‐year‐old 39‐week‐pregnant woman found dead supine. Autopsy revealed the following: cyanosis of the limbs; congestion of the jugular and subclavian veins; abundant abdominal subcutaneous fatty tissue; uterus displacing intestine and diaphragm; collapsed inferior vena cava; both femoral veins dilated and filled with blood; edematous and congested lungs; and placenta 790 g, fetus 3475 g, amniotic fluid 800 cm3. The diagnosis of supine hypotensive syndrome as the probable cause of death is supported by the position of the body and autopsy findings. This syndrome can be considered as the first stage of the physio‐pathological mechanism that led to death in the case presented herein and should be considered by pathologists as a cause of sudden death.
The Construction of a Transformational Leader: Follower Attachment and Leadership Perceptions
Authors: HANSBROUGH TIFFANY KELLER
Published: April 2012

Attachment theory suggests that unmet needs may filter perceptions of reality. Moreover, since the attachment system is always primed in anxious individuals, it tends to bias cognitive processing in a self‐sustaining manner. Here, it is proposed that individuals high in attachment anxiety are predisposed to perceive leaders as capable of meeting their needs. An exploratory laboratory study was conducted to examine the relationship between attachment anxiety and perceptions of transformational leadership. Individuals who scored high in attachment anxiety reported transformational leadership, even though such elements were objectively absent. The implications for follower receptiveness to transformational and charismatic leadership are discussed.
Social Risk and Attribution: How Considering the Social Risk of Attributions Can Improve the Performance of Kelley's ANOVA Model in Applied Research
Authors: QUAYLE MICHAEL , NAIDOO EVASEN
Published: April 2012

Classic models of attribution are increasingly used, despite serious problems with their empirical validation. This study revisitsKelley's (1967) ANOVA model of attribution and argues that it will most usefully predict attributions when attributional processes are socially “safe” and have few social consequences. The results demonstrate that attributions are most likely to be inconsistent with Kelley's predictions when attributional information and the attributions themselves are socially consequential or risky, but are more likely to be made as predicted when they are socially safe. Applications of Kelley's model, therefore, should pay attention to the extent to which attributions and attributional information are socially consequential or risky, particularly when analyzing the use of consensus information.
Harmful drinking and talking about alcohol in primary care: New Zealand population survey findings
Authors: Foulds J. , Wells J. E. , Lacey C. , Adamson S. , Mulder R.
Published: April 2012

Foulds J, Wells JE, Lacey C, Adamson S, Mulder R. Harmful drinking and talking about alcohol in primary care: New Zealand population survey findings.

Objective:  Existing evidence suggests low recognition of alcohol problems in primary care. This study aimed to determine the 12‐month prevalence of harmful or hazardous drinking (HHD) in a population sample and to measure the relationship between HHD and talking about alcohol in primary care consultations in that period.

Method:  A New Zealand population survey of 12 488 adults. Alcohol use in the past 12 months was assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), with HHD defined as a total score of eight or above. Talking about alcohol was self‐reported.

Results:  HHD was present in 17.7% and was commoner in men and in younger age groups, with the highest prevalence 53.6% in men aged 18–24. Three per cent of those who attended their usual primary care provider in the past 12 months reported being talked to about alcohol. Talking about alcohol increased with AUDIT score, but was not commoner in young people despite their higher prevalence of HHD. Overall, 9.4% of attendees with HHD reported talking about alcohol.

Conclusion:  HHD is common but largely not detected in primary care. Improved detection would permit the delivery of effective treatments such as brief interventions.
A Critical Histidine Residue Within LIMP‐2 Mediates pH Sensitive Binding to Its Ligand β‐Glucocerebrosidase
Authors: Zachos Christina , Blanz Judith , Saftig Paul , Schwake Michael
Published: April 2012

The lysosomal membrane protein type 2 is a novel identified lysosomal sorting receptor for β‐glucocerebrosidase (GC). Mutations in both genes underlie human pathologies causing action myoclonus‐renal failure syndrome (AMRF) and Gaucher disease (GD), respectively. We now demonstrate that the lumenal acidification mediated by the vacuolar (H+)‐ATPase triggers the dissociation of LIMP‐2 and GC in late endosomal/lysosomal compartments. Moreover, we identified a single histidine residue in LIMP‐2 that is necessary for LIMP‐2 and GC binding. This residue is in close proximity to a proposed coiled‐coil domain, which determines the binding to GC and may function as a critical pH sensor.
New insights on age‐related association between nasopharyngeal airway clearance and facial morphology
Authors: Macari A. T. , Bitar M. A. , Ghafari J. G.
Published: April 2012

Macari A. T., Bitar M.A., Ghafari J.G. New insights on age‐related association between nasopharyngeal airway clearance and facial morphology  Orthod Craniofac Res 2012;15:188–197. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Structured Abstract

Objectives –  To evaluate the relation between adenoid hypertrophy and facial morphology across age in a pediatric population.

Setting and Sample Population –  The American University of Beirut Department of Otolaryngology. Two‐hundred consecutive children (age 6.00 ± 2.62 years) referred from the Pediatric Otolaryngology unit to the Orthodontic division and requiring a lateral cephalogram for adenoid hypertrophy assessment.

Methods –  Cephalometric measurements included relations among cranial base, maxilla and mandible, and airway clearance measured from adenoid to soft palate (AD). The children were classified into two age groups, Group 1: ≤ 6 years (n = 124) and Group 2: ≥ 6.01 years (n = 76), and also stratified in four subgroups (A, B, C, D) based on maxillo‐mandibular divergence (palatal to mandibular plane angle, PP‐MP): A‐ PP‐MP ≤ 27.5°, n = 34; B‐ 27.5° < PP‐MP ≤ 32°, n = 68; C‐ 32°<PP/MP<36.5°, n = 67; D‐ PP‐MP ≥ 36.5°, n = 31. Statistics included t‐tests and anova for group differences.

Results –  Differences between groups 1 and 2 were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for AD (Group 1: 3.19 ± 2.32 mm, Group 2: 4.78 ± 2.80 mm), ANB (5.38 ± 2.24°, 4.38 ± 2.54°), LFH (56.61 ± 1.95%, 55.38 ± 1.84%), PP‐H (−8.41 ± 3.28°, −6.49 ± 3.46°), and overbite (0.55 ± 2.00 mm, 1.16 ± 2.36 mm). Among subgroups, statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) occurred mainly between the most hyperdivergent group (D) and the hypodivergent (A) and normodivergent (B) groups.

Conclusions –  Airway measurements were smallest in children ≤ 6 years and those presenting severe hyperdivergent pattern, which denoted the most severe airway obstruction. The findings suggest airway clearance before age 6 in the most severely affected children, but follow‐up research on actual adenoidectomies in younger children is needed to determine guidelines.
Subjective pubertal timing and health‐compromising behaviours among Swiss adolescent girls reporting an on‐time objective pubertal timing
Authors: Deppen Alain , Jeannin André , Michaud Pierre‐André , Alsaker Françoise , Suris Joan‐Carles
Published: April 2012

Aim:  The aim of this research is to assess the associations between subjective pubertal timing (SPT) and onset of health‐compromising behaviours among girls reporting an on‐time objective pubertal timing (OPT).

Methods:  Data were drawn from the Swiss SMASH 2002 survey, a self‐administered questionnaire study conducted among a nationally representative sample of 7548 adolescents aged 16–20 years. From the 3658 girls in the initial sample, we selected only those (n = 1003) who provided information about SPT and who reported the average age at menarche, namely 13, considering this as an on‐time OPT. Bivariate and logistic analyses were conducted to compare the early, on‐time and late SPT groups in terms of onset of health‐compromising behaviours.

Results:  A perception of pubertal precocity was associated with sexual intercourse before age 16 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.10 (1.30–3.37)] and early use of illegal drugs other than cannabis [AOR: 2.55 (1.30–5.02)]. Conversely, girls perceiving their puberty as late were less likely to report intercourse before age 16 [AOR: 0.30 (0.12–0.75)].

Conclusion:  Faced with an adolescent girl perceiving her puberty as early, the practitioner should investigate the existence of health‐compromising behaviours even if her puberty is or was objectively on‐time.
Assessing changes in oral health‐related quality of life and its factors in community‐dwelling older Brazilians
Authors: dos Santos Camila Mello , Martins Aline Blaya , de Marchi Renato José , Hilgert Juliana Balbinot , Hugo Fernando Neves , Padilha Dalva Maria Pereira
Published: April 2012

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2012.00656.x

Assessing changes in oral health‐related quality of life and its factors in community‐dwelling older Brazilians

Objective:  To describe changes in oral health‐related quality of life and to evaluate the associations of these changes in community‐dwelling older people.

Materials and methods:  In this longitudinal study a representative sample of 872 older people, living in Brazil, was evaluated during 2004. The follow‐up was carried out during 2008, with 587 older persons evaluated. A questionnaire assessing socio‐demographic information, health history, oral health‐impact profile and number of natural teeth was used. Changes in oral health‐related quality of life were categorized as improvement or deterioration. Data analysis was performed using a hierarchical approach based in a conceptual framework. A hierarchal approach was carried out using Poisson regressions.

Results:  Older persons living in rural areas, those who reported brushing once a day or less and older persons with fewer natural teeth had an increased chance of reporting deterioration in oral health‐related quality of life. Women and participants who received a minimum wage of less than US$219.50 were more likely to report improvement in oral health‐related quality of life.

Conclusion:  The results of this study suggest that changes in the oral health‐related quality of life are influenced by many of the variables that were included in the conceptual framework.
A model for quantitative evaluation of skin damage at adhesive wound dressing removal
Authors: Matsumura Hajime , Ahmatjan Niyaz , Ida Yukiko , Imai Ryutaro , Wanatabe Katsueki
Published: April 2012

The removal of adhesive wound dressings from the wound surface involves a risk of damaging the intact stratum corneum and regenerating epithelium. Pain associated with the removal of wound dressings is a major issue for patients and medical personnel. Recently, wound dressings coated with a silicone adhesive have been developed to reduce such skin damage and pain on removal and they have received good evaluation in various clinical settings. However, there is neither a standard method to quantify whether or not the integrity of the stratum corneum and regenerating epithelium is retained or if both structures are damaged by the removal of wound dressings, nor are there standardised values with which to assess skin damage. We applied six different types of adhesive wound dressing on plain copy paper printed with black ink by a laser printer, removed the dressings, examined the adhesive‐coated surface of the wound dressings using a high‐power videoscope, and examined the stripped areas. Wound dressings coated with a silicone adhesive showed significantly less detachment of the stratum corneum and regenerating epithelium, followed by those coated with polyurethane, hydrocolloid, and acrylic adhesives. The assessment method utilised in this study revealed distinct differences between wound dressing types, but less variation in the evaluation outcome of each type. This assessment method may be useful for the evaluation of adhesive wound dressings, particularly during product development. However, further studies will be needed to examine the effectiveness of this assessment method in the clinical setting because the adherent properties of polyurethane and hydrocolloid adhesives may be altered by the absorption of water from the skin.
Cytotoxicity of silver dressings on diabetic fibroblasts
Authors: Zou Shi‐Bo , Yoon Won‐Young , Han Seung‐Kyu , Jeong Seong‐Ho , Cui Zheng‐Jun , Kim Woo‐Kyung
Published: April 2012

A large number of silver‐based dressings are commonly used in the management of chronic wounds that are at risk of infection, including diabetic foot ulcers. However, there are still controversies regarding the toxicity of silver dressings on wound healing. The purpose of this study was to objectively test the cytotoxicity of silver dressings on human diabetic fibroblasts. Human diabetic fibroblasts were obtained from the foot skin of four diabetic foot ulcer patients and cultured. The effect of five silver‐containing dressing products (Aquacel Ag, Acticoat*Absorbent, Medifoam Ag, Biatain Ag and PolyMem Ag) and their comparable silver‐free dressing products on morphology, proliferation and collagen synthesis of the cultured human diabetic fibroblasts were compared in vitro. In addition, extracts of each dressing were tested in order to examine the effect of other chemical components found in the dressings on cytotoxicity. The diabetic fibroblasts cultured with each silver‐free dressing adopted the typical dendritic and fusiform shape. On the other hand, the diabetic fibroblasts did not adopt this typical morphology when treated with the different silver dressings. All silver dressings tested in the study reduced the viability of the diabetic fibroblasts and collagen synthesis by 54–70 and 48–68%, respectively, when compared to silver‐free dressings. Silver dressings significantly changed the cell morphology and decreased cell proliferation and collagen synthesis of diabetic fibroblasts. Therefore, silver dressings should be used with caution when treating diabetic wounds.
Prospective comparison of point‐of‐care international normalised ratio measurement versus plasma international normalised ratio for acute traumatic coagulopathy
Authors: Mitra Biswadev , O'Reilly Gerard , Collecutt Margaret , Cameron Peter A , Phillips Louise , Davis Amanda
Published: April 2012

Objective: Early detection of acute traumatic coagulopathy (ATC) might be useful to guide trauma resuscitation. This study aimed to compare results from a point‐of‐care (POC) international normalised ratio (INR) measuring device with plasma INR in acute trauma patients.

Methods: This was a single‐centre, prospective, blinded comparative study. All trauma patients meeting trauma call‐out criteria in a major trauma centre were screened. Patients predicted to have ATC were identified by the Coagulopathy of Severe Trauma score and a convenience sample of 72 patients included in this study. Whole blood was used to measure INR at the bedside, whereas blood from the same sample was sent to the hospital laboratory for plasma INR testing. Agreement between the laboratory and bedside INR was determined using a Bland–Altman plot.

Results: There were 38 (52.8%) patients with ATC by laboratory measure, defined as INR >1.5 or activated partial thrombin time >60 s, whereas the POC system identified 28 (38.9%) patients with an INR >1.5. Assuming the laboratory measure as the gold standard, the POC system had a specificity of 88.2% (95% confidence interval 71.6–96.2) and a sensitivity of 63.1% (95% confidence interval 46.0–77.7). Bland–Altman plots demonstrated inadequate agreement between the two methods of INR measurement for the major trauma patient.

Conclusions: POC INR measurements using this method during the trauma reception and resuscitative phases cannot be used to identify or exclude patients with ATC. Further studies are required to determine if there is any role for POC INR measures during trauma resuscitation.
Restoration of Wadi Aquifers by Artificial Recharge with Treated Waste Water
Authors: Missimer Thomas M. , Drewes Jörg E. , Amy Gary , Maliva Robert G. , Keller Stephanie
Published: April 2012

Fresh water resources within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are a rare and precious commodity that must be managed within a context of integrated water management. Wadi aquifers contain a high percentage of the naturally occurring fresh groundwater in the Kingdom. This resource is currently overused and has become depleted or contaminated at many locations. One resource that could be used to restore or enhance the fresh water resources within wadi aquifers is treated municipal waste water (reclaimed water). Each year about 80 percent of the country's treated municipal waste water is discharged to waste without any beneficial use. These discharges not only represent a lost water resource, but also create a number of adverse environmental impacts, such as damage to sensitive nearshore marine environments and creation of high‐salinity interior surface water areas. An investigation of the hydrogeology of wadi aquifers in Saudi Arabia revealed that these aquifers can be used to develop aquifer recharge and recovery (ARR) systems that will be able to treat the impaired‐quality water, store it until needed, and allow recovery of the water for transmittal to areas in demand. Full‐engineered ARR systems can be designed at high capacities within wadi aquifer systems that can operate in concert with the natural role of wadis, while providing the required functions of additional treatment, storage and recovery of reclaimed water, while reducing the need to develop additional, energy‐intensive desalination to meet new water supply demands.
Point‐of‐care β‐hydroxybutyrate measurement for the diagnosis of feline diabetic ketoacidaemia
Authors: Zeugswetter F. K. , Rebuzzi L.
Published: April 2012

Objectives: To evaluate accuracy and precision of a hand‐held ketone meter measuring β‐hydroxybutyrate and to determine its diagnostic performance to rule out ketoacidaemia in diabetic cats.

Methods: The ketone meter was validated by calculating within‐day precision at different β‐hydroxybutyrate concentrations and by comparison with a laboratory method.

To determine its diagnostic performance to diagnose ketoacidaemia, 217 sets of data (venous blood gas analysis and β‐hydroxybutyrate measurements) were retrospectively analysed. Sensitivities and specificities were calculated with the help of receiver‐operating characteristic curves.

Results: The ketone meter reliably detected β‐hydroxybutyrate at concentrations >0·1 mmol/L and reproducibility was acceptable. Measurements highly correlated with laboratory results (r=0·97; P<0·001), but a significant negative bias was found at high concentrations. A β‐hydroxybutyrate concentration of >2·55 mmol/L had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 68% for diagnosing ketoacidaemia. Many cats with high β‐hydroxybutyrate concentrations and normal blood pH had an elevated chloride gap suggestive of superimposed hypochloraemic metabolic alkalosis.

ClinicalSignificance: The commercially available point‐of‐care ketone meter Precision Xtra is a valid tool to measure β‐hydroxybutyrate in diabetic cats. Concentration <2·55 mmol/L enable ketoacidaemia to be excluded and should lead to redirection of differential diagnoses.
Validation of a French Version of the 8‐Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale in Hypertensive Adults
Authors: Korb‐Savoldelli Virginie , Gillaizeau Florence , Pouchot Jacques , Lenain Emilie , Postel‐Vinay Nicolas , Plouin Pierre‐François , Durieux Pierre , Sabatier Brigitte
Published: April 2012

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012; 14:429–434. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The aim of this study was to validate a French translation of the structured self‐report 8‐item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS‐8) and determine its psychometric properties in patients taking antihypertensive medication. An observational cross‐sectional study was conducted in the hypertensive unit of a French university hospital. The MMAS‐8 was translated according to international guidelines. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach α coefficient, construct validity using principal component and confirmatory factor analyses, and the test‐retest reliability at 1‐month interval using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Three levels of adherence were considered (low: scores of 0 to <6; medium: 6 to <8; high: 8) and risk factors were explored in ordinal logistic regression models. A total of 199 patients were included: mean age, 55.7±14.6 years, 57.3% men (114 of 199), and 39.5% (66 of 167) had uncontrolled blood pressure. The French MMAS was moderately reliable (α=0.54), one‐dimensional, and reproducible (ICC=0.68). The mean score was 6.96 (standard deviation 1.25) and 17.6% (35 of 199), 37.7% (75 of 199), and 43.7% (87 of 199) of patients had low, medium, and high adherence, respectively. The only factor significantly associated with adherence was age. The French MMAS has acceptable psychometric effects to measure medication adherence in hypertensive patients and may be useful in detecting nonadherent hypertensive patients.
Invasive Species: to eat or not to eat, that is the question
Authors: Nuñez Martin A. , Kuebbing Sara , Dimarco Romina D. , Simberloff Daniel
Published: April 2012

Managing invasive species is a current challenge for biodiversity conservation. A recurring recent suggestion is that by harvesting nonnatives for human consumption, people can control invasive populations. Even though humans may be able to control or eradicate certain populations of nonnative species by harvesting them as food sources, several caveats should be considered before starting these programs. A prominent problem is that creating a market engenders pressure to maintain that problematic species. Also, if the target species becomes an economic resource, people may try to recreate that market in previously uninvaded regions. Using invasive species as an economic resource may trigger the local community to protect these harmful species, to facilitate their incorporation into the local culture, and can generate severe management problems. As with other management programs, managers must know if the harvest actually reduces the target population. Mortality could produce a reduction in the population size or growth, or it could be compensatory, in which case removal of the harvested individuals would not affect population growth. However, in addition to possible control, there may be several benefits of this approach, including an opportunity for public outreach. Projects aiming at controlling invasives through human consumption should be carefully examined, as they may produce results opposite to those proposed.
Effect of Nisoldipine and Olmesartan on Endothelium‐Dependent Vasodilation in Essential Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Wei Duo , He Wan‐Yuan , Lv Qian‐Zhou
Published: April 2012

SUMMARY  Aims: To investigate whether nisoldipine and olmesartan improve endothelial function, decrease asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and alleviate the inflammatory and oxidative process. Methods: Fifty‐five essential hypertensive patients were randomized to receive nisoldipine or olmesartan for 8 weeks according to a parallel‐group, active‐controlled, single blind study, and 28 matched normotensive subjects served as healthy controls. Flow‐mediated dilation (FMD), and plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin‐1 (ET‐1), high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), 8‐isoprostane (also named 8‐isoPGF2α), and ADMA were determined. Results: At baseline, the plasma levels of ADMA, ET‐1, hs‐CRP, and 8‐isoPGF2α were markedly higher in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive subjects (P < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between plasma levels of ET‐1 and ADMA in patients with essential hypertension, but not in normotensive subjects. The NO plasma concentrations were significantly lower in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive subjects. Furthermore, hypertensive subjects demonstrated significantly lower FMD than healthy control (P < 0.05). Nisoldipine and olmesartan significantly and similarly reduced blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension (P < 0.001). At the end of the 8‐week treatment, plasma ADMA and ET‐1 levels were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). FMD increased significantly in nisoldipine or olmesartan‐treated patients (P < 0.05). A significant decrease in plasma hs‐CRP contents was observed in patients receiving nisoldipine (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that nisoldipine and olmesartan both improve FMD in patients with essential hypertension. This may be associated with decreased circulating levels of CRP, ET‐1, and ADMA.
Acute Stroke Management in Patients Taking Dabigatran
Authors: Brouns Raf , Van Hooff Robbert‐Jan , De Smedt Ann , Moens Maarten , De Raedt Sylvie , Uyttenboogaart Maarten , Luijckx Gert‐Jan , Jochmans Kristin , De Keyser Jacques
Published: April 2012

Dabigatran etexilate is emerging as an alternative for vitamin K antagonists, but evidence‐based guidelines for management of intracerebral hemorrhage and acute ischemic stroke in patients taking this drug are nonexistent. This review summarizes current knowledge on key pharmacological features and the assessment of dabigatran activity. Pragmatic approaches are provided for individualized decision taking with regard to hemostatic therapy and reperfusion strategies in acute stroke patients.