bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative analysis of long‐term outcomes of Misgav Ladach technique cesarean section and traditional cesarean section
Authors: Ghahiry Ata , Rezaei Farimah , Karimi Khouzani Reza , Ashrafinia Mansoor
Published: July 2012

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate pelvic adhesions, dehiscence and chronic pelvic pain in two groups of patients who underwent different cesarean section (CS) operations.

Material and Methods:  One hundred and twelve eligible patients who met our criteria were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 52 women who had been operated at their first CS by Misgav Ladach technique and had now undergone a second CS. Group 2 consisted of 60 women who had been operated at their first CS by traditional (Pfannenstiel) technique and had now undergone a second CS. The two groups were compared for long‐term outcomes, including adhesion, pelvic pain and wound dehiscence.

Results:  The rate of adhesion in group 2 was 50% filmy type and 1.7% dense type. However, in group 1 the adhesion rate was 50% filmy and there was no dense type (P = 0.12). The location of adhesions were significantly different (P = 0.04). Dehiscence of uterine incision in the second group was seen in three patients but no dehiscence was found in the first group (P = 0.012). The rate of chronic pelvic pain in Misgav Ladach group (group 1) was 17.2% versus 35% in the traditional method (P = 0.01).

Conclusion:  The present results support the method of single layer suturing of the uterus and leaving the peritoneum intact in CS.
Socioeconomic status and intake of energy and sodium are associated with calcium intake among pregnant women in Rafsanjan city, Iran
Authors: Ebrahimi Fatemeh , Shariff Zalilah Mohd , Rezaeian Mohsen , Tabatabaei Seyed Zia , Mun Chan Yoke , Tajik Esra
Published: July 2012

Aim:  Calcium intake in developing countries is lower than that in developed countries. In Iran, inadequate calcium intake in the general population, especially among women, is a public health concern. This cross‐sectional study examined the correlation between sociodemographic, obstetrical and lifestyle factors with calcium intake among pregnant women in Rafsanjan city, southeast Iran.

Material and Methods:  A sample of 308 healthy pregnant women aged 18–35 years from seven urban health‐care centers participated in the study. All women were measured for height and weight and interviewed for demographic and socioeconomic, obstetrical, lifestyle and dietary intake information while pre‐pregnancy weight was obtained from prenatal record. Stepwise multiple regression was used to assess factors associated with calcium intake.

Results:  The mean daily calcium intake of women was 968.51 ± 363.05 mg/day and only 46.4% of the pregnant women met the dietary reference intakes of 1000 mg for calcium. Milk and milk products showed the greatest contribution to calcium intake (75.11%). Energy‐adjusted calcium intake was positively associated with years of schooling (P < 0.01), calorie (P < 0.01) and energy‐adjusted sodium (P < 0.01) intakes.

Conclusion:  This information would be useful in planning and developing appropriate strategies to improve calcium intake in pregnant women. Efforts to increase calcium intake in pregnant women should focus on promoting nutrient‐dense food and making these foods available and accessible, particularly to socioeconomically deprived women.
Clear cell adenocarcinoma arising from umbilical endometriosis
Authors: Obata Koshiro , Ikoma Naoko , Oomura Gen , Inoue Yoshiki
Published: July 2012

Umbilical endometriosis is a very rare condition, and as far as we are aware, there have been no reported cases of its malignant transformation. Here, we report a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising from umbilical endometriosis in a 60‐year‐old woman who underwent hysterectomy for a uterine myoma at the age of 38, and who denied cyclic bleeding at the site of an umbilical cutaneous nodule correlating with menses until the age of 48. An umbilical tumor (3 cm diameter) was identified by magnetic resonance imaging and an abnormal accumulation was found only at the umbilical lesion by positron emission tomography examination. We observed endometriosis adjacent to the clear cell adenocarcinoma and transformation to carcinoma from endometriosis at the umbilical lesion histopathologically. Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the umbilicus was thought to have arisen from endometriosis; it expressed HER‐2 protein and showed strong mesothelial characteristics immunohistochemically.
Müllerian cyst of the uterus treated with laparoscopy and diagnosed using immunohistology
Authors: Nakae Hanako , Osuga Yutaka , Fujimoto Akihisa , Nakagawa Shunsuke , Ichinose Mari , Yano Tetsu , Taketani Yuji
Published: July 2012

Among uterine cystic tumors, uterine cyst arising from secondary Müllerian epithelium is exceedingly rare. A 45‐year‐old woman presented with pelvic cystic mass, which was initially diagnosed as a paraovarian cyst by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. At laparoscopy, the cyst proved to be a pedunculated uterine cyst, which was easily resected. Histologically, the cyst wall was lined by fallopian epithelium and positively stained for WT‐1, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor. The final diagnosis was Müllerian cyst of the uterus. Preoperative diagnosis of uterine Müllerian cyst is usually impossible. Laparoscopy is useful as a minimally invasive treatment to diagnose and resect the cyst at the same time. Specific immunostaining is useful to make a definite diagnosis of Müllerian cyst of the uterus.
Slow chemical transmission between dorsal root ganglion neuron somata
Authors: Rozanski Gabriela M. , Kim Hyunhee , Li Qi , Wong Fiona K. , Stanley Elise F.
Published: July 2012

Somatic sensory neuron somata are located within the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and are mostly ensheathed by individual satellite glial cell sheets. It has been noted, however, that a subpopulation of these DRG somata are intimately associated, separated only by a single thin satellite glial cell membrane septum. We set out to test whether such neuron–glial cell–neuron trimers (NGlNs) are also linked functionally. The presence of NGlNs in chick DRGs was confirmed by electron microscopy. Selective satellite glial cell immunostains were identified and were used to image the inter‐neuron septa in DRG frozen sections. We used a gentle, dispase‐based enzymatic method to isolate chick and rat NGlNs in vitro for double patch clamp recordings. In the majority of pairs tested, an action potential‐like stimulus train delivered to one soma resulted in a delayed, noisy and long‐duration response in its idle partner. The response to a second stimulus train given minutes later was markedly facilitated. Both bidirectional and unidirectional transmission was observed between the paired neurons. Transmission was chemical and block by the general purinergic blocker suramin implicated ATP as a neurotransmitter. We conclude that the two neuronal somata in the NGlN can communicate by chemical transmission, which may involve a transglial, bi‐synaptic pathway. This novel soma‐to‐soma transmission reflects a novel form of processing that may play a role in sensory disorders in the DRG and interneuron communication in the central nervous system.
Phylogenetic distribution of traits associated with plant colonization in Escherichia coli
Authors: Méric Guillaume , Kemsley E. Katherine , Falush Daniel , Saggers Elizabeth J. , Lucchini Sacha
Published: July 2012

Plants are increasingly considered as secondary reservoirs for commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, but the ecological and functional factors involved in this association are not clear. To address this question, we undertook a comparative approach combining phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses of E. coli isolates from crops and mammalian hosts. Phenotypic profiling revealed significant differences according to the source of isolation. Notably, isolates from plants displayed higher biofilm and extracellular matrix production and higher frequency of utilization of sucrose and the aromatic compound p‐hydroxyphenylacetic acid. However, when compared with mammalian‐associated strains, they reached lower growth yields on many C‐sources commonly used by E. coli. Strikingly, we observed a strong association between phenotypes and E. coli phylogenetic groups. Strains belonging to phylogroup B1 were more likely to harbour traits indicative of a higher ability to colonize plants, whereas phylogroup A and B2 isolates displayed phenotypes linked to an animal‐associated lifestyle. This work provides clear indications that E. coli phylogroups are specifically affected by niche‐specific selective pressures, and provides an explanation on why E. coli population structures vary in natural environments, implying that different lineages in E. coli have substantially different transmission ecology.
Insight into the composition of the intercellular matrix of Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms
Authors: Domenech Mirian , García Ernesto , Prieto Alicia , Moscoso Miriam
Published: July 2012

Biofilm matrices consist of a mixture of extracellular polymeric substances synthesized in large part by the biofilm‐producing microorganisms themselves. These matrices are responsible for the cohesion and three‐dimensional architecture of biofilms. The present study demonstrates the existence of a matrix composed of extracellular DNA, proteins and polysaccharides in the biofilm formed by the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Extracellular DNA, visualized by fluorescent labelling, was an important component of this matrix. The existence of DNA–protein complexes associated with bacterial aggregates and other polymers was hypothesized based on the unexpected DNA binding activity of lysozyme LytC, a novel moonlighting protein. Actually, a 25‐amino‐acid‐long peptide derived from LytC (positions 408 and 432 of the mature LytC) was also capable of efficiently binding to DNA. Moreover, the presence of intercellular DNA–LytC protein complexes in pneumococcal biofilms was demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Evidence of extracellular polysaccharide different from the capsule was obtained by staining with Calcofluor dye and four types of lectin conjugated to Alexa fluorophores, and by incubation with glycoside hydrolases. The presence of residues of Glcp(1→4) and GlcNAc(1→4) (in its deacetylated form) in the pneumococcal biofilm was confirmed by GC‐MS techniques.
MARTX of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2 is a virulence and survival factor
Authors: Lee Chung‐Te , Pajuelo David , Llorens Amparo , Chen Yi‐Hsuan , Leiro José M. , Padrós Francesc , Hor Lien‐I , Amaro Carmen
Published: July 2012

Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2 is a polyphyletic group whose virulence for fish relies on a plasmid. This plasmid contains an rtxA gene duplicated in the small chromosome that encodes a MARTX (Multifunctional, Autoprocessing Repeats‐in‐Toxin) unique within the species in domain structure (MARTX type III). To discover the role of this toxin in the fitness of this biotype in the fish‐farming environment, single‐ and double‐knockout mutants were isolated from a zoonotic strain and analysed in a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments with eel, fish cell lines and amoebae isolated from gills. Mice, murine and human cell lines were also assayed for comparative purposes. The results suggest that MARTX type III is involved in the lysis of a wide range of eukaryotic cells, including the amoebae, erythrocytes, epithelial cells and phagocytes after bacterium–cell contact. In fish, MARTX type III may act as a toxin involved in the onset of septic shock, while in mice it may promote bacterial colonization by preventing phagocytosis of bacterial cells. Moreover, this toxin could protect bacteria from predation by amoebae, which would increase bacterial survival outside the host and would explain the fitness of this biotype in the fish‐farming environment.
Physical activity parenting: a systematic review of questionnaires and their associations with child activity levels
Authors: Sleddens E. F. C. , Kremers S. P. J. , Hughes S. O. , Cross M. B. , Thijs C. , De Vries N. K. , O'Connor T. M.
Published: July 2012

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is considered a critical contributor to childhood overweight. Parents are a key in influencing their child's PA through various mechanisms of PA parenting, including support, restriction of PA and facilitation of enrolment in PA classes or activities. However, study findings are difficult to compare because instruments vary in terms of constructs, psychometric assessment and type of PA assessed. The goal of the current review was to identify existing PA parenting questionnaires and report on the validation of these measures through findings of their psychometric performance and correlation to youth's PA. The search of eligible studies was restricted to instruments with multiple items. Eleven unique PA parenting questionnaires were identified, and 46 studies that used these instruments were included. Extracted data include sample characteristics, as well as type and assessment methods of parental influence and PA. Findings highlight the tremendous variation in the conceptualization and measurement of PA parenting, common use of non‐validated instruments and lack of comprehensive measures. The development of theory‐based PA parenting measures (preferably multidimensional) should be prioritized to guide the study of the parental role in promoting child's PA as well as the design of family‐based PA interventions.
Amnesia, Anesthesia, and Warranted Fear
Authors: Carbonell Vanessa
Published: July 2012

Is a painful experience less bad for you if you will not remember it? Do you have less reason to fear it? These questions bear on how we think about medical procedures and surgeries that use an anesthesia regimen that leaves patients conscious – and potentially in pain – but results in complete ‘drug‐induced amnesia’ after the fact. I argue that drug‐induced amnesia does not render a painful medical procedure a less fitting object of fear, and thus the prospect of amnesia does not give patients a reason not to fear it. I expose three mistakes in reasoning that might explain our tendency to view pain or discomfort as less fearful in virtue of expected amnesia: a mistaken view of personal identity; a mistaken view of the target of anticipation; and a mistaken method of incorporating past evidence into calculations about future experiences. Ultimately my argument has implications for whether particular procedures are justified and how medical professionals should speak with anxious patients about the prospect of drug‐induced amnesia.
Islamic Views on Artificial Nutrition and Hydration in Terminally Ill Patients
Authors: Alsolamy Sami
Published: July 2012

Withholding and withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration from terminally ill patients poses many ethical challenges. The literature provides little information about the Islamic beliefs, attitudes, and laws related to these challenges. Artificial nutrition and hydration may be futile and reduce quality of life. They can also harm the terminally ill patient because of complications such as aspiration pneumonia, dyspnea, nausea, diarrhea, and hypervolemia. From the perspective of Islam, rules governing the care of terminally ill patients are derived from the principle that injury and harm should be prevented or avoided. The hastening of death by the withdrawal of food and drink is forbidden, but Islamic law permits the withdrawal of futile, death‐delaying treatment, including life support. Nutritional support is considered basic care and not medical treatment, and there is an obligation to provide nutrition and hydration for the dying person unless it shortens life, causes more harm than benefit, or is contrary to an advance directive that is consistent with Islamic law. The decision about withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration from the terminally ill Muslim patient is made with informed consent, considering the clinical context of minimizing harm to the patient, with input from the patient, family members, health care providers, and religious scholars.
A Critical Analysis and Discussion of Clinical Research Ethics in the Russian Federation and Their Implications for Western Sponsored Trials
Authors: Leintz Christopher
Published: July 2012

Globalization, political upheavals, and Western economic struggles have caused a geographical reprioritization in the realm of drug development and human clinical research. Regulatory and cost hurdles as well as a saturation of research sites and subjects in Western countries have forced the pharmaceutical industry to place an unprecedented level of importance on emerging markets, injecting Western corporate initiatives into cultures historically and socially isolated from Western‐centric value systems. One of the greatest recipients of this onslaught of Western business and research practices is the Russian Federation. Namely, market forces are dictating a focused research initiative in the traditional emerging markets, but this focus may be at the expense of individual and societal dignity.
Presidential Leadership Style and the Political Use of Force
Authors: Keller Jonathan W. , Foster Dennis M.
Published: July 2012

A growing body of work seeks to explain the lack of clear evidence for the diversionary use of force by casting doubt on such strategies' attractiveness for policy makers: while domestic political and economic problems may provide incentives for diversion, such strategies involve political and military risks that frequently outweigh these incentives. Such theories correctly identify the objective risks involved in diversion but do not account for variation in leaders' risk‐taking propensities. We develop a “first image” theory of diversion that suggests a key psychological variable (locus of control) shapes leaders' willingness to engage in risky diversionary strategies. A statistical analysis of the American use of force, 1953–2000, finds strong support for this model. We conclude that the lack of clear evidence for diversion in general is a reflection of the contingent nature of the phenomenon and call for greater attention to how agents and structures interact to produce policy behavior.
A data generating review that bops, twists and pulls at misconceptions
Authors: Gardner Kimberly
Published: July 2012

Statistics is an integral part of the K–12 mathematics curriculum (age 5–18). Naturally, students construct misconceptions of what they learn. This article discusses The Bop It© Challenge, a review activity assesses student understanding and reveals their misundertandings of statistical concepts.
DO LOCAL AMENITIES AFFECT THE APPEAL OF REGIONS IN EUROPE FOR MIGRANTS?*
Authors: Rodríguez‐Pose Andrés , Ketterer Tobias D.
Published: July 2012

ABSTRACTThis paper delves into the factors, which determine the attractiveness of regions in Europe for migrants. Contrary to the literature on the United States, which has increasingly focused on the role of amenities, existing research in Europe tends to highlight the predominance of economic conditions as the main drivers of migration. Differentiating between economic, sociodemographic and amenity‐related territorial features, we examine the appeal of various regional characteristics for migrants by analyzing net migration data for 133 European regions between 1990 and 2006. Our results show that, in addition to economic, human capital‐related and demographic aspects, network effects and—in contrast to existing literature—different types of regional amenities exert an important influence on the relative attractiveness of sub‐national territories across the European Union. Our findings therefore indicate that locational choices in Europe may be much more similar to place‐based preferences in the United States than originally thought.
Climate Change and Reorganizing Land Use: Flood Control Areas as a Network Effect
Authors: Bruzzone Silvia
Published: July 2012

Although climate change appears to be a relatively new public issue, it has not emerged onto a tabula rasa; it affects ‘traditional’ policy sectors. How, then, does this ‘new issue’ interact with established organizational processes, and how is climate change ‘operationalized’ in local practice? Since major events linked to climate change include such things as desertification, climatic migrations, floods and landslides, one might assume that one of its main implications would be a substantial change in land use, or at least a transformation in land organization and management. This article explores the implementation of a ‘flood control area’ as an adaptation practice in the face of climate change. What theoretical and empirical tools should analysis adopt to account for the multiple actors, types of knowledge, artefacts, socio‐technical systems and governance configurations engaged in developing such practices? In other words, to what extent does climate change become a reorganizing category? This article adopts a theoretical approach inspired by actor‐network theory and considers adaptation practice not as a standardized top‐down solution, but as the result of specific local connections among actors, materials and discourses. The analysis suggests that climate change is indeed a reorganizing category, but one that depends on the specific local materializations of the adaptation measure.
Alternative Capitalism and Creative Economy: the Case ofChristiania
Authors: Vanolo Alberto
Published: July 2012

TheFreeTown ofChristiania is an autonomous community of about 1,000 inhabitants in the centre ofCopenhagen. Built as a squat for a hippy community in the 1970s, it is today a central node in the geography of activism, anarchism and alternative social life. This article analysesChristiania from the specific perspective of creativity and within the context of the ‘creative city’ debate. TheFreeTown is a lively innovative milieu, nurturing the arts, social experimentation, ideas and original architectural solutions. As such, it is becoming a more and more relevant space from the point of view of the market economy and in the promotion of the idea of a ‘creativeCopenhagen’. But I argue that much of its creative potential is connected to place‐specific socioeconomic factors. In this sense, theChristiania experience troubles mainstream conceptions of creativity by revealing that creativity is both fluid and situated.
Children and Families Seeking Asylum in Northern Norway: Living Conditions and Mental Health
Authors: Lauritzen Camilla , Sivertsen Hilde
Published: July 2012

The mental health of children seeking asylum and their families is a somewhat neglected area of research. Research on refugee children and children living with adversities suggests that environmental factors are crucial in preventing mental health problems. In this study, we aim to identify central environmental conditions that affect the mental health of children living with their families at governmental asylum processing centres in northern Norway. This study has a qualitative design, and is based on 11 focus group interviews with the staff at asylum processing centres. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed focusing on important risk and protective factors for mental health problems presented by the informants. The results highlighted time spent at asylum centres and the parent's mental health as the most important risk factors. Schooling, activities, general living conditions and poor economy were also seen as crucial. The findings suggest that these children are indeed vulnerable, and at high risk of developing mental health problems. Their rights are, however, open to local interpretations, and they fall between two stools; their right to proper health care, and national and international immigration policies.
Diagnosis and management of melanoma with regional lymph node metastases: a population‐based study in France
Authors: Lévy‐Sitbon C. , Barbe C. , Granel‐Brocard F. , Lipsker D. , Aubin F. , Dalac S. , Truchetet F. , Michel C. , Mitschler A. , Arnoult G. , Le Clainche A. , Dalle S. , Bernard P. , Grange F.
Published: July 2012

Background  Stage III melanoma represents a borderline situation regarding the potential curability of this potentially aggressive cancer and consequently, regional lymph node metastases (RLNM) are a major challenge for melanoma management.

Objective  To describe the management of melanoma with RLNM as practised in France in 2008 and compare results with previous data from 2004, considering that new French recommendations were published in 2005.

Methods  Retrospective population‐based study in five regions of France totalling 8.3 million inhabitants, targeting all incident cases of RLNM diagnosed in 2008. Questionnaires were mailed to physicians to identify cases and collect data, with verification by cancer registries for cases diagnosed concomitantly with the primary tumour using sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNB).

Results  Data were collected for 101 patients in 2008, and compared to 89 cases treated in 2004. Palpation by a dermatologist was the most common circumstance of diagnosis of RLNM in 2008 (36%), followed by SLNB (29%), self‐palpation by the patient (16%) and lymph node ultrasonography (6%), without significant modification from 2004. After lymphadenectomy an adjuvant therapy was proposed in 62% of cases, mainly consisting in high‐dose interferon (HD‐IFN) (80%). Overall, HD‐IFN was proposed in 49% of cases, but effectively started in only 40% of cases after being proposed, and prematurely withdrawn in 28%, showing major changes as compared with 2004 (33%, 77% and 67%, respectively, P < 0.05). Adjuvant chemotherapy was not proposed to any patients in 2008, compared to 29% in 2004. Surveillance procedures included medical imaging less often in 2008 (76%) than in 2004 (92%) (P = 0.004), but more often included FDG‐PET (23% vs. 12%, P = 0.09).

Conclusion  Overall, actual practice was in accordance with French recommendations. The main developments from 2004 to 2008 were the disappearance of adjuvant chemotherapies and a more accurate selection of patients for adjuvant interferon.
Perceived vision‐related quality of life and risk of falling among community living elderly people
Authors: Källstrand‐Eriksson Jeanette , Baigi Amir , Buer Nina , Hildingh Cathrine
Published: July 2012

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 433–439

Perceived vision‐related quality of life and risk of falling among community living elderly people

Falls and fall injuries among the elderly population are common, since ageing is a risk factor of falling. Today, this is a major problem because the ageing population is increasing. There are predictive factors of falling and visual impairment is one of them. Usually, only visual acuity is considered when measuring visual impairment, and nothing regarding a person’s functional visual ability is taken into account. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the perceived vision‐related quality of life among the community living elderly using the 25‐item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ‐25) and to investigate whether there was any association among vision‐related quality of life and falls. There were 212 randomly selected elderly people participating in the study. Our study indicated that the participants had an impaired perceived vision‐related health status. General health was the only NEI VFQ‐25 variable significantly associated with falls in both men and women. However, among men, near and distance activities, vision‐specific social functioning, role difficulties and dependency, color and peripheral vision were related to falls.
Real‐time imaging required for optimal echocardiographic assessment of aortic valve calcification
Authors: Yousry Mohamed , Rickenlund Anette , Petrini Johan , Gustavsson Tomas , Prahl Ulrica , Liska Jan , Eriksson Per , Franco‐Cereceda Anders , Eriksson Maria J , Caidahl Kenneth
Published: July 2012

Introduction

Aortic valve calcification (AVC), even without haemodynamic significance, may be prognostically import as an expression of generalized atherosclerosis, but techniques for echocardiographic assessment are essentially unexplored.

Methods

Two‐dimensional (2D) echocardiographic recordings (Philips IE33) of the aortic valve in short‐axis and long‐axis views were performed in 185 consecutive patients within 1 week before surgery for aortic stenosis (n = 109, AS), aortic regurgitation (n = 61, AR), their combination (n = 8) or dilation of the ascending aorta (n = 7). The grey scale mean (GSMn) of the aortic valve in an end‐diastolic short‐axis still frame was measured. The same frame was scored visually 1–5 as indicating that the aortic valve was normal, thick, or had mild, moderate or severe calcification. The visual echodensity of each leaflet was determined real time applying the same 5‐grade scoring system for each leaflet, and the average for the whole valve was calculated. Finally, a similar calcification score for the whole valve based on inspection and palpation by the surgeon was noted.

Results

Visual assessment of real‐time images using the proposed scoring system showed better correlation with the surgical evaluation of the degree of valve calcification (r = 0·83, P<0·001) compared to evaluation of stop frames by visual assessment (r = 0·66, P<0·001) or the GSMn score (r = 0·64, P<0·001). High inter‐ and intra‐observer correlations were observed for real‐time visual score (both intraclass correlation coefficient = 0·93).

Conclusion

Real‐time evaluation of the level of AVC is superior to using stop frames assessed either visually or by dedicated computer grey scale measurement software.
Relative Price Changes and Households' Welfare in Italy
Authors: Cepparulo Alessandra , Gastaldi Francesca , Liberati Paolo , Pisano Elena
Published: July 2012

The entrance of Italy in the Euro area in 2001 has given rise to a wide debate about the perception of inflation on households' well‐being. However, most of the debate has involved the measurement of the “correct” consumer price index at the national level. Much less analysis has been carried out on the distributional consequences of inflation on every household. The paper addresses this issue by performing a microsimulation analysis of the impact of inflation on Italian households in the period 1997–2007. It is shown that the impact of inflation has an ambiguous path over the period, with a large concentration of welfare losses around the introduction of the Euro currency. In particular, it is found that poorer and larger households are severely hurt by inflation and that the prices ofgasandgasolineare largely responsible for determining the living conditions of Italian households.
Hemoglobin Trends in Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Performed Off‐Pump and With Standard and Mini Circuits
Authors: Rosato Francesco , Bruzzone Dario , Cheema Faisal H. , Capo Antonio , Ardemagni Enrico , Verna Anna , Rosano Silvia , Grossi Claudio , Barili Fabio
Published: July 2012

The comparison of hemodilution at the end of surgery is of limited use as it represents only a snapshot of a dynamic phenomenon. This study was undertaken to compare the perioperative hemoglobin curves of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting performed with minimized extracorporeal circulation, traditional cardiopulmonary bypass, and off‐pump technique. The propensity score method was used to select three groups of patients, homogenous regarding preoperative and operative data, who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. A generalized linear mixed model was used for estimating differences in perioperative hemoglobin trends among groups. The three groups were each composed of 50 patients with no differences in demographic data, preoperative risk profile, preoperative hemoglobin, or type of surgery. There was no significant difference in major postoperative complications. The pattern of the hemodilution curves was similar in patients operated with mini‐circuit and off‐pump technique (P > 005). Mini‐circuit led to a 3.1 ± 11.9% hemoglobin reduction, which was similar to the off‐pump group (1.6 ± 8.9%, P = 0.99 at ANOVA) and significantly different from the standard extracorporeal circuit group (16.0 ± 10.3%, P < 0.001 at ANOVA). The generalized linear mixed model determined that the standard circuit was the only independent predictor for increased hemodilution. Its effect on hemodilution was time‐dependent and the slope of the hemoglobin curve was more pronounced between systemic heparinization and the end of surgery. Perioperative hemoglobin trends of patients who underwent myocardial revascularization with mini‐circuit were similar to those of off‐pump surgery and significantly less pronounced than those of standard extracorporeal circulation.
Increasing the Transmitted Flow Pulse in a Rotary Left Ventricular Assist Device
Authors: Gaddum Nicholas Richard , Fraser John F. , Timms Daniel Lee
Published: July 2012

Long‐term rotary left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly employed to bridge patients with end‐stage heart failure to transplant or as a destination therapy. Significant recent device development has increased patient support times, shifting further development focus toward physiologically sensitive control of the pump operation. Sensorless control of these devices would benefit from increased observability of the ventricular volume/preload to the pump, in order to regulate flow based on preload, imitating the native Frank‐Starling flow control. Monitoring the transmitted flow pulse through the pump has been used as a surrogate for preload, although means of maximizing its transmission are not clear. However, it is known that a flat hydraulic performance curve of the rotary pump induces high changes in flow for a given change in pressure head. The aim of this study was to determine geometric pump parameters responsible for increasing this flow pulse transmission and to demonstrate this increase in vitro. The sensitivity of the performance gradient to blade angles, blade heights, blade clearance, and channel areas were studied. Resulting pressure head, flow, and hydraulic efficiency were analyzed with respect to textbook designed procedures. Then pumps with comparably “flat” and “steep” performance curves were used to simulate LVAD support in vitro over a range of pump flow rates to observe the transmitted flow pulsatility. It was found that an outlet blade angle of 90°, inlet blade angle between 25 and 45°, and large throat area generated a “flatter” performance curve. The transmitted flow pulsatility through a pump with a flat performance curve was 68% higher than that of a steep performance curve at a flow rate of 5 L/min. Substantial gains in the observability of LVAD preload/resident blood volume in the ventricle exist through the careful selection of specific pump geometries.
Transplantation of Autologous Chondrocytes Seeded on a Fibrin/Hyaluronan Composite Gel Into Tracheal Cartilage Defects in Rabbits: Preliminary Results
Authors: Hong Hyun Jun , Lee Jin Seok , Choi Jae Won , Min Byoung‐Hyun , Lee Han‐Bin , Kim Chul‐Ho
Published: July 2012

Reconstruction of tracheal defects is one of the most difficult procedures in head and neck surgery. To date, various reconstructing techniques have been used with no consensus on the best approach. This study investigated the feasibility of using a fibrin/hyaluronic acid (HA) composite gel with autologous chondrocytes for tracheal reconstruction. Chondrocytes from autologous rabbit auricular cartilages were expanded and seeded into a culture dish at high density to form stable tracheal cartilages mechanically using a fibrin/HA composite gel. A 1‐cm long by 0.5‐cm wide defect was created by a scalpel on the cervical tracheae of six rabbits. Tissue‐engineered cartilages using fibrin/HA composite were trimmed and fixed to the defect boundaries with tissuecol. Postoperatively, the site was evaluated endoscopically, histologically, radiologically, and functionally. None of the six rabbits showed signs of respiratory distress. Postoperatively, in all cases, rigid telescopic examination showed that the implanted scaffolds were completely covered with regenerated mucosa without granulation or stenosis. Histologically, the grafts showed no signs of inflammatory reaction and were covered with ciliated epithelium. Even when grafts were broken and migrated from their original insertion site, the implanted cartilages were well preserved. However, the grafts did show signs of mechanical failure at the implantation site. The beat frequency of ciliated epithelium on implants was very similar to that of normal respiratory mucosa. In conclusion, implants with autologous chondrocytes cultured with fibrin/HA showed good tracheal luminal contour, functional epithelial regeneration, and preservation of neocartilage without inflammation but lacked adequate mechanical stability.
Prophylactic Use of Intra‐Aortic Balloon Pumps in Open Heart Surgery
Authors: Taguchi Shinichi , Tsutsumi Koji , Okamoto Masahiko , Kashima Ichiro
Published: July 2012

During a 1‐year period, intra‐aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) were used in open heart surgery on 57 patients. Indications were prophylactic usage for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 52 patients, prophylactic usage for valve replacement in three patients, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) weaning during valve replacement in two patients. The 52 CABG patients comprised 94.5% of all CABG procedures during the period. Sheathless 8 Fr IABPs were used in all cases. The 57 patients using IABPs were analyzed. The mean duration of IABP use was 41.7 h. Morbidity was not associated with using IABPs. There was one case of balloon rupture. Hemostasis was performed easily after removing IABP catheters by compressing the groin for approximately 15 min. The lowest blood pressure during anastomosis or cardiac arrest was also assessed. The lowest peak pressure was 55.9 ±  17.3 mm Hg for patients with IABP still turned on, and the lowest mean pressure was 34.7 ± 6.5 mm Hg for patients with IABP temporarily turned off. Peak blood pressure after CPB was 73.8 ±  17.8 mm Hg. During open heart surgery under anesthesia with the low blood pressure presented by this series, use of IABPs enabled patients to tolerate the procedure. In conclusion, aggressive use of IABPs is easy, safe, and effective with no related morbidity.
Comparative Analysis of Carbonization Drivers in China's Megacities
Authors: Chong Wang Hei Bruce , Guan Dabo , Guthrie Peter
Published: July 2012

This study investigates the key drivers affecting emission increases in terms of population growth, economic growth, industrial transformation, and energy use in six Chinese megacities: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. The six cities represent the most‐developed regions in China and they have similar per capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as many developed countries. There is an urgent need to quantify the magnitude of each factor in driving the emissions changes in those cities so that a potential bottom‐up climate mitigation policy design at the city and sectoral levels can be initiated. We adopt index decomposition analysis and present the results in both additive and multiplicative approaches to reveal the absolute and relative levels of each factor in driving emission changes during 1985–2007. Among all cities, economic effect and energy intensity effect have always been the two dominant factors contributing to the changes in carbon emissions. This study reveals that there are large variations in the ways driving forces contribute to emission levels in different cities and industrial sectors.
Nonparametric Estimation of the Spatial Connectivity Matrix Using Spatial Panel Data
Authors: Beenstock Michael , Felsenstein Daniel
Published: July 2012

We use moments from the covariance matrix for spatial panel data to estimate the parameters of the spatial autoregression model, including the spatial connectivity matrix W. In the unrestricted spatial autoregression model, the parameters are underidentified by one when W is symmetric. We show that a special case exists in which W is asymmetric and its parameters are exactly identified. If the panel data are stationary and ergodic, spatially and temporally, the estimates of W and the spatial autoregression coefficients are consistent. Spatial panel data for house prices in Israel are used to illustrate this methodology.

Los autores usan momentos de una matriz de covarianza para datos panel espaciales para estimar los parámetros del modelo de autoregresión espacial (spatial autoregressive model), incluyendo la matriz de conectividad (o de ponderación) espacial W. En el modelo de autoregresión espacial sin restricciones, los parámetros están sub‐identificados por un valor de uno en los casos que la matriz W es simétrica. Los autores demuestran que existe un caso especial en el cual la matriz W es asimétrica y sus parámetros tienen cálculo exacto. Si los datos panel son estacionarios y ergódicos, espacial y temporalmente, los estimados de W y el coeficiente de autoregresión espacial son consistentes. Para ilustrar la metodología propuesta, los autores usan datos‐panel espaciales de precios de vivienda en Israel.

本文通过采用空间面板数据的协方差矩阵对包含空间相关矩阵W的空间自回归模型进行参数的矩估计。在无约束空间自回归模型中，W是对称矩阵时，参数可由其估计得到。本文展示了一种W是对称矩阵且其参数能够被精确估计的特殊情况。如果面板数据在时间与空间特征上具有平稳性和遍历性，那么W和空间自回归参数的估计是一致的。最后，针对以色列住房价格的空间面板数据采用此方法进行实证研究。
Managing Systematic Mortality Risk With Group Self‐Pooling and Annuitization Schemes
Authors: Qiao Chao , Sherris Michael
Published: July 2012

ABSTRACT

Group self‐annuitization (GSA) schemes are designed to share uncertain future mortality experience including systematic improvements. Challenges for designing group pooled schemes include decreasing average payments when mortality improves significantly, decreasing numbers in the pool at older ages, and the impact of dependence from systematic mortality improvements across different ages of members in the pool. This article uses a multiple‐factor stochastic mortality model in a simulation study to show how pooling can be made more effective and to quantify the limitations of these pooling schemes arising from the impact of systematic longevity risk.
Deciding Whether to Invest in Mitigation Measures: Evidence From Florida
Authors: Carson James M. , McCullough Kathleen A. , Pooser David M.
Published: July 2012

Abstract

Prior research provides theoretical insight into factors likely to impact the decision to mitigate such as the degree of risk aversion, the cost of market insurance, and the cost of self‐insurance. We provide empirical evidence related to several hypotheses from the self‐insurance literature on the decision to mitigate.
Value versus Growth International Real Estate Investment
Authors: Addae‐Dapaah Kwame , Webb James R. , Kim Hin Ho David , Hiang Liow Kim
Published: July 2012

We use office and retail properties return data for the United States and some Asia Pacific cities to ascertain the relative performance of value and growth investment strategies. The results reveal that value portfolios outperform growth portfolios. Furthermore, while the results show that risk varies over time, time‐varying risk analyses generally do not support the risk‐based explanation for the value premium. Similarly, conditional market regressions do not explain the value premium anomaly as all the alphas are positive and significant. Moreover, the results imply that naïve extrapolation of past performance could be a credible explanation for the value premium.
Imprinting Effects of Founding Core Teams on HR Values in New Ventures
Authors: Leung Aegean , Der Foo Maw , Chaturvedi Sankalp
Published: July 2012

Using the upper echelon perspective and imprinting arguments as key theoretical lenses, this paper examines how characteristics of new venture core teams influence internal consistency and distinctiveness of human resources (HR) values at the early–growth stage of the firm. We found that shared organizational experience among founding core team members positively predicts internal consistency and distinctiveness of the dominant HR values, whereas functional diversity positively predicts distinctiveness of these values. Contrary to our prediction, when the levels of both prior shared organizational experience and functional diversity are high, positive effects turned negative, indicating more complex interaction effects between the two team characteristics.
Intrafamily Entrepreneurship: The Formation and Membership of Family Entrepreneurial Teams
Authors: Discua Cruz Allan , Howorth Carole , Hamilton Eleanor
Published: July 2012

Family entrepreneurial teams are groups of related individuals who engage in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial teams studies emphasize the resources that members bring to the team. Family business studies suggest that relationships and social theories are important. Social capital explains the formation and composition of family entrepreneurial teams (FETs). Analysis is of case studies of FETs based in Honduras. A shared commitment to entrepreneurial stewardship of the family's assets underpins formation of FETs. Trust and shared values were important for membership. This study highlights that families are not internally consistent, and family ties are not equally strong.
Left Phrenic Nerve Injury during Cryoballoon Ablation of the Left Superior Pulmonary Vein
Authors: ANDRIÉ RENÉ P. , SCHRICKEL JAN W. , NICKENIG GEORG , LICKFETT LARS
Published: July 2012

Transcatheter ablation of the pulmonary veins (PVs) has been established as a therapeutic option for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Cryothermal energy is an alternative energy source that has been developed to overcome some of the disadvantages of radiofrequency ablation. The major complication of the cryoballoon technique seems to be right‐sided phrenic nerve injury (PNI) following ablation of the right superior PV. This case report describes a left‐sided PNI after cryoballoon ablation of the left superior PV. (PACE 2012; 35:e334–e336)
Therapy of Cardiac Device Pocket Infections with Vacuum‐Assisted Wound Closure—Long‐Term Follow‐Up
Authors: POLLER WOLFRAM C. , SCHWERG MARIUS , MELZER CHRISTOPH
Published: July 2012

Background:
 Cardiac device infections are serious complications that require aggressive treatment strategies, including interventional or surgical lead extraction.

Methods:
 Here we describe the long‐time follow‐up of vacuum‐assisted closure (V.A.C.) treatment in five patients with local cardiac device infection (LDI). In these patients the device was removed, the electrodes were shortened, and a V.A.C. treatment was applied. The primary endpoint was defined as time to re‐LDI.

Results:
 Three patients had LDI of a pacemaker pocket, whereas two presented with an infection of their ICD pocket. The V.A.C. treatment was applied for 34.4 ± 17.9 days. The mean hospitalization time was 38.6 ± 19.2 days. The follow‐up period was assessed for 34.6 ± 19.2 months. Only one patient developed re‐LDI, 69 days after removal of the device. The other four patients did not show any signs of reinfection during the follow‐up period. None of the five patients sustained serious adverse events.

Conclusions:
 V.A.C. treatment may be an option for selected patients with LDI who refuse a laser‐guided lead extraction or surgical removal of the electrodes as the primary therapy. (PACE 2012; 35:1217–1221)