bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of stimulus deviance and novelty on the P300 and Novelty P3
Authors: Goldstein Abraham , Spencer Kevin M. , Donchin Emanuel
Published: December 2004

This study examined the relationship between ERP components elicited by deviant stimuli by disentangling the P300 and Novelty P3 components, using spatiotemporal principal components analysis and a dense electrode array. The three‐tone paradigm was used and the pitch attributes of the tones were systematically manipulated so as to map the amplitude of the ERP components on the stimulus context. A comparison was made between the components elicited by events in the three‐stimulus, classical oddball, and novelty oddball paradigms. Responses to deviant stimuli consisted of independent and dissociable ERP components in the 400–600‐ms time range: A parietal component (P300) that was larger for targets than rare nontargets and was affected by the difficulty of discrimination, a fronto‐central component (Novelty P3) that was larger for novel tones and for rare nontargets in the difficult discrimination condition, and an additional anterior negative component responded similarly to all types of deviant stimuli.
The intractability of scaling scalp distributions to infer neuroelectric sources
Authors: Urbach Thomas P. , Kutas Marta
Published: December 2004

ERP researchers use differences in scalp distributions to infer differences in spatial configurations of neuroelectric generators. Since McCarthy and Wood (1985) demonstrated that a spatially fixed current source varying only in strength can yield a significant Condition × Electrode interaction in ANOVA, the recommended approach has been to normalize ERP amplitudes, for example, by vector length, prior to testing for interactions. The assumptions of this procedure are examined and it is shown via simulations that this application of vector scaling is both conceptually flawed and unsound in experimental practice. Because different spatial configurations of neural generators cannot reliably be inferred from different scalp topographies even after amplitude normalization, it is recommended that the procedure no longer be used for this purpose.
Forest Fire Risk Management and Public Participation in Changing Socioenvironmental Conditions: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Region
Authors: Tàbara David , Saurí David , Cerdan Rufí
Published: December 2004

Under current conditions of accelerated socioenvironmental change in the Mediterranean forested landscapes, fire is one of the most critical and difficult risks to tackle within the region. This article summarizes the lessons learned from a project based on the participatory integration of qualitative local stakeholders' knowledge with expert GIS fire simulations carried out in the County of El Bages, Catalonia, Spain. First, in this article, a theoretical model—the forest fire circle—is presented in order to explain the reasons for the rise in the damage and frequency of forest fires in this Mediterranean area. Second, it describes the methodology developed and the stages followed during the project. Results show that: (1) the advocacy of old forest reactive management paradigm assumptions and practices based on uncontrolled forest succession can put vast wooded areas of the Mediterranean basin at critical risk; and (2) forest fire management approaches that ignore the crucial role of long‐term prevention and local capacity building strategies have failed. In the final section, the content and the specific dimensions of the old reactive paradigm that has characterized forest fire risk management in Catalonia are discussed and contrasted with the possibly emerging preventative paradigm.
Swedish Chemical Regulation: An Overview and Analysis
Authors: Löfstedt Ragnar E.
Published: December 2004

This article begins with a review of the regulation of chemicals in Sweden over the past 30 years, focusing particularly on the 1997 Government Environmental Quality Bill, which called for a toxic‐free society by the year 2020. The second part of the article analyzes why Sweden has taken this route. The third and final section discusses Sweden's present role in formulating present EU chemical regulation, such as the recent EU Chemical White Paper, and hypothesizes future impacts of Swedish chemical regulations on the EU itself.
Pension Reform and the Fiscal Policy Stance
Authors: Mackenzie G. A. , Heller Peter S. , Gerson Philip , Cuevas Alfredo
Published: December 2004

The increased budget deficit caused by the privatization of a public pension plan does not imply a relaxation of the stance of fiscal policy. The reform's impact on the fiscal stance and national saving depends primarily on its effect on the sum of explicit and implicit public debt and on the postreform payroll tax and private system contribution rates. Its impact also depends on the difference between the rate of interest on implicit and that on explicit public debt, among other influences. Pension privatization, if not offset by fiscal consolidation, can loosen the fiscal stance in some circumstances.
Hard Times for Presidential Leadership? (And How Would We Know?)
Authors: Aberbach Joel D. , Rockman Bert A.
Published: December 2004

This article asks whether presidential leadership has become harder and focuses on what we would need to know to answer that question. It examines several possible explanations for the “leadership is harder” hypothesis and argues that the combination of divided government and strong party differences has made presidential leadership more difficult. The authors conclude that while a maximalist conception of the presidency is unrealistic, presidents will do what they can to push their preferences and find loopholes to circumvent a recalcitrant Congress. Traditional forms of pluralist accommodation do not fare well in this climate of political confrontation.
Induced responses in three tropical dry forest plant species – direct and indirect effects on herbivory
Authors: Boege Karina
Published: December 2004

Induced changes in plant quality are hypothesized to reduce herbivore numbers and subsequent damage to the plant. The resultant decrease in herbivory may be due to direct negative impacts on herbivores, through the reduction in foliage quality as food, or due to indirect effects of plant‐induced traits interacting with the third trophic level, increasing predation and parasitism rates on herbivores. The relative importance of induced responses as direct and/or indirect defenses has not been evaluated in natural systems. Moreover, few studies have evaluated the influence of early‐season damage on late‐season herbivory in natural systems, particularly in the tropics. The presence of induced responses and subsequent impact on folivory as a consequence of early‐season damage were evaluated in three plant species (Croton pseudoniveus, Bursera instabilis and Piper stipulaceum) in a tropical dry forest in Mexico. A two‐factorial experiment was applied to determine if induced responses influenced subsequent herbivory directly, by reducing foliage quality, or indirectly, through their interaction with parasitoids and predatory arthropods. Plants from all three species with reduced early‐season damage had higher herbivory rates through the rest of the growing season, compared to plants that were damaged during leaf expansion. Chemical analyses showed that early‐season damage induced the production of total phenolics and condensed tannins for C. pseudoniveus and B. instabilis, respectively. The mechanism by which these compounds affected subsequent herbivory was most likely by directly reducing foliage quality as food for herbivores, given that predatory arthropods and parasitoids had no effects on herbivory in this study. I conclude that early‐season damage in these three species influenced later‐season herbivory through the induction of plant responses that may act to reduce plant quality as food for herbivores.
Elicitation of Expert Judgments of Uncertainty in the Risk Assessment of Herbicide‐Tolerant Oilseed Crops
Authors: Krayer von Krauss Martin P. , Casman Elizabeth A. , Small Mitchell J.
Published: December 2004

One of the lay public's concerns about genetically modified (GM) organisms (GMO) and related emerging technologies is that not all the important risks are evaluated or even identified yet—and that ignorance of the unanticipated risks could lead to severe environmental or public health consequences. To some degree, even the scientists who participated in the analysis of the risks from GMOs (arguably the people most qualified to critique these analyses) share some of this concern. To formally explore the uncertainty in the risk assessment of a GM crop, we conducted detailed interviews of seven leading experts on GM oilseed crops to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on their understanding of the uncertainties associated with the risks to agriculture from GM oilseed crops (canola or rapeseed). The results of these elicitations revealed three issues of potential concern that are currently left outside the scope of risk assessments. These are (1) the potential loss of the agronomic and environmental benefits of glyphosate (a herbicide widely used in no‐till agriculture) due to the combined problems of glyphosate‐tolerant canola and wheat volunteer plants, (2) the growing problem of seed lot contamination, and (3) the potential market impacts. The elicitations also identified two areas where knowledge is insufficient. These are: the occurrence of hybridization between canola and wild relatives and the ability of the hybrids to perpetuate themselves in nature, and the fate of the herbicide‐tolerance genes in soil and their interaction with soil microfauna and ‐flora. The methodological contribution of this work is a formal approach to analyzing the uncertainty surrounding complex problems.
Major Psychological Factors Affecting Acceptance of Gene‐Recombination Technology
Authors: Tanaka Yutaka
Published: December 2004

The purpose of this study was to verify the validity of a causal model that was made to predict the acceptance of gene‐recombination technology. A structural equation model was used as a causal model. First of all, based on preceding studies, the factors of perceived risk, perceived benefit, and trust were set up as important psychological factors determining acceptance of gene‐recombination technology in the structural equation model. An additional factor, “sense of bioethics,” which I consider to be important for acceptance of biotechnology, was added to the model. Based on previous studies, trust was set up to have an indirect influence on the acceptance of gene‐recombination technology through perceived risk and perceived benefit in the model. Participants were 231 undergraduate students in Japan who answered a questionnaire with a 5‐point bipolar scale. The results indicated that the proposed model fits the data well, and showed that acceptance of gene‐recombination technology is explained largely by four factors, that is, perceived risk, perceived benefit, trust, and sense of bioethics, whether the technology is applied to plants, animals, or human beings. However, the relative importance of the four factors was found to vary depending on whether the gene‐recombination technology was applied to plants, animals, or human beings. Specifically, the factor of sense of bioethics is the most important factor in acceptance of plant gene‐recombination technology and animal gene‐recombination technology, and the factors of trust and perceived risk are the most important factors in acceptance of human being gene‐recombination technology.
Eyelash Length in Children and Adolescents with Allergic Diseases
Authors: Levy Y. , Segal N. , Ben‐Amitai D. , Danon Y. L.
Published: December 2004

Abstract:  Long eyelashes may be congenital, acquired in association with certain systemic diseases, or drug induced. In the past, long eyelashes were considered an external sign found in children with allergic diseases. However, this claim has never been examined in a controlled study. We compared the eyelash lengths of allergic children and adolescents with perennial allergic rhinitis, with or without bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis (n = 60) to those of age‐ and sex‐matched nonallergic controls (n = 80). The eyelashes of the allergic patients were found to be significantly longer than those of the controls: 9.43 ± 1.39 mm versus 8.45 ± 1.30 mm (p < 0.001). Eyelash length did not differ between patients with allergic rhinitis only (n = 31; 9.65 ± 1.43 mm) and patients with allergic rhinitis and other allergic diseases (n = 29; 9.19 ± 1.31 mm) (p = 0.196). These results indicate that children and adolescents with allergic diseases have longer eyelashes compared to nonatopic controls and that long eyelashes may be a part of the phenotype of the allergic patient.
Hydroa Vacciniforme with Oral Mucosal Involvement
Authors: Yesudian Paul D. , Sharpe Graham R.
Published: December 2004

Abstract:  We report the occurrence of oral ulcers in a 6‐year‐old girl with hydroa vacciniforme. This finding has not hitherto been reported in the literature.
Unilesional (Segmental) Mycosis Fungoides Presenting in Childhood
Authors: Alsaleh Qasem A. , Nanda Arti , Baker Hisham , Al‐Sabah Humood , Calonje Eduardo
Published: December 2004

Abstract:  Mycosis fungoides is rare in children, and a unilesional presentation is also rare. A 13‐year‐old Kuwaiti boy with unilesional mycosis fungoides is described. Clinically he had a single indurated large plaque on the left shoulder with histopathologic features typical of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. The diagnosis was further supported by the presence of a T‐cell clone discovered through molecular biology studies of paraffin‐embedded material. No other lesions were detected. The lesion showed a favorable response to local radiotherapy.
Depigmenting Effect of α‐Tocopheryl Ferulate on Normal Human Melanocytes
Authors: FUNASAKA YOKO , KOMOTO MARI , ICHIHASHI MASAMITSU
Published: December 2004

Oral vitamin E supplementation has been reported to improve facial hyperpigmentation. α‐Tocopheryl ferulate (α‐TF) is a compound of α‐tocopherol (α‐T) and ferulic acid connected by an ester bond. Ferulic acid is also an antioxidant, and could scavenge free radicals induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and thus maintain the long‐lasting antioxidative effect of α‐T. Previously we have reported that α‐TF inhibited melanogenesis in human melanoma cells. To know whether α‐TF might be useful as a whitening agent to improve and prevent facial hyperpigmentation, the depigmenting effect of α‐TF in normal human melanocytes was examined in this study. The results showed that 30 μg/ml of α‐TF dissolved in 150 μg/ml of lecithin inhibited melanization significantly without inhibiting cell growth. This phenotypic change was associated with the inhibition of tyrosinase and the degree of inhibition was dose dependent. No significant effect on DOPAchrome tautomerase (DT) activity was observed. These results suggest that α‐TF is a candidate for an efficient whitening agent which suppresses melanogenesis. In this paper, the role of α‐T and α‐TF in inhibiting biological reactions induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is also discussed.
Crop residue destruction strategies that enhance rather than inhibit reproduction of Monosporascus cannonballus
Authors: Stanghellini M. E. , Waugh M. M. , Radewald K. C. , Kim D. H. , Ferrin D. M. , Turini T.
Published: December 2004

Destruction of infected crop residue is a management strategy commonly recommended for the control of many plant diseases. Based upon knowledge of the biology of the root‐infecting fungus Monosporascus cannonballus, this strategy is a likely candidate for use in the management of vine decline of melons caused by this pathogen. Specifically, ascospores, the primary survival structure and inoculum for root infection, are produced on infected melon roots primarily after crop termination. Thus, destruction of infected roots prior to reproduction would be a very practical method of preventing inoculum build‐up in soil. Results from this study demonstrated that two plant residue destruction methods commonly used by growers at crop termination [i.e. foliar application of a herbicide (glyphosate) and mechanical destruction of vines] significantly enhanced, relative to untreated controls, the rapidity and extent of pathogen reproduction on infected roots left in field after harvest.
Vaginal and Cervical Anatomic Modifications During the Oestrus Cycle in Relation to Transcervical Catheterization in the Domestic Cat
Authors: Zambelli D , Buccioli M , Castagnetti C , Belluzzi S
Published: December 2004

Contents

In a previous study we observed that it is possible to reach the cervix in all queens with a 1 mm diameter probe only. So, we developed both a new technique and a catheter (1 mm diameter) to allow transcervical insemination [Zambelli and Castagnetti 2001]. The aims of this study were to investigate vaginal and cervical anatomic modifications during the various stages of the oestrus cycle and to test the previously described technique of transcervical catheterization during the various stages of the oestrus cycle. In experiment 1, silicon impression moulds were obtained from the reproductive tracts of 21 queens’ cadavers and vaginal and cervical measures were taken. The results showed that there are some significant anatomic modifications during the various stages of the oestrus cycle in vaginal and cervical anatomy, principally related to the dorsal medial fold increase induced by the follicular phase. In experiment 2, transcervical catheterization was attempted in 95 queens at various stages of oestrus cycle both during reproductive and non‐reproductive season. After catheterization, methylene blue solution was injected through the cervical catheter. Successful catheterization was assessed during surgery, when colour was observed in the uterine horns. It was possible to perform transcervical catheterization during non‐reproductive season in 16 of 20 anoestrus queens and in 12 of 15 induced oestrus queens; during reproductive season in nine of 21 interoestrus queens, in eight of 13 dioestrus/pregnancy queens, in four of 18 oestrus queens and in seven of eight queens in first oestrus during lactation.
Job strain and minor psychiatric morbidity among hospital nurses in southern Taiwan
Authors: YANG MEI‐SANG , PAN SHUNG‐MEI , YANG MING‐JEN
Published: December 2004

Abstract  Nursing is recognized as a stressful occupation and has indicated a probable high prevalence of distress. The purpose of this study was to identify the degree of job strain and to investigate the association between job strain and the minor psychiatric disorder in hospital nurses. A total of 907 registered nurses were recruited for this study via stratified random sampling from hospitals in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Each participant was requested to answer a structured questionnaire anonymously and a 98.1% response rate was achieved. The Job Strain Questionnaire was used to measure job strain. The minor psychiatric disorder was measured by the Chinese Health Questionnaire, and a cut‐off score of 4 or more was used to identify which subjects had minor psychiatric disorder. Results indicated that 24.5% of the nurses were in the high strain group and that those who were unmarried, had a lack of social support, and those with shift work were the most susceptible to high job strain. A total of 443 (48.8%) respondents were identified as having minor psychiatric disorder. Multiple logistic regression revealed that high job strain, poor social support, and poor self‐perceived health were the significant factors for nurses to have minor psychiatric disorder. These findings suggested that the best way to decrease the prevalence of psychological distress of nurses might focus on organizational attempts to reduce work stress and to develop effective health promotion programs and give more assistance to nurses who have a managerial role.
Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder: Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Sakamoto Kazuhiro , Monobe Yasumasa , Kouno Masato , Moriya Takuya , Sasano Hironobu
Published: December 2004

A rare case of hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) of the gallbladder occurred in a 72‐year‐old man who presented with abdominal pain and was admitted to hospital. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a mass in the gallbladder, multiple nodules in the liver and enlargement of the lymph nodes. He was diagnosed as having a gallbladder carcinoma with multiple liver and lymph node metastases. Cholecystectomy and partial hepatectomy was performed. Histologically, most of the mass in the gallbladder was composed of cells with eosinophilic cyto‐plasm arranged in a trabecular pattern, which resembled hepatocellular carcinoma, but there was a component of well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma in the mucosa. Immunohistochemically these hepatoid tumor cells were positive for Hepatocyte (Hepatocyte Paraffin 1: Hep Par1), which is considered highly sensitive and highly specific for hepatocyte differentiation. Based on these findings, this case was diagnosed as hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder, which is generally a vary rare neoplasm in the literature, but should be included in the differential diagnosis of a mass in the gallbladder.
No evidence of a correlation between BCL10 expression and API2‐MALT1 gene rearrangement in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma
Authors: Adachi Akiko , Tamaru Jun‐ichi , Kaneko Kou , Kuroda Hajime , Miura Ichiro , Kojima Takayoshi , Hoshino Shigeru , Ichinohasama Ryo , Itoyama Shinji
Published: December 2004

In the present study, 62 cases of ocular adnexal lymphoproliferative disorders were reviewed clinicopathologically. Of them, 51 were extranodal marginal zone B‐cell lymphoma (MALT lymphoma), five were diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), one was peripheral T‐cell lymphoma, one was NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type, and four were reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. These lymphoma cases showed a favorable clinical course and localized disease, except for the case of NK/T cell lymphoma, although 19 cases (32.8%) had a recurrence of disease. To clarify the correlation between BCL10 protein expression and API2–MALT1 gene rearrangement, the 51 cases of MALT lymphoma and 5 cases of DLBCL were analyzed by immunohistochemical and RT‐PCR methods. Nuclear BCL10 expression was identified in 58% of MALT lymphoma cases, but not in any DLBCL cases. There was no evidence of a correlation between aberrant nuclear BCL10 expression and the clinical parameters examined in the present study. API2–MALT1 transcription was not demonstrated in either the MALT lymphoma cases or the DLBCL cases studied using a multiplex one‐tube reverse transcriptase‐PCR method. These findings indicate that the nuclear expression of BCL10 is unlikely to correlate with the API2‐MALT1 fusion gene in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma.
Adult‐onset familial pulmonary fibrosis in Japanese brothers
Authors: Yoshioka Yasuko , Saiki Shigeki , Tsutsumi‐Ishii Yuko , Koyama Ryo , Hirashima Naoko , Harada Norihiro , Yamasaki Shigetaka , Suda Koichi , Fukuchi Yoshinosuke
Published: December 2004

Two Japanese brothers were diagnosed in their 20s with familial pulmonary fibrosis, the pathological findings of which were consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). However, an atypical characteristic was observed in the lungs of these brothers; 2‐mm areas of ‘honeycomb’ were identified throughout the lungs, which is smaller than the generally observed 5–10 mm honeycombing seen in UIP. Fibroblastic foci were demonstrated in the second eldest brother, but not in the eldest, which indicates that the lungs of the eldest brother was in a more advanced stage of fibrosis. Their youngest brother and parents have no clinical evidence of pulmonary fibrosis. All five family members had low values for the diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO), suggesting the presence of an inheritable disease and the existence of different phenotypes. The genomic DNA of the affected brothers was sequenced for the reported surfactant protein C (SP‐C) gene mutations in patients with familial pulmonary fibrosis, but none was documented. It is necessary to clarify the presence of novel gene mutations of SP‐C or other genes to explain these particular pathological findings and the low DLCO observed in this family.
Comparison of caudal ropivacaine, ropivacaine plus ketamine and ropivacaine plus tramadol administration for postoperative analgesia in children
Authors: Güneş Y. , Seçen M. , Özcengi̇z D. , Gündüz M. , Balcioǧlu O. , Işik G.
Published: December 2004

Background : The aim of this study was to compare the effect of single‐dose caudal ropivacaine, ropivacaine plus ketamine and ropivacaine plus tramadol in children for postoperative pain management.

Methods : Following ethics committee approval and informed parental consent, 99 ASA PS I or II children, between 1 and 10 years of age, scheduled for elective inguinal hernia repair with general anaesthesia, were recruited. After induction of anaesthesia and placement of a laryngeal mask airway (LMATM), the patients were randomly divided into three groups to receive either caudal ropivacaine alone (0.4%, 2 mg·kg−1) in group R (n = 32) or ropivacaine (0.2%, 1 mg·kg−1) plus ketamine (0.25 mg·kg−1) in group RK (n = 33) or ropivacaine (0.2%, 1 mg·kg−1) plus tramadol (1 mg·kg−1) in group RT (n = 34) with a total volume of 0.5 ml·kg−1. Systemic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), heart rate (HR), peripheral O2 saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR), sedation and pain scores were recorded at 5, 10, 15 and 30 min, 1, 3, 4 and 6 h following recovery from anaesthesia. Pain was evaluated by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale, and sedation with a five‐point sedation test.

Results : No difference was found regarding age, weight and duration of operation between the groups (P > 0.05). No patient experienced hypotension, bradycardia or respiratory depression. Duration of analgesia was longer in group RT (1377 ± 204 min) than group R (1006 ± 506 min) (P = 0.001). In the tramadol group, fewer patients required supplementary analgesics in the first 24 h (P = 0.005). Sedation scores were below 2 in all groups. Incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was higher in group RT (eight patients) and group RK (seven patients) than group R (one patient, P = 0.032).

Conclusions : Ropivacaine (0.4%), ropivacaine (0.2%) plus ketamine (0.25 mg·kg−1) and ropivacaine (0.2%) plus tramadol (0.5 mg·kg−1) provided sufficient analgesia in children, but the duration of analgesia was longer in the RT group.
An evaluation of brainstem death documentation: the importance of full documentation
Authors: Kafrawy Ula , Stewart David
Published: December 2004

Background : With the introduction of the concept of brainstem death as acceptable proof that life has ended, rather than cessation of the beating heart, the process of determining brain death has to be rigorous to ensure maintenance of confidence in the definition. A recent study from South Thames in the UK revealed that only 44% of brainstem death documentation was complete at the time of referral to the transplant coordinator. The aim of our study was to see whether our documentation of brainstem death in paediatric practice complied with the UK Royal College's guidelines and to determine whether any changes are required to be instituted.

Methods : We studied retrospectively the case notes of children who underwent brainstem testing over a 3‐year period (1994–1997) at two tertiary referral children's hospitals. The results of the audit were disseminated and a reaudit was performed over a 3‐year period (1998–2001).

Results : A proforma was completed in 61% of cases and in only 54% of cases was the ideal standard of two tests by two doctors documented. Of the 26 sets of case notes studied, the cause of coma was not stated in 85% of cases and exclusion of other causes was stated in 54%. For the reaudit, 32 sets of case notes were studied and the proforma was completed in 100% of cases. In 91% of cases, the cause of coma was stated and in 94%, exclusion of other causes was documented. In 94% of cases two tests were performed by two doctors.

Conclusions : Documentation of adherence to the Royal Colleges, guidelines on brainstem death testing improved significantly between the two study periods as a consequence of major changes in practice within the PICU. With the appointment of dedicated intensive care consultants, care became largely consultant intensivist led and emphasis was placed on the documentation and completion of a single validated brainstem death proforma. It is essential to improve and maintain the quality of brainstem death test documentation in order to ensure the integrity of the process.
Rofecoxib administration to paediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Sheeran P.W. , Rose J.B. , Fazi L.M. , Chiavacci R. , McCormick L.
Published: December 2004

Background : Rofecoxib is a selective COX‐2 inhibitor that does not interfere with platelet function and is associated with fewer bleeding complications than other nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). Our aims were to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of rofecoxib administration to paediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy (T&A).

Methods : We conducted a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study of rofecoxib in 45 ASA 1–2 patients ≥4 years of age undergoing outpatient T&A. All patients received midazolam 0.5 mg·kg−1 (max 15 mg) p.o. and either rofecoxib 1 mg·kg−1 (max 25 mg) or placebo p.o. 30 min preoperatively. All patients had a standardized anaesthetic and were extubated awake in the operating room at the conclusion of surgery. The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) scores were obtained on arrival in the postanaesthetic care unit (PACU). Morphine 25 μg·kg−1 i.v. were administered up to six times for pain in the PACU. Wong–Baker FACES Scales were obtained at discharge from the PACU and the day surgery unit (DSU). Outcome measures included intraoperative estimated blood loss (EBL), pain scores, PACU morphine requirements and discharge times.

Results : There were 23 patients in the rofecoxib group and 22 patients in the placebo group. There were no differences between the rofecoxib and placebo groups in terms of bleeding, pain scores, PACU morphine requirements, PACU times or DSU times.

Conclusion : Rofecoxib administration to paediatric patients undergoing T&A did not result in increased bleeding. Rofecoxib, however, was not found to decrease morphine use or improve pain scores prior to hospital discharge in T&A patients who received intraoperative morphine and acetaminophen.
A Framework for Progressively Improving Small Area Population Estimates
Authors: Rees Philip , Norman Paul , Brown Dominic
Published: December 2004

The paper presents a framework for small area population estimation that enables users to select a method that is fit for the purpose. The adjustments to input data that are needed before use are outlined, with emphasis on developing consistent time series of inputs. We show how geographical harmonization of small areas, which is crucial to comparisons over time, can be achieved. For two study regions, the East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber, the differences in output and consequences of adopting different methods are illustrated. The paper concludes with a discussion of how data, on stream since 1998, might be included in future small area estimates.
Parental Partnership and Joblessness in Childhood and their Influence on Young People's Outcomes
Authors: Ermisch John , Francesconi Marco , Pevalin David J.
Published: December 2004

The paper estimates the relationship between several outcomes in early adulthood (education, inactivity, early birth, distress and smoking) and experiences of life in a single-parent family and with jobless parent(s) during childhood. The analysis is performed using a sample of young adults, who are selected from the first nine waves of the British Household Panel Survey (1991–1999) and can be matched with at least one parent and one sibling over the same period. This sample allows us to estimate the relationship of interest by using sibling differences. We also use another sample of young adults from the British Household Panel Survey, matched to at least one parent, to estimate more conventional level models and to compute nonparametric bounds and point estimates. The estimates based on sibling differences require weaker assumptions (compared with the assumptions that are imposed by nonparametric estimators under conditional independence and level estimators) for the identification of the effects of family structure and parental joblessness on the outcomes under analysis. We find that experiences of life in a single-parent family and with jobless parents during childhood are usually associated with disadvantageous outcomes for young adults, the effect of family structure is in general significantly greater (in absolute value) than the effect of parental worklessness and most of the unfavourable outcomes are linked to an early family disruption, when the child was aged 0–5 years, whereas the timing of parental joblessness during childhood has more complex effects, with different outcomes being more strongly influenced by parental worklessness at different ages of the child.
The Effects of Childhood Exposure to Marital Violence on Adolescent Gender-Role Beliefs and Dating Violence
Authors: Lichter Erika L. , McCloskey Laura A.
Published: December 2004

Children exposed to marital violence in childhood are at risk for engaging in dating violence as adolescents or young adults. Using a longitudinal prospective design, mother−child pairs from violent and nonviolent homes ( N = 208) were interviewed about exposure to marital violence twice over a 7–9 year time span. Responses to questions about adolescent gender-typed beliefs, the acceptance of dating violence, and experiences with dating violence were collected during follow-up interviews. Results indicated that adolescents exposed to marital violence during childhood were more likely to justify the use of violence in dating relationships. Possessing traditional attitudes of male−female relationships and justifying relationship violence were associated with higher levels of dating violence perpetration regardless of marital violence exposure. How adolescents thought about dating relationships was more important than whether they witnessed marital violence in childhood. Results have implications for social-cognitive and norm-based interventions.
Postpartum Partner Support, Demand-Withdraw Communication, and Maternal Stress
Authors: Thorp Steven R. , Krause Elizabeth D. , Cukrowicz Kelly C. , Lynch Thomas R.
Published: December 2004

The weeks following the birth of a child can be stressful for new mothers. Maternal stress may be increased when mothers are dissatisfied with instrumental partner support (e.g., division of childcare duties and family decision-making power). The purpose of the current study was to determine if there is an association between dissatisfaction with partner support and maternal stress in the postpartum period, and to examine whether that association is mediated by demand-withdraw communication between partners. Participants were 49 women who completed questionnaires about satisfaction with partner support, female demand/male withdraw communication in their relationship, and their own perceived stress approximately 8 weeks after giving birth. Findings support the hypothesis that demand-withdraw communication mediates the association between dissatisfaction with partner support and maternal stress. This finding suggests that fathers' withdrawal in the context of mothers' requests for discussion or change appears to be associated with increased levels of maternal stress.
Personal Attitudes or Structural Factors? A Contextual Analysis of Breastfeeding Duration
Authors: McKinley Nita Mary , Hyde Janet Shibley
Published: December 2004

A personal attitudes model (i.e., infant feeding choices are based on personal attitudes primarily) and a structural factors model (i.e., feeding choices are shaped by the structural contexts of women's lives, as much as personal attitudes) of women's breastfeeding behavior were tested by surveying a longitudinal sample of 548 mostly European American women recruited for the Wisconsin Maternity Leave and Health Project. Personal attitudes (enjoyment of breastfeeding, gender-role attitudes, and work and family salience) accounted for half as much variance in breastfeeding duration for women who were employed outside the home compared to those who were not. For women employed outside the home, both structural variables (length of maternity leave and workplace flexibility) and personal attitudes predicted duration. These results have implications for how we construct the issue of women's breastfeeding decisions.
Congenital nodular multiple glomangioma: a case report
Authors: Chatterjee J S , Youssef A H K , Brown R M , Nishikawa H
Published: December 2004

A 13 year old girl presented with recurrent painful “varicosities” on her right calf. These lesions were subsequently clinically diagnosed as “cavernous haemangiomas” after normal duplex scanning and were excised. Histological examination revealed multiple glomangiomas (glomus tumours). A literature review revealed only two reported cases of nodular multiple glomangioma, so that this is the third case to be reported in the literature.
Distribution of HPV infection and tumour markers in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia from cone biopsies of Mozambican women
Authors: Carrilho C , Cirnes L , Alberto M , Buane L , Mendes N , David L
Published: December 2004

Aims:To evaluate human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in whole cervical cone specimens with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). In addition, to evaluate the relation between the presence of CIN lesions and HPV infection and the expression of Ki-67, p53, cytokeratins, Gp230 glycoprotein, and simple mucin-type carbohydrates.

Methods:Cervical cone specimens from five patients with CIN were studied. For each specimen, serial sections encompassing the whole cone were collected (52 samples). HPV infection and HPV types were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay. The expression of Ki-67, p53, cytokeratins, Gp230, and simple mucin-type carbohydrates was examined immunohistochemically.

Results:All cases showed high risk HPV types, namely types 16, 33, 35, and 58. Four of the five patients were infected by multiple viral types. HPV-58 was always seen in CIN III, whereas HPV-35 was more frequent in CIN I. The expression of Ki-67 and p53 was higher in CIN III lesions. The expression of cytokeratins 8 and 17 showed complete or almost complete overlap with CIN III. Altered expression of Gp230, Tn, and sialyl-T was often seen in all grades of CIN.

Conclusions:When whole cervical cone specimens are evaluated the rate of multiple HPV infection is very high. The expression of cytokeratins 8 and 17 is a useful marker of CIN III.
SUBTREE TRANSFER DISTANCE FOR DEGREE-D PHYLOGENIES
Authors: HON WING-KAI , LAM TAK-WAH , YIU SIU-MING , KAO MING-YANG , SUNG WING-KIN
Published: December 2004

The subtree transfer (STT) distance is one of the distance metric for comparing phylogenies. Previous work on computing the STT distance considered degree-3 trees only. In this paper, we give an approximation algorithm for the STT distance for degree-d trees with arbitrary d and with generalized STT operations. Also, some NP-hardness results related to STT distance are presented.
BONNET SURFACES IN FOUR-DIMENSIONAL SPACE FORMS
Authors: FUJIOKA ATSUSHI
Published: December 2004

We study isometric deformations of surfaces in four-dimensional space forms preserving the length of the mean curvature vector. In particular we consider the natural condition, called to be simple, and show that such surfaces with flat normal bundle are Bonnet surfaces in totally geodesic or umbilic 3-dimensional space forms, which is regarded as a generalization of Chen–Yau's reduction theorem for surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector.
INTEGRABLE HIERARCHIES FROM BRST COHOMOLOGY
Authors: CALIAN V. , STOENESCU G.
Published: December 2004

We demonstrate that the Hamiltonian structure and the integrability of a system of evolution equations can be formulated in terms of a classical field theory using BRST and anti-BRST symmetries. We derive the field theory action and explicitly generate the integrable hierarchy associated to a bi-Hamiltonian system based on cohomological arguments and gauge-fixing deformations.
STRING THEORETICAL INTERPRETATION FOR FINITE N YANG–MILLS THEORY IN TWO DIMENSIONS
Authors: MATSUO TOSHIHIRO , MATSUURA SO
Published: December 2004

We discuss the equivalence between a string theory and the two-dimensional Yang–Mills theory with SU (N) gauge group for finite N. We find a sector which can be interpreted as a sum of covering maps from closed string worldsheets to the target space, whose covering number is less than N. This gives an asymptotic expansion of 1/N whose large N limit becomes the chiral sector defined by Gross and Taylor. We also discuss that the residual part of the partition function provides the nonperturbative corrections to the perturbative expansion.
A POSTERIORI ERROR ESTIMATION IN COMPUTATIONAL INVERSE SCATTERING
Authors: BEILINA LARISA , JOHNSON CLAES
Published: December 2004

We prove an a posteriori error estimate for an inverse acoustic scattering problem, where the objective is to reconstruct an unknown wave speed coefficient inside a body from measured wave reflection data in time on parts of the surface of the body. The inverse problem is formulated as a problem of finding a zero of a Jacobian of a Lagrangian. The a posterori error estimate couples residuals of the computed solution to weights the reconstruction reflecting the sensitivity of the reconstruction obtained by solving an associated linaerized problem for the Hessian of the Lagrangian. We show concrete examples of reconstrution including a posteriori error estimation.
ADAPTIVE MODELING OF BIOCHEMICAL PATHWAYS
Authors: BRAUSE R.
Published: December 2004

In bioinformatics, biochemical pathways can be modeled by many differential equations. It is still an open problem how to fit the huge amount of parameters of the equations to the available data. Here, the approach of systematically learning the parameters is necessary.

In this paper, for the small, important example of inflammation modeling a network is constructed and different learning algorithms are proposed. It turned out that due to the nonlinear dynamics evolutionary approaches are necessary to fit the parameters for sparse, given data.
SEMANTIC BIOLOGICAL IMAGE MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS
Authors: CHUBB CHARLIE , INAGAKI YOSHI , COTMAN C. , CUMMINGS B. , SHEU P. C.-Y.
Published: December 2004

Most commercially available image retrieval systems are so generic that they are not specialized to handle biological images and the feature domains associated with them. In molecular biology, neurobiology and cellular biology, for example, the recognition, classification and retrieval of distinct cellular features is a critically needed tool representing a computational problem that embodies the central challenges facing biological image database research. It often requires the consideration of expert/conceptual knowledge of images and the objects contained within such images. This paper discusses the feasibility of developing a set of imaging algorithms that allows the user to train an imaging system/database to recognize biological objects of various sorts based on their own criteria. The image software builds a model of the selected objects by reiterative training, evolving the ability (i.e., the underlying rules) to recognize these objects. These objects are in turn archived into a growing database that builds upon the experience of multiple individuals that can be referred to as an object zoo. The user can search these zoos using newly acquired images based on similarly using more narrow or broadened criteria based on a new, semantic database framework called SemanticObjects.
What Is Childhood Leukemia?
Authors: Ruiz Jenny , Mathews Colleen , Friehling Erika
Published: February 2024

This JAMA Patient Page outlines the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood leukemia.
Effect of Tai Chi vs Aerobic Exercise on Blood Pressure in Patients With Prehypertension
Authors: Li Xinye , Chang Peifen , Wu Min , Jiang Yuchen , Gao Yonghong , Chen Hengwen , Tao Liyuan , Wei Dawei , Yang Xiaochen , Xiong Xingjiang , Yang Yan , Pan Xiandu , Zhao Ran , Yang Fan , Sun Jiahao , Yang Shengjie , Tian Li , He Xiaofang , Wang Eryu , Yang Yiyuan , Xing Yanwei
Published: February 2024

Importance

Prehypertension increases the risk of developing hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Early and effective intervention for patients with prehypertension is highly important.

Objective

To assess the efficacy of Tai Chi vs aerobic exercise in patients with prehypertension.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective, single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted between July 25, 2019, and January 24, 2022, at 2 tertiary public hospitals in China. Participants included 342 adults aged 18 to 65 years with prehypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 120 to 139 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) of 80 to 89 mm Hg.

Interventions

Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a Tai Chi group (n = 173) or an aerobic exercise group (n = 169). Both groups performed four 60-minute supervised sessions per week for 12 months.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was SBP at 12 months obtained in the office setting. Secondary outcomes included SBP at 6 months and DBP at 6 and 12 months obtained in the office setting and 24-hour ambulatory BP at 12 months.

Results

Of the 1189 patients screened, 342 (mean [SD] age, 49.3 [11.9] years; 166 men [48.5%] and 176 women [51.5%]) were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups: 173 to Tai Chi and 169 to aerobic exercise. At 12 months, the change in office SBP was significantly different between groups by −2.40 (95% CI, −4.39 to −0.41) mm Hg (P = .02), with a mean (SD) change of −7.01 (10.12) mm Hg in the Tai Chi group vs −4.61 (8.47) mm Hg in the aerobic exercise group. The analysis of office SBP at 6 months yielded similar results (−2.31 [95% CI, −3.94 to −0.67] mm Hg; P = .006). Additionally, 24-hour ambulatory SBP (−2.16 [95% CI, −3.84 to −0.47] mm Hg; P = .01) and nighttime ambulatory SBP (−4.08 [95% CI, −6.59 to −1.57] mm Hg; P = .002) were significantly reduced in the Tai Chi group compared with the aerobic exercise group.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study including patients with prehypertension, a 12-month Tai Chi intervention was more effective than aerobic exercise in reducing SBP. These findings suggest that Tai Chi may help promote the prevention of cardiovascular disease in populations with prehypertension.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR1900024368