bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Distractions during critical phases of anaesthesia for caesarean section: an observational study
Authors: Jenkins A. , Wilkinson J. V. , Akeroyd M. A. , Broom M. A. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryAviation's ‘sterile cockpit’ rule holds that distractions on the flight deck should be kept at a minimum during critical phases of flight. To assess current practice at comparable points during obstetric regional anaesthesia, we measured ambient noise and distracting events during 30 caesarean sections in three phases: during establishment of regional anaesthesia; during testing of regional blockade; and after delivery of the fetal head. Mean (SD) noise levels were 62.5 (3.9) dB during establishment of blockade, 63.9 (4.1) dB during testing and 66.8 (5.0) dB after delivery (p < 0.001). The median rates of sudden, loud (> 70 dB) noises, non‐clinical conversations and numbers of staff present in the operating theatre increased during each of the three phases. Conversely, entrances into, and exits from, theatre per minute were highest during establishment of regional anaesthesia and decreased over the subsequent two time periods (p < 0.001).
Implementation of the WHO‐6‐step method in the medical curriculum to improve pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills
Authors: Keijsers Carolina J. P. W. , Segers Wieke S. , de Wildt Dick J. , Brouwers Jacobus R. B. J. , Keijsers Loes , Jansen Paul A. F. 
Published: December 2014

AimThe only validated tool for pharmacotherapy education for medical students is the 6‐step method of the World Health Organization. It has proven effective in experimental studies with short term interventions. The generalizability of this effect after implementation in a contextual‐rich medical curriculum was investigated.MethodsThe pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills of cohorts of students, from years before, during and after implementation of a WHO‐6‐step‐based integrated learning programme were tested using a standardized assessment containing 50 items covering knowledge of basic (n = 25) and clinical (n = 24) pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy skills (n = 1 open question). All scores are expressed as a percentage of the maximum score possible per (sub)domain.ResultsIn total, 1652 students were included between September 2010 and July 2014 (participation rate 89%). The WHO‐6‐step‐based learning programme improved students’ knowledge of basic pharmacology (mean score ± SD, 60.6 ± 10.5% vs. 63.4 ± 10.9%, P < 0.01) and clinical or applied pharmacology (63.7 ± 10.4% vs. 67.4 ± 10.3%, P < 0.01), and improved their pharmacotherapy skills (68.8 ± 26.1% vs. 74.6% ± 22.9%, P 0.02). Moreover, satisfaction with education increased (5.7 ± 1.3 vs. 6.3 ± 1.0 on a 10‐point scale, P < 0.01) and as did students’ confidence in daily practice (from −0.81 ± 0.72 to −0.50 ± 0.79 on a −2 to +2 scale, P < 0.01).ConclusionsThe WHO‐6‐step method was successfully implemented in a medical curriculum. In this observational study, the integrated learning programme had positive effects on students’ knowledge of basic and applied pharmacology, improved their pharmacotherapy skills, and increased satisfaction with education and self‐confidence in prescribing. Whether this training method leads to better patient care remains to be established.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of New Eugenol Mannich Bases as Promising Antifungal Agents
Authors: Abrão Pedro Henrique O. , Pizi Rafael B. , de Souza Thiago B. , Silva Naiara C. , Fregnan Antonio M. , Silva Fernanda N. , Coelho Luiz Felipe L. , Malaquias Luiz Cosme C. , Dias Amanda Latercia T. , Dias Danielle F. , Veloso Marcia P. , Carvalho Diogo T. 
Published: December 2014

New Mannich base‐type eugenol derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anticandidal activity using a broth microdilution assay. Among the synthesized compounds, 4‐allyl‐2‐methoxy‐6‐(morpholin‐4‐ylmethyl) phenyl benzoate (7) and 4‐{5‐allyl‐2‐[(4‐chlorobenzoyl)oxy]‐3‐methoxybenzyl}morpholin‐4‐ium chloride (8) were found to be the most effective antifungal compounds with low IC50 values, some of them well below those of reference drug fluconazole. The most significant IC50 values were those of 7 against C. glabrata (1.23 μm), C. albicans and C. krusei (both 0.63 μm). Additionally, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic effects on human mononuclear cells. As result, the cytotoxic activity of eugenol in eukaryotic cells decreased with the introduction of the morpholinyl group. Given these findings, we point out compounds 7 and 8 as the most promising derivatives because they showed potency values greater than those of eugenol and fluconazole and they also presented high selectivity indexes.
Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 induced interleukin-19 dampens immune reactions and associates inversely with spondyloarthritis disease activity
Authors: Kragstrup T W , Andersen T , Holm C , Schiøttz-Christensen B , Jurik A G , Hvid M , Deleuran B 
Published: December 2014

Summary
Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of immune mediated inflammatory diseases affecting joints, gut, skin and entheses. The inflammatory process involves activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 and production of cytokines and chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (CCL2/MCP-1). This proinflammatory chemokine recruits monocytes to sites of inflammation and is central in the development of several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Interleukin (IL)-19 is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines. IL-19-deficient mice are more susceptible to innate-mediated colitis and develop more severe inflammation in response to injury. In this work, we studied inducers of IL-19 production and effect of IL-19 on the production of CCL2/MCP-1 and proinflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy controls (HCs) and in PBMCs and synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) from SpA patients. Further, we measured IL-19 in plasma from HCs and in plasma and synovial fluid from SpA patients. Constitutive IL-19 expression was present in both PBMCs and SFMCs and the secretion of IL-19 was increased by TLR-2 and TLR-4 ligands. Neutralizing IL-19 in HC PBMCs and SpA SFMCs resulted in increased production of CCL-2/MCP-1. IL-19 concentrations were decreased in synovial fluid compared with plasma and associated inversely with disease activity in SpA. SpA SFMCs produced less IL-19 in response to LPS compared with HC PBMCs. These findings indicate that IL-19 production is diminished in SpA. Taken together, impaired IL-19 control of the innate immune system might be involved in the pathogenesis of SpA.
Identification of high‐risk Dukes B colorectal cancer by microRNA expression profiling: a preliminary study
Authors: Aslam M. I. , Venkatesh J. , Jameson J. S. , West K. , Pringle J. H. , Singh B. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimMicroRNAs (miRNAs) from tumour tissue and common gene mutations were studied to determine whether they predict the development of metastasis in patients with Dukes B colorectal cancer.MethodPatients who underwent curative resection for Dukes B colorectal cancer who subsequently developed distant metastatic disease at some stage in the following 5 years (‘high‐risk B’) were compared with case‐matched controls of Dukes A, Dukes B (no metastases, ‘low‐risk B’) and Dukes C patients without any detectable metastasis at 5 years of follow‐up. MiRNAs from tumour and adjacent normal tissue and common gene mutations (KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA) in primary cancer tissue were analysed to identify prognostic tissue markers for the development of metastasis in patients with Dukes B colorectal cancer.ResultsExpression of miR‐15b and miR‐135b was significantly downregulated (P < 0.001) in ‘high‐risk B’ tumours compared with Dukes A, ‘low‐risk B’ and C without metastasis. No significant differences were noted for mutation status and the development of metastasis.ConclusionThe study suggests that the development of metastasis in Dukes B tumours may be predictable based on the miRNA expression of miR‐15b and miR‐135b. This requires further study on a much larger cohort.
Endoscopic findings for predicting gastric acid secretion status
Authors: Hatta Waku , Iijima Katsunori , Koike Tomoyuki , Kondo Yutaka , Ara Nobuyuki , Asanuma Kiyotaka , Uno Kaname , Asano Naoki , Imatani Akira , Shimosegawa Tooru 
Published: December 2014

Background and AimGastric acidic abnormalities are related to various types of diseases in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status. However, no studies have shown correlations between many tiny endoscopic findings and the acid secretion level simultaneously. In the present study, we investigated predictive tiny endoscopic findings of hyperchlorhydria and hypochlorhydria.MethodsA total of 223 subjects without organic diseases who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and endoscopic gastrin test (EGT) for estimating gastrin‐stimulated gastric acid secretory response between 1999 and 2012 at our institution were retrospectively analyzed. Two blinded expert endoscopists reviewed the images independently and recorded the endoscopic findings.ResultsAccording to the EGT values, the enrolled subjects were categorized into hyperchlorhydria, normal acid secretion, and hypochlorhydria groups. In all subjects, hematin (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.32 [1.40–7.84]) and antral erosion(2.88 [1.24–6.70]) were the predictive endoscopic findings for hyperchlorhydria, and swelling of areae gastricae (14.4 [5.74–36.1]) and open‐type atrophy (15.1 [7.35–31.1]) were those for hypochlorhydria. In addition, the predictive endoscopic findings for hyperchlorhydria differed according to the H. pylori infection status, hematin in H. pylori‐positive subjects and antral erosion in H. pylori‐negative subjects, in contrast to those for hypochlorhydria, which were the same irrespective of the H. pylori infection status.ConclusionsWe could predict the acid secretion status based on the endoscopic findings regardless of H. pylori infection status, which would be of some help for evaluating the risk for acid‐related diseases.
BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS IN SOCIAL NETWORKS
Authors: Conte Anna , Di Cagno Daniela T. , Sciubba Emanuela 
Published: December 2014

AbstractIn this article, we focus on the analysis of individual decision‐making for the formation of social networks, using experimentally generated data. We analyze the determinants of the individual demand for links under the assumption of agents' static expectations and identify patterns of behavior that correspond to three specific objectives: players propose links so as to maximize expected profits (myopic best response strategy); players attempt to establish the largest number of direct links (reciprocator strategy); and players maximize expected profits per direct link (opportunistic strategy). These strategies explain approximately 74% of the observed choices. We demonstrate that they are deliberately adopted and, by means of a finite mixture model, well identified and separated in our sample. (JEL C33, C35, C90, D85)
Binding body and self in visuo‐vestibular conflicts
Authors: Macauda Gianluca , Bertolini Giovanni , Palla Antonella , Straumann Dominik , Brugger Peter , Lenggenhager Bigna 
Published: December 2014

AbstractMaintenance of the bodily self relies on the accurate integration of multisensory inputs in which visuo‐vestibular cue integration is thought to play an essential role. Here, we tested in healthy volunteers how conflicting visuo‐vestibular bodily input might impact on body self‐coherence in a full body illusion set‐up. Natural passive vestibular stimulation was provided on a motion platform, while visual input was manipulated using virtual reality equipment. Explicit (questionnaire) and implicit (skin temperature) measures were employed to assess illusory self‐identification with either a mannequin or a control object. Questionnaire results pointed to a relatively small illusion, but hand skin temperature, plausibly an index of illusory body ownership, showed the predicted drop specifically in the condition when participants saw the mannequin moving in congruence with them. We argue that this implicit measure was accessible to visuo‐vestibular modulation of the sense of self, possibly mediated by shared neural processes in the insula involved in vestibular and interoceptive signalling, thermoregulation and multisensory integration.
Differential contributions of de novo and maintenance DNA methyltransferases to object memory processing in the rat hippocampus and perirhinal cortex – a double dissociation
Authors: Mitchnick Krista A. , Creighton Samantha , O'Hara Matthew , Kalisch Bettina E. , Winters Boyer D. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractEpigenetic mechanisms are increasingly acknowledged as major players in memory formation. Specifically, DNA methylation is necessary for the formation of long‐term memory in various brain regions, including the hippocampus (HPC); however, its role in the perirhinal cortex (PRh), a structure critical for object memory, has not been characterized. Moreover, the mnemonic effects of selective DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibition have not yet been investigated systematically, despite distinct roles for de novo (DNMT3a, 3b) and maintenance (DNMT1) methyltransferases. Consequently, we assessed the effects of various DNMT inhibitors within the HPC and PRh of rats using the object‐in‐place paradigm, which requires both brain regions. The non‐nucleoside DNA methyltransferase inhibitor RG‐108 impaired long‐term object‐in‐place memory in both regions. Furthermore, intracranial administration of Accell short‐interference RNA sequences to inhibit the expression of individual DNMTs implicated DNMT3a and DNMT1 in the HPC and PRh effects, respectively. mRNA expression analyses revealed a complementary pattern of results, as only de novo DNMT3a and DNMT3b mRNA was upregulated in the HPC (dentate gyrus) following object‐in‐place learning, whereas DNMT1 mRNA was selectively upregulated in the PRh. These results reinforce the established functional double dissociation between the HPC and PRh and imply the operation of different epigenetic mechanisms in brain regions dedicated to long‐term memory processing for different types of information.
Prose memory impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients is related to hippocampus volume
Authors: Raaphorst J. , van Tol M. J. , de Visser M. , van der Kooi A. J. , Majoie C. B. , van den Berg L. H. , Schmand B. , Veltman D. J. 
Published: December 2014

Background and purposeThirty per cent of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients have non‐motor symptoms, including executive and memory deficits. The in vivo anatomical basis of memory deficits in ALS has not been elucidated. In this observational study, brain atrophy in relation to memory function was investigated in ALS patients and controls.MethodsTwenty‐six ALS patients without dementia and 21 healthy volunteers matched for gender, age and education level underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and T1‐ and T2‐weighted 3 T magnetic resonance imaging scanning of the brain. Grey and white matter brain volumes were analysed using voxel‐based morphometry and age related white matter changes were assessed. The most frequently abnormal memory test (<2 SD below normative data corrected for age, gender and education) was correlated with regional brain volume variations by multiple regression analyses with age, gender and total grey matter volumes as covariates.ResultsImmediate and delayed story recall scores were abnormal in 23% of ALS patients and correlated to bilateral hippocampus grey matter volume (r = 0.52 for both memory tests; P < 0.05; corrected for age, gender and total grey matter volume). This correlation was not found in healthy controls with similar age, education, anxiety and depression levels and white matter changes.ConclusionsProse memory impairment is a frequent finding in this cohort and is associated with hippocampus volume in ALS patients without dementia. These findings complement previous hippocampus changes in imaging studies in ALS and suggest involvement of the hippocampus in cognitive dysfunction of ALS.
Impact of dental caries on quality of life among preschool children: emphasis on the type of tooth and stages of progression
Authors: Ramos‐Jorge Joana , Alencar Bruna Mota , Pordeus Isabela Almeida , Soares Maria Eliza da Consolação , Marques Leandro Silva , Ramos‐Jorge Maria Letícia , Paiva Saul Martins 
Published: December 2014

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the impact of dental caries on the quality of life of preschool children and their parents/caretakers, with an emphasis on the type of tooth and stage of progression. A randomly selected sample of preschool children, 3–5 yrs of age, underwent an oral examination for the assessment of dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II (ICDAS II) criteria. Parents/caretakers answered two questionnaires, one on the oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of the child [the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS)], and the other on the socio‐economic characteristics of the family. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi‐square test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U‐test, and Poisson regression. A total of 451 preschool children participated in the study. The majority of carious lesions exhibited severe decay (60.6%) and were found in both anterior (incisors/canines) and posterior (molars) teeth. The final Poisson model revealed negative impacts on quality of life from more advanced stages of dental caries, both in incisors/canines and molars. Child's age and household income were also associated with impact on quality of life. Carious lesions in more advanced stages of progression in anterior and posterior teeth were associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of preschool children.
Temporal and spatial characteristics of high frequency oscillations as a new biomarker in epilepsy
Authors: Dümpelmann Matthias , Jacobs Julia , Schulze‐Bonhage Andreas 
Published: December 2014

SummaryObjectiveInterictal high frequency oscillations (HFOs) are a promising candidate as a biomarker in epilepsy as well as for defining the seizure‐onset zone as for the prediction of the surgical outcome after epilepsy surgery. The purpose of the study is to investigate properties of HFOs in long‐term recordings with respect to the sleep–wake cycle and anatomic regions to verify previous results based on observations from short intervals and patients mainly with temporal lobe epilepsy to the analysis of hours of recordings and focal epilepsies with extratemporal origin.MethodsAutomatic HFO detection using a radial basis function neural network detector was performed in long‐term recordings of 15 presurgical patients investigated with subdural strip, grid, and depth contacts. Periods with visual marked sleep stages based on parallel scalp recordings from two consecutive nights were compared to awake intervals. Statistical analysis was based on the Kruskal‐Wallis test, Mann‐Whitney U‐test and Spearman's rank correlations.ResultsHFO rates in seizure‐onset contacts differed from other brain regions independent of the sleep–wake cycle. For temporal contacts, the HFO rate increased significantly with sleep stage. In addition, contacts covering the parietal lobe, including rolandic cortex, showed a significant increase of HFO rates during sleep. However, no significant HFO rate changes depending on the sleep–wake cycle were found for frontal contacts.SignificanceThe rate of interictal HFOs predicted the SOZ with statistical significance at the group level, but properties other than the HFO rate may need to be considered to improve the diagnostic utility of HFOs. This study gives evidence that the modulation of HFO rates by states of the sleep–wake cycle has particular characteristics within different neocortical regions and in mesiotemporal structures, and contributes to the establishment of HFOs as a biomarker in epilepsy.
Evaluation of orange‐brown precipitate formed in root canals after irrigation with chlorhexidine and QMix and spectroscopic analysis of precipitates produced by a mixture of chlorhexidine/NaOCl and QMix/NaOCl
Authors: Arslan H. , Uygun A. D. , Keskin A. , Karatas E. , Seçkin F. , Yıldırım A. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAims(i) To compare chlorhexidine and QMixTM in terms of orange‐brown precipitate generation in root canals and (ii) to analyse the precipitate produced by mixing chlorhexidine and QMix™ with NaOCl to determine whether para‐chloroaniline was produced.MethodologyThe root canals of 57 single‐rooted anterior teeth were prepared using ProTaper Universal rotary instruments up to size F4. Two millilitres of 2.5% NaOCl was used between each instrument change. The specimens were then divided randomly into three groups (n = 19) and irrigated as follows: group 1, 5 mL of distilled water (control group) for 60 s; group 2, 5 mL of 2% chlorhexidine for 60 s; and group 3, 5 mL of QMix for 60 s. The roots were split longitudinally, and one of the halves was photographed using a stereomicroscope. The amount of orange‐brown precipitate was evaluated using a four‐grade scoring system. The data were analysed statistically using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U‐tests (P = 0.05). To evaluate whether the precipitates included para‐chloroaniline, 5 mL of 2% chlorhexidine and 5 mL QMix were separately mixed with 5 mL of 2.5% NaOCl in two flasks. After centrifugation, precipitates were obtained and analysed using 1H NMR spectra. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests at a 95% confidence level (P = 0.05).ResultsChlorhexidine had significantly higher scores than QMix™ in terms of orange‐brown precipitate formed in the root canals (P < 0.001). According to the 1H NMR spectra, para‐chloroaniline was present in the mixture of chlorhexidine and NaOCl. However, the mixture of QMix™ and NaOCl did not result in para‐chloroaniline formation.ConclusionQMix™ does not form para‐chloroaniline when associated with NaOCl.
The Gap between the Theory and Practice of Corporate Valuation: Survey of European Experts
Authors: Bancel Franck , Mittoo Usha R. 
Published: December 2014

The valuation of companies or their assets is at the heart of most financing and investment decisions. Over the last five decades, academics have developed several simple and sophisticated models for corporate valuation. Yet valuation estimates of a firm or its assets appear to vary widely among practitioners. It is unclear whether these differences arise from practitioners' use of different valuation models or from differences in their assumptions about the inputs used in those models.To provide some insights into this issue, the authors recently surveyed 365 European finance practitioners with CFAs or equivalent professional degrees. They find that almost all survey respondents use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model (along with some version of Relative Valuation that relies on the use of “comparables”). But the estimation methods of such practitioners for almost all inputs in the DCF model, including beta, the equity market risk premium, leverage, cost of debt, and terminal value, vary widely. This can be a serious problem because even small differences in inputs can cause huge variations in valuations. Such differences arise primarily because theory provides little guidance on how to estimate parameters, leaving practitioners to make their own assumptions and judgments.In sum, the authors' findings suggest that the process of estimating valuation parameters can be as important as the choice of the valuation model itself, and requires the serious attention of academics and practitioners. The authors recommend that key valuation parameter estimates be disclosed in financial and valuation reports. Their findings are also relevant to policy makers because the concept of “fair value” plays such a central role in post‐crisis regulation.