bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Potency of Different Propofol Formulations
Authors: Le Guen Morgan , Grassin-Delyle Stanislas , Cornet Camille , Genty Antoine , Chazot Thierry , Dardelle Dominique , Liu Ngai , Dreyfus Jean-François , Mazoit Jean-Xavier , Devillier Philippe , Alvarez Jean-Claude , Sessler Daniel I. , Fischler Marc 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Several commercial formulations of propofol are available. The primary outcome of this study was the required dose of propofol alone or combined with lidocaine to achieve induction of general anesthesia.

Methods
This multicenter, double-blinded trial randomized patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–III) just before elective surgery with the use of a computer-generated list. Three different propofol 1% formulations—Diprivan® (Astra-Zeneca, Cheshire, United Kingdom), Propofol® (Fresenius-Kabi AG, Bad Homburg, Germany), and Lipuro® (B-Braun, Melshungen AG, Germany)—were compared with either placebo (saline solution) or lidocaine 1% mixed to the propofol solution. Depth of anesthesia was automatically guided by bispectral index and by a computerized closed-loop system for induction, thus avoiding dosing bias. The authors recorded the total dose of propofol and duration of induction and the patient’s discomfort through a behavioral scale (facial expression, verbal response, and arm withdrawal) ranging from 0 to 6. The authors further evaluated postoperative recall of pain using a Visual Analog Scale.

Results
Of the 227 patients enrolled, 217 were available for analysis. Demographic characteristics were similar in each group. Propofol® required a higher dose for induction (2.2 ± 0.1 mg/kg) than Diprivan® (1.8 ± 0.1 mg/kg) or Lipuro® (1.7 ± 0.1 mg/kg; P = 0.02). However, induction doses were similar when propofol formulations were mixed with lidocaine. Patient discomfort during injection was significantly reduced with lidocaine for every formulation: Diprivan® (0.5 ± 0.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.3), Propofol® (0.4 ± 0.3 vs. 2.4 ± 0.3), and Lipuro® (1.1 ± 0.3 vs. 1.4 ± 0.3), all differences significant, with P < 0.0001. No adverse effect was reported.

Conclusion
Plain propofol formulations are not equipotent, but comparable doses were required when lidocaine was concomitantly administered.
Lynch Syndrome
Authors: Huang Sherry C. , Durno Carol A. , Erdman Steven H. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTColorectal cancer is a rare disease in the pediatric age group and, when present, suggests an underlying genetic predisposition. The most common hereditary colon cancer susceptibility condition, Lynch syndrome (LS), previously known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, is an autosomal dominant condition caused by a germline mutation in 1 of 4 DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes: MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2. The mutation‐prone phenotype of this disorder is associated with gastrointestinal, endometrial, and other cancers and is now being identified in both symptomatic adolescents with malignancy as well in asymptomatic mutation carriers who are at risk for a spectrum of gastrointestinal and other cancers later in life. We review the DNA MMR system, our present understanding of LS in the pediatric population, and discuss the newly identified biallelic form of the disease known as constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome. Both family history and tumor characteristics can help to identify patients who should undergo genetic testing for these cancer predisposition syndromes. Patients who carry either single allele (LS) or double allele (constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome) mutations in the MMR genes benefit from cancer surveillance programs that target both the digestive and extraintestinal cancer risk of these diseases. Because spontaneous mutation in any one of the MMR genes is extremely rare, genetic counseling and testing are suggested for all at‐risk family members.
Challenges in Meeting Fellowship Procedural Guidelines in Pediatric Therapeutic Endoscopy and Liver Biopsy
Authors: Lerner Diana G. , Li B.U. , Mamula Petar , Fishman Douglas S. , Kramer Robert , Goh Vi Lier , El‐Chammas Khalil , Pentiuk Scott P. , Rothbaum Robert , Gurrum Bhaskar , Rahhal Riad M. , Goday Praveen S. , Vitola Bernadette 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTObjective:The aims of this study were to assess the opportunities for therapeutic endoscopy, liver biopsies, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placements available to fellows during a 3‐year pediatric gastroenterology fellowship, and to evaluate access to ancillary procedural‐training opportunities.Methods:Data were collected from 12 pediatric gastroenterology fellowship programs in the United States. Procedures completed in the years 2009–2011 were queried using CPT codes and endoscopy databases. The maximal opportunity for procedures was based on the total procedures performed by the institution in 3 years divided by the total number of fellows in the program. The centers completed a questionnaire regarding ancillary opportunities for endoscopic training.Results:There is significant variability in pediatric endoscopic training opportunities in specialized gastrointestinal (GI) procedures. Under the 1999 guidelines, no centers were able to meet the thresholds for polypectomy and control of nonvariceal bleeding. The 2013 guidelines allowed the number of programs reaching polypectomy thresholds to increase by 67% but made no difference for control of bleeding despite a decrease in the threshold. Training in PEG placement was not available in 42% of the surveyed centers. Elective ancillary procedural training is offered by 92% of the surveyed centers.Conclusions:Most training programs do not have the volume of therapeutic endoscopy procedures for all of the fellows to meet the training guidelines. Training in therapeutic endoscopy, PEG placement, and liver biopsy in pediatric GI fellowships should be supplemented using all of the possible options including rotations with adult GI providers and hands‐on endoscopy courses. A shift toward evaluating competency via quality measures may be more appropriate.
Baseline Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Macular Volume Quantified by OCT in the North American Phase 3 Fingolimod Trial for Relapsing–Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Winges Kimberly M. , Werner John S. , Harvey Danielle J. , Cello Kimberly E. , Durbin Mary K. , Balcer Laura J. , Calabresi Peter A. , Keltner John L. 
Published: September 2013

Background:
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrate thinning of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and decreased macular volume as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). To our knowledge, there are no previous reports from a large MS OCT database with strict quality control measures that quantitate RNFL and macula in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis.

Methods:
The University of California Davis OCT Reading Center gathered OCT data at baseline as part of the North American phase 3 trial of fingolimod (Gilenya). Average RNFL thickness (RNFLT) and macular volume (TMV) were measured using time domain OCT (TD-OCT). RNFL quadrants, clock hours, and macular subfields were included. With strict quality control and accounting for signal strength differences, scans were categorized as “reduced” or “not reduced” for each field, based on being less than 5th percentile for age-matched controls derived from the normative database in the scanner software. Patients were deemed “abnormal” if at least 1 eye had reduced values for a given parameter. Patients with abnormalities in corresponding RNFL and macular subfields were compared by cross-tabulation.

Results:
The TD-OCT data were prospectively collected from 939 of the 1,083 trial patients, 712 of whom met all final quality and data inclusion criteria. Of the final cohort, 242 (34.0%) demonstrated reduced (less than 5th percentile) average RNFLT in at least 1 eye. One hundred seventy-eight (25.0%) patients had reduced TMV. One hundred twenty-eight (18.0%) demonstrated both reduced TMV and RNFLT in the same eye, whereas 42 (5.8%) had reduced TMV and RNFLT in both eyes. Of the 242 patients with reduced average RNFL thickness, 128 (52.9%) also had reduced TMV. Fifty patients had reduced TMV in the absence of reduced RNFLT in at least 1 eye, a cohort prevalence of 7.0%. Quadrant and subfield analysis showed a predominance of temporal and inferior RNFL thinning, with inferior macular thinning corresponding best to RNFL thinning.

Conclusion:
RNFL and macular thinning/volume loss is common at baseline in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, as measured by TD-OCT. When the RNFL is thin, the macular volume is reduced in more than half of the patients. There is a population of reduced TMV without any reduction in RNFLT. Documenting the prevalence and distribution of these structural abnormalities supports recent reports and suggests new retinal areas to probe for functional vision changes in MS.
Drivers of snack foods impulse buying behaviour among young consumers
Authors: Duarte Paulo , Raposo Mário , Ferraz Marlene 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– This article aims to examine the influence of marketing-controlled external motivators of impulse buying behaviour of snack foods in cafeterias among young students.

Design/methodology/approach
– A questionnaire was used to ask a sample of 200 young consumers about their impulse buying behaviour in cafeterias. The resulting data were submitted to an in-depth four-stage quantitative analysis.

Findings
– The results show that there is not a unique profile of impulse buying behaviour and that young consumers can be effectively segmented in five groups according to their impulsive buying behaviour of snack foods using the eight factors revealed in the exploratory factor analysis. A new segment of health/nutrition-conscientious impulsive consumers was uncovered and characterized.

Research limitations/implications
– The major constraints of this study are the use of a non-probability convenience sampling design and sample size. Future studies should include other products and a more heterogeneous sample. The study represents a good starting point for further debate on impulsive buying behaviour.

Practical implications
– Most of the research done in this area has focused on the supermarket environment, neglecting other types of retail store. Companies could benefit from the current study as it provides them with information that can be used to improve their marketing strategies directed towards this specific market. Additionally, the findings can also help the development of public health policies better tailored to prevent overweight and obesity associated with snack food consumption.

Originality/value
– The study extends the current body of knowledge by examining the applicability and relevance of external motivators of impulse buying behaviour to a significantly different retail environment.
Evaluation of the horizontal electric field of the lightning channel with the fast convergent sommerfeld integral tail
Authors: Zou Jun , Zhou Chenglong , Li Wenwen , Lee Jae-bok , Chang Sughun 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The electromagnetic field radiated from a lightning channel is the excitation for analyzing the field-to-transmission line coupling problem. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel efficient approach to evaluate the horizontal electric field of the lightning channel expressed by the generalized Sommerfeld integral.

Design/methodology/approach
– The asymptotic integral is extracted from the original one, which actually makes the Sommerfeld integral tail reach its convergence very quickly. To handle the sharp variance around k0, a closed-form integral, which is obtained by replacing the original kernel with an approximated function, is presented in detail. The numerical examples validated the proposed approach in the both frequency and time domain.

Findings
– The approach proposed in this paper has been validated by the comparison with results in other papers. The agreement among these results reaches very well, and the approach proposed in this paper is more efficient and easy to implement, especially for the calculation of the tail integral part.

Originality/value
– In accordance with the numerical experiments, the proposed approach can be served as a qualified candidate in terms of computational efficiency to evaluate the electromagnetic field generated by the lightning channel.
Application of ON/OFF method to new conceptual design of magnetic devices
Authors: Takahashi Norio 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to show that how a new magnetic circuit, which the paper could not imagined beforehand, may be obtained using a newly developed ON/OFF topology optimization method by applying it to the design of magnetic head and motor.

Design/methodology/approach
– ON/OFF optimization technique combined with finite element method.

Findings
– It is shown that 3-D topology optimization of SPT head, in which the recording head is increased and the leakage flux is decreased, is possible using the proposed method. The optimization of IPM motor with the minimum torque ripple and the maximum toque is also examined.

Originality/value
– 3-D ON/OFF optimization method applied to practical problems considering the nonlinearity and rotation of rotor, etc.
A comparison between hybrid methods: FEM-BEM versus FEM-DBCI
Authors: Aiello Giovanni , Alfonzetti Salvatore , Borzì Giuseppe , Agatino Rizzo Santi , Salerno Nunzio 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to compare the hybrid FEM-BEM and FEM-DBCI methods for the solution of open-boundary static and quasi-static electromagnetic field problems.

Design/methodology/approach
– After a brief review of the two methods (both coupling a differential equation for the interior problem with an integral equation for the exterior one), they are compared in terms of accuracy, memory and computing time requirements by means of a set of simple examples.

Findings
– The comparison suggests that FEM-BEM is more accurate than FEM-DBCI but requires more computing time.

Practical implications
– Then FEM-DBCI appears more appropriate for applications which require a shorter computing time, for example in the stochastic optimization of electromagnetic devices. Conversely, FEM-BEM is more appropriate in cases in which a high level of precision is required in a single computation.

Originality/value
– Note that the FEM-BEM considered in this paper is a non standard one in which the nodes of the normal derivative on the truncation boundary are placed in positions different from those of the potential.
Dielectric-free multi-band frequency selective surface for antenna applications
Authors: Ramaccia Davide , Bilotti Filiberto , Toscano Alessandro , Vegni Lucio 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to design simple and high-performing screens capable to separate circularly polarized electromagnetic waves in Ku band from the ones in Ka band.

Design/methodology/approach
– The proposed screen consists of an inductive double resonant element FSS, i.e. a regular array of circular holes in a metal thick plate, in order to grant the robustness to mechanical stress for antenna applications in extreme conditions.

Findings
– The proposed design of a multi-band frequency selective surface (FSS) is able to separate circularly polarized electromagnetic waves in Ku band from the ones in Ka band.

Originality/value
– The paper shows the capabilities of a novel FSS that combine the transmission properties of two simple FSSs which allows us to achieve an interesting behaviour in three typical bands of the satellite communications.
Achieving PMC boundary conditions through metamaterials
Authors: Monti Alessio , Scorrano Luca , Tricarico Simone , Bilotti Filiberto , Toscano Alessandro , Vegni Lucio 
Published: September 2013

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to show how metamaterials with extreme values of permittivity and permeability, may be effectively used to design artificial magnetic conductors (AMC) at a given frequency. In particular, this paper theoretically determines, for the different polarizations of the incidence field, the conditions under which metamaterials can behave as an AMC.Design/methodology/approach– In order to find out the required values of the constitutive parameters, this paper has done a theoretical analysis based on the transmission-line theory. The obtained analytical reflection coefficient has been particularized for the different possible polarizations of the incidence field in order to find the constitutive parameters values that this paper needs for the AMC behavior.Findings– Depending on the polarization of the field, it is shown that different values of the constitutive parameters are needed to get AMCs. In particular, it is shown that in the case of TEM and TE polarizations, a large value of the permeability is enough to obtain an AMC boundary condition. In the case of the TM polarization, instead, the AMC boundary condition is effectively achieved by using a material with vanishing permittivity. The role of the permittivity in the three polarizations is discussed. Finally, possible implementations and applications at microwave and optical frequencies are presented.Originality/value– The idea of using miniaturized inclusions to obtain AMCs is not completely new. However, to the authors' best knowledge, a complete and rigorous theoretical analysis showing the capabilities and the limits of this approach has not yet been presented in the open technical literature.
Finite element model of charge transport across ionic channels
Authors: Laudani Antonino , Coco Salvatore , Riganti Fulginei Francesco 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– The paper aims to illustrate the two kinds of analysis approach for which finite element method (FEM) can be successfully employed: the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) model and the Langevin-Lorentz-Poisson (LLP) one.

Design/methodology/approach
– The approach of this work is to try making a survey of the use of the FEM in the modelling of charge transport/ion flow across membrane channels, in particular for the PNP analysis and for a particle based model such as LLP model.

Findings
– In this paper, the two kinds of analysis approach for which FEM can be successfully employed, the PNP model and the LLP one, have been shown. In both cases the FEM is extremely useful to carry out these analysis and the simulation results obtained are in good agreement with experimental results.

Originality/value
– The value of this paper is to demonstrate the FEM is extremely useful to carry out analysis and results which are in good agreement with experimental ones.
Participation in decision making: a case study of job satisfaction and commitment (part three)
Authors: H. Appelbaum Steven , Louis Damien , Makarenko Dmitry , Saluja Jasleena , Meleshko Olga , Kulbashian Sevag 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– When employees believe in and trust their management, it motivates and encourages employees' participation in decision making which improves employees' efforts, benefits their job satisfaction and commitment to work. All of these factors, in turn, contribute to a trustworthy manager-employee relationship. While the literature supports this premise, there is little empirical evidence that patterns of causal inference in the relationship are clearly understood. This three-part empirical case seeks to focus on studying the relations between employee trust in management in a Quebec manufacturing company and their job satisfaction, intention to quit, level of employee participation in decision making and their commitment.

Design/methodology/approach
– This empirical case will test five hypotheses regarding seven variables influencing the level of employee engagement and commitment, employee turnover, employee participation in decision-making processes and job satisfaction.

Findings
– The article finds that employee trust in management is an important determinant of their willingness to participate in decision making. Insufficient employee participation in decision making in turn leads to low level of employee job satisfaction and employee commitment. Lack of employee commitment and engagement affects the employee's intention to quit.

Research limitations/implications
– The sample size of the office workers was not sufficient in order to have statistically significant results of the correlations between the variables for the production department employees and for the office/administrative staff. This could have helped to determine the level of internal communication specifically, but also the level of all of the other variables for the two different groups of employees.

Practical implications
– This article offers useful insights for management in relation to strengthening interpersonal trust within an organization, introducing employee empowerment practices and increasing employee job satisfaction and commitment.

Originality/value
– The findings provide empirical evidence to support theoretical models that link employee trust in management, participation in decision making, job satisfaction, commitment, and turnover intentions and highlight the impact of these factors on organizational performance.
Investigating the wellness tourism factors in hot spring hotel customer service
Authors: Chen Kaung-Hwa , Chang Feng-Hsiang , Wu (Kenny) Chihkang 
Published: September 2013

Purpose
– This study aims to establish customer service factors for wellness tourism from both service providers and customer perspectives, and to determine whether gender and age factors affect older tourist opinions of customer service.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors interviewed 13 experts in the hot spring hotel industry and more than 469 hot spring hotel visitors who are over 50 years of age. Content validity and homogeneity reliability as proposed by Aiken were used to confirm customer service factors. This study uses the verbal-linguistic evaluation to assess customer service factors and each service item associated with these factors.

Findings
– Eight crucial customer service factors, from high to low, are personnel services, environments, healthy diet, relaxation, health promotion treatments, experience of unique tourism resources, social activities, and mental learning.

Research limitations/implications
– This study implicated allocation and management of input resources as the service factors that are used for determining the preferences of older consumers in wellness tourism.

Originality/value
– Numerous countries are currently facing an aging population and market opportunities for wellness tourism are popular with the tourism industry. Studies show that enhanced customer service increases competitive advantage in the tourism industry. However, customer service differs from what customers prefer. For this study, the authors compiled the viewpoints of older consumers, hotel personnel, and expert opinions in the hotel industry to identify customer-service factors in wellness tourism. The analytical results of this study suggest that hot spring hotels in Taiwan can focus on critical customer-service items, resource management, and resource allocation.