bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Zofenopril attenuates injury induced by ischemia‐reperfusion on rat ovary
Authors: Keskin Kurt Raziye , Dogan Ayşe Citil , Dogan Murat , Albayrak Aynur , Kurt Sefika Nur , Eren Furkan , Silfeler Dilek Benk , Karateke Atilla , Fadillioglu Ersin , Delibasi Tuncay 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimThe aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of zofenopril in an experimental model of ovarian torsion in rats with histologic and biochemical assessments.Material and MethodsExperimental procedures were performed on 35 female rats (Wistar albino). Rats were randomly divided into five groups as: sham (sham operated, n = 7); vehicle group 1 (torsion–detorsion, n = 7) with 2 h ischemia and 2 h reperfusion; vehicle group 2 (torsion–detorsion, n = 7) with 2 h ischemia and 5 days' reperfusion; zofenopril group 1 (torsion–detorsion, n = 7) with 2 h ischemia, 2 h reperfusion and a signal dose of oral 15 mg/kg zofenopril; and zofenopril group 2 (torsion–detorsion, n = 7) with 2 h ischemia, 5 days' reperfusion and 5 days' oral 15 mg/kg zofenopril. A scoring of histopathologic evaluation was performed on the ovaries according to congestion, bleeding, edema, and cellular degeneration. Biochemical assessments included catalase, tissue malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl.ResultsCompared with the vehicle groups, histopathologic scores, tissue malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels, which reflect oxidative stress markers, were significantly lower in the zofenopril groups. Furthermore, catalase levels were significantly increased in the zofenopril group.ConclusionOur study results revealed that zofenopril attenuates injury induced by ischemia‐reperfusion on rat ovary.
Configurations of Capacity for Change in Entrepreneurial Threshold Firms: Imprinting and Strategic Choice Perspectives
Authors: Judge William Q. , Hu Helen W. , Gabrielsson Jonas , Talaulicar Till , Witt Michael A. , Zattoni Alessandro , López‐Iturriaga Félix , Chen Jean Jingham , Shukla Dhirendra , Quttainah Majdi , Adegbite Emmanuel , Luis Rivas José , Kibler Bruce 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACTImprinting theory suggests that founding conditions are ‘stamped’ on organizations, and these imprinted routines often resist change. In contrast, strategic choice theory suggests that the firm can overcome organizational inertia and deliberately choose its future. Both theories offer dramatically different explanations behind an organization's capacity for change. IPO firms provide a unique context for exploring how imprinting forces interact with strategic choice factors to address organizational capacity for change as a firm moves from private to public firm status. Juxtaposing imprinting and strategic choice perspectives, we employ fuzzy set analysis to examine the multi‐level determinants of organizational capacity for change. Our cross‐national data reveal three effective configurations of organizational capacity for change within IPOs, and two ineffective configurations. Our results suggest that the antecedents of organizational capacity for change in entrepreneurial threshold firms are non‐linear, interdependent, and equifinal.
Investigation of an anti-activated factor X (anti-Xa) assay for the quantification of enoxaparin in human plasma
Authors: Al-Sallami Hesham S , Medlicott Natalie J 
Published: December 2014

Abstract

Objectives
Enoxaparin is a low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) widely used for the treatment of thrombosis and measured through a chromogenic assay (anti-Xa). The aim of this project was to investigate the impact of patient and sampling sources of variation on an anti-Xa assay for enoxaparin.

Methods
COATEST was used in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. A standard curve of LMWH concentration (0.1–1.0 IU/ml) was prepared. The shelf-life and freeze-thaw stability of Xa over a 6-month period were investigated. The effects of blood sample haemolysis and plasma antithrombin-III (AT) concentration were examined.

Key findings
The standard curve performed well with high accuracy (average bias of 8.1%) and precision (average CV of 2.8%). The shelf-life of Xa once reconstituted could be extended from 1 month to 4 months if aliquots were frozen at −20°C. Some loss of anti-Xa activity was observed on freeze-thawing (bias up to 25%). Haemolysis of 2.5% was found to interfere with the assay. AT level as low as 50% did not affect assay accuracy.

Conclusions
Xa standards when frozen immediately after reconstitution could be used for the following 4 months. Haemolysis interferes with the assay, but a 50% reduction in AT does not significantly affect the assay result.
Beauty in the eyes of the beholders: colour vision is tuned to mate preference in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
Authors: Sandkam Benjamin , Young C. Megan , Breden Felix 
Published: December 2014

AbstractA broad range of animals use visual signals to assess potential mates, and the theory of sensory exploitation suggests variation in visual systems drives mate preference variation due to sensory bias. Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata), a classic system for studies of the evolution of female mate choice, provide a unique opportunity to test this theory by looking for covariation in visual tuning, light environment and mate preferences. Female preference co‐evolves with male coloration, such that guppy females from ‘low‐predation’ environments have stronger preferences for males with more orange/red coloration than do females from ‘high‐predation’ environments. Here, we show that colour vision also varies across populations, with ‘low’‐predation guppies investing more of their colour vision to detect red/orange coloration. In independently colonized watersheds, guppies expressed higher levels of both LWS‐1 and LWS‐3 (the most abundant LWS opsins) in ‘low‐predation’ populations than ‘high‐predation’ populations at a time that corresponds to differences in cone cell abundance. We also observed that the frequency of a coding polymorphism differed between high‐ and low‐predation populations. Together, this shows that the variation underlying preference could be explained by simple changes in expression and coding of opsins, providing important candidate genes to investigate the genetic basis of female preference variation in this model system.
Feasibility study of colestipol as an oral phosphate binder in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Hood Christopher J , Wolley Martin J , Kam Angela L , Kendrik‐Jones Jamie C , Marshall Mark R 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBackgroundCurrently available calcium‐ and aluminium‐based phosphate binders are dose limited because of potential toxicity, and newer proprietary phosphate binders are expensive. We examined phosphate‐binding effects of the bile acid sequestrant colestipol, a non‐proprietary drug that is in the same class as sevelamer.MethodsThe trial was an 8 week prospective feasibility study in stable hemodialysis patients using colestipol as the only phosphate binder, preceded and followed by a washout phase of all other phosphate binders. The primary study endpoint was weekly measurements of serum phosphate. Secondary endpoints were serum calcium, lipids and coagulation status. Analyses used random effects mixed models.Results Thirty patients were screened for participation of which 26 met criteria for treatment. At a mean dose of 8.8 g/24 h of colestipol by study end, serum phosphate dropped from 2.24 to 1.96 mmol/L (P < 0.001). Three patients required calcium supplementation. LDL cholesterol dropped from 1.75 to 1.2 mmol/L (P < 0.001). Three patients dropped out because of side effects or intolerance of the required dose.ConclusionThe results support the feasibility of a larger trial to determine the efficacy of colestipol as a phosphate binder and that other non‐proprietary anion‐exchange resins may also warrant investigation.
The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Micro Enterprises: Do Banks Matter? Evidence from Indian Manufacturing
Authors: Sundaram Asha 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThis paper looks at the impact of trade liberalization on micro enterprises with differential access to banks. I use Indian data on rural micro enterprises employing less than ten workers in the manufacturing sector to find that trade liberalization, measured by a fall in the tariff, is associated with a larger increase or a smaller decrease in output, capital–labour ratio and labour productivity in districts with a larger number of bank branches per capita. Evidence is consistent with strong complementarities between trade liberalization effects, and the economic dynamism and access to financial intermediation associated with greater bank presence in the enterprise's location. The study underscores that trade liberalization can be beneficial to micro entrepreneurs under certain conditions and emphasizes reallocation resulting from trade liberalization. The study hence highlights the role for development policy in exploiting gains from trade.
Institutions and Firms' Productivity: Evidence from Electricity Distribution in the EU
Authors: Borghi Elisa , Del Bo Chiara , Florio Massimo 
Published: December 2014

AbstractFirms' productivity is influenced by internal and external institutions. Ownership is the core internal institutional feature of the firm, while the most important external institutional feature is the quality of government, which shapes the environment in which firms operate. We explore the relative role of these factors and their interaction in determining total factor productivity of electricity distribution firms in 16 EU countries. Using data from the Amadeus database of balance‐sheet information and from the Quality of Governance database, we find that when the quality of government is poor, public ownership is associated with lower productivity levels; however, public ownership is associated with higher productivity in countries characterized by higher quality of the institutional environment.
Disease severity in newly diagnosed glaucoma patients with visual field loss: trends from more than a decade of data
Authors: Boodhna Trishal , Crabb David P. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPurposeLarge archives of visual field (VF) records from automated perimetry are used to examine severity of vision loss at diagnosis in glaucoma patients over a 13 year period in England.MethodsA total of 473 252 Humphrey VFs recorded at four regionally different glaucoma clinics in England were retrospectively examined. Patients were required to have a Humphrey mean deviation (MD) outside 95% normative limits in at least one eye and had at least two visits to the glaucoma clinic in a study period between the start of 1999 and the end of 2011. No other clinical data was considered. MD of the worse eye at the first hospital visit was used as an estimate of vision loss for a patient at diagnosis; proportion of patients categorised as having ‘early’ (better than −6 dB) or ‘advanced’ (worse than −12 dB) VF loss were also calculated. Simple linear regression of MD against the date of first visit was used to estimate changes in vision loss at diagnosis over time.ResultsMedian age, at the time of diagnosis, of the 25 521 patients included in the analysis was 67 (interquartile range 55–76) years. Average level of glaucoma vision loss at diagnosis, in those patients presenting to secondary care with a VF defect, improved by an average 0.11 dB per year over the study period (95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.13 dB per year; p < 0.0001). Percentage of patients with ‘advanced’ VF loss in at least one eye at diagnosis changed from 30% (1999–2001) to 21% in (2009–2011) (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsSeverity of vision loss at the point of glaucoma detection, in those patients diagnosed with a VF defect, is improving over time in England. Nevertheless, the improvement is modest and large numbers of patients still present at glaucoma clinics with significant vision loss in at least one eye. Large scale digital VF data can be used to help monitor and audit health service delivery of glaucoma.
Comparison of pediatric perioperative risk assessment by ASA physical status and by NARCO‐SS (neurological, airway, respiratory, cardiovascular, other–surgical severity) scores
Authors: Udupa Ashwin N. , Ravindra Madhavi N. , Chandrika Y. R. , Chandrakala K. R. , Bindu N. , Watcha Mehernoor F. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryBackgroundASA‐PS is a widely used perioperative health assessment method, but with poor reproducibility. A novel objective, pediatric‐specific risk classification system based on Neurological, Airway, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Other categories and Surgical Severity (NARCO‐SS) has been validated in only one US center.ObjectiveIndependent external validation of the NARCO‐SS and comparison with the ASA‐PS in predicting perioperative outcomes.MethodsPreoperative ASA‐PS and NARCO‐SS scores were assigned to 387 children by pediatric anesthesia consultants at a tertiary care center in India and predefined perioperative adverse events and escalation of care recorded. Spearman's correlations determined the relationship between outcomes and scores and kappa statistics for interobserver reliability. The predictive performance of the ASA‐PS and NARCO‐SS was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC‐ROC) for discrimination and Pearson's chi‐square for calibration.ResultsNARCO‐SS and ASA scores had significant Spearman's correlation coefficients with perioperative outcomes and moderate interobserver reliability. The NARCO‐SS showed greater discrimination than the ASA‐PS (AUC–ROC 0.778 vs 0.710 for escalation of care and 0.822 vs 0.724 for adverse events, P < 0.01). However, both scores had poor calibration (Pearson's chi‐square, P < 0.0001). Individual NARCO‐SS categories for neurological and airway lacked statistically significant Spearman's correlations.ConclusionsNARCO‐SS is a valid risk stratification tool that is better than the ASA‐PS in discriminating children with adverse perioperative outcomes. The poor calibration of both scores suggests neither can reliably predict perioperative outcomes in individual patients. Modification of neurological and airway categories may improve the predictive accuracy of the NARCO‐SS.
The Yugas: Their Importance in India and their Use by Western Intellectuals and Esoteric and New Age Writers
Authors: González‐Reimann Luis 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe first part of this article addresses the origin and importance of the yuga theory in India. The second part deals with the discovery of the yuga system by the West, its use by modern Western esoteric writers, and its relevance to New Age ideas, including attempts to determine the date of the beginning of a new cosmic age. The second part will take up more space because it has been less explored.
Hip Strengthening Compared With Quadriceps Strengthening in Conservative Treatment of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Regelski Chyrsten L. , Ford Brittany L. , Hoch Matthew C. 
Published: December 2014

Clinical Scenario:Patellofemoral pain is a common injury that affects both athletic and sedentary populations. Clinicians may treat patellofemoral pain more effectively through a comprehensive understanding of the most effective exercise protocols.Clinical Question:In patients with patellofemoral pain, are hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening exercises more effective in reducing pain and improving patient-reported function compared with isolated quadriceps strengthening?Summary of Key Findings:A comprehensive and systematic database search was conducted for studies of level 2 evidence or higher. The search yielded 253 studies; of these studies, four randomized control trials and one comparative control trial fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A combination of quadriceps and hip strengthening exercises or hip strengthening exercises alone reduced pain and improved patient-reported function compared with quadriceps strengthening alone.Clinical Bottom Line:There is strong evidence to support the use of hip strengthening or hip strengthening combined with quadriceps strengthening in the treatment of patellofem-oral pain to decrease pain and improve patient reported function.Strength of Recommendation:The Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy recommends a grade of A for level 1 evidence with consistent patient-oriented findings.
Influence of Mulligan Ankle Taping on Functional Performance Tests in Healthy Athletes and Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability
Authors: Someeh Marjan , Norasteh Ali Asghar , Daneshmandi Hassan , Asadi Abbas 
Published: December 2014

Context:Ankle sprains or chronic ankle instability (CAI) is common in athletes and a common method for decreasing the effects of ankle instable is using tape.Objective:To determine whether Mulligan ankle taping (MAT) influenced the functional performance (FP) tests in athletes with and without CAI.Design:A cross-sectional study using a within-subject experimental design between four ankle conditions (taped and untaped, athletes with and without CAI).Setting:Research laboratory.Participants:Sixteen professional athletes with unilateral CAI (10 men and 6 women; age 23.2 ± 3 years, height 175.4 ± 10.3 cm, weight 73 ± 14.5 kg, and body mass index 23.8 ± 3.6%) and 16 uninjured professional athletes (10 men and 6 women; age 22.8 ± 1.7 years, height 173.6 ± 12.2 cm, weight 66.4 ± 11.4 kg, and body mass index 22.2 ± 3.3%) volunteered to participant in this study.Intervention:Mulligan ankle taping.Main Outcome Measures:FP tests including single leg hopping course, Figure-of-8 hop and side hop were measured for both the groups in two conditions: taped and untaped.Results:There were significant differences between injured and uninjured athletes in all FP tests (P < .05). MAT significantly improved FP tests in both groups (P < .05).Conclusion:We found that MAT can improve FP tests in athletes with CAI and uninjured athletes. Therefore, it seems that MAT can be an effective method for enhancing athletes’ performance in sports that require lateral movements.
Does a healthy lifestyle behaviour influence the prognosis of low back pain among men and women in a general population? A population-based cohort study
Authors: Bohman Tony , Alfredsson Lars , Jensen Irene , Hallqvist Johan , Vingård Eva , Skillgate Eva 
Published: December 2014

ObjectivesTo study the influence of healthy lifestyle behaviour on the prognosis of occasional low back pain among men and women in a general population.DesignCohort study with a 4-year follow-up.SettingsGeneral population in Stockholm County, Sweden.ParticipantsThe study sample comprised 3938 men and 5056 women aged 18–84 from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort reporting occasional low back pain in the baseline questionnaire 2006.MeasuresLifestyle factors and potential confounders were assessed at baseline. The lifestyle factors smoking habits, alcohol consumption, leisure physical activity and consumption of fruit and vegetables were dichotomised using recommendations for a health-enhancing lifestyle and combined to form the exposure variable ‘healthy lifestyle behaviour’. The exposure was categorised into five levels according to the number of healthy lifestyle factors met. The follow-up questionnaire in 2010 gave information about the outcome, long duration troublesome low back pain. Crude and adjusted binomial regression models were applied to estimate the association between the exposure and the outcome analysing men and women separately.ResultsThe risk of developing long duration troublesome low back pain among women with occasional low back pain decreased with increasing healthy lifestyle behaviour (trend test: p=0.006). 21% (28/131) among women with no healthy lifestyle factor (reference) experienced the outcome compared to 9% (36/420) among women with all four factors. Compared to the reference group, the risk was reduced by 35% (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.96) for women with one healthy lifestyle factor and 52% (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.77) for women with all four healthy lifestyle factors. There were no clear associations found among men.ConclusionsHealthy lifestyle behaviour seems to decrease the risk of developing long duration troublesome low back pain among women with occasional low back pain and may be recommended to improve the prognosis.
Standardised method for reporting exercise programmes: protocol for a modified Delphi study
Authors: Slade Susan C , Dionne Clermont E , Underwood Martin , Buchbinder Rachelle 
Published: December 2014

IntroductionExercise is integral to health across the lifespan and important for people with chronic health conditions. A systematic review of exercise trials for chronic conditions reported suboptimal descriptions of the evaluated interventions and concluded that this hinders interpretation and replication. The aim of this project is to develop a standardised method for reporting essential exercise programme details being evaluated in clinical trials.Methods and analysisA modified Delphi technique will be used to gain consensus among international exercise experts. We will use three sequential rounds of anonymous online questionnaires to refine a standardised checklist. A draft checklist of potentially relevant items was developed based on the results of a systematic review of exercise systematic reviews. An international panel of experts was identified by exercise systematic review authorship, established international profile in exercise research and practice and by peer referral. In round 1, the international panel of experts will be asked to rate the importance of each draft item and provide additional suggestions for revisions or new items. Consensus will be considered reached if at least 70% of the panel strongly agree/disagree that an item should be included or excluded. Where agreement is not reached or there are suggestions for altered or new items, these will be taken to round 2 together with an aggregated summary of round 1 responses. Following the second round, a ranking of item importance will be made to rationalise the number of items. The final template will be distributed to panel members for approval.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was received from The Cabrini Institute Ethics Committee, Melbourne, Australia (HREC 02-07-04-14). We plan to use a stepwise process to develop and refine a standardised and internationally agreed template for explicit reporting of exercise programmes. The template will be generalisable across all types of exercise interventions. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
Entanglement perturbation theory for infinite quasi-1D quantum systems
Authors: Wang Lihua , Chung Sung Gong 
Published: December 2014

We develop entanglement perturbation theory (EPT) for infinite Quasi-1D quantum systems. The spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with ferromagnetic nearest neighbor (NN) and antiferromagnetic next nearest neighbor (NNN) interactions with an easy-plane anisotropy is studied as a prototypical system. The obtained phase diagram is compared with a recent prediction [Phys. Rev. B 81, 094430 (2010)] that dimer and Néel orders appear alternately as the XXZ anisotropy Δ approaches the isotropic limit Δ = 1. The first and second transitions (across dimer, Néel and dimer phases) are detected with improved accuracy at Δ ≈ 0.722 and 0.930. The third transition (from dimer to Néel phases), previously predicted to be at Δ ≈ 0.98, is not detected at this Δ in our method, strongly indicating that the second Néel phase is absent.