bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regional variations in the neural control of the female pig urethra
Authors: BRIDGEWATER M. , DAVIES J.R. , BRADING A.F. 
Published: March 2014

Objective To establish the regional variation, if any, in the distribution of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves within the urethra of the female pig and to correlate this with regional variations in the response of the smooth muscle to sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve stimulation and the application of phenylephrine and carbachol.Materials and methods Female pig urethras were obtained from a local abattoir. Serial sections were cut from the proximal, middle and distal regions of the urethra and stained using tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry and acetylcholinesterase histochemistry for the demonstration of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, respectively. Strips of smooth muscle dissected from the same regions of the urethra were also mounted in organ baths to record isometric tension. Responses to nerve stimulation and α‐adrenoceptor and muscarinic receptor activation were recorded.Results Tyrosine hydroxylase‐ and acetylcholinesterasepositive staining was demonstrated throughout the urethra. However, the density of sympathetic innervation was greatest in those strips dissected from the distal urethra, whilst the parasympathetic innervation was uniform throughout the length. Strips of urethral smooth muscle mounted for tension recording generated spontaneous tone. Smooth muscle dissected from the proximal urethra developed the greatest tone, whilst strips from the distal urethra generated significantly less. Responses to nerve stimulation were complex; sympathetic nerve stimulation elicited frequency‐dependent contraction in all strips, but the response was most pronounced in the distal strips where tone was low. Conversely, parasympathetic nerve stimulation elicited the greatest contractile response from the proximal urethral strips. In all strips, but in particular those dissected from the proximal urethra, the contractile responses were attenuated by the occurrence of a non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic (NANC), non‐nitrergic relaxation as stimulation frequency was increased. Phenylephrine and carbachol also produced concentration‐dependent contraction of all urethral strips. Like the nerve‐mediated responses, contraction in response to phenylephrine was most pronounced in the distal urethral strips whilst the response to carbachol was most pronounced in the proximal urethral strips.Conclusions The results demonstrated a regional variation in the distribution of sympathetic nerves within the urethra of the female pig which would appear to be mirrored not only in the responsiveness of the tissue to sympathetic nerve stimulation but also in its response to α‐adrenoceptor stimulation. In contrast, although no regional variation in the distribution of parasympathetic nerves could be demonstrated histologically, responses to nerve stimulation and the muscarinic agonist carbachol were most pronounced in the proximal urethral strips.
Bladder and erectile dysfunction before and after rectal surgery for cancer
Authors: LEVECKIS J. , BOUCHER N.R. , PARYS B.T. , REED M.W.R. , SHORTHOUSE A.J. , ANDERSON J.B. 
Published: March 2014

Objective To establish the incidence of bladder and erectile dysfunction after rectal surgery for cancer.Patients and methods Twenty patients (16 men and four women, median age 66 years, range 36–78) with carcinoma of the rectum were prospectively studied immediately before and 4 months after operation by clinical assessment, uroflowmetry and video‐cystometrography. All patients were catheterized routinely at the time of surgery. Those experiencing voiding difficulties after catheter removal were managed by intermittent self‐catheterization or an indwelling urethral catheter.Results Before surgery, only six patients had completely normal bladder function and 13 of the 16 men were at least partially potent. Eight of the 19 patients who eventually had surgery developed identifiable bladder dysfunction, of whom three had urodynamic evidence of complete bladder denervation. Three men who were potent before became impotent after surgery.Conclusions Bladder and erectile dysfunction are recognized complications of radical rectal surgery, although there is significant variation in the reported risk; much of this variability is related to the retrospective nature of most previous studies. This study demonstrates the importance of prospective urodynamic evaluation and confirms that the small but significant risk of permanent bladder dysfunction is likely to be related to pelvic nerve injury at the time of surgery.
Free Immigration and Welfare Access: The Swedish Experience
Authors: Ruist Joakim 
Published: March 2014

AbstractWith the expansion of the European Union from 15 to 25 member countries in 2004, fears of migrants’ excessive welfare use led 14 of the 15 older member countries to impose restrictions on the access of citizens of the new member countries – the A10 countries – to their welfare systems. Sweden was the only exception. This paper evaluates the net contribution of post‐enlargement A10 immigrants to Swedish public finances in 2007. On average, A10 immigrants generate less public revenue than the population on average, but they also cost less. The net result is a zero or small positive net contribution. In particular, A10 immigrants do not benefit more from basic social welfare than the population on average. The discounted net contribution over the A10 immigrants’ lifetimes may be positive or negative depending, for example, on their income assimilation rates and on future real interest rates.
Response of Tax Credit Claims to Tax Enforcement: Evidence from a Quasi‐Experiment in Chile
Authors: Agostini Claudio A. , Martínez A. Claudia 
Published: March 2014

AbstractDiesel in Chile receives different tax treatments depending on its use. If diesel is used in industrial activities, the diesel taxes paid can be fully used as a credit against VAT, but if it is used in freight or public transportation – basically trucks and buses – only a fraction of diesel taxes paid can be claimed as a tax credit for VAT payments. As a result of this different tax treatment, firms have incentives to use ‘tax‐exempted’ diesel in activities requiring ‘non‐tax‐exempted’ diesel. This tax wedge therefore generates an opportunity for tax evasion, especially for firms with multiple economic activities, one of them being transport. In this paper, we analyse the impact of a tax enforcement programme implemented by the Chilean Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where letters requiring information about diesel purchases and use and vehicle ownership were sent to around 200 firms in 2003. Using different empirical strategies to consider the non‐randomness of the selection of firms, the empirical results show consistently that firms receiving a letter decreased their diesel tax credits by around 10 per cent.
The Determinants of the Volatility of Fiscal Policy Discretion
Authors: Agnello Luca , Sousa Ricardo M. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis paper investigates the determinants of the volatility of fiscal policy discretion. Using a linear dynamic panel data model for 113 countries from 1980 to 2006 and a system‐GMM estimator, we find that an increase in the number of episodes of government crisis, less democracy and presidentialist systems raise the volatility of the discretionary component of fiscal policy. Additionally, we show that countries with larger populations and less flexible exchange rate systems are more insured against uncertainty about the conduct of fiscal policy. Our results are robust to various regional dummy variables, different subsets of countries and the presence of high inflation and crisis episodes.
Microwave Dielectric Properties of Novel Glass‐Free Low‐Firing Li2CeO3 Ceramics
Authors: Tseng Ching‐Fang , Lin Po‐An 
Published: March 2014

Novel glass–free low temperature firing microwave dielectric ceramics Li2CeO3 with high Q prepared through a conventional solid‐state reaction method had been investigated. All the specimens in this paper have sintering temperature lower than 750°C. XRD studies revealed single cubic phase. The microwave dielectric properties were correlated with the sintering conditions. At 720°C/4 h, Li2CeO3 ceramics possessed the excellent microwave dielectric properties of εr = 15.8, Q × f = 143 700 (GHz), and τf = −123 ppm/°C. Li2CeO3 ceramics could be excellent candidates for glass‐free low‐temperature co‐fired ceramics substrates.
Structural Characterization and Optical Properties of Perovskite ZnZrO3 Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhu Xinhua , Zhou Jun , Zhu Jianmin , Liu Zhiguo , Li Yangyang , Al‐Kassab Talaat 
Published: March 2014

Perovskite ZnZrO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method, and their microstructures and optical properties were characterized. The crystallinity, phase formation, morphology and composition of the as‐synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), high‐resolutiontransmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis, respectively. TEM images demonstrated that the average particle size of the ZnZrO3 powders was increased with increasing the Zn/Zr molar ratios in the precursors, and more large ZnZrO3 particles with cubic morphology were observed at high Zn/Zr molar ratios. In addition, the phase structures of the ZnZrO3 particles were also evolved from a cubic to tetragonal perovskite phase, as revealed by XRD and SAED patterns. HRTEM images demonstrate that surface structures of the ZnZrO3 powders synthesized at high Zn/Zr molar ratios, are composed of corners bound by the {100} mini‐facets, and the surface steps lying on the {100} planes are frequently observed, whereas the (101) facet isoccasionally observed. The formation of such a rough surface structure is understood from the periodic bond chain theory. Quantitative EDX analyses demonstrated that the atomic concentrations (at.%) of Zn:Zr:O in the particles were 20.70:21.07:58.23, as close to the composition of ZnZrO3. In the optical spectra, a significant red shift of the absorption edges (for the ZnZrO3 nanopowders) from UV to visible region (from 394 to 417 nm) was observed as increasing the Zn/Zr molar ratios in the precursors, which corresponds to that the band gap energies of the ZnZrO3 nanopowders can be continuously tuned from 3.15 to 2.97 eV. This opens an easy way to tune the band gap energies of the ZnZrO3 nanopowders.
Thermal Properties of (Zr,TM)B2 Solid Solutions with TM = Hf, Nb, W, Ti, and Y
Authors: McClane Devon L. , Fahrenholtz William G. , Hilmas Gregory E. 
Published: March 2014

The thermal properties were investigated for hot‐pressed zirconium diboride—transition‐metal boride solid solutions. The transition‐metal additives included hafnium, niobium, tungsten, titanium, and yttrium. The nominal additions were equivalent to 3 at.% of each metal with respect to zirconium. Powders were hot‐pressed to nearly full density at 2150°C using 0.5 wt% carbon as a sintering aid. Thermal diffusivity was measured using the laser flash method. Thermal conductivity was calculated from the thermal diffusivity results using temperature‐dependent values for density and heat capacity. At 25°C, the thermal conductivity ranged from 88 to 34 W·(m·K)−1 for specimens with various additives. Electrical resistivity measurements and the Wiedemann–Franz law were used to calculate the electron contribution of the thermal conductivity and revealed that thermal conductivity was dominated by the electron contribution. The decrease in thermal conductivity correlated with a decrease in unit cell volume, indicating that lattice strain may affect both phonon and electron transport in ZrB2.
High Piezoelectric Longitudinal Coefficients in Sol–gel PZT Thin Film Multilayers
Authors: Balma Davide , Mazzalai Andrea , Chidambaram Nachiappan , Sandu Cosmin S. , Neels Antonia , Dommann Alex , Hess Peter , Binz Dieter , Muralt Paul 
Published: March 2014

A five‐layer stack of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films with Pt electrodes was fabricated for potential applications in nanoactuator systems. The 1 μm thick PZT films were deposited by a sol–gel technique, the platinum electrodes by sputtering. The PZT films were crack‐free, in spite of the use of silicon as a substrate, suggesting an increased toughness of the metal–ceramic composite. For piezoelectric characterization, the intermediate electrodes were liberated by successive etching of the PZT and Pt layers, obtaining a functional three‐ layer stack. A total thickness change of 5.2 nm was achieved with 10 V, measured by double beam laser interferometry. The small signal response was obtained as 0.49 nm/V. Finite element simulations were made to account for the thickness change in the substrate due to the transverse piezoelectric effect. The average response corresponds to an average d33,f of 120 pm/V. The multiple annealed buried layers show clearly a better performance with up to 175 pm/V. It is concluded that the electrode interfaces in the interior exhibit higher qualities, as supported by transmission electron microscopy, and that the multiple anneals were beneficial for PZT thin film quality.
How do skilled and less‐skilled spellers write text messages? A longitudinal study
Authors: Bernicot J. , Goumi A. , Bert‐Erboul A. , Volckaert‐Legrier O. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThe link between students' spelling level and their text‐messaging practice gives rise to numerous questions from teachers, parents and the media. A corpus of 4524 text messages produced in daily‐life situations by students in sixth and seventh grade (n = 19, 11–12 years of age) was compiled. None of the participants had ever owned or used a mobile phone before the start of the study; their text messages were collected monthly over the course of a year. The comparison between the group with mobile phones and the control group without mobile phones (n = 30) showed no difference between the level of traditional writing at the beginning of the text‐message collection and during the collection. The results showed that the correlation between the level of traditional spelling and the density of textisms was dependent upon the type of textisms (consistent/breaking with traditional code), the type of spelling (usage‐based/rule‐based), the grades in French class and the duration of text‐messaging practice. On the whole, students who were skilled or less skilled in traditional writing at the beginning of the text‐message collection remained respectively skilled or less skilled throughout the year, despite their text‐messaging use (density and type of textisms). The discussion of this study's academic implications tends towards a complementarity between traditional writing and text messaging.
A Comparison of Four Frailty Models
Authors: Malmstrom Theodore K. , Miller Douglas K. , Morley John E. 
Published: March 2014

ObjectivesTo determine how well the interview‐based, clinic‐friendly International Academy of Nutrition and Aging (FRAIL) frailty scale predicts future disability and mortality in the African American Health (AAH) cohort compared with the clinic‐friendly Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) frailty scale, the phenotype‐based Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) frailty scale, and the comprehensive Frailty Index (FI).DesignLongitudinal cohort study.SettingMetropolitan St. Louis, Missouri.ParticipantsAfrican American Health is a population‐based panel study of African Americans (baseline age 49–65) from St. Louis, Missouri. Participants completed in‐home assessments at baseline (N = 998) and 3‐ (n = 853) and 9‐ (n = 582) year follow‐up.MeasurementsOutcomes included activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL difficulties at 3 and 9 years and 9‐year mortality. Frailty measures included the FRAIL, SOF, and CHS scales and the FI.ResultsThe FRAIL, SOF, CHS, and FI measures predicted new 3‐ and 9‐year disability, and the FRAIL and FI scales predicted 9‐year mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) contrasts showed that the FRAIL scale performed as well as (9‐year disability and mortality) or better than (3‐year disability) the CHS and SOF scales and the FI better than the FRAIL, CHS, and SOF scales for all outcomes except the FRAIL and CHS scales for 9‐year ADL difficulties. The CHS and SOF scales were equivalent for all outcomes in ROC contrasts.ConclusionOverall the FI and the FRAIL scale exhibited the strongest predictive validity for disability and mortality in AAH. The best prediction tool to identify frail individuals at risk of disability and mortality may be one that includes a comorbidity measure. The FRAIL scale includes a comorbidity item and is a brief interview‐based measure that is easy to administer, score, and interpret. The FRAIL scale has demonstrated validity and may prove to be a valuable scale for use by clinicians.
Dysphagia in Old‐Old Women: Prevalence as Determined According to Self‐Report and the 3‐Ounce Water Swallowing Test
Authors: González‐Fernández Marlís , Humbert Ianessa , Winegrad Heather , Cappola Anne R. , Fried Linda P. 
Published: March 2014

ObjectivesTo determine whether symptoms and clinical signs of swallowing dysfunction could be easily identified in community‐dwelling elderly adults and to examine the association between self‐report and direct observation of symptoms and signs of swallowing dysfunction.DesignPhysiological substudy conducted as a home visit within an observational cohort study.SettingBaltimore City and County, Maryland.ParticipantsCommunity‐dwelling elderly women without history of dysphagia or neurological disease aged 85 to 94 enrolled in the Women's Health and Aging Study II (N = 47).MeasurementsThree trials of the 3‐ounce water swallowing test, swallowing function questionnaire, and frailty status.ResultsThirty‐four (72%) subjects demonstrated swallowing dysfunction in at least one swallowing trial and 16 (34%) in all three trials. The most common signs of dysfunction were throat clear and wet voice. Conversely, participants reported few symptoms of dysphagia on a swallowing function questionnaire. The most common symptom, reported by approximately 15% of participants, was the sensation of the food going “down the wrong way,” 8.5% or fewer participants reported other symptoms.ConclusionSigns of swallowing dysfunction were present in a large majority of community‐dwelling old‐old women, but they were largely unrecognized and reported. Formal evaluation of swallowing function in community‐dwelling elderly adults is necessary to determine the clinical consequences of these findings.
Systematic Review of the Use of Online Questionnaires of Older Adults
Authors: Remillard Meegan L. , Mazor Kathleen M. , Cutrona Sarah L. , Gurwitz Jerry H. , Tjia Jennifer 
Published: March 2014

ObjectivesTo describe methodological approaches to population targeting and sampling and to summarize limitations of Internet‐based questionnaires in older adults.DesignSystematic literature review.SettingStudies using online questionnaires in older adult populations.ParticipantsEnglish‐language articles using search terms for geriatric, age 65 and over, Internet survey, online survey, Internet questionnaire, and online questionnaire in PubMed and EBSCO host between 1984 and July 2012. Inclusion criteria were study population mean age 65 and older and use of an online questionnaire for research. Review of 336 abstracts yielded 14 articles for full review by two investigators; 11 articles met inclusion criteria.MeasurementsArticles were extracted for study design and setting, participant characteristics, recruitment strategy, country, and study limitations.ResultsEleven articles were published after 2001. Studies had populations with a mean age of 65 to 78, included descriptive and analytical designs, and were conducted in the United States, Australia, and Japan. Recruiting methods varied widely from paper fliers and personal e‐mails to use of consumer marketing panels. Investigator‐reported study limitations included the use of small convenience samples and limited generalizability.ConclusionOnline questionnaires are a feasible method of surveying older adults in some geographic regions and for some subsets of older adults, but limited Internet access constrains recruiting methods and often limits study generalizability.
Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Reduce Vascular Markers of Inflammation and Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Women
Authors: Ryan Alice S. , Ge Shealinna , Blumenthal Jacob B. , Serra Monica C. , Prior Steven J. , Goldberg Andrew P. 
Published: March 2014

ObjectivesTo examine the relationships between plasma and tissue markers of systemic and vascular inflammation and obesity and insulin resistance and determine the effects of aerobic exercise training plus weight loss (AEX+WL) and weight loss (WL) alone on these biomarkers.DesignProspective controlled study.SettingVeterans Affairs Medical Center and University research setting.ParticipantsOverweight and obese sedentary postmenopausal women (N = 77).InterventionsSix months, 3 d/wk AEX+WL (n = 37) or WL (n = 40).MeasurementsTotal‐body dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry, abdominal computed tomography, hyperinsulinemic‐euglycemic clamps (a criterion standard method of assessing insulin sensitivity), adipose tissue biopsies (n = 28), and blood for homeostasis model assessment—insulin resistance, and soluble forms of intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM‐1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM‐1), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and serum amyloid A (SAA).ResultsBody weight (P < .001), percentage of fat (P < .001), visceral fat (P < .005), triglyceride levels (P < .001), and systolic blood pressure decreased comparably after WL and AEX+WL (P = .04). Maximal oxygen consumption increased 16% after AEX+WL (P < .001). Insulin resistance decreased in both groups (P = .005). Glucose utilization according to the clamp increased 10% (P = .04) with AEX+WL and 8% with WL (P = .07). AEX+WL decreased CRP by 29% (P < .001) and WL by 21% (P = .02). SAA levels decreased twice as much after AEX+WL (−19%, P = .02) as after WL (−9%, P = .08). Plasma sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1 levels did not change, but women with the greatest reduction in plasma sICAM‐1 levels had the greatest reductions in fasting glucose (P = .02), insulin (P = .02), and insulin resistance (P = .004). Gluteal ICAM messenger ribonucleic acid levels decreased 27% after AEX+WL (P = .02) and did not change after WL.ConclusionObesity and insulin resistance worsen markers of systemic and vascular inflammation. A reduction in plasma sICAM‐1 is important to improve insulin sensitivity. CRP, SAA, and tissue ICAM decrease with exercise and weight loss, suggesting that exercise training is a necessary component of lifestyle modification in obese postmenopausal women.
Comparison of indirect and direct blood pressure measurements in baboons during ketamine anaesthesia
Authors: Yeung Kristen R. , Lind Joanne M. , Heffernan Scott J. , Sunderland Neroli , Hennessy Annemarie , Makris Angela 
Published: March 2014

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess agreement between different methods of blood pressure measurement in anaesthetised baboons.MethodsSystolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBPandDBP) were measured in anaesthetised baboons using intra‐arterial radiotelemetry, automated oscillometry and mercury sphygmomanometry. Correlation between the different methods was assessed.ResultsThe correlation between intra‐arterial radiotelemetry and automated oscillometry was 0.9 (P < 0.001) forSBPand 0.9 (P < 0.001) forDBP. Between‐method differences were −4.4 ± 7.2 mm Hg forSBPand −3.4 ± 7.1 mm Hg forDBP. For automated oscillometry vs. mercury sphygmomanometry, correlation was 0.4 for bothSBP(P < 0.001) andDBP(P < 0.001). Between‐method differences were 7.9 ± 12.7 mm Hg forSBPand 7.3 ± 12.6 mm Hg forDBP.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that automated oscillometry may be an appropriate alternative to telemetry for measuring blood pressure in anaesthetised baboons.