bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Depressive symptoms among mothers of children with epilepsy: A review of prevalence, associated factors, and impact on children
Authors: Ferro Mark A. , Speechley Kathy N. 
Published: August 2009

SummaryThe impact of epilepsy is not limited to the child experiencing seizures, but affects all members of the family. As primary caregivers, mothers are particularly at risk for experiencing increased depressive symptoms and risk for clinical depression. The objective of this systematic review was to critically assess available evidence regarding the prevalence, associated factors, and impact of maternal depressive symptoms on child outcomes in epilepsy. Using a modified version of the Quality Index, studies were rigorously evaluated in terms of reporting, external validity, and internal validity. Limitations in the study designs and analytic techniques of previous research are discussed, and study methods to overcome these barriers are presented in order to advance this research area. Up to 50% of mothers of children with epilepsy are at risk for clinical depression. Correlates of maternal depressive symptoms include a number of modifiable risk factors such as role ambiguity, worry, and satisfaction with relationships. In addition, studies suggest that depressive symptoms in mothers have a negative impact on child outcomes in epilepsy including behavior problems and health‐related quality of life. The overall mean score on the Quality Index was 9.7, indicating a midrange quality score, suggesting a need for more methodologically robust studies.
Life Cycle Attribute Assessment
Authors: Andrews Evan , Lesage Pascal , Benoît Catherine , Parent Julie , Norris Gregory , Revéret Jean‐Pierre 
Published: August 2009

SummaryPractitioners of life cycle assessment (LCA) have recently turned their attention to social issues in the supply chain. The United Nations life cycle initiative's social LCA task force has completed its guidelines for social life cycle assessment of products, and awareness of managing upstream corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues has risen due to the growing popularity of LCA.This article explores one approach to assessing social issues in the supply chain—life cycle attribute assessment (LCAA). The approach was originally proposed by Gregory Norris in 2006, and we present here a case study. LCAA builds on the theoretical structure of environmental LCA to construct a supply chain model. Instead of calculating quantitative impacts, however, it asks the question “What percentage of my supply chain has attribute X?” X may represent a certification from a CSR body or a self‐defined attribute, such as “is locally produced.” We believe LCAA may serve as an aid to discussions of how current and popular CSR indicators may be integrated into a supply chain model.The case study demonstrates the structure of LCAA, which is very similar to that of traditional environmental LCA. A labor hours data set was developed as a satellite matrix to determine number of worker hours in a greenhouse tomato supply. Data from the Quebec tomato producer were used to analyze how the company performed on eight sample LCAA indicators, and conclusions were drawn about where the company should focus CSR efforts.
Assessing Acute Ventricular Volume Changes by Intracardiac Impedance in a Chronic Heart Failure Animal Model
Authors: STAHL CARSTEN , WALKER TOBIAS , STRAUB ANDREAS , KETTERING KLAUS , KNUBBEN KAROLIN , GREINER TIM O. , PAULE STEFAN , LIPPERT MICHAEL , CZYGAN GERALD , SCHWEIKA OLIVER , KÜHLKAMP VOLKER 
Published: August 2009

Background: Implantable device diagnostics may play an essential role in simplifying the care of heart failure patients by providing fundamental insights into their complex clinical patterns. Early recognition of heart failure progression by a continuous hemodynamic monitoring would allow for timely therapeutic interventions to prevent decompensation and hospitalization. In this study, the feasibility of assessing ventricular volume changes by implant‐based measurements of intracardiac impedance was tested in a heart failure animal model.
Methods: Heart failure was induced in five minipigs by high‐rate pacing over 3 weeks. During a final open‐chest examination a graded dobutamine stress test was performed. Stroke volume (SV) was measured by an ultrasonic flow probe at the ascending aorta. End diastolic pressure (EDP) and maximum pressure slope (dP/dtmax) were calculated from a left ventricular microtip catheter signal. Impedance was measured by an implanted pacemaker between biventricular leads. Stroke impedance (SZ) was calculated as the difference between end‐systolic and end‐diastolic impedance (EDZ).
Results: Administration of dobutamine led to an increase in SV (55 ± 16%), dP/dtmax (107 ± 89%), and SZ (56 ± 30%). EDP changed by 37 ± 21% whereas EDZ changed by 7.4 ± 4%. Significant correlations were found between SZ and SV (r = 0.88), and between EDZ and EDP (r =−0.82).
Conclusion: The strong correlation with SV allows the application of intracardiac impedance measurements for an implant‐based continuous monitoring of cardiac function. Impedance may also be used for hemodynamic optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Endocardial Electrogram Analysis after Intramyocardial Injection of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Chronic Ischemic Myocardium
Authors: KRAUSE KORFF , SCHNEIDER CARSTEN , LANGE CLAUDIA , KOKTURK BULENT , BOCZOR SIGRID , GEIDEL STEPHAN , SALHI AHMED , ALASER JUSUF , ZANDER AXEL R. , KUCK KARL‐HEINZ , JAQUET KAI 
Published: August 2009

Background: Cell injection therapies have been introduced for the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease. However, intramyocardial injection of bone marrow (BM)‐derived cells may generate proarrhythmogenicity.
Methods: Two weeks after the placement of a circumflex artery‐ameroid constrictor, 21 pigs received mesenchymal stem cells (MSC, n = 9), mononuclear (BM)‐derived stem cells (MNC, n = 6), and placebo (n = 6) using a electromechanical mapping (EMM)‐guided percutaneous transendocardial injection catheter. At week 6, EMM was repeated and the injected areas were analyzed in detail to evaluate local bipolar electrogram fragmentation, duration, and amplitude. Myocardial fibrosis was evaluated by a quantitative histological analysis.
Results: At week 6, the injection of MSC or MNC did not increase local electrogram fragmentation (MSC group: 1.4 ± 0.3 vs. 1.3 ± 0.2; MNC group: 1.4 ± 0.2 vs. 1.3 ± 0.2; P = NS), prolong electrogram duration (MSC group: 27.1 ± 7.8 ms vs. 23.7 ± 2.0 ms; MNC group: 27.8 ± 3.5 ms vs. 26.8 ± 5.6 ms; P = NS), or decrease bipolar voltages (MSC group 2.7 ± 0.9 mV vs. 2.8 ± 1.0 mV; MNC group 2.0 ± 1.0 mV vs. 1.7 ± 0.4 mV). From week 2 to week 6, mean left ventricular ejection fraction increased in the MSC group (37.9 ± 4.2% vs. 45.9 ± 2.2%; P = 0.039) only. Histological analysis of the ischemic regions revealed 17.6 ± 5% myocardial fibrosis in the MNC group vs. 13.6 ± 3.4% MSC vs. 28.7 ± 8.7% in the control group (P = 0.038 and P = 0.013). No death occurred in any animal after the injection procedure.
Conclusion: Intramyocardial injection of MSC or MNC do not increase fragmentation and duration of endocardial electrograms in the injected ischemic myocardium but attenuate ischemic damage and therefore may not create an electrophysiological substrate for reentry tachycardias
Are Implantable Loop Recorders Useful in Detecting Arrhythmias in Children with Unexplained Syncope?
Authors: AL DHAHRI KHALID N. , POTTS JAMES E. , CHIU CHRISTINE C. , HAMILTON ROBERT M. , SANATANI SHUBHAYAN 
Published: August 2009

Introduction: Syncope and presyncope are symptoms that occur infrequently in children, are unpredictable, and represent a diagnostic challenge to the physician. Conventional diagnostic investigations are often unable to establish a diagnosis, making it difficult to determine patient risk and direct appropriate therapy. The implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a medical device that was created for prolonged monitoring of heart rate and rhythm and has been used in a limited number of pediatric studies in which the cause of the syncope is unknown.
Methods: This is a retrospective review of the clinical, surgical, and follow‐up data of patients who had ILR devices implanted after conventional testing failed to identify a cause for their symptoms.
Results: The diagnostic yield of the ILR device in unmasking the cause for symptoms in our patient cohort was 64%. In our study, manually activated events accounted for 71% of all documented episodes and 68% of the cases involving hemodynamically important arrhythmias or transient rhythm changes. The ILR device can be safely implanted and explanted in children without significant morbidity, in most cases. None of our patients experienced any long‐term adverse events associated with placement of the device and all were alive at last follow‐up.
Conclusions: The use of the ILR device is a useful tool to help unmask arrhythmias as a cause of unexplained syncope in children. Patient selection for who should and should not have an ILR device implanted will continue to influence its diagnostic utility and generate controversy among stakeholders.
Development of a biological control‐based Integrated Pest Management method forBemisia tabacifor protected sweet pepper crops
Authors: Calvo F. J. , Bolckmans K. , Belda J. E. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThe tobacco whitefly,Bemisia tabaciGennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a key pest in commercial sweet pepper crops in southeast Spain. Its biological control is currently based on augmentative introductions of the parasitic waspEretmocerus mundusMercet (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), which need to be occasionally supplemented with pesticide applications. These pesticides can be harmful for the biological control agents. Therefore, it is important to improve the current strategy by reducing dependency on pesticides. Two potential solutions are conceivable: addition of another effective biocontrol agent or application of pesticide prior to the release of biocontrol agents. The mirid bugNesidiocoris tenuisReuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) and the predatory miteAmblyseius swirskiiAthias‐Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are promising candidates as additional biocontrol agents. The aim of the present study was to test these possible solutions in two subsequent trials, i.e., a ‘selection’ and an ‘improvement’ experiment. In the selection experiment, four treatments were compared:E. mundus,N. tenuis + E. mundus,A. swirskii + E. mundus, andA. swirskii + N. tenuis + E. mundus.Amblyseius swirskiiappeared able to significantly increase effectiveness against the pest, in contrast toN. tenuis,which did not contribute to whitefly control. The best strategy was the combination ofE. mundusandA. swirskii. In the improvement experiment, three treatments were compared:E. mundus,A. swirskii + E. mundus, andA. swirskii + E. mundus + pesticides.Amblyseius swirskiiagain proved capable of significantly reducing whitefly populations, and the implementation of pesticides before the release of the biocontrol agents was shown to increase the effectiveness against the pest even more.
Modeling linkages between climate policy and land use: an overview
Authors: Van Der Werf Edwin , Peterson Sonja 
Published: August 2009

AbstractAgriculture and forestry play an important role in emitting and storing greenhouse gases. For an efficient and cost‐effective climate policy, it is therefore important to include land use, land‐use change, and forestry (LULUCF) explicitly in economy‐climate models. This article gives an overview and assessment of existing approaches to include LULUCF into partial and general equilibrium economy‐climate models. For each class of models, we describe different examples, their treatment of land, and their potential for and applicability to policy analysis, as well as their shortcomings. We identify data requirements and conceptual problems, and provide suggestions for future research.
Estimating the supply response of cotton and cereal crops in smallholder production systems: recent evidence from Mali
Authors: Vitale Jeffrey D. , Djourra Hamady , Sidibé Aminata 
Published: August 2009

AbstractCotton is one of the most important crops in West Africa and is a major catalyst of economic development in rural areas, but the sector has suffered from a decline in the world cotton price after 1999. This article exploits an unusual data set following 82 farmers over 14 years, from 1994 through 2007, to estimate a Nerlovian supply response model for cotton, maize, sorghum, and millet in long‐term rotation. The resulting system of equations is estimated with two‐stage least squares (2SLS), showing that this sample of Malian cotton producers have responded to prices in a relatively inelastic manner, with supply elasticities only about one‐half of those estimated for producers in developed countries. Policy reforms could help producers respond more easily to prices changes, as well as to raise average productivity levels.
Do they always say no? German consumers and second‐generation GM foods
Authors: Hartl Jochen , Herrmann Roland 
Published: August 2009

AbstractEuropean consumers and, in particular, German consumers are known to be very critical toward the introduction of genetically modified (GM) foods. It is analyzed here whether German consumers do reject second‐generation GM foods, too. Whereas first‐generation GM crops induced producer‐related benefits, second‐generation GM crops are associated with consumer‐oriented benefits like an improvement of nutritional quality. The determinants of demand for second‐generation GM rapeseed oil are investigated within an online survey of 1,556 German consumers. It is elaborated how two functional properties of the product matter; that is, long‐chain omega‐3 fatty acids and the cholesterol‐lowering effect of phytosterols. It turns out that GM rapeseed oil is neglected by 74% of all respondents. Output traits, however, will increase the probability of purchases of GM rapeseed oil. This is more the case for long‐chain omega‐3 fatty acids than for phytosterols.
Soil quality and fertilizer use rates among smallholder farmers in western Kenya
Authors: Marenya Paswel P. , Barrett Christopher B. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractStudies of fertilizer use in sub‐Saharan Africa have been dominated by analyses of economic and market factors having to do with infrastructure, institutions, and incentives that prevent or foster increased fertilizer demand, largely ignoring how soil fertility status conditions farmer demand for fertilizer. We apply a switching regression model to data from 260 farm households in western Kenya in order to allow for the possibility of discontinuities in fertilizer demand based on a soil carbon content (SCC) threshold. We find that the usual factors reflecting liquidity and quasi‐fixed inputs are important on high‐SCC plots but not on those with poorer soils. External inputs become less effective on soils with low SCC, hence the discernible shift in behaviors across soil quality regimes. For many farmers, improved fertilizer market conditions alone may be insufficient to stimulate increased fertilizer use without complementary improvements in the biophysical conditions that affect conditional factor demand.
Long‐term consequences of short‐term precipitation shocks: evidence from Brazilian migrant households
Authors: Mueller Valerie A. , Osgood Daniel E. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractWe find that large short‐term precipitation shocks damage the long‐term income of households that have permanently migrated from rural to urban areas. This outcome is consistent with the behavior of credit‐constrained rural households who are willing to accept lower long‐term income in urban areas following the depletion of their productive assets during an adverse shock. Our empirical evidence suggests that there may be a link between large precipitation shocks in rural areas and urban poverty. Further exploration is warranted on the mechanisms by which natural disasters cause these long‐term losses.
Economic efficiency in farm households: trends, explanatory factors, and estimation methods
Authors: Olson Kent , Vu Linh 
Published: August 2009

AbstractFactors explaining differences in economic efficiency between farms are of major interest to owners, managers, and other stakeholders as they strive to improve earnings and improve the chances of firm survival. This study is undertaken to improve our understanding of interfarm differences in, and opportunities to improve, farm household efficiency in utilizing their land, labor, and capital resources to achieve household objectives. The technical, allocative, and scale efficiencies of farm households are estimated using a nonparametric, output‐based data envelopment analysis (DEA) of a panel data set from 1993 to 2006. Single and double bootstrapping procedures are used to estimate technical efficiency. Initial technical efficiency assuming variable returns to scale (TEV) is estimated to be 0.83. Using single bootstrapping, the average bias‐corrected TEV estimate is 0.70; using double bootstrapping, the TEV estimate is 0.72. Allocative efficiency is estimated to be 0.81. Scale efficiency is estimated to be 0.93. The only factor that is consistently associated with higher technical efficiency across analysis methods and years is larger farm size (as measured by the log of farm income). The significance of other factors changes with analysis methods.
Relative vs. absolute measures of benefit and risk: what’s the difference?
Authors: Citrome L. 
Published: August 2009

Citrome L. Relative vs. absolute measures of benefit and risk: what’s the difference?Objective:  When appraising evidence clinicians are confronted with two types of comparisons: ratios, such as relative risk, and absolute differences, such as number needed to treat (NNT) or number needed to harm (NNH).Method:  A review of the definition, calculation and interpretation of relative measures such as relative risk, odds ratio and the hazard ratio, and how they are different from absolute measures such as NNT and NNH.Results:  Relative and absolute measures provide different perspectives. Ratios can be misleading and exaggerate clinical differences, but NNT can appear to trivialize the risk of potentially important adverse events.Conclusion:  There is a need to understand both relative and absolute differences in order to make informed decisions.
Impulsive aggression in adults with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Dowson J. H. , Blackwell A. D. 
Published: August 2009

Dowson JH, Blackwell AD. Impulsive aggression in adults with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Objective:  DSM‐IV criteria for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include examples of ‘impulsivity’. This term can refer to various dysfunctional behaviours, including some examples of aggressive behaviour. However, impulsive aggression is not included in the DSM‐IV criteria for ADHD. The associations of impulsive aggression with ADHD were investigated.Method:  Seventy‐three male adults with DSM‐IV ADHD, and their informants, completed questionnaires. Impulsive aggression was assessed by ratings of two criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD), involving hot temper and/or self‐harm.Results:  Logistic regression indicated that features of DSM‐IV ADHD were predictors of comorbid impulsive aggression. However, compared with ADHD features, verbal IQ and comorbid psychopathology were more strongly associated with impulsive aggression.Conclusion:  The findings support the inclusion of features of impulsive aggression, such as hot temper/short fuse, in the ADHD syndrome in adults. These overlap with features of BPD. The findings inform the selection of research samples.
Cost‐of‐illness studies of dementia: a systematic review focusing on stage dependency of costs
Authors: Quentin W. , Riedel‐Heller S. G. , Luppa M. , Rudolph A. , König H.‐H. 
Published: August 2009

Quentin W, Riedel‐Heller SG, Luppa M, Rudolph A, König H‐H. Cost‐of‐illness studies of dementia: a systematic review focusing on stage dependency of costs.Objective: To review cost‐of‐illness (COI) studies of dementia from Europe and North America which report costs per patient by disease stage.Method: A systematic literature search was performed in electronic databases. Studies were classified according to important determinants of costs. Results were converted into year 2006 USD‐PPP, and summarized as costs for formal and informal care in mild, moderate and severe dementia.Results: 28 studies were evaluated. They used a wide range of methods. Costs more than doubled from mild to severe dementia. Patterns and size of estimated costs depended primarily on study objectives (estimation of total costs–net costs), living arrangements of patients (community‐dwelling–institutionalized) and inclusion of informal care.Conclusion: This review is the first to have focused on costs in different stages of dementia. The stage is an important determinant of costs. However, characteristics of individual studies need to be considered, when making use of their results.
Serum adiponectin and resistin levels in major depressive disorder
Authors: Lehto S. M. , Huotari A. , Niskanen L. , Tolmunen T. , Koivumaa‐Honkanen H. , Honkalampi K. , Ruotsalainen H. , Herzig K.‐H. , Viinamäki H. , Hintikka J. 
Published: August 2009

Lehto SM, Huotari A, Niskanen L, Tolmunen T, Koivumaa‐Honkanen H, Honkalampi K, Ruotsalainen H, Herzig K‐H, Viinamäki H, Hintikka J. Serum adiponectin and resistin levels in major depressive disorder.Objective:  To examine the role of the adipose‐tissue‐derived low‐grade inflammation markers adiponectin and resistin in major depressive disorder (MDD) in a population‐based sample.Method:  Serum levels of adiponectin and resistin were measured from 70 DSM‐IV MDD subjects and 70 healthy controls. Depression severity was assessed with the 29‐item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.Results:  The MDD group had lowered serum adiponectin levels. Regression modelling with adjustments for age, gender, overweight, several socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, coronary heart disease and metabolic syndrome showed that each 5.0 μg/ml decrease in serum adiponectin increased the likelihood of MDD by approximately 20% (P = 0.01). The resistin levels correlated with atypical (P = 0.02), but not with typical depressive symptoms (P = 0.12).Conclusion:  Our findings suggest that the lowered adiponectin levels in MDD are depression‐specific and not explained by conventional low adiponectin‐related factors such as such as coronary heart disease and metabolic disorders.