bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dose response of continuous positive airway pressure on nasal symptoms, obstruction and inflammationin vivoandin vitro
Authors: AlAhmari Mohammed D. , Sapsford Raymond J. , Wedzicha Jadwiga A. , Hurst John R. 
Published: March 2012

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common condition associated with cardiovascular risk. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment but is associated with nasal side-effects, which hinder compliance and may result from inflammation.We investigated whether CPAP was pro-inflammatory to human subjectsin vivo, and to cultured bronchial epithelial cellsin vitro.In vivo, we further investigated whether induction of nasal inflammation was associated with the development of systemic inflammation, nasal symptoms and changes in nasal mucociliary clearance.In vitro, CPAP resulted in cytokine release from cultured BEAS-2B cells in a time- and dose (pressure)-dependent manner.In vivo, CPAP resulted in dose-dependent upregulation of nasal inflammatory markers associated with the development of nasal symptoms, and reduced mucociliary clearance. CPAP also upregulated selected markers of systemic inflammation.CPAP results in dose-dependent release of inflammatory cytokines from human epithelial cellsin vitroandin vivo.In vivoresponses were associated with systemic inflammation, reductions in nasal mucociliary function and the development of nasal symptoms. This emphasises the need for novel strategies to reduce nasal inflammation and therefore aid compliance.
Factors influencing the decline in lung density in a Danish lung cancer screening cohort
Authors: Shaker Saher B. , Dirksen Asger , Lo Pechin , Skovgaard Lene T. , de Bruijne Marleen , Pedersen Jesper H. 
Published: March 2012

Lung cancer screening trials provide an opportunity to study the natural history of emphysema by using computed tomography (CT) lung density as a surrogate parameter.In the Danish Lung Cancer Screening Trial, 2,052 participants were included. At screening rounds, smoking habits were recorded and spirometry was performed. CT lung density was measured as the volume-adjusted 15th percentile density (PD15). A mixed effects model was used with former smoking males with <30 pack-yrs and without airflow obstruction (AFO) at entry as a reference group.At study entry, 893 (44%) participants had AFO. For the reference group, PD15 was 72.6 g·L−1with an annual decline of -0.33 g·L−1. Female sex and current smoking increased PD15 at baseline, 17.3 g·L−1(p<0.001) and 10 g·L−1(p<0.001), respectively; and both increased the annual decline in PD15 (female: -0.3 g·L−1; current smoking: -0.4 g·L−1). The presence and severity of AFO was a strong predictor of low PD15 at baseline (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) I: -1.4 g·L−1; GOLD II: -6.3 g·L−1; GOLD III: -17 g·L−1) and of increased annual decline in PD15 (GOLD I: -0.2 g·L−1; GOLD II: -0.5 g·L−1; GOLD III: -0.5 g·L−1).Female sex, active smoking and the presence of AFO are associated with accelerated decline in lung density.
Anticancer property of Bryophyllum pinnata (Lam.) Oken. leaf on human cervical cancer cells
Authors: Mahata Sutapa , Maru Saurabh , Shukla Shirish , Pandey Arvind , Mugesh G , Das Bhudev C , Bharti Alok C 
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Background

Bryophyllum pinnata (B. pinnata) is a common medicinal plant used in traditional medicine of India and of other countries for curing various infections, bowel diseases, healing wounds and other ailments. However, its anticancer properties are poorly defined. In view of broad spectrum therapeutic potential of B. pinnata we designed a study to examine anti-cancer and anti-Human Papillomavirus (HPV) activities in its leaf extracts and tried to isolate its active principle.

Methods
A chloroform extract derived from a bulk of botanically well-characterized pulverized B. pinnata leaves was separated using column chromatography with step- gradient of petroleum ether and ethyl acetate. Fractions were characterized for phyto-chemical compounds by TLC, HPTLC and NMR and Biological activity of the fractions were examined by MTT-based cell viability assay, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, Northern blotting and assay of apoptosis related proteins by immunoblotting in human cervical cancer cells.

Results
Results showed presence of growth inhibitory activity in the crude leaf extracts with IC50 at 552 μg/ml which resolved to fraction F4 (Petroleum Ether: Ethyl Acetate:: 50:50) and showed IC50 at 91 μg/ml. Investigations of anti-viral activity of the extract and its fraction revealed a specific anti-HPV activity on cervical cancer cells as evidenced by downregulation of constitutively active AP1 specific DNA binding activity and suppression of oncogenic c-Fos and c-Jun expression which was accompanied by inhibition of HPV18 transcription. In addition to inhibiting growth, fraction F4 strongly induced apoptosis as evidenced by an increased expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, suppression of the anti-apoptotic molecules Bcl-2, and activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP-1. Phytochemical analysis of fraction F4 by HPTLC and NMR indicated presence of activity that resembled Bryophyllin A.

Conclusions
Our study therefore demonstrates presence of anticancer and anti-HPV an activity in B. pinnata leaves that can be further exploited as a potential anticancer, anti-HPV therapeutic for treatment of HPV infection and cervical cancer.
Species and tissue-specificity of prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic effects of Fumaria parviflora
Authors: Najeeb-ur-Rehman  , Mehmood Malik Hassan , Al-Rehaily Adnan J , Mothana Ramzi AA , Gilani Anwar H 
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Background

Fumaria parviflora Linn. (Fumariaceae), is a small branched annual herb found in many parts of the world including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This study was designed to provide pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of Fumaria parviflora in gut motility disorders.

Methods
The in-vivo prokinetic and laxative assays were conducted in mice. Isolated intestinal preparations (ileum and jejunum) from different animal species (mouse, guinea-pig and rabbit) were separately suspended in tissue baths containing Tyrode's solution bubbled with carbogen and maintained at 37°C. The spasmogenic responses were recorded using isotonic transducers coupled with PowerLab data acquisition system.

Results
The aqueous-methanol extract of Fumaria parviflora (Fp.Cr), which tested positive for the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins and anthraquinones showed partially atropine-sensitive prokinetic and laxative activities in the in-vivo in mice at 30 and 100 mg/kg. In the in-vitro studies, Fp.Cr (0.01-1 mg/ml) caused a concentration-dependent atropine-sensitive stimulatory effect both in mouse tissues (jejunum and ileum), and rabbit jejunum but had no effect in rabbit ileum. In guinea-pig tissues (ileum and jejunum), the crude extract showed a concentration-dependent stimulatory effect with higher efficacy in ileum and the effect was partially blocked by atropine, indicating the involvement of more than one types of gut-stimulant components (atropine-sensitive and insensitive). This could be a plausible reason for the greater efficacy of Fp.Cr in gut preparations of guinea-pig than in rabbit or mouse.

Conclusions
This study shows the prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic effects of the plant extract partially mediated through cholinergic pathways with species and tissue-selectivity, and provides a sound rationale for the medicinal use of Fumaria parviflora in gut motility disorders such as, indigestion and constipation. This study also suggests using different species to know better picture of pharmacological profile of the test material.
The independent association between parathyroid hormone levels and hyperuricemia: a national population study
Authors: Hui Janet Y , Choi Jee Woong J , Mount David B , Zhu Yanyan , Zhang Yuqing , Choi Hyon K 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
Introduction
Increased frequencies of hyperuricemia and gout have been associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, and recent clinical trials of parathyroid hormone (PTH) have reported hyperuricemic adverse events. We evaluated the potential population impact of PTH on serum uric acid (SUA) levels by using a nationally representative sample of United States adults.

Methods
By using data from 8,316 participants aged 18 years and older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006, we examined the relation between serum PTH and SUA levels with weighted linear regression. Additionally, we examined the relation with hyperuricemia by using weighted logistic regression.

Results
SUA levels increased with increasing serum PTH concentration. After adjusting for age, sex, dietary factors, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and other potentially related biomarkers (calcium, phosphorus, alkaline-phosphatase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D), the SUA level differences from the bottom (referent) to top quintiles of serum PTH levels were 0, 8, 13, 14, and 19 μM (95% CI, 12 to 26; P for trend, < 0.001). These estimates were larger among renally impaired individuals (multivariate SUA difference between the extreme quintiles of PTH, 26 versus 15 μM among those with GFR ≥ 60 versus < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively) (P for interaction = 0.004). The odds of hyperuricemia by various definitions increased with increasing PTH levels as well (multivariate P values for trend, < 0.05).

Conclusions
These nationally representative data indicate that serum PTH levels are independently associated with serum uric acid levels and the frequency of hyperuricemia at the population level.
Music during interventional radiological procedures, effect on sedation, pain and anxiety: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kulkarni S , Johnson P C D , Kettles S , Kasthuri R S 
Published: March 2012

Objective: To assess the effects of playing patient-selected music during interventional procedures on (1) the doses of sedation and analgesia and (2) anxiety levels.
Methods: Patients undergoing interventional radiological procedures were randomised to either the intervention (music) or the control (no music) group. Patients in the intervention group had music of their choice played via headphones during the procedure. The primary outcomes were reductions in the doses of drugs for sedation (midazolam) and analgesia (fentanyl). Anxiety levels were assessed both before and after the procedure using the validated State Anxiety Inventory. Mean pulse rate and average of mean blood pressures were also recorded before and during the procedures as surrogate indicators of anxiety levels.
Results: 100 patients were randomised in a 1:1 ratio. There were 58 males and 42 females, with a mean age of 58 years. Sedation was required in 21 (42%) patients in the music group compared with 30 (60%) patients in the control group (p=0.046). The mean [standard deviation (SD)] midazolam dose was 2.1 mg (2.3 mg) in the control group and 1.3 mg (2.2 mg) in the music group (p=0.027). The mean (SD) fentanyl dose was 29 mg (40 mg) in the control group and 18 mg (34 mg) in the music group (p=0.055). There was no significant effect of music on the change from baseline in anxiety levels (p=0.74), pulse rate (p=0.56) or blood pressure (p=0.34).
Conclusion: Sedation requirements are significantly reduced by playing self-selected music to the patient during interventional radiology procedures. By lowering sedation during interventional radiology, music makes the procedure safer. It also contributes favourably to the overall patient experience.
Information Transmission and the Bullwhip Effect: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Bray Robert L. , Mendelson Haim 
Published: March 2012

The bullwhip effect is the amplification of demand variability along a supply chain: a company bullwhips if it purchases from suppliers more variably than it sells to customers. Such bullwhips (amplifications of demand variability) can lead to mismatches between demand and production and hence to lower supply chain efficiency. We investigate the bullwhip effect in a sample of 4,689 public U.S. companies over 1974–2008. Overall, about two-thirds of firms bullwhip. The sample's mean and median bullwhips, both significantly positive, respectively measure 15.8% and 6.7% of total demand variability. Put another way, the mean quarterly standard deviation of upstream orders exceeds that of demand by $20 million. We decompose the bullwhip by information transmission lead time. Estimating the bullwhip's information-lead-time components with a two-stage estimator, we find that demand signals firms observe with more than three-quarters' notice drive 30% of the bullwhip, and those firms observe with less than one-quarter's notice drive 51%. From 1974–1994 to 1995–2008, our sample's mean bullwhip dropped by a third. This paper was accepted by Christian Terwiesch, operations management.
An Evidence-Based Incentive System for Medicare's End-Stage Renal Disease Program
Authors: Lee Donald K. K. , Zenios Stefanos A. 
Published: March 2012

Recent legislations directed Medicare to revamp its decades-old system for reimbursing dialysis treatments, with focus on the risk adjustment of payments and on the transition toward a pay-for-compliance system. To design an optimal payment system that incorporates these features, we develop an empirical method to estimate the structural parameters of the principal–agent model underlying Medicare's dialysis payment system. We use the model and parameter estimates to answer the following questions: Can a pay-for-compliance system based only on the intermediate performance measures currently identified by Medicare achieve first-best? How should patient outcomes be risk adjusted, and what welfare gains can be achieved by doing so? Our main findings are as follows: (1) the current set of intermediate measures identified by Medicare are not comprehensive enough for use alone in a pay-for-compliance system; (2) paying for risk-adjusted downstream outcomes instead of raw downstream outcomes can lengthen the hospital-free life of admitted patients by two weeks per patient per year without increasing Medicare expenditures. This paper was accepted by Christian Terwiesch, operations management.
Double Marginalization in Performance-Based Advertising: Implications and Solutions
Authors: Dellarocas Chrysanthos 
Published: March 2012

An important current trend in advertising is the replacement of traditional pay-per-exposure (pay-per-impression) pricing models with performance-based mechanisms in which advertisers pay only for measurable actions by consumers. Such pay-per-action (PPA) mechanisms are becoming the predominant method of selling advertising on the Internet. Well-known examples include pay-per-click, pay-per-call, and pay-per-sale. This work highlights an important, and hitherto unrecognized, side effect of PPA advertising. I find that, if the prices of advertised goods are endogenously determined by advertisers to maximize profits net of advertising expenses, PPA mechanisms induce firms to distort the prices of their goods (usually upward) relative to prices that would maximize profits in settings where advertising is sold under pay-per-exposure methods. Upward price distortions reduce both consumer surplus and the joint publisher–advertiser profit, leading to a net reduction in social welfare. They persist in current auction-based PPA mechanisms, such as the ones used by Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft. In the latter settings they also reduce publisher revenues relative to pay-per-exposure methods. I show that these phenomena constitute a form of double marginalization and discuss a number of enhancements to today's PPA mechanisms that restore equilibrium pricing of advertised goods to efficient levels, improving both consumer surplus as well as the publisher's expected profits. This paper was accepted by Lorin Hitt, information systems.
Specialization and Variety in Repetitive Tasks: Evidence from a Japanese Bank
Authors: Staats Bradley R. , Gino Francesca 
Published: March 2012

Sustaining operational productivity in the completion of repetitive tasks is critical to many organizations' success. Yet research points to two different work-design–related strategies for accomplishing this goal: specialization to capture the benefits of repetition and variety (i.e., working on different tasks) to keep workers motivated and provide them opportunities to learn. In this paper, we investigate how these two strategies may bring different productivity benefits over time. For our empirical analyses, we use two and a half years of transaction data from a Japanese bank's home loan application-processing line. We find that over the course of a single day, specialization, as compared to variety, is related to improved worker productivity. However, when we examine workers' experience across a number of days, we find that variety helps improve worker productivity. Additionally, we show that part of this benefit results from workers' cumulative experience with changeovers. Our results highlight the need for organizations to transform specialization and variety into mutually reinforcing strategies rather than treating them as mutually exclusive. Overall, our paper identifies new ways to improve operational performance through the effective allocation of work. This paper was accepted by Christian Terwiesch, operations management.
An Examination of the Efficiency, Foreclosure, and Collusion Rationales for Vertical Takeovers
Authors: Shenoy Jaideep 
Published: March 2012

We investigate the efficiency, foreclosure, and collusion rationales for vertical integration in a large sample of vertically related takeovers. The efficiency rationale, as discussed under the transaction cost economics and property rights theories, posits that vertical integration mitigates contractual inefficiencies between suppliers and customers (termed as holdup) and provides incentives to undertake relationship-specific investments. In contrast, the foreclosure and collusion rationales suggest that vertical integration is anticompetitive in nature. Specifically, the foreclosure argument suggests that vertical integration is used to raise costs of rival firms, and the collusion argument suggests that vertical integration facilitates coordination between the integrated firm and its rivals. To distinguish between the three hypotheses, we examine (1) the announcement period wealth effects to the merging firms, rival firms, and customer firms; and (2) the operating performance changes to the merging firms in vertical takeovers. We find that firms expand their vertical boundaries consistent with an efficiency enhancing rationale. This paper was accepted by Brad Barber, finance.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Fecal Calprotectin and Immunochemical Occult Blood Tests for Diagnosis of Organic Bowel Disease in Primary Care: The Cost-Effectiveness of a Decision Rule for Abdominal Complaints in Primary Care (CEDAR) Study
Authors: Kok Liselotte , Elias Sjoerd G , Witteman Ben J M , Goedhard Jelle G , Muris Jean W M , Moons Karel G M , de Wit Niek J 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUNDFecal biomarker tests that differentiate between organic bowel disease (OBD) and non-OBD in primary care patients with persistent lower-abdomen complaints could reduce the number of unnecessary referrals for endoscopy. We quantified the accuracy of fecal calprotectin and immunochemical occult blood (iFOBT) point-of-care (POC) tests and a calprotectin ELISA in primary care patients with suspected OBD.METHODSWe performed biomarker tests on fecal samples from 386 patients with lower-abdomen complaints suggestive for OBD. Endoscopic and histological diagnosis served as reference.RESULTSOBD was diagnosed in 99 patients (prevalence 25.9%); 19 had adenocarcinoma, 53 adenoma, and 27 inflammatory bowel disease. Sensitivity for OBD was 0.64 (95% CI 0.54–0.72) for calprotectin POC, 0.56 (0.46–0.66) for iFOBT POC, and 0.74 (0.65–0.82) for calprotectin ELISA; specificities were 0.53 (0.48–0.59), 0.83 (0.78–0.87), and 0.47 (0.41–0.53), respectively. Negative predictive values (NPVs) were 0.81 (0.74–0.86), 0.85 (0.80–0.88), and 0.84 (0.78–0.89); positive predictive values (PPVs) varied from 0.32 (0.26–0.39) and 0.33 (0.27–0.39) (calprotectin tests) to 0.53 (0.44–0.63) (iFOBT POC). Combining the 2 POC tests improved sensitivity [0.79 (0.69–0.86)] and NPV [0.87 (0.81–0.91)] but lowered specificity [0.49 (0.44–0.55)] and PPV [0.35 (0.29–0.42)]. When adenomas ≤1 cm were considered non-OBD, the NPV of all tests improved to &gt;0.90 [combined POC tests, 0.97 (0.93–0.99)].CONCLUSIONSDiagnostic accuracy of the tests alone or combined was insufficient when all adenomas were considered OBD. When only adenomas &gt;1 cm were considered OBD, all tests could rule out OBD to a reasonable extent, particularly the combined POC tests. The tests were less useful for inclusion of OBD.
Population Subdivision of Zarhipis integripennis (Coleoptera: Phengodidae), in Southern California
Authors: Richmond Maxi Polihronakis , Caterino Michael S 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
The current study investigates phylogeographic structure of Zarhipis integripennis (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Phengodidae), a sexually dimorphic beetle with strongly asymmetrical dispersal abilities, to elucidate the spatial and temporal mechanisms of gene flow among populations in southern California. Using DNA sequences of a mitochondrial DNA marker and a nuclear intron in the krotzkopf verkehrt gene we compared the effect of differential dispersal on patterns of genetic structure among Z. integripennis populations across this area. Integrating these data with an ecological niche modeling analysis supported the hypothesis that dispersal between populations with fragmented niche availability was biased toward males and that female movement was limited and based on the availability of contiguous habitat. There was also evidence for historical restrictions to gene flow in the Sierra Pelona region of the Transverse Ranges based on a genetic break in both genes in this region.
Preliminary Observations on the Female Behavior of the Indian Sandfly Vector, Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae)
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Krishnakumari B , Kesari Shreekant , Kumari Krishna , Kumar Rajesh , Ranjan Alok , Das Pradeep 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
Phlebotomus argentipes (Annandale and Brunetti) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the phlebotomine sandfly vector responsible for the transmission of Leishmania donovani (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), a parasite capable of transmitting the communicable disease, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar, in the Indian sub-continent. This paper presents the preliminary study on the laboratory-based behavioral responses of P. argentipes females to blood-feeding host and P. argentipes males or male extracts, for mating aggregation and blood feeding.
Molecular Identification ofCeratitis capitata(Diptera: Tephritidae) using DNA Sequences of the COI Barcode Region
Authors: Barr N B , Islam M S , De Meyer M , McPheron B A 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe utility of the cytochrome oxidase I gene barcode region for diagnosis of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann), is evaluated using African fruit fly collections. The method fails to discern C. capitata from its close relative Ceratitis caetrata Munro, based on genetic distances, parsimony networks, or nucleotide diagnostic characters observed in the DNA barcode sequences. When treated as a single taxon, it is possible to discern the C. capitata + C. caetrata lineage from other Ceratitis species. Levels of intraspecific diversity vary within the genus Ceratitis and multiple copies of the mitochondrial gene are reported for Ceratitis cosyra (Walker). The DNA barcoding method based on genetic distance is compared with a molecular identification method using restriction fragment length polymorphism. The DNA barcode and restriction fragment-length polymorphism methods provide similar identification results, but the DNA sequence information is more suitable for quantitative analysis of the information.