bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Euro and the Changing Face of European Banking: Evidence from Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Ekkayokkaya Manapol , Holmes Phil , Paudyal Krishna 
Published: October 2007

Abstract During the last fifteen years, the European banking industry has experienced considerable consolidation through mergers and acquisitions against the background of the introduction of the single currency and reductions in cross‐border barriers. This paper investigates whether these changes impacted on announcement period gains of the banks acquiring targets by examining the pre‐euro, run‐up to the euro and post euro eras. Evidence suggests bidders' gains have fallen with the development of economic and monetary union. It also reveals significant differences in the gains from acquisitions within and outside the eurozone. These results are consistent with increased competition among bidders and increased integration of the market in the eurozone area in the post‐euro era. However, differing results relating to focused and diversifying bids suggest that the level of market integration is sector dependent.
The Lead‐Lag Relationship Between Cash and Stock Index Futures in a New Market
Authors: Kavussanos Manolis G. , Visvikis Ilias D. , Alexakis Panayotis D. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract This paper investigates the lead‐lag relationship in daily returns and volatilities between price movements of the FTSE/ATHEX‐20 and FTSE/ATHEX Mid‐40 stock index futures and the underlying cash indices in the relatively new futures market of Greece. Empirical results show that there is a bi‐directional relationship between cash and futures prices. However, futures lead the cash index returns, by responding more rapidly to economic events than stock prices. This speed is much higher in the more liquid FTSE/ATHEX‐20 market. Moreover, results indicate that futures volatilities spill information over to the corresponding cash market volatilities in both investigated futures markets, but volatilities in the cash markets have no effect on the volatilities of futures markets. Overall, it seems that new market information is disseminated faster in the futures market compared to the stock market. This implies that the futures markets can be used as price discovery vehicles, providing further evidence that derivatives markets contribute to completing and stabilising capital markets in Greece. A further finding of this study is that futures volume and disequilibrium effects between cash and futures prices are important variables in the explanation of volatilities in cash and futures markets.
Extending Geographic Information Systems for Risk Analysis and Management
Authors: Newkirk Ross T. 
Published: October 2007

A new kind of Geographic Information System (GIS) and computer support is required for risk analysis and management. Assessment of risk is emerging as important in many areas of planning, engineering, environmental and emergency management. Existing commercial GISs, provide some useful basic means of organizing and displaying spatial information, yet they are particularly inadequate for generating risk simulations – a task essential for risk management. The central problem is the commercial GIS has limited facilities to deal with uncertainty, modelling and simulation. The requirements for GIS risk modelling, functionality, access and design considerations are reviewed.SUMMARYExisting GIS has not been developed to work with uncertainty yet uncertainty is inherent in risk applications. Current risk analysis applications which stem from a scientific expert view lead to dispute and lack of confidence amongst policy makers and the public. It is essential that a new kind of GIS be developed to facilitate consensus building in all aspects of risk assessment and management. The new system (Risk GIS) should ‘know about’ the appropriate environmental information and process sources, should have a tool set to access, store and communicate information between diverse interest areas and should support easy development of alternate views of the possible evolution of classes of risk or specific risks and, secondly, scenarios of risk evolution and mitigation based upon documented assumptions and expressions of uncertainty. Without doubt this is a significant challenge to the GIS industry and, particularly, to risk research scientists who wish to develop a suitable integrated Risk GIS.
Objectives of Modelling Evacuation from Buildings during Accidents: Some Path‐model Scenarios
Authors: Drager K. Harald , Lovas Gunnar G. , Wiklund J.O. , Soma Helge 
Published: October 2007

The basic objective of developing an evacuation model is to supply the user with valid and valuable information on which conclusions concerning the safe evacuation from a building can be drawn. Several evacuation models have been developed over the last 15 years. In our opinion, many of these models are too narrowly focused, perhaps not meeting the needs of the decision maker.This paper discusses the objectives of evacuation studies and the selection of a suitable modelling technique relative to these objectives. We show that many different approaches to evacuation modelling are appropriate for different types of studies. In the discussion about different existing models and solution techniques, we present some of the basic philosophy lying behind the simulation model EVACSIM.EVACSIM has been developed to meet the need for an evacuation model that can combine knowledge about human behaviour with the ability to perform large‐scale simulations of network processes. EVACSIM treats people as individuals and it has the capacity to collect any information of interest (in principle) regarding their movements, their exposure to potential accident effects and their time to exit the different parts of the structure. The role of an evacuation model in an evacuation analysis is also discussed.
Analysing hierarchy in the organization of biological and physical systems
Authors: Jagers op Akkerhuis Gerard A. J. M. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractA structured approach is discussed for analysing hierarchy in the organization of biological and physical systems. The need for a structured approach follows from the observation that many hierarchies in the literature apply conflicting hierarchy rules and include ill‐defined systems. As an alternative, we suggest a framework that is based on the following analytical steps: determination of the succession stage of the universe, identification of a specific system as part of the universe, specification of external influences on a system’s creation and analysis of a system’s internal organization. At the end, the paper discusses practical implications of the proposed method for the analysis of system organization and hierarchy in biology, ecology and physics.
Protective up‐regulation of CK2 by mutant huntingtin in cells co‐expressing NMDA receptors
Authors: Fan Mannie M. Y. , Zhang Hong , Hayden Michael R. , Pelech Steven L. , Raymond Lynn A. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractHuntington’s disease is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin (htt) protein, and previous data indicate that over‐activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) may be involved in the selective degeneration of cells expressing NR1/NR2B NMDARs. We used Kinetworks™ multi‐immunoblotting screens to examine expression of 76 protein kinases, 18 protein phosphatases, 25 heat shock/stress proteins, and 27 apoptosis proteins in human embryonic kidney 293 cells transfected with NR1/NR2B and htt containing 15 (htt‐15Q; wild‐type) or 138 (htt‐138Q; mutant) glutamine repeats. Follow‐up experiments revealed several proteins involved in the heat‐shock response pathway to be up‐regulated in the soluble fraction from cells expressing htt‐138Q, including protein phosphatase 5 and cyclin‐dependent kinase 5. Increased expression in the soluble fraction of htt‐138Q‐expressing cells was also noted for the stress‐ and calcium‐activated protein‐serine/threonine kinase casein kinase 2, a change which was confirmed in striatal tissue of yeast artificial chromosome transgenic mice expressing full‐length mutant htt. Inhibition of casein kinase 2 activity in cultured striatal neurons from these mice significantly exacerbated NMDAR‐mediated toxicity, as assessed by labeling of apoptotic nuclei. Our findings are consistent with up‐regulation of components of the stress response pathway in the presence of polyglutamine‐expanded htt and NR1/NR2B which may reflect an attempt at the cellular level to ameliorate the detrimental effects of mutant htt expression.
THE UNCOOPERATIVE PATIENT: I
Authors: Levy Norman B. 
Published: October 2007

A 43‐year‐old white, single man, who lives with his parents and has been diabetic since the age of 14, has been on center hemodialysis since January, 1990. He worked as an electrician, but because of medical complications connected with his diabetes, he has been permanently disabled since 1986. He failed self‐care dialysis due to major errors in judgment which could potentially have been life‐threatening to him. On center dialysis, he skips treatments on occasion and has interdialytic weight gains averaging 4–8 kg. About once a week he cuts treatment short because of leg cramping and/or arguments with nurses. He demands Xanax while being treated and, if the nurses are reluctant to give him this medication, he cuts the treatment short. On two occasions, he has received emergency dialysis because he skipped three consecutive dialyses. In the past three months the situation has deteriorated further. His weight gains have increased and he cuts dialysis short more frequently. For the past two months, when he comes to dialysis, he takes out a knife and places it on his bedside stand. He has never threatened anyone, but the nurses feel a bit compromised by it. His family has kept themselves very separate from the treatment. He speaks highly of his parents, who, although elderly, are apparently in good health. They are rarely in contact with the dialysis staff. When the social worker has attempted to contact them, they have communicated a lack of interest in being involved with the “problems of the dialysis unit.” Needless to say, the staff finds the patient's behavior and the attitude of his parents a major problem. He is very impulse‐ridden, has little ability to tolerate frustration, and, worst of all, denies any responsibility for his actions or inactions. He complains of an unsatisfactory dialysis schedule and of the nurses being angry with him. He denies suicidal thoughts, but admits to being depressed and feeling hopeless.
THE UNCOOPERATIVE PATIENT: II
Authors: Adams Donald A. 
Published: October 2007

R. T. was a 52‐year‐old divorced Caucasian male with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) due to polycystic kidney disease. He was on thrice weekly hemodialysis for over 15 years until he succumbed to metastatic pulmonary cancer. His average dry weight was 285 pounds. His dialysis course was complicated by late onset diabetes mellitus, severe peripheral neuropathy, and renal bone disease. He had a history of noncompliance, even prior to initiating dialysis, with poor adherence to his prescribed antihypertensive regimen in spite of severe hypertension. During his years of dialysis, he exhibited both episodic and chronic noncompliance to much of his medical regimen, including: excess interdialytic weight gains of 10–25 pounds. This was a regular chronic noncompliance problem. He constantly drank large amounts of carbonated beverages because, he said, he was thirsty and craved these drinks; frequent high serum potassium predialysis because he refused to follow appropriate dietary regimens; irregular compliance with taking his phosphate‐binders, complaining of severe constipation and often not taking other prescribed medications; occasionally skipping dialysis, offering that he forgot what time it was or that he overslept; factitious dermatitis. Although regularly advised to desist, he picked and scratched on small skin lesions, often producing larger ulcers and abrasions. In fact, this likely led to his early demise. One lesion on his fistula arm was initially thought to be merely a factitious ulcer. However, it failed to heal and enlarged. He was advised to see a surgeon, but repeatedly canceled his appointments. Finally, when biopsied. it was squamous‐cell carcinoma. Despite wide excision and radiation treatments, the lesion metastasized to his lungs and he succumbed fifteen months later. The staff and his physician held repeated conferences in efforts to improve this patient's compliance. Interventions included: admonishment about the risks that could befall him; praise when he did well; frequent counseling by his physician and the staff members he liked; minor rewards such as dialysis time changes or shortening dialysis when Compliance improved; denying his manipulatory behavior and eliciting family support (which was not strong) when appropriate. At times, these interventions were helpful, and he displayed better compliance for short periods. It was noted that he was often depressed and exhibited personality problems. He complained that certain members of the staff didn't like him, and the staff felt antagonized by his noncompliant behavior. His greatest rapport was with his personal nephrologist to whom he responded from time to time with episodic compliance.
IMPOTLENCE: I
Authors: Seftel Allen D. , Sweeney Patrick , Wish Jay B. 
Published: October 2007

Mr. X is a 49‐year‐old black male with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to long‐standing insulin‐dependent diabetes and hypertension. He currently is on hemodialysis three times per week via a left forearm prosthetic A‐V graft, and is on the renal transplant waiting list. He is on insulin as well as the standard regimen of vitamins, antacids, erythrogenic agents and antihypertensives. Mr. X has noted a slow progressive loss in his ability to attain an erection over the past four to five years and, even after attaining an erection, he notes that he can only maintain it for a few moments. On occasion his erection is firm enough for vaginal intercourse, but he loses it soon after penetration. In most instances, his erection is not firm enough for vaginal penetration, and he achieves vaginal penetration by “stuffing” the penis into the vagina. At peak, he was having intercourse three times per week, but now it is only once a month. He masturbates only on occasion. He is able to ejaculate, and reaches orgasm with seminal expulsion, but the ejaculate volume is markedly diminished compared to that seen in his youth. Occasionally, he gets a morning erection, which is “five” on a scale of one to 10, with 10 the maximal erection he achieved during his peak years. With masturbation or with sexual stimulation he describes his erection as a “four of 10.” He denies trauma to the erect or flaccid penis. He claims to have had a gradual change in his penile sensitivity over the past three years. He denies radiation to his pelvic area, recreational drug use, and does not use alcohol. He has no drug allergies. His surgical history is noncontributory. He denies neurologic disease, hypercholesterolemia, heart disehse, and claudication, and had smoked 2 packs of cigarettes per day for 20 years, quitting seven years ago. Mr. X is currently separated from his wife; however, the same erectile dysfunction occurs, even with his new sexual partner. Physical examination was unremarkable. The penis was circumcised with no lesions or plaques. The testes were descended and normal. There were no hernias. The bulbocavernosus reflex was absent. The penile‐brachial index was 0.40 on the left and 0.52 on the right. Penile biothesiometry was abnormal on the penile shaft as well as the glans. The hormonal profile, including prolactin and testosterone were normal. The patient underwent a nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) evaluation which confirmed the organicity of his disease. It demonstrated three short‐lived REM‐associated erections of poor quality. He opted for penile seif‐injection therapy, which he uses only on nondialysis days, combined with prophylactic oral antibiotics. This therapy, along with psychologic counseling has worked well, with return of a full rigid erection of 1/2 hr in duration. He is now quite satisfied, and has vaginal intercourse with his new partner two times per week.
SEIZURES: III
Authors: Mittman Neal , Burrell Donna , Avram Morrell M. 
Published: October 2007

A 60‐year‐old African‐American man was admitted to the hospital in October 1991 with seizures and right hemiparesis. He had end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), presumed due to hypertension and/or analgesic nephropathy, and had been on maintenance hemodialysis since July 1987. Noncontrast CAT of the brain revealed mild cortical atrophy and non‐specific while matter ischemic changes. Contrast CAT showed a right hemisphere CVA, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested a right frontal meningioma. Cerebral arteriogram was confirmatory, and he underwent resection of the fronto‐parietal tumor in early November 1991. Past medical history included over 20 years of hypertension, angina for five years, gout, and peptic ulcer disease. Cardiovascular evaluation of exertional dyspnea and bilateral calf weakness included a negative thallium stress test and minimal to moderate flow impairment of tibial‐peroneal vessels by Doppler. Low iron stores led to upper and lower endoscopy and a colonic polypectomy. There was a question of an allergic reaction to intravenous iron administration (the patient reported lip swelling), and erythropoietin therapy was started in December 1990 (starting hematocrit was 23%). Hemodialysis access was achieved via a Brescia‐Cimino arteriovenous fistula in his left arm, which developed extensive upper arm and shoulder collaterals, leading to a fistulogram and a diagnosis of subclavian stenosis in January 1989. Angioplasty was successful, and repeat fistulogram was unremarkable in February 1991. Blood pressure control was usually adequate, ranging from 140–180/80–100 on diltiazem, clonidine, and captopril. Occasional elevation to 210/120 were seen. In the months prior to the seizure, his treatments were adjusted because of low Kt/V (by increased dialyzer surface area and increased time). Hematocrit had risen to 30%‐33% with erythropoietin therapy (2000 Units thrice weekly). Hemodialysis was accomplished without heparin use, due to his gastrointestinal bleeding history. He was felt to be gaining “flesh” weight. In late March 1992, he had a tonic‐clonic seizure. Repeat CAT scan of the brain was unchanged. He was started on phenytoin thrice daily, but he discontinued therapy and had two more seizures (with negligible serum levels of phenytoin) in April 1992. In May, he was readmitted after another tonic‐clonic seizure. Phenytoin levels were in the therapeutic range, and CAT scan was again unchanged. Phenobarbital was added to his regimen. Drowsiness limited his compliance, and he had several additional seizures. In late July, he suffered a respiratory arrest shortly after a seizure.
Tailoring the Peritoneal Dialysis Prescription
Authors: Khanna Ramesh 
Published: October 2007

M. D., a 62‐year‐old female with renal disease secondary to bilateral polycystic kidneys and hypertension, opted for continuous ambulatory peritoneal diaiysis (CAPD) when her renal function deteriorated (24‐hr urinary creatinine clearance of 6.8 ml/ min in a total urinary volume of 1200 ml) and uremic symptoms developed. The patient lived about a 3‐hr drive from the nearest dialysis center. This factor weighed heavily in the patient's decision to choose home dialysis. A Swan Neck Missouri peritoneal dialysis catheter was inserted by a surgeon under local anesthesia with no complications. Since the patient was symptomatic from the uremia, peritoneal dialysis using a cycler in the supine position was initiated about 18 hr after the catheter insertion. To avoid dialysis solution leak from the incision site, 1 1 volumes per exchange and a 0.5‐hr cycle time were chosen. The cycler dialysis continued for 36 hr. The amount of ultrafiltration achieved was 2200 ml. The patient received two additional treatments using cycler dialysis during the next seven days before CAPD training was begun. CAPD training was accomplished in five working days. A baseline peritoneal equilibration test (PET) was carried out and thr residual renal function was determined. Based on the D/P creatinine ratio and the glucose results of the PET, the patient was classified as having a high peritoneal membrane transport rate. The renal creatinine and urea clearances were 5.7 and 4.2 ml/min, respectively (24‐hr urine volume was 926 ml).
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Two Sisters
Authors: GIBSON WILLIAM C. 
Published: November 2007

SUMMARYThe cases of two sisters suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy and successfully operated upon, are discussed with pre‐operative and post‐operative findings. The results eight years and nine years respectively after temporal lobectomy have been very gratifying, in patients previously labelled “hereditary epileptics”.RÉSUMÉDescription des cas de deux sœurs atteintes d‘épilepsie du lobe temporal qui ont été opérées avec succès et discussion de ces cas à Pappui des constatations pré‐ et post‐opératoires. Les résultats au bout de huit et de neuf ans respectivement après une lobectomie temporale ont été très satisfaisants chez des malades antérieurement considérées comme des “épileptiques héréditaires”.
Classification of the Epilepsies
Authors: MASLAND RICHARD L. 
Published: November 2007

SUMMARYThe adequacy of present methods of classifying or diagnosing the epilepsies is questioned in view of increasing responsibilities for complete evaluation of these patients. The time‐honored classification by seizure types is considered deficient for adequate study and recognition of basic etiologies, related illnesses, localization of lesions, and severity of the disease.Three possible systems, based primarily on anatomical localization and etiology of epileptic foci, are discussed, particularly in view of the difficulty of classifying diffuse (centrencephalic) epilepsy. Systems now in use in such other fields as mental disorders and heart disease are applied with varying merits to epilepsy.A classification based on the coding system in the Standard Nomenclature of Diseases is suggested, which would catagorize patients into three main groups, i.e.“central epilepsy”, “partial epilepsy”, and unlocalized seizures of known or unknown etiology. Within each group, available codes for anatomy, etiology, and symptomatology could be utilized, and digits added to show the existence of contributory factors and degree of functional impairment.RÉSUMÉL'auteur met en question la ressemblance des méthodes actuelles destinées à la classification et au diagnostic des epilepsies par rapport à l'augmentation des responsabilités encourues lors d'une complète évaluation des possibilités de ces malades. La respectable classification encore observée quant aux divers types de crises est considérée comme déficiente dans l'étude efficace et la découverte de l'étiologie basale des maladies mentionnées par l'anamnèse, la localisation des lésions et la gravité de la maladie.Discussion de trois systèmes susceptibles d'être adoptés, basés sur la localisation anatomique et l'étiologie des foyers épileptiques; ces systèmes envisagent particulièrement la difficulté de classifier Pépilepsie diffuse (centrencéphalique). Les méthodes actuellement en usage dans d'autres domaines tels que troubles mentaux et maladie de cœur sont appliquées à l'épilepsie sous le bénéfice de mérites variés.L'auteur suggère l'emploi d'une classification basée sur un système de code tel que celui de la Standard Nomenclature of Diseases. Cette classification partagerait les catégories de malades en trois groupes principaux: „épilepsie centrale”, „épilepsie partielle” et crises non localisées d‘étiologie connue ou inconnue. On pourrait employer dans chaque groupe des codes disponibles quant à l'anatomie, l’étiologie, la symptomatologie, ainsi que des chiffres destinés à indiquer l'existence de facteurs de contribution et le degré de la déficience.