bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lifetime occupation and physical function: a prospective cohort study on persons aged 80 years and older living in a community
Authors: Russo A , Onder G , Cesari M , Zamboni V , Barillaro C , Capoluongo E , Pahor M , Bernabei R , Landi F 
Published: June 2006

Background:Several studies have reported predictors for loss of mobility and impairments of physical performance among frail elderly people.Aim:To evaluate the relationship between lifetime occupation and physical function in persons aged 80 years or older.Methods:Data are from baseline evaluation of 364 subjects enrolled in theilSIRENTEstudy (a prospective cohort study performed in a mountain community in Central Italy). Physical performance was assessed using the physical performance battery score, which is based on three timed tests: 4-metre walking speed, balance, and chair stand tests. Muscle strength was measured by hand grip strength. Lifetime occupation was categorised as manual or non-manual work.Results:Mean age of participants was 85.9 (SD 4.9) years. Of the total sample, 273 subjects (75%) had a history of manual work and 91 subjects (25%) a history of non-manual work. Manual workers had significant lower grip strength and physical performance battery score (indicating worse performance) than non-manual workers. After adjustment for potential confounders (including age, gender, education, depression, cognitive performance scale score, physical activity, number of diseases, hearing impairment, history of alcohol abuse, smoking habit, and haemoglobin level), manual workers had significantly worse physical function (hand grip strength: non-manual workers 32.5 kg, SE 1.4, manual workers 28.2 kg, SE 0.8; physical performance battery score: non-manual workers 7.1, SE 0.4, manual workers 6.1, SE 0.2).Conclusions:A history of manual work, especially when associated with high physical stress, is independently associated with low physical function and muscle strength in older persons.
DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY AND MECHANICS: APPLICATIONS TO CHAOTIC DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS
Authors: GINOUX JEAN-MARC , ROSSETTO BRUNO 
Published: June 2006

The aim of this article is to highlight the interest to apply Differential Geometry and Mechanics concepts to chaotic dynamical systems study. Thus, the local metric properties of curvature and torsion will directly provide the analytical expression of the slow manifold equation of slow-fast autonomous dynamical systems starting from kinematics variables (velocity, acceleration and over-acceleration or jerk). The attractivity of the slow manifold will be characterized thanks to a criterion proposed by Henri Poincaré. Moreover, the specific use of acceleration will make it possible on the one hand to define slow and fast domains of the phase space and on the other hand, to provide an analytical equation of the slow manifold towards which all the trajectories converge. The attractive slow manifold constitutes a part of these dynamical systems attractor. So, in order to propose a description of the geometrical structure of attractor, a new manifold called singular manifold will be introduced. Various applications of this new approach to the models of Van der Pol, cubic-Chua, Lorenz, and Volterra–Gause are proposed.
Decorin and TGF-β
1
polymorphisms and development of COPD in a general population
Authors: van Diemen Cleo C , Postma Dirkje S , Vonk Judith M , Bruinenberg Marcel , Nolte Ilja M , Boezen H Marike 
Published: June 2006

Abstract

Background
Decorin, an extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycan, and TGF-β

1
are both involved in lung ECM turnover. Decorin and TGF-β

1
expression are decreased respectively increased in COPD lung tissue. Interestingly, they act as each other's feedback regulator. We investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in decorin and TGF-β

1
underlie accelerated decline in FEV
1
and development of COPD in the general population.

Methods
We genotyped 1390 subjects from the Vlagtwedde/Vlaardingen cohort. Lung function was measured every 3 years for a period of 25 years. We tested whether five SNPs in decorin (3'UTR and four intron SNPs) and three SNPs in TGF-β

1
(3'UTR rs6957, C-509T rs1800469 and Leu10Pro rs1982073), and their haplotypes, were associated with COPD (last survey GOLD stage = II). Linear mixed effects models were used to analyze genotype associations with FEV1 decline.

Results
We found a significantly higher prevalence of carriers of the minor allele of the TGF-β

1
rs6957 SNP (p = 0.001) in subjects with COPD. Additionally, we found a significantly lower prevalence of the haplotype with the major allele of rs6957 and minor alleles for rs1800469 and rs1982073 SNPs in TGF-β

1
in subjects with COPD (p = 0.030), indicating that this association is due to the rs6957 SNP. TGF-β

1
SNPs were not associated with FEV1 decline. SNPs in decorin, and haplotypes constructed of both TGF-β

1
and decorin SNPs were not associated with development of COPD or with FEV1 decline.

Conclusion
Our study shows for the first time that SNPs in decorin on its own or in interaction with SNPs in TGF-β

1
do not underlie the disturbed balance in expression between these genes in COPD. TGF-β

1
SNPs are associated with COPD, yet not with accelerated FEV1 decline in the general population.
Optimal two-stage strategy for detecting interacting genes in complex diseases
Authors: lonita luliana , Man Michael 
Published: June 2006

Abstract

Background
The mapping of complex diseases is one of the most important problems in human genetics today. The rapid development of technology for genetic research has led to the discovery of millions of polymorphisms across the human genome, making it possible to conduct genome-wide association studies with hundreds of thousands of markers. Given the large number of markers to be tested in such studies, a two-stage strategy may be a reasonable and powerful approach: in the first stage, a small subset of promising loci is identified using single-locus testing, and, in the second stage, multi-locus methods are used while taking into account the loci selected in the first stage. In this report, we investigate and compare two possible two-stage strategies for genome-wide association studies: a conditional approach and a simultaneous approach.

Results
We investigate the power of both the conditional and the simultaneous approach to detect the disease loci for a range of two-locus disease models in a case-control study design. Our results suggest that, overall, the conditional approach is more robust and more powerful than the simultaneous approach; the conditional approach can greatly outperform the simultaneous approach when one of the two disease loci has weak marginal effect, but interacts strongly with the other, stronger locus (easily detectable using single-locus methods in the first stage).

Conclusion
Genome-wide association studies hold the promise of finding new genes implicated in complex diseases. Two-stage strategies are likely to be employed in these large-scale studies. Therefore we compared two natural two-stage approaches: the conditional approach and the simultaneous approach. Our power studies suggest that, when doing genome-wide association studies, a two-stage conditional approach is likely to be more powerful than a two-stage simultaneous approach.
Sedation in the intensive care unit with remifentanil/propofol versus midazolam/fentanyl: a randomised, open-label, pharmacoeconomic trial
Authors: Muellejans Bernd , Matthey Thomas , Scholpp Joachim , Schill Markus 
Published: June 2006

Abstract
Introduction
Remifentanil is an opioid with a unique pharmacokinetic profile. Its organ-independent elimination and short context-sensitive half time of 3 to 4 minutes lead to a highly predictable offset of action. We tested the hypothesis that with an analgesia-based sedation regimen with remifentanil and propofol, patients after cardiac surgery reach predefined criteria for discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) sooner, resulting in shorter duration of time spent in the ICU, compared to a conventional regimen consisting of midazolam and fentanyl. In addition, the two regimens were compared regarding their costs.

Methods
In this prospective, open-label, randomised, single-centre study, a total of 80 patients (18 to 75 years old), who had undergone cardiac surgery, were postoperatively assigned to one of two treatment regimens for sedation in the ICU for 12 to 72 hours. Patients in the remifentanil/propofol group received remifentanil (6- max. 60 μg kg-1 h-1; dose exceeds recommended labelling). Propofol (0.5 to 4.0 mg kg-1 h-1) was supplemented only in the case of insufficient sedation at maximal remifentanil dose. Patients in the midazolam/fentanyl group received midazolam (0.02 to 0.2 mg kg-1 h-1) and fentanyl (1.0 to 7.0 μg kg-1 h-1). For treatment of pain after extubation, both groups received morphine and/or non-opioid analgesics.

Results
The time intervals (mean values ± standard deviation) from arrival at the ICU until extubation (20.7 ± 5.2 hours versus 24.2 h ± 7.0 hours) and from arrival until eligible discharge from the ICU (46.1 ± 22.0 hours versus 62.4 ± 27.2 hours) were significantly (p < 0.05) shorter in the remifentanil/propofol group. Overall costs of the ICU stay per patient were equal (approximately €1,700 on average).

Conclusion
Compared with midazolam/fentanyl, a remifentanil-based regimen for analgesia and sedation supplemented with propofol significantly reduced the time on mechanical ventilation and allowed earlier discharge from the ICU, at equal overall costs.
Intensified Platinum Therapy Is an Ineffective Strategy for Improving Outcome in Pediatric Patients With Advanced Hepatoblastoma
Authors: Malogolowkin Marcio H. , Katzenstein Howard , Krailo Mark D. , Chen Zhengjia , Bowman Laura , Reynolds Marleta , Finegold Milton , Greffe Brian , Rowland Jon , Newman Kurt , Womer Richard B. , London Wendy B. , Castleberry Robert P. 
Published: June 2006

Purpose The INT-0098 Intergroup Liver Tumor Study demonstrated no statistically significant differences in event-free and overall survival between patients randomized to treatment with either cisplatin + fluorouracil + vincristine (C5V) or cisplatin + doxorubicin. Results from this and other therapeutic trials suggested that cisplatin was the most active agent against hepatoblastoma. To increase the platinum dose-intensity, a novel regimen was developed alternating carboplatin and cisplatin (CC) every 2 weeks. The P9645 study was designed to compare the risk of treatment failure for patients with stage III/IV hepatoblastoma randomized to either C5V or CC. Methods C5V was given according to INT-0098 and CC consisted of carboplatin at 700 mg/m2 on day 0 (560 mg/m2 after two cycles) followed by cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 14. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was used after each CC cycle. All patients received four to six cycles of chemotherapy. Results From the time the study was opened until the time that random assignment was halted, 56 patients received CC and 53 patients received C5V. The 1-year event-free survival was 37% for patients receiving CC and 57% for those receiving C5V (P = .017). Patients randomly assigned to CC required more blood product support. As a result of a semiannual review by the Children's Oncology Group Data and Safety Monitoring Committee, random assignment was discontinued after 3 years of enrollment because the projected improvement in long-term outcome associated with CC was statistically excluded as a possible outcome of this trial. Conclusion Intensification of therapy by alternating platinum analogs increased the risk of adverse outcome in children with unresectable or metastatic hepatoblastoma.
Sexual Problems in Younger Women After Breast Cancer Surgery
Authors: Burwell Stephanie R. , Case L. Douglas , Kaelin Carolyn , Avis Nancy E. 
Published: June 2006

Purpose To examine sexual problems in younger women diagnosed with breast cancer during the first year after surgery and to identify sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial predictors of sexual problems. Patients and Methods Women diagnosed with breast cancer age ≤ 50 years completed surveys at three time points: within 24 weeks after initial surgery (baseline), 6 weeks after baseline, and 6 months later. Survey items included the Medical Outcomes Study Sexual Functioning Scale, satisfaction with sex life, feeling sexually attractive, body image, marital satisfaction, quality of life, medical history, symptoms, and sociodemographics. Prediagnosis sexual problems were retrospectively ascertained at the initial survey. Results Analyses included 209 women sexually active at baseline (78.6% of total sample). Sexual problems were significantly greater immediately postsurgery compared with retrospective reports before diagnosis (P < .0001). Although problems gradually decreased over time, they were still greater at 1 year postsurgery than before diagnosis. In multivariate analyses controlling for sexual problems at prediagnosis, vaginal dryness, and lower perceived sexual attractiveness were consistently related to greater overall sexual problems. Chemotherapy was related to sexual problems only at baseline except for women who became menopausal as a result of chemotherapy, who continued to have problems. Conclusion Findings substantiate the need to address potential sexual problems related to chemotherapy treatment and menopause among younger breast cancer survivors and to counsel women about possible remedies, particularly for vaginal dryness. Increasing feelings of sexual attractiveness may also help sexual problems, especially among women for whom these feelings were altered by surgery or treatment.
Use of total patient data for indirect estimation of reference intervals for 40 clinical chemical analytes in Turkey
Authors: Ozarda Ilcol Yesim , Aslan Diler 
Published: June 2006

AbstractIn the present study we used patient data to calculate laboratory-specific indirect reference intervals. These values were compared with reference intervals obtained for a healthy group according to recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine and manufacturer suggestions. Laboratory results (422,919 records) from all subjects of 18–45years of age over a 1-year period were retrieved from our laboratory information system and indirect reference intervals for 40 common analytes were estimated using a modified Bhattacharya procedure. Indirect reference intervals for most of the biochemical analytes were comparable, with small differences in lower [alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (male), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase, iron (male), total iron-binding capacity, folic acid, calcium (female), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TClin Chem Lab Med 2006;44:867–76.
Longitudinal changes in serum paraoxonase-1 activity throughout normal pregnancy
Authors: Ferré Natàlia , Camps Jordi , Fernández-Ballart Joan , Arija Victoria , Murphy Michelle M. , Marsillach Judit , Joven Jorge 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal changes in serum paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity from preconception throughout normal pregnancy and their relationships with maternal dietary vitamin C and E intake. The study was performed in 35 women (studied at preconception, at 8, 20 and 32weeks of pregnancy, and at labour). PON1 activity decreased significantly from 145.8 (109.8–198.8) U/L at preconception to 111.1 (85.3–179.9) U/L (p<0.01) at 32weeks and 100.4 (54.7–171.4) U/L (p<0.001) at labour. There was a direct association between vitamin C intake and PON1 at week 32 (p=0.018). We conclude that adequate vitamin C intake in pregnant women may merit consideration, since vitamin C supplementation has proved beneficial in the prevention of preeclampsia in women at increased risk of this condition.Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44:880–2.
Photoinduced Processes in Dipyrrolyl‐Perfluoro‐Cyclopentenes
Authors: Ortica Fausto , Smimmo Paola , Mazzucato Ugo , Favaro Gianna , Heynderickx Arnault , Moustrou Corinne , Samat André 
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACTThe photobehavior of five photochromic dipyrrolyl‐perfluoro‐cyclopentenes was studied by steady state and time‐resolved absorption spectroscopy. The quantum yields of the UV‐photoinduced ring‐closing reaction (coloration) and the visible‐stimulated cycloreversion reaction (bleaching) were measured. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of thermal bleaching were also determined. Nanosecond time‐resolved experiments showed formation of a transient, which was not a precursor of the reaction photoproduct. This transient was tentatively assigned to a radical cation formed by direct photoionization through a short‐lived triplet state. The nature of the transient species was supported by photoinduced electron transfer to electron acceptors.
Rent Seeking and Rent Dissipation in State Enterprises
Authors: Buccola Steven T. , McCandlish James E. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractWe reflect on the use of state power in state‐owned enterprises. An African case study is first recounted in which a private coffee exporting firm seeks to compete against a government‐owned monopoly marketing board. A principal theme of the study is that state enterprises retain de facto control of their markets long after surrendering any de jure monopoly privileges. Managers of the state firm and their supervisors within the civil service form a coherent lobbying group whose interest is to defend the enterprise from competition. With this study as a backdrop, we offer a theory of rent seeking in state‐owned enterprises. We argue that state firms in less‐developed countries seek to maximize costs within the limits of the subsidies offered them by international donors. Government rent is the difference between such maximized cost and minimum cost. The portion of government rent determined by valuing inputs at competitive factor prices is dissipative in the sense that it vanishes from productive output. Dissipated government rent likely is larger than in the classical (Tullock) rent‐seeking paradigm because a state firm's managers have little incentive to limit their rent‐seeking activities. Hence, renewed calls for state regulation can be expected once the present deregulation trend has run its course.
Taxes and the Location Decision of Manufacturing Establishments
Authors: Rainey Daniel V. , McNamara Kevin T. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThis study examines the impact of local tax differentials on the location of manufacturing firms. The study improves on previous substate location/growth studies in constructing a tax measure that better reflects the tax burden that firms are likely to face. The results of the study indicate that firms tend to avoid counties that have relatively high property tax rates. These findings suggest that tax relief incentives can be an important component of a county's industrial recruitment program.
Geographie Information Systems Procedures for Conducting Rural Land Market Research
Authors: Vandeveer Lonnie R. , Kennedy Gary A. , Henning Steven A. , Li Chunxiao , Dai Ming 
Published: June 2006

AbstractGeographic information systems (GIS) procedures are used to review and to estimate spatial characteristics of a rural land sales database. Geographically referenced rural land sales data are plotted, overlayed on other data, used to compute new data, and used to develop rural land value contours. Clustering of land price data from the contour analyses provides visual evidence of spatial association in the data. Statistical tests suggest the presence of both positive and negative spatial autocorrelation in rural land submarkets. GIS methods are shown here to represent complementary procedures capable of enhancing and extending research expertise in rural land markets. Colorific results may be viewed at http: //atlas.agadm.lsu.edu.
Issues in the Economics of Pesticide Use in Agriculture: A Review of the Empirical Evidence
Authors: Fernandez-Cornejo Jorge , Jans Sharon , Smith Mark 
Published: June 2006

AbstractIn this article, we review three perspectives used to place an economic value on pesticide use in agriculture and present associated empirical results. One approach is based on calculations of the marginal productivity; a second strategy considers the expected loss to pests relative to some current or maximum yield; and a third approach, related to the second, calculates the economic effect of banning pesticides, which is effectively the value that producers and consumers place on the chemicals used. We also review the economic effects of government policies to reduce or restrict pesticide use, including regulation and pesticide taxes as well as use of alternative technologies believed to reduce pesticide use, such as integrated pest management and genetically engineered plants.
Strategic Management Objectives of Small Manufacturers: A Case Study of the Cheese Industry
Authors: Gould Brian W. , Carlson Kurt A. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThe structure of dairy processing has changed significantly with declining numbers of processors, increasing firm size, and movement of production out of traditional areas. In order to compete with large manufactures on a noncost basis, small cheese manufactures are turning to the production of specialty cheeses and the use of specific value‐added activities in marketing their product. In this study, we examine the strategic management behavior of these firms. A strategic management typology used in previous analyses of small businesses is applied to a sample of forty‐seven Wisconsin cheese plants. A case study of four representative firms is presented.
Direct Rho-associated kinase inhibiton induces cofilin dephosphorylation and neurite outgrowth in PC-12 cells
Authors: Zhang Zhiqun , Ottens Andrew , Larner Stephen , Kobeissy Firas , Williams Melissa , Hayes Ronald , Wang Kevin 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAxons fail to regenerate in the adult central nervous system (CNS) following injury. Developing strategies to promote axonal regeneration is therapeutically attractive for various CNS pathologies such as traumatic brain injury, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Because the RhoA pathway is involved in neurite outgrowth, Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs), downstream effectors of GTP-bound Rho, are potentially important targets for axonal repair strategies in CNS injuries. We investigated the effects and downstream mechanisms of ROCK inhibition in promoting neurite outgrowth in a PC-12 cell model. Robust neurite outgrowth (NOG) was induced by ROCK inhibitors Y-27632 and H-1152 in a time-and dose-dependent manner. Dramatic cytoskeletal reorganization was noticed upon ROCK inhibition. NOG initiated within 5 to 30 minutes followed by neurite extension between 6 and 10 hours. Neurite processes were then sustained for over 24 hours. Rapid cofilin dephosphorylation was observed within 5 minutes of Y-27632 and H-1152 treatment. Re-phosphorylation was observed by 6 hours after Y-27632 treatment, while H-1152 treatment produced sustained cofilin dephosphorylation for over 24 hours. The results suggest that ROCK-mediated dephosphorylation of cofilin plays a role in the initiation of NOG in PC-12 cells.