bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical Significance of Lymph Node Micrometastasis in Ampullary Carcinoma
Authors: Sakata Eiko , Shirai Yoshio , Yokoyama Naoyuki , Wakai Toshifumi , Sakata Jun , Hatakeyama Katsuyoshi 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of lymph node micrometastasis in ampullary carcinoma.Materials and MethodsPancreaticoduodenectomy with regional lymphadenectomy was performed for 50 consecutive patients with ampullary carcinoma. A total of 1,283 regional lymph nodes (median, 25 per patient) were examined histologically for metastases. Overt metastasis was defined as metastasis detected during routine histologic examination with hematoxylin and eosin. Micrometastasis was defined as metastasis first detected by immunohistochemistry with an antibody against cytokeratins 7 and 8. The median follow‐up period was 119 months after resection.ResultsOvert metastasis was positive in 90 lymph nodes from 27 patients. Micrometastasis was positive in 33 lymph nodes from 12 patients, all of whom also had overt nodal metastases. Patients with nodal micrometastasis had a larger number of lymph nodes with overt metastasis (median, 3.5) than those without (median, 0; P < 0.001). Overt metastasis to distant nodes (superior mesenteric nodes, para‐aortic nodes) was more frequent (P = 0.001 and P = 0.038, respectively) in patients with nodal micrometastasis. Nodal micrometastasis was found to be a strong independent prognostic factor on univariate (P < 0.0001) and multivariate (relative risk, 5.085; P = 0.007) analyses. From among the 27 patients with overt nodal metastasis, the outcome after resection was significantly worse in the patients with nodal micrometastasis (median survival time of 11 months) than in those without (median survival time of 63 months; P = 0.0009).ConclusionsImmunohistochemically detected lymph node micrometastasis indicates intensive lymphatic spread, and thus adversely affects the survival of patients with ampullary carcinoma.
DISABILITY LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR THE ELDERLY, CITY OF SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL, 2000: GENDER AND EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES
Authors: CAMARGOS MIRELA CASTRO SANTOS , MACHADO CARLA JORGE , DO NASCIMENTO RODRIGUES ROBERTO 
Published: May 2006

Summary.There is evidence that ‘health life expectancy’ (expected number of years to be lived in health) differs by socioeconomic status. Time spent in health or disability plays a critical role in the use of health care services. The objective of this study was to estimate ‘disability life expectancy’ by age, gender and education attainment for the elderly of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in the year 2000. Data came from the SABE database, population censuses and mortality statistics (SEADE Foundation). Life expectancy with disability was calculated using Sullivan’s method on the basis of the current probability of death and prevalence of disability by educational level. The prevalence of disability increased with age, for both sexes and both levels of educational attainment studied. Men showed a lower prevalence of disability, in general, and persons with lower educational attainment showed a higher prevalence of disability. Regarding life expectancy, women could expect to live longer than men, with and without disability. For both sexes, the percentage of life expectancy lived with disability decreased with increasing educational attainment. With increasing educational attainment, the sex differences in the percentage of remaining years to be lived with disability increased for most ages. Finally, the percentage of remaining years to be lived with disability increased with age for males and females, except for males with high educational attainment between the ages 70–75 and 75–80. The results may serve as a guide for public policies in the country, since health problems faced by older persons, such as disability, are the result of a number of past experiences during their life-times, such as health care, housing conditions, hygiene practices and education. Education influences health behaviours and is related, to some extent, to all these factors. Therefore, improvements in education for the disadvantaged may improve health.
Intratympanic gentamicin for Ménière's disease: effect on quality of life as assessed by Glasgow benefit inventory
Authors: Banerjee A S , Johnson I J M 
Published: May 2006

Objectives: To evaluate patients' quality of life after receiving intratympanic gentamicin as treatment for Ménière's disease.Design: Retrospective study using the Glasgow benefit inventory scale (GBI) questionnaire.Participants: Patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) diagnostic criteria (refractory to medical management), who were treated with intratympanic gentamicin injection.Materials and methods: This retrospective study included all patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease (according to AAO-HNS criteria; refractory to medical management) undergoing gentamicin labyrinthectomy in our unit over the preceding three years. Other causes of hearing loss were ruled out as all patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging, electronystagmography and sway magnetometry. Patients underwent gentamicin infiltration at a concentration of 2 ml of 30 mg/ml and were reviewed six weeks later and received a repeat injection if no benefit was evident. Six months after their last follow up, they were sent a GBI questionnaire. Twenty-one questionnaires were posted, and the response rate was 81 per cent.Results: As per the responses received, the total benefit of intratympanic gentamicin injection was found to be +30.3. The three components of GBI were analysed separately; it was found that general benefit was greatest (+33.3), followed by physical benefit (+28.1) and social benefit (+21.6).Conclusion: This study suggests that gentamicin definitely improves quality of life in patients with Ménière's disease and should be the first line of treatment if medical management fails.
Demonstration of current drive by a rotating magnetic dipole field
Authors: GIERSCH L. , SLOUGH J. T. , WINGLEE R. 
Published: May 2006

Abstract.A dipole-like rotating magnetic field was produced by a pair of circular, orthogonal coils inside a metal vacuum chamber. When these coils were immersed in plasma, large currents were driven outside the coils: the currents in the plasma were generated and sustained by the rotating magnetic dipole (RMD) field. The peak RMD-driven current was at roughly two RMD coil radii, and this current (60 kA m−) was sufficient to reverse the ambient magnetic field (33 G). Plasma density, electron temperature, magnetic field and current probes indicated that plasma formed inside the coils, then expanded outward until the plasma reached equilibrium. This equilibrium configuration was adequately described by single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium, wherein the cross product of the driven current and magnetic filed was approximately equal to the pressure gradient. The ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic field pressure, β, was locally greater than unity.
Tokamak turbulence at the scrape-off layer in TCABR with an ergodic magnetic limiter
Authors: HELLER M. V. A. P. , CALDAS I. L. , FERREIRA A. A. , SAETTONE E. A. O. , VANNUCCI A. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe influence of an ergodic magnetic limiter (EML) on plasma turbulence is investigated in the Tokamak Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien (TCABR), a tokamak with a peculiar natural superposition of the electrostatic and magnetic fluctuation power spectra. Experimental results show that the EML perturbation can reduce both the magnetic oscillation and the electrostatic plasma turbulence. Whenever this occurs, the turbulence-driven particle transport is also reduced. Moreover, a bispectral analysis shows that the nonlinear coupling between low- and high-frequency electrostatic fluctuations increases significantly with the EML application.
The alliance against depression: 2-year evaluation of a community-based intervention to reduce suicidality
Authors: HEGERL ULRICH , ALTHAUS DAVID , SCHMIDTKE ARMIN , NIKLEWSKI GUENTER 
Published: May 2006

Background. The global burden and large diagnostic and therapeutic deficits associated with depressive disorders call for intervention programs. The aim of the Nuremberg Alliance against Depression (NAD) is to establish and to assess the effectiveness of a four-level intervention program for improving the care of patients with depression.Method. A 2-year intervention program was performed in Nuremberg (480000 inhabitants) at four levels: training of family doctors and support through different methods; a public relations campaign informing about depression; cooperation with community facilitators (teachers, priests, local media, etc.); and support for self-help activities as well as for high-risk groups. The effects of the 2-year intervention on the number of suicidal acts (completed suicides plus suicide attempts, main outcome criterion) were evaluated with respect to a 1-year baseline and a control region (Wuerzburg, 270000 inhabitants).Results. Compared to the control region, a reduction in frequency of suicidal acts was observed in Nuremberg during the 2-year intervention (2001 v. 2000: −19·4%; p[les ]0·082; 2002 v. 2000: −24%, p[les ]0·004). Considering suicide attempts only (secondary outcome criterion), the same effect was found (2001 v. 2000: −18·3%, p[les ]0·023; 2002 v. 2000: −26·5%, p<0·001). The reduction was most noticeable for high-risk methods (e.g. hanging, jumping, shooting). Concerning completed suicides, there were no significant differences compared to the control region.Conclusions. The NAD appeared to be effective in reducing suicidality. It provides a concept as well as many methods that are currently being implemented in several other intervention regions in Germany and in other countries.
The Lanczos and conjugate gradient algorithms in finite precision arithmetic
Authors: Meurant Gérard , Strakoš Zdeněk 
Published: May 2006

The Lanczos and conjugate gradient algorithms were introduced more than five decades ago as tools for numerical computation of dominant eigenvalues of symmetric matrices and for solving linear algebraic systems with symmetric positive definite matrices, respectively. Because of their fundamental relationship with the theory of orthogonal polynomials and Gauss quadrature of the Riemann-Stieltjes integral, the Lanczos and conjugate gradient algorithms represent very interesting general mathematical objects, with highly nonlinear properties which can be conveniently translated from algebraic language into the language of mathematical analysis, and vice versa. The algorithms are also very interesting numerically, since their numerical behaviour can be explained by an elegant mathematical theory, and the interplay between analysis and algebra is useful there too.Motivated by this view, the present contribution wishes to pay a tribute to those who have made an understanding of the Lanczos and conjugate gradient algorithms possible through their pioneering work, and to review recent solutions of several open problems that have also contributed to knowledge of the subject.
Mechanism of action of novel NO‐releasing furoxan derivatives of aspirin in human platelets
Authors: Turnbull Catriona M , Cena Clara , Fruttero Roberta , Gasco Alberto , Rossi Adriano G , Megson Ian L 
Published: May 2006

Incorporation of a nitric oxide (NO)‐releasing moiety in aspirin can overcome its gastric side effects.
We investigated the NO‐release patterns and antiplatelet effects of novel furoxan derivatives of aspirin (B8 and B7) in comparison to existing antiplatelet agents.
Cyclooxygenase (COX) activity was investigated in purified enzyme using an electron paramagnetic resonance‐based technique. Concentration–response curves for antiplatelet agents±the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ODQ (50 μM) were generated in platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) and washed platelets (WP) activated with collagen using turbidometric aggregometry. NO was detected using an isolated NO electrode.
The furoxan derivatives of aspirin (B8, B7) and their NO‐free furazan equivalents (B16, B15; all 100 μM) significantly inhibited COX activity (P<0.01; n=6) in vitro and caused aspirin‐independent, cGMP‐dependent inhibition of collagen‐induced platelet aggregation in WP. B8 was more potent than B7 (PRP IC50=0.62±0.1 μM for B8; 400±89 μM for B7; P<0.0001. WP IC50s=0.6±0.1 and 62±10 μM, respectively). The NO‐free furazan counterparts were less potent antiplatelet agents (WP IC50s=54±3 μM and 62±10 μM, respectively; P<0.0001, B8 vs B16). Of the hybrids investigated, only B8 retained antiplatelet activity in PRP.
NO release from furoxan–aspirin hybrids was undetectable in buffer alone, but was accelerated in the presence of either plasma or plasma components, albumin (4%), glutathione (GSH; 3 μM) and ascorbate (50 μM), the effects of which were additive for B7 but not B8. NO generation from furoxans was greatly enhanced by platelet extract, an effect that could largely be explained by the synergistic effect of intracellular concentrations of GSH (3 mM) and ascorbate (1 mM).
We conclude that the decomposition of furoxan–aspirin hybrids to generate biologically active NO is catalysed by endogenous agents which may instil a potential for primarily intracellular delivery of NO. The blunting of the aspirin effects of furoxan hybrids is likely to be due to loss of the acetyl moiety in plasma; the observed antiplatelet effects are thereby primarily mediated via NO release. Compounds of this class might represent a novel means of inhibiting platelet aggregation by a combination of NO generation and COX inhibition.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 517–526. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706743
Interaction between cyclodextrin and neuronal membrane results in modulation of GABAA receptor conformational transitions
Authors: Pytel Maria , Mercik Katarzyna , Mozrzymas Jerzy W 
Published: May 2006

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are nanostructures widely applied in biotechnology and chemistry. Owing to partially hydrophobic character, CDs interact with biological membranes. While the mechanisms of CDs interactions with lipids were widely studied, their effects on proteins are less understood. In the present study we investigated the effects of beta cyclodextrin (βCD) on GABAA receptor (GABAAR) gating.
To reliably resolve the kinetics of conformational transitions, currents were elicited by ultrafast gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) applications to outside‐out patches from rat cultured hippocampal neurons. βCD increased the amplitude of responses to saturating GABA concentration ([GABA]) in a dose‐dependent manner and this effect was accompanied by profound alterations in the current kinetics.
Current deactivation was slowed down by βCD but this effect was biphasic with a maximum at around 0.5 mM βCD. While the fast deactivation time constant was monotonically slowed down within considered βCD concentration range, the slow component first increased and then, at millimolar βCD concentration, decreased.
The rate and extent of desensitization was decreased by βCD in a dose‐dependent manner.
The analysis of current responses to nonsaturating [GABA] indicated that βCD affected the GABAAR agonist binding site by slowing down the unbinding rate.
Modulation of GABAAR desensitization and binding showed different concentration‐dependence suggesting different modualtory sites with higher affinity of the latter one.
All the βCD effects were fully reversible indicating that cholesterol uptake into βCD was not the primary mechanism.
We conclude that βCD is a strong modulator of GABAAR conformational transitions.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 413–422. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706747
WORK–LIFE BALANCE IN EUROPE: A RESPONSE TO THE BABY BUST OR REWARD FOR THE BABY BOOMERS?
Authors: MacInnes John 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
The academic analysis of work–life balance (WLB) has too often followed the public policy debate without sufficient reflection on its origins, the accuracy of the assumptions it tends to make, or the analytical adequacy of the concepts it uses. This paper suggests that what are usually assumed to be the causes of the debate (longer hours and greater stress at work, along with the collapse of the male breadwinner division of parenting and employment responsibilities within couples) are nothing of the sort. Rather the debate's origins lie in states’ concerns about demographic trends, especially low and falling fertility, which they fear threatens the future of the labour supply and viable dependency ratios between those in work and those dependent upon them. The WLB debate can thus be seen as part of a specifically liberal discourse about ‘population ageing’ that seeks to legitimate the rolling back of a welfare state by arguing that current levels of support cannot be sustained in a globalising world. This analysis reveals two new features of WLB policies. First, most are quite contradictory. What makes them popular (such as enabling the ‘baby boomer’ generation to withdraw from work on favourable terms) also makes them unlikely to address their goal of specifically supporting parenting and avoiding a ‘baby bust’. Conversely effective support for parenting may require far more fundamental change than most WLB policies envisage. Second, demographic change has heightened the importance of the inter-generational transfer of resources between those now retired from employment, those currently in it, and those yet to enter it. This reveals a key feature of WLB policies to be how far these transfers are socialised or left to the family.
BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND LIFE – NEW CORPORATE IMPOSITIONS THROUGH FLEXIBLE WORKING TIME OR OPPORTUNITY FOR TIME SOVEREIGNTY?
Authors: Hildebrandt Eckart 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
Working time is once again on the agenda. Actors in industry and politics are demanding the extension of working time and greater, market-oriented flexibilisation in the interest of cutting costs. At the present time the advocates of further reductions in working time and greater time sovereignty for employees have little say. At the same time, the compatibility of work and life has become an increasingly important issue, not only as a problem for working mothers but for corporate human resources policy as a whole. Forms of regulating flexible working time that promise to balance various time interests are therefore particularly important. One option of major interest is the institution of working time accounts, which permit flexible overtime as well as the use of ‘banked’ time to meet personal needs without generally extending working time. The study provides insight into corporate working time arrangements in various sectors and employee time choices in reconciling company requirements and private interests. Neither side has yet made adequate progress in creating the preconditions for a successful balance.
WORK–LIFE BALANCE AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN ITALY
Authors: Ponzellini Anna M. 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
This article examines the work–life balance system in Italy, with particular regard to the role played by extra-statutory arrangements and provision – extra leave, benefits and allowances for parents provided by employers, in-company crèches, family-friendly working hours, etc. – originated from collective bargaining and industrial relations at company-level. The Italian pattern of welfare state and women's employment is characterised by weak state support, a relevant role of intergenerational solidarity, one of the lowest fertility rates and still low women's activity rates. As for human resource management and industrial relations’ contribution to work–life balance, empirical evidence shows that a certain number of extra-statutory arrangements and provision has been implemented at company level. Though, they are not enough to fill the gap with countries where state social protection is higher. The articles argue that industrial relations may play an important role in fostering a better work–life balance, on condition that a priority is given to decentralised collective bargaining and new ‘territorial pacts’ involving a wider range of social actors – not only unions and the companies, but also families, local governments, caregivers and the cared-for. Particularly for unions, this could be a possible response to unionisation decline.
WELFARE STATES AND WORK–LIFE BALANCE
Authors: Leitner Andrea , Wroblewski Angela 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
Within the European Employment Strategy benchmarking and learning from good practices are main mechanisms to improve national performance. This is also the case for WLB strategies which are reinforced because of economic reasons to increase employment and population growth. The paper asks for the main criteria for public policies to promote WLB and whether or under which conditions such policies are transferable between the successful Nordic countries and the less successful conservative countries like Austria and Germany. Denmark and Finland are used as ‘good practice’ examples. The analysis shows that childcare leave regulations are an important instrument to encourage mothers for continuous working careers. But the consequences of these regulations concerning employment turn out to be quite different, even in measures with similar orientation. What we can learn from the Nordic countries is that the consistency of welfare state regulations and institutions are an important precondition for a successful WLB. This calls for an interplay of different fields and means that the imbalance of family and work and family reconciliation can hardly be solved by flexible working contracts or longer parental leave possibilities.