bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The preventive effects of thiopental and propofol on testicular ischemia‐reperfusion injury
Authors: Yagmurdur H. , Ayyildiz A. , Karaguzel E. , Ogus E. , Surer H. , Caydere M. , Nuhoglu B. , Germiyanoglu C. 
Published: October 2006

Background:  Testicular torsion is a urological emergency that requires immediate surgical intervention to prevent testicular damage. The aim of the study was to investigate the preventive effects of thiopental and propofol as anesthetics on testicular ischemia‐reperfusion injury.Methods:  Forty male Wistar Albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups of 10 rats each. During 5 h, anesthesia was induced and maintained with thiopental in groups 1 and 2 and with propofol in groups 3 and 4. Groups 2 and 4 received left testicular ischemia (torsion) during 1 h and reperfusion (detorsion) during 4 h. Groups 1 and 3 (control groups) had no testicular torsion and detorsion. At the end of 5 h, animals were killed and both ipsilateral and contralateral testes were removed for histopathologic examination and measurement of tissue MDA (malondialdehyde) and NO (nitric oxide) levels.Results:  In the contralateral testes of all the groups, MDA and NO measurements were not different from ipsilateral testes of the control groups. Between the groups 1 and 3, there were no differences in MDA and NO levels. Although torsion/detorsion of testes in group 4 caused significantly increased levels of tissue MDA and NO values compared with group 3, ischemia‐reperfusion in group 2 caused a further increase in these levels compared with group 4. The ipsilateral testes in the control groups did not show any morphological changes. Testicular torsion/detorsion in rats with thiopental anesthesia (group 2) caused significantly greater histopathologic injury levels than rats with propofol anesthesia (group 4).Conclusion:  Our results suggest that propofol as an anesthetic agent may prevent testicular damage by scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and inhibiting lipid peroxidation in an animal model of testicular torsion and detorsion.
Reduction in anaesthetic drug consumption is correlated with mean titrated intra‐operative Bispectral Index values
Authors: Ellerkmann R. K. , Kreuer S. , Wilhelm W. , Röpcke H. , Hoeft A. , Bruhn J. 
Published: October 2006

Background:  Several studies have shown a reduction in anaesthetic drug consumption with Bispectral Index (BIS) titration compared with standard clinical practice. However, the amount of reduction varied widely between 1% and 40%. We investigated the correlation between reduction in anaesthetic drug consumption and mean titrated BIS values.Methods:  An analysis upon randomized controlled trials cited until January 2006 in MEDLINE and other databases investigating the potential reduction in anaesthetic (hypnotic) drug consumption with BIS titration was performed. Investigations with a marked difference (> 15%) in opioid drug consumption between the BIS group and the standard practice group were excluded. Correlations between amount of reduction in hypnotic drug use and the mean titrated BIS value were analysed with linear regression.Results:  Fourteen manuscripts covering 2582 patients were included into the analysis. The mean BIS value in the standard clinical practice group averaged over all studies was 43.6 ± 3.2 and the mean BIS value in the BIS‐titrated group was 49.9 ± 5.4. The amount of reduction in hypnotic drug use correlated significantly with the mean BIS values in the BIS‐titrated groups (r =0.68) and with the differences between the mean BIS value in the BIS‐titrated group and the mean BIS value in the standard clinical practice group (r = 0.70). Every point of BIS difference between the two groups resulted in a reduced hypnotic drug use of approximately 2%.Conclusion:  Despite differences in the study designs and in the drugs used, a linear correlation between the mean titrated BIS value and the hypnotic drug saving potential was found.
Forgoing life sustaining treatments: differences and similarities between North America and Europe
Authors: Moselli N. M. , Debernardi F. , Piovano F. 
Published: October 2006

Background:  As evidence exist that severe neurological damage or prolonged death after inappropriate CPR could occur, restraints and indications for CPR were perceived as necessary. The objective of this review is to examine policies and attitudes towards end‐of‐life decisions in Europe and North America and to outline differences and similarities.Methods:  A bibliographic database search from 1990 to 2006 was performed using the following terms: do‐not‐resuscitate orders, end‐of‐life decisions, withholding/withdrawal of life‐sustaining treatments, medical futility and advanced directives. Eighty‐eight articles, out of 305 examined, were analyzed and their data systematically reported and compared where possible. They consisted of studies, questionnaires and surveys answering the following questions: percentage of deaths of critical patients preceded by do‐not‐resuscitate orders, factors affecting the decision for do‐not‐resuscitate orders, people involved in this decision (patient, surrogates and medical staff) and how it was performed.Results:  There is an evident gap between the North American use of standard and formal procedures compared with Europe. Second, they diverge in the role acknowledged to surrogates in the decisional process, as in Europe, restraints and reserves to accept surrogates as decision makers seem still strong and a paternalistic approach at the end‐of‐life is still present.Conclusion:  Incidentally, despite the predictable differences between Europe and North America, concerns do exist about the actual extent of autonomy wished by patients and surrogates. It is important to highlight these findings, as the paternalistic attitude, too often negatively depicted, could be, according to the best medical practice, justified and more welcomed in some instances.
Anesthesiologists at work: an increase in pro‐inflammatory and Th2 cytokine production, and alterations in proliferative immune responses
Authors: Beilin B. , Greenfeld K. , Abiri N. , Yardeni I. Z. , Bessler H. , Ben‐Eliyahu S. 
Published: October 2006

Background: Anesthesiologists are a population at high risk of alcohol and drug abuse, depression, suicide, and psychiatric hospitalization. The impact of their working milieu on specific immune indices has scarcely been studied, and it is assumed that immune perturbations may contribute to some of the above risks. This study took advantage of an unplanned, 3‐month long strike of anesthesiologists, and explored its relations to specific immune measures.Methods: We assessed induced cytokine production and lymphocytes proliferative responses in blood samples taken from 10 anesthesiologists just before the strike and at its end, after a long period of markedly reduced workload.Results: The results indicated that the proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) were significantly lower at the end of the strike. At this time point, we observed a significant decrease in the production of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐10 and IL1ra levels, and a significant increase in IL‐2 production. A strong trend towards a decline in tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels was evident, while levels of IL‐1β were unchanged.Conclusion: These findings suggest that the working conditions of anesthesiologists are associated with specific immune alterations, including a shift towards a Th2 cytokines’ dominance, and an elevated pro‐inflammatory cytokine response. A reduced Th1 profile has been related to increased susceptibility to infections, and high pro‐inflammatory cytokine levels were recently proposed as etiological factors in cardiovascular diseases and in depression.
In vitro activity of panomycocin, a novel exo‐β‐1,3‐glucanase isolated from Pichia anomala NCYC 434, against dermatophytes
Authors: İzgü Fatih , Altınbay Demet , Türeli Akif Emre 
Published: October 2006

SummaryKiller proteins that are produced and secreted into the environment by certain yeast strains are considered as promising antifungal agents. In this study, in vitro activity of Pichia anomala NCYC 434 (K5) killer protein, panomycocin, which is a 49 kDa glycoprotein with an exo‐β‐1,3‐glucanase activity was tested against 41 isolates of dermatophytes. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by a broth microdilution method based on the reference document M38‐A of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI; formerly NCCLS). For panomycocin MIC determinations two end point criteria MIC‐2 (prominent growth inhibition) and MIC‐0 (complete growth inhibition) were recorded. All the tested isolates (Microsporum spp. and Trichophyton spp.) were found susceptible to panomycocin. The MIC‐2 values ranged from 0.25 to 2 μg ml−1 and MIC‐0 values ranged from 1 to 8 μg ml−1. These results showed that panomycocin is active in vitro against fungal strains that cause superficial infections and highlighted its probable use as a topical antifungal agent.
Workplace Familism and Psychological Contract Breach in the Philippines
Authors: Restubog Simon Lloyd D. , Bordia Prashant 
Published: October 2006

Cette étude cherche à promouvoir des investigations à fondement théorique sur le vécu familial du travail. Elle apporte sa contribution en proposant et en évaluant la fonction régulatrice du vécu familial du travail en ce qui concerne aussi bien la rupture du contrat psychologique que le comportement civique. Nous avons enquêté auprès de 267 salariés à plein‐temps et avons mis en évidence des effets majeurs des deux sortes de vécu familial du travail (c’est‐à‐dire le vécu familial organisationnel et le vécu familial de la relation avec le supérieur hiérarchique) et de la rupture des obligations relationnelles sur les conduites civiques. Le vécu familial des rapports avec le supérieur intervient aussi dans la relation entre la rupture et le comportement civique, la relation négative entre ces deux termes étant plus affirmée quand le vécu familial vis‐à‐vis du chef est fort. On peut en conclure que les salariés vivant une étroite relation de type familial avec leur supérieur risquent de se sentir trahis et par suite de réagir plus négativement s’ils sont confrontés à une rupture de contrat. On analyse les retombées de ces travaux sur la pratique et les orientations des recherches à venir.The present study addresses the call for theory‐based investigations on workplace familism. It contributes to the literature by proposing and testing the moderating role of workplace familism between psychological contract breach and civic virtue behaviour. We surveyed 267 full‐time employees and found main effects of both types of workplace familism (i.e. workplace organisational and workplace supervisor familism) and breach of relational obligations on civic virtue behaviour. Workplace supervisor familism also moderated the relationship between breach and civic virtue behaviour, with the negative relationship between breach and civic virtue behaviour stronger when workplace supervisor familism was high. This suggests that employees with a high level of workplace supervisor familism may feel a sense of betrayal and, therefore, respond more negatively to contract breach. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.
Credit Market Regulation and Labor Market Performance Around the World
Authors: Feldmann Horst 
Published: October 2006

SUMMARYUsing data from 74 industrial, developing and transition countries for the years 2000 to 2003, this paper empirically analyzes whether and to what extent credit market regulations affect the performance of the labor market. According to the regression results, anti‐competitive credit market regulations have an adverse, though generally modest, impact on the labor market. Specifically, restrictions on credit extended to the private sector, on the private ownership of banks, on competition from foreign banks, and on the free determination of interest rates appear to lower the level of employment and increase unemployment, particularly among young people.
‘The Phonetic Structure of a Cypriotic Dialect’: A Rediscovered Paper by J. R. Firth1
Authors: Coleman John 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe Philological Society President and Secretary's Annual Report for 1937 (Braunholtz & Woodward 1938) reports that J. R. Firth read a paper on ‘The Phonetic Structure of a Cypriotic Dialect’ to the meeting of the Society on 29 May 1937. Firth's paper was never published, and its very existence was subsequently forgotten. Happily, a manuscript and handout for the lecture as well as copious background notes relating to the study have recently come to light at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Though somewhat incomplete, much of the content of the paper can be pieced together to yield a surprising new addition to the body of Firth's work.
A New Early Source of Basque: The Willughby Glossary of 1664
Authors: Trask R. L. , Coates Richard 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWe present a diplomatic edition of a seventeenth‐century English manuscript containing previously unpublished lexical material in Bizkaian Basque. We offer a linguistic analysis of this, and explain the significance of the manuscript and its content in the history of linguistics and Basque scholarship.
Semiparametric Analysis of Case Series Data
Authors: Farrington C. P. , Whitaker H. J. 
Published: October 2006

SummaryThe case series model for estimating the association between an age-dependent exposure and an outcome event requires information only on cases and implicitly adjusts for all age-independent multiplicative confounders, while allowing for an age-dependent base-line incidence. In the paper the model is presented in greater generality than hitherto, including more general discussion of its derivation, underlying assumptions, applicability, limitations and efficiency. A semiparametric version of the model is developed, in which the age-specific relative incidence is left unspecified. Modelling covariate effects and testing assumptions are discussed. The small sample performance of this model is studied in simulations. The methods are illustrated with several examples from epidemiology.
A Local-Influence-Based Diagnostic Approach to a Speeded Item Response Theory Model
Authors: Goegebeur Yuri , De Boeck Paul , Molenberghs Geert , del Pino Guido 
Published: October 2006

SummaryAn item response theory model for dealing with omitted responses in a test is proposed. In this model formulation, non-response does not only depend on an examinee’s ability and on item difficulty, but additionally also on ‘test speededness’. Using a local-influence-based diagnostic approach, the sensitivity of the model regarding assumptions concerning the drop-out mechanism is explored. The methodology proposed is applied to the Chilean Sistema de Medición de la Calidad de la Educación mathematics test case-study.
Optimal manufacturer's pricing and lot‐sizing policies under trade credit financing
Authors: Teng Jinn‐Tsair , Ouyang Liang‐Yuh , Chen Liang‐Ho 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIn this paper, we extend Goyal's economic order quantity (EOQ) model to allow for the following four important facts: (1) the manufacturer's selling price per unit is necessarily higher than its unit cost, (2) the interest rate charged by a bank is not necessarily higher than the manufacturer's investment return rate, (3) the demand rate is a downward‐sloping function of the price, and (4) an economic production quantity (EPQ) model is a generalized EOQ model. We then establish an appropriate EPQ model accordingly, in which the manufacturer receives the supplier trade credit and provides the customer trade credit simultaneously. As a result, the proposed model is in a general framework that includes numerous previous models as special cases. Furthermore, we provide an easy‐to‐use closed‐form optimal solution to the problem for any given price. Finally, we develop an algorithm for the manufacturer to determine its optimal price and lot size simultaneously.
Establishment of an immunoglobulin A–deficient blood donor registry with a simple in‐house screening enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay
Authors: Thibault Louis , Beauséjour Annie , De Grandmont Marie Joëlle , Long Anne , Goldman Mindy , Chevrier Marie‐Claire 
Published: October 2006

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of blood products to immunoglobulin A (IgA)–deficient patients who have developed IgA antibodies can result in serious adverse reactions. To prepare compatible blood components for these patients, blood centers usually maintain a list of IgA‐deficient blood donors. An in‐house enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to identify new IgA‐deficient blood donors.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An in‐house ELISA was used to screen blood samples. IgA‐deficient samples, defined as an IgA level below 0.05 mg per dL, were sent to the American Red Cross for confirmatory testing.RESULTS: Seventy‐three confirmed IgA‐deficient blood donors were identified among 38,759 screened blood donor samples (frequency, 1:531). IgA antibodies were found in 39 of these 73 blood donors (53%), although only 9 donors had a history of adult IgA exposure (transfusion or pregnancy).CONCLUSIONS: With a simple in‐house ELISA, 73 blood donors were identified as IgA‐deficient. From this number, 34 donors, without detectable anti‐IgA in their plasma, were added to our IgA‐deficient blood donor panel to maximize the management of our inventory of IgA‐deficient frozen blood components.
Design Optimization of Ultra-Low Flying Head-Disk Interfaces Using an Improved Elastic-Plastic Rough Surface Model
Authors: Suh Allison Y. , Lee Sung-Chang , Polycarpou Andreas A. 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Sub-5nm flying head-disk interfaces (HDIs) designed to attain extremely high areal recording densities of the order of Tbit∕in2 are susceptible to strong adhesive forces, which can lead to subsequent contact, bouncing vibration, and high friction. Accurate prediction of the relevant interfacial forces can help ensure successful implementation of ultra-low flying HDIs. In this study, an improved rough surface model is developed to estimate the adhesive, contact, and friction forces as well as the mean contact pressure relevant to sub-5nm HDIs. The improved model was applied to four different HDIs of varying roughness and contact conditions, and was compared to the sub-boundary lubrication rough surface model. It was found that the interfacial forces in HDIs undergoing primarily elastic-plastic and plastic contact are more accurately predicted with the improved model, while under predominantly elastic contact conditions, the two models give similar results. The improved model was then used to systematically investigate the effect of roughness parameters on the interfacial forces and mean contact pressure (response). The trends in the responses were investigated via a series of regression models using a full 33 factorial design. It was found that the adhesive and net normal interfacial forces increase with increasing mean radius R of asperities when the mean separation is small (≈0.5nm), i.e., pseudo-contacting interface, but it increases primarily with increasing root-mean-square (rms) surface height roughness between 2 and 4nm, i.e., pseudo-flying interface. Also, increasing rms roughness and decreasing R, increases the contact force and mean contact pressure, while the same design decreases the friction force. As the directions of optimization for minimizing the individual interfacial forces are not the same, simultaneous optimization is required for a successful ultra-low flying HDI design.
Visualization and Measurement of Contact Area by
Reflectivity
Authors: Diaconescu Emanuel , Glovnea Marilena 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Surface deformations measured by laser profilometry in a contact model metal punch-sapphire window yield pressure distribution if the contact area is known. This paper advances a new method to assess this area by reflectivity. The contact model possesses higher reflectivity outside the contact area than inside, the step evidencing contact contour. A correction for interference effects is derived. Experimental results on circular Hertz contacts agree well with theoretical predictions.
The other face of depression, reduced positive affect: the role of catecholamines in causation and cure
Authors: Nutt David , Demyttenaere Koen , Janka Zoltan , Aarre Trond , Bourin Michel , Canonico Pier Luigi , Carrasco Jose Luis , Stahl Steven 
Published: October 2006

Despite significant advances in pharmacologic therapy of depression over the past two decades, a substantial proportion of patients fail to respond or experience only partial response to serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants, resulting in chronic functional impairment. There appears to be a pattern of symptoms that are inadequately addressed by serotonergic antidepressants — loss of pleasure, loss of interest, fatigue and loss of energy. These symptoms are key to the maintenance of drive and motivation. Although these symptoms are variously defined, they are consistent with the concept of `decreased positive affect'. Positive affect subsumes a broad range of positive mood states, including feelings of happiness (joy), interest, energy, enthusiasm, alertness and selfconfidence. Although preliminary, there is evidence to suggest that antidepressants that enhance noradrenergic and dopaminergic activity may afford a therapeutic advantage over serotonergic antidepressants in the treatment of symptoms associated with a reduction in positive affect. Dopaminergic and noradrenergic agents, including the dual acting norepinephrine and dopamine re-uptake inhibitors, have demonstrated antidepressant activity in the absence of serotonergic function, showing similar efficacy to both tricyclic and serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants. Moreover, the norepinephrine and dopamine re-uptake inhibitor bupropion has been shown to significantly improve symptoms of energy, pleasure and interest in patients with depression with predominant baseline symptoms of decreased pleasure, interest and energy. Focusing treatment on the predominant or driving symptomatology for an individual patient with major depression could potentially improve rates of response and remission.
Structural Change around Si Atoms in P2O5–SiO2 Binary Glasses before and after Annealing by 29Si MAS NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Sakida Shinichi , Nanba Tokuro , Miura Yoshinari 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
The 29Si MAS NMR spectra of P2O5–SiO2 binary glasses were measured before and after annealing to examine the local structure around Si atoms in the glasses. The glasses were composed of SiO6 octahedra and Q4 (SiO4 tetrahedra with four bridging oxygens). By increasing the P2O5 content, the fractions of SiO6 octahedra increased and those of Q4 decreased. The fractions of SiO6 octahedra increased by 6–8% in the range of 29.7 to 47.4 mol % P2O5 by annealing for 5 h. This result was found for the first time in binary glasses. On the basis of the results obtained, the local structure around Si atoms in the glasses and the structural change by annealing are discussed.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Antipeptic Activity of a Novel Surfactant Having an Azulene Moiety
Authors: Fujio Katsuhiko , Kobayashi Hideharu , Ozeki Sumio , Fujimori Kunihide 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
A novel surfactant having an azulene moiety, sodium 3-decyl-1-azulenesulfonate (C10AS), has been synthesized. The surface-activity of C10AS is lower than that of its structural isomer, sodium 4-decyl-1-naphthalenesulfonate (C10NS), probably caused by the higher hydrophilicity of C10AS due to the dipole moment of azulene moiety. C10AS exhibits the higher antipeptic activity than the propyl derivative (C3AS) below its critical micelle concentration.