bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
On future non‐medical costs in economic evaluations
Authors: Liljas Bengt , Karlsson Göran S. , Stålhammar Nils‐Olov 
Published: September 2007

AbstractEconomic evaluation in health care is still an evolving discipline. One of the current controversies in cost‐effectiveness analysis regards the inclusion or exclusion of future non‐medical costs (i.e. consumption net of production) due to increased survival. This paper examines the implications of a symmetry rule stating that there should be consistency between costs included in the numerator and utility aspects included in the denominator. While the observation that no quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) instruments explicitly include consumption and leisure seems to give support to the notion that future non‐medical costs should be excluded when QALYs are used as the outcome measure, a better understanding of what respondents actually consider when reporting QALY weights is required. However, the more fundamental question is whether QALYs can be interpreted as utilities. Or more precisely, what are the assumptions needed for a general utility model also including consumption and leisure to be consistent with QALYs? Once those assumptions are identified, they need to be experimentally tested to see whether they are at least approximately valid. Until we have answers to these areas for future research, it seems premature to include future non‐medical costs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Home bias and purchasing power parity: evidence from the G‐7 countries
Authors: Mylonidis Nikolaos , Sideris Dimitrios 
Published: September 2007

AbstractRecent studies in the international economics literature emphasize the role of home bias in explaining a number of empirical puzzles. In the present study, we test for the following hypotheses: (i) that a home bias effect, which is nevertheless falling over time as traded goods markets become more integrated and consumption preferences become more similar across developed countries, influences the relationship among nominal exchange rates, domestic and foreign prices, and (ii) that incorporation of the home bias effect in the empirical specification of PPP enhances the robustness of the theory. We perform a panel data analysis using quarterly observations for the G‐7 economies in the post‐Bretton Woods era. The results confirm our hypotheses. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How to exit from fixed exchange rate regimes?
Authors: AŞici Ahmet Atil , Ivanova Nadezhda , Wyplosz Charles 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis paper improves upon the recently developed literature on exits from fixed exchange rate regimes in three ways: (1) It allows for two indicators for post‐exit macroeconomic conditions, the change in the exchange rate and the change in the output gap; (2) it tests whether the distinction between orderly and disorderly exit is statistically justified, and concludes that it is not; (3) it deals with the sample selection problem. The results, subject to extensive sensitivity analysis, suggest that post‐exits are better when depegging occurs in good macroeconomic conditions — an unnatural move for most policymakers — when world interest rates decline and in the presence of capital controls. Importantly, ‘good’ macroeconomic policies do not seem to help with post‐exit performance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
European monetary policy surprises: the aggregate and sectoral stock market response
Authors: Bredin Don , Hyde Stuart , Nitzsche Dirk , O'Reilly Gerard 
Published: September 2007

AbstractIn this paper we investigate the stock market response to international monetary policy changes in the UK and Germany. Specifically, we analyse the impact of (un)expected changes in the UK and German/Euro area policy rates on the UK and German aggregate and sectoral equity returns in an event study. The decomposition of (un)expected changes in policy rates is based on futures markets. Overall, our results suggest that, the UK monetary policy surprises have a significant negative influence on both aggregate and industry level returns in both countries. The influence of German/Euro area monetary policy shocks appears insignificant for both Germany and the UK. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Policy words and policy deeds: the ECB and the euro
Authors: Siklos Pierre L. , Bohl Martin T. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis paper examines the role of the European Central Bank (ECB) communication activities on daily eurodollar exchange rate and interest rates. We estimate the relationship between monetary policy and the exchange rate using a technique that explicitly recognizes the joint determination of both the levels and volatilities of these variables. We also consider more traditional estimation strategies as a test of the robustness of our main results. We introduce a new indicator of ECB communication policies that focuses on what the ECB says about the future economic outlook for the euro area along five different economic dimensions. The impact of the ECB communication policies is more apparent in the time‐series framework than in the heteroskedasticity estimator approach. Time‐series estimates reveal that interest rate changes generally have a much larger impact on exchange rate movements, and their volatility, than do ECB verbal pronouncements. Previous studies that conclude that news effects are significant at the daily frequency may have reached such a conclusion because the measurement of news was too highly aggregated. The endogeneity of the exchange rate–interest rate relationship is more apparent when the proxy for monetary policy is the euro area–US differential than when any other proxy for monetary policy is employed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Time‐varying correlations and optimal allocation in emerging market equities for the US investors
Authors: Cha Heung‐Joo , Jithendranathan Thadavillil 
Published: September 2007

AbstractLow correlations between asset returns increase the portfolio diversification benefits and for US investors emerging market equities are one such class of assets. Several studies indicate that the correlations between asset returns are time varying and using unconditional estimates of correlation in a portfolio optimization model can result in misallocation of assets. To overcome this problem we use multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models to estimate the time‐varying correlations and use the same in portfolio optimization models. Ex‐post return calculations show that unrestricted portfolios created with emerging stock indices and S&P 500 index outperform the S&P 500 index by itself. Since investors exhibit strong home bias in their portfolio choice, restricted optimization models are tested. Results indicate that if the total investment in emerging markets is restricted, a minimum investment of 20% in emerging markets is required to obtain significant diversification benefit. With investments in each of the emerging market restricted to less than 3%, there was no significant diversification benefit. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization and ornidazole release in vitro of a novel composite film prepared with chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/alginate
Authors: Pei Hong Na , Chen Xi Guang , Li Yan , Zhou Hui Yun 
Published: September 2007

AbstractTo create a moist environment for rapid wound healing, a new C‐P‐A film with sustained antibacterial capacity had been developed by the casting/solvent evaporation method. This new type of C‐P‐A film consists of a chitosan top layer and sodium alginate sublayer separated by an ornidazole‐incorporated poly(vinyl alcohol) layer, exhibited perfect binding characteristics among the three layers. Physical characterization of the C‐P‐A film showed that the triple‐layerd film had excellent light transmittance, control of water vapor transmission rate, and fluid drainage ability promotion, compared with the single‐layer film. From the in vitro release studies, about 90% of OD was released from the composite films within 60 min, and no significant difference was observed in cumulative release percentage with increases in the drug content. The composite film at low concentration of OD (1.0 mg/cm2) showed effective antimicrobial activity in the cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in agar plates. The results obtained in this work indicated that the new type of C‐P‐A composite film incorporated with ornidazole has the potential for wound dressing application. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008
Effect of controlled release of fibroblast growth factor‐2 from chitosan/fucoidan micro complex‐hydrogel on in vitro and in vivo vascularization
Authors: Nakamura Shingo , Nambu Masaki , Ishizuka Takamitsu , Hattori Hidemi , Kanatani Yasuhiro , Takase Bonpei , Kishimoto Satoko , Amano Yoshiko , Aoki Hiroshi , Kiyosawa Tomoharu , Ishihara Masayuki , Maehara Tadaaki 
Published: September 2007

AbstractWe produced a chitosan/fucoidan micro complex‐hydrogel as a carrier for controlled release of heparin binding growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐2. Material consisting of a soluble chitosan (CH‐LA) mixed with fucoidan yielded a water‐insoluble and injectable hydrogel with filamentous particles. In this study, we examined the ability of the chitosan/fucoidan complex‐hydrogel to immobilize FGF‐2 and to protect its activity, as well as the controlled release of FGF‐2 molecules. The chitosan/fucoidan complex‐hydrogel has high affinity for FGF‐2 (Kd = 5.4 × 10−9M). The interaction of FGF‐2 with chitosan/fucoidan complex‐hydrogel substantially prolonged the biological half‐life time of FGF‐2. It also protected FGF‐2 from inactivation, for example by heat and proteolysis, and enhance FGF‐2 activity. When FGF‐2‐containing complex‐hydrogel was subcutaneously injected into the back of mice, significant neovascularization and fibrous tissue formation were induced near the site of injection at 1 week, and the complex‐hydrogel was biodegraded and disappeared by 4 weeks. These findings indicate that controlled release of biologically active FGF‐2 molecules is caused by both slow diffusion and biodegradation of the complex‐hydrogel, and that subsequent induction of vascularization occurs. FGF‐2‐containing chitosan/fucoidan micro complex‐hydrogel is thus useful and convenient for treatment of ischemic disease. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008
Effect of chondroitin sulphate on material properties and bone remodelling around hydroxyapatite/collagen composites
Authors: Schneiders Wolfgang , Reinstorf Antje , Ruhnow Michael , Rehberg Sebastian , Heineck Jan , Hinterseher Irene , Biewener Achim , Zwipp Hans , Rammelt Stefan 
Published: September 2007

AbstractChondroitin sulphate (CS) has an anti‐inflammatory effect and increases the regeneration ability of injured bone. The goal of this study was to characterize the material properties and osteoconductive potency of calcium phosphate bone cements modified with CS. The early interface reaction of cancellous bone to a nanokristalline hydroxyapatite cement containing type I collagen (HA/Coll) without and with CS (HA/Coll/CS) in a rat tibia model was evaluated. Cylindrical implants were inserted press‐fit into defect of the tibial head. Six specimens per group were analyzed at 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days. HA/Coll/CS composite cylinders showed a 15% increase in compressive strength and by investigations with powder X‐ray diffraction more nontransformed cement precursor was found. The microstructures of both types of implants were similar. A significantly higher average number of TRAP positive osteoclasts and ED1 positive mononuclear cells were observed in the interface around HA/Coll/CS implants on day 4 and 7 (p < 0.05). At 28 days the direct bone contact and the percentage of newly formed bone were significantly higher around HA/Coll/CS implants (p < 0.05). The addition of CS appears to enhance bone remodelling and new bone formation around HA/Coll composites in the early stages of bone healing. Possible mechanisms are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008
Evolution of fibrinogen‐coated collagen patch for use as a topical hemostatic agent
Authors: Erdogan Deha , van Gulik Thomas M. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractHuman fibrinogen and thrombin have been combined and coated onto a collagen patch for use as a topical hemostatic agent. These agents have now been used for many years to induce rapid hemostasis and tissue sealing after various indications including thoracic‐, plastic‐, pediatric‐, liver‐, and minimally invasive surgery. The only ready‐to‐use fibrinogen‐coated collagen patch at this moment, the third‐generation surgical patch (SP‐3), contains no bovine aprotinin (antifibrinolytic protein) in contrast to its precursor SP‐2, and is thus devoid of bovine‐derived components. In vitro studies have shown equal bioequivalence between SP‐2 and SP‐3. Various experiments in animal models under normal, stressful, and hyperfibrinolytic conditions showed that SP‐3 has comparable tissue sealing properties and also outperformed fibrin sealants alone in some studies. The results from these pre‐clinical bridging studies showed that aprotinin is not essential for the therapeutic efficacy of SP‐3. In conclusion, SP‐3 has evolved into a rapid, ready‐to‐use adjunct to primary measures for tissue sealing and hemostasis, suitable in cardiovascular‐, thoracic‐, neuro‐, spleen‐, kidney‐, and liver‐surgery. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008
Surface damage analysis of retrieved highly crosslinked polyethylene tibial components after short‐term implantation
Authors: Willie B. M. , Foot L. J. , Prall M. W. , Bloebaum R. D. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThe use of highly crosslinked polyethylene (PE) in the knee remains controversial, because of reduced fatigue fracture properties of the material. The current study investigated postmelt surface damage as well as potential contributors to this damage in retrieved highly crosslinked PE tibial components, after short‐term in vivo durations. Retrieved conventional PE tibial components were examined for comparison, as well as unused time zero highly crosslinked and conventional PE tibial components for inherent manufacturing surface characterization. Predominant surface damage modes on highly crosslinked PE components were machine mark loss and abrasion, while conventional PE components primarily had machine mark loss, abrasion, and delamination. In vivo duration, PE thickness, and conformity of the design were significant predictors of surface damage on retrieved conventional PE components. Donor weight and the conformity of the design were significant predictors of surface damage on retrieved highly crosslinked PE components. This retrieval data on highly crosslinked PE tibial components suggest that in vivo wear occurred, observed as postmelt surface damage. The highly crosslinked Durasul material examined in this retrieval study appeared to outperform the conventional PE components made from 4150 resin, ram‐extruded and γ‐sterilized in air, but not the conventional components made from 1020 resin, compression molding and γ sterilization in nitrogen. Early retrieval data of highly crosslinked PE tibial components are important to serve as a benchmark to be compared with future longer‐term retrieval studies investigating whether surface damage translates to clinically relevant particulate wear debris generation and PE clinical performance. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008
Light‐activation of resin cement through ceramic: Relationship between irradiance intensity and bond strength to dentin
Authors: Moraes Rafael R. , Correr‐Sobrinho Lourenço , Sinhoreti Mário A. C. , Puppin‐Rontani Regina M. , Ogliari Fabrício A. , Piva Evandro 
Published: September 2007

AbstractThis study investigated the relationship between the irradiance transmitted through ceramic and the bond strength of a resin cement to dentin. After application of an adhesive system, elastomer molds with cylindrical orifices (1.2 mm in diameter) were placed onto bovine dentin surfaces and filled with a photoactivated luting agent (Enforce; Dentsply Caulk). Light‐activation was performed through a 0.6‐mm‐thick ceramic disc using different intensities: 250, 400, 550, 700, or 850 mW/cm2. Control specimens were irradiated without ceramic (1050 mW/cm2). The radiant exposure was kept at 30 J/cm2. Light spectral distribution was analyzed with a spectrometer. Microshear test was conducted and modes of failure were classified under SEM. Bond strength data were analyzed with ANOVA and Student–Newman–Keuls' test (α ≤ 0.05), and failure scores with the Kruskal–Wallis test (α ≤ 0.05). A linear regression model assessed the relationship between irradiance and bond strength. Groups light‐cured at 250 and 400 mW/cm2 presented lower bond strengths than groups activated at 850 and 1050 mW/cm2. The linear regression showed that a decrease in light irradiance predicts a decrease in bond strength (r2 = 0.955; p = 0.004). A predominance of mixed failures was observed. No significant alteration in the spectral wavelengths was observed. Despite the constant energy dose, the bond strength was dependent upon the irradiance level. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008
Dynamic mechanical properties of a biomimetic hydroxyapatite/polyamide 6,9 nanocomposite
Authors: Sender C. , Dantras E. , Dantras‐Laffont L. , Lacoste M. H. , Dandurand J. , Mauzac M. , Lacout J.‐L. , Lavergne C. , Demont Ph. , Bernès A. , Lacabanne C. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractA biomimetic composite of nanohydroxyapatite (nHap) and semicrystalline polyamide 6,9 (PA 6,9) was synthesized by thermally induced phase separation. The nHap powder was dispersed in a polymer matrix with a low ratio ranging 1–10 wt %. The mean size of the nHap, determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was ∼100–200 nm (length), 40–60 nm (width). Physicochemical analyses were performed in order to characterize the PA 6,9 and nHap separately on the one hand, and the PA 6,9/nHap composites on the other hand. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) have pointed out an optimization of the composite physical properties as a function of nHap content till a limit value of 5 wt %. Above this value, the mechanical properties decreased. Four main parameters have been found to influence the composite physical properties improvement: the fillers content, the physical structure of the polymeric matrix, the particles dispersion and the physical interaction strength between organic and inorganic phases. The dynamic mechanical properties of this biomimetic nanocomposite were compared with human cortical bone. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2007
A PP2A active site mutant impedes growth and causes misregulation of native catalytic subunit expression
Authors: Lizotte Donna L. , Blakeslee Joshua J. , Siryaporn Albert , Heath Jeffrey T. , DeLong Alison 
Published: September 2007

AbstractActivity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is tightly regulated and performs a diverse repertoire of cellular functions. Previously we isolated a dominant‐negative active site mutant of the PP2A catalytic (C) subunit using a yeast complementation assay. We have established stable fibroblastic cell lines expressing epitope‐tagged versions of the wild‐type and H118N mutant C subunits and have used these cells to investigate mechanisms that regulate PP2A activity. Cells expressing the mutant C subunit exhibit a decreased growth rate and a prolonged G1 cell cycle phase. The mutant protein is enzymatically inactive, but extracts made from cells expressing the H118N C subunit show normal levels of total PP2A activity in vitro. The H118N mutant shows reduced binding to the regulatory A subunit, but binds normally to the α4 protein, a non‐canonical regulator of PP2A. Expression of the H118N mutant interferes with the normal control of C subunit abundance, causing accumulation of the endogenous wild‐type protein as well as the mutant transgene product. Our results indicate that the H118N mutant isoform retards C subunit turnover and suggest that PP2A C subunit turnover may be important for normal cell cycle progression. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 1309–1325, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cross‐talk between the epidermal growth factor‐like repeats/fibronectin 6–8 repeats domains of Tenascin‐R and microglia modulates neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation
Authors: Liao Hong , Huang Wenhui , Niu Rui , Sun Lixin , Zhang Luyong 
Published: September 2007

AbstractMounting evidence has demonstrated that the microenvironment of stem/progenitor cells plays an important role in their proliferation and commitment to their fate. However, it remains unclear how all elements, such as astrocytes, microglia, extracellular matrix molecules, soluble factors, and their cross‐talk interactions in the microenvironments, affect neural stem/progenitor cell fate. This work explored the influences of cross‐talk between Tenascin‐R (TN‐R) and microglia on neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation. Our results show that microglia triggered by TN‐R distinct domains EGF‐like repeats (EGFL) and fibronectin 6–8 repeats (FN6–8) significantly enhanced the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and also obviously induced the differentiation into neurons but not oligodendrocytes. Neurite processes of neurons generated from neural progenitor cells were promoted by both EGFL and FN6–8 domains‐activated microglia. Microglia triggered by EGFL and FN6–8 secreted brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β); interestingly, FN6–8 could activate microglia to secrete nerve growth factor in addition to BDNF and TGF‐β, but EGFL domain could not. All these data implied that the cross‐talk between TN‐R distinct domains EGFL/FN6–8 and microglia promoted neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and induced their differentiation into neurons. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of antipsychotic medication on muscarinic M1 receptor mRNA expression in the rat brain
Authors: Han Mei , Newell Kelly , Zavitsanou Katerina , Deng Chao , Huang Xu‐Feng 
Published: September 2007

AbstractAlterations in muscarinic M1 receptor protein and mRNA expression have been revealed in post‐mortem brains of schizophrenia patients. Most patients had been treated with antipsychotics, so medication effects cannot be excluded as a possible explanation for these results. With in situ hybridization, this study investigated M1 receptor mRNA expression in rats treated with the typical antipsychotic haloperidol (0.3 mg/kg/day) and the atypical antipsychotics olanzapine (1.5 mg/kg/day) and aripiprazole (2.25 mg/kg/day) for 1 or 12 weeks. Compared with the control group, haloperidol significantly increased (∼13–21%, P < 0.05) M1 mRNA expression in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions of the hippocampus after both 1 and 12 weeks of treatment, and it also increased (∼17%, P < 0.01) M1 mRNA expression in the substantia nigra compacta after 1 week of treatment. Olanzapine significantly increased (14–22%, P < 0.05) M1 mRNA expression in the hippocampus (CA1, CA2, and CA3) and substantia nigra compacta after 12 weeks of treatment, but not after 1 week. Aripiprazole significantly increased (17%, P < 0.01) M1 mRNA expression in the hippocampus (CA1) after both 1 and 12 week treatments and increased (12%, P < 0.05) M1 mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens after 1 week of treatment. Despite their different affinities for muscarinic M1 receptors, all three antipsychotic medications induced a similar trend of change in M1 mRNA expression in selected brain regions. These data suggest that the decreased M1 receptor protein and mRNA expression observed in schizophrenia patients is unlikely to be a consequence of drug treatments and implicates muscarinic M1 receptors in the pharmacotherapy of the disease. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.