bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pilot assessment of depth related distribution of macrofauna in surf zone along Dutch coast and its implications for coastal management
Authors: Janssen Gerard , Kleef Hans , Mulder Saskia , Tydeman Peter 
Published: June 2008

AbstractSurf zones are highly dynamic, physically stressful parts of sandy beach ecosystems. The high wave energy of surf zones has in the past severely hampered ecological surveys of these systems. Here we used a novel technique to collect fauna from this environment along the Dutch coast. A large vehicle in the form a tripod that drives along the sandy seafloor and supports a sampling platform 11 m above the water line can collect both infaunal (grabs) samples and pull beam trawls for epibenthos. The distribution and diversity of macrofauna were studied at different depths in the surf zone along the Dutch coast. Species diversity and abundance increased with increasing depth of the water column. This increase was especially noticeable on the seaward side of the outer breaker bar. Within the surf zone, in the trough between the two breaker bars, there were spots of high diversity and abundance of macrobenthic infauna. Moreover, the area is also important for epibenthic and fish species, like the commercially important flatfish sole. Spatial patterns of species richness and abundance across an onshore‐offshore gradient from the beach to seawards of the breakers suggest the presence of faunal zonation in this environment. The high abundance recorded in troughs was primarily caused by patches of juvenile Sand mason Lanice conchilega. The management implications of these results are that we suggest to protect the surf zone, including the trough between the two breaker bars, as a potential area of high diversity and abundance and to reconsider the objectives of the EU‐Habitat Directive and the Water Framework Directive for the coastal area.
Adiponectin is present in the urine in its native conformation, and specifically reduces the secretion of MCP‐1 by proximal tubular cells
Authors: SHEN YVONNE Y , HUGHES JAQUELYNE T , CHARLESWORTH JOHN A , KELLY JOHN J , PEAKE PHILIP W 
Published: June 2008

SUMMARY:Aim:  To determine whether adiponectin detected in urine is present in its native form and if adiponectin receptors (AdipoR) present and functional in proximal tubular (HK‐2) cells.Background:  Adiponectin is a protein with anti‐inflammatory, anti‐atherogenic and insulin‐sensitizing properties. It has previously been detected antigenically in the urine in several forms of renal disease.Methods:  We compared the isoform distribution of urinary adiponectin in patients with proteinuric and non‐proteinuric renal disease with that of matched controls using chromatography and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. We examined whether AdipoR were present in HK‐2 cells by real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Their functionality was investigated by determining the effect of recombinant adiponectin on adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase phosphorylation using western blotting, and on the secretion of monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 and C3 using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays.Results:  Adiponectin in the urine is physiologically intact and largely present as the low molecular weight isoform. Subjects with urinary protein >150 mg/L excreted significantly more adiponectin and its high and low molecular weight isoforms than those with <150 mg/L. mRNA for AdipoR were present in HK‐2 cells, with levels of mRNA for AdipoR1 being 20 times greater than those for AdipoR2. Ligation of AdipoR on proximal tubular cells increased phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase, and downregulated the secretion of the inflammatory cytokine monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, but not of C3.Conclusion:  Physiologically relevant isoforms of adiponectin are present in the urine of normal subjects and those with proteinuria. In addition, functional receptors for adiponectin are present in HK‐2 cells. Abnormal levels of adiponectin in the urine may therefore activate these receptors, potentially resulting in anti‐inflammatory activity.
Predictors for quality of life in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: BILGIC AYSE , AKMAN BERIL , SEZER SIREN , OZISIK LALE , ARAT ZUBEYDE , OZDEMIR F NURHAN , HABERAL MEHMET 
Published: June 2008

SUMMARY:Aim:  Peritoneal dialysis patients have diminished quality of life scores compared with healthy subjects. Measures of quality of life have been reported to have a significant predictive value for patient survival and hospitalization in peritoneal dialysis patients. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical, biochemical and psychological predictors for the quality of life in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.Methods:  This cross‐sectional study included 60 CAPD patients (male/female 33/27; age 45.5 ± 15.7 years, CAPD duration 43.4 ± 32.7 months). Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index was used for assessing sleep quality. We evaluated each patient's depressive symptoms with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Quality of life parameters were assessed by the self‐administered SF‐36 generic health survey questionnaire. In all patients, demographic variables, personality traits and habits, Charlson Comorbidity Index, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded and analysed.Results:  A Pearson bivariate correlation analysis revealed that total quality of life score was negatively correlated with Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (–0.533, P < 0.0001), BDI (−0.642, P < 0.0001) scores, C‐reactive protein (−0.588, P = 0.001), and positively correlated with blood urea nitrogen (0.336, P = 0.02) and albumin (0.351, P = 0.01). BDI scores (β = −0.505, P = 0.001) and the serum albumin levels (β = 0.324, P = 0.009) were the significant independent predictors of quality of life.Conclusion:  Poor sleep quality, presence of depression, higher C‐reactive protein and lower albumin levels are associated with poorer quality of life. In order to improve life quality in CAPD patients, quality of sleep, depression and nutritional status should be serially evaluated and given appropriate treatment when required.
Long‐term functional outcomes in patients with various types of orthotopic intestinal neobladder
Authors: Miyake Hideaki , Furukawa Junya , Takenaka Atsushi , Yamanaka Nozomu , Fujisawa Masato 
Published: June 2008

Objectives:  To evaluate the long‐term functional outcomes of various types of orthotopic neobladder (NB).Methods:  Eighty‐nine patients who underwent orthotopic NB reconstruction after radical cystectomy and were followed for at least 60 months after surgery were included in this retrospective study. The types of NB in this series were: modified Studer type, Hautmann type, Mainz type, Goldwasser type and modified Reddy type in 36, 9, 15, 10 and 19 patients, respectively.Results:  Sixty‐seven (75.3%) patients could void spontaneously, 15 (16.8%) voided with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) assistance and seven (7.9%) with CIC alone. After excluding the seven voiding with CIC alone, daytime and night‐time continence was achieved in 63 and 50 of the remaining 82 patients, respectively. In addition, the proportion of daytime continence in the modified Studer group was significantly greater than that in the Mainz group, whereas there was no significant difference in the proportion of night‐time continence among these groups. Uroflow examination indicated that despite the lack of significant differences in the maximal flow rates and the voided volumes, the post‐void residual in the modified Reddy group was significantly smaller than that in the modified Studer group. Blood gas analysis in the 82 patients showed that there were no significant differences in the pH, bicarbonate, chloride and base excess among these groups.Conclusions:  Orthotopic NB created with intestinal segments generally has acceptable functional outcomes on long term follow up. These outcomes differ according to the type of NB. To define the optimal procedure for NB reconstruction, it is necessary to understand the long‐term functional prospects, on which the subjective success of NB creation is based.
Association between serum prostate‐specific antigen level, liver function tests and lipid profile in healthy men
Authors: Han June Hyun , Chang In Ho , Ahn Seung Hyun , Kwon Oh Jung , Bang Seong Hak , Choi Nak Young , Park Sang Wook , Myung Soon Chul , Kim Hyun Woo 
Published: June 2008

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level and age, liver function tests (LFTs) including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), lipid profile (total cholesterol, TC, triglycerides, TG, high‐density lipoprotein, HDL) and fasting blood sugar (FBS), and to determine the significant factors for predicting the serum PSA level in men with a low risk of having prostate cancer.SUBJECTS AND METHODSIn all, 38 157 healthy male employees of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) who were aged <60 years and had serum PSA levels of <4 ng/mL and serum creatinine levels of <1.4 mg/dL were enrolled between January 2002 and December 2006. Body weight and height were measured, and levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), ALP, TB, FBS, TC, TG, and HDL, and serum PSA were measured.RESULTSThe mean (sd) age of the study population was 44.4 (7.90) years and the mean PSA level 0.89 (0.51) ng/mL. In a univariate analysis there were significant interrelations between serum PSA level and age, BMI, AST, ALT, ALP, TB, HDL and FBS (P < 0.05). The multiple logistic regression analyses using four percentiles (10th, 25th, 75th, 90th percentile) of serum PSA level showed trends that being older was associated with serum PSA level, and that BMI, ALT, HDL and FBS were negatively correlated with serum PSA level.CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that serum PSA level was significantly influenced by age, BMI, ALT, HDL and FBS. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and to explain the underlying mechanisms.
Identifying constructs and criteria for the diagnosis of premature ejaculation: implication for making errors of classification
Authors: Althof Stanley E. , Rowland David L. 
Published: June 2008

OBJECTIVESTo review the many definitions of premature ejaculation (PE), determine the essential elements that best define PE, and examine and discuss the consequences of errors of inclusion and exclusion in the diagnosis of PE.METHODSWe reviewed recent evidenced‐based studies that delineate the variables that best define PE, and the relationships between these factors. We then assessed the consequences of errors of measurement, inclusion and exclusion for setting the thresholds for the three variables.RESULTSPE can best be defined by a multidimensional set of criteria composed of three essential elements: (i) intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT); (ii) a lack of perceived self‐efficacy or control about the timing of ejaculation; and (iii) distress and interpersonal difficulty related to the ejaculatory dysfunction. After delineating the variables, thresholds for each variable need to be determined. Carefully constructed thresholds attempt to minimize errors of inclusion and exclusion. However, even the best criteria cannot eliminate all error. The two types of errors in classification are, to some extent, inversely related: the more restrictive the criteria, the more likely that there will be errors of exclusion, whereas the more lenient the criteria the more likely there will be errors of inclusion.CONCLUSIONResearch and treatment protocols might use different threshold values for classification, as their goals might be different. For a PE research protocol, we suggest erring on the side of a more narrow definition as it would: (i) provide a more conservative, and we think, realistic prevalence of the disorder; (ii) help to establish PE as a bona fide sexual dysfunction rather than a ‘life‐style’ issue for men seeking to enhance their sexual life; (iii) ensure greater confidence in the efficacy of existing and new treatment approaches; and (iv) strengthen the likelihood of acceptance by the regulatory authorities. Conversely, standard treatment protocols for PE might use more lenient criteria if the treatment has minimal adverse events and the degree of distress of the sufferer is high.
Does diabetes mellitus as a comorbid condition affect the health‐related quality of life in prostate cancer survivors? Results of a population‐based observational study
Authors: Mols Floortje , Aquarius Annelies E. , Essink‐Bot Marie‐Louise , Aaronson Neil K. , Kil Paul J.M. , Van De Poll‐Franse Lonneke V. 
Published: June 2008

OBJECTIVETo assess the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of long‐term, disease‐free prostate cancer survivors and compare it with that of prostate cancer survivors with diabetes mellitus (DM), and a Dutch normative population, as comorbidity can have a major impact on HRQoL in cancer survivors.PATIENTS AND METHODSThe Eindhoven Cancer Registry was used to select all men diagnosed with prostate cancer from 1994 to 1998. Questionnaires on HRQoL (Short Form 36) and prostate specific problems (University of California, Los Angeles Expanded Prostate Cancer Index) were sent to 964 patients, and 780 (81%) responded. Excluding patients with disease progression, the sample comprised 525 with prostate cancer and 65 with both prostate cancer and DM. Survivors with DM were more likely to have other comorbid conditions at the time of survey besides DM than were those without DM (74% vs 60%, P = 0.05). At 5–10 years after diagnosis, patients with DM reported worse General Health Perceptions than patients without DM or the normative population (means 52, 61 and 63; P < 0.001). Patients with DM also reported worse Vitality scores (59 vs 63; P < 0.001) than the normative population. Regression analysis indicated that DM was negatively associated with General Health Perceptions (β = −0.13; P < 0.01) and Vitality (β = −0.12; P < 0.01). Survivors with DM did not report worse urinary and bowel function or bother, nor more sexual problems than those without DM.CONCLUSIONSExcept for general health perceptions and vitality, the HRQoL of prostate cancer survivors with or without DM was comparable to a normative population. Survivorship selection can possibly explain, in part, why patients with DM did not report worse generic or disease‐specific HRQoL than those without DM, as had been expected.
Knowledge Dynamics in Valorising Local Nature
Authors: Siebert Rosemarie , Laschewski Lutz , Dosch Axel 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis article examines how sustainable development is actually being applied to rural development, and the assumptions about different forms of knowledge and their integration used in this application. The results of the study are based on a comparative analysis of research reports from 12 European countries on 27 projects and programmes for nature protection and biodiversity maintenance. It is argued that the distribution of different forms of knowledge and their evaluation are related to the form and structure of local civil society. The results suggest that the kinds of knowledge that are most prevalent in nature protection and biodiversity management are mainly scientific knowledge and, to limited degree, managerial knowledge, with the latter gaining in importance. In contrast, local knowledge as a knowledge system rooted in local resource use practices has become a rare feature of the European countryside.
The Battlefield for (Sustainable) Rural Development: The Case of Lake Plastiras, Central Greece
Authors: Koutsouris Alex 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis article aims at providing an understanding of knowledge aspects involved in the development of the Lake Plastiras area of Greece (a designated ‘less favoured area’). The area, through the implementation of development, projects, such as LEADER, has become a major tourism destination. Following the identification of the main actors in the area, their views, as well as their underlying knowledge regarding local development, are analysed. Contradictory approaches to local development subsequently emerge and the dynamics of various actors and the knowledge forms they use in rural projects are reviewed. It is argued that an approach to local development based on expert and managerial knowledge is not compatible with sustainable local development. This approach is contrasted with bottom‐up, multi‐stakeholder processes, showing that stakeholders are able to co‐construct the issue and its solutions only through participatory action but that this entails changes in perspectives and practices.
The Effect of Renewal Policy Changes on SCHIP Disenrollment
Authors: Herndon Jill Boylston , Vogel W. Bruce , Bucciarelli Richard L. , Shenkman Elizabeth A. 
Published: June 2008

Objective. To examine the impact of changing from a passive renewal process to an active renewal process in Florida's State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on disenrollment.Data Sources. Administrative records, containing enrollment and demographic data, were used to identify 414,396 enrollment spells from January 2004 through February 2006. Health care claims data were used to classify the children's health status.Study Design. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the impact of changing to an active renewal process on the children's risk of disenrolling, controlling for the children's sociodemographic characteristics. Differential effects of the policy change by the children's health status were examined, and transfers to other public health insurance programs were taken into account.Principal Findings. Children faced almost a 10‐fold greater risk of disenrolling in their renewal month under active renewal than under passive renewal. We did not detect differential impacts of the policy change across children with different health status levels.Conclusions. The switch to an active renewal process in Florida's SCHIP significantly increased disenrollment rates, and the effect of this policy change does not appear to vary by health status.
Front‐Line Staff Perspectives on Opportunities for Improving the Safety and Efficiency of Hospital Work Systems
Authors: Tucker Anita L. , Singer Sara J. , Hayes Jennifer E. , Falwell Alyson 
Published: June 2008

Objective. To contrast the safety‐related concerns raised by front‐line staff about hospital work systems (operational failures) with national patient safety initiatives.Data Sources. Primary data included 1,732 staff‐identified operational failures at 20 U.S. hospitals from 2004 to 2006.Study Design. Senior managers observed front‐line staff and facilitated open discussion meetings with employees about their patient safety concerns.Data Collection. Hospitals submitted data on the operational failures identified through managers' interactions with front‐line workers. Data were analyzed for type of failure and frequency of occurrence. Recommendations from staff were compared with recommendations from national initiatives.Principal Findings. The two most frequent categories of operational failures, equipment/supplies and facility issues, posed safety risks and diminished staff efficiency, but have not been priorities in national initiatives.Conclusions. Our study suggests an underutilized strategy for improving patient safety and staff efficiency: leveraging front‐line staff experiences with work systems to identify and address operational failures. In contrast to the perceived tradeoff between safety and efficiency, fixing operational failures can yield benefits for both. Thus, prioritizing improvement of work systems in general, rather than focusing more narrowly on specific clinical conditions, can increase safety and efficiency of hospitals.
Medical Malpractice Reform and Employer‐Sponsored Health Insurance Premiums
Authors: Morrisey Michael A. , Kilgore Meredith L. , Nelson Leonard (Jack) 
Published: June 2008

Objective.Tort reform may affect health insurance premiums both by reducing medical malpractice premiums and by reducing the extent of defensive medicine. The objective of this study is to estimate the effects of noneconomic damage caps on the premiums for employer‐sponsored health insurance.Data Sources/Study Setting.Employer premium data and plan/establishment characteristics were obtained from the 1999 through 2004 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Insurance Surveys. Damage caps were obtained and dated based on state annotated codes, statutes, and judicial decisions.Study Design.Fixed effects regression models were run to estimate the effects of the size of inflation‐adjusted damage caps on the weighted average single premiums.Data Collection/Extraction Methods.State tort reform laws were identified using Westlaw, LEXIS, and statutory compilations. Legislative repeal and amendment of statutes and court decisions resulting in the overturning or repealing state statutes were also identified using LEXIS.Principal Findings.Using a variety of empirical specifications, there was no statistically significant evidence that noneconomic damage caps exerted any meaningful influence on the cost of employer‐sponsored health insurance.Conclusions.The findings suggest that tort reforms have not translated into insurance savings.
Decision‐Analytic Modeling to Assist Decision Making in Organizational Innovation: The Case of Shared Care in Hearing Aid Provision
Authors: Grutters Janneke P. C. , Joore Manuela A. , Van Der Horst Frans , Stokroos Robert J. , Anteunis Lucien J. C. 
Published: June 2008

Objective.To illustrate the use of decision‐analytic modeling to assist decision making in organizational innovations.Study Setting/Data Sources.Regarding an organizational innovation (shared care in hearing aid provision) available evidence from different sources was synthesized.Study Design.A probabilistic Markov model was constructed.Data Collection/Extraction.We modeled the long‐term cost‐effectiveness of different organizational formats of shared care as opposed to the current organization. We assessed the expected value of perfect information (EVPI) for several groups of parameters in the model.Principal Findings.The current organization had the highest probability of being cost‐effective. Additional research is worthwhile, especially on access to care and safety (sensitivity to detect pathology).Conclusions.Decision‐analytic modeling in an early stage of organizational innovation is a valuable tool to facilitate evidence‐based decision making.
MRI findings in aphasic status epilepticus
Authors: Toledo Manuel , Munuera Josep , Sueiras Maria , Rovira Rosa , Álvarez‐Sabín José , Rovira Alex 
Published: June 2008

Summary Ictal‐MRI studies including diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI), perfusion‐weighted imaging (PWI), and MR‐angiography (MRA) in patients with aphasic status epilepticus (ASE) are lacking. In this report, we aim to describe the consequences of the ASE on DWIs and its impact on cerebral circulation. We retrospectively studied eight patients with ASE confirmed by ictal‐EEG, who underwent ictal‐MRI shortly after well‐documented onset (mean time delay 3 h). ASE consisted in fluctuating aphasia, mostly associated with other subtle contralateral neurological signs such as hemiparesia, hemianopia, or slight clonic jerks. In MRI, six patients showed cortical temporoparietal hyperintensity in DWI and four of them had also ipsilateral pulvinar lesions. Five patients showed close spatial hyperperfusion areas matching the DWI lesions and an enhanced blow flow in the middle cerebral artery. Parenchymal lesions and hemodynamic abnormalities were not associated with seizure duration or severity in any case. The resolution of DWI lesions at follow‐up MRI depended on the length of the MRIs interval. In patients with ASE, lesions on DWI in the temporo‐parietal cortex and pulvinar nucleus combined with local hyperperfusion can be observed, even when they appear distant from the epileptic focus or the language areas.