bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Deformation behavior of wet lignocellulosic fibers
Authors: Lowe Robert M. , Page Derek H. , Waterhouse John F. , Hsieh Jeff , Cheluka Naveen , Ragauskas Arthur J. 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
The deformation behavior of wet lignocellulosic fibers was examined by applying a dilute suspension of dyed pulp fibers to a filter paper and then wet pressing the fibers onto glass slides. The geometry of single fiber crossing was determined using light interference and an image analysis computer program. The effects of pulp type, refining, wet pressing, drying and bleaching on the deformation behavior of pulp fibers were explored. The main effect of refining fibers was to reduce the step height for fiber-fiber crossings for both bleached and unbleached pulps by increasing the tendency of the cell wall to collapse and deform. All the pulps and treatments investigated maintained a relatively constant value for the step height/free span ratio.
Delamination assessment after drilling medium-density fibreboard (MDF) by digital image analysis
Authors: Davim João Paulo , Campos Rubio Juan , Abrão Alexandre M. 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is a wood-based composite made from lignocellulosic fibres bound together by synthetic resin. It has become one of the most important materials for furniture manufacture and the building industry. This work investigates the defects observed at the entrance and exit sides of drilled MDF plates and establishes a relationship between the damage features and machining parameters. A novel delamination factor is used to characterise defects in the drilled hole using digital image analysis. The results show that higher cutting speeds should be used to obtain the greater material removal rates associated with minimal delamination.
Diet, Feeding Rate, Growth, Mortality, and Production of Juvenile Steelhead in a Lake Michigan Tributary
Authors: Godby Neal A. , Rutherford Edward S. , Mason Doran M. 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss support valuable sport fisheries in the Great Lakes but are largely sustained by stocking. In many Great Lakes tributaries, steelhead spawning and nursery habitats are limited by hydropower dams, and natural recruitment may be supplemented by habitats in adjacent coldwater creeks. In 1998–2001, we investigated the potential for natural production of steelhead in the Muskegon River, Michigan, a tributary to Lake Michigan, through analysis of parr diet categories, consumption, growth, survival, and production in the main-stem Muskegon River and in Bigelow Creek. We used electrofishing surveys to estimate parr growth and survival from changes in fish weight and density over time. We estimated diet from gut content analysis and consumption from bioenergetics model analysis. Average fall density of parr in Bigelow Creek was 20-fold higher than in the Muskegon River. Average summer daily mortality rate of parr in the Muskegon River was nearly threefold higher than in Bigelow Creek. Overwinter mortality rates of parr were low in both habitats. Few yearling and older parr were present in the Muskegon River relative to Bigelow Creek. Age-0 parr primarily consumed benthic invertebrates. Macroinvertebrate prey densities were sufficient to support high parr growth rates in both rivers. Parr grew at similar rates but consumed 84% more per day in the Muskegon River, which had higher water temperatures than Bigelow Creek. Age-0 production was fivefold higher in Bigelow Creek than in the Muskegon River. High mortalities of parr in the Muskegon River were correlated with summer water temperatures exceeding 21°C. Average summer temperatures in Bigelow Creek (17°C) were optimal for parr survival. Our results were consistent with data from other Great Lakes tributaries and suggest that small tributary creek habitats contribute disproportionately to steelhead recruitment from large impounded watersheds by providing optimal thermal refugia for parr during summer.
Comparison of Patient Outcomes with Bivalirudin versus Unfractionated Heparin in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Watson Kristin , Seybert Amy L. , Saul Melissa I. , Lee Joon Sup , Kane‐Gill Sandra L. 
Published: April 2007

Objective. To compare clinical outcomes and glycoprotein IIb‐IIIa inhibitor use in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who received bivalirudin or unfractionated heparin (UFH) in a real‐world setting.Design. Retrospective cohort analysis.Setting. University‐affiliated medical center.Patients. One thousand seventy‐five adult patients who underwent PCI and received either bivalirudin (539 patients) or UFH (536 patients) from April 1, 2003–April 1, 2004.Measurement and Main Results. Patient data on demographics, comorbidities, laboratory values, and reports of radiologic examinations, cardiac catheterizations, and discharge summaries were obtained. Outcomes evaluated included rates of in‐hospital mortality, myocardial infarction, revascularization, and length of stay (LOS), as well as Randomized Evaluation of PCI Linking Angiomax to Reduced Clinical Events (REPLACE‐2) and Thrombosis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) bleeding categorization. Bivalirudin use was associated with a significant reduction in TIMI major (5.0% vs 9.7%, p=0.003), REPLACE‐2 major (5.4% vs 12.9%, p<0.001), and TIMI minor (1.7% vs 6%, p<0.001) bleeding complications compared with UFH use. Significantly fewer patients in the bivalirudin group received glycoprotein IIb‐IIIa inhibitors (27.3% vs 62.7%, p<0.001). Patients receiving bivalirudin had significantly fewer myocardial infarctions after catheterization (10.7% [40/375] vs 18.0% [51/284], p=0.007). No differences were noted in mortality and revascularization rates between groups. A shortened LOS was observed in the bivalirudin group.Conclusions. This real‐world analysis that included high‐risk patients provides further evidence that bivalirudin is an attractive alternative to UFH because of a decrease in bleeding events without compromising efficacy.
Low‐Dose Botulinum Toxin Type A for the Treatment of Refractory Piriformis Syndrome
Authors: Yoon Se Jin , Ho Jin , Kang Ho Yeong , Lee Sang Ho , Kim Kyung Im , Shin Wan Gyoon , Oh Jung Mi 
Published: April 2007

Study Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of a single, low‐dose injection of botulinum toxin type A in relieving pain in Korean patients with piriformis syndrome resistant to conventional therapy, and to assess the drug's influence on these patients' quality of life.Design. Prospective, single‐site, open‐label trial.Setting. Rehabilitation medicine clinic in Seoul, Korea.Patients. Twenty‐nine patients with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic piriformis syndrome and 82 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy subjects were enrolled from April 1, 2003–February 28, 2004.Intervention. In 20 of the patients, botulinum toxin type A 150 U was injected using computed tomographic guidance into the affected unilateral piriformis muscle. The other nine patients served as active controls and received an injection of dexamethasone 5 mg and 1% lidocaine. The healthy subjects did not receive any injection.Measurements and Main Results. The patients' pain at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment was rated by using a numeric rating scale. Health‐related quality of life was assessed by using the validated Korean version of the Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36) at baseline and at 4 weeks of treatment. Healthy subjects also completed the SF‐36 at baseline. Pain intensity scores were significantly lower at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment than at baseline (p<0.0001). Baseline scores from the SF‐36 subscales, including those for physical functioning (p<0.0001), role physical (p<0.0001), bodily pain (p<0.0001), general health (p<0.0001), vitality (p<0.0001), and social functioning (p<0.002), were significantly lower in the patients than in the healthy subjects. Four weeks after treatment, physical functioning (p=0.003), role physical (p=0.021), bodily pain (p=0.016), general health (p=0.013), vitality (p=0.031) and social functioning (p=0.035) improved significantly from baseline in the patients. However, at 4 weeks, patients in the active control group were withdrawn from the study because their pain did not improve, and continuation without further medical care was considered unethical.Conclusion. A low dose of botulinum toxin type A relieved pain and improved quality of life in patients with refractory piriformis syndrome.
The Effect of Acetaminophen on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients Stabilized on Warfarin Therapy
Authors: Parra David , Beckey Nick P. , Stevens Gary R. 
Published: April 2007

Study Objective. To determine whether an interaction exists between acetaminophen and warfarin that alters the international normalized ratio (INR).Design. Prospective, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial.Setting. Anticoagulation clinic at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center.Patients. Thirty‐six adult patients receiving warfarin with stable INRs, defined as two consecutive INRs at least 3 weeks apart that were within the therapeutic range.Intervention. Patients were randomly assigned to receive acetaminophen 1 g twice/day along with matching placebo twice/day (12 patients), acetaminophen 1 g 4 times/day (12 patients), or matching placebo 4 times/day (12 patients) for 4 weeks.Measurements and Main Results. The primary end point was the difference in mean INR between groups at weekly intervals. Secondary end points were the percentages of patients in each group with supratherapeutic (INR ≥ 0.3 above the upper limit of their therapeutic range) or subtherapeutic (INR ≥ 0.2 or 0.3 below the lower limit of their respective therapeutic range of 2.0–3.0 or 2.5–3.5) INRs, and the difference in mean serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels between groups at biweekly intervals. Slow enrollment and a preliminary observation that 15 patients experienced an elevated INR prompted early termination of the study. At week 2, the group receiving acetaminophen 2 g/day had a significantly higher mean INR versus the placebo group (p=0.01). At weeks 1, 2, and 3, the acetaminophen 4‐g/day group had significantly higher mean INRs compared with those in the placebo group (p=0.04, p=0.01, p=0.01, respectively). In addition, 13 (54%) of 24 patients in the acetaminophen groups combined exceeded the upper limit of their therapeutic range by 0.3 or greater compared with only 2 (17%) of 12 patients in the placebo group. No statistically significant differences in serum ALT or AST levels between either acetaminophen group versus the placebo group were found at week 4; however, there was a statistically significant increase in mean ALT level at week 2 in the acetaminophen 4‐g/day group versus the placebo group.Conclusion. These findings support the existence of a clinically significant interaction between warfarin and daily use of acetaminophen 2–4 g, necessitating close monitoring of patients who receive this drug combination. Whether this interaction occurs when acetaminophen is taken in lower doses or is used sporadically requires further study.
Rates of Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Patients with Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Taking β‐Blockers
Authors: Brooks Tyson W. A. , Creekmore Freddy M. , Young David C. , Asche Carl V. , Oberg Brian , Samuelson Wayne M. 
Published: April 2007

Study Objective. To determine the rates of hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits during cardioselective and nonselective β‐blocker therapy in patients with asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Design. Retrospective, observational cohort study.Data Source. Electronic medical records database.Patients. A total of 11,592 adult patients with asthma and/or COPD, identified from August 1, 1997‐December 31, 2005, who were taking β‐blockers for at least 30 days or had never received a β‐blocker (controls).Measurements and Main Results. Of these patients, 3062 were taking cardioselective and 690 nonselective β‐blockers; 7840 were controls. The primary end point for the β‐blocker groups was the rate of hospitalizations and ED visits/patient‐year of β‐blocker therapy relative to the control group. In patients with asthma with or without concomitant COPD, cardioselective β‐blockers were associated with a relative risk of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53‐1.50) for hospitalizations and 1.40 (95% CI 1.20‐1.62) for ED visits compared with controls. Nonselective β‐blockers were associated with a relative risk of 2.47 (95% CI 1.37‐4.48) for hospitalizations and 1.21 (95% CI 0.91‐1.62) for ED visits. In patients with COPD only, cardioselective β‐blockers were associated with a relative risk of 0.64 (95% CI 0.43‐0.96) for hospitalizations and 1.19 (95% CI 1.02‐1.39) for ED visits. Nonselective β‐blockers were associated with a relative risk of 1.02 (95% CI 0.52‐2.02) for hospitalizations and 0.51 (95% CI 0.33‐0.80) for ED visits.Conclusion. In patients with asthma with or without COPD, both cardioselective and nonselective β‐blocker use increased hospitalizations and ED visits compared with controls. Thus, these patients should receive β‐blocker therapy only if their cardiac risk exceeds their pulmonary risk and if they have concomitant cardiac disease for which β‐blockers decrease mortality, such as previous acute myocardial infarction or chronic heart failure. In patients with COPD only, cardioselective β‐blockers slightly increased the risk of ED visits but reduced the risk of hospitalizations. Nonselective β‐blocker therapy in these patients reduced the rate of ED visits and total visits. These findings suggest a larger safety margin with β‐blocker therapy in patients with COPD only than in those with asthma with or without COPD.
Risk of Major Bleeding with Concomitant Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients Receiving Long‐Term Warfarin Therapy
Authors: DeEugenio Deborah , Kolman Louis , DeCaro Matthew , Andrel Jocelyn , Chervoneva Inna , Duong Phu , Lam Linh , McGowan Christopher , Lee Grace , DeCaro Mark , Ruggiero Nicholas , Singhal Shalabh , Greenspon Arnold 
Published: April 2007

Study Objectives. To characterize the safety of concomitant aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to identify patient characteristics that increase the risk of hemorrhage.Design. Retrospective, matched cohort study.Setting. Academic medical center and affiliated outpatient offices.Patients. The active group consisted of 97 patients who underwent PCI from January 1, 2000–September 30, 2005, and received warfarin, aspirin, and clopidogrel; the control group consisted of 97 patients who were individually matched to patients in the active group by procedure type, procedure year, age, and sex. Control patients received aspirin and clopidogrel.Measurements and Main Results. Clinical data were collected from inpatient records, outpatient physician office records, and telephone surveys administered to patients or caregivers. The primary end point was major bleeding. The median duration of follow‐up after index procedure was 182 days (range 0–191 days) in the active group and 182 days (range 0–213 days) in the control group. Fifty‐seven (59%) of the 97 patients in the active group received warfarin for atrial fibrillation. There were 14 major bleeds in the active group (including 1 death) and 3 major bleeds in the control group during the study period. Mean international normalized ratio at the time of bleeding was 3.4. Hazard ratio for major bleeding was 5.0 in patients receiving warfarin therapy (95% confidence interval 1.4–17.8, p=0.012). Aspirin dose, age, sex, body mass index, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, intraprocedural glycoprotein IIb‐IIIa or anticoagulant type, and postprocedural anticoagulant use did not have a significant effect on the risk of major bleeding.Conclusion. Warfarin was an independent predictor of major bleeding after PCI in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy. Prospective data to further characterize the safety of concomitant warfarin and dual antiplatelet therapy after PCI are needed.
Tolerability of β‐Blockers in Outpatients with Refractory Heart Failure Who Were Receiving Continuous Milrinone
Authors: Earl Grace L. , Verbos‐Kazanas Marybeth A. , Fitzpatrick Jane M. , Narula Jagat 
Published: April 2007

Study Objective. To investigate the dosing, tolerability, and outcomes associated with the use of concomitant β‐blockers and inotropic therapy in patients with refractory heart failure during the first 6 months of their therapy.Design. Retrospective review.Setting. University‐based, tertiary care heart failure and transplant center.Patients. Sixteen inotrope‐dependent outpatients with end‐stage refractory heart failure who were receiving continuous intravenous milrinone. Of these patients, 12 also received an oral β‐blocker; the remaining four patients who did not receive β‐blockers served as the comparator group.Measurements and Main Results. For each patient, the initial and final study drug doses of continuous intravenous milrinone and oral β‐blocker treatment, when applicable, were recorded over the 6‐month period. Mean heart rate, blood pressure, ejection fraction, and oxygen consumption were measured, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Serum sodium and creatinine concentrations, as well as the creatinine clearance, were measured. In the 12 patients who received concomitant milrinone and β‐blockers, the mean baseline ejection fraction was approximately 18%, and they received milrinone for 18.6 weeks. Seven patients received carvedilol for 16.1 weeks, and five received metoprolol tartrate for 17.6 weeks. Dosages of the β‐blockers were titrated. Final daily doses were carvedilol 42.8 mg (95% confidence interval 20.3–65.4) and metoprolol 42.5 mg (95% confidence interval 28.0–57.2). Patients continued to receive other standard oral drug therapy for heart failure. One patient discontinued metoprolol and one discontinued carvedilol because of hypotension and/or worsening heart failure. Cardiac adverse events in the concomitant milrinone plus β‐blocker group were heart failure requiring hospitalization in 10 patients and ventricular arrhythmias in one.Conclusion. Inotrope‐dependent patients with refractory end‐stage heart failure tolerated continuous intravenous milrinone plus β‐blockers in addition to diuretics and vasodilators for the 6‐month observation period. β‐Blocker dosages were titrated, and three patients achieved the target β‐blocker dosage established for stage A‐C heart failure. Additional studies are needed to determine the optimal selection and dosing of drug combinations in this population.
Prevalence of Anemia in Clinic Patients with Heart Failure and Cost Analysis of Epoetin Treatment
Authors: Choy Christine K. , Spencer Anne P. , Nappi Jean M. 
Published: April 2007

Study Objectives. To determine the prevalence of anemia in an outpatient heart failure clinic, describe the type of anemia in patients treated there, and evaluate the potential costs associated with epoetin therapy in this cohort.Design. Single‐center, retrospective cohort analysis (part 1) and a literature‐based economic decision analysis (part 2).Data Source. Medical records from a multidisciplinary, outpatient, heart failure clinic, and published hospitalization and drug‐use data.Patients. We evaluated 170 adults with chronic heart failure who were enrolled in the clinic and for whom at least one complete blood count was recorded between January 1, 2003, and April 15, 2006.Measurements and Main Results. In part 1, demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. The overall prevalence of anemia was 47.6% or 47.1%, as based on World Health Organization or National Kidney Foundation definitions, respectively. Normocytic anemia was characterized in 75.0% of patients. In part 2, heart failure hospitalization rates and costs, drug acquisition, and drug administration were estimated by using the published literature. In a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients with heart failure and comorbid anemia, the costs associated with outpatient epoetin and intravenous iron therapy exceeded savings in hospitalization costs by $83,070. Results of 1‐way sensitivity analyses generally confirmed robustness of the model.Conclusion. Anemia is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure treated in the outpatient clinic. Although the current evidence is insufficient to support the use of epoetin in this population, initial findings indicate that epoetin and intravenous iron therapy may be associated with positive clinical outcomes. From a pharmacoeconomic standpoint, however, a reduction in the cost of heart failure–related hospitalization does not offset the cost of epoetin and intravenous iron therapy.
Pharmacist‐Managed Vaccination Program Increased Influenza Vaccination Rates in Cardiovascular Patients Enrolled in a Secondary Prevention Lipid Clinic
Authors: Loughlin Susan M. , Mortazavi Ali , Garey Kevin W. , Rice Gary K. , Birtcher Kim K. 
Published: April 2007

Study Objectives. To determine whether a vaccination program in a pharmacist‐managed secondary prevention lipid clinic increased influenza immunization rates in a high‐risk population, and whether age or gender disparity existed among those vaccinated.Design. Retrospective chart review.Setting. Large, multispecialty group practice.Patients. A total of 476 and 266 patients seen at clinic visits during the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 influenza seasons, respectively.Measurements and Main Results. Immunization rates were compared before (2003–2004 influenza season) and after (2004–2005 influenza season) the implementation of the influenza vaccination program; χ2 analysis was used for all statistical inferences. Vaccination rates increased significantly from 39% to 76% (p<0.0001) after program implementation. No before‐after difference in rates was noted based on gender. Before implementation, patients younger than 65 years were less likely versus those aged 65 years or older to receive the influenza vaccine (29% vs 58%, p<0.0001). Age disparity in vaccination rates was eliminated after initiation of the program.Conclusion. The pharmacist‐managed program increased influenza vaccination rates in high‐risk patients with cardiovascular disease in advance of the newly published secondary prevention guidelines. Age‐related differences in the vaccination rates were eliminated after program implementation.
Evaluation of Inaccuracies in the Measurement of Glycemia in the Laboratory, by Glucose Meters, and Through Measurement of Hemoglobin A1c
Authors: Schrot Richard J. , Patel Kirit T. , Foulis Philip 
Published: April 2007

IN BRIEF
The accurate measurement of glucose is extremely important in the diagnosis of diabetes and pre-diabetes, where the laboratory values are crucial; in the management of diabetes, where glucose meter values are crucial; and in attainment of goals in diabetes, where hemoglobin A1c measurement is crucial. This article reviews pitfalls that may interfere with accuracy of glucose measurement in each of these three areas and how this inaccuracy may be evaluated and managed in the primary care setting. Three case presentations of disparity are discussed.
Electrospinning of the hydrophilic poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and its copolymers with 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate
Authors: Přádný Martin , Martinová Lenka , Michálek Jiří , Fenclová Tat’ána , Krumbholcová Eva 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
The goal was to electrospin 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate — based biocompatible polymers and prepare submicron fibres (nanofibers) for biomedicinal applications. Syntheses of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (HEMA) and its copolymer with 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate (EOEMA), and their characterization by viscometry and molecular weight are described. Their relation to electrospinning is discussed. Electrospinning of HEMA homopolymer from water-ethanol is successful for molecular weights 6.31 × 105 and 1.80 × 106 g/mol. Electrospinning of HEMA/EOEMA copolymers is feasible from ethanol.