bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Which parameters differ in very old patients with chronic atrial fibrillation treated by anticoagulant or aspirin?
Authors: Doucet Jean , Gréboval‐Furstenfeld Emmanuelle , Tavildari Alain , M’bello Luc , Delaunay Olympe , Pesqué Thierry , Moirot P. , Mouton‐Schleifer Dominique 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe objective was to determine the main parameters taken into account for the decision of antithrombotic treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) by vitamin K antagonist or aspirin. This was a prospective clinical study of four clinical services of geriatric medicine. Two hundred and nine inpatients, 84.7 ± 7 years (women 60.8%), with chronic AF were included. The patients were distributed into two groups (anticoagulant or aspirin) according to medical decision. All the decision criteria for treatment were recorded: cardiopathy, conditions of life, clinical examination (nutrition and autonomy, mini‐mental state examination (MMSE), walking evaluation, comorbidity), subjective evaluation of risk of falls and glomerular filtration rate. The thromboembolic risk and the bleeding risk, evaluated subjectively for each patient, were compared with two scores of thrombo‐embolic risk and bleeding risk. The evolution of the patients was recorded after 3 months. Student’s t‐test and chi‐squared tests were used for statistical analysis. One hundred and two patients (48.8%) received anticoagulant and 107 patients received aspirin. Patients in the aspirin group were significantly older (86.5 ± 6.5 vs. 82.9 ± 7.1 years), with more frequent social isolation, higher systolic blood pressure, and had more important subjective bleeding risk and risk of falls. Patients in the anticoagulant group had significantly more valvulopathies and a more important subjective thromboembolic risk. Thrombo‐phlebitis antecedents, dementia, denutrition and walking alterations were only slightly more frequent in patients in the aspirin group. Physicians underestimated thromboembolic risk (one‐third of patients) and they overestimated bleeding risk (half of the patients). After 3 months, the two groups did not significantly differ for death, bleeding or ischaemic events. In common practice, the decision of antithrombotic treatment for AF should take into account not only cardiovascular but also geriatric criteria.
Differential effects of neuromuscular blockers on twitches and tetani in the isolated rat muscle: a multiple comparison study using simultaneous confidence intervals
Authors: Ching L.H. , Serra C.S.M. , Nascimento D.C. , De Oliveira M.J. , Oliveira A.C. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIn the present work a comparative quantitative evaluation of the differential effects of neuromuscular blockers on twitches and tetani was performed, encompassing: atracurium, cisatracurium, mivacurium, pancuronium, rocuronium and vecuronium. The sciatic nerve‐extensor digitorum longus muscle of the rat was used, in vitro. Twitches were evoked at 0.1 Hz and tetani at 50 Hz. The differential effects of the studied compounds on twitches and tetani were statistically compared using simultaneous confidence intervals for the ratios between mean IC50for the block of twitches and mean IC50for the block of tetani. The results of ratios of mean IC50together with their corresponding 95% simultaneous confidence intervals were: vecuronium: 2.5 (1.8–3.5); mivacurium: 3.8 (3.0–4.9); pancuronium: 3.9 (2.0–7.6); rocuronium: 6.1 (3.8–9.9); atracurium: 9.0 (6.4–12.6); cisatracurium: 13.1 (6.0–28.4). Using the criteria that neuromuscular blockers displaying disjunct confidence intervals for the ratios of mean IC50differ statistically with regard to differential effects on twitches and tetani, significant differences in ratios of IC50were detected in the following cases: vecuronium vs. rocuronium, vs. atracurium and vs. cisatracurium and mivacurium vs: cisatracurium and vs. atracurium. The results show that the magnitude of the differential effects of neuromuscular blockers on twitches and tetani, as evaluated in the present work in the form of ratios of mean IC50, does not depend on the chemical structure (comparing steroidal and isoquinolinic compounds), but seems to depend on differential pre‐ and post‐synaptic effects of the compounds. It is also suggested that the greater the ability of a compound to block twitches and tetani in a differential manner, the safer is the compound from the clinical anesthesiology viewpoint.
Cooled Radiofrequency System for the Treatment of Chronic Pain from Sacroiliitis: The First Case‐Series
Authors: Kapural Leonardo , Nageeb Fady , Kapural Miranda , Cata Juan P , Narouze Samer , Mekhail Nagy 
Published: September 2008

▪ Abstract:  Sacroiliitis and sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction are frequent causes of the chronic lower back pain. Therapeutic solutions include intra‐atricular injections with short‐term pain relief and surgical fusion, which appears ineffective. Radiofrequency (RF) of the joint capsule or lateral branches has been previously reported with variable successes. Cooling tissue adjacent to the electrode (cooled RF) increases the radius of lesion. We present here the first retrospective data on pain relief and changes in function after such RF denervation.We reviewed electronic records of 27 patients with chronic low back pain (median 5 years) who underwent cooled RF of S1, S2, and S3 lateral branches and of dorsal ramus (DR) L5 following two diagnostic SI joint blocks (>50% of pain relief). Patient sample consisted of 20 women and 7 men, 38 to 92 years old. Pain disability index (PDI), visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, global patient satisfaction (GPE) and opioid use before and 3–4 months after the procedure were analyzed. One patient had an incomplete chart.Observed were improvements in function (PDI) from 32.7 ± 9.9 to 20.3 ± 12.1 (P < 0.001) and VAS pain scores 7.1 ± 1.6 to 4.2 ± 2.5 (P < 0.001) at 3–4 months after the procedure. Opioid use decreased from median 30 to 20 mg morphine equivalent. Eighteen patients rated their improvement in pain scores using GPE as improved or much improved, while eight claimed minimal or no improvement.The majority of patients with chronic SI joint pain experienced a clinically relevant degree of pain relief and improved function following cooled RF of sacral lateral branches and DR of L5 at 3–4 months follow‐up. ▪
Effects of field cage colour and supplementary shade on environmental conditions and mating behaviour of Queensland fruit flies, Bactrocera tryoni
Authors: Collins S. R. , Weldon C. W. , Taylor P. W. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe mating performance field cage test is a required periodic quality‐control assessment for factory‐reared fruit flies used for the sterile insect technique. The FAO/IAEA/USDA guidelines for assessing fly quality state that if during tests a large proportion of flies call and mate on cage walls, away from host trees, then environmental conditions within the cage need to be adjusted and tests repeated. Here we test effects of cage design, specifically mesh colour (green, white) and addition of supplementary shade, on the mating behaviour of Queensland fruit fly (Q‐fly), Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt (Diptera: Tephritidae). Observations were made over a 4‐h period at dusk when these flies mate. Changes in environmental conditions in each cage over the dusk period varied with cage design. We recorded the highest proportion of matings taking place on trees as opposed to cage walls (>90%) in the unshaded white cage, the shaded white and un‐shaded green cages being intermediate (ca. 70%), and the shaded green cage had the least (ca. 40%). The effects of field cage colour and supplementary shade on mating behaviour are discussed. We recommend that Q‐fly field cage tests should be conducted in cages with a light coloured mesh, and that supplementary shading should only be applied if there is a need to adjust temperature and light within the cage.
Identification and field testing of sex pheromone components of a Korean population of the allium leafminer, Acrolepiopsis sapporensis
Authors: Yang Chang Yeol , Cho Jum Rae , Kang Taek Jun , Jeon Heung Yong 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe allium leafminer, Acrolepiopsis sapporensis Matsumura (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae), is a pest of Allium species (Liliaceae) in Asia and Hawaii, USA. We identified candidate sex pheromone components in pheromone gland extracts of female moths and field tested the response of male moths to blends with different components and ratios. Gas chromatographic comparison of abdominal tip extracts from both sexes showed three female‐specific components: (Z)‐11‐hexadecenal (Z11‐16:Ald), (Z)‐11‐hexadecenyl acetate (Z11‐16:OAc), and (Z)‐11‐hexadecen‐1‐ol (Z11‐16:OH). These compounds were identified by mass spectral analysis of natural pheromone components and dimethyldisulfide adducts, and retention index comparisons with synthetic standards. The average ratio of three components, Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:OAc, and Z11‐16:OH, in female extract was 33:100:14. Field trapping experiments indicated that all three components were essential for maximal attraction of male moths. Traps baited with a ternary blend mimicking the blend found in the pheromone gland extracts caught significantly more males than traps baited with caged live females. Increasing doses of the pheromone blend in the lures from 0.01 to 1.0 mg increased catches of male A. sapporensis.
Concordance of chart and billing data with direct observation in dental practice
Authors: Demko Catherine A. , Victoroff Kristin Zakariasen , Wotman Stephen 
Published: September 2008

Abstract –  Objectives:  The commonly used methods of chart review, billing data summaries and practitioner self‐reporting have not been examined for their ability to validly and reliably represent time use and service delivery in routine dental practice. A more thorough investigation of these data sources would provide insight into the appropriateness of each approach for measuring various clinical behaviors. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of commonly used methods such as dental chart review, billing data, or practitioner self‐report compared with a ‘gold standard’ of information derived from direct observation of routine dental visits.Methods:  A team of trained dental hygienists directly observed 3751 patient visits in 120 dental practices and recorded the behaviors and procedures performed by dentists and hygienists during patient contact time. Following each visit, charts and billing records were reviewed for the performed and billed procedures. Dental providers characterized their frequency of preventive service delivery through self‐administered surveys. We standardized the observation and abstraction methods to obtain optimal measures from each of the multiple data sources. Multi‐rater kappa coefficients were computed to monitor standardization, while sensitivity, specificity, and kappa coefficients were calculated to compare the various data sources with direct observation.Results:  Chart audits were more sensitive than billing data for all observed procedures and demonstrated higher agreement with directly observed data. Chart and billing records were not sensitive for several prevention‐related tasks (oral cancer screening and oral hygiene instruction). Provider self‐reports of preventive behaviors were always over‐estimated compared with direct observation. Inter‐method reliability kappa coefficients for 13 procedures ranged from 0.197 to 0.952.Conclusions:  These concordance findings suggest that strengths and weaknesses of data collection sources should be considered when investigating delivery of dental services especially when using practitioner survey data. Future investigations can more fully rely on charted information rather than billing data and provider self‐report for most dental procedures, but nonbillable procedures and most counseling interactions will not be captured with routine charting and billing practices.
The management of incipient or suspicious occlusal caries: a decision‐tree analysis
Authors: Balevi Ben 
Published: September 2008

Abstract –  Objective:  To perform a comprehensive decision‐tree analysis for the management of the suspicious/incipient occlusal lesion on a molar tooth.Methods:  A quantitative decision tree was constructed to assess the expected utility value of three global strategies to dentally manage the incipient or suspicious occlusal carious lesion.Result:  A preventive strategy offered an optimal expected utility value (0.98 utile) compared with the other two strategies of visual inspection (0.84 utile) or referring to one of four diagnostic tests (0.74–0.82 utile).Conclusion:  Although the general conclusion of this analysis agrees with current recommendations, this analysis offers a more complete mathematical model that provides a unified value for each strategy (i.e. expected utility value) thus allowing for complex quantitative comparison between strategies. This paper provides a specific example of how decision‐tree analysis can be a powerful tool in guiding dental practice.
Familial and sporadic schizophrenia: a comparison of somatic diseases and abuse in patients and their relatives
Authors: Melkersson Kristina 
Published: September 2008

Objective:Comparing schizophrenia patients on the basis of familial and non-familial forms of the illness provides a promising approach to the identification of genes involved in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to search for somatic factors that discriminate between patients with and without a family history of schizophrenia and between their relatives.Methods:Ninety-five schizophrenia patients were structurally interviewed about mental and physical health and alcohol and substance use in themselves and their families. Besides this, complementary information was obtained from the patients’ case records. Patients with (41%) and without (59%) a family history were then compared.Results:The main differences were found in the patients’ relatives. Fewer patients with a family history, compared with patients without a family history, had relatives with cancer (p= 0.002). Conversely, there was a tendency towards that more patients with a family history, compared with patients without a family history, had relatives with cardiac infarction (p= 0.05).Conclusion:The genetic risk associated with schizophrenia seems to cosegregate into a factor(s) that protects against cancer and possibly also increases the risk for cardiac infarction.
Trolox Down‐Regulates Transforming Growth Factor‐β and Prevents Experimental Cirrhosis
Authors: Galicia‐Moreno Marina , Rodríguez‐Rivera Adriana , Reyes‐Gordillo Karina , Segovia José , Shibayama Mineko , Tsutsumi Víctor , Vergara Paula , Moreno Mario G. , Fernández‐Martínez Eduardo , Pérez‐Álvarez Víctor M. , Muriel Pablo 
Published: September 2008

Abstract: Cirrhosis is a very common disease and its treatment is limited due to lack of effective drugs. Some studies indicate that this disease is associated with oxidative stress. Therefore, we decided to study the effect of trolox, an effective antioxidant, on experimental cirrhosis. Cirrhosis was induced by CCl4administration (0.4 g/kg, intraperitoneally, three times per week, for 8 weeks) to Wistar male rats. Trolox was administered daily (50 mg/kg, orally). Fibrosis was assessed histologically and by measuring liver hydroxyproline content. Glutathione, lipid peroxidation and glycogen were measured in liver; serum markers of liver damage were also quantified. Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) was determined by Western blot and quantified densitometrically. Alkaline phosphatase, γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase and alanine aminotransferase increased in the group receiving CCl4; trolox completely or partially prevented these alterations. Glycogen was almost depleted by CCl4but was partially preserved by trolox. Lipid peroxidation increased while glutathione decreased by CCl4administration; trolox corrected both effects. Histology showed thick bands of collagen, necrosis and distortion of the hepatic parenchyma in the CCl4group, such effects were prevented by trolox. Hydroxyproline content increased 5‐fold by CCl4, while the group receiving both CCl4and trolox showed no significant difference compared to the control group. CCl4increased 3‐fold TGF‐β, while trolox completely prevented this increase. We found that trolox effectively prevented cirrhosis induced with CCl4in the rat. Our results suggest that the beneficial effects of trolox may be associated to its antioxidant properties and to its ability to reduce the profibrogenic cytokine TGF‐β expression.
Medicaid’s Role in Financing Health Care for Children With Behavioral Health Care Needs in the Special Education System: Implications of the Deficit Reduction Act
Authors: Mandell David S. , Machefsky Aliza , Rubin David , Feudtner Chris , Pita Susmita , Rosenbaum Sara 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACTBackground:  Recent changes to Medicaid policy may have unintended consequences in the education system. This study estimated the potential financial impact of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) on school districts by calculating Medicaid‐reimbursed behavioral health care expenditures for school‐aged children in general and children in special education in particular.Methods:  Medicaid claims and special education records of youth ages 6 to 18 years in Philadelphia, PA, were merged for calendar year 2002. Behavioral health care volume, type, and expenditures were compared between Medicaid‐enrolled children receiving and not receiving special education.Results:  Significant overlap existed among the 126,533 children who were either Medicaid enrolled (114,257) or received special education (27,620). Medicaid‐reimbursed behavioral health care was used by 21% of children receiving special education (37% of those Medicaid enrolled) and 15% of other Medicaid‐enrolled children. Total expenditures were $197.8 million, 40% of which was spent on the 5728 children in special education and 60% of which was spent on 15,092 other children.Conclusions:  Medicaid‐reimbursed behavioral health services disproportionately support special education students, with expenditures equivalent to 4% of Philadelphia’s $2 billion education budget. The results suggest that special education programs depend on Medicaid‐reimbursed services, the financing of which the DRA may jeopardize.
Spatio‐temporal change of water chemical elements in Lake Dianchi, China
Authors: Liu Zhonghan , Liu Xiaohai , He Bin , Nie Jufen , Peng Jiangyan , Zhao Lei 
Published: September 2008

AbstractLake Dianchi is a large lake, which is listed in the ‘Three Important Lakes Restoration Act in China’. The water quality has deteriorated from class II in the 1970s to class V today, with an attendant increase in the frequency and intensity of the formation of blue algae blooms. From 2003 to 2006, a water quality monitoring programme was implemented for eight regional zones in Lake Dianchi. It monitored the following substances: carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), potassium (K), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and chlorine (Cl), together with water temperature, pH, total hardness and total salt content. Data were analysed using regression models to determine the impacts of these substances and conditions for the formation of blue algae bloom, and to assess their relationship with chlorophyll a. The results showed a significant relationship between chlorophyll a and C, P, N, Cl, Fe, Mg, water temperature, pH, total hardness and total salt. There was no significant relationship between chlorophyll a and total manganese (TMn), Mn, sulphate (SO42−), soluble total manganese STMn, Ca, Zn, K, Na and Cu. The study showed that the concentration of chlorophyll a in different regions of the lake was different, indicating that the mix of chemicals in a region has a different impact on pollution levels throughout Lake Dianchi.
Restaurant nutrition and health information in the municipality of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil: expectations of managers with respect to benefits and obstacles
Authors: Maestro Vanessa , Salay Elisabete 
Published: September 2008

AbstractA survey was conducted, using an instrument with questions aimed at characterising the restaurants and the opinion of the managers in making nutrition and health information available in their establishments. Twenty managers from fast food restaurants and 94 from full service restaurants from the Campinas were interviewed. The chi‐square test and t tests, plus the ANOVA test followed by the least significant difference means test, were performed with the aid of the XLSTAT and MINITAB programs. Among the expected benefits, the factor ‘improve the image of the foodservice’ was significantly more important than factors such as ‘increase revenue’. Of the expected obstacles, the factor ‘increase in operational costs’ was significantly more important than factors such as ‘lack of knowledge’ and ‘lack of time by the employees’. For greater adhesion to the action of providing nutrition information in restaurants, low‐cost alternatives for the implementation of this activity must be created.
Chinese Economy and Excess Liquidity
Authors: Chen Yuanquan 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThis paper considers five indicators of excess liquidity to verify its existence in China. Based on the analysis, we argue that the People's Bank of China and other banks in China are responsible for the excess liquidity in China. Other factors, such as the excess savings resulting from the poor social security network, the asset bubble and the foreign exchange system, fuel banks with abundant liquidity. To tackle the problem of excess liquidity and direct capital into productive sectors, the traditional use of monetary policy alone is not sufficient. The semi‐administrative tool “window guidance” and other macroeconomic control methods are required.
Blue Box Policy Reform in the Doha Round Negotiations: Effects and China's Position
Authors: Cheng Jie , Wu Laping , Dawson Richard W. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThis paper uses an agricultural trade policy simulation model to quantitatively evaluate the effects of Blue Box policy reform on agricultural production and trade, and further provides specific proposals regarding China's reform position. The results indicate that, if the reform could achieve a reduction in distorting supports in more developed countries, China's total agricultural production would increase, accompanied by a decrease in agricultural imports and a slight increase in exports. In terms of social welfare, producers would gain significantly, consumers would lose and government would not suffer greatly, which is in accordance with current agricultural policies in China. As a core member of G20, China should approve a subsidy level as low as possible required by Blue Box to achieve “substantial reductions in trade‐distorting domestic supports”.