bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High‐ and low‐resolution mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography as confirmatory methods of anabolic residues in crude meat and infant foods
Authors: Gentili Alessandra , Sergi Manuel , Perret Daniela , Marchese Stefano , Curini Roberta , Lisandrin Sabrina 
Published: May 2006

AbstractWithin the European Union the use of anabolic steroids for promoting growth and improving meat‐to‐fat ratio in food‐producing animals has been banned since 1988. For the unequivocal identification of hormone residues in a complex matrix such as meat we have developed a rapid, specific and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method, in combination with a simple extraction procedure based on the matrix solid‐phase dispersion (MSPD). The performances of a triple quadrupole (QqQ) and a quadrupole/time‐of‐flight (QqTOF) were compared: the QqQ mass spectrometer was found to be more sensitive for almost all studied analytes, but the selectivity was superior using the QqTOF system; the full‐scan spectra (acquired without losing sensitivity), mass accuracy and resolution of the hybrid instrument enabled a more probatory analyte identification than that obtained selecting two multiple‐reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions with a QqQ. Average recoveries ranged from 80 to 100%, and the detection capabilities (CCβs) were less than 1.06 ppb with the QqQ instrument and less than 5.20 ppb with the QqTOF instrument for the bovine meat, which proved to be the most complex matrix. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamic wide‐area scene visualization using an active camera
Authors: Tokai Shogo , Yumiba Ryo , Wu Xiaojun , Matsuyama Takashi 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThis paper will discuss a method for presenting a surveillance image captured by an active camera such as one that actively tracks a moving subject as an image that is easily understood by an observer. Active camera surveillance images generally have a narrow field of view, and changes in the line‐of‐sight direction of an automatic camera make it difficult for an observer to intuitively understand the scene. However, enhancement of the observer's ability to comprehend the scene can be anticipated by adding a wide‐angle panoramic image to the periphery of the narrow‐field observed image and presenting it as an image that has a wider field of view. In order for an observer to understand conditions in a remote location, the observed image and the panoramic image must be integrated with geometric/photometric consistency. The present paper will discuss a method of geometric integration using a fixed‐viewpoint camera, and a method of photometric integration by modeling of brightness variation by eigenimage analysis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(8): 101–112, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10160
A digital watermarking scheme that preserves image quality and is applicable to watermark sequences from a variety of distributions
Authors: Tachibana Takashi , Fujiyoshi Masaaki , Kiya Hitoshi 
Published: May 2006

AbstractWe propose a method for performing digital watermarking that can preserve image quality by enabling the degradation of image quality to be automatically constrained when the objective is to embed a watermark within a moving image sequence in real time. The proposed method is always able to create a watermarked image with the desired level of image quality (peak to signal noise ratio; PSNR). In addition, the method is a nonreference digital watermarking scheme in that it does not require the original image for the watermark to be extracted after embedding in an image. Existing digital watermarking methods guaranteeing image quality are restricted in their application to watermark components consisting of real‐valued terms that form a normalized distribution. Our method, on the other hand, removes such constraints and can be applied to watermark sequences from a variety of distributions. In addition, with the proposed method it is possible to remove the embedded watermark without explicitly extracting the watermark sequence and it is also possible to improve the image quality as a result. In simulations where we embed a binary sequence from a uniform distribution as a watermark into images, we confirm that image quality is preserved and that image quality can be improved when the watermark is removed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(8): 90–100, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20257
Outdoor environment recognition system on Robotic Communication Terminals supporting mobility of elderly and disabled people
Authors: Kayama Kentaro , Yairi Ikuko Eguchi , Igi Seiji 
Published: May 2006

AbstractWe are developing Robotic Communication Terminals (RCTs), which are an integrated mobility support system to assist elderly or disabled people who suffer from impaired mobility. In this paper we describe two elements of the system: environment‐embedded terminals (EETs) and a user‐carrying mobile terminal. The EETs are designed to detect and track all moving objects on the road and sidewalk in a residential area. We are also developing an Intelligent City Walker (ICW) as a user‐carrying mobile terminal. The ICW helps the user avoid collisions using its own resources or alerts from EETs. It also displays various information obtained from all RCT terminals. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(8): 56–67, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20479
Social summarization method for feedback comments in online auction
Authors: Ohno Hanako , Kusumura Yukitaka , Hijikata Yoshinori , Nishida Shogo 
Published: May 2006

AbstractOnline auctions provide feedback comments for sellers written by buyers. Users select which seller to buy a product from by making reference to these comments. However, these feedback comments include a lot of courtesies in addition to being vast in quantity, and so comparing several sellers represents a lot of work for users. To address this problem, in this research the authors propose a method (the Social Summarization method) to summarize seller feedback comments by using social relationships in online auctions. In this method the authors focus one by one on buyers who wrote feedback comments for sellers in order to eliminate courtesy phrases that are not useful for representing the character of a seller. They then compare the feedback comments that a buyer writes for other sellers with the feedback comments that that buyer writes for the target seller. The authors investigate to what extent phrases summarized using their proposed method and using a general method that performs summarization without attention to sellers are different by using the feedback comments from a real online auction. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(8): 38–55, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20502
Basic mechanism of elastic server groups—Dynamic adaptation to load fluctuation
Authors: Agetsuma Masakuni , Kono Kenji , Iwasaki Hideya , Masuda Takashi 
Published: May 2006

AbstractVarious services have been deployed on the Internet, and the role of Internet services as a societal infrastructure is becoming increasingly important. As demand for services on the Internet increases, the burdens placed on servers that provide those services increase, which leads to reductions in the quality of services, such as service delays, or temporary stoppage of services in the worst case. Methods of distributing the demand for a service among multiple computers by preparing multiple computers that are capable of providing the same service is commonly employed as a way of minimizing reduction in the quality of service. However, since the demand for a service on the Internet continually fluctuates, it is difficult to predict the demand in order to have computing resources in place ahead of time. In this paper, a basis is therefore proposed for automatically adjusting the total amount of computing resources for providing a service according to the variation in demand for the service. The server group formed according to this basis is referred to as an elastic server group. In an elastic server group, several computers are working that communicate with each other using a Peer‐to‐Peer system, and the number of computers for providing the service is increased or decreased. In this paper, an elastic server group and a basic mechanism for increasing or decreasing the number of computers for providing a server in the elastic server group are proposed, and the effectiveness of this approach is verified using a simulation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(8): 24–37, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20520
Thin film growth of TiO2 and Ti2O3 by the new method of liquid injection CVD investigated using optical interferometry, XRD and AFM
Authors: Simcock M. N. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe method of liquid injection chemical vapour deposition (LICVD) is a new technique, which is being developed for its potential to allow new material compositions and simpler and more flexible deposition schemes. The potential advantage of this technique is that it is possible to fix the precursor composition(s) in the injection solvent, permitting a simpler injection scheme compared to the current need for bubblers or gaseous precursors in CVD. In our system the precursor solution is rapidly volatilised into a carrier gas stream, which is then passed over the heated substrate. In this initial study we use the single component titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) dissolved in THF for the injection solution, and investigate the behaviour of the deposition with in situ optical reflectometry and ex situ XRD and AFM. The data gained gives information on the growth rate, morphology and crystalline properties of the films. The characteristics of our deposition system are that we find a flux controlled growth mode, changes in the rate of deposition as a function of thickness, which are related to the surface morphology and the growth of Ti2O3 at temperatures above 450 °C. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Testing the equality of two survival functions with right truncated data
Authors: Chi Yunchan , Tsai Wei‐Yann , Chiang Chia‐Ling 
Published: May 2006

AbstractTo compare the survival functions based on right‐truncated data, Lagakoset al.proposed a weighted logrank test based on a reverse time scale. This is in contrast to Bilker and Wang, who suggested a semi‐parametric version of the Mann–Whitney test by assuming that the distribution of truncation times is known or can be estimated parametrically. The approach of Lagakoset al.is simple and elegant, but the weight function in their method depends on the underlying cumulative hazard functions even under proportional hazards models. On the other hand, a semi‐parametric test may have better efficiency, but it may be sensitive to misspecification of the distribution of truncation times. Therefore, this paper proposes a non‐parametric test statistic based on the integrated weighted difference between two estimated survival functions in forward time. The comparative results from a simulation study are presented and the implementation of these methods to a real data set is demonstrated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inferences on standardized mean difference: the generalized variable approach
Authors: Tian Lili 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe standardized mean difference has been widely used as the most common index of effect magnitude in many applied fields. In this paper, we propose a novel approach using the concept of generalized variable for the confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing of standardized mean difference. Furthermore, we extend this approach to compare standardized mean differences between two studies or between two strata. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach can provide confidence intervals with excellent coverage properties and can perform hypothesis testing with satisfactory type‐I error control. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A singleton failures semantics for Communicating Sequential Processes
Authors: Bolton Christie , Davies Jim 
Published: May 2006

Abstract

This paper defines a new denotational semantics for the language of Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP). The semantics lies between the existing traces and failures models of CSP, providing a treatment of non-determinism in terms of
singleton failures
. Although the semantics does not represent a congruence upon the full language, it is adequate for sequential tests of non-deterministic processes. This semantics corresponds exactly to a commonly used notion of data refinement in Z and Object-Z: an abstract data type is refined when the corresponding process is refined in terms of singleton failures. The semantics is used to explore the relationship between data refinement and process refinement, and to derive a rule for data refinement that is both sound and complete.
Alkaline Reflux Gastritis: Early and Late Results of Surgery
Authors: Zobolas Basile , Sakorafas George H. , Kouroukli Irene , Glynatsis Mikes , Peros George , Bramis John 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundAlkaline gastritis is caused by excessive reflux of alkaline duodenal content into the stomach or gastric remnant following procedures that resect or defunctionalize/deviate the pyloric sphincter. The symptoms may be intractable and surgery may be required in a selected subgroup of patients. The goal of this study was to present our experience regarding surgical management of alkaline reflux gastritis.Materials and MethodsDuring a 15‐year period, 26 patients underwent surgery for the management of refractory alkaline reflux gastritis. Preoperative evaluation included a detailed history, endoscopy, and histology; alkaline reflux gastritis was characterized as mild, moderate, or severe based on the results of this evaluation. The patients underwent remedial gastric surgery when conservative management was ineffective and the patient’s symptoms—despite medical treatment—persisted for at least 2 years and affected quality of life. Most patients had previously undergone subtotal gastrectomy/gastrojejunostomy (the Billroth II procedure) (22/26, 84.6%); three patients (11.5%) had vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy, and 1 patient (3.9%) had vagotomy and pyloroplasty. In most patients (14/26, 54%), symptoms appeared 1–3 years after initial gastric surgery. Epigastric pain and bilious vomiting were reported by all (26/26, 100%) and by 25/26 (96%) of patients, respectively, while anemia and weight loss were observed in 11/26 (42.3%) and 18/26 (69.2%), respectively. Severe, moderate, and mild gastritis was present in 12, 9, and 5 patients, respectively. Most patients (18/26, 69%) were treated by Roux‐en‐Y anastomosis, and 8 (31%) by the Tanner (Roux‐19) procedure. Long‐term follow‐up was completed in 23 patients (mean: 7.3 years), by clinical assessment (n = 18), or by questionnaire (n = 5). Results were assessed by using the Visick grading.ResultsOne patient died from massive pulmonary embolism (mortality: 3.8%). Morbidity was 57%, with the Roux stasis syndrome being the most frequent complication (n = 9). Both procedures achieved good early results, particularly regarding pain relief and absence of vomiting (84% and 96%, respectively). Endoscopic findings were ameliorated 6 months following surgery, whereas histological changes remained relatively unchanged. Eleven patients (47.8%) reported excellent (Visick I), 9 (39.2%) good, and 3 (13%) unsatisfactory late results.ConclusionsRemedial gastric surgery was effective and achieved symptom relief in a significant percentage (87%) of our patients. The Roux stasis syndrome is a frequent complication following Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction, but quality of life is significantly improved. Careful patient selection is essential to achieve satisfactory results.
Molecular Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Peripheral Blood of Patients with Colorectal Cancer Using RT‐PCR: Significance of the Prediction of Postoperative Metastasis
Authors: Wang Jaw‐Yuan , Wu Chan‐Han , Lu Chien‐Yu , Hsieh Jan‐Sing , Wu Deng‐Chyang , Huang Sung‐Yu , Lin Shiu‐Ru 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundApproximately 20%–45% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients ultimately develop local recurrence or metastasis following curative surgical resection. The latter is caused by tumor cells shed from the primary carcinoma prior to or during operation, currently undetected by standard clinical staging. Fortunately, the presence of tumor cells in peripheral blood can be detected by molecular methods and is being regarded increasingly as a clinically relevant prognostic factor.Materials and MethodsTo detect the presence of circulating tumor cells and evaluate their relationship to postoperative metastatic relapse, we simultaneously examined human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), cytokeratin‐19 (CK‐19), cytokeratin‐20 (CK‐20), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA (messenger RNA) in the peripheral blood of 72 CRC patients and 30 healthy individuals. Using a reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), these tumor‐related mRNAs were amplified; in addition, analyses were carried out for their correlation with patients’ clinicopathologic features, as well as the occurrence of postoperative metastasis.ResultsIn RT‐PCR analysis of the peripheral blood, 69.4% (50 out of 72), 66.7% (48 out of 72), 52.8% (38 out of 72), and 72.2% (52 out of 72) of CRC patients were positive for hTERT, CK‐19, CK‐20, and CEA mRNA respectively. All 30 healthy individuals were negative for hTERT and CEA mRNA expression, while 2 were positive for either CK‐19 mRNA or CK‐20 mRNA expression. The detection of CEA mRNA was significantly correlated with depth of tumor invasion (P = 0.012), vessel invasion (P = 0.035), TNM stage (P < 0.0001), and postoperative metastasis (P < 0.0001), while positive hTERT mRNA was correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.037) and CK‐19 was correlated with depth of tumor invasion (P = 0.039) and postoperative metastasis (P = 0.017). In addition, multivariate logistic regression showed that only CEA mRNA was an independent and significant predictor of postoperative metastasis (P = 0.006). Our findings suggest that CEA mRNA may be a more reliable marker than hTERT, CK‐19, and CK‐20 for the detection of circulating cancer cells in the peripheral blood of CRC patients.ConclusionsUsing RT‐PCR for the detection of CEA mRNA is feasible and may be a promising tool for early detection of micrometastatic circulating tumor cells in CRC patients. CRC patients expressing positive CEA mRNA in peripheral blood have a significantly higher risk of postoperative metastasis. Nevertheless, confirmation of CEA mRNA as a prognostic predictive factor requires the continuation of patient follow‐up.
Essential Trauma Care in Ghana: Adaptation and Implementation on the Political Tough Road
Authors: Quansah Robert 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundThe main goal of the Essential Trauma Care (EsTC) project is to promote affordable and sustainable improvements in trauma care, on the ground in individual countries and their health care facilities. This has been occurring in several countries, including Ghana.ResultsThe EsTC project has helped to solidify previously haphazard interactions between stakeholders from different sectors. It has allowed trauma care clinicians to interact more effectively with other groups, such as the Ministry of Health and the WHO country office. It has allowed the clinicians and other stakeholders to more effectively lobby government for increased attention to trauma care services. These interactions have led to a high‐profile stakeholders meeting, the Road Safety and Essential Trauma Care Workshop, which has represented the highest level of attention to trauma care in the country thus far. This meeting has generated a set of policy recommendations, which has been presented to Parliament for study, and, it is hoped, adoption.ConclusionsTo convert these recommendations to solid, sustainable action in improving care for the injured, we need to continue to engage in advocacy and to work with Parliament, the Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders, as well as to confront the deeper problems of Ghana’s brain drain, civil strife, and poverty.
Effect of Portal Vein Occlusion on the Pancreas: An Experimental Model
Authors: Aydede Hasan , Erhan Yamac , Ikgül Ozer , Cilaker Serap , Sakarya Aslan , Vatansever Seda 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundThe effects of portal vein occlusion on the pancreas are not clearly understood. Therefore, we studied histomorphological changes induced in the rat pancreas by various periods of portal vein occlusion.Materials and methodsSixty female Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups of 15 each. In Group I (control), rats underwent sham laparotomy to expose the portal vein proximal to its bifurcation. In Groups II–IV, rats underwent laparotomy followed by portal vein occlusion by clamping for 15, 30, and 60 minutes respectively. The pancreas was removed immediately after sham laparotomy in Group I and immediately after clamp release in Groups II–IV. Pancreatic tissue specimens were subjected to histochemical analysis for cell typing and diagnosis, immunohistochemical analysis for identification of the inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS), and TUNEL analysis was carried out for identification of apoptotic cells.ResultsHistochemistry revealed signs of inflammation in pancreatic tissue from rats subjected to portal vein occlusion. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐1β and the oxidative damage indicator iNOS in rat pancreatic tissue increased progressively with the duration of portal vein occlusion. TUNEL assay revealed no signs of apoptosis in any of the groups.ConclusionWe conclude that portal vein occlusion triggers an inflammatory response in the pancreas that worsens the longer the occlusion lasts.
Evaluation of da Vinci Nissen Fundoplication Clinical Results and Cost Minimization
Authors: Nakadi Issam El , Mélot Christian , Closset Jean , De Moor Véronique , Bétroune Kahina , Feron Pascale , Lingier Pierre , Gelin Michel 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackgroundA new technical tool was developed and introduced into the therapeutic field of videoscopic surgery—robotic telemanipulation surgery. The aim of this study is to investigate in a prospective randomized trial the feasibility of the Nissen procedure using the da Vinci and to evaluate the benefits and the costs of this new technique compared with the conventional laparoscopic approach.Materials and methodsTwenty patients with gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD) were randomized into laparoscopic Nissen versus robot‐assisted Nissen fundoplication. All the patients signed an informed consent document. The time data of the procedure, the efficacy of the instruments, the intra‐operative incidents, postoperative morbidity, and cost minimization are presented.ResultsNine patients were assigned to the robot, and 11 to the laparoscopic procedure. Both groups were similar in age, male/female ratio, and body mass index. The robot procedure time was significantly longer. The hospital stay and the alimentation day were similar. The number of postoperative complaints was similar after the 1st, 6th, and 12th postoperative months. However, on the 3rd postoperative month, the number of complaints was significantly higher in the robot group. The robot procedure was more expensive with regard to the instrumentation and reusable material, the nursing costs, the investment costs, and the maintenance costs.ConclusionsNo clear advantage of using robotics in the Nissen procedure was observed. The procedure seems to be feasible and safe. The technique is limited because of unadapted instruments. The disadvantages are the high costs and prolonged operative time.