bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The combined olfactory test in a Chinese population
Authors: Lam Henry Chuen Kwong , Sung John Ka Keung , Abdullah Victor James , Hasselt Charles Andrew van 
Published: December 2005

Objective: To establish an olfactory test in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Study design: Prospective analysis of the results of a combined olfactory test (COT) for patients with olfactory dysfunction and for normal subjects attending a secondary and tertiary ear, nose and throat centre.Method: Our COT was based on and modified from the Connecticut Chemosensory Research Centre test. It consisted of an odour identification test involving nine substances and a threshold test using a series of threefold dilutions of 1-butanol. From September 1998 to June 2002, 188 Hong Kong Chinese patients with olfactory dysfunction and subjects with normal olfaction were prospectively recruited. The subjects were categorized into normal, hyposmic and anosmic groups. The olfactory function of the main group of subjects (n = 153) was assessed with the COT by a blinded observer and also quantified with a visual analogue scale; the results were analysed to validate the discriminative ability of the COT. Another subgroup of subjects (n = 35) was tested with the COT twice with a two-week interval to evaluate test–retest reliability.Results: There were 42 normal, 68 hyposmic and 43 anosmic subjects within the main group (total n = 153). The identification scores, threshold scores and combined olfactory scores were statistically significantly different between the anosmic, hyposmic and normal groups of subjects (p < 0.001). The combined olfactory score correlated with the visual analogue score and the correlation coefficient was 0.56 (p < 0.01). The mean time spent on each COT was 8.6 minutes (standard deviation = 3.4 minutes). The test–retest reliability of the COT was satisfactory, with a one-way model intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.87 (n = 35).Conclusion: The satisfactory discriminative ability and test–retest reliability of the COT have been demonstrated in this study. The COT is a feasible method for assessing sense of smell in the Hong Kong Chinese population.
Methylene blue toxicity following infusion to localize parathyroid adenoma
Authors: Majithia A , Stearns M P 
Published: December 2005

The parathyroid glands are small, inconspicuous, and variable in number, colour and position. Their identification is vital for excision of hyper-functioning glands and for preservation of normally functioning ones in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.Intravenous infusion of methylene blue at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg is commonly used to aid visualization of the parathyroid glands intra-operatively. Methylene blue is generally considered benign, and there are only two cases published in the literature reporting toxicity following intravenous infusion – such toxicity is a diagnosis of exclusion.We report a case of methylene blue toxicity resulting in expressive aphasia, confusion and disinhibition following infusion for parathyroid adenoma localization. The patient made a complete recovery over 48 hours. Methaemoglobinaemia was excluded as a cause. We suggest that the mechanism of toxicity was a direct effect of methylene blue, although an adverse interaction with serotonin re-uptake inhibitors could not be excluded.In keeping with the UK National Poisons Information Service recommendations, we have altered our practice and now use methylene blue at a dose not exceeding 4 mg/kg. This has not affected our success rate for identification of parathyroid glands. We report this case to highlight the rare occurrence of methylene blue toxicity when used at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg.
The correlation between striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence quotient in healthy volunteers
Authors: GUO JIN FU , KUANG YANG YEN , TSING CHIU NAN , LIEH YEH TZUNG , SEE CHEN PO , LEE I. HUI , LIN CHU CHING 
Published: December 2005

Background. Although a correlation between the central dopaminergic system and intelligence may exist, the results from imaging studies remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).Method. Striatal D2/D3 receptor availability of 64 healthy subjects was determined with the [123I]iodobenzamide ([123I]IBZM) ligand. Intelligence quotients (IQs) of the subjects were measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R).Results. In addition to age, left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability correlated positively with VIQ. In females, left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability was the only variable that correlated significantly with the similarities subtest of VIQ.Conclusions. There is a relationship between left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence, which varies, predominantly in males.
Impaired implicit sequence learning in depression: a probe for frontostriatal dysfunction?
Authors: NAISMITH SHARON L. , HICKIE IAN B. , WARD PHILIP B. , SCOTT ELIZABETH , LITTLE CRAIG 
Published: December 2005

Background. Implicit learning through motor sequencing tasks is sensitive to basal ganglia dysfunction. Consequently, it is ideally suited for testing elements of the frontostriatal model of major depression and performance can be related to key clinical, neuropsychological, vascular and biochemical data.Method. Twenty-one subjects with moderate to severe unipolar depression and 21 age-, sex- and education-matched controls were recruited. Clinical, vascular and biochemical data were recorded. Subjects were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed speed of processing, working memory, learning, memory, language, perceptual organization and executive functioning. Additionally, subjects were administered a motor sequencing implicit learning task. Implicit learning is assumed when reaction times improve during the sequenced condition as compared to the pseudo-random baseline condition.Results. The rate of implicit learning in persons with depression was only half that of control subjects (3·6% v. 7·3%). Lower rates of implicit learning in patients were associated with poorer performance on neuropsychological tests of visuomotor speed and mental flexibility, longer duration of depressive episode and severity of acute stress. In a small number of subjects, poorer performance was also related to past suicide attempt.Conclusions. Impaired implicit learning in persons with depression is consistent with frontostriatal dysfunction. Performance is related to some clinical characteristics and to neuropsychological functioning on tests of visuomotor speed and mental flexibility.
Integrating Case‐control and TDT Studies
Authors: Kazeem G. R. , Farrall M. 
Published: December 2005

SummaryGenetic‐association studies are widely expected to unravel the genetic basis of complex diseases. The population‐based case‐control study, a commonly used approach for association studies, is subject to the problem of population admixture. Consequently, evidence of disease‐marker associations obtained from such studies is ideally confirmed by alternative methods. The Transmission/Disequilibrium Test (TDT) is suitable to assess evidence of association obtained from case‐control studies. Since data are increasingly available from both case‐control and TDT studies of the same disease‐marker association, it is useful to obtain a combined estimate of disease‐marker association. The odds ratio is a commonly used measure of the magnitude of a disease‐marker association that can be easily obtained in case‐control studies. Here we show how an odds ratio estimate and its' associated standard error can be obtained from TDT results. Furthermore, we suggest a method for integrating results from case‐control studies and the TDT to provide a combined estimate of disease‐marker association. Such combined estimates can be used to contrast the results of the two studies and provides an overall picture of the effect size attributable to such polymorphism. An illustrative application is made to a published data set on type 2 diabetes.
Application of the Stepwise Focusing Method to Optimize the Cost‐effectiveness of Genome‐wide Association Studies with Limited Research Budgets for Genotyping and Phenotyping
Authors: Ohashi Jun , Clark Andrew G 
Published: December 2005

SummaryThe recent cataloguing of a large number of SNPs enables us to perform genome‐wide association studies for detecting common genetic variants associated with disease. Such studies, however, generally have limited research budgets for genotyping and phenotyping. It is therefore necessary to optimize the study design by determining the most cost‐effective numbers of SNPs and individuals to analyze. In this report we applied the stepwise focusing method, with two‐stage design, developed by Satagopan et al. (2002) and Saito & Kamatani (2002), to optimize the cost‐effectiveness of a genome‐wide direct association study using a transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT). The stepwise focusing method consists of two steps: a large number of SNPs are examined in the first focusing step, and then all the SNPs showing a significant P‐value are tested again using a larger set of individuals in the second focusing step. In the framework of optimization, the numbers of SNPs and families and the significance levels in the first and second steps were regarded as variables to be considered. Our results showed that the stepwise focusing method achieves a distinct gain of power compared to a conventional method with the same research budget.
A Dominant form of Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (adCSNB) in a Large Chinese Family
Authors: Liu Xiaoling , Zhuang Shulin , Hu Songnian , Zhang Feng , Lin Bing , Li Xu , Xu Donbin , Chen Shi‐Han 
Published: December 2005

SummaryA pedigree of congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is described in a large Chinese family. The clinical description, pedigree, dark adaptation and elctroretinogram (ERG) studies indicate that the patients have an autosomal dominant form (ad) of CSNB. The disorder has been transmitted through at least 12 generations with over 40 affected individuals identified. The ERG data reveal that affected persons have severely diminished b‐wave responses to dim light, but normal a‐wave and subnormal b‐wave responses to maximum light stimuli. The dark adaptation curves of three patients show a monophase curve, typical for night blindness. We have excluded the five previously known mutations in the three genes (RHO, PDE6B and GNAT1) associated with adCSNB, and linkage studies have excluded tight linkage between the disease locus and markers associated with these three genes. Thus, this family has adCSNB caused by a different gene from the previously identified RHO, PDE6B, and GNAT1.
Corporate ownership structure and performance in Europe
Authors: Kirchmaier Thomas , Grant Jeremy 
Published: December 2005

AbstractIn this paper, we show that ownership structures vary considerably across the largest European economies, and that ownership has a significant impact on firm performance. We demonstrate that ownership structures in Europe are not necessarily consistent with value maximisation principles. Ultimately, the results show that dominant shareholders have a negative impact on long‐term share price performance. These findings are in contradiction to similar research based on US samples. Our results remain robust after controlling for industry and country effects, size and the type of owner. We base our analysis on a new and unique data set of uniform and reliable ownership data of the largest 100 public firms in the five major European economies. We quantify the differences in ownership by comparing three distinct ownership structures of firms, and relating them to performance. In addition to standard performance measures, we employ, for the first time, a Hodrick—Prescott filter. This methodology is widely used in macroeconomics to isolate the trend growth components from cyclical fluctuations. Here it is deployed to estimate the share price trend of each firm.
The management of projects and product experimentation: examples from the music industry
Authors: Lorenzen Mark , Frederiksen Lars 
Published: December 2005

AbstractThe paper is conceptual, combining project and economic organization literatures in order to explain the organization and management of market‐based projects. It puts particular focus on projects set up in order to facilitate product innovation through experimentation. It investigates the internal vs market economies of scale and scope related to projects, as well as the issues of governance, planning and coordination related to reaping such economies. Incorporating transaction cost perspectives as well as considerations of labor markets, the paper explains the management of market‐organized innovation projects by virtue of localized project ecologies and local labor markets of leaders and boundary spanners. It illustrates its arguments with a case study of the recorded music industry.
Lorazepam Is an Independent Risk Factor for Transitioning to Delirium in Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Pandharipande Pratik , Shintani Ayumi , Peterson Josh , Pun Brenda Truman , Wilkinson Grant R. , Dittus Robert S. , Bernard Gordon R. , Ely E Wesley 
Published: December 2005

Background
Delirium has recently been shown as a predictor of death, increased cost, and longer duration of stay in ventilated patients. Sedative and analgesic medications relieve anxiety and pain but may contribute to patients' transitioning into delirium.

Methods
In this cohort study, the authors designed a priori an investigation to determine whether sedative and analgesic medications independently increased the probability of daily transition to delirium. Markov regression modeling (adjusting for 11 covariates) was used in the evaluation of 198 mechanically ventilated patients to determine the probability of daily transition to delirium as a function of sedative and analgesic dose administration during the previous 24 h.

Results
Lorazepam was an independent risk factor for daily transition to delirium (odds ratio, 1.2 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.4]; P = 0.003), whereas fentanyl, morphine, and propofol were associated with higher but not statistically significant odds ratios. Increasing age and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were also independent predictors of transitioning to delirium (multivariable P values < 0.05).

Conclusions
Lorazepam administration is an important and potentially modifiable risk factor for transitioning into delirium even after adjusting for relevant covariates.
Pharmacokinetics of a Single Bolus of Propofol in Chinese Children of Different Ages
Authors: ShangGuan Wang Ning , Lian QingQuan , Aarons Leon , Matthews Ivan , Wang ZengShou , Chen XiaoLin , Freemantle Nick , Smith Fang Gao 
Published: December 2005

Background
There is no information about the pharmacokinetic profile of propofol in Chinese children younger than 3 yr. This study was designed to determine a complete pharmacokinetic profile of a single dose of propofol in Chinese children of different ages.

Methods
Arterial blood samples were obtained from 35 children with an American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status of I or II at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min after a single bolus intravenous injection of propofol (3 mg/kg). The plasma concentrations of propofol were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with an ultraviolet detector. A population model was used to estimate the pharmacokinetics of propofol.

Results
A three-compartment pharmacokinetic model best described the pharmacokinetics of propofol. Clearance was 0.185 l/min, the volume of distribution of the central compartment was 7.41 l, the peripheral volumes of distribution were 54.6 and 7.2 l, and the intercompartmental clearances were 0.614 and 0.692 l/min for a child of the average weight of 13.7 kg. The half-lives were 2.67, 14.89, and 310.60 min. Covariate models were applied, and weight was found to be significant covariate for the clearance and volume of distribution parameters. No significant age effect could be demonstrated on clearance or volume of distribution parameters after weight was taken into account.

Conclusions
This study supports the case that the pharmacokinetic properties of propofol do not differ substantially across Chinese children of different ages after weight has been accounted for.
Open and Closed-circuit Endotracheal Suctioning in Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Lasocki Sigismond , Lu Qin , Sartorius Alfonso , Fouillat Dominique , Remerand Francis , Rouby Jean-Jacques 
Published: December 2005

Background
Closed-circuit endotracheal suctioning (CES) is advocated for preventing hypoxemia caused by the loss of lung volume resulting from open endotracheal suctioning (OES). However, the efficiency of CES and OES on tracheal secretion removal has never been compared in patients with acute lung injury. The authors designed a two-part study aimed at comparing gas exchange and efficiency between OES and CES performed at two levels of negative pressure.

Methods
Among 18 patients with acute lung injury, 9 underwent CES and OES at 3-h intervals in a random order using a negative pressure of -200 mmHg. Nine other patients underwent CES twice using two levels of negative pressure (-200 and -400 mmHg) applied in a random order. After each CES, a recruitment maneuver was performed using 20 consecutive hyperinflations. Tracheal aspirates were weighed after each suctioning procedure. Arterial blood gases were continuously recorded using an intravascular sensor.

Results
Open endotracheal suctioning induced a significant 18% decrease in arterial oxygen tension (Pa(O2)) (range, +13 to -71%) and an 8% increase in arterial carbon dioxide tension (Pa(CO2)) (range, -2 to +16%) that persisted 15 min after the end of the procedure. CES using -200 cm H2O did not change Pa(O2), but tracheal aspirate mass was lower compared with OES (0.6 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.2 +/- 5.1 g; P = 0.03). Increasing negative pressure to -400 cm H2O during CES did not change Pa(O2) but increased the tracheal aspirate mass (1.7 +/- 1.6 vs. 1.0 +/- 1.3 g; P = 0.02).

Conclusions
Closed-circuit endotracheal suctioning followed by a recruitment maneuver prevents hypoxemia resulting from OES but decreases secretion removal. Increasing suctioning pressure enhances suctioning efficiency without impairing gas exchange.
Complications of Different Ventilation Strategies in Endoscopic Laryngeal Surgery
Authors: Jaquet Yves , Monnier Philippe , Van Melle Guy , Ravussin Patrick , Spahn Donat R. , Chollet-Rivier Madeleine 
Published: December 2005

Background
Spontaneous ventilation, mechanical controlled ventilation, apneic intermittent ventilation, and jet ventilation are commonly used during interventional suspension microlaryngoscopy. The aim of this study was to investigate specific complications of each technique, with special emphasis on transtracheal and transglottal jet ventilation.

Methods
The authors performed a retrospective single-institution analysis of a case series of 1,093 microlaryngoscopies performed in 661 patients between January 1994 and January 2004. Data were collected from two separate prospective databases. Feasibility and complications encountered with each technique of ventilation were analyzed as main outcome measures.

Results
During 1,093 suspension microlaryngoscopies, ventilation was supplied by mechanical controlled ventilation via small endotracheal tubes (n = 200), intermittent apneic ventilation (n = 159), transtracheal jet ventilation (n = 265), or transglottal jet ventilation (n = 469). Twenty-nine minor and 4 major complications occurred. Seventy-five percent of the patients with major events had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification of III. Five laryngospasms were observed with apneic intermittent ventilation. All other 24 complications (including 7 barotrauma) occurred during jet ventilation. Transtracheal jet ventilation was associated with a significantly higher complication rate than transglottal jet ventilation (P < 0.0001; odds ratio, 4.3 [95% confidence interval, 1.9-10.0]). All severe complications were related to barotraumas resulting from airway outflow obstruction during jet ventilation, most often laryngospasms.

Conclusions
The use of a transtracheal cannula was the major independent risk factor for complications during jet ventilation for interventional microlaryngoscopy. The anesthetist's vigilance in clinically detecting and preventing outflow airway obstruction remains the best prevention of barotrauma during subglottic jet ventilation.
Comparison of Plastic Single-use and Metal Reusable Laryngoscope Blades for Orotracheal Intubation during Rapid Sequence Induction of Anesthesia
Authors: Amour Julien , Marmion Frédéric , Birenbaum Aurélie , Nicolas-Robin Armelle , Coriat Pierre , Riou Bruno , Langeron Olivier 
Published: December 2005

Background
Plastic single-use laryngoscope blades are inexpensive and carry a lower risk of infection compared with metal reusable blades, but their efficiency during rapid sequence induction remains a matter of debate. The authors therefore compared plastic and metal blades during rapid sequence induction in a prospective randomized trial.

Methods
Two hundred eighty-four adult patients undergoing general anesthesia requiring rapid sequence induction were randomly assigned on a weekly basis to either plastic single-use or reusable metal blades (cluster randomization). After induction, a 60-s period was allowed to complete intubation. In the case of failed intubation, a second attempt was performed using metal blade. The primary endpoint of the study was the rate of failed intubations, and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of complications (oxygen desaturation, lung aspiration, and oropharynx trauma).

Results
Both groups were similar in their main characteristics, including risk factors for difficult intubation. On the first attempt, the rate of failed intubation was significantly increased in plastic blade group (17 vs. 3%; P < 0.01). In metal blade group, 50% of failed intubations were still difficult after the second attempt. In plastic blade group, all initial failed intubations were successfully intubated using metal blade, with an improvement in Cormack and Lehane grade. There was a significant increase in the complication rate in plastic group (15 vs. 6%; P < 0.05).

Conclusions
In rapid sequence induction of anesthesia, the plastic laryngoscope blade is less efficient than a metal blade and thus should not be recommended for use in this clinical setting.