bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction of pre‐eclampsia by uterine artery Doppler imaging: relationship to gestational age at delivery and small‐for‐gestational age
Authors: Yu C. K. H. , Khouri O. , Onwudiwe N. , Spiliopoulos Y. , Nicolaides K. H. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractObjectivesTo determine the relationship between pre‐eclampsia, small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) and gestational age at delivery, and the effect of this relationship on the prediction of pre‐eclampsia by uterine artery Doppler imaging.MethodsThis was a multicenter prospective Doppler study of the uterine artery at 22–24 weeks of gestation in unselected women with singleton pregnancies.ResultsIn the 30 639 pregnancies examined, the median uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) was 1.0 and the 95th centile was 1.58. In 614 (2%) cases the woman developed pre‐eclampsia and in this group there was an inverse significant association between the gestational age at delivery and prevalence of SGA (r = − 0.99, P < 0.0001), and between the gestational at delivery and mean uterine artery PI (r = − 0.51, P < 0.0001) and prevalence of mean uterine artery PI above the 95th centile (r = − 0.99, P < 0.0001). The mean uterine artery PI was above the 95th centile in 77.2% of women who developed pre‐eclampsia requiring delivery before 34 weeks, in 35.9% of those delivering at 34–37 weeks and in 21.9% of those delivering after 37 weeks. The respective percentages were 82.3%, 46.9% and 28.8% for those with pre‐eclampsia and SGA, and 43.8%, 21.2% and 8.4% for those with SGA but without pre‐eclampsia.ConclusionsPre‐eclampsia requiring early delivery is more likely to be associated with SGA than less severe pre‐eclampsia in women who deliver at term. Doppler ultrasound assessment of the uterine arteries is more effective in identifying pre‐eclampsia requiring preterm than term delivery. Copyright © 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A method for measuring the reflectance of cloth samples in detergency tests
Authors: Thompson W. E. 
Published: February 2008

SummaryThe scanning of a number of swatches on a turntable rotating at 78 r.p.m. or faster, with a Hunter reflectometer yields the average reflectance of the set. The use of a glass plate to cover the cloth samples does not affect the reflectance measurement. Much time and work can be saved by application of the scanning technique to detergency tests employing multiple swatches of cloth.
Consumer Motivations for Pursuing Genetic Testing and their Preferences for the Provision of Genetic Services for Hearing Loss
Authors: Withrow Kara A. , Burton Sarah , Arnos Kathleen S. , Kalfoglou Andrea , Pandya Arti 
Published: February 2008

AbstractGenetic services for deafness are being increasingly sought due to the introduction of early hearing detection and intervention programs, as well as the rapid progress in the identification of deafness genes. This study aimed to assess the motivations of consumers for pursuing genetic testing as well as their preferences for provision of these services. We conducted 5 focus groups consisting of hearing parents of deaf children, deaf parents, and unmarried deaf adults. Motivations for pursuing genetic testing included determining the etiology, helping to alleviate the guilt associated with the diagnosis of hearing loss in a child, and acquiring information to help them and other family members prepare for the future. Most participants thought that a genetic counselor/geneticist would be the most appropriate professional to provide genetics services. For culturally Deaf individuals, the communication method was seen as more important than the type of professional. Parents preferred that genetic evaluation, including testing, occur either immediately at or a few months after the audiologic diagnosis of hearing loss.
Efficacy and tolerability of adding an angiotensin receptor blocker in patients with heart failure already receiving an angiotensin‐converting inhibitor plus aldosterone antagonist, with or without a beta blocker. Findings from the Candesartan in Heart failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and morbidity (CHARM)‐Added trial
Authors: Weir R.A.P. , McMurray John J.V. , Puu Margareta , Solomon Scott D. , Olofsson Bertil , Granger Christopher B. , Yusuf Salim , Michelson Eric L. , Swedberg Karl , Pfeffer Marc A. ,   CHARM Investigators
Published: February 2008

AbstractBackground:The efficacy and safety of adding an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in heart failure (HF) patients already taking an angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐inhibitor (ACE‐I) plus an aldosterone antagonist is uncertain (especially if taking a beta blocker as well). The CHARM‐Added trial describes the largest experience of using multiple inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) together.Methods and results:2548 HF patients, taking an ACE‐I (936 no spironolactone/no beta blocker; 1175 no spironolactone/beta blocker; 199 spironolactone/no beta blocker; 238 sprionolactone/beta blocker), were randomized to placebo or candesartan and followed for 41 months (median). The primary outcome was cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization. In patients taking both a beta blocker and spironolactone (in addition to an ACE‐I) at baseline, the candesartan:placebo hazard ratio was 0.85(95% CI 0.56, 1.29), compared to 0.85(95% CI 0.75, 0.96) in all randomized patients (interaction p value 0.49).The relative risk of discontinuation of candesartan (compared to placebo) because of hypotension, increased serum creatinine or hyperkalemia was not increased in patients taking spironolactone at baseline.Conclusions:An ARB may provide added benefit, at acceptable risk, in HF patients already taking spironolactone as well as an ACE‐I and beta blocker. These findings must be confirmed in a prospective randomized trial before this approach can be recommended, routinely.
Catalpol protects primary cultured astrocytes from in vitro ischemia‐induced damage
Authors: Li Yachen , Bao Yongming , Jiang Bo , Wang Zhuo , Liu Yuxin , Zhang Cen , An Lijia 
Published: February 2008

AbstractCatalpol, an iridoid glycoside abundant in the roots of Rehmannia glutinosa, has been previously found to prevent the loss of CA1 hippocampal neurons and to reduce working errors in gerbils after ischemia‐reperfusion injury. In the present study, we investigated the effects of catalpol on astrocytes in an ischemic model to further characterize its neuroprotective mechanisms. Primary cultured astrocytes exposed to oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reperfusion (adding back oxygen and glucose, OGD‐R), were used as an in vitro ischemic model. Treatment of the astrocytes with catalpol during ischemia‐reperfusion increased astrocyte survival significantly in a concentration‐dependent manner, as demonstrated by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and morphological observation. In addition, catalpol prevented the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibited the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the production of nitric oxide (NO), decreased the level of lipid peroxide and the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the content of glutathione (GSH). Our results suggest that catalpol exerts the most significant cytoprotective effect on astrocytes by suppressing the production of free radicals and elevating antioxidant capacity.
AN INVERSE THEOREM FOR THE GOWERS $U^3(G)$ NORM
Authors: Green Ben , Tao Terence 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThere has been much recent progress in the study of arithmetic progressions in various sets, such as dense subsets of the integers or of the primes. One key tool in these developments has been the sequence of Gowers uniformity norms $U^d(G)$, $d=1,2,3,\dots$, on a finite additive group $G$; in particular, to detect arithmetic progressions of length $k$ in $G$ it is important to know under what circumstances the $U^{k-1}(G)$ norm can be large.The $U^1(G)$ norm is trivial, and the $U^2(G)$ norm can be easily described in terms of the Fourier transform. In this paper we systematically study the $U^3(G)$ norm, defined for any function $f:G\to\mathbb{C}$ on a finite additive group $G$ by the formula\begin{multline*} \qquad\|f\|_{U^3(G)}:=|G|^{-4}\sum_{x,a,b,c\in G}(f(x)\overline{f(x+a)f(x+b)f(x+c)}f(x+a+b) \\ \times f(x+b+c)f(x+c+a)\overline{f(x+a+b+c)})^{1/8}.\qquad \end{multline*}We give an inverse theorem for the $U^3(G)$ norm on an arbitrary group $G$. In the finite-field case $G=\mathbb{F}_5^n$ we show that a bounded function $f:G\to\mathbb{C}$ has large $U^3(G)$ norm if and only if it has a large inner product with a function $e(\phi)$, where $e(x):=\mathrm{e}^{2\pi\ri x}$ and $\phi:\mathbb{F}_5^n\to\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z}$ is a quadratic phase function. In a general $G$ the statement is more complicated: the phase $\phi$ is quadratic only locally on a Bohr neighbourhood in $G$.As an application we extend Gowers's proof of Szemerédi's theorem for progressions of length four to arbitrary abelian $G$. More precisely, writing $r_4(G)$ for the size of the largest $A\subseteq G$ which does not contain a progression of length four, we prove that$$ r_4(G)\ll|G|(\log\log|G|)^{-c}, $$where $c$ is an absolute constant.We also discuss links between our ideas and recent results of Host, Kra and Ziegler in ergodic theory.In future papers we will apply variants of our inverse theorems to obtain an asymptotic for the number of quadruples $p_1\ltp_2\ltp_3\ltp_4\leq N$ of primes in arithmetic progression, and to obtain significantly stronger bounds for $r_4(G)$.
d-FRATTINI CHIEF FACTORS
Authors: Bechtell H. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThe concepts of d- and nd-Frattini chief factors of a finite group are introduced. Their ingrainment into that of the extended Frattini dual subgroup becomes the natural dual to Frattini and supplemented chief factors. Not only does a dual of the strengthened form of the Jordan–Hölder theorem arise, but also the $p$-nilpotent radical becomes the intersection of the centralizers of the nd-Frattini chief factors. As a result, a class $\mathfrak{F}$ of groups is a full integrated local formation $\mathrm{LF}(f)$ if and only if each nd-Frattini chief factor in $G\in\mathfrak{F}$ is $f$-central.
LOOP HOMOLOGY AS FIBREWISE HOMOLOGY
Authors: Crabb M. C. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThe loop homology ring of an oriented closed manifold, defined by Chas and Sullivan, is interpreted as a fibrewise homology Pontrjagin ring. The basic structure, particularly the commutativity of the loop multiplication and the homotopy invariance, is explained from the viewpoint of the fibrewise theory, and the definition is extended to arbitrary compact manifolds.
A NEW CHARACTERIZATION FOR REGULAR BMO WITH NON-DOUBLING MEASURES
Authors: Hu Guoen , Wang Xin , Yang Dachun 
Published: February 2008

AbstractLet $\mu$ be a positive Radon measure on $\mathbb{R}^d$ which satisfies $\mu(B(x,r))\le Cr^{n}$ for any $x\in\mathbb{R}^d$ and $r>0$ and some fixed constants $C>0$ and $n\in(0,d]$. In this paper, a new characterization of the space $\rbmo(\mu)$, which was introduced by Tolsa, is given. As an application, it is proved that the $L^p(\mu)$-boundedness with $p\in(1,\infty)$ of Calderón–Zygmund operators is equivalent to various endpoint estimates.
Spore ornamentation of Haplosporidium hinei n. sp. (Haplosporidia) in pearl oysters Pinctada maxima (Jameson, 1901)
Authors: BEARHAM D. , SPIERS Z. , RAIDAL S. , JONES J. B. , BURRESON E. M. , NICHOLLS P. K. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYAn infection of pearl oysters, Pinctada maxima, attributed to a Haplosporidium sp. by Hine and Thorne (1998) has been detected on 3 occasions and is considered to represent a serious concern to the pearling industry in Australia. The spore ornamentation of the parasite was determined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Spores of the parasite were pleomorphic, or elongated 3·5–4 μm×2·5–3·0 μm in size. Two filaments were wound around the spore and originated from 2 ‘knob-like’ posterior thickenings. Both filaments passed up one side of the spore together until just below the operculum whereupon each split and passed obliquely under the lip of the opercula lid. Each filament wrapped around the spore 4 times. The posterior thickenings seem to appear late in the development of the spore and were composed of spore wall material. A second set of branching tubular filaments composed of a different material was observed on the spore body although not on mature spores possessing a ‘knob-like’ posterior thickening. The ornamentation on the spores of the pearl oyster parasite was unique amongst described haplosporidian species where spore ornamentation is known. The parasite is named in this manuscript as Haplosporidium hinei n. sp.
Determination of the effects of temperature on viability, metabolic activity and proliferation of two Perkinsus species, and its significance to understanding seasonal cycles of perkinsosis
Authors: PEYRE M. K. LA , CASAS S. M. , VILLALBA A. , PEYRE J. F. LA 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYThe range of water temperatures in which Perkinsus species can survive and proliferate remains ill-defined, particularly at lower temperatures. The in vitro viability, metabolic activity, and proliferation of 3 isolates each of P. marinus and P. olseni trophozoites at 28°C, and at 15 and 4°C, after transfer from 28°C, were compared. Both species showed declines in metabolic activity and proliferation from 28°C to 15°C. At 4°C, both species had viability after 30 days incubation time (P. marinus 49%, P. olseni 58%), but limited metabolic activity and no proliferation. Perkinsus marinus viability was further compared when transferred directly from 28°C, 18°C and progressively from 18°C (0·5°C/day) to 2, 4 and 6°C and maintained for up to 4 months. Viability was highest under progressive transfer (77% and 54% after 30 and 60 days exposure to test temperatures). The decrease in P. marinus viability at the lower temperatures in vitro only partially explains decreasing parasite infection intensities in eastern oysters in the colder months of the year. Moreover, the significant decrease in parasite infection intensities in late winter and early spring, as temperatures increase, is likely due to an active process of elimination by oyster host defences.
A non-constant invariant function for certain ergodic flows
Authors: SCHWARTZMAN SOL 
Published: February 2008

AbstractLet U be the vector space of uniformly continuous real-valued functions on the real line $\mathbb {R}$ and let U0 denote the subspace of U consisting of all bounded uniformly continuous functions. If X is a compact differentiable manifold and we are given a flow on X, then we associate with the flow a function F:X→H1(X,U/U0) that is invariant under the flow. We give examples for which the flow on X is ergodic but there is no λ∈H1(X,U/U0) such that F(p)=λ for almost all points p.
Linearization of holomorphic germs with quasi-parabolic fixed points
Authors: RONG FENG 
Published: February 2008

AbstractLetfbe a germ of a holomorphic diffeomorphism of$\mathbb {C}^n$with the originObeing a quasi-parabolic fixed point, i.e. the spectrum ofdfOconsists of 1 ande2iπθjwith$\theta _j\in \mathbb {R}\!\setminus \!\mathbb {Q}$. We show thatfis locally holomorphically conjugated to its linear part, iffis of some particular form and its eigenvalues satisfy certain arithmetic conditions. When the spectrum ofdfOdoes not consist of any 1’s, this is the classical result of Siegel [C. L. Siegel. Iteration of analytic functions.Ann. of Math.43(1942), 607–612] and Brjuno [A. D. Brjuno. Analytic form of differential equations.Trans. Moscow Math. Soc.25(1971), 131–288;26(1972), 199–239].
Expanding the scientific basis of health technology assessment: A research agenda for the next decade
Authors: Battista Renaldo N. 
Published: February 2008

Objectives:The complexity of health technology assessment (HTA) has increased, in part because of its evolution through three distinct phases: the machine, the clinical outcomes, and the delivery models. However, the theoretical foundation for the field remains underdeveloped.Methods:It is high time for HTA to bring together aspects of conceptual and theoretical works from other fields to strengthen the foundation of HTA.Results:Many challenges await the further development of HTA. They can be captured around three research themes: adapting HTA to an evolving analysis object; translating HTA results into policy, management, and practice decisions; and evaluating organizational models of HTA.Conclusions:Consolidating the scientific basis of HTA is essential if we are to succeed in increasing the relevance of HTA in some of the most challenging health-related decisions that we will make as individuals and societies.
Case study of the comparison of data from conference abstracts and full-text articles in health technology assessment of rapidly evolving technologies: Does it make a difference?
Authors: Dundar Yenal , Dodd Susanna , Williamson Paula , Dickson Rumona , Walley Tom 
Published: February 2008

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine (i) the consistency of reporting research findings presented in conference abstracts and presentations and subsequent full publications, (ii) the ability to judge methodological quality of trials from conference abstracts and presentations, and (iii) the effect of inclusion or exclusion of data from these sources on the pooled effect estimates in a meta-analysis.Methods: This report is a case study of a selected health technology assessment review (TAR) of a rapidly evolving technology that had identified and included a meta-analysis of trial data from conference abstracts and presentations.Results: The overall quality of reporting in abstracts and presentations was poor, especially in abstracts. There was incomplete or inconsistent reporting of data in the abstract/presentations. Most often inconsistencies were between conference slide presentations and data reported in published full-text articles. Sensitivity analyses indicated that using data only from published papers would not have altered the direction of any of the results when compared with those using published and abstract data. However, the statistical significance of three of ten results would have changed. If conference abstracts and presentations were excluded from the early analysis, the direction of effect and statistical significance would have changed in one result. The overall conclusions of the original analysis would not have been altered.Conclusions: There are inconsistencies in data presented as conference abstracts/presentations and those reported in subsequent published reports. These inconsistencies could impact the final assessment results. Data discrepancies identified across sources included in TARs should be highlighted and their impact assessed and discussed. Sensitivity analyses should be carried out with and without abstract/presentation data included in the analysis. Incomplete reporting in conference abstracts and presentations limits the ability of reviewers to assess confidently the methodological quality of trials.
Doing mini–health technology assessments in hospitals: A new concept of decision support in health care?
Authors: Ehlers Lars , Vestergaard Malene , Kidholm Kristian , Bonnevie Birgitte , Pedersen Poul Holt , Jørgensen Torben , Jensen Malene Fabricius , Kristensen Finn Børlum , Kjølby Mette 
Published: February 2008

Objectives:The purpose of this project was to evaluate local decision support tools used in the Danish hospital sector from a theoretical and an empirical point of view.Methods:The use of local decision support was evaluated through questionnaires sent to all county health directors, all hospital managers, and all heads of clinical departments in cardiology, orthopedic surgery, and intensive care. In addition, respondents were asked to submit whatever decision support tools they were using (including mini-HTAs, other forms or checklists, and special procedures for decision making concerning new health technologies). A theoretical analysis of the decision support tools (decision theory) was performed as well as a comparison with the business case method used in private companies. Finally, the Danish mini-HTA was compared with foreign production and use of HTA and HTA-like assessments as local decision support.Results:The response rate was high (87 percent, 94 percent, 85 percent, respectively). We collected sixty different forms (of which forty-nine were mini-HTAs) and twenty variants of written procedures. We found theoretical and empirical evidence that local involvement in the process of making the HTA could be important for the use of the results from the HTA and for the process of implementing the new technology.Conclusions:Doing mini-HTA in hospitals seems to balance the need for quality and depth with the limited time and resources for assessment.
Ethics and health technology assessment: Handmaiden and/or critic?
Authors: Braunack-Mayer Annette J. 
Published: February 2008

Objectives: This study examines the content and role of ethical analysis in health technology assessment (HTA) and horizon scanning publications. It proposes that ethical analysis in HTA is of at least two different types: an ethics of HTA and an ethics in HTA.Methods: I examine the critical differences between these approaches through the examples of the analysis of genetic screening for breast cancer and home blood glucose testing in diabetes. I then argue that, although both approaches subscribe to similar views concerning HTA and ethics, they use different theoretical and methodological traditions to interpret and explain them.Results and Conclusions: I conclude by suggesting that we need the interpretive insights of both these approaches, taken together, to explain why ethics has not been able yet to contribute fully to HTA and to demonstrate the scope and complexity of ethical work in this domain.
Early home-supported discharge of stroke patients: A health technology assessment
Authors: Larsen Torben , Olsen Tom S. , Sorensen Jan 
Published: February 2008

Objectives: A comprehensive and systematic assessment (HTA) of early home-supported discharge by a multidisciplinary team that plans, coordinates, and delivers care at home (EHSD) was undertaken and the results were compared with that of conventional rehabilitation at stroke units.Methods: A systematic literature search for randomized trials (RCTs) on “early supported discharge” was closed in April 2005. RCTs on EHSD without information on (i) death or institution at follow-up, (ii) change in Barthél Index, (iii) length of hospital stay, (iv) intensity of home rehabilitation, or (v) baseline data are excluded. Seven RCTs on EHSD with 1,108 patients followed 3–12 months after discharge are selected for statistical meta-analysis of outcomes. The costs are calculated as a function of the average number of home training sessions. Economic evaluation is organized as a test of dominance (both better outcomes and lower costs).Results: The odds ratio (OR) for “Death or institution” is reduced significantly by EHSD: OR = .75 (confidence interval [CI], .46–.95), and number needed to treat (NNT) = 14. Referrals to institution have OR = .45 (CI, .31–.96) and NNT = 20. The reduction of the rate of death is not significant. Length of stay is significantly reduced by 10 days (CI, 2.6–18 days). All outcomes have a nonsignificant positive covariance. The median number of home sessions is eleven, and the average cost per EHSD is 1,340 USD. The “action mechanism” and financial barriers to EHSD are discussed.Conclusions: EHSD is evidenced as a dominant health intervention. However, financial barriers between municipalities and health authorities have to be overcome. For qualitative reasons, a learning path of implementation is recommended where one stroke unit in a region initiates EHSD for dissemination of new experience to the other stroke units.