bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An algorithm for the extraction of pulmonary fissures from low‐dose multislice CT image
Authors: Saita Shinsuke , Kubo Mitsuru , Kawata Yoshiki , Niki Noboru , Ohmatsu Hironobu , Moriyama Noriyuki 
Published: June 2006

AbstractWith the recent development of multislice CT, it is now possible to derive 3D cross‐sectional images for the whole lung region with high accuracy in a short time. In particular, with the drastic improvement of resolution in the axial direction, it is expected that 3D image analysis will play a significant role. This paper discusses an algorithm that extracts the pulmonary fissures from multislice CT images. The fissure is a feature which is clinically important for the identification of lung sections. The fissures have a very thin film structure. The proposed method extracts the lung fissure by identification of the region containing the fissure and emphasis of the fissure. The lung blood vessels are classified for each lobe, and the region containing the fissure is identified on the basis of the 3D distance from the lung blood vessel. Then, region growing is applied on the basis of the normal vector of the emphasized sheet shadow, and the fissure is extracted. The proposed method is applied to clinical images of 20 cases, and its accuracy is evaluated, demonstrating the effectiveness of the method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(9): 63–76, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20167
Multiple aspect videos on demand delivery method
Authors: Mori Tatsuo , Matsumoto Mitsuji 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThe authors report on a method of delivering multiple aspect videos on demand as an application for broadband video communications. Their method is a client–server video delivery system with the user's terminal representing the client. Multiple aspect video programs such as for viewing sports or pursuing education are stored and managed. Each program consists of a group of synchronized video with several aspects, and contents are created and managed in units of individual aspect videos. The user selects a program from the terminal, then directs the delivery and playback of the desired aspect video by selecting the aspect video. Aspect switching is performed by switching to a separate aspect video while the progress of the video being played back is maintained. In addition to proposing $\def\circle#1{{\ooalign{\hfil\raise.07ex\hbox{#1}\hfil\crcr\mathhexbox20D}}}\circle{1}$ a method to control groups of program content, $\def\circle#1{{\ooalign{\hfil\raise.07ex\hbox{#1}\hfil\crcr\mathhexbox20D}}}\circle{2}$ a method to switching aspects at high speed using a quick start video, $\def\circle#1{{\ooalign{\hfil\raise.07ex\hbox{#1}\hfil\crcr\mathhexbox20D}}}\circle{3}$ a method to dynamically and efficiently set the quick start video, and $\def\circle#1{{\ooalign{\hfil\raise.07ex\hbox{#1}\hfil\crcr\mathhexbox20D}}}\circle{4}$ a method to reduce the displacement width with respect to the time displacement accompanying the connection to new and old aspect videos, the authors report on experimental results and a performance evaluation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(9): 47–62, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20288
Pregnancy complicated with Buerger's disease
Authors: Kikuchi N. , Kanai M. , Kita N. , Mitsuhashi Y. , Konishi I. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractBuerger's disease is an inflammatory occlusive vascular disorder involving small‐ and medium‐sized arteries in the distal extremities and is usually complicated with thrombophlebitis. Since Buerger's disease develops most frequently in men who smoke, pregnancy complicated with this disease is extremely rare. Only three pregnancies have been reported previously. All cases indicate that Buerger's disease worsens during pregnancy. However, anti‐coagulant therapy appeared to be effective in this case. Accordingly, careful observation is mandatory in pregnancies complicated with Buerger's disease.
Toward a model of strategic outsourcing
Authors: Holcomb Tim R. , Hitt Michael A. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAcknowledging efficiency motives, firms have increasingly turned to outsourcing in an effort to capture cost savings. Transaction cost theory (TCT) has been the dominant means of explaining outsourcing as an economizing approach whereby cost efficiencies are achieved by assigning transactions to different governance mechanisms. Recent research has used the resource‐based view (RBV) to examine the role of specialized capabilities as a potential source of value creation in relationships between firms. Although research in supply chain management has expanded substantially, only limited applications of TCT and the RBV are available, especially in the field of operations management. We extend both perspectives to explain conditions leading to strategic outsourcing.
Bridging organization theory and supply chain management: The case of best value supply chains
Authors: Ketchen David J. , Hult G. Tomas M. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractRivalry is increasingly being contested at the supply chain level of analysis. Rather than competing “firm versus firm,” today's organizations are battling “supply chain versus supply chain.” Within this context, best value supply chains are emerging as a means to create competitive advantages and superior performance. While traditional supply chains often focus primarily on one key outcome such as speed or cost, best value supply chains excel along an array of uniquely integrated priorities—cost, quality, speed, and flexibility. We describe how key organizational theories help to distinguish traditional supply chains from best value supply chains. To provide a foundation for future inquiry, we offer theory‐based research questions that are focused on best value supply chains.
Late Holocene forest dynamics, volcanism, and climate change at Whitewing Mountain and San Joaquin Ridge, Mono County, Sierra Nevada, CA, USA
Authors: Millar Constance I. , King John C. , Westfall Robert D. , Alden Harry A. , Delany Diane L. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractDeadwood tree stems scattered above treeline on tephra-covered slopes of Whitewing Mtn (3051 m) and San Joaquin Ridge (3122 m) show evidence of being killed in an eruption from adjacent Glass Creek Vent, Inyo Craters. Using tree-ring methods, we dated deadwood to AD 815–1350 and infer from death dates that the eruption occurred in late summer AD 1350. Based on wood anatomy, we identified deadwood species as Pinus albicaulis, P. monticola, P. lambertiana, P. contorta, P. jeffreyi, and Tsuga mertensiana. Only P. albicaulis grows at these elevations currently; P. lambertiana is not locally native. Using contemporary distributions of the species, we modeled paleoclimate during the time of sympatry to be significantly warmer (+3.2°C annual minimum temperature) and slightly drier (−24 mm annual precipitation) than present, resembling values projected for California in the next 70–100 yr.
Improved cardiovascular function with aminoguanidine in DOCA‐salt hypertensive rats
Authors: Chan Vincent , Hoey Andrew , Brown Lindsay 
Published: June 2006

The ability of aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of collagen crosslinking, to prevent changes in cardiac and vascular structure and function has been determined in the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)‐salt hypertensive rat as a model of the cardiovascular remodelling observed in chronic human hypertension.
Uninephrectomized rats (UNX) administered DOCA (25 mg every fourth day s.c.) and 1% NaCl in drinking water for 28 days developed cardiovascular remodelling shown as systolic hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased thoracic aortic and left ventricular wall thickness, increased left ventricular inflammatory cell infiltration together with increased interstitial collagen and increased passive diastolic stiffness, impaired contractility, prolongation of the action potential duration and vascular dysfunction.
Treatment with AG (0.05–0.1% in drinking water; average 182±17 mg kg−1 day−1 in DOCA‐salt rats) decreased blood pressure (DOCA‐salt 176±4; +AG 144±5 mmHg; *P<0.05 vs DOCA‐salt), decreased left ventricular wet weights (DOCA‐salt 3.17±0.07; +AG 2.66±0.08 mg g−1 body wt*), reduced diastolic stiffness constant (DOCA‐salt 30.1±1.2; +AG 24.3±1.2* (dimensionless)), improved cardiac contractility (DOCA‐salt 1610±130; +AG 2370±100 mmHg s−1*) and vascular reactivity (3.4‐fold increase in maximal contractile response to noradrenaline, 3.2‐fold increase in maximal relaxation response to acetylcholine, twofold increase in maximal relaxation response to sodium nitroprusside) and prolonged the action potential duration at 50% repolarization without altering collagen content or inflammatory cell infiltration.
Thus, cardiovascular function in DOCA‐salt hypertensive rats can be improved by AG independent of changes in collagen content. This suggests that collagen crosslinking is an important cause of cardiovascular dysfunction during cardiovascular remodelling in hypertension.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 902–908. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706801
Bradykinin modulates pacemaker currents through bradykinin B2 receptors in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal from the murine small intestine
Authors: Choi Seok , Park Do Young , Yeum Cheol Ho , Chang In Youb , You Ho Jin , Park Chan Guk , Kim Man Yoo , Kong In Deok , So Insuk , Kim Ki Whan , Jun Jae Yeoul 
Published: June 2006

We studied the modulation of pacemaker activities by bradykinin in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) from murine small intestine with the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. Externally applied bradykinin produced membrane depolarization in the current‐clamp mode and increased tonic inward pacemaker currents in the voltage‐clamp mode.
Pretreatment with bradykinin B1 antagonist did not block the bradykinin‐induced effects on pacemaker currents. However, pretreatment with bradykinin B2 antagonist selectively blocked the bradykinin‐induced effects. Also, only externally applied selective bradykinin B2 receptor agonist produced tonic inward pacemaker currents and ICC revealed a colocalization of the bradykinin B2 receptor and c‐kit immunoreactivities, but bradykinin B1 receptors did not localize in ICC.
External Na+‐free solution abolished the generation of pacemaker currents and inhibited the bradykinin‐induced tonic inward current. However, a Cl− channel blocker (DIDS) did not block the bradykinin‐induced tonic inward current.
The pretreatment with Ca2+‐free solution and thapsigargin, a Ca2+‐ATPase inhibitor in endoplasmic reticulum, abolished the generation of pacemaker currents and suppressed the bradykinin‐induced action.
Chelerythrine and calphostin C, protein kinase C inhibitors or naproxen, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, did not block the bradykinin‐induced effects on pacemaker currents.
These results suggest that bradykinin modulates the pacemaker activities through bradykinin B2 receptor activation in ICC by external Ca2+ influx and internal Ca2+ release via protein kinase C‐ or cyclooxygenase‐independent mechanism. Therefore, the ICC are targets for bradykinin and their interaction can affect intestinal motility.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 918–926. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706806
Acetyl‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid inhibits cellular proliferation through a p21‐dependent pathway in colon cancer cells
Authors: Liu Jian‐Jun , Huang Baohua , Hooi Shing Chuan 
Published: June 2006

Although there is increasing evidence showing that boswellic acid might be a potential anticancer agent, the mechanisms involved in its action are unclear.In the present study, we showed that acetyl‐keto‐β‐boswellic acid (AKBA) inhibited cellular growth in several colon cancer cell lines. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry showed that cells were arrested at the G1 phase after AKBA treatment.Further analysis showed that cyclin D1 and E, CDK 2 and 4 and phosphorylated Rb were decreased in AKBA‐treated cells while p21 expression was increased.The growth inhibitory effect of AKBA was dependent on p21 but not p53. HCT‐116 p53−/−cells were sensitized to the apoptotic effect of AKBA, suggesting that p21 may have protected cells against apoptosis by inducing a G1 arrest.In conclusion, we have demonstrated that AKBA inhibited cellular growth in colon cancer cells. These findings may have implications to the use of boswellic acids as potential anticancer agents in colon cancer.British Journal of Pharmacology(2006)148, 1099–1107. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706817
Identification and quantification of phytoplankton groups in lakes using new pigment ratios – a comparison between pigment analysis by HPLC and microscopy
Authors: SCHLÜTER L. , LAURIDSEN T. L. , KROGH G. , JØRGENSEN T. 
Published: June 2006

Summary1. Pigment analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with data analysis using the CHEMTAX program has proven to be a fast and precise method for determining the abundance of phytoplankton groups in marine environments. To determine whether CHEMTAX is applicable also to freshwater phytoplankton, 20 different species of freshwater algae were cultured and their pigment/chlorophylla(Chla) ratios determined for exponential growth at three different light intensities and for stationary growth at one light intensity.2. The different treatments had a relatively insignificant impact on the absolute values of the diagnostic pigment/Chlaratios, with the exception of cyanobacteria and cryptophytes for which the zeaxanthin/Chlaand alloxanthin/Chlaratios varied considerably.3. The pigment ratios were tested on samples collected in six different eutrophic Danish lakes during two summer periods using the CHEMTAX program to calculate the biomass of the phytoplankton groups as Chla. The CHEMTAX‐derived seasonal changes in Chlabiomass corresponded well with the volume of the microscopically determined phytoplankton groups. More phytoplankton groups were detected by the pigment method than by the microscopic method.4. Applying the pigment ratios developed in this study, the pigment method can be used to determine the abundance of the individual phytoplankton groups, which are useful as biological water quality indicators when determining the ecological status of freshwater lakes.
Participants’ experiences of being interviewed about an emotive topic
Authors: Lowes Lesley , Paul Gill 
Published: June 2006

Aim.  The aim of this paper was to report the experience of in‐depth interviewing about emotive topics from the perspectives of participants.Background.  We both undertook qualitative, longitudinal studies investigating emotive topics using repeated in‐depth interviews as the data collection method. Recruitment and some of the interviews took place at a potentially distressing time for participants, which raised concerns for us about issues relating to consent and the impact of the interviews on participants’ emotional well‐being.Method.  At the end of the two studies, 55 participants were asked about their experiences of the recruitment and interview processes. The tape‐recorded responses were transcribed verbatim. We both independently analysed the data before agreeing on the final thematic framework arising from participants’ accounts. The data were collected in 1998 and 1999 (Study 1) and 2003 and 2005 (Study 2).Findings.  Some participants had initial reservations about participating in the studies. The primary reason for consenting was altruism, i.e. a belief that their participation might somehow help other families. Many participants often found it difficult to discuss emotive issues, particularly soon after the actual event, but all found it helpful to be given the opportunity to talk about their experiences to someone interested in what they had to say. None of the participants had concerns about, or regretted, being interviewed.Conclusion.  Participants can find in‐depth interviewing about emotive topics a helpful, even ‘therapeutic’, experience. However, the purpose of the research interview is not to intentionally offer any form of therapy and researchers need to recognize and carefully consider this potential outcome at an early stage of the research process. Researchers studying emotive topics should also be aware of the possible impact of participants’ experiences on their own emotional well‐being.
Parenting children with diabetes and Belsky's Determinants of Parenting Model: literature review
Authors: Sherifali Diana , Ciliska Donna 
Published: June 2006

Aim. This paper provides a critical appraisal of the parenting literature as related to children with diabetes and proposes an adapted model of Belsky's Determinants of Parenting.Background. Diabetes is the leading endocrine disease in school‐aged children. As primary healthcare providers, parents assume responsibility for the daily management of their children's diabetes. It is therefore inevitable that parenting becomes a crucial variable in determining diabetes control. However, the literature examining parenting children with a chronic illness such as diabetes is limited.Method. A literature search was conducted using the CINAHL, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Social Science Index databases and the terms ‘parenting’, ‘determinants of parenting’, ‘Belsky's Determinants of Parenting’ and combined with ‘children’ and ‘type 1 diabetes’. Parenting and nursing literature from 1984 to 2004 was included if it was related to parenting determinants and diabetes control in children. The literature retrieved was critically appraised and synthesized in relation to Belsky's Determinants of Parenting Model.Findings. By incorporating new knowledge, an adapted Determinants of Parenting Model is proposed. The adapted model reflects a bi‐directional relationship between parenting and child characteristics. Specifically, suggestions for future research on the adapted model and the bi‐directional relationship between parenting and child characteristics are also discussed.Conclusion. Recommendations are presented for use of the adapted Determinants of Parenting Model for future nursing research. Future research will need to focus on establishing causal links between the determinants, identifying the extent to which each determinant influences parenting, and parenting determinants questionnaire development.
Cultural attribution of mental health suffering in Chinese societies: the views of Chinese patients with mental illness and their caregivers
Authors: Hsiao Fei‐Hsiu , Klimidis Steven , Minas Harry , Tan Eng‐Seong 
Published: June 2006

Aims and objectives. This study examined the cultural attribution of distress in the Chinese, the special role of the family in distress and the specific emotional reactions within distress dictated by culture.Methods. This phenomenological study illustrated the narrative representation of the experiences of suffering by the Chinese patients with mental illness. Twenty‐eight Chinese–Australian patients and their caregivers were interviewed together in their homes. They were invited to talk about the stories of the patients’ experiences of suffering from mental illness. The interviews were recorded and transcribed to be further analysed according to the principles of narrative analysis.Results. The results of case narration indicated that (1) because of the influence of Confucian ideals, interpersonal harmony was the key element of maintaining the Chinese patients’ mental health, (2) Chinese patients’ failure to fulfil cultural expectations of appropriate behaviours as family members contributed to disturbance of interpersonal relationships and (3) Chinese patients’ failure to fulfil their familial obligations contributes to their diminished self‐worth and increased sense of guilt and shame.Conclusion. The findings of the present study suggest that Chinese people's well‐being is significantly determined by a harmonious relationship with others in the social and cultural context. Psychotherapy emphasizing an individual's growth and autonomy may ignore the importance of maintaining interpersonal harmony in Chinese culture.Relevance to clinical practice. The results of this study contribute to the essential knowledge about culturally sensitive nursing practices. An understanding of patient suffering that is shaped by traditional cultural values helps nurses communicate empathy in a culturally sensitive manner to facilitate the therapeutic relationship and clinical outcomes.
Patients’ perceptions of quality of care at an emergency department and identification of areas for quality improvement
Authors: Muntlin Åsa , Gunningberg Lena , Carlsson Marianne 
Published: June 2006

Aims.  This paper reports a study to identify patient's perceptions of quality of care at an emergency department and areas for quality improvement.Background.  Patients are not always satisfied with the care received at emergency departments. More attention needs to be paid to the specific needs and expectations of the non‐urgent group of patients, who make up the majority of attenders at many emergency departments. Nurses’ and physicians’ perceptions about good quality of care do not always agree with patients’ perceptions. Instruments measuring patient satisfaction have often been focused on inpatient treatment.Method.  A prospective, descriptive survey design was adopted and the study took place in one emergency department at a Swedish university hospital in 2002. The participants were 99 women and 101 men, with an average age of 51 years. The emergency department version of the questionnaire Quality from the Patient's Perspective was used for data collection.Results.  Patients estimated quality of care at the emergency department as fairly good, but there were areas in need of improvement. A high percent of inadequate quality was related to the environment in the emergency department. About 20% of patients reported that they did not receive effective pain relief. More than 20% estimated that nurses did not show an interest in their life situation and patients did not receive useful information on self‐care and about which physician was responsible for their medical care.Conclusions.  The use of a research‐based instrument gave valuable information for quality improvement in clinical practice. Many of the identified areas for quality improvement are related to nursing care. Therefore, the importance of nursing care in the emergency department should be highlighted to nurses and physicians and they also need to be more attentive to the need of the individual patient.Relevance to clinical practice.  Identifying areas for quality improvements are important, to know where to take action. These findings may facilitate the work with changing attitudes and working routines, which are needed to deliver effective care and to improve patients’ perceptions of quality of care at emergency departments.