bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reliability of dynamometric passive properties of the pelvic floor muscles in postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Morin Mélanie , Gravel Denis , Bourbonnais Daniel , Dumoulin Chantale , Ouellet Stéphane 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe passive properties of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) might play a role in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) pathophysiology.AimTo investigate the test–retest reliability of the dynamometric passive properties of the PFM in postmenopausal SUI women.MethodsThirty‐two SUI postmenopausal women were convened to two sessions 2 weeks apart. In each session, the measurements were repeated twice. The pelvic floor musculature was evaluated in four different conditions: (1) forces recorded at minimal aperture (initial passive resistance); (2) passive resistance at maximal aperture; (3) five lengthening and shortening cycles (Forces and passive elastic stiffness (PES) were evaluated at different vaginal apertures. Hysteresis was also calculated.); (4) Percentage of passive resistance loss after 1 min of sustained stretching was computed. The generalizability theory was used to calculate two reliability estimates, the dependability indices (Φ) and the standard error of measurement (SEM), for one session involving one measurement or the mean of two measurements.ResultsOverall, the reliability of the passive properties was good with indices of dependability of 0.75–0.93. The SEMs for forces and PES were 0.24–0.67 N and 0.03–0.10 N/mm, respectively, for mean, maximal and 20‐mm apertures, representing an error between 13% and 23%. Passive forces at minimal aperture showed lower reliability (Φ = 0.51–0.57) compared with other vaginal openings. The aperture at a common force of 0.5 N was the only parameter demonstrating a poor reliability (Φ = 0.35).ConclusionThis new approach for assessing PFM passive properties showed enough reliability for highly recommending its inclusion in the PFM assessment of SUI postmenopausal women. Neurourol. Urodynam. 27:819–825, 2008, © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevalence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) in stroke patients: A cross‐sectional, clinical survey
Authors: Tibaek Sigrid , Gard Gunvor , Klarskov Peter , Iversen Helle K. , Dehlendorff Christian , Jensen Rigmor 
Published: June 2008

AbstractAimsThe aims of this study were primarily to investigate the prevalence, severity and impact on daily life of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) in a clinical sample of stroke patients and secondly to identify factors associated with LUTS.Materials and MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional, hospital based survey whereby stroke patients were invited by letter to complete The Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN‐PSS‐1) questionnaire at least 1 month following their stroke. Subjects were asked to report the frequency and severity of their symptoms (symptom score) and the impact of each symptom on their daily life (bother score) over the previous fortnight. Of 519 stroke patients invited, 482 subjects were eligible.ResultsThe response rate was 84%. The period prevalence of at least one symptom was 94%; the most frequent symptom was nocturia (76%) followed by urgency (70%) and daytime frequency (59%). The most severe symptom was urgency followed by nocturia and daytime frequency. Among respondents who had at least one symptom, the prevalence of bother was 78%. Likewise the most frequent bothersome symptom was nocturia (53%), followed by urgency (48%) and daytime frequency (40%). Paresis in legs, symptoms of urinary incontinence on admission, and use of analgesics were significantly associated with severity, whereas the prevalence and bother of LUTS could not be associated with other patient characteristics.ConclusionLUTS are highly prevalent in stroke patients and have a major impact on daily life. Neurourol. Urodynam. 27:763–771, 2008, © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Proteomic insights into cardiac cell death and survival
Authors: MacLellan W. Robb , Wang Yibin , Vondriska Thomas M. , Weiss James N. , Ping Peipei 
Published: June 2008

AbstractCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the developed world. To design novel therapeutic strategies to treat and prevent this disease, better understanding of cardiac cell function is necessary. In addition to (and, indeed, in combination with) genetics, physiology and molecular biology, proteomics plays a critical role in our understanding of cardiovascular systems at multiple scales. The purpose of this review is to examine recent developments in the field of myocardial injury and protection, examining how proteomics has informed investigations into organelles, signaling complexes, and cardiac phenotype.
Proteomic analysis of secretory proteins and vesicles in vascular research
Authors: Pula Giordano , Perera Sue , Prokopi Marianna , Sidibe Anissa , Boulanger Chantal M. , Mayr Manuel 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe release of proteins and membrane vesicles in the bloodstream regulates diverse vascular processes, both physiological, such as angiogenesis and haemostasis, and pathological, such as atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. Proteomics, beside its canonical application for the expression profiling in cells and organs, can be applied to the study of secreted proteins and microvesicles, which play a significant role in the homeostasis of the vasculature, and the development of the atherosclerotic disease.
A bilateral remote user authentication scheme that preserves user anonymity
Authors: Tseng Huei‐Ru , Jan Rong‐Hong , Yang Wuu 
Published: June 2008

AbstractSmart card‐based authentication is one of the most widely used and practical solutions to remote user authentication. Compared to other authentication schemes, our proposed scheme aims to provide more functionalities and to resist well‐known attacks. These crucial merits include (1) a user can freely choose and change his passwords; (2) our scheme provides mutual authentication between a server and a user; (3) it achieves user anonymity; (4) a server and a user can generate authenticated sessions keys. Moreover, our scheme can resist replay attacks, forgery attacks, insider attacks, reflection attacks, and parallel session attacks. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A high‐dimensional joint model for longitudinal outcomes of different nature
Authors: Faes Christel , Aerts Marc , Molenberghs Geert , Geys Helena , Teuns Greet , Bijnens Luc 
Published: June 2008

AbstractIn repeated dose‐toxicity studies, many outcomes are repeatedly measured on the same animal to study the toxicity of a compound of interest. This is only one example in which one is confronted with the analysis of many outcomes, possibly of a different type. Probably the most common situation is that of an amalgamation of continuous and categorical outcomes. A possible approach towards the joint analysis of two longitudinal outcomes of a different nature is the use of random‐effects models (Models for Discrete Longitudinal Data. Springer Series in Statistics. Springer: New York, 2005). Although a random‐effects model can easily be extended to jointly model many outcomes of a different nature, computational problems arise as the number of outcomes increases. To avoid maximization of the full likelihood expression, Fieuws and Verbeke (Biometrics2006;62:424–431) proposed a pairwise modeling strategy in which all possible pairs are modeled separately, using a mixed model, yielding several different estimates for the same parameters. These latter estimates are then combined into a single set of estimates. Also inference, based on pseudo‐likelihood principles, is indirectly derived from the separate analyses. In this paper, we extend the approach of Fieuws and Verbeke (Biometrics2006;62:424–431) in two ways: the method is applied to different types of outcomes and the full pseudo‐likelihood expression is maximized at once, leading directly to unique estimates as well as direct application of pseudo‐likelihood inference. This is very appealing when interested in hypothesis testing. The method is applied to data from a repeated dose‐toxicity study designed for the evaluation of the neurofunctional effects of a psychotrophic drug. The relative merits of both methods are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Timing of C‐reactive protein increment in acute traumatic stress: relevance for CRP determinations in acute cardiovascular events
Authors: Segal Ortal , Behrbalk Eyal , Shapira Itzhak , Otremsky Itzhak , Berliner Shlomo , Halpern Pinkhas , Serov Jack , Arbel Yaron 
Published: June 2008

AbstractIt is not clear whether acute stress of a few hours duration is capable of increasing the concentration of C‐reactive protein (CRP), a valuable biomarker in patients with acute myocardial infarction or stroke. Therefore, we measured the concentration of CRP in patients who presented with an acute fracture and in whom we can assume that the CRP concentrations prior to the event were within the normal limits. There were 20 patients with bone fractures and 20 gender‐ and body mass index (BMI)‐matched controls aged 52 ± 27 and 51 ± 21 years, respectively [mean ± standard deviation (SD)]. The patients were examined 3.2 ± 2.5 h (mean ± SD) after their actual trauma and presented with modestly elevated concentrations of CRP (2.7 ± 2.1 mg/L) as compared with the controls (2 ± 2.2 mg/L). At the same time, the expected increment in the white blood cell count was noted in the patients (12.4 ± 3 × 103/mL) as opposed to the controls (7.1 ± 1.9, p < 0.001). We conclude that the expected increment in CRP within a few hours after the onset of acute traumatic stress is modest. The findings are relevant for stressful conditions of acute myocardial infarction and stroke that present within a few hours after the onset of pain and in which elevated CRP levels might represent the causative inflammation and are not necessarily a result of the acute stress/infarction per se. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rationale modeling for software process evolution
Authors: Ocampo Alexis , Münch Jürgen 
Published: June 2008

AbstractEvolving a software process without a retrospective on its evolution and, in consequence, without an appropriate understanding, can lead to important problems for a software development organization. Two examples of such problems are inefficient performance as a consequence of the arbitrary introduction of changes or difficulty in demonstrating compliance to a given standard. Capturing information on the rationale underlying process changes provides a means for better understanding process evolution. This article presents two studies aimed at understanding and identifying information needs for describing the rationale for process evolution. Additionally, it presents an approach for incrementally evolving processes supported by this rationale. This approach is derived from the results of the studies and a survey of related work. An application of the approach during the evolution of a reference process for developing service‐oriented applications is presented together with experience and open questions for future research work. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Cross‐linked Banana Resistant Starch. Effect of Pressure Cooking
Authors: Aparicio‐Saguilán Alejandro , Gutiérrez‐Meraz Felipe , García‐Suárez Francisco J. , Tovar Juscelino , Bello‐Pérez Luis A. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractA resistant starch (RS)‐rich powder was prepared from phosphate cross‐linked banana starch. Serial autoclaving and cooling treatments of this cross‐linked material were also made. The powders were evaluated for chemical composition, resistant starch content, thermal characteristics, as well as for swelling and solubility properties. The parental cross‐linked starch had similar lipid and protein contents than its autoclaved counterpart, but the ash content decreased after autoclaving, a pattern that is in agreement with the low phosphorus index and degree of substitution recorded in the autoclaved preparation. Although the RS content in the autoclaved cross‐linked product was lower than in the non‐autoclaved starch, the autoclaved product still exhibited a remarkable indigestibility. The peak temperatures of gelatinization were 86.6 and 68.5ºC for cross‐linked and autoclaved cross‐linked starch, respectively. At low temperatures the autoclaved modified starch exhibited greater swelling values than its cross‐linked counterpart. The pattern of solubility values resembled the swelling behavior of both samples. The autoclaved cross‐linked banana starch appears suitable for the formulation of foods requiring none or moderate further heat treatment.
Lightning Surge Analysis Model of Reinforced Concret Pole and Grounding Lead Conductor in Distribution Line
Authors: Sekioka Shozo 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe grounding resistance is one of the most important factors to determine lightning overvoltages on a distribution line. A reinforced concrete pole should be treated as a kind of a grounding lead conductor and a grounding electrode for lightning overvoltages. The grounding lead conductors for surge arresters, shielding wires, and transformers in Japanese distribution lines are laid along the reinforced concrete pole. The grounding resistance in the distribution lines becomes low due to breakdown between the concrete pole and the lead conductors caused by the lightning overvoltages. Soil ionization due to high current reduces the grounding resistance. Thus, lightning currents make the grounding resistance low. This paper proposes a lightning surge analysis model of the grounding system. The proposed model represents surge characteristics of the reinforced concrete pole and the grounding lead conductor, and current dependence of the grounding resistances due to the soil ionization. Simulation results using the proposed model suggest the importance of the surge characteristics of the reinforced concrete pole. © 2008 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cross‐border M&As by Chinese firms: An analysis of strategic motives and performance
Authors: Boateng Agyenim , Qian Wang , Tianle Yang 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis article considers the strategic motivation and performance of Chinese cross‐border mergerand‐ acquisition (M&A) activities of 27 deals that took place in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets in 2000–2004. The study finds that cross‐border M&As formation by Chinese firms are primarily motivated by market development (that is, increasing market share) to enable faster entry into new markets, promote diversification, and obtain foreign advanced technology and other resources. In terms of wealth creation, the study finds that cross‐border M&As create value for Chinese acquiring firms. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Metabolic Kinetics of tert‐Butylhydroquinone and Its Metabolites in Rat Serum after Oral Administration by LC/ITMS
Authors: Huang Wen , Niu Hai , Gu Yinchun 
Published: June 2008

AbstractLiquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/ITMS) was employed for a metabolic kinetics study of tert‐butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) and its metabolites in rat serum after oral administration. The mean serum concentration–time data of TBHQ and its four metabolites (M1–M4) in both male and female rats after oral administration of TBHQ at dosages of 7, 350 and 700 mg/kg were all best‐fitted by a two‐compartment model with first‐order absorption. TBHQ was rapidly absorbed, distributed and metabolized. The metabolites were also distributed rapidly except M2, but eliminated more slowly than TBHQ. At the doses of 350 and 700 mg/kg, the total concentrations of TBHQ and its metabolites in serum were much higher for male than female rats during the metabolic process (P < 0.01). In addition, the serum concentrations of M1, M3 and M4 were all much higher for males than for females (P < 0.01) during the metabolic process, while no significant differences between male and female rats were found (P > 0.05) for TBHQ and M2, at the doses of 350 and 700 mg/kg. The exploratory assessment of dose proportionality for TBHQ and its metabolites by the power model indicated that the TBHQ exposure increased in a more‐than‐dose‐proportional manner, but the exposures of the metabolites M1–M4 increased in a less‐than‐dose‐proportional manner, across the dose of 7–700 mg/kg.
Cytokine blockade attenuates sympathoexcitation in heart failure: Cross‐talk between nNOS, AT‐1R and cytokines in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus
Authors: Guggilam Anuradha , Patel Kaushik P. , Haque Masudul , Ebenezer Philip J. , Kapusta Daniel R. , Francis Joseph 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjective:To investigate evidence for the interplay between cytokines, angiotensin II and nNOS in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), for regulating sympathetic outflow in a rat model of CHF.Methods and results:Heart failure was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats by coronary artery ligation. One group of rats was treated with pentoxifylline (PTX, 30 mg/kg IP), a cytokine blocker, or vehicle, for 5 weeks. Another group of rats was pre‐treated with PTX before coronary ligation to study prior cytokine blocking effect on survival. Both groups were combined in the analysis. Echocardiography demonstrated an increase in LV end‐diastolic pressure and Tei index after 5 weeks in CHF rats. ELISA revealed a significant increase in plasma TNF‐α and IL‐1β in CHF rats. Inducible NOS (iNOS) and angiotensin receptor‐type 1 (AT‐1R) mRNA expressions were increased, while neuronal NOS (nNOS) was decreased in the PVN of CHF rats; these changes were reversed by PTX. PTX treatment also decreased plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels and improved baroreflex control of renal sympathoexcitation in CHF rats. Immunohistochemistry revealed elevated 3‐nitrotyrosine formation in the heart and the PVN of CHF rats, but not in PTX treated rats.Conclusion:PTX decreased both peripheral and central cytokine expression, alleviated nitric oxide dysregulation, and inhibited the formation of peroxynitrite in the PVN resulting in decreased sympathoexcitation in CHF rats.
Platelet‐derived microparticle levels in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion
Authors: Kaptan Kürşat , Beyan Cengiz , Ifran Ahmet , Pekel Aysel 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the significance of platelet‐derived microparticles (PMPs) in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion.MethodsWe measured platelet P‐selectin (CD62P) as a platelet activation marker and CD42b+ microparticles as PMPs by flow cytometry in whole blood of 20 women with recurrent spontaneous abortion and 20 age‐matched healthy controls with no previous history of spontaneous abortion.ResultsPMP levels in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion were higher than in women in the control group (4.79 ± 1.18% vs 3.06 ± 0.92%; P < 0.000). CD62P levels were not significantly higher in the study group compared with the control group (13.78 ± 8.62% vs 10.78 ± 7.35%; P > 0.05).ConclusionOur findings suggest that PMPs may have a role in the pathogenesis of recurrent spontaneous abortion.
An Erroneous Proposal To Allow For Travel Of An Observer Between Two Celestial Altitude Observations
Authors: Huxtable George 
Published: June 2008

K. H. Zevering has recently proposed a way to calculate the position of a moving observer, from the intersection of position circles, that differs from the methods hitherto accepted by mariners1. Zevering concludes, from discrepancies between his own results and that of other methods, that those others are in error. However, the discrepancies result from incorrect assumptions in his proposed method, which give rise to erroneous answers. My comments will be restricted to the simplest case of two observations only, and will assume that the Earth is, for our purposes, spherical.
Automatedab initiosynthesis of complete designs of four patented optical lens systems by means of genetic programming
Authors: Koza John R. , Al-Sakran Sameer H. , Jones Lee W. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis paper describes how genetic programming has been used as an invention machine to automatically synthesize complete designs for four optical lens systems that duplicated the functionality of previously patented lens systems. The automatic synthesis of the complete design is doneab initio, that is, without starting from a preexisting good design and without prespecifying the number of lenses, the topological arrangement of the lenses, or the numerical or nonnumerical parameters associated with any lens. One of the genetically evolved lens systems infringed a previously issued patent, whereas the others were noninfringing novel designs that duplicated (or improved upon) the performance specifications contained in the patents. One of the patents was issued in the 21st century. The designs were created in a substantially similar and routine way, suggesting that the approach described in the paper can be readily applied to other similar problems in the field of optical design. The genetically evolved designs are instances of human-competitive results produced by genetic programming in the field of optical design.
Machine invention of quantum computing circuits by means of genetic programming
Authors: Spector Lee , Klein Jon 
Published: June 2008

AbstractWe demonstrate the use of genetic programming in the automatic invention of quantum computing circuits that solve problems of potential theoretical and practical significance. We outline a developmental genetic programming scheme for such applications; in this scheme the evolved programs, when executed, build quantum circuits and the resulting quantum circuits are then tested for “fitness” using a quantum computer simulator. Using the PushGP genetic programming system and the QGAME quantum computer simulator we demonstrate the invention of a new, better than classical quantum circuit for the two-oracle AND/OR problem.
THE SARACEN'S HEAD
Authors: Sen Sharmila 
Published: June 2008

In 1529, Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, descendant of the Timurid dynasty and founder of the Mughal empire, wept at the sight of melons. A mere fruit had reminded Babur of the homeland he had left behind in central Asia. In a letter to Khwaja Kalan, the emperor writes of the drudgeries of a ruler in a foreign land, who is forced to do without the tastes of home: “How can one forget the pleasures of that country? . . . Recently a melon was brought, and as I cut it and ate it I was oddly affected. I wept the whole time I was eating it” (423). TheBaburnama, a personal record of the establishment of a new empire in the subcontinent, might seem like an unusual place to begin an essay on Victorian India. But Babur's nostalgia for the home left behind in Samarkand poignantly anticipates some of the hidden longings of the British as Company Raj gave way to Crown Raj in India. While the East India Company attempted to oust the Mughal rulers between the second half of the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century, after India was incorporated into the Empire, the British would also attempt to don the mantle of the Mughals. On 1 November 1858, when India officially became part of Queen Victoria's Empire, the British inherited the Mughal's melons. Whether it was roast beef or mulligatawny, a pint of pale ale or a chhota peg, the British discovered their own versions of Babur's melons over time – an idea of homeland contained in a mouthful.