bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparison of the clinical use of the Laryngeal Tube S™ and the ProSeal® Laryngeal Mask Airway by first‐month anaesthesia residents in anaesthetised patients*
Authors: Klaver N. S. , Kuizenga K. , Ballast A. , Fidler V. 
Published: June 2007

SummaryThe Laryngeal Tube S™ and the LMA‐ProSeal® are supraglottic instruments with an improved airway seal and a drainage tube to protect against regurgitation and to facilitate passage of a gastric tube. We compared the feasibility of these two instruments in a randomised, controlled clinical trial. One hundred and sixty patients were randomly allocated to undergo insertion of a Laryngeal Tube S (n = 82) or an LMA‐ProSeal (n = 78). All insertions were carried out by first‐month anaesthesia residents. Success rates were not significantly different: Laryngeal Tube S 89%, LMA‐ProSeal 95%. There was also no significant difference in leak pressure or insertion time. Insertion time decreased significantly when we compared the first with the last 10 insertions. Gastric tube placement was successful in all patients in the Laryngeal Tube S group, but failed in 12 patients in the LMA‐ProSeal group (p < 0.001). Dysphagia was reported by 22% of Laryngeal Tube S group and 3% of LMA‐ProSeal group (p = 0.001). These findings demonstrate the applicability of the devices and a learning effect in the hands of anaesthesia residents with limited experience.
The development and validation of the Pre‐operative Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (PITI)
Authors: Crockett J. K. , Gumley A. , Longmate A. 
Published: June 2007

SummaryPre‐operative anxiety is common and influences postoperative pain, hospital stay and patient satisfaction. We set out to explore anxiety content and develop a tool to evaluate patient anxiety at the pre‐operative assessment clinic. We recruited 128 day surgery patients. Pre‐operative anxiety content was explored and six factors (themes) were identified: ‘preoccupation’, ‘outcome concerns’, ‘being unconscious’, ‘loss of control’, ‘dependence on others’ and ‘pain/discomfort’. The Pre‐operative Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (PITI) was constructed and evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The PITI demonstrated internal consistency for the full scale (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and for the subscales (Cronbach's α 0.74–0.85) as well as sensitivity (0.88) and specificity (0.60) to clinically significant anxiety assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The properties of the PITI suggest that it has potential as an additional tool for the evaluation of pre‐operative anxiety.
Subcutaneous naloxone for the prevention of intrathecal morphine induced pruritus in elective Caesarean delivery*
Authors: Lockington P. F. , Fa'aea P. 
Published: June 2007

SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the antipruritic efficacy of subcutaneous naloxone following intrathecal morphine administration. Fifty women undergoing elective Caesarean section using spinal anaesthesia were randomly allocated, in a double‐blind study design, to receive either naloxone 400 μg or placebo as a subcutaneous injection at the end of surgery. Spinal anaesthesia was performed using 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine, 25 μg fentanyl and 150 μg of preservative‐free morphine sulphate.The primary outcome measures were: incidence of pruritus, nausea and vomiting, and quality of analgesia. The incidence of pruritus and nausea and vomiting was not significantly different between the two groups. There was also no significant difference in postoperative analgesia between the two groups. We conclude that pruritus, following intrathecal fentanyl 25 μg and preservative‐free morphine sulphate 150 μg, is not reduced by the addition of naloxone 400 μg administered subcutaneously on the completion of surgery.
Modern treatment of thalassaemia intermedia
Authors: Borgna‐Pignatti Caterina 
Published: June 2007

SummaryThe term thalassaemia intermedia includes a large spectrum of conditions of varying severity. Blood transfusion and chelation are necessary in some patients, especially during childhood, in order to promote growth and prevent bone deformities. Alloimunisation, however, is frequent and can be difficult to control. Splenectomy is usually needed at some time because of hypersplenism and mechanical encumbrance. Reactivation of HbF is possible only in a small proportion of patients: hydroxycarbamide (also known as hydroxyurea) appears to be the most effective drug for this purpose. Antioxidant agents, although theoretically useful, do not improve haemoglobin levels. Stem cell transplantation is an option limited to the severe forms. Gene therapy and other molecular approaches are subjects of intense study. Numerous complications, including pulmonary hypertension, thrombotic events, pseudoxanthoma elasticum and osteoporosis, have been described and all contribute to complicate the treatment of a disease that represents a significant burden for the patients and their families.
Research Review: Sibling placement in foster care: a review of the evidence
Authors: Washington Karla 
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACTThis research review was undertaken to explore the current evidence pertaining to sibling placement in the foster care system. The review specifically addresses the following questions: (1) Which theories inform research on siblings in foster care? (2) Which designs and methodology are used to study brothers and sisters in out of home placement? (3) How do researchers define ‘siblings’ when investigating child placement? and (4) What are the findings of studies pertaining to siblings in the foster care system? This review suggests that incorporation of theory into research regarding siblings in foster care is quite limited. Additionally, few studies clearly state how siblings were identified and defined. A major strength of the research, however, is the diversity of design and methodology used. Overall, the evidence presented in this review strongly supports keeping sibling groups intact unless there is a compelling reason for separate placements.
Children and firearms in Turkish homes
Authors: Hızel S. , Özcebe H. , Şanlı C. , Albayrak M. , Uner S. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractBackground  Unintentional firearm injuries are an important cause of preventable deaths and disabilities among children. Keeping firearms at home and letting children to see or touch them increases the risk of injury.Methods  This cross‐sectional study was conducted to estimate the extent of the firearm problem in an Anatolian province in Turkey. A random sample of families were approached and were asked to answer a series of questions completed by research assistants.Results  In 974 randomly selected households, there were 2129 children aged less than 18 years, 11.1% of the fathers have a job in the firearms industry or in the security sector, and 12.3% of the households kept a firearm at home. Only 25.6% of the firearms were kept in a safe place, and 29.3% of the firearms and ammunition were kept separately. Overall, 70.9% of the children whose parents have firearms saw the firearm and 27.2% had handled it.Conclusions  Results of this study pointed to the urgent need for preventive measures for the physical separation of guns from children. The establishment of effective firearms safety programmes requires an understanding of the culture and routine behaviours of the target population.
Pictorial and verbal category‐ratio scales for effort estimation in children
Authors: Marinov B. , Mandadjieva S. , Kostianev S. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractBackground  Research on the diverse aspects of exercise performance in childhood in the past 20 years has included an increase in the study of perceived exertion.Objective  The aim of this study was to compare children's ratings of effort perception by means of the Borg Category‐Ratio Perceived Exertion (CR‐10) Scale and a pictorial version of the Children's Effort Rating Table (Pictorial‐CERT) scale, and to assess the long‐term repeatability of the two scales.Methods  Fifty healthy children (25 girls and 25 boys; initially aged 10.4 ± 0.5 years) participated in three incremental treadmill tests until volitional exhaustion or a maximal gradient of 22% at 5.4 km/h was attained. The first two tests (T1 and T2) were at an interval of 1 month. The third test (T3) took place 3 years later and utilized exactly the same protocol.Results  Perceived exertion correlated significantly with measures of exercise intensity – minute ventilation, heart rate and oxygen uptake for the whole group. The range of correlations for all tests was significantly higher for the Pictorial‐CERT (r = 0.62–0.88 and r = 0.59–0.71 for the Pictorial‐CERT and CR‐10 respectively). Intraclass correlation coefficients between T1 and T2 were significantly higher for the Pictorial‐CERT in comparison with the CR‐10 (0.77 vs. 0.54, respectively; z = −2.07; P = 0.038).Conclusion  The Pictorial‐CERT is more appropriate for use with children of this age range and appears to be more reproducible than the Borg CR‐10 Scale. Concurrent and construct validity evidence promotes the use of the Pictorial‐CERT by junior children.
Behavioural, developmental and child protection outcomes following exposure to Class A drugs in pregnancy
Authors: Topley J. , Windsor D. , Williams R. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractBackground  The long‐term consequences of intrauterine exposure to Class A drugs are still relatively undocumented, and much of the literature relates to the North American experience, where cocaine use predominates. In Britain, heroin and amphetamine use is more common and, within Britain, patterns of drug use vary. Clearly the long‐term educational and welfare needs of these children will be enhanced if the behavioural, developmental and child‐care outcomes are known. This study attempts to explore some of these issues.Methods  The developmental, behavioural and child protection outcomes in a group of 62 children exposed to Class A drugs in utero were investigated when the children were in full‐time schooling.Results  Seventy‐four per cent (46/62) of the children at the time of the study had no educational or behavioural problems, and 11 (17.7%) were receiving extra support in school. No child had a statement of special educational need. Twelve (19.3%) were reported to have behaviour and concentration problems, and in four cases, this was attributed to poor‐quality parenting at the time of the study. Three of the 12 children had fetal alcohol syndrome. Twenty‐six (42%) children were placed on the Child Protection Register, and care orders or residence orders were granted for 22 (35.5%) of those who were placed on the register. All of the 22 children went into substitute care at some stage. Of these children, nine were adopted and 10 were placed permanently with other family members. Ten of the 62 (16.1%) children at the time of the study were of concern to professionals for child protection reasons, and four of them were on the Child Protection Register.Conclusions  This study suggests we can be reasonably optimistic about the developmental and behavioural outcomes for children exposed to Class A drugs in utero. Over 50% required an intervention by social services, and 31% were in substitute care at the time of the study. There were continuing child protection concerns in 16% at school entry.
A qualitative study of parents' perceptions of a behavioural sleep intervention
Authors: Tse L. , Hall W. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractBackground  A study, entitled Evaluation of an Intervention Aimed at Resolving Behavioural Sleep Problems in 6‐ to 12‐month‐old Infants: A Pilot Study, was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of a behavioural sleep intervention. This descriptive qualitative study aimed to describe parents' perceptions of the sleep intervention and any burden associated with participating in the study.Methods  Fourteen of the 35 families who had participated in the quantitative study were interviewed. Respondents comprised well‐educated, middle‐class and mixed‐ethnicity families. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, with open‐ended trigger questions, and were analysed using inductive content analysis.Result  Nine themes, which subsumed a number of categories, were constructed. Parents changed their perspectives about sleep and parenting styles; they experienced many challenges and inadvertent benefits; and they welcomed a structured framework for assisting with sleep problems. The parents fitted intervention strategies into their realities; many factors interfered with their success; and their support systems and their expectations of the study varied.Conclusion  These parents' previous education about normal infant sleep cycles and behavioural sleep problems was inadequate. The parents who were able to use the structured framework, flexible strategies and access to healthcare professionals for problem solving not only excelled in resolving their infants' sleep problems, but also gained confidence about their parenting skills and success.
Predictors of late menarche and adult height in children with anorexia nervosa
Authors: Rozé Catherine , Doyen Catherine , Le Heuzey Marie‐France , Armoogum Priscilla , Mouren Marie‐Christine , Léger Juliane 
Published: June 2007

SummaryObjectives  The onset of anorexia nervosa (AN) during childhood can affect the timing of puberty and adult height. The aim of the study was to evaluate the determinants of late menarche and adult height in children with AN.Patients and methods  We carried out a retrospective, longitudinal, university hospital‐based study. All prepubertal or early pubertal girls diagnosed with AN between 1998 and 2002 were selected for the study. Participants (n = 33) were studied at a median age of 21 (19·8–24·3) years. AN was diagnosed at 11·8 (10·7–12·3) years.Results  Patients with AN reached menarche at significantly greater ages than their mothers [15·4 (13·5–16·8) vs. 13·2 (12·0–14·5) years, P < 0·01]. Chronological age at onset of AN and lowest body mass index (BMI) were important independent predictive factors for delayed menarche (P < 0·01). Adult height was 165·0 (163·0–172·0) cm, 2·5 (–1·5 to 5·0) cm above target height. Twelve patients (36%) did not reach their target height and had a median height deficit of –3·9 cm with respect to their target height. The duration of hospitalization, a marker of disease severity and chronicity, was an independent predictor of the difference between adult height and target height for a given individual (β coefficient = –0·07; P = 0·01). The other factors studied (i.e. age at onset of AN, pubertal stage at diagnosis of AN, lowest BMI reached, associated comorbidity if any, type of AN, age at menarche) had no significant effect on adult height.Conclusion  The intensity of the disease affects the timing of menarche but not adult height in most patients. Hospitalization, despite often being an effective means of managing AN, does not reduce the impact of AN on growth.
Can we measure terrestrial photosynthesis from space directly, using spectral reflectance and fluorescence?
Authors: GRACE J. , NICHOL C. , DISNEY M. , LEWIS P. , QUAIFE T. , BOWYER P. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractAttempts to estimate photosynthetic rate or gross primary productivity from remotely sensed absorbed solar radiation depend on knowledge of the light use efficiency (LUE). Early models assumed LUE to be constant, but now most researchers try to adjust it for variations in temperature and moisture stress. However, more exact methods are now required. Hyperspectral remote sensing offers the possibility of sensing the changes in the xanthophyll cycle, which is closely coupled to photosynthesis. Several studies have shown that an index (the photochemical reflectance index) based on the reflectance at 531 nm is strongly correlated with the LUE over hours, days and months. A second hyperspectral approach relies on the remote detection of fluorescence, which is a directly related to the efficiency of photosynthesis. We discuss the state of the art of the two approaches. Both have been demonstrated to be effective, but we specify seven conditions required before the methods can become operational.
Hierarchical saturation of soil carbon pools near a natural CO2 spring
Authors: KOOL DORIEN M. , CHUNG HAEGEUN , TATE KEVIN R. , ROSS DES J. , NEWTON PAUL C. D. , SIX JOHAN 
Published: June 2007

AbstractSoil has been identified as a possible carbon (C) sink to mitigate increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. However, several recent studies have suggested that the potential of soil to sequester C is limited and that soil may become saturated with C under increasing CO2 levels. To test this concept of soil C saturation, we studied a gley and organic soil at a grassland site near a natural CO2 spring. Total and aggregate‐associated soil organic C (SOC) concentration showed a significant increase with atmospheric CO2 concentration. An asymptotic function showed a better fit of SOC and aggregation with CO2 level than a linear model. There was a shift in allocation of total C from smaller size fractions to the largest aggregate fraction with increasing CO2 concentration. Litter inputs appeared to be positively related to CO2 concentration. Based on modeled function parameters and the observed shift in the allocation of the soil C from small to large aggregate‐size classes, we postulate that there is a hierarchy in C saturation across different SOC pools. We conclude that the asymptotic response of SOC concentration at higher CO2 levels indicates saturation of soil C pools, likely because of a limit to physical protection of SOC.
Large losses of soil C and N from soil profiles under pasture in New Zealand during the past 20 years
Authors: SCHIPPER L. A. , BAISDEN W. T. , PARFITT R. L. , ROSS C. , CLAYDON J. J. , ARNOLD G. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe conversion of two‐thirds of New Zealand's native forests and grasslands to agriculture has followed trends in other developed nations, except that pastoral grazing rather than cropping dominates agriculture. The initial conversion of land to pasture decreased soil acidity and elevated N and P stocks, but caused little change in soil organic C stocks. However, less is known about C and nutrient stock changes during the last two decades under long‐term pastoral management. We resampled 31 whole soil profiles in pastures spanning seven soil orders with a latitudinal range of 36–46°S, which had originally been sampled 17–30 years ago. We measured total C, total N, and bulk density for each horizon (generally to 1 m) and also reanalyzed archived soil samples of the same horizons for C and N. On average, profiles had lost significant amounts of C (− 2.1 kg C m−2) and N (− 0.18 kg N m−2) since initial sampling. Assuming a continuous linear decline in organic matter between sampling dates, significant losses averaged 106 g C m−2 yr−1 (P=0.01) and 9.1 g N m−2 yr−1 (P=0.002). Removal of C through leaching and erosion appears too small to explain these losses, suggesting losses from respiration exceed the inputs of photosynthate in the soil profile. These results emphasize that resampling soil profiles provide a robust method for detecting soil C changes, and add credence to the suggestion that soil C losses may be occurring in some temperate soil profiles. Further work is required to determine whether these losses are continuing and how losses might be extrapolated across landscapes to determine the implications for New Zealand's national CO2 emissions and the sustainability of the implied rates of soil N loss.
Significance of cold‐season respiration and photosynthesis in a subarctic heath ecosystem in Northern Sweden
Authors: LARSEN KLAUS STEENBERG , IBROM ANDREAS , JONASSON SVEN , MICHELSEN ANDERS , BEIER CLAUS 
Published: June 2007

AbstractWhile substantial cold‐season respiration has been documented in most arctic and alpine ecosystems in recent years, the significance of cold‐season photosynthesis in these biomes is still believed to be small. In a mesic, subartic heath during both the cold and warm season, we measured in situ ecosystem respiration and photosynthesis with a chamber technique at ambient conditions and at artificially increased frequency of freeze–thaw (FT) cycles during fall and spring. We fitted the measured ecosystem exchange rates to respiration and photosynthesis models with R2‐values ranging from 0.81 to 0.85. As expected, estimated cold‐season (October, November, April and May) respiration was significant and accounted for at least 22% of the annual respiratory CO2 flux. More surprisingly, estimated photosynthesis during this period accounted for up to 19% of the annual gross CO2 uptake, suggesting that cold‐season photosynthesis partly balanced the cold‐season respiratory carbon losses and can be significant for the annual cycle of carbon. Still, during the full year the ecosystem was a significant net source of 120 ± 12 g C m−2 to the atmosphere. Neither respiration nor photosynthetic rates were much affected by the extra FT cycles, although the mean rate of net ecosystem loss decreased slightly, but significantly, in May. The results suggest only a small response of net carbon fluxes to increased frequency of FT cycles in this ecosystem.
Ecosystem carbon accretion 10 years after afforestation of depleted subhumid grassland planted with three densities of Pinus nigra
Authors: DAVIS MURRAY , NORDMEYER ALAN , HENLEY DAVID , WATT MICHAEL 
Published: June 2007

AbstractBiomass and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were measured in a replicated trial after afforestation of a New Zealand upland subhumid low‐productivity grassland with four tree stockings, including an unplanted control, of Pinus nigra. Total biomass accumulation of P. nigra in the cool, dry and N‐limited environment was low, ranging from 10 to 20 Mg ha−1 dry weight at age 10. Carbon and N accumulation in above‐ and belowground tree biomass ranged between 5–10 and 0.03–0.07 Mg ha−1, respectively. Soil C, N and bulk density were measured 5 and 10 years after the trees were planted. Soil samples taken at year 5 from between tree rows spaced 5 m apart were considered to be representative of grassland not affected by afforestation. Co‐variance analysis showed that, at year 10, soil C and N concentrations, and soil bulk density and C and N mass were not significantly affected by afforestation. The results are at variance with paired site studies in more humid environments that show soil C declines following afforestation, but confirm other studies and model predictions that show soil C decline in the early stages after afforestation in low‐productivity environments is limited. Afforestation did not affect root biomass of herbaceous species and this may have contributed to the lack of effect on soil C. Although afforestation by itself did not significantly affect soil C and N, over the measurement period soil C concentrations increased, while soil N declined by 450 kg ha−1. The decline in soil N was confined to lower soil layers and could not be accounted for by uptake in vegetation. The observed decline in soil N is consistent with results of other work in grazed, depleted grassland in the region that indicates losses of soil N occur that cannot be accounted for by pathways directly associated with grazing.