bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Markers of Oxidative Stress and Systemic Vasoconstriction in Pregnant Women Drinking ≥48 g of Alcohol per Day
Authors: Signore Caroline , Aros Sofía , Morrow Jason D. , Troendle James , Conley Mary R. , Flanigan Elizabeth Y. , Cassorla Fernando , Mills James L. 
Published: August 2008

Background:  The precise pathway by which alcohol causes the characteristic features of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is unknown. Proposed mechanisms for fetal injury from maternal alcohol use include cellular damage from oxidative stress and impaired fetal oxygenation related to maternal systemic vasoconstriction. Our objective was to compare the levels of urinary markers of oxidative stress and systemic vasoconstriction between women consuming large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy and women who did not drink alcohol during pregnancy.Methods:  Pregnant women consuming ≥48 g alcohol per day (n = 29) on average and pregnant women who abstained from alcohol use (n = 39) were identified using detailed interviews and home visits. Random maternal urine specimens were collected. Urinary levels of the oxidative stress marker, 8‐isoprostane F2α, and of the vasoactive prostaglandin metabolites, 2,3‐dinor‐6‐keto‐prostaglandin F1α (a vasodilator) and 11‐dehydro‐thromboxane B2 (a vasoconstrictor), were measured using mass spectrometric methods. All analyte levels were corrected for urinary creatinine.Results:  In crude analyses, there was no significant difference in 8‐isoprostane F2α between pregnant drinkers and nondrinkers (2.16 vs. 2.08 ng/mg creatinine, respectively, p = 0.87). There were no significant differences between the drinking and nondrinking groups in levels of 2,3‐dinor‐6‐keto‐prostaglandin F1α (1.03 vs. 1.17 ng/mg creatinine, repectively, p = 0.50), 11‐dehydro‐thromboxane B2 (0.72 vs. 0.59 ng/mg creatinine, respectively, p = 0.21), or the ratio of vasodilatory metabolite to vasoconstrictive metabolite (1.73 vs. 2.72, respectively, p = 0.14). Adjusting for maternal age, marital status, smoking, and gestational age at sampling did not substantially alter the results.Conclusion:  Our results show no difference in levels of urinary eicosanoid markers of oxidative stress and systemic vasoconstriction between pregnant women who drink heavily and pregnant women who abstain. These findings speak against a role for maternal oxidative stress or systemic vasoconstriction in the pathogenesis of alcohol damage to the fetus.
Biphasic Effects of Moderate Drinking on Prolactin During Lactation
Authors: Mennella Julie A. , Pepino Marta Yanina 
Published: August 2008

Background:  Contrary to the popular lore that encourages women to drink alcohol as an aid to lactation, we previously showed that alcohol consumption disrupted lactational performance and the hormonal milieu of the lactating mother in the short term.Methods:  Thirteen lactating women participated in a 4‐session, double‐blind, 2 × 2 within‐subject study to test several hypotheses related to the effects of alcohol on prolactin (PRL) responses and milk yield over time. The two within‐subject factors were beverage condition (control or 0.4 g/kg dose of alcohol) and pumping condition (pumping occurred at fixed intervals once or twice during the 5.3‐hour session). Plasma PRL, blood alcohol concentrations (BAC), and milk yield were measured.Results:  Alcohol consumption increased basal PRL levels (p < 0.0001) and modified the PRL response to pumping (p < 0.0001) but the directionality of the response depended on when pumping occurred along the BAC curve. Pumping enhanced PRL response when it occurred during the ascending BAC limb but blunted the response when it occurred during the descending limb, providing evidence that the effects were transient and of a biphasic nature. The slower the alcohol was metabolized, the greater the relative PRL response to breast pumping (p < 0.05). The dynamics of the PRL response between pumping sessions was also altered if women drank. If women pumped within the hour after drinking alcohol, the PRL response during the next pumping some 1.5 hours later, was delayed by a few minutes. Milk yield was significantly lower after drinking alcohol but such deficits were not significantly related to PRL or the speed at which alcohol was eliminated.Conclusions:  Effects of alcohol on suckling‐induced PRL were biphasic in nature, but could not explain the deficits in lactational performance. Such findings provide further evidence that the dynamic changes in neuroendocrine state are integrally involved in alcohol’s effects over time and underscore the complexity of lactation.
Effects of Functional Polymorphisms Related to Catecholaminergic Systems on Changes in Blood Catecholamine and Cardiovascular Measures After Alcohol Ingestion in the Japanese Population
Authors: Nishimura Fusae T. , Kimura Yukiko , Abe Shuntaro , Fukunaga Tatsushige , Minami Junichi , Tanii Hideji , Saijoh Kiyofumi 
Published: August 2008

Background: The polymorphism of human aldehyde dehyrogenase‐2 (ALDH2) Glu487Lys is well known to be a crucial factor underlying the genetic background for alcohol sensitivity in Asian populations. Subjects with the inactive Lys487allele show a marked increase in blood acetaldehyde level after alcohol intake, which results in facial flushing and various cardiovascular‐related symptoms. However, other polymorphisms related to catecholaminergic systems that tightly regulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system may also influence the physiological changes after acute alcohol intake.Methods: We investigated whether, together with theALDH2Gly487Lys andADH1BArg47His genotype, putative functionally important polymorphisms, including 9 loci in 7 human genes, were associated with changes in blood catecholamine levels and cardiovascular measures after alcohol ingestion. Forty‐nine young Japanese males were subjected to blood catecholamine analysis after alcohol ingestion. Among them, 28 were also subjected to heart rate variability and blood pressure analysis. The contribution of polymorphisms to the alcohol‐induced response was analyzed by multiple regression analysis.Results: Among the polymorphisms examined in this study, haplotypes of the phenylethanolamineN‐methyltransferase (PNMT) promoter [(−182bpG/A)_(−387bpG/A)] and catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) exon 4 [(Ex4 + 119bpC/G)_(Ex4 + 138bpG/A), Leu136Leu_Val158Met] are suggested to have functionally important effects on alcohol‐induced cardiovascular symptoms by affecting blood catecholamine levels. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) promoter C‐1450T genotype is also suggested to be involved in the individual differences in regulation of catecholamine secretion.Conclusions: This study suggested that these common polymorphisms of genes related to catecholaminergic systems, as well as those of the alcohol metabolizing system, are significant for understanding the basis of individual differences in alcohol sensitivity.
Insurance Market Dynamics: Between Global Developments and Local Contingencies
Authors: Cummins J. David , Venard Bertrand 
Published: August 2008

AbstractInsurance markets have changed radically and deeply in the past twenty years. Deregulation, globalization of insurance institutions, intensified competition, electronic commerce, bancassurance, and the emergence of new risks are among the challenges faced by insurance markets. Although important global trends are reshaping insurance markets, the emphasis on globalization overlooks the local diversity of insurance markets worldwide. This article reviews the global developments and local factors affecting insurance markets and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of globalization. Among the important global trends are the increasing sophistication of insurance products, the globalization of risk diversification through reinsurance, the emergence of mega‐financial intermediaries, and the growing importance of supranational agencies such as the World Bank and the World Trade Organization. On the other hand, there remains significant heterogeneity among countries and regions that has a profound impact on insurance markets. Among the important local differences are political, legal, and cultural components as well as differences in financial markets, taxation, regulatory systems, insurer investment strategies, and insurance distribution systems.
The Impact of Deregulation on Efficiency: An Analysis of Life Insurance Industry in Taiwan From 1981 to 2004
Authors: Jeng Vivian , Lai Gene C 
Published: August 2008

AbstractWe examine the impact of deregulation and liberalization (D&L) on the efficiency of the Taiwanese life insurance industry from 1981 to 2004. We utilize the data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the efficiency performances and the Malmquist index approach to measure changes in efficiency and productivity over time. Both the DEA and Malmquist results show that the old domestic firms have been slightly impacted by the new competitors around 1992–1994 (the end of foreign and new local entry period and the beginning of post‐D&L period). More important, our results show that the D&L does not have major adverse impact on the technical, cost, and revenue efficiency performances of existing domestic firms in the long run. The dominance of existing domestic firms has declined but persists throughout the sample period. In addition, our results show that it is relatively easy for new firms to become technically efficient in just few years after entering the market, but it is more difficult for them to become efficient in cost and revenue efficiency. We, thus, suggest that a new market entrant should take advantage of the existing mechanisms by acquiring an old (existing) firm, rather than establish a new one, if a new entrant wants to become efficient in cost and revenue efficiency in a short time.
The Statistical Analysis of Recurrent Events by COOK, R. J. and LAWLESS, J. F.
Authors: Huang Chiung‐Yu , Luo Xianghua 
Published: August 2008

The Statistical Analysis of Recurrent Events(R. J. Cook and J. F. Lawless)     Chiung‐Yu Huang and Xianghua LuoIntroduction to Empirical Processes and Semiparametric Inference(M. R. Kosorok)     Changyong FengUncertain Judgements: Eliciting Experts' Probabilities(A. O'Hagan, C. E. Buck, A. Daneshkhah, J. R. Eiser, P. H. Garthwaite, D. J. Jenkinson, J. E. Oakley, and T. Rakow)     James M. DickeyModels for Intensive Longitudinal Data(T. A. Walls and J. L. Schafer, editors)     Daniel FarewellQuantitative Environmental Risk Analysis for Human Health(R. A. Fjeld, N. A. Eisenberg, and K. L. Compton)     Scott M. BartellReliable Reasoning: Induction and Statistical Learning Theory(G. Harman and S. Kulkarni)     Oliver SchulteModeling Infectious Diseases in Humans and Animals(M. J. Keeling and P. Rohani)     Carol Y. LinCluster and Classification Techniques for the Biosciences(A. H. Fielding)     Morven LeeseModern Applied U‐Statistics(J. Kowalski and X. M. Tu)     Jesse FreyHandbook of Statistical Genetics, 3rd edition(D. J. Balding, M. Bishop, and C. Cannings, editors)     Karin Bammann, Ronja Foraita, Frauke GüntherQuality of Life: The Assessment, Analysis, and Interpretation of Patient‐Reported Outcomes, 2nd edition(P. M. Fayers and D. Machin)     Jeff A. Sloan, Amylou Dueck, Rui Qin, Wenting Wu, Pamela J. Atherton, Paul Novotny, Heshan Liu, Kelli N. Burger, Angelina D. Tan, Daniel Szydlo, Victor M. Johnson, Sara J. Felten, Xinghua Zhao, and Brent DiekmannAdvanced Distance Sampling: Estimating Abundance of Biological Populations(S. T. Buckland, D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, C. L. Borchers, and L. Thomas)     Carl James SchwarzBrief Reports by the EditorThe Construction of Optimal Stated Choice Experiments: Theory and Methods(D. J. Street and L. Burgess)Design and Analysis of Experiments, Volume 1: Introduction to Experimental Design, 2nd edition(K. Hinkelmann and O. Kempthorne)Introduction to Bayesian Statistics, 2nd edition(W. M. Bolstad)Asymptotic Theory of Statistics and Probability(A. Dasgupta)Bootstrap Methods: A Guide for Practitioners and Researchers, 2nd edition(M. R. Chernick)
Intraarticular Lidocaine versus Intravenous Procedural Sedation with Narcotics and Benzodiazepines for Reduction of the Dislocated Shoulder: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fitch Robert Warne , Kuhn John E. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackground:  Anterior shoulder dislocations commonly present to the emergency department (ED). The time associated with procedural sedation for the reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations can be lengthy and may require use of additional personnel. Complications associated with intravenous (IV) medications for procedural sedation are well documented.Objectives:  The aim was to determine if intraarticular lidocaine (IAL) injection is as effective as IV procedural sedation with narcotics and benzodiazepines for reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations.Methods:  This was a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The authors performed a PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database search using key words: “shoulder dislocation” and “reduction” and retrieved every RCT published that compared the use of IV sedation to IAL as medication for reduction. Each manuscript was reviewed and the results of each was compared regarding medications used, success of reduction, complications, pain perceived, ease of reduction, and time spent in the ED.Results:  Six Level 1 RCTs were identified. No studies showed a statistically significant difference in success rate between IAL versus IV sedation. The complication rate was significantly higher in the IV sedation groups (p < 0.001), and the total time spent in the ED was longer for the IV sedation group.Conclusions:  The use of IAL for reduction of anterior shoulder dislocations should be strongly considered as a first line therapy because it is effective and safe and may potentially reduce time spent in the ED.
Mitigation potential and costs for global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions1
Authors: Beach Robert H. , DeAngelo Benjamin J. , Rose Steven , Li Changsheng , Salas William , DelGrosso Stephen J. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractAgricultural activities are a substantial contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for about 58% of the world's anthropogenic non‐carbon dioxide GHG emissions and 14% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions, and agriculture is often viewed as a potential source of relatively low‐cost emissions reductions. We estimate the costs of GHG mitigation for 36 world agricultural regions for the 2000–2020 period, taking into account net GHG reductions, yield effects, livestock productivity effects, commodity prices, labor requirements, and capital costs where appropriate. For croplands and rice cultivation, we use biophysical, process‐based models (DAYCENT and DNDC) to capture the net GHG and yield effects of baseline and mitigation scenarios for different world regions. For the livestock sector, we use information from the literature on key mitigation options and apply the mitigation options to emission baselines compiled by EPA.
Costs and benefits of controlling quarantine diseases: a bio‐economic modeling approach
Authors: Breukers Annemarie , Mourits Monique , Werf Wopke van der , Lansink Alfons Oude 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThis article describes a bio‐economic model to quantify the costs and benefits of controlling plant quarantine diseases. The model integrates the epidemiology and economic consequences of a quarantine disease. It allows for ex ante evaluation of control scenarios for their cost‐effectiveness, taking into account potential export losses resulting from presence of the disease. The model is applied to brown rot of potato in the Dutch potato production chain. Simulation results show that under the current (2006) control policy, the average yearly costs of brown rot are 7.7 million euros. Reducing monitoring frequency increases the costs to 12.5 million euros, 60% of which are export losses. It is also shown that, due to potential long‐term effects of a strategy, conclusions on cost‐effectiveness of a strategy depend on the length of the period over which that strategy is observed. These applications illustrate the potential of the bio‐economic model to facilitate the development of cost‐effective and soundly based control policies.
Potential impacts of Bt eggplant on economic surplus and farmers' health in India
Authors: Krishna Vijesh V. , Qaim Matin 
Published: August 2008

AbstractIn this article, the potential impacts of Bt eggplant technology in Indian agriculture are analyzed. Several proprietary Bt hybrids are likely to be commercialized in the near future. Based on field trial data, it is shown that the technology can significantly reduce insecticide applications and increase effective yields. Comprehensive farm‐survey data are used to project farm‐level effects and future adoption rates. Simulations show that the aggregate economic surplus gains of Bt hybrids could be around US$108 million per year. Consumers will capture a large share of these gains, but farmers and the innovating company will benefit too. As the company has also shared its technology with the public sector, Bt open‐pollinated varieties might become available with a certain time lag. This would make the technology more accessible, especially for resource‐poor farmers, entailing further improvements in welfare and distribution effects. The wider implications of the private–public technology transfer are discussed. Furthermore, the potential benefits for farmers' health resulting from reduced insecticide applications are examined, using an econometric model and a cost‐of‐illness approach. These benefits are worth an additional $3–4 million per year, yet they constitute only a small fraction of the technology's environmental and health externalities. More research is needed for comprehensive impact analysis.
A spatial high‐resolution model of the dynamics of agricultural land use
Authors: Flores Luis Ambrosio , Martínez Luis Iglesias , Ferrer Carmen Marín , Gallego Valero Pascual , Bermejo Arturo Serrano 
Published: August 2008

AbstractAn area model is presented for agricultural land use, based on a generalized linear mixed model. This model is spatially explicit and dynamic and, although it uses aggregated data, allows for heterogeneity of behavior among individual farmers. The parameters of the fixed component of the model are obtained using an estimation equations approach, and the structure of spatiotemporal correlation is assessed using empirical semivariograms. The model is illustrated using as an example the dynamics of agricultural land use in the Lower Guadalquivir area in Spain. A simulation study indicates that the model gives poor results if the heterogeneity of individual behavior and spatiotemporal autocorrelation are ignored.
Coining and Defining Novel Nursing Terminology. Part 1: Critical Incident Nursing Diagnosis
Authors: Wong Elizabeth 
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  In the first of a three‐part series, a novel nursing terminology is introduced and proposed for inclusion in the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) International Classification—Critical incident nursing diagnosis (CIND)—defined as the recognition of an acute life‐threatening event that occurs as a result of disease, surgery, treatment, or medication. DATA SOURCES.  The literature, research studies, and meta‐analyses from a variety of disciplines, and personal clinical experience serve as the data sources for this article. DATA SYNTHESIS.  The current nursing diagnoses in the NANDA International Classification are inaccurate or inadequate for describing nursing care during life‐threatening situations. The lack of standardized nursing terminology creates a barrier that may impede critical communication and patient care during life‐threatening situations. CONCLUSIONS.  Coining and defining a novel nursing terminology, CIND, for patient care during life‐threatening situations are important and fill the gap in the current standardized nursing terminology. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.  Refining the NANDA International Classification will permit nursing researchers, among others, to conduct studies on nursing diagnoses in conjunction with the proposed novel nursing terminology: CIND. Parts 2 and 3 of this series will propose additional nursing terminology: critical incident nursing intervention and critical incident control, respectively.
Accuracy and Efficiency of Computer‐Aided Nursing Diagnosis
Authors: Kurashima Sachiko , Kobayashi Kuriko , Toyabe Shin‐ichi , Akazawa Kouhei 
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  This study aims to determine whether a computer‐aided nursing (CAN) diagnosis system improves diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. METHODS.  A randomized crossover trial was performed using two kinds of case studies with 42 nurses as subjects. The subjects were divided into a group using the CAN diagnosis system and a group using a handbook of nursing diagnosis. Degree of accuracy was judged by using Lunney's seven‐point interval scale, while efficiency was evaluated by time required for diagnosis. FINDINGS.  There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of diagnostic accuracy; however, time required for diagnosis was significantly shorter for subjects who used the CAN diagnosis system than for those who did not. Multiple regression analysis showed that the use of the CAN diagnosis system was the only factor associated with the time required for making the nursing diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS.  The use of the CAN diagnosis system improved the efficiency of the diagnostic process without reducing the level of accuracy of nursing diagnoses. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  The use of a computerized system should be a useful tool for implementation of standardized nursing terminologies.
A Validation Study of the Nursing Diagnosis Anxiety in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Neusa , Chianca Tania , Rassool G. Hussein 
Published: August 2008

PURPOSE.  This study aims to validate the nursing diagnosis of anxiety among expert Brazilian nurses and clinicians using NANDA International defining characteristics and to compare the clinical judgments of the experts and the clinicians. METHOD.  A semistructured questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 120 nurses. NANDA International defining characteristics of the Brazilian Portuguese version were used. The analysis of the ratings was based on the framework of the Diagnostic Content Validation model. Brazilian nurses considered the anxiety definition established by NANDA International to be appropriate and experts’ and clinicians’ judgments were similar for both groups of nurses. FINDINGS.  The results showed that among the 71 characteristics of anxiety, 8 were identified as critical defining characteristics of anxiety (score ≥ 0, 80) by the expert nurses.CONCLUSIONS.  Brazilian nurses accepted the NANDA International definition for nursing diagnosis of anxiety although some defining characteristics might differ due to cultural differences. Future research could address the limitations of the study and examine validations by both the experts and the clinicians. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.  The adequate preparation of undergraduate and postgraduate nurses in nursing diagnosis is important in improving the quality of care given to patients.