bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Necrotizing pancreatitis: Operating for life
Authors: Miller Brian J , Henderson Alan , Strong Russell W. , Fielding George A. , DiMarco Angela M. , O'Loughlin Barry S. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractInfected necrotizing pancreatitis is the most fulminant variety of this disease. Colonic involvement and retroperitoneal fasciitis are particularly lethal. The reported mortality is up to 50%. The purpose of this study is to review our combined experience at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, to determine whether patient survival was related to a particular etiology, treatment, or complication. All patients treated since 1986 with infected pancreatitis who required surgical necrosectomy and then ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) were studied. There were 48 patients so managed. The median age of survivors was 52 years, and for those who died it was 64 years (p=0.001). The etiology was gallstones in 22 and alcoholism in 12. Of the alcoholics, 11 survived and 1 died. Of the patients with gallstones, 13 survived and 9 died. There was an overall mortality of 31%. Survivors were in hospital for a median of 73 days, whereas deaths occurred after a median of 35 days (p=0.04). Seven patients underwent hemofiltration; five survived, and two died. N‐Acetylcysteine has been used in four patients, of whom three survived and one died. The abdomen was left open in 38 patients and kept closed in 10. Although Ranson's criteria at admission to the ICU did not predict survival, it was found that the median APACHE II score in survivors was significantly lower than in those who died (p=0.025). However the need for colectomy or the finding of retroperitoneal fasciitis in seven patients caused a significantly higher mortality, which was not predicted by Ranson's criteria or APACHE II scores (p=0.007). Death was due to overwhelming sepsis in most cases, although 47% of patients who died had also suffered major bleeding or fistulas. Nonparametric, box plot analysis shows the following trends: (1) Alcohol was not the most common cause of necrotizing pancreatitis, nor did it carry the highest mortality. (2) Tissue adjacent to the pancreas progressively necrosed over days or weeks. (3) Low initial APACHE II scores were frequently found in patients who ultimately died with colonic necrosis and retroperitoneal fasciitis. (4) Survivors tended to be treated by open laparostomy sooner, have longer periods in hospital, and be significantly younger. In conclusion, patients do best with early, open, repeated surgical débridement of the retroperitoneum for what appears to be an ongoing process.
Pain in femoral arteriography: A double-blind, randomized, clinical study comparing safety and efficacy of the iso-osmolar iodixanol 270mgI/ml and the low-osmolar iomeprol 300 mgI/ml in 9 European centers
Authors: Manke C. , Marcus C. , Page A. , Puey J. , Batakis O. , Fog A. 
Published: October 2004

Purpose: To compare the injection-associated pain and heat sensation after administration of the iso-osmolar contrast medium (IOCM) iodixanol (Visipaque™ 270 mg I/ml) and the low osmolar contrast medium (LOCM) iomeprol (Iomeron™ 300 mg I/ml) in femoral arteriography. Material and Methods: 352 patients received iodixanol or iomeprol in a prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial. The first injection during femoral arteriography (DSA with automated stepping) was standardized. Injection-associated pain and heat sensation, efficacy and safety up to 72 h were evaluated. Results: The iodixanol group reported significant less injection-associated pain than the iomeprol group after the first injection (7.4% vs. 17.6%; p = 0.007), and after all injections (11% vs. 19.4%; p = 0.045). Iodixanol caused less heat sensation after the first injection ( p = 0.007) and after all injections ( p = 0.029). Heat sensations in the iodixanol group were less intense after all injections ( p < 0.0001). No difference was found between the groups regarding the frequency of patients having adverse reactions (5.1% vs. 4%). Conclusion: The IOCM iodixanol caused significantly less frequent injection-associated pain and heat sensation than the LOCM iomeprol during femoral arteriography.
Subluxation of the ulnar nerve in the elbow region – ultrasonographic evaluation
Authors: Grechenig W. , Mayr J. , Peicha G. , Boldin C. 
Published: October 2004

Chronic ulnar nerve subluxation out of its sulcus in the elbow region may be a rare reason for undefined chronic disorders in the medial elbow aspect. We present two cases, a 38-year-old male patient complaining of a recurrent painful disorder including paresthesia of the 4th and 5th fingers and a 12-year-old boy presenting with a palpable band in the medial elbow region without pain. Ultrasonography was performed using a high frequency linear probe in the longitudinal and horizontal planes including dynamic examination. In both patients, the ulnar nerve was completely identified, both in the transverse and longitudinal planes. The sonomorphology and echogeneity of the nerve were the same as in the contralateral limb. Ulnar nerve subluxation was diagnosed in elbow joint flexion, in both cases. It is possible through dynamic ultrasonographic examination to diagnose and document ulnar nerve subluxation for further (surgical) treatment.
Selective intraarterial fibrinolysis of acute central retinal artery occlusion
Authors: Butz B. , Strotzer M. , Manke C. , Roider J. , Link J. , Lenhart M. 
Published: October 2004

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of our patients with central retinal artery occlusion after local fibrinolysis and to compare these data with results reported in the literature. Material and Methods: Over a period of 7 years, 22 patients (11 male, 11 female, mean age 64.6 ± 12.1 years) were treated with super-selective local fibrinolysis. In 1 case, treatment was carried out via the maxillary-ophthalmic anastomoses due to preexisting occlusion of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. The latency period from the onset of symptoms to the beginning of therapy was 7.6 ± 1.8 h. Urokinase was used in 7 cases (300,000–1.1 million units) and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (20–40 mg) was applied in 15 patients. Visual acuity and fundus were examined before and after treatment. Results: One patient (1/22 = 4.6%) recovered completely and regained a visual acuity of 20/20. Six patients (6/22 = 27.3%) showed a marked improvement with a range of visual outcome from 20/800 to 20/320. In 2 cases (2/22 = 9.1%) only a slight improvement was observed, with a visual outcome allowing detection of hand movements. In 13 cases (13/22 = 59.1%) no change in visual acuity as a result of treatment was observed. In 2/22 cases (9.2%) reversible neurological side-effects occurred, in 1 case suffered a stroke, and in another case intracerebral bleeding was observed. Conclusion: In our study, the recovery of visual acuity and the complication rate were not as positive as reported in the literature.
Convergence of paths and approximation of fixed points of asymptotically nonexpansive mappings
Authors: Chidume C. , Li Jinlu , Udomene A. 
Published: October 2004

Let

E
E

be a real Banach space with a uniformly Gâteaux differentiable norm possessing uniform normal structure,

K
K

be a nonempty closed convex and bounded subset of

E
E

,

T
:
K
⟶
K

T: K \longrightarrow K

be an asymptotically nonexpansive mapping with sequence

{

k
n

}
n

⊂
[
1
,
∞
)

\{k_n\}_n\subset [1, \infty )

. Let

u
∈
K

u\in K

be fixed,

{

t
n

}
n

⊂
(
0
,
1
)

\{t_n\}_n \subset (0, 1)

be such that

lim

n
→
∞

t
n

=
1

\lim \limits _{n\to \infty }t_n = 1

,

t
n

k
n

>
1

t_nk_n > 1

, and

lim

n
→
∞

k
n

−
1

k
n

−

t
n

=
0

\lim \limits _{n\to \infty }\frac {k_n - 1}{k_n-t_n} =0

. Define the sequence

{

z
n

}
n

\{z_n\}_n

iteratively by

z
0

∈
K

z_0\in K

,

z

n
+
1

=
(
1
−

t
n

k
n

)
u
+

t
n

k
n

T
n

z
n

,

n
=
0
,
1
,
2
,
.
.

.
.

z_{n+1}= (1-\frac {t_n}{k_n})u + \frac {t_n}{k_n}T^nz_n, \>n= 0, 1, 2, ..._.

It is proved that, for each integer

n
≥
0

n \geq 0

, there is a unique

x
n

∈
K

x_n \in K

such that

x
n

=
(
1
−

t
n

k
n

)
u
+

t
n

k
n

T
n

x
n

.

x_n= (1-\frac {t_n}{k_n})u + \frac {t_n}{k_n}T^nx_n.

If, in addition,

lim

n
→
∞

‖

x
n

−
T

x
n

‖
=
0

\lim \limits _{n\to \infty }\|x_n - Tx_n\| = 0

and

lim

n
→
∞

‖

z
n

−
T

z
n

‖
=
0

\lim \limits _{n\to \infty }\|z_n - Tz_n\| = 0

, then

{

z
n

}
n

\{z_n\}_n

converges strongly to a fixed point of

T
T

.
Jacobi polynomials from compatibility conditions
Authors: Chen Yang , Ismail Mourad 
Published: October 2004

We revisit the ladder operators for orthogonal polynomials and re-interpret two supplementary conditions as compatibility conditions of two linear over-determined systems; one involves the variation of the polynomials with respect to the variable

z
z

(spectral parameter) and the other a recurrence relation in

n
n

(the lattice variable). For the Jacobi weight
\[

w
(
x
)
=
(
1
−
x

)

α

(
1
+
x

)

β

,

x
∈
[
−
1
,
1
]
,

w(x)=(1-x)^{\alpha }(1+x)^{\beta },\qquad x\in [-1,1],

\]
we show how to use the compatibility conditions to explicitly determine the recurrence coefficients of the monic Jacobi polynomials.
Stable rank of corner rings
Authors: Ara P. , Goodearl K. 
Published: October 2004

B. Blackadar recently proved that any full corner

p
A
p

pAp

in a unital C*-algebra

A
A

has K-theoretic stable rank greater than or equal to the stable rank of

A
A

. (Here

p
p

is a projection in

A
A

, and fullness means that

A
p
A
=
A

ApA=A

.) This result is extended to arbitrary (unital) rings

A
A

in the present paper: If

p
p

is a full idempotent in

A
A

, then

sr
⁡
(
p
A
p
)
≥
sr
⁡
(
A
)

\operatorname {sr} (pAp)\ge \operatorname {sr}(A)

. The proofs rely partly on algebraic analogs of Blackadar’s methods and partly on a new technique for reducing problems of higher stable rank to a concept of stable rank one for skew (rectangular) corners

p
A
q

pAq

. The main result yields estimates relating stable ranks of Morita equivalent rings. In particular, if

B
≅

End

A

⁡
(
P
)

B\cong \operatorname {End}_{A}(P)

where

P

A

P_{A}

is a finitely generated projective generator, and

P
P

can be generated by

n
n

elements, then

sr
⁡
(
A
)
≤
n

⋅

sr
⁡
(
B
)
−
n
+
1

\operatorname {sr}(A)\le n{\cdot }\operatorname {sr}(B)-n+1

.
Printing the Regicide of Charles I
Authors: TUBB MOS 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe execution of Charles I by the English republic on 30 January 1649 was the most unpopular political act of the seventeenth century. Yet within three weeks of Charles's death the leaders of the new government were ‘cheerful and well pleased’. This article explores one of the key reasons for their good mood: they had just managed a polemical triumph. In the weeks following the regicide, parliament and its supporters had justified the king's execution with a wide array of printed documents. Further, various government agents severely hampered the republic's opponents from printing their own missives, thereby creating a fairly clear space for the pro‐regicide press. Although the long‐term impact may have been limited, there can be little doubt that the English republic and its proponents asserted a potent case for regicide in early February 1649.
Issues in Money Demand: The Case of Europe
Authors: Artis Mike , Beyer Andreas 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThis article establishes a co‐integration analysis for the euro area (sample period: 1983–2000), identifying three co‐integrating vectors: one which can be labelled money demand (in which real M3 money balances are related to output, with unit elasticity, and the long rate of interest); another pertaining to the spread between the short and long rate of interest; and a third which is an output (IS) relationship in which output is related to the real rate of interest. Currency substitution terms affect the adjustment of real money balances though they do not enter the co‐integration space. We use the aggregation procedure for historical Euroland data advocated by Beyer, Doornik and Hendry for application to aggregation of money, GDP and prices when exchange rates were varying. We make use of the German short‐ and long‐term interest rates as benchmarks for own rate and opportunity cost variables.
The Transparency and Credibility of the European Central Bank
Authors: De Haan Jakob , Amtenbrink Fabian , Waller Sandra 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe European Central Bank (ECB) ranks highly on our proposed central bank disclosure indicator, measuring activities of central banks to enhance the public's understanding of their policies. Nevertheless, our survey evidence suggests that private‐sector economists do not consider the ECB transparent. We argue that this may be caused by the quality of the information provided by the ECB. In addition, the way intermediaries report on the ECB may influence the public's perceptions. The ECB also does not rank highly in terms of credibility; still, most ECB policy decisions were in line with financial markets' expectations.
Steady‐state pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and tolerability of donepezil hydrochloride in hepatically impaired patients
Authors: Reyes Josephine F. , Vargas Ramon , Kumar Dinesh , Cullen Edward I. , Perdomo Carlos A. , Pratt Raymond D. 
Published: October 2004

AimsTo evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), tolerability and safety of donepezil HCl 5 mg following oral doses for 1 and 24 days in hepatically impaired patients compared with healthy controls under steady‐state, multiple‐dose conditions.MethodsIn this single‐centre, multiple‐dose, open‐label study, patients with impaired hepatic function (Child–Pugh grade A or B) and healthy controls (matched by gender, age and weight to the hepatically impaired patients) received a single 5 mg dose of donepezil on day 1 and then donepezil HCl 5 mg once daily from days 6 to 29. PK and PD (determination of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase inhibition) parameters were evaluated on days 1 and 29. Treatment‐emergent adverse events (AEs), vital signs, physical examination and clinical laboratory test parameters were monitored throughout the study.ResultsA total of 35 subjects (18 patients with hepatic impairment and 17 healthy controls) were enrolled and 32 subjects (16 in each group) completed the study. On day 1 (following a single dose) hepatically impaired patients showed a significant decrease in Tmax, while t½ and AUC0–∞ were significantly increased compared with the healthy controls. On day 29 (following multiple doses), AUC0−24 h, Cmax, t½, CSS, and RA were significantly increased in hepatically impaired patients compared with healthy controls. AUC0−24 h increased by 47.6% in the patients with hepatic impairment compared with the healthy controls. There were no significant differences in PD between the groups, although at steady state, the mean AChE inhibition was 16.2% higher in the hepatically impaired patients. No serious AEs were reported and no subject withdrew from the study due to AEs. The most common AEs in both groups were headache and diarrhoea. No clinically significant changes from baseline were observed in vital signs, physical examination findings or electrocardiograms. There was a significant difference in the number of hepatically impaired subjects with abnormalities in serum glucose compared with healthy subjects. However, these elevations were not associated with AEs.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that patients with AD and mild to moderate hepatic impairment (Child–Pugh grade A or B) can be safely given donepezil 5 mg once daily and that this dose is associated with a nonsignificantly higher AChE inhibition than age‐matched volunteers.
Are alterations of lymphocyte subpopulations in polymicrobial sepsis and DHEA treatment mediated by the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-αreceptor (TNF-RI)? A study in TNF-RI (TNF-RI–/–) knock-out rodents
Authors: HILDEBRAND F , PAPE H-C , HARWOOD P , WITTWER T , KRETTEK C , VAN GRIENSVEN M 
Published: October 2004

SUMMARYSepsis is associated with depression of T cell-dependent immune reactivity with proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, playing an important role. Recent investigations describe an association between these immunological alterations and disturbances of the endocrine system, related most frequently to sex steroid hormones. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the most abundant adrenal sex steroid precursors, seems to have a protective immunological effect towards septic insults. In this study, both the role of TNF-receptor I (RI) and possible interactions in the protective role of DHEA were investigated in a murine model of polymicrobial sepsis. Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in a murine model. The effects of DHEA on survival, clinical parameters and cellular immunity (T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells) were investigated. CLP was performed in genetically modified TNF-RI knock-out (TNF-RI–/–) and genetically unmodified (wild-type, WT) mice. DHEA application was associated with a decrease in the mortality rate in WT animals. A mortality rate of 91·7% was observed in TNF-RI–/– mice after CLP. This mortality rate was reduced to 37·5% by the application of DHEA. In sham-operated TNF-RI–/– animals, a significantly higher proportion of NK cells within the lymphocyte population was measured compared with the corresponding WT group. After CLP, a significant increase in the percentage cell count of NK cells was recorded in WT mice. Overall, following DHEA application in WT mice, an alteration in the cellular immune response was characterized by a reduction in the percentage counts of CD4+, CD8+ and NK cells. In the group of TNF-RI–/– mice treated with DHEA, no increase in the percentage cell count of NK cells was observed after CLP. No data for cell analysis were available from the CLP-TNF-RI–/– mice treated with saline, due to the high mortality rate in these animals. DHEA reduces the complications of sepsis in a TNF-RI-independent manner. Our study suggests that NK cells are involved in the protective mechanism of DHEA in WT mice. It would therefore seem that DHEA represents a feasible alternative therapy for the dysregulated immune system in sepsis.
Neutrophil responses to CRP are not dependent on polymorphism of human FcγRIIA (R131H)
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ J A , BODMAN-SMITH K B , RAYNES J G 
Published: October 2004

SUMMARYIgG2a mediated in vitro phagocytosis is less effective for individuals homozygous for Fcγ RIIaR131 allele and such individuals are also more susceptible to certain infections. It has been reported that CRP binds to Fcγ RIIaR131 but not Fcγ RIIaH131 and since Fcγ RIIa is also a major Fc receptor on neutrophils it would be expected that normal healthy donors who did not have at least one copy of Fcγ RIIaR131 would not respond to CRP. We examined responses reported to be dependent on FcγRIIa but no difference between groups was observed in CRP mediated phagocytosis of S. pneumoniae, reactive oxygen production, or IL-8 synthesis. This suggests that either neutrophil receptors other than Fcγ RIIa are responsible for CRP mediated responses or differences in CRP binding to the forms of Fcγ RIIa are comparatively minor.
Interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1ra and IL-12 profiles in active and quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus: could longitudinal studies reveal patient subgroups of differing pathology?
Authors: CAPPER E R , MASKILL J K , GORDON C , BLAKEMORE A I F 
Published: October 2004

SUMMARY
Several cytokines have been implicated individually in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and some, including interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and IL-1ra are raised during flares of disease activity. Few studies have been directed at examining the interactions between these cytokines and how their combined profile relates to disease activity. We have examined serum levels of IL-10, IL-12 and IL-1ra in a cohort of SLE patients obtained from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham in cross-sectional and, in a smaller group, longitudinal analyses. In the cross-sectional study, there were significant correlations between levels of the three cytokines. There were also significant correlations between levels of each cytokine and measures of disease activity. IL-10 levels correlated with ESR, anti-dsDNA antibody titres and C3D, IL-12 levels with anti-dsDNA antibody titres and IL-1ra levels with ESR, anti-dsDNA antibody titres and C3D. IL-1ra levels also correlated with CRP. Circulating IL-10 and IL-1ra levels were higher in patients with SLE than in normal controls, although in this study group they did not reach significance. Circulating IL-12 levels were, however, significantly higher in SLE compared to controls. This was true both in patients with active disease and those sampled during a quiescent phase. These data add to the evidence that cytokines such as IL-10, IL-12 and IL-1ra are important in SLE pathogenesis. In a retrospective study of serial serum samples from seven patients, we found two patients whose cytokine profile was very different from the rest of the group. In most patients normalized  IL-10,  IL-12  and  IL-1ra  levels  mirrored  BILAG  scores  closely,  but  in  these  two  patients,  IL-10, IL-12 and IL-1ra levels did not fluctuate with disease activity. It is possible that there is a subgroup of SLE patients whose cytokine profile could be an important indicator of their pathology. In order to confirm this and determine the frequency of such patients this study needs to be repeated with a much larger  subject  group.  The  coexistence  of  patient  groups  with  different  patterns  of  cytokine  activity might explain conflicting reports of associations of levels of particular cytokines with SLE. As the observed differences could reflect different aetiologies of SLE, this information could reveal valuable endophenotypes for genetic and functional studies of SLE and might, ultimately, inform therapeutic management.
Mannan-binding lectin modulates the response to HSV-2 infection
Authors: GADJEVA M , PALUDAN S R , THIEL S , SLAVOV V , RUSEVA M , ERIKSSON K , LÖWHAGEN G-B , SHI L , TAKAHASHI K , EZEKOWITZ A , JENSENIUS J C 
Published: October 2004

SUMMARYViruses have developed numerous strategies to escape recognition by the immune system. However, some viruses such as herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) are recognized by initiators of the complement system, e.g. mannan-binding lectin (MBL). To study the effects of MBL deficiency during viral infection we have chosen a model of generalized HSV-2 infection. We infected MBL-A and MBL-C double knock-out mice (DKO) with HSV-2 via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. DKO mice cleared HSV-2 from the liver less efficiently than the comparable wild-type animals. The impairment to effectively neutralize HSV-2 correlated with compromised liver function as measured by increased plasma levels of alanine-amino transferase. No differences in the viral burden were found in other organs such as spleen or brain. Thus, MBL-mediated protection was limited to the effects of preservation of liver homeostasis. Reconstitution with recombinant human MBL before and during the HSV-2 infection dramatically lowered the viral titres in the liver. Taken together, the data show that MBL modulates the response to HSV-2 in mice by affecting neutralization of the virus. To analyse if MBL plays a role in establishment and progression of human HSV-2 infection we analysed MBL levels in the serum samples from asymptomatic (virus-exposed people who have never displayed symptoms of HSV-2 infection) and symptomatic HSV-2 patients (people with recurrent HSV-2 infections). We found that the frequency of the MBL deficiency (&lt;100 ng/ml) was higher in the symptomatic group and significantly different from that in the asymptomatic group (P = 0·0369). This suggests that lack of MBL-mediated complement activation increases susceptibility to viral infection.