bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reducing urban poverty; some lessons from experience
Authors: Anzorena Jorge , Bolnick Joel , Boonyabancha Somsook , Cabannes Yves , Hardoy Ana , Hasan Arif , Levy Caren , Mitlin Diana , Murphy Denis , Patel Sheela , Saborido Marisol , Satterthwaite David , Stein Alfredo 
Published: August 2005

Many donor agencies are recognizing the need to address the growing levels of urban poverty in Africa, Latin America and much of Asia. Many also acknowledge that they had under-estimated the scale of urban poverty. As they develop or expand programmes on poverty reduction in urban areas, there are many remarkable initiatives on whose experience they can draw. This paper reflects on the lessons from seven of these: three from Asia, three from Latin America and one from Africa. All these initiatives combined direct action by low-income groups themselves, working with local NGOs, with some support negotiated from one or more external agency in order to improve housing and living conditions, basic services and livelihoods. Each initiative sought to make limited funding go as far as possible-and most achieved partial or total cost recovery for some (or all) of their interventions. All used credit to allow low-income groups to spread the cost of capital investment over a number of years. These initiatives also changed the relationship between poor urban groups and local authorities, bringing about major benefits. However, official donors may find it difficult to fund initiatives such as these, especially through conventional project-cycle oriented funding for capital projects that is channelled through recipient governments. They may also find it difficult to fund initiatives that aim to change the policies and practices of local (or national) governments; also to support initiatives that are multisectoral, relatively cheap and require long-term support because they are long-term processes rather than discrete projects. Initiatives that generate cost recovery may also present them with difficulties. Most official donors will need to develop new channels to support such initiatives-for instance through support for intermediary funds for community projects located within these cities.
A Nonparametric Approach to Program Evaluation: Utilizing Number Needed to Treat, L’Abbé Plots, and Event Rate Curves for Outcome Analysis
Authors: Hanes John C. 
Published: August 2005

The medical sciences offer several helpful tools to the program evaluator for outcome analysis. Where a single point on the range of a dependent variable clearly defines attainment of outcome success, the number needed to treat (NNT) offers an indicator of a program’s efficacy. L’Abbé plots compare several programs in terms of the event rates that constitute the NNTs. If the nature of an outcome variable is not amenable to such a demarcation, then the evaluator may extend the NNT concept by calculating and plotting event rates on a continuous, ordinal basis. Graphical analysis of these curves may involve program comparisons, inclusion of other relevant variables, and visualization of the test statistic for inferential purposes.
Reciprocal tapping in spastic hemiparesis
Authors: van Roon Dominique , Hulstijn Wouter 
Published: August 2005

Objective: To locate the source of slowness in typing movements in subjects with spastic hemiparesis and to examine whether enlargement of keys would facilitate typing. Design: Experimental within-subjects design. Setting: Werkenrode, a special school for physically disabled young children. Subjects: Eleven subjects (mean age 17.1 years) diagnosed as having spastic hemiparesis, most as a result of cerebral palsy. Interventions: Subjects made fast reciprocal tapping movements with one finger of both hands separately within a 10-second interval. Keys of 12 × 12 mm and 24 × 24 mm were used. Main outcome measures: Interkey response interval (IRI), dwell time (interval during which the key is pressed) and forces were measured. Also, the standard deviation and coefficient of variation of the variables were calculated to determine regularity of the movements. Results: The impaired hand tapped slower and more irregularly and exerted less force. In addition, the duration of the dwell phase was lengthened for this hand. However, the percentage dwell time as a function of IRI was not different between hands. Enlargement of the keys shortened flight time (i.e. time in which the finger moves through the air from one key to the next) of the impaired hand, but not dwell time. Conclusions: The entire movement is slower for the impaired hand. Disturbances are not exclusively located at the inversion of the movement. With respect to keyboard design, enlarged keys and a locked repeat function of the keys may be beneficial for subjects suffering from spasticity.
The Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ): a valid tool for assessing the rehabilitation needs of disabled people
Authors: Kersten Paula , Mclellan Lindsay , George Steve , Smith Jenifer A E 
Published: August 2005

Objective: To validate the Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) for use with disabled people during face-to-face interviews. Design: The SNAQ was designed to be used in a cross-sectional survey of disabled people with a physical disability with a follow-up study one year later. Content and criterion validity was examined using 32 disabled people who took part in the pilot study. Construct validity and internal reliability was examined using data from 93 disabled people who took part in the main survey. Responsiveness of the questionnaire was evaluated using the data gathered during a follow-up study of 77 people had taken part in the original study. Outcome measures: The OPCS Disability Severity Scales (OPCS) and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were used to measure level of disability of participants, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the UK version of the SF-36 to examine perceived health status. Participants: People with a primary physical disability, aged 16–65, randomly selected from two disability registers in southern England. Main results: Content and criterion validity were established. Construct validity and internal reliability of the SNAQ was good. Inter-rater reliability was not tested since only one researcher conducted the interviews. Test–retest reliability was not formally tested because of the probability that participants would learn from the first needs assessment questionnaire and that different results on a retest occasion could arise from this. The SNAQ was sensitive in picking up changes over time. Conclusion: The SNAQ has shown good validity (content, coverage and construct), internal reliability, sensitivity and responsiveness. Further studies are needed to define the consequences of meeting or not meeting the rehabilitation needs of disabled people. Inter-rater reliability remains to be established.
Effect of a physical therapeutic intervention for balance problems in the elderly: A single-blind, randomized, controlled multicentre trial
Authors: Wolf Bernard , Feys Hilde , De Weerdt Willy , van der Meer Jaap , Noom Margo , Aufdemkampe Geert 
Published: August 2005

Objective: To establish the effect of a short, individualized exercise programme on balance dysfunction in the elderly. Design: A single-blind, randomized, controlled, multicentre trial. Setting: Physical and recreational therapy departments from two rehabilitation centres. Participants: Ninety-four subjects of ≥75 years with functional balance problems living independently or in a residential care facility. Seventy-seven subjects completed the intervention period and four-week follow-up. At a one-year follow-up 49 subjects were evaluated on balance functioning. Interventions: Twelve sessions of an individualized balance training programme (experimental group) or 12 sessions of an individualized extra attention programme (control group) given in 4–6 weeks. Main outcome measures: Berg Balance Scale and the Dynamic Gait Index to establish balance functioning, a visual analogue scale to establish fear of falling in daily life and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale to verify feelings of anxiety and depression. Results: Subjects in the experimental group improved significantly more on the Berg Balance Scale and the Dynamic Gait Index than those in the control group (p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.001, respectively). However the effect disappeared at a one-year follow-up on the Berg Balance Scale. No prognostic factors could be identified to determine who would benefit most from the individualized exercise programme. Results on the other response variables revealed no effect of the intervention. Conclusion: A short individualized exercise programme can improve functional balance in people aged 75 years and older. This improvement was maintained at least for one month but had worn off by one year.
A comparison of two types of electrical stimulation of the quadriceps in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome. A pilot study
Authors: Callaghan Michael J , Oldham Jacqueline A , Winstanley Julie 
Published: August 2005

Objective: To compare a commercially available electrical muscle stimulation regime with a new form of stimulation for the rehabilitation of the quadriceps in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Setting: A research facility within a teaching hospital. Methods: Sixteen patients (four men, 12 women) with patellofemoral pain, demonstrable quadriceps atrophy, but normal gait parameters were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups. One group received a sequential mixed frequency stimulation pattern from a standard device. The other group received a new form of stimulation from an experimental stimulation device that contained simultaneous mixed frequency components. Outcome measures: Isometric and isokinetic extension torque, muscle fatigue rate, pain, functional questionnaire, step test, knee flexion, and quadriceps cross-sectional area. Results: These showed significant improvements for both groups after treatment (p < 0.05) in all outcome measures except flexion and fatigue rates, but no significant differences between the two stimulation regimes (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Both stimulators performed similarly on patients with patellofemoral pain giving significant improvements for all patients for muscle strength, pain, self-reporting function and step testing. There were no significant differences between the two types of stimulation.
The Role of Perceptual Skills in Newborns' Perception of Partly Occluded Objects
Authors: Valenza Eloisa , Zulian Luisa , Leoy Irene 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThis study explored whether the reported inability of newborns to perceive object unity could result from the limited abilities of newborns to recognize the correspondence between 2 stimuli that were identical except for the presence or absence of an occluder. Five experiments were carried out using a visual habituation technique. The results of Experiment 1 indicated that newborns were capable of recognizing the perceptual correspondence between a nonoccluded and an occluded form. More intriguing, the outcomes of Experiments 2, 3, and 4 suggested that newborns find a partly occluded form to be more similar to a completely unoccluded form than to an unoccluded form containing a gap. Finally, even if newborns are able to perceive the correspondence between a partly occluded object and a complete form, the presence of this skill does not appear sufficient to imply the ability to manifest veridical object unity perception at birth (Experiment 5).
Use of Natural Medicines in the Danish Population: A National Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Nielsen Merete Willemoes , Hansen Ebba H , Rasmussen Niels K 
Published: August 2005

BACKGROUND: The use of natural medicines is widespread and increasing. In addition, natural medicine use is based primarily on individual's decisions without counseling from health professionals. Unlike with conventional medicines, it is not possible to evaluate sales statistics and prescription records to determine how much natural medicine is being used and by whom. Self-reporting is the only method available for investigating use of these products. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of natural medicines with respect to sociodemographic factors, health status, and conventional drug therapy in a general national population. METHODS: Data were derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000. A representative sample of the Danish population (N = 16 690%) was interviewed face-to-face. The association between use of natural medicines within the past 14 days and age, education, health status, and conventional medicine use was analyzed by logistic regression. All analyses were performed separately for each gender. RESULTS: Fourteen percent of the sample population had taken natural medicines within the past 14 days. Use was most prevalent among women and increased with age, but decreased again in the oldest age group (≥80 y). Respondents with poor health were the greatest consumers of natural medicines. Use was not associated with educational level and conventional drug therapy. Among conventional medicine users, 14% and 22% of men and women, respectively, used natural medicines. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that natural medicine use is common and widespread health behavior in all strata of the population and should not be regarded as an alternative to conventional medicine. Clinicians should ask patients about natural medicine use to avoid interactions with conventional drugs.
Antipsychotic Dose-Sparing Effect with Addition of Memantine
Authors: Sleeper Rebecca B 
Published: August 2005

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of an antipsychotic-sparing effect achieved after the addition of memantine to the regimen of a patient with severe Alzheimer's disease and aggressive behavioral disturbances. CASE SUMMARY: A 78-year-old white man with severe Alzheimer's disease was receiving risperidone 2 mg 3 times daily for persistent aggressive and dangerous behavioral disturbances. Memantine was initiated, and the dose was titrated to 10 mg twice daily. The patient's response included improvement in functional status and resolution of problematic behaviors, allowing repeated reduction of the risperidone dose and ultimate discontinuation. DISCUSSION: Antipsychotics are often employed to treat behavioral disturbances for patients with Alzheimer's disease; however, the adverse effect potential of these agents remains a significant concern. Adjunctive medications that maintain or improve behavioral symptoms yet allow an antipsychotic-sparing effect are attractive. Such experiences have previously been described with other drug classes, but clinical experience is evolving with memantine. For this patient, the effect of this agent on behavioral symptoms and risperidone requirements is one example of such an antipsychotic-sparing effect. CONCLUSIONS: Response to memantine therapy may include behavioral improvements allowing a dose-sparing effect of antipsychotic medication. Changes in psychoactive drug burden may be a valuable surrogate marker of memantine's effects on behavior.
ERBB2 in Pediatric Cancer: Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Authors: Gilbertson Richard J. 
Published: August 2005

Abstract

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Review the key aspects of ERBB2 signal biology in normal and cancer cells.Outline available evidence for the involvement of ERBB2 signaling in different pediatric solid cancers.Describe the key challenges associated with translating molecular targeted therapies of adult cancers to pediatric patients.
Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 hour of AMA PRA category 1 credit at CME.TheOncologist.com
Adult oncologists and their research colleagues have “led the charge” in the war on cancer. Their efforts have generated effective new chemotherapies that target cancer causing molecular alterations. It is hoped that these successes will be repeated within the pediatric oncology community. Testing whether molecular targeted therapies of adult cancers are also effective against childhood cancers might allow the rapid introduction of these exciting new agents into the pediatric clinic. However, it is imperative that we do not introduce blindly these agents into the pediatric population. We must ensure that molecular targets in adult cancers also fulfill a number of important criteria within the pediatric disease. This review addresses the issues surrounding the identification of molecular targets in pediatric cancers by focusing on studies of the ERBB2 oncogene.
Tolerance of uncertainty, extroversion, neuroticism and attitudes to randomized controlled trials among surgeons and physicians
Authors: McCulloch P , Kaul A , Wagstaff G F , Wheatcroft J 
Published: August 2005

Abstract

Background
Surgeons have a reputation for decisiveness and self-confidence, which suggests that they may tolerate uncertainty poorly and therefore be less capable than other doctors of experiencing clinical equipoise. Their ‘typical’ behaviour is characteristic of the stable extrovert personality and so they may prefer spontaneous clinical judgement over randomized trials. The aim of this study was to compare personality dimensions and tolerance of uncertainty among surgeons and hospital physicians, to determine whether differences in either property might help to explain the apparently poor performance of surgeons in conducting randomized controlled trials.

Methods
This was a postal questionnaire study of 1000 consultant general surgeons and 1000 consultant physicians. Respondents completed a short self-assessment of Eysenck personality dimensions, Budner's Intolerance of Ambiguity scale and a short questionnaire about attitudes to randomized trials. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed.

Results
The response rate was 36·5 per cent. Physicians were more likely to be women (P &lt; 0·001) and had spent 1 more year in academic posts than surgeons (P &lt; 0·030). Surgeons were significantly more extrovert (P &lt; 0·001) and less neurotic (P &lt; 0·001) than physicians. Surgeons were significantly more intolerant of uncertainty than physicians (P = 0·007). Multivariate analysis identified age (P &lt; 0·030) and sex (P = 0·015) as independent predictors of intolerance of uncertainty. The attitudes of surgeons and physicians to randomized trials were no different.

Conclusion
Surgeons are not prejudiced against randomized trials, but their intolerance of uncertainty may inhibit them from deciding that an individual patient is suitable for trial entry. If more surgeons were female, this difference between surgeons and physicians might disappear.
Determination of puerarin in rat cortex by high‐performance liquid chromatography after intravenous administration of Puerariae flavonoids
Authors: Yan Bin , Wang Wei , Zhang Lujun , Xing Dongming , Wang Daoyi , Du Lijun 
Published: August 2005

AbstractIn the present study, a rapid and simple high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for determination of puerarin in rat cortex was developed. The analysis was carried out on a Zorbax SB‐C18 column with mobile phase acetonitrile–0.5% aqueous phosphoric acid (11:89, v/v). The detection was by UV at 252 nm. The calibration curve for puerarin was linear (r = 0.9999) over the concentration range 0.516–206.250 µg/mL. The limit of detection was 0.206 µg/mL (signal‐to‐noise ratio 3) and the limit of quantification (signal‐to‐noise ratio 10) was 0.516 µg/mL. Stability studies showed that puerarin was stable at temperatures of 4°C in methanol for at least 30 days. The intra‐ and inter‐day assays of puerarin from rat cortex were less than 2.5% at concentration range 0.516–206.250 µg/mL and good overall recoveries (97.4–101.7%) were found at same concentrations. The method was applied to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters and the time course of puerarin in rat cortex, following a single dosage of intravenous administration of flavonoids from Puerariae radix at 32 mg/kg of puerarin to male Wistar rats. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oil Palm Ash/Ca(OH)2/CaSO4 Absorbent for Flue Gas Desulfurization
Authors: Mohamed A. R. , Lee K. T. , Noor N. M. , Zainudin N. F. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe preparation, optimization and activity of active absorbent prepared from oil palm ash for the removal of SO2 in flue gas from combustion systems were investigated. The absorbent was prepared from oil palm ash, calcium hydroxide and calcium sulfate using a water hydration process. A Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to study the influence of various absorbent preparation variables – hydration period, amount of oil palm ash, and amount of CaSO4 – on the BET (Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller) specific surface area of the resulting absorbent. The surface areas of the absorbents obtained were in the range of 18.7–147.2 m2/g. It was found that all three absorbent preparation variables studied have a significant positive influence on the BET surface area of the resulting absorbent. An empirical model was then developed to correlate the three absorbent preparation variables to the BET surface area of the resulting absorbent. The model showed significance at a confidence level of 95 % using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Based on the empirical model, a maximum specific surface area of 128.6 m2/g exists within the range of the experimental variables investigated. The hydration conditions that result in the maximum surface area are a hydration period of 10 h, amount of oil palm ash 15.0 g, and amount of CaSO4 2.7 g. Experimental validations of these predicted optimum hydration conditions gave surface areas in the range of 125.9–129.5 m2/g. These results are in excellent agreement with the predicted value. In addition, desulfurization activity tests showed that the absorbent derived from oil palm ash/Ca(OH)2/CaSO4 exhibited a higher desulfurization capacity compared to its starting materials.
Total Synthesis of Murisolins and Evaluation of Tumor‐Growth Inhibitory Activity
Authors: Maezaki Naoyoshi , Tominaga Hiroaki , Kojima Naoto , Yanai Minori , Urabe Daisuke , Ueki Risa , Tanaka Tetsuaki , Yamori Takao 
Published: August 2005

AbstractConvergent total syntheses of murisolin (1), natural 16,19‐cis‐murisolin 2, and unnatural 16,19‐cis‐murisolin 3 were accomplished by asymmetric alkynylation of α‐tetrahydrofuranic aldehyde with a diyne and Sonogashira coupling with a γ‐lactone segment as the key steps. Stereoisomers of α‐tetrahydrofuranic aldehyde were synthesized with high optical purity and the asymmetric alkynylation of these with 1,6‐heptadiyne proceeded in good yield and with high diastereoselectivity. The cell‐growth inhibition profile and COMPARE analysis of the synthetic compounds 1–3 were also investigated.