bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oral administration of recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing bovine β‐lactoglobulin partially prevents mice from sensitization
Authors: Adel‐Patient K. , Ah‐Leung S. , Creminon C. , Nouaille S. , Chatel J.‐M. , Langella P. , Wal J.‐M. 
Published: April 2005

SummaryBackground
The use of probiotics such as Lactococcus lactis and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been proposed for the management of food allergy. However, no experimental study has clearly demonstrated any preventive or therapeutic inhibition of an allergen‐specific IgE response.Objective
We aimed to study the immunomodulatory effect of recombinant L. lactis expressing bovine β‐lactoglobulin (BLG), a major cow's milk allergen, in a validated mouse model of allergy.Methods
Six‐week‐old female Balb/c mice received five repeated doses of BLG, of L. lactis plus BLG, or of recombinant L. lactis by gavage. Different recombinant strains were inoculated, which corresponded to BLG doses ranging from 4 to 70 μg/mice. Mice were then sensitized by intra‐peritoneal injection of BLG emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant to induce high IgE concentrations.Results
Pre‐treatment with natural L. lactis plus BLG allowed induction of BLG‐specific T‐helper type 1 (Th1) response, and abrogated the oral tolerance induced by BLG alone, demonstrating the adjuvant effect of this non‐colonizing LAB. Moreover, pre‐treatment with some of the recombinant strains favoured the development of a Th1 response inhibiting the Th2 one: it induced a significant decrease of specific IgE response, and an intense increase of specific IgG2a and IFN‐γ productions. The most efficient strains that inhibited the IgE response were those producing the highest amounts of the BLG protein.Conclusion
Oral administration of some recombinant L. lactis was demonstrated to induce a specific Th1 response down‐regulating a further Th2 one. Prophylaxis protocols will thus be evaluated using the most efficient strains.
Caring for older patients at an emergency department – emergency nurses’ reasoning
Authors: Kihlgren Annica Larsson , Nilsson Margaretha , Sørlie Venke 
Published: April 2005

Aim. The aim of the study was to use the experiences of emergency nurses to illuminate what constitutes good nursing care for patients 75 years or older transferred to emergency departments.Background. Emergency departments have a medical technical character and the number of visits there increases dramatically as people age. Older patients require increased healthcare services in terms of nursing care, interventions and hospitalizations due to an increased complexity of their problems. For these reasons it is important to study what good nursing care of the older patients consists of at an emergency department from the emergency nurses’ point of view.Method. Ten emergency nurses from a university hospital emergency department in Sweden were interviewed. A thematic content analysis was performed.Results. The study showed that it was necessary to be knowledgeable, to be understanding of the older patients’ situation and to take responsibility for them in order to be able to provide good nursing care. The emergency nurses shifted focus from describing the central aspect of good nursing care to describing what hinders the provision of it. Their experience was that prioritizing medical procedures, everyday tasks and routines threatens good nursing care of older patients in emergency departments. The emergency nurses held that the older patient is often sent to an emergency department where the level of care is not appropriate to their needs.Conclusions. The result can be seen as a challenge for the organization and the nurses in the future; to prioritize differently, thereby maintaining a balance between good nursing and medical/technical tasks when treating older patients.Relevance to clinical practice. The present day healthcare system is not organized to appropriately meet the needs of the older patients. Nurses themselves hold they can better serve the older patient. By sharing their experiences, both can be accomplished.
Elevated serum IgG titer and avidity to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype c in Japanese periodontitis patients
Authors: Wang D. , Kawashima Y. , Nagasawa T. , Takeuchi Y. , Kojima T. , Umeda M. , Oda S. , Ishikawa I. 
Published: April 2005

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to characterize serum antibody responses to different serotypes of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains in various forms of periodontitis and to determine whether any specific type of A. actinomycetemcomitans was associated with any specific form of periodontitis in a Japanese population.Methods:  Sonicated whole cell and autoclaved serotype antigens of A. actinomycetemcomitans were used. Serum IgG titer and avidity to A. actinomycetemcomitans were measured by enzyme‐linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA) and ammonium thiocyanate‐dissociation ELISA, respectively, in 46 aggressive periodontitis patients (8 localized, 38 generalized), 28 chronic periodontitis patients, and 18 periodontally healthy subjects. The presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans in plaque and saliva samples was determined using polymerase chain reaction.Results:  Generalized aggressive and chronic periodontitis patients exhibited significantly higher IgG titers than healthy subjects to both sonicated and autoclaved antigens of serotype c strains, while IgG titer to serotype b (Y4) was significantly higher in localized aggressive periodontitis patients compared to healthy subjects. No A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected in localized aggressive periodontitis patients. A. actinomycetemcomitans‐positive patients exhibited significantly higher IgG titer and avidity to serotype c than A. actinomycetemcomitans‐negative patients. In A. actinomycetemcomitans‐positive patients, a significantly positive correlation was observed between antibody titer and avidity to serotype c. A. actinomycetemcomitans‐positive patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis showed lower IgG avidities to serotype c than those with chronic periodontitis, though no statistically significant difference was found.Conclusion:  A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype c may play a significant role in chronic and generalized aggressive periodontitis, while A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b may be associated with localized aggressive periodontitis in a Japanese population.
MEDICAL HAEMOSTASIS IN ACUTE HEPATOCYTE INJURY AND EXPERIMENTAL LIVER TRAUMA
Authors: Cihan Alper , Yılmaz Erdal , Yenidünya Sibel , Uçan Bülent H. 
Published: April 2005

Background:  The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of aprotinin to reduce bleeding in liver resection of guinea pigs with acutely injured hepatocyte using intraperitoneal d(+)Galactosamine.Methods:  Thirty‐two guinea pigs were divided equally into four groups. Group 1 was the control group. Group 2 received intraperitoneal D(+)galactosamine. Group 3 received intraperitoneal d(+)galactosamine prior to a standard liver resection. Group 4 received 10.000 KIU/kg aprotinin infusion via jugular catheter in 10 min prior to standard liver resection in pretreated animals with d(+)galactosamine. All of the measurements and surgical interventions were made 24 h after the administration of d(+)galactosamine. Bleeding amounts were recorded in groups 3 and 4 for 1 h by weighing the sponges placed into the abdomen. Liver function tests, histologic, haematologic and fibrinolytic parameters were measured.Results:  Hepatocyte injury and hyperfibrinolysis were seen at the end of 24 h after application of d(+)galactosamine in groups 2, 3, and 4. Statistically significant amounts of bleeding from the resected livers were observed in group 3 and 4. In group 4, the bleeding was reduced (P < 0.05) and fibrinolytic parameters were normalized (P < 0.05) with aprotinin infusion.Conclusions:  Significant bleeding diathesis and hyperfibrinolysis occurred in groups 2, 3, and 4, which had hepatocyte injury proved with histopathologic and haematologic tests. Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) in groups 3 and 4 were fivefold higher than that in the control group (P = 0.0001). The bleeding tendency according to high PT and aPTT levels were continued with application of aprotinin while reduction of bleeding was seen. Parenchymatous organ haemorrhage in acute liver failure or hyperfibrinolytic conditions could be reduced significantly with aprotinin without procoagulant effect.
Ultrasound assessment of caudal catheter position in infants
Authors: ROBERTS STEPHEN A. , GALVEZ IGNACIO 
Published: April 2005

SummaryThe positioning of caudally inserted epidural catheters is crucial to their effectiveness. However, level assessment can be difficult and time consuming. We report the use of ultrasound to assess the catheter position in three patients aged between 1 and 10 months. The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed in relation to other methods of assessing caudal catheter placement.
The correlation of the Narcotrend® Index and classical electroencephalographic parameters with endtidal desflurane concentrations and hemodynamic parameters in different age groups
Authors: WEBER FRANK , GRUBER MICHAEL , TAEGER KAI 
Published: April 2005

SummaryBackground : The Narcotrend® Index (NI) for assessment of depth of anesthesia by analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG), is potentially a pharmacodynamic measure of the effects of desflurane on the brain.Methods : In this prospective study of 30 pediatric and adult patients (group 1: 3–6 years, n = 10; group 2: > 6 < 12 years; group 3: 12–40 years), undergoing ophthalmological surgery, we investigated the pharmacodynamic relationship between nonsteady state endtidal desflurane concentrations (eTDes), NI, classical EEG parameters (cEEG), heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). The performance of the Narcotrend for differentiation between consciousness and unconsciousness was evaluated using prediction probability (PK).Results : Spearman correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations (P < 0.001) between eTDes and NI (group 1: r = −0.93, group 2: r = −0.86, group 3: r = −0.66). Correlations between eTDes and MAP or HR were either only weak negative (r < −0.5) or not significant. Desflurane EC50 (eTDes with half maximal effect on NI) was 7.18% for group 1, 7.34% for group 2, and 4.15% for group 3 (P < 0.001 Vs groups 1 and 2). Overall awake NI values (96.7 ± 1.4) were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than at the moment of loss of consciousness (58.3 ± 17.5), with no overlap (PK 1.0), whereas PK values for cEEG, MAP and HR were all <0.85.Conclusions : The pharmacodynamic relationship between eTDes and NI is age dependent with a significantly higher EC50 in children than in adolescents and adults. The NI appears to be superior to cEEG, MAP and HR in differentiating consciousness from unconsciousness.
Correcting for On‐Site Sampling in Random Utility Models
Authors: Moeltner Klaus , Shonkwiler J. Scott 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThis study demonstrates how the joint distribution of a set of conditional trip counts to a system of recreation‐sites can be adjusted for on‐site sampling. An econometric approach is proposed that addresses both the size‐biased distribution of the sampled visits and the weighted distribution of reported visits to ancillary destinations in a multivariate random utility framework. Estimation results indicate that uncorrected models produce biased estimates of trip counts and welfare measures. The empirical application examines jet skiing in the Lake Tahoe region.
Process Innovation Activity in a Mixed Oligopoly: The Role of Cooperatives
Authors: Giannakas Konstantinos , Fulton Murray 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThis article develops a sequential game‐theoretic model of heterogeneous producers to examine the market and welfare effects of cooperative involvement in process innovation activity in the agricultural sector. The analysis examines an open‐membership, input‐supplying cooperative (co‐op) that maximizes member welfare and finances its innovation activity through retained earnings. Analytical results show that the presence of the co‐op can increase the arrival rate of innovations while reducing the price of agricultural inputs. Cooperative involvement in innovation activity can thus be welfare enhancing and socially desirable with its effectiveness being determined by the degree of producer heterogeneity and the size of innovation costs.
To Poison or to Trap? The Ecologisation of ‘Pest’ Control
Authors: Mougenot Catherine , Roussel Laurence 
Published: April 2005

AbstractActions that are intended to be more nature and environment friendly currently appear to be on the increase and seem to work towards clearly defined and deliberately applied objectives. In France, the refusal to use poisoning as a means to combat the proliferation of some species of animals (coypus and muskrats) may be seen as part of this recent trend. The priority that has just been given to trapping actually aims at a better protection of threatened species and the environment in general. The implementation, and indeed the interpretation, of this new emphasis on trapping is, however, far from obvious. In order to better understand it, we have chosen to examine is as a process of “ecologisation”, i.e. as a form of recomposition and reforming of the ties between society, nature and technology. In doing so, we propose to enrich the concept by highlighting a process that stems from peculiar and unforeseeable stories, which is neither simple nor natural and which is underpinned by material objects playing the role of concrete vehicles for change. This article is based on documentary research and on 70 interviews conducted with the persons responsible for the new collective structures that have been taking shape in France to combat the proliferation of the coypu and muskrat.
The effectiveness of psychological treatments for treatment‐resistant depression: a systematic review
Authors: McPherson S. , Cairns P. , Carlyle J. , Shapiro D. A. , Richardson P. , Taylor D. 
Published: April 2005

Objective:  A systematic review of all studies (controlled and uncontrolled) to evaluate psychological interventions with treatment‐resistant depression.Method:  A systematic search to identify studies evaluating a psychological intervention with adults with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder who had not responded to at least one course of antidepressant medication.Results:  Twelve studies met inclusion criteria, of which four were controlled and eight uncontrolled. Treatment effect sizes were computable for four studies and ranged from 1.23 to 3.10 with a number of better quality studies demonstrating some improvements in patients following a psychological intervention.Conclusion:  Psychological treatments for depression are commonly delivered and often recommended following the failure of medication. The paucity of evidence for their effectiveness in these situations is a significant problem. There is a need for studies with a strong controlled design investigating the effectiveness of psychological treatments for patients with treatment‐resistant depression.
Premature Ejaculation: Prevalence and Associated Conditions in a Sample of 12,558 Men Attending the Andrology Prevention Week 2001—A Study of the Italian Society of Andrology (SIA)
Authors: Fasolo C. Basile , Mirone V. , Gentile V. , Parazzini F. , Ricci E. ,   on behalf of the Andrology Prevention Week centers
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most frequent sexual complaint.

Aim
To investigate prevalence of PE and its associated conditions.

Methods
We analyzed information gathered from men attending a free andrologic consultation in 186 Italian medical centers, in the setting of a project focused on andrologic prevention.

Main Outcome Measures
Risk factors for PE.

Results
Five hundred sixty-nine men suffered from lifelong PE; 1,855 had previously normal ejaculation; and 234 had PE not specified. Men with PE were younger than those without, but after adjusting for concomitant erectile dysfunction the risk of PE significantly decreased with aging. Men more educated, or who had experienced a divorce had a slightly increased risk. Also, lifestyle and occupational status affected the risk of PE. Concerning medical history, a decreased risk of PE emerged in men with treated diabetes, and no association was found with hypertension, cardiopathy, hypercholesterolemia, and peripheral or central neuropathy.

Conclusions
The results of the analysis of a large dataset show that subjects with PE who are seeking treatment either have experienced stress-related problems or have a physical condition predisposing to this dysfunction (genital anomalies, prostate inflammation).
Diagnosis and Treatment of Premature Ejaculation: The Physician's Perspective
Authors: Sharlip Ira 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT
Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common condition associated with significant adverse effects on the sexual and overall quality of life of men with this condition. Behavioral therapies, such as the “squeeze” and “stop–start” techniques, and psychotherapy, have been the mainstay of PE management for many years. However, evidence of their short-term efficacy is limited while support for their long-term benefit is lacking. There are currently no medications licensed specifically for the treatment of PE. This paucity of pharmacological treatment may, in turn, contribute to the absence of systematic procedures for the identification, evaluation, and treatment of PE patients. Current “off-label” pharmacotherapeutic approaches include topical anesthetics, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Of these, the serotonin reuptake inhibitors show the greatest efficacy and an increasing body of evidence is illuminating their mode of action. Nevertheless, all current “off-label” pharmacotherapeutic approaches fall short of the ideal therapy for PE. In the absence of a cure, such a treatment should be tolerable, inconspicuously used, effective from first dose, rapid in onset of action, and available as a prn-dosing regimen. It is anticipated that agents in development for the specific indication of PE will come closer to this ideal than existing pharmacotherapeutic approaches.
EVALUATION OF FLUORESCENTIN SITUHYBRIDIZATION (FISH) AS A RAPID SCREENING METHOD FOR DETECTION OFSALMONELLAIN TONSILS OF SLAUGHTERED PIGS FOR CONSUMPTION: A COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL CULTURE METHOD
Authors: VIEIRA‐PINTO MADALENA , OLIVEIRA MANUELA , BERNARDO FERNANDO , MARTINS CONCEIÇÃO 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThe pork tonsils are an important carrier ofSalmonella, which could be involved in the contamination of pork products during the slaughter process.This paper reports a 23S rRNA fluorescentin situhybridization (FISH) method used as a rapid screening tool forSalmonelladetection in tonsils of slaughtered pigs and its comparison with the conventional culture method. As a rapid screening method, the FISH technique would reduce the high volume of negative samples that are routinely analyzed, indicating presumptive positive samples in a real and practical time.The use of a Sal3 probe allowed the rapid (7 h)Salmonelladetection in 16 (34%) of 47 naturally contaminated tonsils, without pre‐enrichment.Salmonellawas isolated by the culture method in six samples that were also FISH‐positive samples, and FISH failed to identify only one of the culture‐positive samples.The results indicate the potential of this technique as a rapid screening method for detectingSalmonellain tonsils from pork slaughtered for consumption.
CONTINGENT CAPITAL: INTEGRATING CORPORATE FINANCING AND RISK MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
Authors: Culp Christopher L. 
Published: April 2005

Financial executives of companies that face a sharp increase in business or financial risks have two basic ways of protecting the solvency and strategic viability of their organizations: they can transfer those risks using insurance or derivatives; or they can raise additional capital, typically by issuing equity, to cushion the firm against the higher expected volatility. But CFOs now also have a third means of managing risk, known as “contingent capital,” that effectively combines capital raising and risk management.A contingent capital facility gives a company the right to raise capital after the realization of a loss arising from one or more specified risks, thus ensuring access to capital in potentially difficult times. For example, Swiss Re recently granted Michelin a five‐year right to issue ten‐year subordinated debt at a fixed spread over LIBOR, though only under conditions in which the tire maker expects its own earnings to be down. To the extent that it eliminates the need to keep more capital on the balance sheet, the use of such contingent capital has the potential to increase shareholder value by reducing a company's overall cost of capital. This article provides an introduction to some recent innovations in contingent capital, along with discussion of their role in integrating corporate finance and risk management.
THE REVOLUTION IN CORPORATE RISK MANAGEMENT: A DECADE OF INNOVATIONS IN PROCESS AND PRODUCTS
Authors: Culp Christopher L. 
Published: April 2005

The explosion of corporate risk management programs in the early 1990s was a hasty and ill‐conceived reaction by U.S. corporations to the great “derivatives disasters” of that period. Anxious to avoid the fate of Barings and Procter & Gamble, most top executives were more concerned about crisis management than risk management. Many companies quickly installed (often outrageously priced) value‐at‐risk (VaR) systems without paying much attention to how such systems fit their specific business requirements. Focused myopically on loss avoidance and technical risk measurement issues, the corporate risk management revolution of the '90s thus got underway in a disorganized, ad hoc fashion, producing a curious amalgam of policies and procedures with no clear link to the corporate mission of maximizing value.But as the risk management revolution unfolded over the last decade, the result has been the “convergence” of different risk management perspectives, processes, and products. The most visible sign of such convergence is a fairly recent development called “alternative risk transfer,” or ART. ART forms consist of the large and growing collection of new risk transfer and financing products now being offered by insurance and reinsurance companies. As just one example, a new class of security known as “contingent capital” gives a company the option over a specified period—say, the next five years—to issue new equity or debt at a pre‐negotiated price. And to hold down their cost, such “pre‐loss” financing options are typically designed to be “triggered” only when the firm is most likely to need an infusion of new capital to avoid underinvestment or financial distress.But underlying—and to a large extent driving—this convergence of insurance and capital markets is a more fundamental kind of convergence: the integration of risk management with corporate financing decisions. As first corporate finance theorists and now practitioners have come to realize, decisions about a company's optimal capital structure and the design of its securities cannot be made without first taking account of the firm's risks and its opportunities for managing them. Indeed, this article argues that a comprehensive, value‐maximizing approach to corporate finance must begin with a risk management strategy that incorporates the full range of available risk management products, including the new risk finance products as well as established risk transfer instruments like interest rate and currency derivatives. The challenge confronting today's CFO is to maximize firm value by choosing the mixture of securities and risk management products and solutions that gives the company access to capital at the lowest possible cost.