bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Time Congruity in the Organisation
Authors: Francis‐Smythe J.A. , Robertson I.T. 
Published: December 2004

En 1991, Kaufman, Lane, et Lindquist ont proposé que la congruité de temps entre les préférences individuelles de temps et l’utilisation du temps par une organisation menait à une performance satisfaisante et une augmentation de la qualité de vie au travail et en général. Notre recherche repose sur des mesures de temps individuelles et de travail dans un contexte organisationnel pour évaluer les effets de la congruité du temps sur un aspect de la vie au travail soit le bien‐être associé au travail. Les résultats démontrent que la personnalité du temps et la congruité du temps ont des effets directs sur le bien‐être et que la personnalité du temps agit comme médiateur dans la relation entre la congruité du temps et le bien‐être. Ces résultats contribuent à la littérature sur le concept de “person–job fit” qui suggère que les effets directs sont souvent plus importants que les effets indirects. Cette étude apporte aussi des exemples pratiques sur des moyens d’améliorer les lacunes méthodologiques déjà citées en regard de la recherche sur le concept de “person–job fit”.In 1991 Kaufman, Lane, and Lindquist proposed that time congruity in terms of an individual's time preferences and the time use methods of an organisation would lead to satisfactory performance and enhancement of quality of work and general life. The research reported here presents a study which uses commensurate person and job measures of time personality in an organisational setting to assess the effects of time congruity on one aspect of work life, job‐related affective well‐being. Results show that time personality and time congruity were found to have direct effects on well‐being and the influence of time congruity was found to be mediated through time personality, thus contributing to the person–job (P–J) fit literature which suggests that direct effects are often more important than indirect effects. The study also provides some practical examples of ways to address some of the previously cited methodological issues in P–J fit research.
Questions About the Initiative of the European Commission Concerning the Awarding and Compulsory Competitive Tendering of Public Service Concessions
Authors: Cox H. 
Published: December 2004

The ruling of the European Commission is that the award of contracts by regional or local authorities for the provision of services of general economic interest must be done by way of competitive tendering. Such contracts must not be awarded to the authority's own public enterprises or to any other enterprise, including by means of unilateral State act, without a call for tenders, a practice that had previously been common in many Member States. Public service concessions are also subject to the competition rules of the EC Treaty. Should the European Commission enact a directive concerning compulsory competitive tendering, this would result, for several Member States, in a serious change of paradigm as regards the awarding of public service concessions. Against this background, this article will attempt to find answers to the following questions:—How is the present relationship of the regional or local authority with its own public enterprise to be considered?—Are there any limits to applying the rules on competition of the EC Treaty to public service concessions?—What kind of positive and negative effects concerning economic efficiency and supply of specific public services result from the awarding of public service concessions and from compulsory competitive tendering?—What kind of, and what amount of, transaction costs result from compulsory competitive tendering and from the awarding of concessions?—Does competitive tendering work properly, and are public tenderers given equal opportunities?—Are there any alternatives to compulsory competitive tendering that would achieve an efficient market performance and provide sufficient supply?
An Assessment of Osmium Isotope Ratios as a New Tool to Determine the Provenance of Gold with Platinum‐Group Metal Inclusions*
Authors: Junk S. A. , Pernicka E. 
Published: December 2004

The sudden increase in the amount of Celtic gold coins circulating in central Europe during the second century bc coincides with the appearance of platinum‐group mineral (PGM) inclusions in the Celtic gold. It has been proposed that large amounts of gold were introduced from the eastern Mediterranean by mercenaries following the conquest by Alexander the Great, but another hypothesis might be the discovery of entirely new gold sources in central Europe during this time. The presence of PGM inclusions in gold objects is usually taken as an indication for an origin from placer deposits (Hartmann 1970; Park 1986). Initially, it was hoped that those inclusions could be characteristic for a certain deposit, but Meeks and Tite (1980) have shown that the compositional variation within a single gold object can be as large as the total variation observed in all investigated gold artefacts. Therefore, the elemental composition of the PGMs in gold artefacts does not provide any reliable information on the provenance of the gold.An alternative to chemical analysis of the inclusions is the determination of their osmium isotope ratios. Similarly to lead, osmium exhibits a variable isotopic composition due to the radioactive decay of 187Re and 190Pt. In order to investigate the potential of this new geochemical tool to determine the provenance of ancient gold, a quasi‐non‐destructive method for the determination of Os isotope ratios with LA–MC–ICP–MS has been developed.The results show that different types of deposits can be distinguished by Os isotope patterns and their distributions when applying a simple descriptive statistical method. In contrast to lead isotope ratios, the variations of Os isotope abundances are rather large in many ore deposits. But, also contrary to lead, the heterogeneity of the Os isotope ratios of the deposits is preserved in the artefacts, because the analysed PGMs are not dissolved during melting of the gold. Therefore, it is feasible to distinguish between different types of gold sources and to define specific deposits provided that the artefact contains several PGMs. The application of this new technique to Celtic gold coins from southern Germany and coins from western Anatolia has been demonstrated in this study.
Effect of conjugated equine estrogen in combination with two different progestogens on the risk factors of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal Chinese women in Taiwan: a randomized one‐year study
Authors: Chang Ting‐Chen , Lien Yih‐Ron , Chen Ming , Cheng Shao‐Pei , Chen Ruey‐Jien , Chow Song‐Nan 
Published: December 2004

Background.  To compare the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using estrogen plus dydrogesterone or estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on the risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in postmenopausal women.Methods.  A randomized, prospective 1‐year clinical trial was designed. All of the postmenopausal women (n = 279) received sequential conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) at a dose of 0.625 mg/day for 25 days (days 1–25) of each month. These women were also randomly assigned to receive either dydrogesterone 10 mg/day (E + D group, n = 140) or MPA 5 mg/day (E + P group, n = 139) for 14 days (days 12–25) of each month. Serum biochemical markers, lipoproteins, plasma prothrombin time (PT), partial prothrombin time (PPT) and antithrombin III‐antigen (ATIII‐Ag) were analyzed at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months of treatment.Results.  Liver function, renal function, PT and PPT did not change significantly during the 12‐month trial. The E + D group had a more pronounced increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) than the E + P group (10.6% vs. 2.7%) after 12 months of treatment (p < 0.05). Both groups showed reduced concentrations of total cholesterol (T‐CHO), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) and ATIII, whereas triglyceride (TG) was increased at the end of the trial (without intergroup difference).Conclusions.  Our study demonstrated a favorable effect on lipoprotein profiles with both hormone replacement therapy regimens. Dydrogesterone appears to be superior to medroxyprogesterone acetate from the perspective of modification of coronary heart disease risk factors.
Pregnancy at high altitude: a hyperviscosity state
Authors: Kametas Nikos A. , Krampl Elisabeth , McAuliffe Fionnuala , Rampling Michael W. , Nicolaides Kypros H. 
Published: December 2004

Background.  Pregnancy at high altitude has been associated with intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia. These conditions, at sea level, have been linked to increased hematocrit and blood viscosity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of high altitude on maternal hemorheology.Methods.  This was a cross‐sectional study. We examined 94 pregnant women at 10–38 weeks of gestation resident at high altitude (4370 m above sea level) and 75 at sea level, and 24 and 17 nonpregnant women at each altitude, respectively. Blood and plasma viscosity, hematocrit, plasma fibrinogen, albumin and total protein concentrations were determined in blood samples obtained after an overnight period of fasting.Results.  Pregnancy at high altitude, compared to sea level, is characterized by higher hematocrit, blood viscosity (at high shear rate), plasma viscosity, total protein and fibrinogen concentrations (25%, 38%, 7%, 13.3% and 25%, respectively) and 6% lower albumin concentration. Nonpregnant women at high altitude, compared to sea level, had higher hematocrits, blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, total protein and fibrinogen concentrations (25%, 55%, 18%, 26% and 98%, respectively) and 13% lower albumin concentration.Conclusion.  Pregnancy at high altitude compared to sea level is characterized by increased blood viscosity as a result of increased hematocrit and plasma viscosity.
Urinary nitric oxide metabolite changes in spontaneous and induced onset active labor
Authors: Chen Da‐Chung , Ku Chih‐Hung , Huang Yi‐Chun , Chen Chi‐Huang , Wu Gwo‐Jang 
Published: December 2004

Background.  The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to investigate the changes in urinary nitric oxide (NO) metabolite between the latent and the active phases of spontaneous and either prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)‐induced labors.Methods.  Eighty‐eight singleton pregnant women at 36–41+ weeks' gestation without signs of fetal distress were enrolled. The first group consisted of 29 pregnant women in whom labor was induced by PGE1 applied intravaginally. The second group consisted of 29 pregnant women with labor induced by PGE2 applied intracervically. The third group consisted of 30 women, who had spontaneous active labor. Clinical data of the three groups were assessed as labor progressed.Results.  Urinary nitric oxide/creatinine (U NO/Cr) decreased significantly after the onset of active labor in all three groups (p < 0.005), with the percentage decline of 42.2%, 28.6% and 10.1%, respectively. The magnitude of the difference in decline in U NO/Cr after active labor between the PGE1‐induced and the spontaneous labor group was significantly reduced (p = 0.0047) after adjustment for potential confounders using the generalized estimating equations test (GEE). The duration of the latent phase was significantly shortened in the PGE1‐induced group as compared with the spontaneous labor group (p < 0.01).Conclusions.  Decreased U NO/Cr may facilitate transition from the latent to the active phase either in spontaneous or induced labors. Our results indicate that U NO/Cr can serve as an easily obtained marker for use in controlling myometrial contractility and cervical ripening at the onset of active labor. The nitric oxide system is present in the human uterus and may contribute to uterine quiescence during pregnancy and show down‐regulation in U NO/Cr at the initiation of active labor.
Articular calcified cartilage canals in the third metacarpal bone of 2‐year‐old thoroughbred racehorses
Authors: Boyde A. , Firth E. C. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractWe describe morphological aspects of the articular calcified cartilage mineralizing front ‘tidemark’ in the distal joint surface of the third metacarpal bone from 14 horses. Compositional backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy and confocal scanning light microscopy were conducted on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)‐embedded medio‐lateral slices. After maceration, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the calcified cartilage surface in the ‘wedges’ intervening between the slices. An anatomically reproducible clustering of canals in the calcified cartilage was found at one site on the sagittal ridge in all the horses. The site is one that is relatively less loaded during joint function. These canals through calcified cartilage result from osteoclastic resorption (cutting cones) penetrating from bone through to the non‐mineralized hyaline articular cartilage. Their presence may indicate a pathway for connection between bone and cartilage extracellular fluid. In one horse, repair of such canals by plugging with new calcified cartilage was demonstrated. Differences in the degree of mineralization of regions of cartilage were seen in the combined compositional‐cum‐topographical backscattered SEM images of the macerated ‘tidemark’ front. More‐or‐less circular patches of lower mineralization density were frequently centred on (and may possibly originate from) canals. These microanatomical features should be searched for in other joints, at other ages and in other species to discover their frequency and significance.
National Service Frameworks and UK general practitioners: street‐level bureaucrats at work?
Authors: Checkland Kath 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThis paper argues that the past decade has seen significant changes in the nature of medical work in general practice in the UK. Increasing pressure to use normative clinical guidelines and the move towards explicit quantitative measures of performance together have the potential to alter the way in which health care is delivered to patients. Whilst it is possible to view these developments from the well‐established sociological perspectives of deprofessionalisation and proletarianisation, this paper takes a view of general practice as work, and uses the ideas of Lipsky to analyse practice‐level responses to some of these changes.In addition to evidence‐based clinical guidelines, National Service Frameworks, introduced by the UK government in 1997, also specify detailed models of service provision that health care providers are expected to follow. As part of a larger study examining the impact of National Service Frameworks in general practice, the response of three practices to the first four NSFs were explored. The failure of NSFs to make a significant impact is compared to the practices’ positive responses to purely clinical guidelines such as those developed by the British Hypertension Society. Lipsky's concept of public service workers as ‘street‐level bureaucrats’ is discussed and used as a framework within which to view these findings.
Helminths as therapeutic agents for inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Hunter M. M. , Mckay D. M. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryOver the last decade major advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms and mediators of inflammation that hold the promise of the development of new therapies for inflammatory disease. While much is to be gleaned from the application of new technologies, assessment of the age‐old host–parasite relationship may also provide insights on how to counter pathological inflammatory events. In the case of inflammatory bowel disease [particularly Crohn's disease, which is associated with T helper 1 (Th1) events] it is proposed that infection with parasitic helminths would be beneficial: the paradigm being that of immune deviation, where Th2 cytokines mobilized in response to the helminth will prevent or antagonize the disease‐promoting Th1 events in the gut. The situation is unlikely to be this simple. Here we review and critique the data in support of helminth therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, drawing attention to the gaps in knowledge and presenting a view on how the field may be advanced. While the concept of helminth therapy may be superficially unappealing, this review may convince the reader of the value of more extensive analyses of the impact of helminth infection on enteric inflammation.
Guidelines for the appropriate use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors in patients requiring chronic anti‐inflammatory therapy
Authors: Dubois R. W. , Melmed G. Y. , Henning J. M. , Laine L. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryAim : To rationalize decision making around the use of different non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment strategies in patients with varying degrees of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risk.Methods : The panel comprised nine physicians (three rheumatologists, two internists, two gastroenterologists and two cardiologists) from geographically diverse areas practising in community‐based settings (n = 4) and academic institutions (n = 5). A literature review was performed by the authors on the risks, benefits and costs of NSAIDs, cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitors and proton pump inhibitor co‐therapy. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method was used to rate 304 clinical scenarios as ‘appropriate’, ‘uncertain’ or ‘inappropriate’.Results : In patients with no previous gastrointestinal event and not concurrently on aspirin (low risk), the panel rated the use of an NSAID alone as ‘appropriate’ for those aged < 65 years, and the use of an NSAID +proton pump inhibitor or cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitor + proton pump inhibitor as ‘inappropriate’. For patients aged > 65 years and at low risk, an NSAID or cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitor alone was rated as ‘uncertain’. For patients with a previous gastrointestinal event or who concurrently received aspirin, an NSAID alone was rated as ‘inappropriate’, and either a cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitor or an NSAID +proton pump inhibitor was rated as ‘appropriate’. Finally, for patients with a previous gastrointestinal event and on aspirin, an NSAID or cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitor in conjunction with a proton pump inhibitor was rated as ‘appropriate’.Conclusions : Clinicians and managed care entities need to balance the risks, benefits and costs of NSAIDs, cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitors and the prophylactic use of proton pump inhibitors. The guidelines given here can assist this process.
Chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Authors: Shore S. , Raraty M. G. T. , Ghaneh P. , Neoptolemos J. P. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryPancreatic cancer is a common, highly lethal disease that is rising in incidence. Chemotherapy based on 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) has been shown to prolong survival in advanced pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine improves major symptoms and survival outcomes compared with bolus 5‐FU. Many novel small molecules are being widely and actively researched. These compounds are based on classical mechanisms of action as well as biological therapies targeting novel cellular survival pathways, and include fluoropyrimidines, nucleoside cytidine analogues, platinum analogues, topoisomerase‐inhibitors, antimicrotubule agents, proteasome inhibitors, vitamin D analogues, arachidonic acid pathway inhibitors, histone deacytylator inhibitors, farnesyltransferase inhibitors and epidermal growth factor receptor therapies.Adjuvant chemotherapy has also demonstrated the best survival outcomes following resection compared to other adjuvant or neo‐adjuvant strategies such as radiation‐based treatments. These benefits are superimposed on the dramatic increase in resectability rates and reduction in post‐operative mortality achieved by centralisation of treatment in high‐volume speciality centres.Newer ‘small‐molecule’ drugs as well as the latest ‘large‐molecule’ biological agents hold considerable promise for the future. Real advances are anticipated over the next five years but are dependent on large randomised controlled trials for success.
Dyspeptic symptoms associated with Helicobacter pylori infection are influenced by strain and host specific factors
Authors: Treiber G. , Schwabe M. , Ammon S. , Walker S. , Klotz U. , Malfertheiner P. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryBackground : Dyspepsia can be associated with H. pylori infection.Aim : To assess dyspeptic symptoms and potentially influencing factors before and up to 6 months following successful H. pylori eradication therapy.Methods : Prospective cohort study involving H. pylori positive subjects from ambulatory or hospitalized care. Main outcome measures were symptoms during baseline and follow‐up, the proportion of symptom‐free patients, and symptom scores.Results : After successful eradication, the summary score of all dyspeptic symptoms decreased and during follow‐up, the proportion of symptom‐free patients was higher in the group with peptic ulcers (69.4% vs. 40.9%, P < 0.0001) than with functional dyspepsia (FD).Regardless of diagnosis, virulent strains of H. pylori were associated with a higher prevalence of epigastric pain before treatment: absolute risk‐difference (ARD) with Oip‐A: 18.2%, Odds Ratio (OR) 2.35 [1.3–4.2, 95%‐CI], P = 0.01; with Cag‐A: 24.6%, OR 2.81 [1.6–5], P = 0.01. Low‐dose aspirin in part was a major risk factor in FD for previous weight loss bdfore study entry. Post‐treatment, non‐ulcer patients were more likely to suffer from distention/bloating. Likewise, alcohol induced persistence of nausea and vomiting in this population.Conclusions : Dyspeptic symptoms in H. pylori infected patients are more common with virulent strains. Symptoms are more likely to persist despite successful eradication if patients initially harboured virulent strains or concomitant aspirin or alcohol intake are present. In one‐third of peptic ulcer patients, symptoms will not be cured 3 months after therapy.
The acidity index: a simple approach to the measurement of gastric acidity
Authors: Tutuian R. , Castell D. O. , Xue S. , Katz P. O. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryBackground : The percentage of time intragastric pH < 4 is a major parameter in evaluating the efficiency of acid‐suppressive therapies. This parameter is easy to calculate, but does not identify the actual pH level. Recent studies have recommended the use of the integrated intragastric acidity as a more refined method of assessing intragastric acid control.Aim : To describe a new parameter, the acidity index, based on the logarithmic aspect of pH calculation, which may overcome the limitations of the percentage of time intragastric pH < 4 and the integrated intragastric acidity.Methods : The acidity index was calculated by obtaining the sum of 1000 × % time pH < 1, 100 × % time pH < 2 and ≥ 1, 10 × % time pH < 3 and ≥ 2 and % time pH < 4 and ≥ 3. The total percentage of time pH < 4 and the integrated intragastric acidity were calculated based on previous descriptions. The correlations between these parameters were analysed.Results : The mean ± s.d. values were 60% ± 22% for the percentage of time pH < 4, 172 ± 178 for the acidity index and 1114 ± 1176 mmol/L.h for the integrated intragastric acidity. Both the integrated intragastric acidity (r = 0.63) and acidity index (r = 0.70) showed only fair correlation with the percentage of time pH < 4. In contrast, there was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.93) between the acidity index and integrated intragastric acidity.Conclusion : The acidity index is easy to calculate, allows a more accurate assessment of the intragastric acidity than does the percentage of time pH < 4, and is comparable with the more complicated integrated gastric acidity in assessing intragastric pH control.