bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vagal heart rate responses to chronic beta‐blockade in human heart failure relate to cardiac norepinephrine spillover
Authors: Kubo Toshihiko , Parker John D. , Azevedo Eduardo R. , Atchison Deborah J. , Newton Gary E. , Picton Peter , Floras John S. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractWe have documented a pre‐junctional β‐2 adrenoceptor mediated reduction in cardiac norepinephrine spillover (CNES) in heart failure patients receiving chronic β‐blockade. Our present objective was to ascertain the consequence of this decrease for vagal heart rate (HR) regulation by determining CNES, arterial baroreflex sensitivity for HR (BRS) and arterial baroreflex modulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) before and upon 4 months of β‐blockade with either carvedilol or metoprolol. In 19 heart failure patients in sinus rhythm (age: 55±2 [mean±S.E.]; ejection fraction: 20±2%), β‐blockade increased BRS from 4.8±0.9 to 7.9±1.3 ms/mm Hg (P<0.005) but had no effect on arterial baroreflex modulation of MSNA. Changes in CNES and BRS were inversely related (r=–0.52; n=16, P<0.05). Chronic β‐blockade in heart failure augments reflex vagal control of HR at an efferent site of interaction involving blockade of cardiac sympathetic pre‐junctional β‐2 adrenoceptors that facilitate NE release.
China's Poor Regions: Rural–Urban Migration, Poverty, Economic Reform and Urbanization. By MEI ZHANG. [London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. 205 pp. ISBN 0 415 32145-X]. On the Move: Women in Rural-to-Urban Migration in Contemporary China. Edited by ARIANNE M. GAETANO and TAMARA JACKA. [New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. 368 pp. Hard cover $69.50, £46.50, ISBN 0-231-12706-5; paperback $29.50, £20.00, ISBN 0 231-12707-3.]
Authors: Gao Mobo 
Published: March 2005

China's Poor Region is based on the author's PhD thesis and has a foreword by Peter Nolan, the distinguished scholar at Cambridge. It is a questionnaire survey plus two-ended interviews of subjects in Shanxi province. It is important to point out that the subjects of the investigation are migrants internal to Shanxi and are mostly male workers at coal mines or construction sites. This is very different from the subjects of the second book reviewed, which deals only with women, but also involves migrants from across China.After a survey of theories of rural poverty and rural to urban migration, Zhang goes on to describe the poverty in China and discusses the Chinese government policies to tackle rural poverty. In chapters three to five, Zhang describes the methodology and results of a case study of three sampled counties of 200 households. The final chapter is a very brief conclusion which suggests, among other points, that rural migration has played – and will continue to play – a positive role in social development and in resolving rural poverty.Reading On the Move, the first question that came to my mind was: why women? What are the gender issues that make researching female migration as a separate study worthwhile? The informative introduction chapter not only discusses the aims and rationale of focusing on women, but also contains a brief survey of modern migration in China and brings together a whole range of gender issues to the subject. For example, “Outmigration may provide an important avenue of escape for women suffering gender oppression or violence,” such as the above average rate of suicide among rural women. Women suffer – or suffer more – from the patriarchal authority of parents or in-laws, and migration has an impact on that. One chapter in the book suggests that migrant women make more independent and informed decisions on who to marry and how to spend money. Even for those women who stay at home, having a migrant in the family changes the status of the women in the household as they take up new duties and responsibilities. There are other issues such as the emotional ties between mothers and children, and returned migrant women may also find themselves in a different emotional and social situation from that of the men.
An Intertemporal International Asset Pricing Model: Theory and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Chang Jow‐ran , Errunza Vihang , Hogan Ked , Hung Mao‐wei 
Published: March 2005

Abstract We extend Campbell's (1993) model to develop an intertemporal international asset pricing model (IAPM). We show that the expected international asset return is determined by a weighted average of market risk, market hedging risk, exchange rate risk and exchange rate hedging risk. These weights sum up to one. Our model explicitly separates hedging against changes in the investment opportunity set from hedging against exchange rate changes as well as exchange rate risk from intertemporal hedging risk. A test of the conditional version of our intertemporal IAPM using a multivariate GARCH process supports the asset pricing model. We find that the exchange rate risk is important for pricing international equity returns and it is much more important than intertemporal hedging risk.
Diagnosis and procedure‐specific survival among transfusion of recipients in 1993 and 2000, Örebro County, Sweden
Authors: Tynell E. , Norda R. , Montgomery S. M. , Björkman A. 
Published: March 2005

Background and objectives  Survival rates in patients transfused in 1993 and 2000 were compared in relation to diagnoses and surgical interventions.Materials and methods  Blood centre and hospital records of all patients transfused from March to May in Örebro County in 1993 (n = 932) and 2000 (n = 990), were matched with the national register of deaths.Results  Relative risk of death within 1 year, adjusted for diagnoses, operations and other confounders in patients transfused in 2000 compared to 1993 was 0·78 (CI 0·66–0·91). Among those transfused 1993, 39% were alive after 7 years.Conclusion  The improved survival among those transfused in 2000 could not be accounted for by differences in ages or case‐mix.
Sequencing of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Updated Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial
Authors: Bellon Jennifer R. , Come Steven E. , Gelman Rebecca S. , Henderson I. Craig , Shulman Lawrence N. , Silver Barbara J. , Harris Jay R. , Recht Abram 
Published: March 2005

Purpose The optimal integration of chemotherapy with radiation (RT) for patients with early-stage breast cancer remains uncertain. We present the long-term results of a prospective randomized trial to address this question. Patients and Methods Two hundred forty-four patients were randomly assigned after conservative breast surgery to receive 12 weeks of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate, fluorouracil, and prednisone (CAMFP) before RT (CT-first) or after RT (RT-first). Median follow-up for surviving patients was 135 months. Results There were no significant differences between the CT-first and RT-first arms in time to any event, distant metastasis, or death. Sites of first failure were also not significantly different. Conclusion Among breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery, there is no advantage to giving RT before adjuvant chemotherapy. However, this study does not have enough statistical power to rule out a clinically important survival benefit for either sequence.
Gasphasenkatalyse mit atomaren und Cluster‐Metall‐Ionen: ultimative “Single‐Site”‐Katalysatoren
Authors: Böhme Diethard K. , Schwarz Helmut 
Published: March 2005

AbstractGasphasenexperimente mithilfe moderner massenspektrometrischer Methoden geben detaillierte Einblicke in vielerlei Elementarprozesse. Reaktionen, denen vollständige Katalysezyklen unter thermischen Bedingungen zugrunde liegen, bilden den Schwerpunkt dieses Aufsatzes. Die hier aufgeführten Beispiele decken Aspekte der Katalyse ab, die zu so unterschiedlichen Gebieten wie der Atmosphärenchemie und der Oberflächenchemie gehören. Wir werden beschreiben, wie atomare und Cluster‐Metall‐Ionen den Transfer von Sauerstoffatomen, die Aktivierung von Bindungen und die Kupplung von Fragmenten ermöglichen. Zum Teil zeigt die idealisierte Gasphasenkatalyse mit Ionen ungeahnte Analogien zu verwandten chemischen Prozessen in Lösung oder in Feststoffen, und wir lernen die intrinsischen Vorgänge an Katalysatoren auf rein molekularer Ebene besser zu verstehen.
Organic and carbon aerogels from the NaOH‐catalyzed polycondensation of resorcinol–furfural and supercritical drying in ethanol
Authors: Wu Dingcai , Fu Ruowen , Yu Zhiquan 
Published: March 2005

AbstractOrganic aerogels and related carbon aerogels were prepared from the NaOH‐catalyzed polycondensation of resorcinol–furfural (RF) and supercritical drying in ethanol. The effect of the preparation conditions, including the RF concentration, molar ratio of resorcinol (R) to NaOH, and molar ratio of R to furfural, on the gelation time and bulk density was studied. The chemical structure of the organic aerogel was revealed by IR spectroscopy. The pyrolysis process of the organic aerogel was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. According to characterizations of transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption, the organic and carbon aerogels we obtained had a three‐dimensional network that consisted of around 30‐nm particles, which defined numerous mesopores of less than 30 nm. As a result, the aerogels had high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas (698–753 m2/g) and large mesopore volumes (1.09–1.64 cm3/g). X‐ray diffraction characterization indicated that the carbon aerogel was more crystalline than activated carbon but less activated than graphite. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1429–1435, 2005
Myocardial osteopontin expression is associated with collagen fibrillogenesis in human dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Satoh Mamoru , Nakamura Motoyuki , Akatsu Tomonari , Shimoda Yudai , Segawa Ikuo , Hiramori Katsuhiko 
Published: March 2005

AbstractBackgroundOsteopontin (OPN), an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, plays an important role in myocardial remodeling by promoting collagen synthesis and accumulation in experimental animal models.AimsWe hypothesized that OPN could be expressed in myocardial tissues and contribute to collagen accumulation and myocardial dysfunction in human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).Methods and resultsEndomyocardial biopsy tissues were obtained from 51 patients with DCM and 15 controls by right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. OPN, collagen types I (Col I) and III (Col III) mRNA levels were measured by real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). The cellular source of OPN was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Myocardial collagen volume fraction (CVF) was determined by digital planimetry. OPN, Col I and Col III mRNA levels were higher in DCM patients than in controls (P<0.01). OPN mRNA levels were positively correlated with Col I levels and CVF in DCM patients (OPN vs. Col I: r=0.60, P<0.01; OPN vs. CVF: r=0.52, P<0.001). Immunostaining of OPN was present in cardiomyocytes from DCM patients. In situ hybridization identified cardiomyocytes as the major source of OPN mRNA transcription in DCM patients. OPN and Col I mRNA levels were highly expressed in the DCM subgroup with large left ventricular (LV) end‐systolic diameter (LVESD≥54.5 mm) or low LV ejection fraction (LVEF<29.5%). There was a weak positive correlation between OPN mRNA levels and LV end‐systolic diameter (r=0.39, P<0.01). Levels of OPN mRNA were also negatively correlated with LV ejection fraction (r=−0.43, P<0.01).ConclusionsThese results suggest that OPN may play a pivotal role in the development of Col‐I‐induced cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in human DCM.
Euglenoid morphospecies replacement along a hydraulic gradient of the Lower Paraná Basin (Argentina)
Authors: TELL GUILLERMO , O'FARRELL INÉS , LOMBARDO RUBEN JORGE 
Published: March 2005

Summary1. This study deals with the distribution of euglenoid morphospecies along the length of the Lower Paraná River floodplain. Six sites located in the Paraná River, Estevez stream and Montiel shallow lake were surveyed monthly from May 1995 to April 1996.2. Eighty‐eight infrageneric taxa were registered though the total density percentage of euglenoids seldom exceeded 15% of total phytoplankton. The increasing species richness towards the lake is mostly the result of a high contribution of species of Trachelomonas and naked infrageneric taxa of Euglena, Lepocinclis and Phacus, while the distribution of Strombomonas species along the transect is fairly constant.3. The richness of euglenoid morphospecies follows a pattern opposite to that found for the entire phytoplankton community. The distribution of euglenoids differs among the three habitats defined in this study: river, stream, shallow lake. These differences depend on the hydraulic condition of each habitat, as revealed by canonical correspondence analysis.4. The degree of association with each type of aquatic habitat varied among the species and differed between water phases. Strombomonas fluviatilis was equally constant along the length of the ecotone, while S. girardiana and S. scabra were particularly associated with the Paraná River and P. longicauda, L. truncata, T. hispida and T. similis with the lake.5. The flood pulse establishes a clear pattern both in species richness and abundance of euglenoids. The number of species recorded during high water was more than twice that recorded during low water.
Effect of bleaching agents on bonding to pulp chamber dentine
Authors: Timpawat S. , Nipattamanon C. , Kijsamanmith K. , Messer H. H. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractAim  To determine the effect of intracoronal bleaching agents on adhesion of bonding agents to pulp chamber dentine.Methodology  Forty extracted human maxillary anterior teeth were randomly divided into four groups of 10 teeth each. Bleaching agents were sealed in pulp chambers for 7 days, as in clinical use. Group 1 (control): distilled water, group 2: 35% hydrogen peroxide, group 3: sodium perborate mixed with water, and group 4: sodium perborate mixed with 35% hydrogen peroxide. Teeth were stored in saline at 37 °C for 7 days. After the bleaching agent was removed, teeth were leached in water for a further 7 days prior to bonding. The crown was cut vertically from mesial to distal and the labial pulp chamber dentine was prepared for bonding with Clearfil SE‐Bond and filled with resin composite (Clearfil AP‐X). The bonded specimens were kept moist at 37 °C for 24 h. Microtensile bond strengths were determined using a universal testing machine. Additional teeth were prepared using the same bleaching procedures to investigate the scanning electron microscopic appearance of the dentine surface.Results  Mean values (±SD) of microtensile bond strength for the experimental groups were: group 1: 5.29 ± 2.21 MPa, group 2: 5.99 ± 1.51 MPa, group 3: 9.17 ± 1.65 MPa and group 4: 3.99 ± 1.31 MPa. Dentine treated with sodium perborate in water (group 3) had significantly higher mean bond strength when compared with the other three groups (P < 0.05, Tukey's test). Mean bond strength was lowest when dentine was treated with sodium perborate plus hydrogen peroxide (group 4).Conclusions  In terms of subsequent bond strength during restoration, sodium perborate mixed with distilled water appears to be the best intracoronal bleaching agent.
Transfusion‐transmitted malaria: current donor selection guidelines are not sufficient
Authors: Kitchen A. , Mijovic A. , Hewitt P. 
Published: March 2005

A case of transfusion‐transmitted malaria was identified in a 50‐year‐old male patient with sickle cell disease. The donor was Ghanaian, but had migrated to the UK some years previously and had not left the UK for 8 years. The donor met all of the extant donor selection guidelines [1] and a donation was consequently collected. However, on subsequent investigation of the case, the donor was found to be parasitaemic and have high titre malarial antibodies. As a result of this case, changes to the United Kingdom donor selection guidelines have been proposed. These changes will prevent any such further transmissions.
A prospective trial on the safety of long‐term intensive plasmapheresis in donors
Authors: Bechtloff S. , Tran‐My B. , Haubelt H. , Stelzer G. , Anders C. , Hellstern P. 
Published: March 2005

Background and Objectives  There are still concerns about the safety of long‐term intensive donor plasmapheresis, because the reasons that donors drop out of plasmapheresis programmes have not been determined in prospective studies.Materials and Methods  Seventy‐two donors were switched from a moderate plasmapheresis programme to an intensive plasmapheresis programme and observed over a 3‐year period. In addition to measuring total serum protein (TSP), albumin, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels, parameters of iron metabolism and blood coagulation, and biochemical cardiovascular risk markers, were determined at baseline and at every 15th donation. We also collected statements from donors who dropped out of the plasmapheresis programme about their reasons for withdrawal.Results  Dropouts were predominantly related to socioeconomic (n = 34) or medical reasons not related to plasma donations (n = 8). Three donors had to drop out when their TSP levels fell below threshold for the third time within a 5‐week period. At baseline, donors had significantly lower TSP, albumin, IgG, Hb and ferritin levels than gender‐matched and age‐matched non‐donor controls. However, subsequent intensive plasmapheresis over 3 years did not impair the individuals’ ability to donate plasma. TSP, IgG, Hb, ferritin, transferrin, cardiovascular risk markers and parameters of blood coagulation did not change significantly during the observation period.Conclusions  The reasons why donors cease to participate in intensive plasmapheresis programmes are predominantly not directly related to the plasma donation itself.
Relationship between dietary intake of cod liver oil in early pregnancy and birthweight
Authors: Olafsdottir Anna S. , Magnusardottir Anna R. , Thorgeirsdottir Holmfridur , Hauksson Arnar , Skuladottir Gudrun V. , Steingrimsdottir Laufey 
Published: March 2005

Objective  To investigate the possible association between birth outcome and marine food and cod liver oil intake of healthy women in early (prior to 15 weeks of gestation) pregnancy.Design  An observational study.Setting  Free‐living conditions in a community with traditional fish and cod liver oil consumption.Population  Four hundred and thirty‐five healthy pregnant Icelandic women without antenatal and intrapartum complications.Methods  Dietary intake of the women was estimated with a semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) covering food intake together with lifestyle factors for the previous three months. Questionnaires were filled out at between 11 and 15 weeks and between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation. The estimated intake of marine food and cod liver oil was compared with birthweight by linear and logistic regression controlling for potential confounding.Main outcome measures  Birthweight, cod liver oil intake, lifestyle factors (alcohol, smoking).Results  Fourteen percent of the study population used liquid cod liver oil in early pregnancy. Regression analysis shows that these women gave birth to heavier babies (P < 0.001), even after adjusting for the length of gestation and other confounding.Conclusions  Maternal intake of liquid cod liver oil early in pregnancy was associated with a higher birthweight. Higher birthweight has been associated with a lower risk of diseases later in life and maternal cod liver oil intake might be one of the means for achieving higher birthweight.
Extraction of Hierarchical Surface Networks from Bilinear Surface Patches
Authors: Schneider Bernhard 
Published: March 2005

Surface networks capture the topological relations between passes of a continuous surface, the paths of steepest descent and ascent starting at the passes, and the pits and peaks where the steepest paths end. Surface networks represent the topology of surfaces in a compressed form and allow fast investigation of the surfaces' convex and concave shapes. They are applied, for instance, for enhancing algorithms for surface analysis, for surface model simplification, and for surfaces visualization. Furthermore, they are themselves subjects of analysis as they are closely coupled to the intrinsic geometrical concepts and rules of continuous surfaces.This article extends the topology of surface networks in four ways: (i) objects at the edge of the surface model are introduced; (ii) intersections between valley and ridge lines are found to be possible, and such intersections are incorporated into the topology; (iii) horizontal areas may represent passes, pits, or peaks, and therefore must be detected and explicitly incorporated; and (iv) valley and ridge line hierarchies are recognized as inherent components of the surface network. They are extracted and explicitly represented.To ensure consistency and completeness of the surface network, a zero‐order continuous surface is specified from the raster data prior to the extraction. This article presents a method to represent and derive valley and ridge line hierarchies. The results are illustrated with two examples. The extracted networks are found to be consistent and complete. However, the extraction method tends to produce spurious pits, peaks, and passes, which form a drawback if the surface data are affected by noise.
Physical activity and self‐perception in school children assessed with the Children and Youth – Physical Self‐Perception Profile
Authors: Raustorp Anders , Ståhle Agneta , Gudasic Helena , Kinnunen Anneli , Mattsson Eva 
Published: March 2005

Aim: This study validated the Swedish translation of the Children and Youth – Physical Self‐Perception Profile (CY – PSPP) scale and examined the relation between physical self‐Perception and daily physical activity as well as the relationship between physical self‐perception and body mass index (BMI) among Swedish school children.Methods: Forty‐eight children aged 11–12 years completed the CY – PSPP twice with 2 weeks in between. Test–retest reliability, concurrent and content validity were calculated. Five hundred and one children, aged 10–14 years, were measured for height and weight and perceived physical self‐perception. Activity levels were analyzed using pedometers for 4 consecutive days.Results: Good validity concerning concurrent and content validity was found. Test–retest reliability over a 2‐week period was acceptable. In boys a fair and in girls a poor correlation between the sub‐domains of the CY – PSPP and physical activity were found and a fair negative correlation between the sub‐domains and BMI except for Physical Strength.Conclusion: The CY – PSPP distinguishes between children with low and high physical self‐perception. The information is of importance when designing physical activity programs reachable for children with low physical self‐esteem. According to the findings it is important to form physical activity programs that support and develop Sport Competence, Physical Condition and sense of Body Attractiveness among children.