bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Judicial Decision Making and International Tribunals: Assessing the Impact of Individual, National, and International Factors*
Authors: Meernik James , King Kimi Lynn , Dancy Geoffrey 
Published: August 2005

Objective. The objective of this article is to explain judicial decision making at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia by analyzing the impact of individual, national, and international factors.Methods. We use regression and probit analysis of data on the verdicts and sentences handed down by the judges.Results. We find that international factors best explain judicial decision making, especially regarding sentencing.Conclusions. International tribunals and courts are becoming increasingly important and prevalent and it is critical that scholars better understand how their judges make decisions.
Performance Measurement Versus City Service Satisfaction: Intra‐City Variations in Quality?*
Authors: Swindell David , Kelly Janet 
Published: August 2005

Objective. This article illustrates the usefulness of citizen satisfaction surveys to account for variation in citizen satisfaction with public‐service quality within a city's boundaries.Methods. The article examines data from 17 local governments and divided into 141 spatial areas to investigate the distribution of satisfaction within cities (as an outcome measure) and the effect of SES variables on variation in satisfaction with jointly consumed services.Results. Satisfaction varies within cities, not all of which is attributable to SES characteristics. This suggests substantive variation in service quality.Conclusions. Local governments interested in developing meaningful performance measures of service outcomes should incorporate properly designed citizen satisfaction surveys implemented at the service‐district level. In addition, performance indicators of service inputs and outputs should be disaggregated to the service‐district level and matched to citizen satisfaction results in order to allocate and tailor resource policy decisions in a more informed manner.
Who Gets an Early Education? Family Income and the Enrollment of Three‐ to Five‐Year‐Olds from 1968 to 2000*
Authors: Bainbridge Jay , Meyers Marcia K. , Tanaka Sakiko , Waldfogel Jane 
Published: August 2005

Objectives. Has inequality in access to early education been growing or lessening over time?Methods. Using the October Current Population Survey education supplement from 1968 to 2000, we look at three‐, four‐, and five‐year‐olds' enrollment in early education—including center‐based care, Head Start, nursery school, prekindergarten, and kindergarten.Results. Our analysis shows a strong link between family income and early education enrollment for three‐ and four‐year‐olds, especially when we compare the bottom two and the top two income groups. These differences remain even after controlling for a large variety of factors, including race/ethnicity, maternal employment, family structure, and parental education.Conclusions. Inequality in early education by income group varies by age of child: it is most pronounced for three‐year‐olds, who have been the least likely to benefit from public early childhood education programs; it has diminished in the past decade for four‐year‐olds, who have been increasingly likely to have access to public prekindergarten programs; and it has all but disappeared for the five‐year‐olds, who now largely attend public kindergarten. This pattern suggests a potentially important role for public policy in closing the gap in early education between children of different income groups.
Mitigating the Combined Distributional Consequences of the Georgia Lottery for Education and the HOPE Scholarship*
Authors: Campbell Noel , Finney R. Zachary 
Published: August 2005

Objective. Research demonstrates that nonwhite, lower‐income households bear the Georgia Lottery's tax burden, yet receive fewer benefits. However, local disparities in grading standards may mitigate the observed income redistribution. Our objective is to determine whether certain localities obtain more HOPE scholarships than expected, mitigating the observed redistribution.Method. We use fixed‐effects regression and a sample of Georgia's counties (1996–2002).Results. Our results indicate that some localities obtain more HOPE scholarships than expected, mitigating the observed redistribution.Conclusions. We conclude the income‐redistribution research result does not reveal a complete picture because it overlooks the HOPE scholarship's extraordinary allocation mechanism.
Skin disease: clinical indicator of immune status in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
Authors: Raju P. V. Krishnam , Rao G. Raghurama , Ramani T. V. , S. Vandana MD  
Published: August 2005

AbstractBackground  Dermatological manifestations are seen at every stage of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus), and are often the presenting features. These manifestations not only act as markers but also reflect the underlying immune status.Objective  To establish skin diseases as clinical indicators of underlying immune status in HIV disease by estimating and correlating with the CD4, CD4 : CD8 ratio.Materials and Methods  The CD4, CD8, CD4 : CD8 ratios were estimated using the fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) count system in 20 asymptomatic HIV patients, 80 HIV patients with various skin manifestations and 72 healthy volunteers as the control group.Results  In comparison with the CD4 cell count of the control group (mean 885/mm3, standard deviation 331), that of the HIV‐positive individuals (mean 409.83/mm3, standard deviation 263.07) was statistically correlated with low counts (z = 10.099 and P < 0.05). Similarly there was statistical significance with the CD4 : CD8 ratio among these two groups.In comparison with the CD4 cell count of the asymptomatic HIV‐positive individuals (mean 620.65/mm3 and standard deviation 262.065), the CD4 cell count of the HIV‐positive patients with various dermatological manifestations (mean 357.15/mm3, standard deviation 236.95) was statistically correlated with low counts (z = 4.0978 and P < 0.05). Similarly there was statistical significance with the CD4 : CD8 ratio among these two groups.Conclusions  There was an inverse relation between the CD4 counts and the incidence and severity of skin diseases in the HIV/AIDS patients. Cutaneous manifestations of HIV can be considered as good clinical indicators to predict and access the underlying immune status in resource‐poor countries.
Skin disease patterns in Hormozgan, Iran
Authors: Baghestani Shahram , Zare Shahram , Mahboobi Abdoul‐Ali 
Published: August 2005

AbstractBackground  Skin diseases are the most common cause of referrals to general practitioners and dermatologists, and are considered a health problem in developing countries. The aim of this study was to report the extent and patterns of skin diseases in southern Iran.Methods  All new cases of skin diseases referred to Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Southern Iran over a 3‐year period were retrospectively considered. The dermatologic diagnoses, sex and age were recorded for each patient and the diagnoses were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD‐10).Results  A total of 6841 patients were referred to the dermatology clinic of the hospital (48.27% male and 51.73% female). Infectious and parasitic diseases, including infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, were found to be the most common skin diseases (32.1%), followed by dermatitis and eczema (24.5%), disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue such as pigmentation disorders (9.7%), papulosquamous disorders (3.8%), urticaria and erythema (2.8%), burns, corrosion and unspecified injuries (3.3%), radiation‐related disorders (2.3%), neoplasm (0.8%) and diseases of the oral cavity, salivary glands and jaw (0.3%).Conclusions  It appears that certain skin diseases such as dermatitis and eczema, superficial mycoses and scabies cause serious health problems in the region. Emphasis should be placed on this group of common skin diseases at all levels of personal health care, and suitable public health policies should be implemented in order to manage this problem rationally.
Serum interleukin‐8 as a serologic marker of activity in Behçet's disease
Authors: Gür‐Toy Güneş , Lenk Nurdan , Yalcin Basak , Aksaray Sabahat , Alli Nuran 
Published: August 2005

AbstractBackground  Immune dysregulation has been shown to be one of the major aspects of the yet unknown pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), a major chemokine with pivotal effects concerning leukocytes and endothelial cells, has been found to be elevated in patients with Behçet's disease.Aim  To evaluate the significance of elevated levels of IL‐8 with respect to the activity of Behçet's disease.Methods  Sixty‐seven consecutive patients with Behçet's disease (37 males, 30 females; 32.5 ± 9.3 years) were enrolled in our study. The number of active clinical manifestations at the time of serum sampling was recorded. The degree of association between disease activity and IL‐8, C‐reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was assessed.Results  Serum levels of IL‐8 increased as the number of clinically involved organs increased (P < 0.05). C‐reactive protein and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate showed no correlation with disease activity.Conclusions  Our study confirms that the IL‐8 level is a more sensitive marker of disease activity than the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C‐reactive protein. It may be assumed that IL‐8 plays an important role in the pathophysiology of Behçet's disease.
Etanercept and psoriasis, from clinical studies to real life
Authors: Jacob Sharon E. , Sergay Amanda , Kerdel Francisco A. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractObjective  To determine whether etanercept therapy enables long‐term psoriasis patients to discontinue systemic psoriatic therapy.Methods  Charts from psoriatic patients on etanercept therapy seen at the Department of Dermatology and Dermatolgic Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA, between June 2002 and October 2003, were evaluated retrospectively. The duration of disease, adverse events to “standard” systemic psoriatic therapy, and current therapy were reviewed. IRB: 03/582C.Results  A large proportion of patients (73.5%) were able to decrease or discontinue their traditional systemic agent while on etanercept.Conclusions  Etanercept is a safe and effective therapy in chronic moderate to severe psoriasis. In patients who are receiving systemic therapy for their disease and alternative therapy is warranted, etanercept can be added with the aim to discontinue the other systemic agents.
‘Working the system’. Achieving change through partnership working: an evaluation of cancer partnership groups
Authors: Richardson Alison , Sitzia John , Cotterell Phil 
Published: August 2005

AbstractAims and objectives  To investigate the characteristics and achievements of cancer partnership groups – collaborative service improvement groups formed of NHS staff and service users – in the 34 cancer networks in England, and in particular to explore the influence that such groups had on local cancer services.Design  A qualitative approach employing a structured telephone survey, face‐to‐face interviews and documentary analysis.Participants and setting  Thirty cancer networks in England with an active Partnership Group completed the telephone survey. From these 30 networks, six networks were subsequently selected from which service users and NHS professionals involved in partnership groups and NHS professionals who were non‐members were recruited to take part in face‐to‐face interviews.Results and conclusions  Partnership groups were established in the majority of cancer networks. Typically, these groups were at network level, been established for less than a year, met once every 2 months, and were populated with both service users and health‐care professionals. Five common activities and achievements were identified: establishment of the group itself; acting as a ‘reference’ group for consultation; networking and representation on other groups; patient information and communication and proactive influencing. Activities progressed in scale and complexity as groups evolved. Groups had learnt the basics of change management and some identified a more sophisticated understanding of change processes in the NHS as essential for the group's motivation and survival. When gauging the impact of involvement strategies it would seem important to subscribe to broad indicators of success that include both process and outcome measures.
From rhetoric to reality: including patient voices in supportive cancer care planning
Authors: Gold Sara K. Tedford , Abelson Julia , Charles Cathy A. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractObjective  To explore the extent and manner of patient participation in the planning of regional supportive care networks throughout the province of Ontario. We consider the disconnect between the rhetoric and reality of patient involvement in network planning and co‐ordination.Context  In 1997, the Province of Ontario, Canada, established a new, regionalized cancer care system. By transferring responsibility to the regional level and to networks, the architects of the new provincial system hoped to broaden participation in decision making and to enhance the responsiveness of decisions to communities.Research approach  Through a qualitative, multiple case study approach we evaluated the processes of involving patients in network development. In‐depth, semi‐structured interviews and document analysis were complemented by observations of provincial meetings, regional council and network meetings.Results  The network development processes in the three case study regions reveal a significant gap between intentions to involve patients in health planning and their actual involvement. This gap can be explained by: (i) a lack of clear direction regarding networks and patient participation in these networks; (ii) the dominance of regional cancer centres in network planning activities; and, (iii) the emergence of competing provincial priorities.Discussion  These three trends expose the complexity of the notion of public participation and how it is embedded in social and political contexts. The failed attempt at involving patients in health planning efforts is the result of benign neglect of public participation intents and the social and political contexts in which public and patient participation is meant to occur.
Allergy and cancer
Authors: Lindelöf B. , Granath F. , Tengvall‐Linder M. , Ekbom A. 
Published: August 2005

Background:  Conflicting results have provided support for two distinct and contradictory hypotheses: (i) allergy has a protective effect against cancer by enhanced immune surveillance, and (ii) allergy is associated with an increased risk of cancer by chronic immune stimulation. We therefore aimed us to perform a large epidemiological study with a defined allergic disease cohort.Methods:  During the years 1988–2000, 70 136 patients tested for total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and 57 815 tested with Phadiatop for diagnosing allergic disease at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, were linked with the Swedish Cancer Registry for a virtually complete follow up with regard to cancer.Findings:  The total number of observed cancers was normal in the total serum IgE‐cohort; standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.92–1.04) and in the Phadiatop‐cohort: SIR = 0.99 (0.92–1.06) independent of the level of IgE and positive or negative Phadiatop. Specific analysis was done for cancer of the lung, cervix, pancreas, lymphoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. None of these forms of cancer had increased risks.Interpretation:  The study does not support the hypothesis that allergy has a protective effect against cancer, nor does it support an increased risk.
Interleukin‐10 haplotype associated with total serum IgE in atopic dermatitis patients
Authors: Shin H. D. , Park B. L. , Kim L. H. , Kim J.‐S. , Kim J.‐W. 
Published: August 2005

Background:  The genetic background of atopic dermatitis (AD) is not clearly understood. Interleukin (IL)‐10 is a powerful Th‐2 cell cytokine produced by lymphoid cells that exerts its function by inhibiting macrophage/monocyte and T‐cell lymphocyte replication and secretion of inflammatory cytokines [IL‐1, tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNFA), IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐12].Objective:  In an effort to discover additional polymorphism(s) in genes whose variant(s) have been implicated in total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level in AD patients, we scrutinized the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL10 gene as a potent candidate for contributing to the level of IgE in serum.Methods:  We recruited 334 AD patients and assayed their serum total IgE levels using the LIPA‐200 system. Four SNPs in the IL10 gene were genotyped using the single‐base extension (SBE) method. Logistic regression analyses were performed with single polymorphisms and haplotypes (ht) to determine their association with the level of serum total IgE.Results:  Genetic association analysis of total serum IgE in AD patients revealed that one of the IL10 ht, IL10‐ht2, was associated with decreased serum total IgE in gene dose‐dependent manner (P = 0.02–0.001).Conclusions:  It was predicted that the inhibition of innate immunity by increased IL‐10 production in IL10‐ht2‐bearing individuals might be associated with decreased total serum IgE levels among AD patients. The greater effects of IL10 ht on decreased total serum IgE levels suggest that the effect of IL‐10 polymorphism might be the result of a combined genotype (ht) rather than single polymorphisms.
Double‐blind and placebo‐controlled study to assess efficacy and safety of a modified allergen extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in allergic asthma
Authors: Ameal A. , Vega‐Chicote J. M. , Fernández S. , Miranda A. , Carmona M. J. , Rondón M. C. , Reina E. , García‐González J. J. 
Published: August 2005

Background:  A randomized double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was conducted in patients allergic asthma sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.Objective:  To evaluate the efficacy and safety after 1‐year of immunotherapy with a modified D. pteronyssinus extract compared with placebo.Material and methods:  Fifty‐five patients were randomly allocated to receive the active treatment (n = 29), or placebo (n = 26). The main outcome was the specific bronchial provocation test (BPT). Other parameters analysed were dose–response skin prick test (SPT), symptom and medication scores and asthma quality of life (AQLQ).Results:  At the end of the study, the active group showed a significant increase in the PD20FEV1 compared with placebo (P = 0.0029). Nineteen patients of the active vs 10 of the placebo group needed more than twice the initial amount of allergen extract to have a positive BPT (P = 0.0293); seven patients in the placebo vs one in the active group needed less than half (P = 0.0137). In SPT, a significant improvement (P = 0.0049) was found in the active group. This group also had a median reduction of 91.5% in symptom scores, whereas the placebo group increased by 86%. Medication scores decreased in both groups (56% in the active and 11.4% in the placebo). In AQLQ, the differences between both groups were significant (P = 0.0234) at the end of the study.Conclusion:  After 1 year of treatment, the modified extract of D. pteronyssinus demonstrated to be safe and efficacious to treat patients with asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis sensitized to this mite.
Cat allergen induces proinflammatory responses by human monocyte‐derived macrophages but not by dendritic cells
Authors: Andersson Lundell A.‐C. , Grindebacke H. , Karlsson H. , Seppälä U. , Rudin A. 
Published: August 2005

Background:  The upper airway mucosa of healthy humans contains a dense network of cells with dendritic morphology of which the majority express a macrophage‐like phenotype (CD14+CD64+CD68+), whereas the smaller population are immature dendritic cells (DC; CD11c+CD14−). Our aim was to study the proinflammatory response of human monocytes and in vitro‐generated macrophages and DC after contact with cat allergens.Methods:  Monocyte‐derived DC and monocyte‐derived macrophages were exposed to cat allergen extract or Escherichia coli. Purified monocytes were stimulated with allergen extracts from cat or house dust mite (HDM) or the major allergenic protein Fel d 1 and induction of proinflammatory cytokines by monocytes was analyzed before and after blocking CD14.Results:  We show that cat allergen extract induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)‐6 production by CD14‐positive macrophages but not by CD14‐negative DC. Moreover, monocytes produced significantly higher levels of TNF in response to cat allergens than in response to HDM allergens. We observed no differences in levels of TNF and IL‐6 from either macrophages or monocytes after exposure to cat allergen when comparing healthy and cat‐allergic individuals. Finally, the proinflammatory cytokine production from monocytes in response to cat allergen extract but not to HDM allergen was significantly reduced by blocking CD14.Conclusion:  These results indicate that closely related innate immune cells from the myeloid lineage respond differentially to cat allergen extract and that the pattern‐recognition receptor CD14 might be one of the mediators involved in the inflammatory responses to inhalant allergens.
How effective is email communication for patients requiring elective surgery?
Authors: Ketteridge Geraldine , Delbridge Hilary , Delbridge Leigh 
Published: August 2005

Background:  Patients increasingly use the Internet for communication as well as to obtain information, but there are few published reports on either the utilization or effectiveness of email as a means of communication between patient and surgeon. The aim of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of email communication by patients prior to undergoing elective surgery.Methods:  This is a retrospective cohort study of 306 patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery at a tertiary referral centre who had been provided with an information sheet promoting email communication compared to 352 patients in a control group who had not been provided with the same information.Results:  In the study group 50 of 306 patients (16%) utilized email communication. There was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0004) in the age distribution between those who did (mean: 46.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 42.0−50.4) and those who did not (mean: 54.6, 95%CI: 52.7−56.4) utilize emails, with the email users representing a younger population. In the control group, only 10 of 352 (3%) used email, a significantly lower percentage (P = 0.0001) than in the study group. A total of 101 emails were sent by 50 patients in the study group. Of these, the majority did so only once (n = 28−56%), with one patient sending seven separate emails. Most emails sent focused on only one issue, but some patients raised multiple issues with the most being seven issues in a single email.Conclusions:  Despite concerns about potential medicolegal issues and other disadvantages, routine email communication between physician and patient provides an effective means of communication for patients undergoing elective surgery.