bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enhanced External Counterpulsation Therapy: Significant Clinical Improvement without Electrophysiologic Remodeling
Authors: Henrikson Charles A. , Chandra‐Strobos Nisha 
Published: July 2004

Background: Enhanced external counterpulsation therapy (EECP), in addition to improving coronary flow and increasing the time to ischemia, noninvasively alters hemodynamics in patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). Other treatments that alter hemodynamics, for example, balloon valvuloplasty, left ventricular assist devices, and pharmacologic antagonism of the rennin–angiotensin system, promote electrophysiologic remodeling, as evidenced by alterations in the QT interval. Methods: We studied 28 patients who completed a 7‐week, 35‐hour session of EECP to assess whether such therapy would also result in electrophysiologic remodeling. Results: All patients had class II–III angina, imaging‐proven ischemia, and severe, near‐inoperable CAD. Of 28 patients, with a mean age 62 ± 13 years (mean ± SD), 78% were male, 46% diabetic, 82% hypertensive, 60% had undergone angioplasty, and 67% had undergone bypass surgery. The mean ejection fraction was 44% (range 25–60%). Following EECP, most patients (82%) had at least a one full class improvement in their anginal pattern. In most patients, there was substantial baseline conduction system disease present: a mean QRS of 105 ± 19 ms. It is to be noted that there was no significant change in heart rate (HR), PR, QRS, or QTc intervals before and after EECP in either clinical responders or nonresponders. When analyzed by response to EECP, ejection fraction, or history of revascularization, there were still no detectable changes in ECG parameters (all P = NS). Conclusions: While EECP remains an effective treatment for severe CAD, it does not prompt early electrical remodeling of the heart.
Risk Stratification Using Heart Rate Turbulence and Ventricular Arrhythmia in MADIT II: Usefulness and Limitations of a 10‐Minute Holter Recording
Authors: Berkowitsch Alexander , Zareba Wojciech , Neumann Thomas , Erdogan Ali , Nitt Scott Mc , Moss Arthur J. , Pitschner Heinz F. 
Published: July 2004

Background: We evaluated the usefulness of heart rate turbulence (HRT) parameters and frequency of ventricular premature beats (VPBs) for risk‐stratifying postinfarction patients with depressed left ventricular function enrolled in Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Trial II (MADIT II). Methods: In 884 MADIT II patients, 10‐minute Holter monitoring at enrollment was used to evaluate HRT parameters and frequency of VPBs. The primary endpoints were defined as all‐cause mortality in patients randomized to conventional treatment and as appropriate therapy for ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation in patients randomized to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Results: The median turbulence slope was lower in patients who died in comparison to survivors in the conventional arm (2.3 vs 4.5 ms/RR; P < 0.05); but it was not a significant predictor of mortality after adjustment for clinical covariates (age, ejection fraction, beta‐blocker use, and BUN levels). There was no association between HRT parameters and arrhythmic events in ICD patients. Conventionally treated patients who died and ICD patients who had appropriate ICD therapy had significantly more frequent VPBs than those without such adverse events. After adjustment for clinical covariates, frequent VPBs>3/10 min were associated with death in the conventional arm (HR = 1.63; P = 0.070) and were predictive for appropriate ICD therapy in the ICD arm (HR = 1.75; P = 0.003). Conclusion: In postinfarction patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction, frequent VPBs are associated with increased risk of mortality and with appropriate ICD therapy. HRT obtained from 10‐min Holter ECG showed a trend toward the association with mortality in univariate analysis but HRT parameters were not predictive of the outcome in multivariate analyses.
Homicide and major mental disorders: a 25‐year study
Authors: Schanda H. , Knecht G. , Schreinzer D. , Stompe Th. , Ortwein‐Swoboda G. , Waldhoer Th. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  This study was designed to investigate the association between major mental disorders (MMDs) and homicide.Method:  The rates of exculpations because of MMDs among 1087 Austrian homicide offenders during 1975 and 1999 were compared with the rates of the respective disorders in the general population.Results:  MMDs were associated with an increased likelihood of homicide (two‐fold in men and six‐fold in women). This was exclusively because of schizophrenia (age‐adjusted ORs in men 5.85, CI 4.29–8.01; in women 18.38, CI 11.24–31.55) and delusional disorder in men (OR 5.98, CI 1.91–16.51). Comorbid alcohol abuse/dependence (additionally) increased the odds in schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder.Conclusion:  The increased likelihood of homicide in subjects with MMDs cannot be fully explained by comorbid alcoholism. The results point to the special importance of sufficient treatment for a subgroup of mentally ill individuals being at higher risk of violence.
Schizophrenia, neighbourhood, and crime
Authors: Lögdberg B. , Nilsson L.‐L. , Levander M. T. , Levander S. 
Published: July 2004

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the prevalence of schizophrenia and measures of social deprivation in varying areas in the city of Malmö.Method: A case‐finding study of schizophrenia was combined with a victimization survey. Data was factor‐analysed and visualized using geographical information system software.Results: The schizophrenic patients lived predominantly in socially disorganized areas characterized by high levels of disorder, fear of crime and victimization. The local prevalence of schizophrenia covaried significantly with all indices of social disorganization. In addition, a significant but weak association was obtained between prevalence of schizophrenia and fear of specific persons in the neighbourhood.Conclusion: In spite of enormous changes in social conditions, psychiatric knowledge and organization of treatment, and political ambitions, schizophrenic patients still aggregate in socially deprived areas. This segregation may result in worsening of the illness as well as increasing the social disorganization in the local domicile.
Quality of life in persons with schizophrenia in out‐patient treatment with first‐ or second‐generation antipsychotics
Authors: Kilian R. , Dietrich S. , Toumi M. , Angermeyer M. C. 
Published: July 2004

Objective: Effects of first in comparison with second‐generation antipsychotics on the subjective quality of life (QoL) of patients with schizophrenia under routine treatment conditions were examined.Method: In a prospective naturalistic trial the QoL, social, clinical, and treatment‐related characteristics and type of antipsychotic medication of 307 patients with schizophrenia (ICD‐10 F 20) were assessed five times with 6‐month intervals over 2.5 years. Longitudinal and cross‐sectional effects of antipsychotic medication were assessed by hierarchical regression models. Selection bias was controlled by propensity scores.Results: While positive effects of first‐generation antipsychotics on subjective QoL in comparison with no antipsychotic treatment were found, second‐generation antipsychotics caused no better QoL than first‐generation antipsychotics.Conclusion: The hypothesis that second‐generation in comparison with first‐generation antipsychotics have a better effect on the improvement of subjective QoL of people with schizophrenia in routine out‐patient treatment was not supported.
The wider social environment and mental health service use
Authors: Drukker M. , Driessen G. , Krabbendam L. , Van Os J. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  Previous studies associating neighbourhood context with mental health service use typically included limited sets of confounders.Method:  A data set including patients registered in a Case Register and population controls was subjected to multilevel analyses, including neighbourhood exposures and individual level confounders. In addition, days of care consumption of patients was addressed.Results:  The association between socioeconomic deprivation and social capital on the one hand and mental health service use rates on the other could be attributed to individual level differences. However, number of days of service consumption was higher in neighbourhoods with more informal social control. In residentially stable neighbourhoods only, socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower levels of service consumption.Conclusion:  Higher levels of social control may induce patients to remain in contact with mental health services. Furthermore, higher levels of deprivation in neighbourhoods with little population mobility may result in reduced expectations of recovery and/or increased tolerance.
A large population cohort provides normative data for investigation of temperament
Authors: Miettunen J. , Kantojärvi L. , Ekelund J. , Veijola J. , Karvonen J. T. , Peltonen L. , Järvelin M. R. , Freimer N. , Lichtermann D. , Joukamaa M. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  We evaluated the psychometric properties of widely used scales for assessing temperament in a large birth cohort. We simultaneously compared the properties of the temperament dimensions of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).Method:  As part of the 31‐year follow‐up survey of the prospective Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort, the TPQ and TCI temperament questions were filled in by 4349 subjects (1974 males, 2375 males). Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to explore the psychometric properties of the scales.Results:  Of the three higher‐order dimensions the reward dependence (RD) was the only one performing poorly in our study sample. Cronbach's alpha was higher in the TCI than in the TPQ.Conclusion:  The results indicate good performance of the TCI and TPQ. Factor analysis support adoption of four temperament dimensions and suggest that developmental work is still needed in the RD dimension.
Spontaneous treatment discontinuation in panic disorder patients treated with antidepressants
Authors: Toni C. , Perugi G. , Frare F. , Mata B. , Akiskal H. S. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  We examined the relationships between long‐term treatment response, side‐effects and drug discontinuation in panic disorder (PD)–agoraphobia.Method:  A total of 326 patients were naturalistically treated with antidepressants and followed for a period of 3 years. All patients were evaluated by means of the Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia Interview and the Longitudinal Interview Follow‐up Examination (LIFE‐UP).Results:  A total of 179 patients interrupted pharmacological treatment. Among them, 26.8% were not traceable; 36.9% had deemed further contact with the psychiatrist unnecessary because of remission. Other reasons for interruption were: ineffectiveness (18.4%), side‐effects (10.6%) and personal reasons (7.3%). Patients who interrupted pharmacological treatment because of symptom remission remained in the study for a longer period than those patients who interrupted their treatment because of inefficacy.Conclusion:  In the long‐term treatment of PD with antidepressants, a high percentage of patients who have achieved symptom remission tend to default from further treatment; adherence to long‐term treatment with antidepressants was predicted by severe and long‐lasting symptomatology.
No evidence for impaired ‘theory of mind’ in unaffected first‐degree relatives of schizophrenia patients
Authors: Kelemen O. , Kéri S. , Must A. , Benedek G. , Janka Z. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that ‘theory of mind’ (ToM) impairments are associated with schizophrenia liability.Method:  Forty healthy control subjects and 79 first‐degree biological relatives of schizophrenia patients (32 siblings and 47 parents) received the Eyes Test, during which subjects are asked to choose the word best describes the mental state of a person whose eyes are depicted on a photograph.Results:  The affected relatives (n = 14) performed worse on the Eyes Test compared with the controls (P = 0.0001), whereas the unaffected relatives (n = 65) showed intact performances (P = 0.4). The Eyes Test values did not correlate with age and IQ. There was no significant difference between male and female participants.Conclusion:  ToM deficits, as measured by the Eyes Test, are not associated with schizophrenia liability.
Critical evaluation of cognitive dysfunctions as endophenotypes of schizophrenia
Authors: Kéri S. , Janka Z. 
Published: July 2004

Objective:  Cognitive dysfunctions are potential endophenotypes of schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether recent evidence indeed suggests that cognitive dysfunctions are potent indicators of specific genetic traits that represent susceptibility for schizophrenia.Method:  Studies including large, well‐defined samples and controlled cognitive assessment have been reviewed.Results:  Evidence suggests that schizophrenia patients and their unaffected biological relatives are impaired in several cognitive domains, including working memory, executive functions, sustained attention, verbal episodic memory, processing of visual and auditory stimuli, and smooth pursuit eye movements. However, these impairments are present only in a limited proportion of subjects, showing low specificity and sensitivity and high variability. Linkage with specific genes is weak.Conclusion:  Although some results are promising, at present cognitive dysfunctions cannot be considered as highly sensitive and specific endophenotypes of schizophrenia.
Reported bruxism and biopsychosocial symptoms: a longitudinal study
Authors: Ahlberg J. , Savolainen A. , Rantala M. , Lindholm H. , Könönen M. 
Published: July 2004

Abstract –  Objectives and Methods:  In this follow‐up study of 30–50‐year‐old employees (n=211) of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), respondents completed questionnaires in both 1999 and 2000 containing items on demographic data, tobacco use, levels of perceived bruxism, affective disturbance, sleep disturbance, somatic symptoms, pain symptoms and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms.Results:  Bruxism was significantly more prevalent among smokers (P=0.005). Age, marital status, and gender were not associated with bruxism. Subjects in the frequent bruxism group (n=74) reported the TMD‐related painless symptoms, affective disturbance and early insomnia significantly more often than average. In the multivariate analyses, clustered pain symptoms (P=0.001), TMD‐related painless symptoms (P=0.004) and smoking (P=0.012) were significantly positively associated with frequent bruxism, when the independent effects of age and gender were controlled for.Conclusions:  It was concluded that successful management of TMD necessitates smoking cessation, as tobacco use may both amplify the patient's pain response and provoke bruxism. Psychosocial factors and perceived stress should not be ignored, however.
Consumption of nonpublic water: implications for children's caries experience
Authors: Armfield Jason M. , Spencer A. John 
Published: July 2004

Abstract –  There are concerns that the consumption of unfluoridated bottled and tank water may put children at increased risk of developing caries.Objectives:  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nonpublic water consumption (either from bottles or rainwater tanks) and socioeconomic status (SES) and both deciduous and permanent caries experience.Methods:  A random sample of children enrolled in the School Dental Service of South Australia participated in the study (response rate = 71.8%, n = 9988).Results:  Forty‐five per cent of children had greater than 50% lifetime consumption of nonpublic water while 36% of children had 0% lifetime consumption. Increased use of nonpublic water occurred for children from lower socioeconomic groups, two‐parent families and children from nonmetropolitan areas, with these results most likely a result of the residential location of the children. Multivariate modelling revealed a significant positive relationship between deciduous caries experience and consumption of nonpublic water, even after controlling for the age and sex of the child, SES and residential location. This relationship was significant only for those children with 100% lifetime availability of fluoridated water. The effect of consumption of nonpublic water on permanent caries experience was not significant. It is postulated that these findings may result from the lower caries activity in the permanent dentition of children aged 10–15 and possible dietary confounders.Conclusion:  Recommendations are made for the addition of fluoride to bottled water, especially with regard to the oral health of younger children.
A follow‐up study of the use of DIAGNOdent for monitoring fissure caries in children
Authors: Anttonen V. , Seppä L. , Hausen H. 
Published: July 2004

Abstract –  Objectives:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the laser fluorescence device DIAGNOdent for monitoring occlusal caries longitudinally as part of a routine dental check‐up in a public dental clinic.Methods:  Children aged 7–8 and 13–14 years at baseline participated in the study. As part of two consecutive dental check‐ups with a mean interval of 1,19, years, 423 permanent molars and 315 primary molars in 81 children were examined visually and using DIAGNOdent by one dentist. In teeth where, as judged by visual examination, caries had emerged or progressed during the follow‐up, the DIAGNOdent values had increased significantly from the baseline.Results:  In permanent teeth with a change in visual score from sound to enamel or dentin caries, the mean DIAGNOdent value increased from 24 to 37 and in primary teeth from 8 to 40. The increase in DIANGOdent values correlated positively with the increase in visual score. The mean DIAGNOdent value at baseline was significantly higher in teeth that became carious than in those that remained sound during the follow‐up. For permanent teeth with a visual reversal from inactive or acitve enamel caries to a sound surface, the mean DIAGNOdent value decreased from 36 to 24.Conclusions:  These results suggest that DIAGNOdent is useful in monitoring occlusal caries in both permanent and primary molars.
The ozone layer
Authors: Van Der Leun Jan C. 
Published: July 2004

Background/Purpose: The intention of this paper is to stimulate the interest for the ozone layer, especially among young colleagues in photobiology; the “layer” is not only important, but also fascinating.Conclusion: In spite of remarkably effective action, the recovery of the ozone layer will be a long‐term process. It will need the attention, also of scientists, for decades to come.
Oral PUVA and topical steroids for treatment of oral manifestations of chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease
Authors: Wolff D. , Anders V. , Corio R. , Horn T. , Morison W.L. , Farmer E. , Vogelsang G.B. 
Published: July 2004

Background: Oral manifestations of chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease (cGVHD) can significantly affect the quality of life and severity often does not correlate with systemic manifestations. We evaluated the use of topical corticosteroids and the intraoral application of psoralen‐UVA (PUVA) for treatment of oral manifestations of cGVHD.Methods: Overall, 18 patients with oral manifestations of cGVHD were treated with either intraoral PUVA (n=7) or with topical corticosteroids (n=16). Four patients received intraoral PUVA after failure of topical steroids and one patient was treated with topical corticosteroids after failing treatment with intraoral PUVA. A glass fiber extension of an UVA source was used for manual intraoral application. Treatment with topical corticosteroids consisted of 0.1 mg/ml dexamethasone mouth wash four times a day in combination with antifungal prophylaxis.Results: Four patients showed complete local response (CR) due to intraoral PUVA, two improved and one did not respond. Topical corticosteroids resulted in nine patients in CR, two improved and five did not respond.Conclusion: Intraoral PUVA as well as topical corticosteroids are effective in treatment of oral manifestations of oral GVHD with few side‐effects and improve quality of life in patients with cGVHD.
A NEURAL-NETWORK APPROACH FOR VISUAL CRYPTOGRAPHY AND AUTHORIZATION
Authors: YUE TAI-WEN , CHIANG SUCHEN 
Published: July 2004

In this paper, we propose a neural-network approach for visual authorization, which is an application of visual cryptography (VC). The scheme contains a key-share and a set of user-shares. The administrator owns the key-share, and each user owns a user-share issued by the administrator from the user-share set. The shares in the user-share set are visually indistinguishable, i.e. they have the same pictorial meaning. However, the stacking of the key-share with different user-shares will reveal significantly different images. Therefore, the administrator (in fact, only the administrator) can visually recognize the authority assigned to a particular user by viewing the information appearing in the superposed image of key-share and user-share. This approach is completely different from traditional VC approaches. The salient features include: (i) the access schemes are described using a set of graytone images, and (ii) the codebooks to fulfil them are not required; and (iii) the size of share images is the same as the size of target image.
PATH INTEGRAL APPROACH TO A SINGLE POLYMER CHAIN WITH RANDOM MEDIA
Authors: KUNSOMBAT CH. , SA-YAKANIT V. 
Published: July 2004

In this paper we consider the problem of a polymer chain in random media with finite correlation. We show that the mean square end-to-end distance of a polymer chain can be obtained using the Feynman path integral developed by Feynman for treating the polaron problem and successfuly applied to the theory of heavily doped semiconductor. We show that for short-range correlation or the white Gaussian model we derive the results obtained by Edwards and Muthukumar using the replica method and for long-range correlation we obtain the result of Yohannes Shiferaw and Yadin Y. Goldschimidt. The main idea of this paper is to generalize the model proposed by Edwards and Muthukumar for short-range correlation to finite correlation. Instead of using a replica method, we employ the Feynman path integral by modeling the polymer Hamiltonian as a model of non-local quadratic trial Hamiltonian. This non-local trial Hamiltonian is essential as it will reflect the translation invariant of the original Hamiltonian. The calculation is proceeded by considering the differences between the polymer propagator and the trial propagator as the first cumulant approximation. The variational principle is used to find the optimal values of the variational parameters and the mean square end-to-end distance is obtained. Several asymptotic limits are considered and a comparison between this approaches and replica approach will be discussed.
The Earth Charter and Militarism: An Ecological Feminist Analysis
Authors: Davion Victoria 
Published: July 2004

AbstractThis essay explores the Earth Charter through an ecological feminist lens. In a previous essay on the Charter (Davion 2002), I argued that although basically consistent with ecological feminist approaches, the charter fails adequately to consider issues of ethical responsibility, social location, and power. I shall now argue that while my original observations remain troubling, the Charter does have profound implications for the morality of war. In what follows I first introduce ecological feminism. I then review my earlier conclusions concerning the charter, explaining why I believe they remain crucial. I conclude with a discussion of why, despite some important flaws, the Charter has important moral implications concerning themorality of war.