bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patient‐controlled analgesia versus conventional intramuscular injection: a cost effectiveness analysis
Authors: Chang A.M. , Ip W.Y. , Cheung T.H. 
Published: May 2004

Background.  In previous studies comparing patient‐controlled‐analgesia and intramuscular pain management have been unable to provide conclusive evidence of the benefits of either method of postoperative pain control.Aim.  The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of intravenous patient‐controlled‐analgesia with intermittent intramuscular morphine for Chinese women in the first 24 hours following elective gynaecological surgery.Methods.  A randomized control design was used. The main outcomes were level of pain and cost for the two types of pain management. Participants indicated their level of pain at rest and when deep breathing or coughing on a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale, on seven occasions within 24 postoperative hours. Costs for the two types of pain management were based on the costs of equipment, drugs and nursing time.Results.  A total of 125 women participated in the study. Mean pain level over the 24 hours in the patient‐controlled‐analgesia group was significantly lower than in the intramuscular group (P < 0·001). Mean pain level over the seven occasions for the patient‐controlled‐analgesia group was 11·83 points (95% CI 7·14–16·52) lower when at rest and 11·73 points (95% CI 5·96–17·50) lower during motion than the intramuscular group. Cost per patient was $81·10 (Hong Kong) higher for patient‐controlled‐analgesia than for intramuscular pain management. Women in the patient‐controlled‐analgesia group had significantly greater satisfaction with pain management than those in the intramuscular group (P < 0·001), but reported significantly more episodes of nausea (P < 0·05).Conclusions.  While patient‐controlled‐analgesia was more costly, it was also more effective than conventional on‐demand intramuscular opioid injections after laparotomy for gynaecological surgery.
Can oncology nurses treat depression? A pilot project
Authors: Strong Vanessa , Sharpe Michael , Cull Ann , Maguire Peter , House Allan , Ramirez Amanda 
Published: May 2004

Background.  Depression is a common problem in all medically ill populations. Reported prevalence rates of major depression in patients with cancer are up to 50%. Cancer patients attending primary care and medical outpatient clinics with comorbid major depressive disorder frequently do not receive effective treatment. More effective ways of identifying and treating patients with both cancer and depression are therefore urgently required.Aim.  The paper reports a study addressing the question of whether oncology nurses can be trained to take on a greater role in the management of major depression in their patients.Method.  We developed and piloted an intervention that can be delivered by a specially trained oncology nurse. The intervention is multifaceted and based on a problem‐solving model. It requires a widening of the role and expertise of specialist nurses.Discussion.  The challenges this role presents to the nurses are discussed. We suggest that they must have a varied work programme that is not exclusively about managing depression, that they require adequate peer support and are likely to be most effective when working as part of a multidisciplinary psycho‐oncology team.Conclusion.  We conclude that it is possible to train selected specialist oncology nurses to manage major depression in patients with cancer in the context of an appropriately constituted multidisciplinary team.
Managing personal integrity: the process of hospitalization for elders
Authors: Jacelon Cynthia S. 
Published: May 2004

Background. Although, in the United States of America (USA), 40% of people aged 75 years old and older are hospitalized each year, the literature does not provide insight into their perspectives on hospitalization.Aim. The study was designed to illuminate the experience and behaviours of hospitalized elders, discover the meaning of that experience for them, and develop a substantive theory that could explain the social processes in which elders engaged while hospitalized.Method. Interviews and participant observation data were used to develop a grounded theory. Participants had to be at least 75 years old, speak English, have been admitted to the hospital for medical (non‐surgical) reasons, and be able to give informed consent. The elder, a family member, and a registered nurse caring for the elder were interviewed. Two‐hour periods of observation were conducted throughout the elder's hospital stay. Computer‐assisted data analysis included open, axial and theoretical coding. Techniques to improve the trustworthiness of the research included persistent observation, participant checking, a peer research support group and an audit conducted by an expert gerontology nurse researcher.Findings. Hospitalization was characterized as a process beginning when an alteration in health is identified and continuing through to the process of adjusting to returning home. Personal integrity was found to be a dynamic, intrinsic quality of the self, composed of health, dignity and autonomy. During hospitalization, elders used strategies to manage their personal integrity. At first, elders focused on strategies relating to health and then moved on to dignity and, finally, autonomy.Conclusion. Hospitalized elders choose how they will interact with health care providers and the actions they will take to manage their health, dignity and autonomy. The findings have implications for developing nursing care and for further research.
Effects of the wood extractive betulinol and 17β‐oestradiol on reproduction in zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton) – complications due to a bacterial infection
Authors: Christianson‐Heiska I , Wahteristo P , Kastilan E‐L , Bergelin E , Bylund G , Isomaa B 
Published: May 2004

AbstractZebrafish were exposed to the wood extractive betulinol (5 μg L−1) and to 17β‐oestradiol (E2, 0.27 μg L−1) for 8 weeks in an attempt to study the possible endocrine‐disrupting activity of betulinol. Females exposed to betulinol showed increased spawning intensity, while males exposed to betulinol and E2 had increased incidences of structural alterations in the testes. However, histological examination of the fish revealed that they were infected by acid‐fast bacteria suspected to be Mycobacterium sp. despite a careful examination of their health state prior to the onset of the experiment. Fish exposed to betulinol and E2 showed more serious consequences of the bacterial infection than control fish indicating that the test chemicals had weakened the immune defence of the fish. When the exposure was repeated with healthy fish, an increase in the proportion of spermatogonia was seen in the testes of betulinol‐treated males. A similar alteration, although not statistically significant, was also seen in the first experiment. However, no increase in the incidences of structural alterations in the testes was seen in betulinol‐ and E2‐treated fish in the second experiment. Our study indicates that betulinol might have an endocrine‐disrupting effect in zebrafish, but the increase in incidences of structural alterations in the testes might have been caused by a synergistic action between the test compounds and the bacterial infection. Our study stresses the importance of carefully checking the health of experimental fish, not only prior to the onset of an experiment but also upon termination of the experiment, in order to avoid misinterpretation of the results.
Enzyme treatment of Trypanosoma danilewskyi (Laveran & Mesnil) increases its susceptibility to lysis by the alternative complement pathway of goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.)
Authors: Plouffe D A , Belosevic M 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThis study examined whether in vitro‐cultured Trypanosoma danilewskyi were susceptible to lysis in the presence or absence of anti‐parasite antibodies and complement. Cultured trypanosomes were resistant to lysis by either immune or non‐immune goldfish serum. However, trypanosomes treated with the proteolytic enzyme trypsin, which destroys surface proteins of the parasites, became susceptible to lysis when exposed to either immune or non‐immune goldfish serum. The lysis by goldfish serum was dependent on the presence of heat‐labile factors and occurred at 4 and 20 °C. The lysis was also dependent on the presence of Mg2+ ions but not Ca2+ ions. Furthermore, treatment of the parasites with different sialidases did not enhance their susceptibility to lysis by goldfish serum. Trypsinized parasites regained resistance to lysis after at least 6‐h cultivation in the absence of trypsin and the restoration of full resistance was observed after 24‐h cultivation. The resistance to lysis was abrogated when the protein synthesis inhibitor, puromycin, was added to the cultures. These results suggest that trypsinized trypanosomes were susceptible to lysis by goldfish complement (alternative pathway) and that protective surface proteins of the parasite were required for the resistance of normal trypanosomes to lysis.
Glomerulonephritis and immunosuppression associated with dietary essential fatty acid deficiency in gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L., juveniles
Authors: Montero D , Socorro J , Tort L , Caballero M J , Robaina L E , Vergara J M , Izquierdo M S 
Published: May 2004

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to determine the effect of an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficient diet on growth, immune status and renal morphology of juvenile gilthead sea bream, using two diets: a control diet containing 2% (DW) of n‐3 high unsaturated fatty acid (n‐3 HUFA) and a diet formulated to be deficient in EFA for this species and containing 0.5% DW of n‐3 HUFA (diet NFA). After 9 weeks of feeding the EFA‐deficient diet fish showed a reduction in growth compared with the control group (107.48 ± 9.14 and 123.14 ±11.87 g final weight respectively). Fish fed the NFA diet showed a reduction in the erythrocyte volume together with increased erythrocyte fragility, haemoglobin content and red blood cell count in comparison with fish fed the control diet. EFA deficiency also reduced cellular immunity in terms of neutrophil activity and the number of circulating lymphocytes. The serum alternative complement pathway was markedly reduced in fish fed the EFA deficient diet. Fish fed the control diet showed glomeruli with a well‐defined Bowman's space and normal renal tubes. However, up to 88% of fish fed the EFA‐deficient diet showed alterations in renal morphology affecting at least 50% of the glomeruli, which showed extreme dilation of capillaries and occlusion of Bowsman's capsule. Mesangial proliferation and diffuse thickening of the capillary walls, as well as renal tube degeneration, were also observed.
Financial factors in R&D budget setting: the impact of interfunctional market coordination, strategic alliances, and the nature of competition
Authors: Dunk Alan S. , Kilgore Alan 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIncreasingly demanding markets, changes in technology and greater international competition have made the effective management of product R&D together with its associated costs essential. The magnitude of R&D costs are of concern to many companies, potentially inhibiting organizations from investing in new product development. Although rising costs of R&D and the growing dependence of companies on R&D for product leadership increase the need to plan and evaluate R&D activities more effectively, difficulties have been experienced in applying budgetary control systems to R&D. Despite such concerns, the published literature indicates that an emphasis on financial factors in setting the size of R&D budgets is becoming a competitive necessity. A review of the published literature suggests that interfunctional market coordination, the relative use of strategic alliances and the nature of competition in terms of product cost versus product innovation are potentially instrumental in influencing the degree of emphasis on financial factors in R&D budget setting. The results of the present study indicate that these three organizational and environmental variables result in an emphasis on financial factors in setting the size of R&D budgets. Implications drawn from the findings are discussed.
How to measure mutual fund performance: economic versus statistical relevance
Authors: Otten Rogér , Bams Dennis 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIn the present paper a comprehensive assessment of existing mutual fund performance models is presented. Using a survivor‐bias free database of all US mutual funds, we explore the added value of introducing extra variables such as size, book‐to‐market, momentum and a bond index. In addition to that we evaluate the use of introducing time‐variation in betas and alpha. The search for the most suitable model to measure mutual fund performance will be addressed along two lines. First, we are interested in the statistical significance of adding more factors to the single factor model. Second, we focus on the economic importance of more elaborate model specifications. The added value of the present study lies both in the step‐wise process of identifying relevant factors, and the use of a rich US mutual fund database that was recently released by the Center for Research in Security Prices.
A best choice among asset pricing models? The Conditional Capital Asset Pricing Model in Australia
Authors: Durack Nick , Durand Robert B. , Maller Ross A. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractWe use Australian data to test the Conditional Capital Asset Pricing Model (Jagannathan and Wang, 1996). Our results are generally supportive: the model performs well compared with a number of competing asset pricing models. In contrast to the study by Jagannathan and Wang, however, we find that the inclusion of the market for human capital does not save the concept of the time‐independent market beta (it remains insignificant). We find support for the role of a small‐minus‐big factor in pricing the cross‐section of returns and find grounds to disagree with Jagannathan and Wang's argument that this factor proxies for misspecified market risk.
Accounting based valuation models: what have we learned?
Authors: Richardson Gordon , Tinaikar Surjit 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThe present survey article formed the basis of a presentation by G. Richardson to the 8 July 2003 plenary session of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference in Brisbane, Australia. The present article reconciles the historical and forecasting branches in the published accounting literature. Prior survey articles have primarily focused either on the historical branch or the forecasting branch. While these approaches have yielded useful insights, they do not attempt to synthesize the link between the two branches of the published literature. An obvious link between the two branches is that the Ohlson model begins with the Residual Income Model as an initial assumption. We believe that there are other links that need further emphasis. In the process, we also review the empirical issues and the evidence within these two branches. We know of no paper to date that has surveyed the empirical evidence on both the historical and forecasting branches of the published literature. In particular, we draw inferences on the following question: on balance, what have we learned from nearly a decade of research on accounting based valuation models and its applications?
Evidence for transient forces/strains at the optic nerve head in myopia: repeated measurements of the Stiles–Crawford Effect of the First Kind (SCE‐I) over time
Authors: Choi Stacey S. , Enoch Jay M. , Kono Momoyo 
Published: May 2004

AbstractProbable transient changes in photoreceptor alignments, inferred from the measurements of the Stiles–Crawford effect of the first kind (SCE ‐ I), were demonstrated in myopic eyes with elongated axial length (regardless of the magnitude of refractive error) at three retinal locations; the fovea (point of fixation), and 22° and 27° in the nasal retina. The changes were much bigger at 22° and 27° in the nasal retina (which are located beyond the optic nerve head) than at the fovea. These transient effects were revealed by repeatedly testing the same retinal locations over a period of time. Time intervals between the subsequent/repeated measurements ranged from less than an hour to several months. In some locations, the changes were recorded in less than an hour. Collectively, these were very meaningful changes. Generally bigger effects were recorded in the horizontal SCE ‐ I than in the vertical SCE ‐ I.
Effect of storage temperatures and time on the efficacy of multipurpose solutions for contact lenses
Authors: Leung Polly , Boost Maureen V. , Cho Pauline 
Published: May 2004

AbstractPurpose:  To determine the effect of storage time and temperature on the efficacy of four multipurpose solutions for soft contact lenses.Method:  Aliquots of multipurpose solutions (OPTI‐FREE Express, ReNu MultiPlus, COMPLETE and SOLO‐care) stored at different temperatures over a 3‐month period, were challenged with contact lens‐related ocular pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans.Results:  The results showed that OPTI‐FREE Express had the best activity against Ps. aeruginosa at all temperatures; ReNu MultiPlus performed well at 25°C; COMPLETE barely achieved activity requirements at all temperatures, and lost efficacy after 2 months. SOLO‐care maintained its activity best against Ps. aeruginosa at 30°C. Storage at fridge temperature reduced activity of all solutions. Regardless of storage temperature, activities of all solutions against S. aureus markedly decreased by 2 months. Only OPTI‐FREE Express met FDA requirements against C. albicans.Conclusion:  Performance of multipurpose solutions is affected by time and temperature of storage. Contact lens users should be aware that the efficacy of opened solutions may not be sustained for as long as 3 months. Manufacturers should reconsider their recommendations to further safeguard the ocular health of contact lens wearers.
Chromatic and luminance losses with multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis measured using dynamic random luminance contrast noise
Authors: Flanagan Patrick , Zele Andrew J. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractWe measured thresholds for detecting changes in colour and in luminance contrast in observers with multiple sclerosis (MS) and/or optic neuritis (ON) to determine whether reduced sensitivity occurs principally in red‐green or blue‐yellow second‐stage chromatic channels or in an achromatic channel. Colour thresholds for the observers with MS/ON were higher in the red‐green direction than in the blue‐yellow direction, indicating greater levels of red‐green loss than blue‐yellow loss. Achromatic thresholds were raised less than either red‐green or blue‐yellow thresholds, showing less luminance‐contrast loss than chromatic loss. With the MS/ON observers, blue‐yellow and red‐green thresholds were positively correlated but increasing impairment was associated with more rapid changes in red‐green thresholds than blue‐yellow thresholds. These findings indicate that demyelinating disease selectively reduces sensitivity to colour vision over luminance vision and red‐green colours over blue‐yellow colours.
Self‐optimised vision correction with adaptive spectacle lenses in developing countries
Authors: Douali M. G. , Silver J. D. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIt is estimated by the World Health Organization that about 1 billion people in the developing world would benefit immediately from distance vision and near vision correction if it were available to them. Here we address this problem and provide a solution by correcting vision in the field with adaptive liquid‐filled variable focus lenses. We describe the details of the lens and present the results of a series of experiments performed in Ghana, Nepal, Malawi and South Africa that demonstrate that it is possible by simple means to self‐determine and obtain correct refraction using such lenses.
A quantitative description of lens eye morphology and its implications
Authors: Clement Richard A. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIf it is assumed that the differences between eyes constitute adaptations to different visual environments, then it should be possible to identify the visual environments for which the eye is optimised from these differences. Two different classes of simple eye shapes can be distinguished from the ratio of maximum pupil size to the axial length of an eye. The quantitative description of the two different eye shapes can be used to identify the relative importance of image illumination and resolution to an animal from a cross‐section of its eye.
The amplitude of accommodation in 6–10‐year‐old children – not as good as expected!
Authors: Sterner Bertil , Gellerstedt Martin , Sjöström Anders 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThe aim of this study was to measure the amplitude of accommodation for junior level school children and to compare it with age‐expected values. A junior level school in Göteborg, Sweden, was randomly chosen and the amplitude of accommodation among 76 children aged 6–10 years was examined using Donders’ push‐up method. The results showed lower amplitude than expected in a large group of children. Results also showed lower amplitude than previously reported for this age group, especially under monocular conditions, which revealed an average dioptric difference from the expected value of −3.60 dioptres (D) right eye (mean 12.40 D, median 12.00 D, S.D. 3.7 D) and −3.50 D left eye (mean 12.50 D, median 12.70 D, S.D. 3.8 D) (p < 0.001 for both eyes). Consequently, we conclude that it cannot be assumed that the amplitude of accommodation is in the expected amplitude range for all children of these ages.
SHRIMP U–Pb ages of ultrahigh‐pressure and retrograde metamorphism of gneisses, south‐western Sulu terrane, eastern China
Authors: Liu Fulai , Xu Zhiqin , Liou J. G. , Song Biao 
Published: May 2004

AbstractLaser Raman spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL) images reveal that most zircon separated from paragneiss and orthogneiss in drillhole CCSD‐PP2 at Donghai, south‐western Sulu terrane, retain low‐P mineral‐bearing inherited cores, ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) mineral‐bearing mantles and low‐P mineral‐bearing (e.g. quartz) rims. SHRIMP U–Pb analyses of these zoned zircon identify three discrete and meaningful age groups: Proterozoic protolith ages (> 680 Ma) are recorded in the inherited cores, the UHP metamorphic event in the coesite‐bearing mantles occurred at 231 ± 4 Ma, and the late amphibolite facies retrogressive overprint in the quartz‐bearing rims was at 211 ± 4 Ma. Thus, Neoproterozoic supracrustal protoliths of the Sulu UHP rocks were subducted to mantle depths in the Middle Triassic, and exhumed to mid‐crustal levels in the Late Triassic. The exhumation rate deduced from the SHRIMP data and metamorphic P–T conditions is 5.0 km Ma−1. Exhumation of the Sulu UHP terrane may have resulted from buoyancy forces after slab break‐off at mantle depths.