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Cumulative
Terms modified by Cumulative Selected AbstractsCumulative ,-, interaction triggers unusually high stabilization of linear hydrocarbons inside the single-walled carbon nanotubeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2007T. C. Dinadayalane Abstract The interactions of linear hydrocarbons C2nH4 and C2nH2 (n = 1,4) with a finite-length armchair (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotube have been investigated using HF and MP2 methods in conjunction with 6-31G(d) basis set, and molecular mechanics (MM) with MM2 force field. In all cases, the results obtained at MP2/6-31G(d) level show stabilization of these supramolecular systems, contrary to the repulsive interactions obtained with the HF method. The interaction energies computed using MM with MM2 force field are in close agreement with the results obtained using the MP2/6-31G(d) level. They increase gradually as the length of linear hydrocarbon chain increases. The present study indicates that cumulative ,-, interaction is the origin for the exceptionally high stabilization of the long nanotube-hydrocarbon complexes. Mulliken population analysis reveals a very small charge transfer between the nanotube and the guest. Essentially there is no change in HOMO-LUMO energy gap by the insertion of linear hydrocarbons. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007 [source] Sources of stress in impoverished neighbourhoods: insights into links between neighbourhood environments and healthAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 1 2009Deborah Warr Abstract Objective:This paper explores associations between residents' perceptions of social incivilities and physical disorders in local environments and self-reported health status. Method: Surveys were conducted with 4,029 residents from 13 Neighbourhood Renewal sites and 1,857 residents of corresponding Local Government Areas in Victoria. An open-ended question asked respondents to nominate the worst things about living in their neighbourhood and this qualitative data was analysed for the range of perceptions of incivilities. Quantitative data analysis considered associations between incivilities in neighbourhood environments and self-reported health status. Results: Issues conceptualised as social incivilities (drug and alcohol use, dangerous driving, the behaviour of other people, feeling unsafe, noise, racism) accounted for 58% of issues nominated. Quantitative analyses suggested that increased exposure to issues related to aspects of neighbourhood safety were associated with living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood. Perceptions of lower levels of neighbourhood safety were, in turn, associated with poorer health. Conclusions: Cumulative and compounding aspects of local environments that heighten feelings of insecurity and anxiety may be mechanisms through which places affect health. Implications: While the characteristics of populations are important determinants of health outcomes, the findings endorse the value of incorporating complementary place-based approaches for addressing mechanisms that contribute to health inequalities in local environments. [source] Prognostic factors for functional outcome and survival after reirradiation for in-field recurrences of metastatic spinal cord compression,CANCER, Issue 5 2008Dirk Rades MD Abstract BACKGROUND. The purpose of the current study was to retrospectively investigate clinical outcome and potential prognostic factors after reirradiation (Re-RT) for in-field recurrence of metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). METHODS. Re-RT with 1 × 8 Gy (n = 48), 5 × 3 Gy (n = 29), 5 × 4 Gy (n = 30), 7 × 3 Gy (n = 3), 10-12 × 2 Gy (n = 11), or 17 × 1.8 Gy (n = 3) was administered to 124 patients. Cumulative biologically effective dose (BED) (first course of RT plus re-RT) ranged from 77.5 Gy2 to 142.6 Gy2, and was ,120 Gy2 in 114 (92%) patients. Twelve potential prognostic factors were investigated for associations with motor function and survival. RESULTS. Motor function improved in 45 (36%) patients, was stable in another 62 (50%) patients, and deteriorated in 17 (14%) patients. Upon multivariate analyses, the effect of Re-RT on motor function was significantly associated with the effect of the first course of RT (P = .048), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (P = .020), time to development of motor deficits before Re-RT (P = .002), and visceral metastases (P < .001). Survival was associated with ECOG performance status (P < .001), ambulatory status before Re-RT (P < .001), time to development of motor deficits (P = .018), and visceral metastases (P <.001). Re-RT dose schedule or cumulative BED had no significant impact on functional outcome or survival. Acute toxicity was mild, and late toxicity, such as radiation myelopathy, was not observed. CONCLUSIONS. Given the limitations of a retrospective study and the relatively short follow up after Re-RT, spinal reirradiation appeared to be effective and safe when the cumulative BED is ,120 Gy2. Motor function after Re-RT was associated with the effect of first irradiation, performance status, time to development of motor deficits, and visceral metastases, whereas the Re-RT schedule had no significant impact. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] Smoking and Risk of Premature Death among Middle-aged Japanese: Ten-year Follow-up of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study on Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases (JPHC Study) Cohort ICANCER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002Megumi Hara To update the evidence on the association between smoking and mortality, we analyzed data from a population-based prospective study in Japan. In total, 19 950 men and 21 534 women aged 40,59 who reported their smoking history and had no serious disease at baseline survey were followed. During 1990,1999, 1014 men and 500 women died. Smokers were associated with an unhealthy life-style. Relative risks (RRs) for selected cause of death due to smoking were slightly attenuated by adjusting for possible confounding factors. Age- and area-adjusted RRs of male current smokers compared with never smokers were 1.66 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.40, 1.95) for all causes, 1.69 (1.31, 2.18) for all cancers, 1.67 (1.20, 2.34) for all circulatory system disease, and 1.63 (1.24, 2.15) for other causes, while those of females were 2.03 (1.52, 2.73), 2.06 (1.35, 3.15), 2.99 (1.75, 5.11), 1.31 (0.69, 2.51), respectively. After adjusting for multivariate variables, the corresponding RRs of male smokers were 1.55 (1.29, 1.86), 1.61 (1.20, 2.15), 1.41 (0.97, 2.03), and 1.61 (1.17, 2.19), against 1.89 (1.36, 2.62), 1.83 (1.14, 2.95), 2.72 (1.45, 5.07), and 1.39 (0.71, 2.73) for females. Twenty-two percent of death from all causes, 25% of all cancer, and 17% of all circulatory system disease deaths, could be attributed to cigarette smoking in males, and 5%, 4%, and 11% in females, respectively. Cumulative dose as indicated by pack-years was clearly associated with cancer death. These findings provided information as to the quantitative risk for premature death due to smoking among middle-aged Japanese men and women, and showed that the elevated risk was not explained by the unhealthy lifestyle of smokers. [source] FC03.2 Cumulative incidence of self reported skin disease in hydrotherapists working in swimming poolsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2004Aneta Lazarov Objective:, To assess the cumulative incidence and characteristics of self reported skin disease in hydrotherapists. Methods:, Hydrotherapists, who had completed a hydrotherapy training course answered a questionnaire in reference to newly appeared skin disease. Data were analyzed statistically. Results:, 190 subjects presently working as hydrotherapists were studied. Of them 75.8% were female and 24.2% were male. 80% of the hydrotherapists worked up to 10 000 cumulative hours defined by the formula: working hours per weeks × number of weeks per year × years of work in the pool. 85 of the subjects (45%) reported on the development of skin disease for the first time after starting work at the swimming pool. 21 (11.8%) had a preexisting skin disease. The most frequent symptoms included pruritus, burning, stinging, erythematous patches and xerotic skin on the extremities, trunk and folds. A statistically significant relationship between the cumulative working time and the incidence of dermatological pathology compatible with contact dermatitis was found. Conclusions:, The incidence of self reported skin diseases, developing for the first time or due to exacerbation of preexisting dermatological conditions, in hydrotherapists working in swimming pools is high. Statistically significant relationship between the cumulative hours of immersion in the pool and the incidence of the dermatological pathology was observed suggesting a dose response relationship between exposure and effect. [source] Reducing Child Poverty with Cash Transfers: A Sure Thing?DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2006Armando Barrientos Children are disproportionately represented among the income-poor, many suffer from severe deprivation, and their poverty and vulnerability have cumulative and long-term consequences. This article provides a comparative examination of the poverty-reduction effectiveness of cash transfer programmes targeting children, focusing on three types of such programmes: the Child Support Grant in South Africa, family allowances in transition countries, and targeted conditional cash transfer programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean. It finds that, despite differences in design, cash transfer programmes targeting children in poor households are an effective way of reducing poverty. [source] Temporal dynamics within a contemporary latitudinal diversity gradientECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 9 2008Jonathan A. D. Fisher Abstract Poleward declines in species diversity [latitudinal diversity gradients (LDG)] remain among the oldest and most widespread of macroecological patterns. However, their contemporary dynamics remain largely unexplored even though changing ecological conditions, including global change, may modify LDG and their respective ecosystems. Here, we examine temporal variation within a temperate Northwest Atlantic LDG using 31 years of annual fisheries-independent surveys and explore its dynamics in relation to a dominant climate signal [the wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)] that varies interannually and alters the latitudinal gradient of Northwest Atlantic continental shelf bottom water temperatures. We found that the slopes of the annual LDG vary dramatically due to changes in geographic distributions of 100+ species, variations that are concealed within the cumulative, static LDG. These changes are strongly associated with changes in NAO sign and strength. This is the first illustration of temporal dynamics in a contemporary LDG and the first demonstration of the speed at which local environmental variations can alter an LDG. Our findings underscore the need to investigate factors that modify LDG separately from those that contribute to their origins. [source] Emergency Department Information System Implementation and Process Redesign Result in Rapid and Sustained Financial Enhancement at a Large Academic CenterACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010Jason S. Shapiro MD Abstract Objectives:, The objectives were to measure the financial impact of implementing a fully integrated emergency department information system (EDIS) and determine the length of time to "break even" on the initial investment. Methods:, A before-and-after study design was performed using a framework of analysis consisting of four 15-month phases: 1) preimplementation, 2) peri-implementation, 3) postimplementation, and 4) sustained effects. Registration and financial data were reviewed. Costs and rates of professional and facility charges and receipts were calculated for the phases in question and compared against monthly averages for covariates such as volume, collections rates, acuity, age, admission rate, and insurance status with an autoregressive time series analysis using a segmented model. The break-even point was calculated by measuring cumulative monthly receipts for the last three study phases in excess of the average monthly receipts from the preimplementation phase, corrected for change in volume, and then plotting this against cumulative overall cost. Results:, Time to break even on the initial EDIS investment was less than 8 months. Total revenue enhancement at the end of the 5-year study period was $16,138,953 with an increase of 69.40% in charges and 70.06% in receipts. This corresponds to an increase in receipts per patient from $50 to $90 for professional services and $131 to $183 for facilities charges. Other than volume, there were no significant changes in trends for covariates between the preimplementation and sustained-effects periods. Conclusions:, A comprehensive EDIS implementation with process redesign resulted in sustained increases in professional and facility revenues and a rapid initial break-even point. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:527,535 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] Do animals have culture?EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Kevin N. Laland Abstract Culture is probably not rare in animals, although hard experimental evidence is lacking. The strongest case for culture is found in the species most amenable to experimental manipulation, rather than in nonhuman primates. Human culture is much more likely to be cumulative than animal culture, but the reasons for this are not well established. At this point, there is no reason to assume that cumulative culture depends critically on teaching, imitation, language, or perspective-taking. Currently, animals are being judged according to stricter criteria than humans. [source] Evolutionary archeology: Current status and future prospectsEVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Michael J. O'Brien Abstract Darwinian evolution can be defined minimally as "any net directional change or any cumulative change in the characteristics of , populations over many generations,in other words, descent with modification"1 (p. 5). In archeology the population comprises artifacts, which are conceived of as phenotypic.2,4 Extension of the human phenotype to include ceramic vessels, projectile points, and the like is based on the notion that artifacts are material expressions of behavior, which itself is phenotypic. Archeology's unique claim within the natural sciences is its access to past phenotypic characters. Thus, historical questions are the most obvious ones archeologists can ask, although admittedly this is hardly a strong warrant for asking them. But if the issue is evolution, then historical questions must be asked. Posing and answering historical questions is the goal of evolutionary archeology.5. [source] Salvadoran economic transnationalism: embedded strategies for household maintenance, immigrant incorporation, and entrepreneurial expansionGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 3 2001Patricia Landolt This article presents a case study of the transnational economic practices linking two Salvadoran settlements in the United States and El Salvador. It considers the relationship between economic transnationalism, immigrant settlement and economic development in the country of origin. Four processes are examined including: (1) the creation of border-spanning social networks by migrants and their home country counterparts; (2) the construction of transnational economic activities and institutions; (3) the broader transnational social formations in which these are embedded; and, (4) the cumulative and unintended consequences of economic transnationalism for migrant households, the immigrant community, and El Salvador. The article applies the concepts of social network, social capital, and embeddedness, to explain the sources and determinants of individual- and community-level variation in types of transnational economic practices. The conclusions drawn are that economic transnationalism is both part of a transnational settlement strategy and holds potential for economic development in the country of origin. [source] Suspended sediment dynamics in a steep, glacier-fed mountain stream, Place Creek, CanadaHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 9 2003G. Richards Abstract This study examined suspended sediment concentration (SSC) during the ablation seasons of 2000 and 2001 in Place Creek, Canada, a steep, glacier-fed mountain stream. Comparison of stream flow in Place Creek with that in an adjacent, almost unglacierized catchment provided a rational basis for separating the ablation seasons into nival, nival,glacial, glacial and autumn recession subseasons. Distinct groupings of points in plots of electrical conductivity against discharge supported the validity of the subseasonal divisions in terms of varying hydrological conditions. Relationships between SSC and discharge (Q) varied between the two study seasons, and between subseasons. Hysteresis in the SSC,Q relationship was evident at both event and weekly time-scales. Some suspended sediment released from pro-glacial Place Lake (the source of Place Creek) appeared to be lost to channel storage at low flows, especially early in the ablation season, with re-entrainment at higher flows. Multiple regression models were derived for the subseasons using predictor variables including Q, Q2, the change in Q over the previous 3 h, cumulative discharge over the ablation season, total precipitation over the previous 24 h and SSC measured at 1500 hours as an index value for each day. The models produced adjusted R2 values ranging from 0·71 to 0·91, and provided tentative insights into the differences in SSC dynamics amongst subseasons. Introduction of the index value of SSC significantly improved the model fit during the nival,glacial and glacial subseasons for both years, as it adjusts the model to the current condition of sediment supply. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A mixture of seven antiandrogens induces reproductive malformations in ratsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2008Cynthia V. Rider Summary To date, regulatory agencies have not considered conducting cumulative risk assessments for mixtures of chemicals with diverse mechanisms of toxicity because it is assumed that the chemicals will act independently and the individual chemical doses are not additive. However, this assumption is not supported by new research addressing the joint effects of chemicals that disrupt reproductive tract development in the male rat by disrupting the androgen signalling pathway via diverse mechanisms of toxicity [i.e. androgen receptor (AR) antagonism in the reproductive tract vs. inhibition of androgen synthesis in the foetal testis]. In this study, pregnant rats were exposed to four dilutions of a mixture containing vinclozolin, procymidone, linuron, prochloraz, benzyl butyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate during the period of sexual differentiation and male offspring were assessed for effects on hormone sensitive endpoints including: anogenital distance, infant areolae retention and reproductive tract tissue weights and malformations. The ratio of the chemicals in the mixture was based upon each chemical's ED50 for inducing reproductive tract malformations (hypospadias or epididymal agenesis). The observed responses from the mixture were compared with predicted responses generated with a toxic equivalency approach and models of dose addition, response addition or integrated addition. As hypothesized, we found that the mixture of chemicals that alter the androgen signalling pathway via diverse mechanisms disrupted male rat reproductive tract differentiation and induced malformations in a cumulative, dose-additive manner. The toxic equivalency and dose addition models provided the best fit to observed responses even though the chemicals do not act via a common cellular mechanism of action. The current regulatory framework for conducting cumulative risk assessments needs to consider the results, including those presented herein, which indicate that chemicals that disrupt foetal tissues during sexual differentiation act in a cumulative, dose-additive manner irrespective of the specific cellular mechanism of toxicity. [source] Preoperative hCG, and CA 72-4 are prognostic factors in gastric cancerINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 6 2004Johanna Louhimo Abstract In gastric cancer, the role of tumour markers in assessment of prognosis is unconfirmed. In our study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of serum tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CA 242 and free , subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG,) in gastric cancer. Preoperative serum samples were obtained from 146 patients with gastric cancer, including 29 with stage I, 11 with stage II, 42 with stage III and 64 patients with stage IV cancer. Quantitation of CEA, CA 19-9, CA 72-4 and CA 242 in serum was performed with commercial assays. HCG, was measured with an in-house immunofluorometric assay based on monoclonal antibodies specific for the free ,-subunit of hCG. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier life-tables and log-rank test, and with multivariate Cox regression analysis. Disease-specific cumulative 2-year survival rate was 40%. Serum levels of CEA, CA 72-4, CA 242 and hCG, showed significant correlation with stage (p<0.027); for CA 19-9 the association was of borderline significance (p=0.056). Of the studied markers, CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CA 242 and hCG, were found to be prognostic factors in univariate analysis (p< 0.022). In multivariate analysis, stage had the statistically most significant association with prognosis followed by hCG,, tumour histology according to the Laurén classification and by CA 72-4. In gastric cancer, tumour markers hCG, and CA 72-4 are independent prognostic factors in addition to stage and histological type of the tumour. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Global analyses of satellite-derived vegetation index related to climatological wetness and warmthINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Rikie Suzuki Abstract Wetness and warmth are the principal factors that control global vegetation distribution. This paper investigates climate,vegetation relationships at a global scale using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), warmth index (WAI), and wetness index (WEI). The NDVI was derived from a global, 20-year Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) dataset with 4-min resolution. The WEI was defined as the ratio of precipitation to potential evaporation. The WAI was defined as the cumulative monthly mean temperature that exceeds 5 °C annually. Meteorological data from the International Satellite Land-Surface Climatology Project Initiative II (ISLSCP II) dataset were used to calculate the WEI and WAI. All analyses used annual values based on averages from 1986 to 1995 at 1 × 1 degree resolution over land. Relationships among NDVI, WEI, and WAI values were examined using a vegetation-climate diagram with the WEI and WAI as orthogonal coordinates. The diagram shows that large NDVI values correspond to areas of tropical and temperate forests and large WEI and WAI values. Small WEI and WAI values are associated with small NDVI values that correspond to desert and tundra, respectively. Two major regimes are revealed by the NDVI vegetation-climate diagram: wetness dominant and warmth dominant. Wetness dominates mid- and low latitudes. Warmth dominates high latitudes north of 60°N or elevated land such as the Tibetan Plateau. The boundary between the two regimes roughly corresponds to the vegetation boundary between taiga forest and southern vegetation. Over northern Eurasia, the boundary occurs in areas where the NDVI is large and the maximum monthly temperature is around 18 °C. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Seasonal variation of the onset of presentations in stage 1 sarcoidosisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 11 2006S. S. DEMIRKOK Summary Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease with an unknown aetiology. Our aim was to evaluate the pattern of seasonality of stage 1 sarcoidosis subjects who had symptoms by all cases, by age and by both genders. In this study, we used Roger's test for cyclic variation to prove that this seasonal variation was more than chance. Four hundred ninety-two consecutive patients with sarcoidosis who presented different clinical symptoms were included in this retrospective cohort study. According to the chest X-ray examinations, 185 patients had stage 1, while 307 patients in control group had stage 0, 2, 3 and 4 sarcoidosis. The demographic features, presenting clinical features, course of the disease, initial diagnostic methods and both the month and the age at the initial diagnosis for each patient were analysed on chart reviews. Roger's test for cyclic variation was used to determine the significance of any seasonal variation of incidence. Otherwise, t -test was used. The distribution of cumulative monthly presentations for patients with stage 1 peaked in April (108% above the average) and was lowest in October, November and December (48% below the average) (p < 0.001). Seasonality of the control group peaked in May (84% above the average) and was lowest in August (69% below the average) (p < 0.001). The seasonal pattern of subjects within both groups was influenced by some age groups and by both genders (p < 0.05). Some differences in the amplitude of the seasonal variation by age and by both genders increase the possibility of interactions among age, gender and the disease. Further well-designed and prospective studies are required to better understand the importance of our findings and the pathogenesis of the disease. [source] Formulation and development of a patch containing tamarind fruit extract by using the blended chitosan,starch as a rate-controlling matrixINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 3 2003J. Viyoch Synopsis A cosmetic patch containing tamarind fruit extract was formulated and developed by blending two types of natural polymers: chitosan with molecular weight of 100 000 and starch such as corn, potato or tapioca starch. The physicochemical characteristics, i.e. flexibility, colour, transparency, integrity, gloss, water sorption and bioadhesion property and the stability of the patch without tamarind content were investigated. Stability test was performed by keeping the prepared patches at 4 °C, at room temperature or at 45 °C for 2 weeks. The results showed that the formulations composed of chitosan:corn starch ratio of 4.5 : 0.5 (CC4.5 : 0.5) and chitosan:tapioca starch ratios of 4.5 : 0.5 (CT4.5 : 0.5) and 4.0 : 1.0 (CT4 : 1) provide patches with favourable physical characteristics, high water sorption, good bioadhesion ability and good stability. After the lyophilized tamarind extract in an amount corresponding to 5% of tartaric acid was incorporated into the formulations of CC4.5 : 0.5, CT4.5 : 0.5 and CT4 : 1, the ability of the patches to adhere to skin was improved. However, after keeping the test patches at room temperature or at 45 °C for 6 weeks, their colours were intensified while their flexibilities and skin adhesion properties decreased. A 12-h in vitro permeation was investigated by studying the cumulative amount of tartaric acid permeated through the Silastic® membrane (Dow-Coming, Midland, MI, USA). The CC4.5 : 0.5 patch tended to give the highest amount of tartaric acid released. The release pattern of all the blended polymeric matrices was exhibited in two distinct phases: the rapid phase, where the flux averaged 3.61 µg min,1 mm,2; and the slow phase, where the flux averaged 1.89 µg min,1 mm,2. Résumé Un patch cosmétique contenant un extrait de fruit de Tamarin a été formulé et développé en mélangeant deux types de polymères naturels, le chitosan d'un poids moléculaire de 100 000 et d'amidon de maïs, de pomme de terre ou d'amidon de tapioca. Les caractéristiques physico chimiques, i.e. de flexibilité, couleur, transparence, intégrité, brillance, pouvoir de sorption de l'eau, la propriété de bio adhésion et la stabilité des patchs sans tamarin ont été déterminées. Le test de stabilité A été effectué en gardant les patchs préparés à 4 °C, température ambiante ou 45 °C pendant 2 semaines. Les résultats montrent que la formulation composée de chitosan:amidon de maïs au taux relatif de 4.5 : 0.5 (CC4.5 : 0.5), de chitosan:amidon de tapioca aux taux relatifs de 4.5 : 0.5 (CT4.5 : 0.5) et de 4.0 : 1.0 (CT4 : 1) conduit aux propriétés physiques les plus favorables, haute sorption d'eau, bonnes capacité de bio adhésion et stabilité. Après que l'extrait lyophilisé de tamarin ait été incorporé au taux correspondant à 5% d'acide tartrique dans les formulations CC4.5 : 0.5, CT4.5 : 0.5 et CT4 : 1, la capacité des patchs à adhérer à la peau a été améliorée. Cependant, la conservation des patchs à température ambiante et à 45 °C pendant 6 semaines conduisait à une intensification de leurs couleurs tandis que leur propriété d'adhésion diminuait. La perméation in vitro sur 12 heures a étéétudiée en suivant le taux cumulé d'acide tartrique passant à travers la membrane de Silastic®. Le CC4.5 : 0.5 tendait à donner le taux le plus élevé d'acide tartrique re largué. Le profil de relarguage de toutes les matrices de polymères montrait deux phases distinctes, l'une, rapide au flux moyen de 3.61 µg min,1 mm,2 et une, plus lente, de flux moyen 1.89 µg min,1 mm,2. [source] A French, abridged version of the Hospitals and Hostels Practices Profile ScheduleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001Marc Corbière Abstract This study aims to validate the Hospitals and Hostels Practices Profile Schedule (HHPPS) in the French version according to the statistical requirements of factor analysis and internal consistency, and to arrive at as parsimonious a version of the questionnaire as possible. As no validation of the original English instrument exists to our knowledge, the most parsimonious factor structure suggested by hypothetical constructs was used. Analyses of variance of six categories of residential settings served to underscore their points of convergence and divergence in terms of degree of autonomy allowed to patients. The following seven scales emerged from the analyses: ,activities: house rules', ,activities: morning wake-up', ,health and hygiene', ,activities: curfew', ,personal effects', ,activities: night-time surveillance' and ,meals'. These accounted for 65% of the cumulative explained variance. Of the residential settings considered, supervised apartments allowed patients the most autonomy, compared with psychiatric hospital wards, hostels, nursing homes, foster families and group homes. Aside from its primary role of measuring the degree of autonomy that residential settings allow patients, this questionnaire seems suitable for gauging the adequacy of fit between a patient's needs and available residential facilities. This should help to direct persons with severe and persistent mental disorders towards facilities better tailored to their needs. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Cumulative ,-, interaction triggers unusually high stabilization of linear hydrocarbons inside the single-walled carbon nanotubeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2007T. C. Dinadayalane Abstract The interactions of linear hydrocarbons C2nH4 and C2nH2 (n = 1,4) with a finite-length armchair (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotube have been investigated using HF and MP2 methods in conjunction with 6-31G(d) basis set, and molecular mechanics (MM) with MM2 force field. In all cases, the results obtained at MP2/6-31G(d) level show stabilization of these supramolecular systems, contrary to the repulsive interactions obtained with the HF method. The interaction energies computed using MM with MM2 force field are in close agreement with the results obtained using the MP2/6-31G(d) level. They increase gradually as the length of linear hydrocarbon chain increases. The present study indicates that cumulative ,-, interaction is the origin for the exceptionally high stabilization of the long nanotube-hydrocarbon complexes. Mulliken population analysis reveals a very small charge transfer between the nanotube and the guest. Essentially there is no change in HOMO-LUMO energy gap by the insertion of linear hydrocarbons. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007 [source] Mechanical Heart Valves in SeptuagenariansJOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 1 2008Ch.M., F.E.T.C.S., F.R.C.S., R. Ascione M.D. Methods: The study was carried out in a tertiary regional hospital in South-West England. Study 1: Consecutive series of 567 patients undergoing Sorin Bileaflet (SB) mechanical valve implant (437 patients < 70 years; 130 patients , 70 years). Study 2: 113 septuagenarians undergoing biological implant matched on age, valve type, concomitant coronary surgery, and operative priority to the SB septuagenarian group. Main outcome measures included in-hospital mortality and morbidity and mid-term valve-related outcome. Results: Study 1: Septuagenarians were more likely to present with coronary disease, and to undergo coronary surgery (p < 0.01). In-hospital mortality was 2.8% and 2.3% (p = 0.79) and neurological complications 1.4% versus 3.8% (p = 0.026) in the younger and older groups, respectively. Valve-related mortality at two years was 1.8% (95%CI, 0.8% to 3.6%) and 4.8% (95% CI, 2.0% to 9.7%); cumulative three- year incidence of thromboembolic or major hemorrhagic event was 8.3% (95% CI, 5.7% to 12.0%) and 4.6% (95% CI, 1.7% to 12.4%) in the younger and older groups, respectively. Study 2: In-hospital mortality was 1.8% and 7.1% in the SB and biological groups, respectively (ratio 0.25; 95% CI, 0.05 to 1.18, p = 0.058). The incidence of acute renal failure was greater in the biological group (risk ratio 0.30; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.98, p = 0.035). There was no difference in mid-term valve-related mortality between groups (hazard ratio 0.53; 95% CI, 0.18 to 1.52, p = 0.24). Conclusion: The performance of SB valve in septuagenarians seems to be effective with no increased risk of in-hospital mortality, bleeding, or thromboembolic events. [source] Dronedarone: A New Treatment for Atrial FibrillationJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008JAMES C. LAUGHLIN M.D. Dronedarone is a benzofuran derivative pharmacologically related to amiodarone but without the iodine moiety. It is designed for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Historically, amiodarone has proved most effective in maintaining sinus rhythm and has been used safely in patients with advanced heart failure. However, its use has been limited by cumulative and often irreversible organ toxicity, especially in younger patients. Dronedarone was developed in an effort to provide equivalent efficacy and safety with less toxicity. Dronedarone has proved efficacious without toxic or proarrhythmic effects and has minimal side effects, but remaining concerns exist regarding its use in patients with advanced heart failure. [source] Home range size, spatial distribution and habitat use of elephants in two enclosed game reserves in the Eastern Cape Province, South AfricaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2009C. Roux Abstract We studied space use and habitat selection by elephants in two enclosed reserves in the Eastern Cape Province (South Africa) that conserve components of the regionally important and poorly conserved Thicket Biome. Home ranges of bulls and herds occupied most of the reserves, and core areas were significantly smaller and centred on permanent water. There was no significant difference in home range size of bulls and herds and both were significantly smaller in winter than summer. Components of the Thicket Biome occurred in the home ranges and core areas of all elephants where it was either used according to its abundance or avoided. However, this should not be interpreted as indicating that elephants will not affect plants of the Thicket Biome since change will be cumulative and monitoring should be ongoing to ensure the conservation of this regionally important Biome. Résumé Nous avons étudié l'utilisation de l'espace et la sélection de l'habitat par les éléphants dans deux réserves clôturées de la Province du Cap Oriental, en Afrique du Sud, qui préservent les composantes d'un Biome important dans la région et cependant mal conservé, le biome de savane broussailleuse. Les domaines vitaux des mâles et des troupeaux occupaient la plus grande part des réserves, et leurs zones centrales étaient significativement plus petites et centrées sur les points d'eau permanents. Il n'y avait pas de différence significative de la taille des domaines vitaux des mâles et des troupeaux, domaines qui étaient significativement plus petits en hiver qu'en été. Des composantes du biome broussailleux étaient présentes dans le domaine vital et dans l'aire centrale de tous les éléphants, où elles étaient soit utilisées selon leur abondance, soit évitées. Cependant, il ne faudrait pas en déduire que cela indique que les éléphants n'affectent pas les plants du Biome à broussailles puisque les changements seront cumulatifs; il faut au contraire poursuivre le monitoring pour assurer la conservation de ce biome important au niveau régional. [source] Anatomy of Organizational CrisesJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2000Peter Hwang As the business environment gets more complex, the crises faced by management are more frequent and, potentially, more devastating. Previous research on crises looks at specific cases, typologies and definitions of crises. This paper argues that crises are better understood through the way they develop. Based on the theory of punctuated equilibria in biology, two types of crises are proposed: abrupt versus cumulative. An organizing framework based on a punctuated equilibria view of crisis is presented. In addition, the key concepts and mechanisms of the framework that provide management with a broadened view for coping with the ubiquitous nature of crises are discussed. [source] Inflammatory bowel disease: Established and evolving considerations on its etiopathogenesis and therapyJOURNAL OF DIGESTIVE DISEASES, Issue 5 2010Anja SCHIRBEL Modern studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis have been pursued for about four decades, a period of time where the pace of progress has been steadily increasing. This progress has occurred in parallel with and is largely due to developments in multiple basic scientific disciplines that range from population and social studies, genetics, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and DNA engineering. From this cumulative and constantly expanding knowledge base the fundamental pillars of IBD pathogenesis appear to have been identified and consolidated during the last couple of decades. Presently there is a general consensus among basic IBD investigators that both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the result of the combined effects of four basic components: global changes in the environment, the input of multiple genetic variations, alterations in the intestinal microbiota, and aberrations of innate and adaptive immune responses. There is also agreement on the conclusion that none of these four components can by itself trigger or maintain intestinal inflammation. A combination of various factors, and most likely of all four factors, is probably needed to bring about CD or UC in individual patients, but each patient or set of patients seems to have a different combination of alterations leading to the disease. This would imply that different causes and diverse mechanisms underlie IBD, and this could also explain why every patient displays his or her own clinical manifestations and a personalized response to therapy, and requires tailored approaches with different medications. While we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of this individual variability, we have only a superficial notion of the reasons why this occurs, as hinted by the uniqueness of the genetic background and of the gut flora in each person. So, we are apparently facing the paradox of having to deal with the tremendous complexity of the mechanisms responsible for chronic intestinal inflammation in the setting of each patient's individuality in the response to this biological complexity. This obviously poses considerable challenges to reaching a full understanding of IBD pathogenesis, but being aware of the difficulties is the first step in finding answers to them. [source] PATHOGEN DETECTION IN FOOD MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORIES: AN ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE PROFICIENCY TEST DATA, 1999,2007JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 4 2009DANIEL C. EDSON ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to assess laboratories' ability to detect or rule out the presence of four common food pathogens: Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter spp. To do this, qualitative proficiency test data provided by one proficiency test provider from 1999 to 2007 were examined. The annual and cumulative 9-year percentages of false-negative and false-positive responses were calculated. The cumulative 9-year false-negative rates were 7.8% for E. coli O157:H7, 5.9% for Salmonella spp., 7.2% for L. monocytogenes and 13.6% for Campylobacter spp. Atypical strains and low concentrations of bacteria were more likely to be missed, and the data showed no trend of improving performance over time. Percentages of false-positive results were below 5.0% for all four pathogens. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The results imply that food testing laboratories often fail to detect the presence of these four food pathogens in real food specimens. To improve pathogen detection, supervisors should ensure that testing personnel are adequately trained, that recommended procedures are followed correctly, that samples are properly prepared, that proper conditions (temperature, atmosphere and incubation time) are maintained for good bacterial growth and that recommended quality control procedures are followed. Supervisors should also always investigate reasons for unsatisfactory proficiency test results and take corrective action. Finally, more research is needed into testing practices and proficiency test performance in food testing laboratories. [source] Predicting the Performance of International Joint Ventures: An Investigation in China*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 2 2003John Child ABSTRACT Organizational learning, resourcing and control have been identified in the literature as potential firm-level influences on the performance of international joint ventures (IJVs). The study reported here examines the impact of these factors on the performance of Sino-foreign IJVs. Their performance is assessed in terms of both ,goal' and ,system' criteria. The hypothesized performance determinants are found to be more strongly associated with variance in system performance than in goal performance. The main performance predictors are the parent companies' experience with international business and joint ventures, and the quality of resources they provide to the joint ventures in respect of capital investment, new facilities and operational inputs. When good quality resourcing is provided, the sharing of control with local partners also predicts higher IJV performance. The performance effects of these factors appears to be cumulative, implying that further research should examine them together rather than singularly. [source] Immediate and 5-year cumulative outcome after paediatric intensive care in SwedenACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 8 2008N. GULLBERG Background: Little has been reported about intensive care of children in Sweden. The aims of this study are to (I) assess the number of admissions, types of diagnoses and length-of-stay (LOS) for all Swedish children admitted to intensive care during the years 1998,2001, and compare paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) with other intensive care units (adult ICUs) (II) assess immediate (ICU) and cumulative 5-year mortality and (III) determine the actual consumption of paediatric intensive care for the defined age group in Sweden. Methods: Children between 6 months and 16 years of age admitted to intensive care in Sweden were included in a national multicentre, ambidirectional cohort study. In PICUs, data were also collected for infants aged 1,6 months. Survival data were retrieved from the National Files of Registration, 5 years after admission. Results: Eight-thousand sixty-three admissions for a total of 6661 patients were identified, corresponding to an admission rate of 1.59/1000 children per year. Median LOS was 1 day. ICU mortality was 2.1% and cumulative 5-year mortality rate was 5.6%. Forty-four per cent of all admissions were to a PICU. Conclusions: This study has shown that Sweden has a low immediate ICU mortality, similar in adult ICU and PICU. Patients discharged alive from an ICU had a 20-fold increased mortality risk, compared with a control cohort for the 5-year period. Less than half of the paediatric patients admitted for intensive care in Sweden were cared for in a PICU. Studies are needed to evaluate whether a centralization of paediatric intensive care in Sweden would be beneficial to the paediatric population. [source] Standardized test outcomes for students engaged in inquiry-based science curricula in the context of urban reformJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 8 2008Robert Geier Abstract Considerable effort has been made over the past decade to address the needs of learners in large urban districts through scaleable reform initiatives. We examine the effects of a multifaceted scaling reform that focuses on supporting standards based science teaching in urban middle schools. The effort was one component of a systemic reform effort in the Detroit Public Schools, and was centered on highly specified and developed project-based inquiry science units supported by aligned professional development and learning technologies. Two cohorts of 7th and 8th graders that participated in the project units are compared with the remainder of the district population, using results from the high-stakes state standardized test in science. Both the initial and scaled up cohorts show increases in science content understanding and process skills over their peers, and significantly higher pass rates on the statewide test. The relative gains occur up to a year and a half after participation in the curriculum, and show little attenuation with in the second cohort when scaling occurred and the number of teachers involved increased. The effect of participation in units at different grade levels is independent and cumulative, with higher levels of participation associated with similarly higher achievement scores. Examination of results by gender reveals that the curriculum effort succeeds in reducing the gender gap in achievement experienced by urban African-American boys. These findings demonstrate that standards-based, inquiry science curriculum can lead to standardized achievement test gains in historically underserved urban students, when the curriculum is highly specified, developed, and aligned with professional development and administrative support. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 922,939, 2008 [source] PANEL PERFORMANCE AND NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS IN A DESCRIPTIVE SENSORY STUDYJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 4 2004JÉRÔME PAGÈS ABSTRACT The assessor performance is a key point in a sensory evaluation. In particular, at the end of a session, a decrease of the performance can be feared. We propose to analyze this performance with various criteria: usual ones as the main product effect or the error variance; a new one measuring the perceived products variability. The performance can then be studied all along the session from two points of view: in taking into account the only products tested at a given instant (named instantaneous); in taking into account all the products tested up to a given instant (named cumulative). In the presented example, in spite of the large number of products successively tested by each assessor, the instantaneous performance of the panel shows no significant deterioration. Furthermore, when the number of products tested by each assessor increases, more significant product effects can be obtained thanks to the accumulation of the amount of data. This shows that the number of products that can be reasonably studied by one assessor during one session is generally underestimated. [source] Meta-analysis: ribavirin plus interferon vs. interferon monotherapy for chronic hepatitic C , an updated Cochrane reviewALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2010J. Brok Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 840,850 Summary Background, Multiple randomized trials have been published on antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Aim, To meta-analyse the effect of adding ribavirin to interferon for chronic hepatitis C. Methods, The results of randomized trials were combined in cumulative meta-analyses. Trial sequential analyses were used to adjust for spurious results because of random errors and multiplicity. The outcome measures were undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA in serum (sustained virological response) and liver-related morbidity plus all-cause mortality. Results, We included 82 randomized trials with 12 615 patients. Trial sequential analysis established clear beneficial effect of interferon plus ribavirin vs. interferon on the sustained virological response in 1998 after nine trials (RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.64,0.85, P < 0.0001, 1734 patients). Subsequently, additional 73 trials were published just narrowing the confidence interval and decreasing the P -value. By contrast, trial sequential analysis found that additional evidence is needed to convincingly detect a beneficial effect of interferon plus ribavirin vs. interferon monotherapy on clinical outcomes. Conclusions, The rationale behind several recent trials on adding ribavirin to interferon for chronic hepatitis C is debatable as the effect on virological response is established. More evidence is needed to assess if adding ribavirin to interferon improves clinical outcomes. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||