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Original Paper (original + paper)
Selected AbstractsOriginal Paper: Aspirin Resistance in Hypertensive PatientsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 9 2010Beste Ozben MD J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010;12:714,720. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Aspirin resistance is associated with poor clinical prognosis. The authors investigated aspirin resistance in 200 hypertensive patients (111 men, age: 68.3±11.4 years) by the Ultegra Rapid Platelet Function Assay-ASA (Accumetrics Inc., San Diego, CA). Aspirin resistance was defined as an aspirin reaction unit ,550. Aspirin resistance was detected in 42 patients. Aspirin resistance was present in 25.6% of the patients with poor blood pressure control, while in 17.8% of the patients with controlled blood pressure (P=.182). Female gender and creatinine levels were significantly higher (P=.028 and P=.030, respectively), while platelet count was significantly lower (P=.007) in aspirin-resistant patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.445; P=.045), creatinine levels (OR, 1.297; P=.015) and platelet count (OR, 0.993; P=.005) were independent predictors of aspirin resistance. The frequency of aspirin resistance is not low in hypertensive patients. Female hypertensive patients, especially, with higher creatinine levels and lower platelet count are at higher risk for aspirin resistance. [source] Original Paper: Telmisartan Effects on Insulin Resistance in Obese or Overweight Adults Without Diabetes or HypertensionJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 9 2010Willa Hsueh MD J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010;12:746,752. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are antihypertensive agents associated with reduced risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus. The ARB telmisartan is a partial agonist of peroxisome proliferator,activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-,). This study evaluated the effect of telmisartan on insulin resistance, a known target of PPAR-, agonism. Overweight/obese persons with body mass index ,28 kg/m2, waist circumference ,35 inches, and components of the metabolic syndrome without hypertension or diabetes who were not preselected for insulin resistance were enrolled. Patients were randomized to telmisartan or matching placebo for 16 weeks. The primary efficacy measure was changed from baseline in the insulin sensitivity index (SI), calculated from oral glucose tolerance testing. SI was also evaluated in a subset of patients using a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Secondary end points included measures of insulin sensitivity and glucose and lipid metabolism. A total of 138 patients were randomized and received ,1 dose of study medication; 128 completed the study. At end point, no significant difference was found between telmisartan and placebo groups regarding change from baseline in SI or in glucose area under the curve. No significant between-group differences were found regarding glucose metabolism or lipoprotein levels. In the population with abdominal obesity and components of the metabolic syndrome, telmisartan did not increase insulin sensitivity. [source] Integrated inductors on porous siliconPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 5 2007H. Contopanagos The cover picture illustrates the effective use of a thick porous silicon layer as an integrated micro-plate for RF isolation on a silicon substrate, proposed by Harry Contopanagos and Androula Nassiopoulou in their Original Paper [1] in the current issue. What is plotted is the magnitude of the current distribution (colour coded from blue (low) to high (red) values) on the metallization and on a screen 50 µm underneath the bottom oxide layer of a 2-metal integrated CMOS-compatible inductor on bulk silicon (lower right) and on a 50 µm thick porous silicon layer (upper left) for a frequency of 2.5 GHz. Inductors were designed in a standard 0.13 µm CMOS technology. Efficient RF isolation is produced by the porous Si layer, as evidenced by the virtual elimination of surface currents relative to the case of standard CMOS, indicating virtually complete substrate shielding by a 50 µm thick porous Si layer for the relevant size scale. The quality factor of the inductor with the use of the porous Si layer is increased by 100%, reaching a maximum value of 33 for the design shown. The first author of the article is a visiting senior researcher at the Institute of Microelectronics (IMEL), National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos" (Athens, Greece). His research focuses on electromagnetics and microwave engineering, artificial materials and photonic crystals, wireless front ends, antennas and high-frequency analog integrated circuits. [source] The epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders: is the prevalence rising?DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 3 2002Lorna Wing Abstract For decades after Kanner's original paper on the subject was published in 1943, autism was generally considered to be a rare condition with a prevalence of around 2,4 per 10,000 children. Then, studies carried out in the late 1990s and the present century reported annual rises in incidence of autism in pre-school children, based on age of diagnosis, and increases in the age-specific prevalence rates in children. Prevalence rates of up to 60 per 10,000 for autism and even more for the whole autistic spectrum were reported. Reasons for these increases are discussed. They include changes in diagnostic criteria, development of the concept of the wide autistic spectrum, different methods used in studies, growing awareness and knowledge among parents and professional workers and the development of specialist services, as well as the possibility of a true increase in numbers. Various environmental causes for a genuine rise in incidence have been suggested, including the triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR]. Not one of the possible environmental causes, including MMR, has been confirmed by independent scientific investigation, whereas there is strong evidence that complex genetic factors play a major role in etiology. The evidence suggests that the majority, if not all, of the reported rise in incidence and prevalence is due to changes in diagnostic criteria and increasing awareness and recognition of autistic spectrum disorders. Whether there is also a genuine rise in incidence remains an open question. MRDD Research Reviews 2002;8:151,161. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Understanding the Origin of the 535,nm Emission Band in Oxidized Poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene): The Essential Role of Inter-Chain/Inter-Segment Interactions (Adv. Funct.ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 11 2004Mater. To view the original paper use http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200305149">. [source] High-Quality Ultra-Fine GaN Nanowires Synthesized Via Chemical Vapor Deposition (Adv. Mater.ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 12 2004Abstract To view the original paper use http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.200390097. [source] A Power-Control Theory of Gender and ReligiosityJOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 2 2009Jessica L. Collett The fact that women are more religious than men is one of the most consistent findings in the sociology of religion. Miller and Stark (2002) propose that a gender difference in risk preference of physiological origin might explain this phenomenon. While acknowledging the utility of their risk-preference mechanism, we believe that their assumption regarding the genesis of this difference is a premature concession to biology. Returning to Miller's original paper on gender, risk, and religiosity, we draw on power-control theory (PCT), developed in the work of John Hagan and colleagues, to introduce a plausible socialization account for these differences. We evaluate these claims using data from the General Social Survey. Women raised by high-socioeconomic status (SES) mothers are less religious than women raised by low-education mothers, but mother's SES has little effect on men's chances of being irreligious and father's SES has a negligible effect on the gender difference in religiosity. [source] Calculus attainment and grades received in intermediate economic theoryJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMETRICS, Issue 6 2006Mingliang Li We revisit the work of Butler et al. (1998) who examine the effect of mathematical preparation on grades received in intermediate economic theory courses. Using a Bayesian approach under reasonably ,diffuse' priors, we are able to replicate their two-step point estimates almost exactly. We also introduce a new model specification that accounts for the censoring and discrete nature of the outcome variable (grade received). The results from this specification echo the conclusions of the original paper,the level of calculus attained plays an important role in explaining grades received in intermediate micro theory. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Florigen (II): It is a Mobile ProteinJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2007Yuejun Yang Abstract The true identity of florigen , the molecule(s) that migrates from leaves to apical meristem to initiate flowering , was notoriously elusive, having made it almost the "Bigfoot" of plant biology. There was never a lack of drama in the field of florigen study, and florigen researchers have once again experienced such a swing in the last two years. We wrote a minireview last year in this journal (Yu et al. 2006) to excitedly salute, among other discoveries, the notion that the flowering locus T (FT) mRNA might be the molecular form of a florigen. However, this hypothesis was challenged in a little less than two years after its initial proposition, and the original paper proposed that the FT mRNA hypothesis was retracted (Huang et al. 2005; Bohlenius et al. 2007). Interestingly enough, the FT gene previously proposed to encode a florigen was never challenged. Rather, the FT protein, instead of the FT mRNA, is now believed to migrate from leaves to the apical meristem to promote floral initiation. In this update, we will share with our readers some entertaining stories concerning the recent studies of florigen in five different plant species. In addition to the published reports referenced in this update, readers may also refer to our previous minireview and references therein for additional background information (Yu et al. 2006). [source] QSAR Study of 2,3-Benzodiazepin-4(thi)one- and 1,2-Phthalazine-Related Negative Allosteric Modulators of the AMPA Receptor: A Structural Descriptors-Based ReassessmentMOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 3 2005Peter Buchwald Abstract In an attempt to establish statistically more rigorous and chemically more meaningful quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) equations, a reassessment of a recent study of in vivo anticonvulsant activity for a set of 2,3-benzodiazepin-4(thi)one- and 1,2-phthalazine-related allosteric AMPA antagonists (n=61) is presented. Contrary to the original, relatively nonspecific descriptor set, which included, for example, a number of topological descriptors, specific structural descriptors that are much easier to interpret from a medicinal chemical point of view are used in this multiple linear regression-based approach. Only statistically significant descriptors have been retained in the final equation, and whereas they give about the same correlation as those of the original paper on the training set (r2 of 0.79 vs. 0.76, n=49), they perform much better on the test set (predictive r of 0.73 vs. 0.05; r2 of 0.78 vs. 0.08, n=12). Descriptors found to be relevant are clearly related to substitutions at known pharmacophore positions, such as those corresponding to the 2,3-, 7,8- and 4,-positions of the benzodiazepine skeleton. Therefore, by a more careful selection of the descriptor set, both an improved prediction and a more intuitive quantitative interpretation could be achieved for this set of allosteric AMPA antagonists. [source] Normal-mode analysis of the structures of perovskites with tilted octahedra.ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION A, Issue 3 2002Erratum There is an error in the mode assignment for hettotype 9, [a,b+a,], discussed in the paper by Darlington [Acta Cryst. (2002). A58, 6671], which has been pointed out by Dr Kevin Knight, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxon, England. In this paper, a mode involving displacements of the anions of hettotype 9 was labelled [(½,,0,,½),,M1] rather than [(½,,0,,½),,M2]. Both modes involve plus-like distortion of the octahedra. In the corrected Tables 1,4 shown below, this mode, which is only found in hettotype 9, has been labelled K2 rather than H2. Therefore, there are not seven but eight normal modes of the cubic phase required to describe the displacements found in the nine hettotypes considered. The weights of K2 in all the materials examined in the original paper with the structure of hettotype 9 [labelled W(H1) in the original Table 4] are correct, unaltered by the change in the labelling of the mode. It should be noted that [(½,,0,,½),,M2] is a longitudinal mode , the seven other modes are all transverse. The weights of K2 are not significantly different from zero in the 15 structures examined. [source] Random Deposition as a Growth Mode in Atomic Layer Deposition (Chem. Vap.CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION, Issue 5 2005Deposition 200 Abstract To view the original paper use http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cvde.200306283. [source] Growth Per Cycle in Atomic Layer Deposition: A Theoretical Model (Chem. Vap.CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION, Issue 3 2004Deposition 200 To view the original paper use http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cvde.200306265. [source] Caffeine as a promoter of analgesic-associated nephropathy , where is the evidence?FUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Johannes M. Fox Abstract Individual groups of nephrologists , in their responsibility for their patients , initiated a most controversial discussion whether or not caffeine , coformulated to analgesics , might initiate or sustain analgesic overdosing. The original sources (data) of such suspicion have got lost during the debate of the last two decades. Therefore, it seemed to be appropriate to investigate the original data background and the reasons why nephrologists started to suspect caffeine as a stimulant of analgesic overdosing by employing a systematic and exhaustive review of primary nephrological publications. Their selection followed a precise selection plan, including all epidemiological studies on analgesic-associated nephropathy, the original papers of all groups having been involved in those studies, further originals from the mainly involved countries (academically, politically), and any literature thereof cited as a proof. The following results emerged from the investigation: (i) The epidemiological studies warranted no conclusion about a role of caffeine in prompting excessive analgesic use. (ii) The identified groups of nephrologists provided not substantial data to advocate the said suspicion, except for the observation of a preferential choice of phenacetin-containing combinations, especially powder preparations. (iii) Only two cited original data sources revealed drug-seeking behaviour with phenacetin-containing preparations which subsided, after phenacetin was banned from the respective markets. Conclusively, it appears that there is no substantial data to support a pivotal role of caffeine in initiating or sustaining analgesic overdosing. However, there is strong data that phenacetin, by its psychotropic properties, may have caused drug-seeking behaviour and thus led to analgesic overdosing. This conclusion is convincingly supported by thorough pharmacokinetic investigations. Note: All caffeine-related statements within the reviewed literature have been collected in tables (referred to as Table SX) which are provided in full text for check on the following website: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/products/journals/suppmat/FCP/FCP174/FCP174sm.htm [source] Recent Use of Proton Pump Inhibitor-Based Triple Therapies for the Eradication of H. pylori: A Broad Data ReviewHELICOBACTER, Issue 2 2003Hans-Joachim Ulmer abstract Introduction. For the eradication of Helicobacter pylori a 1-week triple therapy combining proton pump inhibitors with two antibiotics has been recommended as a gold standard therapy. However, a recent broad data review on the efficacy of the different regimens is missing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically review the recent literature. Methods. We undertook a broad data review of the efficacy of nine different 7-day triple therapies consisting of a proton pump inhibitor (lansoprazole, pantoprazole, omeprazole) in its standard dosage and two antibiotics. Relevant original papers on H. pylori eradication in adults, published in English or German between 1995 and 2000, were identified from MEDLINE searches. Studies were reviewed and selected according to predefined criteria. Results. Our predefined criteria were fulfilled by 79 full paper articles including 112 study arms with 8383 patients on intention-to-treat, or 6787 patients on per-protocol basis, respectively. The mean eradication rates unweighted or weighted by the number of patients in the study arm vary from 71.9% to 83.8% for intention-to-treat analysis and from 78.5% to 91.2% for per-protocol analysis. Conclusions. All nine PPI based triple therapy regimens are very effective in H. pylori eradication. The current literature review underlines that the use of either lansoprazole, omeprazole, or pantoprazole combined with two antibiotics yield similar high eradication rates. [source] Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2001Carmen Pardo Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994 Background.,Spain is one of the few European countries to have recently totally incorporated the study of nursing into the university sector. Bibliometric studies may be of a great help for the consolidation of nursing research. Aim of the study.,The aim of this paper is to describe bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers and their evolution over a decade. Method.,The method consists of a retrospective bibliometric study of a sample (cluster sampling) of 622 research papers (original papers and review papers), which were contained in the Spanish nursing journals Enfermería Científica, Revista ROL de Enfermería, Enfermería Clínica and Enfermería Integral, and published from 1985 to 1994. The journal Nursing Research was selected for qualitative comparative purposes. A series of classic bibliometric indexes were used. Results.,The mean of references per paper is 10·64 ± 10·42; this increased over time (P < 0·001). Review papers have more references (P < 0·001). Price index (percentage of references published during the last 5 years) is 44% and the Insularity (percentage of references published in same country as the article) is 55%. References to journals predominate (58·6%), with a growing tendency for references to Spanish nursing journals, although they are still scarce (18·1% of the references to journals). Spanish is the language of most of the references (60·3%), the second language being English (36·1%). Conclusions.,Bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers are scarce and not very specific: this happens both in regard to Nursing Research and to publications in other national and international science areas. However, there is an increasing tendency of references (including references to nursing journals) in the period analysed. The age of the references places Spanish nursing in an intermediate position between the ,hard' sciences and the humanities; and, according to the type of documentation used, we find it halfway between experimental and natural sciences, and technologies and social sciences. There has been a slight increase in references in English in recent years. [source] Therapist effects in randomised controlled trials: what to do about themJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7-8 2010Stephen J Walters Aims and objectives., The aim of this study is to describe and compare three statistical methods to allow for therapist effects in individually randomised controlled trials. Background., In an individually randomised controlled trial where the intervention is delivered by a health professional it seems likely that the effectiveness of the intervention, independent of any treatment effect, could depend on the skill of the health professional delivering it. This leads to a potential clustering of the outcomes for the patients being treated by the same health professional. Design., Retrospective statistical analysis of outcomes from four example randomised controlled trial datasets with potential clustering by health professional. Methods., Three methods to allow for clustering are described: cluster level analysis; random effects models and marginal models. These models were fitted to continuous outcome data from four example randomised controlled trial datasets with potential clustering by health professional. Results., The cluster level models produced the widest confidence intervals. Little difference was found between the estimates of the regression coefficients for the treatment effect and confidence intervals between the individual patient level models for the datasets. The conclusions reached for each dataset match those published in the original papers. The intracluster correlation coefficient ranged from <0·001,0·04 for the outcomes, which shows only minor levels of clustering within the datasets. Conclusions., The models, which use individual level data are to be preferred. Treatment coefficients from these models have different interpretations. The choice of model should depend on the scientific question being asked. Relevance to clinical practice., We recommend that researchers should be aware of any potential clustering, by health professional, in their randomised controlled trial and use appropriate methods to account for this clustering in the statistical analysis of the data. [source] Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 2 2006Cameron Alexander Abstract Over 1450 references to original papers, reviews and monographs have herein been collected to document the development of molecular imprinting science and technology from the serendipitous discovery of Polyakov in 1931 to recent attempts to implement and understand the principles underlying the technique and its use in a range of application areas. In the presentation of the assembled references, a section presenting reviews and monographs covering the area is followed by papers dealing with fundamental aspects of molecular imprinting and the development of novel polymer formats. Thereafter, literature describing attempts to apply these polymeric materials to a range of application areas is presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Integrating Experimental and Observational Personality Research,The Contributions of Hans EysenckJOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 6 2008William Revelle ABSTRACT A fundamental aspect of Hans Eysenck's research was his emphasis upon using all the tools available to the researcher to study personality. This included correlational, experimental, physiological, and genetic approaches. Fifty years after Cronbach's call for the reunification of the two disciplines of psychology (Cronbach, 1957) and 40 years after Eysenck's plea for experimental approaches to personality research (H. J. Eysenck, 1966), what is the status of the unification? Should personality researchers use experimental techniques? Do experimental techniques allow us to tease out causality, and are we communicating the advantages of combining experimental with multivariate correlational techniques? We review the progress made since Cronbach's and Eysenck's original papers and suggest that although it is still uncommon to find experimental studies of personality, psychology would benefit from the joint use of correlational and experimental approaches. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||