bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hobbes's Voluntarist Theory of Morals
Authors: Harvey Martin
Published: March 2012

Two interpretations of Hobbes's theory of morals dominate the subject: the Egoistic Reading (ER) and the Naturalist Reading (NR). According to ER, all of Hobbes's moral concepts are self-interested at their core. According to NR, Hobbes's Laws of Nature set down genuine moral obligations/virtues both inside of the state of nature and out. This article rejects both of these interpretations in favor of a Voluntarist Reading (VR). On this reading, morality is an artifact of human endeavor, specifically covenanting. Unlike both ER and NR, VR takes seriously Hobbes's claim that there is “no obligation on any man which ariseth not from some act of his own”.
From Precision to Peace; Hobbes and Political Language
Authors: Minogue Kenneth
Published: March 2012

My intention is to explore the Hobbesian account of civil association in terms of his conception of the state of nature, especially as it relates to his view of language in politics. I start from the view that the achievement of a political philosopher must be to reveal some central presupposition of our thought and action, as the Greeks did in their exploration of justice, Rousseau with the general will, and Locke with the idea of property. Hobbes takes the view that we cannot properly understand ideas such as sovereignty, government, law, obligation and so on without presupposing the kind of unstable conflict-ridden situation he called the condition of nature.
The Commonwealth as a Person in Hobbes's Leviathan
Authors: Tukiainen Arto
Published: March 2012

By now, it has become a commonplace to say that Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan is a work of rigorous reasoning wrapped up in rhetorical turns of speech.1 In this paper, my intention is to unravel one of the most powerful metaphors of that work, the metaphor of the commonwealth as a person. First, I shall try to locate the precise point at which the metaphor is meant to operate. After that, I shall focus on the metaphor itself. The third section is devoted to an examination of the power effects of the metaphor.
"Retained Liberties and Absolute Hobbesian Authorization"
Authors: Cohen Andrew I.
Published: March 2012

Hobbes claims that the sovereign's absolute authority is consistent with the subjects' retaining liberties to resist certain commands. In this essay, I explore what it means for subject to authorize a sovereign with a right to command. I show how retained rights are compatible with sovereignty. Though any given subject does not authorize the sovereign to do anything, I argue that the sovereign power is absolute. The sovereign has the most power anyone could command.
The Responsibility to Protect as International Crimes Prevention
Authors: Hubert Don , Blätter Ariela
Published: March 2012

In 2005 the UN’s World Summit endorsed the idea that its members have a responsibility to prevent and halt genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes. Insufficient attention has been paid to clarifying how the definitions and evolving jurisprudence relating to these international crimes can provide clarity in identifying the unlawful acts that the Responsibility to Protect seeks to prevent and to halt. Specifically, an analysis of the elements of the crimes establishes the following parameters: attacks directed against any civilian population, committed in a widespread or systematic manner, in furtherance of a state or organizational policy, irrespective of the existence of discriminatory intent or an armed conflict. This conclusion makes reference to four ‘crimes’ redundant: crime against humanity alone provides an appropriate framework for conceptualizing and implementing the Responsibility to Protect. Although analysts focused on international crimes tend to prioritize accountability, such an approach need not be reactive. The essence of the Responsibility to Protect is best characterized as international crimes prevention.
Myths and Lessons of Liberal Intervention: the British Campaign for the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade to Brazil
Authors: MacMillan John
Published: March 2012

This article takes issue with recent references to the British nineteenth century campaign for the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to Brazil that serve to bolster interventionist or imperialist agendas. In particular, such accounts reproduce two and a half myths about the campaign: that it can serve as a model for the present age; that the success of the campaign can be explained through the actions of the intervening party alone (with a corresponding neglect of those of the ‘target’ state); and the half-myth that the campaign’s success was due to military action (at the expense of institutional (legal) and normative factors and the capacity of the target state). I argue instead that this case – and interventions more generally – would benefit from an analysis that considers the role of force in relation to a series of residual institutional and cultural constraints within the liberal state and to political conditions in the target state. In light of the complexities and contingencies that these factors present the underlying lesson is that military force should be used sparingly, if at all.
Protecting Civilians from Mass Atrocities: Meeting the Challenge of R2P Rejectionism
Authors: Claes Jonas
Published: March 2012

The three broad challenges that obstruct R2P’s implementation are conceptual, institutional, and political. Most scholarly work on R2P deals with the conceptual or institutional obstacles, paying insufficient attention to the political process. In this paper I analyse the motivations behind country opposition to the responsibility to protect and make recommendations to address the drivers of R2P rejectionism. A mix of underlying variables feeds this opposition, in particular experiences with state repression, mass atrocities and external interference, tactical maneuvers by UN delegations, and state revisionism. The political context for R2P implementation is not ‘a given’, but to some extent susceptible to external influence. In order to move R2P from an aspiration into an accepted norm, advocates with significant political leverage could undermine R2P opposition where possible. Neutralising rejectionism is key to obtain a stronger consensus resolution, move R2P into the normative mainstream, and increase the pressure to formulate rapid and robust responses to imminent or ongoing atrocities.
Censorship and Sovereignty: Shanghai and the Struggle to Regulate Film Content in the International Settlement
Authors: Wall Michael
Published: March 2012

The Nationalist government struggled to control the content and exhibition of motion pictures in Shanghai in the 1920s. Officials of the Shanghai Municipal Council in the foreign-controlled International Settlement, empowered by the right of extraterritoriality, stymied Chinese efforts to control foreign – predominantly American – motion pictures shown in the enclave. The struggle over political control was exacerbated by increasing nationalist sentiment and belief that foreign motion pictures contained distorted and unflattering images of China and its people. Demonstrations targeted Hollywood films including those by Douglas Fairbanks and Harold Lloyd. Ultimately, neither strenuous Chinese efforts nor stubborn foreign resistance could resolve the matter satisfactorily, but the dispute became moot with Japan's seizure of Shanghai in 1937.
An observational assessment of physical activity levels and social behaviour during elementary school recess
Authors: Roberts Simon J , Fairclough Stuart J , Ridgers Nicola D , Porteous Conor
Published: March 2012

Objective:

The purpose of the present study was to assess children’s physical activity, social play behaviour, activity type and social interactions during elementary school recess using a pre-validated systematic observation system.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Setting:

Two elementary schools located in Merseyside, England.

Method:

Fifty-six elementary school children (27 boys, 29 girls) were systematically observed during recess over a three-month period using a standardized physical activity observation instrument.

Results:

The results revealed the boys were engaged in significantly higher levels of physical activity during recess than girls. The boys were also involved in more sport-specific activities and participated in larger group sizes. Positive associations between physical activity and availability of equipment during recess were also reported.

Conclusion:

This study has confirmed recess as a valuable opportunity for elementary school children to increase their levels of physical activity. However, further studies with larger sample sizes need to identify and explore the relationship between physical activity (PA) and availability of equipment.
Rage against the machine: Cyberspace narratives in Rushdie’s Fury
Authors: Maurer Yael
Published: March 2012

This article examines the science-fictional aspects of Rushdie’s 2002 novel Fury, focusing on the cyberspace narrative at its centre. I suggest that Rushdie engages with the enabling potential of cyberspace, only to finally reject it in favour of a return to the “real”. Fury questions the science-fictional or cyberspace option as a vehicle for previously unimagined artistic freedom. The protagonist, Malik Solanka, finds he cannot overcome personal and collective “fury” by “living in the electricity”. The science-fictional cyber narrative he creates collapses into the “real”, leaving Solanka disillusioned by his dream of artistic freedom and total control. Rushdie presents the allure of cyberspace narrativity as a seductive but dangerous means of artistic escape, and questions cyberspace’s offer of total artistic freedom. Solanka’s disillusionment thus mirrors Rushdie’s sceptical stance towards cyberspace and its possibly redemptive potential. The novel’s ending signifies a qualified return to the “real” and a rejection of the dream of an ultimate “elsewhere” in cyberspace. Solanka’s return home to London and to his son, Asmaan (sky), envisions a different form of futurity, to be found in the next generation. This promise for a possibly better future is represented by Solanka’s estranged son, whom he longs to reencounter in person, rather than in the disembodied technological realm of cyberspace.
Post-heritage narratives: Migrancy and travelling theory in V.S. Naipaul’s The Enigma of Arrival and Andrea Levy’s Fruit of the Lemon
Authors: Gui Weihsin
Published: March 2012

This paper argues that V.S. Naipaul and Andrea Levy revise migrancy as a literary intervention into contemporary British discourses of cultural heritage and patriotism. Official, state-sponsored constructions of heritage and patriotism are closely intertwined to form an insular British national identity. In Naipaul’s The Enigma of Arrival (1987) and Levy’s Fruit of the Lemon (1998), migrancy not only denotes the deterritorialization and displacement of people but also the travel and transformation of ideas, or what Edward Said calls travelling theory. The concept of migrancy itself travels in the journeys undertaken by the narrators of these two novels. It gains a critical force that contests the insularity of British heritage discourse while also affirming the intersecting and ineluctable presence of people of colour from Britain’s former colonies in the history and cultural make-up of Britain itself.
Marvellous realism and female representation from the Caribbean diaspora
Authors: Alonso María Alonso
Published: March 2012

This paper argues that David Chariandy’s Soucouyant and Edwidge Danticat’s “Nineteen Thirty-Seven” utilize marvellous realism as a literary technique when representing Caribbean folkloric elements from the diaspora. With this in mind, this article will begin by pointing out the differences between the terms magical realism and marvellous realism within the Latin American Boom writing of the 1950s. These two literary concepts should not be considered as being synonymous because of the different artistic motivations that condition these kinds of writing. As will be seen, in the two particular cases of the soucouyant and the lougarou, these magical elements serve to revise and rewrite the history of colonial and postcolonial women that were persecuted and discriminated against in their countries of origin due to gender and class prejudices. Thus, Chariandy and Danticat use the supernatural as an allegory for the haunting memories of a whole community. In these diasporic works, magic will vanish in favour of a rational explanation for those phenomena where a series of familial and historical traumas will manifest accordingly. The transformation of marginal women into supernatural figures assists the authors in reinterpreting and abating violence and trauma. Therefore, it is suggested that marvellous realism helps writers who have had similar experiences of diaspora to find a balance between two cultures and two different systems of belief: one based on faith and the other on rationalism.
The Acquisition of Sight-Singing Skills in Second-Grade General Music
Authors: Reifinger James L.
Published: March 2012

This study was designed to examine two aspects of sight-singing instruction: (1) solfège syllables versus the syllable loo for singing patterns and (2) the use of related songs (songs that began with tonal patterns being studied) as compared with unrelated songs. Second-grade students ( N = 193) enrolled in general music classes participated in 25 minutes of sight-singing instruction for 16 sessions. In each session a new four-note pattern and song were introduced, and previously learned patterns were reviewed. Four levels of instructional treatment were examined as the independent variable: (1) related songs/solfège, (2) related songs/ loo, (3) unrelated songs/solfège, and (4) unrelated songs/ loo. Pitch and contour accuracy of familiar and unfamiliar patterns were examined as dependent variables on sight-singing pre-, post-, and retention tests. Results indicated significant pre- to posttest improvement in sight-singing skills. Most post- to retention test differences were nonsignificant, indicating skill retention. Sight-singing skills transferred to unfamiliar patterns. Treatment effectiveness differed by pattern familiarity. Solfège with familiar patterns and a neutral syllable ( loo) with unfamiliar patterns resulted in significantly greater contour accuracy. Relating patterns to songs had no significant effect on achievement.
Ecosystem services
Authors: Dempsey Jessica , Robertson Morgan M.
Published: March 2012

Across the world, governments, NGOs, scientists, policy-makers, and resource managers are learning to speak in the language of ecosystem services. It is a concept that seems to belong to what many geographers call neoliberal-style environmental policies. However, the policies and practices around the ecosystem service concept deviate considerably from neoliberal doctrine. Our primary aim is to open up space for informed conversation about ecosystem services in geography by exploring the internal heterogeneity and tensions within the world of ecosystem service policies. In describing these debates on their own terms, we find a diverse and wide-ranging set of actors and viewpoints.
The Development of Cam-Type Deformity in Adolescent and Young Male Soccer Players
Authors: Agricola Rintje , Bessems Johannes H.J.M. , Ginai Abida Z. , Heijboer Marinus P. , van der Heijden Rianne A. , Verhaar Jan A.N. , Weinans Harrie , Waarsing Jan H.
Published: March 2012

Background: Cam impingement is a well-recognized cause of hip pain and might cause osteoarthritis of the hip. Clinically, cam impingement is mostly observed in young, active male patients, but only a few studies have focused on the manifestation of cam-type deformities during skeletal development.

Purpose: To determine the age of onset and prevalence of cam-type deformities in young male soccer players versus controls.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: In this study, 89 elite preprofessional soccer players and 92 controls aged 12 to 19 years were included. In the soccer players, range of motion and impingement tests were performed. Both an anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiograph and a frog-leg lateral radiograph of the hip were obtained according to a standardized protocol. Controls with both an AP pelvic and a frog-leg lateral radiograph and no hip disorders were obtained from radiology databases. The α angle was automatically determined in all radiographs, using a threshold value of 60° to define a cam-type deformity. Further, all radiographs were scored using a 3-point scoring system. The anterosuperior head-neck junction was classified as (1) normal, (2) flattened, or (3) having a prominence. Differences in prevalence were tested using logistic regression. Differences in range of motion were calculated using generalized estimating equations.

Results: An α angle >60° was already found at the age of 12 years in some soccer players and controls. A cam-type deformity defined by α angle tended to be more prevalent in soccer players (26%) than in controls (17%; P = .31). In 13% of soccer players, a prominence was visible on radiographs and was first seen at the age of 13 years. The anterosuperior flattening (56% vs 18%, P = .0001) and prominence (13% vs 0%, P < .03) were more prevalent in soccer players than in controls.

Conclusion: Cam-type deformities were recognizable and present from the age of 13 years and were more prevalent in soccer players than in their nonathletic peers. Cam-type deformity develops during adolescence and is likely to be influenced by high-impact sports practice.
Microcirculation as determined by iontophoresis in SLE-patients and controls
Authors: Anania C , Norman M , Heimburger M , Gustafsson T , Jogestrand T , Hafström I , Frostegård J
Published: March 2012

Background: The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), microangiopathy and prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques are increased in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). As systemic endothelial dysfunction is one of the earliest signs of these vascular outcomes in the general population we assessed skin microvascular endothelial function in SLE patients. Methods: Endothelial function in skin was tested with local application of acetylcholine (inducing endothelium-dependent vasodilatation) and any concomitant increase in skin perfusion was measured with Laser Doppler Fluxmetry (LDF) in 84 SLE-patients (83% women, mean age 47 years) and 81 age and sex matched controls. Common carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and plaque occurrence were also determined using B-mode ultrasound. Results: There were no significant differences in skin microvascular endothelial function between SLE-patients and controls. In the SLE group, endothelial function did not vary in relation to skin manifestations, Raynaud's phenomenon, nephritis or plaque occurrence. In SLE patients with CVD, however, endothelial function was impaired. Conclusion: Skin microvascular endothelial function is associated with CVD but not with early signs of atherosclerosis in SLE-patients. The endothelial function is not different in SLE-patients as compared to controls.
Political rescaling and metropolitan governance in cross-border regions: comparing the cross-border metropolitan areas of Lille and Luxembourg
Authors: Nelles Jen , Durand Frédéric
Published: March 2012

In the last 20 years, the number of cross-border cooperation structures in Europe has exploded owing to political and financial support by the European Union aimed at encouraging cohesion and developing peripheral regions. These policies are part of processes of de-bordering and political rescaling that have profoundly affected cross-border areas by creating new institutional territories and political structures. The purpose of this paper is to study the institutional history of cross-border metropolitan governance in Europe through the comparison of two of the most advanced cross-border metropolitan regions: Lille and Luxembourg. This paper asks how these cross-border structures have developed and changed. What can their patterns of institutional evolution contribute to understanding governance in other cross-border regions? Are these new spaces evidence of political rescaling? This paper presents and redefines cross-border governance as a cyclical and a long-term process and also explores the challenges that these partnerships face in becoming functionally effective and autonomous policy actors. Ultimately, we find that there is no replicable ideal of cross-border governance and that even long-standing partnerships are in a period of exploration and reinvention. Establishing a competitive and coherent cross-border metropolitan region is ambitious and complex, and it necessitates the coordination of policies at multiple scales and across institutionally diverse territories. This project requires the modification and/or construction of new institutional and legal frameworks. This reorientation of political attention has resulted in a reconceptualization of political space but not the empowerment of new political actors, indicating that the process of rescaling may be a work in progress.
The role of retailing in urban sustainability: The Turkish case
Authors: Erkip Feyzan , Kızılgün Ömür , Mugan Guliz
Published: March 2012

Consumption-oriented urban life has increased the role of the retail sector in the viability of the urban core and sustainability of cities. The current organization of retailing creates a centre/periphery dichotomy that challenges urban sustainability in many countries. Turkey is a country with a vivid retail environment, having traditional, small-scale retailing as well as shopping centres in large and medium-sized cities. Although some efforts at policy-making have been made by state institutions and the non-profit organizations of various actors in the sector, there is no comprehensive retail policy in Turkey. This situation has led to negative consequences for the traditional segments of the sector and for cities’ spatial organization. It also threatens the sustainability of urban life, which is nourished by a variety of actors in the sector. Thus, it is imperative to control the development of retail investments through a holistic approach, considering how they might affect all actors and citizens.
EU enlargement effects on cross-border informal entrepreneurial activities
Authors: Xheneti Mirela , Smallbone David , Welter Friederike
Published: March 2012

Borderlands, as spaces of various forms of entrepreneurial activities, offer rich examples of informal entrepreneurial activities that depend on the border location to be developed and sustained. Although the socioeconomic contributions of informal activities have been widely acknowledged, little research has been conducted on the ways that enlargement of the European Union (EU), by affecting the openness/closedness of borders, affected the nature and extent of cross-border informal entrepreneurial activities (IEAs). Recognizing the heterogeneity of border regions, in terms of formal and social institutional structures, linguistics and ethnicity, the paper offers a nuanced and extended understanding of the difference the geography of borders, broadly defined, makes to the diversity and persistence/disappearance of cross-border IEAs since EU enlargement. Using qualitative data from interviews collected with households involved in cross-border IEAs in several EU border regions, the paper indicates that cross-border IEAs have a time dimension, reflected in the pre- and post-enlargement changes to the intensity of these activities, as well as a regional dimension, reflected in various dichotomies such as impoverished/affluent, socioculturally proximate/distant and hard/soft borders, reflected in the forms, enablers and constraints of such activities. The paper illustrates how the spatial, economic, institutional and sociocultural characteristics of a context overlap, dominate or recede at different points in time to facilitate/inhibit different forms of entrepreneurial behaviour and to encourage the involvement of, or empower, different groups of people. Thus, context, in all its dimensions, remains an important factor for spatial and temporal explanations of cross-border IEAs as particular forms of entrepreneurial activity.
Lipid Profiles of Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Survivors
Authors: Rodgers Cheryl , Gregurich Mary Ann , Hockenberry Marilyn
Published: March 2012

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among adults in the United States. CVD pathology, including abnormal lipid levels, may begin in childhood. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors have increased risk of abnormal lipid levels, but there is limited information in children post-HSCT. The study aimed to describe lipid levels and identify the factors associated with dyslipidemia in pediatric HSCT survivors during the first 3 years post-HSCT. This descriptive research study used a retrospective chart review to assess lipid profiles among 31 pediatric HSCT patients. Mean lipid levels were within normal limits but contained large ranges in values. There was no statistically significant change over time; however, there was an increased trend of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels and a decreased trend of high-density lipoprotein levels. The majority of patients had one abnormal lipid level at 1 and 2 years post-HSCT. Body mass index was the only factor significantly associated with dyslipidemia. An awareness of dyslipidemia among HSCT survivors may allow for early identification and treatment of abnormal lipid levels.
Organized for Genocide
Authors: Kearney Kerri S. , Krumm Bernita , Hughes Robin L. , Satterfield James W.
Published: March 2012

This article reports the qualitative analysis of the use of highly emotive documentaries of the Holocaust in a graduate-level organizational theory class. Specifically, the article looks at student reactions and impacts on learning. Student-produced work captured a broad range of reactions that led to increased insights about organizations (the macro level) and behavior within them (the micro level). Students exhibited strong internal drives to apply knowledge gained in their work to their own organizations. Student engagement increased markedly. Reports of data include numerous vivid accounts of their experiences written by the students themselves. Reflections on the scaffolding used to support this emotionally based learning are included to support readers who choose to apply the findings in their own teaching practices.
Load frequency control using multi-stage fuzzy logic controller for wind-micro hydro-diesel hybrid power system
Authors: Rangaswami Dhanalakshmi , Sennappan Palaniswami
Published: March 2012

This paper presents an analysis of multi-stage fuzzy logic control (FLC) application for load frequency control (LFC) of an isolated wind-micro hydro-diesel hybrid power system. Due to the sudden load changes and intermittent wind power, large frequency fluctuation problems can occur. The LFC deviates the frequency deviation and maintains dynamic performance of the system. In this paper, a multi-stage fuzzy logic proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is proposed for LFC of an isolated wind-micro hydro-diesel hybrid power system. Simulations are performed for this hybrid system with the proposed multi-stage fuzzy logic PID controller, conventional PI controller and FLC with different load disturbances and wind input disturbances. The performance of the proposed approach is verified from simulations and comparisons. Simulation results explicitly show that the performance of the proposed multi-stage fuzzy logic PID controller is superior to the conventional PI controller and FLC in terms of overshoot, settling time and steady state error against various load changes and variations of wind inputs.
Correlation of average hydrophobicity, water/air interface surface rheological properties and foaming properties of proteins
Authors: Medrano A , Abirached C , Araujo AC , Panizzolo LA , Moyna P , Añón MC
Published: March 2012

A comparative study on the behavior in the air–water interface of β-lactoglobulin, α-lactoalbumin, glycinin and β-conglycinin was performed. The behavior at the interface was evaluated by equilibrium surface tension and surface rheological properties of adsorbed films. There were significant differences (α ≤ 0.05) in the values of the constants of adsorption to the interface of the four proteins. The glycinin had the slowest rate of adsorption, due to its low average hydrophobicity, low molecular flexibility and large molecular size. Smaller proteins like β-lactoglobulin and α-lactoalbumin tended to greater equilibrium pressure values than the larger proteins because of its higher rate of adsorption to the interface. The foam capacity of proteins showed a positive correlation with the average hydrophobicity; the maximal retained liquid volume or the initial rate of passage of liquid to foam were significantly lower (α ≤ 0.05) when protein was glycinin. The dilatational modulus of glycinin was the lowest, which implies lowest resistance to disruption of the film. Glycinin protein has lower proportion of gravitational drainage and higher disproportionation having perhaps a less resistant film. In conclusion, β-conglycinin and whey proteins showed a similar behavior, so β-conglycinin might be the best soybean protein to replace milk proteins in food formulations.
Predicting emplacements of improvised explosive devices
Authors: Guo Jaff , Armstrong Joe , Unrau David
Published: March 2012

In this paper we introduce an approach to predict emplacements of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With a brief review of studies and technology in related areas, this paper identifies and analyzes various factors in a great number of IED/terrorist attacks, and then categorizes the factors/features based on locations and time. By combining the results of analysis with other significant factors, such as casualties, numbers injured, population density, and international impact, this paper proposes an approach to predict IED emplacements with Bayesian inference. The proposed approach has been implemented and the results of testing are consistent with a group of actual incidents.
Trapeziectomy and tendon suspension with or without a Mitek anchor fixation in the thumb basal joint osteoarthritis
Authors: Nordback S. , Erba P. , Wehrli L. , Raffoul W. , Egloff D. V.
Published: March 2012

Partial trapeziectomy with suspension ligamentoplasty is a commonly performed treatment of thumb osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, the post-operative recovery remains long and critical reason for which different modifications of the surgical technique have been proposed. To compare two suspension ligamentoplasty techniques, one with a mitek anchor and another without, a retrospective study of 55 consecutive operated patients was performed. A detailed clinical analysis of pain, function and a radiologic assessment of the trapeziometacarpal space were performed. Mitek anchor fixation was associated with a shorter convalescence period. However, in spite of an improved radiological maintenance of the scaphometacarpal space, mitek anchor fixation was associated with an impaired postoperative function and residual pain when compared with the conventional suspension ligamentoplasty procedure. Patient’s satisfaction was comparable in both groups. In our series stabilization of the suspension ligamentoplasty procedure by the insertion of a mitek anchor did not bring the hoped benefits to the patients with a trapeziometacarpal arthritis.
Dorsal scapholunate ligament injury: a classification of clinical forms
Authors: Andersson J. K. , Garcia-Elias M.
Published: March 2012

The dorsal scapholunate (SL) ligament may disrupt in variety of ways. Each form of injury requires specific fixation. To investigate the incidence of each type of ligament failure, the records of 45 patients with adequate information, good quality pictures, or videos demonstrating injury characteristics were reviewed. Four types of SL injury were found: type 1 (lateral avulsion from the scaphoid) was the most frequent, present in 19 patients (42%); type 2 (medial avulsion from the lunate) was the least frequent, with 7 cases (16%); type 3 (mid-substance rupture) was found on 9 occasions (20%); and type 4 (partial rupture plus elongation) was observed on 10 occasions (22%). Based on our observations, we submit that an arthroscopically assisted SL capsuloplasty may not be possible in all cases, particularly not when the ligament has avulsed off the bone (60% of the cases), leaving no ligament remnant on one side. Most patients will require ligament reattachment techniques using transosseous sutures, bone anchors, or ligament reconstruction.
Nutritional Management of the Child With Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Rosen Daphna , John Rita Marie
Published: March 2012

Nutritional management of Crohn’s Disease (CD) is essential when working with the pediatric population. Treatment needs to target not only symptoms of the disease but also the associated growth failure and nutritional deficiencies. The principle nutritional therapy is the use of enteral nutrition, which has been shown to be safe and effective in both the induction of remission and maintenance in pediatric CD. Additional nutritional supplementation, including omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and glutamine, have been researched, but have not been proven effective. This article will address the role of nutritional therapy and management in pediatric CD, the different nutritional management options, the role of nutritional therapy in the induction and maintenance of remission, and recommendations for health care professionals who care for children with CD.
Stereotyped B-cell receptors in one-third of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a molecular classification with implications for targeted therapies
Authors: Agathangelidis Andreas , Darzentas Nikos , Hadzidimitriou Anastasia , Brochet Xavier , Murray Fiona , Yan Xiao-Jie , Davis Zadie , van Gastel-Mol Ellen J. , Tresoldi Cristina , Chu Charles C. , Cahill Nicola , Giudicelli Veronique , Tichy Boris , Pedersen Lone Bredo , Foroni Letizia , Bonello Lisa , Janus Agnieszka , Smedby Karin , Anagnostopoulos Achilles , Merle-Beral Helene , Laoutaris Nikolaos , Juliusson Gunnar , di Celle Paola Francia , Pospisilova Sarka , Jurlander Jesper , Geisler Christian , Tsaftaris Athanasios , Lefranc Marie-Paule , Langerak Anton W. , Oscier David Graham , Chiorazzi Nicholas , Belessi Chrysoula , Davi Frederic , Rosenquist Richard , Ghia Paolo , Stamatopoulos Kostas
Published: March 2012

Mounting evidence indicates that grouping of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into distinct subsets with stereotyped BCRs is functionally and prognostically relevant. However, several issues need revisiting, including the criteria for identification of BCR stereotypy and its actual frequency as well as the identification of “CLL-biased” features in BCR Ig stereotypes. To this end, we examined 7596 Ig VH (IGHV-IGHD-IGHJ) sequences from 7424 CLL patients, 3 times the size of the largest published series, with an updated version of our purpose-built clustering algorithm. We document that CLL may be subdivided into 2 distinct categories: one with stereotyped and the other with nonstereotyped BCRs, at an approximate ratio of 1:2, and provide evidence suggesting a different ontogeny for these 2 categories. We also show that subset-defining sequence patterns in CLL differ from those underlying BCR stereotypy in other B-cell malignancies. Notably, 19 major subsets contained from 20 to 213 sequences each, collectively accounting for 943 sequences or one-eighth of the cohort. Hence, this compartmentalized examination of VH sequences may pave the way toward a molecular classification of CLL with implications for targeted therapeutic interventions, applicable to a significant number of patients assigned to the same subset.
Hemogenic endothelium during development and beyond
Authors: Hirschi Karen K.
Published: March 2012

During embryonic development, multilineage HSCs/progenitor cells are derived from specialized endothelial cells, termed hemogenic endothelium, within the yolk sac, placenta, and aorta. Whether hemogenic endothelial cells contribute to blood cell development at other sites of definitive hematopoiesis, such as in the fetal liver and fetal bone marrow, is not known. Also unknown is whether such cells exist within the vasculature of adult bone marrow and generate hematopoietic stem cells after birth. These issues and their clinical relevance are discussed herein.
Immune insufficiency during GVHD is due to defective antigen presentation within dendritic cell subsets
Authors: Markey Kate A. , Koyama Motoko , Kuns Rachel D. , Lineburg Katie E. , Wilson Yana A. , Olver Stuart D. , Raffelt Neil C. , Don Alistair L. J. , Varelias Antiopi , Robb Renee J. , Cheong Melody , Engwerda Christian R. , Steptoe Raymond J. , Ramshaw Hayley S. , Lopez Angel F. , Vega-Ramos Javier , Lew Andrew M. , Villadangos Jose A. , Hill Geoffrey R. , MacDonald Kelli P. A.
Published: March 2012

Alloreactivity after transplantation is associated with profound immune suppression, and consequent opportunistic infection results in high morbidity and mortality. This immune suppression is most profound during GVHD after bone marrow transplantation where an inflammatory cytokine storm dominates. Contrary to current dogma, which avers that this is a T-cell defect, we demonstrate that the impairment lies within conventional dendritic cells (cDCs). Significantly, exogenous antigens can only be presented by the CD8− cDC subset after bone marrow transplantation, and inflammation during GVHD specifically renders the MHC class II presentation pathway in this population incompetent. In contrast, both classic and cross-presentation within MHC class I remain largely intact. Importantly, this defect in antigen processing can be partially reversed by TNF inhibition or the adoptive transfer of donor cDCs generated in the absence of inflammation.
Fuzzy Hyers-Ulam approximation of a mixed AQ mapping
Authors: Azadi Kenary Hassan , Talebzadeh Saedeh , Rezaei Hamid , Lee Jung Rye , Shin Dong Yun
Published: March 2012

In this article, we adopt the fixed point and direct methods to prove the Hyers-Ulam stability for an additive-quadratic functional equation in fuzzy Banach spaces.

Mathematics Subject Classification 2010: 39B52, 46S40; 26E50.
Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine Toll-like receptor 1 gene and association with health traits in cattle
Authors: Russell Christopher D , Widdison Stephanie , Leigh James A , Coffey Tracey J
Published: March 2012

Bovine mastitis remains the most common and costly disease of dairy cattle worldwide. A complementary control measure to herd hygiene and vaccine development would be to selectively breed cattle with greater resistance to mammary infection. Toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1) has an integral role for the initiation and regulation of the immune response to microbial pathogens, and has been linked to numerous inflammatory diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the bovine TLR1 gene (boTLR1) are associated with clinical mastitis (CM).

Selected boTLR1 SNPs were analysed within a Holstein Friesian herd. Significant associations were found for the tagging SNP -79 T > G and the 3'UTR SNP +2463 C > T. We observed favourable linkage of reduced CM with increased milk fat and protein, indicating selection for these markers would not be detrimental to milk quality. Furthermore, we present evidence that some of these boTLR1 SNPs underpin functional variation in bovine TLR1. Animals with the GG genotype (from the tag SNP -79 T > G) had significantly lower boTLR1 expression in milk somatic cells when compared with TT or TG animals. In addition, stimulation of leucocytes from GG animals with the TLR1-ligand Pam3csk4 resulted in significantly lower levels of CXCL8 mRNA and protein.

SNPs in boTLR1 were significantly associated with CM. In addition we have identified a bovine population with impaired boTLR1 expression and function. This may have additional implications for animal health and warrants further investigation to determine the suitability of identified SNPs as markers for disease susceptibility.
Oxidative stress induced Interleukin-32 mRNA expression in human bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Kudo Megumi , Ogawa Emiko , Kinose Daisuke , Haruna Akane , Takahashi Tamaki , Tanabe Naoya , Marumo Satoshi , Hoshino Yuma , Hirai Toyohiro , Sakai Hiroaki , Muro Shigeo , Date Hiroshi , Mishima Michiaki
Published: March 2012

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow obstruction and persistent inflammation in the airways and lung parenchyma. Oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of COPD. Interleukin(IL)-32 expression has been reported to increase in the lung tissue of patients with COPD. Here, we show that IFNγ upregulated IL-32 expression and that oxidative stress augmented IFNγ-induced-IL-32 expression in airway epithelial cells. We further investigated transcriptional regulation responsible for IFNγ induced IL-32 expression in human airway epithelial cells.

Methods

Human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells were stimulated with H2O2and IFNγ, and IL-32 expression was evaluated. The cell viability was confirmed by MTT assay. The intracellular signaling pathways regulating IL-32 expression were investigated by examining the regulatory effects of MAPK inhibitors and JAK inhibitor after treatment with H2O2and IFNγ, and by using a ChIP assay to identify transcription factors (i.e. c-Jun, CREB) binding to the IL-32 promoter. Promoter activity assays were conducted after mutations were introduced into binding sites of c-Jun and CREB in the IL-32 promoter. IL-32 expression was also examined in HBE cells in which the expression of either c-Jun or CREB was knocked out by siRNA of indicated transcription factors.

Results

There were no significant differences of cell viability among groups. After stimulation with H2O2or IFNγ for 48 hours, IL-32 expression in HBE cells was increased by IFNγ and synergistically upregulated by the addition of H2O2. The H2O2augmented IFNγ induced IL-32 mRNA expression was suppressed by a JNK inhibitor, but not by MEK inhibitor, p38 inhibitor, and JAK inhibitor I. Significant binding of c-Jun and CREB to the IL-32 promoter was observed in the IFNγ + H2O2stimulated HBE cells. Introducing mutations into the c-Jun/CREB binding sites in the IL-32 promoter prominently suppressed its transcriptional activity. Further, knocking down CREB expression by siRNA resulted in significant suppression of IL-32 induction by IFNγ and H2O2in HBE cells.

Conclusion

IL-32 expression in airway epithelium may be augmented by inflammation and oxidative stress, which may occur in COPD acute exacerbation. c-Jun and CREB are key transcriptional factors in IFNγ and H2O2induced IL-32 expression.
T lymphocyte insensitivity to corticosteroids in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Kaur Manminder , Smyth Lucy JC , Cadden Paul , Grundy Seamus , Ray David , Plumb Jonathan , Singh Dave
Published: March 2012

Background

There are increased numbers of activated lymphocytes in the lungs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The clinical benefits of corticosteroids in COPD patients are limited. Our hypothesis is that lymphocytes play a role in this corticosteroid insensitivity.

Objectives

To investigate the effects of the corticosteroid dexamethasone on lung lymphocyte cytokine production from patients with COPD compared to controls.

Methods

Cultured airway lymphocytes obtained by bronchoscopy from healthy non-smokers (HNS), smokers (S) and COPD patients were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) & phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), +/- dexamethasone. Supernatants were assayed for interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)γ. Immunofluoresence was used to analyse changes in CD8 glucocorticoid receptor (GRα and GRβ) expression.

Results

The inhibition of PHA/PMA stimulated IFNγ production by dexamethasone was reduced in COPD patients compared to HNS (p< 0.05 at concentrations from 0.1-1 μM). There was also a significant reduction (p< 0.05) in the mean inhibitory effect at 1 μM in COPD patients (54.1%) compared to smokers (72.1%), and in smokers compared to HNS (85.5%). There was a numerically reduced effect of dexamethasone on IL-2 production that did not reach statistical significance. There was no difference in GRα and GRβ expression in follicular CD8 cells between COPD patients (50.9% and 30.4% respectively) and smokers (52.9% and 29.7% respectively).

Conclusions

IFNγ production from COPD airway lymphocytes is corticosteroid insensitive. This phenomenon may be important in the poor clinical response often observed with corticosteroids.
Postdialysis blood pressure rise predicts long-term outcomes in chronic hemodialysis patients: a four-year prospective observational cohort study
Authors: Yang Chih-Yu , Yang Wu-Chang , Lin Yao-Ping
Published: March 2012

Background

The blood pressure (BP) of a proportion of chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients rises after HD. We investigated the influence of postdialysis BP rise on long-term outcomes.

Methods

A total of 115 prevalent HD patients were enrolled. Because of the fluctuating nature of predialysis and postdialysis BP, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP before and after HD were recorded from 25 consecutive HD sessions during a 2-month period. Patients were followed for 4 years or until death or withdrawal.

Results

Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed that patients with average postdialysis SBP rise of more than 5 mmHg were at the highest risk of both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality as compared to those with an average postdialysis SBP change between -5 to 5 mmHg and those with an average postdialysis SBP drop of more than 5 mmHg. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that both postdialysis SBP rise of more than 5 mmHg (HR, 3.925 [95% CI, 1.410-10.846], p = 0.008) and high cardiothoracic (CT) ratio of more than 50% (HR, 7.560 [95% CI, 2.048-27.912], p = 0.002) independently predicted all-cause mortality. We also found that patients with an average postdialysis SBP rise were associated with subclinical volume overload, as evidenced by the significantly higher CT ratio (p = 0.008).

Conclusions

A postdialysis SBP rise in HD patients independently predicted 4-year cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Considering postdialysis SBP rise was associated with higher CT ratio, intensive evaluation of cardiac and volume status should be performed in patients with postdialysis SBP rise.