bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relative effect of self-management practices on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients in Mexico
Authors: Garcia Javier E. , Garcia Alba , Dallo Florence J. , Salcedo Rocha Ana L. , Colunga Rodriguez Cecilia , Perez Noe , Baer Roberta D. , Weller Susan C.
Published: June 2007

Objective: In this study, we examined the relative impact of self-management activities on glycaemic control in a population at high risk for developing complications.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus of at least 1 year in duration at 30 years of age or older were sampled from the Instituto de Mexico Seguro Social (IMSS) Family Medicine Clinics in Guadalajara, Mexico ( n=800). Demographic, clinical and health behaviour variables were used to predict good/poor glycaemic control, as measured by haemoglobin A1c (A1C).

Results: Most (72.24%) patients had poor control (A1C≥7.0). Hyperglycaemia was significantly associated with factors not under patient control, such as having diabetes for a longer time [odds ratio (OR)=2.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39, 4.14], having a first-degree relative with diabetes (OR=1.52; 95% CI 1.06, 2.19), and being prescribed anti-diabetic medications, e.g. insulin (OR=7.88, 95% CI 2.42, 25.63). After controlling for these variables, the only self-management variable that reduced the likelihood of hyperglycaemia was following a special diet (OR=0.49; 95% CI 0.32, 0.76). Furthermore, depression had an important effect on self-management, as those with lower levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to follow a diet and exercise.

Discussion: While patients in this population have little control over many factors associated with glycaemic control, an important exception is diet. However, because of the adverse effect of depression on dieting, both depression management and dietary education are important for this population.
Living with chronic hepatitis C means `you just haven't got a normal life any more'
Authors: Conrad S. , Garrett L.E. , Cooksley W.G.E. , Dunne M.P. , Macdonald G.A.
Published: June 2007

Objective: To explore psychosocial factors that impact on quality of life for people living with self-reported chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: A purposeful sample of 70 people who were self-identified as being hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive was recruited through a variety of institutions and community agencies. Semi-structured interviews were held with 12 groups and 21 individuals. A qualitative grounded-theory methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Experiences of physical and psychological symptoms, stigma and discrimination, and living with an infectious disease, were explored using matrices.

Results: Phenomena emerging from the data included previously undocumented illness `attacks' that were associated with depressive symptoms and a perception of hepatitis C as fatal. Uncertainty related to disease progression and transmission of the virus were common experiences among participants. A universal experience was fear and anxiety about stigma and discrimination.

Discussion: The findings of this study indicate that chronic hepatitis C has a pervasive impact on quality of life with a complexity that has not been explored with quantitative research approaches. Primary healthcare professionals need to be alert to the psychological and social impacts of chronic hepatitis C and to avoid behaviours that lead to perceptions of stigma and discrimination. The research indicates a need for further investigation into the relationship between psychosocial factors, disease management and disease progression.
Managing chronic fatigue syndrome in UK primary care: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Wearden Alison J. , Chew-Graham Carolyn
Published: June 2007

Calls for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in primary care have been based largely on considerations of the availability and accessibility of resources rather than with reference to a firm evidence base. Treatments such as cognitive—behavioural therapy and graded exercise therapy, which have proven effective for CFS in secondary and specialist care settings, have not been adequately tested in primary care. There are several factors that may affect the generalizability of such treatments. Patients seen in primary care may differ from those seen in secondary care, in terms of both illness beliefs and social characteristics, and these factors need to be taken into account when developing and adapting treatments for primary care. While some primary care physicians experience difficulties in the diagnosis of CFS, we argue that early and authoritative diagnosis and the provision of a tangible explanation for patients' symptoms are likely to be beneficial. Because of the scarcity of qualified specialist therapists, we need to train primary care practitioners to deliver treatments, and we need more research into the feasibility and effectiveness of doing this. Finally, the primary care setting offers opportunities for the guided development of patient self-help approaches.
The experience of long-term diagnosis with human immunodeficiency virus: a stimulus to clinical eupraxia and person-centred medicine
Authors: Whitaker R. , Vögele C. , Mcsherry K. , Goldstein E.
Published: June 2007

The biopsychosocial challenges of living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have changed over time and they dictate the need for relevant medical services. The meaning of an HIV diagnosis has moved from a terminal to a manageable condition with the development of antiretrovirals, bringing profound changes to the experience of living with HIV and the meaning and use of diagnostic labels. Six biological stage-related categories in the literature of psychological medicine of HIV are critiqued. Long-term HIV highlights the inadequacy of physician-centred, acute-care medicine in chronic illness and its exclusion of preventive, psychological and rehabilitative modalities. `Eupraxia' is presented as a conceptual framework for chronic care medicine, referring to best practice, wellbeing, best interests, and (public) welfare, through facilitated but collaborative approaches. A public-centred service model is proposed, using idiographic assessment and treatment by clinicians as patient delegates (proxies), monitoring joined-up care, providing group-based biopsychosocial treatment, facilitating autonomous and self-managing behaviour by the public, removing professional and practice hierarchies, and implementing real-time clinical and managerial accountability with public ownership and involvement. This model is superior in its health- and cost-effectiveness but can only work within a nationalized system that focuses equally on standardized outcomes and evidential and personalized health outcomes.
Assessment of Diagnostic Value of Sonography for Cryptorchidism
Authors: Daghighi Mohammad Hossein , Fathi Amir Hassan , Pourfathi Hojjat
Published: June 2007

Cryptorchidism refers to the condition in which the testicle is not positioned in the base of the scrotum. The most important goal of diagnosing and managing the undescended testis is to place the testis in the scrotum to maximize its potential for spermatogenesis. This article provides a comprehensive concept of cryptorchidism, its diagnosis, and complications. This prospective study was performed to assess the value of sonography in the diagnosis of undescended testes. This prospective study was performed to evaluate 124 cases of cryptorchidism. In the authors’ survey, the sensitivity of sonography for determining cryptorchidism was 91%. The most common site of undescended testis was the inguinal canal, and the right undescended testis was localized more than the left undescended testis. The results were compatible with other studies. It was concluded that sonography is the safest, most noninvasive, and most valuable method of detection for undescended testes.
The Use of Sonography in the Identification, Localization, and Removal of Soft Tissue Foreign Bodies
Authors: Gibbs Tim S.
Published: June 2007

A retrospective review was conducted to determine the effect sonography has in localizing these foreign bodies. Patients selected for this study included all cases in which sonography was performed and demonstrated the presence or assisted in the removal of FB. After review of the records, 20 patients fit this selection criterion. Seventeen of the 20 patients had radiographs performed, in which only 8 of the 17 were positive for FB. Sonography demonstrated all FB in 19 of 20. In 11 of 20 patients, sonographic imaging directly guided their removal. Sonography can be an invaluable tool in finding and localizing for removal soft tissue foreign bodies.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Holoprosencephaly With Cyclopia
Authors: Oztekin Ozgur , Oztekin Deniz , Tinar Sivekar , Oztekin Ozer , Adibelli Zehra
Published: June 2007

The authors report a case of holoprosencephaly with cyclopia, diagnosed prenatally at a gestational age of 19 weeks. The patient’s clinical history was normal, except for aspirin usage for her headache. The sonographic diagnosis was based on the intracranial finding of fused thalami with no visible midline structures and facial abnormalities, including cyclopia, proboscis, and absence of the nose. These findings are characteristic of alobar holoprosencephaly. With the informed consent of the patient, the pregnancy was terminated by induction after proper counseling. Postmortem examination of the abortus material confirmed the presence of cyclopia and a proboscis.
A Review of Fetal Circulation and the Segmental Approach in Fetal Echocardiography
Authors: France Rita A.
Published: June 2007

The incidence of congenital heart disease is generally estimated at 8 in 1000 live births. Fifty percent of these neonates will have “minor” defects—easily corrected with some intervention. The remainder will account for 30% of perinatal deaths and nearly 50% of lethal malformations in childhood. The purpose of this review is to outline essential guidelines for a thorough fetal echocardiogram and how it differs from the fetal cardiac imaging included as part of an obstetric sonographic examination. Specific values for both the anatomic and blood flow velocity measurements recommended are typically related to gestational age and method of acquisition. Multiple references exist in the literature that define these values.
Influence of Fetal Heart Orientation on the Sonographic Identification of an Echogenic Intracardiac Focus in the Left Ventricle
Authors: Fischer Richard L. , Sveinbjornsson Grace L.
Published: June 2007

The objective of this study was to compare the ability to visualize an echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) of the left ventricle in four different cardiac projections. One hundred seventeen fetuses at 15 to 24 weeks’ gestation with a known EIF were rescanned in at least one longitudinal cardiac plane (apical or basilar) and one lateral plane (left or right lateral). An EIF was recorded as present if an intensely bright focus was visualized within the left ventricle. An EIF was identified in 100% (111/111) of apical views, 49.2% (29/59) of left lateral views, 46.8% (29/62) of right lateral views, and 100% (12/12) of basilar views. An EIF was seen in 100% of longitudinal views compared with 48.7% of lateral views ( P < .001). It was concluded that an EIF is more consistently seen from the apical and basilar views than from the right or left lateral views of the fetal heart. A longitudinal view of the heart is required to truly rule out an EIF.
Issues Facing Sonography
Authors: Baker Joan P.
Published: June 2007

Critical issues facing the sonography profession in the 1990s and in the next millennium are legislation, reimbursement, accreditation, the “advanced practice sonographer” classification, and musculoskeletal strain injury. The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS) has identified these areas of concentration in order to assist its membership in addressing these issues. Members of the SDMS have been involved in legislation on behalf of the sonography profession and in an effort to protect their patients. The SDMS also addresses numerous reimbursement issues, including many that involve laboratory accreditation. The SDMS supports laboratory accreditation and personal credentialing. The advanced practice sonographer classification is a new and controversial issue, and the SDMS Board is in the early stages of exploration of this role. Musculoskeletal strain injury is a major problem affecting a significant number of members of the sonography profession. The SDMS is actively investigating forms of treatment and prevention. Finally, in this article, some insight is offered into future developments in the practice of sonography and the role of the SDMS in the 21st century.
Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound Technology
Authors: Merton Daniel A.
Published: June 2007

Ultrasound has been used as a diagnostic medical tool for nearly half a century. Collaborative efforts between individuals from a variety of disciplines have resulted in a continual evolution in ultrasound technology. Early ultrasound investigations proceeded simultaneously and independently within several major centers located throughout the world. Advances in technology typically preceded and enabled more sophisticated medical research in the field. Once sufficient experience was obtained, the new equipment and imaging methods could be used for clinical applications. In this review, the author focuses on the major advances in technology that have resulted in the state-of-the-art ultrasound systems currently in use. These include the introduction of amplitude mode, brightness mode, real-time, and Doppler ultrasound. Recent progress in the field, including color flow imaging and the addition of digital technology, has expanded the range and specificity of ultrasound diagnosis while improving the quality of equipment and enhancing the image content. Future improvements to the field include three-dimensional ultrasound and the addition of a variety of ultrasound contrast agents. Improvements in existing technology and future advances hold the promise of placing ultrasound at the forefront of the medical imaging modalities.
Virtual reality environments for post-stroke arm rehabilitation
Authors: Subramanian Sandeep , Knaut Luiz A , Beaudoin Christian , McFadyen Bradford J , Feldman Anatol G , Levin Mindy F
Published: June 2007

Introduction

Optimal practice and feedback elements are essential requirements for maximal motor recovery in patients with motor deficits due to central nervous system lesions.

Methods

A virtual environment (VE) was created that incorporates practice and feedback elements necessary for maximal motor recovery. It permits varied and challenging practice in a motivating environment that provides salient feedback.

Results

The VE gives the user knowledge of results feedback about motor behavior and knowledge of performance feedback about the quality of pointing movements made in a virtual elevator. Movement distances are related to length of body segments.

Conclusion

We describe an immersive and interactive experimental protocol developed in a virtual reality environment using the CAREN system. The VE can be used as a training environment for the upper limb in patients with motor impairments.
Mamit-tRNA, a database of mammalian mitochondrial tRNA primary and secondary structures
Authors: Pütz Joern , Dupuis Bruno , Sissler Marie , Florentz Catherine
Published: June 2007

Mamit-tRNA (http://mamit-tRNA.u-strasbg.fr), a database for mammalian mitochondrial genomes, has been developed for deciphering structural features of mammalian mitochondrial tRNAs and as a helpful tool in the frame of human diseases linked to point mutations in mitochondrial tRNA genes. To accommodate the rapid growing availability of fully sequenced mammalian mitochondrial genomes, Mamit-tRNA has implemented a relational database, and all annotated tRNA genes have been curated and aligned manually. System administrative tools have been integrated to improve efficiency and to allow real-time update (from GenBank Database at NCBI) of available mammalian mitochondrial genomes. More than 3000 tRNA gene sequences from 150 organisms are classified into 22 families according to the amino acid specificity as defined by the anticodon triplets and organized according to phylogeny. Each sequence is displayed linearly with color codes indicating secondary structural domains and can be converted into a printable two-dimensional (2D) cloverleaf structure. Consensus and typical 2D structures can be extracted for any combination of primary sequences within a given tRNA specificity on the basis of phylogenetic relationships or on the basis of structural peculiarities. Mamit-tRNA further displays static individual 2D structures of human mitochondrial tRNA genes with location of polymorphisms and pathology-related point mutations. The site offers also a table allowing for an easy conversion of human mitochondrial genome nucleotide numbering into conventional tRNA numbering. The database is expected to facilitate exploration of structure/function relationships of mitochondrial tRNAs and to assist clinicians in the frame of pathology-related mutation assignments.
The C-terminal domain of T4 RNA ligase 1 confers specificity for tRNA repair
Authors: Wang Li Kai , Nandakumar Jayakrishnan , Schwer Beate , Shuman Stewart
Published: June 2007

T4 RNA ligase 1 (Rnl1) is a tRNA repair enzyme that thwarts a tRNA-damaging host response to virus infection. The 374-aa Rnl1 protein consists of an N-terminal nucleotidyltransferase domain fused to a unique C-terminal domain composed of 10 α helices. We exploited an in vitro tRNA splicing system to demonstrate that Rnl1 has an inherent specificity for sealing tRNA with a break in the anticodon loop. The tRNA specificity is imparted by the C domain, any deletion of which caused the broken tRNA to be sealed as poorly as the linear intron in vitro and also abolished Rnl1 tRNA splicing activity in vivo. Deletion analysis demarcated Rnl1-(1–254) as a minimal catalytic domain of Rnl1, capable of all chemical steps of the nonspecific RNA ligation reaction. Alanine scanning of the N domain identified Ser103, Leu104, Lys117, and Ser118 as important for pRNA ligation in vitro and tRNA repair in vivo.
Impact of Renal Disease on Natriuretic Peptide Testing for Diagnosing Decompensated Heart Failure and Predicting Mortality
Authors: deFilippi Christopher R , Seliger Stephen L , Maynard Susan , Christenson Robert H
Published: June 2007

Background: Concomitant occurrence of kidney disease (KD) and heart failure (HF) is common and associated with poor outcomes. Natriuretic peptide studies have typically excluded many individuals with KD. We compared the accuracy of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) for diagnosing decompensated HF and predicting mortality across the spectrum of renal function.

Methods: BNP and NT-proBNP were prospectively measured in a cohort of 831 dyspnea patients. KD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL · min−1 · (1.73 m2)−1. The accuracy and predictive value of each test for diagnosing decompensated HF and predicting all-cause 1-year mortality were assessed by ROC area under the curve (AUC) and multivariate regression analysis.

Results: Among the 831 dyspnea patients, 393 (47%) had KD. The diagnostic accuracies of BNP and NT-proBNP in detecting decompensated HF were similar to each other in patients without KD (AUC 0.75 vs 0.74, respectively; P = 0.60) and in patients with KD (AUC 0.68 vs 0.66; P = 0.10). One-year mortality rates were 36.3% and 19.0% in those with and without KD, respectively (P <0.001). Progressively higher BNP and NT-proBNP concentrations remained predictive of increased mortality in KD patients. Compared with the lowest quartile, quartile 4 of BNP had an adjusted hazards ratio (HR) of 2.6 (95% CI 1.4–4.8; P = 0.004 for trend) and NT-proBNP quartile 4 had an HR of 4.5 (95% CI 2.0–10.2; P <0.001 for trend). Only NT-proBNP remained a predictor of death after adjustment for clinical confounders and the other natriuretic peptide marker.

Conclusions: NT-proBNP and BNP are equivalent predictors of decompensated HF across a spectrum of renal function, but NT-proBNP is a superior predictor of mortality.
Simultaneous Analysis of d- and l-Serine in Cerebrospinal Fluid by Use of HPLC
Authors: Sethuraman Rama , Krishnamoorthy Malathi G , Lee Tat-Leang , Liu Eugene Hern C , Chiang Siau , Nishimura Wataru , Sakai Masato , Minami Toshiaki , Tachibana Shinro
Published: June 2007

Background: d-Serine is a coagonist for the glycine-binding site of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors and has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric functions such as learning, memory, and nociception, as well as schizophrenia and Alzheimer disease. We developed an HPLC method for d- and l-serine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Methods: The dabsylated racemic serine peak, automatically collected using a previously reported HPLC separation process for CSF amino acids, was desalted and subjected to a chiral resolution HPLC step with a Sumichiral column using an ultraviolet-visible detector.

Results: The limits of quantification (signal-to-noise ratio = 10) for d- and l-serine were 0.8 and 1.3 μmol/L, respectively. The mean imprecision values (CVs) for within-day measurements of d- and l-serine were 2.1% and 1.8%, respectively, and for between-day were 6.2% and 6.6%. Mean recovery of CSF serine (sum of d-serine + l-serine) applied to the Sumichiral column was 87%. The mean (SD) d-serine concentrations in 45 CSF samples obtained from 16 patients with chronic pain due to degenerative osteoarthritis of the knees, 16 with postherpetic neuralgia, and 13 with no pain were, respectively, 3.97 (0.44), 1.85 (0.21), and 2.72 (0.32) μmol/L.

Conclusion: d- and l-serine can be quantified with ultraviolet-visible detection of dabsyl derivatives. The dabsyl derivatives are stable and allow duplicate analysis of CSF samples in multisample runs.
Botulinum Toxin (Botox) to Enhance Facial Macroesthetics: A Literature Review
Authors: Dastoor Sarosh F. , Misch Carl E. , Wang Hom-Lay
Published: June 2007

Dental implants have emerged as a predictable treatment option for partial edentulism. Their ability to preserve bone and soft tissue yields highly esthetic results in the long term. Increasingly, patients are demanding not only enhancements to their dental (micro) esthetics but also to their overall facial (macro) esthetics. Dynamic wrinkles (caused by hyperfunctional muscles) in the perioral, glabellar, and forehead regions can cause a patient's expressions to be misinterpreted as angry, anxious, fearful, or fatigued. An emerging treatment option to address these issues is the use of a paralyzing material such as botulinum toxin A (Botox) to decrease the appearance of the wrinkles, which yields a more esthetic and youthful facial appearance. Botox is a deadly poison that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and causes muscle paralysis by inhibiting acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. When used in areas of hyperfunctional muscles, a transient partial paralysis occurs that diminishes the appearances of wrinkles, Therefore, wrinkles not attributable to hyperfunctional muscles (eg, wrinkles caused by aging, gravity, photodamage, trauma, and scarring) will not be amenable to treatment with the toxin. As a result, proper case selection is essential. A thorough understanding of the indications, techniques, dosages, and complications and their management is imperative to achieve a satisfactory result. This article will review the pathogenesis of facial wrinkles as well as the history, techniques, clinical controversies, and other important considerations for successful treatment of facial wrinkles with Botox.
The Effects of Soluble Growth Factors on Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Inside of Fibrin Scaffolds
Authors: Willerth Stephanie M. , Faxel Tracy E. , Gottlieb David I. , Sakiyama-Elbert Shelly E.
Published: June 2007

The goal of this research was to determine the effects of different growth factors on the survival and differentiation of murine embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells (ESNPCs) seeded inside of fibrin scaffolds. Embryoid bodies were cultured for 8 days in suspension, retinoic acid was applied for the final 4 days to induce ESNPC formation, and then the EBs were seeded inside of three-dimensional fibrin scaffolds. Scaffolds were cultured in the presence of media containing different doses of the following growth factors: neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and sonic hedgehog (Shh). The cell phenotypes were characterized using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and immunohistochemistry after 14 days of culture. Cell viability was also assessed at this time point. Shh (10 ng/ml) and NT-3 (25 ng/ml) produced the largest fractions of neurons and oligodendrocytes, whereas PDGF (2 and 10 ng/ml) and bFGF (10 ng/ml) produced an increase in cell viability after 14 days of culture. Combinations of growth factors were tested based on the results of the individual growth factor studies to determine their effect on cell differentiation. The incorporation of ESNPCs and growth factors into fibrin scaffolds may serve as potential treatment for spinal cord injury.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
A CD133-Expressing Murine Liver Oval Cell Population with Bilineage Potential
Authors: Rountree C. Bart , Barsky Lora , Ge Shundi , Zhu Judy , Senadheera Shantha , Crooks Gay M.
Published: June 2007

Although oval cells are postulated to be adult liver stem cells, a well-defined phenotype of a bipotent liver stem cell remains elusive. The heterogeneity of cells within the oval cell fraction has hindered lineage potential studies. Our goal was to identify an enriched population of bipotent oval cells using a combination of flow cytometry and single cell gene expression in conjunction with lineage-specific liver injury models. Expression of cell surface markers on nonparenchymal, nonhematopoietic (CD45−) cells were characterized. Cell populations were isolated by flow cytometry for gene expression studies. 3,5-Diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine toxic injury induced cell cycling and expansion specifically in the subpopulation of oval cells in the periportal zone that express CD133. CD133+CD45− cells expressed hepatoblast and stem cell-associated genes, and single cells coexpressed both hepatocyte and cholangiocyte-associated genes, indicating bilineage potential. CD133+CD45− cells proliferated in response to liver injury. Following toxic hepatocyte damage, CD133+CD45− cells demonstrated upregulated expression of the hepatocyte gene Albumin. In contrast, toxic cholangiocyte injury resulted in upregulation of the cholangiocyte gene Ck19. After 21–28 days in culture, CD133+CD45− cells continued to generate cells of both hepatocyte and cholangiocyte lineages. Thus, CD133 expression identifies a population of oval cells in adult murine liver with the gene expression profile and function of primitive, bipotent liver stem cells. In response to lineage-specific injury, these cells demonstrate a lineage-appropriate genetic response. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Development of Normal Reference Values for Seminal Reactive Oxygen Species and Their Correlation With Leukocytes and Semen Parameters in a Fertile Population
Authors: Athayde Kelly S. , Cocuzza Marcello , Agarwal Ashok , Krajcir Natalie , Lucon Antonio M. , Srougi Miguel , Hallak Jorge
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Although reactive oxygen species (ROSs) are clearly implicated in the pathogenesis of male infertility, few studies have attempted to define the basal levels of ROSs in fertile men. Levels of ROSs are highly influenced by the presence of leukocytes and are associated with decreased seminal parameters. The objective of our study was to determine the normal ROS reference values in neat and washed semen of a fertile population and to correlate the leukocyte concentrations with seminal parameters. We evaluated 114 fertile men seeking vasectomy and 47 subfertile patients as a positive control. All samples were subjected to semen analysis and Endtz testing; chemiluminescence assay was used to determine ROS levels. All seminal parameters were significantly higher in the fertile men than in the subfertile patients. In nonleukocytospermic samples, ROS levels were lower in the fertile men than in the subfertile patients in neat (0.29 [0.18, 0.54] vs 0.94 [0.38, 1.51]) (P = .001) and washed semen (5.73 [1.90, 14.71] vs 23.4 [9.46, 115.55]) (P = .001). Similarly, in samples with leukocytes (Entdz, less than 1 × 106/mL), ROS levels were lower in the fertile men in neat (0.75 [0.27, 1.71] vs 2.0 [0.97, 27.41]) (P = .001) and washed semen (15.85 [4.18, 62.16] vs 239.83 [33.4, 1193.75]) (P < .0001). As expected, samples with leukocytes had significantly higher ROS values in washed and neat semen. In the fertile population, ROSs were positively correlated with leukocytes and negatively correlated with sperm count and motility. In semen samples without leukocytes, the normality cutoff of ROSs was 0.55 × 104 counted photons per minute with 76.4% area under the curve (AUC) in the neat samples and 10.0 × 104 counted photons per minute with 77% AUC in the washed samples. In semen samples with leukocytes, the cutoff for ROSs in neat samples was 1.25 with 72.7% AUC and 51.5 with 81% AUC in the washed samples. We defined the cutoff levels of ROSs in a fertile population. Seminal leukocyte levels below 1 × 106/mL were associated with increased ROSs. ROS levels were positively correlated with leukocytes and negatively correlated with sperm motility and concentration. Patients with normal seminal parameters and lower seminal leukocyte levels may benefit from therapeutic interventions that improve semen quality.
Seminal Plasma Cobalamin Significantly Correlates With Sperm Concentration in Men Undergoing IVF or ICSI Procedures
Authors: Boxmeer Jolanda C. , Smit Marij , Weber Robertus F. , Lindemans Jan , Romijn Johannes C. , Eijkemans Marinus J. , Macklon Nicholas S. , Steegers‐Theunissen Regine P.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is caused by B vitamin deficiencies. We hypothesize that these biochemical derangements detrimentally affect spermatogenesis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the folate, cobalamin, pyridoxine, and homocysteine concentrations in blood and seminal plasma and the associations between these biomarkers and semen parameters in men participating in an in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection program. From 73 men (median age [range]: 37 years [28–53]), blood and semen samples were obtained for the determination of serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate, serum total cobalamin, whole‐blood pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), and serum total testosterone. Semen analysis included sperm concentration, motility, and morphology according to World Health Organization criteria. The B vitamins and tHcy concentrations were significantly correlated in blood but not in seminal plasma. The serum and RBC folate concentrations were significantly correlated also with the total folate concentration in seminal plasma (r = .44; P < .001 and r = .39; P < .001, respectively). Likewise, the total cobalamin concentration in serum and seminal plasma was significantly correlated (r = .55; P = .001). Of interest is that the total cobalamin concentration in seminal plasma was significantly correlated with the sperm concentration (r = .42; P < .001). This is in contrast to the absence of significant associations between the other vitamins and tHcy in blood and seminal plasma and any of the semen parameters. These findings suggest that folate and cobalamin are transferred from the blood to the male reproductive organs and emphasize the role of cobalamin in spermatogenesis in human.
Dewey, Peirce, and the Learning Paradox
Authors: Prawat Richard S.
Published: June 2007

This article deals with a problem that has vexed educators and learning theorists for years—the so-called learning paradox. Attempts to explain how it is that new and better knowledge is fashioned out of prior, less complex knowledge typically rely on processes of deduction or induction or, as a third alternative, equate the generation of new knowledge with the development of new moves in the language game. A fourth promising solution to the learning paradox is advanced in this article. In this approach, based on Dewey and Peirce's work, ideas as opposed to schemas or postmodernist discourse are viewed as the real carriers of meaning. Ideas are thought to be generated through a metaphoric process known as abduction. Abduction offers the best chance of coming to terms with the learning paradox.
Risk and Recovery From Course Failure in the Early Years of High School
Authors: Roderick Melissa , Camburn Eric
Published: June 2007

For many urban adolescents, the transition to and early years of high school are a time of academic difficulty and increasing school disengagement. In Chicago, over 40% of ninth graders fail one or more major subjects in the first semester. This article examines patterns in the relative risk of course failure and recovery from failure over the first four semesters of high school in one urban school system. It examines how failure rates vary as a function of race, ethnicity, gender, age, and prior achievement and examines between-school variation in student performance. Males and Hispanic students are particularly at risk. Few students recover from grade failure, and early failure often translates into poorer later performance. Schools vary widely in rates of failure and recovery—variation that remains after adjusting for differences in schools' student body composition. Implications for further research and policy are discussed.
The Dangerous and the Good? Developmentalism, Progress, and Public Schooling
Authors: Baker Bernadette
Published: June 2007

In light of numerous critiques of developmentalism, this article examines whether developmentalism has been a dangerous way to think about human life. It traces the emergence of different kinds of developmental discourse, locates the discursive preconditions for developmentalism's dominance in education, and examines the conjuncture between developmentalism and progressivism in shaping the limits of education's discursive field since the late 19th century. The article examines some of the productive and repressive legacies of developmental reasoning and concludes by examining present efforts to destabilize and fracture developmental discourse. It suggests that the historical articulation of developmentalism to an idea of progress has not been undermined through present-day critiques that still implicitly project "progress" as the grounds for efforts to destabilize "development. "Alternatives to developmental discourse are considered in relation to how judgments of the dangerous and the good have been shaped through problematic narratives of progress and human freedom.
Comer's School Development Program in Chicago: A Theory-Based Evaluation
Authors: Cook Thomas D. , Murphy Robert F. , Hunt H. David
Published: June 2007

Using fifth through eighth-grade students, the Comer School Development Program was evaluated in 10 inner city Chicago schools over 4 years, contrasting them with nine randomly selected no-treatment comparison schools. Comer schools implemented more program details than the controls but were not faithful to all program particulars. Students' ratings of the school's social climate improved soon after the program began. By the last 2 study years, both the students' and teachers' perceptions of the school's academic climate had also improved relative to the control schools. By these last years, Comer schools had gained about 3 percentile points more than the controls in both reading and math and students reported less acting out on a scale whose items are correlated with more serious offending in later life. Students in Comer schools also endorsed more conventional norms about misbehaving and reported greater ability to control their anger. However, the Comer program did not benefit either students' mental health or their participation in activities that adults consider wholesome. Explanations for the achievement and acting out results are offered based on student and staff data about school climate, on insights from an ethnography conducted in the program schools, and on contrast with the evaluation results from Prince George's County MD, where a different variant of the program failed to achieve any positive outcomes.
Dewey Meets the “Mozart of Psychology” in Moscow: The Untold Story
Authors: Prawat Richard S.
Published: June 2007

Based on new evidence, I explore the likelihood that Vygotsky, who Toulmin refers to as the “Mozart of Psychology,” met and exchanged views with John Dewey, the great American philosopher, during the latter's landmark trip to Russia in the summer of 1928. I also discuss a second kind of meeting that occurred around this time, a meeting of the minds between these two great scholars, unmistakably evident in Dewey's writings from 1925 on and in Vygotsky's writings toward the end of his life. The social and political context surrounding these two events, ironically enough, has not been adequately dealt with to date. A careful examination of the events leading up to and following the two hypothesized meetings calls into question a number of assumptions about Vygotsky's life and work—including Luria's popular, Cinderella-like account of how he came to the attention of the intellectual elite in Moscow.
Teachers' Responses to Success for All: How Beliefs, Experiences, and Adaptations Shape Implementation
Authors: Datnow Amanda , Castellano Marisa
Published: June 2007

Success for All (SFA) is a whole-school reform model that organizes resources to focus on prevention and early intervention to ensure that students succeed in reading throughout the elementary grades. In this article we use qualitative data gathered in extensive interviews and observations in two SFA schools to examine how teachers respond to SFA and how their beliefs, experiences, and programmatic adaptations influence implementation. We found that teachers fell into four distinct categories ranging from strong support for SFA to resistance. Support for the reform did not directly correlate with teachers' personal characteristics such as experience level, gender, or ethnic background. Moreover, teachers' levels of support for SFA did not necessarily predict the degree of fidelity with which they implemented it. Almost all teachers made adaptations to the program, in spite of the developers' demands to closely follow the model. Teachers supported the continued implementation of SFA because they believed it was beneficial for students. At the same time many teachers felt that the program constrained their autonomy and creativity. Implications of this study for the future successful implementation of SFA and other externally developed reform models are discussed.
Knowledge Definition, Subject, and Educational Track Level: Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers
Authors: de Brabander Cornelis J.
Published: June 2007

This study investigates the effects of subject and track level on the definitions of knowledge used by teachers in secondary education. Responding to 20 scales of an inventory, 202 teachers provided 313 judgments of the characteristics of their own subject as they actually taught it to students of one or more track levels. The first dimension of a principal components solution was interpreted as a contrast between everyday knowledge and academic knowledge. The second dimension involved a contrast between general and specialized knowledge. As far as individual teachers responded to more than one track level, they, generally speaking, maintained a single definition of their subject for all track levels. Subject identity explained most of the differences, but teacher variables were also relevant. If it is allowed to order teachers hierarchically, based on their teacher training and their experience with track levels, then in the group of teachers with the highest level of teacher education and teaching at the highest track level, only the science subjects were judged as extremely hard a n d specialized. In groups of teachers ranking lower, some other subjects such as the foreign languages were judged as relatively hard and specialized, whereas the science subjects were judged less hard and less specialized. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
A Pragmatist Revisioning of Resistance Theory
Authors: Abowitz Kathleen Knight
Published: June 2007

Resistance theorists in education urge educators to evaluate the moral and political potential of opposition in schools. The scholarship of resistance calls us to examine oppositional acts of students in school settings as moral and political expressions of oppression. Resistance theorizing over the past several decades has not, however, adequately explored the idea that resistance is communication; that is, a means of signaling and constructing new meanings, and of building a discourse around particular problems of exclusion or inequality. In this paper, I use pragmatist theories of inquiry and communication to interpret and critique resistance theories in education. Using Dewey and Bentley's notion of transactionalism (1946), I present a theoretical framework for future inquiry into school opposition. Interpreting resistance theory through a pragmatist lens leads to a more relational reading of resistance, and can promote school-based inquiry (rather than simple avoidance or punishment) directed toward acts of resistance in schools.
Trusting Teachers’ Judgments: A Validity Study of a Curriculum-Embedded Performance Assessment in Kindergarten to Grade 3
Authors: Meisels Samuel J , Bickel Donna DiPrima , Nicholson Julie , Xue Yange , Atkins-Burnett Sally
Published: June 2007

Teacher judgments of student learning are a key element in performance assessment. This study examines aspects of the validity of teacher judgments that are based on the Work Sampling System (WSS), a curriculum-embedded, performance assessment for preschool (age 3) to Grade 5. The purpose of the study is to determine if teacher judgments about student learning in kindergarten to third grade are trustworthy if they are informed by a curriculum-embedded performance assessment. A cross-sectional sample composed of 345 K-3 students enrolled in 17 classrooms in an urban school system was studied. Analyses included correlations between WSS and an individually administered psychoeducational battery, four-step hierarchical regressions to examine the variance in students’ spring outcome scores, and receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC) curves to compare the accuracy of WSS in categorizing students in terms of the outcome. Results demonstrate that WSS correlates well with a standardized, individually administered psychoeducational battery; that it is a reliable predictor of achievement ratings in K-3; and that the data obtained from WSS have significant utility for discriminating accurately between children who are at risk (e.g., Title I) and those who are not at risk. Further discussion concerns the role of teacher judgment in assessing student learning and achievement.
A Bakhtinian Analysis of Particular Home-School Relations
Authors: Graue M. Elizabeth , Kroeger Janice , Prager Dana
Published: June 2007

In this article, we explore home-school relations as the establishment of a complex relationship between institutions and individuals in specific contexts. Using Bakhtin’s ideas of answerability, which depict a particular kind of responsibility, and addressivity, a conception of the relational nature of being, we explore how parents in one elementary school came to understand and enact relationships with schoolpeople. Answerability and addressivity have located within them ideas of power (What is the ethical response in the development of a child?) and voice (Who gets heard in the discourse of the school?). These concepts provide a framing of relationships that shows us how responsibility is mapped in inquiry on home-school relations. We analyze data from interviews with the parents of kindergarten and first grade children at the beginning and end of an academic year to illustrate enactments of answerability and addressivity through discussions of expectations for their child, themselves, and their child’s teacher.
What Makes Professional Development Effective? Results From a National Sample of Teachers
Authors: Garet Michael S. , Porter Andrew C , Desimone Laura , Birman Beatrice F , Yoon Kwang Suk
Published: June 2007

This study uses a national probability sample of 1,027 mathematics and science teachers to provide the first large-scale empirical comparison of effects of different characteristics of professional development on teachers’ learning. Results, based on ordinary least squares regression, indicate three core features of professional development activities that have significant, positive effects on teachers’ self-reported increases in knowledge and skills and changes in classroom practice: (a) focus on content knowledge; (b) opportunities for active learning; and (c) coherence with other learning activities. It is primarily through these core features that the following structural features significantly affect teacher learning: (a) the form of the activity (e.g., workshop vs. study group); (b) collective participation of teachers from the same school, grade, or subject; and (c) the duration of the activity.
Effects of Information, Guidance, and Actions on Postsecondary Destinations: A Study of Talent Loss
Authors: Plank Stephen B , Jordan Will J
Published: June 2007

This study uses National Educational Longitudinal Study data to show that information about higher education, guidance, and essential preparatory actions taken by secondary students influence whether they will attend post-secondary educational institutions (PEIs) within 2 years of high school graduation, and, if so, what types of institutions. The conceptual framework is embedded in research on college choice and talent loss. Talent loss is described as the occurrence of promising students not reaching their full educational potential. Choice theory attempts to explain the myriad factors contributing to individuals’ postsecondary destinations. We find that increased levels of information, guidance, and critical actions taken are positively and significantly associated with initial enrollment in a 4-year PEI, as opposed to enrollment in a 2-year PEI (full or part time) or no enrollment. These factors explain a large part of the effect of socioeconomic status on postsecondary destination, controlling for high school achievement.
Science Achievement Growth Trajectories: Understanding Factors Related to Gender and Racial–Ethnic Differences in Precollege Science Achievement
Authors: Muller Patricia A. , Stage Frances K. , Kinzie Jillian
Published: June 2007

Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and longitudinal data from the first three waves of the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), we examined achievement and growth rates in precollege science by racial–ethnic and gender subgroups. We found socioeconomic status and previous grades strongly and positively related to students’ eighth-grade achievement across all racial–ethnic by gender subgroups. We also found locus-of-control to be strongly related to eighth-grade science achievement for all subgroups except Asian American males. In modeling the growth rate, we found that the quantity of science units completed in high school was the only consistent predictor of science growth rates across all racial–ethnic by gender subgroups. The relationships between individual-level factors and science growth rates differed greatly for the remaining individual-level variables, highlighting the need for further research that both disaggregates data by race–ethnicity and gender.