bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Anatomy of a Surgical Simulation
Authors: Prentice Rachel
Published: November 2005

Engineers, computer programmers, and surgeons have begun to develop virtual reality simulators designed to teach the physical aspects of surgical skills, especially the skills needed to perform minimally invasive procedures. The technologies incorporated in these simulations, including graphic modeling, haptic (tactile and kinesthetic) interface design, and haptic cognitive studies, reconstruct surgical knowledge that traditionally remains tacit, such as knowledge of surgeons’ movements and forces used on tissues. A surgeon’s physical experience becomes mathematized when programmers reconstruct it for computers. This paper describes how researchers construct ‘body objects’, representations of bodies and body parts that are engineered to inhabit computer programs. This paper argues that surgical learning occurs at the interface of bodies and instruments, through simultaneous sculpting of the surgical site and training of the surgeon’s body, a process I call mutual articulation.
What Got the Gatekeepers into Trouble?
Authors: Olson Dan
Published: November 2005

The temple gatekeepers in ancient Israel appear to have fallen into disgrace some time between late first temple and post-exilic times, but the Chronicler attempts to restore their lost dignity in his idealized temple. This study attempts to find the reasons for these fluctuations in the gatekeepers’ history by following up clues found in both canonical and non-canonical texts. Much attention is given to a key passage, 1 Chron. 26.17-18, reconstructed from the LXX, and many insights are drawn from J. Glen Taylor’s work on solar Yahwism, leading to the conclusion that the gatekeepers were originally more involved in the cult than later texts might indicate, and that they may well have been active in the worship of Yahweh under the icon of the sun and the heavenly hosts. The gatekeepers’ downfall probably resulted from the rejection of this form of worship, attested in texts like Ezek. 8.16 and 2 Kgs 23.11. By the time of the Chronicler, aberrant Yahwism in the temple was no longer a threat, and his program aimed at restoring a measure of status for the fallen gatekeepers, even if it allowed them only minimal participation in the temple cult.
Maacah and Ish-Tob
Authors: Wee John Zhu-En
Published: November 2005

In 2 Sam. 10.6 the relationship between 9< > (=> and 3H J is ambiguous, and the order of items in its military list is peculiar. Also, numbers and referents in 2 Sam. 10.6 do not seem to agree with those in the parallel passage, 1 Chron. 19.7. Furthermore, the expression 3H J is rendered as a proper name in various manuscripts and ancient versions. This article proposes a solution to all the above problems: namely, that (1) the expression J,= is erroneously written after 9< > (=>, and (2) 3H J may be the ethnic qualifier for 9< > (=>, both expressions referring to the same individual.
Breaking Down Unity: An Analysis of 1 Chronicles 21.1–22.1
Authors: Ristau Kenneth A.
Published: November 2005

This study is a structural and thematic analysis of 1 Chron. 21.1–22.1, and conveys some general observations about its likely communicative intent for the post-exilic community that wrote and received the book of Chronicles. The central argument is that the disunity and conflicts in the core relationships between Yahweh–king, Yahweh–Israel, king–Israel, and king–army in the opening verses of the census narrative, while in tension with the Chronicler’s general tendency to idealize the Urzeit, are actually a key part of the message and purpose of this narrative in Chronicles and for the community of the text. It is argued that the narrative highlights the centrality of Jerusalem, the temple, the cult, and the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh; it circumscribes and nuances the role of David and the monarchy in the ‘history’ of the cult; and it advances particular relational principles for the post-exilic leaders and their community.
Preknowledge, Anticipation, and the Poetics of Job
Authors: Wilson Gerald
Published: November 2005

The use of privileged information has long been recognized as a strategy in the book of Job, especially as evidenced in God’s consultation with the Satan known to the reader but hidden from Job and his friends. Such anticipatory information can only surprise the careful reader once, and must be intended to prepare the serious student for elements of interest and significance. This study investigates examples of preknowledge and anticipation employed in the poetic sections of Job and how they influence the reader’s response to the unfolding narrative and the interpretation of the final form of the text. These examples of anticipation and preknowledge suggest a more cohesive awareness of the various segments of the book than is often assumed.
The Effect of Angled Osteochondral Grafting on Contact Pressure
Authors: Lee Koh Jason , Kowalski Adam , Lautenschlager Eugene
Published: November 2005

Background

Flush osteochondral plugs can reduce contact pressure compared with an empty defect in the articular cartilage. However, incongruities such as graft angulation have an unknown effect.

Hypothesis

Incongruity of the articular cartilage after osteochondral transplantation affects articular surface contact pressure.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

An 80-N load was applied with a material testing system for 120 seconds to the femoral condyles of 50 fresh swine knees. Contact pressures were measured using Prescale super low film. Five conditions were tested: (1) intact articular surface; (2) surface with 4.5-mm-diameter circular defect; (3) defect grafted with a flush 4.5-mm-diameter plug from the contralateral condyle; (4) defect grafted with a 30 ° angled 4.5-mm-diameter plug, with lower edge flush (tip elevated with respect to the adjacent surface); and (5) defect grafted with a 30 ° plug, with tip flush to the adjacent surface (lower edge sunk). Angled grafts were obtained using a rotational bearing vise aligned with a 30 ° fixed-angle track. The film was digitally scanned and analyzed, and standard statistical tests were performed.

Results

Mean peak pressures of intact cartilage (8.57 kg/cm2), flush graft (9.81 kg/cm2), and sunk and angled graft (9.15 kg/cm2) were not significantly different (P <. 5). The mean pressures for defects (12.01 kg/cm2) and the elevated angled graft (14.50 kg/cm2) were significantly (P <. 05) higher than that of intact cartilage.

Clinical Relevance

Slightly sunk grafts were still able to reduce elevated contact pressures to normal levels. However, elevated angled grafts increased contact pressure. These results suggest that it is preferable to leave an edge slightly sunk rather than elevated.
Biomechanical Comparison of a Single-Row versus Double-Row Suture Anchor Technique for Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Kim David H. , ElAttrache Neal S. , Tibone James E. , Jun Bong-Jae , DeLaMora Sergai N. , Kvitne Ronald S. , Lee Thay Q.
Published: November 2005

Background

Reestablishment of the native footprint during rotator cuff repair has been suggested as an important criterion for optimizing healing potential and fixation strength.

Hypothesis

A double-row rotator cuff footprint repair will demonstrate superior biomechanical properties compared with a single-row repair.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

In 9 matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders, the supraspinatus tendon from 1 shoulder was repaired with a double-row suture anchor technique: 2 medial anchors with horizontal mattress sutures and 2 lateral anchors with simple sutures. The tendon from the contralateral shoulder was repaired using a single lateral row of 2 anchors with simple sutures. Each specimen underwent cyclic loading from 10 to 180 N for 200 cycles, followed by tensile testing to failure. Gap formation and strain over the footprint area were measured using a video digitizing system; stiffness and failure load were determined from testing machine data.

Results

Gap formation for the double-row repair was significantly smaller (P< .05) when compared with the single-row repair for the first cycle (1.67 ± 0.75 mm vs 3.10 ± 1.67 mm, respectively) and the last cycle (3.58 ± 2.59 mm vs 7.64 ± 3.74 mm, respectively). The initial strain over the footprint area for the double-row repair was nearly one third (P< .05) the strain of the single-row repair. Adding a medial row of anchors increased the stiffness of the repair by 46% and the ultimate failure load by 48% (P< .05).

Conclusion

Footprint reconstruction of the rotator cuff using a double-row repair improved initial strength and stiffness and decreased gap formation and strain over the footprint when compared with a single-row repair.

Clinical Relevance

To achieve maximal initial fixation strength and minimal gap formation for rotator cuff repair, reconstructing the footprint attachment with 2 rows of suture anchors should be considered.
Jump-Land Characteristics and Muscle Strength Development in Young Athletes
Authors: Barber-Westin Sue D. , Noyes Frank R. , Galloway Marc
Published: November 2005

Background

Many authors have speculated that altered neuromuscular control and strength of the lower extremity are responsible for the gender disparity in knee ligament injury rates.

Hypothesis

Significant increases in normalized quadriceps and hamstrings strength and limb symmetry on single-legged hop test occur with age. No gender differences in strength occur until age 14 years, after which boys generate greater peak torques than do girls. Age and gender do not influence lower limb alignment on a drop-jump test.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

We studied the effects of age and gender in 1140 athletes, 9 to 17 years old, on muscle strength and neuromuscular control during functional activities. Isokinetic quadriceps and hamstrings strength was measured at 300 deg/s. Limb symmetry was assessed with single-legged hop tests. A video drop-jump test determined lower limb alignment in the coronal plane.

Results

Extension peak torques significantly increased with age; maximum strength was noted in girls at age 13 years and in boys at age 14 years (P< .001). Although maximum flexion strength occurred in boys at age 14 years (P< .001), girls had only slight increases from ages 9 to 11 years (P= not significant). Boys aged 14 to 17 years had significantly greater normalized isokinetic strength than did age-matched girls. No age or gender effects existed in limb alignment on the drop-jump test or limb symmetry on single-legged hop testing.

Conclusion

Maximum hamstrings strength was noted in female athletes by age 11 years, compared with age 14 years in male athletes, and a distinct lower limb valgus alignment existed in the majority of all athletes on landing. The absence of a gender difference in lower limb alignment on landing suggests other factors may be responsible for the gender disparity in knee ligament injury rates.
A Biomechanical Evaluation of an Anatomical Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Mazzocca Augustus D. , Santangelo Stephen A. , Johnson Sean T. , Rios Clifford G. , Dumonski Mark L. , Arciero Robert A.
Published: November 2005

Background

Despite numerous surgical techniques described, there have been few studies evaluating the biomechanical performance of acromioclavicular joint reconstructions.

Purpose

To compare a newly developed anatomical coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction with a modified Weaver-Dunn procedure and a recently described arthroscopic method using ultrastrong nonabsorbable suture material.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Forty-two fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders (72.8 ± 13.4 years) were randomly assigned to 3 groups: arthroscopic reconstruction, anatomical coracoclavicular reconstruction, and a modified Weaver-Dunn procedure. Bone mineral density was obtained on all specimens. Specimens were tested to 70 N in 3 directions, anterior, posterior, and superior, comparing the intact to the reconstructed states. Superior cyclic loading at 70 N for 3000 cycles was then performed at a rate of 1 Hz, followed by a load to failure test (120 mm/min) to simulate physiologic states at the acromioclavicular joint.

Results

In comparison to the intact state, the modified Weaver-Dunn procedure had significantly (P <. 05) greater laxity than the anatomical coracoclavicular reconstruction or the arthroscopic reconstruction. There were no significant differences in bone mineral density (g/cm2), load to failure, superior migration over 3000 cycles, or superior displacement. The anatomical coracoclavicular reconstruction had significantly less (P <. 05) anterior and posterior translation than the modified Weaver-Dunn procedure. The arthroscopic reconstruction yielded significantly less anterior displacement (P <. 05) than the modified Weaver-Dunn procedure.

Conclusion

The anatomical coracoclavicular reconstruction has less anterior and posterior translation and more closely approximates the intact state, restoring function of the acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments.

Clinical Relevance

A more anatomical reconstruction using a free tendon graft of both the trapezoid and conoid ligaments may provide a stronger, permanent biologic solution for dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint. This reconstruction may minimize recurrent subluxation and residual pain and permit earlier rehabilitation.
Scapular Kinematics during Supraspinatus Rehabilitation Exercise
Authors: Thigpen Charles A. , Padua Darin A. , Morgan Nicholas , Kreps Carly , Karas Spero G.
Published: November 2005

Background

Supraspinatus strengthening is an important component of shoulder rehabilitation. Previous work has determined that the full-can and empty-can exercises elicit the greatest amount of supraspinatus activity. However, scapular kinematics has not been considered when prescribing supraspinatus exercises.

Hypothesis

Scapular downward rotation, internal rotation, and anterior tipping during the empty-can exercise are increased when compared with the full-can exercise.

Study Design

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods

Twenty participants performed full-can and empty-can exercises while an electromagnetic tracking system was used to collect three-dimensional scapular kinematic data. Scapular angles at 30 °, 60 °, and 90 ° of the ascending and descending phases of humeral elevation were compared using 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance.

Results

There was more scapular anterior tipping and internal rotation during the empty-can exercise at all sampled humeral elevation angles except at 30 ° of the descending phase for anterior/posterior tipping (P< .05).

Conclusion

Scapular anterior tipping and internal rotation are increased during the empty-can exercise, whereas scapular upward rotation was not different between exercises.

Clinical Relevance

Increased scapular internal rotation and anterior tipping decrease the volume of the supraspinatus outlet during the empty-can exercise. When maintenance of the subacromial space is important, use of the full-can exercise seems most appropriate for selective strengthening of the supraspinatus muscle.
Does the Job Creation Tax Credit Program in Maryland Help Concentrate Employment Growth?
Authors: Sohn Jungyul , Knaap Gerrit-Jan
Published: November 2005

The Job Creation Tax Credit program is one of the five Smart Growth programs initiated by the state of Maryland in 1997. Like other tax credit programs, it is a personbased program intended to create jobs; it is also, however, a place-based program in that eligibility is limited to jobs created in Priority Funding Areas (PFAs). This article examines whether the program has furthered the goals of concentrating job growth with PFAs. The empirical analysis uses a fixed-effects random growth model and examines employment in five economic sectors from 1994 to 1998 at the zip code level. The results show that job growth in transportation, communication, and utilities and services industries has concentrated in PFAs, whereas growth in the primary sector, manufacturing, and finance, insurance, and real estate has been unaffected by the program.
The Effectiveness of State Business Tax Incentive Programs: The Case of North Carolina
Authors: Luger Michael I. , Bae Suho
Published: November 2005

The authors propose a practical way to estimate the effectiveness of state tax incentives. They simulate how much taxpayers'costs are reduced by tax incentives and how those reductions are likely to increase employment. That enables them to address the critical but elusive counterfactual question about the induced rather than gross effects of tax incentives. The importance of this article is not in the elegance of its approach but in its application. The authors demonstrate how a straightforward model can be used to help inform critical decisions that thus far have had little useful input from analysts. Their approach is easily replicable. The simulation results are easy for policy makers to understand. The power of this relatively simple approach has already been demonstrated in North Carolina, where its use is helping to shape tax incentive policy.
Developing Self-Employment Among African Americans: The Impact of Household Social Resources on African American Entrepreneurship
Authors: Smith Danielle Taana
Published: November 2005

Entrepreneurship has historically been a vital contributor to the dynamism of American economic activity and has functioned as an important institution for marginalized races and communities. Logistic regression models based on data from the 1993 through 2000 Current Population Surveys from the U.S. Bureau of the Census are used to investigate differences in the probability of self-employment for African Americans and Whites. The investigation of racial differences in entrepreneurship offers both a fundamental view of economic development and of the salience of race in contemporary American economic activity. The results of this study show that household resources have both expected and unexpected effects on entrepreneurship. For example, as expected, being married and having other sources of household income positively affect the likelihood of entrepreneurship for both African Americans and Whites. Unexpectedly, having other working-age adults in the household reduces the likelihood of entrepreneurship for both groups.
How to Analyze the Regional Economy With Occupation Data
Authors: Koo Jun
Published: November 2005

Occupation is an important aspect of the regional economy because regional competitiveness has become increasingly dependent upon local knowledge bases and worker quality. It has been forgotten, however, in most regional economic analysis. This study proposes a new approach that utilizes occupation data available in the public domain in analyzing the regional economy. The study defines occupation clusters and presents three occupation analysis approaches (i.e., overview analysis, occupation cluster analysis, and occupation-based industry-targeting analysis). The Cleveland metropolitan area is used for the illustration of analysis techniques.
The (mis)representation of customer service
Authors: Bolton Sharon C. , Houlihan Maeve
Published: November 2005

The growth of service work has introduced the customer as a third party to the employment relationship. Yet dominant images of customer relations portray docile service workers offering de-personalized care to sometimes aggressive but otherwise not much more agential customers. This paper seeks to bring humanity back into an analysis of customer service, and to reinterpret customer service interaction as a human relationship. Using labour process analysis and data from call-centre workers and their customers, we rerepresent customers as many-faceted, complex and sophisticated social actors and introduce a new conceptual framework of the roles customers play: as mythical sovereigns, functional transactants and moral agents, thereby offering a more accurate representation of customer service and the role of the actors involved in it.
‘Remember I’m the bloody architect!’
Authors: Cohen Laurie , Wilkinson Adrian , Arnold John , Finn Rachael
Published: November 2005

There is a growing consensus that professional work faces an uncertain future. However, debates have tended to take a macro focus, underplaying the role of individuals’ accounts of their working lives. In this article we focus on UK architecture, examining how public-sector and private-sector architects construct the purpose and process of their occupation, applying the concept of discourse to explore and explicate the different versions expressed in individuals’ accounts. We argue that architecture is constituted in the modes of creative endeavour, business activity and public service. The discourses that are mobilized, and the occasions of their production, reflect architects’ orientations to the diverse challenges facing their profession, particularly concerning the role of creativity in the purpose and practice of architecture.
Age of the law's end
Authors: Shepherd Robert J.
Published: November 2005

This article examines the rise and fall of the Falun Gong movement in China and its subsequent rebirth abroad. To make sense of Falun Gong requires situating the movement within the social context of post-Maoist China and its appearance at a time when the space of everyday life was, and continues to be, radically transformed by market forces in the name of, paradoxically, ‘scientific Marxism’. After examining the central role a reified view of science plays in the cosmology of Falun Gong, I turn to two central paradoxes: first, how the Chinese Communist Party's suppression of Falun Gong has itself been grounded in the Party's own reification of science, and second, how what began as a micro-level response to global forces has been sustained in exile by these very same forces.
Difference and exclusion at work in the club culture economy
Authors: Böse Martina
Published: November 2005

This article explores the relationship between the construction of difference and the making of exclusion in the club culture economy. Based on ethnographic research in Manchester, it argues that the cultural practices of the consumers of a local cultural economy need to be viewed together with the practices of its producers in order to understand the interrelation of cultural differentiation and exclusion, which affects both groups. A discussion of the terms ‘underground’ and ‘underclass’, and their particular evocation in the cultural context highlights the interrelationship of social contexts, differentiation and exclusion in the cultural work realm. In conclusion, the article argues in favour of a consideration of these contexts and particularly of the inscription of ‘difference’ in research on work in the cultural industries.
On a rant by a little musketeer
Authors: Rojek Chris
Published: November 2005

This article is a response to Bill Scharz's review of my book, Stuart Hall (Polity, 2003). The circumstances of his ‘review’ and my response to it are outlined in the first two pages of the article. My book was the first full-length treatment of the published work of Stuart Hall. Hall's Directorship of the Birmingham Centre is widely agreed to be courageous and the source of an exciting and stimulating intellectual and political environment. As such it bred unusually strong ties of loyalty to both Hall and the project of Cultural Studies that he inspired. Schwarz's ‘review’ richly illustrates this loyalty and pays fulsome tribute to the intellectual debt that Schwarz owes to Hall. My article tries to rescue the central arguments that I made in the book from the spin Schwarz puts upon them. It also tries to give an interpretation for the approach he adopts and to show why I believe it possesses insuperable limitations.
An Investigation of Expatriate Adjustment and Performance
Authors: Liu Xiangyang , Shaffer Margaret A.
Published: November 2005

To understand the effects of host country nationals (HCNs) on expatriate effectiveness, we draw upon social capital theory to develop and test a model of expatriate adjustment and performance. This social capital model predicts that social networks and access to information and resources ( opportunities), trust and norm of reciprocity ( motivation) and HCNs' intercultural competencies and reliable task performance ( abilities) have direct effects on expatriate adjustment and performance. To test the proposed model, we conducted a field study and collected data from 147 expatriate managers working in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. The social capital variables were strong predictors of expatriate performance but were relatively weak for adjustment. Having adopted a new perspective for examining expatriate effectiveness, this research offers some new directions for future studies in expatriate research as well as in social capital.
Subordinates' Information Inquiry in Uncertain Times
Authors: Madzar Svjetlana
Published: November 2005

This field study takes interest in subordinates' information seeking from their superiors through inquiry in a complex organizational setting. Information inquiry is investigated via typology, in the context of upward communication, in which organizational hierarchy and corresponding communication rules and procedures play an important role. Data were collected amid high levels of uncertainty, also capturing cultural influences by including in the study multi-country operations of a large, US-based MNC. The countries involved in this study are France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the USA. Survey data ( N= 2213) show significant influence of perceived transformational leadership style on the frequency of subordinates' information inquiry across all five countries. A series of moderated multiple regressions reveal weak moderating effects of vertical individualism, power distance, tolerance for ambiguity, and an employee's level in the hierarchy on this relationship.
Cultural Perspectives : Siding in a Workplace Dispute in China
Authors: Yang Huadong , Van de Vliert Evert , Shi Kan
Published: November 2005

Employees in the role of outsider can be faced with a dispute between colleagues. Taking sides is a crucially important, yet neglected tactic in handling disputes. In a study of 226 Chinese employees, we investigated the influence of employees' moral and expedient orientations on their siding intentions in a workplace dispute characterized by different distributions of legitimacy, negative sanctions and guanxi. Results indicate that legitimacy information leads moral-oriented employees to side with a legitimacy party whereas sanction information leads expedient-oriented employees to side with a sanction party. However, the Chinese employees also take guanxiinto account. Guanxias contrasting information decreased both the extent to which the strong-moral, weak-expedient-oriented Chinese employees sided with a legitimacy party, and the extent to which weak-moral, strong-expedient-oriented employees sided with a sanction party. Implications of these results for developing a universal theory of siding are discussed.
The Impact of Political Culture on Firms' Choice of Exploitation–Exploration Internationalization Strategy
Authors: Armagan Sungu , Ferreira Manuel Portugal
Published: November 2005

This article discusses the impact of political culture on the exploitation–exploration internationalization strategies of firms. In particular, we propose that four dimensions of political culture – nationalism, internationalism, patriotism, and cosmopolitanism – influence firms’ willingness to explore new opportunities and/or to exploit existing products and capabilities across borders. We suggest that firms in nationalist home country cultures are more likely to pursue exploitation strategies, whereas those in cosmopolitan cultures are more likely to pursue exploration strategies. For firms embedded in patriotic or internationalist cultures, a mix of exploitation and exploration internationalization strategies might be the more likely choice. We conclude that these political culture dimensions may be useful to understand and predict many firm-level strategic choices, such as the type of internationalization strategy pursued, the choice of foreign entry mode and location, and decisions concerning the management of foreign subsidiaries.
Bridge Instrumentation and Monitoring for Structural Diagnostics
Authors: Farhey Daniel N.
Published: November 2005

Diagnostic instrumentation and monitoring of bridges are essential for reliable structural condition assessment and performance evaluation. This management step applies particularly to structurally deficient bridges that cannot be accurately evaluated by inspection and/or analysis alone. Reliable evaluation is an economic and engineering requirement before any decision-making for preventive action. Thus, field diagnostic capabilities are indispensable tools to enable evaluation and support field-calibrated modeling, analysis, identification, and load rating. The reliability of structural evaluation for objective bridge management is determined by the dependable performance of all the system components. Although instrumentation and monitoring procedures appear to be well established, some misconceptions still keep recurring critically in practice. To improve the state-of-practice of structural diagnostics, available field systems and methods need re-evaluation of their instrumentation and monitoring performance under real-world conditions. Subsequently, dedicated field capabilities can be formulated and developed to have advanced and practical characteristics. This article discusses various less-emphasized critical aspects of multidisciplinary research experience on bridge structural health monitoring, to explore dependable evaluation methods, compile practical data on actual bridge monitoring for immediate implementation, and generate focused insight for the development of advanced, reliable, and practical research methods in the future. To reach a systematic conceptualization for a better methodology, various diagnostic components are criticized. The resulting discussions on the various bridge evaluation aspects are practical for transportation agencies, bridge officials, and researchers. The detailed aspects are intended to help select appropriate implementation practices in field applications of bridge instrumentation and monitoring. These help focus bridge management policies, re-orient evaluation strategies, and reconsider diagnostic methods.
The Significance of Medial Sural Artery Integrity in Popliteal Artery Trauma: A Case Report
Authors: Tzilalis V. D. , Georgiadis G. S. , Papas T. T. , Arvanitis D. P. , Lazarides M. K.
Published: November 2005

Two patients with popliteal artery trauma who underwent secondary amputations due to refractory calf sepsis despite a patent arterial repair are presented in this case report. The medial sural artery, the main arterial supply of the medial head of the gastrocnemius, was surgically severed in both patients owing to the use of a continuous medial incision from the supra level to infragenicular level. The compromised arterial supply of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle may have contributed to the devitalization of the muscle and the subsequent calf sepsis, and it is speculated that this was related to the unfavorable outcome.
A Prospective Multicenter Study of the Efficacy and Tolerability of Cryopreserved Allogenic Human Keratinocytes to Treat Venous Leg Ulcers
Authors: Beele H. , de la Brassine M. , Lambert J. , Suys E. , De Cuyper C. , Decroix J. , Boyden B. , Tobback L. , Hulstaert F. , Schepper S. De , Brissinck J. , Delaey B. , Draye J.-P. , Deene A. De , Waele P. De , Verbeken G.
Published: November 2005

Allogeneic human keratinocyte cultures have been used to treat burn wounds, donor sites, and chronic skin ulcers with some success. Cryopreservation of these cultures allows for the production of large standardized batches that are readily available for use. The aim of the study presented in this report was to study effects of cryopreserved cultured allogenic human keratinocytes (Cryo Ceal) on chronic lower extremity wounds. Parameters were measured to study efficacy, tolerability, pain associated with chronic wounds, and quality of life of patients. Twenty-seven patients with hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers received a maximum of 9 applications of Cryo Ceal in a prospective, uncontrolled multicenter study lasting 48 weeks. Eleven out of 27 patients (41%; 95% CI: 22%-61%) had complete wound closure within 24 weeks (1 week). The time required for complete wound closure in these 11 patients ranged from 4.1 to 24.9weeks. Only 1 patient had recurrence of the ulcer at 48 weeks. Local (wound) pain scores decreased from a mean of 2.5 at baseline to 0.9 at week 24. Fifty percent of the patients attained a pain score of 0 after 12 weeks and remained stable at this score until the end of the study. Overall, the patient quality of life was better at week 24, compared to baseline values. The treatment was well tolerated, and wound infection was the most frequently occurring adverse event.
Some Effects of a Topical Collagen-Based Matrix on the Microcirculation and Wound Healing in Patients With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers: Preliminary Observations
Authors: Wollina Uwe , Schmidt Wolf-Dieter , Krönert Claudia , Nelskamp Cornelia , Scheibe Armin , Fassler Dieter
Published: November 2005

Themicrocirculation of the wound bed is a key parameter for improving granulation tissue formation and, hence, wound healing. The aim of this study was to determine whether a wound dressing comprising collagen/oxidized regenerated cellulose has effects over a short term on wound healing. Wounds were evaluated using a clinical wound score; pain associated with wounds was measured using a visual analogue scale. Wound microcirculation was evaluated using a technique based on noncontact remission spectroscopy. A prospective trial was performed in 40 patients with chronic venous leg ulcers (mean age 74 years; range, 43-93 years; 25 females and 15 males). Patients in group A were treated with PROMOGRAN® Matrix (Johnson& Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) combined with “good” ulcer care for 2 weeks. Control group B consisted of 10 patientswho received only good ulcer care. The authors measured a favorable clinical response in 76.9% (group A) versus 66.7% (group B). Themean reduction of ulcer area was statistically significant in group A (P < .05). The wound score improved in group A from 2.28 ± 1.24 (before treatment) increasing to 3.72 ± 1.57 (after 1 week; P < .00023) and 4.92 ± 1.68 (after 2 weeks; P < .000027). In group B, the score improved from 1.44 ± 1.33 (before treatment) to 3.22 ± 1.30 (after 1 week; P < .0077). The mean visual analogue pain score before treatment was 8.72 (group A) and 7.88 (group B) (ns,P > .05). After 1 week of treatment, the score dropped to 5.76 (group A) and 6.66 (group B). In the second week, group A patients had a mean pain score of 3.84 compared with the pain score before treatment (P < .05). After 1 week of treatment, in group A there was a decrease in remission spectroscopy, which is considered to reflect an improvement in microcirculation.
Current State and Perspective on Medical Treatment of Critical Leg Ischemia: Gene and Cell Therapy
Authors: Emmerich Joseph
Published: November 2005

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a severe disease associated with a high risk of amputation and mortality. In patients who cannot be revascularized, several medical options have been tested, including the use of prostanoids, spinal cord stimulation, and lumbar sympathectomy. None of these treatments has demonstrated a benefit on the amputation rates after 6 months of follow-up; these treatments cannot therefore be recommended for CLI treatment in patients forwhom surgery is not an option. In this setting, gene therapy and cell therapy to stimulate angiogenesis have been tested mainly in phase I and II clinical trials and are reviewed in this article. These studies demonstrated the short-term safety and feasibility of these new approaches, but larger randomized studies remain necessary to demonstrate their clinical benefits and longterm safety.
The Myth of Anglican Communion
Authors: Calvani Carlos
Published: November 2005

Anglicanism has come to worldwide significance in the context of modernity and debate about the recent difficulties in the Anglican communion which have been of such note and concern has been influenced by this context. The categories of the debate as reflected in the Virginia Report provide a case study of the difficulties. That report is examined in this light and the tendency of the argument drawn out to show a disposition to see issues in terms of control and exclusion. A consideration of the origins of the Anglican Communion shows that it expresses a disposition of Christians to pray for one another. It is a myth not in the sense that it is unreal but in the sense that it provides a way of understanding how the communion works. It works like a myth and in being re-enacted gains its force. This argument is combined with the notion of scapegoat in the writings of Rene Girard and applied to the case of Gene Robinson in order to lead to a better understanding of inclusive love and communion.
Charles Gore, Kenosis and the Crisis of Power
Authors: Chapman Mark D.
Published: November 2005

This article discusses the theology of one of the major figures of theology in Edwardian England, Charles Gore (1853–1932), particularly his understanding ofkenosisand vulnerability in relation to Christ and the Christian. Beginning with an analysis of the loss of invulnerability by the Church of England, the article uses the theology of Donald Mackinnon as a backdrop for understanding the notion of ‘rough discipleship’ outlined by Gore which strips away the trappings of power. Through a detailed discussion of Gore's works on the incarnation and the Sermon on the Mount, a picture is drawn of the requirements of the Christian character as well as what he regarded as the authentic church freed from the state. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of kenoticism in relation to the crisis of authority in contemporary Anglicanism. Assertions of power and authority are shown to be a denial of the complexity and vulnerability implied by the powerlessness and tragedy of Christ.
Social issues as media constructions: The case of ‘road rage’
Authors: Roberts Lynne D. , Indermaur David
Published: November 2005

‘Road rage’ is a term that became frequently used in the media in the 1990s. While it referred to a wide and imprecise range of behaviours, it appears to have resonated with the desires and concerns of media audiences. In this article we consider the reasons why ‘road rage’ has proved to be such a popular media object and examine the essential question of whether there has been a real increase in a type of crime that could be labelled ‘road rage’. A content analysis is used to measure the degree to which criminal and non-criminal events are captured in ‘road rage’ stories in the media. These results are juxtaposed against the incidence of ‘road rage’ events reported to the police and survey findings on the perceived likelihood of being involved in a ‘road rage’ incident. The sudden appearance and rapid diffusion of road rage as an object of media attention is interpreted using the natural history approach to social problems. The results add to a growing body of findings which can be used to illuminate the trajectory of media interests in regard to ‘new’ crimes.
Fear of crime and the media: Assessing the lack of relationship
Authors: Chadee Derek , Ditton Jason
Published: November 2005

A review of available international evidence indicates that crime features regularly in the media. New data shows that this is also true for Trinidad. Elsewhere, it has been shown that newspaper crime news concentrates heavily on infrequently occurring crimes involving sex and/or violence. Crime news on television and radio has not been subject to as much scrutiny, although it has been shown that televised crime drama is noticeably violent. Data from a representative sample of Trinidadian respondents (n = 705) undertaken in 2000 indicate no relationship between media consumption and fear of crime.
Functional analysis of mutations in the kinase domain of the TGF-β receptor ALK1 reveals different mechanisms for induction of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Authors: Gu Yi , Jin Peng , Zhang Long , Zhao Xingang , Gao Xia , Ning Yuanheng , Meng Anming , Chen Ye-Guang
Published: November 2005

Genetic studies in mouse and zebrafish have established the importance of activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) in formation and remodeling of blood vessels. Single-allele mutations in the ALK1 gene have been linked to the human type 2 hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT2). However, how these ALK1 mutations contribute to this disorder remains unclear. To explore the mechanism underlying effect of the HHT-related ALK1 mutations on receptor activity, we generated 11 such mutants and investigated their signaling activities using reporter assay in mammalian cells and examined their effect on zebrafish embryogenesis. Here we show that some of the HHT2-related mutations generate a dominant-negative effect whereas the others give rise to a null phenotype via loss of protein expression or receptor activity. These data indicate that loss-of-function mutations in a single allele of the ALK1 locus are sufficient to contribute to defects in maintaining endothelial integrity.
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR15 is associated with reduced incidence of acute GVHD in HLA-matched allogeneic transplantation but does not impact chronic GVHD incidence
Authors: Battiwalla Minoo , Hahn Theresa , Radovic Marija , Roy Hilary , Wahab Afrin , Duman Eileen , Bajwa Rajinder , Padmanabhan Swaminathan , Becker Joanne , Barrett A. John , McCarthy Philip L.
Published: November 2005

The DR15 allele at the HLA DRB1 locus is a marker for immune-mediated bone marrow failure syndromes. We hypothesized that HLA DR15 plays a role in T-cell interactions with hematopoiesis and investigated the role of HLA DR15 on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and graft-versus-leukemia effects in HLA-matched allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) performed for myeloid malignancies. We performed a retrospective analysis of 119 consecutive related and 48 consecutive unrelated allogeneic BMT for myeloid malignancies treated between 1991 and 2005 to investigate the influence of HLA DR15 on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and incidence of grades II to IV acute GVHD. HLA DR15 was determined by either molecular (n = 108) or serologic (n = 59) methods. The incidence of HLA DR15 was similar to the general white population (35/167 = 21%). There were no significant differences in transplantation characteristics between the HLA DR15–positive and –negative groups. There was no significant difference in chronic GVHD, OS, or PFS between the HLA DR15–positive versus–negative groups in any disease or donor relation subgroups. The HLA DR15–positive group experienced a significantly lower incidence of acute GVHD grades II to IV: 23% versus 42% (P = .041). These results suggest that HLA DR15 reduces the risk of acute GVHD.
Bortezomib induces selective depletion of alloreactive T lymphocytes and decreases the production of Th1 cytokines
Authors: Blanco Belén , Pérez-Simón José A. , Sánchez-Abarca Luis I. , Carvajal-Vergara Xonia , Mateos Juan , Vidriales Belén , López-Holgado Natalia , Maiso Patricia , Alberca Mercedes , Villarón Eva , Schenkein David , Pandiella Atanasio , Miguel Jesús San
Published: November 2005

We explored the ability of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, which prevents nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation, to block T-cell activation, proliferation, and survival within alloreactive compared with resting T cells. For this purpose, T cells were stimulated with PHA, αCD3/αCD28, or allogeneic dendritic cells or through mixed lymphocyte cultures. NF-κB expression increased in activated T lymphocytes compared with resting T cells. Of interest, the higher the NF-κB expression, the more intense the proliferative blockade induced by bortezomib. Moreover, after mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) cultures, alloreactive T cells were 2 logs more sensitive to bortezomib-induced apoptosis than the resting T-cell counterpart. This effect was due to a selective induction of apoptosis among activated T cells that was related to caspase activation and cleavage of the antiapoptotic bcl-2 protein and was partially abolished by the addition of the pancaspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. In addition, after secondary MLR, the number of activated T cells was significantly reduced among T lymphocytes previously cultured with bortezomib when cells from the same donor were used as stimulating cells. By contrast, when third-party donor cells were used as stimulating cells, no significant differences were observed between T lymphocytes previously exposed or not to the drug, indicating a highly specific depletion of T lymphocytes alloreactive against primary donor antigens. The addition of bortezomib decreased not only the proliferation and viability of activated T lymphocytes but also the levels of IFNγ and IL-2, which were significantly decreased among activated T cells cultured with bortezomib at doses ranging from 10 to 100 nM. In conclusion, at concentrations reached in the clinical setting, bortezomib induces selective apoptosis and decreases Th1 response among alloreactive T lymphocytes while it barely affects unstimulated T cells. These results establish the basis for the clinical use of bortezomib in the management of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Reconstitution of the functional human hematopoietic microenvironment derived from human mesenchymal stem cells in the murine bone marrow compartment
Authors: Muguruma Yukari , Yahata Takashi , Miyatake Hiroko , Sato Tadayuki , Uno Tomoko , Itoh Jobu , Kato Shunichi , Ito Mamoru , Hotta Tomomitsu , Ando Kiyoshi
Published: November 2005

Hematopoiesis is maintained by specific interactions between both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. Whereas hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been extensively studied both in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the in vivo characteristics of stem cells of the nonhematopoietic component, known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Here we have visualized and characterized human MSCs in vivo following intramedullary transplantation of enhanced green fluorescent protein-marked human MSCs (eGFP-MSCs) into the bone marrow (BM) of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. Between 4 to 10 weeks after transplantation, eGFP-MSCs that engrafted in murine BM integrated into the hematopoietic microenvironment (HME) of the host mouse. They differentiated into pericytes, myofibroblasts, BM stromal cells, osteocytes in bone, bone-lining osteoblasts, and endothelial cells, which constituted the functional components of the BM HME. The presence of human MSCs in murine BM resulted in an increase in functionally and phenotypically primitive human hematopoietic cells. Human MSC-derived cells that reconstituted the HME appeared to contribute to the maintenance of human hematopoiesis by actively interacting with primitive human hematopoietic cells.