bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approaches to the Study of White-Collar Unionism
Authors: Crompton Rosemary
Published: June 2005

Two current approaches to the study of white-collar unionism are identified: a) the `sociological' approach, which relates patterns of white-collar unionism to the class situation of white-collar workers, and b) the `industrial relations' critique, which rejects the association of class situation and union activity and argues instead that `job regulation' is the crucial independent variable. Whilst the approach developed in this paper is firmly within the `sociological' tradition, I argue that the neo-Weberian class analysis from which this tradition is derived gives an incomplete understanding of the location of the `white-collar' or `new middle' class in the class structure of advanced capitalist society. I outline an alternative strategy for the analysis of the `white-collar' class situation, drawn from Marxian principles. The essential ambiguity of the `white-collar' class situation is stressed, and this ambiguity is then related to patterns of white-collar representation.*
Some Problems of Aim-Centred Models of Social Movements
Authors: Levitas R. A.
Published: June 2005

Social movements are commonly regarded either as irrational responses to social tension or as rational attempts to introduce social innovations. In the latter case, the aims of the movement are necessarily the main focus of attention. But the example of the Christian Socialist movement illustrates the fact that the aims of social movements are flexible and that specific aims may emerge only after the formation of the movement itself; thus to focus on the aims of the movement as the cause of its existence is inappropriate. It is however not necessary to conclude from this that the expressed aims of a movement are merely justifications of irrational actions; aims are caused, and partly by the activities of the movement, but they are also causal. What is needed is a dialectical model of the process of social movements representing the interaction of ideology and action and not implying the necessary priority of either, involving an image of man as both acted upon and acting. The case of the Christian Socialist movement provides the basis for the construction of such a model.
Immigrant School Leavers and the Search for Work
Authors: Fowler Bridget , Littlewood Barbara , Madigan Ruth
Published: June 2005

Studies of immigrant school-leavers' opportunities have focused on England and on areas with low unemployment. A study of Glasgow's Asian school-leavers at a time of recession shows that in relation to a similarly qualified native control group the Asian boys' job opportunities are markedly inferior. Whereas a good proportion of native Glaswegians have access to the `primary labour-market' through jobs with formal training and relatively good pay and promotion prospects, Asian school-leavers are relegated to the `secondary market'. Two-thirds of the Asians at work have entered employment within the immigrant economic infrastructure itself, despite their unambiguous rejection of such jobs earlier, and many have responded by seeking more education as a remedy for their problem. Explanations of Asians' poor job-chances in terms of unrealistic aspirations and inadequate job-hunting are satisfactory only in a minority of cases. Segmentation of the labour-market analogous to the racial and class divisions of America is seen as a more viable hypothesis although it is still too early to say whether Glasgow's Asians may avoid `the Negro fate' by successful business activities and professional education.
Some Sequential Negotiations in Conversation: Unexpanded and Expanded Versions of Projected Action Sequences
Authors: Jefferson Gail , Schenkein Jim
Published: June 2005

This paper reports findings of research into the organizational structure of ordinary conversation. Substantively, the paper is preoccupied with building rigorous descriptions of transcribed conversational materials; a technical appreciation of the action sequences organizing chunks of talk into meaningful interactional units is developed as increasingly non-intuitive observations detail the systematic expansions of three turn action sequences into four, five, and six turn action sequences. Methodologically, the paper is built as a series of progressively more formal characterizations of the interaction captured in the transcript; an analytic appreciation of a research mentality committed to close scrutiny of actually occurring instances of conversation emerges as successive phenomenal layers receive attention.
Alibis and Aliases: Some Notes on the `Motives' of Fiddling Bread Salesmen
Authors: Ditton Jason
Published: June 2005

A lengthy period of participant observation and subsequent semi-structured interviewing in the sales department of a factory bakery showed that the bread salesmen regularly `fiddle' small amounts of money from their customers. Paradoxically, although this is clearly theft, the salesmen manage to sustain a definition of the practice as merely trifling. This article attempts to unravel this paradox by examining the salesmens' `motives'. In a tradition established by C. Wright Mills, David Matza and Marvin Scott and Stanford Lyman, `motives' are here located in the salesmens' verbal responses to questions posed in natural settings by ingenious or exasperated customers. Recorded conversations and reminiscences are reproduced to illustrate how salesmen systematically sustain a protected self-conception which does not allow others to promote their fiddling-selves from auxiliary to master status in their reflexive construction of identity. This self-protection is constructed at two distinct levels. Firstly, alibis are publicly produced to neutralize blame, and secondly, aliases are privately generated to neutralize any feelings of shame. A grounded, general typology of possible responses to accusations is generated in consideration of the reported empirical data.
Sharing
Authors: Wootton A. J.
Published: June 2005

Psychiatric treatment systems which emphasize the therapeutic efficacy of group therapy place some emphasis on the sharing of experiences among patients. In such systems therefore the identification of instances of sharing and learning how to share are matters of some concern to members. The article explores the varieties of mundane reasoning employed in a psychiatric hospital to warrant the hearing of instances as instances of sharing and some of the ways in which such claims were accountably defeated by members. Special attention is paid to the ways in which the identification and learning of sharing is tied to the knowledge and use of a variety of organizational features, such as informal conventions and the body of conventional psychiatric knowledge, and to the on-going analysis by members of the structure of talk, for example through topic analysis.
Feudal Relics or Capitalist Monuments? Notes on the Sociology of Unfree Labour
Authors: Corrigan Philip
Published: June 2005

Through examining bonded service relations in Britain; slavery and neo-slavery in the U.S.A., Tsarist Russia, and Southern Africa; and what is normally perceived as `migration', it is shown that ascriptive constraint and non-wage coercion increases with the expansion of capitalism and, moreover, that this is not a feature of `early stages' but crucial to such `high technology' areas as the European motor car industry. Closes by arguing for the recognition of `migration' as the circulation of a commodity (labour power) and for the primacy of relations of production, in the combination of relations and forces which define particular production modes.
Accusations: The Occasioned Use of Members' Knowledge of `Religious Geography' in Describing Events
Authors: Drew Paul
Published: June 2005

The data analysed here are taken from the transcripts of the Scarman Tribunal hearings (into Violence and Civil Disorder in Northern Ireland in 1969): in this extract a senior police officer is cross-examined about events in which he was involved. In directing the cross-examination the counsel can be heard to draw attention to reports about these events, and to draw certain inferences from the descriptions contained in those reports. On the basis of those inferences the counsel can then be heard to accuse the witness that his action during these events was in some way defective. The descriptions which comprise the reports overwhelmingly employ place names, where these can be used to identify the religion of persons involved, and, in a variety of ways, to thereby document those persons' actions and the character of events. The analysis explores the use made of conventional knowledge of religious geography as an interpretative resource, through which certain descriptive work can achieve a characterization of the scenes reported in such a way as to stand as the basis for the accusation.
Some Problems in Locating `Practices'
Authors: Phillips John
Published: June 2005

The paper seeks to criticize the account of language and meaning implied by and underlying the metatheory of ethnomethodology in the work of Garfinkel. In doing so it focuses on the notions of `indexicality' and the `practices' by which its repair is achieved. The notion of `indexicality', in at least some of its statements, is shown to depend on a familiar, but probably erroneous, account of `meaning', which holds that `meaning' is deeply connected to `experience'. Other theoretical approaches which share this assumption about meaning are shown, by the example of the empiricist approach to language, to lead to similar specifications of `members' problems' and the necessary repair of indexicality. It is suggested that in involving the knowledge gained in `experience' in accounting for how members understand language, Garfinkel renders the meaning of terms indefinitely problematic through scepticism about that knowledge. This illuminates several issues. First, it suggests that far from being an approach to sociology strikingly consistent with the philosophy of language of the later Wittgenstein, as has been frequently claimed, Garfinkel's version of ethnomethodology is in fact very like the theories of language and meaning that Wittgenstein rejected. Secondly, it suggests that instead of having uncovered a new area of empirical investigation, Garfinkel's `Ethnomethodology' remains obstinately theoretical and metaphysical: where, as is obvious, some new things have been learned about the social world by those working in the perspective, the connection to the metatheory is incidental, and those results may be seen best as belonging to other perspectives, e.g. sociolinguistic structuralism. Thirdly, it confirms the now familiar argument that the notion of `indexicality' cannot be used as a basis for a criticize of `orthodox' sociology.
Aspects of the Flexibilities of Natural Language Use: A Reply to Phillips
Authors: Heritage John
Published: June 2005

This paper argues, against Phillips, that the approach to descriptive accounts developed in ethnomethodological studies derives neither from a substantive commitment to the `uniqueness of situations' nor from sceptical considerations about the nature of human experiential, linguistic, or conceptual resources. It is suggested that a concern with the indefiniteness of human descriptive resources is an important point of convergence between the work of Garfinkel and Wittgenstein. It is further argued that, whilst this indefiniteness is not usually a source of practical descriptive difficulty, the supposition of such indefiniteness is a condition for the theoretical treatment of conflicting descriptions, the flexibility of human descriptive resources and their novel applicability together with related problems concerning personal, cultural, and linguistic change, cultural and linguistic relativism etc. which would be unintelligible from the standpoint of a finite rule-based semantic and interactional theory. This position is distinguished from `rule scepticism' and is suggested to enable the consideration of co-determinative and interactive rule operations. The claim that knowledge of language should be considered in abstraction from knowledge of the world is contested throughout.
From Normal Baby to Handicapped Child: Unravelling the Idea of Subnormality in Families of Mentally Handicapped Children
Authors: Booth Timothy A.
Published: June 2005

This paper argues that the clinical perspective on mental handicap which underpins most research and professional practice in the field does not help us to explain or understand how mentally handicapped people are valued and treated in their day-to-day dealings with others. Using material gathered in interviews with the parents of mentally handicapped children, the paper plots the unfolding of the idea of subnormality and traces the gradual transition in the child's status as he drifts from normal baby to handicapped infant. It shows how subnormality emerges as a social state, which can be defined in terms of the qualities and capacities which are ascribed to or withheld from mentally handicapped people. In this sense, it is suggested that the social roles allocated to mentally handicapped people are created and shaped from the social meanings imputed to the diagnosis.
Women's Work and Theories of Class Stratification
Authors: Garnsey Elizabeth
Published: June 2005

Most stratification studies exclude from the scope of their analysis the study of inequalities based on the division of labour between women and men. In this paper an attempt is made to identify ambiguities which arise from the ad hoc treatment of this issue in the literature, at both individual and aggregate levels of analysis. A systematic approach to the problem requires reconsideration of the assumption that the class position of the family is determined by the occupation of the male head of household. Evidence on the inadequacy of this assumption for the analysis of occupational stratification in contemporary Britain is presented.

It is unnecessary to adopt a multi-dimensional approach to stratification or to treat women as a distinct `class'. But it is essential to examine the collective effects of women's employment on the occupational system. This in turn requires consideration of the processes by which women's work in the household and labour force articulate. The analysis of inequalities based on gender can be integrated with the study of class-based inequalities if a dynamic approach, one which focuses on the causes and effects of changes in the occupational division of labour, is adopted.
Crime at Work: The Social Construction of Amateur Property Theft
Authors: Henry Stuart , Mars Gerald
Published: June 2005

We argue that the theft of goods from work and their subsequent resale might usefully be considered in a social anthropological frame: as the transferring of goods from our economy's dominant market exchange sphere to what we call the illegal amateur trading sphere.

We show that pecuniary reward is alien to the amateur sphere and that a wide range of social features which belie normal market principles characterize the transactions. These features `personalize' relationships and `dematerialize' transactions which become part of a flow in the relationships involved.

Exchange relationships in non-individual societies, are easier to understand because they have several clear spheres of exchange each with institutional forms, moral values and vocabularies. But understanding these relationships in our society is obscured because of the apparent dominance of the market exchange sphere. The natural insulation between different spheres is breached by general purpose currency—money—and market terms pervade all forms of transaction. This fails to emphasize the social dimension and as a result explanations of non-market exchange in our society are described as motivated for economic benefit.

When legal authority, police, security or courts—all extraneous to the amateur sphere—become involved, they `rematerialize' transactions and `depersonalize' relationships completing a reconversion from the amateur sphere back to the market exchange sphere. This process is possible because i) the social availability of a general language of retrospective description only acknowledges economically rational interpretations 2) the linguistic reconstruction of events occurs in contexts alien to the interaction.

Serious problems arise in both criminal processing and control when these are framed in market exchange terms and applied to the an ateur trading sphere. To avoid these problems we propose building on the normative controls typically found at work which limit categories and amounts and institutionalizing these through workplace courts.
The Origins of Levi-Strauss's Structuralism
Authors: Clarke Simon
Published: June 2005

The paper is concerned with the intellectual origins of Lévi-Strauss's structuralism. In the first section I define this structuralism, arguing that it consists of far more than a simple method, being underpinned by an epistemology and a theory of man in society. I argue further that this structuralism cannot be seen as the application of a method pioneered in linguistics, indicating that the `structural' aspects of Levi-Strauss's first major theoretical work, The Elementary Structures of Kinship derive rather from Gestalt psychology than from linguistics.

In the bulk of the paper I seek to demonstrate that Lévi-Strauss's structuralism in fact has its origins in the attempt to adapt Durkheimian sociology in the light of the newly found individualism characteristic of French radical liberalism of the inter-war years. This adaptation is achieved by submitting Marcel Mauss's theory of exchange to an individualist, rationalist and anti-historicist critique, by means initially of psycho-analysis and subsequently of Gestalt psychology. The Elementary Structures of Kinship combines this theory with a formalistic interpretation of the theory of kinship developed by the Durkheimian sociologist Marcel Granet. In conclusion I note that the significance of the discovery of linguistics for Lévi-Strauss was not the discovery of the concept of structure, but its provision of a radically intellectualist theory of the unconscious as a formal structuring capacity.
Trends in Class Mobility
Authors: Goldthorpe John H. , Payne Clive , Llewellyn Catriona
Published: June 2005

Using data from the 1972 Nuffileld enquiry, trends in class mobility in England and Wales are investigated on the basis of birth cohort comparisons. In the case of absolute mobility rates— i.e. those actually observed in terms of a schema of class positions—trends over time, notably towards increasing upward and decreasing downward mobility, are clearly indicated, and have been favoured by the pattern of secular change in the occupational division of labour. However, in the case of relative mobility rates, as expressed in the form of `disparity ratios' and `odds ratios', stability is far more apparent than change. A log-linear model representing the hypothesis of `constant social fluidity' is shown to fit the empirical data rather well; and the application of more elaborate models suggests that any changes in relative mobility rates that have occurred have been ones in the direction of decreasing fluidity, where mobility over the full extent of the life-cycle is considered.
Profits and Administrative Intensity: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Smith Michael R.
Published: June 2005

Some recent research suggests that profit making organizations have `tighter' structures than nonprofit making organizations. Using data on the relations between profits and administrative intensity in U.S. manufacturing industry this paper attempts to show that even within profit making organizations, there are grounds for thinking that under appropriate conditions, organizational structures that get adopted are likely to deviate significantly from the requirements of optimal performance.
c-Myc rapidly induces acute myeloid leukemia in mice without evidence of lymphoma-associated antiapoptotic mutations
Authors: Luo Hui , Li Qing , O'Neal Julie , Kreisel Friederike , Le Beau Michelle M. , Tomasson Michael H.
Published: June 2005

Ectopic expression of c-Myc (Myc) in most primary cell types results in programmed cell death, and malignant transformation cannot occur without additional mutations that block apoptosis. The development of Myc-induced lymphoid tumors has been well studied and supports this model. Myc can be upregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but its exact role in myeloid leukemogenesis is unclear. To study its role in AML, we used a murine stem cell virus (MSCV) retroviral gene transfer/transplantation system to broadly express Myc in the bone marrow of mice either alone or in combination with antiapoptotic mutations. Myc expression in the context either of Arf/Ink4a loss or Bcl-2 coexpression induced a mixture of acute myeloid and acute lymphoid leukemias (AML+ALL). In the absence of antiapoptotic mutations however, all mice transplanted with MSCV-Myc (100%, n = 110) developed AML exclusively. MSCV-Myc-induced AML was polyclonal, readily transplantable, possessed an intact Arf-p53 pathway, and did not display cytogenetic abnormalities by spectral karyotyping (SKY) analysis. Lastly, we found that Myc preferentially stimulated the growth of myeloid progenitor cells in methylcellulose. These data provide the first direct evidence that Myc is a critical downstream effector of myeloid leukemogenesis and suggest that myeloid progenitors are intrinsically resistant to Myc-induced apoptosis. (Blood. 2005;106: 2452-2461)
Serum biomarkers in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome an ailing prognosticator
Authors: Tzouvelekis Argyris , Pneumatikos Ioannis , Bouros Demosthenes
Published: June 2005

The use of biomarkers in medicine lies in their ability to detect disease and support diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. New research and novel understanding of the molecular basis of the disease reveals an abundance of exciting new biomarkers who present a promise for use in the everyday clinical practice. The past fifteen years have seen the emergence of numerous clinical applications of several new molecules as biologic markers in the research field relevant to acute respiratory distress syndrome (translational research). The scope of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge about serum biomarkers in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome and their potential value as prognostic tools and present some of the future perspectives and challenges.
Contextual weighting for Support Vector Machines in literature mining: an application to gene versus protein name disambiguation
Authors: Pahikkala Tapio , Ginter Filip , Boberg Jorma , Järvinen Jouni , Salakoski Tapio
Published: June 2005

Background

The ability to distinguish between genes and proteins is essential for understanding biological text. Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have been proven to be very efficient in general data mining tasks. We explore their capability for the gene versus protein name disambiguation task.

Results

We incorporated into the conventional SVM a weighting scheme based on distances of context words from the word to be disambiguated. This weighting scheme increased the performance of SVMs by five percentage points giving performance better than 85% as measured by the area under ROC curve and outperformed the Weighted Additive Classifier, which also incorporates the weighting, and the Naive Bayes classifier.

Conclusion

We show that the performance of SVMs can be improved by the proposed weighting scheme. Furthermore, our results suggest that in this study the increase of the classification performance due to the weighting is greater than that obtained by selecting the underlying classifier or the kernel part of the SVM.
Antihyperlipidemic and antiperoxidative effect of Diasulin, a polyherbal formulation in alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats
Authors: Saravanan Ramalingam , Pari Leelavinothan
Published: June 2005

Background

This study was undertaken to investigation the effect of Diasulin, a poly herbal drug composed of ethanolic extract of ten medicinal plants on blood glucose, plasma insulin, tissue lipid profile, and lipidperoxidation in alloxan induced diabetes.

Methods

Ethanolic extract of Diasulin a, poly herbal drug was administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days. The different doses of Diasulin on blood glucose and plasma insulin in diabetic rats were studied and the levels of lipid peroxides [TBARS, and Hydroperoxide] and tissue lipids [cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipides and free fatty acids] were also estimated in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The effects were compared with glibenclamide.

Result

Treatment with Diasulin and glibenclamide resulted in a significant reduction of blood glucose and increase in plasma insulin. Diasulin also resulted in a significant decrease in tissue lipids and lipid peroxide formation. The effect produced by Diasulin was comparable with that of glibenclamide.

Conclusion

The decreased lipid peroxides and tissue lipids clearly showed the antihyperlipidemic and antiperoxidative effect of Diasulin apart from its antidiabetic effect.
Characterization ofArabidopsis thalianaSMC1 and SMC3: evidence that AtSMC3 may function beyond chromosome cohesion
Authors: Lam Wing See , Yang Xiaohui , Makaroff Christopher A.
Published: June 2005

Structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) proteins are conserved in most prokaryotes and all eukaryotes examined. SMC proteins participate in many different aspects of chromosome folding and dynamics. They play essential roles in complexes that are responsible for sister chromatid cohesion, chromosome condensation and DNA repair. As part of studies to better understand SMC proteins and sister chromatid cohesion in plants we have characterized Arabidopsis SMC1 and SMC3. Although transcripts for AtSMC1 and AtSMC3 are present throughout the plant, transcript levels for the two genes vary between different tissues. Cell fractionation and immunolocalization results showed that AtSMC3 was present in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In the nucleus, it is primarily associated with the nuclear matrix during interphase and with chromatin from prophase through anaphase in both somatic and meiotic cells. During mitosis and meiosis the protein also co-localized with the spindle from metaphase to telophase. The distribution of AtSMC3 in syn1 mutant plants indicated that SYN1 is required for the proper binding of AtSMC3 to meiotic chromosomes, but not the spindle. Data presented here represent the first detailed cytological study of a plant SMC protein and suggest that SMC3 may have multiple functions in plants.
Conservative management of sporadic unilateral acoustic neuromas
Authors: Flint David , Fagan Paul , Panarese Alessandro
Published: June 2005

Our objective was to review retrospectively patients with a unilateral acoustic neuroma managed by observation. One hundred patients with tumours (<24 mm) were followed a median 25.5 months. Thirty-six acoustic neuromas grew with four growth patterns. No factors were associated with growth. Eighty percent of growing tumours grew in the first year. Eleven patients proceeded to surgery. Twenty-two patients were eligible for hearing preservation surgery; five of the 15 available for analysis subsequently lost eligibility.

In conclusion, selected patients can be safely observed with serial imaging and follow up. Size increase in the first year may predict future growth. Delaying surgery until required by symptoms or tumour growth does not result in more morbidity for the patient. Some may lose the opportunity for hearing preservation surgery but operating on all would result in more sustaining a loss of hearing in the first few years after diagnosis.
Asymptomatic oropharyngeal lipoma complicating intubation
Authors: Rimmer J , Singh A , Irving C , Archer D J , Rhys Evans P
Published: June 2005

Oropharyngeal lipomas are rare tumours. We present the case of a young man with an asymptomatic lipoma almost completely occluding his supraglottic airway, found on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a separate oral cavity lesion. Pre-operative anaesthetic assessment was undertaken because of the risk of airway obstruction at induction of general anaesthesia. We discuss the awake fibre-optic technique used for induction, as well as the treatment and follow-up of these tumours. This case highlights the need for formal anaesthetic assessment, in such cases, to avoid total airway obstruction at induction of general anaesthesia. It also emphasizes the extent of supraglottic obstruction that can be present without giving rise to any symptoms.
Respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma in the nasopharynx
Authors: Metselaar R M , Stel H V , van der Baan S
Published: June 2005

We present a case report of a female patient with complaints of single-sided nasal obstruction. A polypoid structure was seen in the nasopharynx. Histologic examination showed a respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma – a rare, benign lesion. Therapy consisted of complete excision. In line with previous reports, the lesion did not recur during 13 months of follow up. The clinical and pathological features of this abnormality are discussed.
Tophaceous gout presenting as a dorsal nasal lump
Authors: Hughes J P , Di Palma Silvana , Rowe-Jones J
Published: June 2005

A literature review reveals that gout has been described as affecting many sites in the head and neck region, both in the arthritic and tophaceous form. Gout can often mimic malignancy or infection, and has been described as causing acute airway problems requiring emergency tracheotomy. Here we describe the first published case of tophaceous gout affecting the soft tissues overlying the nasal bones. The patient presented with a bony, hard, dorsal hump and requested aesthetic rhinoplasty.

We also describe an endoscopic technique for removal of tophi using a powered microdebrider system with a protected burr head. Endoscopic powered microdebrider blade excision of tophi affecting the limbs has already been described, with reduced complications when compared with conventional curettage and debridement techniques. This is the first such application to the nose.
Cervical bronchogenic cysts in head and neck region: review of the literature
Authors: Ustundag Emre , Iseri Mete , Keskin Gurkan , Yayla Berna , Muezzinoglu Bahar
Published: June 2005

Congenital cysts of the neck are not uncommon. Most of these are thyroglossal, branchial cleft and thymic cysts. Bronchogenic cysts are uncommon developmental anomalies of the tracheobronchial tree and rarely occur in the neck. More than 70 cases of bronchogenic cysts in the head and neck region have been reported in the literature. We report three cases presenting with neck swelling in the hyoid region that were diagnosed as bronchogenic cysts based on clinical and histopathological findings.
Use of an ophthalmic knife for middle-ear microsurgery
Authors: Gana P N , Bottrill I D
Published: June 2005

Traditionally, microscissors, hooks, sickle knives and needles are used in the ear for the dissection and release of fibrous adhesions. The major limitation of these instruments is that they are often bent or blunt, as they are reuseable. We describe an ophthalmic knife that offers precision in middle-ear microsurgery.
Extracorporeal irradiated autogenous osteochondral graft
Authors: Hatano H. , Ogose A. , Hotta T. , Endo N. , Umezu H. , Morita T.
Published: June 2005

We examined osteochondral autografts, obtained at a mean of 19.5 months (3 to 48) following extracorporeal irradiation and re-implantation to replace bone defects after removal of tumours. The specimens were obtained from six patients (mean age 13.3 years (10 to 18)) and consisted of articular cartilage (five), subchondral bone (five), external callus (one) and tendon (one). The tumour cells in the grafts were eradicated by a single radiation dose of 60 Gy. In three cartilage specimens, viable chondrocytes were detected. The survival of chondrocytes was confirmed with S-100 protein staining. Three specimens from the subchondral region and a tendon displayed features of regeneration. Callus was seen at the junction between host and irradiated bone.
Souter-Strathclyde total elbow arthroplasty in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Khatri M. , Stirrat A. N.
Published: June 2005

We present the outcome of 47 Souter-Strathclyde replacements of the elbow with a mean follow-up of 82 months (12 to 129). The clinical results were assessed using a condition-specific outcome measure. The mean total score (maximum 100) before the operation was 47.21 and improved to 79.92 (p < 0.001). The mean pain score (maximum 50) improved from 21.41 to 46.70 (p < 0.001) and the mean functional component of the score (maximum 30) from 11.19 to 18.65 (p < 0.001). There was negligible change in the score for the range of movement although a significant improvement in mean flexion from 124° to 136° was noted (p < 0.001).

Revision surgery was required in four patients, for dislocation, wound dehiscence and early infection in one, late infection in two and aseptic loosening in one. The cumulative survival was 75% at nine years for all causes of failure and 97% at ten years for aseptic loosening alone. Our study demonstrates the value of the Souter-Strathclyde total elbow arthroplasty in providing relief from pain and functional improvement in rheumatoid patients.
A histological study of articular cartilage after rotational acetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia
Authors: Shimogaki K. , Yasunaga Y. , Ochi M.
Published: June 2005

Acetabular dysplasia was produced in 24 immature white rabbits. A rotational acetabular osteotomy was then carried out and radiological and histological studies of the articular cartilage were made.

In the hips which did not undergo osteotomy, radiographs at 26 weeks showed that residual subluxation remained and arthritic changes such as narrowing of the joint space or dislocation were still seen. However, in the operated group there was a remarkable increase in cover, but arthritic changes were not observed. After 24 weeks, the Mankin grading score in the operated group was significantly lower than that in the non-operated group. The latter hips showed an irregular surface of the cartilage, exfoliation and proliferation of synovial tissue. In those undergoing osteotomy, primary cloning of chondrocytes or hypercellularity was seen and at 24 weeks after operation and metaplasia of the cartilage in the fibrous tissue was observed in the boundary between the medial area of the acetabulum and the acetabular fossa.
Survivorship of the Souter-Strathclyde elbow replacement in the young inflammatory arthritis elbow
Authors: Talwalkar S. C. , Givissis P. K. , Trail I. A. , Nuttall D. , Stanley J. K.
Published: June 2005

We divided 309 patients with an inflammatory arthritis who had undergone primary elbow replacement using the Souter-Strathclyde implant into two groups according to their age. The mean follow-up in the older group (mean age 64 years) was 7.3 years while in the younger patients (mean age 42 years) it was 12 years. Survivorship for three different failure end-points (revision, revision because of aseptic loosening of the humeral component, and gross loosening of the humeral implant), was compared in both groups.

Our findings showed that there was no significant difference in the incidence of loosening when young rheumatoid patients were compared with an older age group.
A comparison of knee braces during walking for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the medial compartment of the knee
Authors: Richards J. D. , Sanchez-Ballester J. , Jones R. K. , Darke N. , Livingstone B. N.
Published: June 2005

In this cross-over study, we evaluated two types of knee brace commonly used in the conservative treatment of osteoarthritis of the medial compartment. Twelve patients confirmed radiologically as having unilateral osteoarthritis of the medial compartment (Larsen grade 2 to grade 4) were studied. Treatment with a simple hinged brace was compared with that using a valgus corrective brace. Knee kinematics, ground reaction forces, pain and function were assessed during walking and the Hospital for Special Surgery scores were also determined.

Significant improvements in pain, function, and loading and propulsive forces were seen with the valgus brace. Treatment with a simple brace showed only significant improvements in loading forces. Our findings suggest that although both braces improved confidence and function during gait, the valgus brace showed greater benefit.
Chondroblastoma of bone
Authors: Suneja R. , Grimer R. J. , Belthur M. , Jeys L. , Carter S. R. , Tillman R. M. , Davies A. M.
Published: June 2005

We undertook this retrospective study to determine the rate of recurrence and functional outcome after intralesional curettage for chondroblastoma of bone. The factors associated with aggressive behaviour of the tumour were also analysed. We reviewed 53 patients with histologically-proven chondroblastoma who were treated by intralesional curettage in our unit between 1974 and 2000. They were followed up for at least two years to a maximum of 27 years.

Seven (13.2%) had a histologically-proven local recurrence. Three underwent a second intralesional curettage and had no further recurrence. Two had endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal humerus and two underwent below-knee amputation after aggressive local recurrence. One patient had the rare malignant metastatic chondroblastoma and eventually died. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society functional score of the survivors was 94.2%.

We conclude that meticulous intralesional curettage alone can achieve low rates of local recurrence and excellent long-term function.
Influence of stem geometry on the stability of polished tapered cemented femoral stems
Authors: Glyn-Jones S. , Gill H. S. , Beard D. J. , McLardy-Smith P. , Murray D. W.
Published: June 2005

Polished, tapered stems are now widely used for cemented total hip replacement and many such designs have been introduced. However, a change in stem geometry may have a profound influence on stability. Stems with a wide, rectangular proximal section may be more stable than those which are narrower proximally. We examined the influence of proximal geometry on stability by comparing the two-year migration of the Exeter stem with a more recent design, the CPS-Plus, which has a wider shoulder and a more rectangular cross-section. The hypothesis was that these design features would increase rotational stability.

Both stems subsided approximately 1 mm relative to the femur during the first two years after implantation. The Exeter stem was found to rotate into valgus (mean 0.2°, sd 0.42°) and internally rotate (mean 1.28°, sd 0.99°). The CPS-Plus showed no significant valgus rotation (mean 0.2°, sd 0.42°) or internal rotation (mean −0.03°, sd 0.75°). A wider, more rectangular cross-section improves rotational stability and may have a better long-term outcome.
Ten-year survival of the MS-30 matt-surfaced cemented stem
Authors: Berli B. J. , Schäfer D. , Morscher E. W.
Published: June 2005

The Morscher-Spotorno (MS-30) femoral stem is a stainless-steel, straight, three-dimensionally tapered, collarless implant for cemented fixation in total hip replacement.

We report the results at ten years of a consecutive series of 124 total hip replacements in 121 patients with the matt-surfaced MS-30 stem and an alumina ceramic head of 28-mm diameter. All the stems were fixed with Palacos bone cement with gentamicin using a modern cementing technique. They were combined with an uncemented, press-fit cup. The mean period of observation was 10.2 years (8.3 to 12.1) and no patient was lost to follow-up. Twenty-seven patients (22%) died with the implant in situ. Nine could only be interviewed by telephone. We included 85 patients with 88 hips in the clinical and radiological follow-up examinations.

None of the stems or cups had been revised. The Harris hip score was excellent or good in 97% (85 hips) and moderate in 3% (three hips). Radiologically, six hips (6.8%) had osteolysis adjacent to the stem, mostly in Gruen zone 7. Twenty (22.7%) showed one or more radiolucent lines. Twenty-two stems (25%) had subsided by 2 mm to 5 mm. In these cases two showed osteolysis (9.1%) with subsidence and four without (6.1%). Radiolucent lines were seen in seven with migration (31.8%) and in 13 without (19.7%). No infections and no acetabular osteolysis were observed.

The clinical results were excellent with survivorship after ten years of 100% and only a slightly statistically non-significant higher rate of osteolysis and radiolucency in cases of subsidence.
Attitudes of Pharmacists Toward Mental Illness and Providing Pharmaceutical Care to the Mentally III
Authors: Cates Marshall E , Burton Amber R , Woolley Thomas W
Published: June 2005

BACKGROUND:

Few studies have examined the attitudes of pharmacists toward mental illness.

OBJECTIVE:

To study the attitudes of Alabama pharmacists toward both mental illness and the providing of pharmaceutical care to mentally ill patients.

METHODS:

The survey used in this project was composed of 3 sections. Section 1 collected demographic information, section 2 asked 11 Likert-type questions concerning attitudes toward mental illness, and section 3 asked about attitudes toward providing pharmaceutical care to mentally ill patients. The surveys were distributed to pharmacists attending 3 school-sponsored continuing education programs.

RESULTS:

One hundred eighty-seven pharmacists participated in the survey. The vast majority (>90%) of participants disagreed or strongly disagreed with statements that mentally ill patients are easily recognizable, unintelligent, and do not care how they look. Approximately 30–50% of participants expressed being “more” or “much more” confident, comfortable, interested, and likely to perform pharmaceutical care activities for mentally ill patients relative to medically ill patients, while only approximately 5–20% of participants expressed being “less” or “much less” so. Several demographic factors, including gender, age, and years in practice, were associated with attitudes toward providing pharmaceutical care to mentally ill patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

Pharmacists expressed generally positive attitudes toward both mental illness and the providing of pharmaceutical care to mentally ill patients.
Attitudes of Australian Pharmacists Toward Complementary and Alternative Medicines
Authors: Naidu Sarushka , Wilkinson Jenny M , Simpson Maree D
Published: June 2005

BACKGROUND:

The increase in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by the general public has led to increasing interest in how health professionals view these therapies.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists toward CAM.

METHODS:

An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was designed and mailed to 1500 randomly selected pharmacists in New South Wales, Australia.

RESULTS:

Four hundred eighty-four responses were received, with 77% of respondents indicating that they had personally used CAM and 60% correctly identifying that CAM was comprised of more than just botanicals and nutritional agents. The most commonly used CAMs were herbal and vitamin supplements (74%), which was significantly above use of the next most frequent CAM, massage therapy (6%). Most pharmacists (71%) reported offering CAM products for sale; however, 27% of these practices did not have access to CAM information for pharmacy staff or patients. Pharmacists generally viewed CAM positively and believed that they enhanced the customers' image of pharmacy (57%), increased customer numbers (87%), and could increase annual sales (72%). Ninety-one percent of respondents believed that it is necessary for pharmacists to have knowledge of both CAM and conventional medicine to be able to inform patients about their treatment options. Books and journal articles were their primary information sources, with the main reasons for recommending CAM evidence of efficacy and to maintain general health.

CONCLUSIONS:

CAM use is prevalent among Australian pharmacists. While pharmacists are aware of their role as educators about both CAM and conventional medicines, there is a need for greater access to CAM resources and education on these therapies.
UVR, Vitamin D and Three Autoimmune Diseases—Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Ponsonby A.‐L. , Lucas R. M. , van der Mei I. A. F.
Published: June 2005

We review the evidence indicating a possible beneficial role for UVR on three Th1‐mediated autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in relation to recent developments in photoimmunology. Recent work suggests that UVR exposure may be one factor that can attenuate the autoimmune activity leading to these three diseases through several pathways involving UVB and UVA irradiation, UVR‐derived vitamin D synthesis and other routes such as α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone, calcitonin gene related peptide and melatonin. Ecological features, particularly a gradient of increasing prevalence of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes with higher latitude, provide some support for a beneficial role of UVR. Analytical studies provide additional support, particularly as low vitamin D has been prospectively associated with disease onset for all three diseases, but are not definitive. Randomized controlled trial data are required. Further, we discuss how associated genetic studies may assist the accumulation of evidence with regard to the possible causal role of low UVR exposure and/or low vitamin D status in the development of these diseases.
Effects of Rice Bran, Cottonseed Meal, and Alfalfa Meal on pH and Zooplankton
Authors: Barkoh Aaron , Hamby Steven , Kurten Gerald , Schlechte J Warren
Published: June 2005

Rice bran (RB), cottonseed meal (CSM), and alfalfa meal (ALF) were compared as organic fertilizers for their effects on pH and zooplankton abundance in limnocorrals that lacked fish. The weight (W) and nitrogen (N) content of CSM, which served as the control, were used to determine the other applications (RB-N, RB-W, ALF-N and ALF-W). Temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, ammonia nitrogen, and zooplankton densities were monitored for 8 weeks to simulate the average period for phase 1 production of striped bass Morone saxatilis (38–50 mm). Rice bran promoted better water quality than ALF or CSM when application rates were based on nitrogen content. The pH was lowest for RB-N, intermediate for ALF-N, and highest for CSM. Chlorophyll a was a function of nitrogen input, and the high-nitrogen applications (CSM, ALF-N, and RB-N) supported similar phytoplankton standing crops that were 38–62% greater than the corresponding low-nitrogen applications (ALF-W and RB-W). Water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations were similar among applications, and total ammonia nitrogen was below detectable levels for all applications. Overall mean densities of rotifers, nauplii, adult copepods, adult crustaceans, and total zooplankton did not differ significantly among applications. However, the mean density of cladocerans was significantly higher for RB-N and ALF-N than for ALF-W. The densities of cladocerans, adult copepods, adult crustaceans, and total zooplankton correlated strongly with chlorophyll a but not with the quantities of fertilizers applied, indicating that phytoplankton probably was the primary food for these zooplankters. Based on pH, RB was better than CSM or ALF, but all had similar effects on zooplankton when application rates were based on nitrogen.