bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Independently verified reductionism: Prison privatization in Scotland
Authors: Cooper Christine , Taylor Phil
Published: July 2005

The Scottish Parliament recently considered proposals, which, if implemented, would lead to a considerable expansion of prison privatization. Both the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Executive used what they claimed to be an independently verified cost saving of £700 million as the major justification for these proposals. The way this figure was constructed and used provides an example of the increasing tendency on the part of government to quantify what cannot be quantified, to ‘make the invisible visible’. This article uses several methods to interrogate this figure of £700 million, particularly the role played by ‘net present value’ in its construction. Its fuller significance emerges from an understanding of the contexts of the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership, the experience of prison privatization and the foreclosure of alternatives to privatization. This article is based upon an analysis of government documentation, interview evidence with key players and testimony given by them to a cross-party committee charged with investigating these proposals.
Chinese concepts of mental health
Authors: Yip Kam-shing
Published: July 2005

English

In terms of the traditional Chinese medical, Confucian and Taoist schools of thought, Chinese concepts of mental health have a strong impact. All these have significant implications for culturally sensitive or culturally competent social work practice in Chinese communities.

French

Les concepts chinois de santé mentale, issus des écoles de pensée médicale chinoise traditionnelle, confucianiste et taoiste, ont un fort impact sur la santé mentale de la population chinoise. Ces écoles de pensée ont une implication significative pour le travail social compétent et culturellement sensible dans les communautés chinoises.

Spanish

De acuerdo a la medicina tradicional china y a las escuelas de pensamiento Confucianas y Taoi¨stas, los conceptos chinos sobre salud mental tienen un fuerte impacto en la salud mental de la población. Ello tiene implicaciones significativas sobre la cultura de sensibilidad o la cultura competente de la práctica del trabajo social con las comunidades chinas.
Task-centered groupwork
Authors: Lo T. Wing
Published: July 2005

English

This article describes the transferability of task-centered casework to group-work in Hong Kong. While task-centered casework helps individual clients to solve their personal problems, its short intervention period may limit the development of intensive social support and treatment in groups. The article summarizes social workers’ experiences in reconciling this conflict.

French

Cet article décrit le processus de transfert, à Hong Kong, de cas individuels de travail orienté vers la tache en travail de groupe. Si l'intervention individuelle orientée vers la tâche aide les clients à solutionner leurs problèmes personnels, son intervention de courte durée risque de limiter le développement de traitement et de soutien social intensif de groupe. Le texte résume les expériences de travailleurs sociaux dans un effort de réconciliation de ce conflit.

Spanish

Este artículo describe la transferibilidad del trabajo de caso centrado en la tarea al trabajo con grupos en Hong Kong. Mientras que el trabajo de caso centrado en la tarea ayuda a los clientes individuales a resolver sus problemas personales, su corto período de intervención puede limitar el desarrollo del apoyo social intensivo y el tratamiento en grupos. El artículo resume las experiencias de trabajadores sociales para resolver este conflicto.
Microscopic-Macroscopic Models Systems Integration: A Simulation Case Study for ATMIS
Authors: Sahraoui Abd-El-Kader , Jayakrishnan R.
Published: July 2005

This article proposes the integration of both microscopic and macroscopic simulation and focuses on two main issues: a methodology for calibration/validation and the integration of path dynamics on large networks. These are considered the most significant two challenges in microscopic simulation for decision support and analysis in Advanced Traffic Management and Information Systems (ATMIS). Then a methodology is described that brings to microscopic simulation the kind of capabilities for path processing and storage normally found only with macroscopic models, often due to the network representation being less detailed for those. This is based on a hybrid simulation approach. The example of integrating the Paramics microscopic simulation with the routing and behavior response simulation schemes as in the DYNASMART macroscopic model is used to explain a candidate methodology to enhance microscopic models for the evaluation of information/routing schemes in ATMIS.
Children’s Participation in Planning Processes
Authors: Knowles-Yánez Kimberley L.
Published: July 2005

This review catalogs approaches to involving children in local agency land use planning processes. Four approaches are defined: scholarly, practice, educational, and rights-based. There is only a weak link between any of these approaches and actual local agency land use planning. However, the rightsbased approach is the most holistic of the four. Examining these approaches raised questions. These questions are discussed and lead into the formulation of a new approach that synthesizes components from all of the studied approaches.
Gender Equality and State Environmentalism
Authors: Norgaard Kari , York Richard
Published: July 2005

There are several compelling reasons to expect that gender equality may serve to foster state environmentalism. However, most previous research on environmental politics has neglected gender. To help further our understanding of the connection between gender and environmental politics, the authors empirically assess the association between the representation of women in national Parliament and environmental treaty ratification, using a large sample of nations. The findings indicate that nations with higher proportions of women in Parliament are more prone to ratify environmental treaties than are other nations. The results point to the importance of considering the role of gender in analyses of state behavior and environmental politics and are consistent with the argument of some feminist theorists that the exploitation of nature and the exploitation of women are interconnected.
An Examination of Competing Explanations for the Pay Gap among Scientists and Engineers
Authors: Prokos Anastasia , Padavic Irene
Published: July 2005

This article uses a nationally representative data set to determine the role of glass ceiling barriers and cohort effects on the earnings differences between women and men in an elite and growing group of professionals: Scientists and engineers. It draws on national data gathered in four surveys during the 1990s for cohorts graduating between 1955and1990.Results indicate a continuing pay gap net of human capital, family status, and occupational characteristics that was not fully explained by either cohort effects or the glass ceiling. The authors suggest that the gender pay gap in these fields results from several unmeasured barriers that neither worsen across the life cycle nor become less problematic for recent cohorts. Improvements will require continued attention to discriminatory barriers.
Looking Behind the Stereotypes of the “Angry Black Woman”
Authors: Childs Erica Chito
Published: July 2005

In academic research on interracial relationships, as well as popular discourses such as film and television, Black women are often characterized as angry and opposed to interracial relationships. Yet the voices of Black women have been largely neglected. Drawing from focus group interviews with Black college women and in-depth interviews with Black women who are married interracially, the author explores Black women’s views on Black-white heterosexual relationships. Black women’s opposition to interracial dating is not simply rooted in jealousy and anger toward white women but is based on white racism, Black internalization of racism, and what interracial relationships represent to Black women and signify about Black women’s worth. The impact of racism and sexism are clear, with Black women devalued by white standards of beauty and faced with a shortage of available Black men and a lack of “substantive opportunities” to date interracially.
Thinking about Women
Authors: Andersen Margaret L.
Published: July 2005

This article reviews the development of feminist studies during the latter quarter of the twentieth century, identifying initial themes in feminist theory and highlighting three major themes framing feminist scholarship today: the relationship between structure and agency; the intersection of race, class, and gender; and emerging studies of the political economy of sexuality. The article emphasizes the significance of understanding structured inequality, including new studies of sexuality and their relationship to race/class/gender stratification.
What’s on the Web—And What’s Not
Authors: Tankard James W. , Royal Cindy
Published: July 2005

Many students (and some faculty members) seem to act as if the World Wide Web contains all of human knowledge. One indication of this phenomenon is the increasing reliance on web sites by students for research purposes. This study challenges this thinking by examining variation in the amount of information on the web on several dimensions: historical time, completeness of general information, extent of information about different countries, and extent of coverage of corporations. A second phase of the study explored several predictors of amount of information on the web for these same dimensions. The predictors were time, importance of information, population (for countries), and annual revenue (for corporations). Examining the role of the predictors takes a first step toward formulating a theory that explains the content of the web.
‘Playing the Fool’: US Welfare Policy from a Critical Race Perspective
Authors: LIMBERT Wendy M. , BULLOCK Heather E.
Published: July 2005

In this article, we draw on critical race theory and critical race feminism to deconstruct contemporary US welfare policy. The political framing of work requirements, single motherhood, and ‘citizenship’ under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 are used to illustrate the racism, sexism, and classism that pervade current regulations. Drawing on Hurtado’s (1996) conceptualization of the ‘Pendejo Game’, we argue that political elites feign ignorance of poverty and structural inequities to legitimate policies that maintain economic disparities. We conclude with suggestions for disrupting the Pendejo Game and promoting economic justice.
‘I’m 15 and Desperate for Sex’: ‘Doing’ and ‘Undoing’ Desire in Letters to a Teenage Magazine
Authors: JACKSON Sue
Published: July 2005

In a social climate that largely problematizes young women’s sexuality, voices of sexual desire and pleasure may struggle to be heard. Teenage magazines, in actively marketing young women’s (hetero)sexuality, offer ‘permission’ to talk about sex through their problem pages. This article examines letters written to the advice pages of an Australasian teen magazine in which writers articulated or alluded to sexual desire. Using a feminist, poststructuralist analytical approach, the article looks at the ways in which sexual desire is constructed by writers and by agony aunts, how sexual subjectivities are constituted in the text, and the identification of cultural resources drawn on in these constructions. Analyses suggest that attempts to ‘do’ desire in young women’s letters were often undermined or ‘undone’ in the agony aunt’s responses, particularly desire for someone of the same gender. The article argues that erasure of desire is deeply ironic, given the magazine’s sexual content, and misses an important opportunity to encourage talk about desire.
‘I Felt as though I’d been in Jail’: Women’s Experiences of Maternity Care during Labour, Delivery and the Immediate Postpartum
Authors: BAKER Sarah R. , CHOI Precilla Y.L. , HENSHAW Carol A. , TREE Joanne
Published: July 2005

It has been widely recognized, both in the UK and internationally, that there is a need for a multidimensional or holistic approach to maternity care, which incorporates psychological as well as physical aspects, in order to optimize women’s experiences both in the intra- and postpartum period. Central to such an approach is the relationship between women and maternity care staff. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of maternity care staff on women’s experiences, and feelings associated with the childbirth process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 primiparous and multiparous women, and transcripts analysed using open and axial coding with triangulation. Three main themes emerged from women’s accounts: perceptions of control, staff attitudes and behaviours, and resource issues. Each of these themes was evident throughout the various stages of the childbirth process, in the delivery suite, on the maternity ward, and specifically in relation to breastfeeding. In the women’s accounts, feelings of little control were related to inadequate information provision, poor communication, and no opportunity to influence decision making. These, together with the negative attitudes and behaviours of maternity staff, and issues of under-resourcing, were often linked to negative feelings such as fear, anger, disappointment, distress, guilt, and inadequacy. These findings illustrate the importance of maternity care staff recognizing women’s psychological and emotional needs during the childbirth process, and the impact that they themselves may have on women’s experiences. These issues are discussed with reference to the wider debate on authority and power within the medical relationship, from a feminist viewpoint.
Siblings’ Needs and Issues When a Brother or Sister Dies of Cancer
Authors: Nolbris Margaretha , Hellström Anna-Lena
Published: July 2005

To explore siblings’needs and issues when a brother or sister dies of cancer, interviews were conducted with 10 surviving children and young adults. The siblings expressed dissatisfaction with the information they had received and said that they had not felt involved in the dying process with the exception of the terminal period. The siblings stated that their dissatisfaction would have been reduced if doctors and nurses had provided continuous information and support. Loneliness, anxiety, anger, and jealousy were common feelings that they expressed. Friends and school were important to the siblings, representing a normal environment free from the domination of sickness. The siblings also expressed that they needed to mourn in their own way including periods of time when they did not mourn. The absence of the dead sibling was felt particularly during family celebrations. The siblings continued to have special memories and objects, and all still included the dead sibling as a member in the family.
Athletes’ Perceptions of the Sources of Role Ambiguity
Authors: Eys Mark A. , Carron Albert V. , Beauchamp Mark R. , Brays Steven R.
Published: July 2005

The purpose of the study was to determine athletes’perceptions of the sources of role ambiguity in interactive sport teams. Athletes (N = 151; 97 females and 54 males) were asked to identify why ambiguity might exist in relation to the scope of their role responsibilities, the behaviors necessary to fulfill those responsibilities, the evaluation of their role performance, and the consequences of not successfully fulfilling their role responsibilities. Results revealed an extensive set of possible sources for each dimension of role ambiguity that emerged from the responses that included factors associated with the role sender (e.g., coach), the focal person (e.g., the athlete), and the situation. The types and frequency of factors differed among the various dimensions of ambiguity thereby lending support to the necessity of considering role ambiguity in sport as a multidimensional construct. The relevance of the results to sport and future intervention research is discussed.
Team Role Preference and Cognitive Styles
Authors: Aritzeta Aitor , Senior Barbara , Swailes Stephen
Published: July 2005

While exploring the relationships between the strength of an individual’s team roles and his or her cognitive styles, this study examines the convergent validity of the Team Role Self-Perception Inventory (TRSPI) with Kirton’s Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI). Data were obtained from two samples of 109 managers and 114 students. Results from students were compared to those obtained by Fisher, Macrosson, and Wong (1998) to explore differences arising from the use of Cattell, Eber, and Tatsuoka's (1970) 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) and the TRSPI. Data from managers were used to examine convergence between team role preferences and cognitive styles. The TRSPI showed convergent validity with Kirton’s cognitive styles. KAI subscale correlations were more coherent than those obtained by Fisher et al. probably due to misinterpretation of innovative and adaptive subscale scores. Cognitive style differences were found in the two samples. Future research and practical implications for team-building interventions and team performance are discussed.
Mediators of the Relationship Between Hope and Well-Being in Older Adults
Authors: Davis Bonnie
Published: July 2005

This research examined well-being in relationship to the variables of hope, spirituality, and state anxiety using a cross-sectional correlation design to test two mediation models. The convenience sample of 130 older adults, mostly women, between the ages of 60 and 89, completed the Demographic Data Sheet and the Index of Well-Being, the Herth Hope Index, the Spiritual Perspective Scale, and the state anxiety portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Statistically significant and positive correlations were found between hope and well-being, hope and spirituality, and spirituality and well-being. A statistically significant and negative correlation was found between hope and state anxiety and between state anxiety and well-being. Multiple regression analyses results indicated that neither spirituality nor state anxiety functioned as a mediator in the relationship between hope and well-being.
The relationship of parenting style to older adolescent life-skills development in the United States
Authors: Slicker Ellen K. , Picklesimer Billie K. , Guzak Andrea K. , Fuller Dana K.
Published: July 2005

At a large, mid-south university in the USA, 660 university freshmen (mean age = 17.9 years; 68.2% female; 86.5% non-Hispanic white) were surveyed regarding their perceptions of their parents’parenting behaviors and their perceptions of their own life-skills development. The parenting style index consisted of the two parenting style dimensions: responsiveness and demandingness . The Life-skills Development Inventory-College Form was used to measure life skills in four domains: interpersonal communication, decision making, health maintenance, and identity development. Simultaneous regression results indicated that parental responsiveness significantly predicted life-skills development in all four domains even when age, gender, and socioeconomic status were taken into account; whereas, parental demandingness was not a significant predictor in any of the four domains of life-skills development. The results of this study suggest that positive life-skills development in older adolescents is related to having been reared by a parenting style high in responsiveness. Recommendations are included regarding the need to disseminate this information.
Gendering delinquent networks
Authors: Pettersson Tove
Published: July 2005

Using network analysis and employing a gender theoretical perspective as the primary analytical tool, this study examines violent offences committed by young people. Although crime, and violent offending in particular, is strongly associated with men and masculinity, the use of a gendered perspective has, until recently, been something of a rarity in the context of criminological research into violence. The current study focuses on similarities and differences in the structure of girls’ and boys’ violent offending in Stockholm, Sweden. Apart from differences in levels of offending, the patterns of suspected violent offending found among girls and boys are very similar. The violent offences of both sexes appear primarily to constitute a means of creating hierarchies in relation to others of the same sex, hence according to the present study, violent crimes committed by girls cannot generally be interpreted as a form of opposition against male dominance. Instead they seem to be a way of subordinating other girls, just as the boys subordinate other boys. Nevertheless, girls’ subordination of other girls can in part be seen as a consequence of male dominance.
‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’
Authors: Jarvis Christine , Burr Viv
Published: July 2005

The young people at the centre of Buffy the Vampire Slayer present themselves as an alternative family that contrasts with the programme’s conventional families. This device helps to raise awareness about changing family structures in contemporary Western society, particularly with respect to the family’s capacity to facilitate the development of young people. The series implies that the stability associated with the nuclear family is often illusory and/or achieved at the price of young people’s freedom and agency. The alternative structure, by contrast, answers the call for the ‘democratisation’ of the family (Giddens, 1999) and is coded positively in spite of many weaknesses.
‘It is Historically Constituted’
Authors: Honkanen Katriina
Published: July 2005

This article explores the historicism of feminist constructivism. It focuses on the work of Judith Butler, and explores how the idea of history and elements of temporality are used in her theory of materialization. It argues that the radical historicism implied in the Jamesonian request ‘Historicize!’ can become a self-defeating enterprise. The hypothesis is that historicism has been used as a kind of ‘black box’ in feminist constructivism. The article points out the way in which constructivists rely much too easily on history as evidence, and talk about history as if it stands outside construction. This ambivalence in constructivist thought is prevalent. The article proposes that feminist theorists of materiality recognize the predominance of self-evident notions of historicity in constructivist theories and start practising a strategic forgetting of history.
Towards Cittá sicure? Political action and institutional conflict in contemporary preventive and safety policies in Italy
Authors: Selmini Rossella
Published: July 2005

The article deals with the issue of the local safety policies in the Italian context and outlines how the origin and development of this approach to crime control is the result of some cnvergent processes and socio-political dynamics. Starting from the general and widespread move towards crime prevention and social reassurance, the article tries to show how these processes are influenced by local peculiarities and how the specific local contexts re-shape definitions, concepts, conflict and programmes. In the Italian case, the most influential factors are related to the conflict and negotiations between the national and local levels of state and governance and to the specific relationship established in the Italian context between the state and the civil society which continues to influence the kind of community involvement in crime control strategies.
The governance of safety in France
Authors: De Maillard Jacques
Published: July 2005

France has been affected by various changes concerning safety policies during the last two decades, especially at the local level. Several features can be noticed: territorialization, the link between prevention and repression; and contractualization. In such a context, the traditional monopoly of the central state—besides being increasingly fragmented between various agencies—on security has ended. Such a move must be related to the growing importance of local authorities in the elaboration and implementation of policies against insecurity, but equally to the role played by various other agencies. The present article seeks to understand interagency co-ordination and point up the existence of a complex array of networks governing safety. It also seeks to examine critically the claim made by some scholars of the turn to repressive policies that would affect local policies.
Romancing the Stones: Archaeology in Popular Cinema
Authors: Hall Mark A.
Published: July 2005

This article looks at the depiction of archaeology and archaeologists in popular cinema. A number of key films are discussed to address the article's main themes of cultural appropriation and contested ground (encompassing treasure, the public, politics and gender). Archaeology in film cannot be divorced from the wider cultural contexts in which it operates and, though portrayals of archaeology and archaeologists are frequently unsatisfactory, a positive conclusion is attempted which seeks to understand the narrative drive of popular fiction and a long history of public exclusion from archaeology. Most of the films considered do not warrant labelling as great works of art, but they are part of a cultural form with perceptions to offer, able to stimulate debate within a vital framework of cultural practices by which identity – individual and social – is constructed and evolved.
Trans-Uralian Iron Age Ceramics – A New Outlook
Authors: Sharapova Svetlana
Published: July 2005

This article considers the results of an analysis undertaken on pottery recovered mostly from multi-phase Iron Age sites in the Trans-Urals region of Russia. It focuses on a particular project involving fieldwork and the subsequent analysis of archaeological contexts and the laboratory studies of pottery morphology, ornamentation, technology, and statistics, with an attempt to apply the concept of style. This type of research project is unusual for Russian ceramic studies and the article begins with a consideration of the formal typological approach to the study of artefacts, which is a traditional aspect of Russian archaeology and is still the primary focus of many research programmes.
Mental Health Social Work and the Troubles in Northern Ireland
Authors: Campbell Jim , Mccrystal Patrick
Published: July 2005

Summary: During the last decade increasing attention has been paid to the impact of the Troubles1 on social work in Northern Ireland. In this paper, the authors describe the first survey used to test some of the assumptions which exist in the literature. An 87-item questionnaire was applied to a range of social work staff currently working in, or associated with, mental health settings. One hundred and one questionnaires were returned: it is estimated that this represented over 70 per cent of mental health social workers in Northern Ireland.

Findings: The design of the questionnaire elicited both qualitative and quantitative data. The findings reveal a workforce with complex religious and national identities and many of the respondents have experienced relatively high levels of Troubles-related incidents whilst carrying out their duties in a variety of organizational and geographical settings. High proportions of respondents received minimal agency support and training to equip them to deal with Troubles-related problems faced by them during this period.

Applications: The authors conclude that the profession and employing agencies should pay greater attention to past and present effects of the Troubles on social work practice and develop appropriate strategies for supporting, training and resourcing staff in this neglected area.
Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Language Acquisition, and Self-Sufficiency
Authors: Corvo Kenneth , Peterson Jaia
Published: July 2005

Summary: This non-experimental study was undertaken in order to explore the nature of the relationship between mental health status, English language acquisition, and economic self-sufficiency among recent Bosnian refugees. The subjects (N = 34) were Bosnian refugees recruited from a Catholic refugee resettlement program in the Syracuse area of central New York.

Findings: Though no correlation was found among the hypothesized variable relationships, serious trauma-related symptoms were identified in about one-third of refugees. Although no empirical link was identified between trauma-related symptoms and self-sufficiency, the incidence of those symptoms is a cause for concern. Frequently indicated symptoms included sleep disturbance, loneliness, and hopelessness about the future.

Applications: From our findings, we can only consider these issues as mental health or quality of life concerns, not as barriers to self-sufficiency. Independently of this study’s lack of support for the latter, these quality of life concerns per se are deserving of attention. Given the regional labor shortage at the time of the study, it is possible that economic self-sufficiency may be more problematic in other periods and places
Notes on the Uses and Scope of City Planning Theory
Authors: Neuman Michael
Published: July 2005

This mapping article highlights two concerns about city planning theory: its uses and roles in urban planning, and its scope. Regarding its main uses or functions, there are four: explanation, prediction, justification, and normative guidance. Each of these four roles is briefly explained before moving on to the core of the article regarding the scope of planning theory, as the use of city planning theory bears directly on its reach, and vice versa. This discussion addresses the question of the contribution of planning theory to urban development, and suggests how to explain that contribution.
The Production of Desirous Space: Mere Fantasies of the Utopian City?
Authors: Gunder Michael
Published: July 2005

The Lacanian perspective argues that planning, in its discourses and practices, is inherently ideological and the visions and ideals shaping the fantasies of the future city are often reflective of the homogenic desires of conflicting, but dominant, privileged minorities. Here the democratic process fails because the issues of contention are pre-shaped and ‘technically’ determined and the rationality deployed only allows a limited range of ‘sensible’, i.e. pre-framed, dreams of what constitutes the ‘good’ city. This article draws on both Lacan and Lefebvre to explore the dichotomy between seeking a common harmony of social vision while at the same time avoiding any exclusion of cultural and related difference in lived space.
Negative regulation of CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis by the lipid phosphatase activity of tumor suppressor PTEN
Authors: Gao Ping , Wange Ronald L. , Zhang Ning , Oppenheim Joost J. , Howard O. M. Zack
Published: July 2005

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), a multifunctional tumor suppressor, has been shown to play a regulatory role in cell migration. Dictyostelium discoideum cells lacking PTEN exhibited impaired migration toward chemoattractant gradients. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of PTEN in chemotaxis of mammalian cells by examining PTEN-null Jurkat T cells. We observed that, in contrast to observations made in D discoideum, PTEN-null Jurkat T cells exhibited potent chemotactic responses to the chemokine stromal cell–derived factor 1α (SDF-1α), indicating that PTEN was not requisite for CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)–mediated chemotaxis of Jurkat cells. Conversely, reconstitution of PTEN in Jurkat cells by using a tetracycline (Tet-on)–inducible expression system down-regulated CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis. Furthermore, we established the lipid phosphatase activity of PTEN as essential for its inhibitory effect on chemotaxis. In addition, using PTEN-expressing T-cell lines and primary T cells, we demonstrated that down-regulation of PTEN expression with vector-based small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) enhanced CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis. Based on these results, we conclude that PTEN expression negatively regulates chemotaxis of lymphoid mammalian cells via its lipid phosphatase activity. Our findings may account for the reported increase in metastatic activity of PTEN-null tumor cells.
In vivo gene transfer into rat bone marrow progenitor cells using rSV40 viral vectors
Authors: Liu Bianling , Daviau Judy , Nichols Carmen N. , Strayer David S.
Published: July 2005

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene transfer has been attempted almost entirely ex vivo and has been limited by cytokine-induced loss of self-renewal capacity and transplantation-related defects in homing and engraftment. Here, we attempted to circumvent such limitations by injecting vectors directly into the bone marrow (BM) to transduce HSCs in their native environment. Simian virus 40 (SV40)–derived gene delivery vectors were used because they transduce resting CD34+ cells very efficiently. Rats received SV-(Nef-FLAG), carrying FLAG marker epitope—or a control recombinant SV40 (rSV40)—directly into both femoral marrow cavities. Intracellular transgene expression by peripheral blood (PB) or BM cells was detected by cytofluorimetry. An average of 5.3% PB leukocytes expressed FLAG for the entire study—56 weeks. Transgene expression was sustained in multiple cell lineages, including granulocytes (average, 3.3% of leukocytes, 20.4% of granulocytes), CD3+ T lymphocytes (average, 0.53% of leukocytes, 1% of total T cells), and CD45R+ B lymphocytes, indicating gene transfer to long-lived progenitor cells with multilineage capacity. An average of 15% of femoral marrow cells expressed FLAG up to 16.5 months after transduction. Thus, direct intramarrow administration of rSV40s yields efficient gene transfer to rat BM progenitor cells and may be worthy of further investigation.
Computed tomographic imaging of the airways: relationship to structure and function
Authors: de Jong P. A. , Müller N. L. , Paré P. D. , Coxson H. O.
Published: July 2005

Alterations in the structure of the airways, collectively termed airway remodelling, contribute to airflow obstruction in a variety of chronic lung diseases. While histology has provided valuable insights into the structure of airway wall remodelling, this technique is invasive and does not allow the longitudinal analysis of airway wall dimensions. Technical advances in computed tomography allow the assessment of airway wall dimensions, and are ideally suited for the noninvasive investigation of the pathogenesis of airway wall remodelling and the evaluation of new therapeutic interventions. The aim of this article is to review the use of computed tomography in the investigation of airway structure and function in health and disease.
Decreased macrophage release of TGF-β and TIMP-1 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Pons A. R. , Sauleda J. , Noguera A. , Pons J. , Barceló B. , Fuster A. , Agustí A. G. N.
Published: July 2005

The present study tested the hypothesis that alveolar macrophages (AM) from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) release more pro-inflammatory and/or less anti-inflammatory mediators than those from smokers with normal lung function and never-smokers.

AM were sorted by flow cytometry from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in 13 patients with COPD (mean±SEM67±2 yrs, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 61±4% reference), 16 smokers with normal lung function (55±2 yrs, FEV197±4% reference) and seven never-smokers (67±7 yrs, FEV194±4% reference). After sorting, AM were cultured (with and without lipopolysaccharide stimulation) after 4 h and 24 h, and the concentrations of leukotriene B4(LTB4), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 were quantified in the supernatant by ELISA. The production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in freshly isolated AM was determined by flow cytometry.

LTB4secretion and ROI production were not different between groups. In contrast, AM from COPD patients released significantly less TGF-β1and TIMP-1 than those from smokers with normal lung function and nonsmokers.

In conclusion, these observations are compatible with reduced anti-inflammatory and anti-elastolytic capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is likely to contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.
Nerve growth factor is released by IL-1β and induces hyperresponsiveness of the human isolated bronchus
Authors: Frossard N. , Naline E. , Olgart Höglund C. , Georges O. , Advenier C.
Published: July 2005

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor essential for the development and survival of neurons, and is also an important mediator of inflammation. It is released by airway cells stimulated by interleukin (IL)-1β. As IL-1β induces airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to the tachykinin NK-1 receptor agonist [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P in human isolated bronchi, the aim of this study was to determine whether IL-1β was able to induce NGF release from isolated bronchi, and whether NGF might participate into IL-1β-induced AHR.

IL-1β (10 ng·mL−1; 21°C; 15 h) increased the release of NGF from human isolated bronchiin vitro, and, in organ bath studies, the response of human bronchi to [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P (0.1 µm). A significant correlation was found between these responses. AHR induced by IL-1β was abolished by a blocking anti-human NGF antibody. Finally, NGF (1 ng·mL−1; 37°C; 0.5 h) by itself induced a significant increase in [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P responsiveness. By contrast, it did not change the maximal contraction to acetylcholine.

In conclusion, the present study clearly demonstrated that nerve growth factor may participate in the airway hyperresponsiveness induced by interleukin-1β, which supports the neuro-immune cross-talk that may be active in the development of hyperresponsiveness in the human airways, and suggests nerve growth factor is active in the airways in asthma.
Quality control of equipment in home mechanical ventilation: a European survey
Authors: Farre R. , Lloyd-Owen S. J. , Ambrosino N. , Donaldson G. , Escarrabill J. , Fauroux B. , Robert D. , Schoenhofer B. , Simonds A. , Wedzicha J. A.
Published: July 2005

Quality control of the equipment used in home mechanical ventilation is necessary in order to ensure that patients safely and accurately receive the prescribed ventilatory support. The aim of this study was to carry out a survey on the quality-control procedures in different centres and countries.

The survey was carried out in the context of a European Commission Concerted Action covering 16 European countries. The study was extensive and detailed, involving 326 centres, which provided home ventilation to >20,000 patients.

The survey showed that: 1) ventilator servicing was mainly carried out by external companies (62% of centres), with a servicing frequency ranging 3–12 months; 2) interaction between servicing companies and prescribers was limited (only 61% of centres were always informed of major incidents); 3) participation of centres in equipment quality control was poor (only 56% of centres assessed that patients/caregivers correctly cleaned/maintained the ventilator); and 4) centres were insufficiently aware of vigilance systems (only 23% of centres). Moreover, the data showed considerable inter- and intra-country differences. The size of the centre was an important determinant of many of these quality-control aspects.

This survey provides information that will enable the European Commission Concerted Action to formulate recommendations on procedures for home-ventilator quality control.
Bronchodilator response in the lung health study over 11 yrs
Authors: Anthonisen N. R. , Lindgren P. G. , Tashkin D. P. , Kanner R. E. , Scanlon P. D. , Connett J. E.
Published: July 2005

Long-term changes in bronchodilator response in people with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were assessed in this study.

Changes in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in response to isoproterenol was measured in 4,194 participants in the Lung Health Study annually for 5 yrs, and again 11 yrs after study entry. Responses were quantitated in terms of mL (absolute), as per cent of the pre-bronchodilator value (relative), and as a per cent of the predicted normal value (% predicted).

At baseline, the mean pre-bronchodilator FEV1was 75.4% predicted, and responses were small. Relative and percentage predicted responses were similar in males and females; and correlated positively with methacholine reactivity, and negatively with smoking intensity and age. Baseline bronchodilator responses did not correlate with subsequent decline in FEV1. There was a substantial increase in response over the first year of the study, largely due to smoking cessation, with larger increases in those who stopped smoking. After the first year absolute responses changed little in those who maintained smoking cessation, but increased in those who did not. Mean relative and percentage predicted responses increased in all participants throughout the study. There was substantial annual variability of absolute response, and it was poorly reproducible in individual participants.

In conclusion, smoking cessation increased bronchodilator response, and response did not predict the rate of decline of forced expiratory volume in one second.
VEGF levels in the alveolar compartment do not distinguish between ARDS and hydrostatic pulmonary oedema
Authors: Ware L. B. , Kaner R. J. , Crystal R. G. , Schane R. , Trivedi N. N. , McAuley D. , Matthay M. A.
Published: July 2005

Although overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 165 in the lung causes pulmonary oedema, its role in human acute lung injury (ALI) is unclear. VEGF levels are reported to be lower in bronchoalveolar lavage from ALI patients compared with normals, but these studies did not include a comparably ill control group with noninflammatory pulmonary oedema.

The current authors hypothesised that VEGF levels in pulmonary oedema fluid would be lower in ALI patients compared with control patients with severe hydrostatic pulmonary oedema. VEGF was measured in pulmonary oedema fluid and plasma from 56 patients with ALI and 46 controls with severe hydrostatic pulmonary oedema.

Pulmonary oedema fluid levels of VEGF did not differ between patients with hydrostatic oedema (median 799 pg·mL−1, interquartile range (IQR) 226–2,281) and ALI (median 507, IQR 0.8–1,031). Plasma levels were also the same (median 20.5 pg·mL−1, IQR 0–152versus4.8, IQR 0–99.8). There was no association between plasma or oedema fluid VEGF levels and outcomes including mortality.

Vascular endothelial growth factor levels in pulmonary oedema fluid were depressed both in acute lung injury and hydrostatic pulmonary oedema. The decrease in air space concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor in acute lung injury may not be a function of the degree of lung injury, but rather may result from alveolar flooding.
Non-CF bronchiectasis: does knowing the aetiology lead to changes in management?
Authors: Li A. M. , Sonnappa S. , Lex C. , Wong E. , Zacharasiewicz A. , Bush A. , Jaffe A.
Published: July 2005

The aim of the current study was to review the aetiology of non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis from two tertiary paediatric respiratory units in order to determine how often making a specific aetiological diagnosis leads to a change in management, and to assess the contribution of computed tomography (CT) in determining the underlying diagnosis.

The case records of all patients who were diagnosed as having bronchiectasis by CT, currently being seen at the Royal Brompton Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (London, UK), were reviewed. All patients had undergone extensive investigations, and the underlying aetiology and the area of pulmonary involvement (as seen on CT) were recorded. A total of 136 patients were identified; there were 65 young males and the group median (range) age was 12.1 yrs (3.1–18.1). Immunodeficiency, aspiration and primary ciliary dyskinesia accounted for 67% of the cases. In 77 (56%) children, the identification of a cause led to a specific change in management. There was no association between aetiology and the distribution of CT abnormalities.

In conclusion, immunodeficiency and other intrinsic abnormalities account for the majority of cases of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis seen in the current authors' units. Computed tomography scans do not contribute towards identifying the aetiology and, most importantly, a specific aetiological diagnosis frequently leads to a change in management.
Tuberculosis infection in children who are contacts of immigrant tuberculosis patients
Authors: Verver S. , van Loenhout-Rooyackers J. H. , Bwire R. , Annee-van Bavel J. A. C. M. , de Lange H. J. M. , van Gerven P. J. H. J. , Borgdorff M. W.
Published: July 2005

The present study aimed to determine what proportion of children who are in close contact with immigrant tuberculosis (TB) patients are infected withMycobacterium tuberculosis.

For 1.5 yrs, 14 municipal health services in the Netherlands collected data from all non-Dutch TB patients and their contacts. Close contacts aged <16 yrs received a tuberculin skin test (TST). A positive TST was defined as an induration of ≥10 mm among nonvaccinated children, and ≥16 mm among bacille Calmette–Guérin-vaccinated children.

In total, 244 patients had 359 close contacts aged <16 yrs. Nine out of the 359 (2.5%) had TB. A TST test was given to 298 out of the 359 (83%). Of the 115 contacts of 44 extrapulmonary TB patients, three (3%) had a positive TST. Of the 186 contacts of 58 positive pulmonary TB patients, 30 (16%) had a positive TST. Contacts of sputum smear-positive patients significantly more often had a positive TST (25%), compared with the contacts of sputum smear-negative patients (7%). Children born abroad significantly more often had a positive TST (20%) than children born in the Netherlands (5%).

In conclusion, the prevalence of active tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection among children who are close contacts of immigrant tuberculosis patients is high and warrants an expansion of contact investigation.
The protease inhibitor PI*S allele and COPD: a meta-analysis
Authors: Dahl M. , Hersh C. P. , Ly N. P. , Berkey C. S. , Silverman E. K. , Nordestgaard B. G.
Published: July 2005

In many countries, the protease inhibitor (SERPINA1) PI*S allele is more common than PI*Z, the allele responsible for most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. However, the risk of COPD due to the PI*S allele is not clear.

The current authors located studies that addressed the risk of COPD or measured lung function in individuals with the PI SZ, PI MS and PI SS genotypes. A separate meta-analysis for each genotype was performed.

Aggregating data from six studies, the odds ratio (OR) for COPD in PI SZ compound heterozygotes compared with PI MM (normal) individuals was significantly increased at 3.26 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.24–8.57). In 17 cross-sectional and case-control studies, the OR for COPD in PI MS heterozygotes was 1.19 (95%CI: 1.02–1.38). However, PI MS genotype was not associated with COPD risk after correcting for smoking. Furthermore, mean forced expiratory volume in one second, a measure of airflow obstruction and a defining feature of COPD, did not differ between PI MS and PI MM individuals. There were not enough cases to summarise the risk of COPD in PI SS homozygotes.

In conclusion, the results show that the PI SZ genotype is a significant risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to the PI MS genotype is not substantially elevated.