bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Migratory Journeys and Tuberculosis Risk
Authors: Ho Ming‐Jung
Published: November 2004

After decades of decline, tuberculosis case rates in New York City more than tripled between 1978 and 1992. While the number of cases of those born in the United States declined after 1992, the proportion of immigrant tuberculosis cases continued to increase and reached 58 percent in 1999. This article questions the biomedical explanation of immigrant tuberculosis as being imported from immigrants' countries of origin. Illness narratives of illegal Chinese immigrants with tuberculosis detailing risks associated with migratory journeys are presented. The social and cultural nature of the concept of risk, as well as the adverse implication of biomedical identification of immigrants as being at higher risk of tuberculosis, are also discussed. The author concludes that the dominant biomedical explanation of immigrant tuberculosis could be modified with the incorporation of the migratory process as a risk factor, [tuberculosis, illegal migration, Chinese immigrants, New York City, Chinatown]
Masking Terror: How Women Contain Violence in Southern Sri Lanka; Scarred Minds: The Psychological Impact of War on Sri Lankan Tamils; The Ocean of Stories: Children's Imagination, Creativity, and Reconciliation in Eastern Sri Lanka
Authors: De Alwis Malathi
Published: November 2004

Masking Terror: How Women Contain Violence in Southern Sri Lanka. Alex Argenti‐Pillen. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003. xv. 235 pp.

Scarred Minds: The Psychological Impact of War on Sri Lankan Tamils. Daya Somasunderam New Delhi: Sage, 1998. 353 pp.

The Ocean of Stories: Children's Imagination, Creativity, and Reconciliation in Eastern Sri Lanka. Patricia Lawrence. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Centre for Ethnic Studies, 2003.94 pp.
Doctors within Borders: Profession, Ethnicity, and Modernity in Colonial Taiwan
Authors: Ho Ming‐Jung
Published: November 2004

Doctors within Borders: Profession, Ethnicity, and Modernity in Colonial Taiwan. Ming‐Cheng M. Lo Berkeley: University of California Press,2001 xvii. 236 pp.
“Seeing the Baby”: Pleasures and Dilemmas of Ultrasound Technologies for Primiparous Australian Women
Authors: Harris Gillian , Connor Linda , Bisits Andrew , Higginbotham Nick
Published: November 2004

The practice of obstetric ultrasound scans has undergone significant expansion in the last two decades and is now a standard part of many women's antenatal care in Australia as elsewhere. This article reviews recent evidence about the value of obstetric ultrasound, summarizing debates and contradictions in research literature and practitioner guidelines. Pregnant women's interpretations of the significance of ultrasound are examined through multiple interviews with 34 study participants. We find that ultrasound has become an integral part of women's embodied experience of pregnancy, with its own pleasures and dilemmas. The increasing use the technology has augmented the role of scientific biomedicine in the government of pregnancy. This must be understood in the light of trends toward individualized risk management in which the pregnant woman increasingly takes responsibility for the successful outcome of the pregnancy, in a context where pregnancy is discursively constructed as a risky domain of gendered experience in contemporary Australian society, [discourse, obstetric ultrasound, embodiment, pregnancy, feminist]
Stigma, Community, Ethnography: Joan Ablon's Contribution to the Anthropology of Impairment‐Disability
Authors: SHUTTLEWORTH RUSSELL P.
Published: November 2004

Joan Ablon has helped establish the anthropology of impairment‐disability and significantly contributed to the role of anthropology in disability studies. In this article, we review the development of and situate Ablon's ethnographic research in the anthropology of impairment‐disability. We then address various methodological issues in her work including her ethnographic approach, her grounding in action anthropology and her support for the development of the academic study of disability in anthropology and the careers of disabled anthropologists. The next section of the article examines Ablon's use of the notion of stigma, her understanding of community, and her engagement with disability rights. As examples of themes important to disability studies, we present her discussion of the implications of the ideal of the body beautiful, and gender differences in negotiating intimacy for people with physical differences. We close with a discussion of the future of an anthropology of impairment‐disability.[disability, impairment, Ablon, genetics, ethnography]
Sexuality, Color, and Stigma among Northeast Brazilian Women
Authors: REBHUN L. A.
Published: November 2004

Despite its international image as a sexually free‐spirited country, local attitudes toward morality of sexual behavior remain complex throughout Brazil, especially in rural areas and the conservative Northeast region. In addition, notwithstanding its official ideology of nonracism, African ancestry as judged through personal appearance (color) constitutes a significant social and economic disadvantage. Using Goffman's idea of “spoiled identity” as a starting point, I show how locals use sexual behavior as a multivocal symbol of moral status in women, and how spoiled sexual reputation interacts with other stigmatized statuses, especially color. I also consider how the acquisition of sexually stigmatized status jeopardizes women's well‐being and that of their children. [Brazil, color, gender, sexuality, stigma, women]
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: Stigma and Social Experiences
Authors: LIPSON JULIENE G.
Published: November 2004

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), an intolerance to everyday chemical and biological substances in amounts that do not bother other people, is a medically contested condition. In addition to symptoms and the ongoing difficulties of living with this condition, this hidden and stigmatized disability strongly impacts social relationships and daily life. Based on an ethnographic study, this article introduces the context of MCS in terms of cultural themes, the media, and the economic power of industries that manufacture the products that make people with MCS sick. Participants' experiences with family members and friends, in work and school settings, and with physicians exemplify the difficulties of living with MCS. I dedicate this article to Joan Ablon, my professor and mentor, whose work has always inspired my thinking and research topics. [multiple chemical sensitivities, environmental illness, stigma, hidden disabilities, medically contested diagnoses]
Smoking as a Weight‐Control Strategy among Adolescent Girls and Young Women: A Reconsideration
Authors: NICHTER MIMI
Published: November 2004

Many studies have reported that adolescent girls and young women smoke to control their weight. The majority of these studies are cross‐sectional and report on correlational data from quantitative surveys. This article presents data from ethnographic interviews with 60 smokers, interviewed in high school and in follow‐up interviews at age 21. Contrary to previous research, this study found little evidence for the sustained use of smoking as a weight‐control strategy. In high school, smokers were no more likely than nonsmokers to be trying to lose weight. In the follow‐up study, 85 percent of informants replied that they had never smoked as a way to control their weight. One‐half of informants at age 21 believed that smoking as a weight‐control strategy would be ineffective, while the other one‐half had no idea whether it would work or not. Researchers need to exert caution in propagating the idea that smoking is commonly used as a conscious and sustained weight‐control strategy among adolescent females and young women.
Embodied Changes and the Search for Gynecological Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: MARKOVIC MILICA
Published: November 2004

The detection and successful treatment of cancers is dependent on timely presentation with abnormal and often subtle symptoms. In this article, we draw on research conducted with Australian immigrant women in 2001–02 who experienced delays in diagnosis of gynecological cancer. Data from in‐depth interviews with women with gynecological cancer indicated a common trajectory of an “illness career,” whereby the search for diagnosis was often painful and lengthy, either because women normalized the abnormal signs or because their experiences of bodily abnormality, pain, and dysfunction contrasted with medical explanations. This delay was sometimes exacerbated by structural barriers. As a result, diagnosis was often protracted, during which time women presented with symptoms that were dismissed or resulted in the misdiagnosis, with a resultant loss of confidence in clinical services.
Archaeological Curatorship
Authors: Shackley M. Steven
Published: November 2004

Archaeological Curatorship. Susan Pearce. Leicester, England: Leicester University Press, 1990. Distributed in the U.S. by Smithsonian Institution Press. 223 pp., 13 plates, figures, bibliography, index. $35.00 (cloth).
Anthropology and Photography, 1860‐1920.
Authors: Geary Christraud M.
Published: November 2004

Anthropology and Photography, 1860‐1920. Edited by Elizabeth Edwards. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, in Association with the Royal Anthropological Institute, London, 1992. 275 pp., 160 illus., bibliography, index. $35.00 (cloth).
Alfred Maudslay and the Maya: A Biography
Authors: Wicks Robert S.
Published: November 2004

Alfred Maudslay and the Maya:. Biography. Ian Graham. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002. 323 pp. 83 illustrations and maps. Notes and references. Index.
Adopted Homes for Yesterday's Children
Authors: GUTMAN MARTA
Published: November 2004

In the absence of surviving casework, this article draws on the recollections of women who lived in a racially segregated orphanage in Oakland, California, during the Great Depression and World War II. The women, who were not orphans, came from white working-class families in need of emergency child care. After explaining the place of woman-run institutions in California's mixed economy of social welfare, the article draws on memories of the Children's Home to argue that physical settings made clear the intentions of orphanage founders but were invested with other meanings by children. Spatial evidence is used to direct attention to the ability of children to act on their own behalf. This evidence shows that, with Progressive reforms driving social changes, U.S. cities lost institutions that represented the needs of dependent children to a larger urban public when orphanages were closed down.
Plough, Sword and Book: The Structure of Human History; Culture Through Time: Anthropological Approaches
Authors: Bohannan Paul
Published: November 2004

Ernest Gellner. Plough Sword and Book: The Structure of Human History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Emiko Ohnuki‐Tiemey. Culture Through Time: Anthropological Approaches. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1991.
Law as a Resource in Agrarian Struggles
Authors: Wiber Melanie G.
Published: November 2004

F. von Benda‐Beckmann and M. van der Velde. eds., Law as. Resource in Agrarian Struggles. Wageningen: Agricultural University.
Burying SM: The Politics of Knowledge and the Sociology of Power in Africa
Authors: DeLuca Laura
Published: November 2004

Cohen. David William and E. S. Atieno Odhiambo. Burying SM: The Politics of Knowledge and the Sociology of Power in Africa, Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann; London: James Currey, 1992.
On‐line Executions: The Symbolic Use of the Electric Chair in Cyberspace
Authors: Lynch Mona
Published: November 2004

Execution by electrocution—with its attendant smoke and flames and blood and screams—is a spectacle whose time has passed. The fiery deaths of Jesse Tafero and Pedro Medina and the recent bloody execution of Allen Lee Davis are acts more befitting a violent murder than a civilized state. Leander Shaw, Florida State Supreme Court, dissenting in Provenzano v. Moore, 1999

It's a mockery to care about scorching a man's scalp, or bloodying his nose, in the context of rendering justice for his having killed another man. One might as well worry about the electricity mussing his hair. Daniel Clark, internet commentator, The Shinbone (shinbone.home.att.net/sparky.htm)
Democracia en tierras indígenas: Las elecciones en Los Altos de Chiapas (1991‐1998)
Authors: Collier George A.
Published: November 2004

Democracia en tierras indigenas: Las elecciones en Los Altos de Chiapas (1991‐1998) Juan Pedro Viqueira and Willibald Sonnleitner. coordinadores (Mexico, D.F.: Centro de Irrvestigaciones. Estudios Superiores en Antropologi'a Social, Kl Colegiode Mexico, and Instituto Federal Electoral, 2000)
Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders
Authors: Levine Amy
Published: November 2004

Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders Kim Fortun (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001)
The Sultan's Burden/Madame L'eau/Nomads of the Taiga.
Authors: Barley Nigel , Stoller Paul , Graburn Nelson
Published: November 2004

The Sultan′s Burden. Jon Jerstad and Lisbeth Holtedahl. Northern lights Fllmproduction. Mortimer Hill, Mortimer. Berkshire RG7 3PG. England.

Madame L′eau. Jean Rouch. 1993 NFI Productions, BBC Television and France. (short version)

Nomads of the Taiga. Heimo Lappalainen. Consultant, Nikolai Ssorin‐Chaikov. 1992. x 50 minutes. Dlsbributed by Illume Oy. Pasilan Puistotie 4. Fin‐00240. Helsinki, finland. Vhs Us$400/part, $1000 for series. 16mm us$1000/Part plus lab costs. $3000 plus lab costs for Series.tel. & fax (358‐0) 148‐1489.
The Sami Reindeer–Herders Through the Seasons
Authors: Paine Robert
Published: November 2004

The Sami Reindeer‐Herders Through the Seasons. Text & antropology: Ivar Bjorklund Director: Jon Bjorklund Photography: Jon Jerstad & Terje Brantenberg Technical production: Norge A/S Produced by Northern Lights film production in cooperation with Ivar Bjorklund. 50 minutes
The Turn to Visual Culture: On Visual Culture and Techniques of the Observer
Authors: Soussloff Catherine M.
Published: November 2004

Visual Culture, edited by Chris Jenks. London, New York: Routledge. 1995.

Techniques of the Observer: On Vision and Modernity in the Nineteenth Century. Jonathan Crary. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 1990.
A Space on the Side of the Road by Kathleen Stewart
Authors: Bodinger de Uriarte John
Published: November 2004

. Space on the Side of the Road Kathleen Stewart Princeton: University of Princeton Press, 1996 243 pages. xii. 36 photographs.
Transcultural Cinema
Authors: Sapir J. David
Published: November 2004

David MacDougall. Transcultural Cinema. Edited and with an Introduction by Lucien Taylor. Princeton: University of Princeton Press. 1998. Pp. 318.
A genome‐wide search for risk genes using homozygosity mapping and microarrays with 1,494 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in 22 eastern Cuban families with bipolar disorder
Authors: Ewald H. , Wikman F.P. , Teruel B.M. , Buttenschön H.N. , Torralba M. , Als T.D. , El Daoud A. , Flint T.J. , Jorgensen T.H. , Blanco L. , Kruse T.A. , Orntoft T.F. , Mors O.
Published: November 2004

Homozygosity mapping is a very powerful method for finding rare recessive disease genes in monogenic disorders and may also be useful for locating risk genes in complex disorders, late onset disorders where parents often are not available, and for rare phenotypic subgroups. In the present study, homozygosity mapping was applied to 24 persons with bipolar disorder from 22 inbred families. The families were selected irrespective of whether other affected family members were present or not. A genome wide screen using genotypes from only a single affected person in each family was performed using the AFFYMETRIX GeneChip HuSNP Mapping Assay, which contains 1,494 single nucleotide polymorphisms. At chromosome 17q24‐q25 a parametric multipoint LOD score of 1.96 was found at WIAF‐2407 and WIAF‐2405. When analyzing 19 additional microsatellite markers on chromosome 17q the maximum parametric multipoint LOD score was 2.08, 1.5 cM proximal to D17S668. The present study replicates a recent significant linkage finding. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interaction between a tertiary amine methacrylate based polyelectrolyte and a sodium montmorillonite dispersion and its rheological and colloidal properties
Authors: Alemdar A. , Bütün V.
Published: November 2004

The rheological and colloidal properties of sodium montmorillonite dispersions were investigated in the presence of a special type of cationic polymer [modified poly(ethylene glycol)]. 2‐(Dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate was polymerized with monomethoxy‐capped oligo(ethylene glycol) via aqueous atom transfer radical polymerization. The tertiary amine residues of the resulting polymer were then quaternized with methyl iodide to obtain a cationic polyelectrolyte. The rheology and ζ‐potential experiments showed that the cationic polymer adsorbed onto the sodium montmorillonite surface strongly. The rheological parameters (plastic viscosity and yield value) were obtained with a rotational low‐shear rheometer. The results indicated a gradual increase in gelation with the addition of the cationic polymer, which reached a maximum at a cationic polymer concentration of 0.4–0.8 g/L. This gel‐like dispersion showed pronounced thixotropy. A further increase in the polymer concentration resulted in a reduction in this gelation. The adsorption of the cationic polymer onto the clay surface reduced the ζ potential to small values, but no isoelectric point was observed. The basal‐spacing measurements showed that the cationic polymer strongly adsorbed onto the sodium montmorillonite instead of entering the montmorillonite layers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 300–306, 2005
Compatibilization of a polyolefin blend through covalent and ionic coupling of grafted polypropylene and polyethylene. I. Rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties
Authors: Colbeaux Aimeline , Fenouillot Françoise , Gérard Jean‐François , Taha Mohamed , Wautier Henri
Published: November 2004

A polypropylene/high‐density polyethylene blend containing 70 wt % polypropylene was prepared and compatibilized via the addition of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene and polyethylene. The functionalized polymer chains were coupled with two types of coupling agents. Dodecane diamine formed covalent bonds with the maleic anhydride, whereas two metallic salts, zinc acetate and sodium hydrogenocarbonate, formed ionic interactions with the carboxylic functions produced by the hydration of the anhydride cycle. The coupling of the grafted polyolefin chains was successfully realized by a single operation in a twin‐screw extruder. The coupling agents were efficient in improving the elongation at break and impact properties of the studied blends. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 312–320, 2005
Gegenüberstellung der statischen Berechnungen einer Stahlbrücke nach DIN ‐Fachberichten und bisher gültigem Regelwerk
Authors: Timm Günter , Steffens Alexander
Published: November 2004

Für die Berechnung und Bemessung von Brückenbauwerken wurden 2003 die DIN ‐Fachberichte als neues Regelwerk eingeführt. Gegenüber den bisher gültigen Normen ergeben sich in der praktischen Anwendung daraus nderungen in bezug auf Einwirkungen, zu führende Nachweise und die Konstruktion. Dieser Beitrag erläutert anhand einer Parallelberechnung die Auswirkungen des neuen Regelwerks auf den Stahlüberbau einer Eisenbahnbrücke. Die Gegenüberstellung zeigt, daß insbesondere aufgrund konservativerer Ansätze für die Lastausbreitung im Schotterbett die Fahrbahnkonstruktion verstärkt werden muß.
Auswirkung der Herstellungsmethode auf den Gebrauchszustand von Schlitzwänden in weichen bindigen Böden
Authors: Schäfer René , Triantafyllidis Theodor
Published: November 2004

Für den Nachweis der Gebrauchstauglichkeit von Stützkonstruktionen wird vielfach auf die Methode der finiten Elemente zurückgegriffen. Konventionelle Simulationen vernachlässigen dabei den Herstellungsvorgang der Verbauwand und wählen den Erdruhedruck als maßgebenden Ausgangszustand zu Beginn. Mit Hilfe der vorgestellten FE‐Berechnungen wird gezeigt, daß durch diese Vorgehensweise bei Schlitzwände in weichen bindigen Böden die auftretenden Wandverformungen, Geländesetzungen und Steifenkräfte im Unterschied zu überkonsolidierten Bodenschichten unterschätzt werden. Die abschnittsweise Herstellung der Schlitzwandlamellen führt zu einem veränderten Spannungszustand im angrenzenden Boden, und insbesondere der Betoniervorgang verursacht eine anteilige Mobilisierung des passiven Erddrucks im oberen Drittel der Wand, wodurch der Verformungszuwachs zu erklären ist. Zur vereinfachten Berücksichtigung der Schlitzwandherstellung wird in Abhängigkeit der Verteilung des Frischbetondrucks ein modifizierter Ausgangsspannungszustand vorgeschlagen.
Exploratory Studies to Investigate a Linked Prebiotic Origin of RNA and Coded Peptides. 3rd Communication
Authors: Ace Karl , Sutherland John D.
Published: November 2004

The potentially prebiotic synthesis of pyrimidine ribonucleotides by stepwise nucleobase assembly on arabinose‐3‐phosphate derivatives has been demonstrated in previous work. The generation of xylose‐2‐phosphate derivatives by aldolisation, and the behaviour of these compounds under the conditions of pyrimidine nucleobase assembly have also been described. In this paper, the scope for generation of purine nucleotides via 3,3′‐anhydro‐xylo‐nucleotides is investigated. In neutral D2O solution, the potential intermediate 47 (Schemes 6 and 8) undergoes HC(2)→DC(2) exchange, but no appreciable reaction with cyanide or cyanamide occurs. The exchange chemistry expands options for purine nucleobase assembly on sugar phosphate scaffolds.
Solution‐Phase Synthesis of Aib‐Containing Cyclic Hexapeptides
Authors: Jeremic Tatjana , Linden Anthony , Heimgartner Heinz
Published: November 2004

The 18‐membered Aib‐containing cyclohexapeptides, cyclo(‐Gly‐Aib‐Aib‐Gly‐Aib‐Phe‐) (22), cyclo(‐Gly‐Aib‐Phe(2Me)‐Gly‐Aib‐Aib‐) (24a), cyclo(‐Gly‐Phe(2Me)‐Aib‐Gly‐Aib‐Aib‐) (24b), and cyclo(‐Gly‐Phe(2Me)‐Aib‐Gly‐Aib‐Phe‐) (25), have efficiently been synthesized by solution‐phase techniques. The linear precursors 1a–1d were prepared by combining the ‘azirine/oxazolone method’ for incorporation of α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acids (Aib, Phe(2Me)) into the peptide chains by classical peptide coupling methods for segment condensations. Deprotection of the amino and carboxy termini of 1a–1d, followed by cyclization with DEPC as the coupling reagent, gave the above‐mentioned cyclic hexapeptides 22, 24a, 24b, and 25 in good yields (26–57%). The solid‐state conformations of the linear hexapeptides 1d, 16 and 27, and of the cyclohexapeptides 22 and 25 have been established by X‐ray crystallography.
Identification of Delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐Malonyl)‐β‐glucoside‐3′‐O‐β‐glucoside, a Postulated Intermediate in the Biosynthesis of Ternatin C5 in the Blue Petals of Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly Pea)
Authors: Kazuma Kohei , Kogawa Koichiro , Noda Naonobu , Kato Naoki , Suzuki Masahiko
Published: November 2004

Ternatins are blue anthocyanins found in the petals of Clitoria ternata (butterfly pea). Among them, ternatin C5 (delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside‐3′,5′‐di‐O‐β‐glucoside; 2) has the structure common to all the ternatins, which is characterized by its glucosylation pattern: a 3,3′,5′‐triglucosylated anthocyanidin. In the course of studying biosynthetic pathways of ternatins, the key enzymatic activities to produce ternatin C5 were discovered in a crude enzyme preparation from the petals of a blue petal line of C. ternatea. When this preparation was tested for activity against several delphinidin glycosides, delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside‐3′‐O‐β‐glucoside (6), a postulated intermediate, was found in the reaction mixture, together with three known anthocyanins, which were spectroscopically structurally identified. As a result of structural identification, the following enzymatic activities were identified: UDP‐glucose : delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside‐3′‐O‐β‐glucoside 5′‐O‐glucosyltransferase (5′GT), UDP‐glucose : delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside 3′‐O‐glucosyltransferase (3′GT), UDP‐glucose : delphinidin 3‐O‐glucosyltransferase, and malonyl‐CoA : delphinidin 3‐O‐β‐glucoside 6″‐malonyltransferase. In a mauve petal line, which did not accumulate ternatins but delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside in its petal, there were neither 5′GT nor 3′GT activities. Thus, the early biosynthetic pathway of ternatins may be characterized by the stepwise transfer of two glucose residues to 3′‐ and 5′‐position of delphinidin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐malonyl)‐β‐glucoside (1; Scheme) from UDP‐glucose.
Thrombosis after septal closure device placement: A review of the current literature
Authors: Sherman Jonathan M. , Hagler Donald J. , Cetta Frank
Published: November 2004

Thrombus formation has been described for all types of commercially available transcatheter septal occlusion devices. Most reports have been single‐institution case studies. Screening for hypercoagulable conditions prior to device placement and anticoagulation after device deployment has been variable. The objective of this study was to synthesize the current experience with device thrombosis; the Medline database from 1980 until 2004 was searched. Seventeen articles identified 54 unique patients with device thrombosis. Thrombus developed on eight different types of transcatheter devices. All commercially available devices had at least one reported case of thrombosis. Patient mean age was 44.2 ± 9.8 years. Thrombosis was diagnosed at a mean of 5 months after device deployment. Prior to device placement, 12 patients had normal coagulation evaluations and 5 had coagulopathies. For 37 patients, no mention was made in the report of coagulation studies. Prior to device thrombosis, 26 patients received aspirin and clopidrogel, 15 patients received aspirin alone, 8 received warfarin, 2 heparin alone, 1 aspirin and warfarin. One patient with hemophilia A received no anticoagulation and in one case treatment prior to thrombosis was not reported. After device thrombosis, 35 patients were treated with warfarin with thrombus resolution, 2 had successful lytic therapy, 1 was treated with heparin alone. Sixteen patients had surgical explantation of the device. Septal occlusion device thrombosis is rare. All types of commercially available devices have been associated with thrombosis. All patients should have early (≤ 3 months) echocardiographic surveillance for device thrombosis. Thorough coagulation evaluation is imperative prior to transcatheter device placement. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2004;63:486–489. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
SCAI statement on ad hoc versus the separate performance of diagnostic cardiac catheterization and coronary intervention
Authors: Blankenship James C. , Klein Lloyd W. , Laskey Warren K. , Krone Ronald J. , Dehmer Gregory J. , Chambers Charles , Cowley Michael
Published: November 2004

Coronary intervention may be combined with diagnostic cardiac catheterization or performed separately. In the early years of angioplasty, performing these procedures separately was standard practice. Gradually, ad hoc intervention (performing diagnostic angiography and coronary intervention within the same session) has become more common, largely because of its convenience for patients and efficiency for physicians. However, the safety and potential cost savings of this approach remain uncertain. Criteria for the appropriate use of ad hoc intervention have not been established. Ad hoc intervention is reasonable for many, but not appropriate for all patients and should not be considered standard therapy. This document updates an earlier review of this topic and provides suggestions for the use of ad hoc intervention as a routine strategy. Catherter Cardiovasc Interv 2004;63:444–451. © 2004 Wilney‐Liss, Inc.
Implications of mediastinal uptake of 131I with regard to surgery in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Haveman Jan Willem , Phan Ha T. T. , Links Thera P. , Jager Piet L. , Plukker John T. M.
Published: November 2004

BACKGROUND

Findings of mediastinal uptake of 131I after surgical treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) are common, especially in young patients. Given the frequency of false‐positive findings, a protocol for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies would be useful. With the goal of accurately selecting management strategies, the authors analyzed their data and data found elsewhere in the literature for correlations with the incidence of mediastinal 131I uptake and with treatment for patients exhibiting such 131I uptake.

METHODS

All patients with DTC who were treated between 1978 and 2000 at Groningen University Hospital (Groningen, The Netherlands) and who received adjuvant 131I ablation therapy were included in the current analysis, which involved retrospective review of all relevant data.

RESULTS

Five hundred four patients with DTC initially underwent total thyroidectomy, with additional 131I ablation performed for 489 of these patients. In 48 of 489 patients (9.8%), 131I uptake was seen in the mediastinum on a posttreatment scan. Analysis of those 48 patients and of cases in the literature demonstrated that serum thyroglobulin levels, risk status, and the presence of thymus on radiologic images were important in the surgical decision‐making process.

CONCLUSIONS

Mediastinal uptake of 131I on posttreatment scans was found in approximately 10% of patients after total thyroidectomy for DTC. Based on the current data and the data presented in the literature, the authors developed a flow chart for determining appropriate treatment strategies, which included mediastinal dissection for high‐risk patients and for patients with serum thyroglobulin levels > 10 ng/mL. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Thalidomide for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wadler Scott
Published: November 2004

According to recent reports, thalidomide is only marginally active in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is relatively toxic for many debilitated patients. Thus, thalidomide's status as a viable alternative for the treatment of HCC is subject to debate.

See also pages 85–91.
Phase II study of thalidomide in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Lin Albert Y. , Brophy Nathalie , Fisher George A. , So Sam , Biggs Christopher , Yock Torunn I. , Levitt Lee
Published: November 2004

BACKGROUND

The hypervascular nature of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is well characterized. Recent data have suggested that thalidomide possesses antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory activity. Therefore, the authors initiated a study to assess the efficacy and toxicity of thalidomide in patients with advanced HCC as primary and secondary endpoints, respectively.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria were unresectable HCC with bidimentionally measurable disease, age ≥ 18 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤ 2, and adequate organ function. Thalidomide was administered at a starting dose of 200 mg per day in a 100‐mg‐per‐week dose escalation regimen, up to the maximum tolerated dose or to 800 mg per day. Toxicity was monitored according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria.

RESULTS

Twenty‐six of 27 patients were eligible and assessable for toxicity and response. A median daily dose of 300 mg was achieved. One patient experienced near‐complete recovery of α‐fetoprotein levels and a partial radiographic response on computed tomography. Two patients had stable disease during the 16‐week study period. The median duration of progression‐free survival was 42 days. The overall median survival was 123 days. Fatigue and somnolence were the most common side effects, occurring in 81% and 62% of patients, respectively. No Grade 4 hematologic toxicity was observed. Three patients experienced Grade 4 hepatic toxicity (namely, hyperbilirubinemia).

CONCLUSIONS

With gradual dose escalation, thalidomide was tolerated in most patients with advanced HCC. However, treatment with thalidomide alone was associated with only a modest response in the treatment of HCC. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
A New Type of Supramolecular Assembly by Hydrogen Bond Templating: Identification of Rare Monodentate Acetate Coordination in [Fe3(µ3‐O)(µ2‐CH3COO)6(H2O)2(CH3COO)]·T·ClO4 (T = 2,6‐Diaminopyridinium Cation, C5H8N3 and 2‐Aminopyridinium Cation, C5H7N2)
Authors: Supriya Sabbani , Latha K. Swarna , Das Samar K.
Published: November 2004

The complexes [Fe3(µ3‐O)(µ2‐CH3COO)6(H2O)2(CH3COO)]· C5H8N3·ClO4 (C5H8N3 = 2,6‐diaminopyridinium cation) (1) and [Fe3(µ3‐O)(µ2‐CH3COO)6(H2O)2(CH3COO)]·C5H7N2· ClO4 (C5H7N2 = 2‐aminopyridinium cation) (2) show novel self‐assembled supramolecular structures in their crystals as elucidated by X‐ray analysis. The structures contain [Fe3(µ3‐O)(µ2‐CH3COO)6(H2O)2(CH3COO)] units as the building blocks. A detailed examination of the structures revealed that monodentate acetate, which is stabilised by a hydrogen‐bond template T (2,6‐diaminopyridinium cation in 1 and the 2‐aminopyridinium cation in 2), plays a directing role in forming these new types of hydrogen‐bonded assemblies in 1 and 2. Crystal data for 1 and 2 were determined by X‐ray structure analysis. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Oxidative Addition of Phenylselenyl Halides to Platinum(0) Complexes: Characterisation and Reactivity of the Products [PtX(SePh) (N,N‐chelate)(olefin)] (X = Cl, Br, I)
Authors: Albano Vincenzo G. , De Felice Vincenzo , Monari Magda , Roviello Giuseppina , Ruffo Francesco
Published: November 2004

The oxidative addition of PhSeX (X = Cl, Br, I) to Pt0 complexes of formula [Pt(N,N‐chelate)(olefin)] is described. The reaction quantitatively affords the trigonal‐bipyramidal products [PtX(SePh)(N,N‐chelate)(olefin)] with the X and SePh fragments in the axial positions. NMR spectroscopic data have allowed us to gain insights into the geometrical isomerism of some of these complexes. The reactivity of the axial ligands towards electrophilic reagents is also investigated, and the molecular structures of [PtX(SePh)(dmphen)(dimethyl fumarate)] (X = Br, I) are compared. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Hybrid Magnetic Materials Based on Nitroxide Free Radicals and Extended Oxalato‐Bridged Bimetallic Networks
Authors: Alberola Antonio , Coronado Eugenio , Giménez‐Saiz Carlos , Gómez‐García Carlos J. , Romero Francisco M. , Tarazón Ana
Published: November 2004

A series of hybrid organic‐inorganic magnets of formula p‐rad[MIICr(ox)3] [M = Mn (1), Co (2), Ni (3), Zn (4)] and m‐rad[MIICr(ox)3] [M = Mn (5), Co (6)], in which N‐methylpyridinium cations bearing a nitronyl nitroxide moiety in positions 3 (m‐rad) or 4 (p‐rad) of the pyridine ring coexist with the 2D honeycomb‐like oxalato‐bridged bimetallic lattice, has been prepared and studied by AC and DC magnetic susceptibility measurements and EPR spectroscopy. In general, the physical properties of these magnets are not altered significantly by the insertion of the nitronyl nitroxide radicals although these paramagnetic molecules seem to interact weakly with the inorganic network as demonstrated by EPR spectroscopy. Some differences can also be observed between the p‐rad and m‐rad series, i.e. m‐rad derivatives have smaller values for the critical temperatures and coercive fields. We also report on the X‐ray crystal structures and magnetic properties of p‐rad[Mn(H2O)Cr(ox)3]·2H2O (7) and m‐rad[Mn(H2O)2Cr(ox)3]·2H2O (8), two extended oxalato‐bridged compounds with new topologies. Compound 7 is antiferromagnetic and its structure is a 3D achiral lattice in which zigzag ferromagnetic MnCr chains (J/k = +0.8 K) are interconnected to form hellicoidal hexagonal channels with the cationic free radicals residing in the free space. Compound 8, however, exhibits a ladder‐like structural pattern with competing magnetic interactions and paramagnetic behaviour down to low temperatures. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Metronidazole and Ursodeoxycholic Acid for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A Randomized Placebo–Controlled Trial
Authors: Färkkilä Martti , Karvonen Anna–Liisa , Nurmi Heimo , Nuutinen Hannu , Taavitsainen Matti , Pikkarainen Pekka , Kärkkäinen Päivi
Published: November 2004

No effective medical therapy is currently available for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves liver enzymes, but its effect on liver histology is controversial. Metronidazole (MTZ) prevents PSC–like liver damage in animal models and reduces intestinal permeability. We recruited 80 patients with PSC into a randomized placebo–controlled study to evaluate the effect of UDCA and MTZ (UDCA/MTZ) compared with UDCA/placebo on the progression of PSC. Patients (41 UDCA/placebo and 39 UDCA/MTZ) were followed every third month. Assessment of liver function test, histological stage and grade, and cholangiography (via ERCP) at baseline showed no differences between the groups. After 36 months, serum aminotransferases γ–glutamyltransferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) decreased markedly in both groups, serum ALP more significantly in the UDCA/MTZ group (-337 ± 54 U/L,

P

< .05) compared with the UDCA/placebo group. The New Mayo Risk Score decreased markedly only in the UDCA/MTZ group (-0.50 ± 0.13,

P

< .01). The number of patients with improvement of stage (

P

< .05) and grade (

P

< .05) was higher in the combination group. ERCP findings showed no progression or improvement in 77% and 68% of patients on UDCA/MTZ and UDCA/placebo, respectively.

In conclusion

, combining MTZ with UDCA in PSC improved serum ALP levels and New Mayo Risk Score, but no statistically significant effect on disease progression as assessed via liver histology or ERCP was seen. Long–term studies using a higher dose of UDCA combined with MTZ in larger patient populations are indicated. (Hepatology 2004;40:1379-1386.)
Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Women Infected With Hepatitis C: Long–Term Benefit of Estrogen Exposure
Authors: Di Martino Vincent , Lebray Pascal , Myers Robert P. , Pannier Emmanuelle , Paradis Valérie , Charlotte Frédéric , Moussalli Joseph , Thabut Dominique , Buffet Catherine , Poynard Thierry
Published: November 2004

Female sex is a protective factor for the progression of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Experimental data suggest that estrogens may have an antifibrotic effect. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of past pregnancies, oral contraceptives, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on liver fibrosis progression in HCV–infected women. Four hundred seventy–two HCV–infected women received a survey regarding prior pregnancies, menopause, and the use of oral contraceptives and HRT. The impact of these variables on liver fibrosis and its progression were evaluated using multivariate analyses considering all putative confounding factors. Two hundred one women completed the survey (43% response rate), 157 of whom had an estimated date of HCV infection (96 postmenopausal women, 96 women with previous pregnancies, and 105 women with past use of oral contraceptives). Through multivariate analyses, the estimated rate of fibrosis progression was higher in postmenopausal (

P

< .05) and nulliparous (

P

= .02) women and was associated with greater histological activity (

P

< .001). Prior use of oral contraceptives had no significant influence. Among postmenopausal women, the estimated rate of fibrosis progression (±SE) was lower in women who received HRT compared with untreated patients (0.099 ± 0.016 vs. 0.133 ± 0.006 METAVIR units/yr;

P

= .02) and was similar to that of premenopausal women (0.093 ± 0.012 METAVIR units/yr;

P

value not significant).

In conclusion

, menopause appears to be associated with accelerated liver fibrosis progression in HCV–infected women, an effect that may be prevented by HRT. Pregnancies may have a beneficial impact on the long–term progression of liver fibrosis. (Hepatology 2004;40:1426-1433.)
Comparison of Adefovir and Tenofovir in the Treatment of Lamivudine–Resistant Hepatitis B Virus Infection
Authors: van Bömmel Florian , Wünsche Thomas , Mauss Stefan , Reinke Petra , Bergk Alexandra , Schürmann Dirk , Wiedenmann Bertram , Berg Thomas
Published: November 2004

Adefovir dipivoxil was recently approved for the treatment of wild–type and lamivudine–resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, a congender of adefovir that is used in the treatment of HIV infected patients, has recently been shown to also be effective in patients with lamivudine–resistant HBV infection. We therefore compared the two substances in a study of 53 patients defined by high HBV DNA (>6 log10 copies/mL) levels and genotypic evidence of lamivudine resistance. Thirty–five patients received tenofovir for 72 to 130 weeks, and 18 received adefovir for 60 to 80 weeks. Changes in HBV DNA levels were followed for the complete period of 48 weeks. Early viral kinetics were compared on matched subgroups of 5 patients each. Individually, all tenofovir–treated patients showed a strong and early suppression of HBV DNA within a few weeks whether they were coinfected with HIV or were without comorbidity. In contrast, considerable individual variations in HBV DNA decline were observed in the adefovir group. Thus at week 48, only 44% of these patients had HBV DNA levels below 105 copies/mL in contrast to 100% of the tenofovir–treated patients (

P

= .001). No severe side effects were noticed in either group. No evidence of phenotypic viral resistance could be demonstrated in the tenofovir–treated patients in the long term (up to 130 weeks).

In conclusion

, tenofovir may become an effective alternative for the treatment of patients with lamivudine–resistant HBV infection. (Hepatology 2004;40:1421-1425.)
Biliverdin Therapy Protects Rat Livers From Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Fondevila Constantino , Shen Xiu–Da , Tsuchiyashi Seiichiro , Yamashita Kenichiro , Csizmadia Eva , Lassman Charles , Busuttil Ronald W. , Kupiec–Weglinski Jerzy W. , Bach Fritz H.
Published: November 2004

Heme oxygenase (HO–1) provides a cellular defense mechanism during oxidative stress and catalyzes the rate–limiting step in heme metabolism that produces biliverdin (BV). The role of BV and its potential use in preventing ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) had never been studied. This study was designed to explore putative cytoprotective functions of BV during hepatic IRI in rat liver models of

ex vivo

perfusion and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) after prolonged periods of cold ischemia. In an

ex vivo

hepatic IRI model, adjunctive BV improved portal venous blood flow, increased bile production, and decreased hepatocellular damage. These findings were correlated with amelioration of histological features of IRI, as assessed by Suzuki's criteria. Following cold ischemia and syngeneic OLT, BV therapy extended animal survival from 50% in untreated controls to 90% to 100%. This effect correlated with improved liver function and preserved hepatic architecture. Additionally, BV adjuvant after OLT decreased endothelial expression of cellular adhesion molecules (P–selectin and intracellular adhesion molecule 1), and decreased the extent of infiltration by neutrophils and inflammatory macrophages. BV also inhibited expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 6) in OLTs. Finally, BV therapy promoted an increased expression of antiapoptotic molecules independently of HO–1 expression, consistent with BV being an important mediator through which HO–1 prevents cell death.

In conclusion

, this study documents and dissects potent cytoprotective effects of BV in well–established rat models of hepatic IRI. Our results provide the rationale for a novel therapeutic approach using BV to maximize the function and thus the availability of donor organs. (Hepatology 2004;40:1333-1341.)
Epoetin Alfa Improves Quality of Life in Anemic Hcv–Infected Patients Receiving Combination Therapy
Authors: Pockros Paul J. , Shiffman Mitchell L. , Schiff Eugene R. , Sulkowski Mark S. , Younossi Zobair , Dieterich Douglas T. , Wright Teresa L. , Mody Samir H. , Tang Linda K. , Goon Betty L. , Bowers Peter J. , Leitz Gerhard , Afdhal Nezam H.
Published: November 2004

Anemia and decreased health–related quality of life (HRQL) are common in patients receiving combination therapy of interferon alfa (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In a randomized, prospective study evaluating the effectiveness of epoetin alfa in maintaining RBV dose, alleviating anemia, and improving HRQL in anemic (Hb ≤ 12 g/dL) HCV–infected patients receiving combination therapy, patients receiving epoetin alfa had significant improvements in HRQL compared with placebo. In this study, 185 patients were randomized to 40,000 units of epoetin alfa subcutaneously weekly or placebo for an 8–week double–blind phase (DBP), followed by an 8–week open–label phase during which all patients received epoetin alfa. To further assess the impact of epoetin alfa on HRQL,

post hoc

analyses were conducted in the same patient population to compare the HRQL of these patients at randomization with norms of other populations, and to determine the critical relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) levels and HRQL. Mean HRQL scores of anemic HCV–infected patients receiving combination therapy at randomization were significantly lower than those of both the general population and patients who had other chronic conditions. Patients receiving epoetin alfa who had the greatest Hb increases from randomization to the end of the DBP also had the largest improvements in HRQL. Hb improvement was an independent predictor of HRQL improvement in these patients.

In conclusion

, epoetin alfa provided clinically significant HRQL improvement in HCV–infected patients receiving IFN/RBV therapy. (Hepatology 2004;40:1450-1458.)