bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving health profile of blood donors as a consequence of transfusion safety efforts
Authors: Edgren Gustaf , Tran Trung Nam , Hjalgrim Henrik , Rostgaard Klaus , Shanwell Agneta , Titlestad Kjell , Wikman Agneta , Norda Rut , Jersild Casper , Wideroff Louise , Gridley Gloria , Adami Johanna , Melbye Mads , Nyrén Olof , Reilly Marie
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: Transfusion safety rests heavily on the health of blood donors. Although they are perceived as being healthier than average, little is known about their long‐term disease patterns and to which extent the blood banks' continuous efforts to optimize donor selection has resulted in improvements. Mortality and cancer incidence among blood donors in Sweden and Denmark was investigated.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: All computerized blood bank databases were compiled into one database, which was linked to national population and health data registers. With a retrospective cohort study design, 1,110,329 blood donors were followed for up to 35 years from first computer‐registered blood donation to death, emigration, or December 31, 2002. Standardized mortality and incidence ratios expressed relative risk of death and cancer comparing blood donors to the general population.

RESULTS: Blood donors had an overall mortality 30 percent lower (99% confidence interval [CI] 29%‐31%) and cancer incidence 4 percent lower (99% CI 2%‐5%) than the background population. Mortality rates and cancer incidence were lowest for outcomes that are recognized as being related to lifestyle factors such as smoking or to the selection criteria for blood donation. Blood donors recruited in more recent years exhibited a lower relative mortality than those who started earlier.

CONCLUSION: Blood donors enjoy better than average health. Explicit and informal requirements for blood donation in Scandinavia, although mostly of a simple nature, have successfully refined the selection of a particularly healthy subpopulation.
Overnight storage of whole blood: a comparison of two designs of butane‐1,4‐diol cooling plates
Authors: Van Der Meer Pieter F. , Pietersz Ruby N.I.
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: Whole blood (WB) can be stored overnight before processing, provided that it is quickly cooled to room temperature (20‐25°C), for example, with butane‐1,4‐diol plates. A new design of cooling plates became available (CompoCool‐WB, Fresenius HemoCare), where WB must be placed vertically against the plates, versus placing of WB under plates in the current version (Compocool). This study compared cooling efficiency and in vitro quality of plasma and of stored white cell (WBC)‐reduced red cells (RBCs) from overnight‐stored WB, cooled with either of the systems.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Temperature curves following cooling with Compocool or CompoCool‐WB were studied with a 25 percent glycerol solution as simulated WB. WB from voluntary donors was cooled with Compocool or CompoCool‐WB, stored overnight at room temperature, centrifuged, and separated into components. WBC‐reduced RBCs in SAGM were stored until Day 42 with measurement of in vitro parameters (n = 23/group).

RESULTS: Simulated WB reached a temperature of less than 25°C after 2:15 ± 1:04 hours for Compocool versus 1:39 ± 0:38 hours for CompoCool‐WB (p = 0.02). On Day 35, RBCs had a hemolysis of 0.3 ± 0.2 percent in both groups, and ATP levels were 3.3 ± 0.5 and 3.6 ± 0.5 µmol per g hemoglobin for Compocool and CompoCool‐WB, respectively (not significant). Factor VIII content in plasma was 1.05 ± 0.25 and 0.97 ± 0.18 IU per mL for Compocool and CompoCool‐WB, respectively.

CONCLUSION: WB can be cooled to room temperature within 2 hours with both Compocool and CompoCool‐WB butane‐1,4‐diol plates, improving temperature uniformity in WB donations. Application of either design for overnight storage of WB at room temperature had no adverse effects on the composition of subsequently prepared blood components.
Warm storage of whole blood for 72 hours
Authors: Hughes J.D. , Macdonald V.W. , Hess J.R.
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: In field emergency medicine, fresh whole‐blood units are stored at room temperature up to 24 hours or occasionally longer. Few data exist on the integrity and in vitro functional properties of whole blood stored warm beyond 24 hours.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Ten citrate phosphate dextrose solution whole‐blood units were collected and divided into two equal volumes. One‐half of each unit was stored at 19°C and the other half was stored at 25°C, encompassing the accepted range for room temperature storage. At 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours, aliquots were collected from each unit and whole blood analyzed for cell counts, gases, and clotting function with thromboelastography, red cells for intracellular analytes, platelet (PLT)‐rich plasma for aggregometry, and the supernatant for hemoglobin, potassium, glucose, lactate, and plasma clotting studies.

RESULTS: Whole‐blood units stored at room temperature maintained cellular counts and coagulation activity for up to 72 hours. Units stored at 19°C demonstrated greater RBC adenosine triphosphate and 2,3‐diphosphoglycerate (DPG) content and stronger responses in PLT aggregation studies when compared with 25°C storage. No significant hemolysis was observed, and no bacterial growth was detected.

CONCLUSION: Storage of whole blood at room temperature for 72 hours leads to marked reductions in pH and DPG, but the observed reduction in PLT function and plasma coagulation factor activity was surprisingly modest compared to literature values. These findings should prompt additional investigation, given their potential importance for whole blood processing and field‐expedient transfusion.
Impairment of the hemostatic potential of platelets during storage as evaluated by flow cytometry, thrombin generation, and thrombelastography under conditions promoting formation of coated platelets
Authors: Svendsen Mette S. , Rojkjaer Rasmus , Kristensen Annemarie T. , Salado‐Jimena José A. , Kjalke Marianne , Johansson Pär I.
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: The increasing demand for platelet (PLT) transfusions has focused attention on appropriate use. Coated PLTs are a subpopulation of highly procoagulant PLTs formed by simultaneous stimulation by the agonist's collagen and thrombin hypothesized to drive clot formation at the site of vascular injury. Prolonged storage of PLTs may reduce their ability to support optimal hemostasis upon transfusion.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PLT concentrates (PCs) stored for 1, 4, 6, and 8 days were costimulated with thrombin and the collagen glycoprotein VI (GPVI) receptor agonist convulxin, and their ability to form coated PLTs was determined by flow cytometry. Further, a plasma‐based thrombin generation assay and thrombelastography were used to evaluate the aged PCs' capacity to support thrombin generation and clot formation, respectively. The stored PCs were additionally tested by standard quality control methods.

RESULTS: PLT quality as measured by standard analyses was acceptable according to current practice. The hemostatic potential, however, was impaired with increasing storage time. The formation of coated PLTs decreased significantly from approximately 85 to 55 percent with increasing storage time (p  < 0.05). The velocity of clot formation was significantly increased from Day 4 (p  < 0.05). The velocity of thrombin generation and resistance against fibrinolysis were significantly reduced on Day 8 compared to Day 1 of storage (p  < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Data in the present study suggest that storage significantly reduced the stored PLTs' ability to respond to conditions expected to exist at the site of vascular injury and that storage‐induced reduction in PLT activation sensitivity correlated with a loss of hemostatic potential.
Brachial Arterial Dynamics during Staged Lower Extremity Exercise: Utility and Comparison in Physically Active versus Sedentary Subjects
Authors: Muster Alexander J. , Kane Bonnie , Kim Hyunggun , McPherson David D.
Published: August 2007

Constriction and relaxation of peripheral conduit arteries in response to exercise and recovery are amenable to noninvasive imaging. Diameter changes in the brachial artery during stationary bicycle pedaling are paradoxical to those in the lower extremities. When exercise is confined to the legs, arteries in the upper extremities constrict while leg arteries dilate. The magnitude of vasoconstriction in the upper extremities reflects the integrity of exercise mediated vascular responses. In the current study, young and old men with various levels of physical activity and cardiovascular histories exercised on a stationary bicycle while brachial artery diameter and flow velocity were continuously obtained. Results suggest that normal aging blunts arterial reactivity in seniors even if they exercise regularly. However, arterial dysfunction is greater when associated with sedentary lifestyle. This methodology of imaging brachial artery diameter changes during bicycle pedaling appears to be an effective tool for assessing the physiologic integrity of the vascular bed.
Enlarged Left Atrium Is a Simple and Strong Predictor of Poor Prognosis in Patients after Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Wierzbowska‐Drabik Karina , Krzemińska‐Pakuła Maria , Drożdż Jarosław , Plewka Michał , Trzos Ewa , Kurpesa Małgorzata , Rechciński Tomasz , Rózga Aneta , Płońska‐Gościniak Edyta , Kasprzak Jarosław D.
Published: August 2007

Background and Aim: Patients after myocardial infarction (MI) differ according to the extend of myocardial damage and prognosis. Diastolic function impairment may have great impact on development of heart failure and outcomes. We evaluated the prognostic value of various echocardiographic measurements in 18‐month and 3‐year observation after MI. Methods: 60 patients after MI (44 male, mean age 60 ± 11) were examined by transthoracic echocardiography with the assessment of wide spectrum of parameters. Mortality and combined end points (cardiac deaths and heart failure exacerbation) were assessed after 18‐month and 3‐year observation and groups with and without end points were compared. Optimal cutoff values were estimated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and resulting Kaplan–Meier curves were compared. Results and Conclusions: After 18 months, 11 deaths occurred and 20 subjects experienced hospitalization caused by heart failure exacerbation. Although the group with cardiac events showed a greater enlargement of the left ventricle and lower ejection fraction, the highest relative risk of poor outcome (RR = 5.0) was related to the left atrial enlargement above 44 mm. Although restrictive or pseudonormal inflows were connected with 2.1 relative risk of combined end point, all patients with E deceleration time ≤130 ms experienced heart failure exacerbation or death. Despite tissue Doppler and propagation parameters describing elevated end‐diastolic pressure differed between groups with various outcomes in multivariate analysis, only enlarged left atrium was an independent predictor for both combined end point and cardiac death. Further 3‐year follow‐up solely confirmed the role of above described predictors.
Double Aortic Arch and D‐Transposition of the Great Arteries
Authors: Cui Wei , Patel Dhaval , Husayni Tarek S. , Roberson David A.
Published: August 2007

We present a rare case of D‐transposition of the great arteries (D‐TGA) and double aortic arch (DAA). The anatomy was prospectively and preoperatively diagnosed by echocardiography and confirmed by ultra‐fast computed tomography. The patient underwent successful arterial switch operation and division of the vascular ring at a single procedure.
A Class of Latent Markov Models for Capture–Recapture Data Allowing for Time, Heterogeneity, and Behavior Effects
Authors: Bartolucci Francesco , Pennoni Fulvia
Published: August 2007

SummaryWe propose an extension of the latent class model for the analysis of capture–recapture data which allows us to take into account the effect of a capture on the behavior of a subject with respect to future captures. The approach is based on the assumption that the variable indexing the latent class of a subject follows a Markov chain with transition probabilities depending on the previous capture history. Several constraints are allowed on these transition probabilities and on the parameters of the conditional distribution of the capture configuration given the latent process. We also allow for the presence of discrete explanatory variables, which may affect the parameters of the latent process. To estimate the resulting models, we rely on the conditional maximum likelihood approach and for this aim we outline an EM algorithm. We also give some simple rules for point and interval estimation of the population size. The approach is illustrated by applying it to two data sets concerning small mammal populations.
Competing Risks Analysis of Correlated Failure Time Data
Authors: Chen Bingshu E. , Kramer Joan L. , Greene Mark H. , Rosenberg Philip S.
Published: August 2007

Summary We develop methods for competing risks analysis when individual event times are correlated within clusters. Clustering arises naturally in clinical genetic studies and other settings. We develop a nonparametric estimator of cumulative incidence, and obtain robust pointwise standard errors that account for within‐cluster correlation. We modify the two‐sample Gray and Pepe–Mori tests for correlated competing risks data, and propose a simple two‐sample test of the difference in cumulative incidence at a landmark time. In simulation studies, our estimators are asymptotically unbiased, and the modified test statistics control the type I error. The power of the respective two‐sample tests is differentially sensitive to the degree of correlation; the optimal test depends on the alternative hypothesis of interest and the within‐cluster correlation. For purposes of illustration, we apply our methods to a family‐based prospective cohort study of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer families. For women with BRCA1 mutations, we estimate the cumulative incidence of breast cancer in the presence of competing mortality from ovarian cancer, accounting for significant within‐family correlation.
Bayesian Analysis of Crossclassified Spatial Data with Autocorrelation
Authors: Sun L. , Clayton M. K.
Published: August 2007

SummaryWe address the development of methods for analyzing crossclassified categorical data that are spatially autocorrelated. We first extend the autologistic model to accommodate two variables. Two bivariate autologistic models are constructed, namely a two‐step model and a symmetric model. Importance sampling is used to approximate the complex normalizing factors that arise in these models, and Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques are used to generate simulations of posterior distributions. The resulting models then are expanded to accommodate trend surfaces and directional effects. Simulation studies and real data are used to illustrate this method.
NGOs and the “Information Society”: Grassroots Advocacy at the UN—A Cautionary Tale
Authors: Franklin M.I.
Published: August 2007

This article looks at the United Nations‐brokered World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in light of nongovernmental organization participation as a full partner in consultations and decisions. Combining participation‐observation fieldwork, interviews, and eye‐witness accounts with a selective content analysis of key WSIS documentation, official and dissenting, the article presents the occupational hazards of this sort of encounter between civil society participants, government, and business sectors as global information and communication technologies (ICTs) and media agenda‐setting partners. It focuses on the hazards of key word strategies in what are now irrevocably computer‐embedded domains for action and access. Hyperlinked textual production and related key word search functionalities are now, I argue, integral to global agenda‐setting in the intertwined areas of ICT, media, and sociocultural policy. This formal encounter between multilateral institutions and social justice and ICT advocacy, online and on the ground, raises new questions for policy research in these domains, questions that require fresh approaches.
Hydrolysis of α‐Tricalcium Phosphate in Simulated Body Fluid and Dehydration Behavior During the Drying Process
Authors: Wei Xiang , Ugurlu Ozan , Akinc Mufit
Published: August 2007

The hydrolysis of α‐tricalcium phosphate (α‐TCP) in a simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37°C was investigated. The hydration rate was found to be slower in SBF than that in deionized water. The concentration of ions in SBF was monitored by ICP. The hydrolysis product, which was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infra red, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, was determined to be carbonate‐containing, calcium‐deficient hydroxyapatite (CO3−CDHAp) with Mg2+, Na+, and Cl− impurities similar to the biological apatite. An amorphous layer on the α‐TCP surface was found to be the precursor of the apatite phase, which may either form crystalline apatite or may decompose back to α‐TCP at a lower temperature.
Phase Transitional Behavior and Piezoelectric Properties of Lead‐Free (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3–(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Zuo Ruzhong , Fang Xusheng , Ye Chun , Li Longtu
Published: August 2007

(1−x)(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3–(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3 solid solution ceramics were successfully fabricated, exhibiting a continuous phase transition with changing x at room temperature from orthorhombic, to tetragonal, to cubic, and finally to tetragonal symmetries. A morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between orthorhombic and tetragonal ferroelectric phases was found at 2–3 mol% (Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3 (BKT), which brings about enhanced piezoelectric and electromechanical properties of piezoelectric constant d33=192 pC/N and planar electromechanical coupling coefficient kp=45%. The MPB composition has a Curie temperature of 370°–380°C, comparable with that of the widely used PZT materials. These results demonstrate that this system is a promising lead‐free piezoelectric candidate material.
A New Approach to Modeling the Nucleation and Growth Kinetics of Tricalcium Silicate Hydration
Authors: Thomas Jeffrey J.
Published: August 2007

The hydration kinetics of tricalcium silicate (C3S), the main constituent of portland cement, were analyzed with a mathematical “boundary nucleation” model in which nucleation of the hydration product occurs only on internal boundaries corresponding to the C3S particle surfaces. This model more closely approximates the C3S hydration process than does the widely used Avrami nucleation and growth model. In particular, the boundary model accounts for the important effect of the C3S powder surface area on the hydration kinetics. Both models were applied to isothermal calorimetry data from hydrating C3S pastes in the temperature range of 10°–40°C. The boundary nucleation model provides a better fit to the early hydration rate peak than does the Avrami model, despite having one less varying parameter. The nucleation rate (per unit area) and the linear growth rate of the hydration product were calculated from the fitted values of the rate constants and the independently measured powder surface area. The growth rate follows a simple Arrhenius temperature dependence with a constant activation energy of 31.2 kJ/mol, while the activation energy associated with the nucleation rate increases with increasing temperature. The start of the nucleation and growth process coincides with the time of initial mixing, indicating that the initial slow reaction period known as the “induction period” is not a separate chemical process as has often been hypothesized.
Photoluminescent Properties of (Ca,Zn)TiO3:Pr,B Particles Synthesized by the Peroxide‐Based Route Method
Authors: Wanjun Tang , Donghua Chen
Published: August 2007

(Ca1−x,Znx)TiO3:Pr, B red phosphor particles were prepared using the peroxide‐based route and their photoluminescent (PL) properties were investigated by changing the sintering temperature, the concentration of the activator, the ratio of Ca to Zn, and the amount of H3BO3 flux. For the CaTiO3:Pr phosphor, a pure perovksite‐type CaTiO3 phase was formed when the sintering temperature was 700°–800°C. It was found that the substitution of Zn atoms instead of Ca considerably enhanced the 614‐nm red emissions. The PL intensity of (Ca1−x,Znx)TiO3:Pr phosphor was also additionally improved by adding an H3BO3 flux. Finally, the optimized phosphor Ca0.85Zn0.15TiO3:0.001Pr,0.1B showed the highest PL intensity.
Screening Tablets for DOB Using Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy*
Authors: Bell Steven E. J. , Fido Louise A. , Sirimuthu Narayana M. S. , Speers S. James , Peters K. Laota , Cosbey Simon H.
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  2,5,‐Dimethoxy‐4‐bromoamphetamine (DOB) is of particular interest among the various “ecstasy” variants because there is an unusually long delay between consumption and effect, which dramatically increases the danger of accidental overdose in users. Screening for DOB in tablets is problematic because it is pharmacologically active at 0.2–3 mg, which is c. 50 times less than 3,4‐methylenedioxy‐N‐methylamphetamine (MDMA) and makes it more difficult to detect in seized tablets using conventional spot tests. The normal Raman spectra of seized DOB tablets are dominated by the bands of the excipient with no evidence of the drug component. Here we report the first use of on‐tablet surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to enhance the signal from a low concentration drug. Raman studies (785‐nm excitation) were carried on series of model DOB/lactose tablets (total mass c. 400 mg) containing between 1 mg and 15 μg of DOB and on seized DOB tablets. To generate surface‐enhanced spectra, 5 μL of centrifuged silver colloid was dispensed onto the upper surface of the tablets, followed by 5 μL of 1.0 mol/dm3 NaCl. The probe laser was directed onto the treated area and spectra accumulated for c. 20 sec (10 sec × 2). It was found that the enhancement of the DOB component in the model tablets containing 1 mg DOB/tablet and in the seized tablets tested was so large that their spectra were completely dominated by the vibrational bands of DOB with little or no contribution from the unenhanced lactose excipient. Indeed, the most intense DOB band was visible even in tablets containing just 15 μg of the drug. On‐tablet surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a simple method to distinguish between low dose DOB tablets and those with no active constituent. The fact that unique spectra are obtained allows identification of the drug while the lack of sample preparation and short signal accumulation times mean that the entire test can be carried out in <1 min.
Implication of Population Structure in the Resolution of Cattle Stealing Cases
Authors: Lirón Juan P. , Ripoli María V. , Peral‐García Pilar , Giovambattista Guillermo
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  Estimation of population subdivision using genetic markers shows that genetic differentiation in livestock and pet breeds is significantly higher than in human populations. Nevertheless, the influence of population substructure and sample size on match probability has not been extensively analyzed in domestic species. To evaluate the magnitude of the subpopulation effect on estimation of match probabilities in bovine robbery cases, we calculated and compared the match probabilities obtained from cattle breed databases using both real, adjudicated cases from the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina), as well as simulated data. While the Balding and Nichols’ correction, when applied to the population database used in the case, produce a more conservative value favorable to the defendant, the match probabilities calculated using the simple product estimator produce a value favorable to the prosecution. We suggest an alternative procedure that can be used. The method consists of choosing the highest value from all match probabilities calculated from the database of each breed. This approach represents an intermediate and more accurate estimation of match probability, although it still produces a slight conservative value favorable to the defense.
Mandibular Morphology as an Indicator of Human Subadult Age: Interlandmark Approaches*
Authors: Franklin Daniel , Cardini Andrea
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  The dentition is widely recognized as the set of developmental markers that appear to show the least variability against chronological age; these markers are thus widely used in forensic anthropological investigations. As a possible alternative, we investigate here the potential of mandibular morphology as a developmental marker for estimating age at death in subadults. The sample analyzed comprises 79 known age and sex subadult individuals of South African Bantu and African American origin. Linear measurements of ramus height were obtained from the mathematical conversion of three‐dimensional landmark data. A series of regression analyses were then performed to predict age by using the measurement of ramus height; results were cross‐validated using a jackknife procedure. Our results show that ramus height can be used to predict age in the subadult skeleton with accuracy, closely approaching that of standards based on the dentition (standard error rates are between ±1.1 years and ±2.4 years).
Evidence of Primary, Secondary, and Collateral Paraphilias Left at Serial Murder and Sex Offender Crime Scenes
Authors: White John H.
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  This paper is a descriptive review of the phenomenon of paraphilias, the relationship of possessing multiple paraphilias with the commission of sexual crimes and serial murder and the recognition of evidence related to sexual crimes committed by offenders with paraphilias. Several case studies are presented and the manifestations of multiple paraphilias, such as those experienced by Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert Fish, and others, are conceptualized and divided into three types: (i) replacement—no overlap; (ii) replacement with overlap; and (iii) cumulative. The categories are further divided into primary, secondary, and collateral paraphilias. Primary and secondary paraphilias are mutually exclusive and one does not build upon the other. Collateral paraphilias may serve to enhance the overall sexual experience of the primary and secondary paraphilias, including the sexualization of props or weapons. Implications for criminalists and criminal investigators are explained, particularly the value in discerning hidden as well as salient evidence of paraphilic behaviors left at crime scenes.
Understanding the Chemistry of the Development of Latent Fingerprints by Superglue Fuming
Authors: Wargacki Stephen P. , Lewis Linda A. , Dadmun Mark D.
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  Cyanoacrylate fuming is a widely used forensic tool for the development of latent fingerprints, however the mechanistic details of the reaction between the fingerprint residue and the cyanoacrylate vapor are not well understood. Here the polymerization of ethyl‐cyanoacrylate vapor by sodium lactate or alanine solutions, two of the major components in fingerprint residue, has been examined by monitoring the time dependence of the mass uptake and resultant polymer molecular weight characteristics. This data provides insight into the molecular level actions in the efficient development of latent fingerprints by superglue fuming. The results show that the carboxylate moiety is the primary initiator of the polymerization process and that a basic environment inhibits chain termination while an acidic environment promotes it. The results also indicate that water cannot be the primary initiator in this forensic technique.
Divining Value with Relational Proxies: How Moneylenders Balance Risk and Trust in the Quest for Good Borrowers1
Authors: Moulton Lynne
Published: August 2007

This analysis of the U.S. credit industry explores how lenders evaluate people during the loan application process. They use a variety of risk‐assessment techniques in conjunction with trust‐building mechanisms that I call relational proxies. The relational proxies that lenders rely on are behavioral impressions, reputation information, and financial narratives that explain information on credit reports. Lenders use this subjectively evaluated trust assessment interdependently with standardized financial information to enhance their decision‐making process. Face‐to‐face evaluation of potential borrowers is mediated by institutional rules meant to reduce the need for trust. However, for the lenders in this study, a good borrower is always a trustworthy borrower.
Urban Power Structures and Publicly Financed Stadiums
Authors: Delaney Kevin J. , Eckstein Rick
Published: August 2007

Urban elites are increasingly addressing local social problems though policies that turn their cities into tourist destinations. Often at the heart of these policies are new publicly financed sports stadiums. Ironically, this strategy is flourishing despite near‐unanimous academic criticism, and increasing public skepticism, about this approach. Our research addresses this contradiction by exploring how and why powerful decisionmakers continue supporting publicly financed stadiums. We rely on local growth coalition theory to explore this topic because it offers analytical advantages, including looking beyond local sports teams as the focal point of these initiatives, addressing the variation in the outcomes of these initiatives, and acknowledging that policymakers are predisposed toward supporting these initiatives but that this predisposition does not always result in success.
Turning Points, Bottlenecks, and the Fallacies of Counterfactual History
Authors: Collins Randall
Published: August 2007

Arguments for historical turning points are sometimes put forward as a principled argument against causal determinism of the course of world history; sometimes as clever curiosities and flights of imagination. I will attempt to show that the logic of turning‐point arguments does not disprove historical causality but, on the contrary, depends on belief in causality. Sometimes, this is only an implicit belief in the clichés of folk historiography; occasionally, a serious sociology is explicitly invoked. In either case, there is a tendency to misperceive how historical causality works through broadly‐based processes that are not easily stopped or drastically diverted by particular events.
Sir Charles Bell (1774−1842): contributions to neuro‐ophthalmology
Authors: Grzybowski Andrzej , Kaufman Matthew H.
Published: August 2007

Sir Charles Bell (1774–1842) was a Scottish anatomist, physiologist, neurologist, artist and surgeon, who enjoyed a distinguished career in teaching and clinical practice in London between 1804 and 1836. In 1814, he was appointed to the surgical staff of the Middlesex Hospital. In 1824, he was elected Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and shortly afterwards was elected Professor of Physiology at the University of London. In 1831, he was knighted on the accession of William IV. In 1836, he was elected to the Chair of Surgery in the University of Edinburgh, and remained there until his death in 1842, at 68 years of age. During his career, Bell was a prolific medical author, a brilliant medical researcher and a skilled artist. In 1811, he discovered the distinct functions of the motor and sensory nerves, findings that were initially published in a pamphlet entitled ‘Ideas of a New Anatomy of the Brain’. In 1821, Bell described the long thoracic nerve, which supplies the serratus anterior muscle, and which now bears his name. In the same paper he showed that lesions of the seventh cranial nerve produce facial paralysis (now termed Bell's palsy). He also demonstrated that the fifth cranial nerve is of sensory importance to the face and controls the muscles of mastication, whereas the seventh cranial nerve principally controls the muscles of facial expression. Bell published research on a number of ophthalmological subjects. This paper reviews some of these latter achievements.
Adjunctive treatment of acute mania: a clinical overview
Authors: Sachs G. S. , Gardner‐Schuster E. E.
Published: August 2007

Objective:  To provide an overview of the available high quality evidence‐base of studies of adjunctive pharmacologic treatment for acute mania.

Method:  Double‐blind controlled trials with adequate samples (n > 100) were identified through search of PubMed/MEDLINE and computerized abstracts from 2004‐2006 meetings of the American Psychiatric Association, International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, and Collegium Internationale Neuro‐Psychopharmacolium using key words mania, adjunct, and combination.

Results:  Placebo‐controlled studies with positive results support the adjunctive use of five agents including valproate, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, and haloperidol. Agents with only negative or failed placebo‐controlled studies included carbamazepine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, topiramate, oxcarbazepine, and ziprasidone. We found no placebo‐controlled study of many commonly used agents including lithium, aripiprazole, and clozapine. No studies explicitly excluded subjects, based on prior treatment with the monotherapy being offered and several studies limited randomization to patients with documented inadequate response to the monotherapy arm.

Conclusion:  The available placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trials support adjunctive therapy combining lithium or valproate with olanzapine, risperidone, haloperidol or quetiapine. The additional increment of antimanic efficacy of these combinations over monotherapy was similar in magnitude to that seen for the same agents as monotherapy in comparison with placebo. These additive benefits enhanced the tolerability of adverse effects sufficiently to allow a higher proportion of subjects receiving combination therapies to complete the studies than monotherapy treated patients. The available data has several shortcomings and the available studies are inadequate to conclusively determine whether combination treatment is more efficacious than monotherapy when used by subjects naive to both treatments. Nevertheless, adjunctive treatment, which combines agents with proven antimanic efficacy, offers an attractive option for patients with acute mania.
Dopamine dysregulation syndrome: implications for a dopamine hypothesis of bipolar disorder
Authors: Berk M. , Dodd S. , Kauer‐Sant’Anna M. , Malhi G. S. , Bourin M. , Kapczinski F. , Norman T.
Published: August 2007

Objective:  Rational therapeutic development in bipolar is hampered by a lack of pathophysiological model. However, there is a wealth of converging data on the role of dopamine in bipolar disorder. This paper therefore examines the possibility of a dopamine hypothesis for bipolar disorder.

Method:  A literature search was conducted using standard search engines Embase, PyschLIT, PubMed and MEDLINE. In addition, papers and book chapters known to the authors were retrieved and examined for further relevant articles.

Results:  Collectively, in excess of 100 articles were reviewed from which approximately 75% were relevant to the focus of this paper.

Conclusion:  Pharmacological models suggest a role of increased dopaminergic drive in mania and the converse in depression. In Parkinson’s disease, administration of high‐dose dopamine precursors can produce a ‘maniform’ picture, which switches into a depressive analogue on withdrawal. It is possible that in bipolar disorder there is a cyclical process, where increased dopaminergic transmission in mania leads to a secondary down regulation of dopaminergic receptor sensitivity over time. This may lead to a period of decreased dopaminergic transmission, corresponding with the depressive phase, and the repetition of the cycle. This model, if verified, may have implications for rational drug development.
Measuring mania metabolites: a longitudinal proton spectroscopy study of hypomania
Authors: Malhi G. S. , Ivanovski B. , Wen W. , Lagopoulos J. , Moss K. , Sachdev P.
Published: August 2007

Objective:  Using single‐voxel proton spectroscopy we aimed to investigate changes in metabolite levels in key brain regions during hypomania and euthymia in patients with bipolar disorder (BD).

Method:  Nine patients with a diagnosis of BD and nine age, sex, education, and handedness‐matched comparison subjects underwent magnetic resonance proton spectroscopy (H1‐MRS) using a 1.5 T magnet. Patients were assessed whilst hypomanic and euthymic. Metabolite (N‐acetyl asparate, NAA; myo‐inositol, mI; choline, Cho) levels in the basal ganglia (BG), anterior cingulate cortex (AC), and frontal cortex (FC) were compared both between groups and within the patient group.

Results:  Multivariate analysis revealed significant complex relationships between metabolite levels and brain regions with significant differences observed both between bipolar patients (hypomanic and euthymic) and controls, and across the two mood states. Hypomanic patients had lower mean metabolite levels when averaged across the AC and FC regions, compared with the controls. They also had a smaller difference in mean metabolite levels between the BG and FC than the control group. Euthymic patients were also found to have a smaller difference in the level of NAA between the BG and AC than the control group.

Conclusion:  This exploratory study of BD demonstrates significant differences in metabolite levels that vary both with respect to brain region and mood state. Not withstanding the confounding effects of medication and the limitation of small sample size the findings are important as they demonstrate that a longitudinal approach is a useful design especially in the context of a long‐term phasic illness.
Cytomorphologic signs of severe pernicious anemia obscured in a patient with heterozygous hemoglobin Stanleyville II
Authors: Draube Andreas , Chemnitz Jens M. , Wickenhauser Claudia , Staib Peter , Hallek Michael , Kreuzer Karl‐Anton
Published: August 2007

Here, we report a rare coincidence of heterozygous hemoglobinopathy (Hb) Stanleyville II and severe pernicious anemia due to autoimmune gastritis. Hb Stanleyville II is characterized by a single base exchange (AAC→AAA) resulting in a substitution Asn→Lys at position 78 of hemoglobin α2‐chain. Under normal conditions this hemoglobinopathy does not cause any symptoms even if present as homozygous variant. However, in our case diagnosis of pernicious anemia was hampered by the absence of typical erythrocytic macrocytosis and hyperchromasia. In addition, interpretation of bone marrow smears was difficult as characteristic findings for pernicious anemia were little pronounced. All known reasons for the absence of typical cytomorphologic signs in pernicious anemia as underlying iron deficiency and thalassemia could be excluded.
The utility of behavioral models and modules in molecular analyses of social behavior
Authors: Barron Andrew B. , Robinson Gene E.
Published: August 2007

It is extremely difficult to trace the causal pathway relating gene products or molecular pathways to the expression of behavior. This is especially true for social behavior, which being dependent on interactions and communication between individuals is even further removed from molecular‐level events. In this review, we discuss how behavioral models can aid molecular analyses of social behavior. Various models of behavior exist, each of which suggest strategies to dissect complex behavior into simpler behavioral ‘modules.’ The resulting modules are easier to relate to neural processes and thus suggest hypotheses for neural and molecular function. Here we discuss how three different models of behavior have facilitated understanding the molecular bases of aspects of social behavior. We discuss the response threshold model and two different approaches to modeling motivation, the state space model and models of reinforcement and reward processing. The examples we have chosen illustrate how models can generate testable hypotheses for neural and molecular function and also how molecular analyses probe the validity of a model of behavior. We do not champion one model over another; rather, our examples illustrate how modeling and molecular analyses can be synergistic in exploring the molecular bases of social behavior.
Hyperthermia in utero due to maternal influenza is an environmental risk factor for schizophrenia
Authors: Edwards Marshall J.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT  A hypothesis is presented that the association between maternal influenza and other causes of fever during the second trimester of pregnancy and the subsequent development of schizophrenia in the child is due to the damage caused by hyperthermia to the developing amygdalohippocampal complex and associated structures in the fetal brain. Hyperthermia is a known cause of congenital defects of the central nervous system and other organs after sufficiently severe exposures during early organogenesis. The pathogenic mechanisms include death of actively dividing neuroblasts, disruption of cell migration and arborization and vascular damage. In experimental studies, hyperthermia during later stages of central nervous system development also caused damage to the developing brainstem that was associated with functional defects. This damage usually results in hypoplasia of the parts undergoing active development at the time of exposure. Recent studies have shown no evidence of direct invasion of the fetus by the influenza virus. Factors that might interact with hyperthermia include familial liability to schizophrenia, season of birth, maternal nutrition, severe stress and medications used to alleviate the symptoms of fevers. The time of the development of the fetal amygdalohippocampal complex and the changes found in its structure and associated areas of the brain are compatible with the known effects of hyperthermia.
First trimester diagnosis of iniencephaly associated with fetal malformations and trisomy 18: Report of a new case and gene analysis on folate metabolism in parents
Authors: Tonni Gabriele , Azzoni Daniela , Panteghini Marco , Ventura Alessandro , Cavalli Pietro
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT  Iniencephaly is a rare congenital malformation consisting of a complex alteration of the embryonic development occurring around the third post‐fertilization week and characterized by a hyper‐retroflexion of the cephalic pole. We report a case of iniencephaly associated with acrania‐encephalocele, spina bifida and abnormal ductus venosus in a fetus with trisomy 18 diagnosed at 12 week's gestation in a 41‐year‐old woman. A co‐occurrence between aneuploidy and iniencephaly was documented and polymorphisms on folate metabolism‐related genes were investigated in the parents to assess possible etiologic factors and recurrence risk for neural tube defects (NTD). An homozygous state for the MTRR polymorphism was diagnosed in the mother, identifying a clinical risk for NTD. Once iniencephaly or any other NTD are suspected, genetic analysis, second level ultrasound and fetal karyotype are recommended. Autopsy should also be performed in all cases of early ultrasound‐based diagnosis of fetal malformations.
The Trade-Off Between Financial Resources and Agency Costs in the Family Business: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Blanco-Mazagatos Virginia , de Quevedo-Puente Esther , Castrillo Luis A.
Published: August 2007

This exploratory study is intended to analyze how a combination of the resources-based view and agency theory can provide a better understanding of the internal dynamic of the family business and its evolution. Our evidence seems to suggest that the desire to keep family control produces specific sources of value and conditions the firm's financial capacity to acquire resources. These peculiarities change between first and following generations. During the first generation, we find that less severe agency costs balance the negative effect of scarce financial structure on the family firm's value. After descendants join the firm, the increasing agency costs are compensated by the enlargement of the firm's financial structure.
‘Ngana minyarti? What is this?’ Development of cognitive questions for the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment
Authors: Smith Kate , LoGiudice Dina , Dwyer Anna , Thomas Jenny , Flicker Leon , Lautenschlager Nicola T , Almeida Osvaldo P , Atkinson David
Published: August 2007

Objectives:  To describe the processes used to develop an instrument to assess cognition in the older Indigenous community of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, given the diverse history and culture of the region.

Methods:  Cognition questions were discussed with Indigenous organisations, councils, linguists, interpreters and health professionals. Existing assessment tools were reviewed. The cognition questions and the way in which they were approached were trialled with older Indigenous participants.

Results:  Questions to assess cognition were developed and incorporated into the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) instrument, which has since been demonstrated to be a valid and reliable assessment of cognition in older Indigenous Australians in the Kimberley.

Conclusion:  The KICA‐Cog questions in the KICA survey tool provide the first specific instrument for assessing cognitive decline in older Indigenous Australians. This instrument, or a modification of this instrument, is likely to have broader applicability across Indigenous communities in Northern Australia.
Well for Life: Evaluation and policy implications of a health promotion initiative for frail older people in aged care settings
Authors: McKenzie Rosemary , Naccarella Lucio , Thompson Catherine
Published: August 2007

This paper discusses the findings and policy implications of an evaluation of ‘Well for Life’, a health promotion initiative that focuses on good nutrition and physical activity for frail older people in Planned Activity Groups and residential aged care facilities.

The evaluation methodology employed the RE‐AIM framework to identify various dimensions of program quality and public health impact. The evaluation found that Well for Life has achieved positive results in workforce development, health promotion capacity‐building and linkages between aged care services and the broader primary care sector. Planned Activity Groups are a promising setting for health promotion for frail older people. Residential care settings are a more challenging environment as there are greater barriers to change in staff practices and greater frailty among residents. Further evaluation is required to inform decision‐making about the focus of investment in health promotion for frail older people in the longer term.
Factors associated with self‐reported use of oral health services among older Melbournians
Authors: Mariño Rodrigo , Browning Colette , Kendig Hal
Published: August 2007

Objectives:  This paper discusses the utilisation of oral health‐care services by older adults in Melbourne, Australia, and factors associated with their use.

Methods:  The study involved 993 older adults who participated in the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing baseline data collection.

Results:  Nearly 38% of respondents had used oral health services in the previous year. Another 4% had not visited a dentist for more than 5 years. Recent use of dental services was associated with five predictors: higher level of education, non‐pension sources of income, lower age, more social support and higher levels of depression.

Conclusion:  This study provides important information about dental utilisation by older Melbournians. Lack of information on dentition status, and type of dental visits limits the interpretation of the data, highlighting the need to collect relevant information that would inform the design of longitudinal studies aimed at determining predictors of use of oral health services by older Australians.