bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Less-Invasive Reconstruction of Chronic Achilles Tendon Ruptures Using a Peroneus Brevis Tendon Transfer
Authors: Maffulli Nicola , Spiezia Filippo , Longo Umile Giuseppe , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: August 2010

Background

A less-invasive technique to reconstruct chronic Achilles tendon rupture with transfer of the tendon of peroneus brevis is suitable in patients with a tendon gap less than 6 cm.

Purpose

To report the results of a longitudinal study on reconstruction of chronic Achilles tendon rupture using a less-invasive peroneus brevis repair through 2 paramidline incisions.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

Thirty-two patients underwent surgery for chronic Achilles tendon rupture with a tendon gap during surgery less than 6 cm, occurring between 60 days and 9 months preoperatively. All participants were prospectively followed for 5 to 8 years; final review was performed at 48.4 ± 13.5 months from the operation. Clinical and functional assessment (anthropometric measurements, isometric strength, postoperative Achilles tendon total rupture score) was performed.

Results

All patients were able to walk on tiptoes, and no patient used a heel lift or walked with a visible limp. No patient developed a clinically evident deep vein thrombosis or sustained a rerupture. Five patients were managed nonoperatively after a superficial infection of one of the surgical wounds. At final review, the maximum calf circumference remained significantly decreased in the operated leg (39.2 ± 6.2 cm [side with rupture] vs 40.9 ± 7.0 cm [uninjured side]; P = .04). The operated limb was significantly less strong than the nonoperated one (231.2 ± 132.4 N vs 275.3 ± 150.2 N; P = .033). The Achilles tendon total rupture score at final follow-up was 92.5 ± 14.2.

Conclusion

The management of chronic Achilles tendon tears by a less-invasive peroneus brevis repair is technically demanding but safe. It allows good recovery, even in patients with a chronic rupture of 9 months’ duration. These patients should be warned that they are at risk for postoperative complications and that their ankle plantar flexion strength is likely to be reduced.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Releasate Promotes Differentiation of Tendon Stem Cells into Active Tenocytes
Authors: Zhang Jianying , Wang James H.-C.
Published: August 2010

Background

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used to enhance tendon healing in clinical settings. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying PRP treatment of injured tendons remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of PRP, in the form of PRP-clot releasate (PRCR), on tendon stem cells (TSCs), a newly discovered cell population in tendons.

Hypothesis

The PRCR treatment promotes differentiation of TSCs into tenocytes that are activated to proliferate quickly and increase collagen production.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

After PRCR treatment, cell morphology, expression of stem/progenitor cell marker nucleostemin, and population doubling time were examined. In addition, gene and protein analyses were performed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot to characterize the type of cells that had differentiated after PRCR treatment.

Results

The TSCs without PRCR treatment were small and exhibited an irregular shape, whereas with increasing PRCR dosage, TSCs became large, well spread, and highly elongated with downregulation of nucleostemin expression. The PRCR treatment also markedly enhanced TSC proliferation, tenocyte-related gene and protein expression, and total collagen production, all of which indicated that PRCR treatment induced differentiation of TSCs into activated tenocytes.

Conclusion

The PRCR treatment promotes differentiation of TSCs into active tenocytes exhibiting high proliferation rates and collagen production capability.

Clinical Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that PRP treatment of injured tendons is “safe” as it promotes TSC differentiation into tenocytes rather than nontenocytes, which would compromise the structure and function of healing tendons by formation of nontendinous tissues. Moreover, they suggest that PRP treatment can enhance tendon healing because tenocytes induced to differentiate by PRP are activated to proliferate quickly and produce abundant collagen to repair injured tendons that have lost cells and matrix.
Searching reference databases: What students experience and what teachers believe that students experience
Authors: Avdic Anders , Eklund Anders
Published: August 2010

The Internet has made it possible for students to access a vast amount of high-quality references when writing papers. Yet research has shown that the use of reference databases is poor and the quality of student papers is consequently often below expectation. The objective of this article is twofold. First, it aims to describe the problems students experience when they search for information using a university reference database. Second, it aims to compare the perspective of students of the problems of searching with that of their teachers. As a basis for the study, we used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. A web-based survey was carried out. A total of 150 students at Örebro University in Sweden participated in the survey. The results were analysed by comparison of median values. Results show that students experience problems mostly in the category of efforts expectancy. Differences between the two groups are most significant in the category of effort expectancy and students’ patience in searching. Teachers are more pessimistic about students’ capacity in information searching than the students themselves.
Methylnaltrexone: Treatment for Opioid-Induced Constipation
Authors: Licup Nerissa , Baumrucker Steven J.
Published: August 2010

Opioids have become the gold standard for treatment of severe pain in advanced disease, but adverse effects can affect the quality of life. Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction can lead to refractory constipation. Methylnaltrexone bromide is a peripherally acting mu antagonist and is indicated for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in patients with advanced illness, when response to standard laxative therapy has been inefficacious. This pharmacology update will review the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of opioid-induced constipation, focused on methylnaltrexone as a novel treatment for refractory cases.
End-of-life Experiences: Reaching Out for Compassion, Communication, and Connection-Meaning of Deathbed Visions and Coincidences
Authors: Fenwick Peter , Brayne Sue
Published: August 2010

A recent study shows that the greatest fear for many Britons is to die alone. More than half the complaints received by the UK National Health Service (NHS) concern end-of-life care, with an emphasis on spiritual matters. Much has been written on the spiritual needs of the dying, but many doctors and nurses still find this a difficult area to approach. They lack the confidence and/or training to recognize or discuss spiritual aspects of death and dying or to affirm the spiritual needs of the dying person. Our end-of-life experience (ELE) research suggests that deathbed visions (DVs) and deathbed coincidences (DCs) are not uncommon, and that the dying process appears to involve an instinctive need for spiritual connection and meaning, requiring compassionate understanding and respect from those who provide end-of-life care.
The Influence of Hyperglycemia and Other Clinical Variables on Rehabilitation and Hospital Length of Stay After Neurosurgery in Patients With Cancer
Authors: Ying Guo  , Chandran Sheila , Palmer J. Lynn , Bruera Eduardo
Published: August 2010

Objective: Our study was designed to address whether steroid-induced hyperglycemia after neurosurgery affects rehabilitation and hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients with cancer. Patients and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 290 post-neurosurgery patients at our cancer center in 2002. Results: Of the 267 nondiabetic patients and 23 diabetic patients (P < .001), 2 and 8, respectively, had hyperglycemia which is defined as casual plasma glucose concentrations of ≥200 mg/dL on 2 different days. In all patients studied, hyperglycemia does not predict longer hospital stay or needs for rehabilitation. Conclusions: The frequency of corticosteroid-induced hyperglycemia in post-neurosurgery patients with cancer was low.
Residents’ Practices and Perceptions About Do Not Resuscitate Orders and Pronouncing Death: An Opportunity for Clinical Training
Authors: Siddiqui Mohammad F. , Holley Jean L.
Published: August 2010

Background: Although ‘‘Do not resuscitate’’ (DNR) orders are among the most commonly discussed patient preference treatment measures, few studies have assessed internal medicine residents’ views on this complex topic. Our objective was to assess resident practices in establishing code status. We also examined resident training and experiences in pronouncing death. Methods: An 18-question survey addressing DNR discussions and pronouncing death was emailed to internal medicine residents in the state of Illinois. Each question had multiple-choice options. Results: A total of 175 residents completed the questionnaire (22% response rate). Seventy-eight percent of the residents had discussed DNR status with patients or their families at least 9 times. However, only one third of the residents felt very comfortable in such discussions. Only 26% of the residents had been observed by a faculty member during a code status discussion and fewer (16%) while pronouncing death. Do not resuscitate discussions rarely occurred in an outpatient clinic (27%). Most residents (90%) thought they would benefit from formal training in DNR discussion. Conclusion: Although most residents discuss DNR status with patients and families, only a quarter are observed in such discussions by attending physicians and only a third feel comfortable with this aspect of clinical care. Developing a structured residency program curriculum to address resident skills in end-of-life care would benefit residency training.
Comfort Measures: Practical Care of the Dying Cancer Patient
Authors: LeGrand Susan B. , Walsh Declan
Published: August 2010

Most patients with advanced malignancy will die of their disease. Care of the dying is therefore a fundamental skill for the oncologist. Although protocols exist in other countries, there is no established protocol in the United States. We present a protocol for management of the dying that is clinically useful and review the existing evidence-base.
Letter From a Newly-Tenured Professor (A Response to Hambrick and a Call to Action for My Fellow Associate Professors)
Authors: Corley Kevin G.
Published: August 2010

The drive for tenure can be all consuming. And yet, actually attaining that goal often leads to just as great a challenge-successfully transitioning from “junior” to “senior” faculty member. Hambrick (2005) warns that recently tenured professors should not take their new status for granted by taking advantage of the system that granted their tenure. While true, I argue this transition represents an opportunity to do more than just add to the “I should” mentality that dominates pre-tenure life (“I should do this to get tenure”)—it provides the opportune time to reassess one’s career path and shift orientation toward being an “I want to” scholar. What type of scholar do you want to be? How do you want to achieve that goal? Framing the beginning of post-tenure life as a chance for renewal affords one the opportunity not only to improve oneself, but also improve our scholarly community.
Different From the Rest: An Interview With Nic Harris of the Carolina Panthers
Authors: Agyemang Kwame J.A.
Published: August 2010

Athlete transgressions have become quite the norm in professional sports as athletes are performing acts which are surely a detriment to their career. This is especially true of some Black male athletes in professional sports (e.g., Michael Vick, Derrick Coleman, Barry Bonds, and Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones). In light of this, this interview with Nic Harris of the Carolina Panthers illustrates how he has attempted to shun these negative associations among Black male athletes. Secondarily, given the scant attention as to how professional athletes go about managing their careers, the interview gives insight as to what goes into managing a professional career.
Ethnic Similarity, Therapist Adherence, and Long-Term Multisystemic Therapy Outcomes
Authors: Chapman Jason E. , Schoenwald Sonja K.
Published: August 2010

The current study investigated relations among ethnic similarity in caregiver-therapist pairs of youth participating in Multisystemic Therapy, therapist adherence, and youth long-term behavioral and criminal outcomes. Participants were 1,979 youth and families treated by 429 therapists across provider organizations in 45 sites. Relations were found, independently, and in the presence of ethnic similarity, between adherence and reductions in youth externalizing and internalizing behavior problems 1-year posttreatment and youth criminal charges 4 years posttreatment. Relations between ethnic similarity and outcomes were found only for reductions in youth externalizing behavior problems and not when adherence was included in the model. Adherence ratings were higher, however, in ethnically similar caregiver-therapist pairs, and evidence was found that this increased adherence predicted slightly better outcomes for youth. Implications for further research and clinical practice are considered.
A Novel Semi-active Fluid Mount using a Multi-layer Piezoelectric Beam
Authors: Vahdati Nader , Heidari Somayeh
Published: August 2010

Passive fluid mounts have been in use for the purpose of cabin noise and vibration reduction in the automotive and the aerospace industry for many years. Cabin noise and vibration isolation are provided at a frequency coined “notch frequency”. The design location of the notch frequency depends on the application, but in most applications, it is designed to coincide with the longest period of constant speed. To obtain the greatest reduction in cabin noise and vibration at any desired frequency, the notch frequency needs to be as close to that desired frequency as possible. Unfortunately, the conventional passive fluid mounts have some limitations. Firstly, due to tolerances on all the fluid mount dimensions, elastomer material property variations, and variation in elastomer molding processes, the notch frequency never ends up at the right location on the first manufacturing pass. To reduce the fluid mount notch frequency tuning cycle time, a new fluid mount design is proposed. This new design consists of a conventional single-pumper fluid mount and a 3-layer piezoelectric cantilever beam as a component that provides us a variable bottom chamber volumetric stiffness and in consequence a fluid mount with a tunable notch frequency. In this paper, the new design concept, and its mathematical model and simulation results will be presented.
Robust-optimal Active Vibration Controllers Design of Flexible Mechanical Systems via Orthogonal Function Approach and Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Chen Shinn-Horng , Ho Wen-Hsien , Chou Jyh-Horng , Zheng Liang-An
Published: August 2010

By integrating the orthogonal-functions approach (OFA), the hybrid Taguchi-genetic algorithm (HTGA) and a robust stabilizability condition, an integrative method is presented in this paper to design the robust-optimal active vibration controller such that (i) the flexible mechanical system with elemental parametric uncertainties can be robustly stabilized, and (ii) a quadratic finite-horizon integral performance index for the nominal flexible mechanical system can be minimized. The robust stabilizability condition is proposed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Based on the OFA, an algebraic algorithm only involving the algebraic computation is derived for solving the nominal flexible mechanical feedback dynamic equations. By using the OFA and the LMI-based robust stabilizability condition, the robust-finite-horizon-optimal active vibration control problem for the uncertain flexible mechanical dynamic systems is transformed into a static constrained-optimization problem represented by the algebraic equations with constraint of LMI-based robust stabilizability condition; thus greatly simplifying the robustoptimal active vibration control design problem. Then, for the static constrained-optimization problem, the HTGA is employed to find the robust-optimal active vibration controllers of the uncertain flexible mechanical systems. Two design examples are given to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed integrative approach.
Linear Matrix Inequality Conditions of Nonlinear Systems by Genetic Algorithm-based H ∞ Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding Mode Controller
Authors: Chen P.C. , Chen C.W. , Chiang W.L.
Published: August 2010

In this paper, the stability analysis of a genetic algorithm-based (GA-based) H∞ adaptive fuzzy sliding model controller (AFSMC) for a nonlinear system is discussed. First, a nonlinear plant is well-approximated and described with a reference model and a fuzzy model, both involving fuzzy logic control (FLC) rules. Then, FLC rules and the consequent parameter are decided on via a genetic algorithm. After this, we guarantee a new H∞ tracking performance inequality for the control system. The H∞ tracking problem is characterized to solve an eigenvalue problem. Next, an AFSMC is proposed to stabilize the system so as to achieve good H∞ control performance. Lyapunov’s direct method can be used to ensure the stability of the nonlinear system. It is shown that the stability analysis can reduce nonlinear systems into a linear matrix inequality problem. Finally, a numerical simulation is provided to demonstrate the control methodology.
A Novel Tracker for a Class of Sampled-data Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Tsai Jason Sheng-Hong , Chen Fu-Ming , Guo Shu-Mei , Chen Chia-Wei , Shieh Leang-San
Published: August 2010

In this paper, a novel observer/Kalman filter identification (OKID) based iterative learning control (ILC) for a class sample-data nonlinear system is proposed and supplies a good tracking performance in both the transient and steady-state phase. The proposed observer-based digital redesign tracker can suppress the uncertainties and the nonlinear perturbations. First, even without resetting the identical initial condition the optimal linear model of the analog nonlinear system is constructed at the operating point. The operating point is generated due to the analog observer updated by the well-designed analog OKID-ILC nonlinear system. Thereafter, the linear quadratic regulator design technique with a high-gain property is applied to design an analog observer-based tracker of the optimal linear model. Finally, the proposed approach for the analog system is then extended to the case for a class of sampled-data nonlinear systems.
Equity, Pricing, and Surface Transportation Politics
Authors: Altshuler Alan
Published: August 2010

The leading current proposal for surface transportation reform, congestion pricing, is consistent with the tradition of user pay rather than redistributive equity in transportation policy. Strong versions have recently been adopted for Inner London and Stockholm but not so far in the United States, though one recently came close in New York City. The special U.S. obstacles include ample opportunities for minority veto and the equity concept do no harm (no one should be victimized by new initiatives). High occupancy toll lanes, though, which include congestion pricing elements, enjoy growing acceptance in the United States. While their benefits are modest, so are their costs and, above all politically, they do no harm.
Can a City Successfully Shrink? Evidence from Survey Data on Neighborhood Quality
Authors: Hollander Justin B.
Published: August 2010

Urban policymakers and planners tend to view population decline as a bad thing and a vast infrastructure of funding and regulation reinforces this idea. An emerging body of research has challenged this mindset by reframing decline as shrinkage and experimenting with new policy tools under the rubric of smart decline. But the question of whether decline impairs quality of life in cities is a conceptually murky one. This paper operationalizes quality of life by examining survey data for 38 U.S. cities on perceptions of neighborhood quality. The results show a high level of heterogeneity among shrinking cities in terms of perceptions of neighborhood quality, with some cities experiencing both loss in housing and population while increasing overall perceptions of neighborhood quality. Future research ought to probe these relationships further to better understand how smart decline might affect neighborhood change.
Cleaning Up Without Clearing Out? A Spatial Assessment of Environmental Gentrification
Authors: Eckerd Adam
Published: August 2010

The environmental gentrification hypothesis predicts that environmental quality improvements in poor communities may spur gentrification and the displacement of residents. The author analyzes the relationship between hazardous site cleanups and gentrification in Portland, Oregon, during the 1990s. Using resident-defined neighborhoods as the unit of analysis, the author finds that there is no relationship between the extent of gentrification a neighborhood experiences and the perceived or actual environmental improvement that precedes it. Based on this evidence, the author suggests that similar types of cities may be able to improve environmental conditions relatively equitably without exacerbating concerns related to gentrification and social justice.
Promised Land? Immigration, Religiosity, and Space in Southern California
Authors: Irazábal Clara , Dyrness Grace R.
Published: August 2010

This article looks at how immigrants and their supporters appropriate and use religious space and other public spaces for religious and socio-political purposes in Southern California. While the everyday living conditions of many immigrants, particularly the unauthorized Latino immigrants, force unto them an embodied disciplinarity that maintains spatialities of restricted citizenship, the public appropriations of space for and through religious practices allow for them -even if only momentarily -to express an embodied transgression. This practice in public space helps realize spaces of freedom and hope, however ephemerally. Potentially, these rehearsing exercises can help revert internalized disempowering subjectivities and create social empowerment. Negative stereotypes about immigrants held by the larger public can also be challenged through these spatial practices, as the public demonstrations make visible the invisible. We focus on “Posadas Without Borders” and “the New Sanctuary Movement,” considering both the role of progressive civic and religious institutions in supporting immigrants and the agency of the immigrants themselves. The theoretical analysis builds on concepts drawn from a conversation between geography and religious and theological studies. We use a triangulated methodological approach that includes observation and participant observation, content-analysis of multimedia, interviews, and intellectual advocacy for the immigrant movement. The cases discussed here show that progressive religious groups and coalitions can be important allies to progressive planners, geographers, and policy makers in advancing social and environmental justice for the disenfranchised. They also show that the theological underpinnings of such groups share a lot in common with planning epistemologies for the just city.
The Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC)
Authors: Cousson-Gélie Florence , Cosnefroy Olivier , Christophe Véronique , Segrestan-Crouzet Carine , Merckaert Isabelle , Fournier Emmanuelle , Libert Yves , Lafaye Anaïs , Razavi Darius
Published: August 2010

We explore the psychometric properties of the French version of the Ways of Coping Checklist Revised (WCC-R) for a cancer patient sample. The WCC-R was completed by 622 patients and 464 completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the original factor structure did not fit the data. The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on one subsample and revealed three factors: ‘Seeking social support’, ‘Problem focused-coping’ and ‘Self-blame and avoidance’, including 21 items. A CFA confirmed this structure in the second subgroup. These scales correlated with the anxiety scores.
Barriers to Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment
Authors: Kagee Ashraf , Delport Tracey
Published: August 2010

Patient advocates were asked for their perspectives on the structural barriers to adherence to antiretroviral treatment among patients living with HIV. Poverty-related barriers were transport difficulties, food insecurity and patients’ receipt of a disability grant. Institutional barriers were long waiting times at clinics, negative experiences with clinic staff, low levels of health literacy and poor access to substance abuse treatment. Social and cultural barriers were the role of traditional healing practices, the influence of charismatic churches and perceived stigmatization. We offer a perspective on assisting patients living with HIV in addressing these key structural barriers to adherence.
Putting the Right Face on a Wrong Body
Authors: Mik-Meyer Nanna
Published: August 2010

In recent years obesity has emerged as a potential public health crisis. This article examines how being overweight is framed as a social problem in two public Danish organizations. Using recorded interactions between health consultants and overweight people, this article explores how overweight people develop a sense of self in weight loss programmes. This article uses an interactionist approach in exploring the dual nature of identities involving both the self and social structure. Drawing on sociological literature concerning the relationship between the body, health, risk and society, this paper shows how overweight people in western society are currently perceived as being morally inferior. This societal context frames the participating organizations that offer weight loss programmes to overweight people, and hence results in organizational identities that equate being overweight with having psychological problems. The analysis in this article shows the importance of situating identity processes in the organizational framework in which they occur and situating organizations in a broader societal framework that casts some people as morally inferior and others as ‘normal’.
Caregiving Heuristics
Authors: McCrea Katherine Tyson , Bulanda Jeffrey J.
Published: August 2010

Improving practice depends on accurate understandings of practitioner knowledge, which are not easily attained, partly because practitioners unevenly apply formal theory and also rely on reflective processes and power bases that are significantly different from those of researchers. Focusing on residential care managers’ subjective experience of their own knowledge and clinical decisions, this study examines their application of theories, their beliefs and practices, challenges they faced, and factors managers described as related with good and poor client outcomes. Uninterested in formal theory and evidence-based practice models, the managers demonstrated a patterned, action-oriented, value-based ‘knowledge-in-action’ (per Floersch) we termed caregiving heuristics. Managers combined multiple interventions from diverse models to attain the best possible outcomes, using a strategy defined by Brandstatter, Hutchinson, and Gigerenzer as the priority heuristic. They creatively developed guidelines (at various levels of explication) for their decision-making. Unique to each practitioner, caregiving heuristics could be compared; elements were commonly held by managers. From these managers’s caregiving heuristics, guidelines for residential care management were distilled and included emphasizing compassion, providing supportive relationships so clients experience themselves as partners in their change process, developing clients’ strengths, and creating a community that restores clients’ dignity and provides psychological and material resources.
Investing in a Formal Relationship
Authors: Degner Jürgen , Henriksen Anna , Oscarsson Lars
Published: August 2010

From the point of view of ecological and attachment theory, professional and non-professional support persons can be an important link between young persons placed in Swedish residential treatment centres (RTC), their families, and staff at the centre. Through interviews with 23 support persons, the aim of the study is to explore characteristics of the relationship between support persons and the young person, and the support persons’ experiences of obstacles to and opportunities for treatment involvement at the facility. The findings show that most support persons describe an emotional relationship with the young person, while a few describe an instrumental one. Most support persons report limited opportunities for treatment involvement, mostly due to facility staff’s non-encouraging attitude, whereas a small group report positive involvement strategies from both staff and social welfare agencies. It is noteworthy that those reporting positive involvement opportunities already have access to the facility because of their professional relation to the residents (e.g. as social welfare officer in charge of the resident’s placement). The importance of staff encouragement of relations between support persons and residents during the RTC placement is discussed.
Adaptive filter feature identification for structural health monitoring in an aeronautical panel
Authors: da Silva Samuel , Gianini Gonsalez Camila , Lopes Vicente
Published: August 2010

This article presents an approach to structural health monitoring (SHM) using adaptive filters. The experimental signals from different structural conditions provided by piezoelectric actuators/sensors bonded in the test structure are modeled by a discrete-time recursive least square (RLS) filter. The biggest advantage of using a RLS filter is the clear possibility to perform an online SHM procedure because the identification is also valid for nonstationary linear systems. An online damage-sensitive index feature is computed based on portions of the autoregressive coefficients normalized by the square root of the sum of the squares. The proposed method is then used in a laboratory test involving an aeronautical panel coupled with piezoelectric sensors/actuators (PZTs) in different positions. To test this hypothesis, the t-test is used to obtain the damage decision. The proposed algorithm was able to identify and localize damages in the structure. The article concludes by exploring the applicability and drawbacks of the method and proposes some implementation suggestions.
Law and Sacrifice
Authors: Elkins Jeremy
Published: August 2010

In this essay, I pursue the idea of legal judgments as articulations of a (collective) body. I begin by examining the relation between the pleasure principle and the reality principle as a tension within modern legal-constitutional thought; and I discuss one traditional idea of legal sacrifice within those terms: as a suspension or withholding of a sovereign pleasure will in favor of a reality principle. In the second part of the article, I argue that the “pleasure-ego” and the “reality-ego,” although in one respect opposites, are, in fact, bound to the same “consumptive” conception of identity, and that against that dynamic of identity-formation stands a very different form of sacrifice, one for which we have too little of a tradition in modern legal thought.
Beyond the Panopticon: Mass Imprisonment and the Humanities
Authors: Simon Jonathan
Published: August 2010

In the 1970s and the 1980s, the role of the prison in modern society was seared into the imagination of the humanities by Michel Foucault’s treatment of the prison in Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison; his genealogy of the modern “soul.” At a time when the social sciences had little to say about the nature of imprisonment as a specific historical practice (rather than a problem of social organization), the humanities helped define the prison as a contemporary problem. During this era, ironically, a new model of imprisonment was arising, one based on the mass imprisonment of whole demographic categories of the population rather than the disciplinary investment of the deviant individual. The scale of imprisonment has arisen by more than five fold. Unfortunately the humanities and cultural studies have been slow to reckon with the nature of mass imprisonment. While a new wave of social science scholarship, partially inspired by the earlier work of the humanities, is engaging the topic, the absence of the humanities, especially their critical and normative edge, is significant.
Incarceration and Imprisonment
Authors: McBride Keally
Published: August 2010

Incarceration is best understood as an extreme environment which complicates our notions of human freedom. Incarceration helps us think about freedom because it demands consideration of the relationship between body and soul, providing yet another testing ground for the longstanding metaphysical and philosophical question of what makes humans truly free. It also is a remarkable test case for how much of human experience is socially determined and how much individuals can create their own reality because prisons try to substitute external administration for self-discipline entirely. How can we account for resistance to these forms of administration?
‘It Won’t Always Be Wrong’: Morality and Monsters in Legal Rational Authority
Authors: Hamilton Sheryl N. , Gerlach Neil
Published: August 2010

How to govern in the face of radical diversity and seemingly intractable conflict? A key question after 9/11, it is also central to dark fantasy literature.The literary answer is a return to legal rational authority, specifically bureaucracy. We examine the novel, Benighted (Kit Whitfield), where the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activity must manage relations between the dominant lycanthropes and the despised underclass of humans. Developing other attempts to theorize the monster in relation to bureaucracy, we suggest that within the novel bureaucrats and the bureau function as ‘‘hopeful monsters,’’ sites for the ongoing negotiation of morality.
Sublime Mercy
Authors: Slaughter Marty
Published: August 2010

The Christian god is one of justice and mercy. Until the 12th century, these were inextricably related, co-equal virtues, expressed on earth in the confession and forgiveness of sin. Beginning in the 13th century and with the subsequent development of canon law, the church was transformed from a charismatic community into a legal and political institution. Penance became a legal requirement enjoined on every Christian. The treatment of penance was increasingly juridified and mercy increasingly opposed to justice. By the 14th century, much of the theological principle of mercy had either been absorbed into the legal principle of canonical equity or opposed to justice altogether.
Efficacy of an olmesartan medoxomil-based treatment algorithm in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes: analysis of diurnal blood pressure control as assessed by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
Authors: Kereiakes Dean J. , Neutel Joel
Published: August 2010

Objective: Secondary, prespecified analysis of a single-arm, open-label study evaluating the efficacy of olmesartan medoxomil (OM) plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Methods: After placebo run-in, 192 patients received OM 20 mg/day for 3 weeks. If blood pressure (BP) remained ≥120/70 mmHg, patients were uptitrated every 3 weeks to OM 40 mg/day, OM/HCTZ 40/12.5 mg/day, and OM/HCTZ 40/25 mg/day. Efficacy was evaluated by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Secondary endpoints included changes in ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) during daytime (08:00 to 16:00) and nighttime (22:00 to 06:00), as well as achievement of prespecified ambulatory BP targets in the total cohort and subgroups based on gender, race, hypertension severity, and age (≥65 or <65 years). Dipper status (nocturnal decrease in BP ≥10% of mean daytime BP) was assessed.

Results: At baseline, mean ambulatory BP was 151.2 ± 12.7/87.6 ± 9.0 mmHg during the daytime and 140.3 ± 13.1/78.1 ± 8.6 mmHg during the nighttime. Mean daytime and nighttime ambulatory BP was reduced from baseline by 22.3 ± 13.7/12.0 ± 8.9 mmHg and 18.8 ± 12.4/ 10.2 ± 7.2 mmHg, respectively. The reduction in daytime ambulatory SBP was 24.4 ± 11.8 mmHg in Blacks, 21.7 ± 14.2 mmHg in non-Blacks, 23.6 ± 12.3 mmHg in females, 21.2 ± 14.8 mmHg in males, 23.4 ± 11.6 mmHg in patients aged ≥65 years, and 21.9 ± 14.4 mmHg in those aged <65 years. Ambulatory BP targets of <130/80, <125/75, and <120/80 mmHg were reached by 51.7%, 36.0%, and 32.6% of patients during the daytime and 69.8%, 60.5%, and 50.6% of patients during the nighttime. After 12 weeks of treatment, 36.4% of baseline nondippers converted to dippers.

Conclusions: OM ± HCTZ effectively lowered ambulatory BP in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension, enabling them to achieve ambulatory BP targets during both the daytime and nighttime.
Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency in Infants and Young Children in Western Sydney, Australia
Authors: Cross Caroline , Moriarty Helen , Coakley John
Published: August 2010

Iodine is an essential element required for the production of triiodothyronine and thyroxine. The absence of these hormones can cause numerous developmental defects, including irreversible mental retardation in infants and a loss of up to 13 intelligence quotient points in children. It has been reported that iodine deficiency has reemerged in Australians. In this study, random urinary iodine levels were measured in 106 infants and children of up to 5 years of age. The median urinary iodine concentration was 102 µ g/L, but 47.2% of the population was below the World Health Organization—recommended level of 100 µ g/L, ranging from mild (25.5%) to severe deficiency (6.6%). Of particular interest was the finding that children older than 2 years had significantly lower urinary iodine values (P = .02) than those in the 0- to 2-year age group. These results suggest inadequate dietary iodine intake in youth and point to the emergence of iodine deficiency as likely occurring from 2 years of age. They also support other Australian studies undertaken on older children and adults, as well as the need for a national iodine fortification program in Australia.
Is There a Role for High Tibial Osteotomies in the Athlete?
Authors: Warme Bryan August , Aalderink Kristopher , Amendola Annunziato
Published: August 2010

Context:

The use of high tibial osteotomies (HTOs) in elite and professional athletes has been slow to gain acceptance by both the athlete and the surgeon because it is generally thought that return to competitive sports will be unlikely. Conversely, HTOs have been used extensively and effectively in managing degenerative knee arthrosis in the less active recreational patient with varus deformity who wishes to maintain activity and delay the need for knee arthroplasty. Unfortunately, situations arise where elite athletes develop debilitating pain secondary to malalignment that prevents them from participation, at which time corrective osteotomy may be indicated. Return to sport is not necessarily the goal of osteotomy surgery, but success with correction may allow the athlete to return to high-level activity. Return to elite competition is not the singular goal of HTO in the athlete; however, if the surgery is successful, then consideration can be given to return to play.

Evidence Acquisition:

Despite an extensive literature on return to elite competition after many orthopaedic procedures, there are relatively few data following osteotomies.

Results:

With expanded indications, osteotomies have become increasingly popular in young patients with malalignment and arthrosis. In addition to addressing malalignment and degenerative processes, HTO can be used in elite athletes in combination with knee reconstructive procedures to address articular defects, meniscal deficiency, and instability, thereby optimizing knee function.

Conclusion:

When performed with the proper indications in competitive athletes, HTO can result in unloading of joint resurfacing procedures, pain reduction, increased functional stability, and restored joint mechanics. Furthermore, as performed in select elite athletes, HTO realignment may not only result in return to play but also improve function and possibly prolong competition at a high level.
A comparative bioavailability study of two formulations of pregabalin in healthy Chilean volunteers
Authors: Quiñones Luis , Sasso Jaime , Tamayo Evelyn , Catalán Johanna , González Juan Paplo , Escala Mario , Varela Nelson , León Jorge , Cáceres Dante Daniel , Saavedra Iván
Published: August 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic parameters between two brands of pregabalin in healthy Chilean volunteers.

Methods: A randomized, single-dose, two-period, two-sequence, crossover study design with a 2-week washout period was conducted in healthy Chilean males. Plasma samples were collected over a 12-hour period after administration of 150 mg pregabalin in each period. A validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography with positive ionization mass spectrometric detection method was used to analyze pregabalin concentration in plasma. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using a noncompartmental method. Bioequivalence between the test and reference products was determined when the ratio for the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the difference in the means of the log-transformed area under the curve (AUC)0-t, AUC0-∞, and maximum concentration (Cmax) of the two products were within 0.80 and 1.25.

Results: The study was carried out on 22 healthy Chilean volunteers. The mean (SD) Cmax, AUC0-tand AUC0-∞of the test formulation (PregobinTM) of pregabalin were 2.10 (0.56) µg/ml, 10.35 (2.00) µgxh/ml and 13.92 (2.74) µgxh/ml, respectively. The mean (SD) Cmax, AUC0-tand AUC0- ∞of the reference formulation (LyricaTM) of pregabalin were 2.15 (0.52) µg/ml, 10.31 (1.85) µgxh/ml and 13.78 (2.25) µgxh/ml, respectively. The parametric 90% CIs for Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞were 0.97—1.13, 1.01—1.04, and 0.98—1.02, respectively.

Conclusions: These results suggest that both products are bioequivalent and can be used as interchangeable options in the clinical setting.
Contemporary treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: an update for clinicians
Authors: Amissah-Arthur Maame B. , Gordon Caroline
Published: August 2010

The prognosis for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved significantly, with 20-year survival now approximately 80% owing partly to effective treatment. SLE treatment has evolved from the use of conventional drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroids, nonspecific immunosuppressants including mycophenolate mofetil, to targeting selective components of the immune cascade with a view to increased efficacy, tolerability and safety profile. These novel treatments include B-cell-depleting antibodies and fusion proteins that block the costimulatory pathways of B and T cells. A discussion of these pharmacological options and ongoing research forms the basis of this review.
Review: New perspectives in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Ayuk John , Cooper Mark S. , Gittoes Neil J. L.
Published: August 2010

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a biochemical syndrome caused by the inappropriate or unregulated overproduction of parathyroid hormone, leading to hypercalcaemia. It was previously considered a relatively rare disorder, with clinical manifestations dominated by renal and/or bone disease. However, in modern times the diagnosis is most frequently recognized coincidentally on biochemical testing in patients evaluated for unrelated complaints. Parathyroidectomy is the only curative treatment for PHPT, with improved outcomes in symptomatic patients following this procedure. However, surgical intervention in patients with no clear clinical features remains controversial. The National Institutes for Health (NIH) have developed consensus guidelines giving specific indications for when surgery is recommended in patients with asymptomatic PHPT. This article examines the impact of treatment on asymptomatic PHPT, focusing on bone disease, neurocognitive function, quality of life, cardiovascular disease and mortality. Medical treatment options, including bisphosphonates and cinacalcet, are also discussed.
Genome-wide association study identifies novel loci for plasma levels of protein C: the ARIC study
Authors: Tang Weihong , Basu Saonli , Kong Xiaoxiao , Pankow James S. , Aleksic Nena , Tan Adrian , Cushman Mary , Boerwinkle Eric , Folsom Aaron R.
Published: August 2010

Protein C is an important endogenous anticoagulant in hemostasis. Deficiencies of protein C due to genetic mutations or a low level of circulating protein C increase the risk of venous thromboembolism. We performed a genome-wide association scan for plasma protein C antigen concentration with approximately 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 8048 individuals of European ancestry and a replication analysis in a separate sample of 1376 individuals in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Four independent loci from 3 regions were identified with genome-wide significance: 2p23 (GCKR, best SNP rs1260326, P = 2.04 × 10−17), 2q13-q14 (PROC, rs1158867, P = 3.77 × 10−36), 20q11 (near and within PROCR, rs8119351, P = 2.68 × 10−203), and 20q11.22 (EDEM2, rs6120849, P = 7.19 × 10−37 and 5.23 × 10−17 before and after conditional analysis, respectively). All 4 loci replicated in the independent sample. Furthermore, pooling the discovery and replication sets yielded an additional locus at chromosome 7q11.23 (BAZ1B, rs17145713, P = 2.83 × 10−8). The regions marked by GCKR, EDEM2, and BAZ1B are novel loci that have not been previously reported for association with protein C concentration. In summary, this first genome-wide scan for circulating protein C concentration identified both new and known loci in the general population. These findings may improve the understanding of physiologic mechanisms in protein C regulation.