bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Excretion: A Pilot Prospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Gaspari Flavio , Cravedi Paolo , Mandalà Mario , Perico Norberto , de Leon Felipe Rodríguez , Stucchi Nadia , Ferrari Silvia , Labianca Roberto , Remuzzi Giuseppe , Ruggenenti Piero
Published: April 2010

Background/Aims: Nephrotoxicity is the major limitation to cisplatin therapy for solid tumors. We aimed at evaluating whether early increases in serum/urine levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a biomarker of tubular damage and regeneration, predict cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: We compared changes in serum creatinine and serum/urine NGAL levels (ELISA assay) at 1 and 4 h and 1, 2, 3, 7 and 15 days after cisplatin infusion (70–80 mg/m2) versus baseline in 12 consecutive cancer patients (cases) with AKI (>25% serum creatinine increase vs. baseline) and 12 consecutive controls without AKI. Results: Baseline characteristics and posttreatment serum NGAL levels were similar in both groups. Urinary NGAL levels increased significantly more in cases than in controls at 1, 2, 3 and 15 days after cisplatin. The NGAL increase preceded AKI by 4.5 days and the NGAL increase at day 2 after cisplatin independently predicted AKI (p < 0.05). Six cases with residual kidney dysfunction at 15 days showed a trend to earlier and higher increase in urinary NGAL levels compared to cases with renal function recovery. Conclusion: An early increase in urinary NGAL excretion may help in identifying patients at risk of cisplatin-induced AKI who might benefit from innovative treatments to prevent cisplatin nephrotoxicity.
Absence of Gelatinase (MMP-9) or Collagenase (MMP-13) Attenuates Adriamycin-Induced Albuminuria and Glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Sakamaki Yusuke , Sasamura Hiroyuki , Hayashi Kaori , Ishiguro Kimiko , Takaishi Hironari , Okada Yasunori , D’Armiento Jeanine M. , Saruta Takao , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: April 2010

Background/Aims: The role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury appears to be complex. To investigate the role of individual MMPs, we examined the course of Adriamycin-induced albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis in mice lacking either a gelatinase (MMP-9) or a collagenase (MMP-13). Methods: Adriamycin was administered to MMP-9 or MMP-13 knockout (KO) mice. Glomerular injury was assessed by the quantification of albuminuria, the glomerular injury score and type IV collagen immunostaining. Results: Treatment of mice with Adriamycin (18 mg/kg i.v.) resulted in marked albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis reaching a peak at 4–8 weeks. The albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in both the MMP-9 KO and MMP-13 KO mice compared to controls. In contrast, treatment of wild-type mice with the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor doxycycline did not have a beneficial effect on the albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis. Conclusion: These results support a role for both gelatinase (MMP-9) and collagenase (MMP-13) in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury in the Adriamycin-induced glomerulosclerosis model. MMP inhibitors with high specificity towards MMP-9 and/or MMP-13 may be potential future candidates to provide more effective therapies to inhibit the development of glomerulosclerosis.
The Fried Frailty Criteria as Inclusion Criteria for a Randomized Controlled Trial: Personal Experience and Literature Review
Authors: Drey M. , Pfeifer K. , Sieber C.C. , Bauer J.M.
Published: April 2010

Background: Among current operational definitions of frailty, the criteria proposed by Fried and colleagues have attracted great scientific interest. However, these criteria have usually been applied in epidemiological and only rarely in interventional studies. Objective: The present paper aims at testing the applicability of the Fried frailty criteria in the context of the recruitment process of a randomized controlled trial in prefrail older persons, and it discusses the respective scientific literature. Methods: Recruitment was promoted by newspaper articles as well as by targeted mail to customers of a local health insurance company and to recently treated patients of a geriatric day clinic. Furthermore, presentations were given in assisted living facilities. Potential candidates were screened for prefrailty, i.e. to see whether they met 1 or 2 of the Fried criteria (weight loss, handgrip strength, gait speed, exhaustion, physical activity). Results: A total of 298 people were screened. Among them 181 were not frail, 116 were prefrail and 1 was diagnosed as frail. The most prevalent criterion was exhaustion (24% of those screened). The second most prevalent criterion was low handgrip strength (20%). Low gait speed (8%), low physical activity (2%) and weight loss (2%) had a lower prevalence. According to the Geriatric Depression Scale, 14% of those who met the criterion ‘exhaustion’ were depressed. With regard to the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, used for the evaluation of ‘physical activity’, only 3 activities among the 18 selected by Fried were applicable to our cohort. Conclusions: Under the study conditions, good applicability of the Fried criteria was observed. Nevertheless, further refinement may be expedient in several criteria, especially exhaustion and physical activity, to enhance clinical usefulness. It may be helpful to adapt the cutoffs when applying the criteria to a European population.
Extended Spectrum of Quinolone Resistance, Even to a Potential Latter Third-Generation Agent, as a Result of a Minimum of Two GrlA and Two GyrA Alterations in Quinolone-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Yoon Eun-Jeong , Lee Chun-Yeong , Shim Mi-Ja , Min Yu-Hong , Kwon Ae-Ran , Lee Jongseo , Choi Eung-Chil
Published: April 2010

Background: This study was performed to determine the extended spectrum of quinolone resistance caused by increased mutations within the target enzymes of quinolones. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, trovafloxacin and DW286 were determined against 98 ciprofloxacin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Also, PCR-amplified grlA, grlB, gyrA and gyrB DNA fragments were sequenced and amino acid changes were analyzed. Results: The MIC50 values of quinolones decreased with later-generation compounds, i.e. ≧64 µg/ml for ciprofloxacin, 16 µg/ml for sparfloxacin, 2 µg/ml for trovafloxacin and 0.25 µg/ml for DW286. Combinations of amino acid changes within GrlA (Ser-80, Tyr-83 or Glu-84), GrlB (Pro-451, Pro-585 or Asp-432) and GyrA (Ser-84, Ser-85 or Glu-88) were constructed. The combination of Ser-80→Phe within GrlA and Ser-84→Leu within GyrA was the fundamental combination in alterations involved in ciprofloxacin resistance, and additional alterations extended quinolone resistance. Conclusion: A larger number of alterations within GrlA and GyrA further extended the spectrum of quinolone resistance.
Study of Low-Dose Capecitabine Monotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Taguchi Tetsuya , Nakayama Takahiro , Masuda Norikazu , Yoshidome Katsuhide , Akagi Kenzou , Nishida Yukihiro , Yoshikawa Yukinobu , Ogino Nobuo , Abe Chigusa , Sakamoto Junichi , Noguchi Shinzaburo ,   Kinki Breast Cancer Study Group
Published: April 2010

Background: Capecitabine is an established therapy for metastatic breast cancer. In Japan, a 4 weekly regimen is often used, but data for this schedule in the first-line setting are lacking. Methods: Metastatic breast cancer patients who had received no chemotherapy for recurrent disease received capecitabine 825 mg/m2 twice daily, on days 1–21 of a 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was response rate. Results: In 33 eligible patients, median age was 53 years (range 27–73). Prior adjuvant therapy included an anthracycline in 90% and a taxane in 40%. The response rate was 18%; a further 24% had stable disease for ≧6 months. Median progression-free and overall survival were 6.9 and 24.8 months, respectively. The only grade 3 events were neutropenia (6%) and hand-foot syndrome (15%). Conclusions: These preliminary results confirm previous data showing that a lower capecitabine dose is an active and well-tolerated first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.
CREB1 Is a Strong Genetic Predictor of the Variation in Exercise Heart Rate Response to Regular Exercise
Authors: Rankinen Tuomo , Argyropoulos George , Rice Treva , Rao D.C. , Bouchard Claude
Published: April 2010

Background—

A genome-wide linkage scan identified a quantitative trait locus for exercise training–induced changes in submaximal exercise (50 W) heart rate (ΔHR50) on chromosome 2q33.3-q34 in the HERITAGE Family Study (n=472).

Methods and Results—

To fine-map the region, 1450 tag SNPs were genotyped between 205 and 215 Mb on chromosome 2. The strongest evidence of association with ΔHR50 was observed with 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the 5′ region of the cAMP-responsive element-binding protein 1 (
CREB1
) gene (rs2253206:
P
=1.6×10
−5
and rs2360969:
P
=4.3×10
−5
). The associations remained significant (
P
=0.01 and
P
=0.023, respectively) after accounting for multiple testing. Regression modeling of the 39 most significant SNPs in the single-SNP analysis identified 9 SNPs that collectively explained 20% of the ΔHR50 variance.
CREB1
SNP rs2253206 had the strongest effect (5.45% of variance), followed by SNPs in the
FASTKD2
(3.1%),
MAP2
(2.6%),
SPAG16
(2.1%),
ERBB4
(3 SNPs≈1.4% each),
IKZF2
(1.4%), and
PARD3B
(1.0%) loci. In conditional linkage analysis, 6 SNPs from the final regression model (
CREB1, FASTKD2, MAP2, ERBB4, IKZF2
, and
PARD3B
) accounted for the original linkage signal: The log of the odds score dropped from 2.10 to 0.41 after adjusting for all 6 SNPs. Functional studies revealed that the common allele of rs2253206 exhibits significantly (
P
<0.05) lower promoter activity than the minor allele.

Conclusions—

Our data suggest that functional DNA sequence variation in the
CREB1
locus is strongly associated with ΔHR50 and explains a considerable proportion of the quantitative trait locus variance. However, at least 5 additional SNPs seem to be required to fully account for the original linkage signal.
Delays in Filling Clopidogrel Prescription After Hospital Discharge and Adverse Outcomes After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation
Authors: Ho P. Michael , Tsai Thomas T. , Maddox Thomas M. , Powers J. David , Carroll Nikki M. , Jackevicius Cynthia , Go Alan S. , Margolis Karen L. , DeFor Terese A. , Rumsfeld John S. , Magid David J.
Published: April 2010

Background—

Adjuvant clopidogrel therapy is essential after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. The frequency with which patients delay filling a clopidogrel prescription after DES implantation and the association of this delay with adverse outcomes is unknown.

Methods and Results—

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged after DES implantation from 3 large integrated health care systems. Filling a clopidogrel prescription was based on pharmacy dispensing data. The primary end point was all-cause mortality or myocardial infarction (MI). Of 7402 patients discharged after DES implantation, 16% (n=1210) did not fill a clopidogrel prescription on day of discharge and the median time delay was 3 days (interquartile range, 1 to 23 days). Compared with patients filling clopidogrel on day of discharge, patients with any delay in filling clopidogrel had higher death/MI rates during follow-up (14.2% versus 7.9%;
P
<0.001). In multivariable analysis, patients with any delay had increased risk of death/MI (hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 1.87). Patients with any delay remained at increased risk of adverse outcomes when the delay cutoff was changed to >1, >3, or >5 days after discharge. Factors associated with delay included older age, prior MI, diabetes, renal failure, prior revascularization, cardiogenic shock, in-hospital bleeding, and clopidogrel use within 24 hours of admission.

Conclusions—

One in 6 patients delay filling their index clopidogrel prescription after hospital discharge after DES implantation. This delay was associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes and highlights the importance of the transition period from hospital discharge to outpatient setting as a potential opportunity to improve care delivery and patient outcomes.
Joint Diagnostic of the Surface Air Temperature in Southern South America and the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Naumann Gustavo , Vargas Walter M.
Published: April 2010

The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between maximum and minimum temperatures, daily precipitation, and the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). It was found that the different phases of the MJO show a consistent signal on winter temperature variability and precipitation in southeastern South America. Additionally, this paper explores the spatial–temporal variations of mutual information and joint entropy between temperature and the MJO. A defined spatial pattern was observed with an increased signal in northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil. In the local mutual information analysis, periods in which the mutual information doubled the average values were observed over the entire region. These results indicate that these connections can be used to forecast winter temperatures with a better skill score in situations where both variables covary.
Sport, Communication, and the Culture of Consumption: On Language and Identity
Authors: Wenner Lawrence A.
Published: April 2010

This article provides an editorial introduction to the second of two special issues of American Behavioral Scientist on “Sport, Communication, and the Culture of Consumption.” This second issue focuses on “Language and Identity” and brings together American, Canadian, and British scholars from communication, media studies, rhetoric, philosophy, sport, and cultural studies. The language of sport is featured in analyses of bullshit in mediated sports discourse, in themes of justice as articulated in a blogosphere defense of doping in cycling, and rhetorical strategies that surround our thinking of poker as sport. The intersection of consumption with social and cultural formations of identity is examined in studies of the post-Michael Jordan NBA’s “ghettocentric logic,” in racialized commentary by commentators in broadcasts of NCAA men’s and women’s Final Four basketball games, and the role that media play in formations of hegemonic masculinities for high school youth.
Learning and Working from the Msc to New Labour: Young People, Skills and Employment
Authors: Unwin Lorna
Published: April 2010

This paper argues that successive governments since the 1980s have struggled to establish the necessary foundations to enable the majority of young people to make effective and supported transitions from education to the labour market and, further, to create labour market conditions that protect and nurture young people's potential. The paper sets its analysis within a time-frame that began in 1981 and has come full circle in 2010 with the Labour Government's announcement of the Young Person's Guarantee. Whilst acknowledging that current economic conditions, and the predicted severe cuts in public spending, will make it difficult for an incoming government to make significant changes, the paper argues that new approaches are required to revitalise both the economy and individual life chances.
The case for ‘beneficial constraints’: Why permissive voluntarism impedes workplace cooperation in Ireland
Authors: Dobbins Tony
Published: April 2010

Drawing on existing literature and two case studies of workplace cooperation in Ireland, this article illustrates that although Ireland has had national-level consensus bargaining since 1987, workplace-level cooperation is rare. This can be largely attributed to Ireland’s permissive voluntarist institutional and employment relations context, characterized by limited institutional coordination linking national and workplace governance, and which renders workplaces particularly exposed to the contradictions of capitalism. The result is that few employers construct and maintain workplace bargains with their employees. Focusing on the concept of ‘beneficial constraints’ on employer choice, it is concluded that if efficient and fair workplace coalitions are to increase, the state would need to reform the permissive voluntarism dominating Irish employment relations by ‘reinstitutionalizing’ workplace pluralism through proactive policy interventions.
Perception of the Impact of Type 1 Diabetes on Low-Income Families
Authors: Edmonds-Myles Sadiqa , Tamborlane William V. , Grey Margaret
Published: April 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) on low-income families of various racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Methods

A qualitative study using qualitative descriptive methods was conducted with a total of 21 patient-parent dyads from African American, Hispanic, and white heritage, respectively. An interview guide was developed to explore each family’s attitudes and beliefs related to diabetes.

Results

Although all subjects were in excellent metabolic control (mean A1C levels were between 7.3% and 7.6%), there were a number of identifiable differences in the perception of the impact of T1DM among the 3 groups. Themes in the data demonstrated differences in the following areas: (1) view of diabetes and its effects on the family; (2) ability to successfully treat diabetes; (3) ability to cope with diabetes; and (4) experiences with the health care system. Most notable themes include a disparity across racial/ethnic groups in the preoccupation with the disease after diagnosis, cultural and financial factors identified, and differences in treatment modalities and reasons for their use.

Conclusions

Diabetes education and care need to carefully address such differences. Although these differences are likely multifactorial, with components of socioeconomic status, family structure, and family experiences involved, it is evident that ethnicity itself is an important factor that can affect the ability of families to manage and cope with diabetes.
Comparing the Processes
Authors: Mensing Carolé
Published: April 2010

Diabetes education programs are developed to serve the diabetes community by offering quality education that meets a set of standards and is then eligible for third-party insurance reimbursement. Three organizations are authorized by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine whether diabetes education programs meet required standards. Each of the three relies on the 2007 edition of the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. This article summarizes similarities among and unique qualities of each of the organization’s approaches to assuring quality.
Abandoned in Brussels, Delivered in Paris: Long-Distance Transports of Unwanted Children in the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Winter Anne
Published: April 2010

The study uses examinations and other documents produced in the course of a large-scale investigation undertaken by the central authorities of the Austrian Netherlands in the 1760s on the transportation of about thirty children from Brussels to the Parisian foundling house by a Brussels shoemaker and his wife. It combines the rich archival evidence with sparse indications in the literature to demonstrate that long-distance transports of abandoned children were a common but historiographically neglected by-product of the ambiguities of foundling policies in eighteenth-century Europe and provides insight into the functioning of the associated networks and the motives of parents, doctors, midwives, transporters, and local officials involved.
An investigation of the disposal of dental clinical waste in Ibadan City, south-west Nigeria
Authors: Morenikeji Olajumoke A
Published: April 2010

This study investigated the disposal of dental clinical waste in and from dental surgeries in Ibadan, south-west Nigeria and followed the waste trail to the rubbish tips. A questionnaire was sent to 130 dentists in dental practices in Ibadan city. Rubbish collectors and scavengers were interviewed to see if they encountered clinical dental waste. The response rate of dentists was 93%. A total of 68.6% of the dentists sampled stated that there were no special disposal facilities for the different kinds of waste materials generated in their clinics: 52.9% disposed of sharp items into the waste bins; and 77.7% said there was no special treatment/disposal of needles and other items used on patients with infectious diseases. Most practices burned their wastes in the hospital area and 73.6% said they were not aware of any rules or body to regulate dental waste disposal in Nigeria. Rubbish collectors and scavengers knew what dental rubbish looked like and tried to avoid it. The survey clearly demonstrates a failure by dentists to dispose of waste appropriately and also provides evidence that scavengers encounter the waste. There is need for the government to provide recommendations, reinforced by legislation and education, to the dental profession concerning the waste materials that they generate.
Predicting the co-melting temperatures of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash and sewage sludge ash using grey model and neural network
Authors: Pai Tzu-Yi , Lin Kae-Long , Shie Je-Lung , Chang Tien-Chin , Chen Bor-Yann
Published: April 2010

A grey model (GM) and an artificial neural network (ANN) were employed to predict co-melting temperature of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash and sewage sludge ash (SSA) during formation of modified slag. The results indicated that in the aspect of model prediction, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPEs) were between 1.69 and 13.20% when adopting seven different GM (1, N) models. The MAPE were 1.59 and 1.31% when GM (1, 1) and rolling grey model (RGM (1, 1)) were adopted. The MAPEs fell within the range of 0.04 and 0.50% using different types of ANN. In GMs, the MAPE of 1.31% was found to be the lowest when using RGM (1, 1) to predict co-melting temperature. This value was higher than those of ANN2-1 to ANN8-1 by 1.27, 1.25, 1.24, 1.18, 1.16, 1.14 and 0.81%, respectively. GM only required a small amount of data (at least four data). Therefore, GM could be applied successfully in predicting the co-melting temperature of MSWI fly ash and SSA when no sufficient information is available. It also indicates that both the composition of MSWI fly ash and SSA could be applied on the prediction of co-melting temperature.
Status of pre-processing of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Germany and its influence on the recovery of gold
Authors: Chancerel Perrine , Bolland Til , Rotter Vera Susanne
Published: April 2010

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) contains gold in low but from an environmental and economic point of view relevant concentration. After collection, WEEE is pre-processed in order to generate appropriate material fractions that are sent to the subsequent end-processing stages (recovery, reuse or disposal). The goal of this research is to quantify the overall recovery rates of pre-processing technologies used in Germany for the reference year 2007. To achieve this goal, facilities operating in Germany were listed and classified according to the technology they apply. Information on their processing capacity was gathered by evaluating statistical databases. Based on a literature review of experimental results for gold recovery rates of different pre-processing technologies, the German overall recovery rate of gold at the pre-processing level was quantified depending on the characteristics of the treated WEEE. The results reveal that — depending on the equipment groups — pre-processing recovery rates of gold of 29 to 61% are achieved in Germany. Some practical recommendations to reduce the losses during pre-processing could be formulated. Defining mass-based recovery targets in the legislation does not set incentives to recover trace elements. Instead, the priorities for recycling could be defined based on other parameters like the environmental impacts of the materials. The implementation of measures to reduce the gold losses would also improve the recovery of several other non-ferrous metals like tin, nickel, and palladium.
Nitrogen and phosphorus transport in runoff from compost berms on a simulated military training landscape
Authors: Nyakatawa Ermson Z , Mays David A , Britton Rhonda , Pacumbaba Rudolfo O , Howard HR , Svendsen NG
Published: April 2010

Compost mulches have potential to significantly offset on- and off-site environmental impacts resulting from mechanical soil disturbances and training manoeuvres on military training ranges. N and P transport was investigated in runoff from compost mulch berms made from various organic waste materials in combination with each other and with soil on a simulated military training landscape in north Alabama in 2007 and 2008. Berms were constructed using composted municipal yard waste (YW), wood chips (WC), pine bark fines (PB), and soil (SL) mixed in eight different proportions. Berms made from 100% soil which had a cumulative runoff PO4-P content of 12 mg L-1 posed the greatest threat of negatively impacting the environment from inorganic P transport. Using compost mulch material with 40% soil to build berms reduced the potential for yard waste and wood chips to cause off-site negative environmental impacts from total dissolved solids, N, and P transport. Berms made from 100% pine bark fines which had cumulative runoff values of 760, 9, 22 and 5 mg L -1, respectively, of TDS, NH4-N, NO3-N, and PO 4-P had the least potential to cause negative off-site environmental impact. To prevent negative impacts of nutrient transport in runoff from berms on training landscapes, the sites need to be well buffered to hydrologically isolate them from adjoining ecosystems.
Food Environment, Built Environment, and Women’s BMI: Evidence from Erie County, New York
Authors: Raja Samina , Li Yin  , Roemmich James , Changxing Ma  , Epstein Leonard , Yadav Pavan , Ticoalu Alex Brian
Published: April 2010

The authors present the results of a neighborhood-scaled exploratory study that tests the association of the food environment and the built environment with women’s body mass index (BMI) in Erie County, New York. The proximity of women’s homes to a supermarket relative to a convenience store is associated with lower BMI. A diverse land use mix in a neighborhood is positively associated with women’s BMI, especially when restaurants dominate nonresidential land use. The article offers suggestions for how food environments may be improved using planning strategies.
Botulinum Toxin Injections for Pediatric Patients With Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis
Authors: Geva-Dayan Keren , Domenievitz Dafna , Zahalka Rafat , Fattal-Valevski Aviva
Published: April 2010

Limited information is available on the use of botulinum toxin type A injections for children with hereditary spastic paraplegia. This report includes 12 children with hereditary spastic paraplegia (mean age 4.8 ± 2.5 years) who underwent 1 to 6 sessions of botulinum toxin A injections to the hamstrings, adductors and gastrocnemius muscles. Patients showed both improved muscle tone (mean 1.9 ± 0.5 vs 1.18 ± 0.33, P < .001, Ashworth Scale) and motor function (75.3 ± 11.9 vs 77.7 ± 11, P < .001, Gross Motor Function Measure). The effect lasted for a mean of 6.6 ± 3.6 months. During the study period (mean 2.8 ± 1.8 years), the preinjection Gross Motor Function Measure increased (69.2 ± 14.7 vs 78.3 ± 13.5, P = .005), whereas the Ashworth Scale remained stable, suggesting a prolonged effect of botulinum toxin A on motor function. The authors conclude that botulinum toxin A injections to lower limbs of pediatric patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia result in prolonged functional improvement despite the progressive nature of the disease.
Frequency Self-tuning Scheme for Broadband Vibration Energy Harvesting
Authors: Lallart Mickaël , Anton Steven R. , Inman Daniel J.
Published: April 2010

The recent proliferation of microscale devices has raised the issue of energy harvesting for replacing batteries that present maintenance and recycling problems. Particularly, piezoelectric seismic microgenerators offer the advantages of easy maintenance and high power output, but are very sensitive to frequency drifts that can dramatically decrease their performance. The purpose of the present article is to expose a technique to ensure that the harvester resonance frequency matches the base motion frequency, without any external intervention. The principles of the proposed method rely on ultralow-cost frequency sensing combined with an energy-efficient stiffness tuning, through the use of an additional actuator. Experimental results carried out to validate the model show that such an approach permits increasing the effective bandwidth of the structure by a factor of 4 in terms of mechanical vibrations and having a 100% frequency band gain in terms of total power output of the device (i.e., taking into account the energy spent by the actuation). The total energy produced by the harvesting device, taking into account the actuation cost, is discussed as well.
Parents’ Experiences of Caring for a Child With Chronic Pain
Authors: Maciver Donald , Jones Derek , Nicol Margaret
Published: April 2010

Involvement of parents in their children’s pain management is universally accepted as best practice, yet there is little understanding of their needs. Twelve parents of children with chronic pain were recruited to this study in which the impact of caring for a child with chronic pain was explored. All parents started in distress, and most moved into a stance that enabled them to balance the child’s needs with their own. These parents discussed “stepping back” from their child’s distress and gaining mastery over fearful emotional reactions. A minority remained in distress, finding an adaptive response to the child’s pain challenging. Catastrophic thinking, fear of pain, and the desire to fulfill a nurturing parental role led parents to place themselves continually “on call.” Findings indicate that parents might require support to care effectively for their children, and that many of the actions necessitated by children’s pain require complex and counterintuitive decisions.
Quantifying and Interpreting Group Differences in Interest Profiles
Authors: Armstrong Patrick Ian , Fouad Nadya A. , Rounds James , Hubert Lawrence
Published: April 2010

Research on group differences in interests has often focused on structural hypotheses and mean-score differences in Holland’s (1997) theory, with comparatively little research on basic interest measures. Group differences in interest profiles were examined using statistical methods for matching individuals with occupations, the C-index, Q correlations, and Euclidean distance measures. Profile similarity across U.S. racial-ethnic groups was evaluated with students and employed adults who completed the General Occupational Themes (GOT) and Basic interest scales (BIS) of the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). Obtained results suggest that profile shape varies systematically by gender and employment status, with the Euclidean distance measure being more effective than Q correlations for representing these differences and Q correlation more effective than the C-index. Group differences in interest profiles may lead to men and women receiving differential feedback on the fit between their interests and different careers, which may contribute to gender differences in the pursuit of careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Values and Change Over a Generation: Kelantan, Malaysia
Authors: Raybeck Douglas , De Munck Victor
Published: April 2010

This article presents the results of two semantic differential studies that focus on cultural values and modernization, which were carried out in Kelantan, Malaysia, first in 1969 and the second in 2001.The results of these quantitative psychological anthropology studies, complimented by more than 3 years of traditional fieldwork, provide a finely textured means to assess both the direction and the degree of sociocultural change in what has been a very traditional, conservative, Islamic, peasant community, but which now, with some notable exceptions, appears to be rapidly modernizing. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data resulting from our investigation, the authors discuss the continuing dominance of Islam in the conceptual and value system of virtually all Kelantanese Malays and some of its consequences for peace in the country and throughout the region.
Applying the Concept of Adaptation to Societal Differences in Intelligence
Authors: Barber Nigel
Published: April 2010

The concept of adaptation has been defined too rigidly by evolutionary psychologists so as to exclude modern conditions. This article proposes a more flexible, and useful, application of the term.Among animals with extensive social learning, adaptations must include behaviors that enhance current fitness on average (rather than over the distant past). Because the content of social learning is non genetic, it is selected directly via the phenotype and immediate fitness consequences. Used thus, the concept of adaptation provides a viable research strategy for investigating differences among modern societies. These concepts are illustrated concerning intelligence as a function of the varied cognitive demands of different societies. The author concludes that societal variation in intelligence (including the Flynn effect) is best understood in terms of responses by individuals to varied levels of cognitive enrichment. Research on intelligence thus illustrates the value of a more flexible definition of adaptation than the genetic-determinist one preferred by most evolutionary psychologists.
Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect on Adult Economic Well-Being
Authors: Currie Janet , Spatz Widom Cathy
Published: April 2010

Child abuse and neglect represent major threats to child health and well-being; however, little is known about consequences for adult economic outcomes. Using a prospective cohort design, court substantiated cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and neglect during 1967—1971 were matched with nonabused and nonneglected children and followed into adulthood (mean age 41). Outcome measures of economic status and productivity were assessed in 2003—2004 (N = 807). Results indicate that adults with documented histories of childhood abuse and/or neglect have lower levels of education, employment, earnings, and fewer assets as adults, compared to matched control children. There is a 14% gap between individuals with histories of abuse/neglect and controls in the probability of employment in middle age, controlling for background characteristics. Maltreatment appears to affect men and women differently, with larger effects for women than men. These new findings demonstrate that abused and neglected children experience large and enduring economic consequences.
Suspect Confession of Child Sexual Abuse to Investigators
Authors: Lippert Tonya , Cross Theodore P. , Jones Lisa , Walsh Wendy
Published: April 2010

Increasing the number of suspects who give true confessions of sexual abuse serves justice and reduces the burden of the criminal justice process on child victims. With data from four communities, this study examined confession rates and predictors of confession of child sexual abuse over the course of criminal investigations (final N = 282). Overall, 30% of suspects confessed partially or fully to the crime. This rate was consistent across the communities and is very similar to the rates of suspect confession of child sexual abuse found by previous research, although lower than that from a study focused on a community with a vigorous practice of polygraph testing. In a multivariate analysis, confession was more likely when suspects were younger and when more evidence of abuse was available, particularly child disclosure and corroborative evidence. These results suggest the difficulty of obtaining confession but also the value of methods that facilitate child disclosure and seek corroborative evidence, for increasing the odds of confession.
Interstate Variations in Psychotropic Medication Use Among a National Sample of Children in the Child Welfare System
Authors: Raghavan Ramesh , Lama Gyanesh , Kohl Patricia , Hamilton Barton
Published: April 2010

Geographic variations in service utilization have emerged as sentinels of quality of care. We used data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Area Resource File to examine interstate variations in psychotropic medication use among children coming into contact with child welfare agencies. Mean probabilities of medication use differed by 13% between California (7.1%) and Texas (20.1%). On regression analyses, children in California had a fifth of the odds of medication use compared to children in Texas, principally, because child characteristics of age, gender, foster care placement, and mental health need seem to be evaluated differently in Texas compared to in other states. These findings suggest that interstate variations in psychotropic medication use are driven by child characteristics, rather than by mental health need. Understanding the clinical contexts of psychotropic medication use is necessary to assure high-quality care for these children.
Complete heart block secondary to bortezomib use in multiple myeloma
Authors: Dasanu Constantin A
Published: April 2010

Although rare, cardiac rhythm abnormalities have been documented with bortezomib use in clinical trials. These side effects must be recognized promptly by physicians of various specialties as well as pharmacists. Special attention is required in patients with liver function abnormalities, elderly and patients with pre-existing cardiac conditions. Prompt bortezomib withdrawal is essential in these cases as it may prevent dismal outcomes. This is the first report of a complete heart block caused by bortezomib in the setting of myeloma therapy outside a clinical trial. The author discusses further various heart rhythm and other autonomic nervous system abnormalities attributed to bortezomib in the existing literature.
The Influence of Black Mayors on Police Officers Killed: A Comment on Kaminski and Stucky
Authors: Jacobs David
Published: April 2010

In a recent publication Kaminsky and Stucky (2009) claim our finding that the presence of a black mayor reduces killings of police officers (see Jacobs & Carmichael 2002) does not hold after they correct an error I made in the 2002 publication. Kaminsky and Stucky, however, ignore our most comprehensive models, which included a nonlinear specification with considerable explanatory power. They instead confine their reanalysis to a simplified and initial less exhaustive model in our paper that did not include the nonlinear specification without mentioning this and other omissions. After I correct my error, and retain the nonlinear specification that was in our definitive models, multiple versions of this model continue to support our hypothesis that the presence of a black mayor reduces killings of police officers. This comment concludes by outsome problems in Kaminski and Stucky’s analysis of later data.
Further Tests of the Influence of Black Mayors on Murders of Police: A Response to Jacobs
Authors: Kaminski Robert J. , Stucky Thomas D.
Published: April 2010

In response to our reanalysis and extension of Jacobs and Carmichael (2002) in which we found no evidence of a Black mayor effect, Jacobs (this issue) critiques our article on theoretical and methodological grounds. Theoretically, Jacobs argues that we did not provide sufficient justification for the inclusion of the percentage of the city council that was Black. Methodological criticisms include failure to include a nonlinear specification of percent divorced, improper temporal ordering, and the inclusion of only a single regional dummy variable. In our rejoinder we clarify the theoretical importance of the percentage of the city council that was Black and we address each of Jacobs’ methodological concerns. In additional analyses, we again find that the effect of the Black mayor variable is not robust to model specification or data employed, which was the point of our original article
A Multidimensional Analysis of Criminal Specialization Among Single-Victim and Serial Homicide Offenders
Authors: Trojan Carrie , Salfati C. Gabrielle
Published: April 2010

The degree of difference between single and serial homicide offenders’ criminal histories is not fully understood at present. The current study compares these offenders’ criminal histories to identify general trends in the degree and type of offending specialization that they demonstrate. The results showed that a single framework can account for patterns in the criminal histories of these offenders, according to a co-occurrence of violent versus instrumental offenses, and most offenders could be allocated to one of these offense groups and considered specialists. However, serial offenders were more likely to be considered specialists in instrumental offenses compared to single offenders, highlighting one important point of difference between these offenders.
Comparing a Behavioral Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) Intervention to Standard Practice in an Urban Middle School Setting Using an Experimental Group Design
Authors: Simonsen Brandi , Myers Diane , Briere Donald E.
Published: April 2010

Students who continue to demonstrate at-risk behaviors after a school implements schoolwide primary (Tier 1) interventions require targeted-group secondary (Tier 2) interventions. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of a targeted-group behavioral check-in/check-out (CICO) intervention with the school’s standard practice (SP) with respect to decreasing students’ off-task and other problem behavior. Researchers used a pretest—posttest control group design with random assignment to compare the two interventions (CICO and SP). Statistically significant differences were detected for systematic direct observation data of classroom behavior; however, statistically significant differences were not demonstrated for rating scale data. Limitations and implications are discussed.
The Impact of Observation Duration on the Accuracy of Data Obtained From Direct Behavior Rating (DBR)
Authors: Riley-Tillman T. Chris , Christ Theodore J. , Chafouleas Sandra M. , Boice-Mallach Christina H. , Briesch Amy
Published: April 2010

In this study, evaluation of direct behavior rating (DBR) occurred with regard to two primary areas: (a) accuracy of ratings with varied instrumentation (anchoring: proportional or absolute) and procedures (observation length: 5 min, 10 min, or 20 min) and (b) one-week test—retest reliability. Participants viewed video clips of a typical third grade student and then used single-item DBR scales to rate disruptive and academically engaged behavior. Overall, ratings tended to overestimate the actual occurrence of behavior. Although ratings of academic engagement were not affected by duration of the observation, ratings of disruptive behavior were, as the longer the duration, the more the ratings of disruptive behavior were overestimated. In addition, the longer the student was disruptive, the greater the overestimation effect. Results further revealed that anchoring the DBR scale as proportional versus absolute number of minutes did not affect rating accuracy. Finally, test—retest analyses revealed low to moderate consistency across time points for 10-min and 20-min observations, with increased consistency as the number of raters or number of ratings increased (e.g., four 5-min vs. one 20-min). Overall, results contribute to the technical evaluation of DBR as a behavior assessment method and provide preliminary information regarding the influence of duration of an observation period on DBR data.
Exploring the Schelling conjecture in reverse
Authors: Grodsky Brian
Published: April 2010

Students of bargaining have long focused on the dual nature of international negotiations, which take place both internationally and domestically. The prevailing wisdom is that under certain conditions political leaders can use domestic constraints to get a better deal at the negotiating table. In this article, I argue that under certain conditions leaders have an incentive to use ‘international constraints’ to pressure their domestic constituents into accepting a particular policy. I apply this argument to the Serbian and Croatian cases of Western pressure for cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (Hague Tribunal).
Auditing patient registration in the Swedish quality register for acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Rosvall Maria , Ohlsson Henrik , Hansen Ole , Chaix Basile , Merlo Juan
Published: April 2010

Aims: The present study aims to quantify non-participation in the RIKS-HIA register during 2005 and to compare acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients registered and not registered in RIKS-HIA, in relation to sociodemographic factors, prevalent disease, and 7-day and 30-day survival. Methods: We linked information on sociodemographic characteristics, treatments, morbidity, and mortality from the LOMAS (Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis in Scania) database with the RIKS-HIA register. The study population consisted of individuals younger than 85 years living in Scania by 31 December 2004 who had one or more AMI during 2005 (n = 2968). Results: The 70% of the AMI patients included in the register were generally younger, more often men, generally more healthy, more often had AMI as the main diagnosis, and more often underwent revascularisation procedures than AMI patients not included. Among both men (ORadjusted = 0.19; 95% CI 0.14—0.27) and women (ORadjusted = 0.30; 95% CI 0.20—0.44), registered patients had a lower 30-day mortality than patients not registered in RIKS-HIA. Conclusions: Even though RIKS-HIA conveys a clear quality improvement for the care of patients with acute coronary syndrome in Sweden, it is important to be aware that the register does not include the entire AMI population, but rather a selected and healthier population of AMI patients. This circumstance decreases the external validity of the information obtained from the RIKS-HIA register. Such an effect might be reduced over time and data from 2006 shows an inclusion rate of 76% among AMI patients aged less than 80 years.