bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement of Peripheral Purinoceptors in Sympathetic Modulation of Capsaicin-Induced Sensitization of Primary Afferent Fibers
Authors: Ren Yong , Zou Xiaoju , Fang Li , Lin Qing
Published: August 2006

Purinoceptors are distributed in primary afferent terminals, where transmission of nociceptive information is modulated by these receptors. In the present study, we evaluated whether the activation or blockade of purinoceptors of subtypes P2X and P2Y in the periphery affected the sensitization of primary afferents induced by intradermal injection of capsaicin (CAP) and examined their role in sympathetic modulation of sensitization of primary nociceptive afferents. Afferent activity was recorded from single Aδ- and C-primary afferent fibers in the tibial nerve in anesthetized rats. Peripheral pretreatment with α,β-methylene adenosine 5′-triphosphate (α,β-meATP), a P2X-selective receptor agonist, could potentiate the CAP-induced enhancement of responses of Aδ- and C-primary afferent nociceptive fibers to mechanical stimuli in sympathetically intact rats. After sympathetic denervation, the enhanced responses of both Aδ- and C-fibers after CAP injection were dramatically reduced. However, this reduction could be restored when P2X receptors were activated by α,β-meATP. A blockade of P2X receptors by pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid could significantly reduce the CAP-induced sensitization of Aδ- and C-fibers. Pretreatment with uridine 5′-triphosphate, a P2Y-selective receptor agonist, did not significantly affect or restore the CAP-induced sensitization of Aδ- and C-fibers under sympathetically intact or sympathectomized conditions. Our study supports the view that ATP plays a role in modulation of primary afferent nociceptor sensitivity mainly by P2X receptors. Combined with our previous study, our data also provide further evidence that the sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors is subject to sympathetic modulation by activation of P2X as well as α1-adrenergic receptors.
An Increase in AMPA and a Decrease in SK Conductance Increase Burst Firing by Different Mechanisms in a Model of a Dopamine Neuron In Vivo
Authors: Canavier C. C. , Landry R. S.
Published: August 2006

A stylized, symmetric, compartmental model of a dopamine neuron in vivo shows how rate and pattern can be modulated either concurrently or differentially. If two or more parameters in the model are varied concurrently, the baseline firing rate and the extent of bursting become de-correlated, which provides an explanation for the lack of a tight correlation in vivo and is consistent with some independence of the mechanisms that generate baseline firing rates versus bursts. We hypothesize that most bursts are triggered by a barrage of synaptic input and that particularly meaningful stimuli recruit larger numbers of synapses in a more synchronous way. An example of concurrent modulation is that increasing the short-lived AMPA current evokes additional spikes without regard to pattern, producing comparable increases in spike frequency and fraction fired in bursts. On the other hand, blocking the SK current evokes additional bursts by allowing a depolarization that previously produced only a single spike to elicit two or more and elongates existing bursts by the same principle, resulting in a greater effect on pattern than rate. A probabilistic algorithm for the random insertion of spikes into the firing pattern produces a good approximation to the pattern changes induced by increasing the AMPA conductance, but not by blocking the SK current, consistent with a differential modulation in the latter case. Furthermore, blocking SK produced a longer burst with a greater intra-burst frequency in response to a simulated meaningful input, suggesting that reduction of this current may augment reward-related responses.
Temporally Precise Cortical Firing Patterns Are Associated With Distinct Action Segments
Authors: Shmiel Tomer , Drori Rotem , Shmiel Oren , Ben-Shaul Yoram , Nadasdy Zoltan , Shemesh Moshe , Teicher Mina , Abeles Moshe
Published: August 2006

Despite many reports indicating the existence of precise firing sequences in cortical activity, serious objections have been raised regarding the statistics used to detect them and the relations of these sequences to behavior. We show that in behaving monkeys, pairs of spikes from different neurons tend to prefer certain time delays when measured in relation to a specific behavior. Single-unit activity was recorded from eight microelectrodes inserted into the motor and premotor cortices of two monkeys while they were performing continuous drawinglike hand movements. Repeated scribbling paths, termed drawing components, were extracted by data-mining techniques. The set of the least predictable relations between drawing components and pairs of neurons was determined and represented by one statistic termed the relations score. The chance probability of the relations score was evaluated by teetering the spike times: 1,000 surrogates were generated by randomly teetering the original time of each spike in a small window. In nine of 13 experimental days the precision was better than 12 ms and, in the best case, spike precision reached 0.5 ms.
Protein Expression Profiling Identifies Cyclophilin A as a Molecular Target in Fhit-Mediated Tumor Suppression
Authors: Semba Shuho , Huebner Kay
Published: August 2006

Loss of fragile histidine triad (Fhit) expression is often associated with human malignancies, and Fhit functions as a tumor suppressor in controlling cell growth and apoptosis, although specific signal pathways are still undefined. We have used a proteomic approach to define proteins in the Fhit-mediated tumor suppression pathway. Because substitution of Tyr114 (Y114) with phenylalanine (Y114F) diminishes Fhit functions, we did protein expression profiling to identify proteins differentially expressed in Fhit-negative H1299 lung cancer cells infected with wild-type (Ad-FHIT-wt) and Y114 mutant FHIT-expressing (Ad-FHIT-Y114F) adenoviruses. Among 12 distinct proteins that exhibited 4-fold differences in expression on comparison of the two infected cell lysates, cyclophilin A, the intracellular reporter of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A, showed a remarkably decreased protein level in cells infected with Ad-FHIT-wt versus Ad-FHIT-Y114F. Conversely, loss of Fhit expression resulted in increased cyclophilin A expression in mouse tissues and cell lines. Restoration of Fhit expression led to down-regulated cyclophilin A protein expression and subsequently prevented cyclophilin A–induced up-regulation of cyclin D1, Cdk4, and resultant cell cycle progression (G1-S transition), which was independent of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase inhibitor, KN-93. Interestingly, Fhit down-modulation of phosphatase activity of calcineurin, which controls cyclin D1/Cdk4 activation, was reversed by cyclophilin A treatment in a concentration-dependent manner, a reversal that was inhibited by additional cyclosporine A treatment. Thus, cyclophilin A is a downstream target in Fhit-mediated cessation of cell cycle progression at late G1 phase. Elucidation of the protein effectors of Fhit signaling may lead to identification of targets for lung cancer therapy. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(8):529–38)
Studies on the genus Aphanolaimus de Man, 1880 (Nematoda: Aphanolaimidae) with description of two new species
Authors: Park Byeong-Yong , Holovachov Oleksandr , Sturhan Dieter
Published: August 2006

Three known and two new species of Aphanolaimus are described, viz. A. louisae, A. seshadrii, A. brasiliensis, A. aberrans sp. n. and A. vietnamicus sp. n. New data on the morphology and distribution of A. louisae, A. seshadrii and A. brasiliensis are given. The male of A. brasiliensis is described for the first time: it is characterised by the presence of one pair of neck setae, four tubular supplements, two precloacal and six caudal setae, 13-18 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft, platelike gubernaculum. Aphanolaimus aberrans sp. n. is characterised by a 495-681 μm long body, longitudinally striated cuticle, presence of 24-34 lateral epidermal glands, weakly sclerotised stoma, amphid with central elevation, lateral field starting on the third to seventh annule, oval ventral gland cell; female reproductive system with developed spermathecae, straight vagina without sclerotisations; male with one pair of neck setae, with two or three small tubular supplements and three or four caudal setae, 13-18 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft, plate-like gubernaculum. Aphanolaimus vietnamicus sp. n. is characterised by a 544-569 μm long body, longitudinally striated cuticle, presence of 19 lateral epidermal glands, weakly sclerotised stoma, amphid with central elevation, lateral field starting on 14th-18th annule, oval ventral gland cell; female reproductive system with developed spermathecae, straight vagina without sclerotisations; male with one pair of neck setae, with two tubular supplements and four caudal setae, 12 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft.
Embryology and gonad development in Oscheius shamimi sp. n. (Nematoda: Rhabditida)
Authors: Tahseen Qudsia , Nisa Syim-ul
Published: August 2006

A new species of Rhabditinae collected from compost, is described and illustrated together with observations on embryonic and post-embryonic development. Oscheius shamimi sp. n. is characterised by a medium-sized body (female: L = 0.76-1.52 mm, a = 12-20, b = 4.2-6.3, c = 6.8-13.8, c′ = 4.1-5.8, V = 45-51), finely annulated cuticle; slightly demarcated lip region; lips fused to form three doublets; six lines in lateral field; small stoma with isomorphic metastegostom; cylindrical pharyngeal corpus; slightly protruded vulval lips with subventral cuticular flap; long, proximally dilated, rectum; 53-61 μm long, robust spicules with long capitula having strongly cuticularised ventral walls; pseudopeloderan bursa with nine pairs of genital papillae in 1 + 1 + 1/3 + 3 + ph configuration and six to seven pairs of copulatory muscle bands. Oscheius shamimi sp. n. is amphimictic with a 1:1 sex ratio. The eggs are ovoid and smooth-shelled and measure 48-78 × 37-48 μm. Most eggs are laid in the late stages of embryonation. The embryonation time was 14-15 h at 25 ± 2°C. The genital primordium was orientated obliquely to the longitudinal axis and did not show division of primordial nuclei during the first moult. The didelphic female reproductive system was formed as a result of anterior and posterior elongation of the primordium while the monorchic reproductive system of the male developed from an anterior elongation of the primordium. The life cycle from egg to adult was completed in 3-3.5 days at 25 ± 2°C.
Activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase in roots of banana (Musa acuminata AAA, cvs Grande Naine and Yangambi km5) before and after infection with Radopholus similis
Authors: Wuyts Nathalie , Swennen Rony , De Waele Dirk
Published: August 2006

Phenylpropanoids – phenolic compounds – take part in the wound and defence responses of plants and are frequently correlated with resistance. Enzymes directly or indirectly functional in the phenylpropanoid pathway are induced in plants in response to wounding and infection by pathogens, including sedentary endoparasitic nematodes. The activity of three of these enzymes, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (PO) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), was analysed in banana roots before and 1, 3 and 7 days after inoculation with the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis and in comparison with mechanically wounded roots. Constitutive activities of PAL, PO and PPO were lower in the resistant cv. Yangambi km5 (Musa acuminata AAA) than in the susceptible cv. Grande Naine (Musa acuminata AAA). During the experiment, levels increased to those of cv. Grande Naine, but only for R. similis-inoculated roots of cv. Yangambi km5 enzyme activities at 3 and 7 days after the onset of the experiment were values significantly higher than constitutive ones. At 7 days after the treatments, PO activity was significantly higher in wounded roots of cv. Grande Naine than in control and nematode-inoculated roots. The level of PAL activity in nematode-treated roots of cv. Yangambi km5 at 7 days after inoculation was 2.3-fold higher than control and wounded roots and up to six-fold higher than cv. Grande Naine roots. We concluded that PAL was induced in R. similis-inoculated roots of the resistant cultivar only and that this response was different from wound induction. For PO and PPO we concluded that levels in the resistant cultivar increased to those of the susceptible cultivar as a response to general stress in the plants during the experiment. Nevertheless, final levels of PO and PPO activity in R. similis-inoculated roots of the resistant cultivar were significantly higher than constitutive ones.
Influence of Pratylenchus coffeae and Meloidogyne spp. on plant growth and yield of banana (Musa spp.) in Vietnam
Authors: Van den Bergh Inge , Tuyet Nguyen Thi , Nguyet Duong Thi Minh , De Waele Dirk , Nhi Ho Huu
Published: August 2006

The objective of the presented study was to look at the effect of Pratylenchus coffeae and Meloidogyne spp., the two major nematode species associated with banana ( Musa spp.) in North Vietnam, on the plant growth and yield of cv. Grand Naine (AAA) and four local banana cultivars, Ngu Tien (AA), Hot (BB), Ben Tre (AAA) and Tay Tia (ABB). Inoculated plants were compared with nematode-free control plants in terms of plant growth, crop cycle duration and yield under field conditions in Hanoi, North Vietnam. Infection with P. coffeae did not affect the crop cycle duration or the plant height, the pseudostem girth or the number of standing leaves at harvest of any of the cultivars, but did significantly reduce the bunch weight of cv. Ngu Tien from 6.6 to 5.3 kg (20% reduction), the bunch weight of cv. Tay Tia from 7.3 to 5.9 kg (19% reduction) and the bunch weight of cv. Grand Naine from 6.9 to 6.0 kg (13% reduction). The bunch weight of cvs Hot and Ben Tre was not significantly affected. The number of hands of the inoculated and the control plants did not differ for any of the cultivars but infection with P. coffeae resulted in a 34% reduction in the number of fingers of cv. Grand Naine (from 67 to 44 fingers). The number of fingers of the other cultivars were not affected by inoculation with P. coffeae. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. did not affect the time from planting to harvest for any of the cultivars, but the time from planting to shooting was increased from 367 to 387 days for cv. Ngu Tien. The plant height and the pseudostem girth at harvest of cv. Grand Naine were significantly reduced by 27% and 18%, respectively. The number of standing leaves as well as the plant height and the pseudostem girth at harvest of the other cultivars were unaffected. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. significantly reduced the bunch weight of cv. Ngu Tien from 6.6 to 5.1 kg (23% reduction) and the bunch weight of cv. Grand Naine from 6.9 to 5.6 kg (19% reduction). The bunch weight of cv. Hot was unaffected. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. reduced the number of hands of cv. Ngu Tien by 14% (from 6.2 to 5.4 hands) the number of fingers of cv. Grand Naine by 25% (from 67 to 50 fingers). The number of hands and fingers of the other cultivars were not affected. The results indicate that in areas where the burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis, is not present, other nematodes, especially Meloidogyne spp., may become more important in terms of damage and yield loss.
Detection of Heterodera schachtii infestation in sugar beet by means of laser-induced and pulse amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorescence
Authors: Kiewnick Sebastian , Kühbauch Walter , Schmitz Astrid , Tartachnyk Iryna , Sikora Richard
Published: August 2006

Two glasshouse experiments with sugar beet cvs Penta and Macarena inoculated, respectively, with 0 or 1500 and 0, 500, 1000 or 1500 juveniles of Heterodera schachtii, were conducted to estimate the capability of laser-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LIF) and pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorescence techniques to detect H. schachtii infestation and to differentiate between infestation levels. Fluorescence and gas exchange parameters, nitrogen and chlorophyll content of sugar beet leaves were measured weekly after nematode inoculation. Sugar beet plants responded to H. schachtii infestation initially with a decrease in photosynthesis rate and later with a reduction in nitrogen uptake and chlorophyll concentration. At the early stages of nematode infestation, before visual symptoms were evident, infested sugar beet plants displayed increased fluorescence (F680, F740). Later stages of infection were accompanied by an increase in the F686/F740 ratio, ground fluorescence (Fo) and a decrease in photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) induced by degradation of leaf chlorophyll. Sugar beet plants infested with 500, 1000 or 1500 juveniles per 100 cm3 of soil did not differ either in their nitrogen and chlorophyll content or in photosynthesis and transpiration rate. The linear discrimination analysis based on the combination of PAM and LIF parameters resulted in 100% correct classification of control plants and high classification rates (60-100%) of the infested treatments on all the sampling dates. Whether the fluorescence technique will differentiate nematode densities under field conditions needs further study.
Spermatozoon ultrastructure in the sphaerularioidid nematode Contortylenchus genitalicola (Tylenchomorpha: Sphaerularioidea)
Authors: Kosaka Hajime , Yushin Vladimir , Kusunoki Manabu
Published: August 2006

The spermatozoa of the insect-parasitic tylenchomorph nematode Contortylenchus genitalicola (Tylenchomorpha: Sphaerularioidea) were studied with the transmission electron microscope. The immature spermatozoa from the testis are unpolarised cells with a centrally located nucleus lacking a nuclear envelope. The cytoplasm contains mitochondria and specific components, membranous organelles (MO) and fibrous bodies (FB). The MO are spherical vesicles with an internal system of finger-like invaginations of the membrane; the cylinder-like FB consist of tightly packed parallel fibres. The mature (activated) spermatozoa from the uterus are bipolar cells with the anterior pseudopod and posterior main cell body (MCB), which includes the nucleus, mitochondria and MO. The MO are attached to the spermatozoon plasmalemma and open to the exterior via pores. FB were not observed but their content may be transformed into the pseudopod cytoskeleton. In general, the spermatozoa of C. genitalicola well resemble those of free-living and parasitic nematodes from a variety of the taxa belonging to the order Rhabditida sensu De Ley & Blaxter (2002). The presence of the MO in C. genitalicola spermatozoa may be considered as an important cytological character that differentiates the superfamilies Sphaerularioidea and Tylenchoidea within the infraorder Tylenchomorpha. The plant-parasitic Tylenchoidea are characterised by a total absence of MO at all stages of sperm development.
Patronage, Activists and Repression: A Comparison of Minority Conflicts in Northern and Southern Thailand
Authors: Korff Rüdiger , Korff Valeska , Manakit Peerapong
Published: August 2006

This paper compares the ethnic (indigenous) movements in northern Thailand with the violent conflict in the southernmost provinces of the country, and considers how these movements relate to both the state and the local population. The construction of the nation as an 'imagined community' is a project of the national political elites. Similarly, the construction of an ethnic identity emerges from the local elites. This implies that national integration and minority formation are simultaneous processes, in which national elites enforcing a national identity confront local elites constructing minority identities. The potential conflict is reduced through co-opting the local elites into the ruling system. This has not been the case for the ethnic minorities of the north. There they either define themselves as representatives of the minorities, or monopolise administrative positions established through decentralisation policies. In the south the conflict in which the local elites lost their power positions dates back decades, if not centuries. There too co-optation did not take place until the 1980s. Then a relative pacification set in, when possibilities for political participation for these elites improved. The conflict escalated again when these possibilities were reduced after the election in 2001 with a new government policy.
Rescuing the Empire: Chinese Nation-building in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Fiskesjö Magnus
Published: August 2006

This paper takes modern China's dilemma of how to deal with the legacy of its imperial past as the starting point for a discussion of the drawn-out re-creation of China in the twentieth century. The particular focus is on the important role of non-Han ethnic minorities in this process. It is pointed out that the non-recognition and forced assimilation of all such minorities, in favour of a unified citizenship on an imagined European, American or Japanese model, was actually considered as a serious alternative and favoured by many Chinese nation-builders in the wake of the overthrow of the last imperial dynasty in 1911. The article then proceeds to a discussion of why, on the contrary, ethnic minorities should instead have been formally identified and in some cases even actively organised as official minorities, recognised and incorporated into the state structure, as happened after 1949. Based on the formal and symbolic qualities of the constitution of these minorities, it is argued that new China is also a new formulation of the imperial Chinese model, which resurrects the corollary idea of civilisation as a transformative force that requires a primitive, backward periphery as its object.
Between Unity and Diversity: The Construction of the Indonesian Nation
Authors: Meuleman Johan
Published: August 2006

This article studies the process of nation-building in Indonesia. Using a historical approach for the analysis of what is portrayed as a nonlinear, long-term process, it discusses relevant developments during the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial eras, with particular attention to the New Order and most recent periods. The analysis focuses on the complex relations between unity and diversity and highlights the multiplicity of frame-works within which inhabitants of the present Republic of Indonesia have constituted their identities, including national, transnational and subnational ones. Two questions that receive particular attention are the role of religion and the relations between the centre and various parts of the country. The article argues that various factors, including religion and ethnicity, have contributed to nation-building in specific circumstances, but have had contrary effects under other conditions. It also shows that progress and regression in nation-building has partially been the voluntary or involuntary effect of the tactical use governments and other political actors have made of manifold communal differences. It adds that the identity of Indonesian citizens becomes increasingly complex and trans- as well as subnational components increasingly important, but that this does not automatically imply the end of the nation-building process.
The End of the Line? the Fracturing of Authoritative Tibbi Knowledge in Twentieth-Century India
Authors: Attewell Guy
Published: August 2006

This article examines the fissures that emerged between different forms of unani knowledge during the twentieth century in India and, specifically, the disjuncture between unani knowledge derived through institutional training and that gained by apprenticeship to established family practitioners. The first section sketches historically the modes of acquiring knowledge in tibb— through apprenticeship, institutional training, and self-tuition. Discussing the formation of unani institutions in the early twentieth century provides a foundation to explore the locus of authoritative knowledge and practice in tibb and a key to appreciating the kind of knowledge patients and unani practitioners alike consider reliable and genuine. The second section is intended as a counterpoint to this historical discussion. It reports on various forms of contemporary unani practice, mostly within family-based settings. This part highlights the fragility of forms of knowledge that are not a significant part of the curriculum within the network of government-funded and private unani teaching institutions in India. Three distinctive modes of practice in tibb serve as examples: urine diagnosis, pulse diagnosis, and the preparation of medicines.
The Transmission of Medical Knowledge on ̒Nurturing the Fetus̓ in Early China
Authors: Wilms Sabine
Published: August 2006

Early and medieval Chinese medical authors produced, preserved, and transmitted medical information on ̒nurturing the fetus̓ as an important aspect of literature on ̒nurturing life̓ and ensuring the continuation of the family lineage. This article demonstrates the origin and development of a textual tradition from the Mawangdui manuscripts in the early second century BCE to early medieval formularies such as the Beiji qianjin yaofang and material found in the Japanese compendium lshimpiō. In this process, early descriptions of the month-by-month development of the fetus and corresponding instructions for the mother were preserved almost literally, but gradually supplemented with elements that reflected developments in medical theory and practice. These include correlations between months, five phases, and internal organs according to the theory of systematic correspondences; detailed descriptions of acupuncture channels and points prohibited during each month of pregnancy; medicinal formulas for the prevention and treatment of disorders of pregnancy; and, lastly, ten line drawings that depict the monthly changes in the naked body of a pregnant woman and her fetus, as well as prohibited acupuncture channels and points. Texts on ̒nurturing the fetus̓ thus show the influence of cosmology and yin-yang theory, formulary literature, acumoxa charts and prohibitions, and vessel and visceral theory, but most importantly, a growing attention to the genderspecific medical needs of female bodies in the context of ̒formulas for women.̓
Using Local Resources: Barefoot Doctors and Bone Manipulation in Rural Langzhong, Sichuan Province, Prc
Authors: Lora-Wainwright Anna
Published: August 2006

This article offers an account of two local options for healing available in contemporary rural Sichuan. Since the recent economic reforms, available healthcare options have multiplied due to social, economic and cultural changes. Yet, rising costs have entailed a narrowing of resources accessible to rural peasantry. In this context, research on the use of local alternatives becomes paramount. The barefoot doctor and bone manipulator discussed below offer accessible healthcare without conspicuously compromising its quality. Their position as members of the local community and experienced healers, who have been practising for over 30 years, enhances faith in their healing powers. A study of these practitioners offers insights into how local people evaluate their services, and highlights the importance of assessing their practice in the terms used by the locals themselves.

Case studies drawn from fifteen months of research and experience of living in rural China illustrate that medical choices are situational, strategic and performative. Apparent inconsistencies between villagers' claims and daily practices become intelligible in light of the wider challenges they face. Indeed, evaluation of local healers cannot be divorced from peasants' experience of the cultural, social and economic setting. Focusing on the sufferers' own understanding, feelings and practices surrounding illness and health allows us to appreciate how efficacy is discussed, evaluated and established. In turn it highlights the continuing importance of local healing alternatives.
Ancient and Medieval Chinese Recipes for Aphrodisiacs and Philters
Authors: Harper Donald
Published: August 2006

This article surveys recipes for aphrodisiacs and philters from the medical manuscripts discovered in Mawangdui tomb 3 (burial dated 168 BCE) and Dunhuang manuscripts (seventh to tenth centuries CE). Despite medical views that defined sex as a form of physiological and spiritual cultivation, and that criticised se 'lust,' the aphrodisiac and philter recipes reveal elements of eroticism in ancient and medieval Chinese views of sex.
Modern Medical Yoga: Struggling With a History of Magic, Alchemy and Sex
Authors: Alter Joseph S.
Published: August 2006

The history of modern yoga is rooted in the history of alchemy and the practice of magic in medieval India. In physiological terms it is also intimately linked to tantric ideas concerning the immobilisation of semen. However, modern yoga as a form of practice which emphasises physical fitness, wellness and holistic health, emerged more directly out of the early twentieth-century yoga renaissance. Leading figures such as Shri Y ogendra and Swami Kuvalyananda sought to purge yoga practices such as asana, kriya and pranayama of all things esoteric, mystical and magical and establish practice on the basis of pragmatic, rational, scientific principles. They did this within a framework of what can be called secularised spiritualism. Since the early part of the last century yoga has been popularised, systematised and routinised on these terms, as reflected in countless schools founded by teachers with various degrees of training and experience, as well as in thousands of popular, scientific and academic publications. In all of these schools and publications—both more and less spiritual and philosophical—there is, it will be argued, a degree of profound ambivalence if not explicit contradiction between a secularised, 'sanitised' scientific ideal of medicalised practice, and the 'other history' of sex, magic, and alchemy. This 'other history' both undermines and authorises the idea of yoga as medicine, and, it will be argued, the tension between pragmatic rationalism and esoteric magic makes yoga powerful.
Visual Representations of the Body in Chinese Medical and Daoist Texts From the Song to the Qing Period (Tenth to Nineteenth Century)
Authors: Despeux Catherine , Barrett Penelope
Published: August 2006

This article is a preliminary survey of representations of the body produced in China from the Song to the Qjng period in the context of medicine, forensic medicine and Daoism. Despite much common theoretical background, bodily representation in each of these fields differs in function and intent. Each field came to be associated with a particular aspect of the body. For medicine, this was the description of the viscera and the channels and tracts through which qi and humours flowed; for forensic medicine, it was the description of the skeleton; for Daoism, it was the symbolic description of the body as the spatio-temporal locus of a system of mutations and correspondences with the outside world and the spirit world.

These representations fall into three categories, reflecting three different approaches to the body: images of the whole body approached from without, including gymnastic postures, locations on the body, somatic measurements, channels and tracts; images of the inside of the body, i.e. the internal organs and the skeleton (which raises issues regarding dissection); and images of the symbolic body, i.e. alchemical processes within the body and the true form of the allegorical body. The images, which are always accompanied by text, require to be read according to specific cultural codes, and reveal particular mental constructions of the body. They perform multiple functions, serving as proof of knowledge, teaching material, medium of transmission, memory aid, or graphic presentation of a text; and for the Daoists, manifesting the form of the true body.
The Limits of Individualism and the Advantages of Modular Therapy. Concepts of Illness in Chinese Medicine
Authors: Unschuld Paul U
Published: August 2006

Seen from a distance, it is often difficult to distinguish one person from another. Normally, people have a head and a trunk, two arms and two legs, and apart from body height and circumference there is no way to see a person's individuality without being close enough to perceive the diversity of facial features, hair colours, etc. With ailments the situation is similar. At first glance, there is pain, an ulcer, or diarrhoea. It requires a closer look to distinguish between different types of pain, ulcer, or diarrhoea. In health care, attempts at healing ailments have, since antiquity, oscillated between a more distanced position and a closer look. That is, health care has developed along the lines of, first, concepts of illness grouping together many ailments that appear to look alike, and therefore require similar therapies, and, second, concepts of illness as individual ailments, each requiring an individual therapy. The history of medicine in China offers rich and fascinating data on a cultural discussion concerned with the issue of categorisation and individualism, and provides ample evidence of diverging solutions suggested by physician-intellectuals in the course of the past two millennia. A better knowledge of these discussions and diverging solutions will contribute to a more sober assessment of the role of theory in traditional Chinese medicine, and of differences and parallels between European and Chinese medicine.
The Vogue for 'Medicine as Food' in the Song Period (960—1279 CE)
Authors: Jinsheng Zheng , Barrett Penelope
Published: August 2006

Dietary therapy (shiliao 食療) is a distinctive feature of traditional Chinese pharmacology. But the Song period (960-1279) saw a new vogue for beverages and foods with added medicinal ingredients. 'Health drinks' containing aromatic medicinal herbs enjoyed great popularity in all strata of society. The writer distinguishes this phenomenon of medicated foods from the practice of 'curing illness with diet' and draws parallels with the current popularity of medicinal cuisine (yaoshan 藥膳).
Implementing District Safety Standards at the Site Level
Authors: Heinen Ethan , Webb-Dempsey Jaci , Moore Lucas C. , McClellan Craig S. , Friebel Carl H.
Published: August 2006

Since 9/11 and Columbine, school safety has become a prevalent issue in education policy in the United States. As a result, states and school districts have responded with innumerable efforts to improve school safety. Harrison County Schools, located in West Virginia, received federal funding to supplement surveillance equipment at middle and high schools in the district. This equipment was used to help address school behavior issues and safety, as well as to establish a collaborative relationship with local emergency responders. This article is a case study of the lead school in the project, Robert C. Byrd High School. Qualitative and quantitative data revealed that enhanced technology had a significant and positive effect on perceptions of safety. However, administrators should be careful to recognize school culture as the deciding factor in implementing safety efforts.
Assessing Columbine's Impact on Students' Fourth Amendment Case Outcomes: Implications for Administrative Discretion and Decision Making
Authors: Torres Mario S. , Chen Yihsuan
Published: August 2006

This study examined Columbine's impact on case outcomes related to student searches and its implications for civil liberties and school leader discretion. Using data from 236 court cases since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling of New Jersey v. T.L.O. in 1985, critical search dimensions and outcomes (e.g., level of suspicion) were examined using Columbine as a point of comparison. The findings reveal that Columbine has had only a minor influence on court outcomes, which suggests courts are no more tolerant of excessive discretion after a critical episode. Implications for policy and practice are presented.
Block Scheduling: The Effects on Curriculum and Student Productivity
Authors: Gullatt David E.
Published: August 2006

This article reviews pertinent research literature that documents the efficacy of alternative scheduling formats in U.S. secondary schools since the late 1990s. Gains attributed to alternative scheduling formats are discussed by subject area. Common educational dilemmas occasioned by a change to alternative school scheduling are outlined and discussed. Recommendations are provided for school administrators and faculty who are contemplating a transition to more innovative school schedules.
In Vivo Kinematics of the Knee after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Papannagari Ramprasad , Gill Thomas J. , DeFrate Louis E. , Moses Jeremy M. , Petruska Alex J. , Li Guoan
Published: August 2006

Background

Recent follow-up studies have reported a high incidence of joint degeneration in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Abnormal kinematics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction have been thought to contribute to the degeneration.

Hypothesis

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, which was designed to restore anterior knee laxity under anterior tibial loads, does not reproduce knee kinematics under in vivo physiological loading conditions.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Both knees of 7 patients with complete unilateral rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament were magnetic resonance imaged, and 3D models were constructed from these images. The anterior cruciate ligament of the injured knee was arthroscopically reconstructed using a bone–patellar tendon–bone autograft. Three months after surgery, the kinematics of the intact contralateral and reconstructed knees were measured using a dual-orthogonal fluoroscopic system while the subjects performed a single-legged weightbearing lunge. The anterior laxity of both knees was measured using a KT-1000 arthrometer.

Results

The anterior laxity of the reconstructed knee as measured with the arthrometer was similar to that of the intact contralateral knee. However, under weightbearing conditions, there was a statistically significant increase in anterior translation of the reconstructed knee compared with the intact knee at full extension (approximately 2.9 mm) and 15° (approximately 2.2 mm) of flexion. In addition, there was a mean increase in external tibial rotation of the anterior cruciate ligament–reconstructed knee beyond 30° of flexion (approximately 2° at 30° of flexion), although no statistical significance was detected.

Conclusion

The data demonstrate that although anterior laxity was restored during KT-1000 arthrometer testing, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction did not restore normal knee kinematics under weightbearing loading conditions.

Clinical Relevance

Future reconstruction techniques should aim to restore function of the knee under physiological loading conditions.
Distraction Forces on Repaired Bucket-Handle Lesions in the Medial Meniscus
Authors: Becker Roland , Brettschneider Olaf , Gröbel Karl-Heinz , von Versen Rüdiger , Stärke Christian
Published: August 2006

Background

Numerous studies have investigated the biomechanical properties of meniscal repair techniques. One of the most commonly discussed parameters is the failure load in the axis of insertion, although little is known about the distraction forces actually occurring at repaired bucket-handle lesions.

Hypothesis

There are clinically relevant distraction forces on repaired meniscus bucket-handle lesions.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Meniscus bucket-handle lesions were created and repaired in human cadaveric knees with a vertical suture made from a braided steel wire. A small-sized load sensor was connected to the wire at the periphery of the meniscus. The distraction forces acting on the lesion were measured at different knee joint angles (0°-120° of flexion) with internal and external rotation and with and without weight loading. Forces in excess of 10 N were considered to have clinical relevance.

Results

Mean forces on the meniscus repair ranged from 1.64 to 4.72 N. Irrespective of the modalities (ie, different flexion angles, weight load, direction of rotation), it was found that the forces were well below the cutoff value of 10 N (P <. 01). Increasing flexion angles generally did not cause an increase in distraction forces.

Conclusion

The data suggest that distraction forces are not the primary factor in the mechanical stability of meniscal repair. It must therefore be assumed that other factors such as shear forces are of greater significance.

Clinical Relevance

The results may help to validate the biomechanical properties of different meniscal repair techniques.
Trends in Exclusive Breastfeeding: Findings From the 1990s
Authors: Labbok Miriam H. , Wardlaw Tessa , Blanc Ann , Clark David , Terreri Nancy
Published: August 2006

This article presents trends and differentials in exclusive breastfeeding patterns that occurred in developing settings during the 1990s and considers these trends in relation to the breastfeeding-support activities in that decade. Between 1990 and 2000, the data suggest that exclusive breast-feeding levels in the developing world increased 15% overall among infants younger than 4 months (from 46% to 53%) and among infants older than 6 months (from 34% to 39%). The increase in urban areas is of special note. Urban areas are presumed to be most susceptible to the ambient health system and social and commercial pressures against breastfeeding; the support activities of the 1990s (eg, the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes) were developed to address these pressures. Given this, implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, which supports these proven interventions, should be effective in further increasing optimal breast-feeding practices.
Factors Influencing Full Breastfeeding in a Southwestern Ontario Community: Assessments at 1 Week and at 6 Months Postpartum
Authors: Clifford Tammy J. , Campbell M. Karen , Speechley Kathy N. , Gorodzinsky Fabian
Published: August 2006

Factors associated with full breastfeeding (FBF) at 1 week and at 6 months postpartum were examined in a cohort of 856 mother-infant dyads. Questionnaires were mailed at 4 time points over the first 6 months postpartum. At 1 week, 68% of infants were FBF; at 6 months, 23% were FBF. Factors significantly associated with FBF at 1 week were hospital of delivery, residing with a smoker, maternal shiftwork during pregnancy, and having no prior breast-feeding experience. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that residing with a smoker, having consumed caffeine during pregnancy, reporting elevated maternal trait anxiety at 1 week postpartum, having been employed full-time outside the home prior to delivery, and having received anesthesia/analgesia during labor/delivery were associated with earlier cessation of FBF, whereas not having previous breastfeeding experience predicted its continuation. Although most mothers are breastfeeding early on, a number of factors adversely affect its successful continuation.
Mandibular Asymmetry and Breastfeeding Problems: Experience From 11 Cases
Authors: Wall Virginia , Glass Robin
Published: August 2006

The authors review the experiences of 11 mother-infant pairs who had breastfeeding problems related to the infants' mandibular asymmetry. Lower jaw asymmetry is an early identifiable sign of torticollis, and a possible contributor to latch difficulties, nipple pain, and poor milk transfer. Pediatricians and lactation consultants should look for signs of lower jaw asymmetry combined with a preference for turning the head to one side in newborns who present with breastfeeding difficulties. By recognizing these anatomic irregularities early in the course of breastfeeding, pediatric health care providers will be able to treat breastfeeding problems promptly and proactively. They will be able to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions for dehydration symptoms or a septic workup and will intervene quickly with the recommendation of breast pumping and complementary feeding if milk transfer is not occurring.
Quality Control of Banked Milk in Brasília, Brazil
Authors: Almeida Simone G. , Dórea José G.
Published: August 2006

The authors studied quality control procedures at human milk banks and nutritional profiles of 909 milk samples (from 195 donors, aged 15 to 45 years) from banked human milk (BHM) in Brasília, Brazil. Number of donations per donor ranged from 1 to > 10 that consisted mostly of mature milk (90.9%) with a mean total energy of 529 ± 85 kcal/L and a mean total lipid of 22.7 g/L ± 13.2. Microbiological quality (titrable acidity—Dornic, °D) was suitable for infant feeding in 99.2% of samples (< 8°D), ranging from 2°D to 8°D (mean 4.8 ± 1.4°D). Most BHM (98.1%) samples were dispensed to inpatient infants (1-7 days) diagnosed with respiratory distress (30.1%), prematurity (20.7%), metabolic distress (16.0%), jaundice (14.4%), bacterial infection (6.0%), pneumonia (3.3%), congenital cardiac distress (2.2%), or other conditions (6.2%). Well-motivated mothers and trained staff are serving and sustaining an important life-saving network with long-lasting impact on public health.
A Description of Lactation Counseling Practices That Are Used With Obese Mothers
Authors: Rasmussen Kathleen M. , Lee Vanessa E. , Ledkovsky Tamara B. , Kjolhede Chris L.
Published: August 2006

Maternal overweight and obesity are associated with failure to initiate breastfeeding successfully and to sustain breastfeeding adequately. The purpose of this study was to describe how health care providers counsel obese mothers about breastfeeding. The authors surveyed (by telephone or in-person interview) health care providers who counsel mothers about breastfeeding in rural upstate New York (n = 89). They also surveyed lactation consultants (n = 31) from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nebraska, California, and Texas by e-mail. The authors found that the majority of health care providers surveyed neither believed that there was a difference in the success rate between obese mothers and normal-weight mothers nor advised obese mothers differently about breastfeeding. Given the excess risk for premature lactation failure among obese women, these findings suggest that those who care for such women need to be made aware of this risk so that they can develop and provide appropriate services.
Effect of Intervention to Improve Breastfeeding Technique on the Frequency of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Lactation-Related Problems
Authors: de Oliveira Luciana Dias , Giugliani Elsa Regina Justo , do Espírito Santo Lílian Córdova , França Maristela Cavalheiro Tamborindeguy , Weigert Enilda Maria Lara , Kohler Celina Valderez Feijó , de Lourenzi Bonilha Ana Lúcia
Published: August 2006

This randomized clinical trial compared frequencies of exclusive breastfeeding and lactationrelated problems during the first 30 days among 74 mothers who received a 30-minute counseling session on breastfeeding technique in the maternity ward, and 137 controls. The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers who had received intervention was similar to controls by 7 days (79.7% vs 82.5%, respectively) and 30 days (60.8% vs 53.3%). There was no difference between groups in the frequency of sore nipples at 7 and 30 days, in breast engorgement and mastitis, and in the quality of breastfeeding technique at 30 days. Therefore, a single intervention at maternity was not sufficient to improve breastfeeding technique, increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, and reduce the incidence of breastfeeding problems during the first month.