bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural modification of eucalypt pulp lignin in a totally chlorine-free bleaching sequence including a laccase-mediator stage
Authors: Ibarra David , Chávez María Isabel , Rencoret Jorge , del Río José Carlos , Gutiérrez Ana , Romero Javier , Camarero Susana , Martínez María Jesús , Jiménez-Barbero Jesús , Martínez Ángel T.
Published: August 2007

Structural modification of eucalypt pulp lignin was investigated in a totally chlorine-free (TCF) bleaching sequence including a laccase-mediator stage. This stage was applied after two oxygen delignification stages, and was followed by an alkaline peroxide stage. After two oxygen delignification stages, two more stages with a laccase mediator and alkaline peroxide were applied. The residual lignins were enzymatically isolated from the different pulps and analyzed by spectroscopic techniques and analytical pyrolysis. The latter revealed high amounts of syringyl units (>70%) in the lignins. 13C-1H heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) NMR indicated high amounts of β-O-4′ inter-unit linkages (>75% side-chains). Changes in lignin composition and inter-unit linkages were demonstrated in the course of the bleaching sequence. Moreover, oxidative modification of the major syringyl units was shown by C2,6-H2,6 HSQC correlations and by the presence of oxidized pyrolysis markers in pyrograms. The existence of both Cα keto and carboxyl groups in the residual lignin, together with normal (Cα-hydroxylated) units, was revealed by heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC) between aromatic H2,6 and side-chain carbons. These Cα-oxidized structures represent nearly 60% of total units in the lignin isolated from the enzymatically treated pulp. Analysis of residual lignin after the final peroxide stage compared with a simple alkaline treatment revealed that most of the oxidatively altered lignin was removed by the alkali used in the peroxide stage. Thus, the kappa number decreased and the final residual lignin was more structurally related to that found before the oxidative stages, although it contained less resinols and more carboxyl group-bearing units. However, the action of peroxide is necessary to attain the high brightness required (>90% ISO).
Lignin-carbohydrate network in wood and pulps: A determinant for reactivity
Authors: Henriksson Gunnar , Lawoko Martin , Martin Maria Eugenia Eugenio , Gellerstedt Göran
Published: August 2007

Pretreatment of wood or kraft pulp with endoglucanase followed by swelling in urea leaves a non-crystalline residue that can be dissolved in strong aqueous sodium hydroxide-sodium borate solution. A stepwise precipitation process employing acid and barium ions can separate lignin-carbohydrate complexes enriched in individual polysaccharides. This procedure has been applied to eucalypt and birch wood and to the corresponding kraft pulps. Thioacidolysis of the various lignin-carbohydrate complexes was used as the major analytical technique to obtain information about the structure and structural changes in lignin. A combination of thioacidolysis and size exclusion chromatography was used to obtain knowledge on the degree of depolymerisation and repolymerisation of lignin when going from wood to chemical pulp. In contrast to spruce wood and kraft pulp, complete recovery of the lignin-carbohydrate complexes could not be obtained from hardwood samples.
Fungal decay of spruce and beech wood assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with uni- and multivariate data analysis
Authors: Fackler Karin , Schwanninger Manfred , Gradinger Cornelia , Srebotnik Ewald , Hinterstoisser Barbara , Messner Kurt
Published: August 2007

Wood is colonised and degraded by a variety of micro-organisms, the most efficient ones are wood-rotting basidiomycetes. Microbial decay processes cause damage to wooden constructions, but also have great potential as biotechnological tools to change the properties of wood surfaces and of sound wood. Standard methods to evaluate changes in infected wood, e.g., EN350-1 1994, are time-consuming. Rapid FT-NIR spectroscopic methods are also suitable for this purpose. In this paper, degradation experiments on surfaces of spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) and beech (Fagus silvatica L.) were carried out with white rot basidiomycetes or the ascomycete Hypoxylon fragiforme. Experiments with brown rot or soft rot caused by Chaetomium globosum were also performed. FT-NIR spectra collected from the degraded wood were subjected to principal component analysis. The lignin content and mass loss of the specimens were estimated based on univariate or multivariate data analysis (partial least squares regression).
Studies on oxidative modifications of cellulose in the periodate system: Molecular weight distribution and carbonyl group profiles
Authors: Potthast Antje , Kostic Mirjana , Schiehser Sonja , Kosma Paul , Rosenau Thomas
Published: August 2007

The effects of periodate oxidation on cellulose were studied by means of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using multiple detection and carbonyl-selective fluorescence labeling according to the CCOA methodology profiling of carbonyl groups. At low degrees of oxidation, the molecular weight distribution was fully maintained. Upon more pronounced oxidation the molecular weight even increased due to cross-linking effects. More condensed structures were identified by means of light scattering. Periodate oxidation also affects crystalline regions of cellulose, as demonstrated by comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous carbonyl labeling. Highly ordered regions in cellulose were affected by oxidation even below an oxidation degree of 2%. Two different phases for the oxidation kinetics were identified in the early stages of periodate treatments.
Translating ‘humor’ into Chinese culture
Authors: Suoqiao Qian
Published: August 2007

The Chinese term
Towards a functional approach to the translation of Egyptian cartoons
Authors: El-Arousy Nahwat Amin
Published: August 2007

This paper focuses on the dilemma facing a translator if (s)he attempts to translate cartoons in general, with special reference to the translation of Egyptian cartoons into English. The dilemma is perceived to be threefold: the translator has to cope with the cultural distinctiveness of the cartoons; to interpret the double scripts expressed in the linguistic component; and finally to resolve the nonverbal and/or semiotic cues of the drawings and relate them to the incongruity expressed in the two scripts. The objective of this study is, thus, to propose a model that is based on Attardo and Raskin's General Theory of Verbal Humor (GTVH 1991); and theories of functional translation, such as Nord's (1991 [1988] and 1997), Reiss's (2000 [1971]), Baker's (1992) and others. The GTVH model, in other words, is adapted to be applicable to the semiotic interpretation and translation of cartoons. In the end, the study implicates using the translation of cartoons as an application of contrastive methodology in the AFL (Teaching Arabic as a Foreign language), the EFL/ESL, and in the Translation and Pragmatics classes.
Impact of Interview Mode on Accuracy of Child and Parent Report of Adherence With Asthma-Controller Medication
Authors: Bender Bruce G. , Bartlett Susan J. , Rand Cynthia S. , Turner Charles , Wamboldt Frederick S. , Zhang Lening
Published: August 2007

OBJECTIVES. Parents and children often overreport adherence to treatment regimens, which in turn complicates interpretation and application of clinical trial findings. The objective of this investigation was to test the effect of reporting mode on accuracy of inhaled corticosteroid-adherence reporting in children with asthma and their parents under conditions similar to those of an asthma clinical trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. Participants included 104 children who were being treated with an inhaled corticosteroid delivered by a metered-dose inhaler for asthma diagnosed by their health care provider. Each parent and child dyad was randomly assigned to 1 of 3 self-report adherence-assessment modes: (1) audio computer-assisted self-interviewing; (2) face-to-face interview with study staff; or (3) self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire. At the 4 monthly visits, the parent and child were interviewed separately and asked questions about adherence on the previous day and in the past week. Electronic devices were attached to the each participant's metered-dose inhaler to provide an objective record of actual daily medication activations.

RESULTS. Both children and parents greatly overreported their inhaled corticosteroid adherence when queried about either time frame (1 day or 1 week) in any of the 3 interview modes. One of 3 responses reported full adherence when no medication had been taken. Inconsistent with the study hypothesis, discrepancy between self-report and objectively measured adherence was greatest in the computer-interview condition. In the optimal circumstance where children were interviewed by study staff about their adherence within the previous 24 hours, reported adherence was within the ±25% accuracy range for only half of the participants. Larger discrepancy scores were observed for both parents and children when reporting by computer or questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS. Under the best of conditions in this study, accuracy of self-report was insufficient to provide a stand-alone measure of adherence. Verification of treatment adherence by objective measures remains necessary.
Short-term effects of prepubertal ovariohysterectomy on skeletal, physical and behavioural development of dogs up to 24 weeks of age
Authors: Sontas B. , Ekici H.
Published: August 2007

This study investigated the effects of ovariohysterectomy performed at 10 weeks of age on body weight, behaviour, bone length, serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations and gonadal hormone (progesterone and oestradiol) levels until 24 weeks of age in 31 clinically healthy mixed-breed female puppies. The littermates were randomly assigned to three groups. Group I (n = 11) was completely ovariohysterectomised, Group II (n = 10) was incompletely ovariohysterectomised with one ovary left intact, and Group III (n = 10) was sham operated. No significant differences were found between the groups for any of the parameters evaluated. It was determined that, except for two measurements of two animals in Group II at 20 and 24 weeks of age, all animals had undetectable concentrations of oestradiol 17-β. These findings suggest that an ovariohysterectomy performed on a mixed-breed dog at 10 weeks of age does not affect her skeletal, behavioural or physical development in the period studied, i.e. until 24 weeks of age.
First description of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) in Croatia and phylogenetic analysis of partial PCV2 sequences
Authors: Lipej Z. , Segalés J. , Jemeršić Lorena , Olvera A. , Roić Besi , Novosel D. , Mihaljević Ž. , Manojlović L.
Published: August 2007

This report describes the first case of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in wild boar in Croatia. During the winter season of 2004, eight wild young piglets (of approximately 2 to 5 months of age) were found dead in a fenced hunting area. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out on measenteric lymph nodes and all animals yielded positive results. In one of these animals diagnosis of PMWS was established based on the three key diagnostic criteria including the clinical manifestation, moderate lymphoid lesions consisting of lymphocyte depletion and granulomatous inflammation, and detection of the presence of PCV2 genome within the lymphoid lesions byin situhybridisation (ISH). Three additional wild piglets had also mild PMWS-like lesions and a low amount of PCV2 was also found. No PMWS-like lesions or PCV2 genome were detected in the rest of the wild piglets studied. Three PCR-positive isolates were partially sequenced, which confirmed the diagnosis of PCV2 and demonstrated that the three sequences were genetically identical. The phylogenetic analysis of a representative PCV2 isolate indicated that its sequence (DQ875444) is grouped in a separate branch with Hungarian isolate (AY256460) and differs from any of the annotated sequences.
Diagnostic potential of recombinant protein of hexahistidine tag and infectious bursal disease virus VPX expressed in Escherichia coli
Authors: Hosseini S. , Omar A. , Aini I. , Ali A.
Published: August 2007

The current method to detect antibody titre against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in chickens is based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using whole virus as coating antigen. Coating the ELISA plates requires a purified or at least semi-purified preparation of virus as antigen, which needs special skills and techniques. In this study, instead of using whole virus, recombinant protein of hexahistidine tag (His 6 tag) and VPX protein of IBDV expressed in
E. coli
was used as an alternative antigen to coat the ELISA plates. There was a good correlation coefficient (R
2
= 0.972) between the results of the ELISA using plates coated with monoclonal antibody against His 6 tag and those of the commercial IBDV ELISA kit. Hence, His 6 tag and VPX recombinant protein expressed in
E. coli
has the potential for the development of ELISA for the measurement of IBDV-specific antibody.
The etiology, differential diagnosis and therapy of pericardial effusion
Authors: Rashed Aref , Vígh András , Alotti Nasri , Simon József
Published: August 2007

A kóros pericardialis folyadékgyülem kialakulásának hátterében számottevő etiológiai faktor szerepelhet. Sok esetben az etiológiai tényező tisztázatlan marad, ami nehezebbé teszi a megfelelő terápiás stratégia kiválasztását. A purulens pericarditishez társuló pericardialis folyadékgyülem kezelése eltér azon folyadékgyülemek kezelésétől, amelyek neoplasma, ill. autoimmun betegség következményeként alakulnak ki. A pontos etiológiai diagnózis felállításában a képalkotó eljárások mellett döntő szerepe van a folyadék citológiai vizsgálatának, ill. a pericardium szövettani vizsgálatának is. Kiújuló kóros pericardialis folyadékgyülem esetén szükség lehet pericardioperitonealis, pericardiopleuralis sönt, ill. pericardialis ablak elkészítésére. Ez sok esetben palliatív megoldást jelent, és a pericardialis tamponád hemodinamikai következményeinek megelőzését szolgálja.
Congenital Absent Pulmonary Valve – analysis of ten prenatally diagnosed cases and review of the literature
Authors: Hajdú Júlia , Pete Barbara , Harmath Ágnes , Beke Artúr , Papp Csaba , Szigeti Zsanett , Papp Zoltán
Published: August 2007

Célkitűzés:
Tíz, praenatalisan diagnosztizált pulmonalis billentyűagenesia esetében a társuló cardialis, extracardialis és kromoszóma-rendellenességek, valamint a terhesség kimenetelének elemzése alapján a diagnosztikus és prognosztikus tényezők azonosítása.
Beteganyag és módszer:
A Semmelweis Egyetem Általános Orvostudományi Kar I. sz. Szülészeti és Nőgyógyászati Klinika Magzati Echokardiográfiás Laboratóriumában 1993. január 1. és 2005. december 31. között praenatalisan felismert pulmonalis billentyűagenesia-esetek adatainak retrospektív elemzése. A diagnózis ellenőrzése fetopatológiai, patológiai, illetve postnatalis ultrahangvizsgálattal történt. Vizsgálták a terhességi kort a praenatalis diagnózis idején, a magzati echokardiográfia indikációját, a társuló cardialis, extracardialis és kromoszóma-rendellenességek előfordulását.
Eredmények:
A pulmonalis billentyű agenesiájának diagnózisát praenatalisan tíz esetben állapították meg. A terhesség kora a diagnózis felállításának idején átlagosan 23,1 hét (18–33 hét) volt. Hat esetben a rendellenességet a 24. hét előtt, négy esetben pedig annál későbbi terhességi korban diagnosztizálták. A szülők kérésére hat esetben került sor a terhesség megszakítására. Négy terhességet viseltek tovább. Egy magzat elhalt méhen belül, két beteg újszülöttkorban halt meg. Egy újszülött sikeres műtéti beavatkozást követően él, és jól van, a közlemény írása idején 5 éves. Öt magzatnál a Botallo-vezeték hiánya társult a pulmonalis billentyű betegségéhez, közülük három magzatnál Fallot-tetralógia, egy magzatnál atrioventricularis septum defectus, egy betegnél pedig subaorticus kamrai septumdefectus volt a komplex cardialis rendellenesség része. Öt betegnél a Botallo-vezeték fejlettsége szabályos volt, közülük egy betegnél az aortabillentyű dysplasiája, egy másik betegnél pedig a tricuspidalis billentyű dysplasiája volt megfigyelhető. Három magzatnál nem volt társuló szívfejlődési rendellenesség. A magzati echokardiográfia indikációja két esetben kóros magzati szívkép, egy esetben magzati hydrops, három esetben mellkasi ciszta gyanúja, egy esetben extracardialis malformatio, három esetben a pozitív családi anamnézis volt.
Konklúzió:
Az arteria pulmonalis billentyű agenesiája súlyos fejlődési rendellenesség, melynek prognózisa a társuló rendellenességektől függ. Korrekt praenatalis diagnózis lehetséges, melynek birtokában körülhatárolhatók a lehetséges beavatkozások, és véleményezhetők a betegek életkilátásai. Jelen adatfeldolgozás alapján az ismétlődés kockázata egyes családokban autoszomális recesszív öröklődésmenetnek is megfelelhet.
Mixed gonadal dysgenesis associated with an isodicentric Y chromosome
Authors: Ságodi László , Sólyom Enikő , Tóth András , Kékesi Anna , P. Tardy Erika , Borbás Éva , Rétfalvi Teofil , Kiss Ákos , Korcsmáros Anikó
Published: August 2007

A szerzők egy izodicentrikus Y-kromoszómát tartalmazó kariotípusú kevert gonáddiszgenezises esetükről számolnak be, melyet fiatal csecsemőkorban diagnosztizáltak. Szükségesnek tartják a perineoscrotalis hypospadiasissal és az egy- vagy kétoldali hereleszállás zavarával született újszülöttek speciális kivizsgálását közvetlenül a szülés után. A részletes kivizsgálás eredménye biztosítja a korrekt nemi besorolást és a diszgenetikus gonád malignus elfajulásának megelőzését.
Functional dyspepsia: the past, the present and the Rome III classification
Authors: Buzás György Miklós
Published: August 2007

A szerző összefoglalja a funkcionális dyspepsia fogalmának történeti kialakulását, majd áttekinti az ún. római folyamatot: 1988–2006 között szakértői csoportok az ún.
Delphi
-módszerrel kidolgozták a funkcionális gastrointestinalis kórképek Róma I, II és III osztályozását. A Róma III osztályozás újrafogalmazta a funkcionális dyspepsia meghatározását, és azt a postprandialis distress és epigastrialis fájdalomszindróma alcsoportokba sorolta. Epidemiológiai adatok alapján a dyspepsia mint kórházi felvételt igénylő betegség az 1730-as években jelent meg, és néhány évtized alatt elérte a prevalencia mai színvonalát, amely jelenleg 7–45% között van, és földrajzi régiók szerint változik. A funkcionális dyspepsia etiopatogenézisében a
Helicobacter pylori
- és a
Salmonella
-fertőzés szerepe mellett a HCl-termelés kóros fenotípusának, a motilitászavaroknak (akkomodáció, gyomorürülési zavar), a gyomor hiperszenzitivitásának és hormonális elváltozásoknak lehet szerepe, de egyik eltérés sem jellemző a dyspepsia minden formájára. Felmerült az alfa-adrenoreceptorok szintézisét szabályozó gének polimorfizmusának szerepe is. A funkcionális dyspepsia kezelésében az eredmények nem váltották be a reményeket, és azok nehezen értelmezhetők a placebohatás magas aránya miatt. Az utóbbi évek metaanalízisei szerint a protonpumpagátlók és H
2
-receptor-blokkolók hatása jobb, mint a placebóé. A cisaprid hatásos volt, de 2004-ben visszavonták. A
Helicobacter pylori
-eradikáció tünetileg csak az esetek egy részében hatásos, de a kezelést a peptikus fekély és gyomorkarcinóma megelőzése céljából, valamint közegészségügyi szempontból el kell végezni
test-and-treat
vagy
scope-and-treat
stratégia szerint. A fenti kezelések hatása átmeneti, javulás után a panaszok a követés eddigi 5–7 éve alatt változó intenzitással az esetek 50%-ában visszatérnek. A Róma III osztályozás célja, hogy az új kutatások alapján a funkcionális dyspepsiát okozó kórélettani tényezőket azonosítsa, és azok célzott kezelésével az eddigieknél jobb, költséghatékony eredményeket érjen el.
Evaluation of capsule endoscopy results in patients with portal hypertension and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Kovács Márta , Pák Péter , Németh Artúr , Pák Gábor , Fehér János , Rácz István
Published: August 2007

Bevezetés és célkitűzések:A portalis hypertensio következtében kialakult vékonybéleltérésekről kevés irodalmi adat ismert. Retrospektív, összehasonlító vizsgálatukban a szerzők a kapszulás endoszkópia diagnosztikus eredményeit, valamint az észlelt elváltozásokat elemezték cirrhosis hepatisban szenvedő betegekben tisztázatlan eredetű gastrointestinalis vérzés esetén.Betegek és módszer:11 cirrhosis hepatisban és portalis hypertensióban szenvedő beteg és 22 májbetegségben nem szenvedő kapszulás endoszkópiás vizsgálat eredményeit hasonlították össze felső panendoszkópiával és kolonoszkópiával nem tisztázott eredetű gastrointestinalis vérzés esetén. A filmeket két egymástól független vizsgáló értékelte. A kapszulás endoszkópiával vizsgált betegeket átlagosan 19 (1–42) hónapig követték.Eredmények:Két centrumban 48 hónap alatt 7 férfit és 5 nőt vizsgáltak, a betegek átlagéletkora 66,2 (±7,6) év volt. Az első klinikai tünet észlelésétől a vizsgálatig eltelt idő átlagban 15,7 (±14,9) hónap. A betegek ez idő alatt 2,8 (±1,3) alkalommal kerültek kórházi felvételre; egy beteg esetében átlagosan 7,9 vizsgálat történt a kapszulás endoszkópiát megelőzően. Mind a 11 betegnél vérzésforrást diagnosztizáltak kapszulás endoszkópia során a vékonybélben. 7 betegben (63%) két definitív vérzésforrást észleltek. Az összes beteg esetében portalis hypertensióval összefüggő elváltozásokat találtak (8 esetben angiodysplasia, 2 esetben portalis hypertensiv enteropathia és 1 esetben bélvaricositas igazolódott). A követés során az újravérzések aránya 27,3%-os volt; a kontrollcsoportban 18,2%-os.Következtetések:Portalis hypertensióban obskúrus gastrointestinalis vérzés esetén a kapszulás endoszkópia eredményes vizsgáló eljárás negatív panendoszkópiát és kolonoszkópiát követően. A vékonybélvérzések hátterében leggyakrabban multiplex angiodysplasiák állnak, és gyakoriak a többszörös vérzésforrások ebben a betegcsoportban.
Interferon in the treatment of viral hepatitis. The interferon was discovered 50 years ago
Authors: Fehér János , Lengyel Gabriella
Published: August 2007

Az interferonok heterogén összetételű glycoproteinek, melyeket a vírusfertőzés hatására, az immunválasz során, az élő sejtek termelnek. Felfedezésük éppen fél évszázaddal ezelőtt történt. Daganatellenes, antivirális és immunmoduláns hatásúak. A terápiában használatos interferonok görög betűkkel jelölt formái utalnak az eredetre: az interferon-alfa leukocita-eredetű, az interferon-béta fibroblastokból származó, az interferon-gamma pedig lymphocyta-eredetű immuninterferon. A humán gyógyászatban a természetes és rekombináns interferonokat egyaránt alkalmazzák. A polietilén-glikollal történő összekapcsolás az interferonkészítmény tartós hatását biztosítja. Jelenleg a klinikumban leginkább hepatitis B és C vírus okozta krónikus hepatitisben a vírus eliminálására, valamint az onkológiában daganatprogresszió gátlására alkalmazzák.
Evaluating the Effect of Teaching Modules on Underserved Clients’ Perceived Health
Authors: Kessler Theresa A. , Alverson Elise M.
Published: August 2007

Underserved individuals need comprehensive health care. Educational resources that meet health care needs can promote wellness. This descriptive study evaluated effects of preferred teaching modules on perceived health of underserved clients of a nurse-managed center. Participants (N = 101) were between 19 and 61 (M = 38.7); the majority was female (68.3%) with a high-school education (M = 12.17). Most participants (65%) identified health education as very important; 92% used at least one teaching module. Age, gender, and education were not related to importance of health education. Use of various teaching modules was positively correlated with perceived improved health (p < .05). Participants who used a combination of videos and pamphlets reported the greatest improvement (p < .000).
The Usefulness of the Community Nursing Practice Model in Grounding Practice and Research: Narratives From the United States and Africa
Authors: Barry Charlotte D. , Gordon Shirley C. , Lange Bernadette
Published: August 2007

A community nursing practice (CNP) model is presented as the synthesis of a decade of experience of caring for persons and communities. Values form the basis of the model and provide the grounding for practice. Transcendent values of respect, caring, and wholeness are explicated in the actualizing values of primary health care: access, essentiality, empowerment, intersectoral collaboration, and community participation. Usefulness of the CNPM in providing a framework for community nursing practice at school-based community wellness centers in both the United States and Africa is described. Narratives of practice and research presented in the unique voice of three faculty members illuminate the model’s values and paradigmatic view of person, nursing, community, and environment. These narratives provide insight into how the CNPM has served as a heuristic in the design of creative responses to calls for nursing in community nursing practice, education, and research.
Resistance, Health, and Latent Tuberculosis Infection: Mexican Immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border
Authors: McEwen Marylyn Morris , Boyle Joyceen
Published: August 2007

Mexican immigrants living in the U.S.-Mexico border region are confronted with different national explanations about latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and preventive treatment. The purpose of this study was to explore how a group of Mexican immigrant women (N = 8) at risk of LTBI treatment failure interpreted and ultimately resisted LTBI preventive treatment. A critical ethnographic methodology, grounded in asymmetrical power relations that are historically embedded within the U.S.-Mexico border culture, was used to examine the encounters between the participants and the health care provider. The study findings are discussed from the perspective of women who experienced oppression and resistance in the U.S.-Mexico border region, providing an account of how Mexican immigrant women become entangled in U.S.-Mexico TB health policies and through resistance manage to assert control over health care choices. In the context of the U.S.-Mexico border region, health care professionals must be skilled at minimizing asymmetrical power relations and use methods that elicit immigrant voices in reconciling differences in health beliefs and practices.
The Concept of Vulnerability and the Protection of Human Subjects of Research
Authors: Beattie Elizabeth R. A. , VandenBosch Terry M.
Published: August 2007

This article provides an overview of the concept of vulnerability through the lens of the U.S. federal regulations for the protection of human subjects of research. General issues that emerge for nurse researchers working with regulated vulnerable populations are identified. Points of current controversy in the application of the regulations and current discourse about vulnerable groups are highlighted. Suggestions for negotiating the tension between federally regulated human subject requirements and the realities of research with vulnerable subjects are given. The limitations of the designation of vulnerable as a protection for human subjects will also be discussed.
Psychological Factors, Quality of Life, and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Erosive and Non-Erosive Reflux Disorder
Authors: Kovács Zoltán , Kerékgyártó Olga
Published: August 2007

Objective:

Inconsistent findings are published regarding the psychosocial characteristics of erosive reflux disorder (ERD) and non-erosive reflux disorder (NERD) patients. The objective of this study was to determine the possible similarities and differences concerning psychosocial and somatic characteristics of these patients.

Method:

Patients at a tertiary care center completed questionnaires on demographic characteristics, frequency of reflux symptoms, psychological distress, quality of life, and gastrointestinal symptoms. For comparative purposes, data from an age-matched healthy control group were obtained.

Results:

Higher proportion of female patients and a younger mean age was observed in NERD patients. No significant differences were detected regarding levels of psychological distress, gastrointestinal symptom severity, quality of life, and frequency of reflux symptoms. Both patient groups exhibited more severe psychological distress compared to healthy subjects. Only ERD patients demonstrated significant correlations between frequency of reflux symptoms and quality of life and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms. Compared to ERD patients, NERD patients showed stronger correlation between psychological distress and severity of reflux symptoms.

Conclusions:

Reflux-like symptoms have a strong impact on patients' well-being, irrespective of endoscopical findings. The different patterns of associations between psychological, somatic and quality of life parameters in NERD and ERD patients can have theoretical and clinical implications.
Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis: A Health Education Tool
Authors: Eng Eugenia , Blanchard Lynn
Published: August 2007

Health education research and practice have found individuals' health decisions and behaviors to be related to their perceptions of need. It has also been found that physical, social, and political conditions generated by one's community can exert important influences on individuals' ability to act on the basis of need. It appears that conducting a needs assessment is a necessary component of program planning, but the information is not sufficient for designing sustainable interventions. An Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis procedure has been developed over several years to: 1) identify normative and comparative needs determined by service agencies as well as expressed and perceived needs experienced by clients; 2) assess community conditions contributing to collective competence as well as the barriers and gaps contributing to disease and illness; and 3) increase collective competence of communities and agencies to collaborate in defining problems and needs. One of the many health education projects that have conducted such a diagnosis has been selected to illustrate the features of the procedure, the rationale behind the methods and sequence of steps, how the methods can be operationalized, and the outcomes.
Pattern of Psychiatry Morbidity during HAJJ Period at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital
Authors: Masood Khadija , Gazzaz Zohair J. , Ismail Khalid , Dhafar Khalid O. , Kamal Ahmad
Published: August 2007

Objective:

To study the pattern and extent of psychiatric morbidity in the Hajj period (pilgrimage to Mecca by a Muslim).

Method:

Study was conducted by psychiatry department and Health Research Centre, Al-Noor Specialist Hospital. We recorded demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients presenting during first two weeks of Zulhajjah, 1425H (11th to 24th of January 2005). Detailed clinical interviews were conducted by qualified psychiatrists and findings were recorded in semi-structured form. Diagnoses were made following the guidelines in clinical version of chapter V (Mental and Behavioral Disorders) of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). In difficult cases diagnosis was assigned by consensus between three psychiatrists.

Results:

During study period 92 patients presented. Males were dominant (54%). Mean age was 43 ± 17. Highest proportion (52%) belonged to young adults followed by middle-aged (20%). Majority (48%) belonged to Saudi Arabia. Self-referrals were 66% and 52% presented as first episodes. Behavior, mood, and sleep were affected more commonly (65%, 63%, and 59% respectively). Physical symptoms were reported by 28% of patients. Highest number (34%) belonged to “Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders” followed by “Mood disorders” (22%). Medical disorder was reported by 33% of patients. Medications were advised to 79% and psychiatric admission to 6.5% of patients.

Conclusions:

In our study, important findings are outlined and discussed. Replication of study with increased sample size and planning of psychiatric services according to established need of population served particularly during hajj period is needed.
Illness Behavior in Guineaworm Disease
Authors: Ramakrishna Jayashree , Brieger William R. , Adeniyi Joshua D. , Kale Oladele O.
Published: August 2007

Guineaworm, a waterborne helminthic disease, affects a large portion of the population in Idere, Nigeria. Although preventive health education interventions are experiencing success, it is slow due to the low economic status of the community. In the meantime people suffer and seek treatment. The decision-making process during illness with guineaworm does not fit neatly into individual psychosocial theoretical models. Concepts of the disease and potential remedies are strongly influenced by the local culture. In the process of studying these cultural influences, suggestions for new models have arisen. These suggest a mediating role for health education between traditional and Western scientific viewpoints in promoting efficacious illness behavior in endemic tropical diseases.
Investigating the Sources of Teachers' Instructional Technology Use Through the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Shiue Ya-Ming
Published: August 2007

Based on the decomposed theory of planned behavior, this study used path analysis to examine the relative strength of the factors that influence teachers' use of instructional technology. The study focused on teachers' use of word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, e-mail, and Web browsers. A path analysis was performed on self-reported data from 242 secondary science teachers in Taiwan. Results showed that the decomposed theory of planned behavior seriously over simplified the web of forces that influence teachers' use of this technology. Teachers' technology use and their inclination toward its use (attitude and intention) are primarily determined by the teacher-technology interface (ease-of-use, computer self-efficacy, and perceived usefulness). The teacher-technology interface is influenced by the objective environment for instructional technology (technical support, computer access, and to a limited extent professional development opportunities). The objective environment is itself weakly influenced by the subjective environment (administrative support, peer use, and subjective norms). The study provided useful information for policymakers and school administrators by helping them realize the complexity of the task of influencing teachers to increase their use of instructional technology.
Ubiquitous Computing and Changing Pedagogical Possibilities: Representations, Conceptualizations and Uses of Knowledge
Authors: Swan Karen , van ‘T Hooft Mark , Kratcoski Annette , Schenker Jason
Published: August 2007

This article reports on preliminary findings from an ongoing study of teaching and learning in a ubiquitous computing classroom. The research employed mixed methods and multiple measures to document changes in teaching and learning that result when teachers and students have access to a variety of digital devices wherever and whenever they need them. It identifies ways in which ubiquitous computing environments can support both individual and social construction of knowledge, and the role that unique representations of knowledge supported by a variety of ready-at-hand digital devices can play in such support.
The Influence of the Discussion Leader Procedure on the Quality of Arguments in Online Discussions
Authors: Spatariu Alexandru , Hartley Kendall , Schraw Gregory , Bendixen Lisa D. , Quinn Linda F.
Published: August 2007

Many consider rich argumentation to be the core of quality discussions and view it as a vehicle to solving problems and clarifying content. This study examined the influence of a discussion leader intervention on the quality of online argumentation and interactivity. Subjects were 44 undergraduate students who participated in online discussions on a technology issue over two weeks. Participants who received pre-determined instructions from the leader prior to the issue discussion were more likely to produce enriched argumentation and increased interaction than the control participants who did not receive specific instructions prior to the issue discussion. Results indicated that students participating in groups receiving specific argumentation instructions from the leader produced better online argumentation for the second week and exhibited increased interactivity patterns for both weeks.
An Exploration of the Spiritual and Psychosocial Variables Associated with Husband-To-Wife Abuse and its Effect on Women in Abusive Relationships
Authors: Katerndahl David A. , Obregon Maria Luisa
Published: August 2007

Objectives:

The purpose was to: 1) determine which aspects of religious belief incompatibility were associated with husband-to-wife abuse; 2) determine whether religious coping was independently associated with functional status among victims of spousal abuse; and 3) whether degree of abuse correlated with degrees of religious belief incompatibility or functional status among abused wives.

Method:

Couples were asked to complete a structured interview concerning marital satisfaction, argument frequency, alcohol use, witnessing violence as a child, spirituality, functional status, and domestic violence.

Results:

In four areas of spiritual belief (sense of being judged, closeness to God, congregational benefits, forgiveness), religious belief incompatibility significantly predicted abuse. Perceived congregational help and religious coping were associated with improved social support. Finally, abuse severity and duration correlated with functional status but not with degree of religious belief incompatibility.

Conclusions:

The addition of religious belief incompatibility may account for more variance in husband-to-wife abuse than non-spiritual predictors alone. Although the presence of abuse was associated with poorer functional status in women, religious coping was only linked to improved social support.
Operations Research on the Female Village-Based Family Planning Worker Program of Pakistan
Authors: Lush Louisiana , Cernada George P. , Rob A. K. Ubaidur , Arif Mohammed Shafiq , Haque Minhaj Ul
Published: August 2007

This article presents the results of a number of operations research studies (OR) of family planning services provided by a new cadre of female village-based family planning workers in Punjab Province, Pakistan. This cadre of workers, recruited nationwide, has been trained to visit women in their villages to provide information and family planning services. The studies were conducted as part of a broad program of technical assistance to the Government of Pakistan. Surveys investigated the quality of their training as well as attitudes among clients to the new program. They found that the program is developing well but there is room for improvement, particularly in counseling and training. Additional field studies are ongoing and recommendations for change have been incorporated in training and supervision. The program is expanding on a national scale.
A Multifaceted Approach to Health Education: A Case Study from Rural Egypt
Authors: El-Katsha Samiha , Watts Susan
Published: August 2007

This article describes and evaluates an environmental health education project, focusing on water and sanitation issues, which was carried out in two Egyptian villages in the Nile delta. The study is multifaceted as it involves various hygiene education strategies carried out by health unit staff, teachers, graduate volunteers and local village leaders who deliver simple environmental health messages in a variety of different settings. The project is also multifaceted in that it looks at health education in relation to specific health interventions, in this case in water and sanitation; it identifies the full context of relevant local behavior; and it collaborates with local people, especially women, in the design and implementation of the program. Based on the experience gained during this project, a broad based model for health education is presented.
Appraising and Funding Participatory Research in Health Promotion
Authors: George M. Anne , Daniel Mark , Green Lawrence W.
Published: August 2007

Participatory action research combines research, education and social action. Each of these elements reflects health education research and practice. Indeed, health education, health promotion and participatory research have converged in these respects. Participatory research is well suited to the philosophies and theories underpinning community-based health education and health promotion. The nature of participatory research is such that funding agencies, especially those awarding research funds, tend to be challenged in their attempts to assess proposals. This is true at least for those agencies operating under traditional criteria for reviewing standards, which may not be appropriate for participatory research. As well, it may reflect a broader lack of common understanding about the processes and expectations, the apparent untidiness of projects (comparing with traditional research) which by their nature offer no standard methods, deadlines, procedures or predetermined outcome measures. The Study of Participatory Research in Health Promotion [1], commissioned by the Royal Society of Canada, attempted to clarify the topic by providing a working definition and a set of guidelines for use by funding agencies when appraising projects purporting to be participatory research. The guidelines emphasize how the nominal ways of conducting health research in populations need to adapt to meet the educational and policy expectations of participatory research. The study also examined current practical examples of participatory research in the field of health promotion in Canada. This summary of the results of the project provides detailed guidelines flowing from a review of experience in the field and consultation with groups engaged in participatory research.
The Influence of Alexithymia on Persistent Symptoms of Dyspepsia after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Porcelli Piero , Lorusso Dionigi , Taylor Graeme J. , Bagby R. Michael
Published: August 2007

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether preoperative alexithymia might play a role in the persistence of gastrointestinal symptoms after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods:

A sample of 52 consecutive patients with gallstone disease and symptoms of dyspepsia were assessed with validated scales for alexithymia (20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale), and psychological (90-item Symptom Checklist) and gastrointestinal (GI) (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale) symptoms before surgery. GI symptoms were evaluated also one year after surgery. Change from preoperative to postoperative GI symptoms and level of GI symptoms after surgery were used to form groups of improved ( n = 31) and unimproved ( n = 21) patients.

Results:

Unimproved patients had significantly higher preoperative alexithymia, psychological distress, and gastrointestinal symptom scores than patients who had improved. Regression analyses showed that alexithymia predicted the persistence of gastrointestinal symptoms more strongly than did psychological distress, even after controlling for preoperative gastrointestinal symptoms.

Conclusion:

Alexithymia played a substantial and predictive role in the persistence of GI symptoms in gallstone patients after surgery. Treatment planning and outcome of gallstone disease might be improved by preoperative assessment of alexithymia.
A Comparative Study of Learning Styles between Online and Traditional Students
Authors: Liu Yuliang
Published: August 2007

This comparative study was designed to investigate how online and traditional face-to-face (FtF) students used different learning styles in a graduate educational course. A nonequivalent control group design was employed. The study involved 19 students in an experimental group (online section) and 25 students in a control group (FtF section) in a graduate course in the Fall semester of 2004. Although no significant statistical differences were detected in learning styles at pretest, significant statistical differences were found in many learning style subscales at posttest between experimental and control groups. Specifically, at the end of the course, online students seemed to have a higher preference for peer interaction, competition, interaction with the instructor, details of the course materials, independence, authority, reading, direct experiences, and clear goal setting than their counterparts in the FtF section. No significant statistical differences were detected in learning performance between both groups. Implications resulted from the study.
Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and callous‐unemotional traits as moderators of conduct problems when examining impairment and aggression in elementary school children
Authors: Waschbusch Daniel A. , Willoughby Michael T.
Published: August 2007

Examined whether attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and callous‐unemotional (CU) traits moderate the association between conduct problems (CPs) and impairment and aggression. Participants were 214 children who were rated by their elementary school classroom teachers. Results indicated that the association between CP and impairment and aggressive outcomes is almost always moderated by ADHD and/or CU. Moreover, in many instances, the association between CP and outcomes was moderated by both ADHD and CU such that the moderating effects of CU on CP were more pronounced at lower levels of ADHD. Results are discussed with respect to developmental taxonomies and trajectories of the disruptive behavior disorders. Aggr. Behav. 34:139–153, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inside Front Cover: A Combined Top‐Down/Bottom‐Up Approach for the Nanoscale Patterning of Spin‐Crossover Coordination Polymers (Adv. Mater. 16/2007)
Authors: Molnár G. , Cobo S. , Real J. A. , Carcenac F. , Daran E. , Vieu C. , Bousseksou A.
Published: August 2007

The background scanning electron microscopy image shows nanometric patterns of the 3D spin crossover coordination polymer Fe(pyrazine)[Pt(CN)4] (see schematic structure in the circle), which have been fabricated using a combination of lift‐off and multilayer sequential assembly methods. These patterns, reported by Gábor Molnár, Azzedine Bousseksou, and co‐workers on p. 2163, exhibit a bistability of their electronic states (1A1 ⇌ 5T2), and thus represent a novel platform for a wide array of potential applications.
Paternal uniparental isodisomy for chromosome 14 with mosaicism for a supernumerary marker chromosome 14
Authors: Mattes Joerg , Whitehead Bruce , Liehr Thomas , Wilkinson Ian , Bear John , Fagan Kerry , Craven Paul , Bennetts Bruce , Edwards Matthew
Published: August 2007

Uniparental disomy (UPD) describes the inheritance of two homologous chromosomes from a single parent. Disease phenotypes associated with UPD and chromosomal imprinting, rather than with mutations, include Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (paternal UPD11p), Angelman syndrome (paternal UPD15), Prader–Willi syndrome (maternal UPD15), and transient neonatal diabetes (paternal UPD6). Here we report on the first case of paternal uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 14 with a mosaicism for a supernumerary marker chromosome 14. The patient demonstrated a small thorax with a ‘coat hanger’ shape of the ribs, kyphoscoliosis, hypoplasia of the maxilla and mandible, a broad nasal bridge with anteverted nares, contractures of the wrists with ulnar deviation bilaterally, diastasis recti, and marked muscle hypotonia. Vertical skin creases under the chin and stippled epiphyses of the humeri were features not previously described in patients with paternal UPD14. This case illustrates that as with the finding of an isochromosome, a supernumerary marker chromosome can be an important clue to the presence of UPD14. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.