bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety of Cefuroxime as an Alternative in Patients with a Proven Hypersensitivity to Penicillins: A DAHD Cohort Survey
Authors: Caimmi Silvia , Galéra Céline , Bousquet-Rouanet Laure , Arnoux Bernard , Demoly Pascal , Bousquet Philippe-Jean
Published: March 2010

Objective: In patients sensitized to β-lactams, a safe β-lactam alternative is often needed. The objective was to assess the safety of cefuroxime in patients with a proven β-lactam allergy. Design: Using the Drug Allergy and Hypersensitivity Database cohort, patients with a proven β-lactam allergy and tested for cefuroxime between September 1996 and April 2007 were selected. The European Network of Drug Allergy recommendations were followed. Prevalence of sensitization to cefuroxime (as an alternative) was established in patients with a proven β-lactam allergy. Results: Amongst the 650 subjects tested, 143 (22.0%) presented at least one β-lactam sensitization other than cefuroxime [39–27.3% male, median age at test 44.0 (32.0–56.0) years]. One hundred and eighteen (82.5%) were sensitized to penicillins, 8 (5.6%) to cephalosporins and 17 (11.9%) to both penicillins and cephalosporins. Nine (6.3%) patients were sensitized to cefuroxime (6 diagnosed by provocation test): 5 (55.6%) in the penicillin-only allergic group and 4 (44.4%) in the penicillin and cephalosporin allergic group. Prevalence of cefuroxime hypersensitivity reaction in patients sensitized to β-lactams was 6.3% (95% CI 2.3–10.3%) and in those sensitized to penicillin 4.2% (95% CI 0.6–7.9). This rate decreased to 2.9% (95% CI 0–6.9) in patients with prior histories involving a penicillin only (without any history involving an unknown β-lactam). Conclusion: Cefuroxime appeared to be a safe alternative in β-lactam-allergic patients after testing. The risk of giving cefuroxime being not null, a thorough drug allergy work-up, including provocation test, is still needed.
Depigmented and Polymerised House Dust Mite Allergoid: Allergen Content, Induction of IgG4 and Clinical Response
Authors: Gallego M.T. , Iraola V. , Himly M. , Robinson D.S. , Badiola C. , García-Robaina J.C. , Briza P. , Carnés J.
Published: March 2010

Background: Polymerised allergenic extracts (allergoids) are commonly used in allergen immunotherapy. Clinical efficacy and safety of these extracts have been demonstrated. Recently, allergen sequences have been identified by mass spectrometry in depigmented and polymerised (Dpg-Pol) extracts. The objectives of this study were to investigate the presence of allergens in Dpg-Pol extracts of house dust mite and to analyze the immunological changes induced by these extracts in asthmatic patients enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Methods: Dpg-Pol extracts were manufactured and vaccines with a composition of 50% Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and 50% D. farinae (100 HEPL/ml) were prepared. Allergen composition was analyzed by mass spectrometry. Patients with asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis were treated in a 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study with 6 up-dosing and monthly maintenance injections. Specific IgE and IgG4 titres to D. pteronyssinus, Der p 1 and Der p 2 were measured in patients’ sera using the CAP system and direct ELISA experiments. Results: Sequences from the major allergens Der p 1 and Der p 2 and from other allergens were identified in native and Dpg-Pol extracts. There was a statistically significant increase in specific IgG4, a decrease in the ratio of IgE/IgG4 to D. pteronyssinus and a significant increase in specific IgG4 to Der p 1 and Der p 2 in the patients allotted to active treatment. Conclusions: The detection of allergen sequences suggests preservation of major and minor allergens in Dpg-Pol allergoids from house dust mites. Efficacy in asthma treatment and the increase in specific IgG4 seem to be associated with the presence of major allergens in Dpg-Pol allergen extracts.
Exhaled Breath Temperature Increases during Mild Exacerbations in Children with Virus-Induced Asthma
Authors: Xepapadaki P. , Xatziioannou A. , Chatzicharalambous M. , Makrinioti H. , Papadopoulos N.G.
Published: March 2010

Background: Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) has been suggested as a non-invasive surrogate marker of airway inflammation in asthma. The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in EBT between periods of controlled disease and during exacerbations in children with virus-induced asthma. Methods: Twenty-nine children (aged 6–14 years) with a history of intermittent, virus-induced asthma were included in this case-control study. Cases presented with a common cold and/or mild exacerbation of asthma, while controls were free of asthmatic or common cold symptoms during the previous 6 weeks. A baseline questionnaire was obtained. Atopy assessment, central temperature and a spirometric measurement were recorded. EBT was measured with a new device (Delmedica, Singapore). A nasal wash (for identification of common respiratory viruses) was obtained. Results: Twenty-four children (12 from each group) completed the study. Groups were homogeneous with respect to baseline characteristics. PCR revealed the presence of a virus in 3 out of 17 controls and 10 out of 12 cases (17.6 and 83.3%, respectively, p = 0.002). The most commonly identified virus was rhinovirus (3/3 controls and 7/10 cases, p = 0.02). EBT values were significantly higher for cases (34.91 ± 0.62°C) compared to controls (34.18 ± 1.1°C, p = 0.032). No important differences were observed in the increase rate of EBT (Δe°T) between groups. Conclusions: Changes in airway inflammation during virus-induced asthma exacerbations are reflected in EBT changes. These preliminary data suggest a possible role of EBT measurements in the assessment of airway inflammation in children with virus-induced asthma.
Changes in High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Serum and Exhaled Breath Condensate after Intensive Exercise in Patients with Allergic Asthma
Authors: Zietkowski Ziemowit , Skiepko Roman , Tomasiak-Lozowska Maria M. , Mroczko Barbara , Szmitkowski Maciej , Bodzenta-Lukaszyk Anna
Published: March 2010

Background: Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in asthmatics depends on the presence of allergic inflammation. This study was performed to assess the possible association of EIB with low-grade systemic inflammation, whose presence was revealed in asthmatic patients. Methods: The study was conducted in a group of 24 asthmatics (14 with EIB, 10 without EIB) and 8 healthy volunteers. Changes in serum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels induced by intensive exercise were determined. Moreover, the possible correlation of these measurements with the results of other tests used in the diagnosis of asthma as well as laboratory tests commonly associated with asthma were investigated. Results: In asthmatic patients with EIB, a statistically significant increase in hs-CRP levels both in serum and EBC after an exercise test was observed. Twenty-four hours after the exercise test in the group of asthmatics with EIB, a statistically significant increase in exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentrations and bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine was revealed. A statistically significant correlation between the maximum increase in hs-CRP levels both in serum and EBC after exercise and either baseline FENO and an increase in serum ECP or FENO 24 h after exercise in the group of asthmatics with EIB was revealed. Conclusions: We show that, as a result of intensive exercise leading to bronchoconstriction, an increase in serum and EBC hs-CRP occurs. Our observations could suggest that in asthmatic patients, as a consequence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, an intensification of low-grade systemic inflammation can be observed.
Change in Referral Diagnoses and Diagnostic Delay in Hypogammaglobulinaemic Patients during 28 Years in a Single Referral Centre
Authors: Litzman Jiri , Stikarovska Dagmar , Pikulova Zdenka , Pavlik Tomas , Pesak Sava , Thon Vojtech , Kuklinek Pavel , Lokaj Jindrich
Published: March 2010

Background: The classical clinical manifestation of untreated immunoglobulin deficiency comprises predominantly recurrent and complicated respiratory tract infections. Before the 1980s, little was known about the clinical manifestation of immunodeficiency in the general medical population, and also the availability of serum immunoglobulin laboratory determination was not sufficient, leading to a significant diagnostic delay. Methods: We have analysed the diagnostic delay and referral diagnoses in patients in whom any form of primary hypogammaglobulinaemia had been diagnosed at our department, which was established in 1981. Results: Comparing the diagnostic delay in the 1980s (19 patients, median 5.5 years), the 1990s (37 patients, median 3.5 years) and the years 2001–2008 (33 patients, median 1 year), a significant decrease was observed (p < 0.05, Spearman’s correlation coefficient). Also, the median number of pneumonia episodes during the diagnostic delay decreased from 5 in the 1980s, to 1 in the 1990s and to 0 in the period of 2001–2008 (p < 0.05, Spearman’s correlation coefficient). While in the 1980s 17 of the 19 patients had pneumonia in their past history, in the period of 2001–2008 only 13 of the 33 patients were concerned. Conclusions: Our observation documents improved awareness of immunodeficiencies among physicians. It is supposed that earlier diagnosis will prevent complications, improve the quality of life and even survival of hypogammaglobulinaemic patients.
An Elevated Value on Drug-Induced Lymphocyte Stimulation Test for Immunoglobulin Is an Immunological Abnormality of Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Nomura Yuichi , Masuda Kiminori , Eguchi Taisuke , Morita Yasuko , Ueno Kentaro , Kawano Yoshifumi
Published: March 2010

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile vasculitis in childhood. Currently, treatment with 2 g/kg of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is recommended. Previously we had encountered a patient with KD who showed persistent fever and a severe eruption after IVIG treatment. Using a drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test (DLST), he was positive for an immunoglobulin product. The aim of this study was to clarify the importance of a positive value for the DLST for immunoglobulin products in KD patients. Methods: Subjects were 30 confirmed KD patients treated with IVIG at the Kagoshima Medical Association Hospital. DLST values were compared between patients with additional events and those without additional events using the stimulation index (SI = value of 3H-thymidine absorption with antigen/without antigen). Additional events were defined as symptoms observed after IVIG that were considered unexplainable by the symptoms of KD alone. Results: DLST results were evaluated in 13 patients with additional events and 17 patients without additional events. Elevated DLST values were observed not only in patients with additional events but also in those without additional events. Elevated SI values were observed in the initial 14 days after IVIG and the SI values in this period were significantly higher than those after day 14 (initial 14 days, n = 20, 194 ± 112%; after day 14, n = 10, 117 ± 66%, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Elevated SI values of DLST for immunoglobulin products are not related with additional events. Our results show they may represent one of the immunological abnormalities of KD.
Early and Sustained Systemic and Renal Hemodynamic Effects of Intravenous Radiocontrast
Authors: Saotome Takao , Langenberg Christoph , Wan Li , Ramchandra Rohit , May Clive N. , Bellomo Rinaldo , Bailey Michael , Bagshaw Sean M.
Published: March 2010

Background and Aims: To measure the extended renal hemodynamic changes induced by intravenous radiocontrast. Methods: Cross-ewes were studied in a randomized cross-over study. Intravenous saline or radiocontrast were administered, and continuous measurement of cardiac output and renal blood flow (RBF) was performed with flow probes. Results: Radiocontrast induced early but transient increases in cardiac output with vasodilatation, followed by return to baseline values within 2 h. There was an initial decline in RBF (–5.2 ± 4.5 vs. 2.1 ± 5.3%; p < 0.0001) and decreased renal vascular conductance (–4.0 ± 7.2 vs. 3.3 ± 7.1%, p < 0.0001; vasoconstriction). This renal vasoconstriction resolved within 2 h and was followed by sustained (72 h) renal vasodilatation with higher RBF (270 ± 13 vs. 236 ± 11 ml/min; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Radiocontrast induces short renal vasoconstriction followed by sustained vasodilatation and increased RBF. Short-term studies are not representative of the overall sustained renal hemodynamic effects of radiocontrast.
A Target-Specific Electrode and Lead Design for Internal Globus Pallidus Deep Brain Stimulation
Authors: Vasques Xavier , Cif Laura , Mennessier Gérard , Coubes Philippe
Published: March 2010

In nearly all deep brain stimulation (DBS) applications, the same quadripolar electrode design is used for different anatomical targets even if shape and volume differences exist between nuclei. Taking into account the electrode location within the internal globus pallidus (GPi) and the size of the GPi, 2 electrodes were designed in order to improve the therapeutic benefit, to minimize side effects from DBS and to obtain a more homogeneous electric field distribution. The electrodes were evaluated numerically by using a stereotactic model measuring the correlation between the electric field and the GPi. The model was applied to 26 dystonodyskinetic patients who underwent surgery for a bilateral lead implantation into the posteroventral part of the GPi. The designed electrodes produced a more homogeneous distribution of the electric field than the quadripolar electrode.
Defining the Intercommissural Plane and Stereotactic Coordinates for the Basal Ganglia in the Göttingen Minipig Brain
Authors: Rosendal Frederikke , Chakravarty M. Mallar , Sunde Niels , Rodell Anders , Jonsdottir Kristjana Y. , Pedersen Michael , Bjarkam Carsten , Sørensen Jens Christian
Published: March 2010

The intercommissural line joining the anterior and posterior commissures defines stereotactic coordinate systems used in functional neurosurgical procedures. Such coordinate systems are generally accepted in humans and nonhuman primate experimental settings and provide high stereotactic precision and reproducibility. The ethical concern surrounding the use of nonhuman primates has motivated and helped popularize the use of the Göttingen minipig as an alternative experimental model for experimental functional neurosurgery. We investigated the position and variability of the intercommissural line in the minipig brain using in vivo MRI. From these data, standard coordinates for the minipig basal ganglia were estimated. We found the variability of the intercommissural line to be small in the Göttingen minipig and the variability of the basal ganglia structures to the mid-commissural point to be minor.
Acquired Resistance to Temozolomide in Glioma Cell Lines: Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Translational Applications
Authors: Zhang Jihong , Stevens Malcolm F.G. , Laughton Charles A. , Madhusudan Srinivasan , Bradshaw Tracey D.
Published: March 2010

Treatment for glioblastoma multiforme includes the alkylating agent temozolomide combined with ionizing radiation. Persistent O6-guanine methylation by temozolomide in O6-methylguanine methyl transferase negative tumors causes cytotoxic lesions recognized by DNA mismatch repair, triggering apoptosis. Resistance (intrinsic or acquired) presents obstacles to successful temozolomide treatment, limiting drug efficacy and life expectancy. Two glioma cell lines, SNB19 and U373, sensitive to temozolomide (GI50 values 36 and 68 µM, respectively) were exposed to increasing temozolomide concentrations (1–100 µM). Variant cell lines (SNB19VR, U373VR) were generated that displayed acquired temozolomide resistance (GI50 values 280 and 289 µM, respectively). Cross-resistance to mitozolomide was observed in U373VR cells only. In clonogenic and MTT assays, methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) depletion using O6-benzylguanine sensitized U373VR cells to temozolomide, indicating the resistance mechanism involves MGMT re-expression. Indeed, Western blot analyses revealed MGMT protein in cell lysates. In SNB19VR cells, down-regulation of MSH6 message and protein expression may confer temozolomide tolerance. Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (a key base excision repair (BER) enzyme) partially restored sensitivity, and DNA repair gene arrays demonstrated up-regulation (>5-fold) of BER gene NTL1 in SNB19VR cells. In conclusion, we have developed two glioma cell lines whose distinct mechanisms of acquired resistance to temozolomide, involving expression of MGMT, or inactivation of DNA mismatch repair and recruitment of BER enzymes, are consistent with clinical observations. These cell lines provide valuable models for the development of strategies to combat temozolomide resistance.
Thoracoscopic Findings and Pharmacokinetics of Inhaled Fluorescein in a Pig Model
Authors: Vandermeulen Liv , Makris Demosthenes , Mordon Serge , Goossens Annieta , Marquette Charles-Hugo , Haentjens Patrick , Noppen Marc
Published: March 2010

Background: Fluorescein-enhanced autofluorescence thoracoscopy (FEAT) reveals regions of abnormal fluorescence in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax and in normal subjects. Some of these lesions are undetectable by white light thoracoscopy and it has been hypothesized that they represent underlying pleural and/or parenchymal abnormalities. Objectives: In order to standardize and evaluate this novel technique, we developed an animal model. Methods: Six pigs underwent thoracoscopy after the inhalation of nebulized sodium fluorescein by either volume-controlled mechanical ventilation or spontaneous ventilation. Pleural cavity and lung surface were inspected by white light thoracoscopy and FEAT during a period of 90 min. Fluorescence intensities were quantified in pleura and in blood. Regions of interest were examined postmortem for a histological assessment of the lesions. Results:FEAT lesions were observed in all animals, with a maximum intensity of the lesions 20–30 min after the onset of fluorescein administration. The plasma concentrations of sodium fluorescein reached a maximum after approximately 20 min. The microscopic findings suggest that fluorescein accumulates in the subpleural space of better ventilated lung areas. Conclusions:This is the first animal model using FEAT. Valuable information has been gathered but further investigations are required to explain the phenomena observed in humans and pigs.
Correlates of Self-Stigma Among Outpatients With Mental Illness in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Adewuya Abiodun O. , Owoeye Adekile O. , Erinfolami A.O. , Ola Bolanle A.
Published: March 2010

Background: Studies in this region have all been limited to public stigma whereas little is known about the extent of self-stigma.

Aims: To assess the extent, domains and correlates of self-stigma among psychiatric outpatients in Lagos, Nigeria.

Method: Psychiatric outpatients ( n = 342) from three centres completed a modified version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale (ISMI) as a measure of their self-stigma. They were also evaluated for various sociodemographic and clinical related variables.

Results: A total of 74 ( n = 21.6%) patients were classified as having ‘high selfstigma’. The correlates of high self-stigma included unemployment (OR 3.85, 95% CI 2.55—7.00), poor social support (OR 10.82, 95% CI 4.85—24.84), longer duration of illness (OR 10.35, 95% CI 4.36—25.78) and having full insight into the illness (OR 4.23, 95% CI 2.16—8.76).

Conclusions: Self-stigma is a common phenomenon in psychiatric outpatients in this environment. The present anti-stigma programmes must extend to regions of sub-Saharan Africa and incorporate self-stigma as a matter of priority.
Inviting Participation in Organizational Change Through Ownership Talk
Authors: Kykyri Virpi-Liisa , Puutio Risto , Wahlström Jarl
Published: March 2010

This article takes the practitioner’s view toward and focuses on participation through talk within multiparty settings of one process consulting case. From the perspective of discursive psychology, the authors ask what happens in interaction when the consultant is working to put into practice the ideal of active client participation in organizational change. They argue that participation is established when psychological ownership of the process is displayed through talk in interaction. This happens when what the authors call “ownership talk” is used: A person is sharing his or her views, interests, and experiences related to the change process.The authors provide detailed observations and interpretations about how local rules of displaying ownership talk are provided by the consultant and how they are negotiated, tested, and followed by the participants. The value of the ownership talk concept in developing theory and practices within the fields of organizational change, organizational development, and process consulting work is discussed.
Discursive Recontextualization in a Public Health Setting
Authors: Wolfram Cox Julie , Hassard John
Published: March 2010

The authors discuss discursive recontextualization as a process of discursive change in which stable referents may be recombined. As such, discursive recontextualization recognizes the interplay of both stability and instability without necessarily privileging the latter. Drawing on intertextual document analysis of a series of public reports published in the wake of a major health policy initiative in Victoria, Australia— Health to 2050—the authors identify a discursive pattern in which descriptions of a disaggregation from large Health Care Networks to smaller Metropolitan Health Services echo those of an earlier aggregation of individual hospitals into the Health Care Networks. The authors suggest that future research into discourse and organizational change will benefit from greater attention to stabilization and such recontextualization as well as to fluidity and instability. They examine implications for change agents and for researchers in the field.
Funnel of Interests: The Discursive Translation of Organizational Change
Authors: Whittle Andrea , Suhomlinova Olga , Mueller Frank
Published: March 2010

In this article, the authors examine the role of discourse in the implementation of organizational change. They develop the concept of the “funnel of interests” to describe the process through which the perceived goals, concerns, and interests of different actors are aligned with change. To illustrate the argument, the authors analyze organizational change in a U.K. public—private partnership and show how the creative use of discourse helps to “funnel” the perceived interests of different groups and thereby facilitate the implementation of change. In particular, the authors examine the role of change agents as “translators,” who use discourse to actively reconstruct and realign change as congruent with the recipient’s interests. The findings suggest that change agents need to act as a mediator, interpreting and reinterpreting the change, rather than as a passive intermediary that simply diffuses a fixed set of ideas and practices, letting them pass without modification. It was through translation that the change agents in this study helped to funnel the broad range of concerns expressed by the recipients in the required direction. This study thereby opens up a new research agenda that seeks to examine how interests and interest groups are constructed through discourse, rather than viewing interests as preexisting entities that are simply expressed in discourse.
Resilient Educational Outcomes: Participation in School by Youth With Histories of Homelessness
Authors: Hyman Sophie , Aubry Tim , Klodawsky Fran
Published: March 2010

Disrupted high school experiences, including dropout, are educational consequences for many youth with histories of homelessness. Using an ecological resilience prediction model (ERPM) based on the literature on resilience in at-risk youth, the study followed 82 youth who were initially homeless for a 2-year period, to identify predictors of participating in school. Female sex and increased duration of rehousing at Time 2 significantly predicted being in school at follow-up. Youth who were not in school reported a greater increase in satisfaction with social support compared to youth who were participating in school at follow-up. The study adds to what is understood regarding the longitudinal consequences of housing instability and discontinuity in school participation in youth by examining ecological predictors of resilience. Implications of findings for policy and program development targeting education and housing for youth are discussed.
The Effect of Marriage on Weight Gain and Propensity to Become Obese in the African American Community
Authors: Fitzgibbons Shafer Emily
Published: March 2010

Does marriage have a causal impact on weight and the likelihood of becoming obese? Marriage is thought to have a protective influence on both men’s and women’s health, although via different mechanisms. Evidence in regard to marriage affecting body mass index (BMI) and the propensity to become obese, however, is mixed and often based on limited data. Even less clear is whether the effect varies by race and gender. In this article, the author uses the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979), which has followed individuals for more than 20 years, and uses methods aimed at netting out selection bias to show that marriage is associated with a modest increase in BMI for all race and gender groups. Additionally, marriage is associated with an increase in the likelihood for becoming obese for African American women.
From the Chartreuse Kid to the Wise Old Gnome of Tennis: Age Stereotypes as Frames Describing Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open
Authors: Atkinson Jaye L. , Herro Steven K.
Published: March 2010

Communication and aging scholars have examined media portrayals of older adults but have not yet examined media representations of aging athletes. This study examines New York Times coverage of the U.S. Open, specifically focusing on how that coverage reports Andre Agassi_s age in six different years between 1990 and 2005. Factual and implied age reference categories emerged from the data.The number of age references decreased when Agassi is the typical age for competitive tennis but increased when his level of play is atypical for his age, whether too young or too old. Qualitative analysis further revealed complex and frequently stereotypical portrayals of young and old age. The results highlight how aging stereotypes functions as media frames for athletes.
The Beijing Games in the Western Imagination of China: The Weak Power of Soft Power
Authors: Manzenreiter Wolfram
Published: March 2010

Mega events focus the world’s attention on a particular place and a nation and the success thereof, in either hosting or performing well in the event. Throughout the world, expectations were running high that China would make use of hosting the Beijing Games to promote a positive image to the world. This article takes a critical look at the discourse on the Beijing Games as a public diplomacy tool. Empirical data from global opinion polls are analyzed to demonstrate the weak impact of even the world’s largest sport mega event on altering global perceptions. Two main propositions will be advanced: First, expectations that a sports event can improve the image of a country are overrated; second, having been locked in the Olympic “double-bind,” a system of contradictory messages to which the host is simultaneously obliged, China had no chance in the contest for meaning-making which the Western media won hands down.
Policy Transfer and Learning From the West: Elite Basketball Development in the People’s Republic of China
Authors: Houlihan Barrie , Tan Tien-Chin , Green Mick
Published: March 2010

The article examines the engagement of the People’s Republic of China with global sport using basketball as an example. Following a discussion of the priority given to national elite team sport success in contemporary China, the article explores the range of mechanisms that facilitate sport globalization and focuses particularly on evaluating the utility of the concepts of policy transfer and lesson drawing. The examination of the concepts is achieved through the exploration of a series of questions relating to recent developments in basketball in China, including how the need for reform of the domestic system was recognized and articulated, who was instrumental in transferring policy, which countries were identified as suitable exemplars, and which policies were transferred. The article draws on data collected from a number of sources, including official government documents, news media, and a series of interviews with Chinese officials from key governmental organizations. The article concludes that the concepts of policy transfer and lesson drawing provide significant insight into the process of China’s engagement in basketball, and identifies a series of tensions arising from the process that affect contemporary sport policy.
_The Hit Man From Washington_: Place, Marketable Deviance, and Major League Baseball
Authors: Domino Rudolph Jennifer
Published: March 2010

This essay examines place in terms of issues of local and global marketing in Major League Baseball (MLB) using the case study of the career of Dominican-born superstar Manny Ramírez. Given its current state of decline in popularity, steroid scandals, and criticisms of lack of representation of domestic, urban men of color among its players, MLB attempts to negotiate U.S. patriotism and international appeal through transnationalism, and global labor and marketing initiatives.The career and construction of Manny Ramírez highlight internal contradictions in this marketing strategy as well as the extent to which readings of Ramírez_s deviant behavior parallel as well as differ from those of other athletes of color in the National Basketball Association and National Football League, favoring an immigrant as opposed to a minority identity.
Methodological reflections on gesture analysis in second language acquisition and bilingualism research
Authors: Gullberg Marianne
Published: March 2010

Gestures, i.e. the symbolic movements that speakers perform while they speak, form a closely interconnected system with speech, where gestures serve both addressee-directed (‘communicative’) and speaker-directed (‘internal’) functions. This article aims (1) to show that a combined analysis of gesture and speech offers new ways to address theoretical issues in second language acquisition (SLA) and bilingualism studies, probing SLA and bilingualism as product and process; and (2) to outline some methodological concerns and desiderata to facilitate the inclusion of gesture in SLA and bilingualism research.
The use of web questionnaires in second language acquisition and bilingualism research
Authors: Wilson Rosemary , Dewaele Jean-Marc
Published: March 2010

The present article focuses on data collection through web questionnaires, as opposed to the traditional pen-and-paper method for research in second language acquisition and bilingualism. It is argued that web questionnaires, which have been used quite widely in psychology, have the advantage of reaching out to a larger and more diverse pool of potential participants, which may increase the ecological validity of the resulting database. After considering some issues raised in debates on the strengths and weaknesses of traditional approaches to data collection through questionnaires as opposed to web-based questionnaires, we present two case studies of research designs based on online questionnaires, that is, the bilingualism and emotions questionnaire (Dewaele and Pavlenko, 2001/03) and the feelings questionnaire (Wilson, 2008). We reflect on the issue of participant self-selection and conclude that the potential benefits of web-based questionnaires can outweigh their limitations.
Relative contribution of motor impairments to limitations in activity and restrictions in participation in adults with hemiplegic cerebral palsy
Authors: Chiu Hsiu-Ching , Ada Louise , Butler Jane , Coulson Susan
Published: March 2010

Objective: To determine which motor impairments make a significant relative contribution to upper limb activity limitations, and whether activity limitations are related to participation restrictions in people with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Design: An observational study.

Setting: Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group at Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney.

Subjects: Twenty-three people with hemiplegic cerebral palsy participated.

Main measures: Four motor impairments (strength, coordination, spasticity and contracture), upper limb activity and participation were measured. Multiple regression was used to determine the relative contribution of motor impairments to activity limitations. Linear regression was used to determine the correlation between activity and participation.

Results: The four motor impairments accounted for 63% of the variance in upper limb activity with coordination independently accounting for 21% (P<0.01). Upper limb activity accounted for 13% of the variance in participation (P=0.10).

Conclusions: The findings imply that coordination of four motor impairments makes the largest independent relative contribution to activity limitations, whereas upper limb activity makes less contribution to participation in people with mild and moderate hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
A 4-Year Longitudinal Investigation of the Processes by Which Parents and Peers Influence the Development of Early Adolescent Girls’ Bulimic Symptoms
Authors: Blodgett Salafia Elizabeth H. , Gondoli Dawn M.
Published: March 2010

Bulimic symptoms are fairly common among adolescent girls, and the dual pathway model outlines one possible etiological chain leading to bulimic symptoms. The present study seeks to longitudinally examine the pathways proposed by this model while focusing on the relative contribution of parents and peers (via direct encouragement or pressure to be thin and indirect discussion of dieting). Four years of self-report data were collected from 85 early adolescent girls during fifth through eighth grades. Results indicated that mothers, fathers, and peers each played an important role in the development of girls’ bulimic symptoms by affecting their body dissatisfaction, which was related to later dieting behaviors, depressive symptoms, and bulimic symptoms. Furthermore, results suggested that peers were a stronger influence than mothers and fathers. The authors conclude that both parents and peers play important roles in girls’ development of bulimic symptoms, and future work should especially include peers.
Development of Inpatient Risk Stratification Models of Acute Kidney Injury for Use in Electronic Health Records
Authors: Matheny Michael E. , Miller Randolph A. , Ikizler T. Alp , Waitman Lemuel R. , Denny Joshua C. , Schildcrout Jonathan S. , Dittus Robert S. , Peterson Josh F.
Published: March 2010

Objective. Patients with hospital-acquired acute kidney injury (AKI) are at risk for increased mortality and further medical complications. Evaluating these patients with a prediction tool easily implemented within an electronic health record (EHR) would identify high-risk patients prior to the development of AKI and could prevent iatrogenically induced episodes of AKI and improve clinical management. Methods. The authors used structured clinical data acquired from an EHR to identify patients with normal kidney function for admissions from 1 August 1999 to 31 July 2003. Using administrative, computerized provider order entry and laboratory test data, they developed a 3-level risk stratification model to predict each of 2 severity levels of in-hospital AKI as defined by RIFLE criteria. The severity levels were defined as 150% or 200% of baseline serum creatinine. Model discrimination and calibration were evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation. Results. Cross-validation of the models resulted in area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curves of 0.75 (150% elevation) and 0.78 (200% elevation). Both models were adequately calibrated as measured by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test chi-squared values of 9.7 (P = 0.29) and 12.7 (P = 0.12), respectively. Conclusions. The authors generated risk prediction models for hospital-acquired AKI using only commonly available electronic data. The models identify patients at high risk for AKI who might benefit from early intervention or increased monitoring.
Global shifts, theoretical shifts: Changing geographies of religion
Authors: Kong Lily
Published: March 2010

The paper evaluates the burst in geographical research on religion in the last decade. It examines: (1) the relative emphases and silences in analyses of different sites of religious practice, sensuous geographies, population constituents, religions, geographies and scales of analyses; (2) the rise in the discourse of postsecularization; and (3) four contemporary global shifts (growing urbanization and social inequality, deteriorating environments, ageing populations, and increasing human mobilities), the ways in which religion shapes human response to them, and the implications for new research agendas.
Illuminating the lack of consensus among descriptions of earth history data in the North American deserts: A resource for biologists
Authors: Wilson Joseph S. , Pitts James P.
Published: March 2010

Understanding the timing of mountain building and desert formation events in western North America is crucial to understanding the evolutionary history of the diverse arid-adapted biota that is found there. While many different, often conflicting descriptions exist regarding geobiotic change in western North America, little work has been done to synthesize these various viewpoints. In this paper we present several case studies that illustrate the differences in the various explanations, based on geological and paleobiological data, detailing mountain uplift and desertification in western North America. The majority of the descriptions detailing mountain building in this area fall into two major periods of uplift, the Laramide uplift (∼70—50 Ma) and the Neogene uplift (∼15—2 Ma), yet it remains unclear which of these events was responsible for the formation of the modern mountains. Like the descriptions of mountain building, various accounts exist detailing the timing of desert formation. Some authors suggest that the deserts existed as far back as 15 Ma while others propose that desert formation occurred as recently as 10,000 years ago. Based on this review of the literature, we suggest that the data on Cenozoic geomorphological evolution of the North American desert landscape is still too coarse and filled with gaps to allow for the development of a robust model of landscape evolution. Instead, this work demonstrates the need for biologists studying the North American biota to realize just how problematic some of the earth history data and models are so that they can build this uncertainty into biogeographic reconstructions.
Community and Individuality: Performing Identity in Applied Linguistics
Authors: Hyland Ken
Published: March 2010

Recent research has emphasized the close connections between writing and the construction of an author’s identity. While academic contexts privilege certain ways of making meanings and so restrict what resources participants can bring from their past experiences, we can also see these writing conventions as a repertoire of options that allow writers to actively and publicly accomplish an identity through discourse choices. This article takes a somewhat novel approach to the issue of authorial identity by using the tools of corpus analysis to examine the published works of two leading figures in applied linguistics: John Swales and Debbie Cameron. By comparing high frequency keywords and clusters in their writing with a larger applied linguistics reference corpus, I attempt to show how corpus techniques might inform our study of identity construction and something of the ways identity can be seen as independent creativity shaped by an accountability to shared practices.
Correcting Text Production Errors: Isolating the Effects of Writing Mode From Error Span, Input Mode, and Lexicality
Authors: Leijten Mariëlle , Van Waes Luuk , Ransdell Sarah
Published: March 2010

Error analysis involves detecting, diagnosing, and correcting discrepancies between the text produced so far (TPSF) and the writers mental representation of what the text should be. The use of different writing modes, like keyboard-based word processing and speech recognition, causes different type of errors during text production. While many factors determine the choice of error-correction strategy, cognitive effort is a major contributor to this choice. This research shows how cognitive effort during error analysis affects strategy choice and success as measured by a series of online text production measures. Text production is shown to be influenced most by error span, that is, whether the error spans more or less than two characters. Next, it is influenced by input mode, that is, whether the error has been generated by speech recognition or keyboard, and finally by lexicality, that is, whether the error comprises an existing word. Correction of larger error spans is more successful than that of smaller errors. Writers impose a wise speed accuracy trade-off during large error spans since correction is better, but preparation times (time to first action) and production times take longer, and interference reaction times are slower. During large error spans, there is a tendency to opt for error correction first, especially when errors occurred in the condition in which the TPSF is not preceded by an auditory prompt. In general, the addition of speech frees the cognitive demands of writing. Writers also opt more often to continue text production when the TPSF is presented auditorially first.
Schools of Promise: A School District—University Partnership Centered on Inclusive School Reform
Authors: Causton-Theoharis Julie , Theoharis George , Bull Thomas , Cosier Meghan , Dempf-Aldrich Kathy
Published: March 2010

A university—school district partnership, Schools of Promise (SOP), was formed to improve elementary schools for all children through whole-school reform. This effort focused on the concepts of belonging and inclusion, positioning the needs of marginalized students at the center of the reform through a university-facilitated restructuring of service delivery and university-led professional development. This article reports on the findings from a mixed-methods study of this partnership, addressing two research questions focused on the experiences of the participants and major stakeholders involved in this reform effort. The questions include (a) What have been the major accomplishments of SOP? and (b) What barriers have been encountered? The findings suggest there are both significant accomplishments as well as ongoing barriers to these efforts. These themes are discussed, and implications for future research and future directions for this partnership are presented.
Francophone Minority Economic Development in Canada: Addressing Political or Economic Issues?
Authors: Doloreux David , Rangdrol David , Dionne Émilie
Published: March 2010

This article describes and analyzes the Réseau de Développement Économique et d’Employabilité de la Francophonie Canadienne (RDÉE), a large pan-Canadian network established to support economic development for Francophone minority communities in Canada. The study analyzes the organizational and relational structures of the organizations devoted to supporting minority economic development in Canada and compares their relative importance in different regional contexts. Finally, it discusses whether RDÉE responds to economic necessities and whether it uses recognized economic practices and strategies, while considering the political context behind these initiatives.
The Impact of Immigration on Four Low-Wage Industries in the 1990s
Authors: Howland Marie , Nguyen Doan
Published: March 2010

In a previous study, Howland and Nguyen showed that cities that attracted Asian immigrants experienced slower declines in computer employment than did cities without immigration. This article continues this exploration of the role that immigrants play in labor supply and regional growth by applying a similar framework to four additional low-wage manufacturing industries. Results show that job retention and creation in three low-skilled industries—fruit and vegetable processing, apparel manufacturing, and leather and leather products manufacturing—respond to the influx of Hispanic immigrants in metropolitan areas. Asian immigration had no impact on these three industries, and neither Hispanic nor Asian immigrants affected metropolitan employment growth in the meat-processing industry.
Tax Increment Financing in Missouri: An Analysis of Determinants, Competitive Dynamics, Equity, and Path Dependency
Authors: Mason Susan , Thomas Kenneth P.
Published: March 2010

Tax increment financing (TIF) has been a popular and controversial economic development tool for several decades. This research considers the determinants of competitive dynamics, equity, and path dependency on TIF use. The authors use logistic and ordinary least squares regressions on the approval, number, and value of TIFs in Missouri to flesh out the competitive dynamics, effects on intermunicipal inequality, and path dependency of TIF use. They find that there are competitive dynamics that affect TIF use: Being adjacent to another city that uses TIF increases the likelihood that a city will approve a TIF. The study finds evidence that TIF adoption patterns contribute to intermunicipal inequality, and it provides some support for the importance of path dependency in TIF use.
How Are Businesses Responding to Minnesota’s Tax-Free Zone Program?
Authors: Hansen Tonya J. , Kalambokidis Laura
Published: March 2010

In 2003, Minnesota enacted a tax-free-zone economic development program, Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ), that is of a longer term and more generous than most similar state programs. In this article, the authors analyze publicly available data on the new investments in capital and labor that Minnesota businesses report making in response to the program. The authors find that businesses signing deals in 2004 and 2005 reported creating 4,891 jobs and investing $768 million, with the reported activity varying significantly across the state. The number of jobs reportedly created represents less than 1% of Minnesota’s total nonfarm, private employment. The authors also combine the businesses’ reported data with county-level economic data and analyze how JOBZ-related investment is correlated with economic growth in each county. The authors find little evidence of JOBZ’s impact on county-level economic growth during the first 3 years of the program, but do find significant impacts of several workforce and demographic variables on county-level growth.