bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Financial management reforms after a political shift: a transformative perspective
Authors: Van Dooren Wouter , Sterck Miekatrien
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to study the transformation of reform discourse after a major political shift and to discuss some of the factors that may explain change and continuity in reforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is an embedded case study of four financial reform initiatives in two countries with a political majority system: Australia and the USA. Data gathering is a combination of face‐to‐face interviews and the study of secondary sources.

Findings

Reforms do survive political shifts, but they are transformed through political and administrative processes. The retranslation of reforms seeks a correspondence to the dominant ideological environment and challenges the balance of power. Political élites are important but the position of political élites cannot be interpreted solely from their party political standpoint. Reform discourse is a relevant research subject to study the dynamics in reforms.

Originality/value

The main research issues in reform research are about the gap between rhetoric and reality, and the convergence and divergence between countries. The article adds to existing reform literature by focusing on transformation throughout time and on the political aspects of reforms.
Role of tumor necrosis factor‐α and its receptors in human benign breast lesions and tumors (in situ and infiltrative)
Authors: García‐Tuñón Ignacio , Ricote Mónica , Ruiz Antonio , Fraile Benito , Paniagua Ricardo , Royuela Mar
Published: July 2006

The aim of the present study was to characterize the expression pattern of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and its receptors in breast samples (benign diseases, in situ carcinomas and infiltrating carcinomas), and to compare these results with those obtained previously for interleukin‐6, p53 and p21 using the same samples in order to elucidate the effects of these cytokines on the proliferation–apoptosis equilibrium. Immunoexpression of TNF‐α and its receptors (TNFRI and TNFRII) were studied by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The percentage of samples positive for TNF‐α and TNFRII was higher in in situ carcinoma than in benign breast diseases, and TNFRII was even higher in infiltrating tumors. The percentage of samples positive for TNFRI was similar in the three groups. For the three proteins and in the three patient groups, immunoreactions were observed in the peripheral cytoplasm. In the positive samples, immunostaining for TNF‐α was more intense in infiltrating tumors than in the other two patient groups, whereas immunostaining for both receptors was higher in in situ carcinoma than in benign breast diseases, and even higher in infiltrating tumors. Comparing the TNF‐α results with previous results for mtp53, p21 and interleukin‐6, we found an association between the expression of these four proteins and increasing malignancy. TNF‐α might be an important factor in breast cancer promotion as its proliferation and survival effects seems to be enhanced through the increased expression of TNFRII. Also, the pro‐apoptotic pathway of TNFRI could be inhibited by p21 (which appeared increased in breast cancer), altering TNFRI effects in promoting the expression of several factors, such interleukin‐6, which contribute to tumor promotion. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 1044–1049)
The anatomical position of three extraglottic airway devices in patients with clear airways
Authors: Van Zundert A. , Brimacombe J. , Kamphuis R. , Haanschoten M.
Published: July 2006

We tested the hypothesis that, in patients with clear airways, the anatomical position of three single‐use extraglottic airway devices is similar. The airways studied were: the laryngeal mask airway unique (LMA‐U™), the Softseal laryngeal mask airway (SS‐LM™) and the Cobra perilaryngeal airway (Cobra‐PLA™). Three hundred spontaneously breathing patients were randomly allocated to have their airway managed using one of these three supraglottic airway devices. A rigid endoscope was passed down the airway tube and the following anatomical assessments were made: position of the epiglottis; position of the glottis; and position of the cuff. The epiglottis was more frequently visible with the LMA‐U than with the SS‐LM (76 vs 57%, p = 0.006) and with the LMA‐U than with the Cobra‐PLA (76 vs 46%, p < 0.0001). The epiglottis was in contact with the mask aperture bars in 25% of patients, and in 34% of these, the epiglottis was seen to be herniated through the aperture bars. Herniation of the epiglottis through the mask aperture bars occurred more frequently with the Cobra‐PLA than the LMA‐U (8 vs 3%, p = 0.008). The vocal cords and arytenoids were more frequently visible with the LMA‐U and SS‐LM than with the Cobra‐PLA (both p < 0.006). Herniation of the arytenoids through the mask aperture bars was more frequently seen with the Cobra‐PLA than with the LMA‐U (8 vs 0%, p = 0.004). The position of the cuff was optimal for the LMA‐U and SS‐LM in 90% and 93% of patients, respectively. The cuff was more frequently in the midline with the LMA‐U than with the SS‐LM (p = 0.002). We conclude that the anatomical position of the LMA‐U and SS‐LMA is superior to that of the Cobra‐PLA in patients with clear airways. The mask aperture bars probably have no anatomical utility and predispose to herniation of the pharyngeal structures.
Suprastomal tracheal stenosis after dilational and surgical tracheostomy in critically ill patients
Authors: Koitschev A. , Simon C. , Blumenstock G. , Mach H. , Graumüller S.
Published: July 2006

We have previously reported cases of severe suprastomal stenosis after tracheostomy. In this observational study we investigated the occurrence of suprastomal stenosis as a late complication. Patients with persistent tracheostomy after intensive care underwent an endoscopic examination of tracheostoma, larynx and trachea. A percutaneous dilational tracheostomy was employed in 105 (71.9%) and surgical tracheostomy in 41 (28.1%) of the cases (n = 146). The incidence of severe suprastomal stenosis (grade II > 50% of the lumen) was 23.8% (25 of 105) after dilational tracheostomy and 7.3% (3 of 41) after surgical tracheostomy (p = 0.033). Age, gender, underlying disease, ventilation time, and swallowing ability were not significantly associated with the tracheal pathology. This study suggests that dilational tracheostomy is associated with an increased risk of severe suprastomal tracheal stenosis compared to the surgical technique.
Influence of floral resources on sugar feeding and nutrient dynamics of a parasitoid in the field
Authors: LEE JANA C. , ANDOW DAVID A. , HEIMPEL GEORGE E.
Published: July 2006

Abstract 1. To investigate how floral resources impact feeding and nutrient dynamics of parasitoids, the ichneumonid Diadegma insulare (Cresson) was monitored in cabbage fields with and without buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Moench borders. Biochemical analyses of field‐collected wasps determined whether sugar feeding occurred, and whether it enhanced nutrient levels and increased parasitism of diamondback larvae Plutella xylostella (L.) from 2000 to 2003. The effects of experimental spatial scale on sugar feeding dynamics were also evaluated in 2001.

2. The majority of D. insulare foraging on cabbage had fed upon sugar, but floral borders did not consistently increase the proportion of sugar‐fed wasps or their levels of glycogen and lipid over all 4 years. Floral borders increased sugar storage by females in 2001. More females fed on sugar when experimental plots were separated by at least 800 m compared with 67 m.

3. Feeding on buckwheat nectar vs. honeydew produced by the soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura in surrounding fields was distinguished using the ratio of fructose to total sugars, which was higher in nectar‐ than in honeydew‐fed parasitoids. Floral borders increased the probability that females collected from adjacent crops were nectar‐fed in 2002, demonstrating that floral resources were utilised by foraging parasitoids. Diadegma insulare that fed upon any sugar source had higher levels of sugar and glycogen than unfed wasps, and feeding on honeydew appeared to enhance nutrient storage.

4. The prevalence of sugar or nectar feeding by female D. insulare was not correlated with parasitism rates over the 4 years from all plots, but nectar feeding was positively correlated with parasitism rates within floral plots.
Seasonal spatial dynamics and causes of nest movement in colonies of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)
Authors: HELLER NICOLE E. , GORDON DEBORAH M.
Published: July 2006

Abstract 1. Colony organisation and movement behaviour of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) was studied over 3 years in field populations in California and in captive colonies in the laboratory. This invasive species is highly polydomous and unicolonial; colonies consist of expansive and fluid networks of nests and trails. The spatial and temporal organisation of colonies may contribute to ecological dominance.

2. Argentine ant nests and inter‐nest trails shift in size, abundance, and location, so that colony networks are spatially contracted in the winter and expanded spring to autumn. Colonies occupy permanent sites; ants migrated to and from the same winter nest locations year after year, and occupied 30% of the same nests repeatedly during seasonal migrations.

3. Nests were moved on average 2–3 m. Forty‐two per cent were occupied less than 1 month, 4% the entire study, and the other 54% lasted 3.9 ± 2.3 months (mean ± SD).

4. Nests were located within 2–4 m of woody plants, in warm sites in the winter and cool sites in the summer. Both humidity and food availability influenced nest‐site choice in laboratory colonies. However, when faced with a trade‐off between factors, the ants chose humid nest boxes over nest boxes near food, and ants moved nests only in response to changes in humidity and not distance to food.

5. The results indicate that L. humile colonies are seasonally polydomous, and that nest movements are driven by changes in microclimate. Colony organisation maintains high local density and increases food supply, which may improve the competitive ability of L. humile colonies and reduce opportunities for species coexistence.
Host‐plant use in the range expansion of the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa
Authors: STASTNY MICHAEL , BATTISTI ANDREA , PETRUCCO‐TOFFOLO EDOARDO , SCHLYTER FREDRIK , LARSSON STIG
Published: July 2006

Abstract 1. During range expansions of phytophagous insects, secondary or novel hosts may allow colonisation of areas without primary hosts. Because plant species often differ in their relative attractiveness and suitability for insects, insect preference for, and performance on, these hosts can determine recruitment potential in the current and future expansion areas.

2. This study explores the relative roles of female preference and larval performance in an important pine defoliator, Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae), which colonises three Pinus species at its current range margin in the Italian Alps: P. nigra (primary host), P. sylvestris (secondary host), and P. mugo (novel host).

3. Host use patterns in multiple insect populations were studied through choice and no‐choice oviposition experiments in cages, field surveys of mixed stands, and laboratory and field monitoring of larval growth and mortality. It was predicted that a specific life‐history trait – time limitation of short‐lived females to lay a single batch of eggs – would act as a component of female performance, and lead to similar rates of host acceptance in no‐choice settings.

4. In the choice experiment, P. nigra was accepted the most frequently while P. sylvestris was accepted the least frequently, confirming nest density patterns in the field. Contrary to prediction, females remained discriminating in no‐choice settings in spite of time limitation. In contrast, relative growth rate (RGR) and mortality of larvae did not differ significantly among the three hosts, highlighting a discrepancy between female preference and larval performance.

5. Recruitment potential of T. pityocampa in future expansion into stands of P. sylvestris and P. mugo is evaluated by combining host quality, conservatism in oviposition behaviour, habitat suitability, and the opportunity for local adaptation.
Movement of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in a regulated lowland Australian river: implications for management
Authors: STUART I. G. , JONES M. J.
Published: July 2006

Abstract  Introduced common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., is the most abundant large fish in the Murray‐Darling Basin and past studies have considered it non‐migratory. Movement information is, however, important for targeting control efforts to appropriate habitats and spatial scales. Movement patterns of common carp in the Murray River were investigated between November 1999 and August 2001. In total, 3337 common carp were boat electric fished and externally tagged. Of the 293 (8.8%) fish recaptured, up to 1898 days later, the majority (80%) moved <5 km. However, over 7% of the tagged population moved ≥100 km, and the maximum distance was 890 km. Intermediate‐sized males moved the greatest distances, usually downstream. Conversely, females and larger males remained close to floodplain spawning areas. For improved management, there is a need to recognise different movement strategies within common carp populations.
An evaluation of different structures to age freshwater fish from a northeastern US river
Authors: MACEINA M. J. , SAMMONS S. M.
Published: July 2006

Abstract  Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède), smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepède, and yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), were collected from the Hudson River, New York, USA, to compare the precision of age estimates derived from scales and otoliths. Similar procedures were used to compare otolith and spine ages from brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur). Overall percent agreement between readers ranged from 91% to 98% for otoliths compared with 38% to 67% for scales and spines. Disagreement rates associated with scales and spines increased as fish grew older. Average percent error between readers was about an order of magnitude higher for scales and spines than for otoliths. Ages estimated from scales and spines progressively decreased as age increased based on otolith examination. The use of scales and spines to age largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brown bullheads from the northeastern US was less precise and will likely lead to underestimation of age of larger and older fish.
Predicting catches for the Lough Neagh (Northern Ireland) eel fishery based on stock inputs, effort and environmental variables
Authors: ALLEN M. , ROSELL R. , EVANS D.
Published: July 2006

Abstract The Lough Neagh eel fishery is the largest remaining commercial source of wild European eels. Following the pan‐European elver crash in the 1980s, the numbers of elvers entering the Lough fell drastically, prompting the Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co‐operative Society Ltd (LNFCS) to purchase additional glass eels from a UK distributor. LNFCS have continued to purchase glass eels, when market prices have been favourable, to supplement the natural glass eel input. This study assesses the impact of these stocked glass eels on the Lough Neagh yellow and silver eel fisheries with a predictive model based on natural and stocked glass eel input, effort and environmental variables. Despite the final models’ limitations to assess conclusively the contribution of the additional purchased glass eels the models can be used cautiously to predict, in the short term, yellow and silver eel output. The models will require reviewing, on an annual basis, as further data become available.
The chloroplast lumen and stromal proteomes of Arabidopsis thaliana show differential sensitivity to short‐ and long‐term exposure to low temperature
Authors: Goulas Estelle , Schubert Maria , Kieselbach Thomas , Kleczkowski Leszek A. , Gardeström Per , Schröder Wolfgang , Hurry Vaughan
Published: July 2006

Cold acclimation and over‐wintering by herbaceous plants are energetically expensive and are dependent on functional plastid metabolism. To understand how the stroma and the lumen proteomes adapt to low temperatures, we have taken a proteomic approach (difference gel electrophoresis) to identify proteins that changed in abundance in Arabidopsis chloroplasts during cold shock (1 day), and short‐ (10 days) and long‐term (40 days) acclimation to 5°C. We show that cold shock (1 day) results in minimal change in the plastid proteomes, while short‐term (10 days) acclimation results in major changes in the stromal but few changes in the lumen proteome. Long‐term acclimation (40 days) results in modulation of the proteomes of both compartments, with new proteins appearing in the lumen and further modulations in protein abundance occurring in the stroma. We identify 43 differentially displayed proteins that participate in photosynthesis, other plastid metabolic functions, hormone biosynthesis and stress sensing and signal transduction. These findings not only provide new insights into the cold response and acclimation of Arabidopsis, but also demonstrate the importance of studying changes in protein abundance within the relevant cellular compartment.
The mitochondrial electron transfer flavoprotein complex is essential for survival of Arabidopsis in extended darkness
Authors: Ishizaki Kimitsune , Schauer Nicolas , Larson Tony R. , Graham Ian A. , Fernie Alisdair R. , Leaver Christopher J.
Published: July 2006

In mammals, the electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) is a heterodimeric protein composed of two subunits, α and β, that is responsible for the oxidation of at least nine mitochondrial matrix flavoprotein dehydrogenases. Electrons accepted by ETF are further transferred to the main respiratory chain via the ETF ubiquinone oxide reductase (ETFQO). Sequence analysis of the unique Arabidopsis homologues of two subunits of ETF revealed their high similarity to both subunits of the mammalian ETF. Yeast two‐hybrid experiments showed that the Arabidopsis ETFα and ETFβ can form a heteromeric protein. Isolation and characterization of two independent T‐DNA insertional Arabidopsis mutants of the ETFβ gene revealed accelerated senescence and early death compared to wild‐type during extended darkness. Furthermore in contrast to wild‐type, the etfb mutants demonstrated a significant accumulation of several amino acids, isovaleryl CoA and phytanoyl CoA during dark‐induced carbohydrate deprivation. These phenotypic characteristics of etfb mutants are broadly similar to those that we observed previously in Arabidopsis etfqo mutants, suggesting functional association between ETF and ETFQO in Arabidopsis, and confirming the essential roles of the ETF/ETFQO electron transfer complex in the catabolism of leucine and involvement in the chlorophyll degradation pathway activated during dark‐induced carbohydrate deprivation.
Spontaneous regression of generalized eruptive histiocytosis: Possible involvement of apoptosis?
Authors: Tang Xu , Shen Hong , Xu Aie , Sun Xiukun , Wang Yiling , Shi Guifen , Kang Kefei
Published: July 2006

Generalized eruptive histiocytosis (GEH) is a rare generalized non‐X histiocytosis, first described in 1963 by Winklemann and Muller1. Since then more than 20 patients with GEH, mainly adults but also a few children, have been reported. We report a case of GEH in a middle‐aged woman with spontaneous regression, in which the ultrastructural findings of apoptosis were observed.
Sister Mary Joseph's nodule as a metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma
Authors: Renner Regina , Sticherling Michael
Published: July 2006

Umbilical metastasis, alias Sister Mary Joseph's nodule, is a rare clinical phenomenon. It indicates neoplasm of inner organs mostly located in the gastrointestinum or the pelvis. However, in approximately 15–30% the primary tumor remains occult. In most cases Sister Joseph's nodule appears as an early and sometimes the only symptom of the malignoma. Here we report on an umbilical metastasis of a gallbladder carcinoma with subsequent manifestation of other tumor complications such as extensive thrombosis of arm veins.
Novel mutations in two families with Darier's disease
Authors: Amichai B. , Karpati M. , Goldman B. , Peleg L.
Published: July 2006

Background  Darier's disease (DD) is an autosomal dominant skin disorder characterized by abnormal keratinization and acantholysis. Deleterious mutations in the gene ATP2A2 which encodes SERCA2, a calcium pump of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum underlie the disease.

Objective  To identify the genetic defect in two Jewish families of eastern‐European ancestry with DD.

Methods  DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of six patients and three healthy members of the two families. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to amplify the exons and flanking intron boundaries of the ATP2A2 gene followed by direct sequencing. Restriction fragment analysis verified the presence or absence of the mutations.

Results  Two novel mutations were identified. A nonsense mutation, a change of C391 to T (R131X) in exon 5, was found in one family and a missense mutation, a change of A530 to C (Q177P) in the second. The mutations were not present in 50 healthy individuals of the same ethnic origin. Both pathogenic mutations are in codons that are located in a highly conserved cytoplasmic β‐strand domain which functions as the transduction site.

Conclusion  The existence of two mutations in two Jewish families of the same ancestry might confirm the previously published reports that most mutations in that gene are private.
Higher relatedness within groups due to variable subadult dispersal in a rainforest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae
Authors: SUMNER JOANNA
Published: July 2006

Abstract  Field observations of groups of the prickly forest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae (Reptilia: Scincidae), from north‐eastern Australia, that consist of different sized individuals under the same log have generated speculation about the social structure and dispersal patterns of this species. A total of 411 skinks were sampled from 12 rainforest sites on the Atherton Tableland in the Wet Tropics of north‐eastern Australia. Relatedness statistics calculated using nine microsatellite DNA loci showed that prickly forest skinks are significantly more related to animals within their own group than to those in other groups, and there is a significantly greater relatedness between subadults less than 2 years old and adults within the same group. This relationship was no longer apparent between individuals estimated to be 2 to 3 years old and adults in the same group. Thirty per cent of individuals estimated to be less than 2 years old were likely to be the offspring of an adult under the same log, whereas only 7% of individuals between 2 and 3 years old were. Using mark‐recapture techniques, movement distances between 0 and 94 m were recorded, with an average movement distance of 12.8 m, or 1.5 m per month between captures. Movements of 0–5 m were the most frequent for all ages and sexes. Subadults tended to move further per month on average than adults, but there was no difference in average movement between adult males and females. Thus I found little evidence to support a hypothesis of complex social structuring in prickly forest skinks. Rather, groups of lizards under logs appear to be a result of high, but variable, dispersal of subadults in their first 2 years.
Trunk invertebrate faunas of Western Australian forests and woodlands: Seeking causes of patterns along a west‐east gradient
Authors: MAJER J. D. , RECHER H. F. , GRAHAM R. , GUPTA R.
Published: July 2006

Abstract  Trunk‐associated invertebrates were sampled on marri trees (Eucalyptus (Corymbia) calophylla) along a transect from Karragullen, near Perth, through to Dryandra, 150 km to the south‐east. This represents a drop in annual rainfall from 1078 to 504 mm, which is accompanied by a change from jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest to wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodland. Invertebrates were sampled by intercept traps, which collect invertebrates that attempt to land on the trunks, and bark traps, which collect invertebrates that move, or live, on the trunk. Trends are reported here at the ordinal level. The variety and abundance of invertebrates sampled was generally greater in the intercept than the bark traps. Invertebrate abundance, activity and biomass on bark were strongly seasonal, with greater numbers being found during the moister periods. Invertebrate abundances tended to be greater at the drier, eastern end of the transect, particularly on the three sites within wandoo woodland. These trends were analysed in terms of rainfall, soil nutrients and plant community composition. The analysis failed to detect an underlying influence of any of these factors, suggesting that the observed trends on marri trunks may be the result of invertebrate responses to the dominant tree species at the western and eastern ends of the transect, namely jarrah and wandoo respectively.
Lack of disturbance as an explanation for the additive basal area phenomenon in a stratified Afrotemperate forest
Authors: LAWES M. J. , MIDGLEY J. J. , BOUDREAU S. , GRIFFITHS M. E.
Published: July 2006

Abstract  Explanations for the additive basal area (BA) phenomenon in forests are frequently given in the context of stratification and the avoidance of competition for space or resources (e.g. light, nutrients, moisture). Thus, large individuals avoid competition for light by emerging above the canopy and, in so doing, the BA of emergent individuals is often ‘additive’ to that of the rest of the individuals in a stand. The additive BA phenomenon was evident in a stratified Afrotemperate forest and was not confined to the emergent stratum but occurred also within the canopy stratum where gymnosperm BA appeared to be additive. However, there was no evidence that stand BA was at carrying capacity (i.e. presumably neither space nor nutrient resources were limiting) and there was no statistical evidence of competitive effects. We argue that avoiding competition is an insufficient explanation for how biomass accumulates in stratified forests and suggest that local variation in disturbance regime and tree life‐history provide a more plausible and general explanation for current forest stand structure and dynamics. We suggest that the additive effect is a result of long‐lived individuals persisting in the prolonged absence of disturbance to canopy and emergent strata.
Urethral injections for female stress incontinence
Authors: APPELL RODNEY A. , DMOCHOWSKI ROGER R. , HERSCHORN SENDER
Published: July 2006

Emphasis on minimally invasive options for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) has resulted in the development of agents and techniques that improve these conditions substantially towards social continence, but currently give suboptimal cure/dry rates. The application of injectable therapy as an office procedure implies the potential for cost‐efficient treatment for selected patients with UI. Continuous advances in materials technology have provided the possibility that many new urethral bulking agents will soon be available. Experience continues to accrue in clinical trials for urethral bulking with these agents, while parallel use for the indication of paediatric vesico‐urethral reflux has also provided evidence of biological activity related to these compounds. The agents that are closest to complete analysis are synthetic and represent various material types and characteristics. As these materials develop, understanding of the preferred injection technique also is being gained. The delivery method and site might prove to substantially alter the biological activity of these compounds.
Neuromodulatory therapies in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery: biological agents
Authors: SCHULTE‐BAUKLOH HEINRICH , KNISPEL HELMUT H.
Published: July 2006

In recent years, important improvements in the management of patients with neurogenic or non‐neurogenic detrusor overactivity and urge incontinence have been brought about by the introduction of vanilloids and botulinum toxins in urology. In this review we introduce the new therapeutic options, provides basic information, and summarize the results experienced so far.
Electrical neuromodulatory therapy in female voiding dysfunction
Authors: BOSCH J.L.H. RUUD
Published: July 2006

Female voiding dysfunction such as urge‐frequency syndrome, urge incontinence and unobstructive urinary retention are often refractory to conservative management. Electrical neuromodulation with surface electrodes or with implantable systems has become a valuable addition to the therapeutic options in the last two decades. Interstitial cystitis is an emerging indication. The application of these techniques in non‐neurogenic patients is reviewed. The techniques using unimplantable electrodes, anogenital electrical stimulation with plug electrodes, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with surface electrodes, and posterior tibial nerve stimulation using needle electrodes are addressed. Several techniques using implantable systems are discussed, e.g. sacral nerve neuromodulation (InterstimTM device), pudendal nerve stimulation (Interstim and BionTM device) and paraurethral neuromodulation (MiniaturoTM device). The long‐term efficacy of neuromodulation for the established indications is more than half, but 20–50% of the patients initially tested do not respond to a test procedure. The disadvantage is the high surgical revision rate and the high cost of treatment. Technical advances will hopefully be able to address these aspects.
Large‐scale study of the −232C > G polymorphism of PCK1 in Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Wegner L. , Andersen G. , Albrechtsen A. , Sparsø T. , Glümer C. , Borch‐Johnsen K. , Jørgensen T. , Hansen T. , Pedersen O.
Published: July 2006

Aims  Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is a catalyst of the rate‐limiting step in the gluconeogenic pathway and is regulated at the transcriptional level predominantly by insulin, glucocorticoids, glucagon, and cAMP. The −232C > G polymorphism in the gene encoding PEPCK (PCK1) is reported to associate with Type 2 diabetes in Canadian Caucasians and Oji‐Cree populations. We have estimated the impact of the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism in a relatively large‐scale case‐control study of Type 2 diabetes and in association studies of common metabolic phenotypes. Interaction studies of the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism with variants in the genes encoding peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ co‐activator (PGC)‐1α and hepatic nuclear factor (HNF)‐4α were also performed.

Methods  PCK1−232C > G was genotyped in a total of 7467 Danish white subjects using TaqMan allelic discrimination. A case‐control study of Type 2 diabetes was performed using 6057 of the participants, and quantitative trait studies of metabolic variables were carried out in a subgroup of 5718 non‐diabetic subjects. Additionally, variants in PGC‐1α (Gly482Ser) and HNF‐4α (Thr130Ile, Val255Met, and rs1884614) were investigated for epistatic interaction with the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism.

Results  In the case‐control study of Type 2 diabetes of 1377 Type 2 diabetic patients and 4680 normoglycaemic and normal glucose‐tolerant subjects we found no association of the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism with diabetes. In addition, the variant was not associated with age of clinical onset of Type 2 diabetes. In the study of 5718 non‐diabetic subjects, we found no relationships of quantitative metabolic traits with the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism. We failed to demonstrate any convincing epistatic effects of the variants in the genes encoding PGC‐1α and HNF‐4α with the PCK1−232C > G polymorphism.

Conclusions  The PCK1−232C > G polymorphism is not a major contributor to the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes in the Danish population.
Trends in bed occupancy for inpatients with diabetes before and after the introduction of a diabetes inpatient specialist nurse service
Authors: Sampson M. J. , Crowle T. , Dhatariya K. , Dozio N. , Greenwood R. H. , Heyburn P. J. , Jones C. , Temple R. C. , Walden E.
Published: July 2006

Aims  To compare diabetes bed occupancy and inpatient length of stay, before and after the introduction of a dedicated diabetes inpatient specialist nurse (DISN) service in a large UK Hospital.

Methods  We analysed bed occupancy data for medical or surgical inpatients for 6 years (1998–2004 inclusive), with a DISN service in the final 2 years. Excess bed days per diabetes patient were derived from age band, specialty, and seasonally matched data for all inpatients without diabetes. We also analysed the number of inpatients with known diabetes who did not have diabetes recorded as a discharge diagnosis.

Results  There were 14 722 patients with diabetes (9.7% of all inpatients) who accounted for 101 564 occupied bed days (12.4% of total). Of these, 18 161 days (17.8%) were excess compared with matched patients without diabetes, and were concentrated in those < 75 years old. Mean excess bed days per diabetes inpatient under 60 years of age was estimated to be 1.9 days before the DISN appointment, and this was reduced to 1.2 bed days after the appointment (P = 0.03). This is equivalent to 700 bed days saved per year per 1000 inpatients with diabetes under 60 years old, with an identical saving for those aged 61–75 years (P = 0.008), a saving of 1330 diabetes bed days per year by one DISN. Excess diabetes bed occupancy was 167 excess bed days per year per 1000 patients with diabetes in the local population after the DISN appointment. One quarter of the known Type 2 diabetes population were admitted annually, but one quarter of patients had no diagnostic code for diabetes.

Conclusions  Diabetes excess bed occupancy was concentrated in patients < 75 years old, and this was reduced notably following the introduction of a DISN service.
Nurse educators’ perceived challenges in mandatory continuing nursing education
Authors: Xiao L.D.
Published: July 2006

Aim:  This paper reports a study that leads to understanding challenges facing nurse educators implementing mandatory continuing nursing education in The People’s Republic of China.

Background:  Mandatory continuing nursing education was instituted to maintain and develop registered nurses’ competence in the context of healthcare reform in China in 1996. However, there is an increasing complaint of credit‐focused and teacher‐centred learning in Chinese literature. Despite an increasing appeal to improve the learning situation, little consensus has been reached. By examining nurse educators’ perceived challenges and their coping strategies in implementing mandatory continuing nursing education, this study illuminates the possibilities for reform in mandatory continuing nursing education.

Methods:  Data were collected through in‐depth interactive dialogues between the researcher and five nurse educators in five healthcare organizations in China, utilizing Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics.

Findings:  Three themes were found in this study described as finding a way to support nurses’ competence within a constrained situation, reconciling credit requirements and representing all stakeholders’ interests.

Conclusions:  A tension between the mandatory continuing nursing education policy and the context of implementing the policy can contribute to credit‐focused and teacher‐centred learning. Regular policy review and educational support for nurse educators are crucial aspects to improve mandatory continuing nursing education.
A comparison of sexual satisfaction and post‐natal depression in the UK and Taiwan
Authors: Huang Y.C. , Mathers N.J.
Published: July 2006

Aim:  To compare the sexual expression and sexual satisfaction of women in the UK and Taiwan before and after childbirth, to determine if there is an association between self reported sexual satisfaction and postnatal depression (PND) and the main sources of sexual information for women during this period.

Method:  A comparative survey of postnatal women in the UK and Taiwan using a selfadministered questionnaire, a semi structured interview and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to investigate sexual satisfaction, sexual expression and main sources of information as well the prevalence of postnatal depression.

Results:  Seventy per cent of the UK women and 89% of the Taiwanese women were generally satisfied with their sex life during the postnatal period although in both countries women thought that sexual expression was not as important to themselves as to their partner. There were differences in ranking criteria for physical and emotional sexual satisfaction in the two countries. Eighty‐three per cent of UK women had sufficient information about sex during the postnatal period compared to 60% of Taiwanese women. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of PND (18% UK, 19% Taiwan p < 0.01 ANOVA) but significant negative associations (correlation coefficient) between ‘sexual self‐confidence’ and PND in the UK (p < 0.01) and Taiwan (p < 0.05). UK Women with an unsatisfactory sex life (p < 0.05), insufficient sexual information (p < 0.05) and sexual worries after birth (p < 0.05) were more likely to have symptoms of PND. There was a strong association between a poor relationship with her partner and PND (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:  These associations may be either a consequence of or a contributing factor to PND. The observed differences between the two countries may be attributed to cross cultural factors and differences in health care systems although further investigation is required.
Improving the health of Indigenous Australians: reforms in nursing education. An opinion piece of international interest
Authors: Turale S. , Miller M.
Published: July 2006

Aim:  This paper overviews Indigenous disadvantage in relatively wealthy Australia. It describes efforts to increase the recruitment and retention of Indigenous people in nursing and to reform nursing education to be more inclusive of Indigenous culture, health and history.

Background:  Indigenous people on average die 17 years younger than non‐Indigenous people and have health problems similar to those of people in some underdeveloped countries. Moreover, social injustice and human rights issues affect their health and well‐being and educational opportunities. They are under‐represented in the health professions, including nursing, often through a lack of educational preparation and historical, socio‐economic and cultural factors hindering them from entering and succeeding in university studies.

Methods:  In 2000, a project was funded by the Australian commonwealth government and led by the Indigenous Nursing Education Working Group. This Group worked for five years on a wide range of methods that included consultation within the profession, information dissemination and longitudinal surveying of university schools of nursing and Indigenous support units.

Results:  Findings show that collaborative efforts between key stakeholders in nursing education appear to be succeeding to increase the numbers of Indigenous students of nursing. Around two–thirds of schools of nursing now include Indigenous content in their undergraduate curricula, but the majority is yet to provide Indigenous cultural awareness/cultural safety training for faculty.
Music as nursing intervention for pain in five Asian countries*
Authors: Lim P.H. , Locsin R.
Published: July 2006

Background:  The use of music as intervention for relieving pain has increased in recent years, prompting its growing use among the people of the western world. However, among Asians, music has long been used for this purpose and continues to be so today. Despite this common knowledge, Asians have not generally written about the therapeutic effects of music. Consequently, most of the published research studies supporting this claim were conducted in western settings using western music.

Purpose:  To describe the use of music as intervention in painful conditions as experienced by people in five Asian countries: China, Thailand, Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan.

Method:  Descriptive survey of studies using music as intervention for painful conditions conducted in selected five Asian countries.

Findings:  Twelve studies including theses and dissertations, published and unpublished, were found; however, only nine met the inclusion criteria. Data were categorized according to research design, sample size, gender, age, duration of music, frequency of music intervention, types of pain and instruments used to measure pain, conceptual or theoretical frameworks and statistical significance of the study. Five of the nine studies declared significant decrease in pain, while three reported mixed results. Fundamentally, the findings of the studies suggested that with music, relief of pain was possible.

Implications:  The mixed results imply the need for further investigation of the effects of music in painful conditions. Thus, the authors suggest continuing studies on the effects of music as intervention in painful conditions, and encourage increasing global dissemination of these studies, particularly in international journals.
Participatory rural appraisal techniques in disenfranchised communities: a Kenyan case study
Authors: Maalim A.D.
Published: July 2006

Background:  Developing countries have made great progress in the field of health. However, disparities exist in the distribution of healthcare services. Given the lifestyle of the nomadic Somali community, very little was known about their perceptions about preventive healthcare services or their health needs in general. The best source of information regarding these matters is the community itself.

Objective:  To apply participatory rapid rural appraisal techniques to health needs and plan nursing services for a disenfranchised, nomadic Somali community of north‐eastern Kenya.

Methods:  Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) is an innovative approach to data collection in participatory research. The philosophy is that the researcher is required to acknowledge and appreciate that the research participants have the necessary knowledge and skills to be partners in the whole research process. Illuminating data were collected in late 1999 using PRA techniques, which underscored the Somali community’s perception of the healthcare services and how they could be improved to suit their nomadic lifestyle.

Findings:  The nomads diagrammatically described their seasonal movements extensively and postulated that these could be used for planning mobile/outreach services for the community. The study also reveals how the current nursing services have failed to utilize the intricate information network of the community.

Implications for practice:  Nursing personnel need to make friendly participatory relationships with a better understanding of communities’ health problems and their socio‐cultural practices in order to ensure efficient and effective nursing services.
Stretching the Boundaries: Schools as Therapeutic Agents in Mental Health. Is it a Realistic Proposition?
Authors: FINNEY DAVE
Published: July 2006

It seems self‐evident to suggest that our schools should play a part in the identification and the response to school‐age pupils with mental health problems/mental illness. Schools have a number of unique advantages as both preventative and curative agents in the mental health discourse. The notion of schools playing an extended role in the health, mental health and safety of children, enshrined in the UK Children Act, 2004, has resulted in further demands on educational professionals to meet a broader care agenda. The school as a site for mental health work appears to be an enlightened rather than radical proposition, yet often there are cultural and systemic barriers to implementation. This article aims to highlight some of the main obstacles to the promotion of therapeutic interventions in schools and proposes that there is a considerable gap between the rhetoric of joint‐agency cooperation and the reality of applying mental health strategies in an educational setting. A number of recent UK government programmes have reflected a shift in thinking towards adopting more therapeutic interventions and this is particularly evident in the primary school strategies to improve behaviour and attendance. In tandem, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services have, through training initiatives and the use of primary mental health workers, actively promoted mental health issues in schools. Yet, despite these initiatives, it is arguable that many schools remain ill‐equipped to recognize and respond to mental health problems in school‐age children. I believe that schools have a pivotal role to play, but there must be fundamental changes before effective change can take place.
Taking a Line for a Walk: Including School Refusers
Authors: HEAD GEORGE , JAMIESON SANDY
Published: July 2006

This article explores the experience of a group of young people who experienced difficulty attending school. Young people's reasons for not attending school and the support provided for them by their teachers are examined. Finally, an analysis based on a shift in identity from school refuser to effective learner is offered as an explanation for the students' success in coping with school. The authors draw on Paul Klee's metaphor of art as a development that can go forwards, backward, up and down as similar to the processes of working with such young people. They argue that to expect linear progress is both unrealistic and sets unfair expectations on students and their teachers.
How skilled were English agricultural labourers in the early nineteenth century?1
Authors: BURNETTE JOYCE
Published: July 2006

Using the wage accounts of two different farms in the 1830s and 1840s, matched with census records to determine the age of the workers, this article estimates age‐wage profiles for male and female agricultural labourers. Females earned less than males, and had less wage growth over their life cycles. Male wage profiles peaked at age 30–5, earlier than the wage profiles of workers today. Before the age of 30 wage growth was more rapid than increases in strength, but less rapid than wage growth among factory workers. If wage increases after the age of 20 indicate skill acquisition, then male agricultural labourers acquired a significant amount of skill, but less skill than contemporaneous factory workers.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY AND PRICES IN SEARCH EQUILIBRIUM*
Authors: Molico Miguel
Published: July 2006

This article considers a search‐theoretic model of monetary exchange. Agents bargain over both the amount of money and the quantity of goods to be exchanged in bilateral meetings, determining endogenously the distributions of money and of prices. I show that money is neutral if changes in the money supply are accomplished via proportional transfers. However, within the class of lump‐sum transfers, an increase of the rate of monetary expansion tends to decrease the dispersion of wealth and prices and to improve welfare when inflation is low; but when inflation is high enough, the opposite effects occur.
PARTIAL ADJUSTMENT WITHOUT APOLOGY*
Authors: King Robert G. , Thomas Julia K.
Published: July 2006

Econometric partial adjustment models perform relatively well at the aggregate level; however, many kinds of microeconomic behavior involve discrete and occasional choices. Analyzing the classic employment adjustment problem, we show how a generalized partial adjustment model tractably accommodates both observations by aggregating the actions of heterogeneous producers facing fixed adjustment costs. Aggregate disturbances cause changes in establishment‐level target employment and in the measure of establishments actively adjusting to their target, whereas aggregate responses exhibit partial adjustment. Our framework also can be applied in general equilibrium settings with persistent idiosyncratic shocks without forfeiting the convenient use of linear solution methods.