bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Entropy, Variety, Economics, and Spatial Interaction. 熵、多样性、经济学和空间相互作用
Authors: Gordon Ian
Published: October 2010

This article locates the gravity‐type spatial interaction model within the strand of regional science that recognizes the centrality of heterogeneity for spatial analysis. Wilson's entropy‐maximizing (EM) formulation is considered alongside that from random utility (RU) functions as bases for theorizing the interaction model and the role of diversity in spatial processes. It highlights ambiguities in the relationship of the EM approach to causality, particularly in relation to assumed constraints on modeled outcomes, and the significance of variety as a concept emerging from the RU approach to analysis of spatial interactions. Taking as an example the challenge of translating central place theory into a heterogeneous form, it argues the need for spatial modeling to engage more closely with the substantive explanatory concerns and hypotheses of mainstream geographers and regional scientists.
A Personal Odyssey Toward a Theme: Race and Equality in the United States: 1948–2009
Authors: Lempert Richard
Published: October 2010

This 2009 Law & Society Association presidential address combines the personal and political to address issues relating to race relations in the United States. Combining narrative methods and quantitative data the article traces the roots of the author's commitment to racial equality and evaluates the degree to which over the past 60 years anti-black prejudice has diminished and black-white equality increased. The conclusion is that important progress toward black-white equality has occurred and prejudice is less of a barrier than it once was, but large gaps remain, and the progress achieved is fragile. Moreover, the greatest progress is in areas where the government has most strongly intervened, meaning that the racial jurisprudence of the current Supreme Court and conservative economic policies may present major impediments to further closing black-white gaps. Law and society scholars are urged to attend more to racial equality issues than they have in the past.
Experiencing Discrimination: Race and Retention in America's Largest Law Firms
Authors: Payne-Pikus Monique R. , Hagan John , Nelson Robert L.
Published: October 2010

Although the number of racial and ethnic minority lawyers in the legal profession has greatly increased, concern remains about their low percentage among partners in elite law firms. Using a nationally representative sample of young American lawyers, we compare a human capital–based theory, which emphasizes measures of merit, and an institutional discrimination–based theory, which focuses on differences in partner contact and mentoring. The results indicate that institutional discrimination theory is the better way of understanding racial and ethnic differences in lawyer retention. Future affirmative action programs need to focus not just on access but also the processes within large firms if minority presence is to be increased.
Race Categorization and the Regulation of Business and Science
Authors: Lee Catherine , Skrentny John D.
Published: October 2010

Despite the lack of consensus regarding the meaning or significance of race or ethnicity amongst scientists and the lay public, there are legal requirements and guidelines that dictate the collection of racial and ethnic data across a range of institutions. Legal regulations are typically created through a political process and then face varying kinds of resistance when the state tries to implement them. We explore the nature of this opposition by comparing responses from businesses, scientists, and science-oriented businesses (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies) to U.S. state regulations that used politically derived racial categorizations, originally created to pursue civil rights goals. We argue that insights from cultural sociology regarding institutional and cultural boundaries can aid understanding of the nature of resistance to regulation. The Food and Drug Administration's guidelines for research by pharmaceutical companies imposed race categories on science-based businesses, leading to objections that emphasized the autonomy and validity of science. In contrast, similar race categories regulating first business by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and later scientific research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encountered little challenge. We argue that pharmaceutical companies had the motive (profit) that NIH-supported scientists lacked and a legitimate discourse (boundary work of science) that businesses regulated by the EEOC did not have. The study suggests the utility of a comparative cultural sociology of the politics of legal regulation, particularly when understanding race-related regulation and the importance of examining legal regulations for exploring how the meaning of race or ethnicity are contested and constructed in law.
The Penology of Racial Innocence: The Erasure of Racism in the Study and Practice of Punishment
Authors: Murakawa Naomi , Beckett Katherine
Published: October 2010

In post–civil rights America, the ascendance of “law-and-order” politics and “postracial” ideology have given rise to what we call the penology of racial innocence. The penology of racial innocence is a framework for assessing the role of race in penal policies and institutions, one that begins with the presumption that criminal justice is innocent of racial power until proven otherwise. Countervailing sociolegal changes render this framework particularly problematic. On the one hand, the definition of racism has contracted in antidiscrimination law and in many social scientific studies of criminal justice, so that racism is defined narrowly as intentional and causally discrete harm. On the other hand, criminal justice institutions have expanded to affect historically unprecedented numbers of people of color, with penal policies broadening in ways that render the identification of racial intent and causation especially difficult. Analyses employing the penology of racial innocence examine the ever-expanding criminal justice system with limited definitions of racism, ultimately contributing to the erasure of racial power. Both racism and criminal justice operate in systemic and serpentine ways; our conceptual tools and methods, therefore, need to be equally systemic and capacious.
From the Myth of Formal Equality to the Politics of Social Justice: Race and the Legal Attack on Native Entitlements
Authors: Daum Courtenay W. , Ishiwata Eric
Published: October 2010

This article examines how the conservative legal movement's successful countermobilization of the politics of rights enables U.S. Supreme Court outcomes that exacerbate racial and ethnic inequities while solidifying the privileged position of others in the name of equality. A comparison of two pivotal Supreme Court cases involving native entitlements—Morton v. Mancari (1974) and Rice v. Cayetano (2000)—illustrates how appeals to formal, as opposed to substantive, equality work in effect to support existing hierarchies. At the same time, the conservative legal movement's success provides progressive social actors with opportunities to reframe the discourse. We suggest that a critical questioning of strategies predicated on appeals for equal rights may be necessary to advance the interests of native populations in the current environment, and we identify an alternative way of working for native interests, one that escapes the constraints of equality doctrine by appealing to broader claims of social justice.
Innis Lecture: Inference on income distributions
Authors: Davidson Russell
Published: October 2010

Abstract This paper attempts to provide a synthetic view of varied techniques available for performing inference on income distributions. Two main approaches can be distinguished: one in which the object of interest is some index of income inequality or poverty, the other based on notions of stochastic dominance. From the statistical point of view, many techniques are common to both approaches, although of course some are specific to one of them. I assume throughout that inference about population quantities is to be based on a sample or samples, and, formally, all randomness is due to that of the sampling process. Inference can be either asymptotic or bootstrap based. In principle, the bootstrap is an ideal tool, since in this paper I ignore issues of complex sampling schemes and suppose that observations are IID. However, both bootstrap inference and, to a considerably greater extent, asymptotic inference can fall foul of difficulties associated with the heavy right‐hand tails observed with many income distributions. I mention some recent attempts to circumvent these difficulties.
With whom do you trade? Defensive innovation and the skill‐bias
Authors: Dutt Pushan , Traça Daniel
Published: October 2010

Abstract We examine whether increased trade with countries with ineffective protection of intellectual property has contributed to the skill‐deepening of the 1980s. We construct an index of effective protection of intellectual property at the country level, combining data on protection of patents and rule of law. Next, we construct an industry‐specific version of this index, using as weights each country's trade share in the total trade of the industry. We find a decline in this trade‐weighted index, owing to a rise in trade with countries with low effective protection of intellectual property, which explains 29% of the rise in within‐industry skill‐intensity.
Catching up to the technology frontier: the dichotomy between innovation and imitation
Authors: Madsen Jakob B. , Islam Md. Rabiul , Ang James B.
Published: October 2010

Abstract Using data for 55 developing and developed countries, this research examines the roles of technology transfer, research intensity, educational attainment, and the ability to absorb foreign technology in explaining cross‐country differences in productivity growth. The results show that innovation is an important factor for growth in OECD countries, whereas growth in developing countries is driven by imitation. Furthermore, the interaction between educational attainment and the distance to the frontier is a significant determinant of growth in the overall sample.
Global welfare comparisons
Authors: Asheim Geir B.
Published: October 2010

Abstract To provide a normative foundation for transfers between different economies, one needs information on their ‘per capita welfare.’ This paper considers various methods for doing this and reaches the following conclusions: (i) Such global welfare comparisons are more demanding than usually thought. (ii) The ranking of methods differs from that of local (over‐time) comparisons, with real comprehensive per capita NNP being the least impractical method. The lesson is that global welfare comparisons should be performed with great care. The comparisons must be made in local real prices calculated according to ‘purchasing‐power‐parity,’ where non‐traded environmental amenities play an important role.
The trade creation effect of immigrants: evidence from the remarkable case of Spain
Authors: Peri Giovanni , Requena‐Silvente Francisco
Published: October 2010

Abstract This paper investigates the immigration‐trade link using data on individual exporting transactions and immigrants in Spanish provinces between 1995 and 2008. We quantify the impact of new immigrants on the extensive margin (number of transactions) and intensive margin (average value per transaction) of exports. We find that immigrants significantly increase exports and that the effect is almost entirely due to an increase in the extensive margin. Consistent with the idea that immigrants reduce the fixed cost of exporting, we find stronger effects for differentiated goods and for countries that are culturally distant from Spain.
Isoproterenol Facilitation of Slow Pathway Ablation in Incessant Dual Atrioventricular Nodal Nonreentrant Tachycardia
Authors: WANG NORMAN C. , RAZAK EATHAR A. , JAIN SANDEEP K. , SABA SAMIR
Published: October 2010

Catheter ablation of the slow atrioventricular (AV) nodal pathway is the treatment of choice for dual AV nodal nonreentrant tachycardia. Rapid ventricular rates during incessant tachycardia may compromise catheter stability and increase the risk of AV block. Conduction via the slow AV nodal pathway may mimic junctional beats with retrograde block, which is an indicator to cease ablation. We report a case of incessant dual AV nodal nonreentrant tachycardia where intravenous isoproterenol was instrumental in facilitating catheter ablation by eliminating these two factors. (PACE 2012; 35:e31–e34)
Comparison of effects of automated peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis on health‐related quality of life, sleep quality, and depression
Authors: GUNEY Ibrahim , SOLAK Yalcin , ATALAY Huseyin , YAZICI Raziye , ALTINTEPE Lutfullah , Kara Fatih , YEKSAN Mehdi , TURK Suleyman
Published: October 2010

Few studies investigating the effects of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), depression, and sleep quality exist in the literature. We aimed to determine differences between APD and CAPD modalities with respect to these parameters. Twenty APD and 48 CAPD patients were included in this cross‐sectional study. Biochemical values were measured at outpatient evaluation. A modified postsleep inventory was used to evaluate sleep quality. Health‐related quality of life and depression were evaluated by the Short Form of Medical Outcomes Study and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Automated peritoneal dialysis and CAPD patients were compared in terms of sleep quality, HRQoL, and depression. Our results showed that there were no significant differences between APD and CAPD in any of the studied parameters. Moderate or severe sleep problems were found in 60% and 69% of the APD and CAPD patients, respectively. Mean HRQoL scores for any of the 8 Short Form of Medical Outcomes Study‐36 domains were similar in the 2 groups. The mean physical component score was 51.1 ± 21.2 and 48.9 ± 18.2 in APD and CAPD patients, respectively (P=0.672). The mean mental component score was 47.5 ± 20.1 in APD patients, whereas it was 42.4 ± 19.5 in CAPD patients (P=0.291). Depression was detected in 70% of APD and 62.5% of the CAPD patients. The mean Beck Depression Inventory scores were also similar in the 2 groups. This study showed that HRQoL, sleep quality, and depression were similar in APD and CAPD patients.
Updated comorbidity assessments and outcomes in prevalent hemodialysis patients
Authors: CHANG Tara I. , PAIK Jane , GREENE Tom , MISKULIN Dana C. , CHERTOW Glenn M.
Published: October 2010

When evaluating clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients on hemodialysis, the prevalence and severity of comorbidity may change over time. Knowing whether updated assessments of comorbidity enhance predictive power will assist the design of future studies. We conducted a secondary data analysis of 1846 prevalent hemodialysis patients from 15 US clinical centers enrolled in the HEMO study. Our primary explanatory variable was the Index of Coexistent Diseases score, which aggregates comorbidities, as a time‐constant and time‐varying covariate. Our outcomes of interest were all‐cause mortality, time to first hospitalization, and total hospitalizations. We used Cox proportional hazards regression. Accounting for an updated comorbidity assessment over time yielded a more robust association with mortality than accounting for baseline comorbidity alone. The variation explained by time‐varying comorbidity assessments on time to death was greater than age, baseline serum albumin, diabetes, or any other covariates. There was a less pronounced advantage of updated comorbidity assessments on determining time to hospitalization. Updated assessments of comorbidity significantly strengthen the ability to predict death in patients on hemodialysis. Future studies in dialysis should invest the necessary resources to include repeated assessments of comorbidity.
Tuberculosis in patients on hemodialysis in an endemic region
Authors: KAZANCIOGLU Rumeyza , OZTURK Savas , GURSU Meltem , AVSAR Umit , AYDIN1 Zeki , UZUN Sami , KARADAG Serhat , TATLI Emel , SAR Fuat
Published: October 2010

Clinical presentation of tuberculosis is different in hemodialysis patients than in the general population. This study aimed to analyze hemodialysis patients with tuberculosis in Istanbul. Patients who were on a chronic hemodialysis program in Istanbul for more than 3 months and diagnosed to have tuberculosis at least 3 months after the start of hemodialysis were included. To discard the effect of immigration from other cities, we included only patients who had started their dialysis program in Istanbul. Their demographic and clinical data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows ver. 13.0. Of the 925 patients screened from 7 different centers, 31 (3.35%) were found to have tuberculosis. The mean age was 52.3±13.5 years. The male/female ratio was 18/13. The mean duration of dialysis therapy and the duration of dialysis till the diagnosis of tuberculosis were 62.6±54.3 and 21.7±25.7 months, respectively. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis constituted 48.39%. Treatment ended with a cure in 18 (58.05%); was still ongoing in 12 (38.70%) patients; and 1 (3.25%) died of pulmonary tuberculosis. The lower incidence of tuberculosis compared with previous reports may be related to the differences in the diagnostic criteria and the decrease in the rate of tuberculosis during recent years. The demographic and clinical parameters of the patients were quite similar to the average dialysis population in Turkey. Hence, we cannot address a subpopulation with additional risk. It is important to prevent tuberculosis in hemodialysis patients due to difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment. Thus we recommend routine screening of hemodialysis patients and effective isolation and treatment of infected patients.
Prevention of secondary hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients: The key role of native vitamin D supplementation
Authors: JEAN G. , VANEL T. , TERRAT J.‐C. , CHAZOT C.
Published: October 2010

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a frequent complication in chronic kidney disease, especially in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Treatments for SHPT include calcitriol analogues (CA), phosphate binders, cinacalcet (CC), and surgical parathyroidectomy (PTX). This study aimed to assess the incidence and prevalence of SHPT in a single center during the period when native vitamin D (N‐VitD) supplementation and CC treatment became available. All incident and prevalent HD patients were prospectively recorded and compared using 3 periods from 2004 to 2005 (period 1), 2006 to 2007 (period 2), and 2008 to 2009 (period 3). SHPT was diagnosed with serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels >300 pg/mL or the need for CA, CC, or PTX. Between periods 1 and 3, in incident patients (n=120 and 101), N‐VitD prescription increased from 11% to 68% (P<0.0001), CA prescription remained stable (40%), and patients with PTH>300 pg/mL decreased from 40% to 12% (P<0.0001). In prevalent HD patients (n=235), N‐VitD treatment increased from 55% to 91% (P<0.0001), whereas treatment with CA decreased from 67% to 17% (P<0.0001). Patients with serum PTH>300 pg/mL decreased from 38% to 13% (P<0.001), whereas patients with PTH<150 pg/mL remained stable (<30%). New CC prescriptions decreased from 45 to 3 (P<0.0001). Since 2004, SHPT has decreased drastically in incident and prevalent HD patients. The preventive role of N‐VitD supplementation appears to be obvious and represents one more argument for its general recommendation in CKD patients.
Renal replacement therapy in Nepal
Authors: HIRACHAN Padam , KHAREL Tirtha , SHAH Dibya S. , BALL John
Published: October 2010

Renal replacement therapy in Nepal fulfills only a small part of the current needs, with 97 hemodialysis machines available for the general population of 29 million. Transportation difficulties to dialysis centers preclude many of the patients from end‐stage renal disease care, due to the rural nature of the population. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) organized into rural sub segments, considering the Mexican model of PD and government funding appear to offer some solution to provision of care for this mountainous rural country. We review the current statistics of dialysis patients, hemodialysis numbers, and renal transplantations within Nepal and offer suggestions regarding possibilities for increasing renal care within the country.
Is there an association between intradialytic hypotension and serum magnesium changes?
Authors: PAKFETRAT Maryam , ROOZBEH SHAHROODI Jamshid , MALEKMAKAN Leila , ZARE Najaf , NASAB Mahshid HASHEMI , HOSSEIN NIKOO Mohamad
Published: October 2010

Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is the most common complication of hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of intradialytic changes of serum magnesium (sMg) and its relation to IDH. We considered 58 patients undergoing HD. Serum magnesium was measured at start, after 2 hours, and at the end of the HD sessions. Total sMg concentration corrected for albumin was according to Krolles proposed formula. Blood pressure was measured every 30 min. Data were analyzed by SPSS.15. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Occurrence of IDH among HD patients was 27.6% (16/58). Serum magnesium decreased significantly during HD session (P<0.05). Comparing corrected sMg in IDH group with non‐IDH group showed that: corrected sMg was 0.66 ± 0.14 mmol/L vs. 0.84 ± 0.26 mmol/L at the start of dialysis (P=0.43), 0.62 ± 0.17 mmol/L vs. 0.74 ± 0.23 mmol/L (P=0.04) at 2 hours, and 0.61 ± 0.12 mmol/L vs. 0.72 ± 0.22 mmol/L (P=0.03) at the end of dialysis. Intradialytic hypotension episodes were significantly related to a decrease in sMg during dialysis (P=0.02). There was a significant decrease in sMg levels during dialysis. Intradialytic hypotension was significantly related to lowered sMg levels during dialysis.
Effect of a single hemodialysis session on inflammatory markers
Authors: BITLA Aparna R. , REDDY Prabhakar E. , MANOHAR Suchitra M. , VISHNUBHOTLA Sivakumar V. , PEMMARAJU VENKATA LAKSHMI NARASIMHA Srinivasa Rao
Published: October 2010

Inflammation is a common feature of end‐stage renal disease. Although there is evidence for hemodialysis (HD)‐induced inflammatory process, the effect of a dialysis session on changes in inflammatory markers is still unclear. Seventeen patients of end‐stage renal disease on maintenance HD along with 20 age‐matched and sex‐matched healthy controls were recruited after informed consent. C‐reactive protein (CRP) and lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) activity were measured in the study and control groups. Intradialytic in CRP and LpPLA2 were studied. Comparison of pre‐HD vs. the control group and predialytic and postdialytic values was performed using the Mann‐Whitney U test and Wilcoxon's test, respectively. Statistical evaluation of intradialytic changes in inflammatory markers was performed using Friedman's test. Hemodialysis patients had higher CRP levels compared with controls (P=0.001). Post‐HD LpPLA2 activity (n=17) was higher (P=0.039) compared with the pre‐HD activity. Intradialytic changes in inflammatory markers showed a significant increase (P=0.012) in LpPLA2 activity (n=7), while no change (P=0.133) was observed in CRP levels (n=17). Evidence on the pro‐inflammatory state being initiated by dialysis is provided by increased LpPLA2 activity. This may add to the atherogenic mileu and cause endothelial dysfunction in this high‐risk group. Drugs that inhibit the LpPLA2 pathway have been developed and may be effective in these patients.
Sudden unexpected death in patients with epilepsy receiving renal replacement therapy with dialysis: A 17‐year experience at a single institution
Authors: SCORZA Fulvio A. , SCATTOLINI Marcello , CYSNEIROS Roberta M. , ARIDA Ricardo M. , DE ALBUQUERQUE Marly , TERRA Vera C. , MACHADO Hélio R. , GOMES Rui A. , KESROUANI Silvana , CRUZ Jenner , PELARIGO Fátima C. M. , SILVA Alexandre L. , HENRIQUES Tânia M. G. , CAVALHEIRO Esper A.
Published: October 2010

Epilepsy is the most common acquired chronic neurological disorder; each year about 1 in a 1000 patients with chronic epilepsy die suddenly, unexpectedly, and without explanation, even with postmortem examination (SUDEP). Seizure incidence is approximately 10% in patients with chronic renal failure and hemodialysis‐associated seizure has been considered to be a common complication of people on hemodialysis treatment. Considering this, we evaluated the incidence of seizures in 189 patients under dialytic treatment.
Biocompatibility of heparin‐grafted hemodialysis membranes: Impact on monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 circulating level and oxidative status
Authors: MORENA Marion , JAUSSENT Isabelle , CHALABI Lotfi , BARGNOUX Anne‐Sophie , DUPUY Anne‐Marie , BADIOU Stéphanie , RAKIC Claire , THOMAS Michel , CANAUD Bernard , CRISTOL Jean‐Paul
Published: October 2010

This prospective observational study aimed at evaluating efficacy and biocompatibility performances of the new heparin‐coated Evodial dialyzers with/without systemic heparin reduction. After a 4‐week wash‐out period with reference polysulfone F70S dialyzers, 6 hemodialysis patients were sequentially dialyzed with Evodial, F70S, and Evodial dialyzers using 30% heparin reduction, each period of treatment was 4 weeks. Removal rates (RR) (urea, creatinine, and β2‐microglobulin), dialysis dose, and instantaneous clearances (urea and creatinine) were measured as well as inflammatory (C‐reactive protein, fibrinogen, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1) and oxidative stress (OS) (superoxide anion, homocysteine, and isoprostanes) parameters at the end of each study period. Patients treated with Evodial or F70S dialyzers for 4 weeks presented comparable dialysis efficacy parameters including urea and creatinine RR, dialysis dose and instantaneous clearances. By contrast, a significantly lower but reasonably good β2‐microglobulin RR was achieved with Evodial dialyzers. Regarding biocompatibility, no significant difference was observed with inflammation and OS except for postdialysis monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 which significantly decreased with Evodial dialyzers. Thirty percent heparinization reduction with Evodial dialyzers did not induce any change in inflammation but led to an improvement in OS as demonstrated by a decrease in postdialysis superoxide production and predialysis homocysteine and isoprostane. This bioactive dialyzer together with heparin dose reduction represents a good trade‐off between efficacy and biocompatibility performance (improvement in OS with a weak decrease in efficacy) and its use is encouraging for hemodialysis patients not only in reducing OS but also in improving patient comorbid conditions due to lesser heparin side effects.
Myocardial stunning in hemodialysis: What is the overall message?
Authors: DORAIRAJAN Smrita , CHOCKALINGAM Anand , MISRA Madhukar
Published: October 2010

Heart failure and cardiovascular events are common in chronic renal failure. Hemodialysis (HD) causes significant hemodynamic changes and hypotension. New evidence based on intradialytic echocardiography demonstrates transient cardiac dysfunction or stunning in majority of chronic HD patients. Over time, this group may progress to chronic heart failure and appears to predict higher cardiovascular events and mortality. Although the exact etiology is unclear, alterations in HD technique and cardiac medications may reduce this complication. We review the current understanding of acute cardiac stunning during HD and present a systematic management algorithm to optimizing overall outcomes in this high‐risk population.
Whole‐blood viscosity increases significantly in small arteries and capillaries in hemodiafiltration. Does acute hemorheological change trigger cardiovascular risk events in hemodialysis patient?
Authors: CANAUD Bernard , RODRIGUEZ Annie , CHENINE Leila , MORENA Marion , JAUSSENT Isabelle , LERAY‐MORAGUES Hélène , PICARD Annie , CRISTOL Jean‐Paul
Published: October 2010

Whole‐blood viscosity is increasingly being recognized as a factor implicated in the vascular disease progression in high‐risk chronic kidney disease patients. Intermittent hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration sessions, characterized by rapid volume changes and anemia correction by erythropoietin stimulating agents, are favorable conditions for enhancing whole‐blood viscosity changes and consequently triggering cardiovascular events. To evaluate whole‐blood viscosity changes induced by hemodiafiltration, a cross‐sectional study has been performed in a group of 28 stable patients. In order to assess the impact of vessel size on whole‐blood viscosity changes, we performed a dynamic whole viscosity analysis on a wide spectrum of shear rates reproducing vasculature hemorheologic conditions. Blood viscosity changes are dependent on patient characteristics, hemoglobin, and total plasma protein concentrations. Whole blood viscosity increases significantly during hemodiafiltration over the complete spectrum of shear rates. Dynamic whole‐blood viscosity (WBV) increases up to 60%, predominantly at low shear rates in small arterioles and capillary beds. This observation underlines the potential pathogenic contribution of WBV increase in capillaries triggering cardiovascular events in the postdialysis period. Eight patients died from cardiovascular events. Higher WBV increase was noted in this group but did not reach statistical significance due to the insufficient power of the study. Hemorheological changes associated with WBV increase in capillary beds may contribute to aggravate silent tissue hypoxemia and precipitate cardiovascular events in chronic kidney disease patients. Prospective studies specifically designed and powered to evaluate the impact of WBV changes on cardiovascular events in dialysis patients are required.
Retaining Nurses and Other Hospital Workers: An Intergenerational Perspective of the Work Climate
Authors: Lavoie‐Tremblay Melanie , Paquet Maxime , Duchesne Marie‐Anick , Santo Anelise , Gavrancic Ana , Courcy François , Gagnon Serge
Published: October 2010

Purpose: This article describes and compares work climate perceptions and intentions to quit among three generations of hospital workers and nurses.

Background: Never before in history has the workplace comprised such a span of generations. The current workforce includes three main generations: Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1963), Generation X (born between 1964 and 1980), and Generation Y (born between 1981 and 2000). However, very little research has linked turnover among nurses and other healthcare workers to their generational profile.

Method: A quantitative study with a correlational descriptive design was used. 1,376 hospital workers of the three generations (with 42.1% nurses, 15.6% support staff, 20.1% office employees, and 22.1% health professionals or technicians), employed in a university‐affiliated hospital, completed a self‐administered questionnaire. They answered the Psychological Climate Questionnaire and a measure of turnover intention.

Results: Generation Y hospital workers obtained a significantly lower score on the “Challenge” scale than did Baby Boomers. On the “Absence of Conflict” and “Warmth” scales, the opposite occurred, with Baby Boomers obtaining a significantly lower score than Generation Y respondents. If the nurse job category is taken separately, Generation Y nurses expressed a negative perception of the “Goal Emphasis” scale, compared with Baby Boomers. The proportion of Generation Y nurses who intend to quit is almost three times higher than that of other hospital workers from Generation Y. The main reason given by workers from Generations Y and X who intend to quit the organization is their own career advancement. The main reason given by Baby Boomers who intend to quit is retirement.

Conclusions: Retention strategies that focus on improving the work climate are beneficial to all generations of hospital workers and nurses. If generation‐specific retention strategies are developed, these should focus on the three areas identified to have intergenerational differences: challenges, absence of conflict, and warmth.

Clinical Relevance: New nurses will benefit from strategies aimed at supporting their career advancement in the workplace.
Effect of pH Values on the Morphology of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and their Photoluminescence Spectra
Authors: Wu Wan‐Yu , Kung Wen‐Yen , Ting Jyh‐Ming
Published: October 2010

Morphology‐controlled zinc oxide (ZnO) structures, including micrometer‐sized rods, nanorods, urchin‐like structure, flower‐like structure, and fan‐shaped structure, have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method without the use of a surfactant or an amine salt. The morphology control has been achieved by simply varying the solution pH value. The precursor used in the hydrothermal process was zinc carbonate hydroxide hydrate (Zn4CO3(OH)6·H2O). The solution pH value was varied through the addition of NaOH(aq) or HCl(aq). The mechanisms for the formation of different morphologies are discussed. Despite the difference in the morphology, the resulting ZnO nanostructures all exhibit violet emission from 379.7 nm (3.27 eV) to 404.9 nm (3.06 eV), which suggests the application of the ZnO nanostructures in violet light‐emitting diodes.
Enhanced Lateral Growth of Zinc Oxide Nanowires on Sensor Chips
Authors: Chiang K. C. , Wu Wan‐Yu , Ting Jyh‐Ming
Published: October 2010

We have adapted a simple concept analogous to substrate tilting used in common chemical vapor deposition processes to enhance the lateral growth of zinc oxide nanowires for bridging two adjacent electrodes in sensor chips. The chips were placed at elevated positions to avoid reactant depletion due to the existence of a diffusion boundary layer atop the horizontal substrate support. We show that the nanowire bridging is much improved and better than that reported in the literatures. As a result, the sensor chip sensitivity is also enhanced as compared with the previously reported data.
Effect of Ba2+ Addition on Phase Separation and Oxygen Storage Capacity of Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 Powder
Authors: Chuang Chia‐Che , Chen Ming‐Jay , Hsiang Hsing‐I , Yen Fu‐Su , Chen Chih‐Cheng
Published: October 2010

Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 (CZ) plays an important role in three‐way catalyst for its outstanding oxygen storage capacity (OSC). However, CZ decomposes into Ce‐ and Zr‐rich phases after high‐temperature calcinations, which results in the degradation of OSC. In this study, CZ was synthesized using a coprecipitation method. Subsequently, different amounts of Ba2+ ions were introduced into the CZ using an incipient wetness impregnation method followed by calcination at 1000°C for 2 h to obtain a series of so‐called BCZa powders. The Ba2+ ion addition effects on the phase development, specific surface area, crystallite size, agglomeration, and OSC of CZ were investigated. The addition of 0.5–3 wt% Ba2+ ions significantly increased the specific surface area and inhibited CZ phase separation. However, with the addition of Ba2+ ions at or above 10 wt%, severe agglomeration occurred and Ba(CexZr1−x)O3 (0<x<1) was detected, both of which contributed to lowering the OSC of BCZa. With the addition of 5 wt% Ba2+ ions, the BCZa exhibited the maximum OSC (91.4 μmol/g), due to the high abundance of active oxygen species on the interface between Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 and BaZrO3.
Sexual Permissiveness: A Mozambique–France Comparison
Authors: Cruz Germano Vera , Vinsonneau Geneviève , Le Gall Armelle , Rivière Sheila , Mullet Etienne
Published: October 2010

The present study compared sexual permissiveness between African adults and European adults. The 301 participants (154 males, 147 females) living in the area of Maputo, Mozambique, and the 309 participants (157 males, 152 females) living in the area of Toulouse, France, were presented with the Portuguese and French versions of 7 permissiveness items taken from the Sexual Attitudes Scale devised by Hendrick & Hendrick (1987). Permissiveness scores were shown to be lower among Mozambican participants than among French participants. A clear effect of religious involvement on permissiveness was also demonstrated, and this effect was of the same magnitude in both samples.
Heterosexism in Employment Decisions: The Role of Job Misfit
Authors: Pichler Shaun , Varma Arup , Bruce Tamara
Published: October 2010

We developed and tested a model of heterosexism in employment decisions based on the lack of fit model of discrimination and social psychological research on attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Results were supportive of both perspectives in that job candidates' sexual orientation, gender, and job gender type interacted with raters' gender and exposure to diversity training to predict ratings of candidate hirability. Consistent with prior attitudinal research, male raters tended to perceive gay male applicants as least suitable for employment. Finally, raters' attitudes toward gay men and lesbians, beliefs about the employability of gay men and lesbians, and social dominance orientation were differentially related to suitability and hirability ratings. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Working Alliance as a Moderator of the Impact of Mentoring Relationships Among Academically At‐Risk Students
Authors: Larose Simon , Chaloux Natalie , Monaghan Denis , Tarabulsy George M.
Published: October 2010

This study examined the role of the working alliance between teacher mentors and student protégés on protégés' academic functioning. High‐risk students (n = 25) participated in an educational program involving a major mentoring component (experimental group) and were matched on academic records, gender, and study program with 25 students who did not participate (control group). Students in the experimental group who agreed with their mentors that their working alliance was productive (i.e., agreement on goals, positive bonding) were more likely than were other mentored students and students in the control group to improve their academic competence, participation in class, tendency to seek help from teachers, and academic perseverance. Results are discussed in line with relationship‐based processes operating in mentoring relationships.
Cervical insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1) to predict spontaneous onset of labor and induction to delivery interval in post‐term pregnancy
Authors: DÖGL MALIN , SKOGVOLL EIRIK , HEIMSTAD RUNA
Published: October 2010

Objective. To evaluate whether insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1) assessed in cervical secretion can predict successful induction and spontaneous onset of labor in post‐term pregnancy, compared to ultrasound measurement of cervical length and Bishop score. Design. Cohort study, originating from a randomized controlled trial. Setting. Obstetric department of a university and tertiary referral hospital, Norway. Population. Five hundred and eight post‐term women who had been randomized to induction of labor or expectant management 1 week beyond estimated day of delivery (289 [±2] days of gestation). Methods. Time to delivery was related to presence of IGFBP‐1 in cervical secretion, Bishop score and ultrasound measurement of cervical length recorded at inclusion. Main outcome measures. Spontaneous onset of labor and delivery within 3 days in the expectant management, and delivery within 24 hours of induction in the induction group. Test characteristics (sensitivity, specificity and negative and positive values and likelihood ratios) for IGFBP‐1, Bishop score and cervical length were calculated. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to account for parity and body mass index. Results. With expectant management, IGFBP‐1 predicted spontaneous labor onset and delivery within 72 hours with low sensitivity and high specificity (0.45 and 0.80, respectively), as did Bishop score (0.24, 0.92). Cervical length was more sensitive (0.67, 0.58). IGFBP‐1 predicted successful induction within 24 hours with low sensitivity and high specificity (0.30, 0.85), such as Bishop score (0.06, 1.00) and cervical length (0.45, 0.76). Parity enhanced successful induction. Conclusion. IGFBP‐1 predicts both spontaneous labor onset and successful induction in post‐term pregnancy. Bishop score and cervical length performed equally well.
Postural control in women with premenstrual symptoms during oral contraceptive treatment
Authors: EKENROS LINDA , HIRSCHBERG ANGELICA LINDÉN , BÄCKSTRÖM TORBJÖRN , FRIDÉN CECILIA
Published: October 2010

Objective. This study investigates postural control among women with and without premenstrual symptoms (PMS) on oral contraceptive (OC) treatment. Design. Prospective repeated measures design. Setting. Women's health clinical research unit at a university hospital. Population. Fifteen women using low‐dose monophasic oral contraceptives participated in the study. Depending on premenstrual symptoms, the women were divided into one PMS group and one non‐PMS group. Methods. Postural control (displacement area) was measured using an AMTI® force platform during the active hormone phase (OC phase) and the hormone‐free phase (non‐OC phase) of the pill chart. Premenstrual symptoms were evaluated prospectively using the Cyclicity Diagnoser. Main Outcome Measures. Displacement area as a measure of postural control. Results. Six of 15 women showed premenstrual symptoms (primarily negative mood symptoms) between the phases and were considered having premenstrual symptoms. When analyzing postural control, the PMS group displayed a significantly greater displacement area in the OC‐phase compared to the non‐OC phase. In contrast, the non‐PMS group did not show any significant difference between the phases. Furthermore, the PMS group had significantly greater displacement area during the OC phase compared to the non‐PMS group. Conclusions. The present study shows that women with premenstrual symptoms have greater displacement area than those without premenstrual symptoms during the active phase of oral contraceptive treatment. Negative mood symptoms may affect the maintenance of postural control by central interactions. Further studies are needed to clarify the precise mechanism for altered postural control in women with premenstrual symptoms.
Induction of labor and cerebral palsy: a population‐based study in Norway
Authors: ELKAMIL AREEJ I. , ANDERSEN GURO L. , SALVESEN KJELL Å. , SKRANES JON , IRGENS LORENTZ M. , VIK TORSTEIN
Published: October 2010

Objective. To investigate the association between labor induction and later development of cerebral palsy (CP). Design. Registry‐based cohort study. Setting. Perinatal data on all children born in Norway 1996–1998 were obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). Neurodevelopmental data were collected from the Norwegian Cerebral Palsy Registry (CPRN). Population. A total of 176,591 children surviving the neonatal period. Of 373 children with CP, detailed data were available on 241. Methods. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated as estimates of the relative risk that a child with CP was born after labor induction. Main outcome measures. Total CP and spastic CP subtypes. Results. Bilateral cerebral palsy was more frequently observed after induced labor (OR: 3.1; 95% CI 2.1–4.5). For children born at term the association between bilateral CP and labor induction was stronger (OR: 4.4; 95% CI 2.3–8.6). The association persisted after adjustment for maternal disease, gestational age, standard deviation score for birthweight (z‐score) and prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) (adjusted OR: 3.7; 95%CI 1.8–7.5). Among children with CP born at term, four‐limb involvement (quadriplegia) was significantly more frequent after induced (45.5%) compared with non‐induced labor (8.0%). There was no significant association between labor induction and unilateral CP subtype or CP in preterm born children. Conclusions. In this study population, we found that labor induction at term was associated with excess risk of bilateral spastic CP and in particular CP with four‐limb involvement.
Fear of childbirth, women's preference for cesarean section and childhood abuse: a longitudinal study
Authors: LUKASSE MIRJAM , VANGEN SIRI , ØIAN PÅL , SCHEI BERIT
Published: October 2010

Objective. To examine the association between childhood abuse and fear of childbirth and the wish for cesarean section during second pregnancy. Design. A longitudinal cohort study using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Setting. Fifty maternity units in Norway, 1999–2006. Sample. We included 4,876 women who participated in the MoBa study during their first and second pregnancy. Methods. Postal questionnaires at 18 and 30 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Main Outcome Measures. Associations between childhood abuse and women's fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section during second pregnancy were assessed using regression analyses, adjusting for confounding factors such as mode of delivery and birth experience of first pregnancy. Results. Of 4,876 women, 1,023 (21%) reported some form of childhood abuse. Compared to women without a history of childhood abuse, childhood‐abused women more frequently reported fear of childbirth (23% vs. 15%, p < 0.001) and the wish for cesarean section (6.4% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.002) during second pregnancy. The association between childhood abuse and fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section remained significant after adjusting for mode of first delivery and experience of first birth (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.53, 95%CI 1.24–1.90 and 1.57, 1.09–2.27, respectively). Conclusion. Childhood abuse is associated with fear of childbirth and preference for cesarean section during second pregnancy. Mode of delivery and postpartum self‐reported birth experience of the first pregnancy did not alter this association significantly.
Incompleteness of Swedish local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment during childbirth
Authors: SCHYTT ERICA , HALVARSSON ANNA , PEDERSEN‐DRAPER CHRISTINA , MÅRTENSSON LENA
Published: October 2010

Objective.To investigate the presence and content of local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment in Swedish labor and postnatal wards.Design.A Swedish national survey.Main Outcome Measures.Presence and content of clinical guidelines for acupuncture.Setting.All Swedish labor and postnatal wards at the time of data collection (April 2007–March 2008).Material and Methods.Enquiry was made on local clinical guidelines for acupuncture treatment at 50 labor and 50 postnatal wards. The standards for reporting interventions in controlled trials of acupuncture document was used to identify core aspects of acupuncture treatment and the proportion of wards with guidelines on these aspects was evaluated.Results.Guidelines were obtained from 27 labor wards and 22 postnatal wards. Descriptions of the core aspects of acupuncture treatment, such as acupuncture rationale, needling details and treatment regimens, were limited in most. All local guidelines included indications for treatment, but these were not based on scientific evidence of effect, and only two mentioned the importance of achieving de‐qi – a feeling of soreness reflecting an effective treatment. Few clinical guidelines required that the practitioners’ acupuncture education should be on an academic level and relevant references based on clinical trials were lacking in all guidelines.Conclusion.Swedish local clinical guidelines on acupuncture for childbirth‐related symptoms lack sufficient information to support midwives and obstetricians in administering acupuncture treatment. The content of the guidelines was unclear, inconclusive and, in some cases, irrelevant, and a majority lacked important information on indications and technique.