bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rural Development in Chongqing
Authors: Yuan Gao
Published: November 2011

The “every peasant household’s income to grow by 10,000 yuan” project in Chongqing’s “two wings” region is an important movement implemented by the Chongqing government to spur development in the rural areas of Chongqing’s poorest region. The project has two key components at the policy level. The first is to promote agricultural “industry-ization” 产业化 and to construct corresponding chains of production, processing, and sales in the two wings, thus forming the basis of growth in peasants’ income. The second is the emphasis on people’s livelihood, which is based on the ambition of accomplishing “balanced income growth” or “income growth for every household.” The project includes both “drawing in business and investment” 招商引资 and “industry planning” 产业规划 as well as “cadres to go into peasant households and support them directly” 入户帮扶. Some of the practices of Chongqing cadres in supporting peasants show that the government can improve the microeconomic environment for peasant households and enhance the vitality of their small farms. This article first analyzes the policies and practices of agricultural industry-ization in the income growth project and the efforts of the Chongqing government to achieve “income growth for every household.” The theoretical implications of the project, including the role of government in economic development and the vitality of small farming in China, are then discussed through dialogue with social science theories.
Protective Effect of Erdosteine against Cisplatin‐Induced Ototoxicity in a Guinea Pig Model
Authors: Waissbluth Sofia , Dupuis Isabelle , Daniel Sam J.
Published: November 2011

Objective

Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent. One of its major dose‐limiting side effects is ototoxicity. No treatment has yet been approved for this condition. The objective of this study was to determine the potential protective effect of a systemic administration of erdosteine against cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity.

Study Design

A prospective controlled trial conducted in an animal model.

Setting

Animal care research facilities of The Montreal Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 27 guinea pigs were assigned to 4 groups, each receiving a different concentration of intraperitoneal erdosteine: group 1 (control group; n = 9) did not receive erdosteine, group 2 (n = 6) received 100 mg/kg/d, group 3 (n = 6) received 200 mg/kg/d, and group 4 (n = 6) received 500 mg/kg/d. The animals in the experimental groups received the erdosteine injection daily for 4 days. All of the animals received 12 mg/kg of intraperitoneal cisplatin. Auditory brainstem response threshold shifts were measured at 4 frequencies (8, 16, 20, and 25 kHz) for all groups. Scanning electron microscopy and outer hair cell counts were performed to assess the protective effect of erdosteine.

Results

Significant protection was observed in groups 3 and 4 at 25 kHz. These findings are supported by outer hair cell counts by scanning electron microscopy.

Conclusion

A systemic administration of erdosteine appears to provide an otoprotective effect at high frequencies for cisplatin‐induced ototoxicity.
Regularization for inverse models in remote sensing
Authors: Wang Yanfei
Published: November 2011

Quantitative remote sensing is an appropriate way to estimate atmospheric parameters and structural parameters and spectral component signatures of Earth surface cover type. Since the real physical system that couples the atmosphere, water and the land surface is complicated, its description requires a comprehensive set of parameters, so any practical physical model can only be approximated by a limited mathematical model. The pivotal problem for quantitative remote sensing is inversion. Inverse problems are typically ill-posed; they are characterized by: (C1) the solution may not exist; (C2) the dimension of the solution space may be infinite; (C3) the solution is not continuous with variations of the observations. These issues exist for nearly all inverse problems in geosciences and quantitative remote sensing. For example, when the observation system is band-limited or sampling is poor, i.e. few observations are available or directions are poorly located, the inversion process would be underdetermined, which leads to a multiplicity of the solutions, the large condition number of the normalized system, and significant noise propagation. Hence (C2) and (C3) would be the difficulties for quantitative remote sensing inversion. This paper will address the theory and methods from the viewpoint that the quantitative remote sensing inverse problems can be represented by kernel-based operator equations and solved by coupling regularization and optimization methods. In particular, I propose sparse and non-smooth regularization and optimization techniques for solving inverse problems in remote sensing. Numerical experiments are also made to demonstrate the applicability of our algorithms.
A Model of Public Sector E-Recruitment Adoption in a Time of Hyper Technological Change
Authors: Llorens Jared J.
Published: November 2011

For the past two decades, governments at all levels have increasingly focused their human resources management efforts on developing effective e-recruitment and branding strategies in an environment of hyper technological change. For many public organizations, these efforts have centered on posting essential vacancy announcement information on their institutional employment web sites, but more technologically savvy organizations have rapidly begun to adopt multifaceted and innovative approaches to recruiting new employees through the use of Web 2.0 technologies and third-party e-recruitment networks. While there is a growing body of research documenting the increasing use of these new technologies in the public sector, this article seeks to add to the existing literature by proposing a typological framework of e-recruitment adoption and its impact, using the proposed framework to highlight the e-recruitment efforts of a select group of public employers and discussing the utilization of third-party e-recruitment technologies.
The Essence of ‘the People’: Citizenship, Class Accommodation and the Construction of Political Identities in Britain, c. 1640–1850
Authors: Pozo Luis M.
Published: November 2011

‘The people’ is an ever present feature of modern politics. This essay offers a historico-sociological assessment of that political identity as fundamental for bourgeois hegemony. English populism is crucially important because the meaning of ‘the people’ was shaped during the English Revolution to allow the bourgeoisie to challenge the old ruling class while achieving hegemony over the masses. This 17th-century populism is the original model on which the basic structure of populist mobilization (the undifferentiated ‘people’ against the ‘elite’) has been patterned subsequently; and, in the 19th century, it thoroughly shaped the political outlook of the first proletariat in the first industrial nation, thus setting an example of immense historical relevance.
Optimization of alignment considering ride comfort for superimposition of vertical and horizontal curves
Authors: Um J H , Choi I Y , Yang S C , Kim M C
Published: November 2011

Superimposition of horizontal and vertical curves may hamper train ride comfort and running stability and inflate maintenance costs. However, designing a track plan without superimposed curves is difficult owing to fixed points that have to be either avoided because of geographical conditions or traversed so that existing structures are utilized. This article presents a method to optimize the alignment of horizontal curves to enhance train ride comfort and running stability when horizontal and vertical curves are superimposed in the case of railway construction/renovation. An algorithm was developed to determine the combined range of radius–transition curve lengths ( R− Lt) for feasible horizontal curves that pass fixed points; it was verified through a comparison with Kufver's iterative method using Inrail software. To determine the horizontal curves for optimal ride comfort when horizontal and vertical (convex) curves are superimposed under feasible R− Lt boundary conditions, a solution algorithm was developed using the object function of ride comfort ( PCT). Finally, the simplified analysis method using PCT was verified via vehicle/track interaction analysis.
Explaining IPOs Underpricing in the Tunisian Market
Authors: Naifar Nader
Published: November 2011

This article tests four hypotheses (signalling, market tendency, market characteristics and the ex ante uncertainty and information asymmetry) to explain the initial public offerings (IPOs) underpricing in the Tunisian market. Most of the empirical studies focus mainly on developed markets and only a few studies analyse the climates of IPOs in emerging markets. The Tunisian business environment is motivating because of the institutional reforms that have been successfully implemented since 1994. The study analyses all the Tunisian IPOs from March 1992 to April 2008 in order to explain underpricing in IPOs. The findings show that IPOs underpricing is mainly explained by the signalling and the market characteristics hypotheses. The phenomenon of underpricing in IPOs is important for portfolio managers who are expected to make optimal (value-maximising) financing choices. Also, results of this study provide insight into the business environment in the case of the Tunisian market.
Perceived Acceptance of Condom Use by Partners, Close Friends, and Parents of Spanish and Mozambican Heterosexual Adolescents
Authors: Planes Montserrat , Gras M. Eugenia , Cunill Mónica , Cassamo Hachimo , Sullman Mark J. M. , Gómez Ana B.
Published: November 2011

Purpose: The main aim of the current study was to compare Spanish and Mozambican male and female secondary students, with regard to sexual behaviors and perceptions surrounding the acceptance of condom use. Method: The participants were 773 secondary students—412 from Spain and 361 from Mozambique, aged from 15 to 17 years old. Data collection was done using questionnaires. Analysis was carried out using multivariate methods. Results: Spanish adolescents took more precautions than Mozambican adolescents. Furthermore, Spanish adolescents perceived that the acceptance of condom use by their referents were higher than those reported by the Mozambican adolescents. Among Spanish youths, only the perceived acceptance of their current partner predicted condom use in their most recent sexual encounter. Discussion: Differences in the decision-making power of males and females and the type of partner might explain the differences observed in the preventive behavior of the students in both countries.
Rosiglitazone Causes Endothelial Dysfunction in Humans
Authors: Perampaladas Kumar , Gori Tommaso , Parker John D.
Published: November 2011

Objectives:

We explored the impact of rosiglitazone on endothelial function in normal volunteers and its interaction with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)-induced abnormalities in endothelial function. We hypothesized that rosiglitazone would have a neutral effect on endothelial function in normal volunteers and would favorably modify endothelial dysfunction induced by GTN.

Methods:

In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 44 participants were randomized to placebo, rosiglitazone (4 mg twice daily), transdermal GTN (0.6 mg/h), or both GTN and rosiglitazone. After 7 days of treatment, participants underwent measures of forearm blood flow during brachial artery infusion of acetylcholine (Ach). Serum glucose concentrations and insulin sensitivity were assessed.

Results:

Unexpectedly, rosiglitazone-treated participants experienced blunted responses to endothelium-dependent responses to Ach ( P < .05 vs placebo). Sustained GTN administration caused similar abnormalities in endothelial function ( P < .05 vs placebo) and rosiglitazone + GTN ( P < .05 vs placebo; P = ns vs rosiglitazone). Interestingly, co-infusion of the antioxidant vitamin C improved endothelial responses in those randomized to rosiglitazone and GTN alone ( P = not significant [ns] compared with placebo), but it did not improve endothelial function in those treated with rosiglitazone + GTN. Neither rosiglitazone nor GTN treatment modified the measures of glucose metabolism.

Conclusions:

Unexpectedly, therapy with rosiglitazone caused abnormalities in endothelial function in normal volunteers. These findings have important implications with respect to drug development and surveillance.
A Direct Comparison Approach for Testing Measurement Invariance
Authors: Cheung Gordon W. , Lau Rebecca S.
Published: November 2011

Measurement equivalence/invariance (ME/I) is a condition that should be met before meaningful comparisons of survey results across groups can be made. As an alternative to the likelihood ratio test (LRT), the change in comparative fit index (ΔCFI) rules of thumb, and the modification index (MI), this teaching note demonstrates the procedures for establishing bias-corrected (BC) bootstrap confidence intervals for testing ME/I. Unlike the LRT and ΔCFI methods, which need a different model estimation per item, the BC bootstrap confidence intervals approach can examine item-level ME/I tests using a single model. This method greatly simplifies the search for an invariant item as the reference indicator in the factor-ratio test. Also demonstrated here is how the factor-ratio test and the list-and-delete method can be extended from the metric invariance test to the scalar invariance test. Finally, the BC bootstrap confidence interval procedures for comparing uniqueness variances, factor variances, factor covariances, and latent means across groups are shown.
Marketing Silence, Public Health Stigma and the Discourse of Risky Gay Viagra Use in the US
Authors: Wentzell Emily
Published: November 2011

This article analyzes the rise and fall of a public health ‘fact’ in the US: the assertion that gay men’s Viagra use is inherently recreational and increases STD risk. Extending the science studies argument that drug development and marketing entail the construction of new publics, this article shows how strategic drug marketing silences can also constitute new populations of users. It shows how Viagra marketing’s silence about gay users, which facilitated legitimization of the drug as an aid for companionate heterosexuality, created a cultural space for the development of health discourse about gay men as illegitimate, recreational and risky Viagra users. Using Susan Leigh Star’s concepts of ‘simplification’ and ‘complexification’, this article traces the construction and deployment of this public health fact, as well as its subsequent contestation. Using an arena analysis approach, this article demonstrates how marketing discourse and public health fact-making came together in the case of gay Viagra use to refresh long-standing and politically harmful American cultural associations between gay sex and sickness.
What Is a Face?
Authors: Black Daniel
Published: November 2011

The face is a shifting, multiplex, distributed and layered phenomenon. It is by far the most mercurial feature of the human body, and even a single face cannot be isolated in, on or outside any one body. In the following discussion I will employ a variety of differing accounts of the face and suggest that the differences separating each account are merely reflective of the multiplex nature of the face itself.
Physiognomy, Reality Television and the Cosmetic Gaze
Authors: Wegenstein Bernadette , Ruck Nora
Published: November 2011

In this article we argue that our present-day mode of looking at bodies expresses a cosmetic gaze, that is, a gaze already informed by the techniques, expectations and strategies of bodily modification and a way of looking at bodies as awaiting an improvement. The cosmetic gaze, as we see it epitomized in contemporary media phenomena like reality makeover shows on television, is also a physiognomic gaze in that it creates a short-circuit between inside and outside beauty. Our article traces some of the history of the present short-circuit between an inside and an outside and analyzes how different visual media have informed and shaped the gaze in historically specific ways, but also how aspects of that history inhere in media practices today. More specifically, we will analyze John Caspar Lavater’s hand-drawn portraits, Francis Galton’s photographical composites, the anthropometrically defined but still intuitively discovered ideals of the ‘Aryan body’ in Nazi Germany, and today’s reality television makeover shows in order to understand some of the continuities and discontinuities of the cosmetic gaze.
Protumoral role of monocytes in human B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: involvement of the chemokine CXCL10
Authors: Lee Yunqin , Chittezhath Manesh , André Valentina , Zhao Helen , Poidinger Michael , Biondi Andrea , D'Amico Giovanna , Biswas Subhra K.
Published: November 2011

Myelomonocytic cells play a key role in the progression of many solid tumors. However, very little is known about their contribution to the progression of hematopoietic cancers. We investigated the role of monocytes in the progression of human B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). We demonstrated that coculturing human monocytes in vitro with CD19+ BCP-ALL blasts from patients “conditioned” them to an inflammatory phenotype characterized by significant up-regulation of the chemokine, CXCL10. This phenotype was also observable ex vivo in monocytes isolated from BCP-ALL patients, which show elevated CXCL10 production compared with monocytes from healthy donors. Functionally, the “conditioned” monocytes promoted migration and invasive capacity of BCP-ALL cells. Increased invasion was mediated by matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression and activity in the BCP-ALL cells induced by the monocyte-derived CXCL10. However, neither the “conditioned” monocytes nor the CXCL10 produced by these cells had any effect on the proliferation/viability of BCP-ALL cells and angiogenesis. Collectively, our results strongly suggest a protumoral role for human monocytes in BCP-ALL, orchestrated by CXCL10 and its effect on tumor cell migration and invasion. These observations highlight the importance of the CXCL10/CXCR3 chemokine circuit in BCP-ALL progression.
Long-term prognosis of symptomatic isolated middle cerebral artery disease in Korean stroke patients
Authors: Oh Mi Sun , Yu Kyung-Ho , Chu Min-Kyung , Ma Hyeo-Il , Kim Yun Joong , Kim Joo Yong , Lee Byung-Chul
Published: November 2011

Background

This study aimed to investigate the long-term mortality and recurrence rate of stroke in first-time stroke patients with symptomatic isolated middle cerebral artery disease (MCAD) under medical management.

Methods

We identified 141 first ever stroke patients (mean age, 64.4 ± 12.5 years; 53% male) with symptomatic isolated MCAD. MCAD was defined as significant stenosis of more than 50% or occlusion of the MCA as revealed by MR angiography. The median follow-up was 27.7 months. We determined a cumulative rate of stroke recurrence and mortality by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and sought predictors using the Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

The cumulative composite outcome rate (stroke recurrence or any-cause death) was 14%, 19%, 22%, and 28% at years 1, 2, 3, and 5, respectively. The annual recurrence rate of stroke was 4.1%. The presence of diabetes mellitus was the only significant independent predictor of stroke recurrence or any cause of death in multivariate analyses of Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for any plausible potential confounding factors.

Conclusions

We estimated the long-term prognosis of stroke patients with isolated symptomatic MCAD under current medical management in Korea. Diabetes mellitus was found to be a significant predictor for stroke recurrence and mortality.
Deciphering causal and statistical relations of molecular aberrations and gene expressions in NCI-60 cell lines
Authors: Li Shyh-Dar , Tagami Tatsuaki , Ho Ying-Fu , Yeang Chen-Hsiang
Published: November 2011

Background

Cancer cells harbor a large number of molecular alterations such as mutations, amplifications and deletions on DNA sequences and epigenetic changes on DNA methylations. These aberrations may dysregulate gene expressions, which in turn drive the malignancy of tumors. Deciphering the causal and statistical relations of molecular aberrations and gene expressions is critical for understanding the molecular mechanisms of clinical phenotypes.

Results

In this work, we proposed a computational method to reconstruct association modules containing driver aberrations, passenger mRNA or microRNA expressions, and putative regulators that mediate the effects from drivers to passengers. By applying the module-finding algorithm to the integrated datasets of NCI-60 cancer cell lines, we found that gene expressions were driven by diverse molecular aberrations including chromosomal segments' copy number variations, gene mutations and DNA methylations, microRNA expressions, and the expressions of transcription factors. In-silico validation indicated that passenger genes were enriched with the regulator binding motifs, functional categories or pathways where the drivers were involved, and co-citations with the driver/regulator genes. Moreover, 6 of 11 predicted MYB targets were down-regulated in an MYB-siRNA treated leukemia cell line. In addition, microRNA expressions were driven by distinct mechanisms from mRNA expressions.

Conclusions

The results provide rich mechanistic information regarding molecular aberrations and gene expressions in cancer genomes. This kind of integrative analysis will become an important tool for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the era of personalized medicine.
Model for long QT syndrome type 2 using human iPS cells demonstrates arrhythmogenic characteristics in cell culture
Authors: Lahti Anna L. , Kujala Ville J. , Chapman Hugh , Koivisto Ari-Pekka , Pekkanen-Mattila Mari , Kerkelä Erja , Hyttinen Jari , Kontula Kimmo , Swan Heikki , Conklin Bruce R. , Yamanaka Shinya , Silvennoinen Olli , Aalto-Setälä Katriina
Published: November 2011

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is caused by functional alterations in cardiac ion channels and is associated with prolonged cardiac repolarization time and increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias. Inherited type 2 LQTS (LQT2) and drug-induced LQTS both result from altered function of the hERG channel. We investigated whether the electrophysiological characteristics of LQT2 can be recapitulated in vitro using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. Spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes were differentiated from two iPSC lines derived from an individual with LQT2 carrying the R176W mutation in the KCNH2 (HERG) gene. The individual had been asymptomatic except for occasional palpitations, but his sister and father had died suddenly at an early age. Electrophysiological properties of LQT2-specific cardiomyocytes were studied using microelectrode array and patch-clamp, and were compared with those of cardiomyocytes derived from control cells. The action potential duration of LQT2-specific cardiomyocytes was significantly longer than that of control cardiomyocytes, and the rapid delayed potassium channel (IKr) density of the LQT2 cardiomyocytes was significantly reduced. Additionally, LQT2-derived cardiac cells were more sensitive than controls to potentially arrhythmogenic drugs, including sotalol, and demonstrated arrhythmogenic electrical activity. Consistent with clinical observations, the LQT2 cardiomyocytes demonstrated a more pronounced inverse correlation between the beating rate and repolarization time compared with control cells. Prolonged action potential is present in LQT2-specific cardiomyocytes derived from a mutation carrier and arrhythmias can be triggered by a commonly used drug. Thus, the iPSC-derived, disease-specific cardiomyocytes could serve as an important platform to study pathophysiological mechanisms and drug sensitivity in LQT2.
Development and Application of Piezoelectric Materials for Ultrasound Generation and Detection
Authors: Manbachi Amir , Cobbold Richard S C
Published: November 2011

The piezoelectric effect and its converse are the primary means used in biomedical ultrasound for converting acoustical energy into electrical energy and vice versa. Piezoelectricity has found many bioengineering applications ranging from ultrasound imaging and therapeutics, to piezoelectric surgery and microelectromechanical systems, and to biomedical implants with associated energy harvesting. Because of its fundamental importance to the proper functioning of most medical ultrasound systems, it is important to gain a general understanding of the effect, the history of its development and from this, an appreciation of its limitations and advantages in the generation and detection of ultrasound. This article describes the historical evolvement associated with its use in relation to most medical ultrasound applications and is intended to serve as an introduction for non-expert readers.
What's in a “Name”? Impact of Use of Customer Information in E-Mail Advertisements
Authors: Wattal Sunil , Telang Rahul , Mukhopadhyay Tridas , Boatwright Peter
Published: November 2011

In this study, we examine how consumers respond to firms' use of two types of information for personalization: product preferences and name. We collect a unique data set of over 10 million e-mail advertisements sent by a website to over 600,000 customers who could buy the advertised products from the online merchant. We estimate a two-stage hierarchical model using Bayesian analysis to account for observable and unobservable consumer heterogeneity. Our analysis suggests several interesting results regarding consumers' responses to firms' use of information. When firms use product-based personalization (where the use of information is not explicitly mentioned), consumers respond positively. On the other hand, consumers respond negatively when firms are explicit in their use of personally identifiable information (i.e., a personalized greeting). We also find that negative responses to personalized greetings are moderated by consumers' familiarity with firms. The main contribution of this study is that it not only indicates the economic benefits of personalization in e-mails but also highlights consumers' concerns over the use of information in personalization.
The use of CRP within a clinical prediction algorithm for the differentiation of septic arthritis and transient synovitis in children
Authors: Singhal R. , Perry D. C. , Khan F. N. , Cohen D. , Stevenson H. L. , James L. A. , Sampath J. S. , Bruce C. E.
Published: November 2011

Clinical prediction algorithms are used to differentiate transient synovitis from septic arthritis. These algorithms typically include the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), although in clinical practice measurement of the C-reactive protein (CRP) has largely replaced the ESR. We evaluated the use of CRP in a predictive algorithm.

The records of 311 children with an effusion of the hip, which was confirmed on ultrasound, were reviewed (mean age 5.3 years (0.2 to 15.1)). Of these, 269 resolved without intervention and without long-term sequelae and were considered to have had transient synovitis. The remaining 42 underwent arthrotomy because of suspicion of septic arthritis. Infection was confirmed in 29 (18 had micro-organisms isolated and 11 had a high synovial fluid white cell count). In the remaining 13 no evidence of infection was found and they were also considered to have had transient synovitis. In total 29 hips were categorised as septic arthritis and 282 as transient synovitis. The temperature, weight-bearing status, peripheral white blood cell count and CRP was reviewed in each patient.

A CRP > 20 mg/l was the strongest independent risk factor for septic arthritis (odds ratio 81.9, p < 0.001). A multivariable prediction model revealed that only two determinants (weight-bearing status and CRP > 20 mg/l) were independent in differentiating septic arthritis from transient synovitis. Individuals with neither predictor had a < 1% probability of septic arthritis, but those with both had a 74% probability of septic arthritis. A two-variable algorithm can therefore quantify the risk of septic arthritis, and is an excellent negative predictor.
Effect of intra-articular lesions on the outcome of periacetabular osteotomy in patients with symptomatic hip dysplasia
Authors: Fujii M. , Nakashima Y. , Yamamoto T. , Mawatari T. , Motomura G. , Iwamoto Y. , Noguchi Y.
Published: November 2011

In order to clarify how intra-articular lesions influence the survival of a periacetabular osteotomy in patients with dysplasia of the hip, we performed an observational study of 121 patients (121 hips) who underwent a transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum combined with an arthroscopy. Their mean age was 40.2 years (13 to 64) and the mean follow-up was 9.9 years (2 to 18). Labral and cartilage degeneration tended to originate from the anterosuperior part of the acetabulum, followed by the femoral side. In all, eight hips (6.6%) had post-operative progression to Kellgren–Lawrence grade 4 changes, and these hips were associated with the following factors: moderate osteoarthritis, decreased width of the joint space, joint incongruity, and advanced intra-articular lesions (subchondral bone exposure in the cartilage and a full-thickness labral tear). Multivariate analysis indicated subchondral bone exposure on the femoral head as an independent risk factor for progression of osteoarthritis (p = 0.003). In hips with early stage osteoarthritis, femoral subchondral bone exposure was a risk factor for progression of the grade of osteoarthritis.

Although the outcome of transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum was satisfactory, post-operative progression of osteoarthritis occurred at a high rate in hips with advanced intra-articular lesions, particularly in those where the degenerative process had reached the point of femoral subchondral bone exposure.
Exam Corner - November 2011
Authors: Khanduja V.
Published: November 2011

The FRCS (Tr & Orth) examination has three components: MCQs, Vivas and Clinical Examination. The Vivas are further divided into four sections comprising Basic Science, Adult Pathology, Hands and Children’s Orthopaedics and Trauma. The Clinical Examination section is divided into Upper and Lower limb cases. The aim of this section in the Journal is to focus specifically on the trainees preparing for the exam and to cater to all the sections of the exam. The vision is to complete the cycle of all relevant exam topics (as per the syllabus) in four years.
Squalene monooxygenase – a target for hypercholesterolemic therapy
Authors: Belter Agnieszka , Skupinska Miroslawa , Giel-Pietraszuk Malgorzata , Grabarkiewicz Tomasz , Rychlewski Leszek , Barciszewski Jan
Published: November 2011

Squalene monooxygenase catalyzes the epoxidation of C-C double bond of squalene to yield 2,3-oxidosqualene, the key step of sterol biosynthesis pathways in eukaryotes. Sterols are essential compounds of these organisms and squalene epoxidation is an important regulatory point in their synthesis. Squalene monooxygenase downregulation in vertebrates and fungi decreases synthesis of cholesterol and ergosterol, respectively, which makes squalene monooxygenase a potent and attractive target of hypercholesterolemia and antifungal therapies. Currently some fungal squalene monooxygenase inhibitors (terbinafine, naftifine, butenafine) are in clinical use, whereas mammalian enzymes’ inhibitors are still under investigation. Research on new squalene monooxygenase inhibitors is important due to the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and the lack of both sufficient and safe remedies. In this paper we (i) review data on activity and the structure of squalene monooxygenase, (ii) present its inhibitors, (iii) compare current strategies of lowering cholesterol level in blood with some of the most promising strategies, (iv) underline advantages of squalene monooxygenase as a target for hypercholesterolemia therapy, and (v) discuss safety concerns about hypercholesterolemia therapy based on inhibition of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis and potential usage of squalene monooxygenase inhibitors in clinical practice. After many years of use of statins there is some clinical evidence for their adverse effects and only partial effectiveness. Currently they are drugs of choice but are used with many restrictions, especially in case of children, elderly patients and women of childbearing potential. Certainly, for the next few years, statins will continue to be a suitable tool for cost-effective cardiovascular prevention; however research on new hypolipidemic drugs is highly desirable. We suggest that squalene monooxygenase inhibitors could become the hypocholesterolemic agents of the future.
Ammonia increases nitric oxide, free Zn2+, and metallothionein mRNA expression in cultured rat astrocytes
Authors: Kruczek Carolin , Görg Boris , Keitel Verena , Bidmon Hans J. , Schliess Freimut , Häussinger Dieter
Published: November 2011

Ammonia is a major player in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and affects astrocyte function by triggering a self-amplifying cycle between osmotic and oxidative stress. We recently demonstrated that hypoosmotic astrocyte swelling rapidly stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production and increases intracellular free Zn2+concentration ([Zn2+]i). Here we report effects of ammonia on [Zn2+]ihomeostasis and NO synthesis. In cultured rat astrocytes, NH4Cl (5 mm) increased within 6 h both cytosolic and mitochondrial [Zn2+]. The [Zn2+]iincrease was transient and was mimicked by the nonmetabolizable CH3NH3Cl, and it was dependent on NO formation, as evidenced by the sensitivity toward the nitric oxide synthase inhibitorNG-monomethyl-l-arginine. The NH4Cl-induced NO formation was sensitive to the Ca2+chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid tetra(acetoxymethyl) ester and increases in both NO and [Zn2+]iwere blocked by theN-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801. The NH4Cl-triggered increase in [Zn2+]iwas followed by a Zn2+-dependent nuclear appearance of the metal response element-binding transcription factor and metallothionein messenger RNA (mRNA) induction. Metallothionein mRNA was also increasedin vivoin rat cerebral cortex 6 h after an NH4Ac challenge. NH4Cl increased peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) protein expression, whereas PBR mRNA levels were decreased in a Zn2+-independent manner. The Zn2+-dependent upregulation of metallothionein following ammonia intoxication may reflect a cytoprotective response, whereas the increase in PBR expression may augment HE development.
Detection of internal tandem duplications in the FLT3 gene by different electrophoretic methods
Authors: Bubán Tamás , Koczok Katalin , Földesi Róza , Szabó Gabriella , Sümegi Andrea , Tanyi Miklós , Szerafin László , Udvardy Miklós , Kappelmayer János , Antal-Szalmás Péter
Published: November 2011

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the internal tandem duplication (ITD) in the juxtamembrane domain of the

A complex evaluation of the analytical properties of the three most frequently used detection methods – PCR followed by agarose (AGE), polyacrylamide (PAGE) or capillary electrophoresis (CE) – was performed on 95 DNA samples obtained from 73 AML patients.

All the three methods verified the presence of a mutant allele in 20 samples from 18 patients. AGE and PAGE could detect the presence of 1%–2% mutant allele, while the detection limit of CE was 0.28%. However, acceptable reproducibility (inter-assay CV <25%) of the mutant allele rate determination was only achievable above 1.5% mutant/total allele rate. The reproducibility of the ITD size determination by CE was much better, but the ITD size calculated by PeakScanner or GeneScan analysis was 7% lower as compared to values obtained by DNA sequencing. The presence of multiple ITD was over-estimated by PAGE and AGE due to the formation of heteroduplexes.

This study suggests the use of PCR+CE in the diagnostics and the follow-up of AML patients. The data further supports the importance of proper analytical evaluation of home-made molecular biological diagnostic tests.
School bullying: its nature and ecology
Authors: Espelage Dorothy L. , De La Rue Lisa
Published: November 2011

Background:Recent youth suicides only highlight a persistent problem in schools – bullying and sustained peer victimization. Being a target or victim of bullying has long been recognized has having short- and long-term psychological effects on children and adolescents across the world today. School bullying is one of the most significant public health concerns facing children and adolescents.

Objective:Involvement in the social phenomena of school bullying is often explained as emerging from a wide range of risk and protective factors within the social-ecology of youth. The social-ecological model posits that bullying behaviors are shaped by various interrelated contexts including individual characteristics, family, peers and the school environment.

Methods:Research is reviewed to highlight the correlates of bullying involvement across these context using social-ecological and social-learning frameworks. Meta-analytic studies are reviewed on the short- and long-term impact of bullying involvement and efficacy of bullying prevention programs. Specific recommendations for prevention planning and future research efforts are provided.

Conclusions:Bullying is a multi-faceted issue, which is best understood in the larger social context in which it occurs. Individual characteristics of students contribute to bullying involve­ment when students have families that promote violence, teachers that ignore or dismiss bullying, schools that have negative climates and students who socialize with friends who bully. These social contexts need to be targeted in bully prevention programs to reduce bullying and peer victimization in schools.
Dean Ornish should receive the Nobel prize in medicine
Authors: Ventegodt Søren , Merrick Joav
Published: November 2011

No abstract available.
Comparison of Daily Motion of the Cervical and Lumbar Spine to ASTM F2423-11 and ISO 18192-1.2011 Standard Testing
Authors: Cobian Daniel , Heiderscheit Bryan , Daehn Nicole , Anderson Paul A.
Published: November 2011

Background–The purpose of this investigation is to measure the normal neck and trunk motion of daily living and to compare this to annualized movements as defined by the ASTM F2423-11 and ISO 18192-1:2011 standards. Methods–Ten volunteers wore a custom sensor system that monitored their upper and lower spine motion. The system allows continuous measurement of the frequency and magnitude of spinal motion about all three axes. The angular motion can then be determined for the upper and lower spinal segments. The results were extrapolated to yield the yearly frequency and magnitudes of movements. The data were compared to ASTM and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. Results–The median magnitude of neck motion was 14.3°, 13.8°, and 21.6°, and the mean annual frequency of cervical motion was 10.6 × 106, 8.5 × 106, and 5.6 × 106 movements in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation, respectively. The observed-to-standard (ASTM) ratio of annual cervical excursion was 1.22, 1.09, and 0.69, and for ISO the ratios were 1.22, 1.09, and 1.04 in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation, respectively. The median range of motion for the thorax relative to the iliac crest (lumbar) was 11.2°, 10.3°, and 12.5°, and the estimated number of annual movements was 6.8 × 106, 5.2 × 106, and 3.8 × 106 in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and rotation. The observed-to-standard ratios from ASTM were 0.63, 0.56 and 1.6, and for ISO they were 1.5, 1.68, and 1.59, in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and rotation respectively. Discussion–Neck and lumbar movements in healthy young adults aremore frequent that 1 × 106 times per annum. The amplitude is smaller than specified in current standards. Overall, the total annual angular excursions specified by ASTM correlated well with results, whereas the ISO specified smaller ranges of motion for the lumbar spine, and therefore the observed angular motions were greater than specified. New testing standards should consider using more physiologic movement patterns.
Comprehensive Primary Health Care in South America: contexts, achievements and policy implications
Authors: Ramírez Naydú Acosta , Ruiz Jennifer Pollard , Romero Román Vega , Labonté Ronald
Published: November 2011

This article summarizes an extensive review of South American experiences with primary health care since the Declaration of Alma-Ata. It aims to address the following specific questions: What are the enabling and constraining historical and structural conditions for primary health care policies and practices? How has health care reform supported or undermined primary health care? What evidence exists on the effectiveness of primary health care? What strategies are common to best practices? What evidence exists on the roles of citizen participation and intersectoral action? And finally, what are the policy lessons to be learned from these experiences? Narrative synthesis was used to identify and examine patterns in the data consistent with these questions. Conditions that were found to promote successful implementation of primary health care are outlined, together with features of effective primary health care systems that help create more equitable health services and health outcomes.
Prática de atividade física e sedentarismo em brasileiros: resultados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) 2008
Authors: Knuth Alan Goularte , Malta Deborah Carvalho , Dumith Samuel Carvalho , Pereira Cimar Azeredo , Morais Neto Otaliba Libânio , Temporão Jose Gomes , Penna Gerson , Hallal Pedro Curi
Published: November 2011

Inquéritos populacionais estão no centro das atividades relevantes para a saúde pública. Atualmente tem-se interesse em compreender aspectos comportamentais influentes na mudança do quadro de saúde individual e coletiva, entre eles a atividade física. O objetivo do presente estudo é apresentar os resultados de prática de atividade física (AF) da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) em 2008, conforme distribuição regional e características sociodemográficas. O convênio firmado entre o IBGE e o Ministério da Saúde foi responsável pelo levantamento suplementar de saúde. O tamanho de amostra foi de 292.553 pessoas. A prevalência de AF nos níveis recomendados no lazer foi de 10,5%, o mesmo percentual de indivíduos relatando deslocamento ativo para o trabalho. Homens e indivíduos mais jovens foram mais ativos e houve relação direta entre escolaridade e AF no lazer e inversa entre escolaridade e atividade física no deslocamento. Um em cada cinco brasileiros não pratica qualquer AF, e um em cada três assistem, em média, 3h ou mais de televisão por dia. Estes dados visam apoiar as políticas públicas no desenho de estratégias que promovam ações sustentadas de promoção da saúde, especialmente de AF, visando o alcance de resultados que influenciem positivamente na qualidade de vida da população.
Tabagismo no Brasil: desigualdades regionais e prevalência segundo características ocupacionais
Authors: Barros Aluísio J. D. , Cascaes Andreia Morales , Wehrmeister Fernando César , Martínez-Mesa Jeovany , Menezes Ana Maria Baptista
Published: November 2011

O estudo descreveu a prevalência do tabagismo diário segundo sexo, idade, renda domiciliar e ocupação dos moradores de 15 anos ou mais, no Brasil e regiões, baseado nos dados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra Domiciliar 2008 (PNAD/IBGE). A análise considerou o desenho da amostra e incluiu 252.768 indivíduos. A prevalência de fumo diário no Brasil foi 15,1%, variando de 12,8% na região Norte a 17,4% na região Sul, sendo 62% maior nos homens que mulheres. A prevalência de fumo foi inversamente proporcional à renda domiciliar, sendo 18,6% entre os 20% mais pobres e 11,5% entre os 20% mais ricos. As mesmas tendências para sexo, idade e renda foram observadas nas diferentes regiões do país. O consumo diário de cigarros foi 3% maior entre os trabalhadores comparados com não trabalhadores. Trabalhadores não manuais apresentaram prevalências de fumo abaixo de 10%, enquanto trabalhadores manuais relataram frequências acima de 20%. A associação entre tabagismo e ocupação permaneceu após ajuste para sexo, idade e renda. As desigualdades encontradas devem ser consideradas no planejamento e direcionamento de ações efetivas para redução do tabagismo. Os grupos ocupacionais mais expostos deveriam ter prioridade nas intervenções.
Regulação da saúde suplementar e estrutura etária dos beneficiários
Authors: Stivali Matheus
Published: November 2011

O artigo expõe as mudanças das regras de reajuste das contraprestações por faixas etárias assim como as mudanças demográficas observadas entre 1998 e 2008. Avaliam-se, através do cálculo de indicadores de envelhecimento e da construção de pirâmides etárias, se as mudanças demográficas e a regulação provocaram alguma alteração na adesão da população jovem à saúde suplementar. Os indicadores mostram o envelhecimento populacional entre os beneficiários de planos de saúde, em especial entre os com planos de contratação individual, e também que isso não implicou abandono da saúde suplementar pelos jovens.
Fatores associados ao tipo de parto em mulheres brasileiras: PNDS 2006
Authors: Meller Fernanda de Oliveira , Schäfer Antônio Augusto
Published: November 2011

O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a prevalência dos tipos de parto e fatores associados em mulheres brasileiras em idade fértil estudadas na última Pesquisa Nacional de Demografia e Saúde (PNDS). O estudo compreende um recorte da PNDS, a qual se trata de um estudo transversal, de base domiciliar, de âmbito nacional, que teve como objetivo central caracterizar a população feminina em idade fértil e as crianças menores de cinco anos. Foram descritas as prevalências de tipo de parto segundo as seguintes variáveis de exposição: macrorregiões brasileiras, situação de domicílio, idade, cor da pele, estado nutricional, escolaridade, local do pré-natal e local do parto. A significância estatística (p<0,05) foi avaliada pelo teste do qui-quadrado. A população estudada constituiu-se de 6.125 mulheres. Observou-se que 42,9% das mulheres tiveram parto cesariano. A prevalência de parto cesariano foi significantemente menor, independente da macrorregião de moradia, situação de domicílio, idade, cor da pele, estado nutricional, local do pré-natal e do parto. Evidenciou-se a necessidade da continuidade na investigação dos fatores que promovem o aumento de partos cesarianos no Brasil, a fim de inverter os índices elevados, uma vez que pode levar a uma série de complicações tanto para as mães quanto para seus filhos.