bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk of Advanced-Stage Breast Cancer among Older Women with Comorbidities
Authors: Yasmeen Shagufta , Hubbard Rebecca A. , Romano Patrick S. , Zhu Weiwei , Geller Berta M. , Onega Tracy , Yankaskas Bonnie C. , Miglioretti Diana L. , Kerlikowske Karla
Published: September 2012

Background: Comorbidities have been suggested influencing mammography use and breast cancer stage at diagnosis. We compared mammography use, and overall and advanced-stage breast cancer rates, among female Medicare beneficiaries with different levels of comorbidity.

Methods: We used linked Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) and Medicare claims data from 1998 through 2006 to ascertain comorbidities among 149,045 female Medicare beneficiaries ages 67 and older who had mammography. We defined comorbidities as either “unstable” (life-threatening or difficult to control) or “stable” (age-related with potential to affect daily activity) on the basis of claims within 2 years before each mammogram.

Results: Having undergone two mammograms within 30 months was more common in women with stable comorbidities (86%) than in those with unstable (80.3%) or no (80.9%) comorbidities. Overall rates of advanced-stage breast cancer were lower among women with no comorbidities [0.5 per 1,000 mammograms, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.3–0.8] than among those with stable comorbidities (0.8; 95% CI, 0.7–0.9; P = 0.065 compared with no comorbidities) or unstable comorbidities (1.1; 95% CI, 0.9–1.3; P = 0.002 compared with no comorbidities). Among women having undergone two mammograms within 4 to 18 months, those with unstable and stable comorbidities had significantly higher advanced cancer rates than those with no comorbidities (P = 0.004 and P = 0.03, respectively).

Conclusions: Comorbidities were associated with more frequent use of mammography but also higher risk of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis among the subset of women who had the most frequent use of mammography.

Impact: Future studies need to examine whether specific comorbidities affect clinical progression of breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(9); 1510–9. ©2012 AACR.
A Multistage Genetic Association Study Identifies Breast Cancer Risk Loci at 10q25 and 16q24
Authors: Higginbotham Kathryn S. , Breyer Joan P. , McReynolds Kate M. , Bradley Kevin M. , Schuyler Peggy A. , Plummer W. Dale , Freudenthal Marcia E. , Trentham-Dietz Amy , Newcomb Polly A. , Parl Fritz F. , Sanders Melinda E. , Page David L. , Egan Kathleen M. , Dupont William D. , Smith Jeffrey R.
Published: September 2012

Background: Heritable risk for breast cancer includes an increasing number of common, low effect risk variants. We conducted a multistage genetic association study in a series of independent epidemiologic breast cancer study populations to identify novel breast cancer risk variants.

Methods: We tested 1,162 SNPs of greatest nominal significance from stage I of the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility breast cancer study (CGEMS; 1,145 cases, 1,142 controls) for evidence of replicated association with breast cancer in the Nashville Breast Cohort (NBC; 599 cases, 1,161 controls), the Collaborative Breast Cancer Study (CBCS; 1,552 cases, 1,185 controls), and BioVU Breast Cancer Study (BioVU; 1,172 cases, 1,172 controls).

Results: Among these SNPs, a series of validated breast cancer risk variants yielded expected associations in the study populations. In addition, we observed two previously unreported loci that were significantly associated with breast cancer risk in the CGEMS, NBC, and CBCS study populations and had a consistent, although not statistically significant, risk effect in the BioVU study population. These were rs1626678 at 10q25.3 near ENO4 and KIAA1598 (meta-analysis age-adjusted OR = 1.13 [1.07–1.20], P = 5.6 × 10−5), and rs8046508 at 16q23.1 in the eighth intron of WWOX (meta-analysis age-adjusted OR = 1.20 [1.10–1.31], P = 3.5 × 10−5).

Conclusions: Our data supports the association of two novel loci, at 10q25.3 and 16q23.1, with risk of breast cancer.

Impact: The expanding compendium of known breast cancer genetic risk variants holds increasing power for clinical risk prediction models of breast cancer, improving upon the Gail model. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(9); 1565–73. ©2012 AACR.
HER2 Amplification: A Potential Mechanism of Acquired Resistance to EGFR Inhibition in EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancers That Lack the Second-Site EGFRT790M Mutation
Authors: Takezawa Ken , Pirazzoli Valentina , Arcila Maria E. , Nebhan Caroline A. , Song Xiaoling , de Stanchina Elisa , Ohashi Kadoaki , Janjigian Yelena Y. , Spitzler Paula J. , Melnick Mary Ann , Riely Greg J. , Kris Mark G. , Miller Vincent A. , Ladanyi Marc , Politi Katerina , Pao William
Published: September 2012

EGF receptor (EGFR)–mutant lung cancers eventually become resistant to treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). The combination of EGFR-TKI afatinib and anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab can overcome acquired resistance in mouse models and human patients. Because afatinib is also a potent HER2 inhibitor, we investigated the role of HER2 in EGFR-mutant tumor cells. We show in vitro and in vivo that afatinib plus cetuximab significantly inhibits HER2 phosphorylation. HER2 overexpression or knockdown confers resistance or sensitivity, respectively, in all studied cell line models. FISH analysis revealed that HER2 was amplified in 12% of tumors with acquired resistance versus only 1% of untreated lung adenocarcinomas. Notably, HER2 amplification and EGFRT790M were mutually exclusive. Collectively, these results reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism of resistance to EGFR-TKIs and provide a rationale to assess the status and possibly target HER2 in EGFR-mutant tumors with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Significance: Because all EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinomas eventually develop resistance to TKI therapy, understanding mechanisms of acquired resistance may improve clinical outcomes. These results implicate HER2 as a novel protein involved in the sensitivity or resistance of EGFR-mutant lung cancer and provide a rationale to assess the status of and possibly target HER2 in such tumors. Cancer Discov; 2(10); 922–33. ©2012 AACR.

Read the Commentary on this article by Blakely and Bivona, p. 872.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 857.
The experiences of Australian parents with psychosis: The second Australian national survey of psychosis
Authors: Campbell Linda , Hanlon Mary-Claire , Poon Abner Weng Cheong , Paolini Stefania , Stone Melanie , Galletly Cherrie , Stain Helen J , Cohen Martin
Published: September 2012

Objective:

Being a parent is an important part of one’s identity and role. Previous research outlines many challenges associated with parenting by people with severe mental illness. However, there is a limited research describing parenting experiences of mothers and fathers who have psychosis.

Method:

The second Australian national survey of psychosis recruited 1825 people living with symptoms of, or a diagnosis of, psychosis. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews and included key clinical and demographic information, as well as parenting specific information.

Results:

Over half of all women and a quarter of men were parents. Almost a quarter of women but only 5.5% of the men had dependent children (own and/or stepchildren) living at home with them. Of parents with dependent children, the most common diagnosis was schizophrenia (48.2% fathers, 28.9% mothers), and there were high rates of comorbidity with substance abuse/dependence (alcohol: fathers 69.2%, mothers 44.3%; cannabis: fathers 69.22%, mothers 47.8%). A substantial proportion of parents with dependent children experienced challenges including low educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, and social isolation. Although many parents living with dependent children functioned in the average range, a significant proportion was moderately to severely disabled on global independent functioning ratings (fathers 49.1%, mothers 35.7%) and some were identified as having obvious/severe impairments in their ability to care for their child(ren) (fathers 28.3%, mothers 21.3%).

Conclusions:

Most parents living with psychosis function well. However, a significant proportion has impairments in parenting and general functioning that could have adverse consequences for both the parent and children. This study brings into focus the need for interventions to optimise successful parenting outcomes.
Valence Issues in African Elections
Authors: Bleck Jaimie , van de Walle Nicolas
Published: September 2012

Previous analyses of African politics have mistaken parties’ dearth of position taking on issues as an absence of substantive electoral debate. The authors demonstrate that political parties tackle substantive issues during African elections, but generally voice them through valence appeals rather than by staking out distinct positions. The authors theorize that uncertainty, coupled with the single-party heritage and the elite dominance of African electoral politics, leads parties to employ valence discourse in their national election campaigns. With evidence from 950 newspaper articles during seven election cycles in African countries, the authors show that politicians predominantly use valence discourse when discussing political issues in the period approaching elections. They find tentative evidence that opposition actors are more likely to take positions than incumbents, and that civil society is more likely to raise position issues than political parties. This contribution aims to enrich the debate on electoral issues in Africa, but also draw greater attention to the potential impact of valence discourse on party systems in a comparative context.
Transient heat flow in unidirectional fiber–polymer composites during laser flash analysis: Experimental measurements and finite element modeling
Authors: Alway-Cooper Rebecca M , Theodore Merlin , Anderson David P , Ogale Amod A
Published: September 2012

Laser flash analysis (LFA), an unsteady-state technique originally developed for measuring the thermal diffusivity of homogenous materials, was used to estimate the thermal conductivity of carbon fibers consolidated in an epoxy matrix to form axially aligned unidirectional composites. Experimental studies were conducted for P-25 and K-1100 mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers whose conductivity values bracket almost two orders of magnitude (∼10 and 1000 W/m·K). Experimentally determined fiber thermal conductivity values were generally consistent with those cited in the literature after appropriate corrections were applied to account for the extremely high conductivity (low thermal resistance) of highly graphitic fibers, relative to the graphite coating. Finite element analysis was used to simulate heat flow patterns that may occur in a uniaxial fiber–polymer composite due to the large differences in the thermal conductivities of carbon fibers and polymer matrices. Simulations reveal that fiber thermal conductivity is accurately determined from composite response for high volume fraction of fibers (≥0.6) regardless of fiber conductivity, or for lower conductivity fibers (10–100 W/m·K) regardless of volume fractions. However, for composites containing high thermal conductivity fibers (100–1000 W/m·K) at low volume fractions (≤0.2), fiber thermal conductivity may not be accurately determined due to transverse heat flow within the graphite layers that channel heat through the highly conductive fiber. Thus, under certain conditions, heat flow paths deviate from the one-dimensional heat flow assumption inherent to laser flash analysis and rule-of-mixtures.
Functional Outcomes of Chemoradiation in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Tulunay‐Ugur Ozlem E. , McClinton Christopher , Young Zachary , Penagaricano Jose A. , Maddox Anne‐Marie , Vural Emre
Published: September 2012

Objective

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has become the treatment of choice for oropharyngeal and hypopharyngolaryngeal cancers in many centers. Although it has increased the rates of organ preservation, there has also been an increase in treatment‐related complications. We aimed to evaluate the functional outcomes of CCRT in head and neck cancer.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary cancer center.

Subjects and Methods

A retrospective study of patients treated with CCRT at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences was performed. Demographic data and treatment outcomes were extracted, specifically feeding tube and tracheotomy dependence and number of esophageal dilatations.

Results

Of the 243 patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (5‐flourouracil + cysplatin and radiotherapy), 152 patients received a feeding tube. The median percutaneous gastrostomy tube (PEG) use was 9 months (range, 1‐96 months). More than 70% of the patients who had a PEG more than 6 months had a T3 or T4 tumor. Thirty‐seven patients underwent esophageal dilatations, (median, 1; range, 1‐7). The median use of a tracheotomy was 7 months, and 77% of these patients were treated for hypopharyngolaryngeal cancer.

Conclusions

Despite major improvement in locoregional control rates, CCRT has a significant negative impact on the functional outcomes of head and neck cancer patients, with a high number of patients remaining PEG and tracheotomy dependent.
Ambulatory Office Visits and Medical Comorbidities Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Bhattacharyya Neil , Kepnes Lynn J.
Published: September 2012

Objective

(1) Understand the epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) ambulatory office visits in the United States. (2) Quantify the prevalence of comorbid illnesses that are likely to occur in the setting of OSA.

Methods

From the 2008‐2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, adult cases with a diagnosis of OSA were extracted. The epidemiology of OSA was determined. The prevalences of comorbid priority illnesses (obesity, asthma, cerebrovascular disease, depression, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease) were also determined.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis of a national survey database.

Setting

Ambulatory care settings in the United States.

Results

There were an estimated 4.1 ± 1.2 million annual visits with a diagnosis of OSA (60% ± 3.2% men; mean age, 56.4 ± 0.9 years). There were 419,000 ± 28,000 visits annually to otolaryngologists for OSA. Comorbid illnesses were obesity (23.8% ± 5.2%), asthma (14.3% ± 3.0%), cerebrovascular disease (2.5% ± 1.5%), depression (23.2% ± 2.6%), hypertension 53.8% ± 3.9%), and ischemic heart disease (10.3% ± 3.0%). Adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, obesity, and race, statistically significant increased odds for the presence of obesity (3.6, P <. 001), asthma (2.7, P <. 001), depression (2.5, P <. 001), and hypertension (2.0, P <. 001) with OSA were noted. Increased odds for cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease were not identified (P =. 725 and P =. 083, respectively).

Conclusion

Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively common diagnosis in ambulatory and otolaryngologic care. It is associated with a significantly increased prevalence of several key priority health care conditions in the United States. Otolaryngologists and health care providers should be aware of these associations, understanding the potentially broad impact of OSA on general health.
Does neuromuscular electrical stimulation enhance the effectiveness of an exercise programme in subjects with knee osteoarthritis? A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Elboim-Gabyzon M , Rozen N , Laufer Y
Published: September 2012

Objective:

To determine whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation applied to the quadriceps femoris muscle will enhance the effectiveness of an exercise programme in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Design:

A randomized trial with parallel intervention treatment groups.

Setting:

Outpatient physical therapy clinic.

Subjects:

Fifty participants (mean age (SD) 68.9 (7.7) years) with symptomatic idiopathic knee osteoarthritis and radiographic evidence (grade ≥II Kelgren’s classification).

Interventions:

Participants were randomized into one of two groups receiving 12 biweekly treatments: An exercise-only group or an exercise combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation group (biphasic pulses, at 75 Hz and 250 µs phase duration).

Main measures:

Knee pain intensity; maximal voluntary isometric contraction and voluntary activation of the quadriceps femoris muscle; measures of functional performance.

Results:

A significant interaction effect ( P = 0.01) indicated greater improvement in pain for the electrical stimulation group. The mean (SD) change in pain intensity was from 7.5 ± 2 to 5 ± 2.2 and from 7.4 ± 1.9 to 3.3 ± 2.4 in the exercise and electrical stimulation groups, respectively. A significant treatment effect was also noted for the voluntary activation of the quadriceps femoris, which increased by 22.2% in the electrical stimulation group and by 9.6% in the exercise group ( P = 0.045). Significant improvements were observed in both groups in all remaining measures, with no differences between groups.

Conclusions:

Electrical stimulation treatment to the quadriceps femoris enhanced the effectiveness of an exercise programme in alleviating pain and improving voluntary activation in patients with knee osteoarthritis, but did not enhance its effect on muscle strength or functional performance.
In Search of Chinese Paternalistic Leadership
Authors: Sheer Vivian C.
Published: September 2012

Extant empirical research fails to support the popular belief that paternalistic leadership (PL) style is a basic characteristic in Chinese organizations. In search of empirical evidence of PL as a practicing style, surveys were conducted with employees from small Chinese family businesses (CFBs) in mainland China and Hong Kong (HK). In the China sample, PL’s three dimensions (authoritarianism, benevolence, and morality) were internally convergent; managers exhibited reasonably high levels of PL, and PL as a whole predicted positive employee-perceived outcomes. In the HK sample, however, PL’s three dimensions showed inconsistent correlations, greatly similar to the extant findings. Consequently, PL as a whole could not be analyzed for that sample. Findings suggest that PL may be restricted only to CFBs in China. Management communication implications are discussed.
The public value of a national library: Results of a contingent valuation survey
Authors: Kwak So-Yoon , Yoo Seung-Hoon
Published: September 2012

As a public library, a public good, provides many external benefits for the community it belongs to, its public value needs to be carefully assessed. More specifically, the Korean Government demands information on the public value that ensues from the establishment of the Gwangju branch of the National Library. This paper therefore attempts to measure its public value by using the contingent valuation method and reporting the results of the contingent valuation survey. We adopted a strategy to use two split samples for on-site and off-site areas, which refer to one area surrounding the library and another that does not, respectively, and as such, the study focuses on the scale parameter of the contingent valuation model. The estimated value for the scale parameter is statistically significant at the 1% level. The statistical test of the hypothesis that the mean willingness to pay estimate for the on-site area is not different from that for the off-site requires estimating the mean willingness to pay separately for each area. The mean willingness to pay estimates for the on-site and off-site area are KRW 3330.5 (GBP 1.7) and KRW 3572.9 (GBP 1.8) per household per year, respectively. The national value expanded to relevant residents is about KRW 60bn (GBP 30m) annually for five years. The results are expected to be useful for policy makers in determining the economic feasibility of the branch.
Collapsing glomerulopathy associated lupus in a black female with homozygous APOL1 mutation
Authors: Kofman T , Narjoz C , Raimbourg Q , Loriot M-A , Karras A , Roland M , Hill G , Jacquot C , Nochy D , Thervet E
Published: September 2012

Collapsing glomerulopathy(CG), characterized by collapse of the glomerular capillary loops onto the mesangial stalks is rarely associated to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recently a genetic predisposition to HIV associated nephropathy (HIVAN) has been shown in Afro-Americans: MYH9 polymorhism in 2008 and then APOL1 variants (G1 and G2 alleles) in 2010 were shown to be strongly associated with HIVAN.

We describe here for the first time the association of CG in a young Afro-American female with SLE having a homozygous mutation of APOL1. The clinical history, laboratory findings and immunofluorescence all confirmed a diagnosis of SLE. However, studies for factors associated with collapsing glomerulopathy in other situations were consistently negative. As this Afro-American patient developed a CG, we performed genotyping of APOL1. It was found that she is homozygotic for the G2 allele of APOL1. Despite
Cultural scenes, the creative class and development in Spanish municipalities
Authors: Navarro Clemente J , Mateos Cristina , Rodríguez María J
Published: September 2012

In addition to human capital and creativity, cultural consumption opportunities play an important role in explaining local development and growth. They promote the attraction of visitors, as well as the attraction of the creative class, improving local income and wages. This paper analyses the relative importance of cultural consumption opportunities, as cultural scenes, explaining income differences among Spanish municipalities. Indices to measure talent, creative class, and different kinds of opportunities for cultural consumption at the local level are proposed, using multivariate regression analysis to show their complementary impact on local income. In addition to human capital and the creative class, the main results show that different kinds of opportunities for cultural consumption (cultural scenes) have an independent impact on local income.
The local politics of Europeanization: A study of French cities’ approaches to participation in the CIVITAS programme
Authors: Pflieger Géraldine
Published: September 2012

European Union policy at the local scale is split into numerous sectoral programmes in the spheres of cross-border cooperation, energy, the environment, culture and transport. In this context, the CIVITAS (City-Vitality-Sustainability) initiative on sustainable urban mobility was launched in 2000. The aim of this article is to analyse relations between cities and Europe, focusing on the practical ways in which local policies have been ‘Europeanized’ in four French cities. The article highlights three main results. First, CIVITAS does not represent a sufficient financial incentive to sustain ‘download Europeanization’ of local transport policies, which remain under the control of local authorities. Second, despite a lack of European funding, local authorities mobilize strongly on a European level in order to distinguish themselves. In a context where French transport authorities are becoming increasingly dependent on local financial resources, entering the CIVITAS programme and acquiring this seal of approval has played a determining role in legitimizing and boosting budget allocations to public transport. Third, the mobilization of local authorities and the selective strategy of the European Commission jointly strengthen political competition between cities at a European level and reinforce a network of innovative cities.
Analysing the knowledge base configuration that drives southwest Saxony’s automotive firms
Authors: Plum Oliver , Hassink Robert
Published: September 2012

So far little research has been undertaken on analysing automotive clusters from a knowledge base perspective. Existing studies provide ambiguous hints as to which knowledge base is crucial for automotive manufacturing and innovation processes. This article therefore aims to analyse the knowledge base configuration of automotive clusters in more detail. It does so by investigating the nature and geography of knowledge sourcing and interactive innovation processes of southwest Saxony’s automotive firms. Drawing on face-to-face interviews with representatives of 58 firms and social network analyses of knowledge transfers we show that the firms rely heavily on the synthetic knowledge base whereas the analytical knowledge base is comparatively weak. In the face of its precarious position between the highly innovative western automotive centres and the low-cost sites in central and eastern Europe, it is at least uncertain whether this knowledge base configuration will safeguard the clusters’ competitiveness in the long run.
Inside the Actors’ Studio
Authors: Fox Ann L. , Gingras Jacqui
Published: September 2012

Two colleagues, Ann and Jacqui, came together, within the safety of an imagined actors’ studio, to explore the challenges that Ann faced in planning a new graduate program in public health nutrition. They met before, during, and after program implementation to discuss Ann’s experiences, and audio-taped and transcribed the discussions. When all three sessions had concluded, they reviewed the transcripts and discussed their insights further. In doing so, they drew upon the collaborative writing work of Wyatt, Gale, Gannon, and Davies, whose play featuring French theorist Gilles Deleuze, inspired Ann and Jacqui to consider what it meant to work together on this project. Of particular interest was the tension they encountered attempting to tell their stories in the first person narrative voice as well as their differing perspectives on the therapeutic sensibility of the discussions. Through this process, Ann and Jacqui gained insight into their educational practices and came to view dialogue as a valuable method of inquiry.
Breaking My Academic Silence to Start Again
Authors: Zapata-Sepúlveda Pamela
Published: September 2012

This essay seeks to reflect upon, rescue, make sense of, incorporate my “I” in my research experiences with Chilean survivors of political imprisonment. In an attempt to free and recover my “I”—quiet until today—to re-think, remember, and to build while I am standing in the middle of the process, I will tell some “moments” and situations I experienced during my research with some of the members of this Chilean group. I will use storytelling, counter-story-telling, performance texts, and short stories associated with the concepts of “victim,” “trauma,” “study subject,” “ethical aspects,” and “initial researcher background.” This is an attempt to move me past my “thin”—previous form to making research—to “thick description-as-inscription.” I am thinking about, and developing the Framing the research question. Finally, I will develop some recommendations that might be useful for researchers who are interested in working and addressing these issues.
Can Qualitative Researchers Answer Policymakers’ What-Works Question?
Authors: Donmoyer Robert
Published: September 2012

The article asks whether constructivist qualitative researchers have anything to offer policymakers who expect researchers to tell them what works. The first part of the article addresses philosophical objections to characterizing the social world in cause/effect terms. Specifically, it considers whether it is legitimate for qualitative researchers who claim to be employing a constructivist research paradigm to even attempt to provide the sort of simplified causal explanations that policy makers normally expect. The second part of the article takes a more empirical tack by focusing on three recent evaluation studies in which funders wanted to learn what types of programs they should support to produce desired results. The underlying question in this part of the article is pragmatic: Even if there is no paradigmatic prohibition against attempting to answer policymakers’ what-works question, are constructivist qualitative researchers able to answer policymakers’ bottom-line question in a defensible way?
Registered Nurses’ Views on Competencies in Home Care
Authors: Furåker Carina
Published: September 2012

The aim of this article is to describe the everyday work of registered nurses and their views on what skills they use, require, and wish to develop when caring for persons in the home care system. As regards method, the participants comprised 20 registered nurses. Individual interviews were subjected to content analysis. The results reveal that registered nurses are in effect guests in a person’s home. Registered nurses’ everyday work comprises advanced nursing care, making difficult decisions, and solving fundamental nursing problems. Registered nurses have a negative attitude to using evidence-based knowledge. The conclusions show that the demand for advanced nursing care competence has increased. As consultants, registered nurses need to delegate and teach the staff basic nursing care. They need to develop competencies in psychiatric and palliative nursing care and improve their handling of specific items of technical equipment.
Developing teachers’ health-related fitness knowledge through a community of practice
Authors: Hunuk Deniz , Ince Mustafa Levent , Tannehill Deborah
Published: September 2012

The purposes of this study were twofold: to examine the effects of a community of practice (CoP) on (1) physical educators’ and their students’ health-related fitness content knowledge and (2) the physical educators’ health-related fitness pedagogical content knowledge construction process. Twelve experienced physical education teachers (six in treatment, six in control group) and 278 of their students voluntarily participated in this study. Mixed method research with experimental pre–post design was used. Quantitative analysis of health-related fitness tests data used descriptive statistics, repeated measure ANOVAs and simple main effect analysis. Semi-structured post interviews with teachers and CoP facilitator, researcher field notes and audio taped and fully transcribed text of six week CoP represented the qualitative data sources that were analysed through Glaser and Strauss’ (1967) constant comparison approach. Results demonstrated that treatment group teachers and their students improved health-related fitness content knowledge from pre to post test ( p < 0.05). Findings indicated that teacher participation in a CoP changed their teaching practices and teaching culture by focusing on their students’ needs, increased their engagement in physical education and triggered continued learning toward personal professional needs. In conclusion, this study indicates that a CoP based on teachers’ specific needs increased their students’ learning and changed teachers’ teaching culture positively.
Chinese parental perceptions of weight and associated health risks of young children
Authors: Chan Christine M S , Wang Wen-Chung
Published: September 2012

A mixed method was employed to determine how caregivers view preschool children’s body size and associated health risks. A survey of 505 caregivers was nested in 10 in-depth case studies of mothers. Based on the International Obesity Task Force calculation of children’s weight status, the caregivers who had underweight children overestimated their children’s weight status but the caregivers who had overweight/obese children underestimated their children’s weight status. Their estimates were substantially different from those of the caregivers of normal weight children. The mothers’ thoughts revealed the complexity of beliefs and sociocultural experiences about weight preferences and affirmed the quantitative findings.
A survey of two-dimensional graph layout techniques for information visualisation
Authors: Gibson Helen , Faith Joe , Vickers Paul
Published: September 2012

Many algorithms for graph layout have been devised over the last 30 years spanning both the graph drawing and information visualisation communities. This article first reviews the advances made in the field of graph drawing that have then often been applied by the information visualisation community. There then follows a discussion of a range of techniques developed specifically for graph visualisations. Graph drawing algorithms are categorised into the following approaches: force-directed layouts, the use of dimension reduction in graph layout and computational improvements including multi-level techniques. Methods developed specifically for graph visualisation often make use of node-attributes and are categorised based on whether the attributes are used to introduce constraints to the layout, provide a clustered view or define an explicit representation in two-dimensional space. The similarities and distinctions between these techniques are examined and the aim is to provide a detailed assessment of currently available graph layout techniques, specifically how they can be used by visualisation practitioners, and to motivate further research in the area.
TANF Over Time
Authors: Hildebrandt Eugenie , Kelber Sheryl T.
Published: September 2012

We compare the experiences of women from three studies who were in different stages of participation in the U.S. welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The setting for the studies was a large Midwest urban county, targeted chain referral sampling was used, and the combined sample of the three studies was 106 women. The instruments were a semistructured interview guide, the HANES General Well-Being Schedule and a demographic data form. Quantitative data are augmented with qualitative interview data. The findings suggest barriers to self-sustaining employment include health challenges, limited education, socio-economic marginalization, and the welfare policy itself. Nurses are well positioned to advocate for women in poverty and mitigate the health challenges they face. The findings add to the limited evidence base on which the TANF policy is based and can be used to modify the policy to increase the success of the women who participate in it.
Gurus and Oscar Winners
Authors: Conor Bridget
Published: September 2012

Screenwriting has been the subject of extensive literature in the past three decades in relation to both the techniques of the trade and the pursuit of profit and fame. This article demonstrates that how-to screenwriting manuals both feed into and exemplify the new cultural economy and the position(s) of creative labor within that economy by offering the opportunity to dream up and invent one’s own career and providing blueprints for doing so. The article draws on a critical discourse analysis study of a selection of the most popular manuals and analyzes the discursive strategies the texts deploy to concretize aspects of screenwriting labor, from story structure and formatting to pitching and rewriting. The manuals are discussed as a type of psy-technology and as a sophisticated form of professional self-help, and they are also analyzed as precarious governmental tools that shape industries, practices, and subjects but in ambiguous and chaotic ways.
The Good, the Better, and the Beautiful
Authors: kumar hari stephen , Moreira Claudio
Published: September 2012

This coperformed autoethnographic inquiry explores “the West” as both a seductive and a subjugating narrative terrain on which betweener identities must navigate the colonizing structures of Western epistemologies. On this terrain, we collaboratively engage the metaphors and tropes of “Cowboys” and “Indians” within a broader critique of knowledge production in the Western academy. As a decolonizing performance, our journey invites a collective turning of the academic gaze away from objectifying the Other and toward making Western systems of knowledge themselves the objects of inquiry.
Computational Models of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Authors: Bikson Marom , Rahman Asif , Datta Abhishek
Published: September 2012

During transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), controllable dose parameters are electrode number (typically 1 anode and 1 cathode), position, size, shape, and applied electric current. Because different electrode montages result in distinct brain current flow patterns across the brain, tDCS dose parameters can be adjusted, in an application-specific manner, to target or avoid specific brain regions. Though the tDCS electrode montage often follows basic rules of thumb (increased/decreased excitability “under” the anode/cathode electrode), computational forward models of brain current flow provide more accurate insight into detailed current flow patterns and, in some cases, can even challenge simplified electrode-placement assumptions. With the increased recognized value of computational forward models in informing tDCS montage design and interpretation of results, there have been recent advances in modeling tools and a greater proliferation of publications.  In addition, the importance of customizing tDCS for potentially vulnerable populations (eg, skull defects, brain damage/stroke, and extremes of age) can be considered. Finally, computational models can be used to design new electrode montages, for example, to improve spatial targeting such as high-definition tDCS. Pending further validation and dissemination of modeling tools, computational forward models of neuromodulation will become standard tools to guide the optimization of clinical trials and electrotherapy.
‘Moatifs’ of masculinity: The stories told about ‘men’ in British newspaper coverage of the Raoul Moat case
Authors: Ellis Anthony , Sloan Jennifer , Wykes Maggie
Published: September 2012

This article addresses the common omission and/or obfuscation of men in accounts of crime and particularly accounts of violence, despite the overwhelming presence of men in violent activities and, indeed, crime per se. In doing so it identifies key themes that frame masculine identities. Using the case of Raoul Moat, the piece analyses the discourses available in British newspapers to account for male violence. Raoul Moat killed one man, injured his ex-partner and a police officer and finally shot himself dead in the Northumbrian wilderness. Whereas most accounts of male violence blame ‘bad’ women, race, youth, terror, gangs and madness, here news stories evoked different tales of domestic, institutional and elemental masculinity. The themes of those tales, we argue, constitute broad contexts for constructing masculine identities and our analysis offers new insights into how masculine identity is constructed through discourse and why violence is a significantly male-dominated activity; insights which address some of the lacks in current theoretical work on both masculinity and violence.
Yoga as an Alternative and Complementary Treatment for Patients With Low Back Pain
Authors: Sharma Manoj , Haider Taj
Published: September 2012

Low back pain is not only a leading cause of disability in the United States but also one of the most expensive to treat. Exercise proves to be inconsistent, and surgery often leads to disease reappearance. Yoga offers a holistic approach to overcome the psychological and physical aspects of low back pain. A systematic review was performed to determine the efficacy of yoga for low back pain. Study inclusion criteria were studies ( a) published in the English language, ( b) published between January 2000 and June 2012, ( c) included any form of yoga as an intervention, ( d) used any quantitative study design, and (5) measured low back pain as an outcome. Of the 13 studies included, 9 demonstrated a reduction in low back pain using yoga as part of the intervention. Limitations include lack of theory-based approaches, unclear definitions of low back pain, and multiple instruments used to measure the outcome.
Development Professionals at Religiously Based Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: Pinder Jim
Published: September 2012

The study of why a fundraising professional would choose to leave his or her employer is critical to the ongoing success of religiously based nonprofit organizations as they work to achieve their mission. Without continuity in the donor relationship, donors will likely leave the organization or become disenfranchised. This study focuses on development professionals at Seventh-Day Adventist institutions across North America. The results of this study are applicable to other religiously based nonprofit organizations. The present article reveals the reasons affecting employee retention and proposes approaches to mitigate the loss of valuable employees. Data were gathered using a structured online survey and analyzed for its descriptive outcomes.
Phylogenetic relationships among Staphylococcus species and refinement of cluster groups based on multilocus data
Authors: Lamers Ryan P , Muthukrishnan Gowrishankar , Castoe Todd A , Tafur Sergio , Cole Alexander M , Parkinson Christopher L
Published: September 2012

Background

Estimates of relationships among Staphylococcus species have been hampered by poor and inconsistent resolution of phylogenies based largely on single gene analyses incorporating only a limited taxon sample. As such, the evolutionary relationships and hierarchical classification schemes among species have not been confidently established. Here, we address these points through analyses of DNA sequence data from multiple loci (16S rRNA gene, dnaJ, rpoB, and tuf gene fragments) using multiple Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic approaches that incorporate nearly all recognized Staphylococcus taxa.

Results

We estimated the phylogeny of fifty-seven Staphylococcus taxa using partitioned-model Bayesian and maximum likelihood analysis, as well as Bayesian gene-tree species-tree methods. Regardless of methodology, we found broad agreement among methods that the current cluster groups require revision, although there was some disagreement among methods in resolution of higher order relationships. Based on our phylogenetic estimates, we propose a refined classification for Staphylococcus with species being classified into 15 cluster groups (based on molecular data) that adhere to six species groups (based on phenotypic properties).

Conclusions

Our findings are in general agreement with gene tree-based reports of the staphylococcal phylogeny, although we identify multiple previously unreported relationships among species. Our results support the general importance of such multilocus assessments as a standard in microbial studies to more robustly infer relationships among recognized and newly discovered lineages.
Profiling microRNAs in lung tissue from pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
Authors: Podolska Agnieszka , Anthon Christian , Bak Mads , Tommerup Niels , Skovgaard Kerstin , Heegaard Peter MH , Gorodkin Jan , Cirera Susanna , Fredholm Merete
Published: September 2012

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-protein-coding genes that play a crucial regulatory role in mammalian development and disease. Whereas a large number of miRNAs have been annotated at the structural level during the latest years, functional annotation is sparse. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) causes serious lung infections in pigs. Severe damage to the lungs, in many cases deadly, is caused by toxins released by the bacterium and to some degree by host mediated tissue damage. However, understanding of the role of microRNAs in the course of this infectious disease in porcine is still very limited.

Results

In this study, the RNA extracted from visually unaffected and necrotic tissue from pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was subjected to small RNA deep sequencing. We identified 169 conserved and 11 candidate novel microRNAs in the pig. Of these, 17 were significantly up-regulated in the necrotic sample and 12 were down-regulated. The expression analysis of a number of candidates revealed microRNAs of potential importance in the innate immune response. MiR-155, a known key player in inflammation, was found expressed in both samples. Moreover, miR-664-5p, miR-451 and miR-15a appear as very promising candidates for microRNAs involved in response to pathogen infection.

Conclusions

This is the first study revealing significant differences in composition and expression profiles of miRNAs in lungs infected with a bacterial pathogen. Our results extend annotation of microRNA in pig and provide insight into the role of a number of microRNAs in regulation of bacteria induced immune and inflammatory response in porcine lung.
Basic geriatric assessment does not predict in-hospital mortality after PEG placement
Authors: Smoliner Christine , Volkert Dorothee , Wittrich Anke , Sieber Cornel C , Wirth Rainer
Published: September 2012

Background

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is an established procedure for long-term nutrition. However, studies have underlined the importance of proper patient selection as mortality has been shown to be relatively high in acute illness and certain patient groups, amongst others geriatric patients. Objective of the study was to gather information about geriatric patients receiving PEG and to identify risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality after PEG placement.

Methods

All patients from the GEMIDAS database undergoing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in acute geriatric wards from 2006 to 2010 were included in a retrospective database analysis. Data on age, gender, main diagnosis leading to hospital admission, death in hospital, care level, and legal incapacitation were extracted from the main database of the Geriatric Minimum Data Set. Self-care capacity was assessed by the Barthel index, and cognitive status was rated with the Mini Mental State Examination or subjectively judged by the clinician. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were chosen according to data distribution and scale of measurement, logistic regression analysis was performed to examine influence of various factors on hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 1232 patients (60.4% women) with a median age of 82 years (range 60 to 99 years) were included. The mean Barthel index at admission was 9.5 ± 14.0 points. Assessment of cognitive status was available in about half of the patients (n = 664), with 20% being mildly impaired and almost 70% being moderately to severely impaired. Stroke was the most common main diagnosis (55.2%). In-hospital mortality was 12.8%. In a logistic regression analysis, old age (odds ratio (OR) 1.030, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003-1.056), male sex (OR 1.741, 95% CI 1.216-2.493), and pneumonia (OR 2.641, 95% CI 1.457-4.792) or the diagnosis group ‘miscellaneous disease’ (OR 1.864, 95% CI 1.224-2.839) were identified as statistical risk factors for in–hospital death. Cognitive status did not have an influence on mortality (OR 0.447, CI 95% 0.248-1.650).

Conclusion

In a nationwide geriatric database, no component of the basic geriatric assessment emerged as a significant risk factor for mortality after PEG placement, emphasizing individual decision-making.