bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous Regression of Low-Grade Gliomas in Pediatric Patients without Neurofibromatosis
Authors: Rozen Warren Matthew , Joseph Samuel , Lo Patrick Anthony
Published: May 2008

Objective: Pediatric low-grade gliomas comprise a diverse range of central nervous system tumors, sharing the usual course of a slow progression in growth. In individual cases however, the natural history can be variable, and rarely spontaneous regression has been described. This paper describes factors associated with spontaneous regression. Methods: A literature review was performed to identify factors associated with spontaneous regression. A unique case is described to contribute to the findings. Results: Low-grade gliomas occurring in association with neurofibromatosis are more likely to spontaneously regress. Only 14 cases of spontaneous regression of low-grade gliomas in patients without neurofibromatosis have been described, and of these, the vast majority regress in association with optic chiasm gliomas. We describe the first documented case of spontaneous regression of a temporal lobe pilocytic astrocytoma in a patient without neurofibromatosis. Conclusion: Spontaneous regression of low-grade gliomas can occur for tumors in a diversity of anatomical locations, at varying ages and in both sexes. This may have implications for management. As such, spontaneous tumor regression is an important outcome to be considered for pediatric low-grade gliomas and pilocytic astrocytomas.
Differences in Overall Mortality in the Elderly May Be Explained by Diet
Authors: González Sonia , Huerta José M. , Fernández Serafina , Patterson Ángeles M. , Lasheras Cristina
Published: May 2008

Background: Although a relationship between diet and mortality is well recognized, there is little information on the extent to which different food sources contribute to survival in elderly people. Objective: To examine the effect of individual food groups on mortality in institutionalized elderly people from Asturias (Northern Spain) after 6 years of follow-up. Method: The dietary intake of 288 elderly people aged 60–85 years was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Age, gender, energy intake, chewing ability, hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, physical activity, smoking habit, self-perceived health, education level and the institution from which participants were recruited were covariates in Cox regression models analyzing the effect of food on survival. Results: Fruit intake was found to be inversely associated with overall mortality. Multivariate adjusted mortality rate ratio (95% CI) per 1 SD increase in fruit intake was 0.714 (0.519–0.981). On the contrary, each 1 SD of potato intake led to a 32% higher risk of death (RR (95% CI) = 1.319 (1.033–1.685)). Conclusion: A high intake of fruit late in life was associated with a longer survival. An inverse association between potato intake and survival was also observed, but further research is necessary before any firm conclusions about the possible harmful aspects of potato consumption can be drawn.
α-1-Syntrophin Mutation and the Long-QT Syndrome
Authors: Wu Geru , Ai Tomohiko , Kim Jeffrey J. , Mohapatra Bhagyalaxmi , Xi Yutao , Li Zhaohui , Abbasi Shahrzad , Purevjav Enkhsaikhan , Samani Kaveh , Ackerman Michael J , Qi Ming , Moss Arthur J. , Shimizu Wataru , Towbin Jeffrey A. , Cheng Jie , Vatta Matteo
Published: May 2008

Background—

Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited disorder associated with sudden cardiac death. The cytoskeletal protein syntrophin-α
1
(SNTA1) is known to interact with the cardiac sodium channel (hNa
v
1.5), and we hypothesized that SNTA1 mutations might cause phenotypic LQTS in patients with genotypically normal hNa
v
1.5 by secondarily disturbing sodium channel function.

Methods and Results—

Mutational analysis of
SNTA1
was performed on 39 LQTS patients (QTc≥480 ms) with previously negative genetic screening for the known LQTS-causing genes. We identified a novel A257G-
SNTA1
missense mutation, which affects a highly conserved residue, in 3 unrelated LQTS probands but not in 400 ethnic-matched control alleles. Only 1 of these probands had a preexisting family history of LQTS and sudden death with an additional intronic variant in KCNQ1. Electrophysiological analysis was performed using HEK-293 cells stably expressing hNa
v
1.5 and transiently transfected with either wild-type or mutant SNTA1 and, in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, transiently transfected with either wild-type or mutant SNTA1. In both HEK-293 cells and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, increased peak sodium currents were noted along with a 10-mV negative shift of the onset and peak of currents of the current-voltage relationships. In addition, A257G-SNTA1 shifted the steady-state activation (
V
h
) leftward by 9.4 mV, whereas the voltage-dependent inactivation kinetics and the late sodium currents were similar to wild-type SNTA1.

Conclusion—

SNTA1
is a new susceptibility gene for LQTS. A257G-
SNTA1
can cause gain-of-function of Na
v
1.5 similar to the LQT3.
Incident Heart Failure Prediction in the Elderly
Authors: Butler Javed , Kalogeropoulos Andreas , Georgiopoulou Vasiliki , Belue Rhonda , Rodondi Nicolas , Garcia Melissa , Bauer Douglas C. , Satterfield Suzanne , Smith Andrew L. , Vaccarino Viola , Newman Anne B. , Harris Tamara B. , Wilson Peter W.F. , Kritchevsky Stephen B.
Published: May 2008

Background—

Despite the rising heart failure (HF) incidence and aging United States population, there are no validated prediction models for incident HF in the elderly. We sought to develop a new prediction model for 5-year risk of incident HF among older persons.

Methods and Results—

Proportional hazards models were used to assess independent predictors of incident HF, defined as hospitalization for new-onset HF, in 2935 elderly participants without baseline HF enrolled in the Health ABC study (age, 73.6�2.9 years, 47.9% males, 58.6% whites). A prediction equation was developed and internally validated by bootstrapping, allowing the development of a 5-year risk score. Incident HF developed in 258 (8.8%) participants during 6.5�1.8 years of follow-up. Independent predictors of incident HF included age, history of coronary disease and smoking, baseline systolic blood pressure and heart rate, serum glucose, creatinine, and albumin levels, and left ventricular hypertrophy. The Health ABC HF model had a
c
-statistic of 0.73 in the derivation dataset, 0.72 by internal validation (optimism-corrected), and good calibration (goodness-of-fit χ
2
6.24,
P
=0.621). A simple point score was created to predict incident HF risk into 4 risk groups corresponding to <5%, 5% to 10%, 10% to 20%, and >20% 5-year risk. The actual 5-year incident HF rates in these groups were 2.9%, 5.7%, 13.3%, and 36.8%, respectively.

Conclusion—

The Health ABC HF prediction model uses common clinical variables to predict incident HF risk in the elderly, an approach that may be used to target and treat high-risk individuals.
Alternate Task Inhibits Single-neuron Category-selective Responses in the Human Hippocampus while Preserving Selectivity in the Amygdala
Authors: Steinmetz Peter N.
Published: May 2008

One fifth of neurons in the medial-temporal lobe of human epilepsy patients respond selectively to categories of images, such as faces or cars. Here we show that responses of hippocampal neurons are rapidly modified as subjects alternate (over 60 sec) between two tasks (1) identifying images from a category, or (2) playing a simple video game superimposed on the same images. Category-selective responses, present when a subject identifies categories, are eliminated when the subject shifts to playing the game for 87% of category-selective hippocampal neurons. By contrast, responses in the amygdala are present during both tasks for 72% of category-selective amygdalar neurons. These results suggest that attention to images is required to evoke selective responses from single neurons in the hippocampus, but is not required by neurons in the amygdala.
Oscillatory Activity and Phase–Amplitude Coupling in the Human Medial Frontal Cortex during Decision Making
Authors: Cohen Michael X , Elger Christian E. , Fell Juergen
Published: May 2008

Electroencephalogram oscillations recorded both within and over the medial frontal cortex have been linked to a range of cognitive functions, including positive and negative feedback processing. Medial frontal oscillatory characteristics during decision making remain largely unknown. Here, we examined oscillatory activity of the human medial frontal cortex recorded while subjects played a competitive decision-making game. Distinct patterns of power and cross-trial phase coherence in multiple frequency bands were observed during different decision-related processes (e.g., feedback anticipation vs. feedback processing). Decision and feedback processing were accompanied by a broadband increase in cross-trial phase coherence at around 220 msec, and dynamic fluctuations in power. Feedback anticipation was accompanied by a shift in the power spectrum from relatively lower (delta and theta) to higher (alpha and beta) power. Power and cross-trial phase coherence were greater following losses compared to wins in theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands, but were greater following wins compared to losses in the delta band. Finally, we found that oscillation power in alpha and beta frequency bands were synchronized with the phase of delta and theta oscillations (“phase–amplitude coupling”). This synchronization differed between losses and wins, suggesting that phase–amplitude coupling might reflect a mechanism of feedback valence coding in the medial frontal cortex. Our findings link medial frontal oscillations to decision making, with relations among activity in different frequency bands suggesting a phase-utilizing coding of feedback valence information.
Are Vowels and Consonants Processed Differently? Event-related Potential Evidence with a Delayed Letter Paradigm
Authors: Carreiras Manuel , Gillon-Dowens Margaret , Vergara Marta , Perea Manuel
Published: May 2008

To investigate the neural bases of consonant and vowel processing, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read words and pseudowords in a lexical decision task. The stimuli were displayed in three different conditions: (i) simultaneous presentation of all letters (baseline condition); (ii) presentation of all letters, except that two internal consonants were delayed for 50 msec (consonants-delayed condition); and (iii) presentation of all letters, except that two internal vowels were delayed for 50 msec (vowels-delayed condition). The behavioral results showed that, for words, response times in the consonants-delayed condition were longer than in the vowels-delayed condition, which, in turn, were longer than in the baseline condition. The ERPs showed that, starting as early as 150 msec, words in the consonants-delayed condition produced a larger negativity than words in vowels-delayed condition. In addition, there were peak latency differences and amplitude differences in the P150, N250, P325, and N400 components between the baseline and the two letter-delayed conditions. We examine the implications of these findings for models of visual-word recognition and reading.
Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Current Recommendations
Authors: Kokkinos Peter
Published: May 2008

Epidemiologic studies support an inverse and robust relationship between physical activity (PA) and mortality risk, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. The authors have reported 13% lower mortality risk for every 1-MET (metabolic equivalent) increase in exercise capacity. For those with an exercise capacity >7 METs, the mortality risk was approximately 50% to 70% lower when compared with those achieving <5 METs. The risk reduction is, at least in part, attributed to the favorable effect of PA on the cardiovascular risk factors. Increased PA lowers blood pressure in hypertensive individuals, increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a dose—response fashion, and reduces the incidence of diabetes. The health benefits of PA can be realized by engaging in moderate-intensity physical activity (brisk walk) for at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week or vigorous activity (jogging) for 20 or more minutes, 3 days per week. Combinations of the 2 types of activity can also be performed.
The Effect of Political Regime on Civil War
Authors: Vreeland James Raymond
Published: May 2008

Research published in the American Political Science Review shows that anocracies—as defined by the middle of the Polity index of political regime—are more susceptible to civil war than are either pure democracies or pure dictatorships. Yet, certain components of the Polity index include a factional category, where political competition is ``intense, hostile, and frequently violent. Extreme factionalism may be manifested in the establishment of rival governments and in civil war'' (Gurr 1989, 12). Not surprisingly, these components exhibit a strong relationship with civil war. When they are removed from the Polity index, however, the original relationship disappears. I conclude that the original finding is not driven by the relationship between political institutions and civil war but rather by a less provocative relationship between political violence and civil war.
Change for children with language and communication needs: creating sustainable integrated services
Authors: Gascoigne Marie
Published: May 2008

This paper takes a `whole system' view of the opportunities and challenges presented to those working to achieve better outcomes for children. Collaboration will be considered from a multi-layered perspective, taking into account practitioner, operational, strategic and national levels of collaboration and the factors which have been identified to be of relevance to outcomes. Policy and legislation will be summarized as applied to the delivery of effective services for children with speech, language and communication needs. The paper will then explore models which are emerging or in development within the new structures resulting from the policy agenda over the past decade. The aim is to provide examples and discussion of novel systems. Consequently the paper does not present retrospective data in terms of evaluation of models as this will require a longitudinal approach as the new structures unfold.
A new paradigm to inform inter-professional learning for integrating speech and language provision into secondary schools: a socio-cultural activity theory approach
Authors: Martin Deirdre
Published: May 2008

The paper presents a new way of understanding and investigating inter-professional learning across agencies for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in schools in England. It considers specifically speech and language therapy staff and school staff learning to work together and working to learn together in secondary mainstream provision. Concepts and analysis of learning to work collaboratively are orientated by socio-cultural activity theory. In addition, evidence of learning for risk-taking and resilience are presented which are not readily analysed by the theory. The paper argues for considering collaborative working as organizational learning predicated on collective, rather than individual, engagement.
Parent—child interaction in Nigerian families: conversation analysis, context and culture
Authors: Burns Annabel , Radford Julie
Published: May 2008

This paper uses a conversation analysis (CA) approach to explore parent—child interaction (PCI) within Nigerian families. We illustrate how speech and language therapists (SLTs), by using CA, can tailor recommendations according to the interactional style of each individual family that are consonant with the family's cultural beliefs. Three parent—child dyads were video-taped playing and talking together in their home environments. The analysis uncovered a preference for instructional talk similar to that used in the classroom. Closer examination revealed that this was not inappropriate when considering the context of the activities and their perceived discourse role. Furthermore, this was not necessarily at the expense of responsivity or semantic contingency. The preference for instructional talk appeared to reflect deeply held cultural beliefs about the role of adults and children within the family and it is argued that the cultural paradigm is vitally important to consider when evaluating PCI. Given a potential risk that such young children may be vulnerable in terms of language difficulties, we offer an example of how PCI can be enhanced to encourage language development without disrupting the naturally occurring talk or the underlying purpose of the interaction.
Mobility beyond the clinic: the effect of environment on gait and its measurement in community-ambulant stroke survivors
Authors: Donovan Kimberley , Lord Susan E , McNaughton Harry K , Weatherall Mark
Published: May 2008

Objective: To explore the impact of a complex community environment on gait parameters (speed, step length and cadence) for community-dwelling participants with a previous stroke, and compare outcome measures commonly used in a clinical environment.

Design: Repeated measurement of participants in different environments.

Setting: One clinic and two community environments (suburban street and shopping mall).

Subjects: Thirty community-dwelling stroke participants with chronic stroke who were classified according to gait speed (20—50 m/min on 10-metre timed walk) as marginal community walkers.

Outcome measures: During a six-minute walk test (6MWT) a step activity monitor (SAM) and odometer were used to calculate gait speed, step length and cadence. The 10-metre timed walk (10MTW) was measured in a clinic environment.

Analysis: A mixed linear model examined differences in gait measurements in the different environments. Bland—Altman analysis illustrated agreement between gait speed measures (6MWT and 10MTW).

Results: A statistically significant, but not a clinically significant difference in gait speed between some environments was found. Gait speed was slowest in the mall and fastest in the street with a difference of only 2.1 m/min between these environments (95% confidence interval (CI) -3.8 to -0.5, P<0.01). Comparison of clinic 10MTW and street 6MWT showed wide limits of agreement (-18.5 to 16.9 m/min) which improved for clinic 6MWT and street 6MWT comparisons (-5.7 to 8.9 m/min).

Conclusion: Despite residual gait deficit, the gait parameters of these chronic stroke survivors did not deteriorate markedly under challenging conditions. The 6MWT is recommended as a clinical measure for community ambulation.
Handle size as a task constraint in spoon-use movement in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Ma Hui-Ing , Hwang Wen-Juh , Chen-Sea Mei-Jin , Sheu Ching-Fan
Published: May 2008

Objective: To examine the effect of spoon-handle size on kinematic performance in people with Parkinson's disease.

Design: A counterbalanced repeated-measures design.

Setting: A motor control laboratory in a university setting.

Subjects: Eighteen individuals with Parkinson's disease and 18 age-matched controls.

Experimental conditions: Each participant was instructed to scoop water (simulated soup) using spoons with three different-sized handles.

Main measures: Kinematic variables (movement time, peak velocity and number of movement units) of arm movement, size of hand aperture and number of fingers to grasp the spoon.

Results: The movement of the participants with Parkinson's disease was faster (shorter movement time) and smoother (fewer movement units) when they used spoons with a small- or medium-sized handle than when using a spoon with a large-sized handle. In contrast, the healthy controls showed no significant differences in movement kinematics between handle sizes. Moreover, the participants with Parkinson's disease had a significantly smaller hand aperture and used more fingers to hold the spoons than the controls did.

Conclusions: These results suggest that, for people with Parkinson's disease, a small-to-medium-sized handle is more suitable than a large-sized built-up handle.
Sick leave reductions from a comprehensive manual therapy programme for low back pain: the Gotland Low Back Pain Study
Authors: Bogefeldt J. , Grunnesjö Marie I , Svärdsudd K. , Blomberg S.
Published: May 2008

Objective: To evaluate if a comprehensive manual therapy programme reduces sick leave due low back pain and facilitates return to work more than the conventional optimized activating care.

Design: A randomized controlled trial over a 10-week period with a two-year follow-up.

Setting: Primary health care and Visby Hospital, Municipality of Gotland, Sweden.

Subjects: One hundred and sixty patients (70 women, 90 men, ages 20—55 years) with acute or subacute low back pain with or without pain radiation into the legs.

Interventions: Standardized optimized activating care (n = 71) versus a comprehensive pragmatic manual therapy programme including specific corticosteroid injections (n = 89).

Main measures: Sick leave measured as net sick leave volume, point prevalence and return to work.

Results: After 10 weeks, significantly more manual therapy patients than reference patients had returned to work (hazards ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.006—2.60, P<0.05), and among those on sick leave at baseline, significantly fewer were still on sick leave (8/58 versus 13/40, ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.13—0.97, P<0.05). For all other measures there were inconclusive differences in favour of the manual therapy group. No significant differences remained after two years.

Conclusions: The manual therapy programme used in this study decreased sick leave and increased return to work more than the standardized optimized activating care only up to 10 weeks but not up to two years.
Measures for rating social participation in people with aphasia: a systematic review
Authors: Dalemans Ruth , de Witte Luc P , Lemmens Jessie , van den Heuvel Wim JA , Wade Derick T
Published: May 2008

Background: Re-establishing participation in social life is an important aim of rehabilitation, but instruments to measure participation in people with aphasia are rare.

Aims: To identify and describe measures of social participation that may be specifically useful when measuring participation in people with aphasia.

Methods and procedures: A systematic review of the literature concerning participation instruments was conducted. Then six speech and language therapists evaluated the suitability of selected participation measures for use in people with aphasia and a systematic literature review concerning the feasibility, internal consistency, validity, reliability and responsiveness of the measures selected by the therapists was carried out.

Results: In total 12 instruments measuring aspects of participation were found: seven measured actual performance and five measured actual performance combined with experienced problems. Two were considered unsuitable for people with aphasia, leaving 10. Six speech and language therapists working with people with aphasia scored the 10 selected instruments, and two instruments were judged as possibly suitable for use in people with aphasia: the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) and the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL). However, the Community Integration Questionnaire is much closer to the concept of participation. The literature review concerning the psychometric properties of the Community Integration Questionnaire revealed that very little is known about the use of this instrument in people with aphasia.

Conclusion: The Community Integration Questionnaire is possibly suitable for use in people with aphasia when measuring participation, but data on its psychometric properties in people with aphasia are absent.
Influence of combined exercise training on indices of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients
Authors: Lambers Sabine , Van Laethem Christophe , Van Acker Kristien , Calders Patrick
Published: May 2008

Objective: To investigate the influence of combined exercise training on indices of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients.

Design: A double-blind randomized controlled trial with patients receiving either combination (COM), endurance (END) or no training (C).

Setting: Sint-Jozef hospital (Belgium), general practice (Holland).

Subjects: Forty-six type 2 diabetes patients (17 female, 29 male).

Interventions: COM versus END and C. Patients exercised for three months, three times a week for 1 hour.

Main measures: Six-minute walk test (6MW T), peak Vo2, strength in upper and lower limbs, sit-to-stand, height, weight, body mass index, fat mass, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), glycaemia, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol and quality of life (General Health Survey Short Form (SF-36)).

Results: COM had significant better results on sit-to-stand (P<0.05), 6MW T (P<0.01), strength in upper (P<0.001) and lower limbs (P<0.001) compared with C. A different evolution among COM and C was found for HbA1c (P<0.05) and cholesterol (P<0.01), both decreased in COM and increased in C. HDL increased in COM and decreased in C (P<0.01). END had significant higher results on the 6MW T (P<0.01) compared with C. Compared with END, COM had significantly higher results on strength in upper (P<0.01) and lower limbs (P<0.01). The evolution of SF-36 items was not significantly different between the three groups.

Conclusion: In diabetes type 2 patients, COM had significant better effects on indices of physical condition, diabetes and cardiovascular risk compared with C. Compared with END, COM gave a tendency towards better results, however more research with a larger number of participants is needed.
Group exercise can improve participants' mobility in an outpatient rehabilitation setting: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sherrington Catherine , Pamphlett Patricia I , Jacka Jennifer A , Olivetti Lynnette M , Nugent Julie A , Hall Jillian M , Dorsch Simone , Kwan Marcella Mun-San , Lord Stephen R
Published: May 2008

Objective: To establish the effects of group exercise on mobility and strength.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Two public hospital outpatient rehabilitation services.

Participants: One hundred and seventy-three people (mean age 74.9 years, SD 10.8) with impaired mobility were randomized and 159 people (92%) completed the trial.

Interventions: Five-week, twice-weekly `circuit-style' group exercise programme run by a physiotherapist (n = 85) and a no-intervention waiting list control group (n = 88).

Main outcome measures: Three aspects of mobility: balance while standing and stepping (Step Test, semi-tandem and tandem stance times); sit-to-stand ability (rate and minimum height) and gait (6-metre and 6-minute walk tests). Lower limb muscle strength (knee flexion and extension).

Results: At retest, exercise participants had improved significantly more than their control counterparts on measures of balance while stepping, sit to stand and gait. Exercise participants averaged 1.6 more steps on the 15-second Step Test (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5 to 2.8, P=0.005), walked an average of 0.12 m/s faster (95% CI 0.05 to 0.2, P=0.002) and took 2.5 fewer steps in 6 metres (95% CI —4.2 to —0.8, P=0.004). Exercise participants also averaged 0.04 more sit-to-stands/second, (95% CI 0.003 to 0.08, P=0.037) and walked an average of 30.9 metres further in 6 minutes (95% CI 9.4 to 52.4, P=0.005). There were no clinically important or statistically significant between-group differences at retest for the measures of strength (knee extension and flexion), balance while standing or minimal sit-to-stand height.

Conclusion: This short-duration circuit class programme improved mobility, but not strength.
Arctic Indigenous Peoples as Representations and Representatives of Climate Change
Authors: Martello Marybeth Long
Published: May 2008

Recent scientific findings, as presented in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), indicate that climate change in the Arctic is happening now, at a faster rate than elsewhere in the world, and with major implications for peoples of the Arctic (especially indigenous peoples) and the rest of the planet. This paper examines scientific and political representations of Arctic indigenous peoples that have been central to the production and articulation of these claims. ACIA employs novel forms and strategies of representation that reflect changing conceptual models and practices of global change science and depict indigenous peoples as expert, exotic, and at-risk. These portrayals emerge alongside the growing political activism of Arctic indigenous peoples who present themselves as representatives or embodiments of climate change itself as they advocate for climate change mitigation policies. These mutually constitutive forms of representation suggest that scientific ways of seeing the global environment shape and are shaped by the public image and voice of global citizens. Likewise, the authority, credibility, and visibility of Arctic indigenous activists derive, in part, from their status as at-risk experts, a status buttressed by new scientific frameworks and methods that recognize and rely on the local experiences and knowledges of indigenous peoples. Analyses of these relationships linking scientific and political representations of Arctic climate change build upon science and technology studies (STS) scholarship on visualization, challenge conventional notions of globalization, and raise questions about power and accountability in global climate change research.
Research Specialization and Collaboration Patterns in Sociology
Authors: Leahey Erin , Reikowsky Ryan C.
Published: May 2008

Researchers interested in the structure of scientific fields have documented increases in specialization and collaboration. How, if at all, are these two trends related? Is specialization so severe that scholars cannot collaborate unless they share specific research interests? Or, have specializing tendencies promoted research that joins specialty areas and broaches new topics? We answer these important questions for a single discipline, sociology, using both qualitative interviews and latent profile analysis. We empirically identify three collaborative styles that depend on both the areas and extent of specialization in coauthors' research programs. The prominence of the reinforcing generalist profile suggests that specialization in science mainly serves to encourage scholars to work with others in their specialty area. However, the existence of two other styles — a more complementary one and one that is characterized by migration into new intellectual terrain — suggests that subfields within sociology are permeable enough to permit boundary-spanning, original research.
Wrongdoing, Whistle-Blowing, and Retaliation in the U.S. Government
Authors: Near Janet P. , Miceli Marcia P.
Published: May 2008

Much of the unethical behavior occurring in modern organizations that comes to light is first identified and reported by insiders: organization members who are willing to blow the whistle. Data from surveys of federal employees conducted since 1980 by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) have been analyzed by researchers. These studies have taught us quite a lot about whistle-blowing, but we still need to learn much more. We present here a summary of results from research on the incidence of wrongdoing and whistleblowing, predictors of whistle-blowing, predictors of retaliation against whistle-blowers, and predictors of overall effectiveness of whistle-blowers in getting wrongdoing stopped. We describe key findings and suggest new directions for future research and policy to address the critical questions still remaining concerning whistle-blowing.
Review of A Large Clinical Series: A Microcosting Study of Intensive Care Unit Stay in the Netherlands
Authors: Tan Siok Swan , Hakkaart-van Roijen Leona , Al Maiwenn J. , Bouwmans Clazien A. , Hoogendoorn Marga E. , Spronk Peter E. , Bakker Jan
Published: May 2008

The primary objective of this study was to estimate the actual daily costs of intensive care unit stay using a microcosting methodology. As a secondary objective, the degree of association between daily intensive care unit costs and some patient characteristics was examined. This multicenter, retrospective cost analysis was conducted in the medical-surgical adult intensive care units of 1 university and 2 general hospitals in the Netherlands for 2006, from a hospital perspective. A total of 576 adult patients were included, consuming a total of 2868 nursing days. The mean total costs per intensive care unit day were 1911, with labour (33%) and indirect costs (33%) as the most important cost drivers. An ordinary least squares analysis including age, Nine Equivalent of Nursing Manpower Use score/Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System score, mechanical ventilation, blood products, and renal replacement therapy was able to predict 50% of the daily intensive care unit costs.
Cyclic Appearance of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Dynamic Obstruction During Mechanical Ventilation: Evidence for a Preload Dependent Phenomenon
Authors: Canivet Jean-Luc , Lancellotti Patrizio , Radermecker Marc , Damas Pierre
Published: May 2008

The cyclic appearance of dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction during mechanical ventilation, according to the phasic changes in preload, is described in this article. Hemodialysis-induced fluid removal resulted in preload dependence as evidenced by the pulse pressure variation in a 56-year-old critically ill patient. The clinical picture was suggestive of myocardial failure. Transthoracic echocardiography disclosed dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction associated with systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. Progressive fluid restitution resulted in a parallel decrease in both the degree of dynamic obstruction and pulse pressure variation. During fluid loading, dynamic obstruction disappeared at first during the inspiratory phase of intermittent positive pressure ventilation corresponding to the phasic increase in left ventricular preload. Further fluid loading resulted in the disappearance of dynamic obstruction during both inspiratory and expiratory phase of intermittent positive pressure ventilation. This is the first reported case clearly relating left ventricular outflow tract dynamic obstruction to preload dependence during mechanical ventilation in a critically ill patient without predisposing anatomical factor.
The Relationship Between Objectively Measured Sleep Disturbance and Dementia Family Caregiver Distress and Burden
Authors: Beaudreau Sherry A. , Spira Adam P. , Gray Heather L. , Depp Colin A. , Long James , Rothkopf Mark , Gallagher-Thompson Dolores
Published: May 2008

The aim of this study was to determine whether distress and burden were associated with objective measures of sleep disturbance in dementia caregivers. Using wrist actigraphy, sleep was measured in 60 female, Caucasian dementia family caregivers (mean age, 64.8 years). Caregivers completed questionnaires about demographics, health, depression, duration of caregiving and care recipient nighttime behavior. Care recipients completed a mental status exam. We investigated whether these measures were associated with actigraphic sleep parameters. Greater depressive symptoms among caregivers were associated with poorer sleep efficiency. Older caregiver age and poorer self-rated health were associated with longer time in bed. Sleep disturbance, which is common among dementia caregivers, might be an important index of caregiver distress (ie, depression) but might not be associated with burden (based on the care recipient's general cognitive impairment or nighttime awakenings.)
Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Associated With Cognitive Function in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Gunstad John , Benitez Andreana , Smith Joseph , Glickman Ellen , Spitznagel Mary B. , Alexander Thomas , Juvancic-Heltzel Judi , Murray Leigh
Published: May 2008

Cognitive decline is common in older adults, even in the absence of significant medical or neurological conditions. Recent work implicates serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in age-related cognitive decline, though no study has directly examined this possibility. A total of 35 older adults without neurological history underwent fasting blood draw and completed a brief neuropsychological test battery during a single session. After adjusting for demographic and medical confounds, higher serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were associated with better performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (r = .36) and short form of the Boston Naming Test (r = .39). These findings extend work from Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia samples and indicate that higher brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are associated with better neuropsychological function in healthy older adults. The exact mechanisms for this relationship are unknown and require further examination.
Driving Cessation and Self-Reported Car Crashes in Older Drivers: The Impact of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in a Population-Based Study
Authors: Lafont Sylviane , Laumon Bernard , Helmer Catherine , Dartigues Jean-François , Fabrigoule Colette
Published: May 2008

The complexity of driving activity has incited numerous developed countries to initiate evaluative procedures in elderly people, varying according to first evaluation age, frequency, and screening tools. The objective of this paper is to improve the knowledge of the driving cessation process regarding factors associated with crash involvement. Driving cessation and self-reported crashes during the past 5 years were analyzed with multivariate models, in a cross-sectional study including a population-based sample of 1051 drivers aged 65 years and more. Visual trouble, Parkinson disease, dementia, and stroke history were associated with driving cessation. Future dementia was associated with self-reported crashes only. Attentional and executive deficits were associated with both outcomes. The detection of attentional and executive deficits should be included in driving evaluation procedures to improve awareness of these deficits by older drivers.
Primary Carcinosarcoma of the Spleen: Case Report of a Rare Tumor and Review of The Literature
Authors: Kochar Kunal , Vijayasekar Chandrasekar , Pandey Urmila , Bhogal Ricky , Brown Louise , Mathew George
Published: May 2008

Carcinosarcoma of extragenital organs is rare. In this article, a case of primary carcinosarcoma of the spleen, which presented as painful splenomegaly is reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of primary splenic carcinosarcoma in English literature. The pathogenesis of these tumors is incompletely understood. No specific treatment guidelines exist for these aggressive tumors, surgery being the mainstay of treatment. The prognosis remains poor regardless of the adjuvant therapy used.
Small-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx: Report of a Rare Case Lacking Association With Epstein-Barr Virus
Authors: Lee Li-yu , Chang Kai-ping , Hsu Cheng-Lung , Chen Tse-Ching , Kuo Tseng-tong
Published: May 2008

Only 2 cases of nasopharyngeal small cell carcinoma have been reported. Another case of this rare type of nasopharyngeal tumor confirmed by immunopositivity for CD56, synaptophysin, and chromogranin A is described in this study. The tumor was also negative for cytokeratin (CK) 20 and thyroid transcription factor-1. Clinical investigation did not find any primary tumor in other anatomic sites. Therefore, this case was established as a primary nasopharyngeal small cell carcinoma. Epstein-Barr virus was shown to be absent by Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA in situ hybridization study in this case, which further distinguished it from conventional nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Clinical features of this case and 2 previously reported cases are compared. They do not differ from conventional nasopharyngeal carcinoma in clinical presentation, but the prognosis seems to be worse. More cases are needed to confirm the observation and for understanding the clinical behavior of this rare type of nasopharyngeal tumor.
Goldfinger's gold standard
Authors: Karl Alissa G.
Published: May 2008

`Goldfinger's gold standard' reads the James Bond/007 spy film Goldfinger (1964) to interrogate how economic institutions and ideas shape a British national imaginary during the decolonising mid-century. I argue that Goldfinger answers anxieties about the loss of British `standards' of global authority by economically delimiting the nation and privileging cultural Britishness, at the same time that the film acknowledges the flexibility and the ironies of the Bretton Woods gold standard that is its premise. As such, Goldfinger is prescient about the transactive nature of Britishness and economics alike that are characteristic of life under contemporary global capitalism. I contend that ideas about Britain are conditioned by economic policy, and suggest that the interfaces of economic, national and cultural histories may serve as the basis for further interdisciplinary inquiry. •
The personal is professional
Authors: Smith Maguire Jennifer
Published: May 2008

The article examines the discursive construction of personal training as a case study of the characteristics of cultural intermediary work. Based on an analysis of US personal training occupational texts from 1990 to 2000, the article employs a cultural economy perspective (du Gay and Pryke, 2002) to examine the importance of normative codes of professionalism, the investment of personal resources and aesthetic labour, and the tension between cultural and economic categories in representations of the work. Personal training is a particularly revealing case because of its explicit tensions between cultural factors (e.g. a professional, service-oriented ethic) and economic parameters (e.g. the entrepreneurial aspects of selling services). In response, trainers are encouraged to adopt a vocational attitude, suggesting how cultural intermediary work more generally invokes particular dispositions, which are the outcomes of negotiating between economy and culture, and the personal and the professional, in specific occupational contexts.
Mediating hope
Authors: Fenton Natalie
Published: May 2008

In an attempt to reimagine the concept of resistance in media studies this article argues for a reconsideration of the concept of political hope in non-mainstream mediated political mobilization that will take us beyond a focus on resistance to one of political project(s). The critical first step in such an endeavour is to reach beyond the confines of media and communication studies. This article draws on political science, sociology, social movement studies and cultural geography, among other subjects, to consider the ways in which new media may allow a reimagining of hope so that a collective consciousness can be developed and maintained. In doing so the article suggests that if, as scholars, we wish to enhance our political purchase then the notion of resistance in media and communication studies should be made to engage with the struggle of changing the terms of the polity.
Intertextual aspects of Chinese newspaper commentaries on the events of 9/11
Authors: Wei Wang
Published: May 2008

This article explores intertextual aspects of Chinese newspaper commentaries on the events of 11 September 2001. Newspaper commentaries in China are often a hybrid genre that combines the characteristics of comprehensive news reports and opinion articles. Informed by genre theories and discussions of intertextuality in different disciplines, this article examines the micro-genres of the data collected and investigates how the Chinese writers include and use outside sources and how they position themselves as writers in relation to other sources. The analysis reveals that Chinese writers tend to use the explanatory micro-genre often with attributed but unidentified external sources or sources with high status for keeping a distance from these sources in the writing. This suggests that the writers tend to avoid personal authorship and responsibility for what they write. The article also discusses the textual and intertextual features in relation to the roles of the press in the Chinese context.
Comical hypothetical: arguing for a conversational phenomenon
Authors: Winchatz Michaela R. , Kozin Alexander
Published: May 2008

This study makes a case for the conversational phenomenon the authors have named the comical hypothetical ( CH). The CH becomes discursively co-created during ongoing conversation when one or more speakers depart from the normal turn-taking system and engage in the interactional creation of an imaginary world. Data stem from ethnographic observations as well as from spontaneous recordings of social situations in three different locations. Out of 20 hours of taped conversations, 10 recognizable CH segments were analyzed for the present study. The authors present a macro-structure analysis of the comical hypothetical using Hymes's (1962, 1974) SPEAKING mnemonic, with an emphasis on the act sequence. A second-level micro-analysis uncovers the interactional properties of the CH using a conversation analytic approach. The examination reveals a distinct four-part act sequence of the CH made up of intricate and creative interactional turns. Lastly, the significance and functions of the CH are also discussed.
Misplaced masculinities
Authors: Jansen Stef
Published: May 2008

In order to understand gendered patterns of coping that have been noted amongst a variety of migrants, this article analyses localized trajectories of subjectivity that structure early coping strategies with downward social mobility amongst a section of refugees from the Bosnian 1992—5 war. In particular, it investigates the `misplacement' — as refugee men and as Bosnian men — experienced by middle-aged, professional, educated fathers who had fled Bosnian towns. These men tended to stubbornly cling to their remembered personhood, located there where they recalled having counted as someone. Yet they were disengaged from `transnational' social fields, for the place where they recalled having counted as someone was not present-day Bosnia-Herzegovina, but previous forms of organized sociality in that same geographical location. The article draws attention to the specific interplay of general experiences of migration to western states in the 1990s, `ethnic cleansing' and refugee policies, and specific remembered localized life-trajectories in the Socialist Yugoslav Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and their sudden end.
Antibodies Against GM1 in Demented Patients
Authors: Hatzifilippou Eleni , Koutsouraki Ephrosini , Banaki Tania , Traka Maria , Costa Vassiliki G. , Baloyannis Stavros J.
Published: May 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of anti-GM1 in demented patients, correlating them with the type and severity of dementia as well as with the eventually coexistent polyneuropathy. Anti-GM1 concentrations were measured in the sera of 33 demented patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.7 (the mean age was 69.7 years for males and 70.1 years for females). Eighty-two percent of the patients revealed increased values of anti-GM1, but only 18.2% demonstrated polyneuropathies. Fifty-nine percent of the patients suffered from vascular dementia. The most severely demented patients demonstrated a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 5 to 23 out of 30 and revealed the most increased levels of anti-GM1 (>40 EU/mL). The findings of this study are indicative of a possible correlation between the levels of anti-GM1 and the severity of dementia, mainly of the vascular type.