bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban governance and spatial inequality in service delivery: a case study of solid waste management in Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: Adama Onyanta
Published: July 2012

Spatial inequality in service delivery is a common feature in African cities. Several factors account for the phenomenon but there is growing attention towards urban governance and the role of the state. Urban governance policies such as privatization serve as key strategies through which the state regulates and (re)produces spatial inequality in service delivery. This study examined how governance practices related to privatization and the regulatory role of the state reinforce spatial inequalities in the delivery of solid waste services in Abuja, Nigeria. It focused primarily on the issue of cost recovery. Privatization became a major focus in Abuja in 2003 when the government launched a pilot scheme. Although it has brought improvements in service delivery, privatization has also increased the gap in the quality of services delivered in different parts of the city. Drawing on empirical data, the study revealed that little sensitivity to income and affordability, and to income differentials between neighbourhoods in the fixing of user charges and in the choice of the billing method is contributing to spatial inequalities in service delivery. Furthermore, the study suggests that these practices are linked to a broader issue, a failure of the government to see the people as partners. It therefore calls for more inclusive governance especially in decision-making processes. The study also emphasizes the need for a policy document on solid waste management, as this would encourage a critical assessment of vital issues including how privatization is to be funded, especially in low-income areas.
How to Plan Workflow Changes
Authors: Aguilar Christine , Chau Connie , Giridharan Neha , Huh Youchin , Cooley Janet , Warholak Terri L.
Published: July 2012

Objective: A quality improvement tool is provided to improve pharmacy workflow with the goal of minimizing errors caused by workflow issues. This study involved workflow evaluation and reorganization, and staff opinions of these proposed changes. Practice Description: The study pharmacy was an outpatient pharmacy in the Tucson area. However, the quality improvement tool may be applied in all pharmacy settings, including but not limited to community, hospital, and independent pharmacies. Practice Innovation: This tool can help the user to identify potential workflow problem spots, such as high-traffic areas through the creation of current and proposed workflow diagrams. Creating a visual representation can help the user to identify problem spots and to propose changes to optimize workflow. It may also be helpful to assess employees’ opinions of these changes. Conclusion: The workflow improvement tool can be used to assess where improvements are needed in a pharmacy’s floor plan and workflow. Suggestions for improvements in the study pharmacy included increasing the number of verification points and decreasing high traffic areas in the workflow. The employees of the study pharmacy felt that the proposed changes displayed greater continuity, sufficiency, accessibility, and space within the pharmacy.
Current Approaches to Anticoagulation for Reducing Risk of Atrial Fibrillation–Related Stroke
Authors: Sanoski Cynthia A.
Published: July 2012

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability and, as such, is associated with a heavy socioeconomic burden. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke, and AF-related stroke tends to be more severe and poses a higher risk of recurrence than non-AF-related stroke. Anticoagulant prophylaxis with warfarin is effective in preventing stroke in eligible patients with AF, but in real-world practice this agent, though inexpensive, is underutilized. Moreover, warfarin has notable drawbacks that result in suboptimal anticoagulation and, as a result, greater disease burden and higher costs. Newer oral antithrombotic drugs with a wide therapeutic window and no requirement for routine coagulation monitoring may be as efficacious as warfarin and, given the costs associated with managing warfarin therapy, they may also prove to be more cost effective.
Intermittent tapping control
Authors: Gawthrop Peter J , Gollee Henrik
Published: July 2012

Control using a sequence of ‘taps’, in contrast to the usual smooth control, is shown to fit within the established intermittent control framework. In particular, a specially designed generalised hold gives rise to tapping behaviour optimised according to the underlying linear-quadratic design. Both fixed-interval and event-driven tapping are included in this approach and some basic stability analysis is given. Illustrative examples are presented and the advantages of tapping in the context of electromechanical servo systems with friction are explored using a laboratory experiment.
The Short-Term Effect of Going Public
Authors: Cavari Amnon
Published: July 2012

This paper examines the direct, short-term effect of presidential communications on policy preferences. Using panel studies and post-speech surveys, I demonstrate that following a speech, public opinion changes in the direction of the president. This effect is strongest among people who watch the president. While the number of people who tune to the president may be small, indeed getting smaller over time, it is composed of people who participate in the political process, are more likely to affect it, and therefore are of interest to opinion leaders. The findings reveal that presidents are effective leaders of public opinion.
Reframing strategic spatial planning by using a coproduction perspective
Authors: Albrechts Louis
Published: July 2012

There is growing evidence that the problems, challenges and opportunities that our cities, city-regions and regions are facing cannot be tackled adequately by traditional spatial planning. One of the key challenges for planning in this respect is to analyse critically what type of planning is suited as an approach to deal – in an innovative/emancipatory and transformative way – with the problems and challenges developing and developed societies are facing. An expanding literature and an increasing number of practices all over the world seem to suggest that strategic spatial planning may be looked upon as a possible approach. But at the same time critical comments and reactions are raised on the theory and the practices of strategic spatial planning. This paper uses the theory and practices of coproduction to reframe strategic spatial planning. It first looks for a deeper understanding of the meaning(s) of coproduction as it emerged in different contexts and different intellectual traditions and then introduces coproduction as an immanent characteristic of a more radical type of strategic planning. Coproduction combines the provision of public goods/services needed with the building of a strong, resilient and mutually supportive community that could assure its members their needs would be met. This implies changing the perceptions and the approach of many professionals (public and private) about how plans, policies and public services are conceived and delivered, with the objective of enabling the (structural) change needed in an open and equitable way. The paper relies on a selective review of critical planning literature and the author’s experience in practice.
Medication Use for Hypercholesterolemia in the Pediatric Population
Authors: Lenz Thomas L. , Larson Jessica C.
Published: July 2012

The past few decades have shown an increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions in the pediatric population. One of the chronic conditions that appears to be on the rise in this population is hypercholesterolemia. At the same time, the rate of obesity is increasing in children and adolescents and may be putting our youth at risk for abnormal lipid levels. First-line prevention and treatment should involve intensive lifestyle medicine therapy. If warranted, however, the use of medications may be started as early as 8 years of age, but this has many unknown variables related to safety and efficacy. Caution and vigilant observation for drug interactions and adverse events is warranted by the health care team and family members throughout treatment with drug therapy.
CDC Update on Pertussis Surveillance and Tdap Vaccine Recommendations
Authors: Clark Thomas A. , Bobo Nichole
Published: July 2012

Pertussis is the most poorly controlled bacterial vaccine-preventable disease. Since the early 1980s there has been an increase in reported cases of pertussis. Multiple factors have likely contributed to the increase, including waning immunity, increased recognition, and changes in diagnostic testing and reporting. Of the four combination vaccines used to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, one dose of Tdap should be used to vaccinate preteens as well as teens and adults who have not yet received this booster dose. It is the position of NASN that immunizations, including the Tdap vaccine, are key to primary prevention of disease from infancy through adulthood. The school nurse is in a critical position to create awareness and influence action-related national and state recommendations for the Tdap vaccine.
How Negative Interactions Affect Relationship Satisfaction
Authors: Li Tianyuan , Fung Helene H.
Published: July 2012

When people are more committed to a relationship, do they become more vulnerable or more resilient to the impacts of negative interactions with the partner? Although most studies emphasize the positive role of commitment in romantic relationship, the answer to the above question may differ in the short term versus in the long term. We conducted a 14-day daily diary study and a 7-month follow-up with 100 participants who are currently in a serious romantic relationship. Results revealed the paradoxical short-term and long-term effects of commitment. Commitment to the relationship intensified both the short-term detrimental effect and the long-term beneficial effect of negative interactions on relationship satisfaction. Personal stress was found to partially explain the short-term effects of negative interactions and commitment. When people become committed to a relationship, they are more vulnerable to the impacts of negative interactions in the short term but more resilient to the impacts in the long run.
Efficacy and safety of NVA237versusplacebo and tiotropium in patients with COPD: the GLOW2 study
Authors: Kerwin Edward , Hébert Jacques , Gallagher Nicola , Martin Carmen , Overend Tim , Alagappan Vijay K.T. , Lu Yimeng , Banerji Donald
Published: July 2012

NVA237 (glycopyrronium bromide) is a once-daily long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) in development for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The GLycopyrronium bromide in COPD airWays clinical Study 2 (GLOW2) evaluated the efficacy and safety of NVA237 in moderate-to-severe COPD over 52 weeks.

Patients were randomised 2:1:1 to NVA237 50 μg, placebo or open-label tiotropium 18 μg for 52 weeks. Primary end-point was trough forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) at 12 weeks.

1,066 patients were randomised, 810 completed the study. At week 12, trough FEV1increased significantly by 97 mL with NVA237 (95% CI 64.6–130.2; p<0.001) and 83 mL with tiotropium (95% CI 45.6–121.4; p<0.001). Compared with placebo, NVA237 produced significant improvements in dyspnoea (Transition Dyspnoea Index at week 26; p=0.002) and health status (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire at week 52; p<0.001). NVA237 significantly reduced the risk of moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations by 34% (p=0.001) and the use of rescue medication (p=0.039),versusplacebo. NVA237-placebo and tiotropium-placebo differences were comparable for all outcomes. Safety profiles were similar across groups.

NVA237 50 μg provided significant improvements in lung function, dyspnoea, health status, exacerbations and rescue medication use,versusplacebo, and was comparable to tiotropium. NVA237 can potentially be an alternative choice of LAMA for COPD patients.
Low miR-145 and high miR-367 are associated with unfavourable prognosis in resected nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Campayo Marc , Navarro Alfons , Viñolas Nuria , Diaz Tania , Tejero Rut , Gimferrer Josep M. , Molins Laureano , Cabanas Maria L. , Ramirez Jose , Monzo Mariano , Marrades Ramon
Published: July 2012

The transcription factors SRY-related HMG box (SOX)2 and octamer-binding transcription factor (OCT)4 regulate the expression of the miR-302–367 cluster. miR-145 regulates SOX2 and OCT4 translation and p53 regulates miR-145 expression. We analysed the expression of the miR-302–367 cluster and miR-145 and the mutational status of p53 in resected nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and correlated results with time to relapse (TTR).

Tumour and paired normal tissue samples were obtained from 70 NSCLC patients. MicroRNA expression was assessed with TaqMan MicroRNA Assays. p53 exons 5 to 8 were sequenced.

miR-145 was downregulated (p<0.0001) and miR-367 was upregulated (p<0.0001) in tumour compared with normal tissue. Mean TTR was 18.4 months for patients with low miR-145 levels and 28.2 months for those with high levels (p=0.015). Mean TTR was 29.1 months for patients with low miR-367 levels and 23.4 months for those with high levels (p=0.048). TTR was shorter for patients with both unfavourable variables (p=0.009). Low miR-145 expression (p=0.049), the combination of unfavourable microRNA levels (p=0.02) and the combination of low miR-145 with p53 mutations (p=0.011) were independent markers of shorter TTR.

In conclusion, miR-145 and miR-367 expression could be novel markers for relapse in surgically treated NSCLC. p53 may play a role in modulating miR-145 expression in NSCLC.
Simvastatin suppresses RANTES-mediated neutrophilia in polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid-induced pneumonia
Authors: Lee Chang Seok , Yi Eun Hee , Lee Jin-Ku , Won Cheolhee , Lee Young Ju , Shin Min Kyung , Yang Young Mok , Chung Myung-Hee , Lee Jung Weon , Sung Sang-Hyun , Ye Sang-Kyu
Published: July 2012

Recently, statins have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on lung inflammatory diseases. However, the mechanisms of action of simvastatin in viral pneumonia have yet to be elucidated, although viral infection remains a considerable health threat. In this study, we hypothesised that simvastatin inhibits polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid (poly I:C)-induced airway inflammation, such as RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) expression and inflammatory cell recruitment.

In bronchial cells, the effect of simvastatin on poly I:C-induced RANTES expression and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3-mediated signal transduction was determined using an ELISA and short hairpin (sh)RNA system. In a poly I:C-induced pneumonia mouse model, immunological changes in the lungs after simvastatin inhalation, such as inflammatory cell recruitment and cytokine/chemokine release, were examined.

In poly I:C-stimulated bronchial cells, RANTES secretion was increased by STAT3 activation, and simvastatin suppressed poly I:C-induced STAT3 activation, resulting in inhibition of RANTES expression. In BALB/c mice stimulated with inhaled poly I:C, RANTES expression and neutrophil infiltration into the airway were elevated. However, simvastatin treatment attenuated STAT3 activation, RANTES release and subsequent neutrophilia in the lungs.

These findings suggest that simvastatin inhibits airway inflammation, but there are other mechanisms that need to be fully elucidated.
Prognostic factors in resected pathological N1-stage II nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Liu Chao-Yu , Hung Jung-Jyh , Wang Bing-Yen , Hsu Wen-Hu , Wu Yu-Chung
Published: July 2012

Stage II nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been redefined in the seventh edition of tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) classification for lung cancer. Stages IIa and IIb both contain node-negative (N0) and node-positive (N1) subgroups. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with resected N1-stage II NSCLC.

Between January 1992 and December 2010, we retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological characteristics of 163 N1-stage II (T1a-T2bN1M0) NSCLC in patients undergoing curative resection as primary treatment.

Median follow-up time was 37.2 months. The 1-, 3- and 5-yr overall survival rates were 85.3%, 62.1% and 43.5%, respectively. Tumour involvement of the hilar/interlobar nodal zone and poorly differentiated histological grade were significant predictors for worse overall survival using multivariate analysis (p = 0.001 and p = 0.015, respectively). There were trends toward worse overall survival in older patients and those with larger tumour size (p = 0.063 and p = 0.075, respectively).

In resected N1-stage II NSCLC, hilar/interlobar nodal involvement and poorly differentiated histological grade were significant predictors of worse overall survival. The differences in survival between these subgroups of patients may lead to the use of different adjuvant therapies or post-surgical follow-up strategies.
Insomnia related to sleep apnoea: effect of long-term auto-adjusting positive airway pressure treatment
Authors: Nguyên Xuân-Lan , Rakotonanahary Dominique , Chaskalovic Joël , Fleury Bernard
Published: July 2012

Insomnia related to sleep apnoea (IA) is highly prevalent, and its proper treatment is still debated. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that long-term auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (APAP) treatment improves IA symptoms.

80 patients (mean±sdage 54.9±10.6 yrs, respiratory disturbance index (RDI) 45.0±24.6 events·h−1) receiving APAP treatment were followed prospectively for 24 months. Somnolence and depression were assessed at baseline (T0) with the Epworth and the QD2A scales, respectively. Nightly APAP use was measured after 24 months of treatment (T24). The assessment of insomnia at T0 and T24 used the insomnia severity index (ISI). The combination of ISIT0≥15 and ISIT0–ISIT24≥9 defined the APAP-responding insomnia (APAP-RI) group. A logistic regression analysis identified the factors independently associated with the APAP-RI group.

The ISI (13.7±5.7versus8.2±6.3) decreased significantly from T0 to T24 (p = 0.0001) for the patients as a whole, with a mean decrease of 13.5±2.9. Among the 39 insomniac subjects (T0), 20 belonged to the APAP-RI group (51%). The Epworth score (OR 1.536, 95% CI 1.093–2.159; p = 0.01) and the RDI (OR 1.080, 95% CI 1.010–1.154; p = 0.02) increased the risk of belonging to the APAP-RI group.

IA symptoms improved with APAP treatment, and improvement was associated with the initial severity of the disease and somnolence in our population.
Quality of life and healthcare utilisation in cystic fibrosis: a multicentre study
Authors: Bradley Judy M. , Blume Steven W. , Balp Maria-Magdalena , Honeybourne David , Elborn J. Stuart
Published: July 2012

The aim of our study was to discover the health status and healthcare utilisation associated with pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronicPseudomonas aeruginosainfection.

Patients with CF from five UK CF centres attended two visits, 8–12 weeks apart. They were classified at visit 1 as being in one of the three health states: no current pulmonary exacerbation; “mild” (no hospitalisation) pulmonary exacerbation; and “severe” (hospitalisation) pulmonary exacerbation. All patients completed the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) and EuroQol (EQ-5D) and a clinical form, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was measured at visits 1 and 2. Annual healthcare utilisation data were collected.

94 patients of mean±sdage 28.5±8.2 yrs and FEV158.7±26.8% were recruited. 60 patients had no pulmonary exacerbation, 15 had a mild and 19 had a severe pulmonary exacerbation at visit 1. EQ-5D and CFQ-R data showed that the worse the exacerbation, the poorer the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There were strong relationships between the CFQ-R and EQ-5D domain scores. The mean rate of pulmonary exacerbations per patient per year was 3.6 (1.5 in hospital and 2.2 at home). The mean length of stay per hospital pulmonary exacerbation was 9 days.

As exacerbation status worsens, patients experience worse HRQoL. There is a significant healthcare burden associated with treatment of pulmonary exacerbation and long-term prophylaxis.
Effectiveness of mesothelin family proteins and osteopontin for malignant mesothelioma
Authors: Pantazopoulos Ioannis , Boura Paraskevi , Xanthos Theodoros , Syrigos Konstantinos
Published: July 2012

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumour with poor prognosis whose early diagnosis is difficult. Mesothelin, megakaryocyte potentiating factor (MPF) and osteopontin have attracted attention as biomarkers. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview regarding these candidate biomarkers for MM, and discuss their potential role in today's clinical practice.

Mesothelin and MPF have good specificity but sub-optimal sensitivity for detection of MM, being negative both in the sarcomatoid histological sub-type and in almost half of epithelioid mesothelioma, especially in the early stages. Osteopontin is a marker of the duration of asbestos exposure, but lacks specificity for mesothelioma. Several patient characteristics influence the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers and make the establishment of the “optimal” diagnostic threshold difficult. Mesothelin and MPF have proved useful in assessing response to treatment. Combining different markers together may lead to an improvement in diagnostic accuracy, but there is still need for research in this area. Extensive validation and further research is required to improve the use of serum markers in mesothelioma management. In the near future, their application in clinical practice is probably in monitoring response to therapy, rather than in guiding diagnostic decisions and risk assessment of asbestos-exposed populations.
Common ALDH2 genetic variants predict development of hypertension in the SAPPHIRe prospective cohort: Gene-environmental interaction with alcohol consumption
Authors: Chang Yi-Cheng , Chiu Yen-Feng , Lee I-Te , Ho Low-Tone , Hung Yi-Jen , Hsiung Chao A , Quertermous Thomas , Donlon Timothy , Lee Wei-Jei , Lee Po-Chu , Chen Che-Hong , Mochly-Rosen Daria , Chuang Lee-Ming
Published: July 2012

Background

Genetic variants near/within the ALDH2 gene encoding the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 have been associated with blood pressure and hypertension in several case–control association studies in East Asian populations.

Methods

Three common tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNP) in the ALDH2 gene were genotyped in 1,134 subjects of Chinese origin from the Stanford Asia-Pacific Program for Hypertension and Insulin Resistance (SAPPHIRe) family cohort. We examined whether the ALDH2 SNP genotypes predicted the development of hypertension in the prospective SAPPHIRe cohort.

Results

Over an average follow-up period of 5.7 years, carriers homozygous for the rs2238152 T allele in the ALDH2 gene were more likely to progress to hypertension than were non-carriers (hazard ratio [HR], 2.88, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-7.84, P = 0.03), corresponding to a population attributable risk of ~7.1%. The risk associated with the rs2238152 T allele were strongest in heavy/moderate alcohol drinkers and was reduced in non-drinkers, indicating an interaction between ALDH2 genetic variants and alcohol intake on the risk of hypertension (P for interaction = 0.04). The risk allele was associated with significantly lower ALDH2 gene expression levels in human adipose tissue.

Conclusion

ALDH2 genetic variants were associated with progression to hypertension in a prospective Chinese cohort. The association was modified by alcohol consumption.
A novel Kluyveromyces marxianus strain with an inducible flocculation phenotype
Authors: Vallejo Juan A , Serrat Manuel , Pérez-Portuondo Irasema , Sánchez-Pérez Angeles , Ageitos Jose M , Villa Tomas G
Published: July 2012

Flocculation is a very useful phenotype for industrial yeast strains, since it facilitates cell harvest and represents an easy way of cell immobilization in continuous fermentation processes. The present work represents the first time that an inducible flocculation phenotype has been generated in a non flocculent strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus. This was accomplished by expressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae FLO5 gene in K. marxianus CECT 11769 strain. The FLO 5 gene was placed under the control of an EPG promoter, not repressed by glucose and induced by anoxia. Our experimental approach successfully generated two novel K. marxianus flocculent phenotypes: one inducible and one constitutive. The constitutive phenotype originated from deletions in the FLO5 promoter region, indicating the existence of putative upstream repressor site involved in oxygen regulation of the EPG1 promoter. The novel strains here generated had a unique set of characteristics that provided an advantage, over the wild-type strain, for the industrial co-production of ethanol and polygalacturonase.
Depressive symptoms and pragmatic rehabilitation for chronic
fatigue syndrome
Authors: Wearden A. J. , Dunn G. , Dowrick C. , Morriss R. K.
Published: July 2012

Background

Previous research has suggested that depressed mood may predict outcome
and moderate response to treatment in chronic fatigue syndrome, although
findings have differed between studies.

Aims

To examine potential moderators of response to pragmatic rehabilitation
v. general practitioner treatment as usual in a
recent randomised trial for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome in
primary care (IRCTN74156610).

Method

Simple regressions, with weighting adjustments to allow for missing data,
were calculated. Demographic, medical and psychological variables, and
treatment arm, were entered separately and as an interaction term. The
outcome variable in each case was change in Chalder Fatigue Scale scores,
from baseline to 1-year follow-up, our primary outcome point.

Results

Longer illness durations predicted poorer outcome across the two
treatment arms. For patients allocated to pragmatic rehabilitation
compared with those allocated to treatment as usual, higher levels of
depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with smaller improvements
in fatigue (P = 0.022).

Conclusions

For patients in primary care with higher levels of depressive symptoms,
either more intensive or longer pragmatic rehabilitation, or
cognitive–behavioural therapy, may be required in order to show a
significant improvement in fatigue.
Laser Control of Chemical Reactions by Phase Space Structures
Authors: Kawai Shinnosuke , Komatsuzaki Tamiki
Published: July 2012

The question of what initial conditions or what kinds of laser fields can effectively carry a system to the desired products is one of the most intriguing subjects in chemistry. In this paper, a scheme for designing a laser field to guide a chemical reaction system into the product is presented on the basis of the phase space structure of the reaction with an illustrative simple example. The method exploits recent findings [Kawai et al., J. Chem. Phys.2011, 134, 024317] that have revealed the existence of a rigorous reactivity boundary separating the reactive and nonreactive trajectories in the phase space (more precisely, the semiclassical phase space representation of the quantum system). Referring to the time propagation of the system, the method designs an electric field that actively shifts this reactivity boundary so that it catches more the system in the reactant and releases the system in the product. The success of this scheme for designing of the field gives a further support to the interpretation for the laser control of chemical reactions.
Applications of transrectal ultrasound in prostate cancer
Authors: Harvey C J , Pilcher J , Richenberg J , Patel U , Frauscher F
Published: July 2012

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) was first developed in the 1970s. TRUS-guided biopsy, under local anaesthetic and prophylactic antibiotics, is now the most widely accepted method to diagnose prostate cancer. However, the sensitivity and specificity of greyscale TRUS in the detection of prostate cancer is low. Prostate cancer most commonly appears as a hypoechoic focal lesion in the peripheral zone on TRUS but the appearances are variable with considerable overlap with benign lesions. Because of the low accuracy of greyscale TRUS, TRUS-guided biopsies have become established in the acquisition of systematic biopsies from standard locations. The number of systematic biopsies has increased over the years, with 10–12 cores currently accepted as the minimum standard. This article describes the technique of TRUS and biopsy and its complications. Novel modalities including contrast-enhanced modes and elastography as well as fusion techniques for increasing the sensitivity of TRUS-guided prostate-targeted biopsies are discussed along with their role in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.
Investigation of Temperature Effects on Modal Parameters of the China National Aquatics Center
Authors: Zhang Deyi , Bao Yuequan , Li Hui , Ou Jinping
Published: July 2012

For the China National Aquatics Center, this paper reports an investigation into the effects of temperature change on modal parameters. Both analytical and field monitoring approaches were involved. Temperature-induced variations of structural member modulus of elasticity, internal forces and changes to boundary conditions were regarded as the essential factors influencing modal parameters. The contribution of these three effects on modal parameters for both uniform and non-uniform temperature distributions over the structure was investigated. It is concluded that temperature-induced internal forces affect the modal parameter values to greater extent than temperature-induced modulus of elasticity. The relationships between temperature and variation of modal parameters are different in the case of uniform and non-uniform temperature distributions. The analytical results were validated by using the acceleration and temperature measurements supplied by the China National Aquatics Center field monitoring system.
Microphone Array Wind Tunnel Measurements of Reynolds Number Effects in High-Speed Train Aeroacoustics
Authors: Lauterbach Andreas , Ehrenfried Klaus , Loose Sigfried , Wagner Claus
Published: July 2012

The present study focuses on the Reynolds number dependence of high-speed train aeroacoustic sound sources. To cover a wide range of Reynolds numbers the experimental investigations are carried out on a 1: 25 scale-model of the high-speed train Inter City Express 3 by conducting microphone array measurements in two wind tunnels. The latter are the Aeroacoustic Wind tunnel (AWB) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Brunswick, providing nearly perfect acoustical conditions, and the Cryogenic wind tunnel (DNW-KKK) of the DNW (German -Dutch wind tunnels) in Cologne, allowing measurements at higher Reynolds numbers. Two types of sound sources with different characteristics at Reynolds numbers of up to Re = 0.46 × 106 have been identified by measurements in the AWB. It was found, that the aeroacoustic noise from the bogie section is dominant for frequencies f < 5 kHz and can be characterised by cavity mode excitation. Further, the pantograph is the dominant sound source above f = 5 kHz with an Aeolian tone characteristic. Additional aeroacoustic measurements have been conducted in the cryogenic wind tunnel DNW-KKK in order to analyse the Reynolds number dependence of the noise generated at the first bogie, for higher Reynolds numbers of up to Re = 3.70 × 106. The DNW-KKK admits varying the Mach and Reynolds numbers independently. These measurements reveal only a weak Reynolds number dependence of the noise source generated at the first bogie.
Multiple binding of repressed mRNAs by the P-body protein Rck/p54
Authors: Ernoult-Lange Michèle , Baconnais Sonia , Harper Maryannick , Minshall Nicola , Souquere Sylvie , Boudier Thomas , Bénard Marianne , Andrey Philippe , Pierron Gérard , Kress Michel , Standart Nancy , le Cam Eric , Weil Dominique
Published: July 2012

Translational repression is achieved by protein complexes that typically bind 3′ UTR mRNA motifs and interfere with the formation of the cap-dependent initiation complex, resulting in mRNPs with a closed-loop conformation. We demonstrate here that the human DEAD-box protein Rck/p54, which is a component of such complexes and central to P-body assembly, is in considerable molecular excess with respect to cellular mRNAs and enriched to a concentration of 0.5 mM in P-bodies, where it is organized in clusters. Accordingly, multiple binding of p54 proteins along mRNA molecules was detected in vivo. Consistently, the purified protein bound RNA with no sequence specificity and high nanomolar affinity. Moreover, bound RNA molecules had a relaxed conformation. While RNA binding was ATP independent, relaxing of bound RNA was dependent on ATP, though not on its hydrolysis. We propose that Rck/p54 recruitment by sequence-specific translational repressors leads to further binding of Rck/p54 along mRNA molecules, resulting in their masking, unwinding, and ultimately recruitment to P-bodies. Rck/p54 proteins located at the 5′ extremity of mRNA can then recruit the decapping complex, thus coupling translational repression and mRNA degradation.
My (Black) Britain: The West Indies and Britain in Twenty-First Century Nonfiction Picture Books
Authors: O’Connor Karen Sands
Published: July 2012

Prior to the twenty-first century, nonfiction picture books in Britain rarely focused on the Black British community. As twenty-first-century Britain struggles to define itself, the education system is one way of institutionalizing and standardizing what it means to be British. By aligning with the National Curriculum standards, publishers of children’s nonfiction have found ways to negotiate boundaries and re-envision meaning. Recent texts have used traditional models for British children’s nonfiction to focus on areas of citizenship, identity, and history, but by redefining the boundaries between nation/outsider, self/other, and insider/outsider, have created new spaces for British identity and citizenship.
Bevil's Eyes: Or, How Crying at The Conscious Lovers Could Save Britain
Authors: Wilson Brett D.
Published: July 2012

This article examines how Richard Steele's The Conscious Lovers (1722), the quintessential "sentimental comedy," solicits emotional response for not only moral but political ends. Steele suggests that a drama that draws sympathetic tears makes its viewers better British patriots: because of how his play works affectively, Steele posits The Conscious Lovers as a countervailing force to the "disaffection" stirred up by malcontents and incendiaries. By gazing benevolently and by shedding tears—that is, by virtue of his eyes—the play's protagonist Bevil Junior becomes Steele's model political subject, catalyzing mutual affection, social cohesion, and Hanoverian allegiance onstage, in the audience, and in the nation at large.
The Exceptional Eliza Haywood: Women and Extralegality in Eovaai
Authors: Loar Christopher F.
Published: July 2012

Eliza Haywood's The Adventures of Eovaai (1737) has been read as satire and as oriental tale, but rarely as an engagement with political theory. The narrative argues for a revised legal standing for women by echoing colonial mythemes and manipulating pastoral conventions. Eovaai suggests that women will never become rational citizen-subjects without becoming temporally dislocated, passing through a state of nature in order to clear the ground for a more just constitution. The text wavers between optimistic and pessimistic assessments of that passage, for women in the state of exception also depend on a masculinized military power.
Daniel Defoe and Applebee's Original Weekly Journal : An Attempt at Re-Attribution
Authors: Novak Maximillian
Published: July 2012

William Lee's argument that between 25 June 1720 and 14 May 1726, Defoe was the main contributor to The Original Weekly Journal (later titled Applebee's Original Weekly Journal ) was an accepted fact by every Defoe scholar until, in 1997, P. N. Furbank and W. R. Owens published an essay with the title, "The Myth of Defoe as Applebee's Man," in which they questioned Lee's ascription, arguing that any connection between Applebee's Original Weekly Journal and Defoe lacked the slightest external evidence. The purpose of this essay is to try to explain why so many Defoe scholars (including myself) believed they were reading Defoe in Lee's selections from Applebee's and to return it to the status of "probably by Defoe," a category that constitutes approximately a third of Furbank's and Owens's Bibliography of Defoe's writings.
Poesía y política cultural: las antologías de poesía en la España democrática
Authors: Medina Raquel
Published: July 2012

The increase in the publication of anthologies of Spanish poetry that had begun during Francós dictatorship as a way of creating a literary canon reaches its high point during the democratic period, especially between 1995 and 2008. This essay examines the proliferation of anthologies of contemporary Spanish poetry from 1976 to the present from the perspective of the different cultural policies deployed by individual governments and from the theoretical framework of cultural capital. Issues such as reading habits and the symbolic value of books and anthologies, the process of canonization of poets, and poetry prizes, among others, constitute the focus of this study.
Oral Health Activities of Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs
Authors: Kranz Ashley M. , Rozier R. Gary , Zeldin Leslie P. , Preisser John S.
Published: July 2012

Guidelines recommend that Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs (MSHS) address the dental needs of children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. This study describes parent- and child-oriented oral health activities of North Carolina’s MSHS programs and compares them with non-migrant Early Head Start (EHS) programs using data collected from a questionnaire completed by teachers and family services staff. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start staff reported engaging in more oral health activities than EHS staff, which was confirmed by results of logit and ordered logit regression models. Despite promising findings about the engagement of MSHS staff, participation in oral health activities is lower than recommended. Differences between EHS and MSHS programs might be due to differing needs of enrolled children and families or to different approaches to meeting the needs of families.
Reported Experiences During Syringe Purchases in Providence, Rhode Island: Implications for HIV Prevention
Authors: Zaller Nickolas D. , Yokell Michael A. , Apeakorang Naika , Gaggin Julia , Case Patricia
Published: July 2012

Use of injection drugs remains a public health concern, with injection drug users (IDUs) experiencing an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. While the sale of non-prescription syringes in pharmacies is legal in most states, some pharmacists choose not to sell non-prescription syringes, or opt to sell syringes in quantities too large for purchase by many IDUs. Thus, we sought to understand the interpersonal experience of syringe sale/ purchase, the implications of policies regarding syringe sales, and pharmacy staff and IDU (mis)perceptions about one another. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 IDUs and 21 pharmacy staff (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians). Some important emergent themes were that individual experiences influenced overall perceptions, that IDUs and pharmacy staff differentiated between IDUs and other customers, and that some pharmacy staff demonstrated an understanding of the public health importance of accessible sterile syringes. Implications for future pharmacy-based interventions for IDUs are considered.
Impact of Student-Run Clinics on Preclinical Sociocultural and Interprofessional Attitudes: A Prospective Cohort Analysis
Authors: Sheu Leslie , Lai Cindy J. , Coelho Anabelle D. , Lin Lisa D. , Zheng Patricia , Hom Patricia , Diaz Vanessa , O’Sullivan Patricia S.
Published: July 2012

Introduction . Descriptive studies suggest student-run clinics (SRCs) positively affect preclinical students’ sociocultural and interprofessional attitudes, but few studies use validated measures. Methods . In a pre-post design, first-year medical, nursing, and pharmacy students who did and did not participate in SRCs completed demographic and open-ended questions, as well as two validated surveys, the Sociocultural Attitudes in Medicine Inventory (SAMI) and Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), at the beginning and end of the year. Results . With 68% (n=182/267) matched surveys we found no significant differences between groups over time (SAMI p=.53, RIPLS p≥.28 for each subcategory). However, of SRC participants, 99% reported commitment to the underserved and 57% reported improved interprofessional attitudes. Discussion . Students participating in SRCs perceive positive benefits, but do not score differently from those who do not. The SRC experiences may not be frequent enough to affect these measures, particularly since our students were high-scoring upon entry.
Prevalence of Heart Disease and Its Risk Factors Related to Age in Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Whites in Hawai‘i
Authors: Juarez Deborah T. , Davis James W. , Brady S. Kalani , Chung Richard S.
Published: July 2012

Objective. To examine disparities in disease prevalence related to age and race/ethnicity. Study design. Retrospective observational study. Methods. Eligible population included enrollees with largest insurer in Hawai‘i. Chronic diseases were identified from claims data (1999–2009) based on algorithms including diagnostic codes and pharmaceutical utilization. Relative risk of heart disease and its risk factors were calculated for Native Hawaiians and Asian sub-groups by age. Results. Prevalence of heart disease and its risk factors differed substantially by age and race/ethnicity. Native Hawaiians and Filipinos had higher rates of hypertension and diabetes; Asians had highest rates of hyperlipidemia. Whites had the lowest prevalence of risk factors yet their risk of heart disease equaled other groups. Conclusion. Prevalence curves began diverging at age 30 for risk factors and age 40 for heart disease. This suggests approaches to reduce the burden of disease for vulnerable groups need to begin in early adulthood if not sooner.
Need, Availability, and Quality of Interpreter Services among Publicly Insured Latino, Hmong, and Somali Individuals in Minnesota
Authors: Shippee Nathan D. , Pintor Jessie Kemmick , McAlpine Donna D. , Beebe Timothy J.
Published: July 2012

Limited English proficiency (LEP) is a common barrier that negatively affects access to health care and quality of care. Prior studies have examined interpreter services as a means of ameliorating LEP, but have focused on Spanish-language services, largely overlooking comparisons with other, less-established ethnic groups. Furthermore, few if any studies have assessed the quality of interpreter services provided. Data come from 2,489 Hispanic/Latino, Hmong, and Somali enrollees of public health insurance programs in Minnesota. We employ weighted, regression-adjusted comparisons of enrollee-reported need and availability of interpreters, access to professional and consistent interpreters, and problems with quality of interpreter-assisted communication. Compared with Latinos, Hmong and Somali enrollees reported greater needs and more communication problems, Somali enrollees reported lower availability, and Hmong enrollees reported lower access to professional interpreters. Further training of interpreters for relatively less-established ethnic groups is needed to increase availability of professional, high-quality communication among publicly insured ethnic minorities.
Prevalence of Fracture and Osteoporosis Risk Factors in American Indian and Alaska Native People
Authors: Frech Tracy , Ma Khe-ni , Ferrucci Elizabeth D. , Lanier Anne P. , McFadden Molly , Tom-Orme Lillian , Slattery Martha L. , Murtaugh Maureen A.
Published: July 2012

Objective . Little is known about prevalence of osteoporosis risk factors among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN). Methods . We included AIAN people (n=8,039) enrolled in the Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study. Prevalence ratios were used to determine cross-sectional associations of risk factors with self-reported bone fractures. Results . There is a high prevalence of multiple risk factors for osteoporosis in AIAN, although the factors that are associated with past fracture vary by gender and geographical area. In general, women who reported a fracture reported more risk behaviors, more than two medical conditions, and low physical activity. Men with higher BMI were less likely to report a fracture. Smoking history was associated with fracture for both genders, though not significantly in all sub-groups. Conclusion . We prevent a high prevalence of risk factors for osteoporosis for AIAN. Future research for osteoporosis risk reduction and prevention in AIAN people is indicated.
The Health Promise of Promise Neighborhoods
Authors: Masi Christopher
Published: July 2012

The Promise Neighborhoods initiative from the U.S. Department of Education offers grant funding to develop innovative educational and community support programs in distressed communities. Inspired by the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), this initiative encourages similarly pioneering approaches to assist low-income children attain academic and social success. An increasing body of evidence suggests that health benefits accrue when youth are immersed in nurturing educational environments. This article summarizes key evidence for this phenomenon, as well as theories that suggest that Promise Neighborhoods can have as great an effect on health as they do on educational achievement.
Addressing Poverty and HIV Using Microenterprise: Findings from Qualitative Research to Reduce Risk among Unemployed or Underemployed African American Women
Authors: Prather Cynthia , Marshall Khiya , Courtenay-Quirk Cari , Williams Kim , Eke Agatha , O’Leary Ann , Stratford Dale
Published: July 2012

Introduction . Microenterprise programs are widely used to improve health outcomes among women internationally. However, there is little information on applicability to American women living in poverty. We conducted formative research to identify activities that are viable and attractive, that may produce income to address some proportion of economic need and could be incorporated in the development of a micro-enterprise HIV-prevention intervention to reduce HIV/STD transmission among unemployed or underemployed African American women at risk for HIV. Methods . Focus groups were convened with young African American women and community leaders in two southern states. Interviews with women participating in the focus groups were also convened. Results. Findings suggest an intervention should incorporate activities to increase self-esteem, enhance employability and job sustainability to decrease financial dependence. This research serves as the foundation for developing a novel approach to HIV prevention in the U.S. that may directly address poverty as a social determinant of health.