bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Antiestrogen and Antiandrogen in Amphibia
Authors: Rastogi R.K. , Chieffi G. , Iela L.
Published: March 2010

The antiestrogen (ICI 46,474) and antiandrogen (cyproterone acetate) provoke castration-like changes in the pars distalis cytology of adult Rana esculenta. In males, cyproacetate also causes regression of androgen-dependent thumb pads. Effects upon the pars distalis are not direct but rather through the hypothalamus. Stimulatory effects of exogenous estrogen and androgen upon their target organs (both peripheral and central) are selectively inhibited by the respective antisteroidal compound. It seems that these compounds act by competitive action against steroid hormones at the receptor sites in target organs, as has also been suggested in mammals. The antiandrogens, cyproterone and cyproterone acetate, exert masculinizing effects in the course of sex differentiation of gonads of Rana esculenta. These effects are similar to those obtained by androgens.
The Biochemical Basis for the Antagonism hy BOMT of the Effects of Dihydrotesterone on the Rat Ventral Prostate Gland
Authors: Mangan F.R. , Mainwaring W.I.P.
Published: March 2010

BOMT has been found to suppress nuclear binding of DHT in prostate gland in vitro and to compete with DHT for the specific high-affinity binding sites for DHT in the prostate cytoplasm. BOMT reduces the transfer of DHT into prostate chromatin in a reconstituted cell free system and antagonises the stimulation by testosterone of prostate RNA polymerase activity on injection in vivo. owever BOMT was found to have no effect on the 5Α-reductase activity of rat prostate minces in vitro. It is suggested that the anti-androgenic properties of BOMT on the rat prostate gland can be explained by its competition for DHT binding sites within the gland.
Ion Transport by the Primate Neonatal Stomach
Authors: Chez R.A.
Published: March 2010

The transmural unidirectional Na and Cl flux and the rate of hydrogen ion secretion by the subhuman primate neonatal stomach were measured by in vitro techniques. Active transport of Na and Cl and net H secretion which is augmented by histamine was found.
Immunoassay of HPL by Complement Fixation
Authors: Nakamura R.M. , Theppisai H. , Okada D.M. , Mishell, Jr. D.R.
Published: March 2010

A method for quantitative assay of human placental lactogen (HPL) utilizing micro-and normal complement fixation has been developed. This method has excellent reproducibility as well as sensitivity. The sensitivity for HPL is 6ng/ml of the 90% pure Lederle preparation. The standard curve for HPL is linear between 6 and 40 ng/ml. This specific method of assay has been utilized to determine the level of HPL in 0.1 ml pregnancy serum. The results of this inexpensive, sensitive and specific method of assay of HPL are available within 24 hours. Thus this method can be utilized in clinical laboratories if assay of HPL proves to be of clinical use.
Testicular Tumors in the Androgen Insensitive Pseudohermaphrodite Rat: Histochemistry and Steroid Metabolism
Authors: Vanha-Perttula T. , Schneider G. , Bardin C.W. , Stanley A.J. , Gumbreck L.G. , Allison J.E.
Published: March 2010

Testicular neoplasms with a cumulative incidence of about 25% occurred in the androgen insensitive pseudohermaphroditic (Ps) rat by 20 months of age. Tumors contained germ cells, Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. The tumor Leydig cells were histochemically similar to the Leydig cells of the Ps testis. The tumors metabolized pregnenolone-414C at a slower rate than the Ps testes but the patterns of steroid metabolites were similar; both the tumors and the Ps testes have a defective 17Β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase when compared to normal testes. The similarity of the tumors in Ps rat and in patients with testicular feminization was reviewed.
Intracellular Distribution of Alkaline Phosphatase in Human Placenta
Authors: Zijlstra J.B. , Torringa J.L. , Bouma J.M.W.
Published: March 2010

The distribution of alkaline phosphatase, malate dehydrogenase, and protein was determined in fractions, obtained from normal human placentae by differential centrifugation. Alkaline phosphatase was concentrated in the microsomal fraction and its distribution differed entirely from that of the mitochondrial marker enzyme malate dehydrogenase. The phosphatase activity of either the homogenate or any of thefractions was not lost upon heating at 56 °C for 30 min, nor was the enzyme activity influenced by the addition of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. It is concluded that alkaline phosphatase is probably located either in the endoplasmic reticulum or in the cell membrane.
The Transfer of Human Placental Lactogen across Isolated Amnion-Chorion
Authors: Chez R.A. , Josimovich J.B. , Schultz S.G.
Published: March 2010

These experiments examined the unidirectional transfer of radioisotopically-labeled human placental lactogen (HPL) across term human amnion-chorion using in vitro techniques. Conditions of both equal and unequal concentrations of nonlabeled HPL were employed in the bathing solutions. All the data indicate that the bidirectional transfer of HPL can be accounted for by simple diffusion. There is no evidence of asymmetrical transfer, obligatory exchange diffusion, solvent drag, or a carrier mediated process. These results do not provide an explanation for the difference in the maternal plasma and amniotic fluid concentrations of HPL that exist in human gestation at term. Rather, a fetal metabolic role is postulated.
The Intrinsic Complement Regulator Decay-Accelerating Factor Modulates the Biological Response to Vascular Injury
Authors: Sakuma Masashi , Morooka Toshifumi , Wang Yunmei , Shi Can , Croce Kevin , Gao Huiyun , Strainic Michael , Medof M. Edward , Simon Daniel I.
Published: March 2010

Objective—

To investigate whether the presence of decay-accelerating factor (or CD55), an intrinsic complement regulator, protects against the development of vascular disease, given that complement activation can affect leukocytes and platelets.

Methods and Results—

Leukocyte-platelet complexes are critical for the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and restenosis; however, the mechanism by which these processes promote vascular injury is incompletely defined. We performed femoral artery wire injury in Daf1
−/−
mice and their wild-type controls. Leukocyte accumulation, cellular proliferation, and neointimal thickening were enhanced in Daf1
−/−
mice versus wild-type mice. Deficiency of either the C3a or the C5a receptor, respectively, reversed the increased vascular inflammation, cellular proliferation, and neointimal formation in Daf1
−/−
mice.

Conclusion—

Decay-accelerating factor control of C3a and C5a generation and prevention of the binding of these activation fragments to the C3a and C5a receptors are critical for the biological response to vascular injury. Targeting the C3a and C5a receptors may be useful for the prevention of neointimal hyperplasia.
Multiplex Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy Images Intact Atheromatous Lesions and Concomitantly Identifies Distinct Chemical Profiles of Atherosclerotic Lipids
Authors: Kim Se-Hwa , Lee Eun-Soo , Lee Jae Yong , Lee Eun Seong , Lee Bok-Soo , Park Jeong Euy , Moon Dae Won
Published: March 2010

Rationale
:

Lipids are a key component of atherogenesis. However, their physiological role on the progression of atherosclerosis including plaque vulnerability has not been clearly understood, because of the lack of appropriate tools for chemical assessment.

Objective
:

We aimed to develop a label-free chemical imaging platform based on multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) for the correlative study of the morphology and chemical profile of atherosclerotic lipids.

Methods and Results
:

Whole aortas from atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E knock-out mice were en face examined by multiplex CARS imaging and 4 distinctive morphologies of the lipids (intra/extracellular lipid droplets and needle-/plate-shaped lipid crystals) were classified. The chemical profiles of atherosclerotic lipids depending on morphologies were firstly identified from intact atheromatous tissue by multiplex CARS. We demonstrated that needle-/plate-shaped lipid crystals in advanced plaques had undergone a phase shift to the solid state with increased protein contents, implying that lipid modification had occurred beforehand. The validity of lipid-selective multiplex CARS imaging was supported by comparative results from oil red O staining and whole-mount immunohistochemistry. By spatial CARS analysis of atherosclerosis progression, we found greater accumulation of lipid crystals in both the lesser curvature of the aortic arch and the innominate artery. Furthermore, multiplex CARS measurement successfully demonstrated the effect of a drug, statin, on atherosclerotic lipids by showing the change of their chemical profiles.

Conclusions
:

Multiplex CARS imaging directly provides intact morphologies of atherosclerotic lipids with correlative chemical information, thereby suggesting its potential applications in the investigation of lipid-associated disorders and the preclinical drug screening.
Investigation of the Contribution of Garment Design to Thermal Protection. Part 1: Characterizing Air Gaps using Three-dimensional Body Scanning for Women’s Protective Clothing
Authors: Mah Tannie , Guowen Song
Published: March 2010

This research investigated the relative degree of thermal protection provided to women when wearing garments designed for women compared to garments designed for men. Air gaps between a female mannequin and protective coveralls were used to determine the effect of garment style and fit on thermal performance. In Part 1, a procedure using a three-dimensional body scanner was developed in order to measure the size and distribution of these air gaps. The findings demonstrated that air gap sizes were not evenly distributed over the mannequin, and were dependent on garment style and fit, as well as body contour. There were a greater number of smaller air gaps over the mannequin than larger ones. In Part 2, garment style and fit, evaluated in terms of air gaps, were related to thermal protection based on instrumented mannequin flash fire evaluation.
The Impact of Acceptance-Based Versus Avoidance-Based Protocols on Discomfort
Authors: Luciano Carmen , Molina Francisco , Gutiérrez-Martínez Olga , Barnes-Holmes Dermot , Valdivia-Salas Sonsoles , Cabello Francisco , Barnes-Holmes Yvonne , Rodríguez-Valverde Miguel , Wilson Kelly G.
Published: March 2010

This study aimed to isolate the conditions under which aversive stimulation is experienced as more or less discomforting/unpleasant. Discomfort was induced by playing loud noises through headphones while participants performed computer tasks. We employed 4 main conditions. Condition 1: the acceptance-based protocol (ACT), intended to integrate discomfort in a valued direction, was implemented before the Inclusion Task (task performance could continue despite the presence of the noise). Subsequently, the experiential avoidance-based protocol (EA), intended to promote a relation of opposition between discomfort and valued actions, was implemented before the Opposition Task (task performance was suspended until the participants eliminated the sounds). Condition 2: this order was reversed. Conditions 3 and 4: the tasks were presented without any protocol. The ACT protocol produced the lowest level of discomfort, particularly when it was implemented before participants had experimental experience in trying to control discomfort. Two postcontrol conditions confirmed this result. Implications for prevention and treatment of psychological suffering are discussed.
Experiential Avoidance and Problem Behavior: A Mediational Analysis
Authors: Kingston Jessica , Clarke Sue , Remington Bob
Published: March 2010

Despite their formal dissimilarity, problem behaviors (e.g., substance misuse, binge eating, self-harm) may share a common function. According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this shared function is Experiential Avoidance, the process of avoiding, escaping or otherwise altering unwanted private events (e.g., thoughts, feelings, memories) and the contexts that elicit them. Structural Equation Modeling was used cross-sectionally with data from a clinical opportunity sample ( N = 290) to test (a) whether problem behavior covariance was associated with experiential avoidance, and (b) whether experiential avoidance mediated the relationships between historical and dispositional risk factors (childhood trauma and negative affect intensity, respectively) and the tendency to engage in problem behaviors. Analysis showed that experiential avoidance contributed to the covariation of problem behaviors, and that it fully mediated the relationships between both risk factors and problem behavior. Thus, experiential avoidance may be a key process to target in the management of individuals with behavior problems.
Resettlement and social rehabilitation: Are we supporting success?
Authors: Bain Andy , Parkinson Gerry
Published: March 2010

This article seeks to highlight the continuing debate over the resettlement and rehabilitation in a social environment, quick to judge, label and stigmatize but not always as quick to remove the label of ‘offender’, ‘prisoner’, ‘inmate’ or ‘criminal’. The article reminds us that ultimately the ‘individual’ has the right to return to the social community, their successful re-integration and rehabilitation is never just about counting cases, but is also about supporting self-worth, development and motivation to change, which may as easily be hampered by the social barriers which seek to protect the wider social whole.
What Is the South?
Authors: Papastergiadis Nikos
Published: March 2010

The idea of the South has a long history. In the recent past it has been revived as a possible frame for representing the cultural context of not just regions that are geographically located in the South, but also those that share a common post-colonial heritage. In this essay I explore the affinities and tensions between the South and parallel terms such as Third World and Antipodes. I argue that the South can extend the existing debates on cross-cultural exchange, and provide a useful perspective for representing what I call a ‘spherical consciousness’ in contemporary art.
Reliability of Decision-Making Frameworks for Response to Intervention for Reading
Authors: Burns Matthew K. , Scholin Sarah E. , Kosciolek Stacey , Livingston Judy
Published: March 2010

The current study examines the consistency of two response-to-intervention (RTI) decision-making models. Weekly progress monitoring data for 30 students participating in a Tier II intervention were collected for 30 weeks. The data were examined by comparing them to an aimline with a yearly goal and by computing a dual discrepancy (DD) using numerical slope and postintervention reading level. A κ coefficient was computed between the two models regarding student growth using three categorical decisions of making sufficient progress, not making sufficient progress, and exceeding expected progress. The resulting coefficient of .29 represents fair agreement. Data were also assigned to one of two sets in an every-other order, with resulting new aimlines and new DDs. The consistency between the two sets of data resulted in coefficients of κ = .29 for aimline and κ = .58 for DD. Finally, the standard error of measurement for the baseline data point affected the decision made (κ = .13) for aimline but not for DD (κ = .93). Implications for research, practice, and special education decision making are included.
School Climate: Historical Review, Instrument Development, and School Assessment
Authors: Zullig Keith J. , Koopman Tommy M. , Patton Jon M. , Ubbes Valerie A.
Published: March 2010

This study’s purpose is to examine the existing school climate literature in an attempt to constitute its definition from a historical context and to create a valid and reliable student-reported school climate instrument. Five historically common school climate domains and five measurement tools were identified, combined, and previewed by the target audience to determine face validity. The final student sample ( N = 2,049) was randomly split into exploratory and confirmatory samples and subjected to factor analytic and structural equation modeling techniques. Factor analysis results confirmed an eight-factor solution (loadings with absolute values > .40). Item factor loadings ranged from .42 to .87. Coefficient alphas ranged from .65 to .91. Preliminary analyses support the reliability and validity of the instrument. This is the first study to balance historical precedent (what to measure) and modern scale development procedures (e.g., structural equation modeling) into a single attempt to measure school climate. Implications and potential uses are discussed.
The Gender Revolution
Authors: England Paula
Published: March 2010

In this article, the author describes sweeping changes in the gender system and offers explanations for why change has been uneven. Because the devaluation of activities done by women has changed little, women have had strong incentive to enter male jobs, but men have had little incentive to take on female activities or jobs. The gender egalitarianism that gained traction was the notion that women should have access to upward mobility and to all areas of schooling and jobs. But persistent gender essentialism means that most people follow gender-typical paths except when upward mobility is impossible otherwise. Middle-class women entered managerial and professional jobs more than working-class women integrated blue-collar jobs because the latter were able to move up while choosing a “female” occupation; many mothers of middle-class women were already in the highest-status female occupations. The author also notes a number of gender-egalitarian trends that have stalled.
Fuzzy Nonlinear Unknown Input Observer Design with Fault Diagnosis Applications
Authors: Weitian Chen  , Saif Mehrdad
Published: March 2010

An approach for nonlinear unknown input observer (NUIO) design is proposed for a class of nonlinear systems representable by a Takagi—Sugeno (TS) fuzzy system. The proposed NUIO design for TS fuzzy systems is carried out for two cases: (1) the premise variables do not depend on the unmeasured state variables; and (2) the premise variables depend on the unmeasured state variables. Sufficient conditions for the existence of NUIOs are derived, and a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based design strategy is presented for NUIO design purposes. The proposed NUIO design approach is then applied to solve actuator fault detection and isolation problems for nonlinear systems described by TS fuzzy systems. To this end, a system structure with two groups of inputs where one group of inputs is treated as unknown inputs is developed. Based on the system structure, a bank of NUIOs are then designed using the developed NUIO design approach in order to investigate the following fault diagnosis problems. (1) How can the NUIOs be used for detecting faults? (2) Under what conditions is it possible to isolate single and/or multiple faults? (3) What is the maximum number of faults that can be isolated simultaneously? (4) How can multiple fault isolation be achieved? In this article we present a NUIO-based fault-detection scheme for problem (1), give sufficient conditions for problem (2), determine the maximum number of faults that can be isolated for problem (3), and propose a fault-diagnosis scheme using a bank of NUIOs to solve problem (4). As an illustrative example, Lorenz’s chaotic system with multi-inputs is chosen to show the effect of the designed NUIOs and the proposed fault detection and isolation scheme. Simulation results show that accurate state estimation is achieved and actuator faults can be detected and isolated successfully.
Restorative justice cases in Scotland: Factors related to participation, the restorative process, agreement rates and forms of reparation
Authors: Kirkwood Steve
Published: March 2010

This research draws on four years of data from three restorative justice services in Scotland to explore the factors associated with service user participation, agreement rates, the use of direct or indirect restorative processes, and different forms of reparation. Among other things, the results show that participation is more likely if the accused is contacted before the victim, if the alleged offence involves vandalism, and if the accused is male or young or does not have a recorded history of offending. The results suggest that, given appropriate ethical and safety considerations, the default practice should be to approach the accused first. The implications of the results are discussed within a theoretical framework.
Self-reported youth delinquency in Europe and beyond: First results of the Second International Self-Report Delinquency Study in the context of police and victimization data
Authors: Enzmann Dirk , Marshall Ineke Haen , Killias Martin , Junger-Tas Josine , Steketee Majone , Gruszczynska Beata
Published: March 2010

This article reports on the first results of the Second International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD-2), a large international collaborative study of delinquency and victimization of 12—15-year-old students. The analysis is based on a subsample of the data set: 43,968 respondents from 63 cities and 31 countries. The prevalence rates of the major categories of delinquency, both for individual countries as well as for 6 country clusters, are presented as well as data for victimization experiences (theft and robbery/extortion). Using different measures, significant differences in level and type of offending are found between country clusters, with the Western European and Anglo-Saxon countries generally (but not always) scoring highest, followed by Northern Europe, Latin American and Mediterranean countries, with post-socialist countries at the bottom. The results for victimization experiences do not follow this pattern. The second part of the article compares ISRD-2 offending and victimization rates with two other main sources of internationally available crime-related statistics: International Crime Victim Survey (ICVS) data and European Sourcebook (i.e. police-based) data. The analyses show a moderate level of support for a convergence of different measures. The article concludes with implications and suggestions for further research.
High prevalence of undiagnosed and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at first hospital admission with acute exacerbation
Authors: Bastin AJ , Starling L. , Ahmed R. , Dinham A. , Hill N. , Stern M. , Restrick LJ
Published: March 2010

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common cause of acute medical hospital admission, and the prevalence of undiagnosed COPD in the community is high. The impact of undiagnosed COPD on presentation to secondary care services is not currently known. We therefore set out to characterise patients at first admission with an acute exacerbation of COPD, and to identify potential areas for improvement in earlier diagnosis and further management. A retrospective case review of patients first admitted to a district teaching hospital with an acute exacerbation of COPD over a 1-year period was carried out. Forty-one patients with a first admission with an acute exacerbation of COPD were identified, 14 (34%) of whom had not been previously diagnosed and were diagnosed with COPD as a result of the admission. At presentation, this group of patients had severe disease, with mean (SD) FEV1 1.02 (0.32) L, and a respiratory acidosis in eight (20%) patients, even though this was their first admission for an acute exacerbation of COPD. Missed potential opportunities to intervene in community and inpatient management were identified, including earlier diagnosis, pre-hospital corticosteroid therapy, inpatient respiratory team input, provision of smoking cessation advice and consideration of pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients with a first hospital admission with an acute exacerbation of COPD frequently have severe disease at presentation. Despite having severe disease, a diagnosis of COPD had not been made in the community prior to admission in one-third of patients. Future work should be directed at earlier identification of patients who are symptomatic from COPD and ensuring that the interventions of proven benefit in COPD are systematically offered to patients in both primary and secondary care.
Prevalence, Patterns, and Costs of Chinese Medicine Use Among Prostate Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Yi-Hsien , Chen Kuang-Kuo , Chiu Jen-Hwey
Published: March 2010

Background. Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) is a comprehensive and universal program, providing Western medicine (WM) and Chinese medicine (CM). This study aims to explore CM use among prostate cancer patients in NHI. Methods. A cross-section retrospective analysis was conducted using registration and claim data sets from the NHI Research Database. In 2007, 22 352 prostate cancer patients with 265 497 visits of CM and WM ambulatory services were identified. Patient demographics, patterns of therapies, and costs were analyzed. Results. In 2007, 592 prostate cancer patients (2.6%) had 4141 CM outpatient visits (7.0 on average). The median age was 73.9. The majority (90.5%) of CM users also used WM ambulatory services. About one third of CM outpatient services were provided by private clinics. The most frequently used CM therapies were Chinese herbal medication (93.6%), followed by acupuncture/traumatology manipulative therapies (7.0%). CM accounted for 0.2% expenditure ($87 500) and 1.6% visits of ambulatory services. The average cost per visit for WM was 6.3 times higher than that for CM ($133.6 vs $21). Conclusions. The prevalence and costs of insurance-covered CM among prostate cancer patients were low. Most prostate cancer patients did not use insurance-covered CM. The majority of CM users also used WM. CM appeared to play a complementary rather than an alternative role.
Differences in Perceptions of Barriers to College Enrollment and the Completion of a Degree Among Latinos in the United States
Authors: Becerra David
Published: March 2010

This study examined the differences in perceptions of barriers in education among Latinos in the United States based on the level of linguistic acculturation, generational status, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status of the participants. This study used data from the Pew Hispanic Research Center. Results indicated that later-generation participants with high levels of linguistic acculturation, high socioeconomic status, and high academic achievement perceived greater barriers to enrollment in college and the completion of a degree.
Evolution of Teacher Perceptions Regarding Effective Instruction for English Language Learners
Authors: Rodriguez Diane , Manner Jane , Darcy Shannon
Published: March 2010

The number of students who speak languages other than English continues to grow in both rural and urban public schools in the United States. Teachers are challenged to accommodate the diverse needs of English language learners (ELLs). This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of eleven teachers from a rural public elementary school in North Carolina and how these perceptions affect the learning experiences of ELLs. This article discusses pedagogical implications for in-service teachers educating ELLs.
Postdischarge Outcomes of Blunt Cerebrovascular Injuries
Authors: Franz Randall W. , Goodwin Robert B. , Beery Paul R. , Hari Jayesh K. , Hartman Jodi F. , Wright Michelle L.
Published: March 2010

A retrospective review was conducted to assess outcomes of blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVIs) diagnosed in a 14-month period at a level-1 trauma center and evaluated postdischarge at a single vascular practice. Twenty-nine patients with 34 BCVIs (10 carotid; 24 vertebral) were admitted. Eleven (37.9%) patients were treated with combined anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy, 9 (31.0%) with anticoagulation, and 4 (13.8%) with antiplatelets. Five (17.2%) patients underwent observation. Seventeen (58.6%) patients (19 injuries) returned for follow-up evaluation. At a mean follow-up of 9.2 weeks, all patients had normal neurological examinations with no complications. Sixteen (84.2%) BCVIs resolved. Anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies were equally effective in preventing cerebral infarction. Although the majority of lesions resolve, BCVIs have the ability to progress and often require surgical intervention. Routine follow-up after discharge is warranted for all BCVIs and should include repeat computed tomography angiography (CTA) with bilateral carotid/vertebral duplex ultrasound (US) as a physiological test.
Endovascular Management of Congenital Atresia of the Infrarenal IVC
Authors: Scali Salvatore T. , Beck Adam W. , DeMartino Randall D. , Duxbury Anita , Walsh Daniel B.
Published: March 2010

This case illustrates the feasibility of endovascular treatment for chronic venous insufficiency attributable to congenital atresia of the infrarenal inferior vena cava (IVC). Three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) venography can elucidate alternate sites of drainage and indentify other venous pathology, such as dominant stenoses that may be amenable to venoplasty and/or stent placement.
The Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Dissection
Authors: Karthikesalingam A. , Holt P.J.E. , Hinchliffe R.J. , Thompson M.M. , Loftus I.M.
Published: March 2010

Aortic dissection represents the most common aortic emergency, affecting 3 to 4 per 100 000 people per year and is still associated with a high mortality. Twenty percent of the patients with aortic dissection die before reaching hospital and 30% die during hospital admission. Aortic dissections may be classified in 3 ways: according to their anatomical extent (the Stanford or DeBakey systems), according to the time from onset (acute or chronic), and according to the underlying pathology (the European Society of Cardiologists’ system). Advances in endovascular technology have provided new treatment options. Hybrid endovascular and conventional open surgical repair represent the mainstay of treatment for acute type A dissection. Medical management remains the gold standard for acute and uncomplicated chronic type B dissection, though endovascular surgery offers exciting potential in the management of complicated type B dissection through sealing of the intimal entry tear.
Family influences on self-management among functionally independent adults with diabetes or heart failure: do family members hinder as much as they help?
Authors: Rosland Ann-Marie , Heisler Michele , Choi Hwa-Jung , Silveira Maria J. , Piette John D.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: Among functionally independent patients with diabetes or heart failure, we examined family member support and family-related barriers to self-care. We then identified patient characteristics associated with family support and family barriers and how each was associated with self-management adherence.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 439 patients with diabetes or heart failure (74% response rate).

Results: 75% of respondents reported supportive family involvement in self-care; however, 25% reported frequent family-related barriers to self-care. Women reported family support less often (64% v. 77%) and family barriers to self-care more often (30% v. 21%) than men. 78% of respondents reported involved family members nagged or criticized them about illness care. In multivariate models, low health literacy, partnered status and higher family function were associated with higher family support levels, while female gender, older age, higher education, and more depression symptoms were associated with family barriers to self-care. Family barriers were associated with lower disease care self-efficacy (p<0.01), and both barriers and family support were associated with patients’ self-management adherence (both p<0.05).

Discussion: Family members are highly involved in the self-care of these higher functioning patients. Interventions should help patients with chronic illness overcome family barriers to self-care and help families use positive and effective support techniques.
The Politics of Powerpuff: Putting the ‘Girl’ into ‘Girl Power’
Authors: Kirkland Ewan
Published: March 2010

This article examines the politics of The Powerpuff Girls. It situates the series’ three super-powered heroines within the 1990s popular discourse of ‘Girl Power’, presenting empowered images of young femininity. The narrative premise of child characters triumphing over adults also engages with a generational politics with some precedence in television for children. However, an assessment of the limitations of the politics of this ‘Girl Power’ series reveals the marginalization and vilification of certain identity formations outside the white middle-class heterosexual girlhood represented by the show’s protagonists.
Pure Sensations? From Abstract Film to Digital Images
Authors: Castello-Branco Patrícia
Published: March 2010

This article is a study of ‘film as sensation’. It provides a new approach to abstract cinema practices and demonstrates that they include the idea of ‘pure sensation’. Therefore, abstract cinema should not be interpreted as purely structural and conceptual. The author argues that ‘film as sensation’ has been part of the essence of cinema since the very beginning. The argument proceeds from a brief rewriting of the history of abstract cinema with a view to demonstrating how ‘film as sensation’ is present in the essential moments of cinema’s history. Furthermore, it is argued that this concept of ‘film as sensation’ does not correspond to an idea of cinema or visual effects as ‘pure entertainment’ but should be understood as ‘critical rupture’. This idea of ‘critical rupture’ finds its theoretical justification in the concept of ‘perceptive shock’ or ‘perceptive trauma’ from which Walter Benjamin justified the aesthetic intentions of the new-born art.
Raimund Krumme — Play for Lines and Figures: An Animated Film Exhibition
Authors: Eckardt André
Published: March 2010

The Raimund Krumme — Play for Lines and Figures exhibition, organised by the German Institute for Animated Film (DIAF) and held in the Dresden Technical Museum from April to September 2009, showed artistic work by the German animated film director and author, Raimund Krumme. An important starting point for his film work is his graphic brainstorming sessions — scribblings, studies of movements, collages — during which he visualises ideas and emotions without words. The article provides an insight into the preparatory work for the exhibition that focused especially on his creative artistic processes through to the final films and also analysed the unique way in which Raimund Krumme animates space. Central aspects of the exhibition concept, such as the thematic criteria, the selection and arrangement of the exhibits as well as the presentation form of the exhibits and the moving images, are explained in detail. In doing so, the author deals with various considerations which arise with regard to both the uniqueness of an exhibition about animated film and the possibilities this provides.
Inhibition of phagocytosis in HIV-1–infected macrophages relies on Nef-dependent alteration of focal delivery of recycling compartments
Authors: Mazzolini Julie , Herit Floriane , Bouchet Jérôme , Benmerah Alexandre , Benichou Serge , Niedergang Florence
Published: March 2010

Phagocytosis in macrophages is receptor mediated and relies on actin polymerization coordinated with the focal delivery of intracellular membranes that is necessary for optimal phagocytosis of large particles. Here we show that phagocytosis by various receptors was inhibited in primary human macrophages infected with wild-type HIV-1 but not with a nef-deleted virus. We observed no major perturbation of F-actin accumulation, but adaptor protein 1 (AP1)–positive endosome recruitment was inhibited in HIV-1–infected cells. Expression of negative factor (Nef) was sufficient to inhibit phagocytosis, and myristoylation as well as the LL and DD motifs involved in association of Nef with AP complexes were important for this inhibition. We observed that Nef interferes with AP1 in association with membranes and/or with a cleaved regulatory form of AP1. Finally, an alteration of the recruitment of vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP3)– and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)–positive recycling endosomes regulated by AP1, but not of VAMP7-positive late endosomes, was observed in phagocytic cups of HIV-1–infected macrophages. We conclude that HIV-1 impairs optimal phagosome formation through Nef-dependent perturbation of the endosomal remodeling relying on AP1. We therefore identified a mechanism of macrophage function down-regulation in infected cells.
Anticentromere antibody positive Sjögren's Syndrome: a retrospective descriptive analysis
Authors: Bournia Vasiliki-Kalliopi K , Diamanti Konstantina D , Vlachoyiannopoulos Panayiotis G , Moutsopoulos Haralampos M
Published: March 2010

Introduction

A subgroup of patients with primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) and positive anticentromere antibodies (ACA) were recognized as having features intermediate between SS and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our goal was to describe this group clinically and serologically and define its tendency to evolve to full blown SSc.

Methods

Among 535 patients with primary SS we identified 20 ACA positive (ACA+/SS). We compared them to 61 randomly selected ACA negative SS patients (ACA-/SS), 31 ACA positive SSc patients with sicca manifestations [SSc/(+) sicca] and 20 ACA positive SSc patients without sicca manifestations [SSc/(-) sicca].

Results

Prevalence of ACA among SS patients was 3.7%. Cases and controls did not differ in sex ratio and age at disease onset. ACA+/SS patients had a lower prevalence of dry eyes, hypergammaglobulinaemia, anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies and a higher prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon and dysphagia compared to ACA-/SS patients. They also had lower prevalence of telangiectasias, puffy fingers, sclerodactyly, Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux in comparison to both of the SSc subgroups and a lower prevalence of dyspnoea and lung fibrosis compared to the SSc/(+) sicca subgroup. Two patients originally having ACA+/SS evolved to full blown SSc. Four deaths occurred, all among SSc patients. Kaplan Meier analysis showed a significant difference between cases and controls in time from disease onset to development of gastroesophageal reflux, telangiectasias, digital ulcers, arthritis, puffy fingers, xerostomia, hypergammaglobulinaemia and dysphagia.

Conclusions

ACA+/SS has a clinical phenotype intermediate between ACA-/SS and SSc and shows little tendency to evolve to SSc.
Remaking an Older Deal: Chicago Employment Politics, 1932–1936
Authors: Dorrance Thomas F.
Published: March 2010

This article examines Chicago's trade unions during the early years of the Great Depression. The leadership of the Chicago and Illinois federations of labor, most notably Victor Olander, played an active role in the city's attempts to battle unemployment during the Hoover years. Labor leaders cooperated with business interests and local politicians in private campaigns like the American Legion Re-Employment campaign and in government organizations like the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission (IERC). After Franklin D. Roosevelt's election, New Deal relief relied upon local organizations like the IERC to distribute federal monies. This reliance on local practices for the distribution of relief in Chicago meant that trade unions were already at the center of the emerging New Deal relief administration as it grew during the early 1930s. Labor leaders used their union connections across the state of Illinois to facilitate the implementation of federal relief projects. In doing so, trade unions hoped their influence on New Deal projects would maintain and improve their prominence in Chicago's political economy. Before the Depression, trade unionists sought to maintain wages and work conditions through private contracts negotiated between unions and employers. During the New Deal, trade union leaders participated in the growing federal bureaucracy because of their commitment to local control over the economy in Chicago. The resulting compromise between federal expansion and local control created the foundation for both local and federal politics after World War II.
Why Is There No Labor Movement in the United States?
Authors: Merrill Michael
Published: March 2010

The objective conditions requisite for a labor movement revival are palpable: more poverty, more income inequality, more families without health insurance, more retirees without adequate pensions, not to mention the recent near-collapse of global finance. Despite conditions so ripe for unionism, the labor movement barely holds its own. Why? And what can be done about it? Does the future lie in a “transformative” (i.e., revolutionary) anticapitalist class struggle? Or does it lie closer to the roots of the current social democratic contractualism of the mainstream labor movement? Two recent books provide an opportunity for Michael Merrill to explore these questions.
Adhesive contact of curved surfaces
Authors: Sahoo P , Mitra A , Saha K
Published: March 2010

The present study considers an analysis of elastic-plastic contact of rough curved surfaces in the presence of adhesion using the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts model. The mixed asperity contact model for a sphere with rough flats, developed by Kagami et al., is integrated into the elastic-plastic adhesive contact model developed by Roy Chowdhury and Ghosh to consider the loading behaviour in an adhesive contact between a smooth sphere and a rough flat surface. The pressure distributions, contact radius versus load, and compliance versus load behaviour are studied for different conditions that arise because of varying loads, surfaces, and material parameters. Results show that the radius of a curved solid significantly influences the adhesive contact behaviour.
Wear mechanisms in the mouth
Authors: Mair L H , Padipatvuthikul P
Published: March 2010

Patients are now keeping their own teeth for much longer than in the past, resulting in many cases of advanced toothwear being referred to specialist clinics. A number of wear processes for the mouth can be identified. Two-body surface-to-surface wear, that may include an element of fatigue, can be identified where patients grind their teeth together, often while they are asleep. Three-body abrasion occurs because of abrasive particles in the diet and can hollow out the edges of the teeth. It also accounts for wear of the teeth by abrasive toothpastes. Acid corrosion of the teeth exacerbates the other types of wear and can lead to severe tooth surface loss. The source of the acid may either be extrinsic, from food and drink, or intrinsic, from regurgitated stomach acid. Toothwear can now be managed by sticking restorative materials onto the remaining teeth. The patients can then wear down the restorative material rather than their own teeth.
Telemedicine: Socio-Ethical Considerations in the Indian Milieu
Authors: Sharma Luv K , Rajput Meena
Published: March 2010

Telemedicine is the rapidly developing application of clinical medicine by telephone, the internet or other networks for the purpose of consulting, and on occasions carrying out examinations or medical procedures. Telemedicine may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as complex as using satellite technology and video-conferencing equipment to conduct a real-time consultation between medical specialists in two different countries.1 Telemedicine offers real benefits in a country as vast as India where the majority of the population lives in remote areas with no access to even the most basic healthcare.2 As the practice of telemedicine spreads, maintaining standards, security and privacy, will be a challenge especially with regard to legal and regulatory measures and who will be held responsible if telemedicine-assisted surgery fails due to failure in connectivity? Is it the surgeon, the satellite provider or the software/hardware engineer? What is the legal status of telemedicine-based diagnosis and treatment? Other legal issues involve conflicting national laws and information piracy, the dangers of prescription drugs that are banned in one country but not in another and quacks who offer medical advice and prescribe drugs over the internet. This paper discusses some of the legal, ethical and social considerations in the Indian context.
Surgery in Malawi – the training of clinical officers
Authors: van Amelsfoort J J C , van Leeuwen P A M , Jiskoot P , Ratsma Y E C
Published: March 2010

Doctors are scarce in Malawi and, therefore, a considerable amount of work is carried out by paramedical clinical officers (COs). Although their training is limited, they take care of the majority of patients in the country. The CO project started in the Southern region of Malawi in 2005 in order to improve the number of surgical and gynaecological operations and skills of COs. Nine district hospitals and eight Christian Health Organisation of Malawi (CHAM) hospitals were visited and all surgical registers from 2004 and 2007 were analysed and COs were interviewed. The interviewed COs felt at ease when performing operations; in 2004 they performed 61% and in 2007 87% of the surgical and gynaecological procedures itemised in the questionnaire. In 2004 a total of 18,524 operations were registered in the 17 hospitals in the Southern region of Malawi and there were 19,644 in 2007. Certified COs performed significantly more surgical than gynaecological operations. In 2004, 8.4% of their performed operations consisted of major surgical operations and 17.7% in 2007. A two-year postgraduate training in surgery is being developed for them but, in the meantime, it will be necessary to ensure a continuation of the CO project in the central and northern regions of Malawi.
Rising mother-to-child HIV transmission in a resource-limited breastfeeding population
Authors: Gumbo Felicity Zvanyadza , Kurewa Nyaradzai Edith , Kandawasvika Gwendoline Quintoline , Duri Kerina , Mapingure Munyaradzi Paul , Munjoma Marshal Wesley , Pazvakavambwa Isidore Evans , Rusakaniko Simbarashe , Chirenje Mike Zvavahera , Stray-Pedersen Babill
Published: March 2010

The objective of this study was to determine mother to child HIV transmission rates at different time points in a breastfeeding cohort enrolled in a single dose nevirapine program in Harare, Zimbabwe. Between 2002–2004, 434 HIV-positive mothers and their infants were recruited and followed up from delivery to 15 months. Infant blood specimens were collected for HIV testing at these time points. The majority of the patients (78%) received single dose nevirapine. The overall HIV transmission rate was 21.8% (17.8–25.8). Receiving single dose nevirapine was protective against HIV vertical transmission although statistically insignificant (relative risk: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.49–1.19). Breastfeeding was not found to be associated with HIV vertical transmission ( P = 0.612). In this resource-limited setting, HIV transmission rates are high. Efforts to use more efficacious regimens to arrest HIV vertical transmission are required.
Mucormycosis
Authors: Mohanty D , Dhar M , Dwivedi S
Published: March 2010

Mucormycosis is an aggressive, opportunistic infection caused by fungi belonging to the class of Phycomycetes. Rhino-occulo-cerebral mucormycosis is the commonest anatomical presentation of mucormycosis and is a potentially fatal disease. We report here a case of a 65-year-old diabetic female who presented with a locally invasive type of mucormycosis and was treated successfully by surgical debridement along with medical treatment (Amphoterecin-B and insulin).