bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Media Framing and Foreign Policy: The Elite Press vis-à-vis US Policy in Bosnia, 1992–95
Authors: Auerbach Yehudith , Bloch-Elkon Yaeli
Published: December 2004

This study assesses the role of the press in shaping US foreign policy towards an international crisis. It explores the scope of attention, positions, and metaframes used by the Washington Post and New York Times, as well as the US administration’s announcements, in relation to the Bosnian crisis in its different stages. It is suggested that by discerning and highlighting core US interests and values threatened by the developments in Bosnia – that is, using mainly critical positions and emphasizing humanitarian and security metaframes – the elite press may have pushed the Clinton administration to a more active policy in this crisis. With respect to the differences between the two newspapers, it is found that while both papers expressed criticism of government policy, the Washington Post was much more critical than the New York Times. The main differences between the two papers were in the divergent positions adopted and the different metaframes employed in presenting their respective positions. The central metaframe used by the Washington Post was humanitarian, while the New York Times used primarily frames linked to security and world order. It appears that these two elite papers took upon themselves a dual role in the Bosnia crisis. On the one hand, they served as ‘watchdog’ over the administration’s behavior – expressing criticism and recommending policy; on the other hand, by using meaningful and familiar metaphors, they played an important explanatory role in the realm of public opinion. Examining the role of the elite press in the Bosnia crisis from a combined perspective of Communication and International Relations studies points to the possibility that besides its other roles, the press may contribute to transforming a crisis from a macro-systemic crisis, hardly noted by the decisionmakers, into a micro-perceptional crisis, receiving higher priority from them.
Inequality and Violent Crime: Evidence from Data on Robbery and Violent Theft
Authors: Neumayer Eric
Published: December 2004

This article argues that the link between income inequality and violent property crime might be spurious, complementing a similar argument in prior analysis by the author on the determinants of homicide. In contrast, Fajnzylber, Lederman & Loayza provide seemingly strong and robust evidence that inequality causes a higher rate of both homicide and robbery/violent theft, even after controlling for country-specific fixed effects. The results in the present article suggest that inequality is not a statistically significant determinant, unless either country-specific effects are not controlled for or the sample is artificially restricted to a small number of countries. The reason for the link between inequality and violent property crime being spurious is that income inequality is likely to be strongly correlated with country-specific fixed effects, such as cultural differences. A high degree of inequality might be socially undesirable for any number of reasons, but that it causes violent crime is far from proven.
An approach to similarity measurement of absence-presence data: the case that common zeros matter
Authors: Egghe Leo , Rousseau Ronald
Published: December 2004

Similarity between objects (documents, persons, answers to a questionnaire, etc.) is generally determined through relations between representations of these objects. In the case of binary representations the presence of a property (e.g. an index term) carries a weight of one, its absence a weight of zero. In many similarity studies common zeros are ignored. This situation is called the zero insensitive case. In this article, however, we study the zero sensitive case. Clearly, answers to binary questionnaires (yes-no, encoded as 1-0) are zero sensitive, as people who answer ‘no’ to the same questions are more similar than those who give different answers. We present a wish list for such a zero sensitive approach to similarity. Making a difference between common zeros and common ones leads to an ‘identity-similarity’ theory. Hence, we move beyond a pure similarity theory. Two approaches to the problem of similarity measurement of presence-absence data, where common zeros matter and have the same effect as common ones, are presented. For the case that there is a difference between common ones and common zeros a totally new approach is proposed. In each case a coding approach is used, leading to new representations, which then lead to a similarity ranking. Examples of functions respecting these rankings are given.

When discussing similarity in general terms authors should clearly state which requirements they imply for the notion of ‘similarity’. It is only then that the problem of the best measure for a given study can be brought up for discussion in a meaningful way.
Deterrents to effective interactive interpersonal information networking of rural women in Imo State, Nigeria
Authors: Uhegbu Augonus Nnamdi , Opeke R. O.
Published: December 2004

Exploring the various inhibitors to effective interactive inter-personal information networking of rural women in Imo State is the focus of this investigation. Using questionnaire and oral interview instruments, 500 rural women were surveyed drawn from six local government areas, spread across the three senatorial zones that make up the State. Proportionate, and simple random sampling techniques were used to determine the sample size of the respondents. Two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the focus of this investigation. Chi-square statistics were used to test the two hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance while percentages were adopted to explain other variables. Results show that age and education do not inhibit the interactive inter-personal information networking of rural women, whereas religion and marital status do. Social, economic, cultural, political, attitudinal and even infrastructural conditions also frustrate information networking. Forfeiture of vital news, growth of gossip/rumour, women’s hatred of themselves, and wrong perception of the womenfolk amongst others are some of the negative effects of these inhibitors.
A framework for context information management
Authors: Liao Stephen Shaoyi , He Joy Wei , Tang Tony Heng
Published: December 2004

Context information plays an important role in context-aware mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications. Context information must be preprocessed, integrated and modelled before being stored and then used in a context-aware m-commerce application. Based on Knowledge Management (KM) theories and practice, this paper proposes a framework that uses several information technologies to collect, process, integrate, model, store and use context information. This framework will help effectively manage this information, as well as provide integrated context information about location, weather, time and user activities to enable context-awareness of an m-commerce application.
The contribution of data mining to information science
Authors: Chen Sherry Y. , Liu Xiaohui
Published: December 2004

The information explosion is a serious challenge for current information institutions. On the other hand, data mining, which is the search for valuable information in large volumes of data, is one of the solutions to face this challenge. In the past several years, data mining has made a significant contribution to the field of information science. This paper examines the impact of data mining by reviewing existing applications, including personalized environments, electronic commerce, and search engines. For these three types of application, how data mining can enhance their functions is discussed. The reader of this paper is expected to get an overview of the state of the art research associated with these applications. Furthermore, we identify the limitations of current work and raise several directions for future research.
Race, Genomics, Identities and Politics in Contemporary Brazil
Authors: Santos Ricardo Ventura , Maio Marcos Chor
Published: December 2004

The ‘new genetics’ (or genomics) has penetrated overwhelmingly into a broad range of domains in the contemporary world, spawning a technocultural revolution in relation to genes that has transformed technologies, institutions, practices and ideologies. The ‘new genetics’ has not only reshaped the biological, cultural and social loci in the immediate surroundings of individuals, but also reconfigures wide-ranging macro-social, historical and political relations. In this article we approach the technocultural revolution surrounding the ‘new genetics’ by means of a case study on the overlapping of race, genomics, identities and politics in Brazil. We analyze how the ‘new genetics’ extends far beyond the biological dimension to become an arena for dispute in which historical, social and political elements are present. Specifically, we will analyze the debate over the results of a survey that aimed to shed light on the ‘genetic origins of Brazilians’ based on the sequencing of parts of mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome. By focusing on how this survey was received, we will explore some of the new, intense and abundant forms of relations between ‘nature/genetics’ and ‘culture/society’, in which DNA appears as an outstanding player in the dispute between modalities for interpreting and transforming social and political realities.
The Topology of Autonomy
Authors: Smith William D.
Published: December 2004

Policy debates are still too polarized between those who expect too much of ‘indigenous autonomy’ and those who expect too little. This article examines the local meaning of, and proposals toward, self-determination in a Totonac coffee-growing population in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, Mexico. The article argues for the complexity and context-dependency of ‘autonomy’. Several factors shape visions of autonomy/self-determination in the Sierra. First, the Zapatistas in Chiapas have inspired Totonac organizations toward antiglobalization discourses and new approaches to relations among culture, cosmology and agriculture. But, second, the inertia built up over three decades of state-assisted coffee production keeps development thinking trained on a major, if crisis-ridden, global market. Third, resource deterioration renders doubtful any full conversion to the ‘traditional’ subsistence farming called for by some Totonac rights organizations. Autonomy initiatives emerging in the Sierra are uneasy combinations of ethnic-purist, market-led and state-sponsored development models. The article suggests that in regions marked by global markets, state intervention and serious environmental constraints, ‘selfdetermination’ is about local design and control of heterogeneous, worldworthy economies.
Chandra Jayawardena and the Ethical ‘Turn’ in Australian Anthropology
Authors: Robinson Kathryn
Published: December 2004

The Sri Lankan-born anthropologist, the late Chandra Jayawardena, was a pivotal figure in the development of Australian anthropology. He arrived at the University of Sydney in the late 1960s, a period of dramatic intellectual and political change. In the 1970s, he was at the centre of the ethical debate about the involvement of anthropologists in the Tribal Research Centre, a dispute which pitted him against W.R. Geddes. The article draws on his archived papers, including a previously unpublished essay on ethical practice, and locates the 1970s debate – which came at a crucial time in the development of Australian anthropology – in relation to contemporary debates about ethics and anthropological engagement.
Knee Stability and Graft Function after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Yamamoto Yuji , Hsu Wei-Hsiu , Woo Savio L-Y. , Van Scyoc Andrew H. , Takakura Yoshiyuki , Debski Richard E.
Published: December 2004

Background

Locations of femoral tunnels for anterior cruciate ligament replacement grafts remain a subject of debate.

Hypothesis

A lateral femoral tunnel placed at the insertion of the posterolateral bundle of the anterior cruciate ligament can restore knee function comparably to anatomical femoral tunnel placement.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Ten cadaveric knees were subjected to the following external loading conditions: (1) a 134-N anterior tibial load and (2) combined rotatory loads of 10-N.m valgus and 5-N.m internal tibial torques. Data on resulting knee kinematics and in situ force of the intact anterior cruciate ligament and anterior cruciate ligament graft were collected using a robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system for (1) intact, (2) anterior cruciate ligament-deficient, (3) anatomical double-bundle reconstructed, and (4) laterally placed single-bundle reconstructed knees.

Results

In response to anterior tibial load, anterior tibial translation and in situ force in the graft were not significantly different between the 2 reconstructions except at high knee flexion. For example, at 90° of knee flexion, anterior tibial translation was 6.1 ± 2.3 mm for anatomical double-bundle reconstruction and 7.6 ± 2.6 mm for laterally placed single-bundle reconstruction (P < .05). In response to rotatory loads, there were no significant differences between the 2 reconstruction procedures (4.8 ± 2.4 mm vs 4.8 ± 3.0 mm in anterior tibial translation at 15° of knee flexion, P > .05).

Conclusion

Lateral tunnel placement can restore rotatory and anterior knee stability similarly to an anatomical reconstruction when the knee is near extension. However, the same is not true when the knee is at high flexion angles.

Clinical Relevance

To reproduce the complex function of the anterior cruciate ligament, reproducing both bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament may be necessary.
Ankle Syndesmosis Sprains in National Hockey League Players
Authors: Wright Rick W. , Barile Raymond J. , Surprenant David A. , Matava Matthew J.
Published: December 2004

Background

Although syndesmosis sprains are less common in sports than lateral ankle sprains, they represent a significant source of morbidity. Several studies have described the increased recovery time for these injuries in a variety of sports. No previous study has described this injury in hockey players.

Hypothesis

Syndesmosis ankle sprains require a longer recovery time and are less common than lateral ankle sprains in elite hockey players.

Study Design

Uncontrolled retrospective review.

Methods

The medical records of the St Louis Blues (1994-2001) and Dallas Stars (1991-2001) National Hockey League teams were reviewed by the head athletic trainers. Ankle sprains were identified and divided into 2 groups: syndesmosis and lateral sprains. Player demographics, treatment, and time lost to play were recorded for each injury.

Results

Fourteen players were diagnosed with syndesmosis sprains, and 5 players sustained lateral sprains during this time period. Mean time to return to play in games was 45 days (range, 6-137 days) for syndesmosis sprains versus 1.4 days (range, 0-6 days) for lateral sprains.

Conclusions

Syndesmosis sprains represent a significant injury in hockey players with an extended time lost and, unlike in other sports, are a more common injury than lateral ankle sprains.
Multirater Agreement of Arthroscopic Meniscal Lesions
Authors: Dunn Warren R. , Wolf Brian R. , Amendola Annunziato , Andrish Jack T. , Kaeding Christopher , Marx Robert G. , McCarty Eric C. , Parker Richard D. , Wright Rick W. , Spindler Kurt P.
Published: December 2004

Background

Establishing the validity of classification schemes is a crucial preparatory step that should precede multicenter studies. There are no studies investigating the reproducibility of arthroscopic classification of meniscal pathology among multiple surgeons at different institutions.

Hypothesis

Arthroscopic classification of meniscal pathology is reliable and reproducible and suitable for multicenter studies that involve multiple surgeons.

Study Design

Multirater agreement study.

Methods

Seven surgeons reviewed a video of 18 meniscal tears and completed a meniscal classification questionnaire. Multirater agreement was calculated based on the proportion of agreement, the kappa coefficient, and the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results

There was a 46% agreement on the central/peripheral location of tears (κ = 0.30), an 80% agreement on the depth of tears (κ = 0.46), a 72% agreement on the presence of a degenerative component (κ = 0.44), a 71% agreement on whether lateral tears were central to the popliteal hiatus (κ = 0.42), a 73% agreement on the type of tear (κ = 0.63), an 87% agreement on the location of the tear (κ = 0.61), and an 84% agreement on the treatment of tears (κ = 0.66). There was considerable agreement among surgeons on length, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.78, 95% confidence interval of 0.57 to 0.92, and P < .001.

Conclusions

Arthroscopic grading of meniscal pathology is reliable and reproducible.

Clinical Relevance

Surgeons can reliably classify meniscal pathology and agree on treatment, which is important for multi-center trials.
In Vivo Function of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament during Weightbearing Knee Flexion
Authors: DeFrate Louis E. , Gill Thomas J. , Li Guoan
Published: December 2004

Background

Current knowledge of posterior cruciate ligament function is mainly based on in vitro cadaveric studies. There are few studies on the in vivo function of the posterior cruciate ligament. The objective of the study was to quantify the multidimensional deformation of the posterior cruciate ligament.

Hypothesis

During in vivo weightbearing flexion, the posterior cruciate ligament undergoes complex 3-dimensional deformations, including elongation, twist, and changes in orientation.

Study Design

In vivo biomechanical study.

Methods

Magnetic resonance images of 5 human knees were used to create 3-dimensional computer models of each subject's knee, including the insertion areas of the posterior cruciate ligament. Orthogonal fluoroscopic images of each subject's knee were acquired as a quasi-static lunge was performed. The images and computer models were used to reproduce the in vivo motion of the knee. The relative motion of the femoral and tibial insertions was described in terms of elongation, twist, elevation (the angle between the tibial plateau and posterior cruciate ligament, measured in the sagittal plane), and deviation (mediolateral orientation, measured in plane of tibial plateau).

Results

The length of the posterior cruciate ligament increased significantly with increasing flexion. It twisted almost 80° as the knee flexed from 0° to 90°. The elevation angle remained relatively constant at 50°. The deviation angle was medially oriented by 20° at full extension, then decreased to approximately 10° at 30° through 90° of flexion.

Conclusion

The posterior cruciate ligament undergoes a complex twisting motion as it elongates with flexion.

Clinical Relevance

During reconstruction, the tunnels and graft may need to be placed such that the multidimensional deformation of the intact posterior cruciate ligament is reproduced.
The Effect of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction on the Risk of Knee Reinjury
Authors: Dunn Warren R. , Lyman Stephen , Lincoln Andrew E. , Amoroso Paul J. , Wickiewicz Thomas , Marx Robert G.
Published: December 2004

Background

Although there is evidence that very active, young patients are better served with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, there is a lack of objective data demonstrating that future knee injury is prevented by these procedures.

Hypothesis

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction protects against reinjury of the knee that would require reoperation.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

A cohort of 6576 active-duty army personnel who had been hospitalized for anterior cruciate ligament injury from 1990 to 1996 were identified. Using the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database, the authors followed these individuals for up to 9 years and collected clinical, demographic, and occupational data. These data were evaluated with bivariate and multivariable analyses to determine the effect of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on the rate of knee reinjury that required operation.

Results

Of the 6576 study subjects, 3795 subjects (58%) underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and 2781 (42%) did not. The rate of reoperation was significantly lower among the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction group (4.90/100 person-years) compared with those treated conservatively (13.86/100 person-years; P < .0001). Proportional hazard regression analyses adjusted for age, race, sex, marital status, education, and physical activity level confirmed that anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was protective against meniscal and cartilage reinjury ( P < .0001). Secondary medial meniscal injury was more common than secondary lateral meniscal injury ( P < .003). Younger age was the strongest predictor of failure of conservative management leading to late anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction ( P < .0001).

Conclusions

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction protected against reoperation in this young, active population; younger subjects were more likely to require late anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Clinical Relevance

Strong consideration should be given to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction after anterior cruciate ligament injury in young, active individuals.
The Influence of Muscle Fatigue on Electromyogram and Plantar Pressure Patterns as an Explanation for the Incidence of Metatarsal Stress Fractures
Authors: Weist Roger , Eils Eric , Rosenbaum Dieter
Published: December 2004

Background

Stress fractures are common overuse injuries in runners and appear most frequently in the metatarsals.

Purpose

To investigate fatigue-related changes in surface electromyographic activity patterns and plantar pressure patterns during treadmill running as potential causative factors for metatarsal stress fractures.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study with repeated measurements.

Methods

Thirty experienced runners volunteered to participate in a maximally exhaustive run above the anaerobic threshold. Surface electromyographic activity was monitored for 14 muscles, and plantar pressures were measured using an in-shoe monitoring system. Fatigue was documented with blood lactate measurements.

Results

The results demonstrated an increased maximal force (5%, P < .01), peak pressure (12%, P < .001), and impulse (9%, P < .01) under the second and third metatarsal head and under the medial midfoot (force = 7%, P < .05; pressure = 6%, P < .05; impulse = 17%, P < .01) toward the end of the fatiguing run. Contact area and contact time were only slightly affected. The mean electromyographic activity was significantly reduced in the medial gastrocnemius (-9%, P < .01), lateral gastrocnemius (-12%, P < .01), and soleus (-9%, P < .001) muscles.

Conclusion

The demonstrated alteration of the rollover process with an increased forefoot loading may help to explain the incidence of stress fractures of the metatarsals under fatiguing loading conditions.
Painful Jerk Test
Authors: Kim Seung-Ho , Park Jae-Chul , Park Jun-Sic , Oh Irvin
Published: December 2004

Background

The jerk test has been used as a diagnostic test of the posteroinferior instability of the shoulder. Pain may or may not be associated with posterior clunking during the jerk test.

Purpose

To evaluate the presence or absence of pain with the jerk test as a predictor of the success of nonoperative treatment for posteroinferior instability of the shoulder and to identify the pathologic lesion responsible for the pain in the jerk test.

Study Design

Retrospective review of prospectively collected data.

Methods

Eighty-one patients (89 shoulders) who had posteroinferior instability with a positive posterior clunk in their shoulders during the jerk test were nonoperatively treated. The patients were divided into 2 groups with respect to the presence of pain in the jerk test: the painless jerk group (54 shoulders) and the painful jerk group (35 shoulders). Response to the nonoperative treatment was evaluated after at least a 6-month rehabilitation program. Patients who did not respond to the rehabilitation underwent arthroscopic examination to identify any pathologic lesions.

Results

The painful jerk group had a higher failure rate with nonoperative treatment (P< .001). In the painless jerk group, 50 shoulders (93%) responded to the rehabilitation program after a mean of 4 months. Four shoulders (7%) were unresponsive to the rehabilitation. In the painful jerk group, 5 shoulders (16%) were successful with the rehabilitation, whereas the other 30 shoulders (84%) failed. All 34 shoulders that were unresponsive to the rehabilitation had a variable degree of posteroinferior labral lesions.

Conclusions

The jerk test is a hallmark for predicting the prognosis of nonoperative treatment for posteroinferior instability. Shoulders with symptomatic posteroinferior instability and a painful jerk test have posteroinferior labral lesions.
A Prospectively Randomized Double-Blind Study on the Effect of Initial Graft Tension on Knee Stability after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Nicholas Stephen J. , D'Amato Michael J. , Mullaney Michael J. , Tyler Timothy F. , Kolstad Kirsten , McHugh Malachy P.
Published: December 2004

Background

No consensus exists on the amount of tension that should be applied to anterior cruciate ligament grafts to best facilitate graft incorporation and re-create normal knee mechanics.

Hypothesis

Differences in initial graft tension will affect postoperative knee stability.

Study Design

Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

Methods

Forty-nine patients undergoing bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction by a single surgeon were randomized into high-tension (n = 27) and low-tension (n = 22) groups. Grafts were set at 90 N or 45 N. Arthrometric measurements (KT-1000 arthrometer manual maximum) of anterior tibial displacement and knee range of motion were made before surgery and at 1 week and an average of 20 months after surgery. Knee outcome scores were collected before and after surgery, and a single-leg hop test was also performed at final follow-up.

Results

After anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, anterior tibial displacement was significantly greater in the patients in the low-tension group (P < .05). The side-to-side difference in anterior tibial displacement in the high-tension and low-tension groups was 1.1 ± 1.7 mm versus 2.4 ± 2.4 mm 1 week after surgery and 2.2 ± 1.6 mm versus 3.0 ± 2.2 mm at follow-up. Five patients had abnormal anterior tibial displacement (>5 mm side-to-side difference), and all were in the low-tension group (P <.05). Knee outcome scores improved with surgery (P < .01), with similar results for low-tension and high-tension groups. Hop test deficits were not different between groups.

Conclusions

Initial graft tension affects the restoration of knee stability. A graft tension of 45 N was not sufficient for restoring knee stability.
Functional Bracing after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: McDevitt Edward R. , Taylor Dean C. , Miller Mark D. , Gerber John P. , Ziemke Gregg , Hinkin Daniel , Uhorchak John M. , Arciero Robert A. , St. Pierre Patrick
Published: December 2004

Background

Bracing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is expensive and is not proven to prevent injuries or influence outcomes.

Purpose

To determine whether postoperative functional knee bracing influences outcomes.

Study Design

Prospective, randomized, multicenter clinical trial.

Methods

One hundred volunteers from the 3 US service academies with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears were randomized into braced or nonbraced groups. Only those subjects with anterior cruciate ligament tears treated surgically within the first 8 weeks of injury were included. Patients with chondral injuries, significant meniscal tears, or multiple knee ligament injuries were excluded. Surgical procedures and the postoperative physical therapy protocols were identical for both groups. The braced group was instructed to wear an off-the-shelf functional knee brace for all cutting, pivoting, or jumping activities for the first year after surgery.

Results

Ninety-five subjects were available with a minimum 2-year follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in knee stability, functional testing with the single-legged hop test, International Knee Documentation Committee scores, Lysholm scores, knee range of motion, or isokinetic strength testing. Two braced subjects had reinjuries, and 3 nonbraced subjects had reinjuries.

Conclusions

In this young, active population, postoperative bracing does not appear to change the clinical outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Acetaminophen in the Treatment of an Acute Muscle Injury
Authors: Rahusen Frank T. G. , Weinhold Paul S. , Almekinders Louis C.
Published: December 2004

Background

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently used to treat muscle injuries in athletes. It is not known whether the anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs are important or whether their effectiveness is a result of their central anal-gesic effect.

Hypothesis

The effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are no different than the effects of an analgesic (acetaminophen) without anti-inflammatory action in an experimental, acute muscle contusion model.

Study Design

Controlled animal study.

Methods

A standardized, unilateral, nonpenetrating injury was created to the tibialis anterior muscle of 96 adult male mice. Four treatment groups were used: group 1, placebo treatment; group 2, treatment with rofecoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with cyclooxygenase-2 selectivity, and treatment after the injury; group 3, rofecoxib treatment starting 24 hours before the injury; and group 4, acetaminophen treatment after the injury. The muscle and the contralateral normal muscle were evaluated at 2, 5, and 7 days after injury by grading of gait, wet weight as a measure of edema, and histologic evaluation.

Results

Group 1 had significantly more gait disturbances at day 2 than all other groups (P < .05). No differences were found at days 5 and 7. Wet weights showed an increase at day 2 in group 1 (P < .01). Again, no differences were found at days 5 and 7. Histology revealed similar inflammatory changes at day 2 in all groups, with regeneration of muscle fibers at days 5 and 7.

Conclusions

The results indicate that rofecoxib as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and acetaminophen as a non-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug analgesic have similar effects. The lack of differences in wet weights and histology suggests that the anti-inflammatory effects of rofecoxib are not an important feature of its action.

Clinical Relevance

The routine use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in muscle injuries may need to be critically evaluated because low-cost and low-risk analgesics may be just as effective.
The Effects of Varied Joint Motion and Loading Conditions on Posterior Cruciate Ligament Fiber Length Behavior
Authors: Covey Dana C. , Sapega Alexander A. , Marshall Robert C.
Published: December 2004

Background

The posterior cruciate ligament has been described as being composed of 2 bands that reciprocally tighten and loosen with knee flexion, but the fiber anatomy and behavior may be more complex.

Hypothesis

The mechanical effects of defined loading conditions at discrete knee joint angles can vary significantly within the substance of the posterior cruciate ligament depending on the fiber region tested.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Nine intact, fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were instrumented with excursion filaments implanted within 4 fiber regions of the posterior cruciate ligament. Patterns of fiber behavior were analyzed as a function of the variable linear separation distance between tibial and femoral fiber attachment sites during joint motion under a simulated quadriceps contraction, tibial internal rotation, and tibial external rotation. Analysis of variance, the Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons procedure, and paired t tests were used to evaluate statistical significance.

Results

Compared with the control pattern of fiber behavior during unloaded passive knee motion from 0° to 120°, the quadriceps force caused loosening of most ligament fibers at knee flexion of less than 75°. Tibial internal rotation significantly slackened the anterior and central fiber regions near extension and significantly tightened the central and posterior fiber regions with progressive flexion. External rotation had an effect similar to internal rotation on the anterior and central fiber regions but caused significant slackening of the posterior fiber regions from 0° to 45°.

Conclusions

Distinct geographic regions within the posterior cruciate ligament have different functional roles depending on the joint angle and the type of load to which the knee is subjected.

Clinical Relevance

The specific graft placement parameters in a given surgical procedure relate to end-to-end length changes of the graft and may have important implications for postoperative rehabilitation and return to specific functional activities.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Autograft Choice: Bone-Tendon-Bone versus Hamstring
Authors: Spindler Kurt P. , Kuhn John E. , Freedman Kevin Blake , Matthews Charles E. , Dittus Robert S. , Harrell Frank E.
Published: December 2004

Anterior cruciate ligament graft choice is controversial, with no evidence-based consensus available to guide decision making. The study design was evidence-based medicine systematic review of randomized controlled trials evaluating patellar tendon versus hamstring tendon autografts. A literature review identified 9 randomized controlled trials comparing patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts. An evidence-based systematic review was performed. Objective and subjective outcomes of interest included surgical technique, rehabilitation, instrumented laxity, isokinetic strength, patellofemoral pain, return to preinjury activity, and Tegner, Lysholm, Cincinnati, and International Knee Documentation Committee–1991 scores. Additional surgery, graft failure, and complications were reviewed. Slight increased laxity on arthrometer testing was seen in the hamstring population in 3 of 7 studies. Pain with kneeling was greater for the patellar tendon population in 4 of 4 studies. Only 1 of 9 studies showed increased anterior knee pain in the patellar tendon group. Frequency of additional surgery seemed to be related to the fixation method and not graft type. No study reported a significant difference in graft failure between patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts. Objective differences (range of motion, isokinetic strength, arthrometer testing) were not detected between groups in the majority of studies, suggesting that their sensitivity to detect clinical outcomes may be limited. Increased kneeling pain in the patellar tendon group was seen consistently in the studies evaluated. Subjective differences in anterior knee pain or return-to-activity level were not consistently observed in these studies. With numbers available, failure rates were not significantly different between groups. These findings suggest that graft type may not be the primary determinant for successful outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
Criminogenic needs and the transformative risk subject
Authors: Hannah-Moffat Kelly
Published: December 2004

This article examines the discrepancies between theories of risk and penality and emergent strategies of risk/need identification and management. Working back from the strategies themselves, I argue that the current generations of risk/need technologies are a significant departure from the pessimistic theoretical accounts of risk in criminal justice associated with the ‘new penology’ and ‘actuarial justice’. I argue that risk knowledges are fluid and flexible and capable of supporting a range of penal strategies. The evolution and meanings of risk in correctional assessment and classification are examined to show how understandings of risk have shifted from static to dynamic categorizations. I show how the concept of need is fused with risk, how particular conceptions of ‘need’ and ‘risk’ are situated in local penal narratives, how need reconstructs risk and revives correctional treatment as an efficient risk minimization strategy. I argue that strategic alignment of risk with narrowly defined intervenable needs contributes to the production of a transformative risk subject who unlike the ‘ fixed or static risk subject’ is amenable to targeted therapeutic interventions. Newly formed risk/needs categorizations and subsequent management strategies give rise to a new politics of punishment, in which different risk/needs groupings compete for limited resources, discredit collective group claims to resources, redistribute responsibilities for risk/needs management and legitimate both inclusive and exclusionary penal strategies.
The detention of asylum seekers in the UK
Authors: Malloch Margaret S. , Stanley Elizabeth
Published: December 2004

Media and political representations of asylum seekers and refugees have been infused with language denoting images of ‘danger’, ‘criminality’ and ‘risk’. Despite attempts to provide for those seeking asylum in the UK, those in need have frequently been stigmatized and criminalized. Policies and practices, intended to respond to those fleeing economic hardship or political persecution, have been guided by such depictions. This article illustrates the use of detention as a mechanism for purportedly securing the containment and removal of ‘illegals’. While the use of detention may be seen as an attempt to deter ‘undeserving’ asylum seekers from seeking sanctuary in the UK, this article argues that this practice is, in effect, a fundamentally punitive method to assuage public fears concerning supposed ‘risk’ and potential dangers to ‘security’.
‘If we are tough on crime, if we punish crime, then people get the message’
Authors: Hogeveen Bryan R.
Published: December 2004

Through a detailed analysis of media reports and debates in the House of Commons over the late 1990s, this article explores the construction and proliferation of Canada’s punishable young offender. I suggest that the creation and dissemination of this discursive category resulted in calls for a new ethic of punishment that emphasized protection of the public from risks associated with youth crime. Media, political, and public concern about the punishable young offender propelled the Federal government’s announcement that it would replace existing youth justice legislation (the Young Offenders Act) with a tougher law premised on a framework of ‘accountability’. I begin by situating recent developments in Canadian youth justice policy domestically and internationally. Next, I highlight how the punishable young offender has been manifest in, and governed through, increasingly harsh penalties, austere punishments, and high rates of incarceration. Finally, I argue that calls for the punishment and intrusive regulation of juvenile deviance were pitted at two different, yet interrelated levels – the pervasiveness of the serious violent offender and valorizing victims of youth crime. In concert, these two levels prompted the Federal government’s denouncement of youth crime through tougher youth justice legislation (the Youth Criminal Justice Act).
The expectations and experiences of Filipino nurses working in an intellectual disability service in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Mc Gonagle Catherine , Halloran Siobahn O , O’Reilly Orla
Published: December 2004

The Republic of Ireland has experienced difficulty in recruiting nurses to both acute and long-term care settings, including intellectual disability. Many health care providers have looked outside Ireland for nurses to provide services guaranteed under national health strategies. This article describes a small-scale study undertaken in a large service provider following the employment of a large number of Filipino nurses. The aim was to explore the expectations and experiences of a sample of 10 Filipino nurses working in Ireland for at least 3 months. A qualitative approach using a phenomenological philosophy was adopted. Data were collected using focus group discussion followed by seven individual interviews, and analysed using a framework described by Moustakas. Five themes emerged: infrastructure; expectation versus experience; understanding of intellectual disability; education; and the role of the family. The study highlights the Filipino nurses’ expressed need for more accurate and relevant information during recruitment in the Philippines.
Effects of functional versus non-functional explanations for challenging behaviours on treatment acceptability
Authors: Mccausland Darragh , Grey Ian M. , Wester Gry , McClean Brian
Published: December 2004

The study evaluated the effects of type of information naive participants received about challenging behaviour on ratings of acceptability of two multi-element treatment plans. Three groups of 20 undergraduate students with no experience of intellectual disability watched an identical 5 minute acted video of an individual with an intellectual disability engage in aggressive behaviour. Voiceover on the video differed: one group was exposed to information derived from a functional assessment, one to causal information that reflected personality and emotional factors, and the third to no causal information. Participants then rated two multielement treatment plans: one based upon functional assessment, and the other upon general non-aversive interventions. Results indicate that all groups were more accepting of the functional plan. However, individuals exposed to information derived from functional assessment were less accepting of non-functional treatment plans. Results have implications for staff cultures and the explanations for challenging behaviours that these cultures endorse.
Family intervention and acquisition of adaptive behaviour among intellectually disabled children
Authors: Russell Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar , John Jacob Kochukaleekal , Lakshmanan Jeyaseelan , Russell Sushila , Lakshmidevi Kavitha Manoharreddy
Published: December 2004

A trial was designed to evaluate the role of enhanced parental attitude towards management of intellectual disability in the acquisition of adaptive behaviour. Fifty-seven children with intellectual disability and their parents were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of either multimodal adaptive behaviour training plus interactive group psycho-education (intervention group); or multimodal adaptive behaviour training plus didactic lectures (control group). Blinded raters were involved. Completers’ and intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. In the intention-to-treat sample, 22 of 29 children in the intervention group compared with four of 28 children in the control group showed a significant improvement in the acquisition of adaptive behaviour. The minimum additive efficacy provided by the enhanced parental attitude was 80 percent. Meaningful clinical benefits on various measures were found for the intervention group after training. Parental attitude intervention should be included in adaptive behaviour training for children with intellectual disability, as enhanced parental attitude has short-term positive effects.
Single infusion of myeloid progenitors reduces death from Aspergillus fumigatus following chemotherapy-induced neutropenia
Authors: BitMansour Andrew , Cao Thai M. , Chao Stephanie , Shashidhar Sumana , Brown Janice M. Y.
Published: December 2004

Hematopoietic progenitors committed to the myeloid lineage, the common myeloid and granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (CMP/GMP), have been shown to protect against opportunistic pathogens following myeloablative radiation; however, the efficacy of this approach has not been studied in the setting of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. In this mouse model, the infusion of CMP/GMP on the day after 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) administration (D+1) resulted in a significant increase in the number of splenic neutrophils by D+8 when compared with 5-FU–only controls (P = .02), the majority of which were CMP/GMP-derived (54%). Moreover, 19% and 28% of neutrophils in the blood and bone marrow, respectively, were CMP/GMP-derived. Survival following intranasal challenge with the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was significantly higher in CMP/GMP-infused mice than the controls (56% and 33% respectively; P = .019). Thus, a single infusion of CMP/GMP enhances tissue neutrophil content and increases survival against a lethal challenge with A fumigatus in the setting of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
Phenotypic correction and long-term expression of factor VIII in hemophilic mice by immunotolerization and nonviral gene transfer using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system
Authors: Ohlfest John R. , Frandsen Joel L. , Fritz Sabine , Lobitz Paul D. , Perkinson Scott G. , Clark Karl J. , Nelsestuen Gary , Key Nigel S. , McIvor R. Scott , Hackett Perry B. , Largaespada David A.
Published: December 2004

Hemophilia A is a lead candidate for treatment by gene therapy because small increments in the missing secreted protein product, coagulation factor VIII (FVIII), would result in substantial clinical amelioration. Clinically relevant therapy might be achieved by stably delivering a human FVIII cDNA to correct the bleeding disorder. We used the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon, delivered as naked plasmid DNA by tail-vein injection, to integrate B-domain–deleted FVIII genes into the chromosomes of hemophilia A mice and correct the phenotype. Since FVIII protein is a neoantigen to these mice, sustaining therapeutic plasma FVIII levels was problematic due to inhibitory antibody production. We circumvented this problem by tolerizing 82% of neonates by a single facial-vein injection of recombinant FVIII within 24 hours of birth (the remaining 18% formed inhibitors). Achievement of high-level (10%-100% of normal) FVIII expression and phenotypic correction required co-injection of an SB transposase-expressing plasmid to facilitate transgene integration in immunotolerized animals. Linker-mediated polymerase chain reaction was used to clone FVIII transposon insertion sites from liver genomic DNA, providing molecular evidence of transposition. Thus, SB provides a nonviral means for sustained FVIII gene delivery in a mouse model of hemophilia A if the immune response is prevented.
Human CD14 is an efficient target for recombinant immunoglobulin vaccine constructs that deliver T cell epitopes
Authors: Tunheim Gro , Schjetne Karoline W , Fredriksen Agnete B , Sandlie Inger , Bogen Bjarne
Published: December 2004

It has been shown in the mouse that recombinant immunoglobulin (Ig) molecules with T cell epitopes inserted into the constant domain (Troybodies) can target antigen-presenting cells (APC) for efficient delivery of T cell epitopes. Here, we have extended the Troybody concept to human applications. Moreover, we show that a receptor of innate immunity, CD14, which is a part of the lipopolysaccharide receptor complex on monocyte APC, is an efficient target. For construction of CD14-specific Troybodies, we used rearranged variable(diversity)joining regions cloned from the 3C10 mouse B cell hybridoma. As a model T cell epitope, amino acids 40–48 of mouse Cκ, presented on human leukocyte antigen-DR4, were inserted into a loop connecting β-strands in CH1 of human γ3. In the presence of monocytes, CD14-specific Troybodies were >100 times as efficient as a nontargeting control antibody (Ab) at stimulating Cκ40–48-specific/DR4-restricted T cells. Presentation was dependent on the conventional processing pathway for presentation on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. Enhanced presentation of the Cκ epitope was most likely a result of increased loading of MHC class II molecules, as the CD14-specific monoclonal Ab 3C10 did not induce maturation of the APC. The results show that CD14, a receptor of innate immunity, may be a promising target of recombinant Ig-based vaccines for elicitation of T cell responses in humans.