bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alkaline lamprophyric province of Central Iran
Authors: BAYAT FERESHTEH , TORABI GHODRAT
Published: October 2011

Paleozoic lamprophyres exhibit good exposures in the western part of the Central–East Iranian microcontinent. These rocks crop out as volcanoes, dykes, and plugs. The constituent minerals are amphibole, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, K‐feldspar, olivine, Cr‐spinel, titanite, biotite, and ilmenite. The main textures in volcanic lamprophyres are porphyritic, trachytic, microlithic, and variolitic, whereas in dykes and plugs, intergranular texture is common. These lamprophyres are regionally metamorphosed in some areas. Petrographical and geochemical characteristics of the studied rocks suggest that they are classified as alkaline lamprophyres and camptonites. They are enriched in alkalis (Na2O + K2O), large ion lithophile elements, and light rare earth elements, and the features of trace element concentrations are similar to those of within‐plate basalts. This study suggests that the lamprophyres were derived from different degrees of partial melting of metasomatized amphibole‐bearing spinel lherzolite. Subduction of Paleo‐Tethys oceanic crust from the Early to late Paleozoic resulted in enrichment in fluids in the mantle, and lamprophyric magmatism occurred along the minor and major faults. This limited but typical lamprophyric magmatism in a broad area of Central Iran suggests that, in spite of the long length of the Paleozoic (∼250 my), it was a relatively calm era from the viewpoint of magmatism in Central Iran.
Use of laryngeal mask airway in near‐term and term neonates during resuscitation: Is it effective and safe?
Authors: Caldwell Patrina , Srinivasjois Ravisha , Earley Joel
Published: October 2011

A scenario where laryngeal mask airway was used for successful resuscitation of a late preterm neonate after failed bag and mask ventilation and unsuccessful endotracheal intubation is presented. A summary of available evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of the use of laryngeal mask airway during neonatal resuscitation is also presented.
Adult onset leukodystrophy with neuroaxonal spheroids and demyelinating plaque‐like lesions
Authors: Martinez‐Saez Elena , Shah Sachit , Costa Carme , Fleminger Simon , Connor Stephen , Bodi Istvan
Published: October 2011

Adult onset leukodystrophy with neuroaxonal spheroids is an uncommon cause of dementia. Both hereditary (autosomal dominant) and sporadic cases have been described. A 41‐year‐old African woman presented with inappropriate behavior and personality change consistent with frontal lobe dysfunction. MRI demonstrated diffuse frontoparietal white matter signal abnormality and volume loss, as well as focal enhancing white matter lesions, while CT scan showed white matter calcifications. She had been gradually deteriorating over the last 5 years, diagnosed as having progressive demyelinating illness. She died of recurrent chest infections. There was no familial history. The brain showed prominent symmetrical white matter changes with greyish discolorization mainly affecting the frontal and parietal lobes, with less involvement of the temporal lobe and only mildly affecting the occipital white matter. Histology revealed deep white matter atrophy with many neuroaxonal spheroids labelled by neurofilament and β‐amyloid precursor protein. In addition, scattered inactive demyelinating plaque‐like lesions were found in the periventricular areas, brainstem and the cervical spinal cord. This case had typical features of an adult onset leukodystrophy with neuroaxonal spheroids. However, we also demonstrated demyelinating plaque‐like lesions, which has not been previously described. The possibility of a demyelinating origin contributing to the changes may be considered in the pathogenesis of this condition.
Primary intracranial Ewing sarcoma with an unusually aggressive course: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Tanboon Jantima , Sitthinamsuwan Bunpot , Paruang Tewajetsada , Marrano Paula , Thorner Paul S.
Published: October 2011

The occurrence of Ewing sarcoma‐peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor as a primary intracranial tumor is very rare, with only 29 cases reported in the literature, 19 of which have included molecular studies. We present the clinical, radiologic and pathologic findings of an intracranial Ewing sarcoma in a 22‐year‐old woman arising from the dura over the right frontal convexity. The patient underwent craniotomy with gross total excision of the tumor. The tumor showed atypical histology and the diagnosis was confirmed by detection of a rearrangement of the EWSR1 gene by fluorescent in situ hybridization and identification of the diagnostic t(11;22)(q24;q12) translocation by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Additional features were detected in this tumor that are known to be associated with an unfavorable prognosis, including loss of p16 expression and gains of chromosomes 1q and 12. The patient experienced the most rapid downhill course reported to date for intracranial Ewing sarcoma, developing multiple extracranial metastases at 2 months and dying 6 months after the initial operation.
Intracerebral, but not intravenous, transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells enhances functional recovery in rat cerebral infarct: An optical imaging study
Authors: Kawabori Masahito , Kuroda Satoshi , Sugiyama Taku , Ito Masaki , Shichinohe Hideo , Houkin Kiyohiro , Kuge Yuji , Tamaki Nagara
Published: October 2011

Recent studies have indicated that bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) may improve neurological function when transplanted into an animal model of CNS disorders, including cerebral infarct. However, there are few studies that evaluate the therapeutic benefits of intracerebral and intravenous BMSC transplantation for cerebral infarct. This study was aimed to clarify the favorable route of cell delivery for cerebral infarct in rats. The rats were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. The BMSC were labeled with near infrared (NIR)‐emitting quantum dots and were transplanted stereotactically (1 × 106cells) or intravenously (3 × 106cells) at 7 days after the insult. Usingin vivoNIR fluorescence imaging technique, the behaviors of BMSC were serially visualized during 4 weeks after transplantation. Motor function was also assessed. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the fate of the engrafted BMSC. Intracerebral, but not intravenous, transplantation of BMSC significantly enhanced functional recovery.In vivoNIR fluorescence imaging could clearly visualize their migration toward the cerebral infarct during 4 weeks after transplantation in the intracerebral group, but not in the intravenous, group. The BMSC were widely distributed in the ischemic brain and some of them expressed neural cell markers in the intracerebral group, but not in the intravenous group. These findings strongly suggest that intravenous administration of BMSC has limited effectiveness at clinically relevant timing and intracerebral administration should be chosen for patients with ischemic stroke, although further studies would be warranted to establish the treatment protocol.
Development of the Psychiatric Nurse Job Stressor Scale (PNJSS)
Authors: Yada Hironori , Abe Hiroshi , Funakoshi Yayoi , Omori Hisamitsu , Matsuo Hisae , Ishida Yasushi , Katoh Takahiko
Published: October 2011

Aims:  The aim of the present study was to develop a tool, the Psychiatric Nurse Job Stressor Scale (PNJSS), for measuring the stress of psychiatric nurses, and to evaluate the reliability and validity of the PNJSS.

Methods:  A total of 302 psychiatric nurses completed all the questions in an early version of the PNJSS, which was composed of 63 items and is based on past literature of psychiatric nurses' stress.

Results:  A total of 22 items from four factors, ‘Psychiatric Nursing Ability’, ‘Attitude of Patients’, ‘Attitude Toward Nursing’ and ‘Communication’, were extracted in exploratory factor analysis. With regard to scale reliability, the item–scale correlation coefficient was r = 0.265–0.570 (P < 0.01), the Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.675–0.869, and the test–retest correlation coefficient was r = 0.439–0.771 (P < 0.01). With regard to scale validity, the convergent validity of the ‘job stressor’ scale was r = 0.172–0.420 (P < 0.01), and the predictive validity of the ‘job reaction’ scale was r = 0.201–0.453 (P < 0.01). The compatibility of the factor model to the data was 1.750 (χ2/d.f., 343.189/196, P < 0.01), the goodness of fit index was 0.910, the adjusted goodness of fit index was 0.883, the comparative fit index was 0.924, and the root mean square error of approximation was 0.050.

Conclusions:  The PNJSS has sufficient reliability and validity as a four‐factor structure containing 22 items, and is valid as a tool for evaluating psychiatric nurse job stressors.
Advance care planning in COPD
Authors: PATEL KEVIN , JANSSEN DAISY J.A. , CURTIS J. RANDALL
Published: October 2011

The review aims to discuss current concepts in advance care planning (ACP) for patients with COPD, and to provide a narrative review of recent trends in ACP and end‐of‐life care for patients with COPD. ACP, which involves patient–clinician communication about end‐of‐life care, can improve outcomes for patients and their families, and may be especially relevant for patients with COPD. Effective patient–clinician communication is needed to inform and prepare patients about their diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and what dying might be like. It is important for clinicians to understand patients' values and preferences for life‐sustaining treatments as well for their site of terminal care. Unfortunately, discussions about ACP and end‐of‐life care in current practice are scarce, and their quality is often poor. ACP can improve outcomes for patients and their relatives. The challenge remains in the practical implementation of ACP in the clinical setting, especially for patients with COPD. ACP should be implemented alongside curative‐restorative care for patients with advanced COPD. The disease course of COPD is such that there will rarely be a clear transition point predicting the timing of the need for initiation of end‐of‐life care. Future studies should focus on interventions that facilitate concurrent ACP and prepare patients for making in‐the‐moment decisions, with the goal of improving the quality of end‐of‐life care.
Maintenance of vital capacity during repetitive breath‐hold in a spearfishing competition
Authors: SECCOMBE LEIGH M. , ROGERS PETER G. , JENKINS CHRISTINE R. , PETERS MATTHEW J.
Published: October 2011

Background and objective:  Cough and a reduction in vital capacity have recently been reported following breath‐hold dives to depths of 25–75 m. We sought to investigate whether repetitive dives to depths of less than 30 m would elicit similar effects.

Methods:  Participants in a single‐day spearfishing competition were recruited. Subjects performed spirometry before and after the 5‐h event. Demographics, medical and diving history, respiratory symptoms and competition diving statistics were collected.

Results:  Twenty‐five subjects (two females), age 33 years (11) (mean (SD)), were studied. During the competition each subject completed 76 (33) dives, to 10 (3) m depth, with each dive lasting 0.9 (0.3) min. Maximum depth was 17 (4) m. No respiratory symptoms were reported. There was no difference in spirometry before and after competition except for FEF25–75%, which increased by 0.16(0.34) L (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  Pulmonary oedema or lung injury is not common after repetitive breath‐hold diving to depths to 25 m, or is too mild to be reflected in symptoms or spirometry.
Wallace direct versus anti‐reflux Le Duc ureteroileal anastomosis: Comparative analysis in modified Studer orthotopic neobladder reconstruction
Authors: Shigemura Katsumi , Yamanaka Nozomu , Imanishi Osamu , Yamashita Masuo
Published: October 2011

Objectives:  To investigate and compare Wallace direct ureteroileal anastomosis with Le Duc anti‐reflux procedure in modified Studer orthotopic neobladder reconstruction after radical cystectomy.

Methods:  A total of 72 consecutive patients who underwent modified Studer orthotopic bladder reconstruction after a radical cystectomy for bladder cancer were investigated. They were examined for vesicoureteral reflux, hydronephrosis, and pyelonephritis at 6 months after surgery according to the type of ureteroileal anastomosis.

Results:  Vesicoureteral reflux occurred in 29 ureters (38.2%) after the Wallace procedure compared to six ureters (9.6%) with the Le Duc (P < 0.05). Hydronephrosis was detected in 12 ureters (18.8%) in the Le Duc patients compared to seven (9%) in the Wallace patients (P > 0.05). Six months after the operation, all three patients with vesicoureteral reflux‐related hydronephrosis improved using clean intermittent catheterization in the Le Duc patients; five of seven patients were cured by clean intermittent catheterization and two improved without any treatment in the Wallace patients. Seven of nine cases of ureteroileal anastomosis stenosis causing hydronephrosis were cured without any treatment but one case resulted in a non‐functional kidney despite treatment of the stenosis.

Conclusions:  Direct ureteroileal anastomosis using the Wallace method is effective for minimizing ureteroileal anastomosis stenosis and it represents a simple surgical procedure when combined with a modified Studer procedure.
Australasian ophthalmology: trans‐Tasman ties
Authors: Hadden O Bruce , Kaufman David V
Published: October 2011

Abstract

Links between Australian and New Zealand ophthalmology began with peripatetic surgeons who worked in both countries. Links continued with the Intercolonial Medical Congresses which began in 1887. Ophthalmologists from both countries were involved in the founding of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in 1927. There were combined meetings of the Ophthalmological Societies of Australia and New Zealand from 1962. Common training and qualification programs evolved. The culmination of ties occurred in 1997 when the Ophthalmological Society of New Zealand merged with the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists to form the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
Novel grading system for pupillary ruff changes and associated features
Authors: Wong Tracey , Ang Ghee Soon , Nicholas Simon , Wells Anthony P
Published: October 2011

Abstract

Background:  To evaluate the reproducibility of a new system for grading pupil ruff changes and associated findings.

Design:  Observational comparative study.

Participants:  Forty‐seven photograph sets including iris, pupil edge and ruff, and inferior anterior chamber drainage angle.

Methods:  A novel system for recording pupillary ruff changes was developed, along with reference iris, pupil and gonioscopy images. A prospective masked agreement study was undertaken using two observers who graded the photograph sets using this new system. Parameters included pupillary ruff absence and abnormality, pupil edge pigment, trabecular meshwork pigment, Sampaolesi line pigment, iris root pigment, and pigment ‘lumps’ and ‘piles’.

Main Outcome Measures:  Intraobserver and interobserver agreement for the parameters of the grading system, assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland–Altman plots.

Results:  Photographs of 47 eyes of 47 glaucoma suspects and glaucoma patients were evaluated. Agreement percentages of ≥95% (average 96%) and ≥60% (average 70%) were obtained for intraobserver and interobserver agreement, respectively. The average interobserver single‐measure intraclass correlation coefficient and repeat‐measures intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.75 (range 0.54–0.88) and 0.85 (range 0.70–0.94), respectively. There was a non‐significant trend towards interobserver systematic bias on one of the nine parameters (iris stroma pigment at the pupil edge).

Conclusion:  This grading system provides a reliable and reproducible system for encoding of clinical signs of pupil ruff atrophy for clinical research.
Phosphite utilization by the marine picocyanobacterium Prochlorococcus MIT9301
Authors: Martínez Asunción , Osburne Marcia S. , Sharma Adrian K. , DeLong Edward F. , Chisholm Sallie W.
Published: October 2011

Primary productivity in the ocean's oligotrophic regions is often limited by phosphorus (P) availability. In low phosphate environments, the prevalence of many genes involved in P acquisition is elevated, suggesting that the ability to effectively access diverse P sources is advantageous for organisms inhabiting these regions. Prochlorococcus, the numerically dominant primary producer in the oligotrophic ocean, encodes high‐affinity P transporters, P regulatory proteins and enzymes for organic phosphate utilization, but its ability to use reduced P compounds has not been previously demonstrated. Because Prochlorococcus strain MIT9301 encodes genes similar to phnY and phnZ, which constitute a novel marine bacterial 2‐aminoethylphosphonate (2‐AEPn) utilization pathway, it has been suggested that this organism might use 2‐AEPn as an alternative P source. We show here that although MIT9301 was unable to use 2‐AEPn as a sole P source under standard culture conditions, it was able to use phosphite. Phosphite utilization by MIT9301 appears to be mediated by an NAD‐dependent phosphite dehydrogenase encoded by ptxD. We show that phosphite utilization genes are present in diverse marine microbes and that their abundance is higher in low‐P waters. These results strongly suggest that phosphite represents a previously unrecognized component of the marine P cycle.
Feline calicivirus: a neglected cause of feline ocular surface infections?
Authors: Gerriets Wiebke , Joy Nisha , Huebner‐Guthardt Janine , Eule Johanna Corinna
Published: October 2011

Objective To investigate the prevalence of feline calicivirus (FCV) infection in relation to ocular surface lesions in cats with upper respiratory tract diseases (URTD).

Animals studied Ninety‐nine cats with ocular surface infection and symptoms or recent history of URTD were examined at various rescue shelters and hospitals.

Procedure A complete general and ophthalmic examination was performed including Schirmer tear test, slit‐lamp biomicroscopy, fluorescein and lissamine green staining. Clinical and ocular symptoms were scored and recorded. Conjunctival samples were collected using a cytobrush, and nucleic acid extraction using RT‐PCR was carried out to analyze for the presence of various infectious agents.

Results RT‐PCR detected either FCV, feline herpes virus type 1 (FHV‐1),Chlamydophila felisorMycoplasma spp. in 63/99 samples. 30/63 samples were positive for FCV, 23/63 forC. felis, 21/63 forMycoplasma spp., and 16/63 for FHV‐1. Out of the 30 FCV‐positive samples, 11 were positive only for FCV and in 19 samples FCV was seen in combination with other agents. FCV infection was highest in animals examined at the rescue centers and in the age group of 0–2 months. Erosive conjunctivitis was an important ocular finding. Oral ulcers were detected in all FCV‐infected cats.

Conclusion Results indicate that FCV is highly prevalent in cats with URTD either as a sole infectious agent or in combination with other pathogens and therefore is a potential cause for ocular surface lesions during the URTD.
Climbing the electricity ladder generates carbon Kuznets curve downturns*
Authors: Burke Paul J.
Published: October 2011

This paper examines why some countries have experienced environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)‐type reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, while others have not. The hypothesis that climbing to the upper rungs of the electricity ladder (nuclear power and modern renewables) has been the primary mechanism via which countries have achieved substantial reductions in per capita CO2 emissions is tested using a binomial dependent variable modelling approach for a sample of 105 countries. The findings suggest that electricity mix transitions caused by long‐run growth in per capita incomes are indeed the primary determinant of carbon Kuznets curve downturns. The paper explores additional mechanisms via which carbon Kuznets curves may have been generated, but the results indicate that these are of lesser overall importance than the electricity mix effect. The evidence also suggests that countries with larger fossil fuel endowments are less likely to experience carbon Kuznets curve downturns, an additional curse of natural resources.
GOVERNING MENTAL HEALTH CARE: HOW POWER IS EXERTED IN AND THROUGH A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COLLABORATIVE
Authors: BROER TINEKE , NIEBOER ANNA P. , BAL ROLAND
Published: October 2011

We investigated the role of power in public governance using a Foucauldian conceptualization of power, i.e., power is produced by a range of techniques as diverse as language and measuring. We draw on an evaluation study of a quality improvement collaborative, in which different mental health care organizations were encouraged to improve their care in a structured way. We analyzed how the different actors involved in the collaborative were governed and came to govern themselves differently. Measurement instruments were an example of a dominant mechanism by which actors at different levels of the collaborative were governed: by accounting for improvements, introducing or strengthening a certain way of thinking about health care clients, and changing how clients thought about and acted upon themselves. We argue that the focus on consequences of governing techniques is fruitful for studying governmentality and leads to new research questions in the context of public policy analyses.
Trade Liberalization and Technology Diffusion
Authors: Hafner Kurt A.
Published: October 2011

The paper considers the role of technology diffusion and trade liberalization for the catching‐up of structurally backward countries. A New Economic Geography model is presented that accounts for firm entry/exit and international mobility of skilled labor employed in public R&D sectors. This raises the traditional agglomeration effects in a core–periphery setting as firms and mobile factors usually cluster within spatial agglomerations. With international technology diffusion, however, there is a counteracting effect on the traditional agglomeration effects as firms in the periphery also benefit from increasing R&D expenditures in the core lowering entry costs for firms. It is found that the catching‐up of structurally backward countries is spurred not only as a result of trade integration but also because of technology diffusion.
Emerging Technologies and the Future of Philosophy
Authors: Verdoux Philippe
Published: October 2011

This article examines how a class of emerging technologies—specifically, radical cognitive enhancements and artificial intelligence—has the potential to influence the future of philosophy. The article argues that progress in philosophy has been impeded, in part, by two specific constraints imposed on us by the natural architecture of our cognitive systems. Both of these constraints, though, could in principle be overcome by certain cognitive technologies currently being researched and/or developed. It surveys a number of these technologies, and then looks at a particular metaphilosophical stance (called “inflationism”) that advocates amplifying the abilities of philosophers rather than reducing the ambitions of philosophy, given the apparent “teleological gap” between philosophy's ultimate goal (i.e., “the truth”) and the limited capacities of our evolved mental machinery.
Do Retail Investors Follow Insider Trades?
Authors: Stotz Olaf
Published: October 2011

On the basis of transaction records of retail investors provided by a large financial institution, this article analyzes whether, in the aggregate, retail investors do copy insider trades. The results suggest that insider trades are indeed an important piece of information for the transactions of retail investors, whose buy-sell imbalances (BSIs) increase in stocks which insiders buy, and whose BSIs decrease following insider sales. These results are robust when considering stock characteristics and general attention effects. With regard to trading insider stocks, retail investors’ preferences for growth and attention are less pronounced when compared with trades of noninsider stocks.
Changes in pulmonary function during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Grindheim G , Toska K , Estensen M‐E , Rosseland LA
Published: October 2011

Please cite this paper as: Grindheim G, Toska K, Estensen M, Rosseland L. Changes in pulmonary function during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study. BJOG 2012;119:94–101.

Objective  To record any physiological changes in lung function during healthy pregnancies, and evaluate the influence of parity, pregestational overweight, and excessive weight gain.

Design  Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting  Antenatal clinic at Oslo University Hospital.

Population  One hundred healthy white women with singleton pregnancies.

Methods  The women were studied with repeated measures of lung function using spirometry at a gestational age of 14–16, 22–24, 30–32, and 36 weeks, and at 6 months postpartum.

Main outcome measures  Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF), also expressed as a percentage of predicted values according to age and height: i.e. FVC%, FEV1%, and PEF%.

Results  Both FVC and FVC% increased significantly after 14–16 weeks of gestation (P = 0.001), as was the case for both PEF and PEF% (P < 0.001). FVC, FVC%, PEF, and PEF% in early and mid‐pregnancy were significantly lower compared with the postpartum value (all P < 0.05). Nulliparous women had an overall 4.4% lower value of FVC% than parous women (P = 0.039). There were no differences in FVC, FEV1, or PEF dependent upon pregestational overweight or excessive weight gain.

Conclusions  Forced vital capacity (FVC) increases significantly after 14–16 weeks of gestation. The FVC% is significantly higher in parous compared with primigravida women, suggesting that the changes in FVC occurring during pregnancy persist postpartum. PEF increases significantly during healthy pregnancies, and should be interpreted cautiously in pregnant women with impaired lung function.
Neuropeptide Y inhibits interleukin‐1 beta‐induced microglia motility
Authors: Ferreira Raquel , Santos Tiago , Cortes Luísa , Cochaud Stéphanie , Agasse Fabienne , Silva Ana Paula , Xapelli Sara , Malva João O.
Published: October 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 93–105.

Increasing evidences suggest that neuropeptide Y (NPY) may act as a key modulator of the cross‐talk between the brain and the immune system in health and disease. In the present study, we dissected the possible inhibitory role of NPY upon inflammation‐associated microglial cell motility. NPY, through activation of Y1 receptors, was found to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced microglia (N9 cell line) motility. Moreover, stimulation of microglia with LPS was inhibited by IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra), suggesting the involvement of endogenous interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) in this process. Direct stimulation with IL‐1β promoted downstream p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase mobilization and increased microglia motility. Moreover, consistently, p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase inhibition decreased the extent of actin filament reorganization occurring during plasma membrane ruffling and p38 phosphorylation was inhibited by NPY, involving Y1 receptors. Significantly, the key inhibitory role of NPY on LPS‐induced motility of CD11b‐positive cells was further confirmed in mouse brain cortex explants. In summary, we revealed a novel functional role for NPY in the regulation of microglial function that may have important implications in the modulation of CNS injuries/diseases where microglia migration/motility might play a role.
Does a Video‐Interpreting Network Improve Delivery of Care in the Emergency Department?
Authors: Jacobs Elizabeth A. , Fu Paul C. , Rathouz Paul J.
Published: October 2011

Objective

To measure the impact of a policy change from use of telephonic and face‐to‐face interpreting to use of a video‐interpreting network on Emergency Department (ED) care.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Observational study of ED care at two California hospitals.

Study Design

We compared tests ordered, time in the ED, and admission rates for English‐ and Spanish‐speaking patients presenting with chest pain and abdominal pain before and after the policy change.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Data were extracted from electronic medical and billing records.

Principal Findings

Mean time in the ED, mean number of laboratory tests, radiology services, electrocardiograms, and echocardiograms, and rates of hospital admission for both language groups at both hospitals went down in the post‐video‐interpreting network period compared with the pre‐video‐interpreting network period. The percentage of patients leaving the ED against medical advice (AMA) increased in one hospital for both language groups; this increase was statistically significantly smaller in the Spanish‐language group compared with the English group (p = .04).

Conclusions

The studied video‐interpreting network had minimal impact on health care outcomes in the ED.
Physician Social Networks and Variation in Prostate Cancer Treatment in Three Cities
Authors: Pollack Craig Evan , Weissman Gary , Bekelman Justin , Liao Kaijun , Armstrong Katrina
Published: October 2011

Objective

To examine whether physician social networks are associated with variation in treatment for men with localized prostate cancer.

Data Source

2004–2005 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results‐Medicare data from three cities.

Study Design

We identified the physicians who care for patients with prostate cancer and created physician networks for each city based on shared patients. Subgroups of urologists were defined as physicians with dense connections with one another via shared patients.

Principal Findings

Subgroups varied widely in their unadjusted rates of prostatectomy and the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic composition of their patients. There was an association between urologist subgroup and receipt of prostatectomy. In city A, four subgroups had significantly lower odds of prostatectomy compared with the subgroup with the highest rates of prostatectomy after adjusting for patient clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Similarly, in cities B and C, subgroups had significantly lower odds of prostatectomy compared with the baseline.

Conclusions

Using claims data to identify physician networks may provide an insight into the observed variation in treatment patterns for men with prostate cancer.
Pharmaceutical Price Controls and Minimum Efficacy Regulation: Evidence from the United States and Italy
Authors: Atella Vincenzo , Bhattacharya Jay , Carbonari Lorenzo
Published: October 2011

Objective

This article examines the relationship between drug price and drug quality and how it varies across two of the most common regulatory regimes in the pharmaceutical market: minimum efficacy standards (MES) and a mix of MES and price control mechanisms (MES + PC).

Data Sources

Our primary data source is the Tufts‐New England Medical Center‐Cost Effectiveness Analysis Registry which have been merged with price data taken from MEPS (for the United States) and AIFA (for Italy).

Study Design

Through a simple model of adverse selection we model the interaction between firms, heterogeneous buyers, and the regulator.

Principal Findings

The theoretical analysis provides two results. First, an MES regime provides greater incentives to produce high‐quality drugs. Second, an MES + PC mix reduces the difference in price between the highest and lowest quality drugs on the market.

Conclusion

The empirical analysis based on United States and Italian data corroborates these results.
Synthesis of novel water‐soluble fluorescent coumarins bearing sulphonic and hydroxyl groups
Authors: Deligeorgiev Todor , Tsvetkova Teodora , Stanimirov Stanislav
Published: October 2011

Two dihydroxynaphtaldehydes (2,5‐dihydroxynaphtaldehyde and 2,7‐dihydroxynaphtaldehyde) and 2,4‐dyhydroxybenzaldehyde were sulphonated. These intermediates were used in subsequent reactions with 2‐cyanomethylbenzothiazole, 2‐cyanomethylbenzoimidazole and 1‐methyl‐2‐cyanomethylbenzoimidazole to synthesise sulphonated coumarin derivatives. The absorption and steady‐state fluorescence characteristics of the prepared coumarins were studied in ethanol and in water.
A Holistic Approach to Multilingual Education: Introduction
Authors: CENOZ JASONE , GORTER DURK
Published: October 2011

In contrast to more traditional approaches that look at one language at a time, in this issue we propose a holistic approach that takes into account all of the languages in the learner's repertoire. First, we discuss some ideas about the monolingual bias both in research and in language teaching. Then we look at multilingual practices among multilingual speakers that include phenomena such as codeswitching, translanguaging, and codemeshing. These ideas are followed by a short introduction for each of the contributions to this special issue.
Pedagogies and Practices in Multilingual Classrooms: Singularities in Pluralities
Authors: GARCÍA OFELIA , SYLVAN CLAIRE E.
Published: October 2011

Bilingual classrooms most often have strict language arrangements about when and who should speak what language to whom. This practice responds to diglossic arrangements and models of bilingualism developed in the 20th century. However, in the 21st century, heteroglossic bilingual conceptualizations are needed in which the complex discursive practices of multilingual students, their translanguagings, are used in sense‐making and in tending to the singularities in the pluralities that make up multilingual classrooms today. Examining the case of a network of U.S. secondary schools for newcomer immigrants, the International High Schools, this article looks at how students’ plurilingual abilities are built through seven principles that support dynamic plurilingual practices in instruction—heterogeneity, collaboration, learner‐centeredness, language and content integration, language use from students up, experiential learning, and local autonomy and responsibility. As a result, students become not only more knowledgeable and academically successful but also more confident users of academic English, better at translanguaging, and more plurilingual‐proficient. The article presents translanguaging in education as the constant adaptation of linguistic resources in the service of meaning‐making and in tending to the singularities in the pluralities that make up multilingual classrooms today.
Religion and Scientific Literacy in the United States
Authors: Sherkat Darren E.
Published: October 2011

Objective

This study examines how commitment to sectarian Protestant religious groups and fundamentalist beliefs in the inerrancy of the Bible influence basic scientific literacy.

Methods

I analyze data from the 2006 General Social Survey (N = 1,780), which included a 13‐point examination of scientific facts and reasoning. Ordinary least squares regression models are estimated to determine the impact of religious affiliations and beliefs net of other control variables such as race, gender, education, income, region, and rural residence.

Results

Analyses show that sectarian Protestants, Catholics, and people with fundamentalist beliefs in the inerrancy of the Bible have significantly lower levels of scientific literacy when compared with secular Americans. Religious differences are identifiable in multivariate analyses controlling for other demographic factors.

Conclusions

Religion plays a sizeable role in the low levels of scientific literacy found in the United States, and the negative impact of religious factors is more substantial than gender, race, or income.
Sense of Control and Voting: A Genetically‐Driven Relationship
Authors: Littvay Levente , Weith Paul T. , Dawes Christopher T.
Published: October 2011

Objectives

The impact of political efficacy on political participation has been established in numerous classical studies of political behavior. However, the effects of more general measures of efficacy on political efficacy and voter turnout have received almost no attention. Additionally, seemingly independent contemporary developments in the field of political science proposed that political participation is heritable. In this study, we propose to link the two literatures, highlighting one possible mechanism through which genetic inheritance of political behavior is possible in the absence of the evolutionary time horizons of voting behavior. We theorize that heritability of psychological dispositions, such as one's sense of control, is more plausible and indirectly, through political efficacy, could have an influence on one's decision to vote.

Methods

We test our hypotheses using a classical twin study design (ACE models) and Cholesky decomposition models on data from the MIDUS (first wave) and MNTPS twin surveys.

Results

Empirically we find a relationship between general efficacy and turnout. We show that numerous operationalizations of efficacy are highly heritable and their covariance with turnout is predominantly driven by underlying additive genetic sources. On the other hand, environmental covariation between general and political efficacy and turnout is not significantly different from zero.

Conclusions

Our analysis contributes to a better understanding of how one's sense of control influences voting behavior. Our results provide sufficient evidence to claim that the covariation between these two traits can primarily be attributed to genetic factors. However, this is certainly not the only pathway that explains the heritability of voter turnout.
Race and Criminology in the Age of Genomic Science
Authors: Walsh Anthony , Yun Ilhong
Published: October 2011

Objective

To survey the contemporary literature in the social and biological sciences relevant to race that examines both the reality and the usefulness of the concept. Race is considered a major correlate of criminal behavior, and thus a fresh look at the concept is of obvious importance to criminologists and sociologists.

Method

Social, genetic, medical, and criminology databases were keyword searched for articles on race that either addressed its existence/nonexistence or usefulness as a concept.

Results

We find that biologist and social constructionists talk past one another and never venture beyond the comfort of their own positions. Genetic studies using very few chromosomal loci find that genetic polymorphisms divide human populations into clusters with almost 100 percent accuracy and that they correspond to the traditional anthropological categories.

Conclusion

There is much to gain by recognizing that these categories differ genetically, and that we can dispense with the term race in favor of some other term such as population or ethnic group and nothing would be lost except a word.
Gender and Physiological Effects in Connecting Disgust to Political Preferences
Authors: Balzer Amanda , Jacobs Carly M.
Published: October 2011

Objectives

Sensitivity to disgust predicts social attitudes, but this relationship can shift depending on gender and whether response to disgust is measured through surveys or physiological tests. We are interested in exploring the relationship between gender, political preferences, and different measures of disgust.

Methods

We systematically evaluate these interrelationships by comparing self‐reported disgust sensitivity and changes in skin conductance while viewing disgusting images, accounting for gender and attitudes toward gay marriage.

Results

We find that although there is no physiological difference between genders, opponents of gay marriage conform to gender‐role expectations in self‐reports, with women reporting higher levels of disgust than males. For males, physiological response better predicts attitudes on gay marriage because there are physiological, but not self‐reported, differences between supporters and opponents. Self‐report and physiology both predict gay marriage attitudes for females.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that combining traditional survey and physiological measures provides leverage in exploring questions related to social behaviors and their origins.
The Freshman 15: A Critical Time for Obesity Intervention or Media Myth?
Authors: Zagorsky Jay L. , Smith Patricia K.
Published: October 2011

Objectives

We test whether the phrase “Freshman 15” accurately describes weight change among first‐year college students. We also analyze freshmen's weight change during and after college.

Methods

This is the first investigation of the “Freshman 15” to use a nationally representative random sample, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, simulations, and longitudinal analysis.

Results

Freshmen gain between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, on average, over the course of their first year of college. Compared to same‐age noncollege attendees, the typical freshman gains only an additional half‐pound. Instead of a spike in weight during the freshman year, college‐educated individuals exhibit moderate but steady weight gain during and after college.

Conclusion

Anti‐obesity efforts directed specifically at college freshmen will likely have little impact on obesity prevalence among young adults.
Religiousness, mental health, and quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients
Authors: Lucchetti Giancarlo , de Almeida Luiz Guilherme Camargo , Lucchetti Alessandra Lamas Granero
Published: October 2011

Patients with chronic kidney disease often use religion as a coping strategy to relieve suffering and serve as a source of strength. The aim of this study was to identify religious aspects associated with mental health and quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients. A cross‐sectional study was performed involving two dialysis centers in Brazil. Patients were selected consecutively over three typical dialysis treatment days. The questionnaire was self‐administered and covered the following aspects: socio‐demographic aspects, religiousness (using the Portuguese version of the Private and Social Religious Practice Scale), quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life brief Scale Brief Version), depression and anxiety (Beck Inventory), and pain grade. For statistical analysis, the hypothesis that different religious variables are associated (positively or negatively) with depressive/anxiety symptoms and quality of life in these patients was tested using linear regression, controlling for confounding variables. A total of 205 patients were invited to participate and 133 (64.8%) agreed to fill out the questionnaire. On the adjusted model, reading religious literature was found to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms (P < 0.001). In addition, the psychological domain of quality of life was positively associated with an increase in patient religiosity (P = 0.030) and greater religious importance for recovery from their dialysis condition (P = 0.016), whereas the environmental domain was positively associated with greater religious importance for recovery (P = 0.032). No religious aspects were associated with anxiety symptoms. Religiousness is associated with less depressive symptoms and better quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients. Nephrologists should evaluate the patient's spirituality and religion in order to provide more integrative care.
Lead‐Free Ferroelectric Potassium Sodium Niobate Thin Films from Solution: Composition and Structure
Authors: Kupec Alja , Malic Barbara , Tellier Jenny , Tchernychova Elena , Glinsek Sebastjan , Kosec Marija
Published: October 2011

Lead‐free potassium sodium niobate (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 thin films on Pt(111)/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates have been prepared from the acetate–alkoxide‐based precursor solutions with the stoichiometric composition and with 5 or 10 mol% excess of sodium or potassium acetate. Upon heating to 750°C, the films crystallize in pure perovskite phase. The increasing amount of alkali excess in solutions increases the degree of {100} orientation and it influences the nucleation and growth processes in the films. The microstructure of about 250 nm thick films prepared from the stoichiometric and 5 mol% excess solutions consists of equiaxed grains of about 50 nm across, whereas the grain size in the about 220 nm thick films prepared from the 10 mol% excess solutions is about 200 nm. The energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy revealed that the alkali excess in precursor solutions contributed to a higher level of chemical homogeneity of the films on the micrometer scale. The chemical composition of the films prepared from the 5% potassium‐excess solution was closest to the (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 composition among all the samples as a result of more pronounced potassium losses upon heating. These films had the room temperature values of dielectric permittivity, dielectric losses, remnant polarization, and coercive field measured at 1 kHz 610, 0.015, 8 μC/cm2, and 80 kV/cm, respectively.
Engineering Nanostructured Bi2WO6–TiO2 Toward Effective Utilization of Natural Light in Photocatalysis
Authors: Zhang Yupeng , Fei Linfeng , Jiang Xudong , Pan Chunxu , Wang Yu
Published: October 2011

Being expected as one of the most promising solutions in water and air purification as photocatalyst, TiO2 is attracting intensive and extensive research interests globally despite its wide band gap (~3.2 eV for anatase structure) which limits it only to be activated under UV irradiation. In pursuit of extending the active region of TiO2 toward visible light, considerable attention was devoted to develop TiO2‐based photocatalyst. We report herein, for the first time, novel “bud‐on‐branch” Bi2WO6–TiO2 nanofibers fabricated via a facile and large‐scale electrospinning technique from a biphased precursor. Formed by surface‐decorating continuous TiO2 nanofibers (mixed anatase–rutile system with an average diameter of about 100 nm) with ~13 nm well‐crystallized Bi2WO6 nanoparticles, the as‐synthesized Bi2WO6–TiO2 nanofibers achieved an evidently increased specific surface area. Furthermore, corresponding photocatalytic experiments revealed that the optimal photodegradation rate from our designed heterostructure was as high as three times to that of pure TiO2 nanofibers; this increase in optimal photodegradation rate is attributed to the relatively well‐matched energy band between TiO2 and Bi2WO6 and hence an excellent separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in both ultraviolet and visible light regions, suggesting that the designed heterostructures can give better rise to practise photocatalysis under natural light.
Negotiating the Marcellus: The Role of Information in Building Trust in Extractive Deals
Authors: Liss Jodi
Published: October 2011

New technology has expanded the opportunities for energy companies within the United States, often bringing them into populated communities and requiring them to negotiate deals with landowners. This case study focuses on how one group of landowners in northeastern Pennsylvania creatively reimagined the process of negotiating in a natural gas deal. They used collective bargaining for leverage, and the Internet and social media to level the informational playing field. These techniques allowed them to develop trust within the group and ultimately with one company, as they sought to protect their environment and enhance their financial gain.