bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erholungseffekte sportlicher Aktivitäten in stadtnahen Wäldern, Parks und Fitnessstudios | Restorative effects of sports activities in suburban forests, parks, and fitness centres
Authors: Hansmann Ralf , Eigenheer-Hug Stella-Maria , Berset Estelle , Seeland Klaus
Published: March 2010

Three field studies concerning leisure activities, restoration and stress reduction in urban parks and close-to-the-city forests as well as in fitness centres are presented. Study 1 analyzes restorative effects of training in the forest and in fitness centres. In the questionnaire study, which was accomplished in four fitness centres and four forest sites, 269 persons participated. A clear improvement of well-being was observed after sports activities in both environments. Persons that were training in the forests, however, reported a somewhat stronger reduction of everyday hassles and a higher improvement of mental balance, while those who were training in fitness centres reported somewhat stronger stress reduction and a clearer improvement of their physical well-being. A second questionnaire survey (N = 164) addressed restoration and stress reduction in forests and parks and compares the effects of different activities performed in these green environments (Study 2). The participants felt on average clearly less stressed and more balanced after the visit in the greenspace than before. Practicing sports activities in the green showed a better effect on well-being than other activities. A further field survey (N = 80) compares restoration and stress reduction of joggers and persons taking a walk in parks and in suburban forests (Study 3). The physically more active joggers reported a stronger stress reduction. Thus, the studies 2 and 3 indicate that sports activities in green areas are particularly favorable for mental well-being. No significant differences between visiting forests and parks regarding the effects on well-being resulted from these two studies.
Tools for assessment of human health dimensions in forests | Tools for assessment of human health dimensions in forests
Authors: Parviainen Jari , Furu Peter , Kretsch Conor
Published: March 2010

Human health related to forests can be evaluated by Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodologies and by using indicators of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). The HIA systematically reviews the health aspects associated with a development policy, plan or project for a forested area, whereas the indicators of SFM can be used to monitor and give information on the existing forests, and their management, including planning. A prerequisite for the assessment of human health aspects in forestry context is defining the relevant indicators. The physical and mental aspects of human health as well as human diseases related to forest conditions are not covered comprehensively and in an operational way for use in current forest management. The health aspects need more multidisciplinary research on the cause-effect relationships between health, forest management and biodiversity. It is also necessary to develop methodologies for the estimation of the economic value of the non-market forest ecosystem services. This article outlines several possibilities to collaborate and develop joint approaches between forest and health sector to assess the health aspect in forests and to ensure that the health aspects in forest management are taken into consideration.
Gesundheit und Erholung in Wald und Landschaft – ein Rückblick | Health and recreation in forest and landscape – a retrospective
Authors: Bauer Nicole
Published: March 2010

Taking the great diversity of lectures given at the “Health and recreation in forest and landscape” Conference held in Birmensdorf from 1st to 3rd April 2009, the present article brings them into an approximate classification and shows new fields of action or suggests those which should be gone into more thoroughly. The research projects presented can be divided into those studies which analyse the effects of certain environmental conditions on people and those in which demographic data or data from surveys are linked to spatial information. The practical examples presented are connected either with people or with the physical environment. The majority of research projects deal with forest and landscape as a resource for physical and mental well-being. Studies on the effects of a stay in natural surroundings on social health are however, as always, relatively rare. This branch of research deserves more attention in the future. Furthermore, by means of carefully controlled empirical studies, research should be made into which environment is most suitable for which target group and at what moment in time. In addition, it would be important to gather the experiences gained by the numerous individual studies in a central data bank in order to make this knowledge generally accessible and to facilitate cooperation between all sectors.
Culture Unbound Vol. 2 Editorial
Authors: Fornä:s Johan , Fredriksson Martin , Johannisson Jenny
Published: March 2010

No abstract available.
The Politics of the Gaze: Foucault, Lacan and Žižek
Authors: Krips Henry
Published: March 2010

Joan Copjec accuses orthodox film theory of misrepresenting the Lacanian gaze by assimilating it to Foucauldian panopticon (Copjec 1994: 18–19). Although Copjec is correct that orthodox film theory misrepresents the Lacanian gaze, she, in turn, misrepresents Foucault by choosing to focus exclusively upon those aspects of his work on the panopticon that have been taken up by orthodox film theory (Copjec 1994: 4). In so doing, I argue, Copjec misses key parallels between the Lacanian and Foucauldian concepts of the gaze. More than a narrow academic dispute about how to read Foucault and Lacan, this debate has wider political significance. In particular, using Slavoj Žižek’s work, I show that a correct account of the panoptic gaze leads us to rethink the question of how to oppose modern techniques of surveillance.
The Sound-Symbolic Expression of Animacy in Amazonian Ecuador
Authors: Nuckolls Janis  B.
Published: March 2010

Several anthropologists of Amazonian societies in Ecuador have claimed that for Achuar [1] and Quichua speaking Runa [2-4] there is no fundamental distinction between humans on the one hand, and plants and animals on the other. A related observation is that Runa and Achuar people share an animistic cosmology whereby animals, plants, and even seemingly inert entities such as rocks and stones are believed to have a life force or essence with a subjectivity that can be expressed. This paper will focus on Quichua speaking Runa to seek linguistic evidence for animacy by examining the sound-symbolic properties of a class of expressions called ideophones. I argue that structural features of ideophones such as canonical length and diversity of sound segments as well as type of sound segments, help express the animism of the Runa lifeworld. Moreover, although these features are not indicative of any essential distinctions between plants and animals, they may be indicative of a scalar view of animacy, along the lines suggested by Descola who first proposed a continuum or ‘ladder of animacy’ for the Achuar [1, pp. 321-326]. Ideophones, then, may be understood as one set of linguistic tools for coming to terms with the diversity of their ecological setting, a setting which spans highly animate humans and animals, through less animate plants, trees, and rocks.
Comparative Analysis of Networks of Phonologically Similar Words in English and Spanish
Authors: Arbesman Samuel , Strogatz Steven  H. , Vitevitch Michael  S.
Published: March 2010

Previous network analyses of several languages revealed a unique set of structural characteristics. One of these characteristics—the presence of many smaller components (referred to as islands)—was further examined with a comparative analysis of the island constituents. The results showed that Spanish words in the islands tended to be phonologically and semantically similar to each other, but English words in the islands tended only to be phonologically similar to each other. The results of this analysis yielded hypotheses about language processing that can be tested with psycholinguistic experiments, and offer insight into cross-language differences in processing that have been previously observed.
Miniaturization in Biocatalysis
Authors: Fernandes Pedro
Published: March 2010

The use of biocatalysts for the production of both consumer goods and building blocks for chemical synthesis is consistently gaining relevance. A significant contribution for recent advances towards further implementation of enzymes and whole cells is related to the developments in miniature reactor technology and insights into flow behavior. Due to the high level of parallelization and reduced requirements of chemicals, intensive screening of biocatalysts and process variables has become more feasible and reproducibility of the bioconversion processes has been substantially improved. The present work aims to provide an overview of the applications of miniaturized reactors in bioconversion processes, considering multi-well plates and microfluidic devices, update information on the engineering characterization of the hardware used, and present perspective developments in this area of research.
QSAR Studies on Andrographolide Derivatives as α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Authors: Xu Jun , Huang Sichao , Luo Haibin , Li Guoji , Bao Jiaolin , Cai Shaohui , Wang Yuqiang
Published: March 2010

Andrographolide derivatives were shown to inhibit α-glucosidase. To investigate the relationship between activities and structures of andrographolide derivatives, a training set was chosen from 25 andrographolide derivatives by the principal component analysis (PCA) method, and a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) was established by 2D and 3D QSAR methods. The cross-validation r2 (0.731) and standard error (0.225) illustrated that the 2D-QSAR model was able to identify the important molecular fragments and the cross-validation r2 (0.794) and standard error (0.127) demonstrated that the 3D-QSAR model was capable of exploring the spatial distribution of important fragments. The obtained results suggested that proposed combination of 2D and 3D QSAR models could be useful in predicting the α-glucosidase inhibiting activity of andrographolide derivatives.
Toward High-Performance Coatings for Biomedical Devices: Study on Plasma-Deposited Fluorocarbon Films and Ageing in PBS
Authors: Holvoet Servaas , Chevallier Pascale , Turgeon Stéphane , Mantovani Diego
Published: March 2010

High performance coatings tailored to medical devices represent a recognised approach to modulate surface properties. Plasma-deposited fluorocarbon films have been proposed as a potential stent coating. Previous studies have shown promising adhesion properties: the 35 nm-thick film sustained plastic deformation up to 25% such as induced during the clinical implantation. In this study, the compositional and morphological changes of plasma-deposited fluorocarbon films were examined during ageing in a pseudo-physiological medium, a phosphate buffer solution (PBS), by angle-resolved XPS, FT-IR data and AFM images. The evolution of the ageing process is discussed: defluorination and crosslinking yielded an oxidized protective top layer onto the films, which showed further degradation.
Different Anthocyanin Profiles of the Skin and the Pulp of Yan73 (Muscat Hamburg × Alicante Bouschet) Grape Berries
Authors: He Jian-Jun , Liu Yan-Xia , Pan Qiu-Hong , Cui Xiang-Yun , Duan Chang-Qing
Published: March 2010

Yan73 is a “teinturier” red wine variety cultivated in China and used in winemaking to strengthen red wine color. Here, the anthocyanin profile in both the skin and pulp of this grape variety was analyzed by HPLC-MS. The results showed that 18 anthocyanins were detected in both the skin and the pulp, and pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, an anthocyanin compound hardly detected in most other Vitis viniferaberries, was found. However, the contents of individual anthocyanins in the skin and the pulp were significantly different. Compared with the skin, the pulp exhibited much lower ratio of 3’,5’-substituted to 3’-substituted anthocyanins and much higher ratio of methoxylation of anthocyanin B-ring to non methoxylation, and with regard to the aromatic acylated and aliphatic acylated anthocyanins, both their contents in the skin are higher than in the pulp. The findings will provide some new insight for the tissue-specific expression and regulation of the genes involving in anthocyanin biosynthesis in grape berries.
Reduced Fluoresceinamine as a Fluorescent Sensor for Nitric Oxide
Authors: Duarte Abel  J. , Esteves da Silva Joaquim C.G.
Published: March 2010

A new fluorescent sensor for nitric oxide (NO) is presented that is based on its reaction with a non fluorescent substance, reduced fluoresceinamine, producing the highly fluorescent fluoresceinamine. Using a portable homemade stabilized light source consisting of 450 nm LED and fiber optics to guide the light, the sensor responds linearly within seconds in the NO concentration range between about 10–750 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of about 1 μM. The system generated precise intensity readings, with a relative standard deviation of less than 1%. The suitability of the sensor was assessed by monitoring the NO generated by either the nitrous acid decomposition reaction or from a NO-releasing compound. Using relatively high incubation times, the sensor also responds quantitatively to hydrogen peroxide and potassium superoxide, however, using transient signal measurements results in no interfering species.
A Thick-film Sensor as a Novel Device for Determination of Polyphenols and Their Antioxidant Capacity in White Wine
Authors: Photinon Kanokorn , Chalermchart Yongyuth , Khanongnuch Chartchai , Wang Shih-Han , Liu Chung-Chiun
Published: March 2010

A thick-film electrochemical sensor with an iridium-carbon working electrode was used for determining polyphenols and their antioxidant capacity in white wine. Caffeic acid was used as a model species because it has the ability to produce the highest oxidation current. The correlation coefficient of 0.9975 was obtained between sensor response and caffeic acid content. The total phenolic content (TPC) and scavenging activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH·) radical were also found to be strongly correlated with the concentration of caffeic acid, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9823 and 0.9958, respectively. The sensor prototype was proven to be a simple, efficient and cost effective device to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of substances.
Animal Remains from Temples in Roman Britain
Authors: King Anthony
Published: March 2010

Approximately twenty temple excavations have yielded significant assemblages of animal bones. All come from Romano-Celtic temples in southern Britain, with the exception of four shrines for eastern cults. This paper picks out major characteristics of the assemblages and draws some general conclusions about the nature of the ritual activity that led to their deposition. At temples such as Uley or Hayling, sacrifices were probably an important part of the rituals, and the animals carefully selected. At other temples, animals had a lesser role, with little evidence of selection. At healing shrines, such as Bath and Lydney, animal sacrifices are not clearly attested, and would probably have taken place away from the areas used for healing humans. In contrast to the Romano-Celtic temples, animal remains at the shrines of eastern cults have very different characteristics: individual deposits can be linked to specific rituals within the cult buildings, and have many similarities to the continental evidence
A Pre-A.D. 43 Ditch at Fishbourne Roman Palace, Chichester
Authors: Manley John , Rudkin David
Published: March 2010

This article details the first unambiguous evidence for occupation in the Late Iron Age, dating to around 10 b.c.-a.d. 25, at the site that was to develop into the Roman Palace at Fishbourne (near Chichester, Sussex). The collection of sealed and well-dated imported and local pottery, accompanied by food refuse and a copper-alloy scabbard fitting, suggests significant activity at the site a generation prior to the Roman Conquest of a.d. 43. The material was found in the bottom of a ditch that had been deliberately back-filled. As such this discovery opens a new chapter in the remarkable story of Fishbourne.
Long-lived Samian?
Authors: Wallace Colin
Published: March 2010

In order to study the possibility that some samian (terra sigillata) vessels remained available and/or in circulation for quite some time, a review has been made of closed groups (especially grave-assemblages), as a useful starting point. This paper argues that it is reasonable to expect some complete first-century samian vessels to have survived into the second century; also that some second-century vessels had survived into the fourth century at least throughout Roman Britain.
Aspects of Iconography in Romano-British Mosaics: the Rudston ‘Aquatic’ Scene and the Brading Astronomer Revisited
Authors: Wilson R.J.A.
Published: March 2010

The fourth-century Rudston ‘aquatic’ mosaic is likely to show Oceanus at the centre rather than Neptune, and the dominant position of the head on the floor suggests that the inspiration for it derives, however remotely, from North African models where the scene was common. This is made more plausible by the fact that African influence, as is well known, is also detectable on the famous Venus mosaic by the same mosaicist in an adjacent room in the same building. At Brading, the central figure in the main reception room – a half-naked man with stick, globe and sundial – is identified, not just as a generic ‘philosopher’ type, but specifically as the third-century B.C. astronomer and poet, Aratus, on the basis of comparanda on mosaics, tapestry, silverware and in an illustrated manuscript of his work, thePhaenomena. It is further suggested that the key to reading the damaged larger part of the Brading floor above Aratus might be a Latin translation of his work, possibly that by Avienusc.A.D. 350, if the mosaic is indeed approximately of that date rather than earlier, and that the subject-matter of the panels alluded to constellations described in the poem. A very tentative attempt is made to identify what might have been depicted in the panels, on the basis of the mythology behind the constellations as explained in Latin adaptations of the poem: those of Perseus and Andromeda are illustrated in the surviving panel, and possibly Phaethon and Eridanus, Hercules and the serpent in the Garden of the Hesperides, and conceivably Pegasus at a spring were shown in the other three. It is also suggested that these unusual scenes might have been based on an illustrated manuscript of the work in the possession of thedominusat Brading. Be that as it may, the mosaic does appear to provide further evidence of the depth of classical learning displayed by at least some members of the Romano-British rural élite in the fourth century A.D.
Military Bath-houses in Britain — a Comment
Authors: Revell Louise
Published: March 2010

Bath-houses are a frequent part of Roman military installations in Britain. This work explores differences in the social meaning of bathing between legionary fortresses and auxiliary forts. It demonstrates variations in the scale of and investment in these facilities between the two groups. It also argues for greater complexity in the legionary bath-houses, with duplication of facilities, and more activities being catered for. A comparison of the proportion of space allocated for bathing and non-bathing activities reveals that the two groups respond to different ideas of what a visit to the bath-house entailed.
Where Do We Go From Here? Recording and Analysing Roman Coins from Archaeological Excavations
Authors: Lockyear Kris
Published: March 2010

The publication of English Heritage's guidelines for the analysis and publication of coins from excavations has not met with acceptance by the relevant specialists. This paper takes the opportunity to look back over what we have been doing, consider what the guidelines suggest, and makes recommendations as to where we could be going. In particular it argues that we should be making more of existing database technologies and the internet, and that the analysis of coins should be integrated with other aspects of the archaeological record. The paper is not a new set of guidelines, but is intended to stimulate debate.
The Missing Weapons at Carlisle
Authors: Speidel M.P.
Published: March 2010

New interpretations are suggested for two terms in Docilis' letter found on a wooden tablet from Carlisle and published in Britannia 29 (1998), 34–84, no. 16 (= AE 1998, 839). Lanciarius does not refer to all the horsemen of ala I Gallorum, but only to those equipped with lancea-spears and subarmales are not weapons but felt-padded, rainproof doublets worn under the armour.
The Archaeobotany of Roman Britain: Current State and Identification of Research Priorities
Authors: van der Veen Marijke , Livarda Alexandra , Hill Alistair
Published: March 2010

The archaeobotanical record of Britain in the Roman period is reviewed. The data are plotted against area of the country, phase of occupation, type of site, and mode of preservation. Lacunae in the dataset are identified and research priorities formulated. More data are needed, especially from South-Western and North-Western England, Wales and Scotland, from major towns (especially from waterlogged deposits), from rural sites with waterlogged preservation (all parts of the country), and from burials and temple/shrine sites. Matters of concern are the identification of a downward trend in the average number of samples analysed from the 1990s onwards, and poor access to unpublished archaeobotanical reports (grey literature). Possible solutions to redress these are offered.
The Roman Circus at Colchester
Authors: Crummy Philip
Published: March 2010

The circus at Colchester was discovered late in 2004. By the end of 2007, a succession of targeted investigations helped reveal its basic plan and provided some limited dating evidence for its period of use. The building proved to have been of average length for a provincial circus (457 m) but, at about 71.5–74 m across, it was relatively narrow. The stands appeared to have been raised a section at a time. The seating was carried on an earth bank revetted by two stone walls. The circus possessed only eight starting-gates. Excavation of the near meta yielded some remarkable evidence about the size and nature of the cones, the supply of pressurised water to the barrier, and the tactics adopted by the charioteers as they swung around the metae. The circus was built in stone probably in the second century A.D. The building ceased to be used if not c. A.D. 275, then sometime later in the Roman period.
A Second Roman Fort is Confirmed in Cornwall
Authors: Hartgroves Steve , Smith John
Published: March 2010

Restormel fort is a small square, bivallate earthwork located on a spur above the River Fowey in Cornwall. In 2007 a geophysical survey was carried out which showed very clearly that the site was in fact a Roman fort and closely similar in size and in the position of its entrances to Nanstallon, until then the only known Roman fort in Cornwall. The position of these two forts has prompted speculation that they were located strategically to control movement both north–south along the rivers and east–west overland along the central Cornwall ridgeway. The proximity of both sites to significant deposits of metals suggests that the role of the forts may also be linked to the Roman interest in minerals.
Coastal Trade in Roman Britain: the Investigation of Crandon Bridge, Somerset, a Romano-British Trans-shipment Port beside the Severn Estuary
Authors: Rippon Stephen
Published: March 2010

There is growing awareness of the significance of coastal trade around Roman Britain, though very few of the smaller ports and towns that were engaged in such activity have seen archaeological investigation. This paper reports on work at Crandon Bridge, in Somerset – including excavations in advance of the construction of the M5 motorway – that appears to have acted as a trans-shipment port where goods brought by road and river through Somerset were loaded onto larger vessels that could cross the Bristol Channel. Analysis of the buildings and artefacts suggests that this extensive site may also have been a small town.
The Hinton St Mary Mosaic Pavement: Christ or Emperor?
Authors: Pearce Susan
Published: March 2010

The significance of the well-known central roundel of the mosaic from Hinton St Mary, Dorset, UK, which carries a young male head with a chi-rho monogram behind it and pomegranates on each side, has been much discussed. This paper marshals evidence which suggests that the head is not a representation of Christ, but of one of the emperors of the House of Constantine, perhaps Constantine himself. Some of the implications for the nature of fourth-century imperial culture are discussed.
A Dice Tower from Richborough
Authors: Cobbett R. E.
Published: March 2010

The dice tower, orpyrgus,an ancient device for rolling dice, was an everyday object in the Roman world, but up to now only two towers, from Germany and Egypt, have been found. In re-examining a group of bone box-casings from Richborough Roman Fort, however, the author has found that some of these casings must have belonged to such a tower. This article shows how this dice tower may have been constructed. The author also summarises the literary and artistic evidence for dice towers, and shows how the rosette decoration on this tower links it to the Roman game of Duodecim Scripta.
The Latest Roman Coin from Hadrian's Wall: a Small Fifth-century Purse Group
Authors: Collins Rob
Published: March 2010

Eight Roman coins were reported in 2007 to the Portable Antiquities Scheme. All the coins were late Roman issues, with the latest identified as aGloria Romanorumtype dating to A.D. 406–408. This coin is only the second of its type to be identified in Britain, and it was found outside the normal area of fifth-century coins in southern Britain, in the Hadrian's Wall corridor. The finding of the group with its late coin begs the question of how many more fifth-century Roman issues may be as yet undiscovered or misidentified in Britain.
A ‘Stracathro’-gated Temporary Camp at Raeburnfoot, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Authors: Jones Rebecca H. , Mckeague Peter
Published: March 2010

The review of a series of oblique aerial photographs recording a Neolithic bank barrow and adjacent post-medieval feld-system identifed the ground-plan of a Roman temporary camp on the rising ground to the north-east of the Roman fort at Raeburnfoot, Dumfriesshire. Further analysis, later confrmed by feld survey, recognised the presence of at least two upstanding gateways of a form usually referred to as the ‘Stracathro’-type and so far only known in Scotland. All the other examples are known only as cropmarks, making the camp at Raeburnfoot the sole visible earthwork camp with these unusual entrances known in the Roman world.
Roman Barrows and their Landscape Context: a GIS Case Study at Bartlow, Cambridgeshire
Authors: Eckardt Hella , Brewer Peter , Hay Sophie , Poppy Sarah
Published: March 2010

This paper examines the landscape context of the Bartlow Hills, a group of large Romano-British barrows that were excavated in the 1840s but have been largely neglected since. GIS is employed to test whether it was possible to view the mounds from nearby roads, barrows, and villas. Existing research on provincial barrows, and especially their landscape context, and some recent relevant applications of GIS are reviewed. We argue that barrows are active and symbolically charged statements about power and identity. The most striking pattern to emerge from the GIS analysis is a focus on display to a local rather than a transient audience.
Familial Mediterranean Fever in Children Presenting with Attacks of Fever Alone
Authors: PADEH SHAI , LIVNEH AVI , PRAS ELON , SHINAR YAEL , LIDAR MERAV , FELD OLGA , BERKUN YACKOV
Published: March 2010

Objective.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an inherited disease characterized by attacks of febrile polyserositis. In children, attacks of fever alone, or with headache and malaise, may precede other forms of attacks. Our objective was clinical and genetic characterization of FMF and its development in pediatric patients who first presented with attacks of fever alone.

Methods.

Clinical characterization and MEFV genotype of all FMF patients < 16 years of age at disease onset and first presenting with attacks of fever alone were analyzed and compared for age, sex, and disease duration with matched FMF patients presenting with serositis at the onset of the disease.

Results.

There were 814 patients with FMF in our registry. Fifty patients formed the study group and 234 patients the control group. In the study group, the first (febrile) attacks appeared at a younger age than in the control group (1.7 ± 1.6 yrs vs 5.0 ± 4.1 yrs, respectively; p < 0.0001), diagnosis was made earlier (4.2 ± 2.7 yrs vs 6.7 ± 4.1 yrs; p < 0.0001), despite a trend for a longer delay in diagnosis. In the study group, attacks were shorter (1.6 ± 0.8 days vs 2.1 ± 1.0 days; p = 0.023) and homozygosity to the M694V mutation was more prevalent (46% vs 31%; p = 0.03). Attack rate, colchicine dose, and the MEFV mutation carrier rates were comparable between the groups. In 40/50 (80%) of the patients with fever alone, serositis had developed over a course of 2.9 ± 2.2 years after disease onset.

Conclusion.

FMF in young children may begin with attacks of fever alone, but it progresses to typical FMF disease over the next 2.9 ± 2.2 years. Our study demonstrates that clinical heterogeneity at presentation is more likely to indicate a feature of a disease in development, rather than to mark distinct phenotypes of FMF.
Associations Between Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) −308 and −238 G/A Polymorphisms and Shared Epitope Status and Responsiveness to TNF-α Blockers in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Metaanalysis Update
Authors: LEE YOUNG HO , JI JONG DAE , BAE SANG-CHEOL , SONG GWAN GYU
Published: March 2010

Objective.

To investigate whether tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promoter −308 A/G and −238 A/G polymorphisms and shared epitope (SE) status are associated with responsiveness to anti-TNF therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods.

A comparative metaanalysis was conducted on A allele carriers (genotypes A/A + A/G) of the TNF-α promoter −308 and −238 A/G polymorphisms and SE status in responders and nonresponders to anti-TNF therapy.

Results.

A total of 13 studies were included in the metaanalysis. Metaanalysis showed that the TNF-α −308 A/G polymorphism is not associated with responsiveness to TNF blockers in RA patients. Studies with a small number of subjects (< 100) showed that the odds ratio for the A allele carrier state was significantly lower among responders (OR 0.344, 95% CI 0.152–0.779, p = 0.01). Studies with a higher number of subjects (≥ 100) found no association between the TNF-α −308 A/G polymorphism and responsiveness to TNF blockers. The overall metaanalysis showed that the TNF-α −238 A/G polymorphism was not associated with the responsiveness of RA patients to TNF blockers, and stratification by TNF blocker revealed that the TNF-α −238 A/G polymorphism was associated with response of infliximab (OR 0.441, 95% CI 0.203–0.609, p = 0.039). SE status was found not to be associated with response to TNF blockers.

Conclusion.

Metaanalysis of available data revealed an association between treatment response to infliximab and the TNF-α −238 A/G polymorphism, but no associations between treatment response and the TNF-α −308 A/G polymorphism or SE status.
Comparison of the Construct Validity and Sensitivity to Change of the Visual Analog Scale and a Modified Rating Scale as Measures of Patient Global Assessment in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: LATI CHILI , GUTHRIE LORI C. , WARD MICHAEL M.
Published: March 2010

Objective.

Patient global assessment (PGA) is commonly measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). The VAS asks patients to integrate many dimensions of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity, yet its scope is poorly defined and its endpoints are vague. We investigated whether a modified Rating Scale that used marker states and more defined endpoints would provide a more valid measure of PGA.

Methods.

In our prospective longitudinal study, 164 patients with active RA rated their global arthritis activity using the VAS and Rating Scale before and after treatment. To compare construct validity, we correlated each score with 2 reference measures of RA activity, the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and the physician global assessment, and examined how each measure was associated with different aspects of RA activity, including pain, functioning, and depressive symptoms, in multivariate regression analyses. We also examined sensitivity to change.

Results.

Both measures were correlated with the DAS28 (r = 0.39 for VAS; r = 0.35 for Rating Scale) and physician global assessment (r = 0.41 for VAS; r = 0.26 for Rating Scale) at the baseline visit. Pain and depressive symptoms had the strongest association with the VAS, while functional limitations and depressive symptoms had the strongest association with the Rating Scale. Residual analysis showed no differences in heterogeneity of patients’ ratings. VAS was more sensitive to change than the Rating Scale (standardized response means of 0.55 and 0.45).

Conclusion.

As measures of PGA, the VAS and Rating Scale had comparable construct validity, but differed in which aspects of arthritis activity influenced scores. VAS was more sensitive to change.
Clinical Activity After 12 Weeks of Treatment with Nonbiologics in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis May Predict Articular Destruction 2 Years Later
Authors: ICHIKAWA YOICHI , SAITO TERUNOBU , YAMANAKA HISASI , AKIZUKI MASASHI , KONDO HIROBUMI , KOBAYASHI SHIGETO , OSHIMA HISAJI , KAWAI SHINICHI , HAMA NOBUAKI , YAMADA HIDEHIRO , MIMORI TSUNEYO , AMANO KOICHI , TANAKA YASUSHI , MATSUOKA YASUO , YAMAMOTO SUMIKI , MATSUBARA TSUKASA , MURATA NORIKAZU , ASAI TOMIAKI , SUZUKI YASUO
Published: March 2010

Objective.

To investigate earlier prediction of future articular destruction in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods.

We randomly allocated patients with RA with disease duration < 2 years to different nonbiologic disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapies in a double-blind trial. Progression of articular destruction over the 96-week treatment period was assessed using the modified Sharp method.

Results.

Progression of articular destruction correlated more strongly with the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) core set measures after 12 weeks of treatment than with pretreatment values. Multiple regression analysis of data after 12 weeks yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.711. The sensitivity and specificity to predict articular destruction over the 75th percentile of the cohort were 78.6% and 84.6%, respectively. Patients who showed articular destruction over the 75th percentile of the cohort had low response to treatment at 12 weeks, and continued to have high clinical disease activity thereafter. Contrasting data were found in patients with slow progression of articular destruction.

Conclusion.

In patients with early RA, ACR core set measures after 12 weeks of nonbiologic DMARD treatment may predict articular destruction 2 years later. Low response to treatment at 12 weeks and continuing high disease activity thereafter were found in patients with rapid radiological progression. These data can be used to determine the appropriateness of treatment at 12 weeks and aid the decision to introduce biologic DMARD.
A Survey of Rheumatologists’ Practice for Prescribing Pneumocystis Prophylaxis
Authors: CETTOMAI DEANNA , GELBER ALLAN C. , CHRISTOPHER-STINE LISA
Published: March 2010

Objective.

Pneumocystispneumonia (PCP) occurs in immunocompromised hosts, in both the presence and absence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with substantial morbidity and a heightened mortality. We assessed practice patterns among rheumatologists for prescribing PCP prophylaxis.

Methods.

Invitations to an online international survey were e-mailed to 3150 consecutive members of the American College of Rheumatology.

Results.

Completed surveys were returned by 727 (23.1%) members. Among respondents, 505 (69.5%) reported prescribing prophylaxis. Factors associated with significantly higher frequency of prescribing PCP prophylaxis included female gender (OR 1.47, p = 0.03), US-based (OR 1.77, p = 0.004), academic-based (OR 2.75, p < 0.001), in practice less than 10 years (OR 4.08, p < 0.001), having previously treated PCP (OR 2.62, p < 0.001), and in a practice with a higher proportion of patients maintained on chronic glucocorticoids (OR 2.04, p < 0.001) or other immunosuppressant medications (OR 3.19, p = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, rheumatologists early in their careers and those with academic and US-based practices were more likely to prescribe prophylaxis. Among prescribers, the most important determinants for issuing prophylaxis were treatment regimen (68.6%), rheumatologic diagnosis (9.3%), and medication dosage (8.3%).

Conclusion.

Nearly one-third (30%) of the rheumatologists surveyed reported that they never prescribed PCP prophylaxis. While the patient characteristics for which prophylaxis was prescribed varied widely, physician demographics were strongly predictive of PCP prophylaxis use. These findings suggest that development of consensus guidelines might influence clinical decision-making regarding PCP prophylaxis in HIV-negative patients with rheumatologic diagnoses.
Thumb Involvement in Raynaud’s Phenomenon as an Indicator of Underlying Connective Tissue Disease
Authors: CHIKURA BATSI , MOORE TONIA , MANNING JOANNE , VAIL ANDY , HERRICK ARIANE L.
Published: March 2010

Objective.

To conduct a retrospective study to assess whether the degree of thumb involvement differs between primary Raynaud’s phenomenon (PRP) and secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon (SRP).

Methods.

Thermography images from all patients attending Salford Royal Hospital and referred for thermography for assessment of RP between 2004 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. A distal dorsal difference (DDD) of −1°C or less between the fingertips and dorsum of the hand (fingers cooler) at 23°C was considered clinically relevant. The worse score (the lower score, i.e., the more negative value) from each pair of digits was considered for analysis.

Results.

One hundred seventy patients fulfilled the study criteria. DDD at 23°C for the thumbs were significantly higher (digital tips warmer) compared with other digits (p < 0.001) in both PRP and SRP. All digits were significantly warmer in PRP compared to SRP with the exception of the thumbs. The proportion of patients with clinically relevant involvement of thumbs was significantly higher in SRP compared to PRP (p = 0.003) and this difference was more pronounced in the thumbs compared with other digits.

Conclusion.

Although the median temperature gradient along the thumb was not significantly different between SRP and PRP, the thumb is more likely to be involved in SRP than in PRP. Thumb involvement is one of a number of clinical indicators that should alert the clinician to the possibility of an underlying connective tissue disease/disorder.
Imaginative appropriations of music in the new communicative scenarios
Authors: de-Aguilera-Moyano Miguel , Adell-Pitarch Joan-Elies , Borges-Rey Eddy
Published: March 2010

Sharing music is a traditional mechanism of cultural sociability, the observation of wich is useful in order to understand the negotiation procedures of sense and identity. In the new digital scene, the act of sharing and offering music shows –along with the obvious purpose of establishing relationships with others as well as making them participate in something pleasant– a desire to spread one’s own personal taste and a will to communicate our one’s identity. Thus, now and then, communicating by means of music and sharing it –as well as giving an opinion on it– are ways of both self-representation and expression of one’s identity, offering others some sort of «musical personality»: another way of being in the world, typical of our era and related to a way of using the products of cultural industry with a personal purpose. This use, however, is not restricted to just expressing identity aspects: we use mass culture products in several ways with different purposes in our everyday life. According to some of these other uses, we will expand the field of the main subject of this article: other ways of sharing music that represent both permitted and non-permitted appropriations of music. We will accomplish this by considering some of the reasons that help getting a better understanding of the cultural task carried out by music (and other cultural products).

Compartir música es un mecanismo tradicional de la sociabilidad cultural, cuya observación resulta útil para entender los mecanismos de negociación del sentido y de la identidad. En el nuevo escenario digital, el acto de compartir u ofrecer música muestra, además del evidente propósito de hacer partícipes a los otros de algo placentero y de entrar en relación, también el deseo de difundir el gusto personal y una voluntad de comunicación de la propia identidad. Así, hoy como ayer, comunicar mediante la música y compartirla –y opinar sobre la música que se comparte– son formas de auto-representación y expresión de la propia identidad, ofreciendo a los otros una especie de personalidad musical»; que es otra manera de estar en el mundo, propia de nuestra época y relacionada con un modo de usar con fines personales los productos de las industrias culturales. Aunque ese uso no se limite a la expresión de aspectos identitarios: pues nos servimos de los productos de la cultura de masas de varias maneras y con diversos fines en nuestras vidas cotidianas. En este trabajo se analizan otras formas de compartir la música, que representan modos consentidos y no consentidos de apropiación de la música. Que se completa tomando en consideración algunas de las razones que ayudan a entender cierta labor cultural que desarrollamos mediante la música y con otros elementos culturales.
The utility of musico-visual formats in teaching
Authors: Gértrudix-Barrio Manuel , Gértrudix-Barrio Felipe
Published: March 2010

The paper discusses the educational potential of popular culture through the use didactic formats musicovisual interaction in the classroom. It is believed that popular culture, specifically music, is a particularly useful tool for learning. Considered by learning skills, and its current deployment in International educational systems. Especially, its implementation in the education Systems in Europe and Spanish. We live in a technological society, and therefore it is necessary to extend the concept of literacy to digital literacy. Elements of popular culture that are common for young people, such as video clips, should be incorporated. We analyze the competency learning proposals made by the OECD through the DESECO Project or the European framework defined by the recommendation of the European Parliament and Council. These proposals provide a starting point to establish an initial strategy, from the discursive dimension of interaction musicovisual formats, allowing for effective work in the classroom. For this reason, the article evaluates formats musico-visual interaction as teaching aids to serve a critical digital literacy. It also explores some specific contributions to the development of competencies in compulsory Secondary Education. General proposals are made to enable teachers to understand how to use these formats musico-visual interaction in their classroom to work general competencies.

Desde los presupuestos del aprendizaje por competencias, y su actual implantación en la mayor parte de los sistemas educativos internacionales, el artículo analiza la potencialidad educativa de la cultura popular a través de la utilización didáctica de los formatos de interacción músico-visual en el aula. Se defiende la necesidad de permear el concepto de alfabetización, integrando en el mismo los elementos que conforman el actual escenario de una sociedad digital altamente tecnológica, al tiempo que se recupera e inserta en el discurso de la escuela y en los procesos de aprendizaje que ésta motiva, los productos culturales que forman parte de la vivencia cotidiana de los adolescentes. El análisis de las propuestas de aprendizaje por competencias realizadas, entre otros, por la OCDE a través del Proyecto DESECO o el marco de referencia europeo definido a través de la recomendación del Parlamento y el Consejo Europeo, sirven de punto de partida para establecer una estrategia inicial que, desde la dimensión discursiva de los formatos de interacción músico-visual, permita un trabajo eficaz en el aula. Así, se evalúa la oportunidad que estos formatos de interacción músico-visual, y concretamente los videoclips, ofrecen como medios didácticos al servicio de una alfabetización digital que fomente un espíritu crítico, y se exploran algunas contribuciones concretas que se vislumbran en el desarrollo de competencias generales en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria.
The symbols and written language of users of messenger
Authors: Valencia-Cerino Yaditzy , García-Martínez Verónica
Published: March 2010

This work presents the results of a postgraduate thesis on communication, particularly the use of language. Messenger is one of the most popular ways for communicating by signs and symbols. This study was carried out on junior high school students in state education. This research explores the possible impact on junior high school students’ written work due to their use of Messenger. To address this question, the referential communication model with the qualitative approach was used in order to carry out a comparative study. Data were gathered from 16 junior high school students between 15 and 17 years of age who were paired into two groups for each part of the investigation. The research showed that it was possible to categorize the students into three groups: those who constantly use Internet, those who do not constantly use Internet and the rest who do not use it. The end results reveal that there is little relationship between the use of signs and symbols on Messenger and the quality of written work presented by junior high school students.

El presente estudio es el resultado de un trabajo de tesis de comunicación en el que se aborda el tema de la utilización del lenguaje en el Messenger y sus posibles repercusiones en los manuscritos de los estudiantes de nivel medio superior. Es un estudio desarrollado entre adolescentes usuarios del Messenger, que utilizan la gama de símbolos y signos que les proporciona esta herramienta, para sustituir la escritura que comúnmente se usa en los manuscritos. La metodología es del enfoque cualitativo y se trata de un estudio comparativo basado en el modelo de comunicación referencial. El trabajo empírico se realizó entre un total de 16 jóvenes de dos escuelas diferentes de nivel medio superior, cuya edad está entre los 15 y 17 años, los cuales a su vez se integraron en dos grupos de ocho sujetos para el estudio en una primera etapa y otros ocho en una segunda. Básicamente se diferenciaron los que utilizan con mucha frecuencia el Messenger y los que lo utilizan muy poco, o no lo utilizan. Las técnicas de recolección de datos fueron: observación durante sesiones de chat, escritos a máquina (ordenador) y manuscritos. La técnica para la interpretación de los datos fue de análisis de contenido. Los resultados sugieren que existe escasa relación entre la utilización de signos y símbolos en el Messenger y la calidad en la redacción de los textos, particularmente en los manuscritos.