bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chickenpox, chickenpox vaccination, and shingles
Authors: Welsby P D
Published: May 2006

Chickenpox in the United Kingdom, where vaccination is not undertaken, has had a stable epidemiology for decades and is a routine childhood illness. Because of vaccination, chickenpox is now a rarity in the USA. In the UK vaccination is not done because introduction of a routine childhood vaccination might drive up the age at which those who are non-immune get the illness (chickenpox tends to be more severe the older you are), and the incidence of shingles may increase. The United Kingdom is waiting to see what happens in countries where vaccination is routine.
Treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Adams L A , Angulo P
Published: May 2006

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common and may progress to cirrhosis and its complications. The pathogenesis of steatosis and cellular injury is thought to be related mostly to insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Therefore, management entails identification and treatment of metabolic risk factors, improving insulin sensitivity, and increasing antioxidant defences in the liver. Weight loss and exercise improve insulin sensitivity. Bariatric surgery may improve liver histology in patients with morbid obesity. Insulin sensitising drugs showed promise in pilot trials as have a number of hepatoprotective agents. Further randomised, well controlled trials are required to determine the efficacy of these drugs.
ENERGY EXPANSION AND VORTEX LOCATION FOR A TWO-DIMENSIONAL ROTATING BOSE–EINSTEIN CONDENSATE
Authors: IGNAT RADU , MILLOT VINCENT
Published: May 2006

We continue the analysis started in [14] on a model describing a two-dimensional rotating Bose–Einstein condensate. This model consists in minimizing under the unit mass constraint, a Gross–Pitaevskii energy defined in ℝ2. In this contribution, we estimate the critical rotational speeds Ωd for having exactly d vortices in the bulk of the condensate and we determine their topological charge and their precise location. Our approach relies on asymptotic energy expansion techniques developed by Serfaty [20–22] for the Ginzburg–Landau energy of superconductivity in the high κ limit.
SEARCH FOR HIGGS AND NEW PHENOMENA AT COLLIDERS
Authors: LAMMEL STEPHAN
Published: May 2006

The present status of searches for the Higgs boson(s) and new phenomena is reviewed. The focus is on analyses and results from the current runs of the HERA and Tevatron experiments. The LEP experiments have released their final combined MSSM Higgs results for this conference. Also included are results from sensitivity studies of the LHC experiments and lepton flavour violating searches from the B factories, KEKB and PEP-II.
ELECTROWEAK SYMMETRY BREAKING CIRCA 2005
Authors: DAWSON SALLY
Published: May 2006

Recent progress in both the experimental and theoretical explorations of electroweak symmetry breaking is surveyed.
PROBING THE HIERARCHY PROBLEM WITH THE LHC
Authors: GIANOTTI FABIOLA
Published: May 2006

The hierarchy problem is one of the main motivations for building the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The prospects for the ATLAS and CMS experiments to understand this problem are discussed, with emphasis on early studies with the first LHC data. The longer-term potential for constraining the parameters of the underlying new theory is also addressed.
DIRECT NEUTRINO MASS MEASUREMENTS
Authors: WEINHEIMER CHRISTIAN
Published: May 2006

The discovery by many different experiments of the flavour oscillation of neutrinos from different sources proved clearly that neutrinos have non-vanishing masses in contrast to their current description within the Standard Model of particle physics. However, the neutrino mass scale, which is – in addition to particle physics – very important for cosmology and astrophysics, cannot be resolved by oscillation experiments. Although there are a few ways to determine the absolute neutrino mass scale, the only model-independent method is the investigation of the electron energy spectrum of a β decay near its endpoint. The tritium β decay experiments at Mainz and Troitsk using tritium have recently been finished and have given upper limits on the neutrino mass scale of about 2 eV/c2. The bolometric experiments using 187 Re have finished the first round of prototype experiments yielding a sensitivity on the neutrino mass of 15 eV/c2. The new Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment (KATRIN) will enhance the sensitivity on the neutrino mass by an ultra-precise measurement of the tritium β decay spectrum by another order of magnitude down to 0.2 eV/c2 by using a very strong windowless gaseous molecular tritium source and a huge ultra-high resolution electrostatic spectrometer of MAC-E-Filter type. The recent achievements in test experiments show, that this very challenging experiment is feasible.
Impaired subendocardial contractile myofiber function in asymptomatic aged humans, as detected using MRI
Authors: Lumens Joost , Delhaas Tammo , Arts Theo , Cowan Brett R. , Young Alistair A.
Published: May 2006

With aging, structural and functional changes occur in the myocardium without obvious impairment of systolic left ventricular (LV) function. Transmural differences in myocardial vulnerability for these changes may result in increase of transmural inhomogeneity in contractile myofiber function. Subendocardial fibrosis and impairment of subendocardial perfusion due to hypertension might change the transmural distribution of contractile myofiber function. The ratio of LV torsion to endocardial circumferential shortening (torsion-to-shortening ratio; TSR) during systole reflects the transmural distribution of contractile myofiber function. We investigated whether the transmural distribution of systolic contractile myofiber function changes with age. Magnetic resonance tissue tagging was performed to derive LV torsion and endocardial circumferential shortening. TSR was quantified in asymptomatic young [age 23.2 (SD 2.6) yr, n = 15] and aged volunteers [age 68.8 (SD 4.4) yr, n = 16]. TSR and its standard deviation were significantly elevated in the aged group [0.47 (SD 0.12) aged vs. 0.34 (SD 0.05) young; P = 0.0004]. In the aged group, blood pressure and the ratio of LV wall mass to end-diastolic volume were mildly elevated but could not be correlated to the increase in TSR. There were no significant differences in other indexes of systolic LV function such as end-systolic volume and ejection fraction. The elevated systolic TSR in the asymptomatic aged subjects suggests that aging is associated with local loss of contractile myofiber function in the subendocardium relative to the subepicardium potentially caused by subclinical pathological incidents.
Thrombin-induced contraction in alveolar epithelial cells probed by traction microscopy
Authors: Gavara Núria , Sunyer Raimon , Roca-Cusachs Pere , Farré Ramon , Rotger Mar , Navajas Daniel
Published: May 2006

Contractile tension of alveolar epithelial cells plays a major role in the force balance that regulates the structural integrity of the alveolar barrier. The aim of this work was to study thrombin-induced contractile forces of alveolar epithelial cells. A549 alveolar epithelial cells were challenged with thrombin, and time course of contractile forces was measured by traction microscopy. The cells exhibited basal contraction with total force magnitude 55.0 ± 12.0 nN (mean ± SE, n = 12). Traction forces were exerted predominantly at the cell periphery and pointed to the cell center. Thrombin (1 U/ml) induced a fast and sustained 2.5-fold increase in traction forces, which maintained peripheral and centripetal distribution. Actin fluorescent staining revealed F-actin polymerization and enhancement of peripheral actin rim. Disruption of actin cytoskeleton with cytochalasin D (5 μM, 30 min) and inhibition of myosin light chain kinase with ML-7 (10 μM, 30 min) and Rho kinase with Y-27632 (10 μM, 30 min) markedly depressed basal contractile tone and abolished thrombin-induced cell contraction. Therefore, the contractile response of alveolar epithelial cells to the inflammatory agonist thrombin was mediated by actin cytoskeleton remodeling and actomyosin activation through myosin light chain kinase and Rho kinase signaling pathways. Thrombin-induced contractile tension might further impair alveolar epithelial barrier integrity in the injured lung.
Prevalence and Effects of Lobar Microhemorrhages in Early-Stage Dementia
Authors: Atri Alireza , Locascio Joseph J. , Lin Jenny M. , Yap Liang , Dickerson Bradford C. , Grodstein Francine , Irizarry Michael C. , Growdon John H. , Greenberg S.M.
Published: May 2006

Background: 80–100% of patients with Alzheimer’s disease have vascular pathology related to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), and 5–7% have CAA-related lobar microhemorrhages (LMH) at autopsy. The prevalence and effects of LMH detectable by gradient echo MRI (GE-MRI) in early-stage dementia are unknown. Objective: To obtain, using GE-MRI, a prevalence estimate for LMH in patients with early-stage dementia and to assess the effects of LMH on dementia severity. Methods: Eighty-four subjects aged ≧55 years (range 58–89; mean 76) underwent cognitive and GE-MRI evaluation. The 84 subjects consisted of 61 consecutive subjects evaluated as part of an initial clinical evaluation for dementia and 23 consecutively evaluated healthy older subjects (controls). Data were analyzed for presence and number of LMH on GE-MRI and the effect of number of LMH on dementia severity. Results: Nine (15%) of the 61 dementia patients versus 1 (4%) of the 23 control subjects demonstrated LMH on GE-MRI. Multiple (≧2) LMH were found in 7 of the 9 (88%) dementia subjects with LMH (range of LMH counts 1–330) and no (0%) control subjects. Multivariable causal modeling indicated that number of LMH (p < 0.02), age (p < 0.01) and duration of symptoms (p < 0.001) significantly increased dementia severity while higher educational level (p < 0.001) was protective. Conclusions: LMH were detected by GE-MRI in 15% of patients with early-stage dementia and may contribute to dementia severity.
Antioxidant Supplements Improve Parameters Related to Skin Structure in Humans
Authors: Heinrich U. , Tronnier H. , Stahl W. , Béjot M. , Maurette J.-M.
Published: May 2006

In the present study we investigated the influence of two different antioxidant supplements composed of carotenoids, vitamin E and selenium on parameters related to skin health and skin aging. Thirty-nine volunteers with healthy, normal skin of skin type 2 were divided into 3 groups (n = 13) and supplemented for a period of 12 weeks. Group 1 received a mixture of lycopene (3 mg/day), lutein (3 mg/day), β-carotene (4.8 mg/day), α-tocopherol (10 mg/day) and selenium (75 µg/day). Group 2 was supplemented with a mixture of lycopene (6 mg/day), β-carotene (4.8 mg/day), α-tocopherol (10 mg/day) and selenium (75 µg/day). Group 3 was the placebo control. Upon supplementation serum levels of selected carotenoids increased in both verum groups. Skin density and thickness were determined by ultrasound measurements. A significant increase for both parameters was determined in the verum groups. Roughness, scaling, smoothness and wrinkling of the skin were determined by Surface Evaluation of Living Skin (Visioscan). Roughness and scaling were improved by the supplementation with antioxidant micronutrients. In the placebo group no changes were found for any of the parameters.
Exercise Enhances Insulin and Leptin Signaling in the Cerebral Cortex and Hypothalamus during Dexamethasone-Induced Stress in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Park Sunmin , Jang Jin Sun , Jun Dong Wha , Hong Sang Mee
Published: May 2006

Exercise and dexamethasone (DEX) are known to have opposite effects on peripheral insulin resistance. However, their effects and mechanism on brain glucose metabolism have been poorly defined. We investigated the modulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and insulin/leptin signaling associated with glucose utilization in the brains of 90% pancreatectomized diabetic rats, which had been administered two dosages of DEX and exercised for 8 weeks. The data revealed that the administration of a high dose (0.1 mg/kg body weight/day) of DEX (HDEX) attenuated insulin signaling in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, whereas exercise potentiated their insulin signaling along with induction of IRS2 expression. In parallel with the modulated signaling, glucose utilization, such as glycogen storage and glycogen synthase activity, was suppressed by DEX in the cortex and hypothalamus, while exercise offset the DEX effects. Despite a decrease in epididymal fat mass, HDEX increased serum leptin levels, possibly due to an activated HPA axis, while exercise suppressed the increment. However, DEX reduced leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation in the cortex and hypothalamus, and it increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation only in the hypothalamus. Exercise reversed the phosphorylation of STAT3 and AMPK which had been modulated by DEX. In conclusion, exercise improves insulin and leptin signaling in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus of diabetic rats exacerbated with HDEX, contributing to the regulation of body weight and glucose homeostasis.
The Hope and Practice of Teaching
Authors: Ayers William
Published: May 2006

The author offers a brief critique of the clichés that rain down on beginning teachers as they struggle to find their ways in this most complex, slippery, and rewarding work and encourages a steady focus on the intellectual and ethical heart of teaching from the start. A sample of practical advice—little parachutes and safety nets—are put forward as possible aids in the adventure.
Constructing 21st-Century Teacher Education
Authors: Darling-Hammond Linda
Published: May 2006

Much of what teachers need to know to be successful is invisible to lay observers, leading to the view that teaching requires little formal study and to frequent disdain for teacher education programs. The weakness of traditional program models that are collections of largely unrelated courses reinforce this low regard. This article argues that we have learned a great deal about how to create stronger, more effective teacher education programs. Three critical components of such programs include tight coherence and integration among courses and between course work and clinical work in schools, extensive and intensely supervised clinical work integrated with course work using pedagogies that link theory and practice, and closer, proactive relationships with schools that serve diverse learners effectively and develop and model good teaching. The article also urges that schools of education should resist pressures to water down preparation, which ultimately undermine the preparation of entering teachers, the reputation of schools of education, and the strength of the profession.
Moving Beyond the “Get it or Don’t” Conception of Formative Assessment
Authors: Otero Valerie K.
Published: May 2006

This article proposes a model of formative assessment grounded in Vygotsky’s theory of concept formation and argues that this model can provide a useful framework for facilitating a beginning teacher’s continued learning. The model is used to argue that beginning teachers need to know how to recognize, describe, and use students’ prior knowledge not only in terms of whether students get the academic concept but also in terms of the valuable, experience-based aspects of what students do know. The author demonstrates the model’s utility by describing the results of a 3-year classroom research study on preservice teachers’ conceptions of students’ prior knowledge and formative assessment. A “get it or don’t” conception was commonly used by preservice teachers and was found to have serious impacts on their instructional practices. The article concludes by exploring the potential of a theory-enhanced model of formative assessment for teacher educators’ own instructional practices.
Contextual Effects of Military Presence on Women's Earnings
Authors: Booth Bradford
Published: May 2006

This article employs 1990 Public Use Microsample data from the U.S. Census, stratified by labor market area (LMA), to estimate the effect of military presence-defined as the proportion of local labor force participants employed as members of the active-duty armed forces-on the annual earnings of women workers in the paid labor force. Findings suggest that, other things being equal, women pay an average annual earnings penalty of approximately 5 percent per each increase of 10 percent in the local military presence. Military presence is argued to constitute an influential but often unrecognized structural feature of many local LMAs in the United States. Its impact on women's earnings is also discussed in relation to the well-documented economic disadvantages experienced by military wives. While the earnings penalties experienced by this group of women have hitherto been explained almost solely in terms of the individual human capital penalties they incur as a result of their status as tied migrants, this paper suggests that high levels of military presence potentially affect the earnings of all women in the local labor market. Military presence therefore constitutes an additive penalty for military wives. Potential drivers for the observed relationship between military presence and women's earnings are discussed, including concentration in the market for civilian jobs, or rnonopsony, as well as the potential impact of military presence on the local civilian occupational distribution.
Racial Differences in the Impact of Military Service on the Socioeconomic Status of Women Veterans
Authors: Cooney Richard T. , Segal Mady Wechsler , Segal David R. , Falk William W.
Published: May 2006

This article investigates the impact of military service on the socioeconomic status of African American and white, non-Hispanic women veterans of the post-1973 U.S. allvolunteer force. Earnings and family income are used as measures of socioeconomic status. Data from the 1990 Public Use Microdata Sample L were used in this analysis. This data set is a .45 percent sample drawn from the 1990 Census. Using semilogarithmic regression, we found that, overall, African American women veterans did not differ significantly from their non-serving counterparts, controlling for several factors associ ated with socioeconomic status. White, non-Hispanic women veterans, however, suffered an earnings and family income penalty relative to similar non-serving women. The data suggest that this veteran disadvantage may be due to the interaction of military service. child-bearing patterns, and educational attainment.
Democratic Breakdown in Paraguay and Venezuela: The Shape of Things to Come for Latin America?
Authors: Zagorski Paul W.
Published: May 2006

The decade of the 1990s saw advances in democratization and civilian control of the armed forces in Latin America, but there are warning signs on the horizon. Civil/military miovements developed in Venezuela and Paraguay and continue to pose a threat to democracy there. Moreover, these later-day versions of military-based populism serve as a warning to the region as a whole. While most scholars have focused on the issue of democratic consolidation in the region, the twin case studies of Venezuela and Paraguay demonstrate the renewed relevance of Juan Linz's breakdown paradigm. Although Venezuela and Paraguay are atypical of the newly emergent democracies in the region. they may, in fact, be leading indicators of likely problems elsewhere.
Career Development, Job Rotation, and Professional Performance
Authors: Jans Nicholas , Frazer-Jans Judy
Published: May 2006

Widespread job rotation is one of the most idiosyncratic features of the military profession in developed countries. Its effects are profound, both for the individual and for the institutional culture. So ingrained is the practice in the military institution that its benefits are taken for granted and adverse effects are rarely questioned. There are, however, a number of reasons to question the benefits of this long-practiced policy, at least in its current form. This study shows that job rotation can carry a cost in terms of foregone job performance and satisfaction at middle and junior career levels. The data were gathered by three recent questionnaire surveys across a number of Australian Defence Force rank and career categories, then combined into a single database ( N=1,754). The results suggest that, while high rates of job rotation may be justifiable for some career categories such as junior officers, commanders, and senior leaders, they are less viable for staff officers and for enlisted personnel. This may negate at least some of the advantage gained from developing members by exposure to a variety of appointments and perspectives. A more thoughtful approach to using job rotation is needed.
Youth in the Military: Gendered Experiences in the Conscript Service in the Israeli Army
Authors: Dar Yechezkel , Kimhi Shaul
Published: May 2006

Conscript military service is a pivotal experience for young Israelis of both genders. Juxtaposing conflicting claims concerning women’s military experience—the women’s marginalization claim and the youth moratorial self-enhancing claim—we compare men’s and women’s retrospective evaluations of six aspects of their service in the Israeli army: hardship, adaptation, motivation, investment, service significance, and personal benefits. Military service was found to be as meaningful and benefiting for women no less than for men. However, the dynamics of the moratorium experience differ by gender, in keeping with the differentiated substance and gendered social construction of their military roles.
Nonlethal Weaponry and Post-Cold War Deterrence
Authors: Mandel Robert
Published: May 2006

In recent years nonlethal weaponry has become increasingly available for widespread application as a means of promoting national security. Among the fascinating questions raised by this development, the deterrence impact of nonlethal weaponry seems particularly ripe for scrutiny. After a background discussion of definition, motives, history, and dangers surrounding this trend, this article develops a set of highly tentative propositions about the conditions under which nonlethal weaponry is most beneficial and detrimental as an instrument of deterrence. It is hoped that these propositions provide guidance for policymakers in using this coercive instrument to manage domestic and foreign turmoil.
Army Transformation and the Junior Officer Exodus
Authors: Lewis Mark R.
Published: May 2006

This article examines the elevated rate of voluntary attrition from the junior officer corps of the United States Army between 1995 and 2001 to consider how it relates to the army’s vision of the future. There was a conflict between the army’s need for numbers of officers in the short term (to overcome the captain deficit) and its need for high-quality officers in the long term. Army transformation is predicated on the presence of mature, experienced, and highly skilled leaders at the lower levels who will use emerging technologies to achieve a level of military capability that exceeds what is possible today. However, trends in junior officer effectiveness and quality during this exodus period moved in the opposite direction. The army adopted measures to counter increased attrition, but the method had negative quality implications. This article recommends that junior officer attrition should be regarded as a symptom of a systemic problem, instead of an isolated challenge.
Interstate Rivalry and the Recurrence of Crises:A Comparison of Rival and Nonrival Crisis Behavior,1918–1994
Authors: Prins Brandon C.
Published: May 2006

Research on enduring rivalry has received considerable theoretical and empirical attention in the last few years. As scholars begin to relax assumptions regarding event independence and historical memory, rivalry has emerged to explain dependencies across countries and over time. Despite the evidence to date, some scholars challenge the rivalry distinction and suggest that a stochastic model may explain the distribution of militarized disputes equally as well. However, if the pairings of states that define the list of enduring rivals are fundamentally different than other pairs of states, differences in behavior should be evident in crisis situations. For rival states in crisis, conflict patterns should vary systematically across conflicts. The likelihood of military action should be lower in dispute one compared to dispute six, or eight, or twelve. Moreover, the conflict strategies of rival states in crisis should differ from the conflict strategies of nonrival states in crisis. Using data from the Interstate Crisis Behavior (ICB) Project, the evidence uncovered here supports the conjecture that states in rival contexts tend to behave differently in crises than their nonrival counterparts, although an indirect effect of rivalry is observed as well. Rival states in crisis frequently resort to a military response against nonrivals. The evidence also provides empirical support for the evolutionary model of rivalry, rather than the punctuated equilibrium model.
Coups and Conflict in West Africa, 1955-2004
Authors: McGowan Patrick J.
Published: May 2006

From independence through 2004, the sixteen West African states have experienced forty-four successful military-led coups, forty-three often-bloody failed coups, at least eighty-two coup plots, seven civil wars, and many other forms of political conflict. Part I of this article used a political-economy approach to provide theoretical explanations of this record. Part II presents a unique data set describing all coup-related events in West Africa since 1955. Military interventions are widespread, occurring repeatedly in fourteen states. These data permit examination of coup behavior over the past fifty years. No evidence of declining coup activity is found. The major instances of war and conflict are reported, and it is shown that coups and conflict are reciprocally related. Changes that might reduce coups and conflict and permit these countries and their 238 million citizens to have better lives are discussed in the conclusion.
What's in a Name? Defining and Caring for “Veterans”
Authors: Dandeker Christopher , Wessely Simon , Iversen Amy , Ross John
Published: May 2006

An important feature of civil-military relations is the way in which states recognize the sacrifices that the men and women of the armed forces give to their country and provide care and support for them and their families once they leave the military as veterans. Yet states differ not only in the levels and kinds of support provided for ex-service personnel but also in their very definition of what a veteran is. This article examines the case of the United Kingdom from an international perspective. It explains how and why the United Kingdom has developed a particular—and inclusive—definition of veteran and, in conjunction with veterans interest groups, a strategy for allocating scarce resources to this group. The article analyzes attempts to mitigate the effects of social exclusion suffered by some subgroups within the veteran population, although the great majority does well at least in terms of short-term employment prospects. It concludes with an analysis of the dilemmas that are likely to confront those responsible for developing policy on veterans issues in the future, especially where to target scarce resources in such an inclusively defined group of the population.
Public Service Role Models
Authors: Bellafaire Judith Lawrence
Published: May 2006

For a wide variety of social reasons, few women were attracted to military service during the Korean War era. In 1951, the Department of Defense (DOD) created the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services to help the armed services recruit women. DOD carefully selected a wide-ranging and diverse group of women to sit on the committee. Hailing from all areas of the country, they ranged from spinsters and divorcees to mothers and grandmothers and from educators and clubwomen to retailers and actresses. They did, however, have one important characteristic in common—each had devoted a large portion of her life to volunteer work and public service. This was not coincidental. In making its selections, DOD was deliberately telling young women of the 1950s that volunteerism and public service were the duty of every citizen and that such service was compatible with every life goal.
Suspending Routine Duty
Authors: Machalek Richard , Katayama Andrew D. , Patrey James E. , Born Dana H.
Published: May 2006

Recently, the sociologist Amitai Etzioni developed a theory of the significance of holidays as “seedbeds of virtue” and agents of socialization. With minor modifications, Etzioni’s theory can shed light on the sociological significance of holiday celebrations and ceremonies in military organizations. This article focuses on two key aspects of military holidays that distinguish them from their civilian counterparts: (1) the centrality of the normative notion of “duty” in military culture and (2) the unique temporal constraints to which military holiday celebrations are subjected. Consistent with Etzioni’s claim that holidays function, in part, as agents of socialization, the authors examine holiday celebrations and ceremonies at a major organizational site of military socialization, the United States Air Force Academy. The authors explain how unique properties of military organizations and cultures shape the nature and sociological functions of holiday celebrations and ceremonies in the armed forces.
Macro Measures of Consumer Well-Being (CWB): A Critical Analysis and a Research Agenda
Authors: Sirgy M. Joseph , Lee Dong-Jin
Published: May 2006

This article reviews the macromarketing literature related to measures of consumer well-being (CWB). Several macro-marketing measures of CWB were identified. The authors analyzed and critiqued the existing measures guided by these questions: (1) Is the CWB measure comprehensive enough to capture the richness of consumer experiences in the marketplace? (2) Is it macro enough to capture not only consumers’ assessment of marketplace experiences but also experts’ assessment of society’s costs and benefits of these marketplace experiences? (3) Is it diagnostic and practical enough to guide the formulation of policies and action programs? The goal of the analysis and critique of the current CWB measures is to help the reader understand how existing measures differ from one another, their strengths and weaknesses, and based on those strengths and weaknesses highlight research gaps and propose a new comprehensive CWB measure that can address the shortcomings of the existing measures.
Reply to Bradshaw, McDonagh, and Marshall: Turn Off the Bubble Machine
Authors: Holbrook Morris B.
Published: May 2006

In commenting on the art-versus-commerce theme, Bradshaw, McDonagh, and Marshall refer to its treatment in jazz-related films as “hackneyed” and “pedestrian.” In its place, they recommend various alternative perspectives—especially those devoted to empirical studies of everyday working musicians. But, in this, they obscure the tragic aspects of a great artist’s fall to lowly stature and remain insensitive to the blow that such a calamity strikes at the foundations of macromarketing. Here, in relation to the art-versus-commerce theme, it appears that insights from macromarketing can illuminate our understanding of a cinemusical text via the close reading of seemingly trivial but nonetheless significant textual details, as illustrated by the interpretive analysis of a single note from Duke Ellington’s score for Paris Blues (1961).
Consumer Well-Being and Quality of Life: An Assessment and Directions for Future Research
Authors: Malhotra Naresh K.
Published: May 2006

This article offers an assessment of the current state of the literature in consumer well-being and quality of life and illustrates the challenges facing researchers in this area with comments on the articles by Sirgy and Lee, Marshall and Meiselman, and Peterson. The author also offers some directions for future research.
Sensorimotor Training in a Virtual Reality Environment: Does It Improve Functional Recovery Poststroke?
Authors: Merians Alma S. , Poizner Howard , Boian Rares , Burdea Grigore , Adamovich Sergei
Published: May 2006

Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of computerized virtual reality (VR) training of the hemiparetic hand of patients poststroke using a system that provides repetitive motor reeducation and skill reacquisition. Methods. Eight subjects in the chronic phase poststroke participated in a 3-week program using their hemiparetic hand in a series of interactive computer games for 13 days of training, weekend breaks, and pretests and posttests. Each subject trained for about 2 to 2.5 h per day. Outcome measures consisted of changes in the computerized measures of thumb and finger range of motion, thumb and finger velocity, fractionation (the ability to move fingers independently), thumb and finger strength, the Jebsen Test of Hand Function, and a Kinematic reach to grasp test. Results. Subjects as a group improved in fractionation of the fingers, thumb and finger range of motion, and thumb and finger speed, retaining those gains at the 1-week retention test. Transfer of these improvements was demonstrated through changes in the Jebsen Test of Hand Function and a decrease after the therapy in the overall time from hand peak velocity to the moment when an object was lifted from the table. Conclusions. It is difficult in current service delivery models to provide the intensity of practice that appears to be needed to effect neural reorganization and functional changes poststroke. Computerized exercise systems may be a way to maximize both the patients’ and the clinicians’ time. The data in this study add support to the proposal to explore novel technologies for incorporation into current practice.
Neural Substrates for Motor Imagery in Severe Hemiparesis
Authors: Kimberley Teresa J. , Khandekar Gauri , Skraba Laura L. , Spencer Jessica A. , Van Gorp Emily A. , Walker Sarah R.
Published: May 2006

Background. The beneficial effects of imagined movements on motor learning and performance suggest that motor imagery is functionally close to preparatory and executive motor processes. Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the cortical processes associated with imagery of movement of the wrist in subjects with severe hemiparesis. Methods. During fMRI, subjects with stroke performed alternating blocks of imagining wrist-tracking movements with the hemiparetic hand, active wrist-tracking movements with the unaffected hand, and resting. Control subjects performed the same tasks using an assigned hand. Cortical activation in the primary motor (M1), primary sensory (S1), supplementary motor area (SMA), and pre-SMA regions was determined through a laterality index of active voxels and signal intensity. Ability to imagine was assessed with an Imagery Rating Scale. Results.All subjects displayed primarily contralateral control during the track condition. Healthy subjects demonstrated contralateral control in all areas during the imagine condition, whereas subjects with stroke displayed primarily contralateral activation in S1 but ipsilateral in M1 and SMA. The percentage change in signal intensity was greater in the ipsilateral hemisphere in subjects with stroke than in the ipsilateral hemisphere in healthy subjects during the imagine condition. Additionally, subjects with self-reported low ability to imagine displayed no difference in activation compared to those with high imagery ability. Conclusions. These findings are consistent with other works demonstrating primarily ipsilateral control of the hemiparetic hand in subjects with functional movement and lay the groundwork for further investigation into the ability of mental imagery to affect functionally relevant cortical control in subjects recovering from stroke.
Reliability and Validity of Bilateral Thigh and Foot Accelerometry Measures of Walking in Healthy and Hemiparetic Subjects
Authors: Saremi Kaveh , Marehbian Jon , Yan Xiaohong , Regnaux Jean-Philippe , Elashoff Robert , Bussel Bernard , Dobkin Bruce H.
Published: May 2006

Objective. Measures of walking ability in large clinical trials are usually limited to a timed short-distance walk and the distance walked in a fixed time. A new integrated system of 5 accelerometers was tested for reliability and compared to a footswitch system to determine if the accelerometers offered a practical option for the acquisition of spatiotemporal gait parameters. Methods. Leg accelerations and decelerations were defined in relation to simultaneous kinematic and electromyographic data acquired from a healthy subject. Eight healthy adults and 6 independent ambulators with hemiparetic stroke walked 15 m at 2 different speeds wearing both the accelerometers and footswitches. Twelve healthy subjects walked at 5 different speeds repeated 3 times on each of 2 days wearing the accelerometers. Walking speed, cadence, stride length, and single- and double-limb support, swing, and stance times were calculated. Results. No differences ( t test, P > 0.2) were found between footswitch and accelerometer variables when comparing all left or right legs in healthy subjects and all paretic or unaffected legs in stroke subjects. A 2-way nested ANOVA model (speed, left and right legs, trial, and session) with the accelerometers at walking speeds from 0.5 to 1.8 m/s revealed high reproducibility of all measures. Conclusions. The accelerometry system provided reliable and valid spatiotemporal measures of gait for the upper range of speeds likely to be targeted for rehabilitation interventions in ambulatory subjects.
Tetracycline-controlled transgenic targeting from the SCL locus directs conditional expression to erythrocytes, megakaryocytes, granulocytes, and c-kit-expressing lineage-negative hematopoietic cells
Authors: Bockamp Ernesto , Antunes Cecilia , Maringer Marko , Heck Rosario , Presser Katrin , Beilke Sven , Ohngemach Svetlana , Alt Rudiger , Cross Michael , Sprengel Rolf , Hartwig Udo , Kaina Bernd , Schmitt Steffen , Eshkind Leonid
Published: May 2006

The stem cell leukemia gene SCL, also known as TAL-1, encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor expressed in erythroid, myeloid, megakaryocytic, and hematopoietic stem cells. To be able to make use of the unique tissue-restricted and spatio-temporal expression pattern of the SCL gene, we have generated a knock-in mouse line containing the tTA-2S tetracycline transactivator under the control of SCL regulatory elements. Analysis of this mouse using different tetracycline-dependent reporter strains demonstrated that switchable transgene expression was restricted to erythrocytes, megakaryocytes, granulocytes, and, importantly, to the c-kit-expressing and lineage-negative cell fraction of the bone marrow. In addition, conditional transgene activation also was detected in a very minor population of endothelial cells and in the kidney. However, no activation of the reporter transgene was found in the brain of adult mice. These findings suggested that the expression of tetracycline-responsive reporter genes recapitulated the known endogenous expression pattern of SCL. Our data therefore demonstrate that exogenously inducible and reversible expression of selected transgenes in myeloid, megakaryocytic, erythroid, and c-kit-expressing lineage-negative bone marrow cells can be directed through SCL regulatory elements. The SCL knock-in mouse presented here represents a powerful tool for studying normal and malignant hematopoiesis in vivo.
Percutaneous subclavian artery stent-graft placement following failed ultrasound guided subclavian venous access
Authors: Burbridge Brent , Stoneham Grant , Szkup Peter
Published: May 2006

Background

Ultrasound guidance for central and peripheral venous access has been proven to improve success rates and reduce complications of venous cannulation. Appropriately trained and experienced operators add significantly to diminished patient morbidity related to venous access procedures. We discuss a patient who required an arterial stent-graft to prevent arterial hemorrhage following inadvertent cannulation of the proximal, ventral, right subclavian artery related to unsuccessful ultrasound guided access of the subclavian vein.

Case presentation

During pre-operative preparation for aortic valve replacement and aorto-coronary bypass surgery an anesthetist attempted ultrasound guided venous access. The ultrasound guided attempt to access the right jugular vein failed and the ultrasound guided attempt at accessing the subclavian vein resulted in inappropriate placement of an 8.5 F sheath in the arterial system. Following angiographic imaging and specialist consultations, an arterial stent-graft was deployed in the right subclavian artery rather than perform an extensive anterior chest wall resection and dissection to extract the arterial sheath. The patient tolerated the procedure, without complication, despite occlusion of the right internal mammary artery and the right vertebral artery. There were no neurologic sequelae. There was no evidence of hemorrhage after subclavian artery sheath extraction and stent-graft implantation.

Conclusion

The attempted ultrasound guided puncture of the subclavian vein resulted in placement of an 8.5 F subclavian artery catheter. Entry of the catheter into the proximal subclavian artery beneath the medial clavicle, the medial first rib and the manubrium suggests that the operator, most likely, did not directly visualize the puncture needle enter the vessel with the ultrasound. The bones of the anterior chest impede the ultrasound beam and the vessels in this area would not be visible to ultrasound imaging. Appropriate training and supervised experience in ultrasound guided venous access coupled with quality ultrasound equipment would most likely have significantly diminished the likelihood of this complication. The potential for significant patient morbidity, and possible mortality, was prevented by implantation of an arterial stent-graft.
A new extract of the plant calendula officinalis produces a dual in vitroeffect: cytotoxic anti-tumor activity and lymphocyte activation
Authors: Jiménez-Medina Eva , Garcia-Lora Angel , Paco Laura , Algarra Ignacio , Collado Antonia , Garrido Federico
Published: May 2006

Background

Phytopharmacological studies of different Calendula extracts have shown anti-inflamatory, anti-viral and anti-genotoxic properties of therapeutic interest. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities and in vivo anti-tumor effect of Laser Activated Calendula Extract (LACE), a novel extract of the plant Calendula Officinalis (Asteraceae).

Methods

An aqueous extract of Calendula Officinalis was obtained by a novel extraction method in order to measure its anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities in vitro. Tumor cell lines derived from leukemias, melanomas, fibrosarcomas and cancers of breast, prostate, cervix, lung, pancreas and colorectal were used and tumor cell proliferation in vitro was measured by BrdU incorporation and viable cell count. Effect of LACE on human peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) proliferation in vitro was also analyzed. Studies of cell cycle and apoptosis were performed in LACE-treated cells. In vivo anti-tumor activity was evaluated in nude mice bearing subcutaneously human Ando-2 melanoma cells.

Results

The LACE extract showed a potent in vitro inhibition of tumor cell proliferation when tested on a wide variety of human and murine tumor cell lines. The inhibition ranged from 70 to 100%. Mechanisms of inhibition were identified as cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and Caspase-3-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, the same extract showed an opposite effect when tested on PBLs and NKL cell line, in which in vitro induction of proliferation and activation of these cells was observed. The intraperitoneal injection or oral administration of LACE extract in nude mice inhibits in vivo tumor growth of Ando-2 melanoma cells and prolongs the survival day of the mice.

Conclusion

These results indicate that LACE aqueous extract has two complementary activities in vitro with potential anti-tumor therapeutic effect: cytotoxic tumor cell activity and lymphocyte activation. The LACE extract presented in vivo anti-tumoral activity in nude mice against tumor growth of Ando-2 melanoma cells.
Maximum static inspiratory and expiratory pressures with different lung volumes
Authors: Lausted Christopher G , Johnson Arthur T , Scott William H , Johnson Monique M , Coyne Karen M , Coursey Derya C
Published: May 2006

Background

Maximum pressures developed by the respiratory muscles can indicate the health of the respiratory system, help to determine maximum respiratory flow rates, and contribute to respiratory power development. Past measurements of maximum pressures have been found to be inadequate for inclusion in some exercise models involving respiration.

Methods

Maximum inspiratory and expiratory airway pressures were measured over a range of lung volumes in 29 female and 19 male adults. A commercial bell spirometry system was programmed to occlude airflow at nine target lung volumes ranging from 10% to 90% of vital capacity.

Results

In women, maximum expiratory pressure increased with volume from 39 to 61 cmH2O and maximum inspiratory pressure decreased with volume from 66 to 28 cmH2O. In men, maximum expiratory pressure increased with volume from 63 to 97 cmH2O and maximum inspiratory pressure decreased with volume from 97 to 39 cmH2O. Equations describing pressures for both sexes are:

Pe/Pmax = 0.1426 Ln( %VC) + 0.3402 R2 = 0.95

Pi/Pmax = 0.234 Ln(100 - %VC) - 0.0828 R2 = 0.96

Conclusion

These results were found to be consistent with values and trends obtained by other authors. Regression equations may be suitable for respiratory mechanics models.
New Hydrogen-bonded Supramolecular Hydrogels and Fibers Derived from 1,2,4,5-Benzenetetracarboxylic Acid and 4-Hydroxypyridine
Authors: Wang Yujiang , Tang Liming , Wang Yan
Published: May 2006

A new kind of supramolecular building unit was synthesized from 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid and 4-hydroxypyridine by a simple procedure. The structure of the building unit was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, EA, and XRD. Under suitable conditions, supramolecular hydrogels and fibers were formed from the building unit through hydrogen bonds between the donors and acceptors.
Falling between the Cracks: What Diversity Means for Black Women in Higher Education
Authors: Jones Cecily
Published: May 2006

The concepts of social justice and diversity have attained currency in political discourse and in organisational policy. Since the 1960s, the concept of social justice has been at the forefront of governmental drives to eradicate social inequalities, delivered through a framework of equality of opportunity. Recent years have, however, witnessed a shift away from the ‘traditional’ equal opportunity model of achieving equality towards the adoption of diversity management as a strategy of organisational policy. This shift comes in the wake of the increasing recognition of the diverse nature of employees in the workplace. A cornerstone of diversity management is its stress on the recognition and valuing of individual rather than social-group difference. An emphasis on individual difference may, however, carry profound consequences for the achievement of equality, for it may in fact serve to obscure and exacerbate the structural causes of inequality and, moreover, it may be an inadequate approach to countering the racialised discrimination and disadvantage encountered by black female academics. This article therefore asks: what are the implications of this shift for black and minority ethnic women academics in higher education in the United Kingdom today? Is it possible for higher education institutions and other employers to initiate a diversity policy that not only recognises differences, but at the same time ensures the delivery of policies and practices that challenge inequality?