bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term Results of One‐stage Scrotal Patch Urethroplasty
Authors: ROGERS H. S. , McNICHOLAS T. A. , BLANDY J. P.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Of 211 patients with urethral strictures undergoing one‐stage dartos pedicled island patch urethroplasty between 1970 and 1987, 194 have been followed up from 3 to 20 years. There was 1 post‐operative death (from hepatitis). During the period of follow‐up, strictures recurred in 14 patients (7%), some of them as late as 15 years after an apparently successful urethroplasty. Calculi forming on hairs required treatment in 6 patients (3%) and it was necessary to revise a redundant skin pouch in 6.
Contralateral Testicular Blood Flow in Unilateral Testicular Torsion Measured by the 133Xe Clearance Technique
Authors: MELIKOGLU M. , GUNTEKIN E. , ERKILIC M. , KARAVELI S.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Contralateral testicular blood flow was measured by the intratesticular injection of 133Xe in 9 controls (Group 1) and in 34 adult male albino rats with experimentally induced left testicular torsion. In Group 2 (n = 9) testicular torsion was maintained for 3 h; in Group 3 (n = 7) torsion was maintained for 9 h and in Group 4 (n = 10) for 15 days. In Group 5 (n= 16) torsion was maintained for 9 h in 8 rats and the sera were given to 8 normal animals.

In Groups 3, 4 and 5 there was a significant increase in contralateral testicular blood flow on the fifteenth day. This increase may be the cause of contralateral testicular damage in prolonged unilateral testicular torsion.
Complete Resolution of a Large Seminal Vesicle Cyst–Evidence for an Obstructive Aetiology
Authors: CONN I. G. , PEELING W. B. , CLEMENTS R.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Seminal vesicle cysts may arise from inflammation or obstruction of the seminal vesicle or from embryological remnants such as the müllerian duct. Surgical removal has been proposed as the treatment of choice.

A 19‐year‐old boy presented with abdominal pain and constipation. Investigations revealed a 14‐cm multiloculated cyst arising from the right seminal vesicle and a small stone lodged at the orifice of the ipsilateral ejaculatory duct. Following endoscopic removal of the stone the mass decreased in size considerably and 2 months later transrectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging showed normal seminal vesicles and no evidence of the cyst.

This case strongly supports an obstructive aetiology for this cyst and we would suggest that, in similar cases, full assessment of the ejaculatory apparatus should be carried out to exclude an obstructive cause before embarking on major surgery.
Survey of Mycobacteria Isolated from Urine and the Genitourinary Tract in South‐East England from 1980 to 1989
Authors: GRANGE J. M. , YATES M. D.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Between 1980 and 1989, the Public Health Laboratory Service Regional Tuberculosis Centre, Dulwich, received cultures of mycobacteria isolated from urine and the genitourinary tract of 1392 new patients: 803 isolates were members of the tuberculosis complex (753 M. tuberculosis, 45 M. bovis, 4 M. africanum) and 589 were various species of environmental mycobacteria. The incidence of the latter isolations varied by region and by year and, with 17 exceptions (13 from endometrial curettings, 2 from hydrocele fluid, 1 from a scrotal abscess and 1 from a kidney), all isolations of environmental mycobacteria were from urine; very few of them appeared to be clinically significant. Those that could be significant included 1 isolate from a kidney, 1 from a post‐renal transplant patient and 4 from patients with AIDS, 3 of whom had disseminated mycobacterial disease. Reports of clinically significant isolations of environmental mycobacteria from the genitourinary tract are reviewed.
Potential Use of Tissue Adhesive in Urinary Tract Surgery
Authors: HOLMES S. A. V. , JAMES M. , WHITFIELD H. N.
Published: December 2008

Summary— The search for a tissue adhesive which obviates the need for suture materials in the apposition of wound edges is not new. The early adhesive products lacked the required safety and efficacy. Experimental use of a new fibrin adhesive has shown that it may have potential use where inflammatory reaction to the suture material is undesirable or water‐tight sealing of the anastomosis is required.
Selective Renal Tumour Biopsy under Ultrasonic Guidance
Authors: ABE M. , SAITOH M.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Selective renal biopsy under ultrasonic guidance has been used widely because it provides safe and accurate tissue sampling. Using this technique, we biopsied 36 renal tumours and obtained specimens in 35 cases. Histology of the biopsy coincided with that of the surgical specimen in 18/21 cases. Dissemination of tumour cells, thought to have been caused by needle biopsy and/or surgical manipulation, was observed in only 1 case of sarcoma. The method thus proved effective in determining treatment and it is suggested that it should be used in accordance with the criteria which we have devised.
Electromyographic Abnormalities in the Urethral and Anal Sphincters of Women with Idiopathic Retention of Urine
Authors: WEBB R. J. , FAWCETT P. R. W. , NEAL D. E.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Previous concentric needle studies of the urethral sphincter in women with idiopathic urinary retention have found evidence of denervation and reinnervation as well as abnormal patterns of muscle fibre discharge—complex repetitive discharges (CRDs). In order to test the hypothesis that these abnormalities represented a more widespread disease process of pelvic floor function, we carried out an electromyographic (EMG) study of both anal and urethral sphincters in 18 women with idiopathic urinary retention.

The urethral sphincter EMG was abnormal in 15 patients. These abnormalities included polyphasic and long duration potentials. Complex repetitive discharges were identified in 8 women. However, abnormalities of the anal sphincter were found in 14 of the 15 patients with abnormal urethral sphincter EMGs, polyphasic and abnormally long duration potentials being found in the anal sphincters of all 14 patients. In addition, 7 of the 8 women who had complex repetitive discharges in the urethral sphincters had similar complex repetitive discharges in their anal sphincters. Women with complex repetitive discharges had a significantly greater proportion of abnormal potentials than women with no such repetitive discharges.

These results support the previous findings of electromyographic urethral sphincter abnormalities in women with idiopathic urinary retention, but also suggest that these abnormalities reflect a widespread disease process involving the pelvic floor in such patients.
The Effect of Ranitidine on Urine Mucus Concentration in Patients with Enterocystoplasty
Authors: GEORGE V. K. , GEE J. M. , WORTLEY M. I. , STOTT M. , GACHES C. G. C. , ASHKEN M. H.
Published: December 2008

Summary— We describe the effect of ranitidine in reducing mucus in urine in 8 patients with enterocystoplasty and present a simple technique for measuring the concentration of mucus in urine. After a 10‐day course of ranitidine (300 mg daily in divided doses) the concentration of mucus had fallen significantly from an initial level of 1.38 ± 0.18 to 0.39 ± 0.04 mg/ml.

Based on a Poster Demonstration at the 47th Annual Meeting of the British Association of Urological Surgeons in Glasgow, June 1991
Cystoprostatectomy and Substitution Cystoplasty for Locally Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: THOMAS P. J. , NURSE DIANE E. , DELIVELIOTIS C. , MUNDY A. R.
Published: December 2008

Summary— The results and long‐term follow‐up of 48 patients undergoing cystoprostatectomy and substitution cystoplasty for T2/3, MO transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder are reported. There was no operative mortality but 1 early death from thromboembolic disease. Thirty‐six patients are alive with a mean follow‐up of 57 months (range 12–120). Eleven patients died of disseminated disease. Thirty‐one patients (64%) regained normal continence by day and night and a further 8 were dry by day but incontinent at night; 9 patients underwent further surgery for incontinence and this was successful in 8, giving an overall continence rate of 79% and a day‐time continence rate of 98%. Of the 38 patients claiming to be potent pre‐operatively, 24 (63%) were potent postoperatively. Nerve‐sparing cystoprostatectomy and substitution cystoplasty is a safe alternative to a “standard” cystectomy and ileal conduit diversion in a selected group of men undergoing radical surgery for invasive bladder cancer and it achieves its aims of preserving continence and potency in the majority of patients.
Survey of Urological Centres and Review of Current Practice in the Pre‐operative Assessment of Prostatism
Authors: WILKINSON A. G. , WILD S. R.
Published: December 2008

Summary— A survey of 24 urological centres has shown a wide variation in the routine preoperative assessment of patients being considered for prostatectomy. Imaging of the urinary tract by intravenous urography (IVU) or ultrasound (US) is performed in 21/24 centres (79%) and plain films in 16/24 (67%). Post‐micturition residual volume (PMRV) is estimated quantitatively in 10/24 centres (42%). Although there is little agreement on what constitutes a significant PMRV, a large PMRV leads to increased likelihood of operation, and earlier operation. Peak urine flow rate (Q max) is measured in 19/24 centres (79%). The significance of these findings is discussed.
Long‐term Results of Treatment of Urethral Injuries in Males Caused by External Trauma
Authors: JENKINS B. J. , BADENOCH D. F. , FOWLER C. G. , BLANDY J. P.
Published: December 2008

Summary— Of 134 males with traumatic rupture of the urethra seen between 1967 and 1989, 10 have been lost to follow‐up and 124 have been followed up for 1 to 22 years (mean 8); 100 patients had a pelvic fracture (3 with associated rectal injury) and 24 had perineal injuries. Prior to referral 31 patients (25%) had undergone treatment in addition to suprapubic cystostomy. Wherever possible, strictures were managed by optical urethrotomy (33) or intermittent dilatation (4). In 2 patients only a suprapubic cystostomy was possible. Skin inlay urethroplasty in 1 or 2 stages was performed in 75 cases, an end‐to‐end anastomosis with or without resection of the symphysis pubis in 7 and a scrotal tube pull‐through in 3.

The immediate and long‐term results depended on the severity of the original injury. With minimal displacement the management was simple and the long‐term prognosis good, a single urethrotomy being sufficient in 22 patients. Where there was considerable displacement the initial management was more difficult and there was a high incidence of long‐term complications: of 73 patients treated by urethroplasty or end‐to‐end anastomosis, significant post‐operative infection occurred in 11 (15%) and restenosis in 15 (20%), of whom 7 required a revision urethroplasty. Data in respect of potency were recorded in 80 patients: 28 of these were impotent, 20 of the 28 having sustained an injury with considerable displacement.
New Approach to the Management of Fournier's Gangrene
Authors: ATTAH C. A.
Published: December 2008

Summary— A new method of treating Fournier's gangrene is described in 13 patients. There was no mortality and the average hospital stay was 10 days. Considerable gain in man‐hours and expense was recorded when compared with the old method of treatment with antibiotics and wound debridement.
Destruction of the vesicoureteric plexus for the treatment of hypersensitive bladder disorders
Authors: GILLESPIE L.
Published: December 2008

Objective To determine whether bilateral vesicoureteric ganglion excision is effective in the treatment of women with hypersensitive bladder disorders.

Patients and methods Utilizing neuroconductive studies, 175 women with hypersensitive bladder complaints of burning and frequency were selected by the presence of abnormal pudendal nerve sensory latency studies. Cystoscopy under anaesthesia revealed petechial haemorrhaging peritrigonally with bladder neck involvement, consistent with interstitial cystitis.

Results Laser obliteration of the vesicoureteric plexus bilaterally resulted in complete relief of pelvic pain in 112 patients and partial relief in 58. Forty‐five patients with complete relief were followed for 2 years with no recurrence of symptoms. Complications included one case of periureteric fibrosis secondary to cauterization.

Conclusion Bilateral vesicoureteric ganglion excision offers a new approach to treating hypersensitive bladder disorders such as interstitial cystitis.
Rapid tumour recurrence following cessation of long‐term treatment with intravesical thiotepa
Authors: MUKAMEL E. , SERVADIO C.
Published: December 2008

Objective To report tumour recurrence related to cessation of long‐term therapy with thiotepa.

Patients and methods A group of 12 patients with low grade (I‐II). low stage (TA‐T1) transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were included in the study. All patients had been treated with intravesical thiotepa for a period ranging from 24 to 71 months and none had had a recurrence for a period of between 15 and 51 months. After referral to this department all the patients were withdrawn from thiotepa therapy.

Results All the patients developed bladder tumours within 6 months of cessation of therapy. The recurrent tumours were grade II in 10 patients grade III in two patients. Eight patients had stage TA and four had stage T1. All responded to bacille Calmette‐Guérin therapy and none had tumour recurrence on follow up at 24 months.

Conclusion Meticulous follow‐up of patients is indicated soon after the cessation of long‐term therapy with thiotepa.
The Search for Standard Costing in the United States and Britain
Authors: Fleischman Richard K. , Boyns Trevor , Tyson Thomas N.
Published: December 2008

This article describes the relationship between the understanding and practice of standard costing in both the U.S. and the U.K. and discusses the development of specific practices in the immediate post‐World War II period. Based on a detailed review of the post‐war literature, the authors conclude that the quantity and quality of standard costing and related scientific management practices (time study, variance analysis, etc.) reached a level in practice that many accounting historians have felt should have been achieved at an earlier point in time. Another principal finding is that standard costing, initially promulgated in the late 1910s, continued to develop in both the U.S. and the U.K. in evolutionary fashion into the late 1940s and 1950s, a finding which demonstrates that Britain was not as far behind America in terms of its standard costing practices as has been commonly believed. The article also explicates the relatively minor impact of the Anglo‐American Council on Productivity, sponsor of sixty‐six post‐war visitations over a four‐year period by British groups of employers, trade unionists and professionals, to study American industrial methods, including standard costing.
Challenges to Implementing Strategic Performance Measurement Systems in Multi‐Objective Organizations: The Case of a Large Local Government Authority
Authors: Umashev Claudine , Willett Roger
Published: December 2008

A case study of the implementation of the balanced scorecard in a large local government authority is reported. Based on interview data, the factors that were perceived by senior managers to be important to the success or failure of the implementation are analysed. It is determined that scorecard measures were not effectively cascaded down to lower levels of the organization. Various inter‐related problems of leadership, training, feedback, employee empowerment and weak incentive schemes combined to cause communication difficulties which prevented the cascading problem from being effectively addressed.
Who's minding the data? Data Monitoring Committees in clinical cancer trials
Authors: Keating Peter , Cambrosio Alberto
Published: December 2008

Modern biomedicine is based on a number of novel institutions and practices that, in order to function, require some degree of formal and informal regulation. This paper contributes to the ongoing investigation of these processes, and the forms of objectivity they generate, by examining the emergence, development and deployment of Data Monitoring Committees in the field of clinical trials. The idea of a DMC had originally been raised in the clinical trial methodology literature in the 1970s so as to solve the problem of the management of interim trial data. Many leading clinical trial statisticians proposed that interim data and analyses be restricted to members of a DMC. Since the late 1980s, DMCs have evolved considerably in a constant search for ethical neutrality and objectivity through the use of sophisticated statistical techniques and novel organisational strategies. They have also been beset by a fundamental tension as to who or what should count as objective in such an undertaking. The paper examines the evolution of this institution in terms of the techniques brought to bear on the issues that they are expected to solve, the organisational forms through which DMCs have evolved and the ideals of objectivity that these forms embody.
The Determinants of GATS Commitment Coverage
Authors: Egger Peter , Lanz Rainer
Published: December 2008

This paper investigates hypotheses about the determinants of trade and investment liberalisation with a particular focus on the market access and national treatment commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). We set up a database of these GATS commitments and use the ratio of all commitments listed by a country to the possible number of commitments as a measure of liberalisation of market access/national treatment. Our empirical analysis suggests that larger and ‘richer’ countries commit to more liberal regimes of market access and national treatment. This is surprising since economic theory predicts the largest welfare gains for low‐skilled abundant (skilled‐labour/physical‐capital‐scarce) economies. Also, our findings suggest that liberalisation is stronger among geographically close countries with strong ties in goods trade.
Openness and Industrial Response in a Wal‐Mart World: A Case Study of Mexican Soaps, Detergents and Surfactant Producers
Authors: Javorcik Beata , Keller Wolfgang , Tybout James
Published: December 2008

This paper uses a case study approach to explore the effects of NAFTA and GATT membership on innovation and trade in the Mexican soaps, detergents and surfactants (SDS) industry. Several basic findings emerge. First, the most fundamental effect of NAFTA and the GATT on the SDS industry was to help induce Wal‐Mart to enter Mexico. Once there, Walmex fundamentally changed the retail sector, forcing SDS firms to cut their profit margins and/or innovate. Those unable to respond to this new environment tended to lose market share and, in some cases, disappear altogether. Second, partly in response to Walmex, many Mexican producers logged impressive efficiency gains during the previous decade. These gains came both from labour‐shedding and from innovation, which in turn was fuelled by innovative input suppliers and by multinationals bringing new products and processes from their headquarters to Mexico. Finally, although Mexican detergent exports captured an increasing share of the US detergent market over the past decade, Mexican sales in the US were inhibited by a combination of excessive shipping delays at the border and artificially high input prices (due to Mexican protection of domestic caustic soda suppliers). They were also held back by the major re‐tooling costs that Mexican producers would have had to incur in order to establish brand recognition among non‐Latin consumers, and in order to comply with zero phosphate laws in many regions of the US.
Proliferating Regional Trade Arrangements: Why and Whither?
Authors: Lee Jong‐Wha , Park Innwon , Shin Kwanho
Published: December 2008

This paper investigates why regional trade arrangements (RTAs) are proliferating extensively and how the effects of multiple RTAs, by interacting with each other, evolve over time. Our empirical analysis, based on an extended gravity model utilising a large panel dataset of 175 countries from 1948 to 1999, shows that RTAs on average increase global trade by raising intra‐bloc trade without damaging extra‐bloc trade. The net trade effects, however, heavily depend on the types of RTA strategic evolution over time, which we categorise as ‘expansionary’ RTAs, ‘duplicate’ RTAs or ‘overlapping’ RTAs. We find that countries excluded from an RTA can benefit more from duplicating a separate RTA than from joining an existing RTA. This result explains why the number of bilateral trade blocs, rather than the membership size of existing RTAs, is currently exploding. We also find that the net trade‐creating effects of RTAs are substantially lower for countries participating in overlapping RTAs. This result suggests that it is less likely that the currently proliferating RTAs will completely merge and lead the world economy to global free trade. Our empirical results are robust to controlling for the characteristics of countries that may influence the impact of RTAs.
Suffrage in San Juan: The Test of Women’s Rights in Argentina
Authors: HAMMOND GREGORY
Published: December 2008

The 1927 reform of the Constitution of San Juan province, Argentina, contained a variety of innovative reforms that set a precedent for later national events. Of these, one of the most unusual was the provision for female participation in provincial elections. The authorisation of this right, which preceded the national suffrage law by twenty years, came about as a consequence of local and national circumstances. The fundamental conditions for suffrage had taken root in Argentina prior to 1927, but for suffrage to become a reality, a government had to be in place that could take advantage of an influx of new voters.
The ‘Feminisation of Poverty’ in Costa Rica: To What Extent a Conundrum?
Authors: CHANT SYLVIA
Published: December 2008

Quantitative data from Costa Rica suggest that poverty is ‘feminising’, especially in respect of female‐headed households, who, since the early 1990s, have constituted a progressively greater share of the population classified as poor. This presents something of a conundrum given significant attempts on the part of the state to promote gender equality and to direct public expenditure to low‐income women. Some light on this apparent paradox is shed by qualitative fieldwork undertaken in Guanacaste province where female headship seems to have become a more viable, and sometimes, preferred, option among women on account of its role in enhancing well‐being. This is largely on account of social and legal changes that have contributed to making women less inclined to tolerate gender inequalities at the domestic level. The findings underline the importance of embracing gendered subjectivities in analyses of the ‘feminisation of poverty’ and invite caution about the latter being a unilaterally negative phenomenon.
Does leisure time physical activity in early pregnancy protect against pre‐eclampsia? Prospective cohort in Danish women
Authors: Østerdal ML , Strøm M , Klemmensen ÅK , Knudsen VK , Juhl M , Halldorsson TI , Nybo Andersen A‐M , Magnus P , Olsen SF
Published: December 2008

Objective  To examine the association between physical activity in early pregnancy and risk of pre‐eclampsia.

Design  Prospective cohort.

Setting  Denmark.

Population  A total of 85 139 pregnant Danish women, recruited between 1996 and 2002.

Methods  The authors assessed leisure time physical activity in first trimester by a telephone interview and categorised women a priori into seven groups: 0 (reference), 1–44, 45–74, 75–149, 150–269, 270–419 and 420+ minutes/week. Pre‐eclampsia diagnoses were extracted from the Danish National Patient Registry. A number of potential confounders were adjusted for by logistic regression.

Main outcome measures  Pre‐eclampsia and severe pre‐eclampsia.

Results  The two highest physical activity levels were associated with increased risk of severe pre‐eclampsia compared with the nonexercising group, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.65 (95% CI: 1.11–2.43) and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.07–2.95), whereas more moderate levels of physical activity (1–270 minutes/week) had no statistically significant association with risk of pre‐eclampsia (total n = 85 139).

Conclusions  We were unable to document a protective effect of leisure time physical activity against pre‐eclampsia. Our data even suggest that leisure time physical activity exceeding 270 minutes/week in first trimester may increase risk of severe pre‐eclampsia.
A New Method Combining Lagrangian Analysis with Hopkinson Pressure Bar Technique
Authors: Wang L. , Zhu J. , Lai H.
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  The Lagrangian analysis method is re‐analysed. It is shown that when a series of particle velocity profiles (or strain profiles) are measured to determine the dynamic stress–strain relation by the Lagrangian analysis, the crux is attributed to how to simultaneously measure both the stress and particle velocity wave profiles at a Lagrangian position by a combining stress–velocity gauge. The related experimental technique has not been satisfactorily solved yet. Thus, a new method combining the Lagrangian analysis with the Hopkinson pressure bar (HPB) technique is proposed. It is shown that the interface between the HPB and the specimen in fact provides such a combining gauge (called 1sv). Based on this technique, the so‐called ‘1sv + nv’ inverse analysis method is developed when particle velocity profiles are measured at n Lagrangian positions, and similarly the so‐called ‘1sv + nε’ inverse analysis method are developed when strain profiles are measured at n Lagrangian positions. The feasibility of the new method is evaluated by numerical simulations for a typical rate‐dependent viscoelastic material polymethyl methacrylate. The good agreement between the known ‘characteristics solutions’ and the present solutions confirms the validity of the proposed new method.
Effectiveness of Preservative Treatments on Coloured Ruditic Building Stones
Authors: Rizzo G. , Ercoli L. , Megna B.
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  The dark grey Breccia di Billiemi and the Ammonitico Rosso of Piana degli Albanesi, two coloured stones widely used in monuments both outdoor and indoor in Sicily, undergo significant decay as effect of weathering: colour change and development of surface microcracks which affect not only the chromatic aspect but also the state of aggregation. In a previous study (Fracture and Failure of Natural Building Stones, 2006, Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: 329), such effects were successfully reproduced on laboratory samples by means of artificial accelerated weathering and the different response of veins and grains to the ageing agents was related to the microstructure of stones. In this study, the effect of accelerated washout and acid etching is evaluated both on untreated samples and after the application of four commercial preservative products. The development of decay phenomena is monitored by means of weight measurements and image analysis, coupled with optical microscopy, the last evidencing a selectivity in the effectiveness of treatments on the different textural components of the lithotypes. The effect of treatments on the stones is also investigated by contact angle measurements on different areas.
Loading Rate Effects on Mechanical Response of Ag, Ni, Al and Cu at Nano‐Scale
Authors: Mortazavi B. , Khatibi A. A. , Saadatfar M. , Davami K.
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  Molecular dynamics (MD) is now playing a unique as well as conspicuous role in probing in nano‐science and technology. In this paper, MD simulation of uniaxial tension of some face‐centred cubic (FCC) metals (namely, Ag, Ni, Al and Cu) at nano‐scale was carried out. The effects of different loading rates on the stress–strain curves at a constant temperature of 300 K were studied. The potential used in these simulations was Sutton–Chen, and Velocity Verlet formulation of Noise‐Hoover dynamic was also applied to have a constant temperature ensemble. The boundary condition was periodic. Eventually, MD simulations were carried out and it was concluded that by increasing the loading rate both maximum stress and strain at failure increase. The maximum engineering stress for Al, Ag, Cu and Ni can be rounded as 4, 9, 12 and 18 GPa, respectively, for all loading rates.
A Bayesian Vector Autoregressive Model with Informative Steady‐state Priors for the Australian Economy*
Authors: BEECHEY MEREDITH , ÖSTERHOLM PÄR
Published: December 2008

This article applies a Bayesian vector autoregressive model with informative steady‐state priors to a parsimonious model of the Australian economy. The model captures economic linkages among key Australian and US variables and is estimated on quarterly data from 1985 to 2006. An out‐of‐sample forecast exercise shows that the model with informative steady‐state priors generally outperforms a traditional Bayesian vector autoregressive model as well as naïve forecasts. The model can also be used to generate density forecasts and analyse alternative scenarios, which we illustrate with the effect on the Australian economy of a substantial real depreciation of the US dollar.
Improving the Modelling of Couples’ Labour Supply*
Authors: BREUNIG ROBERT , COBB‐CLARK DEBORAH A. , GONG XIAODONG
Published: December 2008

We study work hours of Australian couples using a structural labour‐supply model. We introduce model improvements which allow error in wage estimation and unobserved influences on partners’ non‐market time to be correlated with one another and with own wage. This more realistic model produces wage elasticities – 0.26 (men) and 0.50 (women) – twice as large as those found without these innovations. Australian Government changes to the tax and transfer system between 2004 and 2006 are predicted to have little impact on participation and labour supply. Average weekly family income is predicted to increase by $65 per week.
Changes in older Dutch adults’ role networks after moving
Authors: BLOEM BRIGITTE A. , TILBURG THEO G. VAN , THOMÉSE FLEUR
Published: December 2008

Using the convoy model (R. L. Kahn & T. C. Antonucci, 1980), this study examined the differential impact of relocation, depending on the distance moved, on the size of 3 types of role networks. A total of 890 Dutch nonmovers and 445 movers (aged 55–86 years) were selected from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Results of analyses of variance showed that the neighbor networks changed most after relocation. Long‐distance movers discontinued the largest number of relationships with fellow club members. As expected, moving did not affect coworker networks. The findings show that, consistent with the convoy model, role networks proved to be unstable. Older adults, however, restored their partial networks at the second observation by starting new relationships.
Attachment style and long‐term singlehood
Authors: SCHACHNER DORY A. , SHAVER PHILLIP R. , GILLATH OMRI
Published: December 2008

This study examined how long‐term single people satisfy their attachment and sexual needs. A community sample of single and coupled adults (N = 142) located in the United States completed measures of attachment style, attachment figures, loneliness, depression, anxiety, quality of relationships with parents, and sexual behavior. In a structured interview, they answered questions about their childhoods and managing attachment, support, and sexual needs. Quality of childhood relationships with parents as well as use of attachment‐related words was coded. Single participants were as likely as coupled ones to exhibit attachment security and rely on attachment figures, although compared to coupled participants, they reported higher levels of loneliness, depression, anxiety, sexual dissatisfaction, and troubled childhood relationships with parents.
A paradox of support seeking and rejection among the stigmatized
Authors: WILLIAMS STACEY L. , MICKELSON KRISTIN D.
Published: December 2008

Individuals perceiving stigma may be unwilling to seek support directly. Instead, they may use indirect strategies due to fear of rejection. Ironically, indirect seeking leads to unsupportive network responses (i.e., rejection). In Study 1, data collected from structured interviews of a sample of U.S. women in poverty (N= 116) showed that perceived poverty‐related stigma was related to increased fear of rejection, which in turn partially mediated perceived stigma and indirect seeking. In Study 2, data gathered from structured interviews of a sample of U.S. abused women (N= 177) revealed that perceived abuse‐related stigma was linked to increased indirect seeking, which in turn related to increased unsupportive network responses. By contrast, direct support seeking was related to increased supportive and decreased unsupportive responses.
Missing a romantic partner: A prototype analysis
Authors: LE BENJAMIN , LOVING TIMOTHY J. , LEWANDOWSKI GARY W. , FEINBERG EMILY G. , JOHNSON KATHERINE C. , FIORENTINO REMY , ING JENNIFER
Published: December 2008

In this study, a prototype analysis of romantic missing was conducted. College‐age participants in the United States generated features of missing a partner (Study 1) and rated their centrality (Study 2). In a reaction time task, participants made category judgments for central features more quickly than for noncentral features (Study 3). In recognition and recall tasks, central features were more salient in participants’ memory, and participants evaluated individuals experiencing central features in vignettes as missing their partners more (Study 4). A prototype‐based measure of missing administered to individuals in long‐distance relationships (Study 5) correlated with commitment and attachment dimensions but only weakly with loneliness. Finally, level of missing differed based on whether individuals were in a geographically distant (vs. proximal) relationships (Study 6).
Intimacy in young adulthood as a predictor of divorce in midlife
Authors: WEINBERGER MARK I. , HOFSTEIN YARIV , WHITBOURNE SUSAN KRAUSS
Published: December 2008

Using an Eriksonian‐based measure (E. H. Erikson, 1963), the Inventory of Psychosocial Development (A. Constantinople, 1969), this longitudinal U.S. study explored the extent to which an individual’s potential for intimacy in young adulthood predicted divorce by midlife. Intimacy was defined as the potential to establish close relationships involving high levels of communication, closeness, and commitment. Marital status 34 years after college graduation was obtained from 167 participants (M age = 55.1 years, 60% male, 30% divorced) originally tested in college in 1966–1968 in the United States. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed a significant Gender × Intimacy interaction in predicting marital status at midlife. Women but not men with low intimacy in college had higher risk of divorce in midlife in the sample.
Video‐Assisted Thoracoscopic Resection of Noninvasive Thymomas Using One‐Lung Ventilation in Two Dogs
Authors: MAYHEW PHILIPP D. , FRIEDBERG JOSEPH S.
Published: December 2008

Objective— To report the technique and outcome of video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for resection of cranial mediastinal thymoma in 2 dogs.

Study Design— Case report.

Animals— Eleven‐year‐old Labrador Retrievers (n=2).

Methods— Two dogs had VATS resection of thymoma. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans revealed well‐circumscribed cranial mediastinal masses with dimensions of 4.5 cm × 4.2 cm × 3.7 cm and 2.1 cm × 2.1 cm × 4.1 cm (at the time of resection) without CT evidence of vascular invasion. One‐lung ventilation (OLV) was achieved using a bronchoscopically placed double‐lumen endobronchial tube. A 3‐portal technique was used for VATS access to the thorax. Thymomas were dissected from the tissues of the cranial mediastinum with the aid of a harmonic scalpel and retrieved in specimen retrieval bags.

Results— Two cranial mediastinal thymomas were resected successfully, with their capsules intact, using a VATS technique. One dog developed aspiration pneumonia postoperatively which resolved with treatment and remains healthy 18 months postoperatively with no radiographic evidence of tumor recurrence. The second dog was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, megaesophagus, and aspiration pneumonia preoperatively and despite recovering well from the procedure had a second episode of aspiration pneumonia 5 days postoperatively and was euthanatized.

Conclusions— VATS resection of modestly sized noninvasive thymoma is possible in dogs. Careful case selection and preoperative imaging are the keys.

Clinical Relevance— Thoracoscopic resection of modestly sized mediastinal masses forms part of an increasingly expansive set of indications for minimally invasive surgery in select veterinary patients.
Spinal Epidural Abscess in Two Calves
Authors: ZANI DAVIDE D. , ROMANÒ LAURA , SCANDELLA MASSIMILIANO , RONDENA MARCO , RICCABONI PIETRO , MORANDI NICOLA , LOMBARDO ROCCO , DI GIANCAMILLO MAURO , BELLOLI ANGELO G. , PRAVETTONI DAVIDE
Published: December 2008

Objective— To report clinical signs, diagnostic and surgical or necropsy findings, and outcome in 2 calves with spinal epidural abscess (SEA).

Study Design— Clinical report.

Animals— Calves (n=2).

Methods— Calves had neurologic examination, analysis and antimicrobial culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), vertebral column radiographs, myelography, and in 1 calf, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A definitive diagnosis of SEA was confirmed by necropsy in 1 calf and during surgery and histologic examination of vertebral canal tissue in 1 calf.

Results— Clinical signs were difficulty in rising, ataxia, fever, apparent spinal pain, hypoesthesia, and paresis/plegia which appeared 15 days before admission. Calf 1 had pelvic limb weakness and difficulty standing and calf 2 had severe ataxia involving both thoracic and pelvic limbs. Extradural spinal cord compression was identified by myelography. SEA suspected in calf 1 with discospondylitis was confirmed at necropsy whereas calf 2 had MRI identification of the lesion and was successfully decompressed by laminectomy and SEA excision. Both calves had peripheral neutrophilia and calf 2 had neutrophilic pleocytosis in CSF. Bacteria were not isolated from CSF, from the surgical site or during necropsy. Calf 2 improved neurologically and had a good long‐term outcome.

Conclusion— Good outcome in a calf with SEA was obtained after adequate surgical decompression and antibiotic administration.

Clinical Relevance— SEA should be included in the list of possible causes of fever, apparent spinal pain, and signs of myelopathy in calves.
A Tapered‐Sleeve Transcortical Pin External Skeletal Fixation Device for Use in Horses: Development, Application, and Experience
Authors: NUNAMAKER DAVID M. , NASH RONALD A.
Published: December 2008

Objective— To report development, configuration, application, and results of a tapered‐sleeve transcortical pin external skeletal fixation device (TSP ESFD) for use on fractures of the distal aspect of the equine limb.

Study Design— Optimization analysis of a TSP ESFD was carried out with mechanical testing and review of clinical case outcomes.

Animals— Cadaveric adult third metacarpal bones (MC3) for mechanical testing; horses (n=7) with severely comminuted proximal (6; P1) or second (1) phalanx fractures.

Methods— Mechanical testing of methods for attachment of TSP to the sidebars were tested as well as optimization of pin diameters. Outcome of clinical cases managed with the TSP ESFD were compared with outcomes of horses treated with previous ESFD.

Results— A TSP ESFD using 7.94 mm diameter pins was used. Survival rate was 71%. One horse with an infected P1 fracture and contralateral laminitis subsequently fractured MC3 through the distal pin hole while wearing the TSP ESFD. One mare with contralateral laminitis was euthanatized. Three horses had open fractures.

Conclusions— Design improvements incorporated into the TSP ESFD should increase treatment success.

Clinical Relevance— External skeletal fixation continues to be a viable treatment alternative for severe injuries of the distal aspect of the equine limb. TSP ESFD should improve on the success of treatment by decreasing complications of bone fracture at the pin interface.
Comparison of Chondrogenic Potential in Equine Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue and Bone Marrow
Authors: VIDAL MARTIN A. , ROBINSON SANDRA O. , LOPEZ MANDI J. , PAULSEN DANIEL B. , BORKHSENIOUS OLGA , JOHNSON JILL R. , MOORE RUSTIN M. , GIMBLE JEFFREY M.
Published: December 2008

Objective—To compare the chondrogenic potential of adult equine mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow (MSCs) or adipose tissue (ASCs).

Study Design—In vitro experimental study.

Animals—Adult Thoroughbred horses (n=11).

Methods—BM (5 horses; mean [±SD] age, 4±1.4 years) or adipose tissue (6 horses; mean age, 3.5±1.1 years) samples were obtained. Cryopreserved MSCs and ASCs were used for pellet cultures in stromal medium (C) or induced into chondrogenesis±transforming growth factor‐3 (TGFβ3) and bone morphogenic factor‐6 (BMP‐6). Pellets harvested after 3, 7, 14, and 21 days were examined for cross‐sectional size and tissue composition (hematoxylin and eosin), glycosaminoglycan (GAG) staining (Alcian blue), collagen type II immunohistochemistry, and by transmission electron microscopy. Pellet GAG and total DNA content were measured using dimethylmethylene blue and Hoechst DNA assays.

Results—Collagen type II synthesis was predominantly observed in MSC pellets from Day 7 onward. Unlike ASC cultures, MSC pellets had hyaline‐like matrix by Day 14. GAG deposition occurred earlier in MSC cultures compared with ASC cultures and growth factors enhanced both MSC GAG concentrations (P<.0001) and MSC pellet size (P<.004) after 2 weeks in culture.

Conclusion—Equine MSCs have superior chondrogenic potential compared with ASCs and the equine ASC growth factor response suggests possible differences compared with other species.

Clinical Relevance—Elucidation of equine ASC and MSC receptor profiles will enhance the use of these cells in regenerative cartilage repair.
Is Consent “Informed” When Patients Receive Care from Medical Trainees?
Authors: Pallin Daniel J. , Harris Rachel , Johnson Camille I. , Giraldez Ediza
Published: December 2008

Objectives:  Medical care requires consent and consent requires information. Prior studies have shown that patients are poorly informed about the medical training hierarchy. The authors assessed the impact of “informed” on “consent,” by assessing willingness to be seen by trainees before and after information about trainee’s credentials.

Methods:  A convenience sample of patients in an urban emergency department (ED) waiting room was surveyed, ascertaining willingness to be seen before and after information about trainees credentials, using Likert scales. McNemar’s test, linear regression, and mixed models were used to assess statistical significance of information in changing preferences and patient characteristics predicting knowledge, willingness, and change in willingness to be seen with more information.

Results:  The authors approached 397 patients, and 199 (50%) English speakers participated. Initially, 45% of subjects knew the meaning of “medical student,” and 35%“intern” and “resident.” In a controlled multivariate linear regression, educational attainment (p < 0.0001) predicted more knowledge, Hispanic ethnicity predicted less (p = 0.03). Subjects were less willing to be seen by lower‐ranking trainees (p < 0.001). Information about trainees caused a significant increase in unwillingness to be seen by medical students (17% to 28%, p = 0.004) and interns (8% to 13%, p = 0.029).

Conclusions:  Substantial numbers of ED patients would prefer not to be seen by trainees. When patients are informed about trainees’ credentials, they become less willing to be seen by more junior trainees. Further research should clarify informed consent for care among non–English speakers and should address these issues in other medical settings.
Does the Addition of Dexamethasone to Standard Therapy for Acute Migraine Headache Decrease the Incidence of Recurrent Headache for Patients Treated in the Emergency Department? A Meta‐analysis and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Singh Amandeep , Alter Harrison J. , Zaia Brita
Published: December 2008

Objectives:  Neurogenic inflammation is thought to play a role in the development and perpetuation of migraine headache. The emergency department (ED) administration of dexamethasone in addition to standard antimigraine therapy has been used to decrease the incidence of recurrent headaches at 24 to 72 hours following evaluation. This systematic review details the completed trials that have evaluated the use of dexamethasone in this role.

Methods:  The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, recent emergency medicine scientific abstracts, and several prepublication trial registries for potential investigations related to the research question. The authors included studies that incorporated randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled methodology and that were performed in the ED. A fixed‐effects and random‐effects model was used to obtain summary risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the self‐reported outcome of moderate or severe headache on follow‐up evaluation.

Results:  A pooled analysis of seven trials involving 742 patients suggests a modest but significant benefit when dexamethasone is added to standard antimigraine therapy to reduce the rate of patients with moderate or severe headache on 24‐ to 72‐hour follow‐up evaluation (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.80 to 0.95; absolute risk reduction = 9.7%). The treatment of 1,000 patients with acute migraine headache using dexamethasone in addition to standard antimigraine therapy would be expected to prevent 97 patients from experiencing the outcome of moderate or severe headache at 24 to 72 hours after ED evaluation. The sensitivity analysis yielded similar results with sequential trial elimination, indicating that no single trial was responsible for the overall result. Adverse effects related to the administration of a single dose of dexamethasone were infrequent, mild, and transient.

Conclusions:  These results suggest that dexamethasone is efficacious in preventing headache recurrence and safe when added to standard treatment for the management of acute migraine headache in the ED.
The Wilms’ tumour suppressor protein WT1 acts as a key transcriptional repressor of the human thromboxane A2 receptor gene in megakaryocytes
Authors: Gannon AnneMarie M. , Kinsella B. Therese
Published: December 2008

In humans, the TPα and TPβ isoforms of the thromboxane A2 receptor are transcriptionally regulated by distinct promoters, designated Prm1 and Prm3. Previous investigations identified two upstream repressor regions (URR) 1 and URR2 within Prm1. Herein, it was sought to characterize Prm1, identifying the factor(s) regulating URR1 and URR2 in human erythroleukaemia (HEL) 92.1.7 cells. Genetic reporter assays and 5′ deletions confirmed the presence of URR1 and URR2 but also identified a third repressor, designated RR3, within the proximal ‘core’ promoter. Bioinformatic analysis revealed several GC elements representing putative sites for Egr1/Sp1/Wilms tumour (WT)1 within URR1, URR2 and RR3. While mutation of three GC elements within URR1 and of an adjacent GC element suggested that repressor binding occurs through a cooperative mechanism, repressors binding to the single GC elements within URR2 and RR3 act independently to regulate Prm1. While electrophoretic mobility shift assays and supershift assays demonstrated that each of the GC elements can bind Egr1 and WT1 in vitro, chromatin immunoprecipitations established that WT1 is the factor predominantly bound to each of the repressor regions in vivo. Additionally, ectopic expression of –KTS isoforms of WT1 decreased Prm1‐directed gene expression and TPα mRNA expression. Collectively, these data establish WT1 as a critical repressor of Prm1, suppressing TPα expression in the platelet progenitor megakaryoblastic HEL cells.