bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of the Postmortem Duration of Mouse Tissue by Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Ito Shinobu , Mori Tomohisa , Kanazawa Hideko , Sawaguchi Toshiko
Published: June 2011

Electron spin resonance (ESR) method is a simple method for detecting various free radicals simultaneously and directly. However, ESR spin trap method is unsuited to analyze weak ESR signals in organs because of water-induced dielectric loss (WIDL). To minimize WIDL occurring in biotissues and to improve detection sensitivity to free radicals in tissues, ESR cuvette was modified and used with 5,5-dimethtyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). The tissue samples were mouse brain, hart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, muscle, skin, and whole blood, where various ESR spin adduct signals including DMPO-ascorbyl radical (AsA∗), DMPO-superoxide anion radical (OOH), and DMPO-hydrogen radical (H) signal were detected. Postmortem changes in DMPO-AsA∗and DMPO-OOH were observed in various tissues of mouse. The signal peak of spin adduct was monitored until the 205th day postmortem. DMPO-AsA∗in liver (y=113.8–40.7 log (day),R1=-0.779,R2=0.6,P<.001) was found to linearly decrease with the logarithm of postmortem duration days. Therefore, DMPO-AsA∗signal may be suitable for detecting an oxidation stress tracer from tissue in comparison with other spin adduct signal on ESR spin trap method.
Interaction between Exercise, Dietary Restriction and Age-Related Bone Loss in a Rodent Model of Male Senile Osteoporosis
Authors: Bodnar Marko , Skalicky Monika , Viidik Andrus , Erben Reinhold G.
Published: June 2011

Background: The pathophysiology of age-related bone loss and whether age-related bone loss can be prevented by exercise are still a matter of debate. Objective: It was the aim of this study to investigate the long-term effects of exercise and mild food restriction on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone geometry in the appendicular skeleton of aging male rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied from 5 to 23 months of age. The rats were divided into 4 groups: baseline, free access to food and running wheels (RW), fed to pair weight with the RW group (PW) and sedentary control animals with free access to food (SED). All rats were housed individually. Volumetric BMD and geometry of femurs and tibiae were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). In addition, the tibial shafts were analyzed by cortical bone histomorphometry. Results: At the end of the experiment, RW and PW rats had similar body weight. The body weight of SED rats was 31% greater than that of RW rats. pQCT analysis of femurs and tibiae as well as histomorphometric analysis of the tibial shafts showed that dietary restriction resulted in an enlargement of the marrow cavity and cortical thinning at the femoral and tibial shafts relative to the RW and SED groups. Voluntary running exercise provided no additional protection against age-related bone loss when compared with the 31% heavier SED control rats. Neither exercise nor increased body weight in SED animals could completely prevent age-related bone loss between 19 and 23 months of age. Conclusion: We conclude that dietary restriction had clear negative effects on BMD and bone geometry and that running wheel exercise provided partial protection but could not prevent age-related bone loss.
Hypertensive Cardiovascular and Renal Disease and Target Organ Damage: Lessons from Animal Models
Authors: Susic Dinko , Frohlich Edward D.
Published: June 2011

This brief review discusses some aspects of hypertensive damage to the kidneys and cardiovascular system. A comparison of renal and cardiac manifestations of hypertensive disease between results of clinical and experimental studies was made, with a major focus on the possible role of salt and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in inducing target organ damage. Thus, some degree of renal impairment is often present in patients with essential hypertension, varying from microalbuminuria to end-stage renal disease, whereas in rats with spontaneous hypertension only slight renal damage is seen in old rats with little evidence of renal failure. Since renal damage in hypertensive rats is induced when they are exposed to increased salt intake, we suggested that salt may also account for kidney injury in hypertensive patients. Similarly, cardiac damage is aggravated in hypertensive human beings and rats when given salt excess. We further presented evidence that the RAS may mediate adverse cardiac and renal effects of excessive salt intake. Finally, we also discussed some aspects of the cardiovascular physiology in the giraffe, the only mammal that in comparison with the human being has extremely high pressure at the level of the heart and kidneys but no target organ damage.
Reading Slumdog Millionaire across Cultures
Authors: Stephens Duncan Rebecca
Published: June 2011

This essay examines the film Slumdog Millionaire and its reception as an intercultural encounter focused on romance and class conflict. While the Eastern and diasporic critical response registered outrage at the global exposure of India’s slums, an emerging critical discourse on Indian popular cinema adds cultural context and nuance to discussions of the film. Western viewers and critics, in contrast, are culturally prepared to approach the film as a generic hybrid or a postmodern romance. Innovative under both paradigms, Slumdog invites new consideration of the archetypical romantic quest in twenty-first century cinematography. Ultimately, the clear division between Eastern and Western responses challenges the notion of the global or transnational response to a regional or national narrative.
Imagining Beast: Images of the Oppressor in Recent Nigerian Poetry in English
Authors: Egya Sule E.
Published: June 2011

This essay analyses recent poetry in Nigeria, especially poetry produced after 1988, the year in which the anthology Voices from the Fringe, edited by Harry Garuba, announced the emergence of a new generation of Nigerian poets. One of the peculiarities of this poetry is its formation and deployment of animal images, specifically the use of ugly, destructive, carnivorous animals as metaphors in the construction of an oppressor-figure. The poetry is linked to its immediate environment and the oppressor-figure is frequently seen to emblematize the irrational, anti-human, cruel military dictators that oppressed Nigeria in the 1980s and 1990s. Concentrating on selected representative poems, the essay identifies and analyses this use of bestial imagery, concluding that poetry has been a form of cultural production that has played a part in dethroning military oppression in Nigeria.
European Palliative Care Research Collaborative pain guidelines: Opioid switching to improve analgesia or reduce side effects. A systematic review
Authors: Dale Ola , Moksnes Kristin , Kaasa Stein
Published: June 2011

According to a Cochrane review on opioid switching, sound evidence on the practice of substituting one strong opioid with another to improve pain control and reduce adverse effects was lacking in 2004. A systematic search strategy was developed to include studies after 2004, with adult cancer patients switching between strong opioids and reporting estimates of effect on pain and adverse effects. The search retrieved 288 publications (71 duplicates); 187 abstracts and 19 full papers were excluded. Eleven papers met the inclusion criteria; none were randomized controlled trials/meta-analyses. Studies comprised 280 patients (group size 10–32). A variety of opioids and switching strategies were studied. Pain intensity was significantly reduced in the majority of studies. Serious adverse effects were improved. Due to serious design limitations, the level of evidence was low (D). Randomized trials, with standardization of cohort classification, use of outcomes and analysis are warranted to establish the practice of opioid switching.
The role of hydromorphone in cancer pain treatment: a systematic review
Authors: Pigni Alessandra , Brunelli Cinzia , Caraceni Augusto
Published: June 2011

The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the scientific evidence for the efficacy and side effects of hydromorphone in the management of moderate to severe cancer pain.

Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials, reporting data on efficacy and/or side effects of hydromorphone, were identified. Thirteen eligible studies, involving 1208 patients, were selected. Seven studies compared hydromorphone with other opioids (five with morphine, one with oxycodone and one with fentanyl and buprenorphine) and five of them were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Most of the studies were conducted on patients already receiving opioid treatment, often at stabilized doses, and most had methodological limitations. The RCTs comparing hydromorphone with morphine and oxycodone showed similar analgesic results, while the comparison of side effects showed minor differences, not consistent across studies. Due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis was not performed. In conclusion there is evidence to support the efficacy and tolerability of hydromorphone for moderate to severe cancer pain as an alternative to morphine and oxycodone, while there is no evidence to demonstrate its superiority or inferiority in comparison with morphine as the first choice opioid for the same indication.
Is oral morphine still the first choice opioid for moderate to severe cancer pain? A systematic review within the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative guidelines project
Authors: Caraceni Augusto , Pigni Alessandra , Brunelli Cinzia
Published: June 2011

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence that oral morphine can be recommended as the first choice opioid in the treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain in updating the European Association for Palliative Care opioid recommendations. A systematic literature review was performed to update the 2007 Cochrane review ‘Oral morphine for cancer pain’. The literature search was conducted on MedLine, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. The search strategy, limited in time (from 1 July 2006 to 31 October 2009), was aimed to be as extensive as possible using both text words and MeSH/EMTREE terms; a hand search of the reference lists of identified papers was also performed. Randomized clinical trials, containing data on efficacy and/or side effects of morphine, were identified. Among the papers retrieved from the cited databases and the Cochrane review, 17 eligible studies, for a total of 2053 patients, and a meta-analysis were selected. These studies do not add significant information to the previous Cochrane review confirming the limitation of efficacy and tolerability data on opioid-naïve and non-selected populations of cancer patients treated with morphine and suggesting that oral morphine, oxycodone and hydromorphone have similar efficacy and toxicity in this patient population.
Is oral methadone better than placebo or other oral/transdermal opioids in the management of pain?
Authors: Cherny Nathan
Published: June 2011

Aim: To address the question: is oral methadone better than placebo, or other oral/transdermal opioids in the management of cancer pain?

Method: A literature search was performed to identify relevant studies. Search strategies included: (1) methadone (title) AND placebo (title or abstract) AND pain (title or abstract); (2) methadone (title) AND randomized (title or abstract) AND pain (title or abstract) AND cancer (title or abstract). Papers were reviewed for relevance to first-line opioid therapy.

Results: No studies were identified comparing methadone to placebo for cancer pain. A single study compared methadone to placebo for neuropathic pain and demonstrated evidence of analgesic effect at a dose of 20 mg/day but not at a dose of 10 mg/day.

Four studies compared oral methadone to either oral morphine, or oral morphine and transdermal fentanyl in a first-line setting: Gourlay 1986 ( N = 18), Ventafridda 1986 ( N = 54), Bruera 2004 ( N = 106) and Mercadante 2008 ( N = 108). All studies demonstrated comparable, but not superior, analgesia with, overall, a comparable adverse effect profile. The duration of the study period for the three largest studies was 28 days. Two of these studies, Ventafridda 1986 and Mercadante 2008, indicated that, over time, the opioid escalation index was lower for methadone than for morphine. One study that used a 2:1 dose ratio between morphine and methadone was associated with a high attrition rate in the first week because of excessive sedation. This effect was not seen in the study that used a 4:1 morphine to methadone dose ratio with dose titration.

Conclusion: This limited data suggests that (1) methadone may be an equally effective candidate for first-line opioid therapy, (2) that it is possibly less expensive, (3) that there may be a propensity to sedation and dose accumulation unless there is close monitoring and conservative dose selection and (4) that it should be initiated with a calculated dose based on a morphine to methadone dose ratio of not less than 4:1.
How well is cancer pain treated?
Authors: Foley Kathleen M
Published: June 2011

There are currently two indicators, Morphine Consumption Data and the Pain Management Index, that have been widely used to assess the efficacy of cancer pain treatment. Both are based on the World Health Organization guidelines for cancer pain and both have limitations in their ability to assess the quality of pain care for cancer patients. The published studies that have used these methods all report that cancer pain is generally undertreated in a wide range of clinical settings and care models.
A systematic review of oxycodone in the management of cancer pain
Authors: King Samuel James , Reid Colette , Forbes Karen , Hanks Geoffrey
Published: June 2011

Background: Oxycodone is often used as an opioid analgesic for moderate to severe cancer-related pain, but its use varies across Europe. This systematic literature review forms the basis of guidelines for oxycodone use within the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative opioid guidelines project conducted on behalf of the European Association for Palliative Care.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify and assess the quality of evidence for the use of oxycodone for cancer pain in adults.

Methods: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MedLine, EMBASE and CINAHL were systematically searched in addition to hand searching of relevant journals. Studies were included if they reported a clinical outcome relevant to the use of oxycodone in adult patients with moderate to severe cancer pain. Any form and route of oxycodone was included except intrathecal. No direct comparator was required for inclusion and studies were excluded if patients had previously switched from another strong opioid because of intolerable adverse effects or poor efficacy. This is a narrative systematic review, using the GRADE approach to assess the quality of studies and to formulate guidelines.

Results: Twenty-nine original studies were identified including a meta-analysis and 14 randomized controlled trials. The identified meta-analysis included three trials comparing oxycodone to morphine and one comparing oxycodone to hydromorphone. Four other randomized trials compared oxycodone with other opioids. The remaining randomized controlled trials compared different routes of administration or formulations of oxycodone. No additional studies that would have been suitable for addition to the meta-analysis were identified.

Conclusions: There is no evidence from the included trials of a significant difference in analgesia or adverse effects between oxycodone and morphine or hydromorphone. The evidence was graded as high quality on the basis of a well-conducted meta-analysis, with no limitations likely to affect the outcome, in addition to consistency in the results of the other studies. The research was conducted using participants relevant to cancer and palliative care populations. Oxycodone can be recommended as an alternative to morphine or hydromorphone for cancer-related pain.
Management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients: systematic review and evidence-based recommendations
Authors: Laugsand Eivor A , Kaasa Stein , Klepstad Pål
Published: June 2011

The objectives were to review the existing literature on management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients and summarize the findings into evidence-based recommendations. Systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were performed, using free text and MeSH/EMTREE search terms. The searches were limited to articles published in English from each database set-up date to 31 July 2009. Reference lists and relevant international conference proceedings were hand-searched. Fifty-five studies were identified, providing data on 5741 patients. The studies were classified into: (A) studies in which treatment of nausea/vomiting was the primary outcome (a total of 18 studies, of which eight studies specifically addressed opioid-induced emesis); and (B) studies in which nausea/vomiting were secondary or tertiary outcomes (37 studies). The existing evidence had several limitations, there was a lack of consistency and the overall quality was grade D. By applying the principles of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system, three weak recommendations were formulated. The current evidence is too limited to give evidence-based recommendations for the use of antiemetics for opioid-induced nausea or vomiting in cancer patients. The evidence suggests that nausea and vomiting in cancer patients receiving an opioid might be reduced by changing the opioid or opioid administration route. The evidence was also too limited to prioritize between symptomatic treatment and adjustment of the opioid treatment.
Transdermal opioids as front line treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain: a systemic review
Authors: Tassinari Davide , Drudi Fabrizio , Rosati Marta , Maltoni Marco
Published: June 2011

Background: To assess the role of transdermal opioids as a front-line approach to moderate to severe cancer pain.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed by two authors. An analysis of the level of evidence and risk/benefit ratio was performed for all of the selected trials. A combined analysis of the included studies to assess the level of evidence, risk/benefit ratio and strength of the recommendations was performed to determine the place of transdermal opioids in the treatment of cancer when compared with oral morphine.

Results: Thirteen papers were included in the analysis. The level of evidence was considered low for transdermal opioids (without distinction between transdermal fentanyl and transdermal buprenorphine) or transdermal fentanyl, and very low for transdermal buprenorphine. The risk/benefit ratio was considered uncertain for both transdermal opioids (fentanyl and buprenorphine) considered together and transdermal fentanyl or buprenorphine alone. The strength of the final recommendations (using the GRADE system) was weak negative for transdermal opioids (transdermal fentanyl plus transdermal buprenorphine) and transdermal fentanyl, and strong negative for transdermal buprenorphine.

Conclusions: The use of slow release oral morphine probably remains the preferred approach for these patients, with the use of transdermal opioids to be reserved for selected patients.
Development and validation of lubricated multi-disc clutch systems with advanced ceramics
Authors: Albers A , Bernhardt J , Ott S
Published: June 2011

Lubricated friction systems and their friction materials have to fulfil high standards concerning mechanical and thermal load capacity, wear, and coefficient of friction. Engineering ceramics show high potential to increase the power density of these systems.

To realize the potential of new materials, it is necessary to provide suitable methods and tools to design high loaded lubricated friction systems with increased performance. Representative for high-loaded friction systems with low pressure and high sliding speed, a lubricated multi-disc clutch has been chosen as a demonstrator system. This demonstrator system is being used to deepen knowledge about the tribological system's behaviour.
From protest to power: Autonomist parties in government
Authors: Elias Anwen , Tronconi Filippo
Published: June 2011

In many Western European states, an increasing number of autonomist parties are taking part in government at state and regional levels. To date, however, scholars have paid little attention to the repercussions of government incumbency for these actors. This article aims to take a first step towards redressing this oversight. Based on an extensive literature examining political parties in government, we formulate hypotheses about how autonomist parties will approach, behave within and be affected by government office. We test these hypotheses by examining the participation of autonomist parties in regional and state governments in Western Europe since 1945. The findings demonstrate that the difficult decisions autonomist parties must make when entering government, the subsequent dilemmas and challenges that must be resolved once the threshold of government has been crossed, and the consequences of government incumbency, are similar to those faced by any political party in government. However, the fact that autonomist parties operate within a multi-level political context can render these challenges more complex than is the case for political parties operating (mainly or exclusively) at a single territorial level, usually that of the state. The article concludes by identifying key factors that affect the success of autonomist parties in government.
Workplace Bullying: An Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Bartlett James E. , Bartlett Michelle E.
Published: June 2011

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that appears widely in research literature in a variety of disciplines. The review found that a concise definition for workplace bullying was not available in the literature and in the United States there was a lack of federal legislation addressing workplace bullying. This integrative review reports that bullying is categorized as work related, personal, and physical/threatening. These behaviors occurring in the workplace negatively impact both the individual and organization. Outcomes to individuals are viewed in terms of impacting work, health (physical and emotional), and affective domains such as motivation. Negative organizational impacts of workplace bullying are classified in terms of cost, productivity, reputation, legal issues, and organizational culture. This review suggests methods that HRD professionals can implement to help individuals and organizations reduce workplace bullying. Suggestions are provided for future empirical research for HRD professions in relation to workplace bullying.
Hate Crimes as One Aspect of Workplace Violence: Recommendations for HRD
Authors: Jacobs Judy L. , Scott Chaunda L.
Published: June 2011

This article utilizes an integrative literature review to raise awareness of hate crimes as a form of workplace violence in today’s global work settings. This inquiry defines hate crimes in work settings and its related consequences affecting organizations and their employees along with the role human resource development (HRD) practitioners and researchers can play in the mitigation of hate crime in the workplace. This review offers specific recommendations to HRD practitioners and researchers.
Flouting Faith? Religious Hostility and the American Left, 1977-2000
Authors: Pieper Andrew L.
Published: June 2011

Recent scholarship has outlined and debated theories of a culture war taking place within the United States, with religious traditionalists pitted against nonorthodox religious believers and nonbelievers. Some scholars and commentators contend that the American Left has contributed to this culture war through its hostility toward Americans of faith. This theory, which I call the Irreverent Left thesis, purports that such hostility has caused religious traditionalists to abandon the Democratic Party for the Republican Party, leading to Republican victories in national politics. This article examines whether the Left has become more hostile to religion. Using content analysis of American Left publications— The Nation, In These Times, and Mother Jones— I examine the attitudes of progressive elites from 1977 to 2000. Findings indicate that although the American Left has become more hostile toward religious faith, this hostility is more likely a result of the shifting partisan loyalties than a cause.
An Analysis of Teleoperator Performance in Conditions of Display-Control Misalignments With and Without Movement Cues
Authors: Chintamani Keshav , Cao Alex , Ellis R. Darin , Tan Chin-An , Pandya Abhilash K.
Published: June 2011

During robot teleoperations, misalignments occur when the coordinates of the manipulated end effector viewed through a remote camera are incongruent with the fixed coordinates at the hand controller. Such display-control misalignments are frequently encountered in present-day manually controlled robotic systems, such as space station manipulators or mobile manipulators for military operations and surgical robots with which the remote worksite is viewed from an exocentric camera. Misalignments are known to degrade operator performance and thus far have been dealt with by extensive operator training or by system-specific compensatory algorithms. The results presented demonstrate that the time to produce translational and rotational movements on an end effector viewed through an exocentric camera varies significantly with misalignment and follows patterns similar to those found in mental rotation studies of misaligned shapes. The authors show that overlaying color-coded augmented-reality movement cues on the end effector and mapping them to a color-coded hand controller significantly shorten the processing time required to translate or rotate a misaligned end effector across a range of angular misalignments. Furthermore, the cues make response times invariant to misalignment for both translational and rotational movements. Although these cues were intended for space station manipulators, their application in other teleoperation platforms, such as surgical robots or remote ground vehicles, is possible.
Adaptive Aiding of Human-Robot Teaming
Authors: de Visser Ewart , Parasuraman Raja
Published: June 2011

In many emerging civilian and military operations, human operators are increasingly being tasked to supervise multiple robotic uninhabited vehicles (UVs) with the support of automation. As 100% automation reliability cannot be assured, it is important to understand the effects of automation imperfection on performance. In addition, adaptive aiding may help counter any adverse effects of static (fixed) automation. Using a high-fidelity multi-UV simulation involving both air and ground vehicles, two experiments examined the effects of automation reliability and adaptive automation on human-system performance with different levels of task load. In Experiment 1, participants performed a reconnaissance mission while assisted with an automatic target recognition (ATR) system whose reliability was low, medium, or high. Overall human-robot team performance was higher than with either human or ATR performance alone. In Experiment 2, participants performed a similar reconnaissance mission with no ATR, static automation, or with adaptive automation keyed to task load. Participant trust and self-confidence were higher and workload was lower for adaptive automation compared with the other conditions. The results show that human-robot teams can benefit from imperfect static automation even in high task load conditions and that adaptive automation can provide additional benefits in trust and workload.
Inherent illnesses and attacks: an ethnographic study of interpretations of childhood Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) in Manhiça, southern Mozambique
Authors: Straus Lianne , Munguambe Khátia , Bassat Quique , Machevo Sonia , Pell Christopher , Roca Anna , Pool Robert
Published: July 2011

Background

Pneumonia is a leading cause of childhood hospitalisation and child mortality in Africa. This study explores local interpretations of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs), focusing on caretakers of children under five in the context of hospital care seeking.

Methods

The study took place in Manhiça, southern Mozambique and used Focused Ethnographic Study tools (FES) including field exercises and interviews.

Results

Understandings of terms used to describe ARIs differed between caretakers and hospital staff. Children's sicknesses that hospital staff diagnosed as ARIs were interpreted by caretakers as intermittent "attacks" of xifuva, a permanent, inherent and incurable chest illness. Caretakers thought that it was possible to manage and treat the attacks, which were caused by immediate natural factors such as food or the weather, but not the underlying illness, which was seen as having more indirect and social causes. Explanations of illness could not be neatly separated into pluralistic categories, but were characterised by syncretism, with "lay" and "biomedical" terms and concepts intermingling in practical care-seeking interactions between caretakers and health staff.

Conclusions

Health promotion should take into account the syncretism involved in explanations of ARIs in the context of practical care seeking for children. In doing so, it should draw upon lay interpretations and terminologies in order to stress the importance of seeking hospital care for all xifuva-type illnesses as well as seeking care for any subsequent attacks of an already diagnosed xifuva. However, this should be undertaken with awareness that the meanings of the terms used in practical care-seeking interactions may change over time. Health communication about ARIs should therefore be ongoing and evidence-based, even if ARIs appear to be well understood.
Encyclopedia, Network, Hypertext, Database: The Continuing Relevance ofEncyclopedic NarrativeandEncyclopedic Novelas Generic Designations
Authors: Van Ewijk Petrus
Published: July 2011

In 1976 Edward Mendelson introduced the terms encyclopedic narrative and encyclopedic novel in two articles on Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow and offered a definition that seems to be primarily geared toward totality. The history of the encyclopedia, however, shows a transition from the idea that everything can be encompassed to an awareness that the encyclopedia necessarily needs to be an open form. During the Enlightenment, Denis Diderot posited that every delineation always implies an exclusion of information. Consequently, the Encyclopedists of the Enlightenment transformed the image of the encyclopedia as a hierarchic totalizing tree into the encyclopedia as a network (ideally a rhizome) that contains a constant tension between totality and open-endedness. With this tension as its core characteristic, the encyclopedic narrative becomes useful as a generic designation and answers to the continuously expanding boundaries of text, data, and knowledge. The redefined encyclopedic novel can therefore be connected with more current forms of textuality, like hypertext and database.
What Is Theater's Outer Limit of Great Length?
Authors: Kalb Jonathan
Published: June 2011

This excerpt from Jonathan Kalb's forthcoming book Great Lengths: Seven Works of Marathon Theater from University of Michigan Press considers the recent proliferation of lengthy theater pieces, or “marathon theater” events, in their historical and cultural contexts. He discusses the historical precedents of extended theatrical events, such as those by City Dionysia, Japanese Noh theater, medieval mystery plays, and Wagnerian opera. Kalb considers changes in the theater industry and media culture over the last several decades that may have influenced this sudden proliferation. He also reflects on the complex cultural connotations of the term marathon, both as an advertising strategy and as a communal event.
Crossing Over
Authors: Garcés Michael John , Kuftinec Sonja Arsham
Published: June 2011

In this interview, playwright Michael John Garcés discusses Los Illegals, his 2007 play about undocumented workers in Los Angeles. He describes Cornerstone Theater's process of working collaboratively with local immigrants to develop the play as well as his artistic influences (including Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna). Garcés also discusses the birth of the independent theater company comprising immigrants and day-laborers that came out of the Los Illegals project.
Functionalization of Silica Surface by Tetrahydroxyporphyrin via Si–O Linkages
Authors: Minamijima Nagisa , Furuta Nao , Wakunami Shintaro , Mizutani Tadashi
Published: June 2011

To construct an interface between a π-conjugated organic molecule and an inorganic/metal surface, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(5-hydroxypentyloxy)phenyl]porphyrin was chemisorbed on silica gel by refluxing in pyridine. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that 1.5–6.3 mg tetrahydroxyporphyrin was adsorbed on 50 mg of silica gel. To functionalize the surface of a silicate glass plate with the porphyrin, a spin-coated film of the porphyrin on the glass plate was heated at 80–296 °C, followed by sonication in pyridine to remove the unreacted porphyrin. Heating above 130 °C gave a monolayer film. The reaction proceeds between two solid phases since the melting point of the porphyrin was 293 °C. The threshold temperature for the reaction to proceed was 90, 160, and 250 °C for 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(5-hydroxypentyloxy)phenyl]porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(5-acetoxypentyloxy)phenyl]porphyrin, and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hexyloxyphenyl)porphyrin, respectively. The different reactivities of the alcohol, ester, and ether functional groups could be used to construct highly sophisticated organic–inorganic surfaces.
Silver-Catalyzed Carbon Dioxide Incorporation and Rearrangement on Propargylic Derivatives
Authors: Kikuchi Satoshi , Yoshida Shunsuke , Sugawara Yuudai , Yamada Wataru , Cheng Hau-Man , Fukui Kosuke , Sekine Kohei , Iwakura Izumi , Ikeno Taketo , Yamada Tohru
Published: June 2011

A silver/DBU catalyst system was developed for the effective synthesis of cyclic carbonate and oxazolidinone from the reaction of CO2 with propargylic alcohols and propargylic amines, respectively, in high yields under mild conditions. It was found that the [3,3]-sigmatropic Meyer–Schuster-type rearrangement of the propargylic alcohol was mediated by CO2 in DMF to afford the corresponding α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in high yields. The silver salt combined with the chiral Schiff base ligand could be applied to enantioselective chemical CO2 incorporation into various bispropargylic alcohols to produce the corresponding cyclic carbonate in high yields with high enantioselectivity. The absolute configuration was determined by VCD spectroscopy as well as by X-ray analysis. These products were found to be active for the aminolysis reaction to afford the corresponding carbamate derivatives in high yields without any loss of optical purity.
Magnetic Alignment of Poly(l-lactic acid) Containing a Nucleating Agent
Authors: Yamato Masafumi , Kudo Yuki , Takahashi Kohki , Watanabe Kazuo , Kawamoto Naoshi
Published: June 2011

The magnetic alignment of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLA) containing octamethylenedicarboxylic dibenzoylhydrazide (OMBH) as a nucleating agent was studied. OMBH also affected PLA as a nucleating agent when about 5 wt % of d-type material was included. The magnetic alignment of PLA including OMBH was achieved. The c axis of the PLA was parallel to the magnetic field.
Ultrastable Aqueous Graphite Nanofluids Prepared by Single-step Liquid-phase Pulsed Laser Ablation (LP-PLA)
Authors: Choi Moon-Youl , Kim Dae-Suk , Hong Dae Seung , Kim Jung Ho , Kim Yong-Tae
Published: June 2011

Ultrastable aqueous graphite nanofluids were prepared by single-step liquid-phase pulsed laser ablation (LP-PLA), and they showed an outstanding long-term stability without any agglomeration, even though no surfactant was used. It was revealed with FT-IR spectroscopy that the hydrophilic functional groups were introduced onto the surface of graphite nanoparticles and that such hydrophilic nature showing a high negative ζ potential was the origin of the outstanding long-term stability. Finally, aqueous graphite nanofluids demonstrated an enhanced thermal conductivity by 1.49% with low concentration (0.02 vol %), compared to pure water.
Synergistic Cell Killing by Magnetic and Photoirradiation Effects of Neck-structured α-Fe2O3 against Cancer (HeLa) Cells
Authors: Islam Md Shariful , Kusumoto Yoshihumi , Abdulla-Al-Mamun Md , Horie Yuji
Published: June 2011

Nanosized neck-structured α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were prepared successfully from iron(II) chloride tetrahydrate solely by hydrothermal method. FE-SEM and TEM studies revealed a unique necked structure with a particle size of ca. 50–60 nm. The synthesized nanomaterials showed excellent colloidal stability and magnetization ability. Finally, the as-prepared α-Fe2O3 nanoparticle suspensions showed almost 100% cancer cell killing by the significant temperature increment when an AC (alternating current) magnetic field and photoirradiation were applied at a concentration of 80 µg mL−1 MEM (minimum essential medium).
Novel Environment-friendly Yellow Pigments Based on (Bi, La)VO4
Authors: Wendusu  , Ikawa Ken-ichi , Masui Toshiyuki , Imanaka Nobuhito
Published: June 2011

Bi1−xLaxVO4 pigments were synthesized as new environment-friendly inorganic materials, and their color properties were characterized. The Bi1−xLaxVO4 pigments show brilliant yellow colors, and the most effective yellow hue was obtained for Bi0.90La0.10VO4. Since BiVO4 has been known as an environment-friendly inorganic yellow pigment and La is also a nontoxic element, the Bi0.90La0.10VO4 pigment should provide effective alternatives to conventional toxic yellow pigments.
Screening Anti-influenza Agents that Target Avian Influenza Polymerase Protein PAC from Plant Extracts Based on NMR Methods
Authors: Li Lin , Chang Sheng-Hai , Xiang Jun-Feng , Li Qian , Liang Huan-Huan , Li Jian , Bao Hong-Juan , Tang Ya-Lin , Liu Ying-Fang
Published: June 2011

The highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus poses a global threat to human health. Avian influenza RNA polymerase protein PAC was used in the screening of two herbal plant extracts for anti-influenza agents. As a result, chlorogenic acid was identified to be PAC ligand and was discovered to inhibit polymerase activity. Hence, this work revealed a potential anti-influenza lead compound and provided an important step in the discovery of new anti-influenza drugs.
Nickel-catalyzed [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of α,β-Unsaturated Ketones with Vinyl Oxiranes
Authors: Sako Saori , Kurahashi Takuya , Matsubara Seijiro
Published: June 2011

A nickel-catalyzed cycloaddition of α,β-unsaturated ketones with vinyl oxiranes to afford polysubstituted tetrahydrofurans has been developed. The key intermediate is a five-membered nickelacycle, which is formed by oxidative cyclization of nickel(0) to α,β-unsaturated ketones.
A Sensitive Alternative for MicroRNA In Situ Hybridizations Using Probes of 2′-O-Methyl RNA + LNA
Authors: Søe Martin J. , Møller Trine , Dufva Martin , Holmstrøm Kim
Published: June 2011

The use of short, high-affinity probes consisting of a combination of DNA and locked nucleic acid (LNA) has enabled the specific detection of microRNAs (miRNAs) by in situ hybridization (ISH). However, detection of low–copy number miRNAs is still not always possible. Here the authors show that probes consisting of 2′-O-methyl RNAs (2OMe) and LNA at every third base (2:1 ratio), under optimized hybridization conditions, excluding yeast RNA from the hybridization buffer, can provide superior performance in detection of miRNA targets in terms of sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio compared to DNA + LNA probes. Furthermore, they show that hybridizations can be performed in buffers of 4M urea instead of 50% formamide, thereby yielding an equally specific but nontoxic assay. The use of 2OMe + LNA–based probes and the optimized ISH assay enable simple and fast detection of low–copy number miRNA targets, such as miR-130a in mouse brain.
Filial Therapy: A Structured and Straightforward Approach to Including Young Children in Family Therapy
Authors: Topham Glade L. , VanFleet Risë
Published: June 2011

This article describes Filial Therapy, a structured and straightforward approach to working with parents and young children in family therapy; it highlights the congruence between Filial Therapy and the values and principles of family therapy. The historical, theoretical and research foundations of Filial Therapy are described. The family science and child socialisation literatures are also briefly reviewed, linking key predictors of positive child outcome with the goals of Filial Therapy. Finally, we discuss the consistencies between Filial Therapy and experiential and structural models of family therapy. We conclude with a description of Filial Therapy followed by a case example to illustrate the process.
Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse as a Life‐Long Process: Implications for Health Professionals
Authors: Hunter Sally V.
Published: June 2011

One of the aims of this research project was to develop a fuller understanding of the process of disclosure of child sexual abuse. Face‐to‐face in‐depth interviews were conducted with 22 men and women aged 25 to 70 years old, who had an early sexual experience at the age of 15 or under with someone of 18 or over. Narrative inquiry methodology was used and data was analysed using Rosenthal and Fischer‐Rosenthal's (2004) process of data analysis. Disclosure can be conceptualised as a complex and life‐long process, and most participants did not make a selective disclosure until adulthood. The findings extend Alaggia's (2004) model of disclosure to include the life stage and the person to whom the disclosure is being made. The main barriers to disclosure and possible gender differences are discussed. Family therapists need to manage the challenges inherent in disclosure of child sexual abuse at any age.
Frameworks for Practice in the Systemic Field: Part 2 — Contemporary Frameworks in Family Therapy
Authors: Flaskas Carmel
Published: June 2011

This is the second of two articles to map the landscape of practice theory in systemic family therapy. The first article gave a particular chronology of the development of family therapy practice theory, beginning with the frameworks that emerged in the 1960s‐1970s and then tracing the transitional decade of the 1980s. The convergences of three sets of influences — ecosystemic epistemology, the feminist challenge and postmodernist ideas — led to the changed landscape of post‐1990 practice theory. This second article picks up at this point, mapping four contemporary influential approaches in Australian family therapy — the Milan‐systemic, narrative and solution‐focused frameworks, and the dialogical perspective. Social constructionist and narrative ideas together constitute the dominant common theory influence in the post‐1990 practice frameworks, although intersected and used in different ways in the different frameworks. Throughout the history of the development of practice theory, context and relationship remain the enduring parameters of the systemic family therapy field.
Training evaluation of the Secondary 3 Training Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L. , Chak Yammy L.Y.
Published: June 2011

A total of 235 participants from 48 schools participated in a 3-day training program designed to train teachers and social workers to implement the Secondary 3 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. At the end of the training program, participants were invited to respond to a structured subjective outcome evaluation questionnaire containing 31 items. The findings revealed that most of the respondents had very positive perceptions about the training program and the instructors. The present evaluation findings are consistent with the subjective outcome evaluation findings in Secondary 1 and Secondary 2 Training Programs, which revealed the training program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. generated positive reactions, enhanced learning, and desired behavioral changes in the program participants.
Secondary 1 Training Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong: qualitative evaluation findings
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L. , Chan Chitat
Published: June 2011

A total of 1177 participants from 45 training workshops joined a 3-day training program of the P.A.T.H.S. Project (Secondary 1 Program) in Hong Kong. At the end of each training workshop, participants were invited to respond to a questionnaire comprising 31 structured items and two open-ended questions which assessed what they had learned and experienced in the training workshop. Qualitative analyses of the participants’ responses to the two open-ended questions showed that the participants generally had positive evaluation of the training, although some suggestions for improvements were noted. The present study, which was based on a sizable sample size, reinforced the previous evaluation findings that the Secondary 1 Training Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong promoted the knowledge and attitudes of the potential program implementers.
Perceptions of adolescents among teachers and social workers in the context of training programs in Hong Kong
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L. , Chan Chitat
Published: June 2011

This article explores whether professionals working with young people hold a negative view on adolescents in Hong Kong. Data were collected from 1112 participants from 23 workshops in a 3-day training program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. In the workshop, there was a group activity inviting the participants to describe the characteristics of contemporary young people in Hong Kong. The findings showed that positive comments about adolescents were only half of the negative comments. The common themes that emerged from the negative comments included: “problematic self-conceptions”, “do not have long-term life goals”, “irresponsible”, “materialistic”, and “calculative”. The common themes that emerged from the positive comments included: “good at learning new things”, “energetic”, and “creative”. The themes apparently reflected sociocultural characteristics of the contemporary Hong Kong Society.
Secondary 1 Training Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong: an evaluation based on program participants
Authors: Law Ben M.F. , Shek Daniel T.L.
Published: June 2011

A total of 1744 participants comprising 44 groups participated in a 3-day Secondary 1 Training Program of Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. At the end of the training program, the participants were invited to respond to a subjective outcome evaluation. Results showed that the assessment tools are internally consistent. Descriptive statistics revealed that evaluations of the respondents are positive in terms of the training program content, interaction, trainers’ performance, self-performance, administrative arrangement, and overall satisfaction. Overall satisfaction was predicted by training content, trainers’ performance, self-performance, and interaction. Training content and trainers’ performance explain half of the total variance. The present findings reiterate other studies regarding the effectiveness of the training program of Project P.A.T.H.S. in promoting the participants’ knowledge, attitude, and skills in delivering the program.