bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Professionals' perceptions of offending in children's residential care
Authors: Shaw Julie
Published: September 2011

This paper reports on and discusses the results of part of the author's PhD study. It focuses on professionals' perceptions of the factors that contribute to young people in residential children's homes coming to the attention of the criminal justice system, with consideration given to how such perceptions might impact on responses to the young people. As part of a case study of a particular local authority area, the author undertook semi‐structured interviews and a focus group with 31 professionals from the care and criminal justice systems. The implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed.
Social work the ‘art of relationship’: parents' perspectives on an intensive family support project
Authors: Mason Claire
Published: September 2011

From the findings of a study examining the perspective of parents using Intensive Family Support Service based in northern England, this paper examines the constituent elements required for effective relationship‐based practice. Although the study is based in a single site in England, the findings are more broadly relevant, given both national and international interests in relationship‐based practice in child protection. The participants in this study – parents whose children had been assessed as being ‘at the edge of care’– were asked to comment on the intervention they had received. Analysis of parents' interviews suggests that the service user–worker relationship was critical to their positive experience of the service. The paper provides an analysis of parents' descriptions of ‘positive relationships’ and identifies the key themes. It then considers these findings in the context of contemporary children and families' social work practice. Engaging with current debates, the paper makes reference to the impact of modernization, which has served to erode effective face‐to‐face work with families, given excessive ‘backroom’ demands of administration and audit. Discussion engages with an emerging emphasis on effective relationship‐based practice following reports from Munro and the Social Work Reform Board. In this context, the paper concludes that the views of these families whose children are on the ‘edge of care’ offers insights into the skills required for relationship‐based practice.
Parenting children with autism spectrum disorders: a crucible for couple relationships
Authors: Hock Robert M. , Timm Tina M. , Ramisch Julie L.
Published: September 2011

As the incidence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) continues to rise, there is a growing need to understand how ASDs impact family life. This qualitative study explored the ways in which parenting a child with ASD impacts marriages. Using modified grounded theory, nine couples and one wife (n= 19) were interviewed. The dominant finding that emerged is that parenting a child with ASD acts as a crucible for couple relationships, exerting extraordinary pressure on partners that forces qualitative adaptations in their relationship. Two relationship phases emerged from the analysis: tag team and deeper intimacy and commitment. The resulting theoretical model can help clinicians tailor assessment and intervention for couples who are parenting a child with ASD.
Noticing and helping the neglected child: towards an international research agenda
Authors: Taylor Julie , Daniel Brigid , Scott Jane
Published: September 2011

This systematic review examined the evidence on the extent to which practitioners are equipped to recognize and respond to the indications that a child's needs are likely to be, or are being neglected. This paper examines the methodological issues arising from the review. A systematic process of progressive filtering yielded 112 papers representing primary studies that inform the international research agenda for child neglect. A final dataset of 63 studies was of sufficient quality and usefulness for inclusion. The review raised a number of methodological issues of relevance for research in child protection in general, and on neglect in particular. Researchers and practitioners can benefit from an enhanced understanding of the issues that make neglect difficult to understand. Common issues were identified to inform future research. For example, there was a tendency for studies to use a range of proxy measures rather than direct observation of the outcome of interest, and a wide range of different outcome measures was used. Many of the studies were small scale or retrospective in design. Many studies conflated neglect and other forms of maltreatment, and it was often difficult to extract specific messages for neglect.
Congruence and incongruence in the perception of ‘family’ among foster parents, birth parents and their adolescent (foster) children
Authors: Ellingsen Ingunn T. , Stephens Paul , Størksen Ingunn
Published: September 2011

Over recent decades, listening to children's voices and viewing children as competent actors has gathered momentum in research as well as in practice. Acknowledging children's perspectives requires sensitive listeners who are willing, deliberately and as realistically as possible, to reconstruct children's ways of seeing. In our study, based in Norway, we investigated the views of 22 adolescents in long‐term foster care and 15 of their birth parents and 21 of their foster parents. Using Q methodology, we explored congruence and incongruence in the perception of ‘family’ among foster parents, birth parents and their adolescent (foster) children. We found three family perspectives among the adolescents. Within two of these perspectives, there seem to be more congruent understandings of the children's perspectives among the parent groups. We discuss some main implications in light of these findings. In Norway, as in many other countries, the policy of child welfare is that children first and foremost should grow up with their birth family. When out‐of‐home placements are necessary, a basic principle is that children should remain in contact with their birth family.
The influence of the absence of fathers and the timing of separation on anxiety and self‐esteem of adolescents: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Luo J. , Wang L‐G. , Gao W‐B.
Published: September 2011

Background Many rural children in China have been experiencing life without fathers since the 1990s, when their fathers left the rural areas for the urban areas to find a job that would allow them to continue to support their family. However, to date, knowledge and understanding of the effects of the absence of fathers and timing of separation on the mental health of adolescents are limited.

Methods A total of 2233 students, ranging in age from 11 to 23 years, from five provinces of China, including 1024 adolescents who experienced the absence of their fathers, were recruited for this study. The data were collected using State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, which were self‐report questionnaires.

Results Findings from a structured questionnaire showed that the subjects who experienced life without fathers have increased state‐anxiety (t=−5.80,P< 0.001) and lower self‐esteem (t= 39.54,P< 0.001) when compared with other subjects, and the above results could be influenced by gender and grade. A limited effect of the timing of separation was found on the mental health of students whose fathers were absent. A significant timing group effect existed for state‐anxiety scores [F(3,992) = 2.26,P= 0.05], and post test also revealed that the self‐esteem of female scores in the 0–2 timing group was higher than other timing group's [F(3,992) = 4.58,P= 0.004].

Conclusion The influence of the absence of fathers on the anxiety and self‐esteem of adolescents seems to be more serious than our expectation, and the influence will be different according to the timing of father absence.
Two sides of the mirror: parents' and service providers' view on the family‐centredness of care for children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Jeglinsky I. , Autti‐Rämö I. , Brogren Carlberg E.
Published: September 2011

Background  In order to best meet the needs of both families and their children with cerebral palsy, many rehabilitation service providers have adopted a family‐centred service (FCS) approach. In FCS parents are seen as experts on their child's needs, and the family and professionals collaborate in the rehabilitation process. However, parents and service providers might look at FCS from different points of view, i.e. look into the mirror from two different sides. The objective of this study was to explore the degree to which parents experience the service as being family‐centred and to which extent the service providers experience their service provision as family‐centred.

Methods  A translated version of The Measure of Processes of Care 20 (MPOC‐20) questionnaire was used to evaluate parents' experience of FCS, and a Measures of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC‐SP) questionnaire was used to evaluate the FCS provided by professionals. Parents visiting two university hospital neuropediatric wards (n= 67) during a 2‐month period and who were willing to participate received the questionnaire. Also the service providers working on the same wards (n= 49) were invited to participate.

Results  A total of 53 families and 29 service providers completed the questionnaires. Both parents and professionals generally rated the FCS positively. General information was rated lowest and respectful treatment the highest by both parents and professionals. The results revealed that written information about the child's condition, the possibility to choose when to receive information, and contact with other families in the same situation are areas in need of improvement.

Conclusions  The possibility to regularly evaluate services both from the families' and the professionals' perspectives should be part of quality development. Providing general information is a challenge for all service providers. The MPOC questionnaires can be used to highlight important areas of improvement in FCS.
Routine antenatal anti‐D prophylaxis – is the protection adequate?
Authors: Davies J. , Chant R. , Simpson S. , Powell R.
Published: September 2011

Background/Aims: Prophylactic anti‐D given during pregnancy can be detected in current indirect antiglobulin tests (IAT). Using this to measure the persistence of prophylactic anti‐D, this study set out to determine whether there is an association between anti‐D detectable at delivery and the RhD status of the foetus and/or the duration of the pregnancy post the standard 28 week dose of routine antenatal anti‐D prophylaxis (RAADP). The study also investigated the detection rates of anti‐D at delivery when given in a two dose regime or a one dose regime.

Method: All IAT screening was undertaken using fully automated Diamed gel technology. The results from 407 women were included in the two dose regime study, and 157 in the one dose regime study.

Results: 160/407 (39%) women receiving one dose of prophylactic anti‐D had no detectable anti‐D at delivery. 123/157 (78%) women on the one dose regime had no detectable anti‐D at delivery. No association was found between detectable anti‐D at delivery and the RhD status of the infant in either study arm. A strong association was found between detectable anti‐D Ig at delivery and the duration of the pregnancy post the 28 week dose in each study arm.

Conclusion: Our data show that neither the two dose nor the one dose regime appear to provide adequate cover at delivery for a large percentage of pregnant women. This appears to be associated with the duration of the pregnancy past the 28 week dose but not associated with the RhD status of the foetus.
Improving the Performance of Wheat by Seed Priming Under Saline Conditions
Authors: Jafar M. Z. , Farooq M. , Cheema M. A. , Afzal I. , Basra S. M.A. , Wahid M. A. , Aziz T. , Shahid M.
Published: September 2011

Salinity is one of a major threat in harvesting good wheat stand on sustained basis. In this study, potential of seed priming techniques to improve the performance of wheat varieties (SARC‐1 and MH‐97) in a saline field was tested. For priming, wheat seeds were soaked in aerated solution of ascorbate (50 mg l−1; ascorbate priming), salicylic acid (50 mg l−1; salicylicate priming), kinetin (50 mg l−1; kinetin priming) and CaCl2 (50 mg l−1; osmopriming) for 12 h. For comparison, seeds were also soaked in simple water (hydropriming); in addition, untreated seeds were also taken as control. Seed priming treatments substantially improved the stand establishment; osmopriming (with CaCl2) was at the top however. Likewise maximum fertile tillers, grains per spike, 1000‐grain weight, grain yield and harvest index were observed in plants raised from seeds osmoprimed (with CaCl2) followed by ascorbate priming in both the varieties tested. As an index of salinity tolerance, seed priming treatments also improved the leaf K+ contents with simultaneous decrease in Na+ concentration, osmopriming being the best treatment. Similarly, maximum total phenolic contents, total soluble proteins (TSP), α‐amylase and protease activities were observed in osmoprimed (with CaCl2) seeds followed by ascorbate priming. Economic analysis also indicated that osmopriming is more viable with maximum net return and benefit‐to‐cost ratio. In conclusion, different seed priming treatments in wheat seeds improved the salinity tolerance nonetheless osmopriming (with CaCl2) was the most effective treatments to get higher grain yield and net return in both wheat varieties whereas kinetin was the least effective.
High incidence of obesity co‐morbidities in young children: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Bell Lana M , Curran Jacqueline A , Byrne Sue , Roby Heather , Suriano Katie , Jones Timothy W , Davis Elizabeth A
Published: September 2011

Aim:  The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is a public health problem because of future morbidity. However, the prevalence of medical complications in overweight and obese primary school children in Australia is not well documented. As part of the larger, prospective cohort Growth and Development Study, this report aimed to identify the medical complications of obesity in a population‐based community sample of primary school‐aged children.

Methods:  Two groups of primary school children were studied: a random community sample of overweight/obese children (not seeking treatment) and a matched community sample of normal weight children. Demographics, medical history, family history and symptoms of complications of overweight were collected. Children had a physical examination, oral glucose tolerance tests with insulins, fasting lipid profiles and liver function tests.

Results:  Data from 283 children are presented (6.1–13.4 years, mean 9.8 years). There were no differences in birth data, family composition, parental age or socio‐economic status between groups. Overweight and obese children were more likely to complain of musculoskeletal pain, depression, anxiety and bullying, and had more adverse examination findings than control children. They also had more abnormal investigations: overweight children: impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) 1.3%, hyperinsulinism 19.5%, dyslipidaemia 63.8%, raised alanine transaminase (ALT) 9.0%; obese children: IGT 5.3%, hyperinsulinism 38.9%, dyslipidaemia 73.7%, raised ALT 31.6%.

Conclusion:  Overweight and obese primary school‐aged children have significant medical complications of their weight status. Overweight children, in addition to obese children, should be screened for complications. A secondary finding is a high proportion of normal weight children with lipid levels outside desirable healthy ranges.
Fatigue life prediction of engineering structures subjected to variable amplitude loading using the improved crack growth rate model
Authors: CHEN F. , WANG F. , CUI W.
Published: September 2011

It is a difficult task to predict fatigue crack growth in engineering structures, because they are mostly subjected to variable amplitude loading histories in service. Many prediction models have been proposed, but no agreed model on fatigue life prediction adequately considering loading sequence effects exists. In our previous research, an improved crack growth rate model has been proposed under constant amplitude loading and its good applicability has been demonstrated in comparison with various experimental data. In this paper, the applicability of the improved crack growth rate model will be extended to variable amplitude loading by modifying crack closure level based on the concept of partial crack closure due to crack‐tip plasticity. It is assumed in this model that the crack closure level can instantly go to the peak/valley due to a larger compression/tensile plastic zone resulted from the overload/underload effect, and gradually recovers to the level of constant amplitude loading with crack propagation. To denote the variation in the affected zone of overload/underload, a modified coefficient based on Wheeler model is introduced. The improved crack growth rate model can explain the phenomena of the retardation due to overload and the tiny acceleration due to underload, even the minor retardation due to overload followed by underload. The quantitative analysis will be executed to show the capability of the model, and the comparison between the prediction results and the experimental data under different types of loading history will be used to validate the model. The good agreement indicates that the proposed model is able to explain the load interaction effect under variable amplitude loading.
Fit of Political Skill to the Work Context: A Two‐Study Investigation
Authors: Blickle Gerhard , John Julia , Ferris Gerald R. , Momm Tassilo , Liu Yongmei , Haag Rabea , Meyer Gesine , Weber Katharina , Oerder Katharina
Published: September 2011

A two‐study investigation was designed to examine the role of job type (i.e. fit of political skill to work context) as a contextual moderator of the political skill–job performance relationship. Specifically, it was hypothesised that political skill operates most effectively in enterprising job contexts, and thus is most predictive of job performance in such contexts, but political skill would demonstrate no relationship with job performance in job contexts that did not emphasise interpersonal interaction and effectiveness. In Study 1, enterprising job demands interacted with political skill to affect job performance. That is, political skill positively and significantly predicted job performance in enterprising job contexts, as hypothesised. Study 2 selected one specific job context (i.e. insurance sales) high in enterprising job demands, and hypothesised that political skill would significantly predict objective measures of insurance sales (i.e. sales volume, performance‐based income, performance‐based commission rate, and performance‐based status). The results demonstrated significant predictive effects of political skill (i.e. beyond age, sex, education level, tenure on the job, and experience in sales) on all four measures of sales performance. Contributions and implications of this research, strengths and limitations, and directions for future study are discussed.
Antecedents of Underemployment: Job Search of Skilled Immigrants in Canada
Authors: Guerrero Laura , Rothstein Mitchell G.
Published: September 2011

We investigate factors that skilled immigrants can improve in order to have better job search outcomes, in particular to avoid underemployment. We test an unfolding model which considers barriers faced by skilled immigrants during their job search (language and cultural barriers, and the lack of social support in the receiving country), job search constructs and job search outcomes (including underemployment). We collected data through an online questionnaire and obtained 357 usable responses from skilled immigrants in Canada. The hypotheses were tested with partial least squares (PLS). Language fluency and cultural knowledge were positively related to both job search clarity and job search self‐efficacy. Social support was only related to job search self‐efficacy. Job search clarity was related to job search intensity. Job search intensity was related to the number of interviews, which in turn, was related to the number of job offers. Finally, the number of job offers was negatively related to underemployment. Our paper contributes to the understanding of the job search of skilled immigrants by examining factors that can help them overcome obstacles and obtain better job search outcomes.
Regulating the New Equine Industry in Finland. Wicked Problems, Governance Models and Gendered Power Structures
Authors: Andersson Kjell , Lehtola Minna
Published: September 2011

The aim in this article is to highlight the clash between an old regulatory framework; the one associated with the peasant state in Finland and a new rural activity sector, horseback riding, by predominately middle‐class women. The method used in the study was case studies with a mix of interviews, documentary analysis and, to some extent, participatory observation. It was found that the peasant state regulatory framework has been superseded by two competing frameworks: a neoliberal one and a ‘neo top‐down’ one strongly associated with the environmental authorities. However, none of these models can satisfactorily deal with the complex challenges posed by the emerging new equine industry. What is needed is a new kind of participatory governance – co‐management – that especially takes into account gender inequalities and strives towards the empowerment of disadvantaged groups.
Exploring the Ecological Dimensions of Producer Strategies in Alternative Food Networks in the UK
Authors: Morris Carol , Kirwan James
Published: September 2011

Drawing on data from a research project that focused on the relationship between the biodiversity of grazing and food quality, this article explores the ecological dimensions of alternative food networks in the UK through the concept of ‘styles of ecological engagement’. Context is provided by briefly reviewing two contrasting ways of envisaging the relationship between ecology, food and rural development in policy debates. A qualitative analysis of semi‐structured interviews with actors at the centre of 38 alternative food networks and of associated promotional materials enables the identification of five styles of ecological engagement: ecological conserving, ecological harmonising, ecological breed enthusing, ecological localising and ecological re‐cognising. The article argues that identification and discussion of these styles of ecological engagement is not only helpful in understanding the ecological heterogeneity of alternative food networks but also signals the ways in which their ecological benefits and contribution to rural development might be sustained and enhanced.
The Great Bovine Pestilence and its economic and environmental consequences in England and Wales, 1318–501
Authors: Slavin Philip
Published: September 2011

The present article seeks to identify the nature, extent, and impact of the Great Bovine Pestilence in England and Wales, between 1318 and 1350. The murrain, which killed around 62 per cent of the bovine animals in England and Wales in 1319–20, had a tremendous impact within both the seigniorial and peasant sectors of late medieval agriculture. In particular, the pestilence, which decreased the overall population of dairy cattle, depressed the overall levels of milk supply available for human consumption. Is it possible that the bovine crisis of 1319–20, and the subsequent protein shortage, were instrumental in weakening the immune system of humans and making them prone to the pestilence some 30 years later?
The Dissolution of the Monasteries
Authors: BERNARD G. W.
Published: September 2011

It is generally held that the monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII and his leading minister Thomas Cromwell for financial reasons. This article suggests that more important factors were Henry VIII's determination to assert his royal authority and more clearly religious reasons, especially an erasmian scepticism about the value of institutions that set their face against the world and in which superstition flourished. At first Henry sought reform, dissolving the smaller monasteries while allowing monks and nuns to transfer to larger houses, but in the aftermath of the Pilgrimage of Grace, a great rebellion directed above all against that dissolution, the king aimed at and achieved total dissolution, a striking feature of which was the way in which monks and friars when surrendering their houses to the king subscribed to principled denunciations of their past way of life.
Negotiating the Law of Poor Relief in England, 1800–1840
Authors: KING STEVEN
Published: September 2011

Over the last two decades, the historiography of poverty and welfare has moved decisively away from considerations of either black letter or case law, in favour of the study of the socio‐cultural experiences of the poor themselves. This article uses a large corpus of pauper letters and other correspondence for a number of Midland counties to argue for a reconsideration of the place of the law in shaping pauper entitlements and beliefs. It argues that paupers had a keen appreciation of both black letter and case law and could rhetoricize this knowledge, bringing it to bear in their attempts to establish deservingness in a poor law system that offered no legal guarantees of relief. Even more importantly, paupers came to have detailed knowledge of the grey areas of the law, a territory on which they could exercise their own agency vis‐à‐vis officials. The article also tries to trace the genealogy of this legal knowledge, suggesting for instance that paupers shared a common linguistic and knowledge platform with officials and advocates.
Victorian Travellers, Apennine Landscapes and the Development of Cultural Heritage in Eastern Liguria, c. 1875–1914
Authors: BALZARETTI ROSS
Published: September 2011

This article, which focuses on Italian Apennine landscapes in the northern region of Liguria, investigates late nineteenth‐century travel from the perspective of historical ecology. It argues that travellers' observations and reflections can be rich sources for landscape history, and that travel writing is therefore a worthwhile source for ecologists. However, travel writing was a conflicted genre torn between such realistic visions of landscape and more common aesthetic ones, as contemporary views of the perceived picturesqueness of coastal Liguria demonstrate. Historians of travel have been much more interested in ‘aesthetic travellers’, in part because the meaning of travel for identity construction is a more fashionable topic among historians than ecology. Policymakers at both UNESCO and the EU have unfortunately espoused a vision of ‘cultural landscape’ based on aesthetics. Instead a more precise understanding of how past societies created landscapes through practice is essential if these are to be maintained in the future.
The Culture of Elections in Modern Britain
Authors: LAWRENCE JON
Published: September 2011

This article develops some of the key themes in Electing Our Masters (2009). Its focus is the cultural history of electioneering, and in particular the shifting relationship between politicians and public from the late eighteenth century to the present. Elections are viewed as rituals structured around reproducing, and sometimes redefining, classed and gendered relations of power. Election rituals long pre‐dated democracy and existed primarily to soften the reality of dramatically unequal power relations. Considerable licence was granted to those excluded from formal politics; within limits they were to ‘have their say’. This rationale collapsed in the wake of the First World War and full‐blown democratization. But the shift to a mass electorate demanded less a change of political style than a subtle recalibration of politicians' expectations about the character and role of the crowd. Britain was inching towards a more democratic understanding of the relationship between politician and public, but one still framed in a dominant patrician style. Male dress code softened, political leadership became more informal and homely, but there was no great breakthrough to demotic politics until the late twentieth century.
Stem anatomy supports Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for insular woodiness
Authors: Lens Frederic , Smets Erik , Melzer Siegbert
Published: September 2011

See also the Commentary by Rowe and Paul‐Victor
Children's perception of food and healthy eating: dynamics behind their food preferences
Authors: Atik Deniz , Ozdamar Ertekin Zeynep
Published: September 2011

Childhood obesity epidemic has been a popular topic for research as it has become a major health concern in many countries. As the focus of earlier studies has been predominantly on food marketing to children, there is still limited research on what other factors, apart from food marketing, influence their food preferences and eating habits. Bringing in children's perspectives as well as those of parents and guardians, this study aims to fill this gap by shedding light on further dynamics that can be influential on children's preferences. Through a qualitative inquiry, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with children between the ages of 7 and 11. Aiming to investigate both meanings and practices, these sessions also included interactive and participatory research methods such as drawing, word games and role playing. Moreover, in‐depth interviews were carried out with teachers and mothers to gain an understanding of their perspective on the topic. The findings show the different appeals and social influences behind children's food preferences, among which sensory and fun appeals as well as the influence of parents come forward. By revealing these different appeals of food and social influences, the study brings a new perspective to the discussions on childhood obesity and food marketing.
Changes in vitamin D binding protein and vitamin D concentrations associated with liver transplantation
Authors: Reese Peter P. , Bloom Roy D. , Feldman Harold I. , Huverserian Ari , Thomasson Arwin , Shults Justine , Hamano Takayuki , Goral Simin , Shaked Abraham , Olthoff Kimberly , Rickels Michael R. , Bleicher Melissa , Leonard Mary B.
Published: September 2011

Background

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with fractures, infections and death. Liver disease impairs vitamin D and vitamin D binding protein (DBP) metabolism.

Aims

We aimed to determine the impact of liver transplantation on vitamin D, particularly on DBP and free vitamin D concentrations.

Methods

Serum 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and DBP concentrations were measured in 202 adults before liver transplantation and 3 months later in 155. Free vitamin D concentrations were estimated from these values. Risk factors for 25(OH)D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) and low 1,25(OH)2D (<20 pg/ml) were examined with logistic regression, and changes in concentrations following transplantation with linear regression.

Results

Pretransplant, 84% were 25(OH)D deficient, 13% had 25(OH)D concentrations <2.5 ng/ml, and 77% had low 1,25(OH)2D. Model for end‐stage liver disease score ≥20 (P < 0.005) and hypoalbuminemia (P < 0.005) were associated with low 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D concentrations. Following transplantation, 25(OH)D concentrations increased a median of 17.8 ng/ml (P < 0.001). Albumin increased from a median of 2.7 to 3.8 g/dl (P < 0.001) and DBP from 8.6 to 23.8 mg/dl (P < 0.001). Changes in total 25(OH)D were positively and independently associated with changes in DBP (P < 0.05) and albumin (P < 0.001). Free 25(OH)D concentrations rose from 6.0 to 9.7 pg/ml (P < 0.001). In contrast, total 1,25(OH)2 Dconcentrations rose only by 4.3 pg/ml (P < 0.001) and free 1,25(OH)2 Dconcentrations declined (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Serum total and free 25(OH)D and DBP concentrations rose substantially following transplantation, while 1,25(OH)2D concentrations showed modest changes and free 1,25(OH)2D decreased. Studies of the effects of vitamin D status on diverse transplant complications are needed.
Wound healing in skin promoted by inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1: The critical role of tumor necrosis factor‐α secreted from infiltrating neutrophils
Authors: Kanno Emi , Kawakami Kazuyoshi , Ritsu Masae , Ishii Keiko , Tanno Hiromasa , Toriyabe Sohachi , Imai Yoshimichi , Maruyama Ryoko , Tachi Masahiro
Published: September 2011

Wound healing is promoted by the presence of replicating microorganisms adhering to the wounded tissue, but the precise mechanism is not fully understood. In the present study, using a rat model with full‐thickness dermal wounds, we examined the effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa inoculation on wound healing and the role of neutrophils infiltrating the wound site. Within 3 days, inoculation with this bacterium had accelerated re‐epithelialization, epidermal cell proliferation, and neo‐vascularization, as well as the local infiltration of neutrophils, which reached a peak at 24 hours. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α was detected in the wound tissues on the mRNA and protein levels within 24 hours. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemical analyses detected higher levels of TNF‐α in the infiltrating neutrophils in rats inoculated with P. aeruginosa than in uninoculated rats. Neutropenic rats treated with anti‐neutrophil mAb or cyclophosphamide exhibited significant attenuation in re‐epithelialization, epidermal cell proliferation, neo‐vascularization, and TNF‐α synthesis compared with control; administration of TNF‐α reversed these attenuations. These wound‐healing responses were decelerated in rats treated with anti‐TNF‐α mAb, as was the infiltration of neutrophils. These results indicate that inoculation with P. aeruginosa promotes wound healing by inducing the infiltration of neutrophils, which play a critical role as a major source of TNF‐α.
Standardized Definitions for Hemodialysis Vascular Access
Authors: Lee Timmy , Mokrzycki Michele , Moist Louise , Maya Ivan , Vazquez Miguel , Lok Charmaine E. ,   From the North American Vascular Access Consortium (NAVAC)
Published: September 2011

Vascular access dysfunction is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among end‐stage renal disease patients. Vascular access dysfunction exists in all three types of available accesses: arteriovenous fistulas, arteriovenous grafts, and tunneled catheters. To improve clinical research and outcomes in hemodialysis (HD) access dysfunction, the development of a multidisciplinary network of collaborative investigators with various areas of expertise, and common standards for terminology and classification in all vascular access types, is required. The North American Vascular Access Consortium (NAVAC) is a newly formed multidisciplinary and multicenter network of experts in the area of HD vascular access, who include nephrologists and interventional nephrologists from the United States and Canada with: (1) a primary clinical and research focus in HD vascular access dysfunction, (2) national and internationally recognized experts in vascular access, and (3) a history of productivity measured by peer‐reviewed publications and funding among members of this consortium. The consortium’s mission is to improve the quality and efficiency in vascular access research, and impact the research in the area of HD vascular access by conducting observational studies and randomized controlled trials. The purpose of the consortium’s initial manuscript is to provide working and standard vascular access definitions relating to (1) epidemiology, (2) vascular access function, (3) vascular access patency, and (4) complications in vascular accesses relating to each of the vascular access types.
Case Report: Meningothelial Hamartoma of the Scalp in a 9‐Year‐Old Child
Authors: Curran‐Melendez Sheilah M. , Dasher David A. , Groben Pamela , Stahr Ben , Burkhart Craig N. , Morrell Dean S.
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Meningothelial hamartomas represent a collection of meningothelial elements in an ectopic location. Lesions are histologically characterized as a proliferation of connective tissue elements and small‐ and medium‐sized vessels admixed with meningothelial elements. Lesions are most often located on the scalp, present at birth, and do not extend past the subcutis. We discuss the case of a 9‐year‐old African American girl presenting with one such lesion on the parietal aspect of the scalp.
Coronary Artery Thickening with Mucosal Lesions in Henoch‐Schönlein Purpura
Authors: VEETIL BHARATH MANU AKKARA , REED ANN M. , MATTKE ANGELA C.
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP) is the most common vasculitis of childhood. It is usually self‐limiting and is characterized by an immune complex–mediated vasculitis associated with IgA deposition. We present an unusual case of HSP with mucosal lesions and coronary artery thickening.
“Alternately Divided” Epidermal Nevus of the Fingers
Authors: TORCHIA DANIELE , VEGA JANELLE , MITEVA MARIA , ROMANELLI PAOLO , SCHACHNER LAWRENCE A.
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  A 2‐year‐old white girl with divided (or kissing) epidermal nevus of the third and fourth fingers of the left hand is described. The possible pathogenesis of this unique lesion is also discussed.
Profuse Congenital Familial Milia with Absent Dermatoglyphics (Basan’s Syndrome): Description of a New Family
Authors: Luna Paula Carolina , Larralde Margarita
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Milia are common, small, keratin‐containing cysts frequently seen in all age groups. They may arise spontaneously or develop after a variety of stimuli. They can be found alone or as part of syndromes. We present a female neonate born not only with profuse facial milia, but also with acral bullae and absent dermatoglyphics. Similar features were seen in several members of her family. These findings correspond to the syndrome known as Basan’s syndrome, a rare autosomal‐dominant inherited dermatosis characterized by profuse congenital milia, transient neonatal acral bullae, and absence of dermatoglyphics.
A Novel Heterozygous Point Mutation in the p63 Gene in a Patient with Ectodermal Dysplasia Associated with B‐Cell Leukemia
Authors: Cabanillas Miguel , Torrelo Antonio , Monteagudo Benigno , Suárez‐Amor Oscar , Ramírez‐Santos Aquilina , González‐Vilas Daniel , de las Heras Cristina
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  We report a 7‐year‐old boy with a past medical history of B‐cell leukemia with dysmorphic features, including cleft palate, hypotrichosis with trichorrhexis nodosa, hypohidrosis, oligodontia, and ridging of nails. A heterozygous germline mutation, Ala111Thr, in the p63 gene was detected in the boy and in his mother, who had no clinical expression. This case emphasizes the spectrum of different phenotypical manifestations of mutations in the p63 gene and underlines the possible role of this gene as a tumor suppressor.
Sturge‐Weber Syndrome in Patients with Facial Port‐Wine Stain
Authors: Piram Maryam , Lorette Gérard , Sirinelli Dominique , Herbreteau Denis , Giraudeau Bruno , Maruani Annabel
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Facial port‐wine stain (PWS) may be associated with cerebrovascular abnormalities such as Sturge‐Weber syndrome (SWS). In a large series, we aimed to assess which topography of facial PWS can predict SWS. This was a cross‐sectional study of consecutive patients with facial PWS seen in pediatric dermatologic or angiodysplasia consultations from 1993 to 2005 at the University Hospital Center of Tours. A standardized form was used to collect data on clinical and imaging findings. Patients with and without SWS were compared in terms of topography of the cutaneous angioma and related ophthalmologic and neurologic features. Two hundred fifty‐nine patients were included, 15 with a diagnosis of SWS. All patients with SWS showed involvement of the V1 trigeminal cutaneous area. SWS was significantly associated with bilateral topography of the PWS, its extension to another territory, and involvement of the upper eyelid. Knowledge of the topography of facial PWS with risk of associated neurological or ocular anomalies allows for early diagnosis of SWS and avoids unnecessary and costly radiography for patients with uncomplicated facial PWS.
Frontal Congenital Lipoma
Authors: Carranza‐Romero Carmen , Armario‐Hita José C. , Fernandez‐Vozmediano José M.
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Frontonasal dysplasia (FND) is a rare syndrome characterized by malformations of the central portion of the face, especially of the forehead, nose, and philtrum. FND is associated with hypertelorism, a hidden encephalocele, and a cleft of the nose. Occasionally, affected individuals also experience abnormalities of the brain and craniofacial bones. In such cases, a frontal lipoma or calcification of the falx cerebri suggest the existence of a lipoma of the corpus callosum. We present the case of a male newborn with a congenital lipoma 15 mm in size located in the medial frontal line. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. While there is controversy about the association of frontal lipoma and lipoma of the corpus callosum and FND, we believe our case supports the concept that the changes are due to the same underlying pathogenic mechanism. Therefore, we recommend imaging of the central nervous system in newborns with a congenital lipoma located in the craniofacial midline.
Familial Androgenetic Alopecia in Siblings with Normal Endocrinological Status
Authors: Vozza Antonio , Piccolo Vincenzo , Russo Teresa , Vozza Giuseppe
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss in adults, but it has been rarely reported in children. We report two cases of AGA in two siblings, aged 6 and 8, whose mother had the same condition, without any association with other skin diseases or abnormalities in endocrinologic examinations.
Opalescent Grouped Vesicles Over the Face: An Important Indicator of Staphylococcal Septicemia
Authors: SANTHAKUMAR RATI , PUDUKADAN DAVID , VINCENT JOHNY , PARAMESWARAN BABURAJ
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  We present a report of three cases with vesicles containing opalescent fluid grouped over the face and scattered on the trunk and limbs. Culture of the fluid aspirated from the vesicles grew Staphylococcus aureus in two of the three cases. The observation of vesicles grouped on the face in a sick febrile child should prompt the diagnosis of a severe staphylococcal septicemia.
Febrile Ulceronecrotic Mucha‐Habermann Disease in a 34‐Month‐Old Boy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Perrin Bridget S. , Yan Albert C. , Treat James R.
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  We report a case of febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha‐Habermann disease (FUMHD) in a 34‐month‐old boy. Our patient had a history of biopsy‐proven pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) since age 2. At 34 months, his skin lesions rapidly progressed to ulceration and necrosis in the setting of high fever. Skin biopsy revealed an intense lichenoid infiltrate with parakeratosis at the edges of areas of epidermal necrosis consistent with FUMHD, which is the severe variant of PLEVA. Despite initial treatment with prednisolone, his disease progressed to involve more than 50% of his body surface area. In addition to corticosteroids, he was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, dapsone, and acyclovir, without complete resolution of disease. Methotrexate successfully cleared his skin disease and systemic symptoms. This patient highlights the exceptional response of FUMHD to methotrexate. Based on our review of the literature, this also represents the youngest reported case of FUMHD.
Mortality risk in hemodialysis patients according to anemia control and erythropoietin dosing
Authors: SANTOS Paulo Roberto , MELO Antonio Danilo Mourão , LIMA Monique Marie Brito Cortez , NEGREIROS Idalina Maria A. Holanda , MIRANDA Jéssica Silva , PONTES Larissa Salles , RABELO Guilherme Menezes , VIANA Ana Carolina Parente , ALEXANDRINO Mayara Teixeira , BARROS Francisco Anderson , NETO Benjamin Ramos , BRITO Alana Alcântara , DA SILVA COSTA Anderson
Published: September 2011

There is no consensus about the toxicity of erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents among hemodialysis patients. We aimed to calculate the risk of death according to anemia control and erythropoietin (EPO) dosing among end‐stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis. We retrospectively studied 156 end‐stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis from a single renal unit during 12 months. Participants were classified according to anemia control into four groups: excellent (A), good (B), moderate (C) and bad (D) control. They were also classified according to EPO dosing into two groups: usual and high EPO dosing. The Cox proportional hazards regression model, adjusted for the difference in age, sex, time on dialysis, comorbidity, albumin, and Kt/V index, was performed to calculate the risk of death according to anemia control and EPO dosing profiles. Multivariate analysis by backward stepwise logistic regression was used to calculate the risk of death according to the variables that differed in the comparison between survivors and nonsurvivors. The hazard ratio of death was not significant according to anemia control profile C/D vs. A/B, but hazard ratio was 2.967 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.132–7.777; P = 0.027) for high EPO dosing profile patients. The multivariate analysis showed comorbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 8.958; 95% CI = 2.843–26.223; P < 0.001], high EPO dosing profile (OR = 5.172; 95% CI = 1.663–16,081; P = 0.005), age (OR = 1.056; 95% CI = 1.020–1.094; P = 0.002), and mean hemoglobin (OR = 0.435; 95% CI = 0.267–0.709; P = 0.001) to be predictive of death. Even though we cannot conclude that mortality risk is due to EPO toxicity, hemodialysis patients using high EPO dosing must be seen as at risk.
CO2 Absorption and Desorption Properties of Single Phase Ba2Fe2O5 and Analysis of Their Mechanism Using Thermodynamic Calculation
Authors: Fujishiro Fumito , Fukasawa Kazuaki , Hashimoto Takuya
Published: September 2011

Single phase specimen of polycrystalline Ba2Fe2O5, which has been a candidate for CO2 absorbents, was prepared by solid state reaction method in N2 gas flow (log p(O2) ~10−4 atm). Ba2Fe2O5 showed weight increase above 500°C in CO2 gas flow, which is originated from the CO2 absorption. In CO2 gas flow, the weight decrease due to the CO2 desorption was observed above 1100°C. Thermogravimetry and X‐ray diffraction measurements have revealed that Ba2Fe2O5 can reversibly react with CO2, which is represented as Ba2Fe2O5 + CO2 ↔ BaCO3 + BaFe2O4. Thermodynamic calculation of the reaction was carried out, showing agreement with the results obtained by thermogravimetry. From the calculation, it has been revealed that Ba2Fe2O5 can react with CO2 at a higher temperature than Li4SiO4 regardless of partial pressure of CO2 (p(CO2)), indicating that Ba2Fe2O5 has a higher potential as CO2 absorbent than Li4SiO4.