bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgery for renal cell cancer extending into the inferior vena cava – evaluation of survival and perioperative complications using a standardized classification system
Authors: Zastrow Stefan , Leike Steffen , Oehlschläger Sven , Grimm Marc‐Oliver , Wirth Manfred
Published: June 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Patients should undergo surgery, although in the recent past some case series reported thrombus shrinkage with target therapies. Operations can be performed safely.

The study adds the use of a standardized classification system for perioperative complications and reports less positive results with neoadjuvant target therapies.

OBJECTIVE

• To present a single‐centre experience of surgery for kidney cancer involving vena cava thrombus with surgical technique, complications and outcome using a standardized classification system for perioperative complications.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• Sixty‐eight consecutive cases were retrospectively analysed. Thrombus extension was at level I (but inside the vena cava) in 10 cases, level II in 28 cases, level III in 18 cases and level IV in 12 cases; 18 patients had distant metastases.

• Radical tumour nephrectomy was performed in all cases. Complete liver mobilization was carried out in 23 cases and cardiovascular bypass with circulatory arrest was performed in five cases.

• Follow‐up was available for 66 patients. Median follow‐up was 29 months (interquartile range 30.75).

RESULTS

• The 28‐day mortality was 0%.

• According to the Clavien–Dindo classification there were two grade 1, 54 grade 2, two grade 3a, two grade 3b and two grade 4a perioperative complications.

• The factors pN, grading and metastases at presentation predicted overall survival in univariate analyses. In a multivariate model none of the factors age, metastases at presentation, pN, WHO‐grading, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumour size and thrombus level significantly predicted survival.

• Immediate target therapy with neoadjuvant intention in three patients did not result in surgical therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

• Aggressive surgical treatment causes no perioperative mortality and leads to a low rate of grade 3 and grade 4 complications (8.8%).

• A median overall survival of 47 months shows that surgical treatment has favourable results in these patients.
TURP and sex: patient and partner prospective 12 years follow‐up study
Authors: Mishriki Said F. , Grimsley Samuel J.S. , Lam Thomas , Nabi Ghulam , Cohen Nicholas P.
Published: June 2011

Study Type – Symptom prevalence (prospective cohort)

Level of Evidence 1b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Evidence that transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) leads to erectile dysfunction (ED) is conflicting. Several studies claimed significant risk of ED after TURP for benign prostatic hyperplasia with some reporting complete loss of erection. Several studies have been retrospective or have not considered levels of pre‐operative ED.

ED associated with lower urinary tract symptoms frequently precedes TURP. TURP did not adversely affect erectile function. Pre‐operative ED can be improved by TURP and long‐term erectile function is maintained following TURP. The improvement was corroborated by the partners in the short, medium and long‐term and was statistically significant.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) on sexual function in the short (6 months), medium (6 years) and long (12 years) term and assess the conformity between patient and partner regarding sexual function.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective cohort study set at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary University Hospital.

A total of 280 men referred with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to a university hospital underwent TURP between January 1993 and September 1994; 145 of their partners (partner or spouse) participated.

Assessment included American Urological Association symptom score, flow rates and validated self‐reported sexual questionnaires (SQ).

Data were collected at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 6 years and 12 years of follow‐up.

RESULTS

In all, 120 (43%) men were sexually active preoperatively. At 6 months, 73 (61%) of these 120 men completed the SQ and all were sexually active.

No sexually active patient became impotent after the procedure. Moreover, 27 (15%) with pre‐existing erectile dysfunction reported improved sexual activity and erection quality.

At 6 years 101 men completed the SQ and 31 (30.7%) were sexually active. At 12 years, 36 (31.9%) of 113 who completed the SQ were sexually active.

Partners agreed with the men's self assessment at all visits.

Limitations include possible attrition bias and lack of information from non‐responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Erectile dysfunction associated with LUTS frequently precedes TURP.

The TURP did not adversely affect sexual function.

Pre‐operative erectile dysfunction can be improved by TURP and long‐term sexual function is maintained after TURP. These findings, corroborated by the partners, were statistically significant.
Cut‐off values of fasting and post‐load plasma glucose and HbA1c for predicting Type 2 diabetes in community‐dwelling Japanese subjects: the Hisayama Study
Authors: Mukai N. , Doi Y. , Ninomiya T. , Hata J. , Hirakawa Y. , Fukuhara M. , Iwase M. , Kiyohara Y.
Published: July 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 99–106 (2012)

Aims  We examined the optimal cut‐off values of fasting plasma glucose, 2‐h post‐load glucose and HbA1c for predicting Type 2 diabetes in community‐dwelling Japanese subjects.

Methods  A total of 1982 subjects without diabetes aged 40–79 years who underwent a 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test were followed prospectively for 14 years by annual health examination.

Results  During the follow‐up, 295 subjects developed Type 2 diabetes. Compared with the first decile, the crude hazard ratio for incident Type 2 diabetes was significantly higher in the fifth fasting plasma glucose decile [5.4–5.4 mmol/l (97–98 mg/dl)] or higher, in the seventh 2‐h post‐load glucose decile [6.9–7.2 mmol/l (124–131 mg/dl)] or higher, and in the fifth HbA1c decile [34–36 mmol/mol (5.3–5.4%)] or higher. These associations remained substantially unchanged even after adjustment for confounding factors. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the optimal cut‐off values for predicting Type 2 diabetes were 5.6 mmol/l (101 mg/dl) for fasting plasma glucose, 6.9 mmol/l (124 mg/dl) for 2‐h post‐load glucose and 37 mmol/mol (5.5%) for HbA1c. In a stratified analysis, the cut‐off values were approximately 5.6 mmol/l (101 mg/dl) for fasting plasma glucose and 37 mmol/mol (5.5%) for HbA1c, and these values were unchanged over BMI quartile levels, whereas the 2‐h post‐load glucose cut‐off values declined with decreasing BMI levels.

Conclusions  Our findings suggest that the cut‐off value for predicting Type 2 diabetes in the Japanese population is 5.6 mmol/l (101 mg/dl) for fasting plasma glucose and 37 mmol/mol (5.5%) for HbA1c, while the 2‐h post‐load glucose cut‐off value is lower than the diagnostic criterion for impaired glucose tolerance.
The prevalence of increased central adiposity in Australian school children 1985 to 2007
Authors: Garnett S. P. , Baur L. A. , Cowell C. T.
Published: July 2011

The epidemic of obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) maybe plateauing. However, studies using skin‐fold and waist circumference measurements suggest that BMI may underestimate changes in fatness in children. In this study we examine changes in waist circumference and waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR) in Australian children between 1985 and 2007, by undertaking secondary data analysis of three national data sets. The mean waist circumference z‐score for boys increased from −0.02 (95% CI −0.05 to 0.01) in 1985, to 0.33 (0.26 to 0.40) in 1995 and 0.41 (0.35 to 0.47) in 2007 and was greater (P < 0.001) than the increase in BMI z‐score. The increase in mean waist circumference z‐score for girls was greater (P < 0.001) than boys and increased from −0.02 (0.05 to 0.01) in 1985, to 0.33 (0.26 to 0.41) in 1995 and to 0.57 (0.51 to 0.63) in 2007. The number of children with a WHtR ≥0.5 increased from 8.6% in 1985, to 13.6% in 1995 and 18.3% in 2007. Between 1985 and 2007 central adiposity increased at a faster rate than total adiposity, particularly in girls. The secular increase in waist circumference and WHtR is concerning as measures of central adiposity are associated with metabolic and cardiovascular risk.
The Ineffectiveness of the Denial of Free Will
Authors: Casado Rubén
Published: June 2011

Free will, before being an object of beliefs or theories susceptible of verification, is the omnipresent supposition of our conscious life. This paper claims that this omnipresence, even though it is not enough to validate theoretically free will, entails two significant consequences. First, that free will is the essential presumption of our actions, without which they would become incomprehensible. Second, that all denial of this – a rational action in itself – presupposes that which is denied.
Perpetual what? Injury, Sovereignty and a Cosmopolitan View of Immigration
Authors: Valdez Inés
Published: June 2011

Can Kantian cosmopolitanism contribute to normative approaches to immigration? Kant developed the universal right to hospitality in the context of late eighteenth-century colonialism. He claimed that non-European countries had a sovereign right over their territory and the conditions of foreigners' visits. This sovereign prerogative limited visitors' right to hospitality. The interconnected and complementary system of right he devised is influential today, but this article argues that maintaining the complementarity of the three realms involves reconsidering its application to contemporary immigration. It situates Kant's Perpetual Peace within the context of debates about conquest and colonialism and argues that Kant's strict conception of sovereignty is justified by his concern in maintaining a realm of sovereignty that is complementary with cosmopolitanism and his prioritization of mutual agreements in each of the realms, particularly in a context of international power asymmetry. In Kant's time, European powers appropriated cosmopolitan discourses to defend their right to visit other countries and it was necessary to strengthen non-Europeans' sovereign claims. The strength and hostility of the visitors made limited hospitality and strong sovereignty act in tandem to keep away conquerors, expanding cosmopolitanism. Today, individuals from poor countries migrate to wealthier ones where they are subject to a sovereign authority that excludes them. Sovereignty and cosmopolitanism no longer work complementarily, but rather strengthen powerful state actors vis-à-vis non-citizens subject to unilateral rule. Maintaining the pre-eminence of the right to freedom, the article suggests that only through the creation of ‘cosmopolitan spaces' of politics can we reproduce today the complementarity that Kant envisioned.
What is the Point of a Public Morality?
Authors: Edyvane Derek
Published: June 2011

The recent revival of popular interest in the idea of public morality has involved a striking divergence of opinion: there is widespread agreement that we must recover a language of civic virtue, but disagreement about the point of so doing. Some suppose that public morality should promote the good society, while others suppose that it should facilitate the prevention of catastrophe. While on the face of it this disagreement constitutes nothing more remarkable than a difference of temperament between optimists and pessimists, it reflects in fact a fundamental rift in the structure of political action, the denial of which has led to considerable confusion. The denial of a rift depends on the assumption of symmetry between the positive and negative political agendas of individuals and groups. This assumption in turn presupposes a dubious monistic model of political action that is unable to make sense of certain forms of tragic disappointment that are a familiar feature of political experience. Better sense can be made of these experiences by adopting instead a dualistic model of political action which conceives of the positive–negative distinction as being cut across by a more fundamental distinction between aspirational politics and preventive politics. Acknowledging this distinction illuminates debates about ‘non-ideal’ political theory and about the possibilities for a politics of hope in conditions of democratic pluralism. It also highlights an essential ambivalence as to the point of a public morality, which may undermine the enterprise of salvaging civic virtue as conventionally understood.
Validation of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ‐R) in a sample of persons recovering from myocardial infarction – the Swedish version
Authors: BRINK EVA , ALSÉN PIA , CLIFFORDSON CHRISTINA
Published: July 2011

Brink, E., Alsén, P. & Cliffordson, C. (2011). Validation of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ‐R) in a sample of persons recovering from myocardial infarction – the Swedish version. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 573–579.

When people’s health is threatened, they generally develop illness perceptions to make sense of their illness. The Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ‐R), developed by Moss‐Morris et al (2002), has been widely used in many countries to measure such representations. However, since studies in this crucial research area are lacking in Sweden a Swedish version of IPQ‐R was validated with a focus on the seven subscales: timeline acute/chronic, timeline cyclical, consequences, personal control, treatment control, illness coherence and emotional representations. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the aim of the present study was to validate the internal structure of the Swedish version in a sample of 202 persons (144 men and 58 women) who had been diagnosed with myocardial infarction four months earlier. Additionally, inter‐correlations among the seven subscales and external concurrent validity were also investigated. The results of confirmatory factor analysis revealed that, in line with the English version of the IPQ‐R, the specified seven‐factor model had a satisfactory fit. One item was however not considered reliable and was therefore excluded from the instrument. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficients) and the inter‐factor correlations were relatively similar to those reported in the validation study of the original English IPQ‐R. In tests of concurrent validity, the seven IPQ‐R subscales were, as hypothesized, mainly associated with external variables. To conclude, the Swedish version of the IPQ‐R’s seven dimensions, with one item removed, (total 37 items) was found to be a reliable and valid measure of illness perception.
Testing for Bivariate Extreme Dependence Using Kendall's Process
Authors: QUESSY JEAN‐FRANÇOIS
Published: June 2011

Abstract.  New tests for the hypothesis of bivariate extreme‐value dependence are proposed. All test statistics that are investigated are continuous functionals of either Kendall's process or its version with estimated parameters. The procedures considered are based on linear combinations of moments and on Cramér–von Mises distances. A suitably adapted version of the multiplier central limit theorem for Kendall's process enables the computation of asymptotically valid p‐values. The power of the tests is evaluated for small, moderate and large sample sizes, as well as asymptotically, under local alternatives. An illustration with a real data set is presented.
Simultaneous Credible Bands for Latent Gaussian Models
Authors: SØRBYE SIGRUNN H. , RUE HÅVARD
Published: June 2011

Abstract.  Deterministic Bayesian inference for latent Gaussian models has recently become available using integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA). Applying the INLA‐methodology, marginal estimates for elements of the latent field can be computed efficiently, providing relevant summary statistics like posterior means, variances and pointwise credible intervals. In this article, we extend the use of INLA to joint inference and present an algorithm to derive analytical simultaneous credible bands for subsets of the latent field. The algorithm is based on approximating the joint distribution of the subsets by multivariate Gaussian mixtures. Additionally, we present a saddlepoint approximation to compute Bayesian contour probabilities, representing the posterior support of fixed parameter vectors of interest. We perform a simulation study and apply the given methods to two real examples.
Grey spaces: the wheeled fields of residential care
Authors: Ben Mortenson W. , Oliffe John L. , Miller William C. , Backman Catherine L.
Published: June 2011

Many individuals living in residential care use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. Although studies have documented challenges encountered by residents in these facilities, few have addressed the role that wheelchairs, as potential enablers and barriers to mobility and participation, play in their lives. To better understand residents’ experiences, an ethnographic study was conducted drawing on Bourdieu’s theoretical constructs of capital, field, and habitus. Participant observations were conducted at two facilities, and residents, family members and staff took part in in‐depth individual interviews. Our analysis revealed three themes. Ready to roll detailed how residents used wheelchairs as a source of comfort and means for expanding their social space, while staff could use them as a means to move and control some residents. Squeaky wheels described how residents solicited assistance from staff and family amid having to wait to perform activities of daily living. In, out and about revealed diversity in the places residents went, spaces they shared and the social activities in which they engaged inside and outside their residential facilities. The study findings emphasise how wheelchairs constitute capital that governs many fields of practice for residents and staff and suggest how practice and policy might be adjusted.
From personal tragedy to personal challenge: responses to stigma among sober living home residents and operators
Authors: Heslin Kevin C. , Singzon Trudy , Aimiuwu Otaren , Sheridan Dave , Hamilton Alison
Published: June 2011

Sober living homes for people attempting to maintain abstinence from alcohol and drugs can act as a buffer against the high rates of substance misuse that are endemic to many urban environments. Sober living homes and other group homes for people with disabilities have faced persistent opposition from neighbourhood associations, which raises the question of stigma. This article describes the responses of sober living home residents and operators to the threat of stigma across a diverse set of neighbourhoods. Ten focus groups were conducted with 68 residents and operators of 35 sober living homes in Los Angeles County, California, between January 2009 and March 2010. Results showed that few residents reported experiences of blatant stigmatisation by neighbours; however, they were well aware of the stereotypes that could be ascribed to them. Despite this potential stigma, residents developed valued identities as helpers in their communities, providing advice to neighbours whose family or friends had substance use problems, and organising community service activities to improve the appearance of their neighbourhoods. With their attention to local context, sober living home residents and operators challenge the personal tragedy approach of much traditional advocacy on health‐related stigma.
An Introduction to Anchoring Vignettes
Authors: Chevalier Arnaud , Fielding Antony
Published: July 2011

The article provides a short introduction to the literature on anchoring vignettes and introduces the papers on anchoring vignettes which follow from a workshop organized by the Royal Statistical Society.
Dynamics of Reporting Work Disability in Europe
Authors: Angelini Viola , Cavapozzi Danilo , Paccagnella Omar
Published: July 2011

We investigate the role of response consistency in the dynamics of reporting work disability. Using the 2004 and 2006 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we document that in Europe surprisingly large fractions of individuals change their self-reported disability status within 2 years. We find that these dynamics can be largely explained by the fact that respondents change the way that they evaluate the severity of work disability problems over time.
Maximum entropy models for general lag patterns
Authors: Boshnakov Georgi N. , Iqelan Bisher M.
Published: June 2011

The maximum entropy problem for autocovariances given over a class of subsets of  is solved. A more general problem when prediction coefficients and prediction error variances are given instead of covariances is considered and solved, as well. Two notions about maximum entropy in time series context are introduced and some misconceptions in the literature are discussed.
INTRINSIC AESTHETIC VALUE REVISTED
Authors: KREITMAN NORMAN
Published: July 2011

Abstract: Every sentient organism needs constantly to re‐assess its environment in order to adjust to any changes in it and to ascertain which aspects are, or become, salient for its current purposes. Such adaptation is of basic evolutionary importance, but for human beings it can be difficult to achieve in the face of radical novelty or when different frames of reference are in conflict. Art by virtue of its integrated structure presents examples of how a partial unification of experience may be envisaged. Art thus helps to meet our constant need for orientation and re‐orientation, though its operation in this respect is invariably outside consciousness. So art can be said to have intrinsic value only within a strictly subjective, phenomenological perspective; more broadly considered from a third‐person viewpoint, the value of art is instrumental. Questions then arise concerning our motivation for seeking or producing art, about the relation of art to other cultural activities, and about the role of pleasure in connection with aesthetic experience; these are briefly discussed.
Safety, Regulation and Tort: Fault in Context
Authors: Lee Maria
Published: July 2011

The relationship between tort and regulation is dense and complicated. This paper examines diverse approaches to one small element of this relationship: the relationship between regulatory norms and the standard of care in personal injury cases. The lack of clear rules governing that interaction is not surprising: we would never expect the courts to give up the authority (or abdicate the responsibility) to generate private law norms; on the other hand, nor would we expect them to ignore the potential authority and legitimacy of external norms. The strength of external standards is best identified by close scrutiny of the regulation itself. The varying authority of external norms in a private law forum requires engagement with the process by which the external norms were reached. Who and what determined the ‘ought’ of regulation will provide greater insight into the ways in which it should inform the ‘ought’ of tort.
Performance Measurement: Challenges for Tomorrow*
Authors: Bititci Umit , Garengo Patrizia , Dörfler Viktor , Nudurupati Sai
Published: June 2011

This paper demonstrates that the context within which performance measurement is used is changing. The key questions posed are: Is performance measurement ready for the emerging context? What are the gaps in our knowledge? and Which lines of enquiry do we need to pursue? A literature synthesis conducted by a team of multidisciplinary researchers charts the evolution of the performance‐measurement literature and identifies that the literature largely follows the emerging business and global trends. The ensuing discussion introduces the currently emerging and predicted future trends and explores how current knowledge on performance measurement may deal with the emerging context. This results in identification of specific challenges for performance measurement within a holistic systems‐based framework. The principle limitation of the paper is that it covers a broad literature base without in‐depth analysis of a particular aspect of performance measurement. However, this weakness is also the strength of the paper. What is perhaps most significant is that there is a need for rethinking how we research the field of performance measurement by taking a holistic systems‐based approach, recognizing the integrated and concurrent nature of challenges that the practitioners, and consequently the field, face.
Midfacial analysis and planning for midface augmentation with injectable filling materials: an anatomical approach
Authors: Taheri A. , Mansoori P.
Published: June 2011

Background  Midfacial augmentation improves the appearance of patients with flat or ptotic cheek.

Objectives  To develop a simple method of preoperative delineating the location of the ideal malar prominence and determining the best area to augment with injectable filling materials.

Methods  We used detailed analysis of the facial features of some Caucasian men and women as the basis for this study.

Results  We described a technique to locate the ideal malar prominence and proposed a classification of midfacial contour defects.

Conclusion  This method greatly simplifies the surgeon’s task of determining the area to be augmented.
Clinical parameters in male genital lichen sclerosus: a case series of 329 patients
Authors: Edmonds E.V.J. , Hunt S. , Hawkins D. , Dinneen M. , Francis N. , Bunker C.B.
Published: June 2011

Background  The dermatological aspects of male genital lichen sclerosus (MGLSc) have not received much prominence in the literature. Sexual morbidity appears under‐appreciated, the role of histology is unclear, the relative places of topical medical treatment and circumcision are not established, the prognosis for sexual function, urinary function and penis cancer is uncertain and the pathogenesis has not been specifically studied although autoimmunity (as in women) and HPV infection have been mooted.

Objective  To illuminate the above by analysing the clinical parameters of a large series of patients with MGLSc.

Methods  A total of 329 patients with a clinical diagnosis of MGLSc were identified retrospectively from a dermatology‐centred multidisciplinary setting. Their clinical and histopathological features and outcomes have been abstracted from the records and analysed by simple descriptive statistics.

Results  The collation and analysis of clinical data derived from the largest series of men with MGLSc ever studied from a dermatological perspective has been achieved. These data allow the conclusions below to be drawn.

Conclusions  MGLSc is unequivocally a disease of the uncircumcised male; the adult peak is late in the fourth decade; dyspareunia is a common presenting complaint; non‐specific histology requires careful interpretation; most men are either cured by topical treatment with ultrapotent steroid (50–60%) or by circumcision (>75%); effective and definitive management appears to abrogate the risk of developing penile squamous cell carcinoma; urinary contact is implicated in the pathogenesis of MGLSc; HPV infection and autoimmunity seem unimportant.
A pilot randomized controlled trial to examine the feasibility and efficacy of an educational nursing intervention to improve self‐management practices in patients with mild‐moderate psoriasis
Authors: Ersser S.J. , Cowdell F.C. , Nicholls P.G. , Latter S.M. , Healy E.
Published: June 2011

Background  Large numbers of people are expected to self‐manage their skin condition, but limited attention has been given to studies of self‐management in psoriasis, neither clearly highlighting the challenge nor seeking to develop interventions to support its effectiveness.

Objectives  1. To test the feasibility of a new educational intervention to enable people with psoriasis to self‐manage more effectively an adequately powered multi‐centred trial design through piloting.

Method  Pilot randomized controlled trial with adults (n = 64) with mild‐moderate psoriasis in Primary Care in the United Kingdom. Both groups continued with usual treatment. A theory‐based educational intervention was designed. The primary outcome measure was the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Secondary measures included the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and qualitative feedback from participants. Assessment of the feasibility of the intervention included recruitment and acceptability to participants.

Results  Delivery of the intervention was feasible and positively evaluated. Recruitment strategies and the intervention need minor modification. As a pilot study there was insufficient power to detect significant score changes. Sub group analysis of participants with a PASI or DLQI of >6 indicated a modest reduction in PASI in the intervention group which demonstrates a trend that may indicate that this intervention has potential value for people with moderate psoriasis when combined with qualitative data.

Conclusion  This study highlights the feasibility of delivering a self‐efficacy based educational intervention for people with mild‐moderate psoriasis in primary care establishing the numbers and design required for an adequately powered multi‐centred trial.
Peeling skin diseases: 21 cases from Turkey and a review of the literature
Authors: Köse O. , Safali M. , Koç E. , Arca E. , Açikgöz G. , Özmen İ. , Yeniay Y.
Published: June 2011

Background  Peeling skin diseases (PSD) refer to a group of rare autosomal recessive dermatosis which are characterized by spontaneous, continual peeling of the skin. Three different clinical pictures can be distinguished: Inflammatory PSD also referred to as peeling skin syndrome (PSS) type B, non‐inflammatory PSD also referred to as PSS type A, and localized forms i.e. acral type PSS.

Objective  To characterize the clinical and histopathological features of PSD in Turkey.

Methods  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and clinical photographs of patients who were given diagnosis of PSD and conducted histopathological evaluation of skin biopsies to identify the site of cleavage. Also we evaluated the cases including age, gender, age onset, clinical and histological findings, family history, associated disorders and PSD type.

Results  Twenty‐one patients with PSD were seen at Gulhane School of Medicine in Ankara between the years 1994 and 2010 in this retrospective study. All patients were men. Their ages were between 20 and 26 years (22.44 ± 2.30, Mean age ± SD). Of the patients, eight cases (40%) were type A, eight cases (40%) were type B, and five cases (20%) were acral type PSS. Eleven cases (52%) had parental consanguinity. Keratoderma, cheilitis, keratosis pilaris, melanonichia, clubbing, hyperhidrosis, onychodystrophy were observed in eight cases as an accompanying disorder.

Conclusions  In this case series, PSD occurred rarely and also showed generally mild course of disease in Turkey and most likely related to consanguineous of marriages. Future investigations on PSD will contribute to our progressing alternative targets for pathogenesis‐based therapy.
Parenting stress and children with cerebral palsy: a European cross‐sectional survey
Authors: PARKES JACKIE , CARAVALE BARBARA , MARCELLI MARCO , FRANCO FRANCESCO , COLVER ALLAN
Published: June 2011

Aim  The aim of this study was to describe stress in the parents of children with cerebral palsy and investigate associations with very high stress.

Method  A cross‐sectional survey was conducted of parents of 818 children aged 8 to 12 years from nine regions in Europe. Families were eligible to participate if they were living in one of the specified geographic areas. Parental stress was captured using the Parenting Stress Index Short Form, which has 36 items and takes 10 minutes to complete. Parents rate items on a 5‐point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating higher stress. The Short Form yields scores on three subscales and a Total Stress score. A trained research associate administered the questionnaire in the child’s home and visits lasted 90 to 120 minutes. All data collected were reported by parents unless otherwise stated.

Results  The Total Stress score on the Parenting Stress Index was dichotomized into scores of less than 99 or 99 or more, the latter indicating ‘very high’ stress. Most respondents were mothers (94%), and 26% reported very high stress levels. The parents of children with communication impairment had higher odds for very high stress (odds ratio [OR] 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–3.0) than those whose child had no such impairment; the parents of children with moderate or severe pain had higher odds for very high stress (OR 1.7 [95% CI 1.1–2.4] and 2.5 [95% CI 1.5–4.3] respectively) than those whose child had no pain; and the parents of children with an intellectual impairment had higher odds for very high stress (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.9) than those whose child had none. There was no association between very high stress and motor impairment. The subscales ‘parent–child dysfunctional interaction’ and ‘difficult child’ contributed most to the Total Stress score.

Interpretation  Parents of children with communication difficulties, intellectual impairment, or pain are at very high risk of stress. The final model explained 12% of the observed variation in very high stress.
Oral and non‐oral sensorimotor interventions enhance oral feeding performance in preterm infants
Authors: FUCILE SANDRA , GISEL ERIKA G , MCFARLAND DAVID H , LAU CHANTAL
Published: June 2011

Aim  The aim of this study was to determine whether oral, tactile/kinaesthetic (T/K), or combined (oral+T/K) interventions enhance oral feeding performance and whether combined interventions have an additive/synergistic effect.

Method  Seventy‐five preterm infants (mean gestational age 29wk; standard error of the mean [SEM] 0.3wk; mean birthweight 1340.3g; SEM 52.5g; 49 males and 26 females) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups or a control group. The oral group received sensorimotor input to the oral structures, the T/K group received sensorimotor input to the trunk and limbs, and the combined group received both. The outcomes were time from introduction of nipple feeding to independent oral feeding (d), proficiency (intake in the first 5min, %), volume transfer (%), rate of transfer (mL/min), volume loss (%), and length of hospital stay (d).

Results  Infants in the three intervention groups achieved independent oral feeding 9–10 days earlier than those in the control group (p<0.001; effect size 1.9–2.1). Proficiency (p≤0.002; effect size 0.7–1.4) at the time of one to two and three to five oral feedings per day, volume transfer (p≤0.001; effect size 0.8–1.1) at one to two, three to five, and six to eight oral feedings per day, and overall rate of transfer (p≤0.018; effect size 0.8–1.1) were greater, and overall volume losses were less (p≤0.007; effect size 0.9–1.1), than in the control group (p≤0.042). The combined group attained independent oral feeding at a significantly younger postmenstrual age than controls (p=0.020) and had clinically greater proficiency than the T/K group (p=0.020; effect size 0.7) and oral group (p=0.109; effect size 0.5). Length of hospital stay was not significantly different between groups (p=0.792; effect size 0.02–0.3).

Interpretation  Oral and T/K interventions accelerated the transition from introduction to independent oral feeding and enhanced oral feeding skills. T/K has beneficial effects beyond the specific targeted system. The combined sensorimotor intervention led to an additive/synergistic effect for proficiency, further benefiting this population.
Bureaucracy and place: expertise in the European Quarter
Authors: KUUS MERJE
Published: June 2011

Bureaucratic structures and procedures are an integral part of the production of political space today. Analyses of geopolitical practices must therefore unpack the bureaucratic context in which these practices unfold on a daily basis. This is particularly important if we wish to understand transnational processes that operate at scales and in contexts other than the familiar contours of the nation‐state. In this article, I focus on one bureaucratic centre of geopolitics – the European Quarter in Brussels, Belgium, the institutional centre of the European Union. Drawing from scholarship on geopolitics and policy‐making, as well as primary interview material from field research in Brussels, I make two related points – (1) that we need detailed close‐up studies of the bureaucratic settings of contemporary geopolitics, and (2) that we must carefully situate such settings in their place‐specific contexts to reveal dynamics that remain unnoticed from afar. Empirically, the article contributes to the interdisciplinary scholarship on the EU as a transnational power centre of global importance. Theoretically, it seeks to improve our understanding of geopolitics as a bureaucratic and material practice.
How the web was won … by some
Authors: Tattersall Andy
Published: June 2011

HILJ readers may have encountered the phrase library 2.0 which has polarised librarians, with some sceptical whether library 2.0 offers anything new. Others are confident that the convergence of service goals and ideas with emerging Web 2.0 technologies will lead to a new generation of library services. Andrew Tattersall’s article, ‘How the Web was Won’, belongs in the latter camp. His thesis is that Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 have opened up a whole new world for exploration by information and library professionals. Although the Web has created problems for the modern day explorer, potentially there is a bright future for information professionals if they are to succeed in deploying the resources.

JM
Temporal changes of soil physical and hydraulic properties in strawberry fields
Authors: Bamberg A. L. , Cornelis W. M. , Timm L. C. , Gabriels D. , Pauletto E. A. , Pinto L. F. S.
Published: July 2011

Even over short time intervals, soil properties are subject to variation, especially in managed soils. The objective of this study was to assess the temporal changes of soil physical and hydraulic properties in strawberry fields cultivated under surface drip fertigation in Turuçu, Brazil. Intact core samples were collected from the near surface soil layer of seedbeds to determine the total porosity (TP), macroporosity (MA), matrix porosity, bulk density (BD), available water capacity (AWC), field capacity, wilting point and Dexter’s S index. Aggregate samples were collected from the arable layer to determine the aggregate size distribution and aggregate mean weight diameter. All samples were collected from 15 strawberry fields and at four different times during the 2007–2008 strawberry growing cycle. Although soil pore‐solid relations are expected to adjust soon after seedbed construction, their variation was only evident after >13 weeks. Even though values of TP and MA decreased with time, and those of BD increased near the end of the growing cycle, all the soils maintained their capacity to support root activity as indicated by critical values of Dexter’s index (S > 0.03). The amount of relatively large aggregates (9.51–2.00 mm) and AWC increased towards the end of the strawberry cultivation cycle. With changes in soil structure improving soil physical quality, strawberry development benefitted. We showed that if farmers gradually increase the amount of water through fertigation to a maximum value occurring at the end of crop cycle instead of applying water at a constant rate, water and energy use efficiency in agriculture would improve.
Treatment of accidental ethanol intoxication with hemodialysis in a dog
Authors: Keno Lisa A. , Langston Cathy E.
Published: June 2011

Objective
–
To describe the successful treatment of accidental ethanol intoxication with hemodialysis in a dog.

Case Summary
–
A 1.5‐year‐old female intact mixed breed dog was presented in a comatose state believed to be due to ethanol intoxication. The initial 9 hours of supportive care treatment were complicated by multiple seizures and hypothermia, and resulted in only minimal improvement in the dog's level of consciousness. Hemodialysis was implemented and resulted in rapid clinical recovery, corresponding to a rapid decline in serum ethanol concentration.

New or Unique Information Provided
–
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of using hemodialysis to treat accidental ethanol intoxication in a dog. The patient's initial serum ethanol concentration was higher than those previously reported for cases of accidental ethanol intoxication in dogs, and the serum ethanol concentration was shown to rapidly decline during hemodialysis. Treatment with hemodialysis for severe ethanol intoxication was effective in this case and may be able to decrease morbidity and mortality in some cases.
Interactions between antidepressants and P‐glycoprotein at the blood–brain barrier: clinical significance of in vitro and in vivo findings
Authors: O'Brien Fionn E , Dinan Timothy G , Griffin Brendan T , Cryan John F
Published: June 2011

The drug efflux pump P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) plays an important role in the function of the blood–brain barrier by selectively extruding certain endogenous and exogenous molecules, thus limiting the ability of its substrates to reach the brain. Emerging evidence suggests that P‐gp may restrict the uptake of several antidepressants into the brain, thus contributing to the poor success rate of current antidepressant therapies. Despite some inconsistency in the literature, clinical investigations of potential associations between functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in ABCB1, the gene which encodes P‐gp, and antidepressant response have highlighted a potential link between P‐gp function and treatment‐resistant depression (TRD). Therefore, co‐administration of P‐gp inhibitors with antidepressants to patients who are refractory to antidepressant therapy may represent a novel therapeutic approach in the management of TRD. Furthermore, certain antidepressants inhibit P‐gp in vitro, and it has been hypothesized that inhibition of P‐gp by such antidepressant drugs may play a role in their therapeutic action. The present review summarizes the available in vitro, in vivo and clinical data pertaining to interactions between antidepressant drugs and P‐gp, and discusses the potential relevance of these interactions in the treatment of depression.
Comparison of the IKr blockers moxifloxacin, dofetilide and E‐4031 in five screening models of pro‐arrhythmia reveals lack of specificity of isolated cardiomyocytes
Authors: Nalos L , Varkevisser R , Jonsson MKB , Houtman MJC , Beekman JD , van der Nagel R , Thomsen MB , Duker G , Sartipy P , de Boer TP , Peschar M , Rook MB , van Veen TAB , van der Heyden MAG , Vos MA
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Drug development requires the testing of new chemical entities for adverse effects. For cardiac safety screening, improved assays are urgently needed. Isolated adult cardiomyocytes (CM) and human embryonic stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (hESC‐CM) could be used to identify pro‐arrhythmic compounds. In the present study, five assays were employed to investigate their sensitivity and specificity for evaluating the pro‐arrhythmic properties of IKr blockers, using moxifloxacin (safe compound) and dofetilide or E‐4031 (unsafe compounds).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Assays included the anaesthetized remodelled chronic complete AV block (CAVB) dog, the anaesthetized methoxamine‐sensitized unremodelled rabbit, multi‐cellular hESC‐CM clusters, isolated CM obtained from CAVB dogs and isolated CM obtained from the normal rabbit. Arrhythmic outcome was defined as Torsade de Pointes (TdP) in the animal models and early afterdepolarizations (EADs) in the cell models.

KEY RESULTS

At clinically relevant concentrations (5–12 µM), moxifloxacin was free of pro‐arrhythmic properties in all assays with the exception of the isolated CM, in which 10 µM induced EADs in 35% of the CAVB CM and in 23% of the rabbit CM. At supra‐therapeutic concentrations (≥100 µM), moxifloxacin was pro‐arrhythmic in the isolated rabbit CM (33%), in the hESC‐CM clusters (18%), and in the methoxamine rabbit (17%). Dofetilide and E‐4031 induced EADs or TdP in all assays (50–83%), and the induction correlated with a significant increase in beat‐to‐beat variability of repolarization.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Isolated cardiomyocytes lack specificity to discriminate between TdP liability of the IKr blocking drugs moxifloxacin and dofetilide or E4031.
Novel insights into the delayed vasospasm following subarachnoid haemorrhage: importance of proteinase signalling
Authors: Hollenberg Morley D
Published: June 2011

This article summarizes the findings of Kameda et al. (this issue of BJP) that suggest a new avenue for the pharmacological treatment of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) involving the combined use of a proteinase inhibitor (argatroban) that targets thrombin and an antioxidant (vitamin C). The findings are presented in the context of previous modalities of treating SAH that are of modest impact and the possibility that inhibiting proteinase‐mediated signalling via proteinase‐activated receptors like the thrombin PAR1 receptor combined with blocking oxidative stress may provide a new avenue for the treatment of SAH.

LINKED ARTICLE This article is a commentary on Kameda et al., pp. 106–119 of this issue. To view this paper visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476‐5381.2011.01485.x
Anti‐inflammatory effects of selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators are partially dependent on up‐regulation of dual specificity phosphatase 1
Authors: Joanny Eugénie , Ding Qize , Gong Leyi , Kong Philip , Saklatvala Jeremy , Clark Andrew R
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It is thought that the anti‐inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) are largely due to GC receptor (GR)‐mediated transrepression of NF‐κB and other transcription factors, whereas side effects are caused by activation of gene expression (transactivation). Selective GR modulators (SGRMs) that preferentially promote transrepression should retain anti‐inflammatory properties whilst causing fewer side effects. Contradicting this model, we found that anti‐inflammatory effects of the classical GC dexamethasone were partly dependent on transactivation of the dual specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) gene. We wished to determine whether anti‐inflammatory effects of SGRMs are also mediated by DUSP1.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Dissociated properties of two SGRMs were confirmed using GR‐ and NF‐κB‐dependent reporters, and capacity to activate GC‐responsive elements of the DUSP1 gene was tested. Effects of SGRMs on the expression of DUSP1 and pro‐inflammatory gene products were assessed in various cell lines and in primary murine Dusp1+/+ and Dusp1−/−macrophages.

KEY RESULTS

The SGRMs were able to up‐regulate DUSP1 in several cell types, and this response correlated with the ability of the compounds to suppress COX‐2 expression. Several anti‐inflammatory effects of SGRMs were ablated or significantly impaired in Dusp1−/− macrophages.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Like dexamethasone, SGRMs appear to exert anti‐inflammatory effects partly via the up‐regulation of DUSP1. This finding has implications for how potentially therapeutic novel GR ligands are identified and assessed.