bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of selection on stress reactivity in mice. Part VI. Effect of starvation and T3 injection on the level of glutathione in liver and kidney
Authors: Kolαtaj A. , Rysińska J. , Flak P.
Published: March 2011

The studies were carried out on mice selected for a high rate of weight gain and on control unselected mice whose parents had been mated randomly. All animals were 6‐weeks‐old. Twenty‐four‐hour starvation and an injection of 50 and 100 μg triiodothyronine (T3) were chosen as models of physical and biochemical stress. Starvation caused a decrease in the level of glutathione in the liver and the kidney of both groups. The T3 injections in both doses and over time periods of 12, 24 and 36 h caused a high increase of the concentration of GSH in the liver and in the kidney. These differences were much higher in the selected mice.

Einfluss der Selektion auf Stressreaktion bei Mäusen

Nach 24 stündigem Hungern kommt es bei Mäusen zu einer Abnahme des Glutathionspiegel in Leber und Niere, insbesondere bei selektierten Tieren. Nach 50 und 100 μg T3 Injektion kommt es nach 12, 24 und 36 stündigen Periode zu einem Anstieg der GSH Konzentration in der Leber und Niere. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass selektierte Tiere empfindlicher als Kontrolltiere gegen Belastungen sind.
The evolutionary concept of destabilizing selection: status quo In commemoration of D. K. Belyaev
Authors: Trut L. N.
Published: March 2011

The problem of destabilizing selection has been raised by the Russian geneticist D. K. Belyaev in the 1960s. According to Belyaev selection becomes destabilizing, when it affects regulatory features of development on the organism level. The problem of destabilizing selection is reviewed in the light of factual material accumulated since the 1960s. Selection experiments demonstrating that there is a relation between the selection vector and its evolutionary consequences are discussed. Emphasis is on selection vectorized for behavioural traits whose controlling genetic systems also regulate gene expression and development. The data obtained from many years of experimental animal domestication have shown that temporal destabilization of development (ontogenetic heterochzonies) makes an important contribution to the evolutionary consequences of selection for behaviour. Data are also provided to explain the homologous patterns of morphological and physiological changes in different domesticates by similar changes in the regulatory parameters of development produced by the same selection vector. The main tenets of Belyaev's concept of destabilizing selection are outlined.

Zusammenfassng

Destabilisierende Selektion in der Evolution: status quo

Die Hypothese destabilisierender Selektion in der Evolution wurde vom russischen Genetiker D. K. Belyaev in den sechziger Jahren vorgeschlagen. Demnach wirkt Selektion destabilisierend, wenn sie regulatorische Entwicklungseigenschaften von Organismen tangiert. Die Probleme die de stabilisierende Selektion aufwirft, werden unter Berücksichtigung der seit den Sechzigern berichteten Ergebnisse erörtert. Es werden Selektionsversuche, die Beziehungen zwischen Selektionsvektor und den evolutionären Konsequenzen aufzeigen, erörtert. Die Betonung liegt auf Selektion für Verhaltensmerkmale, deren genetische Systeme auch Genexpression und Entwicklung regulieren. Ergebnisse langjähriger experimenteller Domestikation zeigen, daß temporäre Destabilisation der Entwicklung (ontogenetische Heterochronie) in erhebilchem Ausmaß die evolutionären Konsequenzen der Selektion auf Verhaltensänderungen verursacht. Es lassen sich auch homologe Muster morphologischer und physiologischer Änderungen in verschiedenen domestizierten Arten bzw. Gattungen mit demselben Selektionsvektor erklären. Die wesentlichen Gesichtpunkte des Konzepts destabilisierender Selektion, wie sie von Belyaev vorgeschlagen worden ist, werden skizziert.
Environmental effects on growth traits and fleece weights in Baluchi sheep
Authors: Yazdi M. H. , Eftekhari‐Shahroudi F. , Hejazi M. , Liljedahl L. ‐E.
Published: March 2011

Data from 20 249 Baluchi lambs, recorded from 1966 to 1989 in the Abbasabad Sheep Breeding Station located in the north‐east of Iran (Mashhad), were used to investigate the influences of environmental factors, multiplicative and additive adjustment factors for lamb weights at birth (BW), weaning (WW), six month (W6) and 12 months (YW) of age, preweaning (WG) and postweaning (PWG) gains, lamb fleece weight (LFW) and ewe fleece weight before first mating (FW1). Significant effects of flock, year, sex, birth‐rearing type and parity of ewe were observed for lamb weight at different ages and weight gains. Male lambs were heavier than females and the difference between them increased with age of lamb. The ratio of single lamb weight (S–S) to twin birth and single rearing (Tw–S) and twin birth and twin rearing (Tw–Tw) decreased with advancing age of lamb. Lambs born at parity 4–6 were heavier than lambs of younger or older ewes. Weight gain declined in all subclasses from weaning to 12 months of age. The effects of flock and year were significant for lamb and ewe fleece weights. In addition the effect of sex was significant for LFW. Based on a test of heterogeneity of variance among class levels of fixed effects, multiplicative adjustment of sex, type of birth and parity of ewe for BW, and the effects of sex and parity of ewe for lamb weight at other ages were recommended. For LFW the effect of sex should be considered for multiplicative adjustment. Due to homogeneous variances, the additive adjustment for effect of birth‐rearing type should be considered for WW, W6 and YW.
Differentiation of bleak (Alburnus alburnus, L.) and chub (Leuciscus cephalus, L.) populations from Rivers Main, Isar and Danube using molecular genetic markers
Authors: Fuchs H. , Schlee P. , Rottmann O. , Stein H.
Published: March 2011

Bleak (Alburnus alburnus, L.) and chub (Leuciscus cephalus, L.) populations from Rivers Main, Isar and Danube were screened for different banding patterns in random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and random amplified microsatellite polymorphism (RAMPO) fingerprints. In chub two markers and in bleak four marker systems were established that enabled us to distinguish fishes from either population. In bleak a 600 bp RAPD fragments was detected in all samples from the River Main but in none from the River Danube. In order to find out whether these polymorphic RAPD and RAMPO bands were population or River specific, two further bleak populations from River Main and one additional bleak population from River Danube were checked through for these markers. Two further marker systems based on point mutations were also applied to the bleak samples. Marker frequencies differed significantly between bleak populations from River Main and bleaks from River Danube, but populations of the same River showed very similar marker frequencies. Thus, bleaks from the River Danube can be clearly distinguished from bleaks originating from the River Main. For chub two RAPD markers displaying different frequencies in the populations of the Rivers Main and Isar are presented.

Unterscheidung von Lauben‐bzw. Aitelpopulationen in Main, Isar und Donau mit Hilfe molekulargenetischer Marker

Mit Hilfe von RAPD und RAMPO wurden Lauben‐ bzw. Aitelpopulationen aus den Flüssen Main, Isar und Donau auf unterschiedliche Bandenmuster überprüft. Beim Aitel konnten zwei, bei der Laube 4 Markersysteme etabliert werden, die es ermöglichen, Tiere der einzelnen Populationen genetisch zu unterscheiden. Bei der Laube wurde ein 600 bp RAPD‐Fragment gefunden, das in allen Proben aus dem Main, aber in keiner aus der Donau vorhanden war.

Um die Frage zu klären, welche der polymorphen RAPD‐ oder RAMPO‐Banden populations‐oder flußspezifisch waren, wurden zwei weitere Laubenpopulationen des Mains und eine aus der Donau auf diese Marker untersucht, und zwei zusätzliche Marker in Form von Punktmutationen angewendet. Die Markerfrequenzen unterschieden sich signifikant zwischen Main‐ und Donaupopulationen, waren aber sehr ähnlich innerhalb eines Flusses. Damit können Lauben des Mains eindeutig von solchen der Donau unterschieden werden. Für den Aitel werden zwei RAPD‐Marker mit unterschiedlichen Frequenzen in Main und Donau vorgestellt.
High expression of L‐type amino‐acid transporter 1 (LAT1) in gastric carcinomas: Comparison with non‐cancerous lesions
Authors: Ichinoe Masaaki , Mikami Tetuo , Yoshida Tsutomu , Igawa Ikuyo , Tsuruta Tomoko , Nakada Norihiro , Anzai Naohiko , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Endou Hitoshi , Okayasu Isao
Published: March 2011

Amino acid transporters are essential for maintenance and proliferation of both normal and transformed cells. In the present study, L‐type amino‐acid transporter 1 (LAT1) immunoreactive expression was investigated in gastric carcinomas, in comparison with gastric adenomas and non‐neoplastic lesions, using our recently developed novel monoclonal antibody. In a total of 87 cases of advanced gastric cancer, high LAT1 expression was observed in carcinoma cells, predominantly at plasma membranes with greater intensity in non‐scirrhous than scirrhous carcinomas. Gastric carcinoma cases with lymph node metastasis showed significantly higher LAT1 expression than cases without lymph node metastasis. A positive correlation with Ki‐67 LI was observed and the highly expressing non‐scirrhous carcinomas showed a significantly poorer prognosis than the low LAT1 group. Cox hazard test revealed that TNM stage and LAT1 expression were independent prognostic factors in non‐scirrhous carcinoma group. Further, a significant poor prognosis was confirmed in high LAT1 expression group, when limited to undifferentiated carcinoma cases excluding scirrhous carcinoma. Lower levels were found in adenomas. In conclusion, LAT 1 expression may be linked with cell proliferation and prognosis of gastric carcinomas, and offers a potential target for future anticancer therapy by inhibitors.
Long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) expression and release by neutrophils in vitro and in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Savchenko Alexander S. , Inoue Akira , Ohashi Riuko , Jiang Shuying , Hasegawa Go , Tanaka Toshiya , Hamakubo Takao , Kodama Tatsuhiko , Aoyagi Yutaka , Ushiki Tatsuo , Naito Makoto
Published: March 2011

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is the first identified long pentraxin, and it is rapidly produced and released by several cell types in response to proinflammatory signals. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of neutrophils to produce PTX3 protein in response to proinflammatory cytokine IL‐8 in vitro, as well as identify the expression pattern of PTX3 in human ulcerative colitis lesions.

Pentraxin 3 protein was found to be present following release upon IL‐8 stimulation in cultured neutrophils together with lactoferrin+‐specific granules localized in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formed by extruded DNA. Neutrophils in colonic mucosal tissue of patients with ulcerative colitis were the main cellular source of PTX3 protein, the expression of which is correlated well with the histological grades of inflammation. Immunofluorescence analysis against anti‐lactoferrin antibody revealed the formation of NETs released from neutrophils within crypt abscess lesions, which were found to be activated through the expression of IL‐8 receptor B (CXCR2). Of interest, neutrophils depleted of PTX3 protein were displayed, supporting the release of PTX3 from neutrophils in crypt abscess. We suspected that PTX3 protein may contribute to cell‐mediated immune defense in inflamed colon tissue, and in particular in crypt abscess lesions, of patients with ulcerative colitis.
Modest inhibition of the growth hormone axis does not affect mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation or redox state, unlike calorie restriction
Authors: Hayashida Takahiro , Komatsu Toshimitsu , Henmi Yasuko , Yanagihara‐Ota Kurumi , Kim Ae‐Ra , Chiba Takuya , Goto Shinji , Chung Hae Young , Shimokawa Isao
Published: March 2011

Aim:  Modest inhibition of the growth hormone (GH) axis by overexpression of the antisense GH gene in male Wistar rats reduced food intake and body weight, and lengthened the lifespan, even if fed ad libitum (AL). These findings were comparable with those induced by 30% calorie restriction (CR) in wild‐type (WT) rats, suggesting importance of the GH signal pathway in the effect of CR. The present study evaluated the effects of GH inhibition and CR on mitochondrial oxidative stress and redox state in the liver.

Methods:  Transgenic and WT rats were fed AL or 30% CR diets from 6 weeks of age. Liver tissues were collected at 6 and 24 months of age. The mitochondria fraction was prepared from liver tissue homogenates. The total reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the protein levels of glutathione (GSH) and oxidized GSH (GSSG), and the superoxide dismutase 2 activity were measured.

Results:  The results revealed that CR, but not modest inhibition of GH, decreased mitochondrial ROS generation and increased the mitochondrial GSH redox potential.

Conclusion:  The present study suggests that CR affects mitochondrial function and redox state through a pathway distinct from GH signaling. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 496–503.
Age–sex differences in the hip abductor muscle properties
Authors: Kim Ji‐Won , Kwon Yuri , Chung Hong‐Young , Eom Gwang‐Moon , Jun Jae‐Hoon , Chung Jin‐Sang , Park Byung Kyu
Published: March 2011

Aim:  Elderly women are reported to have worse postural balance in the mediolateral direction than elderly men, which may be related to hip lateral muscle properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sex, age and their interactions on hip abductor muscle properties.

Methods:  Thirty elderly and 30 young healthy subjects were recruited in this study. Subjects were instructed to abduct their leg as forcefully and quickly as possible under isometric condition, in response to audible beeps. Electromyogram was measured on the gluteus medius muscle and abduction torque was measured. Investigated muscle properties included torque amplitudes and muscle contraction timings. Muscle contraction timings were designated as premotor time, electromechanical delay and total reaction time. The effects of sex, age and their interactions on muscle properties were analyzed.

Results:  Women showed smaller torque amplitudes, longer electromechanical delay and longer total reaction time than men (P < 0.01), whereas no sex difference was observed in association with premotor time (P = 0.15). Age–sex interaction was significant in torque amplitudes and in electromechanical delay (P < 0.01). Post‐hoc test revealed that torque amplitude differed between sexes only in the young (P < 0.001). In contrast, the electromechanical delay differed between sexes only in the elderly and the age‐related elongation of electromechanical delay was significant only in women (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:  Both a sex difference and a sex difference of age‐related change in hip abductor muscle properties were demonstrated. These sex differences may contribute to the sex difference in lateral balance performance. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 333–340.
Effect of conjugated estrogen versus conjugated estrogen associated with medroxyprogesterone acetate in postmenopausal women on internal carotid artery pulsatility index: A randomized pilot study
Authors: Wender Maria C. O. , Vigo Francieli , Oliveira Patricia P. , Bittellbrun Fernando , Furtado Alvaro P. A. , Schvartzman Luiza , Capp Edison , de Freitas Fernando Monteiro
Published: March 2011

Aim:  To compare the effect of conjugated estrogen (CEE) versus conjugated estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) therapy on internal carotid artery pulsatility index (PI) in postmenopausal women.

Material & Methods:  In the prospective, randomized, single‐blinded comparative study, postmenopausal women meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized into one of two groups: CEE group (CEE 0.625 mg/day), or CEE + MPA group (CEE 0.625 mg/day plus MPA 2.5 mg/day). Patients were submitted to blood tests (total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and total glucose) and to color Doppler ultrasound of the internal carotid artery to assess PI at the beginning of the study. Ultrasound was repeated after 16 weeks of treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t‐test or two‐way analysis of variance for repeated measures. Data were considered to be significant at P < 0.05.

Results:  Seventy‐five postmenopausal women (age 53.3 ± 5.5 years) were included in the study. There was a statistically significant reduction in PI in both groups after 16 weeks of hormonal treatment. However, there was no difference between the two groups (group 1: 0.8960 to 0.8450; group 2: 0.9048 to 0.8426).

Conclusion:  The use of CEE and CEE associated with MPA during 16 weeks led to an improvement in internal carotid flow as measured by PI, with no difference between the treatments.
Fetal scalp stimulation test: An adjunct to intermittent auscultation in non‐reassuring fetal status during labor
Authors: Rathore Asmita M. , Ramji Siddarth , Devi Chabungbam Bijayalakshmi , Saini Sushila , Manaktala Usha , Batra Swaraj
Published: March 2011

Aims:  To evaluate fetal scalp stimulation test (FSST) as an adjunct to intermittent auscultation in diagnosis of intrapartum fetal acidosis and associate result of FSST with cord blood pH and immediate neonatal outcome.

Material & Methods:  This study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in India. Digital FSST was performed in seven hundred and fifty women in labor with singleton gestation ≥37 weeks, cephalic presentation and fetal heart abnormalities and/or thick meconium stained amniotic fluid. Intermittent auscultation was used for fetal monitoring during labor. The outcome measure was cord blood pH < 7.20 and neonatal morbidity.

Results:  The non‐reactive FSST is associated with lower umbilical cord blood pH, lower Apgar scores and higher asphyxia related neonatal morbidity (P‐value < 0.001). The non‐reactive FSST had 41% sensitivity and 84% specificity to detect pH < 7.20. The positive predictive value of FSST for fetal acidosis is 44% and negative predictive value is 83%. The likelihood ratio for acidosis with noncreative FSST is 2.57.

Conclusions:  Non‐reactive FSST is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. The positive and negative predictive values of FSST to diagnose fetal cord blood pH < 7.20 during labor are 44% & 83%, respectively.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterine cervix in a 47‐year‐old woman
Authors: Baiocchi Glauco , Faloppa Carlos Chaves , de Toledo Osório Cynthia Aparecida Bueno , Kumagai Lillian Yuri , Fukazawa Elza Mieko , Cunha Isabela Werneck
Published: March 2011

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the female genital tract usually occurs in the vagina during childhood. The uterine cervix as a primary site is rare, but is more frequent until the second decade of life. It usually has a good prognosis and the treatment is based on multidrug chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. RMS accounts for <5% of all adult soft tissue sarcomas. Previous reports that included all primary sites showed a poorer five‐year disease specific survival for adults with RMS when compared to the pediatric population. This difference has been attributed to a higher proportion of adverse prognostic clinical and pathological factors, and to inadequate treatment given to adults with RMS. A total of 115 patients with cervical embryonal RMS have previously been described; however, only 10 cases were reported in women older than 40 years. We present a 47‐year‐old woman treated with radical hysterectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and review the current literature.
Neonatal small‐for‐gestational age status as a favorable factor for the complete vaginal delivery of both fetuses in Japanese dichorionic twins
Authors: Inde Yusuke , Satomi Misao , Miyake Hidehiko , Suzuki Shunji
Published: March 2011

Aim:  In singletons, neonatal small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) status is an unfavorable postpartum outcome leading to cesarean section (CS) and increasing the possibility of maternal operative complications. Perinatal characteristics of SGA newborns in dichorionic (DC) twins were investigated for the prognostic impact on their mothers.

Methods:  A retrospective study was performed from 2004 to 2009 on 329 DC twins with two live births. Neonates were classified as SGA if they weighed less than the 10th percentile at birth according to Japanese singleton norms. Statistical differences between DC twins delivering appropriate‐for‐gestational age (AGA)/AGA pairs (control group) and AGA/SGA, SGA/AGA or SGA/SGA pairs (the first/second twins) were analyzed.

Results:  The median (range) of the gestational ages at delivery for AGA/AGA, AGA/SGA, SGA/AGA and SGA/SGA pairs were 37.1 (27.1–40.3), 37.2 (29.0–40.9), 37.1 (28.1–40.7) and 37.3 (33.3–40.4) weeks, and the complete vaginal delivery rates of both fetuses were 66.2% (43/65), 84.8% (28/33), 82.4% (14/17) and 70.0% (7/10), respectively. Compared with AGA/AGA pairs, AGA/SGA pairs showed a higher incidence of spontaneous vaginal births of both fetuses (31.3% [26/83] vs 19.9% [37/186], OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.45–4.73) and a lower incidence of emergent CS (25.3% [21/83] vs 38.7% [72/186], OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30–0.95).

Conclusion:  The relatively small size of SGA fetuses allows both fetuses to remain inside the uterus for a longer time and to easily pass through the maternal parturient canal for complete vaginal delivery. Neonatal SGA status is a favorable factor for avoiding operative complications of CS and optimizing maternal perinatal outcomes.
Survey of early preterm singleton live births in Iwate Prefecture as a provincial model of the medical situation in Japan
Authors: Nishigori Hidekazu , Tanno Kozo , Fukushima Akimune , Kanasugi Tomonobu , Haba Gen , Fujiwara Jun , Ogasawara Toshihiro , Imai Toshihiko , Sugiyama Toru , Kobayashi Takashi , Yoshizumi Noboru
Published: March 2011

Aim:  The aim of this study was to survey early preterm (prior to 32 weeks' gestation) singleton live births in Iwate Prefecture as a provincial model of the medical situation in Japan.

Materials and Methods:  Data from 177 early preterm singleton live births, and 31 445 total live births (January 2005–December 2007) in Iwate Prefecture Japan were used to analyze the incidence of early preterm singleton live birth in each medical service area.

Results:  The incidence of spontaneous early preterm singleton live birth did not differ between the coastal and inland medical service areas (3.35 vs 3.57 per 1000 live births). In the Morioka medical service area (radius about 40 km), the incidence of spontaneous early preterm singleton live birth in municipalities without obstetric care facilities was significantly higher than that in municipalities with obstetric care facilities (6.62 vs 2.65 per 1000 live births, P < 0.005). The incidence of early preterm singleton live birth due to pregnancy‐induced hypertension in the coastal medical service areas was higher than that in the inland areas (1.67 vs 0.71 per 1000 live births, P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  In Iwate Prefecture, Japan, the incidence of singleton preterm live birth before 32 weeks of pregnancy varies among its constituent medical service areas according to geographic factors as well as the availability of obstetric care facilities.
Experimental model of laryngotracheal stenosis in infants: effects of different high‐frequency jet ventilation patterns on pulmonary parameters
Authors: Mausser Gerlinde , Schellauf Angelika , Scherübl Michael , Arrer Andreas , Schwarz Gerhard
Published: March 2011

Background:  Supraglottic high‐frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) in laryngotracheal surgery in infants with modified jet laryngoscopes offers the surgeon an unimpaired operating field. However, supraglottic HFJV is associated with the development of high airway pressures, inadvertent positive end‐expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels, and barotrauma.

Methods:  We investigated the total lung volumes (TLV) and tidal volume variations at peak inspiratory pressure levels (PIP) and at PEEP levels along with the pulmonary pressures (PIP and PEEP) during two conventional methods of supraglottic HFJV in an infant trachea–lung model without stenosis and with different degrees of stenosis.

Results:  With augmentation of the driving pressure in the experiment without stenosis, the TLV plus the pulmonary pressures increased. With narrowing of the stenosis, TLV reduced at PIP level and increased at PEEP level. Volume shifts were significantly higher during superimposed HFJV compared with monofrequent HFJV at equivalent stenosis diameter (P < 0.05) except for the setting with 0.3 bar driving pressure (P > 0.05). The pulmonary PIP was in none of the test series higher than 20 mbar, and the pulmonary PEEP did not exceed 14 mbar.

Conclusions:  The results from our experimental model support the safe and effective clinical use of supraglottic HFJV in infants with tracheal stenosis. Moderate driving pressures provide acceptable pulmonary pressures in normal compliant lungs.
Colorectal cancer in nonagenarians
Authors: Arenal J. J. , Tinoco C. , Labarga F. , Martínez R. , Gonzalo M.
Published: March 2011

Aim  The aim of the study was to analyze the short‐term and long‐term outcomes of nonagenarians treated for colorectal cancer.

Method  A retrospective analysis was performed of 74 patients, ≥ 90 years of age, diagnosed with colorectal cancer during the period 1986–2009. Comorbidity, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grade, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, mortality, morbidity and survival were analyzed.

Results  Of the 74 patients, 48 (65%) were women. Twenty‐two patients were classified as ASA grade I–II, 26 as ASA grade III and 26 as ASA grade IV–V. Thirty‐one (42%) had intestinal obstruction at the time of diagnosis. Twenty‐two (30%) patients were diagnosed during the period 1986–2000 and 52 (70%) were diagnosed between 2001 and 2009. Forty‐four (59%) patients underwent surgery, of whom 19 (49%) were treated as an emergency. Eleven (25%) patients died postoperatively, with mortality rates of 12% (3/25) for elective surgery and 42% (8/19) for emergency surgery. Surgical mortality for ASA grade I and grade II patients was 5% (1/20) and their 5‐year survival rate (postoperative mortality excluded) was 44%, whereas 5‐year survival for ASA grade III patients who underwent surgery was 12.5% and surgical mortality was 25% (4/16). There were no survivors beyond 36 months among patients who did not receive surgery.

Conclusion  Our results indicate that elective and emergency colorectal surgery can be performed with acceptable rates of mortality and morbidity on nonagenarian patients in good general condition with low perioperative risk. The 5‐year survival rate was related to ASA grade and to the use of surgery.
Patient and surgeon factors are associated with the use of laparoscopy in appendicitis
Authors: McCartan D. P. , Fleming F. J. , Hill A. D. K.
Published: March 2011

Aim  The use of a minimally invasive approach to treat appendicitis has yet to be universally accepted. The objective of this study was to examine recent trends in Ireland in the surgical management of acute appendicitis.

Method  Data were obtained from the Irish Hospital In‐Patient Enquiry system for patients discharged with a diagnosis of appendicitis between 1999 and 2007. An anonymous postal survey was sent to all general surgeons of consultant and registrar level in Ireland to assess current attitudes to the use of laparoscopic appendectomy.

Results  The use of laparoscopic appendectomy increased throughout the study and was the most common approach for appendectomy in 2007. Multivariate analysis revealed age under 50 years (OR = 1.51), female sex (OR = 2.84) and residence in high‐density population areas (OR = 4.15) as predictive factors for undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy in the most recent year of the study. While 97% of surgeons reported current use of laparoscopy in patients with acute right iliac fossa pain, in most cases it was selective. Surgeons in university teaching hospitals (42 of 77; 55%) were more likely to report using laparoscopic appendectomy for all cases of appendicitis than those in regional (six of 23; 26%) or general (13 of 53; 25%) hospitals (P = 0.048).

Conclusion  This study has demonstrated a significant increase in laparoscopic appendectomy, yet a variety of patient and surgeon factors contribute to the choice of procedure. Differences in the perception of benefit of the laparoscopic approach amongst surgeons appears to be an important factor in determining the operative approach for appendectomy.
Underlying functional bowel disorder may explain patient dissatisfaction after haemorrhoidal surgery
Authors: Favreau C. , Siproudhis L. , Eleouet M. , Bouguen G. , Bretagne J.‐F.
Published: March 2011

Aim  The aim of this study was to assess patient dissatisfaction and functional symptoms following haemorrhoid surgery, aspects of which are seldom covered in other published series.

Method  A self‐administered questionnaire was mailed to 359 consecutive patients (prospective database; 198 men, 161 women; median follow up, 59 [1–120] months) who underwent either Milligan‐Morgan haemorrhoidectomy (n = 205) or stapled haemorrhoidopexy (n = 154).

Results  The response rate was 72%; 2.4% of patients had no opinion, 13.6% were dissatisfied, 33.0% were satisfied, and 51.0% were very satisfied with the treatment. Dissatisfied patients were more likely to be women and more likely to have a long history of constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. The duration of surgery and the rates of pre‐ and postoperative complications did not differ between groups. Residual bleeding (49%vs 32%), prolapse (67%vs 31%) and pain (91%vs 55%) occurred more frequently in the dissatisfied group compared with the satisfied group (P < 0.001). Incontinence (4 [0–16] vs 1 [0–15]; P = 0.0003) and constipation (19 [1–34] vs 8 [0–31]; P < 0.0001) scores were significantly higher in the dissatisfied group compared with satisfied patients. Anal pain was the predominant symptom associated with dissatisfaction in a logistic regression model.

Conclusion  Persistent pain remains the major long‐term factor associated with dissatisfaction after surgery for haemorrhoids.
Making it real: a hands‐on approach to teaching research
Authors: Birks M.
Published: March 2011

BIRKS M. (2011) Making it real: a hands‐on approach to teaching research. International Nursing Review58, 270–272

Aim:  The purpose of this paper was to report on the delivery of a series of seminars in Sarawak, East Malaysia using a unique hands‐on approach to the teaching of skills in research and evidence‐based health care. These seminars proved to be a meaningful and memorable experience for both the facilitators and participants.

Background:  The international push for the delivery of evidence‐based health care has resulted in a growing need for the teaching of skills in the conduct and application of research. Nurses and other health‐care professionals recognize that they have a responsibility to contribute to and maintain an evidence base for practice, yet are often stymied by a lack of professional development opportunities.

Conclusion:  The knowledge necessary to understand research, along with skills in the conduct of research, can be made accessible to health‐care professionals in diverse locations. The experience reported in this paper demonstrates that opportunities exist to provide education about research and evidence‐based practice in an engaging, active and meaningful way.
Student, Expert, Peacekeeper: Three Versions of International Engagement
Authors: Brown Nicholas
Published: March 2011

Three figures — the student, the expert and the peacekeeper — have provided influential frameworks through which Australians have conceptualised their relations with the world since 1945. Each has defined points of intersection between prevailing values in Australian civil society and understandings of international change as offering opportunities and challenges in articulating national interests. This article places each of these figures in their context, and in a sequence which suggests that each served to resolve uncertainties regarding international engagement while also generating new tensions. Tracing these effects illuminates the cultural transitions that have selectively determined how international issues have been comprehended and the roles Australians have perceived for themselves in relation to them.
Australian Support for an Independent Taiwan Prior to the Recognition of the People's Republic of China*
Authors: Atkinson Joel
Published: March 2011

Australia's efforts between 1950 and 1972 to create an independent Taiwan are an important, largely overlooked element of Australia and Taiwan's international relations. Australia saw de jure independence for Taiwan as a means to support the US while pursuing the interrelated goals of accommodating the People's Republic of China (PRC) and minimising contradictions between US China policy and the policies of the UK and other countries important to it. Initially Australia favoured the establishment of a Taiwanese majority‐controlled state. This preference later gave way to greater support for an independent Republic of China on Taiwan under Chinese Nationalist rule. Australia nevertheless consistently justified its policy via reference to the principle of self‐determination for Taiwan's people — either immediately in the case of a Taiwanese Taiwan, or postponed into the indefinite future in the case of a Chinese Nationalist Taiwan. Championing Taiwan independence lost its utility for Australia when Sino‐ US relations improved in the late‐1960s to early‐1970s, and it became possible for Australia to make the concessions over Taiwan demanded by China without damaging its relationship with the US. This shift preceded the election of a Labor government committed to building a friendly relationship with China. Australia then dropped its policy of advocating Taiwanese independence, and established official relations with China in late 1972.
Democracy, Power and Indigeneity
Authors: O'Sullivan Dominic
Published: March 2011

This article identifies a theoretical nexus between indigeneity and liberal democracy in three post‐colonial contexts. Like democracy, the politics of indigeneity asks questions and makes assumptions about where power ought to lie and how it ought to be shared in relation to political inclusion and national sovereignty. The interaction of indigeneity with democracy highlights the limitations of liberal theory as well as the opportunities it provides to meet indigenous claims and conceptions of justice. Exploring the ideological tensions and commonalities between democracy and indigeneity allows a contrast, in comparative context, of the proposition that in Fiji, for example, democracy is “a foreign flower” unsuited to the local environment with the argument that liberal representative democracy can, in fact, mediate power in favour of an inclusive national polity.
Regulating the Influence Game in Australia
Authors: Hogan John , Murphy Gary , Chari Raj
Published: March 2011

In this research note we describe the introduction and evolution of Australia's approach to regulating lobbyists. We examine how the lobbying regulations in place across Australia today compare with each other, as well as with lobbying regulations in some other countries around the world. The regulations in each Australian jurisdiction are classified according to their characteristics, providing insights into their commonalities and differences.
A hybrid approach to university subject learning activities
Authors: Osorio Gómez Luz Adriana , Duart Josep M.
Published: March 2011

In order to get a better understanding of subject design and delivery using a hybrid approach, we have studied a hybrid learning postgraduate programme offered by the University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. The study analyses students' perceptions of subject design and delivery, with particular reference to learning activities and the roles of lecturers and students during moments of interaction. Elements of socio‐cultural activity theory were taken as a reference for subject analysis. It is a qualitative research project containing some quantitative data. For the purposes of the study, the following instruments were designed and applied: a student survey, student interviews (by subject), lecturer interviews, and a subject design and planning observation guide. The study's conclusions present the characteristics of learning activities and of student–lecturer and student–student interaction that fostered the attainment of subject learning objectives. These characteristics can make a positive contribution to the process of subject design and delivery using a hybrid approach, meaning integration between face‐to‐face and e‐learning actions in the delivery of learning activities.
Analysis of failure time using threshold regression with semi‐parametric varying coefficients
Authors: Li Jialiang , Lee Mei‐Ling Ting
Published: March 2011

Many new statistical models may enjoy better interpretability and numerical stability than traditional models in survival data analysis. Specifically, the threshold regression (TR) technique based on the inverse Gaussian distribution is a useful alternative to the Cox proportional hazards model to analyse lifetime data. In this article we consider a semi‐parametric modelling approach for TR and contribute implementational and theoretical details for model fitting and statistical inferences. Extensive simulations are carried out to examine the finite sample performance of the parametric and non‐parametric estimates. A real example is analysed to illustrate our methods, along with a careful diagnosis of model assumptions.
Lexical affixes, incorporation, and conflation: the case of Coeur d'Alene
Authors: Bischoff Shannon T.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. This paper presents a formal account oflexical affixesin Coeur d’Alene (Salish/Idaho USA). Lexical Affixes comprise a closed class of bound morphemes which productively add semantic content to the predicate in the Salishan family of languages, among others. It is argued that Lexical Affixes are arguments that incorporate syntactically (Baker 1988) along the lines ofHarley (2004)who argues for aConflation(Hale & Keyser 2002) analysis of compounding in English. Further, it is argued that a Conflation account of incorporation is preferable to that proposed byBaker, Aranovich, and Golluscio (2004), in which a great number of theoretical mechanisms are proposed. The Conflation analysis proposed here accounts for the same phenomena with far fewer theoretical mechanisms.
Separability of light verb constructions in Persian*
Authors: Karimi‐Doostan Gholamhossein
Published: March 2011

Abstract.  Persian Light Verb Constructions (LVCs), consisting of a light verb and a preverb, fall into two groups: separable and inseparable. The nominal preverbs in the former, unlike those in the latter, can function as direct object DP argument, can be modified by an adjective, and can be relativized, scrambled and focused on by Wh‐interrogatives. In this paper, it is argued that the (in)separability of LVCs cannot necessarily be an indication of the fact that LVCs are formed at two levels of representation. It is shown that (in)separability of LVCs follows from the semantic and morphosyntactic properties of preverbs and light verbs in the language.
Agency and Institutional Investment
Authors: Brennan Michael J. , Cheng Xiaolong , Li Feifei
Published: March 2011

In this paper we summarise and extend the agency‐based model of asset pricing of Brennan (1993) to show that the implied agency effects on asset pricing are too small to be empirically detectable: empirical tests confirm this and we show that the positive findings of Gomez and Zapatero (2003) are due to their choice of sample. We also derive new empirical implications for the composition of institutional investment portfolios and empirically confirm the major result, that institutional portfolios will be short the minimum variance portfolio.
Indoctrinated, but not Incurable? Klaus Mann's Interrogation of German Prisoners of War in 1944
Authors: Von Lindeiner‐Stráský Karina
Published: March 2011

It has been stated that ‘die persönlichen Erfahrungen […] mit deutschen Kriegsgefangenen zu Ende des Krieges’ led to disillusion and disappointment among the German exiles who fought in the war against Hitler.1 This disappointment manifested itself in the many conflicts between former exiles on the one hand and representatives of the governments of their host nations as well as fellow Germans on the other.

Like Stefan Heym, Hans Habe and others, the writer in exile Klaus Mann felt obliged to devote himself to the war against National Socialism, not only in his works, but also as a man of action. As a member of the Psychological Warfare Branch of the Fifth Army he worked in a propaganda unit on the Italian front in 1944. This article deals with Mann's interrogations of German prisoners of war, whom he questioned about their morale, their attitude towards the war, towards propaganda and towards Germany's future. The hitherto unpublished reports of his interrogations, some of which can be found in Mann's estate, provide a fascinating insight into the mind and attitudes of German soldiers shortly before the end of World War II. Furthermore, they help us to understand the nature of the gap that had opened between the exiles and their fellow‐Germans and hence to explain the exiles’ side of the growing separation between the two groups towards the end of the war and in the immediate post‐war years.

Es ist schon häufiger diskutiert worden, dass ‘die persönlichen Erfahrungen […] mit deutschen Kriegsgefangenen zu Ende des Krieges’ zu Desillusionierung und Enttäuschungen unter den deutschen Exilanten führten, die sich dem Krieg gegen Hitler angeschlossen hatten.2 Diese Enttäuschung manifestierte sich in den vielen Konflikten nicht nur zwischen den Exilanten und den Repräsentanten ihrer Gastländer, sondern auch zwischen den Exilanten und den ‘daheimgebliebenen’ Deutschen.

Wie Stefan Heym, Hans Habe und andere fühlte sich der Exilschriftsteller Klaus Mann dem Kampf gegen den Nationalsozialismus verpflichtet, den er mit fortschreitendem Krieg nicht nur mit der Feder, sondern auch durch direkte Aktion führen wollte. Als Mitglied der Psychological Warfare Branch der Fifth Army wurde er 1944 an der italienischen Front in einer Propagandaeinheit eingesetzt. Diese Studie untersucht Manns Verhöre mit deutschen Kriegsgefangenen aus dieser Zeit, die er zu ihrer Moral, ihrer Einstellung zum Krieg, zur Propaganda und zu Deutschlands Zukunft befragte. Die Mitschriften seiner Verhöre, die in Manns Nachlass zu finden sind, sind bisher zum größten Teil unveröffentlicht. Sie gewähren einen faszinierenden Einblick in die Denkweise und die Ansichten deutscher Soldaten kurz vor Ende des zweiten Weltkriegs. Darüber hinaus tragen sie auch dazu bei, die Ursachen des Grabens zu verstehen, der sich zwischen den Exilanten und ihren ehemaligen Landsmännern aufgetan hatte und die wachsende Fremdheit der beiden Gruppen gegen Ende des zweiten Weltkriegs und unmittelbar danach nachzuvollziehen.
Strategic Migrant Network Building and Information Sharing: Understanding ‘Migrant Pioneers’ in Canada
Authors: Somerville Kara
Published: March 2011

This article explores the migrant networks that develop between migrants, non‐migrants and the larger Indian diaspora. Specifically, it examines the decision to migrate to Toronto, Canada and how this decision is shaped by, and in turn shapes the migrant network. Based on 35 interviews with migrants from Karnataka, South India, two main findings are presented. First, migrants are deliberately choosing settlement countries in which their families are not yet located, thereby becoming “migrant pioneers” in their country of settlement, which is an attempt to expand their migrant networks globally. Second, the narratives these migrants receive and subsequently impart to others are often inaccurate, which can lead to miscommunication flows among these migrant networks. These findings are considered in light of the large body of research on migrant networks and the ways they develop and transmit information. This paper argues that existing understanding of migrant networks is somewhat static. Findings indicate that these “migrant pioneers” may be engaging in global risk‐diversification strategies for subsequent generations, but may themselves suffer from the more immediate consequences of misinformed networks.
Teenage Marriage, and the Socioeconomic Status of Hmong Women
Authors: Vang Pa Der , Bogenschutz Matthew
Published: March 2011

The Hmong, who began migration to the United States of America in the latter half of the 1970s, represent a largely unstudied segment of the Asian‐American population. Traditional practices such as teenage marriage were widely reported in the early years after migration began, but have been left relatively unexamined more recently. Explicit focus on Hmong women has been largely absent in recent research. This paper examines the relationships between marriage patterns, education and earnings among Hmong women in the United States. Using results from a survey of 186 Hmong women, the results of this study indicate high rates of teenage marriage, as well as associations between early marriage, marital abuse, and both low earnings and lower levels of educational attainment among women married as teenagers compared to Hmong women who waited until adult age to marry. There were signs of encouragement, including higher than anticipated rates of educational attainment among the sample overall. Marital stressors such as spousal abuse remain prevalent, especially among Hmong women who married in their teenage years. Implications of this research are discussed for both practitioners and for future directions in research within the Hmong‐American community.
“Economic Migrants” or “Middling Transnationals”? East European Migrants’ Experiences of Work in the UK
Authors: Parutis Violetta
Published: March 2011

This article is devoted to the exploration of Polish and Lithuanian migrants’ work experiences in the United Kingdom. It argues that it is hard to categorize these individuals as highly skilled or low‐skilled because, in spite of their relatively high qualifications, they often occupy low‐skilled positions in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the article suggests that these migrants are “middling transnationals” (Conradson and Latham, 2005a). Although they are classified as economic migrants, many of them have migrated to the United Kingdom not only in order to earn money but also to try life abroad, see the world, or learn English. Following Bourdieu’s terminology, the article suggests ways in which migrants use different cultural capital (skills, qualifications, social environment) to enhance their economic capital in the United Kingdom, but also ways in which these different forms of migrants’ capital are interrelated. The findings suggest that Eastern Europeans are highly mobile in the British labour market. Provided they possess necessary linguistic skills, migrants progress from “any job” to a “better job” in search of a “dream job”. The article emphasises that this transition in the British labour market became easier after Poles and Lithuanians became EU citizens, whereby they were granted the right to work and improved access to education services in the United Kingdom. The article also argues that viewing migrants’ work experiences in the context of their future plans helps to understand better why working below qualifications is acceptable to many East Europeans in the United Kingdom. This is either because it helps them maximise their income and return to their home country as soon as possible, or because a low‐skilled position helps them to improve other skills (e.g., English) and serves as a stepping stone to better career opportunities in the future.