bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender Differences in Coping with Tension-Type Headaches
Authors: Rollnik Jens D. , Karst Matthias , Piepenbrock Siegfried , Gehrke A. , Dengler Reinhard , Fink Matthias
Published: August 2003

Objective: To study gender differences of coping with illness strategies in tension-type headaches. Method: We enrolled 89 subjects (50 women, 39 men) suffering from episodic (n = 37) and chronic (n = 52) tension-type headaches (TTH). Patients were required to answer a Freiburg Questionnaire of Coping with Illness (FQCI), a Von Zerssen Depression Scale (D-S), quality-of-life questionnaires, and a headache home diary (over 4 weeks). In addition, pressure pain thresholds (temporal muscles) and Total Tenderness Scores were obtained. Results: While pain intensity, frequency and quality-of-life parameters were basically the same for female and male episodic TTH sufferers, women scored significantly higher on the F3 subscale (distracting and encouraging) of the FQCI and tended to score higher on the F1 subscale (depressive). Among chronic TTH patients, women reported the pain to be more intense (VAS), were more depressed (D-S), and scored lower on several quality-of-life scores. Female chronic TTH sufferers scored significantly lower on the F2 subscale (active coping) and tended to score higher on F5 (denying). Conclusions: We conclude that pessimistic coping with illness strategies are more frequent in female episodic and chronic TTH sufferers. We would like to recommend special psychologic intervention in particular to female chronic TTH sufferers which would offer counseling in developing active coping skills.
Prognostic Value of Very Early Seizures for In-Hospital Mortality in Atherothrombotic Infarction
Authors: Arboix Adrià , Comes Emili , García-Eroles Luis , Massons Juan B. , Oliveres Montserrat , Balcells Miquel
Published: August 2003

We studied the influence of very early seizures (within 48 h of stroke onset) on in-hospital mortality in a cohort of 452 consecutive patients with atherothrombotic infarction. These patients were selected from 2,000 consecutive acute stroke patients registered in a prospective hospital-based stroke registry in Barcelona, Spain. A comparison of data between the nonseizure (n = 442) and seizure (n = 10) groups was made. Predictors of very early seizures were assessed by multivariate analysis. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in atherothrombotic stroke patients with very early seizures than in those without seizures (70 vs. 19.5%, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality included very early seizures, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, 85 years of age or older, altered consciousness, dizziness, parietal and pons involvement, and respiratory and cardiac complications. After multivariate analysis, atherothrombotic infarction of occipital topography and decreased consciousness appeared to be independent predictors of atherothrombotic stroke with very early seizures. Very early seizures constitute an important risk factor for in-hospital mortality after atherothrombotic stroke.
Late-Onset Neuroaxonal Leucoencephalopathy with Spheroids and Vascular Amyloid
Authors: Browne Lorna , Sweeney Brian J. , Farrell Michael A.
Published: August 2003

A 54-year-old man with a 7-year history of early-onset, slowly progressive dementia and motor impairment characterised by diffuse, non-enhancing white matter signal change. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated subcortical pigmentation with neuroaxonal spheroid formation, profound axonal loss with secondary myelin degeneration and widespread βA4 immunopositivity involving meningeal and subcortical vessels. There was relative sparing of brain stem and cerebellar white matter. The neocortex was normal. The appearances expand the spectrum of adult-onset neuroaxonal leucoencephalopathy with spheroids (NALS) and demonstrate that vascular βA4 amyloid plays a key role in the white matter pathology of NALS.
Temporal Changes in Movement Time during the Switch of the Stimulators in Parkinson’s Disease Patients Treated by Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation
Authors: Lopiano Leonardo , Torre Elena , Benedetti Fabrizio , Bergamasco Bruno , Perozzo Paola , Pollo Antonella , Rizzone Mario , Tavella Alessia , Lanotte Michele
Published: August 2003

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a very effective therapy for the advanced phase of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The functional inhibition of this nucleus is responsible for a significant improvement of cardinal motor symptoms of PD. The aim of the study was the assessment of the effectiveness of STN DBS on bradykinesia by the analysis of movement time (MT) in 2 conditions: with the stimulators turned on (‘stim-on’) or off (‘stim-off’). Methods: After pharmacological wash-out, 10 patients submitted to bilateral STN DBS were studied with an MT analyser in 3 phases: stim-on, stim-off and stim-on again, in order to establish the time course of MT lengthening, the posteffect duration and the latency of the effect of STN DBS. MT data were then compared with the UPDRS motor scores. Results: After turning off the stimulators, MT progressively increases, reaching a plateau after about 30 min, which then lasts for the subsequent observation time (2 h). A significant elongation is achieved after the first 5 min. Upon pulse generator activation, MT shows a dramatic shortening, already significant after 2 min. Moreover, we observed a significant correlation between MT and the severity of PD, higher with bradykinesia than with rigidity or tremor. Conclusion: Our findings show a relevant effect of STN DBS on MT, a parameter strongly related to bradykinesia. This study confirms the effectiveness of STN inhibition on the whole parkinsonian triad, suggesting that this target can be considered a proper choice for the surgical treatment of advanced PD.
A Novel GFAP Mutation and Disseminated White Matter Lesions: Adult Alexander Disease?
Authors: Brockmann Knut , Meins Moritz , Taubert Angelika , Trappe Ralf , Grond Martin , Hanefeld Folker
Published: August 2003

The recent discovery of heterozygous de novo mutations in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene as the cause of infantile and juvenile Alexander disease has shed new light on the long-standing debate whether the adult subtype has the same etiology as infantile and juvenile Alexander disease. A 40-year-old man presented with subacute left hemiplegia and ataxia. Cranial MRI revealed disseminated patchy white matter changes involving the corpus callosum, basal ganglia and brainstem. CSF investigation demonstrated elevated total protein but was otherwise normal. Mutation analysis of the GFAP gene was performed in the patient, his mother and healthy brother. A novel heterozygous mutation in exon 4, 681G→C, predicting an amino acid substitution E223Q in the rod region of GFAP was detected in the patient and his mother but not in his healthy brother or 150 control chromosomes. We conclude that the patient is actually afflicted with Alexander disease. Mutation analysis of GFAP should be considered in patients with remitting neurological deficits, disseminated white matter lesions and absence of inflammatory CSF changes.
Short-Term Biological Effects of a New and Less Acidic Fluid for Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Matsumoto Yoshihiro , Sato Hideki , Miyai Hironobu , Sato Motoyoshi , Morita Hiroyuki , Amano Izumi
Published: August 2003

Background: Conventional peritoneal dialysates are potentially bioincompatible and seem to be a causative factor for peritoneal sclerosis. Recent studies demonstrated that a new type of dialysate has a positive long-term clinical effect on dialysis patients. Methods: In this study, to elucidate the short-term biological effects of a newly developed dialysate of higher pH on the peritoneal membrane, we assessed macrophage proportions and several markers (inflammatory cytokines, cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and albumin) in spent dialysates before and 2 weeks after the change to the new fluid from a conventional fluid. Results: We found that the use of the new dialysate decreased intraperitoneal levels of inflammatory cytokines, CA125 and albumin associated with the decrease of macrophage populations in dialysis effluents. Conclusion: These observations suggest that a new and less acidic fluid reduces pro-inflammatory potential in the peritoneum, and thus affords better preservation of peritoneal membrane integrity in uremic patients on peritoneal dialysis.
Proceedings: The Multidisciplinary Approach to Develop Artificial Organs
Authors: Klein Elias
Published: August 2003

This paper presents the author’s perspective of how artificial organ development has evolved in the past 35 years into a multidisciplinary effort. Examples are taken from the fields of hemodialysis, oxygenators, and affinity immunoadsorption devices. Development of the multidisciplinary approach to develop dialysis and oxygenation membranes has been significantly advanced by private and governmental collaboration and conferences that gathered together chemists, physicians, engineers, and fluid dynamics experts. Lengthy delays occurred in artificial organ development when such interdisciplinary collaborations did not take place.
Proceedings: Pathogenesis and Treatment of Renal Osteodystrophy
Authors: Slatopolsky Eduardo , Gonzalez Esther , Martin Kevin
Published: August 2003

Renal osteodystrophy is the term used to describe the many different patterns of the skeletal abnormalities that occur in patients with chronic kidney disease. The main two conditions are osteitis fibrosa, characterized by high bone turnover, increased osteoclastic and osteoblastic activity, and high levels of circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) and adynamic bone disease characterized by low bone turnover and low levels of circulating PTH. Retention of phosphorus, decreased levels of calcitriol in blood, decreased levels of serum ionized calcium, reduced numbers of vitamin D receptors and calcium sensors in the parathyroid gland, and skeletal resistance to the calcemic action of PTH play a major role in the development of renal osteodystrophy. This review will describe the current approach for the treatment of renal osteodystrophy.
Nasal Bone Hypoplasia: Is It a Common Finding amongst Chromosomally Normal Fetuses of Southern Chinese Women?
Authors: Wong Shell Fean , Choi Humphrey , Ho Lau Cheung
Published: August 2003

Objective: To assess the incidence of nasal hypoplasia among fetuses of southern Chinese women. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong. All pregnant women referred for chromosomal studies before 14 weeks were assessed. The crown-rump length, nuchal translucency thickness, and nasal bone were assessed between 11 and 14 weeks. Results: A total of 143 women were recruited. In 119 fetuses, facial profiles were successfully obtained and the presence or absence of nasal bones was assessed. One hundred and fourteen fetuses had normal karyotypes. The rate of absence nasal bone when assessed between 11–14 weeks was 0.88% in the fetuses with a normal karyotype. During the same period, 2 out of 3 fetuses with Down syndrome had absence of nasal bones. A nasal bone was visualized in one fetus with Edward syndrome and the other with Turner syndrome (45 X). Conclusion: The incidence of nasal hypoplasia is not increased among fetuses of southern Chinese women. Assessment of ossification of the nasal bone can be used to supplement first-trimester screening in Chinese women.
Cardiac Function in Fetuses of Poorly-Controlled Pre-Gestational Diabetic Pregnancies – A Pilot Study
Authors: Wong S.F. , Chan F.Y. , Cincotta R.B. , McIntyre H.D. , Oats J.J.N.
Published: August 2003

Objective: Cardiac impairment is frequently found in babies of diabetic mothers. It is still controversial whether this is due to poor glucose control. The aim of this study is to compare the cardiac function in fetuses of well- and poorly-controlled pre-gestational diabetic pregnancy in third trimester. Methods: Women with type 1 pre-gestational diabetes were enrolled at 30–32 weeks. Cardiac size and interventricular septal wall thickness were measured by M-mode at end-diastolic phase. The right and left ventricular ejection fractions were calculated. At the mitral and tricuspid valves inflow, the ratio between early ventricular filling and active atrial filling (E/A) at both atrioventricular valves were measured by Doppler echocardiography. Peak velocities of ascending aorta and pulmonary artery were assessed. The angle of isonation was kept at <20°. Women with poorly-controlled diabetes (HbA1c >6.5%) were compared with those with satisfactorily controlled diabetes (HbA1c ≤6.5%). Results: A total of 21 women with pre-gestational diabetes were recruited for this study. Eight women with well-controlled diabetes were compared with 9 women who had poorly-controlled diabetes. HbA1c in the poorly-controlled group was 7.3% and in the well-controlled group it was 5.4% (p < 0.001). There was no difference between the two groups in cardiac size, interventricular septal wall thickness, ejection fraction, aorta and pulmonary artery peak flow velocities. The right atrioventricular E/A ratio was significantly lower among the poorly-controlled diabetic pregnancies (0.71 vs. 0.54; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Fetuses of poorly-controlled diabetic mothers had a lower right atrioventricular E/A ratio. This may be due to metabolic acidosis, non-hypertrophic cardiac dysfunction or fetal polycythemia.
Successful Management of a P-Incompatible Pregnancy Using Double Filtration Plasmapheresis
Authors: Taniguchi Fuminori , Horie Sayako , Tsukihara Saroru , Nagata Naoki , Nishikawa Kenichi , Terakawa Naoki
Published: August 2003

The presence of PP1Pk antibody is considered a main cause of repeated spontaneous abortions in early pregnancy. Because PP1Pk antibody generated in maternal blood may disturb the feto-maternal environment, plasmapheresis is supposed to be a beneficial method of lowering PP1Pk antibody levels in women with blood group-incompatible pregnancies. Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was used to treat feto-maternal P-incompatible pregnancy. The successful use of DFPP to treat a pregnant Japanese woman is presented. This method is a useful treatment for group P women who have not been able to deliver a live infant.
Relationship Between the Dynamic Geometry and Wall Thickness of a Human Coronary Artery
Authors: Zhu Hui , Friedman Morton H.
Published: September 2003

Objective—

It is widely recognized that hemodynamic and wall mechanical forces are involved in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. In the coronary vasculature, these forces are likely mediated by arterial dynamics and geometry. This research examines the hypothesis that coronary artery motion and geometry affect the local predisposition to disease, presumably through their influence on the stresses at and in the artery wall.

Methods and Results—

The dynamics of a human right coronary artery and the variation of wall thickness along its length were characterized from biplane cineangiograms and intravascular ultrasound records, respectively. The dynamic geometry parameters were distance along the vessel, cyclic displacement, axial strain, curvature, and torsion. Multiple regression analyses using principal components show that (1) no single dynamic geometry parameter has a dominant influence on wall thickness, (2) linear combinations of such parameters predict wall thickness measures with high confidence (
P
<0.001;
R
2
between 0.17 and 0.44), and (3) both the time-average values of curvature and torsion and their excursion during the cardiac cycle are positively correlated with maximum wall thickness and cross-sectional asymmetry.

Conclusions—

The relationships seen here support the hypothesis that dynamic geometry plays a role in the localization of early coronary artery thickening.
Dietary Lipid Lowering Modifies Plaque Phenotype in Rabbit Atheroma After Angioplasty
Authors: Jeanpierre Emmanuelle , Le Tourneau Thierry , Six Isabelle , Zawadzki Christophe , Van Belle Eric , Ezekowitz Michael D. , Bordet Régis , Susen Sophie , Jude Brigitte , Corseaux Delphine
Published: September 2003

Background—

Tissue factor (TF), the main initiator of blood coagulation, is involved in cellular migration and angiogenesis processes. TF is expressed strongly in lipid-rich plaques and probably plays an important role in the thrombotic complications of plaque rupture. This study analyzes the effect of dietary lipid lowering on TF expression and cellular modifications in angioplasty-induced rabbit plaque rupture.

Methods and Results—

After experimental plaque rupture by balloon angioplasty in atheromatous rabbits, animals were assigned a 0.2% or a 2% cholesterol diet, and the TF content of arterial wall and the associated histological modifications were analyzed after 4 weeks. Early effects of lipid lowering were observed: The increase of TF expression in the vascular wall was stronger in the 2% than in the 0.2% cholesterol diet group (iliac arteries: 1226±308 versus 72±29 mU TF/g artery,
P
<0.005). Immunohistochemistry indicated that TF expression was associated with sprout of neovessels, which was more pronounced in the 2% than in the 0.2% cholesterol group.

Conclusions—

This study shows that dietary lipid lowering decreases the thrombotic potential of ruptured atherosclerotic plaques through TF decrease. Moreover, high TF expression is associated with marked angiogenesis in the vascular wall, which is reduced by lipid lowering. These results provide further arguments for strong dietary lipid lowering to reduce plaque instability and thrombogenicity.
Enhanced Interleukin-1β in Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Ferroni Patrizia , Martini Francesca , Cardarello Cristiano M. , Gazzaniga Pier Paolo , Davì Giovanni , Basili Stefania
Published: September 2003

Background—

This study was aimed at verifying whether activation of platelets might represent a source of interleukin (IL)-1β levels in hypercholesterolemia. To this purpose, we compared the effects of a short-term treatment with simvastatin or low-dose aspirin on circulating levels of this cytokine.

Methods and Results—

Fifty patients with hypercholesterolemia were randomly allocated to receive an 8-week therapeutic course of simvastatin 20 mg daily (n=25) or aspirin 100 mg daily (n=25). Baseline soluble (s) P-selectin directly correlated with IL-1β (
P
<0.0001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (
P
<0.05) but not with von Willebrand factor, total cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol levels. Furthermore, sP-selectin (
P
<0.02) and IL-1β (
P
<0.0001) levels were independently related to CRP by multiple regression analysis. Both drugs were associated with comparable, significant reductions in IL-1β and sP-selectin. Simvastatin, but not aspirin treatment, significantly lowered CRP levels (
P
<0.05). The change in IL-1β levels correlated with the change in sP-selectin in patients randomized to either simvastatin (Rho, 0.42;
P
<0.05) or aspirin (Rho, 0.42;
P
<0.05). In contrast, the simvastatin-induced change in IL-1β did not correlate with the change in CRP levels.

Conclusions—

This study suggests that platelets might contribute to IL-1β production in hypercholesterolemia, thus providing an additional link between inflammation and the prothrombotic state in this setting.
Chronic Blockade of Nitric Oxide Does Not Produce Hypertension in Baroreceptor Denervated Rabbits
Authors: Ramchandra Rohit , Barrett Carolyn J. , Malpas Simon C.
Published: September 2003

Although the vascular action of endothelium-derived nitric oxide in modulating arterial pressure is well established, nitric oxide can also act as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. In addition, there is evidence for an interaction between nitric oxide and baroreceptor afferent processing; thus, nitric oxide may regulate blood pressure through central modulation of arterial baroreflexes. To test this possible interaction of nitric oxide and baroreflexes in the long-term regulation of blood pressure, we measured arterial pressure and heart rate responses to nitric oxide blockade by using L-NAME (50 mg/kg per day in drinking water) over 7 days in baroreceptor intact and sinoaortic denervated conscious rabbits. In the baroreceptor intact animals, blockade of nitric oxide leads to a significant increase in mean arterial pressure (from 75±2 to 84±3 mm Hg) and decrease in heart rate (from 233±8 to 195±8 bpm) that was sustained over the 7 days of nitric oxide blockade. In the sinoaortic denervated animals, blockade of nitric oxide initially led to a similar increase in arterial pressure (82±3 mm Hg on the second day), but in all sinoaortic denervated animals this increase was not sustained and recovered back to pre–L-NAME levels. This finding indicates that baroreflexes play an important role in the long-term control of blood pressure, and, second, that one mediator of this control is nitric oxide.
Remote Evaluation of Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Wang Sam , Lee Sung Bae , Pardue Carol , Ramsingh Davinder , Waller Jennifer , Gross Hartmut , Nichols Fenwick T. , Hess David C. , Adams Robert J.
Published: September 2003

Background and Purpose—

Despite Food and Drug Administration approval of tissue-type plasminogen activator for stroke, obstacles in the US healthcare system prevent its widespread use. The Remote Evaluation for Acute Ischemic Stroke (REACH) program was developed to address these issues in rural settings. A key component of stroke assessment in the REACH system is the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) evaluation. We sought to determine whether, using the REACH system, NIHSS values of bedside and remote evaluators would correspond.

Methods—

Twenty patients were recruited. On obtaining consent, a neurologist performed a bedside NIHSS evaluation on each patient. Within 1 hour, using any broadband-connected workstation—either office or home personal computer and a landline phone to speak with the patient—a second neurologist remotely evaluated the patient through the REACH system. Paired
t
tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine NIHSS reliability performed bedside and remotely.

Results—

NIHSS ranged from 1 to 24. Correlations between bedside and remote locations (
r
=0.9552,
P
=0.0001) were very strong, and
t
tests indicate that the means were not different.

Conclusions—

The NIHSS can be reliably performed over the REACH system. This supports our endeavor to bring stroke expertise to rural community hospitals.
International criminal procedure: "adversarial", "inquisitorial" or mixed?
Authors: Ambos Kai
Published: September 2003

The article analyses whether international criminal procedure is "adversarial", "inquisitorial" or mixed. It examines the law of the ICTY and the ICC, including the relevant case law. This law has developed from an adversarial to a truly mixed procedure by way of various amendments of the ICTY's Rules of Procedure and Evidence (RPE) and the drafting of the Rome Statute merging civil and common law elements in one international procedure. It is no longer important whether a rule is either "adversarial" or "inquisitorial" but whether it assists the Tribunals in accomplishing their tasks and whether it complies with fundamental fair trial standards. As to an efficient trial management an UN Expert Group called for a more active role of the judges, in particular with regard to the direction of the trial and the collection of evidence. In this context, it is submitted that a civil law like judge-led procedure may better avoid delays produced by the free interplay of the parties. Ultimately, however, the smooth functioning of a judicial system depends on its actors, procedural rules provide only a general framework in this regard. A truly mixed procedure requires Prosecutors, Defence Counsel and Judges who have knowledge of both common and civil law and are able to look beyond their own legal systems.
EU Security Cooperation and the Transatlantic Relationship
Authors: Penksa Susan E. , Mason Warren L.
Published: September 2003

As change in European security behavior interfaces with parallel change in United States security priorities and approach, the transatlantic security relationship is being reshaped. The implications of this evolution in security cooperation are profound both for the European Union as it emerges into a new and uncertain state of development and for the Atlantic relationship that has for so long coupled the world's largest economies with a shared strategic vision. The authors challenge the view that — as a security actor — the EU is limited to soft or civil forms of power that lock it into a subordinate position to the US. Attention is focused on the structural capabilities and the political will with which the EU and its member states have responded to the deep changes in Europe's security environment. This combination of institutional development and converging security priorities is producing, the authors contend, a paradigm shift in the EU that is changing the traditional transatlantic relationship. The crucial but troubled role played by the United Kingdom in that relationship is given particular attention. The research on which the article draws includes recent interviews with security officials in Western Europe and the Balkans as well as with international corporations active in the security arena.
Demands, Instabilities, Manipulations, Careers: The Lived Experience of Driving Change
Authors: Buchanan David A.
Published: September 2003

This article explores the lived experience of change drivers involved in a whole-hospital re-engineering programme. As these drivers were not a select management group, but included staff from all organization levels, this illustrates a `dispersed responsibility' model of change implementation. Other research suggests that many public and private sector organizations may similarly be blurring demarcations between change `drivers' and `driven'. The findings from this study indicate that, despite the pressures and unpredictabilities of strategic change, there can be significant personal development, and career benefit, for those in driving roles. Human resource management issues concerning the appointment, support, career progression and retention of change drivers may thus become critical.
Europe and Invisible Religion
Authors: Knoblauch Hubert
Published: September 2003

This introductory article begins by sketching Luckmann's theory of invisible religion. It lays stress particularly on the recent modifications of this theory: in addition to the well-known anthropological notion of transcendence, Luckmann elaborates a detailed phenomenological notion of transcendence, distinguishing between three levels of transcendence. This innovation, it is argued, not only affects Luckmann's general theory of religion. It also sheds a new light on the religious situation in Europe. Europe is, indeed, characterized by the decrease of religion as opposed to other areas of the world where we discern a kind of “resacralization”. However, three restrictions apply to this statement: the religious situation in Europe is still very diverse; the institutional role of the churches in Europe is quite specific, and, finally, if we apply Luckmann's notion of religion, we can detect a blooming alternative religiosity in Europe which parallels the global tendency.
Gender Matters
Authors: Chow Esther Ngan-ling
Published: September 2003

This introductory article is aimed at promoting transformative scholarship and research that emphasize the centrality of gender in studying social change associated with the process of globalization locally, nationally and regionally. Six major interrelated themes of this special issue are identified. These themes all emphasize globalization as a gendered phenomenon, studying how gender is embodied in the logic of globalization and embedded in its process and structure. The themes examine how globalization shapes gendered institutions; how it constructs gender differentially in women's and men's access to and control of resources, values, identities, choices, role behaviors, and gender power relations; and how it affects the societies and cultures in which women and men live. The themes also address the dialectics of globalization as results of conflicting interaction between global and local political economies and socio-cultural conditions, yielding mixed outcomes for women and men. Throughout, the emphasis is on the development of strategy for effective social change.
Recasting Our Understanding of Gender and Work During Global Restructuring
Authors: Pyle Jean L. , Ward Kathryn B.
Published: September 2003

The authors propose a broad analytic framework for understanding the relationships between globalization, gender and work. They argue that the way researchers, government officials and development practitioners think about globalization's effects on the gendered division of labor is the basis upon which to develop effective strategies to reduce gender inequalities. The authors outline the major trends of the recent period of globalization and their effects on the gendered division of labor, including more macro-effects of trade, production and finance on women's roles. They investigate micro-impacts through four growing gendered production networks: export production, sex work, domestic service and microfinance income generation. They also examine the role of governments and find that, to satisfy demands of international institutions and address some citizens' needs, many governments have been pushed into fostering these types of work. The authors argue that these gendered global production networks have grown substantially as a result of globalization processes and that there are systemic linkages between the global expansion of production, trade and finance and the increase of women in these networks. This broader understanding of the forces that shape women's lives is necessary to develop strategies that counter globalization's adverse impacts.
Carrying the Burdens of Adjustment and Globalization
Authors: Osirim Mary Johnson
Published: September 2003

This article argues that sub-Saharan African women, particularly those that work in the microenterprise sector, have been affected by globalization. While these women have seldom been considered in the social science literature that documents the impact of globalization on women who work in assembly production, data-processing operations, domestic work and sex tourism, globalization does impact the business operations of African women in the microenterprise sector of the economy. Based upon fieldwork conducted among entrepreneurs in hairdressing and sewing in urban Zimbabwe, this study documents the negative effects of adjustment policies and globalization on these enterprises over the past decade. Their businesses have suffered due to increased costs, competition and bans on imported raw materials that are specifically related to the economic structural adjustment program enacted in late 1990 at the behest of the IMF and the World Bank. Using a feminist political economy paradigm, the experiences of these women are considered against the backdrop of the economic and political development of Zimbabwe from the colonial to the post-independence periods.
Free Associations, Free Flowing Discussions and Group Thought
Authors: Neri Claudio
Published: September 2003

The author makes two basic points, ones that have not been elucidated in the literature. The first is that when group associations coalesce, in some sort of unified way, they form in two levels. One level is the manifest theme that the therapist perceives and, in traditional group-as-a-whole approaches, interprets. The second level, the deeper one, is an emerging fantasy, that is, one that has yet to be defined. The existence of these two levels has clinical s significance. The classic group-as-a-whole approaches dealt only with the first level. Notably, such approaches often proved ineffective. The reason, according to my thesis, is that they failed to address the second, deeper level.
Farewell to Arcady: or Getting Off the Sheep's Back
Authors: Seddon George
Published: September 2003

The saying that `Australia rode to prosperity on the sheep's back' never had more than a small measure of truth; it is better rephrased as `Australia has enjoyed limited periods of modest prosperity through the near-destruction by sheep of a fragile native vegetation'. Sheep, however, have had a cultural role in Australia that needs to be understood if the failures of the wool industry leadership are to be grasped. This role has had a long history, in part Biblical (the Good Shepherd, the episcopal crosier, pastoral care), greatly reinforced by the Enclosures of the 18th century in Britain, promoting an idealized landscape of trees and grass. Settlers found Arcady in eastern Australia, often prepared for them by Aboriginal land use; in came the sheep, the lawn-mowers of the day, and up went the place names, from Camden Park on. `Parks' had social status. Landscapes of trees and grass were much admired, but lacking an understorey, essentially rather sterile from an ecological point of view. The grassy open woodlands were painted by the likes of Hans Heysen, while Tom Roberts painted the shearers. They became the very image of Australia, but the landscapes are dying, and the isolated trees are not regenerating. Many of the images remain potent. But sentiment will not pay the bills of the new century, so it is farewell to Arcady. The nymphs are long departed. This essay, like Gaul, is divided into three parts, the first of which considers sheep and the pastoral industry as a land use: the second is about the politics of wool; the third, about Arcady in Australia, is a theme that helps to explain the first two.
The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in Children's Fairy Tales
Authors: Baker-Sperry Lori , Grauerholz Liz
Published: September 2003

This study advances understanding of how a normative feminine beauty ideal is maintained through cultural products such as fairy tales. Using Brothers Grimm's fairy tales, the authors explore the extent and ways in which “feminine beauty” is highlighted. Next, they compare those tales that have survived (e.g., Cinderella , Snow White , Sleeping Beauty ) with those that have not to determine whether tales that have been popularized place more emphasis on women's beauty. The findings suggest that feminine beauty is a dominant theme and that tales with heavy emphases on feminine beauty are much more likely to have survived. These findings are interpreted in light of changes in women's social status over the past 150 years and the increased importance of establishing forms of normative social control to maintain a gender system.
Puerto Rico
Authors: Warren Alice E. Colón
Published: September 2003

In this article, the author presents some of the counterpoints between historical developments and feminist studies in Puerto Rico since the 1970s, elaborating on the most recurrent topics. She includes a brief historical overview of Puerto Rico and the trends in women's status, feminism, and feminist studies in the Island. Next, she provides a brief summary of general theoretical and methodological issues. Then she discusses research on specific topics, including the intersections of gender, nation, race, class, and sexuality; women's employment and poverty; family structures and relations; sexual and reproductive rights; and current issues such as the relationship between feminism and the state and the context of globalization.
Of Course it Happens here
Authors: Bradbury David
Published: September 2003

Jayson Blair of the New York Times was frequently not where he said he was, an easy trick to pull off with a laptop and a mobile phone. But it has happened in Britain and even before the era of the mobile. In 1984, one newspaper discovered that the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton was being covered from a television set a couple of hundred miles away: the political reporter concerned made it obvious in checking in with the desk that he was not aware that a bomb had gone off.
The Time Dimension in Marxian Social Theory
Authors: Heydebrand Wolf
Published: September 2003

This article considers praxis, labor, and history as aspects of time that are constitutive of Marxian theory. The transition from ‘praxis’ to the critical analysis of capitalism in the labor theory of surplus value is discussed. The main part of the article suggests steps for analyzing the historical dimension of capitalist globalization. First, the forms of capital and their trajectories, e.g. commercial, productive, and financial capital, are distinguished. Second, transnational capitalist expansion is described and explained, using the movement of finance capital as the main criterion of historical periodization. Third, the article shows the importance of a unique moment of historical time, namely the major part of the 20th century, for making Marxian theorizing amenable to certain standards of explanatory social theory.
The Present is Less than the Future
Authors: Hellström Christina , Hellström Tomas
Published: September 2003

This article explores the dimensions of time and temporality in the context of product design. The study builds on a phenomenological approach, where in-depth, explorative interviews with six product designers were conducted. The results provide insights into how the designers use mental experimentation and imagination by actively envisioning various futures, or ‘possible worlds’ in the design process, and how they use these temporal explorations in conceiving of novel design concepts. Apart from temporality figuring as the designer drawing actively on past experiences, we were able to discern two additional cognitive factors affecting how designers use temporality: by projecting a future goal; and by investing this goal or image with an emotional loading, i.e. by ‘emoting a vision of the future’. Finally, these results are used to extend current thinking on the role of time and temporality in design processes, and suggest a line of further inquiry into the significance of affective dispositions and moods on temporal orientation in other creative contexts.
Homosociability and Homosexuality
Authors: Mennesson Christine , Clément Jean-Paul
Published: September 2003

This article analyses the biographical and contextual elements favouring the involvement of female athletes playing high-level team sports in homosexual practices, a recurring issue in the sporting arena. The study takes place in the world of soccer, archetype in France — along with rugby— of a male-oriented, homophobic sociability that is unfavourable to feminization of the sport. Based on in-depth interviews and on a long observation period, this study contributes to the current scientific debate regarding the construction of identity, notably gender identity. It focuses in particular on Becker and Goffman's work on the process of normative construction. We first point out the role of female-team homosociability in the acquisition of knowledge that facilitates involvement in homosexual practices. Next, we discuss the biographical life routes — either circumstantial or relatively permanent — that tend to favour homosexuality.
Identifying `Rogue' States and Testing their Interstate Conflict Behavior
Authors: Caprioli Mary , Trumbore Peter F.
Published: September 2003

We explore and define the concept of a `rogue' state based on a state's domestic patterns of behavior. We combine measures of domestic gender equality, ethnic discrimination and state repression to identify characteristics of rogue states. Once we have identified rogue states, we perform logistic regression to predict whether rogue states are more likely to be the aggressors during international disputes — whether they are more likely to use force first during interstate conflict, controlling for other possible causes of state use of force. This research adds to a growing body of scholarship in International Relations regarding the behavior of states involved in conflict, which demonstrates that states with higher levels of inequality, repression and violence exhibit higher levels of violence during international disputes and during international crises. This argument is most fully developed within feminist scholarship; however, research in the field of ethno-apolitical conflict has also highlighted the negative impact of domestic discrimination and violence on state behavior at the international level.
Public Managers Amidst Ambiguity
Authors: Abma Tineke A. , Noordegraaf Mirko
Published: September 2003

Contemporary public management is characterized by a strong tendency to introduce performance measurement in order to reduce complexity. Public managers face two challenges when performing their work: uncertainty and ambiguity. Ambiguity is understood as the absence of or contradictory interpretations about what needs to, can and should be done, when and where. In this article we argue that the intensity and nature of ambiguity vary, depending on the public management setting. This has serious implications for the type of evaluation chosen. Performance measurement may be appropriate when ambiguity is relatively low, but it is difficult and potentially damaging in settings marked by a high degree of ambiguity. In these latter cases, evaluation approaches that acknowledge ambiguity through dialogue are more suitable. To structure this line of reasoning, we distinguish four public management settings (industrial, enforcing, professional and strategic) and relate this to different evaluation approaches.
Involvement of BAFF and APRIL in the resistance to apoptosis of B-CLL through an autocrine pathway
Authors: Kern Catherine , Cornuel Jean-François , Billard Christian , Tang Ruoping , Rouillard Danielle , Stenou Virginie , Defrance Thierry , Ajchenbaum-Cymbalista Florence , Simonin Pierre-Yves , Feldblum Sophie , Kolb Jean-Pierre
Published: September 2003

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily members BAFF, or B-cell activation factor of the TNF family, and APRIL, a proliferation-inducing ligand, are involved in normal B-cell survival and differentiation. They interact with 3 receptors: BAFF-R, specific to BAFF; and TACI and BCMA, which are shared by BAFF and APRIL. We tested the potential role of these proteins in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) resistance to apoptosis. TACI and BAFF-R mRNAs were found in leukemic B cells. BAFF and APRIL mRNAs and proteins were detected in B-CLL leukemic cells and normal blood or tonsil-derived B lymphocytes. Yet, in contrast to normal B lymphocytes, BAFF and APRIL were expressed at the membranes of leukemic cells. Adding soluble BAFF or APRIL protected B-CLL cells against spontaneous and drug-induced apoptosis and stimulated NF-κB activation. Conversely, adding soluble BCMA-Fc or anti-BAFF and anti-APRIL antibodies enhanced B-CLL apoptosis. Moreover, a soluble form of BAFF was detected using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) in the sera of B-CLL patients but not of healthy donors. Taken together, our results indicate that B-CLL cells can be rescued from apoptosis through an autocrine process involving BAFF, APRIL, and their receptors. Inhibiting BAFF and APRIL pathways may be of therapeutic value for B-CLL treatment.
Imatinib mesylate affects the development and function of dendritic cells generated from CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cells
Authors: Appel Silke , Boehmler Andreas M. , Grünebach Frank , Müller Martin R. , Rupf Anette , Weck Markus M. , Hartmann Ulrike , Reichardt Volker L. , Kanz Lothar , Brümmendorf Tim H. , Brossart Peter
Published: September 2003

Imatinib mesylate (STI571) is a competitive Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor and has yielded encouraging results in treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stroma tumors (GISTs). Apart from inhibition of the Abl protein tyrosine kinases, it also shows activity against platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R), c-Kit, Abl-related gene (ARG), and their fusion proteins while sparing other kinases. In vitro studies have revealed that imatinib mesylate can inhibit growth of cell lines and primitive malignant progenitor cells in CML expressing Bcr-Abl. However, little is known about the effects of imatinib mesylate on nonmalignant hematopoietic cells. In the current study we demonstrate that in vitro exposure of mobilized human CD34+ progenitors to therapeutic concentrations of imatinib mesylate (1-5 μM) inhibits their differentiation into dendritic cells (DCs). DCs obtained after 10 to 16 days of culture in the presence of imatinib mesylate showed concentration-dependent reduced expression levels of CD1a and costimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD40. Furthermore, exposure to imatinib mesylate inhibited the induction of primary cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses. The inhibitory effects of imatinib mesylate were accompanied by down-regulation of nuclear localized RelB protein. Our results demonstrate that imatinib mesylate can act on normal hematopoietic cells and inhibits the differentiation and function of DCs, which is in part mediated via the nuclear factor κB signal transduction pathway.
Marked mitochondrial DNA sequence heterogeneity in single CD34+ cell clones from normal adult bone marrow
Authors: Shin Myung Geun , Kajigaya Sachiko , McCoy J. Philip , Levin Barbara C. , Young Neal S.
Published: September 2003

Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations accumulate with age in postmitotic tissues but have been postulated to be diluted and lost in continually proliferating tissues such as bone marrow (BM). Having observed marked sequence variation among healthy adult individuals' total BM cell mtDNA, we undertook analysis of the mtDNA control region in a total of 611 individual CD34+ clones from 6 adult BM donors and comparison of these results with the sequences from 580 CD34+ clones from 5 umbilical cord blood (CB) samples. On average, 25% (range, 11% to 50%) of individual CD34+ clones from adult BM showed mtDNA heterogeneity, or sequence differences from the aggregate mtDNA sequence of total BM cells of the same individual. In contrast, only 1.6% of single CD34+ clones from CB showed mtDNA sequence variation from the aggregate pattern. Thus, age-dependent accumulation of mtDNA mutations appears relatively common in a mitotically active human tissue and may provide a method to approximate the mutation rate in mammalian cells, to assess the contribution of reactive oxygen species to genomic instability, and for natural “marking” of hematopoietic stem cells; our data also have important implications for the aging process, forensic identifications, and anthropologic conclusions dependent on the mtDNA sequence.
Inherited thrombocytopenia: when a low platelet count does not mean ITP
Authors: Drachman Jonathan G.
Published: September 2003

Congenital thrombocytopenias, once considered rare and obscure conditions, are today recognized with increasing frequency, especially due to the measurement of platelet number as part of routine blood testing. The clinical spectrum of congenital thrombocytopenia ranges from severe bleeding diatheses, recognized within the first few weeks of life, to mild conditions that may remain undetected even in adulthood. For the latter group of diseases, distinguishing between inherited (primary) and acquired (secondary) thrombocytopenia, especially immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), is essential to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments. In this review, the congenital thrombocytopenia syndromes are discussed with specific attention focused on diagnostic criteria, clinical presentations, genetic etiology, and current medical management. The mutated genes responsible for each syndrome are reviewed as well as the potential implications for using gene therapy or gene repair in the future.