bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of CXCR4 Chemokine Receptor Blockade Using AMD3100 for Mobilization of Autologous Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells
Authors: Flomenberg Neal , DiPersio John , Calandra Gary
Published: November 2005

G-CSF mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) is mediated through enzyme release from maturing myeloid cells, leading to digestion of adhesion molecules, trophic chemokines and their receptors, and the extracellular matrix. HPCs traffic to and are retained in the marrow through the trophic effects of the chemo kine SDF-1α/CXCL12 binding to its receptor, CXCR4. AMD3100 reversibly inhibits SDF-1α/CXCR4 binding, and AMD3100 administration mobilizes CD34+ cells into the circulation. AMD3100 has been tested in several clinical trials which demonstrate that it improves the number of CD34+ cells mobilized including patients failing to mobilize with G-CSF alone. Engraftment of AMD3100-mobilized cells is prompt and durable. Toxicities are mild and infrequent. Lymphoma and myeloma cells do not appear to be mobilized. AMD3100 appears to be a promising agent for HPC mobilization.
Allogeneic Cell-Mediated Immunotherapy at the Stage of Minimal Residual Disease following High-Dose Chemotherapy Supported by Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Slavin Shimon
Published: November 2005

Cumulative clinical experience suggests that immunotherapy may be an effective tool for eradicating tumor cells resistant to maximum tolerated doses of chemotherapy and radiation. Immunotherapy is much more effective when applied at the stage of minimal residual disease, especially against slowly growing tumors because development of graft-versus-leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, or in a broader sense graft-versus-tumor effects renders immunotherapy more time consuming. Hence, eradication of rapidly growing bulky tumors may be difficult or impossible to achieve. Considering the fact that optimal immunotherapy may be accomplished in patients treated at the stage of minimal (MRD) disease, in patients with hematological malignancies and chemosensitive solid tumors a stage of MRD may be best achieved following administration of myeloab lative high-dose chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy supported by autologous stem cell transplantation (autoSCT). Taken together, immunotherapy following autoSCT may provide an ideal combination for improving the cure rate of otherwise incurable cancers, especially if tumor cells may respond to cytokine-mediated immunotherapy or cell-mediated cytokine-activated immunotherapy. Following lymphocyte depletion in the course of autoSCT, adoptive transfer of alloreactive or tumor-reactive lymphocytes may be much more effective due to the preponderance of anticancer effector cells on the one hand, and elimination or depletion of the patient’s regulatory cells that may downregulate anticancer effector mechanisms.
Improved Conditioning Regimens for Autologous Transplantation Using Targeted Radiotherapy
Authors: Sui Xingwei , Bensinger William , Press Oliver
Published: November 2005

Most patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for malignant diseases suffer recurrences of their neoplasms and die due to the inability of conventional high-dose conditioning regimens to eradicate their malignancies. As a result, intensive efforts to develop more effective conditioning regimens are currently under way at many institutions. Encouraging results have been obtained using targeted radiotherapy with radiolabeled antibodies or bone-seeking isotopes as components of novel conditioning regimens for autologous transplantation of patients with lymphomas, multiple myeloma and bone metastases. Results with radiolabeled antibodies targeting epithelial antigens on solid tumors, however, have been less encouraging. This report reviews the status of clinical studies using myeloablative doses of targeted radiotherapy in patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies or solid tumors.
Long-Term Carbimazole Treatment of Neonatal Nonautoimmune Hyperthyroidism due to a New Activating TSH Receptor Gene Mutation (Ala428Val)
Authors: Börgel Kirsten , Pohlenz Joachim , Koch Hans G. , Bramswig Jurgen H.
Published: November 2005

Background: Hereditary nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism is caused by activating germline mutations in the thyrotropin receptor gene. Antithyroid treatment failed to control hyperthyroidism in most cases, so that primary thyroid ablation or 131I therapy is advocated as the preferred treatment of choice. Patient/Methods: We describe a case of neonatal nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism treated with carbimazole. Molecular analysis revealed a new heterozygous point mutation (A428V) in the TSH receptor (TSHR) gene. Result: Antithyroid treatment was successful in controlling hyperthyroidism for the first 5.9 years of age. Conclusion: We conclude that carbimazole therapy is effective in treating nonautoimmune hyperthyroidism. It may be an alternative to thyroidectomy or radioiodine treatment.
Hormonally Active Nontransformed Human Ovarian Cell Culture from Oophorectomy Specimens: Methods of Development and Initial Characterization
Authors: Seto-Young Donna , Leonardi Olga , Park Alice , Holcomb Kevin , Salehi Marzieh , Chang Peter , Yih Melissa , Rosenwaks Zev , Poretsky Leonid
Published: November 2005

We repeatedly established a nontransformed steroidogenically active human ovarian cell culture derived from oophorectomy specimens. The cells maintained steroidogenic activity for 3–5 passages (6–8 weeks) and responded to stimulation by insulin and gonadotropin. With pregnenolone as substrate, LH stimulated progesterone production up to 124% and FSH up to 121%. Insulin alone stimulated progesterone production up to 135%, in the presence of LH up to 191%, and in the presence of FSH up to 170%. With dehydroisoandrosterone (DHA) as substrate, insulin alone stimulated testosterone production up to 117%, and in the presence of LH (but not FSH) up to 125%. With androstenedione as substrate, insulin alone stimulated estradiol production up to 133%, FSH alone up to 188%, and LH with insulin up to 217%. With progesterone as substrate and in the presence of LH (but not FSH), 17-α-hydroxylase activity was stimulated up to 131%. With DHA as substrate and in the presence of LH, 3-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3-β-HSD) activity was stimulated up to 139%. With androstenedione as substrate, insulin alone stimulated aromatase activity up to 202%, LH up to 208%, and FSH up to 251%. Under the same conditions, in the presence of LH and insulin, aromatase activity was stimulated up to 342%, and in the presence of FSH and insulin, up to 318%. With testosterone as substrate, insulin alone stimulated aromatase activity up to 122%. With testosterone as substrate, in the presence of LH and insulin, aromatase activity was stimulated up to 136%, and in the presence of FSH and insulin, up to 156%. Immunocytochemistry studies directly confirmed presence of aromatase and 3-β-HSD in these cultured cells. We conclude that a steroidogenically active nontransformed long-term human ovarian cell culture can be repeatedly established from oophorectomy specimens, providing uninterrupted supply of cultured human ovarian cells for a variety of studies of ovarian physiology.
A Patient with Hypopituitarism and Isochromosome 18q Mosaicism
Authors: Turan Serap , Saka Nurcin , Guney Ilter , Bereket Abdullah
Published: November 2005

Aims: Patients with isochromosome 18 [i(18q)] have features of both trisomy 18 and deletion of 18p [del(18p)] syndromes. Although, hypopituitarism has been reported in patients with del(18p) syndrome, it has not been described in patients with i(18q) syndrome previously. We describe a case with i(18q)/del(18p) mosaicism associated with a novel finding of hypopituitarism. Methods: Clinical characteristics of the patient have been discussed in the light of the literature. Results: The patient had dysmorphic findings that are predominantly seen in del(18p) syndrome such as low nasal bridge, wide mouth, large ears, high forehead, hypopigmentation, upturned nostrils and hypopituitarism (TSH, ACTH, and GH deficiencies, and pituitary hypoplasia on magnetic resonance imaging). In addition, she also had upturning of upper lip and seizures, which are features of trisomy 18 syndrome. Conclusions: In agreement with the previous clinical reports, this case further supports the presence of a factor, which is involved in pituitary development and/or function, on the short arm of chromosome 18.
Phenomenological Evidence for Two Types of Paranoia
Authors: Chadwick P.D.J. , Trower P. , Juusti-Butler T.-M. , Maguire N.
Published: November 2005

Objective: Two types of paranoia have been identified, namely persecution (or ‘Poor Me’) paranoia, and punishment (or ‘Bad Me’) paranoia. This research tests predicted differences in phenomenology – specifically, in person evaluative beliefs, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and anger. Method: Fifty-three people with current paranoid beliefs were classified as Poor Me, Bad Me, or neither (classification was reliable). Key dependent variables were measured. Results: All predictions were supported, except the one relating to anger, where the two groups did not differ. The Bad Me group had lower self-esteem, more negative self-evaluative thinking, lower negative evaluations about others, higher depression and anxiety. Importantly, the differences in self-esteem and self-evaluations were not fully accounted for by differences in depression. Conclusion: Data support the presence of two distinct topographies of paranoia. Future research is needed to explore the theory further and examine clinical implications.
Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities: A Case Report of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Huber Thomas J. , te Wildt Bert T.
Published: November 2005

In posttraumatic stress disorder, a traumatic event is persistently reexperienced in the form of intrusive recollections, dreams or dissociative flashback episodes; cues to the event lead to distress and are avoided, and there are persistent symptoms of increased arousal. While this diagnostic concept has been widely discussed and its existence questioned, a novel written by Charles Dickens long before it was included in any diagnostic system can be viewed as an early case report of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Delusions in Individuals with Schizophrenia: Factor Structure, Clinical Correlates, and Putative Neurobiology
Authors: Kimhy David , Goetz Ray , Yale Scott , Corcoran Cheryl , Malaspina Dolores
Published: November 2005

Background: Delusions are a central feature of schizophrenia, yet our understanding of their neurobiology is limited. Attempt to link dimensions of psychopathology to putative neurobiological mechanisms depends on careful delineation of symptoms. Previous factor analytic studies of delusions in schizophrenia were limited by several methodological problems, including the use of patients medicated with antipsychotics, inclusion of nondelusion symptoms in the analyses, and/or inclusion of patients with psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia. These problems may have possibly biased the resulting factor structure and contributed to the inconclusive findings regarding the neurobiology of positive symptoms. Our goal is to examine the factor structure of delusions in antipsychotic-free individuals with diagnoses of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Sampling and Methods: We assessed 83 antipsychotic-free individuals with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. A principal component analysis was conducted on the delusions symptoms of the SAPS. Results: The principal component analysis resulted in three distinct and interpretable factors explaining 58.3% of the variance. The Delusions of Influence factor was comprised by delusions of being controlled, thought withdrawal, thought broadcasting, thought insertion, and mind reading. The Self-Significance Delusions factor was comprised by delusions of grandeur, reference, religious, and delusions of guilt/sin. The Delusions of Persecution factor was comprised solely by persecutory delusions. The three factors displayed distinct associations with hallucinations, bizarre behavior, attention, positive formal thought disorder, and avolition/apathy. Conclusions: The results indicate that delusions are best described by three distinct subtypes. The authors propose a novel model linking the three delusion subtypes, attributions to self/other, and putative neurobiological mechanisms. Implications for future research are discussed, as well as links to cognitive-behavioral conceptualizations of delusions.
Reverse Remodeling of the Left Cardiac Chambers After Catheter Ablation After 1 Year in a Series of Patients With Isolated Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Reant Patricia , Lafitte Stephane , Jaïs Pierre , Serri Karim , Weerasooriya Rukshen , Hocini Meleze , Pillois Xavier , Clementy Jacques , Haïssaguerre Michel , Roudaut Raymond
Published: November 2005

Background—

Isolated atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with mild enlargement of the left atrium (LA) and left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction. The impact of ablation of isolated AF on left chamber size and function is unclear, and whether diastolic dysfunction is the cause or the consequence of AF remains unknown. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the impact of sinus rhythm restoration by catheter ablation on LV diastolic dysfunction, LA morphology, and mechanical function.

Methods and Results—

Forty-eight patients with isolated AF were studied by serial echocardiographic studies at baseline and at 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month intervals after radiofrequency ablation. LA dimensions and mechanical function and LV systolic and diastolic functions were evaluated at each time interval. Diastolic function was assessed with conventional Doppler parameters and new indexes such as tissue Doppler imaging, mitral flow propagation velocity, and combined criteria. LV diastolic dysfunction was present in paroxysmal and chronic AF patients with a reduction of tissue Doppler imaging lateral early diastolic peak velocity in 37% (
P
<0.001) and 48% (
P
<0.01), respectively, compared with healthy control subjects. At the end of the follow-up, LA area decreased significantly by 18% (
P
<0.001) in paroxysmal and 23% (
P
<0.05) in chronic AF patients. Diastolic function improved significantly with an increase in lateral early diastolic peak velocity of 29% (
P
<0.001) in paroxysmal AF and 46% (
P
<0.05) in chronic AF patients. A significant increase in LV ejection fraction was also noted for both groups: 7.7% and 18.8%, respectively.

Conclusions—

This study demonstrates reverse morphological remodeling of the LA and improvement of LV diastolic and systolic functions after restoration of sinus rhythm by ablation for isolated AF. Because patients with isolated AF have none of the traditional causes of LV diastolic dysfunction, our findings suggest that AF may be partly the cause rather than the consequence of diastolic dysfunction.
Absorption, Metabolization, and Antiplatelet Effects of 300-, 600-, and 900-mg Loading Doses of Clopidogrel
Authors: von Beckerath Nicolas , Taubert Dirk , Pogatsa-Murray Gisela , Schömig Edgar , Kastrati Adnan , Schömig Albert
Published: November 2005

Background—

For patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, the administration of a clopidogrel loading dose ranging from 300 to 600 mg is currently recommended. It is unknown, though, whether loading doses higher than 600 mg exert additional suppression of platelet function.

Methods and Results—

Sixty patients with suspected or documented coronary artery disease admitted to our hospital for coronary angiography were included in this trial. They were allocated to 1 of 3 clopidogrel loading doses (300, 600, or 900 mg) in a double-blinded, randomized manner. Plasma concentrations of the active thiol metabolite, unchanged clopidogrel, and the inactive carboxyl metabolite of clopidogrel were determined before and serially after drug administration. Optical aggregometry was performed before and 4 hours after administration of clopidogrel. Loading with 600 mg resulted in higher plasma concentrations of the active metabolite, clopidogrel, and the carboxyl metabolite compared with loading with 300 mg (
P
≤0.03) and lower values for adenosine diphosphate-induced (5 and 20 μmol/L) platelet aggregation 4 hours after drug administration (
P
=0.01 and 0.004). With administration of 900 mg, no further increase in plasma concentrations of active metabolite and clopidogrel (
P
≥0.38) and no further suppression of adenosine diphosphate-induced (5 and 20 μmol/L) platelet aggregation 4 hours after drug administration was achieved when compared with administration of 600 mg (
P
=0.59 and 0.39).

Conclusions—

Single doses of clopidogrel higher than 600 mg are not associated with an additional significant suppression of platelet function because of limited clopidogrel absorption.
Leukocyte Engagement of Platelet Glycoprotein Ibα via the Integrin Mac-1 Is Critical for the Biological Response to Vascular Injury
Authors: Wang Yunmei , Sakuma Masashi , Chen Zhiping , Ustinov Valentin , Shi Can , Croce Kevin , Zago Alexandre C. , Lopez Jose , Andre Patrick , Plow Edward , Simon Daniel I.
Published: November 2005

Background—

Leukocyte-platelet interactions are critical in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis as well as restenosis. Although the leukocyte integrin Mac-1 (α
M
β
2
, CD11b/CD18) has been implicated in the firm adhesion and transmigration of leukocytes at sites of platelet deposition, the precise α
M
β
2
counterligand responsible for mediating adhesion-strengthening interactions between neutrophils and platelets in vivo has not previously been identified.

Methods and Results—

Our previous studies have established the P
201
-K
217
sequence in the α
M
I domain as the binding site for platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ibα. Here we report that antibody targeting of α
M
(P
201
-K
217
) reduced α
M
β
2
-dependent adhesion to GP Ibα but not other α
M
β
2
ligands, including fibrinogen, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and junctional adhesion molecule-3. Anti-α
M
(P
201
-K
217
) inhibited the firm adhesion of both human and murine leukocytes to adherent platelets under laminar flow conditions. In a mouse femoral artery wire injury model, antibody targeting of α
M
(P
201
-K
217
) reduced leukocyte accumulation after injury that was accompanied by inhibition of cellular proliferation and neointimal thickening.

Conclusions—

This study demonstrates that GP Ibα is a physiologically relevant ligand for α
M
β
2
and that integrin engagement of GP Ibα is critical to leukocyte function and the biological response to vascular injury. These observations establish a molecular target for selectively disrupting leukocyte-platelet complexes that promote inflammation in thrombosis and restenosis.
Arctic–North Atlantic Interactions and Multidecadal Variability of the Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Jungclaus Johann H. , Haak Helmuth , Latif Mojib , Mikolajewicz Uwe
Published: November 2005

Analyses of a 500-yr control integration with the non-flux-adjusted coupled atmosphere–sea ice–ocean model ECHAM5/Max-Planck-Institute Ocean Model (MPI-OM) show pronounced multidecadal fluctuations of the Atlantic overturning circulation and the associated meridional heat transport. The period of the oscillations is about 70–80 yr. The low-frequency variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) contributes substantially to sea surface temperature and sea ice fluctuations in the North Atlantic. The strength of the overturning circulation is related to the convective activity in the deep-water formation regions, most notably the Labrador Sea, and the time-varying control on the freshwater export from the Arctic to the convection sites modulates the overturning circulation. The variability is sustained by an interplay between the storage and release of freshwater from the central Arctic and circulation changes in the Nordic Seas that are caused by variations in the Atlantic heat and salt transport. The relatively high resolution in the deep-water formation region and the Arctic Ocean suggests that a better representation of convective and frontal processes not only leads to an improvement in the mean state but also introduces new mechanisms determining multidecadal variability in large-scale ocean circulation.
Simulation of the Madden–Julian Oscillation in the NCAR CCM3 Using a Revised Zhang–McFarlane Convection Parameterization Scheme
Authors: Zhang Guang J. , Mu Mingquan
Published: November 2005

This study presents the simulation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the NCAR CCM3 using a modified Zhang–McFarlane convection parameterization scheme. It is shown that, with the modified scheme, the intraseasonal (20–80 day) variability in precipitation, zonal wind, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is enhanced substantially compared to the standard CCM3 simulation. Using a composite technique based on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, the paper demonstrates that the simulated MJOs are in better agreement with the observations than the standard model in many important aspects. The amplitudes of the MJOs in 850-mb zonal wind, precipitation, and OLR are comparable to those of the observations, and the MJOs show clearly eastward propagation from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. In contrast, the simulated MJOs in the standard CCM3 simulation are weak and have a tendency to propagate westward in the Indian Ocean. Nevertheless, there remain several deficiencies that are yet to be addressed. The time period of the MJOs is shorter, about 30 days, compared to the observed time period of 40 days. The spatial scale of the precipitation signal is smaller than observed.

Examination of convective heating from both deep and shallow convection and its relationship with moisture anomalies indicates that near the mature phase of the MJO, regions of shallow convection developing ahead of the deep convection coincide with regions of positive moisture anomalies in the lower troposphere. This is consistent with the recent observations and theoretical development that shallow convection helps to precondition the atmosphere for MJO by moistening the lower troposphere.

Sensitivity tests are performed on the individual changes in the modified convection scheme. They show that both change of closure and use of a relative humidity threshold for the convection trigger play important roles in improving the MJO simulation. Use of the new closure leads to the eastward propagation of the MJO and increases the intensity of the MJO signal in the wind field, while imposing a relative humidity threshold enhances the MJO variability in precipitation.
Urban Modification of the Surface Energy Balance in the West African Sahel: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Offerle B. , Jonsson P. , Eliasson I. , Grimmond C. S. B.
Published: November 2005

Surface–atmosphere energy exchanges in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, located in the West African Sahel, were investigated during February 2003. Basic knowledge of the impact of land cover changes on local climate is needed to understand and forecast the impacts of rapid urbanization predicted for the region. Previously collected data showed a large dry season urban heat island (UHI), which dramatically decreased with the onset of the rainy season and corresponding changes to the natural land cover thermal and radiative properties. Observations of local-scale energy balance fluxes were made over a residential district, and building surface temperatures were measured in three separate locations. Net all-wave radiation showed an increase with urbanization owing to the higher albedo, lower heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of the bare dry soil compared to the urbanized surface. The combination of material and geometry resulted in a decrease in albedo toward the urban center. Despite the higher albedo, surface temperatures of bare undisturbed soil could exceed surface temperatures in the residential area and urban center by 15°–20°C due to differences in thermal characteristics. Turbulent heat exchange measured over a residential area was dominated by sensible heat flux. Latent heat fluxes were greater than expected from the amount of vegetation but in accordance with water use in the area. An urban land surface scheme reproduced fluxes in agreement with measurements. The results point toward an intensification of the dry season urban heat island in Ouagadougou, given increased urbanization.
When Are Corporate Environmental Policies a Form of Greenwashing?
Authors: Ramus Catherine A. , Montiel Ivan
Published: November 2005

Do environmental policy statements accurately represent corporate commitment to environmental sustainability? Because companies are not required by law to publish environmental policy statements or to verify that these statements are true using independent third parties, external stakeholders often wonder when a published commitment to a policy translates into actual policy implementation. The authors analyzed two independent databases to predict the circumstances under which large, leading-edge corporations in industry sectors will commit to and/or implement proactive corporate environmental policies and when it is unlikely they will do so. The authors found that commitment to specific environmental policies does not vary greatly between industry sectors; however, policy implementation does.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Asia
Authors: Chapple Wendy , Moon Jeremy
Published: November 2005

This article addresses four hypotheses: (a) that corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Asia is not homogeneous but varies among countries, (b) that the variation is explained by stages of development, (c) that globalization enhances the adoption of CSR in Asia, and (d) that national business systems structure the profile of multinational corporations’ CSR. These hypotheses are investigated through analysis of Web site reporting of 50 companies in seven Asian countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. The article concludes that CSR does vary considerably among Asian countries but that this variation is not explained by development but by factors in the respective national business systems. It also concludes that multinational companies are more likely to adopt CSR than those operating solely in their home country but that the profile of their CSR tends to reflect the profile of the country of operation rather than the country of origin.
Globalization: A Triumph of Ambiguity
Authors: Van Der Bly Martha C. E.
Published: November 2005

This article is a critical analysis of the definition of globalization in sociological studies. It argues that sociologists, unlike economists, have not achieved a commonly accepted definition of globalization. This seriously hinders the development of empirical studies. The ambiguity of the concept of globalization is rooted in three dialectics: globalization-as-a-process vs globalization-as-a-condition; globalizationas-reality vs globalization-as-futurology and one-dimensional globalization vs multi-dimensional globalization. These dialectics are rarely made explicit in different studies on globalization, which contributes to an accumulation of confusion rather than an accumulation of knowledge. The article aims to provide a theoretical framework in which concepts of globalization can be positioned through the formal analysis of a commonly used definition. Conceptual limitations that arise from the choice of a specific concept are highlighted, such as the underestimation of the present when globalization is considered a process, the neglect of internal contradictions when globalization is seen as a multidimensional concept; and the dangers of determinism and ignorance of unique features when the processes of globalization are defined by their sole destination. It challenges the sociological community to position research on globalization within this proposed framework.
Globalization and Poverty, and the Poverty of Globalization Theory
Authors: Kiely Ray
Published: November 2005

This article intervenes in the ongoing ‘globalization debate’ by focusing on two apparently separate debates: on the links between trade liberalization, growth and poverty reduction; and on theories that give too much explanatory weight to the concept of globalization. These two separate debates have close parallels, and in both cases causality and outcome are conflated, with the result that globalization is given far too much causal significance. The article critically reviews the evidence for and against recent claims that global poverty has declined over the last 20 years. This is related to earlier debates in development studies between modernization and under-development theory. Although the article does not accept the earlier claims of the latter theory, it rejects modernization theory and suggests that much of the claims made for poverty reduction repeat the assumptions of this theory, albeit in a neoliberal form. This argument is used to consider the claims of ‘globalization theory’, which is contrasted with more critical theories of globalization. The author suggests that, like the claims made for poverty reduction and its causes, this theory conflates outcomes and causes and is essentially a new form of (neoliberal) modernization theory.
Community Venture in Agua Dulce
Authors: Peredo Ana María
Published: November 2005

At a time when the operations of democracy in Latin America are being called in question, the local level in the Andes reveals a rich heritage of civic community. This article discusses one case where that heritage has led to a novel and productive form of community venture the author calls community-based enterprise. The concepts of civil and economic democracy are explicated and are used to describe the fundamental merging of political community with collective business activity and the thoroughgoing democracy of the enterprise’s operation. Context is provided by a review of some similar developments in other regions. There is a discussion of features that appear relevant to success in these developments as well as challenges for these enterprises in general and the subject enterprise in particular. The author concludes with the question of whether this development provides a model for other communities seeking self-development through entrepreneurship.
Understanding the Human Side of Merger and Acquisition
Authors: Seo Myeong-Gu , Hill N. Sharon
Published: November 2005

In this article, the authors identify six theories (anxiety theory, social identity theory, acculturation theory, role conflict theory, job characteristics theory, and organizational justice theory) to explain problems in managing the merger and acquisition (M&A) organizational change process. These theories have implicitly or explicitly formed the basis for the past M&A literature. The authors integrate these theories into one conceptual framework that clearly delineates unique sources of problems that can emerge in different stages of M&A integration, their psychological and behavioral effects on employees, and prescriptions to address the problems. The framework can be used as a guide for M&A integration leaders to systematically plan interventions to smooth the human integration process. It also provides a foundation for future theoretical and empirical M&A integration research.
Employers and the Politics of Skill Formation in a Coordinated Market Economy: Collective Action and Class Conflict in Norway
Authors: Bowman John R.
Published: November 2005

This article uses a case study of vocational training in Norway to explore the conditions under which employers will cooperate to increase the skill level of their workforce. It generates two sets of insights into the political economy of training in coordinated market economies. First, by demonstrating that cooperation among employers was a recent achievement that required the creation of specific, targeted mechanisms, it suggests that a cooperative outcome is difficult to attain, even amid the generally hospitable institutional environment characteristic of these economies. Second, it demonstrates that the employer collective action problem with respect to the initial training of apprentices differs from that posed by the additional raining of experienced workers. This means that even within a single economy, there are several varieties of training politics, each characterized by different patterns of cooperation and conflict; this further complicates the task of creating a coordinated training regime.
War v. Justice: Terrorism Cases, Enemy Combatants, and Political Justice in U.S. Courts
Authors: Wilke Christiane
Published: November 2005

What mechanisms led to the intractable legal situation of “enemy combatants” detained by the U.S. government in Guantánamo Bay and elsewhere? And what does the role of the judiciary in the enemy combatants cases suggest about politically contentious court cases in general? This article develops a two-stage theory of political justice that is based on the U.S. post-9/11 terrorism cases. It demonstrates mechanisms by which politically contentious cases turn into political justice. Political justice in these cases is mainly the result of violations of the separation of powers that are legitimized by portraying the defendants/detainees as enemies beyond the law.
The Effects of Protective Labor Legislation on Women’s Wages and Welfare: Lessons from Britain and France
Authors: Fuchs Frieda
Published: November 2005

The question of whether protective labor legislation is beneficial to female workers has triggered much debate among feminist scholars. Like proponents of laissez-faire, some feminist scholars and activists have argued that such legislation harms the economic interests of women by lowering their wages and diminishing their employment prospects on the free labor market. This article reexamines the arguments made by opponents of protective labor legislation in the light of the historical development of the welfare state in Britain and France. It is shown that the case against gender-specific protective labor legislation does not hold on empirical grounds. A strong body of evidence shows that protective labor legislation historically brought increasing economic returns and expanded opportunities to women in both countries. This has important implications for contemporary debates about the relationship between protective labor legislation and gender discrimination in the European Community, the International Labor Organization, and developing countries.
The Effects of Intercultural Contact and Tourism on Language Attitudes and Language Learning Motivation
Authors: Dörnyei Zoltán , Csizér Kata
Published: November 2005

This article investigates attitude-mediated contact effects on language learners’ motivational disposition by addressing the question as to whether increased intercultural contact through tourism will lead to enhanced language attitudes and language learning motivation. The analysis is based on empirical data gathered in a repeated cross-sectional survey of 8,593 13- and 14-year-old Hungarian pupils in a national sample, stratified according to regions and dwelling types whose contact parameters were specified through objective census data and expert panel judgments. The results reveal a curvilinear contact-attitude relationship, with the highest contact group/locality being associated with some of the lowest attitudinal and motivational measures.
Tests of a Theory of Communicative Responsibility
Authors: Aune R. Kelly , Levine Timothy R. , Park Hee Sun , Asada Kelli Jean K. , Banas John A.
Published: November 2005

Two studies are presented that provide the first empirical tests of a theory of communicative responsibility. The theory posits that individuals in communicative situations make systematic judgments of the extent to which each party is responsible for contributing to the process of creating understanding in a communicative event. These judgments affect the extent to which communicators engage in implicature and inference-making during the communicative event. The first study demonstrates that judgments of communicative responsibility affect communicative performance. Respondents’ judgments of their personal communicative responsibility in a direction-giving task were positively associated with the length of their directions. The second study showed that a communicator’s failure to behave in a communicatively responsible manner was associated with negative perceptions of the communicative behavior. Communicative responsibility theory would be useful in a number of areas of communication research, including natural language processing, relational communication, misunderstandings and conversational repair, communication competence, and deception.
Explaining Age and Gender Effects on Attitudes toward Sexist Language
Authors: Parks Janet B. , Roberton Mary Ann
Published: November 2005

This study examined perspective taking, empathic concern, and attitude toward women as potential mediators of age and gender effects on college students’ attitudes toward sexist language. Perspective taking fully mediated the small age effect found in men. Attitude toward women partially mediated the gender effect, reducing it by 51%.Empathic concern mediated neither age nor gender effects.
Intrinsic Risk Factors for the Development of Achilles Tendon Overuse Injury
Authors: Mahieu Nele N. , Witvrouw Erik , Stevens Veerle , Van Tiggelen Damien , Roget Philippe
Published: November 2005

Background

Although Achilles tendon overuse injuries occur commonly, our understanding of the pathologic changes and the factors that predispose athletes to them is limited.

Purpose

To identify measurable intrinsic risk factors for Achilles tendon overuse injuries.

Study Design

Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

Sixty-nine male officer cadets followed the same 6-week basic military training. Before this training, each subject was evaluated for anthropometrical characteristics, isokinetic ankle muscle strength, ankle joint range of motion, Achilles tendon stiffness, explosive strength, and leisure and sports activity. During military training, Achilles tendon overuse injuries were registered and diagnosed by the same medical doctor. To identify the intrinsic risk factors, a multivariate analysis with the use of stepwise logistic regression was performed. The sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of the risk factors were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results

Ten of the 69 male recruits (14.5%) sustained an Achilles tendon overuse injury diagnosed on the basis of medical history and clinical examination. Analysis revealed that male recruits with lower plantar flexor strength and increased dorsiflexion excursion were at a greater risk of Achilles tendon overuse injury. The cutoff value of the plantar flexor strength at 85% sensitivity was 50.0 N·m, with a 4.5% specificity; the cutoff value of the dorsiflexion range of motion at 85% sensitivity was 9.0°, with 24.2% specificity.

Conclusions

The strength of the plantar flexors and amount of dorsiflexion excursion were identified as significant predictors of an Achilles tendon overuse injury. A plantar flexor strength lower than 50.0 N·m and dorsiflexion range of motion higher than 9.0° were possible thresholds for developing an Achilles tendon overuse injury.
Patterns of Vascular and Anatomical Response after Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Fealy Stephen , Adler Ronald S. , Drakos Mark C. , Kelly Anne M. , Allen Answorth A. , Cordasco Frank A. , Warren Russell F. , O'Brien Stephen J.
Published: November 2005

Background

It has been assumed that a robust vascular response at the tendon to bone interface during rotator cuff repairs is an integral part to the healing process. There are few studies that have explored this in an in-vivo prospective fashion.

Purpose

To prospectively characterize vascular and anatomical patterns in repaired rotator cuff tendons using Power Doppler sonography in a double-blinded fashion.

Study Design

Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Fifty patients undergoing rotator cuff repair were enrolled: 28 mini-open, 14 open, and 8 arthroscopic repairs; 20 patients were controls. Patients underwent Power Doppler sonography at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Power Doppler sonography analysis examined 6 areas of the rotator cuff repair: discretely marginated intrasubstance, partialthickness defects, full-thickness defects, focal thinning of repair, presence of bursal or joint fluid, and location of anchors. A subjective scoring system assessed blood flow in each region.

Results

There was a predictable, significant decrease in vascular scores after rotator cuff repair over time. The mean vascular score was 11.6 at 6 weeks, 8.3 at 3 months, 7.0 at 6 months, and 2.4 for controls. There was a significant difference (P <. 05) in vascular recruitment scores between each time period, with the most robust flow at the peritendinous region. The lowest vascular score was at the anchor site or cancellous trough. Forty-eight percent of the patients had a rotator cuff repair defect postoperatively. These findings did not correlate with functional assessment and outcome at 6 months. There was no significant difference in vascular scores between the defect and no-defect groups. Mean University of California, Los Angeles; L'Insalata; and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores at 6 months were 28.6, 86.3, and 81.5, respectively. Thirty-three percent of asymptomatic controls had a rotator cuff tear that averaged 7.6 · 7.1 mm.

Conclusion

The robust vascular response dropped with time, which is not seen in asymptomatic shoulders. Nearly half of the patients demonstrated persistent rotator cuff defects after rotator cuff repair that did not correlate with functional outcome and physical findings at 6 months.
Risk Factors for Noncontact Ankle Sprains in High School Football Players
Authors: Tyler Timothy F. , Mchugh Malachy P. , Mirabella Michael R. , Mullaney Michael J. , Nicholas Stephen J.
Published: November 2005

Background

In a previous study, we noted a possible connection between an athlete's weight and risk of ankle sprain.

Hypothesis

A high body mass index and a history of a previous ankle sprain increase the risk of a subsequent noncontact sprain.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

One hundred fifty-two athletes from 4 football teams were observed (2 varsity and 2 junior varsity). Two teams were observed for 3 seasons, and 2 teams were observed for 1 season. Before each season, body mass, height, history of previous ankle sprains, and ankle tape or brace use were recorded.

Results

There were 24 ankle sprains, of which 15 were noncontact inversion sprains (11 grade I, 3 grade II, 1 grade III; incidence, 1.08 per 1000 athlete-exposures). Injury incidence was higher in athletes with previous ankle injuries (2.60 vs 0.39; P< .001). Body mass index was also a risk factor (P< .05): injury incidence was 0.52 for players with a normal body mass index, 1.05 for players at risk of overweight, and 2.03 for overweight players. Injury incidence was 0.22 for normal-weight players with no previous ankle sprain compared with 4.27 for overweight players who had a previous sprain.

Conclusion

An overweight player who had a previous ankle sprain was 19 times more likely to sustain a noncontact ankle sprain than was a normal-weight player with no previous ankle sprain.

Clinical Relevance

Ankle sprain prevention strategies should be targeted at football players with a high body mass index and a history of previous ankle sprains.
Allograft Reconstruction for Massive, Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Moore David R. , Cain E. Lyle , Schwartz Martin L. , Clancy William G.
Published: November 2005

Background

There is currently no widely accepted treatment for massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears.

Hypothesis

Allograft reconstruction to span the remaining defect in massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears will lead to increased functional results and will demonstrate healing of the allograft on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging studies.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

Between 1989 and 2003, 32 patients underwent allograft reconstruction of massive rotator cuff tears. University of California, Los Angeles shoulder scores were compared preoperatively and postoperatively and analyzed using paired Student t-tests. In addition, 15 patients underwent postoperative magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the structural integrity of the allograft reconstruction at the greater tuberosity insertion.

Results

Of 32 patients, 28 were available for review at a mean follow-up of 31.3 months; 23 of the 28 patients were satisfied with their outcome. There was 1 postoperative infection and 1 acute allograft rejection. The mean University of California, Los Angeles score increased from 12.1 preoperatively to 26.1 postoperatively (P< .001). All 15 patients evaluated with postoperative magnetic resonance imaging arthrograms demonstrated complete radiographic failure of the allograft rotator cuff reconstruction. Despite radiographic failure, the mean University of California, Los Angeles score increased from 13.2 preoperatively to 28.3 postoperatively in this subset of patients.

Conclusion

The functional results of this reconstruction method are similar to those reported for debridement and subacromial decompression alone and are satisfactory, despite magnetic resonance imaging arthrogram evaluation demonstrating failure of the structural integrity of the allograft. Allograft reconstruction carries increased risk of infection and rejection and is technically more difficult than other less expensive treatment options with similar functional results. Therefore, we do not recommend allograft reconstruction of massive and otherwise irreparable rotator cuff tears.
Mindfulness in Hospice Care: Practicing Meditation-in-Action
Authors: Bruce Anne , Davies Betty
Published: November 2005

In this interpretive study, the authors explore the experience of mindfulness among hospice caregivers who regularly practice mindfulness meditation at a Zen hospice. They explore meditative awareness constituted within themes of meditation-in-action, abiding in liminal spaces, seeing differently, and resting in groundlessness. By opening into nonconceptual, paradoxical, and uncertain dimensions of experience, hospice caregivers cultivate internal and external environments in which direct experience is increasingly held without judgment. This inquiry points to in-between spaces of human experience wherein mindfulness fosters openness and supports letting go, and creating spaces for whatever is happening in attending the living-and-dying process.
Investigating the “Self” in Deliberate Self-Harm
Authors: Adams Joanna , Rodham Karen , Gavin Jeff
Published: November 2005

In this study, the authors explored how a group of young people aged 16 to 26 years (who identified themselves as having engaged in deliberate self-harm) made sense of the self by conducting two online focus groups and four e-mail interviews. They analyzed data using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The concept of validation was the primary means of making sense of the self and concerned the desire to be considered legitimate and of worth. This desire was clearly evident across three realms of conflict: (a) the intrinsic or extrinsic self, which marked the distinction between objective fact and subjective opinion; (b) the accepted or denied self; and (c) the notion of normality. It is possible that having one’s denied self validated online might lead to an exacerbation of an individual’s self-harming behavior. Further work is needed to explore the effects of online discussion forums on such taboo forms of behavior.