bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relevance of Environmental Justice for the Legal Framework in the European Union
Authors: Vanheusden Bernard
Published: December 2010

Environmental justice is a relatively new and unknown notion in European environmental law. The notion originally comes from the US. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people. The protection of environmental justice plays a prominent role in the US environmental policy. This contribution examines, after a brief history of environmental justice, the relevance of environmental justice for the legal framework in the EU. It includes the results of an empirical research and a test of the EU legal framework. It concludes that environmental justice is not yet something that goes without saying within the EU.
What's Up and What's Next in the Arena of Pollution Control? The New E-PRTR as a Tool towards Innovative Climate and Environmental Conservation Approaches
Authors: Bünger Dirk
Published: December 2010

Having regard to Article 192 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) (ex Article 175 (1) of the Treaty Establishing the European Community, TEC) the European Parliament and the Council have adopted Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 establishing the new European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR). E-PRTR provides unprecedented environmental information to the public on pollutant releases and has the ambitious purpose of preventing and reducing environmental pollution. This contribution explores the reporting requirements of polluters and delineates approaches to reconcile those requirements as well as areas of possible utilisation of such data.
A Common Heritage: EU Environmental Law and National Judges
Authors: Burgues Julio Garcia , Tiberghien Frédéric , Lavrysen Luc , Kreins Yves , Heermann Werner
Published: December 2010

Enforcement of EU environmental law is one of the most prominent challenges in the field of environmental policy. In this respect, national judges have to play a key-role for ensuring that EU environmental law is correctly applied. They have to guarantee that protection of environment as provided by EU law is a reality for more than 500 millions citizens. The recent new initiatives of judges and the Commission for developing co-operation among judges in Europe are demonstrating that, more than before, national judges are open to compare and discuss practises in different Member States.
Constructions of religiosity, subjective well-being, anxiety, and depression in two cultures: Kuwait and USA
Authors: Abdel-Khalek Ahmed M. , Lester David
Published: December 2010

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to explore the associations of religiosity with subjective well-being (SWB) and psychopathology (anxiety and depression) among college students recruited from two different cultures, Kuwait ( n = 192) and the USA ( n = 158).

Method: The students responded to the following scales in their native languages, Arabic and English, respectively: the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, the Love of Life Scale, the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale and the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale. They also responded to six self-rating scales assessing happiness, satisfaction with life, mental health, physical health, religiosity and strength of religious belief.

Results: The Kuwaiti students obtained higher mean scores on religiosity, religious belief and depression than did their American counterparts, whereas American students had higher mean scores on happiness and love of life. Two factors were extracted: ‘SWB versus psychopathology’ and ‘Religiosity’.

Conclusion: Based on the responses of the present two samples, it was concluded that those who consider themselves as religious experienced greater well-being.
Content and Structure of Values in Middle Adolescence: Evidence From Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia
Authors: Liem Gregory Arief D. , Martin Andrew J. , Nair Elizabeth , Bernardo Allan B. I. , Hidajat Prasetya Paulus
Published: December 2010

Schwartz’s theory of the content and structure of human values has been validated mostly with adult (teacher and university student) samples. The present study examines the content and structure of values of middle adolescents in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. The 40-item version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire was administered to 230 adolescents in each country (total N = 920; boys and girls were equal) and smallest space analysis was performed. Consistent with theory, the 10 first-order values and the four second-order values, organized in two bipolar dimensions, were identified in all samples. In support of the developmentally modified value model for young people, there was some evidence for the periphery of power to achievement. Interestingly, the location of benevolence and universalism were reversed across all cultural groups, and tradition values separated into self-restriction and faith. Overall, the findings support the claim that Schwartz’s theory of values is neither restricted to adults nor solely based on a particular instrument and is generalizable across diverse national contexts.
Idealism and Relativism Across Cultures
Authors: MacNab Ying C. , Malloy David Cruise , Hadjistavropoulos Thomas , Sevigny Phillip R. , McCarthy Elizabeth Fahey , Murakami Masaaki , Paholpak Suchat , Natarajan Shalini , Liu Peilai L.
Published: December 2010

This article represents one of the first cross-cultural explorations of ethical ideology among physicians. The study involved a total of 1,109 physicians from six countries (Canada, China, India, Ireland, Japan, and Thailand) who responded to the Ethics Position Questionnaire. A comprehensive Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated robustness of the ethical dimensions of idealism and relativism as fundamental across cultures, with noteworthy cross-cultural variation. In particular, a four-factor construct was revealed and suggested more complex ethical dimensions for Chinese physicians.
Through the Lenses of Culture
Authors: Liu Shuang , Smith Joanne R. , Liesch Peter W. , Gallois Cindy , Ren Yi , Daly Stephanie
Published: December 2010

This study examines the influence of culture on Chinese consumers’ intentions to purchase Australian products. Data were obtained from an online survey completed by 3,171 respondents across 20 cities in China. Results indicate that ingroup influence, product perception, but not marketing efforts have a significant main effect on purchase intentions. In addition, ingroup influence moderates the effects of product perception and marketing efforts on intentions. When ingroup influence is low, product perception has a greater impact on purchase intention than when ingroup influence is high. Similarly, marketing efforts have a greater impact on purchase intention when ingroup influence is low than when it is high. In addition, self-identity as a consumer of imported products also moderates the strength of association between product perception and purchase intention. When self-identity is low, product perception has a greater impact on purchase intention than when self-identity is high. Implications of the findings for theory and practice, in the context of trade between an individualistic culture like Australia and a collectivistic one like China, are discussed.
Sociotropy and Autonomy Vulnerabilities to Depressed Mood
Authors: Grondin Olivier , Johnson Elizabeth I. , Husky Mathilde , Swendsen Joel
Published: December 2010

The current study examines whether sociotropy and autonomy traits prospectively predict depressed mood following daily events in young adults and considers whether relationships between personality, daily events, and mood differ by cultural context. Samples in Metropolitan France ( n = 99) and Reunion Island ( n = 70) participated in identical ambulatory monitoring procedures over a 1-week period and were assessed relative to cultural variables and additional psychological vulnerabilities known to influence depression or stress reactivity. Sociotropy heightened depressed mood responses to negative interpersonal events in Metropolitan France but not in Reunion Island. This finding was replicated when a continuous measure of cultural investment replaced geographic location. Contrary to Beck’s theory, there was no evidence that autonomy moderated the relationship between subjective achievement events and depressed mood at either site. The results are discussed in terms of the cultural specificity of cognitive vulnerability-stress theories of depression, as well as their usefulness for explaining normal mood variance in daily life.
An Interspecies Comparison of the Temporomandibular Joint Disc
Authors: Kalpakci K.N. , Willard V.P. , Wong M.E. , Athanasiou K.A.
Published: December 2010

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc plays a critical role in normal function of the joint, and many disorders of the TMJ are a result of disc dysfunction. Previous quantitative TMJ characterization studies examined either the human or a specific animal model, but no single study has compared different species, in the belief that differences in joint morphology, function, and diet would be reflected in the material properties of the disc. In this study, we examined topographical biochemical (collagen, glycosaminoglycan, and DNA content) and biomechanical (tensile and compressive) properties of the human TMJ disc, and also discs from the cow, goat, pig, and rabbit. Regional and interspecies variations were identified in all parameters measured, and certain disc characteristics were observed across all species, such as a weak intermediate zone under mediolateral tension. While human discs possessed properties distinct from those of the other species, pig discs were most similar to the human, suggesting that the pig may be a suitable animal model for TMJ bioengineering efforts.
Masticatory Function and Bite Force in Stroke Patients
Authors: Schimmel M. , Leemann B. , Herrmann F.R. , Kiliaridis S. , Schnider A. , Müller F.
Published: December 2010

Orofacial functions are frequently affected by stroke, but little is known on the nature and extent of the impairment of mastication, which is investigated in this observational study. Thirty-one stroke patients, aged 69.0 ± 12.7 yrs, presenting with a hemi-syndrome with facial palsy, were recruited. Chewing efficiency, maximum bite and restraining lip forces were tested. Stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) and dental state were recorded. The control group was similar in age, gender, and dental state (n = 24). The chewing efficiency was significantly lower in the stroke group (p ≤ 0.0001) and was related to both the dental state and the lip forces measured with small and medium-sized labial plates. The maximum bite force proved to be not significantly different between sides or groups (n.s.), whereas lip force was significantly lower in the stroke group (p ≤ 0.05). Chewing efficiency is severely affected by stroke; thus, rehabilitation protocols should aim to restore the strength and co-ordination of the orofacial muscles.
The Short-term Effects of Diammine Silver Fluoride on Tooth Sensitivity
Authors: Castillo J.L. , Rivera S. , Aparicio T. , Lazo R. , Aw T.-C. , Mancl L.L. , Milgrom P.
Published: December 2010

Tooth sensitivity is a common clinical problem. This multi-center randomized clinical trial assessed the effectiveness and safety of topical diammine silver fluoride. From two sites (Lima and Cusco, Peru), 126 adults with at least one tooth sensitive to compressed air were randomly assigned to either the experimental treatment or sterile water, and pain was assessed by means of a 100-mm visual analogue scale at 24 hours and 7 days. The diammine silver fluoride reduced pain at 7 days at both sites. At the Lima site, the average change in pain scores between baseline and day 7 for the silver fluoride group was -35.8 (SD = 27.7) mm vs. 0.4 (SD = 16.2) mm for the control group ( P < 0.001). In Cusco, the average change in pain scores for the silver fluoride group was −23.4 (SD = 21.0) mm and -5.5 (18.1) mm for the control group ( P = 0.002). No tissue ulceration, white changes, or argyria was observed. A small number of participants in the silver fluoride group experienced a mild but transient increase in erythema in the gingiva near the tooth. No changes were observed in the Gingival Index. We concluded that diammine silver fluoride is a clinically effective and safe tooth desensitizer.
Lithium Delivery Enhances Bone Growth during Midpalatal Expansion
Authors: Tang G.H. , Xu J. , Chen R.J. , Qian Y.F. , Shen G.
Published: December 2010

Lithium is an activator of β-catenin signaling, and β-catenin mediates bone acquisition in response to mechanical loading in the bone. We tested the hypothesis that lithium enhances new bone formation during midpalatal suture expansion. Forty-eight Wistar rats with or without suture expansion were gavage-fed daily with lithium chloride or sodium chloride. We labeled the rats with bromodeoxyuridine to evaluate the proliferation and differentiation of the osteoprogenitors. Lithium increased β-catenin expression and cell proliferation in expanding sutures. Initial delay in the differentiation of osteoprogenitors into mature osteoblasts by lithium treatment corresponded with expansion of pre-osteoblasts, which preceded the increase of new bone formation in the suture. These results suggested that β-catenin regulates proliferation of osteoprogenitors and maturation of osteoblasts during midpalatal suture expansion osteogenesis, and that lithium enhances bone regeneration by elevating β-catenin expression. Lithium treatment could be a pharmaceutical aid to improve the stability of orthodontic treatment like rapid palatal expansion.
Fluoride Does Not Inhibit Enamel Protease Activity
Authors: Tye C.E. , Antone J.V. , Bartlett J.D.
Published: December 2010

Fluorosed enamel can be porous, mottled, discolored, hypomineralized, and protein-rich if the enamel matrix is not completely removed. Proteolytic processing by matrix metalloproteinase-20 (MMP20) and kallikrein-4 (KLK4) is critical for enamel formation, and homozygous mutation of either protease results in hypomineralized, protein-rich enamel. Herein, we demonstrate that the lysosomal proteinase cathepsin K is expressed in the enamel organ in a developmentally defined manner that suggests a role for cathepsin K in degrading re-absorbed enamel matrix proteins. We therefore asked if fluoride directly inhibits the activity of MMP20, KLK4, dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI) (an in vitro activator of KLK4), or cathepsin K. Enzyme kinetics were studied with quenched fluorescent peptides with purified enzyme in the presence of 0–10 mM NaF, and data were fit to Michaelis-Menten curves. Increasing concentrations of known inhibitors showed decreases in enzyme activity. However, concentrations of up to 10 mM NaF had no effect on KLK4, MMP20, DPPI, or cathepsin K activity. Our results show that fluoride does not directly inhibit enamel proteolytic activity.
Self-Injurious Behaviors in State Prisons
Authors: Smith Hayden P. , Kaminski Robert J.
Published: December 2010

Self-injurious behaviors in correctional facilities have been reported as a significant threat to inmates, staff, and institutional operations. This study is the first national survey to inquire about self-injurious behavior in incarcerated prison populations. Surveys were mailed to mental health professionals working in state facilities that provided mental health services and housed 100 plus inmates. Data were received from 230 respondents representing 473 prison facilities. The average prevalence of inmate self-injury was 2.4%, and it was 0.7% for serious self-injury. Cutting was reported as the most frequent act of self-injury, with considerable concern for the importation of self-injury tools reported. Treatment responses were typically therapeutic or punitive, with a significant portion of facilities employing suicide protocols to address self-injurious behaviors. Results from negative binomial regressions suggest institutional characteristics associated with the prevalence of inmate self-injury include female-only institutions, specialized maximum-security units, and elevated staffing ratios.
Risk-Needs Assessment in Juvenile Justice
Authors: Vincent Gina M. , Chapman John , Cook Nathan E.
Published: December 2010

The authors conducted a prospective study of the predictive validity of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) using a 5-year follow-up period and a sample of 480 male adolescents assessed by juvenile detention personnel. Analyses were conducted to examine differential validity by race-ethnicity, the relative contribution of structured professional judgments of risk level, and the incremental validity of dynamic to static risk factors. Overall, the SAVRY total scores were significantly predictive of any type of reoffending with some variability across racial-ethnic groups. Youths rated as moderate to high risk by evaluators using structured professional judgment had greater odds of rearrest, but these risk ratings did not have incremental validity over numeric scores. Static factors were most strongly predictive of nonviolent rearrest, but dynamic factors (social-contextual) were the most predictive of violent rearrest. Implications for use of risk-needs assessment tools in juvenile justice programs and areas in need of further investigation are discussed.
Trajectories of Victimization From Early To Mid-Adolescence
Authors: Sullivan Christopher J. , Wilcox Pamela , Ousey Graham C.
Published: December 2010

A rapidly growing body of criminological research focuses on longitudinal trajectories of offending, with the aim of exploring stability and change in antisocial behavior. A particularly intriguing debate within this area involves the issue of whether there are multiple classes of offenders defined by distinct longitudinal patterns of offending. Parallel research on criminal victimization, however, is lacking, with few studies exploring potential variation in individual trajectories of victimization. The current analysis uses data from a panel of nearly 4,000 adolescents observed across a 4-year period to address this question. The authors examined whether there are distinct classes of victimization trajectories across this time period. The analysis revealed four groups. Descriptive analyses for key correlates of victimization were then conducted to explore their potential correspondence with those of the observed victimization classes. The findings have implications for theory and empirical research regarding between-individual differences and intraindividual change in victimization.
Gendered Perspectives On Depression and Antisocial Behaviors
Authors: Paquette Boots Denise , Wareham Jennifer , Weir Henrkka
Published: December 2010

Although the association between antisocial behavior and depression has been widely supported, the direction and temporal order of this relationship are not fully understood in childhood and adolescence. Patterson and Capaldi formulated a failure model to explain how antisocial behaviors may cause and reinforce depression. Although co-occurring internalizing problems are commonly diagnosed in girls, few studies have examined the onset and progression of antisocial behavior and depression in female adolescents using prospective data that allow for a thorough investigation of the dynamics of this relationship. The present study extends previous research by examining the relationship between gender, crime, and depressive symptoms in youths participating in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. Overall, there was mixed support for failure theory.
Compilation of International Regulatory Guidance Documents for Neuropathology Assessment During Nonclinical General Toxicity and Specialized Neurotoxicity Studies
Authors: Bolon Brad , Bradley Alys , Butt Mark , Jensen Karl , Krinke Georg , Mellon R. Daniel
Published: December 2010

Neuropathology analyses as end points during nonclinical efficacy and toxicity studies are challenging and require trained personnel and particular equipment to achieve optimal results. Accordingly, many regulatory agencies have produced explicit guidelines for designing and performing neuropathology assessments for nonclinical studies. This compilation of international regulatory guidance for toxicologic neuropathology end points represents a set of criteria recommended for general toxicity studies and specialized neurotoxicity studies that should facilitate the efforts of individuals who plan, perform, analyze, and report neuropathology evaluations in nonclinical toxicity studies.
Animal Models for Neural Diseases
Authors: Jay Gary W. , Demattos Ronald B. , Weinstein Edward J. , Philbert Martin A. , Pardo Ingrid D. , Brown Tom P.
Published: December 2010

“Animal Models of Neural Disease” was the focus of General Session 5 at a 2010 scientific symposium that was sponsored jointly by the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) and the International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists (IFSTP). The objective was to consider issues that dictate the choice of animal models for neuropathology-based studies used to investigate neurological diseases and novel therapeutic agents to treat them. In some cases, no animal model exists that recapitulates the attributes of the human disease (e.g., fibromyalgia syndrome). Alternatively, numerous animal models are available for other conditions, so an essential consideration is selecting the most appropriate experimental system (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). New technologies (e.g., genetically engineered rodent models) promise the opportunity to generate suitable animal models for syndromes that currently lack any in vivo animal model, while in vitro models offer the opportunity to evaluate xenobiotic effects in specific neural cell populations. The complex nature of neurological disease requires regular reassessment of available and potential options to ensure that animal-derived data sets support translational medicine efforts to improve public health.
Expression of Fibrosis-Related Genes in Canine Chronic Hepatitis
Authors: Kanemoto H. , Ohno K. , Sakai M. , Nakashima K. , Takahashi M. , Fujino Y. , Tsujimoto H.
Published: December 2010

Molecular regulation of fibrosis in chronic canine hepatitis is poorly understood. The authors employed quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the expression levels of genes reported to be related to fibrosis in other species (human, mouse, and rat) and to elucidate the relationship of these genes with the degree of fibrosis and the presence or absence of ascites and/or jaundice in dogs with hepatitis. Nine fibrosis-related genes were assayed: PDGFB, PDGFD, MMP2, TIMP1, THBS1, COL1A1, COL3A1, TGFB1, and TGFB2. Liver samples of 15 dogs with chronic hepatitis and 4 healthy control dogs were obtained via laparoscopic biopsy and subjected to histologic and quantitative PCR analyses. The expression of all 9 genes showed significant positive correlation ( P < .01, r > .70) with the degree of fibrosis. Furthermore, the expression levels of all genes except TGFB1 were significantly higher ( P < .05) in dogs with hepatic failure–related symptoms (ascites/jaundice). Results suggest that these 9 genes are integral to the development of fibrosis in canine chronic hepatitis.
Hepatoblastoma in a Cat
Authors: Ano N. , Ozaki K. , Nomura K. , Narama I.
Published: December 2010

Hepatoblastomas are neoplasms that originate from putative pluripotential stem cells of the liver. A hepatic mass from an 8-year-old Abyssinian cat was composed of cords and sheets of neoplastic cells, with scattered rosettes and small ductal structures. Most neoplastic cells had a pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and a round to ovoid nucleus. The tumor also had short spindle cells with an oval nucleus. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells were weakly positive for embryonic hepatocellular markers, such as alpha-fetoprotein and cytokeratin (CK) 8/18, but negative for the hepatocellular marker Hepatocyte Paraffin 1. The cells were also positive for CD56/neural cell adhesion molecule and for the biliary epithelial markers CK 7, CK 8/18, CK CAM5.2, and vimentin, but negative for CK 20. Some neoplastic cells expressed neuroectodermal or neuroendocrine markers, such as protein gene product 9.5 and synaptophysin, but were negative for chromogranin A and not argyrophilic by the Grimelius technique. The cat died soon after the biopsy without clinical improvement.
Analytic Review: Glucose Controversies in the ICU
Authors: Honiden Shyoko , Inzucchi Silvio E.
Published: December 2010

Hyperglycemia is common in critical illness and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. An era of tight glucose control began when intensive insulin therapy was shown to improve outcomes in a single-center randomized trial. More recently, with the publication of additional studies, questions have been raised regarding the efficacy and safety of intensive glycemic management. This article will review the biologic mechanisms that may help us understand why and how hyperglycemia and insulin are relevant in critical illness. We will then explore insights gleaned from available clinical trials. Finally, we will discuss specific areas of controversy that relate to the implementation of glycemic control in the intensive care unit, such as the ideal glucose target and the importance of hypoglycemia.
Gender Inequality and Time Allocations Among Academic Faculty
Authors: Winslow Sarah
Published: December 2010

This article focuses on faculty members’ allocation of time to teaching and research, conceptualizing these—and the mismatch between preferred and actual time allocations—as examples of gender inequality in academic employment. Utilizing data from the 1999 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty, I find that (1) women faculty members prefer to spend a greater percentage of their time on teaching, while men prefer to spend more time on research, although these preferences are themselves constrained; (2) women faculty members spend a greater percentage of their workweek on teaching and a smaller percentage on research than men, gaps that cannot be explained by preferences or educational and institutional attributes; and (3) women faculty members have larger time allocation mismatches than men—that is, their actual time allocations to both teaching and research diverge more from their preferred time allocations than those of men. These findings shed light on how gender inequality is both produced and maintained in this aspect of academic employment and have implications for job satisfaction, productivity, and the recruitment and retention of current and future faculty members, especially women.
Who Gets the Daddy Bonus?
Authors: Hodges Melissa J. , Budig Michelle J.
Published: December 2010

Using the 1979-2006 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we investigate how the earnings bonus for fatherhood varies by characteristics associated with hegemonic masculinity in the American workplace: heterosexual marital status, professional/managerial status, educational attainment, skill demands of jobs, and race/ethnicity. We find the earnings bonus for fatherhood persists after controlling for an array of differences, including human capital, labor supply, family structure, and wives’ employment status. Moreover, consistent with predictions from the theory of hegemonic masculinity within bureaucratic organizations, the fatherhood bonus is significantly larger for men with other markers of workplace hegemonic masculinity. Men who are white, married, in households with a traditional gender division of labor, college graduates, professional/managerial workers and whose jobs emphasize cognitive skills and deemphasize physical strength receive the largest fatherhood earnings bonuses.
Gender, Work-Family Responsibilities, and Sleep
Authors: Maume David J. , Sebastian Rachel A. , Bardo Anthony R.
Published: December 2010

This study adds to a small but growing literature that situates sleep within gendered work— family responsibilities. We conducted interviews with 25 heterosexual dual-earner working-class couples with children, most of whom had one partner (usually the mother) who worked at night. A few men suffered disrupted sleep because of their commitment to being a coparent to their children, but for most their provider status gave them rights to longer and more continuous sleep. By contrast, as they were the primary caregiver during sentient hours, women’s sleep was curtailed and interrupted by responding to the needs of family members at night and at the beginning of each day, and this was true for women who worked nights as well as days. Furthermore, in struggling to meet their daily employment and familial obligations while tired and sleepy, women further stressed their bodies in ways that can cause cumulative sleep debt. This article demonstrates that sleep deficits are another manifestation of gender inequality, with important implications for long-term health and well-being.
Sedation, Analgesia, and Delirium in the Critically Ill Patient
Authors: McMillian Wesley D. , Taylor Scott , Lat Ishaq
Published: December 2010

Most critically ill patients receive a myriad of psychoactive medications during their hospital stay. An understanding of the pharmacology of the more commonly used sedative and analgesic therapies enables the clinician to aptly utilize these medications and limit toxicity. A key to the appropriate provision of sedative and analgesic pharmacotherapy is a thorough patient assessment, use of validated monitoring tools, and defined therapeutic goals. Limiting these therapies while optimizing patient comfort has been shown to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and reduce intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay and should be the aim of the multidisciplinary medical team. This review is intended to provide the reader with a fundamental understanding of how to facilitate comfort of the mechanically ventilated critically ill adult patients and how to minimize medication-related toxicities.
Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Cawley Michael J.
Published: December 2010

Mechanical ventilation is a common therapeutic modality required for the management of patients unable to maintain adequate intrinsic ventilation and oxygenation. Mechanical ventilators can be found within various hospital and nonhospital environments (ie, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and patient’s home residence), but these devices generally require the skill of a multidisciplinary health care team to optimize therapeutic outcomes. Unfortunately, pharmacists have been excluded in the discussion of mechanical ventilation since this therapeutic modality may be perceived as irrelevant to drug utilization and the usual scope of practice of a hospital pharmacist. However, the pharmacist provides a crucial role as a member of the multidisciplinary team in the management of the mechanically ventilated patient by verifying accuracy of prescribed medications, providing recommendations of alternative drug selections, monitoring for drug and disease interactions, assisting in the development of institutional weaning protocols, and providing quality assessment of drug utilization. Pharmacists may be intimidated by the introduction of advanced ventilator microprocessor technology, but understanding and integrating ventilator management with the pharmacotherapeutic needs of the patient will ultimately help the pharmacist be a better qualified and respected practitioner. The goal of this article is to assist the pharmacy practitioner with a better understanding of mechanical ventilation and to apply this information to improve delivery of pharmaceutical care.
Acute Kidney Insufficiency in the Critically Ill
Authors: Bentley Michael L.
Published: December 2010

Acute kidney insufficiency (AKI), or injury, is common in the critically ill patient. Minimal increases in serum creatinine (Scr) have been associated with greater morbidity, mortality, and hospital cost. In 2002, the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI) proposed a consensus definition (the RIFLE classification) which was modified after continuing evidence suggested that small changes in Scr (≥0.3 mg/dL) led to worsening outcomes. This group, known as the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), suggests 3 stages of worsening kidney function. Such definitions may aid in identifying patients at greatest risk and further the development of preventive strategies. This review will focus on the epidemiology and etiology of AKI as well as provide a mechanistic description of drug-induced AKI. In addition, a brief review of continuous renal replacement therapies is provided.
A New Look at Sensory Attenuation
Authors: Cardoso-Leite Pedro , Mamassian Pascal , Schütz-Bosbach Simone , Waszak Florian
Published: December 2010

The systematic association of an action that a person performs with its sensory effects is thought to attenuate that person’s perception of the effect of the action. However, whether learned sensorimotor contingencies truly affect perception, rather than just inducing a response bias, has yet to be determined. The experiment presented in this article comprised two parts: an action-effect association phase and a test phase, during which the actions’ perceptual effects were tested. During the association phase, specific actions (left-key and right-key presses) were associated with specific visual effects (tilted Gabor patches). In the test phase, participants’ left-key presses and right-key presses triggered the onset of a low-contrast tilted Gabor patch in 50% of trials (no stimulus was presented on the remaining 50% of trials). Participants were required to report the presence or absence of this tilted Gabor patch. Our results showed that participants’ sensitivity ( d′) to the Gabor patches was reduced by 10% when the patches were triggered by the action they had previously been associated with. This finding indicates that a person’s action does not induce a response bias ( c), but changes the perception ( d′) of the learned action effect.
The Constitutionalization of Employment Relations: Multiple Models, Pernicious Problems
Authors: Arthurs Harry
Published: December 2010

The constitutionalization of employment relations has been proposed as a possible response to the serious difficulties confronting workers and unions in an era of neo-liberalism and globalization. This article challenges this proposal on two grounds. First, ‘employment’ no longer serves as an appropriate platform for labour policy, and in any event is conceptually inappropriate for constitutionalization. And second, a survey of the multiple meanings and manifestations of ‘constitutionalization’ at the level of the nation state, the global economy and the enterprise reveals that this approach is unlikely to produce positive practical results for workers. Nonetheless, to think about the constitutionalization of employment relations is productive in the sense that it requires engagement with the pernicious problems of articulating a ‘new normal’ — a ‘new normativity’ — that represents a better balance between workers’ interests and those of employers.
Between a Hunch and a Hard Place: Making Suspicion Reasonable at the Canadian Border
Authors: Pratt Anna
Published: December 2010

This article examines how suspicion is made reasonable at the Canadian border. It examines in local and empirical terms the ‘moment of decision’ on the frontline of border control, and the translation of this moment in the courts. It begins with a sketch of the legal regime that governs the discretion of border officers through the standard of ‘reasonable suspicion’ before considering the variety of low-level risk knowledges that coincide to make suspicion reasonable on the frontline. The ‘objectivity effect’ of the language of risk indicators (Rose, 1988) effectively obscures the multiplicity and hybridity of the ‘low-level’ knowledges at play, enhances the discretion of border officers and protects their decisions from serious scrutiny. By asking ‘who uses what knowledges, in what ways and with what effects?’ (Valverde et al., 2005: 115—116), this study responds to scholars who have appealed for the empirical specification and elaboration of risk knowledges. In so doing, this investigation also begins to unsettle the quasi-scientific representation of suspicion that prevails in the courts and urges that more specific, empirical attention be paid to how suspicion is made reasonable on the frontline.
The Effects of Embedded Optical Fiber Density on the Impact Response and Lifetime of Laminated Composites
Authors: Park Chun , Peters Kara , Zikry Mohammed
Published: December 2010

Graphite fiber/epoxy, two-dimensional woven composite laminates were fabricated with various densities of embedded optical fibers at the midplane. The specimens were subjected to multiple low-velocity impacts until failure, as the energy dissipated by the laminate and the maximum contact force were measured for each impact event. Cumulative probability distributions were calculated for each embedded optical fiber density, from which probability distribution functions in terms of embedded optical fiber density were extrapolated. At low fiber densities, the total energy dissipated by the specimen and the total maximum contact force over the lifetime of the specimen decreased rapidly with increasing optical fiber density. After a threshold embedded optical fiber density, the optical fibers dominated the failure mode of the laminate and the laminate lifetime, and the overall stiffness was not affected by the embedded optical fiber density. The obtained probability distribution functions could be applied for future optimization of embedded sensor placement for smart composite structures.
EU-India Free Trade Agreement
Authors: Khorana Sangeeta , Perdikis Nicholas
Published: December 2010

The European Union (EU) and India are currently negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and investment framework. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the EU-India FTA will act as a building block for the trading partners. This article addresses the broader concerns about compatibility; prospects of and the challenges to the proposed EU-India FTA; identifies the building and stumbling blocks in the ongoing negotiations; and suggests a way forward from a policy perspective. The findings suggest that to maximize the potential benefits of this FTA, trade barriers (tariff and non-tariff) in goods and services sectors should be addressed. This must be complemented by a mutually agreeable time frame to conclude negotiations in areas where interests of the partners vary.
Evaluating the Impact of Geographic Concentration on Nepalese Agricultural Export
Authors: Piya Sujan , Kiminami Akira , Yagi Hironori
Published: December 2010

This study observed and analyzed the behaviour of Nepalese agricultural export using vector error correction model (VECM). The first part of the analysis focused on the dynamic relationship among agricultural export, geographic concentration and total agricultural production. Results of the study revealed that Nepalese agricultural export was very much dependent on the Indian markets and had positive relation with the geographic concentration index in the long run. The significant and higher error correction term indicated that the short-run fluctuations in geographic concentration and agricultural production were promptly adjusted to its long-run trend. The long-run effect of agricultural production increment on export was positive. The second part of the analysis focused on the export of niche products. The analysis in vector auto regression (VAR) form indicated that the relationship between export of niche products and geographic concentration was insignificant. Granger causality test revealed that the production granger causes export and export granger causes geographic concentration.
Authentic Leadership and Follower Development
Authors: Woolley Lydia , Caza Arran , Levy Lester
Published: December 2010

This article contributes to the theoretical understanding of the relationship between authentic leadership and follower psychological capital. Structural equation models using a representative national sample of working adults revealed a positive relationship between authentic leadership and followers’ psychological capital, partially mediated by positive work climate, and a significant moderating effect from gender. Findings support previous predictions about the effects of authentic leadership and begin to reveal the mechanisms by which authentic leaders affect followers. Moreover, they underscore the need to consider the influence of follower characteristics in understanding leadership outcomes. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Who’s Who and What’s What? Special Education Services for Foster Care Students
Authors: Palladino John M.
Published: December 2010

This case describes the educational experiences of a foster care student named Chad. His foster parents and teacher notice educational deficits and express concern about gaps in the student’s cumulative educational record. The principal and special education director must guide all constituents to adhere to special education mandates and at the same time promote an ethical disposition toward the newly enrolled student. The case provides an opportunity for preservice and inservice administrators to analyze a situation (foster care) for which they may not have any professional or personal experiences to inform their leadership. The use of Bronstein’s theoretical model of interdisciplinary collaboration informs relevant discussion and analysis.
SMAD3 prevents graft-versus-host disease by restraining Th1 differentiation and granulocyte-mediated tissue damage
Authors: Giroux Martin , Delisle Jean-Sébastien , Gauthier Simon-David , Heinonen Krista M. , Hinsinger Julie , Houde Billy , Gaboury Louis , Brochu Sylvie , Wu Jiangping , Hébert Marie-Josée , Perreault Claude
Published: December 2010

Gene expression profiling of human donor T cells before allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation revealed that expression of selected genes correlated with the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in recipients. The gene with the best GVHD predictive accuracy was SMAD3, a core component of the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway, whose expression levels vary more than a 6-fold range in humans. The putative role of SMAD3 in the establishment of graft-host tolerance remained elusive. We report that SMAD3-KO mice present ostensibly normal lymphoid and myeloid cell subsets. However, the lack of SMAD3 dramatically increased the frequency and severity of GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation into major histocompatibility complex-identical recipients. Lethal GVHD induced by SMAD3-KO donors affected mainly the intestine and resulted from massive tissue infiltration by T-bet+ CD4 T cells and granulocytes that caused tissue damage by in situ release of Th1 cytokines and oxidative-nitrosative mediators, respectively. Our report reveals the nonredundant roles of SMAD3 in the development of tolerance to the host. Furthermore, our data support the concept that SMAD3 levels in donor cells dictate the risk of GVHD and that SMAD3 agonists would be attractive for prevention of GVHD.
NANOG induction of fetal liver kinase-1 (FLK1) transcription regulates endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis
Authors: Kohler Erin E. , Cowan Colleen E. , Chatterjee Ishita , Malik Asrar B. , Wary Kishore K.
Published: December 2010

NANOG is a master transcription factor associated with the maintenance of stem cell pluripotency. Here, we demonstrate that transcription factor NANOG is expressed in cultured endothelial cells (ECs) and in a subset of tumor cell lines. Importantly, we provide evidence that WNT3A stimulation of ECs induces the transcription of NANOG which mediates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, also known as fetal liver kinase-1 (FLK1). We defined ATTA as a minimal binding site for NANOG. Accordingly, a luciferase reporter assay showed that NANOG binds to and activates 4 ATTA binding sites identified in the FLK1 promoter after WNT3A stimulation. Consistent with this data, we found that, under basal conditions and in response to WNT3A stimulation, NANOG binding to these ATTA sequences markedly induced the expression of FLK1. Thus, our data indicate an essential role in angiogenesis for NANOG binding to these 4 ATTA sites. Surprisingly, NANOG depletion not only decreased FLK1 expression but also reduced cell proliferation and angiogenesis. These findings show the necessary and sufficient role of NANOG in inducing the transcription of FLK1 to regulate the angiogenic phenotypes of ECs.
Apolipoprotein E receptor 2 is involved in the thrombotic complications in a murine model of the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Romay-Penabad Zurina , Aguilar-Valenzuela Renan , Urbanus Rolf T. , Derksen Ronald H. W. M. , Pennings Maarten T. T. , Papalardo Elizabeth , Shilagard Tuya , Vargas Gracie , Hwang Yong , de Groot Philip G. , Pierangeli Silvia S.
Published: December 2010

Antiphospholipid (aPL)/anti-β2 glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) antibodies stimulates tissue factor (TF) expression within vasculature and in blood cells, thereby leading to increased thrombosis. Several cellular receptors have been proposed to mediate these effects, but no convincing evidence for the involvement of a specific one has been provided. We investigated the role of Apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2′) on the pathogenic effects of a patient-derived polyclonal aPL IgG preparation (IgG-APS), a murine anti-β2GPI monoclonal antibody (E7) and of a constructed dimeric β2GPI I (dimer), which in vitro mimics β2GPI-antibody immune complexes, using an animal model of thrombosis, and ApoER2-deficient (−/−) mice. In wild type mice, IgG-APS, E7 and the dimer increased thrombus formation, carotid artery TF activity as well as peritoneal macrophage TF activity/expression. Those pathogenic effects were significantly reduced in ApoER2 (−/−) mice. In addition, those effects induced by the IgG-APS, by E7 and by the dimer were inhibited by treatment of wild-type mice with soluble binding domain 1 of ApoER2 (sBD1). Altogether these data show that ApoER2 is involved in pathogenesis of antiphospholipids antibodies.
Early intervention in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis: an essential component of disease management
Authors: Hachulla E. , Denton C.P.
Published: December 2010

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, PAH-specific treatments are available and can significantly improve survival of patients, especially those diagnosed in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (FC) II. Registry data have shown that without screening, more than two-thirds of PAH-SSc patients are in WHO FC III or IV when diagnosed. The recognised predisposition of SSc patients to develop PAH should mean that an optimal screening programme will enable the early diagnosis of PAH, and provide the opportunity for earlier treatment, in this population. Evidence-based treatment guidelines advocate the use of oral PAH-specific therapies, including bosentan, ambrisentan, sildenafil (I-A recommendation), tadalafil (I-B recommendation) and sitaxentan (IIA-C recommendation), for patients in WHO FC II. A randomised, placebo-controlled trial of bosentan in WHO FC II PAH patients, including cases of PAH-SSc, showed improved haemodynamics in actively treated patients and a reduced risk of progression from WHO FC II to FC III. For PAH patients diagnosed in WHO FC III, the treatment goal is to improve to WHO FC II. Data from bosentan trials have shown that nearly one-quarter of patients in WHO FC III at baseline can attain WHO FC II status with monotherapy. Maintenance of PAH-SSc patients in WHO FC II with monotherapy is unrealistic, and sequential goal-directed combination therapy is now becoming an accepted treatment strategy. It is hoped that earlier diagnosis, coupled both with regular assessments to ensure treatment goals are being met and timely, appropriate treatment, will further improve the survival rates of those PAH-SSc patients.