bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of 4- and 64-slice CT scanning in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism
Authors: Hofstee Herman , Schaefer-Prokop Cornelia , van Waesberghe Jan Hein , Lely Rutger , Kamphuisen Pieter , Gerdes Victor , Kramer Mark , Büller Harry , Douma Renée
Published: October 2009

With the introduction of multi-detector row CT (MDCT), sensitivity to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE) has greatly improved. The use of newer generation CT-scans may lead to a higher prevalence and a different distribution of PE. We compared 64-slice with 4-slice MDCT regarding prevalence and distribution of PE, the number of inconclusive test results and inter-reader variability. CT-scans from a random sample of 110 consecutive patients who underwent 4-slice CT-scanning were compared with 64-slice CT-scans from 107 patients from a second cohort. Three radiologists independently reassessed all CT-scans. Consensus was reached in case of disagreement between the readers. Final diagnosis of PE was categorised as central, segmental or subsegmental by the thrombus’ most proximal end. The prevalence of PE was 24% (26/110, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17–32%) and 22% (24/107, 16–31%) for the 4-slice and 64-slice cohort, respectively. The prevalence of isolated subsegmental emboli was 2/26 (7.7%; 2.1–24%) and 5/24 (21%; 9.2–41%), respectively (p=0.424). The number of inconclusive scans was 10% in both cohorts, mostly due to movement artefacts and suboptimal intravascular contrast, respectively. The inter-reader agreement between the three readers was 0.70 for the 4-slice scans and 0.68 for the 64-slice scans. Although absolute prevalence of PE was equal in both cohorts, there was a trend towards more subsegmental PE with 64-slice CT. In a multi-reader setting, the number of inconclusive examinations was higher than quoted for clinical management studies, indicating that the diagnosis of PE with MDCT could be less straightforward than assumed.
New oral anticoagulants in development
Authors: Weitz Jeffrey
Published: October 2009

Although currently available anticoagulants are effective for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders, they have several drawbacks. Low-molecular-weight heparins and fondaparinux produce a predictable level of anticoagulation that obviates the need for coagulation monitoring, but they must be given parenterally, which renders them inconvenient for long-term use. Vitamin K antagonists, such as warfarin, are administered orally, but produce a variable anticoagulant response because genetic polymorphisms, dietary vitamin K intake and multiple drug-drug interactions affect their metabolism. Consequently, coagulation monitoring and frequent dose adjustments are needed to ensure that a therapeutic level of anticoagulation is achieved. This is burdensome for patients and physicians, and costly for the healthcare system. These limitations have prompted the development of new oral anticoagulants that target thrombin or factor Xa and can be given in fixed doses without coagulation monitoring. This paper focuses on the new oral anticoagulants in the most advanced stages of development.
High incidence of in-hospital pulmonary embolism following joint arthroplasty with dalteparin prophylaxis
Authors: Kerr Jason , Linkins Lori-Ann
Published: October 2009

The in-hospital incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients undergoing elective joint arthroplasty who receive a minimum of 10 days of dalteparin prophylaxis is reported to be less than 1%. Recent clinical experience raised suspicion that the incidence of PE was significantly higher at our tertiary care institution. It was the objective of this study to determine the incidence of in-hospital PE and symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis following elective joint arthroplasty in patients who received a minimum of 10 days of dalteparin prophylaxis. Consecutive charts of patients who underwent elective joint arthroplasty at our institution between January 2008 and June 2008 were reviewed. Data on risk factors for venous thromboembolism, objectively documented venous thromboembolic events, and signs and symptoms of PE were abstracted. Patients who received concomitant warfarin in the postoperative period were excluded. The study population consisted of 437 knee arthroplasty and 246 hip arthroplasty patients. The incidence of in-hospital PE following knee arthroplasty and hip arthroplasty was 4.6% and 0.4%, respectively. One out of every 10 knee patients, and one out of every 20 hip patients underwent testing for pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed a median of 3.5 days after knee arthroplasty. The incidence of in-hospital PE in knee arthroplasty patients who received dalteparin prophylaxis was significantly higher than expected. Potential explanations for this finding include poor efficacy of dalteparin started 12–24 hours postoperatively and/or a low threshold for ordering diagnostic imaging for PE. Studies to clarify these issues are needed.
Vacuolisation of human microvascular endothelial cells by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli
Authors: Greune Lilo , Kemper Björn , Dobrindt Ulrich , Geelen Joyce , Kim Kwang , Schmidt M. Alexander , Karch Helge , Bielaszewska Martina , Bauwens Andreas
Published: October 2009

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS),a thrombotic microangiopathy resulting from endothelial injury in the renal glomeruli and other organs. EHEC virulence factors that damage the microvascular endothelium play therefore major roles in the pathogenesis of HUS.We identified an EHEC strain that vacuolates and kills primary human glomerular microvascular endothelial cells (GMVECs) and a human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) line. Because the vacuolating effect closely resembles those elicited on other cells by the vacuolating cytotoxin of Helicobacter pylori (VacA), we designated the factor responsible for this effect EHEC vacuolating cytotoxin (EHEC-Vac). EHEC-Vac (a secreted non-serine protease protein) binds to HBMECs rapidly and irreversibly, vacuolates within 30 min after exposure and the effect is maximally apparent at 48 h. Despite the vacuolisation, HBMECs survive for several days before they undergo necrosis. Electron and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrate that the vacuoles induced by EHEC-Vac originate from lysosomes.Accordingly, they stain with neutral red indicating an acidic microenvironment. Similar to VacA, the EHEC-Vac-mediated vacuolisation is both prevented and reverted by the vacuolar proton pump inhibitor bafilomycin A1, suggesting a similar mechanism of vacuole formation by these toxins. Despite the similarity of phenotypes elicited by EHEC-Vac and VacA, genomic DNA from the EHEC-Vac-producing strain failed to hybridise to a vacA probe, as well as to probes derived from presently known E. coli vacuolating toxins.Through its microvascular endothelium-injuring potential combined with the ability to induce interleukin 6 release from these cells EHEC-Vac might contribute to the pathogenesis of HUS.
Effects of Peripheral Arterial Disease on Outcomes in Advanced Chronic Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Ahmed Mustafa I. , Aronow Wilbert S. , Criqui Michael H. , Aban Inmaculada , Love Thomas E. , Eichhorn Eric J. , Ahmed Ali
Published: October 2009

Background—

The effect of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) has not been examined in propensity-matched studies.

Methods and Results—

Of the 2689 patients with advanced chronic systolic HF in the Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial, 441 had a history of PAD. Propensity scores for a history of PAD, calculated for each patient using a multivariable logistic regression model, were used to assemble a matched cohort of 299 and 1015 patients, respectively, with and without PAD who were well balanced on 65 measured baseline characteristics. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs for associations between PAD and outcomes during 4.1 years of follow-up. Patients had a mean age of 63±11 years, 19% were women, and 19% were black. All-cause mortality occurred in 43% and 33% of patients with and without a history of PAD, respectively (hazard ratio when PAD was compared with no history of PAD, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.72;
P
=0.001). All-cause hospitalization occurred in 75% and 63% of patients with and without PAD, respectively (hazard ratio when PAD was compared with no history of PAD, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.58;
P
<0.0001). PAD-associated hazard ratios for cardiovascular mortality, HF mortality, and HF hospitalization were 1.31 (95% CI, 1.04 to 1.63;
P
=0.019), 1.40 (95% CI, 0.97 to 2.02;
P
=0.076), and 1.05 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.29;
P
=0.635), respectively.

Conclusions—

In a well-balanced propensity-matched population of chronic systolic HF patients, a history of PAD was independently associated with increased mortality and hospitalization.
Vascular Closure Device Failure: Frequency and Implications
Authors: Bangalore Sripal , Arora Nipun , Resnic Frederic S.
Published: October 2009

Background—

Vascular closure devices (VCDs) are effective in reducing the time to ambulation for patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures and in reducing the risk of vascular complications in selected patient cohorts. However, the frequency and consequence of failure of VCDs is not well defined.

Methods and Results—

From a prospective registry of consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at our center, 9823 patients who received either a collagen plug-based (Angio-Seal) or a suture-based (Perclose) VCD were selected for the study. VCD failure was defined as unsuccessful deployment or failure to achieve hemostasis. Major vascular complication was defined as any retroperitoneal hemorrhage, limb ischemia, or any surgical repair. Minor vascular complication was defined as any groin bleeding, hematoma (≥5 cm), pseudoaneurysm, or arteriovenous fistula. Any vascular complication was defined as either a major or minor vascular complication. Among the 9823 patients in the study, VCD failed in 268 patients (2.7%; 2.3% diagnostic versus 3.0% percutaneous coronary intervention;
P
=0.029). Patients with VCD failure had significantly increased risk of any (6.7% versus 1.4%;
P
<0.0001), major (1.9% versus 0.6%;
P
=0.006), or minor (6.0% versus 1.1%;
P
<0.0001) vascular complication compared with the group with successful deployment of VCD. The increased risk of vascular complication was unchanged in a propensity score-matched cohort.

Conclusions—

In contemporary practice, VCD failure is rare, but when it does fail, it is associated with a significant increase in the risk of vascular complications. Patients with VCD failure should be closely monitored.
Trends in the Use of Evidence-Based Treatments for Coronary Artery Disease Among Women and the Elderly
Authors: Lewis William R. , Ellrodt A. Gray , Peterson Eric , Hernandez Adrian F. , LaBresh Kenneth A. , Cannon Christopher P. , Pan Wenqin , Fonarow Gregg C.
Published: October 2009

Background—

Significant disparities have been reported in the application of evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women and the elderly. We hypothesized that participation in a quality-improvement program could improve care for all patients and thus narrow treatment gaps over time.

Methods and Results—

Treatment of 237 225 patients hospitalized with CAD was evaluated in the Get With the Guidelines–CAD program from 2002 to 2007. Six quality measures were evaluated in eligible patients without contraindications: aspirin on admission and discharge, β-blockers use at discharge, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor antagonist use, lipid-lowering medication use, and tobacco cessation counseling along with other care metrics. Over time, composite adherence on these 6 measures increased from 86.5% to 97.4% (+10.9%) in men and 84.8% to 96.2% (+11.4%) in women. There was a slight difference in composite adherence by sex that remained significant over time (
P
<0.0001), but this was confined to patients <75 years. Composite adherence in younger patients (<75 years) increased from 87.1% to 97.7% (+10.6%) and from 83.0% to 95.1% (+12.1%) in the elderly (≥75 years) over time.

Conclusions—

Among hospitals participating in Get With the Guidelines–CAD, guideline adherence has improved substantially over time for both women and men and younger and older CAD patients, with only slight age and sex differences in some measures persisting.
Evaluation of Patients With Severe Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis Who Do Not Undergo Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Bach David S. , Siao Derrick , Girard Steven E. , Duvernoy Claire , McCallister Benjamin D. , Gualano Sarah K.
Published: October 2009

Background—

Some patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) do not undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) despite demonstrated symptomatic and survival advantages and despite unequivocal guideline recommendations for surgical evaluation.

Methods and Results—

In 3 large tertiary care institutions (university, Veterans Affairs, and private practice) in Washtenaw County, Mich, patients were identified with unrefuted echocardiography/Doppler evidence of severe AS during calendar year 2005. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for symptoms, referral for AVR, calculated operative risk for AVR, and rationale as to why patients did not undergo valve replacement. Of 369 patients with severe AS, 191 (52%) did not undergo AVR. Of these, 126 (66%, 34% of total) had symptoms consistent with AS. The most common reasons cited for absent intervention were comorbidities with high operative risk (61 patients [48%]), patent refusal (24 patients [19%]), and symptoms unrelated to AS (24 patients [19%]). Operated patients had a lower Society of Thoracic Surgery–calculated perioperative mortality risk than unoperated patients (1.8% [interquartile range, 1.0 to 3.0%] versus 2.7% [interquartile range, 1.6 to 5.5%],
P
<0.001). However, 28 (24%) of 126 unoperated symptomatic patients had a calculated perioperative risk less than the median risk for patients who underwent AVR. Only 57 (30%) of 191 unoperated patients were evaluated by a cardiac surgeon. There were similar rates of intervention across practice settings, and similar rates of unoperated patients despite symptoms and low operative risk.

Conclusions—

One third of patients with severe AS are symptomatic but do not undergo AVR, with similar findings in multiple practice environments. For most unoperated patients, objectively calculated operative risks did not appear prohibitive. Despite this, a minority of unoperated patients were referred for surgical consultation. Some patients with severe symptomatic AS may be inappropriately denied access to potentially life-saving therapy.
In Between as a Permanent Status: Milan Adamčiak's Version of Intermedia
Authors: Cseres Jozef
Published: October 2009

Milan Adamčiak is a Slovak composer, cellist and musicologist; creator of acoustic objects, installations and unconventional musical instruments; a performer, visual artist and experimental poet. Traditionally trained but influenced by Cagean and Fluxus poetics, he created from the late 1960s until the mid-1990s a large body of work that transgressed the conventional definitions of art creativity and quickly moved toward the concepts of opera aperta, action music and various intermedia forms. At the same time he was experimenting with electronic media, he created several pieces of electroacoustic music and musique concrÈte, but it was primarily live electronics that fit the principles of his radical poetics. The author considers Adamčiak's intermedia in the context of philosophical and aesthetical thought, revealing mutual correspondences, apparent as well as hidden.
The Blippoo Box: A Chaotic Electronic Music Instrument, Bent by Design
Authors: Hordijk Rob
Published: October 2009

This article addresses the design of the Blippoo Box, an audio sound generator that operates according to the principles of chaos theory. By designing the Blippoo Box, the artist attempts to bridge a crossover space between abstract (sonic) art, music and artistic craftsmanship. In the hands of performing musicians the Blippoo Box becomes an electronic music instrument that invites performers to improvise with the chaotic nature of the box. Despite this chaotic behavior, the produced sounds have particular characteristics that are roughly predictable and enable a performer to build a performance around a composed scheme.
Perspectives on Sound-Space: The Story of Acoustic Defense
Authors: Ganchrow Raviv
Published: October 2009

The late 1920s yielded the development and construction of several large-scale “sound mirrors,” along the southeastern coast of Britain, aimed at intercepting sounds of approaching aircraft outside the visual range. A central mode in the design of these long-range listening devices emphasizes a sonic paradigm in which frequencies are considered in terms of corresponding physical sizes. By examining the case of the sound mirrors as a formative moment within the broader reconfiguration of listening habits, the author attempts to locate a shift in the grasp of space that occurs when an optic model of viewing is replaced with an acoustic model of listening, exposing a condition in which the close-at-hand and the far-off momentarily coincide.
A New Rubric for ‘Creative City’ Potential in Canada’s Smaller Cities
Authors: Lewis Nathaniel M. , Donald Betsy
Published: October 2009

In Canada and elsewhere, Richard Florida’s ‘creative capital’ model has gained considerable influence over urban policy and development strategies. The model posits that most cities can be economically successful if they become diverse, high-tech and amenity-rich. The way that creative capital is theorised, quantified and applied, however, tends to marginalise smaller Canadian cities. We use recent census data and qualitative evidence from a study on the social dynamics of economic performance in Kingston, Ontario, to argue that a new rubric based on livability and sustainability provides a more optimistic and empowering picture of creative potential in smaller Canadian cities. Critiques of creative capital thus far have tended to discredit the model entirely, leaving large cities as winners by default in an irrational capitalist system and small cities with few options. Instead, the goal of this paper is to change fundamentally the parameters of the creativity debate for smaller cities by offering new ways to conceptualise and operationalise development in the ‘new economy’.
Application of a Standardized Assessment Methodology Within the Context of an Evidence-Based Treatment for Substance Abuse and Its Associated Problems
Authors: Allen Daniel N. , Donohue Brad , Sutton Griffin , Haderlie Michael , LaPota Holly
Published: October 2009

Administrators of community-based treatment programs are increasingly being required to utilize psychometrically validated instruments to measure the effectiveness of their interventions. However, developers of psychometric measures have often failed to report strategies relevant to the administration of these measures in nontraditional settings outside the therapy office. Moreover, with few exceptions, developers of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) have insufficiently disseminated methods for integrating assessment measures into treatment planning. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review an assessment methodology that may be utilized to support EBT for individuals who are identified for substance abuse or related problem behaviors. The application of this methodology is demonstrated utilizing Family Behavior Therapy to exemplify “real world” scenarios involving adolescents and adults. Although many of these strategies are evidence supported, most are based on clinical experiences occurring in clinical trials and dissemination efforts within community settings.
Are Children Diagnosed With the Combined Form of ADHD Pervasively Hyperactive?
Authors: Licht Carolyn A. , Tryon Warren W.
Published: October 2009

Diagnostic criteria specified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-IV-TR ; American Psychological Association [APA], 2000) require that motor excess be present across situations, at home and school, in order to establish that this condition is a characteristic of the child. The article discusses a study whose primary purpose was to use actigraphy to validate teacher and parent reports of hyperactivity at home and school. Continuous activity measurements were recorded for each minute of each 24-hr period (1,440 measurements per child per day) for a full 7-day week, during school and at home, on 9 children clinically diagnosed with the combined form of ADHD and 9 control children clinically examined at the same community mental health clinic and determined not to meet diagnostic criteria. The article highlights that the children with ADHD had not yet started medication, and the study findings reveal that only 1 of 9 children diagnosed with the combined form of ADHD was measurably pervasively hyperactive as DSM-IV-TR inclusion criteria require. Implications are discussed.
Changing Social Order and the Quest for Justification: GMO Controversies in Japan
Authors: Yamaguchi Tomiko , Suda Fumiaki
Published: October 2009

Over the past decade, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have come to be viewed as problematic in Japan, as evidenced by a large number of newspaper articles covering questions ranging from the unknown ecological impact of GMOs to uncertainty about food safety, and by the fact that a number of consumers’ groups have organized activities including demonstrations at the experiment stations and the submission of petitions to the government. Against this backdrop, this article attempts to understand the changing interpretation of the perceived rational social order in the context of the Japanese GMO controversies. Drawing on the French Theory of Conventions, the article will shed light on the conventions that serve as templates enabling actors to interpret what it means to introduce GMOs and what constitutes a rational decision concerning GMOs. The article will argue that rationality is best viewed as an emergent and interpretive process involving interpretation and negotiation by and among actors, and that conventions which may be taken for granted are nevertheless unstable and mutable.
Coming to Terms with Biomedical Technologies in Different Technopolitical Cultures: A Comparative Analysis of Focus Groups on Organ Transplantation and Genetic Testing in Austria, France, and the Netherlands
Authors: Felt Ulrike , Fochler Maximilian , Winkler Peter
Published: October 2009

In this comparative analysis of twelve focus groups conducted in Austria, France, and the Netherlands, we investigate how lay people come to terms with two biomedical technologies. Using the term ‘‘technopolitical culture,’’ we aim to show that the ways in which technosciences are interwoven with a specific society frame how citizens build their individual and collective positions toward them. We investigate how the focus group participants conceptualized organ transplantation (OT) and genetic testing (GT), their perceptions of individual agency in relation to the two technologies and to more collective forms of acting and governing, and also their understanding of the two technologies’ relationship to broader societal value systems. Against the background of the sustained political effort to build common European values, we suggest that more fine-grained attention toward the culturally embedded differences in coming to terms with biomedical technologies is needed.
Social Logics and Normalisation in the War on Terror
Authors: Solomon Ty
Published: October 2009

Many have noted how the Bush administration’s linking of Iraq to the war on terror lent a certain degree of legitimacy to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Few scholars who have noted this linkage, however, have theorised about the specific discursive mechanisms that allowed Iraq to be incorporated and normalised within the war on terror. This article utilises the theoretical framework of Ernesto Laclau to analyse how ‘Iraq’ was (re)constructed as a threat through the war on terror. The productive power of the discourses constructing ‘Iraq’ is examined in the wording of poll questions as sites of reproduction and naturalisation of the dominant understandings of Iraq and the war on terror. Rather than tools used to measure public opinion that exists independently of them, this article argues that polls are better viewed as vehicles through which foreign policy and security discourses are stabilised and naturalised.
Memorial Fragments, Monumental Silences and Reawakenings in 21st-Century Chile
Authors: Hite Katherine , Collins Cath
Published: October 2009

This article analyses the commemoration of political violence and its victims in the aftermath of the Chilean dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973—90). We assess the varied political processes involved in commemoration, and we identify those whose struggles to reclaim sites and spaces associated with past human rights violations represent a new political, and in some cases antipolitical, repertoire. We also examine shifts in official stances and action regarding human rights and political commemoration.
Warfare and the Sacralisation of Nations: The Meanings, Rituals and Politics of National Remembrance
Authors: Hutchinson John
Published: October 2009

Although the nation is supposedly a secular modern community, characterised by linear chronological time, I argue that warfare contributes to the creation of the nation as a sacred community of sacrifice in three respects. Firstly, it can act as a mythomoteur in the historical consciousness of populations so that it becomes a reference point or framework for explaining and evaluating events. Secondly, in the modern era it generates a cult of the fallen soldier organised around commemorative rituals and practices that seek to form a moral community. Thirdly, the consequences of warfare shape the long-term social and political goals of national populations, often at the expense of their individual welfare. After elaborating on these aspects, I will investigate the following topics. Firstly, what is the evidence supporting the idea of the nation as a mnemonic community of sacrifice? Secondly, who generates such ‘memories’, why and what purposes do they serve? Finally, what sustains the power of such ‘memories’ over time, in an increasingly sceptical and supposedly postmodern age?
Hierarchies of Grief and the Possibility of War: Remembering UK Fatalities in Iraq
Authors: Zehfuss Maja
Published: October 2009

In her recent work, Judith Butler offers a critique of war that revolves around the related issues of what she calls the grievability of lives and the framing of violence. This article explores aspects of the remembrance of UK military personnel killed on Operation TELIC in Iraq, drawing on Butler’s powerful arguments about the way in which some lives are produced as more grievable than others. It explores a particular set of obituaries from Operation TELIC: those posted by the Ministry of Defence on its website. The concern is not with the fact that some lives remain unacknowledged, but rather with how the loss of lives that are acknowledged as grievable is represented. The obituaries here are a significant part of the production the frame that makes war possible. In Butler’s scheme of grievable Western lives versus ungrievable non-Western lives no consideration is given to members of the military whose lives are grievable and yet put at risk in order, apparently, to protect other lives. Introducing this complication makes it possible to examine further how hierarchies of grief enable the possibility of war.
Open Access Repositories in Computer Science and Information Technology: an evaluation
Authors: Bhat Mohammad Hanief
Published: October 2009

The study reports evaluation of nine Open Access Repositories in the field of Computer Science and IT. The repositories were identified from the OpenDOAR; directory of Open Access repositories (http://www.open doar.org/). Questionnaires were sent via e-mail to repository administrators to ascertain the background, resources, content management policies, preservation policies, rights management, promotion, advertisement, services, feedback and access statistics of the repositories. The findings revealed that most of the repositories are maintained by 1—2 faculty members on a part-time basis. The most popular software platform is Eprints, on account of its excellent support, ease of installation, transparency of interfaces, configurability, OAI compliance and active development. Most of the repositories follow policies for selection of content and submission of documents, have provision for withdrawal of content by the authors and voluntary faculty deposit policies. Although backups are taken for short term preservation of the content, no strategies have been adopted for long term preservation. Authors are responsible for ensuring copyright compliance of their articles in most of the repositories. Links are provided from library or departmental websites to most of the repositories for promotion and advertisement. Most of the repositories have provision for feedback from users. A few repositories provide access statistics. The paper provides recommendations for the establishment and management of OA repositories.
The Library Services to People with Special Needs Section of IFLA: an historical overview
Authors: Panella Nancy
Published: October 2009

The Library Services to People with Special Needs Section of IFLA was founded in 1931 as the Sub-committee on Hospital Libraries. It was the first sub-committee IFLA formed for a special user group, that is, hospitalized people who could not use external libraries. The young sub-committee soon saw, however, that due to a range of disabilities often secondary to the cause of hospitalization, some patients required special reading aids, for example, sensory or mobility aids. Those needs also became evident among community members, confined or not. Wanting to address them, the sub-committee expanded its focus overtime to include people who, for whatever reason, could not use conventional libraries, materials and services. This paper traces the sub-committee’s evolution from sub-committee, to committee, to sub-section, and finally section that today promotes library resources and services for a broad range of special needs people. Its growth in part reflects the expansion of the Federation itself.
Midterm Results of Surgical Treatment for Adult Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee
Authors: Pascual-Garrido Cecilia , Friel Nicole A. , Kirk Spencer S. , McNickle Allison G. , Bach Bernard R. , Bush-Joseph Charles A. , Verma Nikhil N. , Cole Brian J.
Published: October 2009

Background

Determination of appropriate treatment options for adult osteochondritis dissecans is difficult, as most published papers on surgical osteochondritis dissecans treatment report outcomes in a population consisting of both adult and juvenile patients.

Purpose

This study examines the outcomes of surgical procedures in patients with adult osteochondritis dissecans.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

The cohort included 46 adult patients (48 knees) with adult osteochondritis dissecans of the knee who had undergone surgical treatment (debridement, drilling, loose-body removal, arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation, microfracture, osteo-chondral allograft, or autologous chondrocyte implantation). The average patient age was 34 6 9.5 years (range, 20-49) and patients were followed for 4.0 6 1.8 years. The mean defect size was 4.5 6 2.7 cm2. Outcomes were assessed via clinical assessment and established outcome scales, including the Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Tegner, Cincinnati, and Short Form-12.

Results

Statistically significant improvement (P<05) was noted in all outcome scales, including Noyes, Tegner, Lysholm, IKDC, KOOS (subdivided into 5 categories including Pain, Symptoms, Activities of Daily Living, Sport, and Quality of Life), Short Form-12 Physical, and Short Form-12 Mental. Seven knees (14%) had clinical failure of the initial treatment and underwent a revision procedure at a mean follow-up of 14 months. Patients treated with arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation and loose-body removal demonstrated a statistically higher postoperative percentage score increase for the KOOS Sport (P 5 .008) and KOOS Quality of Life (P 5 .03) categories than those treated with an osteochondral allograft.

Conclusion

Patients with adult osteochondritis dissecans of the knee, treated with surgical cartilage procedures, show durable function and symptomatic improvement at a mean 4.0 years of follow-up. Patients treated with arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation and loose-body removal demonstrated a greater improvement in outcome scores than those treated with osteochon-dral allograft.
Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation for the Repair of Cartilage Defects of the Knee
Authors: Kon Elizaveta , Verdonk Peter , Condello Vincenzo , Delcogliano Marco , Dhollander Aad , Filardo Giuseppe , Pignotti Elettra , Marcacci Maurilio
Published: October 2009

Background

The clinical application of the second-generation tissue-engineering approach for the treatment of cartilage lesions has been documented for different types of scaffolds, but systematic information on clinical efficacy and long-term results is not available.

Purpose

To analyze and assess the quality of clinical studies on different products in the emerging field of matrix-assisted auto-logous chondrocyte transplantation. The secondary purpose of this review was to improve the quality assessment of studies by modifying the Coleman methodology score (CMS).

Study Design

Systematic review.

Methods

For this review, a literature search was performed to identify all published and unpublished clinical studies of matrixassisted (second-generation) autologous chondrocyte transplantation using the following medical electronic databases: MED-LINE, MEDLINE preprints, EMBASE, CINAHL, Life Science Citations, and British National Library of Health, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The search period was January 1, 1995, to July 1, 2008. To better assess cartilage-related studies, a modification of the CMS was proposed.

Results

Eighteen studies were included in the analysis, reporting on 731 patients with an average follow-up of 27.3 months (6.5-60.0 months). Of the 18 studies, 2 were randomized controlled studies, 3 were prospective comparative studies, 11 were prospective cohort studies or prospective case series, and 2 were retrospective case series. Original CMSs for these studies (55.1 6 1.6) were significantly higher than those of cartilage repair studies in general (43.5 6 1.6, P <.0001) reported in 2005. The statistical analysis indicated that the modified CMS showed higher correlations and lower variability of correlations among 3 reviewers.

Conclusion

The quality of the currently available data on second-generation autologous chondrocyte transplantation is still limited by study designs. The modified CMS has demonstrated better sensitivity and reproducibility with respect to the original score, so it can be recommended for cartilage clinical studies evaluation.
Damage Identification in Thick Steel Beam Based on Guided Ultrasonic Waves
Authors: Kai Sun  , Guang Meng  , Fucai Li  , Lin Ye  , Ye Lu
Published: October 2009

Most current studies of guided-wave-based damage detection have been conducted on thin plate-like structures. This article presents a study of damage identification based on activated ultrasonic waves in a thick steel beam. The diagnosis procedure, with key parameters such as excitation frequency and cycle number of the diagnostic waveform, is elaborated in relation to beam dimension as well as pulse-echo/pitch-catch configurations of PZT active sensors attached to the beam. Finite element simulation was conducted to characterize wave propagation in the beam, and the signals of wave propagation were experimentally measured; the results show good agreement with outcomes of the simulation. To aid damage identification, the group velocity of the guided wave was calculated using the envelope of the signal, which was obtained by Hilbert transform. The results for damage location and severity assessment demonstrate that the guided-wave-based damage identification approach can also be applied to certain thick structures for the purpose of structural health monitoring.
Adaptive Learning and the Allocation of Time
Authors: Son Lisa K. , Sethi Rajiv
Published: October 2009

Time is a perishable resource that cannot be reallocated once it has elapsed. As a result, time allocation decisions must often be adjusted on the basis of information that becomes available during the process of allocation itself. We show that adaptive rules of this kind will not generally result in optimal allocations when the relationship between the optimal allocation and the time budget exhibits discontinuities, as is the case with logistic learning curves. Under such circumstances, self-guided study is likely to perform poorly relative to appropriately guided learning.
Travelers’ Takes on Hotel—Restaurant Co-Branding: Insights for China
Authors: Denizci Guillet Basak , Tasci Asli D. A.
Published: October 2009

Co-branding, or the collaboration of two or more brands to reach the objectives of all brands involved, is a strategic business option for many hotels and restaurants in the Western world, especially the United States and Europe. But many questions remain unanswered about hotel—restaurant co-branding in the Eastern world, especially in China, one of the world’s fastest growing and most promising tourism markets. As a new venue of inquiry within tourism and hospitality, co-branding has been investigated by only a few researchers, and mainly from the perspective of the industry in the West. The objective of the current study was to shed light on consumer perspectives in the East and to examine empirically how hotel—restaurant partnerships in China are potentially perceived by consumers of diverse characteristics. The findings indicate several opportunities, as well as threats, for both hotels and restaurants as potential co-branding partners in the Chinese market. The research and the practical implications are provided.
The angiotensin II type 2 receptor in renal disease
Authors: Wenzel Ulrich Otto , Krebs Christian , Benndorf Ralf
Published: October 2009

Suppression of angiotensin II formation by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or blockade of the angiotensin II receptor by angiotensin receptor blockers is a powerful therapeutic strategy to slow the progression of renal disease. However, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers provide only imperfect protection against the progression of chronic kidney disease to end-stage renal failure. Hence, innovative approaches are needed to keep patients with chronic kidney disease off dialysis. Angiotensin II activates at least two receptors, namely the angiotensin II type 1 (AT 1) and angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptors. The majority of the effects of angiotensin II, such as vasoconstriction, inflammation, and matrix deposition, are mediated via the AT1 receptor. It is thought that the AT2 receptor counteracts these effects and plays a role in nephroprotection. However, recent data support the notion that the AT2 receptor transduces pro-inflammatory effects and promotes fibrosis and hypertrophy. Therefore, the question of whether stimulation of the AT2 receptor could represent a silver bullet for the treatment of chronic kidney disease or may, on the contrary, exert detrimental effects on renal physiology remains unresolved. Recent data from AT2 receptor-knockout mice demonstrate that the loss of AT2 receptor signalling is associated with increased renal injury and mortality in chronic kidney disease. This raises the expectation that pharmacological stimulation of the AT2 receptor may positively influence renal pathologies. However, further research is needed to explore the question whether AT2 receptor stimulation may represent a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chronic kidney disease.
The past, present and future of angiotensin II type 2 receptor stimulation
Authors: Steckelings U. Muscha , Rompe Franziska , Kaschina Elena , Namsolleck Pawel , Grzesiak Aleksandra , Funke-Kaiser Heiko , Bader Michael , Unger Thomas
Published: October 2009

Studying the angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2) has been problematic in the past because a pharmacological tool for direct, specific in vitro and in vivo stimulation of the receptor has been lacking. Consequently, current knowledge about AT2receptor signalling and function had to be obtained by indirect approaches, like studying animals or cells with genetically altered AT2receptor expression levels, inhibitory experiments using specific AT2receptor antagonists, stimulation with angiotensin II under concomitant angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade or stimulation with the peptide agonist CGP42112A, which has additional AT2receptor antagonistic properties. The recently developed non-peptide AT2receptor agonist Compound 21 now, for the first time, allows direct, selective and specific AT2receptor stimulation in vitro and in vivo . This new tool will certainly revolutionise AT2receptor research, enable many new insights into AT2receptor function and may also have the potential to become a future medical drug. This article reviews milestone findings about AT2receptor functional properties obtained by ‘conventional’ experimental approaches within the last 20 years. Moreover, it provides an overview of the first results obtained by direct AT2receptor stimulation with Compound 21, comprising effects on alkaline secretion, neurite outgrowth, blood pressure and post-infarct cardiac function.
Coalition Contract Management as a Systems Change Strategy for HIV Prevention
Authors: Darrow William W. , Montanea Julie E. , Sánchez-Braña Elizabeth
Published: October 2009

Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 provided a unique opportunity for minority community-based organizations (CBOs) to work together to eliminate disparities in HIV disease. A coalition was formed in Broward County to respond to the REACH 2010 program announcement, a university was chosen to coordinate efforts, and contracts were negotiated with CBO partners to develop, implement, and evaluate a community action plan. Contract management provided stability, focus, and a mechanism for coalition partners to measure progress toward achieving project objectives. By emphasizing documentation as well as the delivery of services, however, contract conditions also placed a heavy burden on educational outreach workers, restricted the reimbursable activities of member organizations, and created friction between minority agencies and university staff. Although the coalition met many of its objectives, the introduction and enforcement of a mutually agreed on set of rules and obligations as a way of promoting systems change in Broward County failed to make a lasting impact among community partners. CBOs continued to compete with one another for HIV prevention project funding and stopped collaborating as closely with another when federal support for our REACH 2010 community demonstration project ran out.
Semantic Event-Related Potential Components Reflect Severity of Comprehension Deficits in Aphasia
Authors: Kawohl W. , Bunse S. , Willmes K. , Hoffrogge A. , Buchner H. , Huber W.
Published: October 2009

Background and objectives. Several cognitive event-related potential (ERP) components such as mismatch negativity, P300, N400, and the late positive component (LPC) have been studied in aphasia. The aim of this study was to determine whether a modified semantic incongruity paradigm can serve as a more graded differentiation of ERP changes in patients with mild versus severe comprehension deficits. Methods. A total of 20 aphasic patients with minor and severe comprehension deficits and 20 young and elder healthy controls were examined while reading 4-word sentences ending in a semantically congruent or noncongruent word. Results. In contrast to young controls and to patients with mild comprehension deficits, aphasic patients with severe comprehension deficits exhibit an early positivity in the time window from 200 to 400 milliseconds and no N400 after the presentation of nonrecurrent semantically incongruent words. Patients with mild comprehension deficits were found to have an N400 with prolonged latency in comparison with the controls. An age effect in the control groups was detected as well. Discussion. Semantic access and integration are performed differently in aphasic subjects with severe comprehension deficits. These differences in lexical—semantic processing must be taken into account in rehabilitation approaches that aim to improve comprehension deficits. Moreover, the findings may contribute to the design of therapy studies by employing a physiological measure that can discriminate among patients at baseline and at the end of an intervention.
Does Functional Electrical Stimulation for Foot Drop Strengthen Corticospinal Connections?
Authors: Everaert Dirk G. , Thompson Aiko K. , Su Ling Chong  , Stein Richard B.
Published: October 2009

Background. Long-term use of a foot-drop stimulator applying functional electrical stimulation (FES) to the common peroneal nerve improves walking performance even when the stimulator is off. This “therapeutic” effect might result from neuroplastic changes. Objective. To determine the effect of long-term use of a foot-drop stimulator on residual corticospinal connections in people with central nervous system disorders. Methods. Ten people with nonprogressive disorders (eg, stroke) and 26 with progressive disorders (eg, multiple sclerosis) used a foot-drop stimulator for 3 to 12 months while walking in the community. Walking performance and electrophysiological variables were measured before and after FES use. From the surface electromyogram of the tibialis anterior muscle, we measured the following: (1) motor-evoked potential (MEP) from transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex, (2) maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), and (3) maximum motor wave (Mmax) from stimulating the common peroneal nerve. Results. After using FES, MEP and MVC increased significantly by comparable amounts, 50% and 48%, respectively, in the nonprogressive group and 27% and 17% in the progressive group; the changes were positively correlated ( R2 = .35; P < .001). Walking speed increased with the stimulator off (therapeutic effect) by 24% ( P = .008) and 7% ( P = .014) in the nonprogressive and progressive groups, respectively. The changes in Mmax were small and not correlated with changes in MEP. Conclusions. The large increases in MVC and MEP suggest that regular use of a foot-drop stimulator strengthens activation of motor cortical areas and their residual descending connections, which may explain the therapeutic effect on walking speed.