bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copper in Chile - When the Resource “Outside” Becomes a Blessing
Authors: Kubacki Konrad , Wieprzowski Paweł
Published: October 2014

The article aims at explaining how a small opened economy can effectively deal with a resource abundance problem. The thesis of the essay is a statement that Chile has been able to cope with the resource “outside” by developing proper institutions and diversifying the structure of its foreign trade. To verify the thesis, a literature review of theoretical recommendations how to utilize resource revenues without harming economy, as well as analyses of chosen macroeconomic variables were conducted. The possible solutions on how to deal with resource abundance problem are following: investing resource revenues outside of the economy, implementing fiscal rules that will stabilize budget revenues and prevent inflation from rising, and diversifying export in terms of product and geographical structure. Consequently, these solutions have been introduced in Chile, the world leading producer of copper, several years ago and proved to be very successful. Chile enjoys stable resource revenues despite the business cycle and performance of the copper market, while its real effective rate and export competitiveness has not been eroded. T is paper presents, according to author's knowledge, the first detailed case study analysis of the country from Latin America, that has been successfully dealing with the resource abundance problem over several decades.
On Economics in Poland in 1949-1989: Introduction
Authors: Czarny Bogusław
Published: October 2014

This article is a concise introduction into the history of economics in totalitarian Poland in 1949-1989. In it, I attempt to show the degradation of economics in Poland in this period. The main theses of the article are three. First, academic economics and the institutions necessary for the normal functioning of science were destroyed in Poland at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s. Pseudo science was substituted for the science of economics. Second, these events had a damaging impact on the quality of research in the years that followed. In my opinion, the alleged achievements of Polish economists, e.g., Oskar Lange's monograph Ekonomia polityczna, as well as the works of Włodzimierz Brus and members of the so-called “Wakar School,” were of only “outside” importance. Third, after 1949, the teaching of economics degenerated as well.

In effect, the achievements of Polish economists in the period 1949-1989 are negligible. They did not contribute significantly to the accumulation of true knowledge about the economy. Moreover, in violation of the ideals of science, Polish economists intensely indoctrinated the society, perpetuating the totalitarian system in Poland.
Challenge of Sport Towards Social Inclusion and Awareness-Raising Against Any Discrimination
Authors: Marivoet Salomé
Published: October 2014

Sport presents itself as a social configuration that enhances social inclusion by promoting tolerance, respect for others, cooperation, loyalty and friendship, and values associated with fair play, the most important ethical principles of sport. However, intolerance and exclusion can also be expressed in sport, certainly even more so the bigger the social inequalities and the ethnic, religious, gender, disability, and sexual orientation prejudices are in society. The processes of social exclusion, integration, and inclusion are research areas in the social sciences with consolidated knowledge, namely in the study of the problems of poverty, social inequalities, racial and ethnic discrimination, disability, and education. However, it is necessary to discuss the existing theoretical approaches and conceptions seen as explanatory principles of the reality of these fields of analysis, look at how they can frame the reality on the sports field, and then confirm them through empirical research in order to produce knowledge based on the reality of social facts. Despite the broad consensus on the potential of sport in promoting social inclusion, in this paper I stress that this potential can only become real if the orientation of sport includes strategies aimed at achieving these goals. I intend to show how the –social issue‖ in the field of sports has gained relevance in the institutional context, and thereby a new field of research for the social science of sport has been opened and needs to be deepened.
The Sport for All Ideal: A Tool for Enhancing Human Capabilities and Dignity
Authors: Javier Francisco
Published: October 2014

Sport, as a child of modernity, is intertwined with typically modern elements, such as the search for universality, competition, and the fascination for measurement. As modernity is essentially defined, in legal and moral terms, as a search for universally grounded moral principles or basic human rights, modern sports are widely seen as a means to promote typically modern values such as dignity. This paper conceives of the term "dignity" in light of the capabilities approach upheld by Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen. According to these authors, dignity is conferred according to certain human basic capabilities that we all are entitled to. This is the reason why this article explores how sport can be a tool for enhancing and exercising such human capabilities. In so doing, I shall argue that the Sport for All ideal provides us with a normative proposal to achieve such a task since it embodies the basic spirit and ethical goals of our modern society. Moreover, connecting the promotion of dignity to the capabilities approach will allow us not just to use sport as a means for development, but also to provide us with specific criteria to evaluate the impact of sport in the wider society regarding the promotion of people‘s dignity.
Burned Out Or Just Frustrated? Reasons Why Physical Education Teachers Leave Their Profession
Authors: Cieśliński Ryszard , Szum Ernest
Published: October 2014

This work focuses on the reasons why physical education (PE) teachers leave their profession. The study included 80 individuals who decided to leave a teaching profession in 2013. A diagnostic poll method with the use of the QWL (Quality of Work Life) index was employed in the study. It was observed that there are usually a number of reasons why they give up their job, the most important being financial reasons. Their decision is influenced by the accumulation of professional and personal problems as well as their inability to solve them. The findings showed that teachers‘ departure from the profession is generally associated with the issue of burnout; however, financial reasons are most frequently ones that directly affect this decision.
Integration of Monetary and Fiscal Policy of the Countries of the Visegrad Group
Authors: Kappel Stanislav , Janků Jan
Published: October 2014

The aim of this paper is to evaluate mutual interaction of monetary and fiscal policies in the countries of the Visegrad group, i.e. in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. The relationship of monetary and fiscal policy - their coordination, cooperation or mutual antagonism - are basic determinants of successful implementation for economic policy of the state. Fiscal and monetary policies usually have different aims, and some conflict situations may arise in practical economic and political decision- making. Each policy has to make its decision with regard to the other one. Methodical approaches of this contribution are based on the game theory, which deals with the analysis of a wide range of decision situations with more participants (players) and it is primarily focused on the conflict situations. This game-theoretical approach is responsible for creating the theoretical model which is then dealt with in the empirical analysis. We find a distinctly stabilizing role of monetary policy and relatively problematic stabilizing role of fiscal policy in the analyzed countries. The dominant role of monetary policy is statistically confirmed in the case of the Czech Republic and Hungary.
Comparison of Development of Non-governmental Organizations and the Current State of Their Funding in Slovakia and Austria
Authors: Svidroňová Mária , Vaceková Gabriela
Published: October 2014

Non-governmental organizations play a vital role in the economy of every country. They are not only providers of special type of services that public sector is not capable of providing in full quality and quantity, and private sector is not interested in, but they are also watch dogs of the society and builders of active citizenship. Thus they have become an object of many research studies. The divergence in their goals, sizes, roles, types of services provided, and ways of funding make NGOs an interesting subject. As a goal for our research we therefore chose a comparison of the development and state of the Slovak and Austrian non-profit sector in the view of historical development of both countries. Consequently, we want to evaluate the funding of NGOs in Slovakia and Austria. In the paper we map the development of non-profit sector in Slovakia and Austria and in the context of a common historical development we assess a current state and a potential of economic strength of NGOs in both countries. The output is comparison of funding of NGOs in Slovakia and Austria based on statistical data evaluation. Subsequently, we propose recommendation for suitable diversification of the funding sources.
Analysis of the Structure of Job Offers on the Czech Labour Market
Authors: Martínek Tomáš , Hanzlík Petr
Published: October 2014

Labour market development is an important macro-economic indicator of every national economy. Labour supply in particular fields should reflect on demands of employers on newly recruited employees. These demands can be analysed by studying published job offers. This analysis of Czech labour market is conducted based on the aggregated statistical data collected by an on-demand application. The studied data sample covers more than 60% of all the job offers published in the Czech Republic. The situation in respective occupational fields is compared with aggregate nation-wide average as well as with data from other fields. Results show distinct differences in absolute quantity of offers, compensations to employees offered as well as qualification requirements.
Embolization of the Middle Meningeal Artery Effectively Treats Refractory Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gobran Alfotih , Li Fang-Cheng , Xu Xin-Ke , Zhang Shang-Yi
Published: October 2014

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) formation mechanism is very complex, and has not entirely understood. It represents a frequent type of intracranial hemorrhage, and is very common disease in Neurosurgery practice, especially in older patients. Various surgical treatments have been proposed for the treatment of CSDH. The rate of recurrence in CSDH after surgery ranges from 5% to 30%, repeated surgery must be considered. But in some cases subdural collections are still persistent. Endovascular embolization of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) is an option for treatment of refractory CSDH. We review all cases that were treated with embolization to assess the effect of this intervention. Our review revealed 6 papers with a total enrollment of 14 patients were treated with MMA embolization for refractory chronic subdural hematoma without any postoperative complication or recurrence. In this study we suggest MMA embolization as an alternative for treatment of non-curable CSDH, especially for old people with systematic diseases, who cannot tolerate repeat surgery.
A Rare Case of Medulloblastoma with Excessive Nodularity: Imagistic Features
Authors: Tascu A. , Rizea R. E.
Published: October 2014

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant tumor of childhood. Neuroimaging can play a role in the diagnosis of medulloblastoma, however atypical features do exist [2]. We report the case of a 1 year and 10- month-old infant diagnosed with a medulloblastoma with what we term “excessive” nodularity based on neuroimaging features and confirmed by neuropathology. CT-scan (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination of the brain revealed a very large posterior fossa tumor attached to tentorium. On T2-weighted and post-gadolinium sequences, the tumor shows an extensive nodular grape-like appearance. Initial the patient was underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. The second operative procedure was tumour resection. Histology examen revealed a diagnosis of medulloblastoma desmoplastic with extensive nodularity. The neuroradiographic features of this medulloblastoma with what we describe as “excessive” nodularity are important to recognize as these children may be cured with chemotherapy alone.
Developing a Traumatic Brain Injury Registry: Lessons Learned from Difficulties
Authors: Agrawal Amit , Prasad M. Veera , Kumar S. Satish , Subrahmanyan B. V. , Harisha P. N. , Malleswara Rao G.
Published: October 2014

Aim: The aim of present article is to share our experiences and lessons learned from a pilot study which was conducted to collect data to serve as a model in establishing a multi-center registry on traumatic brain injury patients.

Methods: The present study was conducted from December 2013 to June 2014 in the Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine. All patients with the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (as per the criteria laid by International Classification of Disease injury codes ICD 10) were enrolled in the study. Variables were identified as per the international norms and the data points were selected which included demographic details, pre-hospital characteristics, clinical details in emergency room, injury details, course during hospital stay, treatment and disposition. The data were categorized into master data, data related to pre-hospital events including pre-hospital care, data related to emergency room care offered in the emergency department, data related to hospital stay and patient course, outcome and follow up.

Results: A total of 231 patients were admitted with the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. There were 79.1% male and 20.5% female patients. Mean age was 37.19 years (SD±17.02 years, range 4-87 years). Mean hospital stay was 3.66 days (SD±4.46 days, range-1-21 days). Data were collected daily for all the admitted patients on previous day fulfilling the inclusion criteria. The Proforma was easy to comprehend and it was easy to fill.

Conclusion: We found that a well-designed Proforma based under supervision data collection in a relatively low volume trauma center. We found that a well-designed Proforma based under supervision data collection in a relatively low volume trauma center and at regular intervals can be costeffective which can be managed by personnel with basic training.
Falx Cerebelli Meningioma: Technical Note
Authors: Agrawal Amit
Published: October 2014

The falx cerebelli is a small sickle-shaped fold of dura mater below the tentorium cerebelli, which projects forward into the posterior cerebellar notch. We report a rare case of 28 year female presented with the history of headache of six months duration off and it increased in severity and frequency over last 15 days. Imaging findings were suggestive of meningiona arising from the falx cerebelli. The lesion could be excised totally and safely.
Posttraumatic Chronic Ossified Extradural Hematoma: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Mittal Radhe Shyam
Published: October 2014

Posttraumatic Chronic ossified extradural hematomas are rare entities. Natural absorption of EDH does not occurs due to calcification. Chronic ossified EDH is frequently present in paediatric age group. Careful regular follow-up is mandatory in conservatively managed case of EDH in children. We report a rare case of Posttraumatic Chronic ossified extradural hematomas in a 10-years old girl presenting six years after head injury with right temporal region swelling.
Translation and Cross-cultural Adaptation of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form Into Turkish
Authors: Çelik Derya , Coşkunsu Dilber , KiliÇoğlu Önder , Ergönül Önder , Irrgang James J.
Published: October 2014

Study Design

Clinical measurement.

Objective

To translate and culturally adapt the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form into Turkish and to determine selected psychometric properties of the translated version.

Background

The IKDC Subjective Knee Form is widely used to evaluate disability associated with knee injuries, but it has not yet been translated or culturally adapted for Turkish-speaking individuals.

Methods

The IKDC Subjective Knee Form was translated into Turkish, consistent with published methodological guidelines. The process included 2 forward translations, followed by the synthesis of these translations, and 2 backward translations, followed by an analysis of the translations and creation of the final version. The measurement properties of the Turkish IKDC Subjective Knee Form (internal consistency, construct validity, and floor and ceiling effects) were tested in 103 patients (52 male; average ± SD age, 34.9 ± 11.9 years) with a variety of knee pathologies. Reproducibility was tested in 58 patients (28 male; age, 33.7 ± 10.6 years) over 3 to 14 days, and responsiveness was tested in 33 patients (23 male; age, 30.8 ± 8.0 years) with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Cronbach alpha was used to assess internal consistency, and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to estimate the test-retest reliability. Construct validity was analyzed with the Turkish version of the Lysholm knee score, the Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale, and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.

Results

The Turkish version of the IKDC Subjective Knee Form showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach coefficient α = .89) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91). The correlation coefficients between the IKDC Subjective Knee Form and the Lysholm knee score and Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale were 0.64 and 0.89, respectively (P<.001). The highest correlations between the IKDC Subjective Knee Form and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey were observed in the physical functioning subscale and the physical component summary score (r = 0.69 and r = 0.70, respectively; P<.05); the lowest correlations were observed in the mental health subscale and mental component summary score (r = 0.13 and r = 0.05, respectively). We observed no floor or ceiling effects. The IKDC Subjective Knee Form demonstrated a large effect size with the group tested (2.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.61, 2.59).

Conclusion

The Turkish version of the IKDC Subjective Knee Form has sufficient reliability and validity to measure patient-reported outcomes for Turkish-speaking individuals with a variety of knee disorders. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014;44(11):899–909. Epub 16 October 2014. doi:10.2519/jospt.2014.4865
Eliciting Production of L2 Target Structures through Priming Activities
Authors: McDonough Kim , Neumann Heike , Trofimovich Pavel
Published: October 2014

Abstract:

This study focuses on the pedagogical applications of structural priming research in an English for academic purposes (EAP) context, investigating whether priming activities are an effective tool for eliciting production of target grammatical structures. University students across four EAP classes carried out a total of 6 information-exchange activities over a 13-week semester. Some students received information-exchange activities that provided models of the target structures (e.g., primes), while other students received activities without any models. Analysis of the students’ novel utterances generated from sentence fragments (e.g., prompts) indicated that students who carried out the priming activities produced more target structures following prime sentences than they did in the absence of primes. In addition, students who did priming activities produced significantly more relative clauses and adverbial clauses overall than did students who carried out the activities without models, but there was no difference in their production of passives. Implications and suggestions for instructors interested in incorporating priming activities in L2 classrooms are discussed.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection with Mycobacterium fortuitum: a rare offending organism
Authors: Cadena Gilbert , Wiedeman Jean , Boggan James E.
Published: October 2014

Postsurgical infection is one of the greatest potential morbidities of ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. The majority of infections can be linked to contamination with skin flora at the time of surgery, a phenomenon that has been well described. However, there is a paucity of literature regarding infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria. The authors report a case of postoperative ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection with Mycobacterium fortuitum and review the available neurosurgical literature and treatment strategies.
A unifying theory for the multifactorial origin of cerebellar tonsillar herniation and hydrocephalus in osteopetrosis
Authors: Scott William W. , Weprin Bradley E. , Swift Dale M.
Published: October 2014

Object

Osteopetrosis is a rare congenital metabolic bone disease. There are very few reports in the literature associating cerebellar tonsillar herniation (CTH) and hydrocephalus requiring neurosurgical attention. The authors present cases of osteopetrosis requiring neurosurgical intervention from their practice and offer a detailed account of the literature.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted at the authors' institution, and all children with osteopetrosis requiring neurosurgical attention were identified. Medical charts and radiographic studies were reviewed. Data including age at presentation, sex, symptoms at presentation, age at follow-up, the presence of any neurological comorbidities, and surgical procedures performed were recorded.

Results

Four patients were identified as having osteopetrosis requiring neurosurgical attention at the authors' institution between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2014. There were 3 females and 1 male with an average age at presentation of 11.1 years; patients were observed for a mean of 4.4 years. All of the patients were identified as harboring jugular foraminal stenosis and CTH. Seventy-five percent of these patients developed hydrocephalus, and in those cases a triventricular pattern of dilation was noted. One patient developed syringomyelia. Three of the 4 patients underwent neurosurgical procedures. Cerebrospinal fluid diversion was performed in 2 patients via a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in one case and an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in the other. The former patient required a proximal revision at 2 years for bony overgrowth at the site of the bur hole. Two patients underwent a suboccipital decompression. In patients undergoing CSF diversion, there was improvement in ventricle size.

Conclusions

Variable degrees of hindbrain crowding and/or CTH are mentioned throughout the literature, suggesting that this entity is nearly always present in this patient population. The progressive triventricular hydrocephalus seen in these cases results from a complex combination of both communicating and noncommunicating pathology, which may depend on the type of osteopetrosis, age at presentation, and the presence and degree of venous collateralization, and it appears that the hydrocephalus is more prevalent and more likely to be treated in infants and in the younger, school-aged population. The acquired hindbrain fullness in conjunction with the triventricular pattern of hydrocephalus has kept the authors enthusiastic regarding the use of ETV in these complicated cases.
Functional variability of sacral roots in bladder control
Authors: Carlucci Lore , Wavasseur Thomas , Bénard Antoine , Sesay Musa , Delleci Claire , Goossens David , Vignes Jean-Rodolphe
Published: October 2014

Object

Sacral roots are involved in sensory, autonomic, and motor innervation of the lower limbs and perineum. Theoretically, it can be assumed that the S-3 root level innervates the bladder; however, clinical practice shows that this distribution can vary. Few researchers have studied this variability.

Methods

The authors conducted a retrospective study involving 40 patients who underwent surgery requiring an electrophysiological exploration of the sacral roots. They performed stimulations for the monitoring of muscular (3 Hz, 1 V) and bladder responses under cystomanometry (30 Hz, 10 V).

Results

Although the S-3 roots were involved in bladder innervation in all cases, they were exclusively involved (i.e., the only nerve roots involved) in only 8 of 40 cases. In the remaining 32 cases, other sacral nerve roots were involved. The most common association was S-3+S-4 (12 cases), followed by S-2+S-3 (6 cases), S-2+S-3+S-4 (5 cases), and S-3+S-4+S-5 (2 cases). Stimulation of S-2 could sometimes induce bladder contraction (15 cases, 40%); however, the amplitude was often low. S-4 nerve roots were involved in 24 of 40 cases (60%) in the bladder motor function, whereas S-5 roots were only involved 7 times (17%). Occasionally, we noticed a horizontal asymmetry in the response, with a predominant response from the right side in 6 of 7 cases, always with a major S-3 response.

Conclusions

This is the first study showing a significant horizontal and vertical variability in the functional distribution of sacral roots in bladder innervation. These results show the variability of cauda equina syndromes and their forensic implications. These data should help with the monitoring of sacral roots and the performance of several tasks during surgery, including neurostimulation and neuromodulation.
Untoward obstetric outcome among Smokeless Tobacco (ST - Mishri) users in Western Maharashtra
Authors: Pratinidhi Asha , Ganganahalli Praveen , Kakade Satish V
Published: October 2014

Background: Use of tobacco and new products is increasing not only among men but also among children, teenagers, women of reproductive age group. Mishri (ST) is one among them. Smoking is an established cause of adverse pregnancy outcome. There are indications that using smokeless tobacco could be as detrimental to fetal health as cigarette smoking. Objective: To compare the outcome of pregnancy among women who were using Mishri during pregnancy and those not using it at Krishna hospital, Karad. Materials and Methods: Pregnant women using Mishri during pregnancy were selected for study from Krishna hospital, Karad and equal numbers of pregnant women not using tobacco were selected as comparison group after matching for age and parity. Observations: The proportion of pregnant women using Mishri during pregnancy was 12%. A significant number of users was found to be anemic (69.8%). Significantly higher number of Mishri users experienced complications like Oligohydramnios, fetal distress, delivery before EDD (91.9%) and birth of Low birth weight babies (81.7%) with short stature and increased Ponderal Index. Conclusion: Special attention should be given to avoid or at least reduce the use of Mishri during pregnancy as a part of routine antenatal care to reduce the adverse perinatal outcome. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.15215 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.401-405
Acute Myeloid Leukemia Presenting as Acute Bulbar Palsy
Authors: Singal Kiran Kumar , Mittal Ajay , Aggarwal Rajni , Aggarwal Saurav , Khan Rao Farman , Sarin Saakshi
Published: October 2014

Myeloid Sarcoma1 (also termed as chloroma, granulocytic sarcoma, extra medullary myeloid tumor) is a rare extra medullary tumor composed of immature myeloid cells (myeloblast)2. It is usually associated with leukemia or other myeloproliferative disorder. Myeloid Sarcoma in the central nervous system, around the brain stem is the commonest site of presentation and require high suspicion for diagnosis. We report a forty years male patient with history of dysphagia, dysphonia for last two months. MRI showed chloromas around the brain stem. Laboratory investigations revealed the presence of AML. This is a rare case of Myeloid Sarcoma around the brain stem in a patient of AML. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.16056 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.481-483
A case of Psoriasis with an increase in HDL cholesterol
Authors: Sharma Booloo , Sarmah Devajit
Published: October 2014

Psoriasis is an immune mediated chronic skin infection which is often associated with an abnormal lipid metabolism. Studies have proved that the abnormality in lipid profile is manifested by an increase in total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL cholesterol and a decrease in HDL cholesterol. The present case of psoriasis presents with an increased HDL cholesterol. Various studies have shown the alteration in size and number of HDL lipoproteins in psoriasis which hampers the normal efflux function of HDL lipoproteins. These HDL also have a significant alteration in protein and lipid content. These small and altered HDLs are more atherogenic and thereby increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases in such psoriatic patients. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.16261 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.470-472
Combination therapy in hemiballismus-hemichorea syndromes - a report of two cases
Authors: Mishra Vikas , Jain Suresh , Sorabjee Jehangir
Published: October 2014

Hemiballismus-hemichorea is an uncommon disorder. In the past, patients developing hemiballismus and hemichorea were considered to have poor prognosis with high morbidity and even mortality at times. While majority of patients of hemiballismus go into spontaneous remission, some severe cases require prolonged treatment. We here describe two such cases of which one presented to us with post stroke hemiballismus, unresponsive to monotherapy and the other was an HIV positive patient with unresponsive hemichorea secondary to CNS toxoplasmosis. Both these patients responded well when combination therapy was instituted and had normal recovery. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.17536 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.484-487
Optical Coherence Tomography: a new era in dentistry
Authors: Gupta Gunjan , Dhaded Sunil , Shalini BN
Published: October 2014

Dental prostheses are very complex systems, heterogenous in structure, made up from various materials, with different physical properties. They have to satisfy high stress requirements as well as aesthetic challenges. The failures of dental prostheses lead to functional, aesthetic and phonetic disturbances which finally render the prosthetic treatment inefficient. OCT is a tomography imaging technology capable of producing high-resolution cross-sectional images of the internal architecture of materials and tissues. This includes not only the images of normal and abnormal dental hard tissue structures but also teeth after several treatment methods. It can be used for non-invasive investigations for both in-vivo and in-vitro structural imaging within the oral cavity.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.20553Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.388-390
Evaluation of the Braden Scale Implementation by nurses: a Case Study in a Specialized Hospital in the Dhaka City
Authors: Banu Afroza , Sae-Sia Wipa , Khupantavee Natenapha
Published: October 2014

Objective: The aim of this routine to research (R to R) developmental study was to implement the Braden Scale (BS) to identify risks of pressure ulcer (PU) development among hospitalized patients with spinal cord injury admitted in National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Bangladesh. Methods: Rogers Diffusion of Innovation Theory and PU related literature were used to guide the development of the implementation. The subjects were 10 nurses and 13 doctors who were working at the NITOR. Different strategies were provided for the implementation of the BS including workshops to provide knowledge, persuasion, and decision making to implement the BS for the nurse participants. The outcomes of this study were to determine: (a) nurses adoption in terms of the rate of using the BS and the accuracy of using the BS to identify PU risks, (b) nurses satisfaction to use the BS, and (c) doctors satisfaction on the implication of the BS to identify the risks of PUs in hospitalized adult patients with paraplegia. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and percentage of agreement.Results: Weekly proportions of nurses adoption in terms of the rate of using the BS ranged from 96% to 100%. The accuracy of using the BS yielded percentage of agreement between 70.6% to 100% for each item of the BS. Nurses and doctors satisfactions were at very high levels. Mean score of nurses satisfaction was 98.5% (SD=1.23) and mean score of doctors satisfaction was 89.79% (SD=4.17).Conclusion: Nurses are capable to assess PU risks of paraplegic patients independently by using the BS and may be incorporated to identify PU risks in addition to their work protocol. After identifying the PU risks, effective nursing care should be implemented to the patients in order to prevent the PU formation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.20587 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.411-414
Assessment of PEFR and FEF25-75 in Female SLE Patients and their Relationship with Duration of the Disease
Authors: Hussain Dilroze , Majid Farjana , Zahir Muneera , Sultana Ohida , Begum Shelina
Published: October 2014

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder which affects multiple organs of human including lungs. Objectives: To assess PEFR and FEF25-75 in SLE patients and to correlate them with the duration of the disease.Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, BSMMU, Dhaka, from January 2010 to December 2010. A total number of 120 female subjects were selected, among which 30 were age and BMI matched apparently healthy subjects for comparison (control) and 90 were patients of SLE (study group). All the patients were matched for age, sex and BMI. Based on the duration of the disease, patients were subdivided into B1 (1-6 months), B2 (2-5 years) and B3 (6-10 years). Controls were selected from the community and the patients from the Out Patient Department (OPD) of SLE clinic, Department of Medicine, BSMMU, Dhaka. (PEFR) and FEF25-75 of all the subjects were measured by a Digital MicroDL spirometer. For statistical analysis Independent Sample t test, One way ANOVA test and Pearsons correlation coefficient test were performed as applicable.Results: The mean percentage of predicted values of lung function parameters in healthy female subjects were within normal ranges. The mean percentage of predicted values of PEFR and FEF25-75 were significantly lower in all study groups when compared to control. Again, the mean percentage of predicted values of PEFR and FEF25-75 were significantly lower in the patients of Group B3 compared to Group B2. Moreover, these comparisons were significantly lower when compared to Group B1. The differences of the mean percentage of predicted value of PEFR, FEF25-75 were non-significantly lower in Group B2 when compare to Group B1. In addition, FEF25-75 were positively correlated with duration of SLE in group B2 but negatively correlated in B3. On the other hand PEFR was negatively correlated with duration of SLE in both B2 and B3. All these values were statistically non-significant. Conclusion: These pulmonary functions decrease in SLE female and the reduction is inconsistently associated with duration of the disease. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.20588 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.416-420
Growth Pattern of Exclusively Breastfed Babies in Urban Affluent of Bangladesh
Authors: Huq Mohammad Nurul , Sarwar Khondaker Bulbul
Published: October 2014

Objective: To find out the growth in the exclusively breastfed babies of the affluent mothers and to compare the figures with those of the children in the industrialized countries. Methods and materials: Fifty-three babies were selected in 1 year time period for this cross-sectional study under 6-month of age with prefixed criteria, such as exclusively breastfed and not fed with any formula feeding. Recommended schedule of immunization (EPI) was followed to weigh and measure for supine length. Data were analyzed in PC through SPSS and some calculations were done in calculator too. Place and time of work: Data were collected from August 2011 to June 2012 in the Pediatrics Department of Bangladesh Medical College Hospital and the Researchers Chamber at Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Results: The data of developed countries showed that in first 3-month of age, children grow in weight 30 gm/day and in length 3.5 cm/month, followed by weight gain of 20 gm/day and linear growth 2 cm/month in next 3-6 months. Our babies could be compared to those figures, with 33.54 gm/day in the weight gain and 4.17 cm/month in linear growth in the first 3 months. The average weight gain during the next 3 months (3-6 months of age) was 22.3 gm/d and linear growth for this period was 2.12 cm/month.Conclusion: Babies of our country in well-off families can grow optimally in comparison to the growth of the babies in the industrialized countries, or even can exceed, if they are exclusively breastfed and brought up ensuring immunization and follow up in educated mothers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i4.20627 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(4) 2014 p.466-469
Israeli ‘Development’ and Education Policies and their Impact on the Negev Palestinian Bedouin: Historical Experience and Future Prospects
Authors: Abu-Saad Ismael
Published: October 2014

Throughout the last five decades, successive Israeli governments have attempted to split the minority group of Palestinian Arabs with Israeli citizenship into smaller groups based on religious (Muslim, Christian, Druze) or geographical distinctions (the ‘Galilee’, the northern region; the ‘Triangle’, the central region; and the ‘Negev’, the southern region) for control purposes. The governments' treatment of Negev Palestinian Arab Bedouin, who were traditionally a semi-nomadic population, provides a classic example of its segmentation policy. Although, in line with this policy, Israeli governments have unilaterally created and implemented development plans for the Negev Palestinian Arab Bedouin population, they have not integrated them into the national infrastructure in a viable and meaningful sense. This paper examines the historical experience of the Negev Palestinian Arab Bedouin and their actual development needs.
9/11 and Armageddon: the Christian Right and George W. Bush
Authors: Gunner Göran
Published: October 2014

Authors from the Christian Right in the USA situate the September 11 attack on New York and Washington within God's intentions to bring America into the divine schedule for the end of the world. This is true of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, and other leading figures in the ‘Christian Coalition’. This article analyses how Christian fundamentalists assess the roles of the USA, the State of Israel, Islam, Iraq, the European Union and Russia within what they perceive to be the divine plan for the future of the world, especially against the background of ‘9/11’. It argues that the ideas of the Christian Right and of President George W. Bush coalesce to a high degree. Whereas before 9/11 many American mega-church preachers had aspirations to direct political life, after the events of that day the President assumes some of the roles of a mega-religious leader.
Competing Narratives: Philosophical Reflections on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Authors: Burrell David B.
Published: October 2014

Assessing competing narratives is central to our understanding of the current crisis in the Holy Land. The histories of the region give us invaluable perspectives, which, in turn, take the form of stories. The stories attending nation-building, such as ‘socialist pioneers’ ‘making the desert bloom’, effectively have shaped the world's perception of the fledgling State of Israel, obscuring even the faces of the indigenous people of Palestine (not to mention their 1948 Nakba catastrophe). The same mindset, tragically, continues to prevail among American media: lines of questioning by the ‘anchor persons’ on the evening news simply presume that Israel is ‘us’ and Palestine ‘them’, no matter how ‘fair’ the presenters try to be. This article is a philosophical attempt to reflect on the evolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, giving both the historical background and the political context within which the current tragedy in Palestine-Israel is unfolding.
Postcolonial Theory, Multiculturalism and the Israeli Left: A Critique of Post-Zionism
Authors: Matta Nada
Published: October 2014

This article is a theoretical critique of the post-Zionist discourse that emerged in Israel in the early 1990s. It examines articles published by a group of leading Israeli intellectuals in Teoriya vi-Bekorit (Theory and Criticism), a Hebrew-language journal which promotes post-Zionist discourse. It focuses on three major components of the discourse: postcolonial theory, identity-politics and multiculturalism. It examines how these terms were imported into Israeli culture and society. The article highlights the problematic of applying these terms to Israel, and applies existing Marxist critique of the three theoretical dimensions. Finally, it argues for a distinctive post-Zionist critique, one that is based on solidarity among people, rather than difference and multiplicity.
A Structural Switch between Agonist and Antagonist Bound Conformations for a Ligand-Optimized Model of the Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand Binding Domain
Authors: Perkins Arden , Phillips Jessica , Kerkvliet Nancy , Tanguay Robert , Perdew Gary , Kolluri Siva , Bisson William
Published: October 2014

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the expression of a diverse group of genes. Exogenous AHR ligands include the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is a potent agonist, and the synthetic AHR antagonist N-2-(1H-indol-3yl)ethyl)-9-isopropyl-2- (5-methylpyridin-3-yl)-9H-purin-6-amine (GNF351). As no experimentally determined structure of the ligand binding domain exists, homology models have been utilized for virtual ligand screening (VLS) to search for novel ligands. Here, we have developed an “agonist-optimized” homology model of the human AHR ligand binding domain, and this model aided in the discovery of two human AHR agonists by VLS. In addition, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of an agonist TCDD-bound and antagonist GNF351-bound version of this model in order to gain insights into the mechanics of the AHR ligand-binding pocket. These simulations identified residues 307–329 as a flexible segment of the AHR ligand pocket that adopts discrete conformations upon agonist or antagonist binding. This flexible segment of the AHR may act as a structural switch that determines the agonist or antagonist activity of a given AHR ligand.
Mutational Analysis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Erstad Derek , Cusack James
Published: October 2014

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine malignancy that is associated with a poor prognosis. The pathogenesis of MCC is not well understood, and despite a recent plethora of mutational analyses, we have yet to find a set of signature mutations implicated in the majority of cases. Mutations, including TP53, Retinoblastoma and PIK3CA, have been documented in subsets of patients. Other mechanisms are also likely at play, including infection with the Merkel cell polyomavirus in a subset of patients, dysregulated immune surveillance, epigenetic alterations, aberrant protein expression, posttranslational modifications and microRNAs. In this review, we summarize what is known about MCC genetic mutations and chromosomal abnormalities, and their clinical significance. We also examine aberrant protein function and microRNA expression, and discuss the therapeutic and prognostic implications of these findings. Multiple clinical trials designed to selectively target overexpressed oncogenes in MCC are currently underway, though most are still in early phases. As we accumulate more molecular data on MCC, we will be better able to understand its pathogenic mechanisms, develop libraries of targeted therapies, and define molecular prognostic signatures to enhance our clinicopathologic knowledge.
Seismic Velocity/Temperature Correlations and a Possible New Geothermometer: Insights from Exploration of a High-Temperature Geothermal System on Montserrat, West Indies
Authors: Ryan Graham , Shalev Eylon
Published: October 2014

In 2013, two production wells were drilled into a geothermal reservoir on Montserrat, W.I. (West Indies) Drilling results confirmed the main features of a previously developed conceptual model. The results confirm that below ~220 °C there is a negative correlation between reservoir temperature and seismic velocity anomaly. However, above ~220 °C there is a positive correlation. We hypothesise that anomalous variations in seismic velocity within the reservoir are controlled to first order by the hydrothermal mineral assemblage. This study suggests a new geophysical thermometer which can be used to estimate temperatures in three dimensions with unprecedented resolution and to indicate the subsurface fluid pathways which are the target of geothermal exploitation.
Sociobehavioral Factors Associated with Caries Increment: A Longitudinal Study from 24 to 36 Months Old Children in Thailand
Authors: Peltzer Karl , Mongkolchati Aroonsri , Satchaiyan Gamon , Rajchagool Sunsanee , Pimpak Taksin
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study is to investigate sociobehavioral risk factors from the prenatal period until 36 months of age, and the caries increment from 24 to 36 months of the child in Thailand. The data utilized in this study come from the prospective cohort study of Thai children (PCTC) from prenatal to 36 months of the child in Mueang Nan district, Northern Thailand. The total sample size recruited was 783 infants. The sample size with dental caries data was 603 and 597, at 24 months and at 36 months, respectively. The sample size of having two assessment points with a dental examination (at 24 months and at 36 months) was 597. Results indicate that the caries increment was 52.9%, meaning from 365 caries free children at 24 months 193 had developed dental caries at 36 months. The prevalence of dental caries was 34.2% at 24 months (n = 206) and 68.5% at 36 months of age (n = 409). In bivariate analysis, higher education of the mother, lower household income, bottle feeding of the infant, frequent sweet candy consumptions, and using rain or well water as drinking water were associated with dental caries increment, while in multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis lower household income, higher education of the mother, and using rain or well water as drinking water remained associated with dental caries increment. In conclusion, a very significant increase in caries development was observed, and oral health may be influenced by sociobehavioural risk factors.