bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asystole and Severe Bradycardia in Preterm Infants
Authors: Dorostkar Parvin C. , Arko Marina K. , Baird Terry M. , Rodriguez Sara , Martin Richard J.
Published: August 2005

Transient episodes of apnea and bradycardia are common in preterm infants. Pronounced asystole or sinus arrest, however, is relatively rare and the clinical significance of such events is unknown. Objective: The purpose of our study was to: (1) evaluate the prevalence of severe bradycardic and asystolic events in infants studied with polygraphic cardiorespiratory monitoring, (2) characterize these events, and (3) correlate the events with other clinical findings. Methods: A total of 583 studies were performed in 454 preterm infants at a post-conceptional age 37.4 ± 2.5 (range 34–42 weeks). Asystolic pauses were defined as no QRS complex for ≧3 s consistent with a heart rate <20 beats per minute (bpm). Severe bradycardia was defined as no QRS for ≧2 s consistent with a heart rate of 21–30 bpm. Results: Eight infants (29.5 ± 3.9 weeks’ gestational age, birth weight 1,283 ± 445 g) met the criteria of having had at least 1 asystolic event (heart rate ≤20 bpm). These infants had a total of 32 episodes of bradycardia ≤30 bpm, of which 22 episodes were classified as asystole. During the asystolic episodes, the P-R interval remained unchanged in 21 of 22 episodes and prolonged in 1. One patient had non-sustained ventricular tachycardia before resumption of normal sinus rhythm. All asystolic events were associated with apnea (mean duration of 17.7 ± 9.4 s) and O2 saturations fell by 10 ± 6%. A pH probe study was available in 9 of 22 asystolic events and 6 of 10 severe bradycardic events. Gastroesophageal reflux was temporally related to only one asystolic and two bradycardic events. Clinical follow-up of these infants at a mean age of 14 months (range 1–46) reveals no symptomatic sequelae; although 1 infant died from multisystem failure associated with multiple congenital anomalies. Conclusions: Asystolic pauses occur in 1.8% of a selected population of preterm infants who have been experiencing cardiorespiratory events, are related to respiratory pauses, and appear to have a benign long-term outcome, although future study should incorporate long-term neurodevelopmental outcome.
Early Diffusion-Weighted MRI and 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Asphyxiated Full-Term Neonates
Authors: L’Abee Carianne , de Vries Linda S. , van der Grond Jeroen , Groenendaal Floris
Published: August 2005

Aim: To assess the predictive value of early MRI and proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS), 11 full-term neonates with severe perinatal asphyxia were studied within 48 h after birth. Methods: T1- and T2-weighted MRI, diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI), apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADC) of the basal ganglia and parietal white matter, as well as 1H-MRS of the basal ganglia were performed in a 1.5-Tesla magnetic field. Neurodevelopment was assessed in the survivors for at least 24 months. Results: Nine of the 11 neonates had a poor outcome (7 died, 2 developed cerebral palsy). All examinations were normal in the 2 neonates with a good outcome. T1- and T2-weighted MRI were abnormal in 7, DWI was abnormal in 7, ADC was abnormal in 5, and elevated lactate/N-acetylaspartate ratios using 1H-MRS were seen in 7 of the 9 neonates with a poor outcome. None of these 9 had completely normal MRI or 1H-MRS findings. Conclusions: Using a combination of T1- and T2-weighted MRI, DW-MRI, ADC measurements and 1H-MRS within 48 h after severe perinatal asphyxia, no abnormalities were seen with any of these techniques in both neonates with a good outcome.
Thyroid Hormones Affect Neurogenesis in the Dentate Gyrus of Adult Rat
Authors: Ambrogini Patrizia , Cuppini Riccardo , Ferri Paola , Mancini Cecilia , Ciaroni Sandra , Voci Adriana , Gerdoni Ezio , Gallo Gabriella
Published: August 2005

Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in new neuron production and maturation during brain development. However, the knowledge about the involvement of these hormones on adult neurogenesis is still incomplete. Hippocampus is an anatomical region where neurogenesis occurs throughout adulthood and where high levels of thyroid hormone receptors have been found. In this work the possible involvement of thyroid hormones in the regulation of adult neurogenesis in the granule cell layer of rat hippocampus dentate gyrus was investigated using an experimental model of adult-onset pharmacologically-induced hypothyroidism. Neurogenesis was assessed by means of the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine 24 h and 30 days after its last administration in order to study neural precursor proliferation and newborn cell survival, respectively. Mitotic activity of the neural precursors was not affected by thyroid hormone deficiency; on the contrary, newborn cell survival dramatically decreased under these conditions when compared with controls, leading to a lower number of immature neurons being added to the granule cell layer. Moreover, in conditions of hypothyroidism, new neurons exhibit a delay in neuronal differentiation showing a prolonged expression of the neuritogenesis-associated immature neuron marker TUC-4 and a very immature morphology. Finally, the total number and size of granule cells, and granule cell layer volume decreased in hypothyroid rats. These results suggest that thyroid hormones play a role in regulating new neuron production during adult life in dentate gyrus of rat hippocampus.
Retinoid Concentrations in the Mouse during Postnatal Development and after Maternal Vitamin A Supplementation
Authors: García Ada L. , Rühl Ralph , Schweigert Florian J.
Published: August 2005

Background: Vitamin A (VA) and its derivates (retinoids) are important nutritional substances, which mediate their biological activity mainly via nuclear retinoid receptors. Maternal VA intake during lactation influences the VA content in milk and the VA status of the progeny. We investigated the effects of maternal supplementation during lactation and direct supplementation to the pups after weaning on the retinoid concentration in serum and liver of neonatal mice using high doses of VA. Methods: Dams were fed a basal (4,500 retinol equivalents/kg diet) or a VA-supplemented (324,000 retinol equivalents/kg diet) diet during lactation. Pups kept receiving the same diet after weaning. Serum and liver samples of the pups were collected during lactation at days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 and post-weaning at days 21 and 65 after birth. Samples were analysed for retinoids by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Maternal VA supplementation resulted in significantly higher concentrations of retinol, retinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate in serum of mice neonates at days 5, 7, 14, 21 and 65 after birth in comparison to the basal diet, whereas significantly higher concentrations were observed in liver at days 5, 14, 21 and 65 after birth. At day 7 after birth, a decrease in the liver retinoid concentrations occurred in the VA-supplemented diet. Conclusion: Our results show for the first time that supplementation with high doses of VA during the lactation period in mice can affect serum retinol concentrations in the neonates and report that day 7 after birth is a critical time in the tissue distribution of retinoids during postnatal development.
Psychosocial Functioning of Adolescents with Idiopathic Short Stature or Persistent Short Stature Born Small for Gestational Age during Three Years of Combined Growth Hormone and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment
Authors: Visser-van Balen Hanneke , Geenen Rinie , Moerbeek Mirjam , Stroop Rutger , Kamp Gerdine A. , Huisman Jaap , Wit Jan M. , Sinnema Gerben
Published: August 2005

Aim:To examine psychosocial functioning of medically referred adolescents with idiopathic short stature (ISS) or persistent short stature born small for gestational age (SGA) during 3 years of combined growth hormone (GH) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment. Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents participated in a controlled trial with GH/GnRHa treatment or no intervention. Each year the adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires and structured interviews. Multilevel analysis was used to analyze data. Results: The adolescents of the treatment group showed a worse outcome than the adolescents of the control group on 3 of 16 variables: perceived competence of scholastic (p < 0.01) and athletic ability (p < 0.05) and trait anxiety (p < 0.05). Adolescents in both the treatment and control groups perceived improved current height (p < 0.001) and self-appraisal of physical appearance (p < 0.05). The parents did not report changes in their children during treatment. Conclusion: The observation of some adverse psychological consequences as experienced by the adolescents indicates that it is useful to monitor psychosocial functioning during a combined GH/GnRHa treatment in adolescents with ISS or SGA. It is uncertain whether the hypothesized positive effects of the expected gain in final height by adulthood can sufficiently counterbalance possible short-term negative effects.
Formal Dysphagia Screening Protocols Prevent Pneumonia
Authors: Hinchey Judith A. , Shephard Timothy , Furie Karen , Smith Don , Wang David , Tonn Sarah
Published: August 2005

Background—

Pneumonia is an important complication of ischemic stroke and increases mortality 3-fold. Five guidelines recommend a dysphagia screen before oral intake. What constitutes an adequate dysphagia screen and which patients should receive it remain unclear.

Methods—

Fifteen acute care institutions prospectively collected data on all admitted patients with acute ischemic stroke. Sites were required to collect data on demographics and 4 quality indicators. Optional data included stroke severity and complications. We measured adherence to a screen for dysphagia, the type of screen, and development of in-hospital pneumonia.

Results—

Between December 2001 and January 2003, 2532 cases were collected. In-hospital complications were recorded on 2329 (92%) of cases. Stroke severity was captured on 1361 (54%). Adherence to a dysphagia screen was 61%. Six sites had a formal dysphagia screen, and their adherence rate was 78% compared with 57% at sites with no formal screen. The pneumonia rate at sites with a formal dysphagia screen was 2.4% versus 5.4% (
P
=0.0016) at sites with no formal screen. There was no difference in median stroke severity (5 versus 4;
P
=0.84) between the sites with and without a formal screen. A formal dysphagia screen prevented pneumonia even after adjusting for stroke severity.

Conclusions—

A formal dysphagia screen is associated with a higher adherence rate to dysphagia screens and a significantly decreased risk of pneumonia. A formal screening protocol should be offered to all stroke patients, regardless of stroke severity.
Long-Term Effect of Shock Wave Therapy on Upper Limb Hypertonia in Patients Affected by Stroke
Authors: Manganotti P. , Amelio E.
Published: August 2005

Background and Purpose—

Spasticity is a disabling complication of stroke and different noninvasive treatments are used to reduce muscle hypertonia. Shock waves are defined as a sequence of single sonic pulses largely used in the treatment of diseases involving bone and tendon as well as muscular contractures. The effect and duration of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) was investigated on muscle hypertonia of the hand and wrist.

Methods—

A total of 20 patients affected by stroke associated with severe hypertonia in upper limbs were evaluated. Placebo stimulation was performed 1 week before active stimulation in each patient. Evaluation was performed using the National Institutes of Health and Ashworth scales and video monitoring with a digital goniometer before and immediately after placebo or active stimulation. Motor nerve conduction velocity from abductor digiti minimi were recorded. Patients were monitored at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after active treatment.

Results—

After active ESWT, patients showed greater improvement in flexor tone of wrist and fingers compared with placebo stimulation. At the 1- and 4-week follow-up visits, a significant decrease of passive muscle tonicity was noted on muscles in all patients receiving active treatment. At 12 weeks after therapy, 10 of the 20 patients showed persistent reduction in muscle tone. There were no adverse events associated with ESWT.

Conclusions—

ESWT reduces hypertonia of the wrist and finger muscles for ≥12 weeks after treatment. The possible mechanisms of action of ESWT are discussed.
Ischemic Stroke Subtypes and Thrombophilia in Young and Elderly Brazilian Stroke Patients Admitted to a Rehabilitation Hospital
Authors: Carod-Artal Francisco Javier , Nunes Simone Vilela , Portugal Dalton , Silva Tania Virginia Fernandes , Vargas Antonio Pedro
Published: August 2005

Background and Purpose—

We sought to examine ischemic stroke subtypes and prevalence of thrombophilia in Brazilian stroke patients.

Method—

A total of 130 consecutive young and 200 elderly stroke patients were studied.

Results—

Prevalence of thrombophilia was, respectively: protein S deficiency (11.5% versus 5.5%), protein C deficiency (0.76% versus 1%), resistance to activated protein C (2.3% versus 3.5%), mutation in V Leiden factor (1.5% versus 2%), antithrombin III deficiency (0% versus 0%), lupus anticoagulant (0% versus 0.5%), anticardiolipin antibodies (3% versus 10%;
P
=0.01), hyperhomocysteinemia (31.5% versus 53.5%;
P
=0.0001), mutation of the
MTHFR
gene in homocigosis (10% versus 5%), and heterocigosis (27.6% versus 41.9%;
P
=0.01).

Conclusion—

Prothrombotic conditions were more frequent in stroke of undetermined cause.
Measurements of Ocean Surface Backscattering Using an Airborne 94-GHz Cloud Radar—Implication for Calibration of Airborne and Spaceborne W-Band Radars
Authors: Li Lihua , Heymsfield Gerald M. , Tian Lin , Racette Paul E.
Published: August 2005

Backscattering properties of the ocean surface have been widely used as a calibration reference for airborne and spaceborne microwave sensors. However, at millimeter-wave frequencies, the ocean surface backscattering mechanism is still not well understood, in part, due to the lack of experimental measurements. During the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers-Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE), measurements of ocean surface backscattering were made using a 94-GHz (W band) cloud radar on board a NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft. This unprecedented dataset enhances our knowledge about the ocean surface scattering mechanism at 94 GHz. The measurement set includes the normalized ocean surface cross section over a range of the incidence angles under a variety of wind conditions. It was confirmed that even at 94 GHz, the normalized ocean surface radar cross section, σo, is insensitive to surface wind conditions near a 10° incidence angle, a finding similar to what has been found in the literature for lower frequencies. Analysis of the radar measurements also shows good agreement with a quasi-specular scattering model at low incidence angles. The results of this work support the proposition of using the ocean surface as a calibration reference for airborne millimeter-wave cloud radars and for the ongoing NASA CloudSat mission, which will use a 94-GHz spaceborne cloud radar for global cloud measurements.
Numerical and Physical Diffusion: Can Wave Prediction Models Resolve Directional Spread?
Authors: Ardhuin F. , Herbers T. H. C.
Published: August 2005

A new semi-Lagrangian advection scheme called multistep ray advection is proposed for solving the spectral energy balance equation of ocean surface gravity waves. Existing so-called piecewise ray methods advect wave energy over a single time step using “pieces” of ray trajectories, after which the spectrum is updated with source terms representing various physical processes. The generalized scheme presented here allows for an arbitrary number N of advection time steps along the same rays, thus reducing numerical diffusion, and still including source-term variations every time step. Tests are performed for alongshore uniform bottom topography, and the effects of two types of discretizations of the wave spectrum are investigated, a finite-bandwidth representation and a single frequency and direction per spectral band. In the limit of large N, both the accuracy and computation cost of the method increase, approaching a nondiffusive fully Lagrangian scheme. Even for N = 1 the semi-Lagrangian scheme test results show less numerical diffusion than predictions of the commonly used first-order upwind finite-difference scheme. Application to the refraction and shoaling of narrow swell spectra across a continental shelf illustrates the importance of controlling numerical diffusion. Numerical errors in a single-step (Δt = 600 s) scheme implemented on the North Carolina continental shelf (typical swell propagation time across the shelf is about 3 h) are shown to be comparable to the angular diffusion predicted by the wave–bottom Bragg scattering theory, in particular for narrow directional spectra, suggesting that the true directional spread of swell may not always be resolved in existing wave prediction models, because of excessive numerical diffusion. This diffusion is effectively suppressed in cases presented here with a four-step semi-Lagrangian scheme, using the same value of Δt.
The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Cloud Profiling Radars: An Evaluation of Signal Processing and Sampling Strategies
Authors: Kollias Pavlos , Albrecht Bruce A. , Clothiaux Eugene E. , Miller Mark A. , Johnson Karen L. , Moran Kenneth P.
Published: August 2005

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) program operates millimeter-wavelength cloud radars (MMCRs) in several specific locations within different climatological regimes. These vertically pointing cloud profiling radars supply the three most important Doppler spectrum moment estimates, which are the radar reflectivity (or zero moment), the mean Doppler velocity (or first moment), and the Doppler spectrum width (or second moment), as a function of time and height. The ARM MMCR Doppler moment estimates form the basis of a number of algorithms for retrieving cloud microphysical and radiative properties. The retrieval algorithms are highly sensitive to the quality and accuracy of the MMCR Doppler moment estimates. The significance of these sensitivities should not be underestimated, because the inherent physical variability of clouds, instrument-induced noise, and sampling strategy limitations all potentially introduce errors into the Doppler moment estimates. In this article, the accuracies of the first three Doppler moment estimates from the ARM MMCRs are evaluated for a set of typical cloud conditions from the three DOE ARM program sites. Results of the analysis suggest that significant errors in the Doppler moment estimates are possible in the current configurations of the ARM MMCRs. In particular, weakly reflecting clouds with low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), as well as turbulent clouds with nonzero updraft and downdraft velocities that are coupled with high SNR, are shown to produce degraded Doppler moment estimates in the current ARM MMCR operational mode processing strategies. Analysis of the Doppler moment estimates and MMCR receiver noise characteristics suggests that the introduction of a set of quality control criteria is necessary for identifying periods of degraded receiver performance that leads to larger uncertainties in the Doppler moment estimates. Moreover, the temporal sampling of the ARM MMCRs was found to be insufficient for representing the actual dynamical states in many types of clouds, especially boundary layer clouds. New digital signal processors (DSPs) are currently being developed for the ARM MMCRs. The findings presented in this study will be used in the design of a new set of operational strategies for the ARM MMCRs once they have been upgraded with the new DSPs.
Measurement of Wind Waves and Wave-Coherent Air Pressures on the Open Sea from a Moving SWATH Vessel
Authors: Donelan Mark A. , Dobson Fred W. , Graber Hans C. , Madsen Niels , McCormick Cyril
Published: August 2005

The design and implementation on a Small Waterline Area Twin Hull (SWATH) vessel of a complete system for measuring the directional distribution of wind waves and the concomitant fluctuations of air pressure and wind speed immediately above them are described. Data taken with the system on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Frederick G. Creed during the 1999 Shoaling Waves Experiment (SHOWEX) are used to calculate the wave-supported fluxes of momentum and energy between the air and the sea.
Métissage and Bricolage in the Making of African Christian Identities
Authors: Mary André
Published: August 2005

English

Métissage, bricolage, or hybridizing - the argument continues over the appropriateness of metaphors in the study of contemporary religious productions, and we are invited to question and confront the dialectical or "dialogical" processes which are at work in the appropriation of differences, and the handling of disputes which are part of these processes. A detour by way of all that is involved in the Christian invention of African identities, all that individuals and groups have invested in that invention, the remnant of the colonial encounter, all this contributes to the comparisons which are made in the present writing, and to its conclusions. When we speak of the post-modern re-enchantment with métissage, with its subversive transgressions exemplified by hybridization, or of our fascination with a vanishing bricolage which now is breaking up into simple collage, we may regret the way in which the fecundity of misunderstandings inherent in any encounter has been cancelled, and especially the ambivalent postures which beset the worlds of cultural mixture, and which contribute to their instability.

French

Métissage, bricolage ou hybridité, la dispute sur les métaphores dans l'approche des productions religieuses contemporaines invite à questionner et à confronter les processus dialectiques ou dialogiques qui sont à l'oeuvre dans l'appropriation des différences et la gestion des différends. Le détour par les enjeux de l'invention chrétienne des identités africaines au coeur de la rencontre coloniale nourrit la comparaison et les conclusions de cet article. Dans le ré-enchantement postmoderne des métissages, les transgressions subversives de l'hybridité ou dans l'éloge d'un bricolage qui dérive en simples collages, on peut regretter la manière dont se trouvent évacuées la fécondité des malentendus inhérents à toute rencontre et surtout les ambivalences de posture qui travaillent les mondes meêlés et entretiennent leur instabilité.
Coming to Terms with the Past: Religion and Identity in Wales
Authors: Chambers Paul , Thompson Andrew
Published: August 2005

English

The authors examine how Wales, a country in which, historically, national and religious identities were closely related, has been transformed by a process of secularization, and more recently by migration and political change. Recent discussions of change in Wales, however, have paid scant attention to the contemporary place of religions in Welsh society. Religion, if it is considered at all, is largely consigned to the past. The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we consider the changing nature of religion in Wales. In doing so, we draw on interviews with 40 representatives of faith groups to examine the public salience of religion in a society that might be characterized as post-Christian. Secondly, we explore the contemporary relationship between religion and national identity.

French

Les auteurs examinent comment le Pays de Galles, une région dans laquelle historiquement les identités nationale et religieuse étaient étroitement liées, a été traversé et transformé par un processus de sécularisation, et plus récemment par les migrations et un changement politique. Les récents débats portant sur le changement ont accordé peu d'attention à la place que tiennent aujourd'hui les religions dans la société galloise et la religion, lorsqu'on en parle, est généralement considérée comme un élément du passé. L'objectif de cet article est tout d'abord de traiter de l'évolution de la nature de la religion dans cette région. Pour ce faire, une quarantaine d'entretiens ont été réalisés avec des représentants de groupes de croyants pour y étudier l'importance de la religion dans la sphère publique d'une société qui pourrait être qualifiée de post-chrétienne. Est explorée ensuite la relation contemporaine qui existe entre la religion et l'identité nationale.
Russia under the 'spell of anglomania' at the turn of the twentieth century
Authors: Vyazova Ekaterina
Published: August 2005

This article, which is based on the evidence of Russian periodicals and exhibition catalogues, explores the Russian taste for English art at the turn of the twentieth century. The ‘spell of anglomania’ (the expression of the painter, art critic and art historian Alexander Benois) in Russia at this time can be seen as a clear manifestation of one of the most noteworthy and persistent features of the passion for all things English at different stages of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Russian history: namely, that various characteristics of English art were often used as a metaphor for problems in contemporary Russian artistic life. The article emphasizes the similar paths of development of English and Russian modernism, as well as the surprising parallels between British and Russian art of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Special attention is paid to the popularity of Whistler in Russia and to particular features of Russian and English Impressionism.
National Prevalence of Breastfeeding in Taiwan
Authors: Chien Li-Yin , Chu Kuei-Hui , Tai Chen-Jei , Lin Chia-Yi
Published: August 2005

The objectives of this study were to describe the national prevalence of breastfeeding during hospitalization and at 1 and 3 months after delivery in Taiwan. A stratified proportional probability sampling method was used, with a total of 2079 mothers participating in the postal questionnaire. The prevalence of exclusive and partial breastfeeding (to any degree) was 17.9% and 47.0% during hospitalization, 22.3% and 48.4% at 1 month, and 16.7% and 17.4% at 3 months, respectively. There were significant regional variations in the rate of breastfeeding, with the highest rates demonstrated for Taipei City. Prevalence of breastfeeding in this study was generally higher than previously reported; however, a decline of more than 50% was noted between 1 and 3 months. In addition, the rates of exclusive breastfeeding were low. The results suggest the need to increase breastfeeding duration and encourage exclusive breastfeeding in Taiwan. Regional variations in prevalence of breastfeeding merit further study.
International Child Care Practices Study: Breastfeeding and Pacifier Use
Authors: Nelson E. A.S. , Yu Ly-Mee , Williams Sheila
Published: August 2005

Although the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative advises that no pacifiers be given to breastfeeding infants, both breastfeeding and pacifier use may protect against sudden infant death syndrome. The International Child Care Practice Study data set on child care practices associated with sudden infant death syndrome risk from 21 centers in 17 countries was used to describe infant-feeding practices and pacifier use and assess factors associated with breastfeeding. At approximately 3 months of age, rates of breastfeeding only (4%-80%) and pacifier use(12.5%-71%) varied between centers. Pacifier use was negatively associated with breastfeeding, and a dose-response effect was noted. Other negative (multiple birth, smoking by mother) and positive (intention to breastfeed, bed sharing, mothers’ education) associations with breastfeeding only were identified. Although causality should not be inferred, these associations are consistent with previous studies. Advice on pacifiers should include potential benefits as well as risks.
Regional Variation in Public Opinion About Breastfeeding in the United States
Authors: Hannan Abeda , Li Ruowei , Benton-Davis Sandra , Grummer-Strawn Laurence
Published: August 2005

Because social and cultural norms are associated with women’s breastfeeding behaviors, it is important to understand public opinions toward breastfeeding in the United States. Using data from the Healthstyles survey, the authors examined regional variations in (1) public knowledge about health benefits of breastfeeding, (2) public attitudes toward breastfeeding in public, (3) public support for workplace breastfeeding policies, and (4) public perceptions about breastfeeding duration. Pacific, West South Central, West North Central, and Mountain respondents were the most knowledgeable about the health benefits of breastfeeding. Mountain, New England, and Pacific respondents exhibited the most positive attitudes about breastfeeding in public. Mountain and Pacific respondents showed the strongest support for workplace breastfeeding polices. Pacific, Mountain, and East North Central respondents displayed the most positive perceptions about breastfeeding duration. This study emphasizes the need to learn from the best regions and apply subsequent findings to those regions having less positive public opinions and low breastfeeding rates.
Clinical Lactation Practice: 20 Years of Evidence
Authors: Wambach Karen , Campbell Suzanne Hetzel , Gill Sara L. , Dodgson Joan E. , Abiona Titilayo C. , Heinig M. Jane
Published: August 2005

Lactation consultants depend on a vast multidisciplinary knowledge base to support their practices. To coincide with the 20-year anniversary of the International Lactation Consultant Association, the authors sought to highlight the knowledge base to demonstrate how practice has been affected. Using standard databases, they extracted English-language scientific literature related to breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes; factors associated with breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration; lactation physiology; common breastfeeding challenges; breastfeeding practices within vulnerable populations; health professional support of breastfeeding; and breastfeeding practices in developing countries of Africa. Summaries of research are provided to demonstrate scientific method and knowledge evolution. As the knowledge of the biological, behavioral, and environmental factors that affect breastfeeding continues to grow, researchers and lactation consultants will identify additional research areas. Thus, the cycle of describing and explaining phenomena, testing interventions to improve practice, and ultimately improving breastfeeding outcomes worldwide will continue.
Factors Affecting the Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among HIV-Infected and -Uninfected Women in Lusaka, Zambia
Authors: Chisenga Molly , Kasonka Lackson , Makasa Mpundu , Sinkala Moses , Chintu Chifumbe , Kaseba Christine , Kasolo Francis , Tomkins Andrew , Murray Susan , Filteau Suzanne
Published: August 2005

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is optimal for infant health and is associated with decreased risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission compared with mixed feeding of breast milk and other foods. To investigate why many women stop EBF before the recommended 6 months, maternal and infant health and infant-feeding data were collected from 177 HIV-infected and 177-uninfected Zambian women regularly from 34 weeks gestation to 16 weeks postpartum. Despite strong support for good breastfeeding practice, only 37% of women were still EBF at week 16. Factors significantly associated with shorter duration of EBF were primiparity, maternal systemic illness, and infant length at 6 weeks. The results suggest that the association of EBF with lower rates of mother-to-child HIV transmission may not be causal but may be secondary to the reduced duration of EBF associated with poor maternal or infant health. Programs supporting EBF should include support for maternal health.
What is the National Interest? The Neoconservative Challenge in IR Theory
Authors: Williams Michael C.
Published: August 2005

Despite its controversial influence in American foreign policy and international politics, neoconservatism has received comparatively little attention in IR theory. This article seeks to contribute to a critical engagement between IR theory and neoconservatism by providing an account of the theoretical foundations of neoconservatism and its distinctive approach to the national interest. Examining these foundations reveals a series of areas in which IR can engage substantively with neoconservatism. Perhaps most surprisingly, it also demonstrates the renewed relevance of classical Realists such as Reinhold Niebuhr and Hans Morgenthau, whose thinking not only addressed themes at the heart of contemporary neoconservatism, but who also provided prescient warnings of the dangerous directions in which neoconservative understandings of the national interest could lead.
From Agents to Outcomes: Simulation in International Relations
Authors: Pepinsky Thomas B.
Published: August 2005

This article reviews the use of computational simulations that focus on emergence and complex adaptive systems to model international politics. Computer simulations offer the advantages of focusing on nonlinear interactive dynamics and enabling researchers to explore alternative specifications of a global system. However, current world politics simulations ignore the epistemological and ontological implications that simulation raises. This criticism of current simulations is explored alongside current theories and approaches to international relations in order to highlight inconsistencies in simulations’ modeling of political behavior. The article concludes with suggestions for the future development of simulation as a research agenda in world politics.
Relational Power for Foreign Policy Analysis: Issues in Japan’s China Policy
Authors: Hagström Linus
Published: August 2005

The aim of this article is to demonstrate how a relational concept of power can benefit Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). It begins by drawing attention to the fact that Japan’s foreign policy has been portrayed rather enigmatically in terms of power, and by arguing that such an enigma stems from the fact that FPA has borrowed the concept of power of much International Relations (IR) theory, i.e. one that puts power on a par with capability. With a point of departure in Steven Lukes’ relational concept of power, the article then conceptualizes an alternative perspective. By applying the ensuing ‘relational power analysis’ to two ‘significant’ issues in Japan’s China policy, namely the negotiations for bilateral investment protection and interaction over the disputed Pinnacle ( Senkaku or Diaoyu) Islands, the article demonstrates that Japan’s foreign policy can be portrayed more intelligibly in terms of power, and thereby also how power could be treated in FPA in the first place.
Estranged states
Authors: Feldman Gregory
Published: August 2005

This article offers an anthropological perspective on international relations by studying ‘macro-structures’ as the effects of elite-conducted contingent practices. It draws on Der Derian’s genealogical explanation of diplomacy as a second-order mediation among ‘estranged states’. This view sets up the argument that national minorities are constructed as international security concerns within diplomatic discourse because they obstruct nation-states from mutually securing themselves through diplomacy. Thus, each state has a vested interest in supporting other states as stable actors with established national identities. As Others in the nation-state, national minorities threaten the inter-state system as they destabilize any given nation-state’s identity as a diplomatic actor. This situation ostensibly obstructs diplomacy whereby European nation-states seek mutual security by approximating the putative pre-Westphalian unity from which they emerged after Christendom’s collapse. The argument is demonstrated through a critical analysis of post-Second World War international agreements and ethnographic research among western diplomats working on Estonia’s minority integration policy.
New formations of power, the oligarchic-corporate state, and anthropological ideological discourse
Authors: Kapferer Bruce
Published: August 2005

The article presents a broad claim that the political environment of the nation-state is complicated by the emergence to dominance of state and state-like oligarchic-corporate state formations. These are considered as a relatively new kind of political departure that constitutes a reconfiguration of the relation of controlling interests to social realities. The argument develops the suggestion that some recent anthropological orientations to the state are relatively unreflective as to their own ideological positioning.
Patient Assessment of Effectiveness and Satisfaction With Traditional Medicine, Globalized Complementary and Alternative Medicines, and Allopathic Medicines for Cancer in Pakistan
Authors: Tovey Philip , Broom Alex , Chatwin John , Hafeez Muhammad , Ahmad Salma
Published: August 2005

Background: Virtually no research has been conducted on patient assessments of traditional medicines and allopathic medicines for cancer care in poorer countries marked by pluralistic medical environments. Pakistan represents an excellent case for such a study because of the coexistence of culturally and historically specific indigenous traditional medicine, the strong presence of allopathic medicine, and, to a lesser extent, the availability of some globalized complementary and alternative medicines. Aim:To gain a preliminary understanding of cancer patients' perceptions of effectiveness and satisfaction with traditional medicine, globalized complementary and alternative medicine, and allopathy in the context of a pluralistic medical environment. Study Design:Structured survey of 362 cancer patients, from diverse regions in the Punjab province and Northwest Frontier province, who were being treated in 4 different hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. Results:Use of traditional medicine remains high among cancer patients, with traditional healers used by the majority of those surveyed. Although patients’ perceptions of the overall effectiveness of traditional medicines for treating cancer are low, those patients who do use traditional medicines still have high levels of satisfaction with these modalities. This is distinct from levels of satisfaction with, and perceptions of effectiveness of, Western cancer treatments, which were synonymous in this group of patients. Important differences in patient perceptions were found within groups (eg, between different forms of traditional healers) as well as between them. Conclusion: This study showed considerable support for complementary and alternative medicine/traditional medicine but also significant variation in usage of and perceptions of local traditional medicines. More research needs to be done to explore the social processes underlying this variation in cancer patients’ preferences for particular traditional medicines.
Mid- to late-Holocene vegetation dynamics on the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya
Authors: Taylor D. , Lane P. J. , Muiruri V. , Ruttledge A. , McKeever R. Gaj , Nolan T. , Kenny P. , Goodhue R.
Published: August 2005

Interactions between Holocene environmental changes and human subsistence strategies in semiarid parts of eastern Africa are relatively poorly understood because of a paucity of sites where contemporaneous archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records are preserved. This paper presents new AMS 14C-dated palaeoenvironmental evidence of midto late-Holocene vegetation changes, in the form of pollen, charcoal, mineralogical and δ13Cbulk data, from a floodplain location on the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya, and in the context of information on modern plant-environment relationships, existing and new archaeological and historical data, and published palaeoclimatic records. Although relatively poorly resolved, the evidence indicates more wooded and relatively humid conditions compared with the present from before c. 6600 BP to c. 1900 BP. Evidence for vegetation changes over the last two millennia is more finely resolved and indicates increased burning and the expansion of fire-modified Acacia bushland c. 1900 BP and grassland c. 1700 BP. Burning to improve and extend pasture, and possibly to eradicate diseaseprone habitats, may have been facilitated by prolonged periods of moisture deficits that might also have facilitated the spread of food production technologies. Vegetation changes c. 700 BP are associated with evidence for the occurrence of fires locally and could represent the activities of people and their animals close to the study site.
Holocene dynamics of the southern boreal forest in Sweden
Authors: Giesecke Thomas
Published: August 2005

Holocene vegetation dynamics in the ecotone between the boreo-nemoral and boreal forest were reconstructed from sediment cores of two small lakes using pollen and macrofossil analyses. Competition, migration and changing climate parameters determine species dynamics in the ecotone. The spread of Picea abies was the most important event in the vegetation history of the region, probably shaping the present distribution limits of Corylus avellana, Tilia cordata and Quercus robur through competitive exclusion. The expansion of Picea abies is well documented by abundant macrofossil finds at one of the lakes, mirroring the rise in pollen percentage and confirming the presence of the tree before Picea abies pollen frequencies reached 1%. No Picea abies macrofossils were encountered before pollen was regularly found. Changing vegetation composition through migration affects both sites at different times, while a shift in atmospheric circulation pattern may be responsible for a concordant change in vegetation composition at both sites around 5700 cal. BP.
Carbon isotope evidence for an abrupt reduction in grasses coincident with European settlement of Lake Eyre, South Australia
Authors: Johnson Beverly J. , Miller Gifford H. , Magee John W. , Gagan Michael K. , Fogel Marilyn L. , Quay Paul D.
Published: August 2005

Stable carbon isotopes in emu eggshell (EES) reflect emu diets and consequently the vegetation available for food sources. At Lake Eyre, South Australia, isotopic data suggest that there has been a rapid and dramatic change in vegetation at some point over the last 200 years when compared with the rest of the Holocene. The proportion of C4 plants in emu diets has been reduced by approximately 20% in response to an overall shift in C4/C3 biomass at Lake Eyre. Isotopic measurement of the dominant plants at Lake Eyre indicate that the C4 plants are almost entirely comprised of grasses and some chenopods and the C3 plants are comprised of the dominant chenopods, shrubs, trees and forbs. We surmise that the -20% reduction in C4 plant biomass reflects landscape degradation and loss of C4 grasses resulting from a combination of effects, including overgrazing by both introduced (e.g., sheep, cattle and rabbits) and native (e.g., kangaroos) animals, increasing drought and a change in fire regime beginning in the late 1890s. The magnitude of vegetation change that occurred in the last 200 years is as great as that which occurred during the last glacial maximum (-21 000 years ago), and provides the first evidence for major environmental change at Lake Eyre soon after Europeans settled the arid zone.
The ‘Little Ice Age’ recorded by sediment chemistry in Lake Erhai, southwest China
Authors: Chen Jingan , Wan Guojiang , Zhang David Dian , Chen Zhenlou , Xu Jingyi , Xiao Tangfu , Huang Ronggui
Published: August 2005

On the basis of concentrations of 21 major and minor elements in a well-dated sediment core from the deepwater part of Lake Erhai, principal component analysis (PCA) reveals three main factors controlling the inorganic chemical composition of lake sediments. These are physical erosion in the watershed (Component 1), autochthonous calcite precipitation in lake water (Component 2) and early diagenesis in sediments (Component 3). Variations of factor scores of Component I and Component 3 may reflect fluctuations in rainfall and temperature, respectively in the lake region. High factor scores of Component 3 correlate with low factor scores of Component 1 in sediments within the intervals AD 1340-1550 and AD 1890-1950, indicating two warm-dry episodes. Low factor scores of Component 3 correlate with high factor scores of Component 1 from AD 1550-1890, indicating a cold-wet climate corresponding to the ‘Little Ice Age’ in Europe. Our study provides a new approach to reconstructing palaeoclimate, and adds to a growing body of evidence for a widespread cooling during the ‘Little Ice Age’. The alternation between warm-dry and cool-humid conditions possibly implies different climate change characteristics between the southwest monsoon zone and the southeast monsoon zone where the climate pattern is warm-humid and cool-dry.
High-throughput scanning of breast tumor surgical specimens for low-level mutations
Authors: Wang Fengfei , Kaur Manjit , Liu Wei-Hua , Zhu Penny , Li Jin , Wang Lilin , Makrigiorgos G. Mike
Published: August 2005

Large numbers of mutations are postulated to occur as early events in carcinogenesis. For certain types of human tumors (mutator phenotypes) these mutations can be a driving force in generating clonogenic, causative genetic changes leading to multistage carcinogenesis. These low-level mutational events are highly significant due to their potential use as molecular markers for early identification of genomic instability that can lead to cancer and to their potential influence on the ability of tumors to resist drug treatment and/or metastasize. Detecting the presence and diversity of such genetic changes in human tumors is desirable due to their potential prognostic value. However, identification of these low-frequency genetic changes is difficult, since most mutations exist at mutant/wild-type ratios of <10
Cardiovascular risk-associated allele frequencies for 15 genes in healthy elderly French and Chinese
Authors: Xia Yongjing , Baum Larry , Pang C. P. , Siest Gérard , Visvikis Sophie
Published: August 2005

In order to investigate possible ethnic differences in genetic and environmental determinants, we investigated several cardiovascular disease-associated genetic variations in successful ageing populations of France (Nancy) and China (Hong Kong). Allelic frequencies of these genetic variations were compared between healthy elderly Chinese (n=103) and French populations (n=100). A multi-locus assay was used to genotype 15 genes for 29 biallelic sites, genes implicated in lipid and homocysteine metabolism, thrombosis, leukocyte adhesion, and blood pressure regulation. For most of the candidate markers within lipid metabolism genes, the less frequent alleles were more common in the Chinese population compared with the French population, while the less frequent alleles of the majority of the other markers were detected only or more commonly in the French population. In conclusion, polymorphisms in 13 genes exhibited statistically significant differences in allelic frequencies between the two populations. Since the two populations were selected as examples of successful ageing, we could hypothesise that genetic factors that could play a role in a successful ageing process may be different between the two populations.