bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insulating an Ideology
Authors: Girard Chris , Grenier Guillermo J.
Published: September 2008

Many Cuban Americans embrace a distinctive anti-Castro ideology. Although this ideology supports the embargo against Cuba—purportedly to bring about the Castro regime's compliance or collapse—the real objectives may be more symbolic than practical. Ultimately, the institutional completeness provided by the enclave in South Florida insulates and regenerates this “exile” ideology. The authors hypothesize that if more than one half of an immigrant's time outside of Cuba has been in the South Florida enclave, the odds of supporting the exile ideology will be greater. Using a telephone survey of 1,807 Cuban Americans in South Florida, they find the predicted “enclave effect.” Also, they find that receiving news from English-language media—outside the enclave's institutional matrix—reduces the likelihood of support for the exile ideology.
Recent Developments in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Bruce Susan P.
Published: September 2008

The introduction of biologic response modifiers has revolutionized treatment approaches in rheumatoid arthritis. The ideal treatment approach to induce remission and minimize joint destruction is yet to be determined, however. The guidelines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis were updated in 2008. Evidence published recently may help to guide treatment decisions. In this review, advances in treatment approaches are discussed with added emphasis on the cardiovascular risks to this patient population. New data regarding the biologic response modifiers currently available in the US, abatacept and rituximab, are reviewed. Finally, emerging therapies are introduced, including tocilizumab. Investigational agents in development may provide additional options in the future treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Comparison of two commonly practiced atropinization regimens in acute organophosphorus and carbamate poisoning, doubling doses vs. ad hoc: a prospective observational study
Authors: Perera PMS , Shahmy S , Gawarammana I , Dawson AH
Published: September 2008

There is a wide variation and lack of evidence in current recommendations for atropine dosing schedules leading to subsequent variation in clinical practice. Therefore, we sought to examine the safety and effectiveness of a titrated vs. ad hoc atropine treatment regimen in a cohort of patients with acute cholinesterase inhibitor pesticide poisoning. A prospective cohort study was conducted in three district secondary referral hospitals in Sri Lanka using a structured data collection form that collected details of clinical symptoms and outcomes of cholinesterase inhibitor pesticide poisoning, atropine doses, and signs of atropinization. We compared two hospitals that used a titrated dosing protocol based on a structured monitoring sheet for atropine infusion with another hospital using an ad hoc regime. During the study, 272 symptomatic patients with anticholinesterase poisoning requiring atropine were admitted to the three hospitals. Outcomes of death and ventilation were analyzed for all patients, 226 patients were prospectively assessed for atropine toxicity. At baseline, patients in the titrated dose cohort had clinical signs consistent with greater toxicity. This in part may be due to ingestion of more toxic organophosphates. They received less pralidoxime and atropine, and were less likely to develop features of atropine toxicity, such as delirium (1% vs. 17%), hallucinations (1% vs. 35%), or either (1% vs. 35%) and need for patient restraint (3% vs. 48%) compared with the ad hoc dose regime. After adjusting for the pesticides ingested, there was no difference in mortality and ventilatory rates between protocols. Ad hoc high dose atropine regimens are associated with more frequent atropine toxicity without any obvious improvement in patient outcome compared with doses titrated to clinical effect. Atropine doses should be titrated against response and toxicity. Further education and the use of a structured monitoring sheet may assist in more appropriate atropine use in anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning.
Severe acute poisoning due to a glufosinate containing preparation without mitochondrial involvement
Authors: Lluís M , Nogué S , Miró O
Published: September 2008

Glufosinate is a non-selective herbicide widely used in domestic gardens and agriculture. Few cases of glufosinate poisoning have been reported although there has been an increase in recent years, particularly in Japan. Glufosinate toxicity is related to its capacity to inhibit glutamine synthetase and glutamate decarboxylase, which may lead to a potentially fatal multiorgan failure. We report the case of a 41-year-old woman who ingested between 30 and 50 mL of a herbicide (Finale®) containing glufosinate (14%) in a suicide attempt. One hour after ingestion, the patient attended the Emergency Department of her own volition. Her overall status was good, and the physical examination was unremarkable. Gastric lavage was carried out, 25 g of activated charcoal was administered, and the patient was admitted for observation. Seventeen hours later, the patient presented drowsiness and a sinus bradycardia of 40 bpm. Thirty-two hours after ingestion, the Glasgow Coma Score was 8, and orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were begun. At 3 days, the patient presented a self-limiting episode of ventricular tachycardia. She recovered consciousness progressively and was extubated without complications. The evolution was favorable, but the sinus bradycardia persisted up to 8 days after the ingestion. A study of lymphocyte mitochondrial function showed no alteration in mitochondrial oxidative capacity or the enzymatic activity of the complexes of the electron transport chain. A small ingestion of glufosinate can cause severe poisoning, whose manifestations predominantly involve the central nervous system and heart rhythm. Signs and symptoms may not appear for several hours and may persist for several days. In spite of these multi-organ manifestations, no alteration in lymphocyte mitochondrial function has been reported.
Background of REACH in EU regulations on evaluation of chemicals
Authors: Foth H , Hayes AW
Published: September 2008

Industrial chemicals are needed for chemical synthesis or technical purposes. These beneficial effects are counterbalanced by the potential health risks for all who come into contact with them. The new chemical legislation of the EU, Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) will force the responsibility of manufacturers and importers of chemical substances to gather the right information needed to decide on the right circumstances of use and control of chemical substances and products.

In order to understand the roots of REACH, experiences gained with regard to existing chemicals legislation, particularly in Germany, will be reviewed. Since Council Directive 67/548/EEC all chemicals placed on the market need a set of standard information and provisions for safe transportation. This directive and its amendments (Council Directive(s) 79/831/EEC and 92/32/EEC) have established for new substances a sound information data basis for classification of dangerous properties. Under Council Regulation 793/93/EEC, regulations and administrative provisions have established the requirement to assess the risk to man and the environment of existing substances. So far, only 119 substances have been evaluated under the forces of this regulation. This separation has led to a substantial imbalance between existing substances and new substances with respect to available data needed to recognize hazards for health. The register of produced and imported chemical substances under REACH should eliminate some of this separation and will also be the key for selection of substances of very high concern by the authorization process to restrict the use and distribution accordingly.
Occupational ototoxicity of n-hexane
Authors: Vyskocil A , Leroux T , Truchon G , Gendron M , El Majidi N , Viau C
Published: September 2008

The ability of chemicals to produce hearing loss themselves or to promote noise-induced hearing loss has been reported for some organic solvents. The objective of this study was to review the literature on the effects of low-level exposure to n-hexane on the auditory system and consider its relevance for occupational settings. Both human and animal investigations were evaluated only for realistic exposure concentrations based on the permissible inhalation exposure limits. In Quebec, the time-weighted average exposure value (TWAEV) for 8 h is 50 ppm. In humans, the upper limit for considering ototoxicity data relevant to the occupational exposure situation was set at five times the TWAEV. Animal data were evaluated only for exposure concentrations up to 100 times the TWAEV. There is no convincing evidence of n-hexane-induced hearing loss in workers. In rats, n-hexane seems to affect auditory function; however, the site of these alterations cannot be determined from the present data. Further studies with sufficient data on the exposure of workers to n-hexane are necessary to make a definitive conclusion. In the interim, we recommend considering n-hexane as a possibly ototoxic agent.
Study on the oxidative stress status among cement plant workers
Authors: Pournourmohammadi S , Khazaeli P , Eslamizad S , Tajvar A , Mohammadirad A , Abdollahi M
Published: September 2008

The cement industry is considered as a major pollution problem because of dust and particulate matter emitted at various steps of cement production. In the present study, volunteer male workers from a cement factory were studied for oxidative and nitrosative stress biomarkers in relation to their serum levels of aluminum (Al) and chromium (Cr). The subjects were divided into two groups of direct and indirect exposure. Subject who worked in production steps were considered as direct exposure group, and those who worked in administration building were considered as indirect exposure group. For comparison, healthy subjects at the same age and socioeconomic status were tested as a control group. Serum levels of lipid peroxidation (LP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol molecules (TTM), and nitric oxide (NO) as well as Al and Cr were measured. The results indicated a significant increase in Al ( P = 0.001) and Cr ( P = 0.009) levels in direct-exposed workers in comparison to healthy control group. Further, a significant increase in Al ( P = 0.002) and Cr ( P = 0.009) levels was observed in direct-exposed workers as compared to indirect-exposed one. Serum levels of TTM and TAC were significantly lower in both direct- and indirect-exposed groups in comparison to healthy control group ( P = 0.00). Serum TTM and TAC were significantly lower in direct-exposed workers as compared to indirect-exposed ones ( P = 0.00 and P = 0.024, respectively). There was no significant difference on the level of LP and NO among groups. A correlation was found between serum level of Cr, TAC, and platelets between direct- and indirect-exposed groups ( P < 0.05). Further correlation was found among serum level of Cr and those of TTM, platelets, and chronic disease ( P < 0.05). Chronic disease had a significant influence adjusted to other predictor variables on the post-shift values of Al ( P < 0.05). Although plasma levels of Al and Cr were found in normal ranges, analyses confirm their role in impairment of TMM and TAC.
Administration of ziprasidone for 10 days increases cocaine toxicity in mice
Authors: Heard K , Krier S , Zahniser NR
Published: September 2008

Long-term treatment with antipsychotic medications alters the regional density of several of the neurotransmitter receptors that mediate cocaine toxicity. However, the effect of either up- or down-regulation of the neurotransmitter receptors on cocaine toxicity is unknown. In this study, we determined if subacute administration of the atypical antipsychotic ziprasidone altered the toxic effects of cocaine in mice. Ziprasidone (4 mg/kg) or placebo was administered to the first two groups of CF-1 mice for 10 days and, then on day 10, an estimated LD50 dose of cocaine (102 mg/kg) was given to these mice. In a third group, in order to produce a ziprasidone withdrawal state, we administered ziprasidone for 10 days, followed by no treatment for 2 days before cocaine administration. There was no significant difference among the three groups in overall survival: 63% in the treatment group, 60% in the withdrawal group, and 80% in the placebo group. Survival time was significantly shorter for the withdrawal group than for the control group. Our study may have been limited by lower than expected serum ziprasidone concentrations and lower than expected lethality from cocaine. However, our findings suggest that administration of an atypical antipsychotic for 10 days may increase the toxic effects of cocaine.
Decreasing Psychological Distress During the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Leukemia
Authors: Willingham Piersol Lindsay , Johnson Arlene , Wetsel Ann , Holtzer Karl , Walker Crystal
Published: September 2008

A literature review was performed to explore the experiences of parents during their child's diagnosis of leukemia. The findings revealed that anxiety is a major reaction to the diagnosis. Because of the parents' reactions, communication barriers and parental role changes are established between the parent and child. The lack of communication between the parent and child during diagnosis and treatment and parental role changes produce negative outcomes. Negative outcomes place the parent and child at risk for experiencing anxiety years after the illness is treated. This literature review describes positive outcomes that can be accomplished by decreasing the anxiety of parents, which leads to a decrease in communication barriers and parental role changes during the new diagnosis of leukemia. Interventions are provided to increase the support and resources of parents during this phase of the disease. Future research may focus on interventions to decrease anxiety, which will increase communication, produce positive outcomes for treatment, and decrease stress years after the disease is treated.
The Effects of Race and Gender on the Judicial Ambitions of State Trial Court Judges
Authors: Jensen Jennifer M. , Martinek Wendy L.
Published: September 2008

The intersection of gender—and to a lesser extent, race—and political ambition has been the subject of considerable research. To date, however, analyses of the intersection of political ambition, race, and gender in the context of the judiciary have been limited. The authors seek to remedy this deficiency with the use of data from a recent survey of justices of the New York State Supreme Court, the major trial court in the State of New York. They find that female and nonwhite justices have a greater desire to move up in a judicial career than do their white male counterparts.
The Importance of Race and Ethnicity in Congressional Primary Elections
Authors: Branton Regina P.
Published: September 2008

Research regarding the electoral importance of race and ethnicity in congressional elections is limited by the overwhelming focus on general-election outcomes. This article seeks to extend this research by examining minority candidate emergence and electoral competition in U.S. House primary elections, using a new data set on all U.S. House contests between 1994 and 2004 that includes demographic information on all the candidates in the primary elections. The results indicate that district-level race and ethnicity are associated with minority candidate emergence; furthermore, the presence of minority candidates influences electoral competitiveness in primary elections.
Measuring Changes in American Party Reputations, 1939—2004
Authors: Pope Jeremy C. , Woon Jonathan
Published: September 2008

Scholars increasingly emphasize that party reputations are valuable electoral assets. The authors measure temporal change in the parties’ relative reputations across several distinct policy areas and find that each party tends to have advantages on certain issues but that the patterns are far from permanent. Democrats have strong advantages on social welfare issues, but Republicans have made some gains. Republican advantages on taxes and “law and order” have been weaker. The authors also find that party competition has strengthened impressions of the parties. Results support the notion that parties carry a collective—if occasionally transitory—reputation on a host of issues.
Do Gender Quotas Foster Women’s Political Engagement?
Authors: Zetterberg Pär
Published: September 2008

Gender quotas have been held to have more far-reaching consequences than increasing women’s political representation. Some scholars claim that they foster women’s overall political engagement. After elaborating a theoretical framework on how affirmative action policies to legislative bodies might be beneficial to constituents of the targeted group, the author tests this hypothesis on women in seventeen Latin American countries. Contrasting previous claims, the author shows that there is no general proof of attitudinal or behavioral effects. The analysis represents an initial attempt to theorize and use large-scale data to examine the more long-term consequences of quota policies on female constituents’ political involvement.
Institutional Ties, Transaction Costs, and External Service Production
Authors: Carr Jered B. , LeRoux Kelly , Shrestha Manoj
Published: September 2008

Analyses of local government contracting increasingly focus on understanding how the transaction costs created by service attributes limit opportunities for external service production. However, the institutional collective action framework suggests that networks among local government actors help to offset these costs for intergovernmental contracting decisions. We use data describing service production arrangements of cities in Michigan to examine the proposition that service production decisions are conditioned by the communication networks created through institutional linkages in addition to the transaction characteristics of services. We examine three different production options: (1) internal production, (2) joint or complete contracting with another government, and (3) production by a private or nonprofit organization, and find strong support for the expected role of transaction costs in these production choices. We also find that some types of networks created by institutions increase the likelihood that local governments will rely on intergovernmental service arrangements.
Reassessing the Situational Covariates of Homicides
Authors: Pizarro Jesenia M.
Published: September 2008

Despite the vast attention the crime of homicide has received from the academic community, voids remain in the literature regarding the factors that contribute to its occurrence. Only a few studies to date have directly examined the situational covariates of varying homicide types and how each type differs from one another at the incident level. The present study seeks to add to the homicide literature by examining the situational covariates of four distinct homicide types (i.e., domestic, drug, robbery, and interpersonal dispute) that occurred in the city of Newark, New Jersey, from 1997 through 2005. Two research questions are examined: (a) What are the situational covariates of varying homicide motivational types, and (b) do the situational covariates vary by incident motive? The findings show that there are indeed differences among the homicide subtypes in terms of their temporal, event, and victim/offender characteristics. The methodological, theoretical, and policy implications are discussed.
'No More Tea, Vicar'. An Exploration of the Discourses which Inform the Current Debates about Sexualities within the Church of England
Authors: Nixon David
Published: September 2008

This article seeks to discover, problematize and deconstruct the powerful discourses that have informed the recent debates within the Church of England (and other churches) in the area of human sexuality, and of homosexuality in particular. Poststructuralist methodology reveals that the sexualities' discourse of the Church of England is structured around themes of purity/pollution and text/authority, which operate powerfully to police the theorization and practice of both individuals and the social body of the church. The instantiation of this discourse in the lives of individuals is illustrated by an analysis of two 'stories': the first, a biographical account of a particular incident in the life of one priest; the second draws on the published record of the difficulties raised by the appointment of Canon Jeffrey John as a bishop. In response to these findings, the author draws on theological traditions developed out of Queer Theory to suggest alternative ways of viewing sexualities, which are both more inclusive for LGBT people, and which may allow the churches to break through their current impasse.
Making Space for an Agentic Sexuality? The Examination of a Lesbian/Queer Bathhouse
Authors: Hammers Corie J.
Published: September 2008

Although an extensive body of work exists exploring the relationships between space and gender, gender performance and identity, little attention has been given to examining the space-agency nexus of lesbian/queer subjects in sexed spaces — this is particularly the case when it comes to exploring lesbian/queer sexualities. Drawing on face-to-face interviews and observations, I examine participants' experiences at Pussy Palace, a lesbian/queer bathhouse in Toronto, Canada, focusing in particular on the ways in which the space enabled and constrained spatial praxis and agency. I conclude that the embodied desire found at Pussy Palace undermines the hegemonic discourse that treats women as passive and subjugating subjects. At the same time, the bathhouse erects its own marginalizing forces, while fostering a particular training of the body that narrows the range of emergent sexualities and alternative sexual scripts.
Coming to an Asexual Identity: Negotiating Identity, Negotiating Desire
Authors: Scherrer Kristin S.
Published: September 2008

Sexuality is generally considered an important aspect of selfhood. Therefore, individuals who do not experience sexual attraction, and who embrace an asexual identity, are in a unique position to inform the social construction of sexuality. This study explores the experiences of asexual individuals utilizing open ended internet survey data from 102 self-identified asexual people. In this article I describe several distinct aspects of asexual identities: the meanings of sexual, and therefore, asexual behaviors, essentialist characterizations of asexuality, and lastly, interest in romance as a distinct dimension of sexuality. These findings have implications not only for asexual identities, but also for the connections of asexuality with other marginalized sexualities.
Closed circuits
Authors: da Cunha Manuela Ivone P.
Published: September 2008

The notion that prisons are a `world apart', with their walls severing prisoners from their external relationships, and incarceration an interruption, `time away' spent in a separate social universe, has provided an adequate framework for understanding the social realities of imprisonment in the past. But it has also created an analytical dead angle that prevents us from identifying the ramifying social effects of concentrated incarceration upon both the prison and heavily penalized lower-class neighborhoods. This article addresses these effects with data from an ethnographic revisit of a major women's prison in Portugal, where the recomposition of the inmate population that has accompanied the rapid inflation of the country's carceral population is especially pronounced and entails the activation of wide-ranging carceralized networks bringing kinship and neighborhood into the prison as well as the prison into the domestic world. The analysis focuses on the ways whereby these constellations have transformed the experience of confinement and the texture of correctional life, calling for a reconsideration of the theoretical status of the prison as a `total institution' and for exploring anew the boundary that separates it (or not) from outside worlds.
Pregnancy starts with a literacy event
Authors: Papen Uta
Published: September 2008

As a literacy researcher my academic attention is usually focused on how other people use reading and writing in their everyday lives. In this article, for the first time I turn my researcher's gaze onto myself. I present a portion of my autoethnography which aimed to document my becoming a mother as a `textually mediated' experience. I discuss three aspects of this experience: 1) the role of the `Green Notes', a personal maternity record, as an example of how the literacy practices of pregnancy and antenatal care are shaped by institutional norms and procedures; 2) the significance of my own reading and writing activities in the process of `making sense'; and 3) the role of reading and writing in what I have called `difficult moments'. The article concludes with a reflection on the potential of autoethnography for social sciences generally and literacy studies more particularly.
The `PB' and the aestheticization of violence in Northern Ireland
Authors: Skinner Jonathan
Published: September 2008

This article examines the creative appropriation and transformation of a protest vehicle such as the petrol bomb. I show that the human imagination can create an aesthetic out of even the street protest, carnivalizing and translocating such violent practices into the dance studio, the theatre, and even the everyday.
Initiative Campaigns
Authors: Tolbert Caroline J. , Bowen Daniel C. , Donovan Todd
Published: September 2008

Previous research has found that the campaigns of candidates running for office provide information to voters and can increase turnout. Scholarly research has also found that states with initiatives and referendums appearing on the ballot have higher voter turnout, especially in midterm elections. However, actual initiative campaigns are rarely measured. Drawing on national survey data and state contextual factors, we use a multilevel modeling strategy to test whether Americans are more likely to vote in recent midterm and presidential elections when there is increased spending in initiative and candidate campaigns, as well as more frequent use of direct democracy. The research includes a number of methodological advancements from earlier work on turnout and direct democracy (including a control for endogeneity) by restricting the analysis to initiative states only. The analysis suggests initiative campaigns not only increase individual level turnout but also especially benefit the lower educated.
Ambition and Party Loyalty in the U.S. Senate
Authors: Treul Sarah A.
Published: September 2008

This article examines the role progressive ambition plays in the U.S. Senate. I analyze the effect ambition has on party loyalty in the upper chamber. The theoretical argument is that senators with ambition for higher office are more loyal to the party than their colleagues who never make a bid for higher office because of their need to appeal to the party base to secure the party's nomination. I posit the following hypothesis to test this theory: A senator who seeks higher office will be more likely to vote with the party on party votes than those senators who never run for the presidency. My findings indicate that ambitious senators are more loyal to the party than their colleagues who never make a bid for higher office. That is, senators who run for higher office recognize the importance of the party when it comes to successfully navigating the primary season.
Redistricting and Familiarity With U.S. House Candidates
Authors: McKee Seth C.
Published: September 2008

Redistricting has the effect of placing numerous voters into districts with a different incumbent seeking reelection. This event brings up an important question that has not been empirically tested: Are redrawn individuals, those who have a new incumbent because of redistricting, less likely to know who their new representative is? Furthermore, is there a difference in the rates of recall and recognition of challengers as a consequence of redistricting? This research note examines the influence of redistricting on recall and recognition of U.S. House candidates with use of the American National Elections Studies panel surveys for the 1992 and 2002 elections. Whether the measure is recall or recognition, redrawn respondents are significantly less likely to identify their incumbent as compared with individuals with the same incumbent seeking reelection. In contrast, with the exception of candidate name recall in 1992, redistricting does not affect the likelihood of identifying House challengers. This study demonstrates that redistricting constitutes another institutional feature of the American electoral system that raises the costs of political information because redrawn constituents are less familiar with their new representative.
Evolving Microbiology and Treatment of Extracavitary Prosthetic Graft Infections
Authors: Stone Patrick A. , Back Martin R. , Armstrong Paul A. , Brumberg Robert S. , Flaherty Sarah K. , Johnson Brad L. , Shames Murray L. , Bandyk Dennis F.
Published: September 2008

The authors report the microbiology and outcomes following an individualized treatment algorithm for extracavitary (EC) prosthetic graft infection, including the use of graft preservation and in situ graft replacement techniques. A retrospective 8-year review of 87 patients treated for EC prosthetic graft infections was carried out. The treatment algorithm included culture-specific antibiotic therapy, surgical site debridement with antibiotic bead placement, selected graft preservation with muscle flap coverage, or graft excision with in situ conduit replacement. Outcomes measured included death, limb loss, and recurrent infection. It was found that present-day management of EC prosthetic graft infections is associated with lower mortality and morbidity despite changes in microbiology and the increased application of graft preservation and in situ grafting treatments.
Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Procedure for Descending Aorta—Bifemoral Bypass: A Case Report
Authors: Fernandez Joss D. , Garrett H. Edward , Cal Nicolas
Published: September 2008

In the patient who can withstand the added physiologic stress of descending thoracic aortic clamping, thoracofemoral bypass may have the advantages of longer durability and increased perfusion when compared with axillobifemoral bypass. Using thorascopic techniques and a robot to perform the anastomosis, this procedure may be performed in a less invasive manner.
Use of Surrogate Markers to Predict the HIV Disease Stage and Time to Initiate Antiretroviral Therapy in Developing Countries
Authors: Chaudhary Monica , Kashyap Bineeta , Gautam Hitender , Saini Sanjeev , Bhalla Preena
Published: September 2008

CD4 counting is the standard method for determining eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV disease progression, but it is not widely available in developing countries. The aim of this study was to correlate the levels of β-2 microglobulin and total lymphocyte count (TLC) with CD4 counts for monitoring disease progression and identify patients who require ART. The authors measured CD4 T-cell counts, TLC, and β-2 microglobulin levels in 119 HIV seropositive patients. There was a significant negative correlation between CD4 counts and β-2 microglobulin levels and significant positive correlation between TLC and CD4 counts. Taking a TLC cutoff of ≤ 1600 and β-2 microglobulin levels ≥ 3.5 mg/l, the authors could identify 90.4% of patients with CD4 count ≤ 200 cells/µl. These assays may allow reduction in the annual number of CD4 cell evaluation and the cost associated with monitoring the immune status of HIV-positive patients.
Mark Edwards
Authors: Santora Joseph C. , Sarros James C.
Published: September 2008

This case chronicles some of the problems a corporate executive encountered on his transition from the private sector to the deanship of the College of Business in a university of higher education. His deanship, which resulted from the recent reorganization at State University, gave him significant responsibility for undergraduate and graduate students, programs, and faculty. However, the position failed to provide him with a supportive organizational infrastructure, appropriate fiscal and human resources, or other mechanisms required to implement the charge he was given by the president of the university to bring the newly established College of Business into the 21st century.
The Clinical Significance of Aerobic Exercise Testing and Prescription: From Apparently Healthy to Confirmed Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Arena Ross , Myers Jonathan , Guazzi Marco
Published: September 2008

Aerobic exercise testing clearly provides valuable clinical information in apparently healthy adults as well as a number of patient populations. Maximal aerobic capacity, either estimated from workload or measured directly, is perhaps the most frequently analyzed variable ascertained from such testing. This practice is warranted given the consistent prognostic significance of maximal aerobic capacity. Other variables obtained from the aerobic exercise test, such as the heart rate response during exercise and into recovery, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses during exercise, oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold, and the ventilatory response to exercise, also provide important insight into an individual's health and prognosis. Furthermore, the aerobic exercise test is highly valuable in developing an individualized and safe exercise prescription. Aerobic exercise training goals, with respect to frequency, duration, frequency, and mode of exercise, are well established for the apparently healthy population as well as individuals at risk for or diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Adherence to these physical activity recommendations clearly provides numerous health benefits, perhaps most important of which is a significant decrease in the risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. This review addresses concepts of aerobic exercise testing and training and discusses their clinical implications.
Gender Differences in Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Advancing Age: Is the Age-Associated Decline in VO2max More Rapid in Men and Do Older Men and Women Respond Differently to Exercise?
Authors: Zoeller Robert F.
Published: September 2008

Both cross-sectional and longitudinal data suggest that the age-associated decline in VO2max is greater in men when expressed in absolute terms such as L or mL· min—1. When expressed in relative terms (ie, percentage decline per decade), the apparent gender difference disappears. Cross-sectional studies report a slower rate of decline than longitudinal studies, probably due to selection bias. The impact of physical activity on the rate of decline in aerobic power with age is not entirely clear. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional studies did not find increased levels of physical activity to be associated with lower rates of decline in VO2max. Longitudinal studies suggest that regular vigorous exercise can slow the rate of decline in VO2max by as much as 50%, but the reduction or cessation of training with advancing age may result in a misleading acceleration in that decline. The most consistent finding in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies is a strong association between the age-associated declines in maximal heart rate and VO2max, but physical activity has little, if any, impact on maximal heart rate. Aerobic exercise training of sufficient intensity can increase aerobic power in both men and women, but the mechanisms may be different, with men demonstrating a greater improvement in factors related to stroke volume and cardiac output, whereas the adaptations in women appear to be more dependent on increased oxygen extraction by skeletal muscle.
Morphological and microstructural evolutions of manganese phosphate coating formed in Ni2+ ion containing electrolyte
Authors: Wang C.-M. , Tsai W.-T. , Lee Y.-P.
Published: September 2008

The effect of Ni2+ ion in a phosphating solution on the formation of phosphate compound on steel surface is studied. Experimental results indicate that Ni2+ promotes the nucleation of the formation of phosphate compound. The number of nucleation sites increases and the particle size decreases as the Ni2+ ion concentration in the phosphating solution increases. The presence of Ni2+ ions in the coating solution strongly influences the surface morphology and the distributions of Ni, Cr, Mo and V in the phosphate layer. The manganese phosphate coating is a two layered structure which consists of an iron rich inner layer and a Mn rich outer layer. The reduced Ni strips that are located near the centre of the phosphate compound mark the initial substrate surface before phosphating.
Evaluation of corrosion and wear resistance titanium nitride (TiN) coated on mild steel (MS) with brush plated nickel interlayer
Authors: Subramanian B. , Ashok K. , Subramanian K. , Sastikumar D. , Selvan G. , Jayachandran M.
Published: September 2008

Titanium nitride (TiN) coatings were deposited on mild steel (MS) by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering. With the aim of improving the corrosion resistance of TiN, an additional nickel interlayer was brush plated on the steel substrates before TiN film formation. The phases have been identified with X-ray diffraction analysis. The hardness values of TiN layers were found to increase with the increase in thickness of the Ni interlayer. The wear track investigations of TiN layers showed that the TiN/MS system was worn out by abrasive wear mechanism while on the film with Ni interlayer is by adhesive wear. It was found that the TiN/Ni/MS stack had a weaker tendency towards corrosion and higher corrosion resistance in 3·5%NaCl than the bare MS substrate, Ni/MS and TiN/MS specimen.
Slurry erosion properties of detonation sprayed and plasma sprayed coatings for materials used in mining environments
Authors: Kennedy Z. E. , Natarajan S.
Published: September 2008

Mining industries extensively use pumps for disposing water mixed with slurry. The pump impellers often get eroded while draining the mixture containing solid particles and water. The impeller shafts are commonly made of stainless steels. Though several types of other thermal sprayed coatings are well known, the attention has been focused on plasma and detonation sprayed coatings in the present investigation. An experimental investigation was made involving variations in parameters such as surface velocity, time of erosion and slurry composition using a pot erosion tester. It is observed that mass loss increases with increase in surface velocity and duration of exposure in such conditions. Increase in slurry composition reveals the initial increase in mass loss. However, this trend cannot be overestimated. Surface characterisation studies were made using XRD and SEM. The observations indicate that the SEM morphology for detonation spray coated material reflects better adhesion leading to negligible wear when compared with the plasma sprayed coatings.
Effect of polishing parameters on morphology of DF2 (AISI-O1) steel surface polished by Nd:YAG laser
Authors: Guo K. W.
Published: September 2008

Pulse Nd:YAG laser was used to polish DF2 cold work steel. Influence of irradiation parameters on the three-dimensional (3D) surface topography was studied by a 3D profilometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Results among the tests showed that when DF2 steel specimens were irradiated with parameters of (i) laser input energy P=1 J, (ii) pulse feedrate=300 mm min−1, (iii) pulse duration PD=3 ms and (iv) pulse frequency f=20–25 Hz, the laser polishing of DF2 cold work steel seemed to be successful. The effect of laser polishing parameters on the laser polishing temperature was described and the analysis of the temperature field of laser polishing was herewith proposed initially. It demonstrated that for a given laser, the influence of the laser pulse feedrate was more prominent than that of other parameters on the topography of a laser polished surface. At a constant pulse duration and pulse frequency, the polishing temperature was increased with the increase in laser input energy and the decrease in the pulse feedrate.
Joint strength and failure mechanism of laser spot weld of mild steel sheets under lap shear loading
Authors: Tao W. , Li L. Q. , Chen Y. B. , Wu L.
Published: September 2008

Ultimate strength and failure mechanism of laser spot welds under lap shear loading were investigated. Optical micrographs of cross-section of spot welds before and after failure were examined to understand the failure behaviour. The experimental results indicate that laser spot welds can fail in two distinct modes, namely interfacial and pullout failure. A failure mechanism which was confirmed by SEM investigations was proposed to describe these two failure modes. According to the experimental observations, a simple stress solution related to the far field load was conducted and the critical weld nugget diameter to ensure pullout failure mode was estimated. The results were compared with the experimental data and also with the test data of resistance spot welds. It was observed that the critical nugget diameter of laser spot welding was larger than that of resistance spot welding due to the different failure location in pullout mode. Furthermore, the effect of welding parameters on joint strength and failure mode was studied.
Tensile ductility of AA5182: Effect of impact loading
Authors: Zadra M. , Straffelini G. , Molinari A.
Published: September 2008

The tensile ductility of an AA5182-O rolled sheet under impact loading (strain rate of ∼ 170 s−1) was found to be larger than under quasi-static loading (strain rate of 0·001 s−1). In particular, the local equivalent plastic strain at fracture was 0·862 in the first case and 0·811 in the second case, and the plastic elongation at fracture was 0·338 and 0·244 respectively. This result was attributed to the local strain triaxiality at the fracture region. In fact, the high strain rate during impact loading alleviates the local strain triaxiality, reducing the void growth rate and, in turn, the critical equivalent strain for ductile fracture. However, void nucleation rate was found to be higher in the case of impact loading, since the increased local strain hardening favours the attainment of the critical stress necessary to void nucleation, that occurs by particle decohesion and by particle brittle fracture.
Texture and mechanical anisotropy in three extruded magnesium alloys
Authors: Safi-Naqvi S. H. , Hutchinson W. B. , Barnett M. R.
Published: September 2008

One ZM61 alloy (6·2%Zn, 1·2%Mn) and two magnesium alloys containing nominally 3% of neodymium and yttrium respectively have been prepared in the form of hot extruded flat strips. Their textures and microstructures have been quantified and series of mechanical tests were carried out to determine plane stress yield loci in both the solution treated and aged conditions. The ZM61 alloy had a sharp texture and marked anisotropy of strength that could be rationalised in terms of deformation by basal  slip and {1012}<1011> twinning. This material was much weaker in compression than in tension. Precipitation hardening on aging caused a greater impedance to twinning than to slip with the result that the anisotropy was somewhat reduced. The Mg–3Nd alloy had a very weak and different texture but nevertheless demonstrated a pronounced anisotropy of strength. Aging increased the yield stress by about 80% and also inhibited twinning to some extent although the degree of anisotropy remained almost unaffected. The Mg–3Y alloy which showed a texture of intermediate strength was different in type from either of the others. Its strength behaviour was close to isotropic; in particular, no difference existed between tensile and compressive loading, and aging produced only a marginal increase in strength. Twins were relatively infrequent in the deformed Mg–3Y alloy but its mechanical behaviour could not be rationalised according to simple models.
Potential dependence of electrochemical impedance of nanoscale modified carbon fibre surface
Authors: Sarac Sezai A. , Schulz B. , Gencturk A. , Gilsing H.-D.
Published: September 2008

Poly(2,2-dimethyl-3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT-Me2) thin films have been cyclovoltammetrically coated onto carbon fibre electrode as an active functionalised microelectrode. An electrochemical impedance study on the prepared electrodes is reported in the present paper under different applied potentials during electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements. The capacitive behaviour of the PProDOT-Me2 coated carbon fibre microelectrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry of polymer in monomer free solution which agreed with the capacitance obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The film thickness for the cyclovoltammetrically prepared polymer film was in the range of about 30–50 nm. The electrochemical impedance data fitted two equivalent circuit models were used to find out numerical values of the proposed components. The effect of the deposition charge on the capacitive behaviour of the film was also investigated.
In vitro study of cell behaviour on plasma surface modified titanium
Authors: Neto Guerra C. L. B. , da Silva M. A. M. , Alves C.
Published: September 2008

In recent years, several technologies that modify implant surfaces have been emerged. Among these techniques, the plasma nitriding process has been successfully applied in biomedical field. Nevertheless, its use in dental implants is quite limited owing to the high temperatures of the process (between 700 and 800°C), which causes distortion. In order to solve this problem, a new approach is proposed in the present paper, by which nitriding under a hollow cathode discharge is used to modify surfaces. Grade II Ti plates were submitted to nitriding under hollow cathode discharge conditions and treated at a temperature 450°C and pressure of 150 Pa for 1 h. These showed that plasma nitriding helped bring about a significant change in the surface texture of the treated plates. Furthermore, cell proliferation was 2⋅5 times as high as that of the untreated plates.
Experimental study of plasma nitriding dental implant surfaces
Authors: Guerra Neto C. L. B. , da Silva M. A. M. , Alves C.
Published: September 2008

Titanium samples have been used as the substrate that was submitted to a plasma discharge nitriding for the surface treatment of dental implants. Two different arrangements regarding the electrode shapes were tested: planar and hollow cathode. The treated samples were evaluated regarding surface phases, texture, roughness, layer thickness, wettability and visual appearance. The roughness of the surface of all samples submitted to the plasma nitriding process was lower compared to those treated by commercially available technology plasma spray, on the other hand, better wettability was achieved. Some commercially available implants were also treated under the best conditions found with the experiment at titanium samples. After plasma nitriding these implants, tests were carried out to evaluate both wettability and surface texture. As a result the treated implants had both their surface texture and wettability improved.