bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical stimulation–supported voice exercises are superior to voice exercise therapy alone in patients with unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis: Results from a prospective, randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ptok Martin , Strack Daniela
Published: July 2008

For more than 40 years, electrical stimulation procedures for unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis (URLNP) therapy have been proposed. However, it is unclear whether electrical stimulation therapy is effective for URLNP patients. In this study we compare the outcome of traditional voice exercise treatment (VE) with electrical stimulation–supported voice exercise (ES). A total of 90 URLNP patients were recruited to participate in a prospective, randomized trial. The decrease in vocal fold irregularity (CFx) and increase in maximum phonation time (MPT) after a 3‐month therapy period were the dependent variables. In the ES group, CFx improved to a significantly greater extent than in the VE group. MPT increased similarly in both groups. Our data indicate that ES is superior to VE for patients with URLNP. Because no further data exist, it can be assumed that improvement following VE only reflects spontaneous recovery. However ES appears to be an effective non‐surgical therapeutic procedure. Muscle Nerve, 2008
The ethics of rodent control
Authors: Meerburg Bastiaan G , Brom Frans WA , Kijlstra Aize
Published: July 2008

Because western societies generally see animals as objects of moral concern, demands have been made on the way they are treated, e.g. during animal experimentation. In the case of rodent pests, however, inhumane control methods are often applied. This inconsistency in the human–animal relationship requires clarification. This paper analyses the criteria that must be met when judging the use of animals during experiments, and investigates whether these can be applied in rodent control. This is important, because, until now, animal welfare has been less of an issue in pest control: effectiveness, hygiene and cost efficiency have been leading principles. Two options are available to solve the inconsistency: the first is to abandon the criteria used in animal experimentation; the second is to apply these criteria to both animal experimentation and rodent control. This latter option implies that rodent control methods should not lead to intense pain or discomfort, and any discomfort should have a short duration and should allow escaped rodents to lead a natural life. Adherence to this option will, however, require a shift in the design of rodent control methods: effectiveness will no longer be the leading principle. It will have to share its position with animal welfare and humaneness. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship Studies for Predicting Flash Points of Organic Compounds using Support Vector Machines
Authors: Pan Yong , Jiang Juncheng , Wang Rui , Cao Hongyin , Zhao Jinbo
Published: July 2008

A Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship (QSPR) model was developed to predict the flash points of organic compounds. The widely used group contribution method was employed, and a new collection of 57 functional groups were selected as the molecular descriptors. The new chemometrics method of Support Vector Machine (SVM) was employed for fitting the possible quantitative relationship that existed between these functional groups and flash points. A total of 1282 organic compounds of various chemical families were used and randomly divided into a training set (1026) and an external prediction set (256).The optimum parameters of the SVM were obtained by employing the leave‐one‐out cross‐validation method. Simulated with the final optimum SVM, the results show that most of the predicted flash point values are in good agreement with the experimental data, with the average absolute error being 6.894 K, and the root mean square error being 11.367 for the whole dataset, which are lower than those obtained by previous works. Moreover, by employing the convenient group contribution method as well as the large modeling dataset, the presented model is also expected to be simple to apply and with a wide applicability range.
Imaging of gynecological disease (4): clinical and ultrasound characteristics of struma ovarii
Authors: Savelli L. , Testa A. C. , Timmerman D. , Paladini D. , Ljungberg O. , Valentin L.
Published: July 2008

Objectives

To describe the clinical history and ultrasound findings in women with struma ovarii.

Methods

Women with a histological diagnosis of struma ovarii who had undergone preoperative ultrasound examination were identified from the databases of five ultrasound centers. The tumors were characterized on the basis of ultrasound images, ultrasound reports and research protocols (when applicable) using the terms and definitions of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) group. In addition, four authors reviewed all ultrasound images and described them using pattern recognition.

Results

Of 31 patients identified, 16 had pure struma ovarii (one malignant), whereas in 15 patients the struma ovarii were ‘impure’, constituting the major part of a dermoid cyst (all benign, bilateral in one case). Median age was 40 (range, 18–80) years and 22 (71%) patients were of fertile age. Thirteen patients (42%) were asymptomatic, nine (29%) presented with pain, six (19%) with bloating, two (6%) with irregular bleeding and one (3%) with thyreotoxicosis. Most pure struma ovarii (11/16 cases, 69%) contained solid components, but cystic components were always present. The color content at Doppler examination varied from none to abundant. Four patients had ascites. Using pattern recognition the most specific feature of pure struma ovarii was the ‘struma pearl’, i.e. a smooth roundish solid area, similar, but not identical, to the ‘round white ball’ seen in dermoid cysts. ‘Struma pearls’ were present in six cases of pure struma ovarii. Most (10/16, 63%) cases of impure struma ovarii manifested ultrasound features compatible with a dermoid cyst, but six manifested ultrasound features similar to those of pure struma ovarii, ‘struma pearls’ being seen in three of these.

Conclusions

The sonographic features of struma ovarii vary. Struma ovarii may be suspected when a ‘struma pearl’ is seen. Whether ‘struma pearls’ are indeed a specific ultrasonographic feature of struma ovarii needs to be determined in a prospective study. Copyright © 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hepatic Resection is Justified for Elderly Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kondo Kazuhiro , Chijiiwa Kazuo , Funagayama Mayumi , Kai Masahiro , Otani Kazuhiro , Ohuchida Jiro
Published: July 2008

Background

Hepatic resection is one of the main treatment modalities for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, surgery is generally stressful and often is avoided for elderly patients. This retrospective study was designed to determine whether the indications for hepatic resection in younger patients with HCC are applicable to elderly patients.

Methods

Subjects were 294 patients in whom 319 hepatic resections were performed for HCC (male/female ratio, 238/81; age range, 18–83 years). The patients were divided into two groups according to age at the time of surgery: 70 years or older (n = 109) and 69 years or younger (n = 210). Surgical strategy and postoperative follow‐up methods did not differ between groups. The incidence and severity of postoperative complications classified by the Clavien system were compared between the two groups. Postoperative survival was compared between the two groups and between subgroups based on Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) scores. HCC‐related death rates also were compared.

Results

No significant between‐group difference was found in background liver function or type of hepatic resection. Differences were found in performance status and type of hepatitis virus infection. No difference was observed in the incidence or severity of postoperative complications. Postoperative survival was similar between the two age‐based study groups and between the JIS‐based subgroups. HCC‐related death rates did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

The absence of differences in postoperative outcomes between groups suggests that hepatic resection is justified for HCC in selected patients aged 70 years or older.
The Spirit of Ecological Inquiry and Intervention Research Reports: A Heuristic Elaboration
Authors: Ryerson Espino Susan L. , Trickett Edison J.
Published: July 2008

One distinctive approach to community psychology intervention research involves finding ways to contribute to the development of communities. Ecological inquiry is a primary theoretical framework for this work. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the spirit of ecological inquiry may be expressed in the descriptions of how we design, conduct, and evaluate community interventions. We first elaborate a set of criteria as a heuristic framework for carrying out and documenting community intervention writing, theory, and action. We then pilot the application of these criteria to explore the presence of an ecological emphasis within intervention studies published in theAJCPbetween 1994 and 2002. This exercise helped illuminate the extent to which an ecological perspective is reflected in intervention accounts, and select intervention accounts that reflect a substantial ecological emphasis are described. Further, this review highlights the areas of our written work which contain fewer makers of ecological inquiry, as with the relevant exclusion of citizens in formative intervention roles. We conclude with a series of reflections about constraints on published intervention accounts and recommendations for those interested in furthering the spirit of ecological inquiry through their research and action commitments to community development.
Herring (Clupea harengus) intake influences lipoproteins but not inflammatory and oxidation markers in overweight men
Authors: Lindqvist Helen M. , Langkilde Anna Maria , Undeland Ingrid , Sandberg Ann-Sofie
Published: July 2008

Fish consumption is associated with a lower incidence of CVD and decreases in risk factors for atherosclerosis. Although fish contains other interesting components than fish oil, few studies focus on total fish composition and the influence food preparation might have on health-beneficial components. In the present cross-over intervention study the effect of a 6-week herring diet compared with a reference diet on CVD risk factors was investigated. Thirty-five healthy, but overweight, men (mean BMI 28·3 kg/m2) were randomised to a 6-week herring diet (150 g baked herring fillets/d, 5 d/week) or a reference diet (150 g baked lean pork and chicken fillets/d, 5 d/week). Diets were switched after a 12-week washout period. Plasma total cholesterol, TAG, HDL, HDL2, HDL3, LDL, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-18, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, oxidised LDL, oxygen radical absorbance capacity using perchloric acid (ORACPCA), whole-blood fatty acids, bleeding time and blood pressure were measured at the beginning and end of each dietary period. HDL was significantly higher after the herring diet period compared with after the reference diet period: 1·04v.0·99 mmol/l. TAG decreased after both diets, with no significant difference between the two diets. ORACPCAvalues did not indicate lower concentrations of non-protein plasma antioxidants, and oxidised LDL was not higher after the herring diet than after the reference diet. To conclude, a 6-week herring-rich diet significantly raised HDL compared with a diet of matched lean pork and chicken dishes. No adverse effects onin vivooxidation or serum antioxidants were found after herring intake.
Antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content and iron bioavailability from algae (Ulvasp.,Sargassumsp. andPorphyrasp.) in human subjects
Authors: García-Casal Maria N. , Ramírez José , Leets Irene , Pereira Ana C. , Quiroga Maria F.
Published: July 2008

Marine algae are easily produced and are good sources of Fe. If this Fe is bioavailable, algae consumption could help to combat Fe deficiency and anaemia worldwide. The objective of the present study was to evaluate Fe bioavailability, polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity from three species of marine algae distributed worldwide. A total of eighty-three subjects received maize- or wheat-based meals containing marine algae (Ulvasp.,Sargassumsp. andPorphyrasp.) in different proportions (2·5, 5·0 and 7·5 g) added to the water to prepare the dough. All meals administered contained radioactive Fe. Absorption was evaluated calculating radioactive Fe incorporation in subjects' blood. The three species of marine algae were analysed for polyphenol content and reducing power. Algae significantly increased Fe absorption in maize- or wheat-based meals, especiallySargassumsp., due to its high Fe content. Increases in absorption were dose-dependent and higher in wheat- than in maize-based meals. Total polyphenol content was 10·84, 18·43 and 80·39 gallic acid equivalents/g forUlvasp.,Porphyrasp. andSargassumsp., respectively. The antioxidant capacity was also significantly higher inSargassumsp. compared with the other two species analysed.Ulvasp.,Sargassumsp. andPorphyrasp. are good sources of bioavailable Fe.Sargassumsp. resulted in the highest Fe intake due to its high Fe content, and a bread containing 7·5 gSargassumsp. covers daily Fe needs. The high polyphenol content found inSargassumsp. could be partly responsible for the antioxidant power reported here, and apparently did not affect Fe absorption.
Competing Utopias? Musical Ideologies in the 1930s and Two Spanish Civil War Films
Authors: HESS CAROL A.
Published: July 2008

Although literature inspired by the Spanish Civil War has been widely studied, music so inspired has received far less scholarly attention, and film music even less so. Musical ideologies of the 1930s, including the utopian thinking of many artists and intellectuals, emerge in some surprising ways when we consider two films of the era. BothThe Spanish Earth(1937), an independent documentary, andBlockade(1938), produced in Hollywood, were intended to awaken Loyalist sympathies. The music for the former, consisting of recorded excerpts chosen by Marc Blitzstein and Virgil Thomson and widely understood as folkloric, embodies leftist composers' idealization of folk music. Werner Janssen's score forBlockaderelies on many stock Hollywood gestures, granting it the status of a commodity. This article explores both films in light of Michael Denning's reflections of the relationship between the “cultural front” and the “culture industry,” along with Fredric Jameson's advocacy of the Utopian principle as a hermeneutic tool. It argues that the music forThe Spanish Earthunwittingly subverts the Loyalist cause, whereas the score ofBlockade, with its manipulation of Hollywood codes, is far more persuasive than the political whitewashing of its plot would seem to suggest.
Influences of specific land use/land cover conversions on climatological normals of near‐surface temperature
Authors: Hale Robert C. , Gallo Kevin P. , Loveland Thomas R.
Published: July 2008

Quantification of the effects of land use/land cover (LULC) changes on proximal measurements of near‐surface air temperature is crucial to a better understanding of natural and anthropogenically induced climate change. In this study, data from stations utilized in deriving U.S. climatological temperature normals were analyzed in conjunction with NCEP‐NCAR 50‐Year Reanalysis (NNR) estimates and highly accurate LULC change maps in order to isolate the effects of LULC change from other climatological factors. While the “Normals” temperatures exhibited considerable warming in both minima and maxima, the NNR data revealed that the majority of the warming of maximum temperatures was not due to nearby LULC change. Warming of minimum temperatures was roughly evenly split between the effects of LULC change and other influences. Furthermore, the effects of LULC change varied considerably depending upon the particular type of land cover conversion that occurred. Urbanization, in particular, was found to result in warming of minima and maxima, while some LULC conversions that might be expected to have significantly altered nearby temperatures (e.g., clear‐cutting of forests) did not.
Soils and frost boil ecosystems across the North American Arctic Transect
Authors: Michaelson G. J. , Ping C. L. , Epstein H. , Kimble J. M. , Walker D. A.
Published: July 2008

We studied soil properties of frost boils at nine zonal‐vegetation locations across the North American Arctic Transect (NAAT) in order to better understand arctic soils and their interaction with other biogeophysical components of frost boil ecosystems. Soil genetic horizons were analyzed for particle size, pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N), bulk density and volumetric water content. Surface soils (0–5 cm) across frost boil patterns were analyzed for of pH, OC, water content, extractable N and P, and exchangeable K, Ca and Na. Our results revealed that soil texture, pH, EC, P, Na and Ca contents are strongly influenced by local parent materials. Soil pH was acidic in the north going to alkaline in the midtransect and then again back to acidic in the south. Simple correlations between soil analytical data and observed frost boil properties across the NAAT support and are consistent with the laboratory and theoretical‐conceptual models of pattern ground dynamics that have been developed by others. Soil water related well to texture. Soil horizon %OC and profile OC stocks under the pattern corresponded well to biomass and frost heave, respectively. Also soil water was closely related to biomass and heave. Nutrients in surface soils at sites corresponded to OC stocks. An interaction between soil water and segregation of Na and Ca between the pattern and interpattern was found for locations with high cation availability. At these sites, chemical as well as physical disruption of the pattern area could affect plant establishment. Overall there was a good linkage between properties relating to frost boil pattern dynamics and soil biogeochemical properties. Our study offers insight into the important process of cryoturbation for carbon sequestration in Gelisols across the Arctic.
Ensemble, water isotope–enabled, coupled general circulation modeling insights into the 8.2 ka event
Authors: LeGrande Allegra N. , Schmidt Gavin A.
Published: July 2008

Freshwater forcing has long been postulated as a catalyst for abrupt climate change because of its potential to interfere with thermohaline circulation (THC). The most recent example may have occurred about 8.2 ka ago with the sudden drainage of glacial lakes Agassiz and Ojibway into the Hudson Bay. We perform an ensemble of simulations for this freshwater release using the fully coupled atmosphere ocean general circulation model, Goddard Institute for Space Studies ModelE‐R. In all cases, simulated effects include reduced ocean heat transport and enhanced atmospheric heat transport in the Atlantic, increased surface albedo (through greater low cloud and sea ice cover), and local cooling of up to 3°C. Our suite of ensemble experiments allows us to examine the importance of the initial ocean state, in particular the presence or absence of Labrador Sea Water, in controlling the magnitude and length of the climate response. Water isotope tracers included in this model provide an improved means for direct comparisons of the modeled tracer response to water isotope–based, climate proxy data. Comparison of model simulations to data implies that there was an abrupt approximate halving of Atlantic THC, hence providing strong support for the hypothesis that the 8.2 ka event was caused by an abrupt release of fresh water into the North Atlantic.
CA2 Pyramidal Layer
Authors:   Allen Institute for Brain Science, Dalley Rachel , Ng Lydia , Guillozet-Bongaarts Angela
Published: July 2008

This report contains a gene expression summary of the CA2 pyramidal cell layer (CA2sp), derived from the Allen Brain Atlas (ABA) in situ hybridization mouse data set. The structure's location and morphological characteristics in the mouse brain are described using the Nissl data found in the Allen Reference Atlas. Using an established algorithm, the expression values of the CA2sp were compared to the values of the macro/parent-structure, in this case the pyramidal layer of Ammon’s Horn, for the purpose of extracting regionally selective gene expression data. The genes with the highest ranking selectivity ratios were manually curated and verified. 50 genes were then selected and compiled for expression characterization. The experimental data for each gene may be accessed via the links provided; additional data in the sagittal plane may also be accessed using the ABA. Correlations between gene expression in the CA2sp and the rest of the brain, across all genes in the coronal dataset (~4300 genes), were derived computationally. A gene ontology table (derived from DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 2007) is also included, highlighting possible functions of the 50 genes selected for this report.
The value of European patents
Authors: Gambardella Alfonso , Harhoff Dietmar , Verspagen Bart
Published: July 2008

Abstract This paper employs data from an extensive European survey to produce one of the first systematic assessments of the private economic value of patents. The estimated mean of our patent value distribution is higher than 3 million euros, the median is about one‐tenth of it, and the mode is around a few thousand euros. This is in line with previous findings about the skewed distribution of patent values. Our measure is significantly correlated with the number of patent citations, references, claims, and countries in which the patent is applied. Citations explain value as much as the other three indicators combined, and the right tail of citations is correlated with the right tail of our value measure. Yet, the four indicators only explain 2.7% of the variance of patent value. Thus, while the use of these indicators as proxies for value, particularly citations, may be justified, predictions based on these indicators carry significant noise. After using country, technology, and patent class fixed effects, we only explain 11.3% of the variation in patent value. The ‘measure of our ignorance’ about the determinants of patent value is then still sizable, which calls for additional research to fill the gap.
A statistical analysis of the precision of reweighting-based simulations
Authors: Shen Tongye , Hamelberg Donald
Published: July 2008

Various advanced simulation techniques, which are used to sample the statistical ensemble of systems with complex Hamiltonians, such as those displayed in condensed matters and biomolecular systems, rely heavily on successfully reweighting the sampled configurations. The sampled points of a system from an elevated thermal environment or on a modified Hamiltonian are reused with different statistical weights to evaluate its properties at the initial desired temperature or of the original Hamiltonian. Often, the decrease of accuracy induced by this procedure is ignored and the final results can be far from what is expected. We have addressed the reasons behind such a phenomenon and have provided a quantitative method to estimate the number of sampled points required in the crucial step of reweighting of these advanced simulation methods. We also provided examples from temperature histogram reweighting and accelerated molecular dynamics reweighting to illustrate this idea, which can be generalized to the dynamic reweighting as well. The study shows that this analysis may provide a priori guidance for the strategy of setting up the parameters of advanced simulations before a lengthy one is carried out. The method can therefore provide insights for optimizing the parameters for high accuracy simulations with finite amount of computational resources.
On the anisotropic thermal conductivity of magnetorheological suspensions
Authors: Reinecke Benjamin N. , Shan Jerry W. , Suabedissen Karl K. , Cherkasova Anna S.
Published: July 2008

The thermal conductivity of an iron-based magnetorheological suspension is experimentally investigated for varying particle volume fractions and magnetic-field strengths. Under a magnetic field, the thermal-conductivity component in the field direction increases significantly (by 100% in one case), while the two components perpendicular to the field direction remain virtually unchanged. We propose and test two models for the thermal conductivity in the limiting case when the suspension’s internal structure is saturated by the imposed magnetic field. A two-level homogenization model that first uses the Bruggeman method to calculate the effective conductivity of particle chains, and then an effective-medium theory model to determine the overall conductivity of the suspension, is found to fit accurately the components of the thermal-conductivity tensor. Utilizing this modeling procedure, we determine the effective conductivity of the field-induced, iron-particle chains to be 0.966 W/mK at saturation. This conductivity is equivalent to a particle volume fraction within the chains of φint=0.495, which is smaller than the φint=0.698 predicted for an ideal body-centered-tetragonal arrangement of particles. This suggests that the microstructure in this case differs from perfectly aligned crystals, having either lattice defects or otherwise waviness in the particle chains.
Reproducible increased Mg incorporation and large hole concentration in GaN using metal modulated epitaxy
Authors: Burnham Shawn D. , Namkoong Gon , Look David C. , Clafin Bruce , Doolittle W. Alan
Published: July 2008

The metal modulated epitaxy (MME) growth technique is reported as a reliable approach to obtain reproducible large hole concentrations in Mg-doped GaN grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy on c-plane sapphire substrates. An extremely Ga-rich flux was used, and modulated with the Mg source according to the MME growth technique. The shutter modulation approach of the MME technique allows optimal Mg surface coverage to build between MME cycles and Mg to incorporate at efficient levels in GaN films. The maximum sustained concentration of Mg obtained in GaN films using the MME technique was above 7×1020cm−3, leading to a hole concentration as high as 4.5×1018cm−3 at room temperature, with a mobility of 1.1cm2V−1s−1 and a resistivity of 1.3Ωcm. At 580K, the corresponding values were 2.6×1019cm−3, 1.2cm2V−1s−1, and 0.21Ωcm, respectively. Even under strong white light, the sample remained p-type with little change in the electrical parameters.
X-ray absorption in GaGdN: A study of local structure
Authors: Martínez-Criado G. , Sancho-Juan O. , Garro N. , Sans J. A. , Cantarero A. , Susini J. , Roever M. , Mai D.-D. , Bedoya-Pinto A. , Malindretos J. , Rizzi A.
Published: July 2008

In this study, we report on the incorporation of dilute Gd amounts into GaN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. A combination of x-ray fluorescence with x-ray absorption spectroscopic techniques enabled us to examine not only the distribution of rare earth atoms in the GaN matrix but also the short-range structural order. Our results show Gd atoms in a trivalent state with tetrahedral coordination, thus substituting Ga in the wurtzite GaN structure.
Foxp3+natural regulatory T cells preferentially form aggregates on dendritic cellsin vitroand actively inhibit their maturation
Authors: Onishi Yasushi , Fehervari Zoltan , Yamaguchi Tomoyuki , Sakaguchi Shimon
Published: July 2008

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+regulatory T cells (Treg) suppressin vitrothe proliferation of other T cells in a cell-contact-dependent manner. Dendritic cells (DCs) appear to be a target of Treg-mediated immune suppression. We show here that, in coculture of dye-labeled Treg cells and CD4+CD25−naïve T cells in the presence of T cell receptor stimulation, Treg cells, which are more mobile than naïve T cellsin vitro, out-compete the latter in aggregating around DCs. Deficiency or blockade of leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) (CD11a/CD18) abrogates Treg aggregation, whereas that of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) (CD152) does not. After forming aggregates, Treg cells specifically down-regulate the expression of CD80/86, but not CD40 or class II MHC, on DCs in both a CTLA-4- and LFA-1-dependent manner. Notably, Treg exerts this CD80/86-down-modulating effect even in the presence of strong DC-maturating stimuli, such as GM-CSF, TNF-α, IFN-γ, type I IFN, and lipopolysaccharide. Taken together, as a possible mechanism ofin vitroTreg-mediated cell contact-dependent suppression, we propose that antigen-activated Treg cells exert suppression by two distinct steps: initial LFA-1-dependent formation of Treg aggregates on immature DCs and subsequent LFA-1- and CTLA-4-dependent active down-modulation of CD80/86 expression on DCs. Both steps prevent antigen-reactive naïve T cells from being activated by antigen-presenting DCs, resulting in specific immune suppression and tolerance.
The Justification of Probability Measures in Statistical Mechanics*
Authors: Davey Kevin
Published: July 2008

According to a standard view of the second law of thermodynamics, our belief in the second law can be justified by pointing out that low-entropy macrostates are less probable than high-entropy macrostates, and then noting that a system in an improbable state will tend to evolve toward a more probable state. I would like to argue that this justification of the second law is unhelpful at best and wrong at worst, and will argue that certain puzzles sometimes associated with the second law are merely artifacts of this questionable justification.
Case-Mix Adjustment Approach to Benchmarking Prevalence Rates of Nosocomial Infection in Hospitals in Cyprus and Greece
Authors: Kritsotakis Evangelos I. , Dimitriadis Ioannis , Roumbelaki Maria , Vounou Emelia , Kontou Maria , Papakyriakou Panikos , Koliou-Mazeri Maria , Varthalitis Ioannis , Vrouchos George , Troulakis George , Gikas Achilleas
Published: July 2008

Objective.

To examine the effect of heterogeneous case mix for a benchmarking analysis and interhospital comparison of the prevalence rates of nosocomial infection.

Design.

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting.

Eleven hospitals located in Cyprus and in the region of Crete in Greece.

Methods.

The survey included all inpatients in the medical, surgical, pediatric, and gynecology-obstetrics wards, as well as those in intensive care units. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria were used to define nosocomial infection. The information collected for all patients included demographic characteristics, primary admission diagnosis, Karnofsky functional status index, Charlson comorbidity index, McCabe- Jackson severity of illness classification, use of antibiotics, and prior exposures to medical and surgical risk factors. Outcome data were also recorded for all patients. Case mix-adjusted rates were calculated by using a multivariate logistic regression model for nosocomial infection risk and an indirect standardization method.

Results.

The overall prevalence rate of nosocomial infection was 7.0% (95% confidence interval, 5.9%–8.3%) among 1,832 screened patients. Significant variation in nosocomial infection rates was observed across hospitals (range, 2.2%–9.6%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the mean predicted risk of nosocomial infection across hospitals ranged from 3.7% to 10.3%, suggesting considerable variation in patient risk. Case mix-adjusted rates ranged from 2.6% to 12.4%, and the relative ranking of hospitals was affected by case-mix adjustment in 8 cases (72.8%). Nosocomial infection was significantly and independently associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 3.6 [95% confidence interval, 2.1–6.1]).

Conclusion.

The first attempt to rank the risk of nosocomial infection in these regions demonstrated the importance of accounting for heterogeneous case mix before attempting interhospital comparisons.
Psychological and neural mechanisms of relapse
Authors: Stewart Jane
Published: July 2008

Relapse, the resumption of drug taking after periods of abstinence, remains the major problem for the treatment of addiction. Even when drugs are unavailable for long periods or when users are successful in curbing their drug use for extended periods, individuals remain vulnerable to events that precipitate relapse. Behavioural studies in humans and laboratory animals show that drug-related stimuli, drugs themselves and stressors are powerful events for the precipitation of relapse. Molecular, neurochemical and anatomical studies have identified lasting neural changes that arise from mere exposure to drugs and other enduring changes that arise from learning about the relationship between drug-related stimuli and drug effects. Chronic drug exposure increases sensitivity of some systems of the brain to the effects of drugs and stressful events. These changes, combined with those underlying conditioning and learning, perpetuate vulnerability to drug-related stimuli. Circuits of the brain involved are those of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system and its glutamatergic connections, and the corticotropin-releasing factor and noradrenergic systems of the limbic brain. This paper reviews advances in our understanding of how these systems mediate the effects of events that precipitate relapse and of how lasting changes in these systems can perpetuate vulnerability to relapse.
Chronic child abuse and domestic violence: children and families with long‐term and complex needs
Authors: Devaney John
Published: July 2008

It is estimated that up to one million children may have been exposed to domestic violence in the UK, with significant consequences for their social and emotional development in childhood and later life. At a time when the central and devolved administrations in the UK have developed strategies to tackle domestic violence, this paper reports the findings from a study conducted on children in the child protection system with long‐term and complex needs as a result of experiencing domestic violence. The research identifies the characteristics of the children and their families and tracks their careers through the child protection system. The findings indicate that professionals have an awareness of domestic violence, and that younger children with younger parents are most likely to experience prolonged periods in the child protection system. Domestic violence in this context typically co‐exists in families experiencing other difficulties such as substance misuse and socio‐economic deprivation. In conclusion, the paper argues that Government policy and professional practice should primarily be concerned with assessing the risk that men present, rather than the risk that children are at. By reframing professional interventions, men are more likely to be challenged to accept responsibility for their behaviour and the consequences for their families.
Safeguarding children in the UK: a longitudinal study of services to children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm
Authors: Brandon Marian , Thoburn June
Published: July 2008

This paper presents findings from a prospective longitudinal study which set out to track the progress of 105 children and young people newly identified as having suffered, or being likely to suffer, significant harm through maltreatment or neglect. Baseline data were collected on these children in four English social services departments. Descriptive data on the services and child outcome data were analysed on all the children between 12 and 18 months later, and on 77 of the young people 8–9 years after concerns were first identified. Forty per cent of the children stayed at home with a parent throughout, while the majority of children experienced either some or considerable disruption to their lives. Fifty‐seven per cent experienced further maltreatment or neglect. Some children appear to have made good progress in spite of repeated moves, disruption and re‐abuse. The paper examines the pattern of services to children and parents. Factors are explored which appeared to either help or hinder the children's capacity to deal with the stresses and adversities faced over the 8 years. Implications for policy and practice are explored which may be more likely to promote positive outcomes for these high‐risk children.
Attitudes of Palestinian pre‐school teachers from Israel towards reporting of suspected cases of child abuse and neglect
Authors: Haj‐Yahia Muhammad M. , Attar‐Schwartz Shalhevet
Published: July 2008

The paper documents a study conducted among 225 Palestinian pre‐school teachers from Israel. Data were collected through a self‐administered questionnaire that examined the teachers’ attitudes towards reporting child abuse and neglect. In general, the participants’ attitudes towards reporting child abuse and neglect to the child protection services (CPS) were more positive than their attitudes towards reporting to the police. Willingness to report suspected cases of child sexual abuse to the police and CPS was higher than willingness to report other types of child abuse and neglect. Inconsistent results were revealed with regard to how awareness of reporting regulations and awareness of signs and risk factors for child maltreatment affect willingness to report to CPS and to the police. A comprehensive discussion of the possible relevance of the participants’ socio‐cultural and sociopolitical values to their attitudes towards reporting child abuse and neglect is presented. The implications of the results for future studies are also discussed.
The association of early life exposure to antibiotics and the development of asthma, eczema and atopy in a birth cohort: confounding or causality?
Authors: Wickens K. , Ingham T. , Epton M. , Pattemore P. , Town I. , Fishwick D. , Crane J. ,   the New Zealand Asthma and Allergy Cohort Study Group
Published: July 2008

Background
In general, studies reporting positive associations between antibiotic exposure and respiratory and allergic disease have been unable to determine the nature of this association.

Objective
To examine the association between antibiotic exposure in infancy and the development of asthma, eczema and atopy in early childhood.

Methods
In a birth cohort study, we collected reported antibiotic exposure before 3 months and before 15 months along with outcomes (wheeze, asthma, eczema, rash, inhaler use) at 15 months (n=1011) and 4 years (n=986). Atopy was measured using skin prick tests at 15 months.

Results
We found significant univariate associations of antibiotic exposure before 3 months with asthma developing between birth and 15 months [OR 2.32 (95% CI 1.45–3.69)]. After adjustment for chest infections, this association reduced (OR=1.58, 95% CI 0.96–2.60) becoming marginally significant (P=0.07). A marginally significant association of antibiotics with atopy (OR=1.44, 95% CI 0.96–2.14) in the univariate analysis also reduced after adjustment for chest infections (OR=1.36, 95% CI 0.91–2.05). There was no effect of antibiotic exposure before 15 months on asthma developing after 15 months and present between 3 and 4 years (OR=1.35 95% CI 0.85–2.14). Antibiotic exposure before 3 months was not associated with eczema and rash developing between birth and 15 months but exposure before 15 months was related to eczema [OR 1.83 (95% CI 1.10–3.05)] and rash [OR 1.61 (95% CI 1.02–2.53)] developing after 15 months and remaining present at 4 years. These effects reduced in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that the effect of antibiotics on respiratory disease may be due to confounding by chest infections at an early age when asthma may be indistinguishable from infection.
The impact of goal focus, task type and group size on synchronous net‐based collaborative learning discourses
Authors: Pfister H.‐R. , Oehl M.
Published: July 2008

Net‐based collaborative learning discourses often suffer from deficiencies such as lack of coherence and coordination. It is suggested that the provision of two functionalities, referencing and typing, which learners may optionally use to ground their contributions during a chat‐based discourse, can improve collaborative learning. In particular, we examined if goal focus, type of task and group size affect learning outcomes and the use of these functionalities. A chat‐based system, called a learning protocol, implements these functionalities and serves as a net‐based collaborative learning environment. Results suggest that a learning protocol is more beneficial for knowledge‐acquisition tasks than for problem‐solving tasks, and that the use of supporting functionalities increases when goal focus is on the group rather than on the individual. Also, there is a tendency that learning outcomes improve as group size increases. We propose that learning protocols provide potentially valuable design features that can promote net‐based collaborative learning.
Effects of chili on postprandial gastrointestinal symptoms in diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndrome: evidence for capsaicin‐sensitive visceral nociception hypersensitivity
Authors: Gonlachanvit S. , Mahayosnond A. , Kullavanijaya P.
Published: July 2008

Abstract Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients often complain of gastrointestinal symptoms after eating chili. However, the effect of chili ingestion on gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS patients has not been characterized. To study the effect of chili‐containing foods on postprandial gastrointestinal symptoms in diarrhoea‐predominant IBS (IBS‐D), 20 IBS‐D patients underwent gastrointestinal symptoms and postprandial colonic transit evaluations after ingesting three different meals: (i) a standard meal, (ii) a spicy meal (a standard meal mixed with 2 g chili), and (iii) a standard meal with 2 g chili in capsules, in a randomized crossover fashion. Postprandial gastrointestinal symptoms were scored every 15 min for 2 h using visual analogue scales. Thirty‐eight healthy volunteers were used as controls. In healthy volunteers, the spicy meals and meals with chili capsules induced only mild abdominal burning relative to the standard meals (P < 0.05), whereas it induced significant levels of abdominal pain and burning in IBS‐D patients (P < 0.05). Other gastrointestinal symptoms and postprandial colonic transit after spicy meals and meals with chili capsules did not differ from standard meals in IBS‐D and controls (P > 0.05). Diarrhoea‐predominant IBS patients and controls reported similar oral burning symptoms when eating spicy meals (P > 0.05). Both the spicy meal and the standard meal with chili capsules led to similar severity of gastrointestinal symptoms (P > 0.05). Diarrhoea‐predominant IBS patients exhibit gut hypersensitivity to chili. Chili ingestion produced more abdominal pain and burning in IBS‐D patients than in healthy volunteers, but was associated with similar oral burning symptoms.
9. Multiple Imputation of Incomplete Categorical Data Using Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Vermunt Jeroen K. , van Ginkel Joost R. , van der Ark L. Andries , Sijtsma Klaas
Published: July 2008

We propose using latent class analysis as an alternative to log-linear analysis for the multiple imputation of incomplete categorical data. Similar to log-linear models, latent class models can be used to describe complex association structures between the variables used in the imputation model. However, unlike log-linear models, latent class models can be used to build large imputation models containing more than a few categorical variables. To obtain imputations reflecting uncertainty about the unknown model parameters, we use a nonparametric bootstrap procedure as an alternative to the more common full Bayesian approach. The proposed multiple imputation method, which is implemented in Latent GOLD software for latent class analysis, is illustrated with two examples. In a simulated data example, we compare the new method to well-established methods such as maximum likelihood estimation with incomplete data and multiple imputation using a saturated log-linear model. This example shows that the proposed method yields unbiased parameter estimates and standard errors. The second example concerns an application using a typical social sciences data set. It contains 79 variables that are all included in the imputation model. The proposed method is especially useful for such large data sets because standard methods for dealing with missing data in categorical variables break down when the number of variables is so large.
Search and Seizure, Racial Profiling, and Traffic Stops: A Disparate Impact Framework
Authors: PICKERILL J. MITCHELL , MOSHER CLAYTON , PRATT TRAVIS
Published: July 2008

In response to nationwide attention to the issue of racial profiling, numerous law enforcement agencies have reexamined their policies and collected data on the racial demographics of motorists stopped and searched by police. This article advocates a “disparate impact” framework for understanding the relationship between race and searches and seizures. Using data on the Washington State Patrol, analysis indicates that disparities in the proportions of racial minorities searched by the Patrol are likely not the result of intentional or purposeful discrimination. Additionally, factors such as age, sex, time of day, and the number of violations that motivated the stop affect the likelihood of a search.
Shifting Identities and Blurring Boundaries: the Emergence ofThird SpaceProfessionals in UK Higher Education
Authors: Whitchurch Celia
Published: July 2008

This paper adds to earlier reviews by the author of the changing roles and identities of contemporary professional staff in UK higher education, and builds on a categorisation of professional staff identities as havingbounded,cross‐boundaryandunboundedcharacteristics. Drawing on a study of 54 professional managers in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, it describes a further category ofblended professionals, who have mixed backgrounds and portfolios, comprising elements of both professional and academic activity. The paper goes on to introduce the concept ofthird spaceas an emergent territory between academic and professional domains, which is colonised primarily by lessboundedforms of professional. The implications of these developments for institutions and for individuals are considered, and some international comparisons drawn. Finally, it is suggested thatthird spaceworking may be indicative of future trends in professional identities, which may increasingly coalesce with those of academic colleagues who undertake project‐ and management‐oriented roles, so that new forms ofthird spaceprofessional are likely to continue to emerge.