bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Hepatic Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of Pasireotide (SOM230): Results From a Multicenter Phase I Study
Authors: Horsmans Yves , Hu Ke , Ruffin Matthieu , Wang Ying , Song Dongweon , Bouillaud Emmanuel , Wang Yanfeng , Mazur Dago , Botha Frans‐Peter , Heuman Douglas M.
Published: January 2012

Pasireotide is a novel, multireceptor‐targeted somatostatin analogue with high affinity for sst1,2,3 and sst5 under clinical evaluation in tumors of neuroendocrine origin, including Cushing's disease, acromegaly, and neuroendocrine tumors. In this phase I, open‐label, multicenter study, the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single subcutaneous (SC) injection of pasireotide 600 μg were evaluated in adults with normal hepatic function (n = 15) and mild (n = 6), moderate (n = 7), or severe hepatic impairment (n = 6). Following a single dose of pasireotide SC 600 μg, there were no significant differences in the plasma exposure of pasireotide between participants with normal hepatic function or mild hepatic impairment. Subjects with moderate and severe hepatic impairment showed an increase in AUC∞ by 56% and 42%, respectively; this increase was 60% and 79% respectively, after adjusting for differences in age, BMI, and baseline serum albumin level between treatment groups. The incidence and severity of adverse events were similar across cohorts, with no clinically relevant differences in type or frequency of adverse events between cohorts. In conclusion, a single dose of pasireotide SC 600 μg was well tolerated in subjects with hepatic impairment. Drug exposure in subjects with mild hepatic impairment was similar to that seen in healthy volunteers, whereas subjects with moderate and severe hepatic impairment experienced higher exposure to pasireotide. Adjustment of the pasireotide dose may be required for patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment.
Increased Systemic Exposure of Fimasartan, an Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist, by Ketoconazole and Rifampicin
Authors: Kim Jung Won , Yi SoJeong , Kim Tae‐Eun , Lim Kyoung Soo , Yoon Seo Hyun , Cho Joo‐Youn , Lee Min Goo , Song Im‐Sook , Shin Sang‐Goo , Jang In‐Jin , Yu Kyung‐Sang
Published: January 2012

The authors studied the effects of ketoconazole and rifampicin on the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of fimasartan (BR‐A‐657), a newly developed angiotensin II receptor antagonist for the treatment of hypertension, in 22 healthy participants. Ketoconazole increased the maximumplasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration vs time curve to infinity (AUC⧝ of fimasartan by 2.47‐fold (90% confidence interval [CI], 1.61‐3.79) and 2.03‐fold (1.56‐2.64), respectively. Concomitant administration of rifampicin increased the Cmax and AUC∞ of fimasartan by 10.33‐fold (90% CI, 6.74‐15.81) and 4.60‐fold (3.54‐5.97). In vitro studies indicated that ketoconazole inhibited the uptake of fimasartan into cells expressing OATP1B1 with a Ki of 107.7 µM, and rifampicin inhibited OAT1‐ and OATP1B1‐mediated fimasartan transport with a Ki of 212 µM and 12.2 µM, respectively. The systemic exposure of fimasartan was significantly increased by coadministration of ketoconazole or rifampicin in healthy volunteers. This is consistent with the in vitro results, in which fimasartan is a substrate of CYP3A and OATP1B1.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010
Authors: Sun Gordon H. , Davis Matthew M.
Published: January 2012

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. Since its passage, the PPACA has led to increased health insurance coverage for millions more Americans, and it includes provisions leading to new avenues for clinical and health services research funding. The legislation also favors development of the primary care specialties and general surgery, increased training of midlevel health care providers, and medical training and service in underserved areas of the United States. However, the PPACA does not effectively engage otolaryngologists in quality improvement, despite modifications to the Physician Quality Reporting System. The legislation also levies a tax on cosmetic procedures, affecting both clinicians and patients. This article reviews the sections of the PPACA that are most pertinent to otolaryngologists and explains how these components of the bill will affect otolaryngologic practice and research over the coming decade.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (CD143) specifies emerging lympho-hematopoietic progenitors in the human embryo
Authors: Sinka Lidia , Biasch Katia , Khazaal Ibrahim , Péault Bruno , Tavian Manuela
Published: January 2012

Adult-type lympho-myeloid hematopoietic progenitors are first generated in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region between days 27 and 40 of human embryonic development, but an elusive blood forming potential is present earlier in the underlying splanchnopleura. In the present study, we show that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, also known as CD143), a recently identified cell-surface marker of adult human hematopoietic stem cells, is already expressed in all presumptive and developing blood-forming tissues of the human embryo and fetus: para-aortic splanchnopleura, yolk sac, aorta-gonad-mesonephros, liver, and bone marrow (BM). Fetal liver and BM-derived CD34+ACE+ cells, but not CD34+ACE− cells, are endowed with long-term culture-initiating cell potential and sustain multilineage hematopoietic cell engraftment when transplanted into NOD/SCID mice. Furthermore, from 23-26 days of development, ACE expression characterizes rare CD34−CD45− cells concentrated in the hemogenic portion of the para-aortic splanchnopleura. ACE+ cells sorted from the splanchnopleura generated colonies of hematopoietic cells more than 40 times more frequently than ACE− cells. These data suggest that, in addition to being a marker of adult human hematopoietic stem cells, ACE identifies embryonic mesodermal precursors responsible for definitive hematopoiesis, and we propose that this enzyme is involved in the regulation of human blood formation.
Chelation use and iron burden in North American and British thalassemia patients: a report from the Thalassemia Longitudinal Cohort
Authors: Kwiatkowski Janet L. , Kim Hae-Young , Thompson Alexis A. , Quinn Charles T. , Mueller Brigitta U. , Odame Isaac , Giardina Patricia J. , Vichinsky Elliott P. , Boudreaux Jeanne M. , Cohen Alan R. , Porter John B. , Coates Thomas , Olivieri Nancy F. , Neufeld Ellis J. ,   for the Thalassemia Clinical Research Network
Published: January 2012

Morbidity and mortality in thalassemia are associated with iron burden. Recent advances in organ-specific iron imaging and the availability of oral deferasirox are expected to improve clinical care, but the extent of use of these resources and current chelation practices have not been well described. In the present study, we studied chelation use and the change in iron measurements in 327 subjects with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (mean entry age, 22.1 ± 2.5 years) from 2002-2011, with a mean follow-up of 8.0 years (range, 4.4-9.0 years). The predominant chelator currently used is deferasirox, followed by deferoxamine and then combination therapies. The use of both hepatic and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging increased more than 5-fold (P < .001) during the study period, leading to an 80% increase in the number of subjects undergoing liver iron concentration (LIC) measurements. Overall, LIC significantly improved (median, 10.7 to 5.1 mg/g dry weight, P < .001) with a nonsignificant improvement in cardiac T2* (median, 23.55 to 34.50 ms, P = .23). The percentage of patients with markers of inadequate chelation (ferritin > 2500 ng/mL, LIC > 15 mg/g dry weight, and/or cardiac T2* < 10 ms) also declined from 33% to 26%. In summary, increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging and oral chelation in thalassemia management has likely contributed to improved iron burden.
Stable changes in CD4+ T lymphocyte miRNA expression after exposure to HIV-1
Authors: Bignami Fabio , Pilotti Elisabetta , Bertoncelli Linda , Ronzi Paola , Gulli Mariolina , Marmiroli Nelson , Magnani Giacomo , Pinti Marcello , Lopalco Lucia , Mussini Cristina , Ruotolo Roberta , Galli Massimo , Cossarizza Andrea , Casoli Claudio
Published: January 2012

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) inhibit HIV-1 expression by either modulating host innate immunity or by directly interfering with viral mRNAs. We evaluated the expression of 377 miRNAs in CD4+ T cells from HIV-1 élite long-term nonprogressors (éLTNPs), naive patients, and multiply exposed uninfected (MEU) patients, and we observed that the éLTNP patients clustered with naive patients, whereas all MEU subjects grouped together. The discriminatory power of miRNAs showed that 21 miRNAs significantly differentiated éLTNP from MEU patients and 23 miRNAs distinguished naive from MEU patients, whereas only 1 miRNA (miR-155) discriminated éLTNP from naive patients. We proposed that miRNA expression may discriminate between HIV-1–infected and –exposed but negative patients. Analysis of miRNAs expression after exposure of healthy CD4+ T cells to gp120 in vitro confirmed our hypothesis that a miRNA profile could be the result not only of a productive infection but also of the exposure to HIV-1 products that leave a signature in immune cells. The comparison of normalized Dicer and Drosha expression in ex vivo and in vitro condition revealed that these enzymes did not affect the change of miRNA profiles, supporting the existence of a Dicer-independent biogenesis pathway.
The clinically active BTK inhibitor PCI-32765 targets B-cell receptor– and chemokine-controlled adhesion and migration in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: de Rooij Martin F. M. , Kuil Annemieke , Geest Christian R. , Eldering Eric , Chang Betty Y. , Buggy Joseph J. , Pals Steven T. , Spaargaren Marcel
Published: January 2012

Small-molecule drugs that target the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signalosome show clinical efficacy in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These agents, including the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor PCI-32765, display an unexpected response in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): a rapid and sustained reduction of lymphadenopathy accompanied by transient lymphocytosis, which is reversible upon temporary drug deprivation. We hypothesized that this clinical response reflects impaired integrin-mediated adhesion and/or migration. Here, we show that PCI-32765 strongly inhibits BCR-controlled signaling and integrin α4β1-mediated adhesion to fibronectin and VCAM-1 of lymphoma cell lines and primary CLL cells. Furthermore, PCI-32765 also inhibits CXCL12-, CXCL13-, and CCL19-induced signaling, adhesion, and migration of primary CLL cells. Our data indicate that inhibition of BTK by PCI-32765 overcomes BCR- and chemokine-controlled integrin-mediated retention and homing of malignant B cells in their growth- and survival-supporting lymph node and bone marrow microenvironment, which results in clinically evident CLL regression.
Fixed point and weak convergence theorems for point-dependent λ-hybrid mappings in Banach spaces
Authors: Huang Young-Ye , Jeng Jyh-Chung , Kuo Tian-Yuan , Hong Chung-Chien
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this article is to study the fixed point and weak convergence problem for the new defined class of point-dependent λ-hybrid mappings relative to a Bregman distance D
f
in a Banach space. We at first extend the Aoyama-Iemoto-Kohsaka-Takahashi fixed point theorem for λ-hybrid mappings in Hilbert spaces in 2010 to this much wider class of nonlinear mappings in Banach spaces. Secondly, we derive an Opial-like inequality for the Bregman distance and apply it to establish a weak convergence theorem for this new class of nonlinear mappings. Some concrete examples in a Hilbert space showing that our extension is proper are also given.

2010 MSC: 47H09; 47H10.
A multi-laboratory profile of Mycoplasma contamination in Lawsonia intracellularis cultures
Authors: Hwang Jeong-Min , Lee Ji-Hye , Yeh Jung-Yong
Published: January 2012

Background

During the routine laboratory cultivation of Lawsonia intracellularis, Mycoplasma contamination has been a frequent problem. When Mycoplasma contamination occurs in laboratories that study L. intracellularis, the cultures must be discarded for 4 reasons: 1) Mycoplasma is inevitably concentrated along with L. intracellularis during the passage of L. intracellularis; 2) Mycoplasma inhibits the growth of L. intracellularis; and 3) it is impossible to selectively eliminate Mycoplasma in L. intracellularis cultures. In this study, we observed the contamination of Mycoplasma species during L. intracellularis cultivation among multiple laboratories.

Results

The presence of a Mycoplasma infection in the L. intracellularis cultures was verified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and a sequence analysis of the partial 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA genes was performed. A PCR-based assay using genus-specific universal primers revealed that 29 (85.3%) of the 34 cultures were contaminated with Mycoplasma, including 26 with M. hyorhinis (89.2%), 2 with M. orale (6.9%), and 1 with M. fermentans (3.4%). The Mycoplasma contamination was not the result of infection with material of pig origin. McCoy cells, which are required for the cultivation of L. intracellularis, were also ruled out as the source of the Mycoplasma contamination.

Conclusions

In this study, M. hyorhinis was identified as the most common mollicute that contaminated L. intracellularis cultures. Whether L. intracellularis enhances the biological properties of Mycoplasma to promote infection in McCoy cells is not known. Because the McCoy cell line stocks that were used simultaneously were all negative for Mycoplasma, and the same worker handled both the McCoy cells to maintain the bacteria and the L. intracellularis cultures, it is possible that the L. intracellularis cultures are more vulnerable to Mycoplasma contamination. Taken together, these results suggest that continuous cultures of L. intracellularis must be tested for Mycoplasma contamination at regular intervals.

The GenBank accession numbers for the sequences reported in this paper are JN689375 to JN689377.
Predictors of survival in a cohort of patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis: effect of corticosteroids, methotrexate and azathioprine
Authors: Schiopu Elena , Phillips Kristine , MacDonald Paul M , Crofford Leslie J , Somers Emily C
Published: January 2012

Introduction

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are rare diseases for which data regarding the natural history, response to therapies and factors affecting mortality are needed. We performed this study to examine the effects of treatment and clinical features on survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis patients.

Methods

A total of 160 consecutive patients (77 with polymyositis and 83 with dermatomyositis) seen at the University of Michigan from 1997 to 2003 were included. Medical records were abstracted for clinical, laboratory and therapeutic data, including initial steroid regimen and immunosuppressive use. State vital records were utilized to derive mortality and cause of death data. Survival was modeled by left-truncated Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox regression.

Results

The 5- and 10-year survival estimates were 77% (95% CI = 66 to 85), and 62% (95% CI = 48 to 73), respectively, and the rates were similar for polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Survival between the sexes was similar through 5 years and significantly lower thereafter for males (10-year survival: 18% male, 73% female; P = 0.002 for 5- to 10-year interval). The sex disparity was restricted to the polymyositis group. Increased age at diagnosis and non-Caucasian race were associated with lower survival. Intravenous versus oral corticosteroid use was associated with a higher risk of death among Caucasians (HR = 10.6, 95% CI = 2.1 to 52.8). Early survival between patients treated with methotrexate versus azathioprine was similar, but survival at 10 years was higher for the methotrexate-treated group (76% vs 52%, P = 0.046 for 5- to 10-year interval).

Conclusions

Patients treated initially with intravenous corticosteroids had higher mortality, which was likely related to disease severity. Both methotrexate and azathioprine showed similar early survival benefits as first-line immunosuppressive drugs. Survival was higher between 5 and 10 years in the methotrexate-treated group, but could not be confirmed in multivariable modeling for the full follow-up period. Other important predictors of long-term survival included younger age, female sex and Caucasian race.
Peopling the Place, Placing the People: An Archaeology of Brothertown Discourse
Authors: Cipolla Craig N.
Published: January 2012

“Brothertown” was the name given a multitribal Christian settlement of English-speaking native peoples that was founded in the late eighteenth century. In this essay I explore the give-and-take of social identity from the perspective of written correspondence between Brothertown Indians and outsiders, both Indian and Euroamerican. I focus specifically on the name Brothertown, tracing its emergence and transformation through time and assessing its importance in the unfolding of Brothertown history. Shifting uses of the name speak to social identity as negotiated between authors and addressees, while broader considerations of the name within the politics of colonial North America reveal the centrality of ethnonymy and other modes of reference in shaping colonial interactions.
Carib as a Colonial Category: Comparing Ethnohistoric and Archaeological Evidence from Dominica, West Indies
Authors: Lenik Stephan
Published: January 2012

Documents and maps describe settlement locations and objects possessed by the Carib, or Kalinago, in the Commonwealth of Dominica during the post-Columbian period. Archaeological testing at multiple sites in northern Dominica reveals that historical Carib settlements functioned as trading sites, observation posts, or refuges, but such testing has not recovered material culture described in the documents. Part of the explanation for the lack of correspondence between ethnohistory and archaeology is the inadequacy of the Carib ethnonym, which has been manipulated by the political and economic interests of European colonizers since 1492. Beginning with the first voyages of Columbus, the Carib were portrayed as warlike cannibals who raided the “peaceful” natives of the Greater Antilles. Carib-French contacts in the seventeenth century recorded origin myths and linguistic evidence that fit with the initial Spanish impressions of native Caribbean peoples. Archaeological findings reveal some of the heterogeneity that has been obscured by the Carib category recorded in the ethnohistoric sources.
A Sleeping Army: The Military Origins of Interethnic Civic Structures on Mexico's Colonial Frontier
Authors: McEnroe Sean F.
Published: January 2012

This article describes warfare and diplomacy between colonial and non-colonial peoples on the northeastern frontier of New Spain in the eighteenth century. It considers the relationship of Spanish and Nahua colonists to indigenous populations in the north. It argues that shared assumptions about military hierarchy transcended cultural boundaries, permitting diplomatic exchange and political integration. Drawing on archival military and missionary records, the article illustrates the process by which European and indigenous political units were first rendered mutually intelligible, later connected by alliance, and finally integrated through joint settlement and corporate governance. Fundamental to these processes were the communication and synthesis of cultural schemata expressing the correspondence of military commands to each party's historical memory and social geography. This article offers a partial explanation for the development of Tlaxcalan-Chichimec pueblos and a general set of principles for understanding intercultural diplomacy in frontier environments.
Evaluation of Workers Exposed to Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether and Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate
Authors: Park Jiyoung , Yoon Chungsik , Byun Hyaejeong , Kim Yangho , Park Donguk , Ha Kwonchul , Lee Sang man , Park Sungki , Chung Eunkyo
Published: January 2012

Evaluation of Workers Exposed to Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether and Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate: Jiyoung PARK, et al. Institute of Health and Environment, Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Korea—

Objectives

Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) and ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (EGMEA) are widely used in industries as solvents for coatings, paint and ink, but exposure data are limited because they are minor components out of mixed solvents, as well as because of inconsistency in desorption solvent use. The objective of this study was to investigate the worker exposure profile of EGME and EGMEA.

Methods

Our study investigated 27 workplaces from June to September 2008 and detected EGME and EGMEA in 20 and 13, respectively. Both personal and area sampling were conducted using a charcoal tube to collect EGME and EGMEA. Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector was used to analyze these compounds after desorption using a mixture of methylene chloride and methanol.

Results

The arithmetic mean concentrations of EGME and EGMEA during periods of full work shifts were 2.59 ppm and 0.33 ppm, respectively. The exposure levels were lower than the Korean Ministry of Labor (MOL) OEL (5 ppm) but higher than the ACGIH TLV (0.1 ppm).

Conclusions

In general, the working environments were poor and required much improvement, including the use of personal protective equipment. Only 50% of the workplaces had local exhaust ventilation systems in operation. The average capture velocity of the operating local exhaust ventilation systems was 0.27 m/s, which did not meet the legal requirement of 0.5 m/s. Educating workers to clearly understand the handling and use of hazardous chemicals and improving working conditions are strongly suggested.
Different equations for determining height among the elderly: the Bambuí cohort study of aging
Authors: Siqueira Vanessa de Oliveira , Costa Bruna Vieira de Lima , Lopes Aline Cristine Souza , Santos Luana Caroline dos , Lima-Costa Maria Fernanda , Caiaffa Waleska Teixeira
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to compare measured height with estimates of height derived from equations using half arm-span measurements and assess how this affects the calculation of the body mass index (BMI) among elderly individuals. Direct height measurements of a subsample of elderly individuals from the baseline sample of the Bambuí Project were compared with estimates of height derived from equations proposed by Bassey and the WHO. The data was analyzed using the McNemar test, Lin concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and Bland-Altman method (p < 0.05). Estimates of height using the WHO method showed a low CCC in relation to measured height. For BMI, the concordance was greater. However, with this method height was found to be underestimated so leading to the overestimation of BMI. The Bassey equation showed high concordance with measured height in elderly people over 80 years of age. With respect to BMI, the WHO method resulted in a much greater prevalence of overweight, whereas the estimates derived from the Bassey method did not differ from the results obtained from direct height measurement. Height estimates using the Bassey equation were similar to the results obtained from direct measurements, suggesting that this method is applicable.
Evaluation of Adsorbents for Removal of Isopropanol from Humid Air#
Authors: Taffner Tim , Niemeyer Bernd , Puls Angela , Dreisbach Frieder
Published: January 2012

Nowadays sustainable technologies gain in importance. A promising field of activity is the exhaust air treatment
by adsorption, especially the removal and recovery of valuable substances like solvents. In this letter three types of
adsorbents, being the critical part in technical separation processes by adsorption, are evaluated according to separation of
isopropanol from humid air. Isopropanol has been chosen as it is one of the frequently used solvents which need to be
separated from humid air in practice. The suitability and performance as well as information about the possible constraints
are derived from state of the art measurements and multifaceted analyses of the experimental data. The evaluation is based
on physical data, isotherms at different temperatures and for both components, isopropanol and water, as well as on energetic
calculations and comparison with values from recent literature.
The impact of calculation on the value of thermodynamic parameters of copper adsorption on poplar sawdust
Authors: Brdar Mirjana , Sciban Marina , Takaci Aleksandar
Published: January 2012

The adsorption of Cu(II) onto poplar sawdust as an adsorbent is analyzed. The
experimental data were fitted by the Langmuir isotherm using four linearized
forms at the isotherm along with the original one. The least squares
regression method was applied. Using the obtained Langmuir constants by each
at methods, the enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy at adsoption were
calculated. A comparison of the used linear and non-linear regression methods
in view at the goodness of the fit is presented. The coefficient of
correlation was adopted as a criterionn to select the best method. The impact
of the choice at regression model on the resulting estimates of the
thermodynamic parameters is discussed. The best fit of the experimental data
is obtained by the nonlinear regression. Thus, it is recommended to use the
Langmuir parameters calculated by the nonlinear regression for estimating the
thermodynamic parameters of adsorptin. The differences in the values obtained
by different models are not so large to change the basic conclusion that the
adsorption of copper ions on poplar sawdust is a spontaneous endothermic
process i.e. that tested adsorbent has an affinity for copper ions.
Intensity of hemorrhage following tonsillectomy
Authors: Milosevic Dusanka
Published: January 2012

Background/Aim. Although post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage is one of the most
frequent and potentially life-threatening complications, there is no
generally accepted classification of post-operative bleeding intensity. The
aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of post-tonsillectomy
hemorrhage according to the five-grade classification. Methods. A total of
408 consecutive patients, aged 2 to 54 years, undergoing elective
tonsillectomy, with (n=261) or without (n=147) adenoidectomy, were
included in this prospective study. Tonsillectomy was performed under general
anesthesia using standard technique of cold dissection with a snare. Any
bleeding event was recorded. The severity of post-operative hemorrhage was
classified in five grades. Results. In 11 (2.70%) of the patients grade 1
hemorrhage following tonsillectomy occurred, 4 (0.98%) had grade 2 and 2
(0.49%) of the patients had grade 3 post-operative bleeding. Grades 4 and 5
were not recorded, and no patient received a blood transfusion. Conclusion.
Post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage can be expected in a small number of patients
undergoing tonsillectomy. Hemorrhage is mostly primary and rarely requires
treatment under endotracheal anesthesia and blood transfusion.
Highly able pupils in Scotland: Making a curriculum change count
Authors: Sutherland Margaret
Published: January 2012

In line with many countries Scotland is seeking to develop citizens fit to
deal with the challenges of the 21st century (Scottish Executive, 2006). It
also wants to ensure that children?s abilities and talents are recognised and
extended. One way it has sought to do this is to develop a new curriculum
framework - Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). CfE endeavors to provide a
coordinated approach to curriculum reform for the age range 3-18. It seeks to
move away from a prescriptive model towards a more teacher centred model
which relies on teacher educators adapting national guidelines to meet local
needs. This paper will outline the legislative context for highly able pupils
in Scotland and then consider the relative merits of the new curriculum
framework for this cohort of pupils. It will examine what is considered
optimal curriculum provision for highly able pupils in relation to the
process model of curriculum development (Stenhouse, 1975).
Continuous dependence on parameters for second order discrete BVP’s
Authors: Galewski Marek , Głąb Szymon
Published: January 2012

Using Fan’s Min-Max Theorem we investigate existence of solutions and their dependence on parameters for some second order discrete boundary value problem. The approach is based on variational methods and solutions are obtained as saddle points to the relevant Euler action functional.
Optimization of phase-locked arrays geometry for high brightness laser systems
Authors: Sobczak G. , Maląg A.
Published: January 2012

The emitted beam far field (FF) distributions of phase-locked semiconductor laser arrays (PLA) made them an interesting candidate for high-brightness light sources. Variations of geometrical parameters of PLA have great influence on their far-field characteristics. This paper presents a review of FF distribution variations induced by such parameters as width and number of active stripes as well as stripe spacing. We also present a description of predicting an operation mode of designed PLA and some limitations in designed geometry of high-brightness PLA are shown as well.
Fluid inclusion studies in datolite of low grade metamorphic origin from a Jurassic pillow basalt series in northeastern Hungary
Authors: Kiss Gabriella , Molnár Ferenc , Zaccarini Federica
Published: January 2012

The Jurassic pillow basalt blocks in the Szarvaskő Unit in the SW-Bükk Mountains are incorporated into an accretionary mélange of Cretaceous age which had been displaced from the Dinarides to NE-Hungary during the Alpine-Carpathian collision. The pillow basalt series is a part of an incomplete remnant of an ophiolite-like sequence from which ultramafic units and sheeted dikes are almost completely absent. At the studied Egerbakta quarry, closely packed pillow, pillow fragmented hyaloclastite breccia and peperitic facies of submarine basaltic volcanism were recognized. Peperitic facies was formed by local admixture of unconsolidated siliciclastic sediment into the basaltic lava. Basaltic pillows contains short and thin prehnite-chlorite-carbonate-quartz veins formed during the interaction of seawater with the cooling lava, as well as cross-cutting datolite-prehnite-quartzchlorite-albite bearing veins. Calcite in the short cooling cracks crystallised from upheated seawater at around 160°C temperature and 0.5–0.6 kbar pressure (water depth of about 5–6 km). Datolite precipitations in veins can be classified into at least three different textural-morphological types but all of them contain methane bearing primary fluid inclusion assemblages, with variable methane/water ratios, suggesting an inhomogeneous entrapment from a heterogeneous aqueous-carbonic fluid. End member primary fluid inclusions contain aqueous liquid with methane rich vapour phase and apparently methane only inclusions characterized by liquid phase on room temperature. A combination of results from fluid inclusion microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy (used not only for phase identification but also for determination of salinities) and temperatures calculated from chlorite compositions, show that the precipitation of datolite had taken place from low salinity (0.2–2 NaCl equiv. mass%) aqueous-methane fluids under increasing temperature and pressure (from 160 to 210°C, and from 0.6 to 1.1 kbar) conditions. The elevated pressures and temperatures in comparison to the submarine hydrothermal processes suggest that the datolite bearing mineral parageneses had been formed during the progression of Alpine very low grade metamorphic processes.
Computed tomography–based determination of a safe trajectory for placement of transarticular facet screws in the subaxial cervical spine
Authors: Jost Gregory F. , Bisson Erica F. , Schmidt Meic H.
Published: January 2012

Object

Placement of transarticular facet screws is one option for stabilization of the subaxial cervical spine. Small clinical series and biomechanical data support their role as a substitute for other posterior stabilization techniques; however, the application of transarticular facet screws in the subaxial cervical spine has not been widely adopted, possibly because of surgeon unfamiliarity with the trajectory. In this study, the authors' objective is to define insertion points and angles of safe trajectory for transarticular facet screw placement in the subaxial cervical spine.

Methods

Thirty fine-cut CT scans of cervical spines were reconstructed in the multiplanar mode and evaluated for safe transarticular screw placement in the subaxial cervical spine (C2–3, C3–4, C4–5, C5–6, C6–7). As in placement of lateral mass screws, the vertebral artery and exiting nerve root were bypassed posterolaterally. The entry point was set 1 mm medial and 1 mm caudal to the center of the lateral mass. From this entry point, the sagittal angulation was set to traverse the facet joint plane approximately perpendicularly. For the axial angulation, the exit point was set posterolaterally to the transverse process. After ideal insertion angles and screw lengths were identified, the trajectory was simulated on CT scans of 20 different cervical spines to confirm safe screw placement.

Results

The mean optimal mediolateral insertion angles (± SD) were as follows: 23° ± 5° at C2–3; 24° ± 4° at C3–4; 25° ± 5° at C4–5; 25° ± 4° at C5–6; and 33° ± 6° at C6–7. The mean sagittal insertion angles measured to the sagittal projection of the facet joint space were as follows: 77° ± 10° at C2–3; 77° ± 10° at C3–4; 80° ± 11° at C4–5; 81°± 8° at C5–6; and 100° ± 11° at C6–7. The mean trajectory lengths were 15 ± 2 mm at C2–3; 14 ± 1 mm at C3–4; 15 ± 1 mm at C4–5; 16 ± 2 mm at C5–6; and 23 ± 4 mm at C6–7. Simulation of these insertion angles on 20 different cervical spine CTs yielded a safe trajectory in 85%–95% of spines for C2–3, C3–4, C4–5, C5–6, and C6–7.

Conclusions

The calculated optimal insertion angles and lengths for each level may guide the safe placement of subaxial cervical transfacet screws.
A job analysis of care helpers
Authors: Shin Su Jin , Choi Kyung-Sook , Jeong Seungeun , Kim Seulgee , Park Hyeung-Keun , Seok Jae Eun
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to examine the roles of care helpers through job analysis. To do this, this study used the Developing A Curriculum Method (DACUM) to classify job content and a multi-dimensional study design was applied to identify roles and create a job description by looking into the appropriateness, significance, frequency, and difficulty of job content as identified through workshops and cross-sectional surveys conducted for appropriateness verification. A total of 418 care helpers working in nursing facilities and community senior service facilities across the country were surveyed. The collected data were analyzed using PASW 18.0 software. Six duties and 18 tasks were identified based on the job model. Most tasks were found to be ?占퐄mportant task?? scoring 4.0 points or above. Physical care duties, elimination care, position changing and movement assistance, feeding assistance, and safety care were identified as high frequency tasks. The most difficult tasks were emergency prevention, early detection, and speedy reporting. A summary of the job of care helpers is providing physical, emotional, housekeeping, and daily activity assistance to elderly patients with problems in independently undertaking daily activities due to physical or mental causes in long-term care facilities or at the client?占퐏 home. The results of this study suggest a task-focused examination, optimizing the content of the current standard teaching materials authorized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare while supplementing some content which was identified as task elements but not included in the current teaching materials and fully reflecting the actual frequency and difficulty of tasks.
La crise des universités dans la Communauté Européenne
Authors: Vassal Serge
Published: January 2012

Dans le cadre des trois plus puissants États de la Communauté européenne, il existe une crise de croissance et d'adaptation des enseignements supérieurs, dont les données communes sont liées au grand marché européen et aux problèmes de la formation et de la recherche. L'espace géographique n'intervient ici que comme un facteur modulateur et non décisif. Les localisations universitaires, tant régionales qu'urbaines, dépendent fondamentalement de l'histoire de chaque État et des systèmes nationaux d'enseignement supérieur dont l'évolution est commandée par des choix politiques.

Géographiquement, il y a une grande diversité de localisations et d'implantations urbaines. Entre le Quartier Latin et le campus à l'européenne, de nombreuses transitions et interférences offrent une large palette de choix. Les réseaux universitaires, liés aux hiérarchies et aux spécialisations - du technique au littéraire -, ne sont d'ailleurs pas, à une autre échelle, étroitement liés aux réseaux urbains nationaux. Les possibilités de l'aménagement sont donc très grandes ; elles ne sont pas suffisamment utilisées en France où la centralisation parisienne est encore trop forte ; elle le sont mieux en R.F.A., diversement au Royaume-Uni.

La place des activités et de la fonction universitaires s'accroît quantitativement et qualitativement, tout en changeant d'insertion. Les universités sont encore sous-utilisées et leur rôle est sous-estimé. Il faut coordonner les planifications universitaire, urbaine et régionale, afin d'accentuer la dynamique universitaire et ses effets spatiaux dans le cadre européen.
La dynamique démographique de la France de l'Ouest au XIXe s
Authors: Dupâquier Jacques
Published: January 2012

On observe, au XIXe siècle, une divergence complète entre l'évolution démographique de la région Maine - Basse-Normandie, et celle des neuf départements de la Bretagne et du Poitou. La première perd, entre 1806 et 1911, 577 000 ruraux, et 357 000 habitants au total ; les seconds en gagnent 1 411 000, dont 625 000 ruraux.

Cet accroissement de la population bretonne et poitevine est d'abord une récupération après les ravages des épidémies au temps de Louis XVI et les pertes sanglantes de la Révolution. Dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle, l'explication réside dans la haute fécondité d'une population encore majoritairement rurale, dont la mortalité régresse. Autrement dit, la transition démographique a été ici plus tardive que dans le reste de la France.
Aménagement et population dans le « rural profond » : le cas du canton de La Trimouille
Authors: Béteille Roger
Published: January 2012

Cet article analyse l'évolution démographique du canton de la Trimouille (Vienne) étudié en 1963 par J. Pitié. La baisse de la population, le vieillissement se sont poursuivis. Ils ont été aggravés par une chute récente de la natalité.

Pourtant des aides importantes et des actions durables d'aménagement rural ont tenté de redresser la situation de cette fraction de la « France du vide ». De façon plus générale le cas de la Trimouille pose le problème des finalités de l'intervention à l'échelon local et de ses méthodes : saupoudrage ou sélectivité des engagements financiers publics.
Quelques informations sur les migrations récentes en Limousin d'après les documents modificatifs des listes électorales
Authors: Bouet Guy , Balabanian Olivier , Lacotte R.
Published: January 2012

Pour étudier le bilan migratoire, élément clé du « dynamisme » de la démographie limousine, les auteurs se sont penchés sur les états annuels des modifications des listes électorales de quelques circonscriptions de la Haute- Vienne :

• quartier urbain comme Limoges-Emailleurs,

• villes d'Aixe-sur-Vienne, élément de la banlieue de Limoges,

• petite commune de Thouron, récemment touchée par la rurbanisation,

• vaste commune, demeurée rurale, de Blond.

En dépit des multiples inconvénients de ces sources : soit déforme (documentation énorme, longue à dépouiller, hétérogène d'une commune à l'autre, mais aussi pour la même commune au cours de la période de près de 30 ans retenue. . .), soit de fond (elles ignorent tous ceux qui ne votent pas : jeunes de moins de 18 ans, étrangers. . . et sont tributaires du sens civique des Français), elles apportent des informations précises sur les migrations intercommunales, informations que d'autres sources se sont révélées incapables de fournir : ces migrations ont ainsi freiné le déclin démographique de la commune rurale de Blond, ont donné un coup de fouet à l'essor de la population des communes péri-urbaines (Aixe) et rurbanisées (Thouron), au fur et à mesure que se produisait le desserrement de la ville de Limoges.
Population et vignoble dans les Charentes : un siècle d'évolution originale
Authors: Bernard Gilles
Published: January 2012

Depuis un siècle, la population des Charentes enregistre une faible croissance : 20 000 habitants. Avec 852 000 habitants en 1982, il existe encore une certaine concentration humaine par rapport au dépeuplement de nombreux départements ruraux.

Malgré les crises, la culture spécialisée de la vigne et ses productions dérivées offrent d'importantes possibilités d'emploi en milieu rural. La majeure partie des Charen- tais a voué son destin au vignoble dont la production transformée en alcool, le cognac, un produit d'exportation, est connue dans tous les pays du monde. Terriblement éprouvée par le phylloxéra, l'économie régionale s'est reconvertie, durant quelques décennies, vers les céréales et l'élevage laitier avec une population moins nombreuse. La reconstitution partielle des surf aces plantées a donné trois piliers à l'agriculture charentaise jusqu 'à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. L 'expansion commerciale des années I960 renforce la viticulture et permet d'ouvrir des perspectives aux jeunes générations des campagnes charentaises. La présence d'un foyer de population jeune au milieu de campagnes voisines vieillies s'estompe progressivement. La persistance de la crise économique et les problèmes commerciaux impliquent une expansion irrégulière des activités du cognac.
Effects of antebrachial torsion on the measurement of angulation in the frontal plane: A cadaveric radiographic analysis
Authors: Peirone B. , Fox D. , Piras L. A.
Published: January 2012

Objectives: To quantify the effect of antebrachial torsion on the miscalculation of radial valgus measured radiographically and to assess a radiographic positioning method used to mitigate torsion-associated artifactual miscalculation of concurrent frontal plane angulation.

Methods: A canine cadaveric forelimb was used to model different combinations of valgus and external torsion. Valgus was induced in the limb in increments of five degrees, radiographic images were taken at each increment, and the observed radiographic valgus was measured. Various angles of torsion were then induced and the process was repeated for a range of torsional angles at 15° increments. For the second objective, the study was repeated with the forelimb rotationally re-positioned to mirror the degree of the induced torsion of the deformity at each valgus and torsion iteration.

Results: Both zero degrees and 15° torsional iterations possessed mean artifactual valgus (AV) values between zero and five degrees for every valgus increment. With torsion of 30° and higher, mean AV values varied widely and did not fall within the zero to five degree accepted range. Rotationally re-positioning the limb in an attempt to alleviate the AV discrepancies resulted in the 30° torsional group having acceptable AV values for valgus values between zero and 20°.

Clinical significance: Increasing antebrachial torsion interferes with accurate radiographic measurement of frontal plane deformities. Radiographically repositioning the limb allows the accurate calculation of more valgus and torsion combinations, but still results in miscalculations of more complex deformities.
Feline talocrural luxation: A cadaveric study of repair using ligament prostheses
Authors: Langley-Hobbs S. , Sutcliffe M. , Jeffery N. , Radke H. , Nicholson I.
Published: January 2012

Currently recommended surgical techniques to treat severe biaxial feline talocrural soft-tissue injuries commonly lead to unsatisfactory outcome. Data relating to canine talocrural stabilisation may not be useful in cats due to major differences in tarsal anatomy between the species. This experimental biomechanical cadaveric study used specimens (n = 10) prepared from the distal pelvic limbs of five adult cats. The aim was to design a technique for treating talocrural luxation using suture prostheses and bone tunnels, and to investigate its suitability for use in clinical cases. Four prosthetic ligaments were placed through a series of five 1.5 mm bone tunnels. Two prostheses, the caudoproximal pair, were taut in talocrural flexion and two prostheses, the craniodistal pair, were taut in extension. The intact specimens had their range-of-motion (ROM) and stability tested, after which they were transected at the talocrural joint (simulated luxation) and repaired using the technique described. The ROM and stability of the repaired specimens were tested and compared to the intact specimens. The repaired specimens had comparable stability to the intact specimens, although the ROM was different (p <0.05) in six of 16 positions (p <0.003125). These corresponded to the positions where the lateral prostheses were taut. The repair technique described may be useful in the treatment of talocrural luxation, as it is lowprofile in an area of limited soft-tissue cover, allows anatomic reduction, restores normal talocrural joint stability and near-normal tarsal ROM.
Development of a femoral stem providing strong anchorage and facilitated removal
Authors: Enoksen C. H. , Gjerdet N. R. , Sudmann E. , Harboe K.
Published: January 2012

Objective: Prosthetic elements must be securely anchored to bone. Should revision surgery be necessary, preservation of bone stock is crucial. The goal of this study was to develop and assess a femoral stem combining secure anchorage and facilitated removal in a goat model.

Methods: The development of the uncemented femoral stem was part of an innovation process to fulfill the combined requirements. The stem was designed with two longitudinal semicircular grooves to accommodate a drill bit to unanchor the stem. These grooves were interconnected by canals, each 1 mm in diameter. The surface was partly coated with hydroxyapatite (HA). The stems were inserted in the left hip of 35 goats. Perioperatively, the grooves were filled with autologous bone grafts, and standard cemented canine acetabular component and head were used. The pull-out force was measured six months postoperatively. Following randomization, 11 animals had the grooves of the stem drilled to remove anchoring tissue. Twelve animals were left undrilled (controls).

Results: There was a significant difference in mean pull-out force between the group that had been drilled (1526 N) compared with the controls (2033 N, p = 0.028). Most of the HA had been resorbed.

Clinical significance: The stems had a high retention force. The procedure for un-anchoring by drilling significantly reduced the pullout force.