bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Trait Emotional Intelligence and Sociobiographical Variables on Communicative Anxiety and Foreign Language Anxiety Among Adult Multilinguals: A Review and Empirical Investigation
Authors: Dewaele Jean‐Marc , Petrides K. V. , Furnham Adrian
Published: November 2008

This study considered the effects of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI; Petrides & Mavroveli, 2007) and sociobiographical variables (age, gender, education level, number of languages known, age of onset of acquisition, context of acquisition, frequency of use, socialization, network of interlocutors, self‐perceived proficiency) on communicative anxiety (CA) in the first language and on foreign language anxiety (FLA) in the second, third, and fourth languages of 464 multilingual individuals, in five different situations (speaking with friends, colleagues, strangers, on the phone, and in public). Data were collected via Web‐based questionnaires. Participants were divided into three groups based on their trait EI scores (low, average, high). Nonparametric statistical analyses revealed a consistent pattern of results across languages and situations. Higher levels of trait EI corresponded to significantly lower CA/FLA scores. Participants who started learning the second and third languages at a younger age also suffered less from FLA. Purely classroom‐based language instruction was found to be linked to higher levels of FLA compared to instruction that also involved extracurricular use of the language. The knowledge of more languages, a higher frequency of use, a stronger socialization in a language, a larger network of interlocutors, and a higher level of self‐perceived proficiency in a language were also linked to lower levels of CA/FLA.
Spontaneous Spinal Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks
Authors: Schievink WI
Published: November 2008

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an uncommon but not rare cause of new onset daily persistent headaches. A delay in diagnosis is the norm. Women are affected more commonly than men and most are in the fifth or sixth decade of life. The underlying cause is a spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Typically the headache is orthostatic in nature but other headache patterns occur as well. Associated symptoms are common and include neck pain, a change in hearing, diplopia, facial numbness, cognitive abnormalities and even coma. Typical imaging findings consist of subdural fluid collections, pachymeningeal enhancement, pituitary hyperaemia and brain sagging, but magnetic resonance imaging may be normal. Myelography is the study of choice to identify the CSF leak but is not always necessary to make the diagnosis. Treatment consists of bedrest, abdominal binder, epidural blood patching, percutaneous fibrin glue injection or surgical CSF leak repair. Outcomes have been poorly studied.
Expert Commentary: Role of Surgery for the Management of CSF Leaks
Authors: Mokri B
Published: November 2008

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) was described nearly 70 years ago, and for years it was essentially equated with post dural puncture headaches (PDPH) (1). The interest in this entity substantially increased after the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities of this disorder were recognized in the early 1990s (2-6), and consequently many more patients were diagnosed than before and a far broader clinical spectrum of this disorder began to become apparent. It also came to be recognized that the overwhelming majority if not all cases of SIH result from spontaneous cerebrospinal (CSF) leaks and that the independent pathogenic parameter is loss of CSF volume (7).
ONTOGENETIC NICHE SHIFT IN THE BRACHIOPOD TEREBRATALIA TRANSVERSA: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LOSS OF ROTATION ABILITY AND ALLOMETRIC GROWTH
Authors: TOMAŠOVÝCH ADAM , CARLSON SANDRA J. , LABARBERA MICHAEL
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Many articulated brachiopods experience marked life habit variations during ontogeny because they experience their fluid environment at successively higher Reynolds numbers, and they can change the configuration of their inhalant and exhalant flows as body size increases. We show that the extant brachiopod Terebratalia transversa undergoes a substantial ontogenetic change in reorientation governed by rotation around the pedicle. T. transversa′s reorientation angle (maximum ability to rotate on the pedicle) decreases during ontogeny, from 180 degrees in juveniles to 10–20 degrees in individuals exceeding 5 mm, to complete cessation of rotation in individuals larger than 10 mm. Rotation ability is substantially reduced after T. transversa achieves the adult lophophore configuration and preferred orientation with respect to ambient water currents at a length of 2.5–5 mm. We hypothesize that the rotation angle of T. transversa is determined mainly by the position of ventral and dorsal points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles relative to the pedicle. T. transversa shows a close correlation between the ontogenetic change in reorientation angle and ontogeny of morphological traits that are related to points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles, although other morphological features can also limit rotation in the adult stage. The major morphological change in cardinalia shape and the observed reduction of rotation affect individuals 2.5–10 mm in length. The position of ventral insertions of dorsal pedicle muscles remains constant, but contraction of dorsal pedicle muscles is functionally handicapped because dorsal insertions shift away from the valve midline, rise above the dorsal valve floor, and become limited by a wide cardinal process early in ontogeny (<5 mm). The rate of increase of cardinal process width and of distance between dorsal pedicle muscle scars substantially decreases in the subadult stage (5–10 mm), and most of the cardinalia shell traits grow nearly isometrically in the adult stage (>10 mm). T. transversa attains smaller shell length in crevices than on exposed substrates. The proportion of small‐sized individuals and population density is lower on exposed substrates than in crevices, indicating higher juvenile mortality on substrates prone to grazing and physical disturbance. The loss of reorientation ability can be a consequence of morphological changes that strengthen substrate attachment and maximize protection against biotic or physical disturbance (1) by minimizing torques around the pedicle axis and/or (2) by shifting energy investments into attachment strength at the expense of the cost involved in reorientation.
UNIQUE MANIRAPTORAN EGG CLUTCH FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS TWO MEDICINE FORMATION OF MONTANA REVEALS THEROPOD NESTING BEHAVIOUR
Authors: ZELENITSKY DARLA K. , THERRIEN FRANÇOIS
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Egg clutches of non‐avian maniraptoran theropods (Dinosauria) are rare, particularly in North America where those of Troodon formosus are the only maniraptoran clutches known. Here we describe a new partial maniraptoran clutch and nesting trace referred to Montanoolithus strongorum oogen. et oosp. nov. (Montanoolithidae oofam. nov.), from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana. Based on a cladistic analysis of reproductive traits, we infer that this clutch belonged either to a caenagnathid or to a dromaeosaurid, which makes it the first clutch known of either taxon. This specimen preserves impressions and eggshell fragments of at least five eggs on a nest structure. The eggs are asymmetrical, paired, and lay radially in a ring configuration on the sloped sides of a bioturbated, flat‐topped sandstone mound. Geology of the locality indicates the female nested in a poorly‐vegetated area of freshly deposited sand, possibly near an active river channel. This clutch reveals that the egg‐layer of Montanoolithus strongorum had a unique suite of reproductive characteristics and nesting behaviours among maniraptorans.
Evaluation of plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations in cats with and without oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Fulmer A. K. , Mauldin G. E. , Mauldin G. N.
Published: November 2008

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a devastating disease with an extremely poor long‐term prognosis even with aggressive therapy. Folate and homocysteine derangements are identified in people diagnosed with head and neck SCC. The purpose of this study was to measure plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations in cats diagnosed with oral SCC (n = 13) and to compare these concentrations with those found in cats diagnosed with other tumour types (n = 25), cats with oral, non‐neoplastic disease (n = 6) and healthy cats (n = 24). The median plasma folate concentration in cats diagnosed with oral SCC was 14.7 ng mL−1, while the median plasma homocysteine concentration was 2.61 μg mL−1. These concentrations did not differ significantly from those of cats in the other groups. This suggests that different factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of this tumour in cats when compared with people, although evaluation of larger numbers of cats may still identify a difference between groups.
Research on aging using brain imaging and cognitive tests over 6 years in 145 healthy elderly subjects
Authors: KADA Hirohide
Published: November 2008

Background:  Changes over a period of 10 years in the cognitive function, head magnetic resonance imaging findings, and daily life of approximately 300 healthy elderly subjects were determined. As part of the larger 10‐year study, changes are reported herein over a period of 6 years for 145 individuals.

Methods:  One hundred and forty‐five healthy elderly subjects were divided into two groups: (i) those who were 69 years of age or younger at the start of the study (Group A); and (ii) those who were 70 years of age or older (Group B).

Results:  Changes over time in Benton's visual retention test (BVRT) and enhanced cued recall (ECR), both of which rely mainly on subjects memorizing figures, were seen in Group B. With the coding test, the results from the second phase (initial test) showed differences according to initial age; in addition, the differences became greater with aging. It appears that work speed is reduced with increasing age.

Conclusion:  The results of the BVRT and ECR suggest that enlargement of the Sylvian fissure and atrophy of the temporal lobe are indicators of deterioration of memory.
Association between activity level and changes in bodyweight in dementia patients
Authors: MIYOSHI Rumiko , YAMAKAWA Miyae , SHIGENOBU Kazue , MAKIMOTO Kiyoko , ZHU Canqun , SEGAWA Nanae , ASHIDA Nobuyuki , TABUSHI Kaoru
Published: November 2008

Introduction:  Bodyweight is routinely used as an important health assessment measure in care facilities. Recently, the integrated circuit (IC) tag monitoring system became available for measuring the distance walked by patients with dementia (PsWD) over an extended period. The main objective of the present study was to examine an association between the distance walked and changes in bodyweight in PsWD.

Methods:  Monitoring was conducted in a semi‐acute dementia care unit in Japan between November 2006 and March 2007. All patients had been diagnosed with dementia and were able to walk independently. Demographic and food intake data were obtained from medical records. Bodyweight was measured weekly. The monitoring system calculated the distance walked. The study was approved by the Ethics Committees of Osaka University and Asakayama Hospital and written informed consent was obtained from authorized proxies.

Results:  In total, 23 patients were monitored. The median distance walked per day for all subjects was 1042.7 m (range 136–7781m) and the mean rate of weight change per month was −0.1 kg (range −1.5 to 2.4 kg). The mean food intake per day was 97 ± 5% (range 79–100%). There was a significant negative correlation between median distance walked per day and rate of weight change per month (r = −0.52; P < 0.05). Distance walked per day was divided into three groups (<1 km, 1–2 km and ≥ 2 km), but there was no change in mean food intake between the three groups. However, PsWD who walked ≥ 2 km/day tended to have higher total Neuropsychiatric Inventory–Nursing Home Version (NPI‐NH) scores and a higher number of symptoms than those who walked < 2 km/day. The former tended to have aberrant motor activity compared with the latter.

Conclusion:  The present study shows that the distance walked per day seems to play a major role in weight change. Because the IC tag monitoring system can measure the distance walked accurately over an extended period, it could be used to estimate the calorie expenditure for each patient and to reduce the various risks related to weight loss.
An Education and Motivation Intervention to Change Clinical Management of the Third Stage of Labor—The GIRMMAHP Initiative
Authors: Figueras Albert , Narváez Edgar , Valsecia Mabel , Vásquez Susana , Rojas Germán , Camilo Angiolina , Del Valle José‐María , Aguilera Cristina
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
Hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders are major contributors to death after delivery in developing countries. The GIRMMAHP Initiative was designed to describe the actual delivery care in five Latin American countries and to educate and motivate clinical staff at 17 hospitals with the purpose of implementing their own clinical practice guidelines to prevent postpartum hemorrhage.
Methods:
A multicountry education intervention was developed in four consecutive stages, using two analyses: (a) an observational study of the clinical records in eight teaching and nine nonteaching hospitals and (b) a study of the long‐term changes measured 12 months after completion of an education intervention and writing a local clinical guideline.
Results:
Data from 2,247 pregnant women showed that only 23.3 percent had an active management of the third stage of labor and that 22.7 percent received no prenatal care visit. These data were used to prepare local clinical practice guidelines in each participant hospital. The proportion of active management increased to 72.6 percent of deliveries at 3 months and 58.7 percent 1 year later. Use of oxytocin during the third stage of labor increased to 85.9 percent of included deliveries. The proportion of women who had postpartum hemorrhage decreased from 12.7 percent at baseline to 5 percent at 1 year after the intervention.
Conclusions:
An education intervention and discussion of actual clinical practice problems with health professionals and their involvement in drafting clinical guidelines helped improve health care quality and practitioners’ adherence to these guidelines. (BIRTH 35:4 December 2008)
Fear of an Intimate Partner and Women’s Health in Early Pregnancy: Findings from the Maternal Health Study
Authors: Brown Stephanie J. , McDonald Ellie A. , Krastev Ann H.
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
Intimate partner violence affects 1 in 4 women at some stage in their lives. Exposure to violence has short‐ and long‐term consequences for women themselves and their children. The objective of this study was to examine associations between fear of an intimate partner and maternal physical and psychological morbidity in early pregnancy.
Method:
This paper reports baseline measures from a prospective pregnancy cohort study of 1,507 nulliparous women recruited at six public hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.
Results:
The study showed that 18.7 percent (280/1,497) of women reported being afraid of an intimate partner at some stage in their lives; 3.1 percent (47/1,497) were afraid in early pregnancy and 15.6 percent (233/1,497) had been afraid before but not during the current pregnancy. Compared with women who had never been afraid of an intimate partner, women who reported being afraid of an intimate partner in early pregnancy (≤ 24 wk gestation) were at increased risk of urinary incontinence (adjusted OR = 1.64, 95% CI 0.9–3.1), fecal incontinence (adjusted OR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.2–9.2), vaginal bleeding (adjusted OR = 2.84, 95% CI 1.5–5.5), anxiety (adjusted OR = 10.22, 95% CI 5.0–21.2), and depression (adjusted OR = 4.43, 95% CI 2.1–9.7). Women afraid of an intimate partner before but not during pregnancy experienced a similar pattern of morbidity.
Conclusions:
Women afraid of an intimate partner both before and during pregnancy have poorer physical and psychological health in early pregnancy. (BIRTH 35:4 December 2008)
The Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey, or, When It Comes To Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infant and Maternal Health, It Never Hurts To Ask
Authors: Kirby Russell S.
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACT:  The Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey provides a wealth of data on reproductive decision‐making, prenatal care and experiences of women during their pregnancies, intrapartum and postpartum experiences, as well as women’s mental health, social supports, and health behaviors. This population‐based representative sample survey, drawn from a sampling frame based on the Canadian Census for 2006, puts a human face on pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum maternal health, and parenting, and could serve as a model for similar data collection efforts in other countries. (BIRTH 35:4 December 2008)
Diagnosis and Treatment of the Menstrual Migraine Patient
Authors: Silberstein Stephen D. , Hutchinson Susan L.
Published: November 2008

Women presenting with recurrent disabling headache frequently have migraine; but physicians need to rule out other headache disorders before they reach a diagnosis of migraine with or without aura. Many women who experience migraine in close association to their menstrual cycle may meet the diagnostic criteria for either menstrually related migraine (MRM), or pure menstrual migraine (PMM). Once an accurate diagnosis is made, treatment may be established to best suit the individual needs of that patient. Most women will find that migraine associated with hormone fluctuations respond well to standard treatment approaches including pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments. Pharmacological approaches include acute, preventive, and short‐term prophylaxis. Herein we review the difference between non‐menstrual migraine, PMM, and MRM and identify effective treatment strategies for appropriate management of migraine associated with hormonal fluctuations.
Clinical utility of the Boston Naming Test in predicting ultimate side of surgery in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy: A double cross‐validation study
Authors: Busch Robyn M. , Frazier Thomas W. , Iampietro Mary C. , Chapin Jessica S. , Kubu Cynthia S.
Published: November 2008

The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is often used in the evaluation of surgical epilepsy patients to assess left temporal lobe function. In 2005, Busch et al. demonstrated the diagnostic utility of the BNT in predicting ultimate side of surgery in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. BNT raw score significantly predicted ultimate side of surgery, moderated by Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), age at seizure onset, and duration of epilepsy. The final regression equation correctly predicted side of surgery in 69.5% of the sample. The current study demonstrated excellent cross‐validation of this equation in an independent sample of 104 patients who eventually underwent temporal lobectomies, correctly predicting side of surgery in 67.3% of patients. The combination of the two samples resulted in a new, more‐stable regression equation that correctly predicted side of surgery in 68.8% of the combined sample. These results further support the clinical utility of the BNT in predicting side of surgery.
Epilepsy and neurocysticercosis in rural Tanzania—An imaging study
Authors: Winkler Andrea Sylvia , Blocher Joachim , Auer Herbert , Gotwald Thaddaeus , Matuja William , Schmutzhard Erich
Published: November 2008

Purpose:  In developing countries, neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy. Most of the work on NCC and epilepsy has been compiled in Latin America. To date, comprehensive neuroimaging studies are missing in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Methods:  In our study, we interviewed 212 people with epilepsy (PWE) and performed cerebral computed tomography (CT) at the Haydom Lutheran Hospital in northern Tanzania. Control cerebral CT scans were selected from 198 consecutive individuals without epilepsy. Sera of PWE with lesions indicating NCC (n = 20), PWE without NCC lesions (n = 20), and healthy individuals (n = 20), as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of PWE with NCC lesions (n = 11) were investigated for anticysticercal antibodies.

Results:  Definite NCC lesions were present in five (2.4%), lesions highly suggestive of NCC in 24 (11.3%), and lesions compatible with NCC in nine (4.2%) PWE. This compares to two (1.0%) people with definite NCC lesions, two (1.0%) with lesions highly suggestive of, and six (2.9%) with lesions compatible with NCC in the control group. NCC lesions were significantly more frequent in PWE compared to controls (p < 0.0001). CT results, and serum and CSF analysis taken together, we diagnosed 22 (10.4%) individuals with probable and 7 (3.3%) with definitive NCC in our cohort of PWE.

Conclusion:  For the first time in sub‐Saharan Africa, we give evidence within a large‐scale neuroimaging study that NCC, a so far neglected infectious disease, represents a major cause of epilepsy.
Temporal lobe epilepsy, depression, and hippocampal volume
Authors: Shamim Sadat , Hasler Gregor , Liew Clarissa , Sato Susumu , Theodore William H.
Published: November 2008

Objective:  To evaluate the relationship between hippocampal volume loss, depression, and epilepsy.

Background:  There is a significantly increased incidence of depression and suicide in patients with epilepsy. Both epilepsy and depression are associated with reduced hippocampal volumes, but it is uncertain whether patients with both conditions have greater atrophy than those with epilepsy alone. Previous studies used depression measures strongly weighted to current state, and did not necessarily assess the influence of chronic major depressive disorder (“trait”), which could have a greater impact on hippocampal volume.

Methods:  Fifty‐five epilepsy patients with complex partial seizures (CPS) confirmed by electroencephalography (EEG) had three‐dimensional (3D)‐spoiled gradient recall (SPGR) acquisition magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for hippocampal volumetric analysis. Depression screening was performed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, 51 patients) and with the structured clinical inventory for DSM‐IV (SCID, 34 patients). For the BDI, a score above 10 was considered mild to moderate, above 20 moderate to severe, and above 30 severe depression. MRI and clinical analysis were performed blinded to other data. Statistical analysis was performed with Systat using Student’s t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results:  There was a significant interaction between depression detected on SCID, side of focus, and left hippocampal volume. Patients with a diagnosis of depression and a right temporal seizure focus had significantly lower left hippocampal volume. A similar trend for an effect of depression on right hippocampal volume in patients with a right temporal focus did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions:  Our results suggest that patients with right temporal lobe epilepsy and depression have hippocampal atrophy that cannot be explained by epilepsy alone.
Anticonvulsant effects of the BK‐channel antagonist paxilline
Authors: Sheehan Jesse J. , Benedetti Brett L. , Barth Alison L.
Published: November 2008

Purpose:  Mutations that enhance currents through the Ca2+‐ and voltage‐gated K+ channel BK (Slo, maxiK, KCNMA1) have been associated with seizure disorders in both rodent models and humans. Previously we have found that seizures themselves induce a gain‐of‐function in BK channels that is associated with elevated excitability in neocortical neurons. In this study, we sought to examine whether administration of BK‐channel antagonists possess anticonvulsant activity in vivo.

Methods:  Seizures were induced in animals by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of the γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A antagonists picrotoxin or pentylenetetrazole. Twenty‐four hours following induction of the initial seizure episode, animals were reinjected with chemoconvulsant in the presence of the BK‐channel antagonist paxilline or saline. The presence and duration of tonic–clonic seizures were evaluated.

Results:  Intraperitoneal injection of paxilline was sufficient to eliminate tonic–clonic seizures in picrotoxin‐treated animals. Paxilline reduced seizure duration and intensity in pentylenetetrazole‐injected animals.

Discussion:  The BK‐channel antagonist paxilline possesses significant anticonvulsant activity in both picrotoxin and pentylenetetrazole seizure models, an effect that may be related to the seizure‐dependent gain‐of‐function in BK channel previously observed in neocortical neurons in vitro.
Osteoporosis Risk in Frail Older Adults in Assisted Living
Authors: Kenny Anne M. , Smith JoAnne , Noteroglu Emre , Waynik Ilana Y. , Ellis Cynthia , Kleppinger Alison , Annis Kristen , Dauser Debrorah , Walsh Stephen
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVES: To compare osteoporosis risk in residents of assisted living (AL) with that of age‐ and sex‐matched community‐dwelling adults.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.

SETTING: Community and AL facilities in Connecticut.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seven individuals (77 control, 37 AL).

ASSESSMENTS: Fracture and osteoporosis evaluation history, qualitative heel ultrasound (QUS), 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and physical function measures, including walking speed, chair rise time, 6‐minute walk, Berg Balance Scale, Get Up and Go, and handgrip strength.

RESULTS: Participants' mean age was 82.7±5.7. There were no group differences in reported fracture, diagnosis of osteoporosis, or previous bone mineral density (BMD) assessment. QUS T‐scores were −1.0±1.5 for community living and −1.9±1.3 for AL (P=.002), 25OHD levels were 113.0±40.1 nnmol/L for community living and 81.8±36.9 for AL (P<.001), and PTH levels were 50.8±29.8 pg/mL for community living and 58.8±32.8 pg/mL for AL (P=.22). Physical performance was more impaired in AL (P<.05), except for single leg stance (P=.16). In linear regression analysis, age, sex, and site of residence were significant predictors of heel T‐score, explaining 53.7% of the variance.

CONCLUSION: Residents of AL did not report less fracture or osteoporosis than those from the community, but risk factors measured directly were significantly different, including lower BMD and 25OHD and more impairment in measures of physical function. These data suggest that residents of AL are at greater risk for osteoporotic fracture and that measures to diminish risk (optimizing vitamin D status, implementing fall prevention strategies, incorporating exercise to improve physical performance) should be considered and studied for benefit.
Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Hospitalized Older People
Authors: Woodford Henry J. , George James
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVES: To compare the diagnosis and management of urinary tract infection (UTI) in hospitalized older people with clinical criteria and therapeutic guidelines.

DESIGN: A retrospective case series of emergency hospital admissions collected over an 18‐month period.

SETTING: An acute general hospital in northwest England.

PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred sixty‐five patients aged 75 and older with a diagnosis of UTI at hospital discharge.

MEASUREMENTS: Data relating to age, sex, presenting complaint, admission and discharge destinations, background comorbidities and medications, investigations performed, treatment given, length of stay, and complications were obtained using chart review.

RESULTS: Of the 265 patients (mean age 85.4) the overdiagnosis of UTI was common, with 43.4% of patients not meeting criteria. Only 32.1% of patients overall had any urinary tract symptoms (48.7% in the UTI group). Of the non‐UTI group, 12 (10.4%) had urinary tract symptoms with a negative urine culture, 43 (37.4%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), and 60 (52.2%) had neither urinary tract symptoms nor bacteriuria. Treatment given varied greatly. The mortality rate was 6.0%, and the average length of stay was 29.9 days (median 17.0, range 1–192). Complications were frequent, including Clostridium difficile diarrhea (8%), falls (4%), methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (3%), and fracture (2%).

CONCLUSION: More‐reliable criteria are needed to aid the diagnosis of UTI in hospitalized older people. Better adherence to clinical management guidelines may improve outcomes.
Thyroid Function Abnormalities and Cognitive Impairment in Elderly People: Results of the Invecchiare in Chianti Study
Authors: Ceresini Graziano , Lauretani Fulvio , Maggio Marcello , Ceda Gian Paolo , Morganti Simonetta , Usberti Elisa , Chezzi Carlo , Valcavi Rita , Bandinelli Stefania , Guralnik Jack M. , Cappola Anne R. , Valenti Giorgio , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVES: To investigate thyroid function testing abnormalities in older persons and to explore the relationship between thyroid dysfunction and cognition.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.

SETTING: Community‐based.

PARTICIPANTS: One thousand one hundred seventy‐one men and women aged 23 to 102.

MEASUREMENTS: Thyroid function was evaluated by measuring plasma concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3). Cognition was evaluated using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). Prevalence of overt and subclinical thyroid dysfunction was evaluated in different age groups (<65 vs ≥65). Age trends in TSH, FT4, and FT3 were examined in euthyroid participants. The cross‐sectional association between thyroid dysfunction and MMSE score was evaluated adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS: Subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism were more prevalent in older than in younger participants (subclinical hypothyroidism, 3.5% vs 0.4%, P<.03; subclinical hyperthyroidism, 7.8% vs 1.9%, P<.002). In euthyroid participants, TSH and FT3 declined with age, whereas FT4 increased. Older participants with subclinical hyperthyroidism had lower MMSE scores than euthyroid subjects (22.61±6.88 vs 24.72±4.52, P<.03). In adjusted analyses, participants with subclinical hyperthyroidism were significantly more likely to have cognitive dysfunction (hazard rate=2.26, P=.003).

CONCLUSION: Subtle age‐related changes in FT3, FT4, and TSH occur in individuals who remain euthyroid. Subclinical hyperthyroidism is the most prevalent thyroid dysfunction in Italian older persons and is associated with cognitive impairment.
The determinants of granulocyte yield in 1198 granulocyte concentrates collected from unrelated volunteer donors mobilized with dexamethasone and granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor: a 13‐year experience
Authors: Quillen Karen , Yau Yu Ying , Leitman Susan F.
Published: November 2008

BACKGROUND: The combination of granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF [filgrastim]) and dexamethasone (G‐CSF/dex) is an effective granulocyte mobilization regimen, but the variables that affect donor neutrophil response and granulocyte collection yield are not well characterized.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A computerized database containing records of 1198 granulocyte collections from 137 unrelated volunteer apheresis donors during a 13‐year period was retrospectively analyzed. Donors were categorized by age, sex, and cumulative number of granulocyte donations. Complete blood counts at baseline and after G‐CSF/dex stimulation were recorded. The outcome variables include the preprocedure absolute neutrophil count (preANC), which reflects G‐CSF/dex stimulation, and the granulocyte product yield per liter processed (BagGranYield/L).

RESULTS: Higher baseline ANC and platelet (PLT) counts were significantly associated with higher preANC while a larger number of prior granulocytapheresis procedures was associated with lower preANC. Total filgrastim dose (used in weight‐based dosing) did not significantly impact preANC or the granulocyte yield; weight‐based dosing at 5 µg per kg and a uniform 480‐µg dose produced equivalent preANC. PreANC and weight were the key determinants of granulocyte yield (BagGranYield/L).

CONCLUSION: Apheresis donors with higher baseline PLT counts and ANCs have higher ANCs after G‐CSF/dex stimulation; donor age, weight, and sex do not have a significant impact. A uniform G‐CSF dose of 480 µg is as effective as weight‐based dosing at 5 µg per kg. Donor ANC monitoring should be considered after serial granulocytapheresis procedures.
The Structure of American Legal Institutions and the Diffusion of Wrongful-Discharge Laws, 1978–1999
Authors: Bird Robert C. , Smythe Donald J.
Published: November 2008

This article evaluates how the social structure of American legal institutions influenced the diffusion of wrongful-discharge laws over the period 1978–1999, and it assesses whether economic or political variables influenced the diffusion process. The results are surprising and quite striking. Precedents by other courts within the same federal circuit region were generally more influential in the diffusion process than precedents by courts in neighboring states or by courts within the same census or West legal reporting region, even though the precedents were on matters of state law rather than federal law and the decisions were usually made by state courts rather than federal courts. There is some limited evidence that political variables may also have been a factor, but economic variables were not statistically significant, even though the new employment laws may have had important economic consequences.
Sovereigns and citizens in close encounter: Airport anthropology and customs regimes in neoliberal Ghana
Authors: CHALFIN BRENDA
Published: November 2008

Through the examination of encounters between Customs officers and travelers at Ghana's international airport, I pose a series of arguments regarding sovereignty and citizenship within a developing state deeply enmeshed in processes of liberalization. Supporting the contention that transnational flows and supranational interventions restructure rather than undermine state power, the Ghanaian case reveals neoliberal conditions to facilitate the expansion of administrative authorities oriented to the cross‐border mobility of persons, capital, and commodities. Such bureaucratic realms emerge, in turn, as key arenas for an expression of state sovereignty that is not founded on social alienation and absolute distinctions between rulers and ruled. Because of the multiplicity and ambiguity of regulatory orders at play, sovereignty here hinges on intimacy, emotion, and identification as much as on force and legal sanction. [sovereignty, citizenship, aviation, customs regimes, transnationalism, neoliberalism, travel, affect]
Practices of translation and the making of migrant subjectivities in contemporary Italy
Authors: GIORDANO CRISTIANA
Published: November 2008

In 1998, Italy passed a law (Article 18) granting “victims of human trafficking” temporary residence permits to “escape from situations of violence and abuse.” There were two conditions: the applicant had to agree to pursue criminal action against her exploiter and to participate in a state‐funded “rehabilitation” program mostly offered by Catholic groups engaged in combating criminality and foreign prostitution as a form of “modern slavery.” Linking prostitution to female migration and slavery has significant implications for how migrant women are interpellated within the receiving country. When characterized as victims, these women are figured as lacking the dual capacities of desiring migration and appropriating laws that grant legal recognition. This article explores both the willed and imposed multiplicity of subject positions of these women within the fields of charitable and institutional languages. In Italy, qualifying as a “political refugee” or as a “victim of human trafficking” is often the only means of achieving the legal rights necessary to avoid repatriation. [translation, citizenship, migration, subjectivity, ethnopsychiatry, Italy, anthropology of institutions]
Conjuring the past: Slavery and the historical imagination in Cuba
Authors: ROUTON KENNETH
Published: November 2008

In this article, I examine the ritual mimesis of slavery in Cuban Palo Monte. Here, the past is not just a temporally situated arena in which to stake claims of identity and belonging but an invisible repository of material remains, objects, and substances whose magical capacities can be tapped to expand one's power to act on the world. My analysis not only addresses how marginalized ritual communities ingeniously defy those forces that conspire to silence the slave past and, thus, reduce the world's first system of globalization to a historical phantom. I also pay particular attention to how recent efforts by scholars, nation‐states, and international aid organizations attempting to reverse this silence engender their own politics of memory that either ignore or seriously distort how local groups “represent the ghost.”[ritual, historical memory, slavery, fetishism, Cuba]
Olfactory Comfort and Attachment Within Relationships
Authors: Shoup Melanie L. , Streeter Sybil A. , McBurney Donald H.
Published: November 2008

We replicated a previous study that found that men and women often smell their sexual partners' clothing when they are apart (McBurney, Shoup, & Streeter, 2006). We found that women tend to perform this behavior across a broader range of relationships than do men. We asked 128 participants if they had ever intentionally smelled another person's clothing, slept with another person's clothing because of its smell, or given another person an article of their own clothing. The most common response was a romantic partner's clothing. However, women more often than men reported smelling the clothing of family members.
Longitudinal association of adolescents’ sense of coherence with tooth‐brushing using an integrated behaviour change model
Authors: Ayo‐Yusuf Olalekan A. , Reddy Priscilla S. , Van Den Borne Bart W.
Published: November 2008

Abstract –  Objective:  To determine the association between adolescents’ sense of coherence (SOC) and their tooth‐brushing behaviour.

Methods:  This 18‐month longitudinal study involved a representative sample of 8th‐graders (n = 1025) from 11 randomly selected public high schools in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data collected by means of a self‐administered questionnaire included respondents’ socio‐demographic profiles, vulnerability to depression, smoking status, dental treatment attendance pattern, frequency of and motivation for tooth‐brushing. Based on the responses to the question on readiness to change brushing behaviour and in line with the integrated change model, respondents were also categorized as being in the pre‐contemplation, contemplation or preparation/action stages. Respondents’ SOC was measured using a six‐item adapted Antonovsky SOC scale. Data analysis included chi‐squared analysis, t‐tests and step‐wise multiple logistic regression.

Results:  At baseline, 72.6% (n = 744) of the respondents reported that they were not consistently brushing twice daily. Of those who did not brush twice daily and were followed up on (n = 578), those living with their mother at baseline not only presented with a greater increase in their SOC over time (follow‐up minus baseline), but they were also more likely to be brushing twice daily at the time of the follow‐up (15.4% versus 10.6%; P = 0.04). Adding baseline intention state to a multivariate model attenuated the influence of baseline SOC to a statistically insignificant level. However, increasing within‐subject SOC changes (β = 0.16; P < 0.01), living with the mother (β = 0.11; P < 0.05), smoking (β = −0.14; P < 0.05), being depression vulnerable (β = −0.23; P < 0.01) and in the preparation/action stage (β = 0.13; P < 0.05) remained associated with the transition to twice‐daily tooth‐brushing.

Conclusions:  In planning oral health promotion interventions, it should be considered that children’s psychological predisposition and family environment might significantly influence their tooth‐brushing behaviour.
The use of elastin immunostain improves the evaluation of melanomas associated with nevi
Authors: Kamino Hideko , Tam Sam , Tapia Beatriz , Toussaint Sonia
Published: November 2008

Background:  Twenty to 30% of malignant melanomas are associated with melanocytic nevi; however, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the melanoma from the nevus by routine histology. We have previously described distinctive patterns of elastic fibers in nevi and in melanomas.

Methods:  We analyzed elastic fiber patterns using elastin immunostain and elastic van Gieson (EVG) stain in 30 cases of invasive melanomas associated with nevi, 12 control melanocytic nevi and 14 control invasive melanomas.

Results:  Elastin immunostain was superior to EVG in showing the elastic fiber patterns. In nevi, the elastic fibers were preserved between nests and often around individual melanocytes. In contrast, melanomas had markedly decreased elastic fibers in the stroma and within the nests of melanocytes. The melanoma pushed down the pre‐existing thin elastic fibers of the papillary dermis, forming a compressed layer at its base, which separated the melanoma from the nevus. On sun‐damaged skin, the solar elastosis had similar elastin and EVG patterns. In three cases with dense inflammation, the layer of elastic fibers between melanoma and nevus was still present but less evident.

Conclusions:  The distinctive patterns of elastic fibers, best shown by the elastin immunostain, were helpful in evaluating melanomas associated with melanocytic nevi.
Divergence among arctic and alpine populations of the annual, Koenigia islandica: morphology, life‐history, and phenology
Authors: Wagner Ioan , Simons Andrew M.
Published: November 2008

Arctic and alpine habitats occur along complex environmental gradients, and over an extensive geographical range. Despite some selective forces common to these habitats, evolutionary divergence among populations of arctic and alpine plants along this gradient is expected. Of particular significance, both in the context of life‐history theory and for implications of climate change, are the few annual species that have adapted to the constraints of an unpredictable, short growing season. In this study, morphological, life‐history and phenological characters were found to differ significantly among six widely distributed populations of the arctic‐alpine annual Koenigia islandica. On the basis of morphology and life‐history traits, populations from high latitudes, with the exception of Svalbard, performed better in simulated arctic conditions, whereas the low latitude alpine plants from Colorado showed enhanced performance under simulated alpine conditions. On the basis of phenology, the six populations can be clearly grouped into arctic, high latitude alpine and alpine populations: arctic plants were found to develop and flower earliest; alpine plants latest. Because these results were obtained using seeds harvested from plants first grown through a complete generation in growth chambers, they indicate strong genetic differentiation. We discuss possible adaptive explanations for observed differences among the six geographically divergent populations.
Valproic acid enhances the engraftability of human umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells expanded under serum‐free conditions*
Authors: Seet Li‐Fong , Teng Eileen , Lai Yih‐Shin , Laning Joseph , Kraus Morey , Wnendt Stephan , Merchav Shosh , Chan Shing Leng
Published: November 2008

Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor previously shown to promote the proliferation and self‐renewal of CD34+ hematopoietic cells. We tested the effect of VPA in conjunction with the selective amplification technology developed by Viacell Inc. Stem cells enriched from frozen cord blood were cultured for 7 d, subjected to reselection and grown in fresh medium for a further 7 d. Treatment with VPA resulted in an average two‐fold higher expansion of CD45+34+ cells compared with control. Furthermore, VPA‐treatment induced higher numbers of CD45+34+ cells to reside in the S phase than control cultured cells and resulted in a 2.5‐fold upregulation in HOXB4 expression. Importantly, VPA‐treated cells reconstituted hematopoiesis in non‐obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice with a six‐fold higher efficiency than control cells. Collectively, our results indicate that VPA, already used clinically for neurologic disorder treatment, is a useful additive for the ex vivo culture of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells to enhance engraftment efficiency.
Myocardial necrosis in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: pathophysiology and rationale for specific therapy
Authors: Sane David C. , Streer Nathan P. , Owen John
Published: November 2008

Myocardial necrosis is now recognized as a common feature of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), usually due to platelet plugging in the microvasculature. Despite reports that TTP patients with myocardial damage have higher morbidity and mortality, there are no established guidelines for managing these high‐risk patients. The universal occurrence of thrombocytopenia and variable findings including renal dysfunction present unique challenges in this setting. Established therapies including plasma exchange and immunosuppression are the mainstay of therapy for all TTP patients. For the subset of patients with myocardial damage, therapy with more potent antiplatelet drugs, agents that enhance NO availability and alleviate vasospasm and drugs that suppress von Willebrand factor levels may have additional benefit. However, clinical trials are needed to optimize therapy for this subset of TTP patients.
Assessing freshwater fish sensitivity to different sources of perturbation in a Mediterranean basin
Authors: Hermoso V. , Clavero M. , Blanco‐Garrido F. , Prenda J.
Published: November 2008

Abstract –  The accuracy of bioassessment programmes is highly limited by the precision of the systems used to derive sensitivity–tolerance values for the organisms used as indicators. We provide quantitative support to the objective evaluation of freshwater fish species sensitivity to different sources of disturbance, accounting for co‐variation issues not only between perturbations and natural gradients (especially river size), but also between different perturbations. With this aim, we performed two different principal component analyses: (i) on a general environmental matrix to obtain a perturbation gradient independent of river size effects and (ii) on human impairment‐related variables to extract independent synthetic perturbation gradients. Then, we checked each species responses to those gradients to assess their sensitivity–tolerance through an available‐used chi‐squared analysis in the first approach and through a t‐test/ancova analysis in the second one. In this way, we obtained sensitivity–tolerance which could be included in future bioassessment tools, enabling effective evaluations.