bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cannabis in Palliative Medicine: Improving Care and Reducing Opioid-Related Morbidity
Authors: Carter Gregory T. , Flanagan Aaron M. , Earleywine Mitchell , Abrams Donald I. , Aggarwal Sunil K. , Grinspoon Lester
Published: March 2011

Unlike hospice, long-term drug safety is an important issue in palliative medicine. Opioids may produce significant morbidity. Cannabis is a safer alternative with broad applicability for palliative care. Yet the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies cannabis as Schedule I (dangerous, without medical uses). Dronabinol, a Schedule III prescription drug, is 100% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Cannabis contains 20% THC or less but has other therapeutic cannabinoids, all working together to produce therapeutic effects. As palliative medicine grows, so does the need to reclassify cannabis. This article provides an evidence-based overview and comparison of cannabis and opioids. Using this foundation, an argument is made for reclassifying cannabis in the context of improving palliative care and reducing opioid-related morbidity.
Review of the Relationships Between Maternal Characteristics and Preterm Breastmilk Immune Components
Authors: Thibeau Shelley , D’Apolito Karen
Published: March 2011

The immune properties of breastmilk are the most effective preventative means of reducing infant mortality through both passive and active immunity. Breastmilk for term infants has been linked to decreased incidence of respiratory and ear infections and gastrointestinal distress. This protection is even more important for the preterm infant. Prematurity is one of the leading causes of infant death in the United States. Hospitalized infant outcomes associated with consumption of breastmilk are shorter length of stay and decreased incidence of nosocomial infections and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The presence of nosocomial infections and necrotizing enterocolitis increases risk of preterm mortality and morbidity as well as healthcare expenditures. However, breastmilk immunological components such as secretory immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin (LFT), and cytokines provide a framework of immunity that, in conjunction with nutritional support, significantly improves neonatal health. The relationship between maternal characteristics and breastmilk immune properties is central to further the understanding of the impact of breastmilk on preterm infant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this article is to review the numerous immune components in breastmilk, the moderators of the immune components, and the relevance of these components to preterm/infant health. Exploration of the complexity of breastmilk immune components may direct future development of interventions to improve and sustain the immunological benefits of preterm breastmilk.
Aging-Like Skin Changes Induced by Ultraviolet Irradiation in an Animal Model of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Akase Tomoko , Nagase Takashi , Huang Lijuan , Ibuki Ai , Minematsu Takeo , Nakagami Gojiro , Ohta Yasunori , Shimada Tsutomu , Aburada Masaki , Sugama Junko , Sanada Hiromi
Published: March 2011

Both physiological skin aging and pathologic photo-aging caused by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation are mediated by latent inflammation and oxidative stress. Although numerous animal skin-aging models have used UV irradiation, most require massive doses or long-term irradiation. To establish a more refined skin-aging model, we focused on an animal model of metabolic syndrome (MS) because MS involves damage to various organs via oxidative stress or inflammation, similar to the changes associated with aging. We hypothesized that MS skin might exhibit more aging-like changes after milder, shorter-term UV irradiation than would normal animal skin under similar conditions, thus providing a useful model for skin aging. The authors therefore examined the skin from Tsumura Suzuki obese diabetic (TSOD) mice (MS model) and control Tsumura Suzuki non-obese (TSNO) mice before and after UV irradiation. Skin from TSOD mice had a thinner epidermis and dermis, a thicker fatty layer, reduced density and convolution of the fragmented collagen fibers, and upregulated expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a dual marker for inflammation and aging, compared to the skin from TSNO mice. UV irradiation affected TSOD skin more severely than TSNO skin, resulting in various changes resembling those in aged human skin, including damage to the dermis and subcutaneous fatty tissue, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and further upregulation of TNF-α expression. These results suggest that UV-irradiated TSOD mice may provide a new model of skin aging and imply that skin from humans with MS is more susceptible to UV- or aging-related damage than normal human skin.
Multidimensional Scaling of Multiplex Data: Human Milk Cytokines
Authors: Groer Maureen W. , Beckstead Jason W.
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this study was to use multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster-analytic techniques to examine how cytokine levels from a large multiplex assay of human milk samples covary. Milk samples were collected at 4—6 weeks postpartum from 57 women and were assayed by Luminex multiplex technology for 20 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. The MDS was applied to a proximity-score matrix based on these values. A three-dimensional (3D) space was sufficient to accommodate the configuration of relationships. Cytokines that covaried in their concentrations were assigned similar coordinates and plotted close together in 3D space. Several clusters of cytokines were identified. Since very little is known about the origins and functions of cytokines in milk, this approach may provide new clues that will guide future explorations of origins and functional relationships of the separate clusters. This analytical tool may provide a new approach to understanding the physiology of milk cytokines and may be generalizable to multiplex data in general.
Support and influence in the context of diabetes management: Do racial/ethnic differences exist?
Authors: August Kristin J. , Sorkin Dara H.
Published: March 2011

This study examined the sources and frequency of, and dietary behavioral responses to, health-related social support and control in a racially/ethnically diverse sample of 1,361 adults with type 2 diabetes. Spouses were the most frequently reported sources of support/control for all racial/ethnic groups examined. Mexican Americans and Vietnamese Americans received more support/control compared to non-Hispanic whites. All types of social involvement were associated with good dietary behavior for Mexican Americans, whereas only support was associated with good dietary behavior for non-Hispanic whites. The findings underscore the importance of considering racial/ethnic differences in examining social network members’ involvement in chronic disease management.
Locus of control, depression, and quality of life in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Zampieri Marília , Pedroso de Souza Elisabete Abib
Published: March 2011

People can attribute the source of control of events that involve them either to internal or external factors. Through this view, depression can be defined as a belief that one’s own behavior is not effective. In case of chronic diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease, depression is more frequent than in the general population. The present study aimed to assess locus of control orientation and its relation with depression and quality of life in 30 patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Results showed positive correlation between external locus orientation and depression and quality of life scores, and negative correlation between internal orientation and depression.
Psychological interventions in the treatment of childhood obesity: What we know and need to find out
Authors: Bogle Vanessa , Sykes Catherine
Published: March 2011

This review aims to assess the effectiveness of psychological interventions for treating childhood obesity. Firm conclusions about the effectiveness of psychological interventions to treat childhood obesity remain unclear. Based on current knowledge, the review suggests that a number of interventions may be effective including: multi-component family-based behavioural interventions, interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behaviour and/or increasing physical activity levels as a component of family-based behavioural treatments, in addition to population-based school-wide treatment for girls. Further investment is needed to improve current research and find new, more imaginative ways to research childhood obesity.
Melanoma and its relationship with solarium use Health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of young women
Authors: Boynton Anna , Oxlad Melissa
Published: March 2011

Despite growing evidence of a relationship between solarium use and melanoma development, few studies have examined knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards solarium use among young women. Females aged 18—26 years attended one of six focus groups ( N = 27, seven solarium users and 20 non-users). Three specific themes were endorsed: (1) melanoma knowledge; (2) perceptions of melanoma risk and ways to encourage behaviour change; and (3) health promotion and government regulation. Many young women appear to lack knowledge about melanoma and its relationship with solarium use. Knowledge deficits are highlighted and implications for health prevention/promotion campaigns and future research are discussed.
High episiotomy rate protects from obstetric anal sphincter ruptures: A birth register-study on delivery intervention policies in Finland
Authors: Räisänen Sari , Vehviläinen-Julkunen Katri , Gissler Mika , Heinonen Seppo
Published: March 2011

Aim: To assess the impact of hospital episiotomy policy on obstetric and anal sphincter rupture (OASR, n = 2448) rates and risks among singleton vaginal deliveries in Finland between 1997 and 2007. Methods: An observational, retrospective, population-based register study. All 424,297 women in hospitals with more than 1000 deliveries annually, were divided into three groups based on the episiotomy rate quartiles for 11 years and separated on the basis of whether the women were primiparous or multiparous. The lowest and the highest quartiles were compared against the hospitals with intermediate episiotomy rates, comprising the two quartiles around the median. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to adjust significant risk factors. Results: The annual range of episiotomy varied from 11 to 94% in primiparous women, and from 1 to 46% in multiparous women. After adjustment the risk of OASR appears to be 39% lower (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.52—0.90) in primiparous and 45% lower (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42—0.72) in multiparous women delivered in the highest quartile hospitals. At an individual level, episiotomy was a protective factor (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.75—0.91) in primiparous women, but increased the risk by 2.36-fold in multiparous women (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.86—2.84). Conclusions: The results suggest that high episiotomy rate provided protection from OASR among both groups of women. Among the multiparous women, the 2.4-fold risk of OASR related to episiotomy at an individual level might be explained by confounding by indication, since episiotomy was performed more often to women at a high risk of OASR.
Changing an Urban Community Through Health Research
Authors: Plagerson Sophie E. , Mathee Angela
Published: March 2011

This article reflects on a positive example of health research translation. Research conducted in a disadvantaged urban community in Johannesburg by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Urban Health as part of the Health Environment and Development study led to a number of community-led health promotion initiatives. Using the Research and Policy in International Development framework for analyzing the links between research and practice, the process and outcomes that have transformed local approaches to health are reviewed. Lessons learned may prove useful to others seeking to use health research to influence local approaches to health.
Perceived Need of a Parental Decision Aid for the HPV Vaccine
Authors: Lechuga Julia , Swain Geoffrey , Weinhardt Lance S.
Published: March 2011

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a precursor of cervical cancer. In 2006, the Federal Drug Administration licensed a vaccine to protect against four types of HPV. Three years postlicensure of the vaccine, HPV vaccination is still fraught with controversy. To date, research suggests that contrary to popular notions, parents are less concerned with controversies on moral issues and more with uncertainty regarding because long-term safety of a drug is resolved after licensure. This study was designed to understand whether mothers from diverse ethnicities perceive a need for a decision support tool. Results suggest that the design of a culturally tailored decision support tool may help guide parents through the decision-making process.
Use of Network Centrality Measures to Explain Individual Levels of Herbal Remedy Cultural Competence among the Yucatec Maya in Tabi, Mexico
Authors: Hopkins Allison
Published: March 2011

Common herbal remedy knowledge varies and is transmitted among individuals who are connected through a social network. Thus, social relationships have the potential to account for some of the variation in knowledge. Cultural consensus analysis (CCA) and social network analysis (SNA) were used together to study the association between intracultural variation in botanical remedy knowledge and social relationships in Tabi, Yucatan, Mexico. CCA, a theory of culture as agreement, was used to assess the competence of individuals in a domain of herbal remedies by measuring individual competence scores within that domain. There was a weak but positive association between these competence scores and network centrality scores. This association disappeared when age was included in the model. People in Tabi, who have higher competence in herbal remedies tend to be older and more centrally located in the herbal remedy inquiry network. The larger implication of the application of CCA and SNA for understanding the acquisition and transmission of cultural knowledge is also explored.
Nonexperts’ Recognition of Structure in Personal Network Data
Authors: Kennedy David P. , Green Harold D. , McCarty Christopher , Tucker Joan S.
Published: March 2011

Network-based interventions are gaining prominence in the treatment of chronic illnesses; however, little is known about what aspects of network structure are easily identified by nonexperts when shown network visualizations. This study examines which structural features are recognizable by nonexperts. Nineteen nonexperts were asked to pile sort 68 network diagrams. Results were analyzed using multidimensional scaling, discriminant analysis, cluster analysis, and PROFIT analysis. Participants tended to sort networks along the dimensions of isolates and size of largest component, suggesting that interventions aimed at helping individuals understand and change their social environments could benefit from incorporating visualizations of social networks.
Improving Household Surveys Through Computer-Assisted Data Collection
Authors: Caviglia-Harris Jill , Hall Simon , Mulllan Katrina , Macintyre Charlie , Bauch Simone Carolina , Harris Daniel , Sills Erin , Roberts Dar , Toomey Michael , Cha Hoon
Published: March 2011

Data on land use change and socioeconomic dynamics in developing countries are often collected via paper-and-pencil interviewing (PAPI). This article reviews a computer-aided personal interviewing (CAPI) methodology adopted for the fourth wave of a panel survey administered in a remote region of the Brazilian Amazon in 2009. Ruggedized touch-screen laptops were used to address challenges associated with survey administration in this setting as well as limitations associated with the PAPI method. The authors discuss hardware and software considerations, methodological innovations, and tests for mode effects on missing item response rates and enumerator learning effects.
The Effects of the Bosman Ruling on National and Club Teams in Europe
Authors: Binder John J. , Findlay Murray
Published: March 2011

The Bosman ruling and its aftermath allowed soccer players to move more freely between clubs in Europe. This study examines the performance of national and club teams in Europe before and after Bosman. Some national teams improved after the ruling while others became weaker, but the overall effects are small. At the club level, there is little evidence that the competitive balance of the domestic leagues in Europe was seriously harmed, although in the Champions League the top clubs appear to have become noticeably stronger.
Assessing the Effects of Sports Marketing on Stock Returns
Authors: Chen Chun-Da , Chen Chih-Chun
Published: March 2011

This paper employs an event study method to associate Japanese professional baseball championship competition with the effects of a parent company’s stock prices from a sports marketing perspective. The empirical results show that there are significant positive abnormal stock returns for the parent companies when their own teams qualified for the final championship series, and the parent companies have higher and more significant cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) when their teams win the championship. It is noteworthy that the stocks of parent companies experience significantly positive ARs prior to the event day when their team wins the title earlier. Additionally, the retail industry has more significant positive abnormal stock returns when teams backed by this industry win the championship, as compared with non-retail industries. The related sports marketing expenses and teams’ operations do affect firm values during the postseason period. The authors reasonably conclude that the retail industry is the most likely sector to adopt sports marketing strategies to enhance firm performances and profits, especially for those companies that own professional baseball teams.
Jane Jacobs and Toronto, 1968-1978
Authors: White Richard
Published: March 2011

Jane Jacobs moved from New York to Toronto in 1968 and is often assumed to have played an important part introducing and advancing new planning ideas to Toronto and shaping the city’s urban form. This study investigates the role she played in four important episodes in the transformation of the city’s planning from 1968 to 1978 and finds that, although the ideas in her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities had considerable impact on Toronto, many other forces of change were at work and that she herself was not as influential an activist as some have claimed.
Martin Meyerson
Authors: Teitz Michael B.
Published: March 2011

Martin Meyerson’s career demonstrates the range and variety of achievement that is possible in the world of planning. Beginning as a practitioner in the Chicago Housing Authority, he went on to become one of the most important planning theorists and academics of the 1950s. However, the major part of his career was devoted to institution building as a university president. At the University of California, Berkeley, during the tumultuous early 1960s, he steered the university through a great crisis but did not receive recognition. At the State University of New York, in the 1970s, he took on the task of a huge expansion, which resulted in great strain and conflict. However, his major achievement was as president of the University of Pennsylvania, which was rejuvenated academically, financially, and physically under his leadership.
Nine-Year Single-Center Experience With Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Hemoptysis: Medium-Term Outcomes
Authors: Dave Bhavika R. , Sharma Ashish , Kalva Sanjeeva P. , Wicky Stephan
Published: March 2011

Purpose: To determine the medium-term efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for hemoptysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 128 TAE were performed from April 1999 to April 2008 in 58 patients (30:28 F:M) with mean age of 49 (range:16-89). Major causes of hemoptysis included cystic fibrosis/bronchiectasis (24 of 58); lung metastasis (8 of 58); lung cancer (7 of 58); fungal infection (4 of 58). Follow-up was available in 57 of 58 for a median of 1.28 years. Primary and secondary efficacy of TAE for hemoptysis was calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results: Technical and clinical successes were estimated at 58 (100%) of 58 and 57 (98%) of 58, respectively. Recurrent hemoptysis occurred in 40% (23 of 58). In all, 34% (20 of 58) died during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier estimates for primary and secondary efficacy of TAE at 2, 4, 6, and 8 years were 0.82, 0.46, 0.17, and 0.09 (benign disease) and 0.30, 0, 0, and 0 (malignant disease), respectively. Conclusion: TAE is an effective treatment for hemoptysis in both short- and medium-terms, especially in benign lung disease.
The Vanishing Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Krivoshei Lian , Halak Moshe , Schneiderman Jacob , Silverberg Daniel
Published: March 2011

Spontaneous sac size regression of a giant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a rare event that has not been previously described. We report a case of an 89-year-old woman with a known 9-cm AAA, which was diagnosed in 2003. The patient had refused any kind of treatment at that time. Recent imaging studies obtained 7 years later revealed an AAA of 4 cm diameter. This is the first recorded case of significant spontaneous AAA sac shrinkage.
The Utilization of the Double-Bubble Aortic Configuration to Seal Infra-Renal Aortic Aneurysms: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Mousa Albeir Y. , Campbell John E. , Stone Patrick A. , AbuRahma Ali F.
Published: March 2011

An 80-year-old Caucasian female with a symptomatic pararenal aortic aneurysm (AAA) presented with severe abdominal pain radiating to the back, which was associated with a significantly tender pulsating abdominal mass. The patient was deemed unfit for open repair, secondary to her significant multiple comorbidities. Her preoperative computed tomography (CT) angiography showed a 6 cm pararenal AAA with a short hostile neck; however, her aneurysm had a double-bubble sign, which we utilized as an adjunct for sealing zones. A 36-mm Cook Zenith device was deployed with complete exclusion of the AAA. The patient recovered uneventfully with complete resolution of her abdominal pain. On her 2-month follow-up CT angiography, there was no migration or endoleak, with a decrease in the aneurysm sac size. This case report highlights the benefit of having such an aortic configuration as an adjunct tool for proximal sealing zones and demonstrates that certain anatomy may be beneficial in selected patients.
The Feasibility of Reentry Device in Recanalization of TASC C and D Iliac Occlusions
Authors: Abisi Said , Kapur Rakesh , Braithwaite Bruce , Habib Said
Published: March 2011

Aim: To determine the feasibility of subintimal angioplasty (SIA), aided by reentry device in iliac artery occlusions. Methods: Forty-eight patients with severe claudication (Fontaine-III, n = 24) or critical limb ischaemia (Fontaine-IV, n = 24) had SIA, aided with a reentry device, for chronic iliac occlusions TASC C (n =28) and D (n = 20). The primary outcome was arterial patency at duplex follow-up. Secondary outcomes were primary failure, postprocedural complications, stent use, late occlusions, and length of hospital stay. Results: The patency rate was 89% at a mean follow-up of 13 (±11) months. There were 2 primary failures, no postprocedural complications, and 5 late occlusions. Almost 80% of patients were ready for discharge within 24 hours. Conclusions: Subintimal angioplasty with a reentry device for long iliac occlusions provides a feasible option with excellent results and short hospital stay. A randomized trial of SIA of iliac occlusion versus open reconstruction is now required.
Topical Nerve Growth Factor as a Visual Rescue Strategy in Pediatric Optic Gliomas
Authors: Falsini Benedetto , Chiaretti Antonio , Barone Giuseppe , Piccardi Marco , Pierri Filomena , Colosimo Cesare , Lazzareschi Ilaria , Ruggiero Antonio , Parisi Vincenzo , Fadda Antonello , Balestrazzi Emilio , Riccardi Riccardo
Published: March 2011

Background. To date, no specific therapy is available for optic glioma (OG)–induced visual loss. Objective. To evaluate the effects on visual function of murine nerve growth factor (NGF) eye drop administration in children with severe visual impairment due to low-grade OGs. Methods. Five patients with OGs and advanced optic nerve atrophy were assessed before and after a single 10-day course of 1 mg murine NGF topical administration by clinical evaluation, visual evoked potentials (VEPs), and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). VEPs, the main functional outcome measure, were recorded at baseline and 1, 30, 45, 90, and 180 days posttreatment. MRI examinations were performed at baseline and at 180 days after NGF treatment. Six untreated control patients with OGs also underwent serial VEPs, clinical testing, and MRI assessments. Results. After NGF treatment, median VEPs amplitude showed a progressive increase from the baseline values ( P < .01). VEPs reached a maximum amplitude at 90 days (170% increase) and declined at 180 days, still remaining above the baseline level. Perception of spontaneous visual phosphenes was noted in all patients after NGF administration. MRI showed stable tumor size. In controls, clinical findings and VEPs did not show any significant change over the observation period. Conclusions. The findings from the study show that NGF administration may be an effective and safe adjunct therapy in children with optic atrophy due to OGs. The beneficial effect on optic nerve function suggests a visual rescuing mechanism exerted by murine NGF on the residual viable optic pathways.
Who May Benefit From Robotic-Assisted Gait Training?
Authors: Morone Giovanni , Bragoni Maura , Iosa Marco , De Angelis Domenico , Venturiero Vincenzo , Coiro Paola , Pratesi Luca , Paolucci Stefano
Published: March 2011

Background. Robotic-assisted walking training after stroke aims to enable highly impaired patients to walk independently, but results have been mixed. Objective. The authors aimed to identify the characteristics of patients who may be most likely to benefit. Methods. A total of 48 participants with motor and gait dysfunction following subacute stroke were stratified by the motricity index into high (<29) and low (≥29) motor impairment groups. Each arm was randomized to a robotic or control group (RG or CG) at a mean of 20 days after stroke. All patients underwent 2 therapy sessions per day, 5 days per week for 3 months. Those in the RG underwent 20 sessions of robotic-assisted gait training in the first 4 weeks of inpatient therapy using controlled endpoint trajectories and abbreviated conventional therapy, whereas the CG received only conventional gait training. The primary outcome was the functional ambulation category (FAC), and secondary measures were the Rivermead mobility index (RMI) and 6-minute walking distance, all evaluated at hospital admission and at discharge. Results. The lower motricity group assigned to an electromechanical device significantly improved in the FAC ( P < .001), RMI ( P = .001), and walking distance ( P = .029). Conventional and robotic therapies were equivalent in the higher motricity arm. Conclusion. Robotic therapy combined with conventional therapy may be more effective than conventional therapy alone in patients with greater motor impairment during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.
‘‘Did This Game Scare You? Because it Sure as Hell Scared Me!’’ F.E.A.R., the Abject and the Uncanny
Authors: Spittle Steve
Published: March 2011

First Encounter Assault Reconnaissance (F.E.A.R.), a first-person shooter video game, was released on the Xbox 360 console in 2006. What makes the game analytically interesting is the creation of a game-world designed to promote a feeling of uncertainty in the player. This article explores the ways in which the ambience of uncertainty is developed within the game. Freud’s writing on the uncanny and Kristeva’s closely related work on abjection is drawn upon to explore how the game works rhetorically to place the player in an unsettled psychological state. The article argues that the use of the heavily gendered symbolism of the uncanny and the abject is value laden and that consequently we must pay attention to that which we cast out, reject, repress, and destroy in the fictive universe of video game play. The article concludes by suggesting that texts such as F.E.A.R. may resonate with wider uncertainties around the self in late-modern life.
A Man Chooses, A Slave Obeys: BioShock and the Dystopian Logic of Convergence
Authors: Aldred Jessica , Greenspan Brian
Published: March 2011

For all the critical attention paid to dystopian landscapes in recent literature and film, a similar dystopian turn within gamespace has been largely overlooked. The authors contend that post-apocalyptic digital games merit the same critical examination as their literary and cinematic counterparts, arguing that such games can provide a meaningful site in which questions about the future of technology play out against the dialectic of utopian and dystopian alternatives. Specifically, this article argues that the popular console game BioShock simultaneously celebrates and interrogates utopian notions of technological progress and free will embedded within prevailing industrial and academic conceptions of convergence. The authors explore the differing, yet complementary, conceptions of utopia put forth by critical theorists and the games industry in order to examine how BioShock’s ambivalence toward technology—and technologies and practices of media consumption in particular—complicates more idealistic and totalizing forecasts for the future of media convergence. Building upon Alexander Galloway’s treatment of gamic action as an ‘‘allegorithm’’ that permits procedural exploration and mastery of dominant control protocols in the information age, the authors analyze the way in which BioShock operationalizes the ‘‘control’’ logic of convergence. By performing a close reading of the game’s ideological content as well as its procedural strategies of transmediation, they link BioShock’s ambivalence to the multifaceted, often conflicting nature of convergence discourse and practice within the digital games industry.
Alcohol consumption and carotid atherosclerosis in China: the Cardiovascular Risk Survey
Authors: Xie Xiang , Ma Yi-Tong , Yang Yi-Ning , Fu Zhen-Yan , Ma Xiang , Huang Ding , Li Xiao-Mei , Chen Bang-Dang , Liu Fen , Huang Ying , Liu Cheng , Zhang Xue-Lian , Zheng Ying-Ying , Baituola Gulinaer , Wang Bao-Zhu , Du Lei , Gao Xia
Published: March 2011

Aim: The relationship between alcohol consumption and carotid atherosclerosis has been reported in some epidemiological studies, but the results were conflicting. We investigated the association between alcohol intake and carotid atherosclerosis in the Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations in Xinjiang in western China.

Methods and results: The study population sample comprised 13,037 Chinese people (5277 Han, 4572 Uygur, and 3188 Kazakh) aged ≥35 years who participated in a cardiovascular risk survey between June 2007 and March 2010. Daily consumption of alcohol was determined by the number and frequency of alcoholic beverages consumed. Carotid-artery parameters, including common carotid artery intima–media thickness (CCA–IMT) and carotid plaques were measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. In the Han and Kazakh populations, CCA–IMT as a function of alcohol consumption was depicted as a J-shaped curve with a nadir for the alcohol-intake category of 20–29.9 g/day; In the Uygur population, a similar curve with a nadir of 30–49.9 g/day was observed. With respect to the prevalence of carotid plaques, we also observed similar curves in the Han and Kazakh populations, but not in the Uygur population. After adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index, and smoking status, as well as levels of glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, the J-shaped curves remained.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that alcohol consumption was associated with carotid atherosclerosis and that moderate drinking had an inverse association with carotid atherosclerosis. However, the definition of moderate drinking could be different in Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations.
‘Concrete Freedom’: C.L.R. James on Culture and Black Politics
Authors: Smith Andrew
Published: March 2011

This article aims to provide a synoptic account of the cultural writings of the West Indian intellectual and activist C.L.R. James. I aim to make a case for greater recognition of his work among cultural sociologists. I go on to show how James’s original, historicizing account of cultural forms relates closely to his wider political interventions including, specifically, his ground-breaking discussion of mid-20th-century black politics in America.
Higher Quality Intake From School Lunch Meals Compared With Bagged Lunches
Authors: Hur Inyoung , Burgess-Champoux Teri , Reicks Marla
Published: March 2011

Studies show that nutritional quality of lunches brought from home is poor when compared with school lunches. Most of these studies were conducted in the United Kingdom, while studies of this type are limited in the United States. Therefore, this study compared lunch food, nutrient, and energy intake by lunch type (school lunch vs bagged lunch) in 2 schools in a Midwest metropolitan area of the United States. Food intake data were collected from 129 children with meal observation procedures. Energy, food, and nutrient intakes were estimated using Nutrition Data System for Research software and compared with t tests by lunch type. Children eating school lunches had higher intakes of protein; vitamins A, D, and K; and calcium and lower intakes of energy, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin E, and sugar compared with children eating bagged lunches. The ratios of mean protein and calcium consumption to minimum required values tended to be greater for children eating school lunches compared with those eating bag lunches. Children eating bag lunches had lower vegetable intake and higher whole grain and fruit intakes and higher meal energy density compared with children eating school lunch. Findings support parent nutrition education to improve the nutritional quality of bagged lunches.
Obesity, Children, Medications, and Pharmacy
Authors: Patel Gopi , Syed Zain , Reutzel Thomas
Published: March 2011

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in America. From 1999 to 2005, the number of hospitalizations for children aged 2 to 19 years nearly doubled. In 2000, the total cost of obesity was $117 billion. Causes of obesity include diet, lifestyle, food advertisements, and genetics. Complications include heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory problems and cancer. Obesity can also hinder social growth. Although the government has established standards for school lunch menus, these are often not met due to government subsidized pork, beef, and dairy products sold to schools at discounted prices. Children are sometimes prescribed medications, such as metformin and orlistat, for weight loss. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that more children should be taking medications for obesity. Many experts, though, do not agree with this view. Pharmacists are in an ideal position to provide help to children and parents, because they are readily available and knowledgeable.
A Systematic Review of Bone Health in Cyclists
Authors: Nagle Kyle B. , Brooks M. Alison
Published: March 2011

Context: Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a serious public health problem. Osteoporotic fractures are associated with low bone mass, occurring frequently in the hip and spine. Previous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between BMD and weightbearing exercise but not a similar positive relationship with nonweightbearing exercise. There is concern that cycling, a weight-supported sport, does not benefit bone health.

Objective: To systematically review the evidence suggesting that cyclists have impaired bone health at the femoral neck and lumbar spine.

Data Sources: Articles in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were identified in December 2009 What is the start date for the search?based on the following terms and combinations: bicycling, bone density, cyclist.

Study Selection: Thirteen studies satisfied inclusion criteria: 2 prospective studies (level of evidence 2b) and 11 cross-sectional studies (level of evidence 2c).

Data Extraction: Data included sample size, demographics, description of cycling and control criteria, and BMD (g/cm2) at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and hip.

Results: Two prospective studies showed a decrease in femoral neck, total hip, or lumbar spine BMD in cyclists over the study period. Four cross-sectional studies compared cyclists with sedentary controls, and 3 found cyclists’ lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD similar to that of controls, whereas 1 found cyclists’ BMD to be lower than that of controls. Seven cross-sectional studies compared cyclists with active controls: 2 found no differences in femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD between cyclists and controls; 4 found that cyclists had lower lumbar spine BMD than did active controls, including runners; and 1 reported a trend toward lower lumbar spine BMD in cyclists versus controls.

Conclusions: There is concerning but inconsistent, limited-quality disease-oriented evidence—primarily from cross-sectional data—indicating that cyclists may be at risk for low bone mass, particularly at the lumbar spine. Additional longitudinal controlled intervention trials are needed.
Infrapatellar Straps Decrease Patellar Tendon Strain at the Site of the Jumper’s Knee Lesion: A Computational Analysis Based on Radiographic Measurements
Authors: Lavagnino Michael , Arnoczky Steven P. , Dodds Julie , Elvin Niell
Published: March 2011

Background: The impetus for the use of patellar straps in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy has largely been based on empirical evidence and not on any mechanistic rationale. A computational model suggests that patellar tendinopathy may be a result of high localized tendon strains that occur at smaller patella–patellar tendon angles (PPTAs).

Hypothesis: Infrapatellar straps will decrease the mean localized computational strain in the area of the patellar tendon commonly involved in jumper’s knee by increasing the PPTA.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Twenty adult males had lateral weightbearing and nonweightbearing radiographs of their knees taken with and without 1 of 2 infrapatellar straps at 60° of knee flexion. Morphologic measurements of PPTA and patellar tendon length with and without the straps were used as input data into a previously described computational model to calculate average and maximum strain at the common location of the jumper’s knee lesion during a simulated jump landing.

Results: The infrapatellar bands decreased the predicted localized strain (average and maximum) in the majority of participants by increasing PPTA and/or decreasing patellar tendon length. When both PPTA and patellar tendon length were altered by the straps, there was a strong and significant correlation with the change in predicted average localized strain with both straps.

Conclusion: Infrapatellar straps may limit excessive patella tendon strain at the site of the jumper’s knee lesion by increasing PPTA and decreasing patellar tendon length rather than by correcting some inherent anatomic or functional abnormality in the extensor apparatus.

Clinical Relevance: The use of infrapatellar straps may help prevent excessive localized tendon strains at the site of the jumper’s knee lesion during a jump landing.
Predicting Chronic Stinger Syndrome Using the Mean Subaxial Space Available for the Cord Index
Authors: Greenberg Jared , Leung Dan , Kendall Jenny
Published: March 2011

A 21-year-old division I collegiate football player who had a history of several stingers presented with 5 days of persistent left neck and shoulder pain associated with paresthesias and upper extremity weakness. His symptoms began immediately during a game when he was struck on the right side of his helmet, which induced a compression-extension mechanism of injury to his neck. Clinical and electrodiagnostic evaluation was consistent with a left C5 radiculopathy, but magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine yielded normal results. The mean subaxial cervical space available for the cord (MSCSAC) index is a novel tool to predict chronic stinger syndrome. It is calculated by subtracting the sagittal diameter of the spinal cord from the disc-level sagittal diameter of the spinal canal at levels C3 through C6 and then averaging these values. A cutoff of < 4.3 mm has been shown to predict a greater-than-13-fold increase in risk of developing chronic stinger syndrome. This patient had a MSCSAC index of 3.2 mm, which correlated with his history of multiple stingers. The MSCSAC index may be a useful tool to help counsel athletes on the risk of developing future stingers, although more extensive research on this measurement tool is indicated.
H-ras and N-ras are dispensable for T-cell development and activation but critical for protective Th1 immunity
Authors: Iborra Salvador , Soto Manuel , Stark-Aroeira Luiz , Castellano Esther , Alarcón Balbino , Alonso Carlos , Santos Eugenio , Fernández-Malavé Edgar
Published: March 2011

The small guanine nucleotide binding proteins of the Ras family, including in mammals the highly homologous H-ras, N-ras, and K-ras isoforms, are rapidly activated on ligation of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), but whether each isoform plays specific roles in T cells is largely unknown. Here, we show, with the use of mice specifically lacking H-ras or N-ras, that these isoforms are dispensable for thymocyte development and mature T-cell activation. By contrast, CD4+ T cells from Ras-deficient mice exhibited markedly decreased production of the Th1 signature cytokine IFN-γ early after TCR stimulation, concomitantly with impaired induction of the Th1-specific transcription factor T-bet. Accordingly, Ras-deficient mice failed to mount a protective Th1 response in vivo against the intracellular parasite Leishmania major, although they could be rendered resistant to infection if a Th1-biased milieu was provided during parasite challenge. Collectively, our data indicate that the TCR recruits distinct Ras isoforms for signal transduction in developing and mature T cells, thus providing a mechanism for differential signaling from the same surface receptor. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time that H-ras and N-ras act as critical controllers of Th1 responses, mostly by transmitting TCR signals for Th1 priming of CD4+ T cells.
Crustacean hematopoiesis and the astakine cytokines
Authors: Lin Xionghui , Söderhäll Irene
Published: March 2011

Major contributions to research in hematopoiesis in invertebrate animals have come from studies in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, and the freshwater crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus. These animals lack oxygen-carrying erythrocytes and blood cells of the lymphoid lineage, which participate in adaptive immune defense, thus making them suitable model animals to study the regulation of blood cells of the innate immune system. This review presents an overview of crustacean blood cell formation, the role of these cells in innate immunity, and how their synthesis is regulated by the astakine cytokines. Astakines are among the first invertebrate cytokines shown to be involved in hematopoiesis, and they can stimulate the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of hematopoietic tissue cells. The astakines and their vertebrate homologues, prokineticins, share similar functions in hematopoiesis; thus, studies of astakine-induced hematopoiesis in crustaceans may not only advance our understanding of the regulation of invertebrate hematopoiesis but may also provide new evolutionary perspectives about this process.
Epilepsy in autism: features and correlates
Authors: Bolton Patrick F. , Carcani-Rathwell Iris , Hutton Jane , Goode Sue , Howlin Patricia , Rutter Michael
Published: March 2011

Background

Epilepsy occurs in a significant minority of individuals with autism, but few long-term follow-up studies have been reported, so the prevalence, features (type of seizures, age at onset and severity, etc.) and correlates (IQ history of regression, family history) have only partially been identified.

Aims

To undertake a long-term follow-up study of individuals with autism in order to better characterise the features and correlates of epilepsy in individuals with autism.

Method

One hundred and fifty individuals diagnosed with autism in childhood were followed up when they were 21+ years of age. All individuals were screened for a history of possible seizures by parental/informant questionnaire. An epilepsy interview was undertaken and medical notes reviewed for individuals with a history of possible seizures. The features and correlates of epilepsy were examined using survival and regression analysis.

Results

Epilepsy developed in 22% of participants. In the majority, seizures began after 10 years of age. Generalised tonic–clonic seizures predominated (88%). In over a half (19/33), seizures occurred weekly or less frequently and in the majority of individuals (28/31) they were controlled with the prescription of one to two anticonvulsants. Epilepsy was associated with gender (female), intellectual disability and poorer verbal abilities. Although the presence of epilepsy in the probands was not associated with an increased risk of epilepsy in their relatives, it was associated with the presence of the broader autism phenotype in relatives. This indicates that the familial liability to autism was associated with the risk for epilepsy in the proband.

Conclusions

Epilepsy is an important medical complication that develops in individuals with autism. Seizures may first begin in adolescence or adulthood. Putative risk factors for epilepsy in autism were identified and these will require further investigation in future studies.
It's Now or Never: Fertility-Related Knowledge, Decision-Making Preferences, and Treatment Intentions in Young Women With Breast Cancer—An Australian Fertility Decision Aid Collaborative Group Study
Authors: Peate Michelle , Meiser Bettina , Friedlander Michael , Zorbas Helen , Rovelli Susan , Sansom-Daly Ursula , Sangster Jennifer , Hadzi-Pavlovic Dusan , Hickey Martha
Published: March 2011

Purpose

For many young women with early breast cancer, fertility is a priority. Interventions to retain fertility options generally need to be accessed before chemotherapy, but many women do not receive information regarding these options in a timely fashion. Knowledge about fertility and decisional conflict has not previously been measured in young patients with breast cancer considering future pregnancies.

Methods

One hundred eleven young women with early breast cancer who had not yet completed their families were recruited around the time of diagnosis. Knowledge regarding fertility-related information, decisional conflict, and preferences regarding fertility information and decision making was measured.

Results

From a potential fertility-related knowledge score of 10, the mean was 5.2 (standard deviation = 2.3; range, 0 to 10). Decreased knowledge was associated with increased decisional conflict about pursuing fertility preserving interventions (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.73; P < .001). Thirty-one percent of women reported that they would consider undertaking in vitro fertilization (IVF) as a method to conserve their fertility, whereas 38% were uncertain. Consideration of IVF was not related to whether subjects were in a committed relationship (OR = 1.20; P = .716) or a definite desire for more children (OR = 1.54; P = .513).

Conclusion

Around diagnosis, many young patients with breast cancer have low levels of knowledge about fertility issues. Further, low knowledge is associated with increased decisional conflict, which is likely to undermine the quality of decision making. These findings suggest that targeted and timely fertility information may reduce decisional conflict and increase informed choice. Neither relationship status nor firm plans regarding future children reliably predict desire to pursue fertility preservation.