bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Stance Width on Frontal Plane Postural Dynamics and Coordination in Human Balance Control
Authors: Goodworth Adam D. , Peterka Robert J.
Published: April 2010

The influence of stance width on frontal plane postural dynamics and coordination in human bipedal stance was studied. We tested the hypothesis that when subjects adopt a narrow stance width, they will rely heavily on nonlinear control strategies and coordinated counter-phase upper and lower body motion to limit center-of-mass (CoM) deviations from upright; as stance increases, the use of these strategies will diminish. Freestanding frontal plane body sway was evoked through continuous pseudorandom rotations of the support surface on which subjects stood with various stimulus amplitudes. Subjects were either eyes open (EO) or closed (EC) and adopted various stance widths. Upper body, lower body, and CoM kinematics were summarized using root-mean-square and peak-to-peak measures, and dynamic behavior was characterized using frequency-response and impulse-response functions. In narrow stance, CoM frequency-response function gains were reduced with increasing stimulus amplitude and in EO compared with EC; in wide stance, gain reductions were much less pronounced. Results show that the narrow stance postural system is nonlinear across stimulus amplitude in both EO and EC conditions, whereas the wide stance postural system is more linear. The nonlinearity in narrow stance is likely caused by an amplitude-dependent sensory reweighting mechanism. Finally, lower body and upper body sway were approximately in-phase at low frequencies (<1 Hz) and out-of-phase at high frequencies (>1 Hz) across all stance widths, and results were therefore inconsistent with the hypothesis that subjects made greater use of coordinated counter-phase upper and lower body motion in narrow compared with wide stance conditions.
Lessons from Photoreceptors: Turning Off G-Protein Signaling in Living Cells
Authors: Burns Marie E. , Pugh Edward N.
Published: April 2010

Phototransduction in retinal rods is one of the most extensively studied G-protein signaling systems. In recent years, our understanding of the biochemical steps that regulate the deactivation of the rod's response to light has greatly improved. Here, we summarize recent advances and highlight some of the remaining puzzles in this model signaling system.
Membrane Protein Clusters at Nanoscale Resolution: More Than Pretty Pictures
Authors: Lang Thorsten , Rizzoli Silvio O.
Published: April 2010

Fluorescence microscopy is powerful for analyzing the composition and dynamics of cellular elements, but studying precise molecule patterns is precluded due to diffraction limited resolution. This barrier has been lifted now through several superresolution microscopy techniques. They revealed that proteins assemble in defined groups (clusters). A new challenge thus appears for the biologist: to find out whether clusters are molecular machines, stabilizers of defined protein conformations, or simply protein reservoirs.
Roles for Growth Factors in Cancer Progression
Authors: Witsch Esther , Sela Michael , Yarden Yosef
Published: April 2010

Under physiological conditions, cells receive fate-determining signals from their tissue surroundings, primarily in the form of polypeptide growth factors. Integration of these extracellular signals underlies tissue homeostasis. Although departure from homeostasis and tumor initiation are instigated by oncogenic mutations rather than by growth factors, the latter are the major regulators of all subsequent steps of tumor progression, namely clonal expansion, invasion across tissue barriers, angiogenesis, and colonization of distant niches. Here, we discuss the relevant growth factor families, their roles in tumor biology, as well as the respective downstream signaling pathways. Importantly, cancer-associated activating mutations that impinge on these pathways often relieve, in part, the reliance of tumors on growth factors. On the other hand, growth factors are frequently involved in evolvement of resistance to therapeutic regimens, which extends the roles for polypeptide factors to very late phases of tumor progression and offers opportunities for cancer therapy.
Biological Roles of Acid and Neutral Sphingomyelinases and Their Regulation by Nitric Oxide
Authors: Perrotta Cristiana , Clementi Emilio
Published: April 2010

Generation of the pleiotropic sphingolipid mediator ceramide by acid and neutral sphingomyelinases is a key event in many cellular pathophysiological processes including survival, death, proliferation, and differentiation, in which also the short-lived gaseous messenger nitric oxide plays a crucial role. This review describes how the outcome of these key cellular processes is finely tuned by surprising and complex interplays among nitric oxide, ceramide, and their effectors.
Impact of Sacral Surface Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation on Early Recovery of Urinary Continence after Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Nakagawa Haruo , Kaiho Yasuhiro , Namiki Shunichi , Ishidoya Shigeto , Saito Seiichi , Arai Yoichi
Published: April 2010

Objectives. To investigate whether sacral surface therapeutic electrical stimulation (SSTES) initiated during the early postoperative period would be effective towards early recovery of postprostatectomy urinary continence.Methods. A total of 35 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy by a single surgeon were enrolled in this study. Twenty early patients began pelvic floor muscle exercise (PME). Fifteen subsequent patients received SSTES postoperatively with no instruction for PME provided. Immediate urinary function just after catheter removal was evaluated with frequency-volume chart and 24-hour pad test.Results. There were no differences between the SSTES and PME groups in maximum voided volume capacity (MVV) and urine loss ratio (ULR) on the first day after removal of urethral catheter. However, on day 3 MVV was significantly larger and ULR was also significantly lower in the SSTES group.Conclusions. SSTES treatment is feasible and appears to be effective for early recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.
Blind Source Separation of Hemodynamics from Magnetic Resonance Perfusion Brain Images Using Independent Factor Analysis
Authors: Chou Yen-Chun , Lu Chia-Feng , Guo Wan-Yuo , Wu Yu-Te
Published: April 2010

Perfusion magnetic resonance brain imaging induces temporal signal changes on brain tissues, manifesting distinct blood‐supply patterns for the profound analysis of cerebral hemodynamics. We employed independent factor analysis to blindly separate such dynamic images into different maps, that is, artery, gray matter, white matter, vein and sinus, and choroid plexus, in conjunction with corresponding signal‐time curves. The averaged signal‐time curve on the segmented arterial area was further used to calculate the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and mean transit time (MTT). The averaged ratios for rCBV, rCBF, and MTT between gray and white matters for normal subjects were congruent with those in the literature.
On the Solution n‐Dimensional of the Product ⊗k Operator and Diamond Bessel Operator
Authors: Satsanit Wanchak , Kananthai Amnuay
Published: April 2010

Firstly, we studied the solution of the equation where u(x) is an unknown unknown function for x = (x1, x2, …, xn) ∈ ℝn, f(x) is the generalized function, k is a positive integer. Finally, we have studied the solution of the nonlinear
equation . It was found that the existence of the solution u(x) of such an
equation depends on the condition of f and . Moreover such solution u(x) is related to the inhomogeneous wave equation depending on the conditions of p, q, and k.
Application of a Theorem in Stochastic Models of Elections
Authors: Schofield Norman , Claassen Christopher , Ozdemir Ugur , Zakharov Alexei
Published: April 2010

Previous empirical research has developed stochastic electoral models for Israel, Turkey, and other polities. The work suggests that convergence to an electoral center (often predicted by electoral models) is a nongeneric phenomenon. In an attempt to explain nonconvergence, a formal model based on intrinsic valence is presented. This theory showed that there are necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence. The necessary condition is that a convergence coefficient c is bounded above by the dimension w of the policy space, while a sufficient condition is that the coefficient is bounded above by 1. This coefficient is defined in terms of the difference in exogenous valences, the “spatial coefficient”, and the electoral variance. The theoretical model is then applied to empirical analyses of elections in the United States and Britain. These empirical models include sociodemographic valence and electoral perceptions of character trait. It is shown that the model implies convergence to positions close to the electoral origin. To explain party divergence, the model is then extended to incorporate activist valences. This extension gives a first‐order balance condition that allows the party to calculate the optimal marginal condition to maximize vote share. We argue that the equilibrium positions of presidential candidates in US elections and by party leaders in British elections are principally due to the influence of activists, rather than the centripetal effect of the electorate.
Photoluminescent Patterned Papers Resulting from Printings of Polymeric Nanoparticles Suspension
Authors: Sarrazin Pierre , Beneventi Davide , Denneulin Aurore , Stephan Olivier , Chaussy Didier
Published: April 2010

The printability of a copolyfluorene-fluorenone (PFFO) photoluminescent nanoparticle aqueous suspension on commercial tracing paper was here investigated. The nanoparticles suspension was obtained by miniemulsification of a suitable preformed photoluminescent organic polymer. The structural, physicochemical, and rheological characteristics of the nanoparticles suspension were first studied before considering its printability by inkjet and flexography techniques. The native properties of the nanoparticles suspension revealed to be more suitable for inkjet printing which was successfully used to print photoluminescent patterns using a very low amount of PFFO.
Successful Treatment of a Granulocytic Sarcoma of the Uterine Cervix in Complete Remission at Six-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Kim Stefano C. H. , Natarajan-Ame Shanti , Lioure Bruno , Chenard Marie-Pierre , Duclos Brigitte , Herbrecht Raoul , Bergerat Jean-Pierre
Published: April 2010

Background. Localized granulocytic sarcoma of the uterine cervix in the absence of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at presentation is very rare, its diagnosis is often delayed, and its prognosis almost always ominous evolving into refractory AML.Case. We present the case of a 30-year-old woman with vaginal bleeding and a large cervical mass. Further evaluation confirmed the presence of a granulocytic sarcoma but failed to reveal systemic involvement.Results. AML type chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy of the uterus led to a durable complete remission. She remains in complete remission six years after diagnosis.Conclusion. Granulocytic sarcoma of the cervix is a rare entity for which early intensive AML type therapy is effective.
New Strategies in Head and Neck Cancer: Understanding Resistance to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors
Authors: Chen Lucy F. , Cohen Ezra E.W. , Grandis Jennifer R.
Published: April 2010

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a validated target in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). However, despite high expression of EGFR in these cancers, EGFR inhibitor monotherapy has only had modest activity. Potential mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies involve EGFR and Ras mutations, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and activation of alternative and downstream pathways. Strategies to optimize EGFR-targeted therapy in head and neck cancer involve not only the selection for patients most likely to benefit but also the use of combination therapies to target the network of pathways involved in tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Clin Cancer Res; 16(9); 2489–95. ©2010 AACR.
Public Awareness of Genetic Influence on Chronic Disease Risk: Are Genetic and Lifestyle Causal Beliefs Compatible?
Authors: Sanderson Saskia C. , Waller Jo , Humphries Steve E. , Wardle Jane
Published: April 2010

Background/Aims: There is concern that raising awareness about the role of genetics in chronic disease etiology could undermine public belief that lifestyles are important, leading to adverse effects on public health. We tested the hypothesis that people who believe genetics influence chronic disease risk are less likely to believe lifestyles play a role. Methods: Open-ended questions about cancer and heart disease risk factors were included in a population-based survey of 1,747 British adults. Responses were coded for causal beliefs about genetics and lifestyle (smoking, diet, alcohol, exercise). Results: One third of the respondents identified genetic factors as influencing cancer (35%) and heart disease (36%) risk. Identifying genetic risk was associated with female gender, older age and education for both diseases, as well as with family history for heart disease. Individuals identifying genetic influences on cancer risk were more likely to identify diet (p < 0.001) and exercise (p < 0.05), and mentioned more lifestyle factors overall (p < 0.05), independent of demographics and family history. Patterns were similar for heart disease. Conclusion: People who recognize that genetics influence chronic disease risk appear more, not less, likely to recognize the role of lifestyles, contradicting suggestions that the public takes an ‘either/or' view of the etiology of these potentially preventable diseases.
Cancer Chemotherapy and Cardiovascular Risks: Is Capecitabine-Induced Hypertriglyceridemia a Rare Adverse Effect?
Authors: Seminara Patrizia , Losanno Tania , Emiliani Alessandra , Manna Gaia
Published: April 2010

Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine which is transformed to 5-Fluorouracil inside tumor cells, where it achieves high drug concentrations. Capecitabine is an active drug diffusely utilized in the treatment of various types of tumors, such as breast, colorectal, gastric, head and neck carcinoma. In our experience, capecitabine-induced hypertriglyceridemia does not seem to be a rare adverse effect as it is observed in 10% of treated patients. It is necessary to monitor the lipidic profile of patients treated with capecitabine also in consideration of the frequent presence of comorbidities in cancer populations, the concomitant toxicity related to other drugs used in combination regimens, and cardiovascular effects characteristic of biological target therapy.
Migraine with Aura Is a Risk Factor for Cervical Artery Dissection: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Artto V. , Metso T.M. , Metso A.J. , Putaala J. , Haapaniemi E. , Wessman M. , Färkkilä M. , Kallela M. , Tatlisumak T.
Published: April 2010

Background: Cervical artery dissection (CAD) is the most common single etiology for stroke in young adults. Migraine, especially with aura (MA), is a known risk factor for ischemic stroke. The association between CAD and migraine was suggested based on a few small studies, but there are no large-scale case-control data, and the mechanisms are not yet clear. Methods: We compared the lifetime prevalence of migraine and migraine characteristics in 313 CAD patients with 313 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. We also analyzed clinical and radiological characteristics of CAD with respect to migraine subtypes to investigate whether clear phenotypical associations can be found that might help in the search for a possible shared genetic background for migraine and CAD. Results: Migraine was clearly more common in CAD patients than in controls (36 vs. 23%; OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.48–3.14), and the association was also highly significant for MA (23 vs. 12%; OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.53–3.80). Percentages of reported migraine history and MA of CAD patients vs. controls compared separately for both sexes were as follows: for women, migraine 54 vs. 35% (OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.28–4.13), MA 35 vs. 18% (OR 2.79; 95% CI 1.40–5.59); for men, migraine 27 vs. 16% (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.23–3.31), MA 16 vs. 10% (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.19–4.11). Over 60% of the CAD patients with still active migraine at the time of dissection reported later alleviation of migraine activity. Conclusion: Our observations suggest that patients with CAD are a significant link between ischemic stroke and migraine. This connection may represent a common pathophysiological or genetic background, or both. Migraine activity appears to be alleviated by CAD.
Association of Kidney Dysfunction with Silent Lacunar Infarcts and White Matter Hyperintensity in the General Population: The Ohasama Study
Authors: Otani Harunori , Kikuya Masahiro , Hara Azusa , Terata Shiho , Ohkubo Takayoshi , Kondo Takeo , Hirose Takuo , Obara Taku , Metoki Hirohito , Inoue Ryusuke , Asayama Kei , Kanno Atsuhiro , Terawaki Hiroyuki , Nakayama Masaaki , Totsune Kazuhito , Hoshi Haruhisa , Satoh Hiroshi , Izumi Shin-Ichi , Imai Yutaka
Published: April 2010

Background: No previous study has investigated the association of kidney dysfunction with silent lacunar infarcts and white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) independent of ambulatory blood pressure (BP). Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1,008 participants (mean age 66 years) from a general population of Ohasama, Japan, was conducted. Calculated creatinine clearance (CCr) was estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation. In continuous and categorical analyses, the association between CCr and the prevalence of silent lacunar infarcts and WMH was investigated. Silent lacunar infarcts and WMH were detected on MRI. Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for 24-hour ambulatory BP, sex, age, body mass index, smoking and drinking status, antihypertensive medication, and histories of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and heart disease was performed. Results: On univariate analysis, decreased CCr (continuous variable) and CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (categorical variable) were significantly associated with lacunar infarcts and WMH. After adjustment, each 1-standard-deviation decrease in CCr (odds ratio = 1.22; p = 0.036) and CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (odds ratio = 1.68; p = 0.007) was significantly associated with a high prevalence of lacunar infarcts. Even when 24-hour ambulatory BP was within the normal range (<130/80 mm Hg), CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was associated with a high prevalence of lacunar infarcts (odds ratio = 1.62; p = 0.047). CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 24-hour ambulatory BP had additive effects on lacunar infarcts. After the same adjustment, the association between CCr and WMH was not significant. Conclusions: CCr is closely associated with lacunar infarcts, suggesting that kidney dysfunction in the elderly is an independent risk factor or predictor for silent lacunar infarcts.
Low-Dose Valganciclovir as Preemptive Therapy for Cytomegalovirus Infection Occurring in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
Authors: Palladino Mariangela , Laurenti Luca , Chiusolo Patrizia , Piccioni Paola , Innocenti Idanna , Tarnani Michela , Sorà Federica , Sica Simona , Leone Giuseppe
Published: April 2010

Few data are available to date on the dose of oral valganciclovir as cytomegalovirus (CMV) preemptive therapy in stem cell transplantation patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose valganciclovir (900 mg/day) as preemptive treatment in allotransplanted recipients. Valganciclovir was used in 34 patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies at the dose of 900 mg oral administration/day (12 patients, group 1) or 1,800 mg oral administration/day (22 patients, group 2). Thirty-two out of 34 patients (94%) obtained negativization of polymerase chain reaction for CMV at a median of 12.5 days from the beginning of valganciclovir administration (10/12 patients of group 1, 22/22 patients of group 2). We conclude that oral administration of valganciclovir can induce clearance of CMV viral load in about 2 weeks; moreover, lower-dose oral valganciclovir (900 mg/day) has a comparable efficacy to the proposed standard dose (1,800 mg/day).
Is Longer-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy More Effective than Shorter-Term Therapies? Review and Critique of the Evidence
Authors: Bhar Sunil S. , Thombs Brett D. , Pignotti Monica , Bassel Marielle , Jewett Lisa , Coyne James C. , Beck Aaron T.
Published: April 2010

Background: In 2008, Leichsenring and Rabung performed a meta-analysis of 8 studies of longer-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP). The work was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (vol. 300, pp 1551–1565), and they concluded that LTPP was more effective than shorter-term therapies. Method: Given that such claims have the potential to influence treatment decisions and policies, we re-examined the meta-analysis and the 8 studies. Results: We found a miscalculation of the effect sizes used to make key comparisons. Claims for the effectiveness of LTPP depended on a set of small, underpowered studies that were highly heterogeneous in terms of patients treated, interventions, comparison-control groups, and outcomes. LTPP was compared to 12 types of comparison-controls, including control groups that did not involve any psychotherapy, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, and unvalidated treatments. Additionally, the studies failed to protect against threats to bias, and had poor internal validity. Conclusion: Overall, we found no evidence to support claims of superiority of LTPP over shorter-term methods of psychotherapy.
A Minimal Psychological Intervention in Chronically Ill Elderly Patients with Depression: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Lamers Femke , Jonkers Catharina C.M. , Bosma Hans , Kempen Gertrudis I.J.M. , Meijer Jaap A.M.J. , Penninx Brenda W.J.H. , Knottnerus J. André , van Eijk Jacques T.M.
Published: April 2010

Background: Among older persons with chronic somatic diseases, depression often remains unrecognized and untreated in primary care. The Depression in Elderly with Long-Term Afflictions (DELTA) study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led minimal psychological intervention (MPI) in chronically ill elderly persons with depression. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, comparing the MPI with usual care in 361 primary care patients. Four nurses had an average of 4 sessions with the intervention patients, each lasting 1 h, over a maximum period of 3 months. Patients were aged 60 years and older, had a minor depression or mild-to-moderate major depression, and either had type II diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Results: Nine months after the intervention, patients receiving the MPI had significantly fewer depressive symptoms; the intervention patients were also more likely than usual-care controls to show a ≧50% reduction in depressive symptoms relative to baseline values. At 9 months, diabetic MPI patients had a better quality of life than diabetic controls. Conclusions: The nurse-led MPI appears to be a feasible and moderately effective method of managing minor-to-moderate depression in chronically ill elderly persons. However, we cannot rule out attention-placebo effects, and the disappointing finding of a recent economic evaluation showing only a 63% chance of the MPI being cost-effective. From a clinical point of view, however, it is of interest to further evaluate adaptations of the MPI, with a stronger emphasis on detection, watchful waiting and mental health problems in general.
Spectrum of causative mutations in patients with haemophilia A in Austria
Authors: Reitter Sylvia , Sturn Rümuth , Horvath Birgit , Freitag Renate , Male Christoph , Muntean Wolfgang , Streif Werner , Pabinger Ingrid , Mannhalter Christine ,   and the Austrian Molecular Haemophilia Study Group
Published: April 2010

In patients with haemophilia A knowledge of the pathogenetic mutation is important i) as basis for carrier diagnosis and ii) for risk estimation of inhibitor formation. The pathogenetic mutations were identified by testing inversions in intron 1 and 22 (IVS22 and IVS1) and sequencing part of the promoter, the coding region and the exon/intron boundaries in a cohort of Austrian haemophilia A patients. A total of 239 patients from nine participating centres, who had consented to genetic testing and of whom clinical information was available were included in the study. First, IVS22 and IVS1 were tested; in case of absence of either inversion patients were subjected to sequencing. Mutations within the FVIII gene were identified in 234 patients. Notably, 53 mutations had not previously been described in HAMSTeRS. Of our patient cohort, 72.5 % had either an IVS22 or a missense mutation. Interestingly, in three brothers with severe haemophilia, we found a double mutation in exon 14 (missense + small deletion). The spectrum of mutations in Austrian haemophilia A patients was comparable to that found in the German and Italian population; however, it differed from the spectrum reported in the UK. In conclusion, 53 not previously published mutations were identified in Austrian haemophilia A patients. The occurrence of double mutations in the factor VIII gene could be confirmed and their low frequency was corroborated. We speculate that the differences between mutations in Austria and other European countries are due to ethnic diversity. Detailed investigations of the association of ethnicity and the mutation spectrum are planned.
Changing Roles of International Organizations: Global Administrative Law and the Interplay of Legitimacies
Authors: de Chazournes Laurence Boisson
Published: April 2010

Looking back over the last sixty years, there is no doubt that the role and the capacity of international organizations to conduct operations have greatly evolved. Their mandates have expanded and the objectives to be reached have been diversified. Field operations have increased in a dramatic way. It has become increasingly necessary for international organizations to resort to innovative legal mechanisms to be able to fulfil the new tasks they have been assigned. In the meantime, the appearance on the world stage of a large number of non-State actors carrying out tasks which were traditionally incumbent upon State authorities and intergovernmental organisations, has led to the establishment of specific mechanisms allowing them to collaborate closely with the latter. In face of the challenges raised by these complex interlocking legal relationships, numerous administrative law type principles have emerged as instruments for adapting the classic international system of States and intergovernmental organizations to contemporary requirements.
Preentry Substance Abuse Services
Authors: Magaletta Philip R. , Diamond Pamela M. , Weinman Beth M. , Burnell Ashley , Leukefeld Carl G.
Published: April 2010

Surprisingly little is known about the types of substance abuse services offenders receive prior to incarceration and the differences in demographics, criminality and drug involvement between those who received services and those who did not. This study provides estimates of these substance abuse services—treatment, self-help, and psycho education—received by federal offenders before their commitment to the Bureau of Prisons. Estimates indicate that among newly committed offenders, nearly one third (30%) received substance abuse services. Offense category, prior records and histories of violence each predicted service receipt. Also, offenders involved with drugs before incarceration were more likely to have received services as well, but those who used both drugs and alcohol prior to their most recent arrest were much more likely to have received services. Interestingly, gender was only significant when predicting inpatient substance abuse treatment services. Recommendations for training, research, and practice are made.
What is the ‘Neighbourhood’ in Neighbourhood Satisfaction? Comparing the Effects of Structural Characteristics Measured at the Micro-neighbourhood and Tract Levels
Authors: Hipp John
Published: April 2010

Using the neighbourhood sub-sample from the American Housing Survey for 1985, 1989 and 1993, this study tests whether the social context of the local micro-neighbourhood or of the broader census tract more strongly affects neighbourhood satisfaction. It is found that the local context of the micro-neighbourhood generally has a stronger effect on residents’ reported satisfaction. In contrast to studies aggregating to larger units, it is found that greater residential stability in the micro-neighbourhood increases reported neighbourhood satisfaction. A low socioeconomic status of the local micro-neighbourhood decreases neighbourhood satisfaction more than does the socioeconomic status of the surrounding tract and this effect is amplified in low-income tracts. Whereas prior evidence is mixed when aggregating perceptions of crime to larger units, a robust negative effect on satisfaction is found when aggregated to the micro-neighbourhood.
Resisting Urban Spectacle: The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition and the Contradictions of Mega Events
Authors: Gotham K.F.
Published: April 2010

This paper examines the planning and staging of the 1984 Louisiana Exposition, the last world’s fair in the United States, and makes comparisons with other US world’s fairs, to provide insight into the sources of opposition and resistance to urban spectacles. Drawing on the work of Guy Debord and his concept of the ‘society of the spectacle’, this paper advances a conception of mega events as spectacles of contestation that embody contradictory tendencies and articulate conflictual and opposing meanings of urban space and reality. Rather than obscuring and camouflaging urban problems, mega events like world’s fairs express social inequalities and display highly contradictory urban representations that can spawn resistant agendas, complicate élite redevelopment agendas and divide pro-growth coalitions. Through a critical interrogation of the Debordian concept of spectacle, the analysis in this paper suggests a new theory of mega events as sites of struggle and articulators of political dissent, a conception that helps to explain the increasing international opposition and protest against the Olympics and the mega-event strategy.
Neurotoxic, Inflammatory, and Mucosecretory Responses in the Nasal Airways of Mice Repeatedly Exposed to the Macrocyclic Trichothecene Mycotoxin Roridin A
Authors: Corps Kara N. , Islam Zahidul , Pestka James J. , Harkema Jack R.
Published: April 2010

Macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins encountered in water-damaged buildings have been suggested to contribute to illnesses of the upper respiratory tract. Here, the authors characterized the adverse effects of repeated exposures to roridin A (RA), a representative macrocyclic trichothecene, on the nasal airways of mice and assessed the persistence of these effects. Young, adult, female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to single daily, intranasal, instillations of RA (0.4, 2, 10, or 50 μg/kg body weight [bw]) in saline (50 μl) or saline alone (controls) over 3 weeks or 250 μg/kg RA over 2 weeks. Histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and morphometric analyses of nasal airways conducted 24 hr after the last instillation revealed that the lowest-effect level was 10 μg/kg bw. RA exposure induced a dose-dependent, neutrophilic rhinitis with mucus hypersecretion, atrophy and exfoliation of nasal transitional and respiratory epithelium, olfactory epithelial atrophy and loss of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In a second study, the persistence of lesions in mice instilled with 250 μg/kg bw RA was assessed. Nasal inflammation and excess luminal mucus were resolved after 3 weeks, but OSN loss was still evident in olfactory epithelium (OE). These results suggest that nasal inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and olfactory neurotoxicity could be important adverse health effects associated with short-term, repeated, airborne exposures to macrocyclic trichothecenes.
Social and Cultural Origins of Motivations to Volunteer
Authors: Hustinx Lesley , Handy Femida , Cnaan Ram A. , Brudney Jeffrey L. , Pessi Anne Birgitta , Yamauchi Naoto
Published: April 2010

Although participation in volunteering and motivations to volunteer (MTV) have received substantial attention on the national level, particularly in the US, few studies have compared and explained these issues across cultural and political contexts. This study compares how two theoretical perspectives, social origins theory and signalling theory, explain variations in MTV across different countries. The study analyses responses from a sample of 5794 students from six countries representing distinct institutional contexts. The findings provide strong support for signalling theory but less so for social origins theory. The article concludes that volunteering is a personal decision and thus is influenced more at the individual level but is also impacted to some degree by macro-level societal forces.
Foreign Investment and Development
Authors: Kentor Jeffrey , Jorgenson Andrew K.
Published: April 2010

This article explores the impact of foreign investment on development from an organizational perspective, by examining the role of foreign subsidiaries in the economic growth of less developed countries between 1970 and 2000. Two aspects of foreign subsidiaries are considered. The first is the total number of foreign subsidiaries located in a given country. The second dimension is ‘foreign subsidiary concentration’, the percentage of foreign subsidiaries located in a given country owned by corporations headquartered in a single country. Several findings emerge from structural equation models of 41—70 less developed countries between 1970 and 2000. First, overall growth of foreign subsidiaries between 1970 and 2000 has a positive effect on economic growth in less developed countries. Second, relatively high levels of foreign subsidiary concentration in 1970 inhibit this expansion of foreign subsidiaries. Two other aspects of foreign investment, foreign investment concentration and foreign capital dominance, also retard the expansion of foreign subsidiaries. Further analyses suggest that political corruption may, in part, mediate these relationships.
Relay Positioning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveillance*
Authors: Burdakov Oleg , Doherty Patrick , Holmberg Kaj , Kvarnström Jonas , Olsson Per-Magnus
Published: April 2010

When unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used for surveillance, information must often be transmitted to a base station in real time. However, limited communication ranges and the common requirement of free line of sight may make direct transmissions from distant targets impossible. This problem can be solved using relay chains consisting of one or more intermediate relay UAVs. This leads to the problem of positioning such relays given known obstacles, while taking into account a possibly mission-specific quality measure. The maximum quality of a chain may depend strongly on the number of UAVs allocated. Therefore, it is desirable to either generate a chain of maximum quality given the available UAVs or allow a choice from a spectrum of Pareto-optimal chains corresponding to different trade-offs between the number of UAVs used and the resulting quality. In this article, we define several problem variations in a continuous three-dimensional setting. We show how sets of Pareto-optimal chains can be generated using graph search and present a new label-correcting algorithm generating such chains significantly more efficiently than the best-known algorithms in the literature. Finally, we present a new dual ascent algorithm with better performance for certain tasks and situations.
Implementation Outcomes of Multidimensional Family Therapy-Detention to Community: A Reintegration Program for Drug-Using Juvenile Detainees
Authors: Liddle Howard A. , Dakof Gayle A. , Henderson Craig , Rowe Cindy
Published: April 2010

Responding to urgent calls for effective interventions to address young offenders’ multiple and interconnected problems, a new variant of an existing empirically-validated intervention for drug-using adolescents, Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT)—Detention to Community (DTC) was tested in a two-site controlled trial. This article (a) outlines the rationale and protocol basics of the MDFT-DTC intervention, a program for substance-using juvenile offenders that links justice and substance abuse treatment systems to facilitate adolescents’ postdetention community reintegration; (b) presents implementation outcomes, including fidelity, treatment engagement and retention rates, amount of services received, treatment satisfaction, and substance abuse—juvenile justice system collaboration outcomes; and (c) details the implementation and sustainability challenges in a cross-system (substance abuse treatment and juvenile justice) adolescent intervention. Findings support the effectiveness of the MDFT-DTC intervention, and the need to develop a full implementation model in which transfer and dissemination issues could be explored more fully, and tested experimentally.
The comparative role of key environmental factors in determining savanna productivity and carbon fluxes: A review, with special reference to northern Australia
Authors: Devi Kanniah Kasturi , Beringer Jason , Hutley Lindsay B.
Published: April 2010

Terrestrial ecosystems are highly responsive to their local environments and, as such, the rate of carbon uptake both in shorter and longer timescales and different spatial scales depends on local environmental drivers. For savannas, the key environmental drivers controlling vegetation productivity are water and nutrient availability, vapour pressure deficit (VPD), solar radiation and fire. Changes in these environmental factors can modify the carbon balance of these ecosystems. Therefore, understanding the environmental drivers responsible for the patterns (temporal and spatial) and processes (photosynthesis and respiration) has become a central goal in terrestrial carbon cycle studies. Here we have reviewed the various environmental controls on the spatial and temporal patterns on savanna carbon fluxes in northern Australia. Such studies are critical in predicting the impacts of future climate change on savanna productivity and carbon storage.
Throwaway Moms: Maternal Incarceration and the Criminalization of Female Poverty
Authors: Allen Suzanne , Flaherty Chris , Ely Gretchen
Published: April 2010

Using a feminist standpoint epistemological framework, this article reports the findings from 26 interviews with drug-offending incarcerated mothers in Kentucky regarding the effects of incarceration on their relationships with their children. The participants related personal histories characterized by poverty, victimization, chronic substance addiction, and repeated failed attempts at sobriety. Many felt betrayed by the courts and child protective services, and those who had lost custody of their children felt they had no remaining reason to rehabilitate themselves. The mothers expressed profound feelings of guilt and remorse for the impact that their behaviors had on their children and expressed hope that their children would experience better lives than they have.
Abraham’s Daughter: Eleanor Flexner
Authors: Netting F. Ellen
Published: April 2010

When the name Flexner is mentioned in schools of social work, it is typically a reference to Abraham Flexner, who spoke to the National Conference on Charities and Corrections in 1915. Yet, his daughter Eleanor wrote the definitive history of the women’s rights movement in the United States, and her work was influential in the transition between first- and second-wave feminism. This article honors her legacy and recognizes its significance to the integration of women’s history into the social work curriculum.
Targeting Women Versus Addressing Gender in Microcredit: Lessons From Honduras
Authors: Vonderlack-Navarro Rebecca
Published: April 2010

Microcredit, the practice of extending small loans to women who work in the informal economy, aims to help women achieve financial empowerment and independence. The research on microcredit, however, has tended to ignore how the context of women’s household relations can complicate this goal. This report of an ethnographic study of women’s participation in microcredit in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, indicates that male partners’ behaviors can both facilitate and limit women’s use of loans and repayment strategies. The article concludes with a discussion of how relational and family dynamics may be considered in the design of future economic development programs, such as savings initiatives.
Living With Stigma: Women’s Experiences of Prostitution and Substance Use
Authors: Sallmann Jolanda
Published: April 2010

Interpretive phenomenology was used to analyze interviews with 14 women who were recruited from a Midwestern program that provides prostitution-specific services. The participants described day-to-day experiences living with labeling, violence, and discrimination that were directed at them because of their involvement in prostitution and substance use. They also discussed their perceptions of being altered permanently by their activities as well as the ways in which they resist internalizing the negative messages that were directed at them. In this article, the construct of stigma is used to characterize these experiences. This article details the women’s experience of living with stigma and presents implications for direct practice and policy.
Defective cerebral gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor density in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and central nervous system involvement. An observational study
Authors: Mathieu A. , Vacca A. , Serra A. , Cauli A. , Piga M. , Porru G. , Marrosu F. , Sanna G. , Piga M.
Published: April 2010

Gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptors play a crucial role in regulating neuronal excitability and cognitive functions. Single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) analysis of GABA-A receptors binding by 123I-labelled Iomazenil (123I-IMZ) has been applied in some neuropsychiatric disorders to investigate conditions where GABA-A receptor density can be detected in several pathophysiological conditions. In this study we investigate cerebral GABA-A receptor density in a small series of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cognitive impairment characterized by recurrent, episodic memory loss. Nine female patients with SLE and cognitive alterations underwent to a clinical neuropsychiatric evaluation including digital video-EEG, brain MRI, 99mTc-ECD brain SPECT and 123I-IMZ brain SPECT. All patients tested showed diffuse or focal GABA-A receptor density reduction. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on GABA-A receptor density abnormalities associated with cognitive defects in SLE patients. We hypothesize that in our series a decrease in GABA-A receptor density might be related to the neurological manifestations. Further studies are needed to clarify this aspect and the possible mechanisms. GABA-A receptor density impairment might be due to the SLE-related cerebral vasculopathy, or to neuronal-reacting auto-antibodies or drugs which could interfere with GABA-A receptors expression/binding. This study may support the concept that cognitive impairment in systemic lupus erythematosus could be the outcome of fine-tuned neurotransmission alterations.
Parenting After the Death of a Spouse
Authors: Glazer Hilda R. , Clark Myra D. , Thomas Rebecca , Haxton Heather
Published: April 2010

The death of a spouse is a complicated experience in a family. Understanding the circumstances of the loss is part of the family’s healing process. The current qualitative phenomenological study builds on the existing studies by focusing on the lived experience of parents as they transition to single parenthood. Six individuals participated in this study. Data analysis revealed 5 themes related to the change to single parenting after the loss of the spouse including the need to revision the parenting role and the role of support. The study has implications for the design of interventions and groups following the death of a spouse.
Dyads in Organizational Research: Conceptual Issues and Multilevel Analyses
Authors: Gooty Janaki , Yammarino Francis J.
Published: April 2010

Although extensive work exists on multilevel theory building, testing and inference drawing in organizational research, work focusing on interpersonal relationships and the dyad as a level of analysis is scarcer compared to research focusing on individuals, groups/teams, and organizations. This scarcity is attributable to conceptual and methodological challenges in modeling dyads as a level of analysis. To address these challenges, we first present a discussion of the conceptualization of different dyadic configurations in work settings. Then, drawing on this conceptual treatment, we develop and illustrate the application of Random Coefficient Modeling (RCM) via nesting for independent dyads and cross-classification for dependent dyads in work settings. Across both independent and dependent dyads, we illustrate the application of Within and Between Analysis (WABA), another multilevel technique for dyadic analyses. RCM and WABA stem from differing statistical assumptions and are capable of testing different kinds of multilevel questions. We close with prescriptive implications for future multilevel conceptualization and data analysis using RCM and WABA, particularly involving interpersonal work relationships and dyads.
Pattern of Physical Injury Associated with Intimate Partner Violence in Women Presenting to the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Victor , Huff Harold , Bhandari Mohit
Published: April 2010

Objective: To examine patterns of physical injury associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) among women presenting to emergency room departments. Data sources: Systematic searches of Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL electronic databases from their earliest entries up to February, 2008. Reference lists from the studies included from the electronic database search were reviewed for published and unpublished studies. The authors contacted study authors regarding published and unpublished information. Review methods: After titles and abstracts were initially screened by a single reviewer, two reviewers screened the remaining full-text articles for inclusion into the review. Studies were included if they pertained in whole or in part to women who presented to an emergency department because of IPV and reported the location or type of injuries. Studies without comparison groups of non-IPV women and case series/case reports were excluded. The authors performed a meta-analysis of the available data using the random effects model. Results: The authors identified 262 potentially relevant titles and abstracts, of which 7 articles were included in the review. The association between head, neck, or facial injuries and IPV was higher among studies that excluded women with verifiable injuries such as witnessed falls or motor vehicle collisions (pooled odds ratio (OR) 24 (95% CI [15, 38]). Thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic injuries were nonspecific for IPV (pooled OR 1.07 (95% CI [0.89, 1.29]). Injuries in the upper extremities were suggestive of non-IPV etiology (pooled OR 0.51 (95% CI [0.41, 0.54]), as were lower extremity injuries (pooled OR 0.15 (95% CI [0.04, 0.56]). Conclusions: Among women presenting to emergency room departments, unwitnessed head, neck, or facial injuries are significant markers for IPV. Conversely, extremity injuries are less likely to have been the consequence of IPV.
Robert Kienböck: the man and his work
Authors: Chochole M.
Published: April 2010

Robert Kienböck is best remembered for his publication “Concerning traumatic malacia of the lunate and it’s consequences” in 1910. However, this is only one of 250 publications, an eight volume edition on radiology and his uncountable presentations to the scientific world. He also was an inventor and entrepreneur and the first president of the Austrian Röntgen Society.