bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial results of an optimized perfusion system
Authors: Starck CT , Bettex D , Felix C , Reser D , Dreizler T , Hasenclever P , Falk V
Published: February 2013

Background:

In order to reduce the negative effects of extracorporeal circulation (ECC), the perfusion system and management were optimized at our institution. The goals of optimization were a reduction in the priming volume, in the foreign surface area and in microbubble activity, as well as optimization of suction blood management.

Methods:

Sixty patients were included in this retrospective study. Patients were assigned to two groups, with regard to the use of an optimized perfusion system (OPS-group, n=30) and a standard perfusion system (SPS-group, n=30). All patients underwent elective procedures.

Results:

There were no significant differences with respect to patient demographics and operation time. ECC time and cross-clamp time were significantly longer in the OPS group. Statistically significant differences in outcome between the two groups were seen with regard to the following variables: effective priming volume (OPS: 775±447ml; SPS: 1610±0ml; p<0.0001), hemoglobin drop after the start of ECC (OPS: 2.7±1.2g/dl; SPS: 4.2±0.8g/dl; p<0.0001), c-reactive protein on postoperative day 2 (OPS: 121.0±59.4 U/l; SPS: 164.0±50.2 U/l; p=0.003). With regard to the use of blood transfusions, a 33% reduction in the overall amount of transfused units was seen. The rate of patients without transfusions during the entire hospital stay increased from 37% (SPS) to 53% (OPS). The mean transfused red blood cell units per patient was lower in the OPS-group (1.6±2.4 units) than in the SPS-group (2.3±3.5 units).

Conclusion:

With the described optimized perfusion system, a significantly lower priming volume, leading to less hemodilution after the onset of CPB, was achieved. The amount of blood transfusions and the inflammatory response were reduced.
Pulmonary function and physical performance outcomes with preoperative physical therapy in upper abdominal surgery: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Soares Silvia Maria de Toledo Piza , Nucci Luciana Bertoldi , da Silva Marcela Maria de Carvalho , Campacci Thaís Colombini
Published: February 2013

Objective:

Investigation of the effects of preoperative physical therapy on pulmonary function and physical performance before and after upper abdominal surgery.

Design:

Non-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Tertiary public hospital and private university, São Paulo state, Brazil.

Subjects:

Thirty-two patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Interventions:

Patients were randomly assigned to receive physical therapy, with respiratory and global exercises, 2–3 weeks before surgery (treatment group; n = 16) or await operation without engaging in practicing (control group; n = 16). After surgery, a physical therapy protocol was administered to all subjects until the seventh postoperative day.

Main measures:

Pulmonary function outcome variables were inspiratory and expiratory strength, respiratory muscle endurance and spirometry, and physical performance outcome variables were the functional independence measure and 6-minute walk test distance. Any postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded.

Results:

There were no between-group differences at randomization. In the preoperative period, patients in the intervention group had higher inspiratory strength and respiratory muscle endurance than controls (88 cmH2O versus 64 cmH2O and 28 cmH2O versus 23 cmH2O, respectively; P <0 0.05). On the seventh postoperative day, in addition to inspiratory force and respiratory muscle endurance, the intervention group showed better results than controls in the functional independence measure score (118 versus 95) and 6-minute walk test distance (368.5 m versus 223 m), all P <0 0.05. Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in 11 patients in the control group and five in the intervention group ( P = 0.03).

Conclusion:

Preoperative physical therapy improved pulmonary function and physical performance in the pre- and postoperative periods among patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery.
Subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy for the improvement of psychiatric symptoms of inpatients with chronic schizophrenia: a controlled trial
Authors: Hoshii Junko , Yotsumoto Kayano , Tatsumi Eri , Tanaka Chito , Mori Takashi , Hashimoto Takeshi
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To compare the therapeutic effects of subject-chosen and therapist-chosen activities in occupational therapy for inpatients with chronic schizophrenia.

Design:

Prospective comparative study.

Setting:

A psychiatric hospital in Japan.

Subjects:

Fifty-nine patients with chronic schizophrenia who had been hospitalized for many years.

Interventions:

The subjects received six-months occupational therapy, participating in either activities of their choice (subject-chosen activity group, n = 30) or activities chosen by occupational therapists based on treatment recommendations and patient consent (therapist-chosen activity group, n = 29).

Main measures:

The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale were used to evaluate psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial function, respectively.

Results:

After six-months occupational therapy, suspiciousness and hostility scores of the positive scale and preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale significantly improved in the subject-chosen activity group compared with the therapist-chosen activity group, with 2(2) (median (interquartile range)) and 3(1.25), 2(1) and 2.5(1), and 2(1) and 3(1), respectively. There were no significant differences in psychosocial functions between the two groups. In within-group comparisons before and after occupational therapy, suspiciousness scores of the positive scale, preoccupation scores of the general psychopathology scale, and psychosocial function significantly improved only in the subject-chosen activity group, with 3(1) to 2(2), 3(1) to 2(1), and 40(9) to 40(16) respectively, but not in the therapist-chosen activity group.

Conclusions:

The results suggested that the subject-chosen activities in occupational therapy could improve the psychiatric symptoms, suspiciousness, and preoccupation of the inpatients with chronic schizophrenia.
Early Events of Overused Supraspinatus Tendons Involve Matrix Metalloproteinases and EMMPRIN/CD147 in the Absence of Inflammation
Authors: Attia Mohamed , Huet Eric , Gossard Camille , Menashi Suzanne , Tassoni Marie-Claude , Martelly Isabelle
Published: February 2013

Background:

The principal feature of tendon degeneration is structural change of the extracellular matrix (ECM) including collagens. In painful tendons, alterations of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have been described; however, the initial molecular mechanism at the origin of these alterations is still poorly understood. A rat model of supraspinatus tendon overuse has been developed, which may be predictive of pathological tendon alterations.

Purpose:

To determine which MMPs are involved in early ECM remodeling during overuse and their relationship with the inflammatory context.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Analyses were performed on rat supraspinatus tendons at 2 and 4 weeks of overuse on a downhill treadmill. Transcript levels of MMPs and TIMPs were assessed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting and/or immunolabeling were used for MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-13, and extracellular MMP inducer (EMMPRIN, also called cluster of differentiation [CD] 147) detection. In situ and/or sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gelatin zymography was performed for MMP-2 and MMP-9. TIMP activity was revealed by reverse zymography. Inflammation was assessed by cytokine antibody array and/or immunolabeling.

Results:

Compared with a control, overused supraspinatus tendons showed a significantly higher gelatinolytic activity at 2 weeks, which slightly decreased at 4 weeks. MMP-9 and MMP-13 were undetectable; MMP-3 was downregulated in overused tendons. Only MMP-2, particularly its active form, and the MMP-2 activator MMP-14 were upregulated at 2 weeks of overuse when an increase in TIMP-2 transcripts was observed. MMP-2 upregulation occurred in the absence of inflammation but was associated with an increase of EMMPRIN/CD147.

Conclusion:

EMMPRIN/CD147-regulated MMP-2 and MMP-14, associated with low MMP-3, appear as the main characteristics of ECM remodeling in early overused tendons. Whether alterations in the pattern of these MMPs are an adaptive response or a repair response that may degenerate into tendinosis, is still uncertain. Moreover, there seems to be no indication for an inflammatory response to overuse, suggesting that the increased metalloproteinase activity is rather a response to a mechanical stress than an inflammatory one.

Clinical Relevance:

Any strategy aimed at preventing full-thickness tears resulting from initial tendon matrix alterations should consider these changes in MMP-3, MMP-2, and MMP-14, or further upstream, EMMPRIN.
Patient Origin Is Associated With Duration of Endotracheal Intubation and PICU Length of Stay for Children With Status Asthmaticus
Authors: Shibata Shinpei , Khemani Robinder G. , Markovitz Barry
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To describe intubation practices and duration of mechanical ventilation in children with status asthmaticus admitted from emergency departments (ERs) to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study using the Virtual PICU Performance System database (VPS, LLC) of children with status asthmaticus admitted to a participating PICU between December 2003 and September 2006. The primary outcome measure was intubation prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Secondary outcomes included length of intubation and medical length of stay.

Setting:

Thirty-five PICUs in the United States. Patients: Children who were intubated and mechanically ventilated during their ICU stay for asthma and were admitted from an ER.

Results:

A total of 4051 patients with status asthmaticus were identified. Intubation data were available from 35 of the 53 centers. Of all, 187 children were intubated for asthma, of which 157 were admitted from an ER and had complete data. Of all, 85 patients were from community hospital ERs and 72 were from the institution’s own ER. In all, 115 (73%) patients were intubated prior to ICU admission and 42 (27%) patients were intubated after PICU admission. Of patients who received mechanical ventilation for status asthmaticus and were intubated prior to PICU admission, a greater proportion were intubated at community hospital ERs than in the institutions’ own ERs. Eighty-five percent of the patients from community hospital ERs were intubated prior to PICU admission as opposed to 60% from institution’s own ERs ( P = .0004). However, median duration of intubation and PICU stay from community hospital ERs was significantly shorter than from the hospitals’ own ERs (25 vs 42 hours P = .011; 57 vs 98 hours P = .0013, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that after controlling for the effects of age, race, gender, and a revised version of the Paediatric Index of Mortality score of patients who were admitted for status asthmaticus and required mechanical ventilations, patients treated in community hospital ERs represented a greater proportion of preadmission intubation. The odds ratio for preadmission intubation was 5.1 if the patients arrived from community hospital ERs (95% confidence interval 1.91-13.6).

Conclusion:

Patients with status asthmaticus are more likely to be intubated when they are admitted from community hospital emergency rooms, although the duration of intubation and PICU stay is shorter.
Comparison of an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the World Organization for Animal Health–prescribed serum neutralization assay for detection of antibody to Equine arteritis virus
Authors: Chung Chungwon , Wilson Carey , Timoney Peter , Adams Ethan , Adams D. Scott , Chung Joseph Sungyeon , Evermann James F. , Shuck Kathleen , Lee Stephen Sauchi , McGuire Travis C.
Published: February 2013

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) causes contagious equine viral arteritis, characterized by fever, anorexia, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, dependent edema, abortion, infrequent death in foals, and establishment of the carrier state in stallions. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) defines a horse as seropositive if the serum neutralization (SN) antibody titer is ≥1:4 to EAV. However, determining the SN titer is time-consuming and requires specific laboratory facilities, equipment, and technical expertise to perform. Furthermore, interpretation of the SN titer of some sera can be difficult because of nonspecific cellular cytotoxicity of particular samples. Finally, the problem of interlaboratory variation also exists with SN assays. For these reasons, an alternative serologic test is desirable; however, none of the reported tests have equivalent sensitivity and specificity to the SN to be generally adopted. In an attempt to improve on a previously developed competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) using EAV gp5-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4B2, the current study developed a modified protocol substituting the non-neutralizing mAb 17B7 for the neutralizing mAb 4B2; this along with several modifications of the test procedure improved the performance of the test. The relative specificity of the revamped cELISA was 99.8% when evaluated with 2,223 SN-negative sera. The relative sensitivity was 95.5% when evaluated with 246 SN-positive sera. This new cELISA was not affected by the presence of non–EAV-specific cytotoxicity in sera as observed in the SN assay. The results indicate that this new cELISA may be a viable alternative to the SN assay and merit additional validation.
Early Numeracy Intervention for Low-Performing Kindergartners
Authors: Toll Sylke W. M. , Van Luit Johannes E. H.
Published: February 2013

Early numeracy in kindergarten has proven to be a strong predictor of mathematical achievement. The aims of this study were to test the effectiveness of a remedial numeracy program for children who were low performing and to evaluate the role of visual and verbal working memory in the development of numeracy. The study included 196 kindergartners. Children with a pretest numeracy score falling below the 50th percentile were matched and randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group obtained meaningful and statistically significantly higher adjusted outcome numeracy scores at the posttest stage than did the control group. This result, however, was not found among the group of children falling below the 25th percentile at the pretest stage. Verbal working memory, but not visual working memory, might best account for differences in the growth measured within the intervention group.
Syndesmosis Fixation Using Dual 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm Screws With Tricortical and Quadricortical Purchase
Authors: Markolf Keith L. , Jackson Steven R. , McAllister David R.
Published: February 2013

Background:

Grade 3 syndesmosis (high ankle) sprains of the ankle are frequently treated using screws that fix the distal fibula to the tibia. We hypothesized that forces acting on the distal fibula and displacements of the distal fibula relative to the tibia recorded during simulated ankle loading tests would be significantly affected by syndesmosis screw size and the number of engaged tibial cortices.

Methods:

Distal fibular forces and displacements were measured after cutting the distal inferior tibiofibular ligaments and fixing the distal fibula to the distal fibula with 2 syndesmosis screws. Screws of 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm were applied with tricortical and quadricortical purchase.

Results:

There were no significant differences in distal fibular forces or displacements between any combination of screw size and cortical purchase tested. The highest mean fibular force recorded in the study (110.2 N) occurred when 10 N-m of external foot torque was applied to a dorsiflexed ankle loaded with 1000 N axial weight-bearing force. For ankle dorsiflexion and external foot torque tests, the distal fibula always displaced posteriorly with respect to the tibia. Mean displacements of the fibula from 1000 N applied axial weight-bearing force (maximum 0.15 mm) and from 10 N-m of forced foot dorsiflexion (maximum 0.43 mm) were considerably less than those from 10 N-m external foot torque (1.7 mm to 2.7 mm).

Conclusions:

Screw size and the number of engaged tibial cortices had no significant effect on mechanical stability of the distal fibula during these tests. Application of external foot torque (internal tibial torque) to a weight-bearing ankle produced the greatest bending displacements of the screws, and should be avoided during rehabilitation to reduce the possibility of screw breakage.

Clinical Relevance:

In terms of mechanical stability, surgeons may have considerable flexibility with regard to screw fixation of high ankle sprains.
Race-acting: The varied and complex affirmative meaning of “acting Black” for African-American adolescents
Authors: Burrell Jennifer O , Winston Cynthia E , Freeman Kimberley E
Published: February 2013

In the field of psychology, deficit theoretical frameworks for studying African-American students dominate mainstream psychological theorizing and research. This is particularly the case within research explaining the academic achievement gap between African-American and White students. The aims of the present study are to adopt a culturally responsive theoretical framework to study one of the most widely used explanations for the African-American achievement gap, “the ‘acting White’ hypothesis,” as well as to further interrogate the more globally generalizable concept of “race-acting” and what specifically it means to “act Black.” The data were generated from an open-ended survey question as part of a larger longitudinal mixed-method study. One hundred and fifteen African-American middle school students participated. Researchers used a thematic content analysis to systematically analyze the data and concluded, based on their multiple interpretations, that the meaning of race-acting is varied and complex. Academic Intelligence was discovered as a prominent and affirmative theme for what it means to these adolescents to “act Black” and, with the exception of two themes (i.e., Ghetto and Superiority), what it means to these adolescents to “act Black” and to “act White” was the same. One implication of the study is that the concept of “race-acting” has utility for guiding future theoretical and methodological development about racialized belief systems of all groups living in racialized societies and culturally specific identity processes for African-Americans.
Gay men and drag: Dialogical resistance to hegemonic masculinity
Authors: Kahn Jack S , Goddard Lynsey , Coy Jamie M
Published: February 2013

Hegemonic masculinity has been a valuable theoretical approach to understanding ways in which cultures coax members to conform to the requisites of dominant masculinity. However, it has difficulty explaining individual resistances to hegemonic pressures. This paper is one in a series of projects which have identified communities that explicitly defy traditional masculinity norms in order to understand the psychosocial methodologies employed to accomplish resistance within the systemic pressures of hegemonic masculinity. We utilized dialogical self theory as a model to investigate how a gay male drag theater troupe negotiates masculinity in order to understand how that negotiation can help resist dominant discourses of masculinity and form community.
Contemporary Chinese communication made understandable: A cultural psychological perspective
Authors: Shi-xu  , Feng-Bing
Published: February 2013

Cultural psychology as a discipline is designed ultimately to help understand and to help guide cultural practice. In the present study, we focus on the case of present-day Chinese communication (or discourse) and argue that an adequate understanding must take into account its cultural ways of thinking and feeling—a discourse-dialectic collective consciousness connected with Chinese history on the one hand, and international cultures on the other hand. From this perspective, we propose in particular that the Chinese cultural psychological entity be seen as a network of values, rules and resources for thinking and feeling that are embodied and strategically utilized in contemporary Chinese discursive practice. To elucidate this cultural psychological perspective, we cite and examine a range of empirical discursive examples in diverse settings. In conclusion, the future research agenda is discussed.
Rumour as a symptom of collective forgetfulness
Authors: Haas Valérie , Levasseur Elodie
Published: February 2013

This psychosocial study attempts to shed light on the essential distinction between memory and recollection, and suggests a view of forgetfulness in terms of its intrinsic links with transmission. We study the effects and manifestations of collective forgetfulness, which still remain under-explored in psychology. The relatively recent case of a rumour that offered an explanation for and asserted the unprecedented character of a natural disaster—a symptom of forgetfulness —will serve as the basis for our investigation. The qualitative methodological design (documentary research, focus groups) used in this research reveals that the group has not transmitted its own painful past and that the rumour that continues to be promulgated offers an explanation which suits the residents, demonstrating much about their identity and history in the process. This paper will attempt therefore to investigate the ways in which this forgetfulness is transmitted, as well as the evident paradox of its coexistence with the recollection of history within the collective memory of the very same group.
Party and voter incentives at the crowded centre of British politics
Authors: Green Jane
Published: February 2013

This article offers a spatial theory to explain how a centrist third party gains votes via the ideological depolarization of its two main competitors towards the centre ground. Using the cases of British elections in 2001, 2005 and 2010, during which the two main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, were ideologically similar, the article reveals how perceived similarities between these parties led voters to turn to alternative issues and criteria – which benefited the third party, the Liberal Democrats – to decide their vote. Major parties therefore trade a proximity benefit of chasing the median voter against a separation benefit whereby votes can be lost due to voter indifference. The expectations are supported by analyses of vote choices using two measures of indifference, although the incentives do not apply equally in all three elections. The article reveals that indifference is not just relevant to voter abstention, as applied in existing spatial theories, but is also relevant to the basis of the vote choice and to votes for third parties. The implications are important for spatial models of party competition.
Measuring parties’ ethnic appeals in democracies
Authors: Gadjanova Elena
Published: February 2013

Unlike existing approaches to the study of ethnic politics, this article argues that the political competition for ethnic votes in modern democracies is programmatic (i.e. distinguishable by its focus on issues and policies), much like the competition for voting blocs defined as based on class or gender. Analysing ethnic appeals in this manner makes them suitable for the type of quantification and comparative analyses now standard in the estimations of policy positions on a range of other issues. Once the policy concerns of ethnic communities are known, scaling and scoring them becomes possible, paving the way for quantification and rigorous comparative work. Drawing on content analysis of speeches and manifestos delivered in democracies over the past decades, the article identifies a list of political positions reflective of appeals made to ethnic communities. Further, it derives and validates two indices of ethnic campaigning using data from the Comparative Manifestos Project. The measures are shown to be more robust and sensitive to nuance than existing classifications and can be readily applied to testing various hypotheses regarding the political competition for ethnic votes in democracies.
Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: Individual differences in adolescents’ identity styles
Authors: Laghi Fiorenzo , Baiocco Roberto , Liga Francesca , Lonigro Antonia , Baumgartner Emma
Published: February 2013

Considering the significant negative consequences that are directly related to binge eating and drinking behaviors, many studies have explored the reasons why adolescents engage in them. This study examined the differences in the development, maintenance, and co-occurrence of “binge” behaviors associated with adolescent’s identity style and the level of commitment. One thousand four hundred Italian adolescents completed self-report measures assessing binge behaviors and identity styles. Overall, results show that diffused adolescents were more likely to be engaged in binge eating and binge drinking behaviors than others, validating the idea that the achievement of a consolidated ego identity is important for enhancing well-being.
Education and health-behaviour among men and women in Sweden: A 27-year prospective cohort study
Authors: Brännlund Annica , Hammarström Anne , Strandh Mattias
Published: February 2013

Background: Previous research has found a positive association between health-behaviour and health. Only a few longitudinal studies have been performed, and as far as we found, none have followed a cohort for 27 years. Methods: This study used a cohort study, the “Northern Swedish Cohort”, which consisted of all graduates, n = 1080, from a compulsory school in a Swedish town. Data were collected with a comprehensive questionnaire; response rate 96.4%. Health-behaviour was analysed with binary logistic regression, with health-behaviour at age 21, 30 and 43 years as dependent variable. Besides baseline health-behaviour, gender, somatic and psychological health and socioeconomic background, the analyses were adjusted for work situation and social network. Results: The main findings were that education reduces the probability of unhealthy behaviour over the life course, which held after controlling for early life health-behaviour and possible confounders. The general education effect on health-behaviour was stronger among men than among women. Conclusions: Higher education reduces the probability of unhealthy behavior. Thus, investments in higher education should be an important public goal.
Metric properties and normative data for brief noise and electromagnetic field sensitivity scales
Authors: Nordin Steven , Palmquist Eva , Claeson Anna-Sara
Published: February 2013

Aims: Lack of brief questionnaire instruments for quantifying affective reactions to and behavioral disruptions attributed to sounds and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) motivated the present development and metric evaluation of such instruments, called the 11-item Noise Sensitivity Scale (NSS-11) and the 11-item Electromagnetic Field Sensitivity Scale (EMFSS-11). Another objective was to establish normative data for these instruments. Method: Data from 3406 individuals who took part in the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study was used. The participants constitute a random sample of inhabitants in the county of Västerbotten in Sweden, aged 18 to 79 years, stratified for age and gender. The participants responded to the NSS-11 and EMFSS-11 and to additional questions for evaluation of concurrent validity. Results: The results show satisfying reliability (Cronbach α = 0.71–0.85, varying with age group and gender), concurrent validity, and unidimensionality of the NSS-11 and EMFSS-11, and that the scales generate scores with approximately normal distributions, irrespective of age group and gender. Mean scores, standard deviations, and confidence intervals constitute normative data. Conclusions: The favorable metric properties of the NSS-11 and EMFSS-11 in combination with their fast usage suggest that they are particularly useful for assessment in epidemiological studies, and have the advantage of available normative data.
How to Select Adsorption Material for Removing Gas Phase Indoor Air Pollutants: A New Parameter and Approach
Authors: Xu Qiujian , Zhang Yinping , Mo Jinhan , Li Xinxiao
Published: February 2013

Adsorption material is widely used to remove gas phase indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds. The commonly used parameter, the adsorption capacity, is not sufficient to determine how much of a gas phase pollutant can be removed in a given time period. In this study, we put forward a new parameter ([Formula: see text], the normalised volume of air cleaned) and an approach to select the most suitable adsorption material for given conditions. We find that [Formula: see text] of a single adsorbent pellet is the function of the Biot number for mass transfer ( Bim), the air–adsorbent interface partition coefficient ( K) and the Fourier number ( Fom). The correlation between them is derived, which enables us to determine the most suitable adsorption material under given conditions. The [Formula: see text] of a fixed-bed air filter is also presented, from which the required quantity of material or the filter size can be determined too. Some examples illustrating how to use the parameter and the approach are presented. This new parameter and approach are very helpful for selecting adsorption materials and developing adsorption filters for removing gas phase indoor air pollutants.
A kin-state’s responsibility: Cultural identity, recognition, and the Hungarian status law
Authors: Udrea Andreea
Published: February 2013

In the last 30 years, many European states have assumed a form of responsibility for recognition concerning the cultural identity of the members of their kin-minority groups. Despite the increasing number of states assuming such special trans-sovereign duties relating to individuals who are neither citizens nor residents, and the endorsements given by the Council of Europe and the EU, a conceptual analysis and normative evaluation of identity recognition as a kin-state’s duty remains absent from the literature on liberal multiculturalism. Focusing on the case of the Hungarian Status Law, this article problematizes identity recognition as a kin-state’s responsibility, examining its legitimacy, place and limits in liberal multiculturalism. Against the current consensus in liberal multiculturalism, I argue that, although the primary responsibility for identity recognition lies with the home-state, a kin-state can complement the home-state’s duties.
Ordering, materiality, and multiplicity: Enacting Actor–Network Theory in tourism
Authors: van der Duim René , Ren Carina , Thór Jóhannesson Gunnar
Published: February 2013

In this article, we demonstrate how Actor–Network Theory has been translated into tourism research. The article presents and discusses three concepts integral to the Actor–Network Theory approach: ordering, materiality, and multiplicity. We first briefly introduce Actor–Network Theory and draw attention to current Actor–Network Theory studies in tourism with a focus on how the approach is sensitive toward heterogeneous orderings. The following section discusses how more recent Actor–Network Theory approaches emphasize multiplicity and thus multiple versions of every ordering attempt. This leads us toward ontological politics, which have bearings on how we approach and understand research methods and how we perform tourism research. In conclusion, we argue that Actor–Network Theory enables a radical new way of describing tourism by critically investigating its ontological conditions.
The spatial event of writing: John Galsworthy and the creation of Fraternity
Authors: Saunders Angharad
Published: February 2013

In recent years literary geography has begun to explore not only the literary product, but the process and practice of literary creation. This turns attention to the ‘becoming’ of a literary text, to what goes on not only as pen meets paper, but to what happens prior to and after this act: to what inspires it, influences it and develops it. Drawing on the work of Sheila Hones, this paper explores the practice of writing through an attention to the ‘spatial event’ of the text. It takes as its focus John Galsworthy and examines the socio-spatial relationships through which his novel Fraternity (1909) was crafted. These socio-spatial relationships demonstrate how writing is more than a situated undertaking and is, instead, a practice that occurs over the times and spaces of lived experience.
Activism, Deliberation, and Networked Public Screens
Authors: Ewalt Joshua P. , Ohl Jessy J. , Pfister Damien Smith
Published: February 2013

Part 1 of this manuscript is a dramatization of five rhetorical scenes that take the Occupy phenomenon as a moment to explore features of contemporary social protest and change. Drawing on rhetorical field notes collected over the first two weeks of Occupy Lincoln in Nebraska, we identify how historical tensions between activism and deliberation were both complicated and reasserted as the Occupy moment became a movement. The rhetorical scenes partially replicate actual conversations, though they are remediated through three composite figures:   Anda, a longtime social activist; John, an advocate of democratic deliberation; and Dajuan, an undergraduate organizer of the local Occupy Movement. The footnotes throughout the dramatization anchor scholarly observations in Part 2 of the manuscript, a “footnote essay” which develops the concept of “networked public screens.”
Review of Sacral Neuromodulation for Management of Constipation
Authors: Sharma A. , Bussen D. , Herold A. , Jayne D.
Published: February 2013

Background. Sacral neuromodulation (SN) is an emerging treatment for constipation. This review evaluates the mechanism of action, techniques, efficacy, and adverse effects of SN in the management of constipation. Methods. Electronic searches for studies describing the use of SN were performed in PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase. Abstracts were reviewed and full text copies of all relevant articles obtained. Results. Fifty-nine results were obtained on the initial searches. Ten studies discussed the results of SN in patients with constipation. A total of 225 temporary neuromodulations and 125 permanent implants were performed. Bowel diaries showed improvement in assessment criteria in more than 50% of patients on temporary neuromodulation and the results were maintained in approximately 90% of patients who underwent permanent implantation over medium to long-term follow-up. The rate of adverse effects was high, but the majority of them were related to electrode position. Improvements in transit studies and anorectal physiology after neuromodulation were noted in some studies. The recognized limitations included a lack of randomized studies and an inability to perform meta-analysis. Conclusion. Sacral neuromodulation may be an effective treatment in selected patients with constipation and should be a part of the management repertoire. Improvement in defecatory frequency with temporary wire placement is a good predictor of subsequent response following permanent implant. Further research into predictive factors for success would improve patient selection.
The Many Faces of Manhood
Authors: Gordon Derrick M. , Hawes Samuel W. , Reid Allecia E. , Callands Tamora A. , Magriples Urania , Divney Anna , Niccolai Linda M. , Kershaw Trace
Published: February 2013

This study examined the relationship between the traditional masculine norms (“status,” “toughness” and “antifemininity”) of 296 ethnically and racially diverse, young men transitioning to fatherhood and substance use (smoking, alcohol, marijuana, hard drugs) and health behaviors (diet, exercise). Participants were recruited from urban obstetric clinics in the Northeast United States. Logistic and multiple regression equations were constructed to examine the relationship between masculine norms and health behaviors. Moderator effects were also examined. Masculine norm “status” was most endorsed and “antifemininity” was least endorsed. African American young men had higher masculine norm scores than Latino and Whites. Different masculine norms were associated with health-promoting and health-undermining behaviors. Different racial groups who had higher scores on some masculine norms were more likely to engage in either health-promoting or health-undermining behaviors when compared with other ethnic groups in this study. These results observed different relationships between the traditional masculine norms measured and the substance use and health behaviors of diverse, young men transitioning to fatherhood. This may have implications for intervention strategies and future research.
Chronic Testicular Pain in Adult Men
Authors: Quallich Susanne A. , Arslanian-Engoren Cynthia
Published: February 2013

Past investigations of chronic testicular pain provide a sparse representation of the men with this condition and lack key details to aid our understanding of this important men’s health condition. As a chronic pain syndrome, more research is necessary to understand the phenomenon of chronic testicular pain and the pain experience of these men. This integrative literature review provides a summary of the current state of the science of chronic testicular pain in men, identifies the gaps in our knowledge, and provides recommendations to address this knowledge gap.
The Sp185/333 immune response genes and proteins are expressed in cells dispersed within all major organs of the adult purple sea urchin
Authors: Majeske Audrey J , Oleksyk Taras K , Smith L Courtney
Published: February 2013

Purple sea urchins ( Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) express a highly variable set of immune genes called Sp185/333 by two subtypes of coelomocytes: the polygonal and small phagocytes. We report that the Sp185/333 genes and their encoded proteins are also expressed in all of the major organs in the adult sea urchin, including the axial organ, pharynx, esophagus, intestine and gonads. After immune challenge, there is an increase in the level of Sp185/333 mRNA in cells associated with the intestine and axial organ. The Sp185/333 proteins increase in the axial organ, pharynx, esophagus and intestine after challenge. However, the proportion of Sp185/333-positive cells only increases in the axial organ, while there is no change in that proportion in the other organs after challenge. The size range of the major Sp185/333 proteins expressed by organs is broader (5 kDa to > 250 kDa) compared with those in coelomocytes (∼40 kDa to < 250 kDa). Images of the different organs do not clarify whether coelomocytes or parenchymal cells express the Sp185/333 proteins. The increase in levels of Sp185/333 transcripts, protein expression and Sp185/333-positive cells in the axial organ in response to challenge suggests that this organ may have an important role in immunity for this species.
Adductor Pollicis Longus Strain in a Professional Baseball Player
Authors: Pinkowsky Gregory J. , Roberts John , Allred Jeff , Pujalte George G. , Gallo Robert A.
Published: February 2013

Thenar pain can represent a significant morbidity for a baseball player who relies on manual dexterity for gripping a bat and precise and accurate throws. While osseous, ligamentous, and neurovascular pathologies are commonly considered, musculotendinous injuries are often neglected in the differential diagnosis of thenar pain. We present a case of adductor pollicis longus strain as a cause of acute thenar pain in a baseball player. Adductor pollicis longus strains should be considered in any baseball player sustaining a hyperabduction force to the thumb.
Cervical Cancer Screening Practice and Knowledge Among Hispanic Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers of Michigan
Authors: Knoff Jayne S. , Harlow Siobán D. , Yassine May , Soliman Amr S.
Published: February 2013

Background: High incidence of cervical cancer among Hispanics and low utilization of cervical screening among farmworkers led us to examine Pap test use and knowledge among Hispanic farmworkers in Michigan. Methods: Patients and potential patients of Northwest Michigan Health Services, Inc were surveyed in 2 communities (A and B) about their screening knowledge, attitudes, and practice. Results: In all, 324 farmworkers participated, including 184 seasonal and 125 migrant farmworkers. Among the entire study population, 87.7% women reported receiving a Pap test recently, with no difference between migrant and seasonal farmworkers (88.0% and 87.4%, respectively, P = .088). More women from community B reported a recent Pap (93%) compared with those from community A (83%, P = .01). Only 35% of the participants had knowledge of any cervical cancer risk factors. Discussion: Migrant farmworkers may not experience more difficulty in accessing Pap tests than seasonal farmworkers in Michigan. Knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors is low and needs to be addressed in future educational interventions.
Sleep Paralysis Postepisode Distress
Authors: Cheyne James Allan , Pennycook Gordon
Published: February 2013

Sleep paralysis (SP) is a brief paralysis experienced when falling asleep or waking up. It is often accompanied by vivid imagery and extreme fear. In addition to the fear during episodes, people often report marked distress following episodes. With the goal of developing an integrative account of SP postepisode distress, we examined the effects of several potential determinants of postepisode distress sampled from diverse domains: characteristics of the SP episodes (reported fear and vividness of experiences during SP and frequency of episodes), psychological distress sensitivity, supernatural beliefs about SP experiences, and cognitive style. All factors made independent contributions to postepisode distress. A conceptually derived path model integrating these separate factors was tested and largely corroborated. An analytic cognitive style had both direct and indirect effects on postepisode distress. Postepisode distress was found to be approximately equally affected by contextual, cognitive, and affective variables.
Method-of-Loci as a Mnemonic Device to Facilitate Access to Self-Affirming Personal Memories for Individuals With Depression
Authors: Dalgleish Tim , Navrady Lauren , Bird Elinor , Hill Emma , Dunn Barnaby D. , Golden Ann-Marie
Published: February 2013

Depression impairs the ability to retrieve positive, self-affirming autobiographical memories. To counteract this difficulty, we trained individuals with depression, either in episode or remission, to construct an accessible mental repository for a preselected set of positive, self-affirming memories using an ancient mnemonic technique—the method-of-loci (MoL). Participants in a comparison condition underwent a similar training protocol where they chunked the memories into meaningful sets and rehearsed them (rehearsal). Both protocols enhanced memory recollection to near ceiling levels after 1 week of training. However, on a surprise follow-up recall test a further week later, recollection was maintained only in the MoL condition, relative to a significant decrease in memories recalled in the rehearsal group. There were no significant performance differences between those currently in episode and those in remission. The results support use of the MoL as a tool to facilitate access to self-affirming memories in those with depression.
Combined inhibition of PI3K-related DNA damage response kinases and mTORC1 induces apoptosis in MYC-driven B-cell lymphomas
Authors: Shortt Jake , Martin Benjamin P. , Newbold Andrea , Hannan Katherine M. , Devlin Jennifer R. , Baker Adele J. , Ralli Rachael , Cullinane Carleen , Schmitt Clemens A. , Reimann Maurice , Hall Michael N. , Wall Meaghan , Hannan Ross D. , Pearson Richard B. , McArthur Grant A. , Johnstone Ricky W.
Published: February 2013

Key Points

MYC-driven lymphomas demonstrate activation of mTORC1 and an endogenous DNA damage response. BEZ235 inhibits PI3K-related DNA damage response kinases and mTORC1, inducing p53-independent upregulation of proapoptotic BMF.
The risk of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 2
Authors: Jessen Birthe , Bode Sebastian F. N. , Ammann Sandra , Chakravorty Subarna , Davies Graham , Diestelhorst Jana , Frei-Jones Melissa , Gahl William A. , Gochuico Bernadette R. , Griese Matthias , Griffiths Gillian , Janka Gritta , Klein Christoph , Kögl Tamara , Kurnik Karin , Lehmberg Kai , Maul-Pavicic Andrea , Mumford Andrew D. , Pace David , Parvaneh Nima , Rezaei Nima , de Saint Basile Geneviève , Schmitt-Graeff Annette , Schwarz Klaus , Karasu Gulsun T. , Zieger Barbara , zur Stadt Udo , Aichele Peter , Ehl Stephan
Published: February 2013

Key Points

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 2 confers a moderate risk for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
Congruence of chloroplast- and nuclear-encoded DNA sequence variations used to assess species boundaries in the soil microalga Heterococcus(Stramenopiles, Xanthophyceae)
Authors: Rybalka Nataliya , Wolf Matthias , Andersen Robert A , Friedl Thomas
Published: February 2013

Background

Heterococcus is a microalgal genus of Xanthophyceae (Stramenopiles) that is common and widespread in soils, especially from cold regions. Species are characterized by extensively branched filaments produced when grown on agarized culture medium. Despite the large number of species described exclusively using light microscopic morphology, the assessment of species diversity is hampered by extensive morphological plasticity.

Results

Two independent types of molecular data, the chloroplast-encoded psbA/rbcL spacer complemented by rbcL gene and the internal transcribed spacer 2 of the nuclear rDNA cistron (ITS2), congruently recovered a robust phylogenetic structure. With ITS2 considerable sequence and secondary structure divergence existed among the eight species, but a combined sequence and secondary structure phylogenetic analysis confined to helix II of ITS2 corroborated relationships as inferred from the rbcL gene phylogeny. Intra-genomic divergence of ITS2 sequences was revealed in many strains. The ‘monophyletic species concept’, appropriate for microalgae without known sexual reproduction, revealed eight different species. Species boundaries established using the molecular-based monophyletic species concept were more conservative than the traditional morphological species concept. Within a species, almost identical chloroplast marker sequences (genotypes) were repeatedly recovered from strains of different origins. At least two species had widespread geographical distributions; however, within a given species, genotypes recovered from Antarctic strains were distinct from those in temperate habitats. Furthermore, the sequence diversity may correspond to adaptation to different types of habitats or climates.

Conclusions

We established a method and a reference data base for the unambiguous identification of species of the common soil microalgal genus Heterococcus which uses DNA sequence variation in markers from plastid and nuclear genomes. The molecular data were more reliable and more conservative than morphological data.