bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
POTENTIATION OF THE NEUROMUSCULAR EFFECT OF SUCCINYLCHOLINE BY TETRAHYDRO‐AMINO‐ACRIDINE
Authors: Gordh T. , Wahlin Å.
Published: December 2008

Clinical tests have been made of a new anticholinesterase, tetrahydro‐aminoacridine (Tacrin or THA), reported to be a synergist of succinylcholine. In all 50 cases in which it was given, THA prolonged the effect of succinylcholine. The greatest advantage of this agent is that it reduces the quantity of succinylcholine administered per time unit. It therefore allows succinylcholine to be used in lengthy operations, without the necessity of doses apt to produce a dual block. Another advantage of THA is that it lacks the curaremimetic properties of hexafluorenium bromide, and therefore cannot contribute to the occurrence of such a block.

Es wurden klinische Untersuchungen mit einer neuen Anticholinesterase durchgeführt, dem Tetrahydro‐amino‐acridin (Tacrin oder THA), einem Synergisten des Succinylcholins. THA verlängerte in alien 50 Fällen, bei denen es angewendet wurde, die Wirkung des Succinylcholins. Der grösste Vorteil dieses Mittels ist, dass es die notwendige Gesamtmenge des in der Zeiteinheit zu verabreichenden Succinylcholins herabsetzt. Es wird dadurch möglich, Succinylcholin auch bei längeren Operationen zu verwenden, ohne dass dabei ein dualer Block entsteht. Ein weiterer Vorteil des THA ist, dass es nicht die curareartigen Eigenschaften des Hexafluoreniumbromids besitzt und daher nicht zum Auftreten eines solchen Blocks beitragen kann.
INFLUENCE OF LOCAL ANAESTHETICS WITH VASOCONSTRICTORS UPON CIRCULATION AND METABOLISM
Authors: Nordqvist P. , Dhunér K. G.
Published: December 2008

The vasoconstrictors epinephrine and norepinephrine added to the local anaesthetics lidocaine and mepivacaine do not diminish, but rather increase, the frequency of changes in pulse rate and blood‐pressure level during surgery. One possible exception is for epinephrine when the patient during surgery is exposed to reflex stimulation of the vagus. This conclusion is based upon a large series of recorded clinical anaesthesias.

Oxygen consumption and blood‐sugar level in the patients rise when the vasoconstrictors epinephrine and norepinephrine are added to local anaesthetics in major anaesthesias. This conclusion is based on a double‐blind study.

Der Zusatz der Vasoconstrictoren Epinephrin und Norepinephrin zu den Lokalanästheticis Lidocain und Mepivacain vermindert nicht, sondern erhöht vielmehr die Häufigkeit von Veränderungen der Pulsfrequenz und des Blutdrucks im Verlauf von Operationen. Eine mögliche Ausnahme liegt für Epinephrin dann vor, wenn der Patient während der Operation einer Reflexstimulation des Vagus ausgesetzt ist. Jede Schlussfolgerung basiert auf einer grossen Reihe von genau registrierten klinischen Anaesthesien.

Der Sauerstoffverbrauch und der Blutzuckerspiegel der Patienten steigen, wenn die Vasoconstrictoren Epinephrin und Norepinephrin für grössere Anaesthesien dem Lokalanaestheticum zugesetzt werden. Diese Schlussfolgerung basiert auf einer Doppel‐Blind‐Untersuchung.
A CLINICO‐STATISTICAL COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED BY SUCCINYLDICHOLINE AND SUCCINYLDI‐SULPHACHOLINE IN GENERAL SURGICAL ANAESTHESIA
Authors: Rizzi R.
Published: December 2008

Wenn man die beobachteten Wirkungen, die Vorteile und Nachteile der beiden zum Vergleich stehenden Mittel zusammenfasst, kann man sagen, dass die Verabreichung von Succinyldisulphacholin mit Ausnahme der laryngealen Reflexe nicht von so günstigen oder ungünstigen Erscheinungen begleitet ist, dass man es als besser oder schlechter als Succinyldicholin bezeichnen kann. Aus unserer klinisch‐statistischen Analyse kann der Schluss gezogen werden, dass Succinyldisulphacholin, obwohl es doch nicht das ideale Muskelrelaxans ist, sehr wohl seinen Platz in der täglichen Anaesthesiepraxis finden wird, ebenso wie dies für Succinyldicholin bereits heute zutrifft.
Halothane and Methoxyflurane in Ophthalmic Anaesthesia
Authors: Tammisto T. , Hämäläinen Leila , Tarkkanen Leena
Published: December 2008

Halothane and methoxyflurane were compared in ophthalmic anaesthesia. Methoxyflurane was administered to 230 and halothane to 332 patients. The following advantages with methoxyflurane—as compared with halothane—were observed: slightly better cardiovascular stability, reduced tendency to bleeding, centrally fixed eyes in light levels, smoother emergence from anaesthesia in children. As disadvantages may be listed: slower induction, slower emergence from anaesthesia, prolonged vomiting in rare cases, and less pronounced ocular hypotonia. As regards the odier factors studied (respiratory depression, postoperative restlessness, vomiting and need of analgesics, costs), no differences were noted.

Halothan und Metoxyfluran wurden bei Narkosen in der Ophthalmologic vergleichen. 230 Patienten erhielten Metoxyfluran, 232 Halothan. Im Vergleich zu Halothan ergaben sich mit Metoxyfluran die folgenden Vorteile: etwas stabilere Kreislaufverhältnisse, verminderte Blutungstendenz, mittelständig fixierte Augen in leichter Narkose und störungsfreieres Erwachen der Kinder. Als Nachteile müssen angeführt werden: langsamere Einleitung und langsameres Erwachen aus der Narkose, länger anhaltendes Erbrechen in seltenen Fällen und weniger ausgeprägte Senkung des intraokulären Druckes. Bezüglich der anderen untersuchten Faktoren (Atemdepression, postoperative Unruhe, Erbrechen, Erfordernis von Analgetika und Kosten) konnten keine Unterschiede festgestellt werden.
Central nervous action of interleukin‐1 mediates activation of limbic structures and behavioural depression in response to peripheral administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Konsman J. P. , Veeneman J. , Combe C. , Poole S. , Luheshi G. N. , Dantzer R.
Published: December 2008

Although receptors for the pro‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐1 have long been known to be expressed in the brain, their role in fever and behavioural depression observed during the acute phase response (APR) to tissue infection remains unclear. This may in part be due to the fact that interleukin‐1 in the brain is bioactive only several hours after peripheral administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To study the role of cerebral interleukin‐1 action in temperature and behavioural changes, and activation of brain structures during the APR, interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra; 100 μg) was infused into the lateral brain ventricle 4 h after intraperitoneal (i.p.) LPS injection (250 μg/kg) in rats. I.p. LPS administration induced interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) production in systemic circulation as well as in brain circumventricular organs and the choroid plexus. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of IL‐1ra 4 h after i.p. LPS injection attenuated the reduction in social interaction, a cardinal sign of behavioural depression during sickness, and c‐Fos expression in the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. However, LPS‐induced fever, rises in plasma corticosterone, body weight loss and c‐Fos expression in the hypothalamus and caudal brainstem were not altered by i.c.v. infusion of IL‐1ra. These findings, together with our previous observations showing that i.c.v. infused IL‐1ra diffuses throughout perivascular spaces, where macrophages express interleukin‐1 receptors, can be interpreted to suggest that circulating or locally produced brain IL‐1β acts on these cells to bring about behavioural depression and activation of limbic structures during the APR after peripheral LPS administration.
Is my antibody‐staining specific? How to deal with pitfalls of immunohistochemistry
Authors: Fritschy Jean‐Marc
Published: December 2008

Immunohistochemistry is a sensitive and versatile method widely used to investigate the cyto‐ and chemoarchitecture of the brain. It is based on the high affinity and selectivity of antibodies for a single epitope. However, it is now recognized that the specificity of antibodies needs to be tested in control experiments to avoid false‐positive results due to non‐specific binding to tissue components or recognition of epitopes shared by several molecules. This ‘Technical Spotlight’ discusses other pitfalls, which are often overlooked, although they can strongly influence the outcome of immunohistochemical experiments. It also recapitulates the minimal set of information that should be provided in scientific publications to allow proper evaluation and replication of immunohistochemical experiments. In particular, tissue fixation and processing can have a strong impact on antigenicity by producing conformational changes to the epitopes, limiting their accessibility (epitope masking) or generating high non‐specific background. These effects are illustrated for an immunoperoxidase staining experiment with three antibodies differing in susceptibility to fixation, using tissue from mice processed under identical conditions, except for slight variations in tissue fixation. In these examples, specific immunostaining can be abolished depending on fixation strength, or detected only after prolonged postfixation. As a consequence, antibody characterization in immunohistochemistry should include their susceptibility towards fixation and determination of the optimal conditions for their use.
Body size frequency distributions in African mammals are bimodal at all spatial scales
Authors: Kelt Douglas A. , Meyer Marc D.
Published: December 2008

Aim To examine frequency distributions of body sizes for mammal assemblages at several spatial scales and assess the generality of results heretofore obtained only for North and South America.

Location Africa.

Methods Terrestrial African mammals were allocated to major biomes, and regional and local assemblages were extracted from published and unpublished literature. We produced body size frequency distributions for local, regional, biomic and continental distributions, both for whole assemblages and for three foraging strata, and compared these with several standard metrics (e.g. mean and median size, interquartile range, skew, bimodality, etc.). Differences between distributions were quantified usingt‐tests and analysis of variance.

Results African mammal faunas exhibit features in common with those of North and South America, most notably the gradual reduction in the modality and skew of body size distributions with decreasing spatial scale. Unlike other continents, however, the African mammal fauna exhibits a bimodal frequency distributions at all spatial scales. Our data suggest a role for competitive interactions in local assembly, as documented elsewhere, but further data on locally interacting assemblages are needed.

Main conclusions The African fauna appears unique in the expression of bimodality at all spatial scales. The presence of a secondary mode at large body size may reflect co‐evolutionary adjustments to proto‐human hunters and consequent escape from anthropogenic Pleistocene extinctions, but the absence of species of intermediate body size (c. 250–4000 g) remains anomalous and is not readily explained by either historical or modern (ecological) factors. For the African mammal fauna, a key question in understanding the role of history versus ecology may not be why there are so many large species, but why there are so few intermediate‐sized species.
WORDS, DEEDS AND OUTCOMES: A SURVEY ON THE GROWTH EFFECTS OF EXCHANGE RATE REGIMES
Authors: Harms Philipp , Kretschmann Marco
Published: December 2008

Abstract Recent studies on the growth effects of exchange rate regimes offer a wide range of different, sometimes contradictory results. In this paper, we systematically compare three prominent contributions in this field. Using a common data set, a common specification and common estimation methods, we argue that the contradictory findings can be explained by the fact that these studies use regime classifications which reflect fundamentally different aspects of exchange rate policy.
The ‘Full Potential’ of Uganda's Cotton Industry
Authors: Baffes John
Published: December 2008

During the 1960s, Uganda was the largest cotton producer in sub‐Saharan Africa. Attempts to revive the sector following its demise in the 1970s were unsuccessful in the 1980s and more effective in the 1990s. However, there is a sense that it still lags behind its full potential. Low quality of the cotton, lack of a domestic textile industry, and low use of purchased inputs due to lack of rural credit are identified as key constraints. This article argues that the fundamental problems are low profitability, which reflects the displacement of cotton by food crops, and the forced‐labour conditions under which cotton was grown. It concludes that promotion of biotechnology and training cotton growers are two areas that should receive priority.
Sharecropping, Insecure Land Rights and Land Titling Policies: A Case Study of Lac Alaotra, Madagascar
Authors: Bellemare Marc F.
Published: December 2008

Sharecropping between poor landlords and rich tenants has hitherto been the subject of very little academic scrutiny. Given that such ‘reverse share tenancy’ contracts are mostly at odds with the canonical risk‐sharing explanation for sharecropping, this article discusses a rationale for them that relies on weak property rights as well as the legal doctrine of adverse possession, and tests it using data from Lac Alaotra, Madagascar, where this type of tenancy accounts for one‐third of land rentals. The empirical findings are discussed in relation to recent land‐reform policies by the Government of Madagascar, the World Bank, IFAD, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Buenos Aires, Argentina using the capture‐recapture method
Authors: Cristiano E. , Patrucco L. , Rojas J. I. , Cáceres F. , Carrá A. , Correale J. , Garcea O. , Gold L. , Tessler J. , Kremenchutzky M.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Scarce data exist about multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence in South America. The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of MS in a high populated area from Argentina (Greater Buenos Aires Metropolitan area) using the capture‐recapture methodology.

Methods:  Greater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination that refers to the megalopolis comprised by the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the surrounding conurbation of the province of Buenos Aires. The study was carried out taking July 1996 as the prevalence month. We used capture‐recapture method to estimate the prevalence of MS cross matching registries from four MS Centers.

Results:  A total of 803 registries were obtained from the four lists. Log‐linear model for capture‐recapture method was used to analyze the data. The population of the area based on the 1990 census was 12 594 974; the number of MS cases estimated amongst sources interactions were between 1833 and 2359; the prevalence estimated ranged from 14 to 19.8 cases per 100 000 inhabitants.

Conclusions:  This is the first study to provide epidemiological data on the prevalence of MS in a large population in Argentina (Greater Buenos Aires Metropolitan area). Further epidemiological studies will clarify the true prevalence of MS in South America.
Association between hyperglycemia, heart failure and mortality in stroke patients
Authors: Dziedzic T. , Slowik A. , Pera J. , Szczudlik A.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Acute hyperglycemia predicts increased mortality after stroke. The aim of our study was to determine if acute stroke patients with hyperglycemia suffer from increased rate of in‐hospital adverse events which could influence survival such as pneumonia, heart failure and myocardial infarction.

Methods:  In a retrospective study with prospective follow‐up, 689 patients with first‐ever ischaemic stroke and high frequency of cardiovascular diseases were eligible. Follow‐up period was 1–7 years (14 308 person‐months).

Results:  The frequency of in‐hospital heart failure and nosocomial pneumonia was the highest in patients without pre‐hospital diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and with fasting glucose ≥7 mmol/l (50% and 20.2%, respectively) and the lowest in patients without pre‐hospital diagnosis of diabetes and fasting glucose ≤6.1 mmol/l (12.3% and 8.1%). On multivariate analysis fasting glucose was significantly associated with risk of in‐hospital heart failure (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23), but not with pneumonia. Glucose level was an independent predictor of mortality only when statistical model did not include heart failure as a variable.

Conclusions:  In stroke patients with hyperglycermia increased rate of heart failure could be responsible for higher mortality.
Prevalence of migraine, tension‐type headache and trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Putzki N. , Pfriem A. , Limmroth V. , Yaldizli Ö. , Tettenborn B. , Diener H. C. , Katsarava Z.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Prevalence rates of headache in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients varied widely in recent studies. This study aimed to investigate the 1 year prevalence of headache in MS compared with the general population.

Methods:  Population‐based case–control study in Germany.

Results:  We included 491 patients with definite MS (68% female, mean age 45.3 years, 63.7% relapsing remitting MS, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 3.2, 106 treated with interferon‐β, 53 with glatiramer acetate, 271 untreated) and 447 age and gender matched controls. Headache was diagnosed with a validated questionnaire according to the International Headache Society Criteria. Headache prevalence was 56.2% (tension type headache 37.2%, migraine 24.6%). Headache prevalence rates did not differ from controls. Headache was not associated with disability or treatment. Trigeminal neuralgia was found in 6.3% of MS cases.

Conclusion:  Results suggest that headache in MS patients reflects comorbidity in most conditions.
Differences in grey and white matter atrophy in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Balthazar M. L. F. , Yasuda C. L. , Pereira F. R. , Pedro T. , Damasceno B. P. , Cendes F.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Grey matter (GM) atrophy has been demonstrated in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the role of white matter (WM) atrophy has not been well characterized. Despite these findings, the validity of aMCI concept as prodromal AD has been questioned.

Methods:  We performed brain MRI with voxel‐based morphometry analysis in 48 subjects, aiming to evaluate the patterns of GM and WM atrophy amongst mild AD, aMCI and age‐matched normal controls.

Results:  Amnestic mild cognitive impairment GM atrophy was similarly distributed but less intense than that of mild AD group, mainly in thalami and parahippocampal gyri. There were no difference between aMCI and controls concerning WM atrophy. In the mild AD group, we found WM atrophy in periventricular areas, corpus callosum and WM adjacent to associative cortices.

Discussion:  We demonstrated that aMCI might be considered a valid concept to detect very early AD pathology, since we found a close proximity in the pattern of atrophy. Also, we showed the involvement of WM in mild AD, but not in aMCI, suggesting a combination of Wallerian degeneration and microvascular ischaemic disease as a plausible additional pathological mechanism for the discrimination between MCI and AD.
Dijon’s vanishing lead with regard to low incidence of stroke
Authors: Béjot Y. , Osseby G. V. , Aboa‐éboulé C. , Durier J. , Lorgis L. , Cottin Y. , Moreau T. , Giroud M.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Towards the end of the 20th century, the city of Dijon, France, had a lower incidence of stroke than that found in other studies. It was hypothesized that genetic and environmental factors were responsible for this so‐called French paradox. We aim to evaluate recent changes in stroke incidence to determine whether or not the Dijon exception still exists.

Methods:  The population‐based stroke registry of Dijon ascertained all first‐ever strokes from 2000 to 2006. We calculated incidence to compare recent results with those obtained from a previous study period (1985–1999) and those of other population‐based studies covering both the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century.

Results:  From 2000 to 2006, 1205 strokes were recorded. Crude and age‐standardized incidence (to European and World population) rates were respectively 113, 107 and 72/100 000/year. No change was observed between 1985–1999 and 2000–2006, whereas other studies reported declining incidence.

Conclusion:  The incidence of stroke in Dijon remained lower than that found in similar studies, but the difference compared with results observed for the 20th century is shrinking. Therefore, the Dijon exception is decreasing, suggesting that it was rather an advance in prevention strategies that has diminished.
Temporary Employment and Strategic Staffing in the Manufacturing Sector
Authors: VIDAL MATT , TIGGES LEANN M.
Published: December 2008

While prior research has identified different ways of using temporary workers to achieve numerical flexibility, quantitative analysis of temporary employment has been limited to a few key empirical indicators of demand variability that may confound important differences. Our analysis provides evidence that many manufacturers use temporary workers to achieve what we call planned and systematic numerical flexibility rather than simply in a reactive manner to deal with unexpected problems. Although temporary work may provide many benefits for employers, a key function appears to be the provision of numerical flexibility not to buffer core workers but to externalize certain jobs.
Unions and Profits: A Meta‐Regression Analysis1
Authors: DOUCOULIAGOS HRISTOS , LAROCHE PATRICE
Published: December 2008

The effect of unions on profits continues to be an unresolved theoretical and empirical issue. In this paper, clustered data analysis and hierarchical linear meta‐regression models are applied to the population of forty‐five econometric studies that report 532 estimates of the direct effect of unions on profits. Unions have a significant negative effect on profits in the United States, and this effect is larger when market‐based measures of profits are used. Separate meta‐regression analyses are used to identify the effects of market power and long‐lived assets on profits, as well as the sources of union‐profit effects. The accumulated evidence rejects market power as a source of union‐profit effects. While the case is not yet proven, there is some evidence in support of the appropriation of quasi‐rent hypothesis. There is a clear need for further American and non‐American primary research in this area.
Nokia as an Environmental Policy Actor: Evolution of Collaborative Corporate Political Activity in a Multinational Company*
Authors: KAUTTO PETRUS
Published: December 2008

Although companies have been studied quite widely as political actors, the majority of this research has treated companies as a homogeneous group. This article inquires how Nokia, a multinational corporation, has anticipated legislation initiatives and how it has tried to influence policy development in interaction with industry associations and EU institutions.
National Parliaments and the ECJ: A View from the Bundestag
Authors: SLAGTER TRACY H.
Published: December 2008

The German government largely disregards impending decisions of the ECJ, even if those decisions have far‐reaching implications for Germany. Decisions of the Court may, however, be useful for the opposition in securing its policy preferences. Equal treatment decisions are used to evaluate expectations about legislative anticipation of Court decisions.
Ayahuasca healing beyond the Amazon: the globalization of a traditional indigenous entheogenic practice
Authors: TUPPER KENNETH W.
Published: December 2008

Ayahuasca commonly refers to a psychoactive Amazonian indigenous brew traditionally used for spiritual and healing purposes (that is as an entheogen). Since the late twentieth century, ayahuasca has undergone a process of globalization through the uptake of different kinds of socio‐cultural practices, including its sacramental use in some new Brazilian religious movements and its commodified use in cross‐cultural vegetalismo practices, or indigenous‐style rituals conducted primarily for non‐indigenous participants. In this article, I explore the rise of such rituals beyond the Amazon region, and consider some philosophical and political concerns arising from this novel trend in ayahuasca use, including the status of traditional indigenous knowledge, cultural appropriation and intellectual property. I discuss a patent dispute in Unites States and allegations of biopiracy related to ayahuasca. I conclude the article with some reflections on the future of ayahuasca drinking as a transnational sociological phenomenon.
A longitudinal study of women’s memory of labour pain—from 2 months to 5 years after the birth
Authors: Waldenström U , Schytt E
Published: December 2008

Objective  To investigate the memory of labour pain at 2 months, 1 year and 5 years after childbirth and its association with the use of epidural analgesia and overall evaluation of childbirth.

Design  Longitudinal observational.

Setting  All hospitals in Sweden.

Population  One thousand three hundred eighty‐three women, who were recruited at their first antenatal visit and who provided complete data up to 5 years after the birth.

Methods  Postal questionnaires in the second trimester and 2 months, 1 year and 5 years after the birth.

Main outcome measures  Memory of labour pain measured by a seven‐point rating scale (1 = no pain at all, 7 = worst imaginable pain).

Results  Memory of labour pain declined during the observation period but not in women with a negative overall experience of childbirth. Women who had epidural analgesia reported higher pain scores at all time points, suggesting that these women remember ‘peak pain’.

Conclusions  There was significant individual variation in recollection of labour pain. In the small group of women who are dissatisfied with childbirth overall, memory of pain seems to play an important role many years after the event. These findings challenge the view that labour pain has little influence on subsequent satisfaction with childbirth. In‐labour pain and long‐term memory of pain are discussed as two separate outcomes involving different memory systems.
The needs of carers of people with multiple sclerosis: a literature review
Authors: Corry Margarita , While Alison
Published: December 2008

People with multiple sclerosis depend heavily upon their families and other informal carers as they receive limited support from health‐care professionals or health‐care services. Adopting the carer role results in a life‐changing experience, which may bring rewards and challenges to the carer. This paper reviews the research addressing the experiences of carers of people with multiple sclerosis published between 2002 and 2007 building upon an earlier review. The literature suggests that carers have needs across various domains and that spouses/partners have particular needs. Much of the evidence has limited generalizibility although the geographical spread of the evidence indicates considerable consistency of need. The review describes ongoing carer needs which require supportive care and provides the basis for the development and testing of carer interventions for use by health‐care professionals.
Suitability of single tissue dielectric constant measurements to assess local tissue water in normal and lymphedematous skin
Authors: Mayrovitz Harvey N. , Davey Suzanne , Shapiro Elizabeth
Published: December 2008

Previous reports described the use of average tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measurements to assess local tissue water and its change. Our goal was to determine if a single TDC measurement could be used in place of the average of multiple measurements. The comparison criteria used to test this was the extent to which single and averaged measurements yielded similar TDC values in both normal and lymphedematous tissue. Measurements were made in two groups of women; a control group (n = 20) and a group with unilateral arm lymphedema (n = 10). In the control group, TDC was measured to multiple depths (0·5–5·0 mm) on both ventral forearms and to a depth of 2·5 mm on the lateral thorax on both body sides. In the lymphedematous group, TDC was measured on both ventral forearms to a depth of 2·5 mm. Results showed that the 95% confidence interval for differences between single and averaged TDC values was less than ±1 TDC unit and that the limits of agreement between methods was less than ±2·5 TDC units (±6·5%) for each condition, site and depth measured. This finding suggests that where this level of agreement is acceptable suitable clinical assessments can be made using a single TDC measurement.
Effects of long‐term clarithromycin treatment on lavage‐fluid markers of inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Cervin Anders , Wallwork Ben , Mackay‐Sim Alan , Coman William B. , Greiff Lennart
Published: December 2008

Macrolides can be clinically effective in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, little is known about how these drugs affect pathophysiological features of CRS in vivo. In the present study, patients with CRS were subjected to long‐term treatment with clarithromycin. Nasal lavages with and without histamine (40 and 400 μg ml−1) were carried out prior to and late into the treatment period. Histamine was included as a tool to produce plasma exudation, a process known to move free cellular products from the mucosal tissue into the airway lumen thereby enriching nasal surface liquids with such products. Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), myeloperoxidase (MPO), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), α2‐macroglobulin and fucose were monitored as indices of pro‐inflammatory cytokine production, neutrophil and eosinophil granulocyte activities, plasma exudation and mucinous secretion, respectively. Clarithromycin reduced the lavage fluid levels of IL‐8 at the low‐dose histamine observation (P<0·001). There was a trend towards reduced MPO by the treatment, whereas ECP was significantly reduced at the low‐dose histamine observation (P<0·05). α2‐Macroglobulin was reduced by clarithromycin (saline lavages) (P = 0·05), whereas fucose was unaffected. The exudative responsiveness to high‐dose histamine was significantly reduced by the treatment (P<0·05). Furthermore, significantly lower levels of fucose were observed at the low‐dose histamine observation (P<0·01). We conclude that long‐term clarithromycin treatment likely exerts an anti‐inflammatory effect in CRS.
Intraoral Acrylic Resin Coping Fabrication for Making Interocclusal Records
Authors: Stamoulis Kostas
Published: December 2008

A safe and accurate method for the fabrication of acrylic resin copings to be used for interocclusal registration is described. Copings are fabricated on vital prepared teeth using visible light‐cured acrylic resin, and the records are then obtained with autopolymerizing acrylic resin. This allows for an interocclusal recording to be obtained at the final impression appointment.
Avian Influenza Risk Perception and Live Poultry Purchase in Guangzhou, China, 2006
Authors: Liao Qiuyan , Lam Wendy Wing Tak , Jiang Chao Qiang , Ho Ella Yuk Yi , Liu Yi Min , Zhang Wei Sen , Richard Fielding
Published: December 2008

Human H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infection is associated with intimate exposure to live poultry. Perceptions of risk can modify behaviors, influencing actual exposure. However, greater hazard is not necessarily followed by perception of greater risk and more precautionary behavior because self‐serving cognitive biases modulate precautionary and hazardous behaviors. We examined risk perception associated with avian influenza. A total of 1,550 face‐to‐face within‐household interviews and 1,760 telephone interviews were derived to study avian influenza risk perception and live poultry use in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, respectively. Chi‐square and Mann‐Whitney tests assessed bivariate associations and risk distributions, respectively, and fully adjusted multivariate logistic models determined independent risk associations. Relative to Hong Kong, perceived “generalized” risk from buying live poultry (GZ, 58%, 95% confidence interval 55–60% vs. HK, 41%, 39–43%; χ2= 86.95, df = 1, p < 0.001) and perceived self/family risk from buying (z =−2.092, p = 0.036) were higher in Guangzhou. Higher perceived “generalized” risk was associated with not buying live poultry (OR = 0.65, 0.49–0.85), consistent with the pattern seen in Hong Kong, while perceived higher self/family risk was associated with buying (“likely/very likely/certain” OR = 1.74, 1.18–2.59); no such association was seen in Hong Kong. Multivariate adjustment indicated older age was associated with buying live poultry in Guangzhou (OR = 2.91, 1.36–6.25). Guangzhou respondents perceived greater risk relative to Hong Kong. Buying live poultry was associated with perceptions of less “generalized” risk but more self/family risk. Higher generalized risk was associated with fewer live poultry purchases, suggesting generalized risk may be a useful indicator of precautionary HPAI risk behavior.
Culture, Education, Anthropology
Authors: Varenne Hervé
Published: December 2008

This article argues that the anthropology of education must focus on what people do to educate themselves outside the constraints constituting the problematics of schooling. Anthropologists must do this precisely to fulfill their public role as legitimate participants in the conversations about understanding and transforming schooling. When anthropologists work at losing control in their research practice, they discover the breadth of the educative efforts that are triggered by the arbitrariness of cultural forms and, most interestingly, produce new forms. If this is the case, then the anthropology of education is the anthropology of cultural transformation that it has been difficult for the discipline to produce. [cross‐cultural research, culture change]
A Robust Square: Planning, Youth Work, and the Making of Public Space in Post‐Unification Berlin
Authors: WESZKALNYS GISA
Published: December 2008

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in post‐unification Berlin, this article examines the re‐articulation of the problematic of “the social” in city planning. It juxtaposes the contrasting visions of city planners and youth workers for Alexanderplatz, a controversial square in Berlin's eastern centre. I argue that the notion of “robustness” is helpful in understanding an important contemporary shift in thinking about planning and the social. In a sense, both planners and youth workers accused each other of taking insufficient notice of “the social.” While planners spoke of robustness as a technical, economic and aesthetic quality to which public space needs to aspire, the youth workers' vision for Alexanderplatz was a proposal for a kind of “social” robustness where the social is, quite literally, built into the urban design. These ethnographic observations need to be understood in a context where city planning has been one of the most critical domains in which the tensions provoked by German unification are played out. Taking such socio‐cultural specificities into account will lead to a more nuanced understanding of forms of neoliberal city planning.
Multilingualism and the City: The Construction of Urban Identities in Dakar (Senegal)
Authors: VERSLUYS ELINE
Published: December 2008

Although place and language are two key elements in the composition of social identities, they are often studied in separate academic enterprises. This article brings them together, and examines their role in the construction of multiple urban identities. Analyzing how urbanites in Dakar shape their identities, I illustrate how linguistic and geographical criteria contribute to the formation of “we” versus “they” alliances, which in turn produce a specific sense of spatiality. Examining the case of the suburban neighborhood of Yoff, I show how residents construct fluid identities that range from “urbanites” to “village people,” each one of which is linked to a particular linguistic and cultural context. This article contributes to an understanding of how life in a multilingual city like Dakar offers a broad choice of identities that urban resident employ and maneuver on a daily level.
Side‐effects of antipsychotic medication and health‐related quality of life in schizophrenia
Authors: Bebbington P. E. , Angermeyer M. , Azorin J.‐M. , Marwaha S. , Marteau F. , Toumi M.
Published: December 2008

Objective:  This analysis used data from the large (n = 1208) European Schizophrenia Cohort to examine the association between subjective side‐effects of antipsychotic medication and the Mental and Physical Composite Scores (MCS; PCS) of the SF‐36 scale.

Method:  Relationships between the subjective evaluation of side‐effects identified from the Subjective Side‐Effects Scale and the adjusted mean score on the PCS and MCS were examined. Where appropriate, these associations of subjective side‐effects were compared with those of the same side‐effects measured objectively.

Results:  In this study, subjective side‐effects of antipsychotic medication were linked either to both the PCS and the MCS or, in a few instances, to neither. Subjective evaluations of sexual side‐effects were associated only with the MCS, those of sialorrhoea only with the PCS. Objective ratings of extrapyramidal side‐effects were related neither to PCS nor to MCS.

Conclusion:  These data suggest that side‐effects, whether subjective or objective, may need to be considered individually in relation to their impact on quality of life.
Biodegradation of different synthetic hydrogels made of polyethylene glycol hydrogel/RGD‐peptide modifications: an immunohistochemical study in rats
Authors: Herten Monika , Jung Ronald E. , Ferrari Daniel , Rothamel Daniel , Golubovic Vladimir , Molenberg Aart , Hämmerle Christoph H. F. , Becker Jürgen , Schwarz Frank
Published: December 2008

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of biodegradation of different polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel/RGD‐peptide modifications in rats.

Material and methods: Two different hydrogels were employed: (i) a combination of four‐arm PEG‐thiol, Mn=2.3 kDa, and eight‐arm PEG‐acrylate, Mn=2.3 kDa (PEG1); and (ii) a combination of four‐arm PEG‐thiol, Mn=2.3 kDa, and four‐arm PEG‐acrylate, Mn=15 kDa (PEG2). Both PEG1 and PEG2 were either used alone or combined with a nine amino acid cys‐RGD peptide (RGD). A non‐cross‐linked porcine type I and III collagen membrane [BioGide® (BG)] served as control. Specimens were randomly allocated in unconnected subcutaneous pouches separated surgically on the back of 60 wistar rats, which were divided into six groups (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks). Specimens were prepared for histological (tissue integration, foreign body reactions, biodegradation) and immunohistochemical (angiogenesis) analysis.

Results: All materials investigated revealed unimpeded and comparable tissue integration without any signs of foreign body reactions. While BG exhibited transmembraneous blood vessel formation at 1 week, all PEG specimens were just surrounded by a well‐vascularized connective tissue. The hydrolytic disruption of PEG1 and PEG1/RGD specimens was associated with an ingrowth of blood vessels at 4 weeks. Biodegradation times were highest for PEG1 (24 weeks)>PEG1/RGD (16 weeks)>BG (4 weeks)>PEG2=PEG2/RGD (2 weeks).

Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, it was concluded that (i) all materials investigated revealed a high biocompatibility and tissue integration, and (ii) hydrogel biodegradation was dependent on PEG composition.
Peri‐implantitis in partially edentulous patients: association with inadequate plaque control
Authors: Serino Giovanni , Ström Christer
Published: December 2008

Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe some clinical periodontal features of partially edentulous patients referred for the treatment of peri‐implantitis.

Material and methods: The 23 subjects involved in this study were selected from consecutive patients referred to the department of Periodontology Södra Älvsborgs Hospital, Borås, Sweden, for treatment of peri‐implantitis during 2006. The patients had clinical signs of peri‐implantitis around one or more dental implants (i.e.≥6 mm pockets, bleeding on pockets and/or pus and radiographic images of bone loss to≥3 threads of the implants) and remaining teeth in the same and/or opposite jaw. The following clinical variables were recorded: Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) Probing Pocket Depth (PPD), Access/capability to oral hygiene at implant site (yes/no), Function Time. The patients were categorized in the following sub‐groups: Periodontitis/No periodontitis, Bone loss/No bone loss at teeth, Smoker/Non‐smokers.

Results: Out of the 23 patients, the majority (13) had minimal bone loss at teeth and no current periodontitis; 5 had bone loss at teeth exceeding 1/3 of the length of the root but not current periodontitis and only 5 had current periodontitis. Six patients were smokers (i.e. smoking more than 10 cig/day). The site level analysis showed that only 17 (6%) of the 281 teeth present had ≥1 pocket of ≥6mm, compared to 58 (53%) of the total 109 implants (28 ITI® and 81 Brånemark®); 74% of the implants had no accessibility to proper oral hygiene. High proportion of implants with diagnosis of peri‐implantitis were associated with no accessibility/capability for appropriate oral hygiene measures, while accessibility/capability was rarely associated with peri‐implantitis. Indeed 48% of the implants presenting peri‐implantitis were those with no accessibility/capability for proper oral hygiene (65% positive predict value) with respect to 4% of the implants with accessibility/capability (82% negative predict value).

Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that local factors such as accessibility for oral hygiene at the implant sites seems to be related to the presence or absence of peri‐implantitis. Peri‐implantitis was a frequent finding in subjects having signs of minimal loss of supporting bone around the remaining natural dentition and no signs of presence of periodontitis (i.e. presence of periodontal pockets of ≥6 mm at natural teeth). Only 6 of the examinated subjects were smokers. In view of these results we should like to stress the importance of giving proper oral hygiene instructions to the patients who are rehabilitated with dental implant and of proper prosthetic constructions that allow accessibility for oral hygiene around implants.
SATISFACTION WITH LIFE IN RESIDENTIAL CARE: THE ROLE OF PRE‐ENTRY FACTORS
Authors: Thomas T. , Hayley S.
Published: December 2008

The study examines the role of psychological factors in the satisfaction of old people living in long‐term‐care residences for the elderly. Two hundred people living in hostels and nursing homes participated in the study. Data were collected on their pre‐entry attitudes and involvement with the relocation process, perception of the stressors and uplifts in the environment, health, finance, social support and perception of control. Both objective and subjective measures of well‐being and happiness were used as outcome variables. Regressional analyses indicated that the best predictors of outcomes include pre‐entry factors and perception of stressors/conflict in the environment.
THE ROLE OF SENIOR CITIZENS‘ CENTRES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Authors: Boldy D. , Lester J.
Published: December 2008

This paper explores the extent to which Senior Citizens' Centres (SCCs) in Australia serve a broad role in terms of providing a range of social, recreational and welfare services for elderly people, as envisaged in the 1969 States Grants (Home Care) Act, which was later subsumed by the Home and Community Care Act (1985). Two separate studies of SCCs were conducted, one in Western Australia in 1985/86 and one in Wollongong, New South Wales in 1988/89.

Results presented in this paper are from surveys of SCCs, their users and potential users. Despite the somewhat different geographical and socioeconomic backgrounds of the two study areas, key findings from both are remarkably similar. The main function of SCCs surveyed was the provision of recreational pastimes for the well, predominantly English speaking elderly.
THE R.M. GIBSON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FUND ‐ ITS ORIGIN AND PURPOSE.
Authors: Lefroy R. B.
Published: December 2008

An account is given of the principal achievements of R.M. Gibson at the Royal Newcastle Hospital. A comparison is drawn between the original integrated geriatric service and the modern counterpart which has evolved throughout Australia. Whereas the latter now contains an abundance of activities and personnel, separation exists between medical and social services. This and other aspects of geriatric medicine stand to benefit from studies made by those working in this field. The aim of the R.M. Gibson Scientific Research Fund is to encourage this enterprise.
PATHWAYS TO A MAINSTREAM NURSING HOME: A SURVEY OF CHINESE, GREEK AND ANGLO AUSTRALIANS
Authors: Westbrook M. T. , Legge V.
Published: December 2008

A survey of the family carers of 21 Chinese, 26 Greek and 25 Anglo Australian nursing home residents compared their aged relatives' pathways to a mainstream nursing home. The Greek aged were older and more dependent at placement while the Chinese were relatively young. Communities differed in terms of those involved in the decision making process, family reactions to the decision, reasons for selection of a home and use of services prior to placement. Community similarities included the types of event which precipitated placement, the categories of people initiating discussion of placement and the aged people's reactions to the decision.
LIFE IN A MAINSTREAM NURSING HOME: A SURVEY OF CHINESE, GREEK AND ANGLO AUSTRALIANS
Authors: Westbrook M. T. , Legge V.
Published: December 2008

A survey compared the reactions of 21 Chinese, 26 Greek and 25 Anglo Australian residents and their family carers to nursing home life. No significant community differences were found in aged people's or their carers' satisfaction with virtually all aspects of the home, the frequency of carers' visits, carers' perceptions of the approachability of staff or the effects of placement on carers' lives. Anglo Australian residents got on better with staff, mixed more with other residents and preferred the meals but were more likely to have severe problems in settling into the home. Staff discussed residents' care more with NESB relatives. Other community differences included attitudes regarding placement.
Filial Piety and Intergenerational Solidarity in Japan
Authors: Koyano W.
Published: December 2008

The Confucian norm of filial piety is generally assumed as an underlying ideology of the traditional living arrangement of the Japanese elderly, ie., patri‐lineal, patrt‐local stem family. In this article, the author describes the changes in filial piety and co‐residence, and observes social relationships of the contemporary Japanese elderly.

A survey with 882 elderly community residents as subjects clearly showed differential roles of others played in the social world of the elderly, especially significant differences between daughters and daughters‐in‐law. Elderly parents feel emotionally close to their daughters whether they live together or apart, while they seldom feel emotionally close to co‐resident daughters‐in‐law who actually provide instrumental support.

Although living with a married son is still a preferred arrangement, it is likely to bring harmful interactions with coresident daughters‐in‐law. Therefore avoiding co‐residence might be a meaningful choice for the elderly without immediate need of instrumental support. In Japan, intergenerational relationships between elderly parents and their adult children become more affection‐based, convenience‐oriented, and free from the norm of filial piety than they used to be.