bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond Hegemonic Masculinity: The Role of Family Genetic History in Men’s Accounts of Health
Authors: Reed Kate
Published: October 2013

Research often highlights the complex nature of ‘lay’ interpretations of family genetic history particularly regarding women and breast cancer. While clinical studies have established genetic links for certain diseases affecting men, less is known about men’s understandings of family history and health. This omission relates perhaps to the focus in existing health research on hegemonic masculinity, whereby ‘macho stoicism’ inhibits men’s ability to ‘do health’ productively. Drawing on survey data, this article shows that men frequently engage in positive health practices regarding family history. While not always clear on the specific role of genetics, men do make lifestyle changes and seek medical advice in response to patterns of hereditary disease. The article concludes that while men’s views sometimes indicate hegemonic or ‘macho’ approaches to health, more often they suggest a departure from them. The implications of this should be considered in future theory and policy on gender, genetics and health.
Genetic Knowledge and Family Identity: Managing Gamete Donation in Britain and Germany
Authors: Klotz Maren
Published: October 2013

Reproductive technologies involving donated eggs or sperm continue to elicit questions regarding family identity and the accessibility of genetic information in Europe. Both policy-makers and affected parents are faced with decisions about how to manage donor-data. Using ethnographic findings and policy analysis, this article compares modes of regulation in Germany and Britain, which variously authorise actors to manage kinship information and family formation. I consider the role of interest groups for affected parents and analyse how they contribute to a moral framing of the decision – if, when and how to tell a child about the donor. This ‘moralisation’, reflecting wider contemporary endorsement of information sharing within family life, tends to encourage early disclosure practices among so-called families-by-donation. German parents expressed greater anxiety about disclosure than British parents, which I attribute to greater regulatory uncertainty and to tensions between clinical pressures of secrecy and the moral pressure for information sharing.
Cultural clashes and reactions when implementing lean production in a Japanese-owned Swedish company
Authors: Oudhuis Margareta , Olsson Anders
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study is to reach an understanding as to the impact of and reactions to cultural and value aspects in connection with a changeover from a socio-technically inspired station assembly production model to a Japanese oriented lean production model in a Japanese acquired Swedish plant. Results show that culturally based clashes were common, indicating that not only for mergers and acquisition between Swedish and Japanese companies but also when implementing Japanese oriented lean production models in general, the notions of participation, self-government and equality, on the one hand, and perfection, obedience and respect for authorities, on the other, as basic points of departure must be considered. These notions are indicative of two very different mindsets connected not only to Swedish and Japanese national cultures, but also to the two different production models. These differences have to be taken into consideration in order to successfully implement a new production system and thereby avoid reactions such as organizational misbehaviour and misbehaviour based on cultural unawareness.
Congruence Between Spouses’ Perceptions and Observers’ Ratings of Responsiveness
Authors: Beck Lindsey A. , Pietromonaco Paula R. , DeVito Cassandra C. , Powers Sally I. , Boyle Alysia M.
Published: October 2013

Although close relationships require partners to depend on one another for mutual responsiveness, avoidantly attached individuals are especially averse to risking such dependency. The authors propose that both avoidant and non-avoidant individuals perceive signs of their own and their partners’ responsiveness in ways that reflect motivated perceptions of dependency. The present research examined how the interplay between spouses’ attachment avoidance and observed responsive behaviors during marital conflict shaped perceptions of their own and their partners’ responsiveness. Newlywed couples attempted to resolve a relationship conflict and then reported perceptions of their own and their partners’ responsiveness during the conflict. Observers also coded both partners’ responsive behaviors during the conflict. Avoidant spouses perceived themselves as less responsive, especially when observers rated them as more responsive; avoidant spouses also perceived their partners as less responsive. The discussion highlights the role of attachment in understanding links between responsiveness-related perceptions and behaviors.
Management of mycotic femoral artery aneurysm with two resistant organisms
Authors: Ho Man Fung , Chan Yiu-Che , Cheng Stephen Wing-Keung
Published: October 2013

We report the management of a case of thigh abscess with ruptured left superficial femoral artery mycotic aneurysm in a 91-year-old woman with significant comorbidity. The abscess culture grew Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii. Vascular reconstruction was not performed because the foot was viable with a heavily contaminated wound. The thigh wound healed with the help of vacuum-assisted closure. This is the first report of a ruptured mycotic aneurysm of the superficial femoral artery associated with Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii infection. This case demonstrates that resection of a mycotic aneurysm without vascular continuity is feasible, especially in frail patients.
Radial artery compression in incomplete palmar arch for radial artery harvesting
Authors: Mohite Prashant N , Thingnam Shyam K , Saxena Akshay K
Published: October 2013

Background

incomplete palmar arch causing inadequate collateral flow is considered a contraindication for harvesting radial artery as a conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. The objective of this pilot study was to assess whether iatrogenic radial artery compression could improve collateral circulation in the nondominant hand in such patients.

Methods

5 patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass, with incomplete palmar arch suspected by an abnormal modified Allen’s test and confirmed by dynamic color Doppler sonography, were included in the study. The flow in branches of the radial artery (superficial palmar branch and dorsal digital artery of the thumb) was measured by dynamic color Doppler sonography. Intermittent radial artery compression was applied to the nondominant hand, using a radial compression device for 15 days, and the tests were repeated to assess changes in radial artery branch flow.

Results

flow in the superficial palmar branch was increased in 3 patients, with a significant increase in 2 of them. The 3 patients in whom the dorsal digital artery of the thumb could be seen on precompression Doppler, all had substantially increased flow. The increase in flow assessed by the modified Allen’s test was statistically significant, but the flow change measured by Doppler sonography did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions

collaterals developed during 15 days of intermittent radial artery compression. The collateral development led to increased flow in the radial artery branches. A larger sample is required to confirm the results.
Bilateral central vein stenosis in a dialysis patient with a pacemaker
Authors: Yew Kuan Leong , Anderson Steven , Farah Razali , Lim Siong Hee
Published: October 2013

Central vein stenosis is not uncommon in hemodialysis-dependent patients as a result of mechanical damage to the vessel walls from prior cannulation. It can cause ipsilateral upper limb swelling and pain, resulting in suboptimal hemodialysis. It is unfortunate for bilateral central vein stenosis to develop concomitantly, and rare in the setting of an in-situ pacemaker. This case illustrates the successful ligation of a nondependent left arteriovenous fistula and stenting of the right subclavian vein with functioning ipsilateral arteriovenous fistula, to overcome the problem of symptomatic bilateral upper limb swelling.
Coronary bypass using bilateral internal mammary arteries in an achondroplast
Authors: Alassal Mohamed Abdulwahab , Youssef Mostafa , Koudieh Mohammed
Published: October 2013

Coronary bypass grafting for ischemic heart disease in achondroplastic dwarfs is very rare. Shortage of veins and inadequate vein quality may cause difficulties during surgery. Only 2 cases of coronary bypass surgery in an achondroplastic dwarf, in which the left internal mammary artery and vein grafts were used, have been reported. We describe the case of a 55-year-old male achondroplastic dwarf who had triple-vessel coronary disease and underwent successful coronary bypass surgery using one saphenous vein graft and bilateral internal mammary artery grafts. The anatomic and surgical challenges in achondroplasia are highlighted.
Quality of chest radiograph reports
Authors: Hirvonen-Kari Mirja , Sormaala Markus J , Luoma Katariina , Kivisaari Leena , Lohman Martina
Published: October 2013

Background

Examination requests and imaging reports are the most important communication instruments between clinicians and radiologists. An accurate and clear report helps referring physicians make care decisions for their patients.

Purpose

To evaluate the contents of initial and re-reported chest reports, assess the inter-observer agreement, and evaluate the clarity of the report contents from the viewpoint of the referring physicians.

Material and Methods

The content and agreement of the reports were analyzed by comparing the initial reports with re-reports prepared by a chest radiologist. The referring physicians evaluated the contents of 50 reports regarding their medical facts, clarity, and intelligibility. The results were analyzed using cross-over tables, the Pearson Chi-Square, and kappa statistics.

Results

Radiologists mostly addressed the questions posed by the referring physicians. General radiologists included separate conclusions in their reports more frequently (22%) than the chest radiologist in her re-reports. Reports prepared by the chest radiologist contained nearly 50% more findings than the general radiologists’ reports. Inter-observer agreement between the initial and specialist re-reported reports was 66%, but the kappa value was 0.31. The reports were considered clear/intelligible by the referring physicians in 68% of the initial reports by the general radiologists and in 94% of the re-reported studies by the chest radiologist.

Conclusion

Radiology report quality was rather high despite their contents varying depending on the radiologist. Inter-observer agreement of the chest radiographs was low due to the non-structured reports containing different quantities of information, thus complicating the comparison. Referring physicians considered both short and long radiology reports to be clear.
Reasons and the Acceptance of Authoritative Speech
Authors: Guzmán Sebastián G.
Published: October 2013

This article proposes an empirically grounded theory of the acceptance of authoritative speech beyond contexts of deliberation. I synthesize Habermas’s and Bourdieu’s influential theories on the topic by specifying factors that lead to either a prereflexive acceptance or a critical evaluation of the claims made by people in positions of authority. To do so, I assess each author’s theses in four types of contexts covered by three empirical studies that analyze reactions to authoritative speech. I find that people can autonomously reject authoritative speech if they have the necessary cultural resources, such as relevant personal experience or contradictory background norms, or if they are strongly motivated—for example, by disappointed expectations. Otherwise, individuals are likely to accept what authorities say without regard for reasons. The synthetic theory proposed better grasps the potentials and limitations of people’s critical capacities—a crucial task for democratic and critical sociological theory.
Brain Injury as a Risk Factor for Fever Upon Admission to the Intensive Care Unit and Association With In-Hospital Case Fatality
Authors: Rincon Fred , Patel Utkal , Schorr Christa , Lee Elizabeth , Ross Steven , Dellinger R. Phillip , Zanotti-Cavazzoni Sergio
Published: October 2013

Purpose:

To test the hypothesis that fever was more frequent in critically ill patients with brain injury when compared to nonneurological patients and to study its effect on in-hospital case fatality.

Methods:

Retrospective matched cohort study utilizing a single-center prospectively compiled registry. Critically ill neurological patients ≥18 years and consecutively admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) were selected. Patients were matched by sex, age, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II) to a cohort of nonneurological patients. Fever was defined as any temperature ≥37.5°C within the first 24 hours upon admission to the ICU. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital case fatality.

Results:

Mean age among neurological patients was 65.6 ± 15 years, 46% were men, and median APACHE-II was 15 (interquartile range 11-20). There were 18% AIS, 27% ICH, and 6% TBI. More neurological patients experienced fever than nonneurological patients (59% vs 47%, P = .007). The mean hospital length of stay was higher for nonneurological patients (18 ± 20 vs 14 ± 15 days, P = .007), and more neurological patients were dead at hospital discharge (29% vs 20%, P < .0001). After risk factor adjustment, diagnosis (neurological vs nonneurological), and the probability of being exposed to fever (propensity score), the following variables were associated with higher in-hospital case fatality: APACHE-II, neurological diagnosis, mean arterial pressure, cardiovascular and respiratory dysfunction in ICU, and fever (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.04-3.6, P = .04).

Conclusion:

These data suggest that fever is a frequent occurrence after brain injury, and that it is independently associated with in-hospital case fatality.
Research as a Social Justice Tool
Authors: Lorenzetti Liza
Published: October 2013

The congruence between social work activism and transformative research resonates with those who are looking to change the root causes of oppression. This article reflects the journey of integrating the identity of activist practitioner and researcher. The process of becoming a social justice researcher includes the discovery of a new set of lenses, emerging tools, and new pathways while maintaining a critical perspective rooted in antioppressive praxis. Research becomes an extension of one’s own identity as a human rights activist, which requires leveraging the skills and capacities of research as a strategy to move to a more socially just world.
Sex in the City
Authors: McQuiller Williams LaVerne
Published: October 2013

Despite a well-established literature on the sociology of sex work and sociology of sex and place, currently we know very little about how and why sex workers choose to work on the streets that they do. Using the case study of a city in upstate New York and drawing upon Michel de Certeau’s (1984) theory of spatial patterns, this study builds on these literatures by discussing the importance of place and space in relation to sex work, namely how and why sex workers choose their locations for business. Data are drawn from semistructured interviews with female and male sex workers, police officers, and an outreach worker. The findings reveal the ways in which these spaces of street sex work are reworked by sex workers in response to strategies imposed by the police, community residents, and others. Within these spaces, sex workers employ a number of tactics to maximize business and minimize detection, arrest, and violence from clients and other sex workers. Directions for future research are also discussed.
“They Always Call Me an Investment”
Authors: Ovink Sarah M.
Published: October 2013

In the past 20 years, Latinas have begun to outperform Latinos in high school completion and college enrollment, tracking the overall “gender reversal” in college attainment that favors women. Few studies have examined what factors contribute to Latinas’ increasing educational success. This article focuses on gender differences in college-going behavior among a cohort of 50 Latino/a college aspirants in the San Francisco East Bay Area. Through 136 longitudinal interviews, I examine trends in Latinos/as’ postsecondary pathways and life course decisions over a two-year period. Findings suggest evidence for gendered familism, in which gender and racial/ethnic beliefs intersect to differentially shape Latinos/as’ attitudes, behaviors, and college choices. Gendered familism encouraged Latinas to seek a four-year degree as a means of earning independence, while Latinos expressed a sense of automatic autonomy that was not as strongly tied to educational outcomes.
Trade-based skills versus occupational capacity: the example of bricklaying in Europe
Authors: Clarke Linda , Winch Christopher , Brockmann Michaela
Published: October 2013

This article shows why qualifications built on occupational capacity rather than on trade-based skills have more potential to accommodate the aims of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and changes in the labour process, going together with the development of occupational labour markets. The article challenges the distinct Anglo-Saxon notion of ‘skill’ attached to a trade-based system of vocational education and training (VET), where qualifications have weak labour market currency. This distinctiveness has implications for EQF implementation, built on common understanding of knowledge, skills and competences and intended to establish equivalence between different occupational qualifications. The article focuses on the example of bricklaying in England and Germany, an occupation archetypal of construction and skilled manual work. Clear differences are identified between bricklaying founded on developing occupational capacity through negotiation and regulation by stakeholders, recognized through qualifications, and bricklaying as a demarcated trade, defined by output and with ‘skills’ distinct from other trades.
Non-scarring patchy alopecia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus differs from that of alopecia areata
Authors: Ye Y , Zhao Y , Gong Y , Zhang X , Caulloo S , Zhang B , Cai Z , Yang J , McElwee KJ , Zhang X
Published: October 2013

Background

Non-scaring patchy alopecia associated with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is sometimes mis-diagnosed as alopecia areata (AA).

Objectives

Our aim was to differentiate non-scarring patchy SLE alopecia features from patchy AA.

Methods

Clinical, dermatoscopic and histopathological data from 21 SLE patients with patchy alopecia were compared with data from 21 patients with patchy AA.

Results

Incomplete alopecia was common in SLE alopecia patches, while AA patches exhibited complete alopecia. Exclamation-mark hairs, black dots, broken hair and yellow dots were common to AA, while hair shaft thinning and hypopigmentation, angiotelectasis, peripilar sign, perifollicular red dots, white dots and honeycomb pigment patterns were more common in SLE. Interfollicular polymorphous vessels were the most common angiotelectasis presentation in the SLE alopecia patches, but interfollicular arborizing vessels were significantly more common in non-hair-loss-affected SLE regions and in AA hair-loss regions. During follow-up, increased vellus hair was the earliest feature that emerged after treatment both in SLE and AA, while the earliest feature that disappeared was hair shaft hypopigmentation in SLE and broken hair in AA. After treatment, no SLE patients had relapse of alopecia, while 41.7% of AA patients did.

Conclusion

Distinct clinical, dermatoscopic and histopathological features were found in SLE-associated alopecia regions, which were different from those of AA. Serological autoantibody tests are of value to confirm the differential diagnosis. Local angiotelectasis and vasculitis close to hair follicles may be involved in the pathogenesis of alopecia in SLE.
A free vibration analysis of piezo-electric beams via hierarchical one-dimensional finite elements
Authors: Koutsawa Yao , Giunta Gaetano , Belouettar Salim
Published: October 2013

In this article, several one-dimensional finite elements for the free vibration analysis of composite beams with piezo-electric layers or patches are presented. The displacement components and the electric potential are approximated above the cross section through Lagrange’s polynomials in a layer-wise sense. Thanks to a Unified Formulation, elements’ stiffness and mass matrices are derived in a general, nuclear form that does not depend upon the approximation order of the displacements and the electric potential over the cross section as well as the number of element nodes along the axial direction. Higher-order, layer-wise theories accounting for non-classical effects can be, therefore, straightforwardly formulated. Beam with full piezo-electric layers or piezo-patches are investigated. Results are given in terms of natural frequencies and electro-mechanical coupling coefficients of the bending and torsional modes. Several mechanical and electrical boundary conditions as well as stacking sequences are investigated. Comparison with three-dimensional finite element models is provided showing that the proposed class of finite elements is able to yield accurate results.
Relying on What They Know
Authors: Van Son Catherine R. , Gileff Taisiya Y.
Published: October 2013

As the U.S. population ages and becomes increasingly diverse, health care professionals need to recognize the role of culture and life course in managing chronic health conditions. Older émigrés, in particular, face daunting challenges learning to navigate a new language, country, and health care system. In this focused ethnography, data collection included 16 months of participant observation and interviews with 28 Slavic participants (older émigrés, family caregivers, and key informants). Participants shared beliefs about the causes of chronic conditions, described treatments used, identified barriers to care, and expressed their expectations of U.S. health care providers. The findings provide insight into older émigrés’ explanatory models of health, which can be used by health care providers to improve health care delivery to this underserved population.
Understanding and Reducing the Impact of Defensiveness on Management Learning
Authors: Holmer Leanna L.
Published: October 2013

The neurosciences have expanded our understanding of the role of the “old” brain in generating defensive reactions to threat. Because the learning and practice of management skills pose various forms of threat to would-be practitioners, the question of how individuals respond to threat and how this affects their ability to learn has also been a persistent concern of management scholars. I present a model of management learning defensiveness and defensiveness-management strategies that integrates traditional management perspectives with recent neuroscientific and psychological research. Because neuroscience makes clear that defensive reactions are all but inevitable upon the experience of threat, the model and discussion distinguish between antecedent and post-threat strategies for managing defensiveness in management development and education. Implications for educators focus on the benefits of enhancing learners’ understanding and self-awareness of the neurological bases of defensive reactions in learning situations. I discuss teaching methods and suggest research propositions related to the educational strategies I describe.
Percutaneous Tenotomy for the Treatment of Diabetic Toe Ulcers
Authors: Tamir Eran , Vigler Mordechai , Avisar Erez , Finestone Aharon S.
Published: October 2013

Background:

Foot ulcers have been implicated as a causative factor in diabetic foot amputations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate treating foot ulcers in patients with diabetes by percutaneous tenotomy.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the computerized medical files of 83 patients treated for foot ulcers by percutaneous tenotomies. Results were analyzed on the basis of indication and per patient.

Results:

The 83 patients had 160 tenotomies for 4 indications: 103 tip-of-toe ulcers (treated by flexor digitorum longus tenotomy), 26 cock-up/dorsal ulcers (extensor digitorum longus tenotomy), 21 kissing ulcers (extensor digitorum longus and/or flexor digitorum longus tenotomies), and 10 plantar metatarsal ulcers (extensor digitorum longus with or without flexor digitorum longus tenotomy). Healing at 4 weeks was 98%, 96%, 81%, and 0%, respectively. The complication rate was very low, with the exception of “transfer lesions,” where an adjacent toe became involved and needed subsequent tenotomy in 8% of tip-of-toe ulcers.

Conclusions:

Percutaneous tenotomy was an effective and safe method for treating toe ulcers in neuropathic patients. It was not effective in treating plantar metatarsal ulcers.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Strategic Alliance, a Way Forward for Violence Against Women
Authors: Dave Anjali
Published: October 2013

This article attempts to describe the experiences of violated women and the struggles of social workers to contest violence against women in the Indian context. It begins with a brief account of an “indigenous model”: the establishment of a service for violated women in India within the police force—the Special Cell on Violence Against Women. The article traces the strategic location, vision, growth, present position, expansion, and replication of the Special Cell in India, and discusses the necessity of working simultaneously with violated women, formal systems, and social structures; its contribution to the campaign for a Domestic Violence Act; and the resultant outcomes. The arduous nature of the work required for violated women and the women’s own assessment of the Special Cells were accessed through a rigorous evaluation study, which is presented in the article, providing an answer and affirmation to the question: Why work with the Establishment–—the State.
Management of Patients With Implanted Ventricular Assist Devices for Noncardiac Surgery
Authors: Hessel Eugene A.
Published: October 2013

While originally primarily used as bridge to cardiac transplantation and bridge to recovery, more commonly ventricular assist devices (VADs) are being inserted as destination therapy. These patients are being discharged from transplant and mechanical assist centers, living as outpatients, and thus the pool of community-dwelling patients with VADs continues to expand. Not infrequently they present for surgical procedures either directly related to the device itself or more often incidental to the fact that they have a VAD. This scenario may be more common in patients with VADs placed for destination therapy because these patients tend to be older and have more comorbidities and are living longer with their device. Thus, it is important for all anesthesiologists to be aware of the special anesthesia needs of patients with VADs requiring noncardiac surgery.
Factors Associated With Parent Support for Condom Education and Availability
Authors: AugsJoost Brett , Jerman Petra , Deardorff Julianna , Harley Kim , Constantine Norman A.
Published: October 2013

Expanding condom-related knowledge and skills and reducing barriers to condom use have the potential to help reduce pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among youth. These goals are sometimes addressed through condom education and availability (CEA) programs as part of sexuality education in school. Parents are a key constituency in efforts to implement such programs. A representative statewide sample of households with children ( N = 1,093) in California was employed to examine parent support for CEA and the potential influences of demographics (gender, age, and Hispanic ethnicity), sociodemographics (education, religious affiliation, religious service attendance, and political ideology), and condom-related beliefs (belief in condom effectiveness and belief that teens who use condoms during sex are being responsible) on parent support for CEA. The parents in our sample reported a high level of support for CEA ( M = 3.23 on a 4-point scale) and believing in a high level of condom effectiveness ( M = 3.36 on a 4-point scale). In addition, 84% of the parents agreed that teens who use condoms during sex are being responsible. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that parents who were younger, Hispanic, with a lower educational attainment, without a religious affiliation, less religiously observant, and politically liberal were more supportive of CEA. After controlling for these demographic and sociodemographic factors, condom effectiveness and responsibility beliefs each added independently to the predictability of parent support for CEA. These findings suggest that parent education related to condom effectiveness could help increase support for school-based CEA programs.
A systematic review of telecounselling and its effectiveness in managing depression amongst minority ethnic communities
Authors: Dorstyn Diana S , Saniotis Arthur , Sobhanian Farah
Published: October 2013

Telecounselling – the provision of counselling services by telephone, videoconferencing or Internet media – can assist with disparities in the treatment and management of depression for minority ethnic groups. We therefore reviewed the evidence examining the effectiveness of telecounselling for this population. This involved a search of electronic databases, the grey literature and two peer-reviewed journals. Study quality was examined using the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine guidelines. Cohen’s d effect sizes were additionally calculated for between-study comparisons. The final sample comprised eight independent studies, with a total of 498 adults of Asian, African-American or Spanish origin. None of the studies met the criteria for the highest methodological rating (Level 1) and there were five studies at Level 2. Significant short-term treatment effects were associated with telephone- and Internet-mediated services, including moderate to large improvements across measures of depression, anxiety, quality of life and psychosocial functioning reported. Longer-term treatment effects were also reported, although these results were based on very limited data. The results highlight the need for additional rigorous research to determine the clinical efficacy of telecounselling as a treatment option for depression among minority communities.
The rule of law and the political economy of criminalisation: An agenda for research
Authors: Lacey Nicola
Published: October 2013

This article argues for an institutional approach to criminalisation scholarship, drawing on historical and comparative methodologies, and on the resources of several disciplines including law, sociology and political science. It goes on to sketch the sort of research agenda which is implied by that approach, with a view to laying the intellectual building blocks for a broad political economy of criminalisation within modern societies committed to the Rechsstaat/rule of law. The article describes how this framework developed out of recent work in the apparently discrete fields of historical and of comparative studies, of doctrinal analysis of criminal law, and of socio-political analysis of criminal punishment in modern societies. The main outlines of these projects are set out in the first part of the article, which then moves on to consider how they may be brought into dialogue so as to inform the construction of a further research agenda. This agenda, which seeks to contribute to the building of a general understanding of the place of criminalisation and punishment within the governance frameworks of various kinds of social order which share a commitment to Rechtsstaat/rule of law ideals, is sketched in the third part of the paper. In conclusion, the article argues that such a research agenda implies an expansive conception of punishment and society scholarship.
Social structure and crime policy: The German case
Authors: Sack Fritz
Published: October 2013

The article discusses the widely debated comparative question about the scope and regional range of the ‘punitive turn’ in criminal policy, in particular with respect to the German situation. The argument starts with two similar attempted ‘lynchings’ that took place in England in 1998 and in Germany in 2012. The concept of ‘American exceptionalism’ is used as a reference point for identifying the role Germany plays in the discussion about the radical change of criminal policy. However, it is applied in the reverse sense to investigate the ‘received wisdom’, especially in English-speaking criminology, that ‘German exceptionalism’ is one of the ‘benign’ cases ‘deviating’ from the punitive tendency that exists in other countries. The article presents some evidence and a number of expert voices that reveal an ‘insider’s view’ that contrasts strongly with outside perspectives. The article concludes with some reflections about the ‘extra-criminological’ sources of the punitive turn which Germany shares with the countries that are known as the core exemplars of the punitive changes in penal policy.
Is the idea of a sovereign authority based on legal rules and human rights outdated?
Authors: Kunz Karl-Ludwig
Published: October 2013

The desire to establish a sovereign authority governed by law, justice and the respect for individual dignity is fascinating. However, the history of the German version of the realization of this desire, the Rechtsstaat, proves that whether or not this works out depends on the conditions under which the concept is formed and implemented. Cultural, socio-economic and political conditions have always had a great influence on both the concrete interpretation of the idea and on the effectiveness of its realization.

We are confronted with vast changes in the late modern era. Global society increasingly exercises risk control by means of international cooperation and transnational regulation. Human rights standards are neglected in order to prevent or avert danger. As the idea of a state based on legal rules and human rights continues to lose its grip, the question arises whether and how the basic values associated with this idea could be preserved in the globally intertwined risk society.
From homemade to store bought: Annoying Orange and the professionalization of YouTube
Authors: Morreale Joanne
Published: October 2013

This article examines the culture of YouTube in order to illustrate the way that value generated by YouTube prosumers becomes utilized by capital, while also indicating the dissolution of the boundaries between media platforms as YouTube evolves into a commercially driven medium. The development of Annoying Orange from “amateur” content to television series and cultural phenomenon exemplifies the processes, whereby everyday user-generated content on YouTube becomes fodder for corporate media.
The Aftermath of Race
Authors: McCarthy Cameron
Published: October 2013

Contemporary racial theorization in education still separates race from the dynamics of our late-modern society. This essay aims to redirect the topic of race and education to a place that is considered outside the field of education, to the margin where education now is drawn into the fast moving currents of change fueled by the amplification of meanings and images in electronic mediation in the digital economy, in the volatile world politics post 9/11, but most of all in the crescendo of movement, migration and the work of the imagination of the great masses of the people. In what follows, Cameron McCarthy shifts conceptual and practical focus on racial antagonism in education from the mainstream and multicultural emphasis on teaching and curriculum reform, to the coordination of racial identities, the organization of affect and the differential patterns of historical incorporation of different social groups into modern social institutions defined by the restlessness of late-modernity.
The role of carnitine on ovariectomy and inflammation-induced osteoporosis in rats
Authors: Orsal Ebru , Halici Zekai , Bayir Yasin , Cadirci Elif , Bilen Habib , Ferah Irmak , Aydin Ali , Ozkanlar Seckin , Ayan Arif Kursad , Seven Bedri , Ozaltin Seda
Published: October 2013

This study was carried out to assess the protective bone-sparing effect of carnitine with anti-inflammatory properties on chronic inflammation-induced bone loss in ovariectomised (OVX) rats. A total of 64 rats were divided into eight groups. Sixteen rats were sham-operated (SH) while the others were ovariectomised (OVX). (1) SH, (2) sham + inflammation (SHinf), (3) OVX, (4) ovariectomy + inflammation (OVXinf), (5) OVX + CAR1, (6) OVX + CAR2, (7) OVXinf + CAR1, (8) OVXinf + CAR2. After the ovariectomy surgery, all the groups (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) were allowed to recover for two months. Sixty days after the OVX, inflammation was induced by subcutaneous injections of talc in groups 2, 4, 7, and 8. Group 5 and 7 were given 50 mg/kg CAR; Group 6 and 8 were given 100 mg/kg CAR from the 60th to the 80th day. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, OP, and OC were assessed to determine inflammation and to evaluate osteoblastic activity. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in femur bones of rats. Carnitine administration was able to restore BMD up to values measured in both the OVX and the SH animals. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were increased significantly in the OVXinf rats compared with the SH group. In OVX rats, inflammation which is evaluated by serum cytokine levels exacerbated this bone loss, as supported by values of BMD of the total femur. The two different doses of carnitine reduced bone loss and improved inflammatory biomarkers.
Pefluorocarbon inhibition of bubble induced Ca2+ transients in an in vitro model of vascular gas embolism
Authors: Klinger Alexandra L , Kandel Judith , Pichette Benjamin , Eckmann David M
Published: October 2013

Endothelial injury resulting from deleterious interaction of gas microbubbles occurs in many surgical procedures and other medical interventions. The symptoms of vascular air embolism (VAE), while serious, are often difficult to detect, and there are essentially no pharmaceutical preventative or post-event treatments currently available. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), however, have shown particular promise as a therapeutic option in reducing endothelial injury both in- and ex-vivo. Recently, we demonstrated the effectiveness of Oxycyte, a third-generation PFC formulated in a phosphotidylcholine emulsion, using an in vitro model of VAE developed in our laboratory. This apparatus allows live cell imaging concurrent with precise manipulation of physiologically sized microbubbles so that they may be brought into individual contact with human umbilical vein endothelial cells dye-loaded with the Ca2+ sensitive Fluo-4. Herein, we expand use of this fluorescence microscopy-based cell culture model. Specifically, we examined the concentration dependence of Oxycyte in reducing both the amplitude and frequency of large intracellular Ca2+ currents that are both a hallmark of bubble contact and a quantifiable indication that abnormal intracellular signaling has been triggered. We measured dose dependence curves and fit the resultant data using a modified Black and Leff operational model of agonism. The half maximal inhibitory concentrations of Oxycyte for (i) inhibition of occurrence and (ii) amplitude reduction were 229 ± 49 µM and 226 ± 167 µM, respectively. This investigation shows the preferential gas/liquid interface occupancy of the PFC component of Oxycyte over that of mechanosensing glycocalyx components and validates Oxycyte’s specific surfactant mechanism of action. Further, no lethality was observed for any concentration of this bioinert PFC, as it acts as a competitive allosteric inhibitor of syndecan activation to ameliorate cell response to bubble contact.
Correlation Between Outcome and Instrumental Findings After Stapled Transanal Rectal Resection for Obstructed Defecation Syndrome
Authors: Panicucci Sonia , Martellucci Jacopo , Menconi Claudia , Toniolo Gianluca , Naldini Gabriele
Published: October 2013

Objective. Several studies show that stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) significantly improves constipation in most patients, while others remain syntomatic for obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS). The aim of the study was to analyze clinical, manometric, and endoanal ultrasonography results in order to find any possible correlation between clinical and instrumental data, particularly in dissatisfied patients, both for those who remain symptomatic for ODS and for patients with new-onset fecal disorders. Patients and methods. All patients underwent a preoperative and postoperative assessment based on clinical evaluation, proctoscopy, defecography, anorectal manometry, and endoanal ultrasonography. Furthermore, we asked patients about a subjective satisfaction grading of outcome. Results. From January 2007 to December 2009, 103 patients were treated in our department with STARR for ODS. Postoperative endoanal ultrasound did not demonstrate any variations compared with the preoperative one. Postoperative scores showed statistically significant improvement, with respect to the preoperative value, with good and sufficient scores in 79.6% of patients, and an overall rate of satisfaction of 87.1%. Fecal disorders, including also the slightest alteration of continence, occurred in 24% of patients, in particular soiling 1.8%, urgency 7.4%, occasional gas leakage 5.5%, and liquid/solid leakage 9.3%. Anorectal manometry revealed a statistically significant reduction only in sensitivity threshold and maximum tolerated volume compared to patients with no disorders of continence. Conclusion. Results indicate good satisfaction grading and a statistically significant improvement in scores of constipation. There is no close correlation between satisfaction grading and scores. Besides, the assessment of patient’s satisfaction often does not match the objective functional outcome.
Implementation of the care programme approach across health and social services for dual diagnosis clients
Authors: Kelly Michael , Humphrey Charlotte
Published: October 2013

Background:

Care for clients with mental health problems and concurrent intellectual disability (dual diagnosis) is currently expected to be provided through the care programme approach (CPA), an approach to provide care to people with mental health problems in secondary mental health services. When CPA was originally introduced into UK mental health services in the 1990s, its implementation was slow and problematic, being hampered in part by problems occurring at a strategic level as health and social service organizations attempted to integrate complex systems. This article reports on a study of a more recent attempt to implement CPA for dual diagnosis clients in one mental health foundation trust, aiming to gauge progress and identify factors at the strategic level that were helping or hindering progress this time round.

Methods:

The study took place in a mental health National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust in a large English city, which was implementing a joint mental health and intellectual disability CPA policy across five of its constituent boroughs. Semi-structured interviews with key informants at Trust and borough levels focused on the Trust’s overall strategy for implementing CPA and on how it was being put into practice at the front line. Documentary analysis and the administration of the Partnership Assessment Tool were also undertaken. Data were analysed using a framework approach.

Results:

Progress in implementing CPA varied but overall was extremely limited in all the boroughs. The study identified six key contextual challenges that significantly hindered the implementation progress. These included organizational complexity; arrangements for governance and accountability; competing priorities; financial constraints; high staff turnover and complex information and IT systems. The only element of policy linked to CPA that had been widely taken up was the Greenlight Framework and Audit Toolkit (GLTK). The fact that the toolkit had targets and penalties associated with its implementation appeared to have given it priority.

Conclusion:

None of the contextual challenges identified in this study were specifically related to CPA as a policy or to the needs and circumstances of dual diagnosis clients. Nevertheless, they inhibited the types of organizational change and partnership working that implementing CPA for a client group of this kind required. Unless these more generic factors are acknowledged and addressed when introducing policies such as CPA, the chances of effective implementation will inevitably be compromised.
Participatory media for a non-participating community
Authors: Semujju Brian
Published: October 2013

This paper draws on the contrast between community media and the nature of its communities in Africa that are not participatory but use participatory media. The general contention is that participatory media in Africa preside over non-participatory communities. The paper uses data collected at one Ugandan community media to prove that the limitations between community media and ‘the community’ require over half a century to solve. The immediate solution should be to rethink the idea of community, pay more attention not just to the nature of which media can develop which community as if it (community) was a homogeneous entity but also the idea of which community has the ability to host which media. The paper concludes by suggesting a redefinition of media to include non-media forms that show more potential in enhancing participation for all than community media.
Which patients with metastatic breast cancer benefit from subsequent lines of treatment? An update for clinicians
Authors: Palumbo Raffaella , Sottotetti Federico , Riccardi Alberto , Teragni Cristina , Pozzi Emma , Quaquarini Erica , Tagliaferri Barbara , Bernardo Antonio
Published: October 2013

The outcome of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has clearly improved over the past decades and the proportion of women living with their disease for several years is increasing. However, the usefulness of multiple lines of treatment is still debated and under evaluation. The available data from both randomized trials and large retrospective series are reviewed and discussed in order to analyze management practices, with emphasis on potential prognostic and predictive factors for clinical outcome. At present, evidence-based medicine provides some support for the use of second-line and to a lesser degree and in selected cases, third-line chemotherapy in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative MBC. Beyond third-line treatment, messages from recently reported retrospective studies also suggest a clear potential gain for women receiving further therapies after disease progression, since each line can contribute to a longer survival. In HER2-positive disease, the data from observational and retrospective studies support a clinical benefit from the use of trastuzumab beyond disease progression and emerging evidences from randomized controlled trials are leading to the introduction of newer HER2-targeted therapies in multiple lines. The question ‘How many lines of treatment should we give patients?’ clearly needs further research through prospective, high-quality clinical trials, aiming for a better definition of factors with prognostic and predictive role. In the meantime, the ‘optimal’ treatment strategy should probably be to use as many therapeutic options as possible, either in sequence or combination, to keep the best efficacy/toxicity balance, considering MBC as a chronic disease.