bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excessive Supraventricular Ectopic Activity and Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke
Authors: Binici Zeynep , Intzilakis Theodoros , Nielsen Olav Wendelboe , Køber Lars , Sajadieh Ahmad
Published: April 2010

Background—

Prediction of stroke and atrial fibrillation in healthy individuals is challenging. We examined whether excessive supraventricular ectopic activity (ESVEA) correlates with risk of stroke, death, and atrial fibrillation in subjects without previous stroke or heart disease.

Methods and Results—

The population-based cohort of the Copenhagen Holter Study, consisting of 678 healthy men and women aged between 55 and 75 years with no history of cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, or stroke, was evaluated. All had fasting laboratory tests and 48-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring. ESVEA was defined as ≥30 supraventricular ectopic complexes (SVEC) per hour or as any episodes with runs of ≥20 SVEC. The primary end point was stroke or death, and the secondary end points were total mortality, stroke, and admissions for atrial fibrillation. Median follow-up was 6.3 years. Seventy subjects had SVEC ≥30/h, and 42 had runs of SVEC with a length of ≥20 SVEC. Together, 99 subjects (14.6%) had ESVEA. The risk of primary end point (death or stroke) was significantly higher in subjects with ESVEA compared with those without ESVEA after adjustment for conventional risk factors (hazard ratio=1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 2.60;
P
=0.036). ESVEA was also associated with admissions for atrial fibrillation (hazard ratio=2.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 6.99;
P
=0.033) and stroke (hazard ratio=2.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 6.30;
P
=0.014). SVEC, as a continuous variable, was also associated with both the primary end point of stroke or death and admissions for atrial fibrillation.

Conclusions—

ESVEA in apparently healthy subjects is associated with development of atrial fibrillation and is associated with a poor prognosis in term of death or stroke.
Impact of ABO-Incompatible Listing on Wait-List Outcomes Among Infants Listed for Heart Transplantation in the United States
Authors: Almond Christopher S. , Gauvreau Kimberlee , Thiagarajan Ravi R. , Piercey Gary E. , Blume Elizabeth D. , Smoot Leslie B. , Fynn-Thompson Francis , Singh Tajinder P.
Published: April 2010

Background—

The purported advantage of ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) listing is to reduce wait times and wait-list mortality among infants awaiting heart transplantation. We sought to describe recent trends in ABO-I listing for US infants and to determine the impact of ABO-I listing on wait times and wait-list mortality.

Methods and Results—

In this multicenter retrospective cohort study using Organ Procurement and Transplant Network data, infants <12 months of age listed for heart transplantation between 1999 and 2008 (n=1331) were analyzed. Infants listed for an ABO-I transplant were compared with a propensity score–matched cohort listed for an ABO-compatible transplant through the use of a Cox shared-frailty model. The primary end point was time to heart transplantation. The percentage of eligible infants listed for an ABO-I heart increased from 0% before 2002 to 53% in 2007 (
P
<0.001 for trend). Compared with infants listed exclusively for an ABO-compatible heart, infants with a primary ABO-I listing strategy (n=235) were more likely to be listed 1A, to have congenital heart disease and renal failure, and to require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. For the propensity score–matched groups (n=197 matched pairs), there was no difference in wait-list mortality; however, infants with blood type O assigned an ABO-I listing strategy were more likely to undergo heart transplantation by 30 days (31% versus 16%;
P
=0.007) with a less pronounced effect for infants with other blood types.

Conclusions—

The proportion of US infants listed for an ABO-I heart transplantation has risen dramatically in recent years but still appears to be preferentially used for sicker infant candidates. The ABO-I listing strategy is associated with a higher likelihood of transplantation within 30 days for infants with blood group O and may benefit a broader range of transplantation candidates.
Upregulation of Renal Sodium Transporters in D
5
Dopamine Receptor–Deficient Mice
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Luo Yingjin , Escano Crisanto S. , Yang Zhiwei , Asico Laureano , Li Hewang , Jones John E. , Armando Ines , Lu Quansheng , Sibley David R. , Eisner Gilbert M. , Jose Pedro A.
Published: April 2010

D
5
dopamine receptor (D
5
R)-deficient (D
5
−/−
) mice have hypertension that is aggravated by an increase in sodium intake. The present experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that a dysregulation of renal sodium transporters is related to the salt sensitivity in D
5
−/−
mice. D
5
R was expressed in the renal proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, distal convoluted tubule, and cortical and outer medullary collecting ducts in D
5
+/+
mice. On a control Na
+
diet, renal protein expressions of NKCC2 (sodium-potassium-2 chloride cotransporter), sodium chloride cotransporter, and α and γ subunits of the epithelial sodium channel were greater in D
5
−/−
than in D
5
+/+
mice. Renal renin abundance and urine aldosterone levels were similar but renal angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT
1
R) protein expression was increased in D
5
−/−
mice. An elevated Na
+
diet increased further the elevated blood pressure of D
5
−/−
mice but did not affect the normal blood pressure of D
5
+/+
mice. The increased levels of NKCC2, sodium chloride cotransporter, and α and γ subunits of the epithelial sodium channel persisted with the elevated Na
+
diet and unaffected by chronic AT
1
R blockade (losartan) in D
5
−/−
mice. The expressions of proximal sodium transporters NHE3 (sodium hydrogen exchanger type 3) and NaPi2 (sodium phosphate cotransporter type 2) were increased by the elevated Na
+
diet in D
5
−/−
mice; the increased expression of NHE3 but not NaPi2 was abolished by AT
1
R blockade. Our findings suggest that the increased protein expression of sodium transporters/channels in distal nephron segments may be the direct consequence of the disruption of D
5
R, independent of the renin–angiotensin aldosterone system.
Amlodipine-Valsartan Combination Decreases Central Systolic Blood Pressure More Effectively Than the Amlodipine-Atenolol Combination
Authors: Boutouyrie Pierre , Achouba Assya , Trunet Patrick , Laurent Stéphane
Published: April 2010

The β-blocker atenolol is less effective than angiotensin-receptor blockers and calcium-channel blockers for reducing central blood pressure (BP). The trial was designed to determine whether the advantages of angiotensin-receptor blockers over atenolol remained significant when both were combined with the calcium-channel blocker amlodipine. A prospective, randomized, blinded endpoint (PROBE design) parallel group, multicenter trial including 393 patients with essential hypertension resistant to 4 weeks of 5 mg of amlodipine was set out. Central systolic BP, augmentation index (AIx; either rough or adjusted on heart rate), and carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity were measured with applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor) at inclusion and after 8 and 24 weeks of active treatment with an amlodipine-valsartan combination (5/80 mg and then 10/160 mg) or an amlodipine-atenolol combination (5/50 mg and then 10/100 mg). From baseline to week 24, central systolic BP decreased significantly more in the amlodipine-valsartan group (−13.70±1.15 mm Hg;
P
<0.0001) than in the amlodipine-atenolol group (−9.70±1.10 mm Hg;
P
<0.0001; difference: −4.00 mm Hg [95% CI: −7.10 to −0.90];
P
=0.013), despite similar changes in brachial systolic BP. The difference in rough AIx reduction was −6.5% (95% CI: −8.3 to −4.7;
P
<0.0001) in favor of amlodipine-valsartan. AIx adjusted on heart rate was significantly reduced in favor of amlodipine-valsartan (−2.8% [95% CI: −4.92 to −0.68];
P
<0.01). Heart rate decreased significantly more with amlodipine-atenolol (difference: −11 bpm [95% CI: −14 to −8 bpm];
P
<0.001). Pulse wave velocity decreased by 0.95 m/s in both groups with no significant difference. Differences in central systolic BP and rough AIx remained significant after adjustment to the changes in heart rate. The amlodipine-valsartan combination decreased central (systolic and pulse) pressure and AIx more than the amlodipine-atenolol combination.
Oral Intake of Rosiglitazone Promotes a Central Antihypertensive Effect Via Upregulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ and Alleviation of Oxidative Stress in Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Chan Samuel H.H. , Wu Kay L.H. , Kung Peter S.S. , Chan Julie Y.H.
Published: April 2010

Rosiglitazone, a synthetic ligand of transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), possesses a blood pressure–lowering effect beyond insulin sensitizing and glucose lowering. Oxidative stress in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), where sympathetic premotor neurons for the maintenance of neurogenic vasomotor tone are located, contributes to neural mechanisms of hypertension. Activation of PPAR-γ protects against oxidative stress in RVLM by upregulation of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). We tested the hypothesis that oral intake of rosiglitazone exerts a central antihypertensive effect by ameliorating oxidative stress in RVLM via transcriptional upregulation of UCP2 after PPAR-γ activation. In adult spontaneously hypertensive rats but not normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats, oral intake of rosiglitazone for 1 week resulted in vasodepression and a reduction in the vasomotor components of the systemic arterial pressure spectrum, our experimental index for sympathetic vasomotor tone. These antihypertensive effects of rosiglitazone in spontaneously hypertensive rats were abrogated by microinjection bilaterally into RVLM of PPAR-γ small interfering RNA. Oral intake of rosiglitazone also upregulated UCP2 and ameliorated the heightened superoxide anion level in RVLM of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Protection against oxidative stress in RVLM by rosiglitazone was abrogated by PPAR-γ small interfering RNA or by antisense oligonucleotide againstucp2mRNA. Gene knockdown ofucp2in RVLM also reversed the antihypertensive effect of rosiglitazone. These results suggest that oral intake of rosiglitazone promotes a central antihypertensive effect by decreasing sympathetic vasomotor activity through a PPAR-γ–dependent protection against oxidative stress in RVLM via transcriptional upregulation of the mitochondrial UCP2.
From Blood Pressure to Physical Disability
Authors: Elias Merrill F. , Dore Gregory A. , Davey Adam , Robbins Michael A. , Elias Penelope K.
Published: April 2010

We examined the hypothesis that lowered cognitive performance plays a role in the relation between elevated blood pressure and physical disability in performing basic physical tasks. A community-based sample (N=1025) free from stroke and dementia (mean age: 61.1 years; SD: 13.0 years; 59.8% women) was used. Using path analysis, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (predictor variable) measured over multiple longitudinal examinations were averaged and related to multiple measures of cognition (intermediate variable) and physical ability (PA; outcome variable) measured at wave 6 of the Maine-Syracuse Study. PA was indexed by time required to execute standing, walking, and turning tests. A best-fit path model including blood pressure and multiple demographic and cardiovascular disease covariates was used. Paths from systolic blood pressure to global performance, verbal memory, and abstract reasoning (Similarities test) were significant (
P
<0.05), as were paths from diastolic blood pressure to global performance, executive functioning, visual spatial organization/memory, verbal memory, working memory, and abstract reasoning. Regardless of the blood pressure predictor, lower cognitive performance (intermediate variable) was related to lower PA (outcome) in the path from blood pressure to PA. The direct path from blood pressure to PA was significant only for systolic blood pressure. Cognitive performance mediates between blood pressure and PA. As compared with systolic blood pressure, more domains of cognitive functioning intervene between diastolic blood pressure and PA.
Role of Renal Perfusion Pressure Versus Angiotensin II on Renal Oxidative Stress in Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Polichnowski Aaron J. , Jin Chunhua , Yang Chun , Cowley Allen W.
Published: April 2010

Renal oxidative stress is thought to contribute to both the etiology and the associated renal injury in angiotensin (Ang) II–dependent hypertension. The contribution of Ang II versus elevated renal perfusion pressure (RPP) on albuminuria and renal oxidative stress in this model of hypertension was explored in the present study by chronically servocontrolling RPP to the left kidney and comparing responses with the right uncontrolled kidney and the left kidney of sham rats. Hypertension was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a 4% NaCl diet by chronic IV infusion of Ang II (25 ng/kg per minute). The RPP to the left kidney was servocontrolled to mean daily pressures averaging ≈120 mm Hg, whereas the uncontrolled kidneys averaged ≈170 mm Hg over 14 days of Ang II infusion. Ang II infusion resulted in a 2.4-fold increase in albuminuria, which was RPP dependent. Kidneys exposed to both elevated RPP and Ang II (uncontrolled kidneys) displayed a 3.5-fold increase in malondialdehyde excretion and a 37% and 27% increase in renal cortical and outer medullary superoxide production, respectively. Elevated RPP significantly contributed to global renal oxidative stress (70% increase in malondialdehyde excretion) and outer medullary superoxide production. Elevated circulating levels of Ang II, per se, were responsible for a 1.5-fold and 2.0-fold increase in renal cortical and outer medullary NADPH oxidase activity, respectively. In summary, this study demonstrates that elevated RPP is directly responsible for the excess albuminuria in Ang II–infused rats, whereas both elevated RPP and Ang II directly contribute to the observed renal oxidative stress.
Do Language-Specific Categories Shape Conceptual Processing? Mandarin Classifier Distinctions Influence Eye Gaze Behavior, but only During Linguistic Processing
Authors: Huettig Falk , Chen Jidong , Bowerman Melissa , Majid Asifa
Published: April 2010

In two eye-tracking studies we investigated the influence of Mandarin numeral classifiers – a grammatical category in the language – on online overt attention. Mandarin speakers were presented with simple sentences through headphones while their eye-movements to objects presented on a computer screen were monitored. The crucial question is what participants look at while listening to a pre-specified target noun. If classifier categories influence Mandarin speakers' general conceptual processing, then on hearing the target noun they should look at objects that are members of the same classifier category – even when the classifier is not explicitly present (cf., Huettig and Altmann, 2005). The data show that when participants heard a classifier (e.g., ba3, Experiment 1) they shifted overt attention significantly more to classifiermatch objects (e.g., chair) than to distractor objects, but when the classifier was not explicitly presented in speech, overt attention to classifier-match objects and distractor objects did not differ (Experiment 2). This suggests that although classifier distinctions do influence eye-gaze behavior, they do so only during linguistic processing of that distinction and not in moment-to-moment general conceptual processing.
Public Sociology for Human Rights as Rites of Rule
Authors: Nickel Patricia Mooney
Published: April 2010

This article critically considers Michael Burawoy’s ‘public sociology for human rights’ through the lens of Timothy W. Luke’s ‘rites of rule’. The author argues that, while admirable in its stated aim, public sociology for human rights neglects to reveal its roots in governmentality and thus does not recognize the empirical practice of human rights within cosmopolitan global governance as a shift to consolidated contragovernmentality. The author concludes that public sociology for human rights as it is currently framed stabilizes the practice of human rights as rites of rule in an attempt to stabilize knowledge and the relations that it orders.
Examination of the International Scope of Papers Presented at the International Society for Music Education Research Commission Seminars, 1988—2006
Authors: Price Harry E. , Madsen Clifford K. , Cornacchio Rachel , Webb Marie
Published: April 2010

The authors classified citations included in papers presented at 10 International Society for Music Education (ISME) biennial International Research Commission Seminars across an 18-year period (1988—2006) based on the six world regions as specified by the ISME Research Commission. Citations ( N = 4,535) were examined from 238 papers presented at the 12th through 21st seminars. There were 2,250 citations from 407 journals, the most prevalent sources. Twenty-eight papers from this sample were multinational in nature, with 79% ( n = 22) of these by U.S. researchers as either sole or senior authors.The main result of this study is that the researchers from around the world who were presenters at these seminars primarily cited sources within their own geographical regions. Additionally, the Journal of Research in Music Education was by far the most referenced journal throughout the entire sample.
A Descriptive Study of Vocal Maturation Among Male Adolescent Vocalists and Instrumentalists
Authors: Killian Janice N. , Wayman John B.
Published: April 2010

This descriptive study was designed to examine middle school adolescent boys’ singing voices ( N = 104) comprising volunteers enrolled in band ( n = 72) or choir ( n = 32). The authors sought to confirm possible earlier voice change, to compare vocal characteristics among frequent (choir) and infrequent (band) singers, and to determine use of falsetto during each voice stage. To assess falsetto, the authors had participants view and then imitate a segment of Shrek, in which characters speak in falsetto and bass. Students then spoke a line at high, medium, and low pitches. They then self-selected their highest and lowest singing pitches, sustaining them as long as possible. Following Cooksey procedures, the authors identified the boys’ speaking pitch and guided them to their highest and lowest pitches. Data consisted of demographic information; changing voice stages; high, medium, and low speaking contrasts; highest and lowest sung pitches (both self-selected and instructor-guided); number of seconds pitches were held; presence/absence of falsetto singing; and Likert-type responses to “Like singing?” and “Sing well?” Results confirmed that boys’ voices continue to change at an early age and can be divided reliably into predictable developmental stages and that speaking voices were 3 to 4 semitones above lowest sung pitches. Predictable identification of falsetto appeared elusive.
Standardization of the Gordon Primary Measures of Music Audiation in Greece
Authors: Stamou Lelouda , Schmidt Charles P. , Humphreys Jere T.
Published: April 2010

The purpose of this study was to standardize the Primary Measures of Music Audiation in Greece ( N = 1,188). Split-halves reliability was acceptable across grade levels (K through 3) for the Tonal and Rhythm subtests, but test—retest reliability was generally unacceptable, especially for the Rhythm subtest. Concurrent validity was mixed, with teacher ratings of musical achievement generally significantly correlated with Tonal but not Rhythm subtest scores. Composite test means were significantly higher for suburban and urban samples than for rural samples and were significantly higher for higher grade levels. Item difficulty coefficients were significantly correlated across grade levels. The Greek and U.S. composite means were similar except for a significantly higher U.S. mean for grade 1. However, when the rural subgroup was removed from the Greek sample to equate with the U.S. norming sample, there were nonsignificant differences for grades K through 1, but significant differences in favor of the Greek sample for grades 3 and 4.
Music at Lincoln Junior High (Minneapolis) and the Lincoln Junior High Girls’ Band: 1923—1940
Authors: Lucas Hamann Keitha
Published: April 2010

Examination of the music opportunities available to students in the junior high schools of the early twentieth century lends historical perspective to current challenges facing middle level music educators. This article describes the specific music offerings at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from the school opening in 1923 to 1940, when financial challenges forced the reorganization of the music program. In many ways, the music curriculum at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis was exemplary of the music experiences found in other junior high schools. The required curriculum was based on the general music model of the elementary school and included music appreciation and a strong emphasis on the development of music reading skills. Extracurricular “clubs” provided performance opportunities for young adolescent musicians. Choruses focused on preparing large-scale productions such as operettas and musicals, while instrumental groups participated in contests and festivals. Performances for school assemblies and civic groups provide evidence of the importance of connections to the community for junior high schools. The formation of the Girls’ Band at Lincoln in 1924 was unusual. In the absence of direct evidence, I postulate possible explanations for the founding of this unique ensemble.
New Life for Old Ideas: The "Second Wave" of Sequence Analysis Bringing the "Course" Back Into the Life Course
Authors: Aisenbrey Silke , Fasang Anette E.
Published: April 2010

In this article the authors draw attention to the most recent and promising developments of sequence analysis. Taking methodological developments in life course sociology as the starting point, the authors detail the complementary strength in sequence analysis in this field. They argue that recent advantages of sequence analysis were developed in response to criticism of the original work, particularly optimal matching analysis. This debate arose over the past two decades and culminated in the 2000 exchange in Sociological Methods & Research. The debate triggered a "second wave" of sequence techniques that led to new technical implementations of old ideas in sequence analysis. The authors bring these new technical approaches together, demonstrate selected advances with synthetic example data, and show how they conceptually contribute to life course research. This article demonstrates that in less than a decade, the field has made much progress toward fulfilling the prediction that Andrew Abbott made in 2000, that "anybody who believes that pattern search techniques are not going to be basic to social sciences over the next 25 years is going to be very much surprised" (p. 75).
Complexity of Categorical Time Series
Authors: Elzinga Cees H.
Published: April 2010

Categorical time series, covering comparable time spans, are often quite different in a number of aspects: the number of distinct states, the number of transitions, and the distribution of durations over states. Each of these aspects contributes to an aggregate property of such series that is called complexity. Among sociologists and demographers, complexity is believed to systematically differ between groups as a result of social structure or social change. Such groups differ in, for example, age, gender, or status. The author proposes quantifications of complexity, based upon the number of distinct subsequences in combination with, in case of associated durations, the variance of these durations. A simple algorithm to compute these coefficients is provided and some of the statistical properties of the coefficients are investigated in an application to family formation histories of young American females.
Aging and Sexual Orientation: A 25-Year Review of the Literature
Authors: Fredriksen-Goldsen Karen I. , Muraco Anna
Published: April 2010

In a review of 58 articles published between 1984 and 2008, this article synthesizes the recent state of social research on older lesbian, gay male, and bisexual adults in order to summarize existing knowledge about these groups, to guide future research on aging, and to identify the substantive issues affecting their lives. Based on a life-course perspective, the primary research domains identified include the interplay of lives and historical times and linked and interdependent lives. After reviewing the literature in each of these areas, the article presents an examination of the strengths and limitations of the body of knowledge and an outline of a blueprint for future research.
Is the focus on health-related behaviours a new phenomenon?
Authors: Vallgårda Signild
Published: April 2010

In his article ‘Origins of the Problem of Health-related Behaviours: A Genealogical Study’, David Armstrong claims that the idea about ‘changeable behaviour is a relatively recent phenomenon’. In this paper it is argued that this conclusion is not valid. One concern is whether his sources sufficiently document the ideas. Another concern is whether David Armstrong overlooked the focus on health-promoting and health-damaging behaviours by including an insufficient number of words or terms in his search criteria. In this paper it is demonstrated that health-related behaviours have been a concern for doctors throughout history. It is not new as David Armstrong and proponents of the New Public Health claim.
Intravenous Levetiracetam In Children With Seizures: A Prospective Safety Study
Authors: Ng Yu-tze , Hastriter Eric V. , Cardenas Javier F. , Khoury Emily M. , Chapman Kevin E.
Published: April 2010

In 2006, intravenous levetiracetam received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures in adults with epilepsy, 16 years or older. We have established the safety, tolerability, and dosage of intravenous levetiracetam in children. This prospective study included 30 children (6 months to <15 years of age). Patients were administered a single dose of intravenous levetiracetam (50 mg/kg, maximal dose 2500 mg) over 15 minutes. A blood level of levetiracetam was performed 10 minutes after the infusion. The treated children’s average age was 6.3 years (range 0.5-14.8 years). The mean levetiracetam level was 83.3 µg/mL (range 47-128 µg/mL). There were no serious adverse reactions. Minor reactions included sleepiness, fatigue, and restlessness. An apparent decrease in seizure frequency across all seizure types was noted. The dose of 50 mg/kg was well tolerated by the patients and is a safe, appropriate loading dose.
Interdisciplinary Care for Feeding Problems in Children
Authors: Silverman Alan H.
Published: April 2010

Children with feeding disorders frequently present to primary care practitioners. The causes of these feeding disorders are often a mix of medical, developmental, and behavioral factors. Evaluation and treatment of feeding problems typically require the expertise of physicians, speech and language pathologists, registered dietitians, and psychologists. This article advocates an interdisciplinary, biobehavioral approach for the assessment and treatment of feeding disorders. First, prevalence and causes of feeding problems are discussed. Second, interdisciplinary assessment and treatment strategies are considered, including the specific roles of the interdisciplinary team members. Third, behavioral treatment strategies are described. Fourth, various treatment options are described.
In Search of the Cartesian Self
Authors: Young Garry , Whitty Monica T.
Published: April 2010

Cyberspace has been hailed by some as a medium through which users can experience themselves as disembodied, freed from the corporeal trappings of the “real” world. Literature proclaiming the merits of this disembodied ideal has often described the user’s existential state as a form of Cartesian disembodiment, but without (in our view) giving serious consideration to whether this label is warranted. This paper explores the extent to which alterations to the contingency relation said to exist by Descartes, between mind and body (or physical system), result in experiences of disembodiment that can legitimately be described as Cartesian. After examining various examples of altered contingency relations—from case study reports of pathological experiences of disembodiment to research evidence on online relating—we conclude that cyberspace does not constitute a suitable medium for the realization of the Cartesian self, even in users who intentionally seek to become disembodied. The more we try to disengage with the body, the more its importance is revealed to us.
Local Constructions of Singularities
Authors: Arkonaç Sibel A.
Published: April 2010

A researcher must constantly decide whether the discourses, acts, identities, and singularities in one locality operate differently or, in fact, are fundamentally different from those in other localities. For example, in daily Turkish conversations which syntactically give precedence to the action (unlike the ones which syntactically give precedence to the subject), participants display important differences in terms of subject positioning and its relation with meaning constructions of action in talk-in-interactions. In this paper, motivated by a recent article by Gülerce, I will discuss construction strategies of individuals’ singularity in Turkish talk-in-interactions in which participants have the choice of constructing singularity based on the meaning construction of the action in context. Singular positioning is not a necessary requirement for constructing an action in an utterance in Turkish conversations.
Reconsidering the Role of Interaction in Analyzing and Reporting Focus Groups
Authors: Morgan David L.
Published: April 2010

In the two sections of this article, I examine aspects of the analysis and reporting of interaction in focus groups. In both sections, I argue that the essential importance of interaction for producing the data in focus groups does not correspond to any requirement that the analysis or the reporting of that data should emphasize interaction. With regard to analyzing interaction, the goals of the research should guide the analysis of the data, and those goals might or might not emphasize interaction. In particular, a great deal of focus group research is conducted for substantive and practical purposes, where the analysis typically requires little attention to the dynamics of interaction in those groups. With regard to reporting interaction, quotations from single individuals can often be the most efficient and effectives ways to accomplish an article’s goals; however, I also discuss the kinds of situations where there are good reasons to report interaction among the participants. I conclude by briefly describing a different agenda for examining the importance of interaction in focus groups.
Childhood Educational Experiences of Women With Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Freeborn Donna , Mandleco Barbara
Published: April 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the childhood experiences of women with cerebral palsy (CP), from the perspectives of these women. Using the feminist biographical method, eight women with CP participated in two in-depth interviews. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 55 years and had moderate to severe athetoid or spastic CP. Four themes emerged: (a) academic experiences, (b) experiences with teachers, (c) experiences with peers, and (d) coping methods, with both positive and negative subthemes for each theme. Participants with positive academic experiences and positive interactions with teachers and peers were able to develop better ways of dealing with the negative experiences they encountered in education and attained higher levels of education. Participants who primarily had poorer educational experiences developed negative coping mechanisms that continued to affect their lives. Findings support ways in which school nurses can support the educational experiences of students with CP.
School-Located Vaccination Clinics: Then and Now
Authors: Mazyck Donna
Published: April 2010

School-located vaccination has a long history in the United States. The 2008 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for annual influenza vaccination of all children 6 months through 18 years of age adds approximately 30 million individuals to the overall cohort recommended to have a yearly vaccination. Th\e ability to administer this vast number of vaccinations may be beyond the capacity of primary care providers, leaving schools as an attractive venue for mass immunization clinics.
Integrating Family Nursing Into a Mental Health Urgent Care Practice Framework: Ladders for Learning
Authors: Leahey Maureen , Harper-Jaques Sandy
Published: April 2010

Integrating family nursing into a busy mental health urgent care setting is a challenge given the high acuity of patients and the demands of delivering service 7 days/week, 14 hours/day. In this article, the authors describe the development of a Mental Health Urgent Care Practice Framework that incorporates four elements: mental health/psychiatric assessment, physical health assessment, family nursing, and integrated behavioral health care. Sample family nursing skills and ladders for mental health urgent care practice are highlighted.The framework and ladders have implications for recruitment and hiring, orientation, peer mentoring, performance appraisals, and continuing education and supervision. A clinical vignette illustrates sample conceptual/ perceptual and executive skills used to apply the framework and ladders in practice. Family nursing is conceptualized as an integral component of nursing care provided to individual and families in this unique setting.
Strategies to Teach Family Assessment and Intervention Through an Online International Curriculum
Authors: Hoehn Anderson Kathryn , Friedemann Marie-Luise
Published: April 2010

A Web-based certificate program for international health professionals to acquire understanding of family health and strategies to implement culturally sensitive health care of families is outlined. In four Web courses and a project, students progress interactively to apply culture, family, and interdisciplinary health system theories to assessments and clinical interventions with families in the interdisciplinary setting. Four online educational strategies to facilitate student success from the virtual classroom to actual clinical care are described: adjusting to the technology, communicating the learning progress openly, giving mutual feedback, and implementing evidence-based family care. Outcomes addressing student learning and skill enhancement, family interaction, and student and faculty experiences in the virtual learning environment are explored. Overall, students learned to work successfully with families in health care, experienced increasing comfort and competency in challenging situations, introduced family care in their work setting, and emerged as leaders while working in interdisciplinary teams.
Can ICT give children with disabilities equal opportunities in school?
Authors: Brodin Jane
Published: April 2010

Opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in school on equal conditions as others are often stressed, while reality shows that many children with disabilities are still segregated. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been highlighted as a tool for communication and inclusion for children with disabilities but from research it appears that implementation of technology in children’s everyday life (e.g. in school) is difficult. The positive expectations of ICT are thus not met. This article is based on a study aimed at ascertaining whether ICT can promote inclusion of children with motor disabilities and contribute to equal opportunities in school. Focus was on parents’ views. The study was based on a questionnaire with 16 parents and interviews with the children. In this article the results of the parental questionnaire and one of the interviews with a 15-year-old pupil, Adam, is reported. Two schools where ICT and computers were used as pedagogical tools to promote inclusion were involved. Both schools had and still have the intention to be considered a school for all children. One conclusion is that there is a need for both technical and social support in school if ICT should function as a bridge for inclusion of all pupils.
Copying GP letters to patients: A comprehensive study across four different departments in a district general hospital
Authors: Lepping Peter , Paravastu Sharath C. V. , Turner Jim , Billings Peter , Minchom Philip
Published: April 2010

Communication with patients is vital in their management, and the NHS plan to copy clinic letters to patients was published in 2004. This study aims to determine whether patients are satisfied with their current communication or prefer alternative modes, overall and between different specialty clinics. A questionnaire was given to outpatients attending clinics in November to December 2006. A total of 483 patients returned the questionnaire, giving a 95 per cent response rate. Overall, 85 per cent of patients were satisfied with the current method of communication, and a significant number did want a copy of GP letters. Trend analysis suggests that, as the number of clinic visits increased, requests for copies of letters decreased ( p = 0.02). Paediatric and psychiatric patients were more likely to want letters than medical and surgical patients ( p = 0.003). Thus communication needs may differ between departments. Opt-in letter copy systems seem preferable.
Can thinking about justice in health help us in thinking about justice in education?
Authors: Weinstock Daniel M.
Published: April 2010

In thinking about how a just state should assess and respond to inequalities in the distribution of particular goods, such as health and education, attention should be paid, first, to the causes of inequality with respect to these goods, and second, to the question of whether it is possible, and, if possible, morally appropriate, to enact policy aiming to counteract these causes. I argue that similar kinds of causes lead to inequalities in health and in education, but that features specific to the area of education make the case for state action aiming to achieve equality if anything more stringent in education than it is in the area of health.
The Influence of Three Emergent Literacy Skills on the Invented Spellings of 4-Year-Olds
Authors: Niessen Nicole L. , Strattman Kathy , Scudder Rosalind
Published: April 2010

This study of 40 4-year-olds investigated whether tests of phonological sensitivity, print awareness, or word awareness accounted for a significant amount of variability in preschool children’s invented spellings. Subtest results from the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening—PreKindergarten and two measures of individual word awareness were correlated with single word spelling. Results indicated that word awareness accounted for the greatest amount of variance. Print awareness also contributed to a significant amount of variance; however, phonological sensitivity did not. The majority of the children wrote at least one correct single letter or one phonemically similar letter, performing at the literate or prephonetic level. Although continued research is needed, attention to word awareness in emergent writing and spelling is important for sufficient understanding of preschool children’s literacy development.
Gallous stories or dirty deeds? Representing parricide in J.M. Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World
Authors: Beirne Piers , O'Donnell Ian
Published: April 2010

The most famous play in the history of Irish theater, J.M. Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World has been oddly neglected in sociology and criminology. This article examines the provenance of the violence around which Playboy’s dizzying text swirls, namely, a tragicomic parricide seemingly twice committed. In particular, we ask: is the text plausible? Though Synge’s authorial intentions are not open to complete reclamation, we explore first, his self-stated reliance on the actual cases of William Maley and James Lynchehaun and, second, whether the representation(s) of parricide in Playboy more or less accurately reflected the presence and character of parricide at the time the controversial play was being imagined and first performed in 1907. The culture wars and associated media frenzy over the play provide an ever-looming backcloth against which to interpret the meanings of intergenerational violence in a colonial society lurching towards national self-determination.
The Portrait as Leader: Commissioned Portraits and the Power of Tradition
Authors: Griffey Erin , Jackson Brad
Published: April 2010

This article examines the functions that commissioned portraits of leaders play in re-presenting the appearance of a particular leader, the office that he or she occupied as well as broader notions of idealized leadership at a particular point in time and place. We argue that one can usefully think of a portrait functioning as a virtual leader in terms of its latent and enduring influence upon followers. It is able to fulfil this function in large part because of its hybrid nature that brings together in material form various agents, institutions, interests and norms. To support these two arguments we examine the origins and conventions of commissioned portraits and show how their leadership functions have surprisingly endured. Using techniques drawn from art history, we analyse several portraits featuring historic New Zealand leaders that were included in an exhibition we mounte dentitled The Power of Portraiture. It is our contention that such official portraits, by virtue of their context in institutions and their role in commemorating a particular office, are powerful exemplars of ideal leadership to followers. This is accomplished by the repetition of historical visual conventions of representing leadership, and not in promoting a singular, heroic individual, an approach that would undermine the power of the institution.
Factor V Leiden mutation enhances fibrin formation and dissolution in vivo in a human endotoxemia model
Authors: Elmas Elif , Suvajac Nenad , Jilma Bernd , Weiler Hartmut , Borggrefe Martin , Dempfle Carl-Erik
Published: April 2010

Disseminated intravascular coagulation in sepsis is associated with microvascular thrombosis and organ dysfunction. It was expected that prothrombotic disposition such as factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation would worsen clinical outcome. Astonishingly, clinical trial and animal experimental data indicate that FVL can be associated with improved survival. This study investigated the effect of FVL on the response to endotoxin of the coagulation and fibrinolytic system in humans. Fourteen healthy male subjects without FVL and 15 healthy males with heterozygous FVL received an intravenous bolus dose of endotoxin, 2 ng/kg of body weight. Blood samples were drawn before and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours after administration of the endotoxin. Injection of endotoxin led to a more pronounced increase in soluble fibrin in patients with FVL than in controls. Patients with FVL displayed a more sustained increase in plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex after 4, 6, and 24 hours. Patients with FVL mutation also displayed higher levels of D-dimer and fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products in plasma after 24 hours. Patients with FVL generate higher levels of soluble fibrin, which may serve as cofactor in tissue plasminogen activator–induced plasminogen activation, leading to a more sustained activation of fibrinolysis with production of more fibrinogen- and fibrin-degradation products.
Novel mutations in the inhibitory adaptor protein LNK drive JAK-STAT signaling in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Oh Stephen T. , Simonds Erin F. , Jones Carol , Hale Matthew B. , Goltsev Yury , Gibbs Kenneth D. , Merker Jason D. , Zehnder James L. , Nolan Garry P. , Gotlib Jason
Published: April 2010

Dysregulated Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling due to activation of tyrosine kinases is a common feature of myeloid malignancies. Here we report the first human disease-related mutations in the adaptor protein LNK, a negative regulator of JAK-STAT signaling, in 2 patients with JAK2 V617F–negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). One patient exhibited a 5 base-pair deletion and missense mutation leading to a premature stop codon and loss of the pleckstrin homology (PH) and Src homology 2 (SH2) domains. A second patient had a missense mutation (E208Q) in the PH domain. BaF3-MPL cells transduced with these LNK mutants displayed augmented and sustained thrombopoietin-dependent growth and signaling. Primary samples from MPN patients bearing LNK mutations exhibited aberrant JAK-STAT activation, and cytokine-responsive CD34+ early progenitors were abnormally abundant in both patients. These findings indicate that JAK-STAT activation due to loss of LNK negative feedback regulation is a novel mechanism of MPN pathogenesis.
Small RNA expression and strain specificity in the rat
Authors: Linsen Sam EV , de Wit Elzo , de Bruijn Ewart , Cuppen Edwin
Published: April 2010

Background

Digital gene expression (DGE) profiling has become an established tool to study RNA expression. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of small RNA DGE profiles from two different rat strains (BN-Lx and SHR) from six different rat tissues (spleen, liver, brain, testis, heart, kidney). We describe the expression patterns of known and novel micro (mi)RNAs andpiwi-interacting (pi)RNAs.

Results

We confirmed the expression of 588 known miRNAs (54 in antisense orientation) and identified 56 miRNAs homologous to known human or mouse miRNAs, as well as 45 new rat miRNAs. Furthermore, we confirmed specific A to I editing in brain formir-376a/b/cand identifiedmir-377as a novel editing target. In accordance with earlier findings, we observed a highly tissue-specific expression pattern for all tissues analyzed. The brain was found to express the highest number of tissue-specific miRNAs, followed by testis. Notably, our experiments also revealed robust strain-specific differential miRNA expression in the liver that is caused by genetic variation between the strains. Finally, we identified two types of germline-specific piRNAs in testis, mapping either to transposons or in strand-specific clusters.

Conclusions

Taken together, the small RNA compendium described here advances the annotation of small RNAs in the rat genome. Strain and tissue-specific expression patterns furthermore provide a strong basis for studying the role of small RNAs in regulatory networks as well as biological process like physiology and neurobiology that are extensively studied in this model system.