bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiological diagnostic work‐up in stroke patients – a comprehensive study of test results and therapeutic implications
Authors: Schaer B. , Sticherling C. , Lyrer P. , Osswald S.
Published: December 2008

Background and purpose:  In some Western countries, many stroke patients undergo routine tests including ECG, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound and Holter monitoring, even though they have been shown to express limited value in unselected patients. Comprehensive data on yield of tests, especially on consequences taken from positive test results, are scanty.

Methods:  Consecutive stroke patients with evidence of ischaemic lesions by imaging techniques were included. Aetiology was determined using TOAST‐classifications. Rates of positive test results and their impact on drug therapy, especially anticoagulation were evaluated.

Results:  Two hundred and forty‐one consecutive patients, age 69 ± 13 years were included. Positive test results were documented in 19% with 12‐lead ECG, 24% with carotid ultrasound, 24% with echocardiography and never with Holter monitoring. Overall, in 41% positive test results were present. Apart from echocardiography (37%), a change of therapy resulted in 51–56% of patients with a positive test result.

Conclusions:  Even though 12‐lead ECG, carotid ultrasound and echocardiography only had relatively low incidences of positive findings, their impact on management in case of positive test results was quite high. Nevertheless, future studies to select patients more appropriately are needed. In contrast, Holter monitoring had no impact and should not be used in routine evaluation of stroke patients.
From Annankatu to Antinkatu: Contracts, Development Rights and Partnerships in Kamppi, Helsinki
Authors: HAILA ANNE
Published: December 2008

Mega‐projects are usually analyzed as state‐led public–private partnerships and iconic architecture aiming at branding the city and attracting tourists and global investors. This article adopts a different approach, analyzing the construction of Helsinki's Kamppi mega‐project in terms of the politics of property as a process of creating and distributing rights –– property rights, development rights and use rights. Although the Kamppi project did not follow ordinary planning regulations, this did not mean that there was no regulation; on the contrary, there was more than usual, but through contracts rather than planning. Regulation through contracts denied citizens any voice and negated the celebrated provision for participation in Finland's reformed planning legislation. The Kamppi contracts also show that property rights are negotiated, alienated, compensated, struggled over and constructed. Citizens protested against the demolition of historic buildings, but overlooked the series of Kamppi contracts, which limited their rights and introduced a whole new system in which use rights are connected to ownership. Finally, the long duration of the Kamppi project meant that many people also overlooked the privatization of formerly public space.

En général, les mégaprojets sont analysés en tant que partenariats public‐privéà l’initiative de l’État ou en tant qu’icône architecturale pour identifier la ville et attirer touristes et investisseurs internationaux. L’approche de cet article est différente: elle analyse le mégaprojet de construction de Kamppi, à Helsinki, dans le cadre de la politique de la propriété considérée comme processus de création et de distribution de droits (de propriété, d’aménagement et d’usage). Même si le projet de Kamppi n’a pas suivi les règlements d’urbanisme normaux, on ne peut pas dire qu’il se soit fait sans réglementation. Au contraire, celle‐ci a été plus présente que d’ordinaire, mais au moyen d’accords contractuels. Cette forme de régulation, qui a privé les habitants de leur capacité d’expression, a annihilé la fameuse disposition participative apportée par la réforme législative finlandaise sur l’urbanisme. Les contrats liés à Kamppi montrent également que les droits de propriété sont négociés, transférés, indemnisés, disputés et interprétés. Les citoyens ont protesté contre la démolition de bâtiments historiques, mais ont omis la série de contrats sur Kamppi, ce qui a restreint leurs droits et instauré tout un nouveau système dans lequel les droits d’usage sont liés à la propriété. Pour finir, à cause de la durée prolongée du projet, bien des gens n’ont pas non plus remarqué la privatisation d’espaces autrefois publics.
The Politics of Urban Waterfront Regeneration: The Case of Haliç (the Golden Horn), Istanbul
Authors: BEZMEZ DIKMEN
Published: December 2008

This article analyzes the efforts to regenerate Istanbul's urban waterfront area of Haliç (the Golden Horn), since the mid‐1980s, from the perspective of the actors involved and their power dynamics. It uses as examples three projects: the Fener‐Balat neighborhood rehabilitation, Feshane Cultural Center, and Rahmi M. Koç Museum initiatives. It argues that the case of Haliç cannot be understood through concepts such as the public‐private partnerships, intense processes of urban entrepreneurialism, gentrification etc., which have often explained the experience of the North American and Western European city. Instead, this process has been shaped by a top‐down initiative on the part of public sector actors initially, and a lack of private sector involvement, ambivalent public sector actors and reluctant local communities subsequently. One needs to highlight the particularities of the institutional arrangements and urban politics at the district, city and national levels in order to explain the case of Haliç. These concern low amounts of self‐generated revenue in district and metropolitan municipalities, the specificities to be found in the local community–municipality relations in Istanbul, the presence of a relatively weak private sector in Turkey and, finally, the unfavorable market position of Haliç more generally and the projects in question more specifically.

Les efforts de régénération du front de mer d'Istanbul entrepris dans sa partie urbaine de Haliç (la Corne d'Or) depuis le milieu des années 1980 sont analysés du point de vue des acteurs impliqués et de leurs dynamiques de pouvoir. Ce travail s'appuie sur trois projets: la réhabilitation du quartier de Fener‐Balat, ainsi que les initiatives du Centre culturel Feshane et du Musée Rahmi M. Koç. Apparemment, le cas de Haliç ne peut être appréhendé dans le cadre de concepts tels que les partenariats public‐privé, les approches d'urbanisme de type entrepreneurial, la gentrification, etc., lesquels ont souvent expliqué l'expérience de la ville nord‐américaine ou ouest‐européenne. Au contraire, le processus est marqué, au départ, par une démarche directive de la part d'acteurs du secteur public, puis par une absence d'implication du secteur privé, par des acteurs indécis du secteur public et par des communautés locales réticentes. Pour expliquer le cas de Haliç, il faut souligner les particularités des dispositifs institutionnels et de la politique urbaine au niveau de l'arrondissement, de la ville et du pays. Celles‐ci concernent le faible niveau des recettes auto‐générées dans les municipalités d'arrondissement ou de la métropole, les spécificités propres aux relations entre municipalité et communauté locale à Istanbul, la présence d'un secteur privé relativement effacé en Turquie et, pour finir, la position défavorable sur le marché propre à Haliç de manière générale, et aux projets en question plus spécifiquement.
Writing the Lines of Connection: Unveiling the Strange Language of Urbanization
Authors: BOUCHER NATHALIE , CAVALCANTI MARIANA , KIPFER STEFAN , PIETERSE EDGAR , RAO VYJAYANTHI , SMITH NASRA
Published: December 2008

Across urban studies there is an increasing preoccupation with the forms of articulation that link a multiplicity of cities across a region often known as the ‘Global South’. How do cities such as Jakarta, São Paolo, Dakar, Lagos, Mumbai, Hanoi, Beirut, Dubai, Karachi, for example, take note of each other and engage in various transactions with each other in ways that are only weakly mediated by the currently predominant notions of urbanism? What might be the lines of connection and how do different cities recognize and experience the textures of their different histories and characters? Six urbanists are assembled here to write in conversation with each other as a way to embody possible collaborative lines of inquiring about these issues.

Dans la recherche urbaine, se dessine une préoccupation croissante pour les formes d'articulation qui relient une multiplicité de grandes villes dans une région souvent identifiée comme ‘les pays du Sud’. Comment des villes comme Jakarta, São Paolo, Dakar, Lagos, Mumbai, Hanoï, Beyrouth, Dubaï, Karachi, s'intéressent‐elles les unes aux autres et se livrent‐elles à des transactions mutuelles selon des modalités qui ne passent que très rarement par les grandes notions actuelles d'urbanisme? Quelles pourraient être les voies de raccordement et de quelle manière des villes différentes reconnaissent‐elles et appliquent‐elles les contextures diverses nées de leur histoire et de leurs caractères? Six urbanistes se sont réunis pour rendre compte de leur discussion commune de manière à concrétiser des axes possibles d'études en collaboration concernant ces questions.
Lone mothers, workfare and precarious employment: Time for a Canadian Basic Income?
Authors: Evans Patricia M.
Published: December 2008

Abstract  The growth of precarious employment poses significant challenges to current social assistance income support policies yet it remains largely neglected in policy‐making arenas. Drawing upon qualitative data from a study in Ontario, Canada, this paper examines the particular implications of these challenges for lone mothers, who figure prominently both in non‐standard employment and as targets for workfare policies. In the context of changing labour markets, the article considers the potential strengths and limitations of Basic Income approaches to achieving economic security for lone mothers.
Treatment of basal cell carcinomas in patients with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome
Authors: Van Der Geer S , Ostertag JU , Krekels GAM
Published: December 2008

Background  Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is characterized by the development of multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). A major problem for these patients is the enormous amount of BCCs which can invade in the deep underlying structures, especially in the face. Different treatment modalities are used in these patients; surgical excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, ablative laser therapy and topical 5% imiquimod. There is no evidence based advice how to treat a NBCCS patient.

Objective  To give a review of the literature about the possible treatment modalities for the multiple BCCs in NBCCS patients.

Results  Literature consists mainly of case reports; no evidence based advice how to treat a NBCCS patient exists. Multiple treatments are available (surgical and non‐surgical), and a lot of them can be combined. Treatment in a megasession is an option to diminish the medical and social inconvenience for the patient.

Conflicts of interest

None declared
Evaluation of a sandplay program for preschoolers in a multiethnic neighborhood
Authors: Rousseau Cécile , Benoit Maryse , Lacroix Louise , Gauthier Marie‐France
Published: December 2008

Background: This evaluative study assesses the efficacy of a school‐based secondary prevention program consisting of creative expression workshops for immigrant and refugee preschoolers in a predominantly South Asian multiethnic neighborhood. Coincidentally, the program began in the wake of the tsunami.

Method: Pretest and posttest data were collected from the parents and teachers of 105 preschoolers in 10 classes randomly assigned to an experimental or control status. The parents’ and teachers’ versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were used to assess the children’s mental health. The family’s ethnic origins and premigration experiences of organized violence were considered in the analysis.

Results: According to both the teachers’ and parents’ reports, the children in the experimental group benefited moderately from the program, which appeared to reduce the SDQ global score of children whose families had experienced violence in their homelands (t(21) = 3.83,p = .001 (MT1 = 12.81,MT2 = 9.59)), in particular those from South Asia.

Conclusion: This study provides some evidence that immigrant preschoolers whose families have experienced adversity before migration can benefit from the creative expression workshops. Further studies are needed to determine if this program can help address the effects of mass media exposure to a disaster or traumatic event on vulnerable communities.
Perspectives on oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and psychopathic features
Authors: Loeber Rolf , Burke Jeffrey , Pardini Dustin A.
Published: December 2008

This paper presents a few perspectives on oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), and early forms of psychopathy. The developmental changes and stability of each, and the interrelationship between the three conditions are reviewed, and correlates and predictors are highlighted. The paper also examines effective interventions for each of the three conditions and makes recommendations for future research.
Statins decrease dendritic arborization in rat sympathetic neurons by blocking RhoA activation
Authors: Kim Woo‐Yang , Gonsiorek Eugene A. , Barnhart Chris , Davare Monika A. , Engebose Abby J. , Lauridsen Holly , Bruun Donald , Lesiak Adam , Wayman Gary , Bucelli Robert , Higgins Dennis , Lein Pamela J.
Published: December 2008

Clinical and experimental evidence suggest that statins decrease sympathetic activity, but whether peripheral mechanisms involving direct actions on post‐ganglionic sympathetic neurons contribute to this effect is not known. Because tonic activity of these neurons is directly correlated with the size of their dendritic arbor, we tested the hypothesis that statins decrease dendritic arborization in sympathetic neurons. Oral administration of atorvastatin (20 mg/kg/day for 7 days) significantly reduced dendritic arborizationin vivoin sympathetic ganglia of adult male rats. In cultured sympathetic neurons, statins caused dendrite retraction and reversibly blocked bone morphogenetic protein‐induced dendritic growth without altering cell survival or axonal growth. Supplementation with mevalonate or isoprenoids, but not cholesterol, attenuated the inhibitory effects of statins on dendritic growth, whereas specific inhibition of isoprenoid synthesis mimicked these statin effects. Statins blocked RhoA translocation to the membrane, an event that requires isoprenylation, and constitutively active RhoA reversed statin effects on dendrites. These observations that statins decrease dendritic arborization in sympathetic neurons by blocking RhoA activation suggest a novel mechanism by which statins decrease sympathetic activity and protect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Effects of HNE‐modification induced by Aβ on neprilysin expression and activity in SH‐SY5Y cells
Authors: Wang Rui , Wang Suqing , Malter James S. , Wang Deng‐Shun
Published: December 2008

The cerebral accumulation of β‐amyloid (Aβ) is a consistent feature of and likely contributor to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to dysregulated production, increasing experimental evidence suggests reduced catabolism also plays an important role in Aβ accumulation. We have previously shown that neprilysin (NEP), the major protease which cleaves Aβin vivo, is modified by 4‐hydroxy‐nonenal (HNE) adducts in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease patients. To determine if these changes affected Aβ, SH‐SY5Y cells were treated with HNE or Aβ, and then NEP mRNA, protein levels, HNE adducted NEP, NEP activity and secreted Aβ levels were determined. Intracellular NEP developed HNE adducts after 24 h of HNE treatment as determined by immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, and double immunofluorescence staining. HNE‐modified NEP showed decreased catalytic activity, which was associated with elevations in Aβ1–40 in SH‐SY5Y and H4 APP695wt cells. Incubation of cells with Aβ1–42 also induced HNE adduction of NEP. In an apparent compensatory response, Aβ‐treated cells showed increased NEP mRNA and protein expression. Despite elevations in NEP protein, the activity was significantly lower compared with the NEP protein level. This study demonstrates that NEP can be inactivated by HNE‐adduction, which is associated with, at least partly, reduced Aβ cleavage and enhanced Aβ accumulation.
Mutant copper‐zinc superoxide dismutase associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis binds to adenine/uridine‐rich stability elements in the vascular endothelial growth factor 3′‐untranslated region
Authors: Li Xuelin , Lu Liang , Bush Donald J. , Zhang Xiaowen , Zheng Lei , Suswam Esther A. , King Peter H.
Published: December 2008

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a neurotrophic factor essential for maintenance of motor neurons. Loss of this factor produces a phenotype similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We recently showed that ALS‐producing mutations of Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SOD1) disrupt post‐transcriptional regulation of VEGF mRNA, leading to significant loss of expression [Lu et al., J. Neurosci.27 (2007), 7929]. Mutant SOD1 was present in the ribonucleoprotein complex associated with adenine/uridine‐rich elements (ARE) of the VEGF 3′‐untranslated region (UTR). Here, we show by electrophoretic mobility shift assay that mutant SOD1 bound directly to the VEGF 3′‐UTR with a predilection for AREs similar to the RNA stabilizer HuR. SOD1 mutants A4V and G37R showed higher affinity for the ARE than L38V or G93A. Wild‐type SOD1 bound very weakly with an apparent Kd 11‐ to 72‐fold higher than mutant forms. Mutant SOD1 showed an additional lower shift with VEGF ARE that was accentuated in the metal‐free state. A similar pattern of binding was observed with AREs of tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐8, except only a single shift predominated. Using an ELISA‐based assay, we demonstrated that mutant SOD1 competes with HuR and neuronal HuC for VEGF 3′‐UTR binding. To define potential RNA‐binding domains, we truncated G37R, G93A and wild‐type SOD1 and found that peptides from the N‐terminal portion of the protein that included amino acids 32–49 could recapitulate the binding pattern of full‐length protein. Thus, the strong RNA‐binding affinity conferred by ALS‐associated mutations of SOD1 may contribute to the post‐transcriptional dysregulation of VEGF mRNA.
Early abortion as narrated by young Swedish women
Authors: Halldén Britt‐Marie , Christensson Kyllike , Olsson Pia
Published: December 2008

Aim: The aim of the study was to illuminate meanings of having had an induced abortion among young Swedish women.

Methods: Narrative interviews were conducted with ten 18–20‐year‐old women 2–6 weeks after a medical or surgical abortion in the sixth to twelfth week of pregnancy. Data were analysed according to a phenomenological hermeneutic method.

Results: The study disclosed a multitude of complex meanings in the young women’s lived experiences of induced abortion. Four themes were revealed: having cared for and protected the unimagined pregnancy, taking the life of my child‐to‐be with pain, being sensitive to the approval of others and imagining the taken away child‐to‐be. The results are discussed in light of Nussbaum’s theory of development ethics. The young women’s ability to be responsible for their choices regarding their own welfare and others’ well‐being in a life cycle perspective was disclosed, despite the pain inherent in the responsibility of taking the life of their own child‐to‐be.

Conclusions: The young women’s narratives were replete with ethical reasoning regarding existential matters related to their responsibility of choosing between induced abortion and parenthood and how to live their lives with this experience. Health‐care professionals could promote young women’s capability to be responsible, as well as the development of trust in their own fertility and constructive relationships with significant others. In the development of the prevention of unintended pregnancies and the sexual education of young people in Sweden existential dimensions of undergoing an abortion should be given attention.
Does moral judgement improve in occupational therapy and physiotherapy students over the course of their pre‐licensure training?
Authors: Geddes E. Lynne , Salvatori Penny , Eva Kevin W.
Published: December 2008

Healthcare professionals often encounter moral dilemmas in clinical practice that require increased responsibility and accountability for ethical decision‐making. This paper reports the results of a 6‐year longitudinal study that explored changes in moral judgement of five consecutive cohorts of occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) students over the course of their professional training. The training programme included an ethics education component. The Defining Issues Test (DIT) developed at the University of Minnesota was used to measure moral judgement. A total of 548 students participated in the study. At entry into their professional training, the DIT scores of the OT and PT students were similar but higher overall than the norms established for college level students or for graduates from professional programmes in the DIT standardization sample. At the time of graduation, results showed no significant differences in moral judgement scores between males and females, their chosen programme of study (OT or PT), year of entry, or previous education. Comparing entry scores to exit scores from both programmes for 288 students who provided data at both times, we found that moral judgement scores increased significantly in both OT and PT students over the 2‐year programme of study. No differences were found in scores across gender, programme, year of entry, or previous education. Implications are discussed for including a formal ethics education component in the curricula of all health professional training programmes. Recommendations for future research are outlined.
Knowledge translation in interprofessional education: what difference does interprofessional education make to practice?
Authors: Mann Karen , Sargeant Joan , Hill Tanya
Published: December 2008

Cancer Care Nova Scotia developed an Interprofessional Core Curriculum for Nova Scotia health professionals, using a provincial educational needs assessment of health professionals caring for patients with cancer. This paper reports on the educational outcomes of the Interprofessional Core Curriculum programme, particularly the translation of learning into changes in practice and interprofessional interaction, and factors influencing change. The evaluation was guided by Kirkpatrick's model for assessing educational outcomes and Green and Kreuter's PRECEDE model of factors promoting and impeding change. In total, 411 participants attended the sessions, including nurses (54%), pharmacists (23%), and physicians (11%). We used self‐report questionnaires to assess the transfer of learning into changes in practice and interprofessional interactions. High percentages of participants reported changes in both clinical practice and interprofessional interactions 3 months after the sessions. Frequently reported changes to interprofessional interactions were improved communication, increased confidence and assertiveness in interactions with other health professionals and being more respectful of other professions. Participants identified time and work‐load as major barriers to change as well as lack of micro‐ and macro‐system level support. The most common reported enabler of change was having attended the educational session. Overall, participants were highly supportive of interprofessional education, although when compared to nurses and pharmacists, physicians were less supportive and had proportionately lower attendance.
Analysts' Incentives and Street Earnings
Authors: BAIK BOK , FARBER DAVID B. , PETRONI KATHY
Published: December 2008

We examine whether analysts' incentives are associated with street earnings. Because prior research argues that analysts' incentives to promote stocks increase in the extent to which the stock exhibits glamour characteristics, we predict that analysts are more likely to make income‐increasing adjustments in determining street earnings for glamour stocks than for value stocks. We find that analysts are more likely to exclude expense items from street earnings for glamour stocks than for value stocks and that excluded expense items help predict future earnings for glamour stocks but not for value stocks. Overall, our results suggest that analysts' self‐interest influences street earnings and this self‐interest leads to street earnings that are less useful in predicting future earnings for glamour stocks.
Guadalupan Devotion in Mexico: A Historiographical Consideration
Authors: Hall Linda
Published: December 2008

The scholarly attention to devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico has shifted, from the 1970s on, from struggles over whether or not she actually appeared in 1531 to discussions of the nature of that devotion in two ways in which it has taken on personal, religious, and national significance: that is, the ways in which individuals and Mexican society have reacted and interacted with this most important figure.
Quality‐initiated prophylactic antibiotic use in laparoscopic‐assisted vaginal hysterectomy
Authors: CHANG Wei‐Chun , LEE Meng‐Chih , YEH Lian‐Shung , HUNG Yao‐Ching , LIN Cheng‐Chieh , LIN Long‐Yau
Published: December 2008

Background:An evidence‐based initiation of quality improvement activity for reducing the usage of prophylactic antibiotic in laparoscopic‐assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) in a tertiary hospital.

Aims:The authors investigated whether single or multiple doses of cefazoline were more cost‐effective in preventing postoperative infection associated with LAVH.

Methods:The study groups comprised of 310 patients who had undergone LAVH continuously in a medical centre. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of whether they received a single dose or multiple doses (range: two to four doses) of cefazoline during the perioperative period. Postoperative infections such as pelvic cellulitis or abscess, vaginal cuff abscess, wound infection and urinary tract infection that occurred either during hospitalisation or within one month after discharge were observed and recorded. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated using the mean direct drug cost and the prophylactic effect of infection in both groups.

Results:The prophylactic effect of infection was similar in the single‐dose group and the multiple‐dose group (94.6% vs 93.9%,P = 0.986). The ICER was significantly lower in the single‐dose group (153.3 vs 460.4,P < 0.001).

Conclusions:The result revealed that a single dose of cefazoline is more cost‐effective than multiple doses in the prevention of infection associated with LAVH. It fulfils the goal of cost minimisation and quality of care in today's environment of medical cost containment.
Transplacental haemorrhage may explain the intrapartum transmission of HIV. A pilot study uses flow cytometry to quantify maternal red blood cells in infants born vaginally or by caesarean section
Authors: DE VRIES Bradley Stephen , COSSART Yvonne E. , MURRAY Henry , PEEK Michael John
Published: December 2008

Intrapartum transmission is epidemiologically important for some viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B virus, but its precise mechanism is unknown. We hypothesised that the ability of elective caesarean section to prevent HIV may be due to prevention of transplacental microtransfusions of blood during labour. Their frequency is not known so we performed a pilot study which showed evidence of transplacental transfusion from mother to fetus in one of ten mother–infant pairs delivering vaginally and none of ten delivering by elective caesarean section. We conclude that transplacental transfusion occurs and is one possible mechanism for the intrapartum transmission of viruses from mother to baby.
Monozygotic triplets after single blastocyst transfer: Case report and literature review
Authors: LEE Su‐Faye , CHAPMAN Michael , BOWYER Lucy
Published: December 2008

A 28‐year‐old woman undertaking in vitro fertilisation had a single day five blastocyst transferred, resulting in a monozygotic triplet pregnancy. This case report illustrates the potential for multiple pregnancies even after transfer of a single embryo. A literature review regarding monozygotic triplets following use of assisted reproductive techniques reveals that an unexpectedly large proportion of these cases are associated with blastocyst transfer.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's health: Acting now for a healthy future
Authors: BOYLE Jacqueline , RUMBOLD Alice R. , CLARKE Marilyn , HUGHES Chris , KANE Simon
Published: December 2008

This paper summarises the recent RANZCOG Indigenous Women's Health Meeting with recommendations on how the College and its membership can act now to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and infants.
Spatial pattern of Abies and Picea surface pollen distribution along the elevation gradient in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and Xinjiang, China
Authors: LU HOUYUAN , WU NAIQIN , YANG XIANGDONG , SHEN CAIMING , ZHU LIPING , WANG LUO , LI QUAN , XU DEKE , TONG GUOBANG , SUN XIANGJUN
Published: December 2008

In this study we examine the relationships between Abies and Picea abundance in surface pollen and sub‐alpine coniferous forest (SCF) distribution, elevation and climate in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau using a large modern pollen data set consisting of 857 samples. Results indicate that Abies and Picea pollen are abundant in the southern and eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, where SCF dominates the landscape. Pollen percentages of both Abies and Picea show a unimodal pattern with changes in elevation and climate, and their optima occur at elevations from 2500 to 4000 m a.s.l., mean annual temperature from −1 to 10 °C and mean annual precipitation from 450 to 850 mm. The optimal elevation of Abies and Picea pollen distribution decreases with latitude from c. 4000 m in the south (21–32°N) to c. 2500 m in the north (43–49°N). The spatial pattern of Abies and Picea pollen abundance is highly correlated with the modern distribution of these taxa, which is largely controlled by elevation and climate. These relationships could provide a practical reference for interpretation of fossil pollen data in terms of climate and elevation in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.
Response of the Rhine–Meuse fluvial system to Saalian ice‐sheet dynamics
Authors: BUSSCHERS FREEK S. , VAN BALEN RONALD T. , COHEN KIM M. , KASSE CEES , WEERTS HENK J. T. , WALLINGA JAKOB , BUNNIK FRANS P. M.
Published: December 2008

A new reconstruction of the interaction between the Saalian Drente glaciation ice margin and the Rhine–Meuse fluvial system is presented based on a sedimentary analysis of continuous core material, archived data and a section in an ice‐pushed ridge. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) was applied to obtain independent age control on these sediments and to establish a first absolute chronology for palaeogeographical events prior to and during the glaciation. We identified several Rhine and Meuse river courses that were active before the Drente glaciation (MIS 11‐7). The Drente glaciation ice advance into The Netherlands (OSL‐dated to fall within MIS 6) led to major re‐arrangement of this drainage network. The invading ice sheet overrode existing fluvial morphology and forced the Rhine–Meuse system into a proglacial position. During deglaciation, the Rhine shifted into a basin in the formerly glaciated area, while the Meuse remained south of the former ice limit, a configuration that persisted throughout most of the Eemian and Weichselian periods. An enigmatic high position of proglacial fluvial units and their subsequent dissection during deglaciation by the Meuse may partially be explained by glacio‐isostatic rebound of the area, but primarily reflects a phase of high base level related to a temporary proglacial lake in the southern North Sea area, with lake levels approximating modern sea levels. Our reconstruction indicates that full ‘opening’ of the Dover Strait and lowering of the Southern Bight, enabling interglacial marine exchange between the English Channel and the North Sea, is to be attributed to events during the end of MIS 6.
Using Nursing Perspectives to Inform Public Health Nursing Workforce Development
Authors: Swearingen Connie Diaz
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Recent national and regional public health workforce development efforts have been conducted through a framework of public health services research. Public health nurses (PHNs) are the single largest professional group in the formal public health system, and thus have the greatest potential for positively impacting our community health systems. Effective public health workforce development is contingent on examination of how PHNs themselves make meaning of their practice. This paper suggests that a nursing perspective should be used from which to conduct research surrounding PHN practice. Literature describing PHN practice and recent workforce assessment efforts are reviewed. Assumptions are identified regarding the nature of nursing knowledge, and a theoretical perspective for inquiry about PHN praxis is developed. Finally, a model is offered to illustrate the reciprocal influence of nursing science and public health nursing practice.
Proteomic Analysis Demonstrates Adolescent Vulnerability to Lasting Hippocampal Changes Following Chronic Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Hargreaves Garth A. , Quinn Heidi , Kashem Mohammed A. , Matsumoto Izuru , McGregor Iain S.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Excessive teenage alcohol consumption is of great concern because alcohol may adversely alter the developmental trajectory of the brain. The aim of the present study was to assess whether chronic intermittent alcohol intake during the adolescent period alters hippocampal protein expression to a greater extent than during adulthood.

Methods:  Adolescent [postnatal day (PND) 27] and adult (PND 55) male Wistar rats were given 8 hours daily access to beer (4.44% ethanol v/v) in addition to ad libitum food and water for 4 weeks. From a large subject pool, subgroups of adolescent and adult rats were selected that displayed equivalent alcohol intake (average of 6.1 g/kg/day ethanol). The 4 weeks of alcohol access were followed by a 2‐week alcohol‐free washout period after which the hippocampus was analyzed using 2‐DE proteomics.

Results:  Beer consumption by the adult group resulted in modest hippocampal changes relative to alcohol naïve adult controls. The only changes observed were an up‐regulation of citrate synthase (a precursor to the Krebs cycle) and fatty acid binding protein (which facilitates fatty acid metabolism). In contrast, adolescent rats consuming alcohol showed more widespread hippocampal changes relative to adolescent controls. These included an increase in cytoskeletal protein T‐complex protein 1 subunit epsilon (TCP‐1) and a decrease in the expression of 10 other proteins, including glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), triose phosphate isomerise, alpha‐enolase, and phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (all involved in glycolysis); glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (an important regulator of glutamate); methylmalonate‐semialdehyde dehydrogenase (involved in aldehyde detoxification); ubiquitin carboxyl‐terminal hydrolase isozyme L1 (a regulator of protein degradation); and synapsin 2 (involved in synaptogenesis and neurotransmitter release).

Conclusions:  These results suggest the adolescent hippocampus is more vulnerable to lasting proteomic changes following repeated alcohol exposure. The proteins most affected include those related to glycolysis, glutamate metabolism, neurodegeneration, synaptic function, and cytoskeletal structure.
Attenuation of the Stimulant Response to Ethanol is Associated with Enhanced Ataxia for a GABAA, but not a GABAB, Receptor Agonist
Authors: Holstein Sarah E. , Dobbs Lauren , Phillips Tamara J.
Published: December 2008

Background: The γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) system is implicated in the neurobiological actions of ethanol, and pharmacological agents that increase the activity of this system have been proposed as potential treatments for alcohol use disorders. As ethanol has its own GABA mimetic properties, it is critical to determine the mechanism by which GABAergic drugs may reduce the response to ethanol (i.e., via an inhibition or an accentuation of the neurobiological effects of ethanol).

Methods: In this study, we examined the ability of 3 different types of GABAergic compounds, the GABA reuptake inhibitor NO‐711, the GABAAreceptor agonist muscimol, and the GABABreceptor agonist baclofen, to attenuate the locomotor stimulant response to ethanol in FAST mice, which were selectively bred for extreme sensitivity to ethanol‐induced locomotor stimulation. To determine whether these compounds produced a specific reduction in stimulation, their effects on ethanol‐induced motor incoordination were also examined.

Results: NO‐711, muscimol, and baclofen were all found to potently attenuate the locomotor stimulant response to ethanol in FAST mice. However, both NO‐711 and muscimol markedly increased ethanol‐induced ataxia, whereas baclofen did not accentuate this response.

Conclusions: These results suggest that pharmacological agents that increase extracellular concentrations of GABA and GABAAreceptor activity may attenuate the stimulant effects of ethanol by accentuating its intoxicating and sedative properties. However, selective activation of the GABABreceptor appears to produce a specific attenuation of ethanol‐induced stimulation, suggesting that GABABreceptor agonists may hold greater promise as potential pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorders.
Alcohol Primes the Airway for Increased Interleukin‐13 Signaling
Authors: Mitchell Patrick O. , Jensen J. Spencer , Ritzenthaler Jeffrey D. , Roman Jesse , Pelaez Andres , Guidot David M.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Using an experimental model of airway fibrosis following lung transplantation, we recently showed that chronic alcohol ingestion by donor rats amplifies airway fibrosis in the recipient. Associated with alcohol‐mediated amplification of airway fibrosis is increased transforming growth factor β‐1(TGFβ1) and α‐smooth muscle actin expression. Other studies have shown that interleukin‐13 (IL‐13) modulates TGFβ1 signaling during experimentally‐induced airway fibrosis. Therefore, we hypothesized that IL‐13 is a component of alcohol‐mediated amplification of pro‐fibrotic mediators in the alcoholic lung.

Methods:  To test this hypothesis, we analyzed tracheal epithelial cells and type II alveolar cells from control‐ or alcohol‐fed rats, alcohol‐treated mouse lung fibroblasts, and human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro for expression of various components of the IL‐13 signaling pathway. Signaling via the IL‐13 pathway was assessed by measuring levels of phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription‐6 (STAT6). In addition, we performed heterotopic tracheal transplantation using control‐fed and alcohol‐fed donor rats and analyzed tracheal allografts for expression of components of the IL‐13 signaling pathway by RT‐PCR and immunocytochemical analyses.

Results:  Interleukin‐13 expression was detected in type II alveolar epithelial cells and human bronchial epithelial cells, but not in lung fibroblasts. IL‐13 expression was decreased in whole lung and type II cells in response to alcohol exposure. In all cell types analyzed, expression of IL‐13 signaling receptor (IL‐13Rα1) mRNA was markedly increased. In contrast, mRNA and protein expression of the IL‐13 decoy receptor (IL‐13Rα2) were decreased in all cells analyzed. Exposure to alcohol also increased STAT6 phosphorylation in response to IL‐13 and lipopolysaccharide.

Conclusions:  Data from multiple cell types in the pulmonary system suggest that IL‐13 and its receptors play a role in alcohol‐mediated activation of pro‐fibrotic pathways. Taken together, these data suggest that alcohol primes the airway for increased IL‐13 signaling and subsequent tissue remodeling upon injury such as transplantation.
The Use of Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment for Chronic Benign Pancreatitis Pain
Authors: Brennan Louise , Fitzgerald Joseph , McCrory Connail
Published: December 2008

Current analgesic strategies for the management of pain caused by chronic benign pancreatitis are poorly defined and frequently unsuccessful. Strategies have included pharmacotherapy, surgery, and interventional pain techniques such as celiac plexus blockade. Persistent quality analgesia with acceptable side effect profiles is difficult to achieve. Pulsed radiofrequency treatment is a minimally neurodestructive technique that may alter nerve conduction and offer a reduction in pain perception. We describe our experience with this technique in two patients with pain secondary to chronic benign pancreatitis.
Delayed Onset of Brown–Sequard Syndrome Involving Upper Extremity Pain
Authors: Tang Nelson , Stickevers Susan , Awan Gulle
Published: December 2008

Report of a case: A 60‐year‐old white male with a history of C3–C4 spinal cord injury with subsequent C3–C4 fusion complained of right upper extremity painful spasms of 2 years duration with associated hyperspasticity, motor weakness and poor positional and vibrational sense. The patient was diagnosed with Brown–Sequard syndrome (BSS) and treated with botulinum toxin type A injections distributed into the affected muscle groups that provided substantial and lasting relief. This case is unique in that the patient's trauma occurred 28 years before the development of the BSS suggesting a slow evolution of the condition.
Engaging Frontline Workers in Times of Organizational Change
Authors: Woodward Ann
Published: December 2008

In “Beyond Cognition: Affective Leadership and Emotional Labor,” Professors Newman, Guy, and Mastracci further the discussion of contemporary leadership by exploring leadership transitions in public agencies that serve vulnerable populations, such as the abused elder, the neglected child, or the court‐involved teenager.
Being There Matters—Redefining the Model Public Servant: Viola O. Baskerville in Profile
Authors: Hutchinson Janet R. , Condit Deirdre M.
Published: December 2008

A descendent of slaves and a woman of proud but humble origins, Viola Osborne Baskerville has ascended to prominence in Virginia public life. As only the second African American woman to serve as secretary of administration, her appointment to the cabinet of Governor Tim Kaine has afforded her the opportunity to affect the policy areas that have long been her passion. Baskerville is known as a leader with integrity, as a dedicated public servant, and as a tireless advocate for policies that affect the promise and well‐being of women and children, families, and minorities, particularly those who have suffered from poverty and discrimination. Baskerville, a trailblazing African American woman, embodies a new model of the public servant.
Sector Switching from a Business to a Government Job: Fast‐Track Career or Fast Track to Nowhere?
Authors: Bozeman Barry , Ponomariov Branco
Published: December 2008

This paper examines the career consequences for public managers of having had full‐time private sector work experience. We find positive career outcomes for public managers with private sector experience: Individuals with such experience are more likely to have been recently promoted relative to peers and to supervise somewhat greater number of employees, especially if their most recent job was in the private sector. While experience in the private sector enhances such career outcomes, the length of such experience diminishes them. The authors conclude by identifying three career scenarios emerging from the models and discussing the managerial and theoretical implications of “sector‐switching careers.”
Employment Laws and the Public Sector Employer: Lessons to Be Learned from a Review of Lawsuits Filed against Local Governments
Authors: French P. Edward
Published: December 2008

Numerous aspects of the day‐to‐day operations of local governments are subject to legal scrutiny; public managers and officials must be keenly aware of the legal rights and protections that extend to both citizens and employees of local governments. This research evaluates several areas of concern in the human resource administration of municipal governments with respect to the management of public employees within the protections set forth by the legislative and judicial branches of the federal government. Sample cases filed from 2000 to 2007 against local governments in Tennessee involving Title VII violations, retaliation, hostile work environment, Family and Medical Leave Act violations, and other employee grievances are detailed. The intent of this analysis is to highlight many of the laws and legal principles that relate to municipal human resources management and to provide scholars and practitioners with a brief overview of the liabilities that may arise from the employment relationship between local governments and their employees.
An Exploratory Study of Time Stress and Its Causes among Government Employees
Authors: Im Tobin
Published: December 2008

This article elucidates the temporal dimension of time stress among employees in public organizations. Employees working at five agencies in Indiana were surveyed. Job characteristics and personal variables such as overtime, repetitiveness, gender, family obligation, and age group were found to be insignificant as time stressors. However, political factors such as level of government, goal awareness, political sensitivity, and time allotted for meetings were significant independent variables affecting time stress. To enhance performance in the public sector, especially when a merit pay system is not fully instituted, more attention needs to be paid to the time dimension.
The Centralization/Decentralization Paradox in Civil Service Reform: How Government Structure Affects Democratic Training of Civil Servants
Authors: Witesman Eva M. , Wise Charles R.
Published: December 2008

We hypothesize that the structural characteristics (i.e., centralization versus decentralization) of government affect the availability of training in values and skills that are fundamental to democratization. We test our hypothesis in statistical models predicting anticorruption training and policy skills training, using a model of technical skills training for comparison. We find that centralized government structure significantly increases the odds of receiving both anticorruption training and policy skills training. In contrast, we find no statistical correlation between government structure and receipt of technical skills training. In light of these empirical results, we describe a theoretical paradox in civil service reform associated with democratization: While the end goal of such reform is decentralized government with local services and a professionalized civil service, reform itself may best supported by a centralized environment to achieve the democratic value and skills training needed to support transition to democracy.