bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interpreter-mediated interaction in healthcare and legal settings
Authors: Gavioli Laura , Baraldi Claudio
Published: July 2011

Studies of dialogue interpreting have shown that interpreters are active participants in interpreter-mediated interaction and that their contributions are not simply a gloss of the interlocutors’ turns. Wadensjö (1998), in particular, has underlined the coordinating and mediating functions of dialogue interpreters. In this paper we analyse the activity of interpreters in the interaction by looking at different ways of organizing sequences of turn-taking and theireffects on intercultural mediation. We analysed a sample of 65 encounters in healthcare and legal settings in Italy, involving (Italian) institutional representatives, (English speaking) patients/defendants from West African regions and an interpreter. We note that different types of interpreter-mediator contributions are promoted or prevented in different ways in the medical and in the legal sets of data, respectively, in line with different contextual expectations, and with different results for the involvement of participants, particularly the “laymen”.
The positive side of community interpreting
Authors: Hale Sandra Beatriz
Published: July 2011

Highlighting the negative aspects of a professional activity can be beneficial in identifying matters that need improvement. However, concentrating on the negative side only may lead to a lopsided view of reality. Much of what has been written regarding community interpreting in recent years seems to portray a less than favourable picture of this professional practice in different parts of the world. This paper will present the results of a survey of Australian practising community interpreters who were asked to share positive aspects of their work. The survey concentrated on five main issues which have been debated in recent studies: the interpreters’ satisfaction with their prescribed role, their perceptions of the usefulness of the code of ethics, their evaluations of the training they had received, their impressions of how they were treated by their clients and their reasons for choosing to work as community interpreters. While the findings cannot be regarded as representative, they provide an encouraging picture of the experiences of formally trained Australian community interpreters, who find their work valuable and rewarding and feel they are duly respected as professionals by service providers and service recipients alike.
On the discourse of cultural China
Authors: Jia Wenshan
Published: July 2011

The discourse of Cultural China, formerly initiated by Tu Wei-ming two decades ago when China was at the crossroads, has played some major functions. First, it has affirmed the Chinese cultural identity. Furthermore, it offers an alternative lens for reading China in a non-ideological manner. Third, it has offered an alternative model of economic development which is sustainable. Finally, it has offered an alternative model for sustaining humanity. However, given the historic limitations of the concept of Cultural China such as stasis and homogeneity, the discourse of Cultural China should be transformed by a new concept such as Chiglobalization. Chiglobalization, an active global campaign of communication about Chinese culture, would hopefully integrate both the Eastern and the Western cultures into the cultural foundation and texture of the global village.
Diasporic literature
Authors: Lam Melissa
Published: July 2011

Only since the 1960s has the Asian Diaspora been studied as a historical movement greatly impacting the United States — affecting not only socio-historical cultural trends and geographic ethnography, but also culturally redefining major areas of Western history and culture. This paper explores the reverse impact of the Asian America Diaspora on Mainland China or the Chinese Motherland. Mainland Chinese writers Ha Jin and Yiyun Li have left China and today teach in major American universities and reside in America. However, the fiction of both authors explores themes and landscapes that remain immersed in Mainland Chinese culture, traditions and environment. Both authors explore the themes of “cultural collisions” between East and West, choosing to write in their adopted English language instead of their mother Putonghua tongue. Central to this paper is the idea that ethnicity and race are socially and historically constructed as well as contested, reclaimed and redefined
In the name of Shakespeare
Authors: Hsieh Hsiao-mei
Published: July 2011

, also known as classical Chinese opera or sung drama, had been the major entertainment in the traditional Chinese society. In Taiwan, Beijing opera as ‘National Drama’ had long enjoyed resources far more than other xiqu genres. However, with the rapid transformation of socioeconomic structure, xiqu experienced drastic decline in audience in the face of Western culture. The call for a “modernized” xiqu became imperative. Under such circumstances, the Contemporary Legend Theater company (CLT) came to the fore. It was founded by a Beijing opera practitioner Wu and his wife Lin, a modern dancer. The debut Kingdom of Desire in 1986, adapted from Macbeth, stirred great excitement in Taipei, and later the play toured around the world. While displaying the legacy of xiqu performance, the couple aimed to go beyond the boundary of Beijing opera and search for a new genre that can reach a wider audience. Their subsequent productions are also adaptations of Western canonical plays, such as Medea, the Oresteia and King Lear. While the marketing strategy of the CLT often stresses jingles such as “When the East meets the West,” intercultural performance as such reveals a double consciousness of the performers, who see themselves through the eyes of the (Western) others. The paper attempts to discuss the meaning of Shakespeare in the CLT’s intercultural adaptations and further examine the politics hidden behind this phenomenon of intercultural adaptation in Taiwan. I explore if such seemingly self-orientalizing adaptation contains resistance to globalization.
Detecting inherent bias in lexical decision experiments with the LD1NN algorithm
Authors: Keuleers Emmanuel , Brysbaert Marc
Published: July 2011

A basic assumption of the lexical decision task is that a correct response to a word requires access to a corresponding mental representation of that word. However, systematic patterns of similarities and differences between words and nonwords can lead to an inherent bias for a particular response to a given stimulus. In this paper we introduce LD1NN, a simple algorithm based on one-nearest-neighbor classification that predicts the probability of a word response for each stimulus in an experiment by looking at the word/nonword probabilities of the most similar previously presented stimuli. Then, we apply LD1NN to the task of detecting differences between a set of words and different sets of matched nonwords. Finally, we show that the LD1NN word response probabilities are predictive of response times in three large lexical decision studies and that predicted biases for and against word responses corresponds with respectively faster and slower responses to words in the three studies.
A technical introduction to using speakers’ eye movements to study language
Authors: Griffin Zenzi M. , Davison Jordan C.
Published: July 2011

Everything you wanted to know about eye movement monitoring but were afraid to ask: This is a primer for researchers new to the use of eye-tracking and particularly those with an interest in language production. It summarizes the early history of eye movement monitoring in language production research, briefly reviews the relationship between visual attention and eye movements, and details the practical concerns of collecting and analyzing gaze data. In particular, the paper discusses the features and functions of available eye-tracking software and hardware systems, as well as tools for automatically processing speech. We close with a review of dependent measures that have been derived from eye movement data as well as how they were used and interpreted.
Eye movements and morphological processing in reading
Authors: Bertram Raymond
Published: July 2011

In this article, I will give an overview of eye tracking studies on morphological processing since 2005 and a few earlier studies. An earlier survey article of Pollatsek and Hyönä (2006) covers almost all studies until then, but a number of interesting articles have been left undiscussed or were published after 2005. Before that, I will discuss (a) the advantages of studying morphological processing by means of eye tracking; (b) methodological issues related to eye movement experiments on morphological processing; (c) the dependent measures one can extract from the eye movement record and how they can be used in assessing the time course of morphological processing; (d) the boundary paradigm that has been used in morphological processing studies. I will argue that eye tracking should be used more often in morphological processing research, since it allows for studying morphologically complex words in a natural way and at the same time its rich data output allows for deeper levels of analyses than some other methods do.
Formulaic sequences
Authors: Shaoul Cyrus , Westbury Chris
Published: July 2011

There is a new and growing interest in psycholinguistics in the mental representation of (not necessarily phrasal) multi-word sequences and in how knowledge of these sequences relates to word, phrase, and sentence knowledge. In this paper we summarize the evidence for the existence of distinct mental representations for these types of sequences. Studies of sentence processing, contextual ambiguity resolution, speech production and compound word processing provide indirect evidence for frequency effects for multi-word sequences. Recent studies of adult reading behavior have looked more directly at the effects of holistic frequency on reading performance. We end by considering the relevance of multi-word sequences to existing cognitive models of language and speculating on how they may impact on future models.
Spanish (de)queísmo
Authors: Almeida Suarez Manuel
Published: July 2011

In Spanish, standard sentences such as Pienso que no vendrá ‘I think s/he will not come’ and No se acordó de que tenía que ir ‘S/he forgot s/he had to go’ can alternate respectively with non-standard sentences as Pienso de que no vendrá (dequeísmo) and No se acordó ø que tenía que ir (queísmo). In order to explain both syntactic processes scholars have proposed different hypotheses: psycholinguistic, functional, social and psychosocial. The aim of this research is to analyse the validity of the functional hypothesis (this is, the possibility that the de/ø alternation conveys a semantic and/or pragmatic meaning) on a corpus recorded in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands). With the purpose of verifying such hypothesis, four variables have been analysed: the verb person of the main clause, the verb tense of the main clause, the source, direction and distance of the information (evidence), and the syntactic structure.
Copula use in the Spanish of Venezuela
Authors: Díaz-Campos Manuel , Geeslin Kimberly L.
Published: July 2011

This investigation extends the research on the use of Spanish copulas ser and estar in Venezuela to all [copula + adjective] contexts (see De Jonge 1993; Malaver 2000 for work on expressions of age). Findings reveal that resultant state, adjective class, predicate type, experience with the referent, susceptibility to change, socioeconomic level, age and frame of reference are included in the statistical model as strong predictors of estar. The analysis of the social factors shows that copula choice in Venezuelan Spanish does not show the typical S-curve pattern to strongly support an analysis of change in progress. The history of copula choice in the language suggests a development with long periods of stability and the strong conditioning of linguistic factors. Copula choice in Venezuelan Spanish shows signs that it is slowly advancing and that younger and older speakers are at different stages in this grammatical change.
Challenges in conflict management in multi-ethnic states – the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and Serbia and Montenegro
Authors: Macek-Macková Emanuela
Published: July 2011

This article examines the break-ups of post-communist Czechoslovakia and the Union of Serbia and Montenegro under consociationalism. According to Arend Lijphart, social divisions may be neutralized at the elite level with power-sharing mechanisms. Lijphart's theory has been abundantly criticized, particularly because, while its intention is to induce cooperation, consociationalism does not give leaders actual incentives to cooperate. Czechoslovakia and the Union qualified as consociations; however most favorable factors were absent. The states failed to overcome their divisions and broke apart. Both states were going through a democratization period, experienced differently in each republic. The article argues that the application of consociationalism at this time magnified the divisions. Stirring up the ethnic sensitivity of the population was the most reliable strategy for politicians to secure popular support. In this context, and with the EU enlargement prospect, the consociational structure, instead of bringing elites together, weakened the federal power and provided elites the opportunity to defend republican interests at the expense of the federations. Hence, while a consociation requires certain conditions and favorable factors, the context in which consociationalism is implemented, and particularly democratization periods, may have a decisive influence on the leaders’ ability to cooperate, on their decisions, and thereby on the state.
'It was like fighting a war with our own people': anti-war activism in Serbia during the 1990s
Authors: Fridman Orli
Published: July 2011

This article discusses anti-war and anti-nationalism activism that took place in Serbia and, particularly, in Belgrade during the 1990s. It analyzes anti-war activism as aiming to combat collectivestates of denial.Based on fieldwork research conducted in 2004-05, and particularly on an analysis of interviews conducted with anti-war activists in Belgrade, this text closely analyzes the nuanced voices and approaches to activism against war among Serbia's civil society in the 1990s. The article highlights the difference between anti-war and anti-regime activism, as well as the generation gap when considering the wars of the 1990s and their legacy. Finally, this text emphasizes the role of Women in Black as the leading anti-war group in Serbia, and examines their feminist street activism which introduced new practices of protest and political engagement in Belgrade's public sphere.
Embodying the nation: football,1emotions and the construction of collective identity
Authors: Ismer Sven
Published: July 2011

The article intends to combine contemporary debates about nations and nationalism with a sociological perspective on collective emotions in its attempt to gain a better understanding of the process of constructing national identity. It will further present interdisciplinary evidence that collective emotions evoked in rituals instigate a number of group-related sociocognitive processes that reinforce enduring feelings of belonging and an emotional priming of collective representations. I will suggest that states of “collective effervescence” (Durkheim) do not only tie individuals to a community, but also provide a strong frame for the creation of symbols and the embodiment of shared meanings defining a community. The second part of the article analyzes examples taken from the football media coverage of the FIFA World Cups 2006 and 1974 (both were held in Germany) in order to provide a comparative case study exemplifying the proposed theoretical approach. The sample illuminates some interesting changes that invite further hypotheses about corresponding changes of national identity in a larger context.
Rock ‘n’ roll nation: counterculture and dissent in Romania, 1965-1975
Authors: Fichter Madigan
Published: July 2011

A vibrant countercultural and dissident movement developed in Romania between 1965 and 1975. Young Romanians combined elements of the global youth movement with local cultural and political practices. Thus, Romanian counterculture and dissent shared the era's hippie aesthetic and anti-authoritarianism, but was highly isolationist, vehemently antisocialist and heavily couched in the language of the nation and nationalism. Furthermore, during this early Ceauşescu period, the socialist regime attracted some level of nonconformist support through a program of reform, opposition to Soviet interference, and nationalist rhetoric. These conclusions demonstrate that the rubric of 1960s counterculture needs to be extended to include a variety of ideological and cultural positions beyond the New Left that scholars generally emphasize. Furthermore, scholarly avoidance of Ceauşescu's early period has obscured the existence of an alternative culture, and has led to an un-nuanced interpretation of Romania's postwar history.
Ghitta Carell and Italian studio photography in the 1930s
Authors: Antola Alessandra
Published: July 2011

This article explores the issue of elite representation through photography during the 1930s in Italy. It examines how modern technology affected representation and refers specifically to the work of Ghitta Carell, a photographer who became very successful by portraying prominent Fascist men and women in Italy, including the Duce. Images of the dictator had been continually developed since the late 1920s and frequent and various representations of his person, including the face, were pervasive. Carell's idealised style was much appreciated by high society and Fascist officials alike, while her work also has a darker emotional content that borrows from a painterly tradition. Although not engaged directly by the regime, Carell's work has to be considered as both separate from and complementary whilst also adding to the Fascist aesthetic. She was complicit with the cult of the Duce while revealing aspects of Mussolini's personality that other photographers avoided or missed.
‘Locally unwanted land use’ movements: the role of left-wing parties and groups in trans-territorial conflicts in Italy
Authors: Piazza Gianni
Published: July 2011

In recent years in Italy there have been numerous conflicts related to locally unwanted land use (‘Lulu’). Some have taken on a political dimension that goes beyond the local, becoming ‘trans-territorial’, as they link with similar conflicts elsewhere. This article analyses the role of various left-wing parties and groups (moderate, radical, antagonist) in these conflicts, examining four specific Lulu movements: those against the high-speed rail line (TAV) in Val di Susa; those against the bridge over the Strait of Messina; those against the extension of the US military base in Vicenza (Dal Molin); and those against the construction of a refuse site in the district of Chiaiano (Naples). Analysis of these cases shows that independent variables related to the well-established ‘political opportunity structure’ (POS) model do not fully explain the role played by the various organisations of the left. Other factors ultimately have greater explanatory power: the policy-making that triggers Lulu conflicts, from which emerge both a new centre/periphery political cleavage (national majoritarian democracy vs. local participatory democracy) and a new economic cleavage (growth/economic development vs. alternative models of development); policies and cleavages in their turn determine the splits between leftist parties nationally and locally and, ultimately, shifts in the Italian party system.
Sumoylation inhibits α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity
Authors: Krumova Petranka , Meulmeester Erik , Garrido Manuel , Tirard Marilyn , Hsiao He-Hsuan , Bossis Guillaume , Urlaub Henning , Zweckstetter Markus , Kügler Sebastian , Melchior Frauke , Bähr Mathias , Weishaupt Jochen H.
Published: July 2011

Posttranslational modification of proteins by attachment of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) contributes to numerous cellular phenomena. Sumoylation sometimes creates and abolishes binding interfaces, but increasing evidence points to another role for sumoylation in promoting the solubility of aggregation-prone proteins. Using purified α-synuclein, an aggregation-prone protein implicated in Parkinson’s disease that was previously reported to be sumoylated upon overexpression, we compared the aggregation kinetics of unmodified and modified α-synuclein. Whereas unmodified α-synuclein formed fibrils, modified α-synuclein remained soluble. The presence of as little as 10% sumoylated α-synuclein was sufficient to delay aggregation significantly in vitro. We mapped SUMO acceptor sites in α-synuclein and showed that simultaneous mutation of lysines 96 and 102 to arginine significantly impaired α-synuclein sumoylation in vitro and in cells. Importantly, this double mutant showed increased propensity for aggregation and cytotoxicity in a cell-based assay and increased cytotoxicity in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra in vivo. These findings strongly support the model that sumoylation promotes protein solubility and suggest that defects in sumoylation may contribute to aggregation-induced diseases.
Signal transduction by reactive oxygen species
Authors: Finkel Toren
Published: July 2011

Although historically viewed as purely harmful, recent evidence suggests that reactive oxygen species (ROS) function as important physiological regulators of intracellular signaling pathways. The specific effects of ROS are modulated in large part through the covalent modification of specific cysteine residues found within redox-sensitive target proteins. Oxidation of these specific and reactive cysteine residues in turn can lead to the reversible modification of enzymatic activity. Emerging evidence suggests that ROS regulate diverse physiological parameters ranging from the response to growth factor stimulation to the generation of the inflammatory response, and that dysregulated ROS signaling may contribute to a host of human diseases.
Health‐related quality of life and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms in accident and emergency attenders suffering from psychosocial crises: a longitudinal study
Authors: Senneseth Mette , Alsaker Kjersti , Natvig Gerd Karin
Published: July 2011

senneseth m., alsaker k. & natvig g.k. (2012) Health‐related quality of life and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms in accident and emergency attenders suffering from psychosocial crises: a longitudinal study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(2), 402–413.

Aims.  This paper is a report of a study of health‐related quality of life and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients attending an Accident and Emergency department because of psychosocial crises.

Background.  Psychosocial crises are commonplace globally, but there is little knowledge about patients attending Accident and Emergency departments because of psychosocial crises.

Methods.  Data were collected at an Accident and Emergency department in Norway from September 2008 to June 2009. A total of 99 adults participated in the baseline study and 41 of these participated at 2 months follow‐up. The Short Form‐36 Health Survey and the Post Traumatic Symptom Scale were used to obtain data.

Findings.  Participants reported significantly lower scores in all health‐related quality of life domains at baseline compared with the general Norwegian population. The mental health score was two standard deviations below the norm. Health‐related quality of life scores were improved and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms were reduced after 2 months. High levels of post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms were reported by 78% of the participants at baseline and 59% at follow‐up. Participants with high levels of post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms at follow‐up also reported low health‐related quality of life scores.

Conclusion.  This study suggests a need for an acute psychosocial intervention and an opportunity to receive follow‐up support at Accident and Emergency departments.
Developing a survey for assessing preferences in constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning environments
Authors: Tsai P.‐S. , Tsai C.‐C. , Hwang G.‐J.
Published: July 2011

This study developed a survey to explore students' preferences in constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning environments. A constructivist context‐aware ubiquitous learning (u‐learning) environment survey (CULES) was developed, consisting of eight scales, including ease of use, continuity, relevance, adaptive content, multiple sources, timely guidance, student negotiation, and inquiry learning. The survey responses were gathered from 215 university students from five universities in Taiwan. The students all had actual experience of using u‐learning systems in u‐learning environments. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the CULES had high reliability and validity. The structural model revealed that the provision of realistic and close‐to‐real‐life information could enhance students' preferences for timely guidance, student negotiation, and inquiry‐learning activities. In addition, the attainment of inquiry learning is quite challenging when designing u‐learning activities, as it involves the enhancement of the other CULES scales.
Factors influencing dyspepsia‐related consultation: differences between a rural and an urban population
Authors: Mahadeva S. , Yadav H. , Everett S. M. , Goh K.‐L.
Published: July 2011

Background  Dyspepsia is a common, chronic condition but medical consultation rates for symptoms remain variable. We aimed to examine two populations with varied health‐care provision to determine predictive factors for dyspepsia‐related consultation.

Methods  A cross‐sectional, population‐based study in both an urban and a rural community within a single Asian country was conducted. Details on dyspepsia‐related consultation rates over a fixed period and independent factors influencing them were identified.

Key Results  A total of 4039/5370 (75.2%) adults from representative rural and urban areas in this country agreed to participate in the study. Although mean ages of respondents were similar (40.4 years), the demographics of both populations varied in terms of gender (62.7% female, rural vs 55.7% female, urban, P < 0.0001), marital status (75.4% rural vs 70.5% urban, P = 0.002), ethnicity, (79% Malay rural vs 45.3% Malays urban, P < 0.0001) and socio‐economic status (professional occupation 7.1% rural vs 47.3% urban, P < 0.0001). Dyspepsia‐related consultation rates were found to be higher among rural compared to urban adults (41.4%vs 28.7%, P < 0.0001). Over‐the‐counter medication consumption was higher among urban compared to rural dyspepsia sufferers (n = 157 vs n = 35, P < 0.0001). Following logistic regression, rural population (OR 3.14, 95% CI = 1.65–6.0), low quality of life (OR 1.90, 95% CI = 1.17–3.10), and self‐medication (OR 0.40, 95% CI = 0.25–0.62) were found to independently predict dyspepsia‐related consultation.

Conclusions & Inferences  Dyspepsia‐related consultation varied significantly between urban and rural communities. Factors within the rural population, self‐medication practices, and a low quality of life independently influenced dyspepsia‐related consultation.
Administrative practices of health professionals and use of artesunate–amodiaquine by community members for treating uncomplicated malaria in southern Ghana: implications for artemisinin‐based combination therapy deployment
Authors: Kwansa‐Bentum Bethel , Ayi Irene , Suzuki Takashi , Otchere Joseph , Kumagai Takashi , Anyan William K. , Asahi Hiroko , Akao Nobuaki , Wilson Michael D. , Boakye Daniel A. , Ohta Nobuo
Published: July 2011

Objective  To investigate the use of artemisinin‐based combination and monotherapy by community members and the administrative practices of health professionals in treating malaria in Ghana.

Method  This study is a community‐based cross‐sectional survey in 11 rural and urban areas in southern Ghana. Using the interviewer method, close‐ended questionnaires were administered to community members. Similar questionnaires were also administered in health facilities, community pharmacies and licensed chemical shops.

Results  A total of 1085 individuals comprising 959 non‐health professionals and 126 health professionals were interviewed. Fifty‐seven per cent of the community members visit pharmacies/drug stores as the first point of call when they suspect malaria. According to the participating drug sellers, artemether–lumefantrine (AL) is the most prescribed/sold anti‐malarial drug (59.2%), followed by dihydroartemisinin (35%), sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (33.0%) and artesunate‐amodiaquine (AS‐AQ) (27.2%). The majority of customers who visit pharmacies or drug stores without prescription have their anti‐malarial drug selected by the shop attendant; in situations like that, dihydroartemisinin and artesunate monotherapies are sold just as AS‐AQ and AL. Chloroquine is still sold by some drug vendors, 5 years after its proscription.

Conclusion  Whereas the use of AS‐AQ and AL are acceptable, the frequent use of dihydroartemisinin and artesunate monotherapy threatens the future of ACTs.
High frequency of OPA1 mutations causing high ADOA prevalence in south‐eastern Sicily, Italy
Authors: Gallus GN , Cardaioli E , Rufa A , Collura M , Da Pozzo P , Pretegiani E , Tumino M , Pavone L , Federico A
Published: July 2011

Gallus GN, Cardaioli E, Rufa A, Collura M, Da Pozzo P, Pretegiani E, Tumino M, Pavone L, Federico A. High frequency of OPA1 mutations causing high ADOA prevalence in south‐eastern Sicily, Italy.

Optic atrophy type 1 (OPA1) gene mutation causes autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA, MIM #165500). Prevalence of ADOA ranges from 1:50,000 in most populations to 1:12,000 in Denmark. Seventy members of nine families were analysed for the presence of OPA1 gene mutations by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. We identified three OPA1 gene mutations in 48 patients with variable signs of optic atrophy. Two mutations, c.784‐21_784‐22insAluYb8 and c.876_878delTGT, were found in two different families. The third mutation, c.869G>A, was found in 28 patients from seven families. The haplotype analysis data suggested that the c.869G>A mutation is a founder mutation. Our main result suggests a higher ADOA prevalence in south‐eastern Sicily than previously found in Denmark. This is because of not only the founder effect but also to the presence of three different mutations in the geographical area of the study. Our hypothesis is that a combination of social pressure because of blindness and migration factors is involved. In fact, in Siracusa, a provincial capital in south‐eastern Sicily, St. Lucy, the patron saint of the blind was born and died.
Effects of wounding and fungal infection with Armillaria ostoyae in three conifer species. I. Host response to abiotic wounding in non‐infected roots
Authors: Cleary M. R. , van der Kamp B. J. , Morrison D. J.
Published: July 2011

A parallel investigation to characterize host reactions involved in wound repair following abiotic injury and challenge with Armillaria ostoyae in three conifer species (Douglas‐fir, western hemlock and western redcedar) was conducted in the southern Interior of British Columbia. In this study, we characterize wound healing in roots following freezing injuries to the bark. Five weeks following wounding, all conifers developed lignified impervious tissue (IT) around killed tissue, and a necrophylactic periderm (NP) formed internally abutting IT, although IT was difficult to discern in western redcedar. Phellogen restoration in the secondary phloem of some western hemlock roots was retarded around large clusters of sclereids. Displacement of phloem fibre cells occurred in western redcedar but did not appear to delay NP formation. In roots exhibiting expansion of necrosis to the vascular cambium, callus tissue was evident at the margin of the wound. Novel host reactions in western redcedar involving induced rhytidome formation and the formation of traumatic phloem resin ducts are described.
Epidemiological and clinico‐mycological profile of fungal wound infection from largest burn centre in Asia
Authors: Capoor Malini R. , Gupta Sonal , Sarabahi Sujata , Mishra Anshumali , Tiwari Vinay Kumar , Aggarwal Pushpa
Published: July 2011

The current study was conducted to know the incidence, predisposing factors, spectrum, clinical profile and antifungal susceptibility (AFS) of fungal wound infection (FWI) in burn patients. Of a total of 71 patients, 20 (28.2%) emerged with the diagnosis of FWI. Fungal pathogens in this study were Candida tropicalis (14%), Candida parapsilosis (5.6%), Aspergillus niger (2.8%) and one each of Candida albicans (1.4%), Candida glabrata (1.4%), Syncephalestrum (1.4%) and Fusarium solani (1.4%). All patients with mould infections expired before the mycological culture results could be conveyed to clinicians. Of the yeasts isolated in the study, one each of C. tropicalis and C. albicans showed cross‐resistance to azoles. All the moulds were susceptible to amphotericin B. This study depicted that fungal invasion is associated with a high mortality, burn size 30–60% and high incidence of inhalational injury. Fungal invasion was detected on an average of 14 days after injury. Association of use of four classes of drugs – aminoglycosides, imipenem, vancomycin and third generation cephalosporins and use of total parenteral nutrition was observed. Expedient laboratory diagnosis of FWI and appropriate systemic antifungal therapy guided by AFS may improve outcome for severely injured burn victims.
Living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home
Authors: Fex Angelika , Flensner Gullvi , Ek Anna‐Christina , Söderhamn Olle
Published: July 2011

FEX A, FLENSNER G, EK A‐C and SÖDERHAMN O. Nursing Inquiry 2011; 18: 336–347 Living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home

An increased number of chronically ill adults perform self‐care while using different sorts of advanced medical technology at home. This hermeneutical study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of living with an adult family member using advanced medical technology at home. Eleven next of kin to adults performing self‐care at home, either using long‐term oxygen from a cylinder or ventilator, or performing peritoneal or haemodialysis, were interviewed. The qualitative interviews were analysed using a Gadamerian methodology. The main interpretation explained the meaning as rhythmical patterns of connectedness versus separation, and of sorrow versus reconciliation. Dependence on others was shown in the need for support from healthcare professionals and significant others. In conclusion, next of kin took considerable responsibility for dependent‐care. All next of kin were positive to the idea of bringing the technology home, even though their own needs receded into the background, while focusing on the best for the patient. The results were discussed in relation to dependent‐care and transition, which may have an influence on the self‐care of next of kin and patients. The study revealed a need for further nursing attention to next of kin in this context.
Morbidly obese patients and lifestyle change: constructing ethical selves
Authors: Knutsen Ingrid Ruud , Terragni Laura , Foss Christina
Published: July 2011

KNUTSEN IR, TERRAGNI L and FOSS C. Nursing Inquiry 2011; 18: 348–358 Morbidly obese patients and lifestyle change: constructing ethical selves

In contemporary societies, bodily size is an important part of individuals’ self‐representation. As the number of persons clinically diagnosed as morbidly obese increases, programmes are developed to make people reduce weight by changing their lifestyle, and for some, by bariatric surgery. This article presents findings from interviews with 12 participants undergoing a prerequisite course prior to bariatric surgery that is intended both as a preparation for further (surgical) treatment and as a tool to empower individuals regarding lifestyle changes. In this study, we investigate how power operates by looking at how the participants position themselves throughout the course. Findings reveal how participants construct their ability to act in line with norms of lifestyle change. They do this by positioning themselves as both included group members and as ‘morally’ acceptable individuals. Despite some resistance, the participants tend to glide into the role of ‘good patients’ acting in compliance with the aims of the course in their hope and striving for new positions as ‘normal‐sized’. The intention in the course is to empower individuals towards lifestyle changes. The findings provide a basis to question whether these kinds of courses create new forms of compliance and dependency.
Promoting the health of Europeans in a rapidly changing world: a historical study of the implementation of World Health Organisation policies by the Nursing and Midwifery Unit, European Regional Office, 1970–2003
Authors: Hallett Christine , Wagner Lis
Published: July 2011

HALLETT C and WAGNER L. Nursing Inquiry 2011; 18: 359–368 Promoting the health of Europeans in a rapidly changing world: a historical study of the implementation of World Health Organisation policies by the Nursing and Midwifery Unit, European Regional Office, 1970–2003

The World Health Organisation (WHO) was inaugurated in 1948. Formed in a period of post‐war devastation, WHO aimed to develop and meet goals that would rebuild the health of shattered populations. The historical study reported here examined the work of the Nursing and Midwifery Unit (NMU) of WHO’s European Regional Office during the later part of the twentieth century. The study examined archive sources lodged at the NMU archive. The sources included manuscripts relating to important NMU initiatives, reports and papers published by WHO, and a range of secondary sources. The study identified three main driving forces in the work of the NMU of the European Regional Office of WHO. One of the strongest of these was a drive to develop and promote the nursing profession within the countries of the European Region. The second was the promulgation and implementation of the positive public health strategies of WHO, particularly its ‘38 Targets for Health for All by the Year 2000’. The third focussed on securing equity across the European continent and on promoting the development of the nursing professions in poorer and less‐developed countries. The study concludes that the nursing professions in European states grew in strength and influence, and that the health of populations improved throughout the continent between 1970 and 2003. It discusses the extent to which the role of the NMU in these advances may have been significant.
Thyroid papillary carcinoma with solid sclerosing change in IgG4‐related sclerosing disease
Authors: Ito Masahiro , Naruke Yuki , Mihara Yumi , So Kenji , Miyashita Taiichiro , Origuchi Tomoki , Nakashima Masahiro , LiVolsi Virginia
Published: July 2011

IgG4‐related sclerosing disease (IgG4‐RSD) is an inflammatory and fibrosing disorder characterized by lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with infiltration of various organs, including the pancreas, bile ducts, lung, kidney, and retroperitoneum. As for malignancy in IgG4‐RSD, only limited literature is available. We report here a case of thyroid papillary carcinoma showing unique morphology in IgG4‐RSD. Solid tumor nests were surrounded by dense IgG4‐positive plasma cells and fibrosis at both the primary site and metastatic lymph nodes. In contrast the background thyroid showed focal lymphocytic thyroiditis. IgG4‐related sclerosing sialadenitis and autoimmune pancreatitis were also diagnosed, and prednisolone treatment improved symptoms and serum IgG4 abnormality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation of a malignancy of the thyroid gland occurring in a background of IgG4‐RSD. A brief review of the literature on the relationship between IgG4 and malignancy is included.
Effect of temperature and dark pretreatment on the germination of three species of Jamesonia (Pteridaceae, Polypodiopsida)
Authors: GABRIEL Y GALÁN JOSE MARÍA , MIGLIARO GIULIANA , LAHOZ‐BELTRÁ RAFAEL
Published: July 2011

To study the influence of temperature on the germination ability of three species of Jamesonia (Jamesonia imbricata, Jamesonia scammaniae and Jamesonia rotundifolia), spores were cultured at 10°C, 15°C and 20°C. A temperature of 15°C was selected as representative of the natural annual average temperature of the paramo environment that Jamesonia species inhabit. In addition, a dark pretreatment of 2 days was tested to verify if germination was enhanced. The results indicated that germination of Jamesonia, considering the three species as a whole, is affected by temperature, but is independent of the dark treatment. All species showed higher and faster germination at 20°C, and exhibited a threshold minimum temperature around 10°C, below which germination is avoided or extremely low and delayed. This could suggest that spore germination in Jamesonia is adapted to establish gametophyte populations during frost‐free periods.
Repeatability and agreement of ARK‐30 autorefraction after cataract surgery
Authors: de Juan Victoria , Herreras Jose Maria , Martin Raul , Morejon Angela , Perez Inmaculada , Cristobal Ana Rio‐San , Rodriguez Guadalupe
Published: July 2011

Abstract

Background:  To evaluate the intra‐test variability of ARK‐30 handheld autorefractor and the agreement with subjective refraction and retinoscopy after uneventful cataract surgery.

Design:  Prospective and non‐randomized study that included 6 visits by patients undergoing uneventful cataract surgery at IOBA (Instituto de Oftalmobiología Aplicada) Eye Institute (University of Valladolid).

Participants:  The mean age of the 79 patients was 66.5 years (range 23–90 years). For the 124 eyes, the mean spherical equivalent of the sample at baseline visit was −3.59 ± 6.28 D (range −21.00 D to +4.44 D).

Methods:  Automated refraction was performed on follow‐up visits 1 day and weekly for 4 weeks. Retinoscopy and subjective refraction were conducted at the Week 4 follow up.

Main Outcome Measures:  Automated refraction.

Results:  Sphere, cylinder and mean spherical equivalent, J0 and J45 coefficient variabilities were low in all visits. Standard deviations and the limits of agreement were smallest for the last visit. Subjective refraction sphere and cylinder values were more positive than autorefraction by 0.12 ± 0.53 D (P = 0.031) and 0.23 ± 0.42 D (P < 0.001), respectively. Comparison between autorefraction and retinoscopy showed a similar trend with the sphere and cylinder differences, 0.32 ± 0.77 D and 0.38 ± 0.43 D (P < 0.05), respectively.

Conclusions:  The ARK‐30 is sufficiently accurate and repeatable for automated refraction after uneventful cataract surgery. This instrument may be useful for monitoring refractive outcome in these patients.
Investigation of nanoparticles using magnetic resonance imaging after intravitreal injection
Authors: Raju Hemalatha B , Hu Ying , Padgett Kyle R , Rodriguez Jose E , Goldberg Jeffrey L
Published: July 2011

Abstract

Background:  Magnetic nanoparticles may be used for focal delivery for cells, plasmids or drugs, and other applications. Here we asked whether magnetic nanoparticles could be detected in vivo at different time points after intravitreal injection by magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods:  Adult Sprague‐Dawley rats received intravitreal injections of 50‐nm or 4‐µm magnetic particles into the left eye, with an equal volume of phosphate‐buffered saline into the right eye (as controls). Animals were examined by magnetic resonance imaging at 1 h, 1 day and 5 weeks after injection. Eyes, brain, liver, spleen and kidney were also imaged with high‐resolution ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging scanning.

Results:  In vivo magnetic resonance imaging at the 1 h and 1 day time points more clearly detected magnetic particles in the 4 µm group compared with the 50‐nm group, although 50‐nm magnetic nanoparticles were easily visualized with high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging ex vivo. Five weeks after intravitreal injection magnetic resonance imaging clearly detected 4‐µm particles inside the eye, but by this time point the 50‐nm magnetic nanoparticles could not be detected by either in vivo or ex vivo high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging. No magnetic particles were detected in any other organ.

Conclusions:  Magnetic resonance imaging could be used to track magnetic nanoparticles in the eye with the dosing selected for this study. Clearance varies by size, with 50‐nm magnetic nanoparticles cleared more quickly than 4‐µm particles. Thus, nanoparticles may provide advantages over micron‐scale particles when considering risks associated with long‐term persistence.
An explanation for the central to peripheral thickness variation in the mouse cornea
Authors: Henriksson Johanna Tukler , Bron Anthony J , Bergmanson Jan PG
Published: July 2011

Abstract

Background:  The mouse corneal stroma varies in thickness across its diameter. The purpose of the present study was to explain this variation and to advance our understanding of stromal lamellar architecture in the mammalian cornea.

Methods:  Eight C57BL/6 mice were killed, eyes enucleated, immersed in 2% glutaraldehyde fixative, processed and sectioned transversely for light and transmission electron microscopy. Transmission electron micrographs were assembled into montages and printed at 5000× magnification and used for lamellar counts and thickness assessments.

Results:  The mouse cornea had an average of 49.8 ± 2.4 lamellae centrally averaging 2.1 µm in thickness versus 35.5 ± 3.0 lamellae, averaging 1.9 µm in thickness peripherally. The central to peripheral decrease in number lamellae and lamellar thickness measured utilizing the transmission electron microscope was statistically significant (P < 0.005).

Conclusions:  This study demonstrated that the thickness difference between the thicker central and thinner peripheral mouse cornea is explained primarily by the number of lamellae present and that the peripheral lamellar dropout occurred in the anterior 2/3 of stroma. The decreased lamellar count towards the periphery suggested that not all lamellae cross the cornea limbus to limbus. These findings may be relevant to the thickness variation of the human cornea.
Mathematical and computer simulation modelling of intracameral forces causing pupil block due to air bubble use in Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty: the mechanics of iris buckling
Authors: Lockington David , Luo Xiaoyu , Wang Huiming , Hill Nick A , Ramaesh Kanna
Published: July 2011

Abstract

Background:  Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty has been associated with a steep learning curve. Angle closure post Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty has been reported, either because of air posterior to the iris causing iridocorneal adhesions, or by air anterior to the iris causing pupillary block. The mechanics of floppy iris syndrome and pupil block have not been discussed.

Methods:  We evaluated the various forces competing within the anterior chamber via mathematical modelling and computational simulation, and considered the influence of floppy iris on pupil block glaucoma.

Results:  Energy formulae suggest a critical pressure value will maintain normal anterior chamber relationships, above which abnormal iris buckling may occur. This mechanical instability can be influenced intraoperatively by abnormal iris properties and intracameral forces (such as air). This critical value is lowered if the patient has a floppy iris (because of a lower elastic modulus, a mechanical measure of iris rigidity). To demonstrate this mathematical concept, a 3‐D computational model was built. Simulations show that, as intracameral pressure increases, the iris ring can buckle into predictable modes of shapes.

Conclusion:  This model shows how iris buckling could occur with an intracameral air bubble leading to posterior iris displacement and mechanical pupil block. It also shows that abnormal iris behaviour in IFIS is consistent with the expected predicted buckling of an elastic disc.