bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms Contributing to Decision-Making Difficulties in Late Adulthood: Theoretical Approaches, Speculations and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Brand Matthias , Markowitsch Hans J.
Published: March 2010

This paper responds to McCarrey, Henry and Luszcz’s reply to our viewpoint article on aging and decision-making. McCarrey et al. have provided a thoughtful critique and very inspiring suggestions for future research. We comment on several aspects that have been considered by these authors. In particular, we consider the empirical evidence for cognitive functions involved in decision-making, Finucane’s model on real-world decision-making, the form of contextual encoding of information related to a decision, components of the so-called Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, and parts of autobiographical memory functions. We argue that the mechanisms suggested by McCarrey et al. indeed may potentially contribute to decision-making difficulties in late adulthood. However, we also point out that – at least for gambling situations which have been addressed in our target article – the most convergent findings revealed by previous empirical studies give evidence for the important role of executive functioning and feedback processing for decision-making reductions in older adults as measured by neuropsychological gambling tasks. The additional mechanisms suggested and the potential link between other types of decision-making (e.g. within the social domain) and performance on gambling tasks as proposed by McCarrey et al. are worth investigating in future studies. We conclude that the arguments by McCarrey et al. are without doubt plausible, but for the topic addressed in the viewpoint article they are, so far, rather speculative than evidence-based. The possible interactions between cognitive and emotional processes and further situational and individual facets potentially influencing decision-making in older adults are to be investigated empirically in future studies. We hope that our previous viewpoint article in combination with the thoughtful reply by McCarrey et al. and our current paper will inspire future research programs on the important topic of decision-making in late adulthood.
Customary International Humanitarian Law: Taking Stock of the ICRC Study
Authors: Henckaerts Jean-Marie
Published: March 2010

Although the 1949 Geneva Conventions have now been universally ratified, the same is not the case for other treaties of international humanitarian law. As a result, customary international humanitarian law continues to be relevant today. This was clearly recognized in 1995 when States party to the Geneva Conventions mandated the ICRC to carry out a study on customary rules of international humanitarian law applicable in international and non-international armed conflicts. This study was published in 2005 after widespread research and consultations. This article takes stock of the impact of the study and discusses some of the salient features of the methodology of assessing custom. It also briefly describes the current effort to update the practice underlying the Study.
The ICJ Armed Activity Case – Reflections on States' Obligation to Investigate and Prosecute Individuals for Serious Human Rights Violations and Grave Breaches of the Geneva Conventions
Authors: Ingadottir Thordis
Published: March 2010

In the Armed Activity Case, the International Court of Justice, found Uganda in breach of various international obligations. In establishing the state responsibility of Uganda, the Court concluded that in the Democratic Republic of Congo the country's troops committed, among other offences, grave breaches of international humanitarian law, as well as serious human rights violations, including torture. According to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and human rights treaties, these acts should also entail individual criminal responsibility. Furthermore, states have undertaken an obligation to investigate and prosecute individuals for these heinous acts. However,enforcement of that obligation has always been problematic; states have been very reluctant to prosecute their own forces. And without an effective enforcement mechanism at the international level, states have largely gottenaway with this bad practice. In light of the importance of having a state's responsibility support the enforcement of individual criminal responsibility at the national level, the article briefly reflects on the case's impact on individual criminal responsibility. It addresses the issue in two ways. Firstly, it examines a state's obligation to prosecute individuals as a secondary obligation, i.e., inherent in a state's obligation to make reparations for an international wrongful act. Secondly, it explores a state's obligation to prosecute individuals as a primary obligation, undertaken in the Geneva Conventions and human rights treaties. The article concludes thatdespite the clear obligation of a state to enforce individual criminal responsibility for the acts at hand in the Armed Activity Case, and the rear occurrence of having a case of this nature reaching the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, where the opportunity to address it and enforce it was largely missed. The nature and submissions in other recent cases at the International Court of Justice indicate that in the near future the Court will have a larger role in enforcing states' obligation to investigate and prosecute serious crimes at the national level.
Homeownership in South Korea: Examining Sector Underdevelopment
Authors: Ronald Richard , Jin Mee-Youn
Published: March 2010

Despite government emphasis on home purchase and four decades of extensive house building, levels of owner-occupation in South Korea remain relatively modest. This paper examines Korean homeownership policy development, identifying key reasons for the limited growth: the underdevelopment of housing finance; unproductive government intervention on property speculation; ineffective tax support for low-income home purchase; and the structure of the rental sector. Korean housing policy is characteristically supply driven, which has expanded housing stock but distorted distribution, increased speculation and polarised housing wealth. This paper considers the underdevelopment of demand-side policies as the underlying failure in the sustainable and equitable expansion of homeownership. It also implicates housing more centrally in East Asian policy regime divergence.
Problematizing the Concept of Tourism Destination: An Analysis of Different Theoretical Approaches
Authors: Saraniemi Saila , Kylänen Mika
Published: March 2010

A tourism destination is one of the key concepts of institutionalized tourism, but researchers and practitioners still disagree on how it should be defined. When building a destination-wide brand, constructing local geographies, or promoting cooperation among entrepreneurs within a region, we must understand the nature of tourism destinations. We wish to take earlier categorization of destination concepts further by highlighting the assumptions and values that define the rather distinct ideas. Informed by a cultural approach to marketing and an interdisciplinary agenda combining tourism, marketing, and organization studies, we suggest a holistic and grounded approach to multiperspective destination discussion. We therefore identify four different approaches to tourism destinations: (1) economic geography—oriented, (2) marketing management—oriented, (3) customer-oriented, and (4) cultural.We define destination as a set of institutions and actors located in a physical or a virtual space where marketing-related transactions and activities take place challenging the traditional production—consumption dichotomy.
Are State Expenditures to Promote Tourism Effective?
Authors: Deskins John , Seevers Matthew T.
Published: March 2010

Our focus is the effect of public spending to promote tourism on tourism growth and broader economic growth among U.S. states. We estimate a series of regression models using a panel of state-level data for the years 1985 through 2003 to identify the effect of public tourism promotion spending (TPS) on state tourism growth, gross state product growth, and state employment growth, when such spending is financed through own-source revenues. Results indicate that the effect of higher TPS on tourism or employment growth depends on the existing level of tourism expenditures in the state. More specifically, results indicate that additional TPS increases tourism and employment growth for states that have low levels of initial tourism expenditures. However, that effect diminishes as initial levels of tourism expenditures increase. For states with very high initial levels of tourism expenditures, employment can decline following increased TPS funded through own-source revenues.
Distance Models for New Zealand International Tourists and the Role of Transport Prices
Authors: Becken Susanne , Schiff Aaron
Published: March 2010

This article analyses tourists’ travel by car or air in New Zealand using two-stage hurdle models to relate both the decision to use each mode and the average distance traveled by a mode to transport prices and tourist characteristics. We find little evidence of price sensitivity for either decision, although older tourists, those with longer stays, and non—tour group travelers appear to be more price sensitive. This research indicates that the management of tourism transport and travel distance requires policies and measures that go beyond economic instruments such as the market mix of tourists, length of stay, and season of travel.
The Transformation of Switzerland’s Militia Armed Forces and the Role of the Citizen in Uniform
Authors: Tresch Tibor Szvircsev
Published: March 2010

This article describes the structure of the Swiss militia armed forces and its preconditions. It explores in what ways the Swiss militia, which is founded on the principle of citizens in uniform, was affected by the changes in values that took place in Western societies from the 1960s and 1970s onwards as well as by the new security–political situation arising in the aftermath of the cold war. There is strong evidence that the concept of the citizen in uniform has clearly lost relevance. Voluntary commitment to society and a sense of duty as a citizen are no longer the main reasons for the involvement in the military. Instead, it is a question of individual cost-benefit analysis. Thus, the concept of the citizen in uniform may not only change for the individual soldier, but it may also be perceived differently by society.
Representative Bureaucracy and Policy Tools
Authors: Roch Christine H. , Pitts David W. , Navarro Ignacio
Published: March 2010

This article examines how racial and ethnic representation influences the tools that public officials use in designing policy. We use Schneider and Ingram’s policy tools framework to empirically test how racial and ethnic representation affects student discipline outcomes in a sample of Georgia public schools. We find that schools with balanced racial and ethnic representation are more likely to adopt learning-oriented discipline policies, whereas those with imbalanced representation are more likely to implement sanction-oriented policies. The results demonstrate that representation is an important lever in policy design, with broad social and political consequences that extend beyond the immediate organization.
Toward a Theoretical Framework for Ethical Decision Making of Street-Level Bureaucracy
Authors: Loyens Kim , Maesschalck Jeroen
Published: March 2010

Much research has been done on the way in which individuals in organizations deal with their discretion. This article focuses on the literature on street-level bureaucracy and the literature on ethical decision making. Despite their shared attempt to explain individual behavior and decision making, these research traditions have been developed quite independently. Moreover, although they both list relevant influencing factors, they do not succeed entirely in clarifying how and under which circumstances these factors have an impact on individual behavior and decision making. This article attempts to substantiate how the concept of social mechanism could help to open the black box of causation.
A Very Tangled Web
Authors: Kennedy Sheila Suess , Malatesta Deanna
Published: March 2010

A recent Indiana Court of Appeals ruling raises significant concerns about the continuing erosion of the line between public and private, and the proliferation of the “unintended consequences” that flow from sectoral blurring. The authors use that case to introduce a broader discussion of the merits and drawbacks of public–private contracting, and the challenges in distinguishing among organizational types in an era that has seen considerable overlap in organizational characteristics. The authors survey the literature on these subjects and conclude with a discussion of the underappreciated financial, ethical, and constitutional implications of the erosion of clear sectoral distinctions.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Versus Cognitive Therapy for the Treatment of Comorbid Eating Pathology
Authors: Juarascio Adrienne S. , Forman Evan M. , Herbert James D.
Published: March 2010

Previous research has indicated that although eating pathology is prevalent in college populations, both CBT and non-CBT-based therapies achieve only limited effectiveness. The current study examined several questions related to the treatment of eating pathology within the context of a larger randomized controlled trial that compared standard CBT (i.e., Beck’s cognitive therapy; CT) with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; Hayes, 2004).The results indicated that the two treatments were differentially effective at reducing eating pathology. Specifically, CT produced modest decreases in eating pathology whereas ACT produced large decreases. In addition, a weaker suggestion emerged that ACT was more effective than CT at increasing clinician-rated global functioning among those with eating pathology. These findings suggest that ACT is a useful treatment for disordered eating and potentially, for eating disorders per se.
The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:26—30): A Quest for its Original Formulation and its Role in the Preaching of the Historical Jesus
Authors: Marulli Luca
Published: March 2010

Acknowledging the explanation of the parable of the Weeds (Tares, Darnel) as secondary, this article attempts to show that the parable itself could very well be original, though heavily retouched by the author of the First Gospel. After a comparison with the version offered by the Gospel of Thomas (G.Th. 57) and an analysis of the elements added by Matthew and/or tradition, I attempt to reconstruct the original version of the parable and see how it fits into the framework of the historical Jesus’ understanding and proclamation of the Kingdom.
A Review Article: A Biblical Creation Faith and Jesus as Embodiment of the Creator Spirit
Authors: Elliott John H.
Published: March 2010

Christianity and Creation and Jesus of Nazareth are companion volumes that give voice to a veteran scholar’s summing up a lifetime of research and reflection on what he sees as two inseparably related and fundamental issues of Christian theology and biblical witness: a focus on creation and re-creation running through the Bible as a golden thread from Genesis to Revelation, and a story about Jesus as Israelite prophet, voice of the Creator Spirit, and fullest articulator and exemplar of “creation faith.”
Ontology-based information extraction: An introduction and a survey of current approaches
Authors: Wimalasuriya Daya C. , Dejing Dou
Published: March 2010

Information extraction (IE) aims to retrieve certain types of information from natural language text by processing them automatically. For example, an IE system might retrieve information about geopolitical indicators of countries from a set of web pages while ignoring other types of information. Ontology-based information extraction (OBIE) has recently emerged as a subfield of information extraction. Here, ontologies - which provide formal and explicit specifications of conceptualizations - play a crucial role in the IE process. Because of the use of ontologies, this field is related to knowledge representation and has the potential to assist the development of the Semantic Web. In this paper, we provide an introduction to ontology-based information extraction and review the details of different OBIE systems developed so far. We attempt to identify a common architecture among these systems and classify them based on different factors, which leads to a better understanding on their operation. We also discuss the implementation details of these systems including the tools used by them and the metrics used to measure their performance. In addition, we attempt to identify the possible future directions for this field.
Attitudes and beliefs of trainee probation officers: A ‘new breed’?
Authors: Deering John
Published: March 2010

As part of their attempts to re-package probation supervision as ‘punishment in the community’ and concerned with risk assessment and the protection of the public, recent Conservative and Labour governments abolished social work training for probation officers and, over the last 10 years have sought to recruit trainees from a wider base than previously and train them in these new objectives. This study looks at the attitudes of two cohorts of trainees over a range of issues and concludes that they may be more ‘traditional’ in terms of these attitudes than government may have wished.
When legitimacy is denied: Offender perceptions of the prison recall system
Authors: Digard Léon
Published: March 2010

Academic attention given to the recent and dramatic rise in the number of released prisoners recalled to prison has rarely considered offenders’ perspectives, despite the impact that recall can have on their lives. Interviews with 20 recalled sex offenders found offender views of the system focused almost exclusively on the procedural fairness of the process. In line with theories of legitimacy, these experiences appeared to have a strong impact on offenders’ attitudes, well-being, and intentions for future behaviour. There is a need to qualify these accounts in the context of offender denial. This article argues that greater consideration of the procedural justice of the administration of recalls is needed; the impact of the current system as described by offenders throws considerable doubt on its efficacy as a tool for public protection.
Primary headaches in childhood – A population-based study
Authors: Arruda Marco A , Guidetti Vincenzo , Galli Federica , Albuquerque Regina CAP , Bigal Marcelo E
Published: March 2010

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of primary headaches in pre-adolescent children, as well as headache frequency and days of treatment in this population. Sample consisted of 1994 children (aged 5–12 years). Parents were interviewed by a paediatric headache specialist using a questionnaire that allowed the classification of headaches using the criteria of the Second Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders. The most severe headache type was classified (mutually-exclusive diagnoses). Prevalence and prevalence ratios were calculated overall, as well as by age, gender and race. The overall prevalence of migraine was 3.76%, non-significantly higher in boys (3.9%) than in girls (3.6%). Prevalence of probable migraine was significantly higher than the prevalence of migraine for all ages (overall prevalence of 17.1%). Chronic migraine (CM) happened in 0.8% (girls, 1.15%; boys, 0.5%). Infrequent episodic tension-type headache (ETTH) happened in 2.3% of the sample while prevalence of frequent ETTH was 1.6%. Probable TTH happened in 13.5%. Most children with migraine had consulted a medical doctor because of their headaches, and the proportion was higher among children with CM (93.7%). Prevalence of primary headaches is high in young children. Probable diagnoses are more common than full diagnoses. Consultation rates are elevated.
States’ Accommodations Policies and Development of Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards
Authors: Lazarus Sheryl S. , Cormier Damien C. , Thurlow Martha L.
Published: March 2010

The characteristics of a state’s accommodations policy may affect a state’s decision about whether to develop an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). A very restrictive accommodations policy may make it more difficult for some students to participate in the state’s regular assessment used for accountability purposes. Descriptive discriminant analysis was used to identify whether differences in the number of allowed accommodations in five categories (presentation, equipment and materials, response, scheduling and timing, setting) differentiated between states that planned to offer an AA-MAS and those that did not. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence that the number of presentation accommodations a state’s policy allowed may be related to the decision the state made about whether to develop an AA-MAS.
The Things About Henry Wellcome
Authors: Larson Frances
Published: March 2010

This article explores the material legacy of Henry Wellcome (1853—1936). Wellcome worked closely with objects throughout his life, both as a business-man and as a collector. These objects have biographical significance. In his relationships with things, Wellcome was drawn to the miniature and the gigantic. As a founding partner of the pharmaceuticals firm Burroughs Wellcome and Company, he designed ‘compressed medicines’ that were valued for their convenience and small size. They embody Wellcome’s methodical, perfectionist nature. But, as a museum collector, he created a collection that was so enormous it became unmanageable and was left unfinished. This article seeks to reconcile these two aspects of Wellcome’s interactions with things, and argues that Wellcome’s professional work manufacturing pharmaceutical products on a miniature scale sheds light on his actions as a collector who created a truly gigantic assemblage of artefacts.
Spiritist Boundary-Work and the Morality of Materiality in Afro-Cuban Religion
Authors: Espirito Santo Diana
Published: March 2010

This article explores the significance of notions of materiality in the practice of Cuban espiritismo and in the Afro-Cuban religious cults of santería and palo monte. In particular, it pursues an understanding of the kinds of relations that are seen to emerge between the practitioners of these cults and the spirits of the dead — relations produced through their varying interpretations and uses of ‘matter’, in which corresponding moral implications obtain. The author further examines the importance of ‘things’ and their absence through an ethnographic analysis of the radically diverging discourses on the nature of spirit mediumship among competing spiritist groups in Havana. At one end of the spectrum lies the highly syncretic practice of espiritismo cruzado (crossed spiritism), characterized by its cosmological and ritual inclusivity, while at the other end is the doctrine-based espiritismo cientifico, where a popular concept of science places stricter limits on what can be understood as legitimately ‘spiritual’.
From Commodity to Costume
Authors: Wilkinson-Weber Clare M.
Published: March 2010

As scholarly interest in consumption has risen, little attention has been paid to productive consumption, or the acquisition and use of commodities within production processes. Since the shift toward neo-liberal economic policies in India in the early 1990s, commoditized, branded clothing has multiplied in the marketplace, and is increasingly featured in films. Selecting and inserting these clothes into film costume production draws on some of the same discriminations that producers employ in their guise as consumers. Dress designers’ fluency with brands and fashion solidifies their professional standing but costume production is a field of social practice that includes many actors who do not share the same dispositions toward consumption as designers. This leads to professional differentiation in the field that can be tied to proficiency in consumption practices. Commodities may be just as effective as indices of differentiation in production as they are in the more familiar domain of consumption.
Archaeologies of Landscape
Authors: Witcher Robert , Tolia-Kelly Divya P. , Hingley Richard
Published: March 2010

This article interrogates the materiality of Hadrian’s Wall beyond its widespread perception as a monument of/to Ancient Rome. Encounters with this monument have generated multitudinous materialities: hegemonic, conflicting and ambiguous. These trajectories have their own material circulations in both solid and narrative forms. Here, we consider materiality through the cultures inspired by/of the Wall. Through the formulation of an interdisciplinary methodology and praxis, we contribute to landscape studies generally and Romano—British frontier studies in particular. Firstly, we consider the genealogies of thought through which the Wall has been created, including its definition as a contested border and its use to inform discourses of nation and empire. Secondly, the material landscapes of the Wall are considered through phenomenon and encounter informed by contemporary debates in anthropology, archaeology and cultural geography. As part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded Tales of the Frontier project (http:// www.dur.ac.uk/roman.centre/ hadrianswall/), the authors aim to provide an enriched account of the materialities of the Wall beyond traditional narratives generated by fieldwork and ancient historical texts.
Toxicity and Cytopathogenic Properties Toward Human Melanoma Cells of Activated Cancer Therapeutics in Zebra Fish
Authors: Lewis Thomas J.
Published: March 2010

There is an increasing body of data showing that activated cancer therapy—the synergistic effect of “preloaded” molecules and a tuned energy source to produce cytopathogenic moieties—is a promising new modality for cancer treatment.The key activated therapies are photodynamic therapy (PDT), which involves the synergy between light and photosensitizer molecules, and ultrasound activated therapy (USAT; also referred to as sonodynamic therapy), which involves the synergy between ultrasound and sonosensitizer molecules. PDT is a well-known activated therapy with roots dating back to 1900. However, minimal data exist on USAT. One reason is the lack of suitable sonosensitizers for clinical USAT use. The authors present both LC50 toxicity and cancer cell cytotoxicity studies on 2 dual activation agents. These compounds function as both sonosensitizers and photosensitizers, and are referred to as SonneLux agents, designated SF1 and SF2. The sensitizers are derived from chlorophyll and are metal centered porphyrins known to specifically accumulate in hyperproliferating tissue. LC50 studies on both SF1 and SF2 as determined in zebra fish reveal that both are essentially nontoxic to zebra fish. In the worst case, 5% zebra fish death is noted at the maximum soluble concentration of the sensitizer. In the cytotoxicity studies, melanoma cell line WM-266-4, derived from a metastatic site of a malignant melanoma, was tested against SF1 and SF2. Both sensitizer systems showed marked efficacy in the destruction of the implanted melanoma cells. They show great promise for clinical use in the future.
Ski Acts as Therapeutic Target of Qingyihuaji Formula in the Treatment of SW1990 Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Peng Wang  , Zhen Chen  , Meng Zhi-Qiang , Luo Jian-Min , Lin Jun-Hua , Zhou Zhen-Hua , Hao Chen  , Kun Wang  , Shen Ye-Hua , Liu Lu-Ming
Published: March 2010

Background. Qingyihuaji formula (QYHJ) is a widely used herbal formula that has shown promising antitumor effect in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Objective. This research was conducted to study whether Ski acts as a therapeutic target of QYHJ formula in the treatment of SW1990 pancreatic cancer. Methods. The expression changes of Ski mRNA and protein in SW1990 pancreatic cancer subcutaneously transplanted tumor treated with QYHJ were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Then, we established a stable transfection SW1990 cell with low expression of Ski through lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) technique. The responses to QYHJ treatment on a subcutaneously transplanted tumor with different Ski expression statuses were evaluated. Finally, the effect of Ski downregulation on SW1990 cell biological behavior was also evaluated. Results. Expression of Ski mRNA and protein in SW1990 subcutaneously transplanted tumor decreased dramatically after the treatment with QYHJ. Stable transfection cells with low expression of Ski (SW1990/Ski RNAi) were created, and negative vector-transfected cells (SW1990/con RNAi) were used as controls. The tumor weight inhibitory rates of QYHJ on subcutaneously transplanted tumors formed by SW1990 or SW1990/con RNAi were 29.6% and 32.2%, respectively, whereas they were 16.0% to 17.8% when the tumors were formed by SW1990/Ski RNAi. Ski downregulation sensitized the response of SW1990 cells to TGF-β1-induced growth inhibition in vitro. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that the percentage of cells in the G1 phase increased from 40.4% to 62.9% when Ski was downregulated. The subcutaneously transplanted tumors formed by SW1990/Ski RNAi grew much more slowly than those formed by parental and control vector—transfected cells. Conclusion. Ski acts as therapeutic target of QYHJ in the treatment of SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells, and its expression status mediates different responses to QYHJ treatment.
Response to “Radiation Therapeutic Gain and Asian Botanicals,” by Stephen Sagar
Authors: Lawenda Brian D.
Published: March 2010

Numerous botanical agents, many of which are used in whole medical system practices (i.e. traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, etc.), have been shown to exhibit radiomodifying effects on tumors and normal tissues in-vitro and invivo studies. Some of these agents can enhance the therapeutic gain of radiation therapy by either acting as a radiosensitizer to tumor cells and/or as a radioprotector to normal cells. Botanical agents are comprised of multiple phytochemical compounds that may work individually or synergistically to not only improve radiation therapy outcomes, but may also exhibit a variety of anti-cancer effects as well. It will be important to evaluate these botanicals for efficacy, tumor specificity, and safety profiles before they can be recommended during radiation therapy.
Outcome in Patients Requiring Renal Replacement Therapy After Open Surgical Repair for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Davies Robert S. M. , Dawlatly Samir , Clarkson Jeremy R. , Bradbury Andrew W. , Adam Donald J.
Published: March 2010

Objective: To determine the relationship between postoperative renal replacement therapy (RRT) and patient survival after open surgical repair (OR) of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent OR for rAAA repair between January 2002 and July 2008 was performed. Early (<30days) and late (>30days) outcomes were assessed. Results: A total of 94 patients (69 men; median [range] age 73.8 [56-89] years) underwent OR of rAAA (infrarenal = 78, juxtarenal = 15, and suprarenal = 1). In-hospital mortality rate was 40% and mean (range) length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay was 9.3 (0-56) days. A total of 23 (24%) patients required postoperative RRT. In-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher (RRT: 87% (20 of 23) vs no RRT: 18 of 71 (25%), P < .0001) and ICU stay significantly longer (RRT: mean (range) days; 14.8 (1-44) vs no RRT: 7.5 (0-56), P = .04) in the RRT patients. On multivariate analysis, RRT (P = .0053) and/or inotropic support (P = .0033) were independent risk factors for death within 30 days of the index procedure. Conclusions: Renal replacement therapy following OR of rAAA is an independent risk factor for mortality.
Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography Following Subintimal Recanalization
Authors: Abdel-Gawad Ehab , Harthun Nancy , Norton Patrick , Bonatti Hugo , Turba Ulku , Spinosa David J. , Bozlar Ugur , Ramkaransingh Jeffrey R. , Hagspiel Klaus D.
Published: March 2010

Purpose: To describe the appearance of lower extremity runoff vessels following subintimal recanalization (SIR) on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (ceMRA) and compare 2 different ceMRA techniques. Methods: A total of 6 patients underwent stepping table 3-dimensional (3D) ceMRA and time-resolved 2-dimensional (2D) MRA within 1 to 3 days (mean 1.83 days) following SIR. The 2 techniques were compared with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Results: A total of 15 arteries were recanalized in 6 patients. Three-dimensional ceMRA allowed evaluation of patency in all segments above the knee. Postprocedural hyperemia impaired the assessment of the trifurcation vessels on 3D ceMRA. Due to its higher temporal resolution 2D MRA was not affected by venous contamination and allowed reliable confirmation of patency of the recanalized vessels. Conclusions: Diagnostic MRA studies of the lower extremity runoff vessels following SIR is possible, but a hybrid technique using a stepping table MR DSA and a time-resolved sequence like 2D MRA of the calf station is necessary for runoff assessment.
Emerging models for mobilizing family support for chronic disease management: a structured review
Authors: Rosland Ann-Marie , Piette John D.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: We identify recent models for programmes aiming to increase effective family support for chronic illness management and self-care among adult patients without significant physical or cognitive disabilities. We then summarize evidence regarding the efficacy for each model identified.

Methods: Structured review of studies published in medical and psychology databases from 1990 to the present, reference review, general Web searches and conversations with family intervention experts. Review was limited to studies on conditions that require ongoing self-management, such as diabetes, chronic heart disease and rheumatologic disease.

Results: Programmes with three separate foci were identified: (1) Programmes that guide family members in setting goals for supporting patient self-care behaviours have led to improved implementation of family support roles, but have mixed success improving patient outcomes. (2) Programmes that train family in supportive communication techniques, such as prompting patient coping techniques or use of autonomy supportive statements, have successfully improved patient symptom management and health behaviours. (3) Programmes that give families tools and infrastructure to assist in monitoring clinical symptoms and medications are being conducted, with no evidence to date on their impact on patient outcomes.

Discussion: The next generation of programmes to improve family support for chronic disease management incorporate a variety of strategies. Future research can define optimal clinical situations for family support programmes, the most effective combinations of support strategies, and how best to integrate family support programmes into comprehensive models of chronic disease care.
Informal and formal care infrastructure and perceived need for caregiver training for frail US veterans referred to home and community-based services
Authors: Van Houtven Courtney Harold , Oddone Eugene Z. , Weinberger Morris
Published: March 2010

Objectives: To describe the informal care network of US veterans referred to home and community-based services (Homemaker Home Health services, H/HHA, or Home-Based Primary Care, HBPC) at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), including: quantity and types of tasks provided and desired content for caregiver training programs.

Methods: All primary care patients referred to H/HHA or HBPC during the preceding 3 months were sent questionnaires in May 2007. Additionally, caregivers were sent questionnaires if a patient gave permission. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests were performed.

Results: On average, patients received 5.6 hours of VA care and 47 hours of informal care per week. 26% of patients (38% of patients with caregiver proxy respondents) and 59% of caregivers indicated the caregiver would be interested in participating in a training program by phone or on-site. Significant barriers to participation existed. The most common barriers were: transportation; no time due to caregiving or work demands; caregiver’s own health limitations; and no need.

Conclusions: Caregiver training needs to be tailored to overcome barriers to participate. Overcoming these barriers may be possible through in-home phone or internet training outside traditional business hours, and by tailoring training to accommodate limiting health problems among caregivers.
Patient-caregiver concordance in symptom assessment and improvement in outcomes for patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy
Authors: Silveira Maria J. , Given Charles W. , Given Barbara , Rosland Ann Marie , Piette John D.
Published: March 2010

Objective: To measure the agreement between cancer patients’ and family caregivers’ perceptions of the patients’ symptom severity, and the association between changes in caregiver accuracy and changes in outcomes.

Methods: Secondary analysis of baseline and 10-week follow-up data from 142 cancer patient/caregiver dyads. Patient/caregiver agreement about symptom burden was measured for the 8 most prevalent symptoms and overall. Bivariate analyses examined the patient and caregiver characteristics associated with caregivers who were overestimators, underestimators or accurate at baseline. We tested the relationship between change in caregiver accuracy and both caregiver behaviour (e.g. use of information, hours spent caregiving) and patient outcomes (e.g. total symptom severity and frequency).

Results: At baseline, caregivers overestimated the severity of 17 out of 18 symptoms; 50% predicted mean symptom severity accurately. Accuracy worsened over time for 51%, stayed the same for 36%, and improved for 13%. While not statistically significant, caregivers whose accuracy improved over time had patients who reported greater declines in: symptom severity, number of symptoms, symptom interference, total symptom frequency and depression. In addition, these caregivers experienced greater reductions in their use of information and hours helping the patient.

Discussion: Caregivers typically over-estimate cancer patients’ symptom burden and accuracy does not improve over time. Improving caregiver accuracy may boost the positive effects of cognitive behavioural interventions designed to improve cancer patients’ quality of life.
The challenges facing healthcare lecturers and professors to lead and promote a research-based culture for practice
Authors: Girot Elizabeth Anne
Published: March 2010

A qualitative study was undertaken to explore lecturers’ and professors’ views of their role in shaping attitudes to, and careers in, research for the nursing and allied health professional workforce. A purposive sample was used to identify key participants (n = 30), from four universities across southwest England, with 7—8 participants from each institution. Data were collected between October 2005 and January 2007. Data were managed, analysed and coded with the assistance of the qualitative data analysis software NVivo using a thematic content analysis. This paper reports the findings, which are limited to the challenges facing the higher education workforce in taking the lead to promote a research based culture for practice. Overall, participants see themselves as playing a significant and important role in shaping the research agenda in healthcare. However, with only 9% of the education workforce holding a doctoral qualification, capacity and capability need further investment, as well as the need to ensure their balanced workload. The research leadership of professors is highly valued, though the study recommends greater transparency of expectations in their role. In conclusion, with the introduction of new clinical academic pathways, the higher education workforce is key to inspiring, educating and supporting them in their role.
Heavy as a Feather: On Agnieszka Woznicka’s Birdy, Object Animation and the Moral Gravity of Things
Authors: Walden Elizabeth
Published: March 2010

Digital technology now defines our representational order. Paradoxically, digital hegemony creates new conditions for the representation of materiality through the loss of the photographic index. Object animation is especially well able to stage this emerging conception of materiality. Woznicka’s object animation film Birdy creates an allegory of materiality in addition to representing it. The film foregrounds its main character’s project, the construction of wings, and the ethical implications of treating materials as mere resource for human use. Elements of the narrative structure and the camera work give the materials used in the character’s project a moral standing in the film, which draws audience and filmmaker, as well as the character, into an ethical situation which is significant to our shared moment in the digital era.
Pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide modulates innate immunity in corneal fibroblasts challenged with Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Xiaoyan Zhang  , Xinyi Wu  , Li Gao
Published: March 2010

Aspergillus fumigatus triggers inflammatory responses through Toll-like receptors (TLRs), particularly TLR2 and TLR4. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a ligand of TLR4, can induce tolerance of A. fumigatus hyphae in telomerase-immortalized human stroma fibroblasts (THSFs). The THSFs were pretreated with low-dose LPS for various times and then challenged with A. fumigatus hyphae. We observed that pretreatment of THSFs with low-dose LPS resulted in diminished production of cytokines IL-8 and IL-6 and elevated expression of antimicrobial peptides, such as CC chemokine-ligand 20 (CCL20) and thymosin β4 (Tβ4), upon subsequent A. fumigatus challenge. Furthermore, LPS pretreatment also resulted in suppression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) migration. Our results suggested that THSFs pretreated with LPS develop a state of A. fumigatus hyphae tolerance. This may induce protective mechanisms during fungal keratitis to prevent an excessive inflammatory response and to control infection of the cornea.
The JAK2 46/1 haplotype predisposes to MPL-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Jones Amy V. , Campbell Peter J. , Beer Philip A. , Schnittger Susanne , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Zoi Katerina , Percy Melanie J. , McMullin Mary Frances , Scott Linda M. , Tapper William , Silver Richard T. , Oscier David , Harrison Claire N. , Grallert Harald , Kisialiou Aliaksei , Strike Paul , Chase Andrew J. , Green Anthony R. , Cross Nicholas C. P.
Published: March 2010

The 46/1 JAK2 haplotype predisposes to V617F-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms, but the underlying mechanism is obscure. We analyzed essential thrombocythemia patients entered into the PT-1 studies and, as expected, found that 46/1 was overrepresented in V617F-positive cases (n = 404) versus controls (n = 1492, P = 3.9 × 10−11). The 46/1 haplotype was also overrepresented in cases without V617F (n = 347, P = .009), with an excess seen for both MPL exon 10 mutated and V617F, MPL exon 10 nonmutated cases. Analysis of further MPL-positive, V617F-negative cases confirmed an excess of 46/1 (n = 176, P = .002), but no association between MPL mutations and MPL haplotype was seen. An excess of 46/1 was also seen in JAK2 exon 12 mutated cases (n = 69, P = .002), and these mutations preferentially arose on the 46/1 chromosome (P = .029). No association between 46/1 and clinical or laboratory features was seen in the PT-1 cohort either with or without V617F. The excess of 46/1 in JAK2 exon 12 cases is compatible with both the “hypermutability” and “fertile ground” hypotheses, but the excess in MPL-mutated cases argues against the former. No difference in sequence, splicing, or expression of JAK2 was found on 46/1 compared with other haplotypes, suggesting that any functional difference of JAK2 on 46/1, if it exists, must be relatively subtle.
A unique interaction between αIIb and β3 in the head region is essential for outside-in signaling–related functions of αIIbβ3 integrin
Authors: Hauschner Hagit , Landau Meytal , Seligsohn Uri , Rosenberg Nurit
Published: March 2010

The main interface of the 2 subunits of platelet integrin αIIbβ3 comprises the β-propeller domain of αIIb and the βA domain of β3. In the center of the β-propeller, several aromatic residues interact by cation-π and hydrophobic bonds with Arg261 of βA. In this study, we substituted αIIb-Trp110 or β3-Arg261 by residues abundant in other α or β subunits at corresponding locations and expressed them in baby hamster kidney cells along with normal β3 or αIIb, respectively. These mutant cells displayed normal surface expression and fibrinogen binding but grossly impaired outside-in signaling–related functions: adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen, cell spreading, focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation, clot retraction, and reduced αIIbβ3 stability in EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). Expression of mutants with substitutions of Arg261 in β3 by alanine or lysine with normal αv yielded normal surface expression of αvβ3 and soluble fibrinogen binding as well as normal outside-in signaling–related functions, contrasting findings for αIIbβ3. Structural analysis of αIIbβ3 and αvβ3 revealed that αvβ3 has several strong interactions between αv and β3 subunits that are missing in αIIbβ3. Together, these findings indicate that the interaction between Trp110 of αIIb and Arg261 of β3 is critical for αIIbβ3 integrity and outside-in signaling–related functions.
Increasing levels of free thyroxine as a risk factor for a first venous thrombosis: a case-control study
Authors: van Zaane Bregje , Squizzato Alessandro , Huijgen Roeland , van Zanten Anton P. , Fliers Eric , Cannegieter Suzanne C. , Büller Harry R. , Gerdes Victor E. A. , Brandjes Dees P. M.
Published: March 2010

A hypercoagulable state exists in hyperthyroidism, but the association with venous thrombosis (VT) is not fully explored. We aimed to investigate VT risk for different plasma levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies. We used a case-control study on leg vein thrombosis conducted between September 1999 and August 2006 at the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Parameters of thyroid function were assessed in 190 cases (mean age, 57 years; range, 19-90 years) and 379 sex-matched controls (mean age, 56 years; range, 18-93 years). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for VT risk were estimated according to several cutoff levels derived from plasma levels observed in controls. We found the risk of VT to gradually rise with increasing levels of free thyroxine (FT4). In the absence of traditional acquired risk factors, FT4 levels above 17 pmol/L yielded a sex- and age-adjusted OR of 2.2 (95% CI, 1.2-4.2) for deep VT, which further increased up to an OR of 13.0 (95% CI, 1.1-154.1) for FT4 levels above reference range. Our data suggest increasing levels of FT4 to be a risk factor for VT and may have implications for both the prevention and management of this disease.