bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust dynamics in minimal hybrid models of genetic networks
Authors: Perkins Theodore J. , Wilds Roy , Glass Leon
Published: October 2010

Many gene-regulatory networks necessarily display robust dynamics that are insensitive to noise and stable under evolution. We propose that a class of hybrid systems can be used to relate the structure of these networks to their dynamics and provide insight into the origin of robustness. In these systems, the genes are represented by logical functions, and the controlling transcription factor protein molecules are real variables, which are produced and destroyed. As the transcription factor concentrations cross thresholds, they control the production of other transcription factors. We discuss mathematical analysis of these systems and show how the concepts of robustness and minimality can be used to generate putative logical organizations based on observed symbolic sequences. We apply the methods to control of the cell cycle in yeast.
Piecewise affine systems modelling for optimizing hormone therapy of prostate cancer
Authors: Suzuki Taiji , Bruchovsky Nicholas , Aihara Kazuyuki
Published: October 2010

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasms in men with an overall incidence of approximately 15 per cent during the normal life span. Androgen-deprivation therapy (hormone therapy) is an effective treatment of this disease when progressed to an advanced stage. Despite impressive responses, such treatment when applied on a continuous basis is not curative and eventually culminates in androgen-independent disease. On the other hand, intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) was first conceived as a potential way of delaying progression to androgen-independence, in addition offering the possibility of reducing adverse effects and improving the quality of life. Although the validity of this approach has been confirmed in several clinical studies, the optimal scheduling of the cycles of on- and off-treatment remains to be explored. In the present article, we show that IAS lends itself to mathematical modelling with hybrid dynamical systems and that the model we have developed can be used to select the best strategy for keeping prostate cancer in an androgen-dependent state as long as possible. Our results also suggest that the current way of using IAS exceeds what is necessary for optimal control; in fact, we have found that to achieve optimal control, the amount of therapy (dose and duration of drugs) can be reduced by a factor of one half.
Reproductive biology of the starry smooth‐hound shark Mustelus asterias: geographic variation and implications for sustainable exploitation
Authors: Farrell E. D. , Mariani S. , Clarke M. W.
Published: October 2010

Examination of the reproductive biology of Mustelus asterias in the north‐east Atlantic Ocean highlighted apparent geographical variation in maturity, fecundity and ovarian cycle between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. The stretch total length (LST) and age at 50% maturity for Atlantic males and females were estimated at 78 cm LST and 4–5 years and 87 cm LST and 6 years, respectively. Size at maturity of females was considerably smaller than in Mediterranean specimens (96 cm LST). Ovarian fecundity ranged from eight to 27 oocytes and uterine fecundity from six to 18 embryos. The gestation period was c. 12 months, followed by a resting period of c. 12 months, resulting in a biennial cycle. Females stored sperm in the oviducal gland and, unlike Mediterranean specimens, no uterine compartments were observed in Atlantic specimens. This study reveals the existence of strong, possibly adaptive, divergence in life‐history traits in an elasmobranch, whose northern populations may be more susceptible to overexploitation than previously believed.
Effects of food deprivation on refuge use and dispersal in juvenile North Sea houtingCoregonus oxyrinchusunder experimental conditions
Authors: Poulsen S. B. , Svendsen J. C. , Jensen L. F. , Schulz C. , Jäger‐Kleinicke T. , Schwarten H.
Published: October 2010

This study tested the influence of energetic state on refuge use and dispersal in juvenile North Sea houtingCoregonus oxyrinchusin an artificial stream. Food‐deprived fish spent more time outside refuges than well‐fed fish; however, the well‐fed fish initiated dispersal faster than the food‐deprived fish. The results may indicate state‐dependent refuge use and dispersal inC.oxyrinchus.
The effect of stimulus type and background noise on hearing abilities of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus
Authors: Belanger A. J. , Bobeica I. , Higgs D. M.
Published: October 2010

The auditory abilities of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus were quantified using auditory evoked potential recordings, using tone bursts and conspecific call stimuli. Fish were tested over a range of sizes to assess effects of growth on hearing ability. Tests were also run with and without background noise to assess the potential effects of masking in a natural setting. Neogobius melanostomus detected tone bursts from 100 to 600 Hz with no clear best frequency in the pressure domain but were most sensitive to 100 Hz tone stimuli when examined in terms of particle acceleration. Responses to a portion of the N. melanostomus call occurred at a significantly lower threshold than responses to pure tone stimulation. There was no effect of size on N. melanostomus hearing ability, perhaps due to growth of the otolith keeping pace with growth of the auditory epithelium. Neogobius melanostomus were masked by both ambient noise and white noise, but not until sound pressure levels were relatively high, having a 5–10 dB threshold shift at noise levels of 150 dB re 1 µPa and higher but not at lower noise levels.
No place like home: an experimental comparison of reintroduction strategies using snakes
Authors: Roe John H. , Frank Michael R. , Gibson Scott E. , Attum Omar , Kingsbury Bruce A.
Published: October 2010

1. The practice of deliberately moving animals from one site to another for conservation is increasing as a tool to re‐establish extirpated populations. Resource managers are faced with developing strategies for reintroduction attempts, but often lack experimentally derived evidence upon which to base decisions.

2. Using the northern water snake Nerodia sipedon sipedon in the USA, we compared the behaviour and performance of resident snakes with that of individuals translocated directly from the wild to a nearby nature reserve or reared in captivity prior to translocation.

3. Both translocated groups had low survivorship relative to resident snakes, but the proximal causes of their poor performance differed considerably. Captive‐reared snakes exhibited restricted surface activity and movements and abnormal habitat use, and ultimately failed to maintain appropriate body temperature and body mass, with high mortality associated with the overwintering period. Wild snakes directly translocated to an unfamiliar site maintained body temperatures and growth comparable with residents, but their more extensive movements resulted in frequent excursions off reserve and high mortality.

4.
 Synthesis and applications. We contend that an individual’s prior experience is an important factor in determining their behaviour and performance during the phase of early establishment at an unfamiliar site. This suggests the existence of common underlying mechanisms influencing the outcome of reintroduction attempts, and provides a potentially useful framework for improving reintroduction efforts. Resource managers would likely improve success of reintroductions by matching habitats (and associated resources and conditions) between source and release sites, by temporarily confining animals in enclosures that force new associations to be made while limiting exploratory wanderings, or by enrichment of environmental conditions in captivity.
Choice of living arrangements
Authors: Stancliffe R. J. , Lakin K. C. , Larson S. , Engler J. , Taub S. , Fortune J.
Published: October 2010

Background  The rights to choose where and with whom to live are widely endorsed but commonly denied to adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). The current study provides a contemporary benchmark on the degree of choice exercised by adult service users in the USA.

Method  Data came from the National Core Indicators programme. Participants were 6778 adult service users living in non‐family‐home service settings in 26 US states.

Results  Most adults with ID did not participate in choosing where and with whom to live. Those with more support needs because of more severe ID and/or co‐occurring conditions experienced less choice regarding living arrangements. Individuals living in their own home or an agency‐operated apartment were more likely to choose where and with whom to live than individuals in nursing homes, institutions or group homes. However, few individuals with severe or profound ID chose where and with whom to live regardless of where they lived.

Conclusions  In 2008, despite community‐living policies that emphasise choice, many adult service users with ID in the USA experienced little or no choice about where and with whom to live, especially those individuals with more severe ID. Our findings provide a clear endorsement of policies promoting more individualised living settings, such as one's own home or an agency apartment, because these settings do provide substantially more choice about living arrangements.
The human metapneumovirus: a case series and review of the literature
Authors: Shahda S. , Carlos W.G. , Kiel P.J. , Khan B.A. , Hage C.A.
Published: October 2010

S. Shahda, W.G. Carlos, P.J. Kiel, B.A. Khan, C.A. Hage. The human metapneumovirus: a case series and review of the literature Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 324–328. All rights reserved

Abstract: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an emerging human pulmonary pathogen that is genetically related to respiratory syncytial virus. It has been increasingly associated with respiratory illnesses over the last few decades. Immunocompromised patients are particularly susceptible with resultant morbidity and mortality. We describe our experience with 9 immunocompromised patients diagnosed with pneumonia secondary to hMPV, 2 of whom were successfully treated with aerosolized and oral ribavirin along with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). We suggest that hMPV should be considered in the differential diagnosis of immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory illness. Ribavirin (oral and aerosolized) with IVIG is potentially an effective treatment option for those with severe disease.
Sexual Traits as Quality Indicators in Lekking Male Great Bustards
Authors: Alonso Juan C. , Magaña Marina , Martín Carlos A. , Palacín Carlos
Published: October 2010

We studied the development of two sexual traits, whiskers and neck plumage, in relation to sexual selection in 41 free‐living great bustard, Otis tarda, males radio‐tracked at nine leks in central Spain in 1998–2001. During the pre‐breeding male–male competition period (Feb.) prior to female arrival, number and length of whiskers correlated with weight, but not with body size or age. Whiskers may thus have evolved as an intrasexual indicator of weight, which in the absence of other weapons in this species is decisive in male–male combats. Signalling through whiskers contributes to minimizing dangerous aggressive interactions in the lek. During the mating period (Apr.), both whisker and neck development were correlated with weight and age. Males reaching higher expression of both traits exhibited higher display intensity, a more prolonged display period through the mating season, and a higher estimated mating success. Moreover, interannual changes in a male’s expression of both traits were associated with changes in its display intensity and estimated mating success. Our results resolve earlier debates and contradictory results from previous authors, suggesting that these two secondary sexual traits, whiskers and neck, may function as reliable indicators of age and weight, the two main factors determining social rank of males in great bustard leks, during both rival assessment and mate choice. Their dual functions provide support for the pre‐existing trait and redundant signal hypotheses and suggest that multiple ornaments functioning as redundant signals might be more widespread than previously acknowledged.
Palliative care in end‐stage kidney disease
Authors: FASSETT ROBERT G , ROBERTSON IAIN K , MACE ROSE , YOUL LOREN , CHALLENOR SARAH , BULL ROSALIND
Published: October 2010

Patients with end‐stage kidney disease have significantly increased morbidity and mortality. While greater attention has been focused on advanced care planning, end‐of‐life decisions, conservative therapy and withdrawal from dialysis these must be supported by adequate palliative care incorporating symptom control. With the increase in the elderly, with their inherent comorbidities, accepted onto dialysis, patients, their nephrologists, families and multidisciplinary teams, are often faced with end‐of‐life decisions and the provision of palliative care. While dialysis may offer a better quality and quantity of life compared with conservative management, this may not always be the case; hence the patient is entitled to be well‐informed of all options and potential outcomes before embarking on such therapy. They should be assured of adequate symptom control and palliative care whichever option is selected. No randomized controlled trials have been conducted in this area and only a small number of observational studies provide guidance; thus predicting which patients will have poor outcomes is problematic. Those undertaking dialysis may benefit from being fully aware of their choices between active and conservative treatment should their functional status seriously deteriorate and this should be shared with caregivers. This clarifies treatment pathways and reduces the ambiguity surrounding decision making. If conservative therapy or withdrawal from dialysis is chosen, each should be supported by palliative care. The objective of this review is to summarize published studies and evidence‐based guidelines, core curricula, position statements, standards and tools in palliative care in end‐stage kidney disease.
Eight case reports on sex‐hormone profiles in sexually mature male Down syndrome
Authors: Suzuki Kuri , Nakajima Koichi , Kamimura Shuichi , Takasugi Keiichirou , Suzuki Yasuyuki , Sekine Hideaki , Ishii Nobuhisa
Published: October 2010

Down syndrome (DS) is a congenital disorder usually caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. Although the number of postpubertal patients with DS is increasing, only limited information is available on their gonadal and sexual development. The aim of this case report was to examine sex‐hormone profiles in sexually mature male patients with DS. Eight postpubertal male patients with trisomy 21 (mean age 28 years, range 15–54 years) participated in this study. The serum level of luteinizing hormone and follicle‐stimulating hormone was significantly elevated and testosterone was slightly decreased. The testicular volume was smaller in all eight cases than that observed in healthy male subjects. The elevated luteinizing hormone and follicle‐stimulating hormone levels, the lower testosterone levels and a smaller testicular volume observed in all eight cases suggest a significant degree of germinal cell hypoplasia in mature male patients with DS.
Characteristics and prognosis of chromophobe non‐metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A multicenter study
Authors: Lee Won Ki , Byun Seok‐Soo , Kim Hyeon Hoe , Rha Koon Ho , Hwang Tae‐Kon , Sung Gyung Tak , Lee Wan , Lim Jae Sung , Jeong Young Beom , Kwon Tae Gyun
Published: October 2010

Objectives:  To analyze the characteristics and the prognostic significance of chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (chRCC).

Methods:  Data about 2981 patients with non‐metastatic renal cell carcinomas (RCC) at the time of surgery were retrospectively collected from 26 institutions between 1998 and 2008. All patients had undergone partial or radical nephrectomies. Of the 2981 patients, 2602 patients with conventional RCC (cRCC) and 148 with chRCC were studied. Clinical and pathological parameters were determined in all patients. Recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) were assessed.

Results:  Patients with chRCC differed significantly from those with cRCC on the following parameters: younger age (P = 0.026), greater female ratio (P < 0.001), and larger tumor diameter (P < 0.001). Both groups were alike with respect to body mass index (P = 0.943), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (P = 0.163), T stage (P = 0.375), and Fuhrman's grade (P = 0.134). The 5‐year RFS rates in patients with chRCC and cRCC were 82.7% and 83.3%, respectively (P = 0.762). The 5‐year CSS rates in patients with chRCC and cRCC were 88.8% and 92.2%, respectively (P = 0.980). Both groups showed equivalent oncological outcomes in terms of RFS and CSS for cases stratified by T stage and Fuhrman's grade. In multivariate analysis, the histological subtype was not retained as an independent prognostic variable (RFS: P = 0.893; CSS: P = 0.729).

Conclusions:  Despite being significantly different from cRCC in terms of several clinical and pathological parameters, chRCC shows equivalent oncological outcomes.
Efficacy of extended‐release tolterodine for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity and/or low‐compliance bladder
Authors: Watanabe Miho , Yamanishi Tomonori , Honda Mikihiko , Sakakibara Ryuji , Uchiyama Tomoyuki , Yoshida Ken‐Ichiro
Published: October 2010

Objective:  To evaluate the efficacy of extended‐release (ER) tolterodine 4 mg/day for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and/or low‐compliance bladder by assessing urodynamic parameters.

Methods:  Forty‐six patients (25 male, 21 female; mean age 57.6 ± 20.7 years) with NDO (n = 39) and/or low‐compliance bladder (n = 7) were included in this 12‐week single‐arm study. Twenty‐one patients (46%) were on clean intermittent catheterization and other patients could void on their own. A video urodynamic study was performed before and at 3 months after treatment. Changes in Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ‐SF), and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) as well as changes in number of voids, amount of each void, and number of leaks in 24 h according to the 3‐day voiding diary were also evaluated before treatment and at weeks 4 and 12 after treatment.

Results:  Bladder capacity at first sensation and maximum cystometric capacity increased significantly, by an average of 36.8 mL (P = 0.0402) and 82.3 mL (P < 0.0001), respectively. Maximum cystometric capacity increased by more than 50 mL in 19 patients (49%) following treatment. Detrusor overactivity disappeared in three of 32 patients (9%), bladder capacity at first involuntary contraction increased significantly (P = 0.0009), and amplitude of detrusor overactivity decreased significantly (P = 0.0025). In patients with low‐compliance bladder, bladder compliance increased significantly (P = 0.0156). Overactive bladder symptom score, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form score, number of voids (per 24 h and night‐time), number of urgency episodes in 24 h, number and amount of leaks in 24 h, and amount of mean and maximum voided volumes all decreased significantly after treatment.

Conclusion:  Tolterodine is effective and well tolerated for the treatment of NDO and/or low‐compliance bladder in patients with neurogenic bladder.
READ MY TIPS
Authors: CRAINER STUART
Published: October 2010

Ever‐optimistic Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams, co‐authors of Wikinomics (Atlantic Books, 2008) and, individually, of a number of other books that study the Internet and its relation to society, are now working on a new book, one for which they're using the Internet to determine its title.
FACE VALUES: RESPONSIBILITY, INC.
Authors: CONNOLLY JOHN
Published: October 2010

Investment and growth in emerging markets will bring new opportunities, but with them added responsibility. Will companies be able to rise to meet the new responsibility agenda? Deloitte's John Connolly thinks so and argues that the business case is overwhelming.
Topical methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy for management of basal cell carcinomas in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome improves patient’s satisfaction and reduces the need for surgical procedures
Authors: Pauwels C. , Mazereeuw‐Hautier J. , Basset‐Seguin N. , Livideanu C. , Viraben R. , Paul C. , Meyer N.
Published: October 2010

Background  In basal cell nevus syndrome, basal cell carcinomas occur in early life. The treatment of basal cell carcinomas requires surgical excisions and may lead to unaesthetic scars. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a validated treatment of skin cancers, with good cosmetic outcomes.

Objectives  The aim of the study was to evaluate patient’s satisfaction, cosmetic outcome and number of surgical excisions before and after PDT, in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome treated with PDT.

Methods  A cross‐sectional evaluation of all patients with basal cell nevus syndrome, treated with PDT for basal cell carcinomas. A questionnaire evaluated satisfaction, cosmetic outcomes for surgery and PDT. The number of surgeries before and after PDT was noted and efficacy was evaluated.

Results  Seven patients were evaluated; 85% of patients were satisfied with PDT vs. 55% for surgery. The average visual analogue score for the cosmetic result was 8.42/10 for PDT vs. 6.3/10 for surgery. The mean number of surgical excisions was 4.4 during the 6 months before the first session of PDT and 0.57 after.

Conclusion  Methylaminolevulinate‐photodynamic therapy seems an interesting option for the treatment of basal cell carcinomas in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome.
Acne fulminans: explosive systemic form of acne
Authors: Zaba R , Schwartz RA , Jarmuda S , Czarnecka–Operacz M , Silny W
Published: October 2010

Acne fulminans (AF) is a rare severe form of acne vulgaris associated with systemic symptoms. It primarily affects male adolescents. Although the aetiology of AF remains unknown, many theories have been advanced to explain it. There have been reported associations with increased androgens, autoimmune complex disease and genetic pre‐disposition. The disease is destructive, with the acute onset of painful, ulcerative nodules on the face, chest and back. The associated systemic manifestations such as fever, weight loss and musculoskeletal pain are usually present at the onset. The patients are febrile, with leucocytosis and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. They may require several weeks of hospitalization. The treatment of AF has been challenging; the response to traditional acne therapies is poor. The recommended treatment is aggressive and consists of a combination of oral steroids and isotretinoin. To avoid the relapses, duration of such treatment should not be less than 3–5 months. Although the prognosis for patients treated appropriately is good, these acute inflammatory nodules often heal with residual scarring.
Metabolic syndrome in Tunisian psoriatic patients: prevalence and determinants
Authors: Mebazaa A , El Asmi M , Zidi W , Zayani Y , Cheikh Rouhou R , El Ounifi S , Kanoun F , Mokni M , Osman A Ben , Feki M , Slimane H , Mebazaa A , Kaabachi N
Published: October 2010

Background  A significant association between psoriasis and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been frequently reported.

Objective  The aim of this study was to specify the main factors that determine the MetS in psoriatic Tunisian patients.

Methods  A case–control study has included 164 psoriatic patients and 216 controls.

Results  The prevalence of MetS was higher in cases than in controls but without statistical differences [35.5% vs. 30.8%, odds ratio (OR): 1.39 CI: 0.88–2.18; P = 0.095]. According to gender, the prevalence of MetS was significantly increased only in psoriatic women (47.4% vs. 30%, OR: 1.89, CI: 1.11–3.21; P = 0.01). A multiple logistic regression, considering the effect of age, and gender, showed that the prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in cases than in controls (OR: 1.73, CI: 1.06–2.82; P = 0.03). MetS components analysed seperately showed a significantly higher prevalence of decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) (60.9% vs. 35.9%, OR: 2.77, CI: 1.8–4.27, P < 0.001) and for increased hypertension (50% vs. 40%, OR: 1.48, CI: 0.97–2.257, P = 0.04) in psoriatic patients. According to gender, HDLc was significantly decreased in both genders (male: OR: 2.075, CI: 1.24–3.47, P = 0.004; female: OR: 3.58, CI: 2.07–6.19, P < 0.0001), while hypertension was increased only in psoriatic men (OR: 2.09, CI: 1.24–3.51, P = 0.004) and abdominal obesity only in psoriatic women (OR: 2.31, CI: 1.30–4.11, P = 0.002).

Conclusion  Decreased HDLc is the main biological abnormality that characterized MetS in Tunisian psoriatic patients. Moreover, contrary to men, psoriatic women have shown a significantly higher prevalence of MetS, which is, in addition to decreased HDLc, mainly attributed to abdominal obesity.
A first prospective randomized controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of synchronous balneophototherapy vs. narrow‐band UVB monotherapy for atopic dermatitis
Authors: Heinlin J. , Schiffner‐Rohe J. , Schiffner R. , Einsele‐Krämer B. , Landthaler M. , Klein A. , Zeman F. , Stolz W. , Karrer S.
Published: October 2010

Background  Data from an uncontrolled trial suggest synchronous balneophototherapy (sBPT), which simulates treatment conditions at the Dead Sea, to be effective in the management of atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objectives  The purpose of this prospective randomized controlled study was to compare the efficacy and safety of sBPT with narrow‐band (NB) UVB monotherapy (PT) for AD.

Methods  In this phase III multicentre trial, 180 patients with moderate‐to‐severe AD were allocated to two groups in a 1 : 1 ratio; group 1 received sBPT consisting of NB UVB treatment and synchronous bathing in 10% Dead Sea salt solution, group 2 monotherapy with UVB 311 nm. The confirmatory study design consisted of up to 35 treatment sessions. Primary endpoint, analysed on an intention‐to‐treat‐basis (n = 169), was the relative improvement of the severity SCORing of the Atopic Dermatitis Index (SCORAD) from baseline to the end of treatment (35 sessions or early cure). Sample‐size calculation aimed at establishing at least 15% superiority.

Results  SCORing of the Atopic Dermatitis Index at baseline was comparable between sBPT (61.8 ± 14.1) and PT (61.5 ± 12.4) group. At the end of therapy, a clinically relevant and statistically significant difference of 26.2% could be shown (P < 0.001). Exploratory testing showed statistically significant superiority of sBPT after 6 months. Mild adverse events more frequently occurred in the sBPT group (n = 46, PT: n = 31), whereas more patients withdrew early because of adverse events in the PT group (n = 6, sBPT: n = 2).

Conclusions  A clear advantage of sBPT in comparison to PT was proven. Tolerability was comparable; both treatments showed to be safe.
Bioactive amines changes in raw and sterilised milk inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens stored at different temperatures
Authors: GLORIA M BEATRIZ A , SARAIVA PATRICIA RL , RIGUEIRA JULIANA C S , BRANDÃO SEBASTIÃO C C
Published: October 2010

The presence of bioactive amines in raw and sterilised milk inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens during storage at 4°C, 7°C and 10°C for 6 days was investigated. Spermine, spermidine, putrescine, serotonin and phenylethylamine were present in the samples immediately after milking. Histamine, cadaverine and tyramine were formed in the raw milk on the 4th day of storage at 10°C, increasing significantly afterwards. Cadaverine was formed during sterilisation. There was no significant change in amines, acidity, thermostability and alizarol tests throughout storage of the sterilised milk; however, a putrid smell was detected at every temperature on the 6th day. Therefore, raw or sterilised milk storage at 4–7°C should not exceed 4 days. Furthermore, raw milk should not be stored at 10°C.
Black Swans, New Nostradamuses, Voodoo decision theories, and the science of decision making in the face of severe uncertainty
Authors: Sniedovich Moshe
Published: October 2010

The recent global financial crisis, natural disasters, and ongoing debate on global warming and climate change are a stark reminder of the huge challenges that severe uncertainty presents in decision and policy making. My objective in this paper is to look at some of the issues that need to be taken into account in the modeling and analysis of decision problems that are subject to severe uncertainty, paying special attention to some of the misconceptions that are being promulgated in this area. I also examine two diametrically opposed approaches to uncertainty. One, that emphasizes that the difficulties encountered in the modeling, analysis, and solution of decision problems in the face of severe uncertainty are in fact insurmountable, and another that claims to provide, against all odds, a reliable strategy for a successful handling of situations subject to severe uncertainty.
The History of Children in Australia: An Interdisciplinary Historiography
Authors: Pascoe Carla
Published: October 2010

Children have long been shadowy or forgotten figures within historical narratives. It was not until the second half of the twentieth century that a critical historiography of children and childhood emerged. In the Australian context, histories of young people were not published until the 1980s. Whilst the historiography of the child is now a burgeoning field, it has been haunted by two major challenges: a lack of sources authored by children themselves; and a tendency amongst adult scholars to romanticise children. This article situates the Australian historiography of children within an international context. Given the difficulties of reconstructing the lives of children in the past, it argues for an interdisciplinary approach, drawing upon the insights of folklore, material culture, geography and oral history.
Good Campers: The History of Australian War Reporting
Authors: Anderson Fay
Published: October 2010

When the Chief of British Intelligence told Australia’s First Official War Correspondent, C.E.W Bean in October 1914 that war reporters were a ‘dying profession’, Bean recorded in his diary that on the contrary, he thought it was the beginning of a new era. Bean proved prescient. Since 1863 Australia has had over 750 journalists, photographers and cinematographers covering international conflicts. Despite this tradition, the history of Australian conflict reporting has been neglected by historians. This article will provide an overview of the Australian historiography and the corresponding scholarship in the US and UK. It will also consider seminal issues such as censorship, the mythology and self‐mythology surrounding war reporting, media power and the Anzac legend.
Individual Differences in the Subjective Experience of Pain: New Insights Into Mechanisms and Models
Authors: Coghill Robert C.
Published: October 2010

Individual differences in pain sensitivity have long remained a perplexing and challenging clinical problem. How can one individual have a sensory experience that is vastly different than that of another, even when they have received similar sensory input? Developing an understanding of such differences and the mechanisms that support them has progressed substantially as psychophysical findings are integrated with measures of brain activation provided by functional brain imaging techniques. Continued delineation of these mechanisms will contribute substantially to the development of combined psychophysical/psychological models that can be used to optimize pain treatment on an individual‐by‐individual basis.
A multidisciplinary “think tank”: the top 10 clinical trial opportunities in transfusion medicine from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored 2009 state‐of‐the‐science symposium
Authors: Josephson Cassandra D. , Glynn Simone A. , Kleinman Steve H. , Blajchman Morris A.
Published: October 2010

BACKGROUND: In September 2009, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened the State‐of‐the‐Science Symposium in Transfusion Medicine to identify Phase II and/or III clinical trials that would provide important information to advance transfusion medicine.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Seven multidisciplinary subcommittees developed proposals in the following areas: 1) platelet (PLT) product use, 2) neonatal and/or pediatric transfusion practice, 3) surgical transfusion practice, 4) intensive care unit and/or in trauma transfusion practice, 5) plasma and/or cryoprecipitate product use and therapeutic apheresis practice, 6) red blood cell (RBC) product use and/or blood conservation management, and 7) medical transfusion practice or blood donor studies. The committees consisted of transfusion medicine specialists, hematologists, cardiovascular surgeons, anesthesiologists, neonatologists, critical care physicians, and clinical trial methodologists. Proposals were presented and an external panel evaluated and prioritized each concept for scientific merit, clinical importance, and feasibility.

RESULTS: Twenty‐four concepts were presented by the subcommittees. Ten concepts addressed four areas deemed most important: 1) PLT transfusion strategies to prevent and/or mitigate bleeding in neonates and patients with hematologic malignancies, 2) RBC transfusion trigger strategies to improve overall outcomes in different patient populations, 3) evaluation of optimal plasma:PLT:RBC ratios in trauma resuscitation, and 4) pathogen inactivation of PLTs to improve PLT transfusion safety.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposal themes not only represent inquiries about the indications for transfusion, but also epitomize the lack of consensus when clinical practice lacks a strong evidence base. Ultimately, the purpose of this publication is to provide a “blueprint” of ideas for further development rather than endorse any one specific clinical trial design.
Reduction in plasma transfusion after enforcement of transfusion guidelines (CME)
Authors: Tavares Maria , DiQuattro Pamela , Nolette Norma , Conti Gina , Sweeney Joseph
Published: October 2010

BACKGROUND:The majority of fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP) is transfused in the United States in the management of acquired bleeding disorders. The prothrombin time (PT), and its derivative the international normalized ratio (INR), is the most common test used to detect the presence and gauge the severity of these disorders. Observation studies have shown that the PT correlates poorly with clinical bleeding and that transfusion of plasma often achieves no measurable change in the INR nor is of any known clinical benefit.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:Data on FFP and red blood cell transfusions and measures of hospital activity and mortality were collected over a 12‐year period. The first 3 years were baseline years, the next 3 years were physician education years, and in the last 6 years all requests for FFP were screened. Orders were discouraged if the INR was less than 2.0 in the absence of active bleeding and the use of vitamin K was encouraged if the patient was taking warfarin.

RESULTS:This program ultimately resulted in an approximate 80% reduction in transfused FFP using the average of the baseline years compared to the average of the last 3 years (157 ± 19 units FFP/1000 discharges vs. 30 ± 15, p < 0.01, respectively). Overall, hospital activity remained largely unchanged or increased. No unexpected bleeding was reported, which was attributed to a failure to transfuse FFP, and inpatient mortality rate decreased during these 12 years.

CONCLUSIONS:A program of engagement and interdiction using evidence‐based guidelines can successfully decrease the use of FFP without any observable increase in unexpected bleeding.
Suprasegmental Measures of Accentedness and Judgments of Language Learner Proficiency in Oral English
Authors: KANG OKIM , RUBIN DON , PICKERING LUCY
Published: October 2010

In high‐stakes oral proficiency testing as well as in everyday encounters, accent is the most salient aspect of nonnative speech. Prior studies of English language learners’ (ELLs’) pronunciation have focused on single parameters of English, such as vowel duration, fundamental frequency as related to intonation, or temporal measures of speech production. The present study addresses a constellation of suprasegmental characteristics of nonnative speakers of accented English, combining indices of speech rate, pause, and intonation. It examines relations between those acoustic measures of accentedness and listeners’ impressions of second‐language oral proficiency. Twenty‐six speech samples elicited from iBT TOEFL®examinees were analyzed using a KayPENTAX Computerized Speech Laboratory. Monolingual U.S. undergraduates (n = 188) judged the speakers’ oral proficiency and comprehensibility. A multiple regression analysis revealed the individual and joint predictiveness of each of the suprasegmental measures. The innovative aspect of this study lies in the fact that the multiple features of accentedness were measured via instrumentation rather than being rated by judges who may, themselves, be subject to rating biases. The suprasegmental measures collectively accounted for 50% of the variance in oral proficiency and comprehensibility ratings, even without taking into consideration other aspects of oral performance or of rater predilections.
Can Talk Be Inconsequential? Social and Interactional Aspects of Elicited Second‐Language Interaction
Authors: HUTH THORSTEN
Published: October 2010

This article investigates social and interactional aspects of second‐language (L2) talk elicited for research purposes from a conversation analytic angle, examining existing theoretical notions regarding elicited data in light of their collaborative and interactional contingencies. The analysis suggests that participants may draw from fundamental aspects underlying naturally occurring interaction in elicited L2 interaction, even when demonstrably “doing role‐play.” Classifying elicited interaction primarily with dichotomous notions surrounding the authenticity, artificiality, or social consequences of such talk oversimplifies the nature of the talk and fails to acknowledge other elements structuring elicited interaction that, thus far, have not yet been fully explored.
Building the Reservoir to Nowhere: The Role of Agencies in Advocacy Coalitions
Authors: Ellison Brian A. , Newmark Adam J.
Published: October 2010

The purpose of the advocacy coalition framework is to explain policy change over time through an examination of the stability of advocacy coalitions within policy subsystems. Recently, scholars have confirmed that advocacy coalitions are held together by shared belief systems, specifically in distributive policy arenas. We contend that federal agencies, in distributive policy arenas, provide both the anchors and support systems for the development and maintenance of belief systems. This anchoring helps provide adequate resources, access to political institutions, ability to control administrative process, and/or the capacity to deliver public goods and services. We conducted an analysis of the policy changes that occurred during the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act for the construction of the Bureau of Reclamation's Animas‐La Plata project. This is an example where administrators, through the management of information, were able to control the policy process. The analysis provides a needed replication of previous findings regarding policy change and offers new insights into how institutions are critical to subsystem stability over time.
Governance, Policy Innovation, and Local Economic Development in North Carolina
Authors: Morgan Jonathan Q.
Published: October 2010

This article examines the extent to which local governments in North Carolina embrace innovation in their economic development activities. The study makes a distinctive theoretical contribution by examining the relationship between innovation in how economic development policies are administered and implemented (using concepts associated with governance and NPM), and innovation in what is substantively done (policy innovation). An analysis of the results from a statewide survey of local governments in North Carolina finds that certain governance/management variables are significant determinants of economic development policy innovation. An implication of this finding is that new ways of doing economic development may go hand‐in‐hand with new ways of governing and managing. Many of the governance/management variables are also positively associated with the use of a greater number of traditional economic development strategies and tools. This suggests that local governments may find it helpful to be innovative in how they implement economic development irrespective of the substantive policy orientation of particular strategies and tools.
Policy Styles and Degenerative Politics: Poverty Policy Designs in Newfoundland and Quebec
Authors: Mondou Matthieu , Montpetit Éric
Published: October 2010

This article examines the proposal suggesting that policy designs are consistent with the social construction of target groups. Associated with policy design theory, the proposal pessimistically suggests that underprivileged citizens will be targeted with policies that do little to help them, creating a vicious circle of degenerative politics. This article argues that the prevalence of degenerative politics depends on policy styles. Significant where the adversarial style prevails, degenerative politics is less common in consensual systems. This proposal is examined through a systematic content analysis of action plans to reduce poverty in Newfoundland and Quebec.
Women Receiving News of a Family BRCA1/2 Mutation: Messages of Fear and Empowerment
Authors: Crotser Cheryl B. , Dickerson Suzanne S.
Published: October 2010

Purpose: Communication of genetic test results to healthy at‐risk family members is complicated considering family dynamics and the complexity of cancer genetics. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of family communication of BRCA1/2 results from the perspective of young and middle‐aged women receiving the news.

Theoretical Rationale: Individuals are self‐interpretive beings influenced by family culture, history, and communication patterns. Humans express meaning through language and stories.

Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutics guided in‐depth interviews and team interpretation of data. Using purposive and network sampling, 19 women 18 to 50 years of age who received news of a family BRCA1/2 mutation from a biologic relative were recruited from support groups and two health facilities in upstate New York.

Findings: Five themes emerged: (a) situating the story, (b) receiving the message from family, (c) responding to receipt of the message, (d) impacting family communication, and (e) advice for communicating risk. Two constitutive patterns were identified: (a) communicating risk as a message of fear and empowerment and (b) integrating the message by taking one step at a time.

Conclusions/Implications: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) have an important role in provision of anticipatory guidance for communication of genetic test results, including the potential behavioral and emotional responses to family risk communication. Future research is indicated to understand the role of HCPs in family risk communication.

Clinical Relevance: Presentation of comprehensive and balanced information and the use of patient‐centered communication is essential. HCPs need to view women as whole rather than as a person at risk. Continued support is needed for women who subsequently test positive or negative for the family BRCA1/2 mutation from HCPs and others, often outside the family network.
Environmental heterogeneity and spatiotemporal variability in plant defense traits
Authors: Hakes Alyssa S. , Cronin James T.
Published: October 2010

At the scale of the local plant community, we know very little about how spatial and temporal environmental heterogeneity affects the diversity in types and levels of plant defenses. If environmental heterogeneity is an important mechanism influencing plant defense traits, then defense expression should co‐vary spatially with environmental conditions and change as succession progresses. In this study, we examined how spatial heterogeneity and succession influence putative resistance and tolerance trait levels in late goldenrod Solidago altissima. We quantified the spatial distributions of herbivore damage and traits associated with resistance (leaf toughness, phenolics), tolerance (specific leaf area, relative growth rate, leaf addition rate and leaf senescence rate), and fitness (height, diameter, inflorescence biomass) of goldenrods within replicate early‐ and late‐successional fields. Also, we characterized the local neighborhood (stem density, canopy cover, ground vegetative cover) and edaphic conditions (soil moisture, pH, N) surrounding each target ramet, and determined relationships between these environmental variables and goldenrod trait levels. The distribution of traits within fields was strongly non‐random, and defense‐trait levels were more strongly spatially structured (i.e. autocorrelated) in late‐ than in early‐successional fields. Also, defense traits were most strongly correlated with aspects of the local plant neighborhood, and these relationships differed in important ways between successional stages. In late‐successional fields, tolerance trait specific leaf area was positively correlated with canopy cover and negatively correlated with stem density. In early‐successional fields, the relationship between ground vegetative cover and resistance (i.e. 1 – damage) was significantly stronger than in late‐successional fields. A novel insight from this study is the possibility that changes in the biotic environment during succession may shift the expression of defense from a resistance to a tolerance strategy in our system. This study highlights the context dependence of plant defense trait levels, which may promote their spatial and temporal variability in heterogeneous landscapes.
Hemorheology and exercise: effects of warm environments and potential consequences for sickle cell trait carriers
Authors: Connes Philippe
Published: October 2010

The relationship between blood rheology and hemodynamics is complex, and the following review presents several aspects of exercise hemorheology, with the focus on both cycling and running as exercise. The scientific literature assessing the effects of warm environment on exercise hemorheology is presented and the potential consequences for a specific population, sickle cell trait carriers, are discussed.
Interconnections between thermal perception and exercise capacity in the heat
Authors: Cheung Stephen S.
Published: October 2010

Some models of exercise regulation suggest that exercise performance, rather than being solely limited by the attainment of fatigue in one or more physiological systems, is modulated by psychological factors. Extrapolating from such models, exercise capacity and voluntary performance during exercise in hot environments may be governed by a complex interplay between the physiological effects of hyperthermia along with psychological input stemming from the conscious perception of the thermal environment. Evidence is emerging for a neuroanatomical basis for peripheral and central thermal receptors to elicit both a distinct physiological response such as shivering or sweating along with being mapped into an overall subjective sensation of homeostasis. Experimental evidence supporting this interactivity includes the demonstration that physiological manipulations, such as an increased fitness, appear to confer an attenuation of thermal discomfort during whole‐body exercise despite similar levels of physiological strain. At the same time, psychological interventions have proven effective in decreasing perceived thermal strain and extending exercise performance in hot environments. The purpose of this review was to survey the potential interactions between thermal perception and exercise performance in the heat.