bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Promoting Community Health Resources: Preferred Communication Strategies
Authors: Colby Sarah E. , Johnson Amy L. , Eickhoff Amanda , Johnson LuAnn
Published: April 2009

Community health promotion efforts involve communicating resource information to priority populations. Which communication strategies are most effective is largely unknown for specific populations. A random dialed representative phone survey was conducted assessing current health resource community awareness, health resource utilization, and communication strategy preferences. The survey revealed that community members preferred to receive information on health resources from the Internet (28.3%), newspaper (26.4%), or mail (22.3%). Different priority populations had varying health communication strategy preferences (e.g., young adults prefer Internet, older adults prefer newspaper, and obese adults prefer mail). Ideally, if health resources are intended for adult audiences, a campaign that would include communication through newspaper (targeting older adults), mailing (targeting obese adults), and Web sites (targeting younger adults) would be the most effective approach. This research suggests that an assessment of communication strategy preferences of the priority population might be a crucial first step when developing health promotion programs.
Apathy and Depressive Mood in Nursing Home Patients With Early-Onset Dementia
Authors: Leontjevas Ruslan , van Hooren Susan , Waterink Wim , Mulders Ans
Published: April 2009

The study explored whether apathy and depressive mood symptoms (DMS) are related to cognitive and functional features of dementia in 63 nursing home (NH) residents with early-onset dementia (EOD). All EOD residents from one NH (n = 41) and a random sample from another NH were assessed for depressive symptoms (Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS]), apathy (Neuropsychiatric Inventory [NPI]), global cognitive functions (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]), activities of daily living (ADL, Minimum Data Set—Resident Assessment Instrument [MDS-RAI]), and overall dementia severity (Global Deterioration Scale [GDS]). DMS were not associated with apathy and dementia severity. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, the type of dementia, and DMS revealed that dementia severity measures accounted, respectively, for 14% (ADL), 13% (GDS), and 9% (MMSE) of the variance in apathy. In line with previous research in older patients, the higher apathy scores were associated with more cognitive and functional problems in EOD.
The Effects of Organizational Learning Culture, Perceived Job Complexity, and Proactive Personality on Organizational Commitment and Intrinsic Motivation
Authors: Joo Baek-Kyoo , Lim Taejo
Published: April 2009

This article investigated the effect of personal characteristics (proactive personality) and contextual characteristics (organizational learning culture and job complexity) on employees' intrinsic motivation and organizational commitment. Employees exhibited the highest organizational commitment when they perceived higher learning culture and higher job complexity. Employees were more intrinsically motivated when they showed higher proactive personality and perceived higher job complexity. The perception of their job complexity partially mediated the relationship between organizational learning culture and organizational commitment and the relationship between proactive personality and intrinsic motivation. Overall, organizational learning culture, proactive personality, and perceived job complexity accounted for 44% and 54% of the variances in organizational commitment and intrinsic motivation, respectively. In addition, proactive personality moderated the relationship between organizational learning culture and organizational commitment. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and recommendations for further research are discussed.
Cytohesin-1 controls the activation of RhoA and modulates integrin-dependent adhesion and migration of dendritic cells
Authors: Quast Thomas , Tappertzhofen Barbara , Schild Cora , Grell Jessica , Czeloth Niklas , Förster Reinhold , Alon Ronen , Fraemohs Line , Dreck Katrin , Weber Christian , Lämmermann Tim , Sixt Michael , Kolanus Waldemar
Published: April 2009

Adhesion and motility of mammalian leukocytes are essential requirements for innate and adaptive immune defense mechanisms. We show here that the guanine nucleotide exchange factor cytohesin-1, which had previously been demonstrated to be an important component of beta-2 integrin activation in lymphocytes, regulates the activation of the small GTPase RhoA in primary dendritic cells (DCs). Cytohesin-1 and RhoA are both required for the induction of chemokine-dependent conformational changes of the integrin beta-2 subunit of DCs during adhesion under physiological flow conditions. Furthermore, use of RNAi in murine bone marrow DCs (BM-DCs) revealed that interference with cytohesin-1 signaling impairs migration of wild-type dendritic cells in complex 3D environments and in vivo. This phenotype was not observed in the complete absence of integrins. We thus demonstrate an essential role of cytohesin-1/RhoA during ameboid migration in the presence of integrins and further suggest that DCs without integrins switch to a different migration mode.
Critical role of CD11b+ macrophages and VEGF in inflammatory lymphangiogenesis, antigen clearance, and inflammation resolution
Authors: Kataru Raghu P. , Jung Keehoon , Jang Cholsoon , Yang Hanseul , Schwendener Reto A. , Baik Jung Eun , Han Seung Hyun , Alitalo Kari , Koh Gou Young
Published: April 2009

Using a bacterial pathogen–induced acute inflammation model in the skin, we defined the roles of local lymphatic vessels and draining lymph nodes (DLNs) in antigen clearance and inflammation resolution. At the peak day of inflammation, robust expansion of lymphatic vessels and profound infiltration of CD11b+/Gr-1+ macrophages into the inflamed skin and DLN were observed. Moreover, lymph flow and inflammatory cell migration from the inflamed skin to DLNs were enhanced. Concomitantly, the expression of lymphangiogenic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), VEGF-D, and VEGF-A were significantly up-regulated in the inflamed skin, DLNs, and particularly in enriched CD11b+ macrophages from the DLNs. Depletion of macrophages, or blockade of VEGF-C/D or VEGF-A, largely attenuated these phenomena, and produced notably delayed antigen clearance and inflammation resolution. Conversely, keratin 14 (K14)–VEGF-C transgenic mice, which have dense and enlarged lymphatic vessels in the skin dermis, exhibited accelerated migration of inflammatory cells from the inflamed skin to the DLNs and faster antigen clearance and inflammation resolution. Taken together, these results indicate that VEGF-C, -D, and -A derived from the CD11b+/Gr-1+ macrophages and local inflamed tissues play a critical role in promoting antigen clearance and inflammation resolution.
IFN-λ1 (IL-29) inhibits GATA3 expression and suppresses Th2 responses in human naive and memory T cells
Authors: Dai Jihong , Megjugorac Nicholas J. , Gallagher Grant E. , Yu Raymond Y. L. , Gallagher Grant
Published: April 2009

IFN-λ1 (IL-29) plays a novel, emerging role in the inhibition of human Th2 responses. Here, we demonstrate that both naive and memory human CD4+ T cells express mRNA for the IFN-λ1–specific receptor, IL-28Rα, and are responsive to IFN-λ1. Expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) was suppressed in naive and memory CD4+ T cells by IFN-λ1, without affecting their proliferation. Further, acquisition of IL-4Rα expression after stimulation was inhibited by IFN-λ1, as was GATA3 expression. Finally, IFN-λ1 diminished the change in cell-surface phenotype that accompanies differentiation of “central memory” T cells into “effector memory” T cells. Taken together, our data describe unique immunomodulatory effects of IFN-λ1 and identify novel mechanisms for the reduction of existing Th2 responses and the regulation of new ones, in circulating naive and memory CD4+ T cells.
The transcriptional program controlled by the stem cell leukemia gene Scl/Tal1 during early embryonic hematopoietic development
Authors: Wilson Nicola K. , Miranda-Saavedra Diego , Kinston Sarah , Bonadies Nicolas , Foster Samuel D. , Calero-Nieto Fernando , Dawson Mark A. , Donaldson Ian J. , Dumon Stephanie , Frampton Jonathan , Janky Rekin's , Sun Xiao-Hong , Teichmann Sarah A. , Bannister Andrew J. , Göttgens Berthold
Published: April 2009

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Scl/Tal1 controls the development and subsequent differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, because few Scl target genes have been validated to date, the underlying mechanisms have remained largely unknown. In this study, we have used ChIP-Seq technology (coupling chromatin immunoprecipitation with deep sequencing) to generate a genome-wide catalog of Scl-binding events in a stem/progenitor cell line, followed by validation using primary fetal liver cells and comprehensive transgenic mouse assays. Transgenic analysis provided in vivo validation of multiple new direct Scl target genes and allowed us to reconstruct an in vivo validated network consisting of 17 factors and their respective regulatory elements. By coupling ChIP-Seq in model cell lines with in vivo transgenic validation and sophisticated bioinformatic analysis, we have identified a widely applicable strategy for the reconstruction of stem cell regulatory networks in which biologic material is otherwise limiting. Moreover, in addition to revealing multiple previously unrecognized links to known HSC regulators, as well as novel links to genes not previously implicated in HSC function, comprehensive transgenic analysis of regulatory elements provided substantial new insights into the transcriptional control of several important hematopoietic regulators, including Cbfa2t3h/Eto2, Cebpe, Nfe2, Zfpm1/Fog1, Erg, Mafk, Gfi1b, and Myb.
Anti-idiotype antibody response after vaccination correlates with better overall survival in follicular lymphoma
Authors: Ai Weiyun Z. , Tibshirani Robert , Taidi Behnaz , Czerwinski Debra , Levy Ronald
Published: April 2009

Previous studies demonstrated that vaccination-induced tumor-specific immune response is associated with superior clinical outcome in patients with follicular lymphoma. Here, we investigated whether this positive correlation extends to overall survival (OS). We analyzed 91 untreated patients who received CVP chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone) followed by idiotype vaccination. Idiotype proteins were produced either by the hybridoma method or by expression of recombinant idiotype-encoding sequences in mammalian or plant-based expression systems. We found that achieving a complete response/complete response unconfirmed (CR/CRu) to CVP and making an anti-idiotype antibody are 2 independent factors that each correlated with longer OS at 10 years (89% vs 68% with or without a CR/CRu, P = .024; 90% vs 69% with or without tumor-specific antibody production; P = .027). In the subset of patients who received hybridoma-generated vaccines, we found that anti-idiotype production was even more highly associated with superior OS (P < .002); this was the case even in patients with a partial response (PR) to CVP (P < .001).
Climatic Signatures in Yucatecan Wills and Death Records
Authors: Bricker Victoria R. , Hill Rebecca E.
Published: April 2009

Dense collections of eighteenth-century wills and death registers from Tekanto and Ixil, two towns in northern Yucatan, represent hitherto unexplored sources for documenting the relationship between natural disasters and mortality patterns among the Yucatecan Maya during colonial times. They provide detailed, sometimes daily, records of the impact of famines caused by multiyear droughts, hurricanes, and plagues of locusts on the agrarian population of the peninsula, which supplement the brief, impressionistic accounts of historians.
“They Had a Chance to Talk to One Another...”: The Role of Incidence in Native American Code Talking
Authors: Meadows William C.
Published: April 2009

While formally recruited groups of Native American code talkers used in World War II, such as the Navajo, Comanche, and later the Meskwaki and Hopi, are well known, this article focuses on the incidental use of Native Americans in U.S. Armed Forces communications in both world wars. This essay documents several instances in which the presence of Native American soldiers within the same or nearby units who spoke a common native language was discovered by accident, either by their commanding officers or by the members themselves, and their subsequent use in sending military communications in their respective tribal languages. These data add to the breadth of our knowledge of Native American code talking and the essay explores the context for the development of such opportunities, which, although they involved fewer men and perhaps less frequency of use, involved more tribes than formally developed code-talking programs.
Colonizing the Patrie: An Experiment Gone Wrong in Old Regime France
Authors: Hodson Christopher
Published: April 2009

This article reconstructs a colonial experiment conducted in a quiet corner of Old Regime France. In 1773 a nobleman named the marquis de Pérusse used the crown's money to settle fifteen hundred Acadian refugees—French-speaking, Catholic colonists expelled from the British province of Nova Scotia in 1755—on uncultivated lands near the town of Chatellerault in Poitou. After a few peaceful months, the project devolved into anarchy. Beset by threats and violence, most of the Acadians fled, eventually finding their way to Spanish Louisiana. Pérusse's colony, I argue, collapsed as the result of a conspiracy engineered by a group of disgruntled Acadians and Anne-Robert Turgot, Louis XVI's controller-general of finances. Re-creating this “cabal” while making a fresh assessment of Pérusse's vision of internal colonization, this article makes new connections between the politics of empire and political economy, revising in the process scholarly conceptions of France's late-eighteenth-century Atlantic world.

Cet article reconstitue une expérience coloniale menée dans un lieu tranquille de l'Ancien Régime. En 1773, le marquis de Pérusse s'est servi des fonds de la Couronne pour implanter quinze cents Acadiens—colons francophones expulsés de la Nouvelle-Ecosse en 1755—sur des terrains incultes prés de la ville de Châtellerault en Poitou. Après quelques mois de paix, le projet est tombé dans l'anarchie. La plupart des Acadiens prirent la fuite, éventuellement gagnant la Louisiane espagnole. La colonie de Pérusse était victime d'une conspiration tramée par un groupe d'Acadiens mécontents et Anne-Robert Turgot, le premier contrôleur général des finances sous le règne de Louis XVI. En reconstituant l'histoire de cette « cabale » et la conception de la colonisation interne que le marquis de Pérusse a animé, cet article tresse de nouveaux liens entre l'impérialisme et l'économie politique, tout en révisant les conceptions des spécialistes du monde atlantique français à la fin du dix-huitième siècle.
“Un Impérialiste Libéral”? Jean-Baptiste Say on Colonies and the Extra-European World
Authors: Plassart Anna
Published: April 2009

Jean-Baptiste Say is remembered as the father of French economic liberalism and as the origin of a long line of French writers who opposed colonization on the basis of free-trade arguments. This article argues that because Say's commentators have primarily focused on his economic writings, they have misinterpreted his overall thought on colonies and on the extra-European world. Far from always defending the political independence of extra-European societies, Say put forward the same sort of argument in favor of European domination as his friend James Mill. By investigating Say's early writings and lesser-known texts, this article suggests that Say's colonial writings need to be reassessed in light of the specific intellectual and political context of the late eighteenth century. In doing so it also offers new insights into the intellectual origins of so-called French imperial liberalism.

On présente souvent Jean-Baptiste Say comme un défenseur français des doctrines libérales de l'économie politique anglaise. On lui attribue également l'origine d'une tradition française d'opposition au colonialisme fondé sur des arguments économiques de libre-échange. Cet article suggère que les commentateurs de Say, parce qu'ils se sont principalement intéressés à ses écrits économiques, n'ont pas saisi la portée générale de sa pensée coloniale. Say n'a pas toujours défendu l'indépendance politique des sociétés non européennes ; au contraire, il a parfois mis en avant les mêmes arguments que son ami James Mill en faveur de la domination européenne dans le monde. A travers une analyse des écrits de jeunesse de Say, ainsi que de certains textes jusqu'ici négligés, cet article considère les écrits coloniaux de Say à la lumière du contexte intellectuel et politique de la fin du dix-huitième siècle. Ce faisant, il suggère de nouvelles perspectives pour l'étude des origines de « l'impérialisme libéral » français.
“The Harem Revealed” And the Islamic-French Family: Aline de Lens and a French Woman's Orient in Lyautey's Morocco
Authors: Amster Ellen
Published: April 2009

Aline Réveillaud de Lens (1881–1925) became a celebrated novelist, painter, patroness of native arts, and ethnographer during the French Protectorate in Morocco. The wife of a colonial officer, de Lens adopted Moroccan children and used them as ethnographic material for her orientalist novels. Her biography illustrates the culture of sociability between French colonials and Moroccans created by Resident General Hubert Lyautey's military protectorate government (1912–25) and the paradox of Lyautey's “respect” for Muslim culture. Unlike other women visitors to the harem (Edith Wharton, Lady Drummond Hay, Mary Wortley Montague, et al.), de Lens claimed to be a demi-musulmane herself and attempted to create a Franco-Muslim female social world and family. The simultaneity of her private journal and public art reveals the relationship between a woman's lived reality in French North Africa and the production of orientalist fantasy. De Lens may have created a “woman's Orient,” but it was one particular to herself.

Aline Réveillaud de Lens (1881–1925), écrivain, peintre, patronne des arts indigènes marocains, et ethnographe pendant la période du Protectorat français au Maroc, était la femme d'un officier du service coloniale. Au Maroc, elle s'est créé une vie « francomarocaine » ; les Réveillauds ont préféré la société indigène à la société coloniale. Mme. de Lens a adopté des enfants marocains, et elle les a utilisés comme modèles ethnographiques dans ses romans orientalistes. Elle se présentait comme « demi-musulmane » et comme membre de la société féminine musulmane, une image différente des voyageuses anglophones comme Edith Wharton, Lady Drummond Hay et Mary Wortley Montague. L'histoire de sa vie et son œuvre illuminent la sociabilité franco-musulmane pendant le Protectorat de Hubert Lyautey (1912–25), les paradoxes de sa politique d'association, et « l'Orient des femmes » dans l'Afrique du Nord française.
Metallosupramolecular Gels Made of Four-armed Poly(ethylene glycol)s Having Terpyridine Termini
Authors: Kimura Mutsumi , Nakagawa Yasushi , Adachi Naoya , Tatewaki Yoko , Fukawa Tadashi , Shirai Hirofusa
Published: April 2009

Four-armed poly(ethylene glycol) having 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) termini was synthesized as a component unit and further utilized for preparation of metallosupramolecular gels by the addition of FeCl2. The formed gels collapsed by the addition of NH3.
Structure Revision of Aspergillides A and B, Cytotoxic 14-Membered Macrolides from Aspergillus ostianus, by X-ray Crystallography
Authors: Ookura Ryuhei , Kito Keijiro , Saito Yota , Kusumi Takenori , Ooi Takashi
Published: April 2009

m-Bromobenzoates of aspergillides A and B gave crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography, resulting in the revision of the structures of both compounds as 1 and 3, respectively.
Preparation of Siliceous Vesicles with Adjustable Sizes, Wall Thickness, and Shapes
Authors: Yu Meihua , Zhang Jun , Yuan Pei , Wang Hongning , Liu Nian , Wang Yunhua , Yu Chengzhong
Published: April 2009

Siliceous vesicles with controllable sizes, wall thickness, and shapes have been successfully prepared by adjusting the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratios of mixed block copolymer templates, which provides a feasible and designable approach to fabricate vesicular structures with controllable parameters that are important for their future applications.
One Component Membrane Reactor for Partial Oxidation of Methane Using Asymmetric Membranes
Authors: Araki Sadao , Hoshi Yasushi , Hamakawa Satoshi , Hikazudani Susumu , Mizukami Fujio
Published: April 2009

Oxygen permeable asymmetric membranes of Ca0.8Sr0.2Ti0.7Fe0.3O3−δ were applied to a one-component membrane reactor (OCMR) for the partial oxidation of methane. CH4 conversion and oxygen flux of OCMR with a 43-μm dense layer at 1173 K reached 71% and 1.7 mL min−1 cm−2, respectively. These values are 2.5 times greater than that of a 500-μm self-supported membrane.
Fragilide E, a Novel Chlorinated 20-Acetoxybriarane from the Gorgonian Coral Junceella fragilis
Authors: Sung Ping-Jyun , Li Gung-Ying , Chen Yu-Pei , Huang I-Chu , Chen Bo-Yuan , Wang Su-Hui , Huang Sheng-Kai
Published: April 2009

A novel chlorinated briarane, fragilide E (1), which possesses an unprecedented 20-acetoxy group, was isolated from the gorgonian coral Junceella fragilis. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic methods.
A Cautionary Tale About the Use of Administrative Data: Evidence from Age of Marriage Laws
Authors: Blank Rebecca M , Charles Kerwin Kofi , Sallee James M
Published: April 2009

This paper demonstrates that administrative data may be inferior to survey data under particular circumstances. We examine the effect of state laws governing the minimum age of marriage in the United States. The estimated effects of these laws are much smaller when based on retrospective reports from census versus administrative records from Vital Statistics data. This discrepancy appears due to systematic avoidance behavior of two kinds. Some young people marry in states with less restrictive laws; others appear to have misrepresented their age on their marriage certificate. Our results have important implications regarding legal avoidance and the use of administrative data. (JEL J12 K36)
Income Inequality and Progressive Income Taxation in China and India, 1986–2015
Authors: Piketty Thomas , Qian Nancy
Published: April 2009

This paper evaluates income tax reforms in China and India. The combination of fast income growth and under-indexed tax schedule in China implies the fraction of the Chinese population subject to income tax has increased from less than 0.1 percent in 1986 to about 20 percent in 2008, while it has stagnated around 2–3 percent in India. Chinese income tax revenues, as a share of GDP, increased from less than 0.1 percent in 1986 to about 1.5 percent in 2005 and 2.5 percent in 2008, while the constant adaptation of exemption levels and income brackets in India have caused them to stagnate around 0.5 percent of GDP. (JEL D31, H24, 015, 023, P23, P35)
Premarital screening programmes for haemoglobinopathies, HIV and hepatitis viruses: review and factors affecting their success
Authors: Alswaidi Fahad M , O'brien Sarah J
Published: April 2009

This literature review is a comprehensive summary of premarital (prenuptial) screening programmes for the most prevalent hereditary haemoglobinopathies, namely thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, and the important infections HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and hepatitis viruses B and C (HBV and HCV). It describes the background to premarital screening programmes and their value in countries where these diseases are endemic. The use of premarital screening worldwide is critically evaluated, including recent experiences in Saudi Arabia, followed by discussion of the outcomes of such programmes. Despite its many benefits, premarital testing is not acceptable in some communities for various legal and religious reasons, and other educational and cultural factors may prevent some married couples following the advice given by counsellors. The success of these programmes therefore depends on adequate religious support, government policy, education and counselling. In contrast to premarital screening for haemoglobinopathies, premarital screening for HIV and the hepatitis viruses is still highly controversial, both in terms of ethics and cost-effectiveness. In wealthy countries, premarital hepatitis and HIV testing could become mandatory if at-risk, high-prevalence populations are clearly identified and all ethical issues are adequately addressed.
Comparison of emergency department HIV testing data with visit or patient as the unit of analysis
Authors: Lyons Michael S , Lindsell Christopher J , Raab Dana L , Ruffner Andrew H , Trott Alexander T , Fichtenbaum Carl J
Published: April 2009

Objectives

Outcomes in an episodic care setting like an emergency department (ED) are traditionally evaluated in comparison with the number of visits as opposed to the number of unique patients, although patients commonly present to the ED multiple times. We examined the differences in HIV screening programme outcomes that would occur if the analysis were conducted at the patient-level, rather than the traditional visit-level. We hypothesized that while our ED-based HIV screening programme does test some patients repeatedly, the primary programme outcome of percent positive is not substantially altered by the unit of analysis.

Methods

We reviewed the clinical database of an ED HIV screening programme at a large, urban, teaching hospital in the United States from 2003–2007. Data were analyzed descriptively. The main outcome measure was the rate of positive test results computed with either the visit or the patient as the unit of analysis.

Results

HIV testing was provided at 9629 visits, representing 8450 unique patients. For patient-level analysis, the proportion of patients found to be positive was 0.91%. For visit-level analysis, the proportion of tests with positive results was 0.83%. Of the 910 patients with repeat testing, 7 (0.77%) were identified as positive at a repeat test. The median time between tests was 383 days (range 1–1742).

Conclusions

Results changed little regardless of whether unique patients or unique visits were used as the unit of analysis. Any differences in positive rates were mitigated by the contribution of repeat testing to the identification of newly infected patients. Given these findings, and the difficulty of tracking repeat testing over time, visit-level analysis are appropriate for comparing programme outcomes when detailed modeling of epidemiology, cost, and/or outcomes is not required.
Permanent and transient congenital hypothyroidism in Isfahan–Iran
Authors: Hashemipour Mahin , Hovsepian Silva , Kelishadi Roya , Iranpour Ramin , Hadian Rezvane , Haghighi Sassan , Gharapetian Angineh , Talaei Mojtaba , Amini Massoud
Published: April 2009

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of permanent and transient congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Isfahan, Iran.

Methods

In 256 primarily diagnosed CH patients identified through the neonatal screening programme from May 2002 to February 2005, treatment was discontinued for 4 weeks and T4 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. Permanent or transient CH was determined from the results of the thyroid function tests and the radiologic findings. Patients with TSH levels >6 (mIU/I) were diagnosed with permanent CH.

Results

Results were available from 204 patients, of whom 122 patients were diagnosed with permanent CH (59.8%) (prevalence 1:748 births), and 82 with transient hypothyroidism (prevalence 1:1114). Permanent CH was associated with higher initial TSH levels than transient hypothyroidism (P < 0.05). The most common aetiology of CH was dyshormonogenesis.

Conclusion

The rates of both permanent and transient CH in our study were higher than the comparable worldwide rates. The transient group had low T4 levels, suggesting that iodine contamination should be investigated. The aetiology of CH was also different from that recorded in many other studies.
Interval cancer incidence and episode sensitivity in the Norrbotten Mammography Screening Programme, Sweden
Authors: Bordás Pál , Jonsson Håkan , Nyström Lennarth , Lenner Per
Published: April 2009

Objectives

To estimate the interval cancer incidence, its determinants and the episode sensitivity in the Norrbotten Mammography Screening Programme (NMSP).

Setting

Since 1989, women aged 40–74 years (n = 55,000) have been invited to biennial screening by the NMSP, Norrbotten county, Sweden.

Methods

Data on 1047 invasive breast cancers from six screening rounds of the NMSP (1989–2002) were collected. We estimated the invasive interval cancer rates, rate ratios and the episode sensitivity using the detection and incidence methods. A linear Poisson-model was used to analyse association between interval cancer incidence and sensitivity.

Results

768 screen-detected and 279 interval cancer cases were identified. The rate ratio of interval cancer decreased with age. The 50–59 year age group showed the highest rate ratio (RR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.41–0.65) and the 70–74 year age group the lowest (RR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.15–0.36). The rate ratios for the early (0–12 months) and late (13–24 months) interval cancers were similar (RR = 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.22 and 0.20, 95% CI 0.17–0.24). There was a significantly lower interval cancer incidence in the prevalence round as compared with the incidence rounds. According to the detection method the episode sensitivity increased with age from 57% in the age group 40–49 years to 84% in the age group 70–74 years. The corresponding figures for the incidence method were 50% and 77%, respectively.

Conclusion

Our study showed an interval cancer incidence of 38% and the episode sensitivity of 62–73%, depending on the method of calculation. Our results are of clinically acceptable level and concert with the reference values of the European guidelines.
Caseload of NHS plastic surgeons in Scotland, 2005–2006: analysis of Scottish hospital activity data
Authors: Brewster Colin T , Shoaib Taimur
Published: April 2009

Summary

Objective

To assess the contemporary caseload of NHS plastic surgeons.

Design

Descriptive study.

Setting

Scotland.

Methods

Analysis of routinely collected NHS hospital activity data relating to the financial year 2005–2006.

Main outcome measures

Number of inpatient/day-case episodes and bed-days by principal diagnosis and main operative procedure.

Results

During the study period, 12,844 inpatient and 9439 day-case episodes were recorded in 19,166 patients, accounting for 36,300 bed-days. There were more female patients, especially among middle-age groups. Socioeconomic deprivation was more common than expected (P < 0.0001), especially among younger age groups and male patients. In terms of episodes, the most common categories of diagnosis were neoplasms (28.4%) and injuries, including burns (22.4%). However, injuries accounted for a higher proportion of bed-days (37.3%) than neoplasms (23.8%). Only approximately half of all surgical procedures were assigned to the skin chapter of the OPCS-4 classification.

Conclusions

Despite some limitations, this study provides an insight into the current caseload of NHS plastic surgeons working in Scotland. The data suggest that cosmetic surgery for purely aesthetic reasons represents a relatively small part of NHS plastic surgery activity in Scotland, and that the majority of caseload is in reconstructive plastic surgery.
A Block SPP Algorithm for Multidimensional Tridiagonal Equations with Optimal Message Vector Length
Authors: Guo Hong , Yin Zhao-Hua , Yuan Li
Published: April 2009

A parallel strategy for solving multidimensional tridiagonal equations is investigated in this paper. We present in detail an improved version of single parallel partition (SPP) algorithm in conjunction with message vectorization, which aggregates several communication messages into one to reduce the communication cost. We show the resulting block SPP can achieve good speedup for a wide range of message vector length (MVL), especially when the number of grid points in the divided direction is large. Instead of only using the largest possible MVL, we adopt numerical tests and modeling analysis to determine an optimal MVL so that significant improvement in speedup can be obtained.
Incremental Mining Item Sets Based on H-mine and XML
Authors: Feng Xingjie , Zhang Jing
Published: April 2009

Efficient discovery of association rules in large database is a well studied problem and several approaches have been proposed. However, the previously proposed methods still encounter some performance bottlenecks when mining databases is updated, such as inserted and deleted. In this paper, we propose an incremental updating technique based on H-mine and xml, for the maintenance of association rules when new transaction data is added to a transaction database. A performance evaluation shows that our algorithm is available and scalable.
New Serial and Parallel Algorithms for Finding Convex Hull Based on Clusters, Domains and Directions from Single to Multitude
Authors: Qihai Zhou
Published: April 2009

An Isomorphic Fundamental Theorem of the Convex Hull Construction is given and proved. A representative serial algorithm convex hull with half-dividing and recurrence is commented as compared example. A more efficient new serial algorithm to find a convex hull based on a dynamical maximum base line pitch is given; its general characters are: 1) find out the outside-most points as the initial apexes, 2) divide the original distributed domain of a given 2D point set into four sub-domain at most, 3) construct a current apex with a maximum pitch to its base line in every sub-domain. Another new improved serial convex algorithm based on a minimum lever half line pitch coiling with 4-domains and 4-derections in all sub-domains is advanced; its isomorphic new characteristics are: 1) take a new pattern of 1-clusters, 4-domains and 4-directions, 2) construct a current apex with a minimum pitch from its lever half line in every sub-domain, 3) the computational time for finding a current apex is less. Further, a more efficient new parallel algorithm for finding convex hull based on 2-clusters, 2-domains and 4-directions is created; its isomorphic new characteristics are: 1) take pattern of 2-clusters, 2-domains and 4-directions, 2) have great isomorphic new potentialities to construct a better, newer and more efficient parallel algorithm for finding convex hull with m-Clusters, n-Domains and p-Directions (m > 2, n > 2, p > 2).
Penalty and Smoothing Methods for Convex Semi-Infinite Programming
Authors: Auslender Alfred , Goberna Miguel A. , López Marco A.
Published: April 2009

In this paper we consider min-max convex semi-infinite programming. To solve these problems we introduce a unified framework concerning Remez-type algorithms and integral methods coupled with penalty and smoothing methods. This framework subsumes well-known classical algorithms, but also provides some new methods with interesting properties. Convergence of the primal and dual sequences are proved under minimal assumptions.
Ranald Macdonald and statistical inference
Authors: Smith Philip T.
Published: April 2009

Ranald Roderick Macdonald (1945–2007) was an important contributor to mathematical psychology in the UK, as a referee and action editor for British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology and as a participant and organizer at the British Psychological Society's Mathematics, statistics and computing section meetings. This appreciation argues that his most important contribution was to the foundations of significance testing, where his concern about what information was relevant in interpreting the results of significance tests led him to be a persuasive advocate for the ‘Weak Fisherian’ form of hypothesis testing.
Feasibility of a Method to Quantify Movement-Induced Conformational Changes in the Superficial Femoral and Popliteal (Femoropopliteal) Arterial Tree Using 3-D Angiography
Authors: Klein Andrew J. P. , Messenger John C. , Casserly Ivan P. , Hansgen Adam R. , Carroll John D. , Chen S.-Y. James
Published: April 2009

Endovascular revascularization of the superficial femoral and popliteal (femoropopliteal (FP)) artery is currently plagued by high rates of restenosis and stent fracture. One hypothesis behind these suboptimal clinical results implicates the unique physical forces that are applied to the FP segment during daily leg movement. In an effort to elucidate these forces, we applied angiography-based previously validated three-dimensional (3-D) modeling algorithms to angiograms of a FP artery in a patient with peripheral arterial disease. As the FP is the longest artery in the body, overlapping paired angiographic images of the entire FP artery were required. From these pair of two-dimensional angiographic views, individual 3-D FP segments can be generated. A validated fusion process was then performed in order to join these FP segments to form a complete 3-D FP artery. In order to investigate the effects of motion upon this arterial segment, we performed angiography and subsequent 3-D modeling of the FP artery in both the straight-leg (SL) and crossed-leg (CL) positions. In this paper, the methodology used to generate an in vivo FP artery model from sequentially acquired multiple angiographic images is reviewed. The data set from one patient in the SL and CL positions are used to demonstrate the 3-D modeling and fusion processes followed by the computation of various quantitative estimates in order to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. Inclusive in this technique is an assessment of the twist angle that is induced when the FP artery is moved from the SL to the CL position. The authors also submit the validation results for the method of calculating these twist angles as assessed on a metallic phantom and a computer-simulated arterial tree model.
Sensitivity of Hygrothermal Analysis to Uncertainty in Rain Data
Authors: Cornick Steve , Dalgliesh W. Alan , Maref Wahid
Published: April 2009

This paper describes a small study carried out using a hygrothermal simulation tool to investigate the sensitivity of wall performance results to uncertainty in the amount of rain impinging on the wall. Design standards for hygrothermal analysis of proposed designs include methods for selecting appropriate moisture reference years and specify the amount of water that is assumed to intrude into the wall. Weather data used as input for modeling purposes is generally assumed to be reliable, but recent work has shown that there may be considerable uncertainty in the rainfall data. A small study was carried out to investigate the effect of uncertainty of rainfall data on the hygrothermal performance of a typical residential building envelope. Most hygrothermal models require fully populated hourly datasets, which include rain data. Many locations, however, do not have this kind of data although many have qualitative rain data. Ten locations with rain gage data were chosen as typical of most regions of Canada, except for the far north. Different methods in estimating rainfall were considered as well as variations on the amount of rain data were subsequently made. Several performance criteria, including total moisture content and a mold index, were compared. Although the choice of which method for deriving quantities of water from qualitative codes does cause differences in the hygrothermal response and consequently the performance criteria, these differences appear to be manageable. It is suggested that practitioners should show their awareness of the probable level of uncertainty by stating error bands for their predictions of performance. It should be emphasized that the sources of uncertainty dealt with in this small study are not the only ones, but that they do focus on water entry through leakage paths. The natures of the leakage paths likely introduce greater uncertainty, and should also be borne in mind.
Evolution of Quench Factor Analysis: A Review
Authors: Kavalco Patricia Mariane , Canale Lauralice C. F.
Published: April 2009

One of the steps of the heat treatment process of age hardenable aluminum alloys is the quenching process in which the alloy is cooled from the solutionizing temperature. The objective is to quench sufficiently fast to avoid undesirable concentration of alloying elements in the defect and grain boundary structure, while at the same time not quenching faster than necessary to minimize residual stresses, which may lead to excessive distortion or cracking. Various studies have been conducted to predict the relative quench rate sensitivity to yield different properties for age-hardenable alloys. Of these different predictive methods, the one that showed the more realistic results is quench factor analysis since it involves a correlation of the cooling curve (time-temperature curve) of the cooling process throughout the quenching cycle for the desired cross-section size of interest with a C-curve (time-temperature-property curve) for the specific alloy of interest. The quench factor analysis numerical procedure has evolved since its original introduction. A review of the basic assumptions of the classical quench factor analysis model will be provided here which will include discussion of the various improvements to the classical model that have been proposed over the intervening years since its introduction.
Ein Adaptiver Regler zur Einstellung der Abzugsreinheiten von SMB-AnlagenAn Adaptive Controller to Regulate the Drain Purities of SMB-plants
Authors: Fütterer Marco
Published: April 2009

Die Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Technologie ist ein bedeutender Trennprozess in der Verfahrenstechnik. Chromatographische Säulen werden zu einem Ring verschaltet und die Zu- und Abflüsse zyklisch so verändert, dass eine kontinuierliche Trennung eines binären Stoffgemisches möglich ist. Der Prozess reagiert empfindlich gegenüber Parameterunsicherheiten und Störungen in den Volumenströmen. Aus diesem Grund wird ein adaptiver Regler vorgeschlagen, welcher für die gewünschten Abzugsreinheiten die notwendigen Stellgrößen automatisch ermittelt. Dieser Regler basiert auf einem einfachen Modell für die Bewegung der Fußpunkte der Konzentrationsfronten und ist wegen seiner relativ einfachen Struktur speziell für den industriellen Einsatz geeignet.
Internal Model Control zur Regelung der Bandplanheit in KaltwalzwerkenInternal Model Control for Strip Flatness Control in Cold Rolling Mills
Authors: Jelali Mohieddine , Wolff Andreas , Sonnenschein Detlef
Published: April 2009

Die Bandplanheit stellt eines der wichtigsten Qualitätsmerkmale der gewalzten Erzeugnisse (Grobblech, Band und Folie), die in vielen Industriezweigen wie der Auto-mobil-, Bau-, Haushalts- und Verpackungsindustrie benötigt werden, dar. Beim betrachteten Walzprozess handelt es sich um ein totzeitbehaftetes und zum Teil stark gestörtes Mehrgrößensystem, was eine geeignete Regelungsstrategie erfordert. Dieser Beitrag berichtet erstmalig über die Entwurfsmethodik und Betriebsergebnisse beim Einsatz einer Internal-Model-Control(IMC)-Strategie zur Regelung der Bandplanheit in einer Kaltwalztandemstraße auf einem industriellen Prozessleitsystem. Eine orthogonale Polynomzerlegung des Planheitsfehlerprofils führt zu einer Dimensionsreduzierung und einer Entkopplung des Mehrgrößensystems. Störgrößenaufschaltungen sorgen für eine frühzeitige Kompensation der Wirkung von Störgrößen (Einlaufprofil- und Walzkraftschwankungen) in den vorderen Walzgerüsten. Die Anpassung der Reglerparameter an die sich verändernden Band- und Anlageneigenschaften erfolgt durch Gain-Scheduling.
Improved estimation for elliptically symmetric distributions with unknown block diagonal covariance matrix
Authors: Fourdrinier Dominique , Strawderman William E. , Wells Martin T.
Published: April 2009

LetX, U1, …,Un-1benrandom vectors in ℝpwith joint density of the formf((X - θ)´∑-1(X - θ) +∑n-1j= 1U´j∑-1Uj) where bothθ∈ℝpand ∑ are unknown, the scale matrix ∑ being supposed structured as a diagonal matrix, that is, ∑= diag(∑1, …,∑b) where, for 1 ≤i≤b, ∑iis api×pimatrix and ∑i= 1bpi= p. We consider the problem of the estimation ofθwith the invariant loss(δ - θ)´∑-1(δ - θ)and propose estimators which dominate the usual estimatorδ0(X) = X. These domination results hold simultaneously for the entire class of such distributions. The proof uses a generalization of integration by parts formulae by Stein and Haff. We also consider estimating ∑ underLS(∑^,∑) =tr(∑^∑-1) - log |∑^∑-1| -pand propose estimators that dominate the unbiased estimator ∑^UB= diag(S1, …,Sb)/(n- 1), whereSi= ∑j= 1n- 1UijU´ijand dimUji=pi, for 1 ≤i≤band 1 ≤j≤n- 1. The subsequent development of expressions is analogous to the unbiased estimators of risk technique and, in fact, reduces to an unbiased estimator of risk in the normal case.
Tendências da epidemia de AIDS entre subgrupos sob maior risco no Brasil, 1980-2004
Authors: Barbosa Júnior Aristides , Szwarcwald Célia Landmann , Pascom Ana Roberta Pati , Souza Júnior Paulo Borges de
Published: April 2009

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar as tendências da epidemia de AIDS em grupos populacionais sob maior risco no Brasil. A técnica de análise discriminante foi utilizada para reclassificação dos casos masculinos com categoria de exposição ignorada em um dos três grupos homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH), usuários de drogas injetáveis (UDI) ou heterossexuais. Foram estimadas as taxas de incidência de AIDS por sexo e categoria de exposição no período 1980-2004. No período 1980-1988, os casos homossexuais ou bissexuais masculinos correspondiam a 63,6% dos casos, e a proporção de mulheres era de 10%. Posteriormente, há um decréscimo importante no papel desempenhado pelos HSH e ocorre um acréscimo nas outras categorias de exposição. Apesar das tendências de decréscimo para as incidências de casos HSH e UDI e acréscimo entre os heterossexuais masculinos e as mulheres, quando as taxas de incidência são comparadas o risco é maior entre os HSH e UDI. A análise da dinâmica da epidemia de AIDS no Brasil mostra a importância dos grupos HSH e UDI masculinos enquanto grupos de risco diferenciado.
The HER-2 Receptor and Breast Cancer: Ten Years of Targeted Anti–HER-2 Therapy and Personalized Medicine
Authors: Ross Jeffrey S. , Slodkowska Elzbieta A. , Symmans W. Fraser , Pusztai Lajos , Ravdin Peter M. , Hortobagyi Gabriel N.
Published: April 2009

Learning Objectives

Contrast the current strengths and limitations of the three main slide-based techniques (IHC, FISH, and CISH) currently in clinical use for testing breast cancer tissues for HER-2 status. Compare the efficacy of trastuzumab- and lapatinib-based regimens in the adjuvant and metastatic settings as reported in published clinical trials and regulatory approval databases. Contrast the list of biomarkers that have been associated with clinical resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib and describe their current level of validation.

This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com.